20 NOVEMBER 2018

HUNT
FOR
NUCLEAR
TALKS
MOST
INNOVATIVE
BROADSHEET
2018
44TH
PHILIPPINES
BUSINESS
EXPO
SAVOR GOLDEN AGE
‘REAL
NBA’
SLIDE
PAGE 16 WORLD PAGE 4 COMMENTARY
PAGE 13 SPORTS PAGE 20 LIFESTYLE
MANILA, PHILIPPINES TUESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2018
A DREAM GIRL NAMED CHARISSE
5 UHC humps
stall bicam
By Mario J. Mallari
Five contentious issues held up the
bicameral conference committee in crafting
a reconciled version of the Universal Health
Care (UHC) bill yesterday.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, chairman
of the Senate Committee on Health and
Demography and sponsor of the UHC bill,
Turn to page 6
Practical cooperation in
all fields between the
two sides has started
to resume and bilateral
relations are entering a
brand-new period
By Kristina Maralit
and Mario J. Mallari
The People’s Republic of
China (PROC) has considered
aligning its Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI), a brainchild
of Chinese leader Xi Jinping,
Belt, Road, Build
with the “Build, Build, Build”
program of President Rodrigo
Duterte, Chinese Ambassador
Zhao Jianhua said.
Zhao said the BRI will likely
be offered by Xi, who starts a
two-day visit today, to help the
Philippines achieve its Ambisyon
Natin 2040 development strategy.
In an interview with Chinese
media carried by state-run
Xinhua news agency, Zhao
said its firm support for the
economic thrusts of Mr. Duterte
demonstrates PROC’s aim to
establish itself as a reliable
partner of the Philippines.
At the recent China
International Import Expo
in Shanghai, more than 40
exhibitors from the Philippines
took part, Zhao explained.
“This is mutually beneficial
and will bring benefits to our
peoples,” he stressed.
The Philippines is part of the
ancient Silk Road where the BRI
will be implemented, Zhao said.
He added the Philippines is
a natural partner for the joint
construction of the BRI.
Turn to page 2
Rainbow after rain President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony for Chinese-funded projects in Beijing on 20 October 2016. Xi’s momentous state visit starting today will underline the golden age of relations
between China and the Philippines.
AFP
Full-scale drugs war on
President Rodrigo Duterte has
tapped the entire government
machinery to meet his target
of ending the narcotics scourge
before the end of his term in
2022.
In a memorandum circular,
Mr. Duterte directed all
government offices, agencies
and instrumentalities,
including government-owned
and controlled corporations
(GOCC) and state universities
and colleges (SUC), to take an
active role in the anti-illegal
drugs campaign.
Mr. Duterte bared last week
Turn to page 2
Amity’s many benefits Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary
Martin Andanar tells media during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Summit
of government plans to send more Filipino journalists to Beijing to further deepen their
understanding of China and learn from its quickly-evolving technology. MALACAÑANG PHOTO
NASA FRIENDS
LIST MO BA
AKO?
Facebooking
mayor
The mayor of Daanbantayan
town in Cebu is performing his
duty without being physically
present in the town hall. Mayor
Vicente Loot, who has been in
hiding after an ambush almost
killed him in May, is using
social media to report the
status of local infrastructure
projects done in the past few
months.
Loot’s Facebook page has
Turn to page 2
Foreign policy well defended
By Kristina Maralit
The Philippines has
strengthened its international
position and has successfully
advanced the country’s interest
based on the principle of an
independent foreign policy after
3 ‘leftist’
DSWD
execs sacked
By Kristina Maralit
and Elmer N. Manuel
President Rodrigo Duterte has
terminated three executives of
the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) who
Turn to page 6
President Rodrigo Duterte’s
engagement with world leaders
in back-to-back international
summits, the Palace said
yesterday.
“Throughout the ASEAN
(Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) Summit and Related
Summits and the APEC (Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation) Economic
Leaders’ Meeting, President
Duterte continued to advance
national interests and prioritized
upholding and promoting the
Philippines’ key positions,”
Turn to page 6
Retro giant Snow globes were big hits for children two decades ago but lost its
luster with the advent of computers. A giant replica of the toy brings in the crowd at
the Bonifacio Global City.
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NEWS
2
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Belt, Road, Build
The two leaders have
worked hard to make
the WPS a sea of
peace, friendship and
cooperation
From page 1
Golden era begins
The envoy said PROC is ready
to work with the Philippines to
help and support each other and
jointly move forward towards
a new golden era of the two
countries’ relations.
Xi’s visit has far-reaching
significance and it will be a
milestone for stronger and closer
relations between the two
countries.
Practical cooperation
in all fields between the
two sides has started to
resume and bilateral
relations are entering
a brand-new period,
Zhao said.
He said Xi and
Duterte will exchange
“in-depth views over
issues of common
concern and map
out a new blueprint
to develop the two
countries’ ties.”
He pointed
out that Xi and
Duterte have
met several
times before
and forged a
solid working
relationship
and strong
personal
friendship.
W i t h
political
wisdom, the
two leaders
have reached
important
consensus that
the West Philippine
Sea (WPS) issue should
be handled through dialogue and
consultations, he said.
The two leaders have
worked hard to make the WPS
a sea of peace, friendship and
cooperation, Zhao added.
“We hope that the two
countries could set a fine
example on dealing with the
WPS issue,” Zhao said.
Xi sked out
As major thoroughfares will
be temporarily closed while
school and work in government
offices in Manila have been
suspended in time for Xi’s state
visit, Malacañang has released
the official schedule for the
duration of the leader’s stay.
Xi’s stop in Manila, the first
for a sitting Chinese leader in
13 years, will be highlighted by
the official welcome ceremony
at the Palace to be led by Mr.
Duterte followed by an expanded
bilateral meeting by the two
heads of state.
The Chinese leader’s schedule
as released by the Presidential
Communications Operations
Office (PCOO) would have him
arriving today at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport
(NAIA).
We hope that the two
countries could set a fine
example on dealing with
the WPS issue.
Xi will lead a wreath-laying
ceremony at Rizal Park before
attending an official welcome
ceremony in Malacañang.
He would then hold an
expanded bilateral meeting
with Mr. Duterte and Cabinet
members and witness the signing
of exchange of agreements on the
same day.
A state banquet with
ceremonial toasts will be held in
the evening
On Wednesday, 21 November,
Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
and Senate President Vicente
Sotto III will pay a courtesy call
on Xi at the Makati Shangri-La,
Manila.
He will also meet with
leaders of the Filipino-Chinese
community on his final day
before leaving for PROC.
As instructed by Malacañang,
exact times of the scheduled
activities were not included for
security reasons.
Firming of ties
Xi’s visit is a “turning point”
for both countries’ histories. This
would be the first state visit of a
Chinese president since Hu Jin
Tao in 2005, reciprocating a state
visit made by Duterte last year.
“The Chinese leader’s visit
to the Philippines marks an
opportunity to further strengthen
and sustain our bilateral relations
with the foreign country, which
surged forward under the
visionary leadership of President
Duterte,” presidential spokesman
Salvador Panelo said.
He also stressed Xi and
PROC’s continued efforts in
promoting peace and stability
in the region “through dialogues
and consultations in handling the
WPS issue” to ensure a peaceful
resolution to the territorial
matters of the contested
waterway.
“Indeed, amity solves
international disputes and even
forges a more powerful alliance
between both countries against
threats to security, including
terrorism, violent extremism,
criminality and the drug menace,”
stated Panelo.
Table economic deals
Economic partnership and
the WPS dispute are among the
key issues the senators wanted
President Duterte to tackle with
Xi during his visit.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and
Sonny Angara cited the possible
joint oil exploration in the WPS as
a topic amid the much-improved
bilateral relationship between
the Philippines and PROC.
Angara also wanted to
expedite projects pursued by
the Duterte administration with
Chinese support.
He said this should cover “any
possible partnership with respect
to WPS since relations seem to
be going well the past few years
and also the fast tracking of
infrastructure projects all over
the country.”
“These would be among
the most pressing and possibly
fruitful discussions they could
have,” he added.
On the other hand, Lacson
said Mr. Duterte could tackle
the planned joint exploration of
minerals in the disputed WPS
with PROC.
This would be the first
state visit of a Chinese
president since Hu Jin
Tao in 2005.
“China is pretty excited
about the possibility of joint
exploration,” Lacson said.
Senate Minority Leader
Franklin Drilon said, apart from
the WPS issue, he hopes the
President will bring up with
Xi the apparent delays in the
release of Chinese loans and
investment pledges.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito
echoed Drilon’s sentiments,
stressing that PROC should
clarify that there should be no
strings attached to loans granted
to the Philippines.
“China claims to be a friend.
They want to do a lot of our
big projects. Our worry is that
if there are strings attached.
They also have to clarify,” said
Ejercito, citing the terms of what
Japan is extending to Manila
via its Overseas Development
Assistance.
“The Japan package is really
friendly. On the Chinese side,
they have to be friendly also.
Hopefully, there are no strings
attached,” he added.
Shared principle Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Xi Jinping stand side by side on the
Asian way of mutual trust and respect in resolving differences in the region.
AFP
From page 1
Full-scale
drugs war on
Government offices,
agencies and
instrumentalities
should immediately
mobilize assets and take
an active role in the
campaign
his plan in a lecture in Malacañang
to employ the entire resources
of government for the war
against drugs.
Before members of the
Filipino community in
Papua New Guinea, Mr.
Duterte vowed to solve
the narcotics problem
before he steps down
from office.
Under Memorandum Circular
53, signed by Executive
Secretary Salvador Medialdea
on 12 November, Mr. Duterte
directed “all government offices,
agencies and instrumentalities,
including GOCC and SUC, to
immediately mobilize their
assets and take an active role
in the government’s anti-illegal
drugs campaign, in accordance
with their respective mandates.”
Do you know why drugs is
hard to stop? Because it’s
money and it’s very hot.
The memorandum stated that
the drug problem continues to
degrade the moral fiber of society
as it undermines the rule of law
and that it had evolved into a
national security problem.
Policy issue
It also recognized the
policy of the State to pursue
an effective campaign
against trafficking and use
of dangerous drugs through
an integrated system of
planning, implementation
and enforcement of anti-illegal
drug abuse policies, programs
and projects.
Now at the forefront of
the anti-drugs crackdown
are the Dangerous Drugs
Board and the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency.
Before members of the
Filipino community in Papua
New Guinea, Mr. Duterte vowed
to solve the narcotics problem
before he steps down from
office.
“I have three years
remaining. I hope that I can
put in place something,” the
President said.
“Do you know why drugs
are hard to stop? Because it’s
money and it’s very hot,” he
explained, saying that several
police personnel were drug
coddlers themselves.
The drug problem
continues to degrade the
moral fiber of society as it
undermines the rule of law.
Constant efforts
Last year, Mr. Duterte issued
Executive Order (EO) 15, creating
the Inter-Agency Committee
on Anti-Illegal Drugs and the
National Anti-Illegal Drug Task
Force to address the drug
problem.
Section 4 of EO 15 provides
the National Anti-Illegal Drug
Task Force composed of
members of law enforcement
agencies, including members
of the institutions called upon
for assistance, shall undertake
sustained anti-illegal drug
operations.
EO 66, meanwhile,
institutionalized the Philippine
Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy
by directing all government
offices, including GOCC and
SUC, to implement the strategy.
Kristina Maralit
From page 1
posts of photos of newly paved
roads, a mini desalination plant
in Carnaza, a tourism information
center and restroom in the Port of
Maya, a community stage, water
pipelines, daycare center, street
lights, newly roofed old public
market, perimeter fence, well,
tombs and a chapel in the public
Facebooking mayor
cemetery, wastewater treatment
facility and improvements in the
municipal hall building.
He also posted a message
explaining his absence from
office as a tactic to win a fight.
The post of Loot, who was
reportedly named by President
Rodrigo Duterte as a coddler
of druglords, read: “I am not
in hiding but I preferred to lay
low and limit my exposure for
security reasons as I perform my
job away from the prying eyes of
interested parties.”
Loot also said in the post that
he is doing his job.
“Leadership may sometimes be
unseen but it should always be felt.
And the manner the governance
is effectively working in DB at
present, that is an assurance that
they have a leader who knew his
job, did his job, did his job well
and did it with lots of difference,”
read his post.
The Facebook mayor, however,
may have to work harder in
reaching out to his constituents.
There are more than 85,000
people in Daanbantayan but his
Facebook followers are only more
than 3,000.
They never learn Metropolitan Manila Development Authority enforcers haul equipment of sidewalk vendors in the notoriously chaotic flea market area
of Baclaran during operations held periodically to clear obstructions to vehicle traffic.
RAFAEL TABOY

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
PAGE THREE
LAWMAKER SMELLS GREASE
‘Veloxed’ budget seen with delay
It is not difficult to predict a
re-enacted budget in 2019
By Hananeel Bordey and Mario J. Mallari
If the Senate can extend its working days,
Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay sees no reason
why the House of Representatives could not.
Seeking solutions to finish the 2019 national
budget, Pichay said the Lower House can also
stretch its calendar if needed. Senators will work
on the budget until 19 December.
“Well if they extend, we’ll also extend,” Pichay
said.
“We will wait for the Bicam (Bicameral
Conference) to finish. After the Bicam, the
president needs to sign it so that we will not reenact
the budget,” Pichay stressed.
“If the Senate is slow, what can we do? We
cannot rush (the Senators), right? So, we just have
to agree with them (and wait).” Pichay added.
“We just have to wait for the result of the
budget hearing of the Senate. We all know that
GAA (General Appropriations Act) is the only law
that is enacted every year. So, the versions of the
House and the Senate should match, said Pichay,
adding it is not possible to set a timetable for it.
Meanwhile, House Appropriations Committee
Vice Chairperson Maria Carmen Zamora said
amendments to the 2019 National Budget are
By Hananeel Bordey
The newly-created House
Committee on Disaster
Management branded as slow
the progress made in the Marawi
rehabilitation project after its first
regular meeting on Monday.
The panel headed by Bataan
Rep. Geraldine Roman scrutinized
the housing projects led by Task
Force Bangon Marawi.
Construction of the permanent
houses for Marawi residents has
still being worked out. They are looking at a 28
November submission.
“We’re in the final stages of reconciling
differences and amendments to the budget.
After that, we need to get the budget printed,”
Zamora said.
“Unfortunately, we’re still quite in the thick
of the amendments. Due to the volume of the
amendments requested and agreed upon during
the debates over HB No. 8169 alone, combined
with the different agencies’ concerns, we’re still
going through (many) items,” she added.
But Senator Panfilo Lacson still raised the
probability of a reenacted 2019 national budget,
citing lack of time to deliberate and pass the
appropriations bill.
Lacson said the House would not be able to
submit the proposed 2019 national budget earlier
than 29 November.
“The delay is caused by unfinished individual
insertions in the 2019 House version of general
appropriations bill,” Lacson said.
By “individual insertions,” Lacson meant “pork
barrel” or funds allotted to individual congressional
districts of congressmen which were earlier
declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
“This early, it is not difficult to predict a
reenacted budget in 2019,” said Lacson, who
consistently opposes the “pork barrel.”
“And I dare say, it’s all the fault of the Lower
House that their insertions a.k.a. pork barrel
allocations are obviously the main reasons for
yet to start, Roman said.
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
who graced the meeting, emphasized
that under her leadership, economic
measures counting the budget for
disaster response, including funds for
the Marawi rehabilitation, should be
prioritized to maximize the remaining
time they have in the 17th Congress.
“Because the reality is at this
late stage, it is very difficult to
expect new legislation to happen.
So, it’s time for us to start focusing
on our oversight functions and
maybe the number one that
we need to undertake in this
committee is the oversight of
Marawi rehabilitation,” Arroyo
said.
“Implementation will now be
the key to maximizing the benefits
of our legislation,” Arroyo said.
She suggested that the panel
look into Marawi as “the issue
is mostly in the minds of our
citizens when it comes to disaster
management”.
“Because everywhere I go, I
keep hearing comments saying
they haven’t seen anything on the
rehabilitation of Marawi. Let’s
find out what it is,” Arroyo said.
Task Force Bangon Marawi
Organization, represented by
the delay,” Lacson added.
“The info is that they won’t be ready to transmit
to the senate earlier than 29 November. By then,
we will have five session days left before Congress
adjourns,” Lacson said.
The delay is caused by unfinished
individual insertions in the
2019 House version of general
appropriations bill.
“We are not superheroes in the Senate to
finish scrutinizing the House version of the
budget bill, including all the study and research
prior to plenary debates, amendments etc., even
ratification of the bicameral report,” he lamented.
Lacson explained that after the House approves
the GAB on third and final reading, it needs
another 10 days for printing before the actual
transmittal to the Senate.
Lacson said it is irregular
for congressmen to make
amendments after the
budget was already
approved in the plenary
on second reading.
“The only logical
explanation is - they
are willing to defy the
rules just to make way
for their pork,” said
Lacson.
PICHAY
‘Where are the Marawi houses?’
I keep hearing comments
saying they haven’t
seen anything on the
rehabilitation of Marawi.
By Alvin Murcia
The Department of Justice (DoJ) will
tap the National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI) to conduct an investigation on the
ambush-slaying of Balaoan, La Union
Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion.
The incident came more than a month
after Mayor Alexander Buquing of
Sudipen, La Union, was also killed in
an evening ambush while he was on his
way home.
Concepcion’s daughter, Aleli
Concepcion who is also the
town mayor, was also injured
after the ambush.
Justice Secretary Menardo
Guevarra said he will issue
Arroyo expressed dismay
with the timetable
presented to the
committee.
NBI probes Concepcion slay
the order upon request of the Concepcion
family.
Gunmen fired at the two vehicles
taking the mayor and her father to
the Balaoan Municipal Hallon on the
morning of 14 November.
Aside from the vice mayor, the
gunmen also killed an aide and wounded
six other passengers. Two bystanders
were also hurt.
After the incident, two policemen
were wounded in a gunfight with a
group of armed men in San Juan
town. Authorities believed they have
encountered the same group responsible
for the ambush.
The victims were aboard a Toyota
Innova van and Hyundai Starex
van when they were fired upon
by the armed men.
Atty. Falconi Millar--secretary
general of the Housing and
Urban Development Coordinating
Council (HUDCC)—said among
the problems they encountered
was on the purchasing of land
for the project.
But Millar vowed to finish land
acquisition within the month and
the development will immediately
follow until May.
But Arroyo expressed dismay
with the timetable presented to
the committee.
“We already have temporary
shelters and yet the public,
many are not yet satisfied. So, I
gauge that they want to see the
permanent housing (projects),”
Arroyo stressed.
The incident came more than a
month after Mayor Alexander Buquing
of Sudipen, La Union, was also killed
in an evening ambush while he was on
his way home.
Forensic investigators now have
leads of the vehicle abandoned by the
gunmen in San Juan. Two bullets from a
.45-caliber pistol and two bullet casings
from a 9-millimeter handgun were also
recovered.
Gunmen fired at the two vehicles
taking the mayor and her father to
the Balaoan Municipal Hallon on the
morning of 14 November.
Police also found bloodstains and
samples of human tissue from the
vehicle.
Roque: ‘I need to
be like Miriam’
By Elmer N. Manuel
Senatorial aspirant Harry
Roque on Monday said his
chances at winning will rely on
his ability to be known for his
intellectual capability, courage
and principles, likening himself
with the late Senator Miriam
Defensor Santiago.
The only chance that I have
is to follow the footsteps
of Senator Miriam
Defensor-Santiago.
Roque, who served as a
Presidential spokesman, said
that he has to be like Santiago
for him to win in the senatorial
race in the 2019 polls
“Now that the odds are against
me in the sense that there are
so many reelectionists and
comebacking senators, I think
the only chance that I have is to
follow the footsteps of Senator
Miriam Defensor-Santiago,”
Roque said. “She’s known for
her intellectual capability, her
courage, her principles and these
are exactly the ideals that I want
to be known for as well.”
He said that running under
the banner of People’s Reform
Party (PRP), the late Senator
Santiago’s party, is “the will of
God,” because his chance to
win is to “shine like Senator
Miriam.”
“Actually, I thought it was
the will of God. If I’m going
to win, my chance really is
to shine just like Senator
Santiago did because as I
said you have to be somehow
different from everyone
else,” Roque said.
The former Presidential
spokesman earlier planned
to run as a partylist
representative.
Roque said that he would
not have accepted the role
of Palace spokesman if he
believed President Rodrigo
Duterte was a human rights
violator.
“I still don’t believe he is,”
said Roque. “I also believe that
the case against Duterte at the
International Criminal Court
(ICC) won’t move.”
“No one can tell me I
turned my back on human
rights because the laws I
passed protecting and
upholding human rights are
proof to the contrary. I used
the system itself to push for
what I believed in,” he added.
The former Presidential
spokesman earlier planned
to run as a partylist
representative.
Asked about the
government’s war against
drugs, Roque said that he still
believes in the legitimacy of
the campaign, noting that it is
an inherent sovereign function
to protect the youth.
“Of course, it will be
bloody because the pushers
have guns. What I’m
telling the human rights
community is shut up, go
beyond blabbering, gather
the evidence you have and
file the cases in court,”
said Roque. “The system
will not work unless
you do that.
ANCIENT pagodas at Shan State, Myanmar attract tourists like this group.
AP

