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AS DEATH TOLL NEARS 500, MORE CHINESE CITIES SHUT DOWN MILLIONS more people have been ordered to stay indoors as China battles to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) that authorities said Wednesday has already killed nearly 500 people. With more than 24,000 cases in China, a growing number of cities have been imposing a range of restrictions in recent days far from central Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, as authorities struggle to contain the virus. Global concerns have risen as more

countries found cases that were not imported from China and 10 people―including a Filipino seaman--tested positive for the virus on a ship quarantined off the coast of Japan. Some 56 million people in Hubei have been under virtual lockdown since last week, with its capital Wuhan at the heart of the health emergency. In Hangzhou, some 175 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, green fences

PH records rd 3 case of coronavirus Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 357 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

• Patient arrived in Cebu on Jan. 20 • Pinoy onboard cruise ship infected

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

60-YEAR-OLD Chinese woman, who was among the patients being monitored by the Department of Health, was declared the third confirmed case of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) in the Philippines, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said Wednesday. In a press conference, Domingo said the third nCoV patient, who is from Wuhan, China, arrived in Cebu via Hong Kong on Jan. 20. She then traveled to Bohol. Results from one set of tests turned out negative and she was discharged and sent back to China, Domingo said, but another test showed she was a carrier after all. In Japan, authorities said 10 people, including a Filipino sailor, on board a cruise ship were tested positive for nCoV.

Japan Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters in Tokyo that only the Filipino patient had severe symptoms. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila conﬁrmed that a Filipino seaman has been infected with NCoV virus aboard the Diamond Princess cruise liner in Japan. Health ofﬁcials said that while the infected patients were transferred to Next page

CONGRESSMEN CONFOUNDED. Members of a House of Representatives committee were thrown into a tizzy Wednesday when Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (above) failed to attend the panel’s hearing and was in Nueva Ecija to inspect a possible quarantine facility for nCoV patients. Elsewhere, on the update of nCoV, a member (left) from the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit shows how to wear protective suits during a gathering at the Quezon Memorial Circle. Manny Palmero

Ecija quarantine site for repatriates

ASF control measures stepped up amid losses TO PREVENT African swine fever from spreading across the country, the Agriculture department has boosted quarantine measures following an outbreak in Davao Occidental. ‘‘Elevated quarantine measures are being worked out by the Department of Agriculture and is advising regions to elevate quarantine measures,’’ Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement after President Rodri-

go Duterte presided over a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday night. The National Meat Inspection Service in the Caraga Region has heightened its alert level against the African swine fever following the entry of the disease recently in Davao. NMIS-13 Regional Technical Director Dario Bonifacio Canillas said they were now implementing strict inspections of the slaughterhouses in the region.

By MJ Blancaﬂor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

The Department of Agriculture in SOCCSKSARGEN has stepped up the monitoring of hog farms in South Cotabato due to the suspected entry of the African swine fever. John Pascual, DA-12 technical director for operations, said Wednesday surveillance teams had been dispatched to collect samples from animals in the area to determine possible infections. Next page

THE ﬁrst batch of Filipino repatriates from the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak in China are scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Saturday, Malacañang said on Wednesday. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Filipinos will be arriving at the Clark Airport in Pampanga and transported to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine. He said Health Secretary Francisco

Duque III was instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte to go to the site to properly address the people affected. “The arrival of the initial batch of repatriated Filipinos will be on Saturday at the Clark Airport and transportation to Fort Magsaysay has already been prepared,” Panelo said in a statement a day after Duterte presided over a Cabinet meeting. About 42 Filipinos in Hubei province, mostly from the city of Wuhan, have expressed a desire to return home amid the nCoV outbreak, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. Next page

17 senators push Faeldon graft raps

Trump’s state of the union address draws cheers, jeers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday, in a pointed political gesture after listening tight-lipped to the president tout his achievements to Congress. The tension between Trump and his Democratic nemesis was palpable from the outset, as Pelosi extended her hand for a handshake–and the president failed to return the favor. Seated in silence behind the president in the House of Representatives, Pelosi frowned, repeatedly shook her head and smiled disbelievingly until he ﬁnished speaking and Republicans erupted in applause–at which point she rose and very visibly tore up the papers in front of her. Asked afterwards by a reporter to give a reason for her gesture, Pelosi replied: “Because it was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternatives.” And in a follow-up tweet, the 79-year-old Pelosi said Democrats would “never stop extending the hand of friendship to get the job done.” Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House six weeks ago, and the ﬂashpoint with Pelosi comes one day before the US Senate is all but certain to vote to acquit him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice. During the impeachment crisis, Trump, 73, has repeatedly

SEVENTEEN senators have signed a committee report recommending the ﬁling of graft charges against dismissed Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon over the good conduct time allowance anomaly. The Senate committees on justice, constitutional amendments, blue ribbon and ﬁnance showed that Faeldon was liable for failing to follow the procedures and requirements of Department Order 953. DO 953 provides that no high-risk convicts can be released without the approval of the Justice secretary. However, during the Senate hearing on the controversial sale of the GCTA, Faeldon admitted that he did not seek the Justice secretary’s nod before signing the release order of heinous crime convicts, including former Calauan, Laguna, Mayor Antonio Sanchez. Next page

STUDY IN CONTRAST. US Vice President Mike Pence claps as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to rip a copy of President Donald Trump’s speech after he delivers the State of the Union Address at the Capitol in Washington, DC on Feb. 4 (Wednesday in Manila). AFP

News

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte lines open to former DICT usec, says Cabinet official RESIGNED Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio could reach President Rodrigo Duterte to air his concerns regarding the agency, a Palace official said Wednesday. Rio, who stepped down from his post because he felt he was “no longer needed” in the agency, could seek an audience with the President to discuss the reason why he resigned, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles told reporters. “He can go to the President. It's really up to him. What I'm saying is, the President has always said that Malacañang is always open and he is open to receiving any complaint, Nograles said. “If he needs to see the President, I'm sure he knows what to do.” In his previous interviews, Rio had said he wanted to relay his concerns personally and privately to the President, adding he could not work with his colleagues who kept him out of the loop in intelligence-related decisions that were supposed to be within his scope. He also cited irregularities in the disbursement of hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds, hinting that those were being used for surveillance. Rio also said DICT, led by former Senator Gringo Honasan, did not need confidential funds because it was not the agency’s mandate to conduct surveillance and intelligence activities. The Commission on Audit had flagged down the agency’s cash advance, which was released in tranches of P100 million on Nov. 8, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 last year. Nograles said the issues hounding the DICT were not discussed during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday night. He said Honasan could hold a dialogue with the President if needed. Malacañang and Congress could also look into the alleged anomalies involving the DICT, Nograles said. Honasan may face a Senate investigation on the alleged anomaly in the DICT, said Senator Panfilo Lacson. Lacson and Honasan are classmates at the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1971. Honasan “deserves the opportunity to give his side” on the statements made by Rio, Lacson said. Rio was the DICT’s acting secretary until Honasan assumed the post last July. During his stint in DICT, Rio led the country’s search for a third telecommunications player. MJ Blancaflor

17 senators... From A1

“The Department Order 953 was practically not familiar with me. I was not even apprised of that department order by anybody in the Bureau of Corrections in my entire stay there,’’ said Senator Richard Gordon who wrote the 34-page report. The alleged anomalous release and public outrage over the possible release of Sanchez, who was convicted for raping and murdering University of the Philippines Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and killing her companion, Allan Gomez, in the 1990s, prompted the Senate probe. President Rodrigo Duterte eventually fired Faeldon who was earlier sacked as Customs commissioner. Aside from Faeldon, the committees also found former officials of the BuCor liable for grave offenses and direct bribery. They are Ramoncito Roque, chief of the documents and record section; Corrections Senior Inspector Benilda Bansil; and Corrections Officer Veronica Buño who were earlier ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman. The report also indicated that the three were liable for “accepting money for the promise of the early release of prisoners.” Also found to have committed abuse and bribery were officials of the New Bilibid Prison Hospital, including its head, Ermesto Tamayo, medical officer Ursicio Cenas and nursing attendant Meryl Benitez. These officers were liable for malfeasance when they accepted money in exchange for inmates’ confinement at the NBP hospital. Cenas has been accused of accepting money in exchange for medical records.

8,000 Taal victims assured of houses By MJ Blancaflor

This was after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of Human Settlements Secretary Eduardo del Rosario on Tuesday night. The 5,448 housing units for the Taal victims are in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. The permanent shelters were initially

provided for the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, but President Duterte approved the recommendation to grant it instead to the Taal victims, Panelo said. Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology cited a lower sulfur dioxide emission and fewer volcanic earthquakes in Taal Vol-

cano in the past 24 hours. In its 8 a.m. bulletin on Wednesday, PHIVOLCS noted a weak emission of steam-laden plumes 50 meters to 100 meters tall that drifted southwest. The Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 55 tons per day compared to the Feb. 3-Feb. 4 observation of an increased emission at an average of 232 tons per day. The Taal Volcano Network was able to record 156 volcanic earthquakes, including two low-frequency events and 18 harmonic tremors having durations of one to three minutes. “These earthquakes signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the main crater,” PHIVOLCS said.

PH...

they took PAL and Cebu Pacific. The entry of the virus into the Philippines has prompted the government to ban foreign travelers from all of mainland China and its territories. The DOH reported that as of noon Feb. 5, there were 133 patients under investigation for the novel coronavirus. Of these, 115 are currently isolated, while 16 have been discharged under strict monitoring. Among the patients, 63 are Filipinos, 54 are Chinese and 16 are other nationalities. Thirty-two had reported traveling to Wuhan. As this developed, Duque directed the Epidemiology Bureau to conduct an “aggressive” contact tracing of fellow passengers of the Chinese couple that tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He had come under fire Tuesday when he admitted that out of 331 passengers, only 17 percent or fewer than 60 had been contacted. Duque said Wednesday he hoped the contact tracing would be completed in 48 hours. “As soon as possible [I hope it would be finished]. As I told them, they have to work with the PNP [Philippine National Police], the DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] to do aggressive contact tracing in 48 hours. We’ll see if they can manage to do that,” he said, speaking partly in Filipino. He said the DOH Epidemiology Bureau has assessed 203 contacts and home quarantined 188 contacts from the first and second confirmed cases. Of the 203 contacts, 15 are symptomatic where 14 were already isolated for monitoring. He said the DOH is currently working with other concerned agencies to expedite the contact tracing process. The Health department also called

on passengers from Cebu Pacific Flight 5J241 from Hong Kong to Cebu on Jan. 20 and 21; Cebu Pacific Flight DG6519 from Cebu to Dumaguete on Jan. 21; and Philippine Airlines flight PR2542 from Dumaguete to Manila on Jan. 25 to cooperate with DOH representatives who will be getting in touch with them for assessment. On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte called for calm, saying the public should not be scared as the disease would “die a natural death.” Senator Francis Tolentino, meanwhile, urged the DOH to procure rapid test kits developed in China that he said can detect the virus within eight to15 minutes, making it easier to confirm infections. In related developments: • A party-list legislator, CIBAC Partylist Rep. Domingo Rivera who recently traveled to Hong Kong has gone through self-quarantine. House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales said reports that Rivera was quarantined in Hong Kong were erroneous. “He practiced self-quarantine because he traveled to Hong Kong to attend a series of consultative meetings,” Montales said. • The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong confirmed that another Filipino domestic worker was quarantined following exposure to her employer who tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The case would be the second Filipino put in quarantine in less than a month. Consul General Raly Tejada said the maid was “healthy and asymptomatic.” • Duque on Wednesday earned the ire of congressmen for failing to attend a hearing on the nCoV threat. The Health secretary, however, was in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to inspect a facility that will be used to quarantine Filipinos repatriated from China. With Maricel V. Cruz and AFP

BOUT 8,000 families that were displaced by Taal Volcano’s eruption will receive housing units previously allotted to the military and police forces.

From A1

hospitals in Japan, the remainder of the passengers and crew on board the Diamond Princess were placed in quarantine. The DFA said there were 538 Filipinos on board the ship, which has been docked in Yokohama Bay since Monday. Japan quarantined the vessel carrying 3,711 people and began testing those on board for the virus after a former passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the illness. In Manila, the DOH Epidemiology Bureau has started tracking people who may have interacted or were in close proximity to the third confirmed nCoV case, the Health department said. Earlier, two Chinese travelers also tested positive for the virus in the Philippines, with one of them, a 44-year-old man becoming the first nCoV fatality outside of China. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said a funeral parlor on Araneta Avenue in Quezon City agreed to cremate the body of the Chinese man on Wednesday, after his family in China gave their consent. The body was supposed to be cremated within 12 hours of his death, but this was delayed when a Chinese-Filipino business group that initially agreed to shoulder the cost backed out of its promise. But Duque said cadavers with the novel coronavirus are no longer infectious, citing the World Health Organization. “WHO told me it won’t be infectious once the patient dies. The corpse will also be sealed,” he said. The first two patients had come from Wuhan, where the virus was known to have spread from a wet market selling wild animals as delicacies. Both traveled to Cebu and Dumaguete before flying to Manila on Jan. 25. During their travel,

Trump’s... From A1

assailed the speaker for her impeachment “hoax,” branding her “nervous Nancy” and “crazy Nancy” on Twitter. Pelosi’s gesture capped a night where the country’s bitter political divide was on full display, as Trump’s address earned a triumphant reception from the Republican half of Congress–but sullen silence, boos and jeers from the Democrats present. Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the Senate, said that the speech was “more like a Trump rally than a speech a true leader would give.” “It was demagogic, undigniﬁed, highly partisan and in too many places, untruthful,” he said. The White House was quick to hit back at Pelosi, saying she had insulted the Americans honored in Trump’s speech, from a veteran airman to a premature baby or a mourning military family. “That’s her legacy,” it said. As this developed, Democratic White House candidate Pete Buttigieg seized a shock lead in the chaotic Iowa caucuses, closely trailed by leftist senator Bernie Sanders, according to partial returns released on Tuesday after an embarrassing delay in reporting the results. Progressive standard-bearer Elizabeth Warren was in third place followed by Joe Biden, a disappointing showing for the former vice president who has claimed he is best positioned to defeat Donald Trump in November. Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former may-

As death...

From A1

blocked streets near the headquarters of Chinese tech giant Alibaba as a ﬁghter jet circled overhead. Alibaba, one of the world’s most valuable companies, appeared shut down, while deliverymen moved in and out of the nearby fenced-in residential areas to drop off groceries. Many people were also seen going out. The ﬁrm is inside one of three districts where some 3 million people were told this week that only one person per household would be allowed outside every two

or of South Bend, Indiana, who has been battling Biden for the moderate wing of the party, hailed what he called an “astonishing victory” in the midwestern farm state which kicks off the presidential nominating process. “I have never been more confident in our campaign, in our team, and in the vision that brought to us this point,” Buttigieg told ecstatic supporters in New Hampshire, which holds the next nominating contest on Feb. 11. With polls still mixed on whether Americans would be comfortable with an openly gay president, Buttigieg also made a rare, though implicit, reference to his sexuality–and the added significance it gave the Iowa outcome. “It validates for a kid, somewhere in a community, wondering if he belongs, or she belongs, or they belong in their own family, that if you believe in yourself and your country there’s a lot backing up that belief,” he said with a catch in his voice. According to the partial results, Buttigieg, unknown nationally a year ago, leads with 26.8 percent followed by Sanders, the 78-year-old self-described democratic socialist, with 25.2 percent, followed by Senator Warren with 18.4 percent, and Biden with 15.4 percent. The centrist senator from Minnesota Amy Klobuchar was in fifth place on 12.6 percent, with 71 percent of the precincts reporting. The results were posted some 21 hours after Iowans gathered across the state to hold the first vote of the presidential nominating season. AFP days to buy necessities. “Please don’t go out, don’t go out, don’t go out!” blared a message on a loudspeaker urging people to wear masks, wash their hands regularly and report any people who are from Hubei–a common fear in other parts of the country that people from the province might infect others. At least three other cities in eastern Zhejiang province–Taizhou, Wenzhou and parts of Ningbo– have imposed the same measures, affecting some 18 million people. Similar policies were encouraged by authorities in two cities as far as China’s northeasternmost province, Heilongjiang, and a handful of others along the east coast.

During the 46th Cabinet meeting, Del Rosario said the 5,000 to 6,000 households living within the seven-kilometer radius from Taal volcano were affected by its eruption. Meanwhile, 2,000 families were living on Taal island itself. The government had previously ordered that no one should live on Taal island since people’s lives would be at risk from a “more violent” explosion. Taal emitted clouds of thick ash and steam on Jan. 12, forcing more than 300,000 people to leave their homes. Duterte has asked Congress to speed up the passage of the P30-billion supplemental budget to aid the displaced residents living near Taal Volcano. With Rio N. Araja

Ecija... From A1

In the Cabinet meeting, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Davao Occidental had been placed on lockdown while the sale of live pigs and pork products from suspected ASF-infected areas had been banned. His department is monitoring the seven barangays in the nearby town of Malita with reported swine fever cases: Bito, Kidalapong, Tubalan, Felis, Mana, Talogoy and New Argao. It is also set to investigate allegations that some unscrupulous traders were allegedly mislabeling imported feed meal to circumvent the import ban on ASFhit countries. The local hog industry is losing about P900 million per month due to the virus, according to the department. The outbreak in Davao Occidental was the first case of ASF in Mindanao several months after the outbreak in Luzon. ASF, a fatal animal disease among hogs, was first reported in seven areas in Luzon: Bulacan, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon City, and Rizal. Duterte earlier directed all executive departments, bureaus and agencies to adopt policies and institute measures to manage, contain and control the transmission of ASF in the country. Government offices were also directed to provide assistance, alternative livelihood and skills training to the hog raisers affected.

