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VOL. XXXII • NO. 301 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

MARTIAL LAW.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo preside over a joint session of Congress Wednesday and approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao for another year. Voting 23528-1, the Senate and the House also extended the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole Mindanao until the end of 2019. Ver Noveno

Martial law in Mindanao extended for 3rd time By Maricel V. Cruz CONGRESS, in a joint session, on Wednesday approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao for another year. Voting 235-28-1, the Senate and the House of Representatives also extended the suspension of the privilege of the writ of

habeas corpus in the whole Mindanao until the end of 2019. The Senate voted 12-5-1 and the House voted 223-23-0 on the President’s request after almost ﬁve hours of deliberations. The joint session opened at 9 a.m., and adjourned almost 2 p.m. Wednesday. Twelve senators voted in support of the

martial law extension. They were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senators Gregorio Honasan II, Panﬁlo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Aquilino Pimentel III, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Juan Edgardo Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Emmanuel Pacquiao. Next page

Ex-PDEA deputy in P11-b shabu case still missing By Rio N. Araja ISMAEL Fajardo, the sacked deputy director general for administration of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, has been missing for two months and no one knows where he is, an official said Wednesday. “The last time I had a chance to talk to him was about two months ago,” said Aaron Aquino, PDEA’s director general. “He resigned from PDEA effective Nov. 30, during which he was implicated in the [controversial discovery of four empty] magnetic lifters [that used to contain shabu].” Aquino also threatened to file criminal raps against those behind the shipment of shabu worth P11 billion that slipped past authorities. He said he would file the charges on Thursday and invited reporters to cover the filing, but refused to identify the respondents. Aquino said Fajardo had not been contacted since he took his leave of absence in October. “I tried to call him up to convince him Next page

House tells Diokno: Resign

Rody urged to fire Budget chief over pork barrel mess

Time mag names four journalists Person of the Year SAUDI journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October at his country’s Istanbul consulate, was named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” on Tuesday, an honor he shared with other targeted journalists recognized as “guardians” of the truth. Among those named with Khashoggi were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo—currently imprisoned in Myanmar—and the workforce of the Capital Gazette in the US city of Annapolis, including ﬁve staff members killed in a June shooting. “As we looked at the choices it became clear that the manipulation and abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this year’s major stories, from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley,” Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said. “So we chose to highlight four individuals and one group who have taken great risks in pursuit of greater truth, starting with Jamal Khashoggi.” Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz, Vito Barcelo and Macon RamosAraneta

HE House of Representatives has adopted a resolution calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider the appointment of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno in light of the controversies hounding the budget process under his watch.

UP VS BLAZE. Firefighters work to extinguish a huge fire that engulfed a slum area in Manila on Tuesday. Some 300 houses were destroyed, leaving 400 families homeless. AFP

PERSONS OF THE YEAR. The images, obtained Dec. 11, 2018, courtesy of Time Magazine, show the covers of the magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ Dec. 24/31, 2018: Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, murdered in October at his country’s Istanbul consulate (Dec. 11, 2018). Time also honored Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe OO—currently imprisoned in Myanmar—and the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, including five members killed in a June shooting. AFP

Angkas can’t ride Makati Subway a legacy project—Binay sans franchise—SC By Joel E. Zurbano By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order stopping the operation of the app-based ride-sharing service Angkas, which the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had earlier ordered to stop operating because it had no franchise. Next page

MAKATI Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday led the unveiling of the scale model of the Makati Subway System and its ceremonial drilling that signals the start of preparatory work for the project. Binay’s father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, city government ofﬁcials and representatives of the city’s private sector partners for the project attended

the event held at Makati City Hall. Mayor Binay expressed her full commitment to the completion of the project by 2023, which she considered a “very valuable legacy” that would beneﬁt the residents of Makati for generations to come. “I believe the Makati Subway will be a very valuable legacy, and I am fully committed to its timely completion and operation,” Binay said. Next page

The resolution was ﬁled by House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Wednesday as he urged Diokno to resign. “If I were [Secretary Diokno] I will resign,” Suarez said at a news conference, saying Diokno’s series of denials during question hour last Monday “raises more questions.” Next page

Super Lola at 102 oldest skydiver

Fil-Am among Golden Globe nominees

SYDNEY—A 102-year-old greatgrandmother is believed to have become the world’s oldest skydiver after plunging 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) through the South Australian sky. Next page

SOME Filipino nominees have been included in the 76th Golden Globe Awards, scheduled to take place on Jan. 6, 2019, which will be aired live in the United States with Andy Samberg and Sandrah Oh as hosts. Next page

‘Tis also the season of deceiving By Joel E. Zurbano CHRISTMAS is a season of giving, sharing and ... deceiving. Netizens alerted the public against various modus operandi being carried out by Next page

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DOJ seeks travel ban vs. Trillanes J

USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said that they would ask the Davao court handling the criminal cases against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to issue a travel ban against the lawmaker.

“We are not withdrawing the motion for [the] issuance of an HDO [hold departure order] by the Davao court. As I said earlier, an HDO may be relevant and useful in the future,” Guevarra told reporters. The DOJ chief earlier ordered the Bureau of Immigration not to prevent Senator from traveling abroad if no travel ban is handed down by the courts against him.

The Davao City Regional Trial Court has given Trillanes five days from last Friday to file his comment or opposition. On Sunday, National Capital Region Police Office chief, Director Guillermo Eleazar said they have already secured a copy of the arrest warrant against Trillanes in connection with the libel cases filed by presidential son and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio.

time... From A1

Reacting to the Time award on Ressa—founder of the news website Rappler—President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday that charges against government critics were legitimate and free expression remained “robust.” He added that the Palace respected Time magazine’s choice, and that Ressa’s award showed that free speech remained robust. Time, which has awarded the “Person of the Year” title annually since 1927, published four different magazine covers for this week’s edition, each one spotlighting different honorees. It is the first time someone has been chosen posthumously for the prestigious cover. Ressa has extensive experience in conflict zones, but is now fighting a war to fend off government moves to put her behind bars. Hours after meeting bail Tuesday on fresh tax fraud charges that the 55-yearold insists are “manufactured,” Ressa was named to the prestigious award. Rappler, has taken a critical stand on Duterte’s deadly anti-drug crackdown and now says it is the target of attacks from authorities. “It is easier to navigate a conflict zone, a war zone than it is to navigate the legal weaponization of laws in our country. But we will hold the line,” the Princeton graduate said last week. Ressa and the site have been hit with multiple counts of misleading the government on taxes, and if convicted on one count alone she faces up to a decade behind bars. It caps a tumultuous year for Ressa, which began with the government moving to revoke Rappler’s license in January. At the same time she has received a series of global awards from press freedom advocates, including from the Committee to Protect Journalists. AFP with Vito Barcelo

makati subway... From A1

“It will make a lasting positive impact on the lives of our residents and contribute significantly to the city’s sustainable development and economic growth.” Binay said the intra-city subway system was expected to create 6,000 new jobs during its construction and when it starts operations in about five years. With an efficient transport system in place, there would be more jobs and business opportunities. The Makati Subway, the first of its kind in the country, will be a joint venture between Makati City and a consortium of local and foreign investors, with no cash out on the part of the city government. The 30-year concession with the consortium includes maintenance and repair of the coaches and the control hub. Once completed, the subway system will be able to serve up to 27,000 passengers per hour per direction. The system also promises an interval of three to six minutes between trains on the first year, with 12 operational trains.

super Lola... From A1

Centenarian adrenaline junkie Irene O’Shea said she “felt normal” after a 220 kilometer per hour (140 mph) dive that sent her cheeks flapping wildly. She completed her first skydive to mark her 100th birthday in 2016, but organizers claimed it was Sunday’s successful tandem dive at the age of 102 years and 194 days that earned her a place in the history books. “It was very clear up there, and the weather was good but it was very cold,” said O’Shea, according to Australian media. O’Shea took the plunge to raise funds for a motor neurone disease charity, after her daughter died from the illness. AFP

Davao City RTC Branch 54 Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang issued four warrants of arrest and fixed the bail for Trillanes at P24,000 for each case. The court ordered law enforcement authorities to arrest Trillanes within 10 days after receiving the order, which was dated Dec. 7. On Monday, Trillanes arrived at the sala of Judge Rowena Nieves Tan of the Pasay City RTC Branch 118 at 10:30 am and posted bail of P96,000 for the four counts of libel. Paolo Duterte filed three libel cases and Carpio filed one libel charge against Trillanes over the latter’s alleged deroga-

tory statements against them. Trillanes dragged Paolo and Carpio’s name into the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling issue and the Uber franchise application. Trillanes had alleged on a dyAB Cebu radio interview that Paolo and Carpio connived with a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board official in Central Visayas in demanding a bribe in return for the approval of an Uber franchise. Paolo and Carpio have denied both allegations. The two also appeared before a Senate inquiry where they strongly denied the senator’s accusations. PNA

CHANGE OF COMMAND.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte hands over the command saber to incoming Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lieut. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal in the presence of outgoing AFP chief Carlito Galvez Jr. during the Change of Command Ceremony and the 83rd AFP Anniversary celebration at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Dec. 11, 2018. Presidential Photo

Local peace talks weaponize civilians vs. Reds—Joma

martial law... From A1

The five senators who opposed the President’s desire for extended military rule in Mindanao were Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Franklin Drilon, Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Pangilinan; while Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto abstained. On the part of the House, those who supported the martial law extension in the South were Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who also presided towards the end of the joint session, with Sotto. Earlier in the joint session, House Majority Leader Andaya, who made a motion to approve the joint resolution calling for martial law extension, said the House backed the assessment of police and military officials that there was “a continuing rebellion in Mindanao.” Andaya, representative of Camarines Sur, said the House believes a “further extension of martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus will enable the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], PNP [Philippine National Police], and all other law enforcement agencies to finally put an end to the rebellion, keep it from escalating to other parts of the country, and prevent a catastrophe similar to what happened in Marawi City.” Reps. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur and Raneo Abu of Batangas City backed the martial law extension in Mindanao. “Based on the assessment of the AFP and PNP, the people of Mindanao want martial law to continue. They have responded favorably to its implementation and the way that the military and police have handled it with utmost respect for the human rights of the people they are tasked to protect,” Villafuerte said. A vice chairman of the House committee on national defense and security, Villafuerte pointed out that the President had cited existing threats from terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and Daulah Islamiyah in asking the Congress to grant him an extension of another year in imposing martial law in Mindanao. With PNA

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 institutionalizing the peace talks between the national and local government will weaponize the civilian populations against the communist rebels, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said Wednesday. “The EO limits the Philippine government to the framework of military suppression and psywar use of fake surrenders and fake encounters, misrepresented as localized peace talks,” Sison said in a statement. “EO 70 seeks to weaponize the civil

bureaucracy for the armed counter-revolution or military suppression of the revolutionary government and movement of the people.” Sison made his statement even as an official said New People’s Army fighters were targeting Indigenous Peoples for recruitment as they did not know the rebel group. Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato made the statement when asked why the rebels were focusing their recruitment efforts on the IPs in Mindanao. Sison said EO 70 would pave the way

for more arrests of NDFP peace consultants and the deployment of Duterte death squads in both urban and rural areas against suspected revolutionaries and critics of the “tyrannical and corrupt” Duterte regime. He said the administration was already sabotaging the peace process with the appointment of former Armed Forces chief Carlito Galvez Jr. as Presidential Peace Adviser. “The OPAPP is now emphatically militarized with the appointment of a rabid anti-communist general as secretary,” Sison said.

house...

dent on the budget process. The President trusted him; he betrayed that trust. The DBM secretary must spare the President this embarrassment. Pronto,” Andaya said at a news conference. Andaya made the call after the House took Diokno to a question hour Tuesday where he was made to admit to the P7 billion in insertions during the time of ousted Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Andaya also said Diokno allocated P10 billion under the 2018 national budget and another P6 billion in next year’s national budget to the province of the politician inlaws of his daughter in Sorsogon. Reports said that Diokno’s daughter Charlotte Justine is married to Romeo Sicat Jr. who happens to be the son of Esther Hamor in her first marriage to a certain Gerardo Sicat. The Hamors, according to sources, are very close to the sole contractor C.T. Leoncio Construction and Trading owned by Consolacion Leoncio, who Andaya claimed to have allegedly cornered huge projects in supposed connivance with some DBM officials. “Secretary Diokno admitted the relationship with husband-and-wife, Casiguran Mayor Edwin Hamor and Sorsogon Vice Governor Ester Hamor. What is strange is that Secretary said he did not know his in-law was running for mayor in the 2019 elections,” Andaya added in a mix of English and Fiipino. “What is also unbelievable, Secretary Diokno has no inkling that the DBM allocated and released P10 billion in infrastructure projects for Sorsogon province just for the 2018 budget alone. Next year, P6 billion will be given to Sorsogon. He says he did not know that these amounts were in the National Expenditure Program prepared by the DBM. P10 billion this year and P6 billion next year, but the Budget secretary didn’t know?” Andaya said.

Andaya said the contractor was not a corporation and just a “sole proprietorship” or a “sari-sari store” from Bulacan. In a television interview over GMA’s 7 morning program Unang Hirit, Consolacion Leoncio, the owner of CT Leoncio Construction and Trading, denied the alleged irregularities. On Tuesday, Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento on Tuesday reacted to Andaya’s privilege speech Tuesday citing the budgetary allocation for the lone district of Catanduanes as being the recipient of a huge public works project that the province may not need. Sarmiento said there was nothing wrong with the allocation for the province which was around P1.5 billion, more or less, every year since he was a congressperson in 2010. “The P1.6-billion budget, as mentioned by the majority leader, is a regular budget allocation, nothing was added. That is in the National Expenditure Program,” Sarmiento told reporters. Sarmiento also debunked the statement that Catanduanes does not need a flood control project. Rep. Deogracias Ramos of Sorsogon’s 2nd District, meanwhile, said there is a need for more funding to control flooding. Ramos and Sarmiento was mentioned by Andaya in a privilege speech questioning the alleged misplaced budgetary allocations prepared by the Department of Budget for the congressional districts of both lawmakers. Ramos shared Sarmiento’s view that they have been put in bad light by Andaya’s allegations. “We have no part in the preparation of the NEP,” Ramos said even as he underscored the need for more budget to bring Sorsogon out of the list of 10 poorest provinces in the country. With PNA

Fil-am...

Slater. The 76th Golden Globe Awards, to be From A1 given at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, will honor the best in The nominees were announced on film and American television of 2018, Dec. 6, 2018 by Terry Crews, Danai as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Gurira, Leslie Mann, and Christian Press Association.

Leading the pack is Darren Criss who is nominated as Best Actor for his work in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” He is going up against Antonio Banderas, Benedict Cumberbach, Hugh Grant, and Daniel Bruhl.

In an order dated Dec. 5, the high court’s Second Division granted the plea of the LTFRB and the Department of Transportation to stop the operations of Angkas, which is being run by DBDOYC Inc. The Court’s order paves the way for the LTFRB and the Transport department to proceed with the apprehension of Angkas riders. The Court also required the private operators of Angkas to submit their comment to the petition of the transport authorities within 10 days from notice. Judge Carlos Valenzuela of RTC Branch 213 had earlier ordered the LTFRB and the DOTr from interfering with Angkas’ operations pending the hearing and resolution of DBDOYC Inc.’s petition for declaratory relief. The court order also prohibited the apprehension of Angkas bikers when they are in “lawful pursuit of their work.” Angkas had shut down its operations in November last year after the LTFRB and the Makati City government shuttered its main training center.

Christmas day approaches. Makati City-based employee Allison From A1 Lopez shared the sentiment of her friend who was victimized by a young person individuals or a group in crowded areas who disguised as a job applicant who lost and even inside public transportation as her wallet following a job interview.

“Too many scams and modus, especially this holiday season. Because they know people have the money and people are very sympathetic now,” said Lopez. She added “I hope people will be more cautious during the holiday season. Bad

guys come up with new tricks every year… we should think twice, thrice, whenever we face instances that involve our hard-earned money or our valuables.” Lopez shared her friend’s Facebook post narrating one (modus) incident.

From A1

“The interpellation brought out several salient findings, such as disproportionate budget allocation for the infrastructure projects in Sorsogon. These projects consist of construction of roads, flood mitigation structures, and access roads. Coincidentally or not, almost 90 percent of these projects were awarded to one construction firm,” Suarez said. “However, this construction firm is actually a sole proprietorship based in Bulacan—a single proprietorship, meaning a single person owns the whole company.” “What makes it more questionable is that the projects are worth roughly P3.5 billion in total. In a province with 790,000 population and a 2,000-square-kilometer area, that this amount is incommensurate. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a single proprietor construction company in Bulacan be awarded with projects worth billions. Usually, such projects are awarded to triple A contractors,” Suarez added. Suarez said his group would stand firm for a transparent and factual budget. “It is relevant to note that 2019 is an election year. This highlights the importance of scrutinizing the budget to ensure that irregular and dubious insertions in the budget will not be included.” House Majority Floor Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. likewise accused Diokno of betraying President Duterte by allegedly manipulating the budget process by inserting P75 billion in the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget. At the same time, Andaya and Suarez said Diokno has becoming a liability to the President and his Cabinet; and that his resignation is timely. “It is clear that he blindsided the Presi-

’tis also...

ex-Pdea... From A1

to attend the Senate and congressional inquiries, but he did not answer,” Aquino said. “Just last month he changed his [mobile] phone number.” Even Fajardo’s wife and son could not tell where Fajardo was when some PDEA operatives went to his house to check his whereabouts, Aquino said. Earlier, Senator Richard Gordon, head of Senate Blue Ribbon committee, announced Fajardo’s disappearance. Aquino relieved Fajardo over his supposed involvement in the shipments of shabu worth P2.4 billion inside a magnetic lifter at the Manila International Container Terminal, and another shipment of shabu worth P11 billion that went missing in General Mariano Alvarez town in Cavite in August. Jimmy Guban, an intelligence officer of the Bureau of Customs, had implicated Fajardo along with former policeman Eduardo Acirto as behind both shipments of shabu.

angkas... From A1

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Pacquiao bats for increase in tobacco tax By Macon Ramos-Araneta

GROUNDBREAKING. Makati City’s public rail transport system, a joint venture between Makati City and a consortium of local and foreign investors, had its groundbreaking on Wednesday.

The project is expected to create 6,000 new jobs for Makatizens and various economics opportunities and the easing of traffic and social movements in the city. The construction of the underground trnsport system will have two tracks, 10 underground stations, and coaches to accommodate 200 persons per car on a distance of 10 kilometers. Photo shows Mayor Abigail Binay (middle), former Vice President Jejomar Binay (right), and guests from a consortium of local and foreign investors lower the time capsule during the ground breaking. Diana B. Noche

PCMC execs quizzed in ‘vaccine’ probe By Rey E. Requejo

hE Department of Justice has summoned two executives of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center to appear before the hearings on Friday, Dec. 14 and on Dec. 28, in connection with the complaint filed by families of eight children who died after being inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine. Required to attend the hearings were Dr. Raymundo lo, former deputy executive director for professional services of the PCMC and another PCMC executive, Dr. Sonia gonzales, whom Public Attorney’s office chief, Persida Rueda Acosta accused of facilitating the purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine used by the government in 2016 for its mass vaccination program supposedly to eradicate dengue. “Under and by virtue of the authority vested in us by law, you are hereby

summoned to appear before the panel on Dec. 14, 2018 at 10a.m. at the Department of Justice, Padre Faura St. Ermita, Manila, and then and there, obtain/be duly furnished with copies of the subject complaints and supporting documents, and where you may examine all other evidence submitted by the complainants,” stated the subpoena signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Dacanay, the head of the prosecution panel.

the investigating fiscals also directed lo and gonzales to submit their respective counter-affidavits, as well as affidavits of their respective witnesses and supporting documents in the next hearing set for Dec. 28. last week, lo and gonzales were impleaded as additional respondents in the second batch of Dengvaxia-related complaints currently pending for resolution by the DoJ. Acosta said the two facilitated the purchase of Dengvaxia even before the Food and Drug Administration has issued the certificate of product registration. Acosta said that the two former PCMC officials “displayed grave recklessness, utter bad faith, lack of foresight, lack of skill, want of care, gross neglect and deliberate, arbitrary and even malicious disregard of the safety and lives of thousands of Filipino children.” last September, former health Secretary Janette garin presented lo as

an expert witness being a pathologist specializing in anatomic and clinical pathology to disprove the link between the anti-dengue vaccine and the deaths of the children. however, the following month, the DoJ rejected the bid of garin saying it was too late for her to do so. the DoJ also said garin failed to submit an explanation why lo’s affidavit was submitted late. Apart from the “very late submission” of lo’s affidavit, the panel said a full-blown trial and not a preliminary investigation as what the panel is conducting, is the proper venue to discuss and thresh out the evidence of both parties in the criminal case filed against garin and other former and current Doh officials and executives of Sanofi Pasteur and Zuellig Pharma, the local distributor of Dengvaxia, for the deaths of eight children included in the second batch of complaint.

