Manila Standard - 2019 September 17 - Tuesday by Manila Standard

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‘Oil spike to cut PH deeply’

Locsin warning triggers emergency meeting of energy officials By Rey E. Requejo and Alena Mae S. Flores

IL prices surged Monday after drone attacks on two Saudi facilities over the weekend slashed output in the world’s top exporter by half, leading a top administration official to warn that a steep rise in the cost of crude would “rock the Philippine boat and tip it over.” “This is serious. It will… affect us launched drone attacks on the Abqaiq deeply,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro oil facility, the heart of the Saudi oil Locsin Jr. said Monday after the Ira- industry on Saturday. Next page nian-backed Huthi group in Yemen

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 215 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US ‘locked and loaded’ to strike back—Trump PRESIDENT Donald Trump warned the US was “locked and loaded” to respond to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington blamed on Iran. It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the drone attacks, which slashed Saudi oil production by half and led both the kingdom and the United States to announce they may tap their strategic reserves.

able energy concern, generating 10 percent of global crude supplies and trillions of dollars in income. However, it has been hit in recent months by a string of serious attacks on its oil facilities, the latest on Saturday halting the flow of 5.7 million barrels of oil per day, over half of its output, in drone strikes.

From its beginnings in 1938 when it first struck oil with the aptly named “Prosperity Well,” Saudi Arabia’s national energy giant Aramco has delivered unimaginable riches to the desert kingdom. It has since grown into the world’s largest and most profit-

“Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!” Trump tweeted. Next page

RESTARTING OPERATIONS. A picture taken on Sunday shows an Aramco oil facility near al-Khurj area, just south of the Saudi capital Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is on a race to restart operations at oil plants hit by drone attacks which slashed its production by half, as Iran dismissed US claims it was behind the assault. The Tehran-back Huthi rebels in neighboring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, have claimed the weekend strikes on two plants owned by Aramco in eastern Saudi Arabia. AFP

ASF outbreak contained in four areas, Agri chief says By Rio N. Araja and Orlan L. Mauricio

DEAD pigs continue to be found floating in rivers and creeks in Metro Manila and Bulacan, even as the Department of Agriculture declared that the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak has been “managed, contained and controlled in Rizal and Bulacan.”

The department said Monday an outout break of ASF has been declared only in four areas, covering the municipalities of San Mateo and Antipolo City in Rizal province and Guiguinto in Bulacan, based on confirmation tests released last week. In a statement, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the “ASF outbreak [is] managed, contained and controlled in RiRi

zal and Bulacan.” The ASF episodes in the affected areas “may be considered an outbreak but not an epidemic,” the department statement added. “Specifically, ASF was already contained in Barangay Pritil, Guiguinto, Bulacan; and in several barangays in Rodriguez, San Mateo and Antipolo, Rizal—and Next page

Tit-for-tat: Red ‘Sparrows’ vs. Duterte army By Joyce Pangco Pañares THE New People’s Army is reviving its urban strike teams, known as the Special Partisan Unit or Sparrow units, a week after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered all-out-war against the communist rebels. Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison said aside from the Sparrow units, Next page

GCTA credits not for rapists, killers—DOJ By Rey E. Requejo

ON HER MOTHER’S HEELS. Michelle Dee (left), daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, wins Sunday

the Miss World Philippines 2019 title during the coronation night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The full court (from left) Casie Banks (2nd Princess); Isabelle de Leon (Miss Multinational Philippines); Vanessa Mae Walters (Miss Eco Teen Philippines); Katrina Llegado (Miss Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas); Michelle Dee; Kelly Day (Miss Eco Philippines); Glyssa Perez (Miss Tourism Philippines); and Shannon Kerver (1st Princess). Teddy Pelaez

Isko gets tough on ‘GSM’ phone outlets in malls China telco no security threat—Palace By Joyce Pangco Pañares and Vito Barcelo

By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta MALACAÑANG on Monday said the government can withdraw from the deal between a Chinese company and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to put up telecommunications facilities inside military camps if it can threaten national security. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said this as some senators expressed worries over a memorandum signed last week by Dito Telecommunity, formerly Mislatel, and the AFP Turn to A6

MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso has ordered a crackdown on Manila malls that allow stalls selling stolen mobile phones as well as on off-track betting stations that serve as fronts for online cockfighting. Domagoso gave Manila malls—SM, Robinsons, Harrison Plaza, Tutuban, Isetann, and 168, among others—72 hours or until Wednesday to clear their establishments of stalls selling stolen phones and passing these off as secondhand. “We have sent inspection teams to check the business permits of these stalls. And these malls must do their

due diligence. Use your logic—where do all these secondhand phones come from? Maybe some are really sold by people disposing of their old phones. But majority are stolen ones. These are what Manila Mayor we call GSMs—Galing Sa Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso Magnanakaw,” he said during the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum Monday. “We will shut down malls that will not comply. Mall owners are Turn to A6

Ban on private cars UP subject tackles along EDSA eyed martial law years Next page

Turn to A3

THE revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10592, or the expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance Law, now officially excludes prisoners convicted of heinous crimes from being awarded GCTA credits. Turn to A6

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

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PDEA: Drug queen deals with cops By Rio N. Araja

HILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency director Aaron Aquino said Monday a Manila-based drug queen has been buying seized and recycled illegal drugs from corrupt law enforcers.

“This would be the first time that I will disclose this [information]... that there is a drug queen in Manila buying drugs from law enforcement agencies,” Aquino told the Senate finance subcommittee hearing for PDEA’s 2020 budget. When asked by Senators Franklin Drilon and Ronaldo dela Rosa to identify the big-time female drug trader to substantiate his claim, Aquino declined so as not to preempt their operation to go after her. “We will conduct the operation first. We have to neutralize her first,” he told the Senate.

ASF... From A1 not in the entire country,” it added. “Around two-thirds or 65 percent of the (hog-raising) industry is contributed by small backyard raisers,” the Agriculture chief said. Some 7,416 pigs in the one-kilometer radius in ASF areas in Rizal and Bulacan have already been depopulated, following the 1-7-10 protocol of the government to manage, contain and control the spread of the disease, the department said. “For instance, one ASF-infected slaughterhouse in Brgy. Gitnang Bayan 1, San Mateo, Rizal, has already been closed, cleaned, and disinfected,” the agency said. It assured the public, however, that such closures would not affect the supply and prices of pork. The agency has partnered with with the local governments, police and military, and the private sector to monitors activities and impose stricter biosecurity and quarantine measures to control the spread of ASF in other areas. The hog raising industry is already losing P10 billion due to ASF, the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines said Monday. In an interview, Nicanor Briones, PPFPI vice president, said while hog raisers are now selling a kilo of pork from P127 per kilo to P115 to P118 per kilo, a kilo of pork from backyard raisers can only sell a kilo of pork at P110. “If we used to sell a pig weighing 100 kilos for P12,700 before, now it is priced at P11,500. A P12 difference per kilo would mean a lot to us. That is a loss of P1,200 per pig,” he said. “If one can sell at least 1,000 heads a day, that is really something,” he added. He said the request of the hog raising industry for a “conservative” subsidy of P5,000 per head for every dead pig due to suspected ASF infection “is not enough to offset their losses and initial capital.” He said there might be unreported deaths if the government fails to extend financial help to hog raisers. “How can one expect to report deaths of one’s pigs if the government could not give financial aid?” he said. As in Metro Manila and Rizal province, carcasses of swine have beenfound floating the river system of the City of Malolos, with reports of dumping in the towns of Guiguinto and Plaridel. A pig found Sunday afternoon in Barangay Bulihan was chopped into several parts and its rotting smell caught the attention of residents living in the area. Bulihan barangay chairman Crisanto de Jesus immediately ordered it turned over to the city veterinary personnel for proper disposal. On Friday, at least 10 piglets were also found floating in a waterway in Barangay Tikay, also in Malolos. While police are investigating the case, residents said they believed ASF has spread among backyard hog raisers. Large-scale piggeries in the towns of Sta. Maria and Pandi have not yet confirmed whether the infestation has already reached epidemic proportions. Sales of pork in public markets in the province have reportedly been decreasing. Malolos Mayor Gilbert Gatchalian has ordered the city veterinarian to investigate the cause of the successive swine deaths in several barangays of the city in coordination with personnel of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Meanwhile, the National Meat Inspection Service in Region 12 said it has tightened its monitoring against the entry of pork meat products from other regions, especially from areas that could have possibly been affected by the ASF in Luzon. With PNA

As early as 2018, the PDEA had begun its operation to arrest the drug queen but she managed to evade the law when information reached her ahead of time, Aquino said. Based on his sources, Aquino said, corrupt anti-narcotics agents would sell confiscated illegal drugs or even plant these as a piece of evidence in fabricated operations. “There are still reports [of recycling of illegal drugs]. It’s still rampant, especially among operatives down [the line],” Aquino told the Senate budget hearing. “Usually, the modus is that maybe half

of that [confiscated drugs] will be surrendered. The other half will be kept either for future operations [or to be sold].” At least P22 billion worth of confiscated illegal drugs, of which P20 billion are shabu, have been recorded in the government’s inventory. In the same hearing, Drug Board Chairman Catalino Cuy said the recycling of illegal drugs was happening because some policemen do not include in their inventory confiscated drugs. Meanwhile, Aquino also revealed that drug convicts were continuing their drug operations at the New Bilibid Prison. In fact, they had recorded a conversation on the purchase of 10 kilos of shabu between an NBP inmate and a buyer. He said they had been doing the recording when PPEA still maintained an office at the Bureau of Corrections,

so they insisted on its return inside the national penitentiary. He further said the drug transactions were also happening at the provincial and city jails so these illicit operations must be closely watched. As this developed, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war against illegal drugs was “failing” based on the admission of PDEA on the recycling of illegal drugs. He raised his alarm and disappointment over the admission of Aquino that the recycling of illegal drugs was still rampant despite the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs that have killed thousands of suspected drug users and pushers. “I am disgusted and dismayed by the report of the PDEA that the recycling of shabu is rampant,” Drilon said.

Ban on private cars along EDSA proposed By Maricel V. Cruz A LAWMAKER from Caloocan City wants to ban private motor vehicles from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Metro Manila’s major circumferential road, during rush hours. Liberal Party Rep. Edgar Erice proposed the ban to Metro Manila Development Authority officials during the budget hearing of the agency on Monday. But MMDA spokesman Pircelyn Pialago said the members of the Metro Manila Council and not the MMDA will decide whether they will approve the proposals to solve the worsening traffic situation in the metropolis that causes billions of pesos in revenue losses. The MMC, which composed of 17 mayors in Metro Manila, is the governing board and the policy making body of the MMDA. Still, the MMDA said Monday it is open to all suggestions to solve Metro Manila’s traffic woes and expressed delight in receiving an increasing number of suggestions from both the government and private sectors. Pialago said their office welcomes such suggestions in response to Erice’s proposal to ban private vehicles from plying EDSA during rush hours. Critics said legislators will not be affected by Erice’s idea because they and their backup vehicles either use lownumbered license plates or red government vehicle plates. It is only the legislators and other government functionaries that will

‘Oil... From A1 “So everybody shut the f*** up and focus. No more clowns. Declaring state of emergency won’t save our economy but kill it,” the country’s top diplomat warned in his Twitter account. The Energy department will meet with oil industry officials this week to look into the sufficiency of inventory levels after the drone attacks. “We are seeking to ensure that the energy family will be sufficiently prepared to face the potential impact of this unfortunate incident, if any, on the country,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. “Rest assured that the DOE… is closely monitoring the situation, and will keep the public properly informed of developments.” The stock market closed virtually flat Monday in cautious trading, as investors weighed the new tension in the Middle East. Cusi convened an emergency meeting Sunday with the DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau and Oil Industry Management Bureau; the National Electrification Administration, the National Power Corp., Philippine National Oil Co. and PNOC Exploration Corp. at the Energy department’s headquarters in Taguig City.

Tit-for-tat:... From A1 the NPA is also setting up commando teams based in the provinces that can be sent to urban areas “to punish officials notorious for corruption, human rights violations and connivance with crime syndicates” as well as to sabotage or destroy key military and police detachments and installations. “This is obviously a response to the allout war statement of Duterte,” he said. Sison, who is in a self-imposed exile in Utrecht, said contrary to the government’s target of crushing the insurgents,

Cardema withdraws nomination By Vito Barcelo DISQUALIFIED Duterte Youth Party-list nominee Ronald Cardema has formally withdrawn his nomination to let the Commission on Elections declare the party-list as one of the winners in the May 2019 polls, saying his move was a “personal sacrifice.” Cardema had been disqualified as a nominee of the Duterte Youth Partylist group for being overage. The COMELEC received the notice of withdrawal of the former National Youth Commission chairman on Sept. 13, 2019, citing the alleged “public harassment” of COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon as the reason behind his withdrawal. Cardema said his withdrawal was meant to protect the Duterte Youth Party-list, which earned a seat in Congress in the May 2019 elections. “With all humility I withdraw from my nomination to sacrifice myself for our party-list so that the COMELEC can immediately release the Certificate of Proclamation of the COMELEC-approved succeeding nominee and to give justice to the votes of 350,000 Filipinos whom we desire to immediately serve with their needed medical assistance, requested patriotic projects and activities for nationbuilding,” Cardema said. However, COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon called Cardema “stupid” for pinning the blame on her. Cardema described his move as a sacrifice that had to be done for nation-building, even as he continued to accuse Guanzon of bullying him. “It is my prayer that this personal sacrifice be accepted. May this be viewed as a fresh start for the COMELEC and the pro-government Duterte Youth party-list, partnering towards nation building,” Cardema’s withdrawal letter said.

benefit from the scheme because they did not focus on traffic management before. Erice said he plans to file a resolution on the proposed scheme after meeting with the House metropolitan development committee chairman and Manila Rep. Manny Lopez in late September. He aims to have the scheme implemented this year, preferably before the start of the holiday season. But a congressman who thumbed down Erice’s proposal said: “The cheek of Congressman Erice to make that proposal. It was his party mates who caused the heavy traffic and now he wants to inf lict that ban on everybody.” The MRT 3 service deteriorated during the previous administration due to neglect and the hiring of a new maintenance provider owned by members of the then ruling Liberal Party. The new maintenance service provider failed to keep the trains running despite being paid billions of pesos by the then Department of Transportation and Communications led by the president of the Liberal Party, Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya. Erice was a rabid apologist of the previous administration, the lawmaker said. Under Erice’s proposal, private vehicles will be banned from EDSA from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. and from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. to decongest Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare. During those hours, Erice said, Edsa will be a “mass transport highway” and only public utility vehicles

will be allowed. He said this will help decongest Edsa, especially that the volume of private vehicles that ply along the major road reaches up to 300,000 while the buses number only about 8,000. The 300,000 private car owners that would be affected should the said scheme be implemented could either leave their houses before 6 a.m. or after 9 a.m., use routes or streets outside Edsa or use public transport, Erice proposed. Erice said this “immediate and temporary solution” could be in effect until the completion of construction works on North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway connector, the Metro Manila subway, and the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3. When asked if motorcycles and transport network vehicle services units will be considered as private vehicles, the lawmaker said this still has to be studied. Meanwhile, he said that emergency vehicles such as ambulances will be exempt from the ban. During the hearing, MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said the agency will “seriously consider” the proposal and will bring it up with Metro Manila mayors during their coming Metro Manila Council meeting in October. This developed as Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo called on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to issue a provisional authority for new buses that will serve Commonwealth to ease the plight of stranded commuters. With Joel E. Zurbano and PNA

“It is premature at this moment to say that the Saudi Aramco incident would have an adverse impact on the country. The DOE is closely monitoring developments in the international markets until the last trading day on Friday to fully assess any impact on the prices,” the DOE said. Any adverse impact, it added, would be felt by Tuesday next week. The country’s biggest oil firm Petron Corp. said there would be no supply disruption from its end. “We have adequate supply to support our domestic requirements,” a company statement said. Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second biggest oil company, said it was monitoring the developments in Saudi Arabia and the world markets, and said it would exert all efforts to ensure a continuous supply of fuel. Both contracts pared the gains as the day wore on but were still up nearly 10 percent. China on Monday called for the US and Iran to “exercise restraint.” “Tensions in the Middle East are rising quickly, meaning this story will continue to reverberate this week even after the knee-jerk panic in oil markets this morning,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA. The surge in crude lit a fire under energy firms, with Hong Kong-listed

CNOOC up 7.4 percent and PetroChina 4.3 percent higher. Woodside Petroleum rallied more than 4 percent in Sydney. However, airlines took a hit from the prospect of higher fuel costs. Cathay Pacific dropped 4 percent in Hong Kong, Air China dropped 4.6 percent in Shanghai and Qantas dived more than 4 percent in Sydney. In related developments: * Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the recent surge in oil prices underscore the need for the country to diversify its sources of imported oil to insulate consumers from price volatility. He said the Philippines has been importing 33.7 percent of its crude oil from Saudi Arabia as of 2018, making it the country’s top supplier. * Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate pushed for a congressional inquiry into the pricing schemes of local oil companies as a way to protect the public from overpricing. * Philippine Embassy in Riyadh advised Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to remain calm but vigilant following the attacks. “The embassy is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the concerned authorities to ensure the safety and security of all Filipinos in Saudi Arabia,” the embassy said in a statement. With Maricel V. Cruz and AFP

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger squarely at Tehran, saying there was no evidence the “unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply” was launched from Yemen. That drew an angry response from Tehran, where foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: “Such fruitless and blind accusations and remarks are incomprehensible and meaningless.” The White House said on Sunday that Trump may still meet Iran President Hassan Rouhani at the UN meeting in New York next week, but Tehran said Monday it did not think “such a thing would happen.” Baghdad, caught between its two main allies—Tehran and Washington—also denied any link to the attacks amid media speculation that the drones were launched from Iraq. Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom is “willing and able” to respond to this “terrorist aggression.” But a tit-for-tat strike on Iranian oil fields is “highly unlikely,” Middle East expert James Dorsey told AFP. “The Saudis do not want an open conflict with Iran. The Saudis would like others to fight that war, and the others are reluctant,” said Dorsey, from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year, when Trump pulled the US out of a landmark 2015 deal with world powers that promised Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program. Saudi Arabia has spent billions on military hardware but recent events have underscored the vulnerability of its infrastructure to attack. AFP

the widespread red-tagging and threats to life and killing of activists have resulted in higher NPA recruitment. “After politico-military training, many of these activists are expected to become good fighters in armed city partisan units and commando teams,” Sison said. “It can be calculated that what you might call ‘sparrow’ warfare in the urban areas can strategically force the military and police to take guard duties or go on the defensive in the cities and have less armed personnel for combat in the countryside,” he added. Sison said the administration has failed miserably in implementing Du-

terte’s 2018 Executive Order No. 70 which institutionalized a “whole-ofnation approach” to end the decades-old communist insurgency. “Under EO No. 70, Duterte is failing in his military strategy and tactics. Most of his military and police officers preoccupy themselves with psy-war activities instead—faking surrenders and encounters and deploying too many checkpoints and token patrols,” he said. Last week, Duterte ordered an allout-war against CPP-NPA, six months after ordering a permanent termination of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front. “I am ordering an all-out-war against

the NPA. If I can, I will end the insurgency problem within my term,” the President said. In April, the President also directed the military and police to “learn the art of assassination” and create units similar to the communist rebel’s SPARU. “If the NPA has sparrow, why do I not have sparrow? I told them, form a unit that will sparrow the NPA. I am addressing myself to the police and the military: learn the art of assassination,” he said. “Our government sparrow units will do nothing but hunt suspected NPAs. If you see three or four NPA rebels just lazing around, kill them immediately,” the President said.

US... From A1

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Palace welcomes subject on martial law

Foreigners’ influx feared with online gambling ban

By MJ Blancaﬂor

HE labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Monday feared the inﬂux of foreign workers in the Philippines after Cambodia banned the online gambling, displacing thousands of foreign workers, mostly Chinese nationals.

MALACAÑANG on Monday welcomed the general education subject offered at the University of the Philippines Diliman that will tackle the language, literature and culture under martial law in the Philippines. “That’s good. If that’s a subject matter, students should learn any subject that concerns governance,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. Philippine Studies 21 was recently approved by the university council, a policymaking body of the academic institution, according to online news site Onenews.ph. The three-unit subject will be available for students from all disciplines as an option for their general education subject requirements. It will cover martial law under Spanish occupation of the Philippines and during the time of Philippine presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Rodrigo Duterte. The development of the new subject came after the University Student Council of the UP Diliman passed a resolution for additional general education subjects and electives on martial law education. Aside from the development of the new subject, the UP president also declared Sept. 21, the anniversary of the martial law proclamation in 1972, as Day of Remembrance of the Role of the University in Resisting Martial Law. Then President Ferdinand Marcos imposed the emergency on Sept. 21, 1972 to save the republic from what he called a state of rebellion and to enable him to institute urgent national reforms. He lifted martial law on Jan. 17, 1981.

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza is proposing the creation of a coordinating body in managing and controlling the growth of offshore online gambling industry as it sees the inﬂux of more Chinese workers into the country following the recent ban of gaming operations in Cambodia. The Cambodian government last month banned the issuance of new online licenses and ordered a crackdown on thousands of Chinese workers employed in the operations in the towns

of Sihanoukville, Bavet and Poipet. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he wanted online gambling operations terminated by the end of the year. Around 6,000 Chinese nationals are leaving Cambodia since the ban directive was issued middle of last month, reports said. For his part, Senator Joel Villanueva said they expected nothing less than the immediate shut down of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations. “We do not owe anything to these

errant POGOs who have the gall to refuse the correct payment of taxes of their workers,” he said. The senator, chairman of the Senate labor committee, stressed it was high time the government acted with dispatch to make these ﬁrms comply with the country’s laws. “We call on the interior department to support the Department of Finance by asking all local government units to revoke business permits of POGOs who do not comply with our tax laws,” he said. He said the Interior department should also lend a hand to the Bureau of Internal Revenue by asking the police to fan out and shutter these ﬁrms, the way it closed down operations of the PCSO last month. According to Villanueva, the sudden rise of the POGO industry and the problems that went with it like the so-called “real estate bubble” and the increase in crimes invilving foreigners, was no joke.