There are a total of 300 Filipinos in Hubei. Some 150 of the Filipinos are in Wuhan and the rest are from outside the city but within the province, the DFA said. The Fort Magsaysay Drug Rehabilitation Center in Nueva Ecija can accommodate 10,000 individuals. Aside from Fort Magsaysay, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the government is also eyeing the naval station at Caballo Island off Cavite province as a possible quarantine area for returning Filipino workers. Panelo assured the public that all safeguards against the spread of the virus are in place. The Bureau of Immigration has implemented the directives of the President such as the general restriction of entry of individuals coming from China and its special administrative regions—Hong Kong and Macau, he said. Duque will personally welcome Filipinos repatriated from Wuhan, China, when they arrive at the Clark International Airport on Saturday, the Palace said. The first batch of 42 Filipinos who have requested to be repatriated will undergo mandatory quarantine at the Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija—a facility than can accommodate up to 10,000 people, Panelo said. Duque will supervise and manage the receiving of repatriated Filipinos to make sure all medical protocols will be implemented, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles told reporters. The President said he wants to be there to welcome the repatriated Filipinos from Wuhan, but the Presidential Security Group opposes such a move as it could compromise the Chief Executive’s safety. There are 295,047 Filipinos in China, government data show. About 150 are in Wuhan City, where initial cases of the novel coronavirus were reported last year. Nograles also allayed concerns of residents living around Fort Magsaysay that the virus will spread to the rest of the province from there. President Duterte earlier threatened to expropriate the facility that is also used for drug rehabilitation after Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali said he was against the idea of using the facility to quarantine Filipinos coming from China. On Tuesday night’s Cabinet meeting, President Duterte also threatened to charge local officials who will not follow the orders of the national government in relation to nCoV. Despite being roundly criticized for a “failure of leadership,” Duque still enjoyed the President’s confidence, Nograles said. “Failure of leadership is a very unfair allegation. Maybe there are lapses, but that will be rectified,” Nograles said. In related developments: • The Department of Labor and Employment urged all overseas Filipino workers to report to hospitals and to the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices fellow workers who show symptoms of the novel coronavirus. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also urged Filipinos working abroad to monitor advisories issued by their host government for information and guidance. With AFP

In Henan province, which borders Hubei, a district in the city of Zhumadian decided that only one person could leave each household every ﬁve days. Residents there have been offered cash rewards for informing on people from Hubei. The disease is believed to have emerged in December in a Wuhan market that sold wild animals, and spread rapidly as people traveled for the Lunar New Year holiday in January. The death toll has steadily increased, rising to 490 in China after Hubei reported 65 more people had died. Most deaths have been in the province and ofﬁcials have noted that the death rate, at around 2 percent, is below the mortality

rate of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The new coronavirus is from the same family of pathogens as the one that causes SARS, which killed some 800 people in 2002-2003. The epidemic has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency, several governments to institute travel restrictions, and airlines to suspend ﬂights to and from China. United and American Airlines said Wednesday they have added Hong Kong to their China ﬂight suspensions. On Wednesday, Japan said at least 10 passengers on a cruise ship carrying 3,711 people have the virus. AFP

ASF... From A1

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte wants copra farmgate prices raised By MJ Blancaflor

PROTECTIVE MASKS. Two women wearing protective face masks stand inside a shopping mall in Bangkok on Wednesday. Thailand so far has detected 25 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus believed to have originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, which is under lockdown. AFP

CIDG now tracing nCoV patients’ co-passengers “We also requested NCRPO [guidelines on] how to go about their memorandum in as far as assisting our DRRMs and Department of Health sa pagkuha ng ONTACT tracing of aircraft passengers who mga, let’s say, matitigas na ulo na PUIs,” traveled with the Chinese couple found positive Salalima said. This developed as Quezon Rep. Angelina with the 2019 novel coronavirus has begun, Tan, chairperson of the House committee on officials said. health, filed House Bill 6166 in an effort to help the Department of Health strengthen Speaking to reporters in Camp Crame, Dumaguete to Manila. its health system response to contain the Criminal Investigation and Detection In related developments, Metro spread of 2019-nCoV ARD through the Group director Maj. Gen. Joel Napoleon Manila governments will require the immediate procurement of adequate and Coronel said the China couple, who police for protocols in handling persons appropriate surgical masks for persons under traveled to the Philippines from Hong under investigation (PUIs) for possible investigation and health workers as well as Kong, shared three different flights with novel coronavirus infection but refuse to the needed personal protective equipment more than 300 passengers. undergo health measures. for our health manpower including the “Based on the information provided by At a congressional hearing conducted repatriation of affected Filipinos abroad, the Department of Health, I understand by the House committee on Metro Manila particularly in the mainland China and its a lot of the 331, more than 50 have Development, Metro Manila Disaster administrative regions. been accounted and contacted already Risk Reduction and Management At the same time, the Philippine and the remaining 270 plus, we have to Council’s Mike Salalima said the 17 local National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group manually and individually check on them governments units in the National Capital on Wednesday said it was looking into if needed,” Coronel said. Region wanted to clear up the mater. six social media posts that allegedly He said they would start with the flight The MMDRRMC made the request spread fake news about the 2019 novel from Hong Kong to Cebu, then Cebu to for protocols from the National Capital coronavirus acute respiratory disease Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, then Region Police Office. (2019-nCoV ARD).

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey Requejo

Supreme Court OKs MCLE online for lawyers By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has approved Mandatory Continuing Legal Education for lawyers through the use of e-learning methods, particularly with the use of Internet technology, The great news for practicing lawyers in the Philippines came after the SC adopted an en banc resolution governing the Rules and Regulations in the Conduct of MCLE Online. The rules take effect today following its required publication. “The onset of computer technology made it necessary to adopt current

trends of learning and it is relevant with the changing times that an alternative mode of delivery of the MCLE be made available to members of the Bar through online and on demand MCLE,” the Court said, in an 11-page resolution. The Court stressed that the online MCLE, which has long been adopted and successfully implemented in other jurisdictions, would address the need for MCLE activities in the provinces, especially in far-ﬂung areas where MCLE activities are few and far between, as well as for Filipino lawyers who are based abroad and would like to update their MCLE compliance.

Members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, per Rule 1, Section 1 of Bar Matter No. 850, are required to take continuing legal education to ensure that “they keep abreast with the law and jurisprudence, maintain the ethics of the profession and enhance the standards of the practice of law.” The implementing rules deﬁne the minimum requirements and responsibilities of accredited MCLE Providers desiring to conduct MCLE online, as well as the guidelines and minimum requirements for lawyers who want to avail themselves of MCLE online, the SC said.

House body approves legalizing Ex-solon, divorce By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Population and Family Relations on Wednesday approved the bill legalizing divorce in the country being a remedy to free couples locked in failed marriages. This, as Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, member of the committee, moved for the approval of the bill and invoked Rule 10 Section 48 or the one-day hearing only for bills that have been approved on third reading in the previous Congress. The consolidated bill was approved because the committee invoked the rule. The divorce bills ﬁled in the 18th Congress include were House Bill (HB) 100 authored by Lagman, HB 838 of party-list Reps. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of Alliance and Concerned Teachers (ACT), Sarah Elago of Kabataan, Eufemia Cullamat, Carlos Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite of Bayan Muna; and HB 2263 by former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. “[These] should be prioritized and may be disposed of as matters already reported upon the approval of majority of the Members of the committee pr esent, there being a quorum,” said Lagman. Lagman will head the technical working group to harmonize the ﬁnal version before sending the measure to the plenary. In the previous 17th Congress, Alvarez under his leadership as Speaker approved the divorce bill as a way out to “problematic marriages.” But the bill failed to get enacted as senators did not support the bill.

Razon’s act doesn’t deter gov’t—DOJ JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the acquisition by business tycoon Enrique Razon of the 25 percent shares of Manila Water would not affect government’s resolve to revise the onerous and grossly disadvantageous provisions in the concession agreements with the two water ﬁrms. Guevarra stressed the selling of 25 percent stake of the Ayala-owned Manila Water to Razon had “no effect whatsoever.” Razon reportedly invested P10.7 billion to Manila Water that operates in the Metro Manila’s east zone. “The CA (concession agreement) will be revised for the beneﬁt of the consuming public, regardless of the ownership of the water company,” Guevarra said in a text message.

The Department of Justice secretary is part of the team tasked to revise the government contracts with the two private water concessionaires— Manila Water and Maynilad Water. The DOJ is finalizing the draft contracts that would be discussed with the two firms to weed out from the 1997 concession agreements the onerous provisions that were disadvantageous to the consuming public. Nonetheless, Guevarra assured the two water concessionaires that the draft contracts would be fair and equitable, and to the benefit of their clientele. “Inputs on the financial and commercial provisions are now being incorporated in the draft. Once consolidated, we may start discussions with the concessionaires in March,” Guevarra said. Rey Requejo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has backed proposed measures to address the declining prices of copra or dried coconut meat which has been hurting farmers for the past three years, Malacañang said Wednesday. During a recent Cabinet meeting, President Duterte approved the recommendations of Philippine Coconut Authority administrator Benjamin Madrigal to raise copra’s farmgate prices, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. The measures include the full implementation of the Biofuels Act of 2006 which mandates that fuels must be blended with coco methyl ester derived from copra or dried coconut kernel. Duterte also approved the inclusion of a bill on copra prices in his priority legislative agenda, as well as issuance of an executive order patronizing food and non-food coconut products in government projects and events. As of Jan. 30, the average mill gate price of copra in the country was P26.64 per kilogram while the average farmgate price was P21.04, according to PCA data. The farmgate price of copra sharply declined to P13.39 per kilogram from January to November 2019, much lower than 2018’s P33.94 per kilogram and 2017’s P54 per kilogram. In December 2018, copra price began to increase at P16 per kilogram.

AT THE READY. Nurses prepare the holding area for any possible case of novel coronavirus at the Ospital ng Parañaque in Parañaque City. Norman Cruz

others beat scam charges A FORMER Quezon City congressman and several others were acquitted by the Sandiganbayan graft and technical malversation charges stemming from the P728-million fertilizer fund scam in a decision promulgated Jan. 31, but made available only on Wednesday. Former Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza and her co-accused —then Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit IV officials Dennis Araullo, Juvylee Obice, Raymundo Braganza, Gover Dino, Dory Iranzo, Abelardo Bragas, Felix Ramos, Ofelia Montilla, Gregorio Sangalang, Balagtas Torres and Remus Villanueva were acquitted after the Ombudsman failed to sufficiently establish the essential elements of graft and technical malversation. In the case filed by the Ombudsman in 2011, Daza and the DA officials were accused of using the appropriation of P3 million for the purchase of farm equipment without public bidding. It was not explained where the farm equipment will be used although there are no farms in the Fourth District of Quezon City that Daza represented. The fund, disbursed in 2004, was part of the P728-million farm input fund under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program of the DA. This was the subject of a Senate investigation based on a Commission on Audit report. Maricel V. Cruz

NUP swears in 4 House leaders FOUR congressional leaders, led by two deputy speakers, were sworn in Wednesday as new members of the National Unity Party, further raising its number of 61 with district seats to 49 and 12 party-list afﬁliates in the House of Representatives. NUP president and Dasmariñas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. welcomed the four congressmen who joined the party which is perceived as the second largest political party at the Lower House. He said the increasing number of NUP would help strengthen the party’s push for the enactment of President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda. Deputy Speaker and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II; Deputy Speaker and Laguna 1st District Rep. Dan Fernandez; and La Union 2nd District Rep. Sandra Eriguel, the chairperson of the House Committee on Social Services, took their oath as new members of the party before Barzaga, the NUP president, in ceremonies at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City. Maricel V. Cruz

Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sinophobia and hysteria SANTA Banana, more than the terrorists in Mindanao, the homegrown communist movement and even President Duterte's war on illegal drugs and government corruption, the dreaded novel coronavirus has become the greatest challenge of this administration! The spread of the virus has caused hysteria and Sinophobia among Filipinos, leading to drastic action by the government. Some self-styled experts may have criticized the decision of the President to ban the entry of all Chinese from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau. I believe, however, that the decision of the President was wise and timely. My gulay, a knee-jerk reaction to the spread of the virus could have just created hysteria and panic. One thing we should avoid is Sinophobia. I don't know if it's fake news, but I have been told that in some parts of Metro Manila, some restaurants are denying entry to Chinese nationals for fear of getting infected. I had the same feeling when my family went out to dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant for a taste of Peking duck. Santa Banana, it was a Sunday, and yet only four tables were occupied. I cannot blame people, even the local Chinese themselves. If you read the newspapers or go on social media, you would really get a sense of the impact of the dreaded virus. This is why I believe the Duterte administration should undertake a massive education and information campaign on what to do and what not to do. The safety of 110 million Filipinos is at risk, Santa Banana! And if we are fearful, imagine what it must be like for squatters who have no idea about hygiene at all! Duterte should also undertake measures in avoiding Sinophobia or racism. ***

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

The ban on the entry of Chinese from the mainland actually has a double effect. It can help contain the spread of the virus, and it can minimize the entry of drug cartels to the Philippines. They are also responsible for the entry of Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian prostitutes whose clients are mainly Chinese POGO workers. Raids by the National Bureau of Investigation and the police in Metro Manila hotels have shown the proliferation of prostitution dens. Authorities must explain how they came here in the first place. But the fact that Chinese mafias have made the country their playground tells us that they have to be stopped.

This virus is the biggest challenge of the Duterte administration. I urge the Duterte administration to do away with the “visa upon arrival” scheme for the Chinese. We know how many mysterious things can happen at the Bureau of Immigration. *** It stands to reason that the Senate should be consulted by Malacañang on President Duterte's knee-jerk reaction of terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement just because the US visa of Senator Bato dela Rosa was canceled. I find no logic at all to this move, since the visa of Dela Rosa has absolutely nothing to do with it. It was, after all, the Senate that ratified the agreement allowing American forces to come to the Philippines to conduct joint military exercises with our Armed Forces! The Senate itself admitted that the President is the constitutionally mandated architect of Philippine foreign relations, even as it (the Senate) was the one that ratified the VFA. Admittedly, the reaction of Duterte should be corrected. But the VFA should also be reviewed especially

This is the big picture

T WAS disconcerting to learn that the Department of Health has reached fewer than 60 of the 331 airline passengers who had come into contact with two carriers of the deadly novel coronavirus (nCoV), which has killed 427 people and infected more than 20,000. Answering questions at a Senate hearing Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III acknowledged that only 17 percent or “roughly a fifth” of the 331 passengers on the three flights taken by the infected Chinese couple— the 44-year-old man who became the first fatality outside of China and his 38-year-old female companion. Both had traveled from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the nCoV outbreak, to Hong Kong and from there took a Cebu Pacific flight to Cebu, arriving on Jan. 21. Then they later took another Cebu Pacific flight to Dumaguete, and days later took a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila. At first, Duque seemed to blame his subordinates for not informing him about the slow pace of contact tracing and told senators that he could ill afford

to be bogged down in “operational details” as attending to these might make him lose sight of “the bigger picture.” Then Duque also blamed the airlines, accusing them of not sharing the contact details of the passengers by invoking the Data Privacy Law. But both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific said they had, in fact, shared those contact details with the Department of Health and had also tried to contact the passengers on their own. In the same hearing, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal said that given the urgency of the situation, he saw no reason for the airlines to withhold that information or cooperate with the authorities. Of course, it is time to stop point-

ing fingers and to move more swiftly to address the nCoV problem. We need Secretary Duque’s excuses as much as we need outlandish suggestions from some senators that the police be used to track the passengers as if they were criminals, or meaningless assurances that the President puts public safety first. Time is of the essence. By official accounts, the infected couple arrived from China on Jan. 21 and were admitted to hospital on Jan. 25. This gave them four days during which they might infect others as they traveled to Cebu, Dumaguete and Manila—including the 331 passengers on board the flights they took. Anyone they transmitted the virus to during that time could be passing it on as well to an unknown number of people—possibly hundreds every day that they are not identified and confined. That’s not just an operational detail, Secretary Duque. That is the big picture.

Turn to A5

What airport? LAST year, around September, the Department of Transportation gave the go signal for conglomerate San Miguel Corp. to start the construction of the $15-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan. Aside from signing the concession agreement for the development of the international airport with SMC which will allow the project to finally take off, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the project’s notice to proceed, which gives SMC the greenlight to start with the project’s construction anytime.

SMC has to clarify its relationship with Silvertides. Dubbed as the Bulacan Aerotropolis, the new airport, which will be built on a 2,400-hectare property in Bulakan, Bulacan, will have four runways, eight taxiways and three terminals. It will be able to handle up to 100 million passengers per year once fully completed in five years. The project is projected to decongest air traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City and will also help improve traffic in Metro Manila. Travelers going in and out of the National Capital Region via airplane will be diverted to Bulacan, a province outside but still near the country’s capital region. Tugade gave SMC the go-signal for the project as SMC was said to have complied with all the requirements including securing an environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

After supposedly securing an ECC for its “airport project,” SMC issued a statement assuring everyone that the company “will work closely with all stakeholder groups to make sure this vital infrastructure project will be sustainable and will deliver positive economic, social and environmental benefits.” Or will it? Are we to trust their words? Firstly, it was not SMC which secured an ECC but Silvertides Holdings Holdings Corp. Although it is reportedly linked to SMC, the public has yet to be informed of the set-up between the two companies as while it is Silvertides which holds the ECC, it is SMC which has reportedly bagged the project. Now for the bombshell. In August last year, former press attaché to Washington, Ado Paglinawan wrote to DENR questioning why was it only its regional office which issued an ECC instead of the national office considering the magnitude of the project. Last month, the DENR, through lawyer Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, undersecretary for Mining Concerns and Climate Change Services, replied to Paglinawan, a copy of the letter furnished to this writer, clarifying the issue on SMC’s supposed ECC for the airport project. Rebuelta-Teh wrote: Based on the report of Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 3, please be informed of the following: 1.The Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued to Silvertides Holdings Corp. (Silvertides) on June 14, 2019 was for a land development project located at Barangays. Taliptip and Bambang, Bulakan, Bulacan, not for an airport development project. Now, what exactly was the SMC airport project Tugade had given the go-signal to proceed? What concession agreement was he talking about? Didn’t Tugade review all the documentary requirements submitted to his office concerning the project? This Turn to A5

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Cannabis coffee: Indonesia’s Sharia stronghold sidesteps drug ban By Haeril Halim AGUS plunges a wooden paddle into his coffee and marijuana-filled wok, taking care to roast just the right mix of ingredients—and stay one step ahead of police in Indonesia's Aceh province. His contraband brew is a hit with locals and buyers in other parts of the Southeast Asian archipelago, who pay 1.0 million rupiah ($75) for a kilo of it. But this is risky business in Aceh, where even drinking alcohol or kissing in public can earn you a painful whipping under its strict Islamic law. Agus, not his real name, is part of a clandestine economy in the region at the tip of Sumatra which, despite its no-nonsense reputation, is Indonesia's top weed-producer with fields covering an area nearly seven times the size of Singapore, according to official estimates. Pot was once so common in Aceh that locals grew it in their backyards and marijuana was sold to the public. But it was outlawed in the Seventies and Muslim majority Indonesia has since adopted some of the world's

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

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

strictest drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers. The nation has declared itself in the midst of a drug "emergency" because of soaring methamphetamine use. But the situation is Aceh is muddled. Police hunt weed farmers, imprison users and torch mountains of confiscated marijuana—more than 100 tons last year alone. Yet just last week a lawmaker from the province proposed in Parliament that the drug should be legalised, so the country could export it for pharmaceutical purposes. He was quickly reprimanded by his Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), while the national narcotics agency slammed the proposal claiming it would discourage Aceh ganja farmers from adopting its suggestions to switch to vegetables and other crops. Perfect high Despite the risks, Agus, claims he has little fear of going to jail. "How can you ban something that's everywhere?" he said, adding: "It's all over Aceh. This huge crackdown just

makes it rarer to see in public but people still use it." Most days, his biggest concern is hitting the perfect ratio for his java— 70 percent coffee and 30 percent marijuana. "If you put more than 30 percent ganja in there then you lose the coffee taste," he explained. For two decades, Agus was a white collar professional but he swapped his prestigious career for a more lucrative trade in order to better support his family. "I wanted to focus on coffee because this is my area of expertise," he added. Agus insists his recipe offers a pleasant, less intense high than smoking it or eating popular dodol ganja. The local speciality mixes marijuana with a fudgy sweet made from glutinous rice, palm sugar and coconut milk. "That stuff can really make you hallucinate," Agus said. How marijuana became a thing in Aceh is a matter of debate. Some say it was brought by Dutch colonists hundreds of years ago as a gift Turn to A5

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

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Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tighter security for the grid Philippine journalism loses a towering figure SOVEREIGNTY and national security are inherently a prime concern for all states, especially for developing states. The present Constitution embodies this principle by recognizing the paramount importance of protection of life, liberty, and property of the people and mandating an independent foreign policy. This is also manifest in other laws such as the Foreign Investment Act of 1991 (FIA). The FIA not just promotes foreign investment in domestic and export enterprises, but also establishes a negative list which limits foreign ownership in certain industries. I have repeatedly highlighted the importance of maintaining national control over our public utilities, particularly those which involve interconnection of facilities and exchange of information over networks. The networks of our electricity and telecommunications hold the most risk when it comes to national security. Any breach or interference of these networks by foreign entities will lay bare important information which may be crucial in the maintenance of peace and order, normal operations of the government, and undisturbed dayto-day activities of Filipinos. The recent discovery of “attacks” over the system of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines during the Senate Committee on Energy hearing held on Monday is exactly the reason for the precaution I continuously seek from the concerned agencies. Worse, this information was withheld from the government for weeks. It may be argued that threats to these industries and utilities are normal. However, these remain risks we must abate, and which the government must know. Such attempts show the vulnerability of our public utilities and indicate the need to ensure that security measures are updated and maintained. Furthermore, it was also reported that the Chief Technical Officer of the NGCP was a Chinese national. This is a direct contravention of its franchise and, more impor-

tantly, the Constitution. The inconvenience may be actually eliminated by making ownership and operations of our public utilities exclusive to Filipinos. At present, operation of public utilities, except power generation and the supply of electricity to the contestable market and similar businesses or services not covered by the definition of public utilities, are allowed up to 40 percent foreign equity. It is not impossible that schemes may be done to circumvent this law. While foreign investment is admittedly valuable to advance our technological capability, we cannot allow our national security be compromised. This could be the right time that we revisit the FIA, considering the present circumstances.

