17 MARCH 2019

PARQAL BREAKS
GROUND, EYES 2021
COMPLETION
PAGE 14
LIVING SPACES
SPURS REACH
7TH HEAVEN
SUNDAY
COMMERCIALIZING
COCONUT HUSKS
TRILLANES 2.0
PAGE 17 SPORTS
PAGE 9 BUSINESS PAGE 5 COMMENTARY
‘Impeach bluff
nonsense’
By Kristina Maralit
TERRORISM HAS
NO RELIGION
PAGE 19
WORLD
MOST
INNOVATIVE
BROADSHEET
2018
By Kristina Maralit
The United States
imposed travel
restrictions on
International Criminal
Court (ICC) personnel
in a policy that may
affect the ongoing probe
of the international
tribunal on the “crimes
against humanity”
charges on President
Rodrigo Duterte.
Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo said the
Water is life. And with a water crisis
plaguing certain areas in Metro Manila
life had become increasingly difficult for
affected residents. Reports said some
people stopped showing up for work or
Turn to page 6
By Chito Lozada
44TH
PHILIPPINES
BUSINESS
EXPO
Dear drum
The new wave of globalization
will have countries in the Eastern
hemisphere mainly China as leader
which departs from the Western-led
MANILA, PHILIPPINES SUNDAY, 17 MARCH 2019
US sanctions ICC
‘Politically-motivated
prosecutions’
The United States has declined to join the ICC because
of its broad, unaccountable prosecutorial powers and
the threat it poses to American national sovereignty
US government will
revoke or deny visas
to ICC representatives
seeking to investigate
alleged war crimes
and other abuses
committed by US
forces in Afghanistan
or elsewhere and may
do the same with
those who seek action
against other allies
such as Israel and the
Philippines.
“Since 1998, the
United States has
declined to join the
ICC because of its
broad, unaccountable
prosecutorial powers
and the threat it poses
to American national
sovereignty,” Pompeo
said.
“We feared that the
court could eventually
pursue politically
motivated prosecutions
of Americans and our
fears were warranted,”
he added.
Turn to page 2
Globalization heads East
capitalist movement of the past,
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
said.
In a discussion with Daily Tribune
editors and staff last Friday, Arroyo,
Turn to page 6
Administrative cases filed before the
Ombudsman against those included in the so-called
“narco list” prior to its release negate the
threat citing President Rodrigo Duterte for
an impeachable offense, the Palace said
yesterday.
Turn to page 6
EU probes
Red money
By Kathleen Mae Bulquerin
The European Union (EU) has
committed to start investigation
into funds allegedly being funneled
to the terrorist group Communist
Party of the Philippines-New
People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and it
is awaiting documents from the
government to back the charges
on communist financing.
“The EU stands ready to
receive precise information
that would enable it to further
evaluate and verify the
allegations,” the EU delegation
in Manila said in a statement.
Last month, a Philippine
delegation engaged several
officials from the EU and Belgian
government to request them to stop
the flow of funds to non-government
organizations (NGO) that grant
financial assistance to CPP-NPA
front organizations.
Government data showed
front organizations receive funds
from the Belgian government
and some European countries
for supposed pro-poor programs
which the government claims to
be mere covers for the financing
of rebel operations.
Turn to page 2
Power
becomes
her
Endurance lesson Girl, who is not old enough to carry the pail she’s sitting on, patiently
waits for a firetruck as a shortage of the life-saving fluid hit large areas of Metro Manila. AP
World without anarchy Deep fear and anguish consume a father who worries for his child riding innocently on
his shoulder as they arrive to lay a floral tribute for victims of the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand. Such is an
apt situation to ask President Rodrigo Duterte’s query: Which is important, human rights or lives?
AFP
FORMER President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo still brims with ideas.
By Dinah S. Ventura
It is not everyday that one
gets to sit down with a former
Philippine President over lunch
of kare-kare, adobo and liempo,
let alone over food that came
from her own kitchen. What
is even more extraordinary is
this is a rare chance to pick
the brains of a leader who has
Turn to page 24
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NEWS
2
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
From page 1
EU probes
Red money
The EU stands ready to receive precise information
that would enable it to further evaluate and verify
the allegations
Documents obtained by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) revealed that the Belgian
government has released its first
tranche of more than 621,000
euros (P36,663,840) out of the
15-million euros (P885,600,000)
grant to some NGO for the 2017
to 2021 program. This year, some
1.3 million euros (P76,752,000) is
expected for release.
EU vows action
Foreign Affairs Secretary
Teodoro Locsin Jr. on 14 March
also informed the United Nations
(UN) of EU-based NGO funding of
communist front organizations in
the Philippines.
Should the allegations be
established, the EU will
immediately take full legal
action.
The EU delegation underscored
that the bloc continues to
consider both the CPP and the
NPA as terrorists, which means
“no assets can be held in EU by
these organizations.”
While the allegations have yet
to be verified, it vowed to respond
immediately once the illegalities
have been proven.
“Should the allegations
be established, the EU will
immediately take full legal
action,” it said.
As early as January, the EU
has conducted an audit of funds
that have allegedly reached
the communist groups after a
request sent by the government.
Following its audit, the EU
confirmed it received a Philippine
delegation in February “to better
understand the precise content
on the allegations.”
Undersecretary Joel Egco,
executive director of the
Presidential Task Force on Media
Security, who was part of the
Philippine delegation to Europe,
said EU was “receptive” when it
received the information and has
vowed to look into the matter
“seriously.”
“They promised to look into it
because it is unacceptable that
their funds are going to the front
organizations of the CPP-NPA
which they declared as a terrorist
organization,” he had said in an
earlier interview.
Both the CPP and its armed
wing, NPA, have been on the EU’s
list of terrorist organizations
since 2006.
The CPP and its armed
wing, NPA, have been on
the EU’s list of terrorist
organizations since 2006.
AFP deputy chief of staff for
civil military operations, Brig.
Gen. Antonio Parlade, said the
government would soon file a
formal complaint before the
EU once it has gathered more
evidence.
Parlade, in particular, called
human rights group Karapatan a
red front citing evidence it has
amassed.
Strong proof
“We have a lot and Karapatan
is worried about all these truth
coming out now. AFP, not a
credible institution? Then
refute the very high trust rating
of AFP in all surveys except
CPP’s (Communist Party of the
Philippines),” Parlade said.
“Karapatan has perfected the
art of lies and deception after
24 years of existence. I never
said I don’t have evidence to
show they are communist front
organizations,” Parlade added.
He also called the group’s
selectiveness when it comes to
helping people.
“Where were you when the
NPA have been killing the IP
(indigenous peoples) in Mindanao,
until now? Where is Karapatan
when non-participating civilians
were killed by NPA?” Parlade
said.
Parlade also asked where
Karapatan was when ACT and
Bayan Muna reportedly trafficked
children in Davao last year.
Fabricated claims
“Karapatan is afraid of
becoming irrelevant because
the AFP has not committed
any rights violation for the past
five years or more. Even in the
past, many of the violations and
civilian killings attributed to
AFP were in fact committed by
the NPA, disguised as soldiers
in uniform, as admitted openly
by former rebel Father Balweg,”
he said.
It is unacceptable that
its funds are going to the
front organizations of
the CPP-NPA which they
declared as a terrorist
organization.
Karapatan, he said, has to
fabricate reports of human rights
violations by the AFP so that
the UN and EU may continue to
collect donations from European
countries.
Parlade added Palabay is
worried about the government’s
success in unmasking the truth
about the communist front
organizations, which were tagged
by CPP founder Jose Maria
“Joma” Sison himself in all its
revolutionary websites, Joma’s
verbal pronouncements and CPP
publications.
Non-refoulement
“You have to consistently
paint any administration as
oppressive and tyrant, even by
fabricating lies like the 27,000
EJK (extrajudicial killings) from
PRRD’s (President Rodrigo R.
Duterte) drug war, because
with a professional AFP now,
the EU Courts would soon send
Joma back to the Philippines to
spend the rest of his life in jail
for his crimes against humanity
(80,000 killed after 50 years of
CPP-NPA-NDF atrocities without
Karapatan blinking) because
there is no more danger of state
persecution,” he said.
He added that Joma can no
longer invoke “non-refoulement”
in the courts and this is what
Palabay and Karapatan fear.
Non-refoulement is a principle
of customary international law
prohibiting the expulsion,
deportation, return or extradition
of an alien to his state of origin
or another state where there is a
risk that his life or freedom would
be threatened for discriminatory
reasons. This law is often regarded as
one of the most important principles
of refugee and immigration law.
Fading Reds Flags of the European Union flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium where the verdict to cut off the
flow of funds for fronts of the communist movement is expected to be made.
US sanctions ICC
Mr. Duterte said
the country’s ICC
membership is flawed
From page 1
The sanctions came on the
eve of the effectivity of the
Philippines withdrawal from the
ICC after a one year grace from
the filing of withdrawal papers
upon the order of President
Rodrigo Duterte.
Mr. Duterte said the country’s
ICC membership is flawed as the
treaty, which was ratified during
the time of former President
Joseph Estrada, was not returned
to the Office of the President and
should have been published on
the Official Gazette.
“It is mandatory,” the
President said, adding the treaty
was directly sent and appended
to the Rome Statute that created
the tribunal.
The Philippines is one of the
oldest Asian partners of the US
and a strategical major non-
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization) ally.
Early this month, Pompeo
traveled to the Philippines to
reaffirm US support as a “critical
treaty ally.”
“US visa restrictions may also
be used to deter ICC efforts to
pursue allied personnel without
allies’ consent,” according to
Pompeo.
Primary obligation
“The first and highest
obligation of our government is
to protect its citizens and this
administration will carry out that
duty,” Pompeo said.
A similar line was stated by
Mr. Duterte who said his primary
responsibility is protecting the
nation more than complying with
international norms.
Pompeo, acting on a threat
delivered in September by
US national security adviser
John Bolton, framed the
action as necessary to prevent
the international body from
infringing on US sovereignty by
Stomach rescue Have no hunger, Duterte’s Kitchen is around the corner. This one at the waterfront. BOB DUNGO JR.
prosecuting American forces or
allies for torture or other war
crimes.
“We are determined to protect
the American and allied military
and civilian personnel from living
in fear of unjust prosecution for
actions taken to defend our great
nation,” Pompeo said.
US officials have long
regarded The Netherlands-based
ICC with hostility, arguing that
American courts
are capable of
handling any
allegations
against US forces
and questioning
the motives of
an international
court.
The ICC and
its supporters,
including human
rights groups
that denounced
Pompeo’s
announcement,
argue that it
is needed to
prosecute cases
when a country
fails to do
so or does an
insufficient job
of it.
Wide scope
“Persistent to existing legal
authority to post visa restrictions
on any alien “whose entry or
proposed activities in the United
States would have potentially
serious adverse foreign policy
consequences,” I’m announcing a
policy of visa restrictions on those
individuals directly responsible
for any ICC investigation of US
personnel,” he said.
US visa restrictions may
also be used to deter ICC
efforts to pursue allied
personnel without allies’
consent.
“This includes persons who
take or have taken action to
request or further such an
investigation,” he added.
Pompeo said implementation
of the policy against the ICC had
started.
Speaking directly to ICC
employees, Pompeo said: “If you
are responsible for the proposed
ICC investigation of US personnel
in connection with the situation
in Afghanistan, you should not
assume that you still have or will
get a visa or will be permitted to
enter the United States.”
That comment suggested
that action may have already
been taken against the ICC
prosecutor who asked last year
to formally open an investigation
into allegations of war crimes
committed by Afghan national
security forces, Taliban and
Haqqani network militants, as
well as US forces and intelligence
officials in Afghanistan since
May 2003.
The US government may
impose more penalties on the
ICC.
“These visa restrictions will
not be the end of our efforts. We
are prepared to take additional
steps, including economic
sanctions if the ICC does not
change its course,” Pompeo said.
Signatory but no member
The United States has never
been a member of the ICC.
The Clinton administration in
2000 signed the Rome Statute
that created the ICC but had
reservations about the scope of
the court’s jurisdiction and never
submitted it for ratification to the
Senate, where there was broad
bipartisan opposition to what
lawmakers saw as a threat to US
sovereignty.
When President George W.
Bush took office in 2001, his
administration promoted and
passed the American Service
Members Protection Act which
sought to immunize US troops
from potential prosecution by the
ICC. In 2002, Bolton, then a State
Department official, traveled
to New York to ceremonially
“unsign” the Rome Statute at the
United Nations.
This past September, Bolton
said the ICC was a direct threat
to US national security interests
and he threatened its personnel
with both visa revocations and
financial sanctions should it
try to move against Americans.
Pompeo said Friday more
measures may come.
The ICC said in a statement
it was established by a treaty
supported by 123 countries
and that it prosecutes cases
only when those countries
failed to do so or did not do
so “genuinely.” Afghanistan is
a signatory.
“The court is an independent and
impartial judicial institution crucial
for ensuring accountability for the
gravest crimes under international
law,” the statement said. “The ICC,
as a court of law, will continue to do
its independent work, undeterred,
in accordance with its mandate and
the overarching principle of the rule
of law.”
Supporters of the
court slammed Pompeo’s
announcement.
Human Rights Watch called it
“a thuggish attempt to penalize
investigators” at the ICC.
Amnesty International
described the move as
“the latest attack on
international justice and
international institutions by
an administration hell-bent
on rolling back human rights
protections.”
Not cool City governments face the difficult task of choosing between the refreshing shade
of trees or threats from overhanging branches on electric lines in a pruning drive. ANALY LABOR
Good review
Malacañang also appreciated
the positive findings of a US State
Department’s recently released
report on the human rights
situation in the country.
In a statement, presidential
spokesman Salvador Panelo
said he welcomes the State
Department’s 2018 Country
Reports on Human Rights
Practices as a reflection of “US
government’s appreciation of
the Duterte administration’s
governance agenda anchored on
fighting corruption, criminality
and illegal drugs.”
The first and highest
obligation of our
government is to protect
its citizens and this
administration will carry
out that duty.
The report stated
that supposed summary
executions have been the
“chief human rights concern
in the country for many
years,” amid rising impunity
following a dramatic surge in
drug-related slays.
“While the political
opposition and detractors of
the President, including some
of those in the mainstream
media, would dwell on what
they consider as negative
observations and milk the
same for their political
purposes, we prefer to see
the glass half full and focus
on the positive aspects of the
report,” Panelo said.
He then urged the public to
read the report in full so that
they “may not be deceived by
intended negative and false
commentaries.” AP

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Public
urged to
conserve
water
PAGE THREE
I am calling not just the
residents of La Union
but also other Filipinos
to conserve water
during summer
By Raymart T. Lolo
La Union Bishop Daniel
Presto of the Diocese of San
Fernando on Saturday has called
on the public to conserve water
in the wake of simultaneous
water interruption be in many
parts of Metro Manila.
