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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 263 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

RESCUE AND RELIEF.

Rescuers and soldiers evacuate villagers to a helicopter after they were trapped in their mountaintop homes due to landslides triggered by earthquakes in the last two weeks, in Makilala, North Cotabato. The death toll has risen to 21 as survivors struggled to access food and water. Inset shows personnel from the Surigao City Jail load 30 sacks of rice for delivery to the quake-hit areas. The sacks of rice were donated by the inmates who cut their regular ration for one day. AFP and Surigao City Jail Information Office

Make way for relief—DND Sets up checkpoints to ensure orderly delivery of goods

Moro volunteers come to aid of Christian victims

EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) over the weekend to set up checkpoints in quakeaffected areas in Mindanao to properly record the arrival of goods and relief workers.

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY—Moro volunteers and government workers have brought water and ready-to-cook food packs to Christian neighbors severely affected by two major earthquakes, showing that compassion during a humanitarian crisis can prevail over the religious divide long exploited by politicians. Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) noted “with [a] deep sense of appreciation and gratitude” that many of the Next page

China ‘ready to work’ on code of conduct BEIJING said Sunday it was “ready to work” with Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct in the flashpoint South China Sea, where it is accused of bullying fellow claimants and building up military installations. China claims most of the resourcerich waterway, a major global shipping route and long a source of tension among claimants in Southeast Asia. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has been locked in talks for a code of conduct Next page

SO BAGS CHESS WORLD TITLE SPORTS A8

LEADERS’ JERSEYS. President Rodrigo Duterte receives his personalized jersey from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) together with other heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). A video of the ceremony shows a FIFA official skipping the Philippine president after failing to locate his No. 10 jersey. A FIFA personnel eventually located Duterte’s jersey, which was promptly handed over to the Philippine leader.

Duterte urges ASEAN leaders: Don’t take sides By MJ Blancaﬂor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) not to choose between China and the United States, which he called a “strategic mistake” of the previous administrations.

During the 35th ASEAN Plenary Saturday, the President discussed the changing regional landscape that recognizes the rise of Beijing as a global power. “He called on ASEAN leaders not to choose—or be forced to choose—sides by pointing out what he calls a ‘strategic mistake’ committed by the past leader-

ships of the Philippines, which he his now rectifying through his independent foreign policy,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. The President also vowed to finish the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea at the soonest time Next page possible.

Lorenzana, head of government relief efforts in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato, also informed local authorities of the proper management of evacuation centers. “I have also directed the military to remove people from the highways begging and blocking vehicles bringing relief goods and bring them to their communities so they can be properly attended to,” Lorenzana said. Relief organizations can leave their donations to troops for distribution to the affected families or if they want to do it themselves, military units can direct them to areas needing their assistance, he added. The Army, has already deployed a task force in Kidapawan, Cotabato to coordinate the military’s operation with ongoing government relief operations. Next page

Asin tax to fuel inflation—senator

House vows to hit ground running

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Rio N. Araja

THE Health department’s proposal for lawmakers to impose a tax on food with high salt content, including tuyo and daing, is inflationary, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri said Sunday. Since it would adversely affect the poor Filipinos, Zubiri guaranteed a bill making such a proposal would not pass Congress. He said the added burden would definitely hit the poor as their food like tuyo and daing were very common on their tables especially in the provinces. “These are simple products being bought by our poor people like tuyo

UPON the resumption of the regular session today, Monday, in Congress, Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said Sunday two priority measures had already been calendared for approval on third and final reading. Romualdez, committee on rules chairman, said the measures scheduled for final approval were the joint resolution extending the availability of the 2019 appropriations for maintenance and capital outlays to Dec. 31, 2020, and the bill postponing the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Next page

HOPEFULS. Bar examinees, their relatives and friends flock to the University of Santo Tomas Campus in Manila on Sunday, November 3, 2019. About 8,245 examinees are expected to take the 2019 Bar Examinations which will run for another three Sundays Nov. 10, 17 and 24. Norman Cruz

News

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

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Lacson sees 2020 budget ’pork-free’ By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Panfilo Lacson said Sunday nothing was irregular so far in the 2020 budget bill that the House deliberated, approved and transmitted to the Senate. “In fairness, here in the present House of Representatives, this is what I can say is the most behaved of our counterparts this time, Lacson told DZBB when asked if he saw "pork" in next year's budget submitted to them by the House. “Because the P9.5 billion they announced were indeed institutional amendments from the NEP [National Expenditures Program], which they converted into GAB-1 [General Appropriations Bill 1]...”Lacson said. “But now, they're saying, they put funds in the NFA for palay and the DOH to augment the Universal Health Care.” Lacson even described as “most behaved” the current roster of House members considering the issues that past congressmen were embroiled in regarding the national budget. Although he commended the House for sticking to its word, Lacson said he was not sure if the case would be the same in the deliberations of the bicameral conference committee on the national budget. He hoped there would just be minor amendments. While he noticed some “unclear” items worth P20 billion in the NEP, he admitted those could not be considered “pork” allocations because the Executive Departments vouched for them. “If there are no many issues, we can simply forgive the P20 billion and let the DBM do the re-alignment,” Lacson said. He also said it was likely that the Senate could just adopt the budget version approved by the House to hasten its enactment and prevent congressmen from making further amendments. He said he had already raised this possibility to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who both were already considering his proposal. But Lacson said the senators had to keep an eye during the bicam on the budget as this was where congressmen could make their individual amendments.

Asin... From A1

which is very basic in the province, Zubiri said. “We will not allow this in the Senate.” Minority Leader and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. owed to block a bill taxing salty food. “We can understand the rationale behind taxing alcoholic beverages and sugary drinks. These are inessential food items that are bad for the health of our people, so we can get behind measures to curb their consumption, Abante said. “However, we must draw the line at taxing food that our countrymen regularly consume, particularly the poor. I believe to tax salty food would be too much. You want the poor to bear the brunt of the tax measure?” Senators have outrightly rejected the Health department’s proposal aired by Undersecretary Eric Domingo, who cited the alleged health gains from the salt tax aside from revenues. But Anthony Leachon, co-convenor of the Sin Tax coalition, which had pushed for added taxes on cigarettes and alcohol products, said the recommendation for salt tax should be studied very well. He suggested that the Food and Drug Administration come up with a trafficlight labeling on fats, sugars, salts and calories of food and even beverages. Acknowledging that it was hard to legislate behavior, Leachon said it was a relative risk “we need to teach, heal and lead as health professionals. “ “We can reduce the intake of salty foods, fats, high calorie foods and beverages, he said. With Rio N. Araja

Duterte... From A1

The code is seen as a binding document which that set forth protocols and rules to ensure no violent conflicts will arise between China and Asean-member countries with claims in the resource-rich territories. In 2002, ASEAN member countries and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties but the claimants of territories in South China Sea—the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan—have yet to craft a binding code 17 years since the declara-

ASEAN hopeful on trade deal S The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) opened its annual summit in Bangkok on Saturday hoping to secure a Chinabacked free trade pact at the three-day event, which knits together half the world’s population and around 40 percent of its commerce. For seven years the group has been wrangling over a deal spanning from India to New Zealand called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Though it is now seen as an urgent counterpoint to US protectionism, one senior trade delegate from the Philippines said a deal appeared unlikely before next year. Washington’s trade rumble with Beijing has weighed on markets, with the International Monetary Fund warning the spat could cut global growth to the lowest pace in more than a decade. Meanwhile, US President Donald

Trump’s protectionist rhetoric has spooked some Asean nations, which fear their economies could fall under his crosshairs. Trump has repeatedly warned of further intervention to protect US businesses, and several Asian nations are waiting to find out if Washington will place them on a watch list of “currency manipulators.” Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned that the regional bloc could hit back against any punitive trade measures, but he skirted over specifics. “We will do exactly what Trump does,” he told a business forum ahead of the summit opening, calling the US leader “not a very nice man.” “If you go alone, you will be bullied. We don’t want to go into trade war, but sometimes when they do things that are not nice to us, we have to be un-nice to them,” he added.

Earlier, his Thai counterpart, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, echoed the theme of regional cooperation on the RCEP deal, while Philippines’ trade secretary Ramon Lopez said he hoped to have a “very positive report (on RCEP) come Monday” when the summit ends. But the treaty’s signing would happen only “within next year,” he added, with members meeting in February to sort out “pending issues on market access.” Separately, FIFA President Gianni Infantino signed a letter of intent with ASEAN leaders emphasizing a school program “to foster life skills and physical education” through football regionwide, the sport’s governing body said in a statement. Tensions at sea India, whose Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also in Thailand, poses the greatest obstacle to RCEP in its current form. New Delhi fears opening key industries such as metals, textiles and dairy to cheaper Chinese imports. Indian intransigence has cast the deal —looping in the 10 Southeast Asian economies along with Japan, India, China, New Zealand and Australia— into doubt. “We want them (India) to be in. We want to have them... they are a big economy,” Lopez told reporters.

Make...

can buy the goods. “Our problem is with those who don’t have the money,” he said in Filipino. The death toll in two powerful quakes that struck the southern Philippines in the past week has risen to 21, authorities said Sunday, as survivors struggled to access food and water. The 6.6-magnitude and 6.5-magnitude quakes hit the island of Mindanao two days apart, destroying buildings and displacing tens of thousands of residents. Some villagers staying under tents near a highway were begging for help from passing motorists, carrying placards asking for food and water, TV footage showed. Rescuers had found more bodies, many crushed by falling debris and landslides caused by the violent shaking, the national disaster council said. The quakes also left 432 residents injured with two people still missing, it added. Thursday’s big quake was the third since mid-October in the Mindanao region, which makes up a third of the Philippines. Temporary shelters have been set up to house more than 20,000 displaced individuals -- many already there since the

first quake struck on October 16, leaving seven people dead. On Sunday, rescuers continued their evacuation of families whose houses were endangered by landslides, while several residents trapped in mountainous villages had been airlifted to safety. The government said aid has reached affected communities and instructed people sleeping near the road to go to evacuation centers for help. The Philippines suffers regular tremors as part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. In related developments: • Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Sunday vowed to conduct public hearings on pending legislative measures to boost preparedness against calamities and address them when they occurred. • Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who was spending time in his hometown in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, said the trembling he experienced on Tuesday, Oct. 29, was the strongest of all the ground movements hitting Mindanao in the last few days. – Macon Ramos-Araneta, PNA

workers responding to the call for help on a weekend were on their last day in office, the victims of paid lay-offs as part of a major government reorganization. “We stand in solidarity with our neighbors in times of peace and distress, regardless of faiths and sects,” said BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, referring to the predominantly Christian communities in Makilala town and Kidapawan City. “This is our last hurray,” said William Solano, who had been a photographer until his last Halloween in office, from the day the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) began in February 1990. Gov. Mamintal Bombit Adiong Jr. said the Maranao people have learned firsthand how hard it was to leave homes and lose belongings in times of emergency. Adiong said Lanao del Sur commissioned a disaster team in aid of earthquakedisplaced families in Makilala, Cotabato. The team is composed of workers of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of Lanao del Sur. Sinarimbo said Ebrahim has directed the urgent dispatch of bottled potable water and food packages, along with water tankers to help in the rationing of water for domestic use by displaced families. He said BARMM has set up incident command posts in devastated Makilala town, one in Kidapawan City proper and another in Cotabato Provincial Capitol in Barangay Amas. Adiong said initially, the Lanao del Sur

team transported relief for 1,200 families, and based on on sight needs assessment, may determine whether financial assistance may be handed out to the most needy families. A medical mission will also be deployed in the coming days, along with another round of relief distribution, said Jennie Alonto-Tamano, head of Lanao Sur provincial information office. Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista thanked the BARMM leadership, Ebrahim in particular, for the assistance. Over the weekenf Sinarimbo, also BARMM spokesman, said water tanker trucks were deployed to public places where the most number of evacuees are temporarily sheltered, including Barangay Amas, site of the provincial capitol of North Cotabato. Muslim volumteers from Lanao Sur and Maguindanao worked overtime on the weekend to repack ready-to cook-food items for distribution. Myrna Jo Henry, BARMM READi information head, said volunteers and employees had repacked 11,000 bottles of water, along with boxes of food and hygiene kits in a truckload of relief assistance for distribution at the region’s three command posts in the two towns. In Surigao City, inmates at the city jail cut their portions of food rations to help earthquake victims. In a statement on Saturday, Jail Senior Insp. Diovin C. Auza, the city jail warden, said more than 600 inmates from Surigao City Jail decided to cut their regular allowance and accumulated 30 sacks of rice that they wanted to be given to Mindanao residents who were badly hit by recent earthquakes. The 30 sacks of rice have a total value of P37,500 and equivalent to a one-day

meal allowance for the more than 600 prisoners inside the Surigao City Jail, Auza said. “It’s like they skip three meals for an entire day for the purpose of helping our fellowmen who were badly affected by the successive quakes that struck here in Mindanao,” he said. The donations of the inmates were officially received by Commander Lawrence Roque of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Surigao del Norte. The PCG will take charge of transporting the 30 sacks of rice together with the other relief from various sectors in the Caraga Region. The Kornadal city government, meanwhile, has allocated P200,000 in emergency assistance to neighboring localities that were devastated by three power earthquakes in the last three weeks. City Mayor Eliordo Ogena said they will send this week at least P150,000 in cash assistance to North Cotabato and P50,000 to Davao del Sur to augment the ongoing relief operations for residents affected by the quake. The financial aid was approved by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), which was convened by the mayor on Saturday. Ogena said they saw the need to deliver immediate assistance to the neighboring provinces even as the city was also affected by the three major tremors and the continuing aftershocks. The local government recorded one fatality and over 100 injured as a result of the magnitude 6.3 quake on Oct. 16, magnitude 6.6 on Oct. 29 and magnitude 6.5 on October 31. We’re pooling our available resources to help our neighboring localities,” Ogena said. With PNA

tion was approved. Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier agreed to speed up the negotiations to finish the COC in the South China Sea. “As ASEAN-China country coordinator, the Philippines will do its utmost part to conclude negotiations on a Code of Conduct as soon as possible,” Duterte said. “Notwithstanding the lack of enthusiasm by some external partners, I believe that we in ASEAN are one in the view that an effective and substantive COC will be good for the region,” he added. Duterte also said the ASEAN should

peacefully resolve the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, in accordance with international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He urged other state leaders to exercise “self-restraint” and avoid actions that may “further complicate the situation” amid the continuing territorial dispute. “We must lead the way in building trust and confidence among all stakeholders. And we must use all the influence that we have, individually and collectively, to persuade parties to exercise self-restraint and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation,” Duterte said. Countries must not take sides to avoid

being embroiled in a geopolitical game, he added. The Philippines firmly supports an open, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture, Duterte said, stressing that isolating anyone and forcing countries to choose sides is a dangerous game. The ASEAN, he said, must not allow this to happen. “Let us build on the achievements of the past and make ASEAN even stronger to face the challenges of the present,” he said. President Duterte arrived in Thailand Friday to participate in the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from Nov. 2 to 4.

OUTHEAST Asian leaders meet for a second day in Thailand on Sunday, hoping for a breakthrough in talks over the world’s largest trade deal to help throw off the torpor which has gripped the global economy since the US-China tariff war began.

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“I have also directed an engineering contingent to proceed to the area to help in rescue and recovery (operations),” he said. “For the other needed supplies such as water containers, some donors are currently procuring them here in Manila and will be transported to Davao together with other supplies in a couple of days. All our efforts are in coordination with the acting provincial governor who has taken charge of the whole relief operation,” Lorenzana said. “There are sufficient relief goods available. It’s just a matter of properly distributing them.” National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Ricardo Jalad said there was no humanitarian crisis, after TV reports showed residents flagging down cars by the road side asking for food and water. “There is no humanitarian crisis,” Jalad said in Filipino. The market, he said, continues to function, and those with money

Moro... From A1

Chinese premier Li Keqiang will attend the meeting as simmering tensions in the South China Sea also lead the agenda. China supports RCEP as a way to assert its trade dominance in its Asian backyard after Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in 2017. The Asean summit follows a push by Washington and Beijing for a partial agreement to squash some of the tit-fortat tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods that have rattled both economies. But Washington has pared back its delegation to Bangkok this year. In what is being read by some as a snub to Asean, the United States is being represented by national security advisor Robert O’Brien and commerce chief Wilbur Ross. US Vice President Mike Pence attended last year’s Asean summit in Singapore, and Trump was at the 2017 meeting in the Philippines. A senior White House official rejected the notion of a snub, saying Trump and Pence are unavailable because they are “very engaged in campaigning” for a string of governors’ races. Trump trusts O’Brien “to go out and take care of big problems and small problems,” the official added. AFP

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for the sea, where China is accused of deploying warships, arming outposts and ramming fishing vessels. The agreement, set to be finished in 2021, will set out conduct guidelines for the sea along with conflict resolution parameters. On Sunday, China’s premier Li Keqiang said the first reading of the document – a chance for all members to comment on the draft terms – was “a very important landmark.” “We stand ready to work with Asean countries building on the existing foundation and the basis to strive for new progress” on the guidelines, he said. He added that China wanted to “maintain and uphold long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea.” Tensions have flared in recent weeks between China and Vietnam, one of Beijing’s most vocal critics in the sea. Hanoi hit back at China after it sent a survey ship into waters inside its Exclusive Economic Zone and around islands claimed by both Hanoi and Beijing. The ship left after several weeks in the area. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have overlapping claims with China in the sea. The US has accused China of bullying behavior in the sea, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week America has been too easy on China. “We hesitated and did far less than we should have,” he said, referring to China’s disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines in the sea. AFP

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He said Congress would discuss and speed up the passage of a pending joint resolution authorizing the use of the rice subsidy as provided in this year’s P3.757-trillion national budget for the purchase of palay from farmers. “We aim to hit the ground running on the first day of work. Time to roll up our sleeves once again and work double time on vital legislative measures, he said. The House of Representatives has already passed 18 measures on third reading since the start of the 18th Congress, including the 2020 national budget, key tax bills and the amendments to the Foreign Investment Act of 1991. The tax legislation was one of the priority measures of President Rodrigo Duterte. “The tax legislation that we passed under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program will help the government achieve the ‘A’ credit rating goal of the Duterte administration,” Romualdez said. “We are a notch away from ‘A’ territory after a vote of confidence by Standard & Poor’s upgrading the country’s credit rating from ‘BBB’ to ‘BBB+’ with a stable outlook because of the robust economic growth.” Romualdez said the other economic bills that would need speedy action from the House included the measures dealing with the real property valuation and assessment system, amendments to the Public Service Act, raising the motor vehicle road user’s tax and creating new government departments. “The work ethic of our congressmen, both from the majority and the minority, is really incredible. It is truly an honor working with them,” Romualdez said.

News Peralta visits bar exam takers By MJ Blancaflor

CHIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta and several other Supreme Court justice witnessed on Sunday the start of the 2019 Bar examinations held at University of Sto. Tomas in Espana, Manila, which proceeded peacefully and without a hitch. Aside from Peralta and Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, the chairperson of the 2019 Bar Examinations, also went to the UST, which served as the venue of the Bar exams for the four Sundays of November (Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24). Also present were Associate Justices Mario Victor “Marvic” Leonen, Alfred Benjamin Caguioa, and Jose Reyes Jr. and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. SC Public Information Office Chief Brian Keith Hosaka said the SC magistrates expressed hopes that many of the 8,245 candidates this year would pass the Bar exams, considered as the most grueling examinations in the country. The Justices also showed their support to the examinees and wished them luck. “All systems go for the 2019 Bar Exams. The Justices CJ Peralta, Bernabe, Leonen, Caguioa, and Jose Reyes Jr. went around UST and wished the BAR examinees luck,” Hosaka said in a text message to reporters. “They are all hoping that many will be able to pass the BAR Exams because we need more lawyers in the country,” Hosaka said, noting that at present there are about 65,0000 active lawyer-members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Be prudent in issuing warrants—CJ C By Rey E. Requejo

HIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta on Sunday ordered the Office of the Court Administrator to remind judges to be circumspect and prudent with the issuances of warrants after a Quezon City court issued search warrants that resulted in the arrest of 57 activists in Negros Occidental.

Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said Chief Justice Peralta issued the directive following reports that Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert, of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 89, issued search warrants that were served in the offices of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Anakpawis, Gabriela, and the National Federation of Sugar Workers.