PH monitors shooting incidents in Brazil, France FoREigN Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said the Philippine government is checking whether there were Filipino casualties in two separate gun attacks in Brazil and France on Wednesday. No immediate reports of affected Filipinos from the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia and Philippine Consulate in Strasbourg were released, but Cato said the foreign posts have monitored the deadly shooting incidents that took place in Campinas and Strasbourg. “We have monitored the shooting at the Metropolitan Cathedral in the city of Campinas near São Paulo. the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia will be sending us a report on this unfortunate incident,” he said in a text message to reporters. “We are also monitoring a shooting incident in Strasbourg, France,” he added. A gunman opened fire inside the church in Campinas near Brazil’s most populous city, São Paulo, killing five and wounding several others. the perpetrator then killed himself before police could arrest him. Meanwhile, the gunman in Strasbourg remains at large after killing three and injuring at least a dozen people. According to reports, the shooting advanced toward the grand Rue, one of the city’s main shopping streets. Some areas, including the European Parliament, were placed into lockdown with the public taking shelter inside the establishments and restaurants in the city. PNA

URBAN POOR MARCH. Thousands of urban poor marched from the Liwasang Bonifacio to Manila Cathedral in Intramuros as they called on the government to suspend the implementation of the TRAIN Law. Norman Cruz

DENR welcomes approval of proposed 2019 budget By Rio N. Araja thE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday welcomed the approval of its P24.17-billion budget for 2019. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the Senate’s approval of the DENR’s 2019 budget would allow the agency to deliver on the priority programs and projects for the protection of the environment, and the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s rich natural resources. “We can finalize and carry out our 2019 plans, policies and activities to realize our mandate of improving the

lives of Filipinos, while protecting and conserving our rich biodiversity for present and future generations,” he said. last Monday, senators approved the DENR budget. the lawmakers commended DENR and Cimatu for showing “sheer political will” in carrying out the closure and rehabilitation of Boracay and the plan to rehabilitate other ecotourism sites. For 2019, Cimatu said they have allotted P5.072 billion, or almost 21 per cent of its total budget, to forest and watershed management through the e-national greening program, while almost P890 million have been earmarked to intensify its activities on forest protec-

tion and to fight illegal logging. he added that they are also setting aside more than three percent, or P732 million, to carry out its activities in protected area development and wildlife protection and conservation. other priority areas include improvement of land administration and management with almost P400 million; scaling up of coastal and marine ecosystems with P267.69 million; and cleanup of Manila Bay with P80 million. the DENR’s proposed budget for 2019 is almost 3 percent lower than the P24.91 billion budget for the agency in the general Appropriations Act for 2018.

With the imminent signing of the Universal health Care, and in response to Department of health Secretary Francisco Duque and health advocates’ appeal to senators to raise tobacco tax, Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he would push for the approval of the tobacco tax Bill. “i would like to commend Senator Angara for hearing Senate Bill 1599 on November 26 and Senator JV Ejercito for filing a similar bill and for the pursuance of the measure,” said Pacquiao. Senate Bill 1599, filed by Pacquiao which proposes to raise cigarette excise tax to PhP 60 per pack is pending on the level of the Committee on Ways and Means. A similar bill filed by Senate Committee on health Chairperson JV Ejercito to increase the price of cigarettes to P90 per pack has also been pending. “My proposal will help decrease the total number of smokers in the country by one million before the end of President’s term. this goes to show that the when the number of smokers in the country declines, the number of people getting sick because of cigarette smoking would therefore decrease,” said Pacquiao. the house of Representatives approved house Bill 8677 that sets a rate of P37.50 in 2019, P40 in 2020, P42.50 in 2021, and P45 in 2022. the Sin tax Coalition led by health practitioners said the small rate increment will increase the number of smokers by 200,000 each year. Worse, they said, it would translate to 2,000 yearly deaths from purely tobaccorelated diseases. “By raising the tobacco excise tax rates, as what my primary measure calls, will help safeguard the health of the Filipinos. this would provide a big relief especially to marginalized Filipino families,” Pacquiao said.

Bill tells telcos to transfer cell sites to REIT By Maricel V. Cruz A PANEl in the house of Representatives on Wednesday approved the proposed telecom tower REit Act which mandates all telecommunications company to transfer their cell towers to real estate investment trust (REit) corporations. the house Committee on information and Communications technology, chaired by Rep. Victor Yap of tarlac, passed house Bill 7410, in consolidation with house Resolution 938. the bill mandates all telecommunications companies that are at least five years old and above to transfer all their telecom towers to a Real Estate investment trust (REit) corporation in accordance with Republic Act No. 9856, otherwise known as “the Real Estate investment trust Act of 2009”. in his sponsorship remarks, Yap said a REit is a separate juridical entity where real estate owners, mall owners, property owners, tower owners with assets that have recurring incomes can dispose of these assets in the real estate investment trust and sell that REit to the public. Yap underscored the need to open up the use of highways for the telco industry, to open it up to world players. Citing the Department of information and Communications technology report, Yap said the Philippines has one of the lowest cellular tower densities in the world with less than 20,000 towers serving a population of 105 million people. “this is mainly the reason why the Philippines has the slowest internet speed in ASEAN. More cellular towers in an area will decongest the network traffic which improves the internet speed,” he said. Yap said that in a poll of about 22 Asian countries with fastest internet speed, the Philippines tailed next to the last slot which was occupied by Afghanistan. “For a country like us, with a vibrant economy, with a 105 million people, considering that we still want to expand our services to our people, this is unacceptable,” he said. Yap gave a comparison of the number of cell sites against the number of internet users in the different countries.

Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A response to my column BEFORE the month of November ended, my opinion editor, Adelle Chua, forwarded to me a letter sent to our office by former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Philip Camara. He was questioning the content of my column published in the Manila Standard Sept. 22, 2018. His name was mentioned in the piece. The article, however, was not about him. It was about former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez. If ever his name

Here is the letter in full.

was mentioned, it had something to do with his appointment as DENR undersecretary despite alleged lack of civil service requirements. Camara was also mentioned in the article as questions were raised on the alleged connection of Lopez to Biochar, a firm wherein he supposedly, was president. Citing sources, the article made mention of an alleged hefty contract awarded by Lopez to Biochar. While Mr. Camara described the

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

article as full of lies and baseless allegations, he did not specify what exactly was wrong in the 845-word article. That particular article, was based, aside from sources, on formal complaint filed against Lopez, protestations from DENR employees and statements from those who opposed her appointment before the Commission on Appointment. If only Mr. Camara can be more specific and tell me what my excesses are, I would willingly correct my article and even apologize publicly. Even then, I am extending my sincere apologies to Mr. Camara for the inconveniences my Sept. 22 column might have caused him. I really only wish he would tell me exactly what items in the said article were “pure lies and baseless allegations.” I really hope to hear from Mr. Camara soon. I will now, with the indulgence of my editors, dedicate the rest of this space to his letter, addressed to Mr. Ramonchito Tomeldan, managing editor of this newspaper. “I strongly demand an apology caused by malicious article written and posted by your Charlie V. Manalo in the Manila Standard.net last 22 September 2018 entitled, “Shooting from her glasshouse,” which can be seen in the following link, http://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/276127. This said article contains pure lies and baseless allegations, damaging my business reputation. I want you to print a retraction within 20 days from receipt of this letter, or I will be forced to file a libel case against you and Mr. Manalo.”

Another year

HE Senate and the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to extend martial law in Mindanao until the end of 2019. In a joint session, both Houses of Congress voted to grant the request of President Duterte to extend martial law because rebellion still existed in Mindanao and that public safety required its continuation. The President named numerous terror groups that seek to promote global rebellion. Security officials also told lawmakers of a continuing rebellion in Mindanao. The extension, already the third since it was first imposed in May last year, when terrorists invaded Marawi City. It took five months before Marawi was declared free from terrorists, and even then martial law was not immediately lifted. The extension is greeted in different ways by various sectors,

depending on their politial affiliation. Many argue that Mindanaoans are in favor of the extension of martial law, because they feel safe and appreciate the need for it. Others agree with the extension because it is timely given the potential violence that may be brought by the midterm elections in May. Others, however, feel that this may extend the window for the Commission on Human Rights abuses. In granting Malacañang’s request, both Houses of Congress also extended the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, paving the way for continued warrantless arrests. The argument that only those in Mindanao would know whether martial law is good or not holds true, even though their perception may be clouded by biases for or against the administration. It is true, as well, that those in other places like Metro Manila may have only a superficial sense of what is

good and bad for the region, and whether martial law is truly solving the ills it is meant to solve. But there are some things that are true whether the observer is in Mindanao, Metro Manila or elsewhere. First, martial law should always be seen as temporary measure and not an end state. If it achieves the goal and has established ways to keep that goal doable, then it should be lifted— and not a day later. Second, the government must continually assure the people that it is not a recipe for abuse. Finally, those tasked to implement martial law should always remember that it is the people’s interests they are upholding at all times. Their loyalty must not lie with anybody else. The Duterte administration has another year to wipe out terror groups and other threats to public safety in Mindanao. Martial law remains a last resort, and a means to an end. It is not the be-all and end-all of peace and order in that part of the country.

Cha-Cha train chugs down the track MANY are alarmed by the House of Representatives’ hasty actions to shift the country to a federal form of government. Voting 224-22-3 last Dec. 11, solons approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 15, a mere week after the resolution was approved on second reading. Senatorial hopeful and former Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Colmenares commented on Facebook yesterday: “The worst #ChaCha [charter change] ever just passed on 3rd reading at the House of Representatives of the Philippines this afternoon. These are some of the questionable provisions we should all stand against, no matter where we are in the political spectrum. Colmenares enumerated them in an infographic: “term extension for all incumbent officials, with the first election to be held in May 2020; no term limits for elected officials, from LGU to Senate; no prohibition on political dynasties; allows foreign ownership of public utilities, educational institutions, and media entities; allows foreign ownership of land and natural resources; attacks labor rights and removes right to participate in policy- and decision-making; ‘lawless violence’ is ground for declaration of martial law; allows unlimited martial law powers for the president; deletes section where state guarantees full respect for human rights. “I’ve said this before and I will say it again: this Charter Change will condemn future generations to poverty. We must stand against it,” wrote Colmenares. San Beda law school dean Ranhilio Aquino also expressed his concerns. Yesterday he tweeted, “Why were we asked to sit for five months, read and

study assiduously, debate and argue spiritedly, write and rewrite to produce a draft crafted by three former Supreme Court justices, one former senate president, law deans, lawyers representing NDF, MILF, MNLF, a lawyer from the military, a Harvardtrained businessman only to have the draft unceremoniously set aside in favor of a hurriedly hammered out grotesque version of a House version for an ersatz federal republic?” Fr. Aquino was part of a 20-member consultative committee formed by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this year to draft a new constitution that establishes a federal system of government. In the face of strong

Expect abuses to become more rampant.

public objection, their draft was set aside, critics having objected to this administration’s insistent push for federalism which they pointed out should not be a priority in this time of difficult economic and political challenges. Many are now even more appalled by the move of the Lower House to ram into place their ill-considered version of the charter. Should it become law, expect abuses to become more rampant. Term extension will mean the people will not be able to vote out incompetent, thieving, or abusive officials until May 2020. Doing away with term limits means the same people and their family members can retain their hold over their bailiwicks. These two provisions will contribute to the reification of political dynasties, which academic studies and common sense Turn to A5

SEC moves to boost investor confidence THE Securities and Exchange Commission has been making important and precedent-setting moves on the shareholder conflict hounding Medical City. If the SEC maintains this direction, it will be raising investor confidence to levels that augur well for several major initial public offerings planned for next year. The SEC recently formally charged

porean firm Viva Holding, its local partner Fountel and several entities identified with the latter of violating key provisions of the country’s SecuIt has been a long rities Regulation Code. time since the SEC has The SEC said the group “misrepresented their independence from each put out a stronglyother” as they went on a buying binge worded order. for Medical City shares, eventually acquiring a majority stake in the decades-old medical institution. The SEC said the misrepresentation a group of shareholders linked to a prejudiced “the unsuspecting foreign investment company with stockholders whose share value and fraud. Based on media reports, the voting power have declined.” The regulatory body charged the SingaTurn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

The aftermath of inflation

Dubious budget management almost 90 percent of these projects were awarded to one construction firm. However, this construction firm is actually a sole proprietorship based in Bulacan—meaning just one person owns the whole company. YESTERDAY, the House of Repre- What makes it more questionable is sentatives conducted the Question that the projects are worth roughly Hour with Department of Budget and Management Secretary Ben Diokno pursuant to House Resolution No. 2307 which I had filed. The House Resolution invited the Is this what the DBM Secretary to clarify the alleged budgetary insertions and oth- DBM stands for er irregularities and inconsistencies now? in the General Appropriations Bill for 2019. The interpellation yesterday yielded several issues. First is that there is disproportionate budget al- P3.5 billion in total. In a province location for the infrastructure pro- with a population of 790,000 and jects in Sorsogon. These projects area of 2,000 square kilometers, consist of construction of roads, this amount is not commensurate. flood mitigation structures, and ac- Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a cess roads. Coincidentally or not, single proprietor construction com-

pany in Bulacan be awarded with projects worth billions. Usually, such projects are awarded to triple A contractors. Secretary Diokno also denied knowledge of the fact that his inlaws were running for public office in Sorsogon. Filipino families are well-known to be tightly-knit. Therefore, it is highly improbable that families do not disclose or even consult one another regarding big decisions, like running for public office. This denial of Secretary Diokno raises more questions. I remain firm on my call for a transparent and factual budget. It is relevant to reiterate that 2019 is an election year. This highlights the importance of scrutinizing the budget to ensure that irregular and dubious insertions will not miss the keen eye of legislators. We, the Minority, shall continue our assessment of such allegations that cast serious doubt on the disbursement of public funds.

Dividing the last frontier PALAWAN, our country’s so-called last frontier, is going to be divided into three provinces and will therefore lose the distinction of being the largest province in the country. With an area of about 14,649.73 square kilometers and a population of about 850,000, both will be divided into three which should leave each new province with 283,000 people which is comparable in size of one component city. This number of people is too small to create its own viable economy and will have to be supported by the national government for many years to come. If the division happens, we will have 83 provinces instead of the current 81. This is a lot of provinces for a country with only about 300,000 square kilometers of land which is the 68th in the world. Compare this to Canada for example, with a land area of more than 3.6 million square miles with only 10 provinces. It originally had only four provinces. At the rate that the country is creating provinces, it is not in the realm of impossibility that in the not too distant future, we will soon be having 100 provinces. The other big provinces like Cagayan, Isabela, Bukidnon, Batangas and others are therefore prime candidates for division. Why, one might ask, is there a need to create so many provinces? A lot of reasons have been given. The foremost perhaps is to group people with the same dialects and cultural values for easier governance. Others would give the preposterous reason of the national government being able to provide easier services to the people. The primary reason, however, which is never mentioned in public is to give some political families their own territories to govern. This will save warring political families a lot of money because they would no longer have to fight each other to decide whose family will reign supreme in a province. This reason

SEC... From A4

“misrepresentation” referred to by the SEC was a “funding scheme” used by the group where foreign money were channeled from the Singaporean firm to several local companies owned by former Medical City Treasurer, now Chairman Jose Xavier Gonzales. The SEC said the group violated provisions of the SRC which prohibit any “fraudulent, manipulative and deceptive act or practice in connection with any tender offer.” It also charged the group with violating SRC provisions which make mandatory for “groups of persons acting in concert who intend to acquire 35 percent or more of equity shares in a public company to disclose such intention and contempo-

is of course disgusting but this is the kind of politics in this country today. In other countries such as the United States, for instance, redistricting is done to benefit a party not families as we do in this country. It is not only political power that is coveted but control of business is another motivation. Ours is probably one of the few countries where politicians can will their positions to wives, husbands and children. This kind of politics is actually a big reason why it is hard for our

If there is anything that is setting our country back, it is our politics.

country to become economically progressive like other countries in the region. Why for instance would anyone want to become vice governor after being as governor for nine years? It is because in many cases the provincial treasury is also the governors’ treasury and his family. One has only to go to Congress to see all those very expensive late model vehicles parked there. To top it all, there is no more any attempt to hide or deodorize these things because the public seem to have gotten accustomed to seeing many politicians driving the most expensive vehicles. Maybe the public has grown numb and no longer care. The more provinces created, the more political leaders will emerge even if it means that making provinces smaller is not good for economic progress. In today’s reality, economies of scale are important. Once a province is divided, the resources available for health, education and infrastructure will also become smaller. This is what happened to very small provinces like Siquijor, Camiguin, Guimaras and Biliran. All these

raneously make a tender offer for the percent sought to all shareholders.” It has been a long time since the SEC has put out a strongly-worded order. Observers are now watching to see if the strongly-worded order is a signal that the SEC is set to impose a penalty that matches the crime, so to speak. Specifically, that could mean that the SEC may declare the acquisition of the Medical City shares by the Singaporean group and their Philippine partners invalid, null and void. Sources inside Medical City have revealed that current management has played down the SEC charges, assuring employees and doctors that at worst, the SEC would simply impose a fine. Business community observers, however, believe it is remote that the

provinces are fourth or fifth class provinces. This means that these provinces with population smaller than some barangays in the National Capital Region can hardly support themselves. It is difficult for them to make progress economically because of their sizes. But it seems that economic progress is not a priority. Creating provinces to create new elective positions to benefit political families who convert public positions into private business enterprises is. No wonder our neighbors are surpassing us. First it was Thailand, then Malaysia, Indonesia and now Vietnam. If there is anything that is setting our country back, it is our politics. Many of our politicians cannot seem to see beyond their own self-interest and think of the country first instead of themselves and families. But what do we expect when people spend tens of millions of pesos for a position that would not even pay five percent of what they have spent to get elected into office? They will somehow have to recoup these investments from somewhere and one does not have to have a brain like Einstein to figure this out. What is shocking is that we seem to take these things as a matter of course and therefore no longer scandalized by this political phenomenon in this beloved land of ours? Our midterm elections is just around the corner. Once again, we see the same families trying to figure out who among them should run for office. Perhaps our voting public should be able to see through these politicians and vote for those who they see are good for their communities and those people who are only into this for money and the perpetuation of their political dynasties. I still have faith in the collective intelligence of the voting public to make the right choices but this will depend whether Smartmatic, the perennial tech company that has been running the elections will no longer interfere in our upcoming elections. It is also a wonder that with so many credible accusations of voting irregularity, Smartmatic is still with us.

