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PREPARING FOR THE WORST.

Western Visayas 23, 330 cases

REGIONS THAT BREACHED THE ALERT THRESHOLD LEVEL

REGIONS THAT BREACHED THE EPIDEMIC THRESHOLD LEVEL

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 174 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Calabarzon 16,515 cases

Images of anxiety and hope inside the overcrowded Dr. Rafael Tumboko Memorial Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan with dengue patients—counting 3,000 from January this year until Monday—with 15 deaths, according to provincial hospital officials, who say they are preparing for the worst and peak of dengue cases this month. Revoli Cortez

Zamboanga Peninsula 12,317 cases Northern Mindanao 11,455 cases SOCCSKSARGEN 11,083 cases MIMAROPA 4, 254 cases Bicol Region 3,470 cases Central Visayas 10,728 cases Ilocos Region 4,396 cases Bangsamoro 2,301 cases

Now’s the time: Rody to invoke arbitral ruling By MJ Blancaﬂor and Francisco Tuyay PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will invoke Manila’s 2016 arbitral victory against China in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, Malacañang said Tuesday. “There will be a time that I will invoke the arbitral ruling. This is the time,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a briefing, quoting the President. The territorial dispute between the two countries is among the issues that will be discussed in the one-on-one meeting between Duterte and Xi, Panelo said. The announcement came after the Palace confirmed that Duterte will visit China later this month, the fifth time he will have done so since he took office in 2016. Asked about what prompted the President to assert the landmark ruling now after setting it aside for the last three years, Panelo said: “Because his term is Next page about to end.”

DOH: Dengue epidemic

of staggering proportions HELPLESS PASSENGERS.

With no passenger buses allowed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on southbound flyovers along EDSA Tuesday, scores of ranting passengers are forced to walk to reach their destinations under an erratic sky. Manny Palmero

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Department of Health on Tuesday declared a national dengue epidemic in view of the alarming surge in cases that have claimed 622 patients, most of them children. In a press briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said there were 146,062 cases of dengue from January to July, 98 percent higher from the same period last year. DOH records showed that Western Visayas has the highest number of dengue cases with 23,330; Calabarzon

PAL resumes flights to HK FLAG-CARRIER Philippine Airlines has resumed operating normal flights to Hong Kong on Tuesday. “The resumption of normal operations by PAL to and from Hong Kong comes after protest actions within the airport premises have scaled down and as more manpower reported for work duties,” said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. She said the airline management will continue to closely monitor the situation in Hong Kong as she assured air travelers of regular updates on the matter.

By Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

Carmaggedon: 6 mishaps, buses jam EDSA traffic By Joel E. Zurbano SIX accidents and buses being forced into the yellow lane for public utility vehicles were blamed for the massive traffic jam on the southbound lane of EDSA on Tuesday, forcing commuters to alight and walk to their destinations along Met-

ro Manila’s main thoroughfare. The Metro Manila Development Authority said the six traffic incidents were recorded between 4 a.m. and 3 p.m. by its Traffic Monitoring System, but the gridlock began at around 9 a.m. and continued well into the evening, disgruntled motorists and passengers alike reported

Tit-for-tat: PH visas on China visitors’ passports OKd By MJ Blancaﬂor

DU30 STAMPS APPROVAL. President Rodrigo Duterte, reversing a policy of his predecessor, has approved the proposal to stamp Philippine visas on Chinese passports, following a proposal by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. during the Cabinet meeting Monday—which veers away from stamping of Philippine visas on a separate application form ordered in 2012 by then Secretary Albert del Rosario.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposal to resume stamping visas on Chinese passports, the Palace said Tuesday, reversing a policy set by the previous Aquino administration not to do so because they contained a map of China that includes territory claimed by the Philippines. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made the proposal during the Cabinet meeting on Monday and it was approved immediately by the President, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. Starting in 2012 under then Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, the Philippines stamped visas for Chinese nationals on a separate application form. Next page

on social media. On Twitter, the MMDA explained that all buses, both city and provincial, were made to stay within the yellow lane. This forced the bus drivers to jostle for position going into the yellow lane, creating impassable queues that blocked private Next page

SC imposes P2-b fine on water firms

P4-t budget: Lion’s share to education By MJ Blancaﬂor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020, Malacañang said Monday night. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said education had the biggest slice of the budget, followed by public works, transportation and health. He also said the Budget department was targeting to submit the National Expenditure Program to Congress for its approval before the deadline on Aug. 21. Next page

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and two water concessionaires to pay a hefty fine of almost P2 billion for violations of the Philippine Clean Water Act. In an en banc decision penned by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, the High Court directed Maynilad and MWSS to jointly and severally pay P921,464,184 for the period of May 7, 2009 to date of promulgation. The same amount of fine was slapped on Manila Water to be paid jointly and severally with MWSS. SC Public Information Office chief Next page

40 YEARS OF HSF IN THE PHILIPPINES OPINION A4

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WellMed case up for refiling By Rey E. Requejo

month, right now that’s down to about P3 billion worth. [Most of the drugs] have been distributed, especially the ones near expiry or expiring,” Domingo told ANC’s Early Edition. Guevarra said even before the Quezon City court came out with its ruling, they were about to withdraw the case from the court because the National Bureau of Investigation was unable to produce the additional evidence. “We were actually withdrawing the information filed with the RTC, but were overtaken by the court’s order,” he said. “The DOJ was awaiting additional evidence from the NBI. When it was not forthcoming, we decided to withdraw the information in the meantime. But before we could withdraw it, the court issued the order of dis-

missal, without prejudice to refiling.” On Monday, the Quezon City court dismissed the criminal cases against the WellMed officials for lack of jurisdiction. In granting the motion of the WellMed officials led by Brian Sy to quash the charges for 17 counts of estafa and falsification of public documents, the court ruled that the complaint should have been filed before a metropolitan trial court. Nonetheless, the lower court said the dismissal of the criminal complaint had nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the accused Brian Sy, whistleblowers Leizel de Leon and Edwin Roberto and other unidentified defendants. The defendants allegedly defrauded PhilHealth of claims ranging from P5,200 to P39,000 per case.

DOH: Dengue... From A1

(16,515) cases; Zamboanga Peninsula (12,317) cases; Northern Mindanao ((11,455) cases; and Socsargen (11,083) cases. “It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these areas to identify where a localized response is needed and to enable the local government units to use their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation,” Duque said at the headquarters of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council along with its chairman, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Other regions that have exceeded the threshold of dengue cases were Region I (Ilocos) with 4,396 cases; Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 10,728; and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with 2,301. He described the rate at which dengue was spreading “staggering.” “If you multiply it into 52 weeks, it could possibly reach 260,000 cases [by the end of the year] and this is really staggering. Thus is the compelling reason why we are declaring a... national dengue epidemic,” Duque said. At present, there is no effective and affordable vaccine in the market against the four deadly strains of dengue virus.

In the absence of such a vaccine, Duque urged all government agencies, schools, different offices, including private entities and communities to clean their surroundings, particularly mosquito breeding areas, to eventually decimate the female Aedes egypti mosquito that carries the dengue virus. “Starting today, the Department of Health together with other government agencies, LGUs, schools, offices, and communities will conduct the “Sabayang 4-O’clock habit para Dengue-Get Out,” focusing on search and destroy of mosquito breeding sites. This is one of the primary interventions to prevent and control dengue,” Duque said. Duque also expects cluster members of the NDRRMC, to include the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in committing its personnel to battle the spread of the dengue virus. He said that LGUs, particularly those had severe dengue cases could use their quick respond fund to address their respective concerns, particularly for the needed supply and logistics. Lorenzana, for its part, issued a memorandum circular mandating all member agencies to support the national dengue epidemic response. Citing the 98 percent spike in cases, the Health Department has asked Lorenzana to convene a full council meeting.

The DOH can mobilize funds from the P177-million dengue program budget and the P40 million allotted for the most affected regions. If these are not enough funds, then the Quick Response Fund can be used. Meanwhile, Rep. Janette Garin said she was thankful that Malacañang is open to the return of the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine. Garin, who is still facing a slew of criminal and civil cases in connection with the use of the controversial vaccine during her watch as the Health secretary during the Benigno Aquino III administration, said she hoped the DOH would listen to “real experts” and not be swayed by “faken news peddlers.” The widespread use of Dengvaxia caused a scare when the manufacturer, SanofiPasteur of France, admitted that the vaccine could exacerbate the symptoms of dengue in people who have not been afflicted by the disease. The vaccine is being blamed for the deaths of some 100 people, most of them children. When Dengvaxia was purchased by the Aquino administration, the vaccine was still on Phase IV of its clinical trial that entailed the determination of its side effects when used over time—although it had already been approved by government regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration.

Carmaggedon... From A1

Tit-for-tat:... From A1

retary Menardo Guevarra said his department will be closely monitoring the stay of Chinese tourists and will implement immigration measures should they exceed their allowable stay here, Panelo said. The flurry of actions came after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon warned of the recent influx of Chiense workers. The Bureau of Immigration reported there were at least 3 million Chinese who arrived in the country over the last three years. About 100,000 to 130,000 of them are registered workers in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO),which facilitates foreign online gaming. The Bureau of Internal Revenue, during the meeting, also reported that the government has issued tax identification numbers to POGO workers and collected taxes from them. “The Department of Finance estimated that P2 billion monthly revenues shall be collected from POGO,” Panelo said.

Now’s... From A1

the 60-40 split. No final region in the West Philippine Sea has been determined for the possible joint exploration. However, the Philippine government previously said that S-C 72 in Reed Bank may be a possible area for the exploration. The Office of the President has yet to release the details of the Duterte-Xi meeting and no date has been set yet. Meanwhile, the military reported that four more Chinese Navy warships have been monitored in the Sibutu Strait in TawiTawi. Military officials recommended the filing of another diplomatic protest against China for what they described as the uncoordinated passage of the ships through Philippine territory. In a press briefing Monday in Puerto Princesa City, Vice Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Western Command, said one of the warships was monitored by operating units transiting the Balabac Strait at about 1:30 p.m. on June 17. He said military operating units made challenges against the Chinese warships but they made no response. Barely six hours after, Medina said another Chinese navy vessel was also sighted in the vicinity of Balabac waters. Medina, however, said the second Chinese warship responded to the persistent challenges initiated by the Philippines but made no disclosure of any information “except its bow number.” He said this was the basis for their recommendation that the DFA file a diplomatic protest. Last week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, based on the recommendation of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., filed a diplomatic protest against China over the entry of four Chinese warships at Sibutu Strait in the Sulu Sea since February. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confronted Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, who was told to coordinate future passage of its vessels in Philippine waters. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said one of the largest American aircraft carriers entered Philippine waters on Tuesday. The USS Reagan, the only aircraft carrier that is forward-deployed to the IndoPacific, will be open for a tour by the Philippine press, US officials said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, AFP

HE Justice department will just refile before a proper court the criminal case it filed against officials of WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center Corp. after it was dismissed by a Quezon City regional trial court. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the dismissal of the complaint for estafa against the WellMed officials by Judge Janet Abergos-Samar of the Quezon City RTC Branch 219 was not a major setback since his department could “simply refile with the proper court.” “No harm done,” Guevarra said. He made his statement even as an official said some P3 billion worth of overstocked

MARINA looks into capsizing of 3 boats in Iloilo THE Maritime Industry Authority has started its investigation of the capsizing of three motorboats in the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait that left at least 31 people dead. In other developments: • Tropical storm “Hanna” intensified into a severe tropical storm on Tuesday, and as of 3 p.m. was spotted 780 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds of 100 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph. It was moving north northwest at 10 kph, and was expected to enhance the southwest monsoon. • The inclement weather caused by the southwest monsoon has so far affected 17,136 families in Central Luzon and Mimaropa, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday. • Senator Grace Poe said it was high time the Philippines created its National Transportation Safety Board to make land, air and sea travel safer. Poe made the call in the wake of the capsizing of three motorized boats off the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait that killed 31 people. “We condole with the family of the victims,” Poe said as she urged the concerned agencies to help the families of the victims. MARINA has also suspended the operations of all passenger motorboats operating the Iloilo-Guimaras route pending a review of the vessels’ safety conditions. “MARINA continues to remind operators to ensure maritime safety at all times by observing the latest weather forecast, conducting proper risk assessment and applying control measures as needed,” Marina said in a statement. MARINA has directed two roll-on/rolloff vessels in the area to increase the frequency of their trips to cater to the transportation needs of passengers. MARINA’s regional office in Iloilo City has created a help desk to coordinate with the local government, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Ports Authority. Rio N. Araja, Macon RamosAraneta and PNA

SC... From A1

Brian Keith Hosaka said the court, voting 14-0, denied the petitions filed by MWSS, Maynilad and Manila Water assailing the decision of the Court of Appeals, which found the three liable for violation of Section 8 of the Philippine Clean Water Act. Hosaka said both concessionaires are required to pay the fine within 15 days from receipt of the decision. From receipt of the decision until fully paid, the petitioners shall be fined the initial amount of P322, 102.00 per day subject to 10 percent increase every two years as provided under the Clean Water Act. The Court added that a six percent per annum fine shall also be applied until the payment is fully satisfied. A Court insider revealed Maynilad and Manila Water were found to have failed to put up sewage lines and sewerage treatment facilities as mandated by law. The CA decision, which was upheld by the SC, sustained the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The DENR had ruled that MWSS and the two firms should pay P29.4 million in fines for the period starting May 7 to Sept. 30, 2009, and P200 per day thereafter for continued non-compliance with the law.

P4-t... From A1

Panelo made his statement even as Senator Sonny Angara said Tuesday the anti-red tape performance of government agencies would now be part of the review for their 2020 appropriations. Angara, head of the Senate Committee on Finance, said the coming budget hearings would look into the capacity of government agencies to implement their mandates to improve the ease of doing business in the country and provide more efficient service delivery. “Anti-red tape performance will now be part of the budget review. These will also be part of the key performance indicators that an agency promises to meet in exchange for the appropriations it will get,” Angara said. The budget proposal for 2020, which was approved in the 40th Cabinet meeting

medicines remained at the Health department, down from P18.4 billion in 2018. Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo earlier said 80 percent of the medicine had been distributed to communities as state auditors flagged his department for accumulating P18.4 billion worth of drugs and medicines in 2018, or P16 billion in 2017 and P11.3 billion in 2016. “We got a report from the start of the

vehicles emerging from EDSA’s side streets and prevented them from reaching the white lanes and flyovers, such as the one at the corner of Kamuning Street. MMDA Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Celine Pialago said the provincial buses that have been occupying the yellow lanes added to the volume of vehicles on EDSA. She admitted that some of the agency’s personnel had committed lapses in enforcing the new policy, and assured the public these workers would face sanctions. The government had planned to prevent provincial buses from ever entering Metro Manila via EDSA, but a court order issued last Friday kept the MMDA from carrying out the plan. “The MMDA’s stand here is that those who committed errors in manning traffic would be investigated and made accountable by GM (general manager) Jojo Garcia, especially those who said that provincial buses are not allowed to use flyovers and tunnels, which is where they should be,” Pialago told GMA News. The first road accident happened at the northbound intersection of EDSA and P. Tuazon involving two passenger buses around 4:55 a.m. occupying one lane in the area. Two other incidents occurred after three hours along the southbound of EDSA in areas of Santolan Street and Quezon Avenue where a car and a bus both stalled due to mechanical problems. Another accident was reported around 8:36 a.m. along the southbound of Domestic Road near the Land Transportation Office involving a van and a motorcycle. Two hours later, a car got involved in a road accident with an Asian Utility Vehicle at the westbound intersection of EDSA and Quezon Avenue while the same incident happened involving a car and a bus at the southbound intersection of EDSA near Aurora Boulevard around 12:04 p.m. Two more accidents occured between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. along the southbound lane of EDSA near Connecticut involving a car and an AUV, and another car and a closed van on the eastbound lane of Maxima near Quezon Avenue. Many commuters chose to walk to reach their destinations rather than be stuck for hours in the traffic. The daily average number of road accidents in Metro Manila is 73 and most happen between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. caused mainly by human error. on Monday night, is higher than this year’s budget of P3.757 trillion. Panelo said the fund would be spent widely to reach a “state of vibrant economy.” “This budget proposal is designed to respond to the needs of the majority of our countrymen longing to be uprooted from the decades of want of basic necessities, inadequate supply of basic services, lack of infrastructures required to spur economic growth, the absence of accountability on government coffers, vexing bureaucratic rigmarole, deprived education and unchanged poverty, and geared to achieve a more peaceful and progressive Philippines where the living standards of Filipinos are raised,” Panelo said in a statement. “We assure everyone that our people’s money...will be spent wisely to reach a state of vibrant economy that will be felt by the citizenry.” With PNA

The government said this was done “to avoid the Philippines being misconstrued as legitimizing” China’s extensive claims in the South China Sea under its 9-dash line policy. But Locsin said the stamp used will show the entire Philippine map, including areas within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “The stamp has the map of the entire Philippine EEZ to its widest extent including Benham Rise along with other territorial claims. So tit for tat,” Locsin said on his Twitter account Tuesday. “We will be able to keep track of Chinese nationals entering via visa from our consulates in China or visas upon arrival [after shorter vetting period]—hitherto stamped on slips of paper no one could keep track of. Now visas stamped on permanent Chinese passports—so we know all,” Locsin added. During the Cabinet meeting, Justice Sec-

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario welcomed the Palace pronouncement. “Let us salute him [Duterte] and assure him of the support of all Filipinos,” Del Rosario said in a statement. Later, Panelo said the incident in Recto Bank on June 9, where a Chinese vessel hit and sank a Filipino fishing boat and left its crew adrift in the open sea for hours, was another reason to bring up the ruling of the UN tribunal, which Beijing has refused to recognize. But the President played down the incident, and said he had a verbal agreement with Xi in 2016 that allowed the fishermen of both countries to fish in the disputed waters. This admission drew heavy fire from critics, who said the 1987 Constitution insists that only Filipinos should enjoy the marine wealth within the Philippine territory. Panelo was mum on how Duterte will invoke the 2016 ruling, Which invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea. “It is up to the President how he will do that,” he said. China, one of the claimants in the West Philippine Sea, has refused to recognize the decision of the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration which ruled in favor of the Philippines. The decision invalidated China’s ninedash line as “excessive.” China has been criticized for harassing fishermen from other countries, for building artificial islands where their military men are stationed, and for destroying marine resources in the seas. Senator Panf ilo Lacson on Tuesday said The Hague r uling on the West Philippine Sea should have been invoked by the Philippine gover nment even before. “We have to discuss it thoroughly. And this is timely because President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with [China] President Xi Jinping. It’s good that they talk about it. Because it’s there,” he said. “It’s there, it’s permanent. It cannot be appealed.” Panelo said Duterte will also discuss the 60-40 sharing in the proposed joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea. China has previously expressed its willingness to conduct joint exploration, with the Philippines getting the lion’s share of

‘Pulong‘ snubs NUP meeting; 12 lawmakers bolt ruling party By Maricel V. Cruz THE President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, did not attend the National Unity Party’s annual meeting Tuesday— even as 15 lawmakers took their oath as new members of the party identified with port services czar Enrique Razon Jr. This amid talk that the young Duterte is not inclined to recognize the term-sharing agreement brokered by his father between Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig and Pateros and Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco. Meanwhile, the ruling PDP-Laban is “updating its official membership database in the House of Representatives” following the decision of the 12 congressmen who bolted the administration party. This was confirmed in a text message from the PDP-Laban National Headquarters as the political party of the President may no longer be the dominant political party at the Lower House as its membership has started to decrease. Sources said the young Duterte is still eyeing the speakership after Cayetano finishes his 15-month term. Velasco is supposed to succeed Cayetano in the last 21 months of the 18th Congress under the term-sharing agreement. Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno, who represents Antipolo, earlier dispelled rumors that Duterte might gun for the speakership once the 15-month watch of Cayetano expired. During the meeting, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante of Manila led the group of congressmen who joined the NUP. Abante ran in the midterm polls under the banner of the local party Asenso Manileño. Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano also joined the NUP, which will emerge as the second largest political party in the House. Albano, brother of former Isabela congressman and now Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III, used to be a member of the ruling PDP-Laban. “It is a very large party and a dominant party at that. I will be swimming among the big fish and my voice may not be heard. And it is a good position to have also as a neophyte congressman, being the vice president,” Albano, who was elected as NUP vice president, said. As of the latest count, the NUP has 44 members in the House excluding Cayetano and Duterte. Both of them were adopted by the NUP but maintained their memberships in their respective parties. Similarly, the NUP has also made alliances with 12 party-list congressmen, and some of them are members of the 54-strong party-list coalition. Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. was elected party president, replacing Rep. Fredenil “Fred” Castro who resigned the presidency and his membership in the party. The other elected officers of the NUP are former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno as chairman, former congressman Alberto Garcia as vice chairman for local governance; former Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop as vice chairman for external affairs; Albano as vice president; Bulacan Rep. Gavini Pancho as vice president for Luzon; Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu as vice president for the Visayas; Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano as vice president for Metro Manila; Edwin Ong as vice president for local governance; Jerry Treñas as vice president for special projects; Cavite Rep. Luis Ferrer IV of Cavite as treasurer; Masbate Rep. Narciso Bravo Jr. as secretary general; Reginald Velasco as deputy secretary general for political affairs; Brian Yamsuan as deputy secretary general for public affairs; and Rex de la Cruz as deputy secretary general for administration.