Bishop Presto pointed out the
importance of conserving water
especially now that summer is
fast approaching.
“I am calling not just the
residents of La Union but also
other Filipinos to conserve water
during summer,” Bishop Presto.
said.
The bishop appealed to the
people to likewise plant trees
as a means of preserving the
environment and cushioning
the impact of the El Niño
phenomenon..
According to Bishop Presto,
planting trees helps water
conservation especially in parts
of the watershed.
Meanwhile, the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) sees an
improvement in the water
situation in Metro Manila in the
coming weeks with the additional
water supply from the National
Water Resource Board, the
Maynilad Water Services Inc.,
including the water treatment
plant of Manila Water Co. Inc.
(MWCI) in Cardona, Rizal
province.
DENR Undersecretary Benny
Antiporda said the DENR has
already coordinated with the
three water agencies serviced
by MWCI with a total additional
water supply of 180 million liter
a day that will be obtained by
April.
MWSS says
DU30 order
impossible
but…
Whoever advised the
President gave him the
wrong information
Although President Rodrigo Duterte’s
directive to release a bigger volume of
water from Angat Dam is based on wrong
information, the Metropolitan
Waterworks
and Sewerage
System said
the Chief
Executive’s message is clear:
do something to address the
water shortage.
In a radio interview, MWSS
Administrator Reynaldo Velaso
said they would heed Mr.
Duterte’s order although
not by releasing 150 days’
worth of water supply
from Angat Dam as the
President had directed
them to do.
Duterte had
issued an order
compelling MWSS and
concessionaires Manila
Water and Maynilad to
release water from the Angat
Dam by 12 noon last Friday, 15
March, good for 150 days.
“I will comply because I understand
what he (President Duterte) wants to
happen. I know what I should do. The
advice was erroneous. Whoever gave the
President such advice does not know the
operation of the dam,” he said.
The MWSS earlier explained that Angat
Dam supplies some 4,000 million liters per day
(MLD), which is about 96 percent of the total
demand of Metro Manila. It added that the
current infrastructure only allows a maximum
of 4,000 MLD to be released from the dam and
there is no way to increase that limit.
Velasco said letting out a 150-day supply
or some 600,000 million was impossible.
“So, whoever advised the President
gave him the wrong information. But we
get the message and that is to solve the
water problem so that people need not
queue in the streets anymore to wait for
water rations,” he added.
You know summer is within us when people start trekking to bodies of water like the Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal for swimming and other recreational activities.
Clean up act, Go
tells ‘narco pols’
If you insist that you are not into illegal drug
trade, give sufficient evidence to clear your
names
Former Special Assistant
to the President and 2019
senatorial candidate
Christopher Lawrence
Bong Go on Friday
urged so-called “narco
politicians” to either clean
up their acts or submit
evidence to clear their
names.
This developed after President
Rodrigo Duterte released on Thursday
night the list of 46 local government
officials allegedly linked to the illegal
drug trade. Duterte bared the drug
list during the National and Regional
Peace and Order Council meeting in
Davao City.
“To those on the list, it would
be better if you coordinate with
authorities, Go advised the
concerned officials. “If you insist
that you are not into illegal drug
trade, give sufficient evidence to
clear your names.”
In running for the
Senate, Go had
committed to
support the programs
and policies of
President Duterte,
including the
campaign against
illegal drugs, criminality and
corruption.
He said that like President
Duterte, he is committed to the
effort to safeguard the innocent
from the criminal elements,
particularly the country’s youth.
If elected to the Senate, Go said
he would help further fine-tune
the government’s multi-pronged
strategy to counter illegal drugs
through enforcement, rehabilitation
and reintegration.
Go had also called for
amendments to existing laws
to deprive drug syndicates the
opportunity to exploit minors as
drug couriers. Apprehended minors,
on the other hand, should be
confined in reformation
centers, separate from
adult detainees, and
assisted by the DSWD
Fruits beckon in the
advent of summer
like these huge
jackfruits being
sold by the
ambulant
vendor also in
Rodriguez,
Rizal.
ANALY LABOR
Bong Go
for proper rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, the City of Davao on
Friday gave a rousing homecoming
to Go as the Partido Demokratiko
Pilipino staged its campaign rally
in his hometown.
Go thanked the a huge crowd
made up of entire families,
elderly and children that trooped
to welcome the ruling party’s
senatorial ticket and their
guest candidates at Crocodile
Park, located at the Riverfront,
Corporate City Diversion Highway,
Ma-a, Davao City, about 15 to 30
minutes from downtown.
Go said any politician or
aspirant for public office with
links to the illegal drug trade should
stay away from him or suffer the
consequences.
Last January, Go had vowed
to reject any support coming
from “narco politicians” for his
Senate bid as he also dismissed
speculations going the rounds in social
media that some politicians included
in the alleged “narco list” submitted
to President Duterte were offering
support for his senatorial bid.
Go said that while he is trying to
win the support of the people as
well as of other local and national
leaders, he does not want to
have to do anything with
“narco politicians.”
“No compromise if you
are a ‘narco politician.’
I don’t accept any
kind of support like
drug money,” Go
emphasized.
Before naming
the officials allegedly
involved in the “narco
list,” President Duterte
said he relied on the
appropriate government
agencies to validate the
information.
“My decision to unmask
these drug personalities
was anchored on my trust in the
government agencies who have
vetted and validated the ‘narco
list,’” Duterte said.
Noting that public office is a public
trust, Duterte stressed that “an official’s
right to privacy is not absolute” as he
also said there is a compelling reason
to prioritize the interest of the state
and the people.”
CRP
By Kristina Maralit
Phl condemns
NZ massacre
Malacañang on Saturday
strongly condemned the bloody
mass shooting at two mosques
in Christchurch, New Zealand
that left at least 49 dead and 40
others injured.
In a statement, presidential
spokesman Salvador Panelo
extended the Philippine
government’s deepest sympathies
to the victims of the massacre
which New Zealand Prime
Minister Jacinta Ardern described
as her country’s “darkest days.”
“The Philippines joins all peaceloving
nations and peoples around
the world in condemning — in the
strongest and in no uncertain
terms — this assault on the faithful
in places of worship,” Panelo said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are
with the families and loved ones
of those who lost their lives in this
tragic incident, and we pray for
strength and speedy recovery of
those who were injured,” he added.
The Palace official also called
for a “universal unified action” as
well as a conscious and determined
effort “to demolish any attempt at
destabilizing the order” of citizens
around the world.
ANALY LABOR
We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by
fear and intimidation
The DFA has been instructed
to closely monitor the
situation and determine
the condition of Filipinos
in the area.
The Supreme Court (SC) has
issued a temporary restraining
order against the implementation
of the Philippine Law School
Admission Test (PhilSAT) as a
requirement for admission to law
schools, highly-placed sources said
yesterday.
PhiLSAT is a standardized
national qualifying exam the Legal
Education Board administers LEB
as a measure of the academic
potential of students who wants
to study law.
Two separate petitions were
filed before the High Court
challenging the validity of RA 7662,
the law which created the LEB, as
“We cannot allow ourselves
to be held hostage by fear and
intimidation sown by terrorists
and psychologically challenged
persons and live in an endangered
environment. With unity in action
against the enemies of the states,
we shall prevail,” Panelo said.
He bared that the Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has been
instructed to closely monitor the
situation and determine the
condition of Filipinos in the area.
The DFA earlier said there
was no indication of any Filipino
casualty in connection with the
attacks, adding the Philippine
embassy in Wellington has
advised all the 5,000 members
of the Filipino community in
Christchurch to remain indoors.
It was considered the worst
ever mass killing in New Zealand’s
history.
The police tagged as the primary
suspect, a 28-year-old Australian
named Brenton Tarrant, believed to
be an “extremist” and “supremacist.”
He allegedly stormed two mosques
during midday prayers on Friday
and plowed through dozens of
huddling and fleeing worshipers
while he streamed the killing live
over social media with a helmetmounted
camera.
New Zealand has already
raised its security threat alert
to the highest alert following the
carnage that is considered one
of the worst cases of right-wing
terrorism in the country in years.
SC halts PhiLSAT
well as the 2016 LEB memorandum
imposing PhilSAT.
Based on the memorandum,
LEB set school year 2017-2018 as the
pilot period for PhilSAT although
schools were still allowed to enlist
students who failed the tests.
The petitioners have argued
that LEB is unconstitutional
because it encroaches upon the
Supreme Court’s constitutional
power to promulgate rules on
admission to the practice of
law by imposing an additional
requirement.
Likewise, they complained of the
steep exam fee of P1,500 and limited
locations of testing centers. CRP
Aspiring law students need not hurdle the Philippine Law School
Admission Test before enroling in a law school, at least for now, after the
Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order against it.

COMMENTARY
4 Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Daily
Tribune
WITHOUT FEAR • WITHOUT FAVOR
“No
amount
of black
propaganda
can erase
the tangible
improvements
enjoyed by
hundreds of
thousands
of families
liberated
from want
during her
term.
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
Patricia Ramos
Board Chair
Willie Fernandez
Publisher and President
Founding Chair
Executive Editor
Managing Editor
Associate Editors
Business Editor
Central Desk
Special Reports
Straight F
student
Former President Noynoy Aquino had
the habit of giving himself a pat on his back
during his lackluster term and his favorite
goat then was his predecessor former
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who,
he claimed, was responsible for a “lost
decade of lies, cheating and plunder.”
After bashing Mrs. Arroyo in most of
his speeches, he would then enumerate his
claimed achievements which are mostly
figments of his imagination.
History, the cold-hearted judge, however,
reckoned those lost years for Filipinos under
Noynoy’s term.
In an essay which would form part of her
memoirs, Mrs. Arroyo expressed pride for the
state of the economy that he passed on to
Noynoy who then claimed credit for having
initiated the steady growth rates.
Arroyo said she was able to turn over to
Noynoy a strong economy with a 7.63 percent
expansion rate in 2010 which Noynoy failed
to equal.
Then under detention, Mrs. Arroyo lectured
his former economics student at the Ateneo
through her “It’s the economy, student!”
composition.
Noynoy, as his credit grabbing practice,
assumed the 2010 growth rate should be ticked
to his administration. It was largely the
source of his claimed six percent average
growth rate during his lackluster term.
In reality, the record growth in 2010
was the culmination of 38 quarters of
uninterrupted economic expansion under
Arroyo despite the then escalating global oil and
food prices, two world recessions, Central and West Asian
wars, mega-storms and virulent global epidemics.
She said in her essay “It’s the economy, student!” directed
at Noynoy, that no amount of black propaganda can erase the
tangible improvements enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of
families liberated from want during her term.
Contrast that to the student’s claim that all the gains in
the economy and the society were the result of his and the
Liberal Party’s (LP) delusional rhetoric of a “Daang Matuwid”
(straight path).
Arroyo said in his piece that Noynoy “had simply not
replaced my legacy with new ideas and actions of his own.”
In her essay, Arroyo cited the “vacuum of leadership, vision,
energy and execution in managing our economic affairs”
under Noynoy.
She said the gains achieved by previous administrations,
including hers, were “squandered in an obsessive pursuit of
political warfare meant to blacken the past and conceal the
dark corners of the present dispensation.”
That observation remains very relevant with the yellow Otso
Diretso wannabes who thrive on potshots against President
Rody Duterte which are efforts that do nothing but to pull
them down the senatorial surveys.
“Rather than building on our nation’s
“Arroyo said
she was able
to turn over
to Noynoy
a strong
economy with
a 7.63 percent
expansion rate
in 2010 which
Noynoy failed
to equal.
achievements, this regime has extolled itself
as the sole harbinger of all that is good,”
Arroyo said of Noynoy.
She then criticized the use of black
propaganda and character assassination as
tools of the trade under his successor.
“The operative word in all of this is
‘politics,’ too much politics,” she said.
On the failure of Noynoy to solve the
poverty problem, Arroyo has one valid
observation then.
“If there is no corruption, there is no
poverty — this is a proposition that also tells us that the
undeniable persistence of poverty therefore means the
continuation of corruption” under Noynoy’s term, she said.
Arroyo added “indeed, it’s so easy to claim achievements
that have already been accomplished by others and take credit
for what is there when the one who did the work has gone.
Just make sure she is forgotten, or, if remembered, vilified.”
As a teacher, she imparted that “good management begins
with planning ahead, not pointing fingers and blaming others
after the fact. It means spelling out your vision quickly
and clearly so your team grasps their mission at once and
immediately starts to execute it.”
She said during those yellow days under Noynoy there was
“absolutely no fear in the administration when they’re running
after me or my allies. But there is definitely a lot of favor
involved when they excuse — and even defends — their friends
even from misdeeds committed in full view of the public.”
In a nutshell the teacher castigated the student for cheating
his way through six years of the presidency.
BALLARAT, Australia — Last
Sunday was the third Songkran
“A number I have been invited to. I am so
of people glad I was finally able to find time
would to attend this year. Songkran is
strike a Thailand’s annual water festival
conversation which takes place over three days
with me in during the traditional Thai New
Year. During Songkran, many
Thai.
Thais travel to their hometowns
for celebrations and family
reunions. It is a national holiday
there, the better to go on temple
visits, merit-making and annual
house cleaning (bangkok.com).
For Buddhist Thais, it is a time
to give alms and make merit or
do good deeds. At last week’s
celebration
“I
daresay
the Moro
problem
could
not have
deteriorated,
if two
members
of Class’67
are still
alive.
Songkran Festival
Pardon my hubris,
but UP Law Class of
1967 is a class like
no other. It was a
social melting pot
where students of
diverse beginning,
creed, political
persuasion, social
and cultural
upbringing were
SOUTHERN VOICES
assimilated by fate Macabangkit B. Lanto
sharing common
goal — better life through high
education. Individually, they
succeeded and made a name in
their field of choice, thanks to the
character molded under the most
punishing pressures of Diliman
college ecosystem.
Outliers, they came from far
South and North, Christians and
Muslims, rich and poor, brilliant
and not-so brilliant. But their
differences never factored in
welding and gelling fraternal bond
as they did battle against the odds
in UP. It was a classic unity in
diversity. They were one solid guild
distinct from the Greek-lettered
fraternities to which many of them
also belong.
In the heat of the classroom
tournament for better grades and
grilling exams, they lend each
other’s shoulder. They shared
typewritten carbon-copied digest
of cases (“xerox” not yet invented).
This bond survived to this day
after leaving the portals of UP. To
keep the ember of camaraderie
burning they have regular mini
reunions hosted alternately by the
ever gracious Jun Factoran, Ding
Pascual, Manny Sanchez, et al.
I am uncomfortable writing this
piece because of the danger of
oversight. Mea culpa.
We could have wrested the
presidency of the country if not for
the syndicate of tsunami-like lies,
vilification and demonization (the
court has yet to resolve the cases
and constitutional presumption of
here organized by the
local Thai community,
I witnessed the giving
of alms and families
and friends enjoying
each others’ company.