US turns over 80 transitional houses By Rey E. Requejo AS PART of the United States’ commitment of more than $63.6 million or P3.4 billion in humanitarian and recovery assistance to communities displaced by the 2017 siege of Marawi City, the United States Agency for International Development has turned over 80 transitional houses, a climate-resilient public market, and four grants that will provide infrastructure and livelihood support to the communities affected by the siege.

US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law led the handover ceremonies of the community grants and public market, valued at more than P4 million. The public market is the ﬁrst of four trading centers constructed by USAID to facilitate market linkages and help Marawi’s displaced population integrate into communities in Lanao del Sur. In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said the USAID was also providing training, equipment, and commodities

to entrepreneurs previously trading in Marawi’s so-called “Most Affected Area,” so that they can restart their businesses in their new communities. To date, 1,800 Maranao people are living in transitional houses provided by the US government. “The US government remains committed to improving the living, economic, and social conditions for vulnerable populations in Marawi and the surrounding areas,” Law said in a statement.

Gov’t warns vs. Kapa ‘scam’ revival THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday warned against the revival of an alleged investment scam by the religious group Kapa Community Ministry International. The SEC earlier this year revoked Kapa’s certificate of registration for allegedly promising its members a 30-percent return for their donations without the required government license. Supporters have claimed the group would soon relaunch its operations under the name Kapa Worldwide Ministry Association, but this is not registered with the SEC, said SEC chairman Emilio Aquino. Aquino, in an interview with dzMM heard nationwide, said in Filipino: “We are not allowing them as long they are pursuing that kind of scheme: payment in; payment out; there’s a capital donation. Their investment is more than the usual donation to a ministry.” According to the SEC chairman, new funds given to Kapa could be used to pay earlier investors. SEC is preparing a second wave of complaints against the group’s supporters for “peddling disinformation,” he said. He added the first case filed by the SEC against Kapa had been submitted for resolution at the justice department. Kapa denied fraudulently selling investments, saying its followers instead get “blessings.”

Opinion

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

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A vicious cycle ONCE again, the issue of political dynasties has been resurrected after the Ateneo School of Government found, in a study, that “fat” political dynasties in the Philippines have become “obese.” Santa Banana, according to the study, the number of families whose members simultaneously hold elective posts has been growing by leaps and bounds! In 1988 they only made up 19 percent of all local positions. In 2019, they make up 57 percent of gubernatorial, vice gubernatorial, congressional, mayoral, vice mayoral, provincial board and local council posts.

The proliferation of political dynasties is as much a fault of the electorate that keeps voting them into office. My gulay, about 57 percent of governors belonged to fat dynasties in 2004, and this swelled to 80 percent in 2019. For congressmen, the number was 48 percent in 2004, which grew to 67 percent in 2019. Another significant finding was that political dynasties were prevalent in poorer provinces. Maguindanao has the highest percentage of fat dynasties, with 51 percent of elected posts occupied by political clans with two or more family members in office. This was followed by Pampanga

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

(49 percent), Bulacan (45 percent), Davao Occidental (41 percent), Isabela (41 percent) and Sulu (40 percent). Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution specifically provides that the State “shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit dynasties as may be defined by law.” Despite this provision of law, attempts to have it implemented have proven to be an exercise in futility. Political dynasties in Congress have managed to avert any passage of law to this direction. What the research failed to show was that the proliferation of political dynasties is as much a fault of the electorate that keeps voting them into office. It's a vicious cycle, fat dynasties running and people electing them. The reason for this is multi-fold. People see in dynasties a continuous source of what they need: money, jobs and livelihood. It all boils down to poverty—still the foremost problem of our country. People also see in dynasties some kind of protection from criminal elements. This is the reason why at times, dynasties simply take the place of other dynasties. And, Santa Banana, so long as people remain jobless, lacking in livelihood and money to buy food and other basic needs, dynasties will continue to prevail. In Moroland, political dynasties are a way of life, historically and culturally, because that is how Muslims live—in a clannish environment. When I was in Cotabato in the 1950s, the Sinsuats were the dominant political clan. The congressman, governor, and some mayors were all Sinsuats. The secretary of public services during Marcos' time was a Sinsuat.

One man’s sacrifice

ONALD Cardema says he has made a personal sacrifice by withdrawing his nomination to represent Duterte Youth, a party-list organization, at the House of Representatives.

Cardema said. “It is my prayer that this personal sacrifice be accepted. May this be viewed as a fresh start for the Comelec and the pro-government Duterte Youth party-list, partnering towards nation building.” Cardema's saga has been protracted, and this appears to be a fitting, rightful end to an episode that has only exposed one man's hubris, wasted an agency's time and resources, and attempted to mislead a young nation starved for worthy role models. Cardema, once the chairman of the National Youth Commission, did not resign his executive post despite being identified with the party-list organization. Instead he fielded others, including his wife, as nominees of the group. But when Duterte Youth won, he filed a petition to substitute the nomination despite the glaring fact that he was 34 years old. The law says representatives of the youth sector should be between 25 and 30

The notice, received by the Commission on Elections last week, said Cardema withdrew because of the public harassment he had experienced from Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon. “With all humility I withdraw from my nomination to sacrifice myself for our party-list so that the Comelec can immediately release the Certificate of Proclamation of the Comelec-approved succeeding nominee and to give justice to the votes of 350,000 Filipinos whom we desire to immediately serve with their needed medical assistance, requested patriotic projects, and activities for nation-building,”

years old on election day. For a while, Cardema tried to skirt the law by claiming he represented not only the youth, but young professionals. These arguments did not fly with Guanzon, who led the division in rejecting Cardema's petition. When even a word war with the commissioner proved more hilarious than effective, Cardema appeared, finally, to give up—or, in his own words, to make the ultimate sacrifice. Then again, what is a sacrifice to one person can be folly to the rest of us. Instead of being a sterling example to the youth, the not-so-young Cardema showed us plain arrogance and attempted to curry favor from his political masters hoping they would give him what he wanted as a reward for his loyalty. In the end, he was loyal only to himself. Cardema's face-saving sacrifice is nothing but great relief for the rest of us, young and old alike.

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The Marcos-Robredo electoral protest IN 2016, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos sought to contest his defeat to Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2016 elections. Marcos had claimed that "massive cheating" caused him to lose to Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race by some 260,000 votes. She denied this. On the eve of Robredo's oath-taking, Marcos filed an election protest seeking to contest the results in 27 cities and provinces, covering 39,221 "clustered" precincts which are composed of 132,446 "established" precincts. He also sought the nullification of votes in Basilan, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur, where massive poll fraud allegedly occurred. On Aug. 29, 2017, the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, issued a resolution that dismissed Marcos’ first cause of action to annul Robredo’s proclamation. The PET reasoned that even if the protestant were able to successfully prove his first cause of action, this does not mean that he has already won the position of vice president as this could only be proved via manual recount of all votes in all precincts. Thus, allowing the nullification of Robredo would be an exercise in futility. However, the second and third causes of action—i.e. on the matter of revision and recount and on the matter of massive fraud in certain specified areas, were allowed to remain. Thus as a consequence, the PET ordered the retrieval of ballot boxes and other election documents for the revision and recount. In March 2019, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) has set the start of the manual recount of votes for the election protest which shall cover Marcos’ pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental. In September 2019, The Supreme Court (SC) sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) announced that it will release a report on the initial recount of three provinces in the

election protest. Earlier, VP Robredo’s lawyer claimed victory, saying that the initial recount does not show no substantial recovery of ballots and that the recount in three pilot provinces selected by Marcos has given her 15,000 more votes, based on unofficial numbers from the electoral tribunal. Based on recount from pilot provinces Camarines Sur, Negros Oriental, and Iloilo, the Robredo camp is claiming that the lead has become 279, 215 or an increase of around 15,000 votes. According to Robredo’s own motion, the revision, recount and reappreciation of ballots would now give Robredo 1,492,544 votes and Marcos 202,184 votes from election returns; and 1,475,989 to Robredo and 200,467 to Marcos in the physical count. The PET dismissed Robredo’s motion to dismiss the protest on the ground that Robredo’s claim is merely speculative.

Run after rice hoarders

The country expects no less than this from our highest court. Further, it ordered the Commission on Elections to explain the lack of ballot images in two clustered precincts in Camarines Sur, one of the pilot provinces. It also refused to investigate voting records in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao—as what Marcos wants—because it has to resolve the three pilot provinces first. Marcos insists that the recount of ballots should continue even outside the 3 pilot areas to which the PET declined. The big issue now for resolution is whether there is substantial discrepancy. With the upcoming announcement of the final report on the recount on the three pilot provinces, the PET will then decide whether to continue with the recount of the ballots in the rest of the clustered precincts in the country. The PET has previously been called upon to resolve a number of electoral protests involving presidential and vice presidential candidates. It is the sole judge of all contests relating to the Turn to A5

WITH the recent move of the Department of Agriculture to flood the market with cheap rice, the government should really run after importers and traders suspected of hoarding our staple food. Agriculture Secretary Willian Dar is furious and wants criminal cases to be filed against rice traders who are taking undue advantage of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) and manipulating farmgate prices of rice to make a killing. He is asking law enforcers to cooperate closely with various government agencies in the campaign to ferret out suspected rice hoarders. Hoarding by some traders is believed to have caused the drop in the price of palay. According to the agriculture chief,

What will be the next move of the administration on this gut issue? certain millers and traders are using the implementation of the RTL as a convenient excuse to hoard the staple grain: “Isn’t it that there is already a drop in the price of palay even before the inaction of the rice tariffication law? So, someone is taking advantage.” In a recent Senate hearing, Senator Cynthia Villar could not hide her exasperation over the government's failure to stop cartels and hoarding, which she cited as the reasons for the artificial shortage and high prices of rice and other agricultural products. “Our farmers and fisherfolk con-

tinue to suffer in poverty while smugglers and cartels continue to enrich themselves,” Villar lamented. “We're aware that there are indeed rice cartels. We are urging the Department of Justice and the Philippine Competition Commission to make an example of even just one cartel to show that we are going to implement the law,” Villar said. Members of the Senate agriculture and food committee also discovered that the NFA is hoarding four million sacks of imported rice in its warehouses. RA 11203, which was signed into law in February, liberalized rice importation in the country and is intended to solve the worsening rice shortage in the country. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the Department of Justice (DoJ) should study the filing of cases of economic sabotage, profiteering and price manipulation against abusive traders. Turn to A5

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Opinion Teachers and coaches AS THE grandson of a former UP president and prewar Secretary of Public Instruction, and the son of a former UP dean, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for teachers. In this country, theirs is among the most thankless tasks around. They’re regularly asked to volunteer for the often dangerous work of manning the precincts during elections. As a group, they’ve run up billions of pesos of personal debt to informal lenders, requiring the GSIS to come to their rescue recently with refinancing schemes. And even if we’re told that today’s public school teachers earn even more than their private school counterparts, we still hear stories about teachers using their own money to spend for school supplies, just because of the legendary bureaucracy at the Department of Education. *** This is why it’s timely this month to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the National Teachers Month (NTM) from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5. This year’s theme is “I teach. What’s your superpower?” In this double play on words, it reminds us of the heroism of our teachers as well as the lifelong vocation of teachers to make superstars out of the children entrusted to their tutelage. The annual celebration of NTM started back in 2008 as a simple initiative to pay regular homage to the role of teachers, inspired by the declaration in 1993 of Oct. 5 as World Teachers Day by the UNESCO. In 2011, upon the initiative of former DepEd head Bro. Armin Luistro and Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepena, President Aquino

A vicious... From A4

Another thing that the study failed to mention is that not all political clans are bad or anti-poor. Some dynasties have been good for the electorate. Even in the United States, there have been dynasties. They had the Kennedys and the Bushes. Political clans have been tested. This is the reason dynasties have lasted this long. *** A question amid the revelation of anomalies at the Bureau of Corrections is this: Will an overhaul of the personnel, from top to bottom, end all the irregularities prevailing in the prison system? I don't think so. The problem springs from the fact that the system itself breeds corruption. For as long as personnel are given discretion and intervention, there will always be corruption. A very clear example of discretion is deciding who can benefit from the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law. Freeing convicts, as well as the hospital rest-for-sale racket, will likely continue. For change to happen, the system, not just personnel, needs to be overhauled. I believe corruption can be minimized by placing the BuCor immediately under the Department of Justice. These days, BuCor is almost autonomous. There is just too much power given to BuCor officials and personnel. Under the present system, not everything that happens is known to the bureau chief. This is exactly what

Run... From A4

In November last year, the DOJ indicted alleged rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan, also known as David Tan, for rice trade monopoly. Bangayan was charged with violation of Paragraph 3, Article 186 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) which penalizes trade monopoly with imprisonment of 6 months to 6 years plus fines. Bangayan is accused of “combining with and employing the concerned farmers’ cooperatives and organizations to participate in the bidding of rice importations with the intention of manipulating and increasing the market price of the supply.” Indicted along with Bangayan for monopoly of trade are Elizabeth Faustino, David and Judilyne Lim, Eleanor Rodriguez, and Leah Echeveria. The DOJ said witnesses pointed to

officially proclaimed the period from Sept 5. to Oct 5. as National Teachers Month. This was followed in 2016 by R.A. 10743 designating every Oct. 5 as National Teachers Day in this country. Since its inception, the annual observance of NTM has racked up a remarkable record of initiatives. Apart from the Presidential proclamation and Republic Act mentioned, a broad partnership of government and private sector has launched a total of 532 initiatives from 2012-2014. They’ve posted significant tri-media mileage totaling over P600 million worth of coverage over the same period. Facebook engagement by the general public exceeded 700,000 in 2015 alone.

It’s the lifelong vocation of teachers to make superstars out of the children entrusted to their tutelage.

ing Candice Cepeda Velasco, who’s now a certified professional coach with Newfield Network. It’s a coach training organization that’s routinely ranked among the top three worldwide. Candice is also one of the few local coaches who’re credentialed by the International Coaching Federation, where she also sits on the board as Philippine representative. Candice and her colleagues will be having an international event this Nov. 8 at the Conrad Hotel. It’s expected to be the biggest coaching and leadership event in Southeast Asia. All you future masters of the universe, stay tuned to your online networks for more news about this! *** The first reading today comes from the book of Ezra, the spiritual leader of the Jewish Restoration after their Babylonian exile. Chapter 6 recounts the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem at the instance of the Persian kings Cyrus and Darius, and the great joy with which the Jews reconstituted their priesthood and rites of worship. The responsorial Psalm 122 carries forward the joyful theme, as pilgrims bid each other, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” But in the Gospel (Luke 8: 19-21), Jesus appears to veer elsewhere, appearing to turn His back on His own family and announcing that “my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” What unifies all these readings is the theme of worshipful celebration, both within the temple in Jerusalem and the new Temple that Christ reconstituted with His body and His sacrifice, the new Church within Whom God is universally accessible to everyone who hears His word and acts on it.

We trust that the culminating activities on Oct. 5 will draw a lot of participation and interest from the general public, most of whom are parents if not also teachers themselves. *** Another profession pretty close to teaching is the increasingly popular vocation of personal or executive coaching. In a highly competitive world where beginners in the corporate rat race can use all the help they can get in terms of both skills training and life experience, the executive coach can provide a valuable boost and a leg up. One of my grade school classmates has asked me to say a word or two Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@ about her daughter, the very fetch- yahoo.com.

happened to Nicanor Faeldon. The Senate should revise the GCTA Law because it has too many loopholes. Santa Banana, with the present setup at the BuCor, it is possible for rich convicts to have anybody killed by other convicts who can be released anytime and then allowed to return to their cells. This is the most dangerous prospect of all. *** There have been many suggestions on how to solve the traffic mess. One wants to make EDSA one way from the North, and C-5 one way from the South. To me, that is the worst suggestion of all. This will breed even greater problems. During the past several years when EDSA became a traffic nightmare, I have come to the conclusion that unless more subways and skyways and mass transit systems are put in place, EDSA will continue to be a traffic nightmare. Right now, if the productivity lost is quantified, it runs up to about P3.5 billion a day. I am reminded of Bangkok many years ago. When I was there, it took me three hours to go from the airport to my hotel. Years after, Bangkok was able to solve its traffic problem. Now, traffic is smooth and easy. So unless we have more roads, more skyways and more subways, EDSA's horrible traffic situation will continue. *** My daughter Nina posted a birthday greeting for me on Facebook. I turned 92 on Sunday. That post now has close to 200 likes. I thank everybody for all the good wishes. Bangayan and Faustino as the financiers of cooperatives, with Faustino acting as the broker “so that the concerned entities may be allowed to participate in the bidding for rice procurement.” Salceda said the rice market anomalies could be addressed through intensified monitoring by the DA, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to include heavy importers, import records and warehousing receipts with focus on possible restraint of trade amounting to price manipulation and difference between farmgate prices as reported by the PSA. According to the PSA, as of the second week of August palay, prices had gone down to as low as P8 to P10. Salceda said the DTI may also invoke Executive Order 913, which grants it adjudicatory powers to protect consumers from profiteering and price manipulation. “The President, by virtue of his powers and the over-

The Marcos-... From A4

election, returns, and qualifications of the President or Vice President of the Philippines. The PET was created under Republic Act No. 1793 in 1957 and re-constituted under Batas Pambansa Blg. 884 (National Law No. 884) in 1985 and authorized by the 1987 Constitution as an independent body to resolve electoral protest involving these officials. In the past we have the case of Miriam Defensor Santiago vs. Fidel Ramos in 1992 where the tribunal dismissed Santiago's petition after Santiago ran for a Senate seat in 1995 and won. The case of Fernando Poe Jr. against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004 which dismissed Poe's petition after he died in late 2004. Then there is Loren Legarda vs. Noli de Castro in 2004 which was dismissed after a retabulation didn't affect the result, and after she ran for a Senate seat in 2007 and won. In 2010, the PET dismissed Roxas’s electoral protest against Jejomar Binay after the later’s term ended in 2016 without the case being resolved. The PET, as in all other adjudicative bodies, can only come up with a credible and fair decision of this Marcos electoral protest if it adjudicates on the basis of fact and law. Rocket science is not needed to decide this protest. As in all its cases, it must be able to resist improper influences, inducements, unwarranted threats or interferences from any quarter; decide with utmost independence, impartiality, neutrality and maintains conduct beyond reproach. The country expects no less than this from our highest court.

whelming and continued support of the Filipino people, is uniquely empowered to implement the aforementioned recommendations,” the lawmaker said. “We can go after them in terms of damages, we can go after them in terms of economic sabotage, because it is national in character,” Salceda said. The Albay lawmaker urges the government to carry out “resolute expressions of [its] firmness in combating rice cartels.” He wants the National Food Authority to be allowed to borrow funds to triple its current buying operations from P7.5 billion to P22.5 billion. He has rejected proposals to repeal or amend the rice tariffication law because it remains a “good law.” What we need here, from where we sit, is a win-win solution for rice farmers and consumers. So what will be the next move of the administration on this gut issue? ernhil@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Why bank lending to agriculture is inadequate nitely not for the first time—that the bulk of Agri-Agra credit had gone not to direct loans to farmers but to purchases of eligible government securities. In what was clearly a case of flawed economic-policy craftsmanship the authors of Agri-Agra Act, allowed the banks, with the concurONE would have thought that partici- rence of BSP, to comply with that law, pants in activities intended to discuss by investing in eligible government the flow of credit to Filipino farm- securities instead of granting loans ers—congressional hearings, summit to farmers directly. Comparing the conferences, NGO (non-governmen- problems and costs of purchasing tal organizations) colloquia and pol- government securities with those of icy renewal meetings—would by now processing hundreds of thousands of be tired of hearing facts and opinions small-farmer loan applications, Landon farm credit that they have already bank and other banks naturally opted heard numerous times. But that is not to take the government securities how things are. At every one of such route to Agri-Agra Act compliance. events the same pious recitations of Things would have been allright if the facts, the same expressions of high- fiscal authorities had in fact devoted minded views, the same hand-wring- to agricultural lending the proceeds ing and the same blame-passing takes from the banks’ government-securiplace. Yet the same tiresome spec- ties purchases; unfortunately, official tacle is re-enacted again and again, records show that that has not been time after time. the case. One hopes that In the course the agriculturalof the committee lending situation hearing the Conwill have imgressmen were How can most proved signifitold by the bankcantly by the time farmer loan applicants ing-industry rethe next Congres- have credit records source persons— sional hearing also not for the or policy-review when they have had no first time—that, colloquium takes previous access to bank while they might place. But that want to better is likely to be a credit? comply with their forlorn hope. The Agri-Agra Act reasons why this obligation, they is so were brought are held back by out during the recent hearing called the farmer applicants’ lack of credit by Congress to examine President records. After all, banks expect to get Duterte’s charge that government- repaid for their loans, the bankers said, owned Landbank had not fulfilled its but loan approvals depend on indicamandate to provide adequate credit tions of creditworthiness. To this the to the agricultural sector, especially farmers’ representative’s retort was, CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Re- how can most farmer loan applicants form Program) beneficiaries. have credit records when they have had One fact that was presented to the no previous access to bank credit? How, congressional committee was that, al- indeed? though it was created to support the The problem of inadequate credit objectives of the original land reform for the agricultural sector—and the law—the Land Reform Act of 1963— large problem of Philippine agriculLandbank has from its establishment tural sector underperformance—will been operating like a regular com- not be solved, and all future confermercial bank. The bank’s defend- ences and meetings on agricultural ers, led by the Secretary of Finance, credit will be mere replays of their informed the Congressmen that only predecessors, if the government fails around 21 percent of Landbank cred- to fully grasp, and to act decisively its had been going to the agricultural upon, the following realities, namely, sector. Clearly, there has been a mis- (1) Landbank has not operated, and match between Landbank’s mandate is not about to operate, as a farmand the level of its agricultural lenders’ bank, (2) the Agri-Agra Act is a ing operations. flawed law and banks will continue Also brought before the congres- to fulfill their obligation thereunder sional committee was the record of by simply buying eligible government implementation of the law mandating securities and (3) the great majority of a minimal level of commercial-bank Filipino farmers don’t have credit relending to the agricultural-agrarian cords on the basis of which banks can reform sector (the Agri-Agra Act). evaluate the creditworthiness. The resource persons from BSP The implications of these realities (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas), the for monetary policymaking and GFI banking industry and the agricultural (government financial institutions) sector told the Congressmen—defi- structural change are obvious.