COMMENTARY
4 Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Daily
Tribune
WITHOUT FEAR • WITHOUT FAVOR
Savor golden age
“Rody has
a good grasp
of the Asian
decorum which
to the Chinese
is expressed in
the principle of
Guanxi.
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
Crispin G. Martinez
Chito Lozada
Dinah Ventura
Aldrin Cardona
John Henry Dodson
Jun Vallecera
Jaimes R. C. Sumbilon
Larry Payawal
Komfie Manalo
The visit of President Xi Jinping would be an
opportunity to assess the benefits from the past two
years when the government took the radical shift from
hostile relations under yellow President Noynoy Aquino
to deep friendship between the Philippines and China
under President Rody Duterte.
China declared that its relations with the
Philippines have reached a golden age, an era
that would be highlighted by Xi’s visit.
The relations between both
neighbors soured mainly as a result
of the obstinate refusal of Noynoy
to subject the maritime conflict
to bilateral negotiations
and instead followed the
American game plan of a
multilateral arbitration
that China had rejected.
Rody has a good grasp
of the Asian decorum
which to the Chinese
is expressed in the
principle of Guanxi or a
relationship bonded by
mutual trust and respect.
The Western-influenced path that
Noynoy took of forcing nations to submit
to a higher power was never applicable to
China, much more in forcing the Chinese to
submit to a decision which it had no part in.
Rody changed all that by the simple act of
observing mutual respect.
Xi described Rody’s friendly engagement with
China as “a rainbow after the rain.”
“In just a little more than two years, China has
become the Philippines’ largest trading partner,
largest export market and largest source of
imports and the second largest source of
tourists,” Xi said.
The golden age of Philippine-China ties
created a third growth driver for the economy
that is tourism after the remittances from
overseas Filipino workers and the business process
outsourcing industry.
Chinese tourists to the Philippines in the first
three quarters of 2018 have exceeded the full-year
total in 2017, reaching over 972,000.
The numbers were far lower before at 490,000 in
2015 and 675,000 in 2016.
Trade volume between China and the Philippines
in 2017 topped $50 billion compared to $17.6 billion in
2015, which was the last full year of Noynoy.
Exports to China also grew by 10.5 percent to $19.2
billion in 2017.
Rody reciprocated by saying that the relations
between both countries are similar to a flower in full
bloom.
China and the Philippines have taken their
partnership into a deeper level by contributing to
regional stability in the campaign against narcotics,
terrorism and cybercrimes.
Duterte noted that China
“Xi’s visit
would be
one of the
crowning glories
of Rody’s
independent
foreign policy.
Patricia Ramos
Board Chair
Willie Fernandez
Publisher and President
Founding Chair
Executive Editor
Managing Editor
Associate Editors
Business Editor
Central Desk
Special Reports
helped the Philippines deal with
terrorists without asking for any
favor, adding China gave help and
support wholeheartedly with no
strings attached apparently in a
jab against the United States and
the European Union that require
recipients of their aid to submit to
Western standards.
Also, in a reversal of roles in
the global economy, China is now encouraging the
US to open up as US President Donald Trump adopts
increasingly restrictive protectionist policies.
China had advised the US to be guided by “market
forces and business rules” saying that no winner will
emerge from a trade war that threatens to erupt
between the Beijing and Washington.
In contrast, Rody said that China is opening its
economy to as much export products that the country
can muster.
Rody, who professed to not know demand from
supply in the field of economics, had the prescience
in seeing the country as being better off with China
than the US when he took over the reins of government
at a time when Noynoy’s master Barack Obama was
still in power.
Thus far, Rody’s global instinct on what would
benefit Filipinos most remains impeccable.
Xi’s visit would be one of the crowning glories
of Rody’s independent foreign policy that stresses
friendship to all nations and not just its colonial
masters.
“For Leni
to say that
only the rich
get justice is
yet another
effort of
her and
her yellows
to identify
themselves
as being
one with
the poor
masses.
“If justice
grinds
slowly
in her
cases, it
is because
of her
delaying
tactics.
Faking a bleeding heart for the poor
The nation has
moved on, but not
the yellows and
the anti-Marcos
groups that use
every opportunity to
make anything and
everything Marcos
an issue, which is
probably why they
refuse to move on
even as the nation
has moved on.
Leni Robredo has
been using the Imelda Marcos bail
issue to gain more publicity for her.
She has been at it since the court
granted Marcos her temporary
liberty after having been convicted
by the same court.
Robredo, who is a lawyer, should
know better than to claim that the
granting of bail to Imelda, who was
pronounced guilty by the court on
several counts of graft, only boosted
the public perception that only the
rich and powerful get justice.
FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
Inhibition is a
funny word. While
etymologically sharing
the same basic DNA,
the word has more
than two definitions
used in totally
different contexts.
Thus, its two meanings
are hardly applied in
the same sentence.
At least not until
Liberal Party (LP) Sen.
Leila de Lima, the
former Secretary of Justice under
the administration of Benigno
Aquino III, stepped into the glaring
limelight and there soaked up all
the attention she enjoyed in a very
bizarre sense.
Never mind that, through her
series of legal inhibitions sought in
her criminal cases and what might
be considered as a lack of personal
inhibition in another case, focus on
her has eventually deteriorated to
denigration, derision and disgrace.
Her life choices have been
unusual and controversial to say
the least, but then to each his or
her own. There is no accounting for
taste nor the absence of inhibitions
in her private life — until those
impact negatively on the public
welfare and our own lives are
threatened, as it had been when a
deadly drug menace reigned under
the Aquino administration.
Then, the question of inhibitions
in the case of Aquino’s former
Justice secretary enters the public
debate and becomes relevant. The
2016 mandate and the electorate’s
simultaneous rejection of De Lima’s
party standard bearer, as well
as the continuing affirmation
of the Duterte government’s
agenda evidenced by approval and
satisfaction ratings, attest to that.
Let us tackle inhibition
BYSTANDER
Dean de la Paz
That is hardly fair,
considering the fact
that under the law,
no matter what crime
the person accused is
suspected of having
committed, major or
minor, bail is allowed to
be granted, depending
on the court’s
discretion. Graft is a
bailable offense. Even
in plunder cases, bail
can be availed of if the
evidence is weak.
Leni should know that even an
accused convicted in lower courts
is deemed innocent until final
judgment from the highest court
in the land.
Rich or poor, every accused can
seek bail. As a matter of fact, courts,
even before trial begins, inform the
accused of his bail when the crime
is a bailable offense.
Bail is not a matter of only the
rich availing of it. Sure, they have
the money and can easily post bail,
while the poor can’t, mainly because
the poor have no money for them to
post bail.
But the law applies to
both the rich and the
poor and the economic
disparity between
the rich and the
poor is not due
to only the
rich getting
justice as
Leni puts it.
B u t
what Leni
should
work for,
if she
is truly
sincere
in ensuring that the accused
who are poor are given justice,
then she should organize
groups that can get the judges
to ensure when the poor, who are
incidentally given free legal service,
are sentenced, outside of the usual
serious crimes as murder, for the
courts to suspend sentence. This
way, they are spared of both paying
bail, which they can hardly afford
and immediately obtain freedom
under probation, if that is what the
judge will grant the accused.
The reason many of the poor
accused suffer in jail for years
on end is that despite bail that
is on offer by the court, being
poor, they can’t afford a bail of even
P5,000, much more P10,000.
But for Leni to say that only the
rich get justice is yet another effort
of her and her yellows to identify
themselves as being one with the
De Lima’s inhibitions
where it is defined
as an imposition of
a restraint upon
prospective behavior
in judicial processes.
This is especially
relevant where De Lima
is accused of several
counts involving illegal
drugs, the centerpiece
advocacy of the current
administration for
which it was not only
elected into office, but
was the principal charge vested
by the sovereign electorate on the
administration.
Where society has been so
brutally victimized by a deadly
drug menace that spills over
from being a mere health
problem to a deadly catalyst for
violent, heinous and gruesome
crimes inflicted on innocent
families, the charge vested upon
Rodrigo Duterte cannot be underemphasized.
More so when under Aquino
perhaps the largest drug laboratory
was brazenly built in his personal
political bailiwick under the noses
of the police who report to a
Cabinet secretary Aquino would
eventually choose as his successor.
While drug manufacturing
and production were allowed by
Aquino’s bureaucracy to operate
by ineptitude and indifference,
marketing and distribution were
different stories altogether.
We now know that illegal
drugs under Aquino were being
traded from inside the national
penitentiary, a community of
criminals technically under the
Justice department, also then
controlled by a LP factotum
Aquino hand-picked as a senatorial
candidate.
A virtual and powerful triad
poor masses.
This problem of city jails and
even national penitentiaries being
congested with an overload of
prisoners, mainly due to their
inability to afford bail, has been
going on for decades — including
during the yellow reign’s time in
power and position.
Leni was already
“Robredo
and her
allies
have not
denounced
the rich
yellow
crooks who
have gotten
away with
their crimes.
a congresswoman
and her husband the
late Jesse Robredo
was the Interior
secretary. If her
heart really bleeds
for the poor who
continue to rot in
jail for many years
and mainly due to
their inability to
raise bail money,
why then did she
not come up with a legislative
measure to get judges to do away
with having the poor cough up
bail money, as well as coming
up with a measure that calls for
judges to suspend sentence, despite
the conviction — at least on the
accused’s first offense? Why didn’t
she push her husband, then, to seek
reforms for the poor to be spared of
bail and prison through a suspended
sentence?
Why did she not and still does
not, organize a group that would
accept donations to provide the poor
among the accused and convicted in
jail of bail money, if Leni’s show of a
bleeding heart for the poor is real?
It isn’t real, of course as she
never bothered about this when
her husband was in position and
even she, as a member of Congress,
had every opportunity to introduce
reforms in the justice system?
In all probability, it is because
they didn’t really care then, as their
yellow president didn’t care either,
despite the fact that he was getting
his political foes framed and charged,
arrested and detained, without bail,
while his yellow allies were protected
from being charged for plunder
without bail. Did anybody hear these
yellows and yes, Leni, fighting for
their foes’ right to bail? Heck, no.
They reveled in the hope that their
political foes would never be granted
bail and rot in jail, so they won’t be
a political threat to the yellows’ plan
for perpetual power.
To this day, officials in the yellow
regime, headed by its president,
have gotten away with their crimes
and Robredo and her allies have
not denounced the rich yellow
crooks who have gotten away with
their crimes committed against the
Filipino people.
No wonder Leni and her yellows’
credibility is shot.
comprised of Aquino plus his
two chosen Cabinet secretaries
should have rid us of the drug
menace. Instead, the drug menace
escalated.
Because of the triad’s failure
to control the illegal drug trade
epidemic where millions were
channeled from the national
penitentiary to campaign coffers,
it behooves us to seek a quick
closure to De Lima’s cases.
Likewise, we
would normally
“Illegal
drugs under
Aquino were
being traded
from inside
the national
penitentiary,
a community
of criminals
technically
under the
Justice
department.
assume that De
Lima herself,
accused as she
is of violating
Section 5 of
the Dangerous
Drugs Act, if she
were innocent,
would similarly
want a swift
settlement.
The venue to
vet witnesses
and assess their
credibility is
the courtroom, not the media.
Unfortunately, De Lima has been
constantly prosecuting her case
in extrajudicial fora, including
seeking the inhibition of either
judges or witnesses even before
trials begin — an aberrant
preemptive albeit effective
dilatory ploy given three counts
were slapped against her, each
non-bailable. Fortunately, despite
her labeling her case a “sham,”
the Supreme Court has upheld
the constitutionality of her arrest.
If justice grinds slowly in her
cases, it is because of her delaying
tactics which run contrary to the
desire of both the prosecution
and the public, which seek justice
meted out at the soonest possible
time.
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Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
COMMENTARY
5
“Fostering
friendship
with China
is a wise
choice.
“If Robredo
sincerely
wants to
help promote
our national
interest,
she should
just shut up
on matters
of foreign
policy.
“President
Fidel
Ramos was
criticized for
his expensive
solutions to
the massive
power outage
problem he
inherited
from Mrs.
Aquino.
Thoughts on China and President Xi Jinping’s visit
the reason why I was invited
In October 2016, when I was
to form part of the delegation
still a member of the House of
during his trip to China in
Representatives, I joined President
2016 and part of the reason
Rodrigo Duterte on his state visit
why I was personally asked to
to China as part of his official
become his spokesman.
delegation. For me, the purpose
However, let me clarify that
of the trip was clear: President
in pursuing an independent
Duterte wanted to pursue an
foreign policy and befriending
independent foreign policy and he
states other than our
wanted to foster closer ties with
traditional allies, we maintain
China. I think it is very clear from
BRIEFING ROOM
our sovereignty. Choosing our
the President’s pronouncements Harry Roque
friends is an exercise of that
that he wants to be closest to China among all sovereignty.
the countries with which we have diplomatic While it may make certain sectors
ties. He has repeatedly expressed his admiration uncomfortable to acknowledge it, fostering
for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is friendship with China is a wise choice. We
scheduled to visit the Philippines starting today. cannot ignore that China today is an economic
Even before I became his spokesman and giant, arguably the world’s most dominant
even now that I no longer speak for him, I economy. There are clear economic benefits to
support the President’s position in pursuing an positive ties between our states. To illustrate:
independent foreign policy. I believe this was we received over $25 billion worth of foreign
Vice President Leni Robredo tried to get cute again, but fell
flat on her face instead.
In a radio interview, Robredo said the Duterte administration
should stand firm behind the Philippines’ claim in the West
Philippine Sea (WPS) because the country’s sovereignty is
at stake.
Robredo made the comment in reaction to
Duterte’s statement during the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Singapore
that China is “already in possession” of the
disputed sea.
She parroted the yellow line that the Philippines
should be more assertive in its stance in the WPS
territorial dispute by invoking the 2016 decision of the
Permanent Court of Arbitration against China’s nine-dash
line claim.
Like a programmed
automaton, Robredo
disgorged the clichéd and
equally malicious charge
that the administration has
given up on our claims to
the WPS territories, saying
this would deprive a lot of
our citizens their means of
livelihood.
Worse, she lamented
the country would lose the
opportunity to benefit from
the rich resources in the
area, which may include vast
oil and mineral deposits.
Either Robredo was
not paying attention to
State affairs or just too
preoccupied with her own
because, had she bothered
to get a full briefing on the
ASEAN Summit, she would
not be blabbering idiotic
comments on a delicate
diplomatic situation with
immense implications.
If she carefully read the
reports and not just the
headlines, she would have
realized that the real import
of Duterte’s statement is
simple and wise: nobody
should do anything that
could ignite war in WPS.
Here’s the report on
Duterte’s ASEAN statement:
“He reiterated that China
is effectively in control of
some of the features in the
strategic waterway as he
warned of a potential ‘bad
miscalculation’ as a result of
‘friction’ between China and
other nations with interests
in the South China Sea.”
It’s been 80 years since
the Filipinos headed their
own government under the
Commonwealth of the Philippines.
Through those decades, corruption
and abuse of privileges were endemic
in many high places in government.
Commonwealth President Manuel
Luis Quezon spent public funds to
favor his political allies. He hosted
lavish parties either at Malacañang,
or at the plush Manila Hotel, or on
board the presidential yacht.
For the record, Quezon City
was created by the national legislature during
Quezon’s incumbency as president. Quezon
himself signed the law creating the city named
in his honor.
The last time something like that happened was
about four years ago when the University of the
Philippines College of Business Administration
was renamed the Cesar E. A. Virata School of
Business. Virata, who is still alive today, was both
Prime Minister and Finance Minister of President
Ferdinand Marcos. A clause in an existing law
allows the renaming.
President Elpidio Quirino’s administration
was haunted by charges of corruption, including
the acquisition of a costly P5,000 four-poster
bed and a golden chamber pot. Quirino’s critics
estimated kickbacks in government contracts
at 10 percent.
Diosdado Macapagal, the fifth president of
the Republic, had his share of accusations. His
term was stalked by the controversy created
by the infamous Harry Stonehill, an American
Corruption in past administrations
businessman who dominated
the news stories of that period.
Stonehill controlled many
industries in the Philippines.
When it was suspected that
Stonehill had many highranking
government officials in
his private payroll, Macapagal
ordered his Justice secretary to
investigate Stonehill.
In 1963, after the
investigation threatened to
link Macapagal to the Stonehill
payroll, Macapagal ordered the
deportation of Stonehill. Macapagal’s Justice
secretary resigned in protest and joined the
opposition Nacionalista Party.
The administration of President Ferdinand
Marcos was mired with charges of graft and
corruption. Those accusations are embodied
in documentation made public after Marcos
voluntarily relinquished power in February 1986.
Marcos’ demise in 1989 pre-empted any
possible criminal prosecution against him. Cases
resolved against Marcos were pursued ex parte
or without his participation.
His widow, incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep.
Imelda Romualdez Marcos, was recently
convicted of graft by the Sandiganbayan. Her
lawyers intend to appeal her conviction.
President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino’s
administration was likewise stalked by charges
of corruption. The news media back then
reported widespread anomalies which they
attributed to Aquino’s relatives. They also coined
the term Kamag-anak Inc. to highlight the extent
THE SCRUTINIZER
Victor Avecilla
investment pledges from China in 2016 alone,
upon the Duterte administration’s efforts to
normalize relations with China. Clearly, the
strained ties between the Philippines and China
in the recent years was a reason for Chinese
investors to shy away from the Philippines.
Admittedly, tensions
between our two countries
“I hope that
this growing
closeness will
soon present
us with an
opportunity
to bring up
the WPS
without China
leaving the
table.
exist over portions of the
West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Philippines filed a case
hoping that a ruling would
bring an end to the dispute.
As a former professor of
Public International Law, I
was gratified by the findings
of the Permanent Court of
Arbitration because, to my
mind, the law is very clear:
there is absolutely no basis
for the nine-dash line.
Nonetheless, the heart of the problem is
Cleaning up the yellow mess
Duterte had warned: “One day a bad miscalculation could
turn things – Murphy’s Law. If anything can go wrong, it will
go wrong.”
That is precisely the reason President Duterte backed moves
for full and effective implementation
of the Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the
WPS and the expeditious
conclusion of an
effective Code of
Conduct.
of the problem.
Mrs. Aquino’s most glaring controversy was
when she virtually exempted the Cojuangco
family-owned Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac from
the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law.
For his part, President Fidel
Ramos was criticized for his
“The
alleged
corruption
under the
Marcos
regime is
nothing in
comparison
with the
anomalies
under Aquino
III.
expensive solutions to the
massive power outage problem
he inherited from Mrs. Aquino.
His decision to get power
barges and to commit payment
for unconsumed electricity
was decried because it made
electricity very expensive in
the country.
Many retired military
officers were given key posts in
the Ramos government. Ramos,
after all, was a soldier before
he joined the civilian government under Mrs.
Aquino. Ironically, the bulk of Fort Bonifacio, a
military reservation which Marcos did not touch,
was sold off during Ramos’ term.
Plunder charges were lodged against
President Joseph Estrada during his time. He is
the first Philippine president to be tried by the
Senate as an impeachment court. The Estrada
camp asserts that there was no deficit spending
during the Estrada administration.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s
term was rocked by controversies. She was
installed president by what appears to be
the manipulation of then Supreme Court
Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. The ZTE
that there is no way to enforce the ruling
without China’s cooperation. Confrontation
has never worked out in our favor, which
leaves us with limited practical options.
I cannot say what the best option
is — not in the long run. But I do know
for certain that we gain nothing from
alienating China. We need China at the
negotiating table if we are going to work
out a resolution on the disputed waters that
China will actually abide by.
In the meantime, with President Xi
Jinping’s historic visit to the Philippines,
I hope that the warmer ties that the
President has fostered with China will
continue to bear fruit for our economic
growth. After all, the genuine change we
all hope for is to uplift the lives of every
Filipino. I hope that this growing closeness
will soon present us with an opportunity
to bring up the WPS without China leaving
the table.
Refuting criticisms that Duterte’s love for China policy
is putting the Philippines in greater risk because of its
implications on freedom of navigation in the WPS, Foreign
Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted: “What about this:
DU’s love China Policy prompted US to commit its full panoply
of power to the Indo-Pacific — stretching from Persian Gulf to
waters lapping the shores of San Diego; something US held
back from saying because its natural economic and trading
partner is China.”
The US Navy’s Indo-Pacific Fleet is reportedly considering
a plan to “carry out a highly focused and concentrated set of
exercises involving US warships, combat aircraft and troops”
across the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits, a move seen
to preserve intact the freedom of navigation in the disputed
waters.
By the way, Robredo should be reminded that President
Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s inept handling of the
Scarborough Shoal standoff in 2012 led
to the rising tension in the WPS.
President
Benigno
“Noynoy”
Aquino’s inept
handling
of the
Scarborough
Shoal standoff
in 2012 led
to the rising
tension in the
WPS.
“Scarborough
Shoal is widely seen
as the most palpable
erosion of stability
in the South China
Sea since 2012,” said
the Asia Maritime
Transparency
Initiative (AMTI),
which is under the
Center for Strategic
International Studies.
“The Philippines’
decision to deploy a
warship rather than its coast guard
to seize the Chinese fishermen likely
helped trigger the standoff,” AMTI said.
It was also the consensus of experts
that the Aquino administration’s illadvised
decision to withdraw first from
the shoal gave China the upper hand. To
save face, the previous administration
ran to the arbitration tribunal.
It is now President Duterte who
is cleaning up the mess the yellow
administration created and succeeding at it.
Robredo’s comments woefully
exhibit her utter ignorance and shallow
understanding of foreign relations and
the intricacies of diplomacy.
Her own words vindicate President
Duterte’s aversion for Robredo to
succeed him because she could
jeopardize the country’s national
interest and endanger our national
security with her naïve confrontational
stance that history has proven would
not work unless backed by sufficient
force.
If Robredo sincerely wants to help
promote our national interest, she
should just shut up on matters of
foreign policy. It would do us a lot good.
telecommunications anomaly plagued her
term as well. In the “Hello Garci” scandal,
it was learned that Arroyo tried to influence
an election commissioner to protect her votes
in the 2004 presidential polls. Arroyo had to
make a public apology on television for that
scandal.
When Arroyo was charged and tried for
plunder, she wore a neck brace to support
her request to seek needed medical treatment
abroad. Her request was denied. After the cases
against her were dismissed, her neck brace was
gone. She remained strong enough to seize the
speakership of the House of Representatives
from Pantaleon Alvarez earlier this year.
President Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal
Party takes the cake. His administration bought
defective trains for the metropolis, acquired
defective helicopters for the Armed Forces
and allowed 44 Filipino police operatives to be
massacred in Mamasapano in Maguindanao.
Aquino’s underlings likewise embezzled more
than P186 billion of the Malampaya gas fund
and misused the pork barrel fund. Indeed, the
alleged corruption under the Marcos regime
is nothing in comparison with the anomalies
under Aquino III.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who is nearing
his midterm in office, has not been associated
with any corruption. His management style
may be authoritarian, but he does not tolerate
corruption. That explains why Duterte is very
upset about the rampant anomalies in the
Bureau of Customs, so much so that he has
asked the military to help clean up the mess
there.

6 NEWS
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Foreign policy well defended
From page 1
presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo
said.
In Singapore, Mr. Duterte called on the
ASEAN and China to practice “restraint” in
dealing with territorial issues involving the
West Philippine Sea (WPS) and vowed for the
sealing of a code of conduct in navigation “at
all costs” within three years – the period the
Philippines sits as the main coordinator in
the ASEAN-China dialogue.
“With the Philippines assuming the
role country coordinator for ASEAN-
China Dialogue Relations, the President
delivered the ASEAN-China Common
Statement,” stated Panelo.
This trip not only benefited our
country today but also its overall
economy in the coming years
As lead coordinator, the President
reaffirmed ASEAN and China’s shared
commitment to the full and effective
implementation of the Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the WPS.
“With the President’s undiminished
dedication to our country’s economic
progress and the formidable support he was
able to solicit from the respective leaders of
the APEC Community, we are enthusiastic
to say that this trip not only benefited our
country today but also its overall economy
in the coming years,” Panelo said.
Home again
Mr. Duterte arrived in Davao City on
Sunday after attending the ASEAN Summit
in Singapore and the APEC Economic
Leaders’ Meeting in Papua New Guinea
from 12 to 18 November.
The Chief Executive, throughout the series
of international commitments, continued to
advance the Philippines’ national interests
and prioritized its key positions in the region,
a Palace statement said.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit,
the President met with Singapore Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong and congratulated
him for a successful chairmanship of the
meeting.
Both renewed their commitment to
further strengthen bilateral relations
particularly in trade and investment and
in countering transnational crimes that
threaten stability in the region.
In Singapore, Mr. Duterte called
on the ASEAN and China to
practice “restraint” in dealing
with territorial issues involving
the West Philippine Sea.
Preconditions for growth
Mr. Duterte also met with Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Both leaders
renewed the shared commitment to
strengthen bilateral relations.
He likewise had several pull-aside
discussions with ASEAN leaders and dialogue
partners and used the opportunity to renew
friendly and cooperative ties.
In Papua New Guinea,
during the discussion with
the APEC Business Advisory
Council, the President
emphasized that security,
stability and peace and
order are preconditions for
the growth envisioned by
APEC.
In the Economic Leaders’
Meeting, Mr. Duterte
championed micro, small
and medium enterprises
(MSME), calling them
the backbone of many
economies.
While noting that the
digital platform offers
opportunities for growth
in the global economy, the
President drew attention to
the wide digital divide that,
if left unaddressed, could
hinder MSME in developing
nations from becoming
active players.
Rules-based trading
system
He emphasized the need for
greater cooperation together
with other economic leaders to further equip
MSME and educate entrepreneurs to make
them active players and contributors in the
global supply and market chain.
The President also reaffirmed the
importance of a rules-based multilateral
trading system, so that inclusive
sustainable progress and prosperity
could be achieved. He cautioned against
protectionist sentiments and urged
economies to treat each other rightly as
partners rather than competitors.
In his meeting with the Filipino community
in Port Moresby, President Duterte thanked them
for their contributions to
nation-building and
urged the members
of the community
to continue
being the best
representatives
of the Filipino
nation.
From page 1
5 UHC humps stall bicam
said while he really wanted to have
the measure passed immediately, he
would not resort to haste to guarantee
the crafting of the best version of the
proposed law.
“We want to make sure that if
ever we pass the UHC… we will pass
the best version. There is no room to
commit mistakes,” Ejercito added.
Among the sticking points in the
debates on the bill concern the
contribution from members of the
Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or
PhilHealth.
“The Senate, particularly Sen.
Ralph Recto, wanted to give incentives
to the contributing members, so that
they will be motivated to continue
paying,” Ejercito said.
Solidarity clause
The House of Representatives,
on the other hand, is pushing for a
“solidarity” provision wherein all
benefits should be equal
for non-paying and
paying members.
Ejercito said Recto raised the
possibility the collection of PhilHealth
might suffer if such provision is
adopted.
We want to make sure that if
ever we pass the UHC… we will
pass the best version
“The idea is good, but the reality,
says Senator Recto, is that when
contributory members learn that they
will receive equal benefits as the
non-paying ones, meaning whatever
benefits or privileges enjoyed by
paying members will be received by
non-paying, then the collection might
fall,” Ejercito said.
More hearings set
Ejercito said he would not mind
holding two or three more bicameral
conference meetings before passing
the UHC bill, which is designed to
provide free quality health services
to all Filipinos.
“We will have to compromise…
We want to make sure that
PhilHealth will be financially
healthy in the coming years, so
that we can realize this goal of
providing quality health care
for every Filipino,” Ejercito
said.
Mission accomplished With a smile, apparently satisfied with the outcome of his summits swing, President Rodrigo Duterte heads home to Davao
City.
MALACAÑANG PHOTO
3 ‘leftist’ DSWD execs sacked
From page 1
have links with the left.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea
confirmed Mr. Duterte dismissed
Undersecretary for Protective Operations
and Programs Group Mae Ancheta-Templa,
Undersecretary for Promotive Operations
and Programs Group Maria Lourdes Turalde-
Jarabe and Undersecretary for Disaster
Response Management Group Hope Hervilla.
The officials were removed to give
newly appointed Secretary Rolando
Bautista leeway to form his own team.
“We expect the new secretary to bring
his own team to provide better services
to the public,” Medialdea said in a text
message to Malacañang reporters.
No ideological color
Medialdea denied the President’s
decision to fire the three officials was
due to their involvement with left-leaning
organizations.
Jarabe was the former secretary
general of Gabriela Women’s Party while
Hervilla was a former Bayan Muna regional
chairman. Ancheta-Templa, meanwhile,
was a member of the Forum of Women for
Action with Rody Duterte.
“No. (It’s for the) formation of a good
team,” he clarified.
Gone early
The DSWD, in a separate statement
also released yesterday, has announced
that the three undersecretaries had
stepped down since last week.
We expect the new secretary to
bring his own team to provide
better services to the public.
Jarabe and Templa had voluntarily
quit from their posts following orders
from the Palace, while Hervilla vacated
her position after the President accepted
her resignation.
With their termination, the remaining
undersecretaries in the DSWD are
Florita Villar (policy and plans), Camilo
Gudmalin (support programs infrastructure
management) and Luzviminda Ilagan
(legislative liaison affairs and special
presidential directives in Mindanao region).
Duterte’s ex-DSWD chief, Judy
Taguiwalo, a left-leaning former University
of the Philippines professor, failed to get
the nod of the powerful Commission on
Appointments last year.
Budget holiday Low-cost Christmas lanterns sell like hotcakes as buyers look to stretch their peso while also observing the coming festivities.
RAFAEL TABOY
page6_Nov20.indd 6
19/11/2018 11:04:30 PM