As a result, 57 alleged activities were arrested by joint elements from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army. The arrests were reportedly done last Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. “Upon learning of this, CJ Peralta immediately directed the Court Administrator to remind judges to be deliberate, circumspect, and prudent with the issuances of warrants,” Hosaka said in a text message. However, Court Administrator Jose

Midas Marquez said that executive judges of Manila and Quezon City are authorized to issue search warrants that could be enforced in other parts of the country. “The Court Administrator, however, was quick to note that the executive judges of Manila and Quezon City are really authorized to issue SWs which may be implemented nationwide in certain instances and provided that the legal requirements are met,” Hosaka said. Nonetheless, Marquez advised the aggrieved parties to exercise available administrative remedies, such as the filing of motion seeking to invalidate the search warrants issued by the Quezon City court. “If respondents feel aggrieved with the issuance, the proper remedy is to file a motion to quash either before the court that issued them, or before the court where the cases are eventually

filed,” Hosaka said, quoting Marquez. Earlier, Bayan Muna leaders led by chairman Neri Colmenares and Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate—questioned why a Quezon City court would issue search warrants against activists based in Bacolod City. Colmenares assailed the search warrants issued by a Quezon City judge on the offices of progressive groups in Bacolod and Escalante, saying the court should disclose the records that were used as bases for the warrants. “We are calling on the Supreme Court, especially Chief Justice (Diosdado) Peralta to review this act of the Quezon City (Regional Trial Court) judge, and for the Supreme Court to provide mechanism to discipline judges who abuse legal processes and merely accede to baseless application for search warrant by state forces,” Colmenares said in a statement.

Cavite lifts ban on processed pork products CAVITE province has lifted the ban on the sale and distribution of processed pork products following consultations with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla issued Executive Order No. 34 dated Oct. 24, 2019 to adopt the guidelines and recommendations set by Agriculture Secretary Dar who is the acknowledged as the national authority on agricultural matters. Cavite is the first province to break away from a group of 65 provincial governors who fell for allegations by hog raisers that processed meats could infect their pigs with African swine fever. The allegations are false and imaginary, according to meat processors. Both OIE and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) have confirmed that processed meats when cooked at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes cannot spread the ASF virus because in case it is present, the virus is killed at such temperature. “Canned goods and processed pork products may be transported as long as the same is authorized by the FDA and other concerned government agencies,” Remulla said in the order. Remulla’s order is considered credible as Cavite is the only province in the Philippines which has earned excellent management certification under ISO 9001-2008. The ISO certification means that Cavite has an effective leadership governance which is widely accepted by constituents throughout the province. In the same order, Remulla said that all “hotels, restaurants, eateries, cafeterias, canteens, fast food chains and other food establishments shall be prohibited from selling or giving their leftovers or spoiled food to hog raisers”.

CRY FOR HELP. Quake survivors in Makilala, North Cotabato ask for rice, food and water from motorists. Courtesy of former peace adviser’s Jesus Dureza’s Facebook.

DOJ to resolve Iranian beauty queen’s plea for asylum By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice through its Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit (RSPPU) is expected to resolve this week whether or not to grant the request for asylum of beleaguered Iranian beauty queen Bahareh Zare Bahari. Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete revealed that the RSPPU is trying to determine whether there is basis to grant asylum status to Bahari, 31 years old, who was held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last October 17 upon her arrival from Dubai for allegedly as-

saulting a fellow Iranian national in the Philippines. This reportedly resulted in the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice against her. “Hopefully by this week, the RSPPU would be able to finish its appreciation of evidence on the application for asylum filed by Ms. Bahari,” Perete said. “I have seen so far the evidence presented and I do not know how the RSPPU will decide on the case. But based on the evidence presented to us she claims that she was politically persecuted because of her political views. I think one of the allegations is that her political views manifested in the

fact that she joined the beauty pageant, which is totally forbidden in Iran; she also used the old flag of Iran; and she also refused to use the veil. So that is where the persecution against her is coming from,” Perete said. Bahari was Iran’s representative in the Miss Intercontinental 2018 pageant held in Manila. The RSPPU is an office under the administrative supervision of the DOJ and is made up of independent state counsels. In making its decision on a petition, it does not need the approval of the DOJ Secretary. But the DOJ Secretary can review its decision.

COPS IN CAMPUS. Some of the 600 or so policemen stand guard at the entrance of th University of Santo Tomas campus in Manila where 8,245 examinees are expected to take the 2019 Bar Examinations on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. The Bar Exams will run for another three Sundays: Nov. 10, 17 and 24. Norman Cruz

PH to experience cloudy skies, rain due to LPA MOST parts of the country will experience cloudy skies with rain showers due to a low-pressure area (LPA) embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) said on Sunday. The LPA was spotted 420 kilometers west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan at 3 a.m. Sunday, according to PAGASA’s 4 a.m. weather forecast. Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorm caused by ICTZ. The state weather bureau warned that the same areas may experience possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Northeast monsoon will bring cloudy skies with light rains in Ilocos Region, Cordillera Region, Cagayan Valley, and the province of Aurora. PAGASA said partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers driven by localized thunderstorms will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of the country. Possible isolated f lash f loods or landslides during severe thunderstorms are expected in the Philippine capital and other parts of the country. Coastal waters throughout Northern and Central Luzon will be moderate to strong, while it will be light to moderate over the rest of the country. PNA

SC’s US Marshals Service-type security plan draws support CHIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta’s call for the setting up of a new agency patterned after the United States Marshals Service (USMS) has drawn the support of Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel. “The plan is even better than our previous proposal for the simple creation of up to 3,000 new positions for bailiffs or armed peace officers to provide am-

ple court security,” Pimentel said. “We would urge the Chief Justice to endorse to Congress a draft bill forming the envisioned Philippine Marshals Service,” Pimentel said, adding that he is prepared to sponsor the bill. In May, Pimentel had called for the creation of new positions for bailiffs who would keep the peace in every court proceeding.

The lawmaker had warned that judges, court staff and litigants “have become increasingly exposed to potential violence when hearing cases.” As proposed earlier by Pimentel, bailiffs would form part of the regular court staff and also secure buildings and properties used by the judiciary. On Sunday, Pimentel said Peralta’s proposal for the establishment of a

USMS-type agency might require the handover of some of the duties and responsibilities of other existing departments or bureaus. “The USMS is actually within the U.S. Department of Justice. It has very broad specialized missions that include protecting the judiciary, apprehending fugitives, managing and selling confiscated assets

acquired by felons through illegal activities, housing and moving prisoners and running the Witness Security Program,” Pimentel said. At present, the USMS has 3,900 marshals and investigators. The service also retains private contractors that provide more than 4,000 bailiffs or court security officers (CSOs) in America.

Opinion

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

EDITORIAL

A tailor-made TOR? THE Department of Energy has recently asked Meralco to relax the conditions of its Terms of Reference for the supply bidding for the distribution utility’s massive 1,200 MW energy supply requirement.

We support the call of the DOE for more inclusive terms and a more competitive bidding process. Power generators have walked away from this massive supply contract after Meralco stipulated that the new plant should utilize HELE (high efficiency, low emission) technology. However, only one power plant can meet the HELE standard, the Atimonan One, which is owned by the utility’s sister company Meralco Power Generation Corp. (MGen), which is now under construction. Even San Miguel Corporation, which won a big chunk of the earlier bidding of energy supply for Meralco, said the terms must be relaxed in order for other players to join and compete for the contract. It earlier wanted to join the bid for the 1,200 MW but after seeing the limiting terms, it eventually walked away.

Adelle Chua, Editor

The Competitive Selection Process (CSP) regime for power distributors like Meralco and even electric cooperatives gives consumers a great advantage, as different power generators can now bid for supply contracts by offering the most competitive prices and the best service. Cheaper generation cost, will definitely trickle down to our monthly electricity bill. And since generation costs are supposed to be passed on, the utilities are supposed to have no interest other than getting the lowest cost supplier. The bidding for the 1,200-MW greenfield supply (greenfield means new power plant that has to be constructed brand new), has already failed as only Atimonan One made a bid. Another round of failed bidding will mean Meralco can enter into a negotiated contract with its own sister company MGen. Some reports have already shown that although HELE technology is more efficient and has lower emissions, its energy output is more expensive that the usual “clean coal” circulating fluidized bed coal power plants. We support the call of the DOE for more inclusive terms and a more competitive bidding process. More players in the game will only mean lower costs and better service. And that is what we are all looking for as consumers. Maybe Meralco can help clear things out in today’s Congressional hearing. *** While critics of this administra-

Low and foul

OME quarters have found a way to connect the series of earthquakes that rocked Mindanao in the past few days to how they feel about our leader.

A former spokesman of the Supreme Court, who really should have known better, took to Twitter to raise a provocative question. “What’s with all the earthquakes in Mindanao?” the lawyer asked. He could argue, of course, that his question was innocuous. Scientists would be able to answer him in earnest through technical—thus, credible— explanations. Alas it was not any scientist who picked up on the query. A former singer, affiliated with the hard-core opposition, responded: “Retribution?” The singer did not say anything else, but that one word was so rich with implication. Only a fool would miss the obvious reference to the many “sins” of the President Rodrigo Duterte, the former mayor of Davao City, a major Mindanao hub. Yet another inflammatory tweet was posted by a supposed public relations expert, who addressed whom she called the DDS—the Davao Disaster Survivors. “Hindi pa ba NYO ma-gets? Gusto na kayong lamunin ng lupa. Magdasal na kayo at humingi ng patawad. (Don’t you get it yet? The earth wants to swallow you.

Pray and ask for forgiveness). Quiboloy can’t stop earthquakes. He can only stop Kappa. Duts should seriously prepare for the afterlife. It’s getting hot, hotter, hottest.” The tweet was punctuated with icons depicting fire. The former High Court spokesman eventually deleted his tweet and asked for apology from the Mindawons if his “rhetorical, non-political, and personal” post had given “platform” to hurtful comments. “I have deleted a tweet and my reply-explanation to that tweet which, though unintended, have caused offense, pain, and hurt to family and friends in Mindanao where I am from, proud to be from, and which I love,” he said. The PR executive also took down her post and said, in her defense: “I deleted my Davao disaster tweet even if the intention was clearly to jolt the DDS into an awakening. My Davao friends did not feel alluded to at all Anyway, to avoid anymore [sic] sensitivity...” One day later, however, she was at it again, telling the DDS who “protest the ‘politicalization’ [sic] of the Davao earthquakes, please put your money where your mouth is. Donate some of

your earnings to the victims and survivors. Then we all shut up and pray. Good? If not, as always the curses [sic] will reap their just karma.” The Duterte administration is clearly not without its faults, as has been pointed out not just by its hardened critics, but by simple, well-meaning Filipinos who only genuinely want this administration to succeed for the good of all. But why turn biblical and attribute the tremors to a punishment for one man? Mr. Duterte might indeed come from Mindanao, but he is not Mindanao just as Mindanao is not Duterte. The island is composed of millions of Filipinos of various religious and political persuasions. Like us here in the capital and elsewhere, they just want to live every day in peace, earn a living for their families, and find some meaning in what they do. As far as our finite mind could grasp, the god we believe in—if we believed in one at all—is kind and compassionate, and not one to strike down an entire island in retribution, or even on a whim. Perhaps these critics’ god has a different inclination—who knows? There are many other things to do in the aftermath of disaster, and in anticipation of future, likely ones. Uttering divisive, hateful and ridiculous statements is certainly low and foul.

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Holy days and holidays UNDAS is an annual holiday—rather, holidays because whatever is proclaimed by Malacanang is always made a two-day affair by Filipinos by combining the Catholic All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day into a must-celebration. Celebration, rather than commemoration, either of the saints or the dead. These are practices difficult to expunge due to long-held tradition, but then again, with a president like Duterte, nothing should be impossible. Undas is a take-off from the Mexican Dia de los Muertos (as well as other Central American countries like Guatemala), and is supposed to be an abbreviation of Un Dia por los Almas y los Santos. In Taiwan, they have a Tomb-sweeping day, which is also a holiday, followed by Children’s Day (a bit weird, the dead followed by the children) so folks could have a long holiday. I have always advocated that we should visit our departed family members on their birthdays and/or death anniversaries for very practical reasons. The cemeteries will not be deluged by hundreds of thousands (in Manila even a million), and would be evenly distributed through 365 days. Flowers and candles will not have an annual price spike, but their shops would be patronized all year round. And instead of celebration, we would have real commemorations in the relative peace of the cemetery. Workers can plan their leaves ahead of time, and there would be one or two days of no-productivity less in our calendar. President Duterte and his Cabinet should make a review of our holidays and holy days and put some sense into celebrations and commemorations. Remembering should not be confined to specific dates, with the exception perhaps of One, our National Day or Independence Day; and Two, holy days of our major religions, such as Good Friday and Christmas Day for Catholics, and the Muslim holy days (for both religious and political reasons). And please, no holiday for Chi-

nese New Year, even if many of us are tsu-zi-ya or hua-quiao (Chinese mestizoisie). All other commemorations should be on movable dates, so as not to disrupt the inertia of work, and thus, productivity. If I had my druthers, I would have two very long holidays, one where all the holy and holidays are lumped together, to coincide with the Catholic observance of Holy Week. So from Palm Sunday all the way to Easter Monday, or a total of nine days, for all of us to go to the provinces or even plan long vacations. The next long holiday would start on December 23 and end January first of the following year, for a total of ten days, or move that to December 24 until January 2.

This is another legacy proposal for the President’s political bucket list. All holidays for the first half of the year are charged to the March or April long holiday, (Bataan Day, Labor Day, and whatever special holidays therein). All commemorated events for the second half, from National Heroes Day to Bonifacio to Rizal chargeable to the December-January long rest period. The only exception would be Independence Day, June 12, where the president and all government workers should hold a major commemoration at the Luneta for NCR and in town plazas elsewhere, rather than the mere flag-raising activities where we assign our top officials to preside, in Kawit, before the Rizal monument, or in Balintawak. The next day, June 13, may be declared a special holiday. This would make production schedules predictable and work days strictly enforced. Visiting tombs will be chargeable to the workers’ vacation leaves. Overtime cost increments can be planned and budgeted. And please, no special holidays that mayors or governors can declare, other than calamities. No city holidays, mu-

The link between crypto-currencies and criminality By Kevin Trublet THE recent bust of a worldwide international pedophile ring using Bitcoin payments highlighted one of the key fears surrounding crypto-currencies—their use by criminals. Social networking giant Facebook is keen to get in on the act by launching a digital currency called Libra. But US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has aired his ongoing opposition to the move, saying many concerns remained unresolved, including "the issue of money laundering." Despite tighter regulations and increased vigilance by the authorities, illegal activities related to virtual currencies remained "significant," Madeleine Kennedy, from the research firm Chainalysis, told AFP.

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1% of transactions illegal A Chainalysis report published in January said that in 2018, one percent of Bitcoin transactions—the most widely used cryptocurrency—involved illegal activities. The equivalent of $600 million was also spent using Bitcoins on the dark web, a set of hidden networks where a multitude of illicit products, including weapons and drugs, are traded. In comparison, the global turnover of drug trafficking is estimated at several hundred billion dollars. Kennedy believes the use of Bitcoins for criminal purposes was partly based on a "misunderstanding." The confidentiality reputation of the most famous cryptocurrency is unrivaled, with all transactions recorded in an unforgeable public ledger, the blockchain.

But it is "more transparent than some traditional financial systems and certainly more than cash", she added. The British and US authorities last week announced more than 300 arrests in 38 countries as part of an investigation that led to the dismantling of an unprecedented child pornography ring. Investigators analyzed the blockchain and succeeded in "de-anonymizing Bitcoin transactions," according to Ron Fort, the head of criminal investigations in the US tax services. Concerns about Monero But if Bitcoin is still the reference currency for criminals because of its popularity, they are turning to less transparent alternatives, such as Monero, which began life in in 2014, according to the European law enforcement agency Europol. Turn to A5

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

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Opinion Building a knowledge-based economy THE FIFTH GOSPEL JUDE ACIDRE THREE of the top ten best-performing companies in the world today began as technology startups: Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. Three other technology companies come in close: Alphabet at fourth, Facebook sixth, and Alibaba seventh. The business success of these startup companies is more than enough concrete proof of the economic value of innovation and the pivotal role of research in today’s knowledge economy.

The more the Philippines sets aside today for research and development, the greater the returns we stand to reap in the future. In a knowledge economy where products and services rely significantly on the amount of intellectual capital, fact-driven, data-based and empirical knowledge creation is of outmost importance. Innovation is critical to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability. It comes no surprise that most multinational companies these days spend more on research and development than advertising, allocating billions of dollars in product development than business marketing. I can only hope that the same can be said for the Philippines. The United Nations Educations, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) recommends that developing countries spend at least one percent of the GDP on research and development. However, research and development spending in the Philippines has consistently lagged at only 0.1 percent—in comparison that of its ASEAN neighbors, Singapore (2.4 percent) and Malaysia (1.3 percent) and even that of Thailand (0.5 percent) and Vietnam (0.2 percent). In fact, proposed budget appropriations for the country’s principal research agency, the National Research Council of the Philippines, in the 2020 General Appropriations Bill is a mere pittance compared to the other items in the proposed national budget, further highlighting the country’s lack of sustained support for research and development. This lack of support is further aggravated by the lukewarm or even hostile attitude of politicians and policymakers towards providing funding more funds for research and development, resulting in the worsening state of innovation and technology. If there is one thing that our country could learn from today’s business giants is for us to increase our investments in innovation and research, particularly in a country which is among the most literate in the Southeast Asian region. But the government needs to walk the talk. For future generations of Filipinos to take the lead in a knowledge-based economy, it is not only necessary that the right human capital investments should be made. It is important that the government provide not only sufficient funding but it must also guide research and development towards a direction that would benefit the country in the long-term. This requires three critical factors— to institutionalize a national science, technology and innovation policy, to create a well-coordinated research ecosystem and to ensure closer collaboration between the academe, industry, and the government. First, for the country to fully har-

A tailor-made... From A4

tion are having a heyday using the series of earthquakes to hit Central and Eastern Mindanao to pounce on President Rodrigo Duterte, describing the calamities that struck the southern part of the country as some sort of retribution, other countries, particularly China have started chipping in contributions for the relief and rehabilitation of the families affected by the earthquakes. While expressing its deepest sym-

ness the economic value of innovation, government has to provide more leadership in fostering the direction of research and development. The experience of many countries such as Japan, Korea and Germany shows us that public policy can effectively shape innovation, and instituting a stronger policy for technology and innovation can be a stronger driver for economic growth. Putting in place a stronger a national science, technology and innovation policy would allow government to identify more attainable targets and respond more effectively to our research and development requirements. A national science, technology and innovation policy would identify research priorities—and the desired results so as to justify higher spending and increased resource allocation and mainstream innovation into other aspects of national growth—including social services, infrastructure and the economy, especially agriculture and MSME development. Second, setting a national science, technology and innovation policy necessitates a more coherent research ecosystem. It is time that we steer away from a discordant research environment and move towards closer collaboration and stronger linkages between research-grant agencies, including state colleges and universities. Research institutions must progress from competition to cooperation, allowing closer coordination on their research agenda and the sharing of research results. Particular emphasis should be given to indigenous technology and local knowledge, enriching further the social relevance of research projects. Third, stronger collaboration between the academe, industry, and the government in terms of research and development must be pursued, not only in terms of technology creation and innovation, but most importantly in the application of research results. Research institutions must always be in touch with industry needs, and attune their research outputs towards improving its commercial value. With these three factors in place, it is critical for government to increase allocations for research and development. However, the government must go beyond direct funding allocations, and instead create fiscal and economic policies that encourage research activities such as tax incentives that would allow companies to enjoy lower tax rates on profits generated through patents, research and innovation. The indubitable fact is that the future economic growth will move in the direction of increasing levels of technology and innovation, and the Philippines cannot afford to lag behind. While realistically, we cannot be at the frontline of technological innovation, a stronger commitment to science, technology and innovation must be a priority. A focused, sustained and marker-driven research environment is absolutely necessary in order to fully harness technology and innovation for the farm, the factory and the market. Research results can then be applied to business and industries to upgrade the quality and marketability of our products and services and enhance the capability of our human resources. Why spend on research? The logic is simple. Research and development allows us to create new knowledge, develop improved techniques, and upgrade current technology. Research fuels innovation. With these innovation, people can produce more with either the same amount or fewer resources, resulting in increased productivity. As productivity grows, so does the economy. The more the Philippines sets aside today for research and development, the greater the returns we stand to reap in the future.

pathy to those affected families, the Chinese Government donated 3 million RMB (approximately P22 million) through its Embassy in the Philippines to aid the victims and support the disaster relief efforts by the Philippine government in Mindanao and help local residents return to normal life. In a statement released by the Chinese Embassy, China reiterated its support for the President saying that under his strong leadership, it is optimistic the Philippine people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homeland as soon as possible.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

A catalyst for inter-generational growth MINERAL resources are the indispensable natural endowments of our planet that humans started harnessing since the stone ages more than 6,000 years ago. From stone tools, we now have all these gadgets and technologies that have become integral to our daily survival. The most prosperous nations have maximized the harvesting of their mineral resources for sustaining the development of new technologies essential for the operations of all its industries and is integral in accelerating the pace of new innovations. The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) projected ranking for 2019 lists the United States, China, Japan, Germany, India, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil and Canada as the top ten in terms of Gross National Product. All of them of course have a well-developed and vibrant mining sector. I’ve pointed out many times in previous columns on this subject that the Philippine mining sector is a “trillion-dollar” potential just waiting to be channeled to spark sustained prosperity, not just for its host communities but as a long-term engine of growth in remote undeveloped areas where responsible mining is the best, and actually, the most viable option for fast progress on a big scale. So, is this another case of government shooting itself in the foot, with so many confusing, unpredictable policies; a costly misunderstanding of a much-maligned industry who, not without its faults, has been eclipsed with so much demonizing from unscientific anti-mining propaganda backed by antidevelopment agendas? Perhaps it is all of these. Government and industry can actually resolve the complexity of sector through strict enforcement of the existing mining law and environmental regulations. They are, like many of our laws, recognized as a global benchmark for mining regulation that even goes beyond the policy regimes of the big mining economies. I am hopeful that the industry gets its chance to restart what was once one of the major contributors of the country’s GDP. In the last Congress, the House of Representatives passed what could have been a new mining revenue-sharing regime that, after

The link... From A4

Monero's users can remain anonymous until they need to interact with a cryptomarketing platform or invest their funds with a "wallet"—the equivalent of an account for virtual currencies. It is phenomenon that also worries the German finance ministry, which recently published a document warning that anonymous cryptos could become "a real alternative to Bitcoin". Monero, whose capitalization is still

Holy days... From A4

nicipal holidays, provincial holidays commemorating so-called “foundation” days, neither Catholic “fiestas” to celebrate the feast day of patron saints. Many, I know, will call me a “killjoy.” Surely the Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Dinagyang, Masskara and whatever else have you will balk, nay, protest to the highest heavens, their annual phantasmagorias expunged from the calendar. But mine is just a suggestion, which is why I submit that President Duterte could form a committee among his cabinet members chaired by the Executive Secretary (with DoT, DTI, DoTr, DILG, and a few more) to come up with a more sensible annual holiday plan. And to ensure that the same is institutionalized, he could certify it as a legislative measure enshrined thereafter as law. This is another legacy proposal for the President’s political bucket list. *** In the last days of October, Taiwan and the Philippines held both a joint

a long series of deliberations, is the most viable compromise with the legitimate large-scale mining sector. For lack of time, however, this did not pass in the Senate. As Congress is back in session, deliberations are expected to take up the re-filed version and should now have enough time and momentum to finally become law. Linked to the passing of the new revenue sharing scheme is the lifting of Executive Order 79 which effectively stopped the mining industry from further expansion because of its ban on new mining permits.

