Manila Standard - 2016 November 13 - Sunday by Manila Standard

DOJ READY TO SUMMON LEILA ET AL VOL. XXX • NO. 274 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

THAT TIME OF YEAR. The Bonifacio Global City in Taguig has begun to lighten up with colorful decor adorning light posts across the city as the country prepared to celebrate the Christmas season. Sonny Espiritu

RODY THREATENS TO SUSPEND WRIT

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

LTHOUGH the country is still officially under a state of lawless violence declared in September after the Davao City night market bombing, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to suspend the writ of habeas corpus if violence in Mindanao does not stop.

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“There is a rebellion being waged down in Mindanao and if this lawlessness continues to spread, I might be forced to,” Duterte said at the launch of Pilipinong May Puso Foundation which was created as a memorial to her activist-mother Soledad “Nanay Soleng” Roa-Duterte. “I don’t want to, I don’t want to,” Duterte said. “I am just warning them. If you force me, I will declare the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.” It was not clear who Duterte was referring to but he made the remark after he arrived from an unannounced trip from “the mountains” where he was slowed down by rain. “I am very, very late because I had to go to a place where we had a hard time going down. It was raining very hard in the mountains and we could not make it on time,” he said at the start of his speech. Duterte stressed that he would suspend the writ only if he has no other remedy and

repeated his earlier assurance that he did not intend to declare martial law. “Not martial law because I have no political plans. It’s only because I have no remedy,’’ he told his audience which included former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. “I will declare a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. I will pick them all up. I’ll bring them to Samar and I will dig a hole in the middle of Samar so they are all together,” Duterte said without explaining what he meant. After the launch, Duterte attended the wake of his friends, Judge Dory Avisado and engineer Apolinar Gaite, at a Davao City funeral home around dawn Saturday. Last Sept. 5, Duterte declared the country under a state of lawless violence based on Article VII Section 18 of the Constitution which empowers him to “call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion” if necessary.

JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Saturday he will issue subpoenas to Senator Leila de Lima and other personalities next week over their alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking from the New Bilibid Prison. “We will issue the subpoenas next week,” Aguirre said after he ordered government lawyers to consolidate the complaints filed by jail inmate Jaybee Sebastian, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and former National Bureau of Investigation officials Ruel Lasala and Reynaldo Esmeralda. The subpoenas will direct De Lima and the other respondents to attend the preliminary investigation on the four complaints being handled by a five-man panel of prosecutors, Aguirre said. The panel includes Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, Senior Assistant City Prosecutors Alexander Ramos, Leila Llanes and Evangeline Viudez-Canobas and Assistant State Prosecutor Editha Fernandez. Aguirre said De Lima, a former Justice secretary, and her co-respondents can choose to ignore the preliminary investigation but that would mean they are waiving their right to controvert the charges against them. Aside from De Lima, other respondents are former Justice undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu, former BuCor officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, De Lima’s former security aides Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, and several inmates like Herbert Colanggo, Peter Co and Jojo Baligad. De Lima has repeatedly denied allegations that she tolerated drug syndicates inside the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City in exchange for funds for her 2016 election campaign.

LAWMEN OFF TO GET KERWIN FROM UAE JAIL By Joel Zurbano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered lawmen to safely return suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, son of slain Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, so he could validate the sworn statement his father had given to the authorities before he was slain inside his jail cell in Baybay City in Leyte. “Kerwin has the list. I hope he comes back alive [because] his father is dead,” Duterte said at the launching of Pilipinong May Puso Foundation Inc. in Davao City late Friday. Duterte issued the order on the eve of the departure of government agents on Sunday to fetch Kerwin from the United Arab Emirates where he was arrested last October 17 after months of hiding. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre had earlier said Kerwin has expressed willingness to testify about the involvement of 226 Turn Turn to to A2 A2

OBAMA CALLS OFF LOBBY FOR TPP TREATY PASSAGE

WINNER. Chanteuse Sarah Geronimo holds the Asian Performance trophy she won at the Classic Rock Awards 2016 in Tokyo. Sarah sang ‘Anak’ at the awarding ceremony hosted by Dave Mustaine of Megadeath.

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TOKYO—Japan’s lower house of parliament has passed the contentious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal despite the announcement of US President Barack Obama that he will no longer pursue the treaty’s passage in the US Congress. The Obama administration suspended its congressional lobby, saying that the TPP’s fate is up to US President-elect Donald Trump and Republican politicians. Administration officials also said Obama will try to explain the situation to leaders of the 11 other countries in the TransPacific Partnership pact next week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru. Obama had earlier championed the 12-nation deal saying it would enable the United States to set the global trade agenda in the face of China’s increasing economic clout. But Trump has strongly opposed the deal, casting a huge shadow over its future. Besides Japan and the US, the TPP includes 10 other countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. If it came into full force it would account for an enormous 40 percent of the global economy. The TPP is seen as a counterweight to China, as Beijing expands its sphere of influence and promotes its own way of Turn to A2 facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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STILL COSTLY. A market vendor at the Commonwealth Market in Quezon City entices a customer to buy vegetables whose prices have increased significantly because of Typhoon ‘Lawin’ last month. Manny Palmero

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PUBLIC WARNED VS UNSAFE XMAS DECOR

‘EXPERTS SHOULD OK BNPP REHAB’

By Joel E. Zurbano

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Ecowaste Coalition urged the government to take action against the proliferation of unsafe and substandard Christmas lights and lighting chains being sold in public markets all over Metro Manila. “We remind consumers to be extra vigilant in buying seasonal items such as Christmas lights as some of these products have not undergone safety evaluation and may cause electric shock, fire and chemical exposure,” said Ecowaste Project Protect coordinator Thony Dizon. “For the safety of your family and the environment, please do invoke your right to be protected against harmful and poor quality products, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, all the time,” he emphasized. Section 9 of Article XVI of the Constitution declares: “The State shall protect consumers from trade malpractices and from substandard or hazardous products.” Pursuant to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) Product Certification Scheme, importers of Christmas lights are required to obtain an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificate before putting their products for sale in the domestic market. The BPS last September 2, 2016 also issued Memorandum Circular 16-04 reminding importers that “to ensure that all Christmas lights/lighting chains are affixed with the appropriate ICC stickers or Philippine Standard certification mark before distribution in the local market.” Early this month, the group purchased Christmas lights from street and mall vendors in Divisoria to check if holiday lighting products conform with the regulatory requirements. Out of the nine samples of Christmas lights bought for P50 to P250 per set, none had a valid ICC hologram sticker. Two of these products are included in the list of valid ICC certificates and stickers for Christmas lights issued by the DTI as of October 6, 2016 and could be counterfeit goods. None of the products gave information about their importers or distributors, which is important, especially if the consumer is to file a complaint and seek redress. Out of nine samples, three indicated voltage and wattage specifications, and four gave instructions for safe use. Furthermore, Ecowaste revealed that eight samples contained lead above the 1,000 parts per million (ppm) limit under the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

HE green light to rehabilitate the Bataan nuclear power plant must come from scientists, based on an unassailable study whose conclusion is that a dead plant can be safely resurrected beyond reasonable doubt. “It should be a science-based decision, and not because someone has a light bulb moment and then immediately orders that the plant be switched on,” Recto said in a statement. “There is also the question of economics. Will it be cheaper in the long run? How much would taxpayers shoulder? How much in contingent liabilities will be guaranteed by the government?” he added.

OBAMA... From A1 doing business—seen as often running counter to largely Western-set global standards that emphasize transparency and respect for human rights and the environment. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made the TPP a pillar of his economic platform to revive the nation’s key exports sector. But experts say that with Trump’s election the deal is a non-starter. “Japan’s hopes for the TPP (are) dead and buried,” Marcel Thieliant, economist at Capital Economics, said in a note. “The upshot is that the longterm losses for Japan from the TPP not coming into force are substantial.” Trump says he is in favor of free trade but that existing deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico, have not been fairly negotiated and don’t serve US interests. The White House has warned that failure to approve TPP would put billions of dollars in US exports at risk to competition from China. AFP

The decision to rehabilitate the plant must also be viewed within the context of the country’s energy needs. The forecast is that by 2030, we must have 30,189 MW of dependable capacity, up from the current 17,925 MW, Recto said. To bridge the gap, about 6,178 MW have been committed, and more tenders are forthcoming. Are the committed projects and indigenous sources already enough to bridge the projected gap?

The government must also disclose the regulatory, independent review and accreditation process that will be followed. This is not a rice mill which can be given a license to operate perfunctorily. As recommended by an eightperson International Atomic Energy Agency panel in 2008, the technical evaluation must be done by a group of nuclear power experts. The reported Korean seller of the equipment should never be allowed to certify its own product. Lastly, government should encourage experts to share their views on the issue. There should be no blackout on informed discussion. A party-list lawmaker also opposed the plan of the Duterte administration to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, citing the dangers of opening the moth-

balled project. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said “the risks to the safety, health, livelihoods of millions of Filipinos is not worth” with the revival of the BNPP. Villarin made the statement in reaction to reports saying Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has been given the green signal to start plans to rehabilitate the facility. “Countries with more advanced technologies like Japan and Germany are already shunning nuclear energy,” he added. “To buck the trend is to deny the reality that we do not have the capacity to manage this source of energy,” Villarin said. “We cannot even regulate coal and fuel properly,” noted the Akbayan solon. “What is the DOE’s basis to say we can operate the BNPP and ensure the safety of our citizens?”

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE. President Rodrigo Duterte smiles as he looks at the child of a supporter during a wake for a friend in Davao City before dawn Saturday. Malacañang Photo

LAWMEN...

From A1

national and local officials in the narcotics trade as claimed by his father in a sworn statement submitted to the authorities. But the value of the affidavit was subsequently questioned after the Alburea mayor was killed in the jailhouse by policemen who were purportedly out to serve a warrant against Rolando at dawn in the jailhouse. The police claimed the mayor was killed because he attempted to resist the police. The NBI, an attached agency under the DoJ, has already started conducting a parallel investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mayor Espinosa’s death. However, Aguirre said Kerwin wants to apply for protection under the government’s Witness Protection Program but his affidavit will have to be evaluated to determine if he is qualified to enter the program. Aguirre said the government needs to be extra careful in securing Kerwin after his father was killed inside the jail last Nov. 5. “That’s a lesson learned for us. That’s why we are considering placing Kerwin under WPP,” he said. “Once he arrives, he will be brought to the PNP custodial center first before he could be turned over with his sworn statement to WPP custody,” Aguirre said.

LOOK TO EUROPE, ENVOY TELLS PINOYS By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE ambassador of European Union on Saturday called on Filipinos to study in Europe to expand their horizons and academic endeavors. EU ambassador Franz Jessen encouraged Filipinos planning graduate studies to consider colleges and universities from 10 European countries represented in the ongoing European Higher Education Fair at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati City “EHEF will pave the way for Filipino students to experience these diversified and high quality programmes,” Jessen explained during a press conference as the EU formally opened the European Higher Education Fair at Fairmont Hotel this week. “EHEF is not just a gateway between students and the universities but a means to strengthen higher education collaboration between the EU and the Philip-

pines,” he added. In an interview, one of the more than 300 scholars of Erasmus, Hans Kevin Madanguit said Filipinos excel when studying or working abroad. Madanguit who got a scholarship studied in France, said that it is good to make the youth be aware of such opportunities like this to enhance further their skills. “Filipinos are competitive among other foreign students,” Madanguit said. “Even my professor asked me are you going to stay in Europe? I will hire you.” He SAID Filipinos always stand out when being mixed or interacted with other foreign students. “It’s good if Filipinos should start applying in this kind of programs and opportunities so they may realized that being a Filipino is something to be proud of,” he added. “Whatever mistake you make, you are always carrying the Philippine flag. To tell you honestly, we are up there.”

Jessen said EU universities offer a multitude of academic programs and degrees, supported by their strong emphasis on cutting edge innovation, are ideal for Filipinos wanting to undertake their academic endeavors. Ambassadors from Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, France, Denmark, The Netherlands and United Kingdom briefed reporters on what courses they cater to entice interested brilliant students. Among the courses offered by participating EU members are ecology, agriculture, human resource development, international studies, engineering, journalism, film making, food technology, trade and commerce, agrarian studies, water management, economics, and science and technology, among others. Jessen pointed out that studying in the EU is now more attainable than ever before, with various study opportunities.

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MMDA CRACKS DOWN ON TRAFFIC VIOLATORS T By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Metro Manila Development Authority has started implementing the close-door policy for public utility buses to further improve the traffic situation on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

Violators, according to MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos, will be penalized with P1,000 and the vehicles will be impounded. The MMDA is also considering imposing the same fine on passengers who will be caught riding the bus outside the designated bus stop. “I think we have cleaned our enforcement. We mean business. We mean what we say that we will enforce the law,” said Orbos. MMDA traffic enforcers also bear placards along Edsa reminding bus drivers of the revived scheme.

In 1991, the MMDA enacted Ordinance No. 18 to regulate the use of selected bus stops along Edsa and other major bus routes in Metro Manila. The ordinance provides that “doors of moving buses shall remain closed in between designated stops to avoid loading and unloading of passengers.” It stated that most of the drivers blatantly violate the same thus impeding the smooth flow of traffic and sometimes causing road accidents. Section 1 of the Ordinance also

stated “Doors of Moving Buses” must at all times be properly maintained and in good physical condition. For buses with only one door which are mechanically and electrically operated, the driver must see to it that it is kept closed except in specified loading and unloading zones. For buses with two doors, the front door must be controlled/ operated by the driver and the back door must be controlled by the conductor to ensure that these are kept closed in between designated bus stops. Owners of buses with physical defects will be penalized. The MMDA is deploying additional 200 personnel to augment the 300-man force managing the traffic flow along Edsa following the pullout of personnel of the Police-Highway Patrol Group and turn over the

traffic control of the 23.8 kilometers to the MMDA. It is also fully implementing the Anti-Jaywalking policy after observing that undisciplined pedestrians openly disregard pedestrian lanes and warning signage. Violators will be slapped with a P500 fine. Instead of risking their lives crossing the street, the MMDA urged the public to use footbridges. At least 100 footbridges had been built around Metro Manila. More than half were constructed by the MMDA, while the rest were built by the local government units. “Everyday we do our best. What I am telling to our people is let us just do what we could everyday. There’s no time even to listen to criticisms. Let’s still go back with what we are supposed to do. We need to do our part to maintain it, not because that we have it,” said Orbos.

STRICTER MOTORCYCLE RULES. A traffic enforcer of the Metro Manla Development Authority monitors motorcycles passing through Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City after the agency announced it will strictly enforce motorcycle traffic rules on main thoroughfares. Manny Palmero

BICOL LAWMAKER PRESSES TRAFFIC POWERS FOR RODY By Maricel V. Cruz A NEOPHYTE lawmaker on Saturday stressed the need for Congress to grant the emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte in a bid to address the traffic woes in Metro Manila. Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said accelerating spending on bigticket infrastructure projects, such as airports and seaports, has now become imperative given the urgent need to decongest Mega Manila’s crowded thoroughfares and realize the Duterte administration’s goal of dispersing wealth to the countryside. Villafuerte said Duterte will need emergency powers to immediately implement his proposed Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act to save the Greater Metro Manila area from being

almost inhabitable as a result of the worsening traffic mess on Edsa and other major roads. “The grant of emergency powers to the President would speed up the implementation of infra projects by, among others, freeing these from red tape and the usual delays in right-ofway and land acquisitions,” Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said. “The Congress should back the grant of these powers to the President in dealing with the traffic crisis as it would not only decongest Mega Manila and other highly urbanized areas, but also disperse wealth to the regions once the planned seaports and airports under the Traffic Plan become operational,” Villafuerte added. Villafuerte issued the statement in reference to a bill submitted by

DESIGNER OF MISSILE FRIGATES BECOMES NAVY FLAG OFFICER VICE Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado, the naval officer who headed the technical working group which came out with the design specifications of the country’s first-ever missile firing frigates, is now acting Philippine Navy flag-officer-in-command. Mercado assumed leadership of the Navy after Vice Admiral Caesar Taccad, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982, formally retired from the service Saturday, a day before his 56th birthday which is the mandatory retirement age for all military personnel. The final design of the PN’s missilefiring frigates includes a capability to conduct air-to-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and electronic warfare. The contract was won by Hyundai Heavy Industries after it submitted a bid of $336.9 million, or about P15.74 billion. The project has a budget of P18

billion, with P2 billion allocated for the weapon systems and munitions. Retirement and change-ofcommand ceremonies took place at the Sailor Heroes’ Memorial, Naval Base Heracleo Alano at Sangley Point in Cavite City. Outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya graced the event and handed the PN flag to Mercado who is now concurrently holding two positions as acting Navy chief and Western Command head. “The Philippine Navy will continue to focus on the development and sustainment of Fleet and Marine forces for operations,” the acting PN chief said. Mercado has been in the active military service for 37 years now. He is a member of PMA Class of 1983. He held various positions of major responsibility before taking the helm as the Navy chief. PNA

the Department of Transportation to Congress seeking the grant of emergency powers to the President for up to three years, along with a list of some P1.2 trillion worth of land, sea, and air projects to enable him to deal with the worsening traffic crisis in Metro Manila and other highly populated and urbanized cities in the country. The DOTr-proposed Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act recognizes that “[t]he traffic and congestion crisis in Greater Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities and areas in the country have assumed the nature and magnitude of a national emergency.” Villafuerte cited a recent report by the Philippine Statistics Authority showing that the country’s population density increased further by 9.4 percent last year with about 337 persons per square kilometer.

He said these figures show that the country’s population density is growing at an alarming rate, with the number of people living in each unit of area increasing by 29 people per square kilometer in just 5 years from the 308 persons per square kilometer in 2010. “The most densely populated is Metro Manila with close to 20,000 persons per square kilometer because people usually flock to highly urbanized areas in search of better job opportunities,” he said. “If we can build more airports and seaports in the regions, then we can encourage more investments to relocate in the provinces,” he said. “People wouldn’t have to crowd highly populated areas like Metro Manila because the better, decent paying jobs are already within their reach in their localities.”

