Manila Standard - 2020 January 11 - Saturday by Manila Standard

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‘Iran downed Ukraine plane’

US, Canada, UK, Australia leaders say missile struck jet, but Tehran denies it

EHRAN―Intelligence suggests a Ukrainian plane that crashed near Tehran was brought down by an Iranian missile, possibly in error, Western leaders said Thursday (Friday in Manila).

T CANDLES, FLOWERS.

All 176 people on board were killed when the jet crashed on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq to avenge the killing of its top general in an American airstrike. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference: “We have intelligence from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian leader Scott Morrison also offered similar statements. Offering his assessment in a news conference, US President Donald Trump said: “I have my suspicions—I don’t want to say that because other people have those suspicions also. It’s a tragic thing.” But in Tehran, Iran’s civil aviation chief denied Friday that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which

Mourners light candles for the victims of Ukrainian Airlines flight 752 which crashed after takeoff from Tehran in Iran, killing all 176 people onboard, during a vigil at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto, Ontario on Jan. 9. Inset, a man places flowers at a memorial for the crash victims at the Boryspil airport outside Kiev. AFP

US solons curb Trump’s power to rush to war WASHINGTON—US lawmakers concerned about rushing to war with Iran adopted a measure Thursday (Friday in Manila) aimed at reining in President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against the Islamic republic. In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit the Middle East from Saturday, hoping to ease soaring regional tensions after the US killing of a top Iranian general. The resolution was introduced by Democrats after Trump’s order to kill an Iranian commander and retaliatory missile strikes by Tehran dramatically escalated tensions and raised fears of a devastating war between the two foes. The mostly symbolic but politically charged vote, 224 to 194, was largely along party lines, with three members of Trump’s Republican Party joining Democrats in approving the measure demanding the president not engage in military action against Iran unless authorized by Congress. Among them was Matt Gaetz, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress who noted in a floor speech that

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Massive repatriation in Mideast still pursued DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday said plans to deploy Armed Forces of the Philippines assets and personnel in the Middle East are still in place despite the lifting of mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Iran and Lebanon. This as the mandatory repatriation

from Iraq remains in effect while Filipinos in Iran, Libya, and Lebanon who wish to come home because of the recent tensions will be assisted by the government. Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte said the government could pay for

the airfare of all Filipino migrants in the Middle East who want to return to the Philippines amid tensions between the United States and Iran. In an exclusive interview with ABSCBN, Duterte, who earlier ordered the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in

Iran and Iraq, said he wanted government to “immediately” secure the safety of Filipinos in the said countries. “We have the money to answer for all of their airfare,” the President told broadcaster Ted Failon.

Duterte vows to ‘correct’ all gov’t contracts By MJ Blancaflor

Palace hits US Senate on reso to free De Lima By MJ Blancaflor THE passage of the US Senate resolution seeking sanctions against Philippine officials involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima is a form of “bullying” and an “affront” to the Philippines’ sovereignty, Malacañang said Friday. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo expressed disappointment over the passage of Senate Resolution 142, which condemns the Philippine government for De Lima’s detention and calls for her immediate release, which was passed “with an

PEACEFUL RESOLUTION. Members of the International Peace Bureau,

with Muslim nationals, call for a peaceful resolution of the Iran-US conflict following the killing of Iranian Gen. Soleimani by American airstrike last week.. Inset, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. talks to families of OFWs who gathered Friday outside the DFA office in Pasay City to listen to their concerns regarding their loved ones in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Norman Cruz

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice to check all existing government contracts with private firms in the wake of the controversy hounding the state’s 1997 water concession deals. In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN, President Duterte vowed to “correct” all government contracts before his term ends in 2022. “All contracts that are prejudicial to the Filipino people will be corrected. You can expect that, within the limited time left for me in office, I said, I will correct everything, including contracts that are not to the best interest of the Filipino people,” Duterte said. The President earlier said the government would offer new contracts to water concessionaires Next page

Coffee-for-life offer to royals not so hot MONTREAL—A Canadian coffee chain that offered disenchanted British royals Prince Harry and his wife Meghan free coffee for life if they move to Canada has faced an online backlash. The response came after Tim Hortons—synonymous Next page

Marcos Jr. bares 2020 plan for national post By Vito Barcelo FORMER senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is definitely interested in running in the 2022 national elections, but declined to say if he would run for president, vice president or senator. Next page

Bongbong Marcos

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

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NUJP hits cop for grabbing phone By Joel E. Zurbano and MJ Blancaflor

HE National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Friday asked the Philippine National Police to penalize Southern Police District director Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan for alleged abuse of authority when he grabbed the mobile phone of a journalist covering the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene last Thursday.

handheld radio as well. Bathan eventually returned Veneracion’s phone, claiming he did not recognize the reporter. Veneracion then checked his phone’s gallery to find his video of the subjugation of the devotee missing. When he asked Bathan why it had been erased, the general denied deleting the video and even invoked the Black Nazarene as witness. When Veneracion checked again, he found the missing file in his recently deleted folder. It turned out that, after the phone was seized, it continued to record and towards the end of the video, a man’s voice could be heard ordering, “Burahin mo, burahin mo. Kuha ni Jun Ven-

eracion. Putangina nagku-kuwan eh. (Erase it, erase it. That was shot by Jun Veneracion, son of a bitch.)” The NUJP said what Bathan did was not just an assault on press freedom, but also a violation of Veneracion’s rights as a citizen. “And the attempt to delete Veneracion’s footage is, to our mind, a crime. At the very least, he tried to destroy private property. Worse, here was a police officer destroying what could very well constitute evidence of the commission of a crime by his own men. While Bathan has reportedly apologized, his bumbling effort to lie his way out of trouble casts doubt on his sincerity,” it added. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

“It was clearly abuse of authority that Director Bathan committed when he snatched the mobile phone of GMA 7 reporter Jun Veneracion and ordered photos and footage the journalist had taken of the Traslacion deleted. Worse, he tried to justify his actions with a barefaced lie,” the NUJP said in a statement. Veneracion said he was shooting video

footage of a devotee being subdued by policemen, one of whom was applying what appeared to be a choke hold, when his phone was taken from him by a police officer who he later confirmed to be Bathan. When confronted, Veneracion said the general, who he described as “fuming mad,” threatened to take away his

Massive... From A1

‘2x more shabu confiscated under Duterte admin’

Around P1.8 billion has been budgeted to bring Filipino workers home, Budget Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo said earlier. “Personnel to be deployed in the conflict areas will exclusively assist in the repatriation and humanitarian operations,” Defense Department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a statement, quoting Lorenzana. He added that the DND is also in close coordination with all concerned agencies and ready to provide whatever support is necessary for the repatriation efforts to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East. In related developments: • Senator Richard Gordon called for continued vigilance despite the lowering of tensions in the Middle East. • Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito called on the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to immediately release its emergency funds for the livelihood of Filipino workers facing repatriation. • The House committee on overseas workers affairs will hold a special meeting on Jan. 13 (Monday) to discuss urgent issues affecting Filipino workers in the Middle East. The Inter-Agency Committee, chaired by Lorenzana, is tasked to oversee the repatriation of Filipino workers in the Middle East. The committee is composed of the national security adviser as the vice chairman, and the secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Transportation, as members. The DOLE earlier said there is no more mandatory repatriation for OFWs in Iran and Lebanon following the downgrading of alert levels in those countries. Alert Level 2 is currently raised in Lebanon while there is no more alert level in Iran. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, however, said a deployment ban remains in effect in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. On Wednesday, Iran launched missiles that targeted two airbases in Iraq which houses US troops. This was in retaliation to Washington’s drone strike in Baghdad that killed top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the mandatory repatriation of Filipino workers from Iraq was for their own safety. On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government would respect any Filipinos who wish to stay in Iraq despite the mandatory repatriation order. There are an estimated 4,000 Filipinos in Iraq, according to the data from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Nograles said Filipinos who will be repatriated would be first assembled at a “safe place” in the Middle East before they can go home. MJ Blancaflor, Joel E. Zurbano, Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and PNA

US solons... From A1 the measure did not criticize Trump, but said that “engaging in another forever war in the Middle East would be the wrong decision.” “If the members of our armed services have the courage to go and fight and die in these wars, as Congress we ought to have the courage to vote for them or against them,” Gaetz said. Meanwhile, the Japan premier’s trip had been thrown into doubt after Tehran responded to the attack on Qasem Soleimani by launching a barrage of missiles at bases hosting American troops in Iraq, prompting fears of an all-out war.

Customs chief: Ready to leave post anytime By Vito Barcelo CUSTOMS Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said he is ready to leave his post anytime after President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly offered the post to Davao-based businessman William de Jesus Lima during a dinner in Malacañang on Wednesday. The agency under Guerrero failed to meet the 2019 revenue collection target and reportedly did not meet the monthly revenue collection targets since Guerrero assumed his post in 2018. But Guerrero was not aware of the reports circulating that he was going to be replaced. “We serve at the pleasure of the President. I’m a presidential appointee. I can be replaced anytime,” Guerrero said. “Going to the question on what the news is, I personally do not know anything and I’m still waiting for guidance from the President and the secretary of Finance [Carlos Dominguez III].” Customs posted a total of P630.571 billion in revenues against its P677-billion goal for 2019. Despite not meeting the target, Guerrero said the revenues in 2019 were 6.3 percent or P37 billion higher than the P593 billion in the total revenues collected in 2018. Guerrero was appointed in October 2018, replacing former Customs chief Isidro Lapeña. “I am an appointed official so it depends on the decision of the president,” he said. Customs stakeholders welcomed President Duterte’s announcement to replace Guerrero, who expressed their disappointment at his programs that allegedly were disadvantageous to the transacting public. With PNA

solve the drug problem. “You should kill when necessary. You should threaten, kill. If you don’t kill the drug lord, nothing happens,” Go said. “It is hard to totally eradicate illegal drugs due to greed. They [drug lords] can buy anybody.” Go and Carreon issued their statements in response to Vice President Leni Robredo’s recent statement that President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs was a “massive failure.” Robredo said she got the information and data from the PNP and other law enforcement agencies. “They just wanted to have a picture

of what industry we are up against, so we came up with a hypothetical figure,” Carreon said. “This is why we are disputing the grade that was given to us, that was 1 percent.” PDEA director general Aaron Aquino said Robredo’s figure was based on an “assumption.” Carreon took a dig at the remarks of the vice president, who claimed the anti-drug campaign was a failure. “As if they are downplaying the sacrifices of all those people who put their lives and limbs [at risk] every day,” he said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

ed that Washington officials believed the Kiev-bound Boeing 737 was struck by one or more Iranian missiles before it ditched and exploded outside Tehran. The Boeing 737 crashed on Wednesday shortly after Tehran launched missiles at US forces in Iraq in response to the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Baghdad. It is Iran’s worst civil aviation disaster since 1988 when the US military said it shot down an Iran Air plane by mistake, killing all 290 people on board. Trudeau’s comments came as video footage emerged that appeared to show the moment the airliner was hit. The footage, which The New York Times said it had verified, shows a fastmoving object rising at an angle into the sky before a bright flash is seen, which dims and then continues moving forward. Several seconds later an explosion is heard. The US National Transportation Safety Board said late Thursday it had received formal notification of the crash from Iran and would send a representative to join the investigation. Iran’s foreign ministry earlier invited US plane maker Boeing to “participate” in the probe. The flight went down in the dark just minutes after takeoff, with no radio message from the pilot to indicate distress, according to the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization. With tensions high between the United States and Iran, the disaster unfolded just hours after Tehran launched ballistic missiles towards bases in Iraq housing US troops.

Iran retaliated for the Jan. 3 US drone strike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian general. The Iranian government said the missile strike scenario made “no sense,” however, arguing that several internal and international f lights had been sharing approximately the same airspace. Tehran later asked Ottawa to share its information with Iranian investigators. Trudeau said Canada was working with allies to ensure a credible probe. “The families of the victims want answers, Canadians want answers, I want answers,” he said. “This government will not rest until we get that.” Canada’s transportation safety board on Thursday said it had accepted an invitation from Iran’s civil aviation authority to join the inquiry. Britain’s Johnson called Thursday for a full, transparent investigation. Trump would not directly confirm what US intelligence was saying privately. “I have my suspicions,” Trump said, adding that “somebody could have made a mistake.” But unidentified officials told US media that satellite, radar and electronic data indicated Tehran’s air defence units downed the aircraft. Ukraine called for United Nations support for a broad investigation, and sent 45 crash investigators to Tehran to take part in the inquiry led by Iranian authorities. Investigators are pursuing several possibilities, including engine failure, a missile strike or an act of terror. AFP

The son of former President Ferdinand Marcos made the announcement during the “Meet the Press” forum in Intramuros, Manila, on Friday, saying he would also have to consult his family and supporters before finalizing his plans. Marcos ran for vice president in 2016, but lost to now Vice President Leni Robredo. Marcos filed an election protest against Robredo before the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, but remains unresolved more than halfway through Robredo’s term. Marcos alleged that the victory of Robredo was marred by election fraud and challenged the election results in 39,221 clustered precincts in 25 provinces and five cities in the country. Robredo won the vice presidential race by a margin of more than 200,000. Marcos also sought to ban Smartmatic Corp. from serving as the country’s election service provider amid allegations of fraud and irregularities in past elections.

“Such actions are brazen and intrusive to the dignity of an independent, democratic and sovereign state such as ours,” Panelo said. The Global Magnitsky Act gives the US executive branch the authority to impose travel restrictions and financial penalties on those deemed to be human rights violators anywhere in the world. The penalties called for in the resolution include the barring of the US entry and the freezing of the assets of De

Lima’s detainers. Panelo maintained that the lawmakers were “misinformed” and “misguided” by the critics of President Rodrigo Duterte. “These latest actions of the US Senate are a form of bullying on the part of a particular institution of a foreign country. We will not be bullied by any foreign country or by its officials, specially by misinformed and gullible politicians who grandstand at our expense,”

Panelo said. The resolution was submitted in April 2019 by Senator Eduard Markey, who was then barred from entering the Philippines as ordered by the President for his support of the detained senator. “If and when these calls materialize, the Palace considers the same as a direct and shameless affront against the Republic of the Philippines, which has longed ceased to be a colony of the United States of America,” Panelo said.

said it would take at least six months to craft the new contract. Should the two firms refuse adopting the new contract, the President Maynilad and Manila Water to replace said he would order the cancellation the existing deal which he said has un- of existing concessions, as the government would take over water services. fair provisions. Duterte also rejected threats of possiJustice Secretary Menardo Guevarra

ble investment losses, saying he is after “justice for Filipino people.” “You thought they will be getting out of the Philippines? Fine, go out, be my guest. I will not be intimidated or even fear of the possibility of reduced investment in this country,” he said. “What I am after for is justice for Fili-

pino people. For all I care, they can all withdraw but I still need to maintain a matter of dignity for us,” he added. The President also threatened to file charges against the owners of the two water firms over the supposed onerous provisions in the existing contracts. With PNA

By Rio N. Araja THE government was able to double its confiscation of shabu under the Duterte administration compared to the Aquino administration, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Interviewed over ANC, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said “in fact, the Philippine National Police also admitted it was [just] a mental exercise on their part.” He made his statement even as Senator Christopher “Bong” Lawrence Go reiterated his stand that the government must use proper force to

‘Iran... From A1 crashed killing all 176 on board, dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran’s air defenses. The declaration at a press conference in the Iranian capital came after world leaders pointed to what they said were signs of an accidental missile strike. “One thing is for certain, this airplane was not hit by a missile,” Iran’s civil aviation chief Ali Abedzadeh said. Trudeau said Thursday that multiple intelligence sources indicated that an Iranian missile downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 after it took off from Tehran. It was carrying 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three Britons. But Abedzadeh rejected the allegation, saying that “any remarks made before the data is extracted (from the plane’s black box flight recorders) ... is not an expert opinion.” Citing information from allies as well as Canada’s own intelligence, Trudeau said the plane appeared to have been hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. “We know this may have been unintentional. Canadians have questions, and they deserve answers,” Trudeau told reporters. He was backed by other Western leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who said mounting evidence supported a missile strike, which “may well have been unintentional”. US President Donald Trump indicat-

Palace... From A1 amendment and an amended preamble by Voice Vote,” according to the website of the US Senate. Invoking the Global Magnitsky Act, the resolution also calls US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions against those involved in the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

Duterte... From A1

But Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Friday that the Jan. 11-15 trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman would go ahead, with Abe also seeking to explain Tokyo’s decision to deploy a military vessel and two patrol planes to the region to “ensure safety of Japan-related vessels.” With fears of a full-blown conflict receding—despite a passenger plane crash that may have been caused by an Iranian missile—the Japanese leader has decided to proceed with the visit. “To avoid further escalation of the tense situation in the Middle East, [Abe] will exchange opinions with the three countries,” Suga said. “In each of the countries, we plan to ask for cooperation in ensuring a stable

energy supply and the safety of vessels.” As lawmakers launched a scalding day-long debate over presidential authority, Trump insisted he needs no one’s blessing to launch attacks, essentially scorning existing legal requirements for consulting with Congress. “I don’t have to,” Trump said when asked whether he would seek congressional approval for more military action against Iran. “And you shouldn’t have to,” he added, “because you have to make splitsecond decisions sometimes.” Trump signaled Wednesday he was stepping back from the brink of war with Iran after a US drone strike that killed commander Qasem Soleimani was followed by Iranian missile volleys against bases housing American forces in Iraq. AFP

Coffee-... From A1 with coffee in Canada—posted a tongue-in-cheek tweet on Wednesday saying: “No pressure, Meghan and Harry, but if you do choose to move to Canada, free coffee for life. Think about it.” The offer proved hard to swallow for Canadians upset by the chain’s labor relations practices. Canadian media reported that a branch of Tim Hortons in Winnipeg locked out unionized workers who were asking for a pay rise. In a shock announcement on Wednesday, Harry and Meghan said they will step back as senior members of the roy-

Marcos Jr.... From A1

al family and spend more time in North America, where Meghan lived for several years while filming the television series “Suits.” One Twitter user observed that the royals “can afford to buy the company. Your employees can’t afford the rent.” An observer in Quebec commented: “Y’know, the company that cuts break times for employees on minimum wages... and offers free coffee for members of the royal family.” “No pressure, Tim Hortons, but you’ll stop losing customers if you use that money for free lifetime coffee for Meghan and Harry to stop nickel and diming your employees into a strike over 10 cents an hour,” said a Twitter user with the handle “Oooh, Canada!” AFP

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

Du30 thanks Japanese gov’t for grants, assistance

DOTr calls out ‘two-faced’ Angkas stand on motor taxis

By MJ Blancaflor

By Rio N. Araja THE ride-hailing service Angkas wants the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to stop the implementation of a government policy allowing competitors JoyRide and Move It to take part in its pilot run for motorcycle taxi operation. George Royeca, Angkas regulatory and public affairs head, filed a petition for a 72-hour temporary restraining order, also seeking the removal of a limit on the number of their bikers. He urged Branch 104 Judge Catherine Manodon to follow the suit of Mandaluyong City Executive Judge Ofelia Calo, who issued a 72hour TRO against the Department of Transportation policy. This developed as the DOTr and the inter-agency Technical Working Group on Motorcycle Taxis on Friday called out Angkas for its “two-faced” position on the pilot run for motorcycle taxis. Calo prevented the DOTr TWG from implementing its ruling that cut the number of Angkas bikers from 17,000 to 10,000. The order has already lapsed pending the hearing for a preliminary injunction. According to the Quezon City lower court, Angkas wanted to block JoyRide and Move It from “performing any act that will defeat or impair rights of the motorcycle taxis.” At a previous news conference in Makati City, Royeca clarified Angkas was not against competition, saying they knew other players in the motorcycle taxi industry would come in. “I have never aspired to establish a monopoly,” he said. DOTr’s technical working group gave Angkas, JoyRide and Move It a three-month extended period to look into the viability of the operation of the motorcycle taxi service in aid of legislation. This was despite Angkas apologizing on Wednesday for its alleged bullying tactics and defiance of government guidelines. It was also after the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court issued a 72-hour temporary restraining order against the limit on the number of riders in Metro Manila to 30,000 (10,000 each for Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It) and 9,000 (3,000 each) in Metro Cebu. In a petition dated Jan. 6 filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 223, Angkas asked for the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the new rider cap, apprehension of “excess riders,” and also to exclude its two competitors in the pilot program. In a statement, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddess Hope Libiran said Angkas was “telling a lie” when it said it was open to competition and would no longer object to guidelines imposed in the program by the TWG. “Here is where we see the two faces of Angkas. The other day, they apologized in front of the media. They promised to follow the guidelines and have a dialogue with the government. Now, they went to court to challenge the government,” Libiran said. She said the attempt to exclude its two competitors from the program showed Angkas was “not ready to release its monopolistic hold on the motorcycle ride-hailing service sector.” “They want a monopoly. Doesn’t this contradict their earlier statement that they don’t mind competition? What was that? A lie?,” Libiran said. With PNA

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JAPANESE ENVOY. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte poses for posterity with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who paid a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañang Golf Clubhouse in Manila on Jan. 9, 2020. Presidential Photo

Another Maguindanao massacre suspect caught By Francisco Tuyay

SUSPECT in the murder of 57 people―including 34 journalists during the 2009 Maguindanao massacre―was arrested by police operatives on Thursday in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. Police Captain Jemar delos Santos, information ofﬁcer of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, identiﬁed the suspect as Gambayan Kasim alias Lori Alip, 47, a resident of Shariff Aguak. In related developments: • The National Bureau of Investigation has been tasked to investigate the killing of former Batangas Rep. Edgar Mendoza and his two companions whose remains were found inside a burned vehicle in Tiaong, Quezon, on Thursday. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered NBI Director Dante Gierran to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Mendoza, his driver Ruel Ruiz and his bodyguard Nicanor

Mendoza and then submit a report on the progress of the probe. • A lawmaker from Mindanao on Friday sought the help of President Rodrigo Duterte in probing the ambush and killing of former Sultan Kudarat Vice Governor Rolly Recinto on Jan. 7. “I am imploring President Rodrigo R. Duterte to look into the violent death of Vice Gov. Recinto. He is a good person and is like a friend to everyone,” Maguindanao Rep. Esmael ‘Mangudadatu said in a statement. “I can’t fathom who could have the motive and tenacity to do this to him. His life shouldn’t end tragically and barbarically as that. He doesn’t deserve such end.”