Ayala’s Anvaya Cove trashes guest’s household staff MOST of us turn a blind eye to acts of discrimination against our people in our own country. There are, however, instances where one just could not stomach it anymore. One incident that demonstrated this took place recently at the Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club in Mabayo, Morong, Bataan. It appears that the caste system and the practice of social class segregation are alive and well in the luxurious beach resort hotel owned and operated by Ayala Land Premier. Such practice smacks of inequality and prejudice, particularly as to treatment of lower-class Filipinos. The experience of one family guest at the Anvaya Cove proved to be a throwback to the Spanish era where native Filipinos were referred to as “indios” and discriminated against in many ways. This occurred when the family’s nanny, personal assistant, and driver were prohibited from entering the beach area. The resort hotel manager turned down the request of the guest to have his personal assistant, driver, and nanny be allowed in to join them at the beach to tend to the family. The manager blatantly spelled out the resort hotel’s regulation that the guest’s domestic helpers are prohibited from entering the beach and the dining area. The kids' yaya and family driver, including the father’s personal assistant, were literally thrown out of the facility. They were treated like trash.

This means that only the rich resort hotel guests, especially foreign tourists, are the only ones allowed in those exclusive facilities. These are off limits to nannies or yayas, personal drivers, and assistants even if their employers pay for their entry at the beach. The household staff are also prohibited from eating at the resort hotel’s restaurant and having a drink at the bar with their employers. Clearly, the servants are seen by the Ayala establishments as indios, much like in the Spanish era during which the powerful, oppressive and greedy conquistadores engaged in massive landgrabbing. It is as if the poor servants have a contagious disease that they are excluded from joining their employers for recreation and fun under the sun. The Ayala resort hotel's Spanish era-style management apparently does not realize that most Filipinos consider as their part of “extended relatives” their domestic helpers, including housemaids, houseboys, yayas, cook, gardeners and family drivers. Obviously, the Ayala facility’s discriminatory policy is enforced to avoid upsetting the principal resort hotel guests, including wealthy businessmen, government officials, politicians and foreigners, who spend the filthy amounts of money there. “Baka raw mandiri ang mga guest nila sa mga katulong at mga family driver. If they come with their employers, then they should be considered resort hotel guests, too,” the disappointed guest asked. The Ayalas may have the permit to do business at the beach area but they do not actually own the coastal sea, do they?

News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PhilHealth warns public vs. Facebook page scam By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. warned the public of a Facebook page entitled “PhilHealth Updates Online” which reportedly encourages people to “like” and “share” the said page to qualify for a supposed raffle for “libreng pabahay.” Tne raffle, according to the FB page, is in line with PhilHeatlh anniversary on February 2020. After PhilHealth reported the said matter to Facebook Philippines, the original post and it reshared posts have since been taken down. A similar scheme was also recently reported by its Region I office about a certain Efeiram Oicatse whose Facebook page named “PhilHealth Registration Online”offers assistance to PhilHealth members and in securing the PhilHealth Identification Number for a fee. The said Facebook page requires payment of P170 which can allegedly be paid through a popular chain of convenience stores using barcodes that it provides. The state health insurer said that it does not have a housing raffle promo; and that it does not authorize anyone to solicit money in exchange for one to become a PhilHealth member. It urged members to be more discerning and not to immediately trust or report these fraudulent activities. The public are also advised to be careful in giving information to prevent scammers from victimizing innocent people. PhilHealth said that registration is for free and can be made at any local health insurance office or express counters in leading malls for their convenience.

Du30’s wish to hike teachers’ pay OKd By Maricel V. Cruz

HE leadership of the House of Representatives on Monday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s salary increase for state workers, including teachers and nurses in the next three years. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez was reacting to the plan of President Duterte to spend P110 billion for a three-year salary increase of government employees starting 2020 until 2022. “It shows the President’s sincere ‘malasakit’ to the plight of our state workers. We will work very hard to ensure funding for government workers’ salary increase,” said Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, referring to the proposed Salary Standardization Law 5. Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said the Department of Budget and Management would propose an SSL bill to Congress this September. The budget secretary said the government will no longer give another round of increase for uniformed personnel for 2020 since their salary was already ad-

justed this year. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, bared that the pay hike will be part of the SSL 5. Salceda said the SSL 5 is well within the capacity of the government and that there is no need for additional tax measure for it. “The SSL 5 will raise civil servant salaries by 15 percent over three years,” said Salceda, citing the study commissioned by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned-andControlled Corporation-Department of Budget and Management. He also said that the ﬁrst tranche of the SSL 5 has a P32-billion allocation for wage increase while a separate P4 billion is intended for miscellaneous beneﬁts under the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020.

Salceda also said that a total of P36.630 billion will be given for the second tranche while P36.753 billion for the third tranche of the SSL 5. “It will favor SG [Salary Grade] 1 to 17 with higher increases while those in SG 18 to 33 including the President and congressmen will receive lower increases,” he said. “The adjustments will preserve and somewhat improve the purchasing power of civil servants considering the consumer price inflation of 3.4 percent over the past three years [2016 with 1.8 percent, 2017 with 3.2 percent and 2018 with 5.2 percent] and forward estimates three-year inflation of 2 percent to 4 percent per year,” Salceda added. Earlier, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the first tranche of SSL 5 will only be implemented despite its budget under next year’s national budget if Congress passes a Joint Resolution. “The first tranche funding requirement for the SSL 5 is already included in the 2020 budget. It will be implemented once the Joint Resolution is approved,” said Ungab.

GCTA... From A1

This came after Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday signed the revised IRR, which effectively says people convicted of crimes like rape and murder should not earn time allowances. Guevarra said government authorities would also start making warrantless arrests of prisoners who had been erroneously released on account of the GCTA Law if they fail to surrender by Thursday, Sept. 19. “After Sept. 19 and they still refuse [to surrender], we have already taken this position since under the law and under the existing jurisprudence, you have not completed the service of your sentence and it is your duty to serve it to the fullest,” he said. “We gave you notice. We gave you a grace period of 15 days [yet] you refused without justifiable reason, then in effect you are committing the offense of evasion of sentence,” Guevarra added. The Justice department said more than 600 prisoners who were prematurely released had surrendered to authorities. Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said 612 of the 1,914 freed heinous crime convicts had returned to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections as of 9:30 a.m. on Monday. Days before the deadline set by President Rodrigo Duterte, the Palace on Monday renewed its call for heinous crime convicts who were freed for their good conduct to surrender to the police. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said if the 15-day deadline lapsed and the convicts had not turned themselves in to authorities, they would be deemed fugitives from justice. “The order of the President remains,” Panelo told reporters. Meanwhile, opposition Senator Leila de Lima has objected to the plan by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate her for the alleged misuse and abuses committed under the GCTA Law. De Lima, a former Justice secretary, said PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna should stop dragging her and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas II in the controversy hounding the implementation of the GCTA Law to earn “brownie points” from Duterte. The promulgation of the new IRR came after it was recommended by the Joint Committee of the Department of Justice and Department of the Interior and Local Government, which conducted a review of the controversial measure for 10 days. The new IRR can already be implemented after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation. “To the extent that we can implement without having to come up with a very detailed operating manual, we will start processing. But if we find it difficult without a uniform manual, then we may have to defer it,” Guevarra said. Guevarra also said recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and those charged with heinous crimes were excluded from earning not only GCTAs but also time allowances for study, teaching and mentoring and loyalty, and credit for preventive imprisonment. With MJ Blancaflor

Maguindanao massacre kin seek more time to go to Manila By Rio N. Araja RELATIVES of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre are appealing to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to give them “ample time” to come to Metro Manila and personally witness the promulgation of the multiple counts of murder filed against the Ampatuan scion.’ Nena Santos, a private prosecutor, said the complainants have yet to travel from Mindanao. “The victims’ kin have been asking me about the schedule of the promulgation. They need an ample time,” she told the Manila Standard. Santos is representing the relatives of the 35 victims of Maguindanao massacre. Judge Jocelyn Reyes of Branch 221 has submitted the case for resolution after 10 years of the crime commission. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he is confident that the verdict on the Ampatuans and more than 100 accused would be meted out in November. While the 58 victims, including 32 journalists, were on their way to Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu on Nov. 23, 2009, armed men abducted, killed and buried them alive. The Ampatuan patriarch, the late Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., his children, private armies and even policemen were accused as the perpetrators behind the murder of the victims.

Postponement of brgy., SK polls endorsed ASF SCARE. Buyers in Commonwealth Market switched to buying fish and chicken after the African swine flu scare gripped Metro Manila, triggering the demand for non-pork commodities to increase and the price to go up. Lino Santos

Judge hearing Jee Ick Joo case inhibits self By Rey E. Requejo THE Angeles City lady judge handling the criminal cases involving the 2016 abduction and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo has granted the plea of the Department of Justice that she inhibits from further hearing the case. In a ruling, Judge Irin Zenaida Buan of Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 56 recused herself from hearing the cases for kidnapping for ransom with homicide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and carnapping. She was the second judge who inhibited from trying the case in the past two years. The DOJ prosecutors earlier ac-

China...

From A1

to build facilities in military camps to enable it to compete with other companies. The memo directs the AFP to identify specific sites for rent where Dito Telecommunity will install and manage its facilities without affecting military operations. AFP spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo previously allayed fears that the agreement can be used for spying, but opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan described the deal as “disturbing.” Pangilinan noted that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon had earlier warned against the increasing presence of Chinese nationals in the country. “Certainly, if it involves national security, then this government can do something about it,” Panelo told reporters in a press briefing.

cused Buan as “biased” for Police Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Dumlao III, one of the three accused, for allowing him to post bail despite a witness testimony that he was the “instigator” of the crime. At the same time, the judge denied bail to SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and Jerry Omlang. Roy Villegas, another policeman, was discharged as state witness in January 2018. Buan initially denied the prosecution’s first motion for inhibition. But the DOJ was prompted to file for another by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento. “To insist on trying these cases despite a continuing call for recusal will Panelo said the Defense chief had told him that he will investigate the deal. “The DND [Department of National Defense] Secretary texted me about it and said he doesn’t know anything about it. And he is going to investigate the concerned people involved in the deal,” Panelo said. He said Malacañang will await for Lorenzana’s findings before taking a stance on the matter. The military said partnering with Dito Telecommunity, which is poised to become the country’s third major telco player, is nothing new as similar deals have been secured by its rivals Smart and Globe. The memo also requires the telco firm to “furnish all equipment, labor, and materials necessary to effect the co-location of its facilities and shoulders all expenses in connection with or incidental to the co-location” and payment of all taxes, permits, licenses, and other charges, the AFP said. Dito is a consortium led by Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy,

already conjure an erroneous image of a judge holding on to a case under a continuous cloud of doubt,” Buan said, in his September 2 order. “To the mind of the Presiding Judge, this is counterproductive because no matter how regular the exercise of judgment or discretion is done, the same cannot dissuade the movants from their belief that the Presiding Judge is biased,” the lady judge added. The case will be reraffled to another judge following Buan’s recusal. Prior to Buan, the judge who first handled the case, Judge Irineo Pangilinan, Jr., also voluntarily inhibited in March 2018 after his impartiality was questioned after declaring Villegas as a state witness. and includes Udenna Corporation, Chelsea Logistics, and China Telecom, which is controlled by the Chinese government. Pangilinan had pointed out that companies controlled by the Chinese government are mandated to gather and provide intelligence for China. He was referring to China’s National Intelligence Law, which states that “any organization or citizen shall support, assist, and cooperate with the state intelligence work in accordance with the law.” Esperon admitted that he considers the influx of hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals a security threat. Pangilinan said other countries such as Australia, the United States, Japan and New Zealand have already banned Chinese telecom giant Huawei due to security concerns. He said he would raise his concerns during budget hearings. “We will ask clarificatory questions regarding this deal. And we will look into this because we are funding the AFP and DND,” he said.

THREE committees endorsed to the Senate the postponement of the baranggay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Under committee report number 4, the Committees on Local Government, Senate Electoral Reforms and Finance sought to defer the twin elections to the second Monday of May 2023. Fourteen senators have already signed the committee report. The postponement would mean that current barangay and SK ofﬁcials will remain in their respective posts on holdover capacity until the next elections. Senators are asking to set the elections to 2023, noting that if it will be held on May 2020 as scheduled, the barangay and SK ofﬁcials elected on May 2018 will not be able to complete the three-year term. In Monday’s public hearing, Senator Imee Marcos, chairman of electoral reforms committee, urged the Comelec not to hold the barangay and SK elections simultaneous with the 2022 presidential elections.

Isko... From A1 equally liable if stolen goods are found to be sold in their establishments,” he added, citing Presidential Decree No. 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law. While the forum was ongoing, a representative from Tutuban Mall sent word that they would comply with Domagoso’s order. “How many more mothers and fathers have to shed tears because their son or daughter was hurt by phone snatchers? Worse, the culprits are usually minors,” the mayor said. Earlier, members of the Special Mayor’s Reaction Team (SMaRT) held an inspection at Isetann Mall that led to the confiscation of some 148 assorted brands of phones. Moreno likewise warned off-track betting establishments not to engage in illegal online gambling. He cited the case of the 14 suspects who were arrested at an off-track betting in Sampaloc Friday evening after the establishment was found to be running illegal online cockfighting operations. “They do not have permit from the Games and Amusement Board. They do not have the right to operate online cockfighting,” the mayor said.

Sports

PBA teams face Asia’s best

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF San Miguel Beer MANDALUYONG CITY

is bracketed in Group B together with Zhenshen and defending champion Ryukyu Golden Kings. Blackwater opens hostilities at 3 p.m. FRE-MC19-1153 EXTRA-JUDICIAL when it FORECLOSURE goes up against two-time KBL OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER champion Seoul SK Knights. The Elite will ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY 4118 have Marqus Blakely and Alex Stepheson June Mar Fajardo, see action in the 7 SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, for imports, while the Knights will be pap.m. main game on opening day as they Borrowers/Mortgagors. rading Aaron Haynes and Jameel Warney, both representedfeaturby MARIA CLARISSA battle the Zhenshen Aviators SANGALANG as attorney-in-fact. ing 7’2” former Chinesex-----------------------------------------------x national team who briefly played for the Dallas MaverNOTICE OFicks. SHERIFF’S SALE member Li Muhao and imports Pierre Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as the Elite BANK and Knights in Group amended by ActSha4118 filed byJoining PHILIPPINE SAVINGS Deshawn and former NBA player Mortgagee, against SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS & VIRGINIA N, A iswith Chiba Jets. at 2706 bazz Nagee Muhammad.NICOLAS, Borrowers/Mortgagors, postal addresses Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, both representedNBA player KJ McBannered by former Fajardo is coming fresh fromCLARISSA a stintSANGALANG, by MARIA as attorney-in-fact with the 46 AguedaDaniels St., Vista Verde Village, andExecutive one-time Mighty Sports reinwith Gilas Pilipinas in given the address last atFIBA Cainta Rizal, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as Moore, the Katropa of August 2019TnT amounts forcement to ONE MILLIONMcKenzie FIVE HUNDRED World Cup in China along with5,the SIXTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE have their hands full against title conKatropa duo of Troy Rosario Roger(Php will PESOS and & 77/100 1,561,345.77) ONLY. Philippine Currency, plus accruing interest, penalty and other charges, the Leopards. tender Liaoning Flying Pogoy. Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized

HILIPPINE Basketball Association teams San Miguel Beer, PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK Blackwater, and TnT Katropa carry the ﬂag and country as Mortgagee, they mix it up with some of the best ballclubs around Asia in the -versusTerriﬁc 12 tournament that kicks off today at the Tap Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion in Macao.

The Beermen, Elite, and Katropa departed for the former Portuguese territory on Monday for the week-long meet that features nine other squads from the Chinese Basketball Association, Korean Basketball League and the J League of Japan. Each team is allowed to field in two imports for the event annually organized by Asia League Limited. The grand slam-seeking Beermen, reinforced by Desmine Wells and Lester Prosper and five-time PBA MVP

deputy will sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGERS CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 2nd day of October 2019 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the following condominium unit with all the improvements existing thereon to wit:

PSA Forum tackles PSL

CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. 008-2011000458 Registry of Deeds for Mandaluyong City

THE coming Philippine SuperLiga Invitational will be thoroughly discussed in today’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel Manila. PSC Chairman Philip Ella Juico and President Doc Ian Laurel lead the panel of guests appearing in the 10: a.m. session along with the coaches, team managers, and players of the eight competing teams. Seeing action in the league’s final conference for the season are Petron, PLDT, Foton, Marinerang Pilipina, Generika-Ayala, Cignal, Sta. Lucia, and F2. The weekly forum is presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. The session is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and aired on a delayed basis over Radyo Pilipinas 2 from 1 to 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. PSA members are enjoined to attend the forum.

Olympic... and

basketball

CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 2706, LOCATED AT THE TWENTY SEVENTH FLOOR OF SOHO CENTRAL CONDOMINIUM, WITH AN AREA OF 43.11 SQ.M.,MORE OR LESS; in the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of (TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO (2,962), Square Meter, is registered in the name of: Owner: SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, AMERICAN CITIZENS, BOTH OF LEGAL AGE Address: NO. 29030 EASTON LANE, HIGHLAND, CALIFORNIA 92346 U.S.A. “All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.” “In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on October 14, 2019 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter without further notice Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate

WINNING AS ONE. E-sports be thethenewest onereal of properties the mostand exciting category addition to for will themselves title of and the said the

encumbrances if any there be. this year’s South East Asian (SEA) Games. thereon, At a recent first-ever bootcamp of its kind, hosted by Razer held in Singapore, the variousMandaluyong e-sports City, athletes from participating countries Thailand, Philippines, Philippines, August 23, 2018. Malaysia and Singapore were given coaching and learning modules by DOTA 2 champion Kanisha (Sgd.) ATTY. ERWIN N. BARATA “sam BuLba” Sosale in preparation for the SEA Games. FromVI l-r: DavidSheriff Tse, Global E-sports Director Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio for Razer; Kanishka “Sam BuLba” Sosale, Coach Evil Geniuses; Ahmad Syazwan Bin Anuar, Head Coach (Sgd.) HELDER A. DYANGCO Malaysian National Team; Ben Samarat Assarasakorn, Secretary General for Thailand (TESF) e-sports Sheriff IV Federation, Harry Kartono, Advisor for Indonesia e-sports Association (IESPA), Ng Chong Geng, PresiWARNING: dent of Singapore e-sports Association (SEA); and Alvin Juban, co-President of Philippine SEA Games It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Union (PSEU) and National TeamNotice Manager. of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law.

Milliam, Maneja rule tennis meet Copy furnished:

Sps. Crisanto R. Nicolas and Virginia N. Nicolas 2706 Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City

Maria Clarissa Sangalang 46 Agueda St., Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta Rizal Chuanico Salgado Gordove & Associates 4th Floor PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas corner

From A8

selves, them.”

IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that unit identified and described as:

rewarded

Disappointment fires Australia Australia brought the Americans’ run of 78 consecutive wins in major competitions and exhibition games to an end just before the World Cup, a forewarning of what was to come. The Boomers led Spain for much of their thrilling semi-final, only to lose in double overtime. They similarly ran out of gas in their bronze-medal match against France. It left Australia still searching for a medal in the worlds or Olympics—a barren run that they hope they can finally snap next summer. Mitch Creek, their forward, hopes that the Boomers will have all their players for Tokyo—they were missing Philadelphia 76ers Jonah Bolden and Ben Simmons in China. “This team is going to be a very powerful team when it comes to the Olympic Games,” he warned. The Australians are still simmering from their one-point defeat to Spain in the bronze-medal match at Rio 2016. “We haven’t forgotten about the previous Olympics, the fourth place there,” he said. “And we’re certainly not going to forget about this World Cup campaign. “So there’s a lot we can take out of this and build upon.” AFP

St., Makati City ALEXA Joy Milliam and Sedeno Justine Hannah Maneja ruled the Cebuana Lhuillier Girls’ Tennis Challenge Under 14 and Under 16 Qualifying Tournament that ended last Sunday at the Makati Sports Club in Makati City. Milliam and Maneja will represent the country in the Women’s Tennis Association Future Stars Tournament. Displaying championship composure, topseed Milliam completely dominated JufeAnn Cocoy, 7-5, 6-3, in a fast-paced finals match to capture the 14-under title in the tournament sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines and supported by AXA Philippines, Standard Insurance, Dunlop, and Makati Sports Club. Third-seed Maneja, meanwhile, pulled off

a huge upset in disposing of top-ranked Jen(MStandard- Sep. 3, 10 & 17, 2019) aila Rose Prulla, 6-4, 1-6, 10-2, in the 16-andunder category. “Thank you and congratulations to all the participants, most especially our two champions, Alexa Milliam and Justine Maneja. This competition has brought out the best in both of you and I hope you will showcase the talents and skills that we have witnessed here as you vie for that WTA Future Stars Tournament title. Goodluck and make your country proud,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, UTP president and Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO. Milliam outclassed Mica Ella Emana, 6-2, 6-3, while Cocoy recovered just in time to beat third ranked Tiffany Claire Nocos, 1-6, 6-3, 10-8, to arrange the 14-under finals match.

Cebuana Lhuillier Girls’ Tennis Challenge winners, Alexa Joy Milliam and Justine Hannah Maneja, are flanked by (from left) UTP general manager Jackie Tomacruz and Cebuana Lhuillier senior AVP and corporate communications division head Richard Villaseran.