There’s some good news though, especially for the municipalities of Tigana-an (second-class municipality), Plaser (fourth-class municipality), Tubod and Sison (fifth-class municipalities) in Surigao del Norte with the recent DENR’s approval of the underground sub-level cave mining method for the Silangan Copper-Gold Project. This is a large scale, high grade gold and copper project of Silangan Mindanao Mining Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Philex seen to become a major copper and gold producer of the region. The project’s Boyongan deposit is estimated to have 81 million tons of mineable reserves of high-quality ore grades, not counting the ore reserves in Bayugo. $750 million has been earmarked for the development of the Boyongan ore body. In my interview with Philex President and CEO, Eulalio B. Austin, they are targeting to start construction in 2020 and have already started hiring some people which is estimated to reach a peak about 3,500 workers wherein local residents will be given priority. Had it not been for regulatory delays, the Silangan project should have started this year with a projected production of 4 million tons of highgrade ore a year. Unlike the common criticism of anti-mining groups, the people of the host communities of the Silangan project are very supportive and the anticipation can be felt with increasing activities in the four host municipalities. Austin points out that, just like their highly successful PADCAL mine, building symbiotic relationships with

the community has been a priority even before the initial phase of exploration. All 13 barangays of the four host municipalities have endorsed the project and even formalized their approval with a manifesto. The first infrastructure concern that is now being addressed is to ensure that the water supply of the nearby residents will not be affected. Deep wells have been drilled and early development of environmental controls are being put in place. Add to this, P11 million has been donated to boost the capacity the local hospital for the medical needs of Silangan’s employees; P115 million for the Silangan community development program; P24 million for Corporate Social Responsibility activities; 2,134 elementary and highs school academic grants with a yearly supply of school materials; medical and dental services for over 19,500 patients; livelihood skills and enhancement training; construction of public footbridge and the Hinapuyan Chapel. Under the Mining Act, 1.5 percent of the project’s operating cost will go to the social development management program wherein the LGU’s are able to determine the needed projects for their constituents. All these will directly impact the more than 71,000 population of the 4 municipalities and like all successful mining projects, will quickly bloom into thriving first-class municipalities. In one of the President’s SONA speeches he directed to, “Exalt all concerned government agencies and local government units to uphold the concept of inter-generational responsibility in exploring and the utilization of our mineral wealth, protection and preservation of our biodiversity, anchored on the right to balanced and healthy ecology.” DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said: “We will be coming out with a proposed policy reinventing mining that will spread the benefits for the people without compromising the environment and natural resources of the country.” There are 11 stranded mining projects worth US$ 23 billion in investments waiting to engage as a longterm partner that will potentially bring prosperity to millions of families in underdeveloped municipalities where there no opportunities for big growth. The technology-dependent society we now live in presents a great opportunity to develop our mineral resources. If we keep our ores underground, we will miss the boat, again.

160 times lower than Bitcoin, uses a complex architecture that makes transactions "much more difficult to track," said Kennedy. "But no more than the many shell companies in the many tax havens," said Emilien Bernard-Alzias, a lawyer at Simmons & Simmons, a specialist in financial markets. "We have always seen both legal and technical arrangements to conceal money transfers from the courts," he told AFP, adding that only cash can be considered "perfectly untraceable." Also, since Monero does not allow

large quantities of money to be bought, criminals are encouraged to convert their funds and must therefore use service providers subject to anti-money laundering regulations. Unlike currencies that have made anonymity a marketing feature, Facebook has repeatedly said in recent months that Libra will be transparent and comply with the authorities' req uirements. Libra "will clearly not be ideal for laundering dirty money," said Bernard-Alzias, although it will probably need to use blockchain analysts "to satisfy regulators," added Kennedy. AFP

labor conference and a joint economic conference. The first was held in Taipei to discuss issues regarding our labor force in Taiwan—all 156,428 of them. The other was about trade and investment matters, which was highlighted by an Investment Collaboration Summit held in Makati, where some 200 Filipino-owned firms had business-to-business matching sessions with 76 Taiwanese-owned firms whose officers flew to Manila for the occasion. It was a rather hectic week, so I looked forward to having a nice rest by the beach, bonding with my grandchildren on November 1 and 2. I went to the airport at around 7:40 pm, already checked-in online, for a flight scheduled at 9:10. If things went right, I should have been in my pre-paid room at the Mactan Shangri-la around 11 of October 31. First the turn-around aircraft was delayed. From 9:10, the ground attendants announced 9:30 arrival of the plane, which meant flying to Cebu around 10 pm. Then it became another time, until around 11 that night, we were told to go to the boarding gate at Terminal 3’s Gate 118.

But we had to wait at the descending ramp leading to the tube for some 30 minutes, toddlers and senior citizens included, with nary a word as to when we could board the aircraft. About half past eleven, we were told to go back to the pre-departure area and sit down while awaiting further announcement. Then we were told, a few minutes before midnight, that flight 5J 573 was cancelled, and we could rebook at the ticket counter. I decided to call the trip off. Already, I would waste one expensive night’s booking at the hotel. Scheduled to fly back to Manila on November 2, I would basically use only one-night of a pre-paid two-night stay. Besides which, I was so tired and furious at the inefficiency of the ground staff of the airline. Much money wasted; worse, the airline robbed me of precious bonding time and needed relaxation during the holidays. The airline: Cebu Pacific. Why is it that in our country, hardly any public service, whether water, electricity, telephone, internet service, transportation, all regulated industries, hardly work right?

If we keep our ores underground, we will miss the boat again.

News

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

UN calls on Asian leaders to end coal addiction

INDIGENOUS FUN. Students clad in

their traditional ethnic regalia enjoy a game of “ginuyodan” or tug-of-war along Session Road in Baguio City.

Hosaka keeps post as SC spokesman, public info head By Rey E. Requejo CHIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta on Sunday siad he has retained Brian Keith Hosaka as spokesman of the Supreme Court and head of the Court’s Public Information Office. Peralta made the disclosure before meeting law school deans during the first Sunday of the 2019 Bar examinations held at the University of Sto. Tomas in Espana, Manila. Hosaka was appointed to his post in January by then Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin with the rank of Assistant Court Administrator. Prior to Hosaka’s designation, the Court’s PIO head and spokesperson was held by Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez in concurrently capacity during the stint of retired Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro. Marquez and Hosaka worked together as law clerks in the office of Josue Bellosillo when the latter was serving as SC associate justice. Prior to his posting, Hosaka was a founding partner of the Paner Hosaka & Ypil Attorneys-at-Law. He also served as Deputy General Counsel of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He obtained his AB Interdisciplinary Studies (Merit Scholar) and Juris Doctor degrees from the Ateneo de Manila Unversity in 1993 and 1998, respectively.

Congress to pass DDR measure this month By Rio N. Araja ALBAY Rep. Joey Salceda on Sunday said Congress will approve this month a bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience. “Many [of the lawmakers] are interested, like [Senators] Grace Poe and [Richard] Dick Gordon since he is from Red Cross,” he said. The measure, if passed, would require a P10-billion allocation. Salceda said the creation of the new agency would require the hiring of more employees. “The regional offices of the Office of the Civil Defense are not that strong. There are less 10 of them in each region. It is important to have more regional action officers. Let us make it (OCD) bigger to make its presence felt,” he said. He said President Rodrigo Duterte must certify the measure as urgent so it would have a slim chance of being vetoed. Some 25 bills have already been filed toward the creation of such an agency. Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas and Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez have both filed separate bills for the creation of the DDR.

Makati has highest polio vaccination rate in NCR M AKATI City achieved the highest coverage rate in the 14-day oral polio vaccination drive among 17 cities in Metro Manila.

A Department of Health report showed a total 52,978 children aged zero to 59 months old in the city were vaccinated between October 14 to 27, or 106.76 percent of the city’s target population of 49,623 in the said age group. The report also ranked Taguig City in second place with 105.91 percent coverage rate, while Quezon City placed third with 103.93 percent. Makati Mayor Abby Binay said this development has put her mind at ease both as a local chief executive and as a mother. She thanked Makati residents, especially parents, for their full cooperation in the latest oral polio vaccination drive in Metro Manila. “I am happy that our Makatizens have extended their full cooperation to the city government and had their children vaccinated against the polio virus. It is a simple but truly effective way to prevent a full resurgence of polio in the country,” Binay said. “Polio is no joke. It is a crippling and painful condition that we do not want

our children to experience and bear for the rest of their lives. It may keep them from being happy, productive, and from leading normal lives,” she added. Binay also reminded Makati residents that it is not only polio that can be prevented by timely vaccination. She encouraged parents to continue supporting vaccination campaigns and to religiously bring their children to the city’s health centers. “Our children need to receive these vaccines at speciﬁc ages or periods during their childhood for their protection,” she said. “We have gone to great lengths to ensure that these vaccines are available at our health centers. Most of the time, our diligent Makati Health Department staff even go house-to-house to make sure that our children are protected from these viruses. I continue to ask for your cooperation and appeal to your better judgment as parents and guardians to have your kids vaccinated – not just now

because there’s a threat of polio outbreak – but all the time,” Binay added. The city’s 26 health centers give the following free vaccines to infants and children aged 0 to 59 months: Hep B (at birth); BCG (at birth); PENTA Hib (6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14th week); OPV (6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14th week); IPV (14th week); MR at 9 months; and MMR at 1 year old. These are followed by school-based immunization of MR (Kinder to Grade 7), TD (Grade 1 to 7), and HPV at Grade 4 (9 to 14 years old). The synchronized polio vaccination ran for two weeks following reports of new polio cases in the Philippines. The country was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2000, but two new cases were confirmed in September following a dip in oral polio vaccination coverage. A third case has been confirmed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque last week from Datu Piang in the Province of Maguindanao. The new cases have been confirmed to be from vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2). The spread of both wild polio and vaccine-derived polio viruses can be prevented by a high vaccination rate, proper sanitation, and good hygiene.

Stronger RH law sought amid increase in teenage pregnancies By Macon Ramos-Araneta FOLLOWING a Commission On Population (PopCom) report that an average of 574 teenage girls get pregnant daily in 2017, senators Juan Edgardo Angara and Sherwin Gatchalian will ﬁle separate resolutions for an inquiry into the rising incidence of child and teenage pregnancies. Angara and Gatchalian cited the need for the government to act immediately to arrest the situation, which the PopCom said should be declared “a national emergency.” Angara said his resolution seeks to strengthen Republic Act No. 10534 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 which mandates the provision of age and development-appropriate reproductive health education, including teenage pregnancy.

RA 10354 also tasked the Department of Education to formulate a curriculum for each educational level or group, subject to consultations with parents-teacherscommunity associations, school ofﬁcials and other interest groups, to be used by public schools and may be adopted by their private counterparts. Despite the passage of the RH Law, Gatchalian lamented that nine percent of 4.9 million teenage women aged 15-19 years old have begun childbearing based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey. He said PopCom also reported that between 2011 and 2017, pregnancies in the 10-14 age group increased by 50 percent from around 1,000 to 2,000 cases, of which 30 to 50 percent are among 10year old kids. The data on child and teenage pregnancies in the country, Angara said,

should be a cause for alarm due to its increasing number. “What is even more alarming is that 30 to 50 percent of these pregnancies involved 10-year-old girls. Children this age should be in school and playing with other kids. They cannot possibly be ready to get pregnant and raise their own children,” Angara said. “When young girls get pregnant, they are forced to quit school. Their lives take an unexpected detour, ambitions are set aside and they effectively lose their childhood. No child should have to go through this,” he added. Gatchalian, on the other hand, wants a Senate inquiry to strengthen the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and curb teenage pregnancies in the country. “Despite the existence of the CSE and the RH Law, teenage pregnancy rates in the country are still alarming,” he said.

ART APPRECIATION.

A bodybuilder flexes his toned body during the “Show of Strength Philippines” championship held at the Palacio de Manila in Malate on Nov. 3. Norman Cruz

THE United Nations chief warned Asia to quit its “addiction” to coal, as climate change threatens hundreds of millions of people vulnerable to rising sea levels across the region. The warning follows fresh research this week predicting that several Asian megacities, including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai, are at risk of extreme flooding linked to global warming. Antonio Guterres said Asian countries need to cut reliance on coal to tackle the climate crisis, which he called the “defining issue of our time.” “There is an addiction to coal that we need to overcome because it remains a major threat in relation to climate change,” he told reporters ahead of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok over the weekend. He said countries in the region need to be on “the front line” of the fight by introducing carbon pricing and reforming energy policies. “We are lagging behind,” he said, adding that the rollback of coal could help curb rising global temperatures. Coal remains a major source of power across Southeast Asia, where breakneck economic development has spurred soaring energy demands—but at a cost to the environment. About one-third of Vietnam’s energy comes from coal power with a slew of new plants set to come online by 2050, while Thailand is investing in fossil fuels. Coastal areas across Southeast Asia have already seen major floods and seawater incursion linked to climate change. New research this week showed that at least 300 million people worldwide are living in places at risk of inundation by 2050, a much bleaker picture than previous data predicted. Destructive storm surges fueled by increasingly powerful cyclones and rising seas will hit Asia hardest, according to the study in the journal Nature Communications. AFP

Outreach programs mark 64th birthday of INC’s Manalo THE Iglesia ni Cristo on October 31 held simultaneous worldwide outreach activities to make the 64th birthday of INC Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo, distributing “goodwill bags” to over a quarter-million beneficiaries in the Philippines and other parts of the globe. INC Auditor General Glicerio Santos Jr. on Sunday said the INC outreach initiative, referred to as “Aid to Humanity” or “Lingap sa Mamamayan,” is part of INC’s efforts to “help those in need, here and beyond our shores.” “This is in line with the directives of Ka Eduardo, who has called on the Church and its members to share our blessings with the poor and the underprivileged sectors in the countries where we are present,” Santos said. Santos said that aside from the Philippines, simultaneous Aid to Humanity activities were held in 219 sites in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Activities were likewise held in different parts of Europe and Southern Africa. Santos said a total of 750,000 beneficiaries received “goodwill bags” that contain basic staple goods such as food and toiletries in the Philippines and abroad. Medical and dental missions were also conducted in several of the sites, including the Philippine Arena in Bulacan where the biggest Lingap activity was held. According to Santos, “in the Philippine Arena activity we had over 80,000 beneficiaries who, aside from receiving aid packages, were also given free medical and dental check ups.” “The same medical services were also provided in Australia and Canada. In Japan, entertainment was also provided for our less fortunate brothers and sisters,” he added. With parts of Mindanao reeling from a series of earthquakes, Santos said the homegrown INC is now mobilizing its resources to provide aid for quake-stricken areas.

Sports

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sablaya wins Honda PH Dream Cup CLARK, Pampanga—Aspiring young riders delivered solid performances in this year’s Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup 6th and final round at Clark International Speedway last October 5 and 6, with Alfred Jakob Sablaya being crowned champion. The 14-year-old Sablaya defended his lead during the qualifying race, followed by two domineering racers, Chino Hung and Marco Gil Ventinilla, who took the second and third spot, with only an 0.021-second gap. Kurt Villanueva and Travis Paralejas, on the other hand, raced for the fourthplace position. Kokoy Mangibin, fourth place in the overall competition, finished 8th in this race. The head-to-head clash between Hung and Ventinilla for the second spot, as well as Villanueva and Paralejas for the fourth place continued in Race 1. Sablaya, on the other hand, remained unbeaten. The 2nd Race had Sablaya remaining on top. Hung, however, crashed in the middle of the race, leaving his head-tohead battle in favor of Ventinilla, who eventually finished in 2nd place. Villanueva, on the other hand, bagged the 3rd spot in the gridlines. Overall, Sablaya dominated the Round 6 as he was also hailed the champion of the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup 2019, while Hung and Ventinilla snatched the 2nd and 3rd place. As one of the benefits in joining the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, Honda Philippines, Inc. supports Sablaya, who joined the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Try-Outs on Oct. 29 and 30 at Sepang Circuit in Malaysia. The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup tryouts will determine who will join the prestigious race event for its 2020 season, and Sablaya may be the next Filipino rider to join the ranks of the previous Filipino riders including HPI current international rider Troy Alberto. HPDC 2019’s sixth-round is the conclusion of the Honda’s MotorSport Program, which aims to develop young riders in motorcycle racing using a specific race machine, such as the CBR150R—a 150cc, MotoGP DNA motorcycle. It also seeks to promote the sport of MotoGP-racing among young Filipinos to better their skills in representing the country for future racing competitions. The racing competition is also part of Honda’s ONE DREAM campaign, dedicated to uniting all motorcycle riders through fun and exciting activities and strives to serve Honda Motorcycles as partner tools in achieving one’s dream. This Race program is sponsored by Idemitsu, KTC Tools, Zero2Podium, RK Takasago, NGK Spark Plugs, Racing Boy, Pirelli, Threebond, ARacer and NHK. For more details about the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup, Like and Follow HPI’s Facebook page and Instagram.

Dubs’ injury jinx strikes again as Green sidelined

Young riders battle it out during the 6th and final round of the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup.