There must be a balance between technological and capital interest and national security and public welfare. Congresswoman Aleta Suarez has lim filed House Bill No. 4672 which limits the ownership and operation of the NGCP exclusively to Filipinos. I call on members of the Legislature to look into this bill and support its purpose. It can be recalled that 40 percent of the NGCP is owned by the State Grid Corporation of China, 30 percent by One Taipan Holdings, and the other 30 percent by Calaca High Power Corporation. This perhaps calls for a modern “Filipino First” policy. There must be a balance between technological and capital interest and national security and public welfare. Most important of them all is ensuring the welfare of our people. This has happened before. Despite the alleged countermeasures in place, I reiterate that limiting the ownership of these public utilities is the response we very much await. We have let many opportunities pass, it is high time that we took this matter seriously and act judiciously.

What... From A4

is a multi-billion project. I am pretty sure he will be personally attending to it instead of delegating the task to his subordinates. So, what was this airport project SMC has been bragging all along? Did it submit doctored documents to cover-up for the lack of ECC for its airport project? I’m not sure it will resort to that considering its stature. But if it doesn’t have an ECC for an airport project, what is this all about? Land speculation? A big-time project such as this will make prices of real estate in that area to soar sky-high. According to sources in the area, properties in Bulakan, Bulacan are now selling at P1,000 per square meter from a lowly P10 per square meter before the news broke out an airport will be built there. So, how much is Silvertides or SMC will be making for the 3,300 hectares of fishponds it has acquired for this project assuming it was all indeed about land speculation for some real estate project? Either or, this could be a rip-off and someone has to answer for this. Tugade has to explain why he has given a go-signal for a still non-existent project given the lack of an ECC for an airport development. SMC, for its part, has to clarify its relation with Silvertides and its real intention given the fact it had not acquired an ECC for an airport development but for land development. And after addressing these issues, we can go back to addressing a more serious concern—its environment impact. But for now, just please show us where the proposed airport is.

Cannabis... From A4

for a sultan in the jungle-clad region. But local historian Tarmizi Abdul Hamid counters that marijuana use— for everything from medicine and cooking to repelling pests from crops and preserving food—can be found in manuscripts that pre-date the Dutch arrival. "It shows that ganja can be used to cure baldness or high blood pressure," he said of one text. "Ganja was also used for cooking and medicine. Smoking, however, is not mentioned in the ancient scriptures," he added. Heavenly weed Centuries later, marijuana was on the front lines—literally—of a separatist insurgency in Aceh. Former weed farmer Fauzan remembers harvesting his crop when bullets started flying across his field in a shootout between government soldiers and rebels back in 2002, three years before a peace deal ended the bloody conflict. Fauzan estimates that some 80 percent of the people in his hometown Lamteuba, about 50 kilometers from

provincial capital Banda Aceh, were once ganja farmers. Locals in the one-time rebel stronghold created secret pathways to their lucrative crops and even built hiding places to stash their weed harvest in a cat-and-mouse game with authorities. "This village is like heaven. Whatever you plant here it'll grow," Fauzan said. "Throw a ganja seed on the ground, leave it and then come back for the harvest." But, fearing arrest, he later quit the trade. Fauzan, who now grows chilies to support his family, works with the government to convince farmers to switch to vegetables and other crops. That's a hard sell in an impoverished village with few job opportunities. "If the government doesn't take care of people and supply assistance, they're likely to go back to their old routine," Fauzan acknowledged. For pot enthusiast Iqbal—not his real name—the only thing prohibition has done is make locals better at hiding pot in a cup of coffee or plate of noodles. He mused: "It's impossible to get rid of ganja in Aceh. Cracking down on meth by destroying a lab is easier. But when police destroy a ganja plantation, it'll just grow somewhere else." AFP

THOSE two old sayings about the connection between virtue and human longevity—“Only the good die young” and “Mala hierba nunca muere (Bad grass never dies)”— were disproved anew two days ago with the passing of Gabino Tabuñar Jr. Gabby, as he was known to his countless colleagues and admirers, was 95 at the time of his passing. At the time of his retirement from his journalistic profession, Gabby Tabuñar was bureau chief for Asia of the leading US news network CBS News. From his perch at CBS News, Mr. Tabuñar had an advantage that his Philippine colleagues did not have, to wit, direct and full access to the news and views gathered by the worldwide correspondents of that American news network. Gabby Tabuñar’s affiliation with a foreign news network qualified him to be a member of FOCAP (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines). In due time, he was elected FOCAP president. It is probably as head of the organization of foreign journalists assigned to the Philippines that Gabby Tabuñar is best remembered. The former CBS News man was a very courteous and highly likeable person, but once he called a FOCAP

meeting to order, Gabby Tabuñar assumed the personality of a stern and order-minded manager. The fact that Mr. Tabuñar was tall and looked very dignified helped a lot. When he conducted the question-and-answer segment of a FOCAP meeting—as he was invariably requested to—Gabby was polite, accommodating but to-the-point. The Q&A segments involving controversial FOCAP guests never gave rise to incidents when Gabby Tabuñar was in charge.

Yes, Gabino Tabuñar, you did it your way, and you did it very well. Although he could easily be mistaken for a Caucasian person—as I did when I first saw him—Gabby Tabuñar was every inch a Filipino, and he fiercely loved his country. In my conversations with him during the last three years, he conveyed sadness over the fact that real, on-theground Philippine sovereignty was being blatantly violated. If children of military officers are often called military brats, Gabby Tabuñar could be called an education brat. He was very proud of the fact that his father was an educator. Born and brought up in La Union,

Gabby traveled with his father to the educational institutions in the Philippines which the older Tabuñar was called upon to head. He had a deep yearning for the improvement of the public school system of this country. Ninety-five years is a lot of history, and numerous friends and associates—myself included—tried persistently to convince Gabby Tabuñar to record his memoirs of his decades of experience as a journalist, which included interviews and private conversations with the leaders and high personages of the Philippines and other countries. After all, as a journalist he observed and reported the happenings in almost all post-World War II national administrations. But our efforts were unavailing and Gabby Tabuñar took all his knowledge with him to his final resting place. Gabby Tabuñar will be sorely missed by many people. Chief among them will be the members of the club that he co-founded—the First Thursday Club, a group of current and former journalists who met regularly on the first Thursday of every month. He also will be missed by his fellow-music lovers; music was one of the abiding passions of someone who for 61 years was married to a coloratura soprano, the late Maitoni Equaras-Tabuñar. As one of Gabby’s favorite Frank Sinatra songs declared: “I did it my way.” Yes, Gabino Tabuñar, you did it your way, and you did it very well. You ended up as a towering figure in Philippine journalism.

The liberation of Manila NOT too many people realize it but later this month, Manila will commemorate the liberation of the City from the Japanese occupation forces. February 6 was in fact the day that the headquarters of the Southwest Pacific Command announced to the world that Manila had fallen to the American forces under General Douglas MacArthur. Actually, the fight was just beginning and would take the whole month of February before Manila was fully liberated. When the fighting was over, more than 100,000 innocent Filipinos were brutally and systematically murdered by the Japanese forces who decided that the best way to serve their Emperor was to die fighting in Manila.

We as a people seem to have forgotten those three years of Japanese occupation. The composite Japanese force of navy and army personnel defending Manila numbering about 17,000 under the command of Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabachi went on a killing orgy, killing infants, children, pregnant women, young and old people and raping as many women as they can. Whole families died in the process. People were killed for no other reason than the Japanese soldiers wanting to take as many people with them even if those people were non-combatants. Knowing the Japanese of today, it is hard to believe that they were capable of such barbarity and brutality. But the Japanese of 75 years ago were different from who they are today. To the Japanese soldier then, there was no greater honor than to die for their Emperor. Today, however, all the Japanese people seem to have become almost all pacifists abhorring the evils of war. But the Japanese of World War 2 preferred death than surrender and so it was in the battle to liberate Manila. Except for a few who surren-

dered, all the Japanese defenders had to be killed before the fighting was finally declared over. The fighting was so intense and brutal that the city was virtually left in ruins. As one historian would later write, viewed from the air, the city of Manila was like Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the two cities were bombed. Japan today is one of our closest friends in Asia providing most of the economic aid that is helping us improve our infrastructure. We as a people seem to have forgotten those three years of Japanese occupation. In fact, of all the countries in Asia that the Japanese in invaded and occupied in WW2, we are the only country who seems to have forgotten what happened during those years. China and South Korea certainly have not forgotten what happened when the Japanese invaded and occu occupied their countries. In fact, war issues always seem to pop out between the three countries during anniversaries. We, however, have chosen to remember fewer things about the past. As far as I know, we are the only Asian country to have hosted Japanese royalty, not once but twice. The father of the current Emperor when he was the Crown Prince came to the country in the 1960s, and again when he was Emperor. Also, two of the senior Japanese Army Officers convicted of war crimes who were sentenced to be executed were pardoned by former President Elpidio Quirino who himself lost his wife and two children when Japanese soldiers killed them during the fighting to liberate Manila. The Liberation of Manila will be commemorated in many ways like lectures or a simple wreath laying which does not seem to be enough tribute to remember what the City had to go through in those February days of 1945. There should be a more fitting ceremony to commemorate the event. ***

Sinophobia... From A4

since it provides that the US should take custody of the offender when American soldiers commit a crime here. This does not make sense and is completely disadvantageous to the Philippines. The Senate should also review the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. *** It is good that local government units have been given the power to decide what is best for their communities in connection with nCoV. It is the local government that knows best on what must be done. They should also join the education and informa-

It took the death of a Chinese citizen from Wuhan at the San Lazaro Hospital who arrived here in the country on Jan. 20, 2020, together with his girlfriend, to spur the government to take more aggressive steps to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. Now, all foreigners originating from China, Hong Kong and Macau will temporarily not be allowed into the country until the spread of the virus is contained. Should this action been taken earlier as some have been suggesting? Maybe, but coming up with a decision like closing borders is not a decision to be taken very lightly because of its repercussions. Maybe the government did not want to be accused of hysteria or panic that is why it had to consider all options. It is perfectly understandable but, considering what is at stake, an earlier decision should probably have been made earlier. After all, the outbreak was announced by China on Dec. 30, 2019. In addition to the 2019 nCoV, China has also just announced the outbreak of the bird flu. China is therefore now grappling with two potentially dangerous infections, one of which could develop into a pandemic. If it does happen and I hope it does not, it could kill millions. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 killed about 50 million people worldwide which was more than all those killed in the First World War. Let us hope that this 2019 coronavirus will eventually be contained. As I said in my piece last week, we, the public must do everything to keep ourselves free from infection. The other half is putting our faith in the government to do the right thing and put the interest of the Filipino people above all else. Judging from the way the Senate hearing went the other day, it is clear there are still areas where protocols could be better. It is surprising that all those passengers and people who got in close contact with the two infected Chinese citizens have not yet been contacted. How much more if the situation worsens? Hopefully, the system being established by the government will not be overwhelmed.

tion campaign of the national government against racism. *** Philippine tourism will certainly be hit. People are hesitating to travel abroad. Just how long the anxiety will last is a matter of speculation. Another sector that is taking a hit is the hospitality sector. Hotel bookings have been canceled. Likewise for the restaurant business. *** My apologies to Japanese Embassy Consul General Atsushi Kuwabara-san for my failure to mention him among the guests who graced the launch of my book last week. I also forgot to thank Carla Diaz de Rivera of Brainstorm who was responsible for the backdrop, lighting and video of the affair. My apologies.

News

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

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Quake-hit condo tenants to get ‘compensation’ AFTER being struck by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in October last year, tenants of Ecoland 4000 in Davao City will soon be receiving compensation for their collapsed condo units. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is currently holding discussions with the Consunji-led DMCI affiliate Urban Property Developers Inc. after it agreed to compensate its affected customers. “The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will be the one undertaking the negotiations on behalf of the government to resolve the issue,” Panelo said. Last month, DMCI president and CEO Isidro “Sid” Consunji agreed to compensate tenants 150 percent of what they paid for their collapsed condo units. Consunji initially refused to take responsibility for the condo built by its sister firm in Davao until the President took a swipe at him in a speech. President Rodrigo Duterte criticized Consunji, a shareholder of Maynilad, for making remarks on onerous water contracts while refusing to take responsibility for the damaged condo units built by its sister firm. He also threatened to suspend the permit of Consunji, who also runs coal mines under Semirara Mining and Power Corp. Consunji earlier said he could understand where Duterte’s tirade against water firms is coming from because the previous water concession contract was not drafted by the private sector.

BJMP-Palawan to get produce from farmers—DAR By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Agrarian Reform has partnered with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Palawan’s three municipalities to directly source produce requirements from farmer-beneficiaries. Undersecretary for Support Services Emily Padilla cited the bureau’s requirement for a steady supply of food items, such as rice, vegetables, root crops and other farm produce, for persons deprived of liberty under its custody. Under DAR’s enhanced partnership against hunger and poverty program, the program seeks to address the government’s fight against hunger and poverty in the countryside. “The partnership is part of DAR’s six-point agenda to use the convergence of government agencies, like the BJMP, and private organizations to give support to the farmers,” Padilla said. “The BJMP in the municipalities of Aborlan, Narra and the City of Puerto Princesa has more than 500 PDLs. This constitutes a combined food market that would be of great help to farmer-members of agrarian reform cooperatives,” she added. Zoraida Macadindang, regional director and a signatory in the partnership, said DAR would continue to assist and empower farmers as well as their agrarian cooperatives to increase their production and engagement in agri-based and related enterprises. “Our farmers will get a good price for their products as the BJMP coordinates directly with agrarian cooperatives for their food requirements and modes of delivery,” she said.

INDUCTION. Senate President Vicente Sotto III inducts the 2020-2022 officers of the United Print Media Group, the association of major publication companies. Photo shows (from left) Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Barbie Atienza (Manila Bulletin)—president, Jay Sarmiento (PhilStar Media Group), vice president, Vivienne Motomal (Journal Group of Publications), treasurer, Jeanette Dominguez (BusinessWorld)—secretary, Annie Grefal (Manila Standard), auditor, Sherly Baula (Chinese Commercial News)—director, Jong Arcano (Philippine Daily Inquirer)—public relations officer, Marisa Consuelo (Gadgets Magazine)—director, Marvin Estigoy (Business Mirror)—director, Badette Cunanan (Manila Bulletin)chief of staff.

DOT urged to entice Pinoys to visit local tourist spots A By Maricel V. Cruz

CONGRESSMAN on Wednesday advised the Department of Tourism to launch an aggressive campaign to perk up domestic tourism to offset the estimated P20-billion loss of the tourism industry as a result of lower foreign visitor arrivals at the onset of the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. Deputy Speaker Luis Raymand Villafuerte said the department should entice domestic tourists to visit “hotspot” destinations, such as those for extreme sports and ecotourism. Villafuerte said that many Filipinos have visited a lot of countries and tourist spots abroad but have not been to Philippine “hotspots.” It is time, he said, that instead of going abroad, where travel have become cumbersome because of precautions put in

place to control the spread of the virus, local tourists should see what is in store for them in the Philippines. “Enticing more Filipinos to visit Philippine tourist spots will help offset the losses from lower tourist arrivals expected by industry stakeholders in this year’s first quarter at the least from the temporary travel ban on China, which is our biggest tourist market after South Korea,” Villafuerte, representative of Ca-

marines Sur’s Second District, said. Villafuerte, who represents the Second District of Camarines Sur, also expressed support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s imposition of the temporary travel ban after the Department of Health confirmed the first two confirmed 2019-nCoV infection in the country, the second of whom died while being treated at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Jose Clemente III was quoted in media reports that he expects at least P20 billion in revenue losses as the temporary ban on visitors from China will mean lower tourist arrivals over the JanuaryMarch period alone that will affect the business of hotels, tour operators and restaurants, among others.

DESTROYED. Photo shows the

aftermath of a fire that destroyed several houses at Baseco compound in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday midnight. Norman Cruz

NOT only does a telecommuting work arrangement save workers the need to leave their houses to do their jobs, it likewise minimizes the risk of getting infected with illnesses such as the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 nCoV-ARD), Senator Joel Villanueva said. Villanueva urged the Department of Labor and Employment to encourage the private sector to consider implementing telecommuting work arrangements for their employees as global health authorities grapple with containing the outbreak. “We also expect our friends from the labor department to urge the private sector to

SOME 700 passengers were offloaded from a Metro Rail Transit Line 3 train on Wednesday due to the malfunction of one of the train’s doors. In a statement, the MRT 3 said that at 7:18 a.m., one of its northbound trains unloaded its passengers at Ayala Station. Following the malfunction, the MRT 3 said the incident was under investigation. However, it also said that such cases may be caused by passengers leaning or forcing the train doors open. “The cause of the door failure is still under investigation. However, a common reason is stress on door components, which may be caused by leaning on the door or forcing it open,” the statement read. After the unloading incident, the MRT 3 said the affected passengers were immediately loaded into the next train, which arrived five minutes later. Passengers of the rail line are reminded not to lean on train doors or force it open. As of 11:45 a.m., the MRT 3 said 14 trains were operational in the rail line with 13 trains currently running at headway—the time between trains—of 9.5 minutes.

Trafficking victims rescued By Joel E. Zurbano

‘Work from home, prevents nCoV’ UP-Diliman picks Mathematics By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Door glitch forces MRT 3 to unload passengers

adopt ‘telecommuting’ for workers whose tasks can be done remotely to minimize possible spread of the disease,” he said. He explained that telecommuting work arrangements maintain the productivity of workers while reducing their need to commute to get to their offices or workplaces, thereby lowering the risk of getting infected by the nCoV. “Working at home will help disperse crowds, decrease the number of people on the streets, on the trains and other in public mass transport vehicles, which will ultimately help mitigate the spread of the infection,” said the senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development.

professor as new chancellor

THE University of the PhilippinesDiliman has chosen a new chancellor, a mathematician, for 2020 until 2023. UP president Danilo Concepcion, UP Board of Regents co-chairperson, said Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, the current UP-Diliman vice chancellor for research and development, will replace Dr. Michael Tan. Nemenzo is the 10th UP-Diliman chancellor. The Board of Regents came up with a resolution last Feb. 3 during its 1,350th meeting after a thorough selection process conducted by a multi-sectoral

search committee. “Our victory is the victory for all of us. I know you are all here not to fight for me but to fight for UP. You are here for academic freedom [and] democratic governance, [and] for the voice of the community to be heard in important decisions of the BoR,” Nemenzo told the students and faculty members. “I am looking forward to your participation and cooperation amid the challenges we will about to face. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Long live UP!” Rio N. Araja

BUREAU of Immigration agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport rescued seven women believed to be victims of human trafficking. BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina said the victims were intercepted at the departure area of the NAIA 3 terminal while they were about to board a Cebu Pacific Air flight to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. He said the passengers were barred from leaving after immigration officers found that the documents they presented were spurious. “This should send a signal to these syndicates that there is no letup in our anti-trafficking campaign despite the 2019 nCoV ARD outbreak. Our departure areas remain off limits to human traffickers and their victims,” Medina said. The virus outbreak has prompted the bureau to implement stricter screening procedures for arriving travelers as part of measures to combat the spread of the virus. According to Ma. Timotea Barizo, BI’s travel control and enforcement unit chief, the women were caught in possession of fake Philippine Overseas Employment Administration clearances.