Delos Santos said Kasim who was a member of the private armed groups believed responsible in the killing of the 58 people in 2009, was cornered in Barangay Timbangan at 11:10 a.m. on Thursday. He said the suspect was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant. A hand grenade was recovered from Kasim by arresting police officers. During the course of the arrest of Kasim, Delos Santos said a comrade of the suspect, identified as Edsrail Guiomla, fired his cal. 45 pistol at the lawmen, prompting operatives to fire back. Guiomla was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The pistol and 13 suspected packets of shabu were recovered from Guiomla. Philippine National Police Officerin-Charge Lt. Gen Archie Gamboa has ordered all police units to hunt down the remaining suspects in the Maguindanao massacre. With Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

BI barred 180 ‘rude’ aliens from entering PH in 2019 By Vito Barcelo

QUESTIONS. National Capital Region Police Office chief P/Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, along with the other district directors, answer questions coming from the media regarding the Traslacion 2020 and the argument between some members of the media and P/Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan. Manny Palmero

‘Flawed’ CASER of CPP outdated, irrelevant—Galvez THE Philippines’ sovereignty would be put at a disadvantage if the government gives its nod to the communist movement’s “ﬂawed” Comprehensive Agreement on Social Economic Reforms, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday. Galvez said there is no need for CASER, as it would only beneﬁt the Communist Party of the Philippines since the proposed deal is “irrelevant” and simply a “copycat of the programs” of the communist insurgents. “CASER is based on an obsolete framework and is no longer relevant since it is largely based on the pre-industrialization and pre-globalization era. It is a formula for the surrender of the national government’s integrity, as well as the state’s sovereignty,” he said in a press statement. “The CASER insists that the Philippine government surrenders its sovereignty and tramples on its own integrity by forcing upon the state outmoded and erroneous concepts that were conceived more than half a century ago,” Galvez added.

Galvez made the remark as Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison sought the passage of the proposed CASER as a precondition for the possible revival of talks between the national government and the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front. The two parties’ peace negotiations were ofﬁcially shelved through Proclamation 360 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Nov. 23, 2017 following the series of attacks waged by the CPP’s armed wing, the New People’s Army, against the government troops and civilians. The CPP-NPA has also been branded as a terror group by the Philippines, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. A former military chief, Galvez raised concern that the CASER contained a "worrisome" provision that demands the demobilization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines nationwide, a clear infringement of the Armed Forces’ duty to protect the Filipino from both external and internal threats. PNA

THE Bureau of Immigration barred 180 foreigners from entering the country last year for being rude and disrespectful to immigration officers. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the number of rude aliens turned back in 2019 was slightly higher than the 133 foreigners who were barred in 2018. In 2017, 129 were turned back for the same cause. Morente said that aside from being returned to their port of origin, the discourteous aliens were also blacklisted and banned from entering the country for being undesirable. Such policy is grounded under a memorandum order that former BI Commissioner Andrea Domingo issued on March 29, 2001, which provides not only for the exclusion of a disrespectful foreign passenger but also his inclusion in the immigration blacklist. “We thus reiterate our warning to foreigners intending to visit the Philippines that they should refrain from exhibiting bad behavior that would make them undeserving to enter our country,” Morente stressed. Morente added that while the officers have been instructed to observe maximum tolerance, physical and verbal abuse will not be tolerated. According to BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina, most of the rude aliens were turned away at the international airports in Manila and Mactan, Cebu. Medina said some of the passengers were drunk, rowdy, and unruly when they presented themselves for primary inspection to immigration officers.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his gratitude to Japan for providing assistance to his administration‘s projects to help boost the country’s economy. President Duterte acknowledged Tokyo’s support during the courtesy call of Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu in Malacañang on Thursday, according to a press statement from the Palace. As of September 2019, Japan is the country’s top source of ofﬁcial development assistance with $8.64 billion in loans and grants, which makes up 46 percent of the Philippines’ total ODA portfolio. For his part, Motegi expressed appreciation to the President’s attendance in Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement rites on Oct. 22 last year. The Palace said Motegi also condoled with Filipinos who were hit by Typhoon ‘‘Ursula’’ and the series of powerful earthquakes that devastated areas in Mindanao last month. Motegi, who came from Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture, represented Tochigi Fifth District to the Japanese House of Representatives for nine times. Before his appointment as foreign minister in September 2019, Motegi served as the Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Minister in charge of Social Security Reform and Minister in charge of Trans-Paciﬁc Partnership, as well as Japan and the United States’ trade negotiations in October 2018.

Villavende's recruiter ordered probed by DOJ JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the circumstances on the recruitment of slain overseas Filipino worker Jeanalyn P. Villavende in the Philippines. In Department Order 009 dated Jan. 8, Guevarra directed the NBI "to conduct an investigation and case build-up" to be reported within 30 days and "if evidence warrants, to file the appropriate charges against persons found responsible." The DOJ order said the investigation includes "the possible liability for violation of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, or other laws on the part of the officers or employees/ agents of the recruitment agency that had placed her for employment in Kuwait." Villavende's employer and wife remain in jail in Kuwait. The remains of Villavende arrived in Manila on Wednesday and were flown to her hometown in Norala, South Cotabato the following day. The Department of Foreign Affairs has also provided the family with financial assistance to help defray the funeral expenses. PNA

Typhoon Ursula’s death toll now at 57 THE death toll in the onslaught of Typhoon ‘‘Ursula,’’ which battered a large part of the country during the height of the Christmas holidays, has now climbed to 57, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. In its 5 p.m. update Thursday signed by Executive Director Ricardo Jalad, the number of injured is placed at 369 which is higher than the 362 previously reported. Meanwhile, the number of missing remains at six. These casualties were reported in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas, the agency added. Meanwhile, the number of houses damaged in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas was placed at 513,626 of which 63,312 were totally damaged and 450,314 partially damaged.

PNA

Opinion

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

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Nation-builders, heroes and patriots (1) MY LIST of “Persons of the Decade” just past are the greats and near-greats in business—the nation-builders, modern-day heroes and patriots. They have made the national economy resilient and sustainable even against global headwinds.

Here’s my list for the year. My list, not necessarily in any particular order, contains the following: Henry Sy Sr., Ramon Ang, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Manny Pangilinan, Roberto Ongpin, Manny Villar, Andrew Tan, George SK Ty, Andrew Gotianun, Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Lucio and Susan Co, Al Yuchengco, Felipe Gozon, Joey Antonio, Alfonso “Boy” Reyno and George Yang. I knew Henry Sy when he was still in his early 20s, then an importer of surplus and slightly damaged imported goods from Boston, U.S.A. In fact, I saw him first with a big pile of imported shoes in front of his father’s shop along Carriedo Street. This was sometime in 1948. Henry went on to build more SM stores in Metro Manila. He died as king of retail, admired and respected by all for his hard work, patience, perseverance, patience, honesty and integrity. The Sys are in banking, property development, tourism and other endeavors. Above all, Henry knew how to give back his blessings from God to those in need. He is blessed to have hardworking children who will carry on his legacy. Ramon S. Ang is another business

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

great. He was listedas the first Filipino among the 50 most influential personalities in the world. That’s certainly a great honor for Filipinos, and to think he did not even go to an Ivy League school abroad. RSA studied at the Far Eastern University to be a mechanical engineer and pursued his passion for vintage cars. That was when San Miguel’s chairman Danding Cojuangco met him. Danding was also into old cars. As COO of San Miguel, Ramon, the visionary that he is, has made San Miguel the biggest conglomerate getting out of its core business in beverages to infrastructure, banking, property development, hotels and airports. The biggest of all is the New Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan, dubbed as a gamechanger with a cost of P745 billion. It will be built on a 2,400-hectare land and will have four runways, likely to employ one million workers. NMIA will be located about 50 kilometers northwest of Manila and will connect to an expressway. Likewise, Ramon Ang has submitted to the Department of Transportation an unsolicited proposal to build a skyway consisting of 10 lanes to finally solve the nightmarish long parking lot that is Edsa. Santa Banana, the steel road would be built above the MRT. There is also MRT 7 which will run from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to MRT via Commonwealth Avenue. I must also credit San Miguel Chairman and CEO Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco for making San Miguel what it is today. To me, Ramon Ang may well be the Man of the Decade! Next on my list is Dr. Lucio Tan, another nation builder. I first met Lucio when he was a chemist at Harry Stonehill’s factory at the Port Area. This was before Lucio went on to build his own empire. He remains the media-shy taipan I knew.

Faith and fervor

HE stunning sight of some two million Catholic devotees of the Black Nazarene on Thursday, forcing 2,144 police to break ranks at some stretches, shows people's devotion and what one theologian called “authentic faith experience.”

Many have lobbed questions at why so many people are becoming part of this devotion, seen particularly in Manila's Quiapo district during the annual “Traslacion” every Jan. 9— one of three instances when the image, a composite replica, is brought out of its shrine. This is the anniversary of the icon's translation, reenacting the image's “transfer” in 1787, or “solemn transfer” to the Minor Basilica from its original shrine inside Intramuros, more than a kilometer away from across the Pasig River. The two other instances when the image is brought out is on Good Friday, the Nazarene's liturgical feast,

marking the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, and Dec. 31, New Year's Eve, the first day of the image's annual novena. From the socio-anthropological and pastoral level, Thursday's Traslacion was the high point of the devotion, seen by some sociologists as the “rite of passage,” borrowed from experiences in early tribal societies, kind of a paradigm to use for socio-pastoral understanding where the major point is “liminality”—where the pilgrims experience distance and release from worldly structures and institutions where they have their assigned roles and standing in society. From the spiritual level, theology

experts have directed the faithful to what they call a “goldmine” of theological wealth beneath what the ordinary men and women experience. We take the line of Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio who has served, since 2008, as Rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. He said “What the theologians cannot yet see with the eyes of reason can already be seen in the poor people's eyes of faith...what kind of spirituality can help us understand this faith?” Religion experts have proposed that to understand the spirituality of the devotees people must look at Mary who could best help them to look at Jesus. Perceptible among the devotees are Mary's poverty, simplicity, humility, patience, prayerfulness, compassion, love for children, and her longing to be with Christ especially on the Cross. Talk about faith and fervor.

Turn to A5

Make peace, not war I AM a “make peace not war” child. This was a popular slogan in the ’70s when I was turning into a teenager and the “flower people” were in vogue. It was a time of bell-bottom jeans, colorful beads, long hair in males, mini-skirts, open-toe sandals, and clog shoes. The slogan was from American peace activists who were protesting against the Vietnam war. They wanted to stop the US in its war against the Vietnamese. In Manila then, it was more “uso” than anything else. I never thought that this slogan may again be chanted by activists in this time and age. I hope this will not come to pass. It is now 2020 and January is not even halfway. However, it is hard to feel hopeful because of the news that we get and this time, regarding worrisome events at the international level. It is hard to ignore the escalating conflict between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran after US President Donald Trump ordered the strike that killed Iranian Major General Qassem Suleimani, the country’s most prominent military leader. We saw the unprecedented throngs of Iranians who joined Suleimani’s funeral procession. Obviously, the anti-US sentiment is quite strong among Iran’s citizens. Iran responded by firing more than a dozen missiles at bases used by the US troops in Iraq. Although there were no casualties, it was a strong signal that that the country was not backing off especially with the repeated threats of stronger revenge against the US from Abdollah Araghi, a member of Iran’s joint chiefs of staff. Iran said that the missile strikes were aimed at US’ military machine

and did not plan to kill anyone. On the same day just hours after the missile attack, a Ukranian jetliner, International Flight 752 crashed soon after it took off. 176 people were killed including 63 Canadians. In a press conference, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that there were multiple intelligence reports indicating that the aircraft was shot down by an Iranian surface-toair missile. Trudeau called for a thorough investigation of the crash. Now Canada seems to be involved as well.

The world is very different from what it was 50 or so years ago. Countries are much more interconnected economically, politically, and socially. US officials also said that the crash was caused by Iran’s missiles. They said that US picked up signals of two missile launches and also of the explosion shortly after. Missile components were reported to have been found near the crash site. On Jan. 9, Trump faced the media with even stronger threats against Iran even as he said that the US does not want to use its military might and power. In a related development, the US House of Representatives approved the War Powers Resolution that seeks to put a limit on Trump’s actions against Iran. Should these events concern us? Some would say that they should not since we are thousands of miles away from any of the countries that are involved. We are not (and will not be in the foreseeable future) at war with any of the countries. We can then feel Turn to A5

Reality bites IT'S about time someone knocked some sense into the heads of those behind motorcycle taxi operator Angkas which has effectively exploited the economic status of its members to lay claim to some sort of entitlement. The other day, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles straightforwardly told the people behind Angkas they have no business questioning the decision of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to reduce its fleet of riders from 30,000 to 10,000 and should even be thankful that they are allowed to operate even without any governing law. For one, Nograles said that documents showing Angkas is 98 percent foreign owned could already serve as basis to shut down its entire operation because their operation is a clear violation of the Constitution which requires that all public utility companies should be 60 percent Filipino owned. In a radio interview, Nograles reiterated that the operation of Angkas is

just a pilot stage and is not covered by any government franchise like all public conveyances. Therefore, the LTFRB can take any action it sees fit to protect public interest.

Angkas has effectively exploited the economic status of its members. And since Angkas is on a "test mode" and is provisionary in nature, Nograles said that the motorcycle taxi hailing app operator has no choice but to follow the directives of the LTFRB—or be slapped with hefty fines for violation of existing law governing public conveyances.

In fact, Nograles said that the LTFRB can fine Angkas P6,000 per motorcycle per day for operating without any franchise. The problem with Angkas is that they continued to recruit members, who mostly hail from the lower echelon of the society, even if it is on a trial phase, in a bid to strengthen its position by dwelling on their members’ economic standing. Mahirap lang na gustong maghanapbuhay. How can you then refuse them? By being poor who want to earn a decent living, the people be behind Angkas prods them to break the law, operate without a franchise, as if they were entitled to do so. And the more the number their fleet rises, the more the people behind An Angkas enrich themselves. The more reason they need to protect their interest and create a monopoly on the fledgling industry. Thus, when LTFRB announced they were entertaining the idea of dividing the number of motorcycle taxis Turn to A5

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Opinion Academic freedom in legal education AS 2019 ended, the Supreme Court promulgated a decision strongly upholding academic freedom. This is the case of Oscar Pimentel et al. vs. Salvador Medialdea and the Legal Education Board (LEB). While the main focus of the case is the regulation of law schools, the implications of the doctrine laid down by the Court in this case will extend to all higher educational institutions, public and private, and will also have an impact on the powers of the Commission on Higher Education. The case arose when the Legal Education Board issued Memorandum Order No 7-2016 pursuant to its power to “prescribe the minimum standards for law admission” under Section 7(e) of Republic Act No. 7662. The rationale behind MO No. 7-2016 is to improve legal education by requiring all those seeking admission to the basic law course to take and pass a nationwide uniform law school admission test, known as PhilSat to be administered under the control and supervision of LEB. Effective Academic Year 2017 and 2018, no applicant of law school was allowed admission without having taken or passed the PhilSat. The petitioners argue that R.A. 7662 and PhilSat are offensive to the Supreme Court’s power to regulate and supervise the legal profession pursuant to the Constitution and that Congress cannot create an administrative office that exercises the Court’s power over the practice of law. Petitioners also assailed the power of LEB under R.A. 7662 to prescribe the qualifications and compensation of faculty members and to adopt a system of continuing legal education as being repugnant to the Court’s rule-making power concerning the practice of law. In the majority opinion written by Associate Justice Jose Reyes, Jr., the Court ruled that contrary to the submission of the petitioners, the Court has no jurisdiction over legal education, as it is a mere component of the entire Philippine educational system. According to the Court, the Supreme Court’s exclusive rule making power covers the practice of law and not the study of law. Its authority is limited

to define the practice of law, to determine who will be admitted to the practice of law, to hold in contempt any person found to be engaged in unauthorized practice of law and to exercise corollary disciplinary authority over members of the Bar. On the other hand, enactment of education laws is an exercise of police power. As a professional education program, legal education properly falls within the supervisory and regulatory competence of the State.

The Legal Education Board as an institution will continue to exist but its regulatory powers have been severely constricted by the Court’s sweeping and strong endorsement of academic freedom.

