Manila Standard - 2019 March 11 - Monday by Manila Standard

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

El Niño manageable—LGUs THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Sunday the effects of the El Niño phenomenon in the country were still manageable as reported by local government units. “We were assured that as of now things are manageable, but we are not sure,” agency spokesman Edgar Posa-

das told Super Radyo dzBB. Posadas also said several LGUs had already presented their respective resolutions to address the problems brought by El Niño. He said the NDRRMC had already received copies of Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 29 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CRITICAL. La Mesa Dam’s water level declines slightly from 69.00 meters at 10 a.m. to 68.95 m as of 11 a.m. on March 10, according to a caretaker which says the QC dam’s level is nearing critical level as a result of the onset of El Niño. In Parañaque City, a boy (inset) tries hard to pump water from a deepwell and manages to draw out only a series of drips for a bathing playmate. Ey Acasio and Norman Cruz

Andaya slams senators over ‘parked pork’ HOUSE appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. on Sunday accused senators of realigning P77 billion in the 2019 national budget after it had already been approved by the bicameral conference committee, after the Senate made a similar accusation against the House last week. “Senators are desperately looking for ghosts in the 2019 General Appropriations Act. The problem [is], they seem to ﬁnd ghosts everywhere except... [in] their own house,” he said in a statement. “If post-bicam itemization of lumpsum budget by the House of Representatives is unconstitutional or irregular, what about post-bicam realignment by the Senate of P77 billion in the national budget?” Andaya said. The realignment by the Senate, he said, was “nowhere to be found in the bicameral conference committee report.” “Worse, unlike in the House of Representatives, there are no proponents for the realignment. Meaning, the funds are parked somewhere in the national budget. This is clearly parked pork,” he said.

Sara ends word war vs. foes, seeks truce By Macon Ramos-Araneta

IPA CITY, Batangas― Heeding her mother’s admonition to “be kind,” Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said Sunday she would stop her war of words with the political opposition.

“The Inday Sara show has packed up,” she said on the sidelines of a campaign stop for her Hugpong ng Pagbabago in Lipa City. “No more, so sad.” The mayor, the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte and Elizabeth Zimmerman, said her mother called her from Davao Sunday morning and told her to stop picking ﬁghts with the opposition, and reminded her to be kind before anything else. “She sort of scolded me,” Duterte said in Filipino. “She said everybody knows you are the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, but you are also my daughter.” Next page

Rody resumes tirade vs. priests FOR President Rodrigo Duterte, all Catholic priests and bishops are “stupid.” “Is there an intelligent priest? They are all stupid. If they aren’t stupid, they wouldn’t enter [the] priesthood,” Duterte said in a speech in Negros Occidental on Friday. “You are a man, but you chose to be a priest. You keep on looking at all the beautiful women that you can’t court. My God.” The President attacked religious ofﬁcials for failing to observe the separation of Church and State. “The priests shouldn’t overstep their boundaries. You know that they started it ﬁrst. Tell them that there is a separation of Church and State. The sons of b****** attack me in the pulpit using the religion,” Duterte said. Next page

‘Whiff of corruption’ gets Duterte’s goat By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday warned his Cabinet officials that he would not hesitate to fire them for contributing to the government’s “shortcomings.” In a speech in Negros Occidental, the President, who always reminds high-ranking government officials to veer away from even the “whiff of corruption,” said he can dismiss them if they bring trouble to his administration. “I know the problem. The government has a lot of shortcomings. I’ll say this to you, frankly. I have ordered the dismissal of several Cabinet members. That is what you [government officials] have to watch out for,” Duterte said, without elaborating. Next page

TRANSGENDER BEAUTY. Contestant Nicole Guevarra Flores of the Philippines competes during the Miss International Queen 2019 transgender beauty pageant held in Pattaya, Thailand on March 8. AFP

Pope: Doping pollutes sports

Robo-reporters gaining traction

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis has warned that the positive values of sport are being polluted by doping and corruption as he met Saturday with members of European and African cycling federations. Next page

WASHINGTON—A text-generating “bot” nicknamed Tobi produced nearly 40,000 news stories about the results of the November 2018 elections in Switzerland for the media giant TameNext page dia—in just five minutes.

Ethiopian jet crashes, killing 157 on board BISHOFTU, Ethiopia—An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed Sunday morning en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, killing all 149 passengers and eight crew on board, state media reported as African leaders offered condolences. “We hereby conﬁrm that our scheduled ﬂight ET 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was involved in accident today,” the airline said. Next page

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019twitter.com/ MlaStandard mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NLEX toll rates greenlighted, SLEX on appeal THE North Luzon Expressway will charge higher rates starting March 20, the Toll Regulatory Board said Sunday. Cars, SUVs, jeepneys and motorcycles, or Class 1 vehicles using the Balintawak/Mindanao/Harbor LinkMarilao North stretch of the NLEX, will pay P55, up from P45 now. Class 2 vehicles, or buses and small trucks, will be charged an additional P23, pushing the toll to P137 from P114. The toll for class 3 vehicles or heavy trucks will go up by P29 to P165 from P136. The toll for the Marilao-Santa Ines stretch will be P22 higher for Class 1 vehicles, or P258 from P236. The toll for Class 2 vehicles will go up to P646 from P590, while Class 3 vehicles will pay P785 from P708. The NLEX management was able to justify its appeal for higher rates, TRB spokesman Bert Suansing said. The board is hearing appeals to raise the toll rates for the South Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, he said.

Robo-reporters... From A1

These kinds of artificial intelligence programs—available for nearly a decade—are becoming more widespread as news organizations turn to them to produce stories, personalize news delivery and in some cases sift through data to find important news. Tobi wrote on vote results for each of Switzerland’s 2,222 municipalities, in both French and German, for the country’s largest media group, according to a paper presented last month at the Computation + Journalism conference in Miami. A similar automated program called Heliograf has enabled The Washington Post daily to cover some 500 election races, along with local sports and business, since 2014. “We’ve seen a greater acceptance of the potential for artificial intelligence, or robo-journalism, in newsrooms around the world,” said Damian Radcliffe, a University of Oregon professor who follows consumer trends and business models for journalism. “These systems can offer speed and accuracy and potentially support the realities of smaller newsrooms and the time pressures of journalists.” News organizations say the bots are not intended to displace human reporters or editors but rather to help free them from the most monotonous tasks, such as sports results and earnings reports. Jeremy Gilbert, director of strategic initiatives at The Washington Post, said Heliograf was developed as a tool to help the newspaper’s editorial team. “The Post has an incredible team of reporters and editors and we didn’t want to replace them,” Gilbert told AFP. ‘Is this something we can automate?’ Gilbert said the bot can deliver and update stories more quickly as they develop, allowing reporters to concentrate on other tasks, and that reaction has been generally positive. “The surprise was that a lot of people came up and said, ‘I do this story every week; is this something we can automate?’” Gilbert said. “These weren’t stories that anyone wanted to do.” Similar conversations are going on in newsrooms around the world. The Norwegian news agency NTB automated sports reports to get match results delivered within 30 seconds. AFP

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

News

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

Rody vows to kill alleged drug lord In his speech during a campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban in Negros Occidental, Duterte said he was willing to kill Lim, an alleged drug lord, and be jailed for it. “This Peter Lim. He has a house in Canada, a house in Bahamas, mo**** f*****, he even has a house in Hong

Kong. Peter Lim, if I see you, wherever it may be, I will kill you and I will go to jail for it,” Duterte said. He made his statement even as the police in Bataan arrested a couple and conﬁscated from them llegal drugs worth P500,000 and two pistols in a raid in Hermosa early Sunday morning.

Maj. Madtaib Jalman, Hermosa police chief, identiﬁed the suspects as Henry Layug, 22, and his live-in partner, Jinky Villareal, 19, both residents of Balsik village. Layug was the subject of a search warrant for illegal possession of ﬁrearms, but it turned out he also had shabu and drug materials. “This is the result of the surveillance conducted by the police and simultaneous operations on the implementation of the search warrant,” Jalman said. Months before the court issued an arrest warrant against Lim for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Lim went into hiding and remains on the run.

Sara...

the mayor said. She added that Robredo was a “fake vice president,” because her election victory is still under protest. The Davao City mayor has also been at odds with Robredo regarding her comments on honesty being a requirement for those running for ofﬁce. Duterte said the Constitution does not call for “honesty” as a requirement for political candidates. Earlier, Duterte said she had no problem with a debate against the Otso Diretso senatorial hopefuls, but she said she does not want to debate with “disorganized and depressed” candidates who can’t organize such an event. She recalled that the opposition group even asked her to draft the rules for the debate.

“So I told them, I am not the secretary of that black hole,” Duterte said. At a campaign stop in Calamba City, former senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, both running for the Senate, joked that the person who put them behind bars―former Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima―was her self still detained. They also told the crowd they were innocent of the charges that they received huge kickbacks from the pork barrel scam. The HNP stage also served as a venue for the reconciliation between political rivals E.R. Ejercito and incumbent Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez. Estrada, a ﬁrst cousin of Ejercito, called on him and Hernandez to settle their differences for the sake of their constituents. To cheers from the crowd, they shook hands.

the Duterte administration. These are the standards that those in the government must exercise at all times and with utmost responsibility and fidelity,” he said. “Those who fail to observe the same will inexorably suffer the harsh and punitive consequences,” he added, hoping that Balutan’s termination will serve as a “stern warning” to all government officials and employees. “The campaign against corruption, like the war on prohibited drugs, will be relentless and continuing until the last day of the President’s term,” Panelo said. Balutan was not the only one who was axed this year. In early January 2019, the President sacked Bacolod City chief of police Francis Ebreo and four other police officers for their drug involvement. In November last year, Duterte also

fired three officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The Palace said Undersecretary for Protective Operations and Programs Group Mae Ancheta-Templa, Undersecretary for Promotive Operations and Programs Group Maria Lourdes TuraldeJarabe, and Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group Hope Hervilla have been terminated to give newly appointed Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista a chance to pick his own team. A month before that, the President also sacked left-leaning official Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod. Duterte, however, had a change of heart as he welcomed Maglunsod into his administration as the executive director of National Maritime Polytechnic. The Palace had previously maintained that the President will have no sacred cows in his government.

men too seriously. But on Friday, his anti-church rhetoric resurfaced. “If a priest dies, the ﬁrst person they point their ﬁngers at is me. You started it. I’ll hit you, that is your problem,” he said. The Palace insists that the President’s remarks were not to blame for the threats against priests. The President also expressed doubts about the concept of “original sin” in the Bible’s creation story cited in the book of Genesis. “That’s not God’s handiwork. That’s not the real story of how earth came to be. Would you do that? And from then on, everyone who will be born into this world will be born with the original sin. Nah, you’ve been had. It was just Adam and Eve who had sex there. So why are we all born with the original sin? What did I do wrong?” he said. Duterte, who previously said he does not believe in heaven and hell, urged others to do the same. “Don’t believe in heaven and hell. They only use that to scare you. The nomadic tribes in the desert, some time

3,000 years ago, may be smarter than us,” he said. “That is what they used to scare us, the concept of hell. They say that if you go there when you die, you will burn. You will burn in hell. But if you are kind, you will go to heaven,” he added. In the same speech, the President also told women to avoid the priests. “The women should refrain from going near the priests because when you are near him, he will just smell the scent of your body. And if he corners you in the church, you’re dead, he will court you. Do you know why? It’s because he is a man,” the President added, saying that it is in the nature of the priests, as men, to feel affection towards women. “God gave him a penis. What will they do with that? Will they slap it against the door every morning? But he created a woman. The woman has a vagina. So that’s it, the end. Yes, that’s true. Frankly speaking. I’m not joking with you. Right? If he didn’t create a woman―what for?” Duterte issued this latest remark on women as the country celebrated the International Women’s Day. Nat Mariano

Rescue crews were retrieving human remains from the wreckage. Police and troops were on the scene, as well as a crash investigation team from Ethiopia’s civil aviation agency. In the Kenyan capital, family members, friends, and colleagues of passengers were frantically waiting for news at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. “I am still hoping that all is fine, because I have been waiting for my sister since morning and we have not been told anything,” Peter Kimani told AFP in the arrivals lounge over an hour after the plane was scheduled to land at 10:25 a.m. local time. His sister is a nurse who he said had gone to Congo. “She travels a lot on missions.” “We are still expecting our loved one from Addis... we have just received news that there is a plane that has crashed. We can only hope that she is not on that flight.” Hoping for the best Among those waiting, Khalid Ali Abdulrahman received happy news about his son, who works in Dubai. “I arrived here shortly after 10:00 a.m. and as I waited, a security person approached me and asked me which flight

are you waiting for. I answered him quickly because I wanted him to direct me to the arrivals, so I told him Ethiopia, and then he said: ‘Sorry, that one has crashed’.” “I was shocked, but shortly after, my son contacted me and told me he is still in Addis and did not board that ﬂight, he is waiting for the second one which has been delayed,” Khalid told AFP. “I am waiting for my colleague, I just hope for the best,” added Hannah, a Chinese national. African Union commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said he had learnt of the crash “with utter shock and immense sadness. “Our prayers are with the families of the passengers + crew as authorities search for survivors. I also express our full solidarity with the Govt & people of Ethiopia,” he said on Twitter. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ofﬁce tweeted it “would like to express its deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones.” Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta said he was “saddened” by the news, adding:

By Nat Mariano

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has again threatened to kill businessman Peter Lim for going into hiding over his alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in Cebu.

From A1

When the mayor said she was only responding to an attack, her mother said, “You have to be kind, ﬁrst of all.” if this meant she would stop answering the tirades from the opposition led by Vice President Leni Robredo and the senatorial bets under Otso Diretso, Duterte said yes, then added: “Let’s see how long I will last.” Duterte has been on a word war with Robredo and members of the opposition. Early Sunday morning, she issued a statement chiding Robredo for her hiding behind the “Robredo camp” when responding to attacks. “It says a lot about your fake courage,”

‘Whiff of... From A1

On Saturday, Malacañang announced that the President terminated retired Marine general Alexander Balutan as general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Ofﬁce for allegations of corruption. “The Palace conﬁrms that President Duterte has terminated the services of PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan on his present post due to serious allegations of corruption,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. Panelo did not reveal much about Balutan’s offense but reiterated that Duterte will not allow those who violate the Constitution to lead the country. “Good governance and public accountability are the twin hallmarks of

Rody... From A1

“If you are a priest and you want to attack me, don’t do it in the pulpit because this is the spokesman, the table of the church. Step away from it... Because if you do, when I retaliate, the church will be hit as well. And that is what happened,” he said. Duterte recalled an instance where a priest supposedly prayed for his death as a Mass was being held in support of the President’s outspoken critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. In December 2018, the President hit back the Catholic Church, urging loiterers and drug addicts to rob and kill rich Catholic bishops. Duterte surmised that some priests became rich from taking the donations from the people. Two months after the President’s verbal attacks, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle informed the President about the death threats received by clergymen. Duterte then retracted his previous statement, calling on the public not to take his verbal attacks against clergy-

Pope:...

Ethiopian...

From A1

The Pontiff praised cycling as one of the sports that “places emphasis on virtues, such as patience, integrity, altruism and team spirit. “If we consider road cycling we can see how the whole team works together during the races,” the Argentine said. “[Athletes] have this extraordinary opportunity to communicate to everyone, especially young people, the positive values of life and the desire to devote it to the pursuit of high and noble goals.” But the 82-year-old Pontiff warned that the opposite happens when “other interests such as prestige and proﬁt” take over. “I am thinking of doping, dishonesty, disrespect for oneself and one’s opponents, and corruption,” he told participants at the Annual Congress of the European Cycling Union, which this year also hosted the Assembly of the African Cycling Confederation. AFP

“The group CEO who is at the accident scene right now regrets to conﬁrm that there are no survivors.” The airline has not provided information on passengers’ nationalities but there are reports people from 33 countries were on board. The crash came on the eve of a major, annual assembly of the UN Environment Program opening in Nairobi. State-owned Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, said the plane had taken off at 8:38 am (0538 GMT) from Bole International Airport and “lost contact” six minutes later near Bishoftu, a town some 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa by road. The weather in the capital, according to an AFP reporter, was clear when the brand-new Boeing plane, delivered to Ethiopia last year, plane took off. The Boeing came down near the village of Tulu Fara outside Bishoftu. An AFP reporter said there was a massive crater at the crash site, with belongings and airplane parts scattered widely.

Duterte had previously admitted he did not know Lim’s whereabouts, but the Palace said Duterte was now more convinced about Lim’s involvement in illegal drugs. Duterte had also said it would be better for Lim to commit suicide because he would face 200 years in jail once he gave up. Since August 2018, the authorities have been hunting down Lim following the arrest warrant issued by Judge Gina BibatPalamos of Regional Trial Court Branch 65 in Makati City. According to his co-accused, Kerwin Espinosa, a self-confessed drug dealer, Lim was his supplier of illegal drugs in the Visayas but Lim had denied it. With PNA

Andaya... From A1

The senators may try to justify the realignment by describing them again as institutional amendments. But how can they describe the Senate’s P25billion realignment that was parked in the DPWH budget? Still institutional amendments?” He said of the P77 billion in post-bicam realignments by the Senate, at least P25 billion was parked as additional funds for the senators’ pet projects in the Department of Public Works and Highways. None of this was contained in the bicameral conference committee report, he added. “The House, for its part, did its job. We itemized our amendments. The itemization was within the parameters of the bicameral conference committee report ratified by each chamber. “If lump-sums are not itemized, then that is illegal and unconstitutional. That was the main reason why we scrutinized the budget proposal because there were insertions made without the knowledge of officials concerned. Now, it seems we go back to the same practice after all has been said and done,” he added. At the same time, Andaya said if senators feel that the 2019 ratified budget was flawed, they could ask President Rodrigo Duterte to veto some portions of it. “We are not afraid of a budget that would show what agency would benefit and what programs would be funded,” he said. “What are the senators afraid of about the itemized budget? As far as the House is concerned, we have all the records to substantiate our stand and the legal basis as well as the established traditions and practices to back us up,” he added.

El Niño... From A1

the resolutions from different parts of the country, and mostly from Mindanao and the Mimaropa region. “”They have sent many reports of preparations [for the phenomenon],” Posadas said. He reminded the LGUs that they could request fund assistance from his agency. “They can always write a proposal to the NDRRMC for assistance and we will definitely give priority,” Posadas said. Due to the effects of El Niño, the water levels of the dams continue to decline, water interruptions are being implemented to conserve water, and some areas have been experiencing a dry spell. As of March 10, four areas had been declared under the state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño: Zamboanga City and the municipalities of Alamada, Pikit and Aleosan in Cotabato. “My prayers go to all the families and associates of those on board.” Mahboub Maalim, executive secretary of the IGAD East African bloc, said the region and the world were in mourning. “I cannot seem to find words comforting enough to the families and friends of those who might have lost their lives in this tragedy,” he said in a statement. For its part, the plane’s maker, US giant company Boeing, said it was “aware” of the accident “and is closely monitoring the situation.” Ethiopian Airlines said it would send staff to the accident scene to “do everything possible to assist the emergency services.” It would also set up a passenger information centre and a dedicated telephone number for family and friends of people who may have been on the flight, while Kenya’s transport minister said officials would meet and council loved ones waiting at JKIA. The Boeing 737-800MAX is the same type of plane as the Indonesian Lion Air jet that crashed last October, 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board.

News

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arroyo goes on the stump, Tingog in tow By Rio Araja HOUSE Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo has brought to her district in Pampanga several of the most competent and qualified candidates and groups running in the midterm poll led by Tingog Party-list first nominee Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez to present their platform of governance. “I am here to give the most competent and most qualified candidates exposure to present their plans and platform of governance to enable Kapampangans to vote wisely,” Arroyo said. The Speaker recently hosted a caucus of Hugpong ng Pagbabago candidates in Manibaug Paralaya, Porac. She was joined there by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, a senatorial bet, and Cavite Vice Gov. Bryan Revilla representing his father Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. Romualdez thanked the Speaker for “inviting Tingog to present our platforms of governance to the people there, including Waray residents in Pampanga.” She delivered her “malasakit” (compassionate) message to over 1,000 underprivileged residents at the caucus. She met with Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo along with the community leaders representing Eastern Visayans living in Mabalacat City. She lauded the Cabalens’ support for the Tingog Party-list. Romualdez’s mother-in-law—the mother of former Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez—Juliette GomezRomualdez—is a native of Mabalacat. If elected in the May 13 elections, Tingog said it would push for the legislative agenda focusing on regional development to uplift Eastern Visayas from poverty, intensify investments in infrastructure support, and for the capacity of the government to prepare, manage, and respond to natural disasters through the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience.

