Manila Standard - 2019 October 24 - Thursday

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LAST RESPECTS. President Rodrigo Duterte (left inset) attends the wake of former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., 85, his friend and political ally, at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City Tuesday, with senators, government officials and Senate employees above paying tribute to him in necrological services Wednesday, with his widow Lourdes ‘Bing’ Pimentel and Helen Sotto, wife of Senate President Vicente Sotto III (right), three days after he died Sunday of lymphoma, which develop when lymphocytes (white blood cells that fight infection) grow out of control. Malacañang Photo

PNP major shakeup triggers stir THE major revamp in the Philippine National Police after the so-called “ninja cops” controversy has caused a stir among police officials, PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac admitted on Wednesday. “Some were saddened and felt disappointment, but this is but part of our career development, and we can adjust

immediately to these things,” Banac told reporters. “All positions are important in the PNP, and when the leadership sees the need for movement, everybody is expected to follow through.” The reshuffle, as ordered by PNP officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa in the wake Next page VOL. XXXIII • NO. 252 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Peralta 26 Chief Justice th

Crows about his ‘passion for work’

450 inmates have died in congested jails; CHR alarmed

By Rey E. Requejo

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta as the 26th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court succeeding Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin who reached his mandatory retirement age of 70 on Oct. 18.

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday raised alarm over the rising number of deaths of inmates under police custody, a situation police authorities said they would investigate posthaste. Lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia reacted to the report of the Philippine National Police’s Internal Affairs Service that over 450 inmates have died under detention, including the recent deaths of eight inmates inside the New Bilibid Prison due to dehydration. She lamented the appalling situation of inmates in overly congested and dilapidated detention facilities, saying such was a gross violation of the rights of persons deprived of liberty. She said the sorry state of the prisoners could cause their deaths and a lot of health sanitation problems. Next page

House reso OKs palay buy plan By Maricel V. Cruz SEVERAL government agencies would be given up to P33.9 billion to directly purchase unhusked rice or palay from local farmers to support them amid the plunging prices of the commodity, under a House Joint Resolution approved by a panel of lawmakers on Wednesday. The resolution, principally filed by Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, authorized the use of the rice subsidy fund in the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for year 2020. The House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, adopted the Next page

PAG-IBIG SAVINGS RATE HIKE BACKED BUSINESSS B1

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Wednesday said the appointment of Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta as the new Chief Justice “will highlight the intellectual leadership of the Supreme Court.” “He will champion good governance and serve as a beacon of light in maintaining the pristine supremacy of the Constitution,” said Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association. “His loyalty to the Constitution will guide the nation’s leaders and the people in their quest for a better justice system,” Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on rules, added.

The Court’s Public Information Office on Wednesday confirmed Peralta’s appointment as top magistrate after it received a transmittal letter from the Office of the President designating him as the next Chief Justice. With two and a half decades of public service, Peralta is the most senior in terms of the number of years of service in the judiciary. Peralta is also the most senior among the associate justices who applied for the top post in terms of tenure in the 15-member bench. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009. Next page

Rody needs rest, no damage—Go

Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta

Water service rotation scheme set WEAKER than expected rain this month prevented the authorities from raising the water supply allocation in Metro Manila, which will result in an interruption in the water distribution later this week, regulators said Wednesday. Angat Dam, the region’s main water source, was at 186.23 meters as of 6 a.m., down from about 191 meters in the last week of Septeamber, said National Water Resources Board Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. He made the statement even as

the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives pushed for a congressional inquiry in aid of legislation into the government’s contracts with private firms, including foreign-based ones. This is in the face of the controversial loan deals with China and the interruption in the water distribution in the areas covered by Manila Water Company Inc., one of the private concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. Next page

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan as doctors gave him pain killers for “muscle spasms” and advised him to rest until the weekend, his long-time aide Senator Christopher Go said. This came after the 74-year-old leader complained of an “unbearable pain” in

his spine while he was in Japan for the enthronement rites of Emperor Naruhito, prompting him to return to the country on Tuesday ahead of the schedule. Malacañang photos showed the President holding onto a cane while he was in Tokyo for the enthronement rites. Go and President Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, assured the public that there is nothing to worry Next page

DILG averts crisis, eases pork ban By Othel V. Campos THE Department of the Interior and Local Government has directed all provincial and local officials to allow the entry of pre-heated and/or fully-cooked porkbased processed products instead of closing their doors on processed pork meat products, in a bid to head off an emerging pork crisis caused by the spread of African swine fever in the country. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año directed all provincial and local govern-

ment units to strictly monitor and follow the guidelines on the movement, distribution and sale of processed meat products to ensure the safety of the local hogs industry in unaffected regions. The ASF virus is easily eliminated once subjected to heat, and cooking processed meat can fully eradicate any presence of the virus, the DILG memo noted. Año noted that the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. has been complying with the internationally accepted Next page

CHRISTMAS BEST. The country’s first Christmas launching kicks off Tuesday at Uptown Mall in Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City, with the theme ‘Meaningful Christmas’, focusing on Christmas best celebrated with kids. Hundreds of children from Bantay Bata Foundation join the revelry and the ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree led by Dr. Francis C. Canuto, president, Megaworld Foundation (fourth from left); Lourdes T. Gutierez-Alfonso, chief operating officer, Megaworld (third from right); and Graham M. Coates, head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls (extreme right).

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P589-m shabu snagged in Samar T By Rio N. Araja

HE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Wednesday it has arrested six drug suspects and seized shabu worth P589 million in Samar.

Director General Aaron Aquino identified the suspects as Cesar Uy, Jared Axcel Elaran, Steven Perez, Leonard delos Reyes, Elbert Abella and Jeralou Rapuela. He said PDEA agents intercepted the suspects along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Tagnao, Gandara, Western Samar, at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. The illegal drugs consisted of 44 packs

NPA officer arrested in Kidapawan By Francisco Tuyay THE military has captured a ranking female member of the communist New People’s Army accused of extortion operations in different parts of Mindanao. Col. Gabriel Viray III, commander of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, identified the suspect as Mindaley Santeses Genotiva, head of the NPA sub-regional urban committee and regional tax implementing group operating in the northern part of Cotabato province, southern Bukidnon and the northwestern part of Davao City. The military said Mindaley was arrested at a checkpoint along Quezon Boulevard in Kidapawan City, Cotabato, Tuesday afternoon. Mindaley is facing murder charges, two counts of frustrated murder and five counts of attempted murder. Former rebels said Mindaley was responsible for the forced collection of “taxes” from businessmen and even workers. The military said companies were made to pay not less than P300,000. She was also said to be responsible for the violent rally in Kidapawan in April 2016 that resulted in several casualties among farmers and indigenous peoples.

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of a Senate inquiry into ninja cops, involved two major generals, 17 brigadier generals, and two colonels. This developed as Senator Francis Pangilinan many pieces of circumstantial evidence pointed to the fact that resigned PNP chief Oscar Albayalde was in cahoots with the ninja cops in Pampanga, where he was once provincial police chief. As uncovered in the Senate hearings, the ninja cops were accused of “recycling” confiscated illegal drugs and “switching” of arrested drug suspects, Pangilinan noted. Meanwhile, the three contenders to replace Albayalde all said they were open to lifestyle checks and agreed to leave it up to President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct such a check on them if warranted. Gamboa, in an ambush interview at Camp Crame, said the Office of the President was responsible for vetting who will be the next PNP chief. “Whatever is the suggestion of the public on how the President should choose the next chief PNP, I suggest we respect the President, should it include lifestyle or any other kind of vetting,” he said. Asked on the same issue, Police Lieutenant General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan simply replied: “Whatever.” Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar, most recently chief of Metro Manila police, also said a lifestyle check was “no problem.” Gamboa had said he was expecting “fresh ideas, fresh enthusiasm, and fresh resolve” from police commanders following the revamp, as Duterte expressed dismay with the supposed involvement of police officials in reselling drug recycling scheme. Despite the disappointment of some police officers, Banac assured the public the entire PNP still supports Gamboa and his programs. At the Senate, Pangilinan said he would sign the Senate Blue Ribbon and Justice committees’ report, which recommended the filing of graft charges against the former PNP chief and his 13 men in Pampanga. “I agree that Albayalde was liable,” said the opposition lawmaker of the report from the committees, both chaired by Senator Richard Gordon. Pangilinan criticized Albayalde on merely saying he was a victim of politics instead of answering the accusations against him. “He was not answering. Why did he resort to a cover-up? Was it true that he stopped their dismissal? He did not answer,” said the senator, also a lawyer. Albayalde reportedly called fellow police general Aaron Aquino, now the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief, and asked him to stop the dismissal of the anti-drugs operatives of the Pampanga Provincial Police, which conducted the drug bust at the house of suspected drug lord Johnson Lee in Mexico, Pampanga in November 2013. Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta

of shabu weighing 88 kilos and with an estimated value of P598.4 million. Meanwhile, the Justice department said Wednesday a man using the alias “Johnson Lee” entered the country last month and that he was a Korean national named Kim Yu Seok. Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said Kim entered the country on Sept. 30 and had not departed yet.

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He has been the chairman of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal since August 2018 where he began as a member in 2011. Peralta, who got all seven votes of the Judicial and Bar Council, will sit as the chief magistrate until he mandatorily retires at the age of 70 on March 27, 2022. In his public interview, Peralta told the JBC that he felt he deserved to be Chief Justice. “I’m not a topnotcher, I’m not an honor student… But I think, I was able to compensate with the work that I had as a public prosecutor, as a judge, as an associate justice of the Sandiganbayan, as a presiding justice, associate justice of the Supreme Court, [and] as a lecturer and chairman of several committees,” Peralta said. When JBC members asked Peralta about the perception that he was arrogant, Peralta said he was kind to his colleagues and staff. He might be seen as arrogant, he added, because of his passion for his work. “Friendship ends when it comes to work,” he said. “I am not arrogant.” The two others endorsed by the Judicial and Bar Council for the top post were Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andres Reyes Jr. Peralta serves as chairman of the Committee on the Revision of the Rules of Court, dubbed by Bersamin as the mother of all committees. Peralta also served as the chairman of both the 2014 Bar Examinations and the Special Shari’ah Bar Examinations. Born in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Chief Justice Peralta started his career in government service in 1987 when he was appointed third assistant city fiscal of Laoag City. He was assigned to the Prosecutor’s Office in the City of Manila in 1988 and later became the assistant chief of the Investigation Division of the Office of the City Prosecutor in the early part of 1994.

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joint resolution upon the motion of Deputy Speaker and Abono Party-list Rep. Conrad Estrella III. It authorizes the use of rice subsidy for the purchase of palay and mandates the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, National Defense, Transportation, Environment and Natural Resources , and the local government units, in coordination with the National Food Authority and the Department of Agriculture, to directly purchase palay from the local farmers and distribute the rice subsidy in the form of actual rice, instead of cash, to government workers. The resolution was unclear as to what price per sack or per kilo the government agencies should buy the palay. Palay prices have dropped significantly, to a current farmgate price of P14 per kilo, following the liberalization of the local rice industry and the supposed flooding of imported rice into the market. The substituted resolution consolidated that HJR 322 filed by Romualdez and his wife, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, and HJR 16 of Camarines Sur

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“But authorities’ direct denial of basic needs to inmates, such as clean water supply, food, medicines, sleeping quarters among others, is a disregard of the Constitution and the minimum standards set by the United Nations for prisoners,” the CHR said. The Internal Affairs Service had said there were 487 prisoners who died while detained in the different police detention cells nationwide from July 2016 to September 2019. Of the number, eight died due to different illness, four for gunshot wounds, two were mauled by their co-detainees, 343 due to problems in congestion of cells, 15 due to shortness of breath, while the rest died of other causes. PNP spokesman Bernard Banac said the police leadership would conduct an investigation as to why the detainees died. De Guia said prisoners must be treated with full respect and dignity as human beings and shall always be given protection against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. She said reported cases of authorities’ use of unnecessary force against prisoners must never be tolerated. “The Commission understands that law enforcement groups are implementing tighter security measures to avoid entry of contrabands and curb illegal activities inside prisons but this does not justify any form of abuse behind bars,” De Guia said. With Francisco Tuyay

He said he could not confirm if the foreigner was Johnson Lee, an alleged drug lord who had been a target of a police drug raid in Pampanga in 2013. Earlier this week, embattled former Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde was included in the charges filed against the policemen who were allegedly involved in reselling seized illegal drugs in Pampanga six years ago. During the resumption of the hearings at the Justice department, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group included Albayalde as a respondent in its amended referral complaint dated Oct. 21. Albayalde, a former Pampanga police chief, was charged along with 13 of his former subordinates.

The reinvestigation will focus on the policemen’s alleged violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, qualified bribery, falsification of public documents, perjury and dereliction of duty. The case involved the supposed cover-up during the November 2013 buy-bust operation involving Johnson Lee, owner of the house in Woodbridge Subdivision, Lakeshore View, Pampanga, which was raided by 13 members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office led by Maj. Rodney Baloyo IV. The raid yielded a substantial amount of illegal drugs that allegedly were pilfered by the policemen. With PNA

He joined the Judiciary in September 1994 when he was appointed as presiding judge of Branch 95 of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, which was designated as a special criminal court on heinous crimes and, later, drugs cases. He was promoted to the Sandiganbayan in 2002, and became its Presiding Justice in 2008. On Jan. 13, 2009, he was named as the 162nd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He was recognized as the Most Outstanding Public Prosecutor of Manila for the year 1990-1991 by the City of Manila, and the Most Outstanding Public Prosecutor of the City of Manila in 1994 by the Department of Justice. He was also one of the five finalists for Outstanding Public Prosecutor Nationwide, given by the Foundation on Judicial Excellence in 1993. As a trial court judge, he was awarded a plaque of commendation in 1999 by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Quezon City Chapter for his speedy and scholarly disposition of criminal cases. He was also awarded the 1999 Annual Pillars of the Criminal Justice System Award¸ given on the first founding anniversary of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, and in 2001, he was again awarded by the VACC for his continuous and consistent speedy disposition of criminal cases. At the time he was promoted to the Sandiganbayan, he was able to dispose of 575 of the 600 cases he had inherited as a trial judge. During his term as associate justice, and later presiding justice, the Sandiganbayan registered the most number of cases decided on the merits because of the innovations he introduced, namely: stipulation on the testimony of witnesses, or adoption of affidavits and statement of witnesses as their direct testimony, subject to cross-examination, which were later adopted by other associate justices of the Sandiganbayan and incorporated in the Revised Guidelines for Continuous Trial of Criminal Cases. His efficiency in case management and advocacy for speedy disposition of cases

was again put to test when he became an associate justice of the Supreme Court in 2009 and inherited the most number of cases at about 1,128 judicial and administrative cases. Peralta is an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law where he, as a working student, graduated in 1979. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in October 1974. Peralta is married to Court of Appeals Associate Justice Fernanda C. LampasPeralta, a certified public accountantlawyer, with whom he has four children: Dorothy, John Christopher, Timothy John, and John Isaac, who are all accomplished musicians. Among the high-profile decisions Peralta wrote were the June 2019 ruling granting retroactive application of the expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance Law, the September 2018 decision requiring mandatory compliance with chain of custody requirements in drug cases, the August 2017 decision allowing plea bargaining in smalltime drug cases, and the November 2016 ruling upholding the legality of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. He also favored the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and was among justices who testified against Sereno during the House of Representatives probe on the impeachment complaint against her. Peralta also voted to uphold the legality of Senator Leila de Lima’s February 2017 arrest, the declaration of martial law in Mindanao and its extensions, and the closure of Boracay Island last year for rehabilitation. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio served as acting top magistrate until his retirement on Oct. 26. The Party-List Coalition in the House of Representatives on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of Peralta. With Maricel V. Cruz

Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte. In HJR 322, the Romualdez couple cited P33.9-billion rice subsidies under next year’s national budget that could be utilized to directly buy back the palay of farmers and distribute actual rice for the government’s rice subsidy program. Villafuerte in his HJR 16 mentioned some P29-billion rice subsidy fund that can be used to help farmers buy their palay. This was done to address the NFA reports that the agency 209,525.15 metric tons of imported rice in their custody as of Aug. 22, 2019 and procured locally 5,864,007 bags of palay at 50 kilos per bag or 293,200.35 metric tons. In their resolution, the Romualdez couple lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for pursuing the vision of food security for all.Filipinos by allotting P137.1 billion for agricultural productivity, support for farmers, and fisherfolk, and strengthen the climate resilience communities, among others. “Despite the efforts made by the government to protect the local rice industry, large stocks of imported rice have depressed the buying price of local palay to levels way below the cost of production,” the Romualdez couple said.

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standards for canned meat products, which are cooked at 116 degrees Celsius for at least 60 minutes. Hotdogs are likewised processed or smoked to a core temperature of at least 72 degrees Celsius for over one hour. PAMPI also said their companies’ Christmas hams and bacons are cooked at 72 degrees Celsius for more than an hour, and their smoked and cooked pork sausages are cooked at 72 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes “which make all these processed meats safe for public consumption,” Año noted. The department issued the memorandum for public interest and to protect consumers, retailers, distributors, dry and cold storage operators, hog raisers, meat processors and manufacturers, and the other stakeholders from “any unwarranted disruption in the flow of trade and commerce across the country, and the country’s economy. For the movement of imported meats, local government units can demand a certification from the Land Transportation Office and/or from the Food and Drug Administration, as was cited in the DILG memorandum. Meat processors must be able to present a veterinary health certificate of the exporting country, a sanitary and phytosanitary permit, and an import permit from the Agriculture department, as well as and certification that the imported pork did not originate from ASF-free countries. With PNA

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about, and that the Chief Executive will meet China’s Vice Premier Hu Chunhua tomorrow. Go said they were worried at first that the President’s spine might be damaged, but the doctors said it was just muscle spasms. The President figured in a motorcycle mishap last week within the Malacañang compound. The Palace attributed his pain to the accident. Due to his early departure from Japan, Duterte missed the Emperor’s banquet and the prime minister’s banquet. His daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, represented him in both events. Upon his arrival in Manila late Tuesday evening, Duterte visited the wake of former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig. Political analysts said the Palace should be more transparent about the President’s health and his medical records. “Keeping people in the dark about actual health condition of the President leads to more speculation, uncertainty, and intrigue. It is best to be honest about the situation,” said Maria Ela Atienza, political science department chairman of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Duterte’s sudden absences in important events will also be interpreted in a negative light, she said. Michael Yusingco, senior research fellow of the Ateneo School of Government, added: “Being constantly absent from the public eye may cause the people to simply lose faith in his ability to deliver on his promises.” In August, the President was absent in the National Heroes’ Day celebration that he was supposed to lead at the Libingan ng mga Bayani because he was not feeling well. Duterte also skipped the change of command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in September due to fever, the first time that a commander-in-chief missed the changing of guard rites in recent history. There were also instances when Duterte was absent in the public eye for an entire week. This month, he revealed he has a rare neuromuscular disease called myasthenia gravis, characterized by weakness in the muscles that control eye and eyelid movement and facial expression. In his previous speeches, the President said he also suffered from migraines, nausea, spinal injury, Buerger’s disease and Barrett’s esophagus. “The President is sick and in severe pain, and it obligates the administration to issue regular updates on the status of his health and well-being,” Yusingco said. Atienza and Yusingco also said that voters should also consider the age and health of a presidential candidate, aside from his character and platforms.