What Tokyo can learn from Rugby World Cup T OKYO—In many ways, the Rugby World Cup was a mini dress rehearsal for Japan, as it gears up to host an even bigger sporting event next year: the Tokyo Olympics. While there are many differences— far fewer countries participated in the Rugby World Cup but it was spread out over 12 host cities—here are some lessons Tokyo 2020 can learn from the tournament. Contingency planning may not be enough Rugby World Cup organisers spent hundreds of hours gaming out every possible scenario for what would happen if a typhoon, earthquake or volcano struck a venue in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active countries that is also battered by hurricanes each year. In the end, even the worst-case scenario planning was insufficient as Hagibis, one of the largest and most powerful

typhoons in recent years, reared up from the Pacific and took direct aim at Tokyo. Changing venues was impossible as the storm covered practically the entire Japanese archipelago and organizers were forced to cancel three fixtures as Hagibis brought historic rains and ferocious winds that killed more than 80 people. The Olympics are not being held during peak typhoon season (although the Paralympics are) but Tokyo is never safe from earthquakes and typhoons can strike most of the year round. Tokyo 2020 has its own weather-related controversy to deal with as doctors have warned against top-level competition at the height of the Japanese summer when the heat and humidity are unbearable.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors talks to head coach Steve Kerr during their game against the San Antonio Spurs. AFP

Kevin Durant departed for Brooklyn in the close season while Klay Thompson is expected to miss the entire season with a knee injury. On Friday, the Warriors confirmed Stephen Curry had undergone surgery to repair his fractured left hand and would face at least three months on the sidelines. AFP

Filipino-Chinese veterans reclaim ASEAN cage crown

PH tennis... From A8

composed of Tamarine Tanasugarn, Luksika Kumkhum, Peangtarn Plipuech and twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul. “The countries vying for the SEA Games are quite tough in tennis and alam naman natin for the past years, medyo malakas talaga ang Thailand and Indonesia. And there’s also Vietnam. I heard that Laos and Cambodia will be having tennis players from Europe, [particularly] from France. So, it will be a tough field for the Philippines,” said Cuarto, who is hoping to crack the mighty Thai dominance in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles. “Mabigat, but as I have said before, we’re really vying for good results in doubles especially if we have Treat, Ruben, and Niño for doubles and for mixed. Kasi Denis Dy also is flying out from the US to join the team. ‘Yung dalawang event na ‘yun hopefully we do good,” said Cuarto. ‘Yung sa singles naman, free for all ‘yan. We heven’t decided yet kung sino magiging partner ng mga players kasi that can be decided up until the captain’s meeting (Nov. 30). We don’t want to pre-empt anything yet, but we still have to talk to the players as well,” said Cuarto. The last time the Philippines hosted the games, we won three gold medals, courtesy of Cecile Mamiit (singles, doubles and mixed). “Malaking factor ang hometown crowd. Hopefully, the Filipino tennis community will really try to support the team this coming SEA Games,” Cuarto said.

Japanese fans rock Tokyo 2020 already has no concerns about filling the stadiums— tickets could have been sold several times over—and the Japanese fans melted many hearts at the Rugby World Cup. While they may not have been familiar with all the finer points of rugby, they cheered enthusiastically and fairly for all the teams, creating a sensational atmosphere remarked upon by all competing nations. A unique feature of the Rugby World Cup that could extend to Olympics events not familiar to Japan is how fans “adopted” another team. Images of Japanese supporters gamely singing other national anthems— including young children selected as mascots—or trying the New Zealand haka war dance wowed the world and showed the “omotenashi” (Japanese welcome) Tokyo 2020 hopes to emulate. AFP

SAN FRANCISCO—Draymond Green has become the latest victim of the Golden State Warriors’ injury jinx after suffering torn ligaments in his finger, coach Steve Kerr confirmed on Saturday. Green damaged his left index finger during Friday’s defeat to the San Antonio Spurs and will now miss “the next few games,” Kerr said ahead of the Warriors game with the Charlotte Hornets. Green had complained of being hampered by the injury after Friday’s loss. “I couldn’t grip the ball the whole entire game, probably since the second quarter,” Green said. In a separate development, D’Angelo Russell was ruled out of Saturday’s game after complaining of an ankle sprain. “He tweaked it last night and it got worse over night, he’s in a lot of pain,” Kerr said of Russell’s injury. Talking generally about the Warriors injury crisis, Kerr admitted: “There’s definitely a kind of feeling of ‘What the hell’s going on?’” “But you just have to deal with it and move forward,” Kerr said. “It’s a great opportunity for the young guys and they have to try and take advantage of it right now.” Asked by a reporter if the Warriors had an obvious back up point guard for the injured Curry and Russell, Kerr replied: “No. Are you available?” Golden State, who reached their fifth straight NBA Finals last season, have been decimated by injuries and departures this year.

Members of FCVBA team, led by Ironcon Builders owner Jimi Lim and Rain or Shine co-team owner Terry Que, show their championship trophy during the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Veterans Basketball Tournament Saturday in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

FILIPINO-CHINESE Veterans Basketball Association reclaimed its 65-and-above crown in dramatic fashion Saturday, pulling off a 54-50 comefrom-behind win over Thailand in the ASEAN Veterans Basketball Tournament at Indoor Stadium 3 of Chiang Mai Sports Complex in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Given up for dead after falling behind by 9 points midway in the payoff period, the Fil-Chinese seniors came through with a mighty 16-3 finish to post what could be the most enthralling title win in the tournament. And credit should go to former PBA player Benjie Poblete, guard Andrew Ongteco and seldom-used Antonio Go who produced one big play after another to clinch the title via a four-game sweep. Exhausted and all—he was subjected to a number of physical plays—Poblete completed FCVBA’s remarkable comeback with a go-ahead basket before the

team watched a Thai player miss an open 3-point attempt. FCVBA godfathers—Jimi Lim of Ironcon Builders and Terry Que of Rain or Shine—and coaches Elmer Reyes and Jerry Gonzales heaved a sigh of relief only when Bong dela Cruz secured the rebound and made a perfect pass on the streaking Zotico Tan for the insurance basket. “What a win it was, dumaan kami sa butas ng karayom,” said Que who was held scoreless this time in the face of Hatyai’s solid defense early on. “That’s resilience, we did not give up,” said Lim who was all praises for Poblete who almost singlehandedly carried the fight until Go and Ongteco delivered clutch baskets. The 6’3” Poblete, who played for four years in the PBA, erupted for 27 points, including a 3-point play that cut Hatyai’s lead down to two before Ongteco nailed a side jumper to tie the count at 50-all.

Death of Classic runner Mongolian Groom casts pall on Breeders’ Cup ARCADIA, United States—Mongolian Groom was fatally injured in the Breeders’ Cup Classic won by Vino Rosso on Saturday in a dismal end to the $28 million racing extravaganza at Santa Anita. Thirty-seven horses have now died since December at Santa Anita, a grim tally that has sparked outrage, an investigation by law enforcement authorities and dire warnings about racing’s future from federal legislators. Santa Anita owners the Stronach Group and Breeders’ Cup officials had hoped a raft of safety precautions would see the $28 million, 14-race slate go off without a hitch.

And it almost did. In the final race, Mongolian Groom, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Enebish Ganbat, was pulled up by jockey Abel Cedillo at the top of the stretch. As Cedillo dismounted attendants rushed over, putting up screens to shield the horse from view as he was loaded onto the equine ambulance with what proved to be a serious fracture to his lower left hind leg. After x-rays and evaluation at the track veterinary hospital, a team of four vets “recommended humane euthanasia of Mongolian Groom,” a statement from Breeders’ Cup Limited said. At a track where anti-racing protesters

greeted arriving spectators on Friday and Saturday, the death overshadowed Vino Rosso’s romp to victory in the $6 million Classic. Vino Rosso trainer Todd Pletcher had voiced the hope that surgery would prove possible, but that was not the case. “It’s something that I think we were all very concerned about coming in,” Pletcher said. “I think everyone took every precautionary measure they possibly could.” On Wednesday, US Senator Dianne Feinstein of California sent a letter to Rick Baedeker, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, in which she called the Breeders’ Cup a “critical test for the future of horseracing in Cali-

fornia and in the United States.” Santa Anita briefly suspended racing in March to test the surface and subsurface of the track. The Stronach Group then introduced new restrictions on medication, and mandatory pre-race checks by a panel of veterinarians that had power to scratch any horse from a race. The rules were in effect at the Breeders’ Cup, where 30 veterinarians were on hand on race days. A total of six Breeders’ Cup horses, including four on Saturday, were scratched on the order of veterinarians, with not all of their trainers agreeing with the decisions. AFP

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Aces earn 2nd straight PBA victory By Jeric Lopez KEEPING its poise in the clutch, Alaska was able to survive NorthPort, 106-99, to earn its second straight win and keep its bid for a quarterfinals berth alive in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors' Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night. Vic Manuel scored a conference-high with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Aces in the all-important win. Before fouling out in the dying seconds, Franko House nearly had identical numbers, also scoring 23 points with 11 rebounds for his own doubledouble for Alaska. After grabbing the lead late in the second quarter, Alaska protected it and did not relinquish its edge until it secured the win. The Aces needed some key stops down the stretch though to shrug off the pesky Batang Pier. Alaska improved to 3-6 with two games left, needing to win both to stay in the hunt for a top eight finish as it is currently in ninth place. "Even when we were losing, we're staying positive and we're still alive," said Manuel. "We look to win our last two games pa." Despite the loss, NorthPort stayed in eighth place with its 3-5 slate. Alaska was threatened in the dying seconds after Christian Standhardinger's turnaround jumper inched NorthPort within just three, 99-102, However, the Aces stood still in the waning ticks with some key baskets and stops to pull through. Alaska survived 30-point games from Standhardinger and Michael Qualls, who carried the fight for the Batang Pier. Standhardinger set a new career-high 37 points and 16 rebounds while Qualls had 34 markers and 15 boards as both had double-doubles in the losing cause. The Aces ended the first half on an 11-6 run to gain some separation, 53-48, at the turn. Alaska played minus Chris Banchero, who is in the process of being shipped out. An impending trade is bound to send Banchero to Magnolia as the Aces are about to receive Robbie Herndon and Rodney Brondial in return.

Norwegian chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen (left) and Filipino-American chess grandmaster Wesley So play in the World Fischer Random Championship Chess first final, at Henie Onstad Art Center in Baerum, Norway. AFP

So stuns Carlsen, bags world title

By Peter Atencio

ILIPINO woodpusher Wesley So celebrated his title conquest in the first official World Fischer Random Chess Championship with a win over world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, 13.5-2.5, in the finals.

The 26-year-old So gained points in two fast-rapid games over Carlsen, after defending his pieces while playing black in his first game. "People love chess here, thanks to Magnus. People here treat players well, and we love it here. I'm very happy to be the world champion, but it doesn't change much,” said So in a statement with chess.com.

So agreed to a repetition of moves for a draw in the opening game before fending off Carlsen's desperate attack in the second game. "I think he was shaken in our Game 2 and wasn't able to bounce back, but he congratulated me right after the match. He is a great sportsman," added So. So said that the game with Carlsen

is different from a normal game of chess. "I don't have to fear that I am running into some deeply prepared line. The trouble with real chess is that people can memorize up to move 40, sometimes more, sometimes less. In order to play good chess, you have to be good at different things, working with computers,” explained So. Ian Nepomniachtchi took the bronze medal following a convincing game with Fabiano Caruana. In the first game, So's pressure convinced Carlsen to back off with a repetition, which the Filipino GM accepted. So emerged as the surprise leader after taking a three-point lead in

Pagdanganan clinches card in LPGA US Tour BIANCA Pagdanganan floundered at the finish but her closing 78 still netted her a berth in next year’s LPGA Tour as she wound up tied at 38th after eight rounds of the LPGA Q-Series at Pinehurst No. 9 in North Carolina Saturday. Safely within the Top 45 plus ties cut at joint 18th heading to the final day of the gruelling elims, Pagdanganan fell off the standings with a 38 start and found herself in danger of missing it altogether when she cracked under pressure and dropped four strokes in a three-hole stretch from No. 15 of Pinehurst No. 9. But the country’s spearhead in the SEA Games closed out with a gutsy par for a 78, barely gaining the coveted card with a 576 total for joint 38th with five others finishing tied at 41st at 577. Pagdanganan thus became the latest Filipina to join the LPGA Tour although former card holder Dottie Ardina fell short of her bid with a 579 total after a closing 74 for 48th. Clariss Guce also skied to a 77 and wound up tied at 56th. Ardina and Guce

settled for Symetra Tour spots. China’s Muni He capped her run of under-par rounds throughout the Q-Series with a 710 and took the low medalist honors with a 551, three strokes ahead of Korean Hee Young Park, who pooled a 554 after a 70 with American Yealimi Noh snatching third place with a 557 after a 69. A bogey-free, eagle-spiked 64 in the pivotal sixth round put Pagdanganan, the Asian Games bronze medalist, in the mix and a scrambling 72 virtually assured her of an LPGA card Friday. But a double-bogey on No. 3 and a bogey on the sixth in the final round somehow hinted at the coming off a challenging day for the Gonzaga U product, who double bogeyed the par-5 15th and bogeyed the next two holes. It was, however, a sorry finish for Ardina, who bogeyed two of the first six holes, recovered the strokes with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 but dropped out of the cutoff line with another double-bogey on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 13.

PH tennis unites for SEA Games

WHAT A WIN. Kentucky-bred colt What A feeling stamped its class in the 2019 Philip-

pine Racing Commission 3YO Imported/Local Challenge Race at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite recently. What A Feeling, whose parents Flashback (sire) and Rougeole (dam) are also Kentucky, USA horses, pulled off a one-length victory under the masterful guidance of jockey Mark A. Alvarez in the 1,600-meter race offering a total purse of P1,500,000 and offering P900,000 to the champion.

Pagunsan bags PH Golf Tour Order of Merit title

Juvic Pagunsan

Game 2. This was after Carlsen went on the offensive. According to analysts, Carlsen chose an ambitious strategy of granting white a pawn center. From there, So waited before he decided to sacrifice first his center. So gave up a rook to expose the black's king position and this led to complications. “In order to play good chess, you have to be good at different things, working with computers. I don't like memorizing moves that I don't understand. Here in Fischer Random you get a game, literally from the beginning,” added So.

JUVIC Pagunsan marked his return to the Philippine Golf Tour in grand fashion, posting a couple of records to claim the Order of Merit crown at the close the milestone 10th season of the country’s premier circuit recently. The smooth-swinging Pagunsan vied in just five of nine tournaments and won four in consecutive fashions—both tour records—as Asia’s former No. 1 amassed earnings of P2,070,000 to edge multi-titled Tony Lascuña by mere P78,070 after the latter, a fourtime OOM titlist, finished with P1,991,930. Pagunsan, who also captured the OOM crown with a dominant performance in 2011 before making Japan his base, was actually on a break from the region’s most lucrative circuit when he signed

up for the second leg of this year’s circuit in Bacolod. He came out of the P2.5 million event a winner by seven over Rufino Bayron, scored an expected four-stroke romp over James Ryan Lam in the P3 million tournament in his hometown in Negros Occidental, foiled Michael Bibat in sudden death in Iloilo, another P3 million event, then came away with an eight-stroke victory over Lascuña in tough conditions at Riviera, a P2.5 million tournament, before resuming his campaign in Japan. He came back to compete at PGT Del Monte but struggled in the second round, failed to mount a comeback in the last two days and wound up eighth but Lascuna fell short of his rally he spiked with a sweep of the last two legs at

Apo and South Pacific and missed nailing a fifth OOM title. Dutch Guido Van der Valk, winner of the kickoff leg in Cebu, finished third in the PGT OOM with earnings of P1,234,575, followed by Pueblo de Oro leg winner Reymon Jaraula (P1,173,324), Michael Bibat (P1,128,416), Ira Alido (P1,023,950), Del Monte stage champion Jhonnel Ababa (P928, 605), 2017 OOM winner Clyde Mondilla (P680,083), Keanu Jahns (P627,316) and Rufino Bayron (P584,075). The 41-year-old Pagunsan also ruled the seventh leg of the third season of PGT Asia, winning over Lascuna no less via playoff at Summit Point to likewise put himself in the PGT Asia OOM mix with a number of tournaments still to be played early next year.

PHILIPPINE tennis is uniting for the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Hit by leadership squabbles, the sport will be trying to bury the memory of a gold-less campaign in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, where Thailand swept the five gold medals at stake. “Seeing Treat (Huey) and Ruben (Gonzales) playing for the Philippines is a very good sign. And hopefully, the Filipino tennis community will really try to support the team this coming SEA Games,” said national team coach Chris Cuarto. Fil-Ams Huey and Gonzales will be leading the charge for the Philippines, together with Casey Alcantara, Jeson Patrombon, AJ Lim, Marian Capadocia, Khim Iglupas, Denise Dy and Shaira Rivera and Clarice Patrimonio. “The training is still on-going. Most of the players now are trying to get some time off kasi katatapos lang PCA Open. Most of our local players and ‘yung mga players natin abroad still on-going ‘yung mga tournaments nila. Si Treat and Ruben are in the US, while Alcantara just came back from Qatar and he’s leaving again for Kuwait this coming week for the Challenger 25 Thousands,” said Cuarto. “They’re still joining more tournaments and depending on their results, siguro the latest (they’ll be back) is third week. So everyone will be converging here in Manila for the SEA Games,” he added. “The PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) has long been wishing for peaceful solutions to NSA squabbles, although as a government agency, it does not have a say on these situations,” PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said. “But we are happy with this recent development, especially with the SEA Games just around the corner,” Ramirez added. The tennis competitions are slated Dec. 1 to 7 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, with Thailand trying to duplicate its total domination of the sport two years ago, with a powerhouse cast Turn to A7

IN BRIEF DITO Telecoms eyes 30% share of market DITO Telecommunity Corp., a joint venture between Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy and China Telecoms, is aiming to capture 30 percent of the market within the first few years of operations after signing new partnerships with two tower companies. “A few weeks ago, we reported that DITO Telecommunity has signed initial memorandum of agreements with SkyCable and Chavit Singson’s LCS Holdings; and we have in fact rejoiced at the groundbreaking of the first ever common tower in Ilocos Sur,” said DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano. “This time we have again signed a number of agreements specifically with China Energy Equipment Co. Ltd and ZEAL Power Construction and Development Corporation, a Filipino-Malaysian Consortium that will allow us to move faster on our commitment to the Filipino people,” Tamano said. DITO chief technology officer Retired Major General Boy Santiago said the company committed to invest more than the initial P6 billion it earmarked for the project. Darwin G. Amojelar

Net foreign assets of financial firms up THE net foreign assets of other ﬁnancial corporations in the second quarter of 2019 increased 2.2 percent to P83.7 billion from P81.9 billion in the previous quarter, according to the results of the latest Other Financial Corporations Survey conducted by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and released over the weekend. The BSP said in a statement the improvement in the sector’s NFA balance was due to the larger contraction of OFCs’ liabilities to non-residents compared with the contraction of claims on non-residents. Domestic claims of the OFCs amounted to P6.117 trillion in the second quarter of 2019, up 2.8 percent from P5.953 trillion in the previous quarter, as claims on other sectors and depository corporations, and net claims on central government all increased during the period. Claims on other sectors expanded to P3.075 trillion in Q2 2019 from P3.017 trillion in the previous quarter on account of the sector’s higher holding of shares and other equity issued by other non-ﬁnancial corporations and outstanding loans extended to the household sector. Julito G. Rada

Business MPIC submits proposal on Sangley Expressway By Darwin G. Amojelar

ETRO Paciﬁc Tollways Corp. said it submitted to the Toll Regulatory Board a technical proposal for an expressway from Manila-Cavite Expressway to Sangley Point in Cavite City.

“We have a proposal. Now, it’s on the table of TRB. We submitted the technical proposal—the spur road going to Sangley,” MPTC chief ﬁnance ofﬁcer Christopher Daniel Lizo said. Lizo said the company was still awaiting the development of Sangley International Airport in Cavite. Sangley Airport is set to open on Nov. 7 for the general aviation and turboprop cargo operations to ease the congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The provincial government of Cavite also plans to develop a $10-billion international airport in Sangley Point. Six groups already bought bid documents for the construction of an international airport in Sangley Point, accord-

ing to Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla. Remulla said Metro Paciﬁc Investments Corp., the parent company of MPTC, DM Consunji Inc. and China Construction Co. were among the six parties that purchased bid documents for the $10-billion international airport project. He did not name the three other interested bidders. Under its proposal, MPTC plans to construct Segment 5 of Cavitex―a 22-kilometer road that will link Kawit to Noveleta to Sangley and then to Tanza in Cavite. It expects to start the construction of the ﬁrst phase of the project—the expressway going to Sangley—by early 2021. Cavitex is a 14-kilometer expressway

linking Manila and Cavite province. MPCala Holdings Inc., a unit of MPTC, earlier said the Laguna segment of the P35.4-billion Cavite Laguna Expressway was set to open to motorists this month. The ﬁrst segment starts at the Mamplasan Barrier and passes through Laguna Technopark Interchange, Laguna Boulevard Interchange all the way to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange. The construction of the Cavite side is expected to be completed by 2022. MPCALA tapped Leighton Holdings of Australia to build the Cavite side and local contractor DMCI Consunji Inc. to construct the Laguna segment. The Cavite segment will comprise 27 kilometers of the 45-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway. It starts from Kawit, Cavite and traverses the Imus Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, Dasmariñas, Aguinaldo Highway and Silang which will connect to the Laguna segment from Sta. Rosa exiting to Mamplasan toward South Luzon Expressway.