Gov’t allots P1.5 billion to Metro subway THE national government is spending an initial P1.5 billion this year for Phase 1 of the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said Sunday. The amount covers the Philippine government’s “counterpart funding” for the project and is lodged in the budget of the Department of Transportation, according to Campos, a deputy minority leader and ex-officio member of the House appropriations committee. Phase 1 of the country’s first underground rapid transit system is being bankrolled by a P51.3-billion official development assistance, also known as a discounted loan, from Japan International Cooperation Agency. “Metro Manila could use two or three more subways over the 10 to 20 years to efficiently convey large numbers of commuters,” Campos said. Campos pointed out that the National Capital Region’s peak 15-million daytime population could easily surge to 20 million in the years ahead. “Electric trains below ground offer the fastest way for us to move tens of thousands of people—whether over long or short distances—without adding to road congestion above ground,” Campos said. “There’s really no other option, except to build our future passenger trains in tunnels, considering that we can no longer widen our roads,” Campos added. The DOTr recently broke ground for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway’s train depot in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City. Once completed, subway trains are projected to run at 35 to 48 kilometers per hour and traverse 15 underground stations from Mindanao AvenueQuirino Highway in Quezon City all the way to the Food Terminal Inc. Complex in Taguig City in just 31 to 42 minutes. The subway would enable passengers from Quezon City to reach the NAIA Terminal 3 in under 30 minutes. Some 365,000 passengers are expected to take the subway every day on its first year of full operations in 2025. The number is anticipated to surge to 973,000 by 2035. The subway’s first three stations in Quezon City are due for completion before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends in 2022.

HOPEFUL A man pours water into containers in Baseco, Tondo Manila apparently hoping to satisfy his clients before the taps run dry on March 10, amid the onset of El Niño that has parched several provinces in Northern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Two agencies, PAGASA and MWSS, urge the public to conserve water and use supply wisely or face the grim prospects of water rationing in Metro Manila. NormanC ruz

Air strikes vs Sayyaf: One dead By Francisco Tuyay

HE massive military campaign against 200 members of Abu Sayyaf Group that began Friday has so far yielded one ASG dead even as ground troops said nine to 10 terrorists might have been killed in aerial and ground bombardment in Patikul, Sulu. Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said the account on 10 ASG members killed during air and ground strikes in Barangay Kabbun Takas, Patikul was based on civilians’ report.

Pabayo, however, said the troops had not found any dead bodies of bandits yet as security forces scoured the battle site. Pabayo could not conﬁrm if ASG leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan

was one of those killed during the bombardment. “We could not pinpoint yet; there were many accounts indicating that there are nine or 10 that might have been killed, but there was no conﬁrmation yet,” Pabayo said. The ASG bandits led by Sawadjaan and Radulan Sahiron were spotted converging in Barangay Kabbun Takas So far, troops from the 11th Infantry Division reported to have pinned down an ASG bandit in separate clash with the terrorists in Brgy Upper Binauang, Talipao, Sulu last Saturday. Army soldiers were still on clearing operations at the battle site and found

Rakib Dahsul dead. The slain was among the ASG splinter group under Sub-group leader Jaber Susukan who was chanced upon by troops of the Army’s 2nd Special Forces Battalion. As the bandits tried to evade soldiers, a 20-minute clash ensued, the military said. “The engaged troops are part of the blocking force of the JTF Sulu as its main force scour the hinterlands of Patikul, the main battle area to hunt down the ASG,” the 11th IB said. After a lull in the ﬁghting, soldiers recovered two M16 riﬂes left by the escaping terrorists. Pabayo said the AFP in Sulu was still hunting down the ASG.

Search for 2019 outstanding Filipino awardees gets underway THE search for the 2019 The Outstanding Filipino is ofﬁcially underway. JCI Senate Philippines and JCISP TOFIL Foundation, in partnership with ANSA Foundation, staged the national launching the other day of the TOFIL Awards 2019 at Kalayaan Hall at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City. With the theme, “Nation Builders and Heroes In Our Midst,” the TOFIL Awards recognizes outstanding Filipinos 41 years of age and over whose exemplary achievements have contributed to public welfare and community building worthy of emulation. “For over 30 years, The Outstanding Filipino [TOFIL] awards has been giving recognition to remarkable men and women who have served the Filipino people through their exceptional work and excellence,” says JCISP president JCI Sen. Domingo “Jun” Roque. “They are the pride of our nation. They are great inspirations to all of us. This year promises to be another banner year as

we continue the ﬁne tradition of the JCI “We are honored to renew our since 1988, the TOFIL Awards has since Senate Philippines. With our renewed commitment and partnership with brought public recognition to more than partnership with ANSA Foundation JCI Senate Philippines in this year’s 100 men and women whose greatness in and chaired by seasoned events prestigious TOFIL Awards,” he their ﬁelds have made a lasting impact specialist—JCI Senator Melandrew says. in the society. Velasco—this year’s TOFIL will be TOFIL Foundation Chairman JCI Among its 100 previouswere: Cecilia up to task to honor inspiring Filipino Senator Bicbic Garcia called on citizens Muñoz Palma (Public Service, 1988); individuals.” to “join hands and push this noble project Diosdado Macapagal (Government National Chairman and JCISP PR to greater heights as we collectively Service, 1990); Helena Zoila T. Benitez Director JCI Senator Melandrew T. search for outstanding Filipinos who (Education, 1996); Efren Reyes (Sports, Velasco adds, “I believe there are many inspire and continue to uplift the lives 1999); David Consunji (Construction outstanding and exemplary Filipinos of many.” Industry, 2002); Antonio P. Meloto whose lives have left a lasting legacy Organized by JCI Senate Philippines (Humanitarian Service, 2006). to their contemporaries and to the younger generation of Manila nation-builders and leaders, Standard TODAY and we will honor them in the next coming months.” According to ANSA Foundation president Philip The Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association Nocom whose partnership with JCI Senate Philippines and its members mourn the loss of Former started in 2016, this has Deputy Executive Secretary Dionisio Dela been one of ANSA’s most Serna, 79, yesterday, March 10. important legacy and outreach projects.

Upsilon Sigma Phi mourns loss of ex-Cabinet Secretary Dela Serna THE Upsilon Sigma Phi, Asia’s ﬁrst fraternity based in the University of the Philippines and with members who have distinguished themselves in Philippine business and society, mourns the loss of a distinguished and well respected leader in Dionisio dela Serna. Dela Serna, who hails from Davao City, was Deputy Executive Secretary during the administration of former President Fidel V. Ramos. He concurrently headed the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and was acting Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment . During the term of former President Corazon C. Aquino, he was the Chairman of Pag-Ibig, the National Housing Authority and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. Apart from his government service, he was the former President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Davao Chapter as well as governor of the IBP. He belonged to batch 1957 of the Upsilon Sigma Phi and was the fraternity’s head, known as the Most Illustrious Fellow, during his days as a University student . Years later he served his fraternity again as the president and chairman of the Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association. The current Board of Trustees of the USPAA and its members have expressed their deep sense of loss over De la Serna’s passing, citing his numerous contributions to the fraternity and its members.

Dela Serna was a distinguished lawyer who headed the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and was acting Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment. He was also the former chairman of Pag-Ibig, the National Housing Authority and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. He served as the President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Davao Chapter as well as Governor of the IBP. He is survived by his wife Concepcion Abella and his children David, Dennis and Andrew Dela Serna. Interment details to follow.

Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Beware the Chinese Trojan horse MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad warned the Philippines about the perils of allowing a large number of Chinese workers in the country. Here on an official visit, the 93-year-old Malaysian leader last year pulled a shocking election victory in his return to power. Known for his outspoken views, Mahathir took on global currency trader George Soros by proving him wrong about his dire prediction on Malaysia’s economy. The Malaysian

This is what Mahathir really said.

leader diminished Chinese grip on the Malaysian economy during his earlier first term in by imposing Bumiputra— a concept originally coined by Abdul Razak Hussein. Mahathir should not be accused of having a serious case of Sinophobia. Aside from his desire to assure a higher level of education for native Malaysians, Mahathir’s passion was to set a level playing field in the business sector for ethnic Malaysians and Chinese. This he accomplished without doing what the army perpetrated in the killing of 500,000 Chinese in Indonesia. The number of Chinese merchants and suspected members of the PKI Communist Party alleged to be involved in a coup and killed is estimated to reach a million. The 19651966 massacre led to the downfall of

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

President Sukarno and the start of Suharto’s 30-year rule. Some say the bloody scenario in Indonesia could be reprised in the Philippines. We hope not, because ChineseFilipino taipans here are helping fuel the engines of growth and actually propping up the Philippine economy. Philippine legislators have expressed concern that some 200,000 Chinese in the gaming industry have displaced Filipino workers who have to look for jobs overseas, Filipinos are asking if the Chinese workers in the various online gambling are paying taxes that the Department of Finance needs badly for the government’s Build Build Build infrastructure program. In a sense, Mahathir warned of the Chinese Trojan horse that could make the Philippines a country vassal of the Mandarin cabal in Beijing. Millions of US dollars in loans and grants from China to the Philippines could compromises the country’s independence. Given that Manila has a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, the influx here of the 200,000 Chinese workers pose a security problem. Other countries like Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam and Taiwan have conflicting claims in the South China Sea where Beijing with its nine-dash line claims nearly the entire body of water which is rich in potential oil, gas and minerals under the seabed. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr. ,however, allayed Filipinos’ fear of the Chinese debt trap. He said the country can handle bad loans that might compromise its sovereignty. On the other hand, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo who received reports of Chinese patrol boats driving away Filipino fishermen from their own waters in the West Philippine Sea

Who are we to believe?

HE Palace last week announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had fired the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Alexander Balutan, over “serious allegations of corruption.” As he was departing, however, Balutan denied any wrongdoing and hinted that powerful people had wanted him out. In a statement posted on social media, Balutan said that when he became general manager in 2016, he told PCSO employees that if somebody from the Office of the President or Congress asked or ordered him to do something he could not stomach, he would resign. "Career for me is just temporary but character is lifetime... even beyond my grave," he said, adding that he never asked for the job, and that the President even asked him to retire from military service ahead of his retirement so he could serve in the administration. His deputy spokesman said Balutan resigned for “personal

reasons.” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, made it clear that Balutan was fired. “We hope that this will serve as a stern warning to all government officials and employees that there are no sacred cows in the current administration, especially when it comes to serving the Filipino people with integrity and loyalty,” he said in a statement. Who are we to believe? Last year, Balutan came under fire for throwing a P6.3-million Christmas party at the five-star EDSA Shangri-La hotel for the PCSO’s 1,580 employees and guests in 2017. The Commission on Audit, in its 2017 report, flagged this as an “extravegant expenditure.” There have also been allegations of corruption in the opera-

tion of the PCSO’s small-town lottery that led to a Senate investigation in January 2018. In the aftermath of those investigations, at least two senators said Balutan should go, and one urged the administration to file criminal charges against him. This recommendation makes eminent sense. If the government can prove its case against the sacked official, then firing him should only be the first step—he must be made accountable in a court of law. At the heart of this issue—and the President’s anti-corruption campaign as a whole—is the question of honesty, a trait that President Duterte clearly holds dear. Was the government official in question being honest in the way he ran his agency? This is a crucial question, the answer of which determines whether or not he is fit for public office, regardless of what anybody else might say. The President is clearly an honest man. That should be the measure, too, for those who work with him and for him.

Turn to A5

Degree

DID Imee Marcos finish college at Princeton? And law at the University of the Philippines? She has been governor of Ilocos Norte, congresswoman of the same province for years and years, decades even. But now she is running for senator, and under the harsh light of media’s attention, the question of her academic degrees is front-page news. Now let me tell you a real story: In the summer of 1981, in Boston, I casually asked then-exile Ninoy Aquino what degree he finished. Frankly I did not know much at the time about the outspoken senator who was imprisoned by his Upsilon fraternity brod Ferdinand E. Marcos, right at the beginning of martial rule. His reply: “I didn’t graduate with a college degree.” “In fact, ang dami kong iskwelahan na pinasok. Elementary sa La Salle, but eventually finished it at St. Joseph’s in New Manila. Then San Beda for high school. I went to Ateneo de Manila for an AB degree, but didn’t get to finish it,” Ninoy matterof-factly stated. “At 17, I went to Korea with the PEFTOK [Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea] contingent, as a young journalist, a war correspondent of the Manila Times,” he continued. “Yes, I read about that. Sumikat ka nga doon,” I chimed in. “Binigyan ako ni Presidente Quirino ng Legion of Honor because of that, when I was just 18,” Aquino beamed. “I took up law courses at the UP, but not for a degree,” he added.

“Ako kasi Lito, ‘pag sa tingin ko enough na yung alam ko, hindi yung diploma ang importante,” Ninoy explained. “Sa UP ko naging brod si Macoy… Upsilon, si Doy Laurel nagpasok sa akin. Doy and I are like brothers; nagsama ang papa at si Presidente Jose Laurel nung panahon ng Hapon. Sabay kaming feeling ostracized after the war, when our fathers were imprisoned, and labelled collaborators,” he continued.

It’s a character issue, they say.

The eminent statesman and longtime labor secretary, Blas Fajardo Ople of Hagonoy, Bulacan, though graduating as valedictorian of his grade school class at the Hagonoy Elementary School, was not known to have finished a college degree, although he enrolled in Quezon College in Manila after the Second World War. Even his high school studies were interrupted, and a teenage Ople fought with the guerilla movement against the Japanese. But Ople was a journalist par excellence, whose mastery of both Tagalog and the English language was way above everyone else’s wave length. After his long stint in the labor department where he presided over the beginnings of the OFW phenomenon, Ople became a senator, a foreign affairs secretary, and Senate President. Senatorial candidate Chel Diokno’s famous nationalist father, Jose Wright Diokno, graduated as valedictorian at De La Salle, and finished business administration with summa Turn to A5

Where have all the PhilHealth funds gone? WHERE have all the flowers gone? This is the opening line of a classic song written in 1955 by American singer and political activist Peter “Pete” Seeger who died in 2014. Using the principle of alliteration, the song enunciates the futility of war juxtaposed on the cycle of life. It is so simple and powerful cycle many an artists including the trio Peter, Paul and Mary have immortalized it down the line.

respect to the songwriter, I made some modifications to bring home the message in today’s column. “Where has all the money gone, long PhilHealth must time passing? commission financial Where has all the money gone, long experts and managers time ago? Where has all the money gone? with actuarial acumen The thieves pocketed them everyone to replace physicians When will they ever learn? doubling as accountants. When will they ever learn?” Over time since its creation, PhilHealth has shown us it is the bedrock The song inspired me to write about of corruption in high places…involving the recurrent fund scandals that rock the mind-boggling amounts of money that state-run Philippine Health Insurance belong to its marginalized members, noTurn to A5 Corp. every now and then. With all due Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion The copper industry we should have ONE of the more controversial orders issued by former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez was the blanket ban on open-pit mining. While that particular method of mining could appear to be especially disruptive to the environment, there are existing technologies to effectively manage and rehabilitate it, bolstered by numerous cases of successful rehabilitations of once-thriving open-pit mining sites. The nuances of such a polarizing policy became the subject of a roundtable discussion hosted by independent think tank Stratbase ADR Institute and environmental advocacy group Philippine Business for Environment Stewardship in partnership with DENR. In particular, a sector with massive potential that could benefit from a careful revisiting of that policy is the copper industry. Board of Investments Supervising Investment Specialist Dennis Panga, in presenting the Philippine Copper Industry Roadmap, noted how fragmented the copper industry value chain is. This is the reason why the country is unable to take full advantage of what is touted to be the fourthlargest copper deposit in the world. He explained: “Mining companies export almost 100 percent of the copper concentrates, while PASAR [Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation] also imports its required copper concentrates and exports almost 100 percent of copper cathodes. on the other hand, rods are being imported and sold as wires and cables in the domestic market.” The purpose of the roadmap then is to integrate this supply chain, from establishing casting rods facilities and facilitating linkages between auto wire harness and the local supply chain. While the Philippines figures significantly as exporter of copper concentrates, copper cathodes, and other commodities in the global copper value chain, the downstream sector definitely has room to grow. The roadmap, for instance, proposes the establishment of an ecological industrial zone in Leyte. But in addition to infrastructure, the sector is also hindered, Panga said, by other things. Foremost is the uncertainty in the regulatory and fiscal regime on mining, environmental issues, high power cost and threats of power interruptions. In particular, a “clear, stable, and forward-looking policy” is key if such a capital-intensive initiative were to prosper, which means there is no room for things like the Aquino-era

Beware... From A4

reiterated America’s commitment to defend the Philippines from external attack. A statement of US commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and Manila by Pompeo, who was in Manila for an official visit, was received with lukewarm response by the Duterte administration. Former President Barack Obama said the same thing in his visit to Manila during the time of then-President Benigno Aquino III.

Degree From A4

cum laude honors at the age of 17. He had to secure a special dispensation to take the CPA board exams because of his youth. Not only did he pass, he topped. Thereafter, he enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas to pursue a law degree. But World War II erupted and schooling was interrupted. He pursued his education by reading his father’s law books. After the war, the Supreme Court granted the young Diokno a special dispensation to take the bar examinations despite never having completed a law degree. Jose W. Diokno is perhaps the only Filipino who has topped both the CPA and the bar exams. He became a topnotch law practitioner like his father, and was appointed Secre-

Executive Order 79, which effectively banned the entry of new mining projects in the country, at least until a policy rationalizing revenue sharing schemes is approved. The other identified roadblock, of course, is DAO 2017-10, or the ban on open-pit mining. In the same roundtable discussion, Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s Larry Heradez said the Mining Industry Coordinating Council has recommended measures for strict compliance in relation to open pit mines. Among these is the DENR, through a technical committee, being tasked to review the mining regulatory process, in particular new guidelines for activities “that involve permanent surface modification and potential long-term rehabilitation.”

Other measures include the enen hancement of design and performance standards for open-pit mines, taking into consideration best-practice control strategies and technologies especially on mine rehabilitation and restoration; revisiting the sanctions and penalties for violations; prioritizing and scaling up of the rehabilitation of abandoned and legacy mines; conducting a periodic review of go and no-go zones for mining applications, and finally strengthening of the monitoring system on mining operations, including rehabilitation activities. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, through its Chairman Gerard Brimo, also assailed EO 79 and DAO 2017-10 as among the fundamental culprits in why the mining industry continues to be relatively unattractive to investments. A 2017 global survey ranks the Philippines in the bottom seven among 91 jurisdictions in terms of mining policies and last in terms of investment attractiveness in the Australia / Oceana region. In this regard, Brimo said House Bill 8400 is a step toward the right direction. It proposes a margin-based royalty on income from mining operations, in addition to a 3-percent royalty on gross output of the minerals for large-scale metallic and non-metallic operations located within mining reservation areas. This, Brimo said, will impose even higher taxes but compared to other versions, an incomebased scheme aligns the Philippines a bit closer to comparable large mining countries in the world. If HB 8400 hopefully takes care of

EO 79 (the open-pit ban which continues to derail important projects), the Tampakan Copper Project, the King-King Copper Gold Project, and the Silangan Copper Gold Project, all in Mindanao and, once operational, could hike the total industry contribution to exports to 9 percent and to GDP to 1.5 percent, Brimo said. Projected yearly revenues of these three projects will generate P12 billion for the national government and P1.5 billion for local government.w “The open-pit mining method is practiced all over the mining world. For most types of near-surface mineral deposits, there is no alternative,” he explained. For former DENR-MGB Director Horace Ramos, there are technical solutions and technologies that can alleviate fears of ecological damage from open-pit mining. The evaluation of open mines, he said, should be on a case-to-case basis, based, for instance, on the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Environmental Compliance Certificate. This was the same point raised by PBEST Convenor Carmelo Bayarcal, who said harnessing the country’s un untapped mineral wealth need not clash with environmental protection. “A more balanced approach that imposes strict evaluation on the capacity and competence of mining companies to rehabilitate disturbed areas instead of an outright ban will minimize the inherent environmental impact of mining,” he said. Stratbase ADRi President Dindo Manhit said: “Finally resolving this policy stalemate with a reloaded and stable regulatory environment aligns well with President Duterte’s vision for economic and infrastructure development.” When the Senate resumes in June, it will have three weeks to approve a counterpart bill for HB 8400 with hopefully enough time to pass into law. This and the existing ban on open-pit mining remain to be most severe obstacles in the Philippine copper and mining industry’s take-off. If the experience of other countries were to serve as a model, clarifying and stabilizing the regulatory environment should be the first step. There is special currency in this in the context of the Duterte administration’s ambitious development agenda. Our mineral wealth has remained just another potential for far too long. Reversing these mistakes with policies that are stable and competitive would create an industry, as we’ve seen in legitimate mining operations, bring much needed prosperity to isolated and undeveloped communities where it is most needed. For President Duterte, the copper and mining industries are well worth his political capital.