The traditional Thai
dances and muay thai
presentations were
entertaining.
I wore a violet and
gold wrap around skirt
I had bought at Kultura
in Manila. The minute
I stepped into the venue of the
festival, I immediately noticed
the Buddha statues and how
many of the women in attendance
wore colorful patterned skirts
similar in style and cut to mine.
I felt right at home!
A number of people
would strike a
conversation with
me in Thai. I
then had to
politely tell
t h e m
that I
do not
speak
Thai.
They
UP Law Class ’67
innocence applies)
against Jojo Binay
when he was elected
Vice President. His
undoing was his
early announcement
that he was ready
to do battle with
anybody for the
presidency. His
defeat went against
the prediction of
soothsayer who
during our school days already
predicted Jojo to be President. Ding
Pascual, a famous banker and a
giant in the corporate world who
retired as president of GSIS, and
Davidica Salaya, now deceased,
both attested to the oracle.
I daresay the
Moro problem
could not have
deteriorated, if
two members of
Class’67 are still
alive. Jun Abbas
and Musib Buat,
Maranaw and
Maguindanaoan,
respectively, are
leading lights
and leaders of
the secessionists,
now autonomist
Moros. Buat
HALF FULL
Lia Andanar Yu
“We
could have
wrested the
presidency of
the country
if not for the
syndicate of
tsunami-like
lies,
vilification
and
demonization
against Jojo
Binay.
helped conceptualize merdeka or
independence of Moros. During the
historic signing of the Peace pact
in Malacañang, he was publicly
extolled by Moro Islamic Liberation
Front chair Al-Hadj Murad Ebrahim
as one of the brains of the front.
Abbas, activist, student leader
and a patriot sought asylum
in Saudi Arabia when martial
law was declared and became
founding leader of the Bangsa Moro
Liberation Front.
In the field of law and
environment stands out Jun
Factoran, valedictorian of our
class and former secretary of
Department of Environment and
asked me where I got
my skirt from and they
were happily amused
when I told them that
I bought it from a shop
in the Philippines that
proudly sells “Uniquely
Filipino” things.
I thoroughly enjoyed
the celebration. The
function room where the
monks ate with many
of us attendees was
teeming with people.
Something about the simplicity
of the set-up was so welcoming,
all-embracing and genuine. The
women who volunteered to serve
the food and assist the guests were
warmly hospitable.
My daughter
and I discovered
an absolutely
delicious but
surprisingly spicy
dip. I later on
found out from
one of the friendly
hosts that it is a
Northern Thai dip
called Nam Prik
Ong. Even as we
“I found
many more
things in
addition to
traditional
clothing that
Filipinos and
Thais have
in common.
rushed to find and drink water
after the heat of the chillies
shocked our taste buds and
throats, it was still so delicious
that we went back for seconds.
The seated Buddha statue
close to the entrance of the
venue was soaking wet. I had only
noticed this when I stepped closer
to it for a photograph. I was told
that this was due to an important
religious ritual during Songkran.
Devout Buddhists pour
fragrant blessed water over
Buddha statues. The ritual is
called “Bathing the Buddha.”
From this Buddha image ritual
sprung Thailand’s annual water
festival which reminds me of the
splashing, pouring or dousing
of water which happens in San
Juan, Metro Manila during the
Feast of San Juan or St. John
the Baptist.
As the day progressed, I found
many more things in addition to
traditional clothing that Filipinos
and Thais have in common. This
includes a deep respect for
parents and our elders, a strong
faith life and spicy cuisine in
certain regions of both countries.
One of the most enjoyable things
when learning about others’ culture
is that, more often than not, I find
wonderful similarities and common
ties and values that well and truly
bind us all together.
Natural Resources (DENR). He is
more known for his affiliation with
cause-oriented groups like Mabini.
He was a rabid anti dictatorship
who fought Marcos, a conviction he
carries to this day. Tony Tria has
contributed in battling degradation
of our environment when he was
appointed first as chair of the
National Pollution Commission
and then undersecretary of DENR.
The late Kit Villaluz was presiding
justice of Sandiganbayan; Ernesto
Acosta, presiding justice of the
Court of Tax Appeals; Marina
Buzon, associate justice of the
Court of Appeals; Lourdes Coloma
like Buat, commissioner, NLRC;
Jaime Salazar RTC judge and Elmer
Bautista, chief state counsel, DoJ;
Jimmy Conception, BIR director,
and Frank Pangilinan, Nick Alino,
Sammy Abadiano, Jess Aguilar also
physician, Arnold Sanidad, et al.,
all successful law practitioners. The
list is long.
Wealth is no stranger to civic
leader, author Loida Nicolas
Lewis. Before her marriage to the
deceased millionaire American
lawyer Reginald Lewis of TLC
Beatrice, her family was already
well-off with the Nicolas Furniture
chain stores in Metro Manila.
When I was doing my post-graduate
studies at NYU I visited her office
at the World Trade Center. Forbes
Magazine listed Loida as one of
the wealthiest women in the world.
The most politically active among
our female classmates was Violy
Calvo, now deceased, married to
Sen. Franklin Drilon.
In politics, Manuel Sanchez,
the star of the long running TV
afternoon soap-opera Aguila
circa 90’s and this writer became
members of the 9th Congress but
their term was cut short after
losing in a protest before the
Electoral Tribunal.
Yes readers, UP Law Class ’67
was a melting pot for an alloy of
achievers.
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Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
“Water is
one of the
resources
that
cannot be
generated
but only be
preserved
and
managed.
There would surely be grim
tales of horror developing as being
prologued by the heated tensions
among residents in the grueling
endless queue for water rations!
Soon, there will be “water-snatching,”
“water-heist” or “water hoarding” or
even killings over water possession;
in other words, pocket wars over
clean and potable water are not
far off.
In fact, in a recent World
Bank study, Ismail Serageldin
prognosticates that “Many of the
wars of this century were about oil, but wars
of the next century will be over water.”
The study says, “A billion people in the world
today do not have access to clean drinking
water and almost as many again lack adequate
sanitation facilities. Dirty water causes 80
percent of the disease in developing countries,
killing 10 million people each year.”
The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) in a mapped study
revealed that 21 of the world’s major water
resources are distressed!
Had this been a sequel to a horror movie it
would be entitled “The Curse of Trillanes.” It’s
not a horror movie but it’s about a sequel that
certainly seems like one.
Former coup plotter, failed
“Mimicking
microscopic
bacteria
that
propagate
by cloning,
Trillanes
seems
to have
spawned
his own
despicable
putschist and exiting Sen. Antonio
Trillanes will soon be surrendering
the special privileges, the protection
from suit and the microphone
and podium granted him by the
Senate. The obstructionism that
he’s embarked on the day he turned
his back on our Constitution and the
rule of law, and then started plotting
to take down the government might
hopefully be at an end.
It’s been quite a parade from the
time he went AWOL to plant deadly
explosives in Makati as a means
Mini Me.
to gripe and grab attention, to the hearings at a
Makati court which he abandoned only to reprise
his threats on our democracy from
another hotel lobby, and
finally to the Senate floor
where he continued his
obstructionism against
duly constituted
authority.
His choice of war
theaters that could
have easily turned
into bloody killing
fields betray a knack
for melodramatic
violence. Beholden to a
sociopath, as a Pavlovian
pit bull with low caliber brain
With a global population
growth of 30 percent over the
last two decades projected to
increase from 5.6 billion to 8
billion in 2025, the levels of
pollution and contamination
of traditional sources of water
and its depletion due to global
warming and El Niño, soon
the population would thirst
for drops of water, more than
vampires thirsting for blood on
nights of full moon. (In fact,
blood suckers are better off,
since their thirst is occasional).
Soon, water would be a commodity,
in fact even today, people are now cutting a
big chunk in their daily budget for bottled or
so called mineral water, mostly ignoring the
purified water from taps. Soon, the cost of
clean and potable water would be an economic
problem as we are now witnessing with the two
water concessionaires whose profit charts take
precedence over the advocacy of public basic
utilities.
The most ridiculous situation in our country
TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon
power and inarticulateness, simultaneously a blunt
instrument given to armed threats and innuendos
of assassination, he remains dangerous.
Hopefully, that ends this year.
Of course, we could be naive. Fascism is not
our best suit. Neither is analyzing a pawn’s mind.
Trillanes is not up for re-election and his name does
not appear among the nominees of the party list
brotherhood that supported his candidacy.
A “bait and switch” tactic might however be in
play. Should his partylist gain ground, Trillanes
might still crawl out of the woodwork. Deception
remains one of the most employed among a
plotter’s cache of boobytraps.
While many welcome the prospects of
accountability given the numerous charges
facing him, like rodent infestation that constantly
reappears from behind cupboards and cabinets,
it is unlikely the public will be seeing the
last of his ilk.
From violating our laws and trashing
our sacred Constitution, camouflaged
under an inappropriately named
partylist, Trillanes’s co-coup plotter
and fellow conspirator is now
seeking to promote himself
from a partylister representing
mutineers to a senator of the
Republic. The pastiche parodies
he foists on the electorate
are not only brazen in their
fallaciousness,
Water wars
Trillanes 2.0
is the “artificial shortage,” since sources of
water in our country, i.e. annual lush rains and
floods, an island nation surrounded by water
and in Manila, a stone’s throw from Manila Bay
or Laguna de Bay, yet the scarcity or shortage
of water!
Water is not the problem at
the moment, it is incompetent
water management. Again,
governance. It wasn’t even
poor foresight, since water
sourcing projects were
on the way, such as the
Kaliwa Project in Tanay,
Rizal. Yet, the presumption
of an oversupply of rains and
floods delayed the project
“Many of the
wars of this
century were
about oil, but
wars of the
next century
will be over
water.
thereby, evading the stamp of priority!
Manila Water or the MWSS cannot push
the argument for the delay that some kaliwa
(leftists) and advocates are looking at another
onerous loan from China to finance the project
and are contemplating a court complaint
against the project.
Leftists and advocates are mostly ignored,
anyway!
they are insulting.
More so when we consider Gary Alejano’s
continuing calumny to subvert our democratic
institutions from the Presidency to the Judiciary
using a concealed hunting hide or sniper’s nest.
Note what’s inside this leatherneck’s
ammunition box. His deadly ordnance of choice,
as was Trillanes’s, are reloaded hollow-point baldfaced
lies.
Reprising his coup plotter’s role, he attempted
to sabotage the Duterte presidency by launching an
impeachment charge based simply on newspaper
accounts and innuendo. His warhead was totally
shorn of “personal knowledge” much less of prima
facie evidence as required by law.
In the case of rebellion charges, tag-teaming
with Trillanes, even claiming he
had evidence, he attempted to
undermine the Judicial
Branch’s regional
trial court
system by
COMMENTARY
5
Water is one of the resources that cannot be
generated but only be preserved and managed.
For instance, mills had it that there was a
proposal from a Middle Eastern oil rich country
to provide technology to solve the flooding
problem of our country through a series of
dams employing a thorough dam/reservoir
selection using remote sensing and geographic
information system.
Excess water from the dams would then
be pretreated, refined, purified and bottled,
then exported to the middle east, where water
is gold — additional income from a natural
resource. Unfortunately, it was turned down by
the government probably because it was tubong
tubig (small profit) and chances of corruption
were almost nil.
It may take a while for “water wars” to occur
globally or locally, but if governance would
remain incompetent, then expect water not to
cool but to burst heated heads clamoring for
supply. And God knows what scenario would be
painted with blood!
In the meantime, let us get hold of the
“Oratio Imperata” for rains; God may still be
merciful.
declaring that one court was being controlled by
the Executive Branch through the Department of
Justice.
No proof was ever presented.
Unable to comprehend the
profound consequences of a
reckless accusation that impedes
judicial processes and maliciously
attempts to preempt an
independent judge, he remained
unapologetic even when the
specific court he cited eventually
ruled in favor of Trillanes.
Recently he tried to defame
a popular and leading senatorial
candidate by spreading lies
and falsehood that the latter
had used government funds
“The Senator’s
co-coup plotter
and fellow
conspirator is
now seeking
to promote
himself from
a partylister
representing
mutineers to a
senator of the
Republic.
to purchase and distribute campaign materials.
To backstop his accusations he presented
documents. Unfortunately, upon scrutiny,
none of his documents, not one iota within
them, proved his allegations.
Mimicking microscopic bacteria that
propagate by cloning, Trillanes seems
to have spawned his own despicable
Mini Me. A former gun-wielding fascist
turned putschist to replace Trillanes in
the trenches, Alejano is a “Trillanes 2.0.”
Fated to remain in a kennel,
punished and caged for crimes against
the people had Aquino not saved them by
granting amnesty, with the temperament
of pit bulls, both owe a lifetime of gratitude,
canine loyalty and unthinking servitude to
their benefactor. Crying havoc, dogs of war
will forever protect the hand that fed them.
“ As
everyone
expected,
the
coalition’s
prayer
for the
issuance of
a TRO was
likewise
rejected by
the SC.
From all indications, the withdrawal of
the Republic of the Philippines from the
Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty creating the
International Criminal Court (ICC), is already
a done deal.
On 14 March 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte
announced the country’s withdrawal from the
Rome Statute, and directed the Department of
Foreign Affairs to serve formal notice to the
United Nations (UN) to effectively carry out
the withdrawal. Under the Rome Statute, a
country’s withdrawal takes effect one year from
the formal notice of withdrawal. Therefore, in
just a few more days, the Philippines is formally
out of the ICC.
Last August, six senators identified with
the political opposition — Franklin Drilon,
Francis Pangilinan, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV,
Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV and Leila
de Lima — filed a suit in the Supreme Court
(SC) to question the constitutionality of the
withdrawal.
The six senators insisted that Senate
approval is necessary before the country can
validly withdraw from the Rome Statute. They
argued that since President Duterte did not get
the prior nod of the Senate, the withdrawal is
legally infirm.
ICC withdrawal is a done deal
Likewise, the group filed a motion urging
that De Lima, who was (and remains) detained
in Camp Crame on narcotics charges, be
allowed to represent them in the case, but the
SC denied their motion. In view of that denial,
the senators did not attend the hearing on
their petition.
The arguments raised
by the six senators were all
summarily debunked by their
fellow senators, and by several
legal experts. As expected, their
prayer for the issuance of a
temporary restraining order
(TRO) to enjoin the withdrawal
was denied by the SC.
Although the Constitution explicitly requires
“It’s time
for the ICC
and its
overzealous
personnel
to wake up.
prior Senate approval for the Philippines to
enter into a treaty, the Charter does not require
the Senate to concur when the country wants
out of a treaty.
A second, similar petition was lodged in the
SC in June last year by a self-styled but dubious
coalition for the ICC led by former Commission
on Human Rights chairman Loretta Rosales.
This group raised issues relating to norms in
international law, but their views turned out
to be hollow references.
