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BOC mess haunts Lapeña Ex-chief rapped for releasing 105 container vans

Pinay maids make a ‘splash’ in HK EVERY Sunday in Hong Kong the city’s army of domestic helpers packs into parks or onto pavements, bridges and walkways on their one mandatory day off. Next page

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

VOL. XXXII • NO. 271 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

In a complaint ﬁled with the DOJ, the NBI sought the indictment of Lapeña and others for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The NBI also asked the DOJ to administratively charge Lapeña with gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct. “The manifest indifference of Lapeña to the established rules and procedures has led to the release of the shipments,” the NBI said, resulting in a loss of revenues for the government. The container vans carrying assorted ceramic tiles with estimated value of P69 million were illegally withdrawn from the Port of Manila. Eighty-ﬁve container vans were recovered from the Homms Trading Corp. located at Block 2, Lot 3, Phase 5 Sterling Industrial Park, Libtong, Meycauayan, Bulacan in March. Next page

FRIENDSHIP PLUNGE. This picture taken on Sept. 30, 2018 shows a domestic helper from the Philippines swimming with friends at Repulse Bay in Hong Kong. A charity called Splash offers free swimming lessons for marginalized communities in Hong Kong including refugees. AFP

LP finance chief in trouble over nickel shipment By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources has asked the Bureau of Customs to look into the possible undervaluation of a shipment of nickel ore to China by Eric Gutierrez of S.R. Metals Inc., who is also the treasurer of the opposition Liberal Party. Citing a complaint forwarded to DENR by Rodney O. Basiana of Basiana Mining Exploration Corp., Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) “must look into the tax liabilities of SRMI and its afﬁliates for failing to pay or remit to BIR the tax due from the 5 percent of the gross proceeds amounting to millions of pesos.” “SRMI began its operations in 2006 as a swindle—I had been hoodwinked,” Basiana said in a letter to then DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu. “The government, the DENR, in particular had been

Oil players rollback pump prices by P2.50 per liter By Alena Mae S. Flores THE country’s oil ﬁrm implemented a huge oil price rollback of as much as P2.50 per liter for gasoline effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reﬂect the movement of oil prices in the world market. Phoenix Petroleum Philippines announced the biggest price cut of P2.50 per liter for gasoline and P2 per liter for diesel. Petro Gazz cut pump prices the same level as Phoenix.

Other oil companies like Chevron Philippines, which markets the Caltex brand implemented a P2.30 per liter rollback for gasoline, P2 per liter rollback for diesel and P1.85 per cut for kerosene. “Petron will implement the following price rollbacks effective 6 a.m. tomorrow, Nov. 13: P2.30/li for Blaze 100, XCS, and Xtra Advance, P2.00/li for Turbo Diesel and DieselMax, and P1.85/li for kerosene. These reﬂect movements in the international oil market,” Petron Corp. said.

Recto: Attach ‘jobs odometer’ to budget plan SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Monday called on the government to attach a “jobs odometer” to next year’s P3.757-trillion national budget and pursue other measures to reduce unemployment. He made the statement after Social Weather Stations said in its latest survey that close to 10-million Filipinos were out of work in September. Recto warned that the ‘‘optics will not be good’’ if the government would allow the mass entry of foreign workers to take jobs in the construction sector ‘‘even if this is a condition imposed by a Next page funder of tied loans.’’

Petron, PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines and Eastern Petroleum cut prices the same level as Caltex while other oil companies are expected to follow suit. Unioil Philippines said that since Oct. 15, the price of diesel has decreased by a total P3.10 and the price of gasoline has decreased by a total of P5.55. From Nov. 4 to 6, most of the oil companies also cut prices with rollbacks ranging from P1 to P1.10 per liter for gasoline, Next page

Imelda asks court for ‘leave’, seeks legal remedies By Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

FIGHTER JET CRASH. Two crewmen survive the crash on Monday when their US Navy fighter jet crashed in Philippine waters while on routine operations, the crewmen safely recovered by the USS Ronald Reagan search and rescue aircraft, according to authorities.

US fighter jet crashes into PH waters A US Navy ﬁghter jet crashed in Philippine waters while on routine naval operations Monday. A US Navy dispatch said two crewmen of the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 F/-18 survived the crash after ejecting from the aircraft, which had mechanical problems. US Navy authorities said the crew was immediately and safely recovered by the USS Ronald Reagan search and rescue aircraft.

The rescued pilots were taken to the ship for evaluation by navy medical personnel and were declared in good condition. US Navy authorities said the CVW 55 was embarked onboard the USS Ronald Reagan, which was part of the US 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Paciﬁc region. The crash is under investigation. Next page

HE National Bureau of Investigation has asked the Department of Justice to prosecute former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña and several unidentified individuals for criminal and administrative offenses in connection with the 105 container vans that were illegally released from the Port of Manila in March by port operator Asian Terminals Inc.

ILOCOS Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, convicted of seven counts of graft on Friday by the Sandiganbayan 5th Division, filed Monday a motion for leave of court to avail herself of post-conviction remedies before the Sandiganbayan 5th Division. The motion is scheduled for hearing on Friday at 8:30 a.m., the camp of the legislator and former first lady said Her lawyer, former Court of Appeals Justice Manuel Lazaro, has also entered his appearance before the court, to replace lawyer Robert Sison, who represented the 89-year-old Mrs. Marcos during the trial, since he is confined in a hospital. A motion for leave of court is a remedy for permission obtained from a court to take some action which, without such permission, would not be allowable—for instance, to file an amended pleading or to plead several pleas. On Friday, hours after the Sandiganbayan ruling Next page

96 ‘narco-pols’ in new hit list, DILG reveals By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz SOME 96 local government ofﬁcials— including incumbent congressmen—are likely to face drug charges, Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday. Año said he would recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte that he make public his watch list of drug suspects, now that the midterm elections are just three months away. He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were verifying the President’s list of narcopoliticians. Their activities ranged from coddling or tolerating drug dealers to active involvement in the drug trade. Senator Francis Escudero on Monday challenged the PDEA to release the socalled narco-list, or the list of government ofﬁcials allegedly involved in illegal drugs. Escudero issued the statement as Año renewed calls for the government to disclose the list to help voters decide which candidate should not get their support in the 2019 elections. Next page

Tokyo man marries hologram AKIHIKO Kondo’s mother refused an invitation to her only son’s wedding in Tokyo this month, but perhaps that isn’t such a surprise: he was marrying a hologram. Next page

News

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

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Here's why Faeldon won’t take BuCor post By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday Deputy Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense Nicanor Faeldon could not yet assume the post of director general of the Bureau of Corrections pending Malacañang’s release of his appointment papers. Guevarra made the statement after Faeldon’s camp said Faeldon could not report to his new position as head of the bureau because he had not received any notice from the Office of the President. “I just find it curious that he has not said anything about the President’s desire to appoint him. I suppose he’s just being prudent, maybe just waiting for the appointment process to be completed,” Guevarra said. The camp of former Customs Commissioner Faeldon defended Faeldon’s “no-show” at the Bureau of Corrections as there was no official appointment papers yet confirming his new assignment. Faeldon’s legal counsel, Jose Diño Jr., issued the statement after Guevarra said Faeldon had not appeared at the BuCor after he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte last week. The former marine captain was supposed to replace former Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa who resigned as BuCor chief to run for senator in next year’s elections. Faeldon, through Diño, said he could not assume the BuCor post to which he was not appointed. “To begin with, there was/is no appointment to speak of,” Diño said, noting that only Guevarra had spoken on Faeldon’s supposed appointment. “By tradition and practice, it is Malacañang, and not a Cabinet secretary, which announces official appointments. By tradition and practice too, Malacañang does not announce a ‘proposed appointment’ but releases copies of officiallysigned appointments,” Diño said. “In Captain Faeldon’s alleged ‘proposed appointment,’ Malacañang has not confirmed the ‘news’ or ‘fake news’ being attributed to the DOJ Secretary.”

96 ‘narco-pols’... From A1

“I have long heard of that so-called narcolist, ever since the first week of President Duterte’s administration, but until now, I have not seen even the shadow of that narcolist,” Escudero said. Escudero said the list should be publicized if the PDEA and DILG are confident about their evidence linking the government officials to the illicit drug trade. He said releasing the list would also be an opportunity for politicians to clear their name. He said government officials also have the right under the law to file cases against the PDEA and DILG if their names were included in the list without sufficient basis. He further challenged the PDEA and DILG to name government officials supposedly blocking the release of the narco-list. Año said the DILG only helps in verifying the narco-list and that the PDEA can only release the list if the President gives the green light. The DILG earlier recommended the disqualification of politicians purportedly involved in illegal drugs. The Commission on Elections, however, said involvement in any list does not equate with disqualification of candidates from elections. But Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri objected to releasing the list until charges were filed against politicians suspected to be involved in the illicit drug trade. Zubiri said it would be totally unfair to candidates who are running in next year’s midterm elections if their names would be released as those being involved in illegal drugs even though no charges were filed against them. In the House, the chairman of the committee on dangerous drugs prepared to resume hearings on the smuggling in of billions of pesos worth of shabu through the Bureau of Customs. Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the committee, said his panel would resume its probe into the four magnetic lifters found in a Cavite warehouse in August that could have contained up to P11 billion worth of shabu. Barbers said his panel will issue an invitation to dismissed cop Eduardo Acierto, sacked PDEA deputy director general for administration Ismael Fajardo and BOC broker Katrina Grace Cuasay. The three failed to appear in the last hearing, Barbers said.

Oil players... From A1

P0.90 to P1 per liter for diesel and P0.65 per liter for kerosene. Latest data from the Department of Energy showed diesel costs P43.55 to P48.79 per liter while gasoline prices range from P48.75 to P59.07 per liter. Year-to-date adjustments are now at a net increase of P3.70 per liter for gasoline, P7.10 per liter for diesel and P6.43 per liter for kerosene.

Rody eyes 1-on-1 with superpowers By Nat Mariano

INGAPORE―President Rodrigo Duterte will hold bilateral meetings with each leader of the powerful countries such as Russia, China and the United States during his attendance of the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit here in Singapore, an ofﬁcial said Monday. Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap said Duterte will engage in a dialogue with each of the mentioned countries. Duterte will also attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting this week which will be hosted by Papua New Guinea for the first time. In a pre-departure briefing in Malacañang, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said Duterte will join 20 other APEC leaders and representatives in the meeting that will take place on Nov. 17 and 18 in Port Moresby. Yap said Duterte will have an opportunity to discuss “relevant issues” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Vice Presi-

LPA over GenSan brewing into ‘Samuel’ By Rio N. Araja A LOW-PRESSURE area spotted 250 kilometers east of General Santos City is brewing and likely to develop into a tropical depression, the weather bureau said Monday. Jomaila Garrido, a forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, said the weather disturbance would be named “Samuel” once it became a tropical depression. “We are still [closely] monitoring the LPA. Based on our analysis, it is possible to become a tropical depression if it does not change its track,” Garrido told the Manila Standard. The weather system is expected to bring moderate to occasional heavy rain over the Caraga region, Davao, northern Mindanao and the Zamboanga Peninsula. Scattered light to moderate rain and thunderstorms are expected over SOCCSKSARGEN and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

dent Mike Pence and the representatives from China. “There will be bilateral meetings with individual countries because, for example, the Russian President [Vladimir] Putin is attending. And there will also be representatives from China, from the US and so on,” Yap said. “So, there will be opportunities for President Duterte to meet up with them and discuss relevant issues with them.” Yap said the Philippines was looking forward to bringing into the discussion table several key topics such as the concern for migrant rights and migration, the finalization of the free-trade agreement called the Regional Comprehensive Economic

BoC mess... From A1

Follow-up operations resulted in the recovery of the remaining container vans, also in Bulacan. The former BOC chief earlier said the container vans left the POM premises on March 17 even if it was not accompanied by the necessary documents such as a memorandum on the lifting of alert order approved by the Ofﬁce of the Commissioner and an examination report. The NBI also recommended that the Ofﬁce of the Solicitor General review the Contract for Cargo Handling and Related Services entered into by and between the Philippine Ports Authority and Asian Terminals Inc. The bureau noted that under the current setup, “it is clear that, even if the ATI personnel are engaged in smuggling and illegal activities, the Philippine Ports Authority could not, motu propio, institute a case for violation of Tariff and Customs laws” in case its personnel failed to exercise due diligence in the performance of their duties. The NBI said Lapeña bypassed the bureau’s computerized processing system

Partnership, and the South China Sea. “The key topics that are of importance to the Philippines, number one is our concern about migrant rights and migration. So that has been one of the important topics that we push for ASEAN and that continues to be an important topic,” Yap said. He said Filipino workers in Singapore were enjoying a “secure presence” as the Singapore government continued to improve their working condition. But he said the talks about their welfare around the globe also needed proper discussion following the acquittal of Jennifer Dalquez from the death row in the United Arab Emirates. “Number two is the South China Sea. We are negotiating and ASEAN is negotiating a code of conduct with China on the South China Sea, West Philippine Sea. “So that is also an important thing to be looking at.” Meanwhile, Yap also underscored the salient points of the finalization of RCEP, stressing its similarity with another proposed trade agreement ini-

tially led by the US called the TransPacific Partnership (TPP). However, the TPP was not ratified as the US pulled itself out of the partnership last year. “So RCEP is a similar program, except it’s a grouping of slightly different countries involved. China, for example, is not part of TPP, but it will be part of RCEP. And the Philippines as well was not part of TPP, but we will be part of RCEP,” Yap said, noting that if RCEP was signed, the agreement would boost free trade. “It will actually open up a very large grouping of countries who will be enjoying more free trade among themselves. The reason why we’re doing it is that hopefully it will generate jobs, create wealth and development for the participants in that RCEP,” Yap said. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the 33rd ASEAN Summit was an opportunity for the country to join in discussions pertaining to the progress of the ASEAN Community blueprints. With PNA

known as E2M (electronic to mobile system), which was fully accessible at the time of the issuance of the manual alert orders. Lapeña also deliberately violated the memorandum that he himself approved when he issued the memorandum interposing no objection to the release of the shipments to the consignee in the Port of Cebu, despite being the subject of the continuing alert and the absence of any documents to support its release. “[It is] worth to note that flagrant disregard of the rules is considered a gross misconduct where the elements of corruption, clear intent to violate the law, or flagrant disregard of an established rule must be manifest,” the NBI said adding that “to additionally affix his signature despite the lack of supporting documents only shows a gross and inexcusable disregard of the consequences of his act as approving authority.” Meanwhile, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has named two retired military generals as acting deputy commissioners of the graft-ridden agency in a bid to stop corruption. The two former generals, retired Brig. Gen. Raniel Ramiro, and retired Lt. Gen. Donato San Juan, were both classmates of Guerrero at the Philippine Military Academy.

Guerrero denied “militarizing” the bureau with the appointment of the two former military generals, saying both are now considered civilians as they already retired from the military service and no longer connected with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He said there will be no military takeover, since Customs ofﬁcials will still run the bureau. Ramiro will take the post as deputy commissioner for Intelligence vacated by another retired police general, Ricardo Quinto, a classmate of sacked BOC commissioner Lapeña. San Juan, on the other hand, is new acting deputy commissioner for internal administration group, replacing Gladys Rosales, a top aide of Lapeña. The new Customs chief said appointment of the two deputy commissioners is still subject to the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte. President Duterte had earlier said that Customs ofﬁcials “will be replaced, all of them, by military men.” “It will be a takeover of the Armed Forces,” the President said, who was disappointed after “shabu” worth P11 billion slipped out of the bureau under the watch of Lapeña, who has been “promoted” to head the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

With a marginalized position in society and low income, the force of more than 300,000 maids, mainly women from Indonesia and the Philippines, can find it hard to access public facilities like libraries and leisure centres. Some NGOs say as well as difficulties meeting the cost, helpers also face discrimination—especially if they are in groups—and can have difficulties providing information for membership such as proof of address if their employers do not supply it. But Marilyn Maliglig has found an alternative way to spend her day off—confronting her water phobia at a free swimming class for

domestic helpers in Hong Kong. “I cannot ﬂoat, that’s the problem,” the 41-year-old told AFP before her ﬁrst class. “I really can’t swim in the water at all.” Although the city depends on domestic helpers to keep it running, some maids are barred from using swimming pools for their own leisure at the residential complexes where they work. They are only entitled to one day off a week which they spend setting up temporary camps around the city with music, food, prayers and dancing. British swimming enthusiast Simon Holliday said he was inspired to set up swimming classes for domestic helpers after he spotted a group one Sunday, looking bored and sitting on cardboard boxes on the pavement. AFP

realized over P28 billion in revenues from nickel ore shipments to China, as records of the Philippine Ports Authority show. SRMI is led by Liberal Party financier and treasurer Patrick Angelo “Eric” Gutierrez and LP spokesman Rep. Edgar R. Erice of Caloocan City. DENR said SRMI had been found by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to have exceeded the 50,000-ton allowed annual volume for a small-scale miner and consequently, then-DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes issued a cease and desist order against SRMI. People’s groups and non-government organizations have sued the firm over its pernicious practices that has tainted with toxic pollutants the bodies of water flowing through Agusan del Norte, including adjacent fishing grounds and farmlands, the letter said. SRMI’s contribution to the local economy was

nil, and worse, caused the loss of livelihood of both farmers and fishers. Earlier, Basiana filed charges of falsification against Erice, Gutierrez, his sons John Anthony Gutierrez, Miguel Alberto Gutierrez, Alejandro Basalio and Antonio Dimabayu, before the Surigao City Prosecutors’ Office. Basiana accused the respondents, who were officers and members of the board of SMRI in 2005, of making it appear that their corporation was the holder of mining claims over an 81-hectare area in Tubay, Agusan Del Norte when it was Basiana’s company, Basiana Mining Exploration Corp. which held such rights. He said BMEC has a small-scale mining application as MPSA No. (XIII)-00014 for Tubay dated July 31, 1997 for which it paid the corresponding application fee of P5,520 under official receipt no. 2817891 also dated July 31, 1997.

He said the “joblessness picture” would also affect the discussions on two crucial bills―on rice tarifﬁcation and the TRABAHO measure―as many sectors had expressed concerns that the two would trigger job losses. On next year’s national budget, Recto urged the economic managers “to run the numbers on how many jobs a P3.7-trillion spending will create.” “We need to calculate this for many reasons. We have to ready the workforce required and identify other job generators,” Recto said. Next year’s budget earmarks P776.08 billion for capital outlay, with P531.86 billion to be spent by Public Works, and mostly for

roads, bridges and buildings, and P51.75 billion by the Transport department for railways, ports and other transportation facilities. Not included in this count are the projects funded under the PPP mode, and some projects funded wholly or partly by foreign loans and grants. In the case of the “tied loans” in which the preferences by the funder were institutionalized in the loan contracts, the government should reject the ones with “high imported labor content,” Recto said. “Any bias against local labor should not be accepted,” Recto said. “We have many returning [Filipino workers] who can ﬁll the slots and do the job. No loan should discriminate against Filipino talent. We should insist on a hire-local policy.” Recto said the “wave” of Filipinos re-

turning home from abroad was enriching the local talent pool. “They are bringing with them top-notch skills and cutting-edge know-how. And the magnificent skylines of many cities are the best calling cards of their building skills.” Recto said the “jobs will likewise influence the shaping” of the rice tarifficWith PNA ation and TRABAHO bills. “The employment data will have a say in determining the lengths to which we shall liberalize the domestic rice market and cut the fiscal incentives to industries. “All estimates point to some form of economic dislocation of farmers if rice import restrictions will be replaced with tariffs. Some 1.1 million rice growers will be negatively affected. Aggregate farmers’ losses could go up to P87.9 billion a year.” Macon Ramos-Araneta

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister has called for a global output cut of one million barrels per day to re-balance the market, as Riyadh unveiled plans to cut production by 500,000 bpd from December. “The technical analysis we reviewed yesterday shows that we need a reduction approaching one million bpd to balance the market,” Khalid al-Falih told an energy conference in Abu Dhabi. The proposed reduction is from October production levels, Falih said. Oil prices have shed a ﬁfth of their value

over the past month due to oversupply and signs of a softer-than-expected impact from US sanctions on Iranian crude exports. But they climbed on Monday as the world’s biggest supplier Saudi Arabia announced plans to cut production in response to fears of oversupply. Falih said Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil supplier, would cut its production by 500,000 bpd as of next month to help stabilise the market. The 14 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which include

Saudi Arabia, alone pump over a third of global crude supply. Any ofﬁcial decision on global output cuts will be made at a key ministerial meeting for OPEC and non-OPEC producers in Vienna in early December, Falih said. Oil producers will continue to evaluate the market data prior to the Vienna summit, “but if we need to trim production by one million bpd, we will do,” Falih added. The UAE’s energy minister, Suhail al-Mazrouei, said balancing the market would “require changes in the strategy” of producers.