Mahathir, like the United States, advocates a freedom of navigation in the vital SCS sea lanes on which trillions of dollars in commercial cargo carried by international vessels pass through. Concern over the Chinese military build-up in the area could impede freedom of navigation which could affect global trade. A confrontation between Chinese warships and fighter planes and that of the US is a flashpoint in the South China Sea which could spark World War III, according to world analysts. This, even as a trade war is already brewing between China and

the United States. Last week, the US sought sanctions by trade allies against buying Huawei products which it believes is at the forefront of hacking into US defense files and electronic companies. Huawei, on the other hand, said it would sue the US government over what it claims is an unlawful act against a duly established global company. How does Mahathir maintain a sharp mind and keep fit? He said it’s by managing his weight by eating right and also by moving a lot and walking.

tary of Justice by President Diosdado Macapagal. Later, after disagreement with his president on the handling of the celebrated Harry Stonehill bribery scandal, he resigned. Running a year later for senator under the banner of the opposition Nacionalista Party, he won resoundingly, and was one of the best senators of the realm until martial law put him behind bars along with Ninoy Aquino. Indeed, it is not the number of academic degrees that one has that really Lito Lapid, who is rating very high in the surveys, thanks to Coco Martin’s never-ending “Ang Probinsyano,” is not one to deny his lack of academic credentials. In all humility, he does not hide that fact when confronted that he does not possess any degree. Of course, Otso Diretso and many others will continue to hound Ferdinand Marcos’ daughter on this issue of

alleged “fake” academic degrees until May 11. It is a character issue, they will remind voters. And just as I was finishing this article, I read a report about a NEDA official saying over a radio interview that NFA rice was being bought by people for other reasons than personal consumption. Queried further, she supposedly said, “pinapakain sa aso.” This brought a pained reaction from the NFA administrator for its insensitivity. “Mata-pobre” was the descriptive used. When I was administrator of NFA, I noticed that my staff would cook highquality rice in a rice cooker for our lunch, instead of just buying rice from the canteen where we bought our meals. Forthwith, I asked that we be served NFA rice. “Kung kaya nating ibenta sa tao, dapat tayo mismo, kakain nito.”

Our mineral wealth has remained just another potential for far too long.

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Growing government dangers DURING an appearance on an international business news network, legendary economist Thomas Sowell said he wouldn’t bet on people resisting the siren song of socialism. Adding fuel to the fire, economist Peter Schiff warned his podcast audience recently that the world was borrowing itself broke, and that a global recession was all but guaranteed. On TV, Schiff also warned that the coming global financial crisis would usher in more socialism. But as global central banks signal they may mess around with the balance sheets and interest rates once again to keep their economies from collapsing, the public still seems blissfully unaware of the gravity of the coming crisis. As we learn that net worths have fallen to levels only seen during the 2008 global financial crisis, the public might finally begin to worry about the future—wif only to pressure elected officials to stop meddling with their economies. But then maybe, things might get even worse and we’ll see a complete change in the overall mood. With many economies in disarray, socialist and socialism-friendly politicians could gain significant ground in the coming years, or even months. And in 2020, we could see US President Donald Trump losing to someone like democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders. “So many people today, including in the leading universities, don’t pay much attention to evidence,” Sowell said. “When you see people starving in Venezuela and fleeing into neighboring countries and realize that this is a country that once had the world’s largest oil reserves, you realize that they’ve ruined a very good prospect with ideas that sounded good but didn’t turn out well.” This transformation of the Venezuelan economy has been on the make since 1999, when President Hugo Chavez promised to snuff out imperialism and inequality, all through the implementation of a heavily planned, state-run economy. By banking on people’s anger toward a government that had been inflating the currency and therefore destroying the purchasing power of the Venezu-

Where have... From A4

tably senior citizens who have lost their capacity to earn by reason of age. Last year alone, the agency reportedly paid out a total of P12.69 billion in claims by accredited hospitals representing bills of pneumonia patients across the country. On the surface, it looks just fine and dandy. But a closer scrutiny would reveal something is rotten and stinks to high heavens. Experts figured it out. According to them, the PhilHealth report indicated that some 810,000 patients, representing one out of nine who sought hospitalization, were stricken with the life-threatening lung ailment last year. Put another way, there was a pneumonia outbreak and the Department of Health didn’t say anything about it, obvPhilHealth was previously rocked by a similar scandal involving mounting bills pertaining to cataract removal. In Iloilo, an eye doctor allegedly claimed an incredibleP16 million, representing his professional fees for equally unbelievable 2, 071 eye surgeries performed in 2006 alone. Investigations showed that the shenanigan was replicated in various parts of the country. In 2007, a ranking PhilHealth official testified at the congressional inquiry that the agency lost P4 billion in fraudulent claims starting in 1995. PhilHealth was also the epicenter of a P10.6-billion fund diversion scandal to bankroll a failed barangay-based health center building program. The scheme involved enrolling families in PhilHealth at P1,200 per family member, chargeable to PhilHealth and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. In 2017, PhilHealth reported a P4.9billion in operating cost, as well as a P250-million deficit during the previous year. The negative figures are getting bigger and bigger every year. If this is not disturbing, I don’t know what is. Experts traced PhilHealth’s burgeoning financial woes to its allegedly flawed All Case Rates payment scheme. Introduced in 2011, the ACR guarantees definite amounts in claims for hospitalization or surgery among the

elan bolivar, Chavez promised things were going to be better. But under his and his protege’s rule, monetary inflation skyrocketed. With the price hikes that followed, the nation went into crisis. President Nicolas Maduro responded by freezing prices and ordering six minimum wage hikes during 2018. But despite all these policies, things only got worse. As millions of Venezuelans flee due to hunger and flat-out despair, US lawmakers like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggest just “printing more money” to pay for their policies. They fail to see how this type of policy would lead to the disaster we’re seeing in Venezuela, and will often argue that having a planned economy isn’t that big of a deal.

This is the time for freedom lovers to sound the alarm on the dangers of giving government more power over the economy.

But it is precisely this careless ap approach to monetary policy that has brought us to the mess we’re about to experience. As the US Federal Reserve announces that Americans’ net worth dropped “to $104.3 trillion as the year came to an end, a decrease of $3.73 trillion from the third quarter,” we also learn that young people are failing to pay off their debt, even though they continue to sign up for more loans on a whim. As these very millennials notice they are broke and things are only getting worse, they might undoubtedly listen to people like Cortez and think they have what it takes to make their lives better. The rest, as they say, would be history. And when the US sneezes, the rest of the world catches cold. If anything, this is the time for freedom lovers to sound the alarm on the dangers of giving government more power over the economy. eric.jurado@gmail.com

agency’s 85-million members. The Commission on Audit computed the ACR overpayments at 20 percent of total benefits disbursed last year. In absolute terms, PhilHealth paid out P114 billion. Of this amount, P22.8 billion represented overpayments to accredited hospitals. If the ACR is that problematic, the least PhilHealth can do is amend it if not lop it off altogether like physicians would do to a cancerous tissue to prevent the whole body from being infected. Regrettably, the agency’s past and present managers have been uncharacteristically indifferent to suggestions for fiscal and administrative reforms.Why? Your guess is as good as mine. Last year, the state auditors served notice that PhilHealth Regional Office 2 incurred overpayments totaling P56 million in members’ benefits for a two-month period (November and December) alone. Without doubt, the amount would exponentially multiply if the COA probe were expanded to cover the whole year and all the regions nationwide. But of course, these anomalies, unchecked as they have been, could only be committed through unholy alliances between the accredited hospitals and PhilHealth officials and employees with insatiable appetites for ill-gotten wealth. With President Duterte’s enactment of the Universal Health Care Law that enriches the PhilHealth by additional P275 billion, there will be more where the thieves’ source of loots would come from. PhilHealth’s basic mandate is to provide a healthcare fund for the people. Necessarily, it must develop and implement a comprehensive insurance coverage plan for all Filipinos. To ensure stability of its operations, PhilHealth must commission financial experts and managers with actuarial acumen to replace physicians doubling as accountants. Nowadays, the trend among corporations and agencies is to upgrade their systems through computerization to stay in the race. PhilHealth needs to rethink its position. Maintaining the status quo is more of an exception to the rule. When will they ever learn?

News

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte’s new stand on medical marijuana draws mixed reactions By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Sunday said he is happy that President Rodrigo Duterte backtracked on his stand on the legalization of marijuana.

“I’m glad, he is on the right track,” said Sotto, who said those pushing for legalizing medical use of marijuana might be involved in the illegal drugs trade. However, the President’s daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, expressed a contrary opinion. “If there is scientific basis that cannabis is a medicine, we should not deprive the patients of its use,” she said even as she stressed that medical marijuana use must be regulated by the government. Duterte last week made a sudden double back in his decision to legalize marijuana, saying he would no longer support its legalization for medical purposes. The President said legalizing cannabis for medical use would be used as an excuse to cultivate the plant. “That would be an excuse. I did not agree. Not in my time, not in my time,” Duterte said. The President admitted he was “ignorant” about research regarding the supposed medicinal properties of marijuana despite previously saying this was already an “ingredient of modern medicine.”

Imee wants ‘lifeline’ mobile, data rate By Rey E. Requejo

LOCOS Norte Gov. Imee Marcos is urging the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission to seriously consider implementing a “lifeline” rate for consumers who are not heavy users of data and mobile services. She is also proposing a package of measures to reduce the cost of phone calls, text messages, and data services to end the country’s record of having one of the highest mobile voice and SMS rates in Asia. “A ‘lifeline’ rate which could be based on a consumer’s average data and mobile use would benefit mostly lower income Filipinos,” the governor said. “The poor sectors of our society use the Internet less frequently than the ‘techie’ ones, hence they should not be burdened with high cellphone charges that they did not actually incur.” The “lifeline” rate is the socialized pricing mechanism already being implemented in in the power industry where consumers with monthly electricity consumption of 100 kilowatt-

hours or less will continue to enjoy subsidized electricity prices. Marcos, who is running for senator in the May midterm elections, urged the government to remove the valueadded tax on telecommunication services, such as phone calls and data subscriptions, and to eliminate the interconnectivity fees between telco firms. “Removing the VAT on cellular and data subscriptions will substantially bring down the cost of communications in the country to benefit our people, especially those engaged in business and those whose relatives are working abroad and who rely heavily on cellular phone calls and the internet to communicate with their loved ones as often as they can,” she said. Marcos also proposed the elimina-

tion of network connectivity fees, where subscribers of either Globe or Smart are charged extra when they contact numbers belonging to the other network. The governor stressed that interconnectivity charges hamper customer mobility, and effectively holds subscribers hostage to their existing network plans, she said. “Removing the network connectivity fees will not only reduce the cost of communications services, but will also improve customer mobility in the telecommunication industry as well as compel telcos to improve their services,” she said. “If we remove interconnectivity fees, this will make it easier for a subscriber to move from one network to another if they are not satisfied with the services they are receiving from their current providers. Right now, a customer, even if extremely dissatisfied with the services of Smart or Globe, would be held back from switching to another provider by the stiff interconnection fees. Thus, telcos get away with bad service while raking in huge profits at the expense of their customers,” the administra-

tion candidate explained. “Right now, our telco companies are offering unli plans in the guise of making their services and products more affordable to Filipino customers. But is unli really unlimited? Interconnectivity fees end up as extra cost on top of your unlimited plan,” Marcos added. In the long-term, Marcos asserts that the elimination of interconnectivity charges and fees will drastically reduce costs of phone and data connection and force telco firms to ensure reliability of their services—a double-win situation for Filipino subscribers. “Filipinos are paying more for services that are much worse than what can be procured elsewhere. We all end up shortchanged while telco firms rake up more and more profits,” Marcos said. The DICT is currently fine tuning a proposal for a shared telco infrastructure initiative. The common tower scheme is expected to improve connectivity by providing the necessary infrastructure for all telco firms. The Philippines has one of the lowest cell densities in Asia.

ERC to resolve cases vs. Aboitiz, Meralco—CA By Rey E. Requejo THE COURT of Appeals has paved the way for the Energy Regulatory Commission to resolve the anti-competition cases ﬁled against power distributor Manila Electric Co. and two subsidiaries of Aboitiz Power Corp. over the shutdown of the Malampaya gas facility in 2013. In a six-page resolution, the CA’s Former Special 12th Division affirmed with finality its decision in May last year that dismissed the petitions of Meralco and Aboitiz subsidiaries Therma Mobile Inc. and AP Renewables Inc. seeking the dismissal of the complaints for anti-competitive behavior and other unfair trade practices filed before the ERC. The appellate court denied the power firms’ motions for reconsideration for lack of merit, saying the petitioners failed to raise new arguments to convince the court to reverse its ruling. “The motions must be denied. The above arguments have already been addressed in the decision sought to be reconsidered. They are mere rehash of those propounded in their respective pleadings filed before the Court,” stated the ruling penned by Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr. With the ruling, the ERC can now proceed with the resolution of the complaints against the three power firms and decide whether to dismiss or file them in court.

START THEM YOUNG. Bureau of Fire and Protection personnel teach kids how to rappel during the Fire Square Road Show 2019. Norman Cruz

Manila mayor tells high court to hasten Hall of Justice construction By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has been notiﬁed by the Manila City government to expedite its construction project for the city's Hall of Justice. During the gathering of lawyers before the weekend, Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin revealed that Mayor Joseph Estrada has already demanded for all courts to leave city hall. "There is already a demand by the May-

or of Manila for all courts to leave city hall of Manila," Bersamin said. "If you had gone to the city hall of Manila, you will see the congestion in human as well as in document trafﬁc. Napakapuno," Bersamin said. "They [City of Manila through Mayor Joseph Estrada] have asked formally the Supreme Court to speed up the construction project [of the Hall of Justice]," he said. Bersamin said the high court is already

in the process of procurement and the construction of the hall of justice at the old GSIS. In 2015, then chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno promised the construction of the Manila's Hall of Justice will start in 2017 and be completed by 2019. Currently, Manila City trial courts are dispersed in the Manila City Hall, in the old building of the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman, the old and condemned structure of

the GSIS, former Masagana mall in UN Avenue and in Binondo. The proposed Manila City Hall of justice would showcase a model courthouse equipped with modern communication facilities. LCD screens would be put outside each courtroom so that lawyers, litigants and the rest of the public can view court activities and announcements. Once completed, it will house 120 Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts.

Tañada rejects Tulfo’s ‘lazy’ claim HONG KONG—Filipino workers are preferred by foreign employers here and in other places abroad because they are hardworking, senatorial candidate Erin Tañada said Sunday. Tañada was reacting to the statement of special envoy to China, Ramon Tulfo Jr., that Chinese workers are being hired in Chinese loan projects in the Philippines because Filipinos are “tamad at mabagal magtrabaho” (lazy and slow workers). “Filipino workers are industrious. They are not lazy. Filipino workers are preferred by foreign employers. It should not be the case that a fellow Filipino and a government ofﬁcial at that should be the ﬁrst one to look down on Filipino workers,” he said. “Mr. Tulfo, you should work for Filipinos. Give our countrymen, especially our overseas Filipino workers who wish to return home, decent work and job security,” Tañada added. On Saturday, Tulfo said he will not

apologize for saying Filipino workers are lazy. “To the Filipino construction workers: Why should I apologize to you for telling the truth that you’re basically lazy and a slowpoke? Does the truth hurt?” Tulfo said on Twitter. Tulfo described Chinese workers as “well-disciplined and hardworking.” “Filipino workers arrive at their job sites and that’s when they start preparing their tools, whereas the Chinese workers come prepared,” he said. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines president Raymond Mendoza said Tulfo’s remarks were unpatriotic. “Filipino workers are the most sought-after type of workers compared to other nationalities because of their high quality of doing their work and because of their ingenuity, diligence, creativity and hard work they put into every tasks they are into,” Mendoza said.

EMPOWERING PWDS. Philippine Paralympic Commission officials, athletes and coaching staff, together with Toyota Motor Philippines officials, gather together during the recent turnover of a Toyota Coaster donated under Toyota’s global corporate initiative—Start Your Impossible, which aims to open opportunities to para-athletes.

Sports

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Locals brace Irving lifts Celtics past arch-rival Lakers for LPGT duel against Thais L THE country’s top guns and a host of Thai aces gear up for another fierce showdown as action in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour resumes tomorrow, Tuesday with the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Ladies Championship at the Legends course in Carmona, Cavite. Princess Superal, Pauline del Rosario, Cyna Rodriguez and Chihiro Ikeda set out against the likes of multi-titled LPGT winner Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Supakchaya Pattaranakruean, Saraporn Chamchoi and Chonlada Chayanun in what promises to be a slambang chase for top honors in the 54-hole championship serving as the sixth leg of LPGT’s 2018-19 circuit put up by ICTSI. They actually all saw action in last week’s The Country Club Ladies Invitational ruled by world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park with amateur Yuka Saso humbling the local and foreign pros by taking up the challenge to the fancied Korean in all three days and eventually taking runner-up honors. Superal, the reigning LPGT Order of Merit champion, was the bestplaced at fourth behind Saso and LPGA campaigner Dottie Ardina with the diminutive former US Girls’ Junior champion hard-pressed to dish out a better, stronger performance to get a crack at another crown. Focus will also be on young Korean Hwang Min Jeong, who edged Superal by one to win the Splendido Ladies Classic last January to mark her pro debut in style. But Hwang will be as much tested as the rest of the 46-player field all primed up for battle in scorching heat at the bunker-laden par-72 layout. Eleven amateurs are also in the fold, including Sofia Chabon, Eagle Ace Superal, Mafy Singson, Laurea Duque, Sam Dizon, Sunshine Baraquiel and Junia Gabasa. Other pros seeing action in the tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc. are Malaysian siblings Aishah, Shahira and Ezrina Che Omar, Japanese Ayaka Morimitsu and Natsuki Kishikawa, Koreans Lee Jeong Hwa, Hyun Ji Rho and Choeun Bang, Taiwanese Hsien Wen Huang and Hsuan Ping Chang, Tatiana Wijaya of Indonesia and Lisa Kang of the US.