Chamber welcomes updated trade terms THE International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines welcomed the updated International Commercial Terms to harmonize international trade with Philippine trading partners. “Every ten years, the ICC comes up with an upgrade. There are terms that needed to be redeﬁned that’s why we brought here the 2020 Incoterms from Paris,” ICCP chairman Francis Chua said over the weekend. The ICCP is open to conducting seminars for different groups and organizations to have them updated in the most recent terms used in international business and trade. The 2020 Incoterm will be in place and used globally starting January 1, 2020. The global ICC, headquartered in Paris, is responsible for deﬁning international trade terms. All companies and business organizations, whether a member of the ICCP or not, are required to use the terminology to keep abreast with the new technology and new services. Othel V. Campos

Cusi asks PNOC-EC board to review all its recent contracts By Alena Mae S. Flores ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi asked the board of state-run PNOC Exploration Corp. to review all contracts after President Rodrigo Duterte sacked the company’s former president. “I asked the members of the board to review, to see, to put proper direction, so at least it won’t happen again where things were hidden from me, from the board. You know, why would you have the contact signed in the presence of the president without being vetted,” Cusi, who also sits as chairman of PNOC-EC, said. Duterte asked Pedro Aquino Jr. to resign as president and chief executive of PNOC-EC effective Oct. 14 for allegedly approving a memorandum of agreement with a Russian company to develop a multilateral cooperation in oil products and trading and joint participation in oil reﬁning without the permission from the board or from Cusi. Aquino served as OIC-president of parent ﬁrm Philippine National Oil Co. in 2006. He was later appointed as PNOC-EC president in 2012 and reappointed by Duterte in January 2017. “Nothing is happening, because that contract never existed. That contact has no effect in the country. That’s an idiotic contract, the president said. It’s 110-percent of the country’s demand. That’s the volume we are talking about,” Cusi said. Cusi said he wanted the PNOC-EC board to review its direction and conduct a strategic planning. “Strategic planning so they have to come up with that. It’s a corporation. Remember that PNOC is a corporation so the president cannot just do things as it if it’s his own. I cannot do it. I’m the chairman. I can’t do it. I just facilitate,” Cusi said.

DEPED-VETERANS BANK TIE-UP. The Department of Education and Philippine Veterans Bank sign a memorandum of agreement on the opening and maintenance of bank accounts for non-implementing unit schools. At least 42,000 school heads in the so-called non-implementing unit schools are now given the chance to manage their cash advances more securely in financial institutions. Shaking hands after the signing of the agreement are PVB president and chief operating officer Renato Claravall (fifth from left) and Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Meralco shifts focus to local operations after foreign setbacks By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. shifted its focus on domestic power plant expansion after suffering setbacks from two foreign investments. “I doubt. I think Meralco should focus domestically,” Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said when asked about future investment plants overseas. The government of Ghana recently terminated the 20-year concession for the operation and maintenance of the assets of the Electricity Company of Ghana by a consortium led by Meralco over alleged demand guarantee breaches. Meralco’s investment in an 800-MW megawatt combined cycle combustion turbine power plant in Jurong Island, Singapore is also facing debt restructuring, Pangilinan said. “We still have to sort out issues with Singapore. In about two weeks, we’re waiting for the final decision of the banks about the restructuring of the debts,” Pangilinan said. Low generation charges and oversupply of power in Singapore made it difficult for power firms like Pacific Light Energy, the joint venture of Meralco subsidiary Meralco PowerGen Corp. and parent firm First Pacific Ltd., to recoup their investments in the 800-MW power plant. Pacific Light acquired a 70-percent stake in the Singapore power project in 2013 for $488 million. The remaining 30-percent ownership is owned by Petronas of Malaysia. “There’s a consolidation effort being undertaken by the bigger power generation companies in Singapore. So we are party to that combination because we think it will help reduce the capacities if that consolidation should happen and the more efficient plants like our plant in Singapore will continue to operate,” Pangilinan said. “At the end, it’s up to regulators in Singapore and up to the banks to agree to the restructuring of the combined debts of the Pacific Light and Petronas and this particular power company in Singapore,” Pangilinan said. He said a sell-out might not happen, “because it’s losing money and the industry is actually under pressure.” “I would say the industry [in Singapore] as a whole is not making money. It depends on the price too,” he said.

Trade ministers expect to conclude world’s largest free trade deal By Othel V. Campos TRADE ministers from 16 participating countries expect to achieve a breakthrough this week in the approval of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the world’s largest trade deal, according to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. Lopez said the RCEP Summit, as part of the ASEAN Leaders Summit, will be held on Nov. 4. He said member-countries tried resolve the remaining issues on the rules that would govern trade and investments across 10 ASEAN countries plus six major trading partners, such as Australia, China, India, Japan, New

Zealand and South Korea. This year’s negotiations were sped up to cover all 20 chapters and follow the mandate given by the RCEP leaders in their last year’s meeting in Singapore. The Trade Department said that as of end-2018, seven chapters were concluded and several ministerial and technical negotiating meetings were held this year to ensure that the remaining 13 chapters would be completed. RCEP covers one half of the world’s population, a third of the world’s economy and a third of global trade. Considering its size and coverage, the conclusion took almost six years since negotiations

began in 2012. With the conclusion of the text-based chapters, legal scrubbing follows. There are a few remaining bilateral negotiations needed on products and services to be covered under market access, but these negotiations are mandated to be ﬁnalized by February 2020. The agreement signing is scheduled to take place next year in Vietnam as 2020 host country. Lopez said that for the Philippines, the agreement would create a greater market access to other RCEP countries for a wide range of products like pineapples, coconut products and bananas. Others products are auto parts, paper, soaps,

airbags, footwear, tires, among others. It will cover practically most traded items, with the exclusion of few sensitive products mostly in agriculture. “For services, this means we can also provide services on research and development, agriculture, construction, air marine, transport services, legal, accounting, auditing, engineering, urban planning, medical, dental, distribution, environment, health services,” Lopez said. Lopez said the RCEP conclusion would be timely as it would provide a positive milestone in a global trade environment ﬁlled with uncertainties and challenges.

Nomura says 6% growth for PH possible By Julito G. Rada JAPANESE financial group Nomura said over the weekend the Philippines can still hit the low end of the government’s 2019 growth target range of 6 percent to 7 percent as it ramps up fiscal spending to offset the sluggish expansion in the first half. Nomura, in a report, noted the sharp rise in overall fiscal spending that drove the fiscal deficit to a record level in September 2019, led by growth in public sector capital spending which surged 53.8 percent year-on-year based on data from the Budget Department. “This reflects progress on the government’s catch-up spending plans on infrastructure projects,” Nomura said. “The government has a strong incentive to close any remaining under-

spending gap to meet its 2019 GDP growth target of 6 percent and indeed, public sector capex [capital expenditure] has been a key driver of import growth in the last few years,” Nomura said. The economy expanded by 5.5 percent in the ﬁrst half, below the target range because of the delay in the approval of the P3.7-trillion national budget for 2019. The government effectively operated on a reenacted budget for the entire ﬁrst quarter because of the delayed approval of the budget. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said earlier the government was planning to spend around P1.14 trillion in the fourth quarter to hit its total program disbursement target of P3.769 trillion for 2019.

DIGITAL STORES. Telecommunication and digital services leaders PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. reach another milestone with the unveiling of the first batch of digital stores in Davao City. Located at GMall and SM Lanang, the digital lifestyle hubs feature customer-centric design and innovative installations that will raise the bar in instore service experience for digital-savvy Filipinos in the southern Philippines. Leading the opening of the digital store at Gmall is PLDT-Smart senior vice president and consumer sales head Alex Caeg (second from left).

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks set to re-test 8,000 points T By Jenniffer B. Austria

HE benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index is expected to re-test the 8,000-point level this week as investors await two important economic data— the October inﬂation rate and the third-quarter gross domestic product ﬁgures.

The government is scheduled to release the October inflation rate figure on Nov. 5 and third quarter GDP results on Nov. 7. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Department of Economic Research earlier projected October inflation rate to settle within the 0.5-percent to 1.3-percent range. Government economic managers have also reported that the third quarter GDP would grow by at least six percent amid efforts to accelerate spending after a budget impasse in the early part of 2019. “The week’s close at 7,977.12 contin-

ues to highlight the market’s difficulty to stay above the 8,000 levels. Look for another attempt at the 8,000 levels. Failure to try the said levels could cause some profit taking and retest the 7,700 level,” BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said. The PSEi last week rose 0.7 percent to 7,977.12, while the broader All Shares Index gained 0.4 percent to 4,787.45. Except for the service index which dipped 1.2 percent, all other sub-indices ended in the green led by financial, which

rose 2.2 percent, holding ﬁrms which advanced 1.1 percent, property which climbed 0.1 percent, mining and oil which gained 0.08 percent and industrial which added 0.01 percent. Foreign investors were net buyers during the week by P1.4 billion. The average daily value traded stood at P6.5 billion from the previous week’s average of P5.2 billion. The index in the ﬁrst 10 months of the year climbed 6.8 percent while year-todate foreign buying stood at P8.34 billion. Suntrust Home Developers Inc., which will be soon be majority owned by Hong Kong’s SunCity Hong Kong-listed Suncity Group Holdings Limited, was the weekly top price gainer. Share price of Suntrust jumped 36.8 to P1.71 per share before the trading on the shares were suspended on Tuesday. Top gainers for the week were MacroAsia Corp., which climbed 10.8 percent to P20.60, BDO Unibank Inc., which

advanced 4.8 percent to P154.90, and JG Summit Holdings Inc., which gained 4.2 percent to P76.25. Weekly top price losers were Manila Electric Co., which declined 5 percent to P338.40, Globe Telecom Inc. which fell 4.7 percent to P1,824, and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., which lost 3.9 percent to P75.85. Meanwhile, strong US jobs data and positive signals from the US and China on trade talks lifted most global stock markets Friday, with Wall Street ending at records. US employers added 128,000 net new jobs last month, the Labor Department reported, much better than the 80,000 projected by analysts and in spite of the hit from the lengthy General Motors strike. “The key takeaway from the report is that it is not emblematic of an economy that is on the brink of a recession,” analyst Patrick O’Hare wrote at Brieﬁng.com. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

OCTOBER 28-31, 2019 Close Volume

Value

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

55 154.90 97.00 1.84 1.11 25.2 18 12.58 4.5 7.77 768.00 0.410 67.6 0.89 12.7 20.60 44.90 57.6 117.4 175 25.7 199.2 1840.00 60.15 1.14

39,610 9,555,500 11,853,400 70,000 115,000 615,700 294,700 2,596,100 1,431,000 32,900 50 230,000 18,271,540 1,854,000 117,000 2,500 404,600 10,780 2,100 3,420 480,650 1,728,960 785 82,370 1,000

FINANCIAL 2,164,164.50 1,458,793,878.00 1,167,807,865.50 143,480.00 128,150.00 15,496,935.00 5,386,850.00 32,105,038.00 6,528,470.00 255,055.00 38,400.00 96,450.00 1,220,413,189.00 1,654,090.00 1,523,578.00 51,690.00 17,898,925.00 629,063.50 271,604.00 597,938.00 91,107,249.00 350,489,890.00 1,454,550.00 4,965,764.50 1,140.00

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

39.95 2.79 13.38 0.68 1.29 3.89 0.249 105.5 18.12 2.51 15 113.1 8.7 65.4 72 30.5 2.1 5.75 5.32 8.530 15.5 10.26 7.00 1.59 24.8 78.9 48.50 2.2600 14.58 7.91 1.480 232.00 48.00 5.11 3.5 9.24 19.84 13.24 17.7 0.183 338.40 5.12 1.7 4.35 5.01 9.49 11.00 34 5.4 5.38 1.94 2.08 0.98 11.48 92 7.37 0.131 1.11 151 2.5 1.35 1.13

6,521,200 23,353,000 2,502,100 1,443,000 949,000 33,797,000 1,540,000 400 1,000 19,406,000 2,124,700 420 2,093,500 880 2,320 576,200 583,000 10,200 85,200 7,370,500 904,300 2,184,400 1,850,600 5,000 9,434,300 275,390 81,600 37,514,000 1,833,000 782,100 1,847,000 2,145,680 3,250 140,500 46,000 136,900 1,808,300 186,900 3,814,600 40,000 1,014,690 300 5,689,000 131,000 2,652,500 37,000 82,800 1,636,700 657,000 436,000 4,968,000 260,000 372,000 420,500 1,122,840 149,700 90,000 608,000 7,910,470 6,000 35,411,000 4,963,000

INDUSTRIAL 255,501,570.00 65,822,610.00 32,811,612.00 971,040.00 1,225,400.00 127,750,770.00 373,750.00 41,050.50 17,532.00 42,463,310.00 209,173,396.00 47,234.00 17,242,828.00 58,806.50 166,040.50 18,390,390.00 1,232,850.00 61,155.00 463,337.00 63,024,820.00 13,925,874.00 22,417,036.00 12,946,629.00 7,950.00 236,613,690.00 21,757,378.00 3,929,705.00 85,970,340.00 26,452,530.00 6,193,094.00 2,720,710.00 489,268,468.00 157,510.50 727,591.00 160,260.00 1,294,758.00 35,900,056.00 958,350.00 67,467,138.00 7,320.00 354,655,480.00 1,670.00 9,683,550.00 552,180.00 13,298,518.00 346,509.00 905,390.00 55,390,685.00 3,546,383.00 2,341,486.00 9,284,660.00 547,890.00 372,670.00 4,717,654.00 103,261,652.00 1,099,509.00 11,550.00 657,810.00 1,196,456,585.00 14,550.00 46,047,390.00 5,546,190.00

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

0.820 55.95 11.48 0.75 6.89 13.02 1.120 1.130 860 3.600 6.9 8.21 4.25 13.22 0.224 894 5.61 76.25 5.09 5.04 0.51 4.31 13.34 0.590 4.8 0.0380 1.460 2.80 167.00 2.34 1030.00 1.27 0.86 230.000 395.00 0.2180 0.220

65,303,000 3,650,500 91,327,640 2,147,000 49,000 66,000 1,440,000 252,000 1,052,880 45,070,000 6,202,100 48,739,100 13,000 38,200 60,000 251,550 7,000 6,580,980 18,300 593,300 220,000 2,248,000 14,071,800 1,600,000 108,787,000 20,800,000 524,000 6,000 644,990 1,172,000 4,348,665 9,000 953,000 403,390 40 570,000 2,160,000

HOLDING FIRMS 54,216,200.00 201,289,096.00 531,644,619.00 1,561,230.00 332,280.00 868,462.00 1,613,060.00 285,160.00 907,846,890.00 158,318,670.00 42,555,353.00 398,353,012.00 51,910.00 506,490.00 13,440.00 223,144,965.00 39,341.00 496,925,278.50 100,764.00 3,400,851.00 108,345.00 9,700,320.00 186,717,580.00 924,070.00 523,217,120.00 783,400.00 751,070.00 16,840.00 109,964,131.00 2,750,730.00 4,449,705,285.00 45,780.00 827,950.00 87,948,092.00 15,900.00 124,000.00 480,400.00

835,100 2,096,000 13,600 268,000 4,199,000 21,663,600 5,422,000 804,000 60,400 32,237,000 2,000 119,000 3,160,000 11,190,000 728,100 639,300 84,902,000 28,646,000 1,141,000 156,000 55,787,000 29,160,000 38,327,000 3,440,000 460,000 728,000

PROPERTY 12,221,184.00 1,701,790.00 125,795.00 461,770.00 3,600,130.00 1,059,234,620.00 10,808,630.00 3,631,800.00 377,544.00 18,834,940.00 1,500.00 101,010.00 641,230.00 5,331,900.00 7,430,892.00 13,021,735.00 43,418,760.00 45,867,280.00 1,427,900.00 702,000.00 269,929,520.00 8,465,400.00 59,631,820.00 1,411,550.00 173,900.00 1,470,260.00

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

15.000 0.81 9.35 1.780 0.880 48.550 1.99 4.5 6.1 0.870 0.75 0.870 0.205 0.490 10.220 20.25 0.490 1.60 1.27 4.50 4.83 0.290 1.5600 0.4100 0.380 2.03

OCTOBER 21-25, 2019 Close Volume Value 55.8 147.80 99.00 1.80 1.16 25 18.52 12.2 4.75 7.71 750.00 0.410 71.65 0.88 12.8 21.75 43.90 58.15 130.1 175 25.9 203 1835.00 59.20 1.09

51,670 5,423,460 12,181,130 143,000 185,000 772,900 18,200 3,142,000 1,732,000 800 1,690 270,000 13,831,340 744,000 40,400 3,300 835,600 11,370 1,070 7,230 108,500 1,465,070 750 34,450 111,000

2,869,272.50 801,347,590.00 1,193,608,947.00 263,580.00 212,370.00 19,301,255.00 337,280.00 38,324,354.00 8,159,290.00 6,168.00 1,278,040.00 110,350.00 986,895,478.00 661,450.00 517,138.00 68,435.00 37,288,965.00 661,870.50 135,788.00 1,270,001.00 2,828,555.00 293,861,074.00 1,386,050.00 2,041,773.00 120,990.00

38.4 2.85 12.54 0.69 1.34 4.01 0.247 104.6 17.66 2.5 15.4

3,865,400 59,711,000 3,786,200 7,191,000 477,000 26,300,000 17,870,000 250 99,300 9,211,000 1,869,400

150,699,520.00 167,682,770.00 53,790,576.00 4,991,200.00 619,220.00 110,325,240.00 4,562,150.00 24,002.00 487,568.00 23,864,500.00 28,917,566.00

8.27 65.8 76.7 31 2.1 5.8 5.59 8.650 15.14 10.40 7.00 1.6 25.4 79 48.60 2.2900 14.60 7.99 1.510 226.20 50.00 5.13 3.51 9.34 19.96 13.2 17.88 0.186 356.20 5.10 1.73 4.10 5.07 9.39 11.00 33.7 5.4 5.24 1.89 2.17 1 11.22 93 7.39 0.131 1.12 150 2.52 1.28 1.12

2,147,400 260 138,940 131,500 1,087,000 9,900 41,600 9,444,400 334,900 1,905,800 4,968,100 9,000 5,695,600 1,912,050 157,900 51,399,000 1,654,500 758,600 993,000 1,807,060 3,580 74,500 3,000 296,900 9,145,200 506,700 13,034,400 160,000 741,380 44,800 14,567,000 634,000 3,351,000 48,600 229,500 4,092,000 410,100 1,313,400 9,471,000 27,000 433,000 762,600 206,720 172,200 8,380,000 884,000 7,785,600 512,000 29,426,000 7,691,000

18,463,145.00 17,520.00 10,429,265.00 4,129,835.00 2,285,300.00 57,420.00 5,862,940.00 82,400,652.00 5,085,364.00 19,728,762.00 34,802,164.00 15,260.00 143,302,790.00 151,074,718.00 7,647,045.00 126,738,840.00 24,503,694.00 6,090,478.00 1,483,470.00 410,749,520.00 181,164.50 384,576.00 10,530.00 2,936,123.00 182,768,196.00 6,720,200.00 228,172,122.00 30,230.00 267,981,564.00 240,560.00 25,969,930.00 2,581,040.00 17,019,458.00 453,690.00 2,516,236.00 136,531,710.00 2,209,689.00 6,817,538.00 18,607,010.00 59,310.00 433,710.00 8,569,804.00 19,069,358.50 1,264,438.00 1,076,070.00 982,270.00 1,195,177,174.00 1,329,790.00 37,757,880.00 8,764,990.00

0.860 54.70 11.70 0.74 6.89 13.4 1.130 1.150 849 3.700 6.75 8.20 3.6 13.40 0.224 880 5.63 73.20 5.04

56,875,000 4,032,240 28,551,200 3,757,000 42,900 778,100 1,585,000 330,000 1,448,600 7,623,000 5,023,500 53,957,800 153,000 122,800 610,000 294,050 345,900 6,934,620 3,900

50,463,400.00 219,085,550.50 334,976,484.00 2,763,570.00 283,455.00 9,773,164.00 1,793,040.00 382,290.00 1,249,781,965.00 28,156,430.00 33,316,436.00 463,954,268.00 476,420.00 1,638,742.00 130,880.00 256,866,780.00 1,948,947.00 507,495,312.50 20,149.00

0.5 4.3 13.36 0.600 4.9 0.0380 1.410 2.94 166.00 2.41 1027.00 1.26 0.88 217.000 400.00 0.2200 0.230

485,000 1,538,000 54,872,900 385,000 115,132,000 16,600,000 3,158,000 21,000 934,990 67,000 3,776,590 134,000 462,000 5,850 520 1,650,000 1,870,000

237,030.00 6,636,430.00 739,349,344.00 229,700.00 566,628,230.00 634,800.00 4,584,640.00 62,040.00 155,427,446.00 161,470.00 3,822,353,072.50 168,840.00 398,490.00 1,279,894.00 208,874.00 363,720.00 424,680.00

14.620 0.84 10.14 1.790 0.860 48.500 2 4.58 6.29 0.580 0.75 0.850 0.210 0.480 10.200 20.55 0.450 1.60 1.22 4.50 4.86 0.295 1.3900 0.4100 0.390 2.05