CHRISTMAS AT THE GRAND OLD DAME.

The Christmas season was officially launched at the Manila Hotel on Friday night with hotel and tourism officials lighting the Christmas tree of the hotel that has been known as the Grand Old Dame of Manila hotels. The kickoff was led by (from left) Tourism Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre, hotel assistant vice president for communication Nian Liwanag Rigor, Ms. World Philippines Catriona Gray, Manila Hotel president Joey Lina and Tourism Undersecretary Falconi Millar. Lino Santos

SOLONS SUPPORT OFW DEPT PROPOSAL LAWMAKERS pushed for the passage of a measure creating a Department for Overseas Filipino Workers which will provide prompt, immediate and effective response to the problems and needs of OFWs here and abroad. This as the House committees on government reorganization and on overseas workers affairs approved the creation of a technical working group that shall consolidate six proposals to establish a DOFW. Rep. Virgilio Lacson, vice chairman of the committee on government reorganization, stressed the need for Congress to pass a measure that shall create a single entity which will address the concerns of Filipino workers around the globe. “The DOFW creation aims to promote the overall welfare, rights and needs of OFWs, which is a fitting recognition of the significant contribution of OFWs to national economic progress,” Lacson said. Buhay party-list Rep. Mariano Michael Velarde, chairman of the committee on overseas workers affairs, identified certain issues which need to be considered prior to the consolidation of the bills. Velarde said these include: a provision in Repubic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers Act, stating that while the State recognizes the significant contribution of Filipino migrant workers to the economy, it does not promote overseas employment as a means to sustain economic growth and achieve national development; the source of appropriation for a newly created department should be identified; the fate of the present agencies tasked to look after the welfare of the OFWs; and the status of RA 10801, or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Charter. Pangasinan Rep. Rose Marie Arenas, one of the authors of the bill, agreed with Velarde, saying it is about time to create the DOFW that will take full charge of the deployment and repatriation of OFWs, when the need arises. “There should be one agency which will be made accountable to the OFWs and their families,” said Arenas. Based on the December 2013 report of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Arenas said there are 10 million Filipinos residing overseas. “There is an urgent need for a single agency that can provide a comprehensive and consolidated approach to protect their rights and interests,” said Arenas. Arenas also cited a Bangko Sentral report showing that OFWs’ remittances in 2015 alone hit more than P1 trillion, or one-third of the total budget for 2016. “This has spared the country’s economy time and again from the harsh global economic meltdown experienced in recent years,” she said. Maricel V. Cruz

IRAQI MAN SETS PINAY WOMAN AFIRE OVER KID TOKYO—A man set a woman on fire following an argument in a restaurant in Japan, local media reported Saturday, in a rare act of violence in the country. The 52-year-old Iranian man was seen pouring liquid over his 36-yearold Filipina girlfriend before setting her alight at the eatery in Ibaraki prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Friday, reports cited police as saying. Workers at the restaurant called an ambulance, saying: “People are burning.” The couple was taken to hospital with severe burns and both remain unconscious, public broadcaster NHK said. There were several customers inside the restaurant at the time of the incident, but no one else was injured, the reports said. Police are treating the case as attempted murder. The man and woman were earlier advised by police to stay away from each other following a dispute involving their child, Kyodo News reported. AFP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Francis S. Lagniton, Issue Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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‘DIGONG HEALTHY DESPITE MIGRAINE’ By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

By Joel E. Zurbano MAYOR Abigail Binay on Saturday ordered the Makati City police to fully investigate the incident involving a purportedly bipolar woman who wildly drove her yellow car, hitting people and vehicles at Rockwell Center Friday night. “Mayor Abby has ordered the chief of police to submit a thorough incident report on the matter to allay the fears of the public,” said lawyer Michael Arthur Camina, city chief legal officer and spokesperson of Binay. While the people hit in the incident supposedly agreed to a monetary settlement for their injuries, Camina said the mayor instructed the Department of Engineering and Public Works to assess if there is damage to public property. As of Saturday, no charges has been filed by the Makati City Police against Jamie Camille Lee Brojan, the driver of the Kia Picanto involved in a melee with security personnel of the compound. Parents of the 28-year-old Brojan, a resident of San Juan City, claimed their daughter is bipolar. A video of the incident uploaded on Facebook went viral and got more than 20,000 shares. It shows the car hitting other vehicles, motorcycles and people in an attempt to flee Rockwell security officers, who caught up to her after a brief chase. ABS-CBN news reports that Brojan was only flagged down by Rockwell security personnel due to illegal parking. The woman also claimed that she panicked after she was chased and mobbed by Rockwell marshals.

TRESSING there is nothing seriously wrong with the health of President Rodrigo Duterte, a Palace official felt the need to explain that long working hours and many overseas trips have taken their toll on the Chief Executive’s health. “The long hours and endless trips must be taking their toll on the President,” said Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. Andanar said Duterte is “fit and healthy” enough to perform his job as President of the Philippines but “like any other human being, the President also needs to rest.” Being the oldest man to be elected president, the health of the 71-year-old Duterte has frequently been a favorite topic among supporters and critics alike. During the yearly Association of the Southeast Asian Nation Summit in August, Duterte failed to attend the forum because he was “not feeling well” or suffering from migraine. Over the weekend, he again claimed migraine as the cause for skipping a town hall meeting in Davao City. But while he was initially sensitive to questions about his health, Duterte himself appears to have accepted that his health is a matter of public interest. During his previous speeches and interviews, Duterte admitted that he had Barrett’s esophagus. He has also said he was suffering from Buerger’s disease. He also said he had a slipped disc after a motorcycle accident 10 years ago. Duterte was also diagnosed with acute bronchitis during the 90-day campaign period. “At this point in time, I am 71. Don’t ask me if I’m sick. Every 71-year-old in this world is sick [of one thing or another],” Duterte said at the regional convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Manila. But his media minders were quick to qualify the President’s remarks with Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella saying there is nothing seriously wrong with Duterte’s health and that he is only prone to migraine headaches. “He is fine,” Abella said, adding that Duterte has had eight official trips abroad since he became president. His first trip was in August for the annual Asean Summit in Laos, followed by China and Japan in October. This month, he had a two-day trip to Thailand and Malaysia. Next week, he is expected to attend the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru although the Palace had said he may not attend the summit.

BINAY PROBES BALLISTIC BIPOLAR

Mayor Abigail Binay

LOVE CONQUERS ALL. A pair of pigeons show a little public display of affection at a branch adorned with rosaries at the St. Padre Pio Church in Libis, Quezon City. Sonny Espiritu

POLL LISTUP RESET IN TYPHOON AREAS By Vito Barcelo

COLORFUL UNDERGROUND. Pedestrians rush by recently completed ceiling murals at an underpass on Ayala Avenue in Makati City. Sonny Espiritu

THE Commission on Elections has reset the registration of voters in areas devastated by Typhoon “Lawin” in Northen Luzon because of the lack of electricity and damage to infrastructures. The Comelec reset the listup of voters in the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Cagayan and Isabela to Nov. 14, 2016. The Comelec will also allocate P135,853.60 for the deployment of 100 generator sets and purchase of gasoline for 109 field offices without power supply. Nineteen field offices were also reported to have damaged or defective Voter Registration Machines (VRMs) and Voter Registration Systems (VRS). The continuing voter’s registration resumed on Nov 7. and will run until April 29. Around two million addition-

al voters for the Sangguniang Kabataan elections and three million voters for the barangay elections are expected to register. Meanwhile, the term of office of incumbent barangay officials will be extended under R.A. 10923 or An Act Postponing the October 2016 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. The Comelec said incumbent barangay officials will remain in office on a hold-over capacity until their successors are duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed or suspended for cause. The term of office of barangay and SK officials who will be elected during the October 2017 elections will begin at noon of Nov. 30, 2017. The Comelec is expecting additional three million voters for the barangay elections and two million for the SK elections to register during the continuing voter’s registration which resumed November 7.

ENOUGH TROOPS FOR FM BURIAL

THE Philippine Army has more than sufficient troops to secure the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said on Saturday. When asked whether the Army has increased security in the heroes’ cemetery in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling allowing the interment of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos at the LNMB, Hao said they have more than enough troops, though he did not cite exact figures. Militant groups have threatened to conduct lightning protest actions at the LNMB should the former president be interred there. As this develops, Hao said no final date has been set yet for Marcos’ burial in the cemetery. “[As the designated protocol officer], I coordinated with the Marcos family and I asked them whether they have any concern we need to address, [and for the moment], they said they have none and they are still waiting for the final coordination on the date [of the former president’s burial],” he said in Filipino. Hao earlier said the Army is ready to provide Marcos with military honors befitting his rank as former president. PNA

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE

THE CROCHETED HILLARY BLANKET: FIBER ARTS AS WOMEN’S ACTIVISM

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

ONE of the more amazing artifacts to come out of the recent United States general election was a gigantic PeptoBismol pink blanket depicting Hillary Clinton’s face, entirely hand-crocheted and draped across a billboard on a New Jersey highway. The portrait of the erstwhile US presidential candidate was stitched in black and white, and the accompanying text read: “#I’mWithHer.” The artwork consisting of 94,880 stitches was created by PolishAmerican artist Olek with the help of 38 volunteers as a show of support for Clinton. There are other fiber artworks on the internet that have similar purposes and sentiments: cross-stitched Hillary campaign logos (the blue H with a red arrow as the bar), an embroidered “A woman’s place is in the White House,” and depictions of a blonde woman in a blue pantsuit created entirely in thread. (Fiber artworks about Donald Trump are, in general, rather more negative.) For a millenia, textile crafts— spinning and weaving, embroidery, knitting and crochet—were performed by women and thus identified as women’s work. The purpose was at first functional—to make clothes and house linen such as sheets—then decorative—to decorate the clothes and sheets made. In her book “Woman’s Work, The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times” (1994) Elizabeth Wayland Barber refers to Judith Brown’s theory on why these skills became the near-exclusive province of women—it was linked to child-bearing. Because only females can breastfeed, they could not perform chores that took them away from the house for long periods. In order to be productive while caring for children, they had to occupy themselves with work. To avoid risking the safety of the children, the work had to be the kind that was simple, repetitive and not likely to require much concentration, easily interruptible and just as easily resumed—among them sewing, spinning, and cooking. As society developed social hierarchies, in some cultures the women of the upper classes, who had servants to do the common housework, spent their considerable leisure time doing fancy needlework. They created not only embellished clothing and linen, but also wall hangings that depicted scenes real and imaginary, with the most famous being the Bayeux Tapestry—artworks, in other words. Female servants or needle workers did the plain sewing. Sewing and other fiber crafts became strongly identified with women. But because these domestic activities did not generate profit, men undervalued and marginalized them. With changing tastes and technologies in modern times, women no longer need to make their own clothes. This development, as well as the rise of feminism, have encouraged women to deliberately reclaim and practice the traditional arts to express their personal, ideological, and political views. In fact, as in the case of Olek’s Hillary blanket, fiber arts has long been used to support a cause or candidate or advocate an action, an

he Philippine National Police is not exactly in the best of places now.

Controversy has hounded the police organization for a long time. In recent memory, there was Mamasapano. Allegations that some members of the PNP are involved in criminal syndicates or are not screened properly for any sign of mental imbalance. And with the entry of the Duterte administration, supposed extra-legal operations where suspected drug users or drug pushers are arrested because of planted evidence, or alleged resistance to arrest. Just last week, we were dumbstruck at how a detained drug suspect, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, was shot dead in his cell at the sub-provincial police station. That police officers were called to the Senate to give their own account of the fantastic incident did not help allay our fears that we were not necessarily safer with this present batch of cops. And while all the attention was in Leyte, in the mysterious death of the mayor who may have known too much, the head of the PNP was nowhere near here. Director General Ronald dela Rosa was instead in the United States, providing moral support to boxing icon—incidentally, also senator—Emmanuel Pacquiao from his front-row seat to the event. Dela Rosa came home a few days later, as part of the Pacquiao entourage.

At the airport he appeared uneasy, as though he were trying to make himself inconspicuous. It was impossible he did not realize the gravity of what just happened in Leyte, especially in relation to the government’s war against drugs but also the questions on human rights violations. But he chose to stay and enjoy the match—and some other perks from the pugilist-senator. Dela Rosa has admitted Pacquiao took care of his and his family’s airfare, accommodations, even some allowance. Now he is home to take the heat, and rightly so. It is inconceivable that Dela Rosa, for his position, would be blissfully ignorant of anti-graft laws. He has no excuse whatsoever, and he has to answer painful questions. Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales will look into whether Dela Rosa could be liable for graft for accepting Pacquiao’s treat. The PNP already has a lot on its plate, and it has yet to show the people it is their protector above anything else. What on earth was the chief thinking — if he ever did so, at all?

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A MESSAGE TO GIRLS LONG STORY SHORT ADELLE CHUA

MANY thought former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would become the first female president of the United States. Despite having her own set of controversies, the former first lady was seen as the superior choice over her rival, billionaire businessman Donald Trump. The debates held in the weeks leading to the November 8 polls

showed that she had the intellect, the diligence and the disposition to lead the most powerful nation in the world. Surprise, surprise. She lost. In her concession speech, Clinton graciously exhorted her followers to keep an open mind and give Trump the chance to lead. She acknowledged that

the campaign had been “vast, diverse, creative, unruly and energized,” thanked everyone who had helped, and expressed pride and gratitude nonetheless. She told the youth that over the course of their lives they would experience success and heartbreaking setbacks, but that they should never stop fighting.

Most importantly, she talked about that highest and hardest glass ceiling which nobody has yet shattered.“Someday, someone will,” she said wistfully. To little girls, Clinton said: “Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity Turn to B2

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EVERYMAN

JUST ONE BULLET By Chin Wong A FRIEND with an ear for good music once challenged me with this hypothetical dilemma. “You’re in a room with Barry Manilow and Jose Mari Chan but you have only one bullet in your gun,” he said. “Who do you shoot?” That was many years ago, when Chan was crooning about a Beautiful Girl and asking Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile? Manilow was starring in a CBS film based on his hit song Copacabana, after inflicting upon us saccharine songs such as Mandy, I Write the Songs, Even Now, Looks Like We Made It, and Somewhere in the Night. You’d think that people would have had enough of Silly Love Songs, but Manilow and Chan, each in their own inimitable way, showed me that it just wasn’t so. Now my friend is not a violent person, and his hypothetical question was obviously meant in jest. I’m sure if he were really locked in a room with Manilow and Chan—and they both started singing— he’d be more likely to shoot himself than any of the two crooners. The point he was making, of course, was this: which of the two sappy singer-songwriters was more cloyingly annoying? The years have given me some perspective on this question. Manilow, now 73, isn’t played very much these days, except perhaps on Throwback Thursdays and on Oldies but Goldies stations. He was last in the news in April 2015, when he married his longtime manager and partner, Garry Kief, ending decades of speculation that he was gay. In February 1994, Manilow sued a Los Angeles radio station, KBIG, seeking $13 million in damages and $15 million in punitive damages, claiming that one of their advertisements was causing irreparable damage to his professional reputation. The ad, a 30-second spot, suggested that people listen to KBIG because it does not play Manilow’s music. Two days after the lawsuit was filed, KBIG agreed to drop the commercial poking fun at the singer. So Somewhere Down the Road, Manilow isn’t doing too much damage to our sap-sensitive ears, and we’ve learned that we can smile without him, after all. But Jose Mari Chan, now 71, is a different matter altogether. Although we know him mostly for his music, Chan has also been involved in running the family’s sugar business— perhaps the reason his songs of love are so syrupy. Starting his career as the host and singer of a TV show called 9 Teeners in 1966, Chan released his first single, Afterglow, in 1967. His first long playing album Deep in My Heart was issued in 1969 and in 1973, he represented the Philippines in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo where his song Can We Just Stop And Talk Awhile went into the final entries. In 1986, he released A Golden Collection of his hits, then released Constant Change three years later that went on to win Album of the Year in the Awit Awards. It was in 1990, however, that Chan did the most damage to those of us with sucrose-intolerant musical diets, with the release of his album Christmas in Our Hearts, which continues to haunt us every year. That’s because every October, without fail, the department stores and malls dust off their Jose Mari Chan CDs and blast his carols to remind shoppers they have only three months more before Christmas, so they better get their act together. Chan probably didn’t quite have this in mind when he sang “may the spirit of Christmas be always in our heart”—but given how early Christmas comes to the Philippines, the words seem oddly prophetic—but no less annoying. Wong is associate editor of Manila Standard.