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Giannis powers Bucks again

Fernandez, Sison rule Bill Shaw Howard returns to dunk event Golf Classic PAULINO Fernandez and Gene Sison engineered a huge second -round rally by holing in a couple of clutch birdies and a run of pars in the last few holes to complete their come-frombehind victory in the 31st Bill Shaw Golf Classic held at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club. After scoring 44 points in best ball format at the East course and needing at least an 89 in aggregate at the West to win outright, Fernandez and Sison came through with an 88 that tied them with former COMELEC chairman Ben Abalos Sr. and partner Zaldy Carpeso at 132 total apiece. However, when the tiebreak rule was applied, Fernandez and Sison were awarded the overall championship crown because of a lower team handicap in the highly anticipated invitational event, where 800 players joined this year. Still, Abalos and Carpeso won the title in the Seniors’ 1 division of the two-day tournament presented by San Miguel Corp., Shell and Yakult, with support from Chronos and D&L (platinum sponsors) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (diamond sponsor). Not to be outdone was the tandem of Oliver Gan and junior standout Rianne Malixi, the 12-year-old, who won the Match Play Championships in January. They assembled 157 (West) and 151 (East) for a 308 total to grab this year’s trophy for the overall team gross category. Other winners, who were awarded by the Wack Wack Board, led by its President Lawrence Tan, were Brainard and Edmund Hao (Group 1), Lutgardo and John Frederick Cruz (Group 2), Wilson Ng and Edgar Allan Pasion (Group 3) and Reuben Lista and Gaudencio Morales (Seniors 2). Jose Roman Ozeata flashed a big smile, too, as he brought home a Lexus UX200 F-Sport— a P3.108 million prize for his hole-in-one at the East’s No. 8. He used a Tour B JGR Hybrid 4 and Taylor Made #77 ball. His flightmates were Peter Tan. Leroy Ang and Edward Ang. Aside from the beautiful trophies, the Bill Shaw Classic gave away fabulous raffle prizes, including a Toyota Vios that went to Don Lee; a Mitsubishi Mirage G4 to Romulo Santos; and a sporty BMW C-400 Motorcyle to Wilson Tecson. Meralco, RGB, Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo, Stradcom, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, First Sunday Group, DDT Konstrakt, ICTSI-PGTI, Asia Traders Corp., Peerless Products, Resorts World Manila, EVA Air, Moven Pick, GG&A Clubchares, VMJ, Boysen and 3D Northern Islands were the other backers.

NEW YORK—Former Slam Dunk Contest champion Dwight Howard, NBA All-Stars Damian Lillard and Trae Young and Toronto’s Pascal Siakam are highlight entrants into the All-Star Saturday Night festivities announced Tuesday by the league. The 35th Slam Dunk event, 34th 3-Point Contest and 17th NBA Skills Challenge will top festivities on February 15 in Chicago on the eve of the 69th NBA All-Star Game. Eight-time All-Star Howard, who returns to the contest after 11 years, won the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk crown with a series of innovative dunks that included donning a Superman cape for one slam jam spectacle. The 34-year-old Los Angeles Lakers center, who helped the US team capture 2008 Olympic gold at Beijing, will compete against Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton and former dunk contest runners-up Aaron Gordon of Orlando from 2016 and Derrick Jones Jr. of Mi-

ami from 2017. The last time the Slam Dunk event took place in Chicago was in 1988, when hometown star Michael Jordan won his second title in a row in a dazzling display that edged out Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins. Defending champion Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets will try to become the first back-to-back 3-Point Contest winner since Jason Kapono in 20072008. He will be challenged by Portland’s Lillard and Atlanta’s Young, who will test their skills from beyond the arc before playing in the All-Star showdown the next night. Five-time All-Star Lillard ranks third in NBA, scoring at 29.8 points a game and second in 3-point hoops with 192, while Young—fifth in league scoring at 29.2 points a game—has made 156 3-pointers in 46 games after making the same number over 81 games last season. AFP

OS ANGELES—Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks over the New Orleans Pelicans 120-108 on Tuesday.

Antetokounmpo hit 12-of-17 from the Brandon Ingram led the host Pelicans floor and 9-of-13 free throws while add- with 32 points, while 19-year-old rookie ing six assists, a steal and a blocked shot star Zion Williamson had 20 points deas the Bucks improved their NBA-best spite 5-of-19 shooting from the floor record to 43-7 thanks to a 42-24 scoring with seven rebounds and five assists. edge in the third quarter. “I’m happy he’s going to be out there “I had a good game but I could get and help his team win,” Antetokounmpo better,” Antetokounmpo said. “Closing said. “It’s good playing against him. It’s down the third quarter, we didn’t do a going to be a great duel for a lot of years.” good job. We got sloppy.” In Los Angeles, the Lakers got 36 The Greek star still feels the sting of points, nine assists and seven rebounds losing to Toronto in last year’s Eastern from LeBron James and 18 points from Conference final and failing to lift the Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma as the Bucks into their first NBA Finals since hosts rolled over the San Antonio Spurs 1974, three years after Milwaukee won 129-102. its only title. The Lakers improved the best record That’s why chasing the NBA one-sea- in the Western Conference to 38-11, 3 son best record of 73-9 by Golden State 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Los is not the Bucks’ major goal. Angeles Clippers. “It’s going to be good if we win 70 James sank five 3-pointers in the first games. All that hard work is going to pay 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to off,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s going stretch the Lakers’ lead from 87-77 to to be even better if we get better every 108-87 and seal San Antonio’s fate. game and play for the championship.” “LeBron came out and hit five straight threes in 3 1/2 minutes, he got the lead for us and closed out the game early,” Davis said. “We just want to come out and make sure we play defense every night.” DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 28 points. NBA scoring leader James Harden, chasing a third consecutive NBA scoring crown, poured in 40 points, passed off 12 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Houston Rockets over visiting Charlotte 125-110. Harden could match the third-longest run of scoring titles in NBA history, behind only the record seven seasons in a row of scorGiannis Antetoking crowns won by Michael Jordan and Wilt ounmpo of the MilChamberlain. AFP waukee Bucks dunks the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. AFP

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros St., Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-cost housing project (Deca Homes Talomo Phase 1 and Phase 2) with a capacity of 3,184 economic and low-cost units on a non-pioneer status with project site at Brgy. Bago Gallera, Talomo Dist., Davao City.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-FEB. 6, 2020)

Pasay makes playoffs; San Juan, Batangas win N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that PRIMEX LAND, INC., with office address at 19 Annapolis St., Greenhills, San Juan City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of economic housing project (Deca Homes Meycauayan) with a THE Pasay Voyagers the Mindoro capacity of 5,180 trounced economic housing units on Tama nonpioneeron status with project site at Brgy. Saluysoy, araws, 84-72, Tuesday to complete the playoffs Meycauayan, Bulacan.

cast of the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season Any at person with Astrodome. valid objections on the aboveNorth division Cuneta mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, Dropping 13 with straight points, Voyagers under oath, the BOI within threethe (3) days from the of this publication. surged date ahead, 63-44, before cruising to their 17th win against 11 losses, shutting the door on the Caloocan Supremos, who dropped to 15-14 (SGD) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA following an 88-111 beatingDirector from the San Juan Infrastructure and Services Industries Service Knights in the opener. The Tamaraws tumbled to 9-19. (MS-FEB. 6, 2020) Toting a 25-4 record, Datu Cup champion San Juan is virtually assured of top spot in the North REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES with only the Manila Stars (24-5) capable of tying REGIONAL TRIAL COURT CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION the Knights NATIONAL after BRANCH the single round-robin elimina225-QUEZON CITY tion round theOF31-team ﬁeld. IN THEof MATTER THE PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ERIKA Other qualiﬁ ersENTRY among theFROM 16ERIKA teams in the C. TIAMZON IN THE NO. 1 NAME C. TIAMZON TO ERIKA(21-8), TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, North are Makati Pampanga (20-9), BataENTRY NO. 6, NAME OF MOTHER FROM MIDDLE INITIALBulacan C TO S AND NAME OF FATHER FROM ENRIQUE an (19--9), (19-10) and Pasig (18-11). OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ TO ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ, Led ERIKA by Genmar C. TIAMZON, Bragais’ 21 points, the BatanPetitioner, gas City Athletics subdued Bacolod Master’s -versusCase No. R-QZN-19-17373-SP Sardines, to climb to CITY, 17-11 and book their THE 63-54, CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON THE PHILIPPINE AUTHORITY AND BIOLOGICAL FATHER ENRIQUE ticket toSTATISTICS the D.South division playoffs. OLIVER DELA CRUZ a.k.a. ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ Respondents. moved past the The x---------------------------------------------------------x Tanduay-backed Athletics ORDER and Cebu Casino General Santos Warriors (16-11) An amended petition was filed on January 8, 2020 by petitioner through counsel praying that after publication, due notice and hearing, judgment Ethyl Alcohol (14-14).

be rendered ordering the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and National Statistics Office to correct entry No. 1, name of child, from ERIKA C. TIAMZON to ERIKA TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, Entry No. 6, name of mother, from MARITES C. TIAMZON to MARITES S. TIAMZON, and Entry No. 9, name of father, from ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ to ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ to conform with the corrected Birth Certificate of father. Finding the amended petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the Court gives due course thereto. WHEREFORE, let copy of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense, upon coordination with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City. Hearing on the amended petition is hereby set on March 19, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at 4th Floor, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, at which time and place, any person having interest in the petition may appear. Let copies of this Order be posted by the Branch Sheriff thirty (30) days before the hearing date at the following places at the expense of petitioner: 1. at the main entrance of the City Hall Building of Quezon City; 2. on the Bulletin Board of the Court, Hall of Justice, Quezon City, and 3. at the Barangay Hall of the barangay where the petitioner resided. Let copy of the amended petition together with its annexes and a copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City personally by the Branch Sheriff of this Court at the expense of the petitioner and thereafter to submit his report at least two (2) weeks before the hearing date. SO ORDERED. January 10, 2010, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

(Sgd.) MARIA LUISA LESLIE G. GONZALES-BETIC Presiding Judge Cc: Atty. Romniel L. Macapagal – Rm. 207 2/F CMC Bldg., 35 Matalino St., Diliman, Quezon City Erika C. Tiamzon – Blk. 48 Lot 11 Violago Homes, Parkwood Hills Subd., Payatas B. Quezon City Enrique Oliver dela Cruz aka Enrique D. dela Cruz – Firearms and Explosive Office, Admin Section, Camp Crame, Quezon City Jeson Patrombon (second from left)Office holds twin trophies as he poses with of thehis Solicitor General, Makati City of the runner-up City Prosecutor, Quezon City Kinaadman and (from left) Villa Aurora Tennis Club officer Gaga Butchon, Office singles Joshua Office of the Local Civil Registrar, Quezon City PPS-PEPP area manager Almee Salvador after dominating the PPS-PEPP Fr.(formerly Suarez Open in honor Philippine Statistics Authority NSO) – Vibal held Bldg., Quezon Avenue, (MStandard - Jan. 23, 30 & Feb. 6, 2020) Quezon City

NOTICE OF THE INITIATION OF A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON THE PETITION FOR SAFEGUARD MEASURES ON THE IMPORTATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES (SG CASE NO. SG01-2020) Notice is hereby given that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) officially received a petition from the Philippine Metalworkers’ Alliance for the initiation of a preliminary safeguard investigation to determine if increased importation of motor vehicles has caused or threatens to cause serious injury to the domestic motor vehicle industry. The DTI acting under Section 6 of RA 8800, the Safeguard Measures Act, evaluated the petition and found that a prima facie case exists to justify the initiation of a preliminary safeguard measures investigation. The importation of motor vehicles are classified under ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) Codes 87.03, 8703.21.10, 8703.21.29, 8703.21.29B, 8703.21.90C, 8703.22.19B, 8703.23.45, 8703.23.51B, 8703.23.52B, 8703.23.53B, 8703.23.54B, 8703.24.50B, 8703.31.20, 8703.31.20B, 8703.32.41, 8703.32.49, 8703.32.51B, 8703.32.59B, 8703.32.91B, 8703.32.91D, 8703.32.91E, 8703.32.99C, 8703.33.41, 8703.33.42, 8703.33.51A, 8703.33.51B, 8703.33.52B, 8703.33.90C and 8703.90.51 as well as 8704.21.19 and 8704.21.29 The period covered by the investigation (POI) are the years 2014 to 2018. Further, Rule 5.2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 8800 provides that “the Secretary when establishing that the application of a safeguard measure will be in the public interest shall take into consideration the following factors; among others: (i) whether the imposition of the provisional measure will result in political and economic crisis: and (ii) the extent to which such imposition will cause a shortage of a product under consideration in the domestic market”. WHEREFORE, IN VIEW THEREOF, interested parties are invited to submit their comments and position on the matter, including their views on whether the imposition of a safeguard measure is in the public interest. Submissions may be made to the Bureau of Import Services (BIS), Department of Trade and Industry, 3rd Floor, Tara Building, #389 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, within five (5) days from the date of publication of this notice. The Non-Confidential Report on the Initiation of a Preliminary Investigation can be accessed at the DTI web page: http://bit.ly/ SGMlmportMotorVehicles 17 January 2020

RAMON M. LOPEZ Secretary

TENNIS CHAMP.

of the healing priest (inset), who succumbed to cardiac arrest Tuesday.

(MS-FEBRUARY 6, 2020)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that PRIMEX LAND, INC., with office address at 19 Annapolis St., Greenhills, San Juan City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of economic housing project (Deca Homes Meycauayan) with a capacity of 5,180 economic housing units on a nonpioneer status with project site at Brgy. Saluysoy, Meycauayan, Bulacan. Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

M (SGD) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-FEB. 6, 2020)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 225-QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ERIKA C. TIAMZON IN THE ENTRY NO. 1 NAME FROM ERIKA C. TIAMZON TO ERIKA TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, ENTRY NO. 6, NAME OF MOTHER FROM MIDDLE INITIAL C TO S AND NAME OF FATHER FROM ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ TO ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ, ERIKA C. TIAMZON, Petitioner, -versusCase No. R-QZN-19-17373-SP THE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND BIOLOGICAL FATHER ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ a.k.a. ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ Respondents. x---------------------------------------------------------x ORDER An amended petition was filed on January 8, 2020 by petitioner through counsel praying that after publication, due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered ordering the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and National Statistics Office to correct entry No. 1, name of child, from ERIKA C. TIAMZON to ERIKA TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, Entry No. 6, name of mother, from MARITES C. TIAMZON to MARITES S. TIAMZON, and Entry No. 9, name of father, from ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ to ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ to conform with the corrected Birth Certificate of father. Finding the amended petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the Court gives due course thereto. WHEREFORE, let copy of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense, upon coordination with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City. Hearing on the amended petition is hereby set on March 19, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at 4th Floor, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, at which time and place, any person having interest in the petition may appear. Let copies of this Order be posted by the Branch Sheriff thirty (30) days before the hearing date at the following places at the expense of petitioner: 1. at the main entrance of the City Hall Building of Quezon City; 2. on the Bulletin Board of the Court, Hall of Justice, Quezon City, and 3. at the Barangay Hall of the barangay where the petitioner resided. Let copy of the amended petition together with its annexes and a copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City personally by the Branch Sheriff of this Court at the expense of the petitioner and thereafter to submit his report at least two (2) weeks before the hearing date. SO ORDERED. January 10, 2010, Quezon City, Metro Manila. (Sgd.) MARIA LUISA LESLIE G. GONZALES-BETIC Presiding Judge Cc: Atty. Romniel L. Macapagal – Rm. 207 2/F CMC Bldg., 35 Matalino St., Diliman, Quezon City Erika C. Tiamzon – Blk. 48 Lot 11 Violago Homes, Parkwood Hills Subd., Payatas B. Quezon City Enrique Oliver dela Cruz aka Enrique D. dela Cruz – Firearms and Explosive Office, Admin Section, Camp Crame, Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City Office of the City Prosecutor, Quezon City Office of the Local Civil Registrar, Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly NSO) – Vibal Bldg., Quezon Avenue, (MStandard - Jan. 23, 30 & Feb. 6, 2020) Quezon City

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Sports

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Injured Fajardo out indefinitely SAN Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo suffered a complete fracture on his right tibia during team practice last February 3. He was immediately brought to a hospital, where assessment on the extent of his injury and initial treatment were made. He underwent successful surgery last February 4 and will be scheduled to go through post-operation rehabilitation to allow him to recover at the soonest possible time. During this rehabilitation phase, the team regrets that he won’t be able to play for the San Miguel Beermen in the Philippine Cup. June Mar, for his part, is also saddened that he may not be able to join any upcoming international competition. The San Miguel Beermen management is committed to ensuring that June Mar gets the best medical care, and would like to thank fans for the messages of concern and well wishes.

Guarino trey lifts Adamson A TRIPLE from Jeremy Guarino in the last five seconds saved the day for the Adamson Baby Falcons yesterday in the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament. Guarino’s trey off a pass from Nino Quinal lifted the Baby Falcons to a decisive 79-76 upending of the Ateneo Blue Eaglets at the Filoil Flying V Sports Center. This earned the Baby Falcons the last seat in the Final Four semifinals after they finished the eliminations with an 8-6 win-loss record. The Baby Falcons, led by John Figueroa with 26 points and 21 rebounds, joined the Blue Eaglets in the semis, along with the top finishing Nazareth School-National University Bullpups and the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws. The Blue Eaglets, with Josh Lazaro firing 23 points, settled for fourth, bearing the same win-loss record with the Baby Falcons. Peter Atencio

MPBL. Genmar Bragais tallied 21 points off the bench to carry the Tanduay-backed Athletics to the South division playoffs following a 6354 win over Bacolod Master’s Sardines. (Story on A7)

Ramirez named Executive of Year F Palaro OR being at the helm of the country’s successful campaign in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, Team Philippines’ Chef De Mission William ‘Butch’ Ramirez is named the Executive of the Year in the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel

Chairman William I. Ramirez

Ramirez, who’s also the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, is credited for steering the Philippines in regaining the overall championship of the SEA Games after 14 years. The 1,115-strong Filipino athletes won a record haul of 149 gold, 117 silver, and 121 bronze medals, the most for the Philippines since it began participating in the meet in 1977. Incidentally, Ramirez was also the PSC chief when the country first clinched the SEA Games overall title in 2005. Ramirez joins an elite company that has been bestowed with the same award previously by the country’s oldest media organization, headed by president Tito S. Talao of the Manila

Bulletin. The list includes the likes of Manny V. Pangilinan, Ramon S. Ang, Wilfred Uytengsu, Hans Sy, Ricky Vargas, Chito Salud, Jude Echauz, Dan Palami and Philip Ella Juico. Ramirez joins the entire Team Philippines on centerstage during the awards night also presented by the PSC, MILO, Cignal TV, Philippine Basketball Association, Rain or Shine, and AirAsia as it will be the recipient of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award. The country’s sportswriting fraternity will also be handing out trophies for the President’s Award, Executive of the Year, and the National Sports Association of the Year. Other awards include Ms. Basketball, Mr. Volleyball, Ms. Golf, Mr. Football, and Coach of the Year. There will also be recipients of Major Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, Tony Siddayao Awards, MILO Junior Athletes Award, and citations to be led by the SEA Games gold medal winners. Meanwhile, sports personalities who passed away last year will also be accorded with a posthumous recognition.

PH athletes may soon be Civil Service eligible NATIONAL athletes will have a chance to acquire professional and sub-professional eligibility soon, if one is to base it on discussions between the Philippine Sports Commission and the Civil Service Commission, Wednesday. In the courtesy visit at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada proposed the possibility of granting CSC eligibility to national athletes, who achieved podium finishes on PSC-recognized international competitions. “With the success of our national athletes in recent competitions, we wanted to honor their achievements and legacy with plans on issuing special eligibility, which will help them in their future endeavors as Filipino citizens,” said Atty. Lizada. “We thank the CSC for this initiative in supporting our national athletes. This future development will not only recognize their success, but will also help them as they serve the country through sports, may it be in local government units and the national government,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez.