PAL... From A1

Hong Kong visitors are advised to remain vigilant of their surroundings and avoid areas where protesters may converge and carry out demonstrations. PAL officials advised the public to avoid the following protest areas in Hong Kong for their safety: Tamar Park, Admiralty; Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza; Tuen Moon Park; Discovery Park, Tsuen Wan; Wong Tai Tin Square; MacPherson Playground, Mongkok and Kwong Fuk Football Park, and Tai Po. Meanwhile, three masked youngsters from Hong Kong’s anti-government movement took the unusual step on Tuesday of holding a press conference to demand democracy, liberty and equality and condemn the city’s pro-Beijing leaders. Dressed in the movement’s signature yellow construction helmets and hiding their identities with face masks, the two young men and one woman billed their gathering as a civilian press conference “by the people, for the people.” “We call on the government to return the power back to the people and to address the demands of Hong Kong citizens,” they said as they read out their statements in both English and Cantonese. The semi-autonomous southern Chinese city has been wracked by two months of protests and clashes between police and increasingly hardcore demonstrators in the biggest threat to Beijing’s rule since its 1997 handover from Britain. With AFP

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I will never declare martial law in Negros Oriental—Du30 By MJ Blancaﬂor

PRESIDENT AND THE BEAUTIES. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte poses with Miss Earth Philippines 2019 winners who paid a courtesy call at the Malacañan Palace on Aug. 5, 2019. Presidential Photo

Medialdea files 4 more libel cases against Tulfo EXECUTIVE Secretary Salvador Medialdea filed on Tuesday four more libel cases against Special Envoy for Public Diplomacy to China and journalist Ramon Tulfo. Two counts of libel and another two counts of cyberlibel were filed by Medialdea before the Manila Prosecutors Office. Cited as Tulfo’s co-respondents are Manila Times president Dante Ang, chief operating officer Blanca Mercado, publisher-editor Nerilyn Tenorio, and news editor Leena Chua. The complaints stemmed from Tulfo’s July 20 column piece “There goes Cayetano as House speaker; also Medialdea” and July 23 piece titled “You will have your karma, Bingbong Medialdea,” according to the copies of charges obtained by reporters. Published in The Manila Times, the July 20 column alleged that the executive secretary issued a memorandum circular to the Philippine Southeast Asian Organizing Committee which used to be headed by House Speaker Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano despite its supposed “questionable multi-millionpeso program.” The opinion piece also claimed Medialdea issued a memorandum ordering govnerment agencies to support Phisgoc without the knowledge of President Rodrigo Duterte. In his column published July 23, Tulfo accused Medialdea of “using the power” of his office to “harass journalists who are doing their job of exposing the ills of society and government.” MJ Blancaflor

Solon wants no more garbage coming to PH A CONGRESSWOMAN from Mindanao has refiled her bill that bans both the import and export of waste of whatever kind and hopes that President Rodrigo Duterte will be like-minded and certify the bill as urgent. “I will also file other bills on plastic waste, waste redemption, waste recovery, and the proper management of our water and aquatic resources. This is an all-out war on waste because we want our country to be beautiful and prosperous,” Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliet T. Uy said. Uy requested the leaders of the House of Representatives to ask the President to certify the bill as urgent. However, the committees in the House have yet to be filled while the panel that will tackle the bill has not been constituted. In a statement, Uy also asked the Bureau of Customs anew to make sure imported garbage does not arrive at any of the country’s international seaports aside from the Port of Tagoloan. The Customs bureau’s mandate is to inspect cargo that arrive at the ports and not to monitor what cargoes are being sent from abroad since the government stopped its arrangement with Societe General du Survillance many years ago. Maricel V. Cruz

Romualdez eyes zero th veto in 18 Congress T By Maricel V. Cruz

HE leadership of the House of Representatives is eyeing tighter coordination with the Palace and the Senate to avoid even a single presidential veto of bills to be approved by the 18th Congress, Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.

Romualdez made the statement following a small group meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) last Monday with Congress leaders and Cabinet secretaries at Malacañang, even as the Leyte congressman disclosed that the executive and the legislative agreed to hold a “regular monthly meeting” to ensure a better shepherding of President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority measures. “We decided to hold a regular monthly meeting, it just a small group. This would smoothen the process and avoid the unfortunate experiences of having vetoed

measures, especially those declared as priority measures by the Executive,” said Romualdez. “This is an effort to make sure that we have better linkages, synergy and coordination to fast-track, facilitate and harmonize measures, especially those actually spelled out by the President as priority measures.” “We are eyeing zero veto for all bills to be approved by the Senate and the House. Hopefully, we can avoid any possibility of a presidential veto by working closely with Cabinet members and Senate ofﬁcials,” Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats

and Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa),said. “The House leaders will exhaust all means possible to make sure that the executive and the legislative departments are in sync with regard to priority and certiﬁed bills ﬁled in the 18th Congress. We do not want to put to waste all the money, time and effort which are normally spent in passing bills,” Romualdez said. The small group meeting was presided by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and attended by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Romualdez, Senate President Vicente Sotto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, Senators Ralph Recto and Sonny Angara, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, former acting Budget Secretary Janet Abuel, newly-named acting Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Secretary Adelino Sitoy and among others.

NHA completes 50% shelters for displaced Marawi residents By Rio N. Araja THE National Housing Authority is able to achieve a 50 percent target in its goal to put up temporary shelters for families displaced by the five-month long siege launched by the Maute Group that started on May 23, 2017. According to Roderick Ibañez, project management head, out of the total 4,852 temporary shelters target, at least 1,500 have already been awarded, while the remaining ones are still under construction. He promised to deliver the NHA’s target completion before 2019 ends. “We are confident that by December this year, we will be able to build all the 4,852 temporary houses,” he said. At the Salungag area, 1,500 houses have already been awarded, while at the Boganga Village, another 1,500 houses are about to be completed and are to be awarded in September. Some 1,000 shelters are being constructed in Dulay Village and Rorogagus Village. According to the NHA official, 2,000 permanent houses would be built and be finished by May 2020 by the San Miguel Corp. Foundation. He said that under the Bangon Marawi Task Force, NHA shall build not only permanent shelters, but also temporary units. Victor Balba, head for operations, said monetary help from the government to displaced Marawi residents is possible, but it still needs congressional approval. Ibañez said over 70,000 displaced individuals many have left Marawi City and have started their lives in other places, such Metro Manila or in nearby cities in Mindanao.

PAPERLESS HOUSE. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (center) with Senior Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Boying Remulla (left) and Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Sharky Palma (right) answer questions from Congress Media during the First Majority Press Conference at the House of Representatives. Romualdez has bared that Congress plans to digitized operation in Committee and Plenary levels for transparency and efficiency. The paperless system also aims to save money spend on printing cost. Ver Noveno

Lawmakers seek total autonomy for NEA By Maricel V. Cruz A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has led four other party-list lawmakers in batting for total autonomy of the National Electrification Administration to provide electricity to two million households still groping in the dark all these years. In a privilege speech, 1-PACMAN party-list Rep. Michael Romero said a P28.5-billion financial support is enough for NEA to fully benefit 13 million individuals with electricity service within a period of just three years. He joined Reps. Presley de Jesus of Philreca, Adrano Ebcas of Ako Padayon, and Godofredo Guya of RECOBODA and Sergio Dagooc, APEC in his effort to urge Congress to fast-track the implementation of the rural electrification program to benefit even the remotest areas in the country. The congressmen called for the

passage of a legislative proposal that would institutionalize the operations of NEA by transforming it into an Authority attached to the Ofﬁce of the President. “As of this very moment that we speak, more than 2 million households in the rural areas still live in the dark. This translates to roughly 16 percent of the households in the entire country,” Romero said in his privilege speech. He pointed out that the estimated 13 million individuals living without electricity translate to around 19,000 sitios. “This means the over 2 million households that live in the dark cannot conveniently use certain tools and appliances in their day-to-day living. This also means a lower level of safety and security for the family members that have no access to power,” said Romero, president of the 54-member Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc, which is the second largest political bloc in the Lower House.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he will “never declare martial law” in Negros islands despite the spate of killings in the province. “There will not be a time that I will declare martial law. What I said was I will take drastic action,” Duterte has repeatedly said in his separate speeches in Malacañang during the oath-taking of local executives. But Duterte warned of declaring “another thing” if the government could no longer curb the violence and rebellion. “If it is really something that our country needs, I might declare another thing. But that is for you to guess what it will be,” he said. Earlier on Tuesday, Malacañang has ruled out martial law in Negros islands for now, saying the “unbridled killings” in the province does not yet call for such a declaration. The Chief Executive said during the Cabinet meeting Monday night that the situation in the province does not require military rule, according to Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo. “I asked him last night about Negros and he said, ‘You and I are lawyers. We know we cannot just impose martial law unless the requirements are there,’” Panelo told reporters in a press brieﬁng. The Palace earlier threatened to impose martial law in Negros to “quell lawless violence” in the region amid the spate of killings which included the torture and murder of four policemen in Ayungon town. “Martial law will only be enforced in accordance with the Constitution,” Panelo said. “In the Constitution, there has to be a rebellion. For now, it’s unbridled killing that is still happening there,” he said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has not recommended putting Negros Island under military rule so far. But the President can still invoke other emergency powers such as deploying more military troops to Negros, Panelo added. The Philippine National Police has sent 300 more ofﬁcers to the province as investigations into the slays continued. PNP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard M. Banac also said martial rule is not necessary in Negros with peace and order still under control.

Du30 praying for Nur Misuari’s ‘enlightenment’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said he is praying for the “enlightenment” of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari, saying there are still “sparks” which threaten the “smooth transition” of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. “I am praying to God that Nur Misuari will be enlightened and he’ll be able to accept maybe the same terms that we have extended to Murad. That is the only way really without a breakage in our society,” Duterte said in his speech in the Palace. Duterte has referred to Murad Ebrahim, BARMM interim chief minister and Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman. The BARMM is created through the ratiﬁcation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law after government’s negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a breakaway faction of the MNLF. Misuari has opposed the creation of BARMM, saying it was in favor of the rival MILF and has excluded his group. BARMM also replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that Misuari previously governed. Duterte has met with Misuari in Malacañang three times this year but the details of their latest meeting last month were not released by the Palace. The President had repeatedly sought Misuari’s help to ensure lasting peace in Mindanao. He also said he was in a “hurry” to strike an agreement with Misuari who had warned of war if the planned shift into a federal system of government will not push through. Duterte also said he is worried about an ISIS attack, and that he prayed that God would spare the Philippines from the terror group’s “brutality and cruelty.” “There is ISIS and it gives me fear,” the President said. “I’m praying, I really pray, I kneel before God to spare us the kind of brutality and cruelty in our country because it will really be bloody, bloody as it can ever be,” he said. MJ Blancaflor

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

A tribute to media icons editor-in-chief of Manila Standard and now associate editor of Manila Bulletin; Jun Icban, editor-in-chief of Manila Bulletin and president of Samahang Plaridel; Tony Lopez, publisher of BizNewsAsia and I WOULD like to pay tribute to chairman of the Manila Overseas members of media, past and present, Press Club, and Rollie Estabillo, who have all contributed and fought Manila Standard publisher who was for press freedom. They have made once editor of Economic Monitor Philippine press what it is today— and now president of the Philippine Press Institute, an organization of all free and vibrant. First and foremost—the late publishers. I must also count Foreign Affairs Manila Times publisher Joaquin “Chino” Roces. He was relentless in Secretary Teddyboy Locsin. *** his fight for press freedom during the President Duterte should listen to Marcos dictatorship. There was also the late Nap Rama, his security advisers not only because of the influx of who was a staff Chinese but also writer of the because of the old Free Press latest Chinese and former investments in publisher of They made the three strategic Manila Bulletin. islands. There was Philippine press what it With the Max Soliven, is today. continued f o r m e r “escort service” publisher and of Chinese columnist of the i l l e g a l l y Philippine Star. entering the My colleague at the Philippines Herald, Nestor country, occupying entire floors and Mata, was the lone survivor of the houses in gated villages, Filipinos plane crash that killed President should really be worried. The President should task his Ramon Magsaysay. managers, together The others are Jake Macasaet, economic publisher and columnist of Malaya; with the Defense and Local his executive editor Pocholo Government departments, to look Romualdez; Chitang Guerrero Nakpil, into this phenomenon. Our economic writer and historian; Adrian Cristobal, managers should be more circumspect journalist, wordsmith and book in allowing investments from China author; Blas Ople, another wordsmith through what is called the Belt and and former Labor and Foreign Affairs Road Initiative. Santa Banana, with the jihadists secretary; and Teddy Benigno, bureau chief of the Agence France Presse, and the IS-inspired terror groups columnist of the Philippine Star, and now becoming active again in founder and president of the Foreign Mindanao, we cannot afford more Correspondents’ Association of the security risks. The President must really be Philippines. Among those still fighting for press circumspect about investments freedom are Jullie Yap Daza, former Turn to A5

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Travel advisory

XERCISE increased caution in the United States due to crime and terrorism, both domestic and foreign. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Do Not Travel to: Dayton, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Gilroy, San Francisco; and Southaven, Mississippi, recent known targets for domestic terrorism and hate crimes against minorities. Reconsider Travel to: Other major American cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles as domestic terrorists continue plotting possible mass shootings and other attacks in urban centers and schools, using the internet and social media to spread their xenophobic ideology that seems to be encouraged by the nation’s top government ofﬁcial. The number of mass shootings across the US so far in 2019 has outpaced the number of days this year, according to the nonproﬁt Gun Violence Archive (GVA).

That puts 2019 on pace to be the first year since 2016 with an average of more than one mass shooting a day. In two of the most recent incidents, at least 31 people were killed in back-to-back shootings within 24 hours in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. One was in a crowded department store where seven of the 22 shot dead were foreigners; the other was at a popular night spot. The shooter in El Paso used an AK-style semiautomatic rifle; the one in Dayton used a AR-15-style rifle. Both were angry young white men with no love lost for foreigners, and both struck in “soft” targets that are heavily populated and difficult to secure. On any given day, there is a roughly 60 percent chance that

there will be at least one mass shooting in the United States. And there is a 17 percent probability that there will be exactly two shootings. Despite this situation, national and local authorities are unwilling or unable to ensure the safety and lives of their own citizens, much less those of foreign visitors. No reasonable limits on the types of ﬁrearms available for purchase have been established. As a result of the foregoing, travel to the United States should best be avoided. Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page. The advisory above is a ﬁctitious one, but sadly based on true and accurate data. It is the type of travel advisory the United States usually issues about the Philippines and about the lack of security in this country. The irony—that it cannot keep people in its own cities safe—is inescapable as it is tragic.

Turmoil in the literary community outside. These experts critique the fellows’ submitted works, and offer advice on how to improve them. Fellows are also part of the discussion. Done right, a workshop is an enlightening and transformative experience. The best takeaways SEXUAL assault at a literary are the friendships made with the workshop? panelists and fellows. The literary One workshop fellow’s claim of ‘gods’ one was once in awe of turn out being raped while at a workshop to be human beings after all. down south elicited mixed reactions And because of shared interests from the small and deeply connected (love of writing) and experiences (the writers’ community. workshop), it’s easy, and given the While some defended the other circumstances, inevitable, to develop person in the affair, saying he is friendships with co-fellows. I am still incapable of such behavior, others in touch with my female co-fellows were distressed to read the woman’s and a few of the mentors from a anguished recounting of her intimate national writing workshop I attended encounter with the event’s speaker in 2013. whom she described as being twice Because there are some 10 to 12 her age. fellows and discussions are nuanced She says that they were both drunk and in depth, writing workshops can at the time, she had blacked out and never take place in just a day or two. was not in control They usually of her actions, and last ﬁve days after reviewing to a week and the incident, she are held out of says she now town, and are May the next season does not feel thus ‘live-in’ in comfortable with nature. of workshops see zero what happened. Sometimes incidents of actions The accuser included in the that belittle, hurt, and has named and itinerary of shamed the these workshops traumatize. accused through is a tour of the Facebook posts. venue city’s The latter posted art spots and a reply and bookshops, refused to comment further pending and fellowship activities such as legal action by his counsel. pub crawls and similar do’s that But to understand this story, we involve alcohol. It’s at the latter, ﬁrst need to know what a writing and at the workshop residence, that workshop is and how it is conducted. opportunities for intimate connections Most, if not all, of the writing between participants might arise, as workshops in the Philippines are happened in this case. organized by the creative writing Going back to the incident, both programs of universities. Participants, sides have lawyered up, and perhaps called ‘fellows,’ mostly range from the matter will go to court. It’s older college-age to mature writers, between the two parties now, and depending on the type of workshop we’ll leave it there. offered. For many aspiring writers, it From a broader perspective, though, is an honor and a rite of passage to be what disturbed the writing community selected as a fellow from among other are the issues of consent, ‘name and applicants nationwide. shame,’ and victim-blaming. What happens at a workshop? First, consent. Can an intoxicated The organizing university convenes person give their consent for a sexual a panel of writing experts from their encounter? Dartmouth College and institution and sometimes from Turn to A5

40 years of HSF in the Philippines: Impact and challenges IT HAS often been said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step” and this aptly describes our longstanding cooperation with the Philippines as it aims to propel the country in “laying a strong foundation for inclusive growth, a high-trust and resilient society, and a globally competitive knowledge economy” (PDP 20172022). As we celebrate this milestone in the Foundation’s international cooperation program in this part of the world, it is a fitting occasion to give recognition to the programs and projects that redound to the benefit of the people, as well as to its partners and stakeholders that gave life and meaning towards their fruition. In commemoration of this momentous occasion, HSF will host a special gathering for its partners and stakeholders as well as friends and colleagues at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City on August 8, 2019. We are honored that the Foundation’s chairwoman, Prof. Ursula Männle, will be present during the occasion to recognize and express her appreciation for the successful development cooperation of HSF in the Philippines together with its partner organizations. The development work of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) in the Philippines can be gleaned in key periods of the country’s history from 1979 to the present and contributing in three (3) major programs—poverty reduction, good governance, and international cooperation and exchange.

With the objective of helping reduce poverty incidence especially in the countryside, HSF supported several joint undertakings in the area of technical skills development and strengthening of the co-operative system. In view of the important contributions of these projects in nation-building, HSF in cooperation with its partners and critical stakeholders helped paved the way for these pioneering initiatives to be institutionalized with the enactment into law of the Dual Training System Act of 1994 (R.A. No. 7686) and the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008 (Republic Act No. 9520). As part of its commitment to sustain the gains in helping improve the quality of life of majority of Filipinos, further support has been extended towards enhancing good governance, speciﬁcally in terms of reinforcement of the rule of law, access to justice, and peace and order, as well as recognition of the right to human dignity. The clarion call to advance peace and development particularly in Mindanao opened greater opportunities for engagement with both Christian and Muslim communities in pursuit of their collective desire to address their civil rights and legal concerns. Towards this end, HSF together with its partners, supports a number of projects that promote dialogue and information exchange to arrive at common solutions to national and regional concerns. The “Congressional Medal of Achievement” bestowed Turn to A5

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

Ramon S. Ang WITH San Miguel Corp. drawing no challengers last July 31, 2019 to its P735-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulakan town, Bulacan province, SMC vice chair, president and COO Ramon S. Ang has become a cynosure of attention. Can RSA deliver as promised, to build a world-class international airport north of Manila in record time of four years—meaning two runways by 2024 servicing at least 50 passengers, complete with connecting roads or railways to Clark, NAIA, and Sangley Point? Tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. became chairman of SMC in July 1998, although he had had equity control since 1983. ECJ wanted RSA to take over and manage SMC. “He was a diamond in the raw,” ECJ said. RSA earned ECJ’s trust because he did not steal nor dissipate ECJ’s assets when the latter went into four years of exile in the US. Ang became vice chairman in January 1999 and president and COO on March 6, 2002. Half-Chinese and a mechanical engineer by training, Ang is a low-key executive who shuns stiff suits and fancy ties, except when attending board meetings and negotiating with partners and bankers. Often, he reports for work in a simple shirt or t-shirt and wearing only slippers. Humble of manners, he disdains antagonizing people and firing subalterns. He works hard, coming to the office before eight in the morning and going home when nearly all the executive staff had called it a day. At the conglomerate’s sprawling Ortigas garden headquarters, RSA opened SMC’s sanctum sanctorum, the eighth-floor offices of the CEO and the president. “Before, under the Sorianos, visiting the 8th floor was like making a pilgrimage to God,” says one insider. “Now, you can walk in and discuss things with RSA. The second floor executive dining room was also opened to all SMC employees, not just to senior executives. RSA’s management style is handson. His mind is like a sponge. He has a prodigious command of details. He always carries with him a notebook and a pen or pencil. Information is a compendium of technical knowhow and prowess on many subjects, from brick and mortar to clicks, from airplanes to car engines to cement, from power plants to petrochemicals, agriculture to biotechnology, genetics and logistics,

A tribute... From A4

from China.