However, the Constitution only allows the State the power of supervision and regulation, not control. In this sense, the State supervisory power merely includes a supportive power, that is, the power of oversight or the authority to check, but not to interfere. But for the State’s power to supervise and regulate to be valid, the exercise thereof must be reasonable and not repugnant to the Constitution. As a rule, institutions of higher learning enjoy ample discretion to decide for themselves who may teach, what may be taught, how it shall be taught and whom to admit. The State can, however, impose minimum regulations. In this connection, the Court finds no constitutional conflict between its rule-making power and the power of LEB to prescribe minimum standards for law admission under Sec. 7(e) of R.A. 7662. As such, the PhilSat, which intends to regulate admission to law schools, cannot be voided on this ground. Sec. 7(e) insofar as it gives LEB the power to prescribe minimum standards for law admission is faithful to the reasonable supervision and regulation clause. It merely amounts to supervision, not control. With the conclusion that PhilSat Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina when administered as an aptitude Twitter: tonylavs

Nation-builders,... From A4

Although he had a sad event in his life when he lost his oldest son, Lucio Jr., he is blessed with his daughter Vivian who will succeed him. John Gokongwei started doing business in Cebu. He was just a young man on a bicycle. And then he went on to Metro Manila to become a tycoon, putting up a chain of shopping malls and the biggest budget airline, Cebu pacific, and food production. He is also blessed with his children led by Lance. Next on my list is Ricky Razon, my former boss at Manila Standard, and son of my old friend Pocholo Razon whom I supported in his battles at the pier to put up a container and stevedoring business, ICTSI has now

Make peace,... From A4

secure and disinterested in these “developments.” However, the world is very different from 50 or so years ago. Countries are much more interconnected economically, politically, and socially. We relate with each other in a deeper and more significant way. We cannot be sure that if war breaks, we will not be affected no matter how distant the countries at war are. As citizens of the world, we need to pursue peace for as often said, no one wins in war. Another important consideration is the fact that Filipinos are in all countries of the world. As a major labor exporting country, it is in our interest that no war happens anywhere. For instance, it is estimated (2010) that there are 3.4-million Filipinos in the USA and 2.1 million in

test, passes the test of reasonableness, there is no reason to strike down the PhilSat in its entirety. However, the Court partially nullifies LEB MO No. 7-2016 insofar as it absolutely prescribes the passing of the PhilSat and the taking thereof within two years as a prerequisite for admission to any law school which runs counter to institutional academic freedom. By way of ruling, majority of the Court partially granted the petitions by upholding the constitutionality of sec. 7 ( c) of RA 7662 ( giving LEB the power to accredit law schools), sec 7 (e) of RA 7662 (giving LEB power to prescribe minimum requirements for admission to legal education and minimum qualifications of faculty members). However, it declared unconstitutional for encroaching upon the power for the Court certain sections of RA 7662 insofar as it includes continuing legal education as an aspect of legal education, and the power to establish a law practice internship, the power to adopt a mandatory continuing legal education and to provide mandatory attendance of practicing lawyers. Also declared unconstitutional for being ultra vires is the power of LEB to exclude, restrict and qualify admissions to law schools in violation of institutional academic freedom on who to admit. Likewise declared unconstitutional is the practice of LEB of dictating the qualifications and classification of faculty members, deans, and deans of graduate schools of law in violation of institutional academic freedom on who may teach. Finally, declared unconstitutional is the practice of LEB of dictating the policies on the establishment of legal apprenticeship and legal internship programs in violation of institutional academic freedom on what to teach. Through this decision, the Legal Education Board as an institution will continue to exist but its regulatory powers have been severely constricted by the Court’s sweeping and strong endorsement of academic freedom. In the next column, I will discuss the even more powerful opinion written by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and how his understanding of academic freedom is what we exactly need in this era of rapid dissemination of information at the expense of knowledge and wisdom.

become a globally recognized name. Ricky is now in the process of giving Ilonggos better electric service with his move to take over Iloilo City’s electric power services from the Cachos. Ricky is known more as the builder of one of the four biggest gaming and entertainment hotels at Entertainment City—Solaire— were local and foreign artists have their concerts. He is also in water, proposing to make a dam as a source of Metro Manila’s water. Bobby Ongpin was my student at the Ateneo. He has become the biggest high-end property developer for making Balesin Island the no. 1 leisure destination. Bobby is also building the Makati Place at the end of Ayala Avenue with City Club, an all-around business and leisure club.

the Middle East. Instantly, 5.5-million Filipinos could potentially be affected if war happens. Filipinos in the directly affected Middle Eastern countries also run in the tens of thousands: almost 1,100 in Iran, 10,000 in Iraq, and 29,144 in Lebanon. No wonder, the country is now preparing for the repatriation of Filipinos in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. Should this happen, more than 41,000 Filipinos will come home. This will affect around the same number of Filipino families. The country should also prepare for the possible loss of livelihood of these Filipinos if war breaks. Moreover, war in the Middle East could also potentially affect other ME countries and the Filipinos there. What about the US? 3.4 million of our citizens are there. What affects the US affects them. And what affects them affects their families here. It is impossible for the Philippines not to be affected es-

Reality... From A4

to the three players including Angkas, they were quick to protest as their income from every ride hailed among Angkas riders would be reduced by almost a third. As the LTFRB has said, the riders would not be affected by the scheme as they could easily

(To be continued)

pecially since the current White House resident does not really care about immigrants in the US. Trade is another factor that should be considered. From January to June of 2017, our exports to the US totaled more than $5.5 billion. The US is one of our top three trading partners and if war affects this country negatively, the Philippines will most likely be affected too. We get oil from Iran. The country is a significant trade partner in the Middle East. If it goes to war, this may be affected. Oil from other ME countries may also become more expensive and oil is crucial for the Philippines. Thus, the Philippines has a lot at stake in relation with the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. War must be averted at all cost. Let peace reign, not war. @bethangsioco on Twitter; Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

join the other players, Joyride among others. It’s just like what happened to Uber drivers who just joined Grab when the former was disallowed by the LTFRB to operate. And it’s just timely for Nograles to remind them where they stand. They are in no position to dictate upon the government. And because of the rising number of those wanting to engage in the motorcycle tax business and the people who want to avail of their services (even

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

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Applying murder to international law

THERE is much bravado in the decision by US President Donald Trump to give a go-signal for the US armed forces to commit murder by targeting the killing of a top Iranian general Qassem Suleimani. On Jan. 3, US-operated drones killed him while he was on a diplomatic mission to Iraq at the invitation of Saudi Arabia. It was premeditated because the target had no idea he will be targeted nor means to defend himself. The US together with Israel considered the general a highvalue target that assassinating him would help counter the assymetrical war waged in areas occupied by US forces. President Trump, without denying responsibility, said the general “threatened to wage war against the US.” On that basis, he was killed not on what he did. But after executing him, US propaganda resorted to enumerating the general’s alleged crimes as if that would absolve their crimes. The second consideration was to deflect public attention away from the impeachment trial filed against him by the Democratic Party. Even if he cannot be impeached because the Republican Party still controls the Senate, his credibility is slowly being eroded and no sooner will that affect the frame of mind of the American electorate in his bid to seek reelection. Thus, executing Iran’s famous general though by his strategists to push upward his marginal chances for a second term and hopefully dust off the nasty image painted of him by his critics and the powerful US media as a Russian stooge seemed to him a sound idea. The case is unusual because for the first time the President mixed his foreign policy by employing the strategy of “brinkmanship” or the art of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping. This was a calculated strategy of wanting to hit two birds with one stone. It was also a calibrated gambit to shore up his popularity while pleasing the truculent agents of the military industrial complex who is always in search for a new war to boost the stocks. Killing Suleimani could defang both the hardliners in Iran and domestically calm down the hooting of those seeking his impeachment. The extraordinary braggadocio was more of a show that there is no safe haven that could not be reached by the wrath of US vengeance. Initially, Trump was not bothered by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani’s vow to make revenge because he relied on the advice of people like secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who presume that hitting hard the enemies of the US would help boost the stock market of the arms traders while achieving peace on their terms. They instilled into the President’s frame of mind that the US is invincible and that nobody would dare challenge its power. His reliance on the ability to defend was more assessing the parameters for peace than in attaining a win-win situation as what China is doing. Trump now appears to be an unpredictable psychopath who chooses to rely on power than on realism and rationality. He deals with other countries as though they are always bent to cross the path of US foreign policy and not as one seeking to peacefully advance their own national interest. Pompeo and the disgraced national security adviser John Bolton always see things differently—that things can be resolved through intimidation and blackmail than in diplomacy. But when he saw the throng of public outpouring during the funeral of the slain general where all chanted for revenge and called the US a Satanic empire, Trump suddenly changed gear. As observed, he and his advisers always think all will go as planned; that Iran and the Ayatollahs can just gnash their teeth in anger. In fact, bullying Iran would be the last card of the

if it is not the safest form of public transportation), there is an urgency for Congress to enact a law that will govern the operation of these ride-hailing services such as Grab and Angkas. As Nograles said, it is paramount for Congress to expedite the deliberation and the passage of measures that would set the parameters on the nature of their operation. Meanwhile, Nograles also advised Angkas that apart from complying with the directive

US can do. Trump never anticipated Iran would be as determined to seek revenge. He forwarded the wrong foot by threatening to destroy all historical sites in that country. The devastating effect in the use of poison gas that saw millions killed in World War I, made Hitler refrain from using it. It never came across Trump’s mind that to bomb historical relics and sites and to use poison gas were war crimes. To remind Trump and his war merchants, the US is the only country that destroyed everything including historical relics of human civilization when its ordered the dropping of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was his usual braggadocio to threaten countries at the slightest attempt to show signs of resistance as if to tell them to think twice before they make good on their revenge.

Trump now appears to be an unpredictable psychopath who chooses to rely on power than on realism and rationality. Before that Trump backpedalled by retouching his words saying that the US always “abided” by international law forgetting that what the US did in killing the general who was on a diplomatic mission to deescalate the war in Iraq, specifically for violating the air space of another sovereign country, and the gruesome case of a statesponsored murder. The reaction was unexpected that its NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said it was the decision of the US, and impliedly admitting NATO had nothing to do with that adventurism. That now forced Trump to think whether the killing of the general was really in pursuit of protecting of US national interest or was meant to raise the ante for the US war industry and stupefy the impeachment hysteria in Congress. It was most expedient to elevate murder to one of protecting the nation’s national interest. In fact, the anti-war movement which have long been in hibernation after their involvement in Vietnam in the 70s proved to be anti-climactic. If the revenge by Iran came during or after the Jan. 24 nationwide peace rally, like the attack targeting the cordoned US controlled Greenzone and to its military bases in Ain al-Asad military bases in Iraq. It could be interpreted as in defiance by Iraq of international law. It did not even take Trump 24 hours to issue a statement saying that Iran has decided to de-escalate the war by not making further revenge aimed at hitting US targets. Nobody really knows what he means. The pressure for peace has overwhelmed the demand of the warmongers that the theory of engaging in another war to deflect the real issue of impeaching him has backfired. Iran has already made good on its threat to retaliate, and the move is now on the US whether to hit back with greater destructive intensity. The eye-for-eye doctrine of the Zionist is much doubted because those hankering for war are following a different parameter that sadly is not understood by Trump. Whatever the US President says now, it is clear that he has backed out from a possible war. Remember, if Trump is surrounded by warmonger, so is Iran with their fanatical ayatollahs. As this column wrote on Facebook the day after the assassination, Trump failed to deflect the issue of impeachment. The US can impose further sanction against Iran, but it should realize that it has lost much of its venom. Other countries are now racing to sell other products they could sell in exchange for oil. As this goes on, the US economy is shrinking, and the US will have to think twice whether to recklessly use the weapon it imposed on Iran. rpkapunan@gmail.com

of the LTFRB to bring down the number of their riders to just 10,000 from the 27,000 riders, it should also address their issue on ownership because this too can be used as a basis to shut them down. Not because they have been allowed to operate the past few months without the issue of their ownership questioned, they feel they gotten away with that crucial concern. They now have to deal with reality.

News

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

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Belmonte says ASF suppressed in QC markets By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday said they were now coordinating with the Department of Agriculture’s National Meat Inspection Service to look into the African swine fever- tainted frozen meat products at two supermarkets here. Belmonte told a news conference she had instructed ASF Task Force action officer Emmanuel Velasco to meet with NMIS officials and inquire into the presence of infected meat products in the market despite NMIS certification. “The source of the ASF did not come from us. We have already contained the ASF virus as early as in November [last year],” she cited. But she was not inclined to sanction the two establishments that acted only in good faith. “We cannot sanction them. Can you call them criminals? No, since they have cooperated well with us in our inspection. They did not hide their tainted products from us. In fact, they were willing to dispose of their inventory,” she said. She raised concern not only into the inspection of pork meat in popular supermarkets but also in small-time Chinese and Korean stores selling meat products, too. “There is a lot of small stores here, such as those of China and Korea. I might have a meeting with them for them to cooperate with us,” she said. Meat products from SM Cherry Supermarket and an unidentified one located on Doña Carmen Avenue in Barangay Commonwealth were found positive of ASF infection. Steven Cua, Amalgamated Supermarket Association president, cited the initiative of Belmonte to reach out to him and his members to be able address the problem of ASF. “Quezon City is the first local government unit to take the effort in meeting with us,” he said. Belmonte said “I am drafting an executive order, and that I will invite them again [for them to see for themselves the content]. If it’s already okay with them, I will sign the EO right in front of them,” she said.

Continued protection of PH area raised By Francisco Tuyay

RMED Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. issued command guidance to the 190,000 military force aimed at enhancing further the operational effectiveness and organizational excellence particularly in protecting the country’s sovereignty.

Santos issued the guidance to ranking military ofﬁcials during the mid-week command conference he presided over since his appointment to the helm of the AFP after President Rodrigo Duterte designated him as the 53rd top military commander. This order is part of his guidance aimed at further enhancing the military’s operational effectiveness and organizational excellence. “Similar to my predecessors, my tenure as

Chief of Staff will be grounded on the realization of the AFP’s vision to be world-class armed forces that are a source of national pride,” Santos said in a statement late Thursday. He called for the continued protection, defense, and security of the country against foreign intrusions, and the extraction and exploitation of natural resources. The AFP chief called for the sustained support to national policy and defense

agenda that aim to develop a credible force and strengthen capabilities on occupied features in the Kalayaan Island Group. Santos also ordered the reinforcement of maritime and air domain awareness particularly in sea lanes of communications, Philippine Defense Area of Operations, and Philippine Air Defense Identiﬁcation Zone. “The AFP shall also continue to monitor developments in the Spratlys particularly the facilities and structures constructed and military hardware and defense systems installed/deployed in these areas,” he added. To achieve this, Santos called for the creation of an intelligence network and communication system for timely reporting of the situation in the West Philippine Sea. He added that AFP troops should support national efforts in territorial waters against illegal ﬁshing, poaching, and island taking/building, and support law enforce-

CHR condemns shooting of Spanish nat’l

SWINE FEVER ISSUE.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (second from right), with Nonong Velasco, ASF action officer, Steven Cua, president of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, and Dr. Ana Maria Cabel, head City Veterinary Department, discuss the effects of African Swine Fever in the market during a news conference Friday at the Quezon City Hall. Manny Palmero

Creation of Court of Appeals divisions pushed by Senator Go By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO HASTEN the disposition of cases and eventually improve the justice system, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go pushes for the creation of more Court of Appeals divisions. Go’s proposed Senate Bill 1253 or the “Act Creating Additional Divisions in the Court of Appeals, Increasing the Number of Court of Appeals Justices from Sixty-Nine to SeventyEight, also seeks for (sic) the appointment of additional justices to help the Judiciary in

providing a more reliable, unbiased and swift delivery of justice in the country. In amending Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, Go’s bill states that from the current 69 Court of Appeals justices, an additional nine more magistrates will be appointed by the President, bringing to 78 the total number of justices. “There is hereby created a Court of Appeals which shall consist of a Presiding Justice and seventy-seven Associate Justices who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines,” Go said.

In his explanatory note, Go said that in order to enforce and protect fundamental rights, “a strong and efﬁcient Judiciary is essential.” The senator also mentioned that the Judiciary must be steadfast in fulﬁlling its role in administering justice. Yet with the current situation the Court of Appeals is facing, such as delays in decisions and resolution of cases because of clogged dockets caused by a great number of cases being handled by current number of justices, the appellate court is in need of restructuring.

Go said that this current dilemma of the Court of Appeals jeopardizes the fulfillment of the court’s mandate resulting to fixing the problem internally instead of addressing it through a legislative act. “These problems cause inevitable delays in deciding and resolving cases, diluting the public’s confidence and trust in the country’s justice system. In this regard, the Court of Appeals, as the country’s foremost appellate court, has been instituting internal measures to alleviate the problem,” the senator emphasized.

Solon: Pass Magna Carta of Commuters By Maricel V. Cruz A LAWMAKER on Friday called on the House of Representatives to pass soonest the bill that codiﬁes the rights of commuters. The proposed Magna Carta of Commuters aims to address the inequality that has arisen from decades of failure to implement proper connectivity in the country, said Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles. “I am appealing to my colleagues. We have just started the new year. Now is a better time than ever to resolve the daily nightmare of our commuters,” said Nograles, vice chairman of the House justice committee. The bill enumerates and upholds the rights of the commuting public. These rights range from public transportation services to safe and accessible infrastructure to clean air during travel

ment against transnational crime. In the area of cyber security, Santos called for improved monitoring, defense, and security of the AFP’s communication facilities and command and control infrastructures by fortifying multiple layers of security. The AFP chief also called for the expansion of existing international military engagements; strategically shape the security agenda, and promote defense and security cooperation through international defense and security engagements and peacekeeping operations. This includes the enhancement of border security using existing cooperative agreements such as the TCA with Malaysia and Indonesia and increases coordinated patrols with other ASEAN militaries to prevent the use of common maritime borders for the transit of terror groups, transport of contrabands, and conduct of other illegal activities. With PNA

and to commuter representation and participation governance. The Magna Carta also calls for a shift from a car-centric public policy and infrastructure to a sustainable transport and mobility policy that provides safe access and mobility to all, promotes economic development while simultaneously preserving the environment and uplifts the commuter, according to Nograles. “This measure aims to set our priorities straight on how spaces are used—users of public transportation, since they comprise the largest number, should be given priority in the use of our roads,” Nograles said. He added that addressing the perennial trafﬁc woes of the country, particularly in urban areas, demanded looking at root causes such as land use policy and correcting the proportion of private and public transportation.

Manila

Standard

(MS-JAN. 11, 2020)

Filipino researchers win 1st place

FILIPINO researchers appear to have dominated space exploration after winning first prize in the sixth Space Mission Idea Contest (MIC6), besting research topics from different countries during the 7th University Space Engineering Consortium-Global (UNISEC-Global) Meeting in Japan. The researchers from DOST-Advanced CLEAN UP DRIVE. Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways Science and Technology Institute (DOSTclean up the trash left by devotees of the Black Nazarene during the procession along ASTI) and University of the Philippines Ayala Bridge in Manila on Thursday. The procession started at the Quirino Grandstand Diliman (UP Diliman) won first place in and wound up at the Quiapo Church. PNA CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK the IVA-replaceable Small Exposed Experiment Platform (iSEEP) category for their entry “Spectrum Monitoring from Space with i-SEEP (SMoSiS) - Capturing and Mapping the Digital Divide from Space through Radio Frequency Spectrum Measurements.” THE Department of National Defense on Friday E.O. including quotas on the deployment limit. The MIC is an avenue for people inIn its IRR, the DND has identified the governterminated the assignment of military personnel terested in space research to introduce serving as protective security escort to civilian of- ment civilian officials/offices allowed to have the creative ideas on payloads for the Interdetail of military personnel serving as military asfices and officials of government. national Space Station (ISS) platform. It The revocation was in consonance with the is- sistant and military administrative assistant. also introduces new possibilities on space Among them are former vice presidents; Joint suance of an Implementing Rules and Regulations exploration research and technologies. based on the Executive Order 98, 2019 signed by United States Military Assistance Group (Jusmag); NaOne of the researchers Dr. Joel JoPresident Rodrigo Duterte and published through tional Coast Watch Council Secretariat; Cabinet Cluster seph S. Marciano Jr., the newly conon Security; Justice and Peace, Office of the President. Department Circular 2 dated Dec. 27, 2019. ferred Director-General of the PhilipIt included the Office of the Presidential AdUnder the new IRR, AFP personnel can no lonpine Space Agency, said that they were ger be detailed to government civilian offices and viser for Military Affairs, Office of the President; going to pursue the research whether National Security Council-Crisis Management officials for protective assignments. they win or not, but their victory was a Instead, military personnel can only be de- Support Secretariat; National Intelligence Coordipleasant surprise and an added bonus for tailed to entitled civilian offices and officials as nating Agency; Office of the Presidential Adviser the whole team, according to an official Aide-de-Camps, military Assistant or Military on the Peace Process. press statement. Other offices were the Housing and Urban DeAdministrative Assistant. “Our expectation was ‘let’s just have “Current protective security assignments of velopment Coordinating Council, Office of the fun explaining this idea to a big audidetailed military personnel will no longer be ex- President; Office of the Special Envoy on Transence’ that this is not your typical science tended and security assignment will now be solely national Crime, Office of the President; Philippine experiment. It’s an experiment for pubCenter on Transnational Crime, Office of the Presiundertaken by the PNP,” the IRR reads. lic good, illuminating the state of this inHowever, the Defense department and the In- dent; Office of the Ombudsman; National Task frastructure and connectivity in sharing terior and Local Government will issue separate Force-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict. it openly,” he added. Francisco Tuyay rules and regulations for the implementation of the