SEC would simply impose a fine on a group which it has charged with committing fraud involving billions of pesos worth of corporate shares. The prevailing view is that the SEC may decide to flex its regulatory muscle. If this view holds water, the move will certainly earn the body kudos from the business sector. If the SEC metes out the appropriate penalties which it certainly has the power to do, the regulatory agency would be making a strong statement that investment rules in this country are to be followed by all, both by the small players and the big, moneyed groups. The playing field is level, the rules are clear and the SEC is determined to make sure they are complied with. Recall that the attention of the business sector and healthcare industry was caught by these developments be-

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FROM my reading of what the economic managers of the Duterte administration have been saying about the inflationary surge of 2018—the steady rise in the inflation rate this year and the measures adopted by the authorities to deal with it—and about the likely inflation scenario for 2019, I have come to the conclusion that their view of the current inflation situation can be summed up as follows: “The surge in consumer prices throughout 2018 is subsidizing and will, as a result of the government’s remedial measures, make possible a return to the 2-to-4 percent annual inflation target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.” The economic managers—the Secretary of Finance, the Governor of the BSP, the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning, the Secretary of Trade and Industry and the Secretary of Budget and Management—appear to be saying that the Philippine economy has been undergoing an inflationary ride, that things are beginning to simmer down, that the inflation rate will return to target in 2019 and that all will then be back to normal. Back to normal? Not quite. Inflationary episodes always leave an aftermath, and this year’s inflation is no different. The 2018 inflation has left—I really should say ‘is leaving’ because there is no certainty about a continued downward movement of prices in the months immediately ahead—behind debris from which the economy will recover in the months immediately ahead. For starters, there is the upsurge of an inflationary psychology which has not been there in recent times and has a tendency to linger. Once inflationary psychology takes hold, producers begin to indulge in speculation, ever trying to guess whether their suppli-

ers intend to raise their prices and often making pre-emptive price strikes. In that kind of environment—and that is the environment that has come to prevail—marketplace stability is not possible. With their let’s-move-on mindset, the economic managers believe that the return of the inflation rate to the 2-to-4 percent target range means that things are back to normal and that all is now well. But things are not back to normal. Prices are now higher across the board, and prices,

Back to normal? Not quite.

once raised, hardly ever come down. They’re sticky. The price increases that the 2018 inflation has caused producers to implement will have created changes in competitive positions; in the case of Philippine exports, this country’s competitive positions vis-àvis certain foreign products may well have been negatively affected. A further element of the aftermath—the debris—of the 2018 inflation has been the generally jarring effect that it has had, and continues to have, on international prospects of the Philippine economy. No longer can the economic managers speak strongly of this country’s sound macro-economic fundamentals. The new wave of price instability has caused foreign institutions and analysts to re-examine the state of those fundamentals. As a result, there have been downgrades in the projections of the Philippine economy’s growth in 2019 and 2020. The Philippine economy took a beating in the year that is about to end. And largely because of a wayward locomotive called TRAIN 1.

Cha-Cha... From A4

have proven to be more detrimental than beneficial. Opening politically and culturally sensitive organizations such as the media and schools, as well as land and natural resources, to foreign ownership will mean diminishing or outright relinquishing Filipino control over these important and significant assets. Most disturbing are the parts of the RBH granting the president unlimited martial law powers; we know what happened the last time a dictator wielded that particular weapon. And if the state does away with protection of human rights, we can expect more killings such as those that are rampant with this administration’s drug war. But with time running out under the 17th Congress, it is not likely that the RBH will pass in the Senate. On Oct. 9 this year, Senator Ralph Recto commented in an interview, “Wala na, patay na ‘yung federalism na yan, patay na yung Cha-Cha. Next Congress na pag-usapan yan.” (That federalism, that Cha-Cha, is dead and gone. Take that up in the next Congress). That same day, Senator Frank Drilon told reporters, “It’s dead on arrival… simply because we have no more time. Even looking at the merits, of which I have very serious reservations personally, I don’t find the proposal logical. I’m sure they realized there is simply no time.” It seems the controversial RBH will not see the light of the day in the Senate—for now. The people must remain vigilant and pro-active to make sure that any initiatives to change the Constitution will only be done after exhaustive consultation and with their will and consent. Something as important as our country’s charter must not be altered merely to serve selfserving politicians and their selfish, short-sighted personal agendas. Dr. Ortuoste is against fascism and state-sanctioned murder. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

cause of the apparent dare thrown to the SEC by this Singaporean-backed group. Earlier media reports bared that the group had apparently ignored an order by the SEC for all the protagonists in the corporate intramural to respect the status quo. The move raised questions regarding the ability and resolve of the SEC to uphold the law and impose its will in the face of a challenge posed by an international investment giant. We watched with bated breath the next move by the SEC and wondered whether or not it would let itself be intimidated by a powerful global business interest. With its latest moves on this issue, the SEC has clearly vindicated itself. It has sent signals to all that, in the face of a challenge to the rules, the SEC will not blink.

That clear SEC judgment on the Medical City row should put all doubts to rest and enhance investor confidence in the country. After all, legitimate investors prefer an investment destination where the rules are clear, where the playing field is level, and where the government ensures both. Another major hospital group is planning a big IPO next year. The offering planned by the healthcare group of tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan is expected to create excitement in the market and bring in fresh funds into the industry, both from local and foreign investors. The SEC move on the Medical City row, therefore, could not have been more timely. ernhil@yahoo.com

News

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Graft court dismisses charges vs Angping By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan dismissed the graft charges ﬁled against former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping who allegedly connived with Philcare Manpower Services president Edmund Montanes for the hiring of 71 janitors and nine gardeners without having secured the “necessary requirements.” In a 46-page decision dated Dec. 3, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division also ordered the lifting of the hold departure order issued against Angping, and the release of his bail bond. Then-Philcare Manpower Services general manager Edmundo Montanes was also cleared of graft. Ombudsman prosecutors said Angping allegedly gave undue advantage to Philcare when he signed an addendum to the contract of service of the ﬁrm without public bidding.

DICT targets 500k digital workers T HE Department of Information and Communications Technology targets to train some 500,000 unemployed Filipino workers from the provinces to make them globally-competitive digital workers by 2022. In an interview with the Philippine News Agency at the 51Talk press conference in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, DICT Industry Development Bureau head Yvette Cabrera said there was a need to develop the capacities of unemployed workers in the digital ﬁelds of software development, health, game animation, and contact centers. “We will train them and help them have a job before graduation or even after graduation,” she said. Cabrera said they were closely work-

ing with local government units outside Metro Manila for the free training of unemployed people to make them fulltime, globally competitive digital workers. “In Metro Manila, we already have many investors especially in the IT industry, so we want to promote other cities in the rural areas in other provinces to also be a business destination,” Cabrera said. There are about 320,000 digital workers in provinces outside Metro Manila at

present, Cabrera said. In the same event, Chinese-based company 51Talk shared some success stories of their partnership with the Philippine government as they plan to hire more Filipino teachers to teach English courses online. In an interview with reporters, 51Talk founder and CEO Jack Huang said they have signed a memorandum of agreement with DICT to ensure stable internet connectivity in the country. “We hope that internet connectivity in the Philippines can be further improved in the future,” Huang said. Cabrera said the DICT is responding to the demands of the business sector with their establishment of free Wi-Fi centers around the country and the entry

of a third telco player. Filipino 51Talk teacher Mike Gerald Alfiscar from Bacolod City said one of the advantages of working online is a better work-life balance. “You won’t miss out significant events of your loved ones because you get to choose your schedule,” Alfiscar said in an interview with PNA. Huang said they preferred hiring Filipino teachers due to their neutral English accent. He also noted the cultural compatibility of Filipinos and Chinese and the same timezone of Philippines and China as advantages in hiring Filipino teachers. Huang said his company planned to hire 100,000 Filipino teachers in the next five years. PNA

MRT deploys 2nd Dalian train set THE Metro Rail Transit Line 3 has deployed the second train set purchased from Chinese firm CRRC Dalian. The train set, consisting of three cars, was deployed to the MRT line from 10 am until 2 pm on Tuesday. It will be undergoing test runs for 150 hours during off-peak hours to determine their reliability and performance on the MRT line. “The said train set will run during off-peak hours—9 am to 3 pm from Dec. 11 to 15 and 6 am to 9 pm from Dec. 16 to 23,” the MRT-3 management said in a statement Tuesday. The deployment of the second Dalian train set follows the rollout of the ﬁrst train set last October. The ﬁrst train set has concluded its 150-hour test run last Nov. 21 and was brought back to the MRT depot pending the assessment of the Philippine National Railways of its performance. A total of 48 Dalian light rail vehicles were delivered to the country in 2016 but were not deployed to the MRT line due to compatibility issues. Supplier CCRC Dalian eventually agreed to absorb the costs for the adjustments of the trains. PNA

EARLY SHOPPERS. Chistmas shoppers tryingto beat the Yuletide shopping rush go to a store in Quiapo, Manila selling ham—the upper part of a pig’s leg salted and dried or smoked or the backs of the thighs or the thighs and buttocks—on Wednesday, less than two weeks before Christmas eve. Norman Cruz

PH, Israel sign labor accord on hiring hotel workers A NEWLY signed labor agreement between the Philippines and Israel is expected to generate as many as 1,000 jobs for Filipinos in hotels across Israel, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said Tuesday night. Cato said the document, signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, would allow Fili-

pino workers to work as cleaners in Israeli hotels. The agreement comes three months after a landmark accord on Filipino caregivers was signed between the two nations during the visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Israel last September. The deployment cost to Israel has been lowered from as high as $12,000 to only more than $2,000 upon a bilat-

eral agreement recently signed by the two states. The deployment process to Israel was also improved on government-togovernment basis through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Citing data from the Philippine Embassy, Cato said there are around 28,000 Filipinos currently working in Israel. PNA

Legislator laments demolition By Maricel V Cruz

SETTLEMENT REHAB. The Memorandum of Understanding on the project implementation was signed on Dec. 7, 2018 by Ambassador of the Czech Republic Jaroslav and Kate Landry, Country Director of Build Change. Czech Embassy photo

Czech donates P6.6 m to NL THE Government of the Czech Republic is donating P6,666,666 for the rehabilitation of the settlements in Northern Luzon which were drastically hit by category 5 Super Typhoon “Ompong” in September 2018. The six-month project will be implemented by the local branch of the USbased NGO Build Change in the areas most affected by the typhoon particularly the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region where the typhoon damaged vital infrastructures, homes, and crops used for household consumption and for livelihoods.

Build Change, supported by the Philippines Shelter Cluster, will collaborate with affected communities and organizations carrying out shelter repair and rehabilitation programs by providing them with training and technical assistance to strengthen and improve the structural performance of houses affected by Typhoon Ompong, the Embassy said in a statement. This is a highly cost-effective approach that leverage the resources that the communities and organizations spend on shelter recovery, shifting the response from risky to resilient.

HELPFUL INFO. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, headed by Director General Aaron Aquino, distrributes the P3.1 million to the 13 confidential informants who provided information that resulted in 19 successful anti-drug operation during the symbolic rewarding at the PDEA office in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

ANAK Mindanao Party-list Rep. Makmod Mending Jr. on Wednesday lamented several standing homes in the most affected area of Marawi were demolished without consent of the residents. Mending, who voted against the martial law extension in Mindanao, said in his interpellation on the joint resolution to extend martial law that homeless Maranaos had been appealing to the governement to be heard. “We faced some of those residents whose houses were demolished without their consent. I stand before you to claim what happened,” Mending said. In response, Housing Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, who heads Task Force Bangon Marawi, admitted some houses were demolished even without the consent of the owners because of a misunderstanding.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Republic of the Phiilippines Professional Regulation Commission Manila RESOLUTION NO .1130 Series of 2018 REVISED GUIDELINES ON THE CONDUCT OF OATH TAKING OF NEW PROFESSIONALS WHEREAS, Seclion 7 (a) of Republic Acl (RA) No. 8981 or the PRC Modernization Act of 2000 vests to the Professional Regulation Commission (Commission) the power to issue and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectively implement policies with respect to the regulation of the practice of professions;

Section 17. Separability Clause. Should any section, provision, or paragraph hereof be declared unconstitutional or not valid, the same shall not invalidate the other sections, provisions, or paragraphs not affected thereby. Section 18. Repealing Clause - All administrative issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Resolution are hereby repealed, amended or mOdified accordingly Section 19. Effectivity· This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of national ci rculation.

Done this 23rd day of Nov., 2018 in the City of Manila.

WHEREAS, the Commission issued Resolution No. 2012-657 which prescribes the guidelines and procedures on lhe conduct of the mass oath taking of new professionals;

TEOFILO S. PILANDO, JR. Chairman

WHEREAS, the Commission issued Office Order No. 2018-380 creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) to review and submit recommendations in the drafting of a new guideline on the oath taking of new professionals;

YOLANDA D. REYES Commissioner

WHEREAS, consultative meetings were conducted to solicit comments and inputs from the Professional Regulatory Boards (Boards) and other offices/divisions of the Commission to address legal, technical and operational issues related to the oath taking; WHEREAS, in view of conflicting views on the nature of the oath taking fees, the Commission sought the legal opinion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the matter;

Section 1. Definition of Terms: For purposes of this Resolution, the following terms shall be construed to mean: 1.1 Oath Taking refers to the act of subscribing to an oath or pledge to fulfil the duties and responsibilities incumbent upon a professional; 1.2 Mass Oath Taking Ceremony refers to the formal rites organized on a predetermined date, usually catering to large groups of oath takers; 1.3 Special/lndividual Oath Taking refers to the oath taking activity organized upon the request of a registrant who is unable to attend the scheduled mass oath taking ceremony; 1.4 Commission refers to the Professional Regulation Commission; 1.5 Boards refers to the Professional Regulatory Boards; 1.6 Private Party/Entity refers to a party/entity which is designated by the Board to organize and manage the mass oath taking ceremony; 1.7 COR refers to the Certificate of Registration. 1.8 PIC refers to the Professional Identification Card.

PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION GUIDELINES ON THE PREPARATION OF THE PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE MASS OATH TAKING OF NEW PROFESSIONALS I.

APPLICABILITY. This Rules shall govern the preparation of the program of activities for the mass oath taking ceremonies.

II.

GENERAL RULES: There shall be a standard program of activities to be observed in all mass oath taking ceremonies, subject to the following rules and protocols: A.

C. D. E.

Section 2. Oath of Professionals . All examinees who passed the licensure examinations and those applicants admitted for registration without licensure examination shall take the Oath of Professional prior to the practice of their professions. Section 3. Officials Authorized to Administer the Oath of Professional. The Chairperson or any Commissioner of the Commission. the Chairperson or any Member of the Board, or any authorized or deputized official of the Commission may administer the Oath of Professional. Other government or public officials may likewise administer the oath upon the approval of the Commission. The mandate to administer the oath is given primarily to the Boards. As such, it is only in their absence or unavailability that other officials of the Commission shall be authorized to administer the oath. In the case of other government or public officials, appropriate requests for authority to administer the oath shall be submitted for the consideration of the Board and the Commission. Section 4. Taking of the Oath of Professional, Initial Registration, and Issuance of the Certificate of Registration (COR) and Professional Identification Card (PIC). No COR and PIC shall be issued to any successful examinee or applicant admitted for registration without examination unless he/she submits proof of having taken the Oath of Professional. After the release of the examination results, announcements shall be made on the dates of registration and the mass oath taking. All registrants shall be required to register online and pay the prescribed registration fee. Upon completion of the online transaction, the registrants shall download and print a copy of the Oath Form. On the appOinted date of registration, the registrants shall submit their Oath Forms to the Licensure and Registration Division. All signed Oath Forms shall be distributed on the day of the mass oath taking. Those who attended the special!lndividual oath taking as well as those who took their oaths before other government or public officials shall submit their Oath Forms to the PRD and claim their CORs, PICs and Board Rating on such date as the latter may advise. Section 5. Role of the Commission, Boards and the Accredited Professional Organizations/Accredited Integrated Professional Organizations (APOs/AIPOs) in the Conduct of the Oath Taking. The Commission, through its concerned offices/ divisions, shall provide the necessary administrative assistance to the Boards to ensure the smooth and orderly conduct of the mass and special!lndividual oath taking.

F. G. H. I.

K. L.

Subject to the approval of the Commission, the Boards shall have the power to: Set the date, venue and program of activities for the oath taking; rate of oath taking fees to be collected; procedure on the collection, liquidation and reporting of oath taking proceeds; standards or criteria on the deSignation of the private party/entity, among others;

Engage the services of a private party/entity that will organize and manage the mass oath taking ceremonies; Endorse requests for the conduct of mass oath taking for the approval of the Commission; Require submission of report on the oath taking proceedings from the private party/entity or APO/AIPO; Tap the services of Commission officials or employees to provide administrative support in the conduct of the oath taking, whenever appropriate; and Perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Resolution.

3. 4. 5. 6.

The Boards shall be accountable and shall assume the full responsibility for all incidents surrounding the conduct of the oath taking activity. The APO/AIPO may induct its new members on the same occasion of the mass oath taking, subject to the foregoing conditions: (a) that the APO/AIPO has a valid and subsisting accreditation with the Commission at such time: (b) that the concerned Board and Oversight Chairperson/Commissioner have signified their conformity to the joint oath taking with the APO/AIPO; and (c) the induction of membership in the APO/AIPO shall be held at a separate session or segment of the oath taking program.

Processional Rites. Those who will join the processional rites shall, as far as practicable, be limited to the following : topnotchers; representatives of schools/ universities, particularly of the top performing schools; officers of the Accredited Professional Organization/Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (APO/AIPO); chairperson and members of the Board; officials of the Commission; and the Inspirational Speaker/s and/or Guestis of Honor. Invocalion/Prayer, National Anthem and PRC Hymn. The invocation/prayer may either be personalized or in standard audiovisual presentation (AVP). For uniformity, the Commission shall prescribe standard AVPs for the National Anthem and PRC Hymn. Opening Remarks. The Opening Remarks may be delivered by the chairperson or any member of the Board. Introduction of the Inspirational Speaker/s andlor Guestls of Honor. The Introduction may be delivered by the chairperson or any member of the Board. Address/Message of the Inspirational Speaker/s and/or Guestls of Honor. The Address/Message should be informative, inspirational and not offensive to people’s sensitivities with respect to gender, sexual orientation or preference, religion , political beliefs, occupation and/or status in life. As much as possible, its duration must not be longer than one (1) hour. Powerpoint presentations may be used, provided, that there is prior notice or request. Presentation of the Plaque/Certificate of Appreciation to the Inspirational Speaker andlor Guest of Honor. Oath Taking, Charging, Pledge andlor Recitation of the Code of Ethics. The Board shall administer the following oaths, as may be applicable to the profession. Recognition of Topnotchers and Top Performing Schools. Response of the Topnotcher/s. The topnotcher/s, in preparing the Response, shall be guided by a theme to be assigned by the Board. The responding topnotcher/s shall refrain from directly or indirectly advertising any review center or expressing any personal opinion that is uncalled for, derogatory or offensive. Induction of New Members of the Professional Organization. It must be emphasized that membership to the professional organization is only mandatory if so provided for in the professional regulatory law. Thus, the Boards are reminded that the induction of new members to the professional organization may only be made compulsory, if integration is required under their law. Closing Remarks. The Closing Remarks may be delivered by the chairperson or any member of the Board. Announcement on the Claiming of Certificate of Registration, Professional Identification Card and Board Rating.

III. SPECIAL RULES

The Boards shall have the general supervision over the conduct and management of the mass and special/individual oath taking.

JOSE Y. CUETO, JR. Commissioner

ANNEX A

WHEREAS, that based on the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the oath taking ceremonies, the DOJ opined that the fees collected therefor are deemed private in character;

GENERAL PROVISIONS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

Let a copy hereof be furnished the U. P. Law Center.

WHEREAS, the regulatory laws of the various professions provide that all individuals who are qualified to register as professionals with or without examination shall be required to take the Oath of Professional prior to the practice of their professions;

UPON THESE PREMISES, the Commission hereby RESOLVES to issue and promulgate the Revised Guidelines on the Oath Taking of New Professionals.

but are necessarily connected with or incidental to the conduct of the oath taking.