A MESSAGE... From B1 in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” Sometime in October, at a campaign rally in New Hampshire, First Lady Michelle Obama talked to girls as well. It was just a few days after the circulation of a video of Trump bragging about how he had groped a woman. Sometime in 2005, when Trump was on his way to tape a cameo appearance in an episode of “Days of our Lives,” he told a reporter: “When you’re a star, they let you do it...you can do anything.” He later on apologized. He claimed it was just locker-room talk. Obama thought it betrayed a pattern of how Trump had treated women all his life: “In this election, we have a candidate who over the course of his life and the course of this campaign, has said things about

SPECIAL REPORT (Notes from the 22nd Conference of Parties United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Morocco)

FEAR AND HOPE: CLIMATE CHANGE AND A TRUMP PRESIDENCY

By Renee Karunungan DONALD Trump has officially become the 45th president of the United States of America, a win that has sent some shock and worry for environmentalists and climate activists around the world. The US elections came at the same time that the 22nd Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change was happening in Marrakech, Morocco. The COP is an annual conference of governments to discuss how to prevent dangerous man-made climate change. Last year’s COP in Paris produced the Paris Agreement, a climate treaty hailed as historical by many. The Paris Agreement was built on the foundation of trust and was built on more than two decades of negotiations. While over a hundred countries have already ratified it and while it has officially taken effect last Nov. 4, it still stands on fragile ground. Countries do not want to see another failure such as the Kyoto Protocol, where big carbon emitters such as the United States and Canada withdrew from. The United States is an important party to the negotiations. It has, and have, until today, influenced the negotiations strongly. This is largely because the US ranks first out of 185 countries, responsible for 30 percent of global historic emissions from 1850-2012. From 2012, the United States has ranked second to China, producing 17 percent of global emissions. This means that without the United States, the biggest carbon emitter, the Paris Agreement will mean nothing. Trump, a vocal climate skeptic, has sent fears of a reversal of the progress that has been made in recent years in terms of climate action. Trump, during his campaign, has said that climate change “was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive” and that if elected president, he will “cancel” the Paris

Perla Baltazar, Department of Agriculture; Julia Wolf, Food and Agriculture Organization; Undersecretary Gloria Mercado, serving as the Philippine Head of Delegation; Antonio La Vina, Ateneo School of Government; Railla Puno, Climate Change Commission; and Kathleen Anne Capiroso of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Agreement. He has also said that he will take out all funding from US climate change related programs, including giving funding to the UNFCCC. Trump is known to support extracting and drilling for oil, coal, and natural gas. In fact, in the lineup of possible cabinet positions, Trump has seemed to make it a priority to put all climate skeptics in his administration. According to an article by Politico, Trump might put Forrest Lucas, an oil executive, or Sarah Palin, whose campaign in 2010 was “Drill, baby, drill!” as interior secretary. According to Jesse Bragg of Corporate Accountability International, the interior secretary is an important position as it oversees the National Parks System in the US and more importantly the Bureau of Land Management. “These are where lease agreements for fossil fuel extraction happen on national lands. It’s an important position for stopping expansion of fossil fuel extraction projects in the US,”says Bragg. And quite more obviously, the energy secretary and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) also play an important role when it comes to climate and environment. The US’ climate plans and pledges to the UNFCCC rests largely on their Clean Power Plan which seeks to mitigate carbon emissions from coalfired power plants.

The EPA is seen to be handed over to Myron Ebell, a known climate skeptic and an official at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. It is an organization well-known for opposing progressive environmental policy. They have also been involved in the investigation on Exxon Mobil on spreading climate denial despite knowing about climate change in the 1970’s. Harold Hamm, on the other hand, is a candidate as energy secretary. Hamm is the CEO of Continental Resources, a major oil producer, and has been advocating to cut down on oil and gas regulations so that the US can produce more. Trump’s clear stand on climate change, together with these new people in his government will certainly hamper any efforts being made today by the rest of the world. But while many have become quite fearful that the US might pull out of the Paris Agreement soon, Segolene Royale, French minister for environment and COP 21 president, assured that it will not be too easy for the US to do so. “The Paris Agreement prohibits any exit for a period of three years, plus a year-long notice period, so there will be four stable years,” she said. Carroll Muffet, president of Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL),

also sees it as a must for the US to keep to its promise. “The Paris Agreement was signed and ratified not by a President, but by the United States itself. As a matter of international law, and as a matter of human survival, the nations of the world can, must, and will hold the United States to its climate commitments,” said Muffet. Other organizations are now trying to see this as an opportunity for Trump, who is also a well-known businessman, to invest in renewable energy able to compete with other countries starting to do so. “President-elect Trump has the opportunity to catalyze further action on climate that sends a clear signal to investors to keep the transition to a renewable-powered economy on track. China, India, and other economic competitors are racing to be the global clean energy superpower, and the US doesn’t want to be left behind,” said Tina Johnson of Climate Action Network US. Meanwhile, the negotiators inside COP 22 continue with business, knowing that climate change will not wait for the US to take action before it hits any of their countries. Karunungan is an outreach manager for Climate Tracker.

HOW HIGH IS THE SKY? By Pecier Decierdo THE sky and sea both seem really huge. Infinite, even. The greatness of their sizes often tempts poets and writers into comparisons of superlatives. When something seems boundless we say, “The sky is the limit.”When a contribution seems too small to be significant we say, “It’s a drop in the ocean.” I suspect this is why the human imagination has a hard time feeling the urgency of the threat that our civilization has on the sky and seas. That is the case despite the fact that the science is clear: a few decades of industrial activity, by just a fraction of the human population, have had drastic impacts on our atmosphere and oceans. We people have managed to break the sky and the seas, and it’s threatening to make our planet unlivable for so many organisms that call it home. That includes us people. Given how big the atmosphere and oceans are, how can the activity of puny humans be a threat to their balance? There are two reasons. First, the health of the atmosphere and oceans is very delicate. Increase their average temperatures by a tiny bit, and you’ve got a fever. Because of the complexity of the webs that connect different parts and aspects of the atmosphere and oceans, it’s easy to mess it all up. It’s similar to when you put a pair of earphones in your pocket. There are just a few ways to keep the pair untangled, but so many ways for it to be tangled up. Thus, when you put an untangled pair of earphones in your pocket, they tangle women that are so shocking, so demeaning...this is not something that we can ignore,” Obama said, pointing out that the comments were not made in an isolated incident. And now this man – who behaves like a bully and a bigot, and who did not hesitate to call a woman “piggy” – is POTUS. Obama captures well how women feel when they are subjected to terror, violation and intimidation: “We try to keep our heads above water, just trying to get through it, trying to pretend like this does not really bother us, maybe because we think that admitting how much it hurts makes us as women look weak.” And if such words are jarring to women, imagine what it tells our little girls. “What message are our little girls hearing about how they should look like, how they should act? What lessons are they learning about their value as professionals, as human be-

up on their own really quickly. The web of inter-connections in the atmosphere and the oceans is far more complicated than the wires in your earphones. Second, the atmosphere and the oceans are not as big as we humans think. How heavy is the sky? That is, what is the mass of the atmosphere? The answer is around 5 billion billion kilograms. That’s not easy to imagine. How about the oceans? That answer is around 14 hundred billion billion kilograms. Again, that is not easy to imagine. It’s very surprising, even to me, when we learn that the stars in the known universe can outnumber the grains of sand in all the beaches of Earth. But that’s because our brains were not designed to comprehend such numbers. To understand how small the atmosphere and oceans are compared to how we treat them, we can visualize them as balls. Imagine the Earth were the size of a basketball. If you gathered all the gases in the atmosphere into a ball, it would be about the half the size of a PingPong ball. All of the Earth’s water gathered together would be about the same size. If you were to gather together only the liquid fresh water, it would be about the size of a pinhead. A pinhead compared to a basketball! Here’s another way to think of it. Imagine a globe, perhaps like the one you have on display in your school’s library. If the Earth were that globe, the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, even at their thickest, would be thinner than the paint. Here’s another way to visualize just how thin the atmosphere is. Imagine

Never doubt you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every opportunity. ings, about their dreams and aspirations?” Back here at home, you have a president and a Cabinet secretary snickering like naughty schoolboys as they talk about checking out the Vice President’s legs. But what chief executive talks about his colleague as though she were some collection of body parts? Then again, this is the same president who does not hesitate to make catcalls and who once joked about wanting to be the first, among others, to rape a woman. The

yourself driving a car going at 60 kph, the speed limit of Commonwealth Avenue. If you had a tunnel that went from one end of the Earth to another, our imaginary car would take 112 hours to cross the tunnel. But if our car can move vertically up like a rocket ship traveling at 60 kilometers per hour, then it would reach the end of the atmosphere’s lowermost layer, the troposphere, in just under 10 minutes! In 45 minutes the car would have crossed the entire stratosphere, the next layer in the Earth’s atmosphere. By then you would have passed through 95 percent of the atmosphere’s mass. One standard definition for outer space has it start at 100 km above sea level. Our imaginary car traveling up at 60 kph can reach outer space in 1 hour and 40 minutes. That is how thin the fragile atmosphere that separates us here in the living world and the rest of the cosmos where there is void. For a long time, we humans have been dumping things in the sea and in the sky as if they were infinite, as if they can take everything in stride. Since the industrial revolution, that has not been true. We cannot keep on dumping things in the atmosphere and the oceans and pretend it’s not going to ruin them. Our sky and sea are fragile. If we want a future we and many of our fellow living things can thrive in, we should start treating the atmosphere and oceans as very limited resources. Decierdo is resident astronomer and physicist for The Mind Museum.

point is not how pretty or not a woman is. The point is that she has autonomy over her body, her feelings, the course of her life. The Philippines may appear genderprogressive in some areas, but remember this is still a country where, given the choice of whom to send to school, families easily pick out the sons believing that the daughters will be married off, anyway, and trained to perpetuate the cycle of keeping house and rearing children while doing nothing for themselves. There remain places where a woman has the duty of serving the man’s needs, bringing his children into the world, and tolerating his boorish behavior. I have two girls at home, ages 16 and 22. Many years ago, they were advised by a relative to look for suitable husbands—affluent foreigners, if possible—so that they could lead comfortable and successful lives. Thank God we don’t see that relative a lot anymore these days. My girls do look

THE CROCHETED...

From B1

approach termed craftivism. Craftivism, says Ele Carpenter (2010) is “a social process of collective empowerment, action, expression, and negotiation…engaging in the social, performative, and critical discourse around the work is central to its production and dissemination.” The women artists, who use each stitch and loop of thread and yarn to convey with their hands and bodies the ideas they hold important, are also shaping the world as they interpret it and want to see it according to their own values and beliefs. On her website, Olek describes her poetics: “A loop after a loop. Hour after hour my madness becomes crochet. Life and art are inseparable…I crochet everything that enters my space…What do I intend to reveal? You have to pull the end of the yarn and unravel the story behind the crochet.” The knitted Hillary dolls, the crossstitched pieces that say “Such a nasty woman”—these are not mere curios. Each of these artifacts capture a moment in time, a piece of history, and a trove of meaning. Each is an individual expression of a desire to change society by using the so-called “lesser” crafts as subversive tactic. And each has a story to tell—not only of Clinton, Trump, the US election, but also of the maker’s courage to stand up for what they believe in. Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember.

after themselves and take care of how they look not because they are waiting for some boy to pluck them out like a flower, adore, validate and protect them. In fact, those two girls are kicking a*s and finding their place in the world on their own. They just happen to be gorgeous and confident doing so, thank you very much. So Trump is president, Duterte is president, and we have all these other problems in the world and in our country that demand attention. Everyone must participate in finding solutions and implementing them: everyone good and deserving and brilliant and hardworking. It just so happens that some of them, ideally half or even more, happen to be women. And before they are women, they are girls first. So let’s start them young by telling them there is nothing they cannot do. adellechua@gmail.com

World

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SIKHISM. Indian Sikh devotees pay respects during a procession at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on November 12, 2016, on the eve of the 547th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion. AFP

MYANMAR PROBES CHINA-BACKED DAM

ANGON—Myanmar is probing whether to resume construction on a controversial Chinesebacked dam, state media reported Saturday, with promises to listen to fierce public opposition to the project.

The fate of the $3.6 billion Myitsone dam in northern Kachin state has hung in the balance since it was abruptly halted by Myanmar in 2011 following protests over environmental and safety concerns. The hydropower project came to symbolise China’s economic dominance in

formerly junta-run Myanmar and now poses a delicate challenge to the country’s new civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The veteran activist is eager to prevent renewed protests at home but also wants to maintain healthy ties with top investor Beijing, which has been lobbying her

government to unfreeze the project. China also holds strong sway over ethnic rebel militias along the two countries’ restive border and has a key role to play in peace talks that Suu Kyi is determined to make progress on. A commission advising Suu Kyi’s administration on whether to scrap the dam submitted its first report to her government on Friday, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar. It said an environmental and social impact assessment was underway and that the commission had

already met local officials and other stakeholders. A final decision on the project’s fate would take into consideration environmental costs, the “desires and opinions of local people and societies and potential effects on foreign investment”, the report added. Local opposition to the dam has been fuelled by a mix of concerns, including its location near an active seismic fault line, the impact of flooding on local residents and a general lack of transparency in a project viewed as a resource grab by Beijing. AFP

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NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS OF DLPC TO CLAIM METER DEPOSIT REFUND

In compliance with Resolution No. 12, Series of 2016 issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) hereby notifies its Customers that they may now claim a refund of their meter deposit. What is a meter deposit? It is an amount previously required from customers during application for a new service connection to guarantee against loss or damage of the electrical meter installed. This is different from the Service or Bill Deposit which is paid as part of a customer’s application for service to guarantee payment of bills, and is equivalent to the estimated one month bill of the customer. Who may claim the meter deposit refund? Any person or entity registered as a distribution service customer of DLPCwho has paid the meter deposit as required by DLPC, and has not received a refund [directly or by way of credit] thereof is eligible for the meter deposit refund. The registered customer’s heirs, successors-in-interest or his duly authorized representative may also claim on his behalf. This is subject to the exception provided under Section 10 of ERC Resolution No. 8, series of 2008. What is the mode of refund to be given to the eligible customers? Eligible Customers will be refunded in cash if the amount is less or equal to PhP4,000.00, and with check if the refund amount is greater than PhP4,000.00. How long will it take to process the refund? Verification and processing of refund would take atmost two (2) months after application and the submission of all requirements. Thereafter, customer will be notified if he is still entitled for the meter deposit refund or if it was already availed/credited in 2009 after the effectivity of the ERC Resolution No. 8 Series of 2008 or the “Rules to Govern the Refund of Meter Deposits to Residential and Non-Residential Customers”. When is the deadline for claiming the meter deposit refund? Under ERC Resolution No. 12, Series of 2016, consumers may claim the refund on meter deposit until December 31, 2017. All unclaimed deposits after December 31, 2017 shall become the subject of an escheat proceeding. How will the customers claim the meter deposit refund and what are the requirements needed? To claim the meter deposit refund, the customers may visit the DLPC service centers located at DLPC Ponciano Office, SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier and Panabo branch and submit the following requirements: For Residential Customers 1.

Registered customers 1.1 Original or photo copy of DLPC electricity bill; 1.2 Accomplished Meter Deposit Refund Application Form 1.3 Official Receipt showing payment of Meter Deposit (if available), 1.4 Original and photocopy of one (1) valid identification card with photo and signature,such as but not limited to Driver’s license, Passport, Professional Regulatory License, SSS/GSIS ID, TIN ID, Philhealth ID, Senior Citizen ID, Postal ID, Original NBI Clearance and Comelec Voters ID. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (If claimants are other than the Registered Customers/Account holders)

BLAST INSIDE LARGEST US BASE IN AFGHANISTAN KILLS FOUR KABUL—Four people were killed Saturday in an explosion inside the largest US military base in Afghanistan, NATO said, with local officials blaming a suicide attacker posing as a laborer for the major security breach. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast inside the heavily fortified Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, which wounded 14 others as the insurgents ramp up their nationwide offensive before the onset of winter, when fighting usually ebbs. The nationalities of those killed and wounded were not immediately known after the explosion, which highlights rising insecurity in Afghanistan nearly two years after US-led NATO forces formally ended their combat operations. “An explosive device was detonated on Bagram Airfield resulting in multiple casualties. Four people have died in

the attack and approximately 14 have been wounded,” NATO said in a statement. “Response teams at Bagram continue to treat the wounded and investigate the incident.” The blast was caused by a suicide attacker who blew himself up near a dining facility inside the base, said Waheed Sediqi, spokesman for the governor of Parwan province where Bagram is located. “We don’t know the identity of victims yet but the attacker was one of the Afghan labourers working there,” Sediqi told AFP. The United States has around 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, with the largest contingent stationed at the Bagram base. The brazen attack represents a major security breach inside what is regarded as one of the most heavily guarded military installations in Afghanistan. AFP

MACAU FORMER PROSECUTOR FACES NEARLY 2,000 CHARGES MACAU—Macau’s disgraced former top prosecutor faces nearly 2,000 criminal charges, according to the Chinese gambling enclave’s highest court, which will try Ho Chio-meng next month. Ho, who was Macau’s prosecutor general for 16 years until 2014 and was once tipped for the job of the city’s leader, was arrested earlier this year as he attempted to travel to Hong Kong, according to media reports. The 1,970 charges Ho faces include abuse of power, fraud, money laundering, illegal sharing of economic benefits and even starting a criminal syndicate, according to a statement from the city’s court of final appeal released Thursday. Ho’s case will be heard on December 5, the statement added. The charges also include an alleged 44 million patacas ($5.5 million) he took in kickbacks, reports said. The trial is one of the biggest corruption cases involving government officials in the former Portuguese colony since 2009. That year, former transport and public works minister Ao Man-long was found guilty on a number of corruption charges and sentenced to 29 years in jail. AFP

Heirs or Succesors-in-Interest of the Registered Customers 2.1 Death certificate or proof of death of the registered customer; 2.2 The heir/s must present proof of filiation or any pertinent document that will prove the successional right, such as but not limited to the birth certificate of the heir/s and their ascendants, or marriage certificate; 2.3 The successors-in-interest to the registered customer must present proof of transfer of rights and obligations over the property, including the meter deposit from the previous owner of the property, such as but not limited to the Deed of Sale; and 2.4 Undertaking that there are no other legal heirs of the registered customer

Duly authorized representative of the registered customers: 3.1 Special Power of Attorney from the registered customer stating that he/she is authorized to receive the refund in behalf of the registered customer together with a valid ID of both the Registered Customer and the claimant.

For Non-Residential Customers 1.

Registered customers 1.1 Original or photo copy of DLPC electricity bill; 1.2 Accomplished Meter Deposit Refund Application Form 1.3 Official Receipt showing payment of Meter Deposit (if available) 1.4 Original and photocopy of one (1) valid identification card with photo and signature, such as but not limited to Driver’s license, Passport, Professional Regulatory License, SSS/GSIS ID, TIN ID, Philhealth ID, Senior Citizen ID, Postal ID, Original NBI Clearance and Comelec Voters ID.