2,304,300 1,434,000 11,100 562,000 4,561,000 22,424,200 2,528,000 3,831,000 47,000 73,289,000 65,000 338,000 5,420,000 35,300,000 3,008,900 882,400 77,020,000 44,607,000 4,916,000 46,000 69,690,000 16,720,000 9,269,000 220,000 1,380,000 4,304,000

34,181,376.00 1,191,160.00 104,285.00 1,014,940.00 3,986,530.00 1,096,033,820.00 5,059,520.00 17,267,460.00 295,292.00 42,887,850.00 48,510.00 290,330.00 1,098,200.00 16,910,550.00 30,488,360.00 18,132,060.00 37,006,650.00 71,488,370.00 6,032,700.00 210,960.00 338,679,720.00 4,958,100.00 13,102,150.00 92,250.00 529,600.00 8,933,850.00

STOCKS

OCTOBER 28-31, 2019 Close Volume

OCTOBER 21-25, 2019 Close Volume Value

Value

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

25.45 2.32 3.29 39.00 2.63 1.710 7.690 5.580

8,479,100 952,000 41,000 33,761,500 3,580,000 193,469,000 13,553,700 146,700

218,295,535.00 2,150,670.00 134,040.00 1,311,368,195.00 9,294,820.00 319,149,250.00 104,181,763.00 793,218.00

25.75 2.25 3.22 38.85 2.69 1.250 7.690 5.400

6,967,600 698,000 129,000 31,203,000 1,899,000 1,099,510,000 16,180,000 390,600

178,462,020.00 1,584,940.00 419,200.00 1,204,032,370.00 5,083,330.00 1,102,510,280.00 124,471,457.00 2,179,230.00

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

11.18 18.6 1.63 11.48 0.530 0.041 19.6 2.4 9.99 10510 6.91 6.68 5.30 2.05 9.02 925 1824 5.26 431.00 11.92 1.62 118.7 1.73 8 3.86 0.110 4.7300 2.46 14 3.06 0.91 20.60 13.50 0.400 3.45 2.43 1.05 3.530 2.68 8.25 2.92 5.19 9.14 149.00 3.02 1100.00 0.485 0.670 40.85 75.85 9.20 2.58 0.680 0.325 0.670 16.500

250,400 897,000 362,000 56,237,300 67,104,000 42,600,000 313,400 1,102,000 26,819,100 1,270,072 2,300 1,543,300 74,000 140,000 109,600 280 180,665 157,100 43,810 1,100 2,459,000 4,921,140 73,000 134,500 3,000 430,000 11,371,000 260,000 2,600 829,000 742,000 4,129,000 300 620,000 269,000 884,000 71,000 36,025,000 257,000 25,700 2,000 13,000 400 681,540 1,540,000 479,695 36,681,000 6,768,000 2,130,800 3,610,250 115,900 5,256,000 33,350,000 10,000,000 1,285,000 2,583,700

10.3 18.5 1.55 11.5 0.520 0.042 17 2.32 10.20 93.2 7.15 6.78 5.50 2.08 9.10 920 1915 5.22 430.00 12.00 1.60 122.7 1.74 7.9

185,100 1,257,100 322,000 40,624,100 60,844,000 11,100,000 154,800 1,113,000 19,415,100 888,020 7,300 2,156,400 10,000 523,000 590,300 100 161,995 453,300 43,850 3,300 2,802,000 7,333,300 83,000 39,800

1,952,260.00 23,827,656.00 500,500.00 468,334,142.00 33,181,620.00 467,400.00 2,659,340.00 2,611,530.00 202,076,646.00 83,769,920.50 51,125.00 14,761,098.00 55,000.00 1,087,840.00 5,509,906.00 92,000.00 308,520,130.00 2,366,716.00 19,584,236.00 37,884.00 4,525,210.00 900,404,685.00 145,310.00 314,542.00

0.108 4.9900 2.5 13.52 3.00 0.91 18.60 12.52 0.410 3.4 2.42 1.10 3.290 2.8 8.20

580,000 12,464,400 208,000 14,200 1,377,000 5,462,000 450,900 2,000 420,000 255,000 1,788,000 44,000 33,253,000 167,000 26,400

63,020.00 61,089,600.00 532,880.00 191,844.00 4,137,460.00 5,238,070.00 8,434,428.00 25,046.00 174,400.00 864,000.00 4,288,370.00 49,470.00 109,009,820.00 475,710.00 215,805.00

5.13 8.67 144.00 3.06 1099.00 0.510 0.680 40.00 79.00 9.22 2.59 0.690 0.325 0.660 16.460

22,700 2,000 44,040 3,317,000 376,445 78,081,000 5,624,000 3,280,300 4,062,730 133,600 7,477,000 12,599,000 27,580,000 2,917,000 7,616,900

113,035.00 17,340.00 6,124,490.00 10,270,400.00 419,505,095.00 41,053,630.00 3,805,730.00 131,603,080.00 310,758,690.50 1,166,561.00 19,481,290.00 8,563,740.00 8,998,750.00 1,957,070.00 64,606,530.00

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

0.0018 1.13 2.54 12.46 1.1000 1.1200 2.6 0.295 7.69 1.880 0.211 0.104 0.108 0.0091 0.0092 1.18 4.01 1.07 0.4750 0.8900 0.0120 0.0120 3.53 12.80 0.0110 10.3800 23.35 0.0062

MINING & OIL 175,000,000 298,000.00 7,628,000 8,727,660.00 610,000 1,565,470.00 37,200 451,220.00 177,000 195,140.00 6,000 6,720.00 842,000 2,172,640.00 500,000 144,050.00 19,900 151,186.00 122,931,000 226,601,310.00 1,680,000 348,560.00 12,360,000 1,313,280.00 990,000 106,700.00 44,000,000 400,400.00 5,000,000 46,000.00 1,321,000 1,570,750.00 58,681,000 242,459,820.00 521,000 541,080.00 150,000 71,250.00 738,000 644,970.00 31,700,000 368,600.00 1,882,100,000 21,985,000.00 856,000 3,045,120.00 12,872,700 169,727,154.00 160,100,000 1,742,500.00 1,911,000 19,951,854.00 3,851,400 89,846,960.00 13,000,000 79,300.00

0.0016 1.14 2.52 12.08

243,000,000 5,504,000 368,000 29,300

391,000.00 6,304,060.00 942,450.00 349,838.00

1.1200 2.6

2,000 1,412,000

2,240.00 3,675,900.00

7.65 1.720 0.205 0.106 0.110 0.0092 0.0093 1.17 3.94 1.02 0.4750 0.8500 0.0120 0.0110 3.60 12.96 0.0110 10.4200 23.80 0.0062

14,200 30,121,000 3,888,000 7,570,000 1,140,000 19,000,000 8,000,000 482,000 32,165,000 720,000 153,000 212,000 36,100,000 684,200,000 2,047,000 7,882,500 57,300,000 6,994,400 6,444,100 40,000,000

106,164.00 50,788,140.00 853,740.00 809,520.00 124,490.00 175,600.00 75,320.00 551,180.00 124,944,740.00 514,380.00 73,200.00 178,310.00 416,100.00 7,526,200.00 7,442,740.00 100,141,284.00 628,400.00 71,940,310.00 149,507,530.00 243,800.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Alco Preferred B Alco Preferred C Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ DD PREF First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred 2B PCOR-Preferred 3A PCOR-Preferred 3B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC Preferred 1 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H

17.7 103.3 100.4 498 100.4 109.5 500 501 5.14 950 98.15 1.01 101 1006 1051 1080 101.8 108 992 78.2 75.15 75.1 76.1 75.5 75.1 75.7

298,700 2,370 709,850 3,000 809,330 27,920 10 400 30,200 100 6,310 1,892,000 31,430 105 32,240 7,550 2,060 3,660 7,320 63,680 1,092,650 820,000 104,900 7,960 1,104,370 754,440

17.74 100.7 101.4 498 100.4 109.5 500 501 5.12 970 99.5 1 101 1037 1050 1059 102 108 990 77.9 75 75.1 76.6 75.5 75.5 75.7

1,117,100 300 500 16,850 78,780 2,230 1,100 140 800,500 4,210 2,210 2,754,000 31,260 820 8,365 19,265 2,480 1,820 6,840 56,210 56,000 31,850 92,460 72,950 32,630 656,510

19,956,482.00 30,480.00 50,700.00 8,430,052.00 7,929,632.00 241,791.00 549,780.00 70,140.00 4,038,946.00 4,085,670.00 217,378.50 2,748,780.00 2,147,250.00 833,435.00 8,752,670.00 20,432,080.00 249,760.00 196,550.00 6,800,150.00 4,384,973.00 4,204,070.00 2,392,487.00 7,091,849.00 5,509,498.50 2,458,676.50 49,677,637.00

LR Warrant

1.530

177,000

1.550

121,000

185,160.00

Italpinas Kepwealth Xurpas

6.49 11.3 0.93

1,171,400 1,622,900 17,412,000

6.43 11.4 0.95

1,858,700 3,201,400 17,860,000

12,296,818.00 37,072,816.00 17,006,910.00

First Metro ETF

119.4

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 29,020 3,462,386.00

118.5

27,030

3,199,589.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.02 10 0.96

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 200 2,004.00 5,000 50,000.00 52,100 50,556.00

10.28 10.1 0.97

11,470 6,260 152,600

116,642.80 63,188.80 148,022.00

SERVICES 2,692,544.00 16,721,436.00 584,420.00 645,995,834.00 34,674,270.00 1,727,100.00 5,812,972.00 2,588,650.00 270,014,477.00 27,764,162.50 15,897.00 10,327,810.00 400,200.00 286,840.00 993,055.00 257,750.00 334,266,220.00 821,105.00 19,421,568.00 12,192.00 3,897,750.00 598,509,031.00 126,640.00 1,074,529.00 11,330.00 46,280.00 54,084,110.00 627,940.00 37,188.00 2,512,450.00 679,030.00 82,126,644.00 3,950.00 250,950.00 918,000.00 2,123,850.00 75,360.00 123,940,560.00 705,110.00 206,560.00 5,860.00 67,091.00 3,414.00 98,140,177.00 4,628,800.00 526,014,625.00 18,021,215.00 4,551,650.00 85,326,145.00 277,819,271.50 1,059,449.00 13,559,030.00 22,578,860.00 3,210,600.00 860,170.00 43,457,562.00

PREFERRED 5,307,932.00 244,829.00 71,694,081.00 1,494,000.00 81,691,726.00 3,051,403.00 5,000.00 200,400.00 154,886.00 95,010.00 627,536.00 1,897,480.00 3,173,716.00 105,750.00 33,852,950.00 8,067,530.00 207,036.00 395,233.00 7,262,470.00 4,987,688.50 81,953,259.00 61,582,000.00 7,982,155.00 600,680.00 83,350,886.00 57,112,017.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 271,700.00 SME 7,686,161.00 18,266,394.00 16,228,790.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Oriental Pet. `B’ Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Abra Mining Philodrill Corp. À’ Ferronickel Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Alliance Global Inc. Empire East Land APC Group, Inc. Abacus Cons. À’

VOLUME 1,882,100,000 193,469,000 175,000,000 160,100,000 122,931,000 108,787,000 91,327,640 84,902,000 67,104,000 65,303,000

STOCKS SM Investments Inc. Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Prime Holdings Metrobank Universal Robina Bank of PI Ayala Land `B’ Ayala Corp `A’ AllHome I.C.T.S.I.

VALUE 4,449,705,285.00 1,458,793,878.00 1,311,368,195.00 1,220,413,189.00 1,196,456,585.00 1,167,807,865.50 1,059,234,620.00 907,846,890.00 645,995,834.00 598,509,031.00

Arthaland offers to sell P3b worth of green bonds BOUTIQUE property developer Arthaland Corp. plans to issue P3 billion worth of ASEAN green bonds as an initial tranche from its P6-billion bond shelf registration filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Arthaland said in an offer supplement filed with the SEC it would issue P3 billion in fixed retail bonds due 2024. It plans to use proceeds from the offering to fund green projects. Arthaland has allotted P1.5 billion from the bond offering to partially finance the construction of Savya Financial Center and other eligible green projects to achieve approximately 10,500 square meters of net leasable area. Arthaland is also allotting P1.14 billion to fund planned land acquisitions in Metro Manila. “Arthaland is currently evaluating and negotiating for the acquisition of large properties with total green area of 18 hectares in areas of Metro Manila which have very high growth potential,” the property firm said. “Once acquired, Arthaland plans to develop these into sustainable mater planned communities which will have commercial, residential, retail and institutional components that will qualify as eligible green projects and will have divided in several phases over a 10 to 15-year period,” it added. Arthaland plans to acquire and develop the properties with joint venture partners. The company hired BDO Capital & Investments Corp. and ING as joint lead underwriters and joint lead book runners of the offering. The SEC last year adopted the Asean Green Bonds Standards which provide for the rules and procedures on the issuance of ASEAN Green Bonds in the Philippines. ASEAN Green Bonds refers to bonds and sukuk that comply with the ASEAN GBS, where the proceeds will be exclusively applied to finance or refinance, in part or in full, new or eligible Green Projects. Eligible green projects include renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution prevention and control, environmentally sustainable management of living natural resources and land use, clean transportation, climate change adaptation and green buildings. Jenniffer B. Austria

Cignal TV eyes more content to protect market By Darwin G. Amojelar CIGNAL TV Inc., the pay-television unit of MediaQuest Holdings Inc., plans to protect its market share by providing more relevant content to young viewers. “We ended the third quarter with 2.2 million [subscribers], we are actually the biggest in the country right now. Our goal is to make sure that we at least to protect our market share,” said Cignal TV president and chief executive Jane Basas. “Our market share is around 50 percent and the goal is to come up with a new initiative that will allow us to remain relevant looking forward because there’s a change in viewing behavior, particularly the more premium segment on the young who have now access to digital platforms,” she said. Basas added the company became profitable in 2017 and was growing significantly year-on-year. “We are growing phenomenally, especially with the introduction of our low-end brand. It’s really leading the growth of Cignal and the succeeding year particularly in 2020. We expect to contribute at least 70 to 80 percent of our growth for Cignal,” she said. Earlier, Cignal TV said it would spend P100 million a year in the next two years to produce more content. It is in talks with Netflix Inc. to create more content for the subscribers of the US video streaming company Netflix earlier acquired the international rights to stream “Ang Babaeng Allergic sa Wifi,” a commercial film produced by Cignal in cooperation with October Train Films and The IdeaFirst Company. It is also the first title from Cignal to be shown on Netflix. Cignal TV was launched in 2009. It is the country’s premier DTH satellite provider and transmits 121 channels, including free-to-air, SD and HD channels to household and commercial venues nationwide. It offers a mix of 12 audio channels and on-demand service through payper-view channels. Cignal is owned by Cignal TV, a subsidiary of MediaQuest Holdings, the media partner of PLDT Group.

World IN BRIEF Trump booed at UFC fight night NEW YORK―President Donald Trump was loudly booed on Saturday for the second time in a week at a sporting event as he attended a UFC fight in New York. Trump, wearing a dark suit and a red tie, pumped his fist and waved at the crowd as he walked into the city’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena on Saturday night. There was no repeat of the loud chants of “lock him up” that greeted Trump when he attended a World Series baseball game last weekend, but loud jeers rung out. Many mixed martial arts fans also clapped and cheered as Trump took his seat just 15 feet from the cage where the UFC was set to award the “BMF” belt. Several dozen protesters carrying placards with slogans such as “Trump/ Pence Out Now!” and “Headlock Him Up” demonstrated outside the 20,000seat venue as Trump arrived for the pay-per-view spectacle. The president, 73, looked on in concern as lightweight Kevin Lee delivered a vicious left kick to rival Gregor Gillespie’s face during the first bout on the main card. The contact, which left the fighter sprawled on the ground for around 30 seconds, drew loud gasps from the capacity crowd as they watched the slow-motion replay of his face being squished. Trump could be seen clapping in support when Gillespie finally got to his feet. The president was attending the fight night with sons Donald Jr and Eric. Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz were due to slug it out for the “BMF” belt later Saturday. AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

IS claims responsibility for deadly Mali attacks B AMAKO, Mali―The Islamic State on Saturday claimed responsibility for a devastating raid that killed 49 Malian troops as well as a blast that led to the death of a French soldier who became the latest casualty in the conflict-torn region.

The strikes underscored the fragility of an area straddling several West African countries battling increasing jihadist violence that has claimed hundreds of lives. Friday’s assault on a Malian military outpost at Indelimane in the eastern Menaka region near Niger killed 49 soldiers, wounded three and left 20 survivors, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) said Saturday. “Soldiers of the caliphate attacked a military base where elements of the apostate Malian army were stationed in the village of Indelimane,” the IS said in a statement on its social media channels. On Saturday, French corporal Ronan Pointeau, 24, died after an armoured vehicle in which he was travelling hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near the city of Menaka, a French defence

ministry statement said. The IS late Saturday also claimed responsibility for that, saying its fighters had “detonated an explosive device on a French army convoy in the Indelimane area”. Pointeau and his colleagues were escorting a convoy between the cities of Gao and Menaka. “This insidious attack shows the importance and bitterness of the fight against armed terrorist groups” in the border region straddling Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, the French defence ministry said. French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said she would be “visiting Mali very soon to hold discussions with Malian authorities.” President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Pointeau and expressed soli-

darity with the French and African troops fighting in the region. The Malian government initially said 53 people died in what it described as a “terrorist attack” at Indelimane. An army officer said troops arrived at the outpost around 5:00 pm on Friday and “took back control of our positions. “The terrorists carried out a surprise attack at lunchtime. Army vehicles were destroyed, others taken away,” he told AFP. The attacks came a month after two jihadist assaults killed 40 soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso. Several sources have said the real death toll was higher. MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali, condemned the raid and said its peace keepers were helping Malian troops secure the region. “This bloodshed that Mali has been living through cannot go on,” imam Mahamound Dicko, an influential religious leader in Mali, said. “Do you want us to resign ourselves to this suffering? We can resist,” he added. AFP

Airbnb bans ‘party houses’ NEW YORK―Airbnb’s boss announced Saturday that the online platform, which offers private homes for rent for short periods, is banning “party houses” after a deadly shooting at a Halloween event in California. Five people were killed and others wounded in a Thursday night shooting in Orinda, California, in a house that had been rented on Airbnb. More than 100 people were present at the event, which was announced on social media. “Starting today, we are banning ‘party houses’ and we are redoubling our efforts to combat unauthorized parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct, including conduct that leads to the terrible events we saw in Orinda,” Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter. To do this, Airbnb will increase “manual screening of high-risk reservations flagged by our risk detection technology,” create a “dedicated ‘party house’ rapid response team,” and take “immediate action” against those who violate guest policies, Chesky wrote. “We must do better, and we will,” he said. “This is unacceptable.” Michael Wang, the owner of the home where the shooting took place, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he rented his house to a woman who said she was organizing a family reunion for a dozen people. The sheriff’s department said they were responding to a noise complaint at the house around the time the shooting was reported. Three people died at the scene, while two more passed away after being hospitalized, police said. AFP

Lebanese keep protest alive TRIPOLI, Lebanon―Thousands of Lebanese flocked together in Tripoli Saturday, an AFP reporter said, to keep a protest movement alive in a northern city dubbed “the bride of the revolution”. Despite its reputation for conservatism, impoverished Tripoli has emerged as a festive nerve center of anti-graft demonstrations across Lebanon since October 17. The movement has lost momentum in the capital since the government resigned this week, but in the Sunnimajority city of Tripoli late Saturday it was still going strong. In the main square, protesters waved Lebanese flags and held aloft mobile phones as torches, before bellowing out the national anthem in unison, the reporter said. “Everyone means everyone,” one poster read, reiterating a common slogan calling for all political leaders from across the sectarian spectrum to step down. Many people had journeyed from other parts of the country to join in. Ragheed Chehayeb, 38, said he had driven in from the central town of Aley. AFP

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Car bomb kills at least 13 in border town in northeast Syria TAL ABYAD, Syria―A car bomb killed at least 13 people in a Turkish-held border town in northeast Syria Saturday, as thousands of Kurds in the wider region protested against “Turkish occupation”. The bombing ripped through Tal Abyad, one of several once Kurdish-controlled towns seized by Turkey last month in a deadly cross-border offensive. The blast came despite a truce last week to halt the Turkish assault that began on October 9 and sparked the latest humanitarian disaster of Syria’s eightyear war. On Saturday, an AFP correspondent in Tal Abyad saw the remains of two motorbikes ablaze in the middle of a rubblestrewn street. A group of men carried the severely burned body of a victim onto the back of a pickup truck, as a veiled young woman stood aghast by the side of the street. Turkey’s defense ministry said 13 civilians were killed in the attack, which it blamed on Kurdish fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported 14 people―pro-Ankara fighters and civilians―had been killed in the explosion. “To displace true owners of the land and to settle Syrian refugees in Turkey to their homes in NE Syria, Turkish army and its proxies are now creating chaos in Til Abyad by explosions targeting civilians,” Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces tweeted. “Turkey is responsible for civilian casualties in the region it controls,” he said. Meanwhile, in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, thousands of Syrian Kurds marched in the streets to protest what they view as a Turkish invasion. “No to Turkish occupation,” they cried, brandishing flags of their once semi-autonomous region and its fighters. AFP