*** I have been asked many times: Why has President Duterte been getting excellent ratings despite the criticism being hurled against him? Are Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations being paid by anyone? I can only think of one answer: Most of Duterte’s issuances resonate with the people. Take for instance his bloody war on illegal drugs. I personally think he is doing it the wrong way, but his unrelenting efforts are being appreciated by many Filipinos. The war against corruption is another plus. He has fired even his allies. I believe, however, that

Turmoil.... From A4

the University of Tulsa have detailed guidelines. “Alcohol and other drugs complicate sex,” says Dartmouth, “because they impair our judgment… affect our capacity to communicate… [and] impact our ability to read and interpret others’ communication.” Dartmouth adds, “With their consent, you can have sex with someone who is intoxicated, but it may be worth thinking about why you want to be intoxicated or why you want to be with someone who is intoxicated when choosing to have sex. “If your partner is showing signs of incapacitation, STOP.” They deﬁne incapacitation as a “state beyond intoxication,” and add that “consent cannot be given by anyone who is incapacitated.” U of T says intoxication itself is enough to cast doubt on the ability to give consent. “Drugs and alcohol impact decision-making and blur consent. When drugs and alcohol are involved, clear consent cannot be obtained. An intoxicated person cannot give consent.” They add, “Regardless of how drunk or incapacitated a person may be, it is never their fault that they were

and yes, to even basketball strategy and tactics. A keen entrepreneur, RSA’s mind works like a computer. He knows his topline and his bottomline from the palm of his hand. He taught himself many things—how to assemble, fix and repair motorcycles, cars, and huge industrial machinery. How to fly helicopters and planes. He loves machines. So he taught himself how to fix cars. He loves flying. So he taught himself how to be a pilot and how to fix jet engines.

What motivates him?

Cojuangco and Ang first met in the 1980s. They shared the same passion— collecting classic or top-tier cars. Each has easily a collection of more than 200 cars. In Manila, Ang operated a shop that specialized in importing the fancy wheels and customizing cars to their owners’ specs. At 13, RSA built up his auto parts and machinery business using only PLDT’s telephone directory. Clients would walk into their Abad Santos, Tondo shop or call up asking if a particular part was available. Ramon would jot down the part number or description of the item and then rifle through the PLDT pages to get a quotation from other suppliers. Then he would get back to the customer and quote a price, adding an infinitesimal margin. Eventually, he made his first million importing and reconditioning heavy equipment. In 2008, as SMC president, RSA had an epiphany. San Miguel could be many times bigger than itself, have a larger footprint, and participate in a big way in the country’s development. The company could not do that by just producing beer, food and beverages, and packaging materials. RSA proceeded to remake San Miguel

The party’s over and launched its largest expansion, acquisition and diversification program ever. From 2008 to 2015, while competitors were hardly looking, San Miguel bought four of Luzon’s biggest power plants; acquired rights to and developed the Tarlac-PangasinanLa Union Expressway (TPLEx) that connects Manila to the far north; bought and five years later sold at a huge profit of $2 billion, 32.8 percent of electricity monopoly retailer Meralco; became a 90 majority owner of Petron Corp. which has the largest network of gas stations in the Philippines; bought Exxon-Mobil’s refinery and 600 service stations in Malaysia; built three expressways to NAIA; acquired and later sold at a small profit control of Philippine Airlines; acquired La Pacita biscuits, and begins the Skyway connector road from Magallanes to Balintawak. Almost instantly, in just seven years, San Miguel became Luzon’s biggest power producer, the country’s largest petroleum refiner and retailer with 34 percent of the market, and the biggest infrastructure and toll road operator with 55 percent of the business. It has since dominated three substantial businesses—power generation, infrastructure, fuel and oil refining. The three have accounted for the bulk of San Miguel’s revenues ever since. In 11 years, from 2008 to 2018, SMC chalked up cumulative revenues of P6.56 trillion and cumulative profits of P434.5 billion. Easily half of those revenues and half of those profits came from diversification businesses—power generation, fuel and oil, and infra. The remaining one-third is shared for by traditional products beer, food, and packaging. San Miguel is also into petrochemicals, banking, BMW autos, and property, plus a new growth area— water. Of late, the company has gone in a way into airports and ports. In six major areas—beer, food, packaging, fuel and oil, power, and infrastructure, San Miguel, under President Ang, has become the dominant No. 1. What motivates Ramon Ang? He says: “At San Miguel, love for country is important. That is why we continue to help as many Filipinos as we can through our products, roads, airports, and infrastructure. Building a better future for the next generation is our ultimate goal.” biznewsasia@gmail.com

Makabayang Masang Pilipino. Go figure how we amalgamated LDP and NPC along PMP. After Erap won the presidency, everyone and his mother coalesced with or joined LAMMP. For two and a half years before Chavit “burst” Erap’s “balloon.” Lakas-Kampi became the new REMEMBER the song? “The party’s over; it’s time to call it a day. They’ve “party in power” after Erap’s fall burst your pretty balloon and taken in early 2001. Lakas which was FVR’s (and Joe de Venecia’s) party the moon away.” The sad and short stories of our and Kampi, which GMA originally post-Marcos political parties, or even formed with Tito Sotto when they those resurrected from near oblivion were planning to run in 1998. Meanwhile, the splinters reafter the Edsa revolt—they all litter grouped: Manny Villar was bequeathed the scene. Even before Ninoy Aquino died, the Nacionalista Party by a dying the Laurels, principally former Doy Laurel; the Liberals became Senator and Batasang Pambansa stronger because they supported member Salvador H. Laurel, popularly GMA in the Erap take-over, and when called Doy, began the tedious they broke off at the Hyatt Hotel process of organizing an opposition after the Hello Garci scandal, they aggroupment, initially getting leaders became the voice of the opposition. of the pre-martial law Nacionalista PMP was revived by Erap, back to and Liberal parties to unite. It was a family and few friends political difficult, but somehow we managed vehicle; NPC remained steadfast as to come up with a credible group Danding Cojuangco’s Balete Drive of political figures from all over confidantes, more interested in local the country who joined the United and congressional fights and not the Nationalist Democratic Organization presidential contests. In 2010, after Cory’s death in (UNIDO). August of 2009, Then Ninoy the presidential Aquino returned contest shaped from exile in the up into a battle United States. of personalities Originally set Parties die; parties using different for Aug. 7, 1983, hibernate; parties political banners the homecoming as basically was moved to the resurrect; new parties p e r s o n a l 21st for security bloom, better, sprout. vehicles: LP’s reasons. Noynoy Aquino; And then, at NP’s Manny half past one in Villar; Erap’s the afternoon PMP; Gilbert of Aug. 21, alighting from a China Airlines plane Teodoro’s Lakas, as GMA’s candidate. When Noynoy triumphed, from Taipei, Ninoy was shot at the turned Liberal, tarmac, resulting in the accident of everybody fate that eventually pushed Cory outnumbering the original “yellows”. Jojo Binay, who won as viceAquino to become the country’s first president, revived the PDP which woman president in 1986. In the aftermath of Ninoy’s death, a retiring Nene Pimentel entrusted the opposition swelled, such that when to him, later folding it into an UNA Marcos called for fresh elections to coalition for the mid-term elections of the Batasang Pambansa, 60 candidates 2013, returning the PDP this time to who ran under the UNIDO party Nene’s son, Koko. Then came 2016: Mar Roxas wore banner won out of 180, fully a third of the colors of the LP; Binay used the legislators. And when UNIDO chairman Doy his UNA; Miriam revived PRP, with Laurel gave way to the clamor for Cory Bongbong Marcos as her veep, an NP; to fight Marcos in the snap elections while Grace Poe as an independent of Feb. 8, 1986, running instead as her with her team-mate Chiz Escudero of vice president, the tandem ran under the NPC; and Rodrigo Roa Duterte using PDP by substituting at the last the banner of Doy’s UNIDO. But by 1987, after a new minute for their Martin Dino, with Constitution was ratified and new NP’s Alan Cayetano as running mate. So after June 30, 2016, PDP, which elections called, UNIDO was already hollowed out, when the same used to be a motley group headed by politicians who congregated almost the father and son team of Nene and daily at the Laurel residence in Koko Pimentel became “the” political Shaw Boulevard during the twilight party, enlarged especially when Bebot of the dictator’s rule, had already Alvarez became Speaker of the House. To cut short the narratives of the deserted UNIDO and joined Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), internal political conflicts prior to and the new party which was seen as Cory during the mid-term elections this year, PDP still emerged as “the” party, with Aquino’s real political vehicle. Even Nene Pimentel’s Partido ng some 85 or so members in the House, Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP), which and four members in the Senate, plus a managed to present a rather solid huge number of local officials. The other day, it was announced opposition front in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental in 1980 before that the president’s son, Rep. Paolo the Aquino assassination, was folded Duterte has aligned with the National into the LDP, with the founding father Unity Party (NUP), an aggroupment seeing his party hollowed out by the that started with the original Kampi political monolith similar to Marcos’ stalwarts of GMA harkening to the KBL that was run de facto by Peping call of businessman Enrique Razon and former DILG Sec. Ronnie Puno. Cojuangco, Cory’s brother. In the crucial elections of 1992, It was further reported that Paolo was the factions which “united” against or would be joined by some 25 or 30 Marcos became dis-united, each more “disgruntled” PDP congressmen running their own candidates. into the NUP. As we finish this article, the Monching Mitra was the LDP candidate; Jovito Salonga, the Liberal breaking news is about Cavite’s Rep. Party candidate, in tandem with PDP’s Pidi Barzaga replacing Capiz Rep. Nene Pimentel; Doy Laurel under Fredenil Castro as NUP president, and the Nacionalista Party; Ambassador the elevation of Manila Mayor Isko Danding Cojuangco, through a newly Moreno as Vice President. Is NUP now the new “in-thing” organized party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, taken like a rib in Philippine politics? What will out of the NP; Imelda Marcos using happen to the PDP? How much more their KBL; Miriam Defensor Santiago fat must PDP shed? Is the Villar-led with a newly-formed People’s Reform NP preparing for 2022? What about Party; and Fidel V. Ramos, forming the NPC? Will it engage itself in the Lakas with six congressmen who bolted Monching-Peping LDP. The presidential politics two years hence? political vehicle of the 1986 snap And the Liberals, after the Otso Diretso elections, UNIDO, was extinguished. debacle? Quo vadis is a question you Come 1998, Estrada won using his could ask of every group that styles own political party, Partido ng Masang itself as a party in our politics. Parties die; parties hibernate; Pilipino, which we coalesced into the LAMMP, after getting Ed Angara as parties resurrect; new parties bloom, his running-mate, and the support of better, sprout… like mushrooms after a torrent of rainfall from the detritus Danding’s NPC. LAMMP stood for Laban ng of the fallen.

corruption will not be eliminated so long as there is human intervention and discretion in government transactions. This President listens to the people. Look at what happened after he initially banned lotto operations. *** The many floods and landslides happening now, and the fact that Batanes just experienced an earthquake, and people are awaiting the government’s assistance, all point to the need for a Department of Disaster Resilience. The House of Representatives enacted a bill creating such a department. And now Tingog Partylist of Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez has refiled it. While we have the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, it is only an ad hoc body. We

need something permanent. *** Before President Duterte came to power, San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang had planned to build the new international gateway. Ang had this plan when he was president of Philippine Airlines and Lucio Tan was still chairman. Ang’s plan would cost San Miguel more than P500 billion. It involved a megacity of some kind in Bulacan. It would employ a million people. Had the government listened to Ang that time, we would now be reaping the beneﬁts of having a worldclass airport. In any case, San Miguel is still building that airport on a 2,500-hectare ﬂatland. It’s something to be proud of.

assaulted.” Second, many took exception to the woman’s calling out the other party by name in her public social media posts. “Innocent until proven guilty,” they said. There are two sides to every story, and the other side has not been heard. Third, victim-blaming ensued. The woman was painted as an attentionseeker. A friend of the accused commented on Facebook that that false rape claims are sometimes made. Who’s to say, he noted, whether this woman might have tweaked the facts to make herself the victim in this encounter? Regardless of where one stands on the matter, some points should be considered going forward. One, that workshop organizers ban intimate fraternizing between panelists and fellows. Panelists are there as teachers, and should conduct themselves as such, enforcing the necessary professional distance. Two, that alcohol be banned— it’s not worth it, it causes too much trouble. This will be very difﬁcult to enforce, though. Three, that organizers create a detailed guideline for personal conduct and behavior by all parties concerned, just to ensure everyone’s safety. Four, that a culture of respect be instilled so that anyone with a

legitimate grievance will feel safe enough to report it. This incident emboldened a number of female writers to attest that they too, had been raped at a workshop while drunk or drugged, and that their reports were swept under the rug and dismissed by the powers-that-be in a patriarchallydominated community. Others said they were too afraid to come forward. As a female writer myself, I call out rape culture wherever it may be found. Women in general need to be believed, because they are so marginalized that even the violations committed upon them are made out to be their fault. “She was asking for it because she was drunk/her clothes were provocative,” are among the justifications men make for their crimes against women. At the same time, I caution against public shaming without very strong proof because people’s personal and professional reputations are at stake. Many lives have been shattered by false claims, which, though rare, do happen.

40 years...

The literary community has turned inward on itself, looking for answers, trying to set things right. May the next season of workshops see zero incidents of actions that belittle, hurt, and traumatize. *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

on the Hanns Seidel Foundation in 2004 on its silver anniversary is a testament of our dedicated work in the Philippines and successful partnership. Looking back and to the

www.emiljurado.weebly.com

From A4

future, HSF, in cooperation with its partners, takes pride in our collective achievements and hopes to build on the success of its development cooperation in the Philippines in the last four decades as the bilateral relations between Germany and the Philippines become even stronger. Vielen Dank! Mabuhay!

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Meralco told to answer petitioners

PNP checking PH link in Texas shoot

By Rey E. Requejo

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the PNP Anti-cybercrime Group is verifying whether 8chan owner Jim Watkins was still in the Philippines and if his group broke Philippine laws. Watkins has been in the Philippines since 2004 and operates a pig farm outside the capital, according to website Splinter News. The report, published in 2016, did not specify his location. The gunman who killed 20 people at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas on Saturday is believed to have posted a 4-page statement on 8chan before his attack, calling it a “response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” In a related development, digital security and infrastructure ﬁrm Cloudﬂare said Sun-

THE Supreme Court has required the Manila Electric Company to comment on the petition seeking to stop the power distributor’s imposition and collection of bill deposits from its customers. In an en banc ruling dated June 4 but released only on Tuesday, Meralco was ordered to file its answer in 10 days to the petition filed by several party-list groups. The petitioners also asked the SC to order the Energy Regulatory Commission to implement the refund of the bill deposits, which already amounted to P29 billion as of 2018. The petitioners argued that the collection of bill deposits by Meralco, a public utility, from its customers as a captive market, is illegal and contradicts its duty under its franchise to promote consumer interest. The petition was filed by Bayan Muna Chairman Neri J. Colmenares and Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate; Anakpawis Rep. Ariel B. Casilao; Gabriela Reps. Emerenciana A. De Jesus and Arlene D. Brosas; Act Teachers Reps. Antonio L. Tinio and Francesca L. Castro; Kabataan Rep. Sarah Jane I. Elago; and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secretary General Renato M. Reyes, Jr. Besides Meralco and the ERC, also named respondent in the petition was the Commission on Audit. The petitioners asked the high court to declare as illegal the bill deposit provision in the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers promulgated by the ERC on June 17, 2004. Bill deposit is defined in the Magna Carta as the deposit required from customers by distribution utilities for new and/or additional service equivalent to the estimated billing for one month to guarantee bills payment. The petitioners stressed that the bill deposit provision in the Magna Carta was not allowed under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 and the Meralco franchise. According to them, as a power distributor, Meralco can collect from its customers only wheeling charges, connection fees, and retail rate. “Bill deposit, defined in the Magna Carta and elsewhere, as a mere guarantee for the payment of bills, obviously does not form part of retail rate. It is not charge for any electric service, but rather an amount posted by consumers for future or anticipated electric service that is not paid,” they said.

ATIONAL Police authorities are checking reports that online message board 8chan, used to announce a mass shooting in Texas, United States, was being operated in the Philippines. day it was terminating its services to 8chan, the message board where the El Paso gunman reportedly posted a racist “manifesto.” In a blog post announcing the move, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince described the no-censorship site as “a cesspool of hate.” The site is now run out of the Philippines by US Army veteran Jim Watkins. “8chan is among the more than 19 million Internet properties that use Cloudflare’s service. We just sent notice that we are terminating 8chan as a customer effective at midnight tonight Pacific Time,” Prince wrote. “The rationale is simple: they have proven themselves to be lawless and that lawlessness has caused multiple tragic deaths. Even if 8chan may not have violated the letter of the

by design,” he wrote. “8chan has crossed that line.” Shortly before the El Paso mass shooting on Saturday, the suspect named by the media as Patrick Crusius, who is white, was believed to have posted a racist “manifesto” on 8chan that includes passages railing against the “Hispanic invasion” of Texas. The author praised the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand, which were also announced on 8chan in a racist manifesto allegedly posted by the perpetrator of that massacre. 8chan founder Frederick Brennan, who has cut his ties with the site, said it should be closed down. “Whenever I hear about a mass shooting, I say, ‘All right, we have to research if there’s an 8chan connection’,” Brennan told the New York Times Sunday. With AFP

High court approves ‘tele-hearing’ guidelines

FACES OF HUMILIATION. NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin presents the six individuals in Ayala Alabang Village for kidnapping

and serious illegal detention. The six have been identified as Tan Xiaguang, Zheng Jia Lei, Su Zhiwei, Lin Jian Zhou (Chinese nationals); Tran Bui Thu Thuy (Vietnamese); and Virgilio Cuyugan San Juan (Filipino). Norman Cruz

Bertiz cites 3 MILF die in gov’t gains NoCot ambush in OFWs’ case

COTABATO CITY—Three persons were killed while two others were hurt in a mid-afternoon ambush in Pikit, North Cotabato on Monday, police said. Captain Mautin Pangandigan, Pikit police chief, said the ambush occurred around 3:30 p.m. in Sitio Dingaya, Barangay Bulol and was triggered by “rido” (family feud) involving Muslim clans, which happened to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Pangandigan, in a radio interview here Tuesday, identified the fatalities as Maan Pananggilan, 32; Unday Abdulkadir, 29; and Mohamed Ahad, 28, all residents of Barangay Rajamuda and members of a local MILF faction. “Initial investigation revealed that the incident was brought about by a longstanding feud between the victims and the attackers,” he said. Witnesses said the victims were onboard motorbikes from Barangay Lagunde to Barangay Rajamuda when four gunmen emerged and opened fire on them along a dirt road in Barangay Bulol. Three of the victims died on the spot while responding cops rushed the two injured victims to the hospital. Recovered at the ambush site were empty shells for M14 and M16 rifles and .45 caliber pistol. Pangandigan said the investigation on the incident is still ongoing. PNA

law in refusing to moderate their hate-filled community, they have created an environment that revels in violating its spirit.” Other right-wing extremists, misogynists and conspiracy theorists have posted to 8chan, which does not moderate content. Cloudflare’s move terminating its cybersecurity and other services means 8chan could be exposed to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, in which hackers take down a site by flooding it with fake traffic. 8chan was offline early Monday and its administrator tweeted that it was moving to a new service following Cloudflare’s termination of services. Prince said Cloudflare had not taken its decision lightly. “We reluctantly tolerate content that we find reprehensible, but we draw the line at platforms that have demonstrated they directly inspire tragic events and are lawless

ACTS-OFW Party-list Chairman and former Rep. John Bertiz has cited the significant headways the Duterte administration has made in promoting the welfare and protecting the rights of millions of overseas Filipino workers here and abroad. Bertiz, a known OFW rights champion, made the statement as he addressed the delegates attending the “High-level Consultation on Global Governance of Migration” held in Dhaka, Bangladesh last July 30. “Our President, President Duterte, whose heart goes for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers, saw the need for a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers that will serve as a ready reference at any time,” he said. “Only three months ago, President Duterte signed another law to provide protection and assistance to Filipino migrant workers, especially for workers who are vulnerable to physical, emotional and psychological stress or abuse,” he added. Bertiz was referring to the two laws signed by President Duterte. The first one was Republic Act (RA) 11227, also known as the “Handbook for Overseas Filipino Workers of 2018,” and RA 11299, or the “Act Establishing the Office for Social Welfare Attaché.” Under RA 11227, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is mandated to develop, disseminate and update a handbook in English with translation in local dialects about the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers. RA 11299 mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development to deploy social welfare attachés to countries with large OFW populations, especially those were there are high incidence of abuses against them.

Sibugay’s Palma elected deputy majority leader IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay—Sibugay’s 1st District Rep. Sharky Palma will sit as ex-oﬁcio member in all house committees after he was elected as deputy majority leader on Monday. The 37-year-old Palma is now serving his second term as representative of the province’s ﬁrst district comprising nine municipalities: Buug, Diplahan, Malangas, Imelda, Alicia, Payao, Mabuhay, Talusan and Olutanga. He considers the position as a podium to take forward for the interest of his district and the province as well. “I will do my best for the interest of my beloved constituents.” The elder son of Gov. Wilter Yap Palma, a lawyer by profession, is the only solon from the province re-elected as deputy majority leader for the second time. He was deputy majority leader in the 17th Congress. According to Section 17 of the House Rules of the House Representatives, a deputy majority leader assumes the duties and powers of the House Speaker in the absence of the latter.

