BusinessMirror January 17, 2019

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Safeguard duty to cause cement lack, govt warned By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

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HE Philippines will suffer from a shortage in cement over the next months if the government decides to protect the local industry by imposing a safeguard duty, importers warned on Wednesday. Philcement Corp. President and CEO Eduardo A. Sahagun said cement supply could fall short if the Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI) places a safeguard duty on imports. He argued that local manufacturers are incapable of supplying the country’s requirement for the

construction commodity. Domestic producers were able to fill in the demand of 19.60 million tons in 2013 and 21.30 million

tons in 2014, Sahagun said, citing data from the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines, DTI’s Bureau of Import Services and the Bureau of Customs. However, production fell short in 2015, when demand was at 24.36 million tons, but local supply was at 24.04 million tons only. The requirement in 2016 expanded to 25.96 million tons, but production declined to 23.49 million tons. The gap further widened in 2017, as demand accelerated to 28.55 million tons, while domestic supply was at 25.57 million tons only. Cement demand last year was estimated at about 32 million tons, Continued on A2

Bleak numbers for global, regional, local growth By Bianca Cuaresma

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@BcuaresmaBM

HE Philippines is seen to mirror the global economy this year, with a “mild” slowdown foreseen in its growth performance due to international tensions and tighter domestic monetary conditions. HSBC Chief Market Strategist for Asia Cheuk Wan Fan—who was part of a visiting team to the Philippines for the bank’s annual invesment outlook—told reporters on Wednesday they expect a tamer local growth to the tune of 6 percent for 2019. This is slower compared to the 6.1 percent in the first three quarters of 2018. It is also below the government’s growth target of 7 to 8 percent for this year. The economist said among the leading causes of a growth slowdown in the country are tighter liquidity conditions and higher interest rates. In 2018, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) main policy rate was incrementally raised by a total of 175 basis points—bringing the latest overnight reverse repurchase rate to 4.75 percent. This was the Central Bank’s response to the then stubbornly accelerating inflation rate, which hit a peak of 6.7 percent in September and October of 2018. The slowdown in HSBC’s growth projection for the Philippines mirrors their global 2019 outlook—which is seen to register a mild slowdown for the year to hit 2.6 percent. Continued on A2

Wanted: A Labor Code for all workers, not just for a segment of the labor force Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

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RESIDENT Duterte recently signed into law the bill on “telecommuting.” Republic Act 11165 recognizes the legitimacy of work from home that is voluntarily and mutuall agreed upon by both the employer and the employee. The law specifies that the terms and conditions in a telecommuting work arrangement, facilitated by the ubiquitous computer and the Internet, shall not be less than the standards set by law. Fine. But where is the labor law for the Grab drivers? Where is the labor law for those registered with Upwork to do freelance work for overseas employers? Continued on A7

Jobs, wages, prices, federalism hot-button poll issues–experts

T No budget by February? Specl session looms By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

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UDGET Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno warned on Wednesday that they will call for a special session if Congress does not pass the P3.757-trillion national budget by February. But he is still confident the lawmakers will be able to do their job to pass the 2019 budget before they hit the road to campaign for the midterm elections.

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.1280

“Because there is an election.... They have to hit the road. They have to campaign by the middle of February. Because if they don’t pass the budget, we will call them to a special session again and again, so that will take time away from their campaign so they must be thinking ‘let’s get this done so we can campaign.’That’s why I am confident,” Diokno said in a briefing in Diamond Hotel. Congress sessions resumed last January 14 and will run until February

8. Then Congress will go on recess from February 9 to May 19 for the 2019 campaign and midterm elections. The government is operating under a reenacted budget because of the Congress’s supposed failure to pass the budget before year-end last year due to a number of issues, including the late transmittal of the measure by the House to the Senate and alleged budget “insertions,” among others. See “Budget,” A8

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WORKERS line up at a construction site in Bonifacio Global City in this BusinessMirror file photo. Economic issues, such as the lack of decent jobs, low wages and high prices, are expected to be the primary issues in the May midterm elections, according to experts. NONIE REYES

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HE lack of decent jobs, low wages and high commodity prices, as well as the shift to federalism, will likely take center stage in the discussions in the runup to the May 2019 polls, according to local experts. In the Wednesday Roundtable at Lido, Novo Trends PH political analyst Ramon Casiple also told reporters that security of tenure may be a major issue as well in this year’s polls. He added that politicians will be asked to take a stand on federalism. This will be the case because administration candidates will be bringing this issue to the fore. “In all elections, the No.1 one issue will be the economy, especially aspects of the economy that will have a direct impact on voters. Inflation, of course, will be there but more than that, I think employment will be the biggest issue,” Casiple said. “Security of tenure and wages and the overall issue on unemployment and underemployment are major issues. The candidate who will succeed in making that issue

“In all elections, the No. 1 issue will be the economy, especially aspects of the economy that will have a direct impact on voters. Inflation, of course, will be there but more than that, I think employment will be the biggest issue.”—Casiple

personal for the voter will have a big chance of winning,” he said. IBON Foundation Inc., in a separate statement, said job creation under the Duterte administration was the lowest among post-Marcos administrations. IBON, citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), said average annual job creation for 2017 and 2018 was only 81,000. The number of employed only increased by 162,000, from 41 million in 2016 to 41.2 million in 2018. This is below, IBON noted, the annual average job creation under Corazon Aquino in 1987-1992 at 810,000; Ramos in 1993-1998, 489,000; Estrada in 1999-2001, 842,000; Arroyo in 2002-2010, 764,000; and Benigno Aquino III Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4797 n UK 67.1617 n HK 6.6463 n CHINA 7.7101 n SINGAPORE 38.4453 n AUSTRALIA 37.5322 n EU 59.4989 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8978

Source: BSP (16 January 2019 )

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Rice tariff bill awaits Duterte’s signature By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM & Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

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BILL that would further open up the country’s rice market more than 20 years after Manila put in place import restrictions is now awaiting the signature of President Duterte. According to Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Ryan L. Estevez, the bill, which seeks to convert the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice into tariffs, was transmitted to the Palace on Tuesday. “The rice tariff [bill] is already with the Office of the President yesterday, January 15,” Estevez told the BusinessMirror via SMS on Wednesday. The Congress-approved reconciled versions of Senate Bill 1998 and House Bill 7735 will be known as “An Act Replacing the Quantitative Import Restrictions on Rice Tariffs, Lifting the Quantitative Export Restrictions.” The reconciled version of the Senate-House bill was ratified last November and is expected to automatically lapse into law if President Duterte fails to sign it after 30 days. Its proponents said it will pave the way for the creation of a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement

Fund (RCEF) as “a special rice safeguard duty” intended to protect the rice industry from price fluctuations. Sen. Cynthia Villar, principal author of the rice tariff bill, confirmed that a main feature of the new law is the creation of RCEF. It has an initial appropriation of P10 billion a year, which, Villar added, will continue “until all duties collected from importation of rice can replace it.” Villar reported that the senators agreed to set the minimum RCEF at P10 billion a year for six years, with tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion to be appropriated by Congress “based on a menu of programs in the rice tariffication law.” She said the fund shall be used to provide “different forms of assistance” to the country’s rice farmers, including development of inbred rice seeds for farmers, development of rice farm equipment, as well as “skills enhancement.”

Tariff rates

AS provided in the remedial legislation, the tariff equivalent of the quantitative restriction on imported rice will be reported by the Philippines to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as follows: ■ for the minimum access volume (MAV) committed by the Philippines to the WTO, the indicated rates in the applicable provisions of the WTO agreement on agriculture shall apply; ■ for Asean member-states, 35 percent or the import duty rate commitment of the Philippines for rice importation, pursuant to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement; ■ for non-A sean memberstates, 50 percent or tariff equivalent calculated in accordance with the WTO agreement on agriculture upon the expiration of the waiver relating to the special treatment for rice of the Philippines, whichever is higher. Villar added that under the measure, the RCEF shall be allocated and disbursed to rice-producing areas, as follows: ■ 50 percent as grant-in-aid to eligible farmer associations and registered rice cooperatives and local government units (LGUs), in the form of farm equipment for purposes of improving farm mechanization. The machines include tillers, tractors, seeders, millers, dryers and the like to be implemented by the Philippine Cen-

ter for Postharvest Mechanization and Development; ■ 30 percent for the development, propagation and promotion of inbred rice seed to farmers; ■ 10 percent in the form of credit with minimal interest to rice farmers and cooperatives to be managed equally by the LandBank and the Development Bank of the Philippines; and, ■ 10 percent for extension services divided between Philmech, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Agricultural Training Institute, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to “teach skills on rice crop production, modern rice farming techniques, seed production, farm mechanization, and knowledge-technology transfer through nationwide farm schools. Villar said rice is the only agricultural commodity that has a quantitative restriction limiting inflow of imported rice supply. Once enacted into law, it will allow unimpeded rice importation ensuring adequate rice supply, its proponents said, effectively amending the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996. Economic managers said the removal of the rice QR will bring down the prices of the staple by P2 to P7 per kilogram. The increase in rice prices was one of the major factors behind the acceleration of inflation in 2018.

Bleak numbers for global, regional, local growth Continued from A1

“We believe that one needs to try to find the right balance, because it is dangerous to be too bullish, but also to be too bearish. It is clear that there is a global slowdown, but it should be mild, and we expect global equity markets to sustain earnings growth at a high single digit,” HSBC Private Banking Global chief market strategist Willem Sels said. Despite the projected slowdown in growth, Fan still expressed optimism for the other economic indicators in the country. “We expect private consumption in the Philippines to remain robust this year due to easing inflationary

pressures and a potential pick-up in remittances growth,” Fan said. “The Philippine peso is projected to stay stable and trade at 54 against the US dollar at the end of 2019. We expect the Philippine stock market to perform in line with the regional benchmark on the back of 12 percent earnings growth in 2019,” the analyst added. On Wednesday, the peso traded slightly weaker compared to the previous day’s trade. The peso was valued at 52.13 against the dollar, 10 centavos weaker than the 52.03 to a dollar rate on Tuesday. Also, in a separate report, global think tank Asean Macroeconomic Research Office (Amro) said it shaded down its 2018 growth

forec a st , a nd w a r ned of i ncreased economic uncertainty for this year. Amro staff revised their Asean+3 regional growth for 2018 downward to 5.3 percent from the earlier 5.2-percent forecast. For 2019, Amro sees growth hitting 5.1 percent, with “the already implemented trade protectionism measures.” “As we enter 2019, global economic prospects have dimmed and grown more uncertain for the first time since mid-2016—a sharp contrast to 2018 where the global economy started on an upbeat note,” an Amro blog post authored by its chief economist Hoe Ee Khor and senior

Jobs, wages, prices, federalism hot-button poll issues–experts in 2011-2016, 827,000 jobs. “The Duterte administration should stop its fixation with growth figures because the growth it is hyping is not creating enough employment in the country,” IBON said. Federalism or Charter change, Casiple said, will be another major issue in the May elections, or even possibly a major criterion on whether a voter will support a certain candidate or not.

this resolution. If labor candidates and others who oppose this kind of Charter change would use this as a vehicle to win the elections [they may be successful],” Cainglet said. Casiple also said political issues, especially dealing with corruption, the conduct of the election itself, and the presence of political dynasties will likely be included. However, this discussion may be limited only to the local areas where there are political dynasties.

Opportunity

‘No choice’

Continued from A1

FEDER ATION of Free Workers Vice President Julius Cainglet said, however, that federalism can present an opportunity to get better candidates, better choices to sit in key local and national positions. However, Cainglet said given its present form, which was passed by the House and Senate, the federalism version was silent on political dynasties and even removed term limits. He added that labor concerns placed in the version were also deemed “lip service” by the labor sector. “The provisions under Article 13 on Labor was not included in the Charter change version which was a result of a resolution of both Houses. This is not federalism. Even those who were part of the Constitutional Commission, former Chief Justices, cannot identify with

UNFORTUNATELY, Party-list Rep. Gary C. Alejano of Magdalo said in some locales, voters may not have a choice since political dynasties may be unopposed candidates in certain areas. “There are provinces where political dynasties are unopposed. This is one of the unfortunate things in politics because those who are in power have already talked among themselves to prevent certain individuals from running. In one province, there was no opposition from the governor to the vice governor, there are municipalities where councilors are unopposed. This is not good for democracy,” Alejano said. Ultimately, Casiple said, it would be difficult to say which issues may or may not be included in the polls. This will depend on the issues that will be prioritized by candidates themselves.

economist Anthony Tan read. “The baseline outlook in 2019 is a shade weaker, reflecting the maturation of the global business cycle amid weaker impulse from global trade,” they added. The two economists said the key risks confronting the region are mainly external, the top two being the further escalation of a global trade conflict and weaker growth in advanced economies that could lead to a sharp increase in market volatilities. A mro forecasts Phi lippine growth to hit 6.3 percent for 2019 —more optimistic than HSBC’s 6-percent forecast but still below the government target range for the year.

Safeguard duty to cause cement lack, govt warned Continued from A1

according to the DTI, and is expected to jump to 50 million tons by 2025 on the back of increased infrastructure spending and private investments on construction. If this be the case, Sahagun said, cement will be in shortage over the next months should the government choose to protect the local players.

Safeguard duty

LAST week Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez signaled he will impose safeguard duty on cement due to a surge in imports over the past five years. “We have noticed an import surge, [and] that has been established. There are trade measures, like the [safeguard], [and] we are mandated to really look into this,” Lopez said. “[The surge in imports] hurt in terms of sales and in terms of income [of domestic players],” he added. Cement importers, for their part, explained to Lopez in their dialogue this week that imports rose the previous years because there was a need to fill in the supply gap left by domestic production. They also told him local manufacturers imported heavily since 2016 to reinforce the supply deficit situation. In 2016 Holcim Philippines Inc. imported 1.35 million tons of cement; Apo Cement Corp. 195,000 tons; Goodfound Cement Corp. 62,000 tons; and Republic Cement Iligan Inc. 45,000 million tons, Sahagun claimed, citing government data. The following year, Holcim imported 725,000 tons of cement; Apo Cement 212,000 tons; Goodfound 104,000 tons; Republic Iligan 19,000 tons; and Republic Mindanao 12,000 tons. This, for Sahagun, proved that “domestic manufacturers, mostly MNCs, were responsible for the surge in imports.”

CHINESE NAVY CONTINGENT IN PHL FOR FOUR-DAY VISIT By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

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WO Chinese frigates and a supply vessel are scheduled to dock in Manila today, Thursday, in what is considered as the first official port visit of Chinese military ships since President Duterte’s pivot to China. A statement from the Philippine Navy said the frigates, Wu Hu and Han Dan, accompanied by replenishment vessel, Dong Ping Hu, will drop anchors at Pier 15 in South Harbor, Manila, before noontime. Navy Spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata said the Navy will accord the visiting ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy a welcome ceremony and port briefing upon their arrival. The official presence of these Chinese navy ships in the country’s territorial waters would be the first since China exercised a de facto control over the Scarborough Shoal beginning in 2012 and its development of man-made islands in the West Philippine Sea, which it has transformed into bases. The arrival of Chinese military

ships showed the government has moved past from the issues of the constant harassments of Chinese paramilitary ships of Filipino fishermen inside its territory which is being disputed by China. A recently released survey found out that China is the least among the countries that Filipinos are trusting, with the United States of America (USA) and Japan as the countries they could mostly count on. Defense Secretar y Delfin Lorenzana was not surprised with the survey results, saying this was due to the country’s “long association and relationship with the USA.” “A lot of Filipinos studied there, a lot worked there and a lot have relatives there. Compared to other countries, USA has the most number of Filipino migrants,” he said. Lorenzana, likewise, said the government will build a fishermen’s shelter in Pagasa Island. The construction of the shelter were among the improvement projects eyed in Pagasa Island, which include the development of a beaching ramp and the repair of the Rancudo Airfield.

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➜B.I. AND P.A.C.C. ARREST, HAND OVER TO CHINA CORRUPTION FUGITIVE A FORMER China government official who is wanted in Beijing for corruption was arrested by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the Chinese national as 49-year-old Xie Haojie. Xie left China and has gone into hiding for almost a year in the Philippines to evade prosecution after the Chinese government launched an all-out campaign against corruption, which cracked down abusive government high-ranking officials and employees. Xie Haojie was arrested last Sunday in his unit at the Shell Residences Condominium along Sunrise Drive, Pasay City, by elements from the BI Fugitive Search Unit. Morente said Xie, who is facing corruption and economic crimes, will be immediately deported back to China to face trial. Joel R. San Juan

➜D.I.L.G. CHIEF TO P.N.P.: TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO CONTROL POLL VIOLENCE INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo M. Año has instructed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take proactive measures to protect politicians and voters alike ahead of the 2019 midterm elections. Año issued the order in the wake of recent spate of killings involving local officials and politicians seeking electoral positions. “The PNP should take offensive and preventive measures. We should be several steps ahead of those who resort to violence to win an election. We should be vigilant and ready to prevent any untoward incident,” Año said in a news statement. “The PNP should intensify police interventions, operations and police visibility. Even before the campaign period, we should show that the police are always on alert so that those who are out to sow chaos would think twice,” Año said, even as he acknowledged the surge of killings in the recent months, which appear to be politically motivated. Jonathan L. Mayuga

➜P.N.P. CHECKPOINTS NET 83 ARRESTS, 82 GUN CONFISCATIONS SO FAR THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reported the arrest of 83 individuals and confiscation of 82 firearms since following the launch of police checkpoint operations and implementation of the gun ban in view of the upcoming local and national elections. “Our checkpoint operations are doing well since the start of the election period. We have taken off the tools of crime in the streets,” PNP Spokesman Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. said. He said some of those arrested were legitimate gun holders who still carried their firearms outside their residence without necessary permits from the Commission on Elections, while the others were in possession of loose firearms. Durana said the implementations of checkpoints and gun ban were being complemented by the issuance of warrants of arrests against wanted individuals. Rene Acosta

➜BELLO SETS FEB. VISIT TO LIBYA FOR RELEASE OF DETAINED PINOY SEAFARERS LABOR Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Wednesday said he is set to visit Libya next month to facilitate the release of seven Filipino seafarers who have been detained there since 2017. “There is a development to the effect of me going to Libya and work for the release of the seafarers. We may be able to obtain their releases, which will require me to visit Libya,” the labor chief said in an interview. Bello noted that the visit was originally planned this January but he decided to move it to next month. “It’s too close already. I will probably go there in mid-February. I may have to spend Valentine’s Day there,” he said. In August last year, a total of 20 Filipino crewmen of Greek-owned oil tanker, MT Levante, were seized and detained in Libya after being accused of involvement in smuggling. Samuel Medenilla, PNA

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, January 17, 2019 A3

Stop ‘nitpicking’ on broiler raisers, DA chief tells PCC By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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GR ICULTUR E Secretar y Emmanuel F. Piñol has challenged the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to run after the “real” cartel allegedly behind the manipulation of retail prices of pork, rice and poultry products in the market, instead of “nitpicking” on broiler raisers that are losing money. Piñol made the pronouncement during a recent news briefing wherein he pointed out that the proposed price fixing by broiler raisers to cut their losses is more

of a “survival” measure rather than a “cartel” act. “The spirit of the law is to protect the consumers [from profiteering]. Now, this is a group of farmers trying to survive [because they have been] losing money for so many weeks,” he said last Monday. “I call on to the PCC to run after the real cartel that is manipulating the prices of hogs, chicken and rice in the market. That’s the real cartel they should [go] after and not these farmers that are helping each other to overcome this [economic] challenge,” he added. Last week Piñol proposed that

broiler raisers should agree to increase their selling prices by P10 per kilogram weekly until such time that they reach a breakeven level. Local broiler raisers are reeling from a supply glut that has lowered farm-gate prices below profitable level. Farm-gate prices recently averaged at P65 per kilogram, with some areas dropping to P38 per kilogram, which is nowhere near the estimated cost-to-produce level of P80 to P85 per kilogram. The PCC said that Piñol’s proposal of price fixing was illegal and in violation of Section 14(a) of the Philippine

Competition Act. The PCC advised the Department of Agriculture to implement “pro-competitive” forms of assistance, such as agricultural credit access or provision of research and extension services to boost the productivity of poultry raisers. “I vehemently deny that there was any intention on the part of the Department of Agriculture to cartelize the chicken farmers. We were just trying to help them,” Piñol said. Piñol said the Food Terminal Inc. is set to negotiate with broiler raisers for the purchase of their produce at a “better” price compared to the prevailing farm-gate prices.

The FTI would store the chicken in their cold storages and would release them to the market when supply is thin, he added. Furthermore, Piñol said the DA is mulling over the tweaking of the importation system of meat imports through the minimum access volume (MAV). He explained that he wants meat imports to enter the country on a quarterly basis to avoid flooding the market during peak seasons, such as Christmas, which leads to oversupply and lower farm-gate prices for broiler. “We cannot stop the importa-

tion. What we need to do in order not to harm the farmers is to ensure that the MAV allocation for the whole year is brought in on a quarterly basis, not only in the last quarter,” Piñol said. “Poultry farmers themselves increase their production in anticipation of better sales during the last quarter,” Pinol added. Piñol said the DA would also come up with a system that provides necessary information to farmers on the present market supply and demand situation to guide them on how to manage better their production cycles.

Marina, private sector boost Manila Bay squatters may have their own ideas on proposed relocation maritime courses for more competitive seafarers By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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HE government and the private sector have realigned the Philippine maritime education programs with the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention 1978, after they noted a need for a “more responsive policy to ensure the competitiveness” of Filipino seafarers. Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Officer in Charge Narciso Vingson Jr. said his office, together with the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy and maritime higher education institutions across the country have adopted revised policies, standards, and guidelines for Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) programs. “As the country’s single maritime administration, it is our goal to implement a set of maritime education program standards and consolidate all academic and shipboard training requirements under a set of national policy, standards and guidelines,” he said. Vingson explained that the revamping of the programs are in line with Executive Order 63 that mandates the Marina as the single maritime administration to fully implement the STCW Convention. “Our commitment to the STCW Convention shall lead us to the full adoption and implementation of the STCW requirements in our maritime education and training system,” Vingson said. The said revisions were adopted after a national public hearing, in which issues on specifications, standards of competence, assessment, conferment, curriculum, course specifications, required facilities, and equipment, research and extension, quality standards system, admission and retention, compliance of schools, and miscellaneous provisions, among others, were discussed. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Muntinlupa small entreps granted loans sans interest By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor

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INETY-TWO small-scale business owners were recently given financial assistance amounting to P1.5 million by the local government of Muntinlupa. This is part of the zero-interest loan assistance program of the city government to support local budding entrepreneurs. In partnership with the Gender and Development Office, each of the Batch 96 members received a loan assistance from P3,000 to P75,000 during a recent turnover ceremony held at Plaza Central, Barangay Poblacion. Muntinlupa City has been hailed as the “Most Business-Friendly” local government unit by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for 2017 and 2018. The business group’s local chapter is confident of the local chief executive’s administration as he leads the city to greater heights in trade and investments. “PCCI-Muntinlupa would like to express our utmost thanks to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi’s leadership in championing ease of doing business with the government,” PCCI-Muntinlupa President Elvie Sanchez-Quiazo said during the recent Thanksgiving Banquet organized by the city government of Muntinlupa for members of the private sector. “Our continued optimism over Mayor Fresnedi’s commitment to bring real change has been credited to the implementation of innovations not only for the business community but also for all Muntinlupa residents,” she added. Sanchez-Quiazo lauded, in particular, his thrusts in promoting innovations to streamline business processes. One of these is the 2019 Business Permit Renewal, which is ongoing until January 20. Muntinlupa Business Permits and Licensing Office is urging business owners to pay dues early to avoid penalties and skip “rush days” of registration nearing the deadline. Fresnedi expressed his gratitude to business owners’ punctuality in paying their dues and renewing their businesses in the city. There are now 15,409 registered businesses in Muntinlupa. The city has recorded a significant increase of over 166 percent in business tax collection since 2012.

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HE Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the Duterte administration should not make haste in relocating squatter families as it embarks on an ambitious project to rehabilitate Manila Bay. In a telephone interview, Fernando Hicap, national chairman of Pamalakaya, said relocating squatter families should be carefully planned so as not to waste government resources. A former Anakpawis Party-list congressman, Hicap said fishermen living along the coast of Manila Bay will be

severely affected by the plan to relocate squatter residents. The official was reacting to the plan of the government to relocate around 300,000 squatter families to pave the way for the cleanup of Manila Bay. The massive rehabilitation will affect residential, commercial and other establishments along a 194-kilometer coastline from Cavite to Bataan; a total of 128 local government units in eight provinces in Central and Southern Luzon and the National Capital Region. “If they will relocate informal settlers away from their place of work, where there is no job, no water or electricity, it will be a waste. They will only go back to where

Madrid proposes €300-M financing facility for PHL’s infra buildup, tourism programs By Rea Cu

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@ReaCuBM

PAIN has proposed two agreements with the Philippine government that will enable Madrid to invest in the Duterte administration’s various projects, specifically in the areas of infrastructure, agro-food and tourism. The Department of Finance (DOF) reported that Spanish Ambassador-Designate to the Philippines Jorge Moragas, at a recent meeting, informed Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III of Spain’s proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU), for a €300-million facility that it will open to the Philippines for project funding. Moragas also said that another agreement on economic and financial cooperation between Manila and Madrid is being proposed by Spain, pointing out that the country is interested in investing in the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program especially in railway projects. Dominguez, in response said, that Spain and its companies are most welcome to take part in the 75 flagship projects under the BBB, particularly in providing rolling stock and other equipment for the rail projects in Metro Manila and Luzon. The proposed MOU on economic and financial cooperation between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Spain aims to further enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries through the creation of a Joint Intergovernmental Committee that will identify opportunities for cooperation in such fields as agriculture, transportation, basic infrastructure, disasterrisk finance, energy and environmental economics. The DOF said that the joint committee would be composed of representatives from both countries, to be cochaired by an undersecretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Secretary of State for Trade of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness of Spain, with a representative from the DOF as member. Meanwhile, the proposed MOU on the mechanisms for the €300-million financing facility covers possible projects in infrastructure, energy and renewable energy, telecommunication, water treatment, solid waste treatment, agro-food industry and tourism sectors. The MOU is currently being finalized by the Spanish Embassy and the DOF’s International Finance Group (IFG), which is headed by Undersecretary Mark Dennis Y.C. Joven. In August 2018, DOF Assistant Secretary Maria Edita Z. Tan explained that the Philippines was offered to either tap the Spanish government’s euro- or dollar-denominated facilities, which offer a 0.25-percent interest rate over a 35-year period and a 1.15-percent rate over a 20-year period, respectively. During the same meeting, Dominguez also took the opportunity to thank Spain for pledging last November an additional $50 million, or P2.619 billion, for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the damaged City of Marawi in Mindanao.

they used to live,” Hicap said. According to Hicap, most of the 300,000 squatter families targeted for relocation as part of the Manila Bay rehabilitation are fishermen and communities who depend on fishing. “If they want to relocate fishermen and their families, the relocation site should be an on-site or in-city relocation,” he said. Hicap said that if the Duterte administration is serious in rehabilitating Manila Bay, it should first address the garbage problem, move away landfills from rivers and creeks; prevent the indiscriminate dumping of toxic wastewater by industries in rivers and river tributaries that lead out to Manila Bay,

stop destructive development projects such as those that would involve land reclamation or dump-and-fill. Hicap also rejected the justification that the relocation of squatters is intended to address the indiscriminate dumping of garbage along Manila Bay, saying the poor solid waste management in many areas should not be blamed on informal settlers alone. “The rehabilitation of Manila Bay should not be a reason for the massive relocation of informal settler families to pave the way for multibillion-peso development projects and land reclamation activities that will only cause further destruction of our coastal and marine environment,” he said

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TheBroa

Business

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Innovations, technology secure P M

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

ORE Filipinos are expected to be more open to investing in insurance products this year, especially when insurance companies are creating products that are tailor-fit to their consumers’ specific needs, according to the Insurance Commission (IC).

“INNOVATION, particularly in product development and use of digital technology, are expected this year. Technology or insurance technology, what we call ‘Insurtech,’ is changing the industry almost imperceptibly.”—Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa INSURANCE COMMISSION

The IC pointed out it expects the general public to be more open to investing in insurance products, especially now that innovations in product development, as well as the use of digital technology, are being incorporated more and more by insurance companies. “Innovation, particularly in product development and use of digital technology, are expected this year. Technology or insurance technology, what we call ‘Insurtech,’ is changing the industry almost imperceptibly,” Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa told the BusinessMirror. “It is not happening in one big crash, but in small steps everywhere.” Funa explained that another trend that the IC has observed in the local insurance industry in terms of product innovations over the recent years is the proliferation of insurance products geared toward the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. “With the increasing trend in living a healthy lifestyle, there is a visible proliferation of community spaces, which help consumers achieve peak fitness,” he added. “And insurance companies took notice of this increasing trend.”

Ranking

IN November last year, the Philippine American Life and General Insurance Co. (PhilamLife) reported that the Philippines’s ranking in its fourth Healthy Living Index Survey has inched up by five notches to the 66th spot. The country was on 61st place in the PhilamLife index in 2016. The index is a composite score of satisfaction with a person’s health and frequency of practicing healthy behavior. The survey was Asia Pacific-wide, with 11,000 participants coming from 16 markets and is done every two years. A reported 750 survey participants for the Philippines were tapped for face-to-face interviews, with 350 respondents from Metro Manila, 200 from Cebu City and 200 from Davao City. In terms of Filipinos’ satisfac-

tion on health, the index posted a decline: 84 percent in 2018 from 89 percent in 2016. This led to an increase in the allotment of time for exercise, which settled at 3.7 hours per week in 2018, compared to the 2.1 hours per week reported in 2016.

Gyms

DESPITE Filipinos adopting more healthy behaviors this year, the index pointed out that only 46 percent continue with their diet regimen after starting and that only 47 percent continue to go to gyms. Since more Filipinos are striving to maintain a healthier lifestyle, Funa expects insurance companies will continue this year to enhance their offerings geared toward the improvement of one’s overall well-being. “Hence, we are expecting to see insurance companies to constantly innovate their products that will incorporate the needs of individuals, particularly on the improvement of one’s overall health,” he said. For instance, companies like BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp. offer insurance products with various additional benefits under its BPIPhilam Wellness Series “powered by Philam Vitality.” This range of products under the series incorporates add-ons that are geared toward making the policy holder healthier, an example of which is free gym memberships, among others.

Security

FILIPINO entrepreneur Alessandra Javier offers another reason for maintaining an insurance coverage: security. Javier said she invests her savings on an insurance policy to ensure she feels secure in terms of her future. She currently has a life insurance policy with an investment feature. “I like thinking ahead, and it [the insurance policy] gives me a sense of security,” Javier told the BusinessMirror in an interview. She recommends that for those

buying an insurance policy for the first time, face-to-face interaction is important. This, according to Javier, allows clients like her to sift through the policy thoroughly. She, however, was quick to add that providing an online channel in terms of payment for the insurance policy is also a must, making it convenient for policy holders. Javier explained that the first thing she looks at when purchasing an insurance policy is the value for money. The insurance company’s reputation is the second-most important, while additional benefits come third, she said. “The policy alone needs to be fit for me before I decide to purchase an insurance policy,” Javier said. “I guess what I’m saying is freebies are great, but it’s not enough to sway me to get insurance.”

Health

IN 2017, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. (Sun Life) reported a 6.9-percent prevalence in diabetes for the Philippines under its 2017

Asia Diabetes Awareness Study, which calls for Filipinos to keep take care of their well-being Sun Life launched the fivemarket regional study on the public’s understanding and perception toward diabetes. The study took into account respondents totaling 2,119 in Asia, with the Philippines having a 408 share of the sample size. With its new purpose of promoting health and wellness among Filipinos, Sun Life has called on citizens to keep their health in check and learn more about the debilitating disease, especially since the Philippines is considered to be a hot spot for diabetes. Of the 6 million Filipinos diagnosed as diabetic, a majority were found to be ill-informed as 53 percent think the illness is curable. The study also revealed that 21 percent believe diabetes could be acquired from others or communicable. On average, Filipinos estimate that 52 percent of the country’s adult population currently has dia-

betes and that those with diabetes will live 33 years less than those without. The survey also pointed out that an estimated P4,000 a month is being spent on medicines by Filipinos for diabetes, which is a huge financial burden. Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene D. Lopa has said that the diabetes study was the first of its kind in the Philippines. Lopa added the company has taken on diabetes prevention as an advocacy to better help create more awareness for prevention and management among Filipinos. “We are living in an era of advanced technology and where individuals are focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Funa said. “Thus, we are expecting that product innovation and utilization of technology will be welcomed by the general public.”

Driver

PHILIPPINE Life Insurance Association (PLIA) General Manager

George C. Mina told the BusinessMirror that the life insurance industry in the country also sees innovation as a driver to help attract more Filipinos to invest in insurance products. Mina also pointed out that changes that enable faster and better customer experience would be a positive move. “Changes that make the customer experience better and faster would be positive,” Mina said. “It will show that a very traditional industry like life insurance could embrace disruptions to cope with the changing consumer behavior and competition demands.” According to the PLIA, innovations in the life insurance industry are applied more toward the way the products are offered and sold rather than in their features. The organization believes that online policy maintenance mechanisms can help policy holders have better control of their insurance products. “The use of enabling technologies would make reaching customers easier and faster, and communicat-

aderLook

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, January 17, 2019

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PHL insurance industry’s future products was promulgated, to enable insurance companies to adapt to technological trends in terms of marketing products and services. It states that insurance companies may use mobile applications in the distribution of their insurance products provided that the use thereof had been previously approved by the IC.

Technology

THE mobile applications that are allowed to be used for the distribution of insurance products may either be pre-installed in a mobile device, or an item in a subscriber identity module, or SIM, menu of a mobile network carrier, or those that are downloadable by the public through major digital platforms, such as Apple Store, Google Play and Microsoft Windows Marketplace. “This could be an emerging opportunity, particularly in the Philippine market where more than half of its population access the Internet through a mobile device,” Santos, who is also president and CEO of the National Reinsurance Corp. of the Philippines, added. According to Funa, the new regulation provides a flexible framework as to the mode of payment of insurance products marketed and sold through mobile phones in addition to the usual payment using a credit or debit card or through accredited online payment systems. “Beyond web sites, there are some companies employing digital or electronic application, and there are some whose clients can already complete purchase of their insurance policies online. Policy holders of certain insurers can also file their claims, pay their premiums and ask their queries online,” Funa explained. “Thus, the use of technology may be integrated in the overall process of procurement of insurance products until the payment or satisfaction of insurance claim.”

WUTTHICHAI LUEMUANG | DREAMSTIME.COM

Microinsurance

ing value proposition of products via online would complement the agent’s role,” Mina said, adding that “intelligent underwriting systems would simplify and expedite the application process.”

