The Standard - 2016 January 17 - Sunday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXIX  NO. 339  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SUNDAY : JANUARY 17, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

EL NIÑO HITS 32 AREAS

TERROR THREAT SEEN TO LINGER By Francisco Tuyay

SECURITY experts should continue to gather in-depth data and seriously assess the threat of terrorism in the country after the jihadist attack in Jakarta on Thursday and the arrest of four militants in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, according to a former police intelligence official.

Former police general Rodolfo Mendoza, one of the officials who busted the Bojinka plot to assassinate the pope and crash airplanes into skyscrapers in 1995, said the authorities should step up data gathering and assessment instead of belittling information. “There must be a continuing process of overt investigation and data gathering in order to determine and approximate the threat of terrorism in the country,” Mendoza said, a day after

President Benigno Aquino III again belittled reports of jihadist threats in the Philippines. “Several Malaysian and Indonesian jihadist already have a physical presence in Mindanao to integrate and consolidate their vision of an Islamic caliphate in this part of the world,” said Mendoza, who now heads his own security think tank Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

In fact, Mendoza said, the military have already killed Indonesian bomb maker Sucipto Ibrahim Ali in November and Malaysian bomb maker Mohamad Najib Husen in December. Both bomb experts are associates of Dr. Mahmud Ahmad, a lecturer at Universiti Malaya’s Islamic Studies faculty who is also known as “Abu Handzalah,” who fled Malaysian authorities who were out to arrest him and sought refuge with the Abu Sayyaf group. Next page

ISIS AGENTS. File photo shows supposed Abu Sayyaf members pledging allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in a video posted on YouTube. AFP

HOMEGROWN FOOD FIRMS TO GO GLOBAL

BISHOP, YOUTH SLAM SSS BILL VETO PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III’s veto of a bill increasing the pensions of retirees continued to elicit criticism with a youth group assailing Aquino’s insult to the elderly and a bishop saying the act only showed the Chief Executive’s lack of empathy for a suffering people. Vencer Crisostomo, chairman of

the youth group Anakbayan, said Aquino’s offer of a P500 hike instead of the proposed P2,000 SSS pension increase was an “insult” to the elderly. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo echoed the criticism and said Aquino’s action only shows his lack of empathy for or-

dinary Filipinos, whom he calls his “bosses.” “By vetoing the bill for increase of pension of SSS members, PNoy has clearly shown that his program of ‘inclusive growth’ is mere rhetoric,” Pabillo said. “Do we vote those who will continue this anti-poor Next page policy?”

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HIKED CABBIE ABUSES SCORED Terror... From A1

Aside from Ahmad and Husen, Mendoza said the Abu Sayyaf are also believed to be harboring Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, a former employee of the Selayang Municipal Council in Selangor. The three men belong to an Islamist group in Malaysia linked to an ISIS cell, known as Darul Islam Sabah, and even Malaysia police inspectorgeneral Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that the three men recruited militants for training in Perak in 2013. Malaysian authorities said the trio also sent militants to Syria and Iraq as part of the ISIS struggle, Mendoza said. “I would recommend that Malaysian, Indonesian and Philippine security organization to cooperate cohesively in analyzing the supposed attempt by ISIS to establish a caliphate in Southeast Asia and to respond to the terror group,” Mendoza said. “You cannot assess or analyze information without looking back or reviewing information. If you fail to evaluate an information and you cannot analyze it, that’s not intelligence reports. Information is not an intelligence report,” he stressed. Mendoza made the remarks before Malaysian authorities announced that they have arrested

Bishop... From A1

According to prelate, this is not the first time that the President has rejected a measure that aims to uplift the condition of the poor. “We must remember that PNoy also vetoed the bill on Magna Carta for the Poor,” he said. The prelate said millions of poor Filipinos needed the measure because it would provide them shelter, livelihood and health services. Aquino, however, rejected the bill in 2013, saying that the government does not have the money to implement it, in the same way he vetoed the SSS pension bill and offered to increase benefits by P500 instead of P2,000. “P500 is just a fool’s consolation. They are giving SSS officials millions in bonuses, but they are saying they have no money to give to senior citizens,” Crisostomo said. He said the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research has data to show that SSS’ huge revenues and reserve funds is more than enough to finance the

four suspected militants and confiscated a weapon along with Islamic State documents, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said Saturday in Kuala Lumpur. Security forces have been on high alert in the predominantly-Muslim country in the wake of deadly coordinated attacks in neighboring Indonesia earlier this week that were claimed by IS. Seven people, including five assailants, were killed during the incident. “Congratulations E8 CK [antiterror unit] for arresting one male suspect on Friday at a train station.... Weapon and IS documents were confiscated [from the suspect]” the police chief said on his Twitter account. The train station is located near the iconic Petronas Towers in the heart of the capital Kuala Lumpur and houses a huge shopping mall frequented by foreigners. The country’s counter-terrorism assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay later confirmed to Agence France Presse that a knife and IS documents were confiscated at the suspect’s house. In a statement, Khalid said the 28-year-old Malaysian admitted that he was planning to be a suicide bomber. “The suspect admitted that he had planned a suicide attack in Malaysia and was awaiting instructions from a member of IS in Syria,” he said. The police chief added that on Jan.

pension increase. “The hacienda president not only lacks a heart, but is also a big liar,” Crisostomo said, adding that EILER data shows that the yearly members’ contributions and income from investments amount to P160 billion. That income is more than the P56 billion projected annual payout for SSS pensioners and does not include SSS investment reserve funds which are pegged at P428 billion as of April 2015, Crisostomo said. He scored Malacañang for claiming that the P2,000 SSS pension hike will lead to a P16 bilion to P26 billion annual deficit and Aquino was only trying to set the 2.15 million pensioners against the rest of active SSS members. In fact, Crisostomo said the pension hike poses no real danger to the agency’s fund life spanning up to 2029, he added. It’s longer than those of other countries like the United Kingdom which is only up to 2027 and Canada which is even shorter up to 2022. But a Palace official tried to dispute the charge that the Aquino administration lacks compassion

11, three Malaysian IS suspects were arrested by security forces after being deported from Turkey. “They were first detained in Turkey while attempting to sneak into Syria to join IS fighters,” Khalid said. Earlier this week, local media reported that a 16-year-old boy clad in militant attire held a woman at knifepoint at a supermarket in northwestern Malaysia. “Investigations revealed that he was influenced by the IS movement through social media and wanted to prove that he was capable of such acts by threatening the woman,” Khalid said. The teenager was later arrested and is being held in police custody. Muslim-majority Malaysia practices a moderate brand of Islam and has not seen any notable terror attacks in recent years. But concern has risen in the multifaith nation over growing hardline Islamic views and the country’s potential as a militant breeding ground. Authorities say dozens of Malaysians have traveled to Syria to fight for the radical IS group and warn they may seek to return home and import its ideology. Since 2015, police have arrested numerous suspects whom they say were IS sympathizers plotting attacks. Opposition lawmakers, however, say the terror arrests have been shrouded in secrecy, making it difficult to gauge the actual threat level.

for the poor and insisted the government is actually carrying out a number of measures that uplift the lives of the pensioners. In a radio interview on Saturday, Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office said the administration has many programs for senior citizens for the past five and a half years. For instance, the government imposed mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens in June last year with more than 4.8 million senior citizens being enlisted under the healthcare program. This is done by amending the 2010 Expanded Senior Citizens Act signed by President Aquino in 2014. Another form of assistance is for indigent senior citizens who received “augmented social pension,” Quezon told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. From 2011 to May 2015, some 937,556 senior citizens are under the social pension program, he said. Also, the government adjusted the age limit for senior citizens to qualify for indigent ‘senior citizens’ pension. Quezon said that from 2011 to

2014, the Department of Social Welfare and Development prioritized senior citizens aged 77 years and above. And in 2015, seniors citizens with ages from 65 years old and above qualified under the program. In that year alone, Quezon said 760,736 indigent senior citizens were served by the government. Also, SSS pension increased by five percent on May 31, 2014. The SSS also increased the funeral benefits from a fixed amount of P20,000 to a maximum amount of P40,000 depending on the number of contributions and average monthly salary credit as of August 2014. SSS also put up a voluntary provident fund, called the Personal Equity and Savings Option fund for SSS members to provide more avenues for retirement security. And, together with the national government, the SSS opened a P7billion educational assistance loan program that started in 2012. And, as of June 2015, over P3.1 billion worth of loans have been disbursed for 67,299 qualified student beneficiaries, Quezon explained.

THERE has been a significant rise in number of complaints of erring taxi drivers last year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board reported Saturday. The release of the LTFRB data led Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to urged the government to implement an “iron fist” policy against abusive taxi drivers due to the rising incidents of drivers bullying their passengers. Marcos also has challenged the LTRFB and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to take the “bull by the horns in solving the problem about rascal taxi drivers.” Marcos, who is running for vice president, expressed alarm over the growing incidents of taxi drivers bullying or even harassing and threatening their passengers if their demands are rejected. He said the government should use an “iron fist” and implement tougher but lawful measures to stop bully taxi drivers from “terrorizing” their passengers. “Instant and severe but legal measures might stop arrogant taxi drivers from verbally abusing their passengers or, worse, physically harming them. Of course, they know that they could be charged in court, but it seems these drivers are not scared about it,” Marcos said. He also called on the taxi-riding passengers to be vigilant and emulate the brave victims who have reported to authorities and filed charges against abusive taxi drivers. “It will be better if the public would coordinate with the authorities. That’s why the people should assist the authorities even by just reporting that something wrong has happened, is happening, or is about to happen,” he said. According to the LTFRB, complaints against abusive drivers increased by 43.03 percent in 2015 to 6,944 cases compared to the 4,855 recorded in 2014. In 2014, majority of these complaints dealt with drivers who refused to convey passengers (1,012 cases) followed by drivers who have showed rude behavior (946 cases) and drivers who have overcharged passengers (790 cases). Meanwhile in 2015, there were more drivers who exhibited rude behavior (1,082 cases) followed by complaints of drivers who overcharged (892 cases) and finally drivers who refused to convey passengers (860 cases). LTFRB board member Atty. Ariel Inton said the rise in the number of complaints against erring taxi drivers must have been a result of the use of social media as a venue to relay their complaints. “The use of social media helped a lot because communicating has become so much easier. We can monitor and act swiftly on it sometimes even before an actual complaint is reported,” Inton told the Philippines News Agency. “We get in touch with the complainant and encourage them to actively prosecute. We want to be proactive,” he added. Inton also pointed out that the LTFRB hotline number launched last year has also made it easier for complaints to be better accommodated. “Previously, people would complain about how it takes time before complaints are addressed and how they lose interest in pursuing the complaint. Now, we really want to be on top of this. We don’t want to waste time,” Inton said. He further noted that while LTFRB only had jurisdiction on a public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise, it was fortunate for former LTFRB executive director Robert Cabrera was named Land Transportation Office chief after the resignation of Alfonso Tan Jr. LTO, meanwhile, is responsible for the suspension of driver’s licenses. Inton has earlier expressed interest to pursue a review in the transport system’s current orders and memorandum circulars. He pointed out that such reviews involve the selection and supervision of the drivers by the operators since the burden of the driver’s actions are always rippled down to the operators who were granted the franchises. Stiffer penalties are also being looked into, he said. The LTFRB official said that a review of the so-called “boundary system” should also be done immediately. He said that it all boils down to the fact that the driver wants to earn more especially in heavy traffic situations. With PNA

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NEWS

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POE EYES MORE MINDANAO FUNDS PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Grace Poe vowed to give a bigger chunk of national budget to Mindanao and create more economic opportunities in the region, which has the highest poverty incidence in the country. “Mindanao is my priority. Just like any parent would prioritize a child that has more needs, I believe that the government needs to invest more in Mindanao and give it more development projects. Growth must be inclusive and must leave no one behind,” Poe said in Davao Oriental. Hunger incidence in Mindanao was at 13 percent for the fourth quarter of 2015, according to pollster Social Weather Stations, with some 658,000 families experiencing hunger. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao remains the poorest among all regions, with nearly half of its

population living below the poverty threshold, according to a 2012 survey by the National Statistical Coordination Board. It also listed 10 Mindanao provinces among the 16 poorest provinces in the country, with Lanao del Sur having a poverty incidence of 67.3 percent. Also included in the bottom poor cluster are Maguindanao, Zamboanga del Norte, Sarangani, North Cotabato, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Sultan Kudarat and Sulu. “Most of the lowest-ranked provinces in Mindanao are conflict-ridden,” Poe pointed out. “This is why achieving genuine and sustained peace is important, because progress and development could not exist where there is conflict. There must be a consultation wherein all indigenous and armed groups are represented,” she said.

ALDUB NATION HITS THE STUMP SHOW business showed its persistent influence in national politics as supporters of vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. pushed for the formation of an “AlDub Nation.” But Marcos, who was startled by the reference to popular noontime comedy skit of actors Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza known as the Alden-Yaya Dub (AlDub) tandem, was quickly told that his supporters were referring to the “Alliance DuterteBongbong.” In his speech at the Apo View Hotel in Davao City, Marcos said, “How did Aldub manage to get here when

that is clearly show biz? I just found out that it really means Alyansang Duterte-Bongbong. Thank you to you all.” More than a thousand supporters of Duterte and Marcos, under the “AlDub” banner attended the “Davao Regional Consultation,” held Saturday in Davao City. Marcos, who was the special guest and speaker of the consultation, has picked up his bid for vice president and is still now close to overtaking Senator Francis Escudero, who lost two points in the January voter preference poll to 28 percent from 30 percent. Marcos was second with 25 percent, up six points from 19 percent.

HOME ARE THE NATIVES. Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Gregorio Honasan and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez pause for a groupie with the five women Binay brought home from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates after they were duped by illegal recruiters.

VP VOWS BETTER OFW PROTECTION By Vito Barcelo

VICE President Jejomar Binay promised significant measures and stronger law enforcement to protect overseas Filipino workers from human trafficking, saying there are thousands of OFWs become victims of illegal recruitment despite government’s effort to stop the illegal activities. Binay made the pledge after he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in the company of five distressed women who were duped by illegal recruiters to work in the United Arab Emirates. Binay and the five women —Rosminda Baui, Leowilyn Tan, Lucresia Insesto, Angelyn Tak and Belsie Espine —were met at the airport by United Nationalist Alliance vice presidential candidate and Senator Gringo Honasan, senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez.

In a press conference, Binay, former Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns, said he supports Senator Nancy Binay’s move to increase the assistance fund for OFWs and undocumented Filipino workers. The elderly Binay noted that many of those who suffered abuses abroad are undocumented and do not qualify for assistance that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration gives its members. Binay, who also served as chairman of the Presidential Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment, vowed to

assist in the investigation of the OFWs’ cases, especially those who were given jobs different from what was promised them as he called for clearer guidelines on the repatriation of undocumented workers. Binay said he was humbled by the latest Social Weather Stations survey where he placed as the top presidential candidates in the coming national elections. The 73-year-old had long been the favorite but his poll numbers tanked last year when allegations emerged that he and his son, both former mayors of the Makati financial district, had taken huge kickbacks in the construction of a city-owned car park building. The Social Weather Stations said the vice president had regained a clear lead with 31 percent preferring him in its Jan. 8-10 nationwide survey. “Some people are cynical, reasoning out that all politicians are corrupt anyway,” political analyst Ramon Casi-

ple, from Manila-based think tank the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, told AFP. With an error of margin of plus or minus three percentage points, Senator Grace Poe (24 percent), Roxas (21 percent), and anti-crime advocate Rodrigo Duterte (20 percent) are in a statistical deadlock. The 1,200 voters polled were not asked to explain their preference, Leo Laroza, survey data library director for Social Weather, told AFP. Casiple said some support for Poe and Duterte eroded due to disqualification cases filed against them. However, he said many Filipino voters have yet to make up their minds months before the May 9 election. The official Commission on Elections ruled last month that Poe, an orphan of unknown parentage who was adopted and raised by the Philippines’ most famous movie stars, was not a Filipino at birth and could not run for president.