THE Supreme Court has approved the regulatory guidelines for the use of video conferencing technology that would allow detained persons to testify and be cross-examined on their criminal cases inside their detention cells. Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said the court’s video conference called “tele-hearing” would be pilot tested starting Sept. 1 in Davao City. Marquez already inspected the necessary equipment for the system, which was installed in a hearing room built inside the Davao City jail. “Tele-hearing” is the SC’s term for “video conferencing” that has long been practiced and adopted during court trial of cases in the technologically advanced countries like the United States. The tele-hearing system means the holding of a conference among people at remote locations by means of transmitted audio and video signals. Through these conferences, individuals meet one another in a real-time virtual manner ‘as if they were in the same room’ without the hassle and expense of traveling. The SC en banc has approved the guidelines for “tele-hearing” following recommendations made by Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, who chairs the SC’s committee on revision of rules. In a statement, the SC explained that the guidelines “aim to guarantee and preserve the constitutional rights of the accused in court proceedings who are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) being detained in a district, city or provincial jail or a national inmate committed in a national penitentiary.” It said the use of the system is designed “to eliminate the safety, security and health risks posed by the personal appearance of PDLs who are ‘considered to be high-risk or afflicted with highly contagious diseases.’” Rey E. Requejo

BI nabs in Lingayen pedophile suspect from Missouri By Vito Barcelo IMMIGRATION authorities arrested an alleged American pedophile wanted for child molestation in Missouri, USA, ofﬁcials said Tuesday. James Austin Holiday, 65, was nabbed in Lingayen, Pangasinan by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU), after the US Embassy in Manila informed the BI about the fugitive’s presence in the country.

“We will expel him for being an undesirable alien. His presence here poses a serious threat to our Filipino children, anyone of whom could be his next victim,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said. BI intelligence ofﬁcer and FSU chief Bobby Raquepo disclosed that Holiday hid in the country since Sept. 9 last year to evade prosecution for his crimes in the US. Raquepo said the American ﬂed to Manila barely a week after a judicial circuit court in Taney County, Mis-

souri issued a warrant for his arrest on two counts of child molestation on the ﬁrst degree. Holiday is presently detained at the BI jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending the implementation of his deportation. He will also be placed in the immigration blacklist to prevent him from reentering the Philippines. The US government has revoked Holiday’s passport, thus he is now an undocumented and illegally staying alien in the country.

HOSPITAL WEEK. Philippine Hospital Association takes the lead during the National Hospital Week Aug 6-9, when the PHA Tuesday led the launch of the National Hospital Week through the ceremonial laying of wreath

at the Bantayog ni Rizal in Luneta. PHA’s chapters nationwide held their own celebrations as well. Dr. Edgardo Salud chairs this year’s celebration, assisted by PHA’s executive director Climaco Caliwara, Dr. Ryan Cua and the PHA Secretariat. The NHW is covered by Presidential Proclamation 181 S.1993, signed by then President Fidel Ramos. Aug 6 is the birthday of the late Sixto Orosa who drafted Act 2168 of the Philippine Legislature establishing provincial hospitals throughout the country and which subsequently developed into a national hospitals system. The wreath-laying ceremony was followed by breakfast at the Manila Hotel Centennial Hall 1, followed by the First Thelma Navarette-Clemente Memorial Lecture Series. Medical Directors, Administrators and Officers of various health related organisations also attended the ceremonies. PHA’s president Huberto Lapuz welcomed the guests and shared his insights on the challenges to be faced by hospitals in the years to come, i.e. Phil. Health Facilities Development Plan, the Universal Health Care and Climate Change. PHA president emeritus Ruben Flores delivered the tribute for Dr. Thelma Clemente. The lecture on Universal Health Care was delivered by DOH’s ASEC Elmer Punzalan.

Sports Wild start as ICTSI Riviera unwraps SILANG, Cavite—The men of the Philippine Golf Tour set out today for what looms to be a wild start in the P2.5 million ICTSI Riviera Classic at the Langer course here, all hungry and eager to slug it out coming off a long break. The circuit took a six-week lull after Juvic Pagunsan swept the last three legs of the four-stage Visayan swing last June to give way for the PGT Asia stop at Manila Southwoods which Angelo Que ruled last month and the Ladies PGT, making the pros keen on putting up a strong start in the P2.5 million championship serving as the sixth leg of the 10th season of the PGT. But what lies ahead could be four days of uncertainty and unpredictability given the par-71 layout’s repute as one of the toughest with rain the past few days softening up the course, thus making it longer, more daunting and challenging. In fact, no player has won here twice the last four years with Jay Bayron nipping Clyde Mondilla in sudden death when Riviera last played host to a PGT event in 2016. Mondilla bounced back from that setback by winning in 2017 as Riviera hosted one of the five stops of the inaugural PGT Asia then Jobim Carlos reigned in 2018 before Pagunsan dominated the field last March. Now back as a PGT leg, a new name could emerge on top on Saturday with Que looming large following his emphatic victory at Southwoods where he beat Aussie Tim Stewart in a power duel and won by five. But at Riviera, it’s not just a question of length but of strategies, including course management since a slight miscue could lead to a big score given the limited options for recovery at the hazard-laden layout. Still, the elite field is more than ready to take on the challenge with Pagunsan seeking to make it fourin-row, Carlos eyeing a big rebound from a string of poor finishes, Mondilla raring to re-display his form and Bayron out to snap a long title spell in the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

ABL exec named UAAP commissioner T

HE University Athletic Association of the Philippines is tapping Jensen Ilagan, the Technical Director of the regional ASEAN Basketball League as Commissioner for its basketball tournaments.

Ilagan will now serve as the chief administrator for the basketball tournaments of the UAAP. The Men’s and Women’s tourneys will begin on September 4. “I’m humbled to be the new UAAP Commissioner. I will do my best to uphold the league’s integrity through fair competition,” said Ilagan. Assisting Ilagan as Tournament Director is a former Ateneo Blue Eagle and ex-Lyceum-Cavite High School Athletics Director LA Mumar. Mumar graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Studies. Though just 37 years young, Ilagan already has a wealth of experience under his belt. Besides being the Technical Director of the ABL for the last four years, Ilagan, who graduated with a degree in Commerce at Asia Paciﬁc

College, is also a FIBA-certified table official. “His experience working in the ABL made us decide to tap him as our Commissioner,” said UAAP President Emmanuel Fernandez. “His youth will bring more technological advancements to our league this season.” “I commend the UAAP’s choice, spearheaded by this season’s host, as we continue to open our doors to candidates other than the traditional names in basketball,” added UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag. “But such a risk, if it may even be called such, is not without calculation.” One of the innovations Ilagan plans to introduce for this campaign is the ‘Video Review Initiative.’ With this, every member of the officiating pool will be mandated to review the games that were played

after every game day. “If it’s a good game, it will be the standard. If it’s a bad game then it will serve as a lesson for the officials as well,” the youthful commissioner shared. “He appears to be tech-savvy and is aligned with the UAAP’s vision of using data to hold officials accountable,” opined Saguisag, who is also the head of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ Academy for Referees. The league, though, has yet to finalize the pool of game officials for the season. Ilagan held a tryout last July 22-23 where 174 referees from 12 officiating groups attended the meet. The pool was trimmed down to 73 referees who will all undergo intensive training next week. The final pool of officials will be revealed on the third week of August, according to Ilagan. “We have very high expectations and we will continue to watch him. I wish Mr. Ilagan luck in leading his office with pride and honor—his success is our success,” said Saguisag.

Participants of the Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon, a major sporting event organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board with Sun Hung Kai Propertiesas the title and charity sponsor, are shown during last year’s event.

HK Cyclothon registration now open THE hugely popular Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon, a major sporting event organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board with Sun Hung Kai Propertiesas the title and charity sponsor, is returning this year on October 13. Online registration (website: http:// register.hongkongcyclothon.com) will be accepted from 10 a.m. on August 7 to 20 for the 50km Ride, 30km Ride, Men’s Open Race, Women’s Open Race, “Family Fun Ride” and the new “Fancy Dress Bike Party”. Places are limited and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Increased 30km and 50km Rides quotas let more cyclists paddle on landmarks. The entry quotas for the 50km Ride and 30km Ride will be increased this year. Featuring important landmarks and roads, the races are suitable for experienced cyclists. 50km Ride There are 3,300 entry quotas, 200 more than last year. The ride will again be a challenge of the “three tunnels” (Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Nam Wan Tunnel and Eagle’s Nest Tunnel) and the “three bridges” (Tsing Ma Bridge, Ting Kau Bridge and Stonecutters Bridge). It is suitable for experienced cyclists with good speed, strength and endurance. The route includes a number of slopes, such as the 1-km slope near Eagle’s Nest Tunnel with a gradient of 6%. To finish the entire ride within the time limit, participants are recommended to ride at an average speed of at least 29 km/hour. 30 km Ride There are 2,000 entry quotas, 200 more than last year. Participants will get to cycle on Stonecutters Bridge. The ride is suitable for cycling enthusiasts with some experience. The gradient of Stonecutters Bridge is about 4%. It will require greater strength to paddle up in case of headwind and good bike handling skills when going down the slope.

New teams, Air Force spice up PSC takes Karatedo Goju-kai tilt to Lapu-Lapu Premier Volley League Open PETROGAZZ goes for back-to-back, Creamline seeks to reign again while Motolite is out to bounce back with a healthy roster. But the Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Open Conference won’t be a three-team show when it opens shop on Sunday (Aug. 11) at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. Chef’s Classic and Choco Mucho can’t wait to prove its worth on their first foray in the country’s premier volley league with rosters that could measure up with the best in the fold while Air Force, fifth here last year, is back after skipping the Reinforced Conference topped by the Angels. Still, PetroGazz will surely get the top seeding following its conquest of the powerhouse Creamline squad in the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision with PacificTown Army aiming for a higher finish after placing third in the Reinforced tilt. BanKo Perlas and BaliPure also go-

ing all-out to redeem themselves after failing to contend for the crown recently while Motolite is raring to go with star player Myla Pablo tipped to fully recover from a lower back injury that hampered the team’s previous campaign in the league backed by Mikasa, Asics and KFC. The Cool Smashers are also keen on keeping the crown they won via sweep over the Ateneo Lady Eagles on a team built around three-time conference MVP Alyssa Valdez and top setter Jia Morado and veterans Michele Gumabao, Risa Sato and Jema Galanza. But the crowd favorites expect another bumpy road ahead of their titleretention drive. The Angels, for one, hope to ride the momentum of their Reinforced Conference triumph with Jeanette Panaga and Cherry Nunag hoping to draw solid backup from Jonah Sabete, Paneng Mercado and playmaker Djanel Cheng for a crack at another championship.

THE Philippine Sports Commission, in partnership with the Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc. and the Department of Tourism Region 7, is bringing the 7th Karatedo Goju-kai Asia Paciﬁc Championship in Lapu-Lapu City, from Sept. 27 to October 1. The country’s ﬁrst-ever hosting of the competition is taking place at the Hoops Dome, LapuLapu City with over 700 athletes from 26 Asian countries, including teams from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and others. “As part of the PSC’s campaign in spreading sports all over the country, we are honored to partner with City Mayor Jonard Chan and the local government of Lapu-Lapu City to host this international event in Cebu,” said PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, following their meeting last Monday at the city’s capitol with Karate Pilipinas President Ricky Lim. Mayor Chan also thanked the PSC and Karate Pilipinas saying, “this is a great development in promoting sports tourism not just in Cebu, but for the whole country. Lapu-Lapu City is ready to welcome and accommodate our asian countries all throughout the games.” The three-day competition will also serve the test event for the karatedo national team for the Linking hands here are (from left) Karate Pilipinas President Ricky Lim, PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Jonard Chan and PSC upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games. Technical Visayas Sports Coordinator Nonnie Lopez for the 2019 Karatedo Goju-kai Asia seminar for coaches and trainers will also be conducted on the last day of the event. Pacific Championships in Lapu-Lapu City.

Coach bullish on Azkals’ chances in qualifying tourney ARMED with enough knowledge of the opposition and a wider talent pool of players to pick from, national team coach Scott Cooper is bullish on the Azkals’ chances of making it past the second round of 2022 World Cup Qualifying starting with the duel Syria on Sept. 5 at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City. Appearing at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Amelie Hotel in Manila last Tuesday, the Irish mentor expressed satisfaction over the Azkals’ draw that saw them land in Group A with China, Syria, Guam and Maldives. But Cooper insists that the Azkals still have their work cut out for them if they want to ﬁnish as one of the Top 2 teams in the group. While the No. 1 ﬁnisher will gain an automatic spot in the third round and a place in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, the four best second placers from the eight qualifying groups are also advancing to the next phase. “We’re very positive and the expectation

is to win, not just see what we can do against these teams,” said Cooper, who spent the last two tournaments as deputy to Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson. “We went to the Asian Cup (last January) and performed well against South Korea, but not so much in the last two games (against China and Kyrgyzstan).This time, the mentality has to be spot-on. We have to give a bit more ﬁght and have a lot more belief. Performances are always good, but we need results.” Cooper also said in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, that China and Syria will be two of the toughest opponents in the group, but the Azkals are no longer daunted by the prospect of facing the Chinese since they’ve played against them three times in the last three years. The Azkals host China on Oct. 15 at Panaad Stadium with the reverse ﬁxture set on June 4 next

year. With the internal strife in the country, the reverse fixture against Syria will be played in a neutral venue, a scenario which Cooper welcomed. Cooper said he has named 39 players for selection for the first match against Syria. And while Neil Etheridge has ruled himself out of the first two matches, including against Guam on Sept. 10, Cooper said the team still has “some serious depth at the goalkeeping position.” Michael Falkesgaard of Thai Premier League side Bangkok United will likely start in place of Etheridge with Patrick Deyto of Suphanburi backing him up. “We’re really blessed in that position,” Cooper said. “Michael is really good with his feet and Patrick has been a revelation at Suphanburi. I’m glad Patrick has taken a step up in terms of the level of competition he’s playing in right now.” Cooper plans to fly to Thailand within the next couple of weeks to check the progress of almost half of the players in the Azkals squad.

Azkals coach Scott Cooper

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@manilastandard.net sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

Squires win; NCAA donates P100,000 to Batanes Games Thursday

(Perpetual Help campus, Las Pinas) 2 p.m. Perpetual Help vs Lyceum (jrs) 4 p.m. Perpetual Help vs Lyceum (srs)

By Peter Atencio THE Letran Squires held their ground in the final minute and fended off a late La Salle Greenhills’ rally to pull off a 69-66 upset yesterday at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan. Shawn Umali banged in a gamehigh 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Squires, who picked up their third win in seven games in the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association junior basketball tournament. Crucial baskets from Umali and Joshua Ramirez in the last 20.4 seconds put a stop to the Greenies’ rally from nine points down at the end of the third period. A heavily guarded RC Calimag topscored for 19 points, with Kobe Palencia, but he was scoreless for the Greenies all throughout the last period. Palencia carried the scoring load in the final 10 minutes with nine points, including a layup in the final minute that put the Greenies within range, 63-66. “Malalaki sila. Tinalo nila ang San Beda nung nakaraan. Pero, ready kami sa kanila. Sabi ko sa kanila. Limahan ang labanan. Kaya gawin lang nila ang trabaho nila,” said Squires’ coach Raymund Valenzuela, who emphasized defense underneath and on the Greenies’ big men. The Red Cubs are set to meet the Squires in their next encounter. Later in the day, the NCAA cancelled fives games, including three men’s matches after classes were suspended due to expected heavy rainfall in Metro Manila. The cancelled senior’s matches were between unbeaten College of St. Benilde and red-hot Letran, defending three-time champion San Beda and Mapua, and Arellano versus San Sebastian, while in the juniors’ were the Red Cubs and Red Robins and Baby Chiefs and Staglets. Meanwhile, the NCAA Management Committee has unanimously approved a cash donation of P100,000 to the province of Batanes The donation is victims from the province who were affected after a devastating 5.9 magnitude earthquake late last month. The financial assistance will be turned over to Batanes provincial officials, led by its governor Marilou Cayco on Saturday during halftime of the Letran College and San Beda University encounter at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. “What we are doing is part of the NCAA advocacy, and the oldest collegiate tournament in the country, as an institution, has helped our fellow Filipinos in need, especially those affected by calamities,” said Cayco.

Knights rout Capitals, 89-71 WITH two players coming away with a double-double effort, the San Juan Knights kept their perfect record in the MPBL Lakan Season after the reigning champions outplayed the Quezon City Capitals, 89-71, late Monday night at the Filoil Flying V Centre. John Wilson, a player known for his scoring prowess, ﬁnished with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Knights to their eighth straight win. Now 8-0, San Juan has just matched the best start in league history posted by Muntinlupa last season. But Wilson also drew a solid game from fellow ex-pro Larry Rodriguez, who also had a double-double output of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jhonard Clarito, last season’s hero of the ﬁnals series, concentrated on getting the boards for the Knights as pulled down 14 rebounds. With San Juan getting a combined 34 rebounds from Clarito, Wilson and Rodriguez, the Knights were able to get 10 more rebounds over their counterparts, 57-47. Also winning Monday were Pasay and Nueva Ecija. Less than a week after taking down championship contender Bacoor, the Voyagers of Pasay slayed another giant in inaugural staging champion Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay, 72-61.

SMB’s Chris McCullough will have to neutralize TNT’s Terrence Jones if the Beermen want to get back on track.

TNT seeks 2-0 lead; SMB eyes tie By Jeric Lopez

ILL Game 2 be an encore of Game 1? TNT KaTropa and San Miguel Beer want different answers as they resume hostilities in their best-of-seven championship showdown in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup.

The Tropang Texters go for a commanding 2-0 series lead as they look to repeat over the Beermen in Game 2 at 7 p.m. today at the Smart Ara-

neta Coliseum. TNT sent a huge statement in Game 1 by punching San Miguel Beer hard in the mouth right away. The Tropang Texters showed why they are the top seed by taking the opener with much ease, 109-96, last Sunday night as the Beermen were shellshocked. “We’re also lucky we caught them (San Miguel) off guard in Game 1,” said TNT coach Bong Ravena. “Hopefully, we can sustain our momentum though we expect them to comeback strong.” Leading Best Import candidate Terrence Jones was completely in his element, once again producing

a double-double in Game 1 with 41 points and 12 rebounds for a masterful showing. San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria felt like his team was yet to recover from its gruelling semiﬁnals series against Rain or Shine. He hopes that Game 2 will be different scenario for his squad. “I believe we weren’t fully recovered from the series against Rain or Shine and it showed in Game 1,” said Austria. TNT unleashed 18 unanswered points in the ﬁrst quarter of Game 1 and that proved to be the beginning of the end for San Miguel Beer, which was unable to recover.

Shanghai Grey is Lakambini champion MY Jopay won by a nose, but ended up placing runner-up to eventual champion Shanghai Grey in a wet and wild finish in the 2019 Philippine Racing Commission’s Lakambini Stakes Race at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite on Sunday. Ridden by jockey MM Gonzales, My Jopay weathered the final burst of main rival Shanghai Grey (jockey JB Hernandez) and won the 1,6000-meter race by a virtual inch, but the Philracom’s Board of Stewards nullified its victory due to two infractions. “Stewards repeatedly reviewed the tape of the race and observed that during the jump out, My Jopay sharply shifted in unto Shanghai Grey denying the latter a fair start. At the final turn, My Jopay shifted ground outwards 10-horses wide, carrying Shanghai Grey further outside. Stewards ruled that the two infractions committed on Shanghai Grey merited the disqualification of the winner (My Jopay) and alter the original order of arrival,” the Philracom report stated. Jockey MM Gonzales was also given a suspension of 156 racing days for foul riding, readily admitting that his actions affected Shanghai Grey’s running. The victory was worth a cool P900,000 for Shanghai Grey owner Melanie Habla, whose breeder Erwin Habla pocketed the winning breeder’s purse of P60,000 from the total guaranteed total prize of P1.5 million put up by the Philracom. “Game plan namin pasabay-sabay lang sa top 3, tapos hataw sa rekta. Ma-

My Jopay wins by an inch but ended up runner-up to eventual champion Shanghai Grey after committing two infractions in a wet and wild finish in the 2019 Philippine Racing Commission’s Lakambini Stakes Race.

linaw sana na panalo kung walang interference,” said Hernandez, who claimed that as the field approached the final bend, he noticed that Gonzales had his whip on his left hand, forcing My Jopay to swerve out. My Jopay, owned by Moses Villasenor, took the runner-up pot of P337,500 in the race marked by a slight drizzle and featuring the country’s best fillies. My Shelltex (owner Antonio Tan, jockey JB Guce) went home with the third-place prize of P187,500, while Shanghai Grey’s stablemate, fourth placer Two Timer (jockey JA Guce) received P75,000. Other Sunday winers were Indubitably (Race 1), Cavite Royale (Race 2), Hardliner

(Race 3), Ifyourhonorplease (Race 4), Triton (Race 6), Early Bird (Race 7), Fort McKinley (Race 8, Concert King (Race 9), Daanbantayan (Race 10), Desert Gold (Race 11) and Halo Wander (Race 12). Meanwhile, the Philracom is planning to put up several charity races late this month to aid the victims of two earthquakes in Batanes last month. Several big stakes races are still in the ofﬁng from Philracom in the coming months—the Sampaguita Stakes Race on Sept. 15 and the ﬁrst legs of the Juvenile Fillies and Colts Stakes Races on Oct. 6 and the 3YO Imported/Local Challenge on Oct. 20.