Density

THE IC reported in December last year that the country’s insurance density has increased by 16.12 percent to reach P2,053.58 per capita as of end-September. This was previously at P1,768.49 in the same period for 2017. Insurance penetration as of the third quarter of 2018 also saw an increase by 0.12 percentage points to 1.76 percent, from 1.64 percent during the same period in 2017. The IC said that insurance density is defined as the ratio of premiums to the total population, while insurance penetration is measured as the ratio of premiums to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Funa underscored the im-

portance of innovating insurance products to adapt to technological advancements as a driver of growth for the industry, as it is seen to help increase the number of individuals being covered by some form of insurance. “With these innovations, we are expecting to see an increase in the number of individuals with some form of insurance coverage, be it life or nonlife insurance. Our people today rely on technology in going about their everyday lives, thus, it is crucial that they have access to insurance products and services at their own convenient time,” he added.

Mobile

FUNA said he expects more insurance players to forge partnerships with innovators this year to further develop their products, urging the local industry to go beyond web sites. “Insofar as regular insurance products are concerned, we are expecting that insurance companies

will forge more partnership with innovators in developing new and improving existing products and integrating therein new technologies,” Funa said. Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association (Pira) Chairman Allan R. Santos earlier pointed out that tapping alternative channels in terms of selling insurance products will widen the reach of distribution, specifically the use of mobile phones. “In 2018, the IC issued a circular that enhances the framework for insurers to use mobile-phone applications to sell their products,” Santos said. “This regulation will also allow insureds to pay their premiums through phone credits, a big convenience for clients covered by microinsurance or other simpler insurance products with small premiums.” Under IC Circular Letter 201807, issued in January last year, an enhanced framework for the use of mobile phones as an alternative distribution channel for insurance

THE insurance commissioner also pointed out that microinsurance is in itself an innovation. Funa further explained that the integration of two or more microinsurance products that are underwritten by two or more insurance providers under one policy contract was established to encourage microinsurance providers to innovate and design products and services tailor-fitted to the needs of their clientele. “The bundling of insurance products, that is having a life and nonlife insurance protection in a single policy, is applicable to microinsurance products,” Funa said. Microinsurance products are affordable insurance products that aim to protect low-income earners from contingent events in exchange for premium payments. In October last year, the IC reported that the number of Filipinos covered by microinsurance grew to 36.55 million for the first six months of 2018, increasing by 28.59 percent, compared to the 28.42 million reported in the same period for 2017. Broken down, the mutual benefit association (MBA) sector covered 21.45 million individuals as of end-June 2018, the life insurance sector with 11.45 million lives covered, and the nonlife insurance sector covering 3.65 million. According to the IC, there are a total of 42 companies actively engaged in providing microinsurance products in the country, composed of 22 MBAs, 11 life insurance companies and nine nonlife insurance companies. Earlier, PhilamLife and Allianz PNB Life Insurance Inc. both announced their respective plans in venturing into the microinsurance business. “Technology has led to greater collaboration between some life and nonlife companies to make the financial-risk protection more

inclusive for the insured Filipinos,” Funa said. “Thus, it cannot be denied that the evolution of technology has helped our regulated entities to spread their reach.”

Bundling

THE PLIA also pointed out that cross-industry bundling of insurance products are becoming more and more rampant nowadays, enabling customers to enjoy a wider range of benefits. “Cross-industry bundling of products into packages also enable consumers to enjoy a wider range of benefits without having to buy the products separately across industries,” Mina said. He explained that riders bundled into the insurance policy expands, which makes the insurance coverage go beyond merely providing a death benefit, etc. The method addresses multiple coverage needs on health, accident, disability, among others, which makes the product more meaningful and responsive to the needs of the consumers. For instance, FWD Life Insurance Corp. (FWD Philippines) also rolled out in September last year its “Set for Tomorrow” customizable insurance product line. This product enables consumers to customize their insurance plan according to their budget capacities, among others. The variants under the FWD product include the following: the “Short Term Cover,” which entails a life insurance coverage of five to 10 years; the “Income Protector,” which provides coverage should the family’s breadwinner dies; and, the “Estate Protector,” which provides life insurance coverage until 120 years old. This goes to show that insurance companies are, indeed, putting their clients’ needs first, as well as adapting to the changes that are being presented by technological advancements in the global arena, according to FWD.

Challenges

BUT with changes also come challenges with the insurance industry not being immune to some risk being imposed by innovation. Pira Executive Director Michael F. Rellosa said the organization sees the lack of insurance consciousness among Filipinos as the biggest challenge for the insurance industry. “For Pira, it is the lack of insurance consciousness among Filipinos. In other countries like Japan, insurance is bought by people. Here in our country, insurance is sold to people,” Rellosa said. “Filipinos see insurance as an expense; sometimes, even as a useless expense. And that is our biggest challenge.” He further explained that only 2 out of 10 Filipinos have some form of insurance, with one policy being bought because the person recognizes the importance of insurance. However, Rellosa said Filipinos are only buying because it is a requirement for car registration or a loan. “This is truly unfortunate for a country that experiences earthquake almost every day, visited by 15 to 20 typhoons every year, and where fire and motor vehicle accidents happen regularly,” he added.

Types

THROUGH the eyes of an insurer, Rellosa classified the Philippines as having three types of people, namely: the dangerously uninsured, the reluctantly underinsured, and the happily insured. The dangerously uninsured are Filipinos comprising more than 80 percent of the total population, he said. Rellosa added that these people rely on luck or God for protection as they think that insurance is just a racket. The second type, he said, are Filipinos who buy insurance because it’s compulsory or mandatory, buying only the minimum and nothing more.

The third type, the happily insured, are the people who buy insurance because they know they need it, because they know that being uninsured and being underinsured is more costly, according to Rellosa. He said to turn those in the first two types into happily insured individuals, insurance companies will need to pour in more effort into educating the public about insurance. “And that is what Pira is working on: by partnering with educational institutions and engaging Filipinos through social media,” Rellosa said. “Pira hopes that through these efforts, Filipinos will become aware of the risks they face and realize that insurance is a tool for them to manage those risks.”

Privacy

WHEN asked why a lot of people still haven’t purchased some form of insurance, Javier said he believes it may be because Filipinos don’t have the funds for it. “I think they just don’t have the extra money for it,” he explained. “As for me, I really wanted to invest since I learned early on that I shouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket.” As for the IC, it sees the lack of data privacy as a challenge in terms of innovating businesses, pointing out that trying something new can always be either a hit or miss. “Probably the biggest challenge in going digital is keeping data secured,” Funa said. “If governments of the First World countries and the biggest Internet communities, such as Yahoo!, Facebook, e-Bay, among others, have had their securities breached, how can we keep hackers away from our own servers?” Nonetheless, Funa emphasized that local insurance players should not be discouraged by this conundrum as insurance companies will just have to understand how to use the specific technology for keeping data safe. “This challenge should not stop us from accepting that technology has come to invade our systems,” he added. “Technology is here, and it is good, and we just need to know how to use it and protect it from malicious entities.” Santos explained that the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the country’s Data Privacy Act or Republic Act 10173, strengthened the push for businesses to take a more aggressive stance in line with protecting the personal information of their clients. “This new regulation could spur greater demand for cyberinsurance policies and encourage local insurers to innovate and develop more of these products,” Santos said.

Outlook

IN 2018, Moody’s Investors Service revealed that its outlook for 2019 for the life and property and casualty insurance industry in the Asia Pacific (Aspac) region remains stable, fueled by the strong capital levels in the insurance industry, as well as the improving product mixes. The report said it sees longterm life-insurance demand within the countries in the remaining strong. The strong demand, Moody’s said, is backed by a growing middle class, as well as a significant protection gap. However, these countries will see a slowdown in life premium growth early on as insurers would still adjust their product mixes in line with keeping up with regulatory requirements, the report said. It also said that insurers should be more adept with incorporating technology in their respective business models, as technological advancements are seen to gradually reshape how the insurance industry works.

A6 Thursday, January 17, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Probing the passport renewal controversy

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OW we can relax, assured that nobody stole our personal passport details under the care of the Department of Foreign Affairs. There was no data breach, after all. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said it was not possible for a contractor to have run away with the personal data of passport applicants. This should clear the air and allay the public’s fears following his earlier tweet that a disgruntled contractor “got pissed when terminated it made off with data”, prompting the DFA to require those renewing their passports to bring their birth certificates. “Data is not run-away-able but made inaccessible. Access denied. But APO assured me they were able to access but not much use and parts corrupted,” Locsin said on Twitter in response to a netizen who asked for clarification. APO refers to the APO Production Unit Inc. (APUI), a government agency under the jurisdiction of the Presidential Communications Operations Office. Although the passport renewal controversy has been settled, it exposed the risks that could arise from the collection and storage of citizens’ personal information, especially when private contractors are involved. With the imminent rollout of the national ID system, the paramount importance of data security in government can’t be stressed enough. We cringe at the thought of losing to hackers millions of personal information stored in the national ID system database. Although the National Privacy Commission earlier assured Filipinos that their personal data will be safe when the proposed national ID System gets implemented, the passport renewal controversy should teach us a valuable lesson. For example, agencies concerned should adopt strict technical, physical and organizational security measures to ensure the protection of information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure of citizens’ information. We support a Senate or House inquiry to get to the bottom of the passport renewal controversy. As BusinessMirror columnist Susan V. Ople pointed out, “when the BSP relinquished its role as passport printer, the DFA felt it had no other choice but to enter into a contract with APUI. Some say the transition from BSP to APUI was orchestrated. Some say it wasn’t. The facts can be easily established in a Senate or House hearing.” Ople said: “APUI decided to take on a private sector partner—United Graphic Expression Corp.—in order to fulfill its orders through a jointventure agreement. Did it officially inform the DFA about the JVA? And was DFA given the opportunity to vet UGEC given its role as the legal custodian of the Philippine passport?” She added: “Insiders said the DFA contract with APUI passed through the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Budget and Management and the Government Procurement Policy Board. What remains unclear is whether the joint-venture agreement between APUI and UGEC underwent the same rigorous and vigorous interagency review prior to its approval. An independent probe would help put this issue to rest. Such an investigation should also focus on this question: What happened to the personalization system designed by Oberthur and the data already loaded in that system? A successful and efficient migration of that data meant doing away with birth certificates altogether as a requirement for passport renewal. Clearly, there was a glitch somewhere.” Since 2005

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OUTSIDE THE BOX

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SUALLY reading several gazillion web sites every day, I am not inclined to look at Asean regional newspapers. I decided to on Wednesday.

The front page of the Bangkok Post had a picture of Army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong “warning anti-government activists not to cross the line as they plan to hold a rally this Saturday to demand a general election.” Other stories included, “Cabinet gives green light to 10 infrastructure projects worth B17.7” and “Government opposed to new land policy.” It said: “The government has distanced itself from a controversial land policy proposal that would allow farmers holding Sor Por Kor documents to seek commercial gains from their properties.” “Sor Por Kor” is similar to the Philippines’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The Jakarta Post carried the

following news: “Joint operation extends Poso terror group manhunt, citing new recruits.” “Affordable railway fares to lure more passengers”. “Bali home to biggest Starbucks in S-E Asia.” Malaysia’s King resigned last week amid rumors he married a former “Miss Moscow” in Russia. But on Wednesday the top news was whether or not the Employees Provident Fund—similar to the Philippine SSS—would declare a much lower dividend rate than last year. The University of Malaysia saw its highest global ranking in history. Further, there is a huge controversy because a third year high-school textbook told girls they would bring disrepute to their families if they did not protect their modesty.

Enhancing human capital

Lourdes M. Fernandez

Cecilio T. Arillo

Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Efleda P. Campos Dennis D. Estopace Ruben M. Cruz Jr. Angel R. Calso

Creative Director Chief Photographer

Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes Judge Pedro T. Santiago (Ret.) Benjamin V. Ramos Adebelo D. Gasmin Marvin Nisperos Estigoy Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan

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A sea of tranquility

DATABASE

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HE most significant investments that people, firms and governments can make in the changing nature of work are in enhancing human capital, the World Bank said in its projection development report for this year. In particular, the World Bank suggested for governments to: 1) Invest in human capital, particularly early childhood education, to develop high-order cognitive and socio-behavioral skills in addition to foundational skills. 2) Enhance social protection. A solid guaranteed social minimum and strengthened social insurance, complemented by reforms in labor market rules in some emerging economies, would achieve this goal. 3) Create fiscal space for public financing of human capital development and social protection. Property taxes in large cities, excise taxes on sugar or tobacco, and carbon taxes are among the ways to increase a

government’s revenue. Another is to eliminate the tax avoidance techniques that many firms use to increase their profits. Governments can optimize their taxation policy and improve tax administration to increase revenue without resorting to tax-rate increases. According to the report, “A basic level of human capital, such as literacy and numeracy, is needed for economic survival. The growing role of technology in life and business means that all types of jobs, including low-skills, require more advanced cognitive knowledge. The role of human capital is also enhanced because of the rising demand

The Vietnam News headlined the story that “PM asks ministry to enhance Vietnam’s rankings in ICT.” During a press conference, the minister of foreign affairs put the “East Sea issue in the spotlight.” And “The Asean Tourism Forum [ATF 2019] officially starts today in the northern coastal province of Quàng Ninh.” I spoke of the headlines in the US, Europe and elsewhere in my column on Tuesday. I must have forgotten about Africa. “Boko Haram attacks military base in Nigeria.” “Terrorists strike upscale hotel complex in Kenya.” “Military deploys in Zimbabwe fuel hike protests, 5 killed.” Divide the world by areas of 1 billion populations: North and South America is one while Africa is another. Europe and the Middle East hold about 1 billion, while India and Bangladesh are also 1 billion. Russia and Central Asia count for a billion, and northern China and Japan make up another. Southern China and we in Southeast Asia are the final 1 billion on Earth. Look at the common world map that places the Americas on the extreme left and New Zealand and Oceania on the right. As you move from left to right, the chaos and con-

fusion builds, reaching a peak in the Middle East. Then that disorder— political, social and economic—diminishes with pockets of trouble here and there. India’s centuries of religious battles and Myanmar’s persecution of the Rohingya people are such examples. Then comes a sea of tranquility stretching across the nations of the 1 billion primarily encompassing the member-states of the Asean. Aside from the 30 nations—from India to Samoa and including China—that make up “Emerging and developing Asia,” the “Asean-5” (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) has by far the highest economic growth rate on Earth. Yet all—without exception—of the Southeast Asian nations are considered as having a “flawed democracy” or a “hybrid regime” where “serious weaknesses are more prevalent than in flawed democracies.” How do we reconcile that assessment with the fact of the other successes of the region?

for socio-behavioral skills. “Machines will not readily replace jobs relying on interpersonal interaction. However, to succeed at these jobs, socio-behavioral skills—acquired in one’s early years and shaped throughout one’s lifetime—must be strong. Human capital is important because there is now a higher premium on adaptability. “Solutions are available. For example, to prepare for the changing nature of work, countries must boost their investment in early childhood development. This is one of the most effective ways to build valuable skills for future labor markets. Countries can also boost human capital by ensuring that schooling results in learning. Important adjustments in skills to meet the demands of the changing nature of work are also likely outside compulsory schooling and formal jobs. Countries can, for example, utilize tertiary education and adult learning more effectively. “One reason governments do not invest in human capital is the lack of political incentives. Few data are publicly available on whether health and education systems are generating human capital. This gap hinders the design of effective solutions, the

pursuit of improvement and the ability of citizens to hold their governments accountable. The World Bank’s human capital project, described in the report, is designed to address the shortcomings of political incentives and provide the impetus for investing in human capital. “Social assistance and insurance systems should also be adapted to the changing nature of work. The concept of progressive universalism could be a guiding principle in covering more people, especially in the informal economy. When social protection is established, labor regulation eases work transitions.” The report also mentioned that: “The current social contract is broken in most emerging economies, and it is looking increasingly out of date in some advanced economies, as well. A new social contract should include investing in human capital to generate more opportunities for workers to land better jobs. This will improve the job prospects for newborns or schoolchildren. “How will governments raise the additional resources needed to invest in human capital and advance social inclusion? The share of tax revenue in low-income countries is half that See “Arillo,” A7

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

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Wanted: A Labor Code The boy as the model for all workers, not just for a segment of the labor force Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS Continued from A1

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ORE important, where is the labor law for the more numerous informal workers? The vendors? The transport workers: bus-jeepney-tricycle drivers, barkers and so on? The coastal fisherfolk? The landless rural workers? And so on and so forth. The point is, we have a Labor Code that addresses mainly the needs of a segment of the labor force—the paid or wage workers in the formal labor market or those working for a salary or compensation in enterprises that are formally registered. The Labor Code essentially has six Books. Books Three to Six are all about the conditions of paid employment in the formal labor market. Book Three deals with hours of work and other working conditions, wages and how they should be paid, and the work conditions for special groups of employees (women, minors, househelpers, homeworkers and night workers). Book Four is about health, safety and employee’s compensation. Book Five, virtually half of the Labor Code, tackles labor relations in the formal labor market, from union formation to dispute settlement. Book Six, a short one, covers post-employment: termination of employment and retirement. As to Book One and Book Two, they deal with preemployment concerns —recruitment and placement of workers, and the training of the future wage workers. The labor laws contained in the above Books strengthen the rights of those working as wage workers in the formal labor market. They are rights won by the unions through more than a century of struggles, dating back to the early years of American occupation. The problem is that in a segmented and globalized Philippine economy, the Labor Code appears meaningless to more than half of the labor force, in particular to those in the informal sector. And yet, the Philippine Constitution, under Section 3, Article XIII, is unequivocal: All workers, without any exception, should enjoy the right to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities. Under the present Labor Code, these rights are enjoyed by only the paid workers in the formal sector. Moreover, the rules and jurisprudence on unionism and collective bargaining have been so restrictive these rights are enjoyed by only the regular workers in the formal labor market, who are easily outnumbered by the non-regulars. And as discussed in an earlier piece, the economic environment (stagnant industrialization, Race to the Bottom culture among capitalists, globalization, etc.) is stacked up against unionism. Also, 99 percent of the registered enterprises are micro, small and medium enterprises. Many paid workers in these enterprises, specially in micro and small enterprises employing less than 20 workers or so, do not have formal employment contracts, and many micro and small employers do not even bother to read the Labor Code. Thus, not surprisingly, a 2017 ILO “diagnostics” study found out that only a little over 200,000 workers, out of a labor force of 43 million in 2016, were covered by the registered collective bargaining agreements. But why is

Arillo . . .

continued from A6

of high-income countries. Investments in human capital, basic social protection [including community health workers in some developing countries] and productive opportunities for youth are likely to have

the Labor Code silent on the concerns of the most numerous in the labor force—the huge army of informalsector workers? The sector accounts for at least two-thirds of the labor force. There is a long-pending legislative proposal titled “Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy,” which seeks to establish a system of recognizing and registering the unions or organizations of informal-sector workers at the local and national government levels. The MCWIE bill can help make the Labor Code truly inclusive. MCWIE outlines how organizations of workers in the informal sector can be recognized and registered. So the next question is, why is Congress so hesitant to pass MCWIE? One possible answer is that the policy framework in the enactment of labor legislations is based primarily on the need to protect wage workers in the formal sector. The country’s major labor standard and labor relations laws, such as the minimum-wage law, collective bargaining law and social security law, enacted in 1952-1954, were originally patterned after the American labor law system. In turn, the American labor law system is based on the Dunlopian tripartite framework on industrial relations. As outlined in the seminal book of John Dunlop, Industrial Relations System (1958), American industrial relations is all about tripartite rulemaking involving the three actors— industry, unions and government. To Dunlop, who eventually became US secretary of labor in the 1970s, the industrial relations system is governed by the dynamic interaction between and among the three parties in a highly industrialized and organized American economy. In an envisioned industrial society, the preoccupation of those seeking to protect workers is to pass protective labor laws in favor of the wage workers in the industrialized formal sector. There are even proposals for the informals to “transition” to formality so that they can be covered by these protective labor laws. The reality is that the formal-informal divide is likely to persist. And so is the reality is that the economy and the labor market is likely to remain uneven and segmented. Both the formal and informal labor markets shall also remain segmented and uneven. In short, if the country wants to have an inclusive Labor Code, one that covers all workers, it should rethink its industrial relations framework. The Dunlopian tripartite rule-making among the three actors—industry, unions and the government—is narrow and outdated. It should give way to a system of multi-partism, one that recognizes the voice of various segments of the labor force. There is also a need for the trade unions to respond to the multidimensional challenge of how to develop new forms of worker organizing, new forms of worker representation and various forms of worker empowerment.

fiscal costs of 6-8 percent of gross domestic product [GDP]. “This is an ambitious goal. Increasing tax revenue, however, should go hand in hand with improving public service delivery. If not, increasing tax rates will only spur further public discontent. “Other taxes and savings could
 also contribute to the financing 
of

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VERY year on the third Sunday of January, we have a Filipino liturgical celebration of our own—“extending” the Christmas season—the Feast of the Santo Niño. The image of the Santo Niño de Cebu, a gift to the first baptized at the outset of the Christianization of our land, symbolizes for to us today the fundamental option taken by the boy Jesus in the gospel account (Luke 2:41-52).

Taught by a child WHILE on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the boy Jesus purposely stayed behind in the holy city. He was not lost; on the contrary, he intentionally separated Himself from His family to make a statement, a fundamental decision, to the persons closest to Him. At the age of 12 as a bar mitzvah (son of the law), Jesus has arrived at a phase of His development as a man when He was supposed to be already basically formed and, therefore should take full responsibility for His actuations before God and before His fellowmen. And the foremost principle in

life He personally would like to be identified with and which He now proclaims is that God is His Father, and He is totally committed to be doing His Father’s will. He would like to be, He must be, “in His Father’s house”—where the love of the Father is everything and where love for the Father is life. God is the source of His life and purpose, and the ultimate goal of His everything. Here is wisdom, knowing and accepting the fundamental truth of one’s radical and complete union with God, the basis of a successful and meaningful life. Anytime and anywhere to live in the world as in the Father’s house: to

Thursday, January 17, 2019 A7

acknowledge and serve God as the first rule for any child of God. It is the first commandment.

In the family

“WHY were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” The question-answer of the boy Jesus is not only a statement of His fundamental option as shown by His action but also a big hint from the inspired writer that what Jesus has become is something already familiar to His parents Joseph and Mary. Jesus clearly sounds that He expects His parents to be the first ones to realize what has happened to Him. It is from them that He learned to give primacy to the love of God. He was formed by His parents in the principal values in life. After the incident, He would go down again to Nazareth together with them and continue to be obedient to them and to “advance in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.” For the Niño Jesus as for all of us, the family is the natural habitat for the fundamental formation of any person. Filipinos ritually praise the family as the basic building block of our nation, patting ourselves on the back that we are deeply family-oriented. But our shibboleth maka-pamilya

The unsinkable Catholic Church

I would not debate him on whether the Church is guilty of what he believes it does to deserve his invective condemnation. For, truly, the Church over the course of its centuries-old history has been mired with shameless misdeeds. What is lost in all this, however, is the weakness of some members of the clergy in fulfilling their commitment to God to lead others to holiness and truth as spiritual fathers and pastors. These failed pastors are the ones chipping at the Church’s very foundation. But Duterte has crossed the line by saying that “God is stupid” and that he is unimpressed by Jesus because He had let Himself be crucified. These and other insults that Duterte has hurled against the Catholic Faith underscore his contempt of and hostility against Christ Himself. If he had directed these diatribes against Islam, he would surely have been marked for death. Duterte simply does not have the humility and kindness to respect other people’s beliefs. He has urged the public to rob and murder bishops simply because they are, and rightly so, against his policy of killing people who are “suspected” of being involved in drugs. The bishops are rich, Duterte said, and deserve death. The president, however, has targeted only Catholic bishops, but remains silent about other religious figures who live lavishly and travel luxuriously in their privately owned jets. Why then does Duterte continue to get high approval ratings when his utterances are usually affronts to human dignity and civility? I’m at a loss for a compelling explanation. Have the Filipino people completely lost their moral compass or been woefully desensitized to his vulgar, racist and sexist statements?

Has Duterte made political gutter language acceptable in this home of the world’s third-largest Catholic population? Almost everything that comes out of his mouth seems like a slur on the basic values of humanity, and an unequivocal disavowal of morality. It is unadulterated lewdness—a product of a very sick mind. What about good governance? Duterte has little or none to show. Economy? The country is courting a slide back to being the sick man of Asia. Corruption? It has intensified during his watch. I thought that the Church has lost its voice when Jaime Cardinal Sin passed away. It has failed to push back early on to stop the tide of Duterteism. In fact, the Church was partly responsible for putting Duterte in power. I can vividly remember how the Catholic Church demonized former President Benigno S. Aquino III when PNoy stood pat on the Reproductive Health Act or the RH bill. There were even some bishops who threatened to excommunicate him. Shades of the Inquisition? Then there were the “Pajero Bishops,” who got the moniker because they allegedly got these sport-utility vehicles as “donations” during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who supported the Church on the RH bill. There are those who unfairly believe that the Catholic Church, much like the Supreme Court, is an Arroyo underling. The Church was partly responsible for the erosion of public confidence on PNoy and the Liberal Party. It rode on other issues against the so-called “yellows,” including the Mamasapano clash where 44 members of the Special Armed Forces died, and the Disbursement Acceleration Program controversy, which

contributed hugely to the LP’s defeat in the last elections. Now that the Catholic Church finds itself on the receiving end of Duterte’s rants, how can it demonize a crackpot who already thinks and acts like Lucifer, and is not even shy about it? I am a Roman Catholic, and have no plans of denouncing my faith until I die. But there are moments in the Church’s history where it failed to live up to its own high moral standards. This is just my honest, objective and unflinching take on what went before all of us were born. Take the practice of indulgences, for example, which refers to the partial or full remission of punishment for sins. A Catholic sinner will be absolved through confession, reciting prayers or doing charitable acts. By the Middle Ages, however, indulgences were abused all because of financial transactions. Certain bishops viewed indulgences as a get-rich-quick program. They would pressure an illiterate but wealthy person to be saved from eternal burning by forcing him to fork over cash for redemption. It got so bizarre that Martin Luther criticized it in his 95 Theses in 1517. A man named Johann Tetzel became so notorious in practicing this. Tetzel is credited for the abominable distich: “As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.” Surviving relatives who did not wish their departed loved ones to scorch in Purgatory paid for their “delivery” through indulgences. This led to the cancelation of the grants of indulgences by Pope Pius V in 1567. Such practice may not be un-biblical, but sinners view it as a “jail-free card.” They can sin all they want, then say a Hail Mary, and they’re good to go. The Church used the forces of war, not Evangelism during the Crusades when it was trying to recapture Christian territories it lost to the Muslims. It was a long-drawn war which lasted for over 200 years. It is unfathomable how many people died during the conflict. The big letdown: It had the sanction of the Pope. The Crusade did not only justify the blood that was spilled. It was also called just, and the crusaders had been promised absolution for their

human capital,” said the report, arguing that Saudi Arabia 
adopted excise taxes in 2017:
 50 percent on soft drinks and
 100 percent on energy drinks, 
tobacco and tobacco products.
 It is estimated that nationally efficient carbon pricing policies would raise more than 6 percent of GDP in China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia and Saudi Ara-

bia. Taxes on immovable property could raise an additional 3 percent of GDP in middle-income countries and 1 percent in poor countries. “Age-old tax avoidance and evasion schemes by firms and individuals need to be tackled, as well. Four out of five Fortune 500 companies operate one or more subsidiaries in countries broadly perceived

to operate preferential corporate tax regimes—often referred to as tax havens. “As a result, estimates suggest that governments worldwide may miss out on $100 billion to $240 billion in annual revenue, which is equivalent to 4–10 percent of the global corporate income tax revenue. The increasingly digital nature of

Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s denigration of the Catholic Church is but a part of his idiotic ambition to destroy this 1,900-year-old institution.

may well be the clue why we are a mess, because we are like prisoners who cannot go beyond our immediate families, many of which are fatally absolutized as the end-all and be-all of the members. Imperative is the reorientation that fundamental values, the nation and the common good take precedence over one’s biological and social family. Our political dynasties and oligarchies, economic cronyism and rampant corruption have their root in our grotesque family traditions that have not inculcated the right values into our growing children. Alálaong bagá, it is in the family, as shown by the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, that principles and values are picked up by the children from the earliest years on, primarily from the examples of the parents and the adults around. Schools and churches may be too late if the growing children have already imbibed selfishness, deceptiveness, bullying and authoritarianism. The love of God is the basis of all values, as the boy Jesus personifies to all of us today. Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

sins and a secure place in heaven if they died. The trial of Galileo Galilei—an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer—is one of the most scandalous moments in the Catholic history. Galileo through his own pet design for the refracting telescope theorized that Jupiter has moons, and Jupiter’s moons are at the center of the solar system, and Earth, like everything else nearby, orbits the Sun. His conclusion: The Earth is not the center. The Church didn’t want to hear any of this, and his theory deemed fervidly heretical. Galileo was finally brought before an Inquisition and forced under threat of excommunication and torture to “abjure, curse and detest” his discoveries, which, ironically, were also incorrect as Galileo taught that the Sun was the center of the universe—not just our solar system. Of course, there was also Joan of Arc—she who believed that God had called her to lead the French in kicking the English out of France. She instigated an uprising in 1429, and led a successful relief force to the besieged city of Orleans. She was executed for heresy not because she claimed to hear the voice of God, not because she defied and killed the English, but because she was said to have worn a man’s clothing while in prison. This was also forbidden, and thus punishable by being burned at the stake. Now the Church is embroiled in one sex scandal after another. This is what Duterte is hoping to capitalize on as a counteroffensive on the Church dissent against his administration. But Duterte should realize that the Catholic Church has survived because it has an effective internal healing process. It takes time for the Church to atone for its mistakes, but it recognizes them and does the right thing to correct the wrong. Duterte? I’d just quote what former politician and now columnist, Homobono Adaza said: “He’s just a pygmy.” How true. There are other bigger and much more influential giants who tried but failed to sink the unsinkable Catholic Church.

business only creates more opportunities for tax avoidance. “Generating revenue from new kinds of assets, such as user data, makes it increasingly unclear how or where value is created for tax purposes.”

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday, January 17, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘Genuine’ abolition of Road Board, this time

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By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

HE House of Representatives on Wednesday passed on second reading the bill “genuinely” abolishing the Road Board. This, after the lower chamber reconsidered on second reading House Bill 7436 after reaching the consensus with the members of the Senate. Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the bill will be approved on third and final reading on Monday. After the final approval on Monday, it will be transmitted to the Senate immediately. “We will still work double time and have this tax measure, as amended, sent to the Senate by Monday. The plenary will take cog nizance of the par ticu lar measure and we will introduce the amendments and recognizing it as a tax measure, and then

putting in the proper amendments for the Senate to tackle on Monday,” he added. Senate Majority Leader Juan Mig uel Zubir i conf ir med on Wednesday that the senators’ move to abolish the graft-tainted Road Board is “final.” In a Viber message to Senate reporters, Zubiri reported that the majority of the senators “accepted the proposed amendments to the Road Board Abolition bill. “Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and I presented [the abolition bill to the senators] and they all accepted it,” said Zubiri. The majority leader reported that from “a very long document...

“The Road Board abolition is final [and] the money collected by the different agencies of government from MVUC will now go to the national Treasury, but it will also be utilized for road construction and bridges.“—Zubiri

we boil down and agreed on a simple Road Board abolition,” adding that “of course, the MVUC [Motor Vehicle User Charge] fund are retained but will be remitted to the national Treasury; no more special fund.” Zubiri affirmed that “the Road Board abolition is final [and] the money collected by the different agencies of government from MVUC will now go to the national Treasury, but it will also be utilized for road construction and bridges.” He added: “Ibibigay naman lahat sa national Treasury so bahala sa Kongreso kung papano i-allocate [Everything will be given to the Treasury so it’s up to Congress to decide how to allocate the funds].”

To General Fund

UNDER the amended House bill, the MVUC will go directly to the General Fund. The projects funded by the MUVC will be itemized in the annual General Appropriations Act. The measure will limit the controlling authorities of funds from a seven-man team to three departments, namely, the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We agreed in principle last night 1) that the Road Board will now be abolished and, 2) that the funds will be transferred to the General Fund. Therefore, it will be now covered by the General Appropriations Act,” said Andaya. “Common sense and real reform are winners in the agreement to genuinely abolish the Road Board. It is a victory for transparency too,” he added. “We have long advocated for a real, and not the fake abolition of the Road Board. The version that was pushed by the previous House

Banks to survive Hanjin loans’ write-off–BSP By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

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HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released a new statement on Wednesday, saying local banks passed their stress test should their exposure to the troubled Hanjin Heavy Industries and ConstructionPhilippines (HHIC-Phil) be declared uncollectable. “...based on the results of the BSP’s stress-testing exercise, an assumed write-off of the loan exposures to Hanjin will have minimal impact on the industry’s CAR [capital adequacy

ratio],” the statement read. The Central Bank noted that the local banking industry is “well-capitalized,” with a capital adequacy ratio of 15.36 percent as of September 2018, well above the international standard of 8 percent and the BSP’s regulatory requirement of 10 percent. “More important, as part of the supervisory process, the BSP requires banks to stress test their own loan portfolios. In this respect, banks should have the capability to promptly address threats and stress scenarios,” the BSP said. The BSP, however, reiterated their

TAIL-END OF A COLD FRONT AFFECTING THE EASTERN SECTION OF MINDANAO NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY as of 4:00 pm - January 16, 2019

continued vigilance in monitoring the actions taken by the banks and ensure the orderly resolution of the Hanjin case. In a separate release, the Investor Relations Office (IRO) also said that the rising foreign direct investments (FDI) directed toward Subic may address the employment concerns rising from Hanjin’s closure. “Unemployment that may result from Hanjin PH’s bankruptcy may be mitigated by the number of total approved foreign investments in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority [SBMA],” the IRO said in a statement

on Wednesday. IRO cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), noting an 83.4-percent rise in the number of approved foreign investments in SBMA from P428.8 million in the JanuarySeptember 2017 period to P786.6 million in January-September 2018. According to the IRO, 2,493 jobs are expected to be created out of these approved investments for Subic, supporting employment resiliency in the region. “While Hanjin PH’s closure comes with some challenges, it remains a non-systemic event as substantiated by data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” IRO said. “Overall, there is optimism that the government’s commitment to present reforms—particularly its ‘Build, Build, Build’ agenda, which will bring about job creation and investment growth, tax reform, and ease of doing business initiatives—keeps the Philippine on track as one of the fastest-growing economies in the fastest-growing region of the world,” it added. South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin’s Philippine subsidiary filed for corporate rehabilitation at the Olongapo Regional Trial Court last week, seeking protection from its creditors as it struggles to pay its loans totalling $412 million to five of the country’s leading banks.

Budget. . .

