Manila Standard - 2020 February 9 - Sunday by Manila Standard

NCOV DEATH TOLL: 722

THE death toll from China’s coronavirus outbreak soared to 722 on Saturday, including the first foreign victim, as Hong Kong imposed a mandatory quarantine on mainland arrivals to block the spread of an epidemic that has caused global panic. With 86 more people dying in mainland China—the highest one-day

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SAVING THE OFWS: AIRLIFT UNDER WAY

• QUARANTINE STILL IN QUESTION • WORKERS SLAM LGU REJECTION • 36 TOURISTS BARRED FROM NAIA By Joel Zurbano

N EIGHT-MEMBER government team left Saturday night for Wuhan, China to assist in repatriating Filipinos from the epicenter of the 2019-ncoronavirus, leaving the Department of Health thus far in failing to secure a quarantine site for them north of Manila.

The three-member Health Emergen Response Team, composed of Rowell Casaclang, Abdul Rahman Pacasum, and Richard delos Santos from the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, will be joined by a five-member medical team from the Department of Health. They were on a Royal Air flight arranged by the DFA after receiving clearance from Chinese authorities, according to officials. Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said the team “is already experienced in repatriation operations, and has been briefed and prepared for this particular assignment.”

Simulation exercise She said the team underwent simulation exercise at Clark International Airport a day before the flight to ensure fast and efficient operation. On the flight back to Clark, the DFA team will assist the repatriates to complete immigration documents, and other requirements. On Sunday, upon arrival in Clark, the team will ensure orderly disembarkation and transfer to the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City, Tarlac which will be their home for the 14-day mandatory quarantine period. The crew who manned the flight will likewise be subjected to the 14day quarantine period. Turn to A2

Airport (inset right) are in an anxious state of readiness while waiting for their chartered flight back home, a nearly three-hour run from Wuhan to Clark, to be accompanied by an eight-man government team from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Health which flew out Saturday night. DFA

PINOY TEENS REAP 4 AWARDS IN UN-SPONSORED BALI MEET tion Council. Fernandez, for her part, copped the Best Position Paper under the United Nation’s Environmental Council. On the other hand, Go was named the Best Delegate under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Council. Although a first-timer in the BAIMUN II event and one of the youngest at 16, it did not stop the young Cebuana from performing beyond expectations. A Grade 10 student of St. Benedict, Go is among the six delegates from this Cebu-based school. The other delegates from the Cebu-based school were Jose

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HONOR FOR COUNTRY. St. Benedict’s Vianco Go (center) holds her trophy during the Bali Asia International Model United Nations II event at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. She is joined by her teacher-coaches Cris Tejada (left) and Mark Canada.

Turn to A2

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VFA SPARKS CONFUSION AT PALACE WAS there an order from President Rodrigo Duterte to any of his senior subordinates to send to Washington a notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement which came into force in 1999? Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana claimed Saturday President Duter te had not made any such official order, contrary to an earlier announcement by Presidential LORENZANA Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. Lorenzana added: “This is fake news. (Foreign) Sec. (Teodoro) Locsin has not [seen] the order yet.” Lorenzana was in a chat group with reporters, and MEDIALDEA was referring to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who Panelo claimed had been instructed by the Pr e s i d e n t t o send the notice of termination. The Philippines–United PANELO States Visiting Forces Agreement, sometimes the PH–US Visiting Forces Agreement, is a bilateral visiting forces agreement between Manila and Washington consisting of two agreements. The first of these documents is commonly referred to as “the VFA” or “VFA-1” and the second as “VFA2” or “the Counterpart Agreement.” The agreements came into force on May 27, 1999, upon ratification by the Philippine Senate. Panelo, on Friday, announced that “President Duterte is instructing Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea to tell Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin to send the notice of termination to the US government.” ‘No instruction received’ But Medialdea, in a statement to reporters, said: “As of date (Saturday) I have not received any instruction to relay any message to anyone.” Turn to A2

WHO AVOIDS REFERENCE TO EPICENTER

WORRIED WAIT. Filipino repatriates at the Tianhe International

THREE young Filipinos did the country proud by winning four awards in the justconcluded Bali Asia International Model United Nations (BAIMUN) II event at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Philippine Science High SchoolCayagan Valley campus’ Hermenegildo Dumlao III got two awards, while Siniloan National High School’s Kryzel C. Fernandez and Cebu-based St. Benedict Childhood Education Centre’s Vianca Caitlin Marie T. Go, got an award each. Dumlao, who attended the event for the second time, was named Best Delegate and delivered the Best Position Paper under the World Health Organiza-

jump so far—the toll was closing in on the 774 killed worldwide during the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic. A 60-year-old US citizen diagnosed with the virus died on Thursday in Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the health emergency, according to the US embassy, which did not provide more Turn to A2 details about the person.

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KEEN to avoid stigmatizing the city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak began, or Chinese people, the World Health Organization is treading carefully on naming the new virus. The UN health agency’s official temporary name for the disease, which it has designated as a global health emergency, is “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease.” The date refers to when it was first identified on Dec. 31, 2019 and “nCoV” stands for “novel coronavirus”—the family of viruses it belongs to. “We thought it was very important that we provide an interim name so that no location was associated with the name,” Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s Emerging Diseases unit, told the agency’s executive board on Friday. “I’m sure you’ve all seen many media reports that are still calling it using Wuhan or China and we wanted to ensure that there was no Turn to A2 stigma,” she said.

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WHO...

From A1

The final decision on a name is expected within days and is up to the WHO itself as well as coronavirus experts on the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). But picking a more specific name is fraught with dangers. Under a set of guidelines issued in 2015, WHO advises against using place names such as Ebola and Zika—where those diseases were first identified and which are now inevitably linked to them in the public imagination. Sylvie Briand, head of WHO’s Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness division, said this week that the use of a place name created “an unnecessary burden”. Unnecessary profiling More general names such as“Middle East Respiratory Syndrome” or “Spanish flu” are also to be avoided as they can stigmatize entire regions or ethnic groups. “It is the responsibility of us all to ensure that there is no stigma associated with this disease, and the unnecessary and unhelpful profiling of individuals based on ethnicity is utterly and completely unacceptable,” said Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s Health Emergencies Program. The WHO also points out that using animal species in the name can create confusion such as H1N1, which was popularly referred to as “swine flu.” This had a major effect for the pork industry even though the disease was being spread by people rather than pigs. H1N1 was also sometimes called Mexican flu “which was not very nice for Mexican people,” Briand said. People’s names—usually the scientists who identified the disease—are also banned, as are “terms that incite undue fear”such as “unknown”or “fatal,” the WHO said. “We’ve seen certain disease names provoke a backlash against members of particular religious or ethnic communities, create unjustified barriers to travel, commerce and trade, and trigger needless slaughtering of food animals,” the WHO said in its guidelines. Instead, it recommended that any new name should be descriptive and include the causative pathogen if known, as well as being short and easy to pronounce. “We are really trying to be as neutral as possible, but as helpful as possible as well, because we need to name things with the same name everywhere in the world if we want to tackle the enemy in the same way,” Briand said. AFP

PINOY...

From A1

Alberto Carredo, Lyndon Francis Juntilla II, Wrenz Gabriel Manalang, Rae Monique Ngo and Hans Keifer Ocaña together with their coaches Mark Cañada and Cris Tejada. All the delegates from St. Benedict’s were under UNESCO but were assigned different countries to represent, with Go representing Slovenia. Go also led her own bloc and produced an intensive resolution together with a delegate from Bhutan and Mexico. The Bali event is a model conference of the United Nations for future diplomats. This year’s conference carries the theme, “The Evolving of Cultural and Environmental Awareness for a Brighter Future.” Participants were mostly around 18 to 25 years old. They were exposed to international issues and policies that are mostly related to culture as well as in debating, and sharing perspective, finding a solution and in creating resolutions. Becoming a delegate in the said event is already a feat in itself as participants need to apply and be screened by the organizers until it was less than a thousand of them left on the final list. Aside from the meeting sessions, there was a grand symposium, beach cleanup, diplomatic dinner and cultural night where delegates are also being observed and rated. More than the awards though, the young Pinoy delegates felt doubly inspired at the end of the four-day event as representatives from other countries showed respect, care and high regard for them and the Philippines.

VFA... From A1 Sought for comment, Panelo told GMA News Online, accessible nationwide, there was no inconsistency in his and Lorenzana’s statements. On Feb. 7, 2020, Duterte officially or-

DOJ FINDS WAY TO HASTEN AIRLINE INFO-SHARING

HE Department of Justice has said an integrated system for sharing information of air passengers between airlines and government agencies will soon be implemented to cut delays in tracing individuals potentially affected by health scares, such as the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the Bureau of Immigration’s Advance Passenger Information System would help the government with leads on the whereabouts of passengers in a flight in case they need to be contacted.

SAVING...

From A1

But while repatriation preparations were being made in Manila, Capas Vice Mayor Butch Rodriguez told Balitanghail Weekend, beamed nationwide, the Department of Health failed to assure local officials the use of the New Clark City as an nCoV quarantine facility for Filipinos returning from China’s Hubei province posed no danger to the people of their town. Local officials insisted they were not consulted over the move and they were “shocked” when it was announced publicly that the quarantine facility would be within their town. Meanwhile, a workers group on Saturday slammed Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan for opposing the quarantine of repatriated Filipinos from Hubei to Clark facilities in Tarlac. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said they were disappointed at the behavior of Catacutan for his “unpatriotic stance and for getting in the way and obstructing a national health emergency concern for overseas Filipino workers stranded in Hubei.” Tanjusay said: “We join the thousands of Filipinos in social media in bashing Catacutan for his unpatriotic stance. This is not the time for the mayor to oppose and act like a spoiled king and question the prerogative of the national government to turn the facilities located in Capas town quarantine our OFWs from Hubei.” Limited contact Catacutan expressed opposition despite the assurance from the Department of Health and government inter-agency health committee that the community in Tarlac would be safe from possible transmission of

NCOV... From A1 A Japanese man in his 60s with a suspected coronavirus infection also died in hospital in Wuhan, the Japanese foreign ministry said, adding that it was “difficult” to confirm if he had the illness. The only fatalities outside the mainland were a Chinese man in the Philippines and a 39-year-old man in Hong Kong. At the same time, scientists have said diarrhea may be a secondary path of transmission for the novel coronavirus, following the publication of the latest study reporting patients with abdominal symptoms and loose stool. The primary path is believed to be virus-laden droplets from an infected person’s cough, though researchers in early cases have said they focused heavily on patients with respiratory symptoms and may have overlooked those linked to the digestive tract. Transmission path A total of 14 out of 138 patients (10 percent) in a Wuhan hospital who

dered the termination of the VFA after being offended by US senators cancelling the visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa in support of Sen. Leila de Lima’s release from prison. The VFA, according to political analysts, was an affirmation of the two countries’ obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951, a commitment to defend each other—in accordance with constitutional processes—in the event of

A 38-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man—the first and second confirmed nCoV cases in the Philippines, respectively— who traveled from Wuhan via Hong Kong and then to Cebu, Dumaguete, and Manila on board Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines flights have prompted government efforts to trace the persons they had contact with, including passengers seated near them during these flights. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier claimed before a Senate inquiry that efforts to trace all contacts had been partly hampered by hesitation on the part of airlines to

share the manifest details to health officials. Both the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation have been ordered to assist contact tracing efforts. The woman remains confined at a hospital in Manila while the man died of nCoV complications on Feb. 1. On Friday, the Health department reported that the number of persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible infection of nCoV has gone up to 215 since the contact tracing of the country’s third confirmed case—a 60-year-old Chinese woman who has since returned to China. PNA

the virus. DOH officials said there would be limited contact with the community if the repatriated Filipinos stayed within the New Clark City property. In a statement, Catacutan said the DOH did not “in any way” involve the local government of Capas when it decided to use the New Clark City complex as a quarantine zone. “We acknowledge that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority [BCDA] has full jurisdiction over NCC, but I, as the mayor of Capas, appeal in behalf of all Capaseños to our dear President Rodrigo Duterte and DOH Secretary Francisco Duque to consider another place or facility as isolation area,” he said. Tanjusay said rather than helping and supporting government effort to save distressed OFWs, Catacutan acted as if he owned the municipality of Capas. “The Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG] should slap Catacutan with a warning for obstructing a national health emergency prerogative to save our OFWs and their rescuers away from possible exposure to the virus outbreak,” he said. Repatriation in full swing Several countries have aleady repatriated their nationals from Wuhan City and Hubei province following a declaration from the World Health Organization that the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern. The Bureau of Quarantine said it would coordinate the disinfection of the OFWs’ luggage and the airplane bringing back the Filipinos while the Central Health Development Central Luzon would be in charge of disinfecting the vehicles used for transport. In related developments: • The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Health and Prevention announced two new cases of novel cor-

onavirus infections in the country— Filipino and a Chinese citizen. According to an Emirates News Agency Report, the MoHAP said the patients, now under observation, brought the total number of nCoV cases in the country to seven. They were identified through the continuous periodic screening conducted in accordance with World Health Organization standards for those with symptoms of the new coronavirus. • Government agents at Ninoy Aquino International Airport blocked the entry of 36 Chinese nationals who came from Macau, one of the countries covered by the travel ban imposed as part of the government’s proactive measure to prevent the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus. Bureau of Immigration port operations division chief Grifton Medina said his men barred the entry of the foreigners at NAIA Terminal 1 upon their arrival aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Denied entry “They were denied entry after our officers discovered upon inspection they were traveling as a group and that they have been to Macau last Feb. 1,” Medina said. Under the travel ban, foreigners will not be allowed to enter the Philippines if within the past 14 days they have traveled either to China, Macau and Hong Kong. Medina said all 36 passengers were initially turned over to the Bureau of Quarantine for inspection and later excluded and booked on the first available flight to Phnom Penh. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente reiterated his appeal to airlines and shipping to “do their share in implementing the travel ban and prevent the entry of foreigners from the areas of concern.” • The on-site repatriation team of

DFA handed out relief goods to Filipinos in Wuhan City who were stranded in their homes due to government restrictions limiting travel movement in order to contain the 2019 nCoV ARD. Mark Anthony Geguera and Sanny Darren Bejarin of the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai coordinated with volunteer members of the Filipino community in the relief operations. The DFA on-site repatriation team entered ground zero of the nCoV outbreak yesterday to firm up the arrangements for the planned repatriation activities with Chinese authorities. Ban coverage All airlines and shipping companies have been instructed not to board passengers covered by the ban, and according to Morente, the bureau is studying the possibility of imposing fines against violators. The agency is now requiring both foreign and Filipino passengers from abroad to completely fill out and submit their arrival cards while undergoing immigration arrival formalities by BI officers. Morente earlier instructed all immigration duty supervisors in the different airports to strictly enforce the new policy so that the bureau can ably assist health and police authorities in tracking down passengers who have recently been to the areas of concern. Previously, only foreign passengers arriving at the airports are required to fill out said arrival cards while Filipinos are obliged to fill out embarkation cards when they leave the country. In another development, officials of the Immigration Regulation Division said they were now strictly screening applications for extension of stay of foreign tourists to check if any of them have a history of travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau within 14 days from their arrival.

were studied in the new paper by Chinese authors in the Journal of the American Medical Association initially presented with diarrhea and nausea one or two days prior to development of fever and labored breathing. The first US patient diagnosed with 2019-nCoV also experienced loose bowel movements for two days and the virus was subsequently detected in his stool, and there have been other such cases in China documented in the Lancet, albeit infrequently. “Importantly, 2019-nCoV has been reported elsewhere in the feces of patients with atypical abdominal symptoms, similar to SARS which was also shed in urine, suggesting a fecal transmission route which is highly transmissible,” William Keevil, a professor of environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, said in a comment to the UK’s Science Media Center. The possibility is not totally surprising to scientists, given that the new virus belongs to the same family as SARS. Fecal transmission of SARS was implicated in sickening hundreds in Hong Kong’s Amoy Gardens housing

estate in 2003. A rising plume of warm air originating in bathrooms contaminated several apartments and was transported by wind to adjacent buildings in the complex. Based on the literature, “The 2019nCoV virus found in stool may be transmitted through fecal spread,” added Jiayu Liao, a bioengineer at the University of California, Riverside. But, he added, “We still do not know how long this virus can survive outside the body—HIV can only survive roughly 30 minutes outside the body—and what temperature range the 2019-nCoV is sensitive to.” New challenges Fecal spread could present new challenges to the virus’ containment, but is more likely to be a problem inside hospitals, which can become “amplifiers” of epidemics, said David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. Benjamin Neuman, a virology expert at Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana, cautioned that while fecal transmission was “certainly worth considering,” “droplets and touching contaminated surfaces then rubbing eyes, nose or mouth” were likely the main way the virus was transmitted

based on current data. Nearly 35,000 people have been infected by the new strain, which is believed to have emerged in a market selling wild animals in Wuhan last year before spreading across China. The epidemic has prompted the government to lock down cities home to tens of millions of people, as anger mounts over its handling of the crisis, especially after a whistleblowing doctor fell victim to the virus. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, on a visit to quarantined Wuhan this week, instructed officials to take a “wartime” approach as they implement drastic measures that include combing the city for feverish residents. With panic spiraling around the globe—more than 320 cases have emerged in nearly 30 other countries— researchers were racing to find treatments and a vaccine to fight the virus. Hong Kong quarantine Hong Kong began enforcing a two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China, under threat of both fines and jail terms. Most people will be able to be quarantined at home or in hotels but they will face daily phone calls and spot checks. AFP

“The APIS requires our airlines to provide the BI passenger details/ information before they arrive at our terminals. Such information will be useful, especially in contact tracing efforts,” Perete said in a message to reporters on Saturday.

an armed attack by a hostile party. The VFA was crafted following the Philippine Senate’s rejection in 1991 of extending the presence of US military bases in the Philippines. “What SND [secretary of national defense] meant is ES [executive secretary] has yet to receive the instruction. That is what ES also told me last night that he has not received the instruction yet from PRRD

[Rodrigo Duterte],” said Panelo. “I was quoting PRRD of what he told me. If he has not given the instruction yet to ES it does not mean the info I shared to (sic) media is untrue. It only means ES has not yet gotten the directive from PRRD,” he added. Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he remained hopeful the resolution urging Duterte to reconsider

the abrogation of the VFA would be passed. Sotto, with Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson, filed Senate Resolution 312 on Monday, requesting the president to reconsider his decision while the Senate conducted a review and impact assessment of the agreement. According to Sotto, other countries may gain the upper hand over the Philippines without the support of the VFA.