Crowd support to fuel Wood’s IRONMAN bid AUSSIE Laura Wood exudes confidence as she shoots for no less than a triumphant campaign in her firstever stint in Cebu, hoping to bank on crowd support in the second Regent Aguila IRONMAN 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships powered by Philam Vitality unfolding Sunday (Aug. 11) in Mactan. Coming into the event in top form, Wood said she’s looking forward to drawing inspiration from the fans whose all-out support has marked every IRONMAN staging in the country’s triathlon hub that has also caught the fancy of many endurance race campaigners.

“I’m most looking forward to the spectator support in Cebu,” said Wood, seeking to finally score a breakthrough after a third place effort in IRONMAN 70.3 Subic and a runner-up finish in Davao 5150 early this year. “This is my first time in Cebu and I’ve heard the crowds are fantastic at this event so hopefully that will give me an extra push,” added the 24-yearold campaigner who will be up against the fancied Swiss Caroline Steffen and Dimity Lee Duke from Australia. Former world champion and threetime IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines Cebu titlist Tim Reed of Australia has

put it all in context when he said in one of his title runs: “One couldn’t stop smiling the entire way (of the race) because of the absolutely crazy support out on the course. The bike course is lined 5-6 people deep while the half marathon is an audio-visual sensory overload of music, dancing and thousands of screaming people.” But more than crowd support, Wood also needs to dish out her best as she braces for a spirited battle for top honors against Steffen and Duke in the 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa.

Laura Wood

PH tracksters ready to train at Clark oval MEMBERS of the national athletics’ team are getting ready to move to Capas, Tarlac and start training at the newly built track oval inside the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. The 45-strong pool, which just finished a four-month training stint in Lingayen, Pangasinan, are expected to begin their workouts at the NCC oval by Aug. 19. Officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association said this after the construction of track oval and its spectator stand was completed ahead of schedule. Members of the national track team are currently getting ready for the 30th Southeast Asian Games. On the other hand, the aquatics center inside the NCC is almost done and needs only a few more days to be completed. So far, only the United States members of the national team won’t be around when the members of the national squad get to try out the NCC oval for the first time. Filipino-American standout Zion Corrales-Nelson will be doing her preparations in the US. Corrales-Nelson, whose performance still needs to be certified by the PATAFA, is among the top bets in athletics in the SEA Games. This was after Corrales-Nelson has gone past a 33-year-old Philippine national record that was set by Lydia de Vega-Mercado last May 23. She has a clocking of 23.18 seconds during the West Preliminary National Collegiate Athletic Association Finals in Sacramento California. Corrales-Nelson is currently being coached by Mike Gipson and Tony Sandoval of the University of Berkeley. The puts Zion to the top of the SEA Rankings for 2019, making her a top candidate for the national team. In the 100-meter dash, Zion has timed 11.41 seconds in the finals after clocking 11.5 seconds in the heats. Peter Atencio

Business

IN BRIEF 248 POGOs to remit taxes by August 10

OVER 240 offshore gaming operators in the Philippines are expected to remit the monthly withholding taxes of their foreign employees on or before the Aug. 10 deadline set by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, an agency ofﬁcial said Tuesday. BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa said of the 248 POGO service providers licensed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., six companies had so far remitted P200 million in withholding taxes to the bureau for the month of July. He said the remaining 242 service providers would do the same and were expected to remit their foreign workers’ taxes on or before Aug. 10. Under BIR rules, employers must remit withholding taxes from their workers on the 10th day after the end of the previous month. “Six companies initially remitted, [but] others will follow,” Guballa assured, noting that Aug. 10 is BIR’s deadline for the next payment of withholding taxes. Industry sources said all licensed POGO service providers vowed to remit withholding taxes after one of the biggest service ﬁrms initiated the industry’s compliance with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III’s tax enforcement directive. Julito G. Rada

Globe seeking more deals with tower firms

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it will seek more deals with tower companies to roll out more cell sites nationwide. “We continue to talk to the rest of potential tower companies and we are open to signing more MOUs (memorandum of understandings) on a couple of requirements. First, obviously is accreditation with us as a partner, and second is the need to share with us where they are seriously able to build up for us,” said Globe chief ﬁnance ofﬁcer of Rizza ManiegoEala. “If there’s a match we will proceed to sign with us,” she added. Globe earlier signed an agreement with Aboitiz InfraCapital and Frontier Tower Associates Philippines to build common telecom towers in the cities of Cebu, Davao and Olongapo to improve connectivity in these areas. A similar agreement was also signed with ISOC Infrastructure Inc. and Malaysia-based tower giant edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. to build 150 sites in the Calabarzon. Darwin G. Amojelar

July inflation rate eased to two-year low of 2.4% By Julito G. Rada

NFLATION rate in July slowed to a two-year low of 2.4 percent from 2.7 percent in June, giving the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas elbow room to adjust the policy rates in the next policy meeting on Thursday, according to economists.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the July inflation was slower than 5.7 percent registered a year ago. This brought the average rate in the first seven months to 3.3 percent, within the government’s official target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year. “The downtrend was primarily brought about by the slower annual rate posted in the index of the heavilyweighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 1.9 percent,” the PSA said.

ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa said a stronger peso had a hand in slower inflation in July while base effects also came into play. Mapa said because of the trend of easing inflation and the US Federal Reserve’s rate cut by 25 basis points, the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral was expected to cut interest rates in its meeting on Thursday. “BSP has vowed to remain data-dependent with the focus shifting to the Thursday release of the second-quarter GDP with market consensus at 5.9 percent. Governor [Benjamin] Diokno has telegraphed up to 50 bps worth of rate cuts for the balance of 2019 and we believe we will see at least a 25 bps rate cut [with door open for 50 bps] all the more given that second-quarter GDP is likely to settle below the 6-percent handle,” Mapa said. The BSP said the July inflation rate was consistent with its prevailing assessment that inflation would continue to decelerate in the third quarter before

ﬁrmly settling within the target range. “Ample domestic food supply conditions have supported the continued easing of price pressures. The BSP will keep a close watch over latest economic developments to ensure that the monetary policy stance remains consistent with the BSP’s price stability objective while being supportive of economic growth,” the BSP said in a statement. Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said rice deﬂation was observed for the third consecutive month, reaching -2.9 percent in July. “We welcome this decelerating trend in prices but we remain on guard against possible upside risks such as adverse weather conditions, possible entry of the African swine fever and uncertainty in the global oil market, among others,” Pernia said in a statement. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or Pagasa expects the southwest monsoon or Habagat to peak in July to September.

Luzon university wins Unilever competition

THREE universities were recognized in the Unilever Topic Competition on Sustainable Livelihoods for their outstanding projects. UTC is designed to recognize and reward Enactus Philippines teams who create and deliver projects that meet the requirements of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, such as improving people’s health and well-being, reducing environmental impact and/or enhancing livelihood. The topic competition encourages teams to work on new or existing Enactus projects in a way that creates holistic solutions to improving people’s livelihoods. This year’s UTC Champion is the University of Luzon from Pangasinan with their War on Waste (WOW 5.0) in Progress. First runner-up was the Holy Trinity College of General Santos City with their Go Organic Live Dynamic and second runner-up was the Nueva Vizcaya State University with their WEED V 2.0 (Women Empowerment through Enterprise Development Version 2.0)

CONTAINERIZED GRAIN. Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., a member of International Container Terminal Services Inc., announces it will begin importing shipments of grain such as rice, wheat, corn and soybean meal through container shipping to increase cost-efficiency and effectiveness. Containerization is a shipping method where cargo is loaded onto truck-sized intermodal containers. The containers are then loaded onto ships and may be unloaded immediately onto trucks once the ship has arrived at its destination. SBTC says container shipping grain solves the empty container problem and maintains product quality during transfer.

Converge ICT seeking bank loans for $1.8-b infrastructure buildup By Jess Malabanan ANGELES CITY―Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is expanding its operations to the Visayas after a successful venture in Luzon but it will require $1.8 billion in the next three years to support infrastructure works, a top executive told reporters here Monday. Converge ICT president and chief executive Dennis Uy said talks with various banks were ongoing to cover the required funding for the ﬁber-optic technology. “This is a huge investment for us... In fact, we are securing loans from different banks,” said Uy during a news conference at Namari Restaurant in Barangay Balibago. He said the plan was to roll out the ﬁber-optic infrastructure to achieve

one million ports nationwide. Uy said Converge ICT spent $12 million a year to establish its fiber-optic infrastructure backbone in La Union, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija. He said the Luzon backbone was expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2020. Converge ICT started its wireless internet connections using fiber-optic technology for the Command Center of Angeles City. The company is now serving areas as far as Naga City, Legazpi City and Sorsogon in the Bicol Region. “All subscribers of Converge in Sorsogon will be serviced at the end of this year,” Uy said. He said Converge ICT has the advantage of fiber-optic technology compared to other wired services.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

Petron’s profit decreased by 72% to P2.6b in six months By Alena Mae S. Flores OIL refiner Petron Corp. said Tuesday net income fell 72 percent in the first half to P2.6 billion from P9.5 billion in the same period last year as petroleum sales bore the impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law. Petron said in a statement it still managed to book a net income in the six-month period because of the strong results in Malaysian operations and extensive savings on fixed costs by the group. “These setbacks are just temporary and are all part of the business. We remain optimistic for the second half of the year given signs of modest recovery from gasoline and petrochemical margins recently seen in the market,” said Petron president and chief executive Ramon Ang. The company said the first-semester results reflected modest gains amid the slump in regional refining margins that affected the Philippine operations by as much as P5 billion during the period. Consolidated sales reached P254.8 billion from January to June, down 7 percent from the same period last year. Petron’s Malaysian sales volume grew 4 percent, partially offsetting the decline in the Philippines following the implementation of the second tranche of the Train law. The Train law brought total fuel taxes to an average of P6.75 per liter or equivalent to more than P15 billion in excise taxes in the first half. Petron said such developments “encouraged illegal business practices during the period.” The company said, however, that it continued to pursue its network expansion program, completing 72 stations in the Philippines in the first half. Petron also rolled out 24 new stations in Malaysia to reflect its growing market share. Petron said it would resume normal operations at its 180,000-barrel-perday Bataan refinery after completing scheduled repair works, including damages incurred during the April 22 earthquake that affected Central Luzon and Metro Manila.

Power rates declines for fourth straight month—Meralco

POWER rates declined for the fourth straight month on lower generation charges, retailer Manila Electric Co. said Tuesday. Meralco said overall electricity rates for a typical household consuming 200 kilowatt-hours decreased to P9.5674 per kWh in August from P9.9850 per kWh in July. Meralco said the downward adjustment of P0.4176 per kWh would translate into a drop of around P84 in the typical household’s monthly bill. “The fourth straight month of electricity rate decrease represents a total downward adjustment of almost P1 per kWh since May,” the country’s biggest power distributor said. Meralco attributed the lower rates to the lower charges at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading ﬂoor of electricity. The gen-

eration charge in August went down to P4.9620 per kWh from P5.4227 per kWh in July. Meralco said WESM charges decreased by P6.2080 per kWh with the improved supply in the Luzon grid. Meralco sourced 11 percent of its July power supply from WESM. Cost of power from Meralco’s independent power producers increased by P0.0911 per kWh despite the strengthening of the peso against the US dollar and lower fuel prices as a result of the quarterly repricing of Malampaya natural gas and continued decline in coal prices. Higher IPP costs were largely due to the lower average plant dispatch with the scheduled maintenance of Sta. Rita Modules 20, 30 and 40 in July. The cost of power from power supply agreements went down by P0.0656

per kWh due to lower fuel prices and peso appreciation as about 67 percent of PSA costs were dollar-denominated. Meralco sourced 41 percent and 48 percent of its supply requirements from IPPs and PSAs, respectively. Transmission charges for residential customers increased by P0.0334 per kWh while taxes and other charges also rose by P0.0097 per kWh. Meralco’s distribution, supply and metering charges were unchanged from the July 2015 level. Meralco said it was not earning from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges. Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge goes to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. Alena Mae S. Flores

New agriculture chief bares strategy to revive local farming By Othel V. Campos NEWLY-APPOINTED Agriculture Secretary William Dar announced Tuesday his plan to make the sector more profitable and lift the income of millions of farmers and fishers. “This will require the development and meaningful implementation of programs and projects that will result in increased agricultural productivity, competitiveness and profitability taking into account sustainability and resilience for agriculture smallholders,” he said. “One important law that has to be properly implemented is the Rice Tariffication Law including that of its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Currently, there are a number of factors causing low farmer and fisherfolk income. Among these are high production cost, limited cropping diversification, low productivity, low-income elasticity and volatile com-

modity prices,” he said. Dar proposed the so-called 8-paradigm strategy that involves the “new thinking” for agriculture. These include modernization of agriculture, industrialization of agriculture, promotion of exports, farm consolidation, roadmap development, infrastructure development, higher budget and investments for agriculture and legislative support. Dar cited a need to diversify crop production in the Philippines as about 80 percent of the country’s farmlands were devoted to only three crops: rice, corn and coconut. “Agripreneurship should also form part of the paradigm to modernize Philippine agriculture, as farming and ﬁsheries should be treated as business undertakings or industries,” he said. He said while higher productivity was a major objective, it was equally important to produce more income by value-adding,

processing, manufacturing and developing markets for both raw and processed agricultural products. There is also a need to engage the private sector in investing in and setting up more agri-based industries in the countryside and developing markets for agriculture products, he said. He said the industrialization of Philippine agriculture should be supported by the framework for the digitization of farming and agribusiness activities in the country where credit is made available, affordable and accessible. Dar said there should be a systematic and long-term strategy in developing and promoting exports of raw and processed agricultural products. This requires economies of scale in on-farm production that will generate sustained quantity and quality of export products.

KINGLING SUPPORTS LOGISTICS SHOW. Transport and Logistics Philippines, the largest international transport system, delivery vehicles, logistics and supply chain equipment and service provider exhibition and conference, will be held on Aug. 15 to 17 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. JAC Automobile International Philippines Inc., distributor of Kingling Isuzu, will be among the exhibitors on the 7th Transport and Logistics Philippines. Shown are (from left) Global-Link MP project manager Paula Dela Paz-Pisase; Kingling Motors Philippines Inc. dealer development officer Cynthia Cruz and vice president for finance Jamie Sy.

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market falls again; Jollibee sinks T HE stock market slumped again Tuesday as investors fretted over the US-China trade war, ignoring the lower inﬂation ﬁgure in July.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 123.27 points, or 1.6 percent, to 7,766.75 on a value turnover of P9.7 billion. Losers routed gainers, 165 to 47, with 37 issues unchanged. The inﬂation rate in July eased to a twoyear low of 2.4 percent from 2.7 percent in June, giving the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas elbow room to adjust the policy rates in the next policy meeting on Thursday, according to economists. Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fastfood chain, tumbled 4.9 percent to P235, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. fell 2.2 percent to P48.05.

PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications ﬁrm, declined 3.5 percent to P1,105, while conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. dropped 3 percent to P49.70. The rest of Asian markets largely fell Tuesday, but pared back heavy losses following a rout on Wall Street. Wall Street suffered its worst sell-off of the year on Monday, with the bluechip Dow Jones Industrial Average sinking 2.9 percent. Tokyo opened nearly three percent lower on Tuesday before recovering to end the day 0.7 percent down. Hong Kong was down 1.1 percent, paring back losses after sinking more than two percent at the open. Shanghai shed 1.6 percent. But Mumbai rose 0.5 percent and Bangkok edged up 0.2 percent. A sharp fall in the Chinese yuan’s value against the dollar—breaching the 7.0 level seen as a key threshold by inves-

tors—prompted Washington to formally designate Beijing as a currency manipulator. Tensions have escalated since US President Donald Trump last week announced fresh tariffs on Chinese goods from September 1, which would subject virtually all of the $660 billion in annual merchandise trade between the world’s two top economies to punitive duties. On Monday, the yuan dropped to its lowest level to the dollar since August 2010, fueling speculation that Beijing was devaluing its currency to support exporters and offset Trump’s latest threat to hit $300 billion in Chinese goods with 10 percent tariffs. The slide in the yuan’s value drew sharp criticism from Trump who called it “a major violation which will greatly weaken China over time.” China ﬁred back Tuesday, with the central bank saying it is “resolutely op-

posed” to the US designation. Trump has repeatedly accused China of currency manipulation—charges Beijing has long denied. Beijing’s prior policy on the yuan had been to purchase foreign currencies, in part to avoid triggering capital outﬂows, but analysts said further weakening was likely. “Continued yuan depreciation should be expected, albeit at a staggered pace,” said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA. “Currency wars are taking centre stage,” he warned, adding that “Beijing is likely to tolerate further weakness and we could see another 5% before the end of the year.” Beijing has vowed to hit back if Washington goes ahead with its latest threat and Chinese state media late Monday reported that ﬁrms in the country have stopped buying US farm produce. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 57.6 800 88.5 4,066,520 2.15 202,000 144 2,277,850 1.15 21,000 26.5 179,100 18.3 600 12.02 2,039,200 4.71 2,000 750 250 0.47 410,000 70.5 4,864,010 0.99 885,000 47.55 373,800 190 8,460 111.3 200 57.8 7,140 29.2 182,500 173.3 723,620 1,750 165 59.05 47,390 1.13 31,000

46,166 360,655,939.50 435,940 327,510,391 24,550 4,748,630 11,040 24,538,970 9,330 187,500 188,700 345198284 864,550 17,777,710 1,574,294 22,260 413,718 5,332,290 124,966,021 288,750 2,838,733.50 35,020

-31,659,125 -60,200 -29,537,189 -480,920 -6,723,940 -161941728.5002 -970 969,075 855,839 577,150 -32,097,082 -1,500,423.50 -

34 13.84 0.71 1.31 0.24 90.2 2.98 14 106.4 13.56 15.4 40.05 74 85.1 2.02 5.19 6.21 9.94 13.98 10.3 7.51 24.85 83.3 63.2 1.99 13.92 9.01 1.64 234.8 4.2 8.7 22.25 13.1 18.54 358 5.5 1.74 4.6 5.3 2.46 11.94 37.55 5.02 5 1.55 1.03 13.1 95.05 6.7 1.04 157.5 2.46 1.25 1.13

INDUSTRIAL 35.4 1,854,100 14.3 1,048,500 0.72 2,546,000 1.34 7,000 0.26 6,550,000 99.3 50 3.08 15,262,000 14.3 3,817,000 106.4 130 13.68 323,100 16.4 1,000 40.05 700 74 3,680 88.45 850 2.03 111,000 5.19 161,000 6.21 46,800 10 4,370,600 14 3,853,200 10.5 714,000 7.6 630,400 25.8 4,966,100 85 301,350 64.5 326,290 2.05 6,408,000 14.06 1,952,100 9.04 222,000 1.67 490,000 235 2,676,260 4.3 11,000 8.98 3,300 22.4 263,900 13.46 615,200 18.9 199,800 358 214,600 5.5 1,400 1.81 8,527,000 4.8 141,000 5.36 1,865,100 2.65 49,659,000 11.94 1,200 37.6 316,100 5.04 17,000 5 6,000 1.73 3,116,000 1.03 358,000 13.2 1,013,500 104 160,140 7.1 360,000 1.05 300,000 161 1,358,050 2.46 61,000 1.3 7,226,000 1.16 4,079,000

65,086,825 14,806,184 1,828,370 9,200 1,654,080 4,601 46,548,350 55,052,732 13,841 4,439,940 15,500 28,060 275,152.50 74,391.50 224,380 835,590 290,958 43,754,289 54,008,756 7,481,350 4,782,286 126,462,135 25,363,391.50 20,991,114.50 13047730 27,353,946 2,025,152 812,620 635,322,378 47,000 29,588 5,903,110 8,160,252 3726352 77,217,550 7,700 15,289,580 661,540 9,980,486 128,536,340 14,328 11,901,435 88,020 30,000 5,225,830 371,960 13,368,860 16,237,832.50 2,559,278 316,820 217,473,104 150,060 9,299,240 4,747,280

-9,244,275 1,011,098 13,952,500 -943,178 92,680 -1,358,992 15,033,080 2,451,322 -300,196 5,663,255 -1,917,255.50 2,833,726 1064500.0001 -8,210,972 43,014.00 -227,640,836 -1,895,440 2,734,010 1592958.0001 -42,004,192 -3,452,590 -2,426,136 2,930,670 -91,105 24,144 39,870 5,664,248 3,458,285 -71,000 -110,861,154 137,760 144,710 -48,600

0.92 51 15.06 0.7 7 16.94 1.23 1.25 929 3.84 6.89 10.08 13.8 0.24 898 6.3 66.75 0.52 4.46 14.66 0.69 4.64 0.039 1.43 2.93 175.1 967 1.04 1.37 429 258 0.236 0.295

0.84 49.1 14.6 0.7 7 16 1.19 1.24 908 3.65 6.68 9.8 13.5 0.22 872 6.25 64.05 0.495 4.29 14.12 0.62 4.47 0.038 1.35 2.71 172 944.5 0.92 1.34 419 256 0.23 0.28