Exemption. Notwithstanding the prescription for a standard oath taking program, the Boards may opt to add (such as pinning, candle lighting, etc.) or omit other activities in the program, subject to the approval of the Oversight Chairperson/ Commissioner. Oath Taking Souvenir Program. The oath taking souvenir program shall include the following: messages of the members of the Commission Proper, the Board and the Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor; key officials of the Commission; program of activities; names of topnotchers and top performing schools; performance of individual schools in the licensure examinations; roll of successful examinees; Oath of Professional; Code of Ethics; and PRC Hymn. Other items may be included in the souvenir program such as the professional regulatory law, Board and Commission issuances, Oath of Membership to the APO/AIPO, upon the approval of the Oversight Chairperson/Commissioner. Choice of Inspirational Speaker/s and/or Guestls of Honor. The Boards shall have the leeway to invite any Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor. However, it is highly advisable that the Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor be a member of the same profession , or a known personality in an allied or related discipline, or anyone who has established himself/herself in any sector or industry, and who must be of high repute and credibility. In choosing the Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor, the Boards should take into consideration that the oath taking is not a venue to campaign or solicit support for a particular activity, product, group or person, be it for political, religious, commercial or any other purpose not reasonably connected with the oath taking activity. Unless necessary, the Board shall limit the number of Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor to not more than two (2). If there will be two (2) Inspirational Speakers and/or Guests of Honor, one (1) must be the Oversight Chairperson/ Commissioner. Advisory to the Inspirationa/ Speaker and/or Guest of Honor and Topnotcher/s. The Board shall send letter invites to the Inspirational Speaker and/or Guest of Honor and T opnotcher/s. The letter shall contain the details on the mass oath taking as well as the rules and protocols herein prescribed. Submission of Oath Taking Program to the Oversight Chairman/Commissioner. The Board shall submit the draft program, together with the request for clearance for the conduct of the mass oath taking ceremony and the Statement of Budgetary Estimate of Fees and Expenses, to the Oversight Chairperson/Commissioner not later than one (1) month before the date of the mass oath taking ceremony.

‘Sports must join climate change cause’ KATOWICE, Poland—The world of sports must join the effort to tame global warming, and the International Olympic Committee intends to lead the way, it said on Tuesday at UN climate talks in Katowice, Poland. At the 195-nation negotiations, the IOC and UN launched an initiative aimed to line up verifiable commitments from sports federations and clubs to cut carbon pollution in line with the Paris Agreement. That calls for capping the rise in Earth’s temperature “well below” two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and at 1.5 C if possible. With only 1C of warming so far, the world has seen a crescendo of deadly extreme weather -heatwaves, drought, floods. “Addressing climate change is everyone’s responsibility, and the IOC treats it very seriously,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. He was backed by Prince Albert II of Monaco, chair of the IOC’s Sustainability and Legacy Committee. “With its global reach, universal appeal and the power to inspire and influence millions of people around the globe, sport is uniquely placed to drive global climate action and encourage crowds to join in,” Prince Albert said at the event.

“As countries here in Katowice prepare to turn their climate commitments into reality, we stand ready to leverage the power of sport to support their efforts.” Like other sectors, sport has felt the sting of climate change. Unreliable snow and warm winters are threatening winter sports, while rising temperatures and unpredictable weather are challenging summer-sport athletes, spectators and organisers. The new charter also calls on sports bodies to reduce climate impacts, promote climate action, and encourage “responsible consumption”. The initiative aims to use sport -– the single largest audience aggregator -– to drive global climate awareness and action. Beside the IOC, organising committees for the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 games, the World Sailing organisation, the World Surf League and Roland Garros have all signed up. The IOC has asked Olympic organising committees to develop their own carbon-cutting plans. AFP

ANNEX B PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF/FOR____________ STATEMENT OF OATH TAKING RECEIPTS AND EXPENSES

Section 6, Conduct of Oath Taking. The Board shall ensure that the conduct of the mass and special/individual oath taking is simple, solemn and formal. SPECIAL RULES ON THE MASS OATH TAKING Section 7, Procedures on the Organization and Management 01 the Mass Oath Taking Ceremony, A.

Mass oath taking ceremonies to be organized and managed by a designated private party/entity: 1.

2. 3.

5. B.

The Board shall engage the services of a private party/entity that shall organize and manage the mass oath taking ceremony. The contract or agreement shall stipulate the respective roles and functions to be assumed by both parties in relation to the conduct of the mass oath taking ceremony. The private party/entity shall collect the oath taking fees, and shall, in thisconnection, issue the corresponding official receipts in its name. The Board shall decide on matters concerning the conduct of the mass oath taking such as the choice 01 date, venue, guest speaker, design and lay-out of the oath taking souvenir program, and others, consistent with the general guidelines issued by the Commission. (See Annex A) Requests lor the conduct of the mass oath taking must be submitted to the Commission not later than one (1) month prior to the date of the mass oath taking. All requests shall be accompanied with a copy 01 the draft Oath Taking Program of Activities and Statement of Budgetary Estimate of Fees and Expenses. (See Annex 8). The private party/entity shall prepare and submit a report (See Annex C) to the Board and the Commission within seven (7) working days after the date of the mass oath taking.

ATTACK MODE. James Harden of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The Rockets won, 111-103 . AFP

All eyes on Abarrientos in Rain or Shine caging

Mass oath taking ceremonies to be subsumed or made part of an APO/AIPO activity: 1. 2. 3. 6.

The Board shall coordinate with the APO/AIPO for the schedule of the mass oath taking and the APO/AIPO event. The APO/AIPO shall assume the collection of the oath taking fees as well as the issuance of the official receipts therefor. Details on the oath taking program shall be decided upon by the Board, subject to the general guidelines issued by the Commission. (See Annex A) Requests for the conduct of the mass oath taking shall be submitted to the Commission not later than one (1) month prior to the date of the mass oath taking. All requests shall be accompanied with a copy of the draft Oath Taking Program of Activities and Statement of Budgetary Estimate of Fees and Expenses. (See Annex B). The APO/AIPO shall prepare and submit a report (See Annex C) to the Board and the Commission within seven (7) working days after the date of the mass oath taking.

ANNEX C PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF/FOR____________ STATEMENT OF BUDGETARY ESTIMATE OF FEES AND EXPENSES

Section 8. Schedule of the Mass Oath Taking Ceremony. The schedule of the mass oath taking ceremony shall not be later than sixty (60) days from the date of release of the results of the licensure examination. Section 9. Venue of the Mass Oath Taking Ceremony. The mass oath taking ceremony may be conducted in the Philippines or overseas. Section 10. Designation of Third Party/Entity. The Board, in designating the third party/ entity herein referred to, shall warrant that the latter has the legal, technical, financial and administrative capacity to organize and manage mass oath taking or other Similar events. SPECIAL RULES ON THE SPECIAUINDIVIDUAL OATH TAKING Section 11. Procedures on the Organization and Management of the Special/ Individual Oath Taking. A registrant who cannot or has failed to attend the scheduled mass oath taking may request for a special/individual oath taking to the Board concerned. The request must cite the reason/s for his/her failure to attend the mass oath taking. As far as practicable, the special{tndividual oath taking shall be scheduled by batch or group, subject to the availability of the Board. If the Board is not available, other authorized or deputized officials of the Commission may administer the oath. Section 12. Schedule of the Special/Individual Oath Taking. The special/individual oath taking shall be scheduled after the date of the mass oath taking. Requests for special{tndividual oath taking before the scheduled mass oath taking shall only be allowed for valid reason. Section 13. Venue of the Special/lndividual Oath Taking Ceremony. The special/ individual oath taking shall be held at the PRC offices. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 14. Oath Taking in the Regions and Overseas. No mass and special/individual oath taking shall be conducted in the regions and overseas unless endorsed by the Board and approved by the Oversight Chairperson/Commissioner. The Regional Offices (ROs) shall be provided with the details on the regional oath taking and shall be given three (3) days to comment thereon. Failure of the RO to comment within the prescribed time shall be construed that it has no objection to the conduct of said oath taking.

Section 15. Mass Oath Taking Fee. The Board shall set reasonable rate of oath taking fee based on the actual, necessary and reasonable expenses to be incurred in the conduct of the mass oath taking. Section 16. Supplemental Rules and Guidelines. The Commission shall issue such other rules and guidelines to govern the other processes that are not provided herein

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

WITHOUT Ateneo’s 7’1” center Kai Sotto, the spotlight is likely to fall on Far Eastern University’s RJ Abarrientos when the 7th Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship ‘Rain or Shine Cup’ unwraps on Saturday at the SGS gym in Quezon City. The nephew of PBA great Johnny Abbarientos – himself a Tamaraw legend – is making heads turn in the UAAP high school tournament with his variety of wondrous moves. “He’s a joy to watch because of his dazzling moves,” said league chairman Terry Que, coteam owner of Rain or Shine in the PBA. “He’s a very good player so we expect him to lead his team to the championship.” Abarrientos was at his best in the team’s stunning 67-62 overtime win over defending champion Ateneo in a game where he exploded for 28 points, 12 of them in the extra period. Also expected to shine in the weeklong tournament also sponsored by Dickies Underwear, IronCon Builders, Black-

water Sports, Hapee Toothpaste, MEC Networks, Poly Gloss, Freego Jeans and Che’ Lu Bar and Grill are National University’s Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, and Carl Tamayo, UST’s Mark Nonoy and Bismark Lina, FEU’s Royce Alforque. Former chairman Rudy Yu of Dickies Underwear, however, said this year’s edition will see a lot of exciting players, noting the return of Xavier School adds luster to the annual event. Yu also cited Mapua’s rookie sensation Paolo Hernandez, who emerged as NCAA Finals MVP when the Red Robins regained the crown by beating the La Salle Greenhills. Also worth watching in the event also backed by Masumax Food Supplement, Cherrylume, SUMO GI Sheets and Choi Garden are Xavier’s Miguel Tan, Chiang Kai Shek College’s Rafael Go and Michael Urmeneta, and Hope Christian High School’s Christian Pauco and Harvey Pagsanjan.

Allianz backs Aeta youth in Obstacle Course Race

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph; sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

Sports The wall of tire is one of the obstacles used in the Allianz Conquer Challenge held in Clark Global City in Pampanga.

Top PBA prospects upstaged By Jeric Lopez

HE top three prospects Bobby Ray Parks, CJay Perez and Robert Bolick led all aspirants in the Rookie Draft Camp of the Philippine Basketball Association yesterday. But lesser-known hopefuls such as John Ragasa of Victoria Sports, Jeepy Faundo of University of Santo Tomas and CJ Isit of Mapua grabbed the spotlight from the frontrunners by topping the measurement and biometric tests. Ragasa submitted the fastest time

in the Shuttle Run with 21.97 seconds, while Far Eastern University’s Joe Trinidad did the 3/4 Court Sprint in just 3.25 seconds. Reed-thin center Faundo posted the the highest Vertical Leap with 33.29 inches, while Ateneo forward Dan Wong

F2 Logistics, Petron show dominance in Superliga

Haridas Pascua (right) plays IM Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia to a draw in the 7th Asian Continental Chess Championships (2nd Manny Pacquiao Cup) at the Tiara Hotel in Makati City Tuesday night.

topped the Max Touch (Jump Height) with 39.19 inches. The most impressive turned out to be Isit, who recorded the fastest time in Lane Agility with 11.2 seconds, on top of his 84 percent result in the Reaction Test. Forty-seven of the 48 listed in the draft took part in the first day of the camp, with University of the East forward RR de Leon failing to show up for the anthropometry tests. This automatically disqualifies him for the final draft list. In the morning session, the hopefuls

underwent key measurements and exams that helped gauge their assets. Right after, they participated in various drills to give scouts a chance to have a deeper look at their individual abilities. The last day of the camp will be held today as the cagers will compete in a mini-tournament for further evaluation. Given their decorated amateur careers, Parks, Perez and Bolick are unanimously the presumptive top three in the coming rookie selection. The annual draft is set to be held this Sunday.

Games Today (Muntinlupa Sports Center) 4:15 p.m. – UE vs CSA 7 p.m. – La Salle-Dasmarinas vs UST

THE country’s fiercest volleyball rivalry takes centerstage anew after Petron and F2 Logistics dismantled their respective foes in the semifinals of the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference late Tuesday at the Muntinlupa Sports Center. The Blaze Spikers crushed Cignal, 25-21, 25-20, 25-16, while the Cargo Movers eked out a pulsating 21-25, 25-15, 25-20, 19-25, 15-5 victory over Generika-Ayala to forge a rematch of their best-of-three finals duel. Game 1 of the finals of this prestigious women’s club league bankrolled by Isuzu, Mikasa, Asics, Senoh, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku with Genius Sports as technical sponsor unwraps this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas seeks to sweep the preliminaries when it battles a listless De La Salle-Dasmarinas side in the Collegiate Grand Slam of this tourney that also has ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners. Action starts at 7 p.m. following the 4:15 p.m. encounter between University of the East and Colegio San Agustin-Binan. But the spotlight will be trained on the titular stage, which has been serving as the battleground of both Petron and F2 Logistics the past couple of years. Their first finals encounter was in 2016 when the Cargo Movers knocked the crown off the Blaze Spikers’ heads with a masterful conquest to clinch the All-Filipino crown. The following year, Petron stacked its roster with quality players like Mika Reyes, Bernadeth Pons, Remy Palma and Sisi Rondina to engineer a massive fightback and regain the AllFilipino jewel.

Garcia, Dimakiling bounce back in Asian chess INTERNATIONAL Masters Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Oliver Dimakiling downed FIDE Master Stephen Rome Pangilinan and IM Angelo Young, respectively, to bounce back to contention after two rounds of the 7th Asian Continental Chess Championships (2nd Manny Pacquiao Cup) at the Tiara Hotel in Makati City Tuesday night. Garcia, who made his World Chess Olympiad debut in Batumi, Georgia a few months back, and Dimakiling registered their first points to lead six other Filipinos in a 23-player group at 22nd place that included opening day heroes IM Paulo Bersamina and Haridas Pascua. The 20-year-old Bersamina failed to

follow up on his shock win over third seed Grandmaster Le Quang Liem of Vietnam the day before as he faltered against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan to lose his grip of the share of the lead. Pascua, 25, for his part, came trough with his second straight draw, this time against IM Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia, who has a higher FIDE rating of 2483 compared to the Filipino’s 2442 in this nine-round tournament sanctioned by the NCFP headed by Butch Pichay and bankrolled by Sen. Manny Pacquiao and the Phl Sports Commission. The standoff came just a day after Pascua came a move away from slaying fourth seed Santosh Gujrath Vidit of India

before agreeing to a draw. Also posting their first points were IMs Daniel Quizon, Roderick Nava and Ricky de Guzman and untitled Michael Concio, Jr. In the women’s division, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza halved the point with WFM Aay Aisyah Anisa of Indonesia to nail her second straight draw. So far, Mendoza was with WFM Allaney Jia Doroy, WIM Bernadette Galas and WIM Kylen Joy Mordido as the bestplaced locals with a point to show. WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, the country’s top chesser, fell to WIM P V Nandhidhaa of India and was left with just half a point.

ALLIANZ is doing something that has never been done before. The global insurer is celebrating the strength of indigenous people, particularly the Aetas of Porac, Pampanga, by introducing them to the rising sport of obstacle course racing. Last Dec. 9, the third leg of the Allianz Conquer Challenge was held in Clark Global City in Pampanga, where 20 Aetas, between 16 to 21 years old, raced together with 20 Allianz employees in the pairs category. The Aeta participants are students of Villa Maria Integrated School, an adopted public school of Allianz PNB Life, atop the mountains in Porac, Pampanga. “We recognize the strength of the Aetas. So, aside from educating them with the basics of personal finance through our financial literacy program, we would like to impart to them the value of committing to achieve goals that they have to set. We want to give them a fair chance of having employment opportunities in the future,” explained Gae Martinez, chief marketing officer, Allianz PNB Life. Sunday’s race was a 10km-race composed of 25 obstacles, which was the same trail tackled by professional racers who competed for a slot in the upcoming South East Asian Games. Just last month, OCR was announced a new addition to the SEA Games to be held in Clark, Pampanga. Some of the obstacles during the race were hurdles, taho carry, tirador, spider web, monkey bars, wall of tire, slip wall, commando climb, among others. Those who incurred penalties for not being able to perform an obstacle had to carry a 30-pound sand bag. “OCR is an up and coming sport. It is gaining popularity in the Philippines. Allianz as a company uses sports to connect with communities. The Aetas from Villa Maria is one of the communities that Allianz here in the Philippines has chosen to support. This is, in line with our advocacy to promote social inclusion, one of the pillars of our company’s Corporate Citizenship Strategy,” Martinez further said. One of the Aeta participants, Reyna Baclay, was thankful to be given the opportunity and to discover the sport that she said is closely similar to the activities they do in everyday life. “They carry sand bags here. In the mountains, we carry 50 kilos of camote or ube that we bring to the lowlands. If we sell, our families will have money to spend. By joining the race, I can tell people, I have a dream, too. I want to work in IT (information technology). I hope I can continue after I graduate,” said Baclay, who at age 18 is still a grade nine student. Another Aeta youth, Miracle Lansang, 20, grade 12, is dreaming of someday working for the air force. “I want to work for the air force. But they say I will not qualify because of my height. I have not lost my hope that it can still come true,” he said. Renz dela Cruz, 21, was a graduate of the same school. However, he had to stop and work giving a ride on his motorcycle, because his parents cannot afford to send him to college. “I dream of becoming a civil engineer. My family needs me now. I have brothers and sisters, who are studying,” he said. With the project “Sanlahi” of Allianz in the Philippines, there is hope for these Aeta youth. “Allianz is here to provide the courage to move forward, the courage to overcome life’s obstacles, for them to have better life,” Martinez said, ”As our tag line goes - we dare you to, because we’re with you.”

PH-NU weathers 2nd-set slide to whip Malaysia, earns semis seat THE Philippines, represented by reigning UAAP men’s champion National University, overcame a second set slide to beat Malaysia, 25-14, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, and clinch a semifinal berth Wednesday in the 19th ASEAN University Games volleyball tournament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Angelo Almendras nailed a huge kill to give the Filipinos at 2-1 set lead. Bryan Bagunas and Almendras then conspired in the fourth set charge to help the Philippines in sweeping Pool A. The Filipinos will go up against the No. 2 team in Pool B in the semifinals slated Thursday. Indonesia and Singapore, both sporting 0-1 records, are vying for the other semis

berth in their bracket. The Philippines earlier shocked titleholder Thailand, 30-28, 25-23, 25-19, last Sunday. With its second straight loss, the Malaysians were relegated to the battle for fifth and sixth slots. Host Myanmar beat Singapore, 25-13, 25-14, 25-11, Tuesday to become the top Pool B team with a 2-0 card. The Burmese will face the Thais, who placed second in Pool A with a 1-1 slate, in the other semifinal pairing. Meanwhile, Adamson University handed National University its first loss with a narrow 62-59 win in the UAAP Season 81 juniors’ basketball tournament Wednesday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Adrian Manlapaz foiled Gerry Abadiano’s potential game-tying triple - his fourth block of the game - as the Baby Falcons ended the Bullpups’ five-game winning run. Joem Sabandal had 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Manlapaz came with 11 points and 14 rebounds for Adamson University. Gerry Abadiano had 17 points for NU, which fell to 5-1 heading into its Finals’ rematch with Ateneo, which overwhelmed University of the East, 84-62, this weekend before the league enters its annual Christmas break. Kai Sotto was at his usual best with 25 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks as the Blue Eaglets

moved in a tie with the Bullpups in first place at 5-1. In other games, Far Eastern University-Diliman routed UP Integrated School, 102-72, while University of Santo Tomas turned back De La Salle-Zobel, 63-56. Xyrus Torres fired a career-high 27 points built on six triples, while RJ Abarrientos added 14 points, six assists and four rebounds for the Baby Tamaraws, who are now at 4-2 along with the Baby Falcons in joint third. Rookie Mark Nonoy had another all-around game with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Bismarck Lina posted his own 10-point, 12-rebound double-double effort as the Tiger Cubs evened their record at 3-3.