Heirs or Successors-in-Interest of the Registered Customers 2.1 Death certificate or proof of death of the registered customer; 2.2 The heir/s must present proof of filiation or any pertinent document that will prove the successional right, such as but not limited to the birth certificate of the heir/s and their ascendants, or marriage certificate; 2.3 The successors-in-interest to the registered customer must present proof of transfer of rights and obligations over the property, including the meter deposit from the previous owner of the property, such as but not limited to the Deed of Sale; and 2.4 Undertaking that there are no other legal heirs of the registered customer

Corporation or any Registered Entity 4.1 Letter of request signed by the Owner or General Manager of the Corporation or Registered Entity 4.2 Board Resolution or Secretary’s Certificate stipulating the request to DLPC for the meter deposit refund 4.3 Original and Photocopy of one (1) valid primary identification card with photo and signature of the Owner, General Manager or officer of the Corporation or Registered Entity

Government Accounts 5.1 Letter of request signed by the authorized high-ranking official of the concern government agency 5.2 Board Resolution or Secretary’s Certificate stipulating the request to DLPC for the meter deposit refund 5.3 Original and photocopy of one (1) valid primary identification card with photo and signature of the authorized high-ranking official of the concern government agency

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (If claimants are other than the Registered Customers/Account holders)

(MS-NOV. 13, 2016)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 mstdaydesk @gmail.com.ph

World

MORE RALLIES VS TRUMP N

EW YORK— Demonstrators took to the streets in Miami, Los Angeles, New York and other US cities to oppose Donald Trump’s election as president for a third straight night of nationwide protests Friday.

People gathered in New York’s Washington Square neighborhood in lower Manhattan, some carrying enormous red balloons and placards with hearts and the words “peace and love.” Others held signs reading “Your Wall Can’t Stand in Our Way” – a reference to the anti-immigration barrier the billionaire real estate baron has promised to build on the US border with Mexico. The city’s local ABC affiliate said an estimated 4,000 people gathered at the site, while others descended on Union Square and marched through Midtown and still more converged outside Trump Tower. The New York Police Department reported that 11 people had been arrested as of late Friday, the New York Times said. Demonstrators said they wanted to show solidarity with those they felt may be targeted by Trump’s policies once he takes office in January, including Mexicans and Muslims. “We’re here to support the people that Trump has insulted, to show our children that we all have a voice, and to stand up for people’s rights,” Kim Bayer, 41, told AFP. Organizers plan another large demonstration in the same Washington Square location on Saturday, and more protests are expected across a number of cities over the weekend. Meanwhile, about a thousand protesters took part in an apparently spontaneous demonstration in Miami, hoisting signs against racism and opposing the deportation of undocumented immigrants as they walked down Biscayne Boulevard. At a small protest in California, about two dozen women wearing shorts and sports bras locked arms and staged a brief flash mob-style protest in the middle of a freeway south of Los Angeles Friday, causing traffic to come to a standstill. Since Trump’s shock victory on Tuesday over Democrat Hillary Clinton, who had been widely tipped to win, thousands have protested in cities across the United States. While most of the demonstrations have been peaceful, officials said some erupted in violence that caused property damage. AFP

Protesters hold placards calling for the resignation of South Korean President Park GeunHye during an anti-government rally following presidential scandal in central Seoul on November 12, 2016. AFP

MASSIVE PROTEST HEAPS PRESSURE ON SOKOR’S PARK SEOUL—Tens of thousands of men, women and children joined one of the largest anti-government protests seen in Seoul for decades on Saturday, demanding President Park Geun-Hye’s resignation over a snowballing corruption scandal. Police had planned for 170,000 people, but organizers said they expected a final turnout of up to one million for what was the third in a series of weekly mass protests that have left Park fighting for her political survival. On the back of official appeals for calm, police deployed around 25,000 officers, many of them in full riot gear, while police buses and trucks blocked every access road – major or minor – around the presidential Blue House. As with the previous protests, the huge crowds were extremely mixed, with high school children rubbing shoulders with retirees and young couples marching with babies or young children. “Park Geun-Hye must resign because she didn’t take good care of our country,” said 11-yearold student Park Ye-Na. The scandal engulfing Park is focused on a close personal friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who is currently under arrest on charges of fraud and abuse of power. Prosecutors are investigating allegations that Choi, 60, leveraged their personal relationship to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain. AFP

FESTIVAL. Cambodian dragon boat rowers rehearse on the eve of the Water Festival in Phnom Penh on November 12, 2016. Cambodia celebrates its annual water festival which is one of the main festivals people celebrate from November 13 until 15, attracting thousands from other provinces of the country. AFP

ZUCKERBERG AMONG FACEBOOK USERS MISTAKENLY DECLARED ‘DEAD’

REACH FOR THE SKIES. The moon is pictured over a statue of the first Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome early on November 12, 2016. AFP

SAN FRANCISCO—Facebook accidentally declared its founder Mark Zuckerberg and many other users dead on Friday, acknowledging after fixing the problem that it had committed a “terrible error.” “For a brief period today, a message meant for memorialized profiles was mistakenly posted to other accounts,” a Facebook spokesperson told AFP. “This was a terrible error that we have now fixed.” Media reports indicated that some two million errant memorials were posted on profile pages. Even Facebook co-founder and chief executive Zuckerberg was memorialized in a message at his profile page expressing hope that people who loved him would take comfort in posts people shared in tribute to his life. “Poor Mark,” read an @JudiD23

tweet that included weeping face emojis. “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.” The social network apologized and said it worked as quickly as possible to correct the problem. Comments tagged #FacebookDead or #FacebookRapture went viral at Twitter, with people joking that the scenario marked a fitting end to tumultuous week. “I think this is Facebook’s way of flagging the people who died inside on Tuesday,” read a tweet from @billkalpak, referring to the upset win of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections. A darkly humorous post on Twitter by @JnPhillip was in the form of a note reading “Dear Facebook, Donald Trump does not get inaugurated until January 20th. Nuclear annihilation occurs Jan. 21st.” AFP

CHINA SHIPS SAIL NEAR DISPUTED ISLANDS: JAPAN TOKYO—Chinese coast guard vessels sailed into territorial waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea on Saturday, Japan’s coast guard said, marking the second such incident in a week. The four ships entered the waters surrounding the island chain, controlled by Japan and known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in China, at around 10:30 am (0130 GMT) and left within two hours, according to the coast guard. A similar incident last Sunday prompted Tokyo to lodge a complaint with China’s foreign ministry through its embassy in Beijing, saying the uninhabited islets are “an inherent territory of Japan.” Japan has made dozens of protests through diplomatic channels this year over what it says have been more than 30 days of intrusions by Chinese vessels in the contested waters. The two countries have been locked in a long-running dispute over the islands, which are believed to harbour vast natural resources below their seabed, with China claiming them as its own. AFP

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@thestandard.com.ph

71-YEAR-OLD PRODUCES ELECTRIC VEHICLES

OKYO—Osamu Masuko, the 67-year-old chairman, president and chief executive of Japanese automotive manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has high hopes for the Philippines.

Even as his company takes a new direction as it joins the NissanRenault alliance, Masuko says the Philippines will remain a strategic part of the group’s growth strategy. MMC is building a stamping plant in Laguna province to produce body panels for subcompact vehicle Mirage and its variant Mirage G4. “We would like to contribute to the development of the automotive industry in the Philippines through promotion of local production, expansion of local parts procurement and promotion of employment,”Masuko tells Filipino journalists who were invited to visit MMC’s headquarters in Tokyo and its world-class production facility in Okazaki. The Okazaki plant is highly automated, employing hundreds of workers and robots to produce nearly 1,000 vehicles a day, which undergo strict quality check and testing. MMC produces more than 1 million vehicles each year from its various production plants around the world. As excellent as the Japanese market is, Masuko is more excited about the Philippine market and what it can become by 2020. “The Philippines has a population of over 100 million and it has a very young population. It is stable politically and economically. There is room for economic growth and demand for automotive. I have high expectations for the Philippines,” he says. Masuko says as Japan, MMC’s home market, has an aging population, the growth in demand for vehicles will come from dynamic economies such as the Philippines. “English skill is another advantage for Filipinos. You have a big advantage in speaking in the global arena. You have a stable economy, even with the change in administration,” he says. Masuko says while sales volume of vehicles in the Philippines remains low, representing just a third of those in Thailand or Indonesia, this indicates a strong potential for growth. “That means we can grow more. Compared to Japan, you have a very bright future,” says Masuko. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., the local unit, is the first company to register in the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy or CARS—the Philippine government’s incentive program for the automotive industry. Masuko says MMPC has acquired an old facility of Ford Philippines in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna and developed the site into its own production base. “The annual production capacity of this plant is 50,000 units, but with additional investment, that capacity can be expanded to 100,000 units,” he says, adding that the plan also involves exporting Mirage (hatchback) and Mirage G4 (trunked version) from the Philippines. “MMPC first started the investment of about P4.3 billion, implemented the expansion of the passenger car production line as well as construction of a new stamping plant,” Masuko says. “The production of Mirage G4 will start in January 2017, followed by Mirage [in May 2017] and the new stamping plant is planned to be completed in January 2018. In addition, we would like to further make use of production capacity in the future and make further investment,” says Masuko. MMPC president and chief executive Yoshiaki Kato says the stamping plant in Laguna is already under construction and is expected to be completed by January 2018. The plant will enable MMPC to produce body panels for Mirage and Mirage G4 subcompact cars. “For the first time, we will have a stamping plant in the Philippines. It is a challenge we would like to take. We could increase capacity to 100,000 units,” says Masuko. Mitsubishi already enjoys a large market share in the Philippine automotive market, ranking seventh overall in the Asian region. Demand for vehicles in the Philip-

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Mitsubishi auto gallery in Okazaki

MITSUBISHI BOSS BETS ON FILIPINOS

CHAIRMAN. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. chairman, president and chief executive Osamu Masuko pines has been growing at a double-digit rate in the past few years, reaching a record 323,928 units in 2015. Mitsubishi alone sold nearly 55,000 vehicles in the country last year. In the first nine months of 2016, total vehicle sales in the Philippines jumped by another 20 percent. Mitsubishi accounted for 45,329 or 17.3 percent of total sales in the nine-month period. To support the expansion and start the local assembly of Mirage and Mirage G4, MMPC hired 400 new Filipino workers to bring the total workforce to 1,400. “Furthermore, when the stamping plant is completed, we are planning to increase headcount up to about 1,500,” says Masuko. “I hope that the government will keep

supporting the CARS program. If volume goes up, you can eventually export,” he says. “By 2020, you will need six times more cars than today.” “That is why we requested the government for incentives so that we can produce more. We requested and now it was realized [through the CARS program]. It is our responsibility to deliver,” says Masuko. Masuko says MMC’s expansion plan in the Philippines will not be affected by Nissan’s equity investment of 237 billion yen ($2.18 billion) equivalent to a 34-percent equity stake in the company. He says Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn wants to keep the brands separate and independent. The triple alliance between Nissan Motor Company Ltd., Groupe Renault

and MMC created one of the world’s top three automotive groups, with a goal to sell 10 million vehicles in 2016. Masuko says the alliance aims to become the leading producer of electric vehicles in the world. “The alliance has the basic spirit of respecting each other’s brand, history and management autonomy. The brand, marketing and sales network will be kept separate as in the past,” Masuko says. “On the other hand, we aim for greater synergy impact in the field of purchasing, vehicle platform, development of advanced technology, growing markets, joint plant utilization and financial services,” he says. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. executive officer, corporate general manager at business administration office Koichi Kitamura says aside from MMC, the whole Mitsubishi Group is big in the Philippines. Mitsubishi Group traces its roots to a shipping company established in 1870 by Yataro Iwasaki. Now, it is involved in automotive, mining, real estate, banking and insurance, construction, oil and gas, food and beverage, chemicals, steel, aviation telecom, electronics, energy and heavy industries. Kitamura says Mitsubishi Group includes 40 companies, including Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Kirin Holdings Company Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd., Nikon Corp. and NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha). Twenty-nine of the 40 companies form the so-called Mitsubishi Friday Club, with total employees of 762,000, total assets of 58 trillion yen (P126.8 trillion), net profit of 2.6 trillion yen (P1.2 trillion), total assets of 400 trillion yen (P185 billion) and market capitalization of 30.3 trillion yen (P14 trillion). “These 29 core companies with 760,000 employees worldwide and total sales of 58 trillion yen account for a little more than 10 percent of GDP of Japan,” Kitamura says. “Mitsubishi companies are covering most industries in Japan and worldwide. Out of those, some Mitsubishi Group companies have significant relations with the Philippines,” says Kitamura. These include Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ which has a capital alliance with Security Bank Corp., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. which provides marine insurance in the Philippines, Mitsubishi Electric Co. which is involved in elevator business in the Philippines, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries which is a main contractor of the government, Kirin Breweries which is working closely with San Miguel Corp., Mitsubishi Corp. which is developing power, water supply, transportation and construction projects, NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha) which operates a maritime academy in the Philippines and Mitsubishi Motors. In the Philippines, Mitsubishi Motors Philippine Corp. is operating with business partner Sojitz Corp. “The Philippines is one of the most strategically important markets for Mitsibushi Group,” says Kitamura. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Septuagenarian entrepreneur Mariano “Jun” Nocom

THERE is a new kid on the block in the electric vehicle community—Le Guider International. This innovative company is guided by septuagenarian entrepreneur Mariano “Jun” Nocom and electric vehicle expert Youseff Ahmad. Le Guider and its products were recently featured and displayed at the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit at the Meralco Compound early this year. Nocom, 71, says age has made him wiser and an advancing age has not stopped the creative juices from flowing in his veins. Using alternating current

We value the addition of Jun Nocom and Engineer Ahmad to the local EV scene and we hope that we see more of their innovative electric vehicles around the country soon. power with rechargeable batteries, he and Le Guider developed several models of electric vehicles including converting two cars to EV, several elec tric tric ycle models, an electric Jeepney and soon, even an electric bus which Ahmad made in China. Engineer Ahmad says Le Guider electric vehicles boast of being a better alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles. “It has less moving parts, less par ts to maintain, is fully automatic thus has no transmission and does not need any special charging station since it plugs right on to a regular 220-volt wall socket even at home. It is reliable and requires less maintenance as you only need to have your oil changed every six months,” he says. Nocom says that with these features, a Le Guider EV user can save thousands of pesos in fuel and maintenance costs, enjoys zero emissions and noise and has no exhaust and radiator cooling systems to worry about. R o m m e l J u a n , president of the Elec tric Vehicle Association of the Philippines, says EVAP is happy to have Le Guider as its newest innovative member. “We value the addition of Jun Nocom and Engineer Ahmad to the local EV scene and we hope that we see more of their innovative electric vehicles around the country soon.”

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 business@thestandard.com.ph

GEORGINA WILSON EXPANDS BUSINESS McKinsey & Company partner Anders Bärlund

TRADITIONAL COMPANIES TRANSFORM By Jasmine Mira M. Dy and Aries F. Fallorina COMPANIES are transforming as digital technology takes over and millennials rise. Anders Bärlund, a partner at global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, says ‘latency culture’is now a widely-used concept. “We see double-digit growth in things like Internet usage, social media usage and so forth even in this region where we do have challenges with digital readiness. They are changing so fast, that a lot of companies just quickly transform,” Bärlund says. According to World Economic Forum’s published ranking, as presented by Bärlund at the Anvil Business Summit 2016: Giants Level Up!, the Philippines stands at 107th place in terms of affordability for connectivity. “The first ones to bring it up are the innovative startup companies. At some point, this becomes such a threat or such an interesting opportunity that the first big companies start to pick it up. That is also where new category of this service, whatever it is, takes off and it starts to really grow,” Bärlund says. “And there comes a point where some industries are already past in some countries, which is the tipping point where the incumbents who managed to transform themselves, they will go bust and disappear. And the ones who are left are either the ones who manage to go through this transformation, or some of the startup companies that actually manage to turn themselves into mature, profitable, proper businesses,” Bärlund says. He says big companies are the ones who “naturally have the prerequisites for success as industries digitize” and yet, “it’s proven really, really difficult for many of them to compete.” “The expectations are often very, very high. Many companies expect a really big share of their revenue growth and cost deficiencies to come from digital transformation.They end up being disappointed,” Bärlund says. One of the reasons he says is that “digital is an experiment.” “That’s one part of how digital strategies are being built, how they’re different from the world we used to know. But they’re experimenting without commitment. There’s still 99.5 percent that is our traditional business. So what happens with the 0.5 percent, that is our new digital signature form business. Therefore, we call it the adjacency, or we should be saying this is about redefining the core to digitize the company,” says Bärlund. McKinsey uses four pillars to assess digital readiness. These are culture, strategy, capabilities and organization. “We’ve built an index based on these things. This is something that we’ve used now for a while to start to quantify and compare companies, and see how ready [companies] are for new digital growth. The companies who score high on this, the companies who manage to grow four pillars really well, they outperform both in terms of revenue growth and in terms of returns,” Bärlund says.

From left: Sunnies Cafe finance director Eric Dee Jr., creative director Martine Cajucom, operations director Bea Soriano-Dee and marketing director Georgina Wilson.

By Othel V. Campos

eorgina Wilson, the glamorous and beautiful commercial model and TV host, is also a successful businesswoman.