Duterte pays last respects to Pimentel PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday paid his last respects to his friend and political ally, former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who succumbed to lymphoma on Oct. 20 at the age of 85. Former senators on Wednesday also paid tribute to Pimentel during the necrological services held at the Senate Session Hall. Duterte headed straight for Pimentel’s wake at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City shortly after he arrived in Manila around 10:33 p.m. on Tuesday from his shortened Japan trip, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. “Notwithstanding his trip to Japan being cut short due to a searing pain in the spinal pelvic area of his body, the President was able to endure the same and headed from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to the wake of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr.,” Panelo said. Ronald Munsayac, spokesman of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, shared photos of the President visiting the wake. The late Senate leader’s son, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, also went live on Facebook to document the President’s arrival in the wake. Panelo said the President considers the late Senate President as a personal friend who contributed “valuable service to the country as a public servant.” Pimentel is one of the founders of PDP-Laban whose current president and chairman are his son and President Duterte, respectively. Pimentel’s remains will be flown to Cagayan de Oro City on Friday and will be returned on Saturday to the Heritage Memorial Park, where he will be laid to rest. Pimentel served as Senate President from November 2000 to July 2001, and was also a member of the now defunct Consultative Committee tasked by Duterte to amend the 1987 Constitution to pave the way for the proposed shift to a federal government. Duterte’s wake visit shows he’s ‘okay’ Duterte had to cut short his supposedly four-day stay in Japan due to an “unbearable” lower back pain. Duterte immediately flew back to the Philippines after witnessing Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement rites at Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon. Hours prior to his return to the country, Duterte admitted that the back pain he had sustained in a minor motorcycle accident on Oct. 16 was intolerable. Duterte made the admission on Facebook that was shared by his former special aide and now Senator Christopher Lawrence Go on Tuesday night. Duterte’s visit to Pimentel’s wake only proved that he was “okay,” Panelo said in an interview with CNN Philippines on Wednesday morning. “He {Duterte} was able to go to the wake of the late senator Pimentel. He’s okay,” Panelo said. The Palace official, in a separate statement, also insisted that the public should not worry since the President would consult his neurologist on Wednesday. He added that the 74-year-old Chief Executive would keep everyone posted about the real status of his health. PNA

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House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate slammed Manila Water and Maynilad for the impending water interruptions in Metro Manila and some parts of Southern Tagalog. “This already happened earlier this year and now it is happening all over again,” Zarate said. “The water concessionaires are truly remiss on their contract and this should be scrutinized. This also shows that the privatization of public utilities is not the way to go because all they care about is profits.” Angat Dam’s declining level prompted regulators to slash the water supply allocation in Metro Manila to 40 cubic meters per second from the regular 46. “The NWRB Decided to maintain the current allocation for the Metro Manila water supply. We want to take care of our supply for this year until the next, especially in the summer,” David said. Water supply will be cut in parts of Metro Manila for up to 18 hours starting Thursday, the concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water warned earlier. Last March, the aps ran dry in about a million households in Metro Manila as Angat Dam breached its critical level. But David said this week’s service outage would not be as bad as last summer, when Metro Manila’s water allocation dipped below 40 cubic meters per second. “If the distribution will be managed properly, we think that the public will still get water somehow,” David said. The rotational service interruption will continue until Angat Dam’s level rises and Metro Manila’s water allocation stays at 40 cubic meters per second, said Maynilad media relations assistant manager Grace Laxa. “We still don’t know until when this will be,” she said. Maricel V. Cruz

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Test Johnson & Johnson baby powder, FDA urged

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GOODWILL VISIT. One of two Indian Navy ships, the Sahyadri (F-49), a Shivalik-class guided missile frigate and Kamorta-class antisubmarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan (P-30), arrived at Pier 15 in Manila on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for a four-day goodwill visit. Norman Cruz

By Vito Barcelo WORKERS group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has urged the Food and Drug Administration to test Johnson and Johnson baby powder in the country following the recall of 33,000 bottles in the United States found to contain the deadly asbestos in the product. “The United States Food and Drug Administration announced on Oct.18 that it has found the deadly chrysotile asbestos fibers in one batch of the product and advised consumers to stop using Johnson and Johnson baby powder Lot # 22318RB,” Gerard Seno, national executive vice president of ALU-TUCP, said. He said the discovery prompted the personal care company to voluntarily recall a variety of products including the talc baby powder that contain asbestos. “We are calling upon the FDA authority to proactively take steps to mitigate the undue anxiety felt by consumers caused by this serious discovery of asbestos contamination in a baby product commonly used by so many Filipinos across our growing population,” the ALU-TUCP said in a statement. “We are urging them to conduct product evaluation test to assure the quality and safety of the product poses to the health of consumers,” Seno said. The US FDA discovery was made for the first time among bottles sold online as part of a survey of around 50 cosmetic products for asbestos fibers that cosmetic products sold by retailer Claire’s and Justice contain carcinogenic asbestos in 2017.

Kidapawan under state of calamity IN BRIEF Palace lauds Go’s son for CPA board result MALACAÑANG hailed Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go’s son, Christian Lawrence, for ranking third in the October 2019 Certified Public Accountant licensure examinations with a rating of 89.50 percent. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo congratulated all 2,075 board passers of the CPA licensure exams but made special mention of Christian, who graduated summa cum laude from college at De La Salle University. “The President and the Palace wish to convey their felicitations to all the 2,075 examinees who passed this year’s Certified Public Accountant Licensure examination,” Panelo said in a statement. “The Palace joins President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in congratulating one of his administration’s strongest allies in Congress, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, as well as his son, Christian Lawrence Go, for the latter’s performance in the said examination,” he added. Panelo pointed out that father and son were alike in such a way that while the younger Go ranked third in the licensure exams, the older Go finished third place in the Senate race. PNA

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IDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato— Council members here have placed the city under a state of calamity following last week’s magnitude-6.3 earthquake that hit the entire province.

In a special session Wednesday, the city council passed two resolutions— one putting the city under a state of calamity and the other redirecting programs and projects of the city disaster office for relief operations of earthquake victims. Psalmer Bernalte, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, told city legisla-

tors the quake has affected more than 700 individuals who evacuated to safer grounds due to aftershocks and rockfall in Barangay Ilomavis. Bernalte said that five out of 40 villages of Kidapawan were earlier placed under a state of calamity due to the earthquake. It was the third time that the city council has declared a state of calamity this year: first, due to severe drought and second was due to a dengue outbreak. Earlier on Wednesday, residents of Barangay Ilomavis rushed to the village’s covered court anew after another aftershock, a magnitude 4.5, rocked North Cotabato at 2:45 a.m. Vice Mayor Jivy Roe Bombeo, who is acting city mayor, personally

checked the situation of residents in Barangay Ilomavis early on the same day. He said many Ilomavis residents whose houses were damaged or situated in landslide-prone areas have been staying at the village covered court at night. Meanwhile, the number of families affected by the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao last Oct. 16 has reached 7,293, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its update Wednesday. This is equivalent to 35,465 persons. The report, signed and released by NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad, said these persons are residents of 127 barangays in Davao and SOCCSKSARGEN regions.

Risa hits PHAPI’s bid to leave PhilHealth AKBAYAN Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said the government might revoke licenses to operate of members of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. who will make good its threat not to treat patients. “I hear the concern of some private hospitals. I understand the need to balance the right to do business and provide health care services,” said Hontiveros. But threatening the public with health care denial, she said, is wrong and again, cannot be tolerated. “I know that the majority of private hospitals don’t think this way,” she said. “But to those who think they can take hostage the people’s right to universal health care, you are in the wrong business,” she added. PHAPI, through its president, threatened not to renew its members’ accreditation to PhilHealth, saying that many of them had yet to receive their reimbursements from the state health insurer. Hontiveros said that she considers the threat an attack on the people’s right to universal health care, especially with the recent signing of the UHC Law’s implementing rules and regulations. She said that if it pushes through, it will deprive millions of PhilHealth members access to adequate hospital care and treatment. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Massacre’ suspect rushed to hospital A TOP suspect in the Maguindanao massacre which left 32 journalists and several others dead was rushed to the hospital after he was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease secondary to cardiac dysrhythmia or abnormal heart beat. Bureau of Jail Management and Penology spokesperson Chief Insp. Xavier Solda said Zaldy Ampatuan, a former governor of the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao, is “in a stable condition now.” A total of 58 people were killed in the Maguindanao massacre, which happened at the height of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2010 elections. It is considered one of the world’s worst election-related incidents of violence and one of the deadliest attacks against media practitioners.

ADB, DOT unite for dev’t projects in Palawan THE Manila-based multilateral lender Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it is currently working with the Tourism department in preparing a development project that will ensure a sustainable environment for El Nido and Coron in Palawan. The two fast-growing destinations in Palawan are known for their pristine natural beauty and diverse marine life. In conjunction with the DOT, the ADB has identified El Nido and Coron as two localities requiring investments in environmentally sustainable urban facilities and marine environment protection in anticipation of higher numbers of tourists visiting the islands over the next decade. “Palawan is known as the country’s ‘last ecological frontier’ and we want to ensure its rich marine ecosystem, particularly in El Nido and Coron, will be protected amid the rapid growth in tourist demand,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement. The project is part of DOT’s Transforming Communities Towards Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Tour-

ism (TouRIST) Program, a coordinated effort by various government agencies and local stakeholders in partnership with multilateral development banks in implementing sustainable tourism development in the country. ADB will be supporting the DOTled program by offering solutions and financing to address the immediate need for vital urban infrastructure and services, such as solid waste management, drainage and sanitation, and clean drinking water in El Nido and Coron. ADB will also help build the capacity of local stakeholders to protect and conserve healthy oceans and rehabilitate key biodiversity-based tourism sites. The project is planned for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020. To ensure tourism benefits local communities, ADB will also explore innovative funding to local business enterprises and community-based groups for skills and product development to improve the quality of services in El Nido and Coron. ADB country director for the Philippines Kelly Bird said the project was critically important for the bank because

DAVAO CITY—The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association is fearing for the possible spread of Fusarium wilt in banana plantations in Davao del Norte if biosecurity installations are removed. In a press statement on Tuesday, PBGEA Executive Director Stephen Antig pointed out that the provincial government of Davao del Norte, which is seeking to clear all road obstructions, may “inadvertently help destroy the same industry that is paying huge amounts of taxes that pay for the services provided to their constituents.” Antig said “cooler heads” should intervene in what the industry sees as “coercion” by local politicians “who may be unaware of the danger of their actions.” In an earlier statement, Gov. Edwin Jubahib made it clear the provincial government only wants to remove road barriers on government roads within the banana plantations to allow people to freely use them. Recently, the provincial government tried to remove the road barriers installed by the Tagum Agricultural Development Co. (Tadeco) in Barangay Tanglaw, Dujali; El Canto Road in Barangay Balagunan; and Bugtong Lubi Road in Barangay Bobongan, Santo Tomas town. PNA

Slovenia seeks skilled OFWs

RAINBOW CROSSING. Commuters walk through the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer pedestrian crossing in Manila on Oct. 23. The Manila government implemented the ‘special’ crossing to show support to the LGBTQ community. Norman Cruz

By Julito G. Rada

Banana group fears spread of Panama disease

it shares with the Philippine government the goal of seeing local economies thrive on an environmentally sustainable path. “Tourism, when managed properly, can be a catalyst for inclusive development that can lift residents of El Nido and Coron out of poverty,” Bird said. A joint ADB and DOT team visited El Nido and Coron earlier this month to hold consultations with local government officials and local stakeholders as part of the preparations in designing the project. Puyat created a project steering committee composed of senior officials from the National Economic and Development Authority, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the departments of Finance, Public Works and Highways, Interior and Local Government, Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and Transportation. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.

SLOVENIA, a country in southern central Europe, is seeking Philippine approval for the deployment of between 2,000 to 5,000 skilled and semi-skilled labor to supplement their workforce, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said. The Labor chief also said that similar opportunities are also available to Filipino workers in Russia and Canada. Bello said representations were made by Slovenian officials recently. “I told them that we first need to sign a bilateral agreement,” he said. Among the jobs being offered to Filipinos include health care workers, nurses, engineers, truck drivers, heavy machine and equipment operators, and other industries, and household service. The Labor secretary said the salary in Slovenia is more competitive compared to the Middle East where qualified workers can expect a minimum wage of about $1,000. “The salaries are definitely higher than that of the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia, it is around $400. In Slovenia, we are looking probably at around P50,000 to P75,000 or about $1,000 as long as we can come up with a bilateral agreement and we both agree with the provisions and the template contract,” Bello said. He added that a technical working group will be formed to negotiate the terms of the agreement and ensure the protection and safety of the OFWs. The crafting of the bilateral agreement will take about three months. Bello said the classes of jobs and the requirements will be finalized upon the completion of the bilateral agreement. English language proficiency, however, will be one of the qualifications for aspiring applicants. Vito Barcelo

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Opinion

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A practical, doable solution THIS column has a new schedule. Starting this week, it will appear three times a week—Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. *** I just renewed my car registration. I have been doing this for the last four years—and still I have no plate. Frankly, I feel swindled by my own government. Santa Banana, what a country! Government can’t even deliver a very basic thing like a car plate. Many car owners are forced to display their conduction stickers or resort to buy white car plates resembling the official one. And yet I am required to pay my taxes on time. *** My attention was called to an article published last week by my good friend, Ernesto Banawis. His piece was on what can be done to reinvent the Filipino nation. He proposed that the 50 richest Filipinos can help the President solve poverty. Banawis said that Mr. Duterte should appeal to the richest Filipinos to set aside a fraction of their wealth to finance this revolutionary means to fight poverty. These wealthy Filipinos are named by Forbes Magazine. They have no reason to refuse contributing to the country. According to Banawis, this can be done through the creation of a foundation by the donors themselves. We all know what can happen to the money if government is allowed to handle the donation. In fact, the do-

nation can be seen as an investment. I say it’s insurance for the future. To me, this could be the best form of corporate social responsibility. It is both practical and doable. At the same time, the rich would not be feeling as though they were compelled to do it. It could be their way of paying it forward given their material blessings.

This could be the best form of corporate social responsibility. The wealthy must remember that 30 percent of Filipinos live below the poverty line. It’s a social volcano, my gulay! As I said in my Tuesday column, the country needs more patriots. I have long wanted to find ways and means to solve our country’s ills. President Duterte could use this, especially since he remains popular among the people. *** The retirement of Associate Justice Antonio Carpio reminds me of his many landmark decisions. He was a member of the High Court for 18 years. One of these decisions was a ponencia ruling for the 900 employees of the Bureau of Customs who rendered overtime work for arriving and departing flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. These 900 Customs personnel rendered work beyond the eighthour requirement of the law. In 2007, I was approached by

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

P

State of the body

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte saw his doctors Wednesday, after cutting short his trip to Japan due to “unbearable pain” in his spinal column near the pelvic bone. The pain was supposedly a consequence of his fall from his motorcycle last week. Nonetheless, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo insists his boss remains in the pink of health. "While this was unforeseeable, the public can rest assured that there is nothing to worry [about] as regards the physical health and condition of the President as he gives serious priority thereto in actively serving our country," Panelo said. “Unforeseeable” is arguable, we believe, because it was the choice of a 74-year-old man to hop into a motorcycle despite his existing health conditions. This was not the first time Mr. Duterte fell—an earlier similar fall caused a slipped disc, said to be causing spinal pain, for which he has to take a potent pain reliever. Heavy smoking during Mr. Duterte’s younger days also caused him to have Buerger’s disease, which causes blockages in the blood vessels. When the President came back

from Russia earlier this month, Panelo insisted all he suffered from was a “very bad case of the colds” and an inability to sleep on the plane. But Mr. Duterte himself revealed he suffered from myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscle which are responsible for breathing, and moving parts of the body, including the arms and legs. Clearly, the President is not “okay.” The question is whether the state of his health affects, or could potentially affect, his ability to govern despite the Palace’s adamant position on his well-being. Of course the President is committed to serving the nation he loves. Of course he will do everything he can to stay on top of our affairs. But the flesh might be weak—and weaker still, given Mr. Duterte’s age and predisposition. Small wonder then that specula-

tion abounds as to how ably he can still lead us for the next three years. Section 12 of Article VII of the 1987 Constitution is unequivocal: In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health. But how serious does “serious” need to be? And when is “okay” no longer okay? The public will not be appeased with assurances from Palace officials. Even if Panelo talks himself hoarse telling us that Mr. Duterte is all right, he will not be as credible and reassuring as when an independent, respected medical doctor provides regular bulletins on the President’s health. The Palace should also remember that such bulletins will effectively stop the rumors—all needless and counterproductive—if indeed Mr. Duterte were fit to work. As it is, Panelo and his team need not make a big deal out of the President being “up and about” or being able to keep up with a punishing schedule. These should be a given, and anything less is worrisome. A leader owes the people no less than the truth.

Turn to A5

Why we need another telco

FOR THE longest time, the country’s telecommunication industry was under the sole control of the Philippine Long Distance Company. People were literally at its mercy as applicant-subscribers waited for years before being blessed with the muchsought after line.

Maybe it’s time to try another telecom company. But what could I expect from the other one? It was only in the mid-90s when PLDT’s monopoly in telecommuni telecommunications was finally busted as the administration of then President Fidel V. Ramos ordered the deregulation of the industry. Several players cropped up, including Ayala’s Globe Telecom, and Smart Communication. Other small players also ventured into the field but later on were absorbed by the bigger players, while Smart Communication eventually ended up in the hands of PLDT. But aside from having another players in our midst, nothing virtually changed. Whereas before we have to submit to the whims of a monopoly, now we have at least a choice between the two power players in the telecommunication duopoly. We still have no choice but to heed whatever they impose on us. Last week, I called up Globe Telecom to renew my postpaid plan. As a Globe subscriber for more than 10 years, I of course expected my application for renewal to be approved— which they did. However, the next day, I received a call from Globe informing me that

I have to pay for an overdue balance of a little more than P14,000 which I incurred about eight years ago, which I have been contesting ever since. My unpaid balance arose from an offer Globe extended to me sometime in October 2011, for a 3-mbps DSL bundle which came cheaper and much faster than the other network service provider, PLDT which then could only come up with a 1-mbps internet connection. And aside from being cheaper and faster, the Globe agent told me that everything, including the installation, the line and the modem would come free of charge and that there would be no advance payment for the subscrip subscription. Who would be a fool to turn down that offer? Of course, I have to quickly jump in on their offer. And after only three days, Oct. 24 to be exact, Globe installed my new landline and DSL. Boy, they were really fast when it came to installation—but not as fast when it comes to the internet speed they promised me. Based on the speed test I conducted then, their internet speed was only 1.2 mbps. However, a few weeks later, I got my first billing for my Globe landline and DSL bundle of which I was expecting to contain my billing for my first month of usage. However, I was shocked to see that my billing stated that it was for the Oct. 24-Oct. 26, as Oct. 26 was the cut-off date for their regular billing! I immediately called up the Globe hotline informing them I cannot pay for a whole month’s bill for only two days of use. But the Globe agent insisted there was nothing wrong with my billing although he could not give me a satisfactory explanation as to why I was being billed for one whole month for just two days of use. Hence, I was forced to ask them to disconnect my line, which they did after two weeks. But their billing kept coming in until it reached a little more than P14,000. And even as they kept on reminding me to pay Turn to A5

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Hanoi pollution crises expose risks of rapid growth By Jenny Vaughan and Tran Thi Minh Ha A MAJOR mercury leak, tap water contamination, and "alarming" levels of haze: several pollution crises in Hanoi have sparked public fury and accusations that communist Vietnam is putting the economy ahead of the environment. Long tapped as an investors' paradise, thanks to its low-cost labor and pro-business policies, rapidly industrializing Vietnam is one of Asia's fastest-growing economies.

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

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

Buoyed by exports of cheaply made goods from Nike shoes to Samsung phones and H&M T-shirts, growth has hummed along at more than five percent for more than a decade. But that has come at a cost, especially in major cities like Hanoi, the buzzing capital of more than eight million people—and 13 industrial zones—that has been rattled by a series of environmental disasters. First came a lightbulb factory fire in August that saw a mercury leak and an official warning not

to eat vegetables, chicken or fish from the area. Then came a spate of bad air days that briefly landed Hanoi at the top of major polluted cities list by Swiss-based monitor AirVisual. Now an estimated one-million people are reeling from a contaminated tap water crisis after a brick factory was blamed for dumping oily sludge into a river that supplied several Hanoi neighborhoods. "The government is prioritizing Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion The only solution to congestion master plan in 1949 was approved by the then Capital City Planning Commission created by virtue of Republic Act 333. All these plans were geared toward a coordinated construction and WE HAVE been talking about the development of governance centers. worsening of metro traffic in my pre- Unfortunately, past transfers led to a vious articles. Indeed it has gotten divided concentration of government worse. Weeks ago, one of the facili- offices in different locations in Metties of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 ro Manila. This impedes the efficient caught fire. This unfortunate incident flow of and delays government procompounded the traffic woes of com- cesses and services. muters, especially those living in the Many have provided suggestions east of Metro Manila. Last Oct. 11, in addressing the urban congestion Presidential Spokesman Salvador in the NCR but to no avail. As I have Panelo took the commuting chal- said before, the metro is impossibly lenge; he himself spent four hours congested, and it badly needs some traveling from his home going to his breathing space. We need to find a Malacañang office. more suitable location for our govIn the Asian Development Outlook ernment offices. 2019 released last September by the At the risk of being repetitive, I say Asian Development Bank, Metro Ma- once more that the countryside is just nila was tagged as waiting for development. We have the most congesta beautiful Pa ed city among the Pacific countryside congested cities Let’s just move to which may serve with a population the Pacific countryside. as a strategic loca of at least 5 millocation as the center lion in developof government. It ing Asia. In 2017, the Japan International Cooperation offers a clean slate for infrastructure Agency (JICA) Follow Up Survey development. City and rural planners estimated P5.4 billion worth of losses would be able to strategize the develin the country daily due to traffic. opment of a new government center The traffic, according to renowned which would be sustainable, efficient, urban planning specialist Jun Pala- and convenient, taking into considfox, costs Filipinos at least nine to 15 eration its potential growth. At the years of their lives because of all the same time, it offers new settlement lost hours traveling. That, I can say, is areas that will help decongest Metro too much for Filipinos to bear. Manila and provide livelihood in the I have repeatedly proposed the rural areas. transfer of the national government It is high time that we brought this offices to a new government center proposal into the spotlight. Even Mr. which will give Metro Manila room Palafox has suggested the same. Let to breathe and be rehabilitated, in us learn from this situation and allow order to provide citizens a better Manila to be rehabilitated. quality of life. I urge our national leaders to seriLooking at the Philippine history, ously consider this proposal to put an past leaders have come up with their end, once and for all, to the agony of own masterplans in establishing the our commuting public who are mostcapital of the country. In 1905, the ly the working sector, the bastions of Burnham Plan envisioned Manila as our economic growth. Our workforce the country’s capital site. In 1941, will not decrease in the coming years. then President Manuel L. Quezon Our traffic situation, and the congescommissioned the Frost-Arellano tion of the metro, should teach us that Plan which laid down a blueprint it is better to plan for the future than of all government offices to be sit- act and react to situations that could uated in Quezon City. A subsequent have been avoided.