NBA fines Thunder’s George NEW YORK, United States— Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George was find $25,000 by the NBA on Saturday for criticism of officiating, the league announced. George made his comments after the Thunder’s 118-110 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. George fouled out with 3:49 remaining in the fourth quarter while star guard Russell Westbrook fouled out in the final minute. Steven Adams also fouled out in the fourth quarter, making it only the second time in 10 NBA seasons that three starters fouled out of an NBA game in regulation time, according to an ESPN report. “It’s just bad officiating,” George said. “We don’t get a fair whistle. We haven’t gotten a fair whistle all year. Somebody has got to look into this. It’s getting out of hand.” “We’re getting grabbed. We’re getting scratched, clawed, held, shoved. And there’s nothing for it. The officials just get to walk out and there’s nothing that penalizes them for not officiating the game the right way.” In all, the Thunder were whistled for 34 fouls, eight fewer than the Clippers. George knew a fine was coming even as he unleashed his refereeing rebuke. “I’m going to lose money on this,” George said. “We speak up, we lose money. There’s nothing I can do to change that.” AFP

OS ANGELES, United States – Kyrie Irving scored 30 points as the Boston Celtics overcame LeBron James’ 80th career triple-double with a 120-107 victory over the injury-riddled Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris each scored 16 points for Boston, who are gaining traction in their post All-Star break playoff push. Gordon Hayward added 15 points as the Celtics won their third consecutive game on a four-game California road trip that concludes Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Celtics’ latest match-up with their storied rivals didn’t really live up to

the history – the Lakers are struggling mightily and appear to have given up on any chance of making it to the NBA postseason. Elsewhere, Minnesota franchise player Karl-Anthony Towns had 40 points and 16 rebounds before leaving late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury as the Timberwolves beat the Washington Wizards 135-130 in overtime. Minnesota outscored the Wizards 14-9

in overtime to earn their ﬁfth straight victory at home. Derrick Rose scored 29 points, including a clutch basket that gave the Timberwolves a 131-127 lead with 58 seconds left. Irving, who missed Wednesday’s victory over the Sacramento Kings with a bruised thigh, nailed a series of clutch shots down the stretch. He also tallied seven rebounds and seven assists. “I am just having fun. We are competing at a very high level and holding ourselves to a high standard and it starts with me,” said Irving. “It is another step for us in the road trip.” Irving and James are former teammates, winning an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

James can only dream of similar success with his current team, which has now lost five straight. On Saturday he finished with 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, leading a rag-tag Lakers crew that was missing three starters. Moe Wagner scored a career-high 22 points in his first start for Los Angeles and Johnathan Williams added a careerbest 18 points for the Lakers, who have lost nine of 11. Rajon Rondo finished with four points. James played just 27 minutes, more than six minutes less than rookie Wagner. “It is challenging, but I kind of I knew what I was getting into,” James said after the game. AFP

Mendez, Kahlefeldt defend crowns

Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 9, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

FEU beats UP to pace UAAP men’s football Matches Thursday: (FEU-Diliman) 9 a.m. – UE vs NU (Men) 1 p.m. – UP vs UST (Men) 3 p.m. – FEU vs AdU (Men)

FAR Eastern University topped defending champion University of the Philippines, 2-1, to snatch the solo lead Sunday in the UAAP Season 81 men’s football tournament. Anthony Decena and Jermi Darapan found the back of the net as the Tama-

raws now sit on the top of the table with 11 points at the FEU-Diliman pitch. Still at six points, the Fighting Maroons are now outside the top four range. Earlier, substitute Conrado Dimacali struck in the 82nd minute as University of Santo Tomas outlasted University of the East in a ﬁve-goal thriller, 3-2, to move up at nine points. Steven Anotado’s consecutive goals in the 60th and 64th minute gave the lead to the Growling Tigers before Mason Ver-

gara struck in the 71st minute for the Red Warriors to get back in the match. UST improved to nine points to level with idle De La Salle in second place, while UE remained at seven points alongside Ateneo, a 4-0 winner over Adamson University in the last match. Mark Nacional scored twice while Jarvey Gayoso and rookie Luca Alleje were also on target for the Blue Eagles, who followed up their impressive 5-0 rout of the Growling Tigers last Thursday.

Porter edges Ugas to keep welterweight title LOS ANGELES, United States—American Shawn Porter retained his World Boxing Council welterweight title on Saturday with a split-decision victory over Cuban challenger Yordenis Ugas. Two judges awarded the fight to Porter by scores of 116-112 and 115-113, while the third saw Ugas as a 117-111 winner. “It was close. I was on my toes the entire fight,” Porter said. “I look forward to whatever is coming next.” Porter improved to 30-2 with one drawn in the first defense of the title he won last September in a unanimous decision over Danny Garcia. But Porter, who searched in vain for his first knockout in two years, was far from overpowering after needing an extra two hours Friday at the weigh-in to drop within the 147-pound (66.7kg) division limit. Ugas, who took a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, fell to 23-4 and saw his eight-fight win streak snapped despite going 12 rounds for only the second time in his career. AFP

FORE! Wack Wack Golf and Country Club President Lawrence

Tan hits the ceremonial drive that formally opened the Bill Shaw Golf Classic. The 30th edition of the club’s member-guest tournament was presented by CATS Motors, Yakult, Shell and Delta Air and supported by San Miguel Corp., D&L-Laurin and Emirates.

MEXICAN Mauricio Mendez and Radka Kahlefeldt of the Czech Republic gear up for a tougher, challenging faceoff with the very best in long-distance triathlon races as they go for back-to-back in the Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 Davao presented by Petron on March 24. The duo bested a crack roster of rivals in contrasting fashions to rule the inaugural staging of the event at Azuela Cove last year with Mendez, 23, and Kahlefeldt completing a “double” by ruling the Asia-Paciﬁc Championship in Cebu last August. That should make them the marked bets in the upcoming 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run even organized and conducted by Sunrise Events, Inc., which had lured close to 2,200 entries from 38 countries with Mendez out to better his mark of 3:50:32 in come-from-behind manner and Kahlefeldt seeking to improve her winning 4:25:38 time clinched in wire-to-wire fashion. They include 16 pro triathletes clashing not only for top honors but also for World Championship berths with noted Aussies Tim Reed, Sam Betten and Tim Van Berkel, Germany’s Markus Rolli, Frenchman Antony Costes and Bahrain’s Eric Watson joining the title hunt. Out to foil Kahlefeldt’s title-retention drive are veteran Phl campaigners Caroline Steffen of Switzerland and Dimity Lee Duke of Australia with Guam’s Manami Iijima, who topped the Subic 5150 late last year. The event, featuring individual and relay competitions, has also drawn campaigners from United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ukraine, India, Malaysia, Qatar, the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy, New Caledonia, Singapore, South Africa, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey, China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and Taiwan. SEI founder Wilfred Uytengsu has guaranteed another successful staging of the event with Davao emerging as the new triathlon destination with the all-out support of the city ofﬁcials. For details, visit the event’s website at www.ironman.com/davao703. Other SEI-organized and produced events this year are the Sun Life 5150 Cebu on April 28, the Century Ironman 70.3 Subic on June 2, the Penong’s 5150 Davao on July 7, the Regent Aguila IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines on Aug. 11, the Black Arrow Express 5150 Subic on Oct. 27 and the Sun Life Cycle PH in November.

Vinuya grabs chess lead with 4th win RUTH Joy Vinuya of Ilagan, Isabela, playing under the banner of the starstudded GM Jayson Gonzales Far Eastern University chess team toppled Josemier Jene Panol in the fourth round to grab the solo leadership board in the Girls Under 16 with perfect 4.0 points in four outings in the event hosted by Legaspi City Mayor Noel Rosal. Alexandra Sydney Paez scored backto-back draws in the ongoing 2019 National Age-Group Chess Championships (NAGCC)- Luzon Leg being held at the Paciﬁc Mall in Legazpi City, Albay. Paez halved the point with Jonah Kris Llantino of Dasmariñas, Cavite in the third round and Oryza Reign Repato of Cabuyao City, Laguna in the fourth round. The grade 9 student of Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba Paez improved to a total of 3.0 points to share 2nd to 7th places with Josemier Jene Panol, Ella Krizia Mendoza, Ledj Jannalyn Barcenas, Janneth Mercader and Rohanisah Buto.

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

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

Ramirez asks NSAs to toe the line

MANY national sports associations are set to comply with policies that the Philippine Sports Commission will strictly implement this year. PSC chairman William Ramirez said this after an alignment meeting with the NSAs at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Summit Hall D on Friday afternoon. One of the things the agency imposed was an NSA clearance checklist, which requires associations who are part of the Philippine Olympic Committee family to have their federations listed with Securities and Exchange Commission. “There are still questions that are unanswered. But the mood was conversational. Partnerships were emphasized,” said Ramirez. Such requirements will now be necessary if NSAs are to continue getting financial assistance from the PSC. Agency officials said there was no strict implementation on the articles of incorporation in the past. “The policies that were put in place in the law were not followed from the very beginning. And it is only now that we are emphasizing it,” said Ramirez. Since November last year, the agency has been sitting down with NSAs over their many concerns. Some involved NSAs with internal disputes and unliquidated financial assistance. The PSC is now compelling NSAs to comply with rules including liquidating expenses within 30 days and resolving disputes as well. Peter Atencio

Sports Caption PBA: San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo (center) drives strong to the hoop to score on a layup against the NorthPort Batang Pier. Fajardo unloaded 40 points to lead his team to victory. PBA Media

Fajardo leads Beermen past pesky Batang Pier J By Jeric Lopez

UNE MAR FAJARDO could not be denied.

The ﬁve-time Most Valuable Player showed the entire repertoire, scoring a season-high 40 points and grabbing 19 rebounds for a mammoth double-double to lead San Miguel Beer to a 113-107 triumph over ailing NorthPort for its fourth straight win in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night. Completely in his element once again Fajardo only missed a single shot, making 14 of his 15 shots while missing only four free throws, 12-of-16, as he was virtually unstoppable. “My teammates really looked for ma

and that gave me confidence. Luckily, I was able to play really well,” described Fajardo of his monster performance. The peaking Beermen improved to 6-3 to move up to solo third place and inch closer to a berth in the quarterfinals. In contrast, the Batang Pier lost its fifth in a row to slide down to 10th place with a dismal 2-5 card. San Miguel erased an early 14-point deficit before turning it on in the second half to secure another win. Fajardo and Chris Ross showed the way down the stretch for the Beermen, hitting key baskets that kept the Batang Pier at bay as the duo scored their team’s last nine points. “Overall, we played really well as a team even though we relaxed in the first half,” added Fajardo. “Coach Leo reminded us that we needed to win our remaining games to reach our goal so

we all stepped up in the second half.” Ross’ elbow triple with 12.1 seconds left iced the game for San Miguel as it settled the final score and prevented NorthPort from forcing overtime. Turning on their championship switch coming off the dugout after a lethargic start, the Beermen flexed their muscles in third frame to grasp command and never look back. Down by four at the half, San Miguel stepped on the gas pedal right away to start the third, outscoring GlobalPort 29-12 in the first six minutes of the second half to suddenly take over and grab a 79-66 at that point. The Beermen settled for an 84-77 lead heading the fourth but were able to fight off every Batang Pier uprising in the end. Moala Tautuua finished with a teamhigh 28 points for NorthPort.

Catalan crushes former ONE titlist By Reuel Vidal FORTY-YEAR-OLD Filipino MMA veteran Rene “The Challenger” Catalan proved that age is just a number as he stopped former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito via first round TKO during ONE: Reign of Valor at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar last weekend. Many-time amateur Wushu world champion Catalan tried to keep Naito at bay with his striking but was repeatedly tied up by the superior grappling skills of Naito. Catalan relied on his improved ground game and opened a gaping cut on Naito’s cheek with a clinical strike. Naito turned his head to protect the cut which bled freely and profusely. Catalan then unleashed a merciless and relentless ground-and-pound attack which Naito could not stem. Referee Kemp Cheng mercifully stopped the one-sided combat at 4:32 of the first round with a bleeding Naito slumped helplessly on the mat. It was the first stoppage loss in Naito’s professional mixed martial arts career and extended Catalan’s ONE Championship winning streak to six.

Rene Catalan (right) pounds former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka Naito into submission during the first round of their bout in Yangon, Myanmar. ONE Championship

Lanterns torch Zambo Sardines ANGELES CITY—The Pampanga Lanterns didn’t let their hometown crowd down. Playing their last home game – and their last match of the MPBL Datu Cup – the Lanterns stayed tough on their way to scoring a tense 87-85 win over playoff bound Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines at the Angeles Univcersity Foundation Arena here late Saturday night. Juneric Baloria scored ﬁve of his team’s last six points in the last 38 seconds as he helped Pampanga in ending the season on a winning note. Pampanga ended its elimination round campaign with an 1114 record, the same record being held by the Caloocan Supremos.

But by virtue of the win over the other rule, the Supremos, who defeated the Lanterns in their only elimination round encounter, will get the eighth and last spot in the northern division of this tournament put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner. Baloria, a deadshot guard, made things possible for Pampanga’s win. He knocked in a triple in the 38-second mark to push his team up, 84-82. Baloria’s former college teammate, Harold Arboleda, responded with a trey of his own in the next play to put Zamboanga ahead, 85-84.

Pasig Kings rule fourth leg of 2019 Chooks-to-Go By Peter Atencio TAYLOR Statham struck hard twice in the dying seconds to lift the Pasig Grindhouse Kings to a 14-12 beating of the Pasay Voyagers on Saturday evening to capture the fourth leg crown of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President’s Cup. The 6’6” Statham, who led with seven points, hit a jumper in the remaining 18 seconds to give the Kings enough cushion to earn their second title. “They’re (Pasay) super physical. They’re a tough team to beat. But it was a lot of fun,” said Statham, a Fil-American cager who has played for teams in the PBA D-League. Statham’s timely basket came right after Arvin Tolentino kept Pasay close with his inside play in the last 31 seconds. With the victory, Pasig soared to the top of the overall standings with a point total of 380 points. Pasig reached the finals after repulsing the San Juan Knights, 21-16, and off a two-pointer from Statham with 51 ticks left. Pasay earned their place in the finals after they outplayed CargaValenzuela, 21-12. The Kings will enter the grand finals on Sunday, March 31 at the SM Fairview Events Center as the top-seed. Statham gave Pasig a two-point lead in the final 31 seconds after he connected with a jumper, 13-11. The Kings played without Dylan Ababou in the semis and finals after sustaining a right calf injury. With the President’s Cup recently upgraded to Quest level by FIBA, the overall champions will automatically qualify for a slot in the FIBA 3X3 World Tour. This is the first time in three legs that the Kings did not face the 1Bataan Risers, who bowed the Carga-Valenzuela, 18-21, during the eliminations.

AFP guns for UNTV Cup crown Game Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7 p.m. – AFP vs Senate

AFP’s Darwin Cordero (30) hopes to deliver anew against the Senate Defenders as AFP Cavaliers try to clinch the UNTV Cup title today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

ARMED FORCES of the Philippines (AFP) hopes to become the ﬁrst three-time champion in the UNTV Cup as the Cavaliers go for a sweep of their title series with the Senate Defenders today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Their conﬁdence boosted by a thrilling 76-73 come-from-behind win in the opener of their best-ofthree title series on March

3, the Cavaliers vowed to pull all the stops in their 7 p.m. encounter to complete another year of dominant performance in the tournament designed for public servants. Also with two championships are the Judiciary Magis of Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. As in their previous two championships, the Cavaliers hope to get signiﬁcant numbers from veterans Boyet Bautista and Eugene Tan – the same players who provided the offensive punch that ﬂat-

tened the reigning titlist in the tournament organized by UNTV president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon. In what could be his most productive game of the season, Tan scattered 18 points, including a huge three with 1:27 remaining to snatch the win from the Defenders, who led most of the way. Using his guile most of the time, the 5-foot-7 Bautista contributed 15 points – not to mention the intangibles he provided to the team that prevented the Defenders from pulling away.

IN BRIEF Phoenix, CNOOC set to start LNG hub STATE-OWNED Philippine National Oil Co., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines and CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd. of China plans to break ground on the $2-billion liquefied natural gas project of Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc. in May. PNOC, Phoenix and CNOOC recently signed an agreement to put up an LNG regasification and receiving terminal with a capacity of 2.2 metric tons a year. “We already issued the NTP (notice to proceed) for Tanglawan, and they are now partnering with PNOC. They are looking at having groundbreaking early part of May... because we want... (a) partial operation... by 2024 (as) substitute LNG... (for) Malampaya,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said over the weekend. The DoE has been pushing for the development of the LNG hub to secure the country’s power requirements in preparation for the eventual depletion of the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan starting in 2024. The Malampaya field supplies fuel to five Batangas natural gas power plants with a combined capacity of 3,000 megawatts. Alena Mae S. Flores

Standard Chartered sees lower inflation BRITISH bank Standard Chartered lowered its inflation forecast for the Philippines this year to 2.7 percent from 3.5 percent, taking into account the slowdown in the increase of consumer prices in the past four months. “We revise our inflation forecasts lower to reflect recent softer data. We now expect CPI inflation to average 2.7 percent in 2019, down from our previous forecast of 3.5 percent,” the bank’s economist for Asia, Chidu Narayanan, said in a report titled “On the Ground” released over the weekend. But Narayanan warned that upside risks to its forecast could arise from higher crude oil prices and potential weather disruptions in the third quarter, usually the season for strong typhoons in the Philippines. The inflation in February further eased to a one-year low of 3.8 percent from 4.4 percent a month ago, pulled down mainly by slower increases in the prices of key commodities, especially food and beverages. Julito G. Rada

Business 18-km Laguna section of Calax to open in July By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE 18-kilometer Laguna section of the CaviteLaguna Expressway is set to open in July, according to its builder and operator.

“We are targeting to open the Laguna segment of Calax by July this year,” said Roberto Bontia, president of MPCala Holdings Inc., a unit of Metro Paciﬁc Tollways Corp. Bontia said the construction of the Laguna segment of Calax would be completed in June. The toll for the Laguna segment, or from Mamplasan to Sta. Rosa section of Calax, is P4.50 per kilometer. MPCala tapped local contractor DMCI Consunji Inc. to build the Laguna side of the 47-km Calax and Leighton Holdings of Australia to construct the Cavite side. Calax, one of the largest public-private partnership projects, involves the ﬁnancing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex (Manila–Cavite Express-

way) and South Luzon Expressway. The P35.43-billion expressway will start from Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at the SLEx-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. The Laguna segment is a four-lane highway with four interchanges from Aguinaldo Interchange to the existing Mamplasan Interchange of South Luzon Expressway in Biñan, Laguna. Once completed, Calax is expected to ease trafﬁc between Cavite and Laguna, particularly along Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay–Santa Rosa Road and Governor’s Drive. MPCala won a 35-year concession for the project, including the period of design and construction. MPCala also secured the original proponent status from the Public Works Department for its unsolicited proposal to

build the P22.43-billion Cavite-Batangas Expressway. CTBex is a 49-kilometer expressway that will connect Cavite and Batangas, with a spur road to Tagaytay City and ultimately terminating in Nasugbu, with another spur road to Tuy, Batangas. Once completed, the project would cut travel time from Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Nasugbu, Batangas from 2.5 hours to just an hour. The project will start at Silang East Interchange of Cavite-Laguna Expressway. The alignment will traverse the towns of Silang, Amadeo, Mendez and Alfonso in Cavite, Tagaytay City and Nasugbu in Batangas. MPTC is also constructing the P27.9billion Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway project in the Visayas. The 8.25-km bridge project, set to be completed by 2020, will connect Cebu City to Mactan Island via Cordova. The group is also building the NLExSLEx Connector Road, an elevated expressway to connect the northern and southern toll road systems at a cost of P23 billion.

Israeli firm to bid for oil, gas contracts in PH RATIO Petroleum Ltd. of Israel has expressed interest to join oil and gas exploration in the Philippines through the government’s Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Ratio ofﬁcials were in the Philippines since last week to ﬁrm up investment plans, which also include farming into service contract 37 owned by PNOC Exploration Corp. “They have a serious interest, they are working,” Cusi said. Established in 1992, Ratio Petroleum has a number of large-scale operations at the Levant Basin in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Israel, as well as offshore operations in the Republic of Malta and Guyana. Cusi said Ratio was also looking at expanding the coverage of recently-awarded service contract 76. Ratio obtained a service contract to explore and develop Area 4, covering 416,000 hectares across the East Palawan Basin for potential oil and gas resources. Alena Mae S. Flores

WOMEN’S DAY. The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. marks the International Women’s Day with a bell ringing ceremony as it participates in the global Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event. More than 60 stock exchanges worldwide rang the bell in support of gender equality advancement and women empowerment. Leading the ceremony are PSE chairman Jose Pardo (center), president and chief Ramon Monzon, director Amor Iliscupidez, Global Compact Network Philippines chairperson Maria Luz Javier and executive director Cynthia Arce.

American sports gear maker Head plans to build big plant in Phividec By Othel V. Campos AMERICAN sportswear and equipment manufacturer Head plans to establish a manufacturing facility to produce tennis balls in Mindanao, according to the Phividec Industrial Authority. The PIA, a government-controlled economic zone, said Head was among the foreign and local investors that expressed interest to operate at the 3,000-hectare Phividec Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. PIA administrator and chief executive Franklin Quijano said Head was ﬁnalizing its investment plan in the area. “There’s an MOU that we signed, but the contract is still in its initial stages. They’re doing a technical assessment of the location as well as soil sampling, the works,” Quijano said. Head, a manufacturer of tennis and

badminton equipment and sportswear, plans to produce about 10 million tennis balls in the Philippines for export. The American company plans to establish a facility occupying about 4 to 5 hectares inside Phividec, according to Quijano. He said that while the size of employment was still being determined, the company agreed to hire local workers. Quijano said the Philippines produces rubber that is mostly exported to foreign markets. “Now, I’m happy to say that our rubber will be used by Head for their tennis ball production. This is value adding for our raw produce,” he said. Phividec is a fast-rising investment destination in Mindanao. Last year, it signed a memorandum of understanding with San Miguel Corp. which committed to invest at least P4 billion in meat processing, feed mill, beer manufacturing and packaging.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

DMCI hikes 2019 capex by 15% to P31b By Jenniffer B. Austria DMCI Holdings Inc., the investment company of the Consunji family, increased its capital expenditure by 14.8 percent in 2019 to P31 billion from P27 billion in 2018 to expand its real estate, coal and power businesses. DMCI chief ﬁnance ofﬁcer Herbert Consunji said in an interview of the P31-billion programmed spending for this year, the company was alloting P18 billion for real estate unit DMCI Homes Inc. Consunji said DMCI Homes was bullish on the demand for housing projects and planned to launch more projects and expand its land bank. The conglomerate is also investing P10 billion for its coal and power business under Semirara Mining and Power Corp. and P1.3 billion for the expansion of DMCI Power Corp. DMCI booked a net income of P14.5 billion in 2018, down 2 percent from P14.8 billion in 2017, pulled down by the weak performance of the coal and power generation businesses. Consolidated revenues rose 3 percent in 2018 to P83 billion from P81 billion in 2017. The nearly eight-month shutdown of SMPC’s power plant and a decline in coal sales resulted in the group’s lower core net income contribution of P7.4 billion, compared to P8.1 billion in the previous year. Property unit DMCI Homes registered a 9-percent increase in net earnings to P3.9 billion from P3.6 billion in 2017, as revenues rose 3 percent, boosted by a one-time gain of P715 million from the sale of land. Net income contribution from the core business D.M. Consunji Inc. jumped 16 percent to P1.2 billion from P1 billion, led by a 12-percent increase in revenue and recognition of variation orders for projects nearing completion. Off-grid energy business DMCI Power saw its net earnings surge 30 percent from P359 million in 2017 to P465 million in 2018. The double-digit growth was driven by a 25-percent increase in energy sales volume. DMCI Mining posted a net income of P117 million, up 4 percent from P113 million in 2017.