Continued from A1

Last year President Duterte agreed not to call for a special session at the request of the Senate. Because of the reenacted budget, the DBM said the scheduled fourth tranche of salary hike intended for 1.7 million government employees and military this year was put on hold pending the passage of the budget. House Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya Jr. had asked the Supreme Court on Monday to compel the DBM to release the salary hike even before the budget is passed, saying it is possible because there are alternative fund sources like Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF). However, the DBM stood firm that there is no legal basis to release the salary hike because the Executive Order 201, signed by then-President Benigno S. Aquino III, stated that the implementation of the salary hike for 2019 is“subject to appropriations by Congress.” The fund cannot be sourced from the MPBF because it only covers the third and not the fourth tranche of salary hike, DBM said.

leadership merely created Three Powerful Road Kings,” he said. According to Andaya, the present House leadership insisted on treating MVUC collections as part of the General Fund, and not as an off-budget, hidden account, controlled by a few, a status he claimed was retained by the previous bill. “We have also stood our ground in earmarking MVUC collections for transport-related activities. The spurious Road Board abolition bill inserted a provision that would have diverted funds to waste segregation,” he added.

Help Bicol

MEANWHILE, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte appealed to Congress to allot funds from the Road Board to solve Bicol floods as committed by President Duterte. In a statement, Villafuerte recalled that during Duterte’s visit to Camarines Sur early this month after Tropical Depression Usman, the President reiterated his desire for Congress to abolish the Road Board and committed the use of its MVUC funds to solve the perennial

flooding in Bicol. “This reported decision by congressional leaders—as disclosed by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri—for both chambers to convene a bicam panel that would make ‘short’ amendments on the bill abolishing the Road Board and reverting the MVUC funds to the national Treasury, certainly is a welcome development,” Villafuerte said. “However, I am appealing to the would-be bicam panel to consider in its upcoming deliberations the President’s directive and set aside a share of the multibillion-peso collections from the MVUC for flood-mitigation projects in the Bicol River and elsewhere in the flood-prone region,” he added. He noted that solving the flooding problem of Bicol will boost farm productivity in CamSur, a top rice-producing province. “Despite the perennial floods, CamSur has emerged as the No. 6 rice producer,” he added. “We could easily become No. 2 or No. 3 if the chronic floods will become a thing of the past.”

MOVING TO NEW SHIPYARDS WILL UPROOT HANJIN WORKERS, FAMILIES–LABOR COALITION By Cai U. Ordinario

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@caiordinario

HOUSANDS of workers and their families may not just lose jobs but be physically uprooted after the court placed Hanjin Heavy Industries and Const r uc t ion Co.-Ph i l ippi nes (HHIC-Phil) Inc. under receivership, according to the Federation of Free Workers (FFW). In the Wednesday Roundtable at Lido, FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet said it may also be difficult for these workers to find jobs elsewhere, given that many of them are skilled workers who specialize in shipbuilding. Cainglet also said that currently, there is no solid plan for the workers who will be displaced, especially now that there is talk among the workers that the company will be closed. “The biggest problem is where we can transfer these workers. Apart from this, there is also the issue on whether they will be given separation packages that will be sufficient while they find other sources of livelihood,” Cainglet said. “There may be a big demand [for these workers] but where to find this demand, these factories and shipyards, is a concern. If these workers had transferred to Subic and invested in their life there, what will happen if the next available shipyard is in Davao, for example, or Cagayan de Oro and Cebu? They will be forced to uproot their families and that in itself entails a lot of costs,” he added.

Govt takeover?

IN order to avoid these problems, Cainglet said there are two options presented by Nagkaisa labor coalition. The first involves a state takeover where the government can work closely with the worker’s union. Under this takeover, the

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the labor union will come up with the best way to operate the facility. The second option, Cainglet said, is for the government to negotiate with shipbuilders located in countries that have no security concerns or territorial disputes with the Philippines. He apparently meant China, as news broke that two Chinese companies were interested in the Hanjin shipyard. Former Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama had said the Philippines should consider the secur it y implications of allowing the Chinese to get a foothold in Zambales. Meanwhile, the noncontroversial firms that could be considered are in count r ies l i ke Nor w ay or t he Netherlands. Cainglet said the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) can serve as a way to reach out to these governments. “I think it will complement our economic and peace advocacies,” Cainglet said. On Tuesday, the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) placed Hanjin under receivership to start a courtsupervised rehabilitation program for the Subic Bay Freeport-based shipbuilder. The South Korean company filed a petition before the court on January 8 to initiate voluntary rehabilitation under Republic Act 10142, otherwise known as “An Act Providing for the Rehabilitation or Liquidation of Financially Distressed Enterprises and Individuals,” after it reportedly suffered insolvency due to a slump in the global shipbuilding industry. It sought court relief from creditors as it struggled with at least $412 million owed to five of the country’s biggest banks.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, January 17, 2019

B1

DOE receives 331 applications for projects of natl significance

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Department of Energy (DOE) has received 331 applications from industry stakeholders seeking the certification of their power projects as “energy projects of national significance [EPNS].” As of January 11, the DOE said in its website that 293 applications were accepted while 38, or 11 percent, were notified of their noncompliance as to form or documentary requirements. To date, the DOE has awarded certificates of EPNS to 12 power projects. The latest was awarded last December 20 to Total Power Inc. for

its 100-megawatt (MW) Sarangani solar-power project, currently in a pre-development stage. The 11 other projects are the Visayas-Mindanao Interconnection Project (VMIP) of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, Kalinga geothermal-power project of Aragorn Power and Energy Corp.

(APEC), the 151.2-MW Talim wind power project of Island Wind Energy Corp., the 2x600-MW coal project of Atimonan One Energy Inc., Coal Operating Contracts (COC) 185 and 186 of the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp.’s (PNOC-EC), the 500-MW pumped storage hydropower project of Coheco Badeo Corp. (Coheco-Badeo), the 650-MW Pagbilao combined cycle gas turbine power plant of Energy World, the 15-MW Masbate coal plant of DMCI Power Corp., the 1.2-MW biogas power plant project of First Quezon Biogas Corp. and the 6-MW Pangasinan Green Atom Waste to Energy project of Green Atom Renewable Energy Corp. The issuance of EPNS certificates is stipulated under Executive Order (EO) 30, which states that concerned government agencies shall act upon

applications for permits not exceeding a 30-day period. If no decision is made within the specified processing time frame, the application is deemed approved by the concerned agency. “It is the policy of the State to ensure a continuous, adequate and economic supply of energy. Hence, an efficient and effective administrative process for energy projects of national significance should be developed in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the implementation of the Philippine Energy Plan [PEP],” the EO stated. The EO also stated that the CEPNS is not an assurance or an automatic guarantee of favorable action by the permitting agencies, but a requirement from them to immediately act on the applications for permits/ licenses within the prescribed periods under prevailing laws.

DICT signs P508.88-M deal with Fil-Am group to safeguard PHL’s tech stability By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE government has awarded a P508.88-million cybersecurity deal to the FilipinoAmerican consortium of Integrated Computer Systems Inc. (ICS) and Verint Systems to safeguard the Philippines from potential digital attacks that can cause harm to national security and technological stability. In a press briefing, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Assistant

PSE still studying if it will give up PDS shares to LandBank

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HE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) said it is assessing the reduced offer of state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) to the former’s ownership in the operator of the country’s fixed- income exchange platform. In its disclosure, PSE said it received a letter from LandBank to buy its shares in Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. (PDS) for P215 per share or a total of P281.95 million. LandBank’s offer expires by the end of the month. “The company is studying the offer and will make a recommendation to the company’s board of directors,” the PSE said. The PSE owns about a fifth of PDS, the owner of Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp., which operates the fixed-income trading platform. LandBank’s offer, however, was lower than its bid of P360 per share, or a total purchase price of P472.11 million, last April as officials said it based its bid on the lower dividend payout of PDS in June to its shareholders that downgraded its valuations. For most of 2014 and 2015, the PSE was working on the P2.25billion acquisition for a majority ownership of PDS, or about 66.6 percent. Things headed south, however, when the PSE has asked the SEC for its approval, hoping to secure its nod in November 2015. In 2017, PSE re-started its bid to acquire most of PDS, with the intention of owning both the equities and fixed-income exchange platforms. The state-owend bank, chaired by the secretary of finance joined the fray on the same year, also offering to buy a controlling stake in PDS. VG Cabuag

Secretary Allan Cabanlong said the agency awarded the three-year deal to the consortium after three other bidders failed to qualify during the initial round of the auction. The consortium offered the government P508.88 million for the deal, or a little lower than the P512million budget. In a nutshell, the deal involves the monitoring and alleviation of threats and attacks against the Philippine digital economy, and the monitoring of the dark web. “The scope of work is covering 10 priority agencies of government, plus

the core National Cyber Intelligence Platform, which will have capability to monitor threats coming into the country,” Cabanlong said. The deal, which covers the Departments of Finance, Energy, Foreign Affairs, Budget, National Defense, and ICT, is the first phase of the whole program. Cabanlong explained his group is currently identifying other agencies that will be included in the second phase of the program. “We have identified at least 40 agencies that have high impact on

national security and technological stability. We’re still identifying other agencies that can be included in the succeeding phases,” he said. Other agencies included in the program’s initial phase are the Office of the President, National Security Council, Presidential Communications Operations Office and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency. The Philippines is not a stranger to cyber attacks, with government agencies and companies being hacked by both foreign and local cyber criminals.

DOE: Govt has other options aside from takeover of Peco

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NERGY Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said on Wednesday there are other ways to address possible service interruption in Iloilo City other than a government takeover. “One contingency measure is the government to take over in case there will be a problem. The DOE and ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission] are discussing other options we can’t make public yet. We want to assure the public we will not allow any service disruption,” said Cusi in a text message when asked if the agency has identified contingency measures. On Wednesday morning, Senate Energy Committee Head Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in an interview that his office would coordinate with the DOE. “We will write the DOE to request for contingency measures, just in case. The DOE has articulated they have the power to take over for the meantime because Peco [Panay Electric Co.] technically can’t operate anymore. But it was not spelled out how. We are talking about 60,000 connections, so how will DOE do it?” Gatchalian said. Peco’s franchise to provide electricity expires on January 19. Lawmakers did not renew the franchise. New player MORE Electric Corp. is expected to replace Peco as the electricity provider in Iloilo. MORE said Peco is not qualified to run as an electric firm mainly due to complaints from Iloilo residents. Cusi had said the government, possibly through the National Electrification Administration (NEA), may take over the power distribution

in Iloilo City if the dispute between Peco and MORE was not sorted out. He said the NEA had already organized a task force to take over power distribution in Iloilo City “in case there will be no settlement in the issue.” Meanwhile, the NEA reported on Wednesday that electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide posted a 4-percent growth in energy sales in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of the same year. It said that ECs’ sales volume went up to 5,136 gigawatt-hours (GWh) from April to June 2018. Of these, 2,610 GWh was registered in Luzon; 1,133 GWh in the Visayas; and 1,393 GWh in Mindanao. The state-run agency attributed the increase to the higher electricity consumed by the residential sector, which accounted for 2,670 GWh, or 52 percent, followed by the commercial sector at 1,130 GWh, or 22 percent. The industrial sector came in at 976 GWh, or 19 percent; public buildings at 257 GWh, or 5 percent; and other consumers at 103 GWh, or 2 percent. As a result of the increase in GWh sales, the operating revenues of the ECs in the second quarter grew 14 percent to P52.616 billion, from the first quarter’s P46.126 billion. This brings the total operating revenues of the ECs from January to June 2018 to P98.742 billion. The NEA has the supervisory powers over all ECs across the country as mandated under Republic Act 10531, also known as the “National Electrification Administration Reform Act of 2013.” Lenie Lectura

Tanglawan Consortium to include PNOC in LNG project Chelsea Logistics pulls out preferred shares offering T ANGLAWAN Philippine LNG Inc. could take in state-firm Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) as a stakeholder in its capital-intensive LNG (liquefied natural gas) project. Tanglawan is a joint venture between Philippine fuel retailer Phoenix Petroleum and China’s largest LNG importer and terminal operator, CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd. Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said, “Phoenix and PNOC have agreed in principle” for PNOC to be part of the LNG project, which was recently issued a Notice to Proceed by the Department of Energy. “[PNOC] can be one of the stakeholders,” said Cusi when asked what would be PNOC’s participation in the project. “The PDNGR [Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Regulation] does not mandate or

require PNOC to be a stakeholder. It’s a contractual or business decision between PNOC and any private stakeholder.” When asked if PNOC’s role can be likened to its participation in the Malampaya project in which PNOC-Exploration Corp. (EC) holds a 10-percent stake in the Malampaya consortium, Cusi said “that’s a commercial decision to be made by PNOC.” As of press time, Cusi clarified that he has not received any official report on an actual agreement that would include PNOC as one of the stakeholders. PNOC and Phoenix officials did not reply when sought for comment. Ta ngl awa n pl a ns to brea k ground by 2019 for the regasification and receiving terminal with a capacity of 2.2 metric tons per annum, with commercial opera-

tions targeted to start by 2023. The LNG facility will help support the demand for a clean, low-cost, and environment-friendly energy source in Luzon and contribute to the sustainable development of the Philippine economy. The integrated long-term project plan also aims to develop a gasfired power generation facility with up to 2,000 megawatts of installed capacity. After the issuance of the notice to proceed from the DOE, Tanglawan still needs to secure other pertinent permits as provided by the PDNGR. The requirements for the next six months, extendable for another six months based on valid reasons, include Environmental Compliance Certificate and the green light from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. Lenie Lectura

SMC to set up big devt projects in Quezon By John Bello Correspondent

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UCENA CITY—One of the largest and most diversified corporations in the country has proposed several big-ticket development projects in Quezon province, particularly in the municipalities of Pagbilao and Sariaya. Ramon Ang, president and COO of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), has written Gov. David Suarez with the list of projects and requested the latter to facilitate the favorable endorsement and approval by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP). The proposed projects to be established in Pagbilao are the cement plant with Co-gen plant, up to 1.200 megawatts CFB power plant (clean coal technology), deep sea port, all

with the proposed location in Barangay Ibabang Polo; dressing plant, slaughterhouse, ready-to-eat (RTE) plant to be located in Barangay Ilayang Palsabangon; logistics center and quarry to be located in Barangay Ilayang or Ibabang Palsabangon and Barangay Ilayang Bagumbungan. Those to be set up in Sariaya are a tank farm, brewery, feedmill and cement grinding plant, pier and port facilities all proposed to be located in Barangay Castañas or Barangay San Roque Guisguis. There will also be a proposed access road, and site development and relocation/resettlement sites for target areas in both towns. The SP on December 17 approved Resolution 2018-847 “expressing the full support of the provincial government of Quezon by approving

the list of proposed projects of SMC in the province and interposing no objection to its implementation and operation.” The resolution was certified as true and correct by SP Secretary Francis Xavier Sia, attested to be duly adopted by Vice Governor and SP presiding officer Samuel Nantes, and approved and signed by Suarez. The move was initiated by SP member Ferdinand Talabong and unanimously seconded by his colleagues. The resolution said “the establishment and development of various industries and businesses will provide employment and additional revenue that would accelerate and ensure the growth of the province and directly benefit the people of Quezon.”

By VG Cabuag @villygc

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HELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp., a company led by Davao businessman Dennis Uy, on Wednesday said it will not pursue its P5-billion preferred shares offering at the Philippine Stock Exchange. “The company has decided not to proceed with the offering of 3 million preferred shares with an oversubscription option of up to 2 million preferred shares, and has accordingly withdrawn its application for listing of these shares,” the company said in its disclosure. No reason was given for the pullout of the said offering. In September last year, the company filed its registration statement to sell the 5 million preferred shares that are nonvoting, nonconvertible and nonparticipating, for P1,000 apiece. About P2 billion of the proceeds will be used for its acquisitions in its shipping and logistics companies, land and development of logistics facilities, and vessels and vessel equipment. Firms led by Uy, however, will still be busy with the PSE this year led by the follow-on offering of his gambling unit PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc., formerly Philippine H2O Ventures Corp. Uy’s holding firm Udenna Corp. is also being eyed to be listed this year, either through backdoor listing or initial public offering. The Philippine Competition Commission earlier resolved that it will not take further action on the acquisition by Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. of 2 million common shares of Trans-Asia

Shipping Lines Inc. “Among the conditions in the undertaking of the company are its agreement to price monitoring of passenger and cargo rates, submission of semi-annual reports on all trips of passenger and cargo services in the critical routes, explanation of all extraordinary rate increases in the critical routes, and maintenance of service quality of passenger and cargo routes based on customer satisfaction index developed by third-party monitor,” the company said. Income of Chelsea Logistics, which also holds the country’s third telecommunications provider, for the three quarters of 2018 fell by more than half to P83.76 million, from the previous year’s P200.74 million. Revenues rose to P3.7 billion from the previous P2.3 billion, a jump of more than 60 percent. Money from its shipping businesses grew by half to P3.5 billion, while its revenues from logistics services grew by 9 percent on a pro-forma basis. The company’s passage segment recorded the highest revenue growth at 114 percent, generating P727 million during the first nine months of 2018. Revenues from the larger contributors, tankers and tugs, and freighter segments were 17 percent and 95 percent higher than the previous year, respectively. “We are expecting our logistics business to gain more momentum once we have accomplished our expansion programs, including additions to warehousing and distribution facilities and equipment,” company president and CEO Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy said.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, January 17, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

January 16, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS

ASIA UNITED 59.1 59.5 59.5 59.5 59.5 59.5 7500 446250 148750 BDO UNIBANK 129.5 131.3 130.9 131.5 129.5 129.5 1083280 141,374,009( 29,726,078.9998) BANK PH ISLANDS 93.65 94.5 93.4 94.5 92 94.5 2178850 203894962.5 41746754.5 CHINABANK 27.35 27.85 28.15 28.15 26.95 27.85 237900 6532215 -450390 CITYSTATE BANK 5.02 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 200 1516 EAST WEST BANK 12.3 12.34 12.44 12.46 12.3 12.3 390900 4825156 -2164274 METROBANK 80.2 81 80.1 81 79.8 81 2048160 164523423.5 53371695 PB BANK 12.34 12.4 12.32 12.4 12.32 12.34 9200 113852 PHIL NATL BANK 44.3 44.95 45.5 45.5 43.9 44.95 160200 7145245 1007955 PSBANK 59.15 59.3 59.05 59.3 59.05 59.3 11830 700547.5 RCBC 26.7 26.75 27.35 27.4 26.7 26.7 235100 6337190 3457030 SECURITY BANK 179 179.8 179.5 182.1 174.1 179.8 404160 72068245 21238279 UNION BANK 64.55 64.9 65 65 64.55 64.55 20380 1319282 -350738 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.44 1.45 1.48 1.48 1.45 1.45 44000 63980 BDO LEASING 2.32 2.34 2.3 2.34 2.3 2.34 145000 337340 COL FINANCIAL 16.1 16.2 16.2 16.2 16 16.2 800 12940 FERRONOUX HLDG 4.88 4.9 4.92 5.02 4.8 4.9 381000 1876970 -20000 IREMIT 1.42 1.49 1.47 1.5 1.42 1.42 32000 46500 MEDCO HLDG 0.475 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.485 0.485 40000 19500 NTL REINSURANCE 1.04 1.05 1.01 1.05 1.01 1.05 2767000 2871000 PHIL STOCK EXCH 180 183 179.8 180 179.8 180 1070 192532 SUN LIFE 1790 1800 1800 1800 1800 1800 35 63000 INDUSTRIAL ALSONS CONS 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.4 246000 342170 ABOITIZ POWER 36.15 36.2 36.95 36.95 36 36.2 845400 30629490 -16389140 BASIC ENERGY 0.246 0.249 0.25 0.255 0.245 0.246 220000 54190 FIRST GEN 19.98 20.1 20.5 20.65 19.98 19.98 2786900 56019656 1931772 FIRST PHIL HLDG 72.75 72.8 73.5 73.5 72.2 72.75 121670 8855629.5 2681993 MERALCO 387 388 396 396 386.2 387 283030 109861432 -3478932 MANILA WATER 26.5 26.95 27.2 27.2 26.5 26.5 1831100 49027515 -5260770 PETRON 7.69 7.7 7.79 7.79 7.69 7.69 2920400 22566494 -10309811 PETROENERGY 3.77 3.79 3.76 3.82 3.75 3.79 230000 870780 PHINMA ENERGY 1.29 1.3 1.35 1.36 1.27 1.3 25298000 33344020 11800 PH RESORTS GRP 6.6 6.67 6.14 6.79 6.12 6.67 3146400 20346324 -65744 PHX PETROLEUM 10.96 11 11 11 10.9 10.96 62900 686786 480166 PILIPINAS SHELL 47.7 47.9 47.85 48 47.55 47.9 722000 34530695 -11606355 SPC POWER 6.29 6.3 6.38 6.38 6.26 6.29 224500 1412886 -235230 AGRINURTURE 16.38 16.48 16.5 16.64 16.38 16.48 387600 6401730 631904 CNTRL AZUCARERA 16.5 17.94 16.5 17 16.5 16.5 9100 150790 CENTURY FOOD 15.52 15.66 15.9 15.9 15.52 15.66 2530700 39520040 -203610 DEL MONTE 6.5 6.69 6.64 6.68 6.5 6.5 54800 360656 -359336 DNL INDUS 11.76 11.78 11.8 11.9 11.76 11.78 4135000 48841798 22235478 EMPERADOR 7.29 7.3 7.3 7.52 7.3 7.3 194100 1427263 -983027 SMC FOODANDBEV 85.05 85.1 84.5 85.5 83.9 85.1 601210 50896657 -4830983 ALLIANCE SELECT 1.13 1.14 1.17 1.19 1.11 1.13 12960000 14744390 162630 GINEBRA 26 26.1 26 26 26 26 13000 338000 332800 JOLLIBEE 307 307.4 315.2 317.8 307 307 593810 183695644 -54430970 MACAY HLDG 10.04 10.9 10.2 10.9 10.2 10.9 200 2110 MAXS GROUP 11.3 11.38 11.26 11.54 11.26 11.3 753000 8576914 -4524040 MG HLDG 0.174 0.179 0.178 0.179 0.171 0.174 1040000 181050 35280 PEPSI COLA 1.42 1.43 1.48 1.48 1.42 1.42 4025000 5793260 -3149840 SHAKEYS PIZZA 12.4 12.56 12.82 12.82 12.4 12.4 228200 2856656 -624636 ROXAS AND CO 1.84 1.85 1.83 1.89 1.83 1.84 955000 1762000 RFM CORP 4.8 4.88 4.65 4.8 4.65 4.8 3000 14100 ROXAS HLDG 2.74 3 2.8 2.89 2.8 2.89 20000 57260 SWIFT FOODS 0.13 0.134 0.128 0.134 0.125 0.133 6240000 819540 -46300 UNIV ROBINA 141.5 143 141.8 144 139 143 2136790 300124837 34271506 VITARICH 2.11 2.12 2.16 2.16 2.11 2.12 5544000 11789390 4180 VICTORIAS 2.34 2.45 2.45 2.45 2.45 2.45 6000 14700 CEMEX HLDG 2.14 2.15 2.08 2.15 2.05 2.14 16451000 34789720 -225530 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.42 6.62 6.65 6.69 6.4 6.4 10100 64748 EAGLE CEMENT 15.2 15.3 15.3 15.3 15.14 15.2 130900 1988852 EEI CORP 8.1 8.12 8.19 8.24 8.1 8.1 306100 2495853 -1593713 HOLCIM 6 6.04 6.06 6.06 6 6.04 240600 1448040 300481 MEGAWIDE 17.2 17.46 18.12 18.12 17.18 17.2 5999200 104105724 -14732558 PHINMA 9.06 9.29 9.05 9.29 9.05 9.29 3000 27386 TKC METALS 0.88 0.92 0.89 0.93 0.88 0.92 29000 25870 -930 VULCAN INDL 1.59 1.6 1.61 1.64 1.59 1.6 4420000 7121740 610030 CHEMPHIL 132.9 135 132.5 132.9 132.5 132.9 80 10612 CROWN ASIA 1.74 1.79 1.78 1.79 1.75 1.79 37000 65620 46370 LMG CHEMICALS 4.33 4.39 4.34 4.34 4.34 4.34 3000 13020 MABUHAY VINYL 3.02 3.14 3.14 3.15 3.14 3.14 15000 47110 -43960 PRYCE CORP 5.8 5.95 5.81 5.81 5.8 5.8 24400 141570 CONCEPCION 40 41 41 41 40.05 40.05 500 20120 GREENERGY 2.15 2.17 2.21 2.21 2.13 2.17 2728000 5884440 -568430 INTEGRATED MICR 12.78 12.9 12.76 13.1 12.7 12.78 6091600 78807754 58009462 IONICS 1.86 1.88 1.86 1.88 1.86 1.86 410000 763160 PANASONIC 5.7 5.88 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 1100 6270 SFA SEMICON 1.51 1.52 1.52 1.52 1.51 1.52 48000 72620 CIRTEK HLDG 30.85 31.3 30.95 31.3 30.85 31.3 102600 3189950 -509900 HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.68 0.69 0.73 0.73 0.67 0.69 56531000 39336340 -530200 ASIABEST GROUP 27 27.05 27.65 28.3 27 27.05 89300 2443830 AYALA CORP 919 919.5 916 930 915 919 2157730 1989241430 -779573000 ABOITIZ EQUITY 63.9 64.8 64.7 64.8 60.7 64.8 1042460 66834944 -15527202.5 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 13.34 13.38 13.44 13.46 13.04 13.38 9529600 126952216 51847732 ANSCOR 6.5 6.55 6.55 6.55 6.5 6.5 54100 352355 201050 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.78 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 2000 1600 ATN HLDG A 1.41 1.42 1.45 1.45 1.39 1.42 11961000 16863540 ATN HLDG B 1.43 1.45 1.44 1.44 1.42 1.43 3308000 4724630 3237930 COSCO CAPITAL 7.04 7.06 7.17 7.19 7.03 7.04 361500 2575691 629381 DMCI HLDG 12.4 12.5 12.54 12.58 12.2 12.4 5566500 69349530 -26208002 FILINVEST DEV 12.7 12.78 13 13 12.7 12.7 344500 4408898 574860 FJ PRINCE B 4.12 5.2 5 5 5 5 17100 85500 FORUM PACIFIC 0.209 0.23 0.207 0.23 0.207 0.23 520000 117190 GT CAPITAL 998.5 1007 1000 1010 988.5 1007 101010 101495270 58771660 HOUSE OF INV 5.9 6 6 6 5.9 5.9 29000 171598 113480 JG SUMMIT 64.95 65 65.9 66 64.05 65 1305210 85232260.5 15183973 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 5.42 5.83 5.48 5.48 5.48 5.48 11900 65212 LODESTAR 0.59 0.61 0.62 0.62 0.6 0.6 9000 5490 620 LOPEZ HLDG 5.37 5.4 5.3 5.48 5.26 5.4 4531000 24423137 3545681 LT GROUP 15.26 15.34 15.58 15.6 15.24 15.34 1166300 17911210 -4568036 MABUHAY HLDG 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.62 0.62 625000 395150 MJC INVESTMENTS 2.57 3.47 3 3 3 3 3000 9000 METRO PAC INV 5.07 5.08 5.08 5.15 5.01 5.08 19601800 99545611 9630290 PACIFICA 0.037 0.038 0.038 0.038 0.036 0.037 19300000 710200 PRIME ORION 2.61 2.62 2.64 2.64 2.61 2.62 537000 1405830 PRIME MEDIA 1.17 1.18 1.17 1.18 1.17 1.18 61000 71750 SOLID GROUP 1.38 1.4 1.43 1.43 1.38 1.4 45000 62900 SYNERGY GRID 474 515 475 475 475 475 150 71250 SM INVESTMENTS 958.5 960 980 980 950 960 244900 235126160 -28600055 SAN MIGUEL CORP 150 150.1 152.4 152.5 149.5 150 524490 78976638 -5804242 TOP FRONTIER 244.8 251 249.8 251 242.6 251 109190 26599350 218700 WELLEX INDUS 0.249 0.25 0.255 0.26 0.25 0.25 2730000 694550 ZEUS HLDG 0.216 0.224 0.217 0.224 0.212 0.224 1410000 304590 PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.93 0.94 0.95 0.96 0.93 0.94 1845000 1730060 960 AYALA LAND 43.1 43.3 44.75 44.75 43.1 43.1 11804800 514275845 -151633560 ARANETA PROP 1.67 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.67 1.67 63000 105240 BELLE CORP 2.41 2.42 2.42 2.44 2.41 2.41 822000 1988500 -570080 A BROWN 0.83 0.84 0.86 0.86 0.82 0.83 4470000 3749320 CITYLAND DEVT 0.89 0.91 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 11000 9900 CROWN EQUITIES 0.255 0.26 0.27 0.27 0.255 0.26 20310000 5332150 273000 CEBU HLDG 6.32 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.4 1900 12136 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.2 4.22 4.29 4.3 4.2 4.2 258000 1093690 CENTURY PROP 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.435 1290000 562100 DOUBLEDRAGON 21.75 21.8 21.6 22.2 21.6 21.8 1046000 22959460 5539945 DM WENCESLAO 8.6 8.69 8.45 8.97 8.4 8.6 2052500 17824666 383498 EMPIRE EAST 0.5 0.51 0.52 0.52 0.5 0.51 1031000 527070 -377220 FILINVEST LAND 1.44 1.45 1.47 1.47 1.44 1.45 9373000 13579650 1242050 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.18 1.19 1.18 1.19 1.16 1.19 2395000 2787010 -11800 8990 HLDG 8.74 8.76 8.74 8.79 8.7 8.76 3256100 28452339 918759 PHIL INFRADEV 2.19 2.2 2.23 2.24 2.18 2.2 2959000 6511300 960200 MEGAWORLD 5.07 5.13 5.15 5.15 5 5.13 13143000 66938896 47860537 MRC ALLIED 0.46 0.465 0.47 0.47 0.46 0.465 12500000 5817600 -51150 PHIL ESTATES 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.465 240000 110500 PRIMEX CORP 3.53 3.54 3.55 3.57 3.54 3.54 952000 3380920 -356000 ROBINSONS LAND 22.5 22.65 22.8 22.9 22.2 22.5 1740700 39363825 5096030 PHIL REALTY 0.42 0.425 0.415 0.425 0.415 0.425 1060000 441100 ROCKWELL 2.03 2.05 2.04 2.04 2.03 2.03 57000 116080 SHANG PROP 3.12 3.13 3.12 3.15 3.12 3.13 57000 178310 STA LUCIA LAND 1.33 1.34 1.3 1.34 1.28 1.34 1799000 2372500 SM PRIME HLDG 36.95 37 39.6 39.6 36 37 43535700 1626202460 -508481130 STARMALLS 6.11 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.02 6.16 254200 1553906 SUNTRUST HOME 0.71 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.71 0.71 17000 12520 VISTA LAND 5.81 5.86 5.89 5.91 5.81 5.86 2314200 13543995 -4676654 SERVICES ABS CBN 21.25 21.4 21.5 21.5 21.25 21.25 63400 1356035 GMA NETWORK 5.81 5.84 5.8 5.88 5.78 5.84 157500 918527 MANILA BULLETIN 0.35 0.37 0.355 0.37 0.355 0.37 80000 29100 MLA BRDCASTING 15.8 17.98 17.98 17.98 17.98 17.98 100 1798 GLOBE TELECOM 2038 2058 2086 2086 2036 2038 13080 26869500 2602520 PLDT 1212 1215 1225 1235 1199 1215 125685 152848420 29367575 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.041 0.043 0.043 0.043 0.041 0.043 32800000 1361900 -4300 DFNN INC 7.2 7.44 7.5 7.5 7.1 7.44 39200 285500 ISLAND INFO 0.137 0.138 0.136 0.138 0.134 0.138 7600000 1032620 ISM COMM 6.35 6.36 6.46 6.46 6.31 6.35 2859300 18195053 -893829 JACKSTONES 3.19 3.33 3.1 3.39 3.07 3.33 207000 662500 NOW CORP 4.18 4.2 4.24 4.24 4.11 4.2 5015000 20903200 -72270.0001 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.435 0.44 0.445 0.445 0.435 0.44 5240000 2303200 136400 PHILWEB 3.38 3.39 3.34 3.38 3.3 3.38 1155000 3867640 -1194880 2GO GROUP 14.2 14.22 14.4 14.4 14.2 14.22 76000 1081040 CEBU AIR 79.65 80.4 79.5 80.95 79 80.4 194640 15610370.5 9085136 CHELSEA 6.76 6.77 6.85 6.95 6.75 6.76 1414900 9621577 -260136 INTL CONTAINER 104.7 104.8 104.3 105.6 102.8 104.8 821320 86115359 21655674 LBC EXPRESS 11.02 14.88 14.5 14.88 14.5 14.88 300 4426 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.82 0.86 0.88 0.88 0.83 0.83 135000 113400 MACROASIA 18 18.4 18.6 18.6 18 18 522100 9513446 -2689458 METROALLIANCE A 2.15 2.16 2.24 2.3 2.15 2.16 652000 1424520 METROALLIANCE B 2.14 2.3 2.22 2.22 2.02 2.2 177000 373000 PAL HLDG 8.52 8.89 8.99 8.99 8.5 8.5 12700 112584 899 HARBOR STAR 3.06 3.09 3.22 3.22 3.02 3.06 2293000 7118510 280010 ACESITE HOTEL 1.33 1.37 1.46 1.46 1.3 1.37 856000 1149120 -272700 WATERFRONT 0.75 0.76 0.77 0.78 0.75 0.76 1625000 1238470 CENTRO ESCOLAR 7.61 7.99 7.99 7.99 7.99 7.99 1100 8789 IPEOPLE 10.66 11.5 11.2 11.2 10.6 10.6 6300 67950 STI HLDG 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.8 0.77 0.78 14663000 11494280 -2446530 BERJAYA 3.39 3.4 3.46 3.46 3.35 3.39 837000 2855170 -356990 BLOOMBERRY 10.8 10.84 10.98 10.98 10.76 10.8 9718500 105001200 27563222 PACIFIC ONLINE 9.56 9.84 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 17400 167040 LEISURE AND RES 3.43 3.44 3.45 3.47 3.39 3.44 823000 2814710 -245140 MANILA JOCKEY 5.01 5.24 5.01 5.24 5.01 5.24 39800 199444 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.92 0.93 0.95 0.95 0.92 0.92 6854000 6385860 523180 TRAVELLERS 5.49 5.5 5.47 5.5 5.47 5.5 114000 625518 -29623 METRO RETAIL 2.68 2.69 2.71 2.71 2.68 2.69 1406000 3792700 1776510 PUREGOLD 48.25 48.3 48.65 48.65 48 48.3 1292800 62412920 -17442500 ROBINSONS RTL 85 87.5 87.4 88 85 87.5 303530 26516099.5 24207295.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 116 118.5 119 119 116 116 40 4715 SSI GROUP 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.35 2.31 2.32 8293000 19272480 890099.9998 WILCON DEPOT 13.06 13.08 13.44 13.52 13.04 13.06 3765500 49752372 -33906960 APC GROUP 0.44 0.445 0.455 0.49 0.44 0.44 64040000 29913750 46500 EASYCALL 17.2 17.3 16.6 18.5 16.46 17.3 530500 9323456 PAXYS 3.48 3.73 3.55 3.75 3.48 3.73 163000 570520 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.35 0.365 0.335 0.36 0.335 0.36 5130000 1821150 SBS PHIL CORP 7.68 7.82 7.75 7.8 7.7 7.8 169600 1321650 95140 MINING & OIL ATOK 14.62 15.38 14.62 15.38 14.62 15.38 600 8848 APEX MINING 1.63 1.64 1.64 1.65 1.62 1.63 585000 955020 ABRA MINING 0.0021 0.0022 0.0021 0.0022 0.0021 0.0022 174000000 365800 ATLAS MINING 2.65 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 6000 16140 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.295 0.305 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 120000 34800 CENTURY PEAK 2.02 2.03 2.01 2.03 1.99 2.02 1723000 3465140 DIZON MINES 7.5 7.7 7.81 7.81 7.49 7.7 1600 12226 FERRONICKEL 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.68 1.65 1.65 1401000 2332500 11690 GEOGRACE 0.215 0.218 0.216 0.218 0.215 0.218 80000 17390 LEPANTO A 0.118 0.12 0.118 0.118 0.118 0.118 2080000 245440 LEPANTO B 0.122 0.126 0.127 0.127 0.121 0.126 130000 16140 MANILA MINING A 0.0072 0.0074 0.0071 0.0074 0.0071 0.0074 20000000 146100 MARCVENTURES 1.21 1.25 1.21 1.25 1.21 1.25 38000 46860 NIHAO 1.03 1.06 1.08 1.08 1.06 1.08 3000 3220 NICKEL ASIA 2.47 2.48 2.51 2.55 2.45 2.48 1645000 4099110 122020.0002 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.97 0.98 0.96 0.98 0.96 0.97 115000 111450 PX MINING 4.15 4.16 4.21 4.23 4.11 4.16 3389000 14138880 1252820 SEMIRARA MINING 24.15 24.35 24.4 24.45 24 24.15 857100 20777425 -1787590 UNITED PARAGON 0.0069 0.0072 0.0072 0.0072 0.0068 0.0069 25000000 171800 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 66900000 869700 PHILODRILL 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 209700000 2588000 PHINMA PETRO 3.72 3.91 3.77 3.98 3.77 3.95 46000 179050 PXP ENERGY 15.7 15.8 15.92 15.94 15.7 15.7 413200 6517392 -1361862