DND terminates military assignments

TODAY

THE Commission on Human Rights on Friday condemned the death of a 32-yearold Spanish national, Diego Bello Lafuente, who was shot dead in an alleged drug operation in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte by police last Jan. 28. “The Commission maintains its position that the self-defense argument against Bello [Lafuente], and all other suspects who have been killed in drug-related encounters with the police, must be brought to the court,” she said. “Under Philippine and international law, police are only allowed to use force as a last resort, and even then, can only do the bare minimum to prevent further loss of life,” she added. The commission backed the demand of the victim’s family and friends for an autopsy to help shed light on the incident, and called on the Philippine National Police to uphold due process and ensure the integrity of all the evidence. “The CHR is open to any collaboration with the Spanish government and is willing to extend any assistance that will aid in delivering justice for Bello’s death,” the CHR head said. She said the agency would conduct its own probe and look into reports that extortion attempt by the police triggered the killing of Bello. “The circumstances surrounding his death call for an independent investigation as police claim that Bello, a so-called highvalue drug dealer, died in self-defense by firing his alleged .45-caliber pistol first against the authorities,” she said. Amidst the continuing rising toll of extrajudicial killings in the country, the fight against illegal drugs has become a convenient cover for some unscrupulous members of the the PNP to commit crimes, such as extortion from business owners and other forms of corruption, the CHR said in a statement. Rio N. Araja

Sports

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Brady vows NFL return next season

Serena donates signed dress to Australian bushfire appeal AUCKLAND, New Zealand—A signed dress worn by Serena Williams at her first tournament of the year is being auctioned off to raise funds for firefighters tackling Australia’s unprecedented bushfire emergency. Williams, who is preparing for this month’s Australian Open at the WTA Auckland Classic, joins a slate of sports stars from around the world who have stumped up memorabilia and cash to help pay for firefighting efforts. “I have so many friends in Australia and it’s just been really tragic all around,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion said on Friday. “I just keep asking every day to people back home or in Australia, what can I do? Is there anything I can do? It’s literally devastating for me and I’m sure a lot of other people feel the same way.” Her outfit, listed as “a bespoke Nike dress made specifically for Serena”, was worn by the American when she beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi in the first round at Auckland. Williams progressed to the tournament’s semi-finals on Friday. Also for sale is a tennis ball signed by Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, as well as a one-hour private training session from Serena’s long-time mentor Patrick Mouratoglou. The auction closes at midday Saturday. Earlier on Friday, Australian cricket legend Shane Warne raised more than Aus$1 million (nearly $700,000) for bushfi re victims by auctioning off the “baggy green” cap he wore through his Test career. It came a day after reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton pledged $500,000 for relief efforts, saying that he had been deeply saddened by reports that over a billion animals had been killed in the fires. AFP

Rianne Malixi (center) and Min Wook Gwon (second from right) hold their trophies as they join, from left: organizing NGAP vice president Pepot Iñigo and director Caloy Coscoluella and Riviera GCC president Florian Concepcion after ruling the National Stroke Play Championship.

Gwon, Malixi rally past rivals to rule stroke play M

IN Wook Gwon and Rianne Malixi squandered big leads under pressure but recovered in the playoff to rally past Japanese Atsushi Ueda and Abby Arevalo, respectively, and crown themselves the National Stroke Play champions at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite yesterday. Just when they thought they had heard the last of their rivals after seizing firm control through 54 holes, Gwon and Malixi found Atsushi and Arevalo back in the hunt with one big shot after another to claw back from seven and three strokes down, respectively. Both, however, failed to cling on after grabbing the lead in the pressure-packed stretch, paving the way for a pair of sudden deaths. But while Gwon, who limped with a 79 in regulation to finish at 295, took just one sudden death hole to frustrate Ueda, who missed clinching it with a last-hole bogey for a 72, Malixi needed three extra holes to finish off Arevalo on a par-bogey result like in the men’s finals, both on No. 1. Malixi and Arevalo, who finished tied at 287 after 73 and 70, respectively, matched

pars in the ﬁrst two playoff holes on Nos. 1 and 18 but after the former dumped her approach shot in the greenside bunker in their third trip in the par-4 opening hole in the day, the latter overshot the green and into deep roughs and missed a par-saving putt from eight feet. In contrast, the 12-year-old Malixi kept her composure and blasted to within six feet and made the putt to snare the victory, becoming the youngest winner in what used to the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship, the kickoff leg of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour. “I’m speechless, but this is memorable win for me, having been able play with the SEA Games gold medalist and other top players and have fun with them,” said Malixi, referring to Arevalo, who formed part of the gold

medal winning squad with individual gold medalist and Lois Kaye Go in the recent SEA Games at Luisita. Arevalo, recalling the form that netted her a victory in the pro Ladies Phl Golf Tour here in 2017, overcame a threestroke deficit right at the front with a 33 as Malixi fumbled with a 37. The San Jose State U product then took the first two holes at the back to go 3-up but yielded the 13th and Malixi tied it up on a birdiebogey exchange on the next. Arevalo dropped by one again with another bogey on No. 16 but parred the last then watched her rival muff her own par bid to force a playoff in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and backed by Cignal, Metro Pacific Investments and Summit Ridge as official hotel. Bernice Ilas also charged back with a 70 to snatch third place at 300 while last year’s champion Go carded a 74 for fourth at 301 followed by Korean Kim Seo Yun (75-303), Junia Gabasa (78-306) and Nicole Abelar and Laurea Duque, who shared seventh place at 308 after 76 and 82, respectively.

Hernandez heroics lift Pampanga over Ecija Vanguards in MPBL ANGELES, Pampanga—Motivated by their raucous crowd here at AUF Gym, ex-proLevi Hernandez put together his best performance in the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season, Thursday night. Hernandez dropped an MPBL careerhigh 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting clip, including four three-pointers, alongside four rebounds and two steals. Most importantly, his performance helped Pampanga gut out an 81-75 conquest of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards. The victory improved the Giant Lanterns record to 16-9, tied for ﬁfth spot with Bataan, and just half-a-game below fourth-place Bulacan. “Sobrang ginanahan talaga ako kasi home court namin ito eh, nanonood ang mga taga Pampanga kaya ginawa ko lang ang best ko para makuha yung panalo,” the former Arellano standout said. It was a long-awaited breakout performance for 25-year-old, who was drafted as the 37th overall pick in the 2016 PBA Draft.

In just the ﬁrst seven minutes of the game, Hernandez had already surpassed his season average of 9.9 points, sparking the Giant Lanterns early onslaught, scoring 11 points in their 19-3 opening blast to start the game. No one was more relieved of his performance than Pampanga head coach Bong Ramos, who made Hernandez as one of his prized recruits during the off-season. “Lagi kong nakikita sa ensayo yung husay ni Levi. Ito yung inaabangan ko, yung maipakita niya sa laro.” The 6-foot-1 shooter, who hails from San Luis, Pampanga, credited his extra training and work ethic for his career game. “Lumabas na yung ineextra work ko lagi sa shooting. Kapag sa practice kasi, kahit hindi pa kami nagsstart, nageextra shooting na ako. Inapply ko lang yun sa laro ko ngayon, thankfully gumana.” In other matchups, Batangas-Tanduay arrested its three-game slide after nipping Iloilo, 65-59, while 1Bataan-Camaya Coast stunned Manila-Frontrow, 77-76.

Levi Hernandez (22) of Pampanga glides to the hoop during 2019-20 Chooks-toGo MPBL Lakan Season game against the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards.

NEW YORK, United States—Six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady he plans to play in the NFL next season at age 43, but where he would play remains a major mystery. In a posting on his Instagram account, Brady looked back on this past campaign with the New England Patriots, which ended with a Saturday home playoff loss to Tennessee, and into his future as a free agent. “In both life and football, failure is inevitable. You don’t always win,” Brady said. “You can, however, learn from that failure, pick yourself up with great enthusiasm, and place yourself in the arena again. And that’s right where you will ﬁnd me. Because I know I still have more to prove.” Brady, who turns 43 next August as NFL teams are in training camp, has won more Super Bowls than any other player over a 20-year career, but his completion rate of 60.8 percent this season was his worst since 2013 and New England’s attack often sputtered in critical games, going scoreless in the second half of the Tennessee loss. The Patriots have not re-signed him for next season, even though Brady has, when healthy, directed the team’s offense under coach Bill Belichick for most of the past two decades. Brady, who has led the Patriots to nine Super Bowls in 18 seasons as a starter, ﬁgures to get a look from several other teams. The Indianapolis Colts, who lost Andrew Luck to retirement in August, went 7-9 under former backup Jacoby Brissett and would be in the market for a veteran leader like Brady. The Los Angeles Chargers have more than $55 million in salary cap space available and could afford a steep asking price for Brady and also spend to bolster the offensive line to better protect him.

Djokovic sends Serbia into ATP Cup semifinals SYDNEY, Australia—Novak Djokovic dropped his first set of the ATP Cup Friday in a titanic struggle with Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, surviving a scare before rallying to guide Serbia into a semifinal against Russia. The world number two was made to work hard in a hot and humid Sydney by the 14th-ranked young gun before prevailing 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4). His impressive teammate Dusan Lajovic, buoyed by a huge contingent of Serbian fans at Ken Rosewall Arena, earlier crushed world number 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2. “This was the closest match I have ever played against Denis. It was so close it could have gone a different way easily,” said Djokovic. “He was playing some terrific tennis and I want to give a huge round of applause and credit to him. Well done.” The win sets up a semi-final against Russia, whose two singles players— world number five Daniil Medvedev and the 17th ranked Karen Khachanov—are unbeaten this season. The other last four clash will see the Nick Kyrgios-led Australia play either Belgium or Rafael Nadal’s Davis Cup-winning Spain, who are on court later Friday. Djokovic faced Shapovalov four times last year and won each match comfortably. But the 20-year-old is fast-improving and had already picked up a pair of top 10 wins against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev at the tournament. AFP

LeBron passes Doncic to lead NBA All-Star vote

LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half of a game against the New York Knicks at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

NEW YORK, United States—ive-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James leaped over Slovenian guard Luka Doncic and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead early fan voting totals for the NBA All-Star Game released Thursday (Friday Philippine time). Los Angeles Lakers star James was more than 53,000 votes behind Dallas star Doncic for the top spot in last week’s ﬁrst early voting results announcement by the league. But new totals show James with 3,359,871 votes to stand 82,001 ahead of Doncic with Greek star Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks third overall and atop the Eastern Conference with 3,259,383 votes. Leaders from the Eastern and Western conferences will be the team captains for the 69th NBA All-Star Game, to be played February 16 at Chicago. Each captain will select from the elected

pool of starters to determine an opening lineup then choose from available reserves, all regardless of conference. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, sidelined more than a month by a right shoulder injury, returned to full practice on Thursday and said he hopes to see NBA action soon. “We just see where we end up in the next few days,” Irving told reporters. “Realistically, we will re-evaluate tomorrow. See how I feel tomorrow. Then go Saturday—probably another practice.” Irving, who signed with Brooklyn in July, has played in just 11 games for the Nets, averaging 28.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists. He said he believed his shoulder trouble began with overuse and gradually got worse. He hasn’t played since November 14, but said a meticulous rehabilitation program had been

boosted by a cortisone injection he received on December 24. Fans votes account for 50 percent of the vote to decide starters. Active NBA players and a media panel each have a 25 percent say in the matter, with voting concluding on January 20 and starters revealed three days later. James, the NBA assists leader with 10.8 a game, sets the pace in the Western Conference frontcourt with Lakers teammate Anthony Davis second on 3,124,446 and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers third on 2,210,539. The Clippers’ Paul George is a distant fourth on 845,719. Doncic paces the West guards on 3,277,870 with NBA scoring leader James Harden of Houston next on 2,167,269 votes for the last backcourt spot and Portland’s Damian Lillard a distant third on 687,855. AFP

Sports

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

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

Paul powers OKC Thunder past Rockets LOS ANGELES, United States— Danilo Gallinari scored a team high 23 points and Chris Paul delivered 18 as the Oklahoma City Thunder spoiled the return of Russell Westbook with a 113-92 rout of the Houston Rockets on Thursday (Friday Philippine time). Paul also dazzled with five assists and four steals and Shai GilgeousAlexander tallied 20 points for the Thunder, who won for the seventh time in eight games. Oklahoma City scored 37 first-quarter points to lead by 16, and the lopsided game was never closer than double figures the rest of the way. Paul said it was refreshing to have a one-sided victory for a change. “We played so many close games it is nice to have a cushion, especially against a team like this,” Paul said. “Because we had a big lead, they had to shoot a lot of threes. We will take the win.” Elsewhere, Josh Richardson scored 29 points and Al Horford stepped in to fill an offensive void as the Philadelphia 76ers shook off the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Boston Celtics 109-98. Ben Simmons tallied 19 points and Horford chipped in with 17 for the Sixers, who have won all three games this season over Boston and improved to 18-2 at home this NBA season. “With Joel out that is a big part of our team, so we had to find another way to win,” said Horford. “We have to hold the fort down till he gets back.” All-star center Embiid will undergo surgery on Friday for a torn ligament in his left ring finger and the club said he would be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. Embiid suffered the injury during Monday’s 120-113 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Embiid left in the first quarter but eventually returned after having two fingers taped together. Kemba Walker scored a team-high 26 points, Marcus Smart added 24 and Jayson Tatum had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who lost three in a row for the first time this season. It was another case of the Celtics giving up a lead and being unable to bounce back. They were coming off a 129-114 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday. AFP

SMB ships vet Nabong to NorthPort SAN Miguel Beer shipped veteran Kelly Nabong, 31, to the NorthPort Batang Pier in exchange for Russel Escoto. The Office of the Commissioner approved the one-on-one swap yesterday, Friday. Nabong, who was acquired by the Beermen from GlobalPort in 2018, was suspended by the team indefinitely after figuring in a scuffle during a team practice late last year. The 6’6” bruiser was averaging 4.1 points and 4.0 rebounds for SMB in the season-ending conference before before getting involved in the melee that also included import Dez Wells and teammates Arwind Santos and Ronald Tubid. This will be Nabong’s third stint with the GlobalPort franchise. Escoto, menwhile had a short stint with the Batang Pier, who acquired the 27-year-old center from Columbian just last August. The former Far Eastern University standout averaged 3.7 points on a 47-percent shooting from deep, on top of 2.4 boards in his one-conference stint with NorthPort.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) scoots past Houston Rockets counterpart James Harden at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. AFP

PSC backs Patafa tracksters By Peter Atencio

EMBERS of the national athletics team will have all the support they need when they try join two qualiﬁers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the next two months. The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association will have the support of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) when these tracksters join two big tournaments this February and March. Female pole vaulter Natalie Uy, sprinter-hurdler Eric Cray, runner Kristina Knott, shot putter Willie Morrison

and newly-added marathoner Christine Hallasgo are joining qualiﬁers with Mary Joy Tabal. Patafa will have Uy, Cray, Knott and Morrison join the Asian Indoor this February in Hangzhou, China and the World Indoors in Nanjing, China. Tabal is training in Japan, and will

seek separate qualiﬁers with Hallasgo when they join other qualifying competitions abroad. The support was ﬁnalized after PSC chairman William Ramirez met with Patafa President, Philip Ella Juico last Thursday. The government sports agency made good on its promise to fully-support national athletes after President Rodrigo Duterte pledged P100 million to fund the foreign exposure of athletes seeking Olympic qualifying slots. “With the President’s commitment to our national athletes, it is more than enough to sustain their foreign trips and

AU Lady Chiefs sweep LPU Lady Pirates TWO veterans got the Arellano University Lady Chiefs’ four-peat bid off to a good start yesterday at the Fil Oil Flying V Centre, San Juan City. Regine Arocha and Mikaela Juanich delivered crucial points for the Lady Chiefs in their 27-25, 25-20, 25-20 three-set sweep of the Lyceum Lady Pirates in their opening game of the NCAA Season 95 women’s volleyball. The come-backing Arocha hit 18 points for the Lady Chiefs, who earned their first win of the season. Her heroics towards the end of a tight first set gave the Lady Chiefs enough momentum to finish off the Lady Pirates in their 88-minute long encounter. The 5-foot-5 Arocha scored three of the game’s last three points in the first set, allowing the Lady Chiefs, to break a 25-all tie with a drop shot. The Lady Chiefs then sustained their momentum in the second set, and took the match point, 25-20, on a net error by Lyceum’s Joan Doguna. They then took a 9-4 edge in the second, courtesy off blocks from Juanich. The Roberto Javier-coached Chiefs then weathered a late rally from the Lady Pirates, and took a 23-15 cushion in the final set off Arocha’s kill. Arocha returned to the team last September following surgery on an injured foot. Javier said the Lady Chiefs’ showing in their first game surprised him.

Defending Champion Arellano U Lady Chiefs celebrate after beating the LPU Lady Pirates 27-25, 25-20, 25-20 in opening game Friday, January 10, 2020 of NCAA Season 95 women’s volleyball tournament. Dennis Abrina

“Nagulat ako. Sa practice, hindi sila kasing galing. Sa laro ngayon, buti na lang ay na-overcome nila ang jitters nila,” said Javier. The Lady Chiefs, who are still far from their peak according to Javier, brace for a showdown with the Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals on Monday. Earlier, Arellano University also won their ﬁ rst matches in the men’s

and junior divisions. The Chiefs, who were led by Jesrael Liberato with 15 points, won over the Lyceum Pirates, 25-22, 25-14, 25-22, in the men’s action. Angelo Lagando also struck with 15 points for the Arellano Junior Chiefs, with turned back Lyceum, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24, 20-25, 15-12, in the junior side. Peter Atencio

QC launches inter-barangay 10-ball tourney THE ﬁrst ever Joy Belmonte Inter-Barangay Amateur 10-Ball Open Billiard Tournament in Quezon City will be launched on February 3, with the aim of discovering a new generation of Filipino cue artists. Representatives from the 142 barangays covering the city’s six districts are expected to see action in the tournament that will last until February 9 under the auspices of Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) chairman Isaac Belmonte. Outside of the P100,000 cash prize and trophy to be given to the winning player, a complete set of billiard table and balls will be donated to the winning barangay as part of the support to its sports program. No less than Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte will lead the opener of the meet, where cash prize of P50,000 plus a trophy also awaits the second placer, P25,000 and trophy to the third placer and

fourth placers, and consolation prizes to the top 32 finishers. A simultaneous double round elimination will be held in each district where the 142 participants are going to be trimmed down to the final 64 players for the knockout phase. Ten-ball is a rotation game very similar to nine-ball, but more difficult, using 10 balls instead of nine, and with the 10 ball instead of the nine as the “money ball.” The popularity of the game has risen in recent years as a result of concerns that nine-ball has suffered as a result of flaws in its fundamental structure (particularly the ease with which players can often make balls from the break). The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Standardized Rules for 10-ball are very similar to those for nine-ball, but with key changes to ensure the difficulty of the game and its marketability as an alternative to nine-ball.

the core team of each Olympic-bound athletes,” said Ramirez. Pole vaulters EJ Obiena, who is already qualified, is now training in Italy. The 24-year-old Obiena is currently ranked no. 14 in the world per latest standings. Obiena was the first qualifier of the country in the 32nd Olympiad when he surpassed the qualifying mark by 5.81 meters during the tournament in Chiara, Italy last September. “Our goal is to sustain this momentum in the Olympics and 2021 in Vietnam. We thank the PSC for its support for our athletes,” said Juico.