The sports agency chief added that the crafting of terms of this future agreement shall be derived from the existing policies of the Republic Act No. 6847 – the Philippine Sports Commission Act, and Republic Act No. 2260, also known as Civil Service Act of 1959. “The terms and conditions of the agreement are yet to be determined, but we are positive that with special laws and issuance policies from the CSC, our athletes will be granted of eligibility,” said Ramirez. Under the Civil Service Act, Sub-Professional Eligibility qualifies applicants for first level positions such as clerical, trade, and custodial service positions which require less than four years of college education. On the other hand, Professional Eligibility, qualifies one for first and second level positions such as professional, technical, and scientific positions that require four years of college education. Last year, Ramirez signed a Memorandum-of-Agreement with the Social Security System to ensure the protection of all national athletes and coaches.

ENDURO DUATHLON CHAMP. Fresh from its successful campaign in the recent

30th SEA Games, the Standard Insurance Duathlon Team added more trophies to its collection after sweeping three distance categories in the 2020 FastTwitch Enduro Duathlon at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga recently. FastTwitch is a multiple leg Run-BikeRun with Super Enduro. The team, led by standout duathlete Joey delos Reyes (second from left), topped the Super Enduro, Enduro and Sprint categories overall and in their age groups. Raising their trophies are (from left) John Topia, Efrain Inigo, Jessie Sabado,Tara Borlein, Doy Comendador, Robeno Javier and Jarwin Banatao. The team is managed by Standard Insurance Group Chairman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz and coached by Bernie Llantada.

to push through

By Peter Atencio THE 2020 Palarong Pambansa in Marikina will go on as scheduled. The Department of Education backed down on its earlier decision to postpone it and will no longer include the national games in its list of events that it will put on hold. DepEd officials yesterday clarified that national and regional competitions for students in February are the only ones they are canceling amidst the risk posed by the novel coronavirus. Education Secretary Leonor Briones issued a memorandum late Tuesday night, listing the events that the department cancelled and planned for the month. “Upon advice of [Department of Health], all national and regional activities involving learners and/or teachers requiring travel and congregation of various schools, divisions, and/or regions are suspended,” it read. The suspension will only cover the staging of National Science and Technology Fair, the National Schools Press Conference and the National Festival of Talents. The student journalism competition was supposed to be held in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on February 17 to 21. All off-campus activities such as field trips are also suspended. It also “highly discouraged” gatherings of schools in division and district activities. DepEd however stressed that the Palarong Pambansa, scheduled in May, is not covered by the suspension. The last time the Palaro was called off was in 2001. It was slated in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, but was scrapped due to lack of funds and peace and order situation.

Veterans, newcomers face off in Langkawi tour By Charles Dantes

Harrif Salleh and Carlos Quintero of TSG Terrenganu Cycling team, Louis Meintjes of NTT Pro Cycling, Blake Quick of St. George Continental Cycling team and Pierre Rolland of B&B Hotels-Vital Concept are shown during the press conference of the 25th Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi. Charles Dantes

KOTA KIBABALU—A mixture of veterans and newcomers are vying for the various jerseys at stake in the 25th Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi. Returning to the race is St. George Continental Cycling Team’s Blake Quick, who is looking to break the jinx of his last year’s showing. The young Australian proved that he can compete at a high-level after finishing second twice in the 2019 LTdL. On the other hand, homegrown talent Harrif Saleh of the TSG Terrenganu Cy-

cling team is aiming for a repeat of his lone stage win in 2019. His teammate Carlos Quintero promised to give his best for his country as many Columbian riders have taken the previous competitions by storm and emerged victorious. “It is very important for Columbia to win the race as many Columbians have won here (before).” The NTT Pro Cycling will not feature defending champion Benjamin Dyball, with South Africa’s Louis Meintjes leading their six-man squad instead. “A lot of South Africans have won here before, but we are looking for any kind of

success and we will take any result,” said the 27-year-old Meintjes. A Tour de France regular and a Vuelta España racer, Meintjes is expected to fill the hole left off by Dyball’s absence and lead NTT to another title chase. Pierre Rolland wants to add another gem in his collection, with his team B&B Hotels-Vital Concept. Considered as one of the best climbers in the competition, Rolland boasts of a lengthy list of achievements, making him a favorite in the tourney. The Tour de Langkawi starts Friday in Padang Merdeka, Kuching.

Business

IN BRIEF

Teleserv cries foul over canceled deal

PILIPINAS Teleserv Inc., the former service provider of the Philippine Statistics Authority Helpline Plus, broke its silence Wednesday over what it called a “unilateral and unjustified termination of its memorandum of agreement with PSA.” The company said national statistician and civil registrar general Claire Dennis Mapa was also making statements damaging to Teleserv’s corporate reputation. Teleserv president Jun Yupitun said the PSA overreacted and wantonly breached the MOA by quickly canceling it. He said that, on its own and without the prodding of PSA, Teleserv promptly and properly addressed the complaints of data privacy breach even before any case was filed by the National Privacy Commission against PSA, in a manner consistent with the Data Privacy Act. The company, in a letter sent to PSA, underscored that the total number of complaints only comprised less than one-half of one percent of the more than 1 million customers it serviced last year. “In other words, the mentioned two NPC cases do not establish any pattern of data privacy breach, nor is there a clear proof of a supposed weak security system,” it said. The PSA said last week it decided to terminate its MOA with Teleserv on Dec. 20, 2019 because of two complaints. A Teleserv official disputed it, saying despite the absence of a KPI in the agreement, the company is an experienced and reputable BPO, which is self-regulated and has strong policies in place to ensure delivery of high service level. The Teleserv official also said any desired change or improvement in the MOA to incorporate such KPIs could have been addressed through an amendment of the MOA, and not through unilateral termination.

Debt-to-GDP ratio fell to 41.59% in 2019

THE Bureau of the Treasury said the debt-toGDP (gross domestic product) ratio likely fell to 41.59 percent in 2019, better than its target of 41.72 percent, as it managed to raise P995 billion last year through a proactive borrowing strategy that reduced the government’s exposure to foreign exchange risks. The agency said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that part of the proactive borrowing strategy were the issuances of about P185.7 billion in global bonds and P693.8 billion-worth of government securities. External borrowings in 2019 also included P37.06 billion in project loans and P78.2 billion in program loans. Domestic sources accounted for 70 percent of the government’s borrowings last year, achieving the BTr’s desired 70-30 financing mix that aims to reduce the country’s exposure to external risks while developing the local debt markets. “This proactive borrowing strategy took advantage of positive market developments to secure tight pricing for our global bond issuances,” National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said in her report to Dominguez. Julito G. Rada

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

By Alena Mae S. Flores

TOP BROKER. AON Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Philippines Inc. top the list as FPG Insurance’s top broker for gross premiums written for 2019. Receiving the award is AON Insurance commercial risk solutions and affinity vice president Sonny Ang (third from left). With Ang are (from left) FPG regional managing director Stephen Blasina, assistant vice president Alodia Fernandez, new FPG president and CEO Gigi Pio de Roda, corporate business group head Beth Villamil and outgoing president Ramon Dimacali.

January inflation hit 8-month high of 2.9% By Julito G. Rada

NFLATION in January accelerated to an eight-month high of 2.9 percent from 2.5 percent in December on higher prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, the impact of twin storms in December and the Taal Volcano eruption.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said, however, the January inflation was still slower than 4.4 percent registered in the same month last year. “The year 2020 started off with a higher national headline inflation rate of 2.9 percent,” the PSA said in a statement. “The heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index, which registered an annual increment of 2.2 percent, primarily contributed to the uptrend of inflation in January 2020,” the agency said. Inflation was also higher for other

commodity groups such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco at19.2 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.7 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 2.5 percent; transport, 3.0 percent; recreation and culture, 1.5 percent; and education, 4.7 percent. A slower annual increase of 2.6 percent was noted in restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services index during the month. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual rates. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said January inflation inched up to 2.9 percent as the crop damage from twin storms in the previous month and a volcanic eruption caused supply disruptions. “Food inflation hit 2.9 percent, up from 2.5 percent on run-off effects from crop damage induced by twin typhoons in late 2019 and the 2020 volcanic eruption,” Mapa said. “Meanwhile, excise taxes levied on alcoholic beverages and fuel items

pushed up prices for transport [3 percent from 2.2 percent] and alcoholic beverages and tobacco [19.2 percent from 18.4 percent],” he said. Taal Volcano erupted on Jan. 12. The government earlier said the damage to agricultural and fishery sector in towns located within the 14-km radius hit P3.2 billion. A report of the Philippine National Bank said inflation could accelerate in the coming months as the affected areas of the eruption were some of the main sources of livestock and fish supply. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno earlier said he was expecting an “uptick” in inflation and that risks to the inflation outlook were tilted to the “upside”. ING Bank expects inflation to remain within target range of 2 percent to 4 percent and average 3.2 percent this year, but peaking in the third quarter. Mapa said the Monetary Board of BSP was expected to cut policy rates by 25 basis points in its first meeting of the year on Feb. 6.

AC ENERGY Philippines Inc. of the Ayala Group said it received an approval from the Philippine Competition Commission to acquire Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s stake in North Luzon Renewables Energy Corp., which owns and operates an 81-megawatt wind farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte valued at P2.7 billion. AC Energy Philippines said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it received on Feb. 4 a copy of PCC’s decision No. 04-M-030/2020 dated Jan. 28, 2020 finding that the transaction “will not likely result in substantial lessening of competition” and resolving “to take no further action with respect to the transaction.” It said the completion of the transaction would be subject to PCC approval. The completion date is expected on or before June 30, 2020. The company will have a 31-percent effective preferred equity ownership and a 15-percent effective common equity ownership in North Luzon Renewables. “The company will have the opportunity to earn stable dividend income from the operations of the wind farm. It will also be in the position to be a major player in the wind energy business with the addition of the 81-MW North Luzon Renewables Wind Farm to the company’s existing 54-MW wind farm in San Lorenzo, Guimaras,” AC Energy Philippines said. PINAI will sell all its shares in Philippine Wind Holdings Corp. to AC Energy Philippines under a share purchase agreement. PhilWind directly and indirectly owns 67 percent of North Luzon Renewables. AC Energy Philippines (formerly Phinma Energy Corp.) signed on Nov. 4 a share purchase agreement with PINAI for the acquisition of its shares in PhilWind. PhilWind directly and indirectly owns 67 percent of North Luzon Renewables through its 38-percent direct interest and 28.7-percent indirect interest through its 100-percent wholly-owned subsidiary Ilocos Wind Energy Holding Co., Inc.

NPC asks Grab to suspend in-car video recording

Manufacturing declined 10.1% in December—PSA FACTORY output declined by a tenth in December from a year ago on lower production of petroleum products, basic metals and furniture, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Wednesday. Preliminary results of the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries showed the volume of production index dropped 10.1 percent in December. “Petroleum products and basic metals, with 47.9 percent decrement, contributed largely to the decrease of VoPI in December 2019. Two other major industries that registered two-digit decrements in VoPI were furniture and fixtures [-30.4 percent] and miscellaneous manufactures [-10.5 percent],” the PSA said. Both indices remained in the negative territory in the twelve months of 2019, resulting in a full-year decline of 8.6 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively. This reversed the positive growth of manufacturing in 2018. Meanwhile, the value of production index also showed an annual drop of 9.5 percent in December. Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the government should continue supporting initiatives towards digital solutions in the private sector to boost manufacturing growth and bounce back from its decline in 2019. “We encourage industries to capitalize on innovation to reach their growth potential in this era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To this end, the government needs to formulate and implement policies and programs to stimulate innovation in the country,” said Pernia. “The Philippines also needs to improve its reputation concerning intellectual property protection. This will attract foreign companies to locate sensitive technologies and product operations in the country,” he said. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

AC Energy gets PCC nod to buy wind farm in Ilocos Norte

Money supply rises 11% to P13t

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday domestic liquidity and bank lending grew faster in December 2019 on sustained demand for credit. Preliminary data showed domestic liquidity or money supply expanded 11.4 percent year-on- year to about P13 trillion in December 2019, faster than the 9.8-percent growth in November. The BSP said on a monthon-month seasonally-adjusted basis, M3 increased by 1.6 percent. “Demand for credit remained the principal driver of money supply growth. Domestic claims grew by 10.5 percent in December from 8.3 percent in November due mainly to the sustained growth in credit to the private sector,” the BSP said. “Loans for production activities continued to be driven by lending to key sectors such as real estate activities; financial and insurance activities; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; construction; and information and communication,” it said. Julito G. Rada

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

By Darwin G. Amojelar

MODERN PUVS. Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., in its support of the country’s PUV Modernization Program, turns over the initial batch of Hyundai HD50S Class 2 Modern Jeepneys to the Public Transport Alliance of Gensan led by PTAG president Robert Cang. HARI CV executives turn over the ceremonial key to PTAG at the General Santos City Oval Plaza.

Phinma Education unveils plan to expand in Southeast Asia By Jenniffer B. Austria PHINMA Education Holdings Inc., a fast-growing network of schools in the Philippines, plans to expand in Southeast Asia after successfully raising P1.87 billion in fresh capital from a private placement. PEHI president and chief executive Chito Salazar said in a news briefing the company planned to further expand its presence in Indonesia while looking for opportunities in Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. Salazar said it was also looking for acquisition opportunities in Metro Manila, Laguna and Davao while expanding schools. He said the company was in talks to acquire two schools in Laguna. The deals are expected to be finalized over

the next three months. PEHI earlier raised P1.87 billion from a private placement by investors Kaizen Private Equity II Pte. Ltd., the Netherlands Development Finance Company and the Asian Development Bank. The new investors while have a 19.14-percent stake in the company while Phinma Corp., the controlling stockholder of Phinma Education, will continue to own 71.83-percent stake in the company. Kaizenvest is known for its focused investments in education companies that can deliver critical outcomes at scale using innovative business models, new technologies or unique, technology-enabled services. “We are proud to partner with Phinma as it expands its higher education offering within the Philippines and

abroad. As an education focused investor, we see Phinma as a leader in the role private education can play in supporting the national education ecosystem,” said Kaizenvest managing partner Sandeep Aneja. This is the firm’s first investment in the Philippines. FMO, the Dutch development bank, said the partnership with Phinma Education marked its first direct investment in an educational enterprise. Its previous financing activities in the Philippines were in the banking, microfinance, agriculture and energy sectors. “Better access to education uplifts the lives of underserved youth and thus reduces inequality. That is why we are pleased to partner with PHINMA to expand its provision of quality education in Southeast Asia,” said Jaap Reinking, director of private equity at FMO.

THE National Privacy Commission asked Grab Philippines to suspend selfie verification, in-car audio and video recording pilot test in Metro Manila after finding deficiencies with the data privacy law. It issued a notice of deficiencies to Grab Philippines dated Jan. 30, 2020, saying it found several deficiencies in selfie verification, pilot test of the invehicle audio recording and pilot test of the in-vehicle video recording that could endanger the privacy rights of the riding public. NPC said Grab Philippines did not sufficiently identify and assess the risks posed by the data processing systems to the rights and freedoms of data subjects, saying “only the risks faced by the company were taken into account” in its privacy impact assessment. “The video recording system will also enable Grab employees to monitor the situation live from the Grab office and take photos of what is happening inside the vehicle, once the driver prompts the office through an emergency button,” the notice read. Company representatives said the photo, audio and video files collected through the three systems would be released upon request to police authorities in the event of dispute, conflict or complaint. The public, however, was not told any of this information through Grab Philippines’ privacy notice and privacy policy. Grab Philippines’ in-car audio and video recording pilot study in Metro Manila started in January as part of new security measures to protect both riders and drivers.

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rallies for 2 straight day T nd

HE stock market rallied for the second straight day Wednesday, joining the rest of Asia as investors picked up oversold issues.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 125.95 points, or 1.7 percent, to 7,352.85 on a value turnover of P9.1 billion. Gainers beat losers, 110 to 74, with 48 issues unchanged. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, advanced 5.6 percent to P59.80, while parent GT Capital Holdings Inc. climbed 4.2 percent to P715. JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group rose 3.4 percent to P72.70, while PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications firm, added 2.9 percent to P1,050.

The rest of Asian markets on Wednesday extended this week’s global rally following a fresh record in New York, while safe havens retreated as concerns about the impact of the deadly China virus eased. Despite Beijing announcing that almost 500 people had died from the outbreak and more than 24,000 were infected, analysts said traders were taking heart from the fact that the spread outside China had not spiraled. Moves by Chinese authorities to support mainland stocks were also providing cheer, with the central bank pumping more than $200 billion into financial markets and the government easing restrictions on equities trading. There had been a worry that the virus could hammer the global and Chinese economies, which had been showing signs of stabilizing in recent months following a protracted growth slowdown. World Bank head David Malpass

said the group plans to lower its global growth forecast owing to an expected hit to China and the likely impact on global supply chains. But Lisa Shalett at Morgan Stanley told Bloomberg TV: “These... dislocations tend to be short-lived, and do tend to produce very good entry points and buying opportunities.” Shanghai rose 1.3 percent, matching the previous day’s advance and digging further into the losses of almost eight percent on Monday. Hong Kong edged up 0.4 percent and Tokyo finished one percent higher. Sydney and Seoul each gained 0.4 percent, while Singapore was up one percent. Mumbai, Taipei, Jakarta and Wellington were also well into positive territory. The gains tracked a strong lead from Wall Street, where the Nasdaq surged more than two percent to a new record. “After a very cold end to last week

and a negative post-holiday catch up move by China’s equity market on Monday, markets have now embarked on a new rebound,” said Rodrigo Catril of National Australia Bank. He said the gains had been “spurred by China’s efforts to support its economy alongside an apparent decline in concerns over the coronavirus impact on the global economy.” AxiCorp strategist Stephen Innes also pointed out that central bankers were showing limited worry about the longterm impact of the outbreak, adding that “markets look to be shrugging off coronavirus concerns. At least for now.” The rally in riskier assets saw investors shift out of safer investments, with gold shedding nearly one percent Wednesday, while the Japanese yen was sitting at its weakest since January 24, having hit a four-week high on Monday. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review tueSday, FeBruary 5, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FIRST ABACUS MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK

52.15 83.3 152.5 0.85 25.05 18.48 11.04 0.64 0.43 58.1 0.75 31.3 176 51.8 20.1 172.5 59.9

52.15 85.65 152.6 0.85 25.15 18.48 11.3 0.64 0.435 59.8 0.75 32 176 55.65 20.6 176.9 60

50.1 83.3 149.2 0.85 25 18.48 11.04 0.64 0.41 58 0.74 31.05 176 51.4 20.1 172.5 59

FINANCIALS 50.1 1,190 85 2,434,200 150.6 1,250,550 0.85 10,000 25.15 31,200 18.48 300 11.12 83,600 0.64 3,000 0.43 300,000 59.8 3,980,750 0.75 57,000 31.25 86,300 176 30 51.5 2,450 20.5 59,200 176 273,780 59.5 13,450

61,038.50 206,609,188.50 188,471,286 8,500 783,050 5,544 930,402 1,920 126,450 235,127,131.50 42,530 2,689,305 5,280 126,836 1,213,660 48,040,162 798,493

-25,079.50 47,495,405 -36,849,909 7,515 -604,770 4,526,464 23,250 -1,913,470 -1,182,850 -8,788,171 -

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA 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 LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

32.05 2.17 12.06 0.6 1.23 2.88 0.21 1.46 15.1 163.3 10.1 15.64 2.11 4.8 8.8 12 8.36 7.26 2.2 21 66.65 1.72 35.1 1.86 10 6.62 1.31 195.1 4.85 3.1 6.53 14.02 10 14.78 268.2 4.66 1.77 3.55 9.9 11.84 30.8 5.33 1.68 1.68 1.36 9.3 73.4 9.16 0.115 0.98 151.9 1.15 0.96

32.7 2.2 12.08 0.63 1.25 3.13 0.227 1.5 15.1 165 10.54 16.02 2.11 5 8.98 12.92 8.4 7.34 2.2 21.25 67 1.95 36.7 1.92 10.16 6.83 1.42 196.8 4.85 3.24 6.53 14.18 10.3 14.8 274.8 5.19 1.84 3.57 9.97 11.84 30.8 5.33 1.68 1.68 1.46 9.32 78 9.2 0.115 1.01 155 1.19 1