US fighter... From A1

It was the second incident involving a US aircraft, after a C2A Greyhound Transport Plane plummeted into the Philippine Sea in November last year. The C2-A Greyhound was carrying 11 crew and passengers when its crashed. Eight of its occupants were rescued while three others went missing. Francisco Tuyay

LP finance chief... From A1 duped. SRMI used the documents of BMEC under which Tubay Exploration was assigned to go into operations in the guise of smallscale mining, with a 50,000-ton limit on yearly ore extract.” “SRMI used a copy of the ofﬁcial receipt for P5,520 that BMEC paid for in its application for a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement [MPSAI] in 1997 with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR,” the letter also said. It further stated that small-scale mining operation in just one year beginning 2006 had sold P2.8 billion—and exceeded the yearly 50,000-ton limit many times over. Within a decade, it also noted, SRMI had

Recto:... From A1

Pinay maids... From A1

Tokyo man... From A1

“For mother, it wasn’t something to celebrate,” said the soft-spoken 35-yearold, whose “bride” is a virtual reality singer named Hatsune Miku. In fact, none of Kondo’s relatives attended his wedding to Miku—an animated 16-yearold with saucer eyes and lengthy aquamarine pigtails—but that didn’t stop him from spending two million yen ($17,600) on a formal ceremony at a Tokyo hall. Around 40 guests watched as he tied the knot with Miku, present in the form of a catsized stuffed doll. “I never cheated on her, I’ve always been in love with Miku-san,” he said, using a honoriﬁc that is commonly employed in Japan, even by friends. “I’ve been thinking about her every day,” he told AFP a week after the wedding. Since March, Kondo has been living with a moving, talking hologram of Miku that ﬂoats in a $2,800 desktop device. “I’m in love with the whole concept of Hatsune Miku but I got married to the Miku of my house,” he said, looking at the blue image glowing in a capsule. AFP

Imelda... From A1 was released in the absence of the accused and her lawyer—for which the two have been ordered to explain within 30 days why they were not around despite sufficient notice of proclamation—Marcos earlier said she would be filing a motion for reconsideration for the reversal of her conviction. The Sandiganbayan found her guilty in seven counts of graft for using her Cabinet position to maintain Swiss bank accounts during the Marcos administration from 1966 to 1986. With her conviction, Marcos was sentenced to imprisonment of six years and one month to 11 years for each of the seven counts, with perpetual disqualification from public office. In related developments: • The Philippine National Police on Monday said they were taking into consideration the health of Marcos in complying with the arrest order, if one should be issued soon by the court. “In this case, we don’t see any threats with her because first and foremost, because of her old age and because she is a woman,” Albayalde told reporters during the press conference. The PNP chief made the remarks amid allegations they were favoring the Marcos matriarch as compared to what they have done in the case of Senator Antonio Trillanes. • In the House, House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez appealed to critics of the Marcos family to also look at major accomplishments then President Ferdinand Marcos., who declared martial law in 1972 and lifted it in 1981. Suarez made his statement following the possible order by Sandiganbayan to arrest the legislator, who has filed her certificate of candidacy for governor of her home province of Ilocos Norte. With PNA

News

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Police raid vs syndicates kills two, nabs five others

NO TO RICE TARIFFICATION.

NFA rice millers and farmers troop in front of the Senate office to ask for the dismissal of the proposed Rice Tariffication bill and oppose Senate Bill 1998. Norman Cruz

By Francisco Tuyay

Agcaoili, Jalandoni set to arrive in PH next month E By Maricel V. Cruz

VEN after the police arrested Vic Ladlad, consultant of the National Democratic Front, the NDF’s chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili and colleague Luis Jalandoni conﬁrmed that they will return to the country by next month for possible talks with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had said over the weekend that Agcaoili and Jalandoni have requested to see him this November. Agcaoili’s trip to the country, according to an earlier statement, is in connection with their work in the Joint Monitoring Committee under an agreement with the government that seeks to preserve human rights during armed conﬂict. He added that his group, which includes NDF panelist Coni Ledesma, was also “invited to meet with the new Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines.” “In this regard, we welcome the opportunity to meet with the President unless he does not want to or his military is against it,” Agcaoili said. But Duterte said he will decide whether

to push through with the meeting after attending a gathering of regional and world leaders in Singapore next week. Agcaoili and Jalandoni had been forced into hiding after the peace talks between the government and the NDF bogged down due to what the government said was the unabated rebel attacks against government troops. Negotiations for the resumptions of the talks this year was eventually suspended. The government also moved to declare the NDF’s armed wing and political arm as terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, Ladlad’s wife Fides Lim said her husband’s arrest was actually meant to derail the possible resumption of peace negotiations with the government.

Ladlad was arrested Thursday with 2 others for illegal possession of firearms at a house in Novaliches, Quezon City last. “There really is a strong pull coming from the hawks, who really don’t want peace on the table,” Lim told ANC. “They are creating, manufacturing, fabricating incidents like the arrest on my husband on the basis of planted evidence to stop the doves or the mood of the moment from having peace talks.” She alleged that the arresting officers planted firearms, as related to her by the owner of the house, who said that the butt of a firearm was sticking out of a box that officers allegedly planted during the raid. Lim said that Ladlad is not a member of the New People’s Army and that his work has always been political. Lim said her husband has chronic asthma that deteriorated into emphysema, but “we are not even making that a condition for his release.” “He is ready to face the charges against him because they are all fabricated... Ang spirit niya very strong, fighting,” she said. Ladlad’s arrest came after Duterte ordered the arrest of all NDF consultants after peace talks between the government and communist rebels bogged down last year.

MWSS cites Maynilad for ‘save esteros’ project METROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco has commended West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Service Inc. for its project to improve water quality in the esteros before water it is released back into the Pasig River, and ﬁnally into Manila Bay. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Maynilad’s “Sagip Estero, Balik Sigla,” a program to restore the tributaries leading to Pasig River, Velasco stressed that collective effort is needed for the river clean up. Velasco lauded Maynilad for partnering with MWSS, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, the local government of the city of Manila, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “The esteros involved are Estero dela Reina, Estero de Sunog Apog, Estero de Magdalena, and Estero de Concordia,”

said Velasco who attended the event with Maynilad president Ramoncito S. Fernandez and other executives along with ofﬁcials from government. Maynilad COO Randy Estrellado supported the MWSS chief’s statement saying “the joint effort as far as the environment is concerned results from each individual contribution to reach its full potential only if we all do our share with Maynilad undertaking the construction of interceptor pipes and appurtenances along the easement areas of four esteros to capture the wastewater discharges of households in the area and treating it before discharge into the waterways. Estrellado, however, lamented that wanton throwing of garbage particularly among informal settlers somehow negated Maynilad’s wastewater management efforts. “This project by Maynilad is laudable

as it manifests the concessionaire’s adherence to the Clean Water Act and its support to the writ of continuing mandamus issued by the Supreme Court in 2008,” Velasco said. The high tribunal’s writ names MWSS along with its concessionaires as among those ordered to “clean up, rehabilitate and preserve Manila Bay and restore and maintain its water to SB level fit for swimming, skin diving and other forms of contact recreation.” The construction of the interceptor pipes and appurtenances in the four esteros is one of the components of the alignment project being undertaken by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Maynilad. The alignment project was the result of the meeting among Maynilad, MWSS Corporate Office, MWSS Regulatory Office, and PRRC held on June 26, 2018.

Panelo says DOJ found probable case vs Rappler By Vito Barcelo MALACAÑANG on Monday said that there is probable cause to file a case against online news outlet Rappler, and denied manufacturing bogus charges to get back at social media organization which have been critical of the Duterte administration. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the media entity must face the consequences of violating the law, for not paying tax on the income it gained from Philippine Depositary Receipts issued in 2015. “The issue simply is: has Rappler violated the law? The Department of Justice has found probable cause hence a case was filed against the media outlet,” Panelo said in a statement. The Palace spokesperson also denied that there was any intimidation in filing the case, insisting that Rappler violated a law. “Under the Duterte administration, obedience to the law is not, and cannot be an option. No one is above the law,” Panelo said. “Everyone or every entity is accountable for every transgression of the law. No one is exempted, rich or poor, powerful or weak. Friendship, fraternal and political ties, as well as blood relationship, do not matter to this President,” the Palace official added. “If you violate the law, then you cannot escape the wrath of its punishment. Dura lex, sed lex. The law may be harsh, but it is the law,” Panelo added.

Ex-Davao exec named as temporary SAP By Vito Barcelo A FORMER Davao City administrator was named as temporary replacement of former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go who resigned to run for Senate in the 2019 elections. President Rodrigo Duterte named Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain as OIC Ofﬁce of the Special Assistant to the President, according to the memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. Quitain was the administrator of the Davao City government when Duterte was still mayor. He will temporarily act as SAP in place of Go, Duterte’s trusted aide. The appointment was released on Nov. 9 but released to the media on Monday. Meanwhile, Major General Edwin

Bernard Neri was named the new head of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This was confirmed by AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato, in an interview with reporters Sunday. Neri, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988, will replace now Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto, who was appointed as Philippine Army chief last Oct. 15. Detoyato added that Neri became the acting head of ISAFP with Alberto’s promotion as he is the unit’s deputy chief. “Major Gen. Neri will ofﬁcially assume command of the ISAFP [sometimes this] week,” he said. The incoming ISAFP chief also served as commander of the 1001st Infantry Brigade in Compostela Valley and Task Force Davao. With PNA

EMPLOYMENT WOES. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (center) is flanked by

Labor Undersecretary’s Renato Ebarle (left) and Ciriaco Lagunzad III (right) during the press conference on employment situation as released by the Social Weather Stations held at DOLE office in Intramuros, Manila. Ey Acasio

POLICE operatives swooped down on two notorious criminal syndicates operating in Luzon, killing three of its members and arrested seven others. According to Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde, those killed were part of a gun-for-hire group operating in San Pablo City while the other five arrested suspects were engaged in kidnapping-related activities in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Cagayan Valley and Metro Manila. The hired guns, Albayalde said, worked for some local officials. Albayalde identified one of the three slain suspects as Christopher Alain Alvero, while the other two of the arrested San Pablo City-based gang members were identified as Joy, Alvero and Enrico Suasi. Albayalde said Alvero is ranked eighth on the list of the province’s high value target and was reportedly responsible in the series of contract killings in San Pablo City. Seized from the suspects were a sniper rifle, an automatic shotgun, M16 rifle, six handguns, two grenades, and assorted ammunitions. Alvera is also considered one of the big-time distributors of illegal drugs in San Pablo City and its nearby towns. The other arrested gang suspects were identified as Dennis Matian, Mary Ann Mallari, Raymundo Dequina, John Lana and Jackie Lou Isidro, all members of the Peralta Group, a notorious criminal syndicate engaged in kidnapping and gun-for-hire activities. Authorities, however, failed to capture gang leader Ricardo Peralta, a subject of several warrants of arrest for multiple murder, kidnapping, carnapping and highway robbery. Albayalde said intelligence reports said that some politicians use the Peralta group in gun-for-hire activities but declined to divulge who the politicians are. “As of this time, we cannot divulge the names of those politicians. We have intelligence information that needs to be confirmed and validated,” Albayalde said. He said Peralta has been arrested but has returned to his illegal activities. “When I was still the S2 and R2 [intelligence office] in Police Region Office-3 namonitor na naming yan sa Nueva Ecija, Cagayan, Bulacan, Metro Manila and even in Northern Luzon—La Union,” Albayalde said.

‘Other tourist areas in PH, like Boracay, need time to heal’ OTHER tourist areas in the country, like Boracay, need enough time to heal. Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said the healing process should at least take a month every year avoid a repeat of what happened to the worldfamous Boracay, the country’s top tourist destination. “Dapat ‘yung merong rest time for the area like for example may one month a year na resting time para magkaroon ng natural healing,” Año told reporters after the Senate hearing on the proposed P223 billion budget of the department. He said the agency has started inspecting other tourist spots in the country for possible rehabilitation, as ordered by the President. “Sabi niya [President Rodrigo Duterte] tignan na namin ‘yung ibang tourist or resort areas in the Philippines. Ayaw niya na matulad du’n sa Boracay,” he said. Año said they are acting on several complaints on the environmental violations of different tourist areas. “Maraming areas na nagre-report na may violation sa environmental laws sa ibang area so kailangan magpadala ng team,” he said. Año said ﬁrst on their list is the El Nido and Coron in Palawan and will check Panglao in Bohol, as well. “Ang priority El Nido and Coron kasi mga tourist spots natin ito na may feedback na may naglalagay du’n ng illegal sewer going to the sea kaya kailangang makita natin. Ang Panglao isa sa titignan natin,” he said. Establishments in El Nido, however, have already conducted clearing operations and demolished illegal structures.

Opinion

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Killing fixers on sight

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

for human intervention and discretion, there will always be corruption. Anybody who gets assigned to Customs gets swallowed by the system. My gulay, honest men have been assigned there but corruption has persistTHERE is this disturbing news report ed. Incompetent and negligent employquoting President Duterte as having ees—military or not—are the worst. called on the military personnel asMy gulay, there was even an attempt signed to the Bureau of Customs to to pre-inspect imported goods with the kill fixers on sight. This is supposed government hiring the well-known Soto show how serious he is in the fight ciete de Surveillance (SGS), costing it against graft and corruption. billions. Soon enough, the people asSanta Banana, the President was fur- signed to pre-inspect the imports were ther reported as saying that soldiers also corrupted. will be fielded there to hunt down fixThis brings us back to the question ers. “I told them, if you see fixers, shoot —what can be done about Customs to them and throw them into the sea. Do end graft and corruption there? not admit to the killings. Damn those My answer is privatization. Let the criminals.” private sector control imports and exThe President was also quoted as ports. Just leave the collection of duties saying that the only way is to remove and taxes to Customs and the Bureau Customs personnel from their posts of Internal Revenue, with the guaranbefore they are investigated. “While tee that the private you are still there, sector can meet you keep stealthe required reveing while I keep nues. This is done investigating….I The President is a in many countries. need proof and it The many busiis hard to get, and lawyer. He should know nessmen I have while I investigate better. spoken to also you continue with have the same your practice of idea. corruption.” With enough I don’t know if the President was political will, President Duterte can fiquoted correctly, but so far he has not nally end corruption at Customs. Is he denied it. Was he speaking out of frus- even listening? tration? This reminds me of the killing *** spree of the Philippine National Police Can we learn anything at all from the upon Mr. Duterte’s assumption of of- just-conducted mid-year election in the fice in 2016, in connection with the war United States? on illegal drugs. Personally, I don’t think so. Filipinos As a democratic country, we still be- and Americans are so different, culturlieve in the rule of law and still follow ally and politically. due process. Mr. Duterte is a lawyer In the first place, the US does not and he should know that a person is have to rely on Smartmatic for the represumed innocent until proven guilty sults. There, results are known soon af—yes, even the fixers at Customs. ter the closing of the polls. Americans I covered the Bureau of Customs can even vote earlier if they want to. in the 1950s and 1960s, and I know Here it takes so long for the people to that fixers are assigned by high of- know who won. ficials of Customs in an attempt to We are an archipelago which makes isolate them from wrongdoing like it difficult to know the results right smuggling. Thus, even if the Presi- away. Then, our elections are always dent terminates fixers with extreme personality-oriented. We have so many prejudice, the really corrupt people parties and affiliations. at Customs will still be there. Killing In the US, voters choose from just the fixers won’t solve the problem. Democrats or Republicans. It is the system that enables corrupThe only thing we can learn from the tion and smuggling and allows them US elections is that we need a better to thrive. provider of an automated election For as long as there are opportunities Turn to A5

A bit more livable

HE Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange started operating Saturday. It is a joint effort of Megawide unit MWM Terminals Inc. and the national government, through the Department of Transportation, to put a semblance of order to the chaotic transport system that has plagued commuters for years. The PITX is supposed to be built like an airport, designed to facilitate commuting routes to those traveling between Metro Manila and southern destinations. Operations are governed by a department order, which identifies routes and transport lines. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is expected to come up with a memorandum that would further

provide details. Vehicle schedules are also published to guide the public, even as these routes still need to be firmed up. Public transportation in the Philippines is deplorable compared with those of other countries. Passengers expend precious time and energy going to and from destinations instead of channeling these to their jobs or studies. They become vulnerable

to external, often-unpredictable factors that start a chain of inconveniences on any given day. The PITX, if operated as intended, will remove, or at least lessen, these commuting factors and will make the public’s daily living struggle just a bit more bearable. New systems often elicit resistance, and the new routines occasioned by the PITX will no doubt create confusion and discomfort. We hope these are temporary, and that those tasked to put order into chaos will not create new disruptions and failures of their own. The riding public deserves no less.

Reducing our carbon emissions and especially not for the Philippines who is its big victim. Last month, in the context of the passage of the TRAIN law and the debate now on additional tax reform packages, in a think piece I wrote for Rappler, I IN A MONTH’S time, the governments argued that carbon emissions should be of the world will be meeting once again the next target of tax policy. I also made for its annual conference on climate the case that the revenue from making change. In Watowice, Poland, par- carbon emitters accountable should be ties to the United Nations Framework used to support universal health care. As I observed in that article, energy Convention on Climate Change will converge to receive the special report produced by coal-fired power plants on the implications and feasibility of (CFPP) generates a significant amount limiting and exceeding by 1.5 degrees of greenhouse gases, which in turn Celsius (since pre-industrial times) the contributes to climate change. If the country’s planned increase in global CFPP projects all temperatures. It become operationwill be a soberal, and the Departing moment as ment of Environwe will be told What are we doing ment and Natural that time is runto stop a problem that Resources just isning out to stop sued an Environthe rapid accel- will kill our people and mental Clearance eration of climate destroy our country? Certificate for still change. It will another plant in be disturbing beLa Union, we will cause we will be have an excess told that while difficult, it is doable to prevent catas- amount of energy generated from coal. trophe. Still we are moving towards an But, since you can’t just shut off a coalfired power plant when you don’t need increase of 3 degrees to 4 degrees. Every country, some more than oth- the energy, they will continue to burn ers, must do something. It is true that coal and produce greenhouse gasses at the Philippines emits less than 1 per- maximum capacity. That’s like a smokcent of global emissions annually, but er continuously lighting up another that does not make us belong to the cigarette before finishing the previous lowest emitters as more than 150 coun- one. It’s unnecessary and wasteful, not tries emit less than we do. We are still to mention it has severe implications on number 34 or 35 globally, in the top our environment and our health. Coal, among all the fossil fuels third. Of course, it goes without saying that the United States and China should such as gas and diesel, is perceived as take the lead in reducing emissions. cheap and readily available. Its true The top 100 corporations that produce and actual social and environmental more than half of the world’s emissions costs, however, are not accounted for. If carbon emitters all over the world were also have a special responsibility. But there are no free passes on the to pay for all the negative externalities, Turn to A5 imperative to reduce carbon emissions,

EVERYMAN

Ilocanos rise to protect their orthography By Honor Blanco Cabie A LANGUAGE storm savagely dangles over the Ilocos Mountain ranges as well as the Sierra Madre and north of the Caraballo Mountains following what observers say is the inadmissible blitz by the Commission of the Filipino Language or the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. Recently, academics, cultural workers, creative writers and language advocates gathered at the Mariano Marcos State University Graduate School in Laoag City to protest what they called the “unilateral imposition” of the KWF’s “unilaterally crafted “Ortograpiyang Ilokano” years after they had published their own orthography. From the Greek “orthographia” which means “correct writing,” an or-

thography is a way to represent words by having set ways to spell and write them. This means orthography helps students, researchers, and language learners identify words so they can figure out their meanings. In another lingo, an existing Ilokano orthography is the system of writing conventions used to represent spoken Ilokano in written form that allows the readers to connect spelling to sound and then to meaning. The mass action in Ilocos Norte on Oct. 28 was initiated by GUMIL Ilocos Norte, through its president Joel Manuel. GUMIL Ilocos Norte is the provincial chapter of the 50-year-old national association of Ilocano writers at home and abroad, which at one point had

3,000 active members speaking and writing in the various genres including, but not limited to novels, plays, other fiction and poetry. The protest action was joined by other groups including the Nakem Conferences Philippines, through its president Dr. Alegria Tan Visaya; Dr. Marlina Lino, program coordinator of the MMSU MA cohort in Ilokano Studies; and Leo Tejano of Nakem Yoiuth. Dr. Aurelio S. Agcaoili of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, in a statement obtained by the Manila Standard, said the stakeholders were one in their official position in rejecting what they called the “authoritarian imposition of (KWF’s) own brand of ‘Ortograpiyang Ilokano’ that is patterned after its imposed ‘Ortograpiyang Pambansa.’” Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: manilastandard.net Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Ofﬁce, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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Opinion Food ads stir questions in Nigeria about gender roles By Emmanuel Akinwotu ADVERTS in Nigeria depicting career women gleefully juggling their job with kitchen duties have sparked a heated debate about gender roles in the fast-changing society of West Africa’s largest economy. The campaign is for the seasoning brand Maggi, which sells over 90 million stock cubes in Nigeria each day, according to company figures. In a video ad, a 30-something mother and self-described “boss lady” proudly introduces herself as a “chief quality inspector” in her corporate life and a “kitchen grandmaster” at home. She switches between presentations in the boardroom to cooking in an ultra-modern kitchen. With an apron over her office clothes, she blows out the flame from a gas lighter—rather like James Bond dissipating the smoke from his gun—as she whips up a dish for her loving family. “I love what I do,” she enthuses. A billboard ad, meanwhile, features a beaming woman with her two children, with the caption: “Mummy. Teacher. Taste Master.” The ad campaign, released last month, has divided opinion in a country where women are often expected to conform to established gender roles at a time of radical changes in lifestyle. Many social media commentators were excited by what they saw as a “modern” portrayal of women in a position of power, balancing multiple roles with ease. One Twitter user said of the video: “I like the fact that she is a mom, boss lady and still a slayer.” Another said: “I love that a woman is being portrayed as the multi-tasker that she is.” But others described the advert as “misogyny” and “well-packaged