Record PPS tennis season underway THE Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala tennis circuit looks set to surpass its 2019 staging in terms of number of events and participation with 40 junior tournaments lined up for the new season spread over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The country’s longest-running, biggest circuit has also scheduled 12 Open championships featuring the country’s leading players while boosting the tour with 16 Legends events and one National Students Open. This year’s edition also includes 30 free grassroots tennis clinics nationwide as part of its continuing effort to develop the sport and discover young talents, especially in the countryside. “The year-long, nationwide circuit will not only keep our age-groupers busy but also keep them away from vices, especially during school breaks, since our program is aimed at instilling the benefits of physical fitness and core values,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. The circuit, backed by official ball Dunlop, PPS-PEPP ProtekTODO Insurance, Mac’s Cranki and MCF Global and supported by local government units (LGUs) of each host city/municipality, actually kicked off the new season with the Fr. Fernando Suarez Cup at Philam Tennis Club in QC last week. Being staged this week is the PPS-PEPP Dinagyang Festival tennis tournament, which got under way Thursday at LaPaz Plaza tennis courts in Iloilo City. Also on tap in the six-day event are the Legends 40s, 50s and 60s. Next up is the PPS-PEPP Governor’s Cup on Jan. 16-21 at the Villareal Stadium in Roxas City. Listup is ongoing with the event also featuring the Open division. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

IN BRIEF

Delay seen in WESM management system

THE Energy Department may defer the implementation of the commercial operations of the new market management system for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, an official said Friday. The DOE is supposed to simultaneously transition the Luzon and Visayas wholesale electricity spot market to the new market management system. The NMMS will pave the start of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in Mindanao. “We won’t be able to go live. We don’t have the approval of the PDM (price determination methodology) yet. [DOE] will issue a statement on the deferral of the commercial operationa of NMMS for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Energy Assistant Secretary Redentor Delola said. The agency had planned to launch WESM Mindanao on January 26. “The standing order of the department is to conduct commercial operations by January 26, 2020. We will actually issue a department circular commencing the operations of WESM. The issues that are pending right now is first the approval of PDM, price determination methodology-pending with the ERC,” Delola said earlier. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business CENTURY PROPERTIES SHARES. Listed

property developer Century Properties Group Inc. marks its follow-on offering of preferred shares with a bell ringing ceremony Friday at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Century Properties successfully raised P3 billion to finance the the expansion of its commercial leasing business. Joining the ceremony are (from left) CPG independent director Carlos Ejercito, CPG director Rafael Yaptinchay, CPG managing director Carlo Antonio, CPG president and chief executive officers Marco Antonio, PSE chairman Jose Pardo, PSE president and CEO Ramon Monzon, PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran and CPG director Ricardo P. Cuerva. Related story on B2.

Shell conducts fuel marking operations

PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. said on Friday it conducted fuel marking operations in its Northern Mindanao Import Facility in Cagayan de Oro City and the Tabangao Refinery in Batangas in 2019. NMIF is the first terminal to implement fuel marking in Mindanao while the refinery is the country’s first refinery to undergo the program. Representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs and the SGS-Sicpa fuel marking consortium were present to witness the event as the global energy company officially marked Shell’s high-quality diesel products on November 26. As of December 1, both the gasoline and diesel import tanks of NMIF’s 90-million-liter capacity were fully marked. Following the rollout in Mindanao, Pilipinas Shell started the fuel marking process at its Tabangao refinery on December 11. Pilipinas Shell is working “doubletime” to install a fully automated injection system in both the NMIF and the refinery.

Rice Tariffication Law an important reform

THE Department of Finance said the Rice Tariffication Law was among the game changing reforms in 2019. The law imposed a farmer protection tariffs on rice imports in lieu of quantitative restrictions. The DoF advocated congressional approval for the law last year. The approval by the Congress and subsequent implementation of the RTL is considered a proud achievement of the Duterte presidency, which was able to effect what Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III described as a “politically difficult” reform, after around 30 years of failed attempts by previous administrations. Analysts believe the steady drop in the retail cost of rice since the RTL took effect in March has helped the Duterte administration pull down headline inflation, which rose to a nine-year high of 6.7 percent in September 2018. Inflation declined to 2.5 percent in December 2019, bringing the full-year average to 2.5 percent, well below the target range of 2-4 percent. Dominguez said in a statement rice tariffication should be viewed as an “opportunity to revolutionize the agriculture sector and help farmers become more competitive in the global economy.” Julito G. Rada

Foreign direct investments up 34% in October NET inflow of foreign direct investments in October jumped 33.7 percent to a six-month high of $672 million from $502 million a year ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday. “This was mainly on account of the expansion in non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments issued by local affiliates by 60 percent to $534 million from $334 million in 2018,” the BSP said in a statement. Net inflows of equity capital, meanwhile, slowed down to $58 million from $98 million in October 2018, following the decline in equity capital placements coupled with the increase in withdrawals. Equity capital infusions during the month came from the United States, South Korea and Japan. These were invested in real estate, financial and insurance and manufacturing. The latest figures brought the net FDI in the first 10 months to $5.8 billion, lower by 32.8 percent from $8.6 billion a year ago. “The lower FDI net inflows reflect subdued investor sentiment due to the continued sluggish global economic activity,” the BSP said. The top country sources of equity capital placements in the 10-month period were Japan, the US, Singapore, China and South Korea. These were invested in financial and insurance, real estate, and manufacturing. The BSP in November revised downward the net FDI projection in 2019 to $6.8 billion from the earlier projection of $9 billion, taking into account the latest global developments. But for 2020, the BSP expects net FDI to reach $8.8 billion. Julito G. Rada

PLDT allocates over P78b for ‘20 capital expenditures By Darwin G. Amojelar

LDT Inc. plans to spend over P78 billion this year to expand its mobile and broadband networks.

PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said capital expenditures for 2020 would be “bigger than 2019, slightly bigger.” PLDT’s programmed capex in 2019 amounted to P78.4 billion, which were allocated for the expansion of PLDT’s fiber broadband service in support of Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links for cellular base stations. The company earlier said it would use the proceeds from the sale of some of its real estate assets as well as shares in Rocket Internet to finance this year’s capex. PLDT expects to raise P5 billion from the sale of Smart Towers along Ayala Avenue in Makati City. Smart Tower is a 36-story office building along Ayala Ave. It is used by Smart Communications as its headquarters. PLDT also owns other properties in Makati, such as the Ramon Cojuangco

PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan

Building along Makati Ave. and the Makati general office along Dela Rosa Street. PLDT holds 1.9 million shares or a 2-percent stake in Rocket Internet valued at about P2.5 billion. The telecom company sold a 4.1-percent stake in the German Internet company worth P10.5 billion in May 2018. PLDT earlier reported a net income of P16 billion in the first nine months of 2019, down 2 percent from the same period in 2018. Core income amounted to P19.4 billion, up 1 percent from 2018, excluding the impact of equity in losses from Voyager and gains from the sale of Rocket

Internet shares. Consolidated service revenues increased 8 percent to P116.3 billion—the highest nine-month revenue ever attained by PLDT, surpassing the previous peak in 2014. The company’s three major business groups—consumer wireless, PLDT Home and PLDT Enterprise—generated P109.4 billion in revenues, up 11 percent from a year earlier and making up 94 percent of total service revenues. Consumer wireless set the pace, climbing 20 percent to P52.6 billion. Data and broadband, representing 66 percent of total service revenues, rose 20 percent to P76.7 billion. Earlier, PLDT Group said it is ready to compete with rivals Globe Telecom Inc. and new player Dito Telecommunity Corp. of Udenna Corp and China Telecom as it expects stiff competition starting this year. “Obviously Globe is not sleeping. We’re also aggressive to make sure we do better than them. Yes, we need to worry about the new telco coming in. Are they gonna be ready next year? I’m not sure. Maybe 2021,” said Smart Communications Inc. president and PLDT chief revenue officer Alfredo Panlilio.

LOWER MERALCO RATES.

Manila Electric Co. announces a P0.41 per kilowatt hour reduction in power rates to welcome the new year. The downward adjustment this month is equivalent to to P82 in total savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh. Meralco public information office head Joe Zaldarriaga (in photo) says the overall rate reduction is primarily due to lower cost of power from Meralco’s Power Supply Agreements.

November trade deficit down 18% to $3.34b as exports, imports fell By Julito G. Rada THE country’s trade deficit in November shrunk 18 percent to $3.34 billion from a gap of $4.07 billion a year ago, as exports and imports fell 0.7 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Friday. Exports declined due to lower shipments of agro-based products, petroleum products and the flat growth in manufactured items, while imports decreased because of lower inward shipments of unprocessed and semiprocessed raw materials, including manufactured goods. The November data brought the trade deficit in the first 11 months to $34.59 billion, down significantly from the

$39.36-billion gap a year ago. The country’s total external trade in November amounted to $14.54 billion, down 5.3 percent from $15.35 billion in the same month of the previous year. Of the total external trade, $5.60 billion (38.5 percent) were exported goods and $8.94 billion (61.5 percent) were imported goods. The country’s export sales in November stood at $5.60 billion, down 0.7 percent from $5.64 billion in November 2018. “This was due to the double-digit decrements in the export sales of three of the top 10 major export commodities, namely ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships (-23.7 percent); machinery

and transport equipment (-21.7 percent); and electronic equipment and parts (-20.5 percent),” the PSA said. Total imported goods in November contracted 8 percent from $9.71 billion in November 2018 to $8.94 billion. The reduction was due to the decrease of eight of the top 10 major import commodities. These were mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (-34.9 percent); cereals and cereal preparations (-31.1 percent); iron and steel (-29.8 percent); electronic products (-5.8 percent); other food and live animals (-3.7 percent); plastics in primary and non-primary forms (-3.4 percent); industrial machinery and equipment (-3.2 percent); and transport equipment (-0.1 percent).

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

Aboitiz Equity raising $400m from issuance of debt notes By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. is raising $400 million from the issuance of 10-year unsecured notes with a fixed coupon rate of 4.2 percent. AEV said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday the notes, to be issued by wholly-owned unit AEV International Pte. Ltd., would be listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. “The notes are unrated, have a fixed coupon rate of 4.2 percent payable semi-annually, and are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by AEV as the guarantor,” the company said. The settlement of the notes is set on January 16. The company plans to use proceeds from the offering to reimburse the funds it obtained to finance the Gold Coin Group acquisition, and fund proposed offshore investments and general corporate activites. Prior to the finalizing the terms of the notes, AEV conducted investors’ meetings and conference calls in HongKong, Singapore and London to weigh the market appetite. It tapped The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) and Standard Chartered Bank as joint global coordinators and DBS Bank Ltd., HSBC, Mizuho Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., MUFG Securities Asia (Singapore) Limited and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers and joint book-runners of the offering. AEV in November reported plans to issue up to P10 billion in fixed rate bonds in the first half of 2020. The P10-billion bond offering represents the second tranche from a P30billion bond shelf registration program earlier approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission. AEV chief finance officer Manuel Lozano said the company would use net proceeds from the offering to fund infrastructure and food expansion projects and and the construction of common telecommunications towers.

Angkas obtains restraining order against LTFRB APP-BASED motorcycle taxi service provider Angkas secured a 20-day injunction from the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against the riders cap imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board that limited the number of its bikers to 10,000 in Manila and 3,000 in Cebu. The QC RTC Branch 223 issued a temporary restraining order enjoining the LTFRB from implementing the riders cap for a period of 20 days, citing “irreparable injury that would be suffered by the bikers if the number of bikers is limited to 30,000 in Metro Manila and 9,000 for Metro Cebu, to be divided equally among the providers, is not restrained and considering the urgency of the situation.” The Technical Working Group of the LTFRB, which was overseeing the implementation of the pilot program for motorcyle taxis, issued on December 19 the revised guidelines practically slashing the number of the 27,000 Angkas bikers to 10,000 in Metro Manila. This was met with uproar by netizens and commuters who have come to rely on Angkas for their daily commute. The QC TRO also affirmed the stand that several congressmen as well as the Philippine Competition Committee took in previous weeks. In an earlier statement, House Committee on Transportation chair Edgar Sarmiento aired his concern about the suspension of motorcycle taxi services. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, earlier slammed the LTFRB for its arbitrary decision to drastically reduce the number of bikers of the ride-hailing firm Angkas, calling it an anti-consumer and anti-competitive behavior. PCC had said that forcing Angkas to displace 17,000 riders would take away what was rightfully obtained by the company. A Mandaluyong court on Jan. 6, 2020 issued a 72-hour temporary restraining order in favor of Angkas, temporarily barring the DOTr and the LTFRB from implementing a rider cap of 30,000 for Metro Manila and 9,000 in Metro Cebu.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market declines; JG Summit slips S TOCKS retreated Monday in mixed trading, ignoring the rally in Wall Street overnight and reduced US-Iran tensions.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index declined 20.87 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,776.77 on a value turnover of P6.8 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 101 to 89, with 47 issues unchanged. JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group fell 2.8 percent to P77.05, while unit Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, also dropped 2.8 percent to P140.30. Philippine Seven Corp., the local franchise holder of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, advanced 5.3 percent to P140, while electronics firm Cirtek Holdings Philippine Corp. rose 4 percent to P7.49. Most Asian markets rose Friday

but investors were struggling to maintain a rally triggered by easing US-Iran tensions the previous day as focus turned back to the global economic outlook. The toning down of rhetoric from Donald Trump and Tehran following an Iranian missile attack on US assets in Iraq soothed concerns about a possible conflict in the Middle East and lit a fire under global equities on Thursday. That has allowed dealers to resume their buying spree that had characterized business for the past few weeks, cheered by China and the United States reaching a trade deal, central banks easing monetary policy and data pointing to an improved global outlook. “Even though we are hitting close to or near all-time highs, we still feel pretty excited about this market,” Invesco strategist Timothy Horsburgh told Bloomberg TV. “What we’ve seen over the past

couple of days with some of this relief rally, this is indicative of a market that’s wanted to go higher for a while now as a result of better fundamentals and a little bit of optimism around reaccelerating growth here in the US.” Wall Street’s three main indexes racked up fresh records and Asia broadly followed suit, though the gains were light. Tokyo ended 0.5 percent up, Seoul added 0.9 percent and Sydney jumped 0.8 percent, while Singapore put on 0.2 percent, Taipei jumped 0.5 percent and Mumbai climbed 0.7 percent. Wellington, Bangkok and Jakarta also rose. But Shanghai dropped 0.1 percent. There appeared to be little negative market reaction to claims by Canada that Iran shot down an airliner in Tehran this week, killing 176 people. Investors are now looking to the release later in the day of US jobs figures for a better idea about the state of the

world’s top economy, while next week sees China and the US put pen to paper on their mini trade deal. The “critical payroll data comes as a most welcome distraction and will provide an essential update on the pace of US job gains,” said Stephen Innes at AxiTrader. “With US economic growth mostly dependent on the consumer, a healthy labour market is crucial to any constructive ‘risk-on’ narrative.” “With the market backdrop remaining supportive–-namely, improving macro, central bank easing, and receding... risk around trade, Brexit, and the Middle East, the path of least resistance remains up.” Oil prices dipped, with the sharp gains enjoyed in the wake of the US assassination of Iran’s top general last week being wiped out. The commodity is now below levels seen before the killing early last Friday. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Friday, January 10, 2020

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 53.75 2,000 86.5 1,373,480 2.11 37,000 153 1,865,900 25 210,900 8.48 400 18.48 200 11.86 220,900 3.82 15,000 7 20,000 1.2 42,000 860 210 0.36 140,000 67 983,510 0.82 46,000 12.2 25,000 20 20,000 33.85 496,300 175 280 57.1 1,180 22.75 20,300 186 548,660 1,855 30 58.1 17,600 1.07 63,000

107,500 118,622,089.50 76,710 284,486,903 5,236,485 2,940 3,696 2,633,192 57,220 140,000 50,310 179,800 49,600 65,424,719.50 37,500 304,100 406,910 16865145 49,000 67,467.50 461,825 101,913,996 55,650 1,027,593.50 67,930

-12,600,570 -30,074,147 5,000 -1,200,944 36,498,748 -9373370.0001 -327,600 -38,059,498 -394,387.50 -

34 2.35 12.5 0.55 1.22 3.06 0.241 1.68 15.1 165.5 7.32 32 71 2.12 5.01 9.05 14 9.01 7.21 1.59 22.2 66 1.43 37 1.93 13.8 8 1.25 203.8 3.2 6.5 10.06 11.3 14.82 301 0.17 5.38 1.92 4.02 9.85 11.7 32.8 4.7 5.24 2.08 1.76 0.98 9.22 79.45 8.75 0.118 139.1 1.17 0.92

INDUSTRIAL 34.25 1,265,600 2.35 1,749,000 12.98 1,028,700 0.56 669,000 1.32 4,114,000 3.06 3,788,000 0.245 170,000 1.68 18,975,000 15.24 117,200 165.5 100 7.49 14,438,200 32.4 1,500 71 290 2.16 126,000 5.2 10,900 9.2 1,040,700 14.02 514,600 9.07 672,100 7.22 793,400 1.59 2,000 22.35 1,375,500 66.05 195,640 1.45 20,963,000 38 12,600 2.02 23,008,000 13.9 35,100 8.1 445,400 1.3 287,000 206.6 304,320 3.4 6,000 6.8 72,700 10.2 7,869,000 11.36 12,400 14.82 514,500 308 173,080 0.17 150,000 5.38 2,000 1.92 3,691,000 4.04 1,382,000 10 3,700 11.98 34,000 33.4 173,000 4.7 350,000 5.28 19,000 2.09 632,000 1.76 6,000 0.98 205,000 9.3 278,900 79.5 140,750 8.8 318,100 0.12 420,000 140.3 1,588,100 1.25 19,333,000 0.95 1,669,000

43,306,545 4,147,530 12,965,158 371,320 5,385,720 11,840,050 41,280 32,617,840 1,795,140 16,550 109,971,596 48,445 20,608.50 271,090 57,049 9,514,213 7,234,352 6,092,295 5,728,322 3,180 30,915,970 12937717.5 30,546,090 476,235 46,036,990 485,880 3,590,321 361,430 62,671,880 19,940 486,759 80,451,732 141,184 7,671,466 52,674,228 25,500 10,760 7,109,750 5,597,710 36,460 405,052 5,757,945 1,659,400 100,008 1,343,690 10,560 203,730 2,600,237 11,233,840.50 2,800,236 50,160 222,980,923 23,828,650 1,593,760

-19,138,960 -751,150 -7,344,600 5,500 -1,410,100 -501,760 -623,980 436,214 342,068 4,454,292 -6,887,952 -6,036,321 -972,461 -7,069,155 -1048172.4999 167,310 24,130 -2,853,590 54,500 -1,124,586 -14,294,550 -34,124 -4,669,236 -27,292 -4,555,076 -7,261,176 -25,500 -2,395,860 -921,110 -17,864 387,740 -547,200 -44,278 9,900 -1,050,650 1,024,106.50 -25,636 -12,000 -102,936,409 25,050 -

65,966,780 29,554,767 28,193,546 341,150 1,018,626 758,000 147,480 111,573,225 2,011,690 1,412,707 58,203,995 1,683,180 294,550,445 4,923 173,330,200 140,185 14,765 4,204,070 18,094,714 686,740 99,100,240 585,870 265,740 33,010 54,029,983 22,010 1,119,413,710 84,820 130,750 4,164 14,200 66,080

1,106,130 1,350,488 -11,836,038 -20 93,880 -13,451,810 -27,740 -566,393 -10,587,513 -158,234,815 -14,345,947 -959,080 3,128,566 -16,332,290 -2,858,775 848,550,765 15,200 -

6,548,130 707,650 1,760 1,003,560 390,873,035 213,530 468,670 384,635 17,375,680 41,430 1,840 104,600 1,522,535 16,253,920 16,800 20,918,770 32,760 61,023,740 19,677,920 29,150 1,819,950

-247,152 1,760 8,100 -113,339,125 -98,000 38,020 -1,209,180 -1,065,155 -3,737,676 -11,720,180 -20,028,550 -189,650 -934,800

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

53.75 85 2.05 152.8 25 6.22 18.48 11.96 3.8 7 1.18 850 0.345 65.9 0.78 12.02 20.45 34.95 175 57.4 22.75 187 1,855 58.05 1.08

53.75 87 2.11 154.5 25.05 8.48 18.48 11.98 3.82 7 1.2 860 0.36 67 0.83 12.2 20.45 34.95 175 57.4 22.75 188 1,855 58.65 1.08