2018 foreign direct investments likely hit new high NET inflows of foreign direct investments likely hit a new record in 2018, according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. “We are confident the full-year FDI level can reach or even exceed the previous record high,” Dominguez said during the UP Women Lawyers Circle Business Conference at the University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City Auditorium in Taguig City. Data showed net foreign direct investments in the first 11 months of 2018 hit $9.1 billion, or $900 million short of the $10-billion net inflow registered in 2017. It was 3.2 percent lower than $9.4 billion recorded in the first 11 months of 2017. The lower net inflows were attributed to the 28.3-percent decline in net investments of equity capital, which reached $2.1 billion in the first eleven months of 2018. Equity capital placements in the 11-month period mostly came from Sin-

gapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan and China. These were invested in manufacturing, financial and insurance, real estate, arts, entertainment and recreation, and electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply activities. Net investments in debt instruments grew 9.3 percent to reach $6.2 billion from $5.7 billion in the same period in 2018. Reinvestment of earnings also increased 2.8 percent to $738 million. Data showed that in November, net inflows fell 46 percent to $531 million from $982 million a year ago, with the drop in net investments in debt instruments. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is scheduled to release the full-year data on foreign direct investments Monday. Meanwhile, Dominguez said the government had the fiscal space to pursue an ambitious infrastructure program as shown by the manageable debt level and the country’s sound credit ratings.

Debt-to-GDP ratio continued its downward trend to 41.9 percent in 2018 from 68.5 percent in 2005, and is expected to further decrease to 38.6 percent by 2022. “International conﬁdence is seen in the willingness of our development partners and foreign governments to help ﬁnance the large infrastructure projects,” Dominguez said. Dominguez cited a number of positive factors in his presentation. These factors include the passage and implementation of reform measures such as the Ease of Doing Business Act, National ID System, Personal Property Security Act, the law upgrading the Corporation Code, an act strengthening the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Universal Health Care Act and a law shifting rice trading to a tariff regime. Dominguez also expressed optimism over the passage and implementation of the remaining tax reform packages.

San Miguel spent P5.6b for CSR projects SAN Miguel Corp. is spending for social and environmental initiatives across its businesses reached P5.6 billion to date as it vowed to step up efforts and make a greater impact in addressing the country’s most pressing challenges. “It has always been our mission to do good. It’s in our DNA. Through our efforts, big and small, we hope to lead the charge in terms of how we give back to society and the environment,” said San Miguel Foundation chairman Ferdinand Constantino. For 2018, much of the company’s resources for corporate social responsibility were focused on developing meaningful partnerships and socio-economic opportunities to various disadvantaged communities nationwide. “We are gradually reworking our CSR strategy in ways that transcend the traditional thinking on corporate giving, expanding the reach of our programs and engaging our employees and other stakeholders so that more people can have a vessel to make a difference and participate in causes that are close to our hearts,”

Constantino said. He said SMC’s corporate giving was catalyzing solutions to both societal and environmental challenges, such as crime, unemployment, poverty, natural disasters, lack of infrastructure and basic services, water security, waste disposal, among others. Through San Miguel Foundation, the company spent P332 million to provide livelihood opportunities to more than 160 families of soldiers and policemen killed in action during the Marawi siege. The program, which granted access to a P2-million business startup package for each family helps ensure they have a longterm sustainable source of income. Assistance for disaster response and rebuilding as of 2018 reached P1.3 billion while housing programs for the underprivileged totaled P1.1 billion to date. Other initiatives of the foundation include granting of scholarships, providing for medical needs of people in conﬂict areas through the construction of hospitals and donation of medical equipment.

METROJET FACILITY. Metrojet Ltd. officers and government officials lead the groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction of a state-of-the-art business aviation parking and maintenance facility at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex in Clark Freeport Zone as a part of its Southeast Asian expansion. Heading the groundbreaking are (from left) Metrojet manager for commercial Justin Yeung; Angeles City vice-mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno, Metrojet Engineering (Clark) Ltd. general manager Wesley Slate, Clark International Airport Corp. president and chief executive Jaime Alberto Melo, John Leigh of Metrojet Ltd., Bases Conversion and Development Authority vice-president Arrey Perez, Metrojet chief executive Gary Dolski, CIAC marketing manager Jay Punzalan, Metrojet Ltd. chief operating officer Bruce Watson, Mabalacat City mayor Cris Garbo and Metrojet Ltd. regional manager for operational excellence and special projects Dwyn Jones.

Business

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market likely to move sideways S By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to move sideways this week on renewed fears of a global economic slowdown.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week recovered from the previous week’s steep decline but the stock market needed more consistent foreign buying and strong volume to push the benchmark index back to the 8,000-point level, analysts said. BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the lower February inﬂation print and prospects of some monetary easing in the coming months could provide a boost to the market. “The week’s close at 7,797.11 highlights some support exists near 7,500 levels. Look for test of the 7,950/8,000 levels

in the near-term. Failure to test the said levels could signal a retest of the 7,500 levels,” Ravelas said. Newly-appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said last week there was “room” for monetary easing given the decelerating inﬂation. Diokno also expressed plans to expedite a reduction in the reserve requirement. The inﬂation rate in February fell to 3.8 percent on slower increase in food prices. The PSEi last week rose 2 percent to close at 7,797.11, while the broader All Shares Index gained 1.8 percent to 4,817.22.

Except for the mining and oil which declined 2.6 percent, all other sectoral indices ended in the green, led by financial (+4.6 percent), industrial (+2.1 percent), services (+2.1 percent), holding firms (+1.4 percent) and property (+0.50 percent). Foreign investors were net sellers during the week by P296.5 million, while the average daily value traded stood at P5.9 billion, down from the previous week’s average of P11.1 billion. Weekly top price gainers were Philippine National Bank which rose 21 percent to P59.90, Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which advanced 7.6 percent to P4.52, and BDO Unibank Inc., which climbed 7.5 percent to P133. Weekly top price losers were PAL Holdings Inc., which wfell 7.2 percent to P10.30, Semirara Mining and Power Corp., which declined 6.4 percent to P20.35, and Del Monte Pacific Ltd., which lost 5.2 percent to P6.07.

World stock markets, meanwhile, dropped Friday amid fears over global growth following weak US job figures, a downgrade to the European Central Bank growth forecast, and data showing Chinese trade fell off a cliff last month. US data showed job creation ground to a virtual halt in February, just the latest warning of a lean growth ahead, after the ECB slashed its growth and inflation forecasts and China unveiled a growth target that would be its slowest in three decades. Bourses in Europe and Asia finished solidly lower. Wall Street also retreated, although an afternoon rally kept losses to a minimum. The broad-based S&P 500 finished down 0.2 percent. US employers added just 20,000 net new positions in February, collapsing from a blockbuster gain of 311,000 in January and far below the 173,000 economists had projected, according to a US Labor Department report. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

MARCH 4-8, 2019 Close Volume

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 1, 2019 Value Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

58.95 133.00 86.30 2.40 1.35 27.65 17.86 12.3 4.39 8.00 0.63 1.57 770.00 0.465 78.15 1 13.94 22.90 59.90 58.1 111.1 184.6 26.7 167.8 1805.00 61.00 1.14

51,580 7,750,180 6,777,030 546,000 76,000 405,300 126,100 1,965,200 337,000 2,500 263,000 195,000 1,560 1,150,000 8,007,070 2,312,000 206,100 4,700 4,794,480 5,300 250 14,530 600,500 1,139,030 465 56,080 39,000

FINANCIAL 3,042,368.50 996,689,383.00 585,665,964.00 1,278,390.00 102,920.00 11,215,115.00 2,280,034.00 24,180,494.00 1,463,920.00 20,000.00 158,780.00 301,260.00 1,243,550.00 532,350.00 620,216,798.50 2,303,230.00 2,866,962.00 101,495.00 265,381,692.00 310,625.50 27,304.00 2,686,023.00 16,026,210.00 186,276,822.00 839,650.00 3,438,545.00 44,270.00

58.9 123.70 84.00 2.23 1.34 27.8 18.3 12.12 4.48 8.24 0.65 1.52 800.00 0.460 75.2 1.02 13.98 21.55 49.50 58.5 114.5 185 26.5 162.5 1840.00 61.65 1.13

2,780 22,061,050 9,825,320 58,000 469,000 361,900 227,800 2,331,600 204,000 1,200 365,000 151,000 910 840,000 19,398,190 5,095,000 125,500 100 11,794,370 5,380 260 2,950 675,400 2,075,100 705 48,130 117,000

164,368.00 2,865,585,527.00 831,427,202.00 131,120.00 646,620.00 10,026,550.00 4,128,400.00 29,079,974.00 895,040.00 10,200.00 225,810.00 227,670.00 728,000.00 393,600.00 1,491,380,369.50 5,331,970.00 1,754,272.00 2,155.00 585,195,837.00 318,843.00 30,485.00 545,950.00 17,904,980.00 343,886,062.00 1,280,300.00 2,986,019.50 132,630.00

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons. Basic Energy Corp. Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp. First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petroenergy Res. Corp. Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils. Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp. Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vivant Corp. Vulcan Ind’l.

34 15.9 1.01 1.46 0.243 98.3 15.80 2.59 16.06 121 29.45 71.9 71.05 40.95 1.86 6.24 6.07 11.540 15.8 9.05 7.52 1.65 22.2 74.1 26.30 3.0300 9.57 13.06 1.650 317.60 51.50 4.35 3.5 11.96 27.1 12.3 19.9 0.200 376.00 5.87 1.36 3.74 6.76 8.81 1.34 12.00 48.8 5.9 4.79 1.83 2.72 1.36 12.6 106.4 6.4 0.128 1.06 142.3 2.73 1.63 16.00 1.37

10,157,300 2,472,600 5,168,000 8,054,000 7,490,000 370 34,700 65,375,000 1,426,700 230 346,200 470 5,540 2,400 694,000 442,400 275,500 2,953,500 2,527,300 7,806,400 324,900 27,000 17,310,600 821,470 878,300 101,240,000 13,193,200 3,299,500 1,055,000 2,906,050 10,710 5,000 208,000 606,500 965,900 1,056,500 5,698,500 4,500,000 657,200 115,100 39,657,000 551,000 12,141,700 46,900 49,911,000 902,400 2,945,500 554,100 142,000 379,000 20,000 462,000 1,484,500 6,483,040 1,201,000 1,810,000 2,589,000 4,348,570 439,000 10,392,000 7,300 16,019,000

INDUSTRIAL 351,143,420.00 39,420,500.00 5,239,190.00 11,590,400.00 1,769,450.00 36,365.00 564,600.00 167,495,430.00 21,898,046.00 27,830.00 10,212,130.00 31,038.00 393,868.50 100,080.00 1,307,570.00 2,692,575.00 1,692,481.00 33,634,198.00 40,096,352.00 68,633,458.00 2,466,184.00 44,670.00 382,184,650.00 60,936,189.50 23,401,900.00 316,422,550.00 128,585,741.00 42,103,072.00 1,801,560.00 911,766,222.00 566,662.50 21,810.00 733,130.00 7,501,370.00 26,116,450.00 12,660,994.00 112,301,584.00 904,350.00 181,664,380.00 689,906.00 54,691,340.00 2,085,350.00 81,545,332.00 420,713.00 66,634,520.00 10,771,282.00 144,112,780.00 3,286,605.00 664,080.00 698,430.00 54,180.00 625,680.00 18,657,288.00 679,645,401.00 7,694,866.00 234,130.00 2,714,080.00 608,405,910.00 1,170,910.00 16,873,560.00 116,800.00 21,152,250.00

35 15.8 1.02 1.46 0.246 98.3 16.52 2.4 15.08 128 29.5 72 74.1 42 1.9 6.04 6.4 11.160 15.96 8.75 7.60 1.66 21.3 74.75 26.95 3.3500 9.19 12.88 1.750 309.00 55.00 4.38 3.79 10.96 27.25 11.86 19.48 0.206 367.00 5.88 1.42 3.80 6.69 8.88 1.31 11.80 48.45 6 4.65 1.84 2.79 1.39 12.44 100 6.4 0.130 1.05 137 2.7 1.64 16.00 1.27

6,732,700 3,003,000 10,766,000 4,334,000 12,650,000 60 44,000 32,926,000 1,802,900 540 594,200 820 70 138,500 2,267,000 65,100 71,500 11,984,200 841,600 43,178,500 941,700 24,000 7,686,600 576,560 818,400 89,865,000 5,451,600 5,352,800 257,000 4,717,880 130 14,000 216,000 170,000 2,592,700 1,253,900 38,481,200 4,611,610 1,246,550 65,400 37,347,000 557,000 23,845,200 6,300 24,125,000 1,009,500 1,550,000 410,800 5,257,000 1,813,000 2,000 252,000 2,064,700 4,771,560 1,795,200 1,710,000 2,929,000 4,866,840 3,441,000 10,552,000 800 12,659,000

237,340,865.00 48,596,432.00 11,091,560.00 6,417,790.00 3,063,960.00 5,652.50 728,242.00 79,890,970.00 28,608,352.00 69,120.00 17,575,095.00 58,275.00 5,032.00 5,483,530.00 4,402,300.00 394,920.00 458,442.00 138,624,916.00 13,407,960.00 407,979,179.00 7,137,843.00 42,460.00 161,747,635.00 43,149,129.50 21,689,640.00 308,044,540.00 51,314,602.00 69,159,682.00 442,730.00 1,461,601,378.00 7,150.00 61,540.00 835,730.00 1,888,060.00 70,114,120.00 15,183,792.00 763,983,512.00 2,555,030.00 464,870,500.00 389,339.00 53,326,400.00 2,119,780.00 160,319,326.00 56,043.00 31,564,750.00 11,998,784.00 74,688,480.00 2,455,743.00 24,705,440.00 3,317,350.00 5,580.00 345,060.00 25,669,730.00 488,985,167.50 11,505,293.00 221,810.00 3,153,040.00 687,285,706.00 9,342,910.00 17,508,150.00 12,800.00 16,428,500.00

Abacus Cons. À’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor À’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp À’ BHI Holdings Inc. Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp. Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. Lopez Holdings Corp. LT Group Mabuhay Holdings À’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Pacifica À’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp À’ Seafront À’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.750 58.80 14.62 0.75 6.50 21.15 1.430 1.450 939.5 1260.00 7.75 11.56 4.15 14.30 0.249 993 6.13 67.00 5.86 0.56 5.03 15.8 0.580 4.92 0.0410 1.130 3.020 2.56 174.10 2.4 940.00 1.38 0.75 277.000 450.00 0.2400 0.365

86,590,000 8,263,390 31,923,600 1,271,000 308,500 389,400 69,481,000 8,815,000 872,760 10 12,908,300 17,827,500 100,000 2,084,500 2,150,000 489,110 34,800 19,102,560 65,000 1,912,000 1,720,800 5,269,600 1,119,000 179,477,000 132,000,000 396,000 5,818,000 40,000 4,083,690 3,000 694,710 136,000 646,000 34,490 130 12,490,000 321,980,000

HOLDING FIRMS 67,171,140.00 487,380,439.50 453,503,830.00 957,960.00 2,005,600.00 8,041,790.00 102,615,940.00 13,063,460.00 820,222,225.00 12,600.00 99,598,058.00 202,124,592.00 415,000.00 29,481,002.00 513,430.00 471,540,670.00 213,408.00 1,283,327,293.50 357,650.00 1,075,920.00 8,737,082.00 82,159,210.00 642,940.00 881,306,390.00 5,359,400.00 447,370.00 17,356,690.00 102,640.00 703,865,700.00 7,200.00 658,130,300.00 182,820.00 491,470.00 9,636,596.00 58,500.00 3,086,890.00 125,090,650.00

0.750 60.00 13.70 0.79 6.61 20.7 1.520 1.510 930

56,477,000 6,576,690 39,064,500 841,000 230,500 361,300 64,214,000 14,601,000 1,416,140

41,228,720.00 403,992,111.00 543,341,474.00 659,900.00 1,506,129.00 7,679,010.00 94,907,540.00 21,357,680.00 1,321,997,565.00

7.7 11.18 4.2 13.70 0.240 930 6.20 65.80 5.5 0.61 5.12 15.24 0.560 4.57 0.0410 1.140 2.870 2.59 170.70 2.36 940.00 1.35 0.78 284.800 449.00 0.2450 0.370

7,617,500 28,977,600 100,000 4,285,400 2,010,000 606,180 454,300 17,548,800 15,500 1,270,000 5,614,500 6,580,500 748,000 97,071,000 106,500,000 422,000 7,722,000 7,000 4,872,030 5,000 1,462,580 1,915,000 85,000 151,990 280 9,620,000 151,600,000

59,551,500.00 341,392,130.00 420,000.00 59,563,702.00 488,190.00 579,733,562.50 2,835,553.00 1,182,467,163.00 85,343.00 733,590.00 28,820,239.00 101,152,824.00 419,350.00 458,641,700.00 4,357,000.00 489,480.00 22,927,410.00 18,550.00 862,471,156.00 11,950.00 1,391,102,145.00 2,548,050.00 66,300.00 42,598,412.00 126,040.00 2,370,100.00 55,077,800.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop À’ Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. À’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp. Phil. Realty À’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry

11.900 0.80 10.22 1.960 0.880 43.000 2.56 4.26 6.85 0.485 0.90 0.940 0.243 0.410 9.940 21.5 0.500 0.130 1.51 1.22 5.45 0.400 1.8900 0.4550 0.450 46.40

41,022,100 4,806,000 4,900 585,000 3,249,000 50,248,000 7,757,000 1,453,000 208,100 37,090,000 671,000 752,000 15,480,000 5,240,000 2,352,000 1,466,200 3,303,000 40,000 45,473,000 12,398,000 109,017,800 84,230,000 37,257,000 4,450,000 3,570,000 3,800

12.040 0.80 10.22 1.850 0.880 43.200 2.55 4.19 6.85 0.480 0.87 0.920 0.247 0.425 9.700 21.1 0.500 0.130 1.44 1.27 5.15 0.420 2.1000 0.4600 0.470 45.50

8,617,300 4,194,000 3,800 423,000 8,380,000 49,565,600 3,806,000 2,106,000 120,000 49,092,000 261,000 158,000 78,250,000 4,270,000 7,094,300 1,792,900 11,906,000 10,390,000 41,898,000 9,133,000 89,508,700 46,550,000 13,513,000 290,000 1,090,000 2,300

103,654,830.00 3,358,750.00 39,522.00 812,130.00 7,326,530.00 2,195,054,105.00 9,745,860.00 8,979,120.00 816,973.00 24,282,215.00 227,120.00 143,480.00 20,034,670.00 1,887,250.00 70,180,740.00 38,773,795.00 6,101,390.00 1,335,080.00 62,347,810.00 11,673,040.00 463,182,515.00 19,738,450.00 28,769,990.00 133,200.00 515,150.00 101,765.00