Why we... From A4

the overdue balance, I was firm on telling them I would not pay a single cent until they charged me correctly. And it was the same story every time I renewed my postpaid plan for my mobile phone every two years from thereon. The issue of my supposed overdue balance always cropped up and every time, the Globe agent I was talking to told me they would just put the supposed overdue balanced on hold and proceed with my renewal. Until my renewal came in 2017. Finally, the Globe agent I talked to that time told me he had referred my case to the proper authorities (or department) in Globe and that my supposed overdue balance was being waived for good. I expected smooth sailing for my subsequent renewals. Until that call last week. The Globe agent told me that the order to waive my supposed overdue bill was invalid and this time, I had to settle it first before they could proceed with my plan renewal.

A practical,... From A4

some of these employees who had done overtime work. They complained to me that while they were getting payments before, these payments stopped because Customs was being cheated by those claiming additional pay. I told them to find themselves a good lawyer to represent them. This encouraged the Association of Customs Personnel to seek fairness and justice. First, they complained to the bureau itself, and then to

Fine. I’ve had enough. P14,000 might be a small amount compared to the cost of the unit I am supposed to get for my plan renewal but I cannot stomach being milked and being asked to pay for something I did not even benefit from. Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to Globe. Maybe it’s time to try another telecom company. But what could I expect from the other one? Complaints against both telcos being posted on social media is not a rarity. In fact, it would be rather odd if you won’t see one even for a day. And that is precisely the reason why we need another telco—to liberate ourselves from the unreasonable impositions of the existing telcos. It’s a good thing this administration has been working to break the duopoly in the country’s telecommunication industry. From what I have read in the news, Dito Telecommunity, formerly Mislatel, had already been given the go-signal to operate. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2020 before they accept applications for subscription. But at least, we have something to wait for—better service for its subscribers.

the Department of Finance, which brought the case to Malacañang, which advised them to seek the help of the Solicitor General. They then brought their case to the Regional Trial Court. Eventually, the case was elevated to the Supreme Court. Justice Carpio wrote the decision on the case in September 2013. In accordance with the Tariff and Customs Code, it should be the body of domestic and foreign airlines that benefited from the overtime work that should pay for the extra hours served. At that time, the total amount had ballooned to P2.1 billion.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

A5

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Another anti-drug super body ANOTHER super body within the PNP is being planned to take charge of anti-drug operations. This is obviously because of the ninja cops controversy. But is there really a need for another super body? There is already separate unit within the PNP that is handling anti-drug operations. There is also already the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency which is supposed to be the super body. Another in the PNP might just complicate things. Forming another super body can also be construed as an indication that the state of affairs existing within the PNP is not going very well. For one, there is already a PNP specialized anti-drug unit in the PNP. Will this super body take over the duties and functions of this anti-drug unit? A recent report released by the PNP mentions the number of police personnel being subjected to a variety of disciplinary actions ranging from dismissal, suspension, demotion and many other punishments. Although this shows the seriousness of the PNP in addressing disciplinary problems, the number of personnel being disciplined in relation to the total strength of the PNP, which is about 190,000 is big. Instead of creating super bodies, why not just strengthen and improve existing units like providing these units with enough funds and equipment so that these units can function more efficiently? Better training, selection and supervision of personnel assigned to these units would help. After all, personnel assigned to super bodies are exposed to the same temptations as those in assigned to existing units. Organizing super units is therefore no guarantee that these units will end up better than existing units. I know that whoever will be chosen as the next chief of the PNP, that person would like to leave a positive

Hanoi... From A4

economic growth more than the environment," said Do Thanh Huyen, an associate at Dezan Shira & Associates, a business consultancy firm in Hanoi. The water crisis—and the government's slow response to it—sparked a flurry of online protest from locals, many still relying on bottled water more than 10 days after the oil dump. Residents reported pungent-smelling water coming out of taps and showerheads but it took authorities days to warn people not to drink or cook with it. Local media reports it tested positive for styrene, an industrial chemical linked to some cancers. Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident, but some lay blame with the government despite its promises to investigate. "Authorities here lack transparency and professionalism, that's why we don't trust them," said office worker Ngo Kim Ngan, who sent her children out of her neighborhood to bathe during the crisis.

But the Board of Airline Representatives never paid a single centavo. It instead questioned the computation. BS Aquino, who was president at that time, never lifted a finger to help the embattled Customs personnel. I have written so many columns on this issue, but neither Customs nor the Department of Finance seemed to care. I told the Customs collector in charge to ask to cite the BAR for contempt of court. The decision was final and executory. Surprisingly, when the issue of contempt reached the office of then-solicitor General

legacy before fading into the sunset. But given the length of time that one stays at the helm, it is hard to accomplish much. The best that one can do is simply start a process of reform that will hopefully be followed by the next chief or perhaps pass a law that fixes the term of the Chief, PNP to do away with this revolving door system. This way, anyone appointed as the chief of the PNP will have time to accomplish something of value. ***

Why not strengthen and improve existing units? A few week ago, President Duterte said that it may be difficult or almost impossible to stop hazing. With the recent death of cadet Darwin Dormitorio in the Philippine Military Academy due to hazing, one would think that this brutal practice would at least take a pause but a recent media report is saying that this is not the case. An act of hazing was apparently caught on video at the academy a couple of days ago even as seven cadets are being charged together with several AFP officers for the death of cadet Dormitorio. Maybe President Duterte is right in his observation, after all. Hazing seems to be so ingrained in the PMA ethos that it cannot be stopped anymore. But there must be solution to this problem. If we cannot find it here, we must look elsewhere at how other countries were able to stop the practice. Two countries come to mind. Autralia and the United Kingdom both have military colleges that train prospective officers. The one in Autralia is popularly known as Duntroon which is located in Canberra and the one in the United Kingdom is called Sandhurst. Both used to offer fouryear courses very much like what is being done in the PMA. But this is not the case anymore. In both insti-

'Another Beijing' The mounting anger comes three years after a devastating toxic dump in 2016 that killed tons of fish in central Vietnam and sparked months of protests across the country. Taiwanese steel firm Formosa was blamed for releasing chemical waste into the ocean. But a Formosa executive said after the disaster Vietnam had to choose between growth and environmental safety. Industrial output has steadily risen over the past decade—fueled in part by a rush of coal power plants— while carbon emissions have mushroomed as well. This, along with vehicle emissions, agricultural burning and construction dust have all added to poor air quality, and Hanoi frequently sees winter months reaching above average "unhealthy" AQI levels, according to AirVisual data. Some fear Vietnam could go the way of industrialized Chinese and Indian megacities, where smoggy skies and face masks have become the norm. "Hanoi doesn't want to be another Beijing. We don't want to be a paradise for people to discharge waste," Huyen said. But Vietnam could be heading on

Francis Jardeleza, now associate justice of the Supreme Court, he turned it down. Why? I consider this unjust. Labor laws are clear that those who work beyond eight hours must be compensated for their additional load. *** It’s time to make motorcycles-for-hire a legitimate means of transport, given the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila. I agree with Senator Sonny Angara. Angkas, for instance, has become more popular for all the good it does to embattled commuters. This is done in Vietnam and Ma-

tutions, officer training is now only one year. What is done is that prior to going to the military college, candidates are sent to universities to earn civilian degrees and when this is completed, that’s when the candidates report to the military college for one full year of military training before being commissioned as officers in the army. In both countries, a university degree only takes three years. If one wants to spend four years in the university, that individual will earn an honors degree. Both countries have come to the conclusion that an individual does not need to spend four years of military training in order to become an officer. When this was done, hazing virtually stopped and in addition, both governments were able to save a lot of money. In our case, the government is currently maintaining about 1,000 cadets at the PMA and the government spends around P2.4 million to train one individual to become an officer. If we follow what the two countries did, the government stands to save quite a bit of money and also get rid of hazing. This is because there will be no senior cadets making the lives of those students miserable while training to become officers. Only regular military instructors will be with the students. This was actually tried before at the PMA when another cadet died because of hazing. What happened then was Marine drill instructors were brought to train incoming plebe cadets so that this cadets will not have any contacts with senior cadets. Unfortunately, this was I believe done for only one year. The following year, it was back to the old practice. As they say, change is inevitable but it is really up to the entire Armed Forces leadership composed of graduates from the PMA whether they are really serious in reforming the school. The school, as they must surely know, is in need of change to meet the new challenges. What is needed now are young officers who are trained to think and make mature decisions. In other words, we need a new breed of officers.

that track. In 2016, more than 60,000 deaths were linked to air pollution, according to the World Health Organization. The city's livability ranking is 107 out of 140 cities on the Economist Intelligence Unit's annual index, behind Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur. Hanoi's standing is at "risk" because of its lack of action on environmental issues, said Pamela Qiu, Economist Corporate Network's Southeast Asia director. Business could also be hit. Dezan Shira warns in a report this month that "alarming" air pollution levels could turn off potential investors and recruiters who may find it hard to attract talent. The reputational risk could be a problem for Hanoi authorities, eager to brand it as a cosmopolitan capital open to global leaders and world travelers, with the city's first F1 race set for next year. But for some hazy skies, garbage-strewn rivers and polluted tap water have already rendered Hanoi unrecognizable. "Hanoi is no longer our Hanoi," said Nguyen Vinh, a 65-year-old veteran born in the city. "It is polluted—air, water, everything." AFP

laysia. It will benefit those who want more options for their commute. Angara has in fact filed a bill to amend the Code of Transportation to allow motorcycles to register as for-hire vehicles with the Land Transportation Office. Without a law, these motorcycles remain a dangerous means of transport. There must be a law to enable these vehicles to be regulated. *** I join the nation in mourning the passing of former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. He was a real statesman, freedom fighter, and patriot. My condolences to the family.

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TODAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Makati takes pride in ‘fastest Wi-Fi’ CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

TODAY

By Joel E. Zurbano

R

ESIDENTS can now enjoy largest and fastest Wi-Fi in the City of Makati for free.

This, after the city’s existing free Internet connection will be augmented by Globe WiFi to cover more areas in the city and provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections to residents. Last Tuesday, Mayor Abigail Binay witnessed the signing of an agreement made by Globe GoWiFi, the largest Wi-Fi network in the country, with Neo-Converge ICT Solutions Inc., the city’s existing partner for its free public Wi-Fi system, at the Session Hall, Makati City Hall Building I. The project aims to accelerate the city government’s efforts in enhancing all-network Internet accessibility for its constituents to enhance the delivery of services, improve government processes to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in its operations, and allow easier and wider public access to government information and services. “This project is part of my vision of Makati as a Smart City. Through this partnership, we are improving the technology we already have in Makati so that residents can enjoy fast and reliable Internet connections for free,” said Binay. Under the agreement, Globe will provide a free 30-minute

GoWiFi access to city residents in key locations around Makati City, at no cost to the city, to augment the Makatizen Wi-Fi under NCIS, which has an average speed of 175 Tbps. Binay said as of Tuesday, the Makatizen GoWiFi was already up and running at Makati City Hall and Ospital ng Makati. She added the free Wi-Fi connection will be available in the 27 barangay health centers and the University of Makati in about three months. To connect, users need to turn on the Wi-Fi in their mobile phones (regardless of network provider) and connect to the hot spot @MakatiZen_FreeGoWiFi. The user will be redirected to a web portal where they will be asked to register using their phone number. They will receive a code via text message and they need to enter it inside the box. Finally, users need to select Free GoWiFi to avail themselves of the free Internet connection. Aside from the free 30-minute Internet connection, users may also avail themselves of the free data packages from Globe GoWiFi by selecting other available promos on the portal. Under the present administration, the city has entered into PPP agreements with industry leaders for landmark ICT-related projects to fulfill its vision of becoming the country’s first smart city. In August 2017, Mayor Binay inked a partnership with NCIS to provide free Internet connection to residents in 27 barangays— excluding the six villages—under the Makati Public Wi-Fi System on certain periods daily: 20 minutes for the general public and transients; 40 minutes for registered Makati residents; and 60 minutes for enrolled students of Makati’s public schools.

receives from Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (left) the symbolic flag of command during the turnover ceremony at HPG Headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City on the same day NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas leads the change of command ceremony (above) for Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, the new District Director of Manila Police District and Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. (right), the outgoing District Director of Manila Police District and the new acting Regional Director for Calabarzon respectively. Manny Palmero and Norman Cruz

INC holds ‘Aid to Humanity’ anew in Africa

(MS-OCT. 24, 2019)

the continent. We’re continuing to realize his vision and reigniting our aid initiatives in various African countries,” Santos said. The newly opened garment factory, the auditor general added, was the first such INC project of its kind outside of the Philippines. It was built to address pressing problems of poverty and joblessness in the area. Trainings have been ongoing after hundreds of job applicants were chosen to operate the factory. The INC then held an Aid to HumanityLingap sa Mamamayan activity on Oct. 12 in Saliwa, Malawi. An estimated 15,000 attendees were given “loot bags” containing food and basic household necessities. During the Malawi Lingap leg, San-

Police: Beware of ‘Budol-Budol’ POLICE on Wednesday reiterated its call to the public to be aware of members of Budol-Budol Gang and other criminal elements preying on unsuspecting people, especially this coming peak buying holiday season. Budol-Budol Gang can strike anywhere using its alleged powers of hypnotism and “boodle” or counterfeit money. They lure or blackmail their victims into giving valuables or cash in exchange for a bag filled with fake bills or products, police said. On Tuesday, Jaenchen Delisa, 52, a resident of Parkway Place, Filinvest, sought the help of the Muntinlupa City Police Station after she was victimized by three women while she was at a mall in Alabang around 10:40 a.m. last Monday. Investigation showed that while Delisa was inside a bookstore, a woman approached and asked her for help, saying she was a Korean businesswoman looking for a one particular factory. Another woman joined them in their conversation and offered a ride and informed that she knew the address of the factory. The three proceeded to the factory and while on the parking lot, another woman appeared and introduced herself that she was the manager of the establishment and they offered a discount. Inside the car, one of the women put a bundle of money on the black hand bag and later convinced Delisa to do the same. Joel Zurbano

EDSA, C-5 road works suspended

COMMAND FLAG. Incoming HPG Director Brig. Gen. Dionardo B. Carlos

THE Iglesia Ni Cristo recently held a new Aid to Humanity event in Africa and inaugurated a new church as a follow-up to its humanitarian activities in the continent three years ago. INC Auditor General Glicerio Santos Jr. led the inauguration of a house of worship and a garment factory in Qwaqwa, South Africa last Oct. 9, INC said in a press statement. The new church was the eighth such structure built within three years, after Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo led the opening of the first one in Johannesburg in 2016. “Our Executive Minister has a special place in his heart for Africa. He always reminded us to go back and do more to provide material and spiritual assistance to people on

IN BRIEF

tos announced that Manalo would be developing a farm in the area that will be used for livelihood purposes by local residents. The Salima farm would be the third INC farm in Africa after earlier ones were established in Ladybrand and Petrusburg in South Africa. “These latest activities are long-awaited followups to the landmark 2016 Lingap events in Kenya and also in Malawi, which built on earlier campaigns in South Africa and Lesotho. The INC has an established presence in 16 countries in the continent. We’re continuing to formulate ways to reach more African countries because there’s so much more areas we haven’t served before,” Santos emphasized.

ROAD reblocking works on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue and C-5 Road will be suspended starting next month to ease road congestion in anticipation of heavy traffic during the holiday season. In a press conference on Tuesday, Metro Manila Development Authority General Manager Arturo “Jojo” Garcia said the Department of Public Works and Highways agreed to suspend reblocking works, mostly those “cosmetic” in nature, starting November and will continue in January next year. “I’m talking about reblocking works which only aim to revamp—cosmetic in nature—and will continue next year,” Garcia said following a meeting with the DPWH and representatives from malls and utility companies. However, potholes and other necessary repairs to avoid or improve traffic congestion will still be addressed. Road priority projects of the Duterte administration, such as the South Luzon Expressway—North Luzon Expressway connector road, will continue. “Those priority projects of the government, we won’t stop those. We would instead help to further expedite the projects,” Garcia said. PNA

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, ValenzuelaCity Tel. No. 294-6711 to 16, Telefax 291-4259 Email address: valgen_hosp@yahoo.com

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, ValenzuelaCity Tel. No. 294-6711 to 16, Telefax 291-4259 Email address: valgen_hosp@yahoo.com

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, ValenzuelaCity Tel. No. 294-6711 to 16, Telefax 291-4259 Email address: valgen_hosp@yahoo.com

Invitation to Bid Procurement of Various Drugs and Medicines - ANTI-MICROBIALS (76 items) and BIOLOGICALS (22 ITEMS) CY 2020 PB NO. VMC-2020-01

InvItatIon to BId Procurement of varIous drugs and medIcInes cy 2020 (1stsemester)-(241 Items) PuBLIc BIddIng no. vmc-2020-002

InvItatIon to BId Procurement of varIous drugs and medIcInes – anestHesIa (36 Items) and dermatoLogIcs (28 Items) cy 2020PB no. vmc-2020-03

The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2020, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: TWENTY FIVE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE THOUSAND FIFTY ONE PESOS& 77/100 ONLY, (P25,889,051.77) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the Procurement of Various Drugs and Medicines - ANTI- MICROBIALS (76 ITEMS) AND BIOLOGICALS (22 ITEMS) cy 2020 - PUBLIC BIDDING NO. VMC-2020-01.

The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2020, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: THIRTY FOUR MILLION SIX HUNDRED NINETY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN PESOS & 33/100 ONLY, (P34,694,657.33) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the Procurement of Various Drugs and Medicines - (241 ITEMS) cy 2020 - PUBLIC BIDDING NO. VMC-2020-02. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2020, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: SIXTEEN MILLION TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY FOUR PESOS & 64/100 ONLY, (P16,028,224.64) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the Procurement of varIous drugs and medIcInes – anestHesIa (36 Items) and dermatoLogIcs (28 Items) cy 2020 PB no. vmc-2020-03

1.

The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaptioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”.

1.

The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaptioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”.

1.

The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the abovecaptioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

3.

Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

3.

Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

3.

Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

4.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm starting October 21, 2019.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm starting October 21, 2019.

4.

5.

5.

The VMC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference for this bidding activity on October 29, 2019, 10:00 am at the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184.

The VMC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference for this bidding activity on October 29, 2019, 10:00 am at the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm starting October 21, 2019.

5.

The VMC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference for this bidding activity on October 29, 2019, 10:00 amat the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184.

6.

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of:

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of:

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of:

ABC to be Bid 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million and above

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00

The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity; Provided, that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 7.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before November 13, 2019, 10:00 am, at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office.

8.

Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on November 13, 2019, 10:00 am, Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period.

9.

The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

ABC to be Bid 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million and above

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00

500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million and above

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00

The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity; Provided, that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity; Provided, that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

7.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before November 14, 2019, 10:00 am, at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office.

7.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or beforeNovember 13, 2019, 10:00 am,at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office.

8.

Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on November 14, 2019, 10:00 am, Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period.

8.

Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on November 13, 2019, 10:00 am, Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period.

9.