Sunnies Studios, the lifestyle brand she established with three other partners, has expanded rapidly in a span of two years, from sunglasses to optical lines to restaurants. The brand now carries three lifestyle concepts—Sunnies, the glamorous yet affordable sunglasses; the optical line Sunnies Specs; and recently Sunnies Cafe. Wilson, a co-founder, co-owner and brand ambassador is excited about Sunnies Cafe. “It’s like this was my first baby,” says Wilson who expects her first child with husband Arthur Burnand. “ This child,” she says, while holding her belly, “is going to be easy because Sunnies has consumed my life.” All four owners—Eric and Bea Dee, Martine Cajucom and Wilson—have hands-on participation in Sunnies Cafe, brewing up ideas to complete the menu, trying and retrying cafe fares until they are perfect and putting personal touches with the interiors and the furnishings. “I guess my fave thing on the menu is crispy eggs benedict,”Wilson says. “I love the salmon, crispy tacos, ricotta pancakes and white pasta.” Wilson says the menu represents the list of food that they would like to eat. “I don’t put anything on the menu that we don’t love. I know we all love these things. We all have inside jokes about it, like when we see the

granola. Each of the dish has special connection to us,” she says. “There was never a thing that I didn’t touch. Everything here has my personal touches. And if I may add, Bea and I super worked on the beverages. We add personal collections to that like the coffee cocktail. We actually did one of the cocktails and milkshakes,” says Wilsons. The menu, she says, was crafted with the millennials in mind. “But other generations will be happy as well, from grandmas to parents and aunts and uncles. We want all generations to be happy. That’s a challenge I guess for us,” she says. Wilson recommends crispy tacos, made of grated parmesan cheese melted and shaped into taco shells with fillings of minced steak (instead of the traditional ground beef ), arugula, cilantro with Aoili dressing and topped with quail eggs. Others include the shoestring potato fries “which is itsy bitsy spicy”, the pan-seared miso salmon and the veggie dish roasted cauliflower. Also on the menu are fillers, main dishes, pasta and sandwiches, coffee, cocktails and milkshakes. “We’ve always seen Sunnies as a lifestyle brand. Even the imagery is full of the look and feel of it. It was simple and straight forward. In the menu, every single detail was given the attention it deserved. Seeing this

in real life is a weird feeling and I’m not going to say it was the easiest process,” says Wilson. She says at first, the cafe was too daunting for her and her coowners to delve into, so they put up a partnership that will make the concept fly, creating synergy between Sunnies Cafe and the FooDee Global Brands, the operational genius behind Todd English and Tim Howan. “Our life is like great on Instagram but it’s a lot of hard work. We just make it look easy. But I swear the month before opening the cafe, none of us slept. But thanks we had a brilliant partner because everything is a lot of hard work. We’re so lucky we have partnered with people who know what they are doing. We don’t even have to handle any of the operational problems except it should look like Sunnies. It should feel like Sunnies,” she says. Eric Dee is running the cafe with his team of chefs and crew. His younger brother Eric Dee Jr., a coowner of Sunnies brand, travels the world for food, brings home new ideas, make them popular and create a frenzy out of them. “This [Sunnies] cafe has been thought of for a while by my brother and me. So one day, my brother and I said ‘why don’t we do a cafe?’. We’re one family, so we decided to do it together. This is the first project with me and my brother. He does retail, I do food. We saw that it made sense. For a lifestyle brand, it is in its own natural progression to have something to add to the brand, something relevant. That’s how the collaboration began,” says Dee. “This is about two brands coming

together, both power houses in their industry. We combined both strengths - the marketing genius of Sunnies and the genius of FooDee Global Concepts. It made sense for us to combine. Sunnies is becoming the supergood lifestyle brand and us being recognized for all the brands we brought in as food, and I think that the reason why we decided to do it,” he says. Sunnies Cafe had its first store at the Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City and the second on the bridgeway at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The target is to have 10 cafes by 2017. The third cafe, now rising at Alabang Town Center, is likely to open by January next year. “We’ve had quite a menu. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that the first restaurant is always the most memorable. Now that we have two cafes, my partners will find every bit of the preparation worth it and and it nostalgic, looking back. They will be more confident in building up the brand,” says Dee. Sunnies Studios now focusies on the growing the three business lines in 2017, aiming for market leadership in all three categories. “We had three brands in three years. We want to grow the brand and be the market leader in all of them. We might not be opening up new concepts but surely we will be super busy in everything. We also just opened our optical line. We have Sunnies and we are working on being available worldwide. And it takes times to design a cafe. We want to make sure we put enough attention on all of that,” Wilson says.

FILIPINO INVENTORS UNITE TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS FILIPINO inventors are now bonding together to become entrepreneurs. Francisco ‘Popoy’ Pagayon, president and chief executive of Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative, says inventors need to unify and promote their products to reach a larger market, as what entrepreneurs do. “We want to train our inventors to become inventrepreneurs,” says Pagayon. “FISPC pushes for the development and evolution of the striving Filipino inventor into an industrial entrepreneur,” he says, referring to the theme of the 23rd celebration of National Inventors Week this month. Pagayon, who is credited for ‘Probaton’, a truncheon which has armed more than 150,000 policemen and village watchmen across the country, says Filipino inventors will gather for a grand fellowship night and banquet celebration on Nov. 22 at 55 Events Place along Scout Ralios in Quezon City.

“What we aim for this year’s celebration is to promote camaraderie and unification among inventors nationwide. We would like to achieve a unity in purpose and pursue a common goal for our country,” he says. He says by helping one another, inventreprenuers will see more of their products reach the mass market, which is crucial if they are to become successful. “We want our inventions to reach not only Metro Manila, but also all regions of the country,” he says. Pagayon says FISPC was formed four years ago as a cooperative to provide a venue for entrepreneurs where they could meet and showcase their products. “Before FISPC was established, Filipino inventors could only showcase their products during exhibits organized by the Department of Trade Industry or Department of Science and Technology. Now, we have a place we can call home,” he says. FISPC has a showroom and business

center at Delta Building along Quezon Ave. corner West Ave. in Quezon City. “This venue showcases Filipino inventions,” he says. Pagayon says as a cooperative, FISPC is composed of inventors and entrepreneurs who can use the showroom to showcase their products. “It is where inventions meet entrepreneurship. We bring together inventors and entrepreneurs so that they can learn from each other,” he says. Pagayon says entrepreneurs can also be considered inventors, especially if they introduce new products in the market. “We can help them get intellectual property rights or patent for their products,” he says. He says the Cooperative Development Authority tapped FISPC to be in charge of information dissemination and campaign awareness on issues related to cooperativism. The DOST, he says, also intends to team up with FISPC to promote OneStore,

which puts on display the latest Filipino inventions. “This is a timely theme for the celebration of National Inventors Week this month,” he says. Pagayon says FISPC will continue to support inventors in their search for solutions to everyday needs of Filipinos. “Our main intention is to develop more technologies and product that are even superior to those coming from other countries,” he says. FISPC members are credited for a number of innovations, backed with patent. Among the group’s recent innovations are cannon-type electric firecracker; Probiotic for poultry and livestock; traffic cone overland emergency device, a multi-purpose road safety and trouble aid for motor vehicles; and D&G Black Seed Soap, which is made from blackseed oil and powder. “We hope to encourage and support more inventrepreneurs,” Pagayon says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative president Francisco ‘Popoy’ Pagayon.

Sports

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 reuelvidal@yahoo.com

GAVINA: MAHINDRA WILL SURPRISE PUBLIC By Reuel Vidal

hile other Philippine Basketball Association teams moved to strengthen their lineups for the coming PBA season the Mahindra Floodbuster seemed to have done the exact opposite.

A busy off season saw Mahindra trading away its best players including KG Canaleta, Aldrich Ramos, Paolo Taha, Bradwyn Guinto and promising talent Keith Agovida. Point guard LA Revilla and bruiser Mark Yee remain the only holdover of a core that powered the team to its first post-season appearance in the PBA during the Governors Cup. At first blush this looks like a recipe for disaster, but Mahindra head coach Chris Gavina retains faith in his players and is convinced that his team remains competitive this coming season. “We’ve got some dynamic guys in our roster now and it adds great dimension on our team. It allows you to be adventurous in the lineup, so we can see more exciting line-ups for Mahindra in the coming season,” Gavina said. He has reason to be optimistic. Mahindra newcomers Jeckster Apinan, Josan Nimes and rookie Reden Celda will not contribute much but the team did get quality veterans in Alex Mallari, Ryan Arana and big man Rob Reyes. Mahindra’s biggest name players may have left but its most important player in Revilla remains. For better or for worse Mahindra is now Revilla’s team to run. The 5’7” spitfire has made a career of being underestimated from high school to college and now the PBA. Playing for the De La Salle University Green

Archers underclassman Thomas Torres displaced him from the starting lineup. He only regained his starting job after Torres came down with an injury. Revilla then led La Salle to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines throne. Despite that achievement he was picked only in the third round as the 24th overall pick by the GlobalPort Batang Pier. He was released by the team and only clung on to a job as a professional basketball player after expansion team Kia (now Mahindra) joined the league in 2014. Revilla gets his chance to lead the new core of the Mahindra Floodbuster this coming 2017 PBA season. Mahindra also came away a big winner in the past PBA Rookie Draft by getting amateur standouts Russel Escoto and Joseph Eriobu. The two are easily among the best players coming into the PBA this year and are expected to make an immediate impact. Last conference, Gavina demonstrated his ability to coach by transforming Mahindra into a playoff contender in the season-ending Governors’ Cup. A lot of that hinged on their being able to field a big import in James White who was 6’9” while the higher ranked teams could only field imports who were 6’5” or shorter. White and Revilla

WATCH OUT FOR MMA’S OSENIO WOMEN have struck it big in Mixed Martial Arts the world over. MMA stars like Ronda Rousey, Chris Justino and Gina Carano are already household names. Filipinas are lagging a little behind. But that will soon change with emerging fighters like April Osenio stamping their class in ONE Championship the premier MMA organization in Asia. A veteran Wushu fighter Osenio is relatively new to MMA. She lost her initial bout when she was surprised with a submission. She has strung together two victories of her own and will fight again on December 2 at ONE: Age of Domination in her own backyard at the Mall of Asia Arena. Osenio is relatively new in the MMA fighting scene. She scored the biggest win of her MMA career with a shocking victory over Malaysian Ann “Athena” Osman in one of the main fights of ONE: Unbreakable Warriors at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia just last September. Osenio kept Osman at bay with her world-class wushu striking skills. Osman on the other hand countered with takedown attempts which brought down Osenio. Just a year ago, this would have been the end of the fight. But Osenio already had a year of grappling lessons under her belt and Osman was unable to completely dominate even from a superior position.

Mahindra coach Chris Gavina (left) gives last minute instructions to senator, boxing legend and Mahindra playing coach Manny Pacquiao (17) before he enters the fray.

dominated in their positions to lead Mahindra to fifth place after the eliminations. They eventually lost to Meralco in the quarterfinals but the team benefits from the confidence gained when they advanced to the playoffs. Mahindra tallied six wins that conference beating powerhouse squads San Miguel Beermen, Talk N Text KaTropa and the Alaska Aces as well as Star Hotshots, GlobalPort Batang Pier and Blackwater Elite. Mahindra won’t have that handicapping advantage this season because all the PBA teams will now have a uniform height limit of 6’10” for their imports in the Governors Cup. Gavina however remains optimistic. Last season Mahindra showed that it could compete on even terms even against powerhouse squads. Gavina promised to build on that past success and do even better this season. “It’s my job to form a competitive team regardless of who’s here. Hopefully, we’ll be able put up a team just like what we had last conference,” Gavina said. “As long as we stay committed to our level of excellence and everybody buys in to our culture of playing together and being selfless, we’ll be highly competitive once again.” The series of trades caught many by surprise but coach Gavina believes their new acquisitions will step up once they take the PBA stage. Mahindra may have gutted its lineup and sent its best players off to other teams but coach Gavina guarantees those remaining will play their best. Their team may not make the playoffs in any of the three conferences this coming season, but it won’t be for lack of trying. Mahindra point guard LA Revilla (2) takes it strong to the hoop against then Alaska Aces guard Cyrus Baguio (3). For better or for worse Mahindra is now Revilla’s team to run.

Filipina MMA fighter April Osenio (left) lashes out with a left foot front kick in her ONE Championship fight. ONE Championship

The fighters were quick, strong and able to defend holds by reversing the other’s attempts. Osenio locked in an armbar with Osman wriggling free and transitioning into a full mount. But she could not take advantage of her position with Osenio reversing and flipping into a guillotine choke. Probably winded from all the grappling on the ground Osman couldn’t wriggle free and had to tap out when Osenio tightened the guillotine on her neck. It was a surprising victory over the more experienced Osman who fought before a disappointed hometown crowd. It was the second consecutive victory for Osenio who improved to 2-1. Significantly, despite being known primarily as a striker, Osenio tallied both her victories by submission. After losing her first fight Osenio bounced back with a stunning second victory when she submitted Fil-British Natalie Gonzales Hills with an armbar at ONE: Global Rivals last April. Osenio didn’t know it at the time but she got the biggest break of her career when she substituted for an injured teammate to fight at the Putra Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the undercard of Age of Champions last year. Reuel Vidal

SIM RUNNERS SUPPORT WORTHY CHARITIES THEY do more than just run for fun. Participants in the 12th edition of the Subic International Marathon (SIM) to be held today November 13 at Remy Field, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, on November 12 and 13 will not just run a marathon they will also do their share to support worthwhile charities. These runners commit themselves to make a difference in the lives of others through running with a portion of the registration fees to go directly to SIM’s beneficiaries. These include the Dilaab Foundation Inc. which is a non-profit organization working on reintegrating lost, abandoned and unloved street children to becoming positive citizens of society. The second is the Bless Our Cops Foundation which creates programs that reignites the passion, discipline and God-fearing productivity of our policemen. The third is the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community which is a Subic-based group that holds constant seminars and activities that create meaningful impact to the lives of the community. SIM is actually the longest running full marathon race in the country. Its premium full marathon and half marathon cat-

Hundreds of runners mass at the start of last year’s Subic International Marathon. The 12th edition of the race will be held today, November 13 at Remy Field, Subic Bay Freeport.

egories (42.195 km and 21km respectively) fired off late afternoon of Saturday, November 12, giving the runners a unique feel and experience while tackling the scenic and challenging course of Subic Bay Freeport Zone at night. The 10km, 7km, 5km and 3km, no-frills fun run, capped in the beautiful, chill and relaxed atmosphere of a Sunday morning in Subic Bay will be held today November 13. This is for everyone wanting a shorter, family friendly run. With the expected 5,000 runners, SIM continues on with its yearly commitment to support the beneficiaries: Dilaab Foundation, Inc., God Bless Our Cops Movement and the Subic Chapter of Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community. SIM is organized by eXtribe Inc., supported by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Tekton Manufacturing Corporation, makers of ProteinCare and Perfect Muscle, Salomon Philippines, Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel, Pacific Cross Health Care Inc., Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc., Slimmers World Subic, Ambucore Ambulance Services, and Cycles & Brew by Hubble. For more details please visit www.facebook.com/subicinternationalmarathon or

Sports

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

MANILA STANDARD’S NATHANIELSZ PASSES AWAY

Filipino pride Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang mauls Asian MMA legend Shinya ‘Tobikan Judan’ Aoki en route to victory.

FOLAYANG CROWNED WORLD ONE CHAMP

WO Filipino world champions in a week. Not bad for a country wanting in sports heroes to look up to.

Less than a week after Senator Manny Pacquiao regained his WBO welterweight crown, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of Baguio City completed his journey through the ONE Championship’s lightweight ranks by stopping Asian MMA legend Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki by technical knockout within three rounds to clinch the ONE Lightweight World Championship. Aoki dominated the first round with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Folayang came alive in the second round as he opened up his striking, showcasing his world-class wushu talent. In the third round, Folayang rocked Aoki against the cage fence and finished him off with ground-and-pound. In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Russia successfully defended his title against challenger and top contender Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa of Mongolia. It was the champion’s second title defense, after lifting the belt from Jadambaa a year ago. After a brief exchange of strikes, action quickly went to the mat when Jadambaa missed a kick and fell to the canvas. Gafurov followed the Mongolian down and that’s where he worked on the submission. Jadambaa was able to defend for a few moments, but once Gafurov reestablished himself, the choke came effortlessly. Lightweight prospect Amir Khan of Singapore overcame a spirited effort from former Pan Asia BJJ Champion Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre of the Philippines to win by submission in the third round. After spending the first half of the bout tagging each other with various striking combinations, the two fighters decided to take things to the mat. On the ground, Khan showcased his technical brilliance, threatening Donayre with multiple choke attempts, while dominating the grappling exchanges. Although Donayre had his moments, particularly catching Khan in a very deep kimura attempt, the younger fighter survived to win by rear naked choke in the third round. Eight-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Michelle Nicolini of Evolve MMA made a successful ONE Championship debut, finishing former Egyptian wrestling champion Mona Samir in one round via submission. Samir tried her best to keep from getting taken down, but Nicolini’s high-level grappling skills made that very

Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang displays his ONE Championship trophy.

difficult. Once on the mat, Nicolini worked her magic and effortlessly secured the choke. Lightweight veterans Roger “El Matador” Huerta of the United States and Adrian “The Hunter” Pang of Brisbane, Australia went toe-to-toe in an action-packed lightweight contest. The first round saw Huerta own the edge in accuracy and speed, plastering Pang with pinpoint punch combinations while going to work on the Australian’s legs. Pang countered with his straight right hand, which landed with tremendous force. While Huerta landed the cleaner blows, it was clear Pang owned the edge in power and sheer brute strength. Both fighters turned in great performances, but it was Huerta who did just enough to notch the hard-fought victory via split decision. Former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku scored a technical knockout victory over Russia’s Timofey Nastyukhin in a highly-anticipated featherweight contest. Nastyukhin blasted Boku with power shots in the first couple of minutes as Boku tried his best to keep his distance. After moments of intense action however, Boku checked a kick and Nastyukhin hurt his leg, falling to the canvas writhing in pain but somehow surviving the round. Nastyukhin then failed to answer the call for the second round and Boku was awarded the TKO. Singaporean female mixed martial artist Tif-

fany “Soul Crusher” Teo made her ONE Championship promotional debut with a dominant performance to cheers from fans in attendance. Teo owned the advantage in striking exchanges but surprised everyone with her high-level grappling game, gaining full mount on multiple occasions while pounding away at Abbas who tried her best to defend. In the second round, Teo took Abbas’ back once more and converted on a rear naked choke, forcing her Egyptian opponent to tap out. Previously unbeaten Singaporean featherweight prospect Benedict Ang experienced the first loss of his career as he went to battle against Pakistani mixed martial artist Ahmed Mujtaba. Both fighters began the bout firing away at the center of the cage as they traded strikes to the roar of crowd. Mujtaba scored points for a near-finish towards the end of round two, taking Ang’s back and working on a rear naked choke. In round three, Mujtaba continued to work towards getting Ang to the ground, scoring on a few more takedowns to earn the unanimous decision victory. Singaporean fighter Niko Soe made his ONE Championship debut against Malaysian Muhamad Haidar to kick off ONE: DEFENDING HONOR. Both fighters started out aggressively, but it was Soe who showed a more capable set of grappling skills, winning by armbar in the first round to the roar of his hometown crowd.