HOLDING FIRMS 0.88 69,324,000 49.7 2,494,310 14.6 6,000,500 0.7 451,000 7 14,200 16.2 186,300 1.2 4,814,000 1.24 473,000 921 408,970 3.78 8,421,000 6.76 2,247,000 9.84 7,318,700 13.8 121,000 0.24 540,000 887 200,700 6.25 4,100 65 2,845,190 0.51 165,000 4.45 1,676,000 14.16 1,409,700 0.64 9,507,000 4.6 32,549,000 0.038 6,800,000 1.41 1,247,000 2.75 4,000 175 68,250 960 560,170 0.98 7,442,000 1.37 1,086,000 420 270 257 1,180 0.23 1,140,000 0.28 2,250,000

60,377,610 124,294,352 88,595,226 315,700 99,400 3,066,752 5,800,040 589,700 375,343,350 31,435,710 15,103,948 72,492,791 1,646,682 120,930 177,353,350 25,705 184,909,151 82,125 7,301,890 20,017,884 6,207,350 148,202,900 262,900 1,725,000 11,140 11,869,233 534,819,160 7,386,500 1,468,560 114,076 303,250 262,420 634,350

5,074,780 -67,130,538 -25,479,936 102,200 -49,918 -160,950 -82,960,165 601,000 6,713,000 -41,501,837 700,018 66,000 -53,289,465 -88,263,659 -634,440 -3,336,108 2,711,500 18,379,300 -1,939,403 -169,594,730 -35,120 40,500 -72,018 -

15.82 0.82 10.34 2.01 1.01 48.4 2.22 5.05 6.1 0.59 0.79 0.88 0.237 0.45 11.1 24.5 0.47 0.13 1.88 1.37 6.06 0.32 0.45 1.65 0.395 2.04 47.8 26.1 2.42 3.16

15.74 0.79 10.34 1.98 0.93 47.55 2.18 4.82 6.05 0.55 0.77 0.86 0.235 0.435 10.5 23.45 0.46 0.125 1.82 1.34 5.84 0.305 0.44 1.53 0.385 2.01 47 25.35 2.25 3.1

PROPERTY 15.76 1,269,800 0.82 1,297,000 10.34 200 2.01 233,000 0.97 13,977,000 48.05 22,532,500 2.22 997,000 4.85 2,053,800 6.1 7,700 0.57 29,430,000 0.79 171,000 0.88 159,000 0.236 560,000 0.44 4,070,000 10.78 1,233,500 24.1 1,218,400 0.47 930,000 0.13 170,000 1.87 32,181,000 1.36 1,980,000 5.98 39,822,000 0.315 20,810,000 0.45 180,000 1.57 6,119,000 0.385 490,000 2.04 667,000 47 800 25.95 5,775,800 2.33 1,596,000 3.1 383,000

20,055,840 1,038,750 2,068 464,900 13,382,630 1,082,415,710 2,200,250 10,008,738 46,595 16,576,560 132,590 138,860 132,290 1,805,150 13,215,948 28,978,655 433,650 22,000 59,730,630 2,668,570 238,047,067 6,502,100 79,300 9,655,030 191,350 1,350,310 38,000 148,651,315 3,681,000 1,205,150

412,198 293,810 -133,316,360 -46,220 80,646 -1,220 68,160 50,500 -58,800 -1,224,922 3,819,490 16,426,550 -218,700 -27,703,287 -117,800 80,000 -16,240.00 9,400 -73,770,065 41,580 -47,100

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

58.8 89.95 2.17 145 1.17 26.75 18.5 12.2 4.62 750 0.46 71.85 0.99 48.65 186.2 111.3 58.15 29.9 173 1,750 60 1.13

59 89.95 2.17 146.2 1.17 26.75 18.5 12.2 4.71 750 0.47 71.85 1 48.65 191.7 111.3 58.15 29.9 173.5 1,750 61.75 1.13

57.6 88 2.15 140.3 1.15 26.4 18.3 11.9 4.62 750 0.46 70.5 0.97 46.9 186 111.3 57.7 28.55 170 1,750 59 1.12

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

34.7 14 0.73 1.31 0.255 90.2 3.1 14.5 106.5 14.4 15.4 40.1 78.55 85.1 2.02 5.19 6.35 10.18 14.28 10.7 7.6 25.9 85 67.9 2.14 14.02 9.38 1.69 244 4.2 8.98 22.5 13.5 18.7 363.6 5.5 1.85 4.78 5.41 2.53 11.94 38.35 5.28 5 1.65 1.1 13.36 100.4 7.1 1.07 161 2.46 1.33 1.2

35.5 14.3 0.73 1.34 0.26 99.3 3.13 14.5 106.5 14.4 16.4 40.1 78.8 88.45 2.03 5.19 6.35 10.18 14.3 10.7 7.65 25.95 85 67.9 2.14 14.1 9.38 1.69 244 4.3 9 23 13.5 18.94 363.6 5.5 1.85 4.8 5.42 2.65 11.94 38.35 5.29 5 1.78 1.1 13.36 104 7.25 1.07 162 2.46 1.33 1.2

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

0.88 51 15.06 0.7 7 16.3 1.23 1.25 929 3.84 6.85 10.02 13.8 0.22 892 6.3 66.75 0.52 4.46 14.66 0.68 4.58 0.039 1.4 2.71 175 953.5 0.99 1.36 429 258 0.231 0.295

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

15.82 0.81 10.34 2 1 48.4 2.22 5.05 6.05 0.59 0.78 0.88 0.236 0.45 11.1 24 0.47 0.125 1.85 1.35 5.93 0.32 0.44 1.64 0.395 2.04 47.8 26 2.42 3.15

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

36 2.17 5.93 0.81 7.65

36.5 2.2 5.93 0.81 7.68

35.55 2.12 5.83 0.8 7.46

35.9 2.14 5.88 0.8 7.6

14,550,000 2,211,000 320,900 336,000 7,997,100

523,641,040 4,752,890 1,882,904 271,020 60,592,991

-183,058,185 -29,200 -12,169,111

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PH RESORTS GRP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10.7 19.04 1.57 0.51 0.048 18.06 2.42 11.48 0.059 91.5 7 7.19 6.46 10.18 894 1,980 5.4 420 1.8 1.85 123.9 9.53 6 0.113 5.25 14.02 3.65 0.9 19.26 0.49 3.23 2.56 1.43 2.4 2.72 8.5 5.1 4.03 1,144 0.69 0.66 44.2 78.3 9.26 3.13 0.74 0.36 5.45 0.73 15.76

10.7 19.04 1.65 0.52 0.049 18.06 2.42 11.48 0.059 91.5 7 7.19 6.46 10.3 894 1,990 5.4 423 1.87 1.98 124.5 9.7 6 0.115 5.25 14.02 3.65 0.91 19.44 0.49 3.23 2.56 1.43 2.4 2.72 8.5 5.35 4.03 1,144 0.7 0.69 44.2 79.3 9.26 3.23 0.74 0.36 5.49 0.74 15.76

10.5 18.6 1.57 0.51 0.046 18.06 2.31 11.18 0.057 86.65 7 6.78 5.95 9.55 894 1,935 5.36 414 1.7 1.83 122.6 9.43 5.55 0.113 5.02 14.02 3.57 0.87 19 0.48 3.15 2.4 1.41 2.23 2.56 8.38 4.9 3.65 1,105 0.68 0.62 43.5 75.5 9.22 2.99 0.72 0.34 5.45 0.71 15.6

SERVICES 10.6 18.7 1.63 0.52 0.048 18.06 2.35 11.48 0.059 89.5 7 6.93 6.27 9.9 894 1,954 5.4 420 1.79 1.97 122.9 9.7 5.55 0.115 5.08 14.02 3.58 0.91 19.44 0.48 3.16 2.47 1.41 2.32 2.61 8.5 5.19 3.78 1,105 0.69 0.69 44 78.05 9.22 3.18 0.74 0.345 5.49 0.72 15.68

10,900 93,300 599,000 1,195,000 17,000,000 1,200 875,000 3,336,700 24,350,000 523,730 200 4,321,800 276,700 71,400 1,240 54,710 94,600 1,560 2,962,000 26,000 3,179,130 47,300 9,100 130,000 2,994,500 900 342,000 241,000 140,600 460,000 39,000 5,672,000 35,000 4,958,000 149,000 24,000 50,100 8,262,000 100,635 4,618,000 37,442,000 897,700 562,080 20,200 4,920,000 1,326,000 7,400,000 320,500 6,528,000 1,762,200

116,016 1,742,484 971,000 610,770 807,200 21,672 2,080,620 37,685,006 1,411,730 46,323,670 1,400 29,826,451 1,679,496 705,979 1,108,560 107,448,680 508,687 652,238 5,182,280 49,340 391,044,273 446,926 51,190 14,710 15,193,703 12,618 1,229,550 213,280 2,715,922 221,750 124,170 13,847,990 49,410 11,355,970 387,620 203,547 247,083 31,261,630 112,521,770 3,160,740 24,501,810 39,444,000 43,903,347.50 186,572 15,107,960 967,120 2,544,750 1,754,810 4,700,170 27,565,000

-8,150.00 -7,591,916 10,120 10,175,138 360,792 -29,762,520 52,210 -53,841,177 474,381.00 32,350 54,580 -376,860 87,610 290,580 -70,172,135 -16,560.00 -9,300 -19,427,515 10,527,259.50 -69,200 442,540 255,620 493,000.00 -870,537 509,000 8,490,456

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

0.0016 1.3 2.66 13.2 2.72 0.27 7.98 1.45 0.202 0.113 0.121 0.01 0.012 1.06 2.65 1.05 0.48 0.84 0.012 0.012 0.011 5.89 4.15 10.98 22.95 0.0063

0.0018 1.32 2.66 13.2 2.72 0.27 7.99 1.47 0.212 0.118 0.125 0.01 0.012 1.08 2.67 1.05 0.48 0.86 0.012 0.012 0.011 6.26 4.16 11.64 22.95 0.0063

0.0016 1.24 2.64 12.5 2.71 0.265 7.71 1.43 0.202 0.108 0.115 0.0098 0.01 1.04 2.5 1 0.45 0.83 0.012 0.012 0.011 5.58 3.9 10.5 22.1 0.0063

MINING & OIL 0.0018 250,000,000 1.29 17,511,000 2.64 198,000 13 6,300 2.72 258,000 0.27 290,000 7.85 5,500 1.45 825,000 0.211 110,000 0.113 10,950,000 0.121 810,000 0.01 78,600,000 0.012 63,400,000 1.04 43,000 2.5 6,170,000 1.02 167,000 0.46 107,000 0.83 594,000 0.012 6,600,000 0.012 70,000,000 0.011 1,400,000 6.26 1,674,200 3.94 4,016,000 11.48 8,138,500 22.55 986,500 0.0063 5,000,000

407,000 22,424,610 523,060 80,420 699,260 77,550 42,968 1,185,050 22,770 1,242,890 98,970 783,630 699,800 45,400 15,779,070 168,120 48,720 499,540 79,200 840,000 15,400 10,194,889 16,054,810 90,062,698 22,133,645 31,500

16,000 -207,200 -1,300 146,150 -5,050 -225,280 -100,000 311,470 1,258,710 -4,241,070 -

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

17.7 485 499 102 100.5 106 497 5.28 945 99.6 0.99 995 1,000 1,017 1,019 1,030 76 77 74.9 75.4 75 74.95 75.9

17.7 490 499 102 100.5 106 497 5.28 945 99.6 1 995 1,000 1,018 1,019 1,030 76 77.5 75.1 75.4 75 75 75.9

17.5 485 499 102 100.5 105.8 497 5.28 945 99.6 0.99 994.5 1,000 1,017 1,019 1,030 76 76.8 74.9 75.3 75 73.5 74.6

PREFERRED 17.6 600 490 430 499 100 102 60 100.5 940 106 8,070 497 4,640 5.28 3,000 945 730 99.6 40 0.99 177,000 995 2,150 1,000 50 1,018 4,055 1,019 1,200 1,030 100 76 1,300 77.5 26,470 75.1 5,940 75.3 40,540 75 650 75 68,310 74.6 36,900

10,570 208,720 49,900 6,120 94,470 855,160 2,306,080 15,840 689,850 3,984 175,360 2,138,575 50,000 4,124,600 1,222,800 103,000 98,800 2,037,990 444,934 3,054,716 48,750 5,029,951 2,760,897

-10 -31,740 1,019,000 381,990 -

LR WARRANT

1.72

1.7

WARRANTS 1.71 282,000

480,310

20,884,966 6,190,810

-99,104 -64,240

2,215,155

39,756

102,800 53,366.40

NAME

MS ITALPINAS XURPAS

6 1.02

6.43 1.02

5.96 0.98

FIRST METRO ETF

119

116.5

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.28 1.02

TRADING SUMMARY

10.28 1.02

FINANCIAL

16,648,890

INDUSTRIAL

297,633,410

HOLDING FIRMS

173,100,889

PROPERTY

215,779,896

SERVICES

154,275,899

MINING & OIL

527,977,987

GRAND TOTAL

1,395,050,759

10.28 1.02

6.4 1

SME

3,392,300 6,222,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.2 18,880 DDS 10.28 1.02

10,000 52,320

VALUE 1,783.33 (down) 31.18 1,247,148,994.58 FINANCIAL 10,946.18 (down) 171.29 INDUSTRIAL 2,973,153,859.226 7,568.04 (down) 130.76 HOLDING FIRMS 1,955,560,072.59 PROPERTY 4,125.28 (down) 49.09 1,561.84 (down) 22.09 2,254,214,954.595 SERVICES 8,030.31 (down) 165.47 MINING & OIL 1,071,201,978.23 7,766.75 (down) 123.27 PSEI 184,256,156.5809 All Shares Index 4,763.91 (down) 57.20 9,714,828,072.55 Gainers: 47; Losers: 165; Unchanged: 37; Total: 249

Eagle Cement raised profit by 44% to P3.3b in 1st 6 months By Jenniffer B. Austria EAGLE Cement Corp. registered a net income of P3.3 billion in the first half of the year, up 44 percent from P2.3 billion year-on-year, on the back of doubledigit growth in sales. Eagle said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-half net sales jumped 28 percent to P10.5 billion from P8.2 billion in the same period a year ago. Gross profit totaled P4.7 billion, up 19 percent on year. Eagle remains optimistic of sustaining double digit growth in sales for the whole of 2019 given the strong first-half performance. “Our robust results in the first half of the year reaffirm our positive stances towards the industry. We will continue to leverage on the growing local demand led by the private sector and supported by the infrastructure push of the government. We will execute this by offering world-class, quality cement products at affordable prices,” Eagle president and chief executive Paul Ang said. Eagle’s net income in the secondquarter climbed 39 percent to P1.7 billion as revenues rose 22 percent to P5.1 billion. Meanwhile, the company said it secured the permits needed to start the construction of a planned cement plant in Cebu. Ang in June said the completion of the planned cement plant in Cebu would be delayed to first half of 2021 from the original target of end 2020 due to permit delays. The cement firm is on track to complete its 1.5-million metric ton grinding capacity expansion in 2020 to bring the current annual cement output to 8.6 MMT in the Bulacan plant. “We remain positive as reflected in our aggressive expansion to reach new growth markets as well as create a strong presence in the south,” Ang said. “By the end 2021, we expect to have a total of 10.6 MMT of annual cement output that will strategically position us as a strong nationwide cement players,” he added. Eagle said the current capital structure remained solid and allowed adequate flexibility for future expansion.

GERI increased income to P865m in 1st half of 2019 GLOBAL-ESTATE Resorts Inc. posted a net income of P865 million in the first six months of 2019, up 16 percent from P745 million year-on-year. Excluding non-recurring gains of P189 million recorded in the first half of the year, the company saw an 11-percent growth on year in earnings attributable to the parent company. GERI, a unit of Megaworld Corp., said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues rose 22 percent to P3.9 billion from P3.2 billion on year. GERI’s booked strong revenues from the rental business and hotel operations as all and stable residential sales boosted overall sales in the first half of the year. “Our growth story hinges on our rental and hotel businesses, which have been growing rapidly this year. On the rental side, the office segment in particular saw a huge swing in revenues due to the fact that both office towers in Southwoods City have already begun realizing full-year rentals,” GERI president Monica Salomon said. “On the hotel side, the opening of Twin Lakes Hotel around late last year have boosted revenues significantly as the development continues to gain popularity amongst people visiting Tagaytay,” Salomon added. Rental income in the first half of the year surged 113 percent to P377 million from P177 million on year, lifted by the completion of Southwoods Office Towers. Hotel revenues jumped 286 percent to P484 million from P125 million in 2018 with the addition of 130 hotel rooms from Twin Lakes Hotel. GERI’s hotel portfolio currently includes Savoy Hotel Boracay and Fairways & Bluewater, both in Boracay Newcoas. Meanwhile, residential sales were steady at P2.8 billion, up one percent on year. The company’s real estate business accounts for close to 70 percent of the total revenues. Jenniffer B. Austria

World

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

China reiterates its support for HK’s chief executive Lam

VIGIL. People pray during a candlelight vigil at the Immanuel Church for the victims of a shooting that left a total of 22 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall WalMart in El Paso, Texas, on August 5, 2019. US President Donald Trump on Monday told a nation mourning the 31 people killed in two mass shootings that he rejected racism and white supremacist ideology, moving to blunt criticism that his divisive rhetoric fuels violence. Trump will visit El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday following a mass shooting in the southern border town that killed 22 people, the local mayor said. AFP

IN BRIEF China warns Hong Kong protesters

BEIJING―China warned Hong Kong protesters Tuesday that they should not underestimate “the immense strength of the central government”, in a strong rebuke to those involved with civil unrest in the Asian financial hub. At a press briefing in Beijing, Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, also said “those who play with fire will perish by it”. The comments represent some of the strongest-worded warnings from China’s central government yet over protests in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong, which has been plunged into chaos by weeks of clashes. Protests were triggered by opposition to a planned law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but then rapidly evolved into a wider movement for democratic reform and the protect of freedoms. Yang said that the “radical protests... have severely impacted Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, pushing it into a dangerous abyss”. He also said the government still “firmly supports” both the Hong Kong police force—who have faced criticism in the city for their handling of the protests—and Carrie Lam, the city’s proBeijing leader, who has faced calls to resign from protesters. AFP

BEIJING―China’s ruling Communist Party once again underlined its wholesale support for Hong Kong’s embattled leader on Tuesday as she struggles to contain increasingly violent anti-government unrest. The two-month crisis has become the biggest threat to Beijing’s rule of the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city since its handover from the British in 1997. One of the protesters’ key demands is for Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam to stand down. But, a day after a series of rallies that included bloody clashes between protesters and pro-government men brandishing poles, the Communist Party’s mouthpiece published a front-page commentary in Beijing defending Lam. “All kinds of evildoing go beyond peaceful demonstrations. No civilization or society governed by law will tolerate this,” said the commentary in the People’s Daily. “The [party’s] central committee has full conﬁdence in chief executive Carrie Lam and fully afﬁrms her work.”

Trump orders a freeze on all Venezuelan govt assets in US

ASHINGTON―President Donald Trump on Monday ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the United States and barred transactions with its authorities, in Washington’s latest move against President Nicolas Maduro. The announcement came a day ahead of a major conference in Lima on the Venezuelan crisis, where the US delegation is set to announce “sweeping steps” against the regime in Caracas. Trump took the step “in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolas Maduro and persons afﬁliated with him, as well as human rights abuses,” according to the order. The Wall Street Journal said the move was the ﬁrst against a Western Hemisphere government in over 30 years, and imposes restrictions on Caracas similar to

those faced by North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba. Asked last week if he was considering a “blockade or quarantine” of Venezuela, Trump responded: “Yes, I am.” In Lima, the high-powered US delegation, including Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton and commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, is expected to outline further punitive measures. Bolton described those steps as “sweeping... with a lot of potential consequences.” Trump’s asset freeze order affects “all property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person.” These assets “are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.” The measure also bars transactions with Venezuelan authorities whose assets are blocked. It prohibits “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the

beneﬁt of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order,” as well as “the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.” Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized as interim president by the US and dozens of other countries, tweeted his approval of the move, saying it “seeks to protect Venezuelans” from Maduro’s “dictatorship.” “Those who support it, beneﬁting from the hunger and pain of Venezuelans, should know that it has consequences,” Guaido said. Guaido earlier this year declared himself interim president in a bid to oust Maduro. But the socialist leader has refused to yield, and in the executive order Trump blamed Maduro’s government for “ongoing attempts to undermine” Guaido and the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which he leads. Guaido’s efforts have meanwhile stalled despite the international support and widespread discontent with Maduro, who has been able to cling to power with the backing of the country’s security forces. AFP

Beijing warns US over its missile plans

Taliban threaten Afghan elections

KABUL―The Taliban warned Afghans Tuesday to keep away from election rallies and ordered its fighters to “stand against” the planned September vote. The Taliban and other insurgent groups conducted frequent attacks during previous elections, and this year’s campaign season has already been rocked by deadly violence. The presidential election is currently slated for September 28, but has got off to a lackluster start and some candidates are yet to launch their campaigns. Many observers think the poll will be postponed again―it has already been pushed back twice this year-to create space for a peace deal to be finalized between the US and the Taliban. In their message, the Taliban said fighters should “stand against this theatrical and sham of a process to their full capabilities”—a clear instruction to conduct attacks. “To prevent losses, God forbid, from being incurred by our fellow compatriots, they must stay away from gatherings and rallies that could become potential targets,” a message posted on the Taliban’s website stated. AFP

Doing messy art to de-stress

SINGAPORE―Singaporeans dressed in overalls squirted paint onto walls and canvases using water pistols and syringes at a new pop-up art studio where people get messy to relieve stress. For Sg$39 (about $28), guests at Splat Paint House get a package including canvas, paint, gloves and overalls. There are no rules and no time limit -people can keep going until they run out of paint, and let themselves loose on the walls when their canvas is full. The studio has been compared to “rage rooms”, where people can vent their anger by breaking objects. But its founder Andrea Lim wants her clients to leave with a beautiful creation that they can proudly display in their homes. She was inspired by a friend who converted a spare room in his warehouse into a paint studio while she was studying in the United States, and started the project when she returned to Singapore. “A lot of people come with almost like a fear or a belief that they can’t really do art,” she said. “I want them to come, just have fun, and realise that you can actually create something quite beautiful with very little effort, or while just messing around.” AFP

Ofﬁcials from China’s cabinet-level State Council were also due to hold a press conference on Tuesday afternoon in Beijing about the unrest. Such media brieﬁngs are normally very rare but Tuesday’s will be the second in as many weeks. The demonstrations were triggered by opposition to a planned law that would have allowed extraditions of criminals to mainland China. They evolved into a wider movement for democratic reform and a halt to eroding freedoms, with protesters’ anger fueled by Lam’s refusal to publicly acknowledge their grievances. In a press conference, Lam on Monday warned the city was nearing a “very dangerous situation” as she framed the protests as a challenge to China’s sovereignty. “I dare say they are trying to destroy Hong Kong,” said Lam, who was appointed by a pro-Beijing committee. Shortly after Lam spoke, protesters took to the streets across the city in the most widespread day of unrest since the crisis began. AFP

ON TO SENTOSA.