News HOUSING RIGHTS. Militant group Kadamay stages a protest in Mendiola near Malacañang on Saturday, Feb. 8. The group, which has taken over several housing projects built by the government, led the global day of action for housing rights. Norman Cruz

HOUSE PANEL HEAD BATS FOR K-12 REDO

PHONE-GRABBING POLICE GENERAL MOVED TO NCRPO By Joel E. Zurbano COLONEL Emmanuel Peralta is now the acting commander of the Southern Police District, replacing Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan who was transferred to the National Capital Region Police Office. Peralta assumed his post Saturday following a simple change of command and turnover ceremony witnessed by NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas at the SPD Grandstand in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. In a speech, Peralta assured Sinas the SPD will pursue the intensified intelligence-driven anti-illegal drugs operations, particularly on middle level high valued targets. He also promised to prioritize the internal cleansing program of the National Police and going after those caught using vehicles which were recovered and inventoried as evidence during various police operations. Peralta also said he will not tolerate any scalawag or the abuse by any police officer, and specifically mentioned that “playing golf during office hours, entering houses of ill refute and involving in illegal activities and other prohibited acts are highly discouraged.” Sinas appointed Peralta to replace Bathan who was transferred as deputy regional director of the NCRPO. The Commission on Human Rights and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines recently condemned Bathan for grabbing the mobile phone of a media man during the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene in Manila last month. The CHR and NUJP said the use of excessive force made by SPD policemen during the religious event was unnecessary, and the grabbing of mobile phone of GMA news reporter Jun Veneracion can be considered suppression of the freedom of the press. While covering the procession, a police officer and a devotee of the Black Nazarene started tussling along Ayala Bridge. Veneracion was recording the incident when Bathan snatched his phone, it was then that the reporter was restrained by other police to keep him from retrieving his phone.

By Maricel V. Cruz

HE chairman of the House of Representatives’ Ways and Means on Saturday proposed a “comprehensive education reform agenda” in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive requiring the Department of Education to study changes to the K-12 program. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, the panel’s chairman, said he will file a bill on the subject after Education Secretary Leonor Briones discussed with President Duterte the results of the Program for International Student Assessment, which showed that Filipino students ranked the lowest among 79 countries in reading comprehension, and second to the lowest in math and science. “In the coming days, I will be filing the most comprehensive education reform agenda ever introduced in Congress after the People Power Re-

volt,” Salceda said. Salceda’s 10-point agenda for Education: Equitable funding for all schools, with a preferential approach to public schools in poor areas; institute a teacher-supportive, teacher-empowering education system; expanded after-school and remedial education program; universal access to nutrition in public schools; expanded school-community relations, with schools as community centers; “Build, Build, Build” for education; safer schools for teachers and students: empow-

ering special education facilities; comprehensive Workforce Development for the 21st Century and optional adoption of the mothertongue-based learning. “This country’s most valuable resource, its most productive asset, is the Filipino people. And education is the greatest investment you can make on your people,” Salceda said. Salceda said his initiative is part of his “National Economic Resiliency Agenda,” which includes countryside development, human capital development, disaster mitigation and adaptation, urban-rural linkages, and rapid and sustained economic expansion. As for funding sources for his comprehensive education agenda, Salceda said seeking out public resources is part of his duty as chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

FIGHTING OFF THE VIRUS. The Association of Volunteer Fire Chiefs and Fire Fighters of the Philippines headed by its president Mariano Ong distributes vitamins to Filipino-Chinese volunteers as a precautionary measure to boost firemen’s resistance against the coronavirus. Norman Cruz

‘CLIMATE RISK INDEX EXPOSES PH WEAKNESSES’ THE Philippines’ ranking in the Global Climate Risk Index 2020 by Germanwatch organization stressed the country’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, a member of the House of Representatives said on Saturday. Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda said the country’s ranking underscores the need to accelerate and strengthen adaptation measures, especially at the community level. Legarda said that the report analyzes the extent countries have been affected by impacts of weather-related events, such as storms, floods, and heatwaves, for the year 2018 and for a 20-year period from 1999 to 2018.

The report ranked the Philippines second among countries most affected by climate change in 2018 (from 20th in 2017), with Japan and Germany ranking 1st and 3rd, respectively; and 4th most affected from 1999 to 2018 (from 5th in the previous period of 1998-2017), together with Puerto Rico (1st), Myanmar (2nd), Haiti (3rd), and Pakistan (5th) on the list. Legarda said that Typhoon “Ompong” (Mangkhut)—the most powerful typhoon recorded in 2018—affected the Philippines’ score for that year, while other typhoons, such as “Pablo” (Bopha) in 2012 and “Yolanda” (Haiyan) in 2013, have affected the country’s score for the 20-year

period from 1999 to 2018. The report also noted that the Philippines is “recurrently affected by catastrophes” and is “still in the process of recovering from the previous year’s impacts” and has therefore “continuously rank(ed) among the most affected countries both in the long-term index and in the index for the respective year.” “While the report has a comprehensive take on countries’ vulnerability from rapid weather-related events, it has yet to factor in impacts from slow onset climate events, such as sea level rise and warmer and more acidic oceans, which, for an archipelagic nation like ours, could

spell greater danger to our communities. What is clear, however, is that we need to ramp up efforts on adaptation and building genuine climate resilience within our vulnerable communities,” Legarda said. Legarda cited the need to implement the Climate Change Commission’s National Climate Risk Management Framework, which aims to produce a comprehensive assessment of climate risks (in terms of hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities) in the Philippines by consolidating data sets across government agencies, local government units, academic and research institutions, and civil society organizations. Maricel V. Cruz

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TAGUIG MAPS OUT ANTI-NCOV WAYS TAGUIG City Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano convened members of the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and discussed measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus as well as contingency plans during emergency situations. Cayetano led the first regular meeting for 2020 with the DRRMC at the Kalayaan Hall of SM Aura in Bonifacio Global City focusing on disaster management, resilience, response and prevention. The Council later agreed to file and enforce the following resolutions: • Adopting the local action plan of Taguig City against the 2019-novel coronavirus by the local disaster risk reduction management office -Ordering and recommending the Local Disaster Risk Management funds to acquire and procure materials, tools, equipment, and such other similar provisions necessary for addressing the 2019-novel coronavirus • Creating the 2019-novel coronavirus task force of Taguig City and establishing its composition and functions, and • Creating the Taguig Weather Monitoring Team and establishing its composition and functions. Cayetano and other city officials also launched the Taguig Weather Monitoring System at the same venue. The system is the first of its kind technology that offers real-time, round-the-clock feeds from cameras situated across some 100 locations. It can be used in localized flood monitoring, hazard mapping and even in daily community weather updates, providing valuable information to complement information from national agencies such as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Specifically, the Taguig Weather Monitoring System can show the distance of the eye of a storm to a specific area, and allows for accurate six-hour weather forecasts and weather reports for up to a 15-day time period. The system also has earthquake analytics from specific areas in Taguig. It can show the exact distance of an earthquake’s epicenter to a specific place in the city. Joel E. Zurbano

FIRST-EVER MM FILMFEST SET IN APRIL THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has begun its preparation for the country’s first-ever Metro Manila Summer Film Festival with an inspection of the proposed route for the Parade of Stars last Friday. The film festival will be held on April 11, 2020, Black Saturday. The MMDA planned to conduct the Parade of Stars in Quezon City covering a distance of 6.2 kilometers and is expected to take a minimum two hours and 30 minutes from the Welcome Rotonda to the Quezon Memorial Circle. “We are very excited for the first-ever MMSFF in April. This early, preparations for the Parade of Stars have begun to ensure that the event will be an exciting day for Filipino moviegoers,” said MMDA chief and concurrent Metro Manila Film Festival chairman Danilo Lim. Just like the regular MMFF during Christmas, the Parade of Stars is one of the highlights of the summer film festival that will showcase floats carrying celebrities of the official entries. Lim said the festival will officially open on April 11, Black Saturday, where eight full-length films will be shown exclusively in theaters nationwide for an 11-day period. According to cinema exhibitors, historically, Black Saturday or Sabado de Gloria is the second highest grossing playdate next to Christmas. Senator Christopher Lawrence Go initiated the move for the country to have a separate Metro Manila Film Festival to be held during summer. Go is a member of the MMFF executive committee while the MMDA is the overall organizer and the supervising body of the annual film festival. In 2017, Senator Vicente Sotto III also filed a resolution pushing for a separate festival for independent movies following the outcome of the 2016 film festival when most of the movie entries were ‘indie-films” or made by independent producers. Sotto, a former actor, had expressed his disappointment and was not satisfied about the outcome of the 2016 MMFF, particularly the boxoffice results. Joel E. Zurbano

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

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News BLOC ASKS GOV’T TO BARE DAM DETAILS

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD.

Workers wearing hard hats install steel rods at a construction site in Taguig City. Norman Cruz

DUTERTE WANTS MEETING WITH RIO By MJ Blancaflor

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is set to meet with resigned Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio to discuss issues of irregularities hounding the agency. The Ofﬁce of the President has received the resignation letter of Rio, who wanted to step down from his post since he felt he was “no longer needed” in the agency, but the Chief Executive has yet to act on it, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“His office has received the resignation letter but he has not read it. As to the allegations of Rio, he will listen to him when they meet but no schedule yet. Meanwhile, he will observe the Senate hearing on its investigation to Rio’s allegations,” Panelo said in a message to CNN Philippines. In his previous interviews, Rio said he wanted to relay his concerns personally and privately to the President, adding that he could no longer work with his colleagues who kept him out of the loop in intelligence-related decisions which were supposed to be within his scope. The official also cited irregularities in the disbursement of hundreds of millions in confidential

funds, hinting that these were being used for surveillance. The Commission on Audit had flagged down the agency’s cash advances, which were released in tranches of P100 million on Nov. 8, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 last year. Rio also said DICT, headed by former Senator Gringo Honasan, did not need conﬁdential funds because it is not the agency’s mandate to conduct surveillance and intelligence activities. He was the DICT’s acting secretary until Honasan assumed the Cabinet post last July. During his stint in DICT, Rio led the country’s search for a third telecommunications player.

CORONAVIRUS PUTS VIBRANT SHANGHAI INTO A COMA FOR more than a week, the rare resident of Shanghai who dared venture outside has encountered something unfamiliar: A surreal peace and quiet. The deadly coronavirus epidemic has brought much of China to a standstill, but perhaps nowhere has the change been more stark than in the country’s biggest and most vibrant city. Gone are the traffic jams, crowded sidewalks and businessmen hurrying to work, replaced by eerily empty roads, shuttered bars and businesses, and only the occasional pedestrians— always behind a protective mask. Shanghai is the most populous of China’s many mega-cities, but its usual gathering points look like they were hit with a neutron bomb. The scenic Bund riverfront is normally filled with gawkers taking in the European neo-classical architecture on one shore, facing a futuristic financial district on the other. But the heavily-laden barges that usually keep the Huangpu River’s surface

churning have been absent, the towering corporate skyscrapers largely empty. The stillness is only occasionally interrupted by the clang of the 90-meterhigh (300-foot) clock tower atop the 93-year-old Shanghai Customs House. Zhao Feng was one of only a few scattered amblers on the promenade on a recent day. “We know it’s not good to go outside, but we’re wearing masks as a precaution,” said Zhao, 40, on a stroll with family. “[Shanghai] is so quiet because everybody has a strong sense of selfprotection.” Shanghai’s slumber is due partly to a more than week-long city extension of the Lunar New Year holiday to help combat the virus. That ends on Monday, but many businesses and government departments are planning to allow staff to work from home. Shanghai has avoided the full or partial lockdowns seen in other parts of China. AFP

MEMORIAL FOR KOBE BRYANT SET ON FEB. 24

ARRANGED WITH LOVE. Flowers are displayed at Dangwa market in Sampaloc, Manila on Saturday ahead of Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. Norman Cruz

PANIC BUYING STARTS AS SINGAPORE RAISES ‘ORANGE’ ALERT ANXIOUS Singapore shoppers formed long lines at grocery stores Saturday and cleared the shelves of essential items, after the city-state raised its alert level over China’s coronavirus outbreak. Since emerging late last year, the virus has killed over 700 people and infected more than 34,000 in China, and spread to many other countries. Singapore, which has reported 33 cases, raised its alert level Friday to “orange”—the same as during the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak, indicating the virus is severe and passes easily between people. The announcement triggered panic in the city-state of 5.7 million starting late Friday, with shoppers—many wearing masks—rushing to stock up on items including rice, noodles and toilet paper. Pictures circulating on social media showed empty shelves in some stores, carts filled with goods and long lines at counters, which continued into Saturday. “I’m afraid that if they further raise the alert level, we will not be able to go out,” a 50-year-old housewife,

THE Makabayan bloc in Congress has dared the government to prove that Filipinos won’t lose in the contract it entered with Chinese for the construction of the Kaliwa Dam and Chico River Pump irrigation which will run from Quezon to Tanay, Rizal. The group said the loan agreement for the dam project, which costs P12.20 billion, violates the Constitution. Bayan Muna Rep. Isagani Carlos Zarate said the alleged illegal provisions in the contract include 1) Article 5.7 stating that the “Philippines or any of its assets, unless prohibited by the laws and public policies, are not entitled to any right of immunity on the grounds of sovereign or any legal process; 2) Article 8.1, which states that the “Philippines irrevocably waives any immunity on grounds of sovereignty; 3) Article 8.4, “agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China; 4) Article 8.5, which stipulates that the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center will be the arbiter in case of a dispute; and 5) Article 8.9, which states that the terms, conditions and standard fees of the loan agreement are conﬁdential. Zarate insisted the government should stop the negotiations until the “onerous provisions” which are clearly detrimental to Filipinos are corrected. Zarate opposed MWSS’ claim that the construction of the Kaliwa Dam will help prevent another water crisis and will augment Angat Dam’s lack of capacity which is the primary water source of Metro Manila. The Bayan Muna solon said the water crisis can be solved without resorting to building a dam which, aside from being near a fault line, will displace indigenous people and plunge the country into another debt considering that the loan from China has a 2 percent interest rate. “These loans may just be two of the many secret loan agreements between the Philippines and China which could run in the billions. Why proceed when badges of irregularities attended the project?” said Zarate.