The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625

(SGD) JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee

(SGD) JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee (MS-OCT. 24, 2019)

ABC to be Bid

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 (SGD) JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee (MS-OCT. 24, 2019)

(MS-OCT. 24, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

PH volleybelles to train in Japan

I

N A bid to end a long medal drought, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) sent the national women’s volleyball team to a training camp in Japan in preparation for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Chicano

Chicano, Ganzon aim to keep Asian elite crowns SOUTHEAST Asian Games silver medalist John Leerams Chicano sets out not just for another crack at the Asian Elite crown but also to further sharpen up for the upcoming biennial games as he goes for back-to-back in the Black Arrow Express 5150 slated Sunday (Oct. 27) in Subic Bay. Chicano dominated their side in last year’s inaugurals of the BAE triathlon and placed a strong third overall, making him the marked man in the event also serving as part of his buildup for next month’s SEAG, also set in Subic, where he and Andrew Remolino will try to defend the country’s 1-2 finish in Malaysia in 2017. But he will up against the likes of August Benedicto, Raymond Torio, Fernando Casares and Mark Hosana in what promises to be a spirited duel for the Asian Elite plum worth P200,000 with Alexandra Ganzon tipped to cruise to another women’s triumph in the event set over the Olympic distance of 1.5k swim-40K bike-10K run. The Asian Elite cast will share center stage with the pros with Aussie Mitch Robins and Guam’s Manami Iijima also seeking to make it two-in-row in their respective divisions in the event sponsored by one of the country’s leading cargo movers and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc., now part of the IRONMAN Group. But Sam Betten, also from Down Under, is out for a payback while Czech Jakub Langhammer hopes to score a follow-up to his recent Penong’s Davao feat. Multi-titled and Bangkok-based Aussie Dimity Lee Duke and Laura Wood of New Zealand, on the other hand, go all out to foil Iijima’s title-retention drive. Also on tap is the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint, a short distance triathlon series featuring a 750m open-water swim, 20km bike ride and a 5km run put up by Go for Gold to help Filipino athletes promote excellence.

Ramos, Kim eye Northern Luzon regional repeat NATIONAL team mainstay Sean Ramos and Korean Kim Seo Yu face tough challenge in pursuit of back-to-back title drive in the NGAP Northern Luzon Regional Golf Championship unfolding Friday (Oct. 25) at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac. Ramos nipped Josh Jorge by one to snare the Elite Am men’s crown at Beverly Place Golf Club in Pampanga last year with the former all set for a repeat against a strong field led by Dan Cruz, winner of the recent Cangolf Amateur Open, Aldo Barro, Joaquin Gomez, Rodolfo Brobio and Jonar Austria. Ramos is also using the tournament as part of his buildup for the SEA Games, also set at the Luisita layout, where he will team up with Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus and Luis Castro to spearhead the country’s gold medal bid against the crack Thailand squad. Kim also seeks to make it two-in-row in the 54-hole tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines in cooperation with Luisita Golf and Country Club although the Korean, who nipped Bernice Ilas-Olivarez in sudden death to clinch the title last year, braces for a fierce duel with the likes of Rianne Malixi, Sophia Blanco, Laurea Duque, Kayla Nocum and compatriot Kwon Tae Yon. Malixi, for one, is shooting for a third championship this year after claiming the overall crown in the Philippine Junior Amateur Open at Sherwood Hills Golf Club. She also won Phl Amateur Open Match Play plum, also at Luisita, both last April. Meanwhile, August Cruz also goes for a title repeat in the men’s division Group I (Hcp 7-12) of the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments and serving as part of PLDT Group National Amateur Tour while a wide open battle is seen in Group I (Hcp 13-above) among Titus Aguilar, Gary Manotoc, Alex Mendenilla, Alan Pasion and Marc Maceda, among others.

The government’s funding arm for sports, through its chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and the board of commissioners, doled out a total of P1.7 million to subsidize the 12-day camp meant to boost the squad for the prestigious biennial meet from November 30 to December 11. The squad left for the Japanese capital of Tokyo on Saturday, where it will test its mettle against prominent club teams like Kashiwa Angel Cross, Yamanashi Chuo Bank, Gunma Bank Green Wings, and Hitachi. The Nationals would also clash with collegiate teams like Nittai University and

Aoyama University. “We know that Japan is the gold standard in Asian volleyball. They may not be tall, but they are quick, tactical and very disciplined,” said Ramirez, who used to be a basketball coach at Ateneo de Davao University before leading the government sports agency. “That’s why we’re throwing our all-out support to this training camp. We feel that with just the right training program and exposure winning a medal in the SEA Games will be very possible,” he added Despite its massive popularity, the women’s volleyball team has yet to stand

out in the international arena. After winning a bronze medal in the 23rd SEA Games in Bacolod City in 2005, the Nationals failed to join in the next four stagings of the meet before making a return in the 28th edition in Singapore in 2015 and the 29th edition in Kuala Lumpur in 2017. This time, the Nationals have a golden chance of winning, not only because the tournament will be held in the country, but also because of the emergence of some top-tier talents like FilipinoAmerican spiker Kalei Mau and middle blocker Majoy Baron. Mau announced her arrival with a strong performance in the ASEAN Grand Prix while Baron emerged as the Best Blocker when the country clinched the bronze medal in the first leg in Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand and the second

leg in Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Aside from Mau and Baron, also part of the trip are veterans Mika Reyes, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Aby Maraño, Frances Molina, Alyssa Valdez, Rhea Dimaculangan, Dawn Macandili, Mylene Paat. Also included were rising stars Maddie Madayag, Eya Laure, Kat Arado and Jia Morado. Shaq Delos Santos is the head coach with Kungfu Reyes and Brian Esquibel as deputies. Valdez and Morado, however, are expected to fly back on Friday to join Creamline in its semifinal battle in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference while the whole team will be back on November 1, just in time for the Philippine Superliga Super Cup where they would face two select local teams and a university team from Japan.

Shin submits course record 64 at Summit golf, up 2 shots

Micah Shin dominates with solid eight-under start

PNB, RCBC win Bankers League cage opener DEFENDING champion Philippine National Bank and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation pulled off similar impressive victories at the start of the Philippine Bankers League Season 2 basketball championship at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Pasig City lat Oct. 19. PNB Saving Bank outsteadied PS Bank, 75-63, while RCBC overpowered Bank of Makati, 101-84, to gain the headstart in this seven-team, weekend–only tournament organized by HoopsNation Manila. Jovert Mendoza, Chief Executive Officer/Founder of HoopsNation Manila made the ceremonial toss during the opening game between PNB Savings and PS Bank. Janelle Cadapan of PNB Savings Bank was voted as Best Muse. Assisting Mendoza are HoopsNation Manila officials Cholo Legisma, Benedict Rosopa, Pierre Moratillo, Kiko Malicdem and Alvin del Ponso.

Jovert Mendoza, CEO/Founder of HoopsNation Manila, makes the ceremonial toss during the opening of the Philippine Bankers League Season 2 basketball championship at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Pasig City.

LIPA CITY—Micah Shin took charge in a day of torrid scoring here at Summit Point, coming away with a fourbirdie spree on both nines to set a new course record 64 and seize a two-stroke clubhouse lead over Englishman Joe Knox at the start of the ICTSI Summit Point World 18 Challenge yesterday. The lanky Korean-American actually came into the $100,000 Philippine Golf Tour Asia event without any expectations following a so-so showing in his return stint on the local circuit two weeks ago but thrived in the privacy of one of the early flights and racked up three straight birdies from No. 3 to spark a binge on a course that features 18 of the world’s most renowned golf holes. “I had not been playing well lately and came here just trying to get back my feel,” said Shin, who shared 12th place in the ICTSI South Pacific Classic of the PGT in Davao and tied for 18th in the CAT Open of the PGT Asia at Luisita last week following a long campaign abroad. The Davao-based shotmaker, who has posted three big victories the last three years—the CAT Open in Luisita in 2016, in a regional tour event in 2017, and in The Country Club Invitational last year—missed five fairways in hot conditions but flashed superb iron shots to reach two of the five par5s, four of which he birdied. He kept an unblemished card by saving par on the par-4 No. 15, the only green he missed in a day when the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout yielded 23 under par scores in morning play in the absence of the wind. “A couple of 65s were posted here last year, so his (Shin’s) 64 stands as the new course record,” said Summit Point general manager Vic de Guzman. Knox also knocked in three birdies in row from No. 3 and took the early lead with another birdie on No. 7 and an eagle on the ninth for an opening 30. But the Englishman, who missed the CAT Open cut last week, dropped two strokes on No. 11 and needed to birdie Nos. 13 and 16 to assume the early challenger’s role in the season-ending tournament of Asia’s emerging circuit put up by ICTSI and backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High.

Top American collegiate golf coaches to scout for Filipino talents By Paul David L. Gelario DIVISION 1 coaches from Columbia University, UCLA, and UC Berkeley will be present in the country to scout junior golfers, DreamBig’s founder announced at an exclusive media press conference at Clock-In in BGC, last Tuesday. “For the first time ever, we’re bringing the top university coaches in Manila. The Golf Camp features Columbia University, UCLA, and UC Berkeley,” DreamBig Founder, Akshay Maliwal said. Junior golfers 12 to 18 year olds are invited to participate in one or both of the Gold Series Golf Camp and the Golf Challenger Series, where the coaches will be present and may offer scholarship for talented junior golfers. The Golf Challenger Series will be held in The Orchard Golf and

Country Club in Manila on December 16 and 17, while the Gold Series Golf Camp will be on December 17 and 18 at the same venue. Maliwal also revealed in a surprise announcement that the FCGDream Big Qualifier Tournament will be held before the camp. It will be a two-day tournament and top finishers from different age brackets will get a direct invite in the FC Callaway World Junior Golf Championship 2020 in California on July 13 to 15. Maliwal advised budding Filipino junior golfers, who aspire to become the next global icon to attend the camps. “The first step is to go to the camps. The second, if you’re really interested, is summer tours,” he said “The first step is the camp, and it is happening here in Manila.” Maliwal concluded that his dream is to help student athletes

DreamBig Events Founder, Akshal Maliwal (third from left) and DreamBig Philippines Head of Operations, Tera Reyes (fourth from left)

get a scholarship in the US. Maliwal concluded. “If I can help student athletes get a scholThe cost for the Golf Challenger Series is arship to US colleges? That is my dream,” $400 and the Gold Series Golf Camp at $500.

Sports

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

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

Leonard lifts Clippers past James’ Lakers; Raptors win LOS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers won the opening round of Los Angeles’s revitalised battle for basketball supremacy on Tuesday, defeating LeBron James and the Lakers 112-102 in a pulsating season-opening clash at the Staples Center. Leonard, who arrived at the Clippers in the off-season after leading Toronto to the NBA title last season, wasted no time roaring back into action, leading the scoring with 30 points. “It was great. A lot of emotions, game one,” said Leonard, who grew up in Riverside, 50 miles east of Los Angeles. “I am just happy we came out and got a victory. We had great practices and some carry over from that tonight.” The Clippers attacked the rim, forced easy turnovers, used a stingy defence to keep James and his new sidekick Anthony Davis in check. Leonard also had six rebounds and five assists, reserve guard Lou Williams finished with 21 points and power forward Montrezl Harrell tallied 17 points and seven rebounds. James shot seven-of-19 for 18 points and Davis shot eight-of-21 for 25 points for the Lakers who are hoping their offseason changes will boost the team’s fortunes after they finished a disappointing 37-45 and failed to qualify for the postseason for the sixth season in a row. “It is the first game,” said James. “It was a huge test. We have a lot of room to improve. We are a new group with a new system. We did some good things and we did some not so good things. The one bright spot for the Lakers was newcomer Danny Green who scored 28 points by hitting 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including seven of nine from beyond the arc. Davis said he and James will need time to get used to each other on the court. “We are both aggressive so sometimes we miss each other,” Davis said. “We are still learning and just trying to figure it out. This is game one of many.” Thanks to the addition of Leonard from Toronto and Paul George from Oklahoma City, the Clippers are one of the early front runners to contend for a title. “We would love to win a championship and I think we are going to compete at high level and give ourselves an opportunity,” said Williams. Raptors whip Pelicans Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet scored a career-high 34 points as the Toronto Raptors got their NBA title defense off to a winning start with a 130-122 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Pascal Siakam also tallied 34 points and added 18 rebounds before fouling out of the NBA’s season-opening contest at Scotiabank Arena which featured the Raptors’ championship banner and ring ceremony. Both teams were missing some big names as the Raptors began life without Kawhi Leonard and the Pelicans lost Anthony Davis in a trade and were missing injured first pick Zion Williamson. “We had to reach into our bag of tricks,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. The game was one of two opening night contests with the Los Angeles Lakers taking the court later against the Leonard’s new team Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to the tipoff against the Pelicans, the Raptors presented their players and coaches with their rings and unveiled the 2019 championship banner in the rafters of the arena. The massive ring features over 80 diamonds including 74 in and around the Toronto skyline logo which represents the club’s 74 wins last season. AFP

FIL-CHINESE CAGERS READY. Members of

the Fil-Chinese Basketball Veterans Association, led by Terry Que of Rain or Shine and Jimi Lim of Ironcon Builders (3rd and 4th from left), are shown during a recent practice session. Other members of the team are Achit Kaw, Chingka Lee, Joel Gomez, William Lao, Zotico Tan, Andrew Ongteco, Antonio Go and Roberto Poblete. Mentored by former Letran star Jerry Gonzales and former PH standout Elmer Reyes, FCVBA leaves for Chang Mai, Thailand next week to compete in the ASEAN Seniors’ Basketball Championship.

Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers is fouled by LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers as he steps by Anthony Davis during the first half in the LA Clippers season home opener at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Elasto Painters stay in hunt By Jeric Lopez

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AIN or Shine turned on the heat late to rout Blackwater, 99-82, for a much-needed win in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City Wednesday night. Rey Nambatac was splendid all game for the Elasto Painters, scattering a team-high 18 points with seven rebounds and seven assists to lead his squad to victory. The Painters stayed in the hunt for a quarterfinals berth with the win, tying the Elite and Phoenix at 2-5 for place ninth to 11th. New import Kwame Alexander was solid as well for Rain or Shine,

tallying a double-double of 17 points and 16 boards, while Beau Belga added 17 more markers. The Elasto Painters ended the game on burly 15-1 blast to finally end their woes. A pivotal 8-0 run bridging the last two quarters restored order for Rain or Shine, giving it a key 75-67 advantage after a Belga triple with 10:14 remaining. Blackwater inched to within just, three, 81-84, after a split from the line from Marqus Blakely. However, the Elasto Painters followed up with some marginal baskets in the clutch to preserve the win. A decisive 10-0 run was uncorked by Rain or Shine in the waning minutes to suddenly open up the game’s largest lead, 94-91, and seal its second victory following a floater from Mark Borboran with 1:45 remaining. The win also snapped Rain or Shine’s four-game losing streak. Rain or Shine turned the tides in its fa-

vor in the second quarter, outscoring Blackwater, 29-14, in a dominant stretch to snatch control. A booming 17-6 run to end the first half gave the Elasto Painters a 49-40 advantage into halftime. It was Blackwater which started out well, opening up eight-point leads in the first period before carrying a 26-20 edge into the second frame. The two teams exchanged runs for most part but it was the Painters who owned the payoff period. The scores: Rain or Shine 99—Nambatac 18, Alexander 17, Belga 17, Daquioag 13, Exciminiano 8, Ponferada 7, Borboran 7, Norwood 5, Mocon 3, Onwubere 3. Blackwater 82—Parks 27, Blakely 21, Cortez 16, Sumang 7, Belo 7, Maliksi 2, Sena 2, Cruz 0, Desiderio 0, Heruela 0, Al-Hussaini 0, Jose 0. Quarterscores: 20-26, 49-40, 69-67, 99-82.

FEU shows Adamson door; UP in playoffs FAR Eastern University sent Adamson packing in the Final Four race of the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament with a 63-60 squeaker Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. L-Jay Gonzales poured 11 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, including the crucial split from the line with 1:28 to play as the Tamaraws blanked the Soaring Falcons in the final minute. Jerom Lastimosa, though, still had a shot to force overtime after Adamson forced FEU to a crucial five-second inbounds violation with 11.4 seconds to spare, but he muffed his trey as time expired. The Tamaraws stayed in fourth place with their 7-6 record. “Obviously we’re happy with the win, which was our seventh, but actually, we haven’t done anything yet. We have no reason really to celebrate,” said coach Olsen Racela. Wendell Comboy also wound up with 11 points and seven rebounds, as Ken Tuffin tallied 11 points and seven boards in a game where FEU lost hold of a 12-point lead, 55-43 in the fourth period. Cameroonian center Patrick Tchuente did his job down low with 16 rebounds, while also collecting four points and two blocks. It was a bitter setback for Adamson, which missed its first semifinals since coach Franz Pumaren took over in 2016. Congolese big man Lenda Douanga paced the Soaring Falcons with 10 points, 22 rebounds, and two blocks, but that wasn’t enough to save his side

FEU’s Wendell Comboy drives to the basket

from falling to 4-8. Meanwhile, University of the Philippines secured at least a playoff in the Final Four with an 80-77 escape over National University in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Jun Manzo came alive in the second half, where he poured 12 of his 14 points and lead the Fighting Maroons to back-toback victories, hiking their record to 8-4. UP can secure the semifinals spot if either FEU, who is facing Adamson as of

press time, or La Salle, taking on UST later in the day, lose their respective games. “The expectations are a little higher than that. Parang dapat lang na nandoon tayo,” said coach Bo Perasol. “But we have to count our blessings. We can’t go to the highest point of the competition if we can’t get to the next level.” Kobe Paras finished with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one block, with his three-pointer with 3:02 remaining pushing the Fighting Maroons ahead, 77-70.

Pasay Racing Festival set Nov. 3 at MetroTurf IT’S ALL systems go for the sixth staging of the Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Racing Festival set on Nov. 3 at the MetroTurf Racing Complex in Malvar, Batangas. Tough and tested runners were nominated in the three major stakes races that highlight the day-long festivities heralding the anniversary of Pasay City, the country’s noted gateway to the metropolis. There are 12 exciting runners nominated in the 6th Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Cup composed of Certain To Win, Garantisado, Gomper Gird. Metamorphosis, Pangalusian Island, Scarborough Shoal, Sooner Time, Stella Malone, Summer Romance, Truly Ponti, Und Kantar, at Victorious Colt. Meantime, there are seven gallopers nominated in the 6th Pasay Rep. Tony Calixto Cup and they are Boss Emong, My Jopay, Patong Patong, Refuse To lose, Shanghai Grey, Toy For the Big Boy, and The Accountant. These two stakes races have a whopping total guaranteed prize of P700,000 each for the top four placers and will be disputed the same 1,600-meter distance. Meanwhile, the 5th Former Pasay Mayor Eduardo ‘Duay’ Calixto Memorial Cup has eight nominees, namely Harapin Mo, Joyous Solution, Mark of Excellence, Miss Campbell, Queensboro, To It’s Si Bing, Top Attraction, and Union Run. A total of P300,000 is at stake in this 1,600-meter race. Pasay City Rep. Tony Calixto is inviting all racing fans to watch and be part of the day-long festivities on Nov. 3 as heart-pounding races can be witnessed at the racetrack and non-stop raffle of exciting prizes on the side. “We are now on the sixth edition of this annual racing festivities that is part of the Pasay City founding anniversary celebration. This is getting bigger every year and and we would like to invite you to be a part of this year’s affair,” Rep. Calixto said. There will be eight other major Trophy Races to be held, such as the Pasay City Mayor Emi-Calixto Rubiano Trophy Race, Pasay Vice Mayor Noel del Rosario Trophy Race, Coun. Mark Calixto Trophy Race, Pasay City Engineer’s Trophy Race, Pasay City Councilors District I Trophy Race, Pasay City Councilors District II Trophy Race, Pasay City Barangays Trophy Race, and the Resorts World Manila Trophy Race. All the Winning Owners will bring home an added P30,000 together with a handsome trophy each.

Warriors clobber Capitals; Volcanoes win BATANGAS CITY—The General Santos Warriors showed their offensive might and clobbered the Quezon City Capitals, 124-103, on Tuesday to rev up their playoffs drive in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Season at Batangas State University Gymnasium here. They got further boost later in the night when the listless Batangas Athletics yielded to the reenergized Bicol Volcanoes, 71-76, who halted a six-game slide. Navotas Uni-Pak Sardines trounced Binan City Luxxe White in the opener, 110-98. Former pro Pamboy Raymundo

dished off an MPBL record 18 assists and fired 22 points while homegrown Delmar Mahaling scored 23 and grabbed 13 rebounds to power the Warriors to their 14th win against six losses, displacing the Athletics at third spot among 15 teams in the South division. Raymundo, also with six rebounds, two steals and one block, eclipsed the 17 assists tallied by Binan City Laguna Heroes’ Allan Mangahas when he was still with the Muntinlupa Cagers in the MPBL Datu Cup. The Warriors, trailing only the Davao Occidental Tigers (16-2) and the Bacoor Strikers (15-4) in the

South, also got 18 points and nine rebounds from John Orbeta, 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals from homegrown Christopher Masaglang, and 16 points and five rebounds from Al Carlos in pulling down the Capitals to 8-11 in the 16team North division. Now under new management and fully controlled by LCC Malls, the Volcanoes were led by Alwyn Alday with 19 points, four steals and 3 rebounds in climbing to 9-11, good for eighth spot in the South, where eight teams will advance to the playoffs along with eight other teams from the North.