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune NATION
7
MOVE SEEN TO EASE OUT MIDDLEMEN
By Kuhlin Ceslie Gacula
Piñol earmarks P200-M for coconut farmers
In what is seen as the start of a
serious government initiative to
empower and help coconut farmers,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol
has instructed the credit policy office of
his department to set aside P200-M in
loan assistance to the industry workers.
Piñol told the Agricultural Credit
Policy Council (ACPC) to earmark the
amount from the existing loan funds of
the Production Loan Easy Access.
The amount, which will be granted at
an easy six percent interest annually, will
be used as a working capital of various
organized and duly-recognized coconut
farmers groups to buy the copra produce
of their members and sell this directly
to the oil mills.
The move is seen as an attempt to
cut out the traditional “compradors”
or middlemen who serve as the link
between the disorganized coconut
farmers and the copra traders or the
big oil mills owners.
This system which has been going
on for the longest time has relegated
the farmers to poverty while enabling
middlemen to rake huge profits at their
expense.
As a follow through, Piñol said he is also
set to meet with the owners of the coconut
oil mills in the country and ask them to
allow organized coconut farmers funded
by the DA-ACPC to directly deal with them.
“It is an attempt to cut out the
traditional ‘compradors’ who serve
as the link between the disorganized
coconut farmers and the copra traders
or the big oil mills and who in the
process make more money than the
farmers,” he noted.
This system which has been
going on for the longest time
has relegated the farmers
to poverty while enabling
middlemen to rake huge profits
at their expense.
Moreover, he also disclosed that the
Philippine Coconut Authority will also
be directed to source funds so that the
farmers’ groups could be given support
equipment like hauling trucks and
modern drying facilities.
He added that by mid-2019, communitylevel
processing facilities to produce
various products like virgin oil, coconut
chips, syrup, sugar and coir, will also
be established in the different coconutproducing
regions of the country to be
owned and operated by the farmers
themselves.
“I thought of these three measures
as the immediate remedies to address
the very low income of coconut farmers
because of the slump in the prices of
copra in the world market,” Piñol stated.
Six months more Heavily -armed soldiers conduct thorough check on passing motorists along a highway
leading to Marawi City.
CO NTRIB UTED PHOTO
Public’s say in SC justice
selection sought
By Alvin Murcia
In its effort to pick the best possible candidate
who would replace the post to be vacated by
retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Noel
Tijam, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is
urging the public to participate in the selection
process by sending their comments and opinions
against or in favor of any applicant.
The JBC said the public can send its comments
through e-mails or fax until 27 November or by
Tuesday next week.
This developed as the JBC on Monday scheduled
on 5 December the public interview of the six
remaining applicants vying for the position.
Those who will face the JBC panel are Court of
Appeals Associate Justices Ramon Cruz, Eduardo
Peralta, Ricardo Rosario, and Ramon Bato Jr.
They will be joined by Sandiganbayan Presiding
Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang and Associate
Justice Efren Dela Cruz.
NDRRMC: ‘Samuel’
could ape ‘Urduja’
The National Risk Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC) on Monday urged the public
to stay alert and make necessary preparations, as
tropical depression Samuel may unleash rains as
intense as that of Tropical Storm Urduja, which
claimed at least 43 lives in December last year.
Samuel was spotted 660 km east southeast of
Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 4 a.m. Monday, packing
maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per
hour and 65 kph gusts, said PAGASA.
“If you are advised by your local government
that you need to temporarily evacuate or that
you need to proceed in more secure areas, please
do not hesitate to obey,” NDRRMC spokesperson
Edgar Posadas said. In Agusan Del Norte,
meanwhile, the disaster office mounted a predisaster
risk assessment and sent text messages
to barangay officials on how to prepare for
Samuel’s onslaught. Elmer N. Manuel
The country’s first barge terminal will finally open
on Thursday in Cavite and once fully operational is
expected to help ease the transport of cargo from
international ports in Manila while also freeing
up traffic in the National Capital Region and the
suburban areas.
The Cavite Gateway Terminal (CGT)
in Tanza was built under the ‘Build, Build,
Build’ infrastructure program of the Duterte
administration, through the initiatives of
NEWS BRIEFS
The 14 other applicants to the seat that will
become vacant on 5 January next year when
Tijam will be 70 years old, will no longer undergo
public interview by the JBC panel because their
previous interviews were still valid.
Tijam was the second magistrate appointed
by President Rodrigo Duterte after retired Chief
Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro.
The list released earlier by Justice Secretary
Menardo Guevarra indicated there are 13 Court
of Appeals justices who applied for Tijam’s post.
The JBC said the public can send its
comments through e-mails or fax until 27
November or by Tuesday next week.
Included in the list of applicants are Court
Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, De La Salle
University College of Law Vice Dean Rita Linda
Jimeno and former Ateneo Law School Dean
Cesar Villanueva.
7 young sex
workers rescued
Seven minors who were being forced to
work as prostitutes were rescued by the
police during an anti-white slavery operation
Sunday night in Brgy. Lagao, General Santos
City.
The victims’ pimp and handler identified as
Bernie Gapang alias ‘Brix’ was nabbed during
the operation. He however denied the charges
against him claiming that he was merely helping
the victims earn money.
Galang was arrested after he reportedly
offered the girls using his social media
account to an undercover operative who
pretended to be looking for young girls as
sex partners.
He was collared after bringing the girls in a
local inn where he presented the victims to his
would-be ‘customer’ only to find out that he was
dealing with a cop. Francis Eart Cueto
Country’s first barge
terminal opens this week
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade in
collaboration with the International Container
Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).
Considered the first barge terminal of its kind
in the Philippines, the project will have 550 ground
slots for containers. It will accommodate barges
with an estimated two to three hours of ferry time,
with initial multiple pick-up locations.
Harbor Star, the barge operator for the CGT, will
deploy 150 TEU barges.
BR
ML extension
calls snowball
The martial law in Mindanao was twice extended already and the current one
is set to expire in 31 December unless reconsidered by Congress
By Perseus Echeminada & Hananeel Bordey
Calls for the extension of martial law in Mindanao
continued to gather momentum after various groups
and sectors including top political leaders and
personalities in the region expressed their support
to the initiative.
To recall, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the
whole of Mindanao under martial law on May 23,
2017, several days after terrorists with links to the
Islamic State led by the Maute brothers, raided and
held the whole of Marawi City captive for several
months.
The martial law in Mindanao was already twice
extended and the current one is set to expire in 31
December unless reconsidered by Congress.
This developed as former Senator Aquilino
‘Nene’ Pimentel II said he supports the extension
of martial law in Mindanao because its declaration
has foiled the plan of the ISIS to set up a caliphate
in the region.
“It has deterred the plan of ISIS to establish its
foothold in Mindanao “ the former senator told the
Daily Tribune.
Structures of the Constitution
He elaborated that that the martial law declared
by the late former President Ferdinand Marcos in
1972 was vastly different from the current one.
“ As far as I know the implementation of martial
rule in Mindanao has followed the structures of the
Constitution and laws” he added.
For his part, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar
Moreno told the Daily Tribune that the continuing
skirmishes between government troops and armed
groups in remote areas of the region, is a clear
signal that terrorism remains a major concern in
Mindanao.
“ It’s the constitutional mandate of President
Duterte to ensure the safety of the people against
terror attacks in Mindanao” he said.
Resolution filed
Over at the House of Representatives, Iligan
City Rep. Frederick Siao on Monday filed House
Resolution 2302 calling for six months extension
of martial law in Mindanao.
In the resolution, Siao urged President Duterte to
extend it from 1 January to 30 June 2019 to maintain
the peace and order in Mindanao and to protect the
lives and property of the people.
Siao said that he filed this resolution due to
“initial reports of terrorist plots” and there is a”
need to secure 2019 elections”.
Twisted objectives
He cited the “sporadic incidents of violence” as a
reason for the extension mentioning the Lanao del
Sur ambush where five Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency agents were killed.
“The ISIS, their collaborators among lawless
armed groups, and the illegal drugs networks
operating in Mindanao want to sow terror in pursuit
of their twisted objectives” he explained.
Earlier, several leaders of the House of
Representatives also rallied behind the possible
martial extension, even as they cited the need for
military and national security officials to apprise
Congress of the real situation on the ground.
Threat of violence
Deputy Speaker and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro
and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers
expressed support to extend martial law beyond
December 31, 2018, to ensure peace and security
in the region.
Castro said he supports the possible martial law
extension because the threat of violence and terrorism,
has doubled due to the forthcoming 2019 elections.
For his part, Barbers said he will support the
extension (of martial law) if only to maintain peace
in the island.”
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
likewise expressed readiness to support calls to
extend martial law.
Still in Cagayan de Oro City, a political leader
who requested anonymity said their group is
preparing a manifesto of support for the extension
of martial law which will be submitted to President
Duterte.
Their group will also hold rallies to dramatize
support for the shift of government from presidential
to federal system and the creation of a federal state
of MINSULA.
“Martial law has helped us live in peace because
armed groups are forced to hide in the mountains and
are isolated because of the presence of government
soldiers and the police” he said.
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8
METRO
John Henry Dodson, Editor
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Trucking protest
effect minimal
By Elmer N. Manuel
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (PCCI) yesterday assured the
public that the six-day truck holiday will
have minimal effect on the economy if major
trucking groups will refuse to join the protest
action.
“I understand that the companies which
joined the protest are just small, independent
groups, so they can be covered by the CTAP
and ACTOO,” PCCI honorary chairman Sergio
Ortiz-Luis Jr. said.
Big hauling groups not joining six-day
holiday.
CTAP stands for Confederation of Truckers
Association of the Philippines Inc. while
ACTOO refers to the Alliance of Concerned
Truck Owners and Organizations.
Both trucking groups have issued
statements they would not participate in the
protest move, Ortiz-Luis, who is also acting
president of the Employers Confederation of
the Philippines, said.
Ortiz-Luis said participation by big trucking
By Gladys Mae Ablon
Transport network vehicle services
(TNVS) provider Grab yesterday said it has
deactivated from its online platform the
account of the driver who was arrested
Sunday for allegedly selling drugs.
The driver, identified as Kristofer Jay
Gavino, reportedly swallowed suspected
sachets of shabu when confronted by
policemen. However, he was unable to swallow
By Raymart T. Lolo
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday
blacklisted two South Korean fugitives arrested
recently for cyber fraud. The suspects undergoing
deportation proceedings were identified as Jang
Kilwan, 36, and Lee Junhee, 28.
“We will ban them from the Philippines to
ensure they will not transfer their illegal activities
here,” said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente of
the suspects arrested last 10 November in a
condominium unit in Fairview, Quezon City.
“Foreign criminals are not welcome to
hide here. We are in close coordination with
our foreign counterparts to ensure that these
fugitives will be sent back to their countries
to face justice,” he added.
The suspects will face charges of maintaining
an illegal sports gambling site in Korea where
companies in the truck holiday would
already be an act of “economic sabotage.”
“If they decide to join, then ports will be
paralyzed,” said Ortiz-Luis. “It would amount
to an economic sabotage if these big truck
groups would also protest and join the
truck holiday.”
The holiday was organized by a
group of truckers in protest of the
government’s phase-out program
for truck 15 years and older, as
part of measures to address port
congestion.
“The group Aduana, through its
president Mary Zapata, said it is
protesting the cramped container
yards of some shipping lines, which
delay the operation of truckers,”
she said.
“Truckers, after delivering
shipments to warehouses, are
supposed to return empty
container vans to the shipping
lines. Several firms, however,
admitted last week that their
container yards are over-utilized,”
Zapata said in an earlier interview.
Grab suspends ‘drug-dealing’ suspect
all the evidence, police said.
Grab said it will ban Gavino and will
include his name in the blacklist to be
submitted to the Land Transportation
Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB),
if he is proven guilty of drug-dealing.
“On the part of the driver, who is accused
of committing a crime, he is automatically
deactivated from our platform,” Grab
spokesman Leo Gonzales said.
“Once confirmed (that he is a drug dealer)
Korean fugitives blacklisted
By Kuhlin Ceslie Gacula
they allegedly pocketed $200,000 from their
operations.
Suspects hiding in PH for three years
nabbed for cyber fraud.
Jang and Lee’s modus operandi involved
asking their customers to transfer money
to bank accounts which would then prove
inaccessible for gambling purposes.
“Having them remain in the country poses
a risk against public interest and safety,”
Morente added, saying the information
against the suspects came from the Korean
Embassy.
The two had been staying in the Philippines
for over three years now. The BI Board of
Commissioners has already issued a summary
deportation against them.
then he is perpetually banned and his name
becomes part of a blacklist we submit to the
LTFRB,” Gonzales added.
Suspect fails to ingest all shabu
evidence.
Grab said it will not tolerate any criminal
activity involving its partner drivers as it
vowed to cooperate with any investigation
with its security and safety team.
Gavino was nabbed in an apartelle in
Cubao after he sold a policeman poseur-buyer
P500 worth of shabu. Police said a barangay
kagawad was present during the operation.
The police said the amount of shabu seized
from Gavino will allow them to charge him
in court although he ingested some of the
drugs. Also serving as evidence against him
is the P500 marked money.
The suspect is detained at the Cubao
police station.
Controversial footbridge
being retrofitted
Reconstruction work on the controversial “Stairway to Heaven”
footbridge located along Scout. Borromeo in Kamuning, Quezon City
is now underway, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) yesterday said.
But the 13.8-meter high footbridge will remain a challenge to climb
for the elderly, the differently abled and pregnant women because
its height will not be reduced.
The MMDA said only a landing and railings are being added on top
of the footbridge at the top of the Metro Rail Transit-3. The original
project cost of P10 million left no budget for an elevator or escalator,
the agency added.
The landing will break the structure into two smaller bridges,
ready for the use of pedestrians on 27 November.
The MMDA said the bridge was constructed in the area to prevent
pedestrians from crossing Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. It said at
least 10 pedestrians are hit by vehicles in the area each month.
Francis Earl Cueto
Skin-whitening products tarred
An environmental and health advocacy group yesterday
warned the public against the extensive use of skin
whitening products which, it said, pose a serious threat
to people’s health.
The group Ecowaste Coalition claimed that all 15
whitening products it subjected to X-Ray
fluorescence analyser were found
contaminated with toxic mercury
ranging from 710 to 30,000 ppm.
Beauty quest Even for Asians, having lighter, even complexion is a plus especially for those seeking beauty titles. As such, whitening creams
are among the most sought-after products in the market.
AFP
Mercury is highly toxic when ingested, inhaled or when it breaks
through the skin.
The products found laced with mercury were purchased from 4
to 16 November for P60 to P280 from stores selling cosmetics, herbal
supplements and Chinese medicines in Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina,
Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig and Quezon Cities.
The group’s latest test purchases coincided with the second meeting
of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury
(COP2) on 19 to 23 November in Geneva, Switzerland.
15 beauty creams found laden with toxic mercury.
The treaty aims “to protect human health and the environment
from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury
compounds.”
Among other targets, the treaty requires the phase-out of
cosmetics, including skin lightening products, with mercury
above 1 ppm by the year 2020.
“The 2020 phase-out deadline for mercury-laced skin
lightening products is fast approaching, and we still
find these smuggled products in store shelves. Jiaoli
Miraculous Cream, for example, is still up for sale despite
being banned by the FDA in 2010,” the group said.
According to the World Health Organization, “the
main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury
contained in skin lightening soaps and creams
is kidney damage.”
It also warned that “mercury in skin lightening
products may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration
and scarring, as well as a reduction in the skin’s
resistance to bacterial and fungal infections.”
The 15 products found to contain mercury were
the Parley Herbal Beauty Cream with Avocado (with
30,000 ppm of Mercury), Goree Beauty Cream (22,800
ppm), Goree Day & Night Whitening Cream (20,000
ppm), Yudantang 6-Day Specific Eliminating Freckle
Whitening Cream (19,200 ppm), Golden Pearl Beauty
Cream (11,600 ppm), Erna Whitening Cream (8,957
ppm), Feique Lemon Whitening Freckle-Removing
Cream (6,122 ppm), S’Zitang-golden box (2,539
ppm), S’Zitang 10-Day Eliminating Freckle Day &
Night Set, (2,470 ppm), S’Zitang 7-Day Specific
Eliminating Freckle AB Set (1,995 ppm), Jiaoli
Miraculous Cream (1,888 ppm), Jiaoli 7-Day
Specific Eliminating Freckle AB Set, (1,452
ppm), Collagen Plus Vit E Day & Night Cream
(1,139 ppm) and JJJ Magic Spots Removing
Cream (710 ppm).
Majority of the products were already
banned by the Food and Drug Administration
due to their high mercury content.
Hardly a dent
With the two biggest trucking
organizations in the
Philippines
not joining
the protest
move
against the
phase-out of
haulers 15
years and
older, the effect
on the economy
of the six-day truck
holiday was seen to be
minimal.
ROMAN PROSPERO
Car park
probe set
San Juan council to
look into shopping
center’s possible
liability
An investigation will be
launched by the city council
of San Juan on why an Asian
utility vehicle (AUV) driven
by the father-in-law of Sen.
Grace Poe-Llamanzares fell
from the third floor of a
parking structure in the
Greenhills Shopping Center
last Sunday.
The black Toyota Innova
driven by Dr. Teodoro
Llamanzares, 83, hit the
steel railings serving as wall
of the parking structure and
plunged three levels below.
Llamanzares was in
stable condition at press
time yesterday, according to
sources close to his family.
In a radio interview,
San Juan City Police
chief Senior Supt. Dindo
Reyes said the city council
wanted to determine if
the management of the
shopping center can be
made answerable for the
accident.
The railings and the
tire stoppers were unable
to stop wayward vehicles.
Aside from Llamanzares’
AUV, a sedan driven by
a 73-year-old man had
also fallen off the same
structure.
Reyes said they’ve
noticed some issues
on the stopper and
the GI pipe barriers in
the parking structure.
“There was a stopper
on the floor, but it only
accommodates one tire of
a vehicle,” he said.
Llamanzares’ Innova
was reported by witnesses
to have climbed the
structure at a fast pace.
It turned turtle after
breaking through the
barrier and hitting the
pavement.
Luckily, no one
was below the parking
structure when the AUV
fell.
Suggestions had
been made to designate
parking zones for senior
citizens on the ground to
prevent similar accidents
being blamed on drivers’
errors.
The council will pass
a resolution to support
the investigation it wants
conducted on the accident,
Reyes said.
Elmer N. Manuel