SECURITY AT CEBU CONGRESS BOOSTED

BULING BULING. A young lady from Pandacan, Manila shows off her image of the Santo Niño as she joined rehearsals for the street dancing festival in the district on Sunday. DANNY PATA

THE authorities are stepping up security in Cebu City for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress following the terrorist attack in Indonesia that left two civilians dead. Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, secretary general of the IEC local organizing committee, said there is no known specific threats, but authorities ordered tighter security at all venues. “While we commiserate with the victims of the bombing, the incident provides even more impetus for us and our security agencies to be vigilant and prepare to make IEC as secure as possible,” explained Villarojo. Indonesian police nabbed three men in relation to the Jakarta explosions on Thursday near a shopping mall, government offices, police station, luxury hotels and the French Embassy. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, raising alarm about terrorism in

the world’s largest Muslim country. Villarojo said the security template for the IEC is robust and similar with what has been done before for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in Manila last November. “Besides, Cebu is unlike Jakarta. We never had any such incidents in the past due perhaps to the relative ease for the topography of Cebu to be secured,” he said. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma earlier said all is set for the week-long global religious gathering which will start on Jan. 24. “With the prayers, involvement, generosity, and volunteerism of many people, I can say that at this time, we are prepared,” said Palma. There are around 12,000 to 15,000 delegates from different parts of the world expected to attend the IEC. Pope Francis is also sending Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the 66-year-old

Archbishop of Yangon in Myanmar, as his representative throughout the Congress. It has been 79 years since the IEC was last held in Manila. Even those who can’t come to Cebu for the IEC pledged to support the activity through their private devotions. “I intend to celebrate IEC this month by raising awareness about it online like posting information [about] the Eucharistic teachings of Christ in social media. I will diligently participate in the Holy Mass and frequent the Blessed Sacrament to pray for the safety and success of this event even if I myself can’t be there in Cebu in person,” said Zigfred Olegario in an interview. Olegario believes the event will help him enrich and deepen his faith in and love for the Eucharist through the many resources he hopes it will make available for the average Catholic in social media, print, and even by word of mouth.

S U N D AY, J A N U A R Y 17, 2 0 1 6

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

CHINA’S WORLD BANK: ADDING MUSCLE WITH INFRASTRUCTURE LENDING

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SURPRISE!

By Enda Curran

THE Department of Justice announced that the surprise raids in the New Bilibid Prison will continue until the national penitentiary is cleared of contraband. If necessary, Undersecretary Emmanuel Caparas said “Oplan Galugad” will be held on a weekly basis to achieve its objective. For someone springing a surprise, the department is certainly talking too much. The warning does nothing but tell erring prisoners and conniving prison guards to be on their toes for as long as public attention is trained on how illegal and luxury items found their way to the jails. The existence of drug paraphernalia, large amounts of cash, firearms, electronic devices and even pornographic material in even the maximum security compound has riled the public for several years now. Heads of the corrections bureau have come and gone, but the practice has continued unabated. Even the tough-talking stance of former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima proved to be only a palliative measure to the deeply rooted and long existing system of privilege and entitlement among those who should suffer deprivation of liberty. The ridiculous warning also betrays authorities’ poor appreciation of what it takes to solve the problem. Raids, either surprised or announced, are not the point. They will not be needed at all if the government and its agents are serious and resolute about its mandate: Ensure that those made to pay for the consequences of their crimes should enjoy no privilege however high they are in the social or political order. The same applies to all other compounds where prisoners are not created equal, some enjoying privileges while other live in deplorable, inhumane conditions, and where prison guards maintain the status quo. The Justice Department’s words are as laughable as its inability to curb the pervading culture. Unfortunately, nobody’s laughing. Indeed, even in rehabilitation, some prisoners are more equal than others. And authorities merely look on.

PONDERING AGING THE New Year brings with it some hope and enthusiasm about turning a new leaf. We’ve heard so many things about what people promise to do better in 2016. But everybody will also turn one year older this year. This is likely to prompt reflections about growing older and what life might be like in one’s advanced years.

Our vision of what we’d like our golden years to be—and what we would not—is a factor in planning for 2016 and beyond. We picture retirement as a happy relief from the daily grind of going to and from work. One is blissfully free of financial responsibilities one used to have. The assumption is that a retiree has already put in enough work hours to build the family home and send the children to school. By now, they should have finished work and established their own careers. They

Old age could be our friend. But the future could be our enemy if we squander it today.

should have started their own families.

The reality is that this is not always the case. Some parents, for instance, still operate on the thinking that children are an investment. You raise them well and enable them to go through life on their own, so that they would in turn take care of all your needs when you get old. It’s a Filipino ideal, given how close-knit our families are. This is the beauty of a mutually loving and grateful relationship. Trouble begins when one party imposes on the other, or when resources are finite and there are

competing priorities. On the other hand, there are some senior citizens who still find themselves working hard to provide for their extended families. This is likewise difficult, because the children you are supposed to have empowered have not stepped up to the challenge. Some find themselves parents yet again, caring for their grandchildren because the children’s parents are out of the country, working to earn a living. The fortunate ones continue

to be active, doing what they love. Perhaps it is a profession. Or an advocacy. Many exist but few truly live, so when they find their life’s work and know they live to do it, they will continue doing so as long as they physically can. Some live and waste away, existing with no mindfulness. Unfortunately, some do not have much of a choice. What do we feel when we see on the streets elderly people begging or peddling goods?

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Do we not score their children for allowing their parents to suffer such indignity? Some suffer illnesses, some, the tragedy of forgetting their entire lifetimes—not even recognizing the people closest to them. Some do not have the gift of growing old at all. So how would we want our older versions to be? Much as we would like to live in the moment and enjoy the journey

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one day at a time, it is never too early to envision how we would like to grow older. As a result, what we do today and in the near future should be aligned to the vision we have of ourselves 20, 30, 40 years down the road. Old age could be our friend. Wisdom, experience and the fondest of memories go with it. But the future could be our enemy if we squander today. adellechua@gmail.com

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SINCE the end of World War II, the US, Western Europe and Japan have controlled much of the business of loaning money to poor countries to help them build public works and strengthen weak economies. These loans, made through the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank, often came with demands for strict economic, ethical and environmental behavior. Now there’s a new player: China. It’s created the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank—the first major multilateral development bank in a generation—to offer loans for transportation, energy and communications projects. The US tried to talk its allies out of joining the AIIB, questioning its governance and concern for the environment and human rights. The UK ignored Washington’s pleas and signed up, followed by Germany, Italy, France, Israel and other allies that decided to join forces with China. Since the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was announced in October 2013, at least 57 countries have been accepted by China as founding members. They want to boost links with China and to do deals in its once-protected currency, the yuan. China, the world’s second-largest economy, has long been frustrated that it has only a small say in decisions by global financial institutions. The AIIB opens in January and is expected to invest in rebuilding the centuriesold Silk Road routes that linked China to Europe with highways, rail lines and port facilities. The Asian Development Bank estimates the region will require $8 trillion in new infrastructure by 2020. The AIIB will have startup capital of $50 billion and is authorized by the Chinese government to eventually double that amount. The World Bank has $223 billion in available funds but only 15 percent of its lending is directed toward Asia. The Asian Development Bank had $153 billion in capital at the end of 2014. China has not been picky with the sorts of governments it lends to, causing Human Rights Watch and environmentalists to fear that the AIIB will not help pressure corrupt and polluting nations to reform. The AIIB says its projects will be guided by nine directors from Asia, three nonregional directors and a president chosen from the region. China will have 26.06 percent of the voting rights and could block major decisions that require three-quarters approval. China has foreign-exchange reserves of about $3.7 trillion and is looking for places to invest. By channeling funds through the AIIB, China’s government hopes it will win more influence among its neighbors. The US fears that AIIB cash could cause recipients to turn blind eyes to China’s military moves in the region. Larry Summers, former US Treasury secretary, wrote that the US’ inability to keep its allies out of the AIIB was a “failure of strategy and tactics.” It also marked the end of the US’ role as the chief underwriter for the world. Bloomberg

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S U N D AY, J A N U A R Y 17, 2 0 1 6

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

CHINA’S WORLD BANK: ADDING MUSCLE WITH INFRASTRUCTURE LENDING

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SURPRISE!

By Enda Curran

Old age could be our friend. But the future could be our enemy if we squander it today.

should have started their own families.

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S U N D AY, J A N U A R Y 17, 2 0 1 6

OPINION

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GUNFIGHT IN THE HEART OF JAKARTA By Bay Ismoyo JAKARTA—I was reaching for my coffee when I heard the thump. It didn’t sound like a blast. More like a heavy metal part falling to the ground. I thought it was a crash between cars, or something falling from the roof. So I left the coffee on the counter and ran outside. That morning started out very quietly. I went to the office to file some baby orangutan pictures. After I finished filing, I went out to the café in the neighborhood that we like. I was about to pay for the coffee when I heard the sound. At first I didn’t think it was too big of a deal. But then I saw police rushing by and managed to ask them what was going on. They said it was a bomb blast. So I grabbed my camera and we went to the site. We rode on a motorcycle—AFP has motorcycle drivers for the photographers here so that we can get places quickly and with free hands—and rode against the traffic toward the wailing police sirens, dodging oncoming cars as we sped by. I’ve covered wars in my 22 years as a photographer and as we were riding, I thought that it would be like a usual bomb blast, not much left and the ‘action’ over. But when we got there, I quickly saw that this was not a usual bomb blast. The police and the suspects were shooting at each other, in the middle of the street. So I quickly put myself into a safe zone—away from the

Indonesian police take cover. AFP

direct line of fire—and started shooting myself with my camera. I also quickly called the office to update them on what was happening. My first priority was to remain safe so that I could work. I put myself in the direction of the gunfight, but to the left of the line of fire so that the bullets wouldn’t be coming directly at me. I saw that the effects from the blasts didn’t reach that far, so I could get a bit closer. I saw bodies lying on the ground and the police chasing the suspects, who were hiding in between vehicles parked in front of the Starbucks. I saw the police raid the Starbucks.

Near me there was a plainclothes police officer who was hit in his leg by shrapnel or bullet. The police were constantly moving, so I had to move as well. Mostly I was moving behind them, sometimes a bit to their right. To be honest, I wasn’t really scared at the time - in that type of situation your mind goes into a mode where all you’re thinking about is being safe and getting the good shot. I am also lucky in that I usually don’t have a problem with the police—as usual I had my military boots on that day and I am big for an Indonesian, so

the police often think that I am one of them and don’t really pay attention to me. So I was able to keep following them. I kept moving with the police, but when we got close enough to see the victims, there were reinforcements that came and the police blocked us from getting too close. Meanwhile, Hong Kong had called me, asking me to file my early pictures. I saw that Romy (Romeo Gacad, chief photographer in Indonesia) had arrived, so I asked him if he minded if I went to file the early pictures and he told me to go. So I went back to the office. As a photographer, I’m used

to seeing this type of thing— I was once in an hours-long battle in Afghanistan—but I have to confess that I’m still shocked to have seen this. It’s the first time that I see a gunfight between police and terrorists right in front of me like this, so close. Two civilians, along with the five attackers, were killed. In downtown! It’s the heart of my city, very close to the palace, to the embassies. It shakes you up. I have to say that I wasn’t very happy with the pictures that I took. I think I got there a little too late. If I had gotten there just a little bit earlier, I would have gotten all of them. But that’s how it goes. After I finished filing at the office, I was waiting for the motorcycle to come and pick me up and take me back to the site. I knew it would take a few minutes, so I went back to the coffee shop. My coffee was still sitting there on the table, but it was cold and I didn’t want it anymore. So I just paid the 20 cents for it. The employees weren’t surprised when I ran out in the first place, they realized what was going on, but they were a bit surprised that I paid for a coffee that I didn’t drink. I never did get a coffee for the rest of the day. When I went back to the blast site, I saw another coffee shop there, I tried to get a cup, but it was closed. When I got home that night, the first thing I asked for was a coffee. It was super late, but I didn’t care. I’d earned it. AFP

OIL’S PLUNGE IS GREAT NEWS FOR MOST OF US By Noah Smith THE collapse in the price of oil is a huge source of anxiety for many financial market participants. I suppose that’s understandable. Investors have been very excited for the past several years about the promise of tight oil, which is extracted by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of rock formations where oil is present. This was a powerful, simple story that asset managers and the financial media could understand, since oil is something that almost everyone uses. The fracking boom lured trillions of dollars in investment, and domestic oil output soared, pushing the US close to energy independence and lowering demand for imports from big crude producers. With the recent dive in oil prices, that all seems like ancient history now. The price plunge will wipe out many small companies involved in fracking, as well as plenty of others in oil services. It will cause many high-yield bonds to go into default. It will generate big losses at major energy companies, and

will lead to job losses throughout the industry. In the short term, a negative shock to the world economy and the financial markets will probably be the main effect of the oil collapse. But only in the short term. Most US industries are consumers of oil and other fossil fuels, not producers. The US is less of a net energy importer than it used to be, but it still consumes more fossil fuel than it produces. The fall in oil prices means that trucking companies are going to be able to buy less expensive gas for their fleets. Construction companies will be able to build office towers and houses more cheaply. Farmers will spend less to plant and harvest their crops. Intel won’t have to pay as much to run its microchip plants, nor Boeing to run its aircraft factories. It will take time for investment to shift to all the industries that will benefit from lower energy prices—but not too much time. The initial shock from the oil collapse might be negative, but it will be outweighed by the positive effects before too long. In other words, we should be celebrating

the oil drop, not lamenting it. The real danger isn’t the decline in oil prices, but the thing that caused most of the decline in the first place: China. The dramatic slowing of China, which has become the workshop of the world, is behind much of oil’s latest fall. The slow unwinding of a property bubble, with its attendant debt crisis, will probably continue to exert a major drag on Chinese

growth during the next few years. That means a long slowdown in demand for oil. But more importantly, it also means a drop in global growth. China’s slump will ripple across much of the global economy—resource exporters in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East will all feel the pain. Countries that export industrial machinery to China, such as Germany and Ja-

pan, will also be hit, as will countries like South Korea and Taiwan whose economies are closely linked with China’s. Although the US and Europe export relatively little to China directly, the reduction in global growth will hurt their economies, too. The slowdown in global trade isn’t a huge threat to the US economy, but it’s a bigger threat than the oil price collapse. In the long run, we want oil prices to fall, but for the right reasons. We want oil prices to go down as new technologies—solar power, battery storage, biofuels, hydrogen or whatever—make the practice of digging up and burning dead dinosaurs obsolete. Eventually we want oil to go the way of whale oil—once a critical energy source, now a historical curiosity. Today, the tumble in the oil price is partly a result of negative developments in the global economy. But in the future, as electric cars and solar power advance, oil prices might fall for economically positive reasons. Let’s hope that someday new technologies will keep oil prices low forever. Bloomberg

s u n d ay : j a n u a r y 17, 2 0 1 6

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Napolcom revamp iN place By Joel E. Zurbano

doN boSCo SetS GrANd reuNIoN

A few months before the holding of the national elections in May, the National Police Commission carried out a reshuffle of regional directors and other key officials.

DON Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong will be celebrating its 28th Grand Alumni Homecoming on Jan. 23, 2016, 4 p.m. onwards at Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong-Quadrangle. This year’s Silver Jubilarians’, Busko Nobenta Y Uno Inc., also known as Don Bosco Mandaluyong Alumni Association-Batch 91, as batch host for this year. Joining the event as guest performers are “Mr. Musikero” himself Jimmy Bondoc, “Mr. Acoustic” Paolo Santos, with the delightful voices of Miss Jinky Vidal (former front woman of Freestyle) and Crib band as they swing your mood for a tone down special night at Busko. Starting up with a holy mass to program proper, highlighting the recognition of Jubilarians, Crystal- Batch 2001, Pearl-Batch 86, CoralBatch 81, Ruby-Batch 76, Golden-Batch 66, EmeraldBatch 61 and our “Star batch” Silver–Batch 91. An evening to enjoy with Bosconians, along with the alluring music, cooling drinks, sumptuous food, freebies and exciting raffle prizes.