The Rosales coalition also
failed to prove that their group
will suffer a personal, substantial
and direct injury if the withdrawal
is not enjoined. It was also
unable to dispute that under the
Constitution, the president is in
charge of Philippine foreign policy.
As everyone expected, the
coalition’s prayer for the issuance
of a TRO was likewise rejected by
the SC.
The one-year pre-effectivity
period set forth in the Rome
Statute for the withdrawal of the Republic
of the Philippines from the said treaty has,
to all intents and purposes, already lapsed.
Accordingly, the withdrawal of the country
from the ICC is already a done deal, a fait
accompli.
More revealing is the fact that during that
one-year period, the SC did not issue any TRO
or injunction against the withdrawal, much less
render a ruling against it. Whatever issues have
been raised against the withdrawal are now,
undoubtedly, moot and academic.
Therefore, even before the end of this
month, Manila is officially out of the ICC,
which means that the ICC
has no jurisdiction to conduct
any inquiry or investigation
directed against the
Philippines.
It will be recalled that
even after the Philippines
officially served notice to the
UN about Manila’s withdrawal
from the Rome Statute, the
special prosecutor of the
THE SCRUTINIZER
ICC insisted on conducting
Victor Avecilla
a preliminary investigation
on alleged human rights
violations supposedly in relation to President
Duterte’s relentless war on illegal drugs.
Suffice it to say that in view of the Philippine
withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the ICC
special prosecutor is devoid of legal authority
to proceed with that preliminary investigation.
To hold otherwise is to allow a foreigner, and
biased one at that, to meddle in the internal
affairs of a sovereign nation.
It’s time for the ICC and its overzealous
personnel to wake up and realize that even
if the ICC is an international agency, it is not
the superpoliceman of the world that it thinks
itself to be.

6 NEWS
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Eat your heart out Part of Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal is perfect for a heat-beating plunge as most of drought-stricken Metro Manila waits for a drop.
ANALY LABOR
‘Impeach bluff nonsense’
Mr. Duterte has the duty to protect the nation and making the
list public is one way of doing it
From page 1
Presidential spokesman Salvador
Panelo was reacting to the statement made
by opposition lawmaker and Akbayan
partylist Rep. Tom Villarin who said
exposing the names of politicians allegedly
involved in the illegal drug trade could
unseat him for violating the Constitution
and an individual’s right to due process
and presumption of innocence.
Panelo called Villarin’s remarks as
“pure nonsense” and said the solon
is treading the unfamiliar territory of
impeachment as he is not a lawyer.
“The statement that President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte’s action of releasing the
list of narco-politicians ‘could constitute
an impeachable offense for culpable
violation of the Constitution’ has no legal
and factual basis. In other words, it’s
pure nonsense,” Panelo, who is also the
President’s chief legal counsel, said in a
statement.
“The opposition partylist congressman
is quick to respond to an issue of unfamiliar
terrain to a non-lawyer like
him,” he added.
According to
Panelo, the
President
releasing
t h e
From page 1
sending their children to school entirely
because they haven’t had water for almost
a week.
It also put a strain on their budget as
prices of bottled water spiked from P30
a gallon to P50. Even the price of water
containers, such as plastic drums that were
originally sold for P150 to P200 each, was
names of alleged “narco politicians” is
similar to “outing the names of criminal
suspects.”
Opportunity given
“For the legal education of Rep.
Villarin, the appropriate charges have
already been filed against the personalities
contained on the list before the Office of
the Ombudsman affording them their
right to due process and an opportunity
to clear their names before competent
authorities,” Panelo said.
“The release of the list is nothing more
than a release of the names of criminal
suspects. Such act cannot be considered
a legal transgression and even more so,
an impeachable offense,” he said.
He also reiterated that Mr. Duterte has
the duty to protect the nation and making
the list public is one way of doing it.
“To the further legal enlightenment
of Villarin, it is hornbook doctrine that in
construing laws or constitutional provisions,
one must harmonize the same with other
dictates of the law pursuant to the legal
maxim: ‘Interpretare et
concordare leges
legibus est
optimus
Are we there yet? Beast of burden and its owner think of best way to transport farm
produce along a field. Consolation is there’s no traffic scourge to worry about. ROMAN PROSPERO
Dear drum
hiked to as much as P350.
Amid mounting complains from affected
residents, the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) inspected water refilling stations
and stores selling water containers, warning
them of legal consequences of profiteering.
According to the DTI, any price increase
more than 10 percent in the item’s price
the previous month can be considered an
act of profiteering and is punishable under
interpretandi modus (to interpret and to
reconcile laws with laws is the best mode
of interpretation),’” Panelo said.
“It is paramount that the individual
liberties of our citizens should be
harmonized with the entire Filipino
people’s right to the preservation and
protection of their welfare, as well as their
right to information on matters of national
significance,” he added.
More names readied
The President earlier in the week had
named 46 politicians said to be involved
in the illegal drug trade.
The congressman is quick to
respond to an issue of unfamiliar
terrain to a non-lawyer like him.
The list consisted of 33 mayors, eight
vice mayors, three congressmen, a board
member and a former mayor.
Mr. Duterte also warned that more
names will be revealed soon after further
validation from different agencies.
“The drug menace has evolved into a
national security problem as it threatens
to destroy the very foundation of society.
The President as head of the state is
constitutionally commanded to serve and
protect the nation.”
He said individual rights are subordinate
to the state’s right to protect itself from its
enemies that seek to destroy it.
“The people’s right to safety prevails
over the individual rights of persons
piercing and destroying the security net
that protects the citizenry,” he added.
“It is the failure of the President to
perform his constitutional duty of serving
and protecting the people that makes him
liable to impeachment for such omission is
culpable violation of the Constitution and
a betrayal of the public trust,” he said.
No big deal
Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile,
shrugged off photos circulating in social
media of her and President Duterte in the
company of politicians included in “narco
list” recently released by the President.
In a statement, Duterte said she will
never turn down politicians who would
publicly request her to raise their hands.
She chose not to get a copy of the list
of “narco politicians” because she would
rather leave it to the voters to decide on the
qualifications they look for in a candidate
above and beyond what is required by law.
Duterte, who is also the chairman of
Hugpong ng Pagbabago believes that a
vote for a candidate should be a personal
decision based on a voter’s perception
and assessment.
Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act, with
imprisonment of at least five years and a
fine of not less than P5,000.
But some bold merchants are unfazed as
the text of the law states that the offense of
profiteering only covers excessive pricing of
“basic necessity or prime commodity.” They
insist that in determining the selling price
of water containers, they can march to the
tune of their own drum.
Injury zone Children use huge pipes beside a construction site as a playground posing
great danger to them.
ANALY LABOR
Globalization heads East
From page 1
an economist, said the global
development trend veering towards the
Asian region where the Philippines and
China are major participants will result
in an “even better” relations between
both neighbors.
“Actually if you look at the long
history of our relations, in general, it
has been good,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo, who was President from 2001 to
2010, adopted a policy of close engagement
with China similar to the course taken by
President Rodrigo Duterte.
She noted during the term of
President Fidel V. Ramos, friendship
with China was strongly developed.
The rise of China is an
opportunity.
“In fact, Ramos was one of the three
founding fathers of the forum for Asia,
then I continued it and it was only
interrupted by my successor (former
President Benigno Aquino) but President
Duterte resumed it and in a much better
place,” she said.
Good for Philippines
“If you talk about Globalization
2.0 (we gain because), you have the
friendship with China now. 2.0 is a new
and better stage than during the past
and I think that it will continue and it
will do good for us because the rise of
China is an opportunity,” Arroyo said.
She recalled that when China was
starting its rise to global power 40 years
ago, she was undersecretary of trade
and industry.
“At that time, China is a developing
country just like us, its per capita
income was like just over $1,000 just like
us, so it was like, China was beginning
to wake up, the sleeping dragon was
awakening and it’s going to be our rival,”
Arroyo related.
Since then, its neighbors fear the
Asian giant would “get all the markets”
in the region.
“After 40 years of breath-taking growth,
China is not a rival, it’s a market. It’s a
source of capital and technology, so it can
only do us good to continue that friendship,
especially now that China is on the cusp of
becoming the biggest economy in the world
and it is our neighbor… Shouldn’t we be
making friends with our rich neighbors?”
Arroyo added.
Paradoxical shift
She said the development on the
global economy has become paradoxical
of late. “America has always been the
champion on globalization and free trade
because that was their system on the
West,” she said.
“Now, the Trump presidency is being
defined by the conservative nationalists
who are withdrawing from globalization
and free trade,” she added.
“On the other hand, it is China, as
it ended a new era, which is the chief
proponent now of further reform and
opening up,” Arroyo said.
Both countries have taken opposite
roles with regard to advocacy.
“We don’t know whether America’s
positioning is for negotiating strength,
whatever it is, we could not read the mind
of the President and his negotiators but
with the West becoming more conservative
and protectionist and the East becoming
more open, the allies are talking about a
Globalization 2.0,” she said.
“That is going to be driven by the East
as much as or more than the West. And
that is where, I think the world… many
analysts said that’s where the world will
go…and it is… that is good for us to be
friends with China,” she added.

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune NATION
7
Bad blood, envy spark Sytin’s murder
Also, the three firearms, including a caliber .45 Norinco,
which was used to shoot Sytin, was recovered from him
By Alvin Murcia
Police handling the case of former rising
tycoon Dominic Sytin are slowly piecing
together the possible motives behind his
cold-blooded killing in Olongapo City in
November last year.
This, as the Department of Justice (DoJ)
prosecutors recommended the filing of
murder charge against Dennis Sytin, the
victim’s younger brother.
Aside from Sytin, also charged were
Edgardo Luib, the suspected gunman, and
Oliver Fuentes, a former employee
of Dominic who was also the
president of United Auctioneers Inc.
(UAI) at the time of his death.
BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
COMMENTARY
‘Sara now in charge’
“Inday
is the one
who is
making
the
decisions
now.
Anna Marietta, Dominic’s wife, and
the Olongapo City Police Station filed the
complaint Friday before the DoJ in Manila.
As pieced together by probers led by
Sr. Insp. Ailyn Rosario, it appeared that
envy, greed and deep-seated hatred as the
motives behind the killing.
Rosario, said Luib had issued an
extra-judicial confession which stated
how he committed the killing of Dominic
and wounding of his bodyguard Efren
Espartero Jr. on the night of 28 November
2018.
To recall, Luib was initially arrested
last 5 March in Batangas over murder
cases he was facing, including the
killings of journalist Mae Magsino and
Tourism magnet Palawan Gov. Jose Ch. Alvarez (4th from left), CAAP Director
General Capt. Jim Sydiongco (3rd from left) and Palawan 1st District Rep. Franz Alvarez
(5th from left) led the groundbreaking of the Busuanga Airport development project.
Cebu prime lot bidding slated
By Rico M. Osmeña
Cebu City Tomas Osmeña has opted to tread
the clearer and more transparent way when he
decided to bid out the coveted three-hectare South
Road property, instead of accepting an unsolicited
proposal from developer Federal Land.
The said transaction is now in the
process of being rescinded.
The mayor, said he wanted to avoid what
happened during the time of former Mayor
Michael Rama, when the same property was
sold at basement price of P37,500 per square
meter to a consortium of SM/Ayala/Filinvest.
The said transaction is now in the process
of being rescinded.
Federal Land in its unsolicited proposal
offered to buy the three-hectare lot at P115,000
per square meter or a total of P3.43 billion.
The city is expecting to get advisory from
the Commission on Audit any day from now on
the minimum price per square meter and the
manner it will be disposed.
only two persons in the world whom he fears
most: referring to daughters Mayor Sara
and Kitty, his teen-aged child by partner
Honeylet Avanceña.
In any case, things came to a head recently
when Mr. Duterte and Sara endorsed the
respective candidacies of reelectionist Davao
del Norte Rep. Tony Boy Floirendo and Davao
del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario, the son
of former Davao del Norte Gov. Ompong del
Rosario, who are both running for Congress
with the HnP.
municipal councilor Michael Caringal
of Bauan, Batangas.
But during investigation, the
fingerprints that were recovered from
the motorcycle used by the suspect as a
getaway vehicle in Sytin’s killing matched
those of Luib’s.
Also, the three firearms, including a
caliber .45 Norinco, which was used to
shoot Sytin, was recovered from him.
The Norinco pistol also matched the
two bullets that were recovered from the
crime scene.
When questioned, Luib admitted to the
killing Dominic.
In his confession, Luib claimed that he was
introduced to Dennis by Fuentes, his childhood
friend, sometime in September last year.
During their meeting, Luib claimed
that Dennis and Flores induced him to kill
Dominic in exchange for a huge amount
Foreign and local tourists will have
one more great reason to visit Palawan
and further enhance its reputation
as one of the best travel destinations
not only in the country but also in
the world.
This, after the national government
earmarked P5 billion for the development
and complete makeover of the Busuanga
International Airport.
The
funding
for the
of money.
It appeared that at the time of
their meeting, Dennis was mad
at his brother because they had
a dispute over their respective
shares and control of the UAI.
The firm, which is engaged in
the importation of second-hand
vehicles, has only five
shareholders, including
the siblings with 20
percent shares each.
Dennis apparently
contacted Fuentes
who also had an axe
to grind against the
victim who fired
him from his job in
August last year, over
allegations of job
orders padding and use
initiative came from the Duterte
administration’s “Build, Build, Build”
centerpiece infrastructure program,
with the initial release of the fund
this year amounting to P 953.4 million.
The entire project is expected to be
completed in three years.
The project will involve the
construction of modern facilities and
amenities that includes a new terminal
Cut short Dominic Sytin was a rising
tycoon before his life was ended by
assassin’s bullets.
of illegal drugs.
Likewise, Dominic reportedly
initiated the filing of qualified
theft charge against Fuentes
last October before the Bataan
Provincial Office.
In an earlier interview, Dennis,
however, denied the allegations
against him.
He said these accusations
are all lies and an injustice
for him, his family, mother
and even his brother.
“I am being used
as a scapegoat while
those who are truly
responsible for the crime
are free and seemingly
no longer the subject
of investigation,” the
younger Sytin said.
Palawan airport gets P5-B makeover
building, expansion of the existing
runway and installation of additional
air navigation equipment.
No less than Palawan Gov. Jose
Alvarez together with Palawan 1st
District Rep. Franz Josef George
Alvarez and Civil Aviation Authority of
the Philippines Director General Capt.
Jim Sydiongco led the groundbreaking
ceremony recently.
BR
The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP),
under whose aegis candidate Rodrigo Duterte
captured the presidency in May 2016, has been
effectively dethroned as the nation’s premier
political party.
Replacing the PDP in its lofty perch on top
of the mountain is the Hugpong ng Pagbabago
(HnP), the regional party formed only last year
by President Duterte’s daughter, Davao City
Mayor Sara Duterte.