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF SMC FB PREF 2 FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3B SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

95.6 472 99.9 97.5 971 102.5 451 873.5 885 1.01 99.1 104 1.8 75.3 75.95 72.55 74 74.5 73.5 72.65 73

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

19 5.68

96 473 100.9 98.45 986 104 455 918 900 1.02 100 105 2.4 75.4 76 73.5 74.5 74.8 74.9 74.25 73.45

96 473 99.9 98.5 970 103.5 455 870.5 900 1.02 100.5 106 1.8 75.45 76.5 73.5 74.5 74.5 74 74.25 73.4

96 473 100.9 98.5 986 103.5 455 870.5 900 1.02 100.5 106 1.8 75.45 76.5 73.5 74.5 74.5 74 74.25 73.45

96 472 99.9 98.45 968.5 103.5 455 870.5 900 1.01 100 105 1.8 75.4 75.85 73.5 74.5 74.5 74 74 73.4

96 473 100.9 98.45 986 103.5 455 870.5 900 1.01 100 105 1.8 75.4 75.95 73.5 74.5 74.5 74 74 73.45

900 4600 1200 270 3510 2420 20 10790 2240 12000 5410 770 23000 1360 46510 460 30 23990 700 2180 11310

86400 2175670 120080 26589.5 3399625 250470 9100 9392695 2016000 12160 541155 81050 41400 102569 3537234.5 33810 2235 1787255 51800 161730 830324

47250 -2656067 -

19.1 5.69

19.2 5.62

19.2 5.69

18.9 5.62

19 5.68

671800 68000

12761560 385986

-1754050 -

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

2.01

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 5.08 XURPAS 1.6

2.02

2.07

2.07

2

2.01

292000

587360

-

5.1 1.61

5.28 1.65

5.3 1.66

5.05 1.55

5.08 1.6

575700 9035000

2963940 14500450

-104206 -748990

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

116.8

117.2

118.7

118.7

116.8

117.2

8250

968178

15288

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Meralco asks ERC to approve replacement of transformer

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Mania Electric Co. (Meralco) filed an application before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for approval of the emergency replacement of a power transformer located at its Tagaytay substation. “Applicant seeks approval of its emergency replacement of one 33MVA, 110kV-13.8kV, threephase power transformer with OnLoad Tap Changer at the Tagaytay substation for the replacement of the defective power transformer bank no. 1,” said the utility firm in

its January 11 application. Meralco said this undertaking is listed under the company’s emergency capital expenditure projects or those that require immediate implementation during an event that is not a force majeure in order to maintain safe, reliable and efficient operation

of the power system. However, for purposes of recovering the capital cost of the said emergency project through Meralco’s rates, the same will go through the process of evaluation by the ERC. The total cost for the emergency replacement of the power transformer is P44,756,417.04. Meralco said the long Tagaytay power transformer bank no. 1 was tripped out last November. Meralco opted to temporary transfer its loads to the adjoining transformer banks. However, this temporary solution resulted in critical loading of the adjoining transformer banks. “With critical loading of said power transformers, any outage thereof would have resulted to prolonged and massive interruption in the towns of Indang, Amadeo,

Silang, Cavite, Tagayatay City and Tres Martires, Cavite,” it said, adding that an outage would have critically affected the supply of electricity to vital customers in said areas, such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas training facility, Philippine Public Safety College, Filinvest Land Inc., Ayala Land Inc., Alveo Land Corp. and Globe Telecom. Considering that risks posed by shifting the loads to the adjoining power transformers, Meralco replaced the defective Tagaytay power transformer with another transformer pulled out from the Los Baños substation. “Since this is only an interim solution, the transformer shall be returned to Los Baños substation as soon as the new power transformer arrives,” it said.

DICT to help other govt agencies hurdle ICT issues By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) could assist other government agencies in crafting future contracts with the private sector—especially for those that involve ICT solutions—to prevent a repeat of the passport data mess that the government is currently facing. Allan Cabanlong, an assistant secretary at the ICT department, said the agency views the problem that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is facing as simply a matter of contract legalese, as there have been no noted or monitored data breaches so far. “During our initial investigation, we found out that the company did

not run away with the data, at least according to the previous country manager of Oberthur. The issue here is not on the technical side, but on the people side,” he said. Nonetheless, the ICT department will be conducting an inquiry meeting on Thursday “to find out what happened — if it violates national cybersecurity in the Philippines.” Cabanlong noted his group is willing to help agencies such as the DFA to prevent this kind of incident from happening by employing information-technology experts in contract development. “We can assist. But the challenge is we lack experts in contract development, especially if the contract involves information technology, wherein you really have to inspect each item and ensure that everything is explicitly defined in the contract,”

Mondelez PHL joins recycling alliance

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ONDELEZ Philippines has strengthened its commitment to recycling by joining the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS). This is in line with the snack company’s recently announced global commitment to make all packaging recyclable by the year 2025. Mondelez Philippines has been operating in the Philippines for the past 56 years. During this time, the company has manufactured Filipinos’ favorite snack products, including Tang powdered beverage, Eden cheese, Cheez Whiz, Oreo cookies and Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. The company also worked to help protect the well-being of the planet. This includes continuous reduction of the company’s use of water and energy, and carbon emissions. In addition, the company works to reduce the waste it creates through its manufacturing. To date, 98 percent of the total waste generated from its Sucat, Parañaque, manufacturing plant are either recyclable or recycled, such as glass bottles or paper cartons. It also works with third-party partners to use product waste for animal feeds. Inside their plant, there is also a materials recovery facility, which properly handles, segregates and shreds any packaging waste and sends it to a cement-industry partner to be used as co-fuel. In October 2018, a global commitment was made by parent company Mondelēz International to ensure that by the year 2025, all packaging used for its products will be recyclable. Under this commitment, the company vows to make all paper-based packaging sustainably sourced by 2020,

that is, using paper that has been recycled or from verified suppliers who also practice environmental care. The company also vows to eliminate 65 million kilograms of packaging material worldwide. It will further work to make it easy for consumers to recycle or re-use product packs after use, leveraging on the vast array of local recycling systems around the world. All these commitments will build up to the company’s global long-term vision for zero-net waste packaging. To support this global commitment, Mondelez will work in partnerships so that packaging can be collected and recycled in markets around the world. In the Philippines, the first step toward this is the recent partnership with PARMS. The organization is a multi-stakeholder coalition consisting of members across the waste management value chain. It is premised on developing and implementing a holistic and comprehensive program to increase resource recovery and reduce landfill dependence, leading toward a zero waste Philippines. Mondelez Philippines has joined PARMS together with other corporations in the country to invest in a P25-million residual plastic recycling facility that will address the need to recycle plastics. To date, PARMS has partnered with the Parañaque local government, which will serve as the pilot site for the recycling program. Collection of plastic waste through seven schools in the city has already begun. These plastic wastes will be turned into ecobricks or recycled building bricks that will be turned over to the schools for their use in facilities improvement.

he said. To recall, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. claimed the passport contractor Apo Production Unit Inc., which was taken in after Oberthur withdrew from the deal in 2015, took the data when

MUTUAL FUNDS

the agency terminated its contract. This has since caused allegations and speculations that there had been a data privacy breach, which promoted the National Privacy Commission to conduct its own investigation.

January 16, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC * 266.12 -11.74% 5% 3.96% 5.57% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 1.51 -7.49% 13.17% 4.12% 5.88% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 4.1526 -12.16% 7.34% 2.4% 6.32% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP.* 0.9521 -6.48% N.A. N.A. 6.88% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC.* 0.8794 N.A. N.A. N.A. 6.89% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC.* 5.6193 -8.44% 5.16% 3.33% 6.74% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. * 121.33 2.37% N.A. N.A. 2.85% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.* 0.892 -12.47% -2.98% N.A. 6.81% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC.* 52.7219 -9.6% 6.74% N.A. 6.87% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC.* 547.35 -10.07% 4.99% 3.29% 6.28% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC.* 1.3253 -7.73% 6.55% N.A. 5.48% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC.* 38.9941 -7.68% 7.56% 5.89% 6.28% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC.* **** 1.0503 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC.* 5.3216 -9.3% 7.66% 6% 7.07% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP.* 889.03 -9.1% 7.57% 6.07% 7.07% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. * 0.91 -8.74% 4.42% N.A. 5.69% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC.* 4.3035 -9.04% 6.94% 4.27% 5.89% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC.* 1.0236 -9.42% 7.4% N.A. 7.02% UNITED FUND, INC.* 3.7242 -6.05% 8.93% 4.88% 6.4% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC.* *** ^ 118.7941 -8.79% 8.73% 7.16% 7.04% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC.** $0.9403 -19.11% 5.16% -0.22% 1.59% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC.* $1.1565 -11.81% N.A. N.A. 6.07% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC.* 1.7295 -9.16% 1.53% -0.09% 4.58% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC.* 2.3001 -7.98% 4.23% 1.87% 4.1% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC.* 2.6689 -4.71% 2.18% -0.17% 4.98% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION* 1.3586 -8.48% N.A. N.A. 4.02% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC* 1.9076 -5.89% 3.45% 2.84% 3.42% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC.* 3.6171 -9.68% 1.89% 1.77% 2.3% PHILAM FUND, INC.* 16.411 -8.48% 2.26% 1.87% 3.12% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC.* 2.1438 -6.18% 3.6% 3.56% 3.49% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC.* 3.8059 -6.91% 3.55% 2.52% 4.15% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC.* 0.9613 -7.59% 2.87% N.A. 4.35% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC.* $0.03544 -1.91% 0.05% 1.75% 0.71% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC.* $0.9447 -12.94% 4.09% -0.94% 2.09% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC.* $3.4232 -8.59% 4.85% 1.27% 3.86% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC.* $1.0327 -8.49% N.A. N.A. 2.69% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 344.06 2.02% 2.17% 1.98% 0.2% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.* ^^ 1.8557 -2.04% -0.62% -0.4% -0.06% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC.* 2.9782 5.45% 5.4% 5.27% 0.27% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC.* 2.1384 1.43% 1.68% 1.68% 0.38% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC.* 2.2206 0.05% 0.32% 0.45% 0.53% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP.* P 1.5835 -1.88% -0.09% 0.04% 1.25% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC.* 3.8584 -4.69% -0.87% -0.09% -1.57% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 3.5584 1.91% 1.05% 0.96% 1.28% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. * 0.9063 -1.66% -0.16% N.A. 1.55% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC.* 2.8007 0.63% 1.58% 1.23% 1.3% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC.* 1.5591 0.31% 1.26% 0.78% 1.31% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. * $449.05 0.71% 2.27% 3.08% 0.18% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. * Є212.59 -0.58% 1.05% 1.52% -0.01% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.** $1.1313 -0.1% 1.07% 1.98% 0.53% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $0.0249 - 0.4% 0.82% N.A. 0% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP.* $1.6918 -4.52% -0.52% 1.11% 0.08% MAA PRIVILEGE DOLLAR FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA PRIVILEGE EURO FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC* $1.039 -2.8% -0.56% -2.36% 0.5% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $2.1885 -2.69% 1% 2.81% 0.81% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC.* $0.0570632 - 0.18% 0.93% 1.84% 0.13% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC.* $2.8884 -4.11% 0.4% 1.79% 0.59% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 121.11 2.87% 1.92% 1.61% 0.24% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC.* 1.1798 1.76% 0.7% 0.47% -0.14% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 1.221 2.73% 2.3% 1.65% 0.2% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC.* $1.0169 1.79% N.A. N.A. 0.13% * - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY ** - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO *** - LISTED IN THE PSE. **** - RE-CLASSIFIED INTO A BALANCED FUND STARTING JANUARY 1, 2017 (FORMERLY GREPALIFE BOND FUND CORP.). ***** - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 6, 2017 ****** - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 08, 2018 ******** - RENAMING OF THE FUND WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST APRIL 13, 2018. ********* - BECAME A MEMBER SINCE APRIL 20, 2018. ******* - ADJUSTED DUE TO CASH DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST JANUARY 29, 2018

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World

US, South Korea eye incentives for Kim Jong Un in nuclear talks

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HE US and South Korea are discussing “corresponding measures” to reward North Korea’s steps toward denuclearization, South Korea’s foreign minister said, as President Donald J. Trump and Kim Jong Un prepare for a possible second summit. Foreign Minister Kang Kyungwha told a news conference on Wednesday in Seoul that the allies were reviewing various packages of incentives that Washington could bring to the table in the meeting. While Kang provided few details other than to say restarting stalled business projects were being discussed, the term can cover everything from sanctions relief to moves to formalize the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. “Between South Korea and the United States, we are closely consulting what kinds of denuclearization measures should be followed and what the United States and the international community can do as corresponding measures,” she told local media at a New Year’s news conference. She said she expected nuclear talks to pick up speed. Negotiations between the US and North Korea have sputtered since Trump and Kim signed an ag reement dur ing their f irst meeting in June to “work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” without defining the phrase or setting any deadlines. North Korea argues the deal implied a step-by-step approach, where each of its actions are met by US responses,

while Trump administration officials assert that Kim accepted his country’s “final, fully verified denuclearization.” Kim warned in his New Year’s address earlier this month that he could be forced to take a “new path” in talks, if Trump didn’t relax sanctions pressure. Kim pressed for US concessions to reward his decisions last year to halt weapons tests and dismantle some testing facilities, without offering additional steps. “If the United States takes a credible action in response to our proactive and preemptive efforts and responds to the corresponding measures, the relationship between the two countries will move forward at a good and rapid pace through the process of taking more certain and innovative steps,” Kim said on January 1. Kang’s remarks come as the US and North Korea prepare for a second summit between the two leaders. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and top Kim aide Kim Yong Chol were expected to meet in Washington as soon as this week, CNN reported on Wednesday. While South Korea wasn’t independently considering resuming cooperation projects at a North Korean mountain resort or the joint factory park in the North, Kang said such moves were part of the “various combination of corresponding measures” being discussed. “Details of the results will be generated during the negotiations between North Korea and the United States,” she said. Bloomberg News

Oil resumes rally as US stockpiles seen falling

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IL climbed as investors anticipated another decline in US crude inventories and China promised to slash taxes to avert an economic slowdown. Futures in New York rose 3.2 percent after sinking during the past two sessions. American stockpiles probably fell for the sixth time in seven weeks, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts before government data due on Wednesday. After trading closed, an industry report offered a more tepid view on demand, with big increases in US gasoline and diesel inventories. The US Energy Department, meanwhile, forecast continued growth for world oil demand. Oil resumed its New Year’s advance along with major equity indexes after China said it would cut taxes to counter any slowdown. While prices remain more than 30 percent below October’s fouryear high, they’ve rallied in 2019 on signs of shrinking supplies and indications the global economy can avoid a worst-case scenario. “The Chinese are throwing everything they can” at their economy, said John Kilduff, founding partner at hedge fund Again Capital Llc. “That’s the big key to oil markets, especially when you have Opec and Russia starting to rein in production.”

West Texas Intermediate for February delivery climbed $1.60 to $52.11 a barrel at the close of trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices dipped slightly to $51.91 after the American Petroleum Institute was said to report gasoline and distillate stockpiles grew by a combined 9.2 million barrels last week. Brent for March settlement gained $1.65 to $60.64 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, and traded at an $8.25 premium to WTI for the same m onth. US crude inventories fell by 560,000 barrels last week, the API was said to report. A separate survey by Bloomberg on Tuesday forecast nationwide stockpiles probably declined by 2.5 million barrels. If confirmed by government data due on Wednesday, that will keep inventories near the lowest level since early November. “It was very doom and gloom in December but we had no official data to back that up,” said Ashley Petersen, lead oil market analyst at Stratas Advisors in New York. “Now the data that’s coming back is not really that bad. It may be pointing toward a slowdown, but it doesn’t look like a contraction, and those are two very different worlds.” Bloomberg News

Argentina says 2018 inflation hit 47.6 percent

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UENOS A IR ES, A rgentina—Argentina’s consumer prices rose 47.6 percent in 2018, the official statistics agency announced on Tuesday. The annual inflation rate is the highest since 1991 and one of the world’s highest. President Mauricio Macri has struggled to tame consumer prices, and Argentina’s peso currency also lost about half of its value last year. The economic turmoil led the gover nment to seek a record $56 -bi l l ion ba i lout w it h t he

Inter nationa l Monetar y Fund. Consumer prices rose 2.6 percent in December over the previous month. Top price increases for December were in communication, which rose 7.7 percent and health, up 5.2 percent. Increases in utility rates that are part of a series of austerity measures also fueled inflation. For the full year, the largest increases were in transportation, which rose 66.8 percent; health, up 50.2 percent; and food and non-Alcoholic beverages, with a 51.2-percent increase. AP

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UK’s May faces no-confidence vote after Brexit plan crushed

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ONDON—British lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s divorce deal with the European Union on Tuesday, plunging the Brexit process into chaos and triggering a noconfidence vote that could topple her government. The defeat was widely expected, but the scale of the House of Commons’ vote—432 votes against the government and 202 in support—was devastating for May’s fragile leadership. It followed more than two years of political upheaval in which May has staked her political reputation on getting a Brexit deal and was the biggest defeat for a government in the House of Commons in modern history. Moments after the result was announced—with Speaker John B ercow be l low i ng “t he noes have it” to a packed Commons chamber—May said it was only right to test whether the government still had lawmakers’ support to carry on. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn quickly obliged, saying May’s government had lost the confidence of Parliament. Lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on his motion of no-confidence. If the government loses, it will have 14 days to overturn the result or face a national election. Although May lacks an overall majority in Parliament, she looks likely to survive the vote unless lawmakers from her Conservative party rebel. Northern Ireland’s

Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May’s government, said it would support her. “The House has spoken and the government will listen,” May said after the vote, which leaves her Brexit plan on life support just 10 weeks before the country is due to leave the EU on March 29. May promised to consult lawmakers on future moves, but gave little indication of what she plans to do next. Parliament has given the government until Monday to come up with a new proposal. She faces a stark choice: Steer the country toward an abrupt “nodeal” break with the EU or try to nudge it toward a softer departure. Meanwhile, lawmakers from both government and opposition parties are trying to wrest control of the Brexit process from a paralyzed government, so that lawmakers by majority vote can specify a new plan for Britain’s EU exit. But with no clear majority in Parliament for any single alternate course, there is a growing chance that Britain may seek to postpone its departure date while politicians work on a new plan—or even hand the decision back to voters in a new referendum on EU membership. “If you can’t resolve the impasse

here in Westminster, then you have to refer it back to the people,” said Labour Party lawmaker Chuka Umunna, who supports a second referendum. May, who had postponed a vote on the deal in December to avoid certain defeat, had implored lawmakers to back her deal and deliver on voters’ decision in 2016 to leave the EU. But the deal was doomed by deep opposition from both sides of the divide over UK’s place in the bloc. Pro-Brexit lawmakers say the deal will leave Britain bound indefinitely to EU rules, while pro-EU politicians favor an even closer economic relationship with Europe. The most contentious section of the deal was an insurance policy known as the “backstop” designed to prevent the reintroduction of border controls between the UK’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Assurances from EU leaders that the backstop is intended as a temporary measure of last resort completely failed to win over many British skeptics. Two and a half years after the referendum, Britain remains divided over how, and whether, to leave the EU. As lawmakers debated in the chamber, there was a cacophony of chants, drums and music from rival bands of pro-EU and proBrexit protesters outside. One group waved blue-and-yellow EU flags, the other brandished “Leave Means Leave” placards. Inside, the government and opposition parties ordered lawmakers to cancel all other plans to be on hand for the crucial vote. Labour legislator Tulip Siddiq delayed the scheduled cesarean birth of her son so she could attend, arriving in a wheelchair. S ome Con ser v at ives w a nt May to seek further talks with

EU leaders on changes before bringing a tweaked version of the bill back to Parliament, even though EU officials insist the 585-page withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said May was unlikely to get changes to her deal that could “placate her Brexiteers.” “Or, she reaches out to Labour and goes for a softer Brexit than most Brexiteers would contemplate”—but which the EU might accept, Bale said. Frustrated EU leaders called on May to make her intentions clear on the future of Brexit. “Now, it is time for the UK to tell us the next steps,” said Michel Barnier, the bloc’s chief negotiator. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker—who returned to Brussels late Tuesday to deal with fallout from the vote—said the rejection of May’s deal had increased “the risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom.” “Time is almost up,” he said. Economists warn that an abrupt break from the EU could batter the British economy and bring chaotic scenes at borders, ports and airports. Business groups expressed alarm at the prospect of a “no-deal” exit. “Every business will feel no-deal is hurtling closer,” said Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry. “A new plan is needed immediately.” European Council President Donald Tusk highlighted the quagmire the UK had sunk into, and hinted that the best solution might be for Britain not to leave. “If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?” he tweeted. AP

THE congress center, venue for the World Economic Forum, is covered with snow in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. The World Economic Forum will take place in Davos from January 22 to 26, 2019. GIAN EHRENZELLER/KEYSTONE VIA AP

German, Japanese leaders to attend WEF Davos event as Trump sits out

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ENEVA—World Economic Forum (WEF) executives say Germany’s Angela Merkel, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Shinzo Abe of Japan will be among dozens of heads of state and government attending its annual Davos event. Forum executives offered a preview on Tuesday of the January 22 to 26 gathering of political, business, cultural, academic and other elites, with founder Klaus Schwab saying a “re-moralization” of globalization is needed. He said globalization produced many “winners” over the last generation or so. “But now we have to look after the losers, after those who have been left behind.”

The forum says 65 heads of state and government— including Jair Bolsonaro, who is expected as part of his debut overseas trip as Brazilian president—and about 40 heads of international organizations like UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be on hand. WEF President Borge Brende said 37 heads of state or government will be from Europe and Eurasia alone. Overall, more than 3,000 people are expected. President Donald J. Trump had planned to attend but withdrew amid the US government shutdown. Other top US officials are expected including heads of the Commerce, State and Treasury departments. AP

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SEMINAR ON MANAGER’S EFFECTIVENESS DLSU INTEGRATES LEARNING MANAGEMENT WITH NEW VIRTUAL SYSTEM

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N line with De La Salle University’s (DLSU) path-breaking post-K-12 curriculum, the university continues to seek approaches to reimagine and further improve teaching and learning methods. Starting on the second ter m, DLSU embarks on the university-wide implementation of AnimoSpace, the new Lasallian learning-management system. The cross-platform learning space utilizes the best features of Canvas, used by more than 3,000 universities and educational institutions around the world. AnimoSpace builds on the faculty’s strengths in curriculum development and classroom instruction. The adaptive and intuitive nature of AnimoSpace

facilitates seamless integration of traditional and virtual learning through enhanced teacher-learner engagement, and its various immersive and interactive components. T hrough A nimoSpace, facu lt y members are able to: Create a meaning f u l and nurturing learning environment. The simple, flexible and intuitive format of Animo Space provides faculty with powerful tools to improve their methods of instruction; Facilitate learning even outside the classroom. The platform is populated with various resources, such as videos, presentations and readings, to supplement classroom lessons; Integrate crossplatform learning spaces. Animo Space harmonizes traditional and virtual classrooms, and real-world situation paving the way for seamless learning; Enrich traditional instruction. Online forums, discussion groups and other tools supplement topics discussed inside the classroom; Provide access to the university’s rich library resources. DLSU’s online

resources, including e-books, e-journals and other electronic databases, are directlyaccessible from the courses; and Pave the way for setting up of massive open online courses. It opens the door to deliver quality educational experiences. Might as well, students are able to: Create an integrated learning space. Animo Space is the students’ onestop hub for learning resources; Have access to a multiplatform technology. The system is available in several devices through browser or via app download from App Store or Google Play; Empower themselves. They can take control of their learning pace and organize course tasks and assignments in just few clicks. Animo Space also sends students notifications on their devices on due assignments or upcoming exams; Communicate seamlessly with their teachers and other learners. For m at i ve a s s e s s me nt s h ap p e n through online forums and discussions. P rofessors become i m med i ate ly accessible for feedback, consultation and announcements; and Showc a se t he i r ac adem ic development. Animo Space provides a digital portfolio of students’ output highlighting their best work for job search and career networking after graduation.

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HE Center for Global Best Practices (CGBP) will commence a two-day managerial and leadership skills training for first-time and tenured managers, supervisors and successors of business owners, titled “Manager’s Effectiveness Program”, on February 13 and 14 at Marriott Hotel. Visit www.cgbp.org for a complete list of Best Practices program. This blended type of learning tackles issues from leadership, developing one’s team, goal setting, supervision, task delegation, coaching and providing performance feedback, time management, conflict resolution, among others. Attendees will also gain valuable insights that can help them prevent costly work mistakes . This program will feature Ramon M. de Leon, former managing director of Ayala Corp. Under the Office of Lead Director for Infrastructure, he seconded to the various Ayalaowned subsidiaries to help in the corporate transformation of

Globe Telecom, Manila Water, IMI and BPI Family Bank. He is a sought-after facilitator and lecturer with over 30 years of experience in the areas of human resource management, labor and employee relations, quality and productivity, leadership and motivation, change management and organization development. He regularly conducts various training and lectures on highly specialized topics, benefiting local and international organizations to help them grow their people and businesses successfully. Registration is open to the general public. Attendees from the government can earn points for their career advancement and is exempted from the P2,000 limit when attending training conducted by the private sectors, based on the Department of Budget and Management Circular 563 dated April 22, 2016. Interested participants are encouraged to avail themselves of the early-bird and group discounts. Preregistration is required.

CELEBRATE #SMOMENTS AT SM SUPERMALLS

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OR more than sixty years, SM Supermalls has walked the same journey with Filipinos across the country and has been part of countless significant life moments of its customers. From the mountain city of Baguio to the urban escapes and by the bays of Manila to thriving metropolises of Cebu and Davao, SM is present from the summit to the sea to bring extraordinary fun experiences for all, no matter what age, gender or religion. “SM continues to build malls of exceptional design and architecture as its welcome as the preferred place of

Filipinos and their families after home, school or office. SM’s goal is to provide everything one needs or wants, whether it is passport renewal, bills payment, a movie date and dinner, medical checkups, group meetups and, of course, shopping best-loved local and global brands,” SM Supermalls Chief Operating Officer Steven Tan shared. In 2019 malls will continue to delight customers with family fun moments and experiences, reaching more customers and making more Filipinos happy. At SM stories that matter are created, whether day to day or special occasions.

FINDING THE PERFECT FIT FOR YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS

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ESORTS World Manila (RWM), the Philippines’s first integrated entertainment and tourism resort, has created the most diverse hotel portfolio in the industry, providing the widest range of choices to every kind of traveler and remaining true to its goal of thrilling the world. Guests are spoilt for choice among over 2,600 elegantly appointed rooms and suites that are spread across six hotels within the RWM area, including three hotels that cater to practical business and leisure travelers. “The vast array of [our options] assures...topquality accommodation options for every preference, need and budget,” said Kathy Mercado, RWM senior director for sales and marketing. “Our corporate clients, in particular, appreciate that they are guaranteed [with] world-class service and signature Filipino hospitality in every hotel, every time.” International hotel chain Holiday Inn Express opens its first Philippine property dubbed the Holiday Inn Express (HIEx) Manila Newport City, which is a firm favorite among smart global travelers; and takes over RWM original brand Remington Hotel. With 737 rooms, the HIEx Manila is the largest property of the InterContinental Hotels Group in Southeast Asia. Providing value-for-money accommodations with world-class standards for the budget-conscious traveler, the HIEx Manila rooms are equipped with IHG’s signature sleep solution, which features blackout curtains, comfortable bedding, and a choice of firm or soft pillows. Amenities have been carefully selected to meet the practical traveler’s needs, such as en suite bathroom with hot and cold power shower, universal power sockets, in-room safe, flat-screen television, seating area, refrigerator, hair dryer and more. Hotel facilities are geared for convenience, such as a gym, meeting room and coin-operated laundry. 24-hour dining is available through the lobby café where guests also get to enjoy a leisurely breakfast buffet or a grab-and-go packed breakfast. The Belmont Hotel Manila, owned by local property developer Megaworld Corp., has become the preferred accommodation among business travelers. The 470-room hotel, which was recently named the Best Airport Hotel in the Philippines by the Travel and Hospitality Awards, offers optimum city views from its rooftop pool and bar. Café Belmont, the hotel’s all-day dining outlet,

serves up classic international cuisine, along with authentic Filipino specialties. Work essentials are also available, with the Belmont Hotel business center, meeting rooms and a function room that can accommodate a 100-person conference. The hotel also provides comprehensive services, such as taxi and limousine arrangements, VIP airport assistance, laundry, valet and shoe shine, and even babysitting. The newest addition to RWM’s lineup of practical accommodations is Savoy Hotel Manila, a 684-room Megaworld Corp. development. Its proximity to one of the country’s main international terminal, combined with creature comforts, such as swimming pool, function rooms, and fitness center, make it the ideal hotel for business travelers who appreciate efficiency and comfort. Guests can also enjoy the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, poolside bar and cocktail lounge, as well as Squares, a common lounge area with spaces for guests to work, relax or mingle. They can also avail themselves of the free airport shuttle service and complimentary van service within Newport City. For the luxury segment, gaming guests and VIPs would feel right at home at the all-suite Maxims Hotel, under the Genting Group; while seasoned business and leisure travelers can enjoy the global 5-star standards of Marriott Hotel Manila, Hilton Manila, and the soonto-open Sheraton Manila Hotel and Hotel Okura Manila. “We have a dedicated sales team that caters to corporate clients and makes sure we provide them with the best package and hotel to meet their needs,” Mercado added. “Our hotels and the facilities of RWM complement each other by providing unique offerings that any guest may want to experience.” Just across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, one of the country’s busiest travel hubs, RWM provides unbeatable comfort and convenience for guests. Runway Manila, a fully air-conditioned, elevated pedestrian link bridge directly connects Naia T3 with Newport City and RWM, which gives travelers a safe and environmentally sound way. Guests can also enjoy a wide range of entertainment, dining and shopping options offered by RWM. In addition to around 50 dining outlets, and dozens of global and homegrown retail brands, RWM is also home to the multi-award winning Newport Performing Arts Theater, which is the stage for worldclass concerts and performances.

Editor: Jun Lomibao • mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

FRANCES TIAFOE (right) and Taylor Fritz slay giants in the Australian Open. AP

Sports BusinessMirror

YOUNGSTERS FLEX MUSCLES B H F The Associated Press

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ELBOURNE, Australia—Frances Tiafoe rolled up his white shirt’s right sleeve, flexed his biceps and slapped the muscle five times. Then he pounded his chest and yelled, “Yeah! Let’s go! Let’s go! Come on!” Forgive the young American’s exuberance. This was, after all, the biggest victory of his nascent career. Down a set and 3-0 in the second, the 20-year-old Tiafoe came back to stun two-time Grand Slam finalist and No. 5 seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, on Tuesday in the Australian Open’s second round. “I went to a different place. I dug insanely deep,” the 39th-ranked Tiafoe said. “It’s all about competing. Guys are so good. It’s just about how badly you want it. I want it real bad.” He was joined in the third round by another kid from the United States who’d never been that far at Melbourne Park, 21-year-old Taylor Fritz, who saved 12 of the 13 break points he faced while dispatching No. 30 seed Gael Monfils of France, 6-3, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5). A day after American men went 1-5, the country’s contingent produced those two upsets and threw a couple of scares into other seeded players, too, but couldn’t pull off the wins. Mackenzie McDonald pushed No. 6 Marin Cilic before losing 7-5, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, and Denis Kudla went to a fifth set before bowing out, 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-7 (6), 6-4, against No. 18 Diego Schwartzman. Cilic was the 2014 US Open champion and the runner-up at Melbourne Park to Roger Federer last year. Against McDonald, an National Collegiate Athletic Association champion in singles and doubles at University of California, Los Angeles who is 23 years old and ranked 81st, Cilic delivered 25 aces, including on each of the last two points. “It was a much tougher match than I expected,” Cilic said. “I didn’t know much about him.” For Tiafoe, it helped that Anderson’s best attribute, his intimidating serve, slowed down along the way because of problems with his right arm. Anderson was repeatedly visited by a trainer during changeovers and he lost about 5 miles per hour (10 kilometers per

hour) on his first serves as the match wore on. Anderson was the runner-up at Wimbledon last year and at the US Open in 2017 and had won all three previous matchups against Tiafoe. But Tiafoe ended a six-match losing streak against top-10 opponents and is now into the third round at a major for the second time, equaling his best showing. “These are the matches where they kind of define you and help you feel more and more comfortable to keep winning matches like that,” Tiafoe said. “So, yeah, I’m definitely going to remember this one.” As for his postmatch flex, Tiafoe said: “I hope the crowd liked it.” Defeat Andreas Seppi of Italy next, and Tiafoe would make his debut in the second week of a Grand Slam. He turns 21 on Monday and said: “If I’m playing on that day and beat somebody, that’s the best present I can get.” Federer, seeking a record seventh Australian Open title and third in a row, reached the third round by beating Dan Evans, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3. “I couldn’t pull away early in the match,” said Federer, who actually was two points from dropping the opening set. The defending women’s champion, Caroline Wozniacki, also advanced in straight sets, beating Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3, and could face Maria Sharapova next. Also scheduled to play later on Wednesday were past champions Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber. No. 5 Sloane Stephens opened the day in Rod Laver Arena with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over her junior doubles partner Timea Babos. Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2014. “I’m kind of conquering all the places where I’ve been terrible,” Stephens said. Four seeded women were sent home, including No. 24 Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine, a 6-0, 6-2 loser against 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova. No. 9 Kiki Bertens, No. 20 Anett Kontaveit and No. 29 Donna Vekic also exited. Vekic lost, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, to Kimberly Birrell, a 20-year-old Australian ranked 240th who got into the field as a wild card. “It is so surreal,” Birrell said. “That was just such a blur. I get to play again. It’s crazy.”