5 (Saturday). There will also be a grand Cosplay Competition happening on October 6 (Sunday). Out of more than 2,000 players who registered for the nationwide eliminations, the 16 teams competing for CS:GO Online Interbranch Semi-Finals happening on September 14 (for CS:GO) are as follows: CS:GO Metro Manila TNC Cyber Café Lerma – SEDNA; Miraculum Esports Lounge ArkAngel TNC Cyber Café Libertad – Bren Esports; and TNC Cyber Café E. Rodriguez – otlum5

PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Plaintiff, -versus-

R-MND-18-01467-CV

CS:GO Luzon TNC Cyber Café Molino – ECual Esports; TNC Cyber Café La Union – H%M Esports TNC Cyber Café SJDM – nerB; and TNC Cyber Café Legazpi – Half-Buy CS:GO Visayas TNC Cyber Café Bacolod DT – Steelwolves Astral; TNC Cyber Café Bohol – Station 751; Techtite Esports Lounge Iloilo– Iyakins; and Acclaim Computer Center– iLL City Sharks CS:GO Mindanao Esports Venue Davao – EZPZ;

Metronoia Cyber Café – Metronoia.gg; NCGC HQ Gen San – REAPERS.CS; and NCGC HQ Kidapawan - Cranium.ESG Meanwhile, the 16 teams facing off for the LoL Online Interbranch Semi-Finals on September 21 are: LoL Metro Manila TNC Cyber Café Lerma – Panaw; TNC Cyber Café Libertad Dungeon Akiba; TNC Cyber Café E. Rodriguez - Hey Gaming; Miraculum Esports Lounge - Portal One Esports LoL Luzon TNC Cyber Café Legazpi - nZero Toxic Club; TNC Cyber Café SJDM - Barko Esports; TNC Cyber Café La Union – AOTN; and TNC Cyber Café Molino - PlayLoud Esports LoL Visayas TNC Cyber Café Bohol - Ruyal Esports; TNC Cyber Café Bacolod DT - Steelwolves Gaia; Acclaim Computer Center - Sino Madula; and Techtite Esports Lounge Iloilo - Bren Esports LoL Mindanao Esports Venue Davao – Archeous; Metronoia Cyber Café – Emoji; NCGC HQ Gen San Winning teams from the branch qualifiers each took home P5,000 in cash and a guaranteed spot at the finals GenPol Esports; and NCGC HQ Kidapawan - CST for both CS:GO and LoL tournaments.

its equipment, attachments and accessories from the defendants and its delivery to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, to satisfy defendants’ obligation; . 2. Judgment be rendered confirming and ratifying as legal and valid the seizure of the mortgaged motor vehicle and its delivery to plaintiff for purposes of extra judicial foreclosure, in accordance with the provisions of the Chattel Mortgage;

On the alternative cause of action, in the event that the mortgaged motor vehicle cannot be recovered and delivered to plaintiff, to render judgment in favor of plaintiff, ordering defendants, jointly and severally, to pay plaintiff the principal ORDER amount of P789,280.95 plus all accruing charges Acting on the Ex-Parte Motion for Leave of under the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage Court to Serve Summons by Publication filed from due date until fully paid. by the plaintiff through counsel and pursuant to Section 14 of Rule 14 of the Rules of Court, Other appropriate relief are likewise prayed for. considering that defendant’s whereabouts is unknown and cannot be ascertained by diligent Makati City for Mandaluyong City, 28 June 2018. inquiry, the instant motion is GRANTED. SALGADO AVILA GORDOVE CHUANICO & ASSOCIATES ACCORDINGLY, let summons to the Counsel of Plaintiff PSBank defendant be made by publication in a 4th Floor PSBank Center Bldg., newspaper to be chosen in a raffle to be No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Avenue conducted by the OCC, RTC of Mandaluyong Cor. Sedeno St., tr1akati City City. By: SO ORDERED.

RICHEL V. ALQUIZA and JOHN DOE, Defendants. x-----------------------------------------x

Mandaluyong City, Philippines February 27, 2019 (Sgd.) RIZALINA T. CAPCO-UMALI Judge COPY FURNISHED: SALGADO AVILA GORDOVE CHUANICO & ASSOCIATES Counsel for the plaintiff 4th Floor PSBank Center Building, No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Avenue Cor. Sedeno Street, Makati City RICHEL V. ALQUIZA NO. 60 DON BENITO HERNANDEZ SAN RAFAEL 76 ZONE 10 PASAY CITY RTC-OCC Mandaluyong City

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION MANDALUYONG CITY BRANCH ,212 PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Plaintiff, -versus-

DANILO S. SALGADO

PTR No. 6607752; 1-3-18; Makati City 1BP Lifetime Member No. ‘03789; 7/7/04; Pasig City Roll No. 38262 MCLE Compliance No. V1-0003256; 10-9-17

FAINA E. PILAR-CHIANICO

PTR No. 6896246; 6-1-18; Makati City 1BP Lifetime Member No. 07082; 1locos Norte Roll No. 42989 MCLE Compliance No. V1-0001666; 2-1-17

NESTLE LYN M. PARDUCHO

PTR No. 5520383; 1-3-18; Quezon City 1BP Lifetime Member No. 013309; Q.C. Roll No. 58331 MCLE Compliance No. V-0014217; 2-11-16

NOLI A. CABRERA

R-MND-18-01467-CV

RICHEL V. ALQUIZA & JOHN DOE, Defendants. x---------------------------------------------x

PTR No. 6607754; 1-3-18; Makati City Roll No. 51998; 1BP Lifetime Member No. 07324 MCLE Compliance No. V-0009712; 8-13-2015

RAYMUND JONAS C. FLORES

PTR No. 6616218; 1-9-18; Makati City Roll No. 62391; 1BP Lifetime Member No. 11786; Makati City MCLE Compliance No. V-0006680; 3-04-15

GILBERT G. GORDOVE

PTR No. 6607753; 1-3-18; Makati City 1BP Lifetime Member No. 04783; SAMAR Roll No. 44495 MCLE Compliance No. V-0003231; 8-12-14

NICEFORO L. AVILA IBP No. 038309, 3/22/18; Makati City PTR No. 6618211; 1-9-18; Makati City SUMMONS Roll No, 48,305 Pursuant to the court’s Order dated February 27, MCLE Compliance No. V-0020305; April 11, 2019 and in compliance with Sections 15 and 16, 2016 Rule 14 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, herein is the Plaintiff’s Complaint, to wit: AFFIDAVIT OF MERIT TO SUPPORT THE APPLICATION FOR WRIT OF REPLEVIN AND COMPLAINT CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING Plaintiff, by counsel, respectfully states that: 1. Plaintiff Philippine Savings Bank (PSBANK for brevity), is a thrift banking corporation organized and existing under Philippine Laws, with principal office and place of business at 4th Floor PSBank Center, #777 Paseo de Roxas cor.

2. Defendant/s RICHEL V. ALQUIZA, Filipino, of legal age, with given address at NO. 60 DON BENITO HERNANDEZ, SAN RAFAEL, 76 ZONE 10 PASAY CITY NCR-FOURTH DISTRICT 1600 01 1600, where she may be served with summons and other judicial processes;

I, JOAN F. TAGNIPEZ, of legal age, Filipino and with postal address at 4th Floor PSBank Centre, 777 Paseode Roxas Street, corner Sedeno St., Makati City, after having been sworn in accordance with law, hereby depose and state that: 1. I caused the preparation of the complaint read the contents thereof; and allegations therein are true and correct based on my personal knowledge and authenticated record/documents under the possession of PSBank;

3. Defendant John Doe, whose real name and 2. That Plaintiff Bank is the mortgagee/assignee address is unknown to the plaintiff, is whoever under a Chattel Mortgage dated JUNE 15, 2017 maybe in actual possession of the motor vehicle of the motor vehicle described below: described below if it is not in the custody of the defendants; MAKE/TYPE: 2017 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE MOTOR NO.: 3A92UDS7501 4. For value received, the defendants jointly SERIAL NO.: PAEA13NJHHA000083 and severally executed and delivered to PEAK MOTORS PHILS., INC. (Dealer, for brevity) a with all its equipment, attachments and Promissory Note (ANNEX A) dated on June accessories which Defendants mortgaged to 15, 2017 with a face amount of P520,000.00 secure payment of a Promissory Note (Annex “A”, payable in 60 months at a monthly installment of Complaint) JUNE 15, 2017 with a face amount P12,942.00 beginning JULY 23, 2017 and on the of P520,000.00 payable in 60 months a monthly 23rd day of every succeeding month thereafter, installment of P12,942.00 beginning JULY 23, with late payment penalty of 5% per month from 2017 and on the 23rd day of every succeeding due date until the entire obligation is fully paid; month thereafter until fully paid; . 5. To secure the payment of the Promissory Note, the defendant also executed in favor of the 3. The estimated market value of the mortgaged Dealer, a Chattel Mortgage dated JUNE 15, 2017 motor vehicle is approximately P520,000.00; over the motor vehicle described below: 4. In the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage MAKE/TYPE: 2017 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE stipulated among others that the default in the MOTOR NO.: 3A92UDS7501 payment of any installment/other stipulated SERIAL NO.: PAEA13NJHHA000083 charges due and/or the violation of their other together with the body built or that may be built terms and conditions shall make the unpaid thereon and all the equipment, attachments and balance, at the time of such default, immediately accessories which may now or from time to time due and payable and shall entitle the plaintiff, be used with, added to or attached to the motor to obtain possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle from the defendant who are bound, on vehicle; demand, to deliver the same to the plaintiff for 6. On JUNE 15, 2017, the Dealer assigned to purposes of foreclosure and who may foreclose the Plaintiff all its rights, title and interest over the such mortgaged motor vehicle at any place Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage through where it may be found or stipulated or where a Deed of Assignment (Annex A-1) dated JUNE the plaintiff as mortgagee/assignee may have its 15, 2017; principal or branch office; 7. In the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage, it is stipulated among others that the default in the payment of any installment/other stipulated charges due and/or the violation of other terms and conditions shall make the unpaid balance and the time of such default, immediately due and payable and shall entitle the plaintiff, to obtain possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle from the defendants who are bound, on demand, to deliver the same to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, and who may foreclose such mortgaged motor vehicle at any place where it may be found or situated or where the plaintiff may have its principal or branch office;

Taiwan Excellence Esports Cup set in October AFTER picking out its 32 semifinalist teams from the nationwide elimination rounds last July and August, the 2019 Taiwan Excellence Esports Cup is now gearing up for the grand finals happening on October 4 to 6, at the SM City North EDSA The Block Atrium in Quezon City. The three-day event will see exciting battles between top-caliber eSports teams compete in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Tournament on October 4 (Friday) and the League of Legends (LoL) Tournament on October

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION MANDALUYONG CITY BRANCH 212

5. Defendants defaulted/violated the terms and conditions of the Promissory Note and Chattel Mortgage when they failed to ‘ pay at least two (2) monthly installments due thereon and subsequently installments;

6. In view of defendants’ default/violation plaintiff has become entitled to the possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle which the defendant appear to have wrongfully detained to defeat plaintiff’s mortgage lien thereon, when they failed and/or refused to deliver the same to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, despite oral and/or written demands, contrary to the provisions of the 8. Defendants violated the terms and conditions of Chattel Mortgage; the Promissory Note and Chattel Mortgage when they failed to pay at least two monthly installments 7. The mortgaged motor vehicle has not been falling due on JULY 23, 2017 and subsequent taken for any tax assessment or fine pursuant to installments plus other stipulated charges if any; law, or seized under an attachment or execution against the property of the plaintiff or if so seized, 9. Notwithstanding, the waiver of the defendant/s the same is exempt from such seizure; in the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage to receive a demand before the filing of . the 8. Plaintiff is willing to file a good, sufficient and complaint, plaintiff still sent oral and/or written solvent bond executed to the defendants in an demands upon the defendant/s to surrender the amount double the actual value of the mortgaged subject mortgaged motor vehicle for purposes of motor vehicle to warrant its return to (the foreclosure to satisfy defendant’s obligation or to defendants if its return is adjudged and for the pay his/her/their loan obligation. However, despite payment of the defendants of such amounts as the said oral and/or written demands upon the they may recover from the plaintiff on the action. defendant/s, he/she/they still failed and continued to refuse to pay his/her/their loan obligation. A 9. I further certify Plaintiff has not commenced copy • of the Demand Letter dated JUNE 27, 2018 any other action or proceeding involving the is hereto attached as Annex B. the total obligation same issue in another tribunal or agency; that as of JUNE 26, 2018 is at P789,280.95 excluding to the best of my knowledge, no such action or penalties, legal fees and other charges, as per proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Statement of Account dated JUNE 26, 2018 Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Court, or attached hereto as Annex C. any other tribunal or agency and that if I should 10. The Promissory Note and Chattel Mortgage thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding further stipulate that any legal action arising there has been filed or is pending before the Supreme from, may be instituted at plaintiff’s option, in the Court, the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial court of competent jurisdiction in Metro Manila or Court or any other tribunal or agency. I undertake in any province, city or municipality where plaintiff to promptly inform the Honorable Court of that has a branch office; fact within five (5) days from my knowledge thereof. 11. Pursuant to Sec.2 Rule 60 of the Revised Rules of Court and in support of plaintiff’s SGD. application for a preliminary writ of replevin JOAN F. TAGNIPEZ attached is plaintiff’s Affidavit of Merit; Affiant 12. Plaintiff is willing to file a good, sufficient NOW THEREFORE, defendant Richel V. and solvent bond executed to the defendants in an amount double the actual market value of Alquiza are hereby summoned and required to P520,000.00 of the mortgaged motor vehicle to Answer within SIXTY (60) DAYS from the date of warrant its return to the defendants if its return publication of this summons. to be adjudged and for the payment to the defendants of such sums as it may recover from WITNESS THE HONORABLE RIZALINA T. CAPCO-UMALI, Presiding Judge of this court. the plaintiff: ALTERNATIVE CAUSE OF ACTION 1. Plaintiff incorporates herein by reference, the preceding paragraphs; 2. In the event that the mortgaged motor vehicle cannot be found, seized and foreclosed, that the defendants, their successors, assigns and such other persons as may be required by law, be held liable, jointly and severally to pay the amount of P789,280.95 plus all accruing charges under the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage from due date until fully paid PRAYER

Given this 1st day of March 2019, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. (Sgd.) ATTY. JOFRE Z. ANDRION Branch Clerk of Court Copy Furnished: SALGADO AVILA GORDOVE CHUANICO & ASSOCIATES Counsel for the plaintiff 4th Floor PSBank Center Bldg., No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Avenue Cor. Sedeno St., Makati City

RICHEL V. ALQUIZA NO. 60 DON BENITO HERNANDEZ 1. A writ of replevin be issued ordering the seizure SAN RAFAEL 76 ZONE 10 PASAY CITY of the mortgaged motor vehicle, complete with all (MStandard-Sep. 17, 2019) ACCORDINGLY, it is respectfully prayed that:

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

DENR’s Ralph Lansang goes for a dunk during their game against the GSIS Furies. Lansang scored 51 points, including the game-winning 3 point shot.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Lansang lifts Warriors past Furies in UNTV Cup DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources debuted triumphantly, while National Housing Authority and Ombudsman scored contrasting wins in the 8th UNTV Cup held over the weekend at the Pasig City Sports Center. Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. – Agriculture vs Ombudsman 3:30 p.m. – Philhealth vs AFP 5 p.m. – Malacañang vs Judiciary

Sports Olympic basketball wide-open race 3x3 Elite League players to earn Fiba pts PLAYERS competing in the 3x3 Elite League Manila 2019 will be earning FIBA points in the threeday competition set to open on Friday at the Dumlao Sports Center in Mandaluyong City. Tournament commissioner Jerry Codinera said the competition is a FIBA-sanctioned event which will give the players individual points in their FIBA 3x3 profile. Codinera added the tournament will also give the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) federation ranking points in its quest to make it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Philippines is currently 25th in the world, and is looking to increase its rankings for a chance to make it to the first-ever 3x3 competition in the Olympics. “The tournament supports the SBP and the whole Philippine 3x3 community in its bid to make it to the Olympics. I truly believe that 3x3 basketball is for the Filipinos and we have a chance to excel in this competition,” said Codinera. Registration is still open for the 3x3 Elite League Manila which will have its eliminations on Friday and Saturday at the Dumlao Sports Center, with the playoffs and championships set on Sunday at the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City. The champion team will receive $3,000 and will represent the Philippines in the SINA 3x3 Elite League 2019 in Beijing this December where they will be competing against some of the best 3x3 teams in the world. Registration fee is P4,000 inclusive of four reversible jerseys. For more information, call 09065085861 or 09273780785, or visit facebook.com/eliteleaguemanila.

EIJING—The Tokyo 2020 Olympics basketball suddenly looks wide open after reigning champions the United States suffered their worst World Cup, Spain triumphed and Argentina surprised.

World Cup bronze medallists France, and Australia, who were edged out of the medals but pushed eventual winners Spain all the way in the semi-finals, will also be in contention. And not forgetting Serbia, who along with Gregg Popovich’s young Team USA were the favourites in China but were also surprise victims in the quarter-finals. The Tokyo Games are just over 10 months away and after some downtime following their exertions at the World Cup, teams will begin training their sights on next summer. “It’s exactly what I knew it to be because I’ve been involved with it before and in this day and age basketball in other countries is not a secret,” Popov-

ich said after his team’s disappointing seventh-placed finish. “So it’s not like there’s an epiphany or revelation to be made. “There are wonderful teams and wonderful coaches all over the world so there’s no surprise in any of that.” If the United States can convince the likes of double gold medallist LeBron James to play in Tokyo, they will be favourites to make it four Olympic titles in a row. But it remains to be seen whether the flak flying Team USA’s way after the China debacle scares the A-listers away or stings them into action. ‘Spain not the most talented’ Spain’s World Cup triumph, sealed

with a comprehensive 95-75 victory over surprise finalists Argentina on Sunday in Beijing, was built on defence and teamwork honed from playing together down the years. They also had Ricky Rubio, the Phoenix Suns point guard who was named tournament MVP, and the experience and international knowhow of Marc Gasol. Rubio described the Spain team as “a family”. In contrast, the US roster was one of the youngest in China and was thrown together at the last minute. The players were still getting to know each other as the tournament began. “We were not the tallest or most talented, or in the odds when the tournament started, but we worked hard,” said Spain’s coach Sergio Scariolo, an assistant at NBA champions the Toronto Raptors. “They didn’t lose faith in themTurn to A7

Jaraula targets back-to-back title run REYMON Jaraula has the momentum plus some edge in local knowledge as he sets out for back-to-back title drive in the ICTSI Del Monte Championship which reels off tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 18) at Del Monte Golf Club in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. Bristling with confidence coming off a breakthrough win—in playoff fashion—over one of the country’s winningest players, Jaraula hopes to hoist another trophy on Saturday although he remains wary of his chances against practically the same field he had bested at Pueblo de Oro. “I feel good and I believe I can win at Del Monte where I used to train,” said Jaraula, who pulled off a couple of brilliant putts to stun Tony Lascuña on the second sudden death hole last Saturday. “But Del Monte is a bit tougher than Pueblo since there are tricky holes, including the tight par-4 No. 17.” He added that a 14-under total at the mountaintop course could net one the crown in the P2.5 million championship serving as the seventh leg of the 10th season of the ICTSI-sponsored Philippine Golf Tour and second of four tournaments making up the Mindanao swing. “But there are a lot of good play-

Reymon Jaraula hopes to cash in on his familiarity with the Del Monte layout in pursuit of a second straight PGT diadem.

ers so I really have to work hard to win again,” added the 27-year-old Jaraula, referring to, among them, his fellow Del Monte players, led by Noel Langamin, who anchored the team’s PAL Interclub romp in 2011, along with Magno Arancon and Leonard Lofranco and the Miñoza brothers Paul and Peter along with reigning Philippine Open champion

Clyde Mondilla. Lascuña, for one, is going all-out to nail the win that has eluded him the last two years, his runner-up effort at Pueblo could hit at a successful campaign this week following a number of top five finishes and a couple of third place efforts in his last few events in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Members of PH esports team Sibol to SEA Games announced

The team captains competing in all six titles featured in the esports event of the 30th Southeast Asian Games - Dota 2, StarCraft II, Hearthstone, Arena of Valor, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 7.

AFTER a tough week for the 77-strong training pool for Sibol, the Philippine team that will represent the country in the esports medaled events of the 30th SEA Games, only 27 athletes have made the final team. Seven members are needed for each of the team-based games: Dota2, Arena of Valor, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang while two members each will make up the rest of the games: StarCraft 2, Hearthstone, and Tekken 7. These are the 27 athletes that will comprise Sibol: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s team of 7 is comprised of Kenneth Jiane ‘Kenji’ Villa, Karl Gabriel ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno, Carlito ‘Ribo’ Ribo, Jeniel ‘Haze’ Bata-anon, Angelo Kyle ‘Pheww’ Arcangel, Allan

Sancio ‘Lusty’ Castromayor and Jason Rafael ‘Jay’ Torculas. For Dota 2 we have Mc Nicholson ‘Mc’ Villanueva, John Anthony ‘Natsumi’ Vargas, Jun ‘Bok’ Kanehara, Marvin Salvador ‘Boomy’ Rushton, Bryle Jacob ‘CML’ Alvizo, Van Jerico ‘Van’ Manalaysay and James Erice ‘Erice’ Guerra. Arena of Valor will be led by Kevin Kio ‘Gambit’ Dizon, Jeremiah ‘1717’ Camarillo, Jevan Lorenzo ‘Bents’ Delos Santos, Lawrence Anthony ‘Rubixx’ Gatmaitan, Miguel Klarenz ‘Miggie’ Banaag, Bradie Ryan ‘Yats’ Velasquez and Kyle Jepherson ‘Vindiicated’ Padlan. StarCraft II’s duo will have Justin ‘NuksPH’ Santos and Caviar ‘Enderr’ Acampado.