JAS HIGH GoldeN JubIlee GRADUATES of Jose Abad Santos High School-Arellano University, Taft Avenue, Pasay City are invited to attend their Golden Jubilee Celebration to be held on Feb. 2, 2016, 6 p.m. at the JASHS Multi Function Room. Please contact Daisy at 0927-540-6888 and/or Necy at 0922-827-8846.

child’s play. A boy prepares to dive in a pond at Manila’s Plaza Sta. Cruz on the eve of the feast of Santo Niño. Ey acasiO

CHed ClArIfIeS P1.2-b fuNd By John paolo Bencito THE Commission on Higher Education on Saturday defended itself from criticisms following a 2014 audit finding that the education regulatory body failed to distribute P1.2 billion appropriated for college scholarships. “At the time of the exit conference, documentation for the obligation of funds from the CHED regional offices still needed updating, but to date, these reports have already been completed. In fact, by Dec. 31, 2015, the remaining P1.2-billion 2014 budget which had a validity of two years, had been fully obligated with an assurance that the beneficiaries will be paid,” CHED Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said in a statement. State auditors early this week questioned CHED for failing to farm out funds for the Student Financial Assistance Program due to lapses on the part of the higher education body. Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said the House committee on higher education, of which he is a member, is set to summon concerned CHED officials, including Licuanan to explain the alleged irregularities in a motu propio hearing next week. Ridon also questioned the P3.13 billion out of P4.87billion unliquidated funds received by the CHED under the Priority Development Assistance Fund. State auditors in the same report said that CHED’s failure to do so are caused by “inade-

quate monitoring mechanisms and enforcement of the liquidation/refund thereof from recipient SUCs” to the higher education body. Licuanan in response said that with the lawmakers realigning their PDAF allocations in 2013 to the calamity fund and six agencies, including CHED for scholarship assistance to students, it has “tested the carrying capacity of the agency.” The CHED’s Student Financial Assistance Programs composed of scholarships, grants-inaid and loans totaling 58,155 slots in the amount of P997 million in AY 2013-2014, ballooned to “nearly seven times to 391,817 slots in AY 20142015 amounting to P4.87 billion.” Licuanan said that with the passage of R.A. 10697 or the new United Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education law, it is “expected to improve the delivery of student financial assistance.” Under the new bill, all government scholarships and grants-in-aid programs will be harmonized and unified to promote equity and rationalize access to quality higher and technical education for students in need. Ridon said that the congressional inquiry would look if “criminal acts—even corruption— has transpired.” Licuanan in response said that “the Commission welcomes any possible inquiry on the matter as an opportunity to set the record straight.”

Napolcom Vice-Chairman and Executive Officer Eduardo Escueta said the reassignment took effect last Jan. 7 to make the agency more efficient and effective. Among those reshuffled were Southern Tagalog director Benjamin Florentino who was designated as head of the Planning and Research Service staff service, replacing Joseph Gonzalo who was transferred to Northern Mindanao Region. Northern Mindanao director Ramon Rañeses was designated as staff service chief of the Personnel and Administrative Service replacing Josephmar Gil who is now the director of the commission’s office in Bicol Region. The Legal Affairs Service is now under the supervision of Acting Staff Service chief Ferdaussi Masnar while the Crime Prevention and Coordination Service will now be headed by Acting Staff Service Chief Donna Lyn Caparas who replaced Director Myrna Medina, the designated Acting Deputy Executive Officer and concurrent Head of the Office for Strategy Management. Bicol Region chief Rodolfo Santos Jr. was transferred to Central Luzon replacing Director Manuel Pontanal who now serves in the National Capital Region while Caraga Region chief Angelito Ravanera was reassigned to Southern Tagalog. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao office chief Joseph Celis was trans-

ferred to the newly created Napolcom-Negros Island Region office while NIR office lawyer Maximo Lasaca and Southern Tagalog Assistant Regional Director Editha Puddoc were designated as directors of Caraga and Cordillera Administrative Region, respectively. Lawyer Esmael Panda, former assistant regional director of ARMM, was promoted as acting regional director. Retained in their current position as staff service chief in the central office are Director Reynato Alberto, Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service; Director Conrado Sumanga, Jr., Installations and Logistics Service; and Director Aileen Arcin, Financial Service. Also retained in their present designation as regional director are Evangeline Almirante (Ilocos), Danilo Pacunana (Cagayan), Owen De Luna (Mimaropa), Marte Palomar (Western Visayas), Homer Mariano Cabaral (Central Visayas), Restituto Danilo Rosillo (Eastern Visayas), Pablito Abad, Jr. (Davao), and Veronica Hatague (Soccsksargen). “The reshuffling of our directors will hopefully make an impact in the commission’s continuing commitment to promote the welfare and professionalization of our clientele, the Philippine National Police, improve police discipline and integrity, and enhance public service delivery,” Escueta said.

GreeN CoNverGeNCe NAMeS AlbAy AS fIrSt lGu eCo CHAMP

LEGAZPI CITY—Green Convergence Philippines has named Albay as its LGU Eco Champion, the first province to win its newly launched award, for its successful and effective environment policies and ecologically sound tourism program. Green Convergence is a coalition of networks, organizations and individuals working for a development paradigm that addresses the need for social and economic uplift, while preserving nature’s life support system including air, water and land, for generations to come. GCP president Angelina P. Galang announced Albay’s latest award in a recent letter to Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, where she stressed the province’s “implementation of and compliance with various Philippine Environmental Laws sum up to good environmental governance and best practices which can be

replicated by other local government units (LGUs).” Salceda, also known as the Green Economist, is credited for pioneering the Albay Green Economy, anchored on the principles of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, tripled the province’s mangrove area from 700 to 2,400 hectares, and expanded forest cover by 88 percent from 26,000 to 44,000 hectares from 2008 to 2014. Salceda’s administration has also been globally hailed for its firm commitment to CCA and climate change mitigation. The governor is set to receive Albay’s award during the First Environment Summit scheduled Feb. 9-11, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Arnold Embestro, Salceda’s executive assistant for environment, who facilitated GCP’s strict award validation, said Albay will

have a booth for its credentials as the first Eco Champion at the SMX Complex during the twoday summit. Among Albay’s strong points in winning the award was its organization of the Albay Climate Change Academy, the first in Asia and now a popular learning center for LGUs and even government executives from other countries on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, he shared. GCP has partnered with the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the 2014 launch of the first-ever National Search for LGU Eco Champions. Galang said the purpose of this search is “to determine the local governments’ compliance with the various Philippine environmental laws and similar quasi-issuances that are aimed at protecting the environment and human lives.”

SUNDAY: JANUARY 17, 2016

NEWS editorial@thestandard.com.ph

EL NIÑO HITS 32 PROVINCES HOUSE TO TRY AGAIN ON MORO LAW By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has said the House of Representatives will work on the Palacebacked Bangsamoro Basic Law during its nine remaining session days before the election campaign period starts in February. Belmonte said the House will firm up amendments to the BBL, embodied in substituted House Bill 4994, or An Act Providing Basic Law for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, to set the stage for its either second reading or third reading approval before Congress adjourns again on Feb. 6. Congress will resume session on Jan. 18 after a month-long Christmas break. “We have to plan very carefully the remaining few days in January and February of 2016 [to enable Congress to pass a Constitutioncompliant BBL],” Belmonte said. The House failed to pass the BBL when it adjourned session last December due to persisting quorum problem. In the remaining session days of Congress before the election campaign period sets in, Belmonte said he is hopeful that the BBL will finally have its way at least in the Lower House. But he maintained the House could not pass the BBL as earlier proposed. The proposed peace pact seeks to abolish the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao by creating a new Bangsamoro region which will be given additional autonomy. The BBL’s passage is provided in the peace agreement signed by the Aquino government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in March last year. The “opt-in” provision is among the controversial provisions in the proposed BBL which allows neighboring territories to propose their inclusion in the proposed autonomous region through a petition of at least 10 percent of the residents and approval by a majority of qualified voters in the city or province in a separate plebiscite.

THE prevailing strong El Niño phenomenon will affect Philippine rainfall patterns, likely causing in 2016’s first quarter “very dry” conditions mostly across the Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Saturday. Pagasa issued the warning as it forecast for the January-March 2016 period below-normal to way below-normal rainfall in the country due to El Niño. “By the end of March, about 40 percent of the country or 32 provinces will likely experience meteorological drought conditions,” Pagasa said this week in its latest seasonal climate outlook. Pagasa defines drought as three consecutive months of waybelow-normal rainfall condition. Such condition is characterized by more than 60 percent re-

duction in rainfall from average levels, noted Pagasa. Data Pagasa presented at this month’s El Niño forum showed at risk for drought by March 2016’s end are the central Philippine provinces of Palawan, Albay, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes all in Luzon as well as Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar all in the Visayas. Pagasa also forecast drought by then in Zamboanga del Norte,

Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-tawi provinces all in southern Philippines’ Mindanao. The data likewise showed the country can expect between 16 to 31 dry days during 2016’s first quarter. Between 26 to 31 dry days are likely in March alone across 16 of 18 regions nationwide, the data further showed. January to March is the northeast monsoon’s peak period but tropical cyclone activity that can bring rain to the country is at its minimum then, noted Pagasa. For such three-month period, Pagasa forecast one to two TCs in the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

According to Pagasa, strong El Niño continues prevailing as data showed sea surface temperature anomaly in the Pacific exceeding 1.5°C. Pagasa Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section OIC Anthony Lucero earlier said the Philippines is already experiencing El Niño’s effects. “Drought, dry spell, delayed onset of last year’s rainy season, lesser-than-average number of TCs and higher temperatures are El Niño manifestations in the country,” he noted. Citing latest available model outputs, he said El Niño may last until mid-2016. He noted the models also indicate possible decreasing SSTA as 2016 progresses, however. “We expect neutral conditions to return by July’s end,” he added, citing possible normalization of rainfall in the country by then. PNA

LEYTE BRACES. The local government is stepping up preparations to assist rice farmers mitigate the impact of El Niño phenomenon. Mayor Eduardo Ong said that local farmers have much to lose due to this extreme weather event expected for the most part of 2016. Ong said that at least 800 sacks of fertilizers have been provided to rice farmers in Carigara through a support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Likewise, he said rice farmers have also been advised on the availability of drought-resistant palay varieties that they can plant during the dry months caused by the climatic El Niño. MEL CASPE

PETRON ART WINNERS’ ROSTER BARED ON ITS 15th year as an awardwinning national student art competition, Vision Petron has released the names of winners of the 2015 competition themed Lakbay Kasiyahan: Our Journey of Happiness. The winning artworks are featured in Petron’s corporate gifts and merchandising materials for 2016. Petron’s corporate gifts and merchandising materials for 2016, including an e-calendar with inspirational quotes, feature the winning artworks of students from all over the country. Particularly gratifying is the fact that the Vision Petron 2015 winners are well represented from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—proof of the huge pool of Filipino artistic talent among the youth. Weriel Mallari, a student of Tarlac State University, had the distinction of winning two grand prizes in Painting. His work, Libre Lang Maging Masaya, May Sukli Pa won a grand prize in the oil/acrylic painting category, while Basaan sa

San Juan earned a grand prize in the water-based painting category. Other Painting grand prize winners for Oil/Acrylic were Smile! All is Well! by Wencyl Ureta from Museo ng Bulacan, and Hapag Ng Kagalakan by Modesto Samonte Jr. from the College of the Immaculate Conception, Nueva Ecija. In the Waterbased Painting category, the grand prize winners were Aanhin ang Masarap na Ulam Kung Wala Naman ang Magulang by Eric Perreras of the Museo ng Angeles, Pampanga; and Surprise by Arman Jay Arago from Kulay Diwa Gallery. For Photography, the following works were awarded the grand prize: Shadow+Play (Jenevie Estrella, Partido State University); Mga Angel sa Calangitan (Joel Policarpio, Museo ng Probinsya ng Tarlac); Amigo (Reyjie Baluyot, Southern Luzon State University); Sumisilip na Kasiyahan (Vincent Gerard de la Rosa, Tanauan Insti-

tute); Ingiti Mo (Jana Patricia Padre Juan, EARIST); and Liguan Na! (Jal Valdez, Adventist University of the Philippines). In the Video-Making category, the three grand prize winners were: Lipad (Rizzelle Mae Santiago, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology); Para Sa ‘Yo Kaibigan (Vyankka Balasabas, University of Mindanao); and Tingnan Nang Malapitan (Anne Catherine Malazarte, University of San Agustin). Finally, for the T-Shirt Art Design category, the three grand prize winners were: Lakbay Kasiyahan sa Aming Munting Tahanan (Ejem Alarcon, Lakandayang Cultural Association); Hiling (Jonathan Villalobos, University of the Cordilleras); and Happinas (Deo Carlos Amarante, EARIST). Working on this year’s theme— Lakbay Kasiyahan—the Vision Petron 2015 winners delved into the well-known cheerful character of Filipinos, who have proven them-

selves to be among the happiest people on earth. Always looking at the bright side and hoping for the best while dealing with life’s challenging situations, the Filipino national character is deeply rooted in their abiding faith, and best experienced with loved ones, or in community festivities. For its consistent wins over the years, the Public Relations Society

of the Philippines has awarded Vision Petron with a Hall of Fame Award for winning the Anvil Award of Excellence in the PR Tools/Publications category eight times since 2001. The Vision Petron Art Collaterals have also been recognized with the PRSP Gold Legacy Award for having earned nine Excellence and one Merit Anvil Awards over the years.

SUNDAY: JANUARY 17, 2016

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

PH POPULATION ATTRACTS

JAPAN’S BIGGEST BANK

GO WATANABE, the 57-year-old managing executive officer and chief executive for Asia and Oceania of Japan’s biggest financial group, is bullish about the Philippines, given its large and young population. The company he represents, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., had been in talks with the Dy family, owner of Security Bank for about a year, before they agreed to a $782-million investment deal, the largest capital infusion by a foreign bank in the Philippines. “Taking advantage of fast-growing Philippine market and attractive fundamentals of its macroeconomy, we expect to expand our business platform indirectly through our strategic partnership with Security Bank and identify new business areas for BTMU in the Philippines,” Watanabe says in a news briefing at Makati Shangri La Hotel to announce the investment by the Japanese group in Security Bank. Watanabe says while BTMU has a branch in Manila, the acquisition of a 20-percent stake in the 65-year-old Security Bank represents Japan’s growing interest in the Philippines. He says more Japanese companies are expected to follow the lead of BTMU. “We understood that the Philippines is one of the potential markets within Asia. Originally, Japan is our core market. Now, Asia is now our second market. That is why we would like to expand in each country in Asia. Among the Asian countries, if you look at the GDP of the Philippines, if you look at the number of very young people, I think this coun-

try is very prominent and potential market. Now we can see more investments from Japan. We are willing to support our customers, not only the Japanese customers, but also the Asian customers,” he says. Japan, the world’s third largest economy, posted an average annual growth of only 0.49 percent between 1980 and 2015, because of its greying population. Watanabe says the young population of the Philippines presents good opportunities for the Japanese group to grow overseas. The World Factbook shows that the median age in the Philippines is 23.5 years, younger than the global average of 29.7 years and Japan’s 46.1 years. “The Philippines is a very good, potential market. BTMU Manila branch has been operating for more than 60 years, but in order to expand the business in this country and to provide the best service to customers, we think that one branch is not enough. So that’s why we have been looking for the one best partner in this country, and we found it in Security Bank. This is the right time we believe and we believe in the right partner we chose,” says Watanabe. Several foreign banks have also taken notice of the growing economy and so-called demographic sweet spot of the Philippines. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. managing executive officer and chief executive for Asia and Oceania Go Watanabe

Security Bank chairman Alberto Villarosa (third from left) shakes hands with The Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ Ltd. managing executive officer and chief executive for Asia and Oceania Go Watanabe. With them are other top executives of Security Bank and BTMU.

Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. says the Philippines entered the demographic window in 2015, a period when a significant portion of the population joined the labor force. Tetangco says this window together with the liberalization of foreign ownership of banks now allows multinational companies to take advantage of the opportunities in the country. “The country enjoys the confidence of a number of multinational companies, which have been here for quite some time and which have benefited from the economy’s 67 consecutive quarters of economic growth,” he says. Consuelo Garcia, the country manager of ING Bank of the Netherlands, says foreign banks entering the domestic market under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic integration will be perfect vehicles to attract more foreign direct invest-

ments into the country. “Foreign banks can also bring their clients here and make them aware of the opportunities in the Philippines,” she says. London-based Fitch Ratings says the Philippine banking industry remains healthy despite the global challenges. “Philippines banks - with robust domestic demand, resilient external liquidity flows, and low private external debt - are better positioned to face the macroeconomic challenges than the other Asean banking systems,” Fitch says in a report. The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, has recently issued the implementing rules and regulations of RA 10641, which allows more foreign banks to apply for licenses to operate in the Philippines either as a branch or as a wholly-owned subsidiary. TURN TO B3

SUNDAY: JANUARY 17, 2016

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

STRATEGIST CHALLENGES FILIPINO

CEOs TO BUILD GLOBAL BRANDS MARTIN Roll, a Danish citizen, fell in love with Asia during his first visit to Tokyo in 1991. He eventually settled in Singapore, established a consulting company and wrote a book on building and sustaining strong global brands.