People look at the empty shelves at a local supermarket in Singapore as panic buying swept through the city after the government raised the alert level for a deadly novel coronavirus in Singapore on Feb. 8. Anxious Singapore shoppers formed long lines at grocery stores and cleared the shelves of essential items. AFP

who did not want to be named, told AFP after leaving a grocery store. The highest level on Singapore’s four-point scale for dealing with disease outbreaks is “red,” one above “orange.” There were, however, ample stocks of other items such as fruit, meat, fish and alcohol. The government urged calm, with Trade Minister Chan Chun Sing saying there was no need to rush out to buy crucial supplies. “There is no risk of us running a shortage of essential food or household items,” he wrote on Facebook. Singapore raised its alert level amid a growing number of virus cases in citizens with no recent travel history to mainland China and no known links to previous infections. Hong Kong has also been hit by a wave of panicbuying in recent days as it seeks to battle the virus, with supermarket shelves frequently emptied of crucial goods. AFP

VANESSA Bryant announced plans for a public celebration of life for her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna on Feb. 24 in a touching Instagram post on Friday. “#2, #24 #20 years as a Laker,” the bereaved wife and mother wrote in the post, conﬁrming that a memorial service would be held at Staples Center arena that Monday morning at 10:00 (1800 GMT). She said more details were to come. Gianna Bryant wore No. 2 for her school basketball team and Kobe Bryant wore No. 24 in the later stages of his iconic 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant, 41, and 13-year-old Gianna were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in the rugged hills west of Los Angeles on Jan. 26. The event will fall on a day between two Lakers home games, but the rival Los Angeles Clippers will host the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA game at the arena in downtown Los Angeles that night. Lee Zeidman, president of Staples Center, told the Los Angeles Times that getting the court ready for the game won’t be a problem. “Staples Center has hosted over 220 doubleheaders in its 20-year history,” Zeidman said. “While this is going to be a very emotional day for the Bryant family, the Los Angeles Lakers, the city of Los Angeles, as well as for the men and women who work at Staples Center, we are very conﬁdent we will be ready for 6 p.m. doors opening for the ClippersMemphis game following the ceremony.” Staples Center, also the home of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and venue for concerts and events such as the recent Grammy Awards, has hosted memorials for recording artists Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle. AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CHINA TURNS TO AI, DATA IN FIGHT AGAINST VIRUS

EDITORIAL

AS IN LIFE—OR NOT

MID the global threat posed by the novel coronavirus, political developments in the United States, squabbling and blame-throwing among Philippine officials, and many other issues around the world, the Academy Awards—Sunday night in the US and Monday morning local time— provides a welcome distraction for film lovers in many countries.

This year, as always, the contenders for the top awards deal with varied subjects. For example, among those vying for Best Film, one is an adaptation of a literary classic about four sisters, one deals with the disintegration of a relationship, another follows soldiers on a life-or-death communi-

cation mission, yet another follows an actor during a certain period in Hollywood. Another nominee explores the psychological descent of a famous character, one deals with cars; yet another, with an aging mobster, and one with a family that tries to con its way into the lives of the affluent.

This is not to say, of course, that only the Oscar-nominated films are the only ones worth watching or knowing about. The US is just one country, and many other countries have their own movies that reflect and showcase their own contexts, realities and mindsets. In truth, nobody can ever claim to be able to judge what the best movies are simply because no one has seen all the movies produced all across the globe—and they increase in number as we speak. Nonetheless, the fact that filmmakers keep producing movies wherever they are, whatever the subject and however grand (or measly) the budget points only to the fact that people continue to be

By Eva Xiao

enamored of them for their own reasons. Sometimes, we identify with characters; at other times, we get fascinated at how foreign and different a character is from us or the people we actually know. People also simply follow their favorite actors no matter the roles they play. There is always a curiosity about stories, whether these were stories that truly happened, or could possibly happen, or are so bizarre they take us out of our current environment and transport us to a different world. It is always a good thing when something makes us look inward and examine ourselves, or think about the world around us, or empathize with others, or simply imagine.

A MAN who had traveled to Wuhan—the central city at the heart of China's coronavirus crisis—was surprised when police showed up at his door after he returned home, asking to check his temperature. The man, who had quarantined himself at home in Nanjing, eastern Jiangsu province, said he had not told anyone about his recent trip to the city. But by trawling through travel data from Wuhan, local authorities were able to identify him and dispatch officers to his home last week, according to a newspaper article posted by the Nanjing government. As Chinese authorities race to contain the spread of a new virus, which has infected more than 30,000 people and killed more than 600 in China, Beijing is turning to a familiar set of tools to find and prevent potential infections: data tracking and artificial intelligence. Several Chinese tech firms have developed apps to help people check if they have taken the same flight or train as confirmed virus patients, scraping data from lists published by state media. In Guangzhou, southern Guangdong province, robots at one public plaza have even been deployed to scold passersby who are not wearing masks, according to the staterun Global Times. And in Beijing, one neighborhood committee responsible for an apartment complex of about 2,400 households said they used flight and train data to keep track of everyone's recent travel record. "Use big data technology to track, screen priority (cases), and effectively forecast the development of the epidemic in real time," China's National Health Commission told local governments in an online statement Tuesday. "Strengthen the information link between... public security and transportation, and other departments," it said, urging them to share train, flight, communication, and medical data.

FEVER TECH

EVERYMAN

THREAT OR BLUFF? WHEN his ever-loyal friend, defender and enforcer Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa lost his right to enter the United States with the cancellation of his visa, President Rodrigo Duterte erupted again in an expletive-laden tirade against the country’s longtime ally, threatening to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement if the US doesn’t restore Dela Rosa’s visa. “I’m warning you. This is the first time. Kapag hindi ninyo ginawa ang correction diyan [If you do not correct that], one: I will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement. Tapusin ko ‘yan pu**** in*** yan [I’ll end that son of a b*tch],” Duterte told a crowd of supporters in Leyte. He even gave the world’s greatest power a one-month ultimatum to make the “correction.” It could have been a reason to hail the leader for standing up to the powerful nation, except that his tirade raises some questions. First of all, it seems he is righting a wrong for the wrong reason. Even the militant activists who have been fighting for the abrogation of the treaty since it was signed and ratified in 1999 criticized his obvious knee-jerk reaction because he said he would terminate the treaty because the US wronged his friend and ally, and not because it was a violation of the country’s sovereignty. “The termination of the VFA is a serious

matter. We have fought for it since 1999. It is NOT a mere bargaining chip to get Bato back his US Visa. The termination of the VFA is needed because it is an affront to our national sovereignty. Wag i-trivialize ang usaping ito (Don’t trivialize this issue),” said Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). The President never said anything about the treaty being disadvantageous to the Philippines and that it violates the country’s sovereignty, but was angry simply because the US had canceled a loyal senator’s visa. It took months of heated debates and street protests before the Philippines and the US finally came up with the agreement, and more discussions on the Senate floor before it was ratified. Two prominent cases—a rape and a murder—have been committed by American soldiers while on “visit” in the country’s military bases that led to militant protests and court cases, but the VFA remained in force. And suddenly because his friend might not be able to come with him to the US when he decides to attend the ASEAN leaders’ meeting with US President Donald Trump, the 20-year-old treaty will suddenly be terminated? Of course, there is a more understandable reason the President was peeved

by the cancellation of De la Rosa’s visa. It was an extension of his anger over the resolution passed by the Senate and the inclusion of the provision in the 2020 US budget imposing sanctions on certain Philippine officials and individuals believed responsible for the wrongful imprisonment and filing of frivolous charges against Duterte’s harshest critic Senator Leila de Lima and the harassment of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. Duterte and other Philippine officials are protesting that it is the prerogative of the government to file charges against De Lima and yet they are now angry that the US government is banning them from entering the United States and cancelling a Philippine senator’s visa which, using their argument, is also the sole right and prerogative of the sovereign nation United States. The three senators who sponsored the resolution seeking sanctions against those responsible for De Lima’s wrongful detention and who were also barred from entering the Philippines did not raise a howl, and just said they didn’t plan to visit the Philippines anyway. Will Duterte actually terminate the VFA if the US refuses to restore De la Rosa’s visa? Maybe. After all, he could easily give the same privileges to Chinese troops and enter into the same disadvantageous

and illegal agreement with China. Didn’t the Duterte administration after all gave a red carpet welcome to a Chinese Coast Guard crew that has been harassing and depriving Filipino fishermen of their livelihood in the waters well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone? Hasn’t the Duterte administration been allowing Chinese fighter planes to land and refuel in Mindanao, particularly in Davao? Didn’t he after all once said that the Philippines can become the third member of a new Axis alliance with Russia and China? Or maybe it is all a bluff. Perhaps his latest tirade was just one his many “palabas” to boost his standing with his supporters. After all, his popularity with the Filipino masses continue to rise every time he makes those “macho” threats against perceived enemies of the state, who are actually mostly critics of his undemocratic policies. One of his close supporters once said that Duterte says in public what the audience and the Filipinos want to hear, and not necessarily what he thinks should constitute public policy. And that leaves many people, including his officials, confused. Who will cave in? Mr. Abelgas is a former managing editor of Manila Standard. He now lives in the US.

As Chinese authorities search for potential infections, a point of focus has been detecting fevers, a common symptom of the disease. While neighborhoods and office buildings rely primarily on hand-held thermometers, public transport hubs are also trialling fever detection systems that use artificial intelligence and infrared cameras. In Beijing, a system developed by Chinese search giant Baidu screens travellers at the Qinghe railway station using infrared and face detection technology, which automatically photographs each person's face. If someone has a body temperature of 37.3 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) or above, the system sets off an alarm—prompting a secondary check by station staff. On Thursday, railway personnel, clutching red-and-white megaphones, ordered passengers arriving from northern Shanxi province to slow down as they passed by Baidu's system. According to the company, its system can check more than 200 people a minute, far faster than the thermal scanners used at airports. Megvii, an AI firm that was blacklisted by the US in October over alleged rights abuses, has developed a similar system, which is currently being used at a subway station in Beijing. "Having a team of nearly 100 people working together remotely from home hasn't been easy," said a spokesperson at Megvii in an emailed statement. "All of them are working around the clock during Lunar New Year public holidays," said the company, adding that the team had to optimize its models to "effectively detect temperature with only the forehead exposed."

FIVE MILLION TRAVELERS

Besides fever detection, Chinese tech firms have raced to develop a wide variety of services to help with epidemic control efforts, from preparing drone deliveries of medical supplies to mapping the spread of the virus from Wuhan. Although the city has been under effective quarantine since Jan. 23, some five million travelers left Wuhan during the Lunar New Year festival, according to the city mayor— galvanizing a nationwide search for recent Wuhan visitors. Still, the majority of tracking carried out by local authorities in China requires a lot of manpower, though some are entering data online to help with registration, especially as residents return after the holiday. In Beijing, some neighborhoods are prompting residents to scan a QR code to fill out personal details, such as their phone number and hometown address. One form also prompted participants to fill out details on their mode of transport, such as their licence plate or flight number, if they had traveled. It also asked if they had "recently" visited central Hubei province—where Wuhan is located—or come into contact with anyone from the hard-hit region. AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

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TODAY

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

Republic of the Philippines GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM Republic of theGSIS PhilippinesBuilding, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

World

GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM GSIS Building, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

DEMOCRATS GANG UP ON PETE, BERNIE

GSIS ACQUIRED ASSETS FOR DISPOSITION PROVINCE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas Batangas

District/Subdivision

STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy STO. NIÑO VILLA DE LIPA I, Marauoy

City/Municipality

Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City Lipa City

Property Location

B002 L007 (1112) B002 L014 (1127) B002 L018 B002 L019 B002 L021 (1141) B002 L023 B002 L024 B003 L012 B003 L014 B003 L027 (1075) B003 L032 (1130) B003 L033 (1131) B003 L034 B005 L013 (1035) B006 L015A B008 L030 B009 L012 B018 L002

TCT No.

Lot Area Minimum Acceptable Offer ( ₱ Property Classification Occupancy Status Bidding Date (sqm) )

95874 95881 95885 T-95886 T-95888 T-95890 95891 95911 95913 95927 95932 95933 95934 95968 T-95836 T-96022 T-95851 T-99929

124.00 96.00 60.00 90.00 90.00 90.00 90.00 90.00 80.00 80.00 90.00 60.00 90.00 60.00 120.00 70.00 96.00 72.00

729,200.00 763,400.00 453,000.00 587,640.00 539,667.00 606,000.00 616,500.00 523,534.00 538,334.00 652,000.00 531,600.00 554,000.00 531,600.00 506,000.00 1,103,000.00 623,000.00 732,600.00 724,800.00

House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot House & Lot

Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Unoccupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied Occupied

Place of Bidding

20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 GSIS Batangas Branch 20-Mar-20 Office, Alangilan, Batangas 20-Mar-20 City 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20 20-Mar-20

ANCHESTER, New Hampshire— White House hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg— riding neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the next Democratic primary contest—come under sustained attack on the debate stage from rivals seeking to challenge Donald Trump in November. Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana who at 38 is a fresh face on the national stage, defended himself against charges of inexperience and, in a dig at Sanders, urged Americans to elevate a nominee who will "leave the politics of the past in the past." The 78-year-old leftist Sanders, eyeing the moderate Buttigieg as his possible chief adversary, aimed his own shots at his far younger rival in the Manchester, New Hampshire debate—casting him as the candidate of Wall Street. "I don't have 40 billionaires, Pete, contributing to my cam-

GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice. Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, the selling price of GSIS properties above PhP2.5 mil ion shall be subject to twelve percent (12%) Value-Added Tax (VAT). The down payment (DP) tendered during the actual bidding shall include 12% VAT and the balance of the purchase price shall also include 12% VAT which is to be paid by the winning bidder on the prescribed date indicated on the issued Notice of Approval of Sale.

paign," Sanders said. Buttigieg and Sanders finished atop the pack earlier this week in Iowa's chaotic caucuses, and both hope to renew the performance Tuesday in New Hampshire, as the Democratic Party seeks to pick a challenger to Trump in November. But Sanders, a veteran senator calling for "political revolution," was in the firing line from several rivals, including former vice president and fellow septuagenarian Joe Biden who branded his policies too radical to unite Americans. AFP

Example: Posted Minimum Acceptable Offer is PhP2,600,000.00 and the Bid Amount is PhP2,610,000.00 DP

- (10% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = PhP 261,000.00 + 31,320.00 = PhP292,320.00

Balance - (90% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = PhP2,349,000.00 + 281,880.00 = PhP2,630,880.00

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 12. 1.

Disposal of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) is through a competitive public bidding process. Acceptance of Purchase Offers shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

Dropping of sealed bid envelopes will be on the date of bidding from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM only. Opening of Bids will immediately follow. Late bid envelopes will not be accepted.

Disposal of GSIS IP-RUs is on an “As-Is, Where-is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is, Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided: A. B.

SPLIT IN 3. A Turkish police officer stands guard on site of a plane accident and in front of the wreckage of Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737 airplane that skidded off the runway upon landing at the SabiIf the occupant will exercise his/her Right to Match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she shall adjust his/herGSIS initial deposit ACQUIRED ASSETSbased s2020-0002 ha Gokcen airport, in Istanbul, on February 6. Three people have on the bid amount of the declared highest bidder. He/she must also pay died and 179 were injured when a plane skidded off the runway at the adjusted deposit on the day of bidding. an Istanbul airport, caught fire and split into three after landing in The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within fourteen (14) rough weather. The Boeing 737 operated by Turkish low-cost carrier calendar days of the actual bidding, the following documents: Pegasus Airlines had flown into Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport A. If the winning bidder is an individual, from the Aegean port city of Izmir on Wednesday, NTV television a. duly accomplished Personal Profile (with attached recent two (2) reported. AFP pieces of 2x2 ID pictures of the winning bidder)

13.

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform Act for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, the selling price of GSIS properties above PhP2.5 million shall be subject to twelve percent (12%) Value-Added Tax (VAT).

Purchase offers are only accepted through CASH basis payable within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of the Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS), without privilege of extension.

A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data: A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

1 of 1

14.

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he/she wants to buy, as long as, he/she posts the required 10% bid deposit of the total bid price for each property. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

Date of Bidding Name of the bidder Exact address of property you are interested to bid Transfer Certificate of Title No. Mode of Payment Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) Signature of the bidder/representative

b. photocopies of two (2) valid IDs (at least one should be a government-issued ID) B. If the winning bidder is a corporate entity or partnership, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Registration Certificate from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) c. Articles of Incorporation (if corporation), Articles of Partnership (if partnership), General Information Sheet, and By-Laws duly certified by the SEC d. Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located C. If the winning bidder is a cooperative, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Cooperative Development Authority Registration or any proof of such registration c. Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located 15.

A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/ winning bidder on the day of bidding. The Bidder’s deposit of the other non-winning bidder/s shall be returned immediately.

16.

The deposit equivalent to at least ten percent (10%) of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT. The 90% balance of the bid amount plus 12% VAT shall be paid either in cash or in manager’s check within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of NOAS, without privilege of extension.

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and must not be lower than the Minimum Acceptable Offer of the property. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail.

Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus the 12% VAT, if applicable, shall be in the form of a MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System.

10.

The following shall be inserted in a bid envelope: A.

ALL participating bidders must insert: a. properly accomplished BID FORM b. MANAGER’S CHECK payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT, if applicable.

If the bidder is being represented by an authorized representative, a corresponding Special Power of Attorney (SPA) must also be included

If the bidder is the occupant of the subject property, two (2) proofs of occupancy must also be inserted. These are: a. Barangay certificate that the bidder is occupying or residing in the subject property; and b. Valid Government Issued ID with an address showing that the bidder is currently residing in the subject property, or the Latest Billing Statement under the Bidder’s Name that shows he/she is currently residing in the subject property.

Sample Computation: Bid Amount is PhP2,610,000.00 Deposit - (10% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = Balance - (90% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% =

The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope).

PhP 261,000.00 + 31,320.00 = PhP292,320.00 PhP2,349,000.00 + 281,880.00 = PhP2,630,880.00

17.

Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS will result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s total deposit.

18.

In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the said NOAS shall be deemed automatically revoked and the highest/winning bidder shall be informed in writing. The second highest bidder, if any, shall be informed in writing if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, he/she must remit the required non-refundable 10% deposit within three (3) working days after receipt of notice from GSIS.