This much can be gleaned from the reports
of several Cebu-based tabloids which had Mr.
Duterte “bowing to the will” of his daughter
regarding the political direction to be followed
by the first family as the midterm elections
draw near.
“Inday (Sara) is the one
“The Chief
Executive has
revealed there
are only two
persons in the
world whom
he fears most:
referring to
daughters
Mayor Sara
and Kitty.
who is making the decisions
now. I will not argue with
her,” the President was
quoted as saying during
a political gathering last
week to introduce certain
senatorial candidates.
Ironically, the event was
the PDP rally the other week
at the Plaza Independencia
in downtown Cebu City.
No one from the present
leadership of the PDP (which
was founded in 1983 by ex-
Sen. Nene Pimentel, whose son incumbent Sen.
Koko Pimentel is seeking reelection under the
aegis of the HnP and PDP simultaneously) has
cared to comment about the quandary.
Mr. Duterte, it should be noted, has
always deferred to the
wishes of his daughter,
whom he describes as
fierce, determined and
headstrong. More so
now that her name
is being floated as a
possible presidential
candidate in 2022 to
replace her father.
President Duterte
reportedly has a
pusong mamon as
far as Sara — his
second-born offspring
by first wife Elizabeth
Zimmerman — is
concerned because it
was she who took care
of running the family
when the parents
separated.
The Chief
Executive has
revealed there are
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8
METRO
The incident scenario started
with a loud explosion from an
improvised explosive device
By Neil S. Alcobar
The Eastern Police District (EPD) mobile
force battalion over the weekend conducted
simulation exercises on how to
handle bomb threats and
Bomb drills test EPD’s emergency preparedness
actual explosions at the Metrowalk parking lot
in Pasig City.
The bomb simulation exercise was aimed at
testing the alertness and operational readiness of
all mobile force battalion personnel particularly
members of the district explosive ordnance
disposal team.
The incident scenario started with a loud
explosion from an improvised explosive
device, with first responders cordoning
off the area while simultaneously
relaying the threat to concerned
offices like the Philippine National Police.
The bomb-clearing operation and processing
of the crime scene covering the tactical aspect of
the investigation was conducted by the district
explosive ordnance disposal team.
The medical team, on the other hand,
immediately evacuated the injured victims
after getting clearance from the district
explosive ordnance disposal team leader.
The EPD stressed police operational
procedures must be followed while
adopting new techniques and
constantly upgrading the skills of emergency
personnel.
In Marikina City, a tricycle driver was
arrested in a drug buy-bust operation over
the weekend. The suspect was identified as
Owen Pama, alias Owen, 32, a resident of
Barangay Nangka, Marikina City.
He was nabbed
by members of
Marikina City
Police
John Henry Dodson, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Station drug enforcement unit at about 9:15
p.m. at 25 Alley 2, Area 1, NHA Balubad,
Barangay Nangka.
Seized from the suspect were three sachets
of suspected shabu, P500 in buy-bust money and
a coin purse.
The suspect is now detained at Marikina
police detention cell and is facing charges
for violating Republic Act 9165 or the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drug
Act of 2002.
Bus kills
crossing
woman
HAVING modern
bomb-protection
equipment is just
half the equation:
the other being
proper training.
ANALY LABOR
“Scared” driver fled
accident scene
A provincial bus ran over a
woman crossing the España-Maceda
intersection in Sampaloc, Manila
at dawn yesterday. The victim, who
remained unidentified at press time,
died at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical
Center in the morning.
The Manila Police District
(MPD) traffic enforcement unit
identified the driver of the Victory
Liner bus with license plate CXS
954 as Nicasio Tumolva Jr., 38, a
native of Ilagan, Isabela.
Tumolva was charged with
reckless imprudence resulting in
homicide. The accident happened
at 3:30 a.m. while the bus was
en route to its terminal along
Earnshaw Street.
The victim was thrown a
distance after being hit by the bus
which then sped off. MPD Station 4
and Philippine Red Cross personnel
brought the victim to the hospital
but she died at about 7 a.m.
Tumolva was arrested by policemen
in a follow-up operation. The driver
said he fled the accident scene
because he was scared and did not
know what to do, except to proceed
to their terminal. Pat C. Santos
Teen
kissing
bandit
arrested
Girl, 6, was sleeping
when molested
A 15-year-old was nabbed for
acts of lasciviousness after he
allegedly molested a six-year-old
girl in Marikina City over the
weekend.
The suspect, whose name was
withheld for being a minor or a
child in conflict with the law,
was arrested after he allegedly
kissed the girl in the neck and
lips while she was sleeping,
authorities said.
The incident occurred at
about 8 p.m. Friday in a house
along Singkamas St., Barangay
Tumana, Marikina City.
The girl’s mother immediately
sought police assistance which
led to the arrest of the minor
suspect.
The suspect, who is an out-of-school
youth, was currently under police
custody and will be turned over to
the Department of Social Welfare
and Development. N.S. Alcober
ELEAZAR
By Anthony Ching
9 BI men linked to traffickers
DoJ urged to investigate as DFA notes rise of
undocumented Filipinos working abroad
Immigration Commissioner
Jaime Morente has asked Justice
Secretary Menardo Guevarra
to investigate nine members of
the Bureau of Immigration (BI)
travel control and enforcement
unit assigned to the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport
(NAIA).
The nine were suspected
of conniving with human
trafficking syndicates that
victimize Filipinos seeking job
seekers abroad.
By Elmer N. Manuel
Posh enclaves also hide junkies
Eleazar: Gated
subdivisions pose
challenges to anti-drugs
campaign
National Capital Region Police
Office (NCRPO) chief Director
Guillermo Eleazar yesterday said
the government’s anti-drug campaign
targets poor and rich communities
alike.
Nonetheless, Eleazar admitted the
NCRPO is encountering unexpected
The investigation was sought
after a complaint by the
Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) on the rising numbers of
undocumented Filipino workers
abroad, especially in the Middle
East.
In the past, unscrupulous
immigration personnel had
facilitated the departure of workers
with fictitious travel and working
documents either by turning a blind
eye on the fake materials or even
IMMIGRATION rules implementation need to be tightened to ensure only documented Filipino workers are able
to leave for abroad.
AFP
problem areas in rich enclaves as
it tries to beat President Rodrigo
Duterte’s new deadline for a drug-free
Philippines.
“Gated subdivisions, for all you
know, there are drug users there, but
they aren’t noisy, they are not chaotic,
there is no information,” Eleazar said.
The NCRPO has seen a rise in
the number of seizures of cocaine
and party drugs — narcotics that are
usually purchased by “can afford”
people, he added.
The police are having difficulty in
accessing information inside upscale
subdivisions because they cannot just
enter them unless they are serving
resorting to escorting them to the
boarding area.
The BI is under the Department of
Justice (DoJ), along with the National
Bureau of Investigation which can
conduct the investigation as an arm
of the anti-human trafficking council.
Morente’s office declined to
identify the nine immigration
personnel pending the outcome
of the investigation and pursuant
to due process of law. Their
names will be forwarded though
DPWH sets road repairs
The Department of Public Works
and Highways (DPWH) undertook
pavement repairs over the weekend
along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
(EDSA) and other Metro Manila roads.
The road reblocking which started
on Friday will end tomorrow in time
for the start of the working week.
In an advisory of the DPWH, road
reblocking works were undertaken
on EDSA southbound, from New
York Street to Monte de Piedad
Street, third lane from the sidewalk;
while on the C-5 southbound, the
intersection of C-5 Road to Julia
Vargas Avenue, intersection of C-5
to Lanuza Avenue and the area
A pedicab driver, Pepito
Pantaleon, 45, died at dawn
yesterday while being treated at
the Tondo Medical Center, a victim
of multiple stabbing.
A sister of the victim recounted
to the police hearing a commotion
at about 2 a.m. and seeing a man
fleeing the street near the house
of her brother.
The witness rushed out of her
own house across Pantaleon’s
residence on C2 Road in Victor
search and arrest warrants and other
court orders.
“The reason why there aren’t
lots of operations there (posh
subdivisions) is because our
operations are evidence-based. You
cannot operate without information,
without a case build-up and without
evidence. It is easy to get these in
depressed areas,” Eleazar said.
The NCRPO chief explained that it
is the reason why almost all Tokhang
visitations are in poor communities as
police need information before they
can come knocking on anyone’s door.
“With the magnitude and so much
information that we get, you will act
to the DoJ so the investigation
can commence.
DFA reported there are
thousands of undocumented
Filipino workers in Middle East
countries who left the Philippines
using tourist visas.
About 700 Filipinos had been
repatriated from the Middle
East in the past few months for
working illegally in such countries
like Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
fronting SM Aura.
In Katipunan Avenue, road
reblocking was undertaken at
the corner of CP Garcia, second
lane; also along the truck lane in
Fairview Avenue, and the Atherton
to Regalado Avenues, second lane
from the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority said that the
trucks of concessionaires Maynilad
Water Services Inc. and Manila Water
Company Inc. that will deliver water to
residents affected by the current supply
shortage in parts of Metro Manila are
exempted from the number coding
scheme. Korinah Saromines
Pedicab driver stabbed dead
Lopez, Tondo, but was met by
barangay officials who informed
her that he had been taken to a
hospital.
The sister said she heard
chairs and bottles being smashed,
prompting her to take a look at
the window.
Pantaleon succumbed to a
number of stab wounds in his
body at 3:50 a.m., according to
attending physician Dr. Ryan
Rey Villamayor. Henry Adasa II
on information readily available, and
these are from depressed areas that
we easily penetrate,” Eleazar said.
To recall, cops visited Forbes Park
and Magallanes Village in 2016, but it
wasn’t to track down drug suspects,
but only to conduct an “information
dissemination campaign.”
He, however, argued that it does not
mean that people in posh residences
are immune to investigation.
According to Eleazar, the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Group
and the Criminal Investigation and
Detection Group are constantly
looking for the “big fishes” in the
anti-drug campaign.

MOST
INNOVATIVE
BROADSHEET
2018
44TH
PHILIPPINES
BUSINESS
EXPO
RORY,
TOMMY
REAL
CHUMMY
P17
TELCOS
UPGRADE
SERVICE AHEAD
OF THIRD
PLAYER
P11
DTI’S
FOOD EXPO
BOLSTERS
MSME
P10
Jun Vallecera, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
SUNDAYBUSINESS
9
Commercializing coconut husks
Around 25 million people live in the uplands, mostly
depending from the forest for their livelihood and
customary lifestyles
By AJ Bajo
The country’s Board of Investments
(BoI) and representatives from a
Swiss-based university are looking into the
commercial possibilities for fiberboards
made of coco coir and tannin products to
up the country’s agricultural output.
“Today, coconut husks have a negative
value,” Dr. Sauro Bianchi, deputy head of
the Bern University of Applied Sciences
Department, said.
“The Philippines accumulates annually
about five million metric tons (MT) of
husks from various coconut production
facilities that are normally in heaps and
just left to rot. A farmer could decide to
sell them as ‘bunot’ or ‘pang-gatong’ and
gets about P6 per sack.”
But citing project results from their
Philippine-Swiss research consortium,
Bianchi said the coconut husk waste
could be transformed into particle
boards, or cocoboards, which are “ideally
suited for applications into building
materials like nonstructural wall, ceiling
panels and insulation boards.”
The study added that processing even
just 15 percent of the five million MT
of coconut husks into cocoboard could
supply the country’s current needs, as
cocoboards meet most international
stands for wood fiberboards.
The results also noted the alternative
boards are highly resistant to wood
decay insects such as termites, have low
formaldehyde emissions and 30 percent
cheaper than plywood.
Bianchi said the proper integration of
the coconut husk into the coconut value
chain could increase its revenues per
bag to P32 and accelerate the farmer’s
average income by P35. A local partner
for the project, Coco Technologies,
We’re still deep in debt and stuck to simply trying to
close the gap towards a balanced budget. Certainly,
we’re not moving towards getting the right infrastructure
investments going to power future growth
Who says the Philippines is poor?
There is a wide range of properties
the Philippine government can easily
dispose to pay off debts and close the gap
towards a balanced budget. This practice
of privatizing government assets is nothing
new. It is best exemplified by the sale
of Fort Bonifacio, which has since been
redeveloped and converted into Bonifacio
Global City, now Metro Manila’s second
most important business district.
In efforts to increase local and foreign
investment, many such public assets have
been privatized through the years. And
do you know what is the hottest property
nowadays? According to a property
consultant, it is the reclamation area in
Pasay and Parañaque cities with an area
of 2,000 square kilometers which has
caught the eye of developers following the
much-ballyhooed rehabilitation of Manila
Bay. A National Reclamation Plan that
proposes to reclaim 26,000 hectares off the
bay has reportedly been approved by the
Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).
It is expected, he says, to become
the next center of development in Metro
Manila to the chagrin of environmentalists
who obviously are wary of the pollution
these reclamations could bring to the bay
known the world over for its famed sunset.
A total of 22 reclamation projects
are planned along Manila Bay that will
affect and likely pollute a 22,000-hectare
area of the historic bay, a PRA official
admitted. Three of these 22 proposals have
already been approved in principle — the
360-hectare Pasay reclamation project, the
Camalig, has applied for a patent for the
production of the cocoboard.
On the other hand, the BoI said the
tannin-based adhesive of cocoboards,
extracted from biomass such as tree
barks, twigs, roots, shells and fruit husks,
present another industry opportunity
instead of relying mostly on imports.
The pilot tanning project in the
Visayas State University in Leyte
covers 1.75 hectares and will
implement low-cost extraction
technology using renewable
energy sources.
The university’s study includes
locally-produced tannin, which can be
maximized as adhesives for woods and
boards, while its components are used
in the process of tanning leather and
producing wine, beer, cosmetics and
pharmaceutical.
The pilot tanning project in the
Visayas State University in Leyte covers
1.75 hectares and will implement low-cost
extraction technology using renewable
energy sources, the BoI said.
“Around 25 million people live in
the uplands, mostly depending from
the forest for their livelihood and
customary lifestyles. Their incomes from
conventional timber and crops trading
are however limited. Developing tannin
extraction from biomass such as bark,
twigs, roots, shells and fruit husks will
improve rural livelihood,” Dr. Bianchi
added.
The study was financially supported
by the Swiss Programme for Research
on Global Issues for Development, jointly
organized by the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation and the
Swiss National Science Foundation.
Consumers warned vs online scam
The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) issued a warning
against transacting with unregistered
online gadget sellers suspected of
using fake government document to
lure customers.
The business name certificate
is not proof to warrant the
legitimacy of a business.
The DTI-Agusan del Norte Provincial
Office Consumer Protection Division
Money for nothing, kicks for free?
140-ha. Solar City project and the Navotas
Boulevard Business Park.