MANILA Standard columnist and sportswriter Ronnie Nathanielsz passed away on Saturday at the age of 81. Nathanielsz, who was also a sports analyst and broadcaster, died in San Francisco, California early Saturday due to heart attack. Nathanielsz was scheduled to be part of a TV broadcast panel to cover Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Jessie Vargas on Nov. 6 (Manila time). However, while on his way to Las Vegas to cover the fight, he complained of chest pains and was taken to the hospital, where he was given life support for cardiac arrest. Nathanielz’s remains will be flown to Manila after his funeral service is arranged. Nathanielsz rose to prominence when he was named liaison officer during Muhammad Ali’s visit to the Philippines in 1975 for the “Thrilla in Manila.” His Manila Standard column had the title Inside Sports, describing his scoops on various sports topics, particularly boxing.

WORLD’S TOP NET STARS IN PH FIFTEEN local bets slug it out with foreign rivals for four berths in the main draw as the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships hold a two-day qualifier beginning Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. Michael Eala and Jerome Romualdez banner the Philippine contingent in the elims along with Jacob Martin, Cenon Gonzales Jr., Jan Godfrey Seno, Stephan Lhuillier, Jaime Chuidian, Jose Antonio Tria, Joaquin de Venecia, Joseph Tiamson, Kurt Mosqueda, Marcus del Rosario, Sebastien Lhuillier and Matthew Garcia. Also in the fold are Hong Kong’s Max Wai Ming Lee, Chun Ho Chow and Kyle Tang, Indonesian Giorgio Soemarno and Daniel Gunawan, Vietnam’s Huynh Think and Thais Pawin Jirappomdaje and Nutdanai Sincharoenwattana. Twenty two players have been seeded in the boys’ main draw of Week 1 of the two-week Grade 4 ITF (International Tennis Federation) 18-under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission. They include Filipinos Bryan Otico and Arthur Pantino with China’s Chengze Lyu and Japanese Seita Watanabe leading the cast that also includes top junior players from Indonesia, Korea, Indonesia Malaysia, Vietnam and India. Also in the 32-player draw are four wild card entries and two special exempts, according to Loida Mallare, tournament director of the event backed by Mariposa Foundation and Technifibre Balls, the official ball. Also on tap is the girls’ qualifier with Monica Cruz, Amanda Zoleta, Frances Santiago and Danielle Poblador hoping to join top Filipino juniors Khim Iglupas, Rafaella Villanueva and Shaira Rivera in the main draw. Hostilities in Week I of the twostage meet starts Nov. 15.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LGUs

ZAMBALES BOUNCES BACK FROM PINATUBO’S WRATH By Honor Blanco Cabie

ITY OF OLONGAPO—Towards the northeast of this coastal city is an imposing sight—the hitherto dormant Mt. Pinatubo which cut a swathe of destruction when it erupted in 1991 following a 600-year slumber.

the eruptive episode sent tourists—foreign and local— into thinking it would take scores before Zambales, buried by lahar in most parts, would be able to bounce back, economically and emotionally. Observers who motored to the province, which stretches 173 kms on its western shoreline facing the Luzon Bay, noted that ashes destroyed a big portion of the reefs in the area, buried nearby towns in a thick layer of ash at least 1 meter deep—some of them basically wiped off the map. The same observers have noted that in recent years, the visibility of beaches has slowly returned, and the corals have started to recover with some turtles nesting in some areas. But they said majority of sharks and dolphins that used to call the Zambales coast home have not returned since. Pinatubo, whose name was emblazoned on the presidential plane of Zambales’ son Ramon Magsaysay in the 1950s, has started beckoning once more tourists and mountaineers, whose former summit—at 1,745 meters altitude—was believed to be the crest of a lava dome 600 years back. Some mountain buffs say the volcano’s lower flanks, intricately dissected and densely sheathed in tropical vegetation prior to the 1991 eruptions, were composed mainly of pyroclastic deposits or volcanic rock fragments from voluminous, explosive prehistoric eruptions. Twenty-five years later, resorts and other tourist destinations have resurfaced like mushrooms in the monsoon, including By The Sea Resort Hotel, which describes itself as “a perfect place for a perfect occasion” fronting Subic Bay, the former drydock facility of the giant US Seventh Fleet.

The Hotel, conceptualized in the 1980s and nestled in the bosom of Beach Valley, is a place where one can dine and wine, enjoy Philippine sunset and have a relaxing oasis from the jostle and flurry of life in a crowded metropolis. Most of the inhabitants of Zambales, two hours drive from Manila, are crammed in the lowland plains toward the coast facing Luzon Sea: the indigenous Aetas (the earliest inhabitants) and the superstitious Sambals (an Austronesian group of people who displaced the Aetas and from whom the name Zambales was coined) live in its mountain ranges. Tourism officials say the province is considered the wreck diving capital of the Southeast Asian archipelago, known previously as the Land of the Morning. Most of the wreckage are concentrated in the Subic area, which for decades hosted Washington’s naval base during the Indochina War until the Americans fled in 1991 following the eruption of Pinatubo. Official sources say at least 25 Japanese ships were sunk off the Zambales shoreline in the 1940s when Manila became the Warsaw of the Far East at the height of the second world war—the name a reference to the Polish capital which was reduced to ruins in the 1940s. Sources said there are others that lie in Subic’s seabed, like the remains of the San Quentin (sunk in 1898), a wooden gunboat which lies nearby Grande Island; the USS New York (between Alava Pier and Cubi Point); El Capitan (Ilanin Bay); LST (near Grande Island); Oruku Maru (near Alava Pier); Patrol Boat (Triboa Bay) and LCU Landing Vessel (Triboa Bay). There are also popular tourist destinations for camping and beach outings. Turn to D2

Local Gov’t Units

NUMBER CODING SCHEME SUSPENDED BAGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio Domogan has suspended the implementation of the Baguio Number Coding Scheme from Nov. 14 to Dec. 9, 2016 for private vehicles of participants in the 63rd Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference. The suspension also applies to participants in the 67 Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament. These will be held at the CAP Trade and Cultural Center and the Baguio Country Club and the Camp John Hay fairways, respectively. Domogan issued Administrative Order No. 147 suspending the implementation of the scheme specifically for the participants of the two major events and their families for the specified period. Baguio City will host the 63rd Mine Safety and Environment Week on November 14-18 and the 67th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament, the longest running amateur golf competition in the world, on Nov 21 to Dec 10, 2016. “We will suspend the implementation of the number coding scheme for all private vehicles of participants of the two primordial national and international events in the city— to provide members of the mining industry and other stakeholders and our golfers, visitors and their families convenient and stress-free journey around the city to help boost the city’s identity as a prime tourist destination,” Domogan said. Under the order, participants in the two events and their family members will be required to show to apprehending officers their respective identification cards to enjoy the exemption from the coverage of the Baguio Number Coding Scheme. Ordinance No. 01, as amended by Ordinance No. 107, is known as the “Baguio City Number Coding Ordinance.”

ARCHDIOCESE ENDORSES ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN

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CATACLYSMIC ERUPTION. Mount Pinatubo, an active stratovolcano in the Cabusilan Mountains northwest of Manila, near the tripoint of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga in the Central Plains, registered on June 15, 1991 the second largest eruption of the 20th century, producing high-speed avalanches of hot ash and gas, giant mudflows, and a cloud of volcanic ash hundreds of kilometers across and affected a thickly populated area.

PANGASINAN GETS 2ND SGLG AWARD

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Gov. Amado Espino III is dedicating the 2016 Seal of Good Local Governance award received by the provincial government from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to Pangasinenses. Espino said his provincemates deserved the award for supporting various development thrusts of the provincial administration which helped the local government unit attain Pangasinan’s mission and vision. “This award is not only a recognition of the efforts of provincial officials, but also (of) all Pangasinenses who work with us towards realizing a better province,” Espino said during the regular flag-raising ceremony at the Capitol recently.

According to the DILG, Pangasinan passed all the minimum requirements of the SGLG’s core components (financial administration, social protection and disaster preparedness) and essential areas (business friendliness and competitiveness, peace and order, and environment management). Espino also thanked the DILG for appreciating his brand of leadership which has pursued excellence in running the affairs of the province since July 2007 when the elder Espino served as provincial chief executive. On Oct. 27, Espino received the SGLG award from Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno and Senator Sonny Angara at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila.

In a letter of the DILG sent to the province, Sueno said: “It is with great hope that your LGU sustains its remarkable performance and commitment as we both endeavor to carry on our journey towards an (honest and excellent local governance).” The SGLG award entitles the LGFU access to the following: Performance Challenge Fund, facilitation of loan approval through the issuance of good financial housekeeping certifications and other program ‘windows’ subject to specific program guidelines. In addition to the seal, a certificate of recognition was received by the provincial government as a symbol of the province’s commitment towards good

local governance and for passing all six local government assessment areas this year. Pangasinan, under the stewardship of the elder Espino who has since become a congressman, was a recipient of the Seal of Good Housekeeping award in 2011 and 2012. When the SGH was upgraded to SGLG, the province again received the award in 2015. Joining Espino during the presentation of the SGLG award were Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr., provincial board members Jeremy Agerico Rosario, Raul Sison, Noel Bince, Angel Baniqued Jr., Napoleon Fontelera and Chinky PerezTababa and several heads of office of the provincial government. Dexter A. See

ILOILO CITY—The Archdiocese of Jaro in Iloilo has expressed public support to the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s “Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayan Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga (MASA MASID) program and the Ugnayan ng Barangay at Simbahan (UBAS). In a pastoral statement titled “Unleashing the Power of Love and Mercy,” Archbishop Angel Lagdameo appealed to all Christian leaders, businessmen, professionals, physicians, and all parishioners to invest time, resources, and energy to help curb the complex problem of drug menace in the society. “We must commit to greater church and state collaboration to eradicate the problem of illegal drugs,” Lagdameo said. “Through the facilitation of JASAC (Jaro Social Action Center), we can join hands in partnership with groups like the DILG for MASA MASID and UBAS to fight criminality, corruption, and illegal drugs,” he added.

LGUs

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MANGO GROWERS TAUGHT TECHNIQUES BALANGA, Bataan—Mango growers from the province trained by the Bataan Peninsula State University have adopted science and technology farming techniques for better production. The BPSU and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) have implemented Science and Technology Community-Based Farming on mango production in Bataan involving 15 farmer-cooperators from Balanga and Abucay towns from 2013 to 2015. Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, BPSU OIC vice president for Research, Extension, and Training Services and project leader, said science and technology interventions were performed by cooperators on their respective mango farms as part of the project for two consecutive years. The farmer-cooperators underwent trainings and seminars on technology transfer and technical management to further develop their capability. The university vice president said the project was being sustained by the Bataan Mango Growers Association’s 35 members from Balanga and Abucay towns who contributed a capital share of P20,000 each for flower induction of mango orchards. The 15 farmer-cooperators of the project are members of the association. He also said the association would perform mango spraying as form of extension services and income generation. The association will also provide services such as pruning and bagging of fruits. Paguia said mango growers would undergo continuous capability building to enhance their skills for improved mango production to be conducted by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, and City Agriculture Office. He said they wanted to have mango buying station and packing house by consolidators with hot treatment facility. He said the support of local government units and Department of Agriculture was vital to this plan. A project proposal is being prepared to seek Commission on Higher Education and Department of Science and Technology funding support which, if approved, would cover five mango-growing LGUs. Butch Gunio

IN HIGH GEAR. Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan intensifies the local government unit’s ‘Oplan Clean Agad’ and directs the city’s Environmental Management Office, Mayor’s Action Center and Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management in barangays 65, 66, 69 and 73. Jun David

KABAYAN YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WANT PART IN PROJECT PROPOSAL By Dexter See

ABAYAN, Benguet—Many young professionals tracing their origin here want the Cordillera office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP-CAR) to consult them regarding the ongoing free and prior informed consent process for the 45-megawatt Nalatang hydropower project.

The project is being proposed by the Aboitiz-owned Hydroelectric Development Corp. (HEDCOR) Inc. The professionals claim they think like their elders from their respective barangays, the reason they deserve to be consulted by the FPIC team so they can share their insights on the proposed environmentally critical project that will impact on their ancestral domain. “Like our elders, we are concerned about the preservation and protection of our domain that is why we must also be consulted. We also have our own insights on the project that will compel prospective

developers to give to the indigenous peoples their equitable share from the utilization of the resources within their domain,” said one professional, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. The source questioned what he called the obvious bias shown by the NCIP FPIC team toward the project proponent as the indigenous peoples leaders who are to represent the different barangays were handpicked by the team and not actually selected by the IPs in the area through their own indigenous selection processes. According to the alarmed sources,

the project proponent is allegedly in cahoots with the FPIC team to railroad the process amid the issues raised that must be addressed by agencies before the indigenous peoples can decide to give or withhold their consent as provided by law. The sources claimed the IPs of Kabayan want an equitable share from the development and utilization of the natural resources in their domain. Their ancestors preserved and protected such resources for the benefit of their children and their children’s children, thus, oligarchs cannot just simply take away from them these resources at the ancestral domain owner’s expense. They disclosed the project proponent had been giving away simple tokens to the selected IP leaders as an inducement to give their consent for the hydropower project. Such inducements is a violation of the FPIC process, they said. The sources asserted developers were welcome to utilize the

resources within their domain but not to the extent of shortchanging them. Those conducting the FPIC process should inform and educate them about their rights so that they will know what to demand from the developers. Under the provisions of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, companies interested in developing and exploring the resources of the State are required to secure the free and prior informed consent of the affected indigenous peoples and indigenous cultural communities having domain over the areas prior to introducing any development. The sources argued interested hydropower developers should not belittle the IPs because they can be partners in the proposed development of the resources if given the equitable share. They also remind the project proponent and the NCIP FPIC team the indigenous communities have the right to deny consent to the project.

SM FOUNDATION DONATES BLDG. TO BAGUIO SCHOOL

TURNING THE CORNER. Mariveles Mayor AJ Concepcion circulates with small fishermen of his town, vowing to look immediately at their plight and help them improve their nine-to-five livelihood. Butch Gunio

ZAMBALES ... From D1 These include, according to tourism officials, Anawangin in San Antonio town, 39 kms north of Olongapo, which offers adventure activities for a camping travel itinerary. Anawangin, a crescent-shaped cove lined with pine trees on its shore which gives it a different impression, is complemented by surrounding mountain rocks which gives the area a poster-perfect view particularly during sundown when the sun gives off an orange glow that reflects the mountain terrain. The sand is white and soft with a mixture of volcanic ashes from the

1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The cove is complimented by the surrounding mountain rocks giving it a picturesque and poster-perfect view especially when the sunset is givingoff an orange glow that reflects to the mountain curves. There are other sights for tourists like Camara Island, which has clear waters and colorful corals and provides a majestic view of the open ocean. This is the closest island in the shore of Pundaquit, a 15-minute ride from Anawangin Cove. There is also the Capones, a 2-km long bone-shaped island which is chiefly a site for surfing adventures, is about 30 minutes by boat from Pundaquit.

A lighthouse from its top is also an attraction where adventure-seekers can have a pleasant view of the open sea. Officials also point to Balon Falls, said to be a perfect paradise in nearby Subic’s barangay Aningway for nature lovers with crystal-clear water fresh from the falls, where fragrance of wild flowers and trees surrounds the whole place, and only the sound of the birds and wild animals breaks the tranquil atmosphere. With foreign and local tourists seeking out the popular destinations in the province every month, tourism officials themselves raise their hopes for continuing recovery from the devastation inflicted by Pinatubo.

BAGUIO CITY—The Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School has set its sights to expanding to Junior High School in 2017 as SM Foundation turned over a brand new, two-story school building on Nov. 1. The new school building comes with four fully-furnished classrooms with a total 200 arm chairs, 4 teacher’s desk sets, 16 wall fans, 8 blackboards, 4 wall clocks, and 4 toilets. SM Foundation says it recognizes the need to help close the gap in the quality of education between private and public schools by providing the proper environment that is conducive to learning. “Education is the greatest equalizer,” said Linda Atayde, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education Programs. She said: “Numerous studies have shown that having a prepared environment conducive for learning boosts the child’s creativity, independent thinking and absorptive capacity. “Through these fully-furnished, wellventilated classrooms, we hope to aid the child’s learning to be more productive, enjoyable and comfortable.” MLQ Elementary School has 900 students from 13 barangays from Kinder to Grade 6. It has a campus with more than a hectare of land, with 9 school buildings. The new school building will be the 10th on campus which will serve as classrooms of the incoming Junior High in 2017. In the meantime, it will serve as laboratory rooms for different grade levels.