‘TWAS NO DIVE,
THAT LOSS
P15
WOVEN WITH
CREATIVITY
P18
PH BANKS STABLE
BUT SOME RISKS
APPARENT
P10
Jun Vallecera, Editor
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Customs
administration,
only way to go
BUSINESS
Outflows help widen
October BoP deficit
9
CHAMBER LANE
Jess Varela
COMMENTARY
“If we want the
Philippines to become
a flourishing trade and
investment hub in the
region, we must identify
the causes which pull
our businessmen and
entrepreneurs… steps
behind.
The history of customs administration dates back to centuries
ago, when the mode of trade was in barter form. Collection of
tributes from people who want to engage in trading activities
was commonplace. Since then, customs, the agency responsible
for controlling the flow of goods in and out of a country, have
been in place.
For the Philippines, our customs history has been influenced
by the Spanish and American regimes. The creation of the
Commonwealth government and the establishment of the
Republic gave the country an opportunity to tailor-fit the customs
administration to what suits us best.
As an agency in charge of the efficient flow of goods, a
customs bureau is an integral part of doing business and of
nation building. Tariffs collected from duties are used by the
government to better its services to the people, by way of social
services, building new roads and other infrastructure.
However, due to some externalities, inefficiencies in customs
administration become inevitable. But, for how long?
Recent developments
Corruption inside customs bureaus is nothing new. It is no
walk in the park to administer the flow of goods, to calculate
Turn to page 10
MALABON may be best known
for its fish factories and fish
mongers but it also plays host
to a small but growing number
of people in the furniture trade.
ROMAN PROSPERO
The state of its imbalance at the moment betrays the country’s
ongoing effort to import more capital and goods from overseas
sources as part of the multiyear infrastructure buildup program
under President Duterte
By Joshua Lao
The country’s balance of payments (BoP)
still stood as a deficit totaling $458 million
in October, nearly six times better than the
month-ago shortfall reaching $2.70 billion.
But compared against the year-ago figure,
the BoP deficit for the month represents a
deterioration from last year when this stood
at only $368 million, data from the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) show.
“The country’s overall balance of payments
position posted a deficit of $458 million in
October 2018, higher than the $368 million
BoP deficit recorded in the same month last
year,” the BSP said.
The BoP is what is left after the country’s
foreign currency expenses are deducted from
its earnings. The state of its imbalance at
the moment betrays the country’s ongoing
effort to import more capital and goods from
overseas sources as part of the multiyear
infrastructure buildup program under
President Duterte.
BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo
previously brushed aside notions the
imbalance could prove disastrous for the
economy later on, saying the buildup helps
ensure the country’s local output growth
measured as its gross domestic product
(GDP) is sustainable for the long haul rather
than just for a few years.
“Outflows in October 2018 stemmed
mainly from payments made by the national
government (NG) for its foreign exchange
obligations, NG’s net foreign currency
withdrawals and foreign exchange operations
of the BSP,” the BSP said in a statement.
According to the BSP, the outflows were
partially offset, however, by the net foreign
currency deposits of the NG.
Over the course of a 10-month period, the
country’s BoP registered a wider deficit of
$5.59 billion from $1.73 billion deficit in the
same period year-ago.
Preliminary data from the Philippine
Statistics Authority said the wider deficit
can be attributed in part to the widening
trade gap in merchandise in the first
three quarters of the year.
“This, in turn, was brought about mainly
by the sustained rise in imports of raw
materials and intermediate goods as
well as capital goods to support
domestic economic expansion,”
the BSP said.
The reported BoP
position reflected the final
GIR level of $74.71 billion
as of end-October 2018.
“At this level, the GIR
(gross international
reserves) represents
a more than ample
MB action anchors T-bills
Treasury bill (T-bill) rates on Monday
moved within a tight band previously
anticipated by the Bureau of the Treasury
(BTr) following the decision by the Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas (BSP) to up its policy rates yet again
the week before.
Only the threemonth
or 91-day
T-bills posted
the widest
increase by
12.3 basis
points in
imitation of
the 25-basis
point in
the rate
at which
the BSP
borrows
from or
lends to
banks.
As a
result, the
auction
committee awarded in full its offering
of P15 billion for the tenor, noting that the
market is clearly encouraged to come out
in the market with a strong appetite for
government securities now that inflation has
shown signs of finally tapering off.
Treasury officials said while T-bill rates
rose across the board on Monday, the magnitude
of the changes were all within expectations.
For example, the rate for both the 91- and
liquidity buffer and is equivalent to 6.8
months’ worth of imports of goods and
payments of services and primary income. It
is also equivalent to 5.7 times the country’s
short-term external debt based on original
maturity and 3.9 times based on residual
maturity,” the BSP said.
The BoP, which stood as a deficit equal
to 0.4 percent of local output or the gross
domestic product in 2016, widened to 0.9
percent of GDP last year. The imbalance was
preprogramed to equal 1.5 percent of GDP
this year as part of the larger goal to spend
more or less P8 trillion under President
Duterte to boost the country’s infrastructure
network.
That buildup, the various
economic managers
previously said, helps
ensure the country’s
local output growth is
sustainable not just
this year and next but
for the long haul.
GUINIGUNDO
In all, the BTr raised the full intended
amount of P15 billion but attracted P30.3
billion in total tenders.
182-day tenors averaged no higher than 5.295 percent
and 6.280 percent, respectively, from 5.172 percent for
the former and 6.245 percent for the latter. This means
the 91-day benchmark rose by 12.3 basis points while
the six-month tenor rose by another 3.5 basis points.
According to the BTr, both tenors were
oversubscribed, the offering having been set
earlier at P4 billion and P5 billion but whose
appeal was such that a total P4.74 billion were
offered for the former and another P11.928 billion
for the latter.
The 364-day benchmark posted an increase by a
mere 0.9 basis point uptick to 6.530 percent from the
posted 6.521 a week ago as demand accelerated to
P13.61 billion from P11.50 billion at the last auction.
In all, the BTr raised the full intended amount of
P15 billion but attracted P30.3 billion in total tenders.
National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said they had
a good auction on Monday, particularly for the 182- and
364-day tenors.
“Investors are already locking in despite the
25-basis point hike by the Monetary Board (MB)
(signifying) that inflationary expectations were
anchored,” De Leon said.
“Investors see that we are able to already temper
inflation with all these actions coming from the MB as
well,” she added.
On the anticipated retail Treasury bond sale,
the Treasury chief said they continue to watch the
market as trade tensions between US and China
resurfaced in recent days.
But De Leon said the BTr has enough financial
buffer for upcoming maturities.
“I will say that at this point we are well-funded
already. Even for the global bond issue we have already
prepared for that maturity in January. We are more or
less comfortable right now with the cash build up we’ve
made during the past months in preparation for all our
redemptions,” De Leon said.
Joshua Lao

10 BUSINESS
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Customs
administration,
only way to go
From page 9
every duty even for miniscule items, track
the movements of imported and exported
items, especially if these are done without
a formidable system. Human intervention
can be inefficient and susceptible to
misconduct.
Millions of eschewed revenues due to
ineffective valuation and collection have
hurt our economy, especially businesses
dutifully paying the tariffs they ought to
pay. In achieving revenue targets, there is
still much to be attained.
What needs to be done?
It is time for the Bureau of Customs
(BoC) to explore artificial intelligence and
to go digital. In today’s highly digitalized
economic landscape, it is fitting for the
BoC, being an integral part of the country’s
revenue-making activities, to explore
the benefits of having limited human
interventions and go digital once and for all.
It is time for the Bureau of
Customs to explore artificial
intelligence and to go digital.
Easier said than done, but if we
do it now, it’s all systems go for the
Philippines to achieve efficiency in customs
administration.
This can be done in the following fronts:
First, application of a software will eliminate
inefficiencies. We have to bank on the beauty
of software to put in place a system that will
work best to eliminate loopholes. The use of
cloud service is also significant to share
the information seamlessly to relevant
agencies, maintaining transparency and
check and balance.
Two, putting up a road network application,
where each category is color coded and traced
and mapped-up, will help monitor the flow of
goods across borders. Also, this prevents the
“swings” and smuggling of goods to and from
bonded warehouses.
Three, barcoding must be required to
further ensure the traceability, authenticity
and origin of the goods. Specific systems are
in place by GS1, duly adopted by Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation and now being
considered for Association of Southeast
Asian Nations by its APEC Business
Advisory Council. All that is needed is to
coordinate and adopt established norms
and use the tools available.
Four, artificial intelligence and X-rays
must be established. Over a million-and-one
images can be scanned, including powdery
products. The utilization of such innovations
will prevent technical smuggling and
likewise ease congestion to a large extent
as the process is a breeze.
Five, software for inward forward
manifest to categorize commodities will
also help.
The PCCI and ICCP listen and
seriously consult with them in
crafting systems that will ensure
that globally accepted systems are
in place and universally accepted
best practices are observed in
customs administration.
Six, subscription to pricing valuation can
be monitored in real time.
Lastly, that the registration and
accreditation of importers and exporters
be outsourced to a business group with
nationwide reach. The registration and
accreditation of importers and exporters
will ensure that they are affirmed to be
exercising good business conduct. More
importantly, the elimination of identity
theft from among consignees and legitimate
importers can be assured.
What’s next?
Inefficiencies, in any organization, must
be targeted with real solutions. If we want
the Philippines to become a flourishing
trade and investment hub in the region,
we must identify the causes which pull
our businessmen and entrepreneurs,
especially small and medium enterprises,
steps behind.
Making use of the technology and
innovations available to us is a big leap for
the history of our customs administration. We
cannot be scared by the use of technology;
it may take some getting used to at first,
but the fruits are sweeter. We have to
consistently reach our revenue targets to fuel
the government services that will be of help to
the Filipinos. We also have to put in mind the
businessmen and entrepreneurs, working day
in and day out, who provide job opportunities
and employment for the country. They are
seriously hurt when inefficiencies happen
because of dated systems and ways. We have
to step up, double time, so that we will be able
to catch up to the countless times that we have
lagged behind our neighbors and the world.
It is imperative that government sit down
with chambers of commerce, the PCCI and
ICCP, listen and seriously consult with
them in crafting systems that will ensure
that globally accepted systems are in place
and universally accepted best practices are
observed in customs administration.
PH banks stable but some risks apparent
Moody’s Investors Service on Monday said the
outlook for the Philippine banking system over the next
12 to 18 months is stable, a reflection the industry’s good
asset quality, strong loss buffers and ample liquidity.
The sovereign credit watcher came to this and other
conclusions even after allowing for the impact of rapid
loan growth of the economy.
“The operating environment will continue to be
supportive for banks, with gross domestic product
growth to slow but remain strong compared to the
Philippines’ own historical rates and growth in peer
economies in the region,” said Srikanth Vadlamani,
Moody’s vice president and senior credit officer.
“Specifically, we forecast the country’s real GDP
(gross domestic product) will grow 6.3 percent and 6.2
percent in 2018 and 2019, respectively, rates that are
among the highest in the region, although lower than
the 6.7 percent recorded in 2017,” says Vadlamani.
“However, accelerating inflation is a risk.”
Moody’s conclusions are contained in its just-released
report, “Banking System Outlook — The Philippines:
Robust economy and solid bank fundamentals support
stable outlook.”
The outlook has been stable since November 2015.
Moody’s assesses six key drivers for the system’s
outlook, namely operating environment (stable); asset
quality (stable); capital (stable); funding and liquidity
(deteriorating); profitability and efficiency (improving)
and government support (stable).
Favorable macroeconomic factors will underpin
asset performance even as loans grow rapidly, but
sharper than-expected increases in interest rates
and a heavy concentration of exposures to large
conglomerates pose key risks to asset quality.
Capital ratios will decline due to fast loan growth,
but the banks’ ability to raise external capital will
MONDAY
19 NOVEMBER 2018
PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE
NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P)
FINANCIALS
BANKS
ASIA UNITED 59 59.5 59 59.5 1,207,200
BDO UNIBANK 123.5 129.7 123.3 129.7 349,637,722
BANK PH ISLANDS 89 89 88 88.7 182,285,789.50
CHINABANK 28 28 27.7 27.75 1,627,890
EAST WEST BANK 10.76 10.82 10.68 10.7 3,588,682
METROBANK 70.3 72.4 70.3 72.15 401,303,662
PHIL NATL BANK 40 40 39.6 39.8 3,549,765
PSBANK 71.7 72.1 71.7 71.7 416,585
RCBC 27.9 28.4 27.9 28.25 6,568,820
SECURITY BANK 141.8 147.3 140.1 146.5 216,688,830
UNION BANK 65.85 65.95 65.8 65.8 974,171.50
OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
BRIGHT KINDLE 1.5 1.59 1.5 1.57 21,930
BDO LEASING 2.33 2.33 2.3 2.3 295,290
COL FINANCIAL 15.2 15.6 15.12 15.6 24,592
FERRONOUX HLDG 3.96 3.96 3.96 3.96 3,960
IREMIT 1.38 1.39 1.38 1.39 4,150
MEDCO HLDG 0.47 0.47 0.455 0.455 200,350
NTL REINSURANCE 0.77 0.8 0.76 0.76 564,000
PHIL STOCK EXCH 174.1 183 174 183 393,373
INDUSTRIAL
ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER
ALSONS CONS 1.23 1.27 1.23 1.26 995,230
ABOITIZ POWER 31.6 32.5 31.4 32.5 56,375,395
BASIC ENERGY 0.226 0.226 0.21 0.225 52,690
FIRST GEN 17.38 17.54 17.14 17.54 30,773,824
FIRST PHIL HLDG 64.85 64.85 64.35 64.6 19,559,734.5(1,
PHIL H2O 4.55 4.66 4.5 4.66 2,548,080
MERALCO 383 387 376.6 384 71,017,290
MANILA WATER 25.7 25.95 25.3 25.4 8,835,870
PETRON 7.88 7.93 7.66 7.66 31,488,583
PETROENERGY 4.06 4.06 4.03 4.03 40,460
PHINMA ENERGY 0.91 0.93 0.9 0.91 573,440
PHX PETROLEUM 11.08 11.3 11 11 2,104,358
PILIPINAS SHELL 48.5 50 48.4 48.4 30,684,910
SPC POWER 5.27 5.41 5.27 5.28 6,427,940
FOOD, BEVERAGE & TOBACCO
AGRINURTURE 17 17.76 17 17.68 8,553,808
CNTRL AZUCARERA 16.2 16.2 14.62 16.08 53,578
CENTURY FOOD 14 14.14 14 14.08 21,367,002
DEL MONTE 7 7 7 7 56,000
DNL INDUS 10.76 10.8 10.76 10.78 4,257,510
EMPERADOR 6.99 6.99 6.89 6.99 22,148,530
SMC FOODANDBEV 83.95 84 83.85 84 132,043,704.50
ALLIANCE SELECT 1.08 1.11 1.06 1.07 7,564,190
GINEBRA 22.8 23.45 22.8 23.05 2,095,555
JOLLIBEE 280 284 278.4 282 158,730,652
MACAY HLDG 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 15,200
MAXS GROUP 10.56 10.8 10.3 10.3 3,674,946
PEPSI COLA 1.46 1.47 1.44 1.44 446,240
SHAKEYS PIZZA 10 10.02 9.99 10 525,099
RFM CORP 4.66 4.7 4.66 4.7 298,760
ROXAS HLDG 2.82 2.82 2.82 2.82 22,560
SWIFT FOODS 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 2,500
UNIV ROBINA 130.7 134.4 130.2 131 82,727,358
VITARICH 1.43 1.5 1.41 1.49 14,441,530
VICTORIAS 2.33 2.33 2.33 2.33 139,800
CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & ALLIED SERVICES
CONCRETE A 60.7 60.7 60.6 60.6 6,668
CEMEX HLDG 2 2.05 1.99 2 4,973,850
DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 16,120
EAGLE CEMENT 15.42 15.42 15.22 15.4 1,129,630
EEI CORP 8.8 8.84 8.34 8.5 573,242
HOLCIM 6 6.25 6 6.15 82,251
MEGAWIDE 17.48 17.6 17.16 17.34 43,896,178
PHINMA 8.5 8.52 8.5 8.5 126,750
TKC METALS 0.84 0.88 0.84 0.87 8,510
VULCAN INDL 1.5 1.51 1.42 1.45 9,221,570
CHEMICALS
CROWN ASIA 1.4 1.45 1.4 1.4 100,330
LMG CHEMICALS 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.65 27,900
MABUHAY VINYL 3.21 3.36 3.21 3.36 32,250
PRYCE CORP 5.23 5.23 5.18 5.18 279,066
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT
CONCEPCION 35 35.2 35 35.2 22,435,020
GREENERGY 1.61 1.65 1.61 1.61 9,421,870
INTEGRATED MICR 8.67 8.67 7.8 7.8 70,797,460
IONICS 1.5 1.5 1.46 1.47 465,300
SFA SEMICON 1.25 1.25 1.2 1.24 467,510
CIRTEK HLDG 37.2 37.9 36.5 37.9 6,123,230
HOLDING FIRMS
ABACORE CAPITAL 0.47 0.47 0.455 0.465 1,954,850
ASIABEST GROUP 21.5 23 20.75 20.75 558,070
AYALA CORP 918 945.5 915 945.5 232,356,570
ABOITIZ EQUITY 47 47.3 45.55 46.85 52,989,655
ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.8 10.82 10.6 10.76 175,994,714
ANSCOR 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.2 106,030
ATN HLDG A 1.46 1.48 1.43 1.48 5,912,530
ATN HLDG B 1.49 1.49 1.47 1.48 857,180
BHI HLDG 1,251 1,800 1,200 1,800 312,085
COSCO CAPITAL 7.05 7.39 7.04 7.35 43,087,207
DMCI HLDG 12.86 13.1 12.8 13.1 46,393,980
FILINVEST DEV 7.4 7.6 7.36 7.6 2,514,983
FORUM PACIFIC 0.23 0.235 0.23 0.235 44,600
GT CAPITAL 807 865 802.5 860 229,300,185
JG SUMMIT 45.8 47.35 45.65 47 91,318,605
LODESTAR 0.52 0.52 0.495 0.51 111,900
LOPEZ HLDG 3.74 4 3.74 3.84 502,110
LT GROUP 16.06 16.36 15.84 16.28 56,511,176
MABUHAY HLDG 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.53 262,280
METRO PAC INV 4.55 4.68 4.5 4.65 293,110,710
PACIFICA 0.034 0.036 0.033 0.036 493,600
PRIME ORION 2.44 2.51 2.44 2.5 1,496,720
PRIME MEDIA 1.16 1.16 1.16 1.16 87,000
REPUBLIC GLASS 2.68 2.68 2.68 2.68 26,800
SOLID GROUP 1.27 1.31 1.27 1.31 21,830
SYNERGY GRID 580 580 470 515 407,212
SM INVESTMENTS 890 928 890 928 303,087,525
SAN MIGUEL CORP 168.5 172 168.5 169.9 36,678,013
SOC RESOURCES 0.71 0.78 0.71 0.78 1,490
SEAFRONT RES 2.29 2.29 2.29 2.29 2,290
TOP FRONTIER 266 280 266 280 758,676
WELLEX INDUS 0.212 0.216 0.21 0.216 125,170
ZEUS HLDG 0.192 0.192 0.192 0.192 7,680
PROPERTY
ARTHALAND CORP 0.51 0.56 0.51 0.52 215,820
ANCHOR LAND 11 11 11 11 105,600
AYALA LAND 39.35 39.9 39.3 39.9 482,782,765
ARANETA PROP 1.78 1.78 1.77 1.77 95,600
BELLE CORP 2.23 2.24 2.22 2.23 6,693,330
A BROWN 0.77 0.78 0.73 0.76 1,000,710
CITYLAND DEVT 0.85 0.87 0.85 0.86 240,790
CROWN EQUITIES 0.22 0.22 0.211 0.22 274,800
CEBU HLDG 6 6 6 6 3,000
CEB LANDMASTERS 3.8 3.9 3.78 3.87 7,705,570
CENTURY PROP 0.415 0.42 0.405 0.41 1,694,800
CYBER BAY 0.34 0.34 0.34 0.34 88,400
DOUBLEDRAGON 18.1 19.44 18.02 18.88 11,962,960
DM WENCESLAO 7.58 7.61 7.53 7.6 2,212,459
EMPIRE EAST 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 500
FILINVEST LAND 1.48 1.5 1.46 1.48 9,169,380
GLOBAL ESTATE 0.99 1.02 0.99 1.01 1,102,060
8990 HLDG 7.25 7.45 7.25 7.45 3,365,911
limit capital erosion. Consequently, the capital ratios
of Philippine banks will remain among the highest in
Asia and will continue to be a key credit strength.
Net interest margins will improve — thereby raising
profitability — as a result of rising interest rates.
Because a large share of Philippine banks’ deposits
comprise current and savings accounts, which tend to
be relatively insensitive to changes in overall interest
rates, funding costs will not rise as fast as lending rates
even as term deposit rates will see a sharp increase.
The result will be wider margins. Funding will tighten due
to rapid loan growth. Loan growth will outpace deposit
growth, further pushing up loan-to-deposit ratios
(LDR), which have been rising.
Local currency funding is
particularly tight,
with the
systemwide local-currency
LDR exceeding the overall LDR.
Government support will remain strong for the large
banks. In addition, the government’s capacity to provide
support in times of stress has improved, but smaller
banks will receive less support than systemically
important banks. Moody’s rates 10 commercial banks
in the Philippines and their assets accounted for
SAVE for one key parameter, Philippine bank drivers as operating environment, asset quality, capital and a few others
were all rated stable in an outlook by Moody’s.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P)
IRC PROP 2.44 2.46 2.35 2.42 22,154,080
CITY AND LAND 0.79 0.85 0.79 0.85 73,980
MEGAWORLD 4.53 4.67 4.5 4.62 88,765,750 29
MRC ALLIED 0.35 0.355 0.345 0.35 7,497,250
PHIL ESTATES 0.44 0.445 0.44 0.44 330,100
PRIMEX CORP 3.6 3.6 3.58 3.6 2,931,320
ROBINSONS LAND 20.4 21.05 20.25 21 24,514,045
PHIL REALTY 0.37 0.37 0.35 0.36 110,200
ROCKWELL 1.91 1.94 1.91 1.91 53,660
SHANG PROP 3.15 3.15 3.11 3.15 218,020
STA LUCIA LAND 1.13 1.14 1.12 1.13 34,960
SM PRIME HLDG 32.65 32.9 32.25 32.9 476,825,960
STARMALLS 4.03 4.1 4.01 4.05 332,220
SUNTRUST HOME 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.72 87,120
VISTA LAND 5.2 5.2 5.15 5.2 6,640,380
SERVICES
MEDIA
ABS CBN 19.86 19.98 19.86 19.9 611,786
GMA NETWORK 5.27 5.27 5.24 5.27 415,852
MANILA BULLETIN 0.355 0.36 0.355 0.36 53,500
MLA BRDCASTING 16.44 16.44 15.1 16.44 22,618
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
GLOBE TELECOM 1,925 1,999 1,924 1,999 77,904,620
PLDT 1,170 1,236 1,170 1,236 90,383,630
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
APOLLO GLOBAL 0.037 0.039 0.037 0.039 26,100
DFNN INC 7.98 7.98 7.9 7.9 4,748
IMPERIAL 1.8 1.8 1.63 1.7 102,830
ISLAND INFO 0.095 0.098 0.09 0.098 86,330
ISM COMM 8.4 8.57 7.95 8.2 472,368,909
NOW CORP 3.1 3.29 2.9 2.98 17,099,100
TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.36 0.37 0.355 0.365 12,099,700
PHILWEB 3.1 3.1 3.03 3.09 865,530
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
2GO GROUP 9.65 9.95 9.55 9.9 380,030
ASIAN TERMINALS 13.2 13.2 13.06 13.06 49,684
CEBU AIR 65.3 68 65.3 67.4 14,497,207
CHELSEA 8 8.04 7.78 7.94 29,556,400
INTL CONTAINER 94 96 94 95.3 423,217,600.50
LBC EXPRESS 14.28 14.28 14.28 14.28 8,568
LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.69 0.72 0.68 0.68 26,350
MACROASIA 14.4 14.4 14.2 14.36 3,137,420
METROALLIANCE A 1.05 1.4 1.05 1.28 258,250
PAL HLDG 7.8 7.8 7.69 7.8 105,289
HARBOR STAR 3.29 3.29 3.14 3.19 9,143,590
HOTEL & LEISURE
ACESITE HOTEL 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.26 6,300
DISCOVERY WORLD 2.43 2.43 2.43 2.43 12,150
WATERFRONT 0.48 0.48 0.46 0.47 277,600
EDUCATION
IPEOPLE 10.12 10.12 10.12 10.12 10,120
STI HLDG 0.58 0.62 0.58 0.62 818,050
CASINOS & GAMING
BERJAYA 1.69 1.73 1.62 1.7 3,709,490
BLOOMBERRY 7.45 7.58 7.36 7.58 36,885,340
PACIFIC ONLINE 10.76 10.76 10 10 111,056
LEISURE AND RES 2.77 2.89 2.7 2.78 702,660
MANILA JOCKEY 5.65 5.65 5.37 5.6 31,319
MELCO RESORTS 7.13 7.14 7.13 7.14 5,203,766
PREMIUM LEISURE 0.64 0.7 0.64 0.67 4,451,960
TRAVELLERS 5.13 5.19 5.12 5.19 9,931,830
RETAIL
METRO RETAIL 2 2.07 1.98 2 2,543,680
PUREGOLD 42 43 41.75 42.7 128,699,720
ROBINSONS RTL 74.4 76.7 74.4 76.7 17,447,404(10
PHIL SEVEN CORP 104.6 108.9 104.6 105.1 227,834
SSI GROUP 2.7 2.81 2.67 2.78 12,104,460
WILCON DEPOT 12.36 12.48 12.1 12.36 74,466,256
OTHER SERVICES
APC GROUP 0.36 0.365 0.35 0.365 169,650
EASYCALL 5.29 5.29 5.01 5.03 774,054
GOLDEN BRIA 318 320 315 320 206,570
IPM HLDG 7.1 7.2 7.1 7.2 71,150
PAXYS 3.38 3.5 3.38 3.5 6,880
PRMIERE HORIZON 0.315 0.32 0.315 0.315 384,850
SBS PHIL CORP 6.74 6.74 6.74 6.74 1,348
MINING & OIL
MINING
ATOK 15.2 16.2 13.9 16 580,842
APEX MINING 1.81 1.91 1.8 1.89 48,221,730
ABRA MINING 0.0021 0.0021 0.0019 0.002 695,800
ATLAS MINING 2.36 2.36 2.34 2.35 96,230
COAL ASIA HLDG 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.295 11,800
CENTURY PEAK 1.91 1.95 1.91 1.95 284,630
DIZON MINES 7.13 7.27 6.99 6.99 267,428
FERRONICKEL 1.73 1.74 1.69 1.7 1,721,330
GEOGRACE 0.201 0.206 0.199 0.204 20,120
LEPANTO A 0.1 0.1 0.099 0.099 87,850
LEPANTO B 0.105 0.105 0.105 0.105 1,050
MARCVENTURES 1.12 1.15 1.12 1.15 127,350
NIHAO 1.01 1.01 0.99 1 114,010
NICKEL ASIA 2.29 2.29 1.94 2.04 43,513,870
OMICO CORP 0.52 0.52 0.52 0.52 6,760
ORNTL PENINSULA 0.88 0.93 0.88 0.89 289,050
PX MINING 2.8 2.95 2.72 2.74 8,658,000
SEMIRARA MINING 26 26.5 25.7 26 57,349,645
UNITED PARAGON 0.0059 0.0059 0.0058 0.0058 17,600
OIL
ORNTL PETROL A 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 44,600
ORNTL PETROL B 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 1,150,500
PHILODRILL 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.012 587,500
PHINMA PETRO 4.18 4.18 3.91 3.94 382,650
PXP ENERGY 18.34 19.48 18.32 18.94 311,243,582
PREFERRED
HOUSE PREF A 95 95.1 95 95 56,082
AC PREF B2 488 488 488 488 39,040
DD PREF 96 98 96 98 96,980
SMC FB PREF 2 969 969 969 969 4,845,000
FGEN PREF G 102.5 102.5 102.5 102.5 697,000
GTCAP PREF A 915 925 915 925 1,744,250
GTCAP PREF B 920 920 920 920 828,000
MWIDE PREF 99.3 99.3 99.3 99.3 993
PNX PREF 3A 99.5 99.5 99 99 109,095
PNX PREF 3B 101.6 109.9 101.6 109.9 4,147
PCOR PREF 2B 1,001 1,002 1,001 1,002 25,035
SFI PREF 2 2.09 2 2.09 6,180
SMC PREF 2B 75.3 75.3 75.3 75.3 42,921
SMC PREF 2F 74.55 74.55 74.3 74.3 546,405
SMC PREF 2G 74.5 75 74.5 75 202,150
SMC PREF 2H 72.2 74 72 74 922,648
SMC PREF 2I 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 22,050
PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
GMA HLDG PDR 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.25 52,500
WARRANTS
LR WARRANT 1.72 1.82 1.65 1.68 471,010
SMALL, MEDIUM & EMERGING
ITALPINAS 4.16 4.3 4.03 4.18 1,689,630
XURPAS 1.19 1.21 1.15 1.17 3,161,840
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
FIRST METRO ETF 106.9 108.4 106.9 108.4 660,422