Roll says with the right mindset, Asian companies, including those from the Philippines, have the opportunity to penetrate the global market with strong brands. “There is an entire ocean of Asian brands, including some Philippine brands, which have huge opportunities to step up, not only for the sake of being nice or famous, but also to improve shareholder value,” Roll says in a news briefing at Regus office at The Enterprise Center Tower in Makati City. Roll, the author of bestselling book “Asian Brand Strategy”, was invited to be the guest speaker at Regus annual customer appreciation event at Ayala Museum in Makati on Jan 15. Regus is a provider of flexible office space. “We have about close to 3,000 locations in 900 cities in 120 countries. In the Philippines, since 1999 to 2011, we went from one to three locations. Then, moving forward, we decided to grow. We now have 22 locations nationwide. Everyday, there are about 3,000 people going to work at Regus offices in the Philippines,” says Regus Philippines country manager Lars Wittig. Wittig says aside from food and music, Regus customers were given the chance to learn about global branding from Roll, a global business and brand strategist and the founder of Martin Roll Company Pte. Ltd., an advisory firm based in Singapore. His company aims to empower clients to succeed through better business performance. Roll, who studied at Insead

Regus Philippines country manager Lars Wittig (left) and Asian Brand Strategy author Martin Roll

Business School and teaches MBA at Nanyang Business School (Singapore), says he wrote the book because of the need to address the huge imbalance between East and West in terms of branding. The book, whose first edition came out in 2006, provides insights into Asian consumers, markets and companies’ efforts to build strong brands. Roll says this is the time for Asia to shine, by transforming from the factory of the West into a center of innovation. The trans-

formation will be good for the region’s economy and businesses, as powerful brands will improve shareholder value and ensure customers loyalty, he says. He says brand management is essential if a company desires sustained access, especially during intense period of competition and difficult product differentiation. Roll says just a few global brands originated from Asia, with most of them from Japan, South Korea and China. They include

Sony, Toyota, Samsung, Shiseido, Honda, Canon, Hyundai and recently Huawei and Alibaba. “Somehow, Asians did not produce their own brands,” he says. This is unfortunate for Asia-Pacific countries, whose consumers are highly brand conscious and are among the world’s most reluctant to try products from unfamiliar brands, he says. He says other Asian brands such as Singapore Airlines, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and HSBC

THINK TANK PREPARES PROPOSALS FOR NEXT PRESIDENT A LITTLE over four months before the 2016 presidential election, a book featuring a rare compilation of insights from the country’s most respected intellectuals and industry experts is set to be launched on Jan. 22 at the Tower Club in Makati City. Spearheaded by the Stratbase ADR Institute, the book addresses the most critical issues hounding the country, thus serving as a comprehensive roadmap for the next president, said ADRi president Dindo Manhit. Topics include foreign policy, the economy, poverty, inclusive growth and energy security, which were written by respected experts in the fields. ADRi trustee Renato de Castro examines the country’s foreign policy and national security agenda in the context of continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea. ADRi

Institute trustee Epictetus Patalinghug sheds new light into the relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth as well as economic growth and poverty reduction. ADRi trustee Francisco Magno looks at the country’s journey in the areas of governance reform and decentralization and identifies key challenges as well as achievements. Renowned geologist and ADRi trustee Carlos Primo David asks what’s wrong with the country’s beleaguered energy sector and discusses the tricky relationship between resource management and environmental protection. The issues outlined in the book can serve as a jump-off point for candidates to talk about substantive issues instead of pursuing the the usual personality-based campaign, Manhit said.

“We feel there is real clamor on the part of the public to steer the direction of the campaign period toward a more meaningful engagement of important issues. As public policy strategists we need to think beyond politics, draw on a rare combination of backward looking analytics and forward looking thinking and imagination. We offer macro visions driven by fact based analytics and strategic policy options,” he said ADRi held a series of multi-sectoral forums last year, where the country’s most respected thinkers shared their views on key issues. “This body of work will form the foundation of the Institute’s advocacy in the next government. Whoever is elected, whoever gets appointed, our mission will be to transform this compilation of sagacious advice into policy,” Manhit said.

have demonstrated that Asian companies can build brands on a par with those of Western countries. Roll says among the reasons why there are only few global brands from Asia are diversification of Asian businesses spanning many industries with limited overlap and synergies; business structure, in the form of small and family-owned businesses; and intellectual property rights infringement. Roll says the Philippines has the likes of Discovery chain of resorts that can also compete with other international brands. “Why not build a Filipino hospitality chain...You are better than anyone else in Asia in providing hospitality and service,” he says. “Think about financial services, I cannot see why BDO and Metrobank could not be Asian banks. I cannot see why the Philippines could not be a net exporter of financial services. In retail, hospitality, fashion, there are many, many opportunities. But it starts with a mindset. It is time for Filipino CEOs to step out there,” he says. He says recent developments are encouraging, as Asian countries transform from production economies to more consumer/servicedriven markets. Roll says boardrooms of companies, in order to adapt to these changes, need a shift in mindset, from a tactical view to a long-term, strategic perspective; from fragmented marketing activities to totally aligned branding activities; from a vision of branding as the sole responsibility of marketing managers to branding as the most essential function of the firm led by the boardroom. Roll says this new perspective must be steeped into a more acute perspective on consumer behavior patterns. Managers wanting to succeed in Asia also need to abandon the idea of an oriental Asia of the past, he says. “Fourth, to create iconic brands, Asian managers will have to become trendsetters. Fifth, this shift can be achieved if everybody in the company is convinced by the power of branding and if all strategies and actions are aligned around the brand. This must be led by the Asian boardroom,” he says. Roll says Asian companies need to have a deeper understanding of Asian culture and Asian consumers, especially in the light of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic integration. “The way forward for Asian firms to compete is really to step up, and step out and build more Asian brands,” he says. “People love Asia. People come to the Philippines. People come to Korea. People are eager to discover what Asia is all about. So the notion of Asia has taken on a different route on a global level. If Asian managers take that notion and realize that Asia has modernized, there is more opportunity to build more global brands,” he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

SUNDAY: JANUARY 17, 2016

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

HOMEGROWN FOOD FIRMS

AIM TO GO GLOBAL

Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions executive director Rosvi Gaetos

PH POPULATION... FROM B1 The new law allows foreign banks to acquire up to 100 percent of the voting stock of an existing domestic bank. This was an increase from the 60-percent cap under the previous law (RA 7721). RA 10641 also allows foreign banks to control up to a combined 40 percent of the total assets of the banking system. This was 10 percentage points higher than the previous 30-percent limit. Several Asian banks opened their presence in the Philippines last year, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. of Japan, Industrial Bank of Korea, Shinhan Bank of Korea and Cathay United Bank of Taiwan. Cathay Life Insurance Corp. of Taiwan infused P17.9 billion for a 20-percent stake in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in April 2015 while Yuanta Commercial Bank Co. Ltd. of Taiwan took full control of Makati-based Tongyang Savings Bank. The latest investor—Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.—the parent company of BTMU, is one of the world’s largest financial groups with total assets of $2.4 trillion. It has also acquired significant stakes in major banks in

Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Watanabe, who obtained an Economics degree from Waseda University and Master’s in Busi-

SIXTEEN homegrown social enterprises aim to go global as they gain centerstage in Food Philippines’ third participation in the largest specialty food trade event in the US.

Company of the Philippines, Fruits of Life Inc., Hatchgrove Enterprise and JUD Products Philippines Inc., whose products are mainly from coconuts. Joining them are See’s International Food Manufacturing Corp. and Simex International Inc. / Sagrex Foods Inc., whose featured products are banana chips; Citra Mina Canning Corp. and Philfresh Corp., which offers cooked loin and canned tuna products; Eighth Wonder Inc. and SL Agritech Corp., which promote heirloom rice and healthy premium rice, respectively; and Mackie International Inc., which is known for ice pops and other shelf-stable frozen treats. Also participating in the WFFS under Food Philippines are Mama Sita’s (Marigold Manufacturing Corp.), which offers all-natural ingredients, mixes, marinades, sauces and other seasonings; Q-Phil Products International, whose featured products include vegetable-flavored noodles; Raw Brown Sugar Milling Co. Inc., which offers muscovado candies in different fruit flavors; and xroads Philippine Sea Salts, featuring their culinary sea salts. Social enterprises are medium, small and micro enterprises driven primarily by the will to uplift the local communities. There were some 30,000 social enterprises in the Philippines based on 2007 estimate, mostly cooperatives and associations, and 500 micro-finance institutions, all lumped together as MSMEs. The number of MSMEs as of 2012 was placed by the DTI at 940,886 or 99.58 percent of all Philippine businesses. The rest, or 0.42 percent, constitute big business.

Of the total number of MSMEs, the bulk or 89.78 percent were micro-enterprises, 9.78 percent were small enterprises, and only 0.44 percent were medium enterprises. By sheer number, the MSMEs generated 4.9 million jobs in 2012, nearly doubling the 2.66 million jobs posted by large enterprises. Of the 64.97 percent of total jobs generated by MSMEs, 47 percent or 2.3 million were spawned by micro-enterprises, 41.8 percent or 2 million by small, and only 11.2 percent or 553,097 by medium. The rise of social enterprises serves as an economic equalizer as they veer away from the business norm of “low manpower cost and high profit” by generally paying above-industry rates even at contractual arrangements and reinvesting incomes in the operation to increase the number of beneficiaries and widen their networks of participants. Constituting those networks of social entrepreneurs are grassroots communities of small-scale producers, which are given capacitybuilding trainings and skills development seminars. Children of economically-challenged families in the participating communities are also offered scholarships funded by the enterprise and/or its donors. “At the forthcoming WFFS, 16 of those social enterprises will proudly wave the banner of Food Philippines, Citem’s branding initiative that promotes the country as Asia’s most exciting sourcing destination for food exports from deep within,” Gaetos said. The Philippine pavilion will be at booth numbers 4228 to 4243 at the South Hall of the Moscone Convention Center.

per share for a total of P36.9 billion. The buying price represents an 81-percent premium to the bank’s stock prior to the transaction. Watanabe says the investment is a testament to MUFG’s commitment to sustain and grow its business in the Philippines. “This

might take seriously. But at this moment, 20 percent is our agreement with the Dy family and we are very comfortable at this level,” he says. Alberto Villarosa, the 65-yearold chairman of Security Bank, says the transaction represents the largest investment by a foreign financial institution in the Philippines, after the government passed Republic Act 10641, allowing the full entry of foreign banks into the country. “Even with the infusion of capital from BTMU, our foreign ownership level will be 35 percent, which is below our 40-percent limit. We are comfortable that we are within the 40-percent limit mandated by law,” says Villarosa. Alfonso Salcedo Jr., the 60-yearold president and chief executive of Security Bank, says the capital infusion by MUFG and BTMU made the Philippine lender the fifth largest in the Philippines in terms of capital. He says the target is to become one of the four largest banks in three to four years. Salcedo says the infusion will increase Security Bank’s shareholder capital from P52.4 billion as of September 2015 to P89.3 billion on a pro-forma post transaction basis. Salcedo says Security Bank plans to increase its branch network from

262 branches right now to 500 to 600 branches in five years. Watanabe says BTMU can also lend its expertise to Security Bank particularly in the area of project finance. “BTMU is a global [leader] in project finance. That capability, plus the huge demand for infrastructure projects in this country, we can provide the best project finance services to this country,” he says. Villarosa says the partnership is expected to bear fruits in the immediate future, “leveraging on BTMU’s large global presence and Security Bank’s strong domestic franchise.” Frederick Dy, the 61-year-old chairman emeritus of Security Bank, says his family will remain the largest shareholder in the bank. “BTMU will be the second largest shareholder of the bank, second to my family’s shareholdings,” he says. “It is a game changing development that changes the landscape of Philippine banking,” says Dy. “I would like to emphasize the Dy family’s unwavering commitment in support for Security Bank. We will continue to be the largest shareholder and have majority voting control. We intend to stay that way and remain committed to the bank.” Roderick T. dela Cruz

The 16 community-based Filipino firms will be among the 1,400 exhibitors at the Winter Fancy Food Show for a chance to promote their products and clinch a deal with any of the visiting 19,000 buyers from all over the United States. The Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions, the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry, will bring them to the WFFS 2016 exhibition at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California on Jan. 17 to 19. “What Food Philippines will bring to WFFS are products that stand out, not only for their high export quality, but also for their cultural, economic and environmental significance and advocacies,” said Citem executive director Rosvi Gaetos. “With the participating social enterprises are the narratives of the people, places and practices surrounding their produce,” Gaetos said as she cited “social responsibility” as the theme of the Philippine participation in the WFFS 2016. The participating social enterprises are Brandexports Philippines Inc. / Peace and Equity Foundation, Franklin Baker

We look forward to growing our presence in the Philippines through the support and partnership with Security Bank.

ness Administration from the University of California, Berkeley in the US, is the man in charge of expanding MUFG’s presence in Asia and Oceania. Watanabe personally attended the signing of the investment deal with Security Bank on Jan. 14, which transformed the latter into the Philippines’ fifth largest lender, by capital. The Japanese group agreed to acquire newly-issued primary shares of Security Bank consisting of 150.7 million common shares at P245 apiece and 200 million preferred shares at P0.10

is a good start in 2016. We are making headway in our effort to becoming tier 1 global financial institution in the Asian market by 2020. We look forward to growing our presence in the Philippines through the support and partnership with Security Bank, our new partner,” he says. Watanabe says the Japanese group is satisfied and comfortable with the 20-percent holdings in Security Bank, which gives them two seats to the 11-man board of directors. “In the future, if there is another opportunity for BTMU to increase the share, in that case we

world

3 Qaeda suspeCts killed in yemen drone strike A DroNe attack believed to have been carried out by US forces killed three suspected Al-Qaeda members travelling in a car in southeast Yemen, security and tribal sources said Saturday. Tribesmen said a missile struck the vehicle in the rafadh region of Shabwa province overnight, killing three. A local security official said they were AlQaeda fighters. The United States is the only country known to operate armed drones over Yemen. It has kept up strikes on militants during months of fighting between pro-government forces and Shiite Huthi rebels who control the capital. Yemen has been convulsed by unrest since the Huthis seized Sanaa in September 2015. Al-Qaeda’s local affiliate has exploited the turmoil to tighten its grip on parts of southeast Yemen, including Mukalla, capital of Hadramawt province. Islamist militants, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State jihadist group, have also established a foothold in and around the main southern city of Aden. AFP

syrian refugees, stuck between the jordanian and syrian borders, wait to cross into jordan, at the hadalat border crossing, east of the jordanian capital amman, on january 14, 2016. the number of syrian refugees stuck on the border with jordan has climbed from 12,000 to nearly 16,000 since december, the kingdom’s government spokesman said on jan. 11. AFP

UN demaNds aid access to syria’s besieged towNs Condemning Syria’s “barbaric” sieges, the United nations demanded Friday immediate access to besieged towns to deliver food, medicine and other lifesaving aid to civilians facing starvation. “There can be no reason or rational, no explanation or excuse, for preventing aid from reaching people,” UN aid official KyungWha Kang told an emergency Security Council meeting on ending the blockades. France and Britain requested the urgent talks after reports emerged of dozens of people who have died from starvation in the town of Madaya, where aid deliveries finally arrived this week. A total of 35 people have died

there since early December, according to medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which warned a dozen more patients “could die very soon if they are not evacuated.” Madaya’s 40,000 residents have been living under siege by pro-government forces for months. “The barbarity of this tactic cannot be overstated,” Kang told the council. “You cannot let more people die under your watch.” A mobile clinic with medics was

dispatched to Madaya to treat people suffering from malnutrition, the World Health organization said, a day after a second aid convoy reached the town. A teenage boy, 16-year-old Ali, became the latest victim of hunger. Ali’s death late Thursday was witnessed by representatives of the UN children’s agency, UNICeF, as they assessed the health situation of residents of the famine-stricken town. “They took us down to the makeshift hospital and we went to the basement” where two young men shared a bed, UNICeF’s top Syria representative, Hanaa Singer, told AFP. Singer said the two boys’ bodies “were skeleton-like.” A UNICeF doctor approached one of the teenagers who looked

particularly weak and noticed his pulse had stopped. “She checked him out, there was no pulse, so she started resuscitating. one, two, three times, then she looked at me and said, ‘He’s gone.’ And she closed his eyes,” Singer said by phone from Syria. So far, nine people have been allowed to leave Madaya to receive treatment and 19 others are in need of urgent evacuation, said Kang. A convoy of 44 aid trucks loaded with food and medicine on Thursday entered Madaya, where the UN says hardships are the worst seen in Syria’s nearly five-year war. UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon warned that any forces using starvation as a tactic of war in Syria were guilty of a “war crime.” AFP

Chapo’s lawyers Condemn treatment in mexiCo jail LAWYerS for recaptured Mexican drug lord Joaquin “el Chapo” Guzman condemned prison authorities Friday for refusing them access to their client, after being denied permission to bring him fluffy slippers, a toothbrush and other items. Two of Guzman’s lawyers gave an indignant press conference outside his maximum-security prison after they were not allowed to visit their client and bring him clothes and other personal effects. Lawyer Juan Pablo Badillo said he feared for Guzman’s health and safety. “There’s a growing fear

(among Guzman’s lawyers) that something may happen to him, because it’s suspicious that they won’t even let his defense attorneys look at him, ask him how he’s feeling, what he’s been through, whether he’s been tortured,” he said. “I hold the prison directors and the interior minister responsible if Mr Guzman is the victim of any illness caused by the cold,” said lawyer Jose Luis Gonzalez, showing journalists the items he had packed in a small blue suitcase for his client. Guzman, the kingpin of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, escaped from the same prison out-

side Mexico City on July 11. He was recaptured a week ago after six months on the run and sent back to jail -- this time with two tanks posted outside and heavily beefed-up security measures. Interior Minister Miguel Angel osorio Chong denies Guzman has been refused access to his lawyers, saying he met with one on Tuesday. Gonzalez demanded proof of that. “Not even if they had caught Adolf Hitler alive would they have done to him what they are doing to Mr Guzman,” he said in a radio interview earlier this week. AFP

mexican Federal police patrol the entrance of the penitentiary in almoloya de juarez, mexico on january 15, 2016, where mexicandrug kingpin joaquin “el Chapo” Guzman is held. mexican marines recaptured fugitive drug kingpin joaquin “el Chapo” Guzman a week ago in the northwest of the country, six months after his spectacular prison break embarrassed authorities. AFP

S U N D AY : j A N U A r Y 17, 2 0 1 6

WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

20 die, 33 hurt in faso burkina hotel siege Burkina Faso troops supported by French special forces were battling al-Qaeda linked gunmen in the early hours of Saturday in a Ouagadougou hotel where at least 20 people have been killed.