Ilocanos... From A4

In their statement, Agcaoili, Debralyn Andres and Dean Domingo of the International Committee for the Protection of the Ilokano language and Nakem Conferences International, said: “We have a variety of already productive orthographies, to wit: academic orthographies from the University of Hawaii Ilokano Program, the Mariano Marcos State University Graduate School Program in Ilokano Studies, the popular forms as seen from a number of magazines and newspapers, and the religious corpus as seen from the various faith communities in the Philippines and abroad.” They added: “All these productive forms that are existing have been respectful of the history of the Ilokano language and are deemed not destroying each other but perfecting each other; this is not the case with the imposed ‘Ortograpiyang Ilokano.’” The group, endorsed by other academics, language experts and teachers, said the Ilokanos “do not need an orthography that is not respectful of what we have got at the moment, that is not respectful of the history of the language, and that is antithetical to the aim of (a) deploying the current orthographies to make full of use of the language in the various domains of our life as Ilokanos whether in the Philippines or in the diaspora, and (b) educating our young people in that act of emancipatory knowledge that demands skills in ‘naming’ our world and experiences. “This insistent act of disrespect and incompetence of the commission is a case of betrayal of the mandate given to that commission, and the same mandate given to the Ilokano commissioner, Purificacion Delima. “We, therefore, demand that the Ilokano commission (sic) resign from her post: she does not have the expertise to represent the Ilokano people and their language.” Nakem Youth itself said in a state-

Killing.... From A4

suffering” and questioned why the person in the kitchen was not a man. Stereotypes Nestle, which owns the Maggi brand, was surprised by the controversy, stating that the advert was intended to celebrate women in a country where most cook more regularly than their partners despite working too. Victoria Uwadoka, the company’s corporate communications manager, said it welcomed the debate the campaign had generated. “Today, the reality is that most women are juggling professional life and family responsibilities,” she said, adding that Nigerian society was evolving. “We believe cooking should be open to everyone.” Gendered roles in food adverts are a controversial issue around the world. Traditionally, Nigerian women are expected to be the main caregivers, looking after the home and children. But the younger generation is challenging that idea in the country’s rapidly urbanising cities. Jolaoluwa Ayeye is a 26-year-old writer in Lagos and co-host of popular podcast “I Said What I Said”, which embodies the voice of a young generation of Nigerian women. “I think the Maggi advert reflects current Nigerian norms but at the same time reinforces stereotypes that Nigerian women are trying to reject,” she said. “It is uncomfortable and difficult to work from sun-up to sundown doing work that should and could be done with proper delegation and sharing of domestic workloads. “It’s not cute or sexy—and in 2018, let’s be realistic, it’s very unnecessary.” ‘Unrealistic’ According to the World Bank, 51 percent of Nigeria’s population

ment “As the inheritors of this cultural resource of the Ilokano people, the Ilokano language, as used and represented and written in various acceptable forms today, has been respectful of the history of the language from its precolonial form to today’s era of fast-paced technology. “We are saddened by this mindless imposition of the KWF of its own orthography that it claims is based on the expertise of its writers and consultations. “Unless these experts can prove to us their expertise and unless these consultations are proven to have followed real and not imagined democratic process, and unless the real stakeholders of the Ilokano language have been consulted as well, we univocally protest and reject such an imposed orthography that will predictably destroy our right to such a cultural resource and as inheritors of that resource.” The School Principal of Ferdinand E. Marcos Senior High School in the City Schools Division of Batac, Carmencita Polendey-Lorenzo, told Manila Standard: “I don’t want to witness Generation ‘Ortograpiya’ kids conversing with the present generation of learners in the future, not able to understand one another. “Generation ‘Ortograpiya’ kids would sound like some migrants acting like trying hard Ilocanos with their Tagalized lingo...” Ilokano language observers said KWF, since its imposition of the “national orthography” in 2013, had chosen to work on its own by handpicking people of questionable Ilokano language expertise to write its own idea of Ilokano orthography. They noted that the commission then began to tinker with the working orthographies of the various Philippine languages, requiring those even with a written tradition such as Ilokano, to comply with the “Pambansang Ortograpiya” of KWF headed by National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario of San Miguel, Bulacan. Ilokanos and other language groups

of more than 180 million lives in the countryside, where traditional, conservative ideals are more prominent. With the remainder in growing urban centres, the ad campaign has highlighted a wider debate between modernists and traditionalists. Best-selling Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in June told US news satire programme “The Daily Show” she was happy for people to hold the door for her. But the author of “Half of a Yellow Sun” and “We Should All Be Feminists” said she hoped “they’re not doing it for this idea of chivalry”, as it implied women were weaker than men. Her comments sparked a debate online and within Nigeria, with many celebrities such as the popular singer Banky W criticising her politics as “going too far”. Politician Rinsola Abiola, who is standing for parliament in elections in February, said depictions of women like that in the TV advert were unrealistic, especially to younger people. “I acknowledge that it resonates with a lot of women who live that way. I have an elder sister just like that woman but I’m exactly the opposite of that advert”, she said. “For me the purpose of an advert is not just to present social norms but advocate for better structures.” The advert comes after concern that just 31 women in the two main political parties were running for 469 seats in parliament. Those norms were epitomised by President Muhammadu Buhari when he dismissed his wife Aisha’s view on domestic politics. He told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2016 that the First Lady belonged “in my kitchen and my living room and the other room”. AFP

have protested this imposition, arguing the history of their languages had evolved a character “not necessarily following the imagined national orthography that is based largely on the Tagalog language in its contemporary form, with KWF deceitfully passing off as the Filipino language.” KWF has argued there is need for the “harmonization” of the written form of the Philippine languages, but experts stressed KWF had not considered respect for the history of these languages. “There is no rhyme and reason for that dreamed-of harmonization as each of these 185 indigenous languages per the Ethnologue count of 2005 have their own sound system and syntax,” the experts said. They added: “These two basic features of a language—the sounds and the way it arranges its words to make sense and to capture the meaning of what it aims to communicates—are inherent in each language. “The project to harmonize these 185 languages by making all these behave as Tagalog being passed off as Filipino...is meant to hegemonize and destroy diversity in the country.” Nakem Conferences Philippines and Nakem Conferences International, two groups that have collaborated to hold annual international conferences to promote diversity and inclusive education, have consistently issued out statements rejecting this national orthography as the basis for the orthography of other Philippine language groups. Forming an alliance, the protesting groups in Laoag have vowed to bring the protest to the Department of Education and to the Office of the President in Manila. More protests are being planned, the groups said in their statement. (HBC, former three-term director of the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, was Executive Council Member of the 13-member Committee on Literary Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts from 1999 to 2004, and president of GUMIL Filipinas from 1995 to 1999.)

The real issues that matter are those that pertain to the gut—the rise in the prices of basic goods and services, for instance. Federalism? I doubt if it will be an issue in the elections as people are ignorant of what it is about. The dominant factor in our elections is funding. It’s money from the usual taipans and conglomerates. This is why political dynasties still rule. People believe elections are a time when they can get back something from those they vote for. What is most unfortunate are the killings. To many, elections are a life-or-death affair. Welcome to elections, Philippine style.

system that Smartmatic. I wonder—why does Comelec keep on contracting it? There are also “Little Garcis” in the agency. Coming right down to it, much of the results do not really reflect the voice of the people. This is why there are two kinds of candidates here: Those who won, and those who cry they were cheated. Speaking of the 2009 polls, nothing much seems different. In the Senate, for instance, reelectionists and former senators have a great advantage. This is why poll surveys say www.emiljurado.weebly.com newbies don’t stand much of a chance.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

US economic upsurge: Fed deserves the credit in economic theory, more specifically in the sub-theory of economic policymaking. Leads and lags are quite easily explained. They arise because of the gap that necessarily exists between WHENEVER an economy performs the time that a policy decision is made very well or very badly, the first in- and the time that the projected output stinct of most discerning people is to comes into the market. That gap may be try to determine the place where credit measured in weeks or months or years. or blame—as the case may be—should Because the first line of the proposed be laid. This is both necessary and Metro Manila subway system is estilogical because good economic perfor- mated to be ready for service in 2025, mance or bad economic performance, the lead time needed for such a facilis the result of steadfast implementa- ity—an urgently needed facility, to be sure—is seven years. And by the time tion of sound economic policies. This matter of who should be praised 2025 comes around, the Metro Manila or blamed for an economy’s perfor- commuters living then will speak of mance has come to the fore anew in the 7-year lag between the community the case of the current state of the US problem of 2018 and the inauguration economy. The world’s No. 1 economy of this country’s first subway system is doing very well. Since 2017 Amer- seven long years later. The implicaica’s GDP (gross domestic product) tion of the forehas been growing going discussion above 3 percent is clear: development planning annually and durI don’t think that is about always ing the most recent credit for the current US practice leading quarter it grew at to avoid lagging. an above-4-per- economic upsurge can If this is not done cent pace. Perhaps be claimed by Donald state of affairs most important of Trump and his economic —a with which Filipiall, the unemploynos are familiar ment rate in that managers. —bottlenecks and country is curall sorts of ecorently at its lowest level in 49 years. nomic distortions Most of the companies in the Fortune materialize. The concept of leads and lags does 500 list of the biggest US companies are operating profitably, with many not give rise to questions of responsicompanies posting record profits. As bility and accountability when the leada result, America’s stock market has ing and lagging takes place in a nonbeen experiencing one of the longest democratic setting. That is not the case in a democratic bull runs in the history of the New York Stock Exchange. And these good things environment. A public project comhave been taking place in an environ- menced today in a country like North Korea or a country with a presidentment of comparative price stability. It is natural for the performance of for-life (like China) will very likely be an economy—good or bad—to be at- completed during the Beloved Leader’s tributed to the political party that is in stay in office. But in democracies there power. If the economy performs well, are political-term limits and governthat party gets the credit; if the economy ment changes during the implementais stumbling, it gets the blame. Accord- tion of a public project. The inauguraingly, the Republican administration of tion of the first Metro Manila subway President Donald Trump is being ac- line will be undertaken by President corded the credit for the current strong Rodrigo Duterte’s successor. Economic policy decisions generperformance of the most powerful economy in the world. Mr. Trump has ally take long periods to wind their way accepted the credit, attributing it prin- through an economy. The more comcipally to the corporate and individual plicated the issue that a policy decision income tax cuts approved in 2017 by the has to deal with, the longer the needed Republican-controlled Congress and to winding-through period. 2018 marks the the tariff increases that his administra- tenth anniversary of the onset of arguation has put in place against virtually all bly the worst world economic recession, and it took almost that entire 10-year of America’s longtime allies. The Trump administration came into period for the US economy to return to office in January—more like Febru- normal. That is a lot longer than the less ary—2017 and has therefore been at than two years that the Trump administhe controls of the US economy for less tration has been in office. The US economy had to return to than two years. Is such a period long enough for the generation of the kind of normal before it could begin to move strength that the US economy has been upward again after the horrendous 2008 displaying of late? Corollarily, can downturn. It took all the know-how, exthe Trump administration fairly claim perience and stature of Federal Reserve credit for the US economy’s current Board chairmen Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen to bring the world’s largest growth momentum? To both questions my answer is No; economy back from the abyss. Yet, it I don’t think that credit for the current took them years to return it to normalcy. It is the US Fed—and especially chairUS economic upsurge can be claimed by Donald Trump and his economic men Bernanke and Yellen—that deserve managers. I think that that credit be- almost all the credit that the vigor that longs elsewhere. In support of my view the US economy is displaying these I point to the concept of leads and lags days. Not the Trump administration.

Reducing.... From A4

needed revenue—around at least P52 billion—which would go in part to offset the inflationary impact of the new tax and in part to fund the estimated P100 billion needed for Universal Health Care. For a country that spends 0.6 percent of GDP ($400 million) on health expenses caused by pollution, taxing carbon to fund health care coverage is not only logical. It is the right thing to do. In the Rappler article, I pointed out that here is no better time to discuss carbon accountability charges than when Congress is deliberating additional tax reform packages, which can include this proposed tax. House Bill 4739, authored by representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte, proposes an even higher tax of $20 MT/CO2, which is still in line with global carbon tax practice. Between the banking sector’s increasing concern about stranded assets of fossil fuel power plants and our country’s commitment to reduce emissions and limit climate change, the policy window to take action that will benefit society for generations to come is wide open. In Watowice, we will be asked: what are you doing to stop a problem that will kill your people and destroy your country? I hope we can answer honestly that we are doing everything we can to reduce our carbon emissions. Otherwise, we lose moral high ground in demanding other countries to do the same.

estimates put the global social cost of carbon at $40 per metric ton of CO2 emitted. In contrast, the recently passed TRAIN law levies an excise tax on coal of less than $1 per metric ton of coal in 2018—that’s equivalent to 34 US cents per metric ton of CO2 (MT/ CO2)—far less than what it costs us to mitigate the impact of air pollution generated by coal power plants. Furthermore, the excise tax in this case is not at all meant to directly address the externalities caused by burning coal as a fossil fuel. If we are to truly capture the externality caused by CO2 emissions, we need to address what the Department of Finance’s National Tax Research Center calls a market failure in fossil fuel prices. Putting the right price on carbon that is specific to the Philippine experience will in effect make polluters accountable and address the risks of climate change. To be fair, this accountability should extend to coal, gas, and diesel for energy generation as well, with the government annually collecting information on actual emissions to measure progress against our commitments to the Paris Agreement. In Paris in 2015, we committed to reduce our emissions by 70 percent of 2010 levels by 2030. Aside from the environmental dimension of the carbon tax, the government will be able to raise much- Facebook and twitter: tonylavs

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

9 illegal foreigners nabbed by Immigration By Vito Barcelo

YOUTH DELEGATES. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in a photo op with 10 young Filipino students she brought to Hong Kong and Guangzhou on Nov. 7 and 8 to witness and experience the growth of China in the last 40 years since it opened up to the world. They also attended the Youth Summit 2018 of the Boao Forum for Asia in Hong Kong to inspire them to be effective leaders in their respective communities.

Solon sees technology key to fast fees refund By Maricel V. Cruz A CONGRESSMAN on Monday suggested the use of ﬁnancial and information technologies to speed up the refund of airport terminal fees and travel taxes levied on departing migrant workers. Rep. Henry Ong of Leyte said in a statement: “Surely there must be some high-tech way the airlines and the country’s international airport agencies can transmit the travel tax and terminal fee refund directly to overseas Filipino workers.” “Making some 2.3-million OFWs personally line up to get their refund seems like such an antiquated way of disbursing P277.65 million worth of refunds. The airlines must certainly have personal data on each of the OFWs who boarded their international ﬂights and with that data, they can find a financial technology solution,” Ong, chairman of the House Committee Banks and Financial Intermediaries, said. Migrant workers earlier complained that the Manila International Airport Authority, through the airlines, has been collecting airport fees and travel taxes from them despite their exemption under Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. Ong agreed with the assertion of MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal that the refund must be given directly to the overseas workers. “But how that can be effectively and efficiently done is something the tech guys of the airlines and airports should be able to sort out,” Ong, who is also a member of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, said. He added: “If they cannot resolve the problem, Congress may have to exercise its oversight powers to intervene on behalf of the overseas workers.” “I hope it does not have to come to that because the sooner this problem is settled, the sooner the workers can get their refund,” Ong said.

Runway closure forces cancellation of flights By Joel E. Zurbano

ORE commercial flights were canceled in connection with the runway closure of Ninoy Aquino International Airport to give way for its maintenance work scheduled from midnight to 5 am from Nov. 12 to 22. “The airport authorities will be closing NAIA’s Runway 13/31 from 12 midnight to 5:00 am for runway maintenance work during specific days in November, Thus, Philippine Airlines is cancelling the [following] flights,” the PAL management said in a statement Monday. PAL suspended at least 50 international flights to and from Singapore, Bangkok, Singapore; and ten flights to and from Davao scheduled from Nov. 12 to 22. The airline also canceled PR-510 Singapore Manila flight affected by the maintenance schedule on Nov. 23. “Passengers will be notified on the cancellation of their flights. We are advising affected passengers to rebook their flights within thirty days from original travel date; rebooking fees will be waived,” the airline officials said. They advised passengers not to proceed to the airport if their flights were canceled. “We are seeking the understanding and cooperation of our passengers as the government undertakes vital maintenance work on the NAIA runways,” they added. The Cebu Pacific Air earlier announced the cancellation of more than 30 domestic and international flights. Among those cancelled by CEB airline are international flights to and from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Saigon, Macau, Xiemen, Kota Kinabalu, Siem Reap and Bandar Seri Begawan. On the other hand, the CEB domestic flights affected are to and from Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Zamboanga. The CEB management offered an apology for the suspension of the flights. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesman Eric Apolonio said the pavement works at NAIA will be made to upgrade the runway and ensure the safety of aircraft and passengers. Meanwhile, CEB has started daily commercial flight operations between its Clark and Davao hubs as part of its plan to expand route network from

Clark International Airport. CEB flight 5J 985 is scheduled to depart from Clark to Davao daily at 1:45 pm, with estimated arrival at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao at 3:40 pm. The return flight, 5J 986, is scheduled to depart Davao at 4:10 pm, with Estimate Time of Arrival at the Clark International Airport at 6:05 pm. The direct Cebu Pacific service between Clark and Tagbilaran, Bohol will

begin operating on Dec. 15. Flight 5J 613, bound for Tagbilaran, is scheduled to depart Clark at 9:55 am daily and arrive at 11:20 am. The return flight, 5J 614, is set to depart Tagbilaran at 11:50 am, and arrive Clark at 1:15 pm. CEB will continue to expand its footprint at the Clark International Airport. By end-2018, the airline would have boosted frequency by 75 percent year-onyear, bringing the total number of flights in and out of Clark to 3,711 by end-2018, representing 620,540 seats. Cebu Pacific utilizes its fleet of Airbus aircraft for flights in and out of its Clark hub. The CEB fleet is comprised of 36 Airbus A320, five Airbus A321CEO (Current Engine Option), and eight Airbus A330.

SEIZED FIREARMS. PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde (middle) on Monday inspects the high-powered firearms seized from arrested members of a kidnapping group who are believed to be peddling their services to some politicians as private armies. The group’s leader, one Ricardo Peralta, is now the subject of police manhunt. Manny Palmero

DOH Calabarzon signs ‘Tripartite Memo’ with Cavite, Bacoor By Macon Ramos-Araneta DOH-CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) together with the provincial government of Cavite and city government of Bacoor signed the “Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement” for the continuous provision of assistance and support for expansion of the hospital facility to serve the growing population and health needs of the city. “We will be providing the appropriate technical, manpower and logistic support needed for the improvement

and health services of the hospital and ensure that the residents will be given the necessary health care assistance they need, especially the indigents,” Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said. “We will be bringing in consultants from Batangas Medical Center to provide clinical support for speciﬁc departments of the hospital and also provide training assistance and other technical support based on the health status of Bacoor,” he added. Infrastructure improvements and additional hospital equipment for the district hospital will be accommodated

and provided through the DOH-Health Facility Enhancement Program. According to Janairo, proper assessment will be done to identify the needs of the facility including issuance of appropriate licenses and provision of basic health services for the required level of operation. “Collaboration and mutual cooperation with local governments towards the development and improvement of health care system in the community for better health outcomes is one of the main thrusts of CALABARZON Prime.”

The Bacoor District Hospital was established in 2019 through Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No.084, Series of 2011. It is a 10-bed capacity with complete with laboratory, ER equipment and services for OPD. Attendees to the MOA singing were Cavite 2nd District Representative Strike B. Revilla, Department of Health–CALABARZON Director Eduardo C. Janairo, Cavite Provincial Health Ofﬁcer Dr. Remigio D. Camerino, Bacoor City Mayor Lani MercadoRevilla and City Health Ofﬁcer Dr. Ivy Marie C. Yrastorza.

AT LEAST nine illegal foreigners were arrested by the Bureau of Immigration as the bureau intensiﬁed its drive against undocumented and overstaying in the country. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the foreigners were arrested in separate operations in Pasay and Manila for working in the country without permits. Morente said the aliens were now undergoing proceedings before the Bureau’s Board of Commissioners after they were charged for violating the country’s Philippine immigration laws. Morente said the aliens were all caught in the act of selling retail goods to the public by BI Intelligence operatives. “We will deport them for blatantly violating our immigration laws. Foreigners are prohibited in engaging in any gainful activity without the proper visas,” he said. According to Morente, most of the foreign vendors were undocumented and failed to present their immigration documents. “In fact, during the check, one of them presented a counterfeit immigration document, while another may have assumed someone else’s identity as he had no record of arrival,” Morente said. Morente reiterated his warning to erring foreign nationals that they will not be allowed to illegally engage in gainful activities which deprive small Filipino traders of livelihood opportunities. “If you are a good, law-abiding alien then we welcome you to the Philippines,” he said. “But if you keep on disregarding Philippine laws, then you might as well get out, illegal aliens are not welcome here,” he added.