19.

GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice.

20.

For bidding inquiries, you may call the Real Property Accounts Management Department (RPAMD) at trunk line numbers (02) 84793600, and (02) 7976-4900 local numbers 3228, 3374, and 3396. Revised dated January 31, 2020

Revised dated January 31, 2020

CERTIFICATION I/We certify that the information given and any or all statements made herein are true, correct, complete and updated to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. I hereby certify under pain of perjury that my/our signature/s appearing herein is genuine and authentic. I/We agree that any material misrepresentation or falsity can be used by Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to pursue civil and/or criminal liabilities against me/us.

BID FORM FOR CASH BASIS

I/We hereby certify that I/we have exercised due diligence by verifying all documents pertaining to the above mentioned property with other government agencies (i.e. Registry of Deeds, Assessor's Office, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, etc.) before tendering this bid offer.

Date of Bidding: Name of Bidder:

1) to purchase the property an "As-is, Where-is" basis which I/We have inspected the property including whether it is unoccupied or occupied, and as a consequence, I/We will take full responsibility in taking legal measures to eject the illegal occupant/s of the property.

PARTICULARS OF THE PROPERTY Lot No.:

Phase/Area:

Name of Subdivision: City/Municipality:

2) to hold GSIS free and harmless from liabilities of whatever kind and nature arising out of any legal claims which may be filed by third persons involving the property. Once declared as the winning bidder, I/We will accept the physical and legal condition of the property without seeking assistance from GSIS and waive my/our right to rescind/cancel the sale and ask for refund of payments made to GSIS by reason or any defect therein.

Province:

TCT/CCT No.:

"FOR OCCUPANTS ONLY"

I/We hereby agree to the following:

YES

Are you the present occupant of the property?

Block/Unit No.:

11.

He/she participated in actual bidding and Inserted the two (2) proofs of occupancy inside his/her bid envelope as indicated in Number 9 of these guidelines

Date of Bidding: ___________________________________ Name of Bidder/Company/Organization: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

MATCHED BID AMOUNT

BID PROPOSAL

(amount in figures)

(amount in words)

Bid Offer:

PhP

(amount in words)

Date:

______________________________________________________________________________________ (PhP______________ )

PhP

(amount in figures)

(amount in words) 12% VAT:

THIS PORTION IS FOR GSIS USE ONLY

PhP

BIDDER INFORMATION (Please write in BLOCK LETTERS

Remarks:

NOAS No.

At least 10% of the declared highest Bid Amount less: Submitted 10% deposit in Manager's Check

(PhP __ (PhP __

) )

Required Additional deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Amount (Cash or in Manager's Check): (PhP

)

I/We the occupant exercises the Right to Match the offer of the declared highest bidder. Further, I/We hereby agree to pay the required deposit based on the bid amount of the declared highest bidder on the day of bidding. My/Our failure to settle the said deposit within the day of the bidding shall automatically cancel and revoke my/our declaration as winning bidder. I/We understand that the first declared highest bidder shall be the new winning bidder.

(Signature over Printed Name of the Bidder/Authorized Representative)

Remarks

*** THIS PORTION IS FOR GSIS USE ONLY *** NOAS No.

2nd Highest Bidder: Page 2 of 2

3rd Highest Bidder:

(MS-FEB 8,9 & 10, 2020)

my shoulders," Makeda's dreadlocked father, Wisdom Mbewe, told AFP. At first there was no problem when Makeda enrolled at Blantyre Girls Primary School, in the country's capital. But after two years—and as her hair grew long and prominent— the child was told to leave. "They demanded that we cut her hair," said her father, a 40-yearold truck driver. Rastafarianism is a religious movement of Jamaican origin which considers former Ethiopian emperorHaile Selassie to be its Messiah. Many Rastafarians sport dreadlocks which for them symbolize the Lion of Judah, one of the late emperor's titles. AFP

‘DAMIEN’ BATTERS NW AUSTRALIA SYDNEY—Tropical cyclone Damien lashed Australia's northwestern resource-rich region of Pilbara on Saturday as locals heeded a code red emergency warning and hunkered down indoors. The category three storm brought winds of 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour) that were expected to strengthen to gusts of 220 kph as the cyclone further advanced toward the coast. The Bureau of Meteorology said Damien had brought "very destructive winds" and "very heavy rainfall" that could spark dangerous storm surges. Local radio reported that trees

At least 10% of the declared highest Bid Amount: ____________________________________________________________ Signature:

BID DEPOSIT 10% of Bid Offer:

Page 1 of 2

LANTYRE, Malawi—Makeda Mbewe was just six years old when she was kicked out of her primary school in Malawi for wearing her hair in the dreadlocks of her Rastafarian religion. Two years later, she is back in the playground, thanks to a landmark court ruling in January forcing state schools to accept children wearing their hair the Rastafarian way. The case was galvanised by her family, who joined forces with dozens of other Rastafarian parents to try to force the education system to end discrimination against children from one of the country's smallest religious minorities. "I am delighted with the ruling because it takes a huge burden off

Bid Offer of the declared highest Bid Amount: _____________________________________________________ Further, I/we authorize and give consent to collect, store, transmit, use, distribute, disclose, share, retain, (amount in figures) dispose, destroy, and process my/our personal information contained in my/our record or any other form or document that I/we have or will submit to GSIS for the purpose of acquiring a GSIS acquired asset/s as prescribed by the ______________________________________________________________________________________ (PhP______________ ) Republic Act No. 10173 also known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012" and its implementing rules and regulations.

Property Classification:

Deposit (Managers Check):

MALAWI’S RASTAFARIANS WIN LANDMARK DREADLOCK RULING

had been toppled and power knocked out near the small town of Dampier, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage to homes or businesses. The sparsely populated region—home to several of Australia's largest iron ore producers— experiences cyclones regularly. Many locals stocked up on essentials and locked down their homes as the storm approached. Mines and ports cleared out non-essential staff. But Damien did not strengthen to a category four storm on the five-point scale as had been feared. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Images

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

HERO DOCTOR. A photo obtained on Feb. 7 shows Chinese coronavirus whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, whose death

was confirmed on Friday, lying on a bed at the Wuhan Central Hospital, China. The death of the ophthalmologist whose early warnings about China’s new coronavirus outbreak were suppressed by the police has unleashed a wave of anger at the government’s handling of the crisis—and bold demands for more freedom. AFP

TRIUMPHANT. US President Donald Trump holds up a newspaper that displays a headline ‘Acquitted’ as he arrives to speak at the 68th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 6 in Washington, DC. In his first public comments Thursday since being acquitted by the Senate of abuse of office, Trump said he had been ‘put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people.’ AFP

SAFE LANDING. This

handout photo shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch as she is helped out of the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft just minutes after she, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Feb. 6. Koch returned to Earth after logging 328 days in space—the longest spaceflight in history by a woman—as a member of Expeditions 59-60-61 on the International Space Station. Skvortsov and Parmitano returned after 201 days in space where they served as Expedition 60-61 crew members onboard the station. AFP

HIPS DON’T LIE. US singer Jennifer Lopez (right) and Colombian singer Shakira perform during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Feb. 2. AFP

STOCKS OUT. A shopper wearing a protective face mask sorts

items in her trolley as she stands next to bare supermarket shelves, usually stocked with toilet paper and kitchen rolls, in Hong Kong on Feb. 6. Panic buyers in Hong Kong have descended on supermarkets to snap up toilet paper after false online claims of shortages, prompting authorities to appeal for calm as the city’s seven million residents fret about a deadly coronavirus outbreak. AFP

SAFE WITH MAMA.

A migrant holds a child during clashes with riot police as refugees and migrants demonstrate outside the Kara Tepe camp, on the island of Lesbos, on Feb. 3. Riot forces used tear gas on the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday against asylum seekers, 2,000 of whom demonstrated against the new law tightening asylum procedures in Greece, police sources said. AFP

COVER UP. This photo taken on Feb. 5, shows a patient (right) covered

with a bed sheet at an exhibition center converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan in China’s central Hubei province. China scrambled to find bed space for thousands of newly infected patients on Feb. 6, as the toll from a deadly new virus jumped again with more than 28,000 people known infected nationwide and 563 deaths. AFP

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

JUNNA TRAVELS TO ENDS OF EARTH TO REACH DREAM

OW far would you go to achieve your dream? Fil-Japanese karateka Junna Tsukii is willing to go to the ends of the earth to achieve her dream of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She has in fact literally done just that after competing in 11 international tournaments in six continents (Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Asia and Africa) in 2019 alone. The goal is to become the best karateka in her weight class in Asia by the time the Olympics roll around and represent the continent in Tokyo. She will achieve this by accumulating enough points from the World Karate Federation tournaments until April. She is now Number 10 in the world and Number 4 in Asia. She has already won two bronze medals this year in tournaments in Chile, South America and France, Europe. She says she is well prepared and well-trained. It will be a matter of executing when she competes during karate tournaments. “It’s easy to get nervous before the game, but Kaffea Coffee warms my body and relieves tension.

Junna Tsukii displays the form which catapulted her from 626th in the world to the Top 10.

Junna Tsukii shows off the karate medal she won during the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. This medal enabled her to compete in qualifying tournaments to the Tokyo Olympics.

This coffee isn’t too sweet and has a really good taste. Delicious anytime,” said Junna. She says she is grateful for the support of Kaffea which has been her constant companion in her journey to Tokyo. “I am so thankful and so happy that I can keep fighting for my Olympic dream with my Kaffea family,” said Junna. The Fil-Japanese karateka has come a long way not just in travel going to tournaments all over the world but in her world and Asian rankings. How far she has gone up in the rankings is a testament to her perseverance and tenacity. She had to overcome all sorts of adversity to reach her place in the WKF rankings. She needed to be in WKF top 100 to be able to participate in the Olympic qualification competitions. She was not even eligible to join because she was ranked 626th in the world. Then in 2018 she grabbed a bronze medal at the Asian Games which boosted her ranking enabling her to compete for a spot in the Olympics.

“Many players might have given up because they were not able to produce good result early. I’m not one of them. I clawed my way up from 626th place. Now, world champions, judges and coaches of other countries call me ‘A strong girl from the Philippines’,” said Junna. She joins four more Karate 1 Premier League tournaments this year hoping to ascend to the top spot in Asia. This will be in Dubai on February 14– 16, Austria on February 29–March 1, Morocco on March 13–15 and Spain on April–19. If she can come out as the top Asian karateka in her weight class, then she goes on to compete in Tokyo. If she doesn’t make it to the top by then she has a fallback position. She is also preparing for the last Olympic qualifier in Paris, France, in May if ever she falls short in her quest to emerge on top in the continent. So, how far will you go to achieve your dream? Junna Tsukii has circled the globe hoping to be finally rewarded with her dream of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in July.

88 RIDERS DISPUTE P1M RONDA TOP PRIZE EIGHTY-EIGHY riders, headed by returning champions Santy Barnachea, Reimon Lapaza and Mark Galedo, will battle it out for the top purse worth P1 million as the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 10th anniversary race unfurls from February 23 to March 4 starting off in Sorsogon and ending in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The 43-year-old Barnachea, who won the inaugural race in 2011 and the fifth edition in 2015, will suit up for Scratch It, while Lapaza, the 2014 titlist, will ride for Celeste Cycles PHDevel Project Pro Team and Galedo, the 2012 winner, is back along with 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines after years of absence. They will battle 2018 champion Ronald Oranza and 2016 and 2017 title-holder Jan Paul Morales, who will spearhead the powerhouse Standard Insurance (Navy)

that will also be bannered by El Joshua Carino, George Oconer, Ronald Lomotos and John Mark Camingao, who are all consistent top 10 finishers in past editions. Ronda Pilipinas chairman Moe Chulani yesterday said they have reverted to an all-Filipino race in this edition after helping PhilCycling in its Olympic quest by holding a five-stage UCI-sanctioned race last year. “The essence of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas really is giving Filipinos, especially the younger ones dreaming to become big in the sports of cycling someday, an avenue for them to make their dreams a reality,” said Chulani. “We’re bringing the LBC Ronda Pilipinas back to our countrymen in our 10th anniversary celebration because this is really for them,” he added. Bernadette Guerrero, the new LBC

Ronda Pilipinas executive project director, said a total of 11 teams of eight cyclists will battle it out in a 10-stage race that will open in Sorsogon on Feb. 23 and conclude in Vigan on March 4 in the race presented by LBC and in cooperation with the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation. Backing up the race are Versa, 8A Performance, Print2Go, Petron, Green Planet, Bike Xtreme, Standard Insurance, CCN, Lightwater, Prolite, Guerciotti, Black Mamba, Boy Kanin, Vitamin Boost, NLEX/SCTEX, Maynilad, 3Q Sports Event Management Inc., LBC Foundation and PhilCycling. Also out to make a big impact are Go for Gold, Bicycology Shop (Army), Bike Xtreme, Tarlac Central Luzon, Ilocos Sur, South Luzon-Batangas and Nueva Ecija. “It is just fitting that we celebrate the

LBC Ronda Pilipinas’ 10th anniversary with 10 stages and several champions like Santy Barnachea, Reimon Lapaza and Mark Galedo making a memorable Ronda comeback,” said Guerrero. After the 137-kilometer Stage One, Ronda will resume with a 163km Sorsogon Legazpi Stage Two on Feb. 24, 126.9km Legazpi-Naga Stage Three on Feb. 25, 212.5km Daet-Lucena Stage Four on Feb. 26, and 155.4km LucenaAntipolo Stage Five on Feb. 27 before taking a breather the next day. Ronda will then continue with a 128.9km Lingayen-Lingayen Stage Six on Feb. 29, 171.9km Lingayen-Nueva Ecija Stage Seven on March 1, 177.1km Nueva Ecija-Baguio Stage Eight on March 2, 176.4km Pugo, La Union-Vigan Stage Nine before closing it with a Stage 10 criterium in Vigan on March 4.

LENOVO REACHES OUT TO ESPORTS ENTHUSIASTS IT’S SHAPING up to be an exciting year for gamers in Visayas, particularly in the Queen City of the South as Lenovo, the world’s leading PC maker, opens its Legion concept store in SM City Cebu. Legion is Lenovo’s dedicated gaming brand which offers a wide range of products designed to provide a complete and immersive experience. Launched in 2017, the Legion line has established a significant foothold in the Philippines and was even recognized by global market research company GFK as one of the fastest-growing PC gaming brands. Legion Store SM Cebu is located at the 2nd floor of the mall’s Cyberzone area and will showcase Lenovo’s top-of-the-line gaming devices such as monitors, towers, laptops, and peripherals and accessories. Mall-goers can come and visit to try out Legion devices and see how they handle the latest PC games. According to Lenovo, they will be organizing monthly gaming tournaments in the store so that’s something to look forward to. Legion Store SM Cebu is the first exclusive Legion concept store in Visayas and second in the Philippines after Legion Store SM City North EDSA. This expansion is part of Lenovo’s thrust to make its prod-

Lenovo Philippines General Manager Michael Ngan (5th from left) led the grand opening of the first Legion Concept Store in SM City Cebu. Together with him are Lenovo Philippines Product Manager for Legion & Desktop Tristan Gonzales (2nd from left), Lenovo Philippines Consumer Lead Sally Yu (3rd from left). They are also joined by its partners, Thinking Tools Inc. Chairman and founder Wilson Tan (6th from left), managing director Virgin Tan (7th from left), Business Unit Head Nica Tan (8th from left), and Product Development Manager for Lenovo Teresa Villanil (rightmost).

ucts even more accessible to the gaming community outside Metro Manila. “Putting up a Legion store in one of the Philippines’ major cities is a significant stride for Lenovo. We work very hard in developing best-performing

devices and part of the goal is to make these products accessible. You can expect to see more Lenovo and Legion stores across the market and more of our presence in local events. In fact, we have something special for our gamers based

in the North shortly so stay tuned,” said Michael Ngan, General Manager, Lenovo Philippines. Ngan led the grand opening of Legion Store SM Cebu held last January 31. As part of the opening celebration, Lenovo hosted gaming tournaments which saw players battle it out on Tekken 7, Mortal Kombat X, and Left 4 Dead 2. Winners of the tournaments were given exclusive Lenovo and Legion merchandise and accessories. In celebration of the store’s opening, the Legion Store SM Cebu held a special hardware promo on its first day. Some of the latest Legion products available at the store which were part of the promo include the Legion Y740, Legion Y730, and Legion Y540. Those who bought any of the three devices came home with a free Legion K200 Keyboard and Legion M200 Mouse. Meanwhile, those who purchased the IdeaPad L340 Gaming device got a free Seagate Slim 1TB HDD. Legion Store SM Cebu is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. To learn more about the store and its current offers and promos, visit https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / l e n o v o p h i l i p pines/ and https://www.facebook. com/lenovolegionPH/.