Sixty-three hostages were rescued, 33 of them wounded, from the Burkinabe capital’s four-star Splendid hotel about two hours after the assault began and heavy gun battles were still being waged on the top floors of the hotel, popular with UN staff and foreigners. Twenty people have been confirmed dead, but the toll could rise further as interior minister Simon Campaore told AFP that firefighters had seen 10 bodies on the terrace of a restaurant opposite the hotel. It was not clear how many people remained trapped. “We don’t yet have a total tally of the dead. The Burkinabe forces are still combing the hotel,” Campaore told AFP He said it was unclear how many attackers were still inside the 147room hotel. “The assault is ongoing with the Burkinabe forces supported by French special forces,” communication minister Remis Dandjinou told AFP. The attack comes less than two months after a jihadist hostage siege at the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in the Malian capital Bamako left 20 people dead, including 14 foreigners—an attack claimed by the same Al-Qaeda affiliate behind the unfolding Ouagadougou assault. A fire raged at the main entrance of the hotel and screams could be heard from inside, while on the street outside about 10 vehicles were set alight. The head of the city’s main hospital confirmed prior to the start

of the counter-assault at least 20 people had been killed and another 15 injured. A restaurant opposite the hotel was also attacked and a staff member, reached by telephone, said several people had been killed, but was not able to give an exact toll. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack saying it was “revenge against France and the disbelieving West”, according to US-based

monitoring group SITe. The “mujahideen brothers” of AQIM “broke into a restaurant of one of the biggest hotels in the capital of Burkina Faso, and are now entrenched and the clashes are continuing with the enemies of the religion”, SITe quoted the group as saying. The attackers were members of the Al-Murabitoun group based in Mali and run by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, SITe said. An AFP reporter at one point saw three men clad in turbans firing at the scene on Avenue Kwame Nkrumah, one of Ouagadougou’s main thoroughfares. A witness also reported seeing four assailants who were of Arab or white

appearance and “wearing turbans”. The French embassy said on its website that a “terrorist attack” was underway and urged people to avoid the area. An Air France flight from Paris to Ouagadougou was diverted to neighbouring Niger. A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington could provide dronebased surveillance. The Burkinabe army, meanwhile, said a heavily-armed group of about 20 people had also carried out an attack on Friday near the border with Mali, killing two people—a gendarme and a civilian—and leaving two others wounded. AFP

French first responders tend to wounded people in the surrounding of the hotel Splendide and the café Cappuccino during the attack on January 15, 2016. Sixty-three hostages, including 33 wounded, were evacuated in the early hours of Saturday from a Burkina Faso hotel besieged by Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen, communication minister Remis Dandjinou said. AFP

stranded cubans reach u.s. border THe first few dozen of thousands of Cubans trying to reach the United States after being stranded for months in Costa Rica crossed the Mexican border into Texas Friday, ending a dangerous odyssey. They were processed in a Mexican immigration office in the border town of Nuevo Laredo and walked out on the other side of the frontier in Laredo, Texas. Migrants group Cubanos en Libertad, an organization which helps Cubans arriving in Texas, said 59 had crossed the border. Most came to join family members already living in the United States, many of them in Florida, said a representative of the group, Alejandro Ruiz. “Last night 12 arrived after traveling by plane to Nuevo Laredo and this morning another 47 arrived by bus,” he said, after the 40-hour drive from the southeastern state of Chiapas. Under US law, they automatically get permission to stay and are put on a fast track to permanent residency after one year. That welcome is the sweet reward the Cubans sought after a grueling trek through South and Central America that was fueled in part, and ironically, by the thaw in US-Cuban ties. “We are happy because we achieved our goal,” said one of the Cubans, Randy Cuevas, 29, in a video posted on the Facebook page of Cubanos en Libertad. “This was my dream, the dream of all Cubans,” said another, 20-year-old Lilian de Gonzalez. The dozen who arrived late Thursday and early Friday were among 180 who set out from Costa Rica this week, first by plane to el Salvador—skipping over Cuba ally Nicaragua, which would not let them pa ss—and then by bus through Guatemala to Mexico. AFP

IndonesIa IdentIfIes convIcted mIlItant In Jakarta attacks INDONeSIA has identified one of five attackers in the deadly Jakarta violence as a previously-jailed militant whose picture snapped amid the mayhem went viral in the country as the grim face of Islamic extremism. All five attackers died in the coordinated suicide bombings and shootings in central Jakarta on Thursday, which also killed two civilians, wounded two dozen people, and appeared to confirm rising fears of the Islamic State group’s (IS) emergence in the world’s most populous Muslim country. The attack has been claimed by IS, which has ruthlessly carved out a self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria and Iraq, and Indonesian police have more specifically blamed a Southeast Asian affiliate of the group known as Katibah Nusantara. Police say they have identified four of the five attackers, and late on Friday released the first name, a militant named

Afif. Many Indonesians go by a single name. Afif, who also uses the alias Sunakim, had trained in an Islamic paramilitary camp in Indonesia’s semi-autonomous Aceh region in 2010, national police chief Badrodin Haiti told reporters. He was sentenced to seven years in jail for his involvement in the camp but was released last year, Haiti added. He gave no further details. Haiti confirmed to reporters that Afif was the attacker in blue jeans, black t-shirt and a black hat pictured preparing to raise his handgun in a photo that rippled across Indonesia’s hyperactive social media universe. The police chief said Afif has been recruited to IS by Indonesian extremist Bahrum Naim, who is believed to be a founding member of Katibah Nusantara and who police say orchestrated Thursday’s attacks from Syria. Haiti added that Naim

himself was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 for illegal possession of ammunition and received a one-year jail term. “We found ammunitions and we processed him and he received a one-year (sentence). Now he is doing it again,” Haiti said. Indonesian police launched raids across the country on Friday in the wake of the country’s worst such attack in seven years, saying they suspected a broader extremist network was behind it. If confirmed to be the work of Katibah Nusantara, which is made up primarily of Malay-speaking Indonesians and Malaysians, it would mark the first violence in Southeast Asia by the group. Authorities in Southeast Asia countries with significant Muslim populations have repeatedly warned of the potential for their citizens to return from fighting alongside IS in the Middle east and carry out violence at home. AFP

Indonesian police official escorts Maisaroh (center, right) the widow of suspected terrorist Muhammad Ali, who died in the January 14, 2016 bomb attack during a search on his house in Jakarta on January 15, 2016. Indonesian police launched raids across the country on January 15, 2016 in the wake of deadly coordinated attacks, saying they suspected a broader extremist network helped carry out an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The attacks left five attackers and two other people dead, and two dozen other people wounded. AFP

s un day : ja n ua ry 1 7 , 2 0 1 6

sports

riera u. mall ari EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH sPorts renaissance still Possible—Keon By Ronnie Nathanielsz

MIKE Keon, considered the supreme architect of the eminently successful Gintong Alay program, which saw the Philippines emerge from a mere ASEAN-level force to a powerful Southeast Asian Games competitor that reached new heights as a fiercely competitive Asian Games contender, lamented the disastrous plunge into the depths of mediocrity in the region and blames “just too much politics” for the decline. He said the miserable showing of the country in the Southeast Asian Games, which is the lowest level of competition, where the Philippines dropped to No. 7 and 6 in the last two stagings of the games, showed that “we are at the bottom of the world’ and the consolation, if any, was that “we can only go up.” It was Gintong Alay under Keon’s dynamic leadership that produced such sporting greats as Asia’s sprint queen Lydia de Vega, 400-meter sensation Isidro del Prado, the 4x400 “Bicol Express” Relay Team, steeplechaser Hector Begeo, swimmer Billy Wilson and a host of other fine athletes. In a wide-ranging conversation over lunch with the sports editors of the major newspapers last Tuesday, Keon pushed the need to “create a Department of Sports that will try and develop a whole new system.” Keon conceded that he had the support of his uncle, President Ferdinand Marcos, who was himself an ardent sportsman and an athlete. The Gintong Alay achieved remarkable success with a budget of between P13 to P16 million in the 1980s. “Gintong Alay showed what you can do if you really use your money judiciously, use it correctly,” said Keon, citing it can be done within a framework of accountability and transparency. Keon emphasized that we need to recruit good coaches, who would make sure that our athletes train properly. “The Filipino can be just as competitive as everyone else but our system is ‘palpak’ because there’s just too much politics,” said Keon, who recalled that when they created Gintong Alay, “it was a whole new organization from the ground up.” He believes the stakeholders in sports need to sit down and work it all out. “Everyone has to get together and say this is what we need to do so people put in their inputs. You have a great big convocation and everyone agrees while somebody has to put it together,” said Keon. His concept is that the program must emanate from the grassroots all the way to the elite level, even as he emphasized the need to work closely with the Department of Education and the Department of Interior and Local Government. “It can be done,” Keon insisted in a resolute voice. “You just need to

get the right people and overhaul everything. Have a real new beginning.” When one senior sports editor suggested that Keon himself be tasked to lead the crusade for a renaissance in Philippine sports, the former Gintong Alay and Philippine Olympic Committee president conceded “I am prejudiced,” but believes his kind of leadership may well be the answer. Keon stated quite frankly: “I am just as competent now as I was before. But that it is up to other people to make that judgment, not me.” When it was pointed out that he had government support at that time since his uncle, Ferdinand Marcos was president, Keon agreed: “That’s why we have to look at things politically.” He also debunked suggestions that our athletes, some of them at least, are politically motivated. “Our athletes are okay as long as you lead them properly.” While he doesn’t altogether frown on the campaign where National Sports Associations and the Philippine Olympic Committee and PSC “look for people all over the world to cover up for our own inadequacies,” Keon remarked with an obvious tinge of disappointment that “we look for FilAms, Fil-Brits, Fil-Australians etc. and we naturalize people even in basketball to cover up for the fact that our training is completely inadequate.” Keon contended the Philippines needs to revisit the Gintong Alay blueprint and once again recruit coaches like Tony Benson, who handled the track athletes and Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield. He worked with the field athletes and she honed the skills of our young men and women in the jumps. Keon said that while Benson was with Gintong Alay from the very beginning in 1980, the Hatfields from Oregon in the US were all “very good.” A stickler for integrity and discipline, when Mike received complaints from athletes in the Gintong Alay training camp in Baguio, who claimed they didn’t get what they were supposed to get in terms of their food, he went to the camp, sat down and ate with the athletes and personally realized the complaints were valid. He immediately fired the Camp Director, who wasn’t the first to be terminated because of shenanigans with the athletes’ food and

Mike Keon: “Our athletes are okay as long as you lead them properly.” nutrition. Keon brought in American AC Cuda, himself a solidly built physical fitness buff as camp director and that put a stop to the smalltime corruption. One of the finest examples of Keon’s steadfast commitment to discipline was when he removed Lydia de Vaga from the roster of competitors in the 1985 ASEAN Track and Field Championships. De Vega was said to have broken training camp rules and left the Baguio City camp without permission on quite a few occasions and other athletes, who followed the rules complained about a double standard. Keon acted immediately and just as quickly ran into trouble with the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who wanted Lydia reinstated. Keon, despite the First Lady’s insistence, flatly refused, insisting

that discipline was essential and even refused to entertain the pleas of then Metro Manila vice governor Mel Mathay. This writer told Keon he would be fired by President Marcos within 30 minutes. And it happened. Keon left for Australia and later wrote a letter on yellow pad paper in red ink, which was his wont and requested us to have it delivered to the President which we did through Minister Greg Cendana. President Marcos knew Keon was right and not long afterwards, reinstated him, but that was the twilight of the Marcos years and there was not much time for him to really accomplish anything. While he feels that looking for athletes overseas is good and noted that everyone is doing it, Keon is convinced that “this should be the cherry on top of the cake,” and not the backbone of our efforts to com-

pete successfully in regional competitions. Keon believes in a viable training program where we get people from overseas to augment that, to strengthen it. “Then you’ll do well,” he said. Having watched Mike Keon up close and personal during the glory days of the Gintong Alay era, we admired his steadfast commitment that integrity and discipline were non-negotiable, his hands-on attitude and his respect for the values and virtues of sportsmanship, fair play, hard work and dedication which have, in recent years, been seriously eroded by patronage politics and the lack of political will. An optimist who believes in the capacity of the Filipino, Keon is confident things will change after 2016 and we join in hoping it will be for the better.