Resort cable cars travel over a waterway passage to Sentosa island in Singapore on August 6, 2019. AFP

North Korea threatens to carry out more weapons tests SEOUL―North Korea threatened Tuesday to carry out more weapons tests after it fired its fourth pair of projectiles in less than two weeks following the start of joint exercises between the US and the South. The rising temperature on the peninsula threatens to derail the putative negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington, with the North saying the combined drills were a “flagrant violation” of the process. Pyongyang has always been infuriated by the military exercises between the South and US, seeing them as rehearsals for invasion, but in the past it has tended to avoid carrying out missile tests while the war games were taking place. The speed of its statement Tuesday was also unusual, coming within an hour of the launch, rather than the more normal day later. The North fired “two projectiles that are assumed to be short-range ballistic missiles” from South Hwanghae province on its west coast, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. They flew around 450 kilometres across the peninsula and into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan,

reaching an altitude of 37 kilometres and a speed of “at least Mach 6.9”, the South’s military said. That puts them around the middle of the range of projectiles that have been fired by the North four times in the past 12 days. Seoul has said all were likely to be short-range ballistic missiles—the North is banned from ballistic missile launches under UN Security Council resolutions -- while Pyongyang has described some as a “large-calibre multiple-launch guided rocket system” or “tactical guided weapon”. The latest launch came after the South Korean and US militaries began mainly computer-simulated joint exercises on Monday to test Seoul’s ability to take operational control in wartime. Less than an hour after the North’s weapons test, an official of its foreign ministry said the drills were “an undisguised denial and a flagrant violation” of the diplomatic process between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul. All joint drills between the South and the US were “aggressive war exercises simulating the surprise and preemptive attack on the DPRK”, the spokesperson

said in a statement carried by the ofﬁcial KCNA news agency. “So we are compelled to develop, test and deploy the powerful physical means essential for national defence,” the ofﬁcial added. “The US and south Korean authorities cannot counter this even though they have 10 mouths.” The North attacked its neighbour in 1950, triggering the Korean War, but has long argued it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against invasion from the US. Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University, said more missile launches during the joint exercises were “highly likely”. If dialogue resumed later, he added, “it can use these missile tests to pressure Seoul and Washington”. “The problem is that South Korea and the US virtually haven’t responded at all to these recent launches, allowing Pyongyang to test as many times as they want,” he told AFP. US President Donald Trump last week downplayed the North’s launches, saying the North’s leader Kim Jong Un would not want to “disappoint” him. AFP

BEIJING―China warned Tuesday it would take unspeciﬁed countermeasures if the United States went ahead with plans to deploy ground-based intermediate-range missiles in the AsiaPaciﬁc region. The comments come days after US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Washington was now free to deploy the weapons following its withdrawal last week from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia. “China will not stand idly by and will be forced to take countermeasures should the US deploy intermediaterange ground-based missiles in this part of the world,” said Fu Cong, the director of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry. “And we also call on our neighbours, our neighbouring countries, to exercise prudence and not to allow a US deployment of its intermediaterange missiles on [their] territory,” he added, naming Australia, Japan and South Korea. “That would not serve the national security interest of these countries.” Fu said it was important to recognise that the US is proposing to install the weapons at China’s “doorstep”. “Especially for a country that has experienced the Cuban missile crisis, I think the American people should understand China’s feelings.” Australia on Monday ruled out the possibility of the missiles being deployed on its soil, saying Canberra had not even been asked to host them. South Korea’s defence ministry said it had not had any discussions with the US about the deployment of intermediate missiles. “We have also not internally reviewed the issue and have no plan to do so,” ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told reporters. The INF treaty was considered a cornerstone of the global arms control architecture but the United States said the bilateral pact had given other countries —namely China—free rein to develop their own long-range missiles. AFP

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

‘No bribes, no clogged streets’ By Macon Ramos-Araneta

NEAP spearheads superintendents’ training in CDO

ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso on Tuesday offered a simple solution to clean the streets of the metropolis and clear them of obstructions―no one should accept bribes.

By Rex Arcadio R. San Diego II LEARNING never stops—even for those who are assigned positions at the top. With an eye at further developing the leadership competencies of the country’s Schools Division Superintendents, the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) has spearheaded the Superintendents Leadership Program (SLP). Now on its seventh module titled “Creating a Coaching Culture in the SDO (Schools Division Office),” the training workshop was held from July 29 to August 2 at the Chali Beach Resort and Conference Center in Cugman, Cagayan de Oro. It sought to enable division leaders to “perform their functions well amidst changes in the environment, strategies, policies, and organization of the Department of Education.” According to John Arnold S. Siena, Director-IV of the NEAP, the activity is the DepEd’s response to the challenges that beset its superintendents and their assistants. “The SDSs are at the forefront in the delivery of basic education to the communities,” explained Siena. “They are the ones that directly oversee the administration of schools including the teaching-learning process as well as the implementation of education policies and programs in accordance with Republic Act 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, and in the context of the 21st century, this role can be extra challenging.” “We are optimistic that the participants understand the important elements for installing or promoting a coaching culture at individual, group or school and division level. This includes them crafting the SDO Coaching plan for implementing a coaching culture back in their respective divisions,” said program lead Anna Marie Baligod-San Diego. Siena said this is where the SLP becomes relevant. “The SLP is designed to enable the SDS and ASDS to respond to the challenges posed by the highly volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and diverse environment,” he said. “We have high hopes that the those who undergo the SLP will be able to hone and strengthen their leadership and managerial skills in providing quality, accessible, relevant and liberating basic education to learners,” said Siena. Other program objectives include deepening of self-awareness and selfmastery, embracing the principles of servant leadership, enhancing leadership and management skills and being a catalyst for change. At the end of the five-day training, NEAP hopes the participants have been able to develop their division coaching plan to help improve the performance of teaching, teaching-related and nonteaching personnel. Their resource persons, Gilda de Leon-Salud and Vivien Reyes, are both internationally-certified coaches from the group Learning Nation, whose advocacy is to spread Systems Thinking in every organization so as to break silos and generate meaningful dialogues.

Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan takes a sledgehammer to the wall of Barangay Hall 173 in Bagong Barrio district in the clearing operation witnessed by MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim (third from left) and other local officials. Andrew Rabulan

Caloocan’s Oca smashes hall blocking traffic By Jun David IN RESPONSE to the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to all Metro Manila mayors to clear all roads and sidewalks of obstructions in their respective areas, the Caloocan City government led by Mayor Oscar Malapitan started dismantling barangay halls in the city on Monday. Accompanied by Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim and MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia, Malapitan and the operatives of Task Force Alis Sagabal smashed a barangay hall at Barangay 137, where the mayor resides in the city.

Malapitan created the task force undertake the dismantling of all establishments and edifices that are deemed obstructive and at times block the free flow of traffic around it. “This only showed that we are just doing our job, following the order of President Duterte to bring back the sidewalks to the people, to whom it rightfully belongs,” the mayor said. The MMDA officials lauded the mayor for implementing worthwhile programs for Caloocan. “We can only appreciate the activities of Mayor Oca for the city of Caloocan. Even prior to the issuance of the memo-

DENR Calabarzon marks World Mangrove Day

By Roy Tomandao TO CELEBRATE World Mangrove Day, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources—Calabarzon Conservation and Development Division recently organized a mangrove tree planting activity at Barangay Talisay, Calatagan, Batangas. The activity saw 60 volunteers from DENR Calabarzon, CENRO Calaca (Batangas), the DENR Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, the local government of Barangay Talisay, and the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Mangingisda sa Barangay Tal-

isay people’s organization. A total of 1,200 propagules of “Bakawang Lalaki” and “Bakawang Bato” species were planted to mark World Mangrove Day, celebrated every June 26. According to Violy Gulapo, Senior Science Research specialist from the ERDB, a total of 500,000 hectares of mangrove forests the country had in 1918 had gone down to only 117,000 hectares in 1995. In 2011, coastal rehabilitation programs implemented by the government, nongovernment organizations and communities helped this number gradually increase to 257,362 hectares. Gulapo added that three main func-

randum order of the President to all LGUs in the metropolis, we know for a fact that Mayor Malapitan has been instituting a cleanliness program in Caloocan since he started as mayor in 2013,” Garcia said. Lim said the city government under Malapitan is coordinating with the MMDA to help solve the never-ending traffic woes in Metro Manila and make Caloocan a progressive city. During the duration of the clearing operations, Malapitan is asking for his constituents’ cooperation, “to unite with them and follow what is being dictated upon us” to avoid the delay of the operation.

Officials of DENR Calabarzon wade into the shallow waters to plant mangrove seedlings during the World Mangrove Day celebration in Calatagan, Batangas. Roy Tomandao

tions of the Mangrove Ecosystems are for fishery production, for environmental protection, and as a carbon sink. She commended the DENR-Calabarzon for conducting mangrove rehabilitation programs and reminded people conducting planting activities they should have enough knowledge in proper zonation of the mangrove. “We have to monitor the success rate of every planting activity,” Gulapo emphasized. Rodrigo de Jesus, president of the SNMBT, disclosed that their organization has done regular mangrove planting activities since 2007.

“Simple, very simple—don’t take ‘tangga’ or ‘gayla,’” said Domagoso— using the street colloquialism for payoffs during the organizational meeting and briefing of the Senate committee on local government chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino. Domagoso said some corrupt local officials and their minions received the “tangga” and “gayla” to allow street obstructionists to operate with impunity. He said that bribes changed hands starting with the barangay chairman to the Police Community Precint commander until it reached the local government agency, in Manila’s case the city’s Department of Public Services. Neophyte Senators Imee Marcos and Ronald dela Rosa attended the briefing along with Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, National Capital Region Police Regional Director Guillermo Eleazar, and Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim. The mayor said everybody, whether politicians or individuals or whoever, such as the scheme’s organizers and “bullies,” wanted a “piece of the street, a piece of the enterprise.” “This drove me to put order on the streets of Manila. Anyway, we have no expenses. In three weeks, we spent only P125,000... P150,000 since we filed a bond,” he said. With the minimal expenses, Domagoso said the city was able to clean the Recto, Soler, and Juan Luna Streets in Tondo and Binondo districts and the main roads of Dagupan, Blumentritt, Carriedo, Raon and Quezon Boulevard. “No expenses also on manpower since we have our people from the city engineering and the DPS [doing this],” he added. Replying to Tolentino’s query what prompted him to launch a massive clearing of Manila’s streets―whether to inspire other local government units or to fulfill a campaign promise, Domagoso said it was the latter. He stressed it was a commitment he made to the people of Manila when he was campaigning for the mayoral seat in the last May elections. “We were already deadset during the Manila campaign. Fortunately, we won the elections,” the young mayor said. According to Domagoso, when he assumed the mayoralty seat, Manila was then “so chaotic,” saying he had heard of senior citizens falling victim to jeepneys cutting trips for their routes to Divisoria and Cubao. The reason for the cutting trips at Jose Abad Santos Avenue, he said, was because the entire Recto Avenue from Asuncion to Abad Santos, a total of eight lanes, was closed to Public Utility Vehicles. Because of this, the mayor said he literally “rid Manila of all filth.” But Domagoso stressed he still cannot consider the city’s current cleanliness and clearing operations a success. “We are just starting,” he said, stressing the need for a basic law to hold liable barangay chairmen or policemen who have jurisdiction over congested streets violative of the President’s directive to clean them.

3k ‘Tokhang responders’ attend 1st Vizcaya summit By Ben Moses M. Ebreo

BALANGA’S BEST. Bataan Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Engr. Eric San Luis

(second from left), Department of Trade and Industry-Bataan Chief Nelin Cabahug (third from left), and Department of Agrarian Reform personnel pose with the products of the Balanga Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative being assisted by the two agencies at the Techno Bazaar in the 2nd floor of Vista Mall in Balanga City, part of the three-day 2019 National Science and Technology Week in Central Luzon. Butch Gunio

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—More than 3,000 “tokhang” responders in the province recently attended the 1st Provincial Summit at the Nueva Vizcaya Convention Center here. Police Brig. Gen. Mario Espino, Philippine National Police Regional Director for Cagayan Valley, and Gov. Carlos Padilla led the summit along with other provincial, municipal and barangay officials. Espino said the summit aims to remove the fear and animosities among

the various stakeholders and emphasize on creating support networks that will show value and respect on the lives of the “tokhang” responders, and assist and facilitate their complete reformation and rehabilitation from illegal drugs. “Tokhang” is the government program where law enforcers knock on a suspected drug trafficker or drug addict’s home (“toktok” in Cebuano) to persuade them (“hangyo”) to surrender and stop their illegal activities. “We are glad that the support of our local government units is overwhelm-

ing, that is why we are building more networks and partnerships to further empower our ‘tokhang’ responders to become better and productive persons in their respective communities,” the police general said. The summit, which was conceptualized by Espino, also served as a venue in offering responders various job opportunities and other assistance from national and local government agencies. For instance, the Integrated Provincial Health Office shared their Oplan Sagip Program for the responders.

Life

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

FASHION AND BEAUTY

@MStandardLIFE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST, 7 2019

Stars join Christian Louboutin’s journey from Paris to Bhutan FROM PARIS TO BHUTAN. Christian Louboutin debuted his women’s spring/summer 2020 collection at the LouBhoutan Express

cocktail party at Manège Battisti, which took its star-studded guests to a trip from France all the way to Bhutan.

ODEL and TV host Heidi Klum, fashion influencer Olivia Palermo, singer/songwriter Mandy Moore, model/ philanthropist Natalia Vodianova, and our very own Heart Evangelista were some of the special guests at the LouBhoutan Express cocktail party at Manège Battisti in La Caserne des Cèlestins during the recent Paris Haute Couture Week. Christian Louboutin was on hand at the party to debut his women's spring/summer 2020 collection. Manège Battisti, which was transformed into a LouBhoutan Express—taking guests from Paris, France to Thimphou, Bhutan— showcased the capsule collection that drew inspiration from the shades and vastness of the Himalayan sky. Mesmerized and inspired, Louboutin paid

homage to the ornamental richness of Bhutanese architecture and the diversity of Bhutanese craftsmanship with 13 exclusive styles. The said designs, which feature handsculpted and hand-painted wood platforms, the fashion house said, are the result of six years of artistic and creative dialogue with the students of the School of The 13 Royal Arts and Crafts in Thimphou, Bhutan. Also present at the unveiling were Rowan

Blanchard, Ellie Bamber, Adria Arjona, Sabrina Elba, Anna Cleveland, Maria Borges, Inna Modja, Kiddy Smile, Nicolas Maury, Rossy de Palma, Cindy Bruna, Julien Landais, Shain Boumedine, Samy Seghir, Karidja Touré, Tigarah, Joanne Palmaro, Joséphine Japy, Morgane Polanski, Audrey Marnay, Bertrand Bonello, Mélita Toscan du Plantier, Farida Khelfa, Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, Eva Ionesco, Blanca Li, HRH Princess Mafalda Cécilia, Corine, Inés Rau, Georgina Brandolini, Noémie Merlant, Pema Choden Ambassadress of Bhutan in Belgium, Song Jia, Sririta Jensen, Jarrod Scott, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Charlotte Groeneveld, Natasha Poonawala, Tina Leung, and Shiona Turini. Christian Louboutin is exclusively available at Rustan's Makati.

Danish shoe brand opens shop-in shops at SM malls THE Danish footwear brand known for its innovative and comfortable products returns to the Philippines, through a shop-in-shop concept at SM malls. Ecco has opened in-store spaces at SM Store Makati and SM Store Mall of Asia. It is also present at SM Megamall's third floor Bridgeway Building. Currently, the brand is sold in 87 countries at 2,989 Ecco shops and shop-inshops and a total of 15,000 sales points around the world. Building its success on quality and innovative technology, it is one of the few major shoe manufacturers in the world to own and manage every step of the shoemaking process since its establishment in 1963.

Ecco is known for its innovative and comfortable footwear.

Heidi Klum

HRH Princess Mafalda Cecilia

Lily Travers

Ecco makes its own leather at its tanneries, and produce shoes at its own factories. It takes responsibility of design, development, production, and retail. Nature, and its many colors, tones, shapes, and textures has always been a driving force at Ecco. According to the brand, it is the ongoing development of its premium leather uppers and specialized soles that keep Ecco in continual natural motion. Since the start, it has defied conventional shoe engineering with its Fluidform technology direct-injecting resilient, shock absorbent PU directly into the shoe mold. In over three decades, it has launched other breakthroughs, including suspended footbed or Corksphere as well as the “hidden” heel of the Shape range. The Danish label announces continued expansion in the Philippines as it plans to open more shop-in-shops and eventually concept stores at selected SM malls.

Ellie Bamber

Heart Evangelista

The Danish footwear label plans to open more shop-in-shops at selected SM malls.

Life

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

The Swinging Sixties revival

ODAY’S fashion has already covered the hippie ‘70s and the bold ‘80s, now it’s the swinging ‘60s turn with the return of classic bell-bottoms with exaggerated flares, bohemian fringes, and floral prints on denim.

American fashion label Guess takes on a brave feat reviving the glory days of ‘60s with its summer 2019 denim collection highlighted by an iconic array of washes, cuts, and silhouettes that shake up how pants are worn today. A pair of severely distressed denim reveals a ‘60s twist, with a floral printed underlay peeking behind the length of the ripped jean. Bohemian fringes also make an appearance at the ends of a frayed pair of high-waist jeans and shorts. Graphic stripes prevalent in ‘60s athleisure also make their way into the collection, with a classic blue jean paying tribute to retro sportif with colorblock stripes (in jeans and in jacket form)

bearing the Roman equivalent to Guess’ iconic 1981. In addition to denim, Guess also launches a collection of tops inspired by this decade. The Brigitte Bardot brand of sixties sultriness lends its way to chosen tops, featuring semi-square neck blouses with trendy puff sleeves that are in demand this season. Offthe-shoulder and cropped peasant tops reference the same bombshell babe, an icon of the undeniably fab era. Rounding up the collection are decade-transcending graphic tees and tops bearing the Guess typeface in gradient pops of color.

The Elegant Filipinas 2019: Beauty for nature STYLE icon TingTing Cojuangco’s 2019 list of 10 “Elegant Filipinas” will be revealed on Sept. 10 at Diamond Hotel. The fifth year of TingTing’s list—which have recognized elegant women of the Philippines such as Tootsy Angara, Ching Cruz, Lucy Torres Gomez, Zelda Kienle, Fortune Ledesma, Amparo Lhuillier, and Vicky Zubiri, among others—will be mounted for the benefit of the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines in support of its policy building and education. Through the years, Cojuangco, Ledesma, Kienle, Tina Ocampo, and Vanessa Suatengco have been instrumental in organizing the event and its charitable endeavors which have so far benefitted the weavers of La Trinidad, Mt. Province; Tacloban Typhoon victims; widows of the SAF 44 killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao; The Center for Possibilities Foundation; and PLDT-Smart Gabay Guro. The current committee is composed of Cojuangco, Kienle, Ledesma, Marga Nograles, Audrey Zubiri, Anna de Ocampo, Ana Rufino, Small Laude, Arnel Papa, and Albert Andrada.

SULTRY SIXTIES. Brigette Bardot-inspired tops, bell-bottoms with exaggerated flares, fringes, ripped jeans, and a variety of washes take center stage in Guess’ summer 2019 denim collection.