A DAY AFTER AMERICAN MEN WENT 1-5, THE COUNTRY’S CONTINGENT PRODUCED THOSE TWO UPSETS AND THREW A COUPLE OF SCARES INTO OTHER SEEDED PLAYERS, TOO, BUT COULDN’T PULL OFF THE WINS.

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OSAKA BREEZES INTO 2ND ROUND

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ELBOURNE, Australia—The only bug in the system was of the genuine flying variety when Naomi Osaka secured her first win at a major as a Grand Slam champion. The US Open champion beat Magda Linette 6-4, 6-2 to end play at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday at the Australian Open. The only delay in the 58-minute match came just before Osaka was serving for the match, when a ballboy tried to catch a bug that was fluttering on the court. Osaka, who beat Serena Williams in last year’s US Open final, smiled as she waited for the ballboy to get back into position. She finished off with an ace on her second match point to move into a second-round match against Tamara Zidansek, who beat Daria Gavrilova, 7-5, 6-3. “I felt really nervous walking onto the court...[but] after I started playing, I was just really happy,” the fourth-seeded Osaka told the crowd, as Japanese flags waved around the stadium. Of the bugs, she said she wasn’t good at catching them and was happy to leave it to the ballkids, otherwise, “I would probably squish it.” “I’m not very good at, like, being gentle,” she said. “I feel like all of the ball kids are kind of experienced in catching bugs now, so...” Now that she’s playing on the biggest show courts, post-match TV interviews are part of the deal. She was asked, as a conversation starter, what she liked about Australia. “You guys are always friendly, and I don’t talk much, so it’s really easy to have a conversation,” she said. It could be slightly one-sided—just like her first-round match. AP

THE only delay in the 58-minute match comes just before Naomi Osaka is serving for the match, when a ballboy tries to catch a bug that is fluttering on the court. AP

AZARENKA: I NEED TIME, PATIENCE AND SUPPORT

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ELBOURNE, Australia—Victoria Azarenka cried, pausing for a minute, trying to reflect on the differences between her past and present experiences of the Australian Open. A back-to-back champion in 2012 and 2013, Azarenka sat in a small interview room at Melbourne Park answering questions for 10 minutes in the wake of her 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 first-round loss to No. 110-ranked Laura Siegemund on Tuesday. Eventually, it drove her to tears. Even when she was winning and ranked No. 1 there were struggles, she said. But it was a different kind of struggle—a word she used a dozen times. A tournament official gave the 29-year-old Belarussian the option of stopping the news conference, and a member of her management team attempted to shut it down. But Azarenka, excusing herself first, and

taking deep breaths, insisted on answering a question. “I’ve been through a lot of things in my life,” she said, crying again. “Sometimes I wonder why I go through them. But I think they’re going to make me stronger. “I want to believe that and I’m going to work hard for it. Sometimes I just need a little time and patience, and a little support.” Her son, Leo, was born in December 2016 in a period in which Wimbledon in 2017 was the only Grand Slam tournament Azarenka entered in two years between the French Opens in 2016 and last year. She had to skip some tournaments while working out a custody dispute with the father of her son. And she has spoken about the challenges of being a traveling, working mom. She’s dealing with that, and with trying to find a

way to convert the form she believes she has found in practice into matches. Her first-round loss at the last French Open was followed by a second-round exit at Wimbledon and a third-round appearance at the US Open, moving her ranking back into the 50s. The trajectory didn’t keep going up. “It was very obvious that my game was not there today,” she said. “I’ve been doing a lot of great things in warm-ups and stuff. In matches I think I’m underestimating for not really playing for almost three years on a high level—it’s not easy to continue just out of nowhere to start playing well.” Then there was another question about comparing her level pre-2016 with where she’s at now. “Every time you look back you always see the good things and the results. You don’t see the struggle, and the days that you had a bad match but you managed

to win,” she said. “It’s hard to compare that with what’s happening right now because the obvious indicator is the result, and the result is not there. So the assumption is the level is not there, but that’s not necessarily the case.” It feels like such a long time ago to her that she can barely remember what life was like at the top, although she concedes it wasn’t always great. There were people who didn’t like the sound of her grunting, or her taste in music, and she was heavily criticized for an incident in her Australian Open semifinal win over Sloane Stephens in 2013. Azarenka wasted five match points on serve before being broken in that game, then took a lengthy medical timeout right before Stephens had to serve to stay in the match. She was accused of taking a strategic break after admitting “I almost did the

choke of the year!” The controversy was still the main topic of headlines when she beat Li Na in the final. “Not many people know how difficult 2013 was for me to go out there and play that final,” Azarenka said of her last major title here. “It was a nightmare that turned from harmless incident to just headlines, headlines and headlines. That was a difficult part. But results were good, so everybody thinks it was great. “It was amazing to win those two titles. But you always struggle, and right now it’s just a harder struggle for me.” Azarenka said she’d go away and work hard on her game, hoping that eventually she’ll relive some of the success of her early career. “It’s not easy to sit here right now and be positive,” she said, “but I don’t have another choice.” AP

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SCRIBES HONOR VARGAS AND CO.

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HE entire Philippine Basketball Association Board led by Chairman Victorico “Ricky” Vargas gets its due recognition on the silver anniversary celebration of the PBA Press Corps Annual Awards Night on Monday at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center. Vargas and the governors will receive the special President’s Award from the group of sportswriters covering the PBA beat for getting its act together to uphold the spirit of harmony within the league. Setting aside its differences to work for the common good, the board’s move paved the way for a successful 43rd season. Besides Vargas (TnT Katropa), the board is also composed of Vice Chairman Richard Bachmann (Alaska), Treasurer Atty. Raymond Zorilla (Phoenix), Robert Non (San Miguel), Rene Pardo (Magnolia), Rod Franco (NLEX), Al Panlilio (Meralco), Atty. Mamerto Mondragon (Rain or Shine), Bobby Rosales (Columbian Dyip), Siliman Sy (Blackwater), Alfrancis Chua (Barangay Ginebra) and Eric Arejola (NorthPort). Vargas, who is also the current president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), will serve as guest speaker during the event presented by Cignal TV. Alaska’s Vic Manuel is the recipient of Mr. Quality Minutes, Poy Erram of NLEX is the Defensive Player of the Year and Chris Tiu is the Breakout Player of the season. The Game of the Season goes to the triple overtime match between Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine, while NorthPort’s Stanley Pringle will be crowned scoring champion. Jason Perkins of Phoenix leads the All-Rookie Team he shares with Jeron Teng (Alaska), Paul Zamar (San Miguel Beer), Christian Standhardinger (San Miguel Beer) and Robbie Herndon (Magnolia), while the year’s All-Interview Team is composed of Coach Yeng Guiao (NLEX), Chris Ross (San Miguel), Joe Devance (Barangay Ginebra), Mike Digregorio (Blackwater), Standhardinger and Tiu. June Mar Fajardo (San Miguel Beer), Paul Lee (Magnolia) and Manuel are the recipients of the Order of Merit honor. In observance of its 25th year, the PBAPC will be giving out its first ever Lifetime Achievement Award apart from the Danny Floro Executive of the Year and the centerpiece Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan Coach of the Year awards.

HIGH-SCORING NIGHT N

ATIONAL Basketball Association (NBA) teams piled up the points like they hadn’t done in 35 years. Three teams scored 140 points on Tuesday night, with the Golden State Warriors setting an NBA record by pouring in 51 during the first quarter of their victory over Denver. The Warriors went on to a 142-111 win that moved them ahead of the Nuggets into first place in the Western Conference. “They made a lot of shots, to be honest,” Denver’s Nikola Jokic said. “They played really good basketball at a high level.” And that wasn’t even the biggest total of the night. Philadelphia and Atlanta also surpassed 140. The league said it was the first time three teams scored 140 on the same night since January 7, 1984, when the Warriors (154), Nuggets (141) and Knicks (140) reached the mark. “Tonight the shots just kept falling,” said Atlanta’s Trae Young, who was referring to the Hawks’ game but could have been talking about a few of them. “When you see the ball go in like we did tonight, I think it just keeps rolling.” Philadelphia went for 149 in a 42-point rout of Minnesota in the first meeting between the teams since the Jimmy Butler trade. The 76ers had 83 at halftime, second-highest total in the NBA this season, and Butler wanted more. “Look, I’ll tell you right now, when I went into halftime I said, “We’re not giving up this lead. We’re going to build upon it,’” Butler said. They did, making a team-record 21 three-pointers and reaching their highest point total in the 22-year history of the Wells Fargo Center. The Hawks beat Oklahoma City, 142-126, as Young had 24 points and 11 assists, looking like he did when he became the first Division I player to lead the nation in both categories in the same

season during his lone year at Oklahoma. “What did we score tonight, 126 points?” Thunder Coach Billy Donovan asked. “That should be good enough for us to win.” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 31 points as the Golden State Warriors, propelled by an NBA-record, 51-point first quarter, regained the top spot in the Western Conference by routing the Denver Nuggets 142-111 on Tuesday night. Golden State cruised to a fifth straight win to move a half-game in front of the Nuggets, who had their 12-game home winning streak snapped. The showdown between the top two teams in the conference proved a little too big for the Nuggets, with Curry and Company putting on a shooting exhibition all night long. The clinic began early with the Warriors erupting for 51 points in the opening quarter, breaking the old mark of 50 held by several teams. The last time it happened was also against Denver when Phoenix scored 50 on November 10, 1990. Golden State shot a blistering 60 percent from the field, had 38 assists and hit 21 3-pointers in leading wireto-wire. Kevin Durant finished with 27 points and Draymond Green was a plus-41 as he had 13 assists to go with four points. Malik Beasley finished with 22 points for the Nuggets. Big man Nikola Jokic struggled with early foul trouble, finishing with 17 points and eight assists in 23 minutes. AP

BREAKFAS

ON A RAIN B T D The Associated Press

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OS ANGELES—Breakfast at Manny Pacquiao’s house began with a silent prayer, followed by more silence around the big dining room table as his massive entourage waited for the fighter to take the first bite. On the morning menu in the Hancock Park house were steaming plates of rice, topped with slices of beef. A helper set a few pieces of chicken in front of Pacquiao and a small plate of dried fish to go with the rice and beef he had already half finished. No need to watch his food intake in this training camp. Five days before his crossroads fight with Adrien Broner, Pacquiao was on his normal routine of five meals a day totaling 7,000 to 8,000 calories, almost all of which he’ll burn off in the day’s workouts. The Filipino senator, philanthropist and boxer, is in the winter of his athletic career, gearing up for what could be one big last fight. Saturday’s bout with Broner isn’t it—even with a pay-per-view price tag of $74.95. Pacquiao trains with the knowledge that a rematch with Floyd Mayweather could possibly be just months away if all goes well. It’s why he began the day with a 5-mile run in the rain through Griffith Park. It’s why he was at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood a few hours later, pounding the mitts of trainer Freddie Roach before piling in a caravan of vehicles to head down the interstate to Las Vegas and what he hopes will be a spectacular night in the familiar MGM Grand arena ring. “Not all boxers who reach the age of 40 can be like me,” Pacquiao said, pausing to turn some Sinatra on his phone to accompany

STEPHEN CURRY and the Golden State Warriors book a league record 51-point first quarter. AP

his breakfast. “The discipline is still there, the hungriness to work hard and focus on the fight is still there. More important the fire is still there and so is the speed.” Pacquiao used that speed to build a reputation and then a career that, even in the hard-scrabble sport of boxing, is remarkable. He began boxing to earn a $2 prize to help his mother feed the family. He made several hundred million dollars fighting, much of which he’s given away to others in the Philippines. He’s back with Roach and on his way to his first fight in Las Vegas in more than three years. Everything seems familiar once again, a throwback to the days when he routinely fought for $10 million or more—and in the case of his 2015 bout with Mayweather, much more. The Los Angeles house is a gathering place for Pacquiao, his family and the ever-changing entourage that follows him at every step. It’s also a shrine of sorts, with pictures of Pacquiao lining the hall and one of him standing over a prone Ricky Hatton upstairs. There’s a 2009 trophy for fighter of the year from the Boxing Writers of America and an ESPY from the same year, a reminder that it’s been a decade since some of the glory of his past. And just behind Pacquiao’s spot at the head of the dining table is a painting of The Last Supper, a reminder of his devotion to religion that starts with a morning prayer and ends with Pacquiao on his knees at night with a final prayer before bed. “When I punch I’m not relying just on my own strength,” Pacquiao says. “In my hands is the power from God.” The talk is confident, though nothing more than what any fighter needs to believe before getting in the ring. Pacquiao has relied on his natural speed and power for a remarkable 24 years in a pro career that began at 16. He’s an icon in his country, a senator whose 40th birthday party had a special guest in

PBA implements rule banning hang time from ring

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HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) now prohibits players to hang on to the rim following a new memorandum released by the league on Wednesday night. In its latest tweak in the rule book, all players would not be allowed to hang on to the rim just like the trademark dunk antic of San Miguel Beer forward Arwind Santos.

“A player, however, who hangs onto the rim after a dunk and places either or both of his feet onto the backboard, shall be assessed with an unsportsmanlike technical foul,” the PBA said in the memorandum sent to all teams. The league clarified that the player could hang on the ring to prevent an injury to himself or another player

RICK OLIVARES bleachersbrew@gmail.com

BLEACHERS’ BREW

A CRUCIAL AWAY SERIES FOR GILAS

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T’S no doubt an uphill climb to make it to the 2019 Fiba World Cup. The Philippines sports a 5-5 record and is going to face Qatar (2-8) and then Kazakhstan (4-6) both on the road. The Philippines has to win both of its games but also hopes that Japan drops a game to gain entry. While record-wise, the Philippines is playing two teams with losing records, they cannot take both lightly considering that Qatar was in the game for a half (during the closed door game) while the Kazakhstan took a 92-88 decision in Manila. Japan, on the other hand, will have to play Iran (7-3) in Tehran and Qatar at Doha. The Japanese lost their first four matches of the qualifiers then embarked on a six-match win streak, the best in the group so far. They even defeated Australia on the road. Speaking of Iran (7-3), they will play two tough teams in succession at home—Japan and Australia at 9-1, the lone team in the group to have qualified for the 2019 Fiba World Cup. I cannot

tell the mindset of the Australians. Maybe they’ll destroy Iran (we don’t even know if Hamed Hadadi will suit up) or give their young players experience. Technically, Kazakhstan has an outsider’s chance. But it is rather slim. And from the looks of the 14-man pool, it is a combination of speed and height that Head Coach Yeng Guiao and his assistants have put together. The 14-man national team pool includes naturalized players Andray Blatche and Christian Standhardinger (as an alternate), Jayson Castro, Mark Barroca, Paul Lee, Scottie Thompson, Marcio Lassiter, Gabe Norwood, Troy Rosario, Japeth Aguilar, JP Erram, June Mar Fajardo, Raymond Almazan, and Roger Pogoy. Blatche, Almazan and Pogoy back in uniform after having missed national team duty due to suspension and being omitted from the last window. It is good to see Barroca back in a national team jersey. He last played in 2011 with the old Smart Gilas lineup under Rajko Toroman. The only other player left from that team is

down low. The league also imposed three major changes for the 44th season. The PBA now patterned the traveling violation with Fiba with the 0-1-2 step rule and in goal-tending review for the entire match, as well as permission of verbal calls of coaches on player timeouts are now implemented. Ramon Rafael Bonilla Japeth Aguilar who has the distinction of being the longest-tenured national teamer. He has served for a decade now nonstop. Barroca adds speed, experience, playmaking smarts and shooting. While he has toned down on the razzle dazzle style that got him attention at Far Eastern University and with Smart Gilas, he has become more effective. He will run the point alongside Castro and Thompson. Perhaps the biggest addition will be Blatche who will hold down that middle with his size and defense. Standhardinger will also provide that steadiness inside. He is one player who moves well without the ball and doesn’t need plays called for him. In my opinion, he is the biggest national team call up in the last two years. An immediate impact player. And Guiao will need every bit of that if they want to win both games on the road. Perhaps it is even better that way—without the distractions at home. They do need to deal with the changes in climates (I know they will be play either in air-conditioned or heated gyms), as it is hot in Tehran while it is the dead of winter in Kazakhstan. And one plus in these windows is one is able to somewhat forget the earlier results. The back-to-back home losses to Kazakhstan and Iran were painful. But since those bad results, the players have had the joy of the holiday season sweep the bad vibes away. Plus, the it’s a new year and a new PBA season. At this point, Gilas will focus on their games while keeping one eye to the results of Japan’s matches. There is, after all, a sliver of hope.

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Thursday, January 17, 2019

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ROUND ST AT MANNY’S RECORD A

NY DAY IN L.A.

MANNY PACQUIAO prays before breakfast at his home following his morning run on Monday in Los Angeles. AP

President Duterte. There’s speculation Pacquiao might one day hold that office, and he says he’s devoted to his work in politics and his work in fighting poverty in the Philippines. But he’s also at an age where most fighters have long since retired. Boxing is a brutal sport, and long-term exposure usually isn’t good for your health. But the sound of gloves hitting the mitts held by Roach at the Wild Card is unmistakable, a rat-a-tat-tat that is testimony to Pacquiao’s claim that his speed and power remain intact. He wants to knock Broner out not only to set up a possible

rematch with Mayweather but to show he’s still got fight in him. “His work ethic is great, his footwork brilliant,” Roach said. “This morning I got four calls from people telling me Manny was out running in the rain when he should have stayed inside. I said bring him an umbrella.” Pacquiao didn’t get the umbrella. He was soaking wet as he came in the front door of his home to meet, back from his run with a white towel wrapped around his neck. This was moving day, when the entourage would pack up in vans and head down Interstate

15 to Las Vegas. Many would make the trip with Manny, others would come to Las Vegas later, hoping to get one of the 1,000 or so tickets that Pacquiao bought for his followers for the fight. Pacquiao headed up the stairs to the shower, past a wall of photos of him in his biggest fights. For now, at least, time is frozen as he tries to will himself into the fighter he was a decade ago. Downstairs, helpers started cleaning empty plates from the table. It was time to break camp, time to settle into the routine of fight week. And, soon, time to find out just what Manny Pacquiao has left.

PERPETUAL TARGETS FINAL FOUR SLOT

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N.U. CAGERS KEEP

GRIP ON SOLO LEAD

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ATIONAL University (NU) scored a wire-towire 94-66 win over University of Santo Tomas (UST) to solidify its grip of the lead on Wednesday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 juniors basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre. Cyril Gonzales topscored with 16 points, Carl Tamayo and Terrence Fortea had 15 and 14 points, respectively, while Gerry Abadiano came through with a double-double outing of 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Bullpups. Kai Sotto shot a season-high 30 points, as defending champion Ateneo rebounded from back-to-back losses to NU with a 82-59 romp of University of the East. The Bullpups ran out of the gates and posted a 23-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter and never looked back to post their eighth win in nine games. Sotto also drew enough support from David Diaz, who had 12 points and 14 rebounds and Geo Chiu, who chipped in 10 points and six rebounds for the Blue Eaglets. “What makes me proud is the supporting cast,” said first-year coach Reggie Varilla after Ateneo booked its sixth win in nine starts. The Tiger Cubs, who were led by Mark Nonoy’s 26 points, are now two games out of the No. 4 slot with their fifth loss in nine contests. In other games, RJ Abarrientos tallied 23 points as Far Eastern University-Diliman beat De La Salle-Zobel, 95-68, to raise its record at 7-2. Adam Doria had a career-high 27 points on two of eight rebounds, while Joem Sabandal chipped in 11 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and two steals as Adamson University also improved to 6-3 following a 94-66 conquest of University of the Philippines Integrated School.

NIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Jose Rizal University (JRU) gun for the last Final Four berth as the two collide on Thursday in the women’s division of the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City. Although the Lady Altas are placed higher at No. 4 with a 5-3 (win-loss) record compared to the Lady Bombers who are at No. 5 with a 4-4 card, JRU has to win its 12 noon duel to advance because a win by Perpetual Help would force a tie for fourth while sending the Lady Bombers straight to the Final Four with a superior tiebreak. The winner will then battle it out with College of St. Benilde, which ended up tied with defending champion Arellano University and last year’s runner-up San Beda at the helm with an 8-1 record, but took the top seed after emerging with the

highest quotient. The Lady Chiefs wound up the No. 2 seeds and the Lady Red Spikers the No. 3 seeds, which meant Arellano University will boast of a twice-to-beat advantage when they tackle each other in the Final Four. The Altas and the Junior Altas try to complete a nine-game elimination-round sweep and leapfrog straight to the finals as they battle the Bombers and the Light Bombers at 10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively. Unscathed in its first eight outings, Perpetual Help is looking for its 12th men’s crown and 11th high-school title in the tournament organized by a group chaired by Paul Supan of JRU, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. Lyceum of the Philippines University and Letran battle it out in a no-bearing game at 2 p.m. in the only other women’s schedule of the day.

TESSA JAZMINES tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME

YOU PIG!

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OULD you believe it. LeBron James is a rat. James Harden is a hissing snake. And Kyrie Irving amuses and entertains because he’s a certified monkey. I’m talking about these athletes’ Chinese zodiac signs, of course, which are about to become the center of attention again when the Year of the faithful Dog, which we are currently in, gives way to the Year of the prosperous Pig on February 5, 2019. Intrigued by the thought of what animals famous athletes could be, we did a little research on their birthdays to find out. Do they exhibit the traits traditionally associated with their zodiac signs? We researched further. According to the Chinese zodiac, the most athletic of the animal signs is the Horse. And true enough, we did find some great specimens

of sportsmen in that animal category. What do you think of Manny Pacquiao, Kobe Bryant, John Wall, Damian Lillard, Paul George and our very own Efren “Bata” Reyes. Truly skilled and talented, aren’t they? Horses are said to be cheerful, popular, quick-witted, but can be hot-tempered and headstrong at times. They fall in and out of love easily and they definitely love sports, the great outdoors and animals. They are sharp, performance and success oriented and have a tendency to play the field. As for their luck this year, Horses are advised to take it easy and study everything carefully. Not a year to go galloping around. The Rat, however, not the Horse, is the first sign in the Chinese zodiac. They are charming, innovative and love to be first. They excel in business and are alert to opportunities, hard-

NDREAS GRONKVIST put on a kind of finish that wins big-time championships but the Swede had to settle for the first-round honors with a six-under 66 and a one-stroke over Thai Piya Swangarunporn in the $100,000 International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Pradera Verde Classic in Lubao, Pampanga, on Wednesday. A birdie-eagle windup in windy condition checked a roller-coaster backside and netted a course record for the 27-year-old Gronkvist, who was just as surprised as the rest of the field to emerge the leader following a number of missedcut stints in the second season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia (PGTA). “Great game. I managed the wind very well with my driver and irons,” said Gronkvist, who failed to advance at Riviera, Forest Hills and Summit Points stops of the region’s newest circuit put up by ICTSI while ending up tied for 27th at the CAT Open and 49th at Southwoods. He also missed the cut by one in the recent Qualifying School Final Stage in Thailand. But he turned in a solid start of 33 at the flat but challenging layout then came out of a pair of bogey-birdie stints on Nos. 11 and 15 with a birdie on the 17th before closing out with an eagle off a superb rescue shot from 235 yards that sailed over the water hazard guarding the green, then drilled in a bending downhill putt from pin-length high. Despite Gronkvist’s stirring start, a slew of players stayed within striking distance with Swangarunporn bouncing back from a bogey mishap on No. 3 with four straight birdies from No. 5, then eagled the par-5 12th to seize solo second with a 67 to take the cudgels for a Thai side seeking its first PGTA championship. Jhonnel Ababa, who ruled the inaugural Pradera Classic last year via a two-shot win over Andrew Campbell, who set the previous mark of 67 in the final round, also banked on a fiery finish to get into the early mix, birdying three of the last seven holes for a 68 for joint third with Clayton Bridges of Australia, while American Sam Gillis stood at solo fifth with a 69 on three birdies in the first four holes at the back. “I struggled early on wrong clubbing but settled down at back and birdied Nos. 12, 14 and 16,” said Ababa, the winningest player on the circuit with three victories, including romps

SWEDE Andreas Gronkvist sets a course record at Pradera.

at Eagle Ridge and Forest Hills. Bridges actually dished out a scorching backside start that featured an eagle and four birdies but failed to sustain his charge with bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6 to drop to joint third with the defending champion. Keanu Jahns and Tony Lascuña birdied the last two holes to card a pair of 70s for joint fifth with Korean Park Jun-hyeok, American Lexus Keoninh, Taiwanese Wang Tsung Chieh and Mars Pucay while Clyde Mondilla bogeyed No. 18 for a 71 to slip to joint 12th with Zanieboy Gialon, Rey Pagunsan and Enrico Gallardo. PGTA Southwoods leg champion Jay Bayron recovered from a two-over card with birdies on Nos. 7, 9 and 11 but bogeyed No. 11 for a 72 for joint 15th with Thais Wisut Artjanawat and Namchok Tantipokhakul, Omar Dungca, Paul Echavez, Rolando Marabe Jr., Arnold Villacencio, American Josh Salah and Englishman George Twyman. Some of the big guns, however, groped for form in hot condition, including Aboitiz Invita-

tional winner Damien Jordan, who bolstered his bid by topping Tuesday’s pro-am with Chris Cura, Harold Vicencio and Pablo Santos but fumbled with four bogeys against two birdies to fall eight strokes off the pace at 74 with fellow Aussie David Gleeson, Thai Thammanoon Sriroj, Dutch Guido van der Valk, and local bets Erwin Arcillas, Rufino Bayron, Michael Bibat, Mhark Fernando, Jet Mathay and Dino Villanueva.

Patrombon, Arcilla top picks in Valenzuela netfest

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AVIS Cuppers Jeson Patrombon and Johnny Arcilla set out as the top picks, while Aileen Rogan and Clarice Patrimonio banner the women’s singles cast in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Actifit Open Tennis Championships unfolding on Monday at the Actifit Sports Center in Valenzuela City. A huge field is vying for top honors in the P300,000 event that drew some of the country’s leading players and rising stars, including Fritz Verdad, Mark Alcoseba, Noel Damian, Deo Talatayod, Rolando Ruel Jr. and Rodolfo Barquin. Rachel Velez, Miles Vitaliano, Alexie Santos, Mikaela Vicencio, Patricia Lim and Nica Alanis, on the other hand, join the title hunt

in the women’s side of the top-level event put up by Palawan Pawnshop, headed by President and CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Dunlop. Twenty-one players, led by Athan Arejola and Rafael Liangco, dispute the last four berths in the men’s main draw in the qualifying round on Thursday while 13 bidders, headed by Alexa Milliam and Dana Uy, fight it out for the last two seats in the women’s draw of the event co-organized by John Mari Altiche and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-MEG. Spicing up the event is the Legends men’s doubles featuring the 40s, 50s and 60s age divisions set this weekend. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development Director Bobby Mangunay

at 0915-4046464. Milliam, meanwhile, cruised to the semifinals in the 14- and 16-under divisions, while John David Velez also advanced to the boys’ 18-under semifinals and in the quarterfinals of the 16-under category in junior play of the event backed by Liquid Gold Wine and Spirits, Ayala Amity Centennial Lions Club, Skin Rejuve and Calle Café. Joining the No. 2 Milliam, who eased out Isabelle Marasigan, 4-1, 4-0, in the 14-under semifinals are top seed Alexi Jarata, who routed Chelsea Roque, 4-0, 4-1; and Akithma Dias, who upset No. 4 Jiana Hernandez, 4-1, 4-2, while Elvin Geluz and Abraham Lawyer clinched the other semis seats in the boys’ 18-under category.

working, ambitious and careful with money. They are generous to those they are fond of. They’re fun-loving, inquisitive and get along with others quite easily. This year, Rats have the go signal to take chances and go after their dreams. This goes not just for LeBron James, but for Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, as well. The Ox, the second sign, represents those who become prosperous because of hard work and courage. They can be depended on because they prefer to stick to routine and time-tested formula. They’re patient, calm, work hard and always do their homework. Footballer Ronaldo, racer Lewis Hamilton, swimmer Michael Phelps and hockey legend Wayne Gretsky are Oxen who are not afraid of hard work and doing all the necessary nittygritty. The Ox will have lots of money-making opportunities in the Year of the Pig. Compared to the Ox, Tigers are a more colorful lot. They have passion, pride and energy to match. They love to rebel and make their own rules so that makes them unpredictable but always exciting. Tigers are adventurous and can be impulsive, as well. They love being the center of attention and don’t mind it one bit what other people say. Rafael Nadal, Trae Young, Jayson Tatum and the PBA’s Jayson Ccastro are all Tigers who will catch a lot of attention and experience success this year. Although the Rabbit is traditionally softspoken, graceful and reserved, we found a lot of swashbuckling sportsmen and women under the sign of the Rabbit. David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Maria Sharapova,

Margielyn Didal, Luka Doncic and Andy Murray are Rabbits. These strong-willed but graceful people will have the best of luck in 2019 because they are good friends of the happy Pig. Dragons are the VIPs of the Chinese zodiac. They’re eminent, proud and sometimes imperious. They’re intense, enthusiastic and exude power. They are extremely loyal and expect the same from their friends. Thus, it isn’t strange to learn that Russell Westbrook is a Dragon. But Kevin Durant also is. Other Dragons are Steph Curry, Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Calvin Abueva of the Phoenix Fuel Masters. It’s green and go for Dragons this year. Snakes in the Chinese zodiac are classy animals who are revered for their grace, wisdom and political acumen. However, they’re always plotting and planning and looking for the most advantageous outcomes. They have magnetic appeal and are good to have as allies. Floyd Mayweather, DeMar De Rozan, Jimmy Butler, Tom Brady and James Harden are Snakes. So is the oh-so-soft-spoken June Mar Fajardo. Snakes should lie low in the Year of the Pig. Sheep are well-mannered, shy and compassionate. They’re suckers for a sob story, but are themselves always looking for someone to take care of them. They tend to worry and like it best when others make the decisions for them. Amazingly, they have a knack for turning their weakness into strength. Kahwi Leonard and Hidilyn Diaz are Sheep who will have an amazing year this year. Monkeys never fail to charm people. They’re

sharp, intelligent, witty and mischievous, as well. They can solve intricate problems with ease and can talk themselves out of any situation. Kyrie Irving and Venus Williams are Monkeys who are extremely self-confident. Monkeys will have a good year, but should prepare well for any possible hiccups. Roosters are outstanding performers that shine when they are the center of attention. They have tremendous drive and ambition and are masters of survival. They can be aggressive when pursuing a goal. Meticulous and organized, they are all for justice and fair play. Roger Federer, Paeng Nepomuceno, Anthony Davis and Serena Williams are Roosters. They’re going to feel strong and confident this year. Dogs are very likable because they’re honest, amiable and loyal. At times they will protect the interest of others more than themselves. But wait, they can flash anger too at times, but they won’t hold grudges. Dogs like Paul Mickelson and Giannis Antetokounmpo will have a relaxing year. They should take stock of their strengths and assets. As for Pigs, this year will be an important one when they should decide what to do with their lives and where they want to go. Always lovable, these individuals seek harmony, pleasure and the good life. Loyal and thoughtful, they aspire for friendship and lasting relationships. Pigs like Andrew Wiggins, Karl Anthony Towns and Jabari Parker will have a very important year that could see them making gains or significant changes. It’s their year!