S U n D aY : j a n U a r Y 17, 2 0 1 6

SPORTS

arman armero EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

WESTBROOK ScORES 23RD TRIPLE-DOUBLE

OKLAHOMA City point guard Russell Westbrook looked like himself again on Friday, notching his fourth tripledouble of the season to lead the Thunder to a 113-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coming off a forgettable display against Dallas on Wednesday, in which Westbrook failed to score a point before he was ejected in the second quarter, Westbrook scored 12 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter with the hosts in full control. Westbrook posted the 23rd triple-double of his career, making six of 10 shots from the floor and turning the ball over just twice. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell said his young team could learn a lot from the ruthlessly efficient Thunder. Karl-Anthony Towns, the league’s second-ranked rookie scorer, scored nine points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Towns had connected on just two of nine shots through the first three periods, but Mitchell kept him and second-year guard Andrew Wiggins in the contest even after the Thunder had things in hand. “I left some of my young guys out there even though the game was out of reach,” Mitchell said. “I wanted them to understand how it feels when you are getting your butt kicked. This is part of the growing pains of learning in the NBA.” Heat rally behind Whiteside In Denver, Hassan Whiteside posted the third triple-double of his career to help the shorthanded Miami Heat rally for a 98-95 victory over the Nuggets. Whiteside had 19 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks and Chris Bosh added 24 points as the Heat overcame the absence of guard Dwyane Wade, who was sidelined by shoulder soreness.

oKlaHoMa CitY, oK- russell westbrook (no.0) of the oklahoma City thunder goes for the dunk during the game against the Minnesota timberwolves on January 15, 2016 at Chesapeake energy arena in oklahoma City, oklahoma. AFP

Bosh scored 10 points and Whiteside had nine points, six rebounds and four blocks in the third quarter, when the Heat

erased a double-digit deficit. Noah hurt, Bulls lose Chicago center Joakim Noah dislocated his left shoulder in

the second quarter of the Bulls 83-77 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The French big man was hurt

when he tangled with Mavericks center JaVale McGee in the paint, immediatly departing for the locker room. Noah, who entered the contest averaging 4.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 28 games, was sidelined nine games earlier this season with a separated left shoulder. Despite Noah’s departure, and that of guard Kirk Hinrich with a thigh contusion in the third quarter, the Bulls were clinging to a 61-59 lead heading into the fourth period. But the momentum had swung the Mavericks’ way and Dallas out-scored the Bulls 2416 in the final frame to hand the Bulls their fourth defeat in five games. Bulls guard Jimmy Butler scored just four points a day after pouring in a career-high 53 in an overtime win against Philadelphia. “He was tired,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He was out there trying to battle through it, but it was tough after the overtime game last night.” Cavs rebound If the Cleveland Cavaliers were feeling any lingering frustration from Thursday’s tough 99-95 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio, they found a way to take it out on the Houston Rockets. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving combined to score 42 points for Cleveland, who limited the Rockets to a season-low point total in a 91-77 victory in Houston. James scored 19 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, Irving added 23 points and Kevin Love produced 11 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavs finished their six-game road trip 5-1. “Wanted to come out and make a statement,” Irving said. “We lost a tough game last night. We don’t want to make any excuses for ourselves, we just wanted to come out here and compete.” AFP

new San JoSe BuilderS to Join MBl NEW San Jose Builders Inc., one of the leading real estate companies in the country, is bringing its act to the MBL. Established in 1986 with businessman-sportsman Jose L. Acuzar at the helm, NSJBI will field a young but competitive team in the coming 2016 MBL Open basketball championship scheduled later this month. The team will be handled by veteran coach Jinino Manansala as consultant and Rainier Carpio as head coach This will be the first time that the NSJBI will take part in the MBL as it looks forward

to playing from corporate leagues to the more competitive commercial leagues. Manansala said the NSJBI team hopes to replicate the success of the leading real estate company when it participates in sports.. Among the players expected to represent t N SJBI are Jose Maria Acuzar, Niko Bermido, Renato Palogan Jr., Mark Anthony Puspus Jhon Kevin Sumay, Jose Cris Acuzar, Mark Maloles, Angelo Acuzar, John Ambulodio, Jeffrey Acuzar, RR Telles, Marvin Roberto, Dennis Santos and team captain Ricky Sopranes.

NSJBI is noted for its affordable housing and recreational facilities that cater to the needs of the Filipino family. Recently, the Quezon Citybased real estate company takes pride in adding the Philippine Arena, the world’s largest indoor arena located in Bulacan, and the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, an admired tourist spot in Bataan to its robust portfolio. MBL chairman Alex Wang welcomed the entry of NSJBI to the league, which is now on its 16th year. “This is relly a good development

in sports, basketball in particular. NSJBI has a proven track record of innovating pioneer projects around the country,” said Wang, also the ownermanager of multit-titled Wang’s Ballclub. “As I’ve always said in the league’s first 15 years, the more, the merrier,” added Wang. The other teams expected to participate are defending champion Gerry’s Grill-Diliman College of Jerome Ngo and coach Rensy Bajar; Macway Travel Club of businessman-sportsman Erick Kirong and wife Cathy Kirong and coach Braulio Lim; Phil-

ippine Christian University of coach Elvis Tolentino and con sulatant Ato Tolentino; Wang’s Ballclub of MBL chairman Alex Wang; and Ironcon BuildersUST of Jimi Lim and coach Bong de la Cruz. Also invited to participate are Franzie Cologne, Arellano University, Lyceum of the Philippines, EARIST, Rizal Technological University , St. Clare College-Caloocan, AMA University and De Ocampo Memorial Colleges. For inquiries, call/text Albert Andaya at mobile 09177688638.

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reUel viDAl EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports

Lady BLazers, aLtas adVance to ncaa VolleyBall finals

other six from her serves. The Lady Chiefs drew 13 apiece from CJ Rosario and Joviely Grace Prado. It was Rosario’s kill which allowed Arellano to enjoy a 10-8 lead in the final set. But a counterattack from Jan Daguil and Panaga in the next that allowed the Lady Blazers to keep the encounter tight, 10-all. “Kailangan talaga patayin yung bola,” said Panaga, who added that she and her batch mates now have a chance of winning their first ever women’s crown. The Lady Blazers will meet the San Sebastian Lady Stags in Game 1

By Peter atencio

FOURTH-ranked College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers climbed two steps up the stepladder to arrange a finals showdown with the San Sebastian Lady Stags. First the Lady Blazers overcame the University of Perpetual Help Lady Altas and then found a way to get past the defending champion Arellano Lady Chiefs’ frontline defense. In the men’s division, Rey Taneo Jr. unloaded 21 points and led a big scoring run in the fifth and final set to power the University of Perpetual Help Altas to a 3331, 25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 15-9 triumph in their Final Four semifinals showdown. This put the Altas in a finals showdown with the defending champion Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals. Coach Macky Carino’s move to let Jeannette Panaga control of the middle by herself worked wonders in the final moments of their 90-minute long encounter. Panaga, one of the Lady Blazers’ veteran spikers, came away with a clean block of Shirley Salamagos’ attack with teammate Jennica Tan. Her block allowed the Lady Blazers to upset the Lady Chiefs, last year’s champions, with a 25-20, 25-22, 25-23 win. This put the Lady Blazers in the finals against the San Sebastian Lady Stags after their stepladder semifinals showdown in the 91st

Tuesday, Jan. 19. The Lady Stags earned an automatic finals berth when they completed a nine-game sweep in the women’s division last week. Gretchel Soltones hit 32 points, with 24 of it coming off her attacks to lead the Lady Stags to a 25-20, 22-25, 25-17, 25-18, victory over the Lady Blazers in their final game of the eliminations. The Lady Blazers advanced to the last phase of the stepladder semis after a 16-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-21, win over Perpetual Help last Tuesday, Jan. 12. In this game, Carino banked on his familiarity with the Lady Altas style of play since he was Sammy Acaylar’s assistant coach for a decade in Perpetual before he transferred to the Taftbased squad. Navarro and Musa led the Lady Blazers with 15 points each while Jeanette Panaga had 11 markers.

Perpetual Help Altas middle blocker Manuel doliente (7) and College of St. Benilde’s Mark deximo (15) battle at the net while deximo’s teammates Ron Jordan (3) and Ajian dy (9) look on. Peter atencio

National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball tournament at the Arena in San Juan. “Play ko talaga iyun eh. Sabi ko, sa harap at sa inyo ibibigay ang bola,” said Carino, who is coaching for the Blazers for the first time

after transferring from University of Perpetual Help. The 21-year-old Panaga’s spike came right after teammate Ranya Musa committed a service error. Carino took note that he had to shift Panaga towards the middle and away from

other frontline defenders, because she was being targeted by the Lady Chiefs’ attacks in the final set. Panaga showed the way for the Lady Blazers with 21 points and scored nine of it on attacks. Nine more points came from blocks, and an-

Arellano university Lady Chiefs middle blocker CJ Rosario (17) attempts to spike the volleyball against College of St. Benilde’s Jeanette Panaga (6) and Chelsea Chloe Santillan (9) who form a double block at the net while Benilde’s Jan Arianne daguil (16) looks on. Peter atencio

SAn MiGueL BeeR, ALASkA ReSuMe StoRied RivALRy By Homer Vidal THE longest running rivalry in the Philippine Basketball Association resumes when the league’s two-winningest squads—the San Miguel Beermen and the Alaska Aces— battle for the championship of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Sunday, Jan. 17 at the Araneta Coliseum. The two teams are evenlymatched. The Aces qualified to the Finals after a 4-1 decision over the GlobalPort Batang Pier. The Beermen advanced after their own 4-2 victory over the Rain Or

Shine Elasto Painters. Before that the two teams rampaged through the elimination round. The Aces topped the eliminations but only through a tie-break after both squads ended the round with similar win-loss records. The two teams meet for the third time in the Finals of the past four conferences with the Beermen winning both the 2015 Philippine Cup and the 2015 Governors Cup. San Miguel Beer is the most successful team in PBA history with 21 conference titles in 41 seasons. It is the only remaining founding member of the league. It won the coveted

PBA Grand Slam in 1989. Alaska is the second most successful franchise in league history. It joined the PBA a year and a decade after San Miguel Beer but has already accumulated 14 conference titles with 30 Finals appearances. It won the coveted PBA Grand Slam in 1996. Alaska will be the more motivated team and will be eager to avenge its loss in the last All-Filipino conference Finals that was decided by a three-pointer by Arwind Santos in the dying seconds of the game where the Aces came back from 22 points down. It will be a game of contrasts

between the defense-oriented Aces and the all-star Beermen. Alaska thrives on pressuring the opposing team’s ball carriers, forcing turnovers and scoring transition baskets on fastbreaks. The Beermen like to rely on their offensive dreadnaught June Mar Fajardo at the post who is surrounded by blistering outside shooters who can rip the shreds from afar if left open when defenders try to doubleteam Fajardo. Game Two will be on Jan. 19 at Araneta, Game Three on Jan. 22 in Lucena, and Game Four on Jan. 24 at the Philsports Arena.

Alaska Aces point guard RJ Jazul (31) tries to dribble past San Miguel Beer defenders June Mar Fajardo (15) and Marcio Lassiter. Jazul was the surprise leading scorer for the Aces during their semifinal playoff victory over GlobalPort.

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

S U NDAY L IF E

LIFE

CAPTURING THE BUZZ OF THE ONLINE FILIPINO BY CARL CUEVAS PHOTOS BY STAR SABROSO

ou’ve shared the memes on your social media feeds. You’ve read the articles that made you choose which #APEChottie you were rooting for during the APEC week, or showed you various ways to use Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach’s facial reactions in daily life situations. Love it or hate it, one thing’s for certain – Buzzfeed, through its Philippines section, has captured the buzz of the online Filipino, and at the heart of this online phenomenon is Matthew “Matt” Ortile. A quck lookback: Buzzfeed has grown as a social news and entertainment company since its establishment in New York back in 2006. Currently, the site’s content is divided into 32 subsections catering to various niche markets and content: Animals, Audio, Big Stories, Books, Business, Buzz, Celebrity, DIY, Entertainment, Food, Geeky, Health, Ideas, LGBT, Life, Music, News, Parents, Podcasts, Politics, Puzzles, Quizzes, Rewind, Science, Sports, Style, Tech, Travel, Videos, Weddings, Weekend, and World . Moreover, the website is available in 10 different editions including US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Español, France, India, and Mexico. Then in 2013, Buzzfeed started exploring the Philippine market when posts about the life of Pinoys abroad started appearing on the website. “I started working in Buzzfeed at the summer of 2013 as an intern through their Editorial Fellowship program, which is a

Buzzfeed Philippines editor Matt Ortile

three-month job interview to work for Buzzfeed,” shares Matt. “So when I was a fellow, I did a couple of posts that dealt with Filipino identity and talked about being a Filipino. After which our editorin-chief approached me saying that there was a big spike in traffic from the Philippines when I posted those articles, and found it as a very interesting market.” Matt though initially turned down a full position offer at the company as he was still completing his double degree in English and Media Studies at Vassar College at the time. Matt officially joined the

Buzzfeed team the following year after his graduation. “Funnily, I was brought on to Buzzfeed to not do writing at all as I was hired to do editorial operations which is basically helping our editors and writers do their best work.” Matt shares that he was playing multiple roles so he got to do various stuff for the company. There were days he would train the new hires in their New York, London or Sydney offices, planning big events, coordinating with their senior management for planning content in the coming months, or arranging speakers and celebrity office visits.

He continues, “So, one day they said that I was someone who was teaching a lot of these stuff to the team so I should also be writing.” With that, Matt resumed writing – and it was there that Buzzfeed Philippines was born. According to Matt, his article that currently has the most impact was on “21 annoying comments Filipinos are tired of hearing” which he attributed to the presence of Filipinos not just in the US, but in other parts of the world. “Buzzfeed Philippines started because I was there and they saw that something was clicking. And they said, why don’t I give it a shot

and let’s see what happens.” Matt shares that in spite of (managing) Buzzfeed Philippines not being his main role in the company, he’s happy and grateful for the opportunity that his organization gave him to create the community. “They gave me the budget and the social media channels. And so, Buzzfeed is great in a way that when they see something is working, they’ll give it a push and see what happens and now it’s really, really exciting.” Despite a lean team, Matt and a couple of his freelance writers based in the Philippines and New York grew the Buzzfeed Philippines community. In less than two years, Buzzfeed Philippines has broken the 100,000 mark in its Facebook page and has continued to engage audiences through social media accounts. “We pick our stories basically on what people are sharing online, what people are talking about, and what the cultural conversation is right now on the Philippine internet.” From what he has observed, there are two ways to get Filipinos engaged: humor and emotions. “What I think on what makes Filipinos share on the internet to a really, really high degree is something that makes them laugh. Kung nakakatawa, is-share yan ng mga Fiipino. Kasi mahilig sila mag-joke, magpatawa sa sarili nila at sa ibang tao.” He further shares that being exposed to Buzzfeed Philippines makes him impressed at how creative Filipinos can get. “Ang galing talaga ng utak ng Pilipino, ang daming puns, and jokes and word play. Continued on C3

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Stress is an aphrodisiac CAROTID ARTERY BY TATUM ANCHETA

o, I’m not about to talk about stress being an aphrodisiac for your sexual desires; I’m talking about stress being a medium for good and exciting things in your life that can propel you to do things or actually even save your life and do good for your health and well being. Sounds rather farfetched, right? Stress = good for your health? Didn’t all doctors and wellness books tell us not to get stressed as it causes so many bad things to our body? Apparently the answer to that is yes and no. When people ask me, “How are you?”, I never really notice that I always answer them, “Here, stressed,” (well because I am, always) until my friend pointed it out. “Hello, what else is new, you’re always stressed, I think that’s already your middle name.” So I found myself reading up on stress, because no amount of yoga or massage calms my brain. It’s like a 24/7 traffic jam and it agitates me and makes people around me jumpy as well. “Oh oh, here comes ‘Stress’! must be what people around me say when I’m walking to the door. I’m sure they already photoshopped a new addition to the Inside Out character and named it “Stress” and pasted my face on it. I came across Kelly McGonigal’s Ted Talk about making stress your friend which was posted last 2013. Had I known about it three years ago, I probably would treat

stress a friend as well. Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and her job is to translate findings in psychology, neuroscience and medicine and use them for practical strategies for health, happiness and personal success. She states that “The old understanding of stress as an unhelpful relic of our animal instincts is being replaced by the understanding that stress actually makes us socially smart – it’s what allows us to be fully human.” She explains that when we change the way we think or feel about stress, then our body changes its response to it as well. Ever heard people say “I’m so stressed, so many rakets, oh but it’s okay this is good stress!” and laugh while saying it? Well, they may be right – it is indeed good stress and they are treating stress the way it should be perceived. McGonigal explains that how we think about stress matters. In a typical stress response, our heart rate goes up and blood vessels constrict, and it is one of the reasons that chronic stress is often associated with cardiovascular disease. In a study conducted in Harvard University, they placed participants in an experiment designed to stress them out and they found out that when participants viewed their stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed and while their heart was still pounding as they undergo a stressful ordeal, it actually shows a healthier cardiovascular profile that resembles what happens when humans experience joy and courage. She explains further by talking about oxytocin, a neuro-hormone, the same hormone related to orgasm, close relationships, maternal behaviors, and anxiety. So how does it affect stress? “It’s a stress hormone,” says McGonigal. “Your pituitary gland pumps this stuff out as part of the stress response. It’s as much a part of your stress response as the adrenaline

that makes your heart pound.” She explains that oxytocin protects the cardiovascular system from the effects of stress. “Oxytocin helps heart cells regenerate and heal from any stress-induced damage. This stress hormone strengthens your heart.” It’s like your body is strengthening you by letting you go through that thing that is supposed to be harmful to you. Maybe it can also explain why people who went through the toughest circumstances are usually stronger individuals. The health psychologist also cited that, “when oxytocin is released in the stress response, it is motivating you to seek support. Your biological stress response is nudging you to tell someone how you feel, instead of bottling it up. Your stress response wants to make sure you notice when someone else in your life is struggling so that you can support each other.” That’s why when we are faced with a difficult situation, our body urges us to be with other people. What’s more interesting in the study that McGonigal mentioned is that for every major stressful life experience, the risk of dying is increased by 30 percent. However, people who spent time caring for others showed absolutely no stress-related increase in dying. “Caring created resilience,” she adds.