IN BRIEF Developers pushing mass housing perks A GROUP of developers will continue to lobby for the inclusion of mass housing in the Strategic Investment Priorities Plan under the Trabaho bill to keep homes affordable and within reach of the lower to the middle segments of Filipino households. The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association said it would continue to keep low-cost housing at P3 million within Metro Manila and above P2 million to P3 million outside Metro Manila despite the rising cost of labor and higher capital expenditure. SHDA and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council agreed to convince the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Board of Investments to sign an agreement that will give low-cost and mass housing developers continued access to income tax holidays. The group will also work with Credit Informations Systems to come up with a reliable, comprehensive and centralized rating facility that will lower interest rates and reduce collateral requirements for housing loans. Othel V. Campos

MRC Allied to install malls’ solar rooftop LISTED MRC Allied Inc. signed an agreement to put up a 1.1-megawatt solar rooftop in a mall in Mindanao. “.... MRC will be the project developer and owner of the solar facility while a private entity, owning and operating the mall, will be the power off-taker,” MRC disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Total investment cost for the project is estimated at P67.4 million. “The (agreement) will become effective upon the issuance of the acceptance certificate by the power off-taker to MRC after successful completion of actual performance testing and interconnection,” it said. The cooperation period of the parties covers 20 years from the issuance of the acceptance certificate. “The signing... is another significant milestone for the Company and its plan to be a key player in the solar PV industry in the country,” the company said. MRC announced in February it ventured into solar rooftop projects and started negotiations to install solar rooftop systems of XRC Mall Developer Inc. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business Cemex abandons plan to close cement factory C By Jenniffer B. Austria

EMEX Holdings Philippines said it will no longer push the plan to close down its cement plant in Davao and temporarily lay off workers.

Cemex Philippines said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Apo Cement Corp., its main operating subsidiary in Cebu, resumed operations of the two kilns. The cement ﬁrm said it would also cancel the planned closure of its cement plant in Davao and the implementation of the temporary lay-off of regular and contractual employees. The company said it made the deci-

sion to resume the Davao cement plant operations as it continued to cooperate with Apo Land & Quarry Corp., which is the company’s principal raw material provider, and the national and local authorities to address the situation in Naga City, Cebu. Cemex Philippines announced plans on Nov. 21 to shut one of its two kilns in Cebu and close down Davao cement plant after Apo Land was ordered to stop operations by the local government of Naga City following the landslide that occurred on the site in September. Cemex Holdings said with Apo Cement not being able to source its raw materials from Apo Land, the company incurred considerable costs from sourcing raw materials from different regions in the country. The cement ﬁrm said it planned to temporarily lay-off 30 percent of its

regular employees and 38 percent of its contractual workers. The Davao terminal holds and dispatches 25,000 bags of cement on a daily basis. Cemex Philippines earlier reported a consolidated net loss of P70 million in the third quarter, a reversal of the P202million net income in the same period in 2017. Third-quarter sales rose 8 percent to P6 billion from P5.5 billion in 2017, as volume increased 5 percent. The company is also currently building a 1.5-million-metric-ton cement plant in Antipolo, Rizal. The planned cement expansion, which is estimated to cost $235 million, is slated for completion by 2020. The project is expected boost Cemex’s total capacity in the country by 26 percent.

Clark sees revenues hitting P980m in 2018 CLARK FREEPORT—Clark International Airport Corp. expects revenues to reach P980 million this year. CRK, considered as among busiest airports in the country with 440 domestic and international flights a week, can accomodate 7,000 passengers a day. Leases from concessionaires and other establishments, and aviation related businesses comprise most of CRK’s income. “As of Dec. 11, CRK has catered to a total of 2,440,957 passengers,” CRK said. Airlines ﬂying out of CRK includes Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, China Eastern, Royal Air, Cathay Dragon, Asiana Airlines, AirAsia, Jetstar, JimAir, Alphaland, Scoot and AirSWIFT. CIAC president and chief executive Jaime Alberto Melo noted that 90 aviation-related investors are operating in the Clark aviation complex from just 61 in 2017. The aviation complex includes the aerodrome and logistics facilities. Jess Malabanan

Slowing inflation may force BSP to cut rates in 2019 THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may opt to cut interest rates by the second quarter of 2019 if inflation continues to decelerate in the coming months, the local unit of Dutch financial giant ING Bank said Wednesday. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said in a report that with 2018 inflation driven largely by supply side pressures, headline inflation could follow a sharp decline next year, similar to that of 2008. He said food supply bottlenecks were being addressed by the government and oil prices were declining. “Should headline inflation continue to slide in coming months, growth slow to sub-6 percent levels in coming quarters and the Fed adopts a more dovish stance, then the likelihood that the BSP reverses its stance to easing by the second quarter of 2019 will have increased,” Mapa said. Inflation surged to 10.5 percent in 2008, more than double BSP’s then inflation target of 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent. Supply-side factors were also behind the breach (with peaks of 17.3 percent for food inflation, 15.6 percent for transport and 6.4 percent for utilities). Mapa said after peaking at 10.5 percent in August 2008, inflation quickly fell to 7.8 percent by December 2008 and to 1.7 percent by August 2009. “The BSP response in 2008 was to hike three times [cumulative: +100bp] in mid-2008 followed by a quick reversal in stance by fourth quarter of 2008, cutting reserves by 200bp in November and slashing policy rates by 50bp in December, with growth slowing to 2.9 percent,” he said. Julito G. Rada

MANAGEMENT MAN. Ayala Corp. chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala (center) receives the ‘MAP Management Man of the Year 2018’ Award at the awarding ceremony and annual general membership meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines. Zobel is recognized, among others, for helping steer the Ayala Group to being consistently ranked by the global investor community as among the best in the Philippines. With Zobel are (from left) Michael Toledo, managing director of MVP Group of Companies Media Bureau; Aurelio Montinola III, chair of MAP Management Man of the Year judging committee and chair of Far Eastern University; Ramoncito Fernandez, president of MAP and president and chief executive of Maynilad Water Services Inc.; and Marife Zamora, chair of MAP MMY Search Committee and chair of Convergys Philippines.

FastCat ferry operator secures P1.8-b loan from PNB ARCHIPELAGO Philippines Ferries Corp., the operator of FasCat ferries, on Wednesday signed a P1.8-billion loan agreement with Philippine National Bank for the construction of ﬁve new roll-on roll-off vessels. “With the construction and funding of these new vessels, FastCat is moving a step forward in modernizing the industry,” APFC president Christopher Pastrana said. “The addition of these new vessels will open up new routes, which will connect travellers and tourists to more diverse destinations in the country. It will boost trade among neighboring islands and support the local economy. The domestic farmers, ﬁshermen, craftsmen and various producers will

be able to transport their goods to far flung places faster and at a lower cost,” he said. The five new ferries are part of its modernization drive to complete its goal of operating 30 RoRo vessels by 2020. The newly designed ferries have incorporated enhanced features for added safety, power efficiency and comfort. Additionally, it uses solar power and has special amenities that are user friendly to the elderly and Persons with Disabilities. “We will start construction of their [PNB-funded] ship by first quarter next year. Delivery of those vessels will arrive 2020,” Pastrana said. “Right now we have 12 vessels in

the Philippines. We’re servicing the eastern and western part of the central corridor,” he said. “We’re looking at doubling up our routes in the Central Visayas and also tap Mindanao area. We want to open up the Tawi-Tawi-Basilan-Zamboanga area. And also there’s going to be a vessel in Davao to shorten land travel,” he said. Pastrana said the company would invest $240 million for the 30 RoRo vessels funded by Development Bank of the Philippines, BDO Unibank Inc., Land Bank of the Philippines, United Coconut Planters Bank, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Asia United Bank and PNB. Darwin G. Amojelar

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

ABS-CBN inaugurates two studios in Bulacan By Darwin G. Amojelar ABS-CBN Corp. on Wednesday inaugurated two Hollywood-style studios in Bulacan province in a bid to reduce costs and expand content output beyond the Philippines to foreign audiences. “We want to bring ABS-CBN content to the international stage, and having a state-of-the-art facility and a world-class production team is a big step for us towards that direction and dream,” ABS-CBN president and chief executive Carlo Katigbak said. The sound stages represent the beginning of a plan to establish a production hub that include sound stages, backlots, production and post production facilities and offices that will allow both ABS-CBN and Philippinebased productions to match production facilities found elsewhere in the world. In parallel with the construction work, the production and support teams for both TV and Feature Films began a three-year training program for the stages both in Hollywood and in the Philippines designed by Manhattan Beach Studios together with ABS-CBN Studios Inc. and ABS-CBN University. Covering all aspects of production, the courses involved over 150 people and were designed to ensure that production processes mirror the best practices in the world. ABS-CBN earlier said it aimed to save about 65 percent to 75 percent in shooting location costs with the construction of the new sound stage “What I’m most proud of about this project is that we’re creating Hollywood-level sound stages which puts us at par with the rest of the world,” ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez said. The project was the brainchild of ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio Lopez III, who saw that building the studios is the best way to keep in step with the world’s top entertainment companies, which shoot bigger percentages of their programs and films in sound stages and not in remote locations. Moreover, the sound stages also enable the company to manage production costs more efficiently. Phase 1 of the production hub includes two 1,500 sq. m. (16,000 sq. ft.) sound stages with a floor to grid height of 30 feet, a breezeway with dressing rooms and various support rooms and the technical facilities in aid of production. Sitting on 7.7 hectares, the facility includes a visitor’s center, parking facilities and various support buildings. The sound stages also boast of solar panels that help support the energy requirements of the whole facility. Work on the sound stages started as early as 2010 with various members of the executive and production teams visiting facilities in South Korea, Mexico, North America, Europe and Asia to understand the nuances of sound stage work. The project proper started in first quarter of 2014 with construction commencing May 2017.

Daiwa eyes financing for PH infra projects By Julito G. Rada DAIWA Securities Group Inc., Japan’s second largest investment bank, expressed interest to fund the Duterte administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure program and continue its support for the Philippines’ yen-denominated bond issuances in the Japanese market, the Finance Department said Wednesday. Top executives of Daiwa Securities led by chairman Takashi Hibino said in a meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that the bank “could be of help in terms of ﬁnancing” to further accelerate infrastructure investments in the second half of President Duterte’s administration. Hibino told Dominguez that Daiwa “is ready” for the Philippines’ next Samurai bond ﬂoat and advised the government to issue such bonds at least once a year―even in modest amounts―to reach more investors. Dominguez thanked Daiwa for its “in-

valuable” assistance that led to the Philippines’ successful return to the Japanese market in August with its Samurai bonds after an eight-year absence. The Philippines’ multi-tranche issue was the largest Samurai transaction in Asia at JPY 154.2 billion. The three-year tranche was priced 25 basis points above the benchmark, the 5-year at 35bps and the 10-year tranche at 60bps. It was the ﬁrst time in almost 20 years that the government issued Samurai bonds on a stand-alone basis. Dominguez told the Daiwa executives the Philippine government was looking forward to its partnership with Daiwa in future offshore transactions. He said the Duterte administration would further scale up its infrastructure program to continue stimulating the economy amid global uncertainties triggered by the escalating US-China trade tensions and the Federal Reserve’s move to normalize monetary policy through successive interest rate increases.

EARLY CHRISTMAS TREAT. The Alsons Power Group is donating 500 copies of ‘I Can Finally Read’ – a literacy teaching guide – to public elementary schools in communities around the group’s power plants in Iligan, Sarangani and Zamboanga City. The manual, authored by Julie Weygan-Aparato, will help the Mindanao-based teachers in building a community-based literacy program and raise the level of reading ability among the students. Alsons Power, Mindanao’s first and most experienced independent power producer, currently operates four power facilities providing electricity to around eight million people in 13 cities and eight provinces in Mindanao. Shown are Alsons Power Group executive vice president and chief executive Tirso Santillan (left) with Alsons Power Group head of external relations strategy Raul Redoblado with the book donation.

Business

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks climb; First Gen advances T HE stock market rose for the second straight day Wednesday, with investor sentiments lifted by good news on the ChinaUS trade talks.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 37.16 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,488.24 on a value turnover of P11.9 billion. Gainers beat losers, 98 to 85, with 44 issues unchanged. First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group climbed 3.8 percent to P19.30, while SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. advanced 2.7 percent to P945. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the late tycoon George Ty rose 1.6 percent to P940, but ISM Communications Corp., a member of the group declared by the

government as the country’s third major telecommunications firm, sank 8 percent to P5.72. The rest of Asian markets rallied Wednesday, while the pound extended losses as it emerged that Prime Minister Theresa May will face a no-confidence vote. A flurry of positive developments in the tariffs stand-off between the world’s top economies provided some early Christmas cheer on trading floors, fueling hopes they can avert an all-out trade war. Canada on Tuesday released on bail Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, whose arrest last week sparked fury in Beijing and worries about a truce agreed at the G20 by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping this month. Providing some extra support to the news of Meng’s release was an inter-

view in which Trump said he could intervene in the case if it helps seal a trade pact with China, adding: “Whatever’s good for this country, I would do.” China added to market-friendly noise by saying it had agreed to cut tariffs on US autos to 15 percent from 40 percent—wiping out a levy imposed earlier this year in response to US measures. Investors welcomed the headlines— despite news China had detained a former Canadian diplomat who served in Beijing—fuelling a surge in regional markets. Tokyo ended 2.2 percent higher and Shanghai ﬁnished up 0.3 percent, while Hong Kong jumped 1.6 percent. Sydney and Seoul each jumped 1.4 percent, while Taipei climbed 1.1 percent, Wellington put on 0.8 percent and Mumbai gained one percent. “Last week, events seemed to conspire to throw the truce into disarray, but

the underlying incentives of both sides at the moment are to try to maintain that truce,” said Freya Beamish, chief Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told Bloomberg News. “Now we are seeing the possibility that China will come through with reductions of tariffs on US autos, and that’s another good, concrete step.” Car ﬁrms across Asia tracked gains in their US counterparts as the China tariffs news lifted optimism in the auto market, with Hyundai 5.3 percent higher in Seoul while in Tokyo Toyota was up more than two percent and Mitsubishi added almost three percent. And energy ﬁrms were also well up after data showed a massive drop in US stockpiles, indicating a pick-up in demand to offset worries about a global supply glut that has hurt prices. Both main crude contracts were more than one percent higher. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

59 93.8 2.16 130.1 1.54 27.35 15.8 11.68 3.86 0.43 79.8 0.92 11.48 42.5 176 118.5 72.55 28.35 162.7 1,811 65

59 94.5 2.18 131.2 1.6 27.65 15.9 11.7 4.2 0.435 80.5 0.96 11.72 42.5 178 122 73 28.35 162.7 1,811 65.35

58.8 93.8 2.16 126.5 1.54 27 15.52 11.54 3.85 0.43 79.75 0.91 11.48 42.15 176 108.1 72 28.2 160.3 1,810 64.95

FINANCIALS 59 19,470 94.2 2,539,900 2.18 91,000 126.7 2,633,840 1.6 180,000 27 257,300 15.52 160,600 11.68 62,000 4.05 106,000 0.435 200,000 80.2 6,988,640 0.96 884,000 11.72 102,600 42.3 607,500 178 820 122 1,620 72.2 3,340 28.3 197,400 162 151,560 1,810 160 65 30,070

1,148,378 239,340,729 196,790 336,679,701 281,190 7,010,550 2,552,350 720,590 429,080 86,550 560,132,574.50 821,510 1,194,776 25,688,065 145,700 196,405 241,411.50 5,569,190 24,538,965 289,605 1,955,066.50

351,402 -5,791,190.50 -82,368,679 -627,575 -4,324 69,020,503.50 -114,800 2,344,220 3,520 93,265 1,706,025 -181,005 -1,675,504.50

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

32.65 17.26 1.05 1.24 0.25 1.66 14.86 30.95 37 1.76 6.7 6.75 10.18 14.7 8.06 7.05 18.64 64.8 24.6 2.16 6.05 8.92 1.73 296 4.29 26.8 10.02 18.38 377 0.177 5.89 1.39 3.91 8.23 5.5 8.25 0.91 11 47.7 5.51 4.8 1.85 1.47 10.4 83.1 5.21 129 2.5 1.69 17 1.86

33 17.28 1.08 1.27 0.255 1.68 15.3 31.95 37 1.76 6.7 6.75 10.34 14.7 8.15 7.05 19.3 65 24.6 2.33 6.1 9.3 1.73 296.6 4.3 27.25 10.26 18.48 382.4 0.177 5.89 1.39 3.98 8.25 5.6 8.29 1.03 11 47.8 5.51 4.8 1.89 1.47 10.5 83.9 5.26 129.9 2.5 1.76 17 1.88

32.2 16.3 1.05 1.23 0.25 1.61 14.84 30.95 37 1.75 6.4 6.75 10.18 14.6 8.06 6.97 18.64 64.65 24.05 2.13 6 8.92 1.7 292 4.29 26.8 10.02 18.08 373 0.177 5.88 1.32 3.87 8.1 5.39 8.25 0.91 10.82 47.6 5.22 4.7 1.8 1.34 10.36 82.5 5.2 128 2.5 1.69 17 1.77

INDUSTRIAL 32.5 789,100 17.08 675,700 1.06 6,319,000 1.23 1,249,000 0.255 1,030,000 1.63 3,792,000 14.9 593,200 31.65 71,000 37 1,000 1.76 79,000 6.45 82,300 6.75 2,200 10.3 1,304,400 14.68 317,500 8.12 54,700 7.03 10,649,800 19.3 4,510,300 64.85 210,360 24.05 710,600 2.33 20,477,000 6.1 60,000 9.21 1,188,000 1.73 61,000 294 1,701,840 4.3 70,000 27 1,250,000 10.24 116,700 18.3 11,086,200 382.4 192,640 0.177 10,000 5.88 8,500 1.32 45,000 3.98 19,000 8.17 1,804,700 5.54 498,200 8.29 6,300 0.98 35,329,000 10.82 7,900 47.6 134,900 5.22 13,200 4.8 19,000 1.89 292,000 1.42 90,000 10.36 22,300 82.5 398,720 5.26 163,400 128.5 2,121,690 2.5 10,000 1.76 7,118,000 17 500 1.78 11,801,000

25,678,720 11,471,736 6,706,530 1,542,390 258,550 6,213,230 8,814,402 2,209,100 37,000 138,750 533,158 14,850 13,429,546 4,656,402 443,032 74,758,201 86,298,426 13,630,314 17,089,985 46,016,730 362,535 10,829,988 103,940 499,699,802 300,500 33,749,490 1,191,198 203,108,566 73,196,030 1,770 49,994 61,900 74,050 14,708,266 2,731,394 52,015 34,719,310 86,120 6,437,915 68,962 90,200 545,550 122,620 231,520 33,013,060.50 853,084 273,069,378 25,000 12,349,480 8,500 21,399,470

-2,703,030 -1,297,158 32,860 -1,780,900 61,276 237,400 37,000 26,300 -6,593,508.00 -2,628,056 -80,635.00 -19,487,661 47,486,126 2,610,125.50 28,110 49,610 1,485,998 -105,860,398 26,499,305 -153,664 11,076,640 26,761,810 -16,560.00 -11,587,233 -19,103,540 -3,256,290 -15,660 -147,356 -3,272,550.50 52,234,688 202,070 -8,500 -105,550

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

0.6 51.9 11.82 0.84 6.52 26.5 1.35 1.35 936 7.2 12.5 9.9 5.09 0.202 930 50.7 0.57 4.07 16.7 0.65 4.79 0.037 2.37 2.6 157 921 1.27 457 280 0.25

0.64 53.9 12.02 0.84 6.52 26.8 1.43 1.43 937 7.4 12.86 10.02 5.1 0.202 940 52.4 0.57 4.18 16.9 0.66 4.83 0.037 2.37 2.6 158.3 945 1.29 457 280 0.255

0.59 51 11.8 0.81 6.52 24.75 1.35 1.35 922.5 7.01 12.44 9.82 5.09 0.202 926 50 0.54 4.06 16.58 0.59 4.73 0.036 2.3 2.6 154.2 915 1.27 447.2 280 0.246