“Our dream is to be a full K-12 school,” said school principal Danilo Gayao. “The new school building from SM Foundation makes the expansion to Junior High possible. We are now even more hopeful that, eventually, it will lead to the expansion to senior high.” MLQ Elementary School also provides Alternative Learning System to 300 students including mothers, ex-convicts, and out-of-school youth, who hope to finish schooling. It also serves as one of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority campuses. “We thank SM for being a partnerstakeholder of DepEd’s vision to provide education for all,” Gayao said. This is SM Foundation’s 76th school building to date. It is the 5th school building in Baguio, including those built for the Irisan Elementary School, Pinsao Elementary School, Josefa Carino Elementary School and Lucban Elementary School. SM Foundation also provides college and technical-vocational scholarship grants to further help provide access to inclusive and equitable quality education. To date, the SM Group of Companies has supported Baguio and communities around it through the various programs of SM Foundation. Through the Scholarship Program, there are 77 college scholars and 40 tech-voc scholars. The Foundation has conducted 24 medical missions benefitting 19,973 patients. The Foundation has also renovated three health centers and two hospitals. Dexter See

Gadgets & Games

NINTENDO, SONY DO BATTLE WITH OLD, NEW Nintendo on November 10, 2016 launched palm-sized versions of its 1980s-era games consoles— the North American “Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition” (above) and the Japanese “Nintendo Classic Mini Family Computer” (below), setting up an old versus new showdown with rival Sony as it released a new PlayStation 4. AFP

OKYO—Nintendo on Thursday launched a palm-sized version of its eighties era games console, setting up an old versus new showdown with rival Sony as it released a new PlayStation 4. The dual launches marked a new chapter in the battle for supremacy between Japan’s top videogame companies as they try to deal with

a sharp rise in mobile gaming. Scores of excited gamers queued at electronics stores in Tokyo to tr y to get their hands on the N intendo’s new version of its Famicom and Sony’s PS4 Pro. The smaller version of Nintendo’s classic console, known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) overseas, sold more than 60 million units after its 1983 launch. The new mini-console retails for about $60 with a strong nod to nostalgia by letting gamers lower screen quality to mimic playing on an old television. The console is installed with 30 games including Nintendo’s famed Super Mario and Donkey Kong characters. Sony’s cutting-edge machine retails for about $400 and promises even sharper graphics than earlier versions of its PS4, which have sold over 40 million units globally. Most consoles had already been pre ordered, dashing the hopes of some Japanese gamers who rushed to stores for the double launch day. “We stopped taking pre-orders some time ago because demand for both machines was beyond

expectations,” Yuko Harima, a spokeswoman for retail electronics stores Bic Camera, told AFP, without disclosing sales figures. Nintendo’s system is being released in Europe and North America on Friday. The two offerings are very different but their launch could herald a new turf war among the rivals, said Hirokazu Hamamura, who heads game magazines publishing at the Kadokawa media group. “You may think it’s no big deal that the cuttingedge high-end game machine and old-style Famicom make their debuts on the same day, but I don’t think so,” he said. “This really illustrates that we could see a platform war in the coming years,” he told a recent seminar in Tokyo. Both firms are competing to win so-called crossover customers who use smartphones, game consoles and traditional computers, he added. Nintendo has been looking for a hit to counter flagging Wii U console sales, after making a longawaited debut in the mobile gaming market for the first time earlier this year. Meanwhile, the firm last month stumbled as it gave a sneak peek at a long-awaited new console called Nintendo Switch. The hybrid machine can be played at home and on the go, thanks to a removable screen like a tablet with the controllers attached. But the release of a three-minute video of the system left investors underwhelmed, sparking selling on the Tokyo stock market of shares in Nintendo, which had been buoyed by the success of “Pokemon Go” smartphone app earlier this year. AFP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

LAZADA SELLS 100K ITEMS IN 9 HOURS LATE night shoppers started very early to take advantage of Lazada’s 2016 Online Revolution. Customers looking for the best deals from trusted brands started coming in from 12 midnight today. As of 9 a.m., www.lazada.com.ph recorded 100,000 sold items, 29% of which came from the health and beauty category, with electronics as a close second. Shoppers relished in the choice of products available to them at amazing offers— all at up to 95% discount. The very first order came from a customer in Tarlac City, who ordered a KDS Beats-0022 100dB Stereo Subwoofer Over-the-Ear Headphones.

Lazada’s Online Revolution excitement started much earlier this year,” said CEO Inanc Balci, “We’ve had an exciting and long night, with crowds of late-night owls turning into early-bird shoppers snapping up the best deals from Samsung, L’Oreal, P&G, BUM, Starmobile, Mamy Poko, among many others. Watch out for more deals coming later today and in the next 4 weeks for your Christmas shopping.” The Online Revolution sale continues until Dec. 12. Following 11.11, and during the next 4 weeks leading up to 12.12, Lazada is focusing on satisfying its customers’ interests with a weekly curated selection of products for beauty fans, supermoms and families, techies and fashionistas. Be part of history as Lazada kicks off the Christmas shopping season with the best brands and wallet-friendly deals. Get a chance to win an Isuzu D-Max and Turkish Airlines international roundtrip tickets for all your shopping. Visit www. lazada.com.ph or download the Lazada mobile app for free.

BIG...

From D4

True portability

Unlike other projectors in the market, the Lenovo Pocket Projector delivers true portability with its built-in lithium-ion battery that provides up to three hours of continuous operation on a single charge. That’s more than enough juice for a feature-length movie that users can enjoy anytime, anywhere! The compact, ultra-light design of the Pocket Projector clocks in at only 288 grams, allowing users to fit it right into a back pocket or a laptop bag for breathtaking display on-the-go. The new Lenovo Pocket Projector is available in Lenovo stores and authorized dealer partners across Philippines for only P13,999.

IRRESISTIBLE DEALS ON GADGETS ALL is clear, all is bright this holiday season as Sony Philippines introduces irresistible deals on Sony mobile phones, cameras, headphones, TVs, and much more. From November 11 up to January 15, 2017, Filipinos nationwide can enjoy huge cash discounts, easy installment plans, and exciting freebies on some of the latest Sony products. Level up your photography and take Insta-like photos like Nadine Lustre with the Sony A5000. Aspiring photographers looking to upgrade their point-and-shoot can opt for the 20.1 megapixel mirrorless interchangeable lens camera for P22,999. For an additional P2,990, they can also avail of a special accessories bundle comprised of a chic camera bag, leather case, and camera strap if they purchase a Sony A5000 or A5100. Audiophiles can listen to

their favorite tracks in superb high-resolution with the latest headphones and speakers from the Extra Bass Line. Get the MDR-XB650BT, MDR-XB450AP, and SRS-XB3 with a cool Extra Bass drawstring sling back. Available at 6 months to pay at 0% interest, you can listen to your favorite songs in amazing audio quality for as low as P499.83 per month. Preserve fleeting moments in their truest colors with the Xperia XZ which features a 23 megapixel camera coupled with a highly acclaimed triple image sensing technology and 4K video recording. Grab the brand new flagship device for only Php 37,990 via credit card at 12 months to pay at 0%. Looking for a stylish device that fits your lifestyle? Get the stunning Xperia XA with a free 32GB USB on-the-go for only P12,990.00 Watch your favorite movies

in extra high-definition and immerse yourself in extreme contrast with the 75” Sony Bravia Z9D 4KHDR Android TV. At P399,999, you get up to 10% off when you pay in cash. Spruce up your living quarters and enjoy excellent picture quality with the slim and stylish Sony Bravia X9300D. Get a free Xperia Z5 mobile phone or HT-CT80 soundbar when you purchase select Sony Bravia TVs. Head to your nearest Sony Center to get to know more about these exciting deals. This Christmas season, gift yourself or your loved ones with a Sony product, and experience everything extra clear and extra bright all year round. For more details visit www. s o n y. c o m . p h / m i c r o s i t e / s o nychristmas2016/index.html or follow Sony Philippines on Twitter (@SonyPHinc), Instagram (@ SonyPHinc) and Facebook (facebook.com/SonyPhilippines)

From Nov. 11 up to Jan. 15, 2017, Filipinos nationwide can enjoy huge cash discounts, easy installment plans, and exciting freebies on some of the latest Sony products.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

EDUCATION APP SEES STRONG PH POTENTIAL P

RIOR to announcing the official launch in the country, Singapore-based education company Zookal made available in the Philippines its hugely successful app three weeks ago and immediately saw over 30,000 downloads since. The app allows Filipino students with a smartphone to instantly access and review comprehensively through the 20,000 practice multiple-choice questionnaires handcrafted by over 500 of the best teachers in the country. Available for free download via Google Play Store and iOS App Store, the app’s content have been crafted and prepared in accordance with the Philippine education curriculum. It simulates the nature of multiple-choice entrance tests allowing students to conveniently swipe through questions and complete quizzes and is perfect for those reviewing for entrance tests and licensure examinations such as UPCAT, ACET, Civil Service Examination and the NSAT. “Several factors motivated our team to launch the concept of Zookal in the Philippines. First, we saw how Filipinos value education more than anything. Majority of the budget allotted by the government goes to the sector. Secondly, with over 30 percent of Filipinos being a smartphone user and how this percentage is expected to vastly grow over the years according to a report recently made by IDC, we know that Filipinos can readily adopt to this digital education resource,” said Jon Tse, Co-founder of Zookal. Aiming to make education more affordable and accessible to everyone, Zookal especially caters to those who have limited access to books and review centers which could be very costly. “We are inspired by the story of Mr. Efren Penaflorida who earned the title CNN Hero of the Year in 2010 because of his Pinoy Kariton Educator concept. He would go around different villages and bring along with him school materials for street children. We believe the cause we stand for is no different,” he continued.

Instilling strong and healthy study habits among Filipinos Upon completion of the questionnaires, app users earn bonus study tips which have been compiled by oblation scholars and top teachers from Teach for the Philippines. These tips are aimed at instilling strong and healthy study habits among Filipino students; ultimately improving their study outcomes and enhancing their educational experience. “We are very proud to have made this impact in the first few weeks of the launch. The positive feedback from our users has been overwhelming and we are working very diligently to enhance the product,” continued Jon Tse. “Buying books and going to review centers might not be feasible for every student, so if we can help some students access resources that were previously unavailable to them, then we will strive to do so on as big a scale as possible,” he added. Among the improvements included in their pipeline is explaining to users why certain answers are correct and others are wrong. They are also working on expanding the content to cover more tests including NCLEX, IELTS, GMAT and more. To d o w n l o a d t h e a p p via Google Play store, go to: https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.zookal. zookalsg&hl=en or via iOS App Store, go to https://itunes.apple. com/au/app/zookal-philippinesschool/id1140369065?mt=8 The app is also available for direct download at www.zookal. com.ph.

GLOBAL technology leader Lenovo recently announced the availability of its latest innovation in the Philippine market: the Lenovo Pocket Projector, a carryanywhere projection dynamo that turns any room into a private theater with a push of a button. All eyes will be on this device which allows work presentations, movies, TV shows, home videos, games, or photos to be shared and project up to 110 inches of stunning display. Powered by Lenovo’s vibrant color technology, the Pocket Projector delivers amazingly high contrast images and features a built-in lithium ion battery for extreme mobility. “The Lenovo Pocket Projector helps users turn simple visuals into big cinematic moments,” said Michael Ngan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Philippines. “This is the first standalone projector of Lenovo that truly delivers innovative technology right where it matters: display, versatility, and true portability. As always, Lenovo utilizes the rapid advances in imaging technology to provide consumers with innovations that allow them to make the most of their images, videos, and ideas.”

Larger-than-life brilliant display

The app allows Filipino students with a smartphone to instantly access and review comprehensively through the 20,000 practice multiple-choice questionnaires

DEVICE SPARKS HOPE OF PARALYSIS CURE GENEVA—A new device has allowed two monkeys to regain use of their paralysed legs by transmitting brain signals wirelessly, bypassing their spinal cord lesions, a study released Wednesday by the journal Nature said. The implantable device, called a neuroprosthetic interface, was developed by an international team led by researchers at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) and may soon be tested as a remedy for paralysis in humans. “For the first time, I can imagine a completely paralysed patient able to move their legs through this brainspine interface,” Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the Lausanne University Hospital, said in a press release from EPFL. The interface conceived at EPFL is a multi-component brain-spine connector, which decodes signals from the part of the motor cortex responsible for leg movements. It then relays those signals in real time to the lumbar region of the spinal cord that activates leg muscles to walk. In the two test cases, the monkeys’ motor cortex and spinal lumbar regions were still functioning. The interface was therefore able to wirelessly relay the movement

This handout picture released by Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) shows lead scientist Gregoire Courtine holding a silicon model of a primateís brain, a microelectrode array and a pulse generator. An implantable neuroprostheric interface device developed by EPFL has allowed two monkeys to regain use of their paralyzed legs by transmitting brain signals wirelessly, bypassing their spinal cord lesions, a study released November 9 by the journal Nature said. AFP

instructions while skipping the damaged area of the spine causing the paralysis, EPFL said. The monkeys regained some use of their paralysed leg within two weeks,

BIG SHOW WITH LENOVO POCKET PROJECTOR

walking on both a treadmill and on the ground, Nature said in a press release. The journal noted that implantable technology that decodes brain signals has previously allowed a human patient

to move a prosthetic or robotic hand. But using a neuroprosthetic interface to activate a complex leg muscle in a primate was a first, Nature added. The lead scientist on the groundbreaking project, Gregoire Courtine of EPFL, warned“it may take several years before all the components of this intervention can be tested in people.” The concept of the interface was developed in Switzerland, key components came from Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island and the medical device company Medtronic, based in Dublin. AFP

Dim and blurry projection is a thing of the past with the Lenovo Pocket Projector, which consistently delivers stunning display of up to 110 inches with a 50-lumen, high-contrast Digital Light Processing (DLP) Technology optical engine designed and developed by leading semiconductor manufacturer Texas Instruments. DLP technology allows projection quality of up to 1080p for larger screen sizes, perfect geometry and linearity of images, and a wider range of colors than other display technologies. Every small detail is clear and vivid, making the Pocket Projector perfect for any type of presentation, even for discerning, meticulous clients. Couple this ultra-portable projector with a great speaker system and you can turn a boring old room into a high-end theater with dramatically crisp and clear visuals.

Enhanced mobility and versatility

The Lenovo Pocket Projector performs superbly whether at work or at home—even outdoors. The projector itself can rotate up to 90 degrees for total viewing versatility; turn any wall, floor, or ceiling into a vibrant display to amp up the experience for family, friends, colleagues, and clients. The Pocket Projector comes with a smart auto-correct feature designed to address image distortion to ensure that images are brilliant and perfectly proportioned every time. And the best part, it offers easy connectivity —shows presentations, movies, and photos from the microSD slot or wirelessly via Miracast or WIFI direct. Turn to D3

Lenovo Pocket Projector

Young Life

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com.ph

CREATIVE CHRONICLES:

HOW TO JOURNAL LIKE ABBEY SY

Happy Skin and Disney Princess collection

By Bernadette Lunas

HEN messages and personal notes are typed and sent and stored on mobile devices, one couldn’t help but wonder if writing using pen and paper will soon follow in the footsteps of making calls in telephone booths and recording on cassette tapes— no longer practiced.

But today’s young generation has a certain affinity to throwbacks. Reason why despite of the advent and conquest of technology, we still see individuals printing photos using instant films or playing music on turntables. And before we count writing out, art artist and author Abbey Sy leads a legion of young diarists who are starting a revolution of reviving our love of jour journaling—using actual writing tools, of course—and putting more creative touch touches to the activity. “I feel that keeping a journal and writing in analog help slows us down and reminds us that our world does not 100 percent rely on digital or social media,” Abbey said in an interview with Manila Standard. She furthered, “Personally, in terms of efficiency, I still prefer writing my to-do lists instead of plotting them out on a digital calendar. It’s more tangible that way.” Today’s innovative and creative breed, however, has a new way of recording their daily experiences. What used to be a simple activity that uses words (some (sometimes sketches make their way on the pages as well), journaling has become more dynamic and, perhaps, more alive. A quick scan at the pages of Abbey’s journals will prove that. The 23-year-old creative entrepreneur’s life is cre creatively chronicled in her journals—the avenue where her hand-lettering career is said to have started. “I started journaling at a young age, around 13,” she shared, but added that it was a love-hate relationship. She started with words, moved on to illustrations, and now—10 years later—her journals are an impressive and vivid reminder of her past self, made creatively that they almost look like works of art. Majority of the pages in her journals are ren rendered in vibrant and muted colors—something that would remind you of vintage films—using her favorite medium, watercolor. “I really am fascinated with anything retro or vintage, patterned art, and beautifully rendered colors from nature,” said Abbey.

THE LIPSTICK A PRINCESS WEARS EVERYONE who is not age 80 and above grew up with a Disney Princess. And at one point or another, a young girl once dreamed of becoming like her favorite princess—may it be the kindhearted Snow White or the independent Belle or the determined Anna—and perhaps channel her beauty. Now, young girls and even older women in the Philippines can put on a tiara and unleash the princess in them as Disney partners with homegrown makeup label Happy Skin for a limited edition range of lippies featuring eight Princesses. “Disney approached us (via e-mail) and asked us if we were interested in doing a collaboration,” Happy Skin co-founder Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez told Manila Standard. “We were very ecstatic and thrilled that a global brand has recognized a local brand like Happy Skin.” Disney’s latest partnership is in line with its direction to elevate its brand status and cater to young women, who would love to put on a makeup inspired by its Princesses. Ten months since the two have begun talking—Yuengtian-Gutierrez shared that Disney officials checked each factory that creates their products—Happy Skin officially rolled out their Disney Princess Makeup Collection.

Turn to E2

The Happy Skin x Disney event brand ambassadors who each embodies the virtue of the eight featured Princesses

Scan this icon to view the PDF

JOURNALING IS NOT DEAD. A legion of young diarists is reviving the practice of journaling, but in a more dynamic and creative manner with the help of different medium and materials.