PH’S BEST JR NETTERS FACE OFF THE country’s leading and rising junior players clash in a series of grueling head-to-head duels in pursuit of the coveted crowns in the inaugural PPSPEPP Mayor Rene Gustilo Cup UTP Top 8 Juniors which got under way Thursday at Sacata Tennis Club in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. The field is made up of the top 8 players in nine age categories (boys and girls) from last year’s Unified Tennis Philippines ranking with each group divided into two sides. Play is round robin with the top two from each division facing off in the crossover semis with the winners disputing the crown. “It’s high time these young players get to test their skills in a different setup,” said Bobby Castro, president/CEO of the sponsoring Palawan Pawnshop Palawan Express Pera Padala. “Emerging on top from this Best of the Best event is enough to motivate them to dish out their very best.” Bannering the centerpiece 18-and-under class are Zambo del Norte’s Sydney Enriquez and Chloe Omos, La Carlota’s Krystel Galanza, Avril Suace from Iloilo, Isabela’s Paula Uy, Ellaine Bahonsua from Siquijor, Daniela Dandalanin from North Cotabato and Pherl Coderos from Cebu City, (girls); Eric Tangub and Nilo Ledama from Zambo del Sur, Iloilo’s Nikhel Nowlakha and John Lamparero, Cebuano Venz Alforque, Lanao del Norte’s Brent Cortes, Ormoc’s Cedric Bravo and Kidapawan’s Herald Aton (boys). Vying in the 16-U side of the event presented by the City of San Carlos are (boys) Laguna’s Jose Bernardo, Misamis Oriental’s Nash Agustines, La Union’s Mark Jarata, Roxas City’s Drixcyn Guillano, Misamis’ John David Velez, Nueva Ecija’s Ivan Manila, Hans Cabellon from Cebu and La Carlota’s Joshua Raymundo and (girls) Justine Maneja from Manila, Ormoc’s Mia Gemida, Iloilo’s Althea Martirez and Ma. Petrina Aguirre, Cebu’s Tiffany Nocos, Corazon Lambonao from Ormoc, Lanao del Norte’s Kristine Bandolis and Alexa Milliam from La Carlota. Other titles to be disputed are those in 12- and 14-U divisions and 10-unisex, according to tournament director/supervisor Bobby Mangunay. For details, call 0915-4046464

COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN MAKES VOLLEY SEMIS COLEGIO San Agustin-Makati swept Group B of the 13-Under Competitive Division to move into the semifinals of the 24th Women’s Volleyball League unscathed. CSA’s latest victim-- its fourth-was Assumption College, 25-6, 25-15. Assumption fell to its third straight loss still winless. De La Salle-Zobel trashed Immaculate Conception Academy (0-2), 25-20, 25-15, to remain clean with three wins in Group A, while International Christian Academy (ICA) clinched its first win in two games past winless San Beda College-Alabang (0-3), 25-12, 25-16. Paref Rosehill marched to its third straight win via a 25-22, 2519 triumph over SBC-Alabang (1-1) for the Group A lead in 13-Under Developmental Division, while School of Holy SpiritQuezon City smashed St. Scholastica’s Manila (0-2) 25-7, 17-25, 15-10 for its second straight win. King’s Montessori, Sienna College and San Antonio de Padua College remain spotless in the 18-Under Developmental Division.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

PINOY DESIGNER SEEKS TO LIFT FLOWER INDUSTRY

ERRY Sibal, a Filipino migrant who made a name in New York as an event designer, floral artist and author, recently returned to the country to help enliven the local flower industry. An architect by education, Sibal was born in Manila to Filipino and Chinese parents and migrated to the United States in 1992, settling in New York and eventually working with top designers and celebrities around the world. As founder of Jerry Sibal Design Llc, he found success in the US where he designed events for the New York Yankees, Virgin Atlantic, Citigroup, Verizon, the Frick Collection, the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum and other well-known corporations and charities. His clients include Sir Richard Branson, Celine Dion, Marilyn Horne, Gloria Vanderbilt, the Princess of Qatar and a plethora of celebrity clients and friends. He is the author of the highly successful book “An Event to Remember”. Sibal now aims to share his expertise with Filipino florists. He believes that if other countries can have thriving horticulture and floriculture industries, attract millions of tourists, generate billions in revenues and host successful international flower shows, it is high time for the Philippines to do the same. He believes that flowers are key to making an event extra special. “There’s so much positivity that it creates. Just by using flowers, one create an environment of happiness, joy, fulfillment. It’s so precious,” he said. Sibal made his sentiment known during the launch of the first Philippine International Flower Show on Jan. 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center. The PIFS, the first of its kind in the country, will be held on Oct. 15 to 18, 2020, also at the PICC. The event is expected to bring together players in the industry, tourism, agriculture, environment and trade officials, local government executives, farmers and horticulturists, investors in flower propagation, technology providers and end-users like hotels and other flower enthusiasts. In his welcome message, PICC deputy general manager Roberto Garcia said the event would provide an avenue for the provincial and regional floriculture and horticulture industries to showcase their products and potential. “The event will also feature the diverse native Philippine flora to a wider audience,” he said. Among the guests who graced the launch were Margarita Moran-Floirendo, chairperson of the board of trustees of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Rep. Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong of the first district of Negros Oriental. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I’ve been traveling and attending flower shows around the world, and now I want to come back home to share what I’ve seen,” Sibal said in his speech. “You cannot quantify the joy that flowers can give you. This is the force that brought me back here,” Sibal said. Garcia said the three-day PIFS would have three main events: the exhibition, floral and design workshops and educational tours. “It’s an honor to work with Jerry on this,” Garcia said. “We eagerly wait to see his creativity and ingenuity here. The PICC is truly proud to be part of this trailblazing event,” said Garcia. Sibal who uses flowers from all over the world made him wonder why the Philippines, an agricultural country, did not have a large cut flower export industry. This, in turn, led him to organize the PIFS. “We can unite and grow

BIG BAD WOLF TAKES SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AMID NCOV SCARE

New York-based event designer Jerry Sibal (left) and CCP chairperson Margarita Moran-Floirendo

another type of industry that can help and empower people and create jobs,” he said. “We’re going to showcase the horticulture and the floriculture of the Philippines,” Sibal said. “We just want to get everybody involved and be aware of what we can do in order to help our farmers, our growers, empower them, create more business opportunities and show to the world that we have the best designers.” “We’re going to invite international floral designers and scientists to help us develop better quality flowers… Our intention is really to empower local farmers and growers and create an export-import industry,” he said. The conference, the first of its kind, will feature a theme park-style exhibition, floral and event designing workshops, educational tours

and merchandising. It will give Philippine floriculture and horticulture players the opportunity to showcase their products and meet potential buyers. “The growers, the users, the end users of flowers is such a big industry. Even in the States, it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry,” Sibal said. Aside from showcasing the variety of local flora, Sibal also hopes to attract scientists who can help the local flower industry reach global competitiveness. “It’s not only for the local use. I’m eyeing exportation and to increase our demand locally, then go international,” he said. The PIFS also aims to encourage event tourism. “We’d like to invite tourists to come over and do events here,” Sibal said. We have space. We have the talent. We have the ability to host big events here… We speak very good English… and we’re very skilled workers and designers… It’s all about putting together and it becomes event tourism. It’s a new kind of thing right now.” It will be held in cooperation with the PICC and the support of government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Trade and Industry, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and the Department of Tourism. “I hope that people will come and join us because we need to do this together,” Sibal said.

ORGANIZERS of Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Manila 2020 said safety measures will be in place during the 14-day event at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from Feb. 14 to 24, 2020 amid concerns over the 2019 novel coronavirus. The team behind the book sale said they are making it their utmost priority to secure everyone attending the sale from the threat of contamination. A medical team will be deployed onsite to check visitors with infrared thermometers at the entrance and exit. Those with high body temperatures will be prohibited from entering the venue. Visitors who have cleared the screenings will then proceed to the ‘sanitation area’ at the entrance where hand sanitizers will be placed. Hand sanitizers will also be readily available at the customer service area, food concessionaire area and the exit for visitors to maintain good hygiene. As part of the commitment of safety and security to book lovers, visitors can also be assured that the precautionary measures will be taken by employees of the sale. All employees will be checked with the infrared thermometer, strictly required to wear face masks and regularly sanitize their hands. Employees that are unwell will be immediately sent for a medical check-up.Visitors attending the book sale are also urged to cooperate with the guidelines by taking sanitary and precautionary measures to ensure the safest book hunting experience for everyone. Visitors are advised to bring their own protective face masks and wear them before entering the Book Sale area. The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale will be back by popular demand after successful visits to Manila, Davao, Cebu and Pampanga. The Manila event will be open 24 hours during the 11-day duration. More than 2 million English titles will be available at 50 percent to 90 percent off recommended retail price and entry is free. The ‘Crazy Deals’ promotion will also be introduced for the first time in Manila, offering incredible further markdowns as low as P60. About 17,000 brand-new titles will be available at the book sale, offering numerous options from a variety of genres for readers.

PAL ON A MISSION TO FERRY FILIPINOS STRANDED IN CHINA PHILIPPINE Airlines said it will mount special flights on Feb. 10 to assist passengers stranded as a result of the cancellation of all PAL flights to and from mainland China for the month of February amid the 2019 novel coronavirus scare. The special PAL flights serving the Manila-Xiamen and Xiamen-Manila routes will be staffed with pilots and cabin crew who volunteered for the service. The flag carrier plans to use its 199-seater Airbus A321 aircraft for the planned mission. The inbound flight from Xiamen will enable Filipino citizens and holders of Philippine permanent resident visas to fly back to the Philippines. The outbound flight from Manila will allow Chinese and other non-Filipino nationals to return to mainland China via Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport—a gateway to other points in China. The flag carrier said it was compelled to cancel its mainland China flights since Feb. 2, after the Philippine government imposed a temporary

ban on travel of Filipinos to mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, along with re strictions barring foreign nationals from China from entering the Philippines, except for those holding Philippine-issued permanent resident visas. The directive also bans Filipinos from traveling to mainland China and its SARs and requires a 14-day home-quarantine for Filipinos and permanent resident visa holders who come from mainland China and its SARs. All Filipino flight and cabin crew members are included in the ban. “These new entry and exit restrictions compel us to cancel flights, and thus we seek the coopera-

tion and understanding of our passengers whose travel plans will be affected,” PAL said. PAL said the affected passengers could refund their tickets with service fees waived. “If you are a PAL passenger originally booked on those canceled flights, please note that we are unable to provide you with automatic replacement bookings for your canceled flight,” the flag carrier said in an advisory. “Due to the uncertainty as to when the challenges related to the coronavirus situation will be overcome, we are unable to predict whether airlines will be able to restore flights beyond Feb. 29, 2020. As such, we assure you that we are moni-

toring the situation and will keep you posted on developments. We urge you to start exercising available options once the lifting of the travel ban is made definitive. You have the option to rebook/refund within your ticket validity period with service fees waived,” it said. Flight PR 334 will depart Manila for Xiamen at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, arriving at 9:55 a.m. The return PR 335 leg will depart Xiamen at 11:05 a.m. and arrive in Manila at 1:50 p.m. on Feb. 10. These special flights are subject to final government approvals, including the waiver of the Filipino travel ban for concerned pilots and cabin crew, who will have to submit to home quarantine for 14 days after their return to the Philippines. At present, 64 PAL crew members are undergoing the mandated 14-day quarantine after flying in from China prior to the imposed travel ban. All PAL crew members are Filipino nationals.

Business

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 business@manilastandard.net

LEO REY YANSON RE-ELECTED CEO OF 2 BUS FIRMS THE stockholders of Ceres Transport Inc. and Gold Star Bus Transit Inc., both sister companies of Vallacar Transit Inc., the country’s largest bus transport group, held their respective annual stockholders’ meeting on Feb. 3, 2020 in Batangas City and elected their respective board of directors who subsequently re-appointed Leo Rey Yanson as the president of the two companies. Under the by-laws of CTI and GSBTI, the annual stockholders’ meeting of the company should be held every first Monday of February at their principal office. In compliance with the by-laws, the stockholders held their meeting at CTI’s and GSBTI’s principal office at Port Diversion Road, Barangay Alangilan, Batangas City. The stockholders of C TI also elected Leo Rey Yanson, Olivia Yanson, Ginnette Dumancas, Charles Dumancas, Rey Ardo, Daniel Nicolas Golez, Arvin John Villaruel, Anita Chua, Joseph Ellery Villanueva, Hernan Omecillo and Alfredo Ligo, Jr. as board directors. The board subsequently re-elected Leo Rey Yanson as president and Olivia Yanson as secretary and treasurer of CTI. Meanwhile, GSBTI stockholders also elected Leo Rey Yanson, Ginnette Dumancas, Atty. Collin Derk Isidto, Herculio Zerna and Danny Lorenton as board directors in a meeting at the company’s principal office at Diversion Road, Barangay Alangilan, Batangas City. The directors then re-elected Leo Rey Yanson as president and Olivia Yanson as secretary and treasurer. The elected directors and officers of CTI and GSBTI will serve for one year or until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified.

Dekalb 8899S during a harvest in Mindanao

DEKALB CORN HYBRIDS TOP MINDANAO CONTEST T WO corn Dekalb corn hybrids of agriculture leader Bayer Crop Science emerged as top notchers in a government-led corn competition in three Mindanao sites, posting a record high for the region with a computed yield of 14.85 metric tons per hectare. A four-month planting program co-hosted by the Department of Agriculture and municipal agricultural offices in Compostela Valley, Davao City and Sarangani exhibited the highest potential yield of the hybrids, given optimum growing conditions and proper crop management. In Compostela Valley, Dekalb 8719S came out a first place with 14.85 MT per hectare. Its yield was 14.12 MT in Davao City, also the highest yield in the province. In Davao City, the second place was garnered by another Bayer corn hybrid, Dekalb 8899S with 13.38 MT per hectare. S a m u e l O n t i c , DA M a l u n g o n municipal corn coordinator, said the government anticipates more farmers will be encouraged to plant corn as the new corn varieties offer bigger profitability potential for corn planting. “ That is really our objective in putting up these technology-demo sites—to show farmers the best hybrid corn varieties suitable in their areas,” said Ontic. “Varieties perform best depending on the location and this activity demonstrates which corn hybrids are most ideal for their farm.” The computed yield from Bayer’s products are highly significant in the Philippines where the average corn yield is only at 3.1 MT per hectare based on Philippine Statistics Authority records.

LADY EXECUTIVE MAKES CASE FOR FOREX REGULATION

KYLE Javelosa, sales director of global trading platform MultiBank, says government regulation of foreign exchange trading will protect Filipino investors from fraudulent players. Javelosa, who is also the owner and moderator of Juan Entrepreneur, a Facebook page that actively promotes financial literacy to Filipinos, says that when the Philippine stock market weakened in 2018, investors flocked to find other lucrative investment vehicles to diversify their portfolio. Some put their capital in real estate, but the high prices made it inaccessible to smaller-scale investors. Others began dealing with cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, but the overall uncertainty about the space meant it only appealed to the most adventurous investors. Other investors instead turned to foreign exchange or forex trading, where they would invest their capital in various currency pairs and profit from the strengthening and weakening of different currencies. Many saw the value in participating in the largest trading market in the world in terms of volume—a study showed that in April 2019, forex trading was valued at $6.6 trillion each day—and its near-constant operation, being open 24 hours a day and five days a week. Its growing popularity and potential for more lucrative returns has enticed both professional and beginning investors alike to look into forex trading. Unfortunately, this interest has given rise to fraudulent operations that take advantage of new investors’ inexperience and offer forex trading deals that ultimately lead to scams. As a result, the Securities and Exchange Commission urged the public to stop participating in forex trading in an advisory dated Oct. 30, 2018. It added that any broker or company selling forex trading services does not have an official license from the SEC to offer these services. Unfortunately, issuing warning advisories around the illegality of forex trading hasn’t proven effective in preventing illicit companies from continuing their operations, she says. The SEC has been warning against forex trading for several years and its website contains archives of such advisories against forex trading from 2013. “With the demand for forex trading not dying down anytime soon, there’s an argument for establishing a set of regulations that encompasses forex brokers and companies operating in the

country, instead of completely discouraging what could be a legitimate economic activity that creates value. In the same way that stock brokers, fund managers, and insurance agents follow a set of standards to ensure they offer high-quality services, forex brokers must merely be regulated to make sure that they have the investor’s best interest in mind,” Javelosa says. “Regulating forex brokers isn’t entirely unheard of—in fact, some of the world’s largest forex markets benefit from a clear set of rules from their respective monetary authorities. From the US to Switzerland to Australia, the accommodating regulations in these countries have given rise to brokers and trading platforms that specialize in forex trading,” she says. Javelosa says implementing a set of regulations aimed specifically at forex brokers would not only benefit investors, but it would also have tangible benefits for the brokers and regulators themselves. For investors, regulations would better protect them from abusive forex trading schemes and fraudulent forex brokers. Having a clear forex regulator would also give investors someone to turn to should they need to report any suspicious activity. For brokers, the l e gi t i m ate p l aye r s wo u l d h ave a m o re even playing field, as they wouldn’t have to compete with unofficial brokers that offer unrealistic returns for low prices. Having a regulatory body would also give a sense of legitimacy to forex trading as a whole, allowing forex brokers to appeal to a much wider audience, says Javelosa. “For the government, a solid set of regulations would allow them to impose taxes on forex transactions. Regulatory intervention also dissuades the blatant manipulation of foreign exchange rates and client accounts, giving the entire market fairer and more equal opportunities,” she says. “While issuing advisories against engaging in forex trading would help in protecting investors from trading scams, it does not get to the root of the problem and only deprives investors of a favorable asset they can add to their portfolio. By creating a solid set of regulations for forex brokers, Filipino investors will be able to reap the benefits of forex trading while still being protected from fraudulent