IN BRIEF

PECO ready to spend P1.1b in next 10 years

PANAY Electric Company Inc. plans to invest P1.1 billion in the next 10 years to improve services, introduce smart technologies and meet the anticipated increase in demand. PECO head of public engagement and government affairs Marcelo Cacho said part of the investment included P205 million to put up and replace meters with smart meters over a five year period. He said the P1.1-billion investment also included a budget for three substations that would meet the demand of real estate developers, such as Megaworld Corp, Gaisano and Western Land Property Development Inc. “While the future of energy is in the power choice, the good news is that the future is now starting to happen here in the Visayas, particularly in Iloilo. We have initiated quite a few innovations in energy distribution that will ultimately benefit our customers,” said Cacho. He said PECO launched its Smart Metering project that included prepaid metering, real-time wireless meter reading, automatic disconnection and reconnection, and an overall lowering of rates due to customer load profiling. Alena Mae S. Flores

Air Asia: Passenger traffic jumps by 33%

AIR Asia Philippines on Wednesday said domestic and international passenger traffic rose 33 percent in the third quarter of the year from a year ago. The budget carrier of the Romero family said passengers carried reached 2.10 million in the July-to-September period from 1.57 million passengers year-on-year. AirAsia Philippines expanded capacity by 19 percent during the quarter to 2.45 million from 2.05 million on the introduction of new international routes and an increase in frequency on both domestic and international sectors. Load factor increased by 9 percentage points to 86 percent from 77 percent last year. The airline operates 24 aircraft from last year’s 21 aircraft. AirAsia flies to 13 international destinations from Manila in the Philippines, including Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok, Bali, Seoul, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau and Ho Chi Minh City. It also operates several flights to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark and Iloilo in the Philippines. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business PEZA finalizes proposed refinements to CITIRA bill By Othel V. Campos

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he Philippine Economic Zone Authority is finalizing the proposed refinements to the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act after holding a second dialog with locators, industry associations and foreign chambers on Oct. 22.

PEZA director-general Charito Plaza consulted the ecozone locators and companies registered with the agency for the proposed amendments. She also expressed support to the proposed amendments to the House-approved version of CITIRA which is now being deliberated

by the Senate. Industry associations, locators and foreign chambers agreed to provide their inputs to end the uncertainties caused by the pending tax reform on incentives. “PEZA wants to end the agony of uncertainties which created fears to industries’ possible exits and the massive job losses, affecting peace and prosperity in the country,” said Plaza. Key leaders of foreign chambers, industries and associations reiterated that “incentives are important factors for continuously attracting investments in the country despite the absence of other efficiency factors including low supply chain, high power rate, and logistics costs.” “CITIRA is considered as a major incentives revamp which will affect PEZA’s image and credibility in the international community, in honoring commitments and contracts with investors, the stability of our investment policies and laws and most is the trust and

confidence of investors to our government,” Plaza said. Industry associations and foreign chambers decided to continue with their lobbying to the senators, the bicameral conference committee and President Rodrigo Duterte for an enhancement of incentives to make the Philippines globally competitive. “We appeal for more transparency, openness and a critical evaluation by the Senate, the committee and for wisdom and enlightenment by the president who will finally approve the kind of CITIRA law that the government will adopt,” Plaza said. Plaza assured that the recommendations and inputs of the affected parties under PEZA would be packaged in proposed refinements to better craft a beautiful legislation that’s beneficial to all. She said the proposed refinements to the CITIRA bill will be submitted to Congress, the Trade Department and the Finance Department.

Investors confident on PH—Dominguez

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the active participation of global companies in the unprecedented “Build, Build, Build” program of the administration is a vote of confidence in the graft-free style of leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte. Dominguez, in a lunch meeting held last week at the official residence of Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez in Washington D.C., told American executives and business leaders the “vibrant participation” of both international and local companies in the program was a solid proof of the trust the government had earned from the global community. Dominguez cited the auction for the contracts covering the fourth and fifth packages of the segment of the NorthSouth Commuter Railway running from Malolos in Bulacan to Clark in Pampanga, which attracted five foreign firms and one Philippine company. The bids for the contract packages were submitted by the interested parties on Oct. 14. Julito G. Rada

PALECO starts sustainability plan to improve distribution By Alena Mae S. Flores PALAWAN Electric Cooperative started implementing a comprehensive sustainability plan to lessen power interruptions and increase distribution efficiency. National Electrification Administration deputy administrator for technical services Artis Nikki Tortola said PALECO already achieved significant gains after the creation of a task force whose main function was to speed up its rehabilitation. “I believe that the gains that the Taskforce has done for PALECO is going very smoothly. But while these activities are being conducted, NEA has required PALECO to establish a comprehensive sustainability plan to protect the gains of the cooperative,” Tortola said. NEA earlier created Task Force Kapatid Paleco composed of 10 electric cooperatives from Luzon and Visayas. Each electric cooperative deployed six technical personnel with boom truck and necessary equipment and logistics to aid PALECO in undertaking the rehabilitation of power lines within its coverage area. Rehabilitation works of PALECO started on Aug. 16 and the electric cooperatives were expected to stay in the province for at least three months. PALECO is the lone power distributor of Puerto Princesa City and the municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Brooke’s Point, Sofronio Espanola, Cuyo, Magsaysay, Quezon, Roxas, Taytay, El Nido, Araceli, San Vicente, Bataraza, Rizal, Balabac, Cagayancillo, Agutaya and Dumaran. “So far, PALECO has responded positively to such challenge and is currently establishing such plan. We are hoping that by Nov. 15, 2019, this plan will be in full-blown,” he said. The sustainability plan also includes the possible coop policy amendments and or procedural enhancement. “This would also include distribution design development and innovations,” Tortola said.

NEW POWER PLANT. Meralco PowerGen Corp., a wholly-owned power generation subsidiary of Manila Electric Co., celebrates the switching-on of the 500-megawatt supercritical coal-fired power plant in Mauban, Quezon in a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Manila. Leading the ceremony are (seated, from left) EGCO senior vice president Danuja Simasathien, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, President Rodrigo Duterte, Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan and Meralco PowerGen president and CEO Rogelio Singson. Standing are (from left) Meralco SVP Edgar Carasig, director Pedro Roxas, vice-chairman Lance Gokongwei, Meralco PowerGen CTO John Quirke, Smart president and former Meralco executive Alfredo Panlilio, Meralco president and CEO Ray Espinosa, Meralco PowerGen VP Litz Santana, Meralco directors Jose Ma. Lim, Artemio Panganiban and Anabelle Chua, Meralco PowerGen COO Dan Neil, One Meralco Foundation president Jeffrey Tarayao, Meralco PowerGen SVP Marcos Yorobe, MVP Group Media Bureau managing director Michael Toledo and Meralco VP Jose Ronald Valles.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

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PCC launches investigation into rice trade THE Philippine Competition Commission launched an investigation into the rice trade to determine if there is a collusion among traders that keep rice prices high. “What we want to do is understand fully well where these forces are coming from, whether they are coming from the way we implemented the Rice Tarrification Law or the way various market players are reacting to the law. So it’s basically an understanding of the forces, so we have a core focus approach to our inquiry or investigation,” PCC chairman Arsenio Balisacan said at the sidelines of an MSME forum in Quezon City. Traders found guilty of fixing prices will be liable for administrative and criminal penalties, according to PCC. The commission seeks to find if there is a rice cartel that manipulates the supply of rice and controls the dynamics of pricing. The Agriculture Department is helping out in the gathering of information to speed up the investigation. Balisacan said that in the course of investigation, the anti-trust body might run into other reasons why rice prices remain high. “The situation is not always the same, sometimes because of natural calamities like typhoons or calamities that disrupted supply chain. Sometimes, a major disruption in the rice market can raise the price of rice. So it’s not always the same where the high prices are coming from. That’s the basis of this undertaking. We want to understand where that is coming from. Is it because of too much imports or production? Is too much relative to the demand of the millers,” he said. The Agriculture Department earlier sought a safeguard investigation to determine whether increased imports of rice are causing, or are threatening to cause, serious injury to the local rice sector. The measure is in line with Republic Act 8752 (Anti-Dumping Act of 1999) where the government can impose antidumping duties on imports of any product, including rice and other basic food items, that are priced way below the current fair market value. Another option is to impose stringent sanitary and pytho-sanitary and inspection measures of rice imports. The World Trade Organization earlier announced it initiated the preliminary safeguard investigation on rice as requested by the Philippines. Based on the request filed by the Philippines, the document alleged that the continued increase in rice imports occurred alongside the drop in farmgate prices of palay which had greatly affected the income of farmers.

Othel V. Campos

PLDT investing P7b in a new trans-Pacific submarine cable network

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PLDT Inc. said Wednesday it is investing nearly P7 billion in a new trans-Pacific submarine cable that will link the Philippines directly to Japan and the US. PLDT said it was contributing $136.7 million to the new undersea fiber called Jupiter spearheaded by a consortium of global companies that include Amazon, Facebook, SoftBank, PCCW Global and NTT Communications. Spanning 14,000 kilometers, the new undersea fiber will connect to PLDT’s cable landing station in Daet, Camarines Norte and will provide additional capacity of more than 22 tera bits per second

from the Philippines directly to and from Japan, and 17.6 Tbps to the West Coast in the US. The Jupiter cable system will employ a state-of-the-art, upgradeable technology using an “open cable model” which will allow PLDT to increase the capacity of its own fiber links by investing in the terminal technologies that boost data throughput. “This project will enable us to further improve the capacity and resilience of the country’s international connectivity and thus continue to deliver unparalleled world-class internet service to our customers,” PLDT chief revenue officer Alfred Panlilio said.

The new cable system is expected to be completed and operational by the third quarter of 2020. It will utilize new technology that will allow PLDT and other consortium participants to quickly upgrade capacity in response to growing data traffic and customer data usage. “This investment is of strategic importance given that a significant amount of content are downloaded by data users from servers abroad, particularly from the United States and Japan,” Panlilio said. The addition of Jupiter positions PLDT to serve international connectivity requirements better, particularly for enterprise customers. “Jupite not only provides increased

capacity going to business-relevant markets. It likewise adds strategic diversity options out of multiple international cable system routes and cable landing stations which businesses can choose from,” PLDT and Smart enterprise business group head Jovy Hernandez said. Under the open cable model, consortium participants in the Jupiter cable system are acquiring the fiber cables themselves, not just a share of the system’s fiber capacity. This enables PLDT and other consortium participants to quickly increase their undersea cable capacity without having to wait for the upgrade cycle of the consortium that is followed in most cable system models.

Pag-IBIG Fund receives support to raise members’ savings rate

FINANCIAL EDUCATION. More than 3,000 students and teachers of various schools nationwide learn the value of saving money and opening a savings account through the Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings Iponaryo roadshows. The students from Mantalongon National High School and Cawayan National High School in Cebu, Osmena Colleges in Masbate, St. Peters College in Iligan City, Davao City National High School and University of Makati opened their own Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings accounts, to become the latest Iponaryo members of the almost two million-strong #KayaNa: Unbanked Filipinos No More movement. Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier (center) meets some of the Iponaryo members.

PAG-IBIG Fund said it secured the support of labor and employer groups to raise the three decades-old P100 monthly savings rate of its members after several months of public consultation. “The low interest rates of our home loans make homeownership within reach of our members, so much so that the availment of our home loans has grown tremendously. And for us to continue financing the growth in home loans of our members under such low rates, there is a need to increase our members’ P100 monthly savings,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and PagIBIG Fund board of trustees. “But because President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has standing orders to consider the plight of the Filipino workers, we have spent the last six months consulting with labor unions, OFW non-government organizations, employer groups, and other stakeholders to seek their views on our plan to increase the membership savings rate,” del Rosario said.

He said that from April to September, Pag-IBIG Fund was in talks with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Philippine Government Employees Association, Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa sa GOCCs at GFIs, Federation of Free Workers, the Filipino Migrant Workers Group, OFW NGOs, the National Anti-Poverty Commission and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines. Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti said the consultations revolved around the agency’s proposal to adjust the monthly savings of Pag-IBIG Fund members which have remained at P100 for more than three decades. “Demand for our home loans has grown annually at an average of 17.5 percent in the past five years. We have been able to sustain this double-digit growth in 2019 with the release of P58.73 billion in home loans in the last nine months. This is the highest-ever amount released for any January to September period and is a 13.5 percent increase from the P51.76 billion released in the same period last year,” Moti said.

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Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market drops; Globe gains T HE stock market slipped Wednesday as investors took a step back on profit taking after recent gains.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 21.48 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,933.76 on a value turnover of P4.7 billion. Losers edged gainers, 91 to 82, with 61 issues unchanged. Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and power generation, hospitals snd infrastructure, fell 1.8 percent to 4.90, while BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, lost 1.1 percent to P146.80. AC Energy Philippines, owned by the Ayala Group, however, rose 2.9 percent to P2.83, while Globe Telecom Inc., the second largest telecommunications firm, added 1.3 percent to P1,920.

The pound, meanwhile, clawed back earlier losses Wednesday in Asia after Boris Johnson’s failure to push through his Brexit deal fueled fresh uncertainty, while regional equities ticked lower. Shanghai slipped 0.4 percent and Hong Kong was down 0.8 percent, with traders keeping tabs on reactions to a Financial Times report saying China was drawing up a plan to remove the city’s beleaguered chief executive after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest. Singapore fell 0.6 percent and Seoul was off 0.4 percent, while Taipei and Jakarta were also in the red. Wellington tumbled more than two percent, with energy firms battered by worries about electricity prices after Rio Tinto said it was considering closing a power-guzzling aluminium smelter, potentially leaving the country awash with excess capacity. Also, major construction firm Fletch-

er Building fell as a massive fire hit a US$450 million convention centre it is building in the middle of Auckland. But Tokyo edged up 0.3 percent, while Mumbai and Jakarta also rose while Sydney was flat. With everything quiet on the ChinaUS trade talks, attention was on Westminster where Britain’s prime minister finally got MPs to agree to his EU divorce pact, but minutes later lost a vote on a truncated debate that would have passed it in just three days. The news means Johnson is unlikely to fulfill his pledge of leaving the European Union by the October 31 deadline, and raises the possibility of his calling a general election before the end of the year. EU chiefs are now expected to recommend another extension to the withdrawal date, which analysts said the PM would blame on opposition lawmakers

in the event of a national poll. The prospect of another delay hit sterling, which briefly fell as low as $1.2841 on Wednesday before bouncing back as European business started. The unit had earlier this week broken $1.30 for the first time in five months on hopes of averting a painful no-deal divorce. It was also lower against the euro. London’s FTSE index started down 0.1 percent. “Getting a revised withdrawal agreement to this point and winning with a convincing margin... is an extraordinary achievement,” said Stephen Innes, senior market analyst at AxiTrader. “But with parliament rejecting PM Johnson’s truncated timetable in favor of more time to debate the bill, it now means members will give the statute the fine-tooth comb treatment, opening it to more criticism suggesting it could be knocked down later.” With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, octoBer 23, 2019

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

57.3 97.6 1.89 147.5 1.16 25 18.6 12.2 4.7 1.26 765 71.9 0.91 12.8 45.45 177.5 131 58.3 26.15 200.6 1,850 59.15 1.09

57.3 97.6 2.04 147.5 1.16 25 18.6 12.22 4.87 1.26 765 71.95 0.91 12.8 45.8 177.5 131 58.3 26.8 200.6 1,860 59.2 1.09

57 95.95 1.89 145 1.1 24.9 18.52 12.14 4.7 1.26 765 71.05 0.91 12.8 44.5 177 131 58.15 26.05 198.3 1,850 59.15 1.09

FINANCIALS 57 7,100 97 1,877,060 2.04 9,000 146.8 1,113,330 1.11 16,000 24.95 112,300 18.52 300 12.2 510,300 4.87 90,000 1.26 64,000 765 150 71.6 1,632,040 0.91 1,000 12.8 26,000 44.5 55,900 177.5 100 131 10 58.25 4,530 26.1 24,600 200 372,450 1,860 15 59.2 160 1.09 86,000

404,730 182,114,518.50 17,630 163,088,475 18,330 2,803,555 5,572 6,216,946 432,430 80,640 114,750 116,569,759.50 910 332,800 2,513,660 17,745 1,310 263,817.50 642,665 74,352,649 27,800 9,468.50 93,740

99,951,135.50 -34,368,009 -1,088,110 628,172 -27,873,507 -811,010 -12,425 -88,540 -305,535 1,971,583 -

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

38.8 2.78 15.7 0.69 1.32 4.38 0.27 2.64 15.5 8.7 18.1 31.6 70 76.9 2.05 5.8 5.54 8.75 15.5 10.4 7 24.8 79 48.5 2.52 14.8 8.07 1.49 227 55 5.16 10.08 20 13.38 17.24 364 0.192 5.12 1.77 5.1 9.4 10.86 33.45 5.4 5.14 1.95 1 11.3 91.5 7.35 1.14 159.1 2.5 1.25 1.18

39.3 2.85 15.78 0.69 1.32 4.39 0.27 2.65 15.52 8.7 18.1 31.6 70 76.9 2.11 5.8 5.67 8.87 15.5 10.4 7 24.9 79.45 48.5 2.53 14.84 8.14 1.52 227 59 5.16 10.08 20.2 13.38 17.68 364.8 0.192 5.43 1.78 5.1 9.5 11 33.85 5.41 5.14 1.98 1 11.5 93 7.38 1.14 159.1 2.5 1.28 1.18

38.6 2.7 15.14 0.67 1.29 4.33 0.265 2.62 15.32 8.59 18.1 30.6 70 72.15 2.05 5.8 5.53 8.65 15.2 10.3 6.99 24.6 78.9 48.45 2.45 14.78 8.05 1.46 223.6 50 5.15 9.8 19.94 13.18 17.24 362.8 0.192 5.12 1.73 5.04 9.22 10.86 33.3 5.38 5.12 1.92 1 11.16 91.5 7.31 1.1 156.9 2.5 1.24 1.14

INDUSTRIAL 39.2 568,600 2.83 23,615,000 15.38 571,700 0.69 446,000 1.32 169,000 4.34 2,569,000 0.27 2,960,000 2.65 791,000 15.38 374,700 8.6 179,800 18.1 100 30.6 1,800 70 20 76.7 136,040 2.11 101,000 5.8 2,000 5.66 10,300 8.86 2,945,400 15.3 8,500 10.38 284,300 7 579,000 24.7 566,300 79 145,350 48.5 69,900 2.5 14,147,000 14.84 244,100 8.06 82,500 1.51 93,000 225.2 346,370 54 1,710 5.15 3,600 10 12,400 20.05 1,376,200 13.3 85,000 17.66 660,800 364 101,210 0.192 70,000 5.43 2,300 1.75 2,627,000 5.05 583,500 9.5 22,900 11 46,100 33.55 114,900 5.41 54,200 5.14 8,100 1.92 1,304,000 1 40,000 11.18 95,100 93 55,600 7.31 10,400 1.13 97,000 157.2 939,770 2.5 1,000 1.28 2,096,000 1.16 1,090,000

22,225,415 9 66,078,170 8,778,908 304,880 221,580 11,166,970 798,100 2,081,490 5,766,998 1,551,411 1,810 56,040 1,400 10,216,580 211,460 11,600 57,387 25,886,569 12 129,900 2,940,952 4,052,896 13,993,535 11,483,840.5(5, 3,390,110 35,430,590 3,620,666 665,274 137,130 77,996,450 88,300 18,560 122,196 27,530,023 1,122,264 11,579,660(8, 36,805,874 13,440 11,869 4,612,570 2,947,755 214,642 503,974 3,861,140 291,888 41,494 2,522,720 40,000 1,068,788 5,123,220 76,546 108,340 148,059,825 2,500 2,654,890 1,254,460

,844,700.0002 -11,122,890 272,682 -38,280 108,990 -527,620 -2,755,126 -646,579 -46,860 ,184,211.9999 81,050 -258,454 -700,000 -5,868,690 538,629.5003) 3,268,900 -393,920 84,656 -21,262,174 -2,041,159 847,772 091,467.9996) -1,577,508 323,570 -65,087.00 659,045.00 -91,460 -840,780 -24,020.50 -22,140 -24,172,572 223,530 -33,450

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

0.92 54.85 11.98 0.7 12.84 1.13 1.16 869 3.65 6.63 8.98 13.38 880 5.63 73.5 0.49 4.31 13.6 0.61 4.99 0.039 1.46 2.95 166 1,005 403.2 219.8 0.22 0.228