The DENR Warriors leaned on the heroics of Ralph Lansang to outlast the GSIS Furies, 101-98, while the NHA Builders of Bennett Palad defeated the Philippine National Police Responders, 85-81, in Group II elims. The Ombudsman Graft Busters spoiled the SSS Kabalikat’s debut with a 110-73 drubbing in the lone Group I match of the event presented by UNTV through its President and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon. Lansang shattered a 98-all count with a three-point shot with barely four ticks left to cap a brilliant 51-point show—so far the highest scoring output in the league for public servants. He was ably supported by Ed Rivera who posted 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists that helped negate the 49-point performance of GSIS’ Bernante Parreño, including a league record 12 triples. Former UST player Bernon Franco led Ombudsman’s well-balanced attack with 30 points and 16 rebounds as the Graft Busters made known their title aspiration this time after a botched bid last season. In a rematch of last year’s battle for third place, the Builders went to Alvin Vitug and Marvin Mercado once again to repeat over the PNP Responders, 85-81. Vitug tallied 31 points, including five free throws in the last 46 seconds. The chosen charity of the champion team will get the top prize of P4 million.

Altas bag 1st-ever NCAA chess crown UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System DALTA captured its firstever senior’s title following a 3.5-.5 victory over Arellano University last Saturday in the NCAA Season 95 chess tournament at the San Beda campus. It was a sweet victory for the Altas, who finished third in the eight-round eliminations, as it achieved a breakthrough win in 34 years, or since the school joined the league in 1985. Prior to the finals, Perpetual Help defeated No. 2 twice-to-beat San Beda University in the semifinals. “Pinaghandaan po talaga namin ito, since we ended up fourth last Season 94. Madami kami sinalihang pre-season tournaments and malaking tulong sa amin ‘yun,” said tournament MVP and Board 4 John Marx Anastacio, who captured a total of four gold medals. Top board Genesis Borromeo delivered the clincher for Perpetual Helpd as he downed Arellano’s Joshua Arias via Bogo Indian Defense in their twohour and 50-minute match. Also emerging victorious for the Altas woodpushers in the Finals were Carl Zirex Sato in Board 2 and John Marzx Anastacio in Board 4. Other gold medalists were Board 1 Daryl Samantila of College of St. Benilde, Marc Christian Nazario in Board 2 in San Beda, Board 3 John Fleer Donguines of CSB, AU’s Louigi Beñas of Arellano, and Board 6 Joshua Marquez of Lyceum of the Philippines University. IM Roel Abelgas was named the Coach of the Year. San Beda, meanwhile, unseated Perpetual Help in the juniors’ division following a 2.5-1.5 victory in the Finals, with Gal Brein Palasigue winning the MVP honors, and Ildefonso Datu as Coach of the Year. IM Eric Labog Jr of Perpetual Help (Board 1), Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Reginald Canlas (Board 2), Gal Brein Palasigue of San Beda (Board 3), Christian James Aquino of Perpetual Help (Board 4); James Michael Erese of Arellano, (Board 5) and Jerome Angelo Aragones of Perpetual Help (Board 6) won the gold medal in their respective boards.

IN BRIEF

Meralco sees power outages next month

MANILA Electric Co. warned that supply to the Luzon grid in October will fall short of some 600 megawatts to 900 megawatts because of the scheduled maintenance of two production production facilities. Meralco data showed one of the gas plants, a unit of the 1,200-MW Ilijan plant in Batangas, will be on maintenance outage during the first week of October. “We have alerted the DOE already that there are scheduled outages already in October, as early as the first week... There are several plants that will have their scheduled maintenance. We just have to be careful that the supply is there,” Meralco president and chief executive officer Ray Espinosa said. The Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan is also set to go on scheduled maintenance shutdown on Oct. 12 to 15. Mario Marasigan, director of the department’s Electric Power Industry Bureau, assured that contingency measures had been put in place to ensure adequate power supply during the Malampaya gas field shutdown. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH eyes stronger tie-up with China

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Philippines is seeking stronger partnership with the Chinese government and that the warming ties between the two countries are creating an environment more conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Speaking before a visiting delegation of Chinese businessmen, Dominguez said the Philippine government had adopted a more forward-looking policy toward China that recognized “the great synergy that will be generated by the closer partnership between these two countries.” “We look forward to more partnerships at ground level, at the level of individual enterprises, and shared wealth creation. The opportunities that unite us are far greater than the issues where we might have some differences,” Dominguez said during the Philippines-China Trade and Investment Forum held Monday at the Conrad Manila Hotel in Pasay City. China in 2018 was the Philippines’ biggest trading partner with a total trade of $52 billion, up 15 percent higher than the 2017 level. Julito G. Rada

Business

Meralco awards supply contracts to 3 companies By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said Monday it signed supply agreements with three companies for 500 megawatts of mid-merit capacity effective Dec. 26, 2019 for a term of ﬁve years. Meralco signed the PSAs with First Gen Hydro Power Corp., Phinma Energy Corp. of the Ayala Group and South Premiere Power Corp. of San Miguel Corp. after their respective offers were declared as the best bids by the third-party bids and awards committee during the competitive selection process on Sept. 11. “Another great day for Meralco customers and we thank our genco partners―SMC power group, First Gen power group and Ayala/Phinma power group for offering generation rates well below the prevailing generation rates and the Meralco reserve LCOE [levelized cost of energy] price cap and for making the Meralco customers the runaway winner in this groundbreaking competitive bidding,” Meralco president and chief executive Ray Espinosa said. “With these new PSAs, Meralco customers will enjoy savings of about P4.4 billion a year for ﬁve years,” Espinosa said. First Gen Hydro Power will supply 100 MW with an all-in headline rate (VAT inclusive) of P5.1908/kWh and computed all-in LCOE (VAT inclusive) of P5.3989 per kWh. Phinma Energy will supply 110 MW at allin headline rate (VAT inclusive) of P5.5858 per kWh and computed all-in LCOE (VAT Inclusive) of P5.5858 per kWh.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Bulacan airport deal up for signing Govt to open S auction of By Darwin G. Amojelar

AN Miguel Holdings Corp. is set to sign on Wednesday the contract to build the P734-billion Bulacan International Airport, the Transportation Department said Monday.

Transportation Undersecretary for planning and project development Ruben Reinoso Jr. said San Miguel had complied with all the conditions set by the government on the project, including the P10.9-billion performance security. The DOTr issued a notice of award to SMHC in August to undertake the ﬁnancing, design, construction, supply, completion, testing, commissioning and operation and maintenance of the new international gateway in Bulakan, Bulacan. It was awarded to San Miguel after

no other party participated in the Swiss Challenge to contest the original proposal by the end of the deadline on July 31. San Miguel president Ramon Ang described the project as “a game-changer” that would bring more foreign tourists to the Philippines. The Bulacan International Airport is expected to commence construction by the end of the year and start operations within four to six years. San Miguel tapped the services of global ﬁrms Groupe ADPi, Meinhardt Group and Jacobs Engineering to de-

sign and build the New Manila International Airport. All three companies were involved in building world-class airports including Changi Airport in Singapore, Atlanta Airport in the US and Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. The initial designs, some of which were released earlier, envision a future-ready airport focusing on overall passenger experience and sustainable technologies consistent with the needs of the environment and the local communities of Bulacan and nearby provinces. San Miguel said it would also engage a world-class airport operator to help manage the country’s future premier gateway. The company is building the project on a 2,500-hectare property in Bulakan town about 30 kilometers northeast of Metro Manila at no cost to the government.

Salceda says CITIRA is important legislation

THE Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act, approved by the Lower House last week, is now considered the most significant economic legislation in the country, second only to the 1987 constitution with positive footprint on almost every sector of our economy. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, House Ways and Means committee chair and lead author of the measure, said CITIRA or HB 4157, approved on third and final reading with a vote of 170 affirmative against eight negatives and six abstentions, was the center piece legislation of the Duterte Administration, the second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program. President Duterte has designated CITIRA as the country’s principal national response to the US-China trade war. “It rearranges our economic structure by lowering the income tax on one million small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which employ most of our labor force while rationalizing incentives of 3,100 corporations and make them perform,” Salceda said. All told, CITIRA will create 1.566 million jobs, add GDP growth of 1.1 percent in the first year and 3.6 percent annually from 2020-2030, while adding only 0.9 percent to inflation, he added.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

SMART-TRUEMONEY PARTNERSHIP. PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. is expanding its retail accessibility with TrueMoney, the fastest growing financial technology company in Southeast Asia. Under the partnership, Smart, TNT and Sun subscribers can easily buy prepaid load, particularly Gigavideo+ 149, through the 20,000-plus TrueMoney centers all over the Philippines. Signing the agreement are (from left) George Gordon, assistant vice president and channel head for key accounts at Smart; Precy Katigbak, vice president and head of national key accounts at PLDT-Smart; Jenilyn Valdez, CFO and OIC-chief executive at TrueMoney; Steven Christian Nardo, business unit head for payments at TrueMoney; and Jeff Boone, general manager at LoadCentral.

POGOs emerge as biggest office space occupants—Colliers By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine offshore gaming operators overtook the business process outsourcing sector as the top office space demand driver in the first nine months, according to real estate services firm Leechiu Property Consultants. LPC chief executive Davie Leechiu said in a news briefing that of the 1 million square meters of office space taken up in the first nine months, POGOs accounted for about 34 percent or 386,000 sq. m. The POGO office take-up represented a 109-percent increase from the same period last year and marked the first time for the offshore gaming industry to be the top demand driver for office space since 2016. LPC expects POGO demand for the whole year to reach 420,000 to 450,000 sq. m. and BPO demand to account for 350,000 to 400,000 sq. m. “If we’re very lucky, then POGOs will exceed the historical high of BPOs, which was 485,000 sq. m. back in 2016.

But if we are super-duper lucky, then we will get the BPO sector close to 450,000 this year,” Leechiu said. LPC said that Bay City accounted for 502,000 sq. m. or 36 percent of total POGO footprint in the country since 2016, followed by Makati City with 20 percent. The other major sites are Alabang, Cavite and Quezon City. Meanwhile, the information technology-business management processing or the outsourcing sector took up 31 percent of the total ofﬁce demand in the nine-month period at 335,000 sq. m. Leechiu expects the trend to continue for the remainder of the year as demand from POGOsl remained steady following President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent visit to China. “POGO sector has gone ballistic since two weeks ago when Cambodia’s online gaming industry was exiting and halfway through President Duterte’s trip to China, the POGO just started to aggressively take ofﬁce spaces,” Leechiu said. “In the last three weeks they [POGOs] have taken up 230,000 square meters of

office space through Metro Manila, including pre-commitments,” he said. Leechiu said office demand for ITBPM sector was also expected to continue to grow as the current recessionary environment in many major economies and the recent developments in the Middle East over the weekend would most likely accelerate the take-up rate of the BPOs in the next 12 months. Data showed that of the total 355k sqm taken up by IT-BPM, 17 percent were registered as new office developments in Cebu and Clark. Leechiu said that as demand for both office space from POGO and IT-BPM sectors remained strong, the overall prospects of the real estate industry would continue to improve. Leechiu said the IT-BPM and POGO industries would continue to make significant contributions to the national economy, with the IT-BPM industry generating about $1.3 billion worth of annual office rental income and the POGO industry contributing $219 million.

Mindanao rail in November

THE Department of Transportation said Monday it will launch the bidding for the construction of Mindanao Railway Project Phase 1 in November this year. The target aims to break ground on the P82.9-billion Mindanao Railway System Phase 1 by early next year and start the actual construction in the ﬁrst quarter of 2020. Phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway is a 102-kilometer rail line that will link the Davao Region through Tagum, Davao City and Digos. It is designed to accommodate around 110,000 passengers per day in its opening year. The department expects the volume of passengers to increase to 237,023 by 2032 and 375,134 by 2042. The MRP-TDD segment is expected to reduce travel time from Tagum City, Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours once it starts operating in 2022. A group of Chinese engineering consultants is now preparing the groundwork for the succeeding phases of the railway system. The project is funded by the Chinese government. It will have eight stations in Tagum; Carmen; Panabo; Mudiang; Davao Terminal; Toril; Sta. Cruz; and Digos. A 10-hectare depot will be built in Tagum. Besides the Mindanao Railway, the Transportation Department is also pursuing the Tutuban-Malolos segment of PNR Clark Phase 1. PNR Clark Phase 1 will run from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan. The ﬁrst package consists of civil works for elevated structures, a depot in Valenzuela and the construction of six stations in Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao and Bocaue. PNR Clark Phase 1 forms part of the North-South Commuter Railway Project―a mega rail network that aims to seamlessly integrate the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, through PNR Clark Phases 1 and 2 (Tutuban-Malolos and Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba (Manila-Laguna). The entire NSCR line aims to serve 700,000 passengers daily once it becomes fully operational. Darwin G. Amojelar

Remittances climbed 7.5% to $2.6b in July—BSP report By Julito G. Rada MONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas climbed 7.5 percent in July to $2.6 billion from $2.4 billion a year ago. This was the fastest growth of remittances in nine months, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday. This also brought cash remittances in the ﬁrst seven months to $17.2 billion, up 3.9 percent from $16.6 billion in the same period last year. “Cash remittances from land-based and sea-based workers increased by 2.5 percent to $13.4 billion and 8.9 percent to $3.8 billion, respectively,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement. The United States registered the highest share of overall remittances from January to July at 36.8 percent,

followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany and Kuwait. The combined remittances from these countries accounted for 78.1 percent of total cash remittances in the ﬁrst seven months. Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also increased by 7.2 percent in July to $2.9 billion from $2.7 billion in July 2018. This brought the seven-month personal remittances to $19.1 billion, up 3.6 percent from $18.5 billion a year earlier. “The steady growth in personal remittances drew support from the remittance inﬂows from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more, which aggregated to $14.6 billion from $14.2 billion in the same period last year,” Diokno said.

SECURITY BANK’S AWARD. The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines recognizes Security Bank Foundation’s flagship education program ‘Build A School, Build A Nation: The Classrooms Project’ with an award of excellence under the Communication Management: Corporate Social Responsibility category. Security Bank Foundation trustee Melissa Aquino receives the award on behalf of Security Bank at the awarding ceremony.

Business

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks end flat; ICTSI advances T HE stock market closed virtually ﬂat Monday in cautious trading, as investors weighed the new tension in the Middle East after attacks on two Saudi facilities slashed output in the world’s top exporter by half.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 4.58 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,996.90 on a value turnover of nearly P5 billion. Losers, however, overwhelmed gainers, 131 to 68, with 47 issues unchanged. International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, advanced 4.4 percent to P137.20, while Aboitiz Power Corp. climbed 3.6 percent to P40.35. Manila Electric Co., the largest re-

tailer of electricity, rose 2.1 percent to P374, but PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, fell 2.4 percent to P1,175. Oil prices, meanwhile, saw a record surge Monday amid fresh geopolitical fears after Donald Trump blamed Iran and raised the possibility of a military strike on the country. Brent futures surged $12 in the first few minutes of business—the most in dollar terms since they were launched in 1988 and representing a jump of nearly 20 percent—while WTI jumped more than $8, or 15 percent. Both contracts pared the gains as the day wore on but were still up nearly 10 percent. The surge in crude lit a fire under energy firms, with Hong Kong-listed CNOOC up 7.4 percent and PetroChina 4.3 percent higher. Woodside Petroleum rallied more than four percent in Sydney. However, airlines took a hit from the

prospect of higher fuel costs. Cathay Paciﬁc dropped four percent in Hong Kong, Air China dropped 4.6 percent in Shanghai and Qantas dived more than four percent in Sydney. Asian stock markets were mostly down after last week’s rally that was fueled by China-US trade hopes, while investors are awaiting a key Federal Reserve policy meeting hoping for another cut in interest rates. Shanghai was marginally lower after data showed China’s huge economy showed further signs of slowing last month, with retail sales, ﬁxed-asset investment and industrial production all missing forecasts. Hong Kong sank 0.8 percent after fresh violent protests struck the city at the weekend, while Singapore shed 0.1 percent and Jakarta sank two percent. There were also losses in Mumbai and Wellington. Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

Sydney added 0.1 percent, Seoul gained 0.6 percent and Taipei was 0.7 percent higher. Oil prices had dropped last week after news that Trump had fired his anti-Iran hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, which was seen as paving the way for an easing of tensions in the region. “One thing we can say with confidence is that if part of the reason for last week’s fall in oil and improvement in geopolitical risk sentiment was the news of John Bolton’s sacking... and thought this was a precursor to some form of rapprochement between Trump and Iran, then it is no longer valid,” said Ray Attrill at National Australia Bank. The attack—claimed by Tehranbacked Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war—hit two sites owned by state-run giant Aramco and effectively shut down six percent of the global oil supply. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 94.35 1,650,280 142.4 1,157,800 1.21 1,000 25.85 173,800 18.6 2,900 12 885,200 5.47 876,000 1.26 71,000 755 320 0.44 100,000 69.6 2,376,410 0.97 56,000 46.55 163,600 180 3,590 57.4 12,480 27.6 42,000 205.6 240,780 1,820 50 59.6 26,260

155,595,911 164,885,458 1,210 4,499,845 53,940 10,549,786 4,680,892 88,980 243,400 44,000 165,495,712.50 54,320 7,644,635 646,652 718,438 1,156,420 49,321,324 91,000 1,565,492

61,227,602.50 -28,654,297 -3,265,990 888,356 -21,537,847 0 -1,588,100 18,000 -703,488 -640,800 15,477,628 894,000

38.5 15.8 0.69 1.3 0.241 90.75 2.7 14.02 110.2 10.06 16.14 31.9 72 78 2.06 6.13 6.04 9.05 15 10.36 7.19 1.73 26 81.8 49.2 2.4 13.66 8.51 1.56 222.6 4.99 3.47 8.33 22.05 13.52 19.04 363.2 0.189 5.2 2.02 4.37 5.35 9.1 2.82 10.88 34.7 5.07 5.1 1.72 2.08 1.07 11.76 90 7.22 0.124 1.11 167.4 2.42 1.28 1.29

INDUSTRIALS 40.35 4,495,700 15.9 29,900 0.71 420,000 1.3 120,000 0.241 1,350,000 107.9 20 2.75 2,006,000 14.16 492,800 115.5 1,610 10.28 776,000 16.72 4,700 32.2 4,900 75.5 450 80 720 2.09 595,000 6.13 4,200 6.05 12,700 9.19 375,100 15.48 1,200,900 10.46 299,500 7.2 111,600 1.73 12,000 26 1,420,000 82 195,160 49.9 126,180 2.44 9,492,000 13.66 1,202,100 8.7 210,900 1.59 16,000 224 442,140 5 16,700 3.53 14,000 8.33 4,500 22.3 313,700 14.28 942,600 19.04 147,300 374 208,780 0.189 50,000 5.2 62,800 2.05 13,943,000 4.45 62,000 5.36 10,685,600 9.1 6,400 2.84 31,605,000 11 56,000 35 1,955,200 5.1 73,800 5.1 12,100 1.81 965,000 2.08 31,000 1.13 801,000 12 3,173,300 92.5 177,850 7.24 31,500 0.124 400,000 1.16 969,000 168.2 836,140 2.42 13,000 1.3 6,957,000 1.3 1,808,000

178,139,705 474,826 292,660 156,120 326,420 1,986.50 5,514,160 6,974,870 185,911 7,959,758 76,876 157,645 32,692.50 57,690 1,235,990 ( 25,786 76,780 3,432,846 1 18,562,742 3,117,932 803,429 20,770 37,035,065 16,000,812.50 6,320,390.50 23,019,060 16,446,978 1,831,842 25,360 98,746,422 83,499 49,010 37,485 6,942,735 13,102,608 2,816,786 77,201,360 9,450 327,240 28,728,440 271,590 58,363,783 58,369 91,393,160 615,058 68,786,300 379,109 61,710 1,717,720 64,500 863,510 38,058,972 16,276,504 227,842 49,600 1,104,750 140,687,697 31,460 9,083,560 2,364,170

71,856,030 43,734 -133,920 -880,170 132,826 -216,852 74,060 450,019.9998) -75,572 ,110,157.9997 11,576,012 677,070 -609,842 1,730 19,505,820 -8,010,551 3,549,926.50 9,619,820 -10,176,278 470,511 -8,722,012 -81,370 -3,127,026 1,281,254 26,993,990 5,263,980 2,030,769 2,530,220 -10,968,920 2,100 -21,910,928 -7,556,498 7,250 -20,260.00 -625,589 31,460 -1,409,800 -248,440

0.88 53.05 12.42 0.78 7.05 13.48 1.19 1.23 900 3.58 6.84 9.05 13.5 4.6 0.23 900.5 72 5.38 5.22 5.2 0.5 4.5 14.36 0.61 5.05 0.038 1.32 2.91 170.9 1,011 0.84 1.29 449.8 230 0.229 0.235

HOLDING FIRMS 0.88 12,466,000 54.7 1,378,220 12.76 3,173,900 0.78 527,000 7.05 200 13.8 25,200 1.22 2,833,000 1.23 200,000 907 221,230 3.64 6,385,000 6.85 705,400 9.12 5,950,300 13.68 42,800 4.6 25,000 0.242 70,000 919 70,760 74.5 1,573,560 5.99 10,000 5.22 1,200 5.2 800 0.52 36,000 4.5 268,000 14.44 1,005,600 0.65 159,000 5.11 12,175,600 0.038 2,600,000 1.37 49,000 2.98 11,000 170.9 129,860 1,015 238,930 0.84 155,000 1.29 36,000 449.8 90 233 230 0.236 260,000 0.248 710,000

11,130,280 74,956,486.50 40,244,860 413,620 1,410 342,176 3,437,860 246,190 200,026,990 23,162,340 4,835,665 54,353,883 585,046 115,270 16,220 64,584,210 116,169,176 13 53,922 6,264 4,160 18,150 1,214,290 14,520,096 100,610 62,117,656 98,800 66,190 32,500 22,290,121 242,693,835 130,250 46,440 40,482 52,970 59,610 172,640

125,840 9,351,578 17,646,450 -246,190 -32,265,760 -481,890 -2,509,647 -12,173,428 -47,950 4,181,715 ,382,403.5001 1,198 -683,650 1,346,838 11,057,403 -6,800 1,116,140 -55,266,695 -