MultiBank sales director Hkyle Javelosa

FRANCORP CEO WINS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD TOP franchise development and consulting firm Francorp Philippines gained another momentous milestone as its CEO, Sam Christopher Lim, gained the “Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship (medium-scale)” accolade in the recent 40th Agora Awards. The award is bestowed on an owner or partner of a medium scale/ medium enterprise (with asset size of P15 million to P100 million) with exemplary performance to attain growth in sales, market share and profitability in the last three years. Such meritorious distinction is one of the seven coveted individual awards presented by the Philippine Marketing Association. Now on its 40th year, the Agora Awards is the country’s most prestigious marketing award that recognizes outstanding Filipino enterprises and leaders in the marketing profession whose laudable pioneering contributions across the Philippines have immensely shaped the country’s thriving business landscape. Prior to joining Francorp, Lim spent a decade in Unilever as senior global brand manager in Manila, Bangkok, Shanghai and London. He graduated with distinction honors from Oxford University with post

2019 Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship (medium-scale) winner Chris Lim (center) with Mont Albo Massage Hut president Dr. Nol Montalbo (left) and Agora president Mary Faith Abaño

graduate diploma in Strategy & Innovation. Lim is also the president of U-Franchise Sales & Management Inc. and a co-author of the book “The 12 Strategies of Franchising”. Lim, a passionate marketer whose campaigns helped establish

enterprises and Filipino global brands in the past 16 years, underscored the pivotal role of Francorp’s “purposedriven marketing” in cultivating avenues for new entrepreneurs and creating job opportunities in the Philippines. Apart from pursuing innovation and profit generation, Lim stressed the importance and far-reaching impacts of growing businesses anchored on unparalleled customer/ client services and a “bigger” mission to “promote positive values, fair growth, and better future” for all. “It was in Unilever that I first got exposed to the idea of purpose driven marketing.... that brands should be pursuing profit while also pursuing a positive social purpose. And it was Francorp’s mission that continued to inspire all of us to grow the business, the mission of generating thousands of jobs through franchising. And over the years I’ve been privileged enough to meet some great brands that have been able to pursue both profit and purpose,” Lim said in his acceptance speech. Among the franchise brand partners that he said exemplified this meaningful thrust are LT&G Credit Line (the first ever microlending franchise in the

P h i l i p p i n e s t h a t g ave a c c e s s to capital to more micro e nt re p re n e u r s ) , Th e G e n e r i c s Pharmacy (whose clear mission is to make medicine more affordable to the masses) and Vibes massage (a blind massage franchise that n ow e m p l oys ove r 6 0 0 b l i n d individuals). Lim expressed his gratitude to his “purpose-driven” colleagues and mentors in the industry for their inspiring leadership which instilled in him the marketing discipline, the passion “to be of greatest service to the greatest number of people” and motivation to make Francorp the leading franchise partner of successful Filipino entrepreneurs who make the country a better place, one business at a time. “At Francorp we all beam with pride because we know that every brand that we help, every franchise outlet that opens is another few new jobs created. That’s why with a team of 50 people, we’re proud to have helped grow over 700 Philippine brands and help generate over 250,000 jobs. May we all channel the unique power of our brands and businesses to create profit through both passion and a dedication towards a bigger purpose,” he said.

CHANGE IN CHINESE CONSUMER PATTERNS TO AFFECT GLOBAL ECONOMY B E H AV I O R p at te r n s o f C h i n e s e consumers show signs of changing gi ve n t h e e co n o m i c s l owd ow n and structural change. According to an Alpho analysis, it is probable that Chinese tourists overseas will significantly decline together with the reduction in Chinese savings. That will result in reduced capital flow to other countries including in South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US. Based on the International Monetary Fund’s estimates, the Chinese economy is expected to incur a trade deficit in the next two years. While China has been proud of its trade surplus since 2001,

it started to gradually decline after the financial crisis in 2008. Currently, it is moving close to zero. The main reason is probably the sharp increase in international tourism of Chinese residents, thanks to the increasing wealth of the middle class. According to available sources, the volume of Chinese people traveling abroad increased from 42 million in 2008 to 162 million in 2018, representing a growth of 252 percent. This trend generated a deficit of $250 billion last year. Based on data from OECD, savings of Chinese households increased

sharply from 28 percent in 2000 to 39 percent in 2010 and still stay relatively high. The Chinese population is aging and this leads people to start spending more than they earn and consequently push the savings level downwards. The most recent figure of savings was 36.1 percent in 2016. In its global economic outlook, the IMF reduced China’s 2020 growth forecast from the original estimate of 6.6 percent to 5.8 percent. There is a wind of change in the way Chinese consumers have been behaving so far.

Yearly evolution of household savings in China

Tech & Gadgets

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

LEVEL UP EXPERIENCE WITH NEW NOKIA C1

MD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announces the Nokia C1, a smartphone designed to entertain—anytime, anywhere. Featuring an impressive 5.45” display, fans can watch their favourite videos and listen to music with ease. With lighter apps and less bloatware, you can store up to 3,000 songs or 24 hours of videos for offline consumption, cutting down on data usage. Combined with all-day battery life, you’ll have enough power to keep you watching, listening and talking from sunrise to sunset. Sancho Chak, General Manager for Hong Kong, Macau and Philippines, HMD Global: “As consumers in the Philippines look to upgrade and level up from a feature phone to an affordable 3G experience, we wanted to ensure that we offer them a smartphone that offers the Nokia experience of quality, reliability and ease of use. The Nokia C1 will deliver to fans level up experiences, enabling them to get them ahead in life.” Charlotte Koa, Senior Business Manager, HMD Global Philippines: “We have designed the Nokia C1 as an affordable 3G alternative for our Filipino consumers—offering them a combination of a large 5.45” screen and all-day battery life. The Nokia C1 will also help users do more with AndroidTM 9 Pie (Go edition) —allowing them to watch their favourite videos, view photos and even find their way home all while offline. In a true testimony of Nokia phone quality, we are delighted to offer Nokia C1 consumers a replacement during the warranty period (subject to warranty terms).” Lasting entertainment Not only does the impressive 5.45” display let users immerse themselves in their favourite videos anywhere but coming with AndroidTM 9 Pie (Go edition), the Nokia C1 has fewer pre-installed apps and is designed to optimise storage, meaning users can keep more of their favorite content with them. The Nokia C1 comes with enough internal storage for up to 3,000 songs or up to 24 hours’ worth of videos and can be expanded with a micro SD card to up to 64GB for those that need more. Coming with 3G connectivity and all-day battery life, the Nokia C1 really is a goto smartphone for entertainment, allowing users to keep the chat and apps going from sunrise to sunset. Looks that stand out The Nokia C1 stands out thanks to its stylish metallic finish. It’s built with a durable polycarbonate

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu (right) is joined by a Rainforest Connection executive

HUAWEI, RAINFOREST CONNECTION COLLABORATE TO SAVE FOREST HMD Global Philippines Marketing Lead DingSon Fernandez (left) and HMD Global Philippines Senior Business Manager Charlotte Koa (right) led the official launch of Nokia C1 (left panel) and Nokia 2.3 in the country, the latest in Nokia’s entry-level smartphone portfolio.

cover to withstand the knocks of everyday life and look good doing it. The removable cover gives access to the battery if needed. Capture and relive higher quality photos Users can raise the selfie game with the front facing flash and 5MP camera, helping them get that perfect shot even after dark. Plus, they can now take and make video calls, be it day or night. Combined with a 5MP rear camera, they can snap memories in the moment. Pointing and shooting stunning photos with the auto-focus rear camera has never been this easy. Users can also view and edit memories offline with Gallery Go; a light, fast, and offline gallery optimised for your phone. Enjoy one-tap editing and easily relive all the memories with automatic organisation – even offline. The Google Assistant button—The fastest way to your Google Assistant The Nokia C1 comes with easy access to helpful innovative services including the Google Assistant, helping you get things done throughout the day, even on the go. To get started, just press the Google Assistant button and you can find out the latest weather, news, sports information, call your family, play videos and more.

Android 9 Pie (Go edition): Ready. Set. Go. Users can tap into new possibilities with Android 9 Pie (Go edition), enabling easy access to YouTube Go, helping you download, enjoy and share videos with limited storage or slower network speeds. This means you can watch your favourite videos offline, in addition to using helpful apps like Google Maps on the Google Play Store. Android 9 Pie (Go edition) is built leaner, faster, and safer than ever before, so you can go bigger in everything you do. For example, Google Maps Go provides your location, real-time traffic updates and directions, plus train, bus, and city transit information. You can even search and find phone numbers, addresses, and information about millions of places. Pricing and availability The Nokia C1 Black colour variant with 1GB RAM and 16 GB of internal storage is now available in all Nokia mobile stores, kiosks and shop-in-shop nationwide for only P2,990. Get the Nokia C1 exclusive in Shopee until Feb. 12 with an irresistible 10% discount upon checkout by using the NOKIA10OFF voucher code. The Nokia C1 will also be available on Lazada, MemoXpress and Argomall starting Feb. 12.

WORLD’S LIGHTEST, SMALLEST LAPTOPS By Paul David Gelario HP RELEASED two laptops, with one dubbed as the world’s lightest compact convertible laptop and the other the smallest convertible laptop at Maybank Theater in BGC last Wednesday. Ian Reyes, HP’s Managing Director for Philippines and Pakistan, said that the laptops were designed with innovation in mind. “Here at HP, keep reinventing is our northstar. It’s our guidance in how we innovate our products and services that we provide and deliver to our customers,” Reyes said. The laptops are the HP Dragonfly, the world’s lightest compact convertible, and the HP Spectre x360, the world’s smallest convertible laptop. The HP Dragonfly features security, sustainability, lightweight design and resiliency. With a weight of just under a kilogram, it gives users heightened mobility.

HP Inc. Managing Director Philippines and Pakistan Ian Reyes

Its screen is embedded with a dragonfly blue finish, including a 1000-nit ultrabright display. Public places won’t be a concern for prying eyes as its HP Sureview Gen3 reduces visibility when viewed from the sides, making the screen dark and unreadable. Its front camera has a built-in HP Privacy Camera, including a physical shutter to protect users from surveillance. Its battery life can last up to 24.5 hours and with HP fast charge, charging can reaches up to 50 percent in only 30 minutes. Users inclined to lessen laptops’ environmental impact will be proud to use the HP Dragonfly as the materials used to build it is made with recycled materials, including oceanbound plastics. For a test of resiliency, the HP Dragonfly underwent 19 military grade testing and 120,000 hours of HP testing process. “This underwent 19 military grade

testing and 120,000 hours of HP total test process, so what you buy is designed to exceed expectations,” said Market Development for Business Notebooks Philippines and Pakistan head Katherine Redondo. On the other hand, the HP Spectre x360 features a 22-hour battery life, 4K OLED display and a more powerful processor. Its 4K OLED display is also powered by True Black HDR for more vibrant and stunning color visuals. Its Corning Gorilla Glass delivers a scratch-resistant display and reduces impact when accidents occur. Its processor is powered by 10th Gen Intel® Core™processor. The processor features a 2-in-1 design such as AI, 4K HDR graphics, and best-inclass connectivity. Both laptops are now available at HP Authorized Premier Resellers. The HP Dragonfly has a suggested retail price of P81,440, while the HP Spectre x360 is priced at P79,990.

THE environmental advocates and forests rangers in the Philippines are now partners to protect Philippine rainforests. “Huawei Rainforest Connection Phase 1,” was recently launched by Huawei Technologies Phils. Ins. as a pilot project in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Smart Communications. Phase 2 will be in Bukidnon in partnership with Globe Telecom. “The Huawei Rainforest Connection hopes to help curb the rate of deforestation in the country, which is the largest contributor to green gas emissions, and cause of major calamities like flooding and landslides. This is the one of the projects wherein industry Telco players and Government join hands to protect our environment “ said Daniel Guo Zhi, Huawei Phils. vice president/COO. The project was formally presented to DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu last Jan. 21, 2020 during a meeting with Topher White, Rainforest Connection (RFCx) CEO and Founder; Darwin Flores, Vice President of Smart Communications, Nilo Tamoria, DENR Executive Director, Jim O. Sampulina, DENR Undersecretary; and Karrie Buenafe and Sally Zhou from Huawei Public Affairs. Through Huawei’s collaboration with Rainforest Connection, a USBased Non-Profit Organization, used Huawei cellphones are upcycled to help protect the rainforest from illegal logging by repurposing them as” Rainforest Guardians”. Technically known as bio-acoustic monitoring devices, sounds from the forests are recorded, uploaded to Huawei Cloud via Data Connection, analyzed by Huawei Ai and alerts are sent to forest rangers in real time. DENR and the Forest Rangers in Palawan now use Huawei’s mobile phones as their “listening posts” in the forest areas and are quickly alerted when sounds of threats like chainsaws are identified. By using Huawei Cloud, Internet of Things and Ai-assisted servers, Palawan and the Philippines will be better protected from illegal logging. Since its launching last week, three alerts of illegal logging in the area were verified and foiled by the Forest rangers. Rainforest Connection is one of the key programs under Huawei Tech4all that applies technology, applications and skills to help conserve nature and mitigate the effects of climate change and protect our planet more efficiently.

SCG TO REVAMP CORE BUSINESS, SHIFTS TO SOLUTIONS PROVIDER ENTERPRISE SCG is set to revamp three core businesses and equip human resource development to effectively shift from being a manufacturer to a solution and service provider, with an eye of maintaining sustainable business growth in 2020. SCG unveiled its business strategies to overcome disruptions spawned by looming uncontrollable external factors in 2020, with the accelerated transformation of internal factors right. after announcing its Operating Results for 2019. Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO of SCG, said: “Fluctuations driven by uncontrollable external factors has made a significant impact on businesses globally over the past year. As a result, in 2020, SCG is necessitated to develop comprehensive business strategies aiming at conquering disruptions promptly and maintaining sustainable business growth.

With a business transformation plan, the three core businesses will shift from being a manufacturer to a solution & service provider that truly and holistically respond to the diversified and ever-changing customer demand as well as creating high value for the business. People Transformation is also a crucial force to drive change. SCG will strive to empower our people with essential skills, enabling them to insightfully access and understand markets across the region coupled with leveraging digital technologies to respond swiftly to the competitive environment and meet those needs timely.” Cement-Building Materials Business aims to comprehensively enhance the industry and living sector with products and services incorporating digital technologies. A wide array of solutions includes Construction Solution that provides better performance, faster process and improved cost-saving construction solutions for technician and contractors such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) which helps enhance planning and construction quality through 3D model system, minimizing construction waste;

“SCG will strive to empower our people with essential skills, enabling them to insightfully access and understand markets across the region coupled with leveraging digital technologies.” and Living Solution that provide energysaving, increased comfort, and safety for all ages. Besides, the business has upgraded its Retail Business by integrating physical stores with an online store. Packaging Business foresees an excellent opportunity to build high growth, especially in the ASEAN as it has emerged as one of the world’s highest growing regions. SCG will accelerate the path to become the packaging solutions provider and be part of customers’ daily lives, coupled with augmenting packaging sales of industrial

customers that have substantial growth and demand for packaging materials such as food and beverage, frozen food, canned food, consumer product, electronic product, and e-commerce business. Moreover, SCG also provides solutions catered to meet special needs, i.e., design and printing solution, smart packaging solution, exhibition and market promotion solutions, and eco-friendly and sustainably sourced products and services, in line with the Circular Economy. The efforts are to hone the competitive edge and maintain the position at the forefront of the region in total packaging solutions. For investment, SCG will continue delivering solutions, products, and services of 3 core businesses to satisfy customers throughout ASEAN, especially in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, which show high potential and sizeable growth, plus seeking opportunities in emerging market in other regions through collaboration with groups, organizations, institutes, and other sectors at home and aboard to generate business opportunities and enhance the living quality of people, community, society, and environment in line with the

commitment of “Passion for Better,” better and faster.” Meanwhile, SCG subsidiary United Pulp and Paper Co., Inc. (UPPC) celebrated its 50 years in the business last December 2019, with employees and key customers. As the Philippines’ leading manufacturer of high-quality industrial grade paper for packaging products, UPPC provides the best for all its stakeholders by continuously developing innovation to respond to changes through the years. In addition, Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc., another SCG subsidiary that is the leading ceramic tile brand in the Philippines, improved its operation with the new state-of-the-art kiln, considered as the largest in the country. Towering over 212m in length and capable of producing maximum tile size of 800mm x 1200mm, it also produces an additional output of 5.8 Million sq.m / year. Furthermore, it reduces 174 tons of CO2 emission and saves up to 3,200 KWH power. As of December 2019, the installation of the equipment has been completed and commissioning is on-going.

TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

REDEFINE SELF-EXPRESSION WITH SAMSUNG GALAXY A71 L

AST year, Samsung helped usher the Era of Live, which encourages Gen Z’s love of producing content and sharing their most authentic selves online with the A-series smartphones.

The Korean tech brand is once again redefining the meaning of self-expression with the launch of the new A-series that will help users discover their A-wesome. Soon, digital natives can enhance their live experience with the Galaxy A71. The upgraded smartphone possesses awesome features that will allow content creators to shoot photos and videos, and stay updated with the latest news on social media. The Galaxy A71 is powered by a Quad Rear Camera set up consisting of 64MP main camera, 12MP Ultra Wide, 5MP Macro, and 5MP Depth lenses. It is also equipped with a 32MP front camera for picture-perfect selfies. Whether a situation calls for a selfie, a close-up blurring the background noise, a wide shot, an evening photo, or an artistic image capturing the finer details, the Galaxy A71 can be trusted to capture the world’s beauty. In addition, it is equipped with a Super Steady video mode that lets content creators shoot smooth and flawless videos. These features are matched by the smartphone’s supreme performance, with an advanced 8nm Octa Core processor for a smooth and lag-free experience, and a 4,500mAh battery with 25W Super Fast-Charging technology to let even the heaviest users stay powered all day. The 6.7” Infinity-O Display presents a window to a world brimming with reallife hues, thanks to Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus technology. The Galaxy A71 is priced at P22,990 and will be available for preorder from Feb. 5 to 14. Those who pre-order will receive a FREE1 JBL Clip 3 speaker and two months of ad-free YouTube Premium and YouTube Music2 worth P4,000. The new Galaxy A device will be officially on shelves starting Feb. 15 in Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush Blue, and Prism Crush Silver. Additionally, loyalists who have a Samsung Members account can enjoy exclusive deals when they purchase the Galaxy A71. To know more about the Samsung Galaxy A71, visit samsung.com/ph. Samsung Galaxy A71

TARKIE PARTNERS WITH UNIONBANK, QUADX KNOWN as one of the largest and most trusted digital transformation technology providers in the Philippines, MobileOptima’s Tarkie has vastly improved the deliver y of service of some of the countr y ’s most reputable companies through real-time visibility and ser vice automation. Globe Telecom, Abenson, Bounty Agro Ventures Inc., Megasoft Hygienic Products, Inc. and Doctors Generics Pharmacy, Inc. are just a few of the many companies that have dramatically improved their operations under Tarkie’s tried and tested system. Recently, UnionBank has Shown here are (from left) Steve Nardo, Country Head of KrisFinSoftware; also partnered with Tarkie and Jerry Ilao, Co-Founder of Tarkie; Rio Ilao, CEO and Founder of Tarkie; Jujut QuadX to deliver cutting-edge Enriquez, SME Head of Unionbank; Junice Aguilar, AVP, Relationship logistics and enterprise reManager of Unionbank Ayala SSS Branch; and Jaypee Soliman, Product source planning solutions to the Owner of Unionbank GlobalLinker. growing community of MSMEs and that UnionBank GlobalLinker on UnionBank GlobalLinker. enterprises in the Philippines. “We believe that partners such is proving to be an essential tool This is part of the bank’s strong commitment in empowering as QuadX and Tarkie will be ben- for the digital transformation of micro, small, and medium-sized eficial to our SME community SMEs in the Philippines,” said Jay-

pee Soliman, product owner of UnionBank GlobalLinker. UnionBank GlobalLinker is a digital platform that helps micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to go digital and grow globally with networking tools and free business tools. For its part, Tarkie is looking forward to working with an equally innovative and forward-looking partner. “We’re excited to work with UnionBank as being one of the leading tech advocates in the Philippines. We are also excited to bring our services to all sizes of businesses on UnionBank GlobalLinker,” said Rio Palabrica-Ilao, president of Mobile Optima Inc., the company behind Tarkie. With the said partnership, over 40,000 members of UnionBank GlobalLinker can now avail the services of QuadX and Tarkie on the platform. For more information on Tarkie, visit www.tarkie.com.

VIVO Y15, Y11, Y19 BEST-SELLING BUDGET PHONES A DECADE ago, an P11,000 mobile phone could only offer calls, messaging, internet access, and basic photography. Today, for the same amount of cash, one would get a phone with plenty of features—case in point are Vivo’s best-selling Y-series’ handsets.

VIVO Y11

Far from being just a basic phone—with the second cheapest price tag (P5,999 SRP) on the list— the Y11 offers a smooth experience with its 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM, as well as AI-powered 13MP main and 2MP depth cameras— all powered by a 5000mAh battery. With these features, along with its Agate Red and Mineral Blue colorways, it’s no surprise that the Y11 is the best-selling Vivo phone in Shopee and Lazada. Learn more: www. vivo.com/ph/products/y11 Vivo Y11

VIVO Y91C

Available for only P4,999, the Y91c boasts of features and technology similar

to more expensive phones. These include a performance-enhancing Octa-core processor, up to 256GB of storage, a 4030mAh battery, an AI Game Mode that prevents interruptions, and Face ID that unlocks the phone. Learn more: www. vivo.com/ph/products/y91c

there has been a growing demand for smart assistants in mobile devices. For only P9,999, the Y91 comes with Vivo’s Jovi smart assistant, powered by 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM. It also has a rear fingerprint scanner, 8MP front camera with AI customized face beauty, and smart split screen that is perfect for the average multi-tasker. Learn more: www.vivo. com/ph/products/y91

The Y15 delivers the smoothest performance among Y-series phones with its 4GB RAM. The P7,999 handset boasts of an AI triple camera—13MP main, 8MP super-wide-angle, and 2MP depth cameras. It also features an “Ultra Game Mode” which allows users to customize settings for each application to better their gaming experience. To top it Vivo Y15 all off, the Y15 comes in stunning Aqua Blue and Burgundy Red colorways. Learn more: www.vivo.com/ph/products/y15

The latest in Vivo’s Y series, the Y19 sports a 16MP main/2MP macro/8MP super-wide-angle triple camera setup, boasting of superior, high-quality images. With a P10,999 price tag, the Y19 supports reverse charging, allowing the device to transform into a power bank, powering other gadgets with its 5000mAh battery. Learn more: www.vivo.com/ph/products/y91 So, what are you waiting for? Visit Lazada (http://bit. l y / 3 8 R Va g 8 L a z a d a V i v o Ys e r i e s ) and Shopee (http://bit. ly/38Nogx4ShopeeVivoYseries) to get your hands on these Vivo Y-series phones today.

VIVO Y15

VIVO Y91

As if having a handy device isn’t convenient enough,

VIVO Y19

Vivo Y19

PUREGOLD, GLOBE LAUNCH SHOPPING APP SALLY WE found SALLY and you’ll never guess who she is. In the early days of 2020, Metro Manila commuters, while stuck in traffic, saw billboards about a certain “SALLY.” The billboards, spotted on EDSA, C5 and in Commonwealth, sounded like someone is need of SALLY. “SALLY, where are you?” “I need you, SALLY.” “Wish you were here, SALLY.” “Has anyone seen SALLY?” “Help me, SALLY.” So who exactly is SALLY? SALLY is a coined term for Shopping Ally. This is what the newly launched PUREGOLD MOBILE stands for. Taking the grocery shopping experience to the next level, the app was designed by Puregold and Globe Telecom to adapt to consumer’s evolving needs and to keep pace with the technology in offering a better way to shop. With PUREGOLD MOBILE, cart-less grocery shopping is now possible. Simply scan the barcode of the items that you want to purchase. When you’re done, await confirmation. Using the app allows you to skip the long lines in the cashier checkout. The assigned pickers and baggers will put together your basket, while you wait. Or you can come back to pick up at a later time. The app gives you the convenience to do other things instead of hauling around a cart and falling in line. Another feature of the app is that you can reorder products from the Order History. This is ideal for all negosyantes or SMEs (Small-to-Medium Enterprise) who need to replenish stocks. You can also get real-time responses about order status and other groceryrelated inquiries through the ASK SALLY in-app chat. PUREGOLD MOBILE also offers flexible payment methods. You can choose to pay cash at the store or use your credit/debit card. GCASH option is also available. The quest to find a solution to make our lives easier continues on a daily basis. When it comes to grocery shopping, Puregold believes that there’s always a better way. With PUREGOLD MOBILE app, everyone has now access to their very own shopping ally, their own “SALLY”. PUREGOLD MOBILE is now available for download from Google Play (for Android users) or the App Store (for iOS users).

Destinations D1

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

TONED DOWN

SILVER CELEBRATION OF PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL

@MStandardLIFE

LOVE IS IN THE ANTIPOLO AIR THE cold weather is giving us plenty of reasons to snuggle up, ideally with a loved one. On the Day of Hearts, drive east to the mountain resort city of Antipolo, where the air is cold but the passion is on fire. Where can you take your date?

By Lito Cinco

SILVER anniversary calls for a big celebration, hence the organizers of the month-long Panagbenga Flower Festival in Baguio City, now in its 25th year, were certainly looking forward to their biggest ever staging. But it seems the novel coronavirus is sparing nothing, including major events not only here in the Philippines but other parts of the world. And among the local events that has been severely affected is Panagbenga which is celebrating a toned down version this year as Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong—after a long process of review with various stakeholders in the city—decided not to hold the crowd-drawing events for the first two weeks of the festival, including the grand opening day parade for the safety of the general public. “It was a tough decision that considered everything—all the preparation and hard work that the organizers have put into this year’s event. But in the end, with

Partake of a six-course tasting menu for two at Antipolo Beehouse's Burrow's Cafe.

Dinner for two

For a consummate date in an intimate artsy ambiance, Burrow’s Café at Antipolo Beehouse and Tahanan Bistro are offering a gourmet dinner package for a memorable evening. Burrow’s Café has a six-course tasting menu at P6,000 per couple, while Tahanan has a five-course treat, two glasses of wine, and a bouquet of flowers for P3,695.

FLOWERS STILL BLOOM. Despite the cancellation of crowd-drawing events during the opening of Panagbenga Festival 2020 due to nCoV outbreak, other activities and attractions are still pushing through as scheduled. so many uncertainties about the coronavirus, we came to this hard decision,” Mayor Magalong said during a press conference in the City of Pines on Jan. 31. But should the situation improve, Mayor Magalong said, “we can proceed with the original plans for the

last two weeks, including the grand street dance and the grand float parade on Feb. 29 and March 1.” Definitely, the impact has been felt already by local hotels which have been suffering booking cancellations. The Manor general manager Mon Cabrera shared that in three

One of the participants in the landscaping competition, which features open, vertical, and carpet categories displayed around Baguio City.

days’ time alone, his hotel saw bookings worth P1 million cancelled by foreign groups, “and to think that we were off to a very good start last January.” “But then I believe Baguio will always be Baguio and we will recover from this,” said Cabrera. On his part, Freddie Alquiros, president of the organizing Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc., emphasized that the festival is still a go as other festival attractions and events are pushing through as scheduled. Ongoing events include the Baguio Blooms Exposition and the landscaping competition that features open, vertical, and carpet categories with entries found in different parts of the city including Burnham Park, Baguio City Hall, the public market, and Baguio Convention Center where the opening ceremonies took place after the early morning ecumenical prayer on Feb. 1. “We are confident that the other activities will still happen as scheduled, including the Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio, the kite flying competition, the cultural dance show, golf tournament, and of course the highlight events—the grand street dance Turn to D2

Tahanan Bistro serves a five-course meal with wine and a great view.

Be serenaded while indulging in fine food at Eugenio Lopez Center’s sitdown dinner, and a six-course menu, glass of wine, and souvenir at Oscar’s Fine Dining. There’s also a buffet for two at P2,499 or P1,250 per person at the Dining Hall.

Diners at Eugenio Lopez Center will be serenaded by live musicians.

Vieux Chalet, a pioneer fine dining resto, hosts the Hymne a l’amour (Ode to Love), a by-reservation only

FUN AT THE CONRAD dia artist Melbourne MY FAVORITE hotelAquino, painter Rick by-the-shore, Conrad Lozada Hernandez, Manila always comes abstract artist Fitz Herup with fun events rera, pointillist Binong which is why it has beJavier, Ob-Gyn and come popular among visual artist Weneline Manila’s denizens. Wong, environment Not too long ago, the MERCURY RISING advocate and artist hotel came up with a BY BOB ZOZOBRADO Lara Latosa, geometseries of events which ric abstractionist Aner attracted not only me, Sebastian, and selfbut other fun-lovers in taught painter Michael Pastorizo. the metropolis. Another event that attracted the metAn art event, Of Art and Wine – Abstract Views, was its curtain-raiser for ro’s party going crowd was the hotel’s the year. It featured nine Filipino con- celebration of the Chinese New Year, temporary visual artists who presented welcoming the Year of the Metal Rat an all-new collection of 24 pieces which with a vibrant lion and dragon dance, showcased their multimedia mastery, the ceremonial eye-dotting of the dragcreative artistic approaches, and com- ons, and the traditional Prosperity Toss performed by selected personalities— pelling thematic messages. Curated by Nestor Jardin and Lara SM Hotels Conventions Corporation exLatosa, the exhibit featured architect ecutive vice president Peggy Angeles, and sculptor Richard Buxani, mixed meTurn to D2

The VIPs stand ready for the eye-dotting ceremony during the Chinese New Year festivities.

Turn to D2

Destinations

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

STAY IN

VALENTINE’S DAY GETAWAY

PAMPANGA-BASED Quest Plus Clark offers sweet Valentine’s Day room packages starting at P6,480. The Pour Mon Amour overnight stay package comes with a candlelight dinner buffet for two at Mequeni Live and a gift from the hotel’s very own Cupid. Couples can also indulge in a dinner composed of prime rib and assorted seafood, with wine and pralines while being serenaded by violinists and pianists at Mequeni Live. Long-stem roses also await the ladies. Meanwhile, the Make Me Melt package treats lovers to an hour of in-room massage. Call (045) 599-8000 for inquiries and more information.

Go on a Lord of the Rings-themed photo shoot at The Grounds Resort.

LOVE... From D1

Quest Plus Clark in Pampanga offers sweet Valentine's Day room packages.

dinner on Feb. 14-15 featuring a Swiss menu of raclette, bunder gerstensuppe (barley soup), rotkrautsalat (red cabbage salad), chateaubriand (beef tenderloin) or prawns a la Flo, confectionery, and suitable pairings. For an early date at lunch, the quaint Crescent Moon Café resto

Indulge in a Southeast Asian cuisine on your lunch date at Crescent Moon Café.

offers a feast for the senses with its Southeast Asian cuisine specialties, and remarkable pottery works. The place is also the workshop and showroom of stoneware ceramics artist Lanelle Abueva Fernando.

Day Getaway Package at P11,340, which includes an overnight stay with a romantic room setup; breakfast; access to Luljetta’s Garden Suites, Hanging Gardens Spa, and Loreland Farm Resort; Signature Massage; and a fourcourse meal. Overnight stay The immaculately white Le Luljetta’s Place Garden Suites, Blanc Hotel and Resort, meana sprawling recreational com- while, offers a package of room plex, has a complete Valentine’s accommodation, full-body

BULLETIN BOARD

Couple’s massage

For weary couples, Callospa, a boutique resort surrounded by flowers, offers wellness packages to rejuvenate body and spirit. Its claim to fame is its state-of-theart equipment, European-trained therapists, and fusion treatments combined with the world’s best massage styles using natural herb and fruit extracts.

Day tour

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN TAGUIG HOSTS HOSPITALITY WORKSHOP TRESTON International College, in collaboration with the Association of Administrators in Hospitality, Hotel and Restaurant Management Educational Institution, hosted a series of Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) workshops. CGSP is a comprehensive program that serves to accomplish the goal of creating guest service-oriented frontline employees who will engage with their guests to provide high quality guest service. The certification supports people from all walks of life as it also helps them be globally competitive. Lee Majors Fajilan conducted the recent workshop. Individuals who completed the training are eligible to become a Certified Guest Service Professional, the highest acknowledgment for guest service conferred to professionals. Email info@asiaworldhospitality.com or call on (02) 729-6865 or 0917-523-2128 for more information.

massage, dinner, live acoustic music, and breakfast buffet for P7,000.

GREECE? NO, ANTIPOLO. The sprawling recreation destination Luljetta's Place Garden Suites transports guests to sizzling international destinations with its themed décor, such as its Mykonos-themed wing.