0.92 54.85 12.06 0.71 12.86 1.14 1.16 869 3.7 6.66 8.99 13.38 880 5.65 73.95 0.5 4.31 13.78 0.61 5.02 0.039 1.5 2.98 166.1 1,014 403.2 220 0.225 0.228

0.9 54.35 11.7 0.69 12.5 1.12 1.16 862.5 3.62 6.55 8.86 13.38 863 5.63 72.35 0.48 4.3 13.52 0.59 4.81 0.039 1.44 2.95 164.4 1,002 403 219 0.22 0.228

HOLDING FIRMS 0.91 4,276,000 54.85 708,270 11.7 4,028,700 0.71 232,000 12.78 235,000 1.14 537,000 1.16 100,000 865.5 147,330 3.69 502,000 6.65 993,100 8.89 3,990,400 13.38 23,400 869.5 57,600 5.65 232,500 73.95 1,200,730 0.5 226,000 4.3 66,000 13.54 601,700 0.6 44,000 4.9 22,703,000 0.039 3,900,000 1.47 373,000 2.95 18,000 164.4 88,720 1,014 600,915 403 290 220 2,820 0.22 270,000 0.228 500,000

3,894,100 38,771,327.50 47,604,876 160,950 2,939,038 605,910 116,000 127,541,995 1,840,150 6,567,674 35,563,926 313,092 50,070,265 1,309,435 88,491,100.50 109,820 284,370 8,171,310 26,010 111,759,190 152,100 548,700 53,340 14,663,136 602,862,670 116,874 619,600 59,450 114,000

-659,640 22,994,198 -202,724 -45,218,330 76,580 2,671,398 5,525,237 -12,042 -24,571,590 -1,284,100 28,532,071.50 -55,940 2,702,126 -36,010,270 -6,912,723 505,395,280 4,388 -

14.8 0.81 9.3 1.75 0.86 48.65 2 4.53 0.57 0.85 0.203 0.455 9.81 20.55 0.43 1.59 1.2 4.5 4.8 0.295 0.4 1.41 0.38

PROPERTY 14.82 284,300 0.84 237,000 10.18 3,900 1.8 47,000 0.88 878,000 49 4,139,400 2 454,000 4.54 92,000 0.58 25,706,000 0.85 138,000 0.203 220,000 0.47 2,330,000 9.95 145,200 20.8 47,600 0.435 1,870,000 1.6 5,209,000 1.2 252,000 4.5 2,000 4.87 17,525,000 0.3 4,150,000 0.4 50,000 1.43 805,000 0.38 10,000

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

14.9 0.81 9.3 1.75 0.87 48.65 2.02 4.58 0.58 0.86 0.204 0.455 9.81 20.9 0.445 1.6 1.2 4.5 4.88 0.3 0.41 1.43 0.38

14.9 0.84 10.18 1.8 0.88 49 2.03 4.58 0.59 0.87 0.204 0.47 9.98 20.9 0.445 1.61 1.2 4.5 4.88 0.3 0.41 1.43 0.38

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

2.14 25.55 2.3 3.26 38.3 2.69 0.92 7.72 5.74

2.15 25.7 2.32 3.32 38.75 2.69 0.94 7.73 5.74

2.02 25.5 2.27 3.26 38.05 2.65 0.91 7.66 5.56

2.06 25.7 2.3 3.3 38.75 2.68 0.91 7.68 5.68

991,000 788,000 153,000 58,000 4,032,000 266,000 816,768,000 3,227,000 90,000

2,051,610 20,208,235 351,100 189,890 155,547,075 709,000 743,260,590 24,786,804 507,867

9,337,660 43,988,570 13,400 712,622,500 -12,418,948 -

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

10.68 18.9 1.55 11.56 0.57 0.042 2.4 10.4 94.3 7 6.82 9.2 920 1,880 5.25 430.2 11.26 1.64 123 7.88 0.109 4.85 2.58 13.52 3.02 0.91 18.74 3.4 2.4 1.14 12.54 3.09 8.2 5.14 139 3.06 1,120 0.68 0.54 41.2 77 8.67 2.67 0.68 0.33 0.67 16.4

10.68 19 1.55 11.56 0.57 0.043 2.4 10.4 95.65 7 6.9 9.71 920 1,920 5.27 430.2 11.26 1.65 123.7 8 0.109 4.9 2.65 13.52 3.02 0.91 18.76 3.42 2.41 1.14 12.54 3.35 8.2 5.14 139 3.1 1,124 0.69 0.54 41.2 77 9.23 2.67 0.68 0.335 0.69 16.42

10.34 18.8 1.55 11.52 0.54 0.042 2.39 10.24 93.5 7 6.8 9.2 920 1,880 5.16 430.2 11.26 1.58 121.1 7.88 0.109 4.84 2.49 13.52 2.99 0.9 18.68 3.29 2.39 1.14 12.52 3.09 8.1 5.14 139 3.03 1,112 0.68 0.51 40.3 75.6 8.6 2.54 0.68 0.325 0.66 16.32

SERVICES 10.5 18.9 1.55 11.56 0.54 0.043 2.39 10.26 94.8 7 6.83 9.69 920 1,920 5.22 430.2 11.26 1.62 123 7.9 0.109 4.89 2.5 13.52 3 0.9 18.68 3.42 2.41 1.14 12.52 3.35 8.1 5.14 139 3.05 1,112 0.69 0.51 40.3 76 9.23 2.57 0.68 0.335 0.68 16.4

7,500 58,200 7,000 5,819,300 20,595,000 1,500,000 51,000 676,500 191,370 600 348,100 269,400 20 48,935 303,800 50 100 313,000 1,318,130 19,000 90,000 1,922,000 58,000 200 505,000 146,000 76,000 85,000 120,000 21,000 1,300 13,613,000 2,300 5,000 70 354,000 68,550 100,000 13,182,000 116,600 826,150 29,700 2,058,000 4,004,000 10,710,000 486,000 1,007,800

78,568 1,098,432 10,850 67,191,816 11,227,900 63,500 121,900 6,953,648 18,018,649 4,200 2,373,002 2,555,006 18,400 93,320,170 1,586,763 21,510 1,126 500,590 162,067,121 150,180 9,810 9,368,910 146,920 2,704 1,514,920 131,490 1,424,172 286,800 287,960 23,940 16,282 44,378,900 18,850 25,700 9,730 1,080,490 76,495,890 68,150 6,923,060 4,729,820 62,734,159 261,605 5,319,740 ( 2,722,720 3,525,350 326,820 16,521,022 1

-25,036,648 -2,647,990 -119,500 -4,855,060 -6,312,597 -117,933 33,898,115 48,000 85,241,402 58,260 6,000 -692,244 -2,370 418,980 9,730 -176,650 -8,390,030 162,180 -2,541,250 -8,681,314 403,840.0001) -2,628,200 -325,000 ,240,888.0004

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

0.0016 1.13 2.51 12.26 2.6 7.42 1.67 0.202 0.108 0.109 0.0093 0.0093 1.13 3.92 1.04 0.84 0.011 0.011 0.011 10.6 3.64 12.14 23.15

0.0017 1.14 2.51 12.26 2.6 7.81 1.69 0.209 0.108 0.11 0.0093 0.0093 1.15 3.96 1.07 0.86 0.011 0.011 0.011 11.02 3.68 12.34 23.5

0.0016 1.12 2.51 12 2.6 7.41 1.66 0.202 0.107 0.108 0.0093 0.0093 1.13 3.82 1.03 0.84 0.011 0.011 0.011 10.32 3.6 12.14 23

MINING & OIL 0.0017 9,000,000 1.14 192,000 2.51 10,000 12.26 1,300 2.6 310,000 7.81 2,300 1.69 2,777,000 0.209 180,000 0.108 1,270,000 0.11 180,000 0.0093 2,000,000 0.0093 6,000,000 1.15 18,000 3.9 4,056,000 1.06 221,000 0.86 4,000 0.011 7,500,000 0.011 1,500,000 0.011 30,000,000 10.76 1,175,500 3.6 229,000 12.3 162,700 23.5 3,143,700

15,200 216,910 25,100 15,652 806,000 17,522 4,685,990 36,930 136,440 19,470 18,600 55,800 20,360 15,791,650 227,860 3,380 82,500 16,500 330,000 12,637,988 828,900 1,995,542 72,729,880

-1,130 596,710 -55,800 -1,710,570 873,156 36,070 -190,846 20,033,420

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE 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 2I

17.8 500 100.9 5.05 970 970 1 101 1,055 108 993 77.95 75.1 75.6 76.6 75.45 75.7

18 500 100.9 5.05 970 971 1 101 1,055 108 993 78.05 75.1 75.6 76.65 75.6 75.7

17.8 500 100.3 5.04 970 970 1 101 1,055 108 990 77.9 75.1 75 76.6 75.4 75.7

PREFERRED 18 608,500 500 2,000 100.3 12,240 5.04 774,500 970 590 971 550 1 3,000 101 1,080 1,055 15 108 120 990 1,000 78 18,980 75.1 490 75 13,400 76.6 25,000 75.6 11,300 75.7 135,400

10,835,040 1,000,000 1,228,742 3,906,639 572,300 534,000 3,000 109,080 15,825 12,960 991,150 1,480,479 36,799 1,005,717 1,915,005 852,530 10,249,780

-336,600 -

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

6.69 11.38 2.77 0.9

6.75 11.96 2.79 0.91

6.61 11.38 2.77 0.89

SME 6.7 11.66 2.78 0.9

201,800 802,300 7,000 656,000

1,345,768 9,432,990 19,430 591,000

-38,196 -

FIRST METRO ETF

118.7

118.8

117.6

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.8 9,310

1,099,747

-

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.28 10.1 0.97

10.28 10.1 0.97

10.28 10.1 0.97

25,700 22,119 8,245

-

MS 4,210,564 197,070 36,358 84,300 765,030 202,563,190 912,140 417,310 15,021,850 119,920 44,680 1,087,600 1,444,029 984,515 812,100 8,346,540 302,400 9,000 84,963,910 1,237,550 20,400 1,141,410 3,800

-274,546 -22,730 44,241,855 -549,630 -122,580 219,820.00 964,609 336,770 -751,000 -6,147,140 15,598,930 -3,000 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

7,334,477

INDUSTRIAL

64,243,005

HOLDING FIRMS

46,916,951

PROPERTY

891,600,775

SERVICES

83,643,379

MINING & OIL

69,943,051

GRAND TOTAL

1,165,359,065

DDS 10.28 10.1 0.97

2,500 2,190 8,500

VALUE 1,859.54 (DOWN) 13.97 694,695,065.88 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,634.70 (DOWN) 34.23 694,172,089.14 HOLDING FIRMS 7,750.76 (DOWN) 21.47 1,197,857,683.04 PROPERTY 4,180.88 (UP) 15.28 SERVICES 1,531.01 (DOWN) 6.22 1,296,060,894.715 MINING & OIL 9,074.90 (UP) 58.30 666,528,629.435 PSEI 7,933.76 (DOWN) 21.48 110,726,515.388 All Shares Index 4,778.20 (DOWN) 5.91 4,672,532,382.60 Gainers: 82; Losers: 91; Unchanged: 61; Total: 234

Cirtek trims commercial paper issue to just P2b By Jenniffer B. Austria CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp. reduced the size of a planned commercial paper issuance to P2 billion from the initial target of P6 billion. Cirtek said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the board approved a shelf registration and issuance of up to P2 billion worth of CP during a three-year period. “Instead of a registration in the aggregate principal amount of up to P6 billion, the shelf registration of fixed rate Commercial Papers and issuance will only be in the aggregate principal amount of up to P2 billion which may be issued and reissued during the three-year validity of the registration statement,” said Cirtek. No other details were provided, including the timetable of notes offering and the use of proceeds. Cirtek in July reported unit Cirtek Electronics Corp. bagged a deal with a US chipmaker that could generate $3 million in annual revenues. The unnamed US-based company specializes in telecommunications e-band ceramic modules and chipsets. Cirtek said the chipmaker would transfer its assembly, pre-cap text and RF (radio frequency) final test line from the United States to the unit’s facility in Laguna Technopark, Biñan, Laguna. CEC will also invest in upgrading its surface mount technology or electronic board assembly, capabilities and capacity. Cirtek booked a net income of $2.3 million in the first half of the year, down 70 percent from $7.5 million year-onyear. First-half revenues fell 11 percent to $48.6 million from $54.8 million a year ago. “The global economic slowdown and unique industry challenges have negatively affected demand for electronic and communication devices. As a result, revenue and profitability for the first half of the year have been lower than expected,” said Cirtek president Jorge Aguilar said. “Despite the challenges, we will continue to aggressively pursue new customers and new markets, continue strategic collaboration with third parties for quicker time to market and broader product offerings to major customers, and continue to driver efficiency across the organization,” he said.

Petron Freeport posted higher sales, profit in 6 months By Alena Mae S. Flores PETRON Freeport Corp., a unit of oil refiner Petron Corp., reported Wednesday double-digit growths in sales and profit during the first six months of the year. The unit registered a 14-percent increase in sales volume to 10.5 million liters and a net income growth of 20 percent to P48.7 million in the six-month period. The company operates service stations inside Subic Freeport Zone, where locators are exempt from national and local taxes, including excise taxes. “PFC’s performance shows that in an environment where the playing field is leveled, oil companies, or any business for that matter, can thrive. It is worth noting that while PFC’s Subic stations continue to grow, domestic volume for the rest of parent Petron has been declining,” Petron said in a statement. Subic Freeport allows locators to engage in a healthy competition where prices at almost at the same level. There are large retail price disparities of as much as P10 to P15 per liter on average outside the free port zone. Petron said the disparities are a clear indication that smuggled oil finds its way in several parts of the country. Petron owns the country’s biggest oil refinery in Bataan. The company said it would continue to push for a level playing field in the industry where illicit trade, which deprives government of much-needed tax collection and consumers of quality fuel products, is not allowed to thrive. The oil company added that its operation in Subic showed that deregulation and competition would only truly work if rules on taxation and even product standards were fairly applied to all. PFC operates two service stations with convenience stores, and leases to several non-fuel locators. Petron president Ramon Ang earlier said imported fuel should be taxed from the source instead of after being sold. “Fuel marking should happen so that there is level playing field. Once fuel arrives in Subic or each port, it should be taxed immediately, not after it is sold. How can they compute that because now it is taxed once sold and not before,” Ang said.

World LEAVING. Syrian Kurdish and Arab

families are pictured fleeing in the countryside of the town of Darbasiyah, on the border between Syria and Turkey, towards the town of Hassakeh on October 22, 2019. AFP

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Man whose case was catalyst for Hong Kong protests freed HONG KONG―A murder suspect whose proposed deportation to Taiwan was a catalyst for the massive antigovernment protests in Hong Kong was released from prison Wednesday, but despite saying he wants to face justice will remain in the city for now. Months of increasingly violent prodemocracy demonstrations in the financial hub were sparked by protests against a now-canceled extradition law which would have allowed suspects to be extradited to various destinations― including authoritarian mainland China. The law’s proposal was prompted by the case of Hong Konger Chan Tongkai, 20, who is wanted in Taiwan for the 2018 murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing. He was released from a maximum security prison Wednesday after spending 18 months in custody after convictions on money laundering charges related to cash and valuables he took from his girlfriend before fleeing to Hong Kong. Chan apologized Wednesday for the

IN BRIEF Jailed over outsourced murder BEIJING―A string of hitmen who repeatedly subcontracted a murder to each other―then failed to go through with the job―have been jailed in China. The hapless assassins kept passing on the contract―each time taking a cut of the cash―in the hope that someone lower down the chain would actually carry out the killing. But when the man with the lowest price got his marching orders, he decided instead to fake the murder―and enlisted the help of the intended victim. The whole farcical enterprise collapsed when the would-be target simply called the cops. A court in Nanning heard how the original dispute erupted in 2013, when a businessman surnamed Wei sued real estate developer Qin Youhui. Fearing a costly and lengthy legal battle that could dent his bottom line, Qin hired assassin Xi Guangan to “take out” Wei, the court said, paying him two million yuan ($282,000). Xi, however, didn’t fancy getting his hands dirty, and subcontracted the work to Mo Tianxiang for half the price. Mo, in turn, handed the job to another would-be killer, Yang Kangsheng, for 770,000 yuan. AFP

Paper: China plans to remove Lam B EIJING―Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong’s beleaguered Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest. The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city. So far, the Chinese central government has given its support to her and the Hong Kong police, calling the demonstrators “rioters” and condemning the violence. But according to the FT report, which quoted unnamed figures briefed on the deliberations, Beijing is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive. However, sources told the newspaper that the plan would be dependent on the situation in the city first stabilizing so that

Beijing is not seen as giving in to violence. Lam’s office said it would not comment on speculation. Hong Kong has been battered by 20 weeks of protests and with no political solution in sight, clashes have intensified each month. Earlier this month, Lam―who has refused to grant any major concessions to the protesters-invoked a colonial-era emergency law to ban face masks, setting off a new wave of protests and vandalism that shut down much of the city’s transport network.

One of the protest leaders, Jimmy said in a statement that he supported Lam, Sham, was hospitalized after being at- and would not comment on speculation. Lam’s ouster may not be enough to tacked by unknown assailants wielding allay the concerns of Hong Kong’s prohammers last week. If President Xi Jinping decides to go testers. “The plan definitely has come too late ahead with the plan to remove Lam, the report said her replacement would be in- as Carrie Lam’s net support... dropped to stalled by March. a disastrous level as early as four months Leading candidates being considered ago,” said political analyst Dixon Sing. to replace her reportedly include Norman “It is impossible to believe that Hong Chan, former head of the Hong Kong Kong people... would be happy and go Monetary Authority, and Henry Tang, back home once Carrie Lam has stepped who has also served as the territory’s down.” AFP financial Manila secretary Standard Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region TODAY and chief REGIONAL TRIAL COURT secretary Mandaluyong City Branch 211 for administraIN THE MATTER GUARDIANSHIP tion. OF INCOMPETENT DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER, Tang SP Proc. Case No. R-MND-19-01802-SP

PAOLO CARLO B. BRILLANTES, Petitioner. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x ORDER

This is a verified Petition filed by the petitioner PAOLO CARLO B. BRILLANTES for his appointment as the legal guardian of DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER, and the issuance of corresponding letters of guardianship in his favor. Petitioner, PAOLO CARLO B. BRILLANTES,on behalf ofDAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER, is a Filipino, of legal age, married, and a resident of 121 Bonn Street, Pasig Green Park Village, Manggahan, Pasig City, where he may be served with summons and other processes of this Honorable Court;

US town rises from the ashes PARADISE-It was the worst wildfire in California’s history as it blasted through the small community of Paradise, killing 86 people and erasing everything in its path. But nearly one year after the inferno, the town in the northern California foothills that was home to 26,000 people is literally rising from the ashes. “We’re building a whole entire town pretty much from scratch,” Mayor Jody Jones told AFP in an interview as she prepared to address a recent community meeting about reconstruction. Barely 4,000 residents live in Paradise today as the town prepares to commemorate the deadly wildfire that erupted in the early hours of November 8 last year. Nearly 19,000 structures, including 14,000 homes, were destroyed by the inferno that wiped out 90 percent of the town. Those who have come back are living in the few structures still standing or in trailers parked on empty lots cleared of debris. “The folks here who are coming back, who are rebuilding, view themselves not as victims, not even as survivors but as pioneers,” Jones said. The road to recovery, however, has been paved with many obstacles as reconstruction has been hampered by all the toxic debris that had to be removed and chemical contamination of the water supply. Still, Jones said, local officials are forging ahead and have so far approved some 280 building permits while another 100 or so are under review. AFP

great “pain and agony” he had caused Poon’s family, saying he hoped his decision to surrender would offer them some relief. “I am willing to surrender myself... and go back to Taiwan to face the trial and serve the sentence,” he said. He also apologized for being a catalyst for the huge protests that have wracked Hong Kong for months. “As for the society and Hong Kongers, I could only [say] I’m sorry,” he said, adding that he hoped to be forgiven and start life afresh. However, Chan will not leave Hong Kong for Taiwan yet and is a free man. “Our original plan was that I would accompany him to Taiwan,” said Reverend Peter Koon, who frequently visited Chan in prison, adding that he would have been sent directly from custody to the city’s airport. The plan was aborted, however, when Taiwanese authorities said he would not be allowed to enter the self-ruled island as an ordinary visitor. AFP

DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER, whom guardianship is prayed, is likewise a Filipino,63 years old, widower,and is presentlyconfined in the Correctional Institution for Women with Prison No. C218P-524. That DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER’sconfinement was by virtue of the Decision/ Order issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 16, Palompon Leyte, for violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 with Criminal Case Nos. R-PAL16-2187-CR and R-PAL-16-2186-CR; That the husband of DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLERis deceased; DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER as creditoris the owner of a savings account with Banco De Oro, Cebu Elizabeth Mall Branch with an estimated money deposit in the amount of Five Hundred Sixty Thousand Pesos (₱560,000.00). That by virtue of DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER’s civil interdiction, she was rendered incompetent to manage her estate and hereby consents to the petition for guardianship for purpose of managing her above-mentionedestate and for the issuance of the corresponding letters of guardianship in favor of DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER; The names, ages and residences of the relatives of the named incompetent are the following: Names Relationship Anthony Schindler Son Jean-Paul Schindler Son

Ages 39 36

Residences Germany Germany

Letters of guardianship over the said property are prayed for by petitioner on behalf of the incompetent, and with whom the incompetent is entrusted with in respect to legal and administrative matters when she is not capable of managing her estate due to her civil interdiction and considering the fact that her husband is already deceased and that the immediate relatives of the incompetentare not residing in the Philippines, the latter being German citizens and has their own family there. Letters of the said guardianship over the said property are prayed for by the petitioner on behalf of the incompetent, and with whom the incompetent is entrusted with in respect to legal and administrative matters when she is not capable of managing her estate due to her civil interdiction and considering the fact that her husband is already deceased and that the immediate relatives of the incompetent are not residing in the Philippine, the latter being German citizens and has their own family there.