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Global
Ferronickel
exceeds target
Nickel ore producer Global Ferronickel
Holdings Inc. (FNI), through its subsidiary
Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC), exceeded
its 2018 total volume target of 5.5 million wet
metric tons (WMT) by 3.8 percent, to 5.709
million WMT.
The second largest nickel producer in
the Philippines, FNI breached its 100-vessel
mark with 103 recorded shipments, allowing
the company to wrap up their 2018 nickel ore
shipments with the last vessel departing on 31
October 2018.
FNI previously set the shipment target to
6.0 million WMT, but cut it to 5.5 million to
take advantage of the higher market price of
Saprolite nickel ores in a move to offset the
lowering of nickel prices.
The company’s resulting sales mix for
low-grade ores dropped to 47 percent
this year compared to last year’s 61
percent, while medium-grade ores rose
to 53 percent from 39 percent in 2017.
BUSINESS
11
Third quarter report from FNI revealed
that the company’s net income went down
by 24 percent from P783.6 million in 2017 to
P595.4 million. Shipped volume from January
to September also declined by 4.4 percent, with
only 85 vessels shipped compared to last year’s
90 in the same period.
In a separate regulatory filing, FNI
disclosed that it shifted its focus to shipping
higher-grade ores, which is expected to lead
to lesser shipment volume as higher grade
ores involve more processing, although yields
better in terms of market price.
“It is only this year as opposed to the
past several years that the company was
able to produce and ship nickel ore at a
higher medium grade of 1.65 percent to
take advantage of its relatively high price
and better margins,” the company said in
the disclosure.
For a final tally, FNI said that they were
able to produce and ship 2.658 million WMT
of low-grade nickel ore and 3.051 million
WMT of medium-grade nickel ore, including
0.6 million WMT medium-grade ores with
1.65 percent nickel content. The company’s
resulting sales mix for low-grade ores
dropped to 47 percent this year compared to
last year’s 61 percent, while medium-grade
ores rose to 53 percent from 39 percent
in 2017.
FNI also saw a nearly 40 percent rise
in its mineral resources, attributed to
an active exploration of its Cagdianao
(CAGA) site which started in 2014.
FNI reported that its combined
measured and indicated
mineral resources grew to
75.688 million dry metric
tons (DMT) as of 15 October,
composing an average grade
of 1.2 percent nickel and 30
percent iron.
FNI’s actively mined CAGA-
4 site reported a 93.4 percent
growth in mineral resources,
from an estimate of
16.932 million DMT
in 2017 to a 2018
estimate of 32.758
million DMT, the
highest increase
in mineral
resources among
the five areas part
of the exploration.
AJ Bajo
PEOPLE walk past a Nissan Motor showroom in Tokyo. Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo on Monday for financial misconduct, public broadcaster NHK and other
Japanese media outlets reported.
AFP
DPC posts 25% growth in energy sales
By AJ Bajo
DMCI Power Corp. (DPC) reported
a 25 percent growth in its energy
sales in the first nine months of 2018,
reaching a volume of 226GWh from
the previous year’s 181GWh.
The off-grid energy player
attributed the growth to high power
demand and dispatch across all of its
operating segments.
“The continued economic growth
and booming tourism industry across
all operating segments coupled with
our reliable operations and
effective partnership with
the off-takers accounted
for the dramatic increase
in our power sales,” DPC
president Nestor Dadivas
PHILIPPINE Airlines President Jaime Bautista, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed
Monreal and Transport Undersecretary for Aviation Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo light up the pop art Christmas
tree in ceremonies on Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
ANTHONY CHING
said in a regulatory filing.
DPC is hoping that its pending
motion for recomputation
with the Energy Regulatory
Commission will be taken up
soon.
DPC’s Palawan Electric
Cooperative jumped to a 39 percent
record high, delivering 96.35GWh
from only 69.32GWh in the same
period last year.
Oriental Mindoro Electric
Cooperative grew by 24 percent
to 47.61GWh from last year’s
38.38GWh, while dispatch to the
electric cooperative in Masbate
rose by 11 percent to 81.99GWh
from 73.73GWh.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez on
Monday said the Philippine government will
review its loan agreements with China following
the warnings of United States Vice President
Mike Pence on China’s supposed “debt
diplomacy.”
In a statement, Dominguez
said that while the government
will revisit the agreements, such
should not compromise the country’s
sovereignty.
“With those remarks, we will
certainly review it again... the Belt and
Road agreement but essentially, from our
point of view, it will not compromise our
sovereignty and it will be quite helpful to
everybody,” Dominguez said.
This developed as Chinese President
Xi Jinping will make his first state
visit to the Philippines from
20 to 21 November this
year, in which at least
10 financing agreements
are expected signed,
including the Manila to
Bicol Railway Project as well
as the Mindanao Railway
Project.
“These face-to-face
The Department of
Transportation (DoTr) and
the Department of National
Defense (DND) are to pursue the
implementation of four airport
projects together and have signed
an agreement to that effect.
Transportation Secretary
Arthur Tugade and Defense
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana have
formally signed the agreement.
In it, the DoTr will allocate
P688 million as provided in
the General Appropriations
Act (GAA) 2018, for the
development of various
airports, particularly the
asphalt overlay of runway and
strip grade correction of the
Laoag International Airport,
the runway extension of the
Vigan Airport, asphalt overlay
of the runway of Cotabato
Earlier in the year, DPC increased
the generator sets for its Palawan
and Masbate operations.
DPC spent approximately P160
million for the additional units
which upped the missionary areas’
generation capacity to 90 MW, 14
percent higher than last year’s. The
units contributed a total capacity
of 11.2MW.
In 2017, DPC saw a 4 percent
increase in total energy sales, with
the cooperatives in Palawan and
Masbate as major contributors.
Still, DPC’s consolidated net income
only stood 4 percent higher year-todate,
to P337 million from last year’s
P325 million. The growth was stunted
primarily by a reduced provisional tariff
in DPC's bunker-fired power plant in
meetings are so important because they
promote understanding and goodwill between
the leaders. They also show a good example
to their citizens that the Philippines and
China should cooperate more closely and
cooperation comes from understanding
each other, each other’s position very well,”
Dominguez said.
On Thursday, Pence accused China of
resorting to “debt diplomacy” to expand its
influence worldwide, saying that Beijing is
offering hundreds of billions of dollars in
infrastructure loans to various countries in
the different regions. But according to Pence,
these “opaque” loans will only benefit China.
Nevertheless, the Chinese foreign ministry
said no developing country would fall into a
debt trap simply because it is cooperating
with Beijing.
“No developing country will fall into debt
difficulties because of cooperation with China,”
Hua said. “On the contrary, cooperating with
China helps these countries raise independent
development capabilities and levels and
improves the lives of the local people.”
China earlier stated the Philippines is an
important partner for the expansion of its Belt
and Road Initiative, which aims to establish a
trade and infrastructure network connecting
Airport and the construction of
perimeter fence and embankment of
the Sanga-Sanga (Tawi-Tawi) Airport.
The AFP Task Force for
Infrastructure Development, headed by
Major Gen. Felipe Bejar, will undertake
the airport projects.
“Today, we sign a memorandum
of agreement giving you four projects,
designed precisely to make the Filipino
life comfortable. I hope this is just the
beginning of many wonderful days to
come, where the National Defense can
walk hand in hand with Transportation
in trying to fulfill the mandate of making
the Filipino life comfortable,” Tugade said.
“I welcome and will see to it that
together, we can implement and finish
these projects on time in accordance
with the approved plans and designs. We
welcome this chance to participate in
the ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program of the
President,” Lorenzana said in response.
Aborlan, Palawan, according to DPC.
Meanwhile, DPC is hoping
that its pending motion for
recomputation with the Energy
Regulatory Commission will be
taken up soon, Dadivas said.
“DPC is committed to sustain the
economic growth of these missionary
areas by supplying reliable energy to
meet the power demand required by
the cooperatives,” he added.
Established in 2006,
DPC serves as the power
generator arm of DMCI Holdings
Inc. providing electricity to
areas not connected to the main
transmission grid. Its off-takers
include the electric cooperatives
in Masbate, Oriental Mindoro,
Palawan and Sultan Kudarat.
Manila confident of Beijing loans
On the contrary, cooperating with China helps these countries raise
independent development capabilities and levels and improves the lives
of the local people
Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient
trade routes.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez
expressed confidence the Philippines could
only gain from its loan agreements with China.
“We will not engage in agreements with
unreasonable terms and terms that are worse
than other sources. Based on numbers also,
from what I’ve remembered, we are not
overleveraged. In other words, we can absorb
more debt as long as the terms are good,”
Lopez said.
With those remarks, we will certainly
review it again... the Belt and Road
agreement but essentially, from our
point of view, it will not compromise
our sovereignty and it will be quite
helpful to everybody.
The US and China have engaged in a trade
war sparked by US President Donald Trump’s
accusations that China has long sought to steal
US intellectual property, limit access to its own
market and has unfairly subsidize state-owned
companies.
Both have imposed increasingly severe
rounds of tariff increases on each other’s
imports.
Despite the tensions, Trump said Chinese
President Xi Jinping is a friend. But later at
a news conference last week in New York, he
said: “Maybe he’s not any more, I’ll be honest
with you.”
Elmer N. Manuel
Military engineers help build airports
Transportation Secretary Arthur
Tugade and Defense Secretary
Delfin Lorenzana have formally
signed the agreement.
The signing ceremony was
witnessed by Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) chief of staff
General Carlito Galvez, Defense
Undersecretary Cardozo Luna,
Transport Undersecretary for
Aviation and Airports Manuel Antonio
Tamayo, Transport Undersecretary for
Finance Garry de Guzman, Transport
Undersecretary for Legal Reinier
Yebra, Transport Assistant Secretary
for Procurement and Project
Implementation Giovanni Lopez, Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines
Deputy Director General Don Mendoza
and Acting Chief of Aviation Project
Development Unit Engineer Abelardo
Sore Jr.

51.00
52.00
53.00
54.00
55.00
PESO-DOLLAR RATES
19 NOVEMBER 2018
52.57
12
BUSINESS
25700
25200
24700
24200
DOW JONES
19 NOVEMBER 2018
123.95
7900
7700
STOCK MARKET
7500
7300 186.92
19 NOVEMBER 2018
19 NOVEMBER 2018
INDEX SUMMARY
INDEX VALUE CHANGE % CHANGE
PSEi 7,270.26 186.92 2.64 ▲
All Shares 4,386.82 76.30 1.77 ▲
Financials 1,701.32 39.48 2.38 ▲
Industrial 10,703.73 30.88 0.29 ▲
Holding Firms 7,172.27 257.98 3.73 ▲
Services 1,415.89 34.71 2.51 ▲
Mining and Oil 8,929.92 18.20 0.20 ▼
Property 3,478.14 51.67 1.51 ▲
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
How secure is the global
financial system a
decade after the crisis?
Great strides have been made since 2008 to
prevent a recurrence of the financial crisis and
recession that followed. Yet there is more debt
than ever in the global financial system
and to some extent had run
ahead of the banks’ ability to
manage the risks, plus there just
wasn’t enough capital. The shock
absorbers weren’t there in the
global financial system.
In this episode of the McKinsey
Podcast, recorded in August
2018, Simon London speaks with
McKinsey Global Institute partner
Susan Lund about the global
financial system 10 years after
the crisis that left the world
reeling — detailing the state of
the world economy and analyzing
the potential for such a crisis to
repeat itself.
Podcast transcript
Simon London: Hello and
welcome to this edition of the
McKinsey Podcast, with me,
Simon London. Today we’re going
to be taking stock of the global
financial system 10 years on
from the tumultuous events of
September 2008 and the financial
crisis that followed. As we’ll hear,
a lot has changed in the decade
since the crisis. But is the global
financial system actually more
secure? Could history repeat
itself? And where might we look
for the seeds of the next crisis? To
answer these questions, today’s
guest is Susan Lund. Susan is
a McKinsey partner and also an
economist with the McKinsey
Global Institute. She’s based
in Washington DC. Susan is a
coauthor of a new discussion
paper on the topics we’ll be
discussing today. If you want more
detail, facts, figures and so on, go
to McKinsey.com and download it
there. So, Susan, thanks so much
for joining today.
Then the economy fell into
a recession and people lost
their jobs, so they couldn’t
afford these very large
mortgages.
Susan Lund: Thank you.
Simon London: I think we
should start with a little bit of
history, if you don’t mind, Susan.
What were the origins of the
financial crisis? Where was the
epicenter and how did it happen?
Susan Lund: The epicenter
of the global financial crisis was
really the housing market. It
started in the United States, but
it turned out that similar housing
bubbles were building in other
countries, like the UK, Spain
and Ireland. Households were
borrowing more than they could
afford. Banks were giving out
loans at very low interest rates
and increasingly having enticing
features like interest rates that
were very low but then ballooned
after a year or two.
This meant that households
could borrow more than they
could really afford to borrow
and buy a bigger house. At the
same time, all of this was fueling
housing-price increases. Banks
looked at the credit risk and
thought, well it’s fine. These
houses are worth a lot, so they
have an asset.
But the problem started when
housing prices stopped growing
and instead started declining.
And suddenly a lot of households
found that they had a lot of debt.
Sometimes more than the value
of the house. Then the economy
fell into a recession and people
lost their jobs, so they couldn’t
afford these very large mortgages.
Now, that in and of itself would’ve
been painful. But what made the
2008 financial crisis so globally
devastating was that it turns
out there were a lot of complex,
opaque derivative securities that
had been built on top of these
underlying mortgage assets.
So the subprime mortgage
market in the US was pretty small.
It was not more than maybe 10
percent of all US mortgages. Yet
banks had taken these mortgages,
pulled them together and created
something called asset-backed
securities. Then they took those
and pooled them together again.
And so they built trillions and
trillions of dollars of financial
instruments whose value was
riding on those mortgages being
repaid.
When a few households started
defaulting on mortgages, the pain
went far beyond those households
and the banks that originated
them to all these investors around
the world. And those global,
systemic links weren’t apparent
until the crisis hit and we saw
banks and investors around the
world start getting hit with losses.
Simon London: So the obvious
question for a microeconomist
would be, where were the
regulators in all of this?
Susan Lund: Well regulators
were there, but banks were
creating new types of financial
instruments. They were gaining
popularity; these so-called
collateralized debt obligations
hadn’t really been seen before.
And credit default swaps.
These derivatives are great in
theory and they’re often great in
practice. But what was happening
was, they were creating these
systemic risks that the world
hadn’t seen before. As it started
to unravel, we found out that
those risks, rather than being
diversified and spread around the
world, were concentrated in some
very large banks like Bear Stearns
and Lehman Brothers.
And those global, systemic
links weren’t apparent until
the crisis hit and we saw
banks and investors around
the world start getting hit
with losses.
At the same time, I have to
say, banks had very little capital.
They were in a position — and they
were following global regulations
at the time — but they didn’t
have a lot of equity capital to
withstand large amounts of losses
on their balance sheets. When
large numbers of mortgages
started to go into default, they
were facing losses that pushed
them into a solvency crisis. That,
too, is something that’s changed
over the past ten years.
Simon London: With the
benefit of hindsight, you could
say we started with a housing-market
bubble and that’s bad. That’s
happened before. But what made
this different is that there was a
lot of financial innovation that
had run ahead of regulation
Banks were giving out
loans at very low interest
rates and increasingly
having enticing features like
interest rates that were very
low but then ballooned after
a year or two.
Susan Lund: Absolutely. That
is a great summary.
Simon London: From a macro
point of view, something that
was discussed a lot of the time
was the whole question of global
financial imbalances. Again, with
the benefit of hindsight, what’s
going on?
Susan Lund: Global financial
imbalances refer to the fact that
some countries save a lot and
invest less, and other countries
invest a lot and save very little.
The US is an example of a country
that was investing a lot in real
estate, but its own savings rate
was actually going down, down,
down. To finance a lot of the
investment that was occurring,
foreigners were putting money
into the US market. Ben Bernanke
coined a term, the “global savings
glut.” He was referring to the fact
that China and some other Asian
countries had very, very high
savings rates.
One of the things they did
with all this surplus savings was
channel it into the US treasury
market. That’s because the US
treasury market is the largest,
most liquid, safe asset in the
world. That had the effect of
pushing down US interest rates.
While the housing crisis was
building up, you saw very large
inflows of foreign money into
the US. Often it started in the
treasury market, but then that
pushed down interest rates.
Liquidity worked its way through
the system and financed, to some
extent, this housing bubble. In
that sense, I think that surplus
global liquidity, combined with an
interconnected global financial
system, did play a role in setting
the conditions for this massive
housing bubble.
Simon London: The
big question then is, from a
layperson’s perspective, could
it happen again? Could we get
a repeat of the same pattern of
a real-estate bubble fueling a
banking crisis and that spreading
across the world?
The epicenter of the global
financial crisis was really
the housing market.
Susan Lund: History shows
us that real-estate bubbles and
banking crises go hand in hand
and have plagued countries
throughout history. So I would
never say that it couldn’t happen
again. But a lot has changed
over the past 10 years. First, you
see that the households that had
borrowed too much prior to the
crisis, like households in the US,
Ireland, Spain and the UK, have
really cut down on debt a lot.
That said, one of the most
surprising things over the last ten
years is that the total amount of debt
in the world has continued to grow.
Global debt over the last 10 years
went from roughly twice the size of
global GDP to — today, it’s about 2.4
times global GDP. In absolute terms,
the world has $72 trillion more debt
than there was back in 2007, on the
eve of the crisis. Government debt
has grown very rapidly in advanced
economies (Exhibit 1).
McKinsey Global Institute