Costume-clad security guards need permit, says PNP THE Philippine National Police on Monday reminded security agencies, malls and business establishments to seek permission first before ordering their guards to wear themed costumes. “They have to ask permission. It’s not absolute. All they must do is to ask permission from the SOSIA [Supervisory Office on Security and Investigation Agencies]. The mall management must secure a permit if they want the guards to be in costumes to make them look friendlier,” Albayalde told reporters during the press briefing after Monday’s flag ceremony. Albayalde made the remarks after SOSIA personnel sanctioned security guards in a mall in Makati City who were clad in Christmas costumes during an inspection. He also emphasized that even policemen themselves were prohibited from wearing even a Santa Claus hat while conducting patrol or assigned in business districts and other public places without permission from the national headquarters. Albayalde said the PNP strictly required proper wearing of prescribed uniforms among security agencies and security guards across the country. In the past, police officers have been wearing Santa Claus hats in malls and other public places, but this was stopped as the PNP leadership emphasized the proper wearing of police uniforms. Under Section 14 of Republic Act 5487 or the Private Security Agency Law, the “Chief of the Philippine Constabulary [now the PNP], through his duly authorized representative, shall prescribe the uniform or ornaments, equipment and paraphernalia to be worn by the security guards and watchmen throughout the Philippines.” The PNP-SOSIA regulates the operations of security agencies, including keeping in check all the security guards detailed at different establishments across the country. Albayalde said one of the hazards of changing the uniform of a security officer was that criminals could use this to disguise themselves to be able to carry out their illegal activities. PNA

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Manara lifts Insignia Builders past Gold’s Gym SPITFIRE EJ Manara scored a game-high 22 points to carry Insignia Builders to a close 82-79 win over Gold’s Gym in the Starter Division of the Quezon City Basketball League during its opening over the weekend at the JCR Gym at the FEU-NRMF in Fairview. The Insignia point guard sank three of his four charities to in the final 19 seconds and these proved to be the insurance baskets needed by the Builders to open their campaign on a bright note. The game was at tied 79-all when Manara took two trips to the line. He completed the first pair, then split the second with 10 seconds left to peg the final score. Gold’s Gym failed to convert in the final offensive with Denzel Naca’s jumper missing the target. In the other games, Nemesis Hobby Shop, Dr. D’s Dental and Regalado Vet trampled their respective foes to join Insignia in the winners’ circle on opening day. A simple ceremonial toss, led by special guest Terrence Romeo of the TNT squad in the Philippine Basketball Association, kicked off the league, which is supported by Wilson Basketball, Del Monte Fit N Right, FEU-NRMF, Ripples Daily and Cashen Advertising Solutions. Nemesis Hobby Shop trounced HE Photography, 90-72, with center Alrene Palma leading the carnage with team-high 17 points on top of whopping 22 rebounds. Eleven more of his teammates joined the scoring fray with Kenneth Agustin and Jose Marie Lao coming up with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Point guard Bryan Urayenza topscored with 24 points for Dr. D’s Dental in an 87-66 taming of the Bendovah Bully Camp. All the 14 players that saw action for Dr. D scored in the game with Marco Cabochan and Carl Geofri Viloria amply aiding Uranyenza in offense with 12 and 20 points. Regalado Vet led from start to finish in its 68-63 victory over EA’s Taste of Asia in the first game.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Racing industry raises P2.7 million for charity W

ITH THE assistance of the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom), the racing industry composed of racing clubs, horse owners, trainers and jockeys recently netted P2,722,173.86 as a result of 11 charity races at the San Lazaro Park in Carmona, Cavite to go with the P1 million donation from the Manila Jockey Club. The amount raised, P1,722,173.86 of which came from the charity races, will be donated to the Senate Spouses Foundation, Dalampasigang Manila Bay Foundation, Press Photographers of the Philippines, Buhay Isang Awit Foundation and the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation. Represented by Senate President Sen. Tito Sotto’s daughter Ciara Sotto, the Senate Spouses Foundation and the Dalampasigang Manila Bay Rotary Foundation will be getting the bulk of the funds as each will be receiving P626,245.04. The Senate Spouses Foundation got an additional P1 million from the race host MJC.

Headed by its President Jonathan Jalbuna, the PPP, together with the Buhay Isang Awit Foundation and the Mowelfund, will each receive P156,561.26. “This is the racing industry’s humble contribution to the noble projects of these ﬁve foundations. We are delighted, knowing that the combined efforts of the Philracom, the racing clubs, horse owners, trainers and the jockeys to raise funds for these associations’ worthwhile programs will go a long way,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez. The 11 charity races were all conduct-

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PH wrestlers bag 6 golds at SEA meet

ed in accordance with the Philracom’s Rating-Based Handicapping System, which is a result of the commission’s afﬁliation with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Winners were Electric Dreams (4th PPP Trophy Race), Hidden Light (Dalampasigang Manila Bay Trophy Race), Lucky Saver (Buhay Isang Awit Foundation Charity Race), Silver Glow (Senate Spouses Foundation Trophy Race) and Watermania (Dalampasigang Manila Bay Charity Race). The rest of the victors were Ifyourhonorplease (Senate Spouses Foundation Charity Race), Garantisado ( Dalampasigang Manila Bay Charity Race), Chinita ( Senate Spouses Foundation Charity Race), Tango Eco Kieth (Dalampasigang Manila Bay Charity Race), Extravagant Woman ( Senate Spouses Foundation Charity Race) and OASIS (Mowelfund Charity Race).

Members of the Team Go For Gold Philippines display their medals.

TEAM Go For Gold Philippines showed a preview of its competitive fire in the Southeast Asian Games next year after collecting six gold medals in the just-concluded Southeast Asian Senior Wrestling Championships held at the Dalubhasaan Lungsod ng San Pablo in Laguna. Veteran grapplers Margarito Angana and Michael Vijay Cater ruled their respective weight classes in the Greco Roman event together with Noel Norada in the week-long meet featuring the finest wrestlers in the 11-nation region. Angana has not lost the skills that made him a two-time SEA Games gold medalist after defeating Plyabut Wiratul of Thailand in the men’s 60kg while Cater took the 55kg title at the expense of another Thai, Nattawut Keawkhanchum, before Norada made it three in a row by submitting Vietnam’s Pham Van Co. Luke Cruz topped the 125kg category in men’s freestyle after beating Dimas Septo Anueraha of Indonesia in the finals, joining women freestyle gold medalists Minalyn Foy-os (57kg) and Noemi Tener (68kg) on the podium. “We’re very proud our wrestlers. We believe that with our support, they can win more gold medals for the country,’’ said Go For Gold Philippines godfather Jeremy Go. Jason Balabal, another two-time SEA Games gold medalist, wasn’t as successful, losing his finals match to an Indonesian foe in the men’s 87kg Greco Roman while Jefferson Manatad followed the same path against Supriono of Indonesia in the 77kg. Ronil Tubog (61kg) and Francis Villanueva (97kg) also settled for silver as well as lady freestyle wrestlers Grace Loberanes (50kg), Kristine Jambora (53kg), Shelly Avalino (62kg) and Sweet Berry Perez (72kg). Backed by Go For Gold Philippines, Filipino grapplers also pocketed eight silver and 13 bronze medals. Vietnam brought home 12 golds, 11 silver and nine bronzes to secure the overall title of the tournament designed to gauge the competition in the SEA level. Greco Roman specialists Jonathan Maquilan (63kg), Exel Tubog (67kg), Jason Baucas (72kg), Ronaldo Salon (97kg) and Smael Trazona (130kg) ended up with bronze medals along with freestyle wrestlers Alvin Lobreguito (57kg), Jhonny Morte (61kg), Joseph Angana (65kg), Jossel Canolas (65kg), Anthony Pajaron (70kg) and Royce Tiu (86kg).

Cignal takes on Pride of Laguna takes 3YO Challenge Sta. Lucia, eyes 2nd straight win Games Today (Filoil Flying V Centre) 1:30 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Generika-Ayala 7:00 p.m. – Cignal vs Sta. Lucia

CIGNAL is set to ride on the momentum and post its second straight conquest when it faces struggling Sta. Lucia in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference today at the FilOil Flying V Center. Game time is at 7:00 p.m. with the HD Spikers marching with high morale following a thrilling five-set victory over Generika-Ayala over the weekend. Meanwhile, F2 Logistics will hunt a fitting bounce-back victory when it clashes with the Lifesavers at 1:30 p.m. while Foton seeks to join Petron on top when it tackles Smart in the 4:15 p.m. second game of this prestigious club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, Sogo, Asics, Mikasa, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku with Genius Sports as technical provider. Against the Lifesavers, the HD Spikers simply refused to give up. Seasoned spiker Rachel Anne Daquis displayed a vintage performance as she delivered 20 points, 17 digs and 13 excellent receptions while holding the fort for teammates in the crucial stretch of the fifth.

PRIDE of Laguna and jockey JD Juco controlled the race from the middle point all the way to the finish to win the 2018 Philippine Racing Commission’s 3YO Open Challenge Race second leg recently at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park Racetrack in Naic, Cavite. Pride of Laguna, considered as one of the top three-year-old horses in the country today, received P900,000 for the victory, including awards for its team, all sponsored by Philracom. Viva Morena, ridden by jockey Dan Camanero and owned by Bienvenido Pierre M. Niles III, placed second, with Bingson Tecson’s Certain to Win (jockey JP Guce) finishing third in the stakes race offering a guaranteed total purse of P1.5 million. In the mainer, Hitting Spree delivered an emphatic five-length victory in keeping her Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. Cup crown.

Hitting Spree took home P1.2 million, while Tin Drum settled for the runner-up purse of P450,000, with Pangalusian Island (jockey JP Guce, owner Wilbert Tan) taking third spot and the P250,000 cash prize and Und Kantar (RO Niu Jr., Melanie Habla) landing fourth and the P100,000 prize. Other winners for the day were Fire Dancer in the Uratex Foam Special Trophy Race; Huckleberry in the 2YO Juvenile Colts and Fillies; Niccole Girl in the Bingson Tecson Special Trophy Race; Ava’s Dream in the 3YO Colt and Filly Mile; Water Mania in the PAGCOR Special Trophy; Lakan in the 23rd MARHO’s Breeder’s Championship; I Love Jane in the SC Stockfarm Inc. Special Trophy; Wessfacckol in the Shelltex Bed Special Trophy Race; Salt and Pepper in the 23rd MARHO’s Breeder’s Championship and Smash Consolidator in the Esicor Incorporated Special Trophy.

Jobim Carlos and Princess Superal hold their trophies as they pose with Philippine Golf Tour executive director Narlene Soriano after winning the Order of Merit titles in the PGT and Ladies PGT, respectively, during the annual awards rites at The Country Club. At right is Luisita Golf and Country Club’s Jeric Hechanova, who received the award for the club named as the Best Course for the third straight year. Ram Christian Agustin

Order of Merit champ Carlos: My 1st victory was turning point By Paul David Gelario JOBIM Carlos, the top finisher in the Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit, credits his first victory in 2014 as one of the most pivotal moments of his winning career, during the PGT awards rites at The Country Club in Laguna on Monday. “After the first win, naging mas confident ako sa laro ko. It just kept rolling after that first win,” the 25-year-old Carlos said. Carlos closed out the 10-leg PGT with P2,487,083 in earnings, nearly doubling the winnings of second placer and Club Filipino De Cebu Invitational champion Jhonnel Ababa (P1,366,375). He also won the Player’s Player

of the Year and the Custom Clubmakers Player of the Year award. “Naka-tatlo ako ngayong taon. Sa Riviera, Apo, and Iloilo. I am happy with what happened,” said Carlos, adding that his unprecedented victories were unexpected because consistency is a primary challenge. “Consistency is the hardest thing to do, because the tour is more competitive now more than ever,” he added. With three victories under his belt, Carlos admitted that he is ready to set his eyes on the international stage. “Hopefully, I would do well in Japan,” said Carlos, who will be competing in Japan

starting Nov. 29. Carlos’ advice to amateur golfers is for them not to turn pro immediately after tasting amateur success. “Pro is different from amateur golf. Do not think of money as much, because expenses as a pro is different,” he said In the women’s category, Lee Ji Hyeon won the Top Amateur 2018 award, while Princess Mary Superal topped the Order of Merit. “This (OOM feat) is so signiﬁcant to my career, a big confidence-booster,” said Superal, the former US Girls Junior champion who is actually on the third stage of the Japan Tour qualifying.

Jockey Kelvin Abobo and trainer Chito Santos (3rd and 4th from left) hold their respective trophies after their horse Hitting Spree ruled the Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. Cup. They are joined by (from left) MJC racing manager Oyet Alcasid, Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez and commissioner Victor Tantoco. UNLAD RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS Dear Shareholders: Notice is hereby given that UNLAD RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (the “Corporation”) is currently reconstructing its Stock and Transfer Book (“STB”) and confirmation of stockholders on record of their respective stockholdings is requested. The Corporation has been in existence for almost a hundred years since 1920. The reconstruction of the Corporation’s STB is being done to property reflect changes in the stockholdings of the Corporation over the past years of its existence, in light of the impending end of its Corporate term on 2020. As the STB is the primay proof of a corporation’s stockholdings, it is an exercise of diligence on its part to maintain the accuracy of its records. To properly implement the ongoing reconstruction, the Corporation requested for the confrmation of the details of your stockholdings and correlatively, submission of stock certificates and other documents over such shares should there be any discrepancy Letters of Notices have been sent to each shareholder, informing you of the details of your shareholdings as per our records. For shareholders who have not yet confirmed, kindly inform us of your confrmation by 01 December 2018. If no letter was received, or there have been changes in your mailing address of contact details, please let us know by contacting the number and/or e-mail indicated below. Unlad Resources Development Corporation 1665 Taft Avenue Corner Malvar Street Malate Manila, 1000 Attention: Ms. Nieves Nisperos Contact Number: 0995-216-7141 Email: nievesnisperos@gmail.com

MARCO BENITEZ President

LORNA PATAJO-KAPUNAN Corporate Secretary

(MS-NOV. 13, 2018)

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Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Harden powers Rockets to victory LOS ANGELES, United States— James Harden drained eight three pointers en route to a season-high 40 points as the Houston Rockets won their first home game with a 115-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Harden added nine assists and seven rebounds and Chris Paul tallied 26 points for the Rockets, who had lost their first four home games of the season. “It’s nice to get a win,” Paul said. “We’ve obviously been struggling, but we’ve got to keep building.” The win comes as the Rockets try to figure out what to do with journeyman Carmelo Anthony, whose poor play has mirrored the Rockets’ start. Anthony, who is in his first year in Houston, sat out for the second straight game with what the team described as an undisclosed illness. US media is reporting that Anthony can expect to be waived soon. Elsewhere, Brook Lopez scored a career-high eight three pointers as all five Milwaukee starters finished in double figures to lead the Bucks to a 121-114 win over the Denver Nuggets. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Khris Middleton had 21 points, and Malcom Brogdon added 20 for the Bucks, who recorded their first win in Denver since 2010. “We do not want to be a good team, we want to be a great team,” Antetokounmpo said. “Great teams, no matter what, come back. “You’ve got to keep fighting and keep playing within your game plan and you hope things work. You hope you can knock down shots. That’s what we did.” Paul Milsap led the Nuggets with 25 points and Nikola Jokic added 20. Denver has lost three straight. Victor Oladipo had 22 points for the Pacers, who have lost three of their last four games. In the late game, LeBron James dunked for the eventual winning basket and Tyson Chandler made a game-saving defensive stop in the final seconds, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-106 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. James finished with 26 points and Kyle Kuzma added 18 points as the Lakers moved above .500 for the first time this season. AFP

PetroGazz overwhelms Banko-Perlas Games Wednesday

(Flying V Center, San Juan) 4 p.m. – Pocari-Air Force vs BanKo-Perlas 6 p.m. – Iriga-Navy vs Creamline

PETROGAZZ sprang back from a shattering five-set defeat to Tacloban with an imposing 25-11, 25-23, 2518 victory over BanKo-Perlas late Sunday night to keep its grip of the No. 4 spot in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. The Angels yielded a number of attack points but pounced on the Perlas Spikers’ series of miscues to pound out the surprising straight-set romp that kept the former at fourth at 6-5 heading to the final stretch of the double-round eliminations. “The girls really wanted to win,” said PetroGazz coach Jerry Yee, whose wards came off a sorry loss to the Fighting Warays Saturday night that kept the race for the No. 4 seat among Pocari-Air Force (56) and Tacloban (5-7) wide open. In contrast, the Spikers failed to sustain their three-set sweep of the frontrunning Ateneo-Motolite Lady Eagles, also last Saturday. “In crucial matches, they tend to play impatient, so they commit mistakes and eventually the chances (to win) would slip away,” said Yee. “So we tried to work it out and perhaps, Perlas was a little bit tired.” The loss also dropped BanKo to third at 8-3, enabling Creamline, which subdued Pocari-Air Force, 2325, 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 15-9, in Legazpi City, to seize solo second anew at 8-2 with Ateneo nailing the first semis berth with a 10-3 card.

Sports Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) of the Houston Rockets glides past three Indiana Pacers to attempt a layup at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. AFP

Red Lions collect nd 22 NCAA crown By Peter Atencio

EFENDING champion San Beda Red Lions dictated the pace early then went on to subdue the Lyceum Pirates, 7156, to claim their 22nd crown yesterday after Game 2 of the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena. Javee Mocon led with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Red Lions won their fourth three-peat championship since 2002. The Red Lions, with Clint Doliguez and Donald Tankoua firing 14 and 13 points, never gave up the lead after they took a 23-15 edge in the first period. Triples from Mocon and Doliguez in the remaining 7:38 of the fourth widened the Red Lions lead to 57-47 eventually growing to 20 as the Red Lions won their fourth crown under Boyet Fernandez. Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Dan Arches shot 22 points and provided five rebounds, as he and the big men of the

Mapua Red Robins took charge in the shaded lane and repulsed the defending champion La Salle Greenhills Greenies, 85-76, in Game 2 of the junior finals. The 6”1” Arches’ inside game with teammate Roseller Sarias forced the Greenies to miss crucial shots five times and with their big scoring run the Red Robins went on to even their best-of-three finals series, at one-all. After bouncing back from a 69-74 setback in Game 1, the Red Robins now have a chance to go for their 22nd high school plum. A layup from Arches in the last 8:25 hand-

Para Games medallists to receive incentives

ed the Red Robins a 63-59 advantage which they fought to protect for two minutes. Season MVP Joel Cagulangan shot 17 points for the Greenies, and he was denied twice by Arches and Sarias. From there, the Red Robins moved away off Briedlyn Smith’s layup after an Arches’ rebound and Hernandez’s trey with 5:07 left, 70-61. Two freebies from Arches with 1:43 left, saw the Red Robins moving in front by 11, 78-67, in the last period. Mapua main man Clint Escamis, who is nursing a right knee injury, did not play. Jonnel Policarpio, who drew big numbers with Hernandez and Sarias, banged in 14 points and 14 rebounds. Inand Fornilos struck with 13 points and 12 boards for the Greenies, who last enjoyed the lead off charities from Ladis Lepalam and Joshua David. A couple of drives from Arches in the ﬁnal 2:32 of the second canto kept Mapua ahead, 38-37.

Hamilton captures Brazilian Grand Prix SAO PAULO, Brazil—New five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton steered his Mercedes to a nail-biting victory in Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, a triumph that clinched the constructors championship for a fifth consecutive season for the team. The 33-year-old Briton took advantage of a collision that cost Max Verstappen the lead in the closing stages to regain the initiative and then hang on with worn tyres as the Red Bull came home second. Kimi Raikkonen finished third on his 150th start for Ferrari ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in the second Red Bull, Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes and Sebastian Vettel who came home sixth for Ferrari. The result ended Ferrari’s hopes of stopping Mercedes’ title triumph, brought Hamilton his tenth win of the year and 72nd of his career. It was also the first time he had won a late-season race after winning the drivers’ title. Charles Leclerc finished seventh for Sauber ahead of the two Haas cars driven by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen with Sergio Perez 10th for Force India. The decisive moment came on lap 44 of the 71 race when Vertstappen clashed with Esteban Ocon’s Force India in the Senna S curves as the Frenchman attempted to un-lap himself. Ocon was penalized by the stewards with a 10-second stopgo penalty. “I hope I cannot find him now in the paddock,” said a livid Verstappen, whose further TV comments were bleeped out. “I don’t know what to say,” he added later. “I was taken out

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the F1 Brazil Grand Prix at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AFP

by an idiot—I have no words.” Hamilton said: “It was an honor to drive for them (Mercedes) today. I saw it happen. I wasn’t surprised by it. I saw them racing and they weren’t racing for the same position.” AFP

A TOTAL of P28.05 million will be given away when medallists of the recently concluded Asian Para Games and Youth Olympic Games receive their incentives today at the Malacañang Palace. Asian Para Games’ most bemedaled swimmer Ernie Gawilan will get P4-million from President Duterte himself. On the other hand, Youth Olympic Games kiteboarding silver medallist Christian Tio stands to receive P2.5 million for his effort. The cash bonuses will be given away by the Philippine Sports Commission, by virtue of R.A. 10699, also known as the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.” This is after the Philippines finished by bagging a total of 29 medals (10 golds, 8 silvers and 11 bronze medals), which was beyond expectation. “The instructions of the President is inclusivity in sports. This is one good proof that we have started the journey along that road,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez. Ramirez leads officials in honoring the sports heroes, along with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. Philippine Paralympic Committee President Michael Barredo said, “our medallists will be the first recipients of the R.A. 10699, in the Asian level. “We express our sincerest gratitude to the government and the PSC for its intensive support for our para-athletes.” added Barredo Aside from Gawilan and Tio, para-bowler Kim Ian Chi will also be honored at the Palace along with para-cyclist Arthus Bucay, FIDE Master Xander Severino of chess, table tennis’ Josephine Medina and several other the para athletes who won medals. Peter Atencio

Meralco, Alaska continue PBA semifinal clash By Jeric Lopez

Alaska Aces big man Vic Manuel (87) posts up against Meralco Bolts defender Bryan Faundo during Game 1 of their semifinal encounter.