53.75 85 2 151 24.8 6.22 18.48 11.86 3.8 7 1.18 850 0.345 65.35 0.78 12.02 20 33.7 175 57.05 22.75 185 1,855 58.05 1.07

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

34.4 2.41 13 0.56 1.23 3.12 0.245 1.73 15.48 165.5 7.5 32 72.85 2.12 5.3 9.1 14.1 9.1 7.24 1.59 22.35 67.95 1.47 38 1.93 13.8 8 1.28 208 3.44 6.5 10.54 11.48 15.3 303.6 0.17 5.38 1.92 4.11 9.85 11.7 33.6 4.84 5.28 2.1 1.76 0.99 9.27 80 8.88 0.118 142.5 1.17 0.92

34.4 2.42 13 0.56 1.37 3.23 0.245 1.79 15.48 165.5 7.9 32.4 72.85 2.16 5.3 9.21 14.1 9.1 7.24 1.59 22.85 67.95 1.49 38 2.03 13.9 8.25 1.3 211 3.44 7 10.6 11.5 15.4 308 0.17 5.38 1.93 4.11 10 11.98 33.6 4.84 5.3 2.18 1.76 1.02 9.6 80.5 8.88 0.12 143 1.25 0.98

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

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

0.31 2.19 27.5 2.1 3.25 42 2.36 1.6 7.46 5.7

0.31 2.19 27.5 2.14 3.25 42.4 2.47 1.7 7.54 5.84

0.31 2.13 26.85 2.09 3.24 41.65 2.34 1.54 7.46 5.7

0.31 2.16 27.15 2.09 3.24 42 2.47 1.65 7.53 5.84

10,000 269,000 3,091,500 44,000 5,000 16,715,800 2,270,000 26,732,000 10,273,200 149,300

3,100 578,790 83,619,285 93,270 16,210 700,334,770 5,351,270 43,383,320 77,339,886 865,766

-60,124,225 373,755,490 247,800 449,700 -25,107,777 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

9.62 19.4 1.36 11.58 0.405 0.046 18.3 3.26 10.4 87.3 5.25 4.71 1.8 8.4 2,030 5.45 10.4 1.35 135 7.8 0.103 3.75 13.96 2.58 15.1 3.24 2.11 2.43 2.4 7.8 140 2.52 1,090 0.58 0.35 40.2 79.1 9.12 2.64 0.61 0.27 0.62 18.46

9.8 19.4 1.36 11.6 0.405 0.046 18.5 3.37 10.78 87.5 5.38 5 2.01 8.85 2,030 5.5 11.98 1.4 135 7.8 0.103 3.78 13.98 2.58 15.12 3.24 2.15 2.53 2.4 7.8 140 2.7 1,092 0.6 0.355 40.2 79.5 9.43 2.68 0.63 0.29 0.63 18.48

9.62 18.5 1.35 11.5 0.4 0.046 18.3 3.26 10.4 86.55 5.25 4.71 1.8 8.4 1,980 5.45 10.4 1.33 131.3 7.3 0.102 3.7 13.92 2.42 14.12 3.23 2.11 2.42 2.4 7.5 133 2.52 1,072 0.58 0.34 39.7 79 9.08 2.63 0.6 0.255 0.61 17.98

SERVICES 9.65 18.5 1.35 11.52 0.405 0.046 18.5 3.26 10.6 86.55 5.32 5 2.01 8.75 1,980 5.45 11.98 1.34 132.5 7.3 0.102 3.73 13.94 2.47 14.18 3.23 2.12 2.48 2.4 7.5 140 2.58 1,090 0.59 0.34 39.7 79.5 9.08 2.66 0.61 0.28 0.62 18.2

6,900 124,200 16,000 1,331,900 800,000 4,200,000 10,600 583,000 3,477,300 214,280 419,100 2,500 2,000 8,400 119,775 56,200 4,300 3,808,000 1,380,950 4,000 290,000 1,678,000 3,300 142,000 2,407,100 108,000 818,000 1,102,000 40,000 4,900 1,069,830 645,000 85,995 4,359,000 6,260,000 250,500 384,820 49,300 3,548,000 1,963,000 23,630,000 405,000 1,100,800

66,918 2,317,762 21,650 15,348,010 321,250 193,200 195,580 1,926,410 36,786,384 18,631,341 2,224,286 12,355 3,810 72,203 239,202,075 306,979 46,570 5,179,140 182,883,342 30,200 29,770 6,269,160 46,110 353,530 34,877,038 349,260 1,736,240 2,739,260 96,000 37,830 149,766,686 1,685,330 93,467,380 2581440 2,157,500 9,976,380 30569916 449,841 9,415,990 1,199,020 6,538,200 251,020 20,056,454

-4,682,506 -200,000 195,580 -8,934,218 -6,992,451 -28,540 -12,111,250 146,600 20,715,321 14,600 -101,670 -173,490 -16,547,980 -1,084,290 15,360 -24,000 -200,550 -2,650 1,219,595 -1644689.9997 -3,500 -1,887,675 22473917.4999 4,505,310 -948,540 105,000 110,616

ABRA MINING ACE ENEXOR APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0015 10.18 1.08 2.5 10.94 1.16 3 0.27 7.28 1.69 0.2 0.099 0.0085 0.86 3.3 1.02 0.72 0.011 0.01 3.25 10.32 22.1 0.0055

0.0015 10.18 1.09 2.5 10.94 1.16 3.02 0.27 7.49 1.69 0.203 0.101 0.0085 0.91 3.3 1.02 0.75 0.011 0.011 3.31 10.7 22.1 0.006

0.0014 9.57 1.06 2.46 10.9 1.16 2.95 0.27 7.07 1.63 0.196 0.098 0.0085 0.86 3.11 1 0.69 0.01 0.01 3.18 10.2 21.8 0.0055

MINING & OIL 0.0014 379,000,000 9.58 658,000 1.09 468,000 2.5 448,000 10.9 1,000 1.16 10,000 3 1,041,000 0.27 130,000 7.13 75,900 1.63 3,350,000 0.199 370,000 0.1 1,790,000 0.0085 4,000,000 0.9 514,000 3.11 18,036,000 1.02 183,000 0.75 320,000 0.011 102,100,000 0.011 22,200,000 3.2 634,000 10.22 1,896,300 22 379,200 0.006 4,000,000

562,700 6,454,408 503,790 1,116,280 10,904 11,600 3,102,510 35,100 539,512 5,504,460 73,470 178,280 34,000 461,550 57,465,170 183,060 226,490 1,057,200 239,400 2,030,860 19,600,808 8,338,365 22,900

-30,250 -27,250 -1,098,820 72,480 -2,003,370 -24,831,680 -23,040 -238,390 -1,605,156 1,126,570 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

18.5 501 500 102 100.8 104.1 505 989 99 101 1,027 1,043 1,027 1.36 998.5 77.05 75 74.95 76.5 75.3 75.1 76

18.5 507 500 102 100.8 104.1 505 990 99.75 101 1,050 1,050 1,030 1.36 999 77.05 75 74.95 76.8 75.3 76.5 76

17.06 501 500 100 100.5 103.7 505 989 99 101 1,026 1,043 1,027 1.36 995 76.75 75 74.9 76.5 75.1 75.1 76

PREFERRED 17.9 120,200 501 10,720 500 30 100 34,350 100.5 25,800 103.7 970 505 50 990 500 99.75 25,010 101 8,960 1,050 3,790 1,050 1,070 1,029 685 1.36 4,000 995 4,540 76.8 32,640 75 2,700 74.9 430 76.5 37,100 75.1 14,200 76.5 22,800 76 30

2152956 5,370,780 15,000 3,477,603 2,593,452 100,680 25,250 494,990 2,475,997.50 904,960 3,950,645 1,123,070 705,100 5,440 4,529,000 2,507,211.50 202,500 32,212.50 2,838,750 1,068,420 1,712,874 2,280

-133052.0001 -10,000 -1,062,425 -32,212.50 -

LR WARRANT

1.26

1.25

WARRANTS 1.25 36,000

45,240

1,362,430 1,722,342 7,688,440

-2,060 -30,000

260,096

17,400

20,000 285

NAME

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

0.97 51.8 11.26 0.69 11.48 0.89 0.92 791.5 2.95 6.57 7.06 13.3 819 5.47 79.05 6.07 0.5 3.86 11.96 0.59 3.77 4.24 1.24 2.73 160 2.21 1,067 0.77 185 202.6 0.202 0.202

0.97 52 11.26 0.7 12.52 0.93 0.95 795 2.99 6.6 7.15 13.4 824.5 5.47 79.05 6.64 0.5 3.86 11.96 0.64 3.77 4.88 1.24 2.98 161.5 2.21 1,080 0.79 194 213.8 0.203 0.202

0.91 51.55 11.04 0.67 11.38 0.89 0.92 785.5 2.92 6.53 6.97 13 795 5.47 76.95 6.07 0.49 3.82 11.4 0.59 3.65 4.21 1.18 2.73 158.5 2.2 1,060 0.75 185 202.6 0.202 0.195

HOLDING FIRMS 69,502,000 0.92 52 569,830 11.18 2,530,000 0.69 508,000 11.8 86,000 0.93 829,000 0.95 158,000 795 140,940 2.92 681,000 6.59 215,500 7.07 8,242,200 13.16 128,800 795 367,740 5.47 900 77.05 2,242,160 6.64 21,500 0.5 30,000 3.83 1,097,000 11.4 1,550,000 0.6 1,131,000 3.74 26,681,000 4.7 127,000 1.24 222,000 2.73 12,000 158.5 339,660 2.2 10,000 1,079 1,053,270 0.79 110,000 192 700 213.8 20 0.203 70,000 0.198 330,000

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

14.76 0.72 8.8 0.84 45 2 4.79 6.8 0.53 0.83 0.184 0.405 9.41 18.42 0.42 1.53 1.17 4.27 0.214 0.415 1.17

14.8 0.74 8.8 0.84 45.05 2 4.8 6.8 0.56 0.85 0.184 0.41 9.41 19.2 0.42 1.55 1.17 4.27 0.236 0.42 1.2

14.7 0.72 8.8 0.8 44.1 1.99 4.76 6.2 0.53 0.82 0.184 0.4 9.22 18.26 0.42 1.52 1.17 4.21 0.211 0.415 1.16

PROPERTY 14.7 444,400 0.74 972,000 8.8 200 0.82 1,234,000 44.35 8,807,500 1.99 107,000 4.76 98,000 6.7 59,800 0.56 31,636,000 0.82 50,000 0.184 10,000 0.41 260,000 9.22 163,500 18.4 872,900 0.42 40,000 1.53 13,667,000 1.17 28,000 4.25 14,405,000 0.23 85,940,000 0.415 70,000 1.2 1,524,000

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

4.06 10.2 0.82

4.2 10.38 0.88

4 10.04 0.81

FIRST METRO ETF

116.3

115.8

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10 0.95

Trading Summary FINANCIAL

SHARES 8,890,384

INDUSTRIAL

135,551,696

HOLDING FIRMS

119,923,820

PROPERTY

222,942,478

SERVICES

72,939,675

MINING & OIL

541,613,170

GRAND TOTAL

1,111,369,247

SME

4.02 10.34 0.87

335,000 167,700 8,997,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116.3 2,240 10 0.95

DDS

2,000 300

VALUE 1,827.52 (UP) 16.61 976,977,569.62 FINANCIAL 9,364.48 (DOWN) 54.07 INDUSTRIAL 932,255,944.475 7,635.45 (DOWN) 31.13 HOLDING FIRMS 2,211,603,397.98 PROPERTY 4,112.34 (DOWN) 27.36 1,555.66 (DOWN) 5.11 SERVICES 1,579,859,189.122 8,107.64 (DOWN) 142.41 MINING & OIL 981,935,118.11 7,776.77 (DOWN) 20.87 PSEI 107,760,495.55 All Shares Index 4,605.17 (DOWN) 7.66 6,801,443,306.51 Gainers: 101; Losers: 89; Unchanged: 47; Total: 237

Century allots P30b for capital expenditures in next three years By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Properties Group Inc. plans to spend P30 billion over the next three years, mainly to build more leasing and residential projects. CPG president and chief executive Marco Antonio, at the sidelines Thursday of the listing of the company’s P3-billion preferred shares with the Philippine Stock Exchange, said the company would introduce a new residential brand this year to offer affordable condominium units priced between P3 million and P5 million. Antonio said the new value-oriented residential brand would be mid-rise condominium buildings within the boundaries of central business districts. The company is also set to complete two commercial leasing projects this year, namely the Century Diamond Tower in Century City and Novotel Hotel in Mandaluyong City. These will double company’s leasing portfolio of 120,000 square meters of leasable space. Antonio said the company would continue to build commercial leasing assets to improve the share of the rental business to 30 percent of the total net income from the current five percent. It identified its land bank in Mandaluyong, Pampanga, Makati and other areas in Metro Manila for future developments of office and commercial projects. For the affordable housing business under PHirst Park Homes, CPG plans to launch three to four new projects this year as demand remains robust. Meanwhile, Antonio said the P3 billion in preferred shares, the company’s largest equity transaction to date, were two times oversubscribed over the P2 billion base issue size, allowing the company to fully exercise a P1-billion oversubscription option. “We are very happy with the overwhelming market reception to CPG’s first fundraising exercise in the equity capital markets since 2011. This is a strong vote of confidence in the direction that the management has taken to drive growth for the company, supported by concrete results so far delivered through our positive financial performance over the past several quarters,” Antonio said.

Filinvest approves sale of fixed-rate bonds worth P15b FILINVEST Development Corp. plans to raise up to P15 billion from the issuance of fixed rate bonds. FDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday its board approved the issuance of up to P8 billion in bonds with an oversubscription option P7 billion. The bonds will registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. FDC said the board also authorized the management of the company to finalize the terms of the offering, including the tenor and interest rates of the bonds, and the underwriters. The company did not say how it plans to use the proceeds from the planned bond offering. FDC is the listed holding company of the Gotianun Group with investments in real estate, hotels, financial services, sugar, infrastructure and power generation businesses. A Filinvest-led consortium on Wednesday acquired a 19.2-hectare reclaimed land in South Road Properties (SRP) Cebu City for P6.7 billion. The consortium of Filinvest companies and Sytengco-owned firms signed a deed of absolute sale with the Cebu City government to purchase the property. The group plans to develop the property into mixed-use development with residential, office commercial and retail components. FDC is also focused on boosting its infrastructure business. In January 2019, North Luzon Airport Consortium, comprising of FDC, JG Summit Holdings Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. and Changi Airport Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International, was awarded the operations and maintenance contract of the Clark International Airport. The consortium has committed to pour in about P6 billion to fit out the new terminal with a capacity that can serve eight million passengers a year, doubling the current rate of the terminal. Jenniffer B. Austria

World IN BRIEF Hong Kong sees surge in depression HONG KONG―Nearly one in three adults in Hong Kong reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder during months of often violent social unrest in the city, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal Friday. And around one in 10 had symptoms of probable depression, figures comparable to those seen in areas of armed conflict or following terrorist attacks, the decadelong study led by researchers from the University of Hong Kong found. Prevalence of PTSD symptoms was six times higher than after the last major prodemocracy “Occupy” protests in 2014, rising from about five percent in March 2015 to almost 32 percent in SeptemberNovember 2019. The increase corresponds to an additional 1·9 million adults with PTSD symptoms in the city of 7.4 million. Up to 11 percent of adults reported symptoms of depression, from around two percent before the Occupy protests, and 6.5 percent in 2017, the study estimated. “One in five adults now reports probable depression or suspected PTSD, which is comparable to those experiencing armed conflicts, large-scale disasters, or terrorist attacks,” the study said. AFP

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Taiwan rivals in final election push T AIPEI―Taiwan’s presidential rivals will hold mass rallies on Friday in a final push to convince voters ahead of a closely watched election that looks set to infuriate China and send ripples far beyond its borders.

Some 19 million people are eligible to vote on Saturday to choose between two leaders with very different visions for Taiwan’s future—in particular how close the self-ruled island should tack to its giant neighbor. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day retake the island, by force if necessary.

But China is also Taiwan’s largest trade partner. President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking a second term, has pitched herself as a defender of Taiwan’s liberal values against the increasingly authoritarian shadow cast by Beijing under President Xi Jinping. “Choosing Tsai Ing-wen... means we choose our future and choose to stand

with democracy and stand with freedom,” Tsai, 63, told reporters on Friday during a campaign stop. Her main competitor Han Kuo-yu, 62, favors much warmer ties with China―saying it would boost the island’s fortunes―and accuses the current administration of needlessly antagonizing Beijing. “We want change, we want to rediscover happiness, prosperity and pride for Taiwanese people,” Han told a huge rally in the capital on Thursday night, the crowd in front a sea of swaying red and blue national flags.

Australian farmers vow to recover from tragedy

FIRE RETARDANT. A plane drops fire retardant to protect a property during an operation to douse bushfires in Penrose, in Australia's New South Wales state, on January 10, 2020. AFP

Vigils for plane crash victims TORONTO―Hundreds of mourners held a candle-light vigil Thursday night in Toronto to remember 176 people killed when a Ukraine-bound plane crashed in Iran. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said multiple intelligence sources indicate that Iran shot down the Ukrainian airliner built by Boeing, although he conceded it may have been unintentional. The dead included 63 Canadians and many others headed for Canada. At the vigil, people in Toronto― which has a large Iranian community― expressed anger and sadness over the tragedy. “Somebody has to answer us back why this happened. They were innocent people who died,” said one of those at the ceremony, Yasmin Roshan, age 43. Roshan, who came with his nine year old daughter, said he lost two friends in the crash. He said he blamed US President Donald Trump, who last Friday ordered the killing of a top Iranian general in Iraq, sending tensions between Washington and Tehran soaring. Iran retaliated Wednesday by firing a barrage of ballistic missiles at Iraqi military bases housing US troops. The airliner went down just hours later. “They are all gone and we don’t know why. It’s the right of the community and everybody to know what happened exactly,” said a 55-year-old man who gave his name as Sam. AFP

US to join Iran crash probe NEW YORK―The US National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it will join the probe into the Ukrainian Boeing airliner which went down in Iran. In a statement posted on its Twitter account, the agency said it had “received formal notification” from Iran of the crash which occurred on Wednesday. The plane, a US-made Boeing 737, went down minutes after takeoff from Tehran, and shortly after Iran had fired missiles at military bases in Iraq housing US troops. “The NTSB has designated an accredited representative to the investigation of the crash,” said the US agency which probes transport accidents. “The NTSB continues to monitor the situation surrounding the crash and evaluate its level of participation in the investigation,” which will be led by Iran, the statement said. “As with any investigation in which the NTSB is involved, the agency will not speculate about the cause of the crash.” AFP

Dispatches from the wettest place on earth MEGHALAYA, India―Every drop of rain water trickling down Tyllod Khongwir’s rusty tin roof and into her house is collected―even though she lives in one of the wettest places on earth. The widowed mother-of-eight lives in Meghalaya, a remote state in India’s northeast, where heavy rainfall no longer equates to an abundance of water. It was not always like this. “We had plenty of water throughout the year earlier because there were a lot of natural springs and it rained so much,” Khongwir recalls. “Now we collect whatever we can when it rains and save it for later,” she says. Today the natural springs and aquifers of the area are dwindling―so residents must save what they can, when they can, and by whatever means they can. Meghalaya is India in microcosm, a stark example of its dual conundrum of having both too much and too little water. Climate change is bringing erratic weather―flood and drought, sometimes in the same area.