ZVEREV
SHOCKS
DJOKOVIC
P14
CHINA
LAUNCHES TWIN
NAVIGATION
SATELLITES
P16
ANTONIETTA,
MR. ASSIMO IN
‘BUBBLE GANG’
SPECIAL
P17
Aldrin Cardona, Editor
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
WARRIORS’ WOES CONTINUE
SPORTS 13
‘Real NBA’ slide
121-116 overtime loss to the Los Angeles
We’re faced with real adversity. Clippers last Monday. Green’s tirades on
We’ve got to get out of it
the bench and in the postgame locker room
ourselves
led the team to hand the seventh-year
forward a one-game suspension.
The flare-up and the
SAN ANTONIO — Finally faced with “the Warriors’ inability
real NBA,” the Golden State Warriors are to move past it
playing short-handed and having a hard spiritually has
time.
confounded Kerr.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 18 “Just play with
rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs fended joy. It’s always
off a late rally to beat Golden State 104-92 been about just our
on Sunday night, extending the Warriors’ emotion,” Durant said, describing how
National Basketball Association skid to Kerr has encouraged his club. “He’s
three games.
always been big about that. He’s just
The two-time defending NBA champions trying to get that joy back.”
are 2-5 since an eight-game winning streak. There wasn’t much joy to be found
“We’ve had such a charmed existence in San Antonio.
the last four seasons. So, of course, this is DeMar DeRozan had 20 points
the toughest stretch we’ve been in,” coach and nine assists and Rudy Gay
Steve Kerr said. “This is the real NBA. We added 19 points to help the Spurs
haven’t been in the real NBA the last few snap a three-game slide.
years. We’ve been in this dream. So, now “We needed that one,” Gay
we’re faced with real adversity. We’ve got said. “It was a hard-fought win
to get out of it ourselves.”
for us. That’s
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green a team that
went down with injuries during the recent
dry spell, but the biggest setback was
self-inflicted. Green and Kevin Durant had
a blowup at the close of regulation in a
Sunday’s Games
(Monday in Manila)
Memphis 100, Minnesota 87
L.A. Lakers 113, Miami 97
Orlando 131, New York 117
Portland 119, Washington 109
San Antonio 104, Golden State 92
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
Toronto 13 4 .765 —
Philadelphia 11 7 .611 2½
Boston 9 7 .563 3½
Brooklyn 7 10 .412 6
New York 4 13 .235 9
Southeast Division
Orlando 9 8 .529 —
Charlotte 7 8 .467 1
Miami 6 10 .375 2½
Washington 5 11 .313 3½
Atlanta 3 13 .188 5½
Central Division
Milwaukee 11 4 .733 —
Indiana 10 6 .625 1½
Detroit 7 6 .538 3
Chicago 4 13 .235 8
Cleveland 2 12 .143 8½
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W L Pct GB
Memphis 10 5 .667 —
New Orleans 9 7 .563 1½
San Antonio 8 7 .533 2
Houston 8 7 .533 2
Dallas 7 8 .467 3
Northwest Division
Portland 11 5 .688 —
Oklahoma City 10 5 .667 ½
Denver 10 6 .625 1
Utah 8 8 .500 3
Minnesota 7 10 .412 4½
Pacific Division
Golden State 12 6 .667 —
L.A. Clippers 10 5 .667 ½
L.A. Lakers 9 7 .563 2
Sacramento 8 8 .500 3
Phoenix 3 12 .200 7½
needed this
one, too, so it
really was an
uphill battle for us and good test for us.”
Aldridge provided a needed boost,
shooting 10 for 16 in scoring 20-plus points
for the first time since 10 November.
“He’s been aggressive, especially on the
boards,” DeRozan said. “Tonight, he got a
couple shots to go in for him. A couple of
his turnarounds went in and you know that
rhythm is going to continue to come. As long
as he just goes out there, plays aggressive,
lets the game come to him, he’s going to
continue to have big nights like tonight.”
GOLDEN State Warriors guard Quinn Cook (left) and San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay scramble for the ball during their NBA game.
We’ve had such a charmed existence
the last four seasons. So, of course,
this is the toughest stretch we’ve
been in.
Durant scored 26 points and Klay
Thompson had 25 for the Warriors.
Golden State was without Curry and
Green again and their absence led to a
cold start. Three nights after being held
to a season-low output in a 107-86 loss
at Houston, the Warriors nearly matched
HOMESTEAD, Florida — Ford slammed
the door on NASCAR’s longest championship
drought when Joey Logano drove a Fusion to
victory in its final race.
Logano won Sunday at Homestead-Miami
Speedway to give the American automaker its
eighth drivers’ title but first since Kurt Busch
in 2004. Ford also won the manufacturers’ title,
the first time it has won the top two prizes in
NASCAR in a season since 1999.
Ford had two of the four entries in the
championship field, one each from Team
Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing, the teams it
recruited to end its championship slide. The
crown went to Roger Penske, a longtime Ford
supporter and friend of Edsel Ford II, grandson
of Henry Ford.
“Delivering the manufacturers’
championship and the driver’s championship,
where it’s been a drought for them and for
Edsel,” Penske said, “and all the people that
have done so much at Ford, and they’ve stayed
committed with us. This is part of building a
brand.”
Penkse and Edsel Ford shared the
championship moment in victory lane. Team
Penske returned to the Ford brand in 2013
that dubious mark.
They missed all six three-point
attempts in the first quarter as San
Antonio jumped out to a 33-27 lead. Gay
scored 12 points in the opening period.
“He is somebody that we have gone
to at certain times in the game and that
always gives players confidence,” Spurs
coach Gregg Popovich said.
San Antonio also frustrated the
Warriors on offense for much of the
game. After quickly regaining an errant
pass on their end of the court in the
third quarter, Durant passed up a
three-pointer to fire a pass in the lane
to Damian Jones only to have Gay stuff
him at the rim.
San Antonio finished with five
blocked shots.
Golden State’s lone lead came when
Andre Iguodala made two free throws
to put the Warriors ahead 46-45 with
3:47 remaining in the second quarter.
The lead lasted a minute as the Spurs
closed the first half on an 11-2 run. AP
Ford savors NASCAR triumphs
Ford also won the
manufacturers’ title, the first
time it has won the top two
prizes in NASCAR in a season
since 1999
NEW Jersey Devils’ Taylor Hall (left) falls as he is met by Carolina Hurricanes’ Justin Faulk during their
NHL match in North Carolina.
AP
and has been the cornerstone of the blue oval
groups bid to challenge Chevrolet and Toyota
for tops in NASCAR.
“It means a lot to me personally to have both
the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championship,”
Ford said. “It has been since 1999 and I was
there with Robert Yates and Dale Jarrett.
Doing it again, 19 years later, it is absolutely
indescribable to me.”
AP
CARSON, California — Denver had lost six of their last
seven going into Sunday’s game against Los Angeles but
Chargers coach Anthony Lynn kept warning everyone
that the Broncos were dangerous because they had been
in most of their games until the final minute.
Lynn’s words became prophetic as Brandon McManus
kicked a last-second 34-yard field goal to give the Broncos
a 23-22 win and snap the Chargers’ six-game winning
streak.
“We’ve been in four or five of these games and didn’t
make enough plays to win. Today, we didn’t hope to win,
Blackhawks
deny Wild night
The Wild controlled the game after Parise’s goal
made it 2-1 midway through the second, but
Crawford was sharp and preserved the lead
CHICAGO — Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad scored first-period
goals, Corey Crawford made 39 saves and the Chicago Blackhawks
held on to defeat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Sunday night in the
National Hockey League.
Dominik Kahun added an empty-netter with 58.5 second left
as the Blackhawks improved to 2-2-2 under coach Jeremy Colliton,
who replaced Joel Quenneville on 6 November. Patrick Kane had
two assists for Chicago, 2-0-1 in its last three games.
Zach Parise scored for Minnesota, which lost its second
straight game and for the third time in four games. The Wild
controlled the game after Parise’s goal made it 2-1 midway
through the second, but Crawford was sharp and preserved
the lead.
Backup Alex Stalock stopped 25 shots for Minnesota as
usual starter Devan Dubnyk got the night off in the second of
back-to-back games.
Parise has six goals in his last nine games and has scored
in two straight.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Justin Williams and Micheal
Ferland scored in the game’s first 30 seconds and Carolina
held on for a 2-1 victory.
Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves for Carolina.
Carolina’s two-goal outburst in the first half-minute was
a franchise record and tied for fifth-fastest in NHL history.
Pavel Zacha scored his second goal of the season late in the first
period for New Jersey. Cory Schneider finished with 20 saves. AP
TEENAGE driver Sophia Floersch of Germany (top) goes over Japanese driver Sho Tsuboi’s car at high speed and will need
surgery for a spinal fracture after a spectacular airborne crash in the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix.
AP
Broncos power out Chargers
Today we didn’t hope to win, we made
plays to win
we made plays to win,” Denver coach Vance Joseph said.
Denver got the ball at its own 8 with 1:51 remaining
and Case Keenum orchestrated a seven-play, 76-yard
drive. Keenum, who was 19 of 32 for 205 yards, completed
five passes for 86 yards during the drive, including a
30-yarder to Courtland Sutton to the Denver 16. Keenum
then spiked the ball and McManus’ kick split the uprights.
It was McManus’ second game-winning field goal this
season and the fifth of his career. It also helped erase
memories of two weeks ago, when his 51-yard attempt
went wide right as time expired in a 19-17 loss to Houston.
“I think we’ve had three or four close ones that have
come down to it and Brandon has made those kicks and
we trust him,” Keenum said. “It feels good. A lot better
than the alternative.”
AP
AP

14 SPORTS
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
GIANT-SLAYER
Zverev shocks Djokovic
It is the biggest title I have ever won
LONDON — Alexander Zverev emphatically announced his arrival
at the top of the men’s game by overpowering Novak Djokovic 6-4,
6-3 to win his first ATP Finals title on Sunday.
The 21-year-old German, making his second appearance at the endof-season
showpiece, outlasted six-time champion Roger Federer in
the semi-finals and repeated the feat against the world number one.
Djokovic had not been broken once in the tournament coming into
the match, winning all 36 service games and only facing two break points
but Zverev wrecked his numbers, breaking four times in the match.
The German, coached by Ivan Lendl, faltered just once when
Djokovic broke him early in the second set but that was the only
blemish on an extraordinary performance of power and skill.
“I really can’t describe it,” said Zverev. “It is the biggest title I
have ever won. Firstly, I want to congratulate Novak and we may never
SPORTS SHORTS
NU still clean
Reigning four-time girls champion National
University swept UP Integrated School, 25-5,
25-20, 25-10, to stay perfect Sunday in the UAAP
Season 81 high school volleyball tournament
at the FEU-Diliman Gym.
Jessa Ordiales had eight points, Alyssa
Solomon had three service aces to finish with
seven hits while Minerva Maaya also added
seven points for the Bullpups.
With its ninth consecutive win, NU is just
three victories away from claiming an outright
Finals berth.
Angel Canino had 23 points, 14
receptions and seven digs while Alleiah
Malaluan added nine hits, nine digs and
10 receptions as second-running De La
Salle-Zobel prevailed over University of
the East, 25-20, 30-28, 25-19, to formalize
its semifinals entry with its seventh win
in nine matches.
Ateneo skid over
Ateneo turned to rookie Manu Mariano’s
early goal to beat De La Salle-Zobel, 1-0, for a
winning start in the UAAP Season 81 juniors
football tournament Sunday at the Rizal
Memorial Stadium.
Mariano struck in the fourth minute as the Blue
Eaglets claimed their first win after two seasons.
Last year, Ateneo was winless and had
one draw.
Barbon-Eslapor triumphs
DUMAGUETE CITY — Babylove Barbon and
Genesa Eslapor scored a 21-17, 21-17 victory
over Charo Soriano and Bea Tan, in an early
showdown of the women’s favorites in the
Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour Monday at
the Rizal Boulevard sand court here.
Former UAAP champions KR Guzman and
Krung Arbasto of Tiger Wings opened their
championship bid in the men’s division with a
21-19, 13-21, 15-12 win over Deanne Neil Depedro
and Harold Parcia of USLS in Group B.
Sea Lions advance
Olivarez College primed itself up for the
semifinals as it smothered Technological
Institute of the Philippines, 82-67, yesterday
in the University and Colleges Basketball
League Season 3 at the Olivarez gym in Sucat,
Parañaque yesterday.
The Sea Lions struggled early but picked
themselves up from the second quarter on,
overcoming a 12-point deficit in the first
quarter by dominating the next three on
their way to the 15-point romp.
Cignal eyes rebound
Cignal seeks to regain its winning ways
when it battles struggling Smart in the
Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference
today at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Action kicks off at 7 p.m. with the HD
Spikers looking to bounce back from a sorry
loss to Petron recently in this prestigious
women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu,
Senoh, Sogo, Mikasa, Asics, Mueller, UCPB
Gen and Bizooku with Genius Sports as
official technical provider.
Meanwhile, the Blaze Spikers are out to
Howell reclaims touch
WASHINGTON — Charles Howell snapped an 11-year US PGA Tour
win drought Sunday in epic fashion, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on
the second playoff hole to capture the RSM Classic.
The 39-year-old American had not won since Riviera in 2007 — a
gap of 4,291 days — and had lost four of five prior playoffs before
conquering compatriot Patrick Rodgers to win at Sea Island, Georgia.
Squandering his lead with a bogey-double bogey start, Howell
battled back all day to match Rodgers, whose 61-62 weekend nearly
took him to his first PGA title.
Howell also secured a berth in his hometown event — next year’s
Masters at Augusta, Georgia — for the first time since 2012 by ending
his drought after 333 events and 1,154 rounds.
It was third time charmed for Howell, who had three birdie putts
on the 18th hole of the Seaside course to win the title, the first in
the last round and the second on the first playoff hole before his
sank the last.
It was the third career PGA win for Howell, whose first came in
2002 at Williamsburg, Virginia. AFP
WEBB Simpson of the United States putts on the 15th green during the final
round of the RSM Classic.
AFP
extend their winning run when they collide
with winless Sta. Lucia at 4:15 p.m. while
Cocolife guns for a fitting follow up to its
first victory when it tackles Foton in the 2
p.m. appetizer.
Petron, the reigning champion of this
battle that also has ESPN5, Aksyon TV and
Hyper HD as broadcast partners, remains
on top of the team standings with a 5-0
win-loss card while Foton and F2 Logistics
are not far behind with 4-1 and 4-2 slates,
respectively.
have seen the tennis he has played in the last few months before.
He barely lost a match but thankfully he did to me.
“We (Djokovic and Zverev) had so many talks, not only about
tennis but all different types of subjects — I won’t mention
what — but you are a sharing person and you have shared some
titles with me. I appreciate you letting me win one today.”
The Serbian top seed, 31, came into the match seeking to equal
Federer’s record of six ATP Finals wins but was immediately aware he
had a fight on his hands at London’s O2 Arena.
I want to congratulate Novak and we may never have seen
the tennis he has played in the last few months before.
He barely lost a match but thankfully he did to me.
Djokovic beat Zverev 6-4, 6-1 in their round-robin match on Wednesday
but it was a different story in front of a packed and vociferous crowd
on Sunday.
Whoever follows Sarr
as Adamson’s foreign
reinforcement will have a big
shoes to fill
Every season ends and with this comes
players who will finally move on to make their
marks in other leagues or fields.
Here, I’ll look at 10 current UAAP players
who are in their final season of eligibility and
who have left a strong impression on their
respective programs.
Papi Sarr (Adamson) — Sarr is already
in his fourth season with the Falcons. Our
UAAP Season 81 records show he is in his
final season, though I’ve also heard he may
still actually be eligible for one more. For
the sake of this piece, I’ll consider him in
his final year. Sarr, of course, has made a big
splash for the Soaring Falcons. He gave them
a steady presence in the paint and who, when
healthy, was one of the top rebounders and
inside scorers in the UAAP. Whoever follows
him as Adamson’s foreign reinforcement will
have a big shoes (literally and figuratively)
to fill.
Anton Asistio (Ateneo) — Asistio is a rare
breed in the UAAP. From elementary until his
university playing years, he saw action for
just one school, though his worth certainly
goes beyond school loyalty. Many fans viewed
Asistio — even way back in high school — as
someone who would surely have a tough time
in the big leagues. They said he was too small,
frail and pretty much a one-trick pony but he
blossomed into a really important piece of
the championship puzzle for Ateneo. A pure
shooter, Anton can certainly offer something
to teams at the next level looking for guys
who can consistently hit triples.
Kib Montalbo (De La Salle) — Even rival
fans respect Montalbo who may not have
the smoothest moves or the deepest level
of talent but he surely “out-hearts” most
opponents he faces. The Negros native is the
heart and soul of the Green Archers and his
all-out hustle and energy just makes him such
a terrific player to have on one’s team. He
had pedestrian numbers this season but if we
had a metric to measure heart, this kid would
undoubtedly be among the league leaders.
Arvin Tolentino (FEU) — Tolentino had
UAAP exits
Hot Take Hoops
Enzo Flojo
a colorful journey in the UAAP. He played his
first two seasons in Ateneo, earning Rookie
of the Year honors in Season 77 and helping
the Eagles reach the Final Four twice before
eventually making the jump to FEU. He is fresh
from helping the Tamaraws win their eighth
game of the season, securing a playoff for a
Final Four berth against DLSU. He has one of
the most varied skill-sets in the UAAP and is a
prime prospect for the pros.
Asistio can certainly offer something
to teams at the next level looking for
guys who can consistently hit triples.
Richard Escoto (FEU) — Richard may not
be as big or as long as his older brother but
made up for it with a lot of energy and activity
on both ends of the floor. He could be the best
low post option for FEU right now and is also
among their best rebounders. He doesn’t shy
away from any contact in the paint.
Troy Rike (NU) — Rike finished his oneand-done
UAAP season this past weekend
disappointed with the fact the Bulldogs finished
second-to-the-last in the team standings. He
will reportedly return to San Francisco to do
some soul searching, though he is expected to
return to play perhaps at the PBA D-League
first and for the national team before the PBA.
Rike never really dominated in the UAAP but
his size, shooting, and character make him a
viable big man for the pros.
Dave Yu (NU) — This Cebu product will soon
take the licensure exam for Civil Engineers,
blazing an interesting if rarely taken trail for
UAAP talents. He has, however, not completely
closed the door on playing at the next level
With both players going toe-to-toe from the back of the court, the
first set went with serve until the ninth game, when Djokovic dumped
a forehand into the net to concede the break.
Roared on by the crowd, Zverev hit three aces on his way to sealing
the first set 6-4.
Still on a high, the third seed broke an out-of-sorts Djokovic
immediately at the start of the second set to leave the top seed with a
mountain to climb.
Showing nerves for the first time, he double-faulted twice in his next
service game as Djokovic got back on level terms but the German broke
again to lead 2-1 as the Serb’s error count mounted.
Zverev broke Djokovic for the third time in the second set in the ninth
game, producing a stunning backhand down the line at full stretch to
win the championship.
The young German has often been talked about as the leader of the
next generation but despite having three Masters titles under his belt
in his short career, he has a poor record at the Grand Slams. AFP
GERMANY’S Alexander Zverev displays the trophy after beating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.
and he surely has the skills to do so. The
former Batang Gilas wingman won’t drop 20
points on a consistent basis by any stretch
of the imagination, but he is disciplined and
fundamentally sound.
Jason Varilla (UE) — This Chicago,
Illinois native was poised for a breakout
season for UE but inconsistency plagued him
throughout Season 81. He showed flashes of
brilliance but for him to make a splash at the
next level, he’ll need to buy into a system that
can help him flesh out the most in his game.
His four years in UE have been mostly full
of Ls, but he’s a good kid who will hopefully
catch a break sooner rather than later.
Diego Dario (UP) — This UPIS product had
a lot of ups and downs at the Seniors’ Division
but for sure he has left everything on the
court. He could have used his veteran status as
leverage to gain more playing time or even ask
for more shots, but that’s just not what Diego
was. He sacrificed for the team and played his
role to the hilt. It seems his hard work has borne
fruit, since he will be seeing action in the UAAP
Final Four for the first time next weekend.
Paul Desiderio (UP) — Like Dario, this
Cebuano standout has endured so much
heartbreak as a UP Fighting Maroon, but
he bravely pushed on no matter what. He
is so famous for the line, “Atin’ to. Papasok
‘to!” — which has been a catchphrase of
sorts not just in UP but in most corners
of Philippine hoops. Desiderio isn’t the
biggest or even most naturally talented
wingman out there but his heart is bigger
than most and enables him to rise to the
occasion. We’ll no doubt see him in the
PBA very soon.
Tolentino has one of the most varied
skill-sets in the UAAP and is a
prime prospect for the pros.
*Alvin Pasaol (UE) — Yes, I only wanted to
list 10 but I really have a nagging feeling UE’s
prized forward may be headed for the pros.
Have we seen the last of Pasaol in the UAAP?
Well, if his comments after Sunday’s loss to
NU are anything to go on, then I’d be willing to
wager on the affirmative. If he chooses to close
this chapter in his career then he will leave
with the highest single-season scoring average
by any local in the league’s history and he will
definitely be a first-round pick in PBA Draft.
AFP

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
SPORTS
15
REST OF KEY MEN ‘LEGIT’
‘Twas no dive, that loss
It was their reward — a game to spare after playing
consistent basketball throughout the elimination
round
By Joel Orellana
Did Adamson University deliberately lose its final elimination
round game to Far Eastern University (FEU) so De La Salle University,
the school that beat the Soaring Falcons in the last two Final Four
showdowns, has to go through a playoff against the Tamaraws?
Adamson mentor Franz Pumaren said it was their reward — a
game to spare after playing consistent basketball throughout the
elimination round.
And resting his 1-2 punch Jerrick Ahanmisi and Sean Manganti
in their 56-82 loss to FEU last Sunday was a precautionary move as
he did not want to aggravate the injuries of his key players.
“I don’t think we wanted this kind of scenario. It just happened,
nothing personal. I’ve been coaching for the longest time, I don’t
rely on others’ destiny. We write our own,” Pumaren said.
“If they want to validate that they (Ahanmisi and Manganti) are
just playing sick, they can go to the hospital… they can check. If
they think Manganti is faking his injury, go to Focus Athletics, we
went there (for) his treatment,” he added.
The Soaring Falcons are already assured of the No. 2 spot and
the twice-to-beat advantage against third seed University of the
Philippines in their Final Four match up.
With nothing to gain, Pumaren opted to rest Ahanmisi and
Manganti against the Tamaraws, who took advantage of the situation
to force a playoff against the Green Archers for the last Final Four
spot on Wednesday.
Ahanmisi has sore throat while Manganti is being bothered by an
ankle sprain, forcing them to sit out the team’s practice last week.
I don’t think we wanted this kind of scenario. It just
happened, nothing personal.
Pumaren said he just played safe as there’s a more important
game for the history-seeking Soaring Falcons on Saturday.
“I don’t think any coach will push the issue, any school will push
injured players if they are not 100 percent. Why push them? It might
aggravate the injury,” he said.
In Pumaren’s first seasons with Adamson, he lost to the
Green Archers in the Final Four stage with the latter holding
the twice-to-beat advantage.
There’s a reversal of fortune this Season 81 as the Soaring Falcons
are just one win away of playing in their first finals since 1992 while
La Salle has to go through FEU in the playoff and if it prevails, it
needs to beat top seed Ateneo twice to advance to the finals.
Black sees
hope in Draft
The Draft is the next thing we’re looking forward to
By John Bryan Ulanday
Meralco coach Norman Black will just look forward to the upcoming
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Annual Draft next month
following a disappointing exit in the Governors’ Cup.
Finalists in this season-ending conference the past two years, the
Bolts got booted out of contention early in the semi-finals with a fourgame
series loss to Alaska last Saturday.
“It’s disappointing. Not winning the championship is always disappointing,”
said Black. “But the Draft is the next thing we’re looking forward to.
Hopefully, we can recruit something that can help our nucleus.”
The Bolts possess the fifth pick, next to Columbian which will get
the top choice for second straight year, Blackwater, Northport and
Phoenix, respectively.
Set on 16 December, this year’s Draft boasts of talented guards led
by former National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player
CJ Perez from Lyceum, three-time champion Robert Bolick from San
Beda and two-time Asean Basketball League Local MVP Rayray Parks Jr.
Hopefully, we can recruit something that can help our
nucleus.
But with the Bolts having Baser Amer and Chris Newsome, Black
said he is likely to tap key frontline piece which this guard-heavy
Draft might lack.
“We’re number five so you don’t get to choose first. Our needs are
plenty. We need a five-man, four-man and three-man. We’re already
settled in one and two positions with Baser Amer,” Black said. “We
need to try to improve our frontline.”
One among San Sebastian’s Michael Calisaan, San Beda’s Javee
Mocon, Letran’s Bong Quinto, Ateneo’s Vince Tolentino and La Salle’s
Abu Tratter may suit Black’s top list.
CIVVIES-clad Jerrick Ahanmisi and Sean Manganti of Adamson University at the sidelines of the Falcons’ loss to the FEU Tamaraws on Sunday.
POC, Phisgoc scramble for funds
Withdrawal from the hosting
assignment is no longer an
option at this point
By Julius Manicad
The country’s hosting of the 30th
Southeast Asian Games will push through
despite the financial issues hounding the
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)
and Philippine Southeast Asian Games
Organizing Committee (Phisgoc).
A ranking POC official revealed that
withdrawal from the hosting assignment
is no longer an option at this point as
preparation for the prestigious biennial
meet enters its crucial stretch, starting with
the 100-day countdown on 30 November.
Speaking on condition of anonymity
due to the sensitivity of the topic, the
source said everything is now in full
swing with the venues and facilities at the
New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac nearing
completion and top officials set to finalize
the calendar of events in the next days.
He said pulling out of their hosting will
not only cause an embarrassment but will
also put a dent on the relationship between
the country and the 10 other members
of the SEA Games Federation Council,
whose representatives will be here starting
Thursday for the second and final general
meeting.
But financial troubles are hounding
the POC and Phisgoc as the country’s SEA
Games preparation is almost running on
empty tank.
In fact, Phisgoc is asking P35 million
from the Philippine Sports Commission
(PSC) to cover the SEA Games Federation
Council, chief of mission meeting, technical
delegates assembly and the 100-day
countdown festivities.
The government sports agency approved
the financial request, but it bolstered
claims that the Phisgoc and POC have
been scampering to produce funds this
close to the event.
Now that the Games are drawing near
and withdrawal is no longer an option,
Phisgoc and the POC have no choice but
to advance all expenditures.
“Withdrawal is already too late in the
game. It’s no longer an option. We’re now
forced to prepare and fulfill our hosting
commitment even with very limited fund
to use for preparation,” said the source,
a veteran member of the Olympic family.
When the SEA Games hosting was being
laid down last year, top sports executives,
including former Phisgoc chief Sen.
Miguel Zubiri, former POC president Jose
“Peping” Cojuangco and PSC chairman
William “Butch” Ramirez, plotted a very
defined and concrete cash flow.
Initially, the PSC was to serve as the
disbursement agency while President
Duterte was to appoint a chief finance officer
to take care the fund coming from the Office
of the President and the private sector.
Davao businessman Dennis Uy was eyed
for the position.
But for some reason, the PSC was eased
out of the picture and the Department of
Foreign Affairs, headed by new Phisgoc
chairman Alan Peter Cayetano, suddenly
emerged as the disbursing agency to handle
the P8 billion SEA Games budget.
But when Cayetano stepped down as DFA
secretary last month to join the midterm
elections, he also left the POC and Phisgoc
without a link to the flow of money for the
SEA Games.
POC chairman Abraham Tolentino, a
member of the House of Representatives,
reportedly raised the idea of tapping the
PSC to disburse the funds anew.
Sources, however, said Ramirez is ready to accept
the job, but warned to be extremely cautious in
disbursement as he did not want to be questioned
by the Commission on Audit like it did to him the
last time the country hosted the SEA Games in 2005.
The PSC boss was the chief of mission that
year.
“If we had a hard time managing P300
million in 2005, I think it will be very difficult
(for the PSC) to handle P8 billion,” the source
said.
“I believe chairman Ramirez wants
everything to be done aboveboard. If
they are planning to tap the PSC as the
disbursing agency, they have to be ready
and expect some delays because the PSC
will comply with all the requirements set
by CoA (Commission on Audit),” he added.
Akhuetie brightest among stars
JOAQUIN FLORES
Financial troubles are hounding the
POC and Phisgoc as the country’s
SEA Games preparation is running
with an empty tank.
TEN-YEAR old Thai kickboxer Chaichana Saengngern (right) does pushups at a training camp in
Bangkok, Thailand as calls to bar children from competitive boxing grow louder following the death of
another young boxer recently.
AP
The Nigerian center was the runaway
winner for the highest individual
accolade after topping the statistical
points category, the lone basis for the
MVP award
Game Wednesday
(at the Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. FEU vs. La Salle (playoff)
After snapping a 21-year absence in the Final Four,
University of the Philippines won another accolade after
its starting center Bright Akhuetie bagged the Most
Valuable Player (MVP) honor of Season 81 University
Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s
basketball tournament.
The Nigerian center was the runaway winner for the
highest individual accolade after topping the statistical
points (SP) category, the lone basis for the MVP award.
Akhuetie accumulated 82.5 SP to become the first
Fighting Maroon to win the MVP trophy since Eric
Altamirano, who captured the Finals MVP honor in 1986,
the year UP won its first and only UAAP crown.
No regular season MVP was awarded that year.
Akhuetie averaged 18.9 points and a league-best
14. 6 rebounds in the double-round eliminations to
lead the Diliman-based team its first Final Four stint
since 1997.
It was the third straight season that a foreign
athlete won the MVP award as La Salle’s Ben Mbala
bagged the honor in Season 79 and 80.
Ateneo’s Ivorian center Angelo Kouame placed
second to Akhuetie in the MVP race with 76.21 SP but
the 19-year old freshman won’t be part of the Mythical
Five as the league allows only one student foreign-athlete
in the elite group.
But Kouame will earn the Rookie of the Year honor,
beating University of Santo Tomas’ all-around neophyte
CJ Cansino, who finished seventh in the MVP race and
nearly made it to the Mythical Five.
Joining Akhuetie in the Mythical Five are University
of the East’s Alvin Pasaol (74.57), Fighting Maroons
southpaw guard Juan Gomez de Liano (63.85), La Salle
center-forward Justine Baltazar (61.28) and Adamson
scoring dynamo Jerrick Ahanmisi (58.38).
Pasaol emerged as the league’s top scorer with 24.4
points per game and was also No. 1 in steals with 1.9
per contest while Gomez de Liano topped the assists
department with 5.5 dimes per game.
Kouame topped the blocks category with 3.2 swats
per contest.
Joel Orellana