The current committee members of The Elegant Filipinas will soon reveal this year’s list.

Glow with carrot and ginger THE Body Shop draws beauty Totally Tangled from nature with its new range Ginger Body Yogurt of products that promises healthy, glowing skin. A known source of natural antioxidants and vitamin A, the new Carrot Range is enriched with organic carrots from a British family business, harnessing the energizing and awakening properties of the vegetable to give skin a healthy glow. The formulation also has Community Trade aloe vera from Mexico to help soothe and hydrate skin. The range consists of the Carrot Wash Energising Face Cleanser that leaves skin feeling cleansed, smooth, and healthier looking; and the Carrot Cream Nature Rich Daily Moisturiser for extra hydration and protection against daily aggressors. The Totally Tangled Ginger Special Edition, on the other hand, is a range of fun, fragranced body care products enriched with ginger root extract from India. The aromatic and zesty notes in the range—ginger roots and pomelo zest in its top notes, clove buds and rose in its heart notes, and dry vanilla in its base notes— complement each other, leaving the skin feeling moisturized and layered with a vibrant scent. It is composed of Body Butter, Body Yogurt, Body Scrub, Shower Gel, and Hand Wash.

Carrot Wash Energising Face Cleanser and Carrot Cream Nature Daily Rich Moisturiser

These two new collections are available at all The Body Shop stores nationwide, which now accept SM Advantage Card for points earning and redemption, and SM and Sodexo premium pass.

Skin clinic offers ‘pocket-friendly’ beauty solutions A NEWLY opened skin care clinic in Makati City caters to the need for quality treatments and products that do not burn a hole in the pocket. “Stelton Dermascience offers beauty and wellness solutions that are pocketfriendly, allowing our clients to maintain their regular regimen, and eventually achieve ideal results,” enthuses marketing head Janyll Palisoc. The clinic, anchored on the tagline “Skin Science. Mastered,” offers affordable and sustainable beauty and skin care services using the most recent innovations and state-of-theart technology facilitated by its team of dermatologists, aesthetic doctors, plastic surgeons, registered nurses, and highly trained aestheticians. Stelton facial services include Revitalizing Facial (thoroughly cleanses to remove impurities, detoxify, and allow the skin to breathe); Pimple Free (deeply cleanses to extract impurities and prevent breakouts); DermaScience (radio frequency combined with a special massage technique); and Hydrajet Facial (a combination of serums and RF). Facials start at P500 up to P2,500. According to the clinic, facials are recommended once a month because the skin cell turnover cycle is 28 days long. For anti-aging and laser treatments without surgery, the clinic has S-Face contouring, a relaxing 30-minute procedure that tightens the skin and contours face without downtime; the CO2 laser minimizes pores and evens out the skin tone; and Ulthralift, a high-intensity focus ultrasound meant to lift and tighten the skin and a one-time procedure with results that can last for six months or longer. Other anti-aging treatments include Liquid Facelift, a Botox technique done by doctors and delivers instant lifting of the face; and Threadlift, also known as the new age facelift, a minimally invasive outlining of the face, neck, and chin to achieve a V-shaped face silhouette.

Available injectable are Dermal Fillers, Glow-PRP, Varicose Vein Therapy, Fitness Drip, Botox, and Keloid Injections. Skin lightening services include IV Glutathione/ Placenta/Cindella, Clear Laser, Skin Reveal, White Crystal Drip, and Ultima Drip. Acne management comes in the form of Clear Laser, Skin Reveal, and CO2 Laser treatments, while serious dermatological concerns like warts, pigments, and

syringoma can be solved through Warts Removal and CO2 Laser. Stelton Dermascience likewise takes care of the body with its S-body Contouring, MesoShrink, and UlthraBody HIFU. Hair removal system is also available through Laser Hair Removal, Clear Laser, and HairGrowPRP. Call 0977-8555769 to book an appointment or for more details.

Skin care clinic Stelton Dermascience offers a variety of face and body treatments at pocket-friendly prices.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

TBA Studios to release award-winning Hollywood thriller ‘Freaks’ in PH H

OW far would you go to protect your daughter? And at what cost?

In the sci-fi thriller Freaks, a disturbed father (Emile Hirsch) locks his bold 7-year-old daughter (Lexy Kolker) in a house, warning her of grave dangers outside. But the mysterious Mr. Snowcone (Bruce Dern) convinces the girl to escape and join him on a quest for family, freedom, and revenge. Freaks is a highly acclaimed film that is described as critics and viewers alike as a “genre-bending” feature that will appeal to fans of thrillers looking to be shocked and surprised in the theaters. It is also a treat for viewers who want to dissect their movies and TV shows like puzzles so they can solve the mystery before the film reveals its mind-boggling twist. Freaks received a standing ovation during its premiere in the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018 and has garnered positive attention for its writer-director duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. Inspired by Stein’s own experience as a new father, the filmmakers “wanted to explore a father’s unbounded love and desire to protect his child, coupled with a parent’s exhaustion, inadequacy, temper, and guilt.” “Parents sometimes shield children from the whole truth about the world. For a child who is different, the world can be a cruel place. In addition to a grounded father-daughter story, we aimed to make a film that reflected current stories of parents and children in a time of xenophobia and prejudice,” Lipovsky and Stein added.

Like its directors, critically acclaimed actor Emile Hirsch (who also stars in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon A Time in Hollywood) immediately connected with the film’s theme. “Freaks was a script that spoke to me as I read it, in a most intimate and personal way. Like my character, I’m also a father, and the dynamic between the father and daughter, and the deep bond and stresses that the script explored—almost felt like it had been written for me, personally,” Hirsch shared. Besides Hirsch and Dern, Freaks boasts of an impressive cast, which also includes Grace Park (TV’s Battlestar Galactica and Hawaii Five-0) and Amanda Crew (HBO’s Silicon Valley). The Hollywood Reporter praises the movie’s “tight-knit ensemble” and singles out young Kolker’s performance as the “feisty little girl determined to protect her family.” The film’s directors are all praises for Kolker, calling her “a true discovery, a charming girl who could stand her ground with veteran actors. When unleashed, Lexy was truly fierce, a powerful force that had no limits, just like her character Chloe.” Kolker was chosen by Lipovsky and Stein after combing through 1,200 audition submissions. The young actress is best known for her work on the USA network action thriller, Shooter, playing the daughter of Ryan Phillippe for

CANNING giant Ligo officially introduced actress Carla Abellana as its newest endorser during its recently held 65th Anniversary celebration. A self-confessed fan of the klasik sardine brand, Carla joins real-life boyfriend and actorsinger Tom Rodiguez, who has been part of the Ligo family since last year. “It feels amazing to be a part of something close to my heart like Ligo—and it’s all the more special to be working with Tom. It’s actually our first endorsement together so we’re both ecstatic for the many exciting things we’ll be doing with the brand,” shares the primetime actress. The couple’s first commercial together, Odong Mas Lami, which can be viewed on Ligo Facebook ( w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / l i g o . philippines) and YouTube (Ligo Brand - Philippines) pages, became an instant hit among the fans of the couple. For generations, Ligo Sardines has been a part of the Filipino household as a staple klasik that brings back memories of coming home and sharing a meal with loved ones. For its 65th anniversary, it brought together brand partners and friends from the media for an intimate gathering to celebrate its milestones. “ We are proud to be part of the

Ligo officially reveals its new brand endorser Carla Abellana (left) who perfectly matches Tom Rodriguez.

household of many Filipino families here and abroad. As we move toward our seventh decade in the industry, we are excited to bring new innovations and products that will be part of the memories of future generations,” shares Ligo Vice President of Production Mikko Tung. The evening capped off with the unveiling of Ligo’s new and exciting product variants: Ligo Sardines with Calamansi, and Fried Sardines in Oyster Sauce and in Portuguese Style, which will all be available in September; and Ligo Sardines Tuyo Style, which will be launched by the end of the year.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, August 7, 2019

sistently 62 Unkempt ones 63 Prefix for directional 65 Tide type 66 Ripped off 67 “Back in Black” group 68 Yawn 69 Keepsake 70 Pass over 71 Hot pot DOWN 1 Walk heavily 2 Antiquity 3 Holds up a bank 4 Frat letter 5 Bakery emanations 6 RC rival 7 Orange or stock ending 8 Track event 9 Imposing residences 10 Egg dishes 11 Flimsy, as an excuse 12 Vanities 13 Used email 21 Packs 23 In the middle 25 Characters 27 Army officer

its 3 seasons and running. Most recently, Kolker filmed a multi-episode arc in the popular series Marvel’s Agents of Shield. Freaks is Lipovsky and Stein’s debut feature-length film, but already critics are praising the movie and hailing it as a “must-watch.” io9 declares

that Freaks is a “wonderful, exciting film. Stein and Lipovsky stuff Freaks with limitless imagination, finding ways to execute their loftier ambitions. It’s a film filled with complex, robust ideas that not only have a unique twist to them but a realistic grounding that

makes them more relatable and impactful.” The movie will be released in the United States by WellGo USA. Freaks is distributed locally by TBA Studios. It opens in Philippine theaters nationwide, starting Aug. 23.

First Philippine representatives bag award in Prague Quadrennial 2019

Carla joins Tom in new endorsement

ACROSS 1 Ceremonial fire 5 Hormel product 9 Field mice 14 Belt holder 15 Grant territory 16 Likeness 17 Moon and sun 18 D’Artagnan prop 19 Kind of pie 20 Patterns 22 Everest adjective 24 Livy’s language 26 Fannie — 27 Brickworkers 30 Early missionaries 35 — for the ride 36 Blow away 37 Criticize 38 Skippy rival 39 Spend like crazy 42 Turkish official 43 Cameo shape 45 Trevi Fountain coins, once 46 Less exciting 48 Firm 50 Frustrate 51 Rover’s doc 52 Faint 54 Sunshade 58 Demands per-

Emile Hirsch and Lexy Kolker in a scene from the award-winning Hollywood thriller, ‘Freaks.’

28 Up and running 29 Den pieces 31 Uncut 32 Alpaca kin 33 Anxious to start 34 Chic 36 Thin cut 40 Underworld ruler 41 Social mores 44 Engaging 47 Canvas shelters 49 Diminish 50 Pick-me-ups

53 Gales 54 Furtive sound 55 Deep-voiced lady 56 Chess piece shaped like a castle 57 Potting soil 59 Usher’s quest 60 Finish-line marker 61 Hurl forth 64 1,101, to Caesar

SOME 800 global artists from over 79 countries gathered in celebration and empowerment of their outstanding works at the 14th Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (PQ) at the Výstaviště Praha (Prague Exhibition Grounds) and Industrial Place in Prague, Czech Republic. Established in 1967 and now one of the leading international festivals of theater and stage design, the elevenday event brings forward wonders of performance, scenography and theater architecture as cultural experiences. Featured works were meticulously selected from more than 17,000 applications submitted through open calls by a worldwide team of curators. This year’s edition once again honors the creative geniuses of professionals and budding artists behind the scenes through an extensive convention comprised of over 600 live performances, masterclasses, discussions, presentations, and workshops, which all explored the concept of imagination, transformation, and memory. Some of the highlights of PQ 2019 were the series of competitive sections classified as Exhibition of Countries and Regions, Student Exhibition and Performance Space Exhibition. The team of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the Philippines’ first-ever representative to the PQ 2019 Student Exhibition, was

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Theater Arts faculty member Eric Villanueva Dela Cruz led an interdisciplinary site-specific workshop at the Prague Quadrennial 2019.

recognized with the Award for Imagination in Students’ Exhibition, with their interactive installation named Passing Through: Lines and Borders. It speaks of the politics of migration and mobility as it explores space and its effects by recreating the visa application process through an interrogation booth. It projects the impact of ambiance in the bodily context, emotions, and metal state of an individual. The immersive booth was conceptualized and designed by the College’s Production Design professor Ellawyn Cruz together with young Benildean student-artists from

the Production Design and Theater Arts Programs. They worked on the creation of the installation—from mock set-ups to the actual filming of the featured clips. It was a collaborative effort with other faculty members of the two programs with co-curation and overall production management by the chairperson Magdalena De Leon, co-curation and scenographic set-up by Gabriel Fernandez and Tuxqs Rutaquio, and technical direction by Jay Aranda. The in-depth story behind the interactive installation was further explored in the PQ talks headlined by Cruz herself. A speaker in PQ educational sessions during the festival was the College’s Theater Arts faculty member Eric Villanueva Dela Cruz, who tackled the expansion of scenography with his presentation on “Extending Audience Engagement Through Taste.” Dela Cruz, who is the Founder and Creative Navigator of TAXI Theater in the Philippines, explained the importance of the inclusion of sensorial simulations to break the wall between the stage and the audience, which allows the guests to participate in the creation and reception of the narrative. Dela Cruz likewise led an interdisciplinary site-specific workshop together with international artists Visnja Zugic and Miljana Zekovic from Serbia, Attila Antal from Hungary, and Jorge Palinhos from Portugal as part of the PQ’s Result Driven program. Dela Cruz shared that the output was “an exhibition of this phenomenal experience with space seen through various lenses, explored psychophysically, and expressed through sound, text, images, and videos.” Graced by industry giants including illustrator Olivia Lomenech Gill, Italian opera director, and scenographer Stefano Poda, and audiovisual artist Romain Tardy, the PQ 2019 served as the platform for innovation, collaboration, and networking among the participants from around the globe.

Entertainment

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

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019

LEADING Pay TV provider Cignal TV has formally launched the latest addition to its exclusive lineup of news channel, One PH. The all-Filipino news channel is the third Cignal channel under the One branding, complementing One News, the English-language news and sports channel, One Sports. “One PH furthers our commitment to deliver reliable news and public affairs programs that matter most to Filipinos,” says Sienna G. Olaso, Cignal TV Vice President of Channel Management. “True to our goal to be ‘Ang Boses ng Pinagkakaisang Pilipinas,’ One PH will be home to news programs that inform and educate, talk shows that inspire and entertain, and public service affairs programs that will provide our fellow Filipinos a venue where they can seek help for their problems,” Olaso adds. One PH’s programming block will be headlined by its news and commentary programs such as One Balita the noontime daily news program hosted by Raffy Tulfo and Jamie Herrell and primetime news Sa Totoo Lang with Cheryl Cosim and Jove Francisco. Make your weekday evenings more interesting with veteran journos Ed Lingao, Patrick Paez, Lourd de Veyra, Melvyn Calderon, Manny Mogato, and Jove

Cignal TV officially launches One PH

One PH hosts and anchors (from left) Lourd de Veyra, MJ Marfori, Arnell Ignacio, Raffy Tulfo, and Cheryl Cosim attend the formal launch of the news channel.

Francisco as they talk about the day’s top headlines in Wag Po. When it comes to public service, no other show comes close to Wanted Sa Radyo, as Raffy Tulfo brings a different kind of drama every afternoon and proves why he is the true “Sumbungan ng Bayan”. In need of advice? Mr. Chink Positive Chinkee Tan and Christine Bersola-Babao will teach you how to manage your ﬁnances in Mag-Badyet Tayo!, while millennial moms Jennica Garcia and Pat Fernandez give parenting tips in Inay Ko Po! And for those who have questions about legal procedures, Atty. Ted Te has the answers in Usapang Kapa-TED. As they say, “There’s no business like showbusiness,” and the Pambansang Iskupera and Reyna ng Intriga Cristy Fermin will make sure you are always updated with the latest happenings in the local entertainment scene in Cristy Ferminute as well as the juiciest blind items as she teams up with Manay Lolit Solis and Mr. Fu in Take It Per Minute. Finally, for sports and motoring enthusiasts, you can catch all the exciting highlights with Zaldy Perezin in Isport Lang, get motoring tips from Mike Potenciano and Lindy Pellicer in Turbo Time and ride with Jay Taruc in the ﬁrst weekly motorcycle show Ride Radio.

‘Sino Ang May Sala’ stars clueless on

series’ ending

'Magpakailanman' hosted by Mel Tiangco is one of the most watched programs in Mega Manila and Urban Luzon

GMA rules Urban Luzon, Mega Manila ratings in July URBAN Luzon and Mega Manila remained GMA Network’s bailiwick in July, according to the latest data from ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. For the month of July (with July 21 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA recorded an average of 34 percent total day people audience share, beating ABSCBN’s 31.4 percent, in Urban Luzon. The viewer-rich area accounts for 72 percent of all urban TV viewers in the country. The Kapuso Network continued to dominate in the afternoon block with 36.3 percent audience share, versus rival network’s 33.3 percent. In the evening block, GMA similarly won with 35 percent as against ABSCBN’s 31.7 percent. In Urban Luzon’s list of top-rating programs for the month, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) was still undisputed in the number one spot. The award-winning magazine show also led the list of most watched programs in National Urban Philippines. Following KMJS were Magpakailan-

man, 24 Oras, Sahaya, StarStruck, Daddy’s Gurl, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, and the Derek Ramsay-Andrea Torres starrer The Better Woman. Amazing Earth, Pepito Manaloto, Eat Bulaga, Love You Two, 24 Oras Weekend, Dragon Lady, Bihag, Wowowin, Imbestigador, and Dahil Sa Pag-Ibig were also among the ratings drivers for July. GMA Network likewise reigned supreme in Mega Manila (with ofﬁcial data from July 1 to 20) with 35.4 percent average total day people audience share outscoring ABS-CBN’s 28.9 percent. The said area accounts for 60 percent of all urban viewers in the country. In Mega Manila’s list of top-rating programs, 20 out of the top 30 shows were from GMA. Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s client pool covers a total of 32 clients/subscribers consisting of 6 local TV networks including ABS-CBN, TV5, Aksyon TV, and CNN Philippines, among others; 3 regional clients; 2 blocktimers; and 21 agencies (17 media agencies, 3 consulting agencies, and 1 digital agency).

‘Hobbs & Shaw’ dethrones ‘Lion King’ at the tills FAST & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw dethroned The Lion King in North American theaters, taking in an estimated $60.8 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. The latest installment in the longrunning Fast & Furious franchise features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham facing off against “cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist” Idris Elba. It ended the box ofﬁce reign of The Lion King, a remake of the 1994 animated ﬁlm that employs hyper-realistic computer-generated images with a voice cast including Donald Glover as Simba and Beyonce as Nala, together with Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and James Earl Jones.

The Lion King earned $38.2 million for second place, topping director Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which has earned rave reviews and took in $20 million for third place. Once Upon a Time—the ninth of the 10 movies Tarantino has said he will make before retiring—is set in Tinseltown in 1969 and featuresLeonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Al Pacino. In fourth place was Toy Story 4, which managed $8.2 million. Spider-Man: Far from Home—which continues where Avengers: Endgameleft off and stars Tom Holland as the Marvel superhero—came in ﬁfth with $7.8 million. AFP

Universal's 'Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw' starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Jason Statham crossed the box office finish line in first place.

The cast of 'Sino Ang May Sala?: Mea Culpa' Ketchup Eusebio, Sandino Martin, Bela Padilla, Jodi Sta. Maria, Kit Thompson, and Tony Labrusca

HEY did it all together–burying a corpse, taking away a grieving mother’s baby, and manufacturing one lie after another—all in the name of friendship and protecting themselves. But one question remains unanswered: Did one of them really kill their friend? Viewers have tuned in Sino Ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa as it is down to its last three episodes to know the interesting plot twists and big revelation the series have prepared to its avid viewers. Asked for any clue on how the top-rating crime drama is going to end, lead stars Bela Padilla had limited things to say. “We shot our individual ending scenes for the series and we have no idea which one will be used. I think that’s something that makes this series different and very exciting,” Bella told the press during a recent set visit. “If you’re asking ‘sino ang may sala,’ all of us had a shoot where we did something bad. We have no clue which one will be aired. All of us had a version on who killed one of the characters. It’s like we turned against each other,” she explained. Truth and justice will take a stand in the last episodes of the top-rating Kapamilya primetime series Sino Ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa, where Juris (Bela Padilla), Drei (Tony Labrusca), Gaylord (Sandino Martin), Lolita

(Ivana Alawi), and Greco (Kit Thompson) are desperately distancing themselves from the murder of their friend Bogs (Ketchup Eusebio). Will the law school barkada stand and fight NICKIE together to maintain their innocence, or will WANG they conspire against each other in order to save themselves? After Fina (Jodi Sta. Maria) prevailed in court and successfully proved that Leyna is indeed her long-lost daughter Joy, the unwavering mother filed multiple cases against Juris, Drei, and the latter’s mom, senator Matilda (Ayen Munji-Laurel). Fina’s victory consequently put a dent in Drei’s reputation and chances of winning the senatorial race—which his powerful political family is trying to fix by hindering Fina from finding a job and being able to support Leyna’s medical needs. As the two mothers fight for the love of one child, the barkada’s bond seems to be wavering, after Greco divulged important information about the death of Fina’s mother. While Lolita is convinced that they have long been manipulated by Juris, Gaylord remains confident that Juris would not kill one of their best friends. As Fina prepares to battle in court, Juris’ mother, Dolores (Agot Isidro)—a journalist who was once Fina’s ally and knows the whole truth about that fateful night in Baguio— now walks with her life in peril. Find out the fate of these characters by tuning into the last three episodes of Sino Ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa on ABSCBN.

VERY WANG