Firefighters make progress in major blaze in California LOS ANGELES―Firefighters in California made progress Saturday containing a sizable new blaze in the southern part of the state as they continued to battle a much larger fire in the north. The so-called Maria Fire broke out Thursday in bone-dry conditions in Ventura County, 105 kilometers northwest COOKING IN THE RAIN. A Kashmiri man shelters from the rain while cooking in a boat in Srinagar on November 3, 2019. AFP of Los Angeles, sending thousands of people fleeing and endangering more than 2,500 structures. It had spread to 3,808 hectares by Saturday evening, California fire officials JOVIEL said, but was 30 percent contained. R. TEVES That progress came despite the forced grounding overnight of firefighting helicopters after at least two hobby drones were seen operating in the area, posing a In financial behavior literature, saving nancial literacy equips people with reqVIRAL, trending, meme-worthy. In torisk of collision, officials said. day’s social and digital age, these are is one of the financial behaviors that ben- uisite information and ideals needed to The Ventura County Fire Department among the key words that will tell if an efits an individual in the long run. Sav- make sound decisions to manage finanwarned on Twitter that “even a tiny drone event, a topic or issue, a place or a person ings constitutes the fundamental compo- cial resources and to improve financial can cause a serious or fatal accident if it is popular or significant and, hence, cap- nent of financial and economic growth. capability. From the results of my study, collides with firefighting aircraft.” The latter is acknowledged to be primar- the answer to the question if financial littures huge attention. In Sonoma County north of San FranThere is one topic that regularly shows ily driven by investment. The main deter- eracy matters, is yes, at least to the group cisco, the Kincade Fire―the largest in up in my social media account newsfeed, minant of investment, on the other hand, of students who participated! the state this season―was continuing to Are efforts then to educate people to and I bet I in yours as well, at least every is savings at the aggregate and household burn over 77,758 acres on Saturday evemid and end of the month. You guessed levels, hence the importance of savings become financially literate worthwhile? ning and was 74 percent contained, state Results of the study indicates it may be it correctly, memes about salary! It’s a in development cannot be denied. officials said. So, what drives an individual to be- worthwhile to pursue such endeavors. variety of hilarious images depicting The fires prompted Governor Gavin the daunting days of stretching a mea- have in a financially rewarding way? A While saving is found to be difficult and Newsom to declare an emergency across ger amount of money while waiting for popular behavior theory has been used in many of the students in my study have the state, parts of which have not had payday, the pleasure of that most awaited literature to identify what factors lead to identified various reasons why they are rainfall for months. day, and the grief immediately the day a positive attitude towards a certain be- unable to regularly set aside funds for fuAn extreme red-flag warning issued havior. In using this theory to study sav- ture and emergency use, making them fiafter. Generally, these memes get me to burst ing behavior, a positive attitude towards nancially knowledgeable may help them for the Los Angeles area this week was into laughter. But then again, deep inside savings will result to higher intention to further understand and consequently find lifted Thursday but the National Weather me, I know that these memes communi- save. When the social circle also saves, ways to be able to save. Service warned that so-called Santa Ana Finance teachers and advocates alike cate a serious financial literacy issue. Is the individual will perceive that he ought winds could still wreak havoc through this really the plight of a lot of working to do the same and will have higher inten- may take advantage of the stickiness of the Saturday evening. tion to do so. Finally, when an individual message depicted by memes. While preFilipinos? The state’s largest utility company, PaAccording to Merriam Webster Dic- perceives that he can easily perform the paring students to become financially savcific Gas & Electric, has been shutting off tionary, a meme is “an amusing or inter- behavior, his intention to behave accord- vy, they can bring humor in class by using power to millions of customers in northmemes containing lessons about money. esting item (such as a captioned picture ingly will be high. ern and central California, reducing fire Joviel R. Teves is a Doctor of Business or video) or genre of items that is spread In 2018, I conducted a study aimed to risks but provoking public outrage. widely online especially through social understand the saving behavior of the Administration student of the Ramon V. Last year’s media.” Taking it at face value, memes graduating students from our school, the del Rosario College of Business, and is Manila Standard Camp Fire LEGAL NOTICE appear to be “mindless entertainment,” Visayas State University in Leyte. They an assistant professor at the Department TODAY d e s t r o y e d Notice is hereby given to but these actually are “complex cultural are now among the pool of manpower in of Business Management of the Visayas the public that an Extrathe northern Judicial Settlement has been objects” that are reflections of what’s the country. I hope that they will not ex- State University in Leyte. She is teachexecuted by the heirs of the C a l i f o r n i a perience the “sad plight of the employed” ing finance and is desiring to contribhappening in our society. late Alfredo G. Fernando, town of namely: Maxima H. Fernando, I am teaching finance and one of the depicted in the memes about salary that ute to promoting financial literacy in Adriano H. Fernando, Felix Paradise advocacies that I want to get involved in we see today. Using a behavior theory, I the country. Her research interests are H. Fernando, Maria F. Disto, and killed Sergio H. Fernando, Marina is how to promote financial literacy in the sought to find if financial literary affects social enterprise financing and capital F. Marcelo, and Reynaldo H. 86 people. country. News about “baon sa utang ang the saving intention, and consequently market investments. She can be reached Fernando, all of legal age, Similar blazes over real properties, per deed at joviel_teves@dlsu.edu.ph. The views ating mga guro” and thousands of Filipi- saving behavior of the students. executed on 10 October 2019 in the area nos falling prey to investment scammers, Does financial literacy matter? Con- expressed above are the author’s and do before Notary Public Atty. Dante R. Cruz, per Doc. No. among many and other related broader ventional wisdom will tell that financial not necessarily reflect the official posithe previous 71; Page No. 16; Book No. I; issues such as poverty, reflect the coun- literacy will positively affect beneficial tion of DLSU, its faculty, and its adminyear killed 44 Series of 2019. financial behavior such as savings. Fi- istrators. try’s state of financial literacy. people. AFP

Green LiGht

‘Funny’ memes about money and financial literacy

(MS-OCT. 28, NOV. 4 & 11, 2019)

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Joseph joins call for Tourism chief Puyat to resign TOURISM industry stalwart Robert “Bobby” Lim Joseph has joined calls for Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat to step down, saying rank and file employees at the Department of Tourism have complained of her “bad attitude and incompetency.” In a statement, Joseph said he joined Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte in calling out Puyat’s management style in relation to her approval of contracts and projects in the tourism department. A businessman for over 40 years and the current commodore of the Manila Yacht Club, Joseph said Romulo “does not listen to suggestions from tourism old-timers like him” and whenever she is asked about matters related to her department, “she dodges the questions and passes them on to her staff.” The Standard could not reach Puyat or the DOT for comment at press time. Duterte first hit Puyat during the House’s plenary deliberations on the DOT’s proposed 2020 budget. The President’s son complained he was losing sleep over Romulo and got turned off by her “attitude.” Joseph, who is chairman of the Network of Independent Travel Agents (NITAS), said Puyat has been Tourism Secretary for over a year now, “but has not accomplished anything beneficial for the tourism industry.” Joseph said he has been involved in tourism since 1969, when he was 19 years old, was long-time president of NITAS, and co-organized the Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines (Team Philippines) and the League of Tourism Students of the Philippines (LTSP).

GSIS earmarks P1.18b in loans for Mandaluyong staff STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has allocated P1.18 billion in a loan transfer for a total of 2,371 GSIS members in the City Government of Mandaluyong. This was after GSIS Chairman and Acting President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet and Mandaluyong Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos signed a memorandum of agreement implementing the GSIS Financial Assistance Loan (GFAL) program for employees of the city government. GFAL supports the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte to end “5-6” and other high-interest money lending schemes that take advantage of cashstrapped government workers and leave them falling deeper into debt. According to the President, this is “a kind of oppression, which has to be eliminated.” “We don’t want you to fall prey to loan sharks and become victims of ‘5-6’. That is why we came up with GFAL. GFAL’s interest is only 6% per year, which translates to only 0.5% per month, and payable for six years,” Macasaet said, addressing the employees of Mandaluyong after their flag raising ceremony and the GFAL MOA signing in the city hall. Macasaet added that GFAL will make life easier for Mandaluyong employees because of its low interest and longer repayment period that will increase their take-home pay and protect their future retirement benefits. GFAL is the balance-transfer and debt-consolidation facility of GSIS that aims to help active GSIS members settle their outstanding loan obligations with lending institutions. Officers of ICCP Group Foundation, Inc. (IGFI), the social development arm of the ICCP Group of Companies, joins its locators in the sites owned and operated by the Group’s Science Park of the Philippines, Inc. (SPPI), and Pueblo de Oro Development Corp. (PDO) in donating chairs made from recycled pallet wood to local kindergarten and elementary schools.

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

‘KOKO’ CAN’T FLY. A team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Calabarzon and its local government counterpart failed in its attempt to release a rare raptor in Mt. Banahaw on October 24. Pictured (from left) are Anthony Villar, DVM, holding the bird named ‘Kiko’; Forester Ramil Gutierrez, Supervising Ecosystems Management Specialist, DENRCENRO Tayabas; Forester Salud Pangan, Protected Area Superintendent, Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape; and Mayor Macario Boonggaling of Candelaria, Quezon.

Arayat to build school for Japan-bound OFWs By Romeo Dizon

AN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The aging and declining working age population of Japan has triggered the establishment of a technical school in Pampanga to supply that country’s future demand of foreign workers.

As many as 10,000 Filipino workers are seen needed to continue Japan’s growth and development to maintain or increase its gross domestic product. The school that will supply Filipino workers to Japan is the Philippines Arayat Training School (PATS), which will first train about 300 people, then toward 10,000, with all having guaranteed jobs among the top 50 companies of Japan, Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino said.

Alejandrino said the students will undergo extensive training related to civil engineering, construction, hotel management, nursing care, and agriculture, among other skills needed in Japan. He said the proposed project got the go signal by Gov. Dennis Pineda. The school will be constructed in the first week of November on five hectares of land in Barangay Tabuan, Arayat. The amount needed for the project and its target date of completion was

not specified in a statement from the provincial capitol. According to Fumio Tarmura, chairman of PATS, the construction of the school is in partnership with the local government, after they made representation with the council to help the community and its indigent families. “The council of this 1st-class municipality was elated with the project that will uplift and improve the living conditions, specially those located in the other part of the provinces,” Tamura said. The town is famous for the dormant Mt. Arayat and as the birthplace of the Hukbalahap rebel group under the late Luis Taruc, which fought the Japanese during World War II and extended it to the national government as it demanded agrarian reform in the country.

CONSTRUCTION TRAINEES. Sen. Cynthia Villar (seated center) tells trainees who finished the construction painting and welding

courses under the TESDA Training for Work Scholarship Program that their new skills and training opened up several opportunities to them amid the booming construction industry in the country. Due to the demand for construction jobs, Villar said the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) has built five construction schools all over the country and also bring construction training courses to the communities via mobile construction schools.

Beauty company files cyber libel raps with NBI A BEAUTY product company has filed a cyber libel complaint against five persons before the National Bureau of Investigation for maliciously spreading lies and false reports in the social media. The complaint was filed by Noveau Philippines Corp. (NPC), a subsidiary of Noveau Japan Company Limited (NJCL), against individuals identified as Beverly Santos, Karen Gabriel, Avelina Obregon, Stella Marie Ancla, an alias “Gerry Yap” and an alias “Chloe.” Represented by Atty. Ferdinand Topacio and Atty. Julius Danas, NPC filed the complaint before Special Investigators Rojun Hosillos and Baden Alonzo of the NBI Cybercrime Division, after the five persons posted on Facebook that the company is facing estafa charges while the NJCL is “under surveillance” by the Security and Exchange Surveillance Service of Japan due to various anomalies. In the complaint, Noveau alleged that the damaging report on the social media against the beauty products, which went viral, are “fake news and a product of disinformation meant to destroy the image of the beauty company. In a statement, Topacio clarified that NPC and NCJL are not involved in any estafa cases that were reported on social media. NJCL likewise denied that the firm is under investigation or surveillance in Japan and has no criminal or unsound business practices in that country. The firm’s counsels insisted that NPC at NJCL are doing legal and legitimate businesses in the Philippines, saying such baseless accusations is a black propaganda being spread by “scammers.” The NBI assured that the suspects will face appropriate charges for violating Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act and other criminal charges.

DTI Bataan hands out tools for Shared Service Facility cooperators BALANGA CITY, Bataan—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Bataan distributed tools to Shared Service Facilities (SSF) cooperators during the recent SSF Assembly. DTI Provincial Director Nelin Cabahug said the additional tools, worth about P23,000, were given on Wednesday to seven identified SSF cooperators

that were assessed based on their needs and production. She said upon monitoring and evaluation, they found out the SSF cooperators need the tools to increase production. DTI Bataan distributed two wheelbarrows, three buckets, and three spades to Samaleño Organiko Producers Cooperative (Sopco) and Capitangan Organic

Farmers Marketing Cooperative; LPG tank and torch to Alangan Farmers Producers Association; Digital price computing scales to Balanga Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative and Pilar Rural Improvement Club Multipurpose Cooperative; two drilling machines to Mabatang Broommakers and Vendors

Association; and hand mixer to Alion Kapit-Bisig SEA-K Association. The cooperators lauded DTI for its continuous support on improving their productivity in their respective industry. Sopco chairperson Lualhati Serrano thanked DTI for all the equipment given to them. Butch Gunio

Recyling pallets into school chairs THE ICCP Group Foundation, Inc. (IGFI), the social development arm of the ICCP Group of Companies, has turned to help locators in the sites owned and operated by the Group’s Science Park of the Philippines, Inc. (SPPI), and Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO). In a creative effort to combat solid waste and to reduce the cutting of trees, IGFI organized the recycling of used wooden pallets. Pallets are disposable wood platforms discarded from deliveries of goods or equipment, which are usually made from yellow pine and oak. Before IGFI started to recycle the used pallets, these were just being disposed or sold to scrap shops by the locators. But now under the program, locators are invited to convert their used pallets to school chairs for kindergarten

students and to distribute these to neighboring daycare centers. The project started in 2013 in Cabuyao, Laguna in partnership with Procter & Gamble, a locator in SPPI’s Light Industry & Science Park (LISP) I. This project has since been implemented in LISP III in Sto. Tomas, Batangas with Aruze Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. and in Cebu Light Industrial Park (CLIP) in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu with Teradyne Philippines Limited. A total of 2,000 recycled chairs have been distributed through IGFI to various project beneficiaries and host communities of PDO and SPPI. In Laguna, 1,500 ‘paleta’ chairs were donated to the daycare centers of Barangays Diezmo and Pulo in Cabuyao and Barangays Real and Lamesa in Calamba.

Life

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

FOOD

@MStandardLIFE MONDAY, NIOVEMBER 4, 2019

Aspiration

in every bottle Father-and-son tandem Nonoy (founder and chief executive) and Chris (president and general manager) Quimbo work together to take their family-owned company to the next level.

AFFORDABLE ASPIRATION. Local wine company Novellino Wines bridges the gap between aspiration and consumption by offering bottles of

wine at affordable prices.

By Bernadette Lunas

ILIPINOS are a beer drinking lot. We drink them almost anytime—on special occasions or on days when we simply want to decompress. And, boy, do we love them served cold.

The numbers don’t lie. According to the 2019 Euromonitor International, majority or 62.6 percent of alcoholic beverage consumed by Filipinos is beer. Spirits—like brandy, gin, tequila, rum, whiskey, vodka—come at second with 33.7 percent. And wine? It only takes 3.6 percent of the pie. More than two decades ago, bottles of wine during special occasions are only found on the tables of the rich and famous. A Filipino businessman then had the idea to introduce wine to more Filipinos, to convince them that fermented grapes are great when celebrating milestones, too. “Wine has an aspirational appeal— romance, sophistication,” said Nonoy Quimbo. Twenty years ago, he thought of building a wine drinking culture in the Philippines. But his plan was met with skepticism, especially among other businessmen. “When Nonoy told me about his plans, I was hesitant. Mainit dito sa Pilipinas, [it seemed impractical] to venture into the wine business,” related real estate tycoon Manny Villar. “Thank God, Nonoy did not listen to me,” enthused Villar, “otherwise we

ROMY Sia’s love affair with wine began with, ironically, an infamous wine fraud story—The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine by Benjamin Wallace. The book discussed the story of a 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux, which was presented as being once owned by former US President and wine lover Thomas Jefferson and was auctioned at Christie’s in 1985 for $150,000. But as the Jefferson’s estate could not verify the provenance of the bottle and four other so-called Jefferson bottles, the sorry tale of fraud began to unravel— the wine was tested and found to date from 1962, and empty bottles and blank wine labels were discovered at the house of the wine dealer. Wallace closed his book by describing how, in the last years of his life, Jefferson himself was reduced to drinking lesser wines, perhaps because there were no more hidden caches of wine waiting to be discovered. “Thomas Jefferson was drinking cheap table wine, and very happily so,” Wallace wrote. Better the table wine, of course, than to be drinking counterfeit wine. Sia came across the book during an annual trip to Anaheim, California in

wouldn’t have the no. 1 Filipino wineproducing company in the Philippines.”

A leap of faith

Quimbo admitted it wasn’t easy entering the business. “The task was to convert non-drinking Filipinos to take a leap of faith to try wine,” he shared. Hence, in the early stage of their business, Novellino offered its wines to public for free taste, and yet, Quimbo said, “That was not easy to do; no one wanted to drink it.” “People had doubts that the kind of wines we were selling was the kind of wine they wanted to drink.” The founder and chief executive officer considered, and still does, the spreading of the wine gospel as a missionary work. “Every missionary work is a leap of faith.” His hard work, fortunately, paid off. The goal has been achieved: to bridge the gap between aspiration and consumption. The local wine brand was able to appeal to more Filipinos by offering what Filipinos want. “Filipinos want sweet, chilled, sparkling,” said president and general manager Chris Quimbo. Through partial fermentation, the

Novellino wines are made for the Filipino palate through partial fermentation that turns the grape juice into sweet-tasting wines with only 4.5 percent alcohol by volume.

company is able to turn the grape juice it imports into sweet-tasting wine with only 4.5 percent alcohol by volume. Novellino, with its 15 wine varietals, has helped grow the consumption per capita in the Philippines from 0.1 liter to 0.2 liter per year, albeit still considered small when compared to the 40-liter wine consumption per capita of most European countries (France consumes 45.33 liters, Italy 42.71 liters). Quimbo knows they still have a long way to go. “So far we’re not doing badly, but we still have a lot of people to convert.” And there’s a huge opportunity ahead of them, as wine consumption in the country continues on its growth trajectory—increasing 15

Backing their vision is a state-ofpercent in 2018 compared to the prethe-art winemaking plant in Canvious year. lubang, Laguna. Built on a 1.3-hectare Geared for the future land, it is equipped with the latest ItalQuimbo has enlisted his son Chris to ian winemaking technology, which is help take the company to the next level. responsible for the fermentation, cenAs it celebrates its 20th year in the trifugation, clarification, filtration, business, Novellino vows to continue chilling, and bottling. innovating its products, with the prosThe plant, Quimbo said, is futurepect of introducing the Novellino Wines proofed for the next five years, with on Tap. The company aims to bring its excess capacity ready to meet the deproducts to bars and restaurants through mand for more Novellino products in this format. the coming years. “We believe that by constantly im“Our plant employs a sophisticated plementing fresh ideas on products technology that is unparalleled in the and processes, Novellino Wines will country. We are even considered by continue to be relevant in the fast- foreign wineries as a thought leader in changing Philippine market,” said the wine production, given the intricacies younger Quimbo. Turn to C2

Bottled stories, liquid gold Wine Story offers the finest wines sourced from reputable merchants.

March 2009 for Healthy Options at the Barnes & Noble branch in New Port Beach. It prompted him to open his first Wine Story branch at Shangri-La Mall in Ortigas, and, a decade later, his second branch at One Uptown Residence in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. “Wine Story is a story of serendipity. I would not have discovered my passion for wine in general, and obsession for Bordeaux wine in particular had I not read The Billionaire’s Vinegar. And Wine Story would not have existed,” Sia said.