Both candidates are planning final mass rallies on Friday night as they try to mop up swing voters for both the presidency and the unicameral parliament. Taiwan bans the publishing polls within 10 days of elections but Tsai has led comfortably throughout the campaign. Her party currently has a parliamentary majority, which analysts expect them to retain. “It would take a huge shift from the final polls for Han to win,” said Shelley Rigger, a Taiwan expert at North Carolina’s Davidson College. AFP

Scientists say the monsoons now bring less rain in total, while the demand for water increases as the population, economy, and industry grows. The rains come in increasingly violent deluges, but with little storage options, most of the rain is lost as run-off. Last July, nearly a thousand people were killed as floods swept through the eastern Indian states of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, as well as in neighboring Nepal and Bangladesh. At the same time large swathes of southern and western India faced severe drought. Chennai officials declared it had reached ‘Day Zero’ as the taps ran dry: special water trucks were brought in, while residents were forced to queue for handouts or deal with escalating prices from black market gangs. Some 163 million people in India, which is set to become the world’s most populous nation in the next eight years, live without access to clean water according to WaterAid, and the situation is set to deteriorate. A report by the World Resources Institute warned the nation is facing extremely high water stress, putting the health of hundreds of millions, as well

as national development, at risk. “Even small dry shocks—which are set to increase due to climate change— can produce dire consequences,” the think-tank said in a report released last year. Deforestation and rapid unplanned urbanization have compounded India’s woes, with floods becoming massive and drought persisting for longer periods. “The destruction of forests affects weather patterns locally and globally both in the short and long term,” said Harjeet Singh, the global lead on climate change at ActionAid International. “Forests absorb heat-trapping carbon dioxide, helping to stabilise the planet’s climate. So deforestation means that more greenhouse gases are left in the atmosphere, heating up and disrupting the earth’s weather patterns.” Meghalaya is among the greenest states in India but it has rapidly lost its rich rainforests over the last few decades. According to the Global Forest Watch, the state has seen a 10 percent decrease in tree cover equivalent to 65.5Mt of CO2 emissions since 2000. AFP

BATLOW, Australia―Steve Bellchambers is digging pits to bury the carcasses of livestock killed by bushfires which swept through his farm in Batlow, New South Wales. He is one of several dozen residents who remained in the southeastern Australian town to protect his animals as authorities urged everyone to leave last week, calling the place “undefensible”. Bellchambers lost his home and many of his animals—some he was forced to shoot to end their suffering from burns. He did manage to save some horses, however. “The smell is ingrained in your memory,” he told AFP. Australia’s months-long bushfire disaster has scorched more than eight million hectares of land―an area about the size of Ireland or South Carolina. The fires are another blow for farmers already reeling from a crippling drought that has turned agricultural land bone dry. Across the country, tens of thousands of livestock are thought to have perished. Bellchambers, a 45-year-old father-of-four, said the 1,000-strong local community in Batlow had vowed to pull together. “Just because people aren’t crying, doesn’t mean they are not bleeding inside,” he said. “A lot of people are running on adrenalin. They have to keep moving because once they stop, it will hit them.” Stephenie Bailey watched in horror from afar as massive firestorms destroyed parts of her orchard. She returned to find her home reduced to twisted metal and charred remains. Standing beside a patch of scorched, smouldering earth, the air thick with smoke, the 64-year-old physiotherapist expressed shock at the destruction. “How will I ever feel truly safe again?” a tearful Bailey asked AFP. “Your vulnerability is exposed. We were just naked in the face of these demonic fires. But we will pull through... we are going to rebuild.” Nationwide, the bushfires have killed 26 people, destroyed more than 2,000 homes and sparked anger in affected communities at the response by authorities. AFP

Animals face extinction threat GLENMORE PARK―When volunteer Sarah Price found a baby kangaroo frightened but miraculously alive in the pouch of its dying mother surrounded by the embers of Australia’s bushfires, it seemed fitting to name him Chance. The furry pair had survived flames that have ripped through much of southeastern Australia, but the mother’s organs later collapsed from acute stress—making her one among the more than one billion animals estimated to have died in the crisis so far. Chance is slowly recovering, getting regular food and water and hiding out in a bag in a darkened room—a rare success story amid a disaster that has shocked even volunteers accustomed to Australia’s frequent bushfires and prolonged droughts. “We are not seeing the amount of animals coming into care or needing rescuing that we would normally anticipate,” Price, who works with wildlife rescue group WIRES, told AFP. “We think a lot perished in the fires.”

Haunting images of koalas with singed fur, possums with burnt paws or countless charred kangaroo carcasses have flashed around the world and have come to symbolise a nation and an environment buckling under the weight of a crisis fueled by climate change. The populations of less visible creatures, such as frogs, insects, invertebrates and reptiles, are also expected to have been devastated. Experts warn that even those animals that survive face a perilous fight to stay alive. “A lot of the animals die after the fire because they have a lack of food and lack of shelter,” Mathew Crowther of the University of Sydney told AFP. “They could get eaten by other animals, or they can’t get enough food for themselves.” In Victoria state, where the fire season is still in its early stages, veterinary surgeons said they have come across koalas, birds, wallabies and possums suffering from not just burns, but respiratory problems. AFP

SNOWY TRUMP. In this file photo taken on February 10, 2017, visitors take pictures of a snow statue of US President Donald Trump gesturing Pikotaro's PPAP during the Sapporo Snow Festival in Sapporo. AFP

UPSIZING IN CAVITE. Megaworld is building its first upscale residential village inside the 251-hectare Arden Botanical Estate in Trece Martires City, Cavite. Covering around 18-hectares of the estate, the Arden Botanical Village will have 329 lots ranging from 280 to 609 square meters. Designed by Filipino landscape architect and environmental planner Paulo Alcazaren, the exclusively gated community will be highlighted by the Centrera Park, which is surrounded by natural groves of mature trees, natural waterways and ponds, sprawling lush greeneries, expansive open spaces, promenades and parks, and jogging paths. Arden Botanical Village will also feature thematic bridges, landscaped walkways, bike lanes, and some interactive water features. Houses and village amenities will feature minimalist form and clean lines with panoramic windows that look out, and make a pleasant contrast with the village’s verdant landscape. Lot prices in Arden Botanical Village range from P18,000 to P22,000 per square meter. The village is expected for completion in 2024. Arden Botanical Estate is a joint development of Megaworld and its subsidiary Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI). OUR PLATFORM, FLINT. Signet

Properties recently launched Flint, a techenabled real estate crowdfunding platform in the Philippines. Copresented by SeedIn Technology and RE/MAX Premier Manila, it is touted as the next best thing for those who wish to invest in real estate properties in the Philippines, any time. All properties at Flint available for investment are pre-funded. This means that as low as Php1,000, users can quickly purchase a share of the real estate property (or more) regardless of the percentage of the total Flint investment reached. The platform is powered by SeedIn PH, the largest business financing llatform in Southeast Asia. The properties are exclusively brokered by RE/MAX Premier Manila, a leading broker franchise affiliated with RE/MAX International. Established in 2018, Signet Properties is developed to not only make property hunting easier, but also provide real estate insights valuable in making that homebuying decision. Users can search properties in Signet by clicking Explore or browse from thousands of listings from some of the biggest players in Philippine real estate, including Ayala Land, Alveo Land, Megaworld, DMCI, Avida, SMDC, Ortigas & Co, and Robinson Communities. Shown in photo are Edison Tsai, SeedIn executive director and Andre Mercado, Signet Properties CEO, at the launch.

NEW CEBU HOTEL GAINS HEADWAY WITH OYO. OYO Hotels & Homes, a young hotel startup, is now managing Anika Suites at the second-largest city in the country, Metro Cebu. With its air-conditioned rooms, wide windows and wallpapered interiors, Anika Suites is one of the top picks for guests who seek a comfortable stay, and be at the center of the city. Anika Suites is named after the well-known Anika Island Resort in Bantayan, Cebu. The establishment saw a growth opportunity with the minimum guarantee offered by OYO, which means OYO helps boost the hotel’s occupancy rate and business regardless of revenue performance. OYO Hotels & Homes, the world’s second-largest chain of hotels, homes, and managed living and workspaces, collaborates with small independent hoteliers to equip them with operational and technological capabilities that enable them to keep pace with major hospitality players.

PODIUM WEST TOWER WOWS NEW TENANTS

The Podium West Tower, the office component of the mixed-use development, The Podium, will soon house the corporate offices of a diverse group of companies across the insurance, law, advertising, real estate, trading, entertainment, financing, coworking and consultancy sectors. At 48-storeys, the Podium West Tower is the tallest Grade A commercial building at the Ortigas Central Business District (CBD). It offers 90,000 sqm of premium office space that would cater to the increasing local and multinational businesses looking to establish their presence in one of Metro Manila’s premier CBDs. The Podium Complex was recently awarded the LEED Gold Mark (Core & Shell) pre-certification by the US Green Building Council, and is the first building in the Philippines to receive the provisional Green Mark Gold Award by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. The Podium is a joint venture between Keppel Philippines Properties Inc, a member of Keppel Land Limited (Keppel Land) and BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO), a member of the SM Group.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

‘WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE, AND RELATIONSHIPS ALL AROUND‘

HE transformation of Manila’s urban waterways into dump sites and residential areas for informal settlers recently posed a challenge of 23 budding innovators from the country’s leading architecture schools gathered to create a design solution that would hopefully address the issue.

“It is all about relationships,” said Architect Maria Cynthia Funk, cluster associate dean of the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) school of design and arts (SDA) environment studies. “When you throw something away, it means that you do not have a relationship with it anymore. But the truth is, whatever you throw does not go away, it just goes somewhere else.” ISSUE: LACK OF RELATIONSHIPS Funk explained that the residents’ decision to throw their garbage into the waterways reflects their lack of relationship with their surroundings. “The estero is currently the receptacle for the solid and water wastes of four cities in Metro Manila. We can ask everyone do their part and help our communities to be its guardians,” Funk said. “It’s a feat but we can start now.” The group (Seen in photo) was comprised of innovators Philip Nathan Jude Sy from the University of the Philippines Diliman; Marcelo Luteria, Al John Carl Ramos, and Francis Gester Fernandez from the Adamson University; Frances Abigail Vinluan, Rovianne Santiago, Michael Angelo Reyes, Leslie Anne Vital, Hana Richelle Tan, Maria Julia Andrei Malicdem, Marielle Joy Villamayor, Oscar Kevin Castro, and Jianne Libunao from the University of Santo Tomas; and Jon Russell Sy, Sebastian Francisco, Giuseppe Luigi Abcede, Katrina Ruiz, Louie Nathaniel Kiu, Noelle Alido, Eunice Miracle Clemente, Carla Andrea Rosario, Matthew Jonathan Gan, and Liam Anthony R. Tangan from the DLS-CSB. They were mentored by a panel of industry practitioners and educators including Bamboo architecture expert and consultant Ar. Christian Salandan-

an, UP Architecture’s Ar. Gerard Joson, and Benilde’s Ar. Lyle La Madrid, Ar. Harry Serrano, Ar. Joel Deocaris, Ar. Cesar Concio III and Arnold Rañada. The team took an intensive twoweek global summer school (GSS) 2019 of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), a Barcelona-based center for research, education, production, and outreach to meet the challenges in the human habitability for the early 21st century, accredited by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). MAKING A BIGGER SPACE In their research, the group discovered that the estero has two additional parallel bridges that connect the residential area to the street. “One of the bridges is covered and people really stay there to hang out. The GSS students thought that if the residents really want to hang out at the bridge, why not make the space bigger?” Funk queried. The students maximized their skills and came up with a prototype using bamboo and digitally fabricated bamboo connectors, a simulation of their desired solution – a large scale parametrically designed pavilion that will connect the two existing bridges together and will serve as a common ground where people can play, eat, and hang-out (Seen here). “The idea is that it establishes a space for the people to share,” Funk said. “A well-designed public area would inspire our community to take care of their own surroundings. If this becomes what it ought to be, people will learn how to create relationships, build community, and respect one another.” With the help of plastic drums and 250 bamboo poles, the students were able to manually transform their design concept into one-fourths of the actual output and placed the base platform and the first segments above the waters. BAYANIHAN TO THE CORE The installation process also espoused the concept of modern-day bayanihan among the residents who wish to see change and inspired a group of out-of-school youths who are willing to help continue the project. The team hopes that respective planning offices and local government units, as well as the private sector, would be encouraged to help in pushing through with the completion of the project.

Life

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

ARTS AND CULTURE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

COLORFUL CULTURE. Participants in the Kuyog Street Dancing and Showcase Competition cheer to the upbeat rhythm of the percussions as they march to the stadium during the 22nd Shariff Kabunsuan Festival which highlights the colorful and rich culture and traditions of the Muslim and indigenous peoples.

A celebration of Islamic heritage

By Ayunan Grande Gunting

NCIENT boats embellished in bold tribal weaves, costumed musicians beating their drums and gongs in the streets, legions of students in fancy headdresses waving colorful props defined the pageantry of 22nd Shariff Kabunsuan Festival in Cotabato City. Held in December, this annual event not only celebrates the city’s rich heritage but also honors the traditions of the Muslim and indigenous peoples. “Muli nating buhayin sa ating puso at isipan ang makulay na kasaysayan nating mga Cotabateño (Let us relive yet again the colorful history of the Cotabateños in our hearts and minds,” said Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. The event opened with the Guinakit Fluvial Parade which depicted the arrival of Shariff Kabunsuan, a 13th-century Islamic missionary from Johor, Malaysia who docked in the Rio Grande de Mindanao. Kabunsuan was responsible for introducing Islam in the South. The guinakit was a vessel used in the pre-Hispanic era. At the festival, a fleet of guinakit was decked with red, yellow, and green buntings and banners, carrying musicians wearing the same colors. A lo-

All smiles during a break in the street dance and showcase competition.

cal official, who played the role of Shariff KabunA short play portrayed how the Malay missionsuan, was greeted by a costumed party and led to ary tried to convert brothers Mamalu and Tabunathe City Plaza for the official opening led by Vice way, ancestors of the indigenous peoples and the Mayor Graham Nazer Dumama. Lumad. Tabunaway was converted to Islam while

Mamalu maintained the beliefs of his elders, resulting in Mindanao’s diversity. In the visual arts, paintings by local artists were featured at the mid-century style Old Cotabato City Hall. At the Social Hall of the People’s Palace, scholars—past winners of national and international competitions—vied for the best in Qu’ran Reading. Inspired by reality cooking shows, the Flavors of ASEAN Culinary Cuisine challenged students from different schools to produce tasty and eyeappealing dishes using available ingredients. Behind the City Plaza, a crab festival highlighted competitions in crab tying, racing, and harvesting the largest and heaviest crabs. Making a bid to become the country’s top manufacturing hub for halal, the city organized a business forum for entrepreneurs on halal certification and marketing. The climax of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival was the high-octane Kuyog Street Dancing and Showcase Competition participated in by groups from Cotabato City and other Maguindanao municipalities. In the street dancing, students in exuberant costumes cheered and chanted slogans to the upbeat rhythm of the percussions as they marched to the stadium. South Upi Vocational School won the grand prize for its interpretation of the Sulagad Festival. This was an ancient organic farming practice of the indigenous groups that guaranteed self-sufficiency.

Impermanence in a new creative hub ARTWORKS tackling the idea of impermanence made by local and foreign artists are currently on display at a new art gallery in Makati City. The exhibition, dubbed “Nothing Gold Can Stay” gathers artists whose practices explore a spectrum of forms, themes, and materiality. Exhibitors

include Filipino photographer Mark Nicdao, modern and contemporary painters Lynyrd Paras and Jono Pisano, and 13 Lucky Monkeys. The show, running until Jan. 31, also presents works by Indonesian artists Sinta Tantra, Dedy Sufriadi, and Ronald Apriyan, and Caryn Koh of Malaysia.

Tantra, a London-based artist of Indonesian descent, is highly regarded for her public artworks including a 300-meter painted bridge commissioned for the 2012 Olympics in London. She usually merges art and architecture with patterns and color that mirror her Balinese heritage. Sufriadi, on the other hand, creates representational imagery using a variety of media on canvas that gives his works a jagged and multi-dimensional effect. Apriyan presents colorful artworks with easily recognizable images from pop culture, rendered in his unique style. Their creations are on display at Modeka Creative Space, an independent, artist-led contemporary art gallery and art consultancy, which recently opened at Warehouse 20A La Fuerza 1, 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. Modeka is dedicated to providing a new and innovative platform for local and international artists. As seen in its debut exhibition, the gallery offers a diverse and eclectic mix of painting, sculpture, mixed media, limited edition prints, and photography to provide experiential and multisensory shows featuring internationally

Modeka is a new art gallery dedicated to providing an innovative platform for artists.

Jono Pisano

Mark Nicdao

Turn to C2

Lynyrd Paras

The third show in Ballet Manila’s 24th season performance lineup is the classic ‘Sleeping Beauty.’

Ballet Manila rises with

‘Sleeping Beauty’ LIKE a phoenix rising from the ashes, premier dance troupe Ballet Manila gets back on its feet ready to dance again. “We went back to the original motto of Ballet Manila: ‘Have floor, will dance.’ That was what we did before the existence of Aliw Theater and Star Theater. And that is what we will do,” beamed chief executive and artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde. The original home of the ballet institution was damaged by the fire that raged Star City amusement park on Oct. 2, thereby forcing them to postpone and move the remaining shows in its 24th performance season lineup. An apt offering for the new year, Ballet Manila is set to captivate its audience with the world premiere of “Sleeping Beauty,” whose protagonist, much like the dance company, “awakens” from a slumber caused by a tragedy. “Sleeping Beauty is considered a masterwork in the world of classical ballet because it stretches everyone to the fullest of their abilities. Everything about this show is very academic, very old school. Ballet Manila is here to preserve that tradition and, at the same time, create something entirely new,” she said.

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde promises an unforgettable retelling of the fairy tale.

“Sleeping Beauty” has been around for over one and a quarter century and has been performed in different corners of the world. Despite the show’s perennial eminence, Macuja-Elizalde, who choreographed the entire show, assures everyone that her version of Turn to C2

Life

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

ITH its large mass of land bordered by mountains, Cagayan Valley boasts a rich agricultural economy. But more than crops, the northern Luzon region takes pride in its handicrafts made of natural materials and sustainable resources.

Handicrafts

from the North

Manila Fame, the country’s premier lifestyle and design trade show, has been one of the main platforms where the small- and medium-scale enterprises of the region exhibits their products. Here are a few of the brands that have exhibited at the recently held 70th edition of the trade show.

Maddela Flowers and Crafts

The Quirino brand’s rose-like blooms are made from alibangbang (orchid tree or bauhinia) leaves. The leaves are dried and dyed in different colors to create realistic-looking flowers that transform into long-lasting home décor, wreaths, and even wedding bouquets.

Silya Home Furnishings

4H Handicrafts

Also called Silya, Elektrika, Atbp., Silya was established in Nueva Vizcaya. Guillermo Peros and his family, who are building contractors, found themselves with a surplus of wood and metal scraps from demolished houses that would have otherwise gone to waste. He then put up a business selling whimsical and witty home accessories made of these upcycled scraps.

The Nueva Vizcaya-based brand creates home décor and kitchen accessories made of roots, twigs, driftwood pieces, molave wood, and even trunks of large fern plants—which produce a unique speckled pattern in the wooden décor.

Bibsisita

A favorite of Metro Manila bazaars, its pillowcases, bags, pouches, and wristlets are made in Alicia, Isabela, and are printed with the paintings of artist Bibsy Torio. The colorful works feature snippets of Filipino life, family, customs, and culture.

Sta. Praxedes Sarakat Women Weavers

Clockwise Wood Crafts

The brand’s lamps, clocks, and other decorative accessories are made of scrap wood, trunks, and the discarded roots and twigs of fallen trees. The randomness of the material gives each piece a unique look.

Iraya Handicraft and Souvenirs

Based all the way in Kayhuvokan, Batanes, the brand doesn’t only sell the popular woven baskets, caps, and lighthouse-painted wicker bags from this northernmost province. It also sells stool covers that look like the hairy vakul palm-fiber headdresses worn by Ivatan indigenous people in the area.

Some of Cagayan Valley products include (clockwise from top left) upcycled wood décor from Silya Home Furnishings, toilet paper dispensers from Silya, desk clock from Clockwise Wood Crafts, wooden basket with handle from 4H Handicrafts, and rose bouquet from Maddela Flowers and Crafts.

The sleepy town of Sta. Praxedes in Cagayan mainly produces pandan plant, also called sarakat in the region, which is used in weaving. The Sarakat Movers, now called the Sarakat Women Weavers, was formed in 2006 to produce woven baskets and accessories made of pandan as part of the One Town One Product program of the Trade and Industry department.