32.05 2.13 11.3 0.56 1.23 2.85 0.21 1.41 15 163.3 9.8 15.6 2.11 4.48 8.6 12 8.32 7.23 2.05 20.5 66.5 1.7 35.1 1.85 9.95 6.61 1.29 190.5 4.85 3.1 6.53 13.2 10 14.52 268.2 4.66 1.67 3.49 9.62 11.54 29.75 5.33 1.59 1.68 1.28 9.01 73.4 9 0.115 0.92 148.3 1.14 0.94

INDUSTRIAL 32.3 740,200 2.15 3,881,000 12.02 1,515,600 0.57 4,774,000 1.25 41,000 3.08 8,275,000 0.223 130,000 1.44 7,097,000 15.02 2,400 165 250 10.04 5,829,300 16.02 4,700 2.11 20,000 4.78 78,300 8.8 1,789,400 12.06 391,400 8.4 56,500 7.25 254,523,500 2.16 274,000 20.95 785,900 66.65 177,530 1.94 129,692,000 36.5 15,000 1.9 1,548,000 10 585,000 6.77 664,900 1.33 1,794,000 190.6 1,369,170 4.85 8,000 3.19 22,000 6.53 6,500 13.62 16,769,300 10 95,700 14.6 2,300,800 274.8 109,460 5.19 2,100 1.81 2,610,000 3.5 453,000 9.95 13,200 11.84 55,800 30.6 48,900 5.33 100 1.66 166,000 1.68 2,000 1.38 10,397,000 9.1 34,700 78 98,990 9.17 188,600 0.115 100,000 1 145,000 155 828,630 1.17 5,665,000 0.99 2,859,000

23,913,725 ( 8,373,740 18,132,384 2,782,020 50,990 24,848,290 27,730 10,298,980 36,068 41,080 59,310,224 74,150 42,200 361,197 15,510,660 4,701,734 473,253 1,845,314,514 574,660 16,457,425 11,831,180 242,161,620 532,560 2,927,490 5,851,837 4,481,954 2,382,150 265,250,108 38,800 68,430 42,445 229,254,782 959,858 33,629,872 29,933,154 9,893 4,509,160 1,601,480 130,332 653,942 1,467,515 533 269,450 3,360 14,279,780 320,150 7,565,796 1,710,279 11,500 142,140 126,322,123 6,654,180 2,780,870

833,295.0002) 1,460,070 1,091,460 2,934,650 -3,071,180 15,000 -172,774 17,522 7,623,761 -52,536 1,835,459,981 -12,818,730 -1,069,726 -456,120 71,200 1,818,874 1,097,312 -121,726,139 -24,940 13,060 3,325,988 -238,320 -28,459,096 -1,920,540 -19,120 428,060 -27,092 -621,570 1,657,790 110,670 435,888.50 -264,622 3,451,658 -9,280 -128,700

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

0.85 50.05 10.52 0.67 6 10.48 0.9 0.88 747 2.5 6.2 6.24 12 3.6 0.206 695 71.9 6.78 5.21 0.5 3.7 10 0.55 3.25 5 1.19 132.5 990 0.79 1.11 171 176 0.226 0.21

0.89 51.25 10.64 0.68 6 10.48 0.9 0.93 748 2.66 6.58 6.28 12.8 3.6 0.249 715 72.7 6.78 5.21 0.5 3.8 10.24 0.57 3.28 5.01 1.19 137.9 1,010 0.8 1.13 189 176 0.228 0.21

0.83 50.05 10.34 0.66 6 10 0.89 0.88 733.5 2.5 6.2 6.07 12 3.6 0.203 695 70.8 6.78 5.21 0.49 3.7 9.93 0.55 3.22 5 1.08 132 990 0.77 1.08 171 173 0.21 0.195

HOLDING FIRMS 0.89 21,160,000 51 675,600 10.42 8,099,100 0.68 235,000 6 202,000 10.3 6,100 0.9 137,000 0.93 57,000 744 293,820 2.66 401,000 6.58 269,700 6.11 9,749,000 12.76 330,800 3.6 1,000 0.217 4,750,000 715 421,160 72.7 1,274,920 6.78 2,000 5.21 1,500 0.5 3,000 3.71 2,309,000 10.04 12,380,100 0.57 772,000 3.24 38,241,000 5 22,000 1.15 220,000 132.1 437,540 1,000 1,131,350 0.77 143,000 1.13 58,000 185 160 176 640 0.21 860,000 0.195 2,500,000

18,503,410 34,372,485 84,489,668 157,170 1,212,000 61,382 122,520 52,660 218,639,530 1,048,970 1,701,389 59,581,583 4,128,342 3,600 1,042,010 297,247,960 91,841,871.50 13,560 7,815 1,490 8,745,940 124,145,351 435,230 123,728,250 110,050 242,480 58,226,549 1,129,056,415 112,000 65,170 29,920 111,554 193,050 498,470

-309,330 -3,507,925 28,352,970 20,100 438,000 21,404,810 -30,190.00 441,613 -48,356,740 11,468 -4,473,310 19,568,188 -26,050 23,034,675 -6,700,480 44,000 -32,089,837 72,709,875 -56,500.00 -48,647 97,500

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

14.72 0.65 9.1 1.65 0.79 41.4 1.52 4.5 6.21 0.5 0.77 0.82 0.177 0.37 8.81 17.2 0.39 1.43 1.04 3.95 0.218 0.38 1.11 0.32 2.04

14.76 0.67 9.1 1.72 0.8 41.95 1.6 4.55 6.21 0.51 0.77 0.82 0.178 0.37 9.05 17.2 0.4 1.46 1.05 4.06 0.218 0.395 1.13 0.32 2.04

14.72 0.65 9.1 1.65 0.78 41.25 1.52 4.5 6.16 0.495 0.76 0.78 0.177 0.37 8.81 16.3 0.39 1.43 1.04 3.9 0.204 0.38 1.07 0.31 2.02

PROPERTY 14.72 451,600 0.66 73,000 9.1 100 1.66 262,000 0.8 1,210,000 41.95 7,781,500 1.58 771,000 4.52 140,000 6.2 103,500 0.5 5,899,000 0.77 8,000 0.8 15,000 0.177 3,340,000 0.37 630,000 9 30,900 16.5 131,500 0.4 520,000 1.45 15,064,000 1.05 252,000 4.06 19,851,000 0.205 5,690,000 0.395 40,000 1.09 2,300,000 0.31 560,000 2.03 272,000

6,648,406 47,490 910 433,300 955,060 323,787,255 1,217,890 631,180 641,505 2,954,420 6,140 12,000 591,580 233,100 278,130 2,193,910 202,900 21,850,200 264,580 79,292,240 1,180,850 15,650 2,521,120 174,750 551,260

157,554 -15,010 78,390,665 344,390 22,200 -13,500 237,412 -14,219,120 10,421,630 49,720.00 4,040

NAME

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

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

25.2 2.09 3.17 39 2.5 2 6.59 5.4

25.75 2.1 3.31 39.6 2.53 2.05 6.59 5.44

25.2 2.07 3.17 38.65 2.45 1.92 6.35 5.28

25.25 2.07 3.24 39.6 2.5 1.98 6.57 5.28

371,900 51,000 32,000 17,589,000 62,000 14,062,000 989,800 47,200

9,446,245 107,000 101,800 687,803,620 154,610 28,120,060(1, 6,474,721 256,164

-2,730,930 -109,255,865 643,319.9997) -2,460,086 -

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

9.49 17.74 1.31 9.9 0.39 0.049 17.5 2.65 8.84 75 4.96 4.5 8.3 900 1,960 5.29 425 1.23 129.9 9 0.1 3.06 11.7 2.2 0.95 10.4 0.44 3.05 1.94 1.05 2.28 2.1 7.15 4.9 144.5 3.87 1,026 0.495 0.34 38.5 77.6 8.73 2.17 0.61 0.25 0.59 18.5

9.7 17.96 1.35 10.2 0.39 0.049 17.5 2.7 9.17 79.95 4.98 4.64 8.3 900 1,974 5.29 425 1.23 129.9 9 0.101 3.17 13.68 2.22 0.98 11.5 0.47 3.05 1.95 1.08 2.33 2.18 7.4 4.9 145 3.97 1,050 0.5 0.34 38.5 77.6 9 2.28 0.62 0.25 0.61 18.9

9.45 17.4 1.31 9.87 0.38 0.047 17.5 2.6 8.84 75 4.92 4 7.4 900 1,955 5.23 424.4 1.14 127 9 0.1 2.79 11.7 2.15 0.95 10.3 0.435 3.05 1.89 1.05 2.2 2.02 7 4.6 144 3.6 1,026 0.495 0.32 38.3 76 8.73 2.15 0.6 0.245 0.59 18.22

SERVICES 9.7 17.4 1.31 10.02 0.38 0.048 17.5 2.69 9.1 79 4.92 4 7.42 900 1,962 5.23 424.4 1.18 127.2 9 0.101 3.02 13.68 2.18 0.98 10.86 0.445 3.05 1.9 1.05 2.22 2.09 7.35 4.6 145 3.65 1,050 0.495 0.325 38.4 76 8.99 2.23 0.61 0.25 0.59 18.9

13,200 101,500 321,000 599,900 2,820,000 5,400,000 200 163,000 4,195,100 77,230 353,000 1,269,000 9,500 10 16,320 177,500 180 1,204,000 1,744,200 1,100 80,000 43,663,000 2,200 872,000 123,000 15,148,500 2,330,000 35,000 1,365,000 68,000 1,400,000 60,000 4,100 2,000 5,720 4,853,000 172,180 6,360,000 6,230,000 941,800 69,060 43,200 1,701,000 1,321,000 1,130,000 390,000 4,839,500

125,508 1,779,860 421,910 6,029,965 1,082,650 259,100 3,500 432,200 37,986,692 6,029,298.50 1,750,480 5,101,660 72,582 9,000 32,014,240 931,513 76,482 1,410,930 222,086,794 9,900 8,050 129,690,000 26,358 1,892,730 117,540 167,223,740(30 1,040,200 106,750 2,598,170 71,790 3,161,790 122,350 29,635 9,500 824,686 18,018,880 179,989,880 3,176,650 2,034,300 36,165,130 5,291,274.5(1, 382,521 3,799,890 798,690 280,810 233,620 88,563,146

669,474 19,250 3,500 4,173,441 608,994 -594,000 -10,568,170 4,250 27,360.00 -91,927,273 938,780 ,556,026.0003) -521,280 -27,180 2,090 3,500 329,260 553,060 -39,619,210 -819,900 181,750 12,610,800 106,417.4997) -108,410 67,100 50,000 -6,276,256

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

0.0016 7.8 1.05 2.4 11.5 3.05 0.275 6.7 1.45 0.206 0.095 0.0078 0.75 2.7 1.03 0.44 0.011 0.01 2.8 8.5 20.3 0.0055

0.0016 8.05 1.05 2.4 11.5 3.05 0.275 6.79 1.46 0.207 0.095 0.0078 0.81 2.77 1.03 0.44 0.011 0.011 2.92 8.78 20.5 0.0055

0.0014 7.6 1.01 2.23 11.5 2.98 0.275 6.5 1.41 0.197 0.094 0.0078 0.75 2.69 1.01 0.44 0.011 0.01 2.8 8.5 19.86 0.0055

MINING & OIL 0.0016 403,000,000 7.77 198,600 1.03 744,000 2.24 162,000 11.5 100 3 770,000 0.275 10,000 6.5 22,300 1.44 1,085,000 0.197 1,130,000 0.095 1,240,000 0.0078 2,000,000 0.8 834,000 2.71 3,763,000 1.03 6,000 0.44 70,000 0.011 14,400,000 0.011 25,000,000 2.88 402,000 8.6 233,700 20.25 440,200 0.0055 6,000,000

616,700 1,554,312 764,970 367,270 1,150 2,318,940 2,750 146,834 1,558,020 224,420 117,080 15,600 665,590 10,201,960 6,160 30,800 158,400 265,000 1,133,230 2,031,693 8,836,704 33,000

58,300 -75,542 -4,480 60,000 -111,810 -7,199,020 -31,490 -145,835 -4,101,259 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 4 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

15.7 502 103.1 102 100.1 108.2 480.4 5.06 983 99.9 100 1,035 1,000 77.7 75.25 75 75.9 75.1 75.65 75.8

16 503.5 103.2 102 100.8 108.2 480.4 5.19 995 99.9 100.1 1,035 1,000 77.7 75.5 75 76 75.1 75.65 75.8

15.2 502 103.1 102 100.1 108.2 480.4 5.06 983 99 99.9 1,031 1,000 77 75.2 75 75.9 75.1 75.05 75.8

PREFERRED 15.6 521,200 503.5 440 103.2 170 102 520 100.8 82,900 108.2 80 480.4 6,710 5.1 55,100 995 20 99 24,080 100 14,540 1,031 990 1,000 150 77 11,010 75.5 3,090 75 200 76 43,810 75.1 20,000 75.05 23,920 75.8 38,100

8,153,158 221,240 17,535 53,040 8,354,290 8,656 3,223,484 280,258 19,780 2,383,956 1,454,100 1,021,650 150,000 848,242.50 232,470 15,000 3,329,559 1,502,000 1,803,232 2,887,980

-7,727,122 -50,700 99,000 999 -

LR WARRANT

1.1

WARRANTS 1.1 9,000

9,900

MS ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.44 10.02 0.82

3.64 10.06 0.84

3.39 9.66 0.81

FIRST METRO ETF

109.5

110.7

109.5

USD DMPL A1

10.28

Trading Summary

FINANCIAL

18,732,023

INDUSTRIAL

469,463,905

HOLDING FIRMS

107,327,329

PROPERTY

99,372,437

SERVICES

112,310,041

MINING & OIL

461,522,295

GRAND TOTAL

1,271,539,965

3.54 9.74 0.82

SME

407,000 188,100 2,195,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 110.6 17,890 DDS 10.28

4,850

1,444,220 1,845,897 1,801,850

9,700 32,800

1,975,331

55,300

49,858

VALUE 1,758.79 (up) 34.49 1,451,841,821.63 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,214.18 (up) 91.81 3,094,150,786.55 HOLDING FIRMS 7,080.39 (up) 121.58 2,299,442,879.53 PROPERTY 3,874.03 (up) 75.02 1,493.59 (up) 15.77 1,215,461,444.79 SERVICES MINING & OIL 7,300.99 (up) 14.31 975,011,759.55 PSEI 7,352.85 (up) 125.95 21,058,902.129 All Shares Index 4,354.25 (up) 60.36 9,074,048,184.48 Gainers: 110; Losers: 74; Unchanged: 48; Total: 232

SEC orders Korea’s Lotte to stop Pepsi tender offer By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission ordered Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. Ltd., a unit of the Lotte Group of South Korea, to halt its P4.16-billion tender offer on soft drinks maker Pepsi Cola Products Philippines Inc. due to a questionable fairness opinion report. The SEC’s Markets and Securities Regulation Department in a letter ordered Lotte Chilsung to immediately stop conducting a tender offer to the minority shareholders of PCPPI and allow those who had tendered their shares to get them back. The SEC said it issued the order because P&A Grant Thorton, which issued the fairness valuation on the tender offer, was also providing bookkeeping services to two companies related to PCCPI. “The MSRD finds the business relationship of P&A Grant Thorton with the two entities where PCPPI holds substantial shareholdings could reasonably be perceived to undermine its independence to conduct and issue the fairness valuation,” the SEC said. A valuation opinion compiled by a qualified investment banker or advisor evaluates the fairness of the price offered during an acquisition, takeover or merger. PCPPI, meanwhile, said Lotte Chilsung did not intend to cancel or terminate the tender offer and was working with the SEC to clarify and resolve the concern raised on the qualification of the independent financial advisor. “Once this matter is resolved, the bidder will re-open acceptance of PCPPI shares to be tendered,” PCPPI said. Lotte Chilsung in December offered to acquire up to 2.134 billion common shares on PCPPI representing 57.78 percent of the company’s total issued outstanding capital stock at a price of P1.95 per share. Lotte Chilsung owns an approximately 38.8-percent stake in PCPPI while US beverage giant PepsiCo Inc. holds 25 percent in the Philippine company. Lotte Chilsung views the tender offer as an opportunity for shareholders to sell their shares and potentially realize

Security Bank sells P2.07b worth of LTNCD offering By Julito G. Rada SECURITY Bank Corp., the seventhlargest lender in terms of assets, said Wednesday it successfully raised P2.07 billion from its offering of long-term negotiable certificates of deposit on the back of strong demand from investors. The bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday the amount exceeded the original offer of P1 billion. The offering followed the P2.31-billion tranche issued in December 2019. “The P2.07 billion drawdown marks the third tranche of SECB’s P20 billion approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The issue date is set to today, Feb. 5, 2020, with Aug. 5, 2025 as maturity date,” it said. “The LTNCD issuance is part of the bank’s efforts to diversify its funding sources and support business expansion plans,” it said. Multinational Investment Bancorporation acted as the sole lead arranger and selling agent, assisted by Security Bank. LTNCD is a bank product issued by local banks and offered to investors looking for a relatively safe investment asset. Compared to a regular savings account or short-term time deposit, the LTNCD offers much higher interest rate. Security Bank is one of the largest banks in the country in terms of assets, loans, deposits and branch network. The bank booked a net income of P2.74 billion in the third quarter of 2019, up 22 percent from P2.246 billion a year ago on the sustained strength of loans and deposits. The figure brought net income in the first nine months to P7.695 billion, up 18 percent from P6.539 billion in the same period in 2018. Return on assets was at 1.33 percent, while return on equity stood at 8.14 percent. Net interest income from customer loans and deposits climbed 49 percent year-on-year to P5.9 billion, fueled by the growth in retail loans, low-cost deposits, and pricing in wholesale loans.