PROPERTY 487,827,030.00 3,807,200.00 50,276.00 1,110,970.00 2,800,740.00 2,178,653,285.00 20,069,130.00 6,099,580.00 1,418,951.00 17,646,450.00 585,580.00 679,500.00 3,772,290.00 2,170,450.00 22,867,172.00 31,211,990.00 1,652,140.00 5,440.00 67,674,780.00 15,295,860.00 198,709,927,882.00 33,796,650.00 72,060,300.00 2,087,950.00 1,625,250.00 166,460.00

STOCKS

MARCH 4-8, 2019 Close Volume

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 1, 2019 Value Close Volume

Primex Corp. Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

2.78 23.50 2.05 3.15 38.10 1.56 7.2 0.800 7.240

558,000 14,665,400 4,899,000 324,000 24,241,300 18,700,000 3,514,000 641,000 80,684,100

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. À’ IPeople Inc. À’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils. Wilcon Depot

12 21.3 1.28 0.425 0.047 15.88 2.91 12.14 0.0710 85 7.99 5.63 7.00 2.1 15.06 890 1923 5.72 383.80 2.98 114 1.92 11 7.12 0.130 5.6200 3.15 15.24 3.30 0.90 19.68 16.00 0.610 4.93 3.01 2.02 1.96 2.980 9.4 10.30 3.44 5.10 129.20 2.85 1075.00 1.310 0.930 48.85 85.50 8.50 2.35 0.700 0.435 5.61 0.660 15.200

SERVICES 133,000 1,602,826.00 686,100 14,710,440.00 110,000 140,680.00 2,920,000 1,250,050.00 42,000,000 1,942,700.00 539,100 8,261,530.00 2,929,000 8,446,250.00 40,354,600 473,946,498.00 1,103,820,000 79,589,170.00 653,840 54,091,243.00 2,000 15,499.00 5,894,700 34,115,320.00 33,700 238,050.00 40,000 83,100.00 3,006,000 47,575,042.00 6,760 6,043,270.00 138,740 261,650,395.00 1,513,400 8,702,851.00 24,780 9,239,036.00 9,544,000 27,164,910.00 18,025,050 2,045,717,795.00 1,000 1,920.00 15,200 164,288.00 19,500 139,040.00 5,550,000 717,050.00 12,314,800 70,367,588.00 236,000 733,830.00 66,000 1,014,450.00 2,125,000 7,017,640.00 349,000 312,700.00 3,288,400 64,001,198.00 100 1,600.00 19,409,000 12,331,090.00 216,000 1,018,310.00 8,140,000 23,778,360.00 982,000 1,944,830.00 15,000 29,730.00 9,278,000 27,306,860.00 117,900 1,089,128.00 298,600 3,123,050.00 65,000 206,000.00 661,400 3,410,111.00 1,545,990 208,050,181.00 12,482,000 35,935,400.00 859,005 919,258,155.00 145,668,000 191,898,770.00 29,600,000 27,830,640.00 3,497,400 168,167,225.00 3,965,550 340,047,026.50 118,500 991,075.00 31,792,000 73,789,610.00 8,738,000 6,160,420.00 27,880,000 12,247,750.00 4,920,700 27,592,306.00 7,712,000 5,112,070.00 35,380,100 532,872,456.00

Abra Mining Apex À’ Atlas Cons. À’ Atok-Big Wedge À’ Benguet Corp À’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto À’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining À’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. À’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex À’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. À’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp. United Paragon

0.0021 1.50 2.92 13.70 1.2900 1.1600 2.22 0.295 8.17 1.490 0.265 0.125 0.131 0.009 0.0084 1.1 2.73 1.09 0.6300 0.9300 0.0130 0.0120 4.05 14.80 0.0120 3.3000 20.35 0.0078

MINING & OIL 4,466,000,000 9,380,000.00 5,487,000 8,251,630.00 727,000 2,121,280.00 17,000 226,862.00 830,000 1,046,990.00 409,000 476,120.00 5,634,000 12,493,460.00 3,460,000 1,040,800.00 25,700 201,032.00 3,755,000 5,584,210.00 28,610,000 7,437,840.00 7,790,000 961,810.00 1,740,000 220,950.00 132,000,000 1,128,800.00 170,000,000 1,453,100.00 1,096,000 1,205,960.00 9,571,000 26,608,380.00 275,000 290,780.00 616,000 379,620.00 3,088,000 2,912,950.00 66,900,000 817,000.00 53,700,000 644,400.00 12,320,000 49,343,450.00 3,658,700 54,266,736.00 385,700,000 4,307,400.00 284,000 886,660.00 16,030,700 322,856,673.00 181,000,000 1,390,000.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

20.3 100 465 497 98.25 102.5 450.4 480.2 5.82 871 895 95 0.99 100 980 998 99 106 970 75.45 76.85 72.6 73.35 74.95 73.6 72 72.5 1.8

236,500 3,060 51,160 5,800 227,560 9,970 1,530 290 124,200 3,580 4,170 7,190 3,205,000 12,010 1,240 1,860 2,590 30 4,230 14,430 159,610 123,600 19,850 95,820 6,000 380,310 140,920 3,000

LR Warrant

1.900

799,000

Italpinas Xurpas

5.03 1.43

9,671,500 75,322,000

First Metro ETF

116.2 10.3 10.2 1

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

1,568,050.00 341,388,930.00 10,193,340.00 1,015,700.00 922,711,245.00 29,182,010.00 24,957,432.00 504,850.00 583,711,165.00

Value

2.89 22.80 2.07 3.13 37.95 1.54 6.71 0.760 7.400

767,000 17,717,500 1,337,000 28,000 36,821,700 18,791,000 7,198,400 237,000 140,282,100

2,192,830.00 412,733,405.00 2,734,300.00 87,400.00 1,415,964,870.00 27,974,240.00 50,937,028.00 181,360.00 1,042,088,141.00

12.24 21.35 1.28 0.440 0.048 14.62 2.9 11.32 0.0650 81 7.71 6.01 7.22 2.1 15.10 890 1903 5.72 366.80 2.88 113 1.91 11.18 7.14 0.129 5.8700 3.19 15.7 3.30 0.89 19.12 16.00 0.630 4.72 2.92 2.02 2.01 2.960 9.38 11.10 3.24 5.18 133.30 3.03 1030.00 1.290 0.970 46.80 86.50 8.30 2.27 0.720 0.44 5.65 0.680 14.400

157,300 489,000 156,000 6,400,000 90,540,000 3,065,300 1,370,000 41,461,400 275,360,000 468,180 8,600 2,500,100 131,600 73,000 509,900 2,440 169,055 544,400 155,960 3,224,000 38,872,490 72,000 14,800 12,600 8,010,000 9,033,300 100,000 28,500 1,017,000 750,000 25,888,300 500 31,285,000 470,000 6,908,000 680,000 16,000 5,786,000 56,400 297,600 83,000 941,700 127,650 3,176,000 970,235 154,699,000 58,344,000 7,842,600 1,453,300 215,900 15,899,000 7,672,000 43,530,000 4,077,900 7,556,000 13,088,100

1,957,486.00 10,780,075.00 203,550.00 2,815,250.00 4,322,420.00 45,540,328.00 3,996,410.00 485,588,334.00 18,508,760.00 39,052,023.50 67,315.00 15,172,945.00 935,512.00 153,550.00 7,730,110.00 2,173,830.00 320,223,310.00 3,114,832.00 61,378,420.00 9,226,140.00 4,540,103,118.00 138,420.00 163,048.00 89,989.00 3,931,300.00 53,181,047.00 309,350.00 449,636.00 3,365,530.00 675,240.00 489,736,532.00 8,000.00 19,976,250.00 2,252,940.00 20,532,940.00 1,374,760.00 32,100.00 17,315,280.00 172,286.00 3,317,106.00 267,700.00 4,749,113.00 16,732,711.00 9,805,530.00 1,011,205,370.00 201,359,690.00 58,207,620.00 380,001,205.00 126,403,611.00 1,827,708.00 35,907,720.00 5,507,580.00 19,473,250.00 22,857,471.00 5,150,700.00 190,965,136.00

0.0021 1.52 2.92 13.28 1.2000

1,958,000,000 4,161,000 462,000 34,500 118,000

4,105,100.00 6,413,200.00 1,360,830.00 462,348.00 160,110.00

2.2 0.300 8.09 1.500 0.285 0.126 0.133 0.009 0.0093 1.09 2.73 1.08 0.6100 0.9500 0.0120 0.0120 4.02 14.88 0.0130 3.1500 21.75 0.0082

1,725,000 720,000 5,900 6,769,000 48,860,000 4,060,000 600,000 234,000,000 25,000,000 500,000 10,467,000 772,000 2,778,000 3,569,000 105,600,000 111,100,000 5,849,000 4,131,500 868,400,000 158,000 6,061,900 250,000,000

3,784,120.00 217,300.00 46,193.00 10,169,620.00 13,666,620.00 515,540.00 79,800.00 2,180,700.00 232,100.00 544,420.00 29,437,960.00 815,080.00 1,731,520.00 3,465,570.00 1,307,000.00 1,333,300.00 23,638,580.00 61,979,810.00 10,535,800.00 507,290.00 136,120,665.00 2,099,100.00

20.05 100 480 490 97 104 450.2 480.2 5.82 900 900 95 0.99 100 971 1000 98.8

134,000 6,220 2,100 3,030 28,380 23,100 130 650 25,000 50 1,370 3,030 154,000 18,280 1,240 90 7,750

2,692,320.00 622,000.00 1,005,296.00 1,484,180.00 2,749,559.50 2,372,690.00 58,518.00 312,326.00 143,972.00 45,000.00 1,233,000.00 290,680.00 153,390.00 1,828,000.00 1,210,960.00 90,000.00 780,698.00

966 75.15 76.6 73.4 72.85 74.1 74.5 71 73.5 1.7

100 900 97,450 10 3,240 133,710 34,000 103,100 71,900 9,000

97,340.00 67,687.50 7,458,907.00 734.00 236,631.50 9,935,499.00 2,526,300.00 7,429,254.00 5,237,361.50 15,300.00

1.910

528,000

1,011,520.00

4.74 1.39

1,373,000 57,610,000

6,572,760.00 82,692,300.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 34,000 3,926,552.00

114.1

41,720

4,850,272.00

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 16,800 172,258.00 19,680 198,908.00 7,080 6,980.00

10.1

2,800

67,040

PREFERRED 4,767,825.00 306,000.00 24,154,264.00 2,788,880.00 22,289,264.50 1,027,743.00 689,136.00 139,258.00 717,991.00 3,146,100.00 3,750,080.00 683,080.00 3,146,520.00 1,201,189.00 1,205,735.00 1,871,450.00 256,370.00 3,180.00 4,108,280.00 1,109,330.50 12,191,237.00 8,975,840.00 1,448,682.00 7,141,417.50 445,662.00 27,290,304.50 10,236,487.50 5,400.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,498,430.00 SME 50,165,915.00 104,315,000.00

28,130.00 67,040.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings Philodrill Corp. À’ Zeus Holdings United Paragon Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Manila Mining `B’ PremiereHorizon Pacifica À’ Manila Mining À’

VOLUME 4,466,000,000 1,103,820,000 385,700,000 321,980,000 181,000,000 179,477,000 170,000,000 145,668,000 132,000,000 132,000,000

STOCKS Megaworld Ayala Land `B’ I.C.T.S.I. JG Summit Holdings Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Prime Holdings PLDT Common Jollibee Foods Corp. Metro Paciﬁc Inv. Corp. Ayala Corp `A’

VALUE 198,709,927,882.00 2,178,653,285.00 2,045,717,795.00 1,283,327,293.50 996,689,383.00 922,711,245.00 919,258,155.00 911,766,222.00 881,306,390.00 820,222,225.00

SM Prime set to issue P10b worth of bonds for expansion By Jenniffer B. Austria SM PRIME Holdings Inc. plans to issue P10 billion in fixed rate retail bonds to finance the expansion of mall and residential businesses. SM Prime said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it would sell P10 billion worth of bonds, the fourth and final tranche from the P60-billion bond shelf registration it filed in 2016. SM Prime has earmarked P80 billion in capital expenditures this year to support the company’s provincial expansion and land banking activities. The company this year plans to open four new malls and complete the expansion of two. The group’s residential business under SM Development Corp. also plans to launch between 15,000 and 18,000 residential units, including high-rise buildings, mid-rise buildings and single detached house and lot projects. Meanwhile, SM Prime’s P10-billion bond offering received a rating of PRS Aaa from Philippine Ratings Services Corp. (Philratings). Obligations rated PRS Aaa are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk. The SM Prime’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation was extremely strong, said PRS Aaa. Philratings in assigning the rating considered several factors, including SM Prime’s strong operational track record, a well diversified portfolio and the continuous construction and expansion of development projects, leading to significant growth and cash flows going forward. SM Prime is one of the biggest integrated property developers in the Philippines and also one of the largest in Southeast Asia by market capitalization. SM Prime reported a net income of P32.2 billion in 2018, up 17 percent from previous year’s level. Consolidated revenues reached P104.1 billion, up 14 percent due to additional rental income from new and expanded malls, and higher contribution from residential sales. “Over the projected period, profitability will remain stable. The increase in revenues will continue to be driven by rental income, coupled with strong real estate sales,” Philratings said.

PSE’s net income decreased by 12% to P828m in 2018 By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange booked a net income of P727.1 million in 2018, down 12 percent from P828.1 million in the previous year that included a onetime gain from the sale of Ortigas offices worth P252 million. The PSE said revenues in 2018 based on audited financial statement rose 30 percent to P1.59 billion from P1.22 billion in 2017 on higher listing fees. Listing fees more than doubled to P572.9 million from P249.8 million as more companies raised capital through the local bourse. Cost and expenses, however, jumped 29 percent in 2018 to P762 million from P592 a year ago. Capital raising activities throughout the stock exchange in 2018 reached P188 billion, up 12.5 percent from P167 billion in 2017. Only D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc., which raised P8.1 billion in proceeds, conducted an IPO in 2018. Two of country’s largest banks— Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. and Bank of the Philippine Islands— conducted rights offering that raised a combined P110 billion in fresh capital. Several companies also conducted rights offering, namely PetroEnergy Resources Corp., Robinsons Land Corp. and Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc., Several listed firms, namely IRC Properties Inc., China Banking Corp., Basic Energy Corp. and Golden Bria Holdings Inc. made private placements. The PSE expects P200 billion in equity deals this year, including initial public offerings , private placements, follow-on offerings or stock rights offerings. Businessman Dennis Uy’s PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. has announced plans to defer its maiden offering, but two more companies are expected to push through with their IPO plans. They are canned fruit manufacturer Del Monte Philippines Inc. and tech manufacturer Cal-Comp Technology (Philippines) Inc.

World

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Opposition leader Guaido calls for march C

ARACAS― Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday called for a nationwide march on Caracas to crank up the pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro, as the country endured its third night largely without power.

COMMEMORATION. People pray in front of a memorial tower in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, on March 10, 2019, as people commemorate the eighth anniversary of the March 11, 2011 deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that hit Japan. On March 11, 2011, a devastating 9.0-magnitude quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives. AFP

Tibet backers At least 15 dead in Mexico club attack mark 60 years since uprising DHARAMSALA, India―Huge crowds gathered at the Dalai Lama’s temple in India Sunday to commemorate 60 years since the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that drove the spiritual leader into exile. Supporters of the 83-year-old peace icon chanted and prayed at the Buddhist shrine in mountainous Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama established a government-in-exile after fleeing a deadly Chinese crackdown in Tibet in 1959. Devotees in the Indian hill station the Dalai Lama has called home for six decades waved Tibet’s colorful “snow lion” flag, which China has outlawed as a symbol of separatism. Some had “Free Tibet” painted on their faces along with the colors and distinct golden sun of the iconic flag. The Dalai Lama himself was not present at the anniversary ceremony, but chief representatives of the exiled Tibetan administration and foreign dignitaries gathered for the solemn occasion. Performers dressed in traditional attire danced and recited Tibetan songs at the temple for guests, which organisers said included parliamentarians from 10 nations. AFP

IN BRIEF Colombia plane crash kills 12 BOGOTA―A plane crash in Colombia killed 12 people on Saturday, including a mayor and her family, aviation and emergency services said. The Douglas DC-3 aircraft, an American-made twin-engine propeller plane that was first produced in the 1930s, crashed in the center-east of the country on a flight between the towns of San Jose del Guaviare and Villavicencio. A fire department official told AFP it then caught fire. “Unfortunately... there were no survivors,” the Aeronautica Civil aviation authority said, adding that the wreckage was found close to Villavicencio. Among the victims was the mayor of the municipality of Taraira, Doris Villegas, and her husband and daughter, as well as the owner of the aircraft, pilot Jaime Carrillo, co-pilot Jaime Herrera and an aviation technician identified as Alex Moreno. President Ivan Duque paid tribute to the victims on Twitter. “My solidarity with the families,” he wrote. AFP

GUANAJUATO, Mexico―Armed assailants opened ﬁre in a nightclub in central Mexico in the early hours of Saturday, leaving at least 15 people dead and three others wounded, prosecutors said. The incident took place in the city of Salamanca in Guanajuato state, where authorities have launched an operation against criminal gangs involved in fuel theft. The armed men ﬂed the La Playa clublocated in a residential and commercial area of the city―in an escape car, prosecutors said, adding that an investigation had been opened. Witnesses told authorities that the as-

sailants were masked. The victims have not yet been identified. The attack occurred just hours after President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made a working visit to Guanajuato, where he spoke on Friday about his strategy for putting a stop to fuel theft. On Saturday, Lopez Obrador said he regretted the “loss of innocent lives.” “We are ﬁghting to bring peace to the country,” he told reporters. Salamanca is home to about 140,000 people. The main pipeline of state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) in Guanajuato state runs through the city. AFP

Cuba taps into luxury tourist market HAVANA-In Havana, there’s a shop selling a camera for more than $25,000― roughly 850 times the average monthly wage in Cuba. The eye-popping sum earned predictable scorn on social media, but it begins to make sense when seen through the lens of the island’s ﬂedgling bid to tap into the luxury tourism market. The exclusive camera store and other boutiques featuring A-list brands like Versace and Armani are located in a shopping gallery on the ground ﬂoor of the swanky Gran Hotel Manzana. The mere existence of the shops cer-

RESTORATION SUMMIT. Jane

Fonda appears onstage at the HFPA Film Restortion Summit: The Global Effort to Preserve Our Film Heritage, at The Theater at Ace Hotel on March 09, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

tainly seems incongruous in a country that has been governed as a one-party communist state since 1959, and where the average wage is $30 a month. But the hotel isn’t exactly looking for locals to buy in-it attracts “a clientele of private airplanes... princes and celebrities,” according to general manager Xavier Destribats. The Gran Hotel Manzana, the first ever five-star establishment in Havana, opened in 2017 in a sumptuous historic building that was, at the beginning of the 20th century, the island’s first shopping mall. AFP

The massive blackout crippling the oil-rich but economically troubled South American nation has fueled the political standoff between Guaido, who is recognized as Venezuela’s leader by more than 50 countries, and Maduro, who is clinging to power. No national data was available about the impact of the power outage, but an NGO said at least 15 patients with advanced kidney disease died after they stopped receiving dialysis treatments in darkened hospitals. As night fell Saturday, the power across much of the country -- which ﬁrst went off Thursday -- was still not on. Businesses remained shut, hospitals struggled to operate, and public transport barely functioned. The 35-year-old Guaido, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, earlier told thousands of supporters that he would soon embark on a nationwide listening tour before leading a march on the capital. “Once we’ve ﬁnished the tour, the organization in every state, we’ll announce the date when all together, we’ll come to Caracas,” Guaido said, a megaphone in his hand as he stood on the roof of a pickup truck. Security forces had prevented the opposition from setting up a stage at their original protest site, arresting three people. AFP