PARTY. From left,

Meghan Hooper and Melissa Joan Hart pose with Santa during ‘It's a Wonderful Lifetime’ first holiday party of the year at STK Los Angeles on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

WHEREFORE, finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let the same be set for initial hearing on November 08, 2019 at 1:30 o’clock in the afternoon, before the Regional Trial Court Branch 211 of Mandaluyong City, inside the premises of the Correctional Institution for Women where the incompetent is alleged to be serving her sentence, at which date, time and place, all interested persons who may be affected thereby, including the relatives of Daffodil R. Schindler within the fourth decree, and/or the representative of the latter’s estate, if any, together with the witnesses, and the alleged incompetent herself Daffodil R. Schindler is hereby directed to appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted. Any interested person may contest the petition by filing a written opposition based on such grounds as unsuitability of the person whom letters are sought, and pray that the petition be denied, or the letters of guardianship issue to himself/herself, or to any suitable person named in the opposition.

‘Flight control system the key factor in Lion Air crash’ JAKARTA―Mechanical and design problems with a Boeing flight control system were key factors in the crash of a Lion Air plane last year, Indonesian investigators told the victims’ families in a briefing Wednesday on their findings. All 189 passengers and crew were killed when the Boeing 737 MAX slammed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta last October. A few months later, the model was grounded worldwide after an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crashed, killing 157 people aboard. Preliminary investigations into both accidents implicated the variant’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), an automated flight-handling

mechanism that pilots were unable to control. The details of a final report on the Lion Air crash―expected to be made public this week― were shown to grieving relatives at a closeddoor meeting in the Indonesian capital. In a slide-show presentation, Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said their report would include problems with the MCAS as a “contributing factor”. “During the design and certification of the [737 MAX], assumptions were made about pilot response to malfunctions which, even though consistent with current industry guidelines, turned out to be incorrect,” said the presentation, part of which was provided to AFP. It added that the system was vulnerable

to the sole sensor it relied on for inputs, and that a replaced sensor on the doomed Lion Air plane had been “miscalibrated” during an earlier repair. An “absence of guidance” to 737 MAX pilots added to the challenges of dealing with a malfunction, according to the presentation. “As the report hasn’t been officially released by the investigative authorities, it is premature for us to comment on its contents,” a spokeswoman for the US aviation giant Boeing told AFP. A report released by international regulators said the US Federal Aviation Administration lacked the manpower and expertise to fully evaluate the jet’s MCAS when it certified the plane. AFP

Let copies of this Order together with the Petition and its annexes BE SERVED upon the Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the City Prosecutor of Mandaluyong City, as well as the alleged incompetent DAFFODIL R. SCHINDLER and BE POSTED in three (3) conspicuous places for three weeks in Mandaluyong City before the hearing on November 08, 2019. Furthermore considering that in the Petition, it has been alleged that the sons of the alleged incompetent are resided abroad, let the case be referred to the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Mandaluyong City (RTC-OCC) for the raffle of publication to a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines pursuant to PD No. 1079. SO ORDERED. Mandaluyong City, August 22, 2019.

OFELIA L. CALO Presiding Judge Copy furnished: - Brillantes & Brillantes Attorney-at-Law 3F Mencorp Bldg. 701 EDSA cor. New York, Cubao Quezon City - Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo St. Legaspi Village Makati City - Office of the City Prosecutor Mandaluyong City - Daffodil R. Schindler - RTC-OCC Mandaluyong City OLC/mcgd/maba

(MS-OCT. 24, 2019)

LGUs

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

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

STRONG SYMBOL.

Women employees of Quezon City Hall form a human logo of peace with purple umbrellas after a flag raising ceremony in celebration of Breast Cancer Month. Manny Palmero

Youths trained as community journalists By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The FCF Minerals Corp. recently launched its youth-based empowerment project designed to develop a well-informed community in their respective barangays and municipalities. Ian Moller, FCF general manager for sustainability, said the Golden Ribbon Project targets members of the Sangguniang Kabataan in Quezon and Kasibu towns to become community journalists. “They will be provided with training so they can hone their writing skills as journalists in their communities. This is one of our development programs for the youth,” Moller said. The launching of the Golden Ribbon Project at the Saber Inn and Restaurant here saw close to 20 youth participants from Quezon and Kasibu attending. Moller said the project beneficiaries will also undergo stages of skills development toward the development of the ‘Balitok’ newspaper now being circulated and managed by the mining firm and the primary impact barangays and municipalities. The participants, he added, will initially undergo an appreciation course of responsible mining, the mining industry, and their important roles in building the future, and establishing a well-understood mining industry and its benefits to the development and progress of the country and the communities. “This is a program to prepare our youths on the management of the Balitok Newspaper later on. It will be one of our legacies for our youth and their community,” Moller said.

Navotas gains new, renovated trucks, offices By Jun David NAVOTAS Mayor Toby Tiangco, Rep. John Rey Tiangco and other city officials recently led the blessing of two additional dump trucks and various newly renovated offices at the Navotas City Hall. Mayor Tiangco noted the need for additional trucks to boost the waste management program of the city through efficient garbage collection. The officials likewise led the inauguration of the city’s upgraded first-floor offices, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Navotas, City Agriculture, Information and Communications Technology, Public Information, and NavotaAs Hanapbuhay Center. Also inaugurated were the City Treasurer’s Office at the second floor and the offices of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Internal Audit, Bids and Awards Committee, Barangay Affairs and Community Relations, Navotas Action and Command Center, and the Social Services One-Stop-Shop at the fourth floor. The mayor reiterated the value of organized and effective delivery of services to all Navoteños. “The improvement of our facilities is part and parcel of our mission of providing the best service we could give our constituents. We want Navoteños to feel comfortable and happy every time they come to the city hall,” he said. “We also want our city government personnel to have a workplace that boosts productivity and performance,” Mayor Toby added.

Toll roads readied for ‘Undas’ By Orlan L. Mauricio and Roy Tomandao

M

ALOLOS CITY—In an outside-the-box approach to tackle the yearly exodus to the provinces for All Saints’ Day or “Undas,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is meeting head-on the anticipated problems of commuters and motorists. The answer: A Malasakit Help Desk in every point of departure and arrival where commuters, by land, air or sea, often encounter all sorts of problems. In a directive to ensure the success of the Department of Transportation’s “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Undas 2019,” Tugade ordered the full establishment of MHDs all over the country to serve as a one-stop shop for passenger assis-

tance in airports, seaports, train stations, and land terminals. He said the MHDs will be activated starting Oct. 26 until Nov. 4. In line with DOTr’s objective, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., which operates three major expressways, is again activating its annual “Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko” to assist motorists and provide quick response to emergency calls.

MPTC president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco held a press conference on Thursday at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City to brief the media on the SMSK program now on its ninth year. At the same time, Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar did a final inspection of the first sections of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway and said the project is 90 percent completed. CALAX stretches from the Mamplasan Barrier in Muntinlupa onto the Laguna Technopark Interchange, and the Laguna Boulevard Interchange all the way to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange. “The remaining 10 percent are portions of the expressway that need to be harmonized, we are fast tracking those portions. Meantime, we will ensure that

CALAX will be passable and ready to serve motorists this October 30, in time for Undas,” Villar said. Tugade said Filipinos are traditionally sentimental with their departed loved ones, so much that the observance of Undas has always become a chaotic scene at almost all hub of public transport and terminals. At Binan, Laguna, Villar agreed and said: “We will open the entry and exit points at Mamplasan, Binan Laguna and Sta-Rosa Tagaytay Road.” “It’s a long weekend, and apart from paying respects to the dearly departed, I’m sure a lot of families would want to take advantage of this time to do some bonding in Tagaytay, Batangas and Manila,” he added.

Pasig residents join two fun runs

NEW ULTRAFILTRATION PLANT. Local Water Utilities Administration Acting Administrator Jeci Lapus shows how unclean water is converted into potable water as Interior Secretary Eduardo Año looks on during the formal inauguration of the new ultrafiltration treatment plant in the province of Antique. The facility, operated by the Pandan Water District, will purify water from the town’s main water source, the Malumpati Spring, which had become murky and contaminated due to heavy rain and human waste.

Isko endorses Amazing Coffee

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso (center) is flanked by IAM founders Aika Lorraine Uy (left) and Allen Marvin Eder.

IAM Worldwide Corp., the country’s premiere network marketing company, welcomes Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso as its latest IAM brand ambassador for its Amazing Coffee with Tongkat Ali. “Doing this for the sake of the health of Manileños… health is wealth,” said Domagoso. With the Manila mayor’s entry to the star-studded list of IAM Worldwide Corp. ambassadors, the network marketing company—led by founders Aika Lorraine Uy (left) and Allen Marvin Eder—pledged to donate nutritious supplies to Mayor Isko’s birthday, which will be held at the Philippine General Hospital this October. “We saw truthfulness and honesty to the great Mayor of Manila, Hon. Isko Domagoso. We believe that he will be one of the perfect ambassadors of our company. We aim to give help to the less fortunate and give proper nutrition to our fellow citizens,” said Eder. “We won’t stop doing healthy creations for our fellow countrymen. That’s our top priority, “ added Uy.

FOCUSING on health and well-being, hundreds of Pasig City residents took part in two fun run activities over the weekend. The first fun run was held in Barangay Pineda last Saturday, Oct. 19, where more than 200 residents joined as part of their celebration for the feast of St. Teresa of Avila. Barangay Pineda councilor Michael Publico said the activity was meant to share their blessings with the residents and to highlight the role of the youth in nation-building and other sectors of the society, including the LGBTQIA+ community. The local government also held mini-Olympics that aimed to encourage the youth to engage in physical activities amid the digitized world. Former Pasig City Mayor Bobby Eusebio and his wife Maribel were present during the event to thank residents of their support for the event and to assure them of his continued support. We wish to thank Mayor Bobby at Mayora Maribel Eusebio for their unending support for the youth, not just

Ladies taking part in the Fun Run for Women Empowerment pose with Maribel Eusebio (center, in white cap) then watch as their children take part (inset).

for Pineda but for the whole of Pasig,” Publico said. The second fun run was held on Sunday, Oct. 20, and was organized by the Pasiguenas’ Organization for Women Empowerment Recognition or POWER Foundation chaired by Mrs. Eusebio. Mrs. Eusebio said this was the second year the activity raised awareness against any form of abuse against women, the children, and the youth. The event also coincided with the Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children. “This program supports the drive to let everybody learn domestic violence against women and children, and bring more attention to their problems,” she said. “This is actually a fund-raising event so that the programs or the Foundation would be sustained, because we are also assisting institutions that are also shelters for victims of violence. These are shelters for teenage pregnant women, battered women and rape victims,” Eusebio said.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

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WHAT’S FOR CHRISTMAS?

Bring the holidays into your home

Red and green

D

O YOU want it cute or classy? Traditional or modern? Homeowners can fulfill their Christmas fantasies with the help of these ornaments and other furnishings. Crate and Barrel suggests three exciting ways to bring the holidays into the home using the right trimmings and décor. Nordic

This effortless style is simple, clean, and uncluttered while still remaining warm and cozy. Use green as the accent color to bring calm to the overall theme. Twinkling lights and candlelight provide glowing warmth. (In photos: Faux Potted Cypress Tree, Wooden Table Top Christmas Trees and Pine Tree Candles)

This traditional color combination undeniably spell Yuletide season. Add modern holiday pieces with elements of glazed ceramic, embroidery, and clear glass in classic red and green colors to achieve a modern and classy take on this theme. (In photos: Holiday Bear Family Ornament, Green Pine Tree Candles, Etched Glass Ornaments)

Metallic

Perfect for modern home and small spaces, this look is not over decorated or fussy. It showcases a unique look that is not overt. A few key, well placed pieces of décor in unique glazes, updated mercury glass, textured glass and lacquer do the trick. Entertaining style is refined but not complicated. (In photos: Mercury Glass Trees, Gold Glitter 3D Star Tree Topper, Glitter Glass Finial Ornaments)

Get these pieces from the brand’s holiday 2019 collection at Crate and Barrel stores in SM Aura Premier, SM Makati, and SM Megamall.

Uptown Mall lights up red and pink Christmas tree

Parolan

in Araneta City Parolan in Araneta City, which features stores selling Christmas décor, is now open for shoppers looking for bargain.

FOR its first Christmas since rebranding, Araneta City, formerly Araneta Center, opens anew its Christmas Parolan. Parolan in Araneta City returns this year to its home at the Farmers Market Parking, along Gen. MacArthur Ave. It’s a bazaar where shoppers can buy Christmas items and rekindle the spirit of Christmas. Stores at Christmas Parolan offer the best bargain for Christmas décor. Christmas trees go for as low as P300 to as much as P7,000, while lanterns are sold for as low as P300 to as much as P5,000. Some merchants also offer discounts. Some vendors also customize the color of the lights of the lanterns as well as the decors on garlands and Christmas trees. “Labor costs depend on how much your heart can give,” Araneta City said in a statement. Families and barkadas may also dine within the area surrounded by lights and décor. A line of stalls sells traditional Filipino holiday delicacies puto bumbong and bibingka, as well other favorite street food items barbecue, chicharon, lugaw and other soups, and the iconic empanada from Ilocos. Stalls at Parolan sell Filipino holiday delicacies such as puto bumbong and bibingka.

IT’S beginning to feel a lot like Christmas at Uptown Mall in Uptown Bonifacio as it officially unveiled and lit up its 40-feet Christmas tree. Adorned in red and pink blooms, balls, pine cones, and warm LED light, the tree exudes elegance that complements well with the premier lifestyle establishment. Megaworld chief operating officer Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso, Megaworld Foundation president Francis Canuto, and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls head Graham Coates led the ceremonial tree lighting which was preceded by a flash mob performance of children from Bantay Bata. The Christmas launch event dedicated to young children also featured musical performances by The Voice Kids champions Edray Teodoro and Lyca Gairanod. “Christmas is all about the kids and we want them to believe in the season’s magic and put smile in their faces. Our goal is to inspire Filipinos this season of

sharing by going beyond the usual display of splendor and focusing on the true meaning of Christmas, which is sharing happiness,” Coates said in a statement. Megaworld Foundation also spearheaded the ceremonial turnover of gifts to the representatives of Bantay Bata Foundation. Uptown Bonifacio is encouraging its mall patrons to share their time in protecting and preserving the environment this holiday season through its Uptown X Earth program. Uptown X Earth gathers various brands, non-government organizations, and Uptown Bonifacio’s retail partners in a concerted effort towards promoting sustainability and reducing the mall’s carbon footprint. The mall is also holding a pre-holiday sale, where shoppers can enjoy up to 70 percent off and other great deals from participating stores on Nov. 15-17. Guests can also shop for gifts and other sustainable products at the Christmas Market and pop-up stores on the upper ground floor of Uptown Mall. Megaworld Foundation president Francis Canuto, Megaworld chief operating officer Lourdes T. GutierrezAlfonso, and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls head Graham Coates led the ceremonial tree lighting of Uptown Mall’s 40-feet Christmas tree.

Life

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

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LTHOUGH she considers herself a smart homemaker, mother of two Andi Manzano-Reyes admitted to still struggling when it comes to making choices for her family’s health.

Having their first daughter, Olivia, motivated Andi and husband GP to make a lifestyle check. “For me, being a mom has changed the way I make decisions,” she shared. Health and nutrition became a priority for her, and it became increasingly important that she become more meticulous especially with the food that she prepares for her daughter. Andi was inspired by her fellow moms who lead a healthier and more natural lifestyle; this is where she was introduced to organically sourced food. Organic products follow a strict standard that ensure there are no artificial pesticides, growth hormones, and synthetic antibiotics used during its production process. In a previous interview with Manila Standard, Pam So-Surez of all-natural and organic retailer Healthy Options said more young moms are opting for organic food products for their babies. “They want organic from birth onwards,” revealed So-Suarez. Olivia, now 4 years old, loves fruits and vegetables—food that Andi regularly includes in her diet. Since her firstborn is very adventurous when it comes to food (especially spicy ones), she and mom Andi make food preparing a fun time for them. They usually cook Filipino dishes, and make homemade fruit ice popsicles or salads together. “We don’t always go organic but when we have the chance to do so and it’s available, we do it. Choosing organic food gives me peace of mind knowing that whatever we ate, drank, or put in our body was straight from the ground and has no chemicals,” said Andi. Although the 32-year-old mom doesn’t exclusively serve organic food to her family, she chooses smart when it comes to Olivia’s milk. She said she wanted to make sure that Olivia got the best available milk. After doing thorough research and consulting fellow moms, Andi discovered Promil Organic. Promil Organic, made by Wyeth Nutrition, is made with 100 percent organic milk sourced from certified organic dairy farms. It is certified organic by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines Inspection and Services Inc. It is the only organic formula milk in the Philippines intended for preschoolers aged 3 and above that contains DHA and AA—important nutrients that help support children’s brain development.

MOMMY AND ME.

In her efforts to provide the best for her children, Andi Manzano-Reyes opts for organic milk for her daughter Olivia.

Andi Manzano-Reyes chooses organic BABY CARE Bath time essentials

Go to www.wyethparenteam.com.ph/ products/promil-organic to know more. Olivia, 4, is nourished with Promil Organic from Wyeth Nutrition. (Photos from @andimanzano/Instagram)

SM Foundation scholars share inspiring stories AT THE first joint assembly of college and technical-vocational scholars of SM Foundation in SMX Convention Center in Pasay, alumni shared their inspiring tales of hard work and perseverance. Nikki Sotelo, a graduate of Punlaan School (Batch 2016), had a stable job years after graduation. She now works as a sales executive in Marquis Events Place, has her own condo unit, and is currently investing in the stock market. Sotelo now supports her parents and siblings. “None of these things would have been possible if I did not experience hardships in life,” shared Sotelo. She continued, “But despite these tribulations, you will find someone along the way who will give you support and the proper gear to set you up in life. I will be forever grateful that I am a product of SM Foundation.” Marc Rodolf Arca, a BS Accountancy graduate from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and a CPA Licensure Exam 4th placer, has been with SGV for seven years now and currently holds the position of Director in the Assurance practice. “Everything I have now is a result of the fact that I was able to graduate from college with the help of SM Foundation—the foundation that Tatang (Henry Sy, Sr.) built. The person I am right now has been greatly in-

fluenced by the experiences I had during my SM scholarship days,” stated Arca. Moon Ray Lo, on the other hand, graduated BS Computer Engineering from the University of San Carlos in Cebu. He recalled that he was on the wait-list when he applied for the SM scholarship. But he did not lose hope and later on got a slot into the program.

Scholars carry their flag on the way to SM MOA cinemas to watch a movie.