HOLDING FIRMS 0.64 27,237,000 53.9 297,860 11.9 17,351,700 0.82 23,000 6.52 59,800 25 213,200 1.43 12,419,000 1.43 3,493,000 925 173,100 7.4 996,200 12.78 4,113,000 9.99 24,372,800 5.1 2,900 0.202 20,000 940 91,150 52.4 981,370 0.56 52,000 4.18 835,000 16.64 3,030,600 0.62 1,899,000 4.77 17,298,000 0.036 20,600,000 2.36 701,000 2.6 80,000 154.5 739,490 945 282,050 1.29 42,000 447.4 100 280 120,700 0.247 2,400,000

16,838,260 15,946,652.50 206,369,006 18,860 389,896 5,358,385 17,512,590 4,912,350 160,264,885 7,186,508 51,723,966 241,322,928 14,771 4,040 85,557,060 50,543,626.50 28,490 3,423,970 50,852,150 1,162,940 82,541,380 742,200 1,641,780 208,000 114,738,443 261,742,730 53,490 45,022 33,796,000 594,890

926,590 7,661,556.50 -36,639,704 840 49,552 -41,400 -74,401,615 3,384,145 10,020,190 39,499,800 -9,611,465.50 610,420 972,332 -102,230 -12,817,210 36,000.00 23,600 -87,110,004 38,145,525 196,000 -

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

7.74 0.76 10.4 1.9 0.57 41.9 2.49 4 5.92 0.4 0.85 0.85 0.245 0.33 8 17.56 0.49 0.105 1.45 1.07 4.78 0.4 2.44 0.38 3.6

7.74 0.77 10.4 1.9 0.58 42.2 2.49 4.01 6 0.41 0.85 0.88 0.25 0.37 8.07 17.72 0.49 0.115 1.46 1.07 4.82 0.41 2.56 0.38 3.6

7.73 0.75 10.4 1.75 0.55 41.35 2.35 3.94 5.9 0.4 0.85 0.85 0.245 0.33 8 17.52 0.48 0.105 1.42 1.04 4.76 0.395 2.4 0.375 3.54

827,973 480,380 16,640 60,020 873,320 611,771,375 8,079,390 874,030 1,570,272 274,100 85,000 184,410 872,950 1,542,650 731,950 2,778,038 194,000 6,400 27,308,140 2,335,920 74,028,770 7,850,800 108,296,160 192,750 8,162,790

50,310 -79,595,330 -5,255,640 -399,640 1,533,592 -25,150 685,550 177,450 1,108,548.00 -97,000 -12,892,250 6,598,950 -19,900 -33,825,380 -7,160

NAME

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

37.85 20.95 2.01 3.08 35.5 1.26 5.4 0.73 5.18

37.9 21.7 2.01 3.12 35.8 1.26 5.4 0.73 5.2

36 20.65 1.95 3.08 35.15 1.22 5.24 0.72 5.18

36 20.65 2.01 3.09 35.7 1.26 5.34 0.72 5.2

5,400 2,022,900 136,000 60,000 33,119,000 818,000 270,800 300,000 3,241,300

202,330 42,295,795 266,530 185,860 1,179,837,475 1,024,680 1,434,884 216,180 16,837,092

14,845,905 -82,940 65,441,165 -9,871,749

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

11.26 19.32 1.56 0.43 0.04 13 3.01 8.02 72.85 6.77 19.48 2,012 5.28 314.2 3.05 1.9 94.4 7.2 0.11 6.3 14.4 3.41 0.75 14.2 5.25 2.22 2.15 2.34 17.98 3.41 10 8.25 3.35 114.4 3.08 1,140 0.85 0.315 42.6 75 7.15 2.44 0.63 0.42 5.27 0.64 11.82

16.64 19.66 1.58 0.43 0.041 13 3.08 8.06 73.75 6.83 19.52 2,046 5.3 325 3.07 1.9 95.9 7.2 0.114 6.42 14.6 3.43 0.75 14.38 5.5 2.27 2.2 2.34 17.98 3.41 10 8.25 3.49 114.4 3.09 1,154 0.85 0.32 42.7 75.3 7.65 2.44 0.64 0.42 5.29 0.66 12.1

11.26 19.32 1.46 0.41 0.039 13 2.95 8 72.85 6.6 18.5 1,948 5.27 314.2 2.99 1.8 93.9 7.2 0.11 5.7 14.4 3.3 0.74 14.12 5.25 2.19 2.07 2.34 17.5 3.2 10 8.25 3.35 111.7 3.02 1,139 0.81 0.31 42.5 74.05 7.15 2.33 0.6 0.405 5.24 0.63 11.82

SERVICES 16.64 19.6 1.55 0.41 0.039 13 3.04 8.02 73.15 6.61 18.5 1,970 5.3 325 3.05 1.9 95.05 7.2 0.113 5.72 14.6 3.34 0.74 14.2 5.47 2.2 2.14 2.34 17.78 3.25 10 8.25 3.49 113 3.02 1,140 0.82 0.32 42.65 75 7.65 2.38 0.63 0.41 5.26 0.66 11.88

3,087,200 41,400 3,595,000 950,000 1,500,000 1,800 8,403,000 2,899,800 86,590 2,203,100 544,100 54,435 38,500 1,060 936,000 48,000 9,263,370 11,000 5,610,000 33,437,800 9,500 809,000 21,000 108,500 102,800 4,728,000 668,000 1,000 800 2,461,000 200 1,600 4,000 154,090 477,000 63,570 7,555,000 520,000 2,032,500 157,660 128,800 3,189,000 16,447,000 11,330,000 522,800 1,394,000 464,800

45,514,392 810,776 5,674,360 394,950 59,800 23,400 25,267,190 23,244,077 6,331,546.50 14,772,122 10,281,088 107,646,170 203,335 344,374 2,842,090 91,100 882,091,869 79,200 631,010 201,856,990 137,320 2,691,330 15,710 1,542,660 549,212 10,435,950 1,410,430 2,340 14,218 8,089,540 2,000 13,200 13,680 17,561,020 1,449,700 72,602,425 6,276,740 163,650 86,694,200 11,809,864.50 983,460 7,573,900 10,130,930 4,619,950 2,746,478 896,590 5,544,714

-455,990 41,500 23,400 -204,850 4,083,287 -150,064.00 290,700 -15,038 5,821,630 30,650 -724,421,360.50 -33,900 -5,963,481 14,600 -1,432 1,062 3,717,890 -164,250 1,000 -19,932 -279,280 -17,754,730 -146,840 -18,633,705 -5,236,174.00 -189,460 -1,881,630 180,400 -1,134,102 952,662

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

0.0021 1.59 15.6 1.93 7.01 1.69 0.205 0.101 0.109 1.07 2.16 1.11 0.6 0.97 0.012 0.012 3.39 2.67 15.4 24.55 0.0063

0.0021 1.61 16.6 1.97 7.02 1.69 0.206 0.104 0.11 1.27 2.23 1.13 0.62 0.98 0.013 0.012 3.39 2.68 16 24.7 0.0064

0.002 1.57 15 1.93 7 1.65 0.203 0.101 0.109 1.07 2.16 1.07 0.6 0.93 0.012 0.012 3.15 2.66 15.4 24.5 0.006

MINING & OIL 0.002 209,000,000 1.58 3,299,000 15.02 23,300 1.97 574,000 7 800 1.69 795,000 0.203 40,000 0.102 2,100,000 0.11 110,000 1.25 52,000 2.21 3,641,000 1.1 30,000 0.62 62,000 0.95 724,000 0.012 113,800,000 0.012 13,200,000 3.15 94,000 2.66 1,308,000 15.78 872,300 24.5 1,265,500 0.0063 9,000,000

418,200 5,244,510 357,010 1,120,010 5,606 1,331,110 8,170 214,340 12,000 62,490 8,019,820 32,820 38,300 688,620 1,366,100 158,400 297,470 3,492,560 13,727,456 31,058,750 55,700

-9,750 51,830 2,408,080 27,550 -1,336,346 -27,130,655 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G

18.7 475 98.9 475 5.22 870 894.5 1.02 99 990 1,000 103 75.9 76.6 74 73 74.5

18.7 490 99 475 5.22 934.5 894.5 1.02 99 990 1,000 103 75.9 76.6 74 73.95 75

18.5 475 98.9 475 5.22 870 894.5 1.02 98.5 990 1,000 103 75.9 76.2 73.95 72.35 74.5

PREFERRED 18.54 16,300 490 11,300 99 1,580 475 2,020 5.22 128,100 934.5 1,300 894.5 40 1.02 1,000 98.5 57,590 990 20 1,000 60 103 50 75.9 200 76.2 135,070 73.95 8,500 73.95 19,630 75 1,500

303,942 5,474,800 156,362 959,500 668,682 1,143,900 35,780 1,020 5,672,715 19,800 60,000 5,150 15,180 10,296,150 628,825 1,435,308.50 111,805

-285,442 658,242 4,925 38,150 -

LR WARRANT

1.9

WARRANTS 1.9 627,000

1,210,240

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.4 1.23

4.6 1.27

4.3 1.23

4.58 1.24

2,471,760 2,214,720

-57,010 -184,500

FIRST METRO ETF

111

111.5

110.5

400,279

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.1 1.01

10 1.01

16,003 80.8

PROPERTY 7.74 0.77 10.4 1.87 0.57 41.8 2.35 4 6 0.405 0.85 0.88 0.249 0.36 8 17.56 0.48 0.115 1.42 1.05 4.8 0.41 2.48 0.375 3.55

107,000 637,000 1,600 32,000 1,555,000 14,689,900 3,395,000 219,000 261,800 680,000 100,000 213,000 3,550,000 4,320,000 91,200 157,900 400,000 60,000 19,046,000 2,220,000 15,454,000 19,480,000 43,368,000 510,000 2,290,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

15,468,322

INDUSTRIAL

169,445,672

HOLDING FIRMS

140,464,298

PROPERTY

174,918,543

SERVICES

127,394,649

MINING & OIL

360,002,361

GRAND TOTAL

990,026,356

SME

554,000 1,772,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 111.3 3,600 10 1.01

DDS

1,600 80

VALUE 1,765.59 (down) 10.07 1,241,786,592.01 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,839.79 (up) 13.68 5,019,722,418.736 HOLDING FIRMS 7,405.04 (up) 129.24 1,760,621,703.73 PROPERTY 3,662.56 (down) 5.06 1,397.49 (down) 3.58 2,186,766,721.99 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,353.16 (up) 42.00 1,622,739,932.45 PSEI 7,488.24 (up) 37.16 67,720,469.72 All Shares Index 4,494.55 (up) 15.82 11,904,455,416.52 Gainers: 98; Losers: 85; Unchanged: 44; Total: 227

Aboitiz Equity announces key appointments By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc., which is into power generation and distribution, banking, food and infrastructure, announced key appointments that will take effect in 2020. AEV said the board approved the retirement of president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz by January 1, 2020, but he will continue as director of AEV. Sabin Aboitiz will replace him as president and CEO. Enrique Aboitiz was appointed as chairman of the board from his previous post as vice chairman, while Mikel Aboitiz was named vice chairman from his previous post as director effective December 11. AEV also appointed Ana Maria Delgado as director effective December 11. Delgado was named director to serve the unexpired term of Jon Ramon Aboitiz, who passed away recently. Delgado holds the position of senior vice president, center head of consumer finance and chief customer experience officer of Union Bank of the Philippines. The board, meanwhile, approved the transfer of Horacio Elicano to the company’s Gold Coin Group, and the cessation of his function as the company’s data privacy officer effective February 1, 2019. The board also appointed Ricardo Lacson Jr. as the company’s data privacy officer effective February 1, 2019. Lacson was appointed vice president for strategy of AEV in June 2014. Prior to joining AEV, he was the vice president for administration and customer services at the Visayan Electric Co. from August 2009 to May 2014. AEV posted a net income of P17.3 billion in the first nine months, up nine percent from from P15.9 billion yearon-year. Its core net income stood at P17.7 billion, up four percent from P17.1 billion a year ago. AEV attributed the higher income to the company’s power, food and land strategic business units. Power accounted for 72 percent of the income contributions from AEV’s SBUs, followed by banking and financial services, food, land and infrastructure at 17 percent, eight percent, two percent, and one percent, respectively. AEV is the public holding company of the Aboitiz Group with major investments in power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure and land.

SEC approves capital hike of Uy’s resort firm By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved a change in the corporate name of Philippine H2O Ventures Corp. to PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc., which will be the resort and gaming company of businessman Dennis Uy. Philippine H2O said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the SEC also approved an increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P8 billion from P500 million. The corporate regulator also approved the change in the primary purpose of the company to engage in the hotel or gaming and entertainment business. “These amendments will enable the corporation to pursue a new line of business as a result of the recent change in majority ownership of the corporation,” Philippine H2O said. Upon issuance of the shares that were subscribed in the increase of its authorized capital stock, the company will maintain a minimum public float of at least 10 percent. It will also issue shares to other unaffiliated and unrelated shareholders of the company. Uy earlier said it planned to put up two casino ventures under PH Resorts. PH Resorts’ portfolio includes two integrated resort and casino projects, one in Mactan, Cebu, and another one in Clark, Pampanga. Uy is currently building a $300-million casino project on a 12-hectare lot in Cebu called Lapu-Lapu Leisure Mactan. It is finalising plans for a second casino in the 177-hectare Clark Global City within the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. The project is slated for completion by 2022. Philippine H20 in August filed with the SEC an application to sell up to 2.054 billion in common shares with an indicative offer price of up to P9 apiece to raise as much as P18.48 billion in proceeds and finance the construction of the two casinos,

World

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump’s ex-lawyer Cohen faces hour of truth in probe

WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE. Pope Francis greets the faithful, taking photos with their mobile phone, as he arrives for the weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. AFP

IN BRIEF Texas executes killer of newlyweds CHICAGO―The southern US state of Texas executed a convicted killer and rapist Tuesday over a 1993 attack on a newlywed couple. Alvin Braziel, 43, died by lethal injection at the Texas state prison in Huntsville. He was convicted in 2001 of attacking Douglas and Lora White, who had been married just 10 days. The couple were walking on a trail in the Dallas suburbs when Braziel, aged 18 at the time, attempted to rob them at gunpoint. When they said they did not have any money, Braziel shot Douglas White, 27, and raped Lora White, 23. His lawyers ﬁled no ﬁnal appeals, but had previously challenged the death sentence on grounds that his history of mental illness and suffering abuse had not been considered as mitigating factors. Braziel’s crime remained unsolved for years until his DNA was tested in 2001 while he was serving a sentence for another sexual assault. It matched the samples taken following Lora White’s assault. AFP

Brazilian airline declares bankruptcy

SAO PAULO―Cash-strapped Avianca Brasil, the country’s fourth-largest airline, on Tuesday sought bankruptcy protection from creditors but reassured passengers that flights will continue. “Due to resistance from the lessors [of their aircraft] to reaching a friendly settlement, we have filed seeking protection from creditors, to protect clients and passengers,” a company statement said. Operations are not expected to be affected and “passengers can have complete peace of mind to make reservations and buy tickets, since all sales will be honored and flights will be operating,” it said. The airline has debts of almost 493 million reais ($127 million) with multiple creditors, the business daily Valor reported. Avianca Brasil, a brand of Oceanair Linhas Aereas SA (Oceanair), is not part of the group Avianca Holdings S.A, based in Colombia. But both are parts of a holding company led by the same investor, German Efromovich. Brazilian media said the carrier is in debt to creditors including state oil giant Petrobras and Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport. AFP

NEW YORK―The hour of judgment has come for Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, who will learn Wednesday if cooperating with the authorities conducting the Russia probe will spare him a long prison term. Cohen, 52, is one of several members of Trump’s team who have run afoul of the law but the only one to belong to Trump’s inner circle. For 12 years he was vice president of The Trump Organization, the umbrella company for Trump’s real estate businesses, and one of the principal confidants of the New York billionaire. Cohen accompanied Trump throughout a political ascension which he encouraged, but now has made a spectacular flip. After investigators raided his offices and New York home in April, he made his confessions. In August, Cohen admitted to having hidden from tax authorities about $4 million in revenue from his taxi companies. He also admitted to paying a total of $280,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who threatened to go public during the 2016 presidential campaign about their alleged affairs with Trump.

Last month Cohen acknowledged that he lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia about building a Trump Tower in Moscow. These confessions transformed him into enemy number one for the American president, who is trying to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. According to Cohen, Trump asked for the payments to the two women, but Trump has dismissed the allegations as lies. According to Trump, those “lies” aim to get lenient treatment for Cohen from Judge William Pauley, who will preside over Cohen’s sentencing from 11:00 am (1500 GMT). As the Democrats prepare to take control of the House of Representatives in January and Trump’s opponents search for ways to neutralize or shorten his presidency, Cohen has become an anti-hero. All his appearances and statements are considered potentially explosive and the Manhattan courtroom is likely to be crowded for his expected act of contrition. AFP

Strasbourg gunman on the run May faces S angry MPs with Brexit deal in limbo

LONDON―Prime Minister Theresa May faces an angry parliament Wednesday after delaying a key vote on her Brexit deal in a desperate move that leaves the agreement and her own future in limbo. The British leader toured European capitals on Tuesday in an attempt to salvage the deal, after MPs savaged its provisions on the issue of the Irish border. May said she wanted “assurances” from EU leaders that if Britain ever entered the so-called “backstop” arrangement for the border, this would only be “temporary”. But she also said it was “the best deal available”, adding: “There’s no deal available that doesn’t have a backstop”. She received sympathy from EU partners but ﬁrm rejections of any attempt to reopen the agreement, which was approved by EU leaders last month following tortuous negotiations. “There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there is room, if used intelligently, to give further clariﬁcation,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said ahead of talks with May on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was “no way to change” the deal after meeting May. Meanwhile EU President Donald Tusk said bloc leaders wanted to help the prime minister but added: “The question is how”. May on Monday told MPs she was postponing a critical vote on the deal scheduled for Tuesday, admitting that it faced rejection and promising to consult EU leaders in an effort to get additional reassurances on the backstop. She has said the vote will now be held before January 21. AFP

TRASBOURG―A gunman killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday before ﬂeeing the scene, authorities said.