World

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Former first lady goes on trial

TRANSFER. This handout photo taken and released by Sydney Airport on February 5, 2020, shows relatives and military officials tranferring a coffin containing US firefigher Captain Ian McBeth, who died while fighting fires in New South Wales, at the Sydney airport during a repatriation ceremony. Three US crew members were killed when their C-130 Hercules plane slammed into the ground on January 23, 2020, shortly after dropping a load of fire retardant on a blaze in the New South Wales state. AFP

ADB’s hand in water deal assures transparency, equity THE controversy over the alleged onerous terms in the water concession agreements forged by the government with Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. is expected to die down soon. The Asian Development Bank is stepping into the picture to help draw up a new concession agreement with Maynilad and Manila Water. The institution’s involvement will clear the air surrounding the water contracts and, perhaps, result in a template for similar privatization deals in the Philippines and Asia. Growing populations, rapid urbanization, worsening water pollution and competing demands for water have left water resources in many Asian countries in a critical state. Policy makers have noted that the gap between demand and supply is widening, increasing the competition between water users—farmers, energy producers, households and businesses. Around 70 percent of Asia’s water is used to irrigate crops, but much of it is being tapped inefficiently, while many water-stressed countries lose large volumes of treated water through leakage in urban water supply systems. It’s the inconvenient truth—Asia is running out of water for the future. ADB’s involvement in the contract is relevant following its vision of “Water for All” for the Asia and Pacific region. The funding agency has been assisting in raising investments for better water services in cities and rural communities and the careful management of water resources. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced last week that the ADB would help in crafting a new concession agreement with Maynilad and Manila Water. ADB consultants, he said, would guide the government, including the Department of Finance and the Department of Justice and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System in revising the deal that allegedly contains alleged “onerous provisions.” Lawmakers backed the ADB’s involvement in drafting the concession agreements. Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel and Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor joined Albay Rep. Joey Salceda in welcoming the ADB as “a good-faith partner” of the Duterte government, expressing hope that the terms of the new water concession deal would be “equitable and efficient.” “I think the entry of ADB in the crafting of a new agreement is a welcome development. They are in a better position in giving inputs in the new agreement considering they have access to data of similar concessions in other countries,” Pimented said. Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts that jointly investigated the 25-year concession deals with House Committee on Good Government, lauded the government’s move to have ADB facilitate the amendments in the concession deals. “The Executive’s move gives credence to the social, financial and legal considerations given ADB’s experience and credibility. No one can claim that they were bullied in accepting the necessary changes,” he said. “I am positive that the amendments or changes that President Duterte wants will be accomplished since even during the committee hearings conducted by the House of Representatives, Maynilad and Manila Water were both amenable to amend the provisions such as doing away with charging consumers with corporate income tax, the non-intervention of government among others,” Defensor said. Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the ADB had always been a government’s “steady supporter of addressing the capital’s water woes.” “The ADB already supported the NCR (National Capital Region) with value-adding projects like the the Angat Water Supply Optimization Project, the Manila South Water Distribution Project, and the UmirayAngat Transbasin Project,” he recalls. “No harm in exploring anything. We just hope the final recommendation will be reflective on the interest of the people – no pass on taxes and increase of tariff to consumers. Any all recommendations are subject to review,” adds Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo. Both Secretary Guevarra and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III are buckling down to work to discuss the role of the ADB in guiding the government to revise the economic and financial terms of the deal. By all indications, the entry of ADB into the picture ensures any new contract will incorporate President Rodrigo Duterte’s vision that water development policies should promote water as a socially vital economic good that needs careful management to sustain inclusive and equitable economic growth and reduce poverty. Mr. Duterte’s demand for a more “participatory approach” in meeting the challenges of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene will hopefullybe included in the new contract. E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@manilastandard.net or extrastory2000@gmail.com

KUALA LUMPUR―Malaysia’s former first lady, who allegedly bankrolled a luxurious lifestyle with kickbacks and stolen public money, went on trial Wednesday for corruption for the first time since her husband lost power. Rosmah Mansor, notorious for making overseas shopping trips and owning vast collections of handbags and jewelry, became a lightning rod for public anger as the government of prime minister Najib Razak was engulfed by corruption allegations. Her husband’s long-ruling coalition suffered a shock election defeat in 2018 in large part due to claims he and his officials plundered billions of dollars from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Both Najib and his wife have since been hit with multiple charges over the looting of the investment vehicle, but Rosmah’s first trial centers on allegations she received bribes linked to a government project. Prosecutors allege she pocketed 6.5 million ringgit ($1.6 million) for helping a company secure the project to provide solar power generators to schools on the Malaysian part of Borneo island. AFP

Trump vows to ‘smash’ Maduro WASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to “smash” the rule of Venezuela’s leftist leader Nicolas Maduro as he welcomed his rival to his annual address before Congress. In an extraordinarily direct sign of support, Trump invited Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido -- considered interim president by some 60 countries -- to watch his State of the Union address from the guests’ gallery above. “Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalizes his people,” Trump said. “But Maduro’s grip of tyranny will be smashed and broken,” he said. Calling Guaido the “legitimate president of Venezuela,” Trump said the 36-year-old engineer-turned-politician was “a man who carries with him the hopes, dreams and aspirations of all Venezuelans.” Trump’s forceful words come after a period of relative reticence on Venezuela that triggered commentary on whether he was putting the crisis on the backburner. Maduro has shown little sign of leaving more than a year after the United States and most Western and Latin American nations declared him to be illegitimate, citing elections that were widely criticized for irregularities. AFP

Syria’s hero doctor steps into the Oscars limelight P ARIS―She treated thousands of people in an underground hospital in a besieged rebel enclave in Syria. Now Amani Ballour, the doctor at the centre of the Oscarnominated documentary “The Cave”, is stepping out into the limelight.

But the 32-year-old paediatrician, who is still haunted by the dying and mutilated children she had to treat, hopes the attention the film has garnered will remind the world that the horror of the Syrian war is about to enter its ninth year. “For me it is not a film, it’s my life, my reality,” Dr Ballour told AFP before she obtained a visa allowing her to at-

tend the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday. The harrowing 102-minute film shows the doctor not just struggling to keep wounded children alive in her operating theatre in the former rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta, but also having to deal with sexism as a woman in charge of a Syrian hospital. “The Cave” is one of two shattering films about the conflict in the running for an Oscar alongside Waad al-Kateab’s Aleppo-set “For Sama”, which won best documentary at the Cannes film festival in May. “The Oscar nomination will help throw more light onto the Syrian cause, and hopefully help push people to support us,” said Ballour, who has been living in Turkey since Eastern Ghouta fell after a five-year siege in 2018. The rebel enclave was described as “Hell on Earth” by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as it was being

pummelled by President Bashar alAssad’s forces. With the war still raging in Syria, half a million people have been displaced in the last two months by an offensive by the Assad government and its Russian allies in the northwest of the country. The exodus of refugees it has sparked is one of the biggest of the war. Like millions of Syrians forced from their homes, Ballour said that she finds it difficult to be at peace with herself in exile. “When I was at home I could help people, I was calmer despite all the difficulties, the bombardments, the hunger and the tragedies we were witnessing every day,” she said. Instead, the young woman who has just won the Raoul Wallenberg Prize from the Council of Europe for her “exceptional humanitarian acts”, is haunted by the suffering of her thousands of child patients. AFP

Permafrost collapse speeding climate change

ONSTAGE. Eva Longoria speaks onstage during EMILY’s List Brunch and Panel Discussion ‘Defining Women’ at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on February 04, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

‘Star Wars’, ‘Frozen’ boost Disney results SAN FRANCISCO―Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday delivered better-than-expected results in the past quarter, fueled by box office hits from its latest “Star Wars” and “Frozen” films and a strong response to its new Disney+ streaming service Profits in the three months leading up to December 28 dipped 24 percent from a year prior to $2.1 billion, while revenues surged 36 percent to $21 billion. “We had a strong first quarter, highlighted by the launch of Disney+, which has exceeded even our greatest expectations,” said chairman and chief executive Robert Iger. Iger said on an earnings call that “our hearts go out to all those affected by this devastating” coronavirus outbreak in China, where the entertainment colossus has closed its theme parks in Hong Kong and Shanghai as a health precaution. The financial hit to Disney’s revenue

will depend on how long the parks remain closed, and could be more than $135 million if they remain shuttered for two months, chief financial officer Christine McCarthy estimated on an earnings call. “The current closure is taking place during the quarter in which we typically see strong attendance and occupancy levels due to the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday,” McCarthy said. The earnings report showed that 26.5 million paying subscribers had signed up for the freshly-launched Disney+ by the end of last year, and Iger told analysts that figure reached 28.6 million this week. Disney, which is the leading force in Hollywood and operates major theme parks and television operations, has been betting heavily on its move to streaming as it takes on rivals such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. AFP

PARIS―Permafrost in Canada, Alaska and Siberia is abruptly crumbling in ways that could release large stores of greenhouse gases more quickly than anticipated, researchers have warned. Scientists have long fretted that climate change—which has heated Arctic and subarctic regions at double the global rate—will release planetwarming CO2 and methane that has remained safely locked inside Earth’s frozen landscapes for millennia. It was assumed this process would be gradual, leaving humanity time to draw down carbon emissions enough to prevent permafrost thaw from tipping into a self-perpetuating vicious circle of ice melt and global warming. But a study published on Monday in Nature Geoscience says projections of how much carbon would be released by this kind of slow-and-steady thawing overlook a less well-known process whereby certain types of icy terrain disintegrate suddenly—sometimes within days. “Although abrupt permafrost thawing will occur in less than 20 percent of frozen land, it increases permafrost carbon release projections by about 50 percent,” said lead author Merritt Turetsky, head of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research in Boulder, Colorado. “Under all future warming scenarios, abrupt thaw leads to net carbon losses into the atmosphere,” she told AFP. Permafrost contains rocks, soil, sand and pockets of pure ground ice. Its rich carbon content is the remains of life that once flourished in the Arctic, including plants, animals and microbes. This matter— which never fully decomposed—has been frozen for thousands of years. AFP

LGUs

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

AIR BINAY 3.0. The city government of Makati

has started the distribution of the newest edition of rubber shoes dubbed ‘AB 3.0’ (pictured) to public school students. Mayor Abby Binay led the distribution of the kickers at the Rizal Elementary School and Fort Bonifacio High School on Tuesday, as 93,110 pairs of the all-blue sneakers will be given to students from kinder to senior high school this year, including SPED learners. Apart from the free rubber shoes that earned the moniker ‘Air Binay’ from netizens when it was launched in 2018, the city now provides raincoats and rain boots, jackets or hoodies, white socks, reusable tumblers, anti-dengue kits, dental hygiene kits, hard hats and emergency go kits and bags for public school students of Makati.

Go into agribiz, Dar urges 600k millennial grads By Romeo Dizon MAGALANG, Pampanga—The Department of Agriculture called on over 600,000 millennial graduates of agricultural courses to engage in agribusiness with ready and available loans from the government totalling P2 billion. Agriculture Secretary William Dar made the call during the recent 5th Founding Anniversary of Pampanga State Agricultural University here, revealing a project called Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs and the AgriNegosyo loan program under the DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council. Each program has a budget of P1 billion each, Dar said. The agricultural projects aim to entice millennials to return to farming and start agriculture businesses to increase the country’s productivity and boost the government’s food security program. Based on DA’s records on Higher Education Institutions, about 603,000 students have graduated with degrees in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary medicine from 2014 to 2019, excluding those who took short courses in the same field covering the same period. “I am so excited to see the millennials go into agricultural business,” Dar stressed. The DA statistics show millennial holders of agriculture courses are reluctant to enter into farming because of the experience of their parents, who remain old and poor after several years of toiling on an average of 2.5 hectares of land. Millennials, or the so-called Generation Y born from 1980 up to year 2000, are teenagers and twentysomethings and now part of the working force. In the Philippines, they are “social media dependent and selfie generation,” Dar noted.

ENERAL SANTOS CITY—The City Council here declared the city under a state of calamity on Tuesday in the wake of the nationwide alert on the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV). The local legislative body passed the resolution for the calamity declaration during its regular session on Tuesday afternoon to strengthen the city’s prevention and control mechanisms against the disease. Meanwhile, in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on Tuesday afternoon ordered a province-wide suspension of classes in all public schools amid the threat posed by the 2019 n-CoV. Degamo signed Executive Order No. 4-B Series of 2020, said Bimbo Miraflor,

Capitol Public Information Officer and spokesperson for the province’s Incident Command System on nCoV. This is a precautionary measure as well as to contain the spread of the virus, Miraflor said during a press briefing at the Provincial Health Office. The suspension of classes will take effect Wednesday through Friday, and another announcement will be made afterward whether classes will resume on Monday, he said. Private schools can take similar action at their own discretion, Miraflor

added, even as many have already suspended classes on Tuesday. GenSan City Councilor Franklin Gacal Jr., author of the resolution, said the move is mainly in response to a directive from the Department of the Interior and Local Government that mandates local government units to adopt stringent measures to prevent the entry as well contain possible cases of the 2019-nCoV. Gacal specifically cited the provisions of Memorandum Circular 202018 issued by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año last Feb. 1. The council also considered the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global health emergency due to the spread of the 2019-nCoV, which was first reported in Wuhan, China.

QUAKE AID.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco (third from left) formally turns over P500,000 in financial assistance to Mayor Reuel Limbungan (fourth from left) and other local officials of Tulunan, Cotabato. Tulunan was hit with magnitude 6.6 and 6.5 earthquakes last year, causing major destruction to properties and affecting a thousand families there. Andrew Rabulan

Produce more tobacco, Lantion urges farmers SEARCA finishes PCC-led carabao upscaling project

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Mayor Ralph Lantion has encouraged tobacco farmers here to produce more for their economic development. Lantion said the local government is getting P11 million every year from its share of the excise tax on tobacco products imposed by the national government. “We are urging our farmers to produce more so that we will return it back to them to further improve their communities,” he said. Among the proposed projects for the tobacco farmers is

Manila Health Dept. boosts info drive THE Manila Health Department has intensified its monitoring operations, as well as its information and education campaign, as the Department of Health on Wednesday confirmed the third case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection in the country. According to a Facebook post by the MHD, the Department of the Interior and Local Government will create Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams, each composed of an executive officer, a kagawad (councilor) who is either a nurse or midwife, and a barangay tanod (peacekeeper). The MHD will then conduct seminars to train the BHERT members on how to identify and refer cases of coronavirus infections to the nearest health facility. The purpose is to inform the teams on the proper handling of the patients in case an outbreak occurs. The city health department has been conducting seminars with medical personnel on personal protective equipment. Willie Casas

Joy meets with QC barangay officials

GenSan declares state of calamity over nCoV

By Ben Moses Ebreo

HOW LGUS FIGHT NCOV

the construction of additional farm-to-market roads (FMR), which Lantion said would be poured into the tobacco-producing barangays of Bonfal, Paitan and Bansing. He said the improvement of FMRs will inspire and encourage tobacco farmers to get more our of their farms. “Our LGU is always ready to sustain our farmers who are the agricultural assets of our municipality,” Lantion added. The 14 provinces that produce burley and native tobacco are Abra, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Maguindanao, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.

NEW FACILITY. Senator Cynthia Villar delivers her message as she graces the inauguration of the new Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Laguna Lake Development Authority Provincial Training Center (inset) last Jan. 30 at the LLDA Compound in Brgy. Bangyas, Calauan, Laguna. TESDA Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, former Senator Serge Osmeña and other officials also attended. Roy Tomandao

By Brenda Jocson LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture has completed the Philippine Carabao Center-funded project titled “Building Capacity and Strengthening Partnership for Carabao Development Program” conducted from April 2015 to December 2019. Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, turned over the final report to Dr. Arnel N. del Barrio, PCC Executive Director, during his visit to PCC. With him was a team from SEARCA that included SEARCA Deputy Director Joselito G. Florendo. The project had three components: knowledge management, capacity building, and enterprise development, which supported PCC in upscaling its implementation of the CDP. A Knowledge Management Strategic Plan for PCC National Headquarters, its Regional Centers, and clienteles was developed through the KM component.

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday met with barangay officials to boost efforts against 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), and ordered the activation of barangay response teams to join the fight against the virus amid two positive cases in the country with one death. “As our eyes and ears in the communities, barangays play a vital role in monitoring and responding to possible n-CoV victims in their respective jurisdictions,” she said. The city’s 142 barangays would help monitor city hall employees who have recently traveled to countries with confirmed nCoV cases if they are undergoing the required 14day self-quarantine or not. “The list of employees who should self-quarantine will be given to barangays so they can be strictly monitored,” Belmonte said. “We should prioritize the training of barangay health workers because they are the first responders in our communities.” Rio N. Araja

Aguilar to meet LP POGO firms LAS PIÑAS Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar is set to meet with the representatives of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators located in the city as part of the monitoring campaign of the 2019 novel Coronal Virus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCoV ARD) among its Chinese employees. Aguilar said they just want to make sure that POGO workers who went home to China for the Chinese New Year and returned to Las Piñas are not afflicted by 2019-nCoV to allay fears that they may spread the virus to other residents. Presently, there are no documented cases of 2019 nCov in Las Piñas. The mayor formed “Task Force Bantay nCoV” composed of the different departments and offices of the city government. She directed City Health Officer Dr. Ferdinand Eusebio to mobilize and train all doctors, nurses, health personnel and medical volunteers on how to respond properly in handling nCoV cases and adopt the necessary protocols to contain its spread. “In the wake of all these concerns over the fatal effect of nCoV ARD, we need to be calm and discerning and the most important is to have proper hygiene and keep a healthy lifestyle,” Mayor Aguilar said.

Munti Health Office rallies stakeholders WITH the rising number of persons under investigation for possible 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) and confirmed cases in the country, the local government of Muntinlupa called for an emergency stakeholders meeting to discuss pro-active steps to prevent the spread of the disease in the city. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi ordered the City Health Office on Tuesday to conduct a briefing event with the Department of Health for emergency response units, barangay officials and health workers, mall owners, hoteliers, and other commercial establishment owners on the latest updates on the Wuhan coronavirus. Fresnedi said the City Government is closely coordinating with DOH and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, which is within Muntinlupa, regarding the health event and for the training of health workers on nCov prevention, containment, and control.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

House cleaning, Scandinavian-style cushions by vacuuming them to make sure no dust or crumbs are left. The Electrolux UltraFlex Cyclonic Bagless Vacuum Cleaner is another great option for home as it provides powerful cleaning with its Turbo Cyclonic Design, which spins air with speeds as fast as 140km/h to separate the dust, and includes a HEPA13 Washable Exhaust filter which seals 99 percent of dust and allergen. It also comes with a Bed Pro Nozzle, which combines high-performance suction gentle enough for cleaning cushions and mattresses.

By Steph Llarena

HEN it comes to maintaining impeccably cozy and tidy homes, Scandinavians got it to a T. From what we’ve learned so far, the people from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have a few secrets in keeping their living spaces spotless and relaxing: they keep it simple, they strive for balance, and they practice daily habits that do not let dirt and clutter accumulate. The Danish term hygge (hoo-ga) is an influential factor in their lifestyle. Their objective to achieve the “feeling of cozy contentment” encourages them to keep their homes clean and simple.

Clean regularly

Start with decluttering

The Swedish concept “lagom,” which loosely translates to “not too much, not too little—just right,” basically teaches one to practice balance in life, initially by decluttering. For Scandinavians, however, decluttering does not simply mean throwing out things, it’s about giving space for much more important things and making decluttering a habit. Instead of scheduling a day in a month to do this, dedicate a few minutes of the day to organize things. Put everything back to their proper places. It also helps to keep three boxes, each with designated label—keep, donate, throw away— where items with no permanent place can be put temporarily. Another good rule of thumb is to follow the “one in, one out” rule, which means everything that’s been bought must replace another thing. For paperwork, follow the “one-touch rule” by sorting it as soon as it arrives by recycling, filing, or taking action.

TIDY FAMILY. Scandinavians’ way of keeping their homes simple and clean is influenced by their hygge lifestyle, or the ‘feeling of cozy contentment.’

with footwear worn outside keeps the dirt out. Have extra indoor slippers waiting by the door, not only for the members of the household, but for guests as well. Get a stylish rack so shoes and slippers are well organized.

Capture—not scatter—dust

The most frustrating thing about cleaning using a duster is that it usually scatters, instead of capture, dust around. Scandis prefer using vacuum cleaner to leave surfaces dust-free. Swedish appliance brand Electrolux Keep shoes by the door offers a variety of vacuum cleaners, One simple way Scandinavians keep including the 2-in-1 Ergorapido Cordtheir homes clean is by checking in their less Stick vacuum cleaner, which has shoes by the door. Not walking inside an advanced allergy filter that captures

99.9 percent of micro dust. It also comes with a detachable hand-held unit useful for cleaning shelves, plus a motorized power brush with a wide nozzle great for picking up large crumbs. The Ergorapido comes with high-performance lithium turbo powered battery for a longer running time of up to 50 minutes and a self-standing charging stand.

General cleaning can seem overwhelming especially when there’s so much to cover. But portioning the tasks or doing it regularly makes it a whole lot easier. Schedule general cleaning at least once a month. Do a quick cleaning regularly, including some places that are frequently overlooked such as closet floors, top of cabinets and doors, undersides of furniture, and even the indoor plants. Electrolux offers Flexio Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner as an all-around partner for everyday cleaning. It has a 20-liter dust container, and is great for handling spills and even cleaning things like carpet when it undergoes its shampooing. Keepr Storage PH app offers st orage solutions for fa milies in Metro Manila.

Don’t forget the cushions

Things that are often forgotten but are actually breeding ground of bacteria are couch cushions and mattresses. Start by putting them outside to be soaked under the sun. The heat from the sun eliminates the dampness and odor of the cushions acquired over time. Afterwards, thoroughly clean the

Scandis follow smart cleaning habits such as using vacuum cleaner, decluttering regularly, and keeping shoes worn outside by the door.