Sia, who finished reading the book in just two days, said his main takeaway was how each bottle of wine has a story to tell. “Most people discovered wine through their palate. I fell madly in love with wine because of the story behind each bottle. So mad I wanted to have my own wine shop,” he said. With its temperature-controlled, allglass cellar, the wine bottles glow like precious gems inside Sia’s store. His BGC branch, which was designed by a Paris-based architect, brings the whole

Bordeaux experience—its vineyard, chateau, and cellar—to Manila. “The idea is to give an immersive experience of learning, discovering, and enjoying the finest wines of Bordeaux together with Burgundy and Champagne,” Sia said. More than the ambiance and design, Wine Story takes pride in the following: the provenance of its wines which come directly from the Bordeaux chateaux and from reputable wine merchants in London; its storage conditions—from the moment the wines leave Bordeaux

Romy Sia, Healthy Options Group chief executive officer

to the time these are displayed, the temperature is kept strictly between 14 to 18 degrees Celsius to assure quality; its wide selections of mature vintages (20 years and older) and large format bottles (1.5 to 18-liter bottles) that are not found anywhere else. “Wine Story does not buy from third parties or private collectors. This is to guarantee authenticity,” Sia added. The BGC branch even has a Billionaire’s Wine room, where a bottle of Petrus was recently sold for P1.3 million. That must have been an extremely lucky day for the man who bought that limited edition bottle. And his must have been one good wine story! I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Life

MONDAY, NIOVEMBER 4, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

EAT OUT

Filling

rice meals R

at Kitsho

ICE has always been an integral meal component in Asia, and here in the Philippines. Rice is forever, some even say.

Japanese restaurant Kitsho offers this Asian favorite made more f lavorful with a variety of special sauces and toppings. Kitsho serves Oyako Don, Chicken Curry, and Pork Curry at P380 for those who prefer meat. Meanwhile, seafood

lovers could relish Tenshin Don with the tasty melding of crab stick and cooked eggs at P336. While vegetarians are offered Chopsuey Rice dish, priced at P336. All dishes are VAT inclusive. While sushi rice is mostly rolled for maki and sushi options, Kitsho has in-

Cooked chicken and onion on rice.

Meat lovers will be fully satiated with Kitsho’s concoction of Pork Curry on rice.

geniously used it to create delectable spicy sandwiches. This is one of the many innovations, including many other dishes in its extensive menu, that the restaurant offers to its discerning clien-

Crabsticks and cooked egg served atop a bowl of rice.

tele, including aficionados of authentic Japanese cuisine. Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar is operated and managed by MCK Millennium Foods, Inc. and is located

on the ground floor of Hotel Jen Manila, across the sprawling CCP Complex along Roxas Boulevard. Call (02) 8994-3623 for inquiries and reservations.

Chopsuey, prepared the Japanese way.

Fresh gata in pack

Jericho Rosales stars in Kuya J’s tv commercial.

Restaurant’s ‘Bida Team’ stars in new TVC BEHIND every delectable Filipino dish is a team who relentlessly work hard to make every salo-salo celebration a meaningful experience for everyone. This was the main message of the newest Kuya J commercial with its “Bida Team” passionately and meticulously preparing its best-selling dishes. The TVC showcases the restaurant’s well-loved Crispy Pata, deep-fried crispy pork skin with tender juicy pata meat; the Kare-kare in Kuya J peanut sauce; and Kuya J’s milky-smooth ice Halo-Halo Espesyal that’s packed with toppings, homemade leche flan, sprin-

Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo cooks dishes using the new Coco Mama Fresh Gata.

CENTURY Pacific Food, Inc. has recently launched its new product made for dishes requiring fresh coconut cream. Award-winning actress, loving mother and wife, and now restaurateur Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo graced the launch of Coco Mama Fresh Gata. She was also announced the new product’s brand ambassador. Proudly made in the Philippines, every pack of Coco Mama Fresh Gata contains coconut cream made from freshly pressed coconuts. These coconuts are grated, pressed, and packed on the same day, ensuring each pack has that “sarap ng unang piga.” “It is deliciously creamy, appetizingly ‘puting-puti,’ and ‘nagmamantika’ when cooked, telling of how truly fresh it is. It’s conveniently packed in a pouch which you simply need to shake, tear and pour onto your dishes,” the brand said in a statement. The new product can be used for ginataang sitaw at kalabasa, chicken curry, gising-gising, adobo sa gata, and other favorite gata dishes. It can also be used to make beloved desserts and kakanin like ginataang bilo-bilo, biko, maja blanca, and ginataang mais. Coco Mama Fresh Gata comes in two sizes: 200ml (P29), which is equivalent to one coconut, and 400ml (P60), which is equivalent to two coconuts. It is now available in supermarkets nationwide. Dishes made with Coco Mama Fresh Gata

Aspiration...

nila, Novellino Wines now produces millions of bottles of wine per year, From C1 exporting to countries where Filipinos are, such as the United States of Ameriof producing sweet wine,” shared the ca, the Middle East, and other Southeast older Quimbo. Asian nations. From a small scale business in a As the family-owned company 300-square-meter space in Metro Ma- grows, its officials vow to continue

kled with crunchy cornflakes, and drizzled with sweet ube cream. The 30-second spot also features its endorser, Jericho Rosales, who narrates how to make celebrations meaningful with loved ones, only at Kuya J. “Meron kaming (We have a) game plan,” Jericho explains. “To make dishes na binabalik-balikan, at higit sa lahat pinaghihirapan (that people come back for, and most importantly, made with love).” To know more about Kuya J and to watch its newest TVC, visit www.facebook.com/KuyaJResto/.

iPhoto

Food and Adventure Bestival campaign at SM City Olongapo Central bridging the aforementioned gap, fulfilling Nonoy Quimbo’s vision of turning more Filipinos into wine drinkers. “We are not trying to make wines for the wealthiest wine drinkers, we want to fulfill aspiration so we want to be accessible,” said Chris Quimbo.

SM City Olongapo Central featured the 10x16-ft Giant Mango Pizza during the launching of Food and Adventure Bestival campaign. Slicing the giant pizza are (from left) city councilors Lugie Lipumano, Jerome Bacay, Rodel Cerezo, Kaye Legaspi, mall manager Ana Lorraine Azucena, Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce president Ruben De Guzman, and City Tourism head Fifi Legaspi. The campaign highlights everything “best” in the province of Zambales and Tarlac, from must-eats, must-sees, and must-dos.

Entertainment

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019 nickie.standard@gmail.com

Korean Film Festival 2019 unreels in 7 SM Cinemas

'Microhabitat by Jeon Go-woon opens this year's Korean Film Festival.

Cannes Film Festival Palm D' Or winner 'Parasite' by Bong Joon-Ho along with 'Miss Granny' by Hwang Dong-hyeuk, 'Architecture 101' by Lee Yong-Joo, 'House of Hummingbird' by Kim Bora, 'House of Us' by Yoon Ga-Eun, and 'Little Forest' by Yim Soon-rye will all be screened at this year's fest.

N CELEBRATION of the 70 years of PhilippineKorean friendship, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC), the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE) and SM, present the Korean Film Festival in seven cities around the Philippines.

This year’s festival with the theme “Sailing Beyond Together,” kicks off in Manila on Nov. 6 at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier. No less than Jeon Go-woon, director of the festival’s opening ﬁlm Microhabitat, will grace the opening night with a Special Director’s Talk. Jeon Go-woon’s Microhabitat is an award-winning comedy-drama ﬁlm

which follows the story of Miso who gets by in her life by housekeeping. When the government doubles the price of her favorite things – cigarettes and whiskey, she decided to leave her house. Before doing so, she makes a list of friends, who may or may not, be willing to make a space or two for her. Through the festival, Filipino audiences will see the masterful

‘Mañanita’ star Bela Padilla shines at Tokyo film fest BELA Padilla, together with director Paul Soriano, graced the red carpet at the prestigious 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival to represent Mañanita last Oct. 28. Produced under Ten17P and VIVA Films and penned by award-winning filmmaker Lav Diaz, Mañanita is among the eight Filipino films featured in the Festival. The drama-suspense film was given a Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB). Bela first participated in the Tokyo Film Fest last 2016 for I America by Ivan Andrew Payawal, which competed in the Asian Future category. “The red carpet event last night was different than the first time. I was nervous, but at the same time, super calm. Maybe because we’re here already at terms I didn’t expect at all,” said Bela. She added, “I didn’t know we were part of the main competition until our press con a few weeks ago, and that in itself is already a huge blessing for me. There are so many interesting films this year, and I’m just happy to be here.” Meanwhile, director Paul noted that this is also his second time in the Tokyo Film Fest as his film Kid Kulafu had its Japanese premiere under the Festival’s CrossCut Asia Section last 2015. For this year’s Tokyo Film Fest, he shared, “We had a really successful world premiere and a great Q and A right after the screening. The audience really embraced the film and really got what I was trying to say.” He also mentioned, “I was also told that out of over a thousand submissions, they included Mañanita in the 14 competition films, so it’s just truly an honor. We’re really excited and honored to represent the Philippines here in Tokyo.” Mañanita revolves around a female sniper who loses her job and spends her nights getting drunk in a bar–until a phone call changes everything. The film had its world premiere last Oct. 29 at the EX Theater Roponggi and will screen nationwide on Dec. 4. The 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival runs until Nov. 5.

Extra International... From C4

Steinfeld ﬁrst gained attention in Hollywood about a decade ago, when she earned an Oscar nomination for her work opposite Jeff Bridges in a reboot of True Grit. But the target audience for Dickinson”-teens and young adults--will know her from her roles in the Pitch Perfect ﬁlms

and the action movie Bumblebee, part of theTransformers franchise. “It’s an incredibly contemporary story for young people because it’s about a young queer poet wondering if there’s space for her in the world,” said Anna Baryshnikov, who plays Dickinson’s sister Lavinia. Dickinson focuses heavily on the protagonist’s passionate relationship with her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert. Although there has never been any clear evidence of an affair, many experts sus-

'Mañanita' director Paul Soriano and actress Bela Padilla (Photo from the Filipino-Japanese Journal)

pect their relationship was more than just friendship. With its mischievous tone and digressions, the series strives to reﬂect the richness of Dickinson’s inner world to overcome what appears on the outside to be a monotonous existence. The poet spent almost her entire life in the family home, with little outside relief. She sought solace in poetry; the majority of her more than 1,000 poems were published after she died.

Apple TV+ is one of several new ondemand streaming platforms launching in the coming months to take on the might of Netﬂix and Amazon Prime. The surge in the number of services is providing fertile ground for unconventional series such as Dickinson, its creators and cast say. “I’m so grateful that Apple is taking this real risk. Because the space is so saturated right now, it leaves room for people to try things,” said Baryshnikov.

storytelling, acting, and technological advancement in Korea’s thriving film industry. Film enthusiasts can also look forward to the critically-acclaimed and most talked-about 2019 movie in Korea entitled Parasite by Bong Joon-Ho. The film, which won the prestigious Palm D’Or at the Cannes film festival, is about the poor and unemployed Ki-Taek who lives with his family in a damp, insect-infested semi-basement apartment at the lowincome area in Seoul. His son, KiWoo, is offered a tutoring job while he’s abroad where he enters the life of the wealthy Park family, with his own family lurking in the background. Other festival must-sees include comedy film Miss Granny by Hwang Dong-hyeuk, drama films Little Forest by Yim Soon-rye, House of Humming Bird by Kim Bora, and House of Us by Yoon Ga-Eun. Romance film Architecture 101 by Lee Yong-Joo will also be shown. A total of seven films will be screened simultaneously on Nov. 7 and 8 in seven SM Malls including SM City Fairview, SM City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, SM City Davao, SM City Olongapo Central, SM City Clark, and SM City Dasmariñas. All screenings are for free and on a first-come, firstserved basis. The Korean Film Festival is one of the many exciting cross-cultural events at SM Cinema.

Taylor.. From C4

The American Music Awards is where the world’s biggest artists and pop culture icons come together to honor idols, newcomers and record-breakers in the contemporary music scene. As the decade comes to a close, this year’s show celebrates the past ten years with some of the best moments in music and live performances from the biggest names in the industry. From Pop and Rock, to Country, Hip Hop and beyond, it only happens here. American Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions as reflected on Billboard.com, including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay, social activity and touring. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound, and reflect the time period of Sept. 28, 2018, through Sept. 26, 2019. The American Music Awards winners are voted entirely by fans. Voting is now open for all American Music Awards categories. Fans can access the official voting ballot for the American Music Awards directly by visiting goo.gle/AMAsVote or by going to Google.com and using the search terms “AMAs Vote” or “[Nominee Name] AMAs Vote.” Fans can submit up to 30 votes per category per day per Google account while voting is open. Voting will close on Nov. 20. The 2019 American Music Awards is produced by dick clark productions. Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

For a pop diva, there’s always room for more ACTRESS and singer Julie Anne San Jose’s journey as a Kapuso continues as she renewed her exclusive contract with GMA Network on Oct. 25. Present in the contract signing were GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, President and Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, Vice President for Business Development Department III Darling de Jesus-Bodegon, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angel Javier Cruz, Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, Senior Program Managers Mae Zambrano, Charles Koo, Ian Roxas, Ruth Mariñas, and GMA Artist Center Senior Talent Manager Daryl Zamora. Julie is among the homegrown talents of

the network as she was a product of the reality talent competition Popstar Kids in 2007. Being a Kapuso after more than a decade, the awardwinning performer is looking forward to what’s yet to come in her career. “I’m very happy and blessed. I’m thankful that I was given another opportunity to share what I have, I’m just very grateful, excited, and looking forward to future projects here in my home network,” said Julie. The 25-year-old singer is part of the original mainstays of the popular weekly comedy musical-variety show Sunday Pinasaya, where she showcases her humorous side in the show’s various segments. She is also a proud Clash Master for the all-Filipino singing competition The Clash. Julie shared, “It’s nice to see that the Clashers apply what they’ve learned when they perform, that says a lot already and we’re grateful they’re able to share their hearts with the audience. For

Apple TV+ gives US poet Dickinson a 21st century reboot APPLE’S new streaming service is taking a 21st century look at the life of 19th century poet Emily Dickinson in hopes it will strike a chord with America’s youth. The series, simply called Dickinson, stars 22-year-old actress Hailee Steinfeld in the leading role, and hums with updated language and music by teen idol Billie Eilish and rapper Travis Scott. “It’s a great opportunity for younger people to look at Emily Dickinson’s life and work in a very new way and a modern way,” said Jane Krakowski, who plays the poet’s mother. “If we could do all history this way, I think kids would love history in school,” she added during a panel discussion with reporters in New York this month. The series lands on Friday when Apple TV+, the giant’s new subscription service, goes online. Apple is not the ﬁrst broadcaster to tackle the enigmatic life of Dickinson, who only became famous after her death in 1886 at age 55. A Quiet Passion hit movie screens in 2016 and Wild Nights with Emily came out in 2018. Both received glowing reviews but failed to connect with viewers at the box ofﬁce. The new Apple series, created by Alena Smith, takes a rather unique approach. The black comedy focuses on Dickinson’s rebellious youth during an upbringing in a conventional middle-

class New England household. While the costumes and props make it look like a period drama, some of the slang used in conversation and popular music is distinctly modern. “I see this as a coming-of-age story about a young radical artist who was ahead of her time,” said Smith. “I use modern language and modern music to show the way Emily’s inner consciousness is bursting at the seams against the corseted repressive rules and norms of the 19th century that she’s living in.” Continued on C3

American actress Hailee Steinfeld is the star of new Apple TV+ series 'Dickinson'— she is seen here in New York at the global premiere on Oct. 17.

Taylor Swift to receive Artist of the Decade award at 2019 AMAs DICK clark productions and ABC today announced that global superstar Taylor Swift will be honored with the coveted Artist of the Decade award at the 2019 American Music Awards and will deliver an unprecedented performance celebrating the biggest hits of her career. Swift, who has won more American Music Awards than any other artist this decade, is also a ﬁve-time nominee this year. She also holds the record for most American Music Awards wins of any female artist ever, with 23. The 2019 American Music Awards will broadcast live from the

Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Nov. 25 8:00 a.m. (GMT+8) on Blue Ant Entertainment. “Taylor’s impact on music this decade is undeniable and her performances on the American Music Awards have been truly spectacular,” said Mark Bracco, Executive Vice President, Programming & Development, dick clark productions. “We’re thrilled to honor her as our Artist of the Decade and can’t wait for her to blow everyone away with an epic, career-spanning performance unlike any other.”Continued on C3

me as a singer, the important thing is that you have a soul. That’s how people perceive you as an artist and doon nila makikita kung gaano ka ka-authentic pagdating sa craft mo.” After the success of her sold-out concert Julie Sings the Divas in July, she remained busy in pursuit of her music. She released a single entitled “Regrets” earlier this year and last Oct. 18, she launched a collaboration with Rico Blanco via a song titled “Isang Gabi.” A true testament to her journey as one of the top voices in the country’s music scene, Julie received recognitions at the 32nd Awit Awards where she took home the Favorite Album of the Year award for Breakthrough and the Favorite Collaboration Performance award for “Down For Me,” a duet with Fern. Indeed living her best life, Julie is now gearing up for another exciting project with digital music streaming platform Spotify.

Pop diva Julie Anne San Jose reaffirms her loyalty to GMA Network by signing another exclusive contract.

Nadine Lustre’s ‘MOMENT’ VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG

CREEN and recording star Nadine Lustre breaks the internet once again with her sizzlingly stunning photos, captured by celebrity lensmen Dookie Ducay and Andrei Suleik, which spread online in time for her birthday.

We can’t blame the internet for not being able to handle Nadine’s hotness. In this series of photos, the now 26-year-old star is seen going topless with her arms covering her upper body, perching on her toes while only in jeans and underwear, and balancing on a chair in swimsuit while baring her toned butt. “To the woman who continues to break the stereotype of being a Filipina leading woman. To the woman who embraced the skin she is in so every other morena can love her color too. To the woman whose ideals are progressive enough to always put the female on a pedestal,” Ducay said in his caption then ended it with a birthday greeting. Nadine, celebrated her birthday almost two weeks before she marks her return on television via Your Moment, ABS-CBN’s newest breakthrough talentreality show mounted in collaboration with Dutch powerhouse creator Fritz Productions. “The show aims to put a spotlight on Filipino and foreign singing and dancing acts from all ages, crowning two grand champions in each talent category in the ﬁnals,” Nadine said during the program’s media launch at the Dolphy Theater. Nadine is a judge in the show and will be joined by TV personality Luis Manzano and dance icon Vhong Navarro. Other judges are Boy Abunda as hosts and Billy Crawford. “We will evaluate the acts’ performances using an emotion meter knob that will reﬂect their scores in real-time,” she explained.

'Your Moment' judges (from left) Billy Crawford, Nadine Lustre, and Boy Abunda, with program host Luis Manzano.

The pioneering show will add color and high-intensity moments to viewers’ weekends with its state-of-the-art revolving immersive set, where the audience and the judges will witness all the electric performances from the dancing to the singing stage, and vice versa. The acts will be under scrutinizing eyes as the judges bring their own expertise and experiences to the table —Billy as a world-class performer and premier host who burst into the international scene in his early teens, Nadine as a former singand-dance girl group member before becoming an award-winning actress and bankable recording artist, and Boy as a respected TV personality, talent manager of some of the country’s showbiz icons, and

a credible talent search judge. Each performance starts in black and white and bursts with lights and color as it progresses, while the judges have to input their scores three times using an emotion meter knob, with 1 as the lowest score and 10 the highest. An emotion meter also appears on-screen reﬂecting the scores given by the judges every time a performance reaches the three-time markers (20 seconds, 60 seconds, and 90 seconds), which indicate the time the judges can score. The acts will have to power through four competition levels in order to become one of the grand champions: “Your First Moment,” “Your Moment of Choice,” “Your Moment of Power,” and “Your Grand Moment.” In the ﬁrst level called “Your First Moment,” each episode will feature three singing acts and three dancing acts who will be given two minutes each to impress the judges. In “Your Moment of Choice,” the second level of the competition, highest-ranking acts will get to pick their opponents in an exhilarating three-way showdown. Meanwhile, in the third level called “Your Moment of Power,” top performers will be given the chance to choose from respected local and international mentors in the entertainment industry. Both the second and third levels will follow the “beat the winner” elimination process. Finally, in the “Your Grand Moment” level, the top three acts per category will compete in a series of rounds that will determine one grand winner in each category. Your Moment premieres on Nov. 9. For updates, like www.facebook.com/ yourmomentph and follow @ yourmomentph on Twitter and Instagram.

SENSATIONAL.

Nadine Lustre sets pulses racing as she showcases her curves and peachy posterior in a pair of denim pants in a sexy photo shoot. Having won more AMAs than any other artist this decade, Taylor Swift will take the stage for an unprecedented awards show performance celebrating the biggest hits of her career.