Go on a day tour at The Ground Resort, one of Antipolo’s emerging "Instagrammable" spots, an exclusive retreat themed after the hobbit house of The Lord of the Rings. This favorite prenuptial pictorials destination is offering a 10 percent discount on venue rentals for the month of February. Gaze at the galaxy at Seven Suites Hotel Observatory, the first and only of its kind, located at a hilltop vantage point. Peek through the 12-inch diameter SkyWatcher, the country’s fourth most powerful telescope as its resident astronomer assists in interpreting the constellations. Spend a day immersed in art at Pinto Art Museum which features contemporary paintings, murals, sculptures, mixed media, and installation artworks spread out in six galleries. Its white-washed, Mediterranean-style buildings, mini amphitheaters, and manicured landscapes transport guests to the iconic Greek island of Santorini. Cap the walk with a hearty dinner at its artsy Café Rizal offering a la carte international favorites.

FUN...

From D1

Congressman Antonino Calixto, and the hotel’s general manager Laurent Boisdron.

Lee Majors Fajilan conducts the CGSP workshop for tourism and hospitality professionals.

TONED...

From D1

and the float parade where we are looking at 22 to 25 participating floats,” said Alquiros. Mayor Magalong in closing cited the fact that Baguio does not have a single case of the dreaded virus yet, and that “there will be no lockdown of our city, people can always come here and enjoy the environment, the cold weather, our local hospitality and culture.” “We will recover for sure.”

A community dance at the Panagbenga Park.

GN Laurent Boisdron holds the farewell cake presented by his staff.

The festivities started at the hotel’s porte-cochère with the lions and dragons making their way inside the hotel, to the welcome lobby on the ground floor up to the main lobby on the third floor, with The nine artists who are part of the Of Art and Wine - Abstract Views are presented at the opening cocktails of the exhibit. a shower of lucky coins and candies everywhere they went. It was a very soon to take up a new position in stint in our country is something he shared their optimism that the hocolorful celebration, with the heart- Minneapolis at the head office of will always treasure because he finds tel will remain poised to overcome thumping sound of the drums get- another worldwide chain. Filipinos the friendliest, the most car- recent challenges and obstacles to ting everybody revved up to ing, fun lovers. Most of all, he is the tourism industry, as these may join the fun. very happy to have been part of just be temporary, enabling our inAn event I attended just the hotel’s exceptional business dustry’s resilience to make a strong YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE the other day was a happyperformance, registering above rebound and achieve high scores Q: Why does Peter Pan always fly? sad occasion: happy beits competitive set year-to-date again this year. A: Because he’s from Neverland. cause GM Laurent Boisdron revenue and index by a substanConrad Manila does not only gathered all of us, his close tial margin. symbolize fun, it is also an indicator friends, for a Chinese feast The hotel recorded a strong of how our accommodations indusat the hotel’s China Blue, serving Naturally, we took advantage of year-on-year occupancy rate, post- try should evolve amidst all kinds of us an array of exquisite specialties the occasion and “grilled” him with ing its highest average daily rate in challenges. that only the Conrad kitchen can questions, the answers to which are December 2019. produce. Sad because Laurent an- only for us, his closest friends. During the lunch, Laurent and For feedback, I’m at nounced that he will be leaving He made it clear, however, that his commercial director Michael Albaña bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

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

BOUNCING WITH ‘REBOUND’ RISING ACT THIS BAND DROPS ANOTHER HUGOT SONG THIS LOVE MONTH

5 WAYS

TO FIND LOVE THIS FEBRUARY FEBRUARY—the month when love just floats in the air—is inevitable. Whether you’ve got a special someone, fellow selfpartnered friends, or just yourself to spend it with, you can’t help but get caught up in the love of it all and sigh or swoon to your own kilig fix. Find romance in things again just like these five sure-kilig favorites from YouTube, iflix, and iWant: JC Santos and Bella Padilla (100 Tula Para Kay Stella, iflix) If you’re a fan of unconventional love story, this film is for you. The story revolves around Fidel, a stuttering student, who write poems to express his love to Stella. With lead stars JC Santos and Bela Padilla portraying the roles of Fidel and Stella, the audience can definitely feel all the ‘hugots’ of both characters.

Erwan Heussaff and Anne Curtis (YouTube) Although Erwan’s channel is largely about food, health, and fitness, he regularly features his wife, Anne, whether they’re going out on adventures all over or simply cooking her favorite food at home. Every video of them together is an image of two people who genuinely love each other and enjoy each other’s company.

HUGOT AMBASSADORS. Members of This Band are often considered as their generation’s hugot spokespersons for dishing out songs listeners can easily relate to.

HAT a difference a year makes. After its breakout hit “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na,” This Band’s career has improved by leaps and bounds in just a short time. The group--with lead singer Andrea Manzano, main songwriter-guitarist Euwie Von Loria, bassist Miccael Galvan, drummer John Macaranas, lead guitarist Raymat Gubat, and keyboardist Melvin Carso—has now grown its pop oeuvre with equally compelling songs such as ”‘Di Na Babalik,” “Hindi Na Nga,” “Nang Iwan,” and “Di Sapat Pero Tapat,” Adding to its growing catalogue are several awards and recognition such as the band’s 2019 nod for Best Performance By A Group at the Awit Awards and acing the New GroupArtist Of The Year plum at the PMPC, This Band has really gone places. Now for the group’s latest, band members further prove that they are also the de facto ‘hugot’ music spokespersons of their generation with the release of their new single entitled “Rebound.” Listeners of This Band of course would know of the group’s propensity to tackle such themes as heard on their previous hits. The band definitely knows how to deal with the kind of relationship troubles one can relate to by simply encapsulating all the

“hugot and feels” in every music it makes. As the title suggests, “Rebound” is about a stop-gap relation destined to end in heartbreak. It tackles how even the most sensible people lose their composure especially when it comes to matters of the heart. But “Rebound” is not your mushy, cryfest ballad that wants to capitalize on a listener’s misery. The track is in fact a go getem, keyboard-heavy, pop rocker that one would want to rock to as one exorcises those wretched experiences said succinctly in this

sample lyric: Mga gabing napuyat sana’y tinulog ko na lang/ at ngayo’y buhay ay makalat, sana’y naghanap na ng iba / iba pang mga gagawin at sarili ayusin / marupok na puso ko, ako ay layuan mo. This Band dropped the new song on Feb. 1 on a special gig entitled This Jam: This Band Single Launch at the All Home Las Pinas rooftop. The mini-concert included mini sets by Janine Tenoso, John Roa, Miss Ramonne, and band Kuatro Kantos, PAR, Out Of Order, and Pusakalye.

USEFUL LIFE HACKS ON ‘IBILIB’

The gang of ‘iBilib’ with host Chris Tiu (2nd from right)

IN TODAY’S episode of the infotainment show, iBilib, TV personality Vaness del Moral and comedian Roadfill of Moymoy Palaboy join host Chris Tiu as they welcome a 3D flower gelatin artist show off her skills in the studio. They also conduct an experiment to make a light bulb shine using salt dissolved in distilled water. In “Lifehacks” segment, Vaness teaches Roadfill how to turn an ordinary white flower into a rare threetoned object, while in “Street Genius,” see how to open a cork-covered wine glass using a shoe. In addition, watch if spillage happens when a waterfilled glass covered with mere pantyhose is turned upside-down. Watch easy science experiments with easy to follow step by step instructions on this Sunday’s edition of your favorite informative show on GMA.

Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards (Hello, Love, Goodbye, iWant) This film may not have both leads’ usual loveteam partners, but it’s one of the better surprises to come out of last year nonetheless. Kathryn and Alden are Joy and Ethan, two millennials who meet each other while trying to make it and survive in Hong Kong. The story of how they find comfort and love in each other in the exhausting city will strengthen your faith and belief in the power of love.

Wil Dasovich and Alodia Gosiengfiao (YouTube) Sometimes, two really popular and good-looking vloggers will come together, and the results are magical. Of course, we’re talking about Wil and Alodia, two of the most popular Filipino vloggers on YouTube, and also two wonderful people. Watch and be inspired by how they spend time together, be loving to one another, and generally be an open book about their relationship.

JM de Guzman and Angelica Panganiban (That Thing Called Tadhana, iWant) You might find yourself belting out Whitney Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and wanting to travel and enjoy the cold weather of Sagada after watching this movie. The film gives all the right dose of ‘kilig’ and ‘hugots’ especially from the unexpected chemistry on-screen of Angelica and JM. Watch all of these on YouTube, iflix, and iWant to find more love with Smart’s Giga Video offers. With Giga Video 99, you get 2 GB of data and 1 hour of Video Every Day for seven days or let the romance last the whole month long with Giga Video 299 lets you enjoy 4GB of data and one hour of Video Every Day for 30 days, letting you watch all the videos and titles you want on your Smart Prepaid device. Dial *123# or visit https://smart.com. ph/prepaid/promos. For more updates and info, like Smart Communications on Fa ce b o o k , and follow @ LiveSmart on I n s t a gr a m and Twitter.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

EYE CARE FOR DOGS S YOUR dog rubbing her face against the bed or carpet? Is your pup pawing at her eyes?

These may be signs that your dog may have a problem with her eyes. “Your dog does not have a safe, effective way of keeping her eyes clean. You have to provide this important part of her health care. During your weekly health maintenance check, be sure to include an at home eye exam to catch any possible problems early. To do this, position yourself in good light and look closely at your dog's eyes,” said Marty Smith, DVM and Angela Walter, DVM, in “The Eyes Have It: Eye Care 101 for Dogs” in petcoach.com. Healthy eyes vs eyes with problems A dog’s eyes are healthy if: 1. they are moist and clear; 2. they are not causing any discomfort; and 3. the area around the iris (the sclera) is white. These are signs of an eye problem: 1. redness 2. swelling 3. squinting 4. discharge 5. excessive tearing, 6. or pain.

THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features. We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals. For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

Branches and leaves of plants are always trimmed to make sure the eyes of Batchie and other dogs who roam in the garden will not be scratched.

3. Your dog should be able to hold her eyelids open. Closed eyelids mean there is a problem. 4. The third eyelid is usually not visible in healthy dogs. “Monitor your dog's eyes closely and do not When one or two of these signs are present, hesitate to contact your veterinarian if you susplease bring to the vet for immediate attention. pect something is wrong,” Smith and Walter said. “If you have an older dog and her eyes apHere are other indicators that your dog’s eyes pear a bit hazy or opaque, do not panic. This are healthy: can be a normal change due to aging. Your 1. Your dog's pupils should be equal in size. veterinarian will be able to distinguish if this is 2. Your dog’s pupils react to light. an age-related condition called nuclear sclerosis, or if it is caused by cataracts. Nuclear sclerosis requires no treatment, but cataracts can cause blindness. If your dog has cataracts, your veterinarian may refer your pet to a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye doctor) for treatment,” Smith and Walter added.

PetCoach - Ask a Vet Online for Free, 24/7

Veterinarians and other pet experts are standing by to answer all your health, nutrition and behavior questions... “It is also a good idea to monitor your pooch for changes in her vision. If you notice that your pet seems to have difficulty seeing objects or runs into walls or the furniture, schedule an exam with your veterinarian,” Smith and Walter said.

Tips for Eye Care

Putzi is always groomed to keep her hair away from her eyes.

MY FURRY BESTIE

Here are tips on how to care for your dog’s eyes: 1. Keep hair/fur out of your dog's eyes. The hair rubbing on the cornea can cause scratches to the cornea (the clear membrane across

the surface of the eye). “Trim the hair using only blunt-nosed scissors, cutting parallel to the edge of the eyelid. This is especially important where the skin folds near the eyes in breeds like Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, and Maltese,” Smith and Walter said. 2. Remove mucus from the eyes at all times. “Use a sterile eyewash and/or eye wipes to keep the skin around the eyes clean. Be sure not to touch the cornea of the eye with the tip of the eyewash bottle or the wipe to prevent damage to the eye,” Smith and Walter said. 3. You can put a protective ophthalmic ointment to protect the eyes before bathing or facial cleaning. Ask your vet for this ointment. “Even 'tearless' shampoos can irritate if too much gets in the eyes or if it is not rinsed out soon enough,” Smith and Walter said. 4. Tear staining is common among some breeds like poodles and cocker spaniels. This causes a reddish-brown discoloration of the hair at the corners of the eyes. “Normally, tears flow across the surface of the eye and quickly drain through the tear duct. This discoloration at the corners of the eyes is caused by normal tears that spill out and lay on the surrounding hair. For breeds that tend to have tear or saliva stains, you could clean hair in affected areas at least weekly with a tear stain remover product,” they said. Smith and Walter stressed: “Your dog's eyes are too important to take any chances. Be sure to take care of your pup's eyes and to monitor for any problems. Contact your veterinarian if you have any concerns regarding your dog's eye health.” DC

SAVIOR was roaming around the subdivision when his furparent Mikey Velasquez saw him Savior was looking for food on the streets where he is in danger of being hit by vehicles. “We asked kuya guard and the neighbors if he had an owner, wala daw. Knowing it was dangerous for him to be on the streets, we decided to rescue home,” says Mikey. “We bought a leash and came back for him. No one in the family knows how to care for dogs. He is the first furbaby member of the family,” Mikey adds. Savior is turning one year old on March 11. “He is well loved and showered with hugs. He loves snuggles, “Mikey says. Mikey adds,”He never showed aggressiveness towards anyone.” Mikey’s family tries their best to care for Savior and brings him to the vet for his vaccines. “We love him to bits!!” Mikey says.

THE BEST FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR YOUR PET PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS WHEN we were new at taking care of dogs and cats, I used to buy a lot of treats for them. When I learned though that some companies put artificial color and flavor in some treats, I stopped buying a number of popular treats. When I also learned that rawhide can cause choking in dogs, I stopped giving this to our dogs. When our dogs grew older, I also removed from their list of treats some products that are not good for senior dogs. I was beginning to run out of treats to give to our dogs, thus I read up on alternative treats. My research introduced me to natural and home made treats. Here are what we give our dogs and cats: 1. Fresh vegetables (boiled or raw, depending on the veggie) and fruits which are NOT POISONOUS for dogs and cats. 2. Yakult for dogs once or twice a week. This is good for digestion. 3. Boiled ground chicken and grated carrots for cats. 4. Home made boiled beef or pork or chicken with sweet potato/pumpkin/malungay balls or patty (baked or put in the oven toaster). 5. Boiled fish and grated pumpkin balls. We now give more fruits and vegetables as treats instead of manufactured treats. These are more healthy and in the end, less expensive.

Strawberries are very good for dogs and humans.

Anjali Prasertong, in “11 Healthy Fruit & Vegetable Treats for Your Dog or Cat” in kitchn.com, shared these tips to keep your pet safe and well: • NEVER give your pet potentially toxic food such as grapes, raisins, garlic, onion, avocado and chocolate. • Cats do not like fruit because they do not have receptors for sweetness. • Do not give too much treat. Treats should not be m than 10 percent of your dog or cat’s daily calories.

7. Broccoli 8. Blueberries 9. Watermelon 10. Peaches 11. Strawberries

Dr. Deborah Linder, DVM, DACVN, in “Best Food for Dogs and Cats” in eatingwell.com, said: “..the healthiest and least expensive treats for your pet could already be in your fridge! Many vegetables and fruits can provide a perfect chewy crunch. EspeHere are the vegetables that cially in light of the recent rawhide are good for cats, according to recalls, asparagus spears and celery Prasertong: stalks are great chew-toy alternatives 1. Carrots for dogs. Yes, really! You might need 2. Asparagus to give it a few tries if your dog is new 3. Celery to produce.” 4. Zucchini Linder added: “ Any crunchy or 5. Green bell peppers chewy vegetable can also spark a 6. Cucumber cat's interest. (Zucchini is popular

A lot of vegetables are very good for dogs and cats. Please ask your vet or research which ones are good for pets and which ones are poisonous.

with cats because of the semi-moist crunch.) The only thing cats don't go for is fruit because they lack sweet taste receptors.” To avoid “unbalancing their diet,” Linder stressed: “Each animal is different, so ask your vet how many calories your pet should get. On average, a slim 10-pound cat should eat about 200 calories per day and a slim 60-pound dog should get about 800 calories per day (meaning 20 or 80 calories in treats, respectively, for your cat or dog each day).” Linder provided this list of healthy treats for your dog or cat: • Carrots: 1/8 cup slices (7 calories) • Asparagus: 3 spears (10 calories) • Blueberries: 12 berries (10 calories)

KIMCHI used to live in the market. “She would move from one stall to another. Everyone I asked says she has no hooman that's why I decided to take her home, “ Thomas Cruz shares. “She gladly came with me. Kimchi is seven months old, “ Thomas says. “Her three siblings were adopted by stall owners too,” Thomas adds. At home, “Kimchi loves roaming freely and loves scratching our sofa leg,” Thomas shares. “Kimchi will have a forever home with us, “ Thomas says. Editor's note: These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.

• Watermelon: 6 melon balls (23 calories) • Strawberries: 1 large (6 calories) • Peaches: 1/2 medium peach (30 calories) • Zucchini: 1 cup chopped (20 calories) • Green bell peppers: 1/4 cup chopped (7 calories) • Celery: 1 stalk (7 calories) • Cucumber: 1/2 cup slices (8 calories) • Broccoli: 1/4 cup chopped (7 calories)