Orchestrating improvisation beyond jazz RAYMOND D. PADERNA

GREEN LIGHT THE ABILITY to survive and thrive in times of adversity is never a given. Experts believe that having certain attributes and demonstrating specific skills are needed so that one’s preparedness for the unexpected can be enhanced. Many Filipinos, for instance, have tapped into their inventiveness and indomitable spirits for survival. The Ivatans of Batanes relied on their indigenous knowledge to build stone houses that may look austere at first but closer inspection will reveal that they are actually formidable structures designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. Decades of secessionist movements in Mindanao have not dampened the tenacity of its residents to slowly but surely propel the Philippines’ second largest island into an engine of growth after its long journey to peace. Closer to home, valuable lessons were learned by those who live and work in Marikina when typhoon Ondoy brought the city to its knees in 2009. Since then, the ability of its citizens to recover after a catastrophe has been fortified thanks to a government-led but communitydriven disaster management program aimed at showcasing Marikina as a model of resilience. Finding doable ways of bouncing back after an unexpected event is now acknowledged as an important building block of sustainable communities. And nowhere is this task more needed than by nascent entrepreneurs whose fledgling businesses typically subsist on scarce resources which they cannot afford to lose in a catastrophe. In this regard, a growing number of disaster management experts are already hinting that the usefulness of such scarce resources may be prolonged through one’s adeptness at performing extemporaneous actions and making impromptu decisions in the moment when planned measures are not possible. This rather unconventional approach of responding to an imminent crisis is called improvisation. Commonly used by musicians since the 1920s, modern-day advocates of this behavioral strategy believe that improvisation can now go beyond the jazz metaphor and be scaled for use by organizations, particularly during turbulent times. So instead of mulling over their misfortunes, entrepreneurs can better adapt to unexpected disruptions by creatively responding to situations where established protocols cannot be followed. Business owners are, thus, invited to reflect on the following practical resilience-building measures that combine preparedness and impromptu action. Successful improvisation ironically begins with planning and preparation. Relying completely on one’s intuition during a crisis can be foolish and even dangerous. High levels of discretion to improvise may actually result in disasters that could worsen the impact of an unexpected event or cause accidents. Pre-crisis plans and preparations are needed so that improvisers are aware of the extent to which emergency-response protocols can be adapted as an initial response. But if carefully laid-out plans no longer work, intuition takes over and the improviser must now take calculated risks as well as perform spontaneous actions which are calibrated in real time

based on critical thresholds outlined in the plan. Tension arising from an emergency can be defused by maintaining one’s composure and by looking at adversity through the prism of opportunity. On many occasions, a person’s tendency to panic ends up making others feel agitated and insecure. Moreover, failing to remain calm in a crisis may conceal the valuable lessons that can be learned from a pressurepacked moment. Entrepreneurs who remain composed even when distressed are better able to objectively assess the situation and adjust their actions according to situational demands. Employees can then feed off from their boss’s even-handedness and join others in addressing the crisis. Prepare to use organizational resources for purposes other than their intended original use. During unanticipated contingencies, scarce resources need to be repurposed in order to fit the requirements of an emergent situation. The need for flexible leadership during a cataclysmic event for example might mean that an alert employee who steps up amid the confusion suddenly becomes a de facto leader. Offices may also be converted into makeshift shelters for employees and their families while funds previously earmarked for a team building exercise may be used as an emergency loan fund for employees whose homes were destroyed by a cyclone. Employees who do not have to worry about their personal lives during a crisis can concentrate more on helping their employer in managing an unexpected event because they too will benefit if business operations continue uninterrupted. The effectiveness of improvisation is enhanced if done collectively. Business owners and their employees can become agile collaborators in response to a contingent situation through what experts call meaningfully-constrained improvisation. In this instance, ad hoc actions are performed with a clear understanding of intended outcomes when the emergency subsides. This concerted effort to rise above a crisis through thoughtful experimentation can only happen if business owners and employees are jointly aware of the potential benefits improvisation can bring so that they gain confidence in responding creatively and decisively in situations where predesigned procedures are not an option. Small business owners are encouraged to nurture cognitive diversity among their employees at work. This is achieved when organizational members are driven by shared values and common goals but may have different perspectives on problem solving. Allowing employees to exercise a certain degree of creativity in performing their tasks while working towards a common outcome is an ideal way of incubating the growth of organizational improvisation. Raymond D. Paderna is a faculty member of the Decision Sciences and Innovation Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business at De La Salle University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Family Business Management, Business Research and Human Resource Management. He also teaches Fashion and Arts Entrepreneurship at Fashion-Arts-Business Creatives in Makati City. He welcomes comments at raymond.paderna@dlsu.edu.ph. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

LGUs

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

‘Sariling Salat’ sees 200 take part in Batangas By Roy Tomandao

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

EARLY DETECTION. Men participate in the Women’s Month celebration ‘Sariling Salat ng Suso’ at the CMCC in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, as Anakalusugan Party-List—through its nominees Mike Defensor, Ower Andal, and Darlon Ginete (from right)—teamed up with Mar-Vil Klinika ng Bayan to conduct a breast cancer awareness seminar explained by Dr. Maria Marasigan (inset). Roy Tomandao

Globaltech not allowed in NV, says Gov. Padilla By Brenda Jocson SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya—Gov. Carlos Padilla has barred a company previously licensed to run a small-town lottery operation by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office from operating in the province. Padilla said the company Globaltech “should not operate in Nueva Vizcaya because the status quo ante order by the Court of Appeals is only applicable to the 15 areas it is licensed to operate in, and not a single province in Region 2 is included.” The governor said they had two bases for this decision, one being “the documents given to me by the PCSO and the Court of Appeals decision that is the status quo ante order that upholds the RTC 161 Pasig Branch decision that make Globaltech and PCSO go to arbitration, but the province of Nueva Vizcaya is not included. The other fact, Padilla said, is that the DOA [Deed of Authority] of Globaltech from the PCSO “had already expired.” PCSO has accused Globaltech of running an illegal STL operation that is virtually the outlawed numbers game ‘jueteng’ even as officials of the state lottery firm suspect that regional police are coddling the illicit operators. The governor had asked the police in Nueva Vizcaya to validate information if Globaltech still continued to operate despite Padilla’s previous order to stop the “Peryahan ng Bayan” game operations that PCSO says simulates “jueteng.” Padilla also noted that contrary to what a high-ranking police official in the area said, the status quo ante order of the appellate court against Globaltech “is only applicable to 15 areas. Vizcaya not included.

PSA: Muslim women spared from violence By Nash B. Maulana

OTABATO CITY—Muslim women have had the least experience of all types of violence of “ever-married” females age 15 to 49, as compared with cases recorded of other Philippine regions. In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, only 5.3 percent of ARMM’s women have experienced emotional violence; 2.3 percent physical violence and only 1.0 percent sexual violence, according to a survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority. The survey formed part of the PSA annual report for Calendar Year 2018 which ended last Dec. 31. PSA Regional Director Abubakar S. Asaad Ph.D. noted that the ARMM ﬁgures are far behind other regions in the north with relatively low incidence of

emotional, physical and sexual violence committed by husbands or partners. For instance, Caraga Region in eastern Mindanao records the highest rate of violence against women with 44.7 percent emotional violence; 22.6 percent physical violence and 1.9 percent sexual violence. Central Luzon is relatively the lowest in the north, but higher by more than 500 percent (than the ARMM ﬁgures)—with 11.9 percent cases of emotional violence; 8.5 percent physical violence; 3.7 percent sexual violence. Put together, the ARMM has had only

0.6 percent incidence of combined physical and sexual abuse; 0.5 percent physical, sexual and emotional cases of abuse; 3.3 percent cases of eitheremotional-or-physical abuses, and only 6.7 percent of all “either-or” cases of emotional, or physical or sexual violence. Multiple-marriage of up to four wives which tradition conditionally allows on Muslim males may be “arguably” considered a factor of “emotional abuse.” But not many in the age bracket of 15-49 years old couples are into such practice in the ARMM, and so the region still posts a very low incidence of women suffering from emotional violence, a Muslim law expert said. Males in Muslim families of multiplemarriage are mostly above 50 and so emotional hurt at this stage is often overcome by emotional maturity.

MORE POWER.

Church leaders and heads of civil society organizations focused on power and energy issues stand in front of a solar panel on Friday as they launched an electoral campaign aimed at bringing clean and affordable electricity for consumers through key policy reforms. Norman Cruz

DA: Central Luzon rice fields still well irrigated, safe from El Niño By Romeo Dizon SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—While other regions of the country are experiencing drought, the 380,000 hectares of irrigated rice ﬁeld of Central Luzon is safe from the weather phenomenon called El Niño. Benjamin Baltazar, operation ofﬁ-

cer of the Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon said that drought is not yet a problem in the region as of now as there is sufﬁcient water for irrigation purposes. “We have enough water for irrigation for palay and other seasonal crops production”, Baltazar said. Baltazar attributed the supply of wa-

‘Spare culturally-relevant films from taxes’ IF ELECTED in the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections, veteran broadcast journalist Jiggy Manicad said that he will push for tax cuts for films of “high cultural and historical value” to encourage the production of quality films promoting patriotism and the proliferation of Filipino culture and arts. “Films like “Heneral Luna” should be spared from taxes. Movies like that touch the consciousness of a lot of Filipinos and contribute significant value in terms of our history, culture, and identity. We need more of them,” Manicad explained in the sidelines of his sortie in Laguna on Saturday. “Other countries are already doing this. They have a tax break for films promoting the country’s dialects, tradition, and history and are able to preserve these through

ﬁlm. Bakit hindi natin magawa din ‘yun dito?” Manicad, whose platform consists of promoting patriotism among Filipinos, quipped. The multi-awarded reporter cited the example of Ireland which provides tax credits to films that pass a “Cultural Test” administered by a local agency of culture and heritage. “Films and television shows can apply for tax credits if they conform to certain criteria. Is the movie an important contribution to the promotion of national culture? Is the movie done in the local language? Is the movie mainly set in the Philippines and does it have main characters that are connected with Filipino culture? Does the ﬁlm tackle historical subjects, relevant socio-political issues, local arts and traditions?” the neophyte senatorial candidate explained.

ter for irrigation from the different dams located in the region specially the Pantabagan, Angat and the advance distribution of artesian wells to the farmers in anticipation of the coming drought in the country. Since the last quarter of 2018, Secretary Manny Pinol of the Department of Agriculture ordered the distribution

of about 1,000 units of artesian wells among farmers in the region in preparation for coming drought. Baltazar said 50 percent of irrigation in region is use by farmers from Nueva Ecija, the rice granary of Central Luzon while the remaining 50 percent was distributed among the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan and Bataan.

STO. TOMAS, Batangas—More than 200 women from Sto. Tomas, Batangas participated in a mass demonstration of the correct way to self-examine ones breasts to highlight its critical role in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, one of the top causes of death among women in the Philippines. The event, dubbed “Sariling Salat ng Suso,” marked the March 8 International Women’s Day as well as the proclamation rally of Anakalusugan (Alagaan Natin Ating Kalusugan), the sole party-list running on a health platform in the May 13 midterm polls. “We in Anakalusugan do not represent a province or a region, nor do we claim to represent marginalized sectors such as workers or ﬁsherfolk, among others. We represent the whole nation—rich and poor, young and old —because health knows no political color nor economic class. Sa Anakalusugan, una ang kalusugan,” said party-list nominee Mike Defensor. “Health is our priority and our advocacy. We will make sure that PhilHealth and the Department of Health deliver the services expected of them, and that our laws are relevant and health services are accomplished. Kami ang kakampi ng bawat Pilipino sa kalusugan,” he added. The party-list group’s three-point priority health agenda are as follows: ensure that all maintenance medicines are given free of charge under PhilHealth; provide free diagnostic tests; and allocate a ﬁxed amount of allowance for barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars. Anakalusugan nominee Ower Andal said providing free diagnostic tests and maintenance medicines are crucial for both preventive and curative aspects of healthcare. “It is a great disservice to our kababayans that in 2016, at least 60 percent of Filipinos who died of medical reasons were not even able to see a doctor. You need a blood test or a diagnostic exam to get a proper prescription and accurately identify your illness, but in rural areas, the nearest hospital or clinic may be several towns away. The cost of these tests as well as that of maintenance medicines are also prohibitive,” Andal said.

600-MW thermal power plant to rise in Bataan By Butch Gunio BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Hanjo Group Manufacturing Inc., a Korean firm on Thursday entered into a memorandum of understanding with the provincial government to build a $1billion 600-megawatt thermal power plant in Bataan. Gov. Albert Garcia said the project, which can give employment to at least 10,000 workers, will be a public-private partnership endeavor. “Aside from job creation and development for Bataan, the thermal power plant is a clean source of energy. As demand for energy increases, it is good to know that our partners think clean and green,” the governor said. The project proponents have yet to identify a site for the power plant or the date of completion, but said studies are underway. Garcia thanked Korean Hak Joo Choi, Hanjo chief operating officer and Japanese partner Chris Takayama, company chief finance officer, for choosing to locate the plant in Bataan. “I hope this will be the start of something huge for the province,” the governor said. “This is an answer to the increasing need for clean energy in the next five years. And it will further boost the Philippines’ energy capacity,” for his part said the Korean company chief operating officer. Takayama also said Bataan has a good track record in terms of dealing with foreign investors.

MARTYR’S SITE.

Honorary Nagasaki Magistrate Robert Lim Joseph (third from right) and wife Ida Manalo Joseph join Bobit Avila, Honey Jarque Loop, former tourism regional director Dawnie Roa, and other tourism stakeholders stand at the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan Memorial Park in Nagasaki. The edifice is a tribute to the martyrs who were executed by crucifixion on Feb. 5, 1597 —including the first Filipino saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz. Others in photo are Jessica Avila, Francisco Unchuan, Cleotilde Alday, Dr. Farah Tequillo, Edna Diaz, Kristine Gatdula, Katrina Avila, Marissa Unchuan, Robi Joseph, Riza Yujuico, Kristine Locsin, and Anj Kwon.

Life

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

FOOD

@MStandardLIFE MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

MEAT TREAT. The Southern Platter consists of Cajun chicken, country ribs, grilled Andouille, and a variety of side dishes.

Southern American feast A

Steamed Mussels

BBQ Pork Shank

Sarsaparila Float

Roasted Cod

MERICAN restaurant chain TGI Fridays in March brings to the Philippines dishes that smack of ﬂavors from the Southern America.

The all-new Southern Showdown features tasty and meaty treats such as the Southern Platter composed of Cajun chicken, country ribs, grilled Andouille, and indulgent serving of sides of mac and cheese, mango chipotle coleslaw, smashed potatoes, garlic rice, and buttered baguette. Barbecue lovers have a new option straight from the grill. The BBQ Pork Shank is a fall-of-the-bone meat treat with Texan barbecue sauce, mac and cheese, and mango chipotle coleslaw. Those who ‘sea’ food with hungry eyes, on the other hand, may opt for the Nola Steamed Mussels which is perfect with a glass of white wine or

fresh hand pressed juice. TGI Fridays’ Steamed Mussels are made even better with Andouille, tomatoes, Cajun, and buttered baguette. Continue the Southern journey with a serving of Roasted Cod with cannellini, edamame, sausage, and panko crust. Finish off the gustatory trip to Southern America with S’mores Brownie, made of Kahlua cream sauce, torched marshmallows, fudge brownie, and chocolate ganache. Wash it all down with a serving of Sarsaparilla Float. These new dishes are available at TGI Fridays nationwide.

S’mores Brownie

Cheers and chow at Casa Lourdes By Robbie Pangilinan VIGAN, the capital of Ilocos Sur and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is rife with cultural and historical heritage, being home to ancient churches and ancestral houses and Casa Lourdes—a microbrewery and restaurant. Casa Lourdes and conceived by five friends over dinner that lasted through the next morning, captures both the feel and the culture of Ilocos. It has three factions: a brewery (Calle Brewery), a wine and tapas bar, and a degustation reflecting a fine dining experience. It is housed in an ancestral home built in 1875 by Don Florendo and Doña Maria Verzosa. “The richness of the culture infused with the restaurant’s three factions makes the experience distinct and worth the visit. The distinctness of the restaurant is incomparable. There are no restaurants in Ilocos that offers quality dishes and fresh beer,” says corporate chef Robby Goco, whose culinary masterpieces features his interpretations of Ilocos favorites. People flock to the resto-bar for its

tasting among partners was done before finalizing the menu. The owners/investors are hands-on in running the business. Each has their own tasks and responsibilities such as finance, operations, quality audit, business development, marketing, and others. They all share the same pride of being able to give their customers the experience they envisioned. “The sole reason why the restaurant still stands is our customers. We have locals who are regulars here, and also travelers. We are grateful for their genuine feedback and support,” adds Goco. One of the usual requests they get is bottling their beers so customers can enjoy the local brews at their home. There are also requests to open a place with Casa Lourdes is housed in an ancestral home the same concept in different locations built in 1875. in the Philippines. To address these resmoked meats, IPA (Bigote ni Antonio), quests, Calle Brewery has already startred wine, Spanish dishes such as gam- ed supplying beer kegs to partner hotels bas and salpicao, and Ilocano fine tast- outside Vigan. ing menu. The process of developing the menu Casa Lourdes is located at #11 Calle starts with Goco and partner brewer Encarnacion, Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Call Joey Viray giving their inputs and pro- (077) 604-5223 or 0917-7131694 for inject timeline. A series of testing and quiries and reservations.

Chicken Inasal

Pork Sisig

Free unli rice at Mang Inasal Calle Brewery serves beers on tap and a variety of smoked meats and barbecues.

MANG Inasal is giving all unli rice lovers a special Early Dinner Treat as part of it 15th anniversary celebration. Diners get free unlimited rice servings on all Paborito Value Meals from March 11 to 28, Monday to Thursday,

from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. only. The Early Dinner Treat promo is available at all Mang Inasal stores nationwide, and valid for dine-in transactions only.

Life

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Max’s serves filling rice bowls

OT all rice bowls are created equal. But all of Max’s Restaurant’s rice bowls promise to be ﬁlling and put diners in a good mood.

Comprising the rice bowl lineup are the Seafood Kare-Kare Rice Bowl made with a combination of shrimp, squid, and fish slow-cooked in creamy peanut sauce; the Spicy Tofu headlined by deep fried tofu cubes tossed in a special spicy mayo base and served with a side of fried egg; the Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet Rice Bowl made with breaded cream dory doused in a combination of sweet and tangy sauce; and the Chopsuey Rice Bowl which features a symphony of sautéed fresh vegetables, pork, shrimp, and chicken liver and gizzard. Those looking to reward themselves can order a rice bowl that will make them feel like a winner with every bite like the Sizzling Chicken made with coarsely chopped fried chicken and chicken liver, spiced up with white onion, celery, and chili; the Beef Caldereta with fork-tender beef chunks in thick sauce topped with fried potatoes and carrots; and the Adobo Ribs which offers a unique twist on the classic taste of the well-loved adobo.

Max’s Restaurant also pays tribute to Pinoy food loved by many for generations with the Crispy Pata, deep fried pig knuckles served with banana slices and atchara; and the Kare-Kare Rice Bowl made the traditional way by slow braising ox tripe and beef shanks in thick peanut sauce and vegetables. There is also the Bangus Belly Max’s now serves filling rice bowls such as Paksiw Rice (clockwise) Chicken Sisig Bowl cooked using pre- Rice Bowl, Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl, Fish Fillet in Black mium milkBean Sauce, and Seafood fish belly filKare-Kare Rice Bowl. let; and the Fish Fillet in Black Bean Sauce made with lightly breaded cream dory flavored by red bell pepper strips, spring onions, ginger strips, and black bean sauce. Grab a bowl or two at Max’s branches nationwide.

A quick guide to pork

cuts

Kasim, a versatile cut of pork, is ideal for slow cooking and suitable for most pork dishes like adobo, menudo, and sinigang.

WHEN preparing a pork dish, it’s important to choose the right cut of meat to go with it. But with many different cuts available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially those with little to no cooking experience. To help the public choose the right cut of meat for a particular dish, Robina Farms Premium Fresh Meat shares this handy guide to pork cuts and recipe suggestions.

Kasim – One of the most common and versatile cuts of pork, kasim has layers of fat and tendon (litid), making it ideal for slow cooking, and is suitable for most pork dishes like adobo, menudo, and sinigang. Recipe idea: Get creative with pork shoulder by roasting it whole on low heat for an extended period of time. With layers of fat keeping it moist,

Pata slices can be used in pork nilaga or sinigang.