30-day declutter challenge SWIMMING in dirt and clutter? Storage solutions provider Keepr PH shares this 30-day challenge to help households manage the items inside their living spaces. “Starting the new year free of clutter sets a very good tone for the rest of the year,” said Keepr Storage PH founder Anna Moncupa. “I spread it out in 30 days so it’s not overwhelming and very attainable despite one’s busy schedule.” • Day 1 – Fridge and freezer • Day 2 – Pantry • Day 3 – Kitchen Part 1 • Day 4 – Holiday décor • Day 5 – Dresser • Day 6 – Master’s bedroom • Day 7 – Bags • Day 8 – Closets Part 1 • Day 9 – Closets Part 2 • Day 10 – Stock room • Day 11 – Medicine cabinet • Day 12 – Books and magazines • Day 13 – Mails and receipts • Day 14 – Home office • Day 15 – Garage • Day 16 – Laundry area

• Day 17 – Linens • Day 18 – Living area • Day 19 – Junk drawer • Day 20 – TV area • Day 21 – Other bedrooms 1 • Day 22 – Other bedrooms 2 • Day 23 – Toys • Day 24 – Kitchen Part 2 • Day 25 – Cars • Day 26 – Personal files Part 1 • Day 27 – Personal files Part 2 • Day 28 – Household files • Day 29 – Email/computer • Day 30 – Mobile phone Moncupa founded Keepr PH to provide families in Metro Manila a host of storage solutions using their mobile devices. Available on both Android and iOS, Keepr offers 24-hour services, seven days a week, as well as customizable inventory management and round-the-clock security. Prices start at P399. Go to www. keeprstorageph or call 0917-533-7774 for more information.

PayMaya supports stronger interconnected payment system DIGITAL financial services provider PayMaya believes the Central Bank’s goal to raise the share of digital payments value to 30 percent this year “is achievable” by building stronger payment ecosystems. “To ensure this accelerated growth, it is not enough to roll out standalone services. Building stronger payment ecosystems that connect consumers, enterprises, and government is necessary,” said PayMaya Philippines president Shailesh Baidwan. He added, “This entails establishing the right mix of relevant consumer services and incentives, offering universal payment acceptance solutions for merchants and government agencies—both online and offline, as well as bridging the underserved market to the digital economy through pervasive on ground presence.” To encourage more consumers to use digital payments, PayMaya offers a number of incentives such as discounts and cashbacks. Under its “Don’t Pay Cash. PayMaya!” campaign launched in 2019, account holders who buy load, pay bills, pay online or in stores, or send money to friends and family,

receive incentives in the form of cashback rewards that can range from P10 to P500 per transaction. To further enhance the digital payments proposition, the company introduced features such as adding money via credit or debit cards, bank transfers to Instapay-enabled banks, lifestyle vouchers, as well as the first e-Money integration of BSP’s QR Ph, for receiving money from participating financial institutions. PayMaya has also partnered with the largest players in the quick-service restaurant, retail, pharmacy, transportation, and hospitality industries, as well as major government agencies to equip them with seamless, universal digital payment solutions that allow them to accept all forms of payment in their branches (One by PayMaya point-of-sale terminals) or online (PayMaya Checkout). To ensure that no one is left behind, PayMaya’s on ground presence through its Smart Padala agent network, with over 27,000 partner agents nationwide, is bridging the underserved and unbanked to the digital economy. The latest data released by the BSP

PayMaya president Shailesh Baidwan (right) believes Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ digital transaction goal is achievable by building a stronger payment ecosystem among consumers, businesses, and the government.

from the study conducted by the United and 10 percent in terms of volume of all Nations-based Better Than Cash Alli- transactions in the country as of 2018. ance showed digital transactions now “This year is a turning point for digicomprise 20 percent in terms of value tal payments in the Philippines. As we

Consumer incentives, universal payment acceptance solutions, and ground presence help encourage more individuals to utilize digital payment transactions.

all work towards achieving the country’s digital transaction goal, PayMaya is at the forefront of this transformation,” enthused Baidwan.

Entertainment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

GMA Network reclaims no. 1 spot in TV viewership

Seasoned broadcast journalist and KMJS host Jessica Soho

GMA Network’s 70th anniversary celebration begins on a high note as it clinched the top spot in the nationwide television ratings competition anew. Latest data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement show that for January 2020 (with Jan. 26 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA dominated the numbers game with an average total day people audience share of 34.7 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), outscoring ABS-CBN’s 31.7 percent. The Kapuso Network’s NUTAM victory was a result of its impressive performance across all day parts. Providing a head start in the morning block, GMA recorded 28.8 percent people audience share versus competition’s 27.4 percent. GMA’s strong afternoon block brought in the biggest lead with 37.7 percent as against ABS-CBN’s 31.4

percent. Continuing well into the evening block, which includes the hotly contested primetime slot, the Kapuso channel posted 34.8 percent while the rival network only got 33.6 percent. The Kapuso Network likewise ruled in all time blocks with wider margins in both Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 72 and 57 percent of all urban viewers in the country. GMA registered an average of 36.7 percent total day people audience share in Urban Luzon; beating ABSCBN’s 29.1 percent. With ofﬁcial data from Jan. 1 to 25, the network kept its winning streak in Mega Manila with 37.1 percent, which was way ahead of ABS’ 27 percent. Similarly, more GMA shows made it to NUTAM’s list of top programs for January. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), which was the

undisputed number one show in 2019, still remained in the top spot. GMA also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila top programs lists where it respectively grabbed 19 and 20 spots out of the overall top 30. Apart from KMJS, the Network’s ratings drivers for January were Magpakailanman, 24 Oras, Pepito Manaloto, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Daddy’s Gurl, The Gift, Beautiful Justice, Amazing Earth, One of the Baes, Prima Donnas, Eat Bulaga, Kapuso Movie Night, 24 Oras Weekend, Magkaagaw, Wowowin, Bubble Gang, Madrasta, Tadhana, and Imbestigador. Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s client pool covers a total of 37 clients/subscribers consisting of local TV networks, regional clients, blocktimers, advertisers, and agencies.

Fair Monday

‘The Voice Teens’ coaches Apl.de.ap, Lea Salonga, Sarah Geronimo, and Bamboo Husband and wife tandem Kean Cipriano and Chynna Ortaleza announced that their label OC Records spearheaded a Monday stage for this year’s UP Fair set Feb. 10, 4:00 p.m. at the UP Sunken Garden in Diliman, Quezon City.

ERHAPS the brainchild behind the famed UP Fair used to be allergic to Mondays or probably it had to do with the Boomtown Rats’ classic “I Don’t Like Mondays” or The Bangles’ “Manic Monday” that such music festival never had a Monday stage. Not anymore.

This year’s edition is kicking off with Hiwaga UP Fair Monday set on Feb. 10 and made possible by the partnership of UP Diliman University Council and self-styled label OC Records. “Our label’s 2020 vision is loud and clear and it’s a great way to start the year with this gig which is signiﬁcant and unprecedented,” said Kean Cipriano, label head and lead vocalist of premier local band Callalily. The ﬁrst-ever Monday stage in UP Fair history is made extra special by its strong lineup of artists gathered to provide the soundtrack to a gig day expected to be attended by both music enthusiasts and history buffs. It’s status symbol nowadays when you can post something like being at an event atmosphere that has not happened before. Callalily, Unique Salonga, UDD, Ebe Dancel, Slapshock, and SB19 will headline the roster for this highly anticipated live show of musical acts. “We wanted to announce this something big happening as

a way of informing everyone how our label has grown quickly in the midst of industry challenges,” expressed actress and now label executive Chynna Ortaleza. “OC Records has been a labor of love and we have learned so much about how the music industry works in this day and age.” Kean and Chynna’s tandem as husband and wife is one of the recent celebrity showcases of positivity and musical celebration in the artist community, owing to their long experiences as artists themselves. Others in the list of performers are Glaiza De Castro, This Band, Kjwan, Clara Benin, Reese Lansangan, Philia, Gian Magdangal, Earl Generao, Rice Lucido, Paraluman, Martin Riggs, Frizzle Anne, Bita and the Botﬂies, Calein, Zsaris, Patraluman, bird, and the busking community PH. Hiwaga UP Fair Monday is scheduled to begin 4:00 p.m. at the UP Sunken Garden in UP Diliman. Some years back I had the experience of playing in a UP Fair gig with my band Syato and it was personally special as it happened just a few days before my son Ryde was born. At the time our band’s single Tibo was new on mainstream radio airwaves and the occasion was a spectacular venue for us to promote the song. I could say we felt privileged to have been given the chance to showcase our music in front of UP Fair audiences. The week-long festival has really established itself as one of those events providing musical artists and listeners a legit stage for communal harmony. That a Monday stage had been set emphasizes there’s always a way to go further UP for this Fair.

‘The Voice Teens’ opens new season THE original celebrity coaches who started The Voice in the Philippines are back. Apl.de.ap, Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo, and Lea Salonga are once again battling each other’s teams for another shot at the championship in the newest season of The Voice Teens, which kicks off this weekend (Feb. 8 and 9). Apart from the returning quartet of coaches, viewers can also look forward to an exciting blind auditions with the introduction of the Block Button, which gives a coach the power to block or prevent another coach from being chosen by a teen artist. The use of the Block Button is only valid when the coach who is blocked will actually turn around for an artist. Once a coach turns around, that is the only time everyone will ﬁnd out if he or she was blocked by another coach. Each of the four coaches only have two chances to use the Block Button throughout the entire blind auditions. The jam-packed season, hosted by Alex Gonzaga and Luis Manzano, will scour talented Filipino teens from all over the country and the world and showcase their powerful voices and inspiring dreams and stories. Viewers can also watch the online show Voice Teens DigiTV for more behind-the-scenes content on The Voice Teens Philippines channel on YouTube hosted by The Voice Teens Season 1 alumnus Jeremy Glinoga and online sensation KaladKaren.

Qatar event with pro-LGBT BAND cancelled amid social media furore NORTHWESTERN University in Qatar cancelled a media discussion featuring a popular Arab band whose lead singer is openly gay for “safety reasons”, the institution said Tuesday, amid social media furore. The American university said it invited the Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila, one of the most popular music groups in the region, to a talk at its

Doha branch about Middle Eastern media revolutions this week but then moved the event to its Evanston, Illinois campus. “The decision to move the discussion to Evanston was made mutually between Northwestern and members of Mashrou’ Leila,” Jon Yates, director of Northwestern University-Qatar’s media relations, told AFP.

“The decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to several factors, including safety concerns for the band and our community. “Because Northwestern ﬁrmly believes that the band’s ideas, their art and their voices are important for the world to hear, the university is working to bring them to our home campus in the US.” AFP

Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila has previously attracted controversy in the Middle East due to the sexual orientation of its lead singer

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118th Bureau of Customs Anniversary

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Intensified campaign vs. smuggling nets P20.5B haul By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Bureau of Customs seized more than P20.5-billion worth of smuggled goods, mostly counterfeit goods, illegal drugs and tobacco products as a result of its intensified campaign on dangerous contraband and anti-social goods. In its fight against unscrupulous traders, the bureau under the leadership of Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, was also able to file criminal cases against 345 importers and 75 customs brokers last year. The agency also revoked the Customs accreditation of 196 importers and brokers for various offenses. Among the achievements, based on the bureau’s 2019 report submitted to the Office of the Finance Secretary, were the seizure of P9.44 billion worth of counterfeit products, P3.59 billion-worth of illegal drugs, and P2.67 billion worth of cigarettes and tobacco products, accounting for a combined value of P15.7 billion or three-fourths of its total haul. The other seized shipments consist of smuggled agricultural goods (P398.47 million), general merchandise (P59.87 million), vehicles and accessories (P106.55 million), used clothing (P66.86 million), steel products (P78.59 million), electronics (P21 million), goods and firearms (P815,000), currency (P35 million), and other products (P4.1 billion). These accomplishments resulted from various programs initiated and enforced by Commissioner Guerrero in 2019 in line with the directive of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III for the bureau to step up its campaign against smuggling. Preliminary data submitted earlier by the agency to the Department of Finance also showed that Customs was able to collect P630.571 billion in revenues in 2019, representing a 6.3 improvement over the P593 billion collection in 2018 or up by P37 billion. The bureau’s collection efficiency remains consistent at 95.4 percent. “The collection in 2019, apart from the efforts of our Collection Districts, is also attributed to revenue collection from issued Alert Orders amounting to more than P40.9 million, Post Clearance Audits with more than P2 billion collected revenue, and more than P527.9 billion from public auctions,” the agency stated in its report. In trade facilitation, the agency finally joined the ASEAN Single Window for the exchange of the electronic Certificates of Origin (ATIGA e-Form D) with Malaysia and Indonesia. The bureau also officially launched the Authorized Economic Operator Program to provide the bureau and its stakeholders with increased security while ensuring the seamless movement of goods. On yard utilization, Customs was able to reduce this to 71.2 percent in the Port

of Manila (POM) and 72.66 percent in the Manila International Container Port (MICP) “ to provide a facilitated trade environment to its stakeholders.” Its online accreditation program also resulted in the accreditation of 17,760 importers and 2,241 customs brokers with zero backlog. The Customs bureau also reported to the Department of Finance the following accomplishments for 2019: • Issued a total of 147 show-cause orders against customs personnel for their non-compliance with existing customs rules and regulations, in which 152 were administratively charged, 20 dismissed, 8 suspended and 120 were pending decision with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman; • Procured various logistical needs of the bureau which include eight Information and Communication Technology projects amounting to P340,42 million. The IT systems in these projects were developed and are now being utilized to automate frontline transactions along with four other systems that were upgraded; • Conducted 269 trainings to further improve technical and operational capabilities of personnel, which benefited 5,481 participants. The bureau was also able to forge strong ties with other customs organizations with 80 total meetings/engagements attended locally and internationally; • Hired and promoted 1,016 personnel to fill-up existing plantilla positions. From a personnel complement of 2,856 in October 2018, the bureau now has 3,425 personnel or a fill-up of 54.67 percent of the authorized 6,264 plantilla positions; • On the provision of incentives, the agency recommended the payment of P345 million reward for surpassing the 2018 collection target of P584-billion by P1.4-billion; • On enhancement of Cargo Clearance and Examination capabilities, it acquired a total of 58 x-ray machines during the year, bringing the total number of scanning equipment to 117; • On intelligence and enforcement capabilities, Customs acquired stateof-the-art surveillance equipment and deployed the Cargo Targeting System to improve threat monitoring and detection and risk management; • Issued 17 Customs Administrative Orders (CAOs), 53 Customs Memorandum Orders (CMOs), 356 memorandums, and 281 Customs Memorandum Circulars (CMCs) to codify and harmonize all customs implementing rules and regulations;

• Revised the Citizen’s Charter to reflect processes that were streamlined for the ease-of-doing business law; • Audited 9 of the 17 Collection Districts that resulted to an 82 percent compliance and resolution of the 45 Audit Observation Memorandums issued by the Commission on Audit; • As part of its good governance program, the bureau enrolled into

the Performance Governance System (PGS) of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) and passed the initiated stage with a Gold Trailblazer Award during the ISA-Public Governance Forum held last Nov. 28, 2019. Also, the agency received the Recognition of Excellence Award from the OpenGov, a Silicon Valley technology company that offers cloud-based software for public

sector, budgeting, reporting and open data. The bureau was likewise recognized by the Freedom of Information–Project Management Office under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) as an FOI (Freedom of Information) Awardee for being a significant contributor to FOI’s progress and one of the top agencies in the Electronic Freedom of Information Portal.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

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118th Bureau of Customs Anniversary Custom chief’s 10-pt. plan boosts reform agenda By Joel E. Zurbano

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MORE than a year ago, President Rodrigo Duterte tapped former Armed Forces chief-ofstaff and retired Army general Rey Leonardo Guerrero to head the Bureau of Customs. Three months after his appointment, Guerrero—known among his colleagues as a determined and strict leader—came up with a 10-point priority agenda to further strengthen the agency and implement operational efficiencies. • The 10-point priority plan is as follows: • Enhancement of the Bureau of Customs Information and Technology System. Automation will be implemented to improve the Bureau’s processes and integrate its systems for more efficient and effective operations. • Filling up of vacant plantilla positions. BOC will hire capable and committed manpower to fulfill the mandate of the BOC and deliver better service. • Provision of incentives for Customs employees. Promotions and rewards will be conducted to improve the morale and motivate people to perform their jobs better. • Restructuring of the Bureau of Customs organization. New offices and positions will be created, while redundant or overlapping functions will be merged in the interest of streamlining and upgrading the organization. • Enhancement of Bureau of Customs facilities. Providing proper environment and facilities for optimum output will be a continuing concern. • Enhancement of Cargo Clearance and Examination Capabilities. Programs and processes that will strengthen BOC capabilities in fulfilling its core mandate will be put in place. • Enhancement of Intelligence and Enforcement Capabilities. BOC will strengthen institutional and individual capabilities in the area of intelligence and enforcement to ensure that the bureau is able to contribute to the border security and economic development. • Codification and Harmonization of IRRs, Administrative Orders and Memorandum Orders. Cleaning up and integrating the many rules and regulations that help execute BOC mandate to provide clear and accessible guidelines for all concerned. • Creation of a Quality Management System & Integrity System. BOC will fast-track the creation and institutionalization of systems that uphold quality and integrity. • Pursue the Passage of Customs-Related Legislative Measures. BOC will pursue proper legislation as foundation for the many innovations that will be implemented for a more dynamic Customs organization. Guerrero said these priorities are anchored on improving organizational efficiency, upgrading individual proficiencies and strengthening institutional capabilities. “We are taking the lessons learned and putting them to work, for the development of the Bureau in the short-term and over the long haul,” Guerrero said. “The bottomline is clear: our targets can be achieved and surpassed with professionalism, integrity and teamwork.”

Credible, modern, professional: BOC sheds ‘graft-ridden’ reputation By Peter Paul Duran THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is a Philippine government agency under the Department of Finance celebrating its 118th anniversary this year. With the theme "Moving Towards a Credible, Modern, and Professional Customs Administration," the agency is steadfast in pushing for change in a sector that proves to be one of the most vital cogs in the Philippine economy and its ascent to regional growth. The Bureau prides itself on the milestones it has made so far through the hard work and commitment of its Customs personnel. According to the BOC, they are committed to being better with shared goals to achieve, succeed, and to exceed their targets as public servants and customs professionals given by the highest standards of excellence and integrity. Through the years, BOC evolved as they come across different reformations from changing titles, positions, and duties due to various laws until it is what it is today. A testament to this was the BOC's move recently to introduce its 10

Point Priority Program for 2020 through its first Stakeholders' Engagement for the year attended by various bureau officials, key stakeholders, and members of the media as part of its celebrations this 2020 in a series of events from February 3-7.

The BOC stated that with the launch of this year's 10 Point Priority Program, the Bureau has another opportunity to prove its commitment in support of Commissioner Guerrero's thrusts and objectives towards competence and modernization. The Program consisted of the con-

tinuation of the filling up of plantilla positions, full automation of frontline transactions, improvement of the BOC's risk management system, implementation of customs modernization program, attainment of ISO certification and PGS compliance, enhancement of trade facilitation,

rationalization of penalty regimes, enhancement of management and technical skills, enhancement of stakeholder's engagement and intensification of border protection. In addition to the 10 Point Priority Program, the event also showcased the Bureau's programs to enhance trade facilitation. The Bureau aims to further improve revenue collection as a result of improved trade facilitation. With the programs launched, the Bureau of Customs aims to set the tone for 2020 and carry the momentum gained in 2019 to truly move towards a credible, modern, and professional customs administration. Moreover, the Bureau of Customs, led by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, recognized the service of BOC retirees and jubilarians who have served the Bureau for decades. "To all our awardees and jubilarians, your service and contributions to the Bureau is much appreciated. Each of you has given the best years of your life, and we hope that the awards and recognition of your dedication properly express the gratitude and esteem that we have for each of you," he said.