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Thursday, January 17, 2019

NASSER AL-ATTIYAH and codriver Matthieu Baumel race their Toyota during Stage Eight on Tuesday. AP

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QATARI HEADED FOR DAKAR WIN L

IMA, Peru—Nasser Al-Attiyah looks set to win the Dakar Rally again, while Toby Price was the latest rider to take the motorbike lead after the eighth stage on Tuesday. Apart from a slow puncture, Al-Attiyah stayed remarkably blunder-free again on the 360-kilometer, four-hour course from San Juan de Marcona north up the Peruvian coast to Pisco. He extended the lead he’s held for all but one day from 29 minutes to 46. Barring a major mistake he hasn’t looked like making, the Qatari will win the world’s toughest rally for a third time on Thursday after taking the title in 2011 and 2015. He’s been runner-up three other times, including last year. The man he regards as his biggest rival, 13-time champion Stephane Peterhansel, found trouble along with the likes of defending champion Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres in the dunes of Ica. Peterhansel got stuck in the sand twice and lost half an hour, dropping him from second in the general standings to fourth, 53 minutes behind Al-Attiyah. “Maybe there are other drivers that are faster, but our main target is Stephane,” Al-Attiyah said. “Now he is behind, so we’ll try to manage the next two days.” Peterhansel can still fight for a podium place with Nani Roma and Sebastien Loeb, who are only seven minutes ahead of him. The rest of the dwindling field is more than an hour behind. Loeb won the stage, his fourth of the rally, by seven minutes from Al-Attiyah. Loeb endured an early puncture but otherwise enjoyed a clean stage. Price, who opened the motorbike race in sixth place and has stayed in touch with the leaders, finally bagged the lead almost by a process of elimination. Overnight leader Ricky Brabec was out of the race after 56 kilometers when his Honda engine broke, the same fate he suffered last year. Price led for most of the stage until near the end when he was overtaken by defending champion Matthias Walker, the stage winner, and Pablo Quintanilla, 45 seconds back in second. Nevertheless, Price, third on the stage, moved into the overall lead. He won the Dakar at his second attempt in 2016—the first Australian champion—and came to this Dakar having won his first cross-country rallies world title and the Morocco Rally. But, unlike Al-Attiyah, he has no breathing space here. “Today, I knew it had to count,” Price said. “That was my maximum.... I can’t do any more. My wrist is on fire. There’s times when you can rest and when you can’t. You’ve just got to somehow shut [the pain] off. When you throw your helmet on you go and ride and just want to do the best you can, and do it all again.” Quintanilla, chasing his first Dakar title, was only a minute behind, and defending champ Walkner and 2017 champ Sam Sunderland were six minutes back. Adrien van Beveren, who was second overnight, made navigation errors and fell to fifth but was less than 10 minutes behind. Nobody can afford a mistake. AP

PHYSICALLY TOUGH Tunisia’s Skander Zaidi (left) holds the face of Saudi Arabia’s Mahdi Alsalem during the men’s International Hockey Federation Handball World Championship match in Herning, Denmark, on Tuesday. AP

‘UNCHARTERED

TERRITORY’ B J M The Associated Press

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TLANTA—A day after travelers waited nearly 90 minutes in snail-speed security lines at the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta’s mayor is concerned about the waits that could result when the city hosts the 2019 Super Bowl. The ongoing partial government shutdown is “uncharted territory,” amid planning for one of the world’s biggest sporting events, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Tuesday. “Obviously, we are in uncharted territory with the shutdown that’s gone on this long, and we are preparing as best we can from our vantage point,” Bottoms said. The mayor and others at a Tuesday news conference said two years of planning have them well-prepared to protect the public. “Our goal is for our officers to be visible, for the public to feel safe, be safe, and be able to position ourselves so that we can react immediately to whatever scenario we are confronted with,” Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields said. “I think that with anything you can go in with a spirit of confidence if you have prepared, and we have prepared well.” But the government shutdown is a wild card that arose relatively late in that planning process. “Certainly there are factors that we don’t control, such as what’s happening with our federal government shutdown and with the long TSA lines,” Bottoms said. “We are continuing to encourage people to get to the airport very early.” The expected crush of travelers is significantly more than normal. On a typical day, 60,000 to 80,000 passengers are screened at Atlanta’s airport before departing, airport statistics show. On February 4, the day Bottoms calls “Mass Exodus Monday,” about 110,000 passengers are expected to be departing from Atlanta’s airport one day after the Super Bowl. The partial government shutdown has meant missed paychecks for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners at airports nationwide. TSA workers have been calling in sick at a rate that’s been more than double what it normally is, the agency has said. That’s led to a shortage of screeners at some airports across the country. No-shows among screeners jumped on Sunday and again on Monday. The TSA had a national absence rate of nearly 7 percent on Monday, compared to 2.5 percent on a comparable day a year ago,

the agency reported on Tuesday after getting complete numbers on the absences. A chaotic scene unfolded at Atlanta’s airport on Monday, the first business day, after screeners did not receive a paycheck for the first time. Mondays are typically busy for the airport as Atlanta business travelers depart for the work week, and some security lanes went unstaffed as lines backed up. “Please plan ahead and give yourself three hours to clear security,” Atlanta airport officials on Monday advised passengers via the airport’s Twitter account. Atlanta passengers led the nation on Monday in terms of longest screening delays: The “maximum standard wait time” was 88 minutes, the TSA reported. Passengers who went through TSA PreCheck—an expedited screening program which is typically faster than regular lines—waited 55 minutes, statistics showed. Friday could be the next big test for the nation’s airports, as holiday travelers get away for the upcoming long holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday). Friday is also typically a busy day for airports as business travelers head home for the weekend. The NFL, meanwhile, ended months of uncertainty by officially announcing Maroon 5, Big Boi and Travis Scott as the performers at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. Maroon 5 had been the widely reported halftime show act since September, but the NFL didn’t confirm the band as its headliner until Sunday. The league said Maroon 5 will be joined by Big Boi, the Atlanta-based rapper from Outkast, and Scott. Typically one of the most fiercely sought gigs in music, the Super Bowl halftime show has this year been the subject of boycott and protest. Numerous acts have turned down the NFL in support of Colin Kaepernick and other players who have taken a knee during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice. Gerald Griggs, vice president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP, has said the NAACP asked performers who have signed up to recon-

sider their participation. More than 84,000 have signed an online petition urging Maroon 5 to withdraw from the Super Bowl “until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest.” Billboard reported that Scott, who reportedly signed on in December, only agreed to perform if the NFL made a joint donation to an organization fighting for social justice. With the NFL, Scott made a $500,000 donation to Van Jones’s Dream Corps. This year’s Super Bowl will be broadcast from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta by CBS on February 3.

THE ONGOING PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS ‘UNCHARTED TERRITORY,’ AMID PLANNING FOR ONE OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENTS.

FORMER MAJOR LEAGUER CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX ABUSE

D FROM THE ROUGH SOUTH Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen plays from the rough on the 10th hole in round one of the Abu Dhabi Championship in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. AP

ENTON, Texas—John Wetteland, a former All-Star and World Series MVP, has been charged in Texas with continuous sex abuse of a child under age 14. Wetteland, 52, was arrested on Monday and freed on $25,000 bond, according to Denton County jail records. Wetteland lives in the Dallas-area suburb of Trophy Club. Bartonville Police Chief Bobby Dowell said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) contacted his office last week. After an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Wetteland, who was taken into custody by Denton County sheriff’s deputies. Dowell said that because of the nature of the offense and the stage of the investigation, he had no further details to release. DFPS Spokesman Marissa Gonzales said details of the agency’s cases are confidential.

According to a consolidated complaint and probable cause affidavit, Wetteland is accused of having a child perform a sex act on him, beginning in 2004 when the child was 4. The accuser said it happened twice more during a two-year period. The Associated Press was not able to contact Wetteland or his attorney for comment. Wetteland was the Most Valuable Player of the 1996 World Series when he helped the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves. He posted four saves in that Series, which remains a major league record. He’s also been inducted into the Texas Rangers’ Hall of Fame. Wetteland, a three-time All-Star, ranks 15th on the all-time list with 330 saves. He had a 48-45 record with a 2.93 ERA in a 12-season career also included stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos.

In 2006, he was hired as the Washington Nationals’ bullpen coach but was fired halfway through the season after then-manager Frank Robinson said he’d asked Wetteland several times to get the team’s relievers to focus more and reduce their practical jokes. In 2009, while Wetteland was on the Seattle Mariners’ coaching staff, authorities responded to a 911 call from his home in Texas. Media outlets reported that Denton County authorities described the call as a mental health issue, saying Wetteland was contemplating suicide. Wetteland said in a statement at the time that “the circumstances leading to my elevated blood pressure and heart rate have been addressed.” The Texas Rangers said in a statement that they “have been made aware of this situation and have no further comment.” Wetteland has no current role with the organization. AP

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Restore them to holiness

AY Your people’s oblation, Oh Lord, find favor with You. We pray that it may restore them to holiness and obtain what they devoutly entreat, through Christ our Lord. With You Oh Lord, is the fountain of life, and in Your light we see light. I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly, says the Lord. We trust You as long as we live. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

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REELING: ‘DAYS OF BEING WILD’: WONG KAR-WAI GOES TO BIKOL D4

Thursday, January 17, 2019

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BAMBANTI FESTIVAL 2019 GEARS UP WITH ‘VICTORY OF ISABELA SPIRIT’

KICKING off 2019 is the much-awaited Bambanti Festival of Isabela province with its theme “Victory of Isabela Spirit” (Tagumpay ng Pusong Isabela) highlighting all the victories the province has achieved through creative concepts and images. Spearheaded by the Provincial Government of Isabela, the weeklong festival will be celebrated from January 21 to 26, featuring its community life, history and heritage, as well as its various indigenous world-class products, lifestyle merchandise items and cuisine as pride of place. It has seen and realized a tremendous growth in its economic, social, political, and cultural development, and celebrates this feat through the festival. Hyping up the festive celebration are entertaining programs and competitions, such as Giant Bambanti Showcase, Bambanti Streetdance and Showdown Competition, Search for Bambanti Festival King and Queen, Bambanti Village and Isabela’s Master Kusinero Cooking Competition. Bambanti is the Ilocano word for scarecrow, which the province considers as protection despite the common notion that it rouses fear. Created with colorful straws and grasses wrapped in farmer’s clothing, the bambanti has always been the icon and mascot of the festival. Recalling last year’s theme “Isabela, My Beloved Land” (Isabela Kong Mahal), Isabeleños showcased their love for the land of their birth, sharing to visitors how their familyinherited traits contributed to the fast-growing development of the province. Cauayan City emerged as last year’s Bambanti Grand Winner. The Bambanti Festival is 2018 Aliw Award’s Hall of Famer for Best Festival Practices and Performance by being a threetime winner from 2015 to 2017. More information can be found at provinceofisabela.ph.

The castle down there T By PAULine JOy m. GUTierreZ

HE new Twin Lakes Hotel in Laurel, Batangas, near Tagaytay is a place straight out of an Elizabethan architectural lookbook. Instead of bricks for walls, however, there’s concrete. Instead of thatched roofs, there’s a contemporary hipped roofing design. The signature symmetrical plan is most evident with the glass windows made up of a multitude of rectangular panes set against ivory walls, but otherwise there’s also a faint trace of Gothic Renaissance flair in the façade’s design. It is, as kids would describe to their parents, “the castle down there.” At the helm of this newly opened homegrown hotel brand by Megaworld Corp. is General Manager Jun R. Jimenez, who describes the property as a first of its kind with an actual grape-growing vineyard. The 122-room hotel is located within Global-Estate Resorts Inc.’s (Geri) 1,200-hectare integrated tourism estate. Managing a hotel this big is well within the expertise of Jimenez, who spent a fair share of his career in the hospitality industry. In fact, he’s already eyeing to build additional rooms. “The big boss said he’ll think about it,” he jested. Thirty-five out of 122 rooms opened in December, and would be fully operational in February this year. The Superior Rooms size up to 34 square meter, Deluxe and Executive Rooms (both up to 38 sq m), and two-bedroom Family Suites and Presidential Suites (both up to 86 sq m). Evoking the skies with a few perfect clouds, the blue-and-white palette of the room’s interiors bring comfort and style that is calm and collected. Furniture pieces feature neutral silhouettes with gold trimming. The balcony overlooks lush greenery, the vineyard and the scenic view of the Taal Lake and Volcano outside. “Let’s admit it, we go to Tagaytay to see the Taal Lake and maybe to eat at Josephine’s. Here, you’ll see the same scenery without having to experience the congestion in the city,” Jimenez said. A leisurely walk near the hotel sits the Twin

FROM left: Laurel, Batangas Vice Mayor Filimon Austria; Kevin L. Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group and EVP and chief strategy officer, Megaworld; Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso, chief operating officer, Megaworld; Monica Salomon, president, Geri; Jun R. Jimenez, general manager, Twin Lakes Hotel; Raymundo Melendres, managing director, Global One Hotel Inc.; and Alfonso, Cavite Vice Mayor Randy Salamat.

Lakes Shopping Village where you can find the “most beautiful Starbucks in the Philippines.” There’s also the Twin Lakes Café, an all-day dining restaurant facing the vineyard and Taal Lake that offers the hotel’s signature dishes, such as Spaghetti Vongole, Pollo Veronica, Lengua Financiera and the hotel’s very own iteration of a famed Tagaytay favorite, bulalo. Other amenities include an in-house wellness spa, a heated infinity pool and a grand ballroom with a banquet capacity of up to 500 people, which can also be divided into smaller banquet rooms. “You see, the reason why Megaworld decided on a having an expansive ballroom that can be easily reconfigured is because they want to cater banquets, weddings and conventions,” said Jimenez. He added that a chapel is already on the works, and that it will hopefully be completed December this year. Since Caleruega is a popular destination in the area, Jimenez said they want to bring the same feel of the church’s architecture in the hotel.

The executive also expressed hopes of contributing to the tourism growth in the province, which currently enjoys a fair share of local guests. “A new hotel is like the flavor of the month, people want something new. Besides, what we want to emphasize is this is really in Batangas. Batangas is known for its outing destinations, yes, but the concept here is different.” Only recently, Twin Lakes Hotel was awarded as the Country Winner for the Best Hotel Development in Asia category at the 2018 Asia Property Awards held in Bangkok, Thailand. Earlier, the hotel was also recognized for its exemplary design, location and huge potential for tourism by winning the Best Hotel Development at the 2018 Philippines Property Awards. For Jimenez, while good service and authenticity characterize their hotel, there’s one little thing that sets it apart from competition: “I think [we’re] a community. What [we] want for the area is that when they go to Twin Lakes, everything is here.” n

GAMLA Stan is one of the most Instagram-friendly places in Stockholm, one of the many routes of Singapore Airlines.

SIA MAKES EVERY JOURNEY PERSONAL GEAR up for a year’s adventure at the Singapore Airlines and SilkAir Travel Fair 2019. Now on its sixth year, Singapore Airlines (SIA), together with its regional wing, SilkAir, and in partnership with Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Changi Airport Group, Globe Platinum and Singapore Tourism Board, welcomes the New Year with its much anticipated annual travel sale event of the year, featuring the best fare deals and exclusive offers of as much as $90 in value. With the theme “Making Every Journey Personal,” SIA brings to travelers “A Great Way to Fly” as exemplified by its world-class service the carrier is known for—personalization driven by continuous product innovation, and an extensive global network that spans to more than 30 countries. Marking its biggest travel fair yet, KrisFlyer members, BPI cardholders, and Globe Platinum subscribers from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Bacolod scored exciting deals as the fair unfolded recently in five different venues in Manila, Cebu, Davao, with the fair concluding with a private sale in Seda Capitol Central, Bacolod, on January 18. “Singapore Airlines wants to make every journey more personal for our customers, as we keep them in mind when designing products,” said Singapore Airlines General Manager Lee Yong Tat. “At the Travel Fair, our customers scored enjoy attractive deals and the best of what SIA has to offer, especially with the recent introduction of our new regional Business Class on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, A350-900 medium-haul routes starting with Adelaide, and nonstop flights to the United States with our A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft, including our newest destination, Seattle.” Holiday hunters can get their 2019 calendar ready with over 80 destinations to choose from, at amazing all-inclusive round-trip Economy Class fares from $188 to Singapore and other Asian destinations starting from $194; plus fares to Australia from $563, New Zealand from $658, Europe from $717, South Africa from $737 and the US from $876. More information on other offers are available at singaporeair.com. Other perks include special discounts from Stores Specialists Inc. brands, such as Samsonite, American Tourister, High Sierra, and other travel merchandise, including an option to pay in installment for up to three months for BPI Credit Cardholders.

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Entertaining BusinessMirror

Thursday, January 17, 2019

For foolproof poached chicken, turn to sous vide cooking FOOLPROOF Poached Chicken Breasts, the recipe for which appears in the cookbook Sous Vide for Everybody. AP

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By America’s Test Kitchen The Associated Press

OACHED chicken gets a bad rap for being tough, dry and a little squeaky between your teeth. But that’s probably because poaching is a relatively imprecise cooking method. If your poaching water’s too hot, the meat overcooks; if you leave the meat in the water too long, it overcooks; if you use too little water, the meat—you guessed it—undercooks. There are a lot of variables when poaching chicken. Thankfully, cooking sous vide eliminates most of them. For foolproof poached chicken, we cook chicken breasts at a moderate temperature for about an hour, which results in a juicy, tender texture that’s just firm enough that it doesn’t fall apart. While this recipe is finished in an hour, you can hold the chicken in the bath for up to 3 hours before the texture starts to change—giving you some flexibility. This perfectly poached chicken is great on its own or sliced over salad. In addition, this method is a great starting point for experimentation and variation, so feel free to add spices, herbs or boldly flavored marinades to the bag (just don’t add fresh garlic; it is particularly susceptible to botulism).

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Zooey Deschanel, 39; Jim Carrey, 57; Steve Harvey, 62; Betty White, 97. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Be careful what you sign up for this year. Something you thought would be advantageous will turn out to be a burden. Added responsibilities will be tiring but will also bring you joy. Make the most out of whatever situation you face. Accept change, but don’t create it. Doing your best will turn out better than trying to do the most. Your lucky numbers are 6, 11, 19, 27, 35, 39, 46.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stick to your game plan, and don’t budge regardless of the emotional tactics someone uses to get you to donate time, money or services to a project you know little about. A business model you set up will pay off. HHH

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Emotions will rise to the surface when dealing with matters concerning someone you love. Do your part to offer good advice, and to deter excessive or indulgent behavior. Sticking to a plan or setting up rules is favored. HHH

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): Try a unique approach when dealing with a personal relationship. Taking the time to find out what someone you love likes or what would lift his or her spirits will bring you closer together and help you avoid an emotional setback. HHH

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Personal change will make you feel good, but don’t overspend. Set a budget and figure out what you can do that will help you build confidence. Physical activities, travel and spending time with someone you love are favored. HHHH

Four 8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed Salt and pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 150°F in 7 quart container.

f rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve. Variations could be: n FOOLPROOF LEMON-THYME POACHED CHICKEN. Combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest in bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt mixture. n FOOLPROOF SOY-GINGER POACHED CHICKEN. OMIT SALT AND PEPPER. Whisk 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

together in bowl. Substitute soy sauce mixture for oil.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Getting involved in events that include people you work alongside or the children in your life will be revealing. An emotional issue that surfaces will be based on false information. HH

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n Nutrition information per lemon-thyme variation serving: 395 calories; 174 calories from fat; 20 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 166 mg cholesterol; 684 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 51 g protein.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t jump to conclusions, or you will end up getting into an argument. Personal growth, improved health and nurturing important relationships will be what count in the end. Avoid making unnecessary changes at home. Accept the inevitable and move on. HHHHH

n Nutrition information per soy-ginger variation serving: 325 calories; 64 calories from fat; 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 166 mg cholesterol; 1262 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 52 g protein.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Interact with people who have something to contribute. Learn from what you observe and hear, but when it comes to making adjustments, do what fits your lifestyle, not what pleases someone else. HHH

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make changes to the way you live. Don’t ask for help; do the work yourself so you won’t feel indebted to others. Don’t let a mistake cost you or keep you from achieving your goals. HHH

Starting off the year right THE new year is well on its way, and Diamond Hotel Philippines (www. diamondhotel.com) on Roxas Boulevard in Manila welcomes 2019 with exciting new offers exclusive for this month. After all the cooking for the seemingly endless holiday celebrations for family and friends, just enjoy scrumptious food without having to sweat it out in the kitchen. Spend some quality time with the family over a sumptuous smorgasbord at the Corniche buffet restaurant and try its newest buffet theme night featuring the Flavors of China. As they say, nothing brings family together like good food and good conversations.

Today’s Horoscope

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stay focused on personal investments, legal documents and health issues. If someone tries to distract you or pressure you into taking on responsibilities that don’t belong to you, be polite and decline. A financial gain looks promising. Romance is encouraged. HHHH

FOOLPROOF POACHED CHICKEN BREASTS Servings: 4 Sous Vide Temperature: 150°F Sous Vide Time: 1 to 3 hours Active Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken and oil in 1 gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and toss to coat. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until chicken is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate and let

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Discover dishes that are all Japanese and try the Yurakuen’s Power Lunch or Dinner. The familiar taste will remind you of the unique and authentic flavors of Japan. Also, enjoy Filipino delicacies and snacks at the Lobby Lounge with its Merienda Buffet, as you can never go wrong with the hotel’s own version of local merienda favorites served with a cup of hot tea. Stop by at the soaring sky-high bar of the hotel, Bar27, and catch the beautiful Manila Bay sunset. Get an inspiration to have a fresh start while you sip a refreshing Manila Sunset cocktail. Buy any signature cocktail and get the second glass at 50-percent off. That’s what you call starting the year off right.

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to the truth, and ask questions if someone is evasive. Getting the facts will make a difference to the outcome of a situation involving other people. Don’t make promises before you know what’s expected of you. HHH

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll come up with an interesting idea that can turn into a profitable venture. A home-based business or a skill or talent you have can be updated and adapted to market trends. HHHHH

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Truth matters. If you don’t mean it, don’t say it. Stick to people and organizations you feel comfortable dealing with, or choose to work alone. Problems while traveling or dealing with a friend or relative are likely. HH A SCRUMPTIOUS buffet spread awaits foodies at Corniche in Diamond Hotel Philippines.

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are entertaining, original and convincing. You are passionate and spirited.

‘footholds’ BY JOHN GUZZETTA The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Scott Joplin’s genre 8 Reflexology resort 11 Post-op spot 14 Biannual celestial event 15 Big coffee vessel 16 Catch red-handed 17 Interest limitation 18 Mealtime furniture set 20 Stomach muscles 21 *Particle accelerator 23 “No” votes 25 Needle part 26 Game of Thrones knight 27 Unexpected defeat 31 Some males butt heads over them 33 *Director of Good Will Hunting 38 “Smooth Operator” singer 39 Columbus sch. 40 Oxy target 41 Actress Thurman 43 Sault ___ Marie 44 Dumbbell press units 46 *Discussed business 49 ___-a-porter (ready-to-wear)

0 Itty-bitty 5 51 Second Amendment grp. 52 Best-liked, in texts 54 “Fudge!” 58 *Minimum requirements for a job 63 T, to Socrates 64 Some retired professors 65 Ballerina’s garment 67 Animated Flanders 68 Pre-K student 69 Dieter’s unit 70 Language suffix 71 Clean energy org. 72 Easy winners, or a phonetic hint to starred entries’ hidden brands DOWN 1 Broadcasted again 2 Seaport of Jordan 3 Bold 4 Father’s Day gift 5 Machu Picchu native 6 Castle surrounder 7 Trade show 8 All in a lather? 9 Like 11 and 17

0 Elsa’s sister in Frozen 1 11 Where dirt comes out 12 Satisfied one’s every whim 13 Major ride-share app 19 Start and end of spells? 22 Self-referential, slangily 24 Honda CR-V, e.g. 28 La ___, Bolivia 29 Bad mood 30 “Como ___ usted?” 32 Trickle 33 It’s a mixed bag to hikers 34 They’re created before passwords 35 Replace 36 Microwave 37 They hounded Capone 42 Online blocker targets 45 Step in a flight 47 Jeans maker Strauss 48 Barrett of Pink Floyd 52 Aperture setting 53 Japanese dog breed 55 Pong company 56 ___ to go 57 Unclothed sculptures

8 Nota ___ 5 59 Put in a bibliography 60 Relatives of Incs. 61 Rachel’s sister 62 Beer pong cup brand 66 In addition

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, January 17, 2019

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MOMS, ENJOY YOUR AGE WHY are sheet masks taking over the beauty industry by storm? Celebrities, beauty junkies and travelers have been popping all over Instagram showing their selfies with their sheet masks on. That’s because these on-the-go sheet masks give skin instant hydration to make your skin look healthier, smoother and bouncier. “Skin is made up of about 70 percent water, and when it dries out it stops functioning at its optimum,” says Jennifer Hirsch, beauty botanist for The Body Shop. To help the planet bounce back, The Body Shop is releasing their first sheet mask as the newest addition to their best-selling Drops of Youth range. The iconic Drops of Youth Youth Concentrate Sheet Mask gives intense hydration to the skin in just 15 minutes. The mask is perfect for those who want to treat their skin and also focus on enjoying their age despite their busy lifestyles. The newest addition to the bestselling and iconic Drops of Youth skin-care range, this mask is intensely hydrating and 100-percent vegan. It is enriched with Community Trade organic babassu oil from Brazil that is known for its moisturizing properties, plus three plant stem cells: edelweiss from the rugged Italian alps, and criste marine and sea holly from Brittany coast. Known for their regenerative properties, these plant stem cells constantly renew themselves, helping them to withstand environmental aggressor and repair damage. In just one use, the mask infuses the potent ingredients deep into the skin making it look healthier, smoother and bouncier. This 100-percent vegan sheet mask is revolutionary because it is eco-consciously made with cellulose fiber derived from renewably sourced wood pulp. It is highly breathable, delivers products deeper into skin and feels as comfortable as second skin. After use, the sheet can be placed in your home compost bin to degrade, giving back to the environment.

POPE Francis salutes the crowd as he recites the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking Saint Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on January 13. AP

Pope to parents: It’s OK to fight, just not in front of kids VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis offered new parents a bit of advice on Sunday, telling them it’s perfectly normal to fight, but just not in front of the children. Francis warned of the “anguish” of children who see their parents fight during a ceremony to baptize 27 newborns, an annual tradition that fills the frescoed Sistine Chapel with babies, their parents and godparents. Amid coos and wails, Francis told parents that they had taken on an important new job of transmitting the faith to their children—a job he said begins at home, in the family. Francis then offered some off-the-cuff advice to help them do just that. “It’s normal for spouses to fight,” he said. “It’d be strange if they didn’t. Do it, but don’t let the children hear it or see it. You have no idea of children’s anguish when they see their parents fight.” Francis frequently offers such real-world advice to couples, stemming from his years ministering to ordinary families when he was a priest, bishop and cardinal in Buenos Aires. One of his favorite axioms is that couples should make a habit of saying, “Please, thank you and sorry,” and should never go to bed mad. AP

Diary of a mom with no limits: Finding ‘faithful’ answers MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

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HEN I was child, the La Naval procession in Bicol was an annual ritual. I questioned why I should be there if this was my parents’ devotion. I saw the devoted time to the rosary, and to all the statues one could find at home. I did not grasp why. And yet, before I turned 10, and seeing my family still together despite all the chaos, I somehow attributed all that to the prayers and acts of devotion. I studied in a Catholic school all my life. We dropped by the parish church every day before entering school. One time I remember praying for a high grade. I got it. I saw my faith as a “granter” of wishes. From then on, every test, major recitation and contest, I would always pray and offer the result to God. I was very active in school. I was always an officer in religious organizations. This allowed me to participate in recollections with multiple age groups. There, we shared our fears, family issues and usually end up in tears of repentance and gratitude. I saw my faith as a community who supported my fearful heart. When I moved to Poveda, I wondered why my teachers and classmates genuinely wanted to go

to mass during lunch. I witnessed the works of the Institución Teresiana and truly saw something “real” in their devotion. I understood this more when I was tasked to head the school’s 1995 World Youth Day activities. My faith transformed into a promise of action beyond prayer. I thank our teachers and administrators, especially Sally Villavicencio and Tess Java, for continuing to guide me even today. When I was in university, I was totally unprepared for such an emotional roller coaster. I had my first official relationship but that only lasted a few months. To this day, I think that experience of deception was one of the most painful times in my life. I felt so angry. I felt no one understood my pain. I turned to my faith and found solace in prayer. I learned to visit the chapel and the Blessed Sacrament more often. More than this, I think Philosophy saved me. Philosophy provided the Aristotelian Mean, for me to balance reason and emotions. I remember in my first two years of college, I kept asking myself why did it have to happen to me? When I finished college, I remember being grateful for that pain. “A kick to freedom”...that’s how I describe my college years. From a perfect high school ending, came the most painful kick of abandonment. The thud at the pit of your stomach you pray each day to go away, but it doesn’t. Then you try to find all the means to fix the situation. One day you just admit, “I have no answer.” Then in that minute you let go, the answer comes to you. It was a critical point for me to realize I do not always hold the key...that a set input does not always end up to be a set output...that our calculations might be accurate, but will always remain theoretical. In the end, a force bigger than us knows more...and in my experience, as long as we do by what is good, that force gives a whole lot more than what we ever hoped for.

My faith upon leaving Ateneo became as “real” as my 20/20 line of sight. As much as my Philosophy classes, especially about Friedrich Nietzsche, challenged my faith, those same Philosophy and Theology classes, especially from Fr. Nemy Que, paved the way to the realization that faith is not blind mysticism. There is logic to believe because life with faith bears more meaning than life without it. At present, my faith has allowed me to overcome many more tragedy that has come my way. It has paved an “advanced gratitude” to whatever is to come. More than this, my faith allows me to quiet down, listen, trust and “let live.” That is why whether I am here in Manila or on a business trip, I enjoy the holiness of the Church. I believe that faith begins in words but graduates to everyday action. Faith is not religion. Faith is not words of prayer. Religion and prayer are tools toward a strong faith. Today, I support the Church because it promotes faith, but it is secondary to my personal relationship with God. Oftentimes, people deflect from their religion because of the hypocrisy of many members, hiding negative actions behind one’s religion. I view that our strength of faith must go beyond the actions of others. People choose to live out their religion in their own way. What is important is how we live our religion with true faith. Why is faith important? Faith in its purest meaning is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Faith, for me, goes hand in hand with trust in one’s providential future. It also involves trusting in our own “personhood.” We must bear that strong belief that life is there slowly bringing us closer to our rightful future. Next week, I will share my continuous learning on other beliefs like Kabbalah, Buddhism and the like, and how these give more meaning to my faith. n

Celebrating inclusion to mark first year TOUTED as the most exciting insurance brand in the country, FWD Life Insurance commemorated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities recently with a Christmas Fair at the Treston College in Bonifacio Global City. Together with partners Humanity & Inclusion (H&I) and Special Olympics, FWD marked the occasion with a fun-filled afternoon of Minute to Win It-inspired games, team cheers and chants, as well as exciting performances. Greeting participants, FWD Life Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes said in his opening remarks, “Today is a special day indeed and we are truly pleased that the FWD Community Care Christmas Fair was made possible with our friends from H&I and Special Olympics.” “As we continue to collaborate and strive harder for inclusion for people with disability in the Philippines, we believe 2019 will prove to be yet another promising year

of empowering people to live fulfilled lives,” Grimes added. Launched earlier in 2018, FWD’s partnerships with H&I and Special Olympics form part of FWD Group’s Community Care program which aims to advocate equal opportunities and empower people with disabilities in Asia. Specifically, FWD’s partnership with H&I aims to train at least 380 youth with disabilities across Indonesia and the Philippines to help them secure sustainable

employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. Meanwhile, FWD and Special Olympics are championing the dreams of young people with intellectual disabilities by creating an inclusive environment that provide equal opportunities on the sports field and their daily lives. In solidarity with persons with disabilities across the globe, FWD helped carry out the 2018 theme “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.” During the partnership

launches with the two organizations, FWD began with its own employees pledging their support for creating an inclusive society and ending stigma and discrimination. Meeting athletes and ambassadors and interacting face-to-face with the community have helped FWD employees become champions themselves, beginning with shedding misconceptions and stereotypes, until eventually shedding light on people’s potential and individuality.

FROM left: The altar at Saint Francis Xavier Church at Shanghai while I was having mass in March 2013; attending mass at Germany in September 2013; my travel ritual to visit Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York last year.

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Thursday, January 17, 2019

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‘Days of Being Wild’: Wong Kar-wai goes to Bikol LIAM NEESON TAKES HARD-ACTION GENRE TO NEW HEIGHTS

BLOCKBUSTER action icon Liam Neeson is back with a vengeance in a heady mix of rage and dark humor in Cold Pursuit. Infused with irreverent humor, the movie sees Liam Neeson as Nels Coxman, a family man whose quiet life with his wife (Laura Dern) is upended following the mysterious death of their son. Nels’s search for justice turns into a vengeful hunt for Viking (Tom Bateman), a drug lord he believes is connected to the death. As one by one of Viking’s associates “disappear,” Nels goes from upstanding citizen to ice-cold vigilante, letting nothing—and no one—get in his way. Just named Citizen of the Year for his services in keeping the roads open to the remote town, Coxman’s life swiftly spirals into amateur retribution and an escalating pile of corpses when his son (played by Micheál Richardson) is mistakenly killed by local gangsters over a stash of missing drugs. All he knows about killing people is what he read in a crime novel, but Coxman sets off with a sawn-off hunting rifle, and unwittingly begins a chain of events that will include a snowbound turf war, kidnapping, two rival crime lords and a host of hoodlums with colourful nicknames like Maverick, Mustang and Smoke. Catch Liam Neeson in a wicked new territory when Cold Pursuit opens on February 13 in theaters nationwide from Axinite Digicinema.

Get ready to break the ‘Glass’ at SM Cinema MASTER storyteller M. Night Shyamalan is back to shatter you with disturbing revelations and shocking plot twists in his latest masterpiece Glass. Feel the thrill and experience the intensity of this action and suspense-filled film at SM Cinema, the largest film exhibitor in the country. One of the most anticipated sequels of 2019, the superhero thriller Glass connects the stories of the 2000 film Unbreakable, together with its main characters, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Elijah Price a.k.a. Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson); and the 2016 film Split, with the mentally-ill Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) and his 24 personalities. Picking up at the ending of Split, David Dunn decides to catch Kevin Wendell Crumb under his superhuman persona, The Beast. As they are pitted against each other, Mr. Glass appears as the mastermind of all. Will the hero win against the villain this time? Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Glass also features actors Sarah Paulson as Dr. Ellie Staple, Anya TaylorJoy as Casey Cooke, Spencer Treat Clark as Joseph Dunn and Charlayne Woodard as Mrs. Price. Catch M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass at Director’s Club and SM Cinema branches nationwide. Book your tickets through www.smcinema.com, or download the SM Cinema mobile app.

REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

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EFORE you scream and before you even doubt this discovery, hold your tongue. Wong Kar-wai, the great director behind such gloriously decadent cinemas as In the Mood for Love, Happy Together and My Blueberry Nights (an unheralded English-language film, with Norah Jones incandescent it) did not really go to Bikol. I mean, there is no proof, no ticket to show and no documentation at all about this trip. Let me, however, backtrack. And this will be long drive back home, back to where I fancied this idea. A search for more versions of one of my favorite old songs—“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”—brought me face-to-face with the so-called founder of Cantopop, the late and much lamented Leslie Cheung. There was nothing exemplary about his version, although it was a lovely version, a bit effete but very dark. Instead of molding his voice according to the great male balladeers who popularized the song, Leslie Cheung seemed to be channeling another vocal immortal, Connee Boswell. The version was elegantly depressed and that was a challenge enough. It was the video itself, which accompanied the music: a film noir that, despite being snippets of scenes from another film universe, made sense. There was a high, a natural low, a rhythm in the whole movement of characters. I became aware of the presence of this actor once more, this Leslie Cheung, boyish but reeking of multiple demons and angels all competing for his attention. I looked and found one of his old films, a watershed in Hong Kong cinema: Days of Being Wild. Directed by Wong Kar-wai, the film is the first engagement of the Chinese auteur with Christopher Doyle, the great cinematographer. When people talk of Wong Kar-wai, they invariably mention his In the Mood for Love, perhaps the moodiest of all Chinese films, described by J. Hoberman of The Village Voice as “both giving and withholding.” One feels the same way about Leslie Cheung both in his role and in his character in Days of Being Wild. If one was not one of those women who pined for his attention and body, men would wish to be with Cheung. And yet this man appeared to be always on the run. In other words, there are many similarities in terms of mood and contour between In the Mood for Love and Days of Being Wild. And yet, very few cineastes ever talked about the latter. Was In the Mood for Love more engaging? I know: you are anticipating my conjecture about Days of Being Wild and its Bikol connection.... Days of Being Wild opens with the camera trained on the back of a man approaching a store, where a young girl stands. The man is Leslie Cheung; the woman is Maggie Cheung. The man asks the woman what her name is. The girl refuses. The man says he knows her anyway. The woman asks how and where he got her name. The man tells the woman to remember

that minute where he first gets to know her because that is one important minute for the two of them. The woman falls for the man. They make love. The woman wants to move in and asks the man to marry her. The man says he is not the marrying kind. The woman leaves but comes back. The man, it seems, is not interested whether she leaves or goes. That minute is all that matters. Another woman becomes the man’s lover. This other woman persists and insists she stays. The man, however, dictates the rules of the relationship. Come to think of it, there are no rules for this man, and that is why the woman—and other women—will find it difficult to live with him. The man lives with an older woman who took care of him from infancy. The man asks only one thing from the woman: who his mother is. The woman never gives him the information because if he finds out, the woman says, he is going to leave her. I recite the litanies of events just to summarize the actions happening onscreen and make sense of them. But making sense of Days of Being Wild is trying to find logic in intuitions. Wong Kar-wai’s characters imply, dissipate, cohere for a while and insinuate into each other’s lives. Yuddy, the name of this man portrayed by Leslie Cheung, finally finds out the whereabouts of his mother. She is in the Philippines. She belongs to an aristocratic family. Yuddy leaves Hong Kong and travels to the island in an attempt to find his mother. He arrives in the Philippines and this is where the shock of recognition begins. He goes to the Chinatown. He meets the policeman who befriended his first girlfriend. He tries to visit the palatial home of his mother who does not see him. When he leaves the mansion, he says, he “feels someone is watching him.” Indeed, someone is

watching him. It is his mother. It is our very own Tita Muñoz appearing in an eternity of minutes. Then, as Yuddy walks out from the failed encounter, he is shown in a fast gait, the lonesome Latin beat of Xavier Cugat caresses the cowpath flanked by tall coconut trees, he slows down, the technology of slow-motion taking the place of lost causes. Not everything is lost. Yuddy and the policemanturned-seaman go on an adventure. They fight the bad men over a bad business negotiation, and escape the problem coming from nowhere by riding a train. In the train, they are pursued by the villains. Yuddy asks how far the destination is. Some 12 hours, the conductor explains. Did you say 12 hours? Train in 1960? Remember, the tall palm trees, the seeming forest and more greenness on the ancient hills. The train is going to Bikol! You don’t believe me? I don’t really care. What I care is this film with actors creating the loveliest of anguish and the most opulent of sorrows and remorse: Maggie Cheung, extravagantly articulate in silence and timidity; Andy Lau, ambivalent in his search for his own self, a manliness deceived into his own imagined force; Rebecca Pan, the former prostitute who nurtures the motherless child in Yuddy but is now searching for her own home even as she maintains the home for lost men; and Clarita Lau, whose contribution to this tale of agitated hearts is her endless pining for the man who left her long before she heard the goodbyes. At the center of this tale are more tales, each one lobbying for a narrator, each narrator losing hold of the plot, each plot missing a song. Here is the film that ushered in In the Mood for Love, and here is the film that made many of us forget about kung fu and the incursion of the Chinese into our territorial waters. n

WONG KARWAI’S moody and magnificent Days of Being Wild, anchored by a sublime turn by the late and much lamented Leslie Cheung.