Another government-owned property
that was awarded with finality by the
Supreme Court to the Bases Conversion
Development Authority (BCDA) after a
lengthy battle with the Navy Officers’
Village Association (NOVAI) is the 47-ha.
property inside the Navy golf course at
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
Three years ago, the village property
was said to be ready for disposition
should the Duterte administration need
to generate revenues. The BCDA is said
to be planning to initially auction off five
hectares of the property which are now
valued at an estimated P47 billion.
The bravery of our people is
truly priceless. And sale of
such assets, to us, is downright
criminal. Do we really have
to sell whatever is left of our
patrimony?
Just recently, Defense Secretary Delfin
Lorenzana ordered the return of that
portion of the Navy Golf Course at Fort
Bonifacio to the qualified owners from
the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and the Philippine National Police.
That property, consisting of over 2 million
square meters, has been declared as
the AFP Officers Village in 1965 by then
President Diosdado Macapagal through
Proclamation 461 but sadly has not been
turned over by previous administrations
TURNING wastes into money. The Duterte administration wants to use coco husks as alternative
fiber boards.
accused HRA Gadgets Cellshop and Accessories,
operated by a certain Rodante Paradero
Aquino, of selling gadgets through social media,
particularly in Facebook, using “fictitious
government document to lure consumers
into buying discounted/low-priced cellphones,
gadgets and accessories.”
“We would also like to inform everyone
that a DTI business name certification
involves only registering a Business Name.
It is not a permit or licenses to do business
as this can only be given by the local
government unit through a mayor’s permit
since.
Also up for possible grabs
are the Bonifacio South Point
also at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(33.13 hectares) which is
the subject of a legal battle
between the BCDA and the
SM group, the Water Fun
Amusement Park in West
Service Road, Muntinlupa City (33.13
hectares) and the 6,470-square meter lot
of the former Manila Jai-Alai bldg. along
Taft Ave. in Manila.
More than two decades since the
privatization of government assets started,
the country is far from accomplishing what
it had set out to do. We’re still deep in debt
and stuck to simply trying to close the
gap towards a balanced budget. Certainly,
we’re not moving towards getting the right
infrastructure investments going to power
future growth.
It was during the time of President
Ramos that hefty amounts exchanged
hands. During Ramos’ term, Philippine
Air Lines was sold to tobacco mogul
Lucio Tan for P9.65 billion. The
160-hectare Fort Bonifacio property
was tendered for P34 billion to the Metro
Pacific consortium.
Property developer Fil-Estate bought
Camp John Hay in 1994 under a long-term
lease agreement for an estimated P50
million a year in rentals. The following
year, Malaysians, as investors, acquired
National Steel Corp.
The government also privatized
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage
System in 1997, with Ayala’s Manila Water
Company Inc. operating the east zone
concession and the Lopez’s Maynilad
Water Services Inc. getting the west zone.
Manila Hotel was likewise auctioned
off in 1997 and is now owned by the late
businessman Emilio Yap who also runs
the Manila Bulletin.
Manny Angeles
where the business is operating,” the DTI’s
advisory further read.
The trade agency added the business
name certificate is not proof to warrant
the legitimacy of a business. Consumers
were advised to take caution in transacting
online more so if the sellers are not
established and have no verified marketing
platforms.
“With digital and Internet technologies
nowadays, scammers and fraudsters have
become wiser to defraud unsuspecting
individuals,” the DTI stated. AJBajo
Under Joseph Estrada’s
short term, several assets
were slated for the auction
board. But nothing much
moved. Thus, state-owned
entities like IBC-13, RPN-
9, the Journal Group and
Philippine Phosphate
Fertilizer Corp. remained
with government.
The stellar performance thus far, when
talking about privatization, came during
the Arroyo administration. In 2006 alone,
revenue from privatization totaled some
P120 billion. This helped keep the budget
deficit during the year to only P62.2
billion, almost half of the target maximum
of P125 billion.
Roppongi property is not like
any other, having been given to
the Filipino people in reparation
for the lives of our soldiers
during the Japanese occupation.
q q q
Just how did these frenzy for selling
government property start?
In 1990 during the time of then
President Cory Aquino, government
already tried to sell off the Roppongi
property in the upscale Fujimi
district in Tokyo where the Philippine
Ambassador to Japan resides. It is
considered a patrimonial property
paid for with “blood money” under
the 1956 Reparations Agreement with
Japan as payment for the suffering
and loss of lives of Filipinos during
World War II.
The intended sale was vehemently
opposed by the late Vice President
Doy Laurel since there was very strong
public opposition against the attempt.
Laurel, it is said, argued that the
Pagcor
mulls TRO
against QC
The Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) is
planning on taking the Quezon City
government to court to question the
legality of a city ordinance regulating
gaming operations in its jurisdiction,
effectively limiting access to the
P40-billion Solaire resort hotel and
casino on the 1.57-hectare Ayala Vertis
North complex.
In a press statement, the gaming
regulator said the agency is seriously
contemplating a temporary restraining
order (TRO) to bar the implementation
of Quezon City government’s proposed
gaming regulatory ordinance.
“PAGCOR maintains that not
taking this next important step is
tantamount to the dereliction of
its duties as gaming regulator,”
the statement said. “We also would
like to reiterate that with regard
to regulation of gaming in local
government units (LGU), PD Number
771 ‘revokes the authority of LGU to
issue license permit or any form of
franchise to operate, maintain and
establish forms of gambling.’”
The statement cited Presidential
Decree (PD) 1869 and Republic Act
9487 mandating Pagcor as the national
government agency to regulate all
games of chance in the country.
PAGCOR maintains that not
taking this next important
step is tantamount to the
dereliction of its duties as
gaming regulator.
In a memorandum from the Office
of the President dated 17 April 1996,
then Executive Secretary Ruben
Torres directed all local government
units and other concerned agencies
that “only the national government has
the power to issue licenses or permits
for the operation of gambling since
the power of the local government
units to regulate gambling through
the grant of franchise, license or
permit was withdrawn by PD 771 as
early as 1975.”
The agency added, “Given the
provisions of the law, it is clear
that Quezon City’s proposed gaming
regulatory ordinance is a violation of
national law. With the filing of TRO,
we are not only upholding the rule of
law but also ensuring that people’s
welfare are protected and LGU will
not be given a chance to abuse their
authority.”
Roppongi property is not like any
other, having been given to the Filipino
people in reparation for the lives
of our soldiers during the Japanese
occupation. It is, he said, a monument to
the bravery and sacrifice of the Filipino
people in the face of an invader. It is
therefore unpatriotic, he added, to
expect economic or financial benefits
from them.
Laurel’s argument obviously carried
weight for Supreme Court Associate
Justice Hugo Gutierrez Jr. who penned
a decision upholding the Laurel petition
to stop the sale of the 3,197-square meter
Roppongi property.
Indeed, a monument to the bravery of
our people is truly priceless. And sale of
such assets, to us, is downright criminal.
Do we really have to sell what ever is left
of our patrimony? Just asking.
q q q
TITTLE-TATTLES: Motorcycle
groups are reportedly up in arms
against the Motorcycle Crime
Prevention Law, denouncing it as
downright stupid. The recentlysigned
measure, intended to curb
riding-in-tandem crimes committed
using such vehicles, requires owners
to place big plates in front and at
the back of motorcycles for easier
identification of suspects. The groups
argue that placing big plates in front
of the bikes is virtually impossible
since it would cover the headlights
and affect the vehicles’ aerodynamics.
It could also injure the rider should
it get blown off. They reportedly are
ready to bring their case all the way
to the Supreme Court…
For comments, feedbackand information,
e-mail us at mannyangeles27@gmail.com.

10 BUSINESS
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
60% Filipinos worry of Nokor nukes
ISSUES AND VIEWS
Kumar Balani
COMMENTARY
“The issue of
the growing
arsenal of
nuclear
weapons by
North Korea
has worried
people all over
the world.
NEW YORK, NY — Talks between US President
Donald Trump and North Korean “Supreme
Leader” Kim Jong Un abruptly ended during
their second summit on 28 February in Hanoi,
Vietnam without any sort of agreement between
the two leaders. Kim Jong Un surprisingly
thought, without any concession on his part,
that President Trump would simply lift all US
economic sanctions — that are hurting North
Korea — just by asking.
But the US, as expected and knowing Trump’s
negotiating style, would not meet Kim Jong Un’s
request to lift all sanctions on North Korea
without first securing its meaningful commitment
to denuclearization. President Trump remarked
in his solo news conference before heading back
to Washington that was unprepared to do that,
adding “sometimes you have to walk.”
We thought Kim Jong Un may have already
learned something from the first summit on
12 June 2018 in Singapore, not to ask for any
concession without offering something in return,
especially with a tough negotiator like Trump.
Remember that Trump also just walked away from
a second White House meeting with House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Charles Schumer when they
simply said “No” to his request to fund a border
wall between the US and Mexico?
Trump always ensures there are alternative
means of obtaining what he wants. What that is
going to be in this case may unfold in the near
future.
If Kim wants to stop US sanctions, change world
perception of his country into a positive one and
discontinue economic stagnation, he must come
up with some offer. According to 2017 UN data,
North Korea is one of the poorest economies in
the world, with a gross domestic product (GDP)
of just above $17 billion where the average person
ekes out a living with $685 of income in an entire
year, ranking 178 among 193 countries, or in
the bottom eight percent.
In contrast, South Korea
“The most
worried have
been people in
neighboring
Japan where
nearly three
of four
respondents are
apprehensive,
as there have
already been six
missile firings
over Japan.
had $1,578 billion in GDP
where its average resident
earned 44 times as much with
$30,025 a year and ranked at
the top eight percent in the
world.
This no-deal outcome does
not mean the two leaders may
not meet again in the future
or that their negotiating
teams may not communicate
through other means. On
the possibility of opening a
liaison office in North Korea,
Trump remarked to reporters
that it was “not a bad idea” and Kim called such
a next step “welcomable.”
The issue of the growing arsenal of nuclear
weapons by North Korea — the US military
estimates it has 60 nuclear weapons — and its
increasing capability to fire them by already
having test-fired them repeatedly (numbering 117
such tests since 30 November 2017, according to a
Wikipedia article) has worried people all over the
world, including four among every six Filipinos,
based on a three-month (14 May to 18 August 2018)
survey by the Pew Research Center of people in 26
countries spanning six continents.
The most worried have been people in neighboring
Japan where nearly three of four respondents are
apprehensive, as there have already been six missile
firings over Japan. The second most recent one
was on 29 August 2017, when a Hwasong-12 ballistic
missile was fired over Hokkaido, Japan’s second
largest island, by North Korea from Pyongyang Sunan
International Airport, presumably using a mobile
launcher. It traveled around 1,675 miles before
crashing into the Pacific Ocean.
Just a few days later on 3 September 2017,
North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a
thermonuclear bomb, also known as a hydrogen
bomb. Corresponding seismic activity similar to an
earthquake of magnitude 6.3 was reported by the US
Geological Survey making the blast around 10 times
more powerful than previous detonations by the
country. Later the bomb yield was estimated to be 250
kilotons, based on further study of the seismic data.
Another firing of the same type of missile
followed on 15 September 2017 traveling about
2,300 miles before falling into the Pacific Ocean.
The rogue regime also possesses the Hwasong-15
missile with a range of over 8,000 miles, capable
of reaching any continent of the world, except
Antarctica and South America.
The least worried are the people of Russia, but
even there 30 percent expressed concern. Among
other interesting findings are that older people (50+
in age) are more worried — 66 percent — than younger
ones (18 to 29 in age) — 42 percent. Among women,
more than two-thirds (68 percent) said North Korea’s
nuclear program is a major threat while less than half
(49 percent) of men said that also.
DTI’s food expo bolsters MSME
We should buy Filipino-made
products. It’s our own and we
should patronize it. It’s time that
we end importing products from
other countries
By Gene Beatrice A. Micaller
“It’s not just an ordinary trade of products.
It’s for the cuisines of the Philippines,” said
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez
during the 2019 National Food Fair.
Serving as an empowerment to micro,
small and medium enterprises (MSME), the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in
partnership with Department of Tourism and
La Germania, organized a food fair event that
will not only showcase the best of the best of
Filipino cuisines but also give chance to MSME
owners to boost their network.
“This food fair gives us one, exposure
and second is [for] networking,” said Roger
Monsale, owner of Koibito’s World of Gelato,
one of the participants in the food fair.
Showcasing cuisines from Luzon, Visayas and
all the way from Mindanao, the DTI’s National
Food Fair is an instrument for the agency to
share opportunities to small entrepreneurs of the
country to gain more exposure for higher profits.
“We should buy Filipino-made products. It’s
our own and we should patronize it. It’s time
that we end importing products from other
countries,” Lopez added.
The expo will last for four days that will
feature Island Kitchens (Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao), Food Pavilions, Design Center of
the Philippines Special (DCP) setting, OTOP
hub and KAPEtirya/Coffee Pavilion.
Island Kitchens will highlight renowned
culinary professionals who will showcase
Kapampangan delicacies. These respected
cooking gurus are Cherry Tan, Don Edward
Quito, Vince Garcia, Raymun Yabut, Boy Logro,
Gabby Pratts and Anton Abad.
Meanwhile, food pavilions will gather
and exhibit a variety of Halal food spices
and seasonings, fruit wines and other cacao
products already displayed at the pavilion.
Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman
said that Halal, even though refers to food and
beverages that are only permissible for Islamic
tradition to eat, is not explicitly consumed
by Islam believers. He added that the Halal
industry is one of the fastest growing sectors
in the world.
Lopez also reiterated that Halal should not
only be incorporated into religion.
With a partnership with the DCP, the DTI
was able to guide MSME owners on how to
efficiently and creatively package their items.
DCP is one of the leading agencies in
the country driven to cultivate a culture
that prospers creativity, value creation, and
innovation.
Lopez also reiterated that Halal
should not only be incorporated into
religion.
One Town, One Product (OTOP) the
Philippines is an integral part of the Food
Fair that will give a spotlight to offering that
can be found in pasalubong centers, airport
terminals and tourist spots, supermarkets,
weekend bazaars, public markets, Go Lokal!
Outlets, Negosyo Centers and other locations
frequently visited by consumers.
“As we are already a participant for the
past years, we find this food fair effective
because it gives businesses like us enough
exposure for us to gain more customers,” said
Josie Mabuti, sales representative of Rejanos
Bakery of Marinduque.
As one of the few countries that produce
the four main viable coffee varieties namely
Arabica, Liberica (Barako), Excelsa and
Robusta, the DTI sees KAPEtirya as an avenue
to accentuate premium Philippine coffee
blends and brands.
With 16 regions participating in the annual
food fair, the DTI is hopeful that the four-day
event will be a fruitful instrument for MSME
owners in boosting their businesses.
China eases foreign
investment rules
China’s National People’s Congress (NPC)
has passed the Foreign Investment Law, further
easing rules to attract foreign investments to
the country. The law was during the second
session of the 13th NPC.