“If something is destined for you, it is really for you. It will always find a way to put you there. But always remember, you also need to match it with hard work,” he said. Debbie Reyes-Ayson, a BS Electronics and

Communications Engineering graduate of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, is currently based in Singapore with her family. She flew to Manila just to meet the SM scholars and be able to share her story. “The secret recipe to success,” she said, “is that you have to be focused on what you want to achieve, and then you pair it with strong determination.” In his speech, SM Investments Corporation executive director Harley Sy highlighted the importance of having a positive outlook in life to reach one’s goals. “One of the things I’d like to suggest to all of you is to plan well and then work hard for it. Take your time, do not be in a hurry. Focus so you can achieve what you want in life,” he stated. Meanwhile, SMFI executive director Linda Atayde reminded the scholars of the life principles of the late SM patriarch, “Work hard. Study hard. We have to be very dedicated to what we have planned. So we are all here as one in order for you to realize your dreams.” SM matriarch, Nanang Felicidad T. Sy, SM Foundation executive director Debbie Sy, SMIC vice president for sustainability Koleen Palaganas, assistant vice president for education Eleanor Lansang, SMIC assistant vice president for corporate affairs Victor Chan, and other officials and representatives from the SM Group graced the event. Around 1,200 SM Foundation scholars from NCR and other parts of Luzon gather at the first general assembly held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

BABIES’ sensitive skin require cleansers and other personal care items that are mild and gentle. Babyflo offers a line of baby products that promise to cleanse and care. Mild and gentle for baby’s delicate skin, Babyflo Soap-free Bath helps cleanse, soothe, and soften skin without drying it. It has no bubbles and no scent, as well as paraben-free, no preservatives, and non-comedogenic. Soapfree cleansers are widely recommended by doctors for infant use in bathing. To keep baby smelling fresh, the brand also offers Babyflo Cologne, which comes in six scents. For hassle-free diaper change, there’s Babyflo Wipes Babyflo’s and Petroleum Jelly. Soap-free BabyFlo products are Bath and other available in supermarkets, Mercury baby care products. Drug stores, and Lazada.

Entertainment

Going beyond good through music

thursdAY, october 24, 2019 nickie.standard@gmail.com

C3

SNAPSHOT

Prince Harry, Meghan on life under watchful eyes PRInCe Harry and his wife Meghan Markle ventured into a documentary where they share the difficulties of life under the eye of the British tabloids. Two weeks after launching a legal offensive against the tabloids, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent a long time in a film shot during their recent visit to southern Africa and broadcast by ITv on Sunday night. Meghan, who married Harry in 2018, acknowledged tears that she had had a “difficult” year when she was “vulnerable” to pregnancy and the birth in May of her son Archie. “Not many people asked how I was going,” she said. AFP

Top local band IV of Spades performing in one of the episodes of 'Coke Studio.'

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or teens growing up in today’s world, there are many ‘feels’ to be felt —from first day of school jitters to first heartbreaks. With the myriad of emotions and stories that this generation has to share, Coke Studio is popping the cap and unbottling all the feels for its third season with the ultimate soundtrack to their lives.

Just as the new season expresses the youth’s stories, emotions, and passions, Coke Studio also utilizes the power of music to raise awareness and inspire action on an issue that the ‘woke’ generation feels strongly about – the world’s packaging waste problem. As a concrete demonstration of the Company’s World Without Waste vision, Coke Studio takes inspiration from the bold stance of the generation and goes beyond providing a platform for Filipino talent and promoting OPM by using music as a unifying force to step up the youth’s consciousness for green initiatives. For the past three years, Coke Studio has listened to what this generation of teens want—rousing the brand to set a standard on environmentally-conscious activations, event, and consumer engagements. At last year’s Coke Studio concert, one of the hit performers was the Coke Tune-cycle—a bicycle which grinds out music as it shreds recyclable plastic (PET) bottles for the production of eco-bricks. Concert-goers tried it out and experienced the message that Coca-Cola packaging actually live valuable second lives as useful materials through recycling. During its Christmas Concert, Coke Studio also led a recyclable plastic (PET) bottle collection drive for the construction of Little Red Schoolhouse in Marawi. With an action-oriented mind set, many of today’s youth are focused on finding solutions to the waste packaging problem.

Atom Araullo... From C4

Brick by brick Atom sees engineers lined up on the road on his first day at the camp. They were slowly digging and replacing rocks along gutters and side streets under the hot sun. “They are strengthening the soil by the roads,” a humanitarian aid worker translates for Atom. Community workers and refugees themselves toil to clean out the side of the roads so that it is free of debris that can block drainage. They get a small allowance for the work. “It is hard work, but we are doing it for the community,” one of the refugees mentioned with a smile. Kutupalong camp is at the mercy of weather patterns. The temperature in Kutupalong camp can reach a scorching 40 degrees during summer. It can get sweltering inside the shelters. While the monsoon season often brings mudslides and diseases making the Rohingya people more vulnerable. Kutupalong camp sits on a hill, parts of which are on softer soil making sections of the camp prone to landslides during the monsoon season. Trees were cut down for shelter and firewood for cooking. Families occupy different areas each at risk by some natural disaster. Thousands of families living in improvised shelters perched on barren hills are risk of having their homes washed away. For those living in low-lying areas, they face the possibility of having their homes being flooded. Engineers must create stronger foundations in order to safeguard families at risk. Workers build canals and clean the drains in order to redirect rain water. Humanitarian organizations including UNHCR help save the lives of Rohingya

Moving forward with the same goal, Coca-Cola believes that one of the solutions is to highlight the value of recyclable plastic (PET) bottles when properly collected and recycled and showcasing the infinite possibilities in terms of what they can become beyond ‘waste’. At the events, teens are shown concrete examples of how we can close the loop on packaging waste by turning them into new, useful items made from recycled recyclable plastic (PET) bottles like the Coke Studio benches and earphones. This year, the Coke Studio Music Festival was no exception. Coke Studio events have become a space for teens to learn that they can enjoy music festivals and concerts responsibly. As concert-goers witnessed amazing performances and enjoyed the fun and immersive areas, they were also mindful of their waste, properly segregating the recyclable plastic (PET) bottles into collection bins all across the venue. Through the event, Coca-Cola was able to collect approximately two tons of recyclable plastic (PET) bottles which will be diverted and recycled into new products such as T-Shirts, benches, and more, with the help of its green technology partners. Throughout the new season, Coke Studio takes its green activations across the Philippines with several events in Manila and other provinces. Here, young fans will be able to see their favorite Coke Studio artists, and enjoy games, and other surprises while also becoming a part of its recycling advocacy. Inspiring attendees to join the World Without Waste movement, Coke Studio is opening donations for Coke PET bottles with caps or crowns in exchange for limitededition Coke Studio Premiums. While waiting for where the Coke Studio events will pop up next, catch the upcoming episodes of Coke Studio My Feels as it gives teens their daily dose of feels with its diverse roster of artists including Sarah Geronimo, Clara Benin, Brisom, Ron Henley, Silent Sanctuary, Iñigo Pascual, Lola Amour, UDD, Al James, Janine Teñoso, Morisette, Bea Lorenzo, Just Hush, This Band, and St. Wolf. Coke Studio My Feel airs every Saturday on ABS-CBN at 10:00 a.m. and via YouTube (YT.com/CokeStudioPH).

refugees especially during monsoon season by providing them with shelter kits, fortifying shelters, and relocating persons-of-concern to higher ground. All this is to ensure that the rohingya families will not lose everything that they built in Bangladesh. “This part of the camp is the most secure among other camps. With time it has changed a lot, the situation is better than before,” said Moktar Amid, one of the elected community leaders in Kutupalong camp. As easy as 1, 2, 3 More than half of the rohingya refugees are children. They were torn from their homes and have seen unspeakable acts of violence at such an early age. There seems to be no trace of the trauma that the Rohingya people lived through in one of the temporary learning centers in the camp. The walls are lined with bright visual aids. The kids are often curious about visitors like Atom who teach the children to speak a few words in Filipino. Rohingya children are eager learners mimicking every word they are taught. “It’s my interaction with kids that struck me the most. Most of the ones here are below 15-years-old. Kids in that type of environment are very eager to learn. Even if there are challenges in giving the necessary education to the students, at least we can see that they are moving forward. They are learning English and a bit of math,” Atom shares. While the situation has steadily improved, there is still a lot that can be done to provide the children with better education. “55 percent of refugees here are kids, children, and a lot of them, unfortunately, don’t have proper education and this [classes in temporary learning centers] is something that can provide some help but more must be done,” Atom adds. Assessing the current needs In the past two years, the thought

of the future scares the Rohingya refugees. This much is understandable. Driven out of their homes and carrying the scars of persecution, the Rohingya people now face challenges in a foreign land. “I cannot assess the magnitude of the needs, but there are a lot,” Atom said at the end of day. The needs of the people are often shared by elected community leaders like Moktar Amid. As one of the elected leaders, Moktar goes around camp in rain or in shine listening to the plights and issues of his fellow rohingya members. He is entrusted by his fellow refugees to elevate their concerns to the proper fora. According to Moktar, they need basic items such as food, mosquito nets, blankets and other core-relief items. There are regular distributions in the camp, but they are also hoping for certainty for long-term solutions. Aside from the basic needs, rohingya refugees are waiting for the chance to go back home safely. An uplifting two years Two years since the arrival of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh saw some improvements in their life in Kutupalong. “Walking around the camp today, we see a lot of development that makes life in the camps bearable. For example, they have roads, their homes are more organized. Refugees have formed committees, children are in temporary learning centers, environmental warriors have revived the greenery, and there are places where they can get psycho-social support. Nakakatuwa naman na kahit papaano-gumaganda naman yung buhay nila dito,” he said. Yet at the same time, we must continue providing humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable families. “I think in some ways, the years that pass when things get a little bit more stable are also the most crucial ones,” Atom concludes.

Barangay LS 97.1 DJs reveal their perceptions on ‘Forever’

Lady Gracia

Papa Jepoy

Papa Carlo

Papa Dudut

Papa Bol

FOREvER could mean different things to anyone. It could be based on romance, love for family, friendship, or even dedication to a specific career. To each his own, the definition of forever goes beyond as it translates to many aspects of one’s life. Recently, Barangay LS 97. 1 launched its new theme song ‘Tayo ay Forever,’ which was performed by no less than the phenomenal Kapuso love team of Rita Daniela and Ken Chan (RitKen), echoing the meaning of “forever” in all its forms. RitKen also starred in its back-to-back digital short films entitled The Start of Forever and Feels like Forever, which were both warmly received by the audience garnering a total of over six million views on Facebook. This time, the disc jocks of Barangay LS 97.1 were game to share whether they’ve found, experienced, or have applied it in their careers and personal lives. Potpot and Friends hosts Papa Carlo and Papa Jepoy shared their funny yet heartwarming sentiments on forever. Papa Carlo said forever can be applied to his job as a radio jock, “Dahil masaya ako, kung anong meron ako ngayon, ‘yun din ang ibinabahagi ko sa listeners natin. Sa bawat araw na ginagawa natin, dapat goodvibes. May ngiti sa mga labi, dahil forever ang pagpapasaya.” “Kahit saan may forever—sa traffic! Kay Judith may forever din, Judith (due date) ng bills!” jested Papa Jepoy. Kidding aside, he said that being a forever husband and a dad motivates him to work harder so he can give all the best for his family. “Kung minsan, nahahanap mo ang forever mo sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon. relax ka lang makikita mo rinforever mo. Promise nandiyan na yun, on the way na,” he encouraged. on the other hand, Papa Dudut of hit afternoon programs Barangay LS Presents and Barangay Love Stories said his family, work, and listeners constantly remind him of the presence of forever in his life. “Nahanap ko na ang ilan sa mga forever ng buhay ko. Una, may forever sa family ko na hindi ko ipagpapalit kahit kanino. Pangalawa, my work as a DJ at seventeen years na pala ako as a Kapuso. May forever din kami nggirlfriend ko for five years. At syempre, I treat my listeners and fans as my forever blessings din.” Meanwhile, Wanted Forever duo Papa Bol and Lady Gracia vow to do their best in what they do in order to spread the value of forever among their listeners. After all, they take care of concerns of the heart most of the time. “Sa Wanted Forever, napakaimportante na maiparamdam mo sa listeners na may forever. Para sa akin, it’s someone or something na balak mong alagaan at protektahan habang buhay,” shared Lady Gracia. “Sa una kasi, talagang may mga bitter na hindi na naniniwala sa forever dahil sa past relationship nila. Peroonce ma-convince namin sila na sa programa namin mayroon pa ring forever, biglang magiging ready na sila na may makilala ulit,” she added. Papa Bol said that the concept of forever is not just about having a romantic relationship. It is also about everything that surrounds us, “I show them the wonderful little things first that can be their forever source of happiness.” He also imparted an advice to those who have yet to grasp the possibility of finding lasting relationships. “Angforever hindi lang palaging bumabagsak sa lap mo ‘yan. Kung minsan, hinahanap ‘yan. Stop thinking about the “what ifs”. Tumawag ka sa Wanted Forever. Lahat tayo naghahanap ng forever, baka isa sa mga kasama sa programa namin ang para sa iyo.” Listen to the tune of forever with Papa Carlo, Papa Jepoy, Papa Dudut, Papa Bol, and Lady Gracia on Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! or via live audio stream at www.gmanetwork.com/radio/ streaming/dwls.

Entertainment

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

C4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

Atom Araullo highlights milestones, challenges of Rohingya Crisis

National Goodwill Ambassador Atom Araullo revisits Kutupalong Camp in Bayladesh

THE hills are dotted with corrugated roofing, tarpaulins, and bamboo. The streets and dirt roads are busy with men and women going about their chores. This is Kutupalong Camp, the temporary home to nearly a million Rohingya refugees. National Goodwill Ambassador Atom Araullo surveys the world’s largest refugee camp on one of its many hills. This is the second time that he has been here since the height of the influx more than two years ago when Rohingya refugees started entering Bangladesh by the tens of thousands. In 2017, the Rohingya people were forcibly driven out of their homes due to the mass executions, rape, and persecution. More than 700,000 people were a part of this exodus to Bangladesh, a country facing their own challenges. The world watched as the humanitarian crisis

unfolded. To this day, those who fled are trying to regain hope and rebuild their lives far from the only home that they know. “When it happened in 2017, the eyes of the world were on Myanmar and Bangladesh. More than 700,000 refugees crossed the border. It was a really crazy situation and it is really important to see how the world has responded and how the situation is unfolding,” Atom Araullo said upon laying eyes on the camp again. “ I’ve been here two years ago, 2017. There are have been massive changes most of them are quite encouraging. If you notice that there is a lot of greenery that is something new in the last couple of months. It’s just one of the many changes that makes life here more liveable,” Atom said. Continued on C3

What’s in a CHNDTR CHNDTR, pronounced as Chin Detera, is a four piece indie band formed in 2016.

YOUNG people of today think that stylishly abbreviating words makes a lot of sense or at least sounds cool. One band carrying its frontwoman’s name took it to a new level of hipness by dropping all vowels and making it appear like an acronym. Thus, CHNDTR is pronounced as Chin Detera. As just mentioned, that’s the name of the girl at the epicenter of this act. A little research should lead one to a practice called totesing, which as per linguists Lauren Spradlin and Taylor Jones, is a “systematic abbreviation of words to effect a certain tone.” So the trick is after all backed by some logic. A voice worth-finding about, Chin herself pointed out that the ploy makes her feel being in a collective bonded by music at its core. Segued to hugot core—a phrase coined by their fast-growing fan base describing her group’s music. CHNDTR’s digital single ‘‘Sulat’’ has proven to be an instant hit, with its music video getting thousands of views right after it got posted on YouTube. It helps that it’s a sequel to their previously fan-embraced song ‘‘Kulang.’’ With Chin on vocals and rhythm guitar, ably supported by instrumentalists Sean De Leon (Bassist), Benjo Criste(Drummer), and Niko Bacani (Lead Guitarist), the band launched the said music video last August at popular pub house The 70’s Bistro, Anonas, Quezon City. Right off the bat during their set, there was no denying the band could play well and allowed their individual strengths to come into the fore, primarily Chin’s

YUGEL LOSORATA unadulterated vocals. Even the guitarriffs were infectiously well-thought with some flavorful, old-school touch while the rhythm section was tight-knit to a great length. CHNDTR’s breakout gig came in 2016 when it won grand champ at the Robinsons-presented Deli Music Festival Battle of the Bands. The group eventually became brand ambassadors for Pony which was a reflection of their music’s positive public reception. Now among the fastest-rising femalefronted bands, it has consistently played in packed bar gigs and significant guest appearances heard in the airwaves or seen on TV or social media sites. They have performed on Wish 107.5’s Wishclusive platform, MYX Bandarito stage, Tower Sessions, and in media office exposure MB Life and INQuPop Sessions. Their radio touring included air slots on MOR Live 101.5, Brgy LS 97.1, RX 93.1, EnergyFM 106.7 and Pinas FM 95.5. Stream-wise its debut album Habang Umuulan already garnered a total of around two million hits while their live act is punctuated by carefully crafted arrangements, best put on display in their cover of the Rachel Alejandroclassic “Mr. Kupido.” Follow the band @ CHNDTR (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) or contact R2 Pioquinto 09167561017 for inquiries.

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FEW years ago, I wrote about Sarah Geronimo not being given the right project to showcase her talent as a reliable screen actor. Though she’s made her mark on the big screen via romantic comedy films, specifically through A Very Special movie series, it felt like the actress and singer could still offer more than making people laugh. In my previous interview with pop superstar, she said that she felt frustrated that she’s only offered with romcom projects. “I know I can still do more which is why I personally requested for a project that would not revolve around two people falling in love in a comedyromantic way,” Sarah said. Prior to starring in the blockbuster film, Miss Granny, the local adaptable of the South Korean hit movie, Sarah revealed she was already in talks with directors Jun Lana and Perci Intalan regarding an out-of-the-box character that public would remember her for. “It’s about a special girl who loves unconditionally, whose perspective in life is different from most of us in real life,” the singer and actress said. “It’s a kind of role that I know I would be proud of.” True enough, at the red carpet premiere of Unforgettable, Viva Entertainment’s latest potboiler, Sarah G stunned everyone at the SM Cinema, where the screening was held, with her superb skills and compelling acting performance as Jasmine. It’s a role she confidently portrayed as if she’s going through the situation her character is confronted by. While there are small parts in the movie, which featured cameo performance from Regina Velasquez, Anne Curtis,and Marco Gumabao, to name a few, that didn’t take the fact that it’s Sarah G’s character that convincingly connected with the audience with her fine and refined acting. In the story, Sarah plays a young woman on a journey to Baguio. Her goal is to bring Happy to her sick grandmother. The moment Happy came into Jasmine’s life, the dog proved to be a blessing. Now Jasmine believes that Happy would be instrumental to her grandmother’s healing. As the two make their way to the City of Pines,

Sarah G with directors Jun Lana (left) and Perci Intalan pose for the camera at the red carpet premiere of Viva Films' latest potboiler.

Sarah G is

‘unforgettable’ they meet different kinds of people. With Jasmine’s sharp memory and Happy’s remarkable skills, they are able to help people somehow, touching lives in every place they pass by. And every step brings t h e m closer to the person whose life

Jasmine wants to save the most. The incredible tricks of Milo are certainly something to look forward to in this movie. This wonder dog also starred in Vice Ganda’s box office hit, Fantastica. As early as 2017, Milo has been appearing in various TV programs, showcasing his ability to play dead, roll, spin nonstop, jump through his master’s arms, remove his master’s socks, do a massage, and even pray before eating! No wonder Sarah said that she was always excited about going to the set and seeing Milo. Milo was only 2 months old when his owner Daryl Tristan Huertas started to train him. From Viva Films, Unforgettable is now showing in cinemas nationwide.

IN CHARACTER. Sarah Geronimo and Milo as Jasmine and Happy in the heartwarming film, 'Unforgettable.'

Smart unveils promos for streaming, gaming, socmed sharing

Smart allows subscribers make the most of their mobile data with its latest Giga promo.

ARE you the kind of person who boosts your brainpower and concentration skills via mobile gaming, spending hours slaying virtual monsters and engaging with other players in your friendly plays? Are you the kind of person who finds inspiration in your favorite YouTube vloggers’ videos and social media stories? Or do you spend your data uploading those seamlessly-shot Instagram and Facebook stories to your feed and welcoming other people’s comments to improve your art and master your craft?

No matter what you love to do online, you can be sure that you can keep enjoying it more than ever—because Smart allows you to “Gigafy Your Love” and make the most of your mobile data. All you have to do is dial *123# to avail of the new and updated Giga mobile data promos. For all the videos you love to watch, Smart offers Giga Video and Giga Video+, complete with Video Every Day that lets you enjoy up to one hour of YouTube and more every day.

For all the games you love playing online, Smart’s Giga Games has got you covered with Games All Day that gives you one GB of data for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and more every day. And for those who love being in the moment on social media, Smart’s got Giga Stories with one GB of Stories All Day so you can stay updated with all the content on Facebook and Instagram, daily. “We want every Filipino to be free to pursue all of their passions, no matter what they are—this is why we’re more than thrilled to

provide the best mobile internet connectivity while giving them more time to do what they love online, allowing our subscribers to ‘GIigafy their love’. Whatever it is that they’re passionate about, be it sports, gaming, music, entertainment or social media, Smart has got them covered,” said Oscar A. Reyes, Senior Vice President, Head of Consumer Business – Individual. For more details visit https://smart.com. ph/gigafy, like Smart Communications on Facebook, and follow @LiveSmart on Instagram and Twitter.