A manhunt was under way after the killer opened fire at around 8pm (1900 GMT) on one of the city’s busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Ear-

lier Mayor Roland Ries had given a toll of “four dead and a dozen wounded”. Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to “emergency attack” with “the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat” attack. The gunman has been identiﬁed and was on a watch list of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. France’s security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. “I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium,” one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. “People were running everywhere.” He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few meters from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of po-

lice vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the “capital of Christmas.” “We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running,” one witness told AFP, asking not to be named. “One of them fell down, I don’t know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit,” the witness said. President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with cabinet ofﬁcials in Paris shortly after midnight. Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city, whose name was given as Cherif, and who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Several areas neighboring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. AFP

Thousands fleeing bombs, hunger AL-HOL, Suyia—Faraj was born in the pouring rain on a nondescript stretch of desert road in eastern Syria as his family fled escalating fighting over the Islamic State group’s last bastion. His family was part of a group of around 200 civilians who managed to escape from a pocket of territory in Deir Ezzor province that is still held by the jihadists. “I had to resist hunger, cold and rain,” the newborn’s mother Kamela Fadel tells AFP in a camp for displaced people in the northeastern region of Al-Hol. The young woman, her husband and their four children now sleep under white tents, with hundreds of other people who fled eastern flash points in past weeks. They are huddled on straw mats laid out directly on the gravelly earth, wrapped in blankets and hugging bags packed with their meagre belongings. A nurse helps an elderly lady to the camp clinic as children play at scaling piles of foam mattresses and families sit

cross-legged, eating from tin cans. It is still cold in the vast tent but at least they are sheltered from the rain. They walked for several days in the winter weather before being met last week by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling IS in Deir Ezzor. “It was hunger that prompted us to leave, there was nothing left to eat,” says Kamela’s husband, still sporting the thick beard the jihadists impose on all adult men. He and his family were living in AlShaafa, one of the last villages, together with Sousa and Hajin, that are still under the control of IS. The SDF, with the support of air strikes by the US-led coalition against IS, launched a major operation against the last rump of the jihadists’ moribund “caliphate” in September this year. The jihadists hunkering down in their Euphrates Valley heartland have offered stiff resistance, thwarting coalition hopes of a quick victory. AFP

SEARCH FOR THE GUNMAN. Members of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade-Brigades de recherche et d’intervention) conduct searches on December 12, 2018, for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, the night before. -Hundreds of security forces were deployed in the hunt for a lone gunman who killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in Strasbourg, with the French government raising the security alert level and reinforcing border controls. AFP

Huawei executive gets bail in case rattling China ties VANCOUVER―A Canadian court granted bail on Tuesday to a top Chinese telecoms company executive wanted in the United States in a case that has rattled the relations between China and the North American allies. The conditional release of Meng Wanzhou, the chief ﬁnancial ofﬁcer of Hua-

wei, came hours after the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing further stoked tensions. Meng, who faces a US extradition bid on charges related to alleged violations of Iran sanctions, was granted Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail, ordered to surrender her passport and will be

subjected to electronic monitoring. “The risk of [Meng’s] non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing the bail conditions proposed by her counsel,” a judge in Vancouver said, prompting the courtroom packed with her supporters to erupt in cheers. AFP

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

IN BRIEF Belmonte to women: stand up to harassers QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday advised women to stand up against any forms of harassment, violence and abuse, and not to hesitate reporting such any incident to authorities. “Speak up. Do not be afraid nor be ashamed to report because the city government is here to provide any kind of assistance to punish the perpetrator and serve justice,” she said. Last April, the vice mayor batted for the use of the gender and development budget to create more women and children help desk and protection centers in the barangays and police stations. “Regardless of gender, women, men and members of our LGBT community have to be respected. We must also all be made to feel safe in public places,” she said. Rio N. Araja

DOH-Calabarzon opens 2nd ‘Botika’ THE Department of Health in Calabarzon yesterday opened the second Botika ng Bayan marked by the signing of the memorandum of agreement by the regional office and the local government of Mauban, Quezon held at the municipal hall. The first BnB launched was launched at the municipality of San Pascual in Laguna. CALABARZON is the sixth region that began implementing the BnB program in partnership with the local government units. “The establishment of BnB is included in the Universal Health Care. We are just moving forward to realize our programs to immediately give help for the health of our countrymen,” said DOH Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo. “Like what President Duterte said, let us not further burden the sick especially in looking and buying their medicines and to address their needs for maintenance medicines. Because we can get all these medicines from the Botika ng Bayan. Only the doctor’s prescription is needed,” he emphasized. Macon Ramos-Araneta

TESDA, FCF train women in sewing QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in partnership with the FCF Minerals Corp. here recently provided free training to improve the sewing skills of women in this town. Ian Moller, FCF country manager and acting general manager for operations, said the 12-day free training on sewing was offered for 21 women sewers from barangays Darubba and Runruno. “The recipients were recently given pre-qualification questionnaires and passed it before they were given the training,” he said. Moller said the participants learned the whole process of garment production “from A to Z.” Ben Moses Ebreo

ARCH MARKER. Pagsanjan Mayor Maita Ejecito (second from right) holds a certificate after leading officials in unveiling the marker on the 138-year-old town arch denoted as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Commission on Dec. 6. The event coincided with the Laguna town’s 350th Foundation Day celebration. With the mayor are NHC Deputy Executive Director Veronica Dado, Department of Tourism Regional Director Marites Castro, Pagsanjan Councilor John Paul Jet Ejercito, Councilor Januario Garcia, Municipal Administrator Florante Salvador, Tourism Officer Mansly Kimhoko, and former Laguna governor Emilio Ramon Ejercito (inset right). Roy Tomandao

Bishop praises return of 3 bells By Ronald O. Reyes

HE bishop of the diocese that includes Balangiga, Eastern Samar said the return of its historic bells was an early Christmas gift that showed “God’s great favor to our local church and, by extension, to our country.” “After years of waiting and uncertainty, this season of Advent, the season of waiting, is yielding us an early Christmas gift―the return of the Bells of Balangiga,” Bishop Crispin Varquez said Tuesday as the bells arrived in the Philippines from the United States via Okinawa in Japan. The bells were taken as war booty by American forces 117 years ago after the infamous Balangiga Massacre. They were returned by the US after a forceful demand from President Rodrigo Duterte and the backing of American war veterans who lobbied the administration of US President Donald Trump to repatriate the church ringers. The refurbished bells were airlifted from the American military base in Okinawa to the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tuesday. It will be brought to Balangiga in Eastern Sa-

mar on Dec. 15. “During a time of war the bells were taken from the Parish of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Balangiga. They are being brought back during the season of hope and peace. This is only right because the bells are instruments of prayer and worship, sources of true hope and peace,” Varquez added. In his pastoral statement, the bishop urged the parishioners that they “must not deny the tragic events of war that occasioned the misuse of the bells by the warring parties. “We must express sincere sorrow and repentance for the sins committed leading to the loss of lives and the destruction of homes and properties. But we must also forgive. We must seek reconciliation not because it is politically correct but because it is the demand of the Gospel,” he said.

By Brenda Jocson

RAYMOND DELGADO, Petitoner, CIVIL CASE: NO. R-PSY-17-27578-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage Under Article 36 of the Family Code -versusARIANNE DACAYO DELGADO, Respondent. x-----------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION MS. ARIANNE DACAYO DELGADO 2995 H. Santos St., Barangay Carmona Makati City

GREETINGS: You are hereby directed to enter your appearance in the above entitled case within thirty (30) days from the last issue of publication hereof in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks and answer the Petition filed by petitioner Raymond Delgado wherein he prays that judgment be rendered declaring the marriage between petitioner and respondent null and void ab initio on the ground of psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code and furnish a copy thereof to petitioner’s counsel, Atty. Jose Doma De Leon with address at 4/F, Citystate Centre 709 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City. If you fail to answer within the time fixed as per the Rules of Court, the petitioner will take judgment against you and demand from this court the relief applied in this petition. Moreover, you are reminded of the provision of the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy guidelines dated March 12, 2002, to observe restraint in filing a Motion to Dismiss and instead allege the ground thereof as defenses in the answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the Court shall order the Public Prosecutor to investigate whether or not collusion exist between the parties and intervene for the state to see to it that the evidence presented is not fabricated or suppressed. Witness the HON. JEHAN B. SAMPAOHASSIMAN, Acting Presiding Judge, this 10th day of October 2018.

(Sgd.) Atty. Lei S. Tungpalan Legal Researcher/Officer-in-Charge (MStandard-Dec. 13 & 20, 2018)

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY―The Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has become the country’s fifth region to have completely uploaded online its list of public and privately-run basic schools. ARMM DepEd Secretary Rasol Mitmug Jr. said a total of 2,706 names of public and private schools and their identification serials for elementary and secondary levels have been uploaded with the Basic Education Information System of the Philippine Master List of Schools. The ARMM, composed of Basilan, Lanao Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, including the cities of Marawi and Lamitan, will cease to exist, once a plebiscite in January held in these territories ratifies Republic Act 11054, the Bangsamoro Basic Law, for the creation of a Bangsamoro ARMM. Topping the list of uploaded basic schools with 100 percent validation of names and school IDs are: 90 elementary and secondary schools in Basilan; 61 in Isabela City (Basilan); 368 in Maguindanao (District I); 343 in Maguindanao (District II); and 95 in Marawi City. Sulu has had 468 or 98.11 percent validated out of 477 schools names and IDs uploaded into the BEIS master list of schools. DepEd Region XII (South-Central Mindanao) topped the BEIS uploading compliance; followed by Region X (Northern Mindanao); Region VI (Western Visayas), Region 1 (Ilocos Region) and ARMM DepEd in that order. Mitmug said validation works have been relatively slow in three other districts owing to some factors, including hard access to school sites and peace and order issues, like the two districts of Lanao Sur where only 10 schools were validated as of December 7 out of 452 uploaded; and in another district where only 21 validated out of 414 schools names and IDs uploaded.

Top SBMA workers for 2018 lauded By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Twelve employees from various companies in this premier free port made it to the list of the 10 Outstanding Freeport Workers for 2018, joining the growing body of awardees who made their mark in their respective workplaces year after year. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, along with other SBMA officials, presented the awards during a recent recognition ceremony at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here. “It never fails to amaze me how we have gone such a long way,” Eisma said in her message, referring to the 26 years that the Subic Freeport existed and recalling the services of the more than 8,000 volunteers who helped establish Subic during its infancy. “We are honoring 12 outstanding Free port workers today and it only shows that excellence and malasakit continue to live with us here,” Eisma added.

SN Aboitiz units gain safety awards

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 109, PASAY CITY

TO:

About 50 American soldiers died when the villagers of Balangiga rose up against the Americans on the morning of September 28, 1901 upon the signal of the church bells that brought the single worst defeat to the Americans during the PhilippineAmerican War. When the Americans retaliated, an estimated 2,000 people died through the “kill and burn” order of US General Jacob Smith, reducing the Samar island into a “howling wilderness.” “Rightly used, the bells call us to pray and worship our God and Father through our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Prayer and worship express but also deepen our faith, hope and charity. We ring the bells before and during our highest act of prayer and worship―the Holy Eucharist,” Varquez said. “We ring the bells to signal community acts and to alarm the same community of impending emergencies. In a word, the bells bridge us to God and to one another. The bells are an integral part and parcel of our life in Christ in the community,” the bishop added. US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said the return of the bells “demonstrates our determination to honor the past and the sacrifices made together by Filipinos and Americans.”

DepEd-ARMM uploads list of region’s schools

FILM FESTIVAL. Renowned director Brillante Mendoza speaks at the launching of his eponymous film festival for students from San Mateo Municipal College at SM City San Mateo in Rizal. Manny Palmero

36 fiberglass boats for La Union fishers SIX coastal towns in the Second District of La Union province have received the first 36 fiberglassreinforced plastic boats from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources upon the request of Rep. Sandra Y. Eriguel. The 36 boats delivered as of August 2018 represent the first batch of the 220 fiberglass boats requested by Eriguel for marginal fisherfolk of La Union’s Second District. Fiberglass boats are considered better and safer fishing boats than typical wooden units because of their sturdy materials that are designed to survive

rough seas. “The provision of these boats would improve the socio-economic conditions of our underprivileged constituents in these coastal communities who rely on fishing for their livelihood,” Eriguel said in her letter to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol through Undersecretary and BFAR National Director Eduardo B. Gongona. BFAR Region 1 Director Lilibeth L. Signey said that of the 220 fiberglass boats that Congresswoman Eriguel requested, the agency has awarded 36 units to the municipalities of Bauang, Caba, Aringay, Agoo, Sto. Tomas, and Rosario.

THE Safety and Health Association of the Philippines Energy Sector Inc. in partnership with the Department of Energy declared renewable energy producers SN Aboitiz Power as Hall of Famers for the 2018 Corporate Safety and Health Excellence Awards. SHAPES said this is to recognize SNAP-Benguet and SNAP-Magat for their exemplary occupational health and safety performance for three consecutive years from 2016-2018. The Ambuklao and Binga Hydroelectric Power Plants of SNAP-Benguet jointly have more than 3.79-million man hours of having no lost time incident, while Magat HEPP of SNAP-Magat recorded nearly 1.18-million manhours with no lost time incident.

The awarding ceremony was held during the 14th Energy Safety and Health Conference at the University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City Campus on Dec. 6. Several SNAP safety professionals were also feted for being instrumental in implementing safety and health policies that helped the company attain zero lost time accident. Eliseo Rey Ingles, Jillann Jacinto, Cheryl Ragsac, and Rachelle Anne Severo were awarded as 2018 Outstanding Safety and Health Professionals. Meanwhile, Clifford Dailay, Hollis Fernandez, Jessie Palma, and Cesar Vicente were recognized as the 2018 Hall of Famer Professional Awards for achieving the Outstanding Safety and Health Professional Awards for three straight years.

SNAP AWARD. Department of Energy Director Mario Marasigan (left) confers the

corporate and individual SHAPES Safety and Health Awards 2018 to SNAP-Benguet and SNAP-Magat representatives led by SNAP vice president and chief technology officer engineer. Emmanuel Lopez (sixth from left) in a ceremony held during the 14th Energy Safety and Health Conference at the University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City Campus on Dec. 6. Brenda Jocson

Life

bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @mstandardLIFe

household

thursday, december 13, 2018

LESS CLUTTER, MORE SPACE.

Homeowners can expand their living spaces by storing items not used regularly, collectibles, and other objects in a safe storage space—much like how a young couple made room for their baby.

Making room for the best

Christmas gift r

room townhouse just a short drive from OSaLie BaUTiSTa is staring at the little infant Jesus asleep in the manger. She has just put up the holiday décor in their workplaces. The couple had turned the second their home, and it’s starting to truly feel like Christmas. bedroom into a storage space where

rosalie and robert had waited five The heirloom belen is atop a side table, the gaily trimmed Christmas tree years for their first baby, spending their first few years of married life saving stands tall in one corner, a beautiful holiday wreath hangs on the front door, and, beside it, a four-foot Santa Claus stands watch in the living room. Dozens of garlands and silver Christmas lights have turned the place into a child’s holiday wonderland. it is what rosalie and her husband robert have always imagined Christmas at their home is going to be. But this year is extra special, because in a few weeks they will welcome When the holiday season is their first baby, a boy over, put Christmas decorations in a self-storage they decided to name facility instead of using up precious space in the house. Mikhail, which means up for when they decided to start a family. “gift from god.” During those earlier years they also “Mikhail, after all, is the best gift we would ever receive on this most enjoyed traveling, spending time with blessed season,” enthused the 35-year- old friends, and shopping for stuff for their home—a modest-sized, two-bedold mom-to-be.

they stashed most of their wedding gifts, old books, mementos, and other collectibles. They had also gradually filled it with several new acquisitions from shopping trips, here and abroad. “The clutter simply accumulated through the years,” said rosalie. But when they found out that they were having a baby, they converted the room into a nursery and immediately looked for a space to place the horde of items previously stored in the said room. “That’s when robert and i did some research online and learned about this concept of ‘selfstorage.’ apparently, the practice of storing one’s belongings in a safe and secured facility outside your home has been around in the US for quite some time now,” she shared. rosalie and robert discovered Loc&Stor 24/7, a self-storage facility in Metro Manila. That very same weekend, the couple checked out its facility in Pasig.

Self-storage facility Loc&Stor 24/7 is conveniently located at flood-free areas in Pasig and Makati.

The storage facility offers units ranging from 1.5-square-meter lockers that can fit eight balikbayan boxes to 18-square-meter jumbo units that can accommodate the contents of a 40-foot container.

During their visit, the couple personally inspected the facility, and they were immediately impressed with its security features, the convenience it offers, the cleanliness of its premises, as well as the professional customer service. “right there and then, we knew that we’d found the answer to our prayers and the space we needed for our peace of mind,” shared rosalie. The old storage room in their home

has been transformed into a nursery room with pastel-colored walls, housing Mikhail’s tiny white crib, fluffy pillows, and stuffed toys. “Our home now looks bigger than it actually is. and this Christmas season, we are set to welcome Mikhail to a home that is full of love, and free of clutter,” said rosalie. Loc&Stor 24/7 has storage spaces for rent in Pasig and Makati.

Glad to be together this holiday season Sharing a meal—a feast or an intimate one— with family and friends makes Christmas more special. Specialty dishes are prepared and cooked as a way to express love. This holiday season, food storage brand glad has teamed up with hands-on moms: restaurateur happy Ongpauco-Tiu and actress Dimples romana, for its two events featuring their favorite dishes that make get-together extra special. Ongpauco-Tiu at the Pottery Barn Thanksgiving event cooked her healthy and savory Salmon Belly with Olives using glad Cook ‘n Bake Paper.

glad Cook ‘n Bake Paper is made of a high quality baking and cooking paper with a specially designed non-stick coating. it is heat resistant up to 230-degree Celsius. it eliminates the need for fats and oils when cooking, enabling homemakers to create healthier meals with less mess. at the Mercato Centrale BgC food market, romana prepared her tasty Shrimp and Sausage Boil using glad aluminum Foil which is ideal for cooking, baking, barbecuing, and minimizing mess when cooking. Other glad products useful for holiday feasting

Food storage solutions brand Glad helps homemakers and hosts prepare for holiday feasts. Actress and hands-on mom Dimples Romana cooks her holiday specialty dish during the Glad event at Mercato Centrale BGC.

include the Cling Wrap which now has tighter seal and gladWare reusable containers which are BPato ensure long-lasting freshness. and for leftovers, free, recyclable, and microwavable. glad has an array of storage bags, freezer bags, Visit glad.com.ph for more information.

Life

thursday, december 13, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Robinsons Supermarket treats shoppers upermarKet chain robinsons supermarket ushered in the holiday season with its holiday Fair at the robinsons Galleria activity Center.

Families were recently treated to a weekend adventure, first with larger-thanlife images of Christmas celebrations. Kids gathered around santa Claus for a modern-day storytelling session using a big LeD storybook, while kids at heart rekindled their memories of childhood as they listened to the angelic voices of different choir groups which serenaded them all throughout the event. Families had a wonderful time creating their own take-home gifts from the fair. Little kids, meanwhile, decorated Christmas cookies with their moms and put together their own Christmas glitter globes with their dads. Visitors also had an exciting time going around the Christmas storybookthemed venue to play games and win exciting prizes. all they had to do was make a minimum single-receipt purchase of p350 worth of participating products from nestlé, Wyeth, selecta,

p&G, Froneri, unilever, and abbott to get a stamp card, collect all stamps to get a special prize, and check all items from their list to get additional freebies. Families also took holiday pictures at the photo booth and received free personalized Christmas stockings when they presented their holiday Fair stamp card. Customers were also given a chance to donate to World Vision through the nutcracker game. as its gift to loyal customers, robinsons supermarket’s shoppers can enjoy p100 off coupons for a minimum purchase of p3,000 inclusive of p350 worth of participating sponsor products until Dec. 31. robinsons rewards cardholders can also earn one rewards point for every purchase of any participating sponsor item every tuesday within the promo period. Go to at www.robinsons-supermarSanta Claus delights children with a modern-day Christmas story told using a big LED storybook. ket.com.ph for more information.

Parents and their kids have a blast participating in various activities at Robinsons Supermarket’s Holiday Fair.

Keeping home safe during the holidays

How to be the best holiday hostess

Christmas is a magical time, but it’s still important to ensure that accidents and injuries do not ruin anyone’s holidays. safety, even during this merry season, should come first. here is a holiday safety checklist to keep everyone at home safe and sound. Watch what you cook. preparing a meal while doing other things may be time-saving but risky. stay in the kitchen when cooking, and always be mindful of the stove and other flammable objects. Keep flammable things away from the stove and other appliances that generate heat. Don’t overload sockets. electrical extension cords should always be treated with caution. Do not connect more than one extension cord and do not overextend electrical outlets. pull the plug, not the cord, when disconnecting from the outlet. Use candles safely. Candles are popular during Christmas as they create a warm and cozy ambiance, and add delightful scents. it is best to place them in low traffic areas at least 12 inches away from surrounding objects. Decorate wisely. When setting up the Christmas tree and other decorations, do not put them in places where

Protect your home and family from natural and unexpected disasters even during the holiday season.

they can block exits in case of emergency. avoid using fragile décor that can fall and shatter, and keep them out of reach of pets and kids. Be disaster-ready. it is recommended to protect the home in the event of natural and unexpected disasters such

as fire, floods, and earthquake with an insurance such as aXa philippines property insurance. Coverage includes fire and lightning, typhoon and flood, smoke damage, and earthquake, among others. Visit www.axa.com.ph for more information.

Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi shares her tried and tested tips for entertaining guests at home.

stephanie Zubiri-Crespi’s kitchen looks like an absolute dream and works like a well-oiled machine. “We love entertaining,” says the vibrant mother of two. “But i don’t want to stay cooped up all day in the kitchen. Besides, if you’re entertaining, you want to spend more time with your guests. so i play it smart when we have people over.” her brand of playing it smart saves her from stress and hassle whenever guests come over. here are some of her recommendations to other homemakers who want to host a holiday get-together but dread the time and effort (they think) it will entail.