Hmm, this reminds me of an article I wrote last year (you may read it on www.thestandard.com.ph, Lifestyle section, Carotid Artery, December 12, 2025, “The Giving Way to Happiness”) about how the power of “giving” like “caring” actually gives people happiness for themselves. Maybe both studies should be put side by side so we can all learn how to be better and actually save more lives. So back to stress being an aphrodisiac. So now we know that if you treat stress as your friend, it can also be your aphrodisiac to do good, act, motivate, and learn. The next time you feel stressed, see it as a good situation and that you will eventually get something out of it. McGonigal ends by saying, “One thing we know for certain is that chasing meaning is better for your health than trying to avoid discomfort. And so I would say that the really best way to make decisions is go after what it is that creates meaning in your life, and then trust yourself to handle the stress that follows.” For comments, suggestions and violent reactions, you may email me at tatum@thestandard.com.ph. For my crazy life’s adventures follow me at @tatumancheta on Instagram and Twitter.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

PORTRAIT

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

A symbol of accomplishment

ovak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and started playing tennis at the age of four. Today, the 29-year-old is considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. At such a young age, his glowing achievements in professional lawn tennis has already charted a remarkable playing career that is the envy of many players his age. Born to Srđan and Dijana, the young tennis prodigy’s journey in becoming one of the world’s best started when he was spotted by Yugoslav tennis player Jelena Genčić at the age of six, so she honed and mentored him since then. The young talent moved to Pilić tennis academy in Oberschleißheim, Germany to advance his skills and by 14, his international career started, winning European championships in singles, doubles, and team competition. Among his victories are 10 Grand Slam singles titles, only the sixth male player to win three Grand Slams in a year, and the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 181 weeks. He has also won three Wimbledon titles, two US Open titles, and the Open Era record five Australian Open titles. Novac holds the best match winning rate (83.82percent) on hard courts and has won 26 Masters 1000 series titles, breaking a single-season record with six titles in 2015. He is also the first Serbian player to rank No. 1 for more than 100 weeks and serves his country proud to be the first male player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title. Today, his legacy in global tennis is already cemented, and there’s no sign that he is about to stop, his hard work and passion for tennis motivating him to achieve more. Currently the

Prospex divers watch; the Seiko Prospex line of watches is available at leading watch salons nationwide

global endorser for Seiko, Djokovic’s timepiece is a subtle showcase of his successes. Like an extension of the champion athlete’s character, Seiko’s Prospex line of watches is a modest, unassuming yet glittering expression of who he is. The Seiko Prospex line delivers precise timekeeping reliability even in the most diverse and unfavorable conditions because it is built to perform and last a long time. With his current stature and influence, Djokovic also dedicates himself to good causes, having founded the Novak Djokovic Foundation, an institution that helps children from disadvantaged communities by propelling them to develop and progress in life. He was also recently appointed last year as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to promote early child education in Serbia.

Tennis champion Novak Djokovic

CAPTURING THE BUZZ OF THE ONLINE FILIPINO From C1

Magaling ang Pilipino doon.” On the other hand, he also observed that Pinoys love sharing very heartwarming things, stories that really touch people, and very emotional content such as when they posted about Claudine Barretto’s recent Instagram post about Rico Yan’s letter which garnered a lot of retweets and shares to which Matt remarks, “May forever talaga sa mga Pilipino.” According to Matt, Buzzfeed’s incredible social media clout can be attributed to two things. First factor is that “Buzzfeed captures the pulse of the internet.” He likens the Buzzfeed readership experience as one’s older sibling showing you what’s something cool and relevant that’s happening on the internet today. “The things that we share are

things that make people think and things that make people feel.” The second factor according to Matt is that Buzzfeed meets where people are. Whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Vine, Snapchat, or any of the social media platforms, their goal is to make engaging Buzzfeed content to where people are having fun rather than making them go to their website just for clicks. When asked about his opinion with regards to Buzzfeed being viewed as a website thriving on clickbait and “dumb” content, Matt challenges those people to read Buzzfeed’s website thoroughly. He pointed out that in spite of the fact that a portion of their content is about cute cat videos, lists about celebrities making weird faces or Chris Hemsworth’s abs, Buzzfeed, through its News section, has written a deeply reported investigation on such topics as the American H2 visa and how it corresponds to legal slavery, or a piece on women who were wrongfully incarcerated for being unable to protect their children from abusive husbands, boyfriends or partners. Matt says they even did a comprehensive report of the Jennifer Laude case in the Philippines through the collaboration of the LGBT and News subsections. He further adds that their Lifestyle section also does posts

that create a big impact on people and saves people’s lives. He points out an article they did about “things to look out for when you have nipples,” and someone wrote to thank them for the article as it urged her to visit her doctor where she found out that she had early stage breast cancer. “We entertain people, we educate people as well through our news, we break news such as the Paris terrorist attacks, we have debunked social media hoaxes that were going around during the Paris attacks, we keep people informed with the right and correct information, we do all of that,” he stresses. When asked about what’s in store for 2016, Matt jokingly responds, “We’re still deciding. Ang aga pa! It’s just January 2016.” But, Matt feels strongly optimistic for the year. As a company, they’re looking into more collaboration among their different offices globally and subsections. As for Buzzfeed Philippines, he honestly doesn’t know yet. According to him, the team’s just really happy that their platform and how they work and what the internet has given them has really opened ways to explore new markets with agility and speed. And even with just a small crew, they’ve managed to grow the community which is currently at 100,000 Facebook likes in a short span of time, proudly pointing out that the number is more

We pick our stories basically on what people are sharing online, what people are talking about, and what the cultural conversation is right now on the Philippine internet.

than Buzzfeed Canada and Mexico – markets that have a dedicated team and office. Matt says his team reciprocates the excitement that the Filipino community is giving to them. Personally, Matt hopes to feature more Filipino communities in the US through long form articles, photo essays and projects. He also would like to explore the sex, dating and relationship culture of the Philippines as he had been dubbed as the “Carrie Bradshaw of Buzzfeed” due to the previous articles he did for the website. As a hugely popular international portal that strongly represents the Filipino identity in the online space, Matt feels a subtle responsibility in all that he does for Buzzfeed Philippines, but he points out that he’s grateful that his organization supports his thrust for writing and allows him to do what he loves to do and talk about what he loves and interests him organically. Bottom line is, Buzzfeed Philippines is really for Filipinos. “Here’s the thing. Filipinos love beauty pageants. Benta sa ‘tin ang Miss Earth, Miss World, Miss Universe. I don’t care what the world, the universe rather, thinks about Filipinos. I care about what Filipinos think about themselves.” Matt points out that regardless of whether they post about Pia Wurtzbach’s facial reactions, Alma Moreno’s reservations, Americans trying to speak Filipino for the first or whatnot, as long as it makes Filipinos laugh, keeps them happy and entertains them, then that’s what Buzzfeed Philippines is for. As for the non-Filipino audiences who stumble upon the Philippine page, Matt admits it might get a little weird and strange, but he hopes that it will give the site visitor useful insights on the true culture of the Filipino.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

COMMITMENTS

Patty and Meds join their second Metro Manila Pride March together in December 2010, after they’d been dating for over a year

On a boat in Donsol waiting for the whale sharks

The couple shares a romantic moment while walking across the Brooklyn Bridge PHOTO CREDIT: L DE UBAGO-SIA

PATTY AND MEDS: Partners for life

atricia Tumang and Michelle Medina went to an exclusive women’s party in August 2009 without any expectations. They were strangers to each other, but, thanks to chemistry and a common friend, their lives crossed – and are now forever intertwined. “When a mutual friend introduced us, I felt instant chemistry,” shares Patty. “She got my attention then, and has never let go of it,” seconds Meds. Mesmerized by each other, Patty and Meds found themselves chatting “in a dark corner throughout the night, barely leaving each other’s side,” recalls Patty. It was a memorable night, to say the least, as Patty can still vividly remember the details of their first meeting. “She wore a long sleeve blue flannel shirt and her short, shaggy hair fell in wisps around the sides of her face. She had an understated sexiness and this ease of being with me that made it feel like we were the only people in the room.” Six and a half years from that night – the night when Meds, in excited consternation, forgot her mobile phone’s unlock code when Patty asked for her number – the two sealed the deal and tied the knot in a lovely wedding ceremony in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the second day of 2016. As with any relationship, it wasn’t all a walk in the park, as Patty and Meds found themselves needing to compromise and

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

negotiate differences, particularly cultural. “In the beginning, we were a binational couple. I’m Filipino but I was born and raised in the States, while Meds was born and raised in the Philippines,” says Patty. “Sometimes I’d be too American with my ‘boundaries,’ but Meds respected my space. I also tried my best to give her room to speak when she needed to,” discloses Patty. But as they progressed into their relationship, she learned to let her guard down, so to speak, which led to them learning more about each other and how they share similar goals and values. “She was so guarded when we were just dating that I didn’t know she was hiding her sweet and affectionate persona under all the toughness she projected at first,” reveals Meds. As for Patty, she says she discovered that they both “have a deep capacity for love and commitment,” whether to each other or to their passions in life. They also found out that they like to do things their own way – proven by many circumstances, one of which was their first big trip as a couple in Cambodia in 2012. According to Meds’ account, they went to the unfinished Ta Keo temple and entered into the wrong entrance that required an almost vertical climb. The couple had to go down two-thirds through the challenging climb, and the moment they got down, they saw the right entrance that would have made their trek much easier.

Lighting sparklers with the brides’ entourage at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn PHOTO CREDIT: TONHYA KAE PHOTOGRAPHY

“We started laughing at ourselves and thought our tuk-tuk driver and the vendors across the temple must have thought we were two idiots trying to do things the hard way when there was a proper, paved way to get to the top,” recounts Meds. “I guess it goes to show we like to do things our way.” Beyond discovering each other, their relationship has also paved the way for them to know themselves better. “While I’ve discovered many little things about Meds, I’ve learned so much, too, about myself. That while I can be content with living a life of my own making, it’s so much sweeter and more meaningful with Meds in my life,” Patty says lovingly. And most importantly, their relationship does not blur who they are individually. As Meds puts it, “We love being together, but we don’t lose who we are as individuals.” Patty and Meds are lucky to have found each other, and luckier that they have people behind their backs to support them. “Most of our family have been very supportive,” says Patty. And on January 2, with their support system beside them and the sweeping Manhattan skyline in the backdrop, Patty and Meds made their dream a reality at the Wythe Hotel in New York City. “Our wedding day was magical. Some friends and family had flown in from the West Coast and Manila to attend. We had our ceremony in a gorgeous loft, with our friend Alex officiating it,” narrates Patty. She continues, “There wasn’t a dry eye when Meds read her vows to me. I was giddy and crying tears of joy. My parents were there and so very supportive. It was the first time we were affectionate as a couple in front of our loved ones, and we were surprised and elated to feel so much love in a room.” In the eyes of society, they are a legally married couple, but for Patty and Meds, the essence of their relationship does not only end with a piece of paper. For them, their relationship “is a partnership filled with love, laughter and room for growth.” And whenever someone asks them “Who’s the man or the woman in the relationship,” Patty says they “don’t think in those terms” because they’re both women. “We advocate for equality.”

Manhattan Bridge

SHE SAID, SHE SAID WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HER? MEDS: She’s one of the kindest people I know. She’s such a caretaker, not just with me, but with just about everyone around her. PATTY: Meds is the most patient person I’ve ever known. She listens to me when I rant, comforts me when I’m down, and puts up with my OC-ness with details.

WHAT DO YOU HATE MOST ABOUT HER?

MEDS: Once she sets her mind on something, there’s no stopping her from seeing it through. It can get frustrating at times. PATTY: It’s not so much a pet peeve, but I do equally have to channel patience when Meds gets frustrated about something. She tends to shut down when she’s upset.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO TOGETHER?

MEDS: Watch movies and TV series, travel, and have downtime individually together. PATTY: Go to museums and galleries, and explore new cities and travel the world together. Being at home with our cats, watching movies, and eating good food.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO APART?

MEDS: Engage in our own activities, like watching sports for me. Those things put her to sleep. PATTY: I’m dikit. Haha. But I’ve traveled without Meds and have done and seen things that we would normally do together – check out art, explore neighborhoods, feast on local cuisine, and write.

S UNDAY : JA NUA RY 17, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

C5 Ton Hardy in Mad Max

‘The RevenanT,’ ‘Mad Max’ lead OscaR nOMinaTiOns

he Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Thursday morning (9:30 p.m. Manila time) the nominees for the 88th Academy Awards, which will be handed out on Feb. 28. In a live telecast on HBO in Asia, directors Ang Lee and Guillermo del Toro announced the nominees in the first 11 categories, while

actor John Krasinski Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs the rest of the nominees in the remaining categories.. Survival thriller The Revenant topped the nominations with 12 nods, including for best picture, actor (Leondardo DiCaprio) and director (Alejandro G, Iñarritu). The dystopian action film Mad Max: Fury Road loaded with 10 nominations,

¼ and the nominees are¼ BesT PicTURe The Big Short Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Spotlight acTOR in a leadinG ROle Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Matt Damon, The Martian Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl acTRess in a leadinG ROle Cate Blanchett, Carol Brie Larson, Room Jennifer Lawrence, Joy Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Kate Winslet in Steve Jobs

including best picture, and directing for George Miller. The Martian earned seven nods, including best picture, actor (Matt Damon) and in technical categories. Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies received 6nominations, including for best picture, and the lesbian drama Carol starring Cate Blanchett got six nominations, including

for best actress and best supporting actress (Rooney Mara). Spotlight, a film about journalists from The Boston Globe that uncovered sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, also received six nods including for best picture and director. The Big Short, about the subprime mortgage crisis, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens each got five nods. – IVR, AFP

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut) Shok Stutterer

diRecTinG The Big Short Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant Room Spotlight

Matt Damon in The Martian

acTOR in a sUPPORTinG ROle Christian Bale, The Big Short Tom Hardy, The Revenant Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Sylvester Stallone, Creed acTRess in a sUPPORTinG ROle Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs aniMaTed FeaTURe FilM Anomalisa Boy and the World Inside Out Shaun the Sheep Movie When Marnie Was There cineMaTOGRaPhY Carol The Hateful Eight Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant Sicario cOsTUMe desiGn Carol Cinderella The Danish Girl Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant

dOcUMenTaRY FeaTURe Amy Cartel Land The Look of Silence What Happened, Miss Simone? Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom dOcUMenTaRY shORT sUBJecT Body Team 12 Chau, beyond the Lines Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness Last Day of Freedom

Cate Blanchette in Carol

FilM ediTinG The Big Short Mad Max: Fury Road The Revenant Spotlight Star Wars: The Force Awakens

sOUnd ediTinG Mad Max: Fury Road T he Martian The Revenant Sicario Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared The Revenant

sOUnd MixinG Bridge of Spies Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Star Wars: The Force Awakens

ORiGinal scORe Bridge of Spies Carol The Hateful Eight Sicario Star Wars: The Force Awakens

visUal eFFecTs Ex Machina Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Star Wars: The Force Awakens

ORiGinal sOnG “Earned It,” Fifty Shades of Grey “Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction “Simple Song #3,” Youth “Til It Happens To You,” The Hunting Ground “Writing’s On The Wall,” Spectre

adaPTed scReenPlaY The Big Short Brooklyn Carol The Martian Room ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Bridge of Spies Ex Machina Inside Out Spotlight Straight Outta Compton * List from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl

PROdUcTiOn desiGn Bridge of Spies The Danish Girl Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant

FOReiGn lanGUaGe FilM Embrace of the Serpent Mustang Son of Saul Theeb A War

aniMaTed shORT FilM Bear Story Prologue Sanjay’s Super Team We Can’t Live without Cosmos World of Tomorrow

MaKeUP and haiRsTYlinG Mad Max: Fury Road

live acTiOn shORT FilM Ave Maria Day One

Jennifer Lawrence in Joy

S UNDAY : JA NUA RY 17, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Saoirse Ronan joined by the other cast members of the moving drama directed by John Crowley

Brooklyn is a 2015 Irish-British-Canadian historical period drama set after the second World War

‘BrOOklyn’ tackles life aBrOad

n Jan. 27, Ayala Malls Cinemas screen Brooklyn, a very poignant story of a young woman who dreams of a better life abroad. She leaves her mother and sister and traveled a foreign land very different from the culture she grew up in where she eventually finds herself torn between two men from her hometown and new town. Saoirse Ronan has been reaping awards left and right for her role in in the film. Born in New York to Irish parents and raised outside Dublin, Ronan first found acclaim in Joe Wright’s Atonement, earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar® nomination for her performance as Briony. She went on to starring roles in The Lovely Bones, Hanna and most recently Wes Anderson’s Oscar winning The Grand Budapest Hotel, all by age 20. Now entering her prime, she is ready to take on a complicated, emotionally demanding lead. Brooklyn has opened in Ireland to become the highest-opening Irish film since Michael Collins in 1996 that starred Liam Neeson. It tells of a beautiful and resilient Irish young woman Eilis and her journey between two countries, two men and two destinies. In Brooklyn, Eilis has lived her whole life in tiny Enniscorthy, Ireland – where

everyone knows everyone else’s business and then some -- when she is swept away to America, thanks to her sister, who wants to see her flourish. She arrives into the diverse tumult of Brooklyn already homesick, feeling like an exile. But as she dexterously learns to adapt to life as a New Yorker, Eilis becomes a sales lady at a posh department store and meets a funny, sweet, charismatic suitor determined to win her devotion. Just as she seems on the verge of beginning a new life, a family tragedy brings her back to Ireland where she is pulled back into the life she left behind … and a decision that could affect her future forever. Caught between two different calls to her heart, Eilis confronts one of the most breathtakingly difficult dilemmas of our fluid modern world: figuring out how to merge where you have come from with where you dream of going. Ronan says she felt an immediate, almost uncanny, affinity for Eilis as soon as she read the script. “Nick Hornby isn’t from Ireland, yet he managed to completely capture the spirit of the country. The writing was so beautiful, and so beautifully subtle,” she comments. “It felt close to my heart because it was about my people. It was the journey that my parents went on

crOssWOrd PUZZle

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Indifferent 6 Heels 10 — nova 15 Tot 20 Repair-bill item 21 — Wayne (Batman) 22 Quechua speaker 23 Keep — — out for 24 Saudi neighbor 25 Bogart in “High Sierra” 26 First American in orbit 27 Preferred strategy (2 wds.) 28 Hand-dye with wax 29 Stuffy 30 See-through items 32 OPEC, e.g. 34 Trawler gear 36 Left in a hurry 37 Smidgens 40 Turner or Koppel 41 Size above med.