15.22 0.85 1.97 0.89 48.85 2.17 4.76 5.88 0.55 0.219 0.4 9.32 21.45 0.45 0.121 1.63 1.22 4.04 5.09 0.31 0.45 1.48 0.39

PROPERTY 15.26 436,200 0.85 298,000 1.97 10,000 0.89 1,732,000 49.9 7,923,900 2.17 494,000 4.78 280,000 5.88 10,100 0.56 15,857,000 0.219 210,000 0.4 50,000 9.34 17,600 21.45 145,300 0.46 210,000 0.121 300,000 1.65 6,846,000 1.24 1,231,000 4.04 1,000 5.18 8,105,400 0.315 3,010,000 0.45 50,000 1.5 1,225,000 0.39 270,000

6,651,282 253,300 19,700 1,553,160 391,599,700 1,077,400 1,341,380 59,400 8,834,060 45,990 20,000 164,732 3,124,990 95,250 36,320 11,268,910 1,558,880 4,040 41,664,584 940,750 22,500 1,830,890 105,950

-558,190 -9,900 38,478,025 -976,720 -546,480 -80,850 11,208 -216,320 -3,592,740 20,705,334 -31,500 -22,500 -313,250 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

94.3 142.5 1.21 25.9 18.6 12.12 5.25 1.24 755 0.44 70 0.97 46.8 181 57.5 27.7 205.4 1,820 60

94.4 142.7 1.21 25.9 18.6 12.12 5.54 1.26 765 0.44 70.25 0.97 46.8 181 57.75 27.7 206 1,820 60

94 141.3 1.21 25.85 18.6 11.9 5.2 1.24 755 0.44 69.45 0.97 46.55 180 57.4 27.5 203.2 1,820 59.6

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 EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

38.9 15.9 0.69 1.3 0.245 90.75 2.74 14.02 115.6 10.6 16.22 32.25 72.8 80.5 2.07 6.14 6.05 9.12 15.46 10.5 7.19 1.74 26 82.5 52 2.45 13.8 8.94 1.56 222.8 5 3.47 8.33 22.2 14.46 19.28 366 0.189 5.23 2.15 4.39 5.5 9.2 2.98 11 34.7 5.3 5.1 1.79 2.1 1.15 12.1 90.2 7.25 0.124 1.15 168.5 2.42 1.32 1.35

40.35 15.98 0.71 1.31 0.246 107.9 2.78 14.28 115.6 10.6 16.72 32.25 75.6 80.5 2.09 6.14 6.05 9.2 15.5 10.54 7.22 1.74 26.25 82.5 52 2.45 13.8 8.94 1.6 225 5 3.54 8.33 22.3 14.5 19.28 374 0.189 5.23 2.16 4.5 5.65 9.2 2.98 11 36 5.3 5.1 1.83 2.1 1.15 12.1 92.5 7.25 0.124 1.2 169 2.42 1.33 1.35

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 FJ PRINCE A FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A KEPPEL HLDG B 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

0.91 53.55 12.7 0.8 7.05 13.94 1.26 1.24 908 3.6 6.9 9.2 13.5 4.64 0.23 920 74.45 5.38 5.22 5.2 0.53 4.54 14.44 0.61 5.13 0.038 1.32 2.91 174.8 1,017 0.85 1.29 449.8 230 0.229 0.235

0.92 54.7 12.8 0.8 7.05 13.94 1.26 1.24 910.5 3.67 6.9 9.2 13.76 4.65 0.242 920 74.5 5.99 5.22 5.2 0.53 4.55 14.5 0.65 5.15 0.038 1.37 2.98 174.8 1,025 0.85 1.29 449.8 233 0.236 0.248

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY

15.26 0.85 1.97 0.92 49.9 2.2 4.81 6 0.56 0.219 0.4 9.34 21.65 0.455 0.123 1.66 1.27 4.04 5.16 0.315 0.45 1.48 0.395

15.26 0.85 1.97 0.92 49.9 2.22 4.83 6 0.57 0.219 0.4 9.4 21.7 0.46 0.123 1.66 1.29 4.04 5.18 0.32 0.45 1.51 0.395

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

2.09 25.1 2.35 3.35 34.35 2.46 5.83 0.93 7.7

2.09 25.45 2.37 3.36 34.65 2.49 5.83 0.93 7.7

2.04 25.1 2.35 3.35 34.1 2.4 5.63 0.93 7.65

2.08 25.3 2.36 3.36 34.65 2.44 5.63 0.93 7.69

210,000 2,748,500 61,000 16,000 7,937,900 220,000 220,900 74,000 2,088,800

432,090 69,367,795 143,980 53,660 273,013,420 539,940 1,265,493 68,820 16,040,525

-46,491,905 33,500 -14,256,330 -7,692,043

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

10.4 20 1.61 0.57 2.5 11.4 0.057 93.5 6.79 7.28 5.8 2.23 10.52 900 1,955 5.27 426 1.77 132.5 9.49 5.05 0.113 5.52 14.02 3.32 0.93 19.64 3.4 2.57 1.29 1.55 3.5 2.91 8.4 140 3.42 1,200 0.72 0.59 42.8 79.9 9.19 2.9 0.7 0.365 5.46 0.67 16.62

10.4 20.1 1.67 0.59 2.51 11.44 0.058 93.5 6.8 7.28 6 2.23 10.52 919 1,961 5.35 435 1.81 137.2 9.49 5.05 0.113 5.52 14.36 3.33 0.94 19.8 3.46 2.59 1.29 1.55 3.5 2.91 8.4 140 3.42 1,200 0.73 0.6 42.85 80.5 9.36 2.93 0.7 0.38 5.47 0.69 16.7

10.2 19.86 1.6 0.57 2.46 11.08 0.056 89.2 6.79 7 5.8 2.07 10.26 900 1,930 5.26 426 1.74 131.2 9.48 5.04 0.112 5.3 14 3.29 0.92 19.64 3.38 2.5 1.2 1.48 3.43 2.85 8.2 140 3.28 1,155 0.72 0.57 42.45 78.55 9.08 2.87 0.69 0.35 5.46 0.67 16.42

SERVICES 10.3 19.9 1.66 0.57 2.5 11.08 0.056 91.5 6.8 7.05 6 2.07 10.3 910 1,949 5.31 435 1.76 137.2 9.48 5.04 0.112 5.32 14.36 3.33 0.93 19.76 3.45 2.53 1.2 1.48 3.45 2.85 8.2 140 3.35 1,175 0.72 0.57 42.7 80.5 9.36 2.88 0.69 0.36 5.46 0.69 16.44

11,500 169,300 5,000 2,923,000 266,000 625,800 11,710,000 536,560 2,400 3,068,200 3,000 76,000 147,900 220 24,025 265,400 180 1,561,000 1,378,640 200 9,900 230,000 2,977,400 1,400 173,000 360,000 173,100 42,000 960,000 11,000 5,000 1,526,000 44,000 9,500 348,830 871,000 102,215 2,010,000 19,349,000 1,521,500 876,170 48,400 1,509,000 276,000 43,290,000 4,337,700 530,000 4,871,500

119,010 3,370,162 8,150 1,673,390 660,710 7,000,100 660,150 49,011,780.5 ( 16,312 21,635,727 17,830 157,520 1,540,276 200,090 46,704,645 1,412,666 77,400 2,740,400 184,528,782 1,897 49,975 25,960 15,977,788 19,756 573,320 335,700 3,417,398 144,080 2,438,180 13,560 7,590 5,270,890 125,510 77,963 48,836,200 2,892,680 119,746,965 1,447,440 11,171,100 ( 64,929,830 70,178,691 442,536 4,360,340 191,980 15,938,100 23,683,843 357,840 80,425,378

-1,670 -1,635,668 20,879,529.5) -129,551 4,140 9,190 -5,349,765 73,280,512 -154,414 1,436 654,604 3,460 -126,530 1,550 345,000 0 -70,310 -5,578,845 -107,280 338,210.0001) 13,191,435 30,051,912.50 1,190,770 -21,850 -12,858,846 21,414,272

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

0.0017 1.23 2.65 12.9 2.69 0.28 8.09 1.73 0.223 0.11 0.11 0.0099 0.011 1.18 4.38 1.14 0.485 0.89 0.012 0.012 0.012 10.08 4.14 13 23.75 0.0064

0.0017 1.25 2.65 13 2.7 0.285 8.09 1.8 0.227 0.11 0.111 0.0099 0.014 1.21 4.42 1.14 0.485 0.9 0.012 0.012 0.012 10.5 4.14 13.06 23.95 0.0064

0.0017 1.23 2.57 12 2.68 0.28 7.85 1.69 0.221 0.109 0.11 0.0098 0.011 1.18 4.25 1.11 0.485 0.85 0.012 0.012 0.011 9.57 3.98 12.56 23.05 0.0064

MINING & OIL 0.0017 175,000,000 1.23 2,139,000 2.57 16,000 12.5 19,900 2.68 849,000 0.285 830,000 8.02 12,700 1.8 47,948,000 0.227 700,000 0.11 780,000 0.11 2,110,000 0.0099 94,000,000 0.014 103,800,000 1.2 130,000 4.29 9,497,000 1.14 76,000 0.485 20,000 0.89 891,000 0.012 86,000,000 0.012 17,500,000 0.011 18,600,000 9.62 2,474,100 4.02 245,000 12.7 3,436,300 23.95 15,713,100 0.0064 6,000,000

297,500 2,647,670 41,440 250,398 2,280,680 232,600 100,796 84,510,690 157,420 85,790 232,230 925,400 1,293,600 154,570 41,057,200 86,610 9,700 785,850 1,032,000 210,000 209,700 24,402,553 996,070 44,151,938 369,384,605 38,400

-210,800 -1,250 -38,790 16,873,390 2,200 1,100 -1,206,190 34,800 -143,000 175,372 634,606 1,087,395 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

18.64 504 504 100.9 5.13 980 980 0.99 1,080 109 997 78.95 75.9 76 78 76.55 76.95 76.55

18.64 505 504.5 100.9 5.13 992 980 0.99 1,080 109 997 78.95 75.9 76.2 78 76.55 76.95 76.95

18.6 504 504 100.9 5.12 967 980 0.99 1,080 109 997 78.95 75.6 75.5 78 76 76.95 76.55

PREFERRED 18.64 107,800 505 200 504.5 950 100.9 900 5.12 65,400 992 1,010 980 30 0.99 3,659,000 1,080 10 109 20 997 100 78.95 8,540 75.6 10,400 75.65 224,530 78 3,000 76 2,170 76.95 3,000 76.95 8,700

2,007,216 100,980 478,810 90,810 335,187 978,180 29,400 3,622,410 10,800 2,180 99,700 674,233 788,940 17,035,026 234,000 164,982 230,850 666,025

-68,960 -

LR WARRANT

1.72

1.65

WARRANTS 1.65 10,000

16,600

39,362,313 47,308,664 4,239,680

-873,418 -6,300 -1,950

989,130

4,792

89,507 4,904

MS ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

6.19 12.44 0.98

7.03 13.36 1

6.06 12.4 0.97

FIRST METRO ETF

119.6

119.8

118.7

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.3 0.99

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

10.3 0.99

SHARES 8,621,104

101,759,205 53,822,180

PROPERTY

62,329,927

SERVICES

113,110,429

MINING & OIL

588,811,849

GRAND TOTAL

942,233,415

10.3 0.98

SME

7 12.76 0.97

5,797,300 3,650,600 4,321,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.8 8,280 10.3 0.98

DDS

8,690 5,000

VALUE 1,829.57 (DOWN) 3.05 648,122,776.62 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,051.93 (UP) 39.99 991,872,079.45 HOLDING FIRMS 7,906.90 (DOWN) 11.69 1,025,885,204.18 PROPERTY 4,068.16 (UP) 4.08 SERVICES 1,622.27 (DOWN) 1.34 833,331,071.475 MINING & OIL 9,593.63 (UP) 2.17 800,650,187.49 PSEI 7,996.90 (UP) 4.58 575,604,962.25 All Shares Index 4,823.05 (UP) 0.08 4,967,368,849.21 Gainers: 68; Losers: 131; Unchanged: 47; Total: 246

Axelum cuts maximum initial public offering price to P5.72 By Jenniffer B. Austria AXELUM Resources Corp., a leading integrated coconut product manufacturer and exporter, has reduced the maximum offer price of its planned initial public offering to P5.72 apiece. The company initially set the maximum offer price of the IPO at P6.81 apiece Axelum could potentially raise as much as P6.46 billion in fresh capital at P5.72 per share. “By updating the maximum offer price, we aim to optimize investors’ interest and appetite in our local stock market, include more investors while still maintaining funding for our strategic plans,” said Axelum president Henry Raperoga. Axelum plans to sell a maximum of 700 million in primary shares and up to 430 million in secondary shares. Axelum will announce the ﬁnal offer price on September 20. The offer period will run from Sept. 24 until Sept. 30, with the target listing date set on Oct. 7. Axelum, which will carry the trading symbol AXLM, is the second of only three IPOs that have been approved by regulators so far this year. The company plans to use the net proceeds from the primary offer to fund strategic acquisitions, expand its domestic and international distribution networks, install new manufacturing facilities for new products, and improve and expand existing plants. A portion of the proceeds will be used to retire loans, reduce payables, and and fund other capital expenditure requirements. First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, is the issue manager, bookrunner and joint lead underwriter of the IPO, while BPI Capital Corp is the joint lead underwriter. Axelum is one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of desiccated coconut, coconut milk powder, coconut milk/cream, reduced fat coconut, sweetened, toasted, roasted and desiccated coconut and other coconut products. It is also a major manufacturer of coconut water for customers like Vita Coco, the leading coconut water brand in the world. The company’s products are sold to domestic and international food and beverage companies, confectioneries, bakeries, private label supermarkets and grocery store chains, food service industries, coconut coffee creamer manufacturers and diet prepared food market.

Ayala Land trims peso bond issue to P3b from P5b MAJOR property developer Ayala Land Inc. trimmed the size of its planned peso bond offering to P3 billion from the initial target of P5 billion. Ayala Land would sell P3 billion in five-year bonds with a coupon rate of 4.7580 percent a year, according to an offer supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The P3 billion fixed-rate bonds represent the second issuance from the Ayala Land’s three-year shelf registration program worth up to P50 billion approved by the SEC in April. The first tranche issued in May amounted to P8 billion with a sevenyear tenor and a coupon rate of 6.3690 percent per annum. Ayala Land plans to use the net proceeds from the offering to finance construction of a Manila Bay office tower, Seda Manila Bay in Pasay City and Ayala Triangle Garden Tower Two in Makati. The offering price will run from Sept 16 to 20. The bonds will be issued and listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on Sept. 30. Aside from bond offering, Ayala Land plans to raise as much as $300 million in fresh funds from the maiden offering of real estate investment trusts The property firm’s subsidiary, AyalaLand REIT Inc., or AREIT, will offer Grade-A commercial office assets in Makati. “ALI believes that REIT initiative is a viable investment vehicle to access new investors, recycle and reinvest capital and promote the development of the Philippine capital markets as a whole,” the property firm said. AREIT plans to list within the year once all regulatory approvals are in place. It appointed BPI Capital Corp. as issue manager and lead underwriter of the offering. Jenniffer B. Austria

World

Manila

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 Standard

TODAY CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF MANDALUYONG CITY

IN BRIEF Angry bees delay Air India flight NEW DELHI―An Air India flight was delayed by several hours after a swarm of bees landed on the cockpit window, attacking ground staff when they tried to remove them, officials said. The insects landed on the window just before the plane was due to leave the eastern city of Kolkata on Sunday with 136 passengers, including Bangladesh’s information minister. Ground staff tried to shoo the insects off, angering them, and when attempts to use the windscreen wipers failed officials switched to ‘plan b’ and blasted them off with water. “Fire tenders were deployed to spray water to dislodge the honey bees and they could be driven away after nearly an hour-long operation,” airport official Kaushik Bhattcharya told AFP. The flight to Agartala in north-eastern India eventually took off more than three and a half hours late. Bees swarm when a queen bee leaves an existing colony to found a new home together with thousands of worker bees. AFP

Almost 80,000 homes still without power TOKYO-Almost 80,000 homes are still without power a week after a powerful typhoon battered eastern Japan, authorities said Monday, with sustained heavy rain prompting evacuation orders and hampering recovery efforts. Typhoon Faxai powered into the Tokyo region in the early hours of Monday last week, packing record winds that brought down power lines, disrupted Rugby World Cup preparations and prompted the government to order tens of thousands of people to leave their homes. The storm killed two people, with at least three elderly later confirmed dead due to heatstroke as temperatures soared to above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in areas affected by a posttyphoon blackout. Some 78,700 households were still without power in Chiba, southeast of the capital, Tokyo Electric Co. (TEPCO) spokesman Naoya Kondo told AFP. “A complete recovery is still unlikely until September 27 as we have difficulties in mountain areas,” he added. Some 16,700 households were also without water because several water purification plants had no power, a local official said. AFP

Car bomb in Syria kills 11 civilians

BEIRUT―A car bomb near a hospital in a town held by Turkey-backed Syrian rebels in northern Syria killed 11 civilians on Sunday, a monitor said. The blast struck in Al-Rai near the Turkish border, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing near the town’s entrance, the second such deadly blast in the wider rebel-held area since June. A member of the rebel security forces, Osama Abu al-Kheir, told AFP that a refrigerator truck blew up outside a health care center. The deputy head of the town council, Alaa al-Hammad, said the truck appeared to have been detonated by remote control. A pharmacist and two of his children were among those killed, he said, adding that nearby homes were reduced to rubble. Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels launched a military operation against both the Islamic State group and Kurdish ﬁghters in northern Syria in 2016, seizing Al-Rai and the nearby town of Azaz. In June, another car bomb killed 19 people near a bustling market and mosque in Azaz. Ankara keeps Turkish troops and intelligence forces in the area, and it backs Syrian rebels serving as police ofﬁcers. AFP

South Korean beer imports plunge SEOUL―South Korean imports of Japanese beer slumped almost to zero last month in the face of a consumer boycott sparked by a bitter trade and historical dispute between Seoul and Tokyo, data showed Monday. Japanese companies shipped $223,000 worth of beer to South Korea in August, ﬁgures from the Korea Trade Statistics Promotion Institute showed―down 97 percent from $7.57 million last year. Before the trade spat―which has raised concerns over the ties between the neighbors, both of them US allies―Japanese beer had long been South Koreans’ favorite alternative to their country’s own brews, according to KTSPI, topping the import tables since 2010. “Japan’s rank dropped to the 13th place last month,” an ofﬁcial from KTSPI told AFP, adding that beers from China, the Netherlands and Belgium now had the biggest shares of South Korea’s imports. Seoul and Tokyo have been embroiled in the trade dispute since July, when Japan tightened export controls on three chemicals essential to key products of South Korean tech companies such as Samsung. AFP

PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK Mortgagee, -versus-

FRE-MC19-1153 EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY 4118

SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, Borrowers/Mortgagors. both represented by MARIA CLARISSA SANGALANG as attorney-in-fact. x-----------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE

Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118 filed by PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK Mortgagee, against SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS & VIRGINIA N, NICOLAS, Borrowers/Mortgagors, with postal addresses at 2706 Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, both represented by MARIA CLARISSA SANGALANG, as attorney-in-fact with the given address at 46 Agueda St., Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta Rizal, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of August 5, 2019 amounts to ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE PESOS & 77/100 (Php 1,561,345.77) ONLY. Philippine Currency, plus accruing interest, penalty and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGERS CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 2nd day of October 2019 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the following condominium unit with all the improvements existing thereon to wit: CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. 008-2011000458 Registry of Deeds for Mandaluyong City

INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE. A traditional dance from Mexico’s Guerrero state is performed during the city’s

annual Fiestas Patrias parade on September 15, 2019, in Santa Ana, California. Fiestas Patrias marks Mexican Independence Day, which officially falls the day after. The city of Santa Ana is approximately 78 percent Latino. AFP

Nearly 200 arrested over vast forest fires

AKARTA―Indonesia has arrested nearly 200 people over vast forest fires ripping across the archipelago, police said Monday, as toxic haze sends air quality levels plummeting and sparks flight cancellations. Jakarta has deployed thousands of personnel to battle blazes that are turning land into charred landscapes and consuming forests in Sumatra and Borneo islands, where thousands of schools have been shut over health fears. The fires—usually started by illegal burning to clear land for farming—have unleashed choking haze across Southeast Asia, triggering diplomatic tensions with Indonesia’s neighbours. On Monday, authorities said they had arrested some 185 people suspected of being involved in activities that led to out-of-control fires sweeping the country. “Indonesian Police will enforce the law against anyone who is proven to have carried out forest and land burning, whether it was done intentionally or through negligence,” National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told reporters in Jakarta. “This is a last resort. The most important thing is prevention.” Four corporations were also being investigated, he added. Last week, Indonesia sealed off dozens of

plantations where smog-belching fires were blazing, and warned that owners—including Malaysia and Singapore-based firms—could face criminal charges if there was evidence of illegal burning. Some of the most serious fires occur in peatlands, which are highly combustible when drained of water to be converted into agricultural plantations. Thick haze in Borneo—where air quality levels have plummeted to “dangerous” levels in some areas—caused the cancellation of about a dozen flights Sunday, national airline Garuda said. Rival Lion Air said about 160 Borneo flights had been affected at the weekend. Meanwhile, nearly 150,000 people have been treated for acute respiratory infections linked to the haze in recent months, according to Indonesian health authorities. While forest fires are an annual problem, the situation this year has been worsened by drier weather in Indonesia, with diplomatic tensions soaring as toxic smog drifts over to neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. The haze pushed Singapore’s air quality to unhealthy levels for the first time in three years at the weekend. In 2015, Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for almost two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions. Huge fires tearing through the Amazon are also compounding concerns about the long-term impact of such blazes on keeping global temperature levels stable. AFP