Pork tenderloin is a lean source of protein.

cooking it low and slow allows the flavors to seep in, resulting in the perfect roast for pulled pork. Tenderloin – Cut from the same area as pork loin, tenderloin is the most tender of all cuts of pork meat. It also has the mildest flavor because of how lean it is, thus it is ideal to use lots of seasoning. It’s best cooked and treated like steak—grilled or pan-fried. Recipe idea: Use this as an alternative to chicken fingers by breading and frying tenderloin strips and pairing it with honey mustard dip, or use it as a substitute for beef for a garlicky salpicao. Ribs – Ribs are located closer to the belly while those closer to the backbone are the more tender baby back ribs. This cut is very flavorful on its own, and best enhanced when grilled. Recipe idea: Put a unique spin on barbecued ribs by adding coffee grounds in the dry rub. Liempo – A definite crowd-pleaser, liempo or pork belly is the fattiest and most flavorful cut with alternating layers of meat and fat. It can be used interchangeably with kasim for a more flavorful and fatty pork dish. Recipe idea: Level up the classic liempo by rolling a whole pork belly into a log and filling it with herbs to make porchetta. This distributes the flavors more evenly throughout the meat, and creates a juicy roast with uniform layers of fat and crispy skin. Pigue – After kasim, pigue is the second most versatile pork cut. It can be used in any of the aforementioned dishes and is also best for slow cooking. Recipe idea: Put a spin on basic adobo by adding gata and allowing it to reduce to a thick sauce. Pata – The underrated pata can be used for a wide variety of dishes. While it is not fatty, it gets tons of flavor from the layers of skin and litid surrounding it. It is commonly used for crispy pata, and pata tim. Recipe idea: Pata slices can be used in pork nilaga or sinigang. When it is deboned and chopped, it can also replace the hard-to-find maskara for sisig.

Leche flan in a jar creator shares recipe for success IMAGINE eating leche flan (custard) with toppings straight from a jar. This is the big idea behind Spoonful Desserts, a brainchild of corporate sales manager-turned-entrepreneur, John Lloyd “Cholo” Quiaonza. “The idea of Spoonful Desserts came while I was watching a TV feature piece about the cheesecake in a jar concept,” he shared. “I was eating leche flan at the time and just thought to myself—why not put the flan inside a jar and then have it come in different flavors to make it more unique and exciting?” At first, Quiaonza was apprehensive in pursuing the concept, after he had been forced to close down his first venture. “I was pretty careless with my first business. I neglected to put in the necessary time and effort and left it in the care of others,” he recalled. Down to his last five thousand pesos, the young entrepreneur procured a steamer and a set of jars and put his concept to the test. But it was a seemingly casual post on his social media page about his new leche flan in a jar product that really made him believe that he was finally on to something. “The post got a lot of engagements and even inquiries about the product,” he shared. “And after just a couple of weeks, I already had resellers from Cavite, Tagaytay, and Batangas.” The entrepreneur attributes the success of his business to two things: mentorship and guidance. He was taken under the wing of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Kapatid Mentor Me program after aggressively promoting his product on social media. Likening the program to that of a mini MBA course, it enabled him to develop the technical skills required for entrepreneurs. “They guided me through Spoonful Desserts’ product development—helping me position the product for a more premium target market, along with developing the right sort of packag-

The leche flan in a jar was inspired by the cheesecake in jar concept.

ing, and even the flavors of the leche flan,” he shared. Eager to receive more guidance and mentorship, Quiaonza joined UnionBank GlobalLinker in 2018. “I was really amazed because it was like an online community for managers and entrepreneurs like me. It is a great place for knowledge-sharing and gaining innovative insights from fellow entrepreneurs which you can then apply to your own business.” GlobalLinker has enabled him to expand his network and even gain clients through the platform’s Linker.Store. After graduating from the Kapatid Mentor Me Program, Quiaonza founded the Young Entrepreneurs Society in Cabuyao, Laguna. “I saw that there was a lot of entrepreneurial potential in the community but there was no one to really mentor them. At the same time, this is also my way of paying it forward.” Using his position as a member of the Association of Laguna Food Processors and the knowledge and insights he gained from the Kapatid Mentor Me program and UnionBank GlobalLinker, Quiaonza is eager to share what he learned with the community.

Spoonful Desserts’ leche flan in a jar comes in different flavors.

Entertainment

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Short film ‘FIRST DAY’ delivers a mega dose of ‘KILIG’

'First Day' is a short film that offers lighthearted moments that ultimately lead to an ending that viewers won’t see coming.

In 'First Day' short film, delightful conversations and relationships start with delectable comfort food.

N THE wake of its first two viral videos Adulting and Tipidity, leading sardines brand MEGA, treads lightly into 2019 with First Day, its third short film under its #MegaGandaAngBuhay trilogy. The short film tells the story of Joseph, an idealistic, fresh-outof-college young man from Cebu (played by Jindric Macapagal) who is caught in an awkward situation on his first day at work in a Makati office. What could go wrong—or right—on Day One? “First Day reveals the answer in an unexpected and heartwarming manner, delivering a mega dose of ‘kilig’ on a hugely relatable slice of life,” says film director and public relations specialist Chris Cahilig. As shown in its first two short films, the MEGA Sardines’ #MegaGandaAngBuhay campaign, Cahilig points out, reinforces timeless Filipino themes and values. While Tipidity brought humor and Adulting delivered drama, First Day, the third and last film in the trilogy, offers lighthearted moments and wraps up with a plot twist that the audience won’t see coming. “Whether at work or at home, there’s very little doubt that intriguing conversations—and relationships—can be sparked by delectable comfort food,” Cahilig hints at what’s coming. However one looks at it, First Day fits right into the #MegaGandaAngBuhay campaign by depicting how MEGASardines, as a staple viand, has fortuitously figured in the unforgettable “firsts” of its Filipino patrons. The short film was made possible by Tiu Lim Foundation (executive producer), Rommel Sales (cinematography), Yuji

Cartoon Network celebrates Powerpuff Girls’ 20th year The short film can be viewed on MEGA’s official Facebook page, along with other #MegaGandaAngBuhay videos 'Adulting' and 'Tipidity.'

Gonzales (screenplay), Jegs Morales (offline editor), Kenneth Amparo (online editor), Melai Entuna (line producer), Clark Lopez (assistant director), Kat Salinas (sound design), Richard Gonzales (scoring), Det Moldera (accounts manager), Yani Bautista (production manager), and Johanna Evangelista (production coordinator). First Day can be viewed on MEGA’s official Facebook page www.facebook.com/officialmegasardines and YouTube channel (Mega Global). Meanwhile, Tipidity and Adulting have garnered, to date, almost 3 million views on YouTube alone. Both short films can also be viewed on MEGA Sardines’ official Facebook page. For more information about MEGA Sardines and its #MegaGandaAngBuhay campaign, visit www.megaglobal. com.ph or www.facebook.com/officialmegasardines.

IN LINE with the International Women’s Month, Cartoon Network ofﬁcially celebrates the birthday of The Powerpuff Girls in Asia with ”Empowerpuff,” a campaign that embraces empowerment and puts the spotlight on driven girls, young ladies and women who are the game changers in their communities, businesses and the world. The two-time Emmy Award winning series, The Powerpuff Girls, ﬁrst burst on to Cartoon Network 20 years ago and has captured hearts since then. From the biggest names in fashion and apparel, this iconic trio continues to showcase its reach through collaborations with the likes of Peter Alexander, Supre, Katie Eary, Lingua Franca, LEGO, and Havaianas. Most recently, deals were struck with Champion and cutting-edge womenswear designer Christian Cowan. Over the next few months, Cartoon

Network will premiere a series of content on its social and digital platforms featuring Filipina celebrities and inﬂuencers. They all have made a name for themselves for their Social Responsibility and Bravery, Art and Creativity, and Health and Fitness. Each of them will conduct a workshop where they will share inspiring stories to motivate young Pinays to be the heroes of their own communities. So, watch out for who will be the chosen Filipina trailblazers and tune in to Cartoon Network for other exciting activities lined up for the year. For latest updates on The Powerpuff Girls’ 20th anniversary, follow Cartoon Network Asia on Facebook or visit the Cartoon Network website. Catch The Powerpuff Girls on weekdays at 8:15 am and Sundays at 1:45 pm only on Cartoon Network.

Making waves and ways for ASEAN Cinema WITH the centennial celebration of Philippine cinema, despite the many box office failures of recently shown motion pictures, hope springs eternal still for this artistic and commercial medium. Proof of this prevailing positivity, the 56 entries submitted to forthcoming ASEAN International Film Festival Awards (AIFFA). It’s the most number of motion picture submissions among 10 ASEAN countries to date. In the last incarnation of AIFFA in 2017, the Filipino films who made in the competition category had 18 nominations and the Philippine delegation brought home 6 awards in technical and artistic categories. Some of the major acting winners were Best Supporting Actress for Ana Capri in Laut, Best Supporting Actor for Ricky Davao for Dayung Asu and Best Actress Award for Aiai delas Alas in Area. With 56 films submitted, it is indeed a no brainer that more awards and recognition are almost in the bag for Filipino world class talent at the AIFFA 2019. The AIFFA is a biennial competition for filmmakers from the 10 ASEAN countries. This film festival and awards is sanctioned by the ASEAN Secretariat as one of the joint activities for the regional grouping. First organized in 2013 and is now in its fourth edition, AIFFA is celebrated and held in Kuching, Sarawak in Malaysia. It is judged by international and ASEAN juries and offers awards in 17 categories covering all major aspects of the creative and technical areas of filmmaking. It culminates in a three-day event in Kuching and is attended by filmmakers from all over the world. The fourth

edition will be held from April 25 to 27. Festival director Livan Tajang declares, “You know, besides organizing the best ASEAN Festival more importantly, what ALWIN we want to highlight is the awareness of the IGNACIO intrinsic value AIFFA carries for ASEAN which basically is the tremendous branding opportunity to promote films.” “Some of our ASEAN film icons, such as Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, and Michelle Yeoh, have been bestowed life time achievement awards and they have graced the AIFFA. Because of these icons, and all these films, whether in competition or exhibition, other stars and film makers, showcase the best of ASEAN cinema and all these efforts added more premium and respectability to AIFFA,” he adds. What we can expect from AIFFA this year? On April 25, Thursday, 400 delegates and international will arrive in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia and will be welcomed with the “Movies Under the Stars” which will be held at the Kuching Waterfront Extension. Besides the announcement of the nominated films, there will be some performances and premier film opening, to be announced. This event is open to the public: ”The Old Courthouse will be a hive of activities for the three days as film screenings, a sales gallery and exhibition, film talks and where AIFFA BIZ WORLD will be held. The festival director says in conclusion,“The big event is the evening of 27th April which is the Gala Night. This is always a big attraction as the best of the best ASEAN Films are gathered and awarded. This event is held at the Pullman Hotel. For more information, you can go to AIFFA’s website: http:// www.aiffa2019.com.

ARIAS

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, March 11, 2019

ACROSS 1 Really shake up 5 Kill a bill 9 Painter’s garb 14 Gen. — Bradley 15 Distinct periods 16 Rascal 17 Turnpike rumbler 18 In a doubtful manner 20 Make possible 22 Go downhill 23 Electric swimmers 24 Chimpanzees 26 Yodeler’s home 28 Tea cart choice (2 wds.) 32 Shower sponges 36 2001, to Livy 37 Nest on a crag 39 Prize money 40 Humbug 42 Fooled 44 Hamlet 45 Literary work 47 Be deserving of 49 “Law & Order” figs. 50 Walked unsteadily 52 Water-repellent polymer 54 Sale caveat (2 wds.) 56 “— kleine

Nachtmusik” 57 Payment option 60 Cause a blister 62 Turn 66 Penny purchase, long ago (2 wds.) 69 Vanities 70 Clamor 71 Like 72 Cousin’s mother 73 Kind of boom 74 Find a tenant 75 Carrie’s “Star Wars” role DOWN 1 Canseco or Ferrer 2 Portent 3 Tibetan monk 4 Primitive, often 5 Surfaced with fine wood 6 Afore 7 Earmarks 8 Japanese port 9 Delhi honorific 10 Packs and leaves (2 wds.) 11 Type of arch 12 Weed out 13 Accordion parts 19 Money drawer 21 Women’s links org. 25 Antivenom

27 Burst 28 Grill remnant 29 Make laugh 30 Wash off 31 Cry of surprise 33 Tolkien hobbit 34 Lake Nasser dam 35 Taste or smell 38 Uncanny 41 African desert 43 Industrious 46 Thumbs-up vote 48 Minuscule 51 Very serious

53 Quick breakfast 55 Diner freebie 57 Taxis 58 Guthrie of folk music 59 Go over quickly 61 Harden, as clay 63 Chills and fever 64 Ms.Braxton 65 Are, in Taxco 67 Yr. ender 68 Opposite of max

'The Powerpuff Girls' is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera.

Simply... From C4

Now on its 3rd year, Spark Fest will take place on March 23, 2019 at the Globe Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. You can register via https://www. sparkfestbytsp.com/ Be part of Spark Fest 2019, a oneday conference that gathers a rare mix of thought leaders and industry movers whose sole mission is to inspire Filipino talent to build, earn, and make the world

better with their ideas. Participants not only get to attend special talks and panels but also get a chance to pitch and consult with some of the country’s top entrepreneurs. Are you an entrepreneur, an entrepreneur wannabe or someone who has an entrepreneurial mindset? *** Kapamilya Fiesta joins kicks off festival season in Japan The cast of the ABS-CBN series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano is ready to greet everyone kon’nichiwa as ABSCBN Regional Group and The Filipino Channel (TFC) fly them to Japan for the “Kapamilya Fiesta World Japan” happening on April 21 at the Ichikawa City Cultural Hall in Chiba Prefecture. As festivities kick-off in April, Coco Martin, Yassi Pressman, John Prats, Smugglaz, Bassilyo, Empoy, and Pooh will bring a Filipino-themed fiesta in Japan filled with color and entertainment. Everyone will surely be hyped up and laughing their hearts out with comedian Pooh hosting the event. Smugglaz and Bassilyo with bring the house down with some beats that made them popular even before crossing-over to acting. While Empoy returns to Japan more than a year after the success of the film Kita Kita shot in the scenic Sapporo in Hokkaido. Show-stopping dance numbers can be expected from the Philippines’ dance floor princess Yassi and dance floor dynamite John. Lastly, serenading and swooning the crowd is none other than the prince of Philippine TV series, Coco. Filipinos in Japan, get ready for a funfilled afternoon with the cast of ABSCBN’s top-rating series, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano at the “Kapamilya Fiesta World Japan” on April 21 at the Ichikawa City Cultural Hall in Chiba Prefecture. *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@ isahvred). ΙR

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

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

ISAH V. RED

The making of an entrepreneur IF YOU’RE young and have that fire to be a person that makes a difference in your community, then you must be an entrepreneur. How? There are several ways, and one of them is learning the tricks from those who, like you, had the enthusiasm to build an enterprise around themselves to make something meaningful out of their young lives. On March 23, you may have the chance to interact with some of these personalities from whom you can learn the ropes of starting a new business or enterprise. Celebrity speakers RJ Ledesma and Bianca GonzalesIntal complete the exciting line up of business innovators and influencers who will share their stories of success sparked by their own creative ideas. Famous for his refreshing TV commercials in the ‘80s, Ledesma stays true to his entrepreneurial pursuits as he channels his wits and charm off screen to find his passion in business. He is the co-founder of Mercato Central, which is the biggest night food market and food business incubator hub in the Philippines. Meanwhile, TV host and lifestyle columnist GonzalesIntal continues to inspire young people, women and moms with her life advice and real-life stories of survival. Her bestselling book #PaanoBaTo turned online video series on YouTube and Facebook became an instant hit and referred to by many as the ultimate fun life guide. You can pick up tips on creativity and innovation to start a business from these personalities. They join startup founders, creative entrepreneurs, and social innovators in the annual Spark Fest organized by The Spark Project (TSP), the only Philippine-based “crowdfunding” platform for creative and social enterprises. “In the Philippines, there is a vast resource of talent left untapped. The success behind the Spark Project was that by creating a shared space for talent to build on talent, we were also able to build a community with a shared vision of helping aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs. It’s modernday bayanihan at its finest,” said Patch Dulay, founder and CEO of the Spark Project. Spark Fest 2019 will feature Christian San Jose, co-founder of Make by Saatchi and Saatchi, who helped build the digital brands of Adobe Inc., Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Usain Bolt. Joining him are amazing entrepreneurs Sherill Quintana of Oryspa Solutions, Anya Lim of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery, the Instagram famous trio @pereastreet, and The Bloomfields. Returning to the stage, apart from RJ and Bianca, are crowd favorites Anna Oposa of Save Philippine Seas, Kirk Damasco of Worship Generation and Get Blued. “Our challenge for Filipino talent is to reimagine the way they create. Having a highly curated roster of speakers and mentors is essential. We really want to inspire and teach emerging entrepreneurs by putting them in the same room as people who have done it before and succeeded. So, we’re very intentional in our selection of stories because entrepreneurship, creativity, and social change can be challenging. But that’s how you make the world better. Our goal is to encourage those who are ready to level up,” added Dulay. Continued on C3

ILLY Crawford, James Reid, and Sam Concepcion are joining forces for a concert, which all of them describe as a big party that features fresh and innovative music and production numbers local concert circuit has never seen before. The big night is happening at the Araneta Colesium on April 5. Billy, James, and Sam, who are considered three of the country’s most popular singers, actors and all-around media personalities, have banded together to become The CR3W and are now all set for the coolest, sonic moodﬁlled Big Dome concert ever. “Why The CR3W? There’s no speciﬁc explanation. We came up with different titles for the concert and we decided to go for this [title] because each of us has his own crew, a group of talented people working with us to make our music,” R&B singer Billy shared during the concert’s press conference held recently. Billy, a singer, dancer, comedian and host, started out as a child actor before relocating to the United States and then launching his career as a teen idol in Europe. From his base in France he came up with charting tunes like the Platinum selling “Urgently In Love,” “Mary Lopez,” “Trackin’,” “When You Think About Me,” “You Didn’t Expect That,” and “Stormy Nights.” He resumed his career in the Philippines and has since then become one of the most popular hosts in local television with shows like Your Face Sounds Familiar, Pinoy Dream

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

James Reid

Academy, and Pilipinas Got Talent. He is at present one of the judges in the World of Dance competition show. Billy is set to return to the hit charts with the release of his new album which includes the hot single “Filipina Girl.” The 36-year-old TV host had nothing but good words for his pals James and Sam, who are sharing stage with him for the ﬁrst time. “James is passionate about music. He’d be listening to music on his phone and he’d go to you all excited saying, ‘Check this out.’ And he’s got his own record label!. Sam, on the other hand, he is one of the dopest performers I’ve seen. From the time he was starting out, I knew he was the real thing,” “It’s a mutual admiration obviously,” retorted Sam alluding to the praises he got

SNAPSHOT PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez (center, in white Barong) visited recently the ABS-CBN office in Quezon City and met with ABSCBN Executives—(from left) ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN Chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN Integrated Marketing Head Nandy Villar, Global Chief Operating Officer and Head of Strategic Planning Edgardo Garcia who represented ABS-CBN Global Chief Operating Officer Olivia de Jesus, and ABS-CBN Integrated Events and Customer Engagement Head Bobby Barreiro—to discuss a prospective project in Washington D.C. in 2020.

Celebrity speaker Bianca Gonzales-Intal

Sam Concepcion

Billy Crawford

from Billy. Sam made his mark in theatre in the title role of the musical Peter Pan. He made a big splash in motion pictures as the male lead of the musical I Do Do Bidoo-Bidoo. He has since then alternated between acting in ﬁlms and recording. Among his hit songs are “Dati” with Tippy Dos Santors, “Kontrabida,” “No Limitations,” “Isang Daan,” and “Kalsada.” His latest single release is the ballad “Bukas Makalawa,” which was composed by Thyro Alfaro for the soundtrack of the movie Para Sa Broken Hearted in which he also starred. Meanwhile, James could only say so much about what people can see in the concert. “It’s going to be a seamless transition

from one artist to another. We’re going to have our gimmicks and some special things that we’ll do for the show. We can’t share much that’s why people should see the show to understand what we’re talking about,” James pointed out. James is known for big-selling soundtrack music like “No Erase, Bahala Na,” “On The Wings Of Love” and “Hanap-Hanap.” Apart from being a singer and performer, James is a movie star. Some of his notable ﬁlms are Diary ng Panget, This Time, Never Not Love You. On television, he starred in On The Wings of Love, and Till I Met You. James also took on the role of songwriter and producer for his own label Careless Music and has released the album Palm Dreams with the singles “Cool Down,” “Turning Up,” and “The Life.” He has recently unloaded Summer, a duet with Nadine Lustre for the “Careless MIxtape.” He is part as singer and co-writer of the new single, “Filipina Girl,” a collaboration with Billy and Marcus Davis, Jr., that is part of Crawford’s upcoming album. The concert also features Coleen Garcia, Nadine, and Yassi Pressman as special guests. Tickets are available at TicketNet 911-5555. Ticket prices are VVIP with Meet & Greet at P10,000; VIP Seated P5000; Patron, P4000; Lower Box P2500; Upper Box P1500; and General Admission P500.