Happy Skin x Disney Princess Moisturizing Lippie includes Belle (P599) which has an enchanting nude-honey shade and Rapunzel (P599) which features pink with a mauve hue. Happy Skin x Disney Princess Moisturizing Matte Lippie, meanwhile, comes in two Princess-approved shades namely, Snow White (P699) in apple-red and Aurora (P699) in rose hue. The matte formulation is also used in Happy Skin x Disney Frozen Moisturizing Matte Lippies in Elsa (P699) with its plum shade, and Anna (P699) in toasted cherry. Finally, Cinderella (P699) in mauve shade and Ariel (P699) in red wine color complete the Happy Skin x Disney Princess Liquid Matte Lipstick. In choosing the color for each Disney Princesses, YuengtianGutierrez said that she and cofounder Rissa Mananquil-Trillo had to watch all the movies “a couple of times because we were trying to make sure that fans will feel that each shade matches the personality of the Princess.” The Happy Skin x Disney collection is now available at all Happy Skin stores. -BL

Young Life

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

3 THINGS

THAT HAVE HAPPENED

DBI vice president for Asia and New Zealand Paul Reynish about to get dunked

DUNK FOR A SMILE A TOTAL of 60 children will now be able to get life-changing cleft palate surgery as Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins licensees across the region successfully held “Dunkin’ Smile Tank.” The said event is a fundraiser that generated $15,000, including a $5,000 donation from Dunkin’ Brands Inc., the parent company of the two labels. For the activity, licensees made a donation to Operation Smile for the opportunity to throw a ball at a target to dunk a member of the Dunkin’ Brands Leadership Team. “As part of our regional meeting in Manila, we felt it was important to find a way to give back to the communities we serve throughout the region,” said Dunkin’ Brands International president Bill Mitchell. He added, “We decided to partner with Operation Smile as it’s an organization that helps bring smiles to children across the region and is a cause that our licensees have supported over the years.” Over the past two years, BaskinRobbins licensees have donated over $10,000 to Operation Smile, which is equivalent to 41 surgeries for children and young adults. “We’re honored to continue our support of Operation Smile. The fundraiser demonstrates the generosity of the regional Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins licensees, and the commitment to give back all the way up to the leadership level at Dunkin’ Brands,” said Baskin-Robbins Philippines vice president of marketing Nameeta Dargani. Operation Smile is an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities. “This donation will help us fund additional life-changing surgeries that will give children the ability to smile and share their joy with the world,” said Timothy Lu, Operation Smile Philippines director of strategic partnerships.

SINCE TRUMP WON THE ELECTION

N year 2000, television show The Simpsons predicted that business tycoon Donald Trump would become US President.

In the episode “Bart to the Future,” Bart had a vision 30 years into the future that his sister Lisa is the president, after Trump. Sixteen years later, the prediction has materialized, following the Republican mogul’s stunning victory to become the 45th US President. The two-year campaign, which Hillary Clinton describes in her concession speech, was “vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized.” The bitter period, peppered with personal attacks and controversial remarks, has indeed ended. The USA will have a new commander-in-chief on Jan. 20, 2017. But the period of shock and celebration is just beginning. Here are three notable things that have transpired since Trump won the White House.

Canada’s immigration website crashed

While Mars is not yet a viable option for people looking for a new habitat, Americans’s, who no longer want to live in their homeland when “President-elect Trump” happened, next option is to move up north. The Citizenship and Immigration Canada website has crashed due to the sheer number of requests from would-be immigrants. The site, which provides information on how to live in or become a citizen of Canada, has stopped working overnight. It is later restored, followed by a tweet from the website saying, “Immigrants are encouraged to bring their cultural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens.”

Non-whites and members of the LGBTQ community are allegedly being mistreated

As Trump supporters celebrated their bet’s victory, many people of color, US immigrants, Muslims and members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community have reported “traumatic” experiences of being ashamed and mistreated in the public. Black Americans are allegedly being called names, while immigrants are said to being told to “go back to their country.” Same-sex couples are also reporting unpleasant treatment. American writer and civil rights activist Shaun King tweeted a photo of a note left on a car, which states: “Can’t wait until your ‘marriage’ is overturned by a real president. Gay families = burn in hell. Trump 2016.” And the primary culprits in these reports are said to be Caucasians or white Americans.

Stock markets plunged across Asia and Europe

Stock markets were rattled and investors reacted with volatility following Trump’s win. Mexican plummeted more than 10 percent against US dollar, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell 5.36 percent, the global oil price went down 3 percent, and, here in the Philippines, stocks plunged to a 7-month low. But as soon as the shock ebbed, the same markets rallied the next day on the hopes that Trump’s plans would bolster the US economy.

Visit www.OperationSmile.org.ph for more information.

PRESIDENT-ELECT. Sixteen years ago, The Simpsons predicted that Donald Trump would become US President. On Nov. 9, Trump claimed a stunning victory and would become the 45th commander-in-chief of USA. AFP

HOW TO JOURNAL... From E1

23-year-old artist and entrepreneur Abbey Sy believes that one only needs to be curious to start and pursue the habit of creative journaling.

Her diaries are also filled with her typography creations, drawings, sketches, ephemera and, of course, written words that describe her day, current favorites and goals, among others. It truly is inspiring to start journaling more creatively once you saw Abbey’s work; in her latest book The ABCs of Journaling, published by Summit Books, the artist/entrepreneur encourages individuals to collect moments and record their thoughts on paper in a manner that’s not just creative, but authentic and personal as well. The 120-page, hardbound book looks almost like a diary, something that Abbey intended, to let the readers feel like they’re holding an actual journal. In her opening letter, Abbey said, “This book was made to help you unleash your inner creativity through journaling, exploring various ways to record memories, and encouraging you to be more curious about the world around you.”

Abbey’s second book, following her bestseller The ABCs of Hand Lettering, features some of the basic tools you need to start journaling creatively, journaling ideas and different journaling styles, among a couple more other topics. The book aims to start the readers off on a creative journaling journey, made possible with the use of imagination, and different medium and materials. But Abbey is quick to note, however, that one does need to be good at drawing or painting or typography to be able to artistically chronicle their day-to-day experiences. “The fun part of journaling is that you can make it any way you want it— doesn’t have to be drawing or writing or painting,” the young artist averred. “You can actually use decorative tapes, stamps and stickers to make your pages dynamic and more interesting.” In short, “there are lots of ways to make your pages fun to work with.” Talents and tools aside, Abbey believes that the single most important thing a person must have to start and pursue the habit is to be constantly curious.

“A lot of people tell me that they feel like they have nothing to share on their journal because their day is boring. In my viewpoint, I would say it’s important to stay curious and explore new ways to document your day to make the most out of it,” she said. The Advertising Management graduate added that curiosity opens one up to various ways of journaling and allows him to explore the world and create something out of it. At the end of the day, she believes that “the best part of journaling is having to track your progress,” and that a journal is a “reminder that the best part of life is not about where you are going but where you are right now.” And Abbey Sy has about 50 journals to read whenever she wants to look back to who she was before she became one of the country’s soughtafter artists. The ABCs of Journaling is available in newsstands, bookstores, convenience stores and supermarkets. Photos courtesy of Abbey Sy

Showbiz

MORNING SERIES FOR MILLENNIALS,

HIT AMONG VIEWERS

t’s not easy to be part of this generation. People often misinterpret millennials being hard-working and ambitious differently only because they have their own way of doing things. More often than not, millenials are viewed as selfish, aggressive and the most spoiled generation in history. In a show on GMA 7 that debuted on Oct. 24, millenials are being given a different treatment. In the show called Trops, this generation of youths are depicted as loving, caring and fun to be around with. The coming-of-age series also delves into the various issues that concern today’s generation, like peer pressure, friendship rivalry, and generation gap, among others. It also shows the struggles of the millennials in terms of life goals and relationships.

Inspired by the 2001 Taiwanese series Meteor Garden, Trops aims to highlight how technology plays a crucial role in the lives of millennials. And it’s good to note that the show is not just about them, it also endeavors to help bridge the gap between this generation’s parents and their children. The late morning comedy romantic show stars Kenneth Medrano, Kim Last, JJohn Timmons, Miggy Tolentino, Tommy Peñaflor and Joel Palencia. They were the finalists in Eat Bulaga’s “That’s My Bae” segment, which replaced its “Mr. Pogi” search. They are joined by Taki Saito Saito, a 16-year-old FrenchJapanese-Filipina, who first dove into drama series via GMA’s Calle Siete Siete. Trops continues its winning streak staying on top of pre-afternoon programming. The show which replaced Calle Siete has been winning its timeslot since it debuted beating its rival show in the other network. It’s a fair indication that audience demographics is definitely changing. On the latest AGB Nielsen Urban Luzon survey from Oct. 27 to 30, the late morning series stays in the no. 3 spot of the daytime rankings defeating Daniel Matsunaga and Erich Gonzales’s Be My Lady, which Gonzales settled on the 10th spot.

COMING-OF-AGE. GMA Network’s “Trops” is a show for the millennials. The cast includes “Baes” Kenneth Medrano, Kim Last, John Timmons, Miggy Tolentino and Joel Palencia and TV darling Taki Saito.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, November 13, 2016

ACROSS 1 Sandal part 6 Leave no choice 11 Singer — James 15 — la vista! 20 Steamed 21 Actor Cornel — 22 Drum 24 Pub sign (2 wds.) 25 Policy addendum 26 Inedible orange 27 Hot-tub wood 28 Waken 29 Hawke and Frome 31 Back financially 33 Arty NYC area 34 Auto-safety advocate 35 Kraken (2 wds.) 37 Tack in a yacht 39 Baltimore bard 41 Cen. fractions 42 Gave out sparingly 43 Wire thicknesses 44 Dips in batter, say 46 Fibbed, plus 50 Dangerous current 51 Fjord port 52 Starting gate 53 Pave the way 57 Called strikes 59 Hollow fruits 60 Feline nine 61 She, in Cherbourg 62 Lightened up 63 Run like heck 64 Like city property 65 Swell (hyph.) 66 Popcorn nuisances 67 — cow! 68 Minute 69 Bank jobs 72 Musician Brian — 73 Twist 74 Republic near Italy 75 Role for Angelina 76 Got back 79 Con game 80 Kind of budget 84 Makes the most of 85 Andrew’s ex-duchess 86 Fling 87 — Lingus 88 Shoe part 91 Pinkish-yellow 92 Mortar troughs 93 Scotland yard? 95 Fortas or Vigoda 96 Compadre of Che 97 Plain on the moon 98 Bright flower 99 Melville’s “— Dick” 101 Frat-party wear 102 Bugged off 103 More exciting 104 Like autumn leaves 105 Fraus, in Sp.

106 107 108 109 111 112 114 117 118 119 124 126 128 130 131 132 134 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144

Gold-coated Whistle blower Agile Slack off Philosopher Immanuel — Buckwheat dish Cartoonist — Keane Telepathy Put on Real close (hyph.) In the thick of Like the Kalahari Jingle, maybe Dislodge Bandleader Count — Arroyos Coffee shop lure Measures distance Booster rocket Underhanded one Kind of wave Macbeth’s title Played it again Black as night Tea biscuit Smelling —

DOWN 1 Names on pedigrees 2 Corny 3 Milkmaid beloved of Krishna 4 Elite unit (hyph.) 5 Licorice liqueur 6 — Jima 7 Faux pas 8 Like an armadillo 9 — Lee Masters 10 Scallion kin 11 Catchall abbr. 12 Ph.D. submissions 13 Henry VIII’s house 14 Memsahib’s nanny 15 Aggressive insect 16 Dwarf buffalo 17 Hit the books 18 Stun gun 19 Emulators 23 Offered a toast 30 Slept “soundly” 32 Harmful things 36 Lost traction 38 “Xanadu” rock group 40 Equine fodder 43 High NCO ranking 44 Quail family 45 Get the drift 46 More green 47 Exempt 48 Novel conclusion (var.) 49 Kind of pickle 51 Too suave 52 Ship of 1492 54 Anguished wail 55 Coin eater

56 58 59 60 63 64 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 88 89 90 91 92 93

Blondie’s shrieks Home tel. Pete Seeger’s music Game of chance Brosnan role Less than one Hotfoots it Insipid Greer and Roach Victorian, e.g. John, in Glasgow Troublesome joint Fresco Bonny miss Pre-equinox mo. Ames inst. Unveils Foretell Tabby’s pick-me-up More uncanny Gloomy Fizzy drinks Grounds for a suit Woolen caps Plaintive reed Kan. neighbor George Burns prop Axe handle Hamm of soccer

94 96 97 98 100 101 102 103 106 107 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 118 119 120 121 122 123 125 127 129 133 135

Finales Two of four feet Liquefy Soft breeze Even so Kitchen meas. Eye enhancer Water supplier House ext. Fire discoverer Crete’s sea Bear or island — dragon (monitor lizard) Pros Storybook elephant Reflection Jockey, often Improve the highway Melody’s words Insurance hub Articulate Big occasion Oui and ja Ms. Foch Sari sporter Pillboxes Moon’s place Stein filler

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016

BLIND PINAY SINGER

ON GLOBAL STAGE

Blind singer Alienette Coldfire delivers a show-stopping rendition of “I Dream A Dream” in a populate talent show in France

A blind Filipina singer moved to the next round of La France a un Incroyable Talent (France Has Incredible Talent) after she impressed the panel of judges with her “powerful and angelic voice.” In the Nov. 1 episode of the talent search, Katchry Jewel Golbin, who also goes by the name of Alienette Coldfire, sang the French version of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables. She might not see how she affected the audience and the judges of the show but her rendition sent judge Helena Segara to tears, and left judges Eric Antoine, Gilbert Rozon and Kamel Ouali in awe of her talent. “I’m speechless. From the first note, I got chills. It’s rare for me to not know what to say, I do not know what to say. Your strength and vulnerability is absolutely sublime,” said one of the judges. According to an article by French news site Télé Star, the 25-year-old Alienette persevered to learn the French language because she wanted to understand the lyrics of “La Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf, who is one of her influences in music. Two years ago, Alienette also made headlines after a video of her effortlessly belting out Mariah Carey’s version of“I’ll Be There”inside a mall made the rounds online. Eight years ago, it can be remembered that the differently abled singer auditioned on GMA Network’s Pinoy Idol but failed to make it to the Top 12. One of the show’s judges that time was Ogie Alcasid. The songwriter revealed that Alienette was invited to audition for France Got Talent two years ago but was not granted a visa. Ogie and wife Regine sought the help of Solenn Heussaff and her father and after a few days, the blind singer was granted one.

Showbiz

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com

AUSSIE KID FEELS AT HOME IN MANILA

5 TIMES

ELLEN ADARNA BROKE THE INTERNET

By Nickie Wang

ou followed Cyrus Villanueva’s journey in X Factor Australia where he made it through to the Grand Finale and eventually won the talent competition. Now, the Filipino Australian singer is living his dream as a recording artist writing and performing songs across the Land Down Under.

Ellen Adarna is every boy’s fantasy, and the online world couldn’t agree more

After winning the talent reality show, the young singer, also known mononymously as Cyrus, received a recording contract with Sony Music Australia and released his debut single “Stone.” His self-titled debut album Cyrus was released in December. It features studio recordings of selected songs he performed in The X Factor, was certified Gold by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Since then, Cyrus’s career has certainly taken off to higher heights making his Filipino fans crave even more to see him in the flesh and perform live. Their wish was certainly granted when the 20-year-old singer arrived

Ellen Adarna is not reluctant about sharing sexy photos on her Instagram account. In fact, she shares almost about anything and everything under the sun. And every now and then, the 27-year-old sexy actress breaks the internet without exerting too much effort. In this respect, let’s list down the moments that made Ellen the hottest topic on the online world:

in Manila on Nov. 3 and graced the unveiling of SM Mall of Asia’s giant Christmas tree two days later. On his Instagram account, Cyrus writes, “Manila, y’all were something else. Thank you for making an Aussie kid feel at home.” During his gig, the young singer performed a few songs including a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Love Your Self,” his own version of the Christmas ditty he learned to sing when he was just six years old, “Oh Holy Night,” and “Dancing on My Own,” the same song that impressed the judges in X Factor convincing them to put him through the next rounds of the competition. His gig at MOA was actually the second time he visited Manila. In 2012, he visited the country to meet with his relatives. Cyrus is a well-rounded musician. Apart from singing, he also plays the guitar and piano. He ignited his singing career by performing gigs in bars, cafés and at weddings during his spare time while studying graphic design at the University of Wollongong. While he considers the late Michael Jackson and English pop star Ed Sheeran as his favorite singers, he grew up in New South Wales listening to the music of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Nat King Cole. But he credits his father, who is a full-time musician, as his main inspiration to pursue a career in music. In previous interviews, he thanked his father for nurturing his interest in music. He also joined his father on music gigs as a roadie, before going out on his own. Cyrus is the second singer with Filipino descent who won the X Factor Australia. The first is 16-year-old Marlissa Punzalan who nabbed the winning title in 2014.

PINOY AT HEART. The “Cyrus Virus” has hit Manila as Fil-Aussie Cyrus Villanueva visits the country for a limited engagement show. The 20-year-old singer is definitely living his dream and riding his wave of success incredibly well.

1. Skinny dipping In her latest Instagram post, Ellen decided that the only accessory she needed was her skin. She bared it all and shared her nude photos taken while enjoying the sunset on an undisclosed beach. Lucky beach we must say. 2. Sexy boxing She heated up the wired landscape in 2013 when her exercise video was released on YouTube. The fitness video features Ellen boxing without something to support her boobies. Fans were crazy about it they created a slowmo version of the clip. Don’t imagine, search for the video online. It has 5.6 million views. 3. Ellen on Denice Cornejo In 2014, she was interviewed by ABS-CBN News on her reaction regarding a claim made by her friend, businessman Cedric Lee, and model Deniece Cornejo in relation to a mauling incident involving the two and TV host Vhong Navarro. Her words were cryptic and her sentences were convoluted netizens had to decipher what her stand really was. 4. Banned coffee commercial She has another video on YouTube, a TVC for a coffee brand. The video does not show Ellen naked but it shows the actress’s body in very suggestive angles. The scenes are very intense and can easily be interpreted in a sexual manner. The TVC didn’t make its way to the boob tube though. 5. She does karaoke, too The sexy actress became the talk of the town early this year when she uploaded a video of her singing “Torete” of Moonstar88. The video went viral not because of her singing talent. It was her outfit that left almost nothing to the imagination of her 1.7 million Instagram followers.