Hong Kong families divided over protests HONG KONG―For weeks, Jane lied to her mother about joining Hong Kong’s protests―pretending her rucksack was bulging with books, not supplies―until the ideological rift between them grew so great she had to move out. With millions marching to protest stuttering freedoms under Beijing’s rule over the last 100 days, Jane found herself increasingly arguing with her mother who was bitterly opposed to the pro-democracy movement. Eventually, an insurmountable gulf grew between them. “After every ﬁght, she wouldn’t talk to me for a week,” said the softly spoken 24-year-old, who asked to use a pseudonym. “Hong Kong ﬂats are small. We’re apart by just one wall. So I had to leave.” It was a huge emotional blow. Jane was raised solely by her mother. “We’ve spent my whole life together, just me and her, but she won’t stand by me,” she said. “It makes me feel powerless.” Jane describes herself as a moderate-not one of those on the front lines battling police or embracing violence. She said she tried to explain the movement’s goals of a more democratic Hong Kong but her arguments fell on deaf ears with her mother. “She believes what China says, she believes the protesters are paid by foreigners, that all protesters are thugs,” Jane lamented. “She never believes me.” The three months of huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese city are overwhelmingly youth-led. AFP

IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that unit identified and described as: CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 2706, LOCATED AT THE TWENTY SEVENTH FLOOR OF SOHO CENTRAL CONDOMINIUM, WITH AN AREA OF 43.11 SQ.M.,MORE OR LESS; in the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of (TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO (2,962), Square Meter, is registered in the name of: Owner: SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, AMERICAN CITIZENS, BOTH OF LEGAL AGE Address: NO. 29030 EASTON LANE, HIGHLAND, CALIFORNIA 92346 U.S.A. “All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.” “In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on October 14, 2019 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter without further notice Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said real properties and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Mandaluyong City, Philippines, August 23, 2018. (Sgd.) ATTY. ERWIN N. BARATA Clerk of Court VI & Ex-Officio Sheriff (Sgd.) HELDER A. DYANGCO Sheriff IV WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law. Copy furnished: Sps. Crisanto R. Nicolas and Virginia N. Nicolas 2706 Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City Maria Clarissa Sangalang 46 Agueda St., Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta Rizal Chuanico Salgado Gordove & Associates 4th Floor PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas corner Sedeno St., Makati City (MStandard- Sep. 3, 10 & 17, 2019)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 78 QUEZON CITY REY T. DELA CRUZ Petitioner, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-07469 FOR: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

BEVERLY F. PARAS-DELA CRUZ, Respondent. xxx-------------------------------------xxx

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO: MS. BEVERLY F. PARAS-DELA CRUZ 221 Melendez Apartment, Tapuac District, Dagupan City, Pangasinan &/or No. 16 Kisad 7b West Burnham Place, Baguio City GREETINGS: You are hereby required pursuant to the Order of this Court dated August 14, 2019 and Sections 3 & 5 of A.M. No. 02-11-10SC, to file your answer in the above-entitled case within thirty (30) days from the last issue of publication hereof in a newspaper of national circulation once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks and answer the Petition for Nullity of Marriage anchored under Art. 36 of the Family Code which was filed against you by petitioner, Rey T. Dela Cruz, and furnish thereof to petitioner’s counsel, Atty. Isagani C. Ramos, with postal address at Gov. Padilla National Road, Poblacion, Plaridel, Bulacan. You are likewise required to submit with your Answer certified copies of documents as well as affidavits of any witness to stand as your evidence in this case. You must present the original documents/s on the day of hearing. Moreover, your are reminded of the provision of the IBPOCA Memorandum of Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a Motion to Dismiss and instead alleged the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the Court shall hear the petitioner’s case and may grant the petitioner the relief applied for. Witness, the HON. FERNANDO T. SAGUN, JR., Presiding Judge of this Court this 14th day of August 2019. (Sgd.) ATTY. MARIBEL M. FERNANDEZ Branch Clerk of Court

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Regional Trial Court Branch 78 Quezon City REY DELA CRUZ, Petitioner, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-07469-CV FOR: DECLARATION OF NULLITY OF MARRIAGE

BEVERLY F. PARAS-DELA CRUZ Respondent. x----------------------------------------------x

ORDER

The SHERIFF’S RETURN dated July 25, 2019 submitted to this court by the Sheriff Joselito V. Itliong, Office of the Clerk of Court, Baguio City showed that the service of Summons and annexes unto the respondent was Unserved “for the reason that respondent is not known or owner of unit” at the given address; and while the OFFICER’S RETURN made by MR. JIMMY H. CASTANEDA, Process Server, RTC, Dagupan City disclosed that the Summons issued against the respondent was likewise unserved as the latter can not be contacted at the given address in said city. In view thereof, the petitioner through his counsel filed on August 5, 2019 his MOTION FOR PRIOR LEAVE AND TO SERVE SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION seeking the issuance of an ORDER granting leave and that summons be served by Publication on respondent. Accordingly, and upon motion filed by the petitioner through counsel and pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 of A.M. NO. 02-11-10-SC dated March 4, 2003 and Sections 14 and 15 of Rule 14 of the Rules of Court, the instant motion is hereby GRANTED. The Summons shall contain the 1) title of the case; 2) the docket number; 3) the nature of the petition; 4) the principal grounds of the petition; 5) and the reliefs prayed for, and a directive for the respondent to answer within thirty (30) days from the last issue of Publication. The Petitioner and counsel are ordered to cause the publication of SUMMONS once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a NEWSPAPER of NATIONAL CIRCULATION in the Philippines; and to serve a copy of the summons attaching therewith copies of the PETITION complete with enclosures at the last known address of Respondent by way of LBC Private Courier at the expense of said petitioner.

SCREENING. Betsy Soloway-Aizley attends the ‘Transparent’ screening at

the 2019 Tribeca TV Festival at Regal Battery Park Cinemas on September 15, 2019, in New York City. AFP

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, 14th day of August, 2019. (Sgd.) FERNANDO T. SAGUN, JR. Presiding Judge (MStandard-Sept. 17 & 24, 2019)

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

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Electric posts stand right along the passageway of drainage canals along McArthur Highway in Bulacan, including those that are still under construction in Marilao town. This has partly led to floods in several villages in low-lying towns such as Bocaue, residents say. Orlan Mauricio

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

1k CCTVs for Makati schools By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Makati City government has installed more than 1,000 closed-circuit television cameras in public schools in the city to ensure the safety of students inside the school premises. “The CCTV cameras have been installed in strategic parts of the school premises to ensure the safety and protection of students. Being a second home to them, the schools should be able to make them feel safe while learning,” said Mayor Abigail Binay. Binay tapped engineer Lauro Reyes, head of the Department of Engineering and Public Works, in installing 1,176 CCTVs to improve security in 27 public schools. The CCTV cameras are located at the entrance and exit gates of the schools and

other strategic locations so that security personnel can easily monitor any inappropriate or illegal activities inside the school premises and on its perimeter areas, according to the city chief executive. Reyes, in his report to the Office of the Mayor, said 962 dome and 214 bullet CCTV cameras were installed in 27 public schools—13 in District 1 and 14 in District 2, including the division office of the Department of Education-Makati. Reyes reported that in District 1, CCTV cameras were installed as fol-

lows: Bangkal High School Annex with 13 CCTVs (one bullet and 12 dome); Bangkal Main Elem. School, 54 (10 bullet and 44 dome); F. Benitez 3 Elem. School, 46 (nine bullet and 37 dome); F. Benitez Main Elem. School, 14 (two bullet and 12 dome); Jose Magsaysay Elem. School, 26 (six bullet and 20 dome); La Paz Elem. School, 45 (16 bullet and 29 dome); and Makati Elem. School, 20 (five bullet and 15 dome). Maximo Estrella Elem. School, 56 (17 bullet and 39 dome); Nicanor Garcia Elem. School, 40 (eight bullet, 32 dome); Palanan Elem. School, 46 (eight bullet and 38 dome); Gen. Pio del Pilar I Elem. School, 32 (nine bullet and 23 dome); Gen. Pio del Pilar Main Elem. School, 55 (eight bullet and 47 dome); and San Antonio Elem. School, 13 (two bullet and 11 dome). In District 2, the following schools

were installed with CCTVs: Cembo Elem. School with 54 CCTVs (10 bullet and 44 dome); Comembo Elem. School, 64 (eight bullet and 56 dome); East Rembo Elem. School, 57 (eight bullet and 49 dome); Fort Bonifacio Elem. School, 46 (seven bullet and 39 dome); Guadalupe Viejo Elem. School, 42 (15 bullet and 27 dome); Makati Science High School, 77 (15 bullet and 62 dome); and Nemesio Yabut Elem. School, 43 (five bullet and 38 dome). Pembo Elem. School, 75 (four bullet and 71 dome); Pitogo Elem. School, 38 (six bullet and 32 dome); Rizal Elem. School, 74 (eight bullet and 66 dome); San Jose Elem. School, 15 (two bullet and 13 dome); South Cembo Elem. School, 20 (four bullet and 16 dome); Tibagan Elem. School, 38 (11 bullet and 27 dome); West Rembo Elem. School, 55 (nine bullet and 46 dome); and Dep-Ed Makati Division Office, 18 (eight bullet and 10 dome).

Land grabbing in Calbayog ordered probed By Jess Malabanan TACLOBAN CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources -Land Management and Maps Bureau is investigating alleged massive land-grabbing activities by a businessman allegedly in cahoots with some personnel of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office stationed in Catbalogan City. DENR-LMMB director Eduardo Unay issued the directive in the wake of complaints filed by rightful land owners here, mostly coconut farmers, who say their lot numbers were intentionally deleted from the records in favor of the unscrupulous individual. Jose Sagala Sucapco, 58, of Barangay San Joaquin, Calbayog City, who represents the Sagala family’s heirs, said the lot numbers for the agricultural property owned by his late grandparents were deleted, and instead replaced by another set of numbers that fall in an unclassified forest (timberland) when checked. Sucapco said his family was paying real property tax not knowing that the lot number designated in their Tax Declaration is for unclassified forest.

France, SEARCA push PH agri resiliency By Brenda Jocson LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Aiming to reduce disaster risk towards a resilient agriculture sector, some 50 experts have convened in a forum at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture headquarters here and pledged to push for a resilient agricultural and rural communities. Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, said the experts during the forum were moved to sign a commitment statement to push for promoting costeffective measures, policies and regulations, and transferable solutions to address economic, social, and political barriers towards resilient agricultural and rural communities. In collaboration with the Embassy of France in the Philippines, the forum gathered members of the academe, farmer group leaders, municipal and provincial agriculturists, disaster risk reduction and management practitioners, national and local government officials, experts from international development agencies, and representatives from nongovernmental organizations and the private sector.

BRIDGE REPAIR. This bridge in Sta. Ana, San Pablo City was wrecked by a storm, but will be rebuilt thanks to the efforts

of Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, and San Pablo City Mayor Loreto Amben Amante. Go and Amante (inset, left and 2nd from left) later take part in a boodle fight after the groundbreaking ceremony last Sept. 12 for the bridge construction. Roy Tomandao

Deep in floods, Bulakeños want engineers fired By Orlan L. Mauricio MALOLOS CITY—Bulacan residents who suffer through flooding with every heavy downpour turned to social media to call on Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to fire all his department’s engineers in the province for the “unexplained stupidity” in the construction of the entire draining system along McArthur Highway, from Meycauayan City to Calumpit, Bulacan. Bulakeños also urged Villar to summon all city and municipal engineers with jurisdictions along McArthur Highway to explain why they accepted and allowed the construction of drainage canals without requiring the Manila Electric Co. to remove all its electrical posts that block the flow of floodwaters into the drains. Manuel Mendoza of Marilao, in his social media post, said Department of Public Works and Highways engineers were practicing the “Science of Stupid”―also the title of a popular cable TV show―for allowing the construction of drainage canals where Meralco posts are right smack in its passageway. Troy dela Cruz of Malolos also called on Villar to investigate why the multistory STI Building in the city was allowed to be built in spite of violating the set-back regulations under the Building Code. The façade of the STI building has also encroached on the sidewalk of McArthur Highway in Brgy. Dakila, Malolos, Dela Cruz noted. Mar Batungbakal of Calumpit also asked Villar on Facebook to investigate why a shopping mall was allowed to be constructed right under two bridges near the Calumpit Institute. “While the Department of Interior and Local Government is serious in its all-out war against all kinds of obstruction along national roads to meet its Sept. 19 deadline, DPWH should also have the same resolve to clear main thoroughfares of illegal construction and the pestering presence of Meralco posts in the middle of drainage canals,” he said.

To protect kids, Tiangco cracks whip on erring computer shops By Jun David TO STRENGTHEN the city’s efforts to protect children, Mayor Toby Tiangco has ordered the closure of computer shops that defy ordinances on computer shop regulations and disciplinary hours. Tiangco instructed the City Business Permits and Licensing Office to issue notice of violations to computer shops that allow minors, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian, to enter and stay in their establishments during school hours or beyond 10 p.m. If found to have three or more unaccompanied minors in its premises beyond curfew, the computer shop may face closure and revocation of business permit. In his letter, Tiangco cited complaints received

through the Text Johnrey oR Toby (TEXT JRT) facility that several computer shops violate City Ordinances No. 2014-08 and 2017-16. Section 7 h.2 of City Ordinance No. 2014-08 states that “Computer gaming shops or centers are strictly prohibited from allowing the entry of students of minor age during school hours and beyond 10 p.m., except when accompanied by a parent or guardian.” Section 11, on the other hand, enumerates the penalties that a computer shop may face for violating said ordinance. The mayor wrote that CBPLO should interpret Section 11 as implying that one unaccompanied minor constitutes one offense for the computer

shop. Thus, three minors would be treated as three offenses, warranting closure of the establishment and revocation of their business permit. Tiangco also directed the Navotas City Police and the barangays to strictly implement the city’s disciplinary hours. City Ordinance No. 2017-16 imposes curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for Navoteños below 18 years old and penalizes parents or guardians in case of violations. Minors, whether singly or in groups and without adult supervision, are prohibited from wandering or staying in and about public places during the disciplinary hours without lawful purpose or justifiable reason.

FOR THE HEART.

Dr. Lourdes Ella GonzalesSantos, a cardiologist and training officer at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center and the section head for hypertension at the UP-Philippine General Hospital, discusses cardiovascular diseases caused by cholesterol during the ‘One Family, One Heart, One Goal’ press conference on Friday at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

PH FIRM IN DUBAI. IAM Worldwide Corp., the No.

1 company in the Philippines committed to upgrading the quality of life of its stakeholders, has opened its newest branch at Centurion Star Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. IAM Worldwide wants to help individuals achieve financial freedom and personal greatness.

Life

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Protecting body from rainy season health hazards D

EPENDING on a person’s perception, the rainy season could be a good thing or bad. On the one hand, it’s nippy so it’s a great time to wear layers, among other things. On the other, it’s gloomy, it’s wet, and it brings inconveniences such as diseases.

Asia’s leading health and beauty reagainst weather tailer Watsons helps keep consumers inThe ugly effects of wild weather don’t formed by sharing ways they can protect stop with germs. It seems contradictory, themselves from the risk factors brought but the wet season can dry a person’s by the rainy season. skin out. The shift in weather can cause skin damage and drying. Skin dryness Protect yourself can lead to wrinkles and other visible against germs signs of premature aging. That’s why, The sudden and dramatic shifts in despite the humidity, it is best to use weather wreak havoc on a person’s im- more moisturizer. mune system. When the immune system Watsons carries a wide range of prodis weak and compromised, that regular ucts and brands for various skin needs. cough and cold are able thrive and spread Olay is for anti-aging, Snail White for until it seems like everybody’s got it. lightening, Neutrogena, Nivea, and Protect yourself and boost your im- Myra E for healthy glow, and Celeteque munity against germs by taking regu- for sensitive skin. lar vitamins and supplements like Lola Remedios. Just in case you do get sick, Protect yourself stock up on cough, cold, and fever mediagainst pollution cines like Neozep and Strepsils. The rain does little to wash away toxins Germs also cause problems in other in the air. Combine the damaging effects parts of the body. Bacteria in mouth of dirty air with the changes in humidity can cause bad breath, with which Lis- and it results in a lot of frizz. It is strongly terine and Swish can help. Meanwhile, recommended to give hair added protecbacteria in underarms can cause body tion to address specific needs. odor—Bench, Old Spice, and Gyne Pro Head and Shoulders can help counter can help battle that. dandruff issues. Palmolive is great for Protect yourself recovering damaged strands. Colored

Alden Richards (left) and Joyce Pring (right) encourage the public to protect themselves against health hazards common during the rainy season.

hair may opt for Bigen for conditioning Novuhair is proven to help deal with the ticipating products. There will be 24 that’s ammonia-free. stress of hair fall. winners of 5,000 bonus points; 18 winners of 10,000 bonus points; 10 winners Protect yourself against stress Watsons and SM Advantage Card mem- of 20,000 bonus points; six winners of Aside from contributing to a lowered bers get a chance to win 1,000,000 50,000 bonus points; and two winners immune system and speeding up the shopping points + free personal acci- of P100,000 bonus points, which can be skin aging process, stress can cause dent insurance for every P500 single- used to shop at Watsons. thinning of the hair, or worse, fall out. receipt purchase of any of the par-

Carry your plastic waste INSTEAD of polluting the oceans, plastic trash was given a second life in this collection of anti-theft bags. Australian brand Pacsafe, a leading innovator in anti-theft travel gear, has introduced its new Econyl collection consisting of six bags made of regenerated fabric transformed from fishing nets and other discarded nylon. According to Pacsafe, this collection is the first of many steps it is taking to demonstrate its commitment to removing virgin plastic from all new products by 2025. “Our partnership with Econyl means less plastic in our oceans and landfills, and fewer resources used to create new products. It’s all part of our wider commitment to reduce ocean plastic while helping people protect their gear and the planet at the same time,” said Magnus McGlashan, co-founder and managing director of Pacsafe. The unique Econyl regeneration process creates durable, long lasting yarn that performs to the same standard as brand new nylon. Unlike other recycled materials, the nylon can be rewoven infinitely without losing its high-performance qualities, creating a circular loop of reuse. The new collection highlights the bestselling Pacsafe styles, such as the awardwinning Venturesafe EXP45 anti-theft carry-on travel pack and Metrosafe LS350 anti-theft backpack.

Pacsafe launches a collection of anti-theft bags made of Econyl.

Also included in the Econyl collection are Vibe 25L anti-theft backpack, Vibe 325 antitheft sling pack, Metrosafe LS100 anti-theft cross body, Daysafe anti-theft cross body, and Metrosafe LS200 anti-theft cross body. The collection is now available at all Pacsafe branches and other retailers nationwide.

Econyl is a nylon yarn made from synthetic waste such as industrial plastic and discarded fishing nets.

Life

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

TLC for sensitive teeth

ANY individuals who suffer from tooth sensitivity or pangingilo often ignore their condition simply because it only happens—that sharp, stabbing pain—when they eat or drink hot, cold, sweet, or sour food. A minor nuisance it might be, experts assert it’s a problem that should be taken seriously.

ly than what the dentist recommends. Aggressive brushing can cause or exacerbate receding gums and wear of tooth enamel. Over time, this can lead to exposed dentine and tooth sensitivity.

Those diagnosed with dentine hypersensitivity are advised to incorporate good habits into their daily oral health routine. A dentist-recommended brand of toothpaste for sensitive teeth shares the following tips to ensure pangingilo doesn’t ruin a person love of food.

ty. Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos are suffering from dental caries while 48.3 percent have gum diseases. The Department of Health said these common dental problems can be prevented through regular and proper tooth brushing and flossing.

Practice good oral hygiene

Don’t brush too hard

The hardness of toothbrush bristles also has an impact on tooth wear. Although harder and firm bristles may slightly remove more plaque, it is recommended by the Philippine Dental Association to use toothbrush with soft bristles. This can help reduce the effects of aggressive brushing and help protect teeth’s enamel.

Brushing regularly can help prevent or too often conditions such as enamel wear and Too much of anything is bad, like gum recession that can lead to sensitivi- brushing aggressively or more frequent-

Addressing PCOS with functional medicine HORMONAL imbalance like PCOS usually takes time and a lot of trial or polycystic ovarian syndrome can and error to arrive at the proper treatbe difficult to address especially ment for a condition as complex as when the person experiencing it may PCOS. not be aware they have it. In Cynthia’s case, it was essential A certain medical approach effec- for her to change her work routine. tively restores harmony to one’s hor- Her habit of reporting to work early mones by understanding the cause of and punching out late wreaked havoc the imbalance. on her sleep schedule, allowing her Dr. Zoe Arugay, a functional medi- only four to five hours of sleep a night. cine practitioner at LifeScience CentShe made the necessary adjuster, believes ments for that the the sake of symptoms her health. are interShe priorconnected, itized selftherefore a care, makholistic aping changes proach to to her nutritreatment tion intake, is more efcutting fective than down her addressing work hours, each sympgetting tom indimore sleep, vidually. and walking “Funcdaily to get tional medisome muchcine works needed exbest when ercise. it comes to In just addressa month’s ing the root time, Cyncauses of thia was your health able to sleep problems,” more, enjoy said Dr. more leisure A r u g ay. time, and “Whether lose weight. it be nutriMoreotion, sleep, ver, she Symptoms of hormonal imbalance include fatigue, exercise, event u ally irritability, trouble concentrating, and infertility, or stress––it regained horamong others. cor relates monal balwith convenance and her tional and advanced diagnostics.” menstrual cycle was once again reguFunctional medicine takes a look lar. Over time, her OB-GYN lowered into one’s genetic makeup and ana- her prescribed dose of birth control lyzes how it interacts with its environ- pills until she was no longer advised ment. By doing so, doctors gain key to take them. insights into which illnesses a patient “By going down to the roots and is susceptible to. The goal of FM is to treating it from there, we are treating achieve optimal health. the whole person,” noted Dr. Arugay. Dr. Arugay recalls a patient named “The results also show that we are reCynthia, who was plagued with sleep versing the symptoms of not just one issues, lack of exercise, and obesity, but multiple health issues because in addition to PCOS. they are all interconnected.” PCOS is a nutritional and metabolic In cases where a pill is initially issue that affects insulin and other prescribed to address the imbalance hormones. Large amount of sugar of the body’s hormones, Dr. Arugay in one’s diet causes the body to pro- advises that it would be best to take duce more insulin in order to prop- them first. erly absorb the sugar into cells. The “The good news is that it’s possible more insulin produced, the more one to get rid of pills and other medicabecomes resistant to it. This can lead tions when there is no longer a need to problems like inflammation, oxi- for them. It’s the patient’s capability dative stress, high cholesterol, cancer, to make great strides towards their obesity, and infertility. own healing that makes getting rid of With a varied set of symptoms, it pills possible.”