Plan ahead

Before sending out the invitations, sit down and map out all the details of the party: these include invitees, venue, food, and who will cook and assist the host on the day itself. Zubiri-Crespi says this is a good habit to have in place, even if it is only for weekly sunday lunch with the extended family.

keep to around 10 people at most.” Keeping the numbers small means not only less cooking and preparing, but also ensures even the host get to enjoy more quality time interacting with each guest.

Online financial comparison portal eCompareMo shares useful information to help holiday shoppers pick the right credit card to use for their purchases.

Cook one make-ahead main

Zubiri-Crespi knows that the quality of the company and the food is more important at a party than who cooked the meal. “i’ll let you in on a secret. i don’t cook everything when i host a dinner party. i’ll cook one dish, usually the main dish, and it’ll be something simple and hearty and good, and i will buy side dishes either ready-made or frozen,” she reveals.

Ask the guests for help

Depending on how close the host and the guest are, the former can ask the latter to bring a dessert or their favorite side dish to share. aside from making guests feel like they’re bringing a valuable contribution, it ensures there a Get the tools ready good variety of food for the attendees make sure all the tools needed for the of the party. preparation are ready. Check if the oven or range is working well, even if it is a Hire an extra hand La Germania unit, which is known for for the night its durability. make sure there is enough those who don’t have the time to do gas to avoid running out of it at the everything can hire any of the trusted worst possible moment. catering companies that specialize in small intimate parties. those who Keep gatherings small have college-aged children, might even be able to recruit them and one and intimate “We don’t really host large parties of their friends into helping with the at home,” shares Zubiri-Crespi. “We preparation.

Christmas is the most awaited holiday in the country. One of the ways of expressing gratitude during this season is giving and sharing Christmas presents. Online financial comparison portal eComparemo helps individuals make their Christmas shopping as stress-free as possible with ideas on how to find the perfect credit card for every spending need.

The right credit card for different Christmas shopping needs

spending while minimizing your debts can take advantage of community banks and credit cards that tie up with major brands during the holiday season. By using a credit card, they can earn reward points or cashback through such promotional offerings.

Spending big

those who have made their list and plan to spend big this holiday should choose Spread the cost of spending banks that offer credit cards with enormous sign-up boshopping with a working budget is not a problem. shoppers nuses that let them spend a certain amount of money in can swipe their credit card and tick off items on their Christmas the first few months of opening the account. list using a card with interest-free purchase period for over 12 months or even longer. this way, they can spread the cost of their Dining out with rewards and discounts Christmas spending without worrying so much about interest. holiday revelers who like going out to eat and hop from one restaurant or hotel to another would benefit A gift that keeps giving from a credit card that rewards dining out and gives For those who want to maximize their Christmas discounts.

Entertainment

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Brazilian singeractress supports Filipino school By Robbie Pangilinan BRAZILIAN actress, model, TV host, and Kapuso star Daiana Menezes regularly brings rice, milk, bread, and biscuits, and spends time with some of the students at Scuola Fliglie di Maria Immacolata (SMFI), a grade school in Parañaque.. Daiana is supporting the school which is run by Brazilian nun Sister Lucy da Costa who has been residing in the Philippines for the past 21 years. In the photo with Daiana and Sister Lucy are the six of the 88 kids (they’re not orphans) who study in the school. “The twins are 11 years old and they were brought by their parents who used to pick them up regularly, but and now, the situation is different so they’re full time living with Sister Lucy, who they call Lola Lucy, in the school, now their house in SMFI,” Diana says. “Then there’s Mary Jane, 5, 4-month-old baby Juliana, and two boys who live here with their mother who in order to have a place to live, helps clean the school,” adds Daiana, a graduate of the New York Film Academy. The “Brazilipina” (Brazil + Philippines) who is also an international model/endorser, painter, pianist, performer, and designer, and vlogger, calls for kind-hearted people to help SMFI. The institution is open for donations of any kind. Donations can be sent to their address at 53 Dona Irenea St. Irenevill Subdivision SUCAT Paranaque City or contact sister Maria Lucy at 8260132.

MERICAN Idol Season 11 runner up Jessica Sanchez and Chino Roque, the ﬁrst Filipino astronaut, brought a lot of merriment and cheer—as well as Filipino pride—as they led their respective Christmas launches at SM’s supermalls in the south metro area—SM BF Parañaque, SM Southmall, and SM City Sucat. It was A Merry Magical Christmas at SM BF Paranaque as it lighted its 30-foot red and gold Christmas tree while no less than American Idol Season 11 runner up Jessica Sanchez serenading the audience with Christmas carols. Some featured performances were by SM Little Star Grand Winner Gaea Mischa Salipot, St. Paul College Parañaque’s Himig Bulilit, and the Bedanz Dance Troup likewise left shoppers spellbound in the program hosted by Miss World Philippines 2017 Laura Lehmann. SM City Sucat, on the other hand, traveled through space and time as the mall revealed RoboCarnival: An Out of This World Christmas. No less than Chino Roque, the ﬁrst Filipino astronaut, graced the intergalactic inspired launch with mesmerizing lights and a giant red robot with a special hologram room. The Voice Season 2Grand Winner Jason Dy, showed the once and future Yuletide spirit with his performance of wellloved Christmas songs. SM Southmall

was transformed into an Enchanted Woodland with magical gnomes who remind us to embrace who we are—our talents and capabilities, and to pay it forward especially during this season of giving. The joyous voices of the Las Piñas Boys Choir ﬁlled the air as the mall’s dazzling Christmas tree was lighted. In this season of giving, make a less fortunate child happy with SM’s Bears of Joy. Get one bear for you and donate the other for just P200. Feel the joys of Christmas at SM’s south Metro Malls—SM City BF Parañaque, SM Southmall, and SM City Sucat.

Daiana and Sister Lucy are the six of the 88 kids at SMFI

Anvil honors teachers on celebration of Confucius’ 2,569th birthday HONG Kong superstar and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actor Chow Yun Fat in 2010 starred in a biopic ﬁlm entitled Confucius on the life of the great ancient teacher and philosopher revered all over East Asia. In the Philippines on Sept. 28, Anvil Business Club led the multi-sectoral celebration of Teachers Day and Confucius’ 2,569th birth anniversary with guest of honor China Ambassador Zhao Jianhua giving a speech at the Chinese Garden of Rizal Park, Manila. Other speakers at Anvil’s Teachers Day celebration were Cong. Lito Atienza, Anvil Business Club chairman Wilson Lee Flores, president Patrick Cua and chairman emeritus George Siy. Anvil ofﬁcers on that day signed an agreement to donate college scholarships for

Anvil Business Club support PUP scholars, witnessed by Guest of Honor China Ambassador Zhao Jianhua at signing ceremony on Confucius birthday.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, December 13, 2018

ACROSS 1 Guru’s practice 5 Attentiongetter 9 Blouse part 13 Scored well 14 Centering point 15 Postpone 16 Nevada town 17 Tinned meat 18 Prefix with structure 19 Cramped 21 Throngs 23 Almost grads 24 Had occasion for 26 “Casablanca” hero 28 Retiree’s kitty 29 Less mature 33 Cowpokes’ pals 38 Contrite 39 Provo’s state 40 Pitchers Dizzy and Daffy 43 Diminish 44 Kind of relief 46 Permits 48 Napoleon, e.g. 51 Loud thud 52 Nail shaper 53 Lightened up 57 Waterlily leaf 60 Durable wood 62 Ads

64 Excuse 66 Long spear 68 Traveler Marco — 69 Column type 70 Big pitcher 71 Sundance Kid’s wife 72 Cattail 73 Burrows 74 Dorm room item DOWN 1 Tale 2 Tuna habitat 3 Class 4 Dote on 5 Grabbed the phone 6 Short flight 7 Mild cheese 8 Part of ROM 9 Ginza money 10 Switch positions 11 Deborah of old films 12 Bullpen stats 15 Track and field event 20 Norse Zeus 22 Personal history 25 Meet defiantly 27 Recognized 30 Pate de foie —

31 Ocean-going bird 32 Hearty loaves 33 Eggplant color 34 Scintilla 35 Gangplank 36 Shoplifter 37 — Mineo of films 41 Pen points 42 Dashes away 45 Movie reviewer 47 Arab chief 49 Pamplona shout

50 Gathered grain 54 Strode along 55 Steal the scene 56 Blockheads 57 Certain poker holding 58 — vera lotion 59 Enjoy a repast 61 Emu relative 63 Steep 65 Contractor’s figure 67 Cask

students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). The highlight of the celebration was the ancient ceremony of three bows by China Ambassador Zhao, Anvil Business Club ofﬁcers and leaders of multi-sectoral groups before the Confucius monument (which was donated by Anvil in 2009 under then chairman Wilson Lee Flores and president Eduardo Cobankiat). Fresh rose ﬂowers were then given to leaders and representatives of public school teachers and private school teachers. Chiang Kai Shek College students performed traditional Chinese dance numbers, while University of the Philippines (U.P.) students also performed Chinese and Filipino music for this unique celebration.

Calendar girl Rizza Diaz and Sureseal ambassador Benjie Paras

Benjie Paras, Rizza Diaz lend star power to JDI at Philconstruct 2018 WELL known basketball player turned actor Benjie Paras and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) courtside reporter Rizza Diaz lent star power to trusted industry leader Jardine Distribution, Inc. (JDI)’s booth at the 29th Philippine International Construction Equipment, Building Materials, Interior & Exterior Products and Technology Forum (Philconstruct), which was held last Nov. 9 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Event attendees formed a long queue at JDI’s booth to have their Solignum and Sureseal 2019 calendars signed by Benjie, ambassador for elastomeric sealant Sureseal, and Rizza, calendar girl for the Superbrand-recognized timber expert Solignum, who also gamely posed for selfies and groufies with fans. Dubbed as the biggest building and construction show of its kind in the Philippines, Philconstruct is an annual gathering of the country’s leading suppliers and thousands of trade buyers in a single venue, with over 1,500 brands and products from 23 different countries. Benjie, a first-timer at Philconstruct, said interacting with customers and making them smile were what made him excited about his partnership with JDI. Now on his third year as brand ambassador for Sureseal after renewing his contract last May, the PBA star proudly revealed that Sureseal was used for the roofing of their new house. “ I know that it really works,” Benjie said. “It’s one of the reasons why I renewed my contract. We also used Solignum and Woodshine, ‘‘yun ‘yung naubos,” he shared. marami akong naubos Knowing that JDI’s products are reputed to be of superior quality, Rizza, meanwhile, said she didn’t think twice about signing up with JDI for her first calendar modeling stint. In fact, Rizza disclosed that her father used Solignum wood preservative for their home. Benjie and Rizza thoroughly enjoyed meeting and mingling with the clients, customers, and the hardworking men and women of Jardine. “It’s my first time at Philconstruct and I’m glad that I was able to drop by,” Rizza said. JDI is a wholesale distributor of agricultural and applied construction chemicals. Its product range includes wood preservatives, soil termiticides, waterproofing, cementitious add mixtures, and various household pests control products.

Entertainment

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

YUGEL LOSORATA

Sailing and soaring HAVING established himself in the music circle as a 14-year member of premier vocal group The CompanY, and being the main singer behind a couple of familiar tunes, including “Pakisabi Na Lang,” pop ballad singer Reuben Laurente has moved along in his own terms using his gift as a means of living and in staying, yes, relevant. That he is nominated in two categories for tonight’s (Dec. 13) Aliw Awards event happening at the historic Manila Hotel is a shoutout from industry observers that he is still very much around. That is, considering he spent most of the last ten years sailing as featured singer for theater shows of the Royal Caribbean International ﬂeet, along with the likes of Eric Somoza Arenaswhom he recalled “dancing to my Basil Valdez medley.” Reuben deservingly got Aliw nods for Best Male Cross Over Artist and Best Male Concert Artist. “ I am honored to have been nominated from the show which I did for Pinoy Playlist Music Festival held at the BGC Arts Center last October 19,” shared the soloist in a coffee chat last week. “Thanks to Moy Ortiz, Noel Ferrer, and newly conferred National Artist Ryan Cayabyab for paving the way to present my show. I am also thankful to BGC Arts Center chair Maribel Garcia for co-presenting that event.”

OPM artist Reuben Laurente

That show, cutely entitled Ang Trip Ni Bentot, is his tribute to OPM. He added, “That show was really memorable for me as it was my way of paying homage to the songs I grew up with. Thanks to Eboy Refuerzo my musical director, Naldy Rodriguez for arranging my Cayabyab Medley, and musicians Josh Royeca and John Apura.” Since May, Reuben is on a tour of duty onboard international cruise lines, namely, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America. For quite a while he’s been carrying our ﬂag on the high seas. Having proven himself worthy of such gigs, he is currently a headliner under the helm of Miami-based Don Casino Productions. With ﬁreworks he is doing solo show for international guests, and even singing in Chinese, Italian, and Spanish. With a hectic schedule, he will sure be onboard the Westerdam of the Holland America cruises come Christmas and New Year celebrations. It’s a price he’s willing to pay. Next year March 22 to 31, Reuben will be part of Ballet Philippines’ remake of the dance musical Tales of the Manuvu at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which is marking its 50th year. Upon the insistence of project coordinator Bernie Abella, he will be alternating the role of Manama along with Lorenz Martinez and Anthony Castelo. In keeping up with today’s platform of choice, his albums Heartblends and Pop Virtuousy are available on various music streaming devices, with his latest digital release being his version of the Odette Quesada classic “You’re My Home.” Whether out there on the ocean or back in Manila, the diligently talented Reuben Laurente is always at home or scoring home runs.

Anak TV’s top household favorites

Robi Domingo receives his Makabata Award for being a role model for the youth

ABS-CBN got the seal of approval from Anak TV Awards, which honored 31 of its programs and artists for embodying value-laden, child-sensitive, and familyfriendly themes. Leading the winners in the prestigious awards, which covers the entire nation, are recipients of the Anak TV Seal including ABS-CBN entertainment shows ASAP, Bagani, Home Sweetie Home Home, Little Big Shots, Maalaala Mo Kaya, Kaya Magandang Buhay, Buhay Matanglawin, Team YeY, YeY Wansapanataym, and Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids as well as collegiate sports and lifestyle program Upfront, which airs on ABSCBN’s sports channel S+A. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s educational channel Knowledge Channel also nabbed three Anak TV Seals for shows Wow, Agricoolture, and MathDali. ABS-CBN Regional programs Maayong Buntag Kapamilya Kapamilya, Magandang Umaga South Central Mindanao Mindanao, and Marhay na Aga Kapamilya also got the Anak TV Seal. On the other hand, Kapamilya artists Robi Domingo, Joshua Garcia, Luis Manzano, Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Susan Roces, Liza Soberano Soberano, and “Bantay Bata 163” founder and G Diaries host Gina Lopez were recognized as role models for the youth and were named this year’s Makabata Stars. The advocacy organization that “promotes television literacy and pushes the agenda for child-sensitive, family-friendly television in the Philippines” also recognized Kapamilya programs FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, It’s Showtime, TV Patrol, Maalaala Showtime Mo Kaya Kaya, Bagani, and Magandang Buhay for being household favorites of Filipino families. The Anak TV Awards are given by ANAK TV, an advocacy organization that promotes television literacy and pushes the agenda for childsensitive, family-friendly television in the Philippines. The Anak TV Seal is a national award voted on by parents, educators, business and media professionals, government, media, NGOs, the religious sector, and youth to be given to child-sensitive programs airing on Philippine television.

THE GIRL IN THE ORANGE DRESS. Jessy Mendiola plays the titular role in the romantic comedy an entry of Quantum Films in this year's MMFF.

‘THE GIRL IN THE ORANGE DRESS,’ a ‘Notting Hill’ hangover

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

HEN director Jay Abello heard that people were comparing his ﬁrst romcom and mainstream ﬁlm, The Girl in the Orange Dress, to British blockbuster Notting Hill, he was no longer surprised. In fact, he totally agreed with them.

According to 'The Girl in the Orange Dress' director the film's main message is all about giving celebrities privacy and knowing that we cannot judge them based on what we see on TV and online.

Director Jay Abello with the film's male lead star Jericho Rosales

HOLLYWOOD

Disney makes history at global box office anew WALT Disney Studios is again ending the year on a high note, posting more than $7 billion in global box office earnings, thanks to hits such as Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War. “This is only the second time in history any studio has surpassed the $7 billion mark, after Disney’s own industry-record 2016 global gross of $7.6 billion,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “The Studios’ estimated international box office

gross through Dec. 9 is an estimated $4.069 billion, marking our second biggest year and the third biggest in industry history,” it added. Disney’s success comes as the studio is set to release Mary Poppins Returns on Dec. 19, which is expected to top the box office during the holiday season. “To date, four of the top eight worldwide releases of the year are from The Walt Disney Studios, including the top two global and top three domestic releases,” the company said. Avengers: Infinity War, made by Disney’s Marvel subsidiary, led the way, earning $2 billion alone. It is followed by superhero movie Black Panther, which earned $1.35 billion worldwide. Incredibles 2, made by Pixar, another Disney subsidiary, earned $1.24 billion. Other top box office earners for 2018 are Ant-Man and The Wasp, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Ralph Breaks the Internet, which has held the number one spot at the North American box office for the third consecutive week. AFP

In the 1999 romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, the latter plays an average guy, a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress played by Julia appears in his shop. Their chance encounter over spilled orange juice leads to a kiss that blossoms into a full-blown affair that causes media frenzy. “ I’m a big fan of Notting Hill—the story of an average guy and glamorous movie star struggling to reconcile their radically different lifestyles, or waking up with a superstar sleeping beside you in your bed, as a guy, has always been my wildest dream,” Abello told Manila Standard in an interview. “ I will not deny that The Girl in the Orange Dress is a Notting Hill hangover. The film was my inspiration when I wrote the story,” the indie film director added. But Abello was quick to clarify that the story is still original, given that many films, in one way or another, may have been inspired by another good story in the past. He said that the film has an element of love triangle and it’s very relevant because they incorporated the prevalence of social media and its power to turn a virtually unknown individual to an overnight internet sensation. In The Girl in Orange Dress, lead cast Jericho Rosales is a superstar and Jessy Mendiola is an ordinary girl whose one-night stand spirals into a media frenzy. Jericho is Rye del Rosario, a big movie star who’s getting fed up with his life in showbiz. One night, he meets a girl in an orange dress at a party. He leaves with her and they end up spending the night together in a hotel. The girl, Jessy as Ana, doesn’t know that he is a wellknown celebrity and treats him just like some ordinary guy and Rye likes it. But soon, the girl disappears and he doesn’t even know her name. So he looks for her and refers to her as the girl in the orange dress who regards him as a real person and not as just this big-name actor. “Most of the scenes take place inside a hotel, where their characters Rye and Anna devise a plan to evade the press. And didn’t know it was hard to shoot in a hotel, but it’s all fun especially that I was working with a great cast,” Abello chimed and further said, “The whole movie happens only in a single day inside a plush hotel.” Talking about the message of the film, the director, whose previous works include Red and Pinay Beauty, said that it would like to highlight two things: “You have to know them (celebrities) before passing judgement. Not everything you see on TV or read online is true. And secondly, in terms of the media, there are people who work in this industry who can really be reliable and fair. You just have to talk to them nicely.” Abello revealed that he had kept the story of The Girl in the Orange Dress for more than four years until Atty. Joji Alonso Alonso’s Quantum Films gave the green light to turn into a movie., which was intended to be a Valentin offering. “I have received a lot of feedback saying that the story was great. I’m very cynical...they say that they like my material. I’d only believe it when I’m finally filming,” Abello admitted. The Girl in the Orange Dress is one of the eight films competing in the main section of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, which kicks off on Christmas Day. It also stars Ria Atayde, Hannah Ledesma, and Sheena Halili. The film is a co-production among Star Cinema, Quantum Films, and MJM Productions.