AN EIGHTH straight win and a 2-0 advantage. Those two things are certainly what’s on the mind of sizzling Meralco Bolts as they look to continue their surge in the best-of-five Semifinals series against the Alaska Aces in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Bolts are looking to move closer to a return trip to the finals as they go for another one against the Aces in their Game 2 clash 7 p.m. tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The Bolts are riding a red-hot steak after winning six straight must-win games, dating back to the eliminations, to stay alive. Peaking at just the right time, Meralco, which was on the brink of elimination weeks ago, suddenly found itself in a good position to continue its bid for another finals berth. Meralco edged Alaska, 97-92, in Game 1 Sun-

day night in a hard-fought game for its seventh straight victory. Bolts coach Norman Black is most certainly happy with what his wards have achieved up to this point but is hoping they can sustain their run. “It’s really good to see our guys respond and rise to the occasion just when we needed them to,” said Black. “We’ve been playing at a high level since the point where we knew we need to win every game to survive. I hope we can keep our hunger.” The Bolts were in control for most part of the series opener and the Aces are looking to turn the tide. Alaska wants to avoid a huge 0-2 hole and equalize the series. As of this writing, Magnolia is gunning for its own 2-0 lead over defending champing Barangay Ginebra in their own best-of-ﬁve semis affair.

Market slumps; ISM, Chelsea B2 climb

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Foreign direct investments soared to $7.4b in 8 months reinvestments of earnings reached $536 million during the period. The BSP said net inflows in August fell 41.2 percent to $752 million from $1.3 billion recorded in the same period last year. “Even as all FDl components registered positive balances, inflows were lower than the levels posted in August 2017,” the BSP said. The bulk of the FDl net inflows was in the form of investments in debt instruments (consisting mainly of intercompany borrowings/Iending between foreign direct investors and their subsidiaries/affiliates in the Philippines), which reached $534 million. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier said President Rodrigo Duterte made the country a safer place for investors, with his campaign against corruption and criminality leading to a decrease in crime volume by 21.86 percent since the start of his administration. Dominguez said the increasing volume of FDIs supported the administration’s efforts to shift the economy from consumption- to investments-led growth, which would then help create decent, well-paying jobs for the country’s young, well-trained Filipinos. Foreign businessmen brought a record $10 billion worth of investments into the country in 2017, up by by 21.5 percent from 2016. This year, the government expects net FDIs to hit $9.2 billion. American financial and business news website Business Insider put the Philippines on the top of the list of 20 best countries to invest in this year.

By Julito G. Rada

ET inflows of foreign direct investments jumped 31 percent in the first eight months to $7.4 billion from $5.7 billion a year ago, reflecting investors’ optimism on the Philippine economy, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday. “FDl inflows remained strong amid continued favorable investor sentiment on the Philippine economy on the back of the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals and growth prospects,” the BSP said in a statement. Net equity capital investments grew more than twice to $2 billion in January to August from $990 million in the same period last year. Equity capital placements increased 63.7 percent to $2.2 billion, while withdrawals declined 45.9 percent to $196 million. Equity capital infusions came mainly from Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan and China. Data showed that these investments went mostly into firms engaged in manufacturing, financial and real estate, arts, entertainment and recreation, and electricity, gas, steam and air-condition in supply activities. Investments in debt instruments increased 17.9 percent to $4.9 billion from $4.1 billion last year. Meanwhile,

IN BRIEF

ICTSI offers to develop two ports in Iloilo province for more than P5b

Jollibee books P6-b net earnings

RESTAURANT chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. said Monday net income grew 25.9 percent in the third to P2.03 billion from P1.61 billion a year ago, led by the expansion of its store network and contribution from recent acquisitions. Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange system-wide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers, both from company-owned and franchised stores, rose 25.9 percent to P53.26 billion in the third quarter. “Sales grew strongly in most regions in the world including the Philippines. We are encouraged particularly by the strong performance of Jollibee and Highlands Coffee and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam which have been growing by 35 percent driven by high same store sales and opening of 73 new stores in the first nine months of the year,” Jollibee chief finance officer Ysmael Baysa said. Jollibee said net income in the first nine months rose 19.2 percent to P6.08 billion as revenues grew 21.5 percent to P11.4 billion. The company opened 302 new stores in the first nine months, including 177 in the Philippines and 125 overseas. Jenniffer B. Austria

By Jenniffer B. Austria INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. offered to develop two ports in Iloilo province for over P5 billion. ICTSI said in a statement it submitted a letter of intent to the Philippine Ports Authority to modernize, manage and operate the Iloilo Port Complex and the Port of Dumangas. “We truly believe in the growth potential of the Visayas in general and of Iloilo in particular. That growth is anchored on the building of infrastructure and the delivery of basic utilities and services. With the development of port superstructure and the cost-efﬁcient delivery of electric services, we hope to be able to help Iloilo in attaining its full potential,” ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon Jr. said. The company said the offer was in line with its thrust to assist the port authority in its goal to upgrade the Philippine port network and facilitate inter-island and international cargo movement. ICTSI said it was expecting to arrive at an agreement with the PPA that would be compliant with the agency’s rules and regulations and applicable laws. ICTSI said it planned to bring to the Iloilo ports its know-how in managing ports honed from its 30 years of experience across

Aguas asks advisors to adapt to trends FINANCIAL advising may be a lucrative career now, but advisors better adapt to emerging trends in demographics and technology if they are to remain relevant far into the future, according to Insular Life executive chairman Nina Aguas. Aguas outlined some of the impending threats to the financial advising industry when she gave an address to the Wealth Management Center for Communications and Research graduation and homecoming event at the Shangri-La BGC in Taguig. The WMCCR is the country’s leading center for skills development of wealth professionals such as life insurance financial advisers whose graduates are some of the country’s top premium producers. Aguas said competent financial advisors continued to be critical in the industry especially for high net worth clients, who prefer to talk to humans when dealing with life insurance or investment options. However, there are trends now that could severely affect this dynamics. “The rise of millennial investors is changing the dynamics of consumer-portfolio. With information easily accessible, the millennial investor’s attitude and expectations to wealth management are very different. Millennials may opt to buy online given they are more tech savvy,” said Aguas.

Philrealty netted P44.5 million in Q3

PREMIUM property development company Philippine Realty and Holdings Corp. said net income after tax soared 1,725 percent in the third quarter to P44.5 million in the same period last year. RLT said gross revenues hit P1.004 billion in the third quarter, up by 55 percent from a year ago, on the back of buoyant sales of real estate and higher rent income. “We are very hopeful that the awareness and the momentum generated by our sales group will spill over to the fourth quarter. Since our real estate inventory is of the truly premium variety, our market is not affected by increases in interest rates,” said Philrealty chief financial officer and treasurer Edmundo Medrano. “On the contrary, the currently high inflation rates tend to induce high-end property purchases as we have seen in our property sales. Given that bank deposits now are lower than the inflation rate, premium properties become a good hedge against inflation,” he said.

RDL Pharmaceutical obtains Wipo certificate

A MULTI-NATIONAL pharmaceutical company took the lead in cautioning the public of the proliferation of fake skin care products in the market, both locally and globally. RDL Pharmaceutical Inc. vice president for operations Mercedita Lim said the rampant counterfeiting of products in the skin care category not only posed damage and loss to the company revenues, but also danger on general consumers. “We are the first ever pharmaceutical company who took a strong stance in this issue. We are a reputable pharmaceutical company and while our name and business reputation is at stake here, let it be known that our first and foremost concern is the safety of the people,” Lim said. “We have not stopped even if we have already been granted the Wipo certification of registration [International Bureau of World Intellectual Property Organization], of course with the help of Intellectual Property Office here in the country,” Lim said.

ENRIQUE RAZON JR.

the 30 ports that it operates worldwide. It said that over the life of the concession to be agreed on with the PPA, it would invest more than P5 billion to fully develop the Iloilo Port Complex. An integral part of the investment will include the dredging and deepening of the port itself and the channel to allow the direct entry of new generation, international vessels. New port equipment to be brought in during the first phase was estimated to cost P1.35 billion, including modern quayside crane handling equipment. ICTSI also offered to substantially invest in the development of the Port of Dumangas to seamlessly handle the spill over from the city port. “ICTSI believes that the ports’ development will not only improve efficiency but will, more importantly, evolve the ports into becoming the Philippines’ Visayas hub that will improve connectivity for cargo movement within the country. Our vision is to ultimately turn these two ports into international gateways,” ICTSI global corporate head Christian Gonzalez said. ICTSI said it would introduce new systems in operations, engineering and administration. The introduction of automation will also further promote efficiency and security, it said.

Rental revenues boost Megaworld’s profit to P11.29b Shell’s net income CONDOMINIUM and office builder Megaworld Corp. said net income attributable to parent company climbed 13.1 percent in the first nine months to P11.29 billion from P9.98 billion in the same period last year, boosted by strong rental revenues. Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues reached P41.76 billion in January to September, up by 12.56 percent from P37.10 billion a year ago. Leasing revenues jumped 18.6 percent to P10.4 billion from P8.82 billion, on aggressive expansion of its office and retail businesses.

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, November 12, 2018

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.9230

Japan

Yen

0.008784

0.4649

Pound

1.292400

68.3977

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127689

6.7577

Switzerland

Franc

0.994135

52.6126

Canada

Dollar

0.757346

40.0810

Singapore

Dollar

0.725426

38.3917

Australia

Dollar

0.721200

38.1681

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

140.3868

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266603

14.1094

Brunei

Dollar

0.722804

38.2530

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.030294

1.6032

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.4095

Euro

1.131700

59.8930

Korea

Won

0.000885

0.0468

China

Yuan

0.143761

7.6083

India

Rupee

0.013798

0.7302

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239349

12.6671

New Zealand

Dollar

0.672700

35.6013

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032495

1.7197

Real estate sales, which accounted for the bulk of total revenues, rose 9.9 percent to P23.04 billion amid steady improvement in condominium sales. “We have been tracking a promising trajectory during the first nine months of 2018, and we are optimistic to finish the year strong. The residential landscape has been experiencing a resurgence, which has been very evident in its growth during the past quarters. Our rental business for both offices and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls remains to be the fastest growing segment of the company,” Megaworld senior vice president and treasurer Francis

Canuto said. Gross margins on residential segment saw a strong improvement of more than 200 basis points year-on-year. “We have already rolled out quite a number of residential projects this year, which reﬂects the kind of demand that we have been seeing in 2018. Megaworld will always be market driven, and as long as we see this type of demand on the ground, then we will continue to launch projects aggressively. Moreover, we have already secured the land to do this, which is key in being a leader in this industry,” said Canuto. Jenniffer B. Austria

Big China developer eyes PH projects By Othel V. Campos COUNTRY Garden Group, one of China’s biggest property developers, expressed interest to explore investment opportunities in the Philippines. Country Garden general manager Wang Xingjun conveyed the group’s intention to team up with Filipino property developers to expand the Country Garden and Rise Land brands in the country. Wang said at the sidelines of the China International Import Expo the company intended to open hotels and residential properties in the Philippines and invest in construction and building materials. “More investors, like Country Garden, have expressed their conﬁdence in the country’s economic stability and business environment under the Duterte administration. They wish to partner with us in providing more jobs and opportunities for Filipinos,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. Country Garden runs a centralized and standardized business model that comprises property development, construc-

tion, decoration, property management, property investment and hotel development and management. It has developed more than 1,000 residential, business and urban construction projects in China, Malaysia and Australia. It also offers services to more than three million property owners. Meanwhile, the Philippine delegation to China’s ﬁrst ever International Import Expo in Shanghai reported $124 million worth of sales. Philippine sales included $108 million of signed orders for various agricultural products such as bananas, avocados, and oranges. It also includes $16 million of direct sales from exhibitors. “This is a big win for Filipino companies especially those in the agriculture industry as we push for greater promotion of our fresh fruits category in China’s huge market. The ﬁgures exceeded our target sales for this participation, which was $50 million. But Philippine products, known to be of quality to foreign buyers, received overwhelming approval at CIIE,” Lopez said.

grew 8% to P7.2b in first nine months By Alena Mae S. Flores PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. said it posted net earnings of P7.2 billion in the first nine months, up by 8 percent from P6.63 billion in the same period last year. Pilipinas Shell, however, said thirdquarter income declined to P1.75 billion from P2.442 billion a year ago, amid higher inflation and the peso depreciation. “We are proud of Pilipinas Shell’s resilience amidst the challenges of higher inflation and weaker peso. We continue to expand our marketing businesses with discipline and operate our supply chain safely and reliably to support the country’s energy needs,” said Pilipinas Shell president and chief executive Cesar Romero. The country’s second biggest oil company said revenues hit P162.8 billion in January to September, up from P124.119 billion in the same period last year. Expenses in the nine-month period also increased to P151.85 billion from P113.95 billion a year ago. The company said while revenues went up in the third quarter to P58.17 billion from P41.65 billion, expenses also surged to P55.28 billion from P38.12 billion. Pilipinas Shell said its marketing businesses continued to deliver robust earnings, amid high inflation and higher global oil prices.

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slumps; ISM, Chelsea climb S TOCKS fell to a month low, following the lackluster US trading at the end of last week and as nervousness over Chinese growth put pressure on global equities.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 42 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 6,926.20 Monday, the lowest since it ﬁnished at 6,884.38 on Oct. 11. The broader all-share index also declined 16 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 4,252.97, on a value turnover of P6.6 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 127 to 68, while 44 issues were unchanged. Nine of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by ISM Communications Corp. which advanced 10.3

percent to P7.50 and Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. which rose 4 percent to P8.11. Both companies are controlled by Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy, who is also behind the Mislatel Consortium that emerged as the winning bidder for the third telecom player. Oil explorer PXP Energy Corp. gained 3 percent to P18.84, while conglomerate San Miguel Corp. rose 1.8 percent to P174.60. Meanwhile, Asian markets were largely flat on Monday. After early gains, Hong Kong hovered between positive and negative territory, edging down 0.1 percent by afternoon trade. Tokyo made marginal gains as investors hunted for bargains. “Asia stocks are trading tentatively as global growth worries and uncertainty over the course for oil prices weighs on sentiment,” said Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia-Pacific at Oanda. “Investors are... left to ponder if this is the beginning of a more definitive downturn or just another wobble,” he said.

China’s economy is in the spotlight this week, with key monthly data expected Wednesday and stocks tumbling last week on mounting concerns of a slowdown. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba took a record $30.7 billion in orders on Sunday during its annual “Singles Day” shopping frenzy. However, sales growth slowed to 27 percent this year from 39 percent in 2017, adding to mounting concerns over the outlook for the Asian powerhouse. “But where we can get some comfort from this number is that Chinese consumers are slowing, not collapsing,” Junheng Li, founder of JL Warren Capital LLC, told Bloomberg News. China’s banking stocks were mixed Monday after the government gave new guidance on requirements for banks to lend to private companies. Last week bank shares dropped as investors balked at what were seen as unprecedented government demands on lenders. The Industrial & Commercial Bank

of China edged up marginally in Hong Kong, while the China Construction Bank lost 0.5 percent. Markets across Asia were cautious through the day. Taiwan was ﬂat in afternoon trading, Seoul slid 0.3 percent, and Sydney closed up just 0.3 percent. There was some relief on oil markets following last week’s slump, after a key meeting of producers took place in Abu Dhabi at the weekend. The Opec group and its allies started laying the groundwork to cut supply in 2019, reversing an almost year-long expansion. Khalid al-Falih, energy minister of the world’s top supplier Saudi Arabia, said the kingdom would cut its production by 500,000 barrels per day in the face of oversupply fears. Oil prices advanced through Monday, with both Brent Crude and WTI seeing gains. Innes said it was in Opec’s “best interests to tame the current supply glut”.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 5,110 80 1,496,510 2.58 219,000 116 481,480 1.42 3,773,000 28 8,300 15.3 1,700 10.52 269,200 4 14,000 0.54 1,000 1.48 4,000 835 190 0.435 690,000 65.5 3,206,790 0.82 196,000 10.9 20,000 39.2 161,800 177 2,660 28.2 40,100 142 330,230 1,810 1,010 65.95 1,720 1.14 401,000

301,446 119,736,989.50 560,120 56,267,468 5,022,350 232,150 26,504 2,829,090 54,580 540 5,920 158,650 299,750 208,874,240.50 157,110 217,990 6,344,130 473,849 1,130,885 46,727,222 1,828,725 113,434 458,130

295,000 -16,430,539 -12,620,208 123,930 -2,800 -1,011,394 -127,289,430 -8,200 -804,745 76,614 578,680 -1,120,646 9,100 -23,082.50 -

31.75 17.38 0.98 1.23 0.204 109.9 2.01 12.9 35.9 35 1.5 5.39 6.8 10.52 14.78 8 6.92 16.4 63.7 23.6 1.56 6.01 9.02 1.51 274 50 4.7 3.15 25 10.48 17.48 372.8 1.51 3.75 8.05 4.16 7.82 0.99 10.54 48.35 5.35 4.7 1.94 2.61 1.35 10.18 84.95 5.19 0.121 0.83 122.9 1.35 1.61

INDUSTRIAL 32 1,210,300 17.48 541,900 1 6,921,000 1.26 125,000 0.216 4,140,000 110 1,100 2.02 1,699,000 13 386,700 37 65,300 35 1,443,500 1.56 126,000 5.4 6,000 7.08 16,300 10.64 630,700 14.78 20,800 8.33 148,500 6.93 1,541,200 16.64 2,478,000 64.2 46,440 24 48,300 1.63 11,872,000 6.25 8,500 9.2 5,216,900 1.51 343,000 274 337,800 50 20 4.7 54,000 3.29 14,000 25 94,300 10.64 564,400 17.86 6,162,400 380 213,220 1.57 100,000 3.75 205,000 8.14 1,177,100 4.18 127,000 8.99 5,200 1.01 90,000 10.88 12,300 48.6 668,400 5.54 5,700 4.8 11,000 2.04 51,000 2.61 26,000 1.4 447,000 10.18 42,200 85 2,039,210 5.2 80,500 0.126 20,000 0.89 67,000 123 394,420 1.46 5,926,000 1.61 13,555,000

38,702,325 9,540,786 6,963,840 154,050 848,030 120,974 3,443,830 5,040,146 2,406,920 51,222,205 194,480 32,380 114,496 6,737,990 307,490 1,214,951 10,680,522 41,150,270 2,979,626.50 1,150,430 19,366,790 51,263 48,023,576 524,630 93,114,754 1,000 253,800 44,800 2,367,870 5,991,510 109,473,456 80,702,748 162,390 780,060 9,515,167 549,260 43,317 90,380 131,252 32,485,445 31,114 52,440 101,370 69,250 616,840 430,964 173,319,836.50 418,584 2,470 56,080 48,787,000 8,437,700 22,293,470

-7,326,945.00 1,024,116.00 136,670 120,974 -1,129,770 -441,268 -221,340 -187,500 23,400 112,436 -2,407,376 -23,638 642,862 -6,948,669 -411,950.00 951,829.50 -146,360 -9,678 -42,916 -24,663,684 912,055 855,750 -12,338,526 24,453,050 -4,800 -364,490 -3,256,270 -6,394 -14,908,345 -554 -14,250 -271,814 35,940,325 -21,923,145 76,800 -255,900

0.425 47 11.1 0.87 6.21 25 1.44 1.45 908 7.05 12.6 7.4 0.229 725 5.95 46.35 0.52 4.16 15.5 0.52 4.69 0.035 1.12 2.52 2.59 174.6 900 0.76 1.37 349 0.205 0.193

0.41 45 10.44 0.8 6.2 23 1.32 1.32 890 7 12.4 7.3 0.215 711 5.77 45 0.48 4.06 15.04 0.51 4.54 0.035 1.12 2.26 2.59 168.8 870 0.75 1.36 349 0.2 0.193

HOLDING FIRMS 0.42 15,580,000 45 944,700 10.6 14,000,600 0.87 3,000 6.2 26,000 23 85,000 1.42 26,968,000 1.42 6,443,000 900 380,020 7.04 1,387,500 12.46 1,884,300 7.37 687,200 0.229 300,000 722 46,130 5.77 1,600 45 1,501,800 0.49 244,000 4.07 83,000 15.12 5,062,800 0.51 424,000 4.55 28,542,000 0.035 2,200,000 1.12 4,000 2.49 4,326,000 2.59 8,000 174.6 463,220 889.5 80,910 0.75 119,000 1.37 37,000 349 160 0.201 1,430,000 0.193 70,000

6,475,050 43,079,960 149,154,650 2,470 161,400 1,974,275 38,023,330 9,042,250 341,551,840 9,749,119 23,534,394 5,061,012 67,940 33,268,950 9,268 68,590,250 120,170 338,720 76,566,638 219,230 131,574,610 77,000 4,480 10,531,840 20,720 80,011,841 72,204,765 89,850 50,550 55,840 288,920 13,510