Lifestyle and design trade show Manila Fame features handicrafts made of natural materials and sustainable resources from Cagayan Valley region’s provinces.

Media firms team up for kids-safe content KIDS digital media company To- children consuming content online in tallyAwesome is collaborating with the Philippines. an entertainment company in the “Both TotallyAwesome and WarnerPhilippines to provide a kids-safe Media in Asia Pacific are committed digital environment. to making the Internet safer for kids,” The agreement between the To- stated TotallyAwesome chief executallyAwesome and WarnerMedia En- tive officer Quan Nguyen. “We’re tertainment Networks gives advertis- pleased to work together to provide ers access to this unique digboth companies’ ital advertising advertising platsolution to adforms through vertisers in the a unified kidsPhilippines.” safe advertising Through this proposition. partnership, adTot allyAwe vertisers in the some provides Philippines can hundreds of reach kids—in kids’ brands a safe way—on with a safe avCartoon Netenue to interwork and Booact with their merang plataudience. This forms. includes its “Our collabokids-safe marration with Toketplace Awet al lyAwe some someAds, a platforms is a zero-data colstrategic move lection platform, as it provides Popular children’s show ‘We Bare Bears’ on Cartoon Network that reaches 170 advertisers in million kids the Philippines across Asia Pacific every month. a one-stop shop to reach kids in qualOn the other hand, WarnerMedia’s ity and safe environments across linBoomerang and Cartoon Network are ear, digital, and social platforms,” said two of the most recognized kids’ en- Awantika Sood, WarnerMedia’s kids tertainment brands in the world. The and entertainment ad-sales lead in company recognizes the rising trend of Southeast Asia.

General Trias celebrates 7th Valenciana Festival IN CELEBRATION of its history, cultural heritage, and cuisine, the City of General Trias in Cavite staged on Dec. 13 its 7th Valenciana Festival, a part of its 271st founding anniversary and 4th cityhood anniversary. Mayor Antonio Ferrer and Congressman Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV spearheaded the four-day event, starting with the giant Christmas Tree and lanterns lighting ceremony. Barangay Sta. Clara reclaimed its Best Valenciana title in Valenciana dish cooking contest, beating defending champion Barangay Buenavista III (formerly Camaren) and 31 other towns. Barangay Sta. Clara village chief Wally Satsatin received the P30,000 cash prize and the elegant glass plum. The town was the champion in 2016 and 2017. Valenciana is a famous dish in the locality inherited from the Spaniards. According to oldfolk here, the dish is like paella without seafood, and instead made with chicken, pork loin, potatoes, carrots, and hotdogs. Barangay Prinza, meanwhile, won the back-to-back crown in Giant Lantern competition with its parol made of recycled materials. The barangay took home P25,000. Barangay Sta. Clara won 2nd place, while previous 1st runner-up Tapia Village took home the 3rd place, bagging P15,000 and P10,000, respectively. Centennial Academy of Blessed Trinity won this year’s annual Valenciana Festival Street Dance competition, one of the highlights of the festivities. The contingent took home P50,000 cash prize after garnering 96.25 points. Governor Ferrer Memorial National High notched the second spot in the street dance contest, taking home P30,000, while Luis Y. Ferrer Sr. Senior High School placed third and bagged P20,000. Seven non-winning teams each received P10,000 consolation prize. Prior to the festival, Rachel Shanie Juson, third year BS Psychology student from Cavite State University took home

Ballet.. From C1

Modeka team with founder and managing partner Bubbles Bermudez (sixth from left).

outside its four walls, with the intent of making art accessible to the widest From C1 possible audience. Modeka also provides art curation acclaimed and emerging artists. services for brands and institutions, Aside from art exhibitions, offi- connecting them to a wide-ranging and cials said the creative space will hold culturally relevant selection of local community programs to promote cul- and international artists. tural and creative activities, as well as unique art experiences within and Go to www.modeka.space to know more.

Impermanence..

Sleeping Beauty is different from the well-loved classic. Against the background of the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, MacujaElizalde’s choreography adapted bits and pieces from the original staging by Marius Petipa and Konstantin Sergeyev while creating stunningly new portions. With the help of Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso, who was also the show’s choreography assistant and rehearsal master, the country’s foremost and well-loved prima ballerina guarantees a spectacular show—an unforgettable retelling of the famous fairy tale. The show features a powerhouse cast led by principal dancer Jasmine Pia Dames who will take on the role of Au-

Barangay Sta. Clara’s Valenciana entry wins in the cooking competition.

A contigent in street dance competition performs in front of the city hall.

the crown in Binibining GenTri 2019. Juson bested 32 other beautiful candidates. Coinciding with festivities, Cong. Jon Jon celebrated his birthday on Dec. 12 with 489 persons with disabilities at General Trias Cultural and Convention Center in Barangay Sampalukan. The Ferrer brothers, Mayor Ony and Cong. Jon Jon led the inauguration and

blessing of the P63-million New City of General Trias Medicare Hospital in Barangay Pinagtipunan. The LGU also turned over three new Toyota Vios patrol cars and one Toyota Hilux to the local PNP, while the Local Disaster department also received one brand new Toyota pick up truck. Dennis Abrina

rora, while her fellow principal dancer Romeo Peralta will be her love interest, Prince Phillip. Other cast members include Mark Sumaylo, Rissa May Camaclang, Joan Sia, Gerardo Francisco, Rafael Perez, Alvin Dictado, Shaira Comeros, and Emma Harris. The third show in “On Pointe” performance lineup, will hit the stage of Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City on Jan. 18 at 6:00 p.m. and Jan. 19 at 3:00 p.m. Moving to the new venue meant adapting to necessary changes. Macuja-Elizalde, her dancers, and the rest of her production team had to adjust to new plans, choreography, stage setup, and casting. They admitted producing the show was more challenging due to limited time for setting up and technical rehearsals. Nevertheless, the prima ballerina said

they have “certainly saved the best for last” and Sleeping Beauty will be the fitting ending to her Princess Trilogy. A month or so ago, Macuja-Elizalde admitted that she didn’t even dream of staging “Sleeping Beauty.” “I did not have the courage to make a decision about proceeding with the show. I was still in shock and denial for weeks after the fire,” she shared. However, the overwhelming outpouring of love and support they’ve received when they performed “Giselle” in October gave her the strength to overcome the obstacles. “We are a team, a family. As one, we will continue to fight and work hard and overcome this together.” Visit Ticketworld outlets, call (02) 88919999, or go to www.ticketworld.com.ph to purchase tickets.

Entertainment

saturDaY, JaNuarY 11, 2020

FDCP...

SNAPSHOT

From C4

‘Bad Boys’ in Madrid Will Smith (right) and Martin lawrence casually dressed up to hit the red carpet at the big Madrid premiere of Bad Boys For Life. In this photo, the duo stepped out for a photo call for the film at the Villamagna Hotel in Madrid, Spain as part of their press tour. In Bad Boys For Life, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back together for one last ride together. The original Bad Boys movie first came out in 1995 and the second movie in the franchise came out in 2003. AFP

GMA Network dominates television in 2019

eefed up by its ratings dominance across day parts, media giant GMA Network successfully remained to be the viewers’ station of choice in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila throughout the year 2019.

January to december Nielsen TV Audience Measurement data (with dec. 22 to 31 based on overnights) showed that GMA recorded 35.5 percent total day people audience share, outscoring ABS-CBN’s 30.4 percent in Urban Luzon. The said viewer-rich area accounts for 72 percent of all urban viewers in the country. Building the momentum in the morning slot with 28.1 percent, GMA won against rival network’s 25.8 percent. This continued in the afternoon slot with GMA’s 36.7 percent versus ABS-CBN’s 30.9 percent. GMA further toppled its competitor in the evening block with 37.7 percent while its rival only got 31.9 percent. Likewise in Mega Manila, which accounts for 60 percent of all urban viewers in the country, the Kapuso Network posted 36.6 percent total day people audience share compared to ABSCBN’s 28 percent based on official data from Jan. to dec. 21. furthermore, in december 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

GMA Network dominated the numbers game with programs like 'Sahaya,' 'Onanay,' 'Kara Mia,' and '24 Oras.'

alone, GMA posted 33.7 percent total day people audience share in Urban Luzon as against ABS-CBN’s 28 percent while GMA led by a bigger margin with 34.2 percent versus competition’s 26.4 percent in Mega Manila (with official data from dec. 1 to 21). The award-winning m a g a z i n e program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) cemented its position as the mostwatched s h o w nationwide in 2019. S i m i l a r l y, K M J S reigned supreme in Urban L u z o n ’s list of

overall top programs for the previous year. More Kapuso shows also took the slots in the said 2019 top-rating list. Joining KMJS were Onanay, Sahaya, 24 Oras, Kara Mia, Cain at Abel, Magpakailanman, Daddy’s Gurl, Pepito Manaloto, The Gift, TODA One I Love, The Clash, Beautiful Justice, StarStruck, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, One of the Baes, The Better Woman, and Love You Two. Meanwhile, the Kapuso channel ushers in the network’s 70th year with a powerhouse line-up of all-new primetime offerings that viewers should watch out for beginning the first semester of 2020. The TV adaptation of the hit 1984 movie Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday starring Barbie Forteza, Kate Valdez, Snooky Serna, and Dina Bonnevie kick-starts the network’s roster of upcoming shows. Next in line is the inspirational drama Love Of My Life top-billed by some of the network’s brightest stars – Carla Abellana, Mikael Daez, and Rhian Ramos, together with Coney Reyes andTom Rodriguez in a very special role. Set to debut on Philippine TV this year is the much-awaited local adaptation of hit Korean series Descendants of the Sun (dOTS),’ headlined by Dingdong Dantes and Jennylyn Mercado. Joining them as well are Rocco Nacino and Jasmine Curtis-Smith. On the other hand, Sen. Bong Revilla, Jr. makes his TV comeback

'Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho' remained the most watched television program in the country for the entire 2019.

via the drama-fantasy program Agimat ng Agila. In this thrilling and actionpacked series, Sen. Bong takes viewers on vivid and whimsical adventures that will illuminate moral lessons and tackle societal issues. Completing the Network’s Q1 primetime offerings is the highly anticipated team up of Marian Rivera-Dantes and Gabby Concepcion in First Yaya. Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s client pool covers a total of 32 clients/subscribers consisting of six local TV networks including ABS-CBN, TV5, Aksyon TV and CNN Philippines, among others; three regional clients; two blocktimers; and 21 agencies (17 media agencies, three consulting agencies, and one digital agency).

Moreover, fdCP will continue its noteworthy programs such as the International film Studies Assistance Program (IfSAP), fdCP film School, first Cut International Lab and region-centric film labs like SOVOLAB, Visayan Visions, and Luzon Panorama to provide film development Support; Philippine embassies Assistance Program (PeAP), film Cultural exchange Program (fCeP), and International film festival Assistance Program (IffAP) which aim to promote Philippine Cinema internationally; Sinesaysay documentary Lab and Showcase, CineMarya Women’s Short film festival, SineKabataan, and PlayLab Animation Lab to mainstream alternative forms and formats of audiovisual content; the CineLokal program, International distribution Initiatives, festival Partnership Program, and Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino to help address distribution and exhibition of films; the film Industry Conference and fdCP Project Market to support film industry development; and the ongoing year-long celebration of the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema. Last month, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), fdCP received the Resolution of the Supreme Court en Banc declaring the collection of amusement taxes by fdCP relative to its Cinema evaluation System under Republic Act 9167 (RA 9167) as invalid and unconstitutional. In the said Resolution, the Supreme Court denied with finality FDCP’s Motion for Reconsideration and affirmed its prior Decision dated June 16, 2015 declaring Sections 13 and 14 of RA 9167 as a “violation of the principle of local fiscal autonomy since it authorized fdCP to earmark, and hence, effectively confiscate the amusement taxes which should have otherwise inured to the benefit of the local government units (LGUs).” Section 13 grants amusement tax rewards to producers of Graded A and B films, while Section 14 entitles fdCP to collect the amusement taxes for the graded films from theaters in Metro Manila and highly urbanized and independent component cities. A Grade A film is rewarded with 100 percent of amusement taxes collected on such film and a Grade B film is awarded 65 percent of amusement taxes collected on such film, with the remaining 35 percent going to the fdCP fund. FDCP clarifies that it will no longer award amusement tax privileges to films graded after December 10, 2019. However, it will continue transacting with the concerned theater branches for the collection of amusement taxes for films graded before the date of the Resolution. fdCP assures that monetary incentives from amusement taxes will be awarded accordingly to producers who applied prior to the finality of the Decision. While the decision was not what fdCP had hoped for, being the national agency for the development of the Philippine film industry, it respects the Supreme Court’s decision and will abide by it. It has been holding consultations to determine the next steps in light of this development. The CeB was established by fdCP under the Office of the President, in pursuant of RA 9167 of 2002, to evaluate and grade films submitted to FDCP for quality grading. The CeB is crucial to fdCP’s incentive and reward system that encourages filipino producers to make quality films. The dispute on fdCP’s collection of amusement taxes and awarding of incentives was rooted in civil cases filed before the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 5, Cebu City way back in 2009 by the City of Cebu and SM Prime Holdings, Inc., as well as Colon Heritage Realty Corporation, the operator of the Oriente Group of Theaters in Cebu. The RTC Branch 5 in Cebu City declared Sections 13 and 14 as invalid and unconstitutional on September 25, 2012. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court on June 16, 2015, and echoed by the High Court’s final verdict on Dec. 10, 2019.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño with the speakers and participants of the FilmPhilippines event ‘FLIP or ICOF? Breaking Down the New FilmPhilippines Incentive Scheme to the Production Companies’ on Dec. 12.

Entertainment

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

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020

Banking on star power, Oscars to go without host for second year THE Oscars will again go without a host next month, repeating a format credited with boosting ratings last year, US network ABC conﬁrmed Wednesday. “Together with the Academy, we have decided there will be no traditional host, repeating for us what worked last year,” ABC entertainment president Karey Burke told a television summit near Los Angeles, according to showbiz website Deadline Hollywood.

“[It will have] huge entertainment values, big musical numbers, comedy and star power.” An ABC spokeswoman conﬁrmed the report to AFP. Last year, the Oscars decided to go without a host—the ﬁrst time in three decades—after their original choice Kevin Hart pulled out when old homophobic tweets of his resurfaced. In the end the event was considered a

success and the show enjoyed a year-onyear increase in ratings. The host-less format has not always been so well received, however. The previous time the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tried it, one of the most infamous moments in Oscars history was born: an awkward song-and-dance number featuring actor Rob Lowe and... Snow White. The Oscars are handed out on Feb. 9. AFP

FDCP banners new incentives, programs for graded films THE Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) ushers in 2020 with brimming hope as it lays down its numerous projects for the new year. Incentive programs, film labs, film festivals, and film development support programs are among the projects that filmmakers and audiences can look forward to from FDCP. Such spirit of hope is abounding even after the Supreme Court has decided on FDCP’s incentives from amusement tax collections which are awarded to graded films. Filipino films Graded A and B by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) will no longer be awarded amusement tax privileges by FDCP, following the Dec. 10, 2019 release of the Supreme Court decision on the collection of amusement taxes. This is an affirmation of the High Court’s decision in 2015 and a conclusion to a decade-long dispute on amusement tax incentives given to CEB-graded films. Although FDCP will no longer be able to serve and support Filipino filmmakers through awarding monetary incentives from amusement tax collections, it promises to push forth other

significant programs for the betterment and improvement of Philippine Cinema. FDCP has launched FilmPhilippines, a campaign which provides for film incentives schemes to encourage international film productions to shoot and work in the Philippines, thereby activating the film industry and tourism sector. FDCP has kicked off 2020 by accepting applications for the Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP) and International Co-Production Fund (ICOF). The agency reveals that it will soon be working closely with lawmakers in the country for its proposed film fund and new incentive programs that will replace the awarding of incentives from amusement taxes, with the ultimate goal of sustaining the support given to Filipino filmmakers. Continued on C3

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño

Momoland to conquer Philippine soil in 2020 SOUTH Korean girl group Momoland— composed of Nancy, JooE, Ahin, Jane, Nayun, and Hyebin—debuts as cover girls in Metro.Style’s first digital issue for 2020, their first-ever pictorial with a Philippine publication wherein they worked with Filipino creatives and wore outfits by local fashion designers. Momoland ended 2019 with a bang when they dropped their newest song “Thumbs Up,” and they’re starting 2020 on a high note with the overwhelming reception to their much-awaited comeback. As of this writing, their latest music video is trending and now has more than 22 million views on YouTube. Aside from new music, Momoland’s supportive fans—a.k.a. “Merries”—can

surely look forward to a lot of things for the KPop group this year starting with a travel show where they will explore different parts of the country and learn about the Filipino culture. The group went to the Philippines last October and visited ABS-CBN’s headquarters for a contract signing that ofﬁcially made them part of the Kapamilya network’s roster of brilliant stars. ABS-CBN and their management company MLD Entertainment signed a partnership to co-manage the group’s projects in the country. Get know the six gorgeous and talented ladies of Momoland by visiting metro. style. Also check out Metro.Style’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, and YouTube channel for more details.

Momoland slays on the digital cover of metro.style

ARTIN Nievera and Pops Fernandez were among the brightest stars on the concert stage during the ‘80s, and up until now, together, they are considered a force to reckon with.

Amid their seperation some years ago, the former couple still managed to give their audience a genuine entertainment highlighted by their engaging rapport. “We’re friends and we don’t feel awkward when we perform. There’s no tension at all. I’ve always said it, Performing with Martin is always easy. He makes it easy for me,” Pops said during a press conference held early this week. “If we’re still together, she could be my manager. She knows everything about me. It is so easy to work with Pops,”Martin said in response. Pops is sharing the stage once again with Martin via a Valentine show entitled Twogether Again. Produced by Starmedia Entertainment and DSL Events and Production House, in association with Solaire Resort and Casino, the concert promises to be a royal affair bannered by the country’s most iconic concert royalties. The pair that captured the hearts of many on and off-stage are ﬁnally coming together again for seven spectacular shows on Feb. 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 at The Theatre at Solaire. Fresh from their successful eight-city US tour last August that had an equally successful repeat a few months after in December, fans in Manila also clamored for their turn to witness the muchawaited comeback of the Concert King and Concert Queen. Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez respectively gained their fame as individual performers, but it was when they both hosted the famous TV variety show Penthouse Live! that fans became captivated by their chemistry and followed their on and offScreen romance. Despite a shift in their love story, Martin and Pops remain very good friends today but they undeniably still have that same

Last year, the Oscars went without a host—the first time in three decades—after Kevin Hart pulled when old homophobic tweets resurfaced.

The dynamics of POPS sharing the stage with MARTIN

magnetic chemistry when they perform together on stage. It has been ten long years since Martin and Pops reunited and headlined a major concert in Manila on Valentine’s day of 2010 and it’s about time that they come Twogether Again for a Valentine special a decade after. “It’s going to be one week of Pops and I. So, if you’ve missed this kind of entertainment, you have one week to get sick of it,” Martin said in jest. “Hopefully you won’t get sick of it. I hope you will want more,” Pops butted in. No doubt, many fans are eagerly waiting and very excited to see this iconic tandem perform together again, live! With grandiose production numbers, their engaging rapport with the audience, and just the “kilig” we all get from The Concert King and Queen, Tickets are now available at all TICKETWORLD outlets (889 1-9999 www. ticketworld.com.ph) at P7,500, P5,500, P3,500, P2,500, P1,500, and P1,250. Twogether Agagin is co-presented by: PLDT and supported by Major Sponsors: Farlin Baby Products, Zim Cleanser, Nurture, Debt Aid Consulting International, and Doon Thai and Asian Fusion Cuisine and Minor Sponsor: West Avenue Suites. Media Partners: Philippine Star, People’s Journal, People’s Tonight and Crossover 105.1. The show is also for the beneﬁt of Knox United Methodist Church. Former couple Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez share the stage again for a Valentine concert