More than opening up the market to foreign
players, he added that the Chinese government
is committed to protect the growing interest of
foreign companies in investing in China.
The government will further shorten
its foreign negative list.
“As China takes its own initiative
to open up, we adopt the principle of
competitive neutrality and treat both
domestic and foreign enterprises as
equal. Likewise, we also need to treat
all businesses in the various types of
ownership as equal,” he said.
He said the government will further shorten
its foreign negative list to allow more foreign
investors to invest in various industries in the
Chinese market.
The Chinese government will also
strengthen the protection of intellectual
property rights, particularly for technology
firms that will invest in China.
Li said the government will push for the
creation of conducive business environment
for micro and small enterprises.
The Chinese Premier admitted that
financing cost has been a challenge for micro
and small businesses in China so there is
the need to take “multi-pronged approach”
to significantly ease these constraints for
enterprises.
“Our goal, is to further cut financing cost
for micro and small companies by another one
percentage point this year,” Li said.
“We will encourage financial institutions
to enhance their internal management system
and provide more services to private companies
and micro and small companies,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lianghui or the Two Sessions
concluded here Friday.
Lianghui is the annual plenary sessions
of the NPC and China’s top consultative body,
the Chinese People’s Political Consultative
Conference.
Xinhua
THE country's food sector takes centerstage in the ongoing Food Fair organized by the Department of Trade and Industry.
SUNDAY GOSPEL
First reading
Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18
And he brought him forth abroad, and
said to him: Look up to heaven and number
the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So
shall thy seed be.
Abram believed God and it was reputed to
him unto justice.
And he said to him: I am the Lord who
brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give
thee this land and that thou mightest possess it.
But he said: Lord God, whereby may I
know that I shall possess it?
And the Lord answered and said: Take me
a cow of three years old and a she goat of three
years and a ram of three years, a turtle also
and a pigeon.
And he took all these, and divided them in
the midst and laid the two pieces of each one
against the other; but the birds he divided not.
And the fowls came down upon the
carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep
fell upon Abram and a great and darksome
horror seized upon him.
And when the sun was set, there arose a dark
mist and there appeared a smoking furnace and
a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
That day God made a covenant with
Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this
land, from the river of Egypt even to the great
river Euphrates.
Second reading
Philippians 3: 17 — 4: 1
Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe
them who walk so as you have our model.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often
(and now tell you weeping), that they are enemies
of the cross of Christ;
Whose end is destruction; whose God is their
belly; and whose glory is in their shame; who
mind earthly things.
But our conversation is in heaven; from whence
also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who will reform the body of our lowness, made
like to the body of his glory, according to the operation
whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself.
Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren and most
desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved.
GOSPEL
Second Sunday of Lent
Luke 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face
changed in appearance and his
clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing
with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke
of his exodus that he was going
to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been
overcome by sleep, but becoming
fully awake, they saw his glory and
the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from
him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it
is good that we are here; let us make
three tents, one for you, one for
Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he
did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking, a
cloud came and cast a shadow over
them, and they became frightened
when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came
a voice that said, “This is my
chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus
was found alone. They fell silent
and did not at that time tell
anyone what they had seen.

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
TECHTALKS
11
The DICT is still waiting for Congress to officially approve Mislatel’s franchise before it
can give out the necessary radio frequencies and for the National Telecommunications
Commission to issue it a license to operate as a telephone company
By Komfie Manalo
Even before the third telecommunication player
rolls out its network, the public is already
feeling the benefits of Mislatel consortium’s
entry as dominant players Globe Telecoms and
Smart Communications have unveiled several
announcements to improve their services.
Businessman Dennis Uy, the Filipino partner of Mislatel,
said during the latest “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune,”
the two telecoms service providers have initiated service
upgrades and promotions in anticipation of their coming.
Mislatel is a partnership among Uy’s Udenna Corp. and
Chelsea Logistics and state-run China Telecom.
“The public will surely benefit with our entry,” Uy
said. “As we speak, the two major players (in the telecom
industry) have announced plans to improve their networks
and services. And that is even before we start our service.”
Indeed, Smart Communications, the wireless unit of
PLDT, said it would spend P70 billion for 2019 to improve
its network.
In addition, the company entered into a partnership
with Nokia to deploy a fifth generation (5G) technology
and services in schools across the country. Smart and
Nokia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for
the development of 5G standalone (5G SA) solutions such
as artificial intelligence, drones and Internet of Things
applications for use in colleges and universities.
“We are happy to partner with Nokia to help develop
intelligent solutions and technologies for the benefit of the
Philippine education sector,” PLDT-Smart chairman and
chief executive officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said during
the signing.
For its part, Globe announced in February it would
allocate a record P63 billion capital spending this year,
or 45 percent higher than its previous spending in 2018
as the company pursue a more aggressive spending plan
ahead of the competition posed by the coming of Mislatel
and the increase in demand for bandwidth-hungry services
such as Internet TV.
Industry observers said the increase in CapEx (capital
expenditures) by both Globe and Smart is not only geared
towards meeting the growing demand but because of the
reality, they cannot afford to be complacent with the entry
of another player.
Still on track
Meanwhile, Uy said the consortium is still on track with
regards to its rollout plan by 2020 despite the delays in
the securing of local business permits to put up towers
and other bureaucratic requirements.
“We’ll encounter problems as we outsource to
our subcontractors, but hopefully we can manage,”
Uy said, adding that logistics and financing are
not an issue. He said they expect the House of
Representatives to resolve their franchise issue after
the May midterm polls. “We need 26 to 30 permits to
build one tower. If you put up a tower, we will need
to get the consent of residents in the immediate
area, permits from the local governments down to
barangays, it’s not easy,” he said.
On Thursday, the Department of Information and
UY
Telcos upgrade services
ahead of third player
Communications Technology (DICT) acting Secretary
Eliseo Rio also backed Uy’s timetable and said the
consortium has already started preparatory works on its
network while waiting for the resolution on its franchise
application.
The DICT is still waiting for Congress to officially
approve Mislatel’s franchise before it can give out
the necessary radio frequencies and for the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue it a
license to operate as a telephone company.
The public will surely benefit with
our entry. As we speak, the two major
players (in the telecom industry) have
announced plans to improve their
networks and services. And that is even
before we start our service
MISLATEL is still on track to roll out its network.
Realme Phl sponsors Mobile
Legends tourney
Realme Philippines gears up with
the Philippine’s biggest mobile gaming
tournament, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Professional League Season 3 for the most
epic gaming season yet.
Expect exciting activities and
activations from Realme and
Mobile Legends and be ready to
win big prizes.
As the Epic Sponsor of the tournament,
rising smartphone brand realme seals
realme 3’s claim of superior budget
smartphone performance. Realme 3,
the latest device in the realme product
portfolio, is powered by a MediaTek Helio
P60 processor, giving users butter smooth
gaming experience.
In the series of weekly tournaments,
fans can expect exciting activities and
prizes such as smartphones and in-game
diamonds. With the regular season starting
on 23 March, everyone is encouraged
to watch the upcoming livestream
tournaments and get the chance to win
brand new Realme 3 smartphones and
other exciting prizes.
“Realme 3 with its powerful Helio P60
processor and affordable price tag elevates
the gaming experience of Filipinos. That’s
why we have partnered with Mobile
Legends: Bang Bang Professional League
We are happy to partner with Nokia to help
develop intelligent solutions and technologies for
the benefit of the Philippine education sector
Rio was quoted as saying, “Mislatel is already doing
things. They have started with their rollout. They are already
building towers and doing their layout. They are taking the
risk, but they cannot operate until they get the Certificate
of Public Convenience and Necessity and frequencies.”
1,000 towers
Uy said they plan on constructing up to 1,000 towers
within a year as he expects to provide service to his first
customer by June.
The Philippines currently has one of the lowest cell site
densities in Asia with an estimated 4,036 Internet users
per cell site based on 16,600 total towers against 67 million
internet users. Counting all the expected delays from the
securing of permits, Mislatel still expects to serve its first
customer within one year.
“Even before Mislatel operations start, the
telecommunications services from the duopoly have
improved and that’s a good signal for consumers,” he said.
“We are all consumers, subscribers; you see that they have
announced that they have put in more capital expenditures.
So that’s a good start. Hopefully, we can make a difference and
try to get as many costumers as we can,” he said.
“It’s not easy to enter this industry; it takes conviction
and a lot of capital… looking at it the other way, that
there’s only a handful who bid. So if we did not bid, then
it will be a failed process. So nobody wins including the
consumers,” he said.
Season 3 to show the capabilities of this
revolutionary smartphone. Expect exciting
activities and activations from Realme and
Mobile Legends and be ready to win big prizes,”
shares Realme Philippines marketing lead,
Eason de Guzman.
Additionally, Realme Philippines
encourages amateur and aspiring Mobile
Legends players to join in its upcoming
community tournament. Open to all members
of Realme Philippines Community
Official, the tournament
registration starts on 22
March with the qualifiers
beginning on 8 April and
finals on May 2019. Grand
winner of the community
tournament will win P
25,000 and a Realme 3
smartphone.
Grand winners of the MPL
Season 3 are in for a big pot
for they’ll be bringing home
US$25,000 or roughly P1.2
million. Grand Finals will
happen in May 2019 with
the venue and date still to
be announced. Tune in
on Realme Philippines
and Mobile Legends:
Bang Bang official
Facebook pages
for more details.
COOCAA TV.
Coocaa enters Manila market
With the mantra
“change, innovate,
explore,” Coocaa,
the television brand in
Lazada Indonesia, is now
available for the Philippine
Market.
Purely targeting
e-Commerce, Coocaa wanted to
penetrate the younger generations
who are now, more than ever,
leaning towards digital life. And in
the Philippines where e-Commerce
platforms are widely utilized, the company
saw great opportunities.
“At this day and age, family quality time is
most likely to involve electronic devices and all
the technology that comes with it. We understand
the vital needs of at-home connectivity and believe
that Filipinos deserve to have an entertainment
package that is both cutting edge and affordable
and Coocaa makes that possible,” said Rock Zhang,
general manager of Coocaa Philippines.
Coocaa has three series under its portfolio namely
Explore, Innovate and Change.
Coocaa has achieved great grades, becoming the top
TV brand in Lazada Indonesia and other countries.
We are excited to be part of Coocaa’s new chapter
in the Philippines. Its affordable prices and great
technology have an easy appeal with the Filipino market,
bringing all the excitement of a smart TV into numerous
homes.
Considered their most advanced offering, the S5G Explore series is
available in two sizes: 50 and 40 inches, with both equipped with Google
Assistant. Powered by Google, consumers can turn on and off the fan, activate
humidifiers, or switch lamp color, all these made possible by AIot technology.
Curious about the price? Well, it will not empty your wallet that much as the Explore
series’ 50 and 40 inches TV are priced P22,990 and P13, 990, respectively. This portfolio is
intended for the tech-savvy people who put more weight on the technical elements of a device.
Now, Coocaa understands that their target market is very fond of watching movies
and series. In fact, the Philippines market is one of
the heavy subscribers to Netflix. To address this need
among Filipinos, Coocaa launched Innovate S3N series.
Unlike the first series, Innovate series has three
variants: 32, 40 and 43 inches, with All built-in Netflix
5.1 feature for consumers to watch more than 700
movies and TV shows.
“We wanted to focus (the Innovate series) on the
fundamental design of a TV,” said Taylor He, Coocaa’s
business manager, during the media launch on March 14.
The Innovate series cost P9,990, P12,990 and P14,990.
On the other hand, Coocaa put importance on
consumers who are energy conscious thus giving life
to the Change series that features a 32-inch basic TV
costs of P7,490 only.
Change series highlights an HD-ready panel, SRS
Dolby Audio+ and 178-degree angle views. Not to
mention, its energy saving technology.
“Coocaa has achieved great grades, becoming the
top TV brand in Lazada Indonesia and other countries.
We are excited to be part of Coocaa’s new chapter
in the Philippines. Its affordable prices and great
technology have an easy appeal with the Filipino
market, bringing all the excitement of a smart TV
into numerous homes,” said the chief business officer
of Lazada, Emmanuelle Chavarot.
Starting 18 March, Coocaa’s official flagship store
will be out and about on Lazada.
Gene Beatrice A. Micaller

12 TECHTALKS Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Criminals
shift to
formjacking,
stealing
millions
Facial recognition
in US airports
By Gene Beatrice A. Micaller
Should we be alarmed?
To name a few, JFK, Los Angeles and
San Francisco airports are just three of
the 20 airports where the US government
decided to install a facial recognition
software.
According to recent reports, the
software, in compliance with an executive
order inked by President Donald Trump,
will be deployed to the top 20 airports
of the United States by 2021 to identify
every international passenger as well as
American citizens.
Facial recognition software is an
advanced technology that has the
capability to verify an individual’s identity
from a digital image sourced from a video.
It works through a comparison of selected
facial facets from a given image within the
databases.
Today, facial recognition software is
widely used in different forms of devices, be
it a mobile phone, computers and tablets.
The US envisions to integrate its
program of protecting its nation
from terrorist activities.
However, the United States Department
of Homeland Security wants this to be
implemented across all states the soonest
even though they still lack proper vetting
and regulatory safeguards.
“By partnering with airports and
airlines to provide a secure stand-alone
system that works quickly and reliably,
which they will integrate into their
boarding process, CBP (US Customs and
Border Protection) does not have to rebuild
everything from the ground up as we drive
innovation across the travel experience,” a
spokesman told BuzzFeed News.
FACIAL recognition.
With the plans on installing the
software, the US envisions to integrate
its program of protecting its nation from
terrorist activities with the fight against
threats from foreign nationals.
The US has the busiest airports in the
world with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport, Los Angeles Airport
(LAX) and O’Hare International Airport
with the highest volume of flight annually.
But, what’s the dilemma? Accuracy.
For some experts, the technology is not
yet one hundred percent ready to be used by
a mass audience. One Technology director
Patrick Hunter said the software is known
for false positives where the technology
inaccurately “thinks” it got a match.
“In this context, someone’s profile
stored on an unknown number of systems
with unknown data attached to it can lead
to some worrying, albeit rare, scenarios
where you could be mistakenly identified
as a criminal,” he added.
But aside from the accuracy, invasion
of privacy is what worries most citizens.
With the amount of data that will be
collected by the US government, it merely
implies that a person’s private data will be
exposed as well.
Cyber criminals are doubling down on alternative
methods such as formjacking to make money after
“opportunities” from ransomware and cryptojacking have
diminished, a recent Internet Security Threat Report
(ISTR) Volume 24 by cyber security firm Symatec said.
Symantec’s ISTR provides an overview of the threat
landscape, including insights into global threat activity,
cyber criminal trends and motivations for attackers. The
report analyzes data from Symantec’s Global Intelligence
Network, the largest civilian threat intelligence network in
the world, which records events from 123 million attack
sensors worldwide, blocks 142 million threats daily and
monitors threat activities in more than 157 countries.