12,750 -5,927,665 -73,086,640 161,400 -32,680 58,520 -29,550,035 2,940,175 -3,023,714 -446,520 -4,300 -6,991,170 -22,232,450 -89,600.00 6,877,554 104,000 -80,361,620 -146,450 68,648,804 -8,497,890 20,000 -

7.35 0.73 1.86 0.58 39 2.3 4.37 6.05 0.405 0.89 0.89 0.214 0.385 8.1 18.5 0.51 1.44 1.02 2.39 4.52 0.365 0.42 0.385 3.71 20.45

7.03 0.7 1.86 0.56 38 2.23 4.24 5.63 0.39 0.89 0.88 0.205 0.385 7.76 17.96 0.5 1.41 1 2.26 4.4 0.34 0.405 0.36 3.65 19.9

371,474 797,900 113,460 1,195,650 1,073,756,790 4,955,930 555,670 91,366 600,950 2,670 74,930 449,230 15,400 2,752,082 10,036,086 319,250 706,990 2,949,300 22,077,970 52,105,360 23,843,450 784,550 77,650 4,356,150 66,769,166

124,867 -184,320 111,600 41,737,215 -3,495,540 2,670 -1,437,759 -434,550 -5,100 -417,870 -19,950 -11,480,580 260,400 14,950 -29,530 -11,094,919.00

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

59 80.5 2.53 118 1.33 28 15.68 10.66 3.9 0.54 1.48 835 0.44 65.45 0.79 10.8 39.3 179 28 144.8 1,830 65.95 1.15

59 80.5 2.58 118.8 1.43 28 15.68 10.68 4 0.54 1.48 835 0.44 65.55 0.82 10.9 39.3 179.2 28.45 144.8 1,830 65.95 1.15

58.6 79.85 2.52 116 1.33 27.8 15.3 10.48 3.86 0.54 1.48 835 0.43 64.5 0.79 10.8 39.15 177 28 140.5 1,810 65.95 1.14

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

32.3 17.4 0.98 1.23 0.205 109.9 2.04 13.28 35.9 37.4 1.55 5.4 6.8 11.02 14.8 8.33 6.96 16.4 63.85 24.5 1.6 6.2 9.1 1.57 276 50 4.7 3.15 25 10.48 18.22 380 1.53 3.9 8.09 4.4 7.86 1.01 10.98 49.5 5.55 4.8 1.94 2.7 1.44 10.3 84.95 5.19 0.121 0.85 125 1.4 1.64

32.4 17.82 1.03 1.26 0.218 110 2.05 13.28 37 37.5 1.56 5.4 7.08 11.02 14.8 8.33 6.96 16.64 64.4 24.5 1.68 6.25 9.35 1.6 279.4 50 4.7 3.29 25.45 10.8 18.22 380.4 1.7 4 8.14 4.5 8.99 1.01 10.98 49.5 5.55 4.8 2.05 2.7 1.44 10.3 85 5.21 0.126 0.89 125.2 1.46 1.73

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.425 47 11.08 0.8 6.2 25 1.35 1.36 900 7.05 12.5 7.3 0.215 725 5.95 46.35 0.51 4.16 15.2 0.52 4.69 0.035 1.12 2.26 2.59 170 890 0.76 1.36 349 0.203 0.193

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

7.35 0.72 1.86 0.57 38 2.3 4.26 5.63 0.395 0.89 0.88 0.206 0.385 7.76 18.5 0.5 1.44 1 2.35 4.5 0.365 0.405 0.37 3.71 20.4

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

1.9 3.19 32.7 1.14 4.18 0.7 5.15

1.93 3.19 33 1.15 4.2 0.72 5.2

1.9 3.12 32.5 1.12 3.96 0.7 5.1

1.93 3.12 32.55 1.15 4.2 0.72 5.2

40,000 23,000 8,317,100 1,544,000 493,000 4,000 3,781,800

76,870 73,000 271,446,890 1,750,460 2,028,590 2,860 19,545,523

13,640 -3,170 -50,000,685 -66,720 -9,520,240

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10 20.8 1.46 0.35 0.037 13.06 1.41 8 65.6 8 7.98 2.01 5.7 1,752 5.21 310.4 3.36 92 11.04 0.093 7 3.3 13.82 2.94 0.72 16.4 0.37 5.4 7.12 2.06 1.1 1.43 11.04 3.05 10.52 8 3.42 105.7 3.3 1,220 0.65 0.32 43 76.8 6.83 2.84 0.62 0.355 5.15 0.49 11.64

10 20.8 1.47 0.35 0.037 13.06 1.49 8 65.65 8.27 7.98 2.14 7.22 1,795 5.27 318.8 3.58 93.5 11.04 0.1 7.52 3.4 14.38 2.94 0.72 16.4 0.37 5.45 7.13 2.06 1.1 1.43 13.5 3.47 10.52 8 3.5 108 3.36 1,244 0.67 0.33 43 76.8 7.2 2.87 0.62 0.36 5.16 0.52 11.8

9.8 20.2 1.44 0.34 0.037 13.06 1.4 7.69 63 7.84 7.98 2.01 5.7 1,733 5.2 310 3.36 91.85 11.04 0.093 6.8 3.3 13.82 2.83 0.71 16.14 0.36 5.36 7.12 1.96 1.01 1.43 11.04 3 10.52 7.8 3.36 105.7 3.17 1,202 0.64 0.305 41.4 75.05 6.83 2.75 0.57 0.32 5.09 0.48 11.52

SERVICES 9.88 20.2 1.44 0.345 0.037 13.06 1.48 7.9 63 8.11 7.98 2.14 6.7 1,754 5.27 318.8 3.55 92 11.04 0.095 7.5 3.4 14.38 2.87 0.72 16.2 0.36 5.4 7.12 1.96 1.09 1.43 13.48 3.2 10.52 7.8 3.5 106 3.22 1,202 0.66 0.325 42.75 76 7.2 2.78 0.58 0.33 5.14 0.485 11.78

16,000 42,500 9,000 4,350,000 600,000 100 1,665,000 20,987,500 331,460 9,876,200 30,100 3,000 592,800 150,150 272,200 4,600 5,183,000 2,092,970 1,200 560,000 121,423,600 13,000 2,200 215,000 679,000 209,200 50,000 72,700 1,383,900 2,535,000 65,000 1,000 4,000 16,718,000 2,800 7,300 24,000 37,250 202,000 103,805 1,795,000 220,000 1,161,100 673,700 91,300 11,535,000 6,240,000 68,720,000 10,107,100 1,660,000 1,018,400

158,259 872,675 13,130 1,495,450 22,200 1,306 2,398,790 165,692,821 21,154,738.50 79,413,726 240,198 6,290 4,010,464 264,608,010 1,418,642 1,452,778 18,143,850 192,571,247.50 13,248 53,580 874,413,272 43,270 31,580 622,240 487,380 3,401,514 18,300 392,850 9,853,586 5,031,620 67,950 1,430 53,180 54,323,320 29,456 57,620 82,020 3,954,458 658,760 126,503,550 1,171,890 70,100 49,704,480 51,251,024 648,582 32,144,450 3,669,720 22,932,800 51,584,243 811,000 11,926,828

9,980 147,730 10,974,967 -12,790,202 -3,547,964 66,519 -68,332,765 -262,080 -108,644,351.50 -5,000 9,397,929 -129,730 -132,724 -6,501,146 14,040 -246,610 1,753,207 -3,065,420 -126,640 23,234,410 -26,200,160 1,134,250 -970,720 428,500 -48,912,225 8,122,028

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0021 1.76 2.5 13.68 1.9 0.29 7.1 1.7 0.195 0.097 0.098 0.0068 1.23 2.59 1.03 0.88 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.75 3.28 18.5 25.5 0.006

0.0022 1.84 2.55 13.68 1.91 0.29 7.11 1.76 0.2 0.1 0.103 0.0068 1.23 2.6 1.03 0.88 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.9 3.28 19.16 26.6 0.006

0.0021 1.76 2.48 12.5 1.9 0.29 6.91 1.7 0.195 0.095 0.098 0.0068 1.23 2.36 0.95 0.85 0.012 0.013 0.012 3.75 3.2 18.12 25.5 0.006

MINING & OIL 0.0021 37,000,000 1.76 12,637,000 2.48 589,000 13.48 3,500 1.91 242,000 0.29 420,000 7.11 2,300 1.76 935,000 0.2 110,000 0.1 740,000 0.103 310,000 0.0068 7,000,000 1.23 1,000 2.36 6,129,000 1 21,000 0.85 428,000 0.013 17,800,000 0.013 80,100,000 0.012 49,200,000 3.75 9,000 3.2 2,057,000 18.84 4,555,900 26.1 957,700 0.006 5,000,000

78,300 22,684,870 1,467,190 46,674 460,120 121,800 15,932 1,614,830 21,530 72,770 31,880 47,600 1,230 14,995,480 20,430 368,290 231,300 1,041,300 590,600 33,900 6,593,810 85,725,626 25,037,030 30,000

4,200 -297,070 -80,000 -478,730 -19,620 528,030 -1,040,000 -24,000 -2,910,100 9,538,704 1,655,490 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20.15 465 487 96.1 100.5 455 5.39 853 97 1.01 103.1 970 75.2 76.6 74 72.55 73.5

20.2 465 487 96.1 100.5 455 5.39 914.5 97 1.03 103.1 997.5 75.2 76.6 74 73.8 73.5

20.1 460 487 96 100 450 5.05 850 96.8 1.01 103 970 75.1 76.5 70 72.4 73.5

PREFERRED 20.1 22,400 460 6,120 487 30 96 7,390 100 10,000 450 4,000 5.05 300 914.5 320 96.8 1,300 1.03 158,000 103 3,150 997.5 510 75.1 5,050 76.6 2,560 73.8 36,670 73.7 15,700 73.5 90,000

451,555 2,815,800 14,610 709,649 1,001,200 1,805,000 1,583 273,350 125,886 159,600 324,745 508,450 379,375 196,083 2,591,450 1,147,228 6,615,000

-258,115.00 51,550 -2,211,495 -

LR WARRANT

1.89

1.69

WARRANTS 1.81 737,000

1,286,690

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

3.63 2.72 1.27

3.76 2.85 1.35

3.5 2.71 1.24

3.74 2.8 1.33

2,137,090 339,950 3,516,570

-29,640 -1,017,910

FIRST METRO ETF

105.5

104.4

2,739,559

8,385

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10 1

81,900 3,960

NAME

PROPERTY 7.34 0.71 1.86 0.57 38.6 2.25 4.35 6.05 0.4 0.89 0.88 0.212 0.385 7.77 18 0.51 1.41 1 2.3 4.45 0.345 0.42 0.375 3.69 20.2

50,800 1,123,000 61,000 2,118,000 28,139,200 2,198,000 129,000 16,200 1,510,000 3,000 85,000 2,180,000 40,000 353,300 556,500 626,000 500,000 2,933,000 9,517,000 11,726,000 67,930,000 1,880,000 210,000 1,182,000 3,293,900

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

11,548,711

INDUSTRIAL

74,086,784

HOLDING FIRMS

113,621,980

PROPERTY

158,528,258

SERVICES

296,054,095

MINING & OIL

226,256,809

GRAND TOTAL

883,536,644

SME

579,000 125,000 2,703,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 104.4 26,160 10 1

DDS

8,190 3,960

VALUE 1,563.51 (down) -9.02 478,074,076.64 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,463.92 (down) -113.33 915,768,380.97 HOLDING FIRMS 6,848.37 (down) -65.85 1,196,469,074.81 PROPERTY 3,398.58 (up) 8.12 SERVICES 1,376.93 (down) -6.65 1,706,304,813.93 MINING & OIL 9,162.97 (up) 42.75 2,172,353,844.39 PSEI 6,926.2 (down) -42.62 161,363,066.65 All Shares Index 4,252.97 (down) -16.91 6,639,086,951.02 Gainers: 68; Losers: 127; Unchanged: 44; Total: 239

LT Group’s profit surged 84% to P12.6b in 9 months By Jenniffer B. Austria LT Group Inc., the listed holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, said unaudited net income in the first nine months of 2018 rose 84 percent to P12.57 billion from P6.83 billion year-on-year, boosted by the strong performance of the banking and liquor businesses. LT Group said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Philippine National Bank contributed P4.27 billion or 34 percent, while the tobacco business accounted for P6.83 billion or 54 percent. Tanduay Distillers Inc. contributed P707 million, while property unit Eton Properties Philippines Inc. and Asia Brewery Inc. delivered P314 million and P291 million, respectively. The group’s 30.9-percent stake in Victorias Milling Company Inc. added P115 million. PNB’s net income stood at P7.63 billion in the first nine months of 2018, up 65 percent from P4.64 billion on year. The bank’s nine-month net income in 2018 included a net gain of P3 billion from the sale of properties, up significantly from P337 million a year ago. Excluding the property gain, PNB’s income was at P4.65 billion, 8 percent higher than a year ago level of P4.3 billion. The group’ equity in net earnings from a 49.6 percent stake in tobacco unit PMFTC Inc. amounted to P6.7 billion in the first nine months of the year amid modest volume growth. LT Group said the volume of the industry had been declining since the substantial increase in excise taxes. The conglomerate, however, noted that PMFTC gained some market share in the first nine months of the year to 69.8 percent from 66.9 percent in the same period last year. It also posted a 1.1-percent growth in volume to 36.7 billion sticks from 36.3 billion sticks on year. Tanduay’s net income jumped 65 percent in the first three quarters of the year to P722 million from P438 million in 2017. Total revenues increased 10 percent to P13.66 billion on year on higher volumes of liquor and bioethanol sales.

San Miguel Food set to offer more shares to public FOOD and beverage giant San Miguel Food and Beverages Inc. said it plans to offer more shares to the public in a bid to widen its public float to 30 percent. SMFB president Ramon Ang said in an interview at the sidelines of the ceremonial bell ringing for the company’s P34-billion secondary offering it was open to selling more shares when market conditions improved. “Yes, when the market improves later on, in the next few years, I think. We intend to offer more shares to the public. Maybe eventually up to 30 percent of the public float,” Ang said. SMFB’s public float is currently at 10 percent after successfully raising P34 billion from the sale of 400.9 million shares at an offering price of P85 apiece. The company initially planned to sell as much as 1.02 billion in common shares to the public for up to P140 per share. It later reduced the size of the offering because of weak market conditions. Ang, meanwhile, said the outlook for the newly-consolidated food and beer business remained positive despite the rising inflation rate. He said demand for the company’s products continued to be strong as beer and food businesses were poised to register double-digit growth in volume and profits for this year. “If you notice, the business of food and beverage, beer, food and hard liquor is performing very very well. The volume growth is so so big that a lot of people are surprised. And the profitability of the business is very stable,” Ang said. Ang said the company was currently building 10 breweries in the country that would boost the total production capacity to 42 million hectoliters a year to sustain growth. The planned breweries, located in the Ilocos region, Pangasinan, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and Cebu, will be operational in the next three years. Jenniffer B. Austria

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

Manila

Standard

TODAY

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

4,000 military personnel pour into PNG for APEC conference

WITH MOM. Giant panda cub Xiang Xiang, left,

sits next to her mother Shin Shin at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on November 12. AFP

PORT MORESBY―Papua New Guinea has deployed a multinational force of warships, ﬁghter jets and elite counterterrorism troops to protect world leaders attending a major summit in its crime-plagued capital this week. About 4,000 military personnel, around half of them foreign, will work with hundreds of police to patrol Port Moresby for the Asia-Paciﬁc Economic Cooperation forum from Saturday, which will attract representatives from 21 nations. Attendees are set to include China’s President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US Vice President Mike Pence, who is not even expected to sleep in the city, but stay overnight in Australia. Up to 15,000 delegates are expected at the summit. Due to a shortage of hotel accommodation, many of them will bunk down on three cruise liners docked at the port, presenting additional security complications. Although the threat posed by terrorism in PNG is considered minimal, the Melanesian country’s reputation for lawlessness and violent crime precedes it.

About half the capital’s 300,000 people live in squatter settlements, and it was ranked fourth-last in this year’s Economist Intelligence Unit list of the world’s most liveable cities. Feared street gangs known as “raskols” have made car jackings common and the country has among the highest rates of rape and domestic violence in the world. To ensure delegates are safe, the government has enlisted military help from Australia, the United States and New Zealand. Canberra is bankrolling much of the security operation. It has sent a 1,500-strong Australian Defense Force (ADF) contingent, along with RAAF F/A-18 Super Hornet ﬁghters, surveillance aircraft and a helicopter carrier moored in Port Moresby harbor. Vessels from Australia, New Zealand and the US will guard the capital’s shores, and all three countries have provided special forces. Working alongside them in an operation that has taken more than a year to plan will be about 2,000 Papua New Guinea troops. AFP

Trump-style nationalism comes under fire P ARIS―World leaders gathered in Paris on Sunday to mark 100 years since the end of World War I, with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UN chief Antonio Guterres each warning that rising nationalism again poses a threat to peace.

US President Donald Trump-who prides himself on being called a nationalist―was among around 70 leaders to attend a solemn ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the driving rain. But neither he nor Russian President Vladimir Putin joined other leaders in a symbolic walk up

IN BRIEF Koreas exchange food gifts SEOUL―South Korea has sent 200 tonnes of tangerines to the North in return for mushrooms Pyongyang gave earlier, Seoul said Monday, in the latest reconciliatory gesture between the neighbours. Seoul is pushing ahead with a rapprochement with the nuclear-armed North while its security ally the US insists pressure on Pyongyang should be maintained until it denuclearizes. The tangerines―a rarity in the North―were being airlifted to Pyongyang from the southern island of Jeju, where they were grown, in four ﬂights, the last one due Monday afternoon. The fruits reciprocate two tons of pine mushrooms sent by the North’s leader Kim Jong Un during his September summit with the South’s President Moon Jae-in, Seoul’s presidential ofﬁce said. The pine mushrooms―a delicacy claimed to help prevent heart diseases and diabetes, and a key Northern export to China―were distributed to Southern families separated from relatives in the North. AFP

149 killed in Yemen city HODEIDA, Yemen―At least 149 people including civilians have been killed in 24 hours of clashes between government loyalists and rebels in Yemen’s flash point city of Hodeida, medics and military sources said Monday. A source in Yemen’s pro-government military coalition, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, said the Huthi rebels had pushed back a large-scale offensive aimed at moving up the Red Sea coastline towards the Hodeida port, a lifeline to 14 million Yemenis who face mass starvation. Government forces, led on the ground by Emirati-backed troops, have made their way into rebel-held Hodeida after 11 days of clashes, reaching residential neighborhoods in the east on Sunday and sparking fears of street fights that would further endanger civilians trapped in the city. Residents and government military sources have reported rebel snipers stationed on rooftops in civilian streets in eastern Hodeida, a few miles from the port on the western edge of the city. The Hodeida offensive has sparked international outcry unprecedented in nearly four years of conflict between Yemen’s Huthis, who are linked to Iran, and the Saudi-backed government. Aid groups fear for the safety of nearly 600,000 people living in Hodeida―and for millions of others dependent on its port for what little food and humanitarian aid trickle into impoverished, blockaded Yemen. AFP

the Champs-Elysees to the monument. Three topless protesters from the radical feminist movement Femen were arrested trying to reach Trump’s motorcade, although French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said his security had “in no way been threatened”. Paris, the site of repeated jihadist attacks since 2015, had mobilized some 10,000 police for an event also attended by Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. After church bells rang out across France at 11.00 am―exactly a century after the signing of the Armistice―leaders gathered for a ceremony that included a cello performance and readings from letters written by World War I soldiers. Macron delivered a stinging indictment of nationalism in a 20-minute speech and called on leaders to learn the lessons of the past.

“Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism,” he said. “By saying our interests come first and others don’t matter we are erasing what makes a nation precious, what makes it live, what makes it great and most importantly of all, its moral values.” He warned that to dash hopes for peace through “isolation, violence or domination” would “be a mistake for which future generations would rightly find us responsible”. The service concluded with the bugle call that was played at 11.00 am on November 11, 1918 to signal the end of fighting on the Western Front. Trump thanked Macron in a tweet for the “beautiful ceremony” before heading to the US military cemetery at Suresnes, west of Paris to pay tribute to America’s war dead. Ceremonies in New Zealand, Australia, India, Hong Kong and Myanmar had launched a day of

Separatist leaders set to win DONETSK, Ukraine―Separatist leaders in the Russian-backed areas of eastern Ukraine on Monday looked set for an expected victory, according to the preliminary results in the polls condemned as illegal by Kiev and Western countries. Elections in the Donetsk and Lugansk “People’s Republics”, controlled by separatists since breaking away from Ukraine’s pro-Western government in 2014, took place after the killing of the rebel Donetsk “president” in a bomb attack in August. Security was tight with guntoting, camouflage-clad guards deployed to ensure order. “Today we have proved to the world that we can not only fight, not only win on the battlefield but also build a state based on real democratic principles,” Denis Pushilin, the 37-year-old acting Donetsk leader who is expected to win, told a crowd during a concert at the main square. In partial results that matched expectations, Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, the acting Lugansk leader,

were largely ahead with 57 percent and 70 percent respectively, with around a third of the votes counted. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel branded the vote “illegal and illegitimate” following a meeting with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko on the sidelines of World War I commemorations also attended by Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “These so-called elections undermine the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” the pair said in a joint statement. Washington and Brussels had asked Russia not to allow the polls to go ahead, arguing they would further hamper efforts to end a conﬂict that has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014. “The people in eastern Ukraine will be better off within a uniﬁed Ukraine at peace rather than in a second-rate police state run by crooks and thugs, all subsidized by Russian taxpayers,” tweeted Kurt Volker, the US special envoy to Ukraine. AFP

remembrance services for a conflict that involved millions of troops from colonized countries in Asia and Africa. “This was a war in which India was not directly involved yet our soldiers fought world over, just for the cause of peace,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. “For our tomorrows, they gave their today,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told people gathered at a ceremony in Canberra. In London, Prince Charles laid the first wreath of red poppies, Britain’s emblem of remembrance, at the nation’s annual commemoration ceremony on behalf of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who watched from a nearby balcony. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier became the first German leader to take part in the service, which was also attended by Prime Minister Theresa May. AFP

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FLORENTINO S. JUMAQUIO peacefully joined his Creator on 14, September 2018 at the age of 66. His loving wife Elizabeth; children Marvin, Irene, Jamie & Joy; grandchild Ilyza, request your prayers for the eternal repose of his soul. His remains lie at St. Therese Columbarium in Pasay City. (MS-NOV. 6,13, & 20, 2018)

Wine ‘flying above the clouds’ ADONG, China―A $300 bottle of wine sold in the United States and Europe is made in the unlikeliest of places: at the foot of the Himalayas in China, where farmers sing traditional songs while picking grapes. A stone’s throw away from Tibet, Ao Yun’s vineyards are located beneath the sacred Meili mountain at altitudes ranging up from 7,218 feet in the southwestern province of Yunnan. While wine consumption is soaring in China, it is not known as a major producer, but French luxury giant Moet Hennessy has bet on this remote location to show the Asian country can produce a first-class bottle of red. It took four years for the company to find the ideal spot in the vast country and the result was Ao Yun, Chinese for “flying above the clouds”, which debuted in 2013. “The place is magical, it has this wild side,” Maxence Dulou, Ao Yun’s estate manager, told AFP as he carefully inspected the grapes at one of the vineyards. Dulou, 43, said he had

“dreamed” of discovering a great “terroir”―the unique French term for the ground and climatic conditions in which grapes are grown― in China since his university days. The company wanted to show that a great wine could be made in China, where even local consumers trust French wines more than homegrown products, he said. The smooth full-bodied blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc has surprised many wine lovers. Only 2,000 cases are produced per year and are sold in China, other Asian countries, the United States and Europe. Moet Hennessy leased the vineyards for 30 years from local farmers in 2012―a decade after the municipal government encouraged villagers to switch from growing barley to grapevines in an attempt to kickstart the wine industry. But without proper knowledge or training, they ﬂoundered until the luxury giant turned up, bringing a wealth of expertise and resources to four villages: Adong, Shuori, Sinong and Xidang. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LocaL government units

tuesday, november 13, 2018

‘BELENISMO’. A colorful ‘Belen’ (Nativity scene) made up of recycled materials lights up the facade of the Municipal Hall of Capas, Tarlac on Saturday. This is one of the 44 entries to the annual ‘Belenismo,’ which features the art of making ‘Belen’ displays in the province. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Makati subway to make 6k jobs 23k in CL get cash transfer funding By Romeo Dizon SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga— Christmas came in November for 23,000 indigent beneficiaries in Central Luzon who received a total of P552,000 under the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) of the government over the weekend. The beneficiaries received each P2,400 representing the P200 a month for the whole year of 2018 and P300 for the next years of 2019 and 2020. The regional Department of the Social Service Development office in Central Luzon distributed benefits from the government to the marginalized sectors in the seven provinces in the region over the weekend. Gemma B. Gabuya, DSWD director in Central Luzon, said those who received their financial benefits came from Nueva Ecija, 7,728; Pampanga, 4,389; Tarlac, 3,554; Bataan, 3,618; Zambales,1,973; Bulacan,1,311; and Aurora, 748. The project is component of the national government Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion to cushion its impact on 10-million people who belong to the poorest sectors of society. The beneficiaries include 4.4 million under the Pantawid Pamilya program,1.8 million with cash cards, 2.6 million without cash cards, and three million senior citizens under the DSWD social pension program. The project has a total budget of P24 billion as contained in the national General Appropriations Act of 2018. Gabuya clarified that the distribution is not related to the coming election or any politicians or candidates in the midterm polls next May.

By Joel E. Zurbano

ayor Abigail Binay on Monday assured that the Public Rail Transport in the City of Makati will generate 6,000 jobs and new economic opportunities for residents once this subway system project is completed as planned in 2023. The subway system, the first of its kind in the country, is a joint venture of the city government and a consortium of local and foreign investors, with no cash out on the part of the city. The 30-year concession with the consortium includes maintenance and repair of the coaches and the control hub. “The project will create around 6,000 new jobs for Makatizens and numerous economic opportunities just for the construction and operation of the train system alone. This does not include additional jobs which will be created as a

result of the efficient transport system in the city,” Binay said. The city chief executive expressed her full commitment to the project’s completion within five years, which she envisioned to be her lasting legacy to the people of Makati. “I want this to be my legacy. It is time for a better and brighter future for everyone in Makati. I want the city to be truly livable, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient not just today but for the generations to come,” said Binay. Binay also assured the public that the five-year construction period will not

have adverse effects on traffic within Makati. This, she said, is one of the advantages of constructing a subway system. Since most of the work is done in tunnels underground, the disruption to daily traffic will be minimal. “In just five years, Makati City, and the rest of the country, will reap the benefits of having a reliable and efficient mass transport system. We are laying the groundwork for more advanced infrastructure and projects so our children can continue to be proud of the city they live in,” she emphasized. The PRT system, which is scheduled to break ground before the end of the year, will have two tracks, up to 10 underground stations, and air-conditioned coaches which can accommodate 200 persons per car. The entire system spans 10 kilometers with a train yard, maintenance depot, and central command center at ground level.

AGAINST CYBERCRIMES.

Token News Philippines chief executive officer Yuki Takarabe (left) and Token News Philippines executive assistant Mayo Okawa answer questions about foreign websites committing cyber crimes in the country. Token News is staging an Initial Coin Offering on Nov. 25, as the firm seeks to impart their knowledge on the blockchain system and how to avoid cyber fraud in the Philippines. Ey Acasio

Hugpong, Tingog commit to curb E. Visayas poverty By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN CITY―Hugpong ng Pagbabago and Tingog Sinirangan are committed to uplift Eastern Visayas from being the country’s second poorest region, said Leyte First District Rep. and Tingog party-list first nominee Yedda Marie Romualdez. Romualdez said they also followed the lead of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, founder of the Hugpong regional party. President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter “has the political ascendancy and credibility to lead other regional political parties towards the direction of regional development based on federalism, internal selfdetermination and inclusive economic growth, the political ideals to which both our two political parties strongly adhere.” “With this goal in mind, Tingog is committed to foster a strong partnership with Hugpong ng Pagbabago in pursuing the agenda of positive social change, economic growth, peace and order and security, and overall national development,” said Romualdez. Duterte-Carpio said she formed Hugpong “to pursue the ideals of what we all want, a strong region, a secure life for our constituents, good governance and effective leadership of the members of the party.” Hugpong has a constituency that is spread across Region XI (Davao Region). Romualdez said Tingog is willing to support “in whatever possible role that our party may undertake that would further the aims and mission of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, so that together we can be an effective voice that will serve the best interests of the people.” According to Tingog second nominee Jude Acidre, their party will serve as the voice of the people of the islands of Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran.

QC per capita income still low, says Belmonte By Rio N. Araja THE income per capita of Quezon City is “still low,” and there is a need to increase revenue generation to benefit citizens, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said Monday. While Quezon City consistently ranks among top cities in terms of revenue generation, Belmonte said there is much room for improvement to drive up the income for each city resident. “Many say we are the richest city with an P18.5-billion budget, and then we even passed a supplemental budget of another P6 billion. But having said that, we must bear in mind that those are in absolute terms, not in per capita,” the vice mayor said. “If you talk about [the budget] per capita, we are not a rich city at all. We have so much more people,” she added. According to Belmonte, although Quezon City is usually being compared to the city of Makati, the latter has almost the same budget as QC but is only a fraction of “the City of Stars” in terms of population and size. “We have 3.1-million people and we are one-fourth of Metro Manila, so in other words, we cannot talk about income in absolute terms, but we have to talk about it in the context of the size and the demographics of a city,” she said.

‘Sweetest Christmas’ promotion launched at Cabanatuan mall By Brenda Jocson CABANATUAN CITY—The holidays will be extra sweet and special for residents here as SM City Cabanatuan launched its centerpiece 35-foot-tall cupcake-inspired Christmas tree on Sunday at the mall event center. Ian Ezekiel Balao, SM Regional Manager, said the event was in the longstand-

ing tradition of making the yearend season the best for mall-goers of all ages. “These launches would signal the start of the holiday season—the most wonderful time of the year. SM will bring you the best Christmas in every possible way you can imagine—festive, bright, and magical and the sweetest for Cabanatuan City,” said Balao. Gracing the event were the Provincial

DILG taps Smart Infocast to aid disaster work THE Department of the Interior and Local Government–Central Office Disaster Information Coordinating Center is now armed with Smart Infocast, a system that will help enhance the agency’s communication and disaster preparedness efforts. A service of PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Smart Infocast is a web-based text message broadcast solution that can send out several short message service alerts to a specific group of people as defined by its authorized user. The system can deliver immediate messages to a large number of predetermined recipients. In the case of DILG, Smart Infocast can send out news broadcasts, weather bulletins, and other critical information to local government and disaster management officials, helping enhance

LGUs’ information dissemination and making it an effective emergency communications solution. The facility also allows registered subscribers to send reports or feedback to the system administrator. Gracing the ceremonial turnover were DILG officials and Smart representatives led by Secretary Eduardo Año and Smart community partnerships senior manager Nova Concepcion. Also present were DILG head Executive Assistant Josephine Leysa, Assistant Secretary Manuel Felix, National Police Commission Vice Chair Rogelio Casurao, Undersecretary Martin Diño, ASec Maribel Sacendoncillo, Smart community marketing specialist Ria Luciano, Usec. Bernardo Florece Jr., Asec. Ester Aldana and Director Edgar Allan Tabell.

Tourism Office represented by Armando Giron; Director Brigida Pili from Department of Trade and Industry; Police Supt. Ponciano Zafra and officers from Bureau of Fire Protection. The annual Bears of Joy campaign once again invited mallgoers to take part in the noble initiative. For every P200 purchase, shoppers get two bears—one they can bring home and the other they can donate.

The donations will be given to charities along with personal notes from shoppers, making this year’s Christmas memorable for many children. Of course, Santa Claus joined the fun with kids from Amazing Grace Christian School and shoppers delighted in dazzling sights, joyful sounds, festive tastes, holiday finds, and all the Yuletide feels through this celebration.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, Hugpong ng Pagbabago chairman and daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, raises the hand of Mrs. Marilyn de Guzman Lambino, proclaiming her the official candidate of Hugpong for mayor of Mangaldan, Pangasinan for the May 2019 local elections. Mrs. Lambino is the wife of Secretary Raul L. Lambino, administrator and CEO of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and concurrent presidential adviser for Northern Luzon.

Life

bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

health and environment

@mstandardLIFe tuesday, november 13, 2018

Addressing

stomach ache

in children

HEn children get sick, they often have a difficult time communicating how they feel; it could be challenging for parents to figure out what’s wrong unless there are obvious symptoms.

Abdominal pain is a common health problem among children, which can be caused by a number of reasons such as food-related problems, gut problems, infections, surgical problems, and poisoning, according to the Better Health Channel of Victoria State Government. Thus it can take a bit of trial and error on the parent’s part to figure out if the child’s upset stomach can be easily remedied or if they should be brought to a pediatrician. Experts say probiotics may help ease one of the causes of children’s stomach pains—gut problems. In addition they may also help make potty training more manageable. Probiotics contain living microorganisms that change the bacterial balance in the human body. A human digestive tract has about 100 trillion healthy bacteria. Bacteria aids in digestion and helps the body defend itself against illnesses. Probiotics add another layer of good bacteria to the body to help destroy

harmful bacteria and reduce infection. In his article on Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials, Dr. Kadakkal Radhakrishnan said, “Although probiotics are not a digestive cure-all, they can be highly beneficial to kids and adults.” “In addition, probiotics may keep your children healthy by decreasing the number of bacteria in the gut that can cause infections or inflammation,” he added. Every person needs a balance of good bacteria in the body. But this balance is easily upset by factors such as a poor diet, stress, or by taking antibiotics and other medications. Children can get probiotics from eating yogurt and beverages that contain them. But the amount and quality of probiotics in those food and beverages may not be enough. Erceflora Probibears helps parents supplement the probiotics in children. It’s a tummy supplement with the combined 2-in-1 PROBIO-BOOSTER of Lactoba-

KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY. Abdominal pain is a common health problem among children which can be caused by a number of reasons,

one of which is gut problem.

cillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis—good bacteria that help prevent gut problems such as diarrhea, upset stomach, and other digestive illnesses. Lactobacillus is good bacteria that are present in a lot of food. A study shows that Lactobacillus is an effective treatment against infant colic and even helps improve immunity. Bifidobacterium, on the other hand, helps ease digestive issues such as bloating and flatulence. It also has a longer shelf life. Erceflora ProbiBears is a delicious and healthy way to strengthen child’s tummy in yummy chewable bears. It is available at select Watsons, Rose Pharmacy, Mercury Drug, and South Star Drug branches for P540 per box of 20s.

Teachers and PRC volunteers organize extracurricular activities for the students to supplement the lessons they’ve learned inside the classroom.

Philippine Red Cross

brings WASH lessons to public schools

Probiotic supplements may keep children healthy by decreasing the number of bad bacteria in the gut that can cause infections or inflammation.

Kaffea joins international coffee expo LOCAL coffee brand Kaffea will join the 2018 Hainan International Coffee Congress and Beverage Fair in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China on nov. 16-18. The coffee expo aims to display Hainan’s rich coffee growing and drinking culture and showcase developing international coffee trends and brands. Coffee beans, equipment, products, and culture will be on exhibit, and coffee-making competitions will be held to award those with the best barista skills. Coffee themed forums will also be held as part of the expo. Kaffea is a unique ready to drink coffee mix. The homegrown coffee brand has earned its place in the international forum because of its unique qualities and natural ingredients rich in antioxidants, essential vitamins, and minerals that promote good digestive health. It promotes a healthy digestive system, burns excess fat with L-Carnitine, and contains vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Kaffea claims it is the only blend of delicious coffee in the world that contains 10 essential elements and minerals. The interaction of the 10 ingredients produces a beneficial effect which

ACCORDInG to the World Health Organization, 25 million Filipinos are at risk of intestinal worm infections or soil-transmitted helminthiases, while 12 million are at risk of acquiring schistosomiasis. These tropical diseases have been found to impact children as young as one year old and as old as 14-15 years, putting their entire basic education in jeopardy. A study published in the journal Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease recommended that treatment for intestinal worm infections include not only administering macro or micronutrient supplements, but also providing health education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education and facilities. “One of the lesser-known factors impacting malnutrition is access to safe drinking water, well-maintained WASH facilities, and WASH education,” said nestlé Philippines senior vice president for marketing, communication, and innovation Paolo Mercado. nestlé Philippines’ United for Healthier Kids campaign has linked up with the Philippine

Red Cross to help drive volunteers for the latter’s WASH programs. “Safe drinking water and sanitation are fundamental for a child’s health and well-being. In countries with high child mortality rates, diarrhea accounts for more deaths in children under the age of five than any other cause,” said Philippine Red Cross health services officer-in-charge Mark Abrigo. Philippine Red Cross’ Children’s Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (CHAST) program aims to introduce WASH programs in non-emergency situations at public schools. Teachers and Philippine Red Cross representatives conduct interactive sessions within school hours to discuss hygiene and sanitation with schoolchildren, incorporating these lessons with other subjects such as Values Education, Science, and even Homeroom. “Ensuring that both hygiene promotion and accessible WASH facilities are in place greatly affect how children would practice and perform consistently in school,” noted Philippine Red Cross WASH office manager Brian Enriquez. Enriquez continued, “Having accessible and functional WASH facilities Turn to C2

Local coffee brand Kaffea joins an international coffee expo in China.

ensures good health and wellness. It is made with coconut sugar which helps regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Coconut sugar helps regulate blood sugar level and supports weight management since it has the lowest Glycemic Index among all types of sugar,

according to a study by the Food and nutrition Research Institute. Kaffea is available nationwide at Shopwise, Rustan’s, SM Hypermarket Bazaar, SM Market Street, SM Kultura, CityMall GoLokal stores, and online at lazada.com.ph and beautymnl. com. Call (02) 477-9920 for inquiries.

Philippine Red Cross’ community-centered approach includes ‘training the trainers’ sessions for community leaders and members

Life

tuesday, november 13, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Facts vs. Myths: Understanding HPV

Any have heard of HPV, or human papillomavirus, and its connection to cervical cancer, but somehow, there are still plenty of misconceptions about this common virus.

Having the right information is one of FACT: Only about 80 percent of HPV the best defenses against any illnesses. types can be cleared out by the body. HPV Pharmaceutical company Merck, Sharp infection that persists may eventually & Dohme Philippines debunks myths cause cancers or HPV-related diseases. about HPV. MYTH: you can’t easily contract HPV. MYTH: HPV is rare. FACT: HPV is very easy to transmit FACT: According to an article pub- and contract. Intimate skin-to-skin conlished on University of Texas MD An- tact is the simplest way to acquire HPV. derson Cancer Center’s website, the vi- Research has also confirmed the virus can rus is so common that about 80 percent be transmitted through fomites or objects of men and women will contract it dur- that have been exposed to the virus, such as ing their lifetime. What makes it even (but not limited to) infected surgical gloves, more alarming is that most of the people undergarments, and biopsy forceps. who have HPV don’t even know they have it or have had it. MYTH: There’s only one type of HPV. FACT: Contrary to popular belief, MYTH: It only affects females. there are actually more than 100 strains FACT: HPV affects both men and of HPV. HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, women. It can also cause a variety of 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, and 66 are known cancers. Based on studies, 20-24 year-old to cause certain cancers. women are most likely to become infected; while men are most likely to become MYTH: The existing vaccines only infected in the ages between 25 and 29. work on women and young girls. FACT: There are available HPV vacMYTH: you can tell if you have HPV. cines that are indicated for both men and FACT: Although there are instances women. young girls and boys may also when HPV infections produce warts or get the vaccines. In fact, since HPV is cauliflower-like lesions in various parts so easy to transmit, it’s important that of the body like the mouth, throat, or both men and women (or ideally, young reproductive organs, there are instances boys and girls) receive HPV vaccines to when infected areas do not show symp- guard their health from the harmful eftoms. The best way to test if someone fects of HPV. has HPV is by conducting a Pap smear, an HPV DnA test, or visual inspection MYTH: you can delay getting vacof the affected area with acetic acid. cinated until you’re older. These tests verify the presence of the FACT: Vaccination can start as early as HPV virus and the growth of abnormal nine years old. The vaccines work better cells, according to Mayo Clinic. in guarding against HPV and HPV-related cancers and diseases if they are given beMYTH: All HPV infections can clear fore exposure to HPV, said in an article on up on their own. Reader’s Digest website.

Intimate skin-to-skin contact is the simplest way to acquire human papillomavirus, according to several studies. There are available HPV vaccines that are indicated for both men and women.

Insurer partners with ride-hailing service

iphoto IpNAp introduces ethics committee members The Infant and Pediatric Nutrition Association of the Philippines has recently introduced the members of its ethics committee. The committee is headed by former Health secretary and milk code author Dr. Carmencita Reodica (center) and composed of (from left) former Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Pelagio Apostol, former Health undersecretary Dr. Ma. Margarita Galon, Birgli AG president Reiner Gloor, and former Trade undersecretary and Laban Konsyumer, Inc. president Victorio Mario Dimagiba. IPNAP is an independent organization of the various players in the milk industry that helps in self-regulating the highly monitored industry. The creation of an ethics committee helps the association strengthen its thrust of improving the health and nutrition of infants and young children in the country.

Philippine... From C1

would contribute to increased interest in attending classes. For instance, in the absence of proper facilities in schools, there are instances students would go home in the middle of the school day in order to use their toilets at home.” Outside of class hours, the program also encourages peer-to-peer sessions, where games and arts and crafts activities are organized to reinforce the lessons taught in the classroom. The Philippine Red Cross also constructs water and sanitation facilities in schools that are both gender-appropriate and accessible for persons with disability. Volunteers under the CHAST program, meanwhile, distribute hygiene kits to students, which consist of a toothpaste and tooth-

brush, hand soap, towel, nail clipper, comb, and cotton buds. After rolling out the CHAST program and building WASH facilities in areas such as La Union, Ifugao, and Pangasinan, Philippine Red Cross saw an increase in children washing their hands at critical times, more frequent maintenance in restrooms and school surroundings, and proper disposal and segregation of garbage. One school in La Union, Sucoc Elementary School, invested in a deep well to provide water for students all year round. The availability of clean water encouraged the students to practice hand washing and other hygiene promotion activities more regularly. Another school, Asipulo Central School, installed four indoor restrooms with hand washing counters, which has led to students developing healthier habits. To sustain and expand its CHAST

program, the Philippine Red Cross needs regular volunteers to teach lessons, help build WASH facilities, and teach WASH lessons to teachers and community leaders. They also need donations for hygiene kits, WASH facilities, and training programs. Interested parties can donate P120 for one hygiene kit for a student, P1,000 for supplies for CHAST school-based activities, P3,000 for sanitation kits for five toilet units, P65,000 for a fourfaucet hand washing facility, P235,000 for a two-seater toilet with hand washing facility, and P100,00 for a rainwater harvester. Philippine Red Cross can also train 20 school representatives on CHAST for P50,000 and conduct a train the trainers session consisting of 25 participants for P350,000. Donations can be made online via ushare.redcross.org.ph.