"
16
WORLD
FIRST IRAN TRIP
Hunt for nuclear talks
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
More than anything, we must see those
innocent British-Iranian dual nationals
imprisoned in Iran returned to their
families in Britain
TEHRAN — British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt
visited Iran for the first time on Monday for talks
about the nuclear deal and freeing UK nationals held
in Iranian jails.
Hunt met his counterpart, Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif, but neither side took
questions from reporters.
It was the first visit to Tehran by a Western foreign
minister since the United States withdrew from the
multi-nation nuclear deal in May.
Britain is determined to keep Iran in the
agreement by finding ways to work around renewed
US sanctions.
“The Iran nuclear deal remains a vital component
of stability in the Middle East by eliminating the
threat of a nuclearized Iran,” Hunt said, in a
statement issued in London.
“It needs 100-percent compliance though to
survive. We will stick to our side of the bargain
Will Kelly stay or won’t he?
There are a couple of things where
it’s just not his strength. It’s not his
fault. It’s not his strength
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump isn’t
committing to a previous pledge to keep chief of staff John
Kelly for the remainder of his term, part of widespread
speculation about staffing changes that could soon sweep
through his administration.
Trump, in a wide-ranging interview that aired on Fox
News Sunday, praised Kelly’s work ethic and much of what
he brings to the position but added, “There are certain
things that I don’t like that he does.”
“There are a couple of things where it’s just not his
strength. It’s not his fault. It’s not his strength,” said Trump,
who added that Kelly himself might want to depart.
Asked whether he would keep Kelly in his post through
2020, the president offered only that “it could happen.”
Trump had earlier pledged publicly that Kelly would remain
through his first term in office, though many in the West
Wing were skeptical.
Trump said he was happy with his Cabinet but was
thinking about changing “three or four or five positions.”
One of them is Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen,
We are going to tackle the root causes
of the challenges the region faces.
whose departure is now considered inevitable.
Trump said in the interview that he could keep her
on, but he made clear that he wished she would be
tougher in implementing his hard-line immigration
policies and enforcing border security.
The list of potential replacements for Nielsen includes
a career lawman, two military officers and a former
acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement head.
But her eventual replacement will find there’s no getting
around the immigration laws and court challenges that
have thwarted the president’s agenda at every turn — even
if there’s better personal chemistry.
Trump also discussed the removal of Mira
Ricardel, a deputy national security
adviser who is being moved to
another position in the
administration after
clashes with the East
Wing culminated in
an extraordinary
statement from first
lady Melania Trump
that called for her
removal. AP
as long as Iran does.
“But we also need to see an end to destabilizing
activity by Iran in the rest of the region if we are
going to tackle the root causes of the challenges the
region faces.”
Hunt was due to discuss Iran’s role in the conflicts
in Syria and Yemen and the ongoing cases of detained
British-Iranian dual nationals.
One notable case is that of Nazanin
ZaghariRatcliffe, who is serving a five-year
jail sentence for alleged sedition.
“More than anything, we must
see those innocent British-Iranian
dual nationals imprisoned in Iran
returned to their families in Britain,”
he said.
AFP
XICHANG — China sent two new
satellites of the BeiDou Navigation
Satellite System (BDS) into
space on a Long March-3B
carrier rocket from the
Xichang Satellite
Launch Center in Sichuan Province at
2:07 a.m. Monday.
The satellites entered a medium
earth orbit more than three
hours later and will
work with 17 other
BDS-3 satellites
already in
space. They
are also the
42nd and
Space-bound China sends two new satellites
of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System into space
on a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang
Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province. XINHUA
China launches twin
navigation satellites
43rd satellites of the BDS satellite family.
With the successful launch, the basic
BDS constellation deployment is complete.
China plans to provide navigation services
with the BDS-3 to countries participating
in the Belt and Road Initiative by the end
of this year.
The system will provide first-class
services around the globe by the end of
2020.
“This is a key step for BDS developing
from a domestic experimental system to
a regional and then a global navigation
system,” said Yang Changfeng, chief designer
of the BeiDou system.
Xinhua
Day of the poor
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis
looks at his meal as he has a lunch
with destitute people at the Paul VI
audience hall in Vatican to mark the
World Day of the Poor.
Pope Francis railed against social
inequality, lamenting “the din of the
rich few” drowning out the voice of
the needy.
The pontiff noted that “injustice is
the perverse root of poverty.” AFP
Haiti unrest
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Six people were killed and at least five others were wounded
Sunday during demonstrations across Haiti protesting allegations of embezzlement
from a Venezuelan program that provided the country with subsidized oil, police said.
President Jovenel
Moise called for dialogue
with opposition groups
that are seeking his
resignation for failing to
investigate corruption.
Thousands of Haitians
marched Sunday to the
National Palace in the
capital, calling for a probe
into the spending of $3.8
billion Haiti received
as part of the regional
Petrocaribe program. AP
Seeing double
MILAN — Italy’s second division was seeing double on Sunday after twin brothers
scored for opposing teams in a mid-table Serie B clash between Benevento and Spezia.
Matteo and Federico Ricci, both 24 and products of Roma’s youth system, found the net between
two goals from Nigerian
David Okereke in a 3-1 win
for Spezia over Benevento,
who were relegated from
the top flight last season
following a record-breaking
losing streak at the start of
a campaign.
“I was hoping that this
would happen, with a goal
for me and a goal for my
brother, I’m obviously
delighted,” said Spezia
midfielder Matteo. AFP
BRIEFS
MATTEO and Federico Ricci.
Out! Out! Journalists film people under a statue of Aztec ruler Cuauhtemoc protesting the presence of thousands of Central
American migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. They accused the migrants of being messy, ungrateful and a danger to Tijuana. AP
Taliban, US at negotiating table
ISLAMABAD — The Taliban
have held three days of talks
with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad
in the Gulf state of Qatar, where
the Afghan insurgent group has a
political office, a Taliban official
Bring on the
cuteness
Demonstrators use
a Pikachu mascot
on the second
day of the “Yellow
Vest” movement
against high fuel
prices which has
mushroomed into
a widespread
protest against
stagnant spending
power under
French President
Emmanuel
Macron. AFP
Beijing tightens ban
on waste imports
BEIJING — The Chinese government has
introduced a tightened ban on solid waste
imports, according to an official document.
Effective 31 December 2018, 32 types of solid
waste will be banned from imports, according to
the document released by the Ministry of Ecology
and Environment, the Ministry of Commerce, the
National Development and Reform Commission
and the General Administration of Customs.
The newly added products include
hardware, ships, auto parts, waste and scrap
of stainless steel, titanium and wood.
China’s imports of solid waste slumped
further in the first 10 months of 2018 as the
government stepped up enforcement on a
ban on solid waste imports.
The country began importing solid waste as a
source of raw materials in the 1980s and for years
has been the world’s largest importer, despite a
weak capacity in garbage disposal. Xinhua
and another individual close to the
group said Sunday.
Without referring explicitly to the
talks in Qatar, Khalilzad told a news
conference Sunday in the Afghan
capital Kabul “I am talking to all
===================================
interested parties, all Afghan groups...
and I think there is an opportunity for
reconciliation and peace.”
“The Afghan government wants
peace,” he said. “The Taliban are
saying they do not believe they can
succeed militarily, that they would
like to see the problems that remain,
resolved by peaceful means, by
political negotiations.”
I think there is an opportunity
for reconciliation and peace.
Peace efforts have accelerated since
Khalilzad’s appointment as Washington’s
peace envoy to Afghanistan aimed at
eventually winding down America’s
longest war. Seventeen years after the
US-led invasion that ended Taliban
rule, the militants control nearly half
of Afghanistan and carry out near-daily
attacks on local security forces and
government officials. AP
======================================
Case Law
By VICTOR C. AVECILLA
Pasok v. Office of the Ombudsman
G.R. No. 218413, June 6, 2018 /
Second Division / Carpio, J.
Remedial Law; Grave Abuse of Discretion. — There
is grave abuse of discretion when an act of a court
or tribunal is whimsical, arbitrary, or capricious as
to amount to an “an evasion of a positive duty or a
virtual refusal to perform a duty enjoined by law or to
act at all in contemplation of law, such as where the
power is exercised in an arbitrary and despotic manner
by reason of passion or hostility.” Grave abuse of
discretion was found in cases where a lower court or
tribunal violates or contravenes the Constitution, the
law or existing jurisprudence. (VOLUME I NUMBER 92)
==================================
===============================
Page16_Nov20.indd 16
19/11/2018 11:11:16 PM

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
SPOTLIGHT 17
Antonietta, Mr. Assimo
in ‘Bubble Gang’ special
MICHAEL V.
The change in Bubble Gang is constant because of the
continuous change in the audience profile
TV’s most vile characters
are going to bring the
house down on the
night of 23 November.
Sharp-tongued and illtempered
Mr. Assimo
and telenovela hater
and nitpicker Antonietta
will make appearances
in the telemovie
of the longestrunning
gag
show Bubble
Gang.
The Michael V-headlined gag show
is celebrating 23 years of being on
the air, giving laughs to Filipinos
come late Friday night.
As it celebrates its anniversary,
Bubble Gang will present a narrative
uniquely intertwining the show’s
popular segment forms — talk,
interview, musical parody,
sketches, commercial spoof
and gag-dubbed as “Bente
Tres Oras.”
This year’s TV special
tells the adventures of
Bea Bangenge (Michael
V) and Toto Batoto
(Antonio Aquitania) as
they embark on a journey to find a
Wi-Fi connection for Bea.
It is on this trip that they will meet
the fascinator-wearing, hard-to-please
Antonietta (Betong) and the acidtongued
Mr. Assimo (Michael V). Other
famous characters who will cross
paths with Bea and Toto are mob king
Don Cantoni (Paolo Contis), wisdomcracking
hermit Tata Lino (Michael
V), Mommy Vicky and Mommy Karen
of Balitang Ina (Chariz Solomon and
Valeen Montenegro), Lebrown James
(Contis) and many more.
For comedy genius Michael V.,
Bubble Gang’s loyal viewers have
always been their inspiration in
creating new gags and sketches.
“The change in Bubble Gang is
constant because of the continuous
change in the audience profile. But it’s
a good change, as always. I learn new
things from them. For me, that is
always a challenge and it’s also
a good thing because it adds
to my knowledge as a
comedian,” he said.
The rest of the
cast includes Sef
Cadayona, Boy 2 Quizon,
Mikoy Morales, Jak Roberto,
Archie Alemania, Juancho Trivino,
James Macasero, Roadfill, Diego
Llorico, Kim Domingo, Andrea
Torres, Jackie Rice, Denise
Barbacena, Lovely Abella, Analyn
Barro, Arra San Agustin, Arny Ross
and Myka.
Under the helm of director Bert
de Leon, head writer Caesar Cosme,
don’t miss Bubble Gang’s telemovie
on 23 November after Pamilya Roces
on GMA-7.
A throwback shindig
PAOLO
Contis.
With The Company’s vocals injected
with Jon Santos’s brand of comedy,
expect a night filled with throwbacks
with the best “retro” beats
Groove back to the
1960s, ’70s, ’80s and
’90s in a concert driven
by nostalgia and one
that will tickle the
funnybones. See the
Philippines’ premier
vocal ensemble on stage
with a class act comedian
in “Throwback with The
Company and Jon Santos”
on 1 December at The
Theatre at Solaire.
Starting out as an outof-college
regroup, The
Company has evolved in
its decades in the music
industry. From singing
traditional genres, it decided
to move to a capella and vocal
jazz as a new challenge and
for the novelty of the pieces.
The release of the members’
singles “Everlasting Love,”
“Muntik na Kitang Minahal”
and the popular love song
“Now That I Have You,”
which is often used as movie
theme songs, or in wedding
halls, has immortalized
their names. The original
members, apart from Moy
Ortiz, have moved on to
pursue the next chapters of
their lives but not without
passing on the torch to their
successors who have kept
their legacy alive and very
much felt today.
A stark contrast to the
steady melody of songs comes
Jon Santos, a powerhouse
comedian famous for his
impersonations. His satirical
impressions of the country’s
most prominent political
personas are complemented
by his quick wit, allowing
such a seemingly hilarious
number to become the
controversial stirrer of
important conversations.
He has transformed himself
to the likes of former
president Joseph Estrada,
senator Miriam Santiago
and Batangas governor Vilma
Santos, who he admits is his
favorite. Although he became
known for his comedic
prowess, Santos was able
to establish his credibility
as a theater performer who
can add more spunk to
any character he
portrays. He
has performed
as lead in
Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert
and more recently, Rak of
Aegis.
From singing traditional
genres, they decided to
move to a capella and vocal
jazz as a new challenge
and for the novelty of the
pieces.
The Theatre at Solaire’s
advocacy of bringing Filipino
pop music into the limelight
means offering acts that
the audience wants but
also presenting ingenious
collaborations.
“This unexpected tandem
will highlight another layer
of Filipino pop music
that goes beyond the
tunes, lyrics and voices.
The Company and Jon
Santos together on one
stage merges what the
Filipinos love most — good
music and witty comedy.
You will witness a new
wave of theatrics that’s
as exciting but with more
spontaneity and humorous
reality jabs.” says Audie
Gemora, Solaire’s director
for Entertainment.
With The Company’s
vocals injected with Santos’s
brand of comedy, expect a
night filled of throwbacks
with the best “retro” beats
that will make you dance,
laugh and remember good
old days.
For tickets, call
TicketWorld at 891-9999.
NEA Crossword Puzzle
© 2018 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS
ACROSS
1 Prune (off)
4 Spiciness
8 Showed use
12 Balloon filler
13 Writer Kingsley —
14 Lie adjacent
15 Land in
“la mer”
16 Kind of roast
17 Platter
18 Did steno work
20 Incisors
21 Whiskey grain
23 Koch and
Wynn
24 Beansprouts
bean
27 Snags
29 Montana and
Flutie
32 Does well
33 Environmental
prefix
34 — kwon do
35 Pie — mode
36 Greek X
37 Bona —
38 Taint
39 Versatile
vehicles
40 Not shut
41 Codgers’
queries
42 1,101, in old
Rome
44 Throat
warmer
47 Of the past
51 Actor Alan
52 Tehran’s land
55 Beam of light
56 Flits about
57 Dull drill
58 Forum hello
59 Altar area
60 Auction site
61 Earn
DOWN
1 Cafe au —
2 Too suave
3 Get ready
4 Strong and
tough
5 Big bird
6 Intend
7 Recipe meas.
8 Walks in the
water
9 Stage honor
10 Auto body
woe
11 Inscribe
indelibly
19 Units of
energy
SUDOKU
20 NFL scores
22 Bounces
23 “I” trouble?
24 Sir’s
companion
25 ASU rival
26 At hand
28 Exercise
aftermath
29 Ear cleaner
(hyph.)
30 Directed
31 Visible
37 Thwart
39 TV band
41 Delete
43 Brooklyn’s
— Island
44 Long story
45 Show
appreciation
46 Finds the sum
48 Wind resistance
49 Roof part
50 “Da” opposite
52 Anger
53 Thieve
54 — — premium
Answer to previous puzzle
by Ramon Lorenzo
Write a numeral from 1 to 9 in each box so that each
appears only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.
Answer for yesterday’s puzzle
PHOTO shows (from left) Sweet Plantado, Moy Ortiz, OJ Mariano, Jon Santos,
Annie Quintos and Cecile Bautista.
D A I L Y G O S P E L
Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
At that time, Jesus came to
Jericho and intended to pass
through the town.
Now a man there named
Zacchaeus, who was a chief
tax collector and also a
wealthy man, was seeking
to see who Jesus was; but he
could not see him because of
the crowd, for he was short
in stature.
So he ran ahead and
climbed a sycamore tree in
order to see Jesus, who was
about to pass that way.
When he reached the place,
Jesus looked up and said to
him, “Zacchaeus, come down
quickly, for today I must stay
at your house.”
And he came down quickly
and received him with joy.
Luke 19: 1-10
When they all saw this,
they began to grumble,
saying, “He has gone to stay
at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and
said to the Lord, “Behold, half of
my possessions, Lord, I shall give
to the poor, and if I have extorted
anything from anyone I shall
repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come
to this house because this
man too is a descendant of
Abraham. For the Son of Man
has come to seek and to save
what was lost.”