R. Kelly accuser says he threatened to reveal her sex life By DeePTi hAJeLA The Associated Press NEW YORK—R. Kelly wrote a letter threatening to reveal embarrassing details of a woman’s sexual history if she didn’t drop a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse, the woman and her lawyer said on Monday. In the letter, a person identifying himself as R. Kelly warned a lawyer for the woman, Faith Rodgers, that if she persisted with the suit, she would be “subjected to public opinion.” The letter said the singer would demand medical documentation of her claim that he gave her herpes, force her to turn over texts and social-media posts, and have “10 personal male witnesses testifying under oath about her sex life.” “If Ms. Rodgers really cares about her own reputation she should cease her participation and association with the organizers of this negative campaign,” the letter said. A lawyer for R. Kelly in Chicago, Steve Greenberg, denied the letter’s authenticity, saying it “looks fake.” “It obviously was not authored or signed by Mr. Kelly, nor sent on his behalf,” Greenberg said. “He doesn’t write letters.” The letter was sent in October to one of Rodgers’s lawyers in New York, a few weeks after the singer was served with the lawsuit accusing him of demeaning

her, locking her in rooms and vehicles, and subjecting her to “nonpermissive, painful and abusive sex.” Rodgers, 21, said she met Kelly as a 19-year-old after a concert in San Antonio. She participated in the recently aired Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly, which catalogued years of accusations

against the singer. “We are here today to let Mr. Kelly know in no uncertain terms that he cannot and will not intimidate his alleged victims into keeping silent about their allegations,” one of her lawyers, Gloria Allred, said at the news conference on Monday.

“No woman should be victim-shamed, harassed or retaliated against because she asserted her rights and spoke her truth,” Rodgers added. The Associated Press does not typically name people alleging sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Rodgers has done. Kelly has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The letter sent to Rodgers’s New York lawyer, Lydia Hills, also lectured her in sometimes nonsensical terms about her understanding of the law. “This is to enlighten you concerning the presumption of court appearances that you may not be aware of since attorneys are taught a coloring of law and not Canon or Common Law. Color-of-Law is not law. It’s fiction for corporate fictions of which I am not.” The letter writer added later that, “I am exempt and not subject to this court so I don’t know why you are even addressing me.” Also on Monday, the Chicago Tribune published a story detailing court records it obtained on a July lawsuit seeking payment of $174,000 in back rent and other costs for his Chicago recording studio. The documents include a signed eviction notice, which was put on hold until January 21 for Kelly to pay. The studio has been the site of recent protests against Kelly, with those involved calling on promoters to stop booking his concerts.

ATTORNEY Gloria Allred (from left), Faith Rodgers and Michelle Kramer, mother of Dominique Gardner, participate in a news conference about R&B singer R. Kelly in New York on January 14. AP

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, January 17, 2019 E1

GREAT SCOT!

‘Whiskey prof’ wows local liquor enthusiasts

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By Cesar M. Cruz Jr. | Contributor

F you happen to be a big fan of cocktail and lifestyle events in the city, chances are you’ve already ran, or will soon run, into Hamish Houliston. Who could better educate discerning Filipino drinkers on the subject of Scotch whiskey than the Chivas Brothers brand ambassador to the Philippines—a true Scot who exudes an overflowing passion for the worldfamous liquor? Houliston is always in his element when conducting learning sessions with whiskey enthusiasts, just like what he did at the third edition of Whiskey Live Manila—the biggest international whiskey event in the country held toward the end of 2018. There, he facilitated two master classes: a Chivas Regal Blending Session and one for Speyside Selection Malts and Blends. Moreover, this author found the expat, who has been staying in the country for more than one-and-ahalf years, is easy to warm up to. He exudes an easygoing demeanor, a killer smile and a knack for cracking jokes occasionally. A marketing background obtained from his native Scotland and an English-language teach-

ing career in Ecuador have given Houliston a definitive edge in his role as a brand ambassador. As such, he is able to combine the two disciplines of masterfully presenting a product and educating people; only this time, the subject matter is far more interesting and fun: that of one of the best-selling Scotch whiskies of all time. In between spirited toasts and subsequent talks, we got to know more about the Chivas whiskey whiz in this interview. So far, what have you come to learn about our local liquor industry? It is a really an exciting time to be involved in the Philippines’s liquor industry. There is so much opportunity here, with lots of local and international players investing (a whole lot) to help grow categories. I believe the growing discernment of consumers and the industry’s efforts drive much potential

in the Philippines. Those elements, combined with a thriving nightlife scene, with premier bars pushing each other in terms of competition and innovation, make an ideal environment to enjoy Chivas. What do you find fun and rewarding about your job? Being able to talk about (the different kinds of) whiskies that are made just a few miles away from my home in Scotland, on the other side of the world, has to be one of the greatest perks about my job. Pairing this with meeting new and interesting people who have a passion for the whiskies I represent and (those who) want to know more about them is really a whole lot of fun. Likewise, it is also really rewarding to see people learn something in a tasting session or in a learning event, and then go on spreading the word themselves…. It’s even more rewarding when you have helped change a person’s preconception about the brand. What are the challenges in your line of work, and how do you plan to overcome them? They revolve around preconceived notions about the brand. Chivas is very well-known in terms of provenance and quality. Often, people can be intimidated by this reputation, and not actually believe that they are very much established in their career or their time in life to

partake such a whiskey. Part of my job is to help educate people (with the fact) that the brand is to be enjoyed by those who wish to enjoy it, and is best shared among friends. Nowadays for Chivas, whiskey drinkers just need to spend a little bit more, and they could enjoy a whole lot more. While doing such, I also wish to endeavor for our potential market to see the merits of the product, as well as (its suitability) for people across the board. Tell us about your decision in making the Philippines your new home. I like to tell people that I chose to live here, but the reality is that this is where I was assigned for my whiskey-preaching mission. However, I can honestly say that I am incredibly glad that this is where I was sent out into the world. Of course, the beaches and islands are amazing, but as a destination for this job, it is simply fantastic. The people are incredibly friendly. They enjoy drinking and want to learn a little bit more about what is in their glasses. What was your impression of the Philippines prior to your arrival? Was it accurate after you’ve settled in? Before coming here, I heard some scary stories from a Filipino guy I knew back in Scotland. He told me to be constantly on my guard and look out for inevitable trouble coming

my way. So when I landed and was assigned in a hotel around (a mall chain in Makati City), I was embarrassingly cautious. That didn’t last long though, and I have never really felt unsafe during my time here. I am now the one who puts my friends at ease when they arrive here. What have you grown to love about the Philippines? I have inadvertently been eating rice during my time here. Starting out, I struggled to see the local necessity to have the carbs with every possible meal. Now, I catch myself hankering for a portion of “Filipino power” to keep me going with as many sauces chunked on as possible. I have no qualms with dosing it up with soy sauce, vinegar and the like. In terms of Filipino food, topping the list has to be tortang talong— (it’s quite) a beautiful culinary innovation. What do you think we Filipinos know about your country? And what do you want us to know about Scotland? When it comes to Scotland, quite often, the first thing Filipinos know is Scotch whiskey, which is handy for the job. Other than that, people often shout, “Freedom!” in my face, giving credence to the work of the great Scotsman Mel Gibson in the hit movie Braveheart. People here are almost often keen

to know if I wear the “skirt,” to which I reply, “Yes, I wear the kilt. I have it here with me in Manila.” About my country, I want Filipinos to know that when they visit Scotland, there is much more to (my) country than just Edinburgh. It is a wonderful city, but please do venture further afield. If they have time, they have to head up to the Scottish highlands and the islands. Go to Speyside and visit some distilleries. (The place) really showcases Scotland’s best. What common elements do our countries share? Believe it or not, one similarity between the Philippines and Scotland are golden sand beaches—although in Scotland, the weather makes sunbathing and swimming more for the foolhardy. Probably, the other most common similarity would be the passion for Scotch whiskey. I still do find it amazing to have people on the other side of the world so enamored and knowledgeable about our national drink, for our humble nation of 5 million. If you were a whiskey, what kind would you be? It would have to be the signature blend in our lineup… You might have been expecting me to choose our most expensive whiskey, but I would rather be the Chivas 12, because I believe we have the same qualities: approachable, well-balanced and quietly confident.

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, January 17, 2019

PHL, Indonesia renew education devt MOU

EMPOWERMENT AND EDUCATION

1LL, Peace Boat light up PHL towns

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By Recto L. Mercene

HE Dark Ages ended when once again, people were able to sustain a glimmer of light through half the night, when the world is in darkness. No one can reflect creatively without light, because nothing reflects in the dark...” This was the tweet of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin that thanked Illac Diaz, executive director of 1 Liter of Light (1LL) Foundation, after a briefing at the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. Locsin was the guest-of-honor at the briefing of the 100-day Voyage of Light, a global grassroots movement that uses inexpensive, readily available materials to provide highquality solar lighting to people with limited or no access to electricity. Diaz said the undertaking is a sojourn around the world by 1LL aboard the Peace Boat, a Japan-based, nongovernment and nonprofit organization working to promote peace, human rights, sustainable development and respect for the environment. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto C. Abella briefed the media about the event. Diaz said the New Year started with their first solar-training workshop among volunteers and passengers of the Peace Boat who joined them on the 90-day voyage around the world. “These new ‘Ambassadors of Light’ will help us to train others on [building] our simple solar technologies,” Diaz said, and added that the

lights built during the voyage will be delivered to the 19 ports along their journey, “bringing light, hope and empowerment to communities without access to affordable, sustainable source of light. “How come we’re training Filipino minds to serve people who already live well?” Diaz asked during the press briefing. “How about if we train minds to bring as many people along as possible?” 1LL went around 88 provinces in the Philippines as it taught women and children as young as 12 years old to assemble lamps, mobile-charging systems and streetlights—all powered by solar technology. This year, the organization teamed up with Peace Boat to bring sustainable lights in other developing countries of the world. One of the journey’s highlights is a series of workshops aboard the Peace Boat where participants will learn to assemble sustainable solar lights. The finished products will be donated during the voyage through local partners to communities accessible from the ports where Peace Boat’s vessel will dock. “The 100th voyage [will be] very symbolic for us. It also coincides with our 35th anniversary. For that

ACTOR-MODEL and clean-energy advocate Illac Diaz (third from right) with Peace Boat representatives PEACE BOAT PHOTO

occasion, it would be an honor to collaborate with 1LL. [Our partnership with the] Peace Boat will bring real visibility and concrete results to promote renewable energy and the Sustainable Development Goal 7 around the world. We are looking forward to create a trail of sustainable light around the globe,” Peace Boat Founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya said. Peace Boat’s 100th global voyage will visit 19 ports in 13 countries. It will cover a Southern-Hemisphere route that will pass by Madagascar, South Africa, Brazil and Patagonia in South America. It will also visit Mauritius, Namibia, Rapa Nui, Tahiti and Samoa to learn about the issues faced by the people of these islands. Among other activities, this voyage will celebrate the 35th anniversary of Peace Boat, the 100th birth year of Nelson Mandela and the 110th anniversary of the first waves of Japanese immigration to Brazil. “In this voyage, both Peace Boat and the occupants are set on crossing borders to spread awareness about their causes, which includes promoting peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development, and respect for the environment, with 1LL focusing on addressing energy

poverty,” Diaz said. The journey started in Yokohama, Japan on December 26, 2018, and will circumnavigate the world for a hundred days. The organizations discovered each other’s activities during the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in January 2016. The idea of working together on a joint project came up immediately, with Peace Boat being an active campaigner for the UN’s SDGs. This collaboration between the two agencies will help create awareness about the SDGs, with 1LL focusing on renewable energy.

Goals in action

“1LL believes in the power of youth and communities to solve the greatest challenges to our planet and community,” said Diaz. “We are excited to continue our journey of light with Peace Boat, where we will have the incredible opportunity to teach, learn and share sustainable solutions to energy, poverty and other development challenges globally.” Meanwhile, Tatsuya believes in the impact that this partnership can create. “The combination of Liter of Light and Peace Boat voyages will bring real visibility and concrete re-

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sults to promote renewable energy around the world.” The trip not only serves as an avenue for both organizations to widen their reach but it also gives both organizations a chance to share their humble beginnings. Peace Boat started out with four students who were curious about Japan’s role during World War II. In 1983, they chartered a ship and went around Asia and the Pacific to reach out to different countries and hear people’s stories about their experiences during the war. Since then, Peace Boat has organized voyages to spread awareness about sustainability, building meaningful partnerships while educating passengers and different communities. In 2017, they acted against using nuclear power through the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and the Global Voyage for a Nuclear-Free World: Peace BoatHibakusha Project. When 1LL started in 2011, its mission and focus was simple: to provide solar lighting that is accessible and sustainable for grassroots communities. Redesigning solar lighting for the developing world, its simple, twostep technology creates local jobs, teaches green skills and empowers energy-poor communities. Rather than depending on imported, patented and expensive technologies, this grassroots green-lighting movement makes it possible for anyone to become a solar engineer. Making this an open-source technology and sharing all the information on the Internet, social media and teaching caravans have helped 1LL to expand to more than 30 countries, light up almost 1 million households around the world, help reduce carbon emissions by a bottom-up approach and spread the idea of green and sustainable technology.

HE Department of Education (DepEd), led by Secretary Leonor M. Briones, and the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia renewed their productive cooperation under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during a welcome dinner for Education Minister Prof. Dr. Muhadjir Effendy. “This MOU, brief as it is, merely recognizes and formalizes the great relationship between our DepEd and the Ministry of Education of Indonesia; but even more, it symbolizes the brotherhood, togetherness, the oneness of Indonesia and the Philippines,” Briones said. The objective of the MOU is to promote cooperation in basic and secondary education on a reciprocal basis, and to highlight collaboration in the advancement of knowledge and intellectual development. “I’m glad that we just signed the renewal of the MOU on education cooperation between our countries. I believe the renewal of the MOU will mark the joint efforts of both governments in strengthening cooperation in the fields of education,” Effendy said. Education Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno A. Malaluan added there are many parallels and big commonalities between the two ministries and the education sectors both in terms of size, student population and bureaucracy: “Even our challenges are similar, like climate change.” The signing of the MOU coincides with the three-day visit of Effendy in November 2018 in the Philippines. As the incumbent Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Seameo) council president, the visit is a customary practice undertaken by his counterparts embodied in their roles and responsibilities. The three Seameo Centers in the country, namely Seameo Tropmed, Seameo Searca and Seameo Innotech presented their accomplishments, updates and future plans to Effendy, who praised the reports. The Indonesian minister is likewise thankful for the DepEd’s accomplishments and hard work in supporting the livelihood of people through quality education. He mentioned that he is also inspired by the department’s passion and commitment to the betterment of the future of Southeast Asians. The DepEd and the Ministry of Education of Indonesia signed an MOU on Basic Education on March 8, 2011, in Jakarta, Indonesia, with a validity of five years. With the renewed MOU, certain activities are set to be implemented in the next two years and will be reported in the next joint working-group meeting in 2020 which Indonesia will host. DEPED PR

ISST, IIRR forge development partnership T

HE International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) recently opened its new training center campus at the 52-hectare integrated farm land of James Yen Center of the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in Silang, Cavite. Under a recent memorandum of agreement, both institutions can collaborate with each other’s expertise in Earth-friendly agriculture, sustainable tourism, community development and other common avenues of cooperation. The campus, which has the United Nation’s World Tourism Organization as a benefactor, has two classrooms, four executive meeting rooms, a learning-resource center and a boardroom that can host more than 100 students. Meanwhile, the IIRR is a United States-based private-voluntary organization with strong antipoverty programs in eight countries in Southeast Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa and works in collaboration with more than 125 lo-

CIVIC leader Sonia Roco (front row, from left), International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) President Dr. Mina Gabor, Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Marie Venus Tan and International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) Executive Director Philip Usi; (second row, from left) IIRR Board Member Dr. John Batten, ISST Business Development Head Mark Tinao, ISST Senior Vice President Joselito Bernardo and IIRR Senior Global Adviser Dr. Julian Gonsalvez

cal-development partners. It implements integrated and holistic programs on education for marginalized communities, food security and resilient

livelihoods, community-driven and managed disaster-risk reduction, as well as building collaborative leadership through global learning and sharing.

FASHION INNOVATOR CONDUCTS WORKSHOP

Tokyo-based Shingo Sato, known for his transformational-reconstruction cutting school in Japan, recently conducted an exclusive three-day draping and drafting workshop at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, before an audience composed of fashion design and merchandising program educators, practitioners and selected fashion designers. Photo shows Sato demonstrating the techniques he employs to create innovative fashion designs.

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com | Thursday, January 17, 2019 E3

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

Bolstering cause of human rights, business enterprises

PHL-NZ foreign ministry consultations convened FOREIGN AFFAIRS Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific Affairs Meynardo LB. Montealegre and New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry Divisional Manager for South and South East Asia Andrew Needs at the fifth Philippines– New Zealand Foreign Ministry Consultations

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ENEVA—The Philippines expressed its support for efforts related to business and human rights, as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations Evan P. Garcia attended the opening plenary of the seventh United Nations (UN) Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva. “We are pleased that the forum [provided] an opportunity to enrich discussions on the practice of human rights due diligence among businesses. We believe these discussions are essential in contributing to better protection of affected communities, including women, children and indigenous peoples,” Garcia said. The opening plenary of the UN meeting provided leadership and high-level perspectives on the main theme of this year’s conference, “Business Respect for Human Rights:

Building on what works.” In her opening remarks, High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet stated that business enterprises play an important role not only in respecting the human rights of workers and of people affected by business operations, but also in influencing and leveraging others to uphold human rights. The forum also discussed trends, challenges and emerging good practices in translating the Guiding Principles on Business and Hu-

WELLINGTON PE

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PERMANENT Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations and Other International Organizations Evan P. Garcia (left) greets Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet GENEVA PM

man Rights for Implementing the UN’s “protect, respect and remedy” framework into practice, as well

Labor accord on hiring Filipino hotel workers for Israel signed

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NEWLY signed labor agreement between the Philippines and Israel is expected to generate as many as 1,000 jobs for Filipinos in hotels across Israel, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer G. Cato said. Cato revealed that the document, signed in Tel Aviv by Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III and Israel’s Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, would allow Filipino workers to work as cleaners in Israeli establishments. The agreement comes three months after a landmark accord on Filipino caregivers was formalized between the two nations during the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in Israel on September 2018. The deployment cost to Israel has been lowered from as high as $12,000 to only about $2,000 upon

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Assistant Secretary Elmer G. Cato

a bilateral agreement recently inked by the two states. The deployment process to Israel was also improved upon a government-to-government basis through the Philippine Overseas Employ-

ment Administration. Citing data from the Philippine Embassy, Cato said there are around 28,000 Filipinos currently working in Israel.

Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

China’s Hainan province eyes agreement with Iloilo City

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LOILO CITY—The Hainan Foreign Affairs office of China is eyeing to establish a sisterhood agreement with Iloilo City, according to the head of the city’s Local Economic Investment and Promotion Office (Leipo). In an interview, following her two-week intensive training on the Tropical Agriculture Advanced Study and Research program, Ritchel Gavan said that the city was the only Philippine local government unit invited. According to her, the learning session gathered 20 participants from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia, Micronesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. “There are other areas for economic cooperation,” Gavan said. The Leipo head added that Hainan is being positioned as a special economic zone in China, and is on track to become a free-port area. “There is a demand to learn English because they are opening up,” she pointed out. “These are [just some of the] reasons they wanted to establish

ILOILO CITY Local Economic Investment and Promotion Office Head Ritchel Gavan

the agreement with [our] city.” In education, Iloilo City’s status as a “center of excellence” will create employment for local teachers and business for schools, as Hainan would send their students to learn English in Iloilo, Gavan explained. Also, it could boost tourist arrivals in this highly urbanized city because Hainan has the largest number of Chinese nationals overseas.

“They want to see other areas of cooperation, apart from agribusiness,” explained Gavan, who also delivered a speech at the closing ceremony of the training. She further stated that they would be anticipating for the Hainan Foreign Affairs office to send a letter formally stating its intention for a sisterhood agreement. Perla Lena/PNA

as promoting multistakeholder dialogue, as well as cooperation on business and human rights.

E L L I N G T O N —T h e fifth Philippines–New Zealand Foreign Ministry Consultations sessions were convened in early December 2018, led by Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific Affairs Meynardo LB. Montealegre and New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry’s Divisional Manager for South and South East Asia Andrew Needs, as the meetings discussed a wide range of bilateral issues. The deliberations reinforced both countries’ commitment to further strengthen relations. They also agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas of trade and investments, defense and security, people-to-people exchanges, agriculture, education, energy, labor and science, as well as technology.

Representatives from both sides also discussed significant regional and global developments, and how they could cooperate in harnessing the opportunities that these developments present. New Zealand is home to more than 40,000 Filipino migrants, students and workers engaged in various areas of New Zealand labor sector. Their contributions to the South Pacific archipelago’s society and economy are highly valued by its government and citizens. The latest round of consultations will take place in the Philippines on a mutually agreeable date. Both countries share more than five decades of diplomatic relations, marked by robust political and economic cooperation, as well as warm people-to-people ties.

BusinessMirror

Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

WATCH OUT

FOR PNEUMONIA FIVE UNHEALTHY HABITS WE SHOULD GIVE UP IN 2019

PITAHC REMAINS STRONG AS A RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR T&CM

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N a bid to effectively carry out its mandate and goals, the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) has been providing funds and support for different research studies focused on development of traditional and complementary medicince (T&CM). The PITAHC stands to accelerate the development of traditional and alternative health care in the country by providing funds, services and products for its purpose. The mandate encourages scientific research on the use of traditional and alternative medicine for public health, focusing on its efficacy and direct impact to the consumers. PITAHC’s first and ongoing commissioned research study is the medical cannabis, which was allotted with a budget of P10 million. It sparked a controversy due to the country’s current war against illegal drugs. However, the director-general revealed that President Duterte himself approves of medicinal marijuana as long as it follows its healing cause. Upon the production of research studies, PITAHC is seeing a future where traditional medicine will be taken in a more defined perspective. Hence, a driving force to transform their unit into a legitimate research institution.

In the past, the institute had already partnered with fellow research institutions such as the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health, Health Futures Foundation Inc., Bicol University Development Foundation Inc., De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, and other state universities nationwide to reach out to more interested institutions, companies and individuals who like to submit a research proposal to the agency. PITAHC Director General Dr. Annabelle Pabiona-de Guzman expressed interest on putting up training centers that will focus on the study of traditional health care. These centers will also hold accreditations and regulations for aspiring traditional healers. Through this, they can be professionalized and their skills will be honed by a more scientific way. “The PITAHC believes that the future needs doctors specializing in traditional medicine. It envisioned

PITAHC Director General Dr. Annabelle Pabiona-de Guzman

our local alternative-medicine healers to be on a par with their counterparts from Thailand and Malaysia, where they are recognized as doctors of alternative medicine,” Pabiona-de Guzman stressed. Pabiona-de Guzman added that with the ongoing activities and projects of the agency, she strongly believes that the goal for local traditional health care to be scientific

and evidence-based will happen especially now that the world is looking deeper to understand better what T&CM can actually do for us. To know more about PITAHC and its activities and if you want to submit a research proposal for the advancement of the traditional and alternative health care, log onto www. pitahc.gov. and follow its FB Page: pitahcofficial.

Health&Fitness

is published and distributed free every Thursday by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing Inc. as a project of the BusinessMirror. Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon Editor in Chief Lourdes M. Fernandez Editor Eleanor A. Leyco-Chua Group Creative Director Eduardo A. Davad Layout Artist Ma. Lorena R. Galang Online Editor Ruben M. Cruz Jr. VP-Advertising Sales Marvin Nisperos Estigoy Account Managers Cez C. Cabiles Jane R. Nacional Circulation Manager Rolly Manangan Contributors Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Henrylito Tacio Nazarene A. Leyco Tin Majadillas Aimee Lagman Froilan Gregory H. Romualdez III Cesar M. Cruz Jr. Contributing Photographer Iking Dalusong Advertising Sales Telephone Nos: 814-0134 loc 123 Fax No. 814-0134 loc. 124, 817-7055 Advertising Sales Cellphone Nos: 0917.9442818, 0917.4424472, 0917.8616088, 0918.9090970 817-9467 (Editorial); 813-7025 (Fax line); 817-5351, 817-1351 (Advertising Sales); 893-1662 (Circulation) news@businessmirror.com.ph, healthandfitnessBM@gmail.com eleanorleyco@yahoo.com

www.businessmirror.com.ph PITAHC Director General Dr. Annabelle Pabiona-de Guzman

2 Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

FOR PNEUMONIA ‘T

By Henrylito D. Tacio

HERE is a pneumonia outbreak here in the Philippines,” the post cautioned. The warning was posted in the social media by a person whose two friends reportedly died of it. Two others were confined in the hospital as both also suffered from the lung infection. The emergency room of a wellknown hospital and others are full because so many people are confined due to pneumonia. “Is this true?” the person who shared the post asked. “There is no reported outbreak,” the Department of Health reacted to

4 Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

the Netizen’s inquiry. “It is flu season and we urge everybody to take extra care not to get infected.” In the Philippines, the rainy season comes in December and January, and flu—the most common form of illness, happens during this time. “As of December 2018, the num-

ber of [flu] cases are less than last year, but potential complications such as pneumonia can be prevented by proper hygiene,” the health department pointed out. “The Philippines is one of the 15 countries that together account for 75 percent of childhood pneumonia cases worldwide,” the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reports. “In children under five years, pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality.” Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs (doctors call these “alveoli”). “The lung is a large organ, and it’s a vital organ,” explains Dr. Gerard Criner, chairman and professor of thoracic medicine and surgery at Tem-

ple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. “If it gets infected and it comprises the primary function to support ventilation, that’s a big contributor to morbidity and mortality.” Pneumonia happens when the air sacs are filled with fluid or pus (purulent material) so much so that a person will have a hard time breathing in enough oxygen to reach the bloodstream. “Pneumonia tends to be more serious for children under the age of five, adults over the age of 65, people with certain conditions such as heart failure, diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or people who have weak immune systems due to HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy [a treatment for cancer], or organ or

PIXABAY.COM

WATCH OUT

may have trouble breathing in enough oxygen. You may need to be hospitalized and use a breathing machine (ventilator) while your lung heals. n Fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion):

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Pneumonia may cause fluid to build up in the thin space between layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity (pleural). If the fluid becomes infected, you may need to have it drained through a chest tube or removed with surgery.

blood and marrow stem cell transplant procedures,” the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says. Lifestyle habits, like smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol, can also raise a person’s chances of getting pneumonia. “Smoking damages your body’s natural defenses against the bacteria and viruses that cause pneumonia,” the Mayo Clinic says. A variety of organisms—bacteria and viruses primarily and less commonly by fungi and parasites—can cause pneumonia. The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b and respiratory syncytial virus are the most common causes of pneumonia in healthy people, according to the United Nations health agency. Pneumocystis jiroveci, one of the most common causes of pneumonia in immunocompromised infant, is responsible for one-quarter of all pneumonia deaths in HIVinfected infants. “[Pneumonia] is a tough disease to diagnose,” says Dr. Marie Budev, a pulmonologist and the medical director of the lung-transplant program at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “Age makes a big difference, as well as a person’s immune system…and, of course, the symptoms themselves.” “The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health,” the Mayo Clinic says. “Mild signs and symptoms often are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they last longer.” The Mayo Clinic says the signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include: chest pain when you breathe or cough; confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older); cough, which may produce phlegm; fatigue;

fever, sweating and shaking chills; lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems); nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; and shortness of breath. “Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection,” the Mayo Clinic informs. “Or they may vomit, have a fever and cough, appear restless or tired and without energy, or have difficulty breathing and eating.” Pneumonia is classified according to the types of germs that cause it and where you got the infection. Some people get “ventilator-associated pneumonia” if they got the infection while on a ventilator, which is a machine at a hospital that helps you breathe, WebMd.com states. Now, if you got your pneumonia while you are confined in a hospital, it’s called “hospital-acquired pneumonia.” Most people, however, get “community-acquired pneumonia,” which means you get an infection outside of a hospital. Treatment depends on whether bacteria, viruses or fungi are causing the pneumonia. “If bacteria are causing your pneumonia,” the NHLBI says, “you usually are treated at home with oral antibiotics. Most people respond quickly to treatment. If your symptoms worsen, you should see a doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms or underlying health problems, you may need to be treated in a hospital. It may take several weeks to recover from pneumonia.” According to the Mayo Clinic, even with treatment, some people with pneumonia, especially those in high-risk groups, may experience complications, including:

your lungs can spread the infection to other organs, potentially causing organ failure. n Difficulty breathing: If your pneumonia is severe or you have chronic underlying lung diseases, you

n Lung abscess: An abscess occurs if pus forms in a cavity in the lung. An abscess is usually treated with antibiotics. Sometimes, surgery or drainage with a long needed or tube placed into the abscess is needed to remove the pus. In the Philippines, as in other Asian countries, the major risk for developing pneumonia, according to the WHO, are as follows: a weakened immune system due to malnutrition or undernourishment (especially in infants not exclusively breastfed) and other preexisting illnesses, such as measles; and environmental factors including indoor air pollution (cooking/heating with wood or other biomass), living in crowded houses and parental smoking.

n Bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia): Bacteria that enter the bloodstream from

Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019 5

FITNESS RULES By Greggy H. Romualdez

FIVE UNHEALTHY HABITS

WE SHOULD GIVE UP IN 2019

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However, this must be complemented by a total lifestyle approach to fitness. Meaning, aside from hitting the gym, it is important for us to let go of those old bad habits that have weighed as down and made an adverse impact on our health. Here are five things we should let go of in the new year in preparation for being in the best shape of our lives

Smoking

THE perils of this vice are wellknown. From increasing the risk of various types of cancer to lowering immune-system function. There is no shortage of information on why smoking is bad for us. Simply put, when we smoke we inhale poison—and with secondhand smoke, place others at risk. It’s time to ditch that toxic stick and quit cold turkey in 2019.

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INDING the motivation to hop on a program and sticking to it with consistency is an excellent way to begin our respective fitness journeys.

gadgets. While smart phones have certainly proven their usefulness in our daily lives, these gadgets steal precious hours as we endlessly scroll the news feeds on the various socialmedia accounts of friends, watching cat videos on YouTube and whatnot. Why not slash our browsing time and carve out productive moments that can be spent on exercise? Instead of

only getting our fingers busy, let’s set our bodies in motion by sweating buckets working out.

a grudge, dwelling on past hurts and the like have no place in a fit mind.In order to effectively work on transforming our bodies, we have to start with a clear mind. Negative thoughts are destructive and do not benefit us in any way. The good news is, we have absolute control of our thoughts. While there are situations and events we cannot control, we have full dominion of how and what we think. Keep a positive mindset at all times. This is an essential part of being fit and healthy.

Harboring negative thoughts

PRESSURE from work, family, friends and other obligations may have us dwelling on negative thoughts. Fear of failure, bearing

Binge drinking

Making excuses

Spending too much time on your smart phone

MOST of us is guilty of this. We claim we lack time to exercise but log heavy hours intently focused on our

6 Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

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FOR starters, having a bad hangover curtails us from hitting the gym or exercising the next day. A drink or two, why not? But getting drunk senseless on a regular basis may cause liver damage, lung infections, fatigue and malnutrition, to name a few. Alcohol prevents our bodies from absorbing nutrients from food. These are nutrients that fuel our workout and support muscle growth.

THERE will always be a reason to skip a workout. Too tired, No time, you can just do it tomorrow, the couch is more comfortable, etc. Whatever it is, do not listen to any of them. Just jump into it. There’s that voice that’s telling you to cancel or postpone a planned workout. Ignore it and hear that even louder voice that commands you to get on your feet and focus on your fitness goals. Shut out any and all excuses and, instead, envision yourself in your most ideal and perfect shape. That should get you going. Wave goodbye to these bad habits and say hello to a healthier, fitter you in 2019.