AS PART of its global efforts to transform into a digital and customer-centric market leader, Manulife has partnered with ride-hailing service Grab to educate Filipinos on the go about the importance of saving and investing. Two hundred Manulife-branded vehicles are currently installed with a tablet where passengers can watch informative videos featuring actress Isabelle Daza, comedian Kaladkaren Davila, and TV host Victor Anastacio. After each video, they can opt to schedule an appointment with a financial adviser by filling up an online form. Passengers will be asked to input their name, email address, and preferred date of appointment when they sign up. Manulife will then match them with a financial adviser. “In our commitment to provide innovative financial solutions to our

Manulife-branded Grab vehicles.

customers, we are using technology to make it easier for them to plan for their futures and live better lives,” said Manulife Philippines president and chief executive Ryan Charland. “With our partnership with Grab, we’ll be able to turn Filipinos’ idle time more productive by showing them ways they can manage their finances so they can secure their futures.” Brian Cu, country head of Grab Philippines added, “We are aligned with Manulife in our vision to make Filipino lives better. Our partnership with them enable us to create a better customer experience for our passengers, giving them an opportunity to reach their destination in life by helping them plan for their future.” The Manulife-branded vehicles will ply Metro Manila and nearby provinces’ roads until December.

Entertainment Kim Chiu elated with first acting recognition KIM Chiu is very proud when she bagged the trophy for the Best Single Performance by An Actress category in the recently concluded 32nd PMPC (Philippine Movie Press Club) Star Awards for Television. “Actually, it’s for my work in the drama show Ipaglaban Mo in which I appeared during its fourth anniversary episode. The program also took home the Best Drama Anthology trophy so everyone in the production is happy.” Interestingly, it’s the charming lass’ first ever acting recognition for her work in the said ABS-CBN legal drama show. “That’s why it’s very special to me. It’s the first time that I got honored by an awardgiving body for Ipaglaban Mo. I didn’t expect that it will be this overwhelming. I can’t explain the feeling. All I know is I’m very happy.” She further says that she’s grateful to the support of the production team especially that it’s her first time to do Ipaglaban Mo, and the episode she starred in coincided with the fourth anniversary of the program. “My victory really means a lot. Definitely, it’s one unforgettable moment in my career!” Actually, Kim didn’t expect to win that night. “I was really surprised when my name was called. Earlier in the proceedings, I accepted the Hall of Fame award for ASAP. I was just puzzled why they didn’t allow me to go home yet. They told me there would still be a spiel or something. So, I stayed. In a little while, my name was already called as the winner. I was really clueless as to what was going to happen. As I’ve said, it was one unforgettable moment in my life.” Apart from this award, the petite Kapamilya is also proud of her movie One Great Love under Regal Entertainment which is an official entry in the forthcoming Metro Manila Film Festival. “That’s another development which adds happiness to my heart at present. We were selected as one of the main entries in the prestigious film festival which the public always look forward to every Christmas. Again, the feeling is simply overwhelming. Before the official announcement, I was very nervous and excited at the same time. It’s good that the movie made it to the list of official entries. I was very relieved upon

hearing the announcement. It’s one good material from Regal Entertainment and is a perfect Christmas treat to the public. Hope they will support it,” avers Kim. How does she find her co-workers in the upcoming big screen project? “My leading man, Dennis Trillo is quiet but is a very deep and good actor. The same holds true with JC de Vera. Our director is no less than Eric Quizon who’s fun to work with,” she says. Kim reveals that the film is a bit daring and has a mature theme. It’s about love among people my age who aren’t married yet. She adds that it’s simply relatable and avid movie buffs will surely enjoy it. Expectedly, people would like to get updated about her romance with Xian Lim. “Well, thank God it’s smooth-sailing at present. We’re happy,” ends Kim. *** Asked about the general observation that she’s more of an actress as compared to her sister Anne Curtis, Jasmine Curtis-Smith says: “Honestly, I’m flattered with that since I know it’s one of my strengths. But in fairness to my sister, she possesses one thing which I don’t have: charm! She can reach out to the masses. That’s why she’s called Philippine Sweetheart.” She adds that Anne got a strong magnetic appeal to the public, “That’s something you can’t study. It’s innate. Between the two of us, she’s the one like that. She already has lots of citations in her philanthropy and works as a public figure. I’m just happy that she has her own strengths and I have mine.” At this point in their lives and career, what’s the best advice they’ve given each other? “On my part, it’s more on the personal aspect like, she should take things slow… take a break if necessary, rest. I know that at present, that would be impossible because she’s seen daily in ‘It’s Showtime.’ But that’s my advice to her. She should learn how to pause and rest to recharge her batteries. “As to her advice to me, she always tells me to take things easy all the time. Between the two of us, I’m the one who gets more tensed and anxious easily. That’s one thing which she mastered already in the business— keep cool no matter what. I’m still searching that in my system.”

How Ahtisa Manalo made history at Miss International CANDELARIA, Quezon native Ahtisa Manalo almost brought home the country’s 7th Miss International title after she was named ﬁrst runner-up to Miss Venezuela Mariem Claret Velazco Garcia at the 58th edition of the pageant held at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, on Friday. Garcia, a 20-year-old, student in Geophysical Engineering from Tiger province, Venezuela was crowned by last year’s winner Kevin Lilliana of Indonesia and became Venezuela’s 8th Miss International titlist. Manalo, a 21-year-old, Accountancy graduate of Manuel Enverga University Foundation, could have tied Venezuela’s record had she won. Manalo ﬁnished ahead of Miss South Africa Reabetswe Sechoaro, 2nd runner-up; Miss Romania Bianca Tirsin, 3rd runner-up and Miss Colombia Anabella Castro, 4th runnerup. The 77 delegates from all over the world paraded in their Evening Gown,

Ahtisa Manalo made history for being the first Filipina to place second at the annual Miss International pageant.

Swimwear and National Costume where Manalo wore a Subanon-tribe native inspired costume from the indigenous tribe of Zamboanga. Continental Beauties were Miss Singapore Eileen Feng, Miss International Asia; Miss Netherlands Zoë Amber Niewold, Miss International Europe; Miss Argentina, Rocio Perez Zuarez, Miss International America; Miss South Africa, Miss International Africa; and Miss Guam Diliana Tuncap, Miss International Oceania. Manalo is the ﬁrst Filipino beauty queen to win second place at the pageant held annually in Japan. Eton Concepcion

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, November 13, 2018

ACROSS 1 Punches 5 Faded 9 Russian range 13 Dragon puppet 15 Car import 16 Quasimodo’s creator 17 — — costs 18 Box tops 19 “— my word!” 20 Peer 22 Stick together 24 Caesar’s seven 25 Yes, to Pierre 26 Listener’s need 27 Lucky charm 31 Follows 33 Gone up 34 Turnpike oases (2 wds.) 38 Thought 39 Big rigs 40 — vera lotion 41 Small landing fields 43 Ice pellets 44 Makes dilute 45 Parcels out 46 Brief engagement 49 Pacino and Hirt 50 Spring training loc., perhaps 51 Large lizard 53 Most clever 58 A Baldwin 59 Whistle time

61 Provide capital 62 Proboscis 63 Mideast native 64 Verne forte (hyph.) 65 Chuck 66 Sleeve fillers 67 Fervor DOWN 1 — Blondell of films 2 Low voice 3 Spill the beans 4 Window base 5 Ocean, in Mongolian 6 Harm irretrievably 7 Say further 8 Doggie treats 9 “Forget it!” (hyph.) 10 Delhi coin 11 Old Greek marketplace 12 Aloof one 14 Late-news hour 21 Engineering sch. 23 Van Gogh’s medium 25 Refuge 27 Libretto feature 28 Skirt length 29 Internet fan 30 Smallest amount

31 Works parttime 32 Delay on purpose 34 Bridle parts 35 Diet spread 36 Rhyme maker 37 Treats fractures 39 Ceylon nowadays (2 wds.) 42 Larger — life 43 Candidate lists 45 Chatty alien 46 Jumbo 47 Ice hut

48 Speculate 50 Discovers 52 High cards 53 Standard 54 Rainfall measure 55 Peter Gunn’s girl 56 Davenport 57 Tease 60 Not just my

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

ABS-CBN maintains leadership in October numbers game

ABS-CBN's top-rating shows in October

ORE viewers nationwide turned to ABS-CBN for value-laden and relevant news stories as it scored an average audience share of 44 percent, or 13 points higher than GMA’s 31 percent, according to data from Kantar Media. ABS-CBN ruled both in urban and rural homes, particularly in Metro Manila where it recorded an average audience share of 42 percent, compared to GMA’s 25 percent. It also won in Mega Manila with 36 percent, beating GMA’s 33 percent.

The Kapamilya network also kept its strong viewership in Total Luzon with an average audience share of 39 percent versus GMA’s 34 percent; in Total Visayas with 53 percent, compared to 24 percent of GMA; and in Total Mindanao with 53 percent, while GMA only got 25 percent. Multinational audience measurement provider Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population. Nine out of ten most watched programs were produced by ABS-CBN, led by FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (43.6 percent) and followed by TV Patrol (32.2 percent). Also in the top ten were Ngayon at Kailanman (29.4 percent), The Kids’ Choice (25.6 percent), Wansapantaym (23.5 percent), Home Sweetie Home (22.6 percent), Meteor Garden (22.5 percent), Halik (22.1 percent), and MMK 25 (21.8 percent).

Meanwhile apart from raking high TV ratings every night, primetime series Halik is also a hit online as it garnered over 3.6 million weekly views on iWant TV and a consistent trending topic on social media. The Kapamilya network also won across all time blocks, particularly in primetime (6:00 p.m. to 12:00 mn) where it scored an average audience share of 48 percent, or 17-points higher than GMA’s 31 percent. The primetime block is the most important time of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investments in to reach more consumers effectively. ABS-CBN also triumphed over its rival network in the morning block (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 mn) with 36 percent versus GMA’s 28 percent; in the noontime block (12:00 nn to 3:00 p.m.) with 43 percent, compared to GMA’s 32 percent and in the afternoon block (3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) with 44 percent, winning over GMA’s 33 percent.

Ruru Madrid, Ken Chan in Maynila’s anniversary special THIS November, two of GMA Network’s most promising actors Ruru Madrid and Ken Chan topbill the three-part anniversary special of Maynila entitled “Magkapatid, Magkaribal.” Armed with their natural acting skills, Ruru and Ken portray the characters of Red, the older brother who works hard to gain the attention and affection of their mother; and Blue, the smart, and responsible younger brother, respectively. Red and Blue used to be inseparable until Red witnessed how their father died while saving Blue. Their relationship drifted apart and Red started to commit crimes in the neighborhood. This intensifies when Blue got into a relationship with Peachy (Ayra Mariano), Red’s ex-girlfriend. Will Red continue to be blinded by the jealousy he has over his brother? Will Blue sacrifice his relationship with Peachy in order to reconcile with his older brother? Under the direction of Phil Noble, the first part aired on Saturday, Nov. 10. Continue to follow their story on the anniversary episodes of Maynila, Saturdays, 9:40 a.m. on GMA. Actors Ruru Madrid (left) and Ken Chan team up in a three-part anniversary special of the drama anthology, 'Maynila.'

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

JM de Guzman makes big screen comeback in ‘Kung Paano Siya Nawala’

AFTER the success of his comeback afternoon series Precious Hearts Romances presents Araw Gabi, ABS-CBN Star Magic actor JM de Guzman made his way to the big screen anew in Kung Paano Siya Nawala. The thoroughly missed actor is sharing the big screen for the first time with Rhian Ramos in the darkromance film by Joel Ruiz. The film centers on the rare cognitive disease called face blindness, which renders someone incapable of recognizing a person’s face. JM plays the role of Lio, a reserved young man who’s having a hard time making friends and building relationship due to his face blindness. He, however, found himself opening up to the world when he fell in love with Shana, played by Rhian, a beautiful and mysterious woman who has secrets of her own. He’s definitely missed on the big screen as his last project was the 2015 Tandem and the much-raved about indie That Thing Called Tadhana in 2014. To say that JM did a wonderful job in portraying a pained character would be an understatement as an early review from Manila Standard lauded how he has allowed the moviegoers to experience his day-to-day struggle and eventually made them empathize with his disease. Alora Sasam singled out the realistic approach of the film “Kaya naniwala agad ako sa lahat ng characters. Nakaka-miss mapanuod si Cheyem sa big screen. Kahit ako nahirapan sa problema ng character niya. Ang cute ng chemistry ni JM at Rhian.” Fifth Solomon, meanwhile, praised the technical aspect of the film from the shots to the production design to lighting, saying that, it has “indie feels.” What even makes the movie special is the fact that JM has been very hands on with it as a co-producer. “Sobrang blessing siya. Hindi ko rin ini-expect na bibigyan ako ng opportunity ng TBA. Mas challenging, mas iba, iba ‘yung experience,” he said. JM’s co-star Rhian also has nothing but good words for him as she especially noted how easy it was to work with him. “He is very humble, after what the challenging times he was in, never mo mararamdaman sa kanya na may tinatago siya. He’s just himself. Sa eksena wala siyang vanity, he just gives what the scenes require him to do,” Rhian said. Catch JM and Rhian’s first big screen project Kung Paano Siya Nawala by Joel Ruiz in cinemas nationwide starting tomorrow, Nov. 14.

JM de Guzman returns on the big screen in yet another captivating role.

'Glorious' and 'Spirits Reawaken' are two of the original titles that will serve as iWant's offering on its debut on Nov. 17.

An interplay of lights and colors during the dance drama competition, the culminating event of the annual Banaag Festival in Anilao, Iloilo.

Small-town fest gaining

national attention

VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG

T WAS a familiar experience—the drums reverberating at the venue, there were lights, lanterns, neon costumes, torches, effulgent props and energetic dancers. I was in Chiayi, a county in southwestern Taiwan, early this year for the touring lantern festival celebrated annually in the small yet progressive state. It was a visually impressive fest not to mention an amazing experience for both locals and foreign tourists. Imagine seeing thousands of lanterns and installations brightening up an entire 50-hectare complex, dazzling performances showcasing the colorful culture of participants (including Japan, Philippines, and Indonesia), and visual displays that leave any spectator in awe. On the eve of Nov. 1, I had a similar experience in Anilao, a 4th class municipality in the province of Iloilo, when a group of entertainment and lifestyle journalists were invited to the town to witness the 14th Banaag Festival. Although small-scale, the showcase was equally impressive especially that it’s so close to our hearts as it’s a reﬂection of our own culture. Community spirit shone brightest as eight tribes representing the different districts of Anilao set the night ablaze with their own riveting play of lights and awe-inspiring c u l t u r a l presentations. “ E a c h presentation was reﬂective of their way of life,” Mayor Lee Ann Debuque told Manila Standard in an interview. “Performers here are

From left: Vice Mayor Matet Debuque, Iloilo 4th District Representative Ferjenel “Dok Ferj” Biron and Mayor Lee Ann Debuque in a photo op during a press conference held right after the festival's culminating event.

students, 12 years old and above. And I must say, each year, they are getting better. Their performances improved a lot especially this year,” she added. The young mayor of Anilao was glad that I mentioned the lantern festival in Taiwan, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. She said, they are trying get inspirations from different festivals because they wanted to make the Banaag Festival a truly must-see festival in the country. And it is safe to say that this fest that coincides with the municipality’s foundation anniversary is definitely headed in that direction. “As you can see, based on the theme of the performances, the tribes or the districts participating in the festival have awareness on the relevant issues in our society and environment. But most importantly, their performances are telling stories, not just merely an interplay of lights and colors,” the Debuque said. The young leader further added that the annual fest is a platform for Anilao to see the comprehension of the citizens of each district on relevant issues, as well as to educate the masses on certain issues that the province faces “be it climate change or environmental conservation.” What has been hailed as the Philippines’ Best Municipal Festival put Iloilo on the spotlight once more as Banaag Festival 2018 culminated in the much awaited dance drama competition which showcased the spectacular and fiery performances of the eight competing tribes. By the end of the night, tribe Hubon Bulalakaw from District 1 bagged the year’s festival championship with their glowing and compelling dance interpretation entitled “Celebrating Anilao’s Conservation

Efforts in the Time of Climate Change.” An annual festivity highlighting the rich culture and history of the town of Anilao, Banaag Festival heralded a new era for Iloilo tourism after winning the Grand Prize for Best Tourism Event (Festival Category, Municipal Level) at the recently held 19th Pearl Awards of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines-Department of Tourism (ATOP-DOT). “We are honored and proud that what started as a small community festival 14 years ago has gained national recognition and has now become a sought-after tourist attraction in Iloilo,” shared Iloilo 4th District Representative Ferjenel “Dok Ferj” Biron, who led the symbolic lighting of the Bang Festival 2018 torch along with Mayor Debuque, Vice Mayor Matet Debuque, among other town officials. A firm believer and staunch supporter of Banaag Festival since its inception in 2004, Congressman Biron vows to continue his infrastructure projects for better access to Anilao and other towns to further boost Iloilo tourism. Now that Bang Festival is known as the Philippines’ Best Municipal Festival, Congressman Biron is confident that his comprehensive tourism plans for Iloilo will be in place to accommodate the expected influx of tourists in the coming years. “We have already completed several concreting and road widening projects, and travel to these parts of the province has definitely improved compared to the days when we only had narrow dirt roads. We are set to meet the needs of the people coming here. Iloilo will be ready for more tourists not just in Anilao but in other areas of the province as well,” assured Congressman Biron.

The new iWant streams

six original titles

ABS-CBN’s new streaming service iWant marks its official launch on Nov. 17 with a slew of original shows and movies that will want to make users stay glued to their mobile devices and binge-watch for hours. The new iWant, which will be available to users in the country in iOS and Android apps and through the web, has lined up a diverse mix of compelling titles that will appeal to every user – all for free. Viewers who are anticipating the muchhyped film Glorious, whose trailer has earned more than 14 million views in less than a week, will finally get to see the sensual scenes and romantic May-December love affair of Glory (Angel Aquino) and Niko (Tony Labrusca). While physical attraction will initially draw them together, they will try to overcome the challenges in their relationship, including their opposing perspectives, age gap, and disapproval and judgment from their loved ones and community. iWant also reboots an iconic TV show created by Chito Roño with Spirits Reawaken, which will follow the adventures of six teenagers who have supernatural powers and are tasked to protect the earth from the threat of an alien invasion. Set in the ‘90s and directed by Topel Lee, the series will offer a dose of nostalgia and coming-of-age realness with rising young stars Grae Fernandez, Kira Balinger, Jairus Aquino, Bugoy Cariño, Patrick Quiroz, and Chantal Videla in the lead. The ten-episode anthology series Alamat ng Ano, meanwhile, will tickle the imagination and funny bone of viewers as it tackles the origin of ordinary things in an absurd and humorous way. Narrated by a talky barangay tanod (Jobert Austria) and his trusty sidekick (Nonong Ballinan), it will star the country’s brightest digital stars, such as Maymay Entrata, Kisses Delavin, Donny Pangilinan, and Melai Cantiveros. iWant’s exciting line-up of original content also includes the gore-horror film Ma, which revolves around a kid named Samuel (Kyle Espiritu), whose inner evil is awakened when he is forced to sacrifice a life to revive his dead mother (Glydel Mercardo). Fashion and travel vlogger Laureen Uy also makes a splash on iWant in Laureen on a Budget, where she challenges herself to pull off chic outfits or to redecorate a room without breaking the bank. With each fun episode, Laureen and a special guest will teach viewers the art of saving and staying within budget while staying stylish and classy. Showbiz insiders MOR 101.9 DJ Jhai Ho, TV Patrol entertainment reporter MJ Felipe, and online sweetheart and television headwriter Darla Sauler also get together every Friday night to discuss and confirm the hottest showbiz topics live in IKR (I Know Right?!). In order to watch these offerings, users just need to download the iWant app and register for free. Those who already have the iWant TV app on their devices simply need to update to the new version on Nov. 17. Apart from this month’s line-up of content, iWant will also introduce more new, original titles that will exclusively stream on the platform, including a special digital show for “Star Hunt” that will feature promising Filipino talents. iWant’s extensive library of regularly updated content also includes ABS-CBN shows, films, restored movie classics, fastcut versions of currently airing Kapamilya teleseryes, and Asianovelas, including the back-to-back streaming of “Meteor Garden” China and its original Taiwanese production. For updates, like www.facebook.com/ iWant, and follow @iwant on Twitter and @iwantofficial on Instagram, and subscribe to www.youtube.com/iWantPH.