18
SPOTLIGHT
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Bringing out the Buddha
in all of us
Siddhartha: The Musical, staged at The Theatre at Solaire
recently, was a kind of play not only meant to entertain but
also to instruct
By John Iremil Teodoro
“All the hurt we try to hide inside
our souls/Can be erased if we take
away/Desire, like fire, can die/If we
try…” sings the Buddha while teaching
the Noble Path.
“Right thought, right understanding/
Right speech, right action/Right
mindfulness, right concentration/This
is the Noble Path/The eightfold things
JONNA Mae Daquipil (right) as Queen Maya and Francis
Isidro as King Suddhodana.
you need to do/To find enlightenment
in you,” answers the chorus of his
monks and lay followers.
Siddhartha: The Musical, staged
at The Theatre at Solaire recently,
was a kind of play not only meant to
entertain but also to instruct. “Dulce
et utile,” as the good old Horace would
say about the function of literature,
and that’s what I got when I watched
this musical last 28 October.
The book, lyrics and music
are by Cebuano composer
Jude Gitamondoc. It is
the story of the life of the
Indian prince who became
the Buddha, based on the
Biography of Sakyamuni
Buddha, written by Fo
Guang Shan (Buddha’s Light
Mountain) founder, Venerable
Master Hsing Yun.
The musical was
directed by former Ballet
Philippines artistic director
Paul Alexander Morales;
thus, the production dance
numbers were simply lovely.
Prince Siddhartha
was born 2,600 years
ago in Kapilavastu in
ancient India. A seer had
prophesized that he would
be a great leader like
his father or become a
great spiritual teacher. His
father did everything to
stop this from happening
to the point that he built
Woven with creativity
walls around the palace to insulate the
young prince from the outside world
and prepare him for kinghood. This did
not stop Siddhartha from becoming a
monk and later on a great Buddha.
After more than 100 performances
around the world and over 10 years
since its premiere in 2007, the
musical was presented with live music
performed by the Manila Symphony
Orchestra under the baton of musical
director Jed Balsamo.
Prince Siddhartha was born
2,600 years ago in Kapilavastu in
ancient India. A seer prophesized
that he will be a great leader
like his father or become a great
spiritual teacher.
Leading the cast were Cebuano
musical artists Benjie Layos as the
Buddha, Junrey Alayacyac as Siddhartha,
and Vince Sendrijas as Ananda, the
loyal cousin of Prince Siddharta. The
cast included the artists, students and
scholars of FGS at the Guang Ming
Institute for the Performing Arts in Cebu
and Guang Ming College in Manila. They
could sing!
The snappy choreography was by
Al Bernard Garcia, dramaturgy by
Katherine Sabate, stage design by Ohm
David with video and light projections
by GA Fallarme, costumes — which
were a visual feast — by James Reyes,
and lighting design by Roman Cruz.
Siddhartha: The Musical is indeed a
beautiful fruition of Venerable Master
Hsing Yun’s vision in founding the Fo
Guang Shan Buddhist order in 1967 on
four principles: To propagate Buddhist
teachings through cultural activities;
to foster talent through education;
to benefit society through charitable
The exhibit not only aimed to create awareness on traditional weavers and
hand-woven textiles, but also introduce the concept of sustainable fashion to
the market
programs; and to purify human
hearts and minds through Buddhist
practice. The musical is about
the Buddha that showcases the
talents of scholars. It is an
entertaining way of reaching
out to people to invite them
to consider the philosophy and
practice of Buddhism.
As a Catholic, I couldn’t help but
think of Jesus’ teachings while watching
the musical. Jesus and Siddhartha
were great teachers. If they are
still being followed until today, it
is because their teachings are
useful to us in our life here
on earth. Much of the human
sufferings nowadays, such as
poverty, wars, environmental
degradation and human rights
violations will be eradicated if
we follow their teachings.
But we are greedy and selfcentered.
We are the ones
making our lives difficult because
we could not let go of our earthly
desires and so we hurt each other.
When will we listen and follow Jesus
or the Buddha? I have no answer but
definitely we need artistic productions
such as Siddharta: The Musical to
remind us from time to time.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun, in
his book On Buddhist Democracy,
Freedom, and Equality, says that
“all can become Buddhas.” In
the Catholic faith, all the faithful
are being called to “sainthood.”
Of course, this is very difficult
to do but this is the only way. To
become a Buddha is to achieve
enlightenment and reach nirvana
or perfect tranquility. To become a
saint is to live with God in heaven
in perfect bliss.
JUN Rey
Alayacyac
as Prince
Siddhartha.
Watching Siddhartha:
The Musical was both
pleasurable and
painful: pleasurable
because of the artistic rendition
of the Buddha’s life on stage, and
painful because I know I am far
from being worthy of nirvana nor of
heaven. I went out of the theater with
a quiet and humbled heart grateful
for the blessing of hope, hope that
someday, with much hard work and
moral courage, I will achieve my own
enlightenment.
“Pinto X Aura: Inabel” recently
brought together renowned
homegrown designers Edgar
Madamba, Niña Corpuz and Sherwin
Otto Sacramento in an exhibition
featuring their creations using cotton
inabel or hand-woven fabrics from
Ilocos.
In this partnership between Pinto
Art Museum and SM Aura Premier,
the exhibit aimed to revive a dying
tradition. With weavers getting
older, fewer young people willing
to learn the intricate patterns, and
raw materials like handspun cotton
thread and natural vegetable dyes
getting scarcer, the exhibit not only
aimed to create awareness on
traditional weavers and handwoven
textiles, but also
introduce the concept
of sustainable fashion to
the market.
The traditionally woven
cloth comes from northern
Luzon, particularly in the
Ilocos Region and some
areas in the Mountain
Province. Commonly
made from yarns of
cotton and dyed
from the sap of a
plum called sagut,
the Ilocos handwoven
textile
is known for
being colorful
and strong.
Manually
woven through a
wooden loom, the
textile is made
from creativity,
imagination,
positivity,
respect, discipline and keenness.
Commonly made from yarns
of cotton and dyed from the
sap of a plum called sagut, the
Ilocos hand-woven textile is
known for being colorful and
strong.
METICULOUSLY designed Inabel A-line
gown accented with salmon beads by Edgar
Madamba.
Dr. Joven Cuanang, Pinto Art
Museum owner and one of the
founders of House of Inabel, is
an active supporter of Barangay
Lumbaan Weavers Association. His
interest in hand-woven textile started
after learning about Magdalena
Gamayo who, at 88 years old, was
given the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan or National Living Treasure
Award in 2012.
He was saddened when he found
out that there were only three active
weavers and the farmers have
already stopped planting cotton,
preferring tobacco instead.
Dr. Cuanang then
pushed for the revival of
the cotton industry and in
2015 encouraged farmers
to plant cotton
again. He provided
them with a pump,
the initial seedlings
and a two-hectare
tract of land. Today,
they have a 22-hectare
plot dedicated to cotton
farming. They were also
able to encourage more
locals to try weaving.
Currently, there are 18
weavers.
During the exhibit,
the designers showcased
the beauty and versatility
of inabel. Madamba
exhibited his intricately
woven beaded gowns,
a few of them with
a twist of modern
Filipiniana.
Broadcast
journalist
and fashion
designer Niña Corpuz of
Niña Inabel, on the
other hand, showed
how inabel could be
worn by all members of the
Ottoman Red Label’s Collection
of hats, shirts and sheets.
family, highlighting
her holiday
collection for kids, as
well as those for kids
and moms, her take
on denim and inabel,
and her bestselling
inabel V-neck square
tops. Niña enjoys
dressing up her
daughters using
the native
textile and
says that is
where her career as a fashion
designer started.
Filipino-Italian Sherwin Otto
Sacramento of Ottomondi Red
Label took a more casual approach
with street wear and t-shirts as
well as hats and bags accentuated
with inabel. Sacramento was one
of this year’s winners of the Bench
Design Awards.
Guests included art collector
and philanthropist Dr. Cuanang,
Greenfield president and chairman
of the Board Jeffrey Campos,
Kannawidan Foundation’s
Betty Factora Merritt,
program host and curator
Rene Guatlo, broadcast
journalist Julius Babao,
and travel writer Gabby
Malvar and wife Ginggay.
M i s s E a r t h
Philippines 2018 Silvia Celeste
Cortesi, Miss Earth Eco-
Tourism Philippines Halimatu
Yushawu, Miss Water Philippines
Berjayneth Chee and Barcino’s
Teresa and Jordi Rostoll also
attended the event.
NIÑA Corpuz’s daughters Stella and
Emily with their baby brother Lucas
wearing clothes from their mom’s
Inabel collection.
PINTO x Aura brought together inabel designs by local designers Edgar Madamba, Niña Corpuz and Ottoman
Red Label in an exhibition at SM Aura Premier.
Installation art pioneer at the CCP
The Cultural Center of the
Philippines (CCP) presents its
last venue grant exhibition for
2018 entitled “CONTINUUM/
The art of Alan Rivera/A
reconstruction of memories.”
Unveiled on 17 November at the
fourth-floor galleries, it is the
first retrospective exhibition of
the late artist.
His works were shown
in exhibitions in the
Philippines, Australia,
Indonesia, Japan and the
United States.
Most of Rivera’s works are
installations — conceptual, timeand
space-related — thus, in effect,
they are theories and philosophies
culled from his psycho-sociocultural
past that he struggled
to externalize and elevate into
artforms for most of his lifetime.
Alan Rivera (1941 to 2015) was
born in Cebu City. He studied at
the University of the Philippines,
architecture at the University
of Santo Tomas and industrial
design in Mapua. Rivera joined
his first group exhibition in 1966
and had his first solo exhibition
at the CCP Small Gallery in 1972.
Other solo exhibitions followed at
Luz Gallery, Alliance Francaise
Manila, the Northern Territory
University Art Gallery (Australia),
the Ayala Museum, the Museo
Iloilo Gallery and The Drawing
Room, among others. His works
were shown in exhibitions in the
Philippines, Australia, Indonesia,
Japan and the United States. He
was also known as a co-founder
of the informal artist group Shop
6 in the 1970s. Commendation
of Rivera’s practice include the
CCP 13 Artists in 1972, an Asian
Cultural Council grant in 1994-
1995, the Art Association of
the Philippines Competition
in 2000 and residencies in the
Samba Likhaan Artist’s Village
in Quezon City and in Perth
and Darwin, Australia. Rivera
was a multi-faceted artist who
expressed himself through
drawing, painting, sculpture,
collage, installation, performance,
writing, photography and film.
“CONTINUUM/The art of
Alan Rivera/A reconstruction of
memories” may be viewed until
3 February 2019 at the CCP’s
Bulwagang Fernando Amorsolo
(Small Gallery), Pasilyo Victorio
Edades (fourth floor Hallway
Gallery) and fourth floor Atrium.
Viewing hours are from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, or until
10 p.m. on nights with evening
performances at the CCP Little
Theater. For more information,
contact the CCP Visual Arts and
Museum Division at 832-1125 local
1504/1505, mobile 0917-6033809,
or email (ccp.exhibits@gmail.
com).
ALAN
Rivera.

Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
LIFESTYLE 19
On reading over social media
It’s a commitment. There are times when I have
some space in the office, so I get to put in 500
words a day. I feel empty when I’m not doing
literary work. If it’s all work, I feel like I’m
neglecting something important
How does one develop the
discipline to be a writer in this
age of social media and blogs?
For this three-time Palanca
awardee, it has to do with
choosing reading over spending
time aimlessly scrolling on
social media. If you ask his
advice to aspiring writers
today, it’s to own an e-reader
that can hold multiple titles
and allow one to read anytime,
anywhere. That and writing
daily.
Joe Bert Lazarte is one of
only two winners of the 68th
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards
for Literature, who bagged two
prizes in separate categories.
He won first prize in the Short
Story category for “Describe the
Rapture” and second prize for
the One-Act Play for “Senator
Pancho Aunor’s Blue Balls of
Despair and Disillusionment.”
A senior creative
communications manager for
an integrated resort, Lazarte
mostly wrote his winning pieces
during free weekends. He cites
celebrated writer Stephen King
as his ultimate peg, writing 1,000
to 1,500 words a day, even without
inspiration. Even if it’s “crap,” as
he puts it, he keeps it in a page
and edits or revises from there.
“It’s a commitment. There are
times when I have some space
in the office, so I get to put in
500 words a day. I feel empty
when I’m not doing literary
work. If it’s all work, I feel
like I’m neglecting something
important,” Lazarte said.
While he gets story ideas
from everywhere, Lazarte said
he always makes it a point to
write with the national psyche
in mind.
“For the Palanca, I try to have
something that would resonate
with the national psyche. It has
to be of national significance.
For example, a revolution is
not purely revolution. There’s
a love story there somewhere,”
Lazarte said.
For this three-time
Palanca awardee, it has
to do with choosing
reading over spending
time aimlessly scrolling on
social media.
True enough, Lazarte’s
short story “Describe the
Rapture” is about a freelance
copywriter tasked to write the
brochure copy for Torre de
Manila, infamously known as the
“national photobomber.” Lazarte
said he found inspiration for
this story from a lot of things.
Himself a freelance writer for
12 years, all the ambiance and
moods he had writing at home ─
alone figured in the story.
“It started as a draft in
2005 and it evolved over
the years. I was looking for
something to complete it, then
I saw The Shape of Water. One
of the minor characters is a
freelance artist who always
got his work rejected. I liked
the character. He was alone in
the world and his only friend
was his female neighbor. To
make it more significant, I
looked for a national issue and
decided on Torre de Manila,”
Lazarte said.
Lazarte started joining the
Palanca Awards five years ago
and despite not winning in the
first three, didn’t stop until his
time came. Last year, he won
third prize for his short story,
“Don’t Blink.” It was his first
time to write a one-act play
for the 68th Palanca Awards
and felt “awesome” when it got
the judges’ nod. He revealed
that he plans to keep writing
and joining the competition
until he gets about a hundred
of them.
THREE-TIME Palanca awardee Joel Lazarte.
From page 20
A dream girl
named Charisse
Alcantara, the ad agency, called
me up. He was asking if I was
interested in taking a job elsewhere.
It was a hotel daw. He said, ‘And
we know that they’re looking for a
PR manager and we offered to help
find one.”
“I was interviewed by the GM,”
recounted Charisse. “Then, I was
interviewed by the owners, the
Martels, Tony and Rudy. They asked
me what my experience in hotels
was. I said none, except as a guest.
They said never mind. Anyway, I
knew about public relations work,
they said. Then, I was invited to a
party even if they had not hired me
yet. I think they wanted to check
how I would behave in a social
event.”
Stranger to Lifestyle
news hens
If she had any qualms, it was
that, Charisse relates, “I was new
in the industry. I didn’t know any
media person. So, we had to start
from scratch before we opened.
There were the likes of Jullie Yap
Daza. She was already the Jullie
Yap Daza. So, I called her and I
introduced myself. ‘I am Charisse
Garcia, I am the PR manager of a
new hotel that is opening. May I
invite you? I would like to meet you.’
Charisse said, “First, never
be complacent. Always be
hungry to learn and on the
lookout for ideas, be aware
of the goings-on in the city
and in the industry.
“I had to introduce myself. So,
the first time we met, it was at
La Mancha, that restaurant with a
windmill. She was very nice. After
that, I called Ethel Timbol and
Deedee Sytangco. Next, I called up
Letty Jimenez Magsanoc and Tere
Orendain, and so on. The press
ladies all warmly received and
supported me, a greenhorn, thus
starting decades of friendship and
relationships that I value to this day.”
Century Park was fun. “I
was always awed by the lavish
productions and preparations for
big events, like when the atrium
of Century Park Sheraton was
converted into one big banquet and
performance hall for the Opera Ball.
We had mammoth productions like
Chefs on Parade organized by the
Hotel and Restaurant Association
of the Philippines for which I would
chair the publicity committee.”
There was also a special bonus
for her while working at Century
Park. She met her future husband,
Jun, who was working in the same
hotel. They would have a daughter
named Cara.
Charisse’s transfer to
Mandarin Hotel in Makati,
where she would meet
more friends and level up
to newer heights, came
about because, “Our sales
director in Century Park,
who moved to Mandarin,
CHARISSE Chuidian at the City of Dreams with Amba Marcos,
Francine Arias and Romina Gervacio.
asked me to move to Mandarin.
I said what for when I could just
wait for my retirement. I told GM
Michael Gibb that since I had been
with Century Park for 16 years, I
could either stay put or I move to
the corporate division.”
“I was flown to Hong Kong for
a day to also be interviewed by
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s PR
head, after which followed an offer
I couldn’t refuse,” she said.
Working at Mandarin gave her
a new and different high. Every
year, the hotel would host its iconic
Chinese New Year celebration. They
also launched an exciting interactive
hotel buffet called “Paseo Uno.”
Most unforgettable was when
she entertained Andrea Bocelli at
Mandarin. “Then, his impresario,
Mrs. Rosemarie Arenas, invited
us to her private beach. I sat next
to Andrea Bocelli as he quietly
hummed and sang a few lines. He
was singing to himself, actually
but at that magical moment,
everything for me stood still, save
for Andrea’s voice. This once-in-alifetime
experience was, of course,
made possible by the fact that I am
working in a prestigious hotel.”
As a public relations director,
Charisse has met international
celebrities and leaders, even from
way back her Century Park days.
The list includes Claudia Schiffer,
Sergio Mendes, Beyonce and,
yes, Prime Minister Lee
Kuan Yew.
Eventually, Mandarin
would close its doors,
and Charisse
moved to
BUSINESSMAN Bob Miller and Charisse.
her next hotel stint.
Today, she is the
vice president of
Public Relations of
the City of Dreams
where, once again,
she continues to be
a leader in the hotel
public relations
field. Again, she
has received
international
celebrities, as well
as the billionaire
high rollers of the
world of casinos.
She also received
Robert de Niro,
who co-owns Nobu,
the iconic trendy
and chic Japanese
restaurant. This
is a new game for
Charisse, and yet she remains the
same lady as she was in the 1970s
-- sweet, humble and refined.
Finally, I asked her what she
would advise our young careeroriented
women who would pursue
the same path that she had taken.
Charisse said, “First, never be
complacent. Always be hungry to
learn and on the lookout for ideas,
be aware of the goings-on in the
city and in the industry. Keep up
with the trends and evolve with
the times. Be truthful, because this
helps you earn credibility and the
respect of everyone you deal with.
Do not be content with ‘puwede na.’
(good enough). What’s worth doing
is worth doing right.”
“Do not be content with
‘puwede na.’ (good enough).
What’s worth doing is worth
doing right.
Charisse’s is the story of a
hometown girl who came to Manila
to pursue her studies, graduated
from college, and went on to work
in big companies, until finding
herself a place in the hotel industry.
If she stayed long, it’s because she
never gave up. She has also been
consistently credible.
For those who want to succeed
in the social world, here’s a tip
from Proust: It’s not about yourself,
it’s about the good that you do.
Charisse never called attention
to herself despite all her highprofile
jobs. She just worked,
and they noticed her. And,
of course, it pays to be
pleasant. As naturally
pleasant as
Charisse.
Tackling ‘f‘ word
There will be nine talks on
zine, comics, publishing,
printmaking, sticker, design
multimedia and virtual reality
The people behind Komura; Studio, a
literary and creative space, wants to talk
about the ‘F’ word that most creatives
tend to shy away from: finances. The
upcoming Komura; Studio event on 24
November is an intimate conference on
funding independent creative pursuits
for storytellers, bringing industry shakers
and creative doers from all over Southeast
Asia to talk about what it means to turn
passion into livelihood.
The event features nine panelists from
a whole slew of industries, all of whom
will be giving their insights on the nuts
and bolts of sustaining a creative venture.
Panel from the Philippines include
artist, curator and co-founder of Artbooks
PH Ringo Bunoan; spoken word artist
and radio host Kooky Tuason; Veer
Technologies and VR Philippines founder
Cristopher David; comics artist Manix
Abrera; designer and Diyalogo co-owner
Ian Quimbo; artist and educator Rommel
Joson; and computer scientist and CIIT
founder Niel Dagondon.
Speakers from Southeast Asia include
Indonesia-based artist and Krack! Studio
co-founder Malcolm Smith; and Singaporebased
book designer and The Press Room
Singapore founder Kelley Cheng.
There will be nine talks on zine,
comics, publishing, printmaking, sticker,
design multimedia and virtual reality.
There will also be the Komura; directory
launch, after-hours conversations and
socials and Echoes PH live gigs
Inspired by the runaway library in
Haruki Murakami’s award-winning novel
Kafka on the Shore, creatives Kayla
Dionisio and Czyka Tumaliuan conspired
to create a literary respite for honest
exchanges of curiosities and playful
explorations of storytelling in tech and
print.
What started as the first independent
experience-driven book fair in the
Philippines, Komura; has evolved after
its launch on 16 November 2017, spawning
initiatives focused on providing holistic
support for independent creators.
Komura; will be held at Warehouse Eight
on 24 November, 2 to 11 p.m. The event is
limited to 120 seats. Regular tickets cost
P3,000, while the student rate is P2,700.
Tickets are inclusive of admission to
nine talks on funding creative pursuits,
a Komura; Studio kit, afternoon snacks,
unlimited coffee by Candid and a gig.
Tickets at the door will be P3,500, subject to
availability. Go to Facebook event page bit.
ly/komurastudionov and to registration
page bit.ly/rsvpkomurastudio. Warehouse
8 is at La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Chino Roces
ave., Makati City.

20
LIFESTYLE
Dinah S. Ventura, Editor
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Daily Tribune
Charisse’s transfer to Mandarin Hotel in Makati, where she would meet
more friends and level up to newer heights, came about because, Our
sales director in Century Park, who moved to Mandarin, asked me to
move to Mandarin
ESQUIRE food editor Tom Parker Bowles and Charisse Chuidian at The Tivoli.
Before there was City of
Dreams (COD), there was
Charisse Chuidian. I put two
together not only because
Charisse has been working
at the COD since 2014. More
importantly, Charisse is the
perennial Dream Girl of every fledgling and
mid-career public relations person in the
tourism industry -- someone they admire,
respect and try to emulate.
With so many top-of-the-line hotels and
urban resorts sprouting, there is now a
continuous demand for in-house public
relations people, and Charisse comes to
mind because anyone who wants to succeed
and survive in this industry, and be loved as
well, had better possess assets and virtues
that come close to her expertise and charm.
What has Charisse to do with a column
that purports to give its point of view on
social climbing, or making it in a world
that’s higher than the social environment
where one lives and moves around now?
Well, many things. But just to give you one,
Charisse made it to the social top merely
and clearly by not seriously, deliberately and
obsessively wanting to make it there. She
just worked hard and people recognized her
professionalism and a lot more.
Sweetheart of the PR world
A veteran public relations lady told me,
“All it takes to succeed in this field is to
be like Charisse. You don’t need a bible,
a handbook, or a mentor. Just be like
Charisse.” The PR lady, however, prefers
not to be identified “lest the other hotel PR
ladies get jealous.”
Well, I told her, Tita Mila is number one
in my list, but then, we agreed the Guy’s
daughter is Doyen Emeritus of Hotel PR
while Charisse is the Sweetheart. That
explains the difference, although Tita Mila
can be just as sweet, but with the common
touch that, being her father’s daughter,
comes naturally to her.
When wanting to become Charisse,
one just needs to think of what class and
propriety is all about. The sweet voice, the
graciousness, they all come together in one
person.
Look, Charisse’s image is not of one
to the manor born, if you know what
I mean. But she was born to a feisty
father, a hero in his own right, a
champion of press freedom.
“Yes, I have a journalist’s blood,”
said Charisse, when I visited her
at the City of Dreams. “We had
a community newspaper called
Sunday Punch.
“What happened then
was the newspaper had an
expose on payroll padding.
It was about a councilor
who wanted to stop the
presses, but the printing
press people told him
to talk to my dad. So,
he went to my dad to
tell him to stop the
story. My dad said
no. The guy smelled of
liquor. And then he shot my
father. He was convicted
but instead of murder, it
was homicide.”
To honor his memory, a street
was named after Ermin Garcia Sr. in
Cubao, Quezon City. Interestingly, it is the
same street where Charisse has lived for a
long time.
that I had to undergo physical examination,
he didn’t like it. So, he said let’s go to
Maryknoll. He was very impressed with a
lady from Dagupan who was a graduate of
Maryknoll. Her name was Edna Torio. She
ran a school in Dagupan.”
Charisse made it to the social top
merely and clearly by not seriously,
deliberately and obsessively wanting
to make it there.
“Our first year college was general AB
course. In our second year, we had to choose
our specific course. We were shown the
curriculum and I saw that Communication
Arts, a new degree, did not have Math. So
I chose it. And the subjects were English,
Communication, and everything in line
with communication. So, I said, ‘Ay, this
is for me.’”
Communication Arts was the closest
to her high school dream. Or her father’s
dream for her. “My dad would ask me
questions about what I wanted to become.
And he would encourage me to become a
journalist. When I was in high school, I
joined this Voice of Democracy Contest. So,
when I was filling out the application form
for college admission, he said you can say
you want to become a journalist.”
Sub promo girl at ABS-CBN
After graduation, she worked at the ABS
CBN, which was only a few minutes away
from their family home.
“I was a copy writer for program
promotions. There were promo girls before,
remember? So, we would write the copy for
A DREAM GIRL NAMED
CHARISSE
A Mass Communications wannabe
Charisse had originally aimed for a
career in mass communications.
Charisse grew up in Dagupan
where she finished high school at
the Blessed Imelda Academy. (Yes,
you read it right, and heard it right
if you’re the kind who mumbles
what they are reading.)
“Our school was eventually
renamed Dominican
School. It was founded by
the Congregation of the
Religious Missionaries of
St. Dominic,” recalled
Charisse. “Then, I went
to Maryknoll. Most of
my schoolmates and
family friends went
to UST or UP, so I
intended to go to
UP, but when my
father found out CHARISSE in the mid 1970s as PR officer of Century Park Sheraton.
them, the spiels,” she shared.
Being a promo girl was glamorous. “So,
when someone was late or someone couldn’t
make it, they would pull me from the office.
What? Do not worry, they said, you know
what to say, ikaw naman ang sumusulat
eh (You’re the one writing it, anyway). So,
I would pinch-hit if somebody was sick.”
I asked Charisse if she enjoyed her job.
She replied, “It was showbiz, so it was fun.
Our office was near a production room so we
would see people running around. And then
you would see all these actors and actresses
walking into the lobby. Showbiz people like
Pilar Pilapil, Maya Valdez. It was a different
world. I left ABS-CBN in 1970.”
A boss named EZ
A different kind of ambience awaited
her at Ayala Avenue. “I told myself I had
a real office. We were at the Insular Life
Building first. Then we moved to the Makati
Stock Exchange.”
It was her first job in public relations and
her boss was Buddy Gomez. Yes, that Buddy
Gomez of the Malacañang press office.
“What happened was when I was in
ABS-CBN, our Dean of Communications
in Maryknoll, whose name was Wolfgang,
called me up. He said there was an opening
in Ayala for PR, ‘So why don’t you go? He
prodded me to go and give it a try, so I did.
So, I met Buddy Gomez. I think there were
three who interviewed me. They gave me
an entrance test and an essay test right
there and then. And so, I was taken in. I
lasted for four years.”
The big boss of Ayala Corporation then
was Enrique Zobel or EZ, although she
reported directly to Buddy Gomez. Among
her duties was to arrange parties and
conferences.
When wanting to become Charisse,
one just needs to think of what class
and propriety is all about.
Of EZ, Charisse recalled, “Oh, we all loved
him. He was one person that I adored. I really
looked up to him. He was in the office early
at 7:30 in the morning and he would leave
the office at 4:30 in the afternoon.
“I remember he had his own
helicopter, so once he
said we were
PROUST IS BACK!
Jojo Gumpal Silvestre
going to Calatagan to see this project of the
Ayala Foundation. So, he brought me and
his secretary and we were on the chopper.
So, we were waiting for the pilot and then,
he sat on the pilot’s seat. And then he
said, ‘Huwag kayong matakot, marunong
akong magpalipad.’ (‘Don’t worry, I
know how to fly a plane.’) Malutong ang
kaniyang Tagalog. (Roughly translated:
‘His Tagalog was crisp, spoken like a native
speaker would.’) So, he flew the helicopter
up to Calatagan. Punta Baluarte was just
starting. He housed us there, and every
morning, someone would pick us up to
have breakfast in his house. And when we
drove around the buggy in his hacienda.
He knew everyone. Like he would ask them,
‘Kumusta na, Ka Tibo? (if that was the
name - How are you, Ka Tibo?), ‘Magaling
na ang anak mo?’ (Is your child well?) The
people loved and respected him. He was
so down-to-earth.”
Book seller
Then, Charisse moved to a foundation.
“My brother used to hold a position in
the office of Father Lagerway. I was going
to be the head of a department at the
Communication Foundation of Asia (CFA).
It was a small company but it was a move
up. It happened that when I left, EZ was
out of the country,” shared Charisse.
She was Special Services Director at
the Communication Foundation of Asia. “I
was looking after the sales of the books
that they published. Parang PR, but it was
more sales and I thought it wasn’t for me
because we sold books published by CFA.
We would talk to companies or institutions
so we could publish books for them. I
stayed less than six months because,
then, the hotels came.”
“The president of
Turn to page 19