Forum for rare disease patients care held

DR. Carmencita Padilla (second from right), Founding Chairman of Philippine Society for Orphan Disorder, Dr. Jaime Montoya (third from right), Executive Director of Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, and Ms. Cynthia Magdaraog (rightmost), President of Philippine Society for Orphan Disorder, together with Rare Disease patients during the Easing the Burden of Rare Disease Forum

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HE Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders (PSOD) gathered key agency leaders and advocates in a patient-centric event held last month in Manila to discuss ways on how to address, support and protect people with rare diseases. Leading the discussion were agency representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Education (DepEd), Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the PhilHealth joined by patients and their families. With the theme, “Easing the Burden of Rare Disease,” the PSOD Patient’s Forum was organized in December 12, 2018, at the Best Western Hotel La Corona, Manila, to discuss the plight of the patients and their needs for medical assistance and how local agencies can contribute to the patients. The forum is not just to help patients with rare diseases but to also enable a new understanding of the principles behind rare disorders and the development of new treatments. PSOD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to uphold the primary concerns and welfare of individuals with rare disorders in the Philippines. The organization directly addresses, supports and protects the health and general wellbeing of people with rare disease. According to the DOST’s representative Dr. Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine

Council for Health Research and Development, promoting research that addresses unmet necessities of people with special needs will help develop government policies that aid this special population of rare disease. “We must help each other to find solutions to help people with rare disease and their families, even if it’s just to reach one objective: understand better the regional and global situation to enhance policies and uplift the lives of our patients,” said Dr. Montoya. On the other hand, Sheena Manuel, senior education program specialist of the DepEd, mentioned certain programs and projects to strengthen special education: the establishment of learning resource centers, training of teachers, administrators and supervisors of SPED, provision of technical assistance, health and allied medical personnel, a transition program, monitoring and evaluation, and distance education. Massive job generation is also a possible solution to shield rare disease families. The DOLE’s primary program, DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment

DR. Carmencita Padilla (rightmost), Founding Chairman of Philippine Society for Orphan Disorder and Dr. Jaime Montoya (leftmost), Executive Director of Philippine Council for Health Research and Development together with a young patient

Program, was cited to provide workers with additional income and alternative employment. According to Eloisa Santos of the DOLE, this is the DOLE’s contribution to the government agenda of inclusive growth. Moreover, the PhilHealth has been working behind the scenes for rare diseases. Dr. Adelina Mesina, medical specialist from the PSOD shared that the PSOD and the PhilHealth have been working on health benefit proposals for rare disorder patients. The agency presentation was followed by a video presentation on how mothers are coping with raising children with special needs and the problems they hope can be addressed. The parents also had the chance to ask the agencies questions to provide better understanding of

this health condition and how to provide better support for their loved ones afflicted with such disease. To conclude the forum, PSOD President Cynthia Magdaraog gave a heart-warming closing remark thanking everyone in attendance. Participants joined patients and their families in singing “Family is Love” to officially close the event. The PSOD Patient Forum was successful in giving hope to families to raise their concerns and get access to innovative ideas, alternative learning programs and medical assistance for rare disease patients. PSOD will continue to focus on patient care, family support, awareness and advocacy. As Dr. Montoya of the DOST stressed, “We must all work together in easing the burden of rare disease. It is not rare to care.”

Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019 7

YEAR-ENDER GIFTS OF SM FOUNDATION TO THE ARMED FORCES

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OUR military health facilities were completed and turned over to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as the Christmas gifts of SM founder Henry Sy Sr. and his family. These were the upgraded pediatrics and adolescent ward at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC); the Emergency Ward of the Army General Hospital at Fort Bonifacio; the Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim Medical Dispensary in Ternate, Cavite, and the Naval Air Group Aeromedical Dispensary in Sangley Point, Cavite. Connie Angeles, executive director for Health and Wellness Programs of SM Foundation, turned over these facilities to the respective heads in fitting rites graced by the top military officers of each group, along with managers of the SM Group of cos. operating in these areas.

Veterans Memorial Medical Center Pediatrics Ward

A NEW feature introduced in the renovated VMMC pediatrics ward is the children’s cabinet, which contains toys, books and stuffed toys, which could help in their recuperation and give them good memories of their stay in the hospital. Their beds also have stuffed toys fixed on the side railings to prevent them from falling from the bed. While a portion of the ward was renovated into what is now called the Adolescent Medical/Surgical and Isolation units consisting

8 Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

of 15 beds, an isolation room, an emergency and treatment room, a pediatric ICU, a male and female adolescent room complete with air-conditioners, and male and female toilets, Angeles promised the officers and staff of the VMMC led by Dr. Dominador Chiong, director, VMMC that the foundation will be back early 2019 to finish the renovation of the rest of the hospital rooms, pharmacy, toilets and other facilities in the entire ward. The foundation also installed a television set at the reception area of the renovated pedia ward.

Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim Medical Dispensary

THE basic training ground and home to over 800 rookie marines in Ternate, Cavite got an improved dispensary as a Christmas gift from Henry Sy Sr. and his family. The renovated

dispensary include the emergency room, male and female officers ward, male and female ward, laboratory, pharmacy, dental room, commanding officers’ room, storeroom and toilets. The medical dispensary caters to the medical needs of marine personnel stationed in the Marine Barracks, most especially the candidate soldiers/students of the Marine Force Development Center. The Deed of Donation was signed by Connie Angeles of SM Foundation and Col. Jimmy Larida, chief of staff of Maj. gen. Alvin Parreno, commanding General of the Phil. Marine Corps.

Army General Hospital at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig THE Emergency Ward of the 200-bed capacity Army General Hospital at Fort Bonifacio is renovated and refurbished to better serve the medical needs of the Philippine Army and their dependents. It also treats victims of hostilities from far-flung areas. In fact, some victims of the Marawi siege were flown to the Army General Hospital. Also improved by the foundation are the pediatric and adult observation areas, the Ob-gyne, the triage and the consultation areas for adult, pedia and pre-surgery. According to acting commanding officer LTC Danilo M. Redondo, the hospital has 13 military doctors, eight civilian doctors, 18 military nurses and 96 civilian nurses. The hospital is also PhilHealth-accredited.

Naval Air Group (NAG) Aeromedical Dispensary

LOCATED at the headquarters of the Naval Air Group in Sangley Point, Cavite City, the NAG Aeromedical Dispensary services the medical needs of the Naval Air Group personnel, as well as emergencies that could occur in the course of flight trainings and aircraft maintenance activities. A component of the Philippine f leet, the Naval Air Group is mandated to undertake air operations in support of naval operations in the country. Likewise, it performs aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue operations in times of calamities or sea disasters. Thus, the dispensary serves as the receiving station for airlifted patients and victims. It also serves as a training platform for the Navy’s f light nurses who are being trained in the Naval Air Group headquarters. During the blessing of the NAG Aeromedical Dispensary, Capt. Juario C. Marayag, PN, commander of the Naval Air Group expressed the NAG’s appreciation and gratitude for the “gift of health” from the SM Foundation. Angeles explained that such “gifts” pale in comparison to the service that the soldiers and men in uniform give to the country by putting their lives on the line, to protect the people and safeguard the territory from armed aggressors.

UNDER ARMOUR LAUNCHES CURRY 6

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ASKETBALL has gone a long way since Dr. James Naismith introduced the game 127 years ago. Every once in a while, someone introduces a new element and the game enters a new era. But until now, no one had been (dis) credited with ruining the game quite like three-time World Champion and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry. With this, Under Armour introduces the Curry 6, the most innovative basketball shoe to hit the market, to match the most innovative player in the league. “The Curry Shoe is something that gives me ultimate confidence to know that no matter what move I try, it’s gonna ride with me the whole way,” says Stephen Curry. This means being able to withstand “the amount of wear and tear that I put my body over the course of 48 minutes,” including changing direction and changing speed. Not to mention, “I run on the court more than most people in the NBA.” Paul Winsper, Under Armour’s VP of Human Performance and Research, is happy that “our biomechanics team did an amazing job of breaking down Steph’s movements, how Steph moves into his shots, how Steph accelerates, decelerates, how he jumps, how he produces that force, to give us a really good idea of where do we start and when we start to build a shoe.” “Stephen Curry runs about 2.3 miles per game, and that’s why we wanted to design a shoe that was more like a running shoe for him,” says Leon Gu,

designer of the Curry 6. “We added full-length HOVR to provide impact absorption and energy return.” The Curry 6’s product DNA includes: nA full-length HOVR midsole contained within an energy web and embedded into the outsole of the Curry 6 provides a cushioned, close-to-ground feel and explosive return; nA fully knit upper made of polyester yarn offers a breathable, compression-like fit to deliver lightweight directional strength; nAn external heel counter

adds to overall stability and support offering, nA full-length speed plate keeps you on the balls of your feet so you can blow right by defenders; nThe split outsole design increases court contact for superior traction; nUnique outsole pattern for added traction and flexibility in the toe box; nWeight: 12 oz The first Curry 6 drop honors the Fox Theater, one of Oakland’s most iconic landmarks, which represents everything Oakland stands for

as an inclusive community of creators, thinkers and dreamers. This is but fitting because in the 10 years since Curry has helped guide Oakland’s Golden State Warriors into the upper echelon of basketball royalty, he has reshaped the way basketball is played and understood. In the Philippines, fans can already preorder at the following Under Armour stores: Under Armour SM Megamall; Under Armour Bonifacio High Street; Under Armour Greenbelt 3; Under Armour Trinoma; Under Armour Robinsons Magnolia #RuinTheGame.

Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019 9

AVOCADO: THE WORLD’S MOST

NUTRITIOUS FRUIT By Henrylito D. Tacio

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Well, avocado is world’s most nutritious fruit! “In this single delectable fruit,” wrote noted food writer Gaylord Hauser, “are combined the protein of meat, the fat of butter [but much more wholesome!], the vitamins and minerals of green vegetables, the flavor of nuts, a sixcourse dinner.” Nutritionists claim avocados contain goodly amounts of vitamin C (necessary for the production of collagen needed for the growth of new cells and tissues, prevents viruses from penetrating cell membranes and is also a powerful antioxidant), thiamine (converts carbohydrates to glucose to fuel the brain and nervous system) and riboflavin (helps the body to release energy from proteins, carbohydrates and fat). Avocado also has 60 percent more potassium than banana. Potassium is a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. As such, adequate intake of potassium can help guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. In addition, avocado also provides calories for energy and beneficial phytochemicals such

10 Health&Fitness January 17-23, 2019

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OULD it be that the forbidden fruit mentioned in the Holy Bible was the avocado? David Fairchild, America’s greatest plant explorer, described alligator pear—as it known in some parts of the world—as “a food without rival among fruits, the veritable fruit of paradise.”

a complete food: It has vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, calories and fiber, no cholesterol and is sodium free. As such, avocado is ideal for growing up children, adults and even for babies, especially when blended with other fruits. For athletes, avocado is a nutritious energy booster to rev up the body’s strength. In the past, avocado has been considered to be an aphrodisiac. In fact, the Aztecs used the avocado as a sex stimulant, and its name for the fruit as ahuacatl, which means “testicle.” Because of this wellentrenched reputation for inducing sexual prowess, avocado wasn’t purchased or consumed by any person wishing to protect their image from slanderous assault. Although edible by themselves, avocados are commonly used as a base in dips. In areas where the fruit is commonly grown, a common breakfast is avocado on toast. This is made by mashing the avocado with some lemon juice, salt and pepper and spreading on hot, freshly toasted bread. Actually, the avocado fruit is not sweet, but fatty, distinctly yet subtly flavored and of smooth, almost creamy texture. In Brazil and Vietnam, avocados are frequently used for milkshakes and occasionally added to ice cream and other desserts. In Indonesia, a dessert drink is made with sugar, milk or water, and puréed avocado. But there’s more to avocado than just a food. “Avocados help prevent cancer,” writes Arlene May Corpus, a therapeutic dietitian at the Manila Adventist Medical Center. “The unusual mix of phytochemicals extracted from avocado’s antiinflammatory and antioxidant nutrients like vitamins C and E and beta carotene, together with copper and iron that selectively

induce cell-cycle arrest, inhibit precancerous cell growth and apoptosis [programmed cell death and the reason for our non-webbed fingers] as well as lessen cancercell numbers.” “Avocados aid in blood and tissue regeneration, stabilize blood sugar and are excellent for heart disorders,” said Dr. Ed Bauman, director of Bauman College. “They’re loaded with fiber [11 to 17 grams

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as glutathione. In recent years, most people avoid eating avocado, the reason: avocado is high in fat. In fact, 75 percent of its calories come from fat (which is why avocado is a good source of energy). But what they don’t know is that the fat it contains is the healthful monounsaturated fat, which has been linked to reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The web site of the World’s Healthiest Foods gives this information: “The unusual nature of avocado fat is threefold. First are the phytosterols that account for a major portion of avocado fats. These phytosterols include beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, and they are the key supporters of our inflammatory system that help keep inflammation under control. The anti-inflammatory benefits of these avocado fats are particularly well-documented with problems involving arthritis. “Second are avocado’s polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols. PFAs are widely present in ocean plants but fairly unique among land plants— making the avocado tree [and its fruit] unusual in this regard. Like the avocado’s phytosterols, its PFAs also provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. “Third is the unusually high amount of a fatty acid called oleic acid. Over half of the total fat in avocado is provided in the form of oleic acid—a situation very similar to the fat composition of olives and olive oil. Oleic acid helps our digestive tract form transport molecules for fat that can increase our absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids. As a monounsaturated fatty acid, it has also been shown to help lower our risk of heart disease.” Overall, avocado is considered

per fruit] and are a good source of lutein, an antioxidant linked to eye and skin health.” Unsaturated fats are those found in dairy and animal products. “Avocado is extremely helpful in preventing both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis,” writes Rob Poulos, author of Avocado Nutrition Facts and Unique Health Benefits. “The many different antioxidants found in avocados help reduce inflammation, a major concern for sufferers of either type of arthritis. Avocado nutrients responsible for this health benefit include vitamins C and E, as well as manganese.” According to Poulos, the biggest health benefit of avocados is that, “by adding avocado to certain foods, you can improve your absorption of nutrients. This means that when you combine other fat-burning foods with avocado, you can improve your nutrient absorption up to 400 percent.” Just a helpful trivia to end this piece: Once you picked an avocado fruit from a tree, it takes between seven and 10 days to ripen. Keeping it in the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process, while putting it in a paper bag with a ripe apple will speed up the process. When eaten in moderation—less than one avocado a day—you can enjoy all the health benefits of avocado while you lose weight!

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PINK CUNNING THOUGHTS By Eleanor A. Leyco-Chua

Future of health care

STEVEN CONWAY

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HEN it comes to the topic of health care, the primary resource person has always been a doctor or any other medical professional. An unusual encounter with an international health insurance professional, however, had given this writer the most exciting vision of the future of health care Filipinos can (hopefully) have access to. Steven Conway, Allianz Head of Health in Asia Pacific, has been frequenting Manila of late because of the recent launch of the health insurance products—Allianz Well and Allianz Compass. Allianz is one of the leading global insurance companies with headquarters in Munich, Germany. For a couple of years, Steven was based here in the Philippines. This is, in fact, where he decided to marry his Brazilian wife (at the Makati City Hall) despite being cognizant that divorce under the country’s law is not recognized. The country is so familiar with him that his international palate

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would sometimes crave for his favorite sautéed corned beef or adobo and garlic rice. According to Steven, it was here in the Philippines that he decided to embark on a career change into health insurance. “I have done all the business lines. I have already been in the insurance business for 10 years. I wanted a change [back then]. I was upset on how the typhoon season would wipe out all our profits every year. The country was also producing a lot of nurses, who leave to practice abroad,” he said. He revealed that 2019 would see

many people battling chronic noncommunicable diseases, which are the four largest killers in the region, namely, metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory illnesses and cancer. He further went on to identify global health mega trends, which are also becoming evident in the country today. “People are living longer with disease. You’ve seen a shift and this drives a lot of what we do now in the health landscape. From the ’60s and ’70s, we had a health infrastructure based on baby boomers...it is very common that when you get sick, you go see a doctor and get fixed and then you come home. It’s very different now, because people are living at home with disease,” he said. Across the region and globally, he explained, Allianz is advocating a “healthy at home trend.” He said this approach encourages Allianz’s people to intervene earlier and engage more closely with the customer. This way, they are trying to limit the amount of time the customer or the patient will go to a traditional medical infrastructure. One of the technologies that Allianz

offers to customers is a 24-hour telemedicine facility. In the country, Allianz has a partnership with Swiss company Medgate, which is one of the top telemedicine companies in the world. “We are trying to eliminate unnecessary initial trips to the doctor for illnesses like coughs, colds, flu and simple back pain. A patient can call a doctor and get immediate instructions for treatment. If we can intervene earlier, the more we can keep people healthier at home,” Steven added. He, likewise, revealed the future track of health care, which is advancing toward “personalized” nutrition and treatment through the use of DNA testing. One is a nutrigenomics, another is a pharmacological test. “If you take this seriously, nutrigenomics will provide you a blue print to health or blue print to losing weight. It doesn’t tell you what food is good for you or what food is bad for you. It says based on your DNA, with how you metabolize food, you should or you should not have this particular food,” he elaborated. He also lamented the fact that current medicine is limiting the delivery of a more accurate treatment for every patient. “We all know that everybody is an individual. No two persons are alike. We all have differences. But suddenly in medicine, we are all dropped into a box,” he said. In parts of Europe, pharmacogenomics is already being incorporated in patient treatment. This test will find out how one’s genes affect their response to medication. Steven expressed his excitement at this, even more than nutrigenomics. He believes it will be part of standard care in the next five to 10 years. “If you look at adverse drug reaction, it’s the fourth-largest killer in the United States. So, for me it makes so much sense that if the customer or patient is diagnosed with an illness that requires a long-term commitment to a drug, he should immediately have one of these tests done,” he suggested. For Steven, there needs to be a fundamental change in what insurance companies do. “We need to reinforce our business. We essentially need to be a health care company.”

EAT FISH, STAY HEALTHY! Story & photos by Henrylito D. Tacio Part One

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ESPITE all the talk about some fish containing high levels of toxins (mercury, for instance), medical researchers still love fish, touted to be the last wild meal in the human diet. The biggest reason: It combats a top health threat, according to a recent issue of the Reader’s Digest. “If you eat a modest amount of fish, you dramatically decrease your risk of dying from a heart attack,” Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a researcher of the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted as saying by the magazine. Findings from 30 large studies conducted around the world show that people who consume just one or two servings of fish per week lower their risk of a fatal heart attack by an average of 36 percent, according to Mozaffarian. That’s good news since the Department of Health (DOH) ranks heart disease as the No. 1 killer in the Philippines. “The death toll from cardiovascular diseases in the country is about one every seven minutes,” said Dr. Philip S. Chua, one of the country’s top cardiologists. Cardiovascular diseases don’t affect the heart itself but also the blood vessel system, especially

the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. If you have already a heart attack, shifting to a high-fish diet can cut your chances of future deadly attacks by one-third. You see, fish contains oil that is nature’s richest source of omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat that the body derives from food. Omega-3s (and omega-6s) are known as essential fatty acids because they are important for good health. The body cannot make these fatty acids on its own so omega-3s must be obtained from food. An article, which appeared in the Journal of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition said omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil prevent heart disease by exerting an

anti-arrhythmic effect on the heart, by inhabiting the developing of narrowing arteries, by reducing the levels of undesirable lipoproteins in the blood and by reducing blood clots within intact blood vessels. “If your heart high blood pressure is caused by hardening of the arteries, heart disease, or high cholesterol, fish oil may be just what the doctor ordered,” wrote the editors of the Super Life, Super Health. “The higher your cholesterol levels and the worse your heart disease, the better fish oil works to lower your blood pressure.” The American Heart Association suggests that people should eat at least two servings of oily fish each week to help keep their hearts healthy. Best sources of omega-3s are bass (striped), herring, mackerel, oysters, sablefish, salmon, trout (freshwater) and tuna. But hearts are not the only human part that benefit from fish. Older folks considered fish as “brain food” and now scientists have evidence to back the claim. A 2007 study of nearly 12,000 pregnant women found that children born to mothers who ate more than 340 grams of seafood per week during pregnancy scored six points higher on tests of verbal IQ than kids born to mothers who had other foods on the menu. What about adults? A study

done in Sweden found that young men who ate fish more than once a week scored nearly 11 percent higher on IQ tests than males who rarely ate seafood. And in later years, fish eaters appear to be less likely to develop dementia. But you ain’t heard anything yet. A study published in the Biological Psychiatry has shown that omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent depression. Dr. Joseph Hibbeln who studies the health benefits of fish at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), discovered omega-3 fatty acids can raise the levels of serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals that are thought to play a role in depression. Fish oil appears to have anti-inflammatory properties, and has been researched as a treatment for many conditions including inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It also has some preventive effect for Parkinson’s disease. So when is fish not so good for your health? Almost all fish is contaminated with trace amounts of mercury. While most healthy adults have no problem eliminating the mercury from their bodies, children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid some types of fish and shellfish to reduce their risk of mercury exposure. To be continued

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BULLETIN BOARD

WELCOME THE YEAR OF THE EARTH PIG AT DIAMOND HOTEL WELCOME the Chinese New Year with a grand celebration of hope, abundance and prosperity. Explore the excellent taste and aromatic flavors of Chinese cuisine at Corniche from February 2 to 5, 2019 for only P2,880 net per person, featuring the culinary specialties of the hotel's Chinese chef Yang Yong. Guests of Corniche with a minimum spend of P5,000 are entitled to PickA-Prize for a chance to win gift certificates from the hotel and more. On February 5 get a free 10-minute Feng Shui consultation by Angel Macalino for a minimum spend of P5,000 at the Corniche lunch buffet. Also, catch the Dragon and Lion dance by the Philippine Ling Nam Athletic Federation and the performance of Chinese instrumental music by Kim Hwa Ensemble as they clear the path for prosperity and good luck this year. Attract wealth and positive energy with lucky charms available for sale at the hotel lobby. Make the celebrations more exciting for the family with the Chinese New Year Staycation promo at P8,000 net per night in a Premier Room from February 1 to 6, 2019. A shou sui “we time” overnight stay includes buffet breakfast for two,

unlimited Wi-fi access, 30-percent discount on food and beverages in any of the restaurants, 20-percent off on laundry, massage services, and complimentary shuttle service during weekend to Intramuros and Mall of Asia. Use the promo code

Experience Dinagyang at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo

TOUTED as one of the Philippines’s most colorful and spectacular religious and cultural festivals, Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival is an experience like no other. With highlights ranging from the Fluvial Procession, the Kasadyahan Cultural Parade and the Dinagyang Ati Competition, there are also a number of fun events and activities around the city that showcase not just the history and heritage of the Ilonggos, but also their exuberant spirit and warm hospitality, which has earned them

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their City of Love title. There is no better time than now to plan your “Destination: Dinagyang” trip and book your room accommodations at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo so you can be assured of the most comfortable respite to go with your festival adventures. From January 25 to 27, Richmonde offers very spacious and well-appointed Deluxe Rooms at the following nightly rates: P8,500 net for a Deluxe Room, P9,000 net for a Premier Room, and P15,500 net for a OneBedroom Suite. All rates are valid for single or double occupancy and already include taxes and service charge. Accommodations include conveniences like a hearty breakfast buffet for up to two adults and two children 5 years old and below, Wi-fi access, and use of the Fitness Center’s gym and picturesque swimming pool. A minimum two-night stay is required for check-ins on January 25 and 26. Rates are also subject to change without notice so make your booking now. For inquiries and reservations, send an e-mail to rhireservations@richmondehotel.com.ph. Online room bookings with instant confirmation are also available at www.richmondehoteliloilo.com.ph.

LUCKY when you book via www.diamondhotel.com. For queries and reservations, e-mail guestservices@diamondhotel.com. For more information on Diamond Hotel Philippines, visit www. diamondhotel.com.

TECHNOLUX HOLDS FIRST BUSINESS SERIES OF 2019 TECHNOLUX kicks off the first month of the year by holding its Business Series (TBS) featuring Convotherm, Lincoln and Merry Chef ovens. To be held at Mall of Kitchens (MOK) on January 24, from 2 to 4 p.m., it will give businessmen and entrepreneurs the opportunity to start or grow their food business with hot tips from Technolux’s technical, sales and R&D teams who present the features of the said equipment and conduct a cooking/baking demo to show their proper use to maximize efficiency and profits. Convotherm, one of the preferred brands of chefs and professional kitchens around the world, is equipped with the latest innovation, is user-friendly, and provides an intuitive system of operation. Customers are assured that they can serve any type of dish with utmost consistency and excellent quality. The versatile Lincoln conveyor oven also boasts of reliability and durability that culinary professionals can count on. It uses the latest advancement in air impingement technology that allows for rapid heating, cooking, baking and crisping of foods. Another featured brand is Merry Chef that innovatively combines three heat technologies (tuned impingement, microwave and convection) allowing the ovens to cook up to 20 times faster than conventional ovens. To know more about the Convotherm, Lincoln and Merry Chef ovens, join us at Technolux Business Series and start achieving your business goals for 2019. Check out Technolux’s web site—www.technolux.net.

HEALTHY FINDS n MAGGIE DE LA RIVA: ON HER FEET AGAIN AFTER HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY

OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA), sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, is the most common chronic condition of the joints around the world. In the Philippines, its prevalence is 0.5 percent in individuals aged 20 years and increases to 11 percent for people who are 60 years and older. This translates to roughly 10 million Filipinos with the disease and this number is expected to double in the next decade. OA can affect any joint but most often occurs in the knees, hips, lower back, neck and the small joints of the fingers. In normal joints, cartilage provides a smooth surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the ends of the bones. In OA, the cartilage breaks downcausing pain, swelling and problems with movement. As OA worsens,bone spurs are formed. In the end stage of OA, the cartilage is all but gone causing bone to rub against bone resulting in severe pain and joint damage. For former actress and GMA News TV Say Mo Doc television host Maggie de la Riva, osteoarthritis became a painful reality in 2013 when she went for a check-up due to an ache in her hip. She was diagnosed with OA and told that she would eventually need to have a hip replacement as medicines would soon have no effect on her pain. Understandably, she wanted to avoid surgery and put off the hip replacement for as long as she could. In 2018, however, she could no longer bear the severe pain. Maggie went in for a check-up with Dr. Jose Fernando Syquia, head of the Arthritis Center of De Los Santos Medical Center(DLSMC). He explained to Maggie that the damage to her hip had progressed to the point that hip replacement would be her best option for treatment. “I explained to her that among her remaining treatment options, it would be a joint replacement that would bring her back to the quality of life that she used to enjoy before she was disabled by her arthritis.” Hip replacement surgery is a procedure in which anorthopedic doctor surgically removes the painful and damaged hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint. It is done when other treatment options have failed to provide adequate pain relief. The surgeons at the Arthritis Center use a new approach known as “SuperPATH”. Through an incision that is about 3 inches or shorter, the damaged hip joint is replaced. The biggest advantage of such an approach is that there is minimal soft tissue and muscle damage associated with its use. Under the expert hands of Dr. Syquia and through the comprehensive joint replacement surgery packages at DLSMC, Maggie underwent total hip replacement surgery. The procedure took about two hours since the hip bones were deformed as a result of the severe cartilage damage. An important part of recovery is physical therapy. The package includes two physical therapy sessions per day while admitted. Maggie was determined to recover as fast as she could and she started her walking exercises two days after the surgery. “It’s easy to believe that your life will never be enjoyable again when you experience the debilitating pain osteoarthritis can bring,” Maggie admits. “But it’s definitely not the end. With these incredible surgical options, amazing doctors, and some grit and determination on your part, you can still get back to a normal and happy life free from the pain of arthritis.” For inquiries about Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery Package rates, visit www.delossantosmed.ph.

n NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: GET INSPIRED BY SPOTIFY’S LATEST WORKOUT TRENDS

CURIOUS about which songs pump people up the most during a workout? Or which exercise type may be on the rise? With 43.5 million workout-themed playlists on Spotify, we get a kick out of checking in annually to see which songs are surfacing as the top motivators for our listeners, as well as where in the globe people are most active. Perhaps due to the intensely motivational lyrics of Eminem’s “Till I Collapse,” that track is, for the third year in a row, the top global song of all time for getting through that run or spin cycling class. While that song is the go-to for men, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” is the top choice for women in workout playlists. And speaking of the ladies, we’ve learned that women over the age of 30 stream more workout music than men on Spotify. As for Pinoys, we embraced girl power with Jessie J’s

“Bang Bang” as the top workout song, followed by the groovy melodies of “Uptown Funk” and Eminem’s powerful “Till I Collapse.” Globally, an area where we saw growth in 2018 was in the number of cryotherapy/ice bath-themed playlists. It seems people are getting into the chill of this practice, which involves exposure to very cold temperatures in an effort to heal tissue. And the top songs in these playlists are—surprise!—Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” and Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice.” Also of note, aerobics seems to be making a comeback—it’s the 5th-biggest growth workout trend. While Finland is the most active country in terms of the amount of workout music it streams, Sweden is the most “zen,” based on the Swedes’ enthusiasm for yoga-themed playlists. You’ll find a complete breakdown of Spotify’s workout data below. And check out our For The Record blog post where you’ll find a downloadable infographic. TOP WORKOUT SONGS IN THE PHILIPPINES: n “Bang Bang”-Jessie J n “Uptown Funk”-Mark Ronson n “‘Till I Collapse”-Eminem n “Worth It”-Fifth Harmony n “Lose Yourself” (From “8 Mile” Soundtrack)-Eminem TOP WORKOUT SONGS GLOBALLY OF ALL TIME: n “'Till I Collapse”-Eminem n “Lose Yourself” (From "8 Mile" Soundtrack)-Eminem n “Stronger”-Kanye West n “POWER”-Kanye West n “Can't Hold Us” (feat. Ray Dalton)-Macklemore & Ryan Lewis TOP WORKOUT SONGS GLOBALLY OF 2018: n “God’s Plan”-Drake n “I Like It”-Cardi B n “‘Till I Collapse”-Eminem n “Nice For What”-Drake n “One Kiss”-Dua Lipa Looking for the perfect playlist to burn all those extra lechon calories? Check out some of Spotify’s top workout playlists like Beast Mode, Motivation Mix and Hype. Happy sweating!

n FIVE COMMON TYPES OF INFECTIONS OF THE LOWER GENITAL TRACT

WHEN it comes to reproductive health, many of us are guilty of not giving it the proper TLC (tender loving care). While we all know that it’s one of the aspects that we should never neglect, most women tend to forget the importance of regular checkup, proper hygiene, and the right products that won’t disturb its microbial balance. You see, when this happens, not only will it cause pain and discomfort down there, it can also pose greater problems in the long run. We have consulted an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Bernadette Ong-Sumo, M.D. and here are the five common vulvovaginal infections and how to avoid them. 1. Candidiasis. Commonly known as vaginal yeast infection, candidiasis is recognized to affect three out of four women at least once in their lifetime. This happens when a change in the natural microflora of the body affects the number of good bacteria leading to the overgrowth of a type of fungus called Candida which is normally found inside the human gut, throat, mouth and even vagina. Symptoms include vaginal itching or soreness (burning sensation), pain during sexual intercourse or urinating, and changes in normal vaginal discharge described as curd-like or cottage cheese-type. Wearing cotton underwear and non-tight-fitting clothes might help reduce the chances of getting a yeast infection. Often times, a vaginal yeast infection will clear up on its own, but over the counter, antifungal creams or tablets are available for treatment. “For those who choose self-treatment, please see a Gynecologist if symptoms persisted”, advised by Dr. Ong-Sumo. 2. Vaginosis. Vaginosis, much like Candidiasis, is a type of vaginal inflammation caused by an upset vaginal balance, from lactoba-

cilli-dominant to mixed flora. If you’re noticing a thin, frothy, gray-white vaginal discharge and a foul-smelling vaginal odor described as “musty” or “fishy”, make sure to get checked by your Gynecologist. Sometimes, women with this infection may experience vaginal itching or burning sensation when urinating. Although it is more common among women in their reproductive years, a couple of factors are known to increase the risk of developing this infection such as smoking, multiple sexual partners, and douching or the practice of washing out the vagina with a mixture of water and vinegar or baking soda. “Frequent douching for hygiene is unnecessary as the vagina does an excellent job of keeping the PH balanced and of cleansing itself,” revealed by Dr. Ong-Sumo. 3. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Women’s risk of acquiring at least one incidence of UTI during their lifetime is 50 percent. UTI is caused by bacteria entering through the urethra and invading the bladder and kidneys. Because women have a shorter urethra than males, bacteria can easily travel to the bladder thus they are known to develop a greater risk of acquiring this infection. And anyone who had this before knows that it can feel like the worst thing in the whole world: a burning sensation when urinating, strong-smelling urine, urine that appears to be cloudy or red, and pelvic pain that may linger around the center of the pelvis or around the pubic bone. Drinking a ton of water helps to dilute the urine and will flush away bacteria even before the infection begins. Additionally, as a part of keeping down there “dry and happy”, wipe from front to back after urinating or defecating. This way, bacteria from the feces or anus will not spread towards the vagina and urethra. 4. Folliculitis. According to Dr. Ong-Sumo, “This is becoming more common nowadays as a lot of women in this day and age are into extensive pubic hair removal, whether waxing or shaving”. Hair removal causes minute skin injuries, with inoculation of pathogens and subsequent spread of infection. Folliculitis happens when bacteria, normally present in the skin or vagina, get inside a cut or opening. It exhibits itself as groups of red bumps with white heads and pus or oozing blisters. “These women just need to be informed of the risks and of the safe methods and best practices for hair removal”, added by Dr. Ong-Sumo. If shaving cannot at all be prevented, do so every other day with warm water, a shaving cream, and new razors, while making sure to apply moisturizing lotion afterward. Wearing breathable clothes, using clean towels, and avoiding sharing personal items are other precautionary steps we can take to prevent this infection from invading our personal space. . 5. Bartholin’s Gland Abscess. A Bartholin’s abscess is caused by a fluid buildup in the Bartholin gland (responsible for secreting fluids to lubricate the vestibule and vagina) due to an obstruction caused by infection or injury. Symptoms include acute vulvar pain, pain during intercourse, difficulty in walking or sitting and sometimes, fever. Safer sex practices and good hygiene habits may help to prevent infection of a cyst and the formation of an abscess. The good news is that these five-common infection-related reproductive diseases are completely avoidable and treatable. Because these diseases should be taken seriously, Dr. Ong-Sumo’s final recommendation is to consistently practice good personal hygiene from wearing a cotton underwear for better absorption of moisture and perspiration, keeping yourself dry and clean, avoiding scented feminine wash, pads or tampons, to tight-fitting pants and jeans, will reduce the risk of developing these infections. And according to the words of our discerning doctor, “Making yogurt with live cultures a regular part of your diet might help to restore a healthful yeast balance in the vagina.” On top of these best practices, opt for an unscented and 100 percent sterilized virgin cotton material for your sanitary pad like Jeunesse Anion. In a laboratory test conducted by the Institute of Chemistry, UP Diliman in correlation with previously published scientific studies and journals, it validates that Jeunesse Anion pad’s specifically modified cellulose-based hydrogels are not only super-absorbent, hypoallergenic, and nontoxic, but also exhibits antibacterial, antifungal and odor-reducing benefits! The positive ions embedded in the material attracts the negatively charged bacterial cells, which dramatically results to cell death thus declining bacterial population by 99.9 percent. However, remember that a regular visit to your OB-Gyn will ensure your reproductive health is in tip-top shape! For hassle-free shopping with the convenience of delivery straight to your doorstep, visit www.lazada.com.ph and www.shopee.ph.

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