42 44 48 49 50 53 55 56 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 74 75 78 81 82 83 84

Riviera summer Geodesic — Ottoman official Daffodil digs Sherpa’s sighting Cel characters Hunky-dory (hyph.) Ballroom numbers Edible bulb Genetic double — Oberon of films Of the Vatican Micro opposite Urges Played false Charcoal grill Mild expletive Comic-strip dog Happy shouts Foreman foe — of Aquitaine Latin dance (hyph.) Pizarro’s quest Bone, in combos 40-cup brewer Types

86 87 89 93 94 95 96 97 100 102 103 104 108 109 110 111 112 113 115 116 117 118 120 121 123 124 125 127 129 131 136 138 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153

Auntie Em’s st. Meat on skewers Refracted light Casual farewell Largest continent — noire Uptight Squirreled away Tusked animal Ess molding Luxury fur More than willing Spicy stews Like hush puppies Urge along Philly NHL team Fair-hiring abbr. Grand stories Bistro — Moines Hebrew T Ride the waves Zoologists’ mouths — — tree falls . . . Long, fluffy scarf Breathe hard Lime cooler Breaks suddenly Hepburn of film Meter maid? (2 wds.) Taking advantage of Gives it a go Improvise (hyph.) Anwar of Egypt Tomato product “— la vista, baby!” Gist Raise spirits Cherbourg shes Video-game pioneer Wades through “Lou Grant” lead Marsh grass Banister post

back in the ‘80s; they moved to New York and went through all these same things, even though it was a different era. The biggest hurdle anyone goes through in life is leaving the security of your family and your friends behind for something new.” The mix of emotions that Eilis confronts – from confusion and grief to joy and devotion – was also an exciting challenge as Ronan calibrated the balance between them. “We would go from beautiful, heartbreaking, completely sad scenes to gorgeous, fun scenes to do,” Ronan notes. “Eilis is going through all these very natural things that human beings go through: grief, relationships, jobs, your relationship with your parents, independence. But I loved the subtleties of it. The challenge is that you can read so much into Eilis’s experiences and she could be played in a number of different ways. And it was also about balancing the drama of real life circumstances with the humor that people use to handle that drama, which is something that I know Irish people use an awful lot. We use humor as a way to deal with life and death. So it was about balancing all of that.” The heart of Brooklyn for Ronan lies in the re-defining of home. “I love the piece of advice Eilis passes onto the young girl near the end of the film -- that when you

Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan

move away, you’ll feel so homesick you’ll want to die and there’s nothing you can do about it, apart from endure it, but it won’t kill you and one day the sun will come out and you’ll realize that this is where your life is. That gorgeous piece of writing means so much to any person who has ever left their home and family. Eilis needs to go through this incredibly happy, heartbreaking, exciting, scary journey in order to make this choice about where she feels she wants to be. And for me that’s what Brooklyn is about. Your relationship with home is something you carry with you as move to different places in your life and endure different things. The trick is carrying it without letting it weigh you down.” Brooklyn opens Jan.27 exclusively at select Ayala Malls Cinemas – Glorietta 4, Trinoma, Market!Market! and Fairview Terraces from 20th Century Fox thru Warner Bros.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016

DOWN 1 Viscous mass 2 Prayer-wheel turner 3 Blind as — — 4 Onetime Seattle team 5 Slezak of soaps 6 Ready to ship 7 Of the ears 8 Cicero’s 651 9 Pits or stones 10 Honcho 11 Two-thirds of AOL 12 Public spat 13 Hourglass contents 14 Livy’s year 15 Phi Beta — 16 Far from the sea 17 Faculty head 18 Unit of force 19 Stadium shouts 21 Got the better of 31 Little chirper 33 Tpks. 35 Bulldogs backer 37 Rain protector 38 Water, in Tijuana 39 Clammy 42 Practically forever 43 Bunion site 45 Rowboat parts 46 Unknown spy 47 Barely managed 49 Exotic island 50 Ugh! 51 Like a wolf’s howl 52 Round stopper 53 Kemo Sabe’s friend 54 Anvil pros 57 Derisive snorts 58 More frilly 59 Rostand hero 60 Slant 62 Is, in Segovia 64 Soda fountain order

66 68 69 71 72 73 76 77 79 80 82 85 88 90 91

Ridiculed Choir members Bowler hat Stir-fry pan Source of iron More unsteady Pounced Bawdy Shogun’s yes Wheel buy (2 wds.) Thick-skulled Orpheus played it Airy prefix Patronage — fixe

92 94 98 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 107 109 111

Dock Call it — — Orchestra member Morays and congers Misfortunes Noted diamond surname Fierce whale Hot tub — — grip! Distinct periods Say you’re coming Balsam — The creeps

114 115 116 119 121 122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130

Limerick writer Salary limit Leaps aside Feigning Natural More buttery Hit close to home? Whirl around Loans, to some Family car Custodian, briefly Usher’s beat Hawke of “Gattaca” 131 Bugle call

132 Goddess’s statue 133 Muse of history 134 Crossing the ocean 135 Guys’ dates 137 Red-tag event 139 “— — Her Standing There” 140 Be, to Henri 141 Iceboat necessity

S UNDAY : JA NUA RY 17, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Barbie Forteza

Andre Paras

Thea Tolentino

Jean Garcia

CurTaIns Closed on ‘The half sIsTers’

from C8

he much-awaited ending of GMA 7’s longest-running and toprating afternoon series The Half Sisters finally happened on GMA Afternoon Prime as the program aired its final episode on Friday. The Half Sisters brought laughter and tears to the viewers and dominated its timeslot with high TV ratings. And due to the clamor of viewers, it was rewarded several extensions and continues to remain at the top for more than one year and eight months since it premiered in June 2014. As the series ended onFriday, Barbie

Forteza, Thea Tolentino, Andre Paras and Jean Garcia shared their most memorable scenes. Barbie, who played the role of Diana, said she had a lot unforgettable scenes while doing the series but definitely treasures her trip to Japan since it was her first out-ofthe-country experience. Thea, who portrayed Ashley, said the most memorable moment in the show was when Jean Garcia slapped her many times for a crucial scene. “Siyempre yung sampal pa rin ni Miss Jean Garcia. Yung apat na sunod-sunod. ‘Yun talaga ang hindi ko

makakalimutan dahil uminit ang pisngi ko noon siguro ng more than an hour.” Andre, said he would definitely miss all his co-stars because they really got close on and off cam, “The most memorable scenes are the ones behind the camera because we get to bond with each other.” He also revealed that while doing the show he learned “to always be humble and to always be himself.” And Jean who played Rina said she would never forget the episodes “when I became blind. That was a first for me and talagang nung una nangapa ako…I thought

madali lang pero hindi pala…mahirap pero I enjoyed it kasi it was a different challenge for me as an actress.” She will miss everyone in the show most especially his teen costars, “First time ko nakatrabaho sila Barbie, Thea, Andre pero kahit mga anak ang turing ko sa kanila, we became real friends. We gave all our energy, dedication and passion to The Half Sisters kaya isa rin siguro yan sa nag-sustain sa amin para manatiling no. 1. Hindi lamang kaming mga artista at director kundi lahat ng involve(d) sa show gave their best! Kaya this is one show I will never forget.”

Jason Lee gets ‘furryous’

n 2007, Alvin and The Chipmunks, a global phenomenon to generations of fans, became a live action/CGI motion picture event with a contemporary comic sensibility. In the holiday season blockbuster, which grossed over $350 million worldwide, songwriter Dave Seville transformed singing chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore into pop sensations -- while the out-of-control trio laid waste to Dave’s home, wreaked havoc on his career, and turned Dave’s once-orderly life upside-down. Right after the hit debut of the franchise’s first film, it became inevitable that a “Squeakquel,” and “Chipwrecked” followed through from one exciting adventure to another. Today, the loveable trio of Chipmunks that includes Alvin, Theodore and Simon, along with their guardian and father figure Dave Seville (played by Jason Lee), are back for a whole new adventure for today’s highly-adventurous generation in Alvin and The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip. In Alvin and The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip, Dave’s career as a musical artist manager has taken off, thanks to the Chipmunks. He also has an exciting new client – a rising young pop star, named Ashley, played by actress/singer/ author/model Bella Thorne.

Despite her popularity, Ashley has remained “sweet and down to earth,” says Thorne. For example, she notes, “When we meet Ashley, she’s being stormed by paparazzi, but she makes sure that the ‘Munks aren’t trampled.” Ashley also provides emotional and musical support to the ‘Munks when they reunite with Dave in Florida. Dave’s life takes an additional turn, thanks to Samantha (she prefers “Sam”), an ER doctor (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) with whom he’s enjoying a blossoming romantic relationship. In fact, Dave and Sam are growing so close that the ‘Munks are beginning to wonder if he’s about to pop the question. While Dave is busier than ever, he has opted to temporarily sideline the boys, so they can live as “normal” a life as possible. “Dave is bit more comfortable with the idea of everything being as normal as possible,” says Lee. Dave is also becoming more of a parent to the boys, a big step forward from serving as their beleaguered guardian. “The parenting moments are important to the evolution of this franchise,” notes Becker. Director Walt Becker did ensure that a key presence in all the Alvin films -- Jason Lee, as

Dave Seville – was back for The Road Chip. “It was important to bring back Jason because not only is he terrific in the “Alvin and The Chipmunks” movies, his presence helps gives this film a strong emotional connection.” Lee calls this connection to the story’s characters and its myriad fans, the “Dave Factor.” He says, “It’s amazing when I’m with my kids, and their friends will come up to me and ask, ‘Are you Dave?’ And they’re super-smiley. That’s worth so much to me.” But in the Seville/Chipmunks household, striving for normalcy, and actually achieving it are, well, a continuing challenge. The boys miss their status as pop star icons and aren’t shy about letting Dave know about it. Moreover, Dave’s frustration with his young charges continues to bedevil him, and fans will rejoice that his signature manifestation of said frustration – a full-throttle bellowing of “Alviiiiin!!!” – will again tax Dave, as well as the Dolby-ized sound system of your local theater. “That yell is just kind of second nature, now,” says Jason Lee, “for me and for Dave.” Alvin and The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip opens Jan.20 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Jason Lee as Dave Seville in the upcoming Alvin and The Chipmunks sequel

Lee and the Chipmunks trio Alvin, Simon and Theodore

S UNDAY : JA NUA RY 17, 2016

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Heart with thalassemic patients at the Lung Center of the Philippines

The Kapuso star also led the ribbon cutting during the event

Heart distributing art paper to thalassemia kids

Heart teaching kids to draw

Kids show off their work

Heart evangelista leads tHalassemia day celebration other countries, Filipinos are not yet conscious that blood donation is a social obligation,” adds Naranjo. Heart Evangelista, who is also a ISAH V. RED visual artist and a thalassemia advocate for over 10 years now, conducted an Actress Heart Evangelista (Love art workshop for 80 children who are Marie Ongpauco-Escudero to her suffering from thalassemia. family and close friends and wife of The finished artworks by the chilvice presidential candidate Senator dren will be displayed and sold at the Chiz Escudero) led the celebration Lung Center of the Philippines’ Oxyof the 11th World Thalassemia Day gen Art Gallery to help raise money with the Thalassemia Association to support their medical needs. of the Philippines and the Oxygen HHHHH Art Gallery. Jose Javier reyes During the event on Jan. 9, in ‘art 2 art’ children with thalassemia and their Award-winning director/ scriptwriter families from Manila and nearby Jose Javier Reyes guests in today’s provinces converged at the Lung episode of Art 2 Art. Fresh from the Center of the Philippines (LCP) box-office success of his filmfest entry, to voice the need for policies in My Bebe Love – which he swears will the Philippine health care system be last time he will join the event – that will support basic care for Reyes tells host Lisa Macuja how he thalassemic patients. just stumbled into film as a sideline. Thalassemia is one of the world’s From his main vocation as a most common single-gene disorders. teacher, he eventually became a Sadly, it remains largely underdi- screenwriter and director. To date, he agnosed in the country. In its most has penned more than 200 produced severe form, patients need regular, screenplays and directed over 60 monthly blood transfusion in order to feature films. He has returned to survive. They also develop lethal iron teaching at De La Salle University. overload from the blood transfusion In Art 2 Art, Reyes shares anecdotes requiring patients to also take lifelong on how he got to write the script for the maintenance of iron chelating agents, award-winning film Oro, Plata, Mata, averaging around P30,000 per month. collaborating with Ryan Cayabyab Sufferers are mostly children and for the musical Katy! and creating the their families face difficulty due to iconic role of “Doña Buding” famously blood shortage and lack of money played by Nanette Inventor. to support chelation therapy. Produced by the Manila Broad“Thalassemia deserves priority in casting Company, Art 2 Art is aired the country’s health agenda,” says Dr. every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on LizaNaranjo, a pediatric hematologist DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), and officer of the advocacy group on cable television via RHTV (ChanThalassemia Association of the nel 18 on Cignal Cable) and online Philippines, “if you are Filipino through DZRH Live Streaming. thalassemic, the trend is that usually On Jan. 24, Art 2 Art welcomes you get overwhelmed with heart and sculptor Agnes Arellano who is liver complications by age 10-13 yrs.” best known for her surrealist and “There is still a lack of regular blood expressionist work in plaster, bronze donation for our patients. Unlike in and cold-cast marble. Although

Arellano has a degree in psychology, it wasn’t until she took fine arts as a second course that she found inspiration. Since then, she has been creating “inscapes” which she describes as the integration of individual elements into one totality. On Jan.31, prolific playwright Rody Vera shares how he wrote his first play while still a high school student. A Palanca Awards Hall of Famer, he is head of the playwrights’ group Writer’s Bloc, Inc. and is the founding organizer and festival director of the annual theater festival Virgin Labfest. Vera co-wrote with Mixcaela Villalon the forthcoming rap musical 3 Stars and a Sun for PETA, featuring the music of Francis Magalona. For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@gmail.com. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan for updates on Art 2 ➜ continued on c7 Art episodes.

Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja and director/ scriptwriter Jose Javier Reyes crack up over an anecdote that the latter shares about his work in film.

Sculptor Agnes Arellano shows Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja a maquette (small version) of her works, which will actually measure more than three meters tall.

Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja with prolific playwright Rody Vera