Biting into a popsicle may cause a sharp and sudden pain in person with sensitive dentine.

Use a softer toothbrush

Use a sensitivity toothpaste

Brushing twice daily with a spe-

The most common symptom of tooth sensitivity is the sudden, sharp flash of pain when teeth are exposed to hot, cold, sweet, or acidic food.

HEALTH BULLETIN

THE COLD BOTHERS YOU ANYWAY.

cially formulated sensitivity toothpaste with fluoride is one of the most effective ways to manage tooth sensitivity. Sensodyne, the brand recommended by dentists for sensitive dentin, launches its new Rapid Relief variant which has been clinically proven to give relief on the first brush, when used for at least one minute. Sensodyne Rapid Relief’s key ingredient is stannous fluoride, which blocks the exposed dentine tubules. It also builds a gel-like scaffold to keep

the stannous fluoride in place to prevent it from being washed away in the mouth. It’s available at leading stores nationwide.

Visit the dentist regularly

When the aforementioned tips have been followed, it’s still vital to make an appointment with a dentist and talk about the best oral hygiene routine, which includes best tooth brushing technique, how frequent, and how long.

Sarangani Bay home to dolphin, whale colonies Around 270 dolphins and whales are found in the Sarangani Bay area.

A RECENT monitoring of the Sarangani Bay has found around 270 dolphins and whales thriving in the area. Marine biologists and divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 12 and its partner agencies’ third quarter monitoring discovered there were some 50 to 200 Fraser’s or Sarawak dolphins in the waters of General Santos City and Glan, 40 to 60 spinner dolphins in Glan and Malapatan, six Risso’s dolphin in Glan, and four pygmy killer whales and two dwarf/pygmy sperm whales in Malapatan. THE Guard Against HPV, a campaign supported by MSD in the Philippines, highlights the urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of HPV (human papillomavirus) diseases especially since most HPV infections show no symptoms at all. Although some of the infections from this commonly occurring virus with more than 100 types usually go away on their own, at least 14 types of HPV have been found to be cancer-causing. HPVrelated cancers and diseases are cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, penile cancer, anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts. Since HPV diseases like cervical cancer are vaccine-preventable, representatives from groups like Cervical Cancer Prevention Network of the Philippines, Philippine Dermatological Society of the Philippines, and Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology shed light on the hotly debated vaccination issue, while underscoring the need for a preventative approach. Awareness and willingness to take action are imperative because HPV vaccination works best when given before a person becomes exposed to the virus. Niña Corpuz was presented as the new campaign ambassador of Guard Against HPV during the advocacy launch.

A protected area under Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018, the bay covers 215,950 hectares with a 226.4-kilometer coastline. The quarterly monitoring was initiated by the DENR and the Protected Area Management Board of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape to track the daily activities of establishments within the bay. According to DENR regional executive director Sabdullah Abubacar, the latest monitoring showed that Sarangani Bay remains a key marine biodi-

versity area which should be protected against the proliferation of potentially hazardous wastes. The monitoring team also observed non-biodegradable waste materials, and spotted several fishing vessels conducting various activities within the bay, which may harm the cetaceans and marine organisms. Sarangani governor and PAMB vice chairperson Steve Chiongbian Solon pointed out that local government units in the area should intensify efforts to prevent wastes and conduct regular patrol to regulate the activities within the bay.

Health shield versus HPV

Guard Against HPV advocacy campaign ambassador Niña Corpuz (fourth from left) supports health-empowered parenting to protect the youth from HPV-related diseases.

Representative mother and youth officers from Lingkod E.R. reiterated the value of early protection such as vaccination during the launch, in addition to exchanging valuable insights on adolescence as the ideal time to talk about personal health.

The campaign aims to empower mothers to be one of the primary advocates for their children’s health. It also seeks to engage the youth as well promote the conversation about protecting their health to enjoy a future free from HPV diseases.

Entertainment

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

JON LUCAS, ANGELA ALARCON

GMA’s newest bets

OUNG talents Jon Lucas and Angela Alarcon are among GMA’s promising new stars whom the network cast in two of its latest grand offerings namely, Descendants of the Sun andBeautiful Justice.

For Jon, who started with rival network ABS-CBN, being a Kapuso now is a blessing. “I signed up with GMA just this June and I’m glad to be cast in the big-budgeted remake of Descendants of the Sun. It’s a big project and I’m thankful to be proud of it,” says the young actor who will star in the series together with Dingdong Dantes. According to Jon, he’s simply happy to be with the Kapuso Network. He received warm reception from everyone and they made him feel he belongs right away. “That’s why I promise to give my best in this project. I’m in a new home and I want to give my all to be successful in here,” he shares. Jon also talks about the roles going to play in the much anticipated remake of Descendants of the Sun and what his preparations are for the character. “Actually, I’m a member of the Alpha Team in the story. In the process, I underwent military training. I also had to watch my diet and do gym workouts to be physically ﬁt for the show. It’s both fun and challenging,” avers Jon. As for the lead actor, Jon has nothing but good words for the Kapuso primetime king. “He’s so humble and down-toearth. Despite his stellar stature, he remains grounded. That’s why I’m

New GMA Artist Center talents (from left) Jon Lucas, Angela Alarcon, Erin Ocampo, Ysabel Ortega, Faye Lorenzo, and Anjo Damiles are all excited for their upcoming projects in the network.

inspired to work in the project. He’s a good example to everyone,” he chimes. Apart from Dingdong, Jon wanted to work with other GMA stars like Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis Trillo, Heart Evangelista, and Tom Rodriguez. Meanwhile, showbiz is no stranger to Angela being the daughter of senior actor Jestoni Alarcon. Does she consider it a pressure or an advantage? “Actually, I’m not under pressure of this fact. On the contrary, I’m very calm and cool about it. It motivates me to work hard and prove my worth to the public. Anyway, my dad is in full support of my showbiz career and he gives me a lot of tips,” she avers. In Beautiful Justice, Angela plays as a friend of Gabbi Garcia in the story. They have a few action scenes in the series which Angela personally ﬁnds favorable. “I want to be associated with action projects. I love action scenes. I guess it’s because I’m athletic by nature. But I also want to do drama and romantic comedies. Having a love team? Well, yes, I’m also okay with that.” The newcomer is a selfconfessed Marian Rivera fan. She

Showbiz scion Angela Alarcon

Former Kapamilya Jon Lucas

dreams of following the path she took do my best!” ends Angela. in her career. ******** “She can do everything from drama In her latest potboiler Open, Arci to comedy and yes…action! I love her Muñoz reveals that the theme is quite in ‘Darna.’ I know I still have a long controversial. way to go to achieve this but I vow to “ My 14-year relationship with my

Reshowing of award-winning film to benefit deaf scholars IN CELEBRATION of the International Day of Sign Languages, the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB) brings back the award-winning 2009 ﬁlm Dinig Sana Kita (If I Knew

What You Said) by Mike Sandejas in a one-time beneﬁt screening on Sept. 23 at the Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez (ARG) Theater. Dinig Sana Kita (If I Knew What You Said) narrates the inspiring relationship between a Deaf boy Kiko (Romalito

The College's School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) will hold a screening of Dinig Sana Kita, an award-winning film that revolves around the story of a deaf boy and a musician girl.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, September 17, 2019

ACROSS 1 Edge 7 Tongues do it 10 Spyglass part 14 Big lizard 15 Feel awful 16 Not include 17 Prepared to spring 18 Common oath (2 wds.) 19 Costa — 20 Commendable 23 Majestic wader 26 Map abbr. 27 Stands up 28 Like the Gobi 29 Stockholm carrier 30 Tommy — Jones 31 Shirt or blouse 32 Fall behind 33 Fragrant firs 37 Twilight, to a poet 38 Seine moorage 39 Signs off on 40 Meditation practice 41 Restless 43 Command to a horse 44 Mai — (rum drink) 45 Finish 46 — and dont’s 47 Leaned over

48 Romance, in Rome 51 It may be abstract 52 International agreements 53 Duplicitous one (hyph.) 56 Not deceived by 57 Least amt. 58 Orbit extreme 62 Pollen distributors 63 Comfy shoe 64 Talking birds 65 Rochester’s Jane 66 Volcanic emission 67 Lend a hand DOWN 1 With, to Fritz 2 Mellow 3 Trot 4 Huffed and puffed 5 Unmoving 6 Nothing, to Pedro 7 Belt locales 8 Helpers 9 Shimmer 10 Trucks along the Thames 11 Gives off 12 Recess 13 Overnight visits

21 Drawings 22 Familiar threat (2 wds.) 23 Down the hatch 24 Stand of trees 25 Less green 29 Spanish toast 30 Fishing spots 32 One of the Barrymores 33 Colombian city 34 Montezuma’s empire 35 Intended 36 Foul moods 42 Wordy

46 Wet thoroughly 47 Industrial czars 48 Unfired brick 49 Lettuce 50 Exterior 51 “Ciao!” 52 Prolific diarist 54 Madame Bovary’s name 55 Tibetan monk 59 Moo goo — pan 60 Codgers’ queries 61 PST minus 3

Mallari) and a rocker of a girl Nina (Zoe Sandejas) when they crossed paths in a Baguio camp that mingled hearing and non-hearing youth. It reflects how lives lived in silence and in noise respectively can seamlessly blend through a mutual passion and love for music. Produced under Cinemalaya and Echo and Mirage Entertainment, the Filipino drama was the pioneer film to cast deaf actors. Then Benildean students and members of the Silent Steps, the performing arts group of the SDEAS, participated in the production. Written and directed by Sandejas, who is also a former faculty member under the College’s Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) Program, the film took home the Best Original Music Score, National Council for Children’s Television Award, and Audience Award at the 2009 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. It also earned the Digital Movie Musical Scorer of the Year, Digital Movie Sound

Engineer of the Year, and Digital Movie Original Theme Song of the Year from the 2010 Star Awards for Movies. The male lead, Mallari, likewise bagged the New Movie Actor of the Year. It was likewise recognized at the 2010 Gawad Urian Awards and at the 2010 Golden Screen Awards. The showing serves as the 10th anniversary screening of the movie and is open to the public. Tickets are priced at P100 each and all proceeds will beneﬁt the growing number of the College’s Deaf scholars. For ticket inquiries and reservations, contact 230 5100 local 1661 or send an e-mail to deaf. partnerships@benilde.edu.ph. Walk-in guests can register at the ticket booth at 3:00 p.m. while the ﬁlm screening starts at 4:00 p.m. at the Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez (ARG) Theater, De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Taft Campus, 2544 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila.

live-in partner Ethan (JC Santos) hits a bump. Since she still loves the guy, she reluctantly agreed to have their relationship ‘open’ in the sense that they allow each other to date other people. An open relationship means you’re committed to your partner but you’re free to see another person. It’s a very delicate theme which director Andoy Ranay handled very well.” Asked if in real life, she can go for such a set-up, the sultry star states: “It’s not for me! I can’t imagine myself in a serious relationship then I’m also free to explore around and date another individual. I’m like my character in the ﬁlm which is not into open relationships.” Interestingly, has her belief changed after she did the movie? “It didn’t. It’s different when you’re into a relationship and you’re dating another person. When you’re already in a relationship, you must stick to your partner. You can’t date another individual.” Arci hopes movie buffs will learn valuable lessons from the ﬁlm. “Here, they will learn that if you’ve already found the right person for you, don’t ever let him go,” she says.

Snapshot... From C4

Brimming with so much joy and gratitude, Jhonelyn thanked BRIA Homes and Eat Bulaga for the bounty of a brand-new home, as she and her family had been renting their place for the longest time now. Jessica could not help tearing up, as well, because she and her family finally have a house to call their own. Beyond Jhonelyn and Jessica’s fortuitous win, BRIA Homes proudly assures other hard-working Filipinos that they, too, can readily acquire a BRIA home because of its effective formula: Affordability (Aura) + Superior Quality (Dekalidad) = a beautiful BRIA Home for Every Filipino. In fact, ordinary Filipinos can now own a BRIA home at an affordable price of P1,897 per month, through flexible payment schemes such as bank financing and PAG-IBIG. BRIA Homes is likewise making sure that future residents of their gated communities will have easy access to major roads and highways—and benefit from the proximity of schools, churches, hospitals, and shopping establishments. Closer to home, aspiring homeowners will be gratified to know that all BRIA communities will feature recreational facilities such as basketball courts and amenities that will ensure safety and security for the families that will settle down there. Because it is BRIA’s vision to provide quality homes to Filipinos all over the country, BRIA communities continue to rise in progressive towns and cities in the Philippines. BRIA Homes is a subsidiary of GOLDEN BRIA Holdings, Inc., considered the third largest real estate company in terms of market capitalization valued at more than P200B. The fastestgrowing mass housing developer in the Philippines, BRIA Homes is primed to bring affordable house-and-lot packages and condominium units closer to ordinary Filipino families. This is the goal that drives every single employee in the company, for which the ultimate fulfillment is seeing a client happily moving into Bria’s homes. To know more about BRIA Homes, call (0966) 277 5944, like “Bria Official” on Facebook, and follow “@TheBriaOfficial” on Twitter and Instagram.

Entertainment

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

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Michelle Dee makes mom Melanie Marquez proud By Eton Concepcion

Michelle Dee, daughter of former Miss International Melanie Marquez is crowned Miss World Philippines 2019 by last year’s winner, Katarina Rodriguez (right). Manila Mayor Isko Moreno (left), who was one of the judges, assisted in the crowning of the new queen. Teddy Pelaez

THE Melanie Marquez magic seems to have worked to Michelle Dee’s advantage after she snagged the Miss World Philippines 2019 crown over this year’s assemble of outstanding group of women at the pageant coronation night held at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday. Seated at the frontrow, Melanie could have gotten flashback memories of her triumph in Miss International pageant held in Tokyo, Japan exactly forty years ago in 1979, seeing Michelle being crowned by last year’s Katarina Rodriguez. The 23-year-old Michelle, a Psychology graduate at De La Salle University, won the FILA Sportswoman fast track event to enter the Top 20 semi-finalists. “It would probably be polaroid films. I’m an avid lover of art, I love photography and I love the kind of energy and feel that polaroids give me, just being able to lay everything out and go down memory lane

is such a different feeling,” Michelle replied in the final question-and-answer part of the pageant where she was asked, “what invention from the last century does she think should make a comeback?” Heavy favorite Maria Katrina Llegado, a 21-year-old financial analyst, was named Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2019. She won the Top Model fast track event and was adjudged Miss Photogenic. Kapuso talent Kelley Day, a 22-year-old FilBritish model and actress was crowned Miss Eco Philippines International 2019. Actress and singer Isabelle de Leon, a 25-yearold, who was a refreshing revelation during the Q&A, was named Miss Multinational Philippines 2019. Australia-born Glyssa Leiann Perez, a 24-year-old, Commerce graduate, became the first winner of Miss Tourism Philippines 2019 title. A cousin of Miss Universe-Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina, she won the Beauty with a Purpose fast track challenge

MARIEL RODRIGUEZ in US to give birth to second child

Robin at the NAIA sending off his wife and daughter Isabella.

with her breast cancer awareness advocacy. Cebuana-Australian model Vanessa-Mae Walters, 19, was named the ﬁrst Miss Teen Eco International Philippines 2019. She made the Top 20 cut after winning the Bench Beach Beauty fast track challenge. Shannon Christie Kerver and Cassie Banks were named Miss World Philippines 2019 1st and 2nd Princess, respectively. Outgoing 2018 queens made their farewell speeches led by Miss World Philippines Katarina Rodriguez along with Miss Eco Philippines Maureen Montagne, Miss Multinational Philippines Kimi Mugford and Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas Alyssa Muhlach Alvarez. Miss World Philippines 2017 Laura Lehman, Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Winwyn Marquez and actors Victor Basa and Edgar Allan Guzmanhosted the 9th edition of the national pageant. Sunshine Cruz, Nicki Coseteng and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno were among the board of judges.

INTERNATIONAL

Priyanka Chopra brings Bollywood to Toronto NO INDIAN star has made a bigger splash in Hollywood than Priyanka Chopra—and the Baywatch actress told AFP she is on a quest to shatter myths about Bollywood, including its approach to sex. Chopra was the first Indian actress to lead a primetime US series with FBI thriller Quantico, and cemented her global celebrity status by marrying pop singer Nick Jonas last December. That star power secured a glitzy, redcarpet slot at Toronto’s film festival for The Sky is Pink, Chopra’s first Hindi-language film in three years. It is the only Asian film on the prestigious gala lineup at North America’s biggest movie festival. “People get surprised when they see The Sky is Pink and they’re like, ‘this is not a Bollywood movie.’ Bollywood is not a genre!” Chopra told AFP ahead of the premiere Friday. “It really is my quest to educate people in that.” Directed by Shonali Bose, The Sky is Pink tells the tragic true story of Aisha Chaudhary, an inspirational Delhi teenager whose life was cut short by a rare genetic disorder. Chaudhary delivered a TED talk and wrote a book on her battle before her death in 2015 at the age of 18. But the film focuses on her parents, exploring how their marriage and love—and even their sex life—survived the loss of two children. Until recently kissing was rarely

Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra

shown in films made by conservative Bollywood, better known abroad for its colorful musical numbers and fairytale romantic plots. “I don’t think we haven’t spoken about sexuality in Indian films—we do,” said Chopra, 37. “I think sexuality is spoken about in many different ways in Indian cinema.” “It’s culturally sensitive, yes,” she added. “India is an amalgamation of modernity and tradition. And this film is made by a modern Indian. So hence, you see what her language is. This is true to who she is.” AFP

SNAPSHOT

Mariel Rodriguez poses for a photo op during the Cetaphil National Healthy Skin Mission with (from left) Dani Barretto and Patti Laurel-Filart.

BABY NO. 2. Mariel Rodriguez is happy to share that she's having an easier pregnancy with her second child.

AST week, TV host VERY and actress Mariel WANG Rodriguez flew to the NICKIE United States to give birth to WANG her second child with Robin Padilla. She was accompanied by her two-year-old daughter,Isabella. Robin stayed behind and just sent off his wife and daughter who are both American citizens. “Here we are embarking on another journey…. making sacrifices and doing what’s best for our children. Thank you for our trip babe @robinhoodpadilla we miss you already!!! When we see you next time, we will be with Gabriela,” Mariel said in the caption of her Instagram photo. In an exclusive interview with Manila Standard, the TV host shared that she will be giving birth in November and compared to her first pregnancy, she’s having some easier experience as she was still able to work. “I’m thankful that this pregnancy didn’t give me any problem. My only concern now is to make sure that the baby is born healthy,” Mariel shares. Her second born will be named Maria Gabriella. It’s a name chosen by Robin himself. But if Mariel were to choose a name for the baby, she wanted to call her Katarina. “But then, when I heard Gabriella, I said yes, the name sounds powerful and

beautiful at the same time. So I agreed to call her Gabriella,” she explains. As early as now, Mariel started teaching her ﬁrstborn the concept of having a sister. She even encourages the toddler to watch television shows where the featured characters are sisters. “Sometimes she understands that she’s going to be a big sister because she always says that I have a baby in my tummy. Then one day she told me, ‘Mommy can we buy a sister,’ so I really don’t know if she already understands the concept of having a sibling,” she says in jest. Before leaving for the US, Mariel was launched as the new face of Cetaphil when the brand unveiled its “National Healthy Skin Mission,” an educational campaign that aims to educate Filipinos on how to achieve healthy skin. “National Healthy Skin Mission is an effort initiated by Cetaphil in partnership with Watsons. As Cetaphil’s brand purpose is to improve the lives of Filipino’s through healthy skin. It is consistent with Galderma’s commitment to promoting

healthy skin as part of a healthy lifestyle. To be completely healthy, you also need healthy skin,” says Cetaphil Brand Manager,Francesca Sy. “We are very happy to be partnering with Galderma and Cetaphil for National Healthy Skin Mission. At Watsons, we believe that you can look good, feel great by being healthy inside and out,” said Watson’s Category Manager, Aimee Persia shares. As part of the National Healthy Skin Mission, Cetaphil imparts that there are different skin types. A complicated skincare routine is not the key to healthy skin. What is important is to come up with a skincare routine that is geared toward your skin type and skin issues. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is the most iconic product of Cetaphil. It is fragrance-free, has a pH level of 5.5 and is even gentler than water. It is the gentlest cleanser you can use on your skin, whatever your skin type and concern. The Cetaphil routine is simple but effective and includes three steps: Cleanse, moisturize and protect. Cetaphil launched a roadshow to different parts of the Philippines so Filipinos could try out the products for themselves. Patrons visited Cetaphil Healthy Skin Mission activations in SM Makati, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA and SM Lanang Premier on Aug.16 to 18 and in SM San Lazaro, SM Mall of Asia, and SM Fairview on Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

Two moms win fine-quality modern BRIA Homes through ‘Eat Bulaga’ FOR two ordinary moms, a ‘better life’ for their families suddenly came within reach when they each won a BRIA Homes unit as top prize at a game in Eat Bulaga, part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the longest-running noontime show in the Philippines. The lucky duo was among forty contestants that were given a

chance to win well-designed, ﬁnequality modern homes from BRIA. On those two separate occasions, Jhonelyn of Puerto Princesa and Jessica of Caloocan picked the key that could open the lock of a box that presented BRIA residential units as prizes— courtesy of the fastest-growing mass housing developer in the country. Continued on C3

For two ordinary Filipino moms, a ‘better life’ for their families suddenly came within reach when they each won a BRIA Homes unit as top prize at a game in 'Eat Bulaga.'