Globe Telecom launches Globe Future
Makers (GFM) 2019, in collaboration with
The Spark Project, as it takes its position
as an accelerator for social innovators in
the country’s start-up community.
Introduced in 2017, Globe Future Makers
(GFM) is the social innovation program
of Globe which aims to help build the
ecosystem of support for startups which are
using technology to solve the Philippines’
most challenging social problems.
“In promoting digital transformation,
we want to encourage as many businesses
as possible to use technology for social
good. Globe Future Makers offers a unique
opportunity for our small enterprises
using digital technology to scale up and
test if their businesses are replicable
in global markets. We encourage social
innovators and start-ups to participate in
GFM 2019,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief
sustainability officer and SVP for corporate
communications.
She added, “We want to strengthen
New get-rich quick scheme
The report explained
formjacking attacks are
simple — essentially virtual
ATM skimming where cyber
criminals inject malicious
code into retailers’ websites
to steal shoppers’ payment
card details. On average,
more than 4,800
unique websites are
compromised with
formjacking code every month.
Symantec blocked more than
3.7 million formjacking attacks
on endpoints in 2018, with
nearly a third of all detections
occurring during the busiest
online shopping period of the
year — November and December.
While a number of well-known
retailers’ online payment websites,
including Ticketmaster and British
Airways, were compromised with
formjacking code in recent months,
Symantec’s research reveals small
and medium-sized retailers are,
by and large, the most widely
compromised.
By conservative estimates,
cyber criminals may have collected
the Filipino start-up community and use
technologies of the future.” Crisanto noted
that local start-ups are emerging in the
technology space but many have yet to
reach the level of complexity of start-ups
in other countries.
GFM 2019 is open to Philippine-based
individuals, groups or organizations with
solutions that use technology such as a
tens of millions of dollars last year, stealing consumers’ financial
and personal information through credit card fraud and sales on the
dark web. Just 10 credit cards stolen from each compromised website
could result in a yield of up to $2.2 million each month as a single
credit card can fetch up to $45 in underground selling forums. With
more than 380,000 credit cards stolen, the British Airways attack
alone may have allowed criminals to net more than $17 million.
Globe seeks tech use vs social ills
When cash is no longer king
HACKER attacks are
simple — essentially virtual
ATM skimming — where cyber
criminals inject malicious
code into retailers’ websites
to steal shoppers’ payment
card details.
device, platform, hardware or software to
achieve wide-scale positive impact.
Entries must be beyond the ideation
and conceptual stage, with a solution
that has been working for at least two
years and a functional product or service
with actual users. It must also address
any of the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.
By using credit cards and digital wallets, a consumer may be entitled to some warranties when a
product they bought has some defects
Sure, paying with cash provides ease and convenience to consumers, not to mention it is universally accepted. But, here come credit
cards and digital wallets joining the scene. Cash may be the king, but cashless payment is the descendant to the throne.
During the latter part of February, Dan Wolbert, Visa country manager for the Philippines, said the company sees a lot of
opportunities in the country when it comes to digital transactions which resulted to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) raising
the cashless transactions in the country by 20 percent.
Visa is the leading global company that provides payment solutions worldwide through its advanced and innovative
technologies. The company serves a different kind of industry such as consumers, businesses, banks and governments.
“We are well aware of the numbers from the central bank in terms of electronification of payments.
Given what that overall opportunity, there’s just tremendous cash conversion,” Wolbert said.
With the emergence of various digital wallets in the country such as PayMaya, GCash, Coins.
ph, PayPal and GrabPay to name a few, consumers are left with a question: Is the world
ditching cash?
More and more consumers are opting to transact through digital wallets rather
than physical money. Why? Well, there’s a lot on the list.
By using credit cards and digital wallets, a consumer may be entitled
to some warranties when a product they bought has some defects.
Moreover, when properly used, credit card providers will increase
credit standing thus, improving your credit worthiness.
But what consumers unconsciously want from credit
cards is the fact that they can buy something now
and pay later.
Credit cards are also easy to use
because they are accepted as payment
to almost every part of the world.
Just with one swipe and
you’re done with your
transactions.
GBAMicaller
MAN in front of a facial ID screen at Dulles Airport.
Everyone slowly becoming Netflix’s prey
With its reasonable streaming fee,
easy-to-navigate website, plus the fact that
a maximum of four devices can stream
simultaneously, admit it, we’re all hooked
to Netflix.
Can you imagine? Four people can watch
movies, series, documentaries or concerts all
at the same time in high-definition screens
by just paying a maximum of P550.
Netflix opened its door to the public
in 1997, which was conceived with the
NETFLIX top-rating movies and TV series.
primary business in subscription-based
streaming OTT service, a type of content
providers that bypass telecommunications,
multichannel television and broadcast
television to give viewers a content with
the use of the internet.
As of today, the company has 139
million subscribers/viewers all over the
world.
One of the many top-rating movies
and TV series of Netflix are the Sandra
A WOMAN makes a purchase with her smartphone
at an open-air market in China's eastern
Shandong Province.
Bullock-starred Bird Box, revolutionary Black
Mirror, the overwhelming 13 Reasons Why
and the petrifying Haunting of Hill House and
a lot more.
And if you’re a K-drama zealot, Netflix
won’t abandon you especially with the
introduction of its newest top-rated series:
Kingdom.
But independent of the quality and
timely-themed films, why are the public’s
eyes all gazing to their screens watching
Netflix shows?
According to research,
there are metrics on
how an individual adapt
to innovation such as
Netflix. These are relative
advantage, compatibility,
complexity, trialability
and observability.
And most of these
you can observe on
Netflix’s website.
The relative advantage
could serve as the most
reliable metric. It tries to
measure how innovation is
better as compared to its
apparent competitors. To
make it simple, a change
should save people from
wasting more money, time
and effort.
Teledyne’s new 5 Mpixel,
CMOS image sensor
Teledyne e2v, a Teledyne Technologies
company and innovator of vision solutions,
announces the expansion of its Emerald
family of CMOS image sensors with a new five
megapixel device.
The Emerald 5M is designed for machine
vision, Automated Optical Inspection
(AOI), and factory automation
applications that require higher
resolution images of objects in
motion, with no distortion.
Available in both monochrome
and color, this sensor has
a small 1/1.8 inch optical
format, containing a 2.8 μm,
low-noise, global shutter pixel
and arranged in a 2,560 x 1,936 array.
The device can also stream video at 50 fps at 10
bits, over a four wire, MIPI CSI-2 interface.
The Emerald 5M is designed to enable fast,
wide-range operation and includes powerful
unique patented features and region of interest
modes. The sensor is optimized for machine
vision applications and includes 5° Chief
Ray Angle compensation and is offered in a
ruggedized CLGA package or miniaturized
organic fan-out package that is only 1.19 mm
thick.
CMOS image sensor.
The Emerald 5M also provides flexibility to
R&D engineers with its global shutter and MIPI
CSI-2 interface, which allows it to utilize the
latest Image Signal Processors (ISP) available
for mobile applications. The sensor’s embedded
digital functionalities (multi region of interest,
subsampling, auto exposure at first
frame, single frame HDR
and on-chip statistics) help
reduce processor load and
hasten time-to-market.
Key features:
Global shutter CMOS pixel (2.8
μm x 2.8 μm)
1/1.8” optical format
MIPI CSI-2 interface, up to 4 wires
Package options: CLGA or fan-out
organic package
Color Filter Array options: monochrome
or color Bayer
On-chip functionalities: multi ROI,
subsampling, single frame exposure, single
frame HDR
This latest 5 megapixel device is a member
of the expanding Emerald family of sensors,
which are now available in resolutions of 2,
8.9, 12, 16 and 67 megapixels.

MAGNOLIA,
GINEBRA
FAN HOPES
P18
XI PRODS
MEETING
MILITARY
GOALS
P19
A FAMILY
OF
DANCERS
AND MORE
P21
THE MAN
BEHIND
TASTY LECHE
FLAN
P23
Aldrin Cardona, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
SUNDAY
SPORTS 17
STREAK CONTINUES
Spurs reach 7th heaven
Friday’s Games
(Saturday in Manila)
We’re a darn good team
SAN ANTONIO — Three weeks after hitting a low point with a
“pathetic” performance on Broadway, the Spurs hit a high note
against the New York Knicks.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio
beat the Knicks 109-83 on Friday night to extend its season-best
winning streak to seven games.
“It’s more of a focus and them understanding that when we play
good defense, we’re a darn good team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich
said.
DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes each added 13 points for the
Spurs, whose previous season high was five straight victories.
Other NBA games saw Charlotte swamp Washington, 116-110;
Detroit smother L.A. Lakers, 111-97; Philadelphia slide Sacramento,
123-114; Houston sink Phoenix, 108-102; Milwaukee sear Miami, 113-98;
Portland scuttle New Orleans, 122-110; and the L.A. Clippers smear
Chicago, 128-121
New York, which was without injured point guard Dennis Smith Jr.,
lost its eighth straight. Damyean Dotson had 21 points and DeAndre
Jordan added 11 points, 13 rebounds and matched a career high
with nine assists.
The Spurs hold the league’s longest active winning streak and
have won nine straight and 16 of 18 at the AT&T Center.
“It just feels good,” San Antonio forward Rudy Gay said. “Things
are clicking. Playing defense. Even when the ball is not going in like
we want it to, we’re still getting wins and that’s how you know we’re
getting better as a team.”
It’s more of a focus and them understanding that when
we play good defense.
Gay had 12 points in 19 minutes after missing two games and
losing 10 pounds because of the flu.
The Spurs dominated defensively, which was in stark contrast to
what Popovich deemed a “pathetic performance defensively” in their
previous meeting with the Knicks.
New York snapped an 18-game skid at home, routing the Spurs
130-118 on Feb. 24 as part of San Antonio’s worst Rodeo Road Trip
ever. The Spurs have had a greater sense of urgency since going 1-7
on that road trip and it continued against the team with the league’s
worst record (13-66).
New York had 16 turnovers and shot 41 percent from the field.
“When we beat them at our place, we limited our mistakes, our
turnovers and stuff like that,” Knicks forward Kevin Knox said. “So,
they came in with a little bit of a chip and we just didn’t respond.”
San Antonio opened an 11-point lead in the first quarter Friday
and maintained that double-digit advantage for much of the game.
The Spurs had 48 points in the paint behind the starting tandem
of Aldridge and Jakob Poeltl.
The Spurs hold the league’s longest active winning
streak.
Aldridge had 10 points and seven rebounds and closed with his
25th double-double of the season.
“(Having Poeltl start at center) kind of frees me up to float a
little bit and kind of find my shot in different ways,” Aldridge said.
“I’m spacing the floor a little bit more. I’m not the focal point as
the pick-and-roll guy all the time, so it kind of changes it up for me.
He’s been active.”
Poeltl had 12 points, nine rebounds and matched a career high
with five blocks.
Trailing 76-67, New York had an opportunity to pull closer but
Kadeem Allen missed a contested layup as Aldridge raced back on
defense following a turnover. Gay followed with a three-pointer to
extend the Spurs’ lead to 79-67.
AP
RORY McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during
the second round of The Players Championship golf tournament. AP
NEW YORK Knicks’ Emmanuel Mudiay looks to pass as he is defended by San Antonio Spurs’
Dante Cunningham during their NBA game Friday.
AP
Federer, Nadal in semis path
Nadal stands in the way of
Federer’s pursuit of a record
sixth title at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, California — It’s Federer
vs. Nadal again, only this time it’ll be in the
semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Roger Federer beat Hubert Hurkacz
6-4, 6-4 and Rafael Nadal got by Karen
Khachanov 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) on Friday to
set up the old rivals’ 39th career meeting
and first in 16 months.
Neither Federer nor Nadal has dropped
a set in four matches in the desert.
Federer has been broken just once,
while Nadal has dropped serve
three times, twice against
Khachanov.
Nadal stands in the way of
Federer’s pursuit of a record
sixth title at Indian Wells.
Still, the Swiss superstar was
rooting for Nadal to advance
against his 22-year-old opponent.
“Playing against young guys
to eventually get to Rafa, that’s
exciting,” said Federer, who also
faced an opponent the same age
as Khachanov.
Nadal’s right knee flared up in the second
set for the first time during the tournament.
He called for a trainer who applied tape just
below the knee. The trainer returned again
with Nadal leading 3-2 in the second set.
Knee problems have dogged the 32-year-old
Spaniard in recent years and they cut short his
2018 season after the US Open in September.
Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu
rallied past No. 6 Elina Svitolina 6-3,
2-6, 6-4, winning on her fourth match
point to reach the biggest final of her
young career.
Andreescu became the first
wild-card to reach the Indian
Wells final.
Andreescu will play two-time
major champion Angelique
Kerber, who ended
23rd-seeded Belinda
Bencic’s run of upsets
with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The 18-year-old
Canadian’s run is
reminiscent of Naomi
Osaka’s path to last
year’s title. Little-known
at the time, Osaka used
her Indian Wells victory
as a launching pad to
beating Serena Williams
for the US Open title and winning the
Australian Open while becoming the world’s
top-ranked player.
AP
Rory, Tommy real chummy
Tiger Woods just made the cut
with a one-under 71
LOS ANGELES — Rory McIlroy charged
up the leaderboard on the back nine, firing
a seven-under 65 on Friday to grab a share
of the lead with Tommy Fleetwood at the
halfway stage of the Players Championship.
McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, went seven
under par on his final 11 holes, making an
eagle on the par-five 16th, a birdie on the
par-three 17 and par on the par-four closing
hole to reach a 12-under 132 total.
He is tied with England’s Fleetwood who
shot a five-under 67 for his sixth straight
round under par.
Ian Poulter (66), Jim Furyk (64), Brian
ANGELIQUE Kerber of Germany
celebrates after defeating Belinda
Bencic of Switzerland at the BNP
Paribas Open tennis tournament. AP
Harman (69) and Abraham Ancer (66) are
tied for third at nine-under 135 at the TPC
Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Australia’s Jason Day shot a 66 and is
tied for seventh with Keith Mitchell and
Kevin Kisner at eight-under 136.
Tiger Woods just made the cut with a
one-under 71 but was left hovering along
the cut line after a quadruple bogey
seven on the picturesque par-three island
green. He finished tied for 39th with a
three-under 141 total, nine strokes back
of the leaders.
Teeing off on his eighth hole of the day
after starting on the back nine, Woods’ tee
shot from 146 yards was long and left over
the island green and his next shot from
the drop zone was also long. AFP
Charlotte 116, Washington 110
Detroit 111, L.A. Lakers 97
Philadelphia 123, Sacramento 114
Houston 108, Phoenix 102
Milwaukee 113, Miami 98
Portland 122, New Orleans 110
San Antonio 109, New York 83
L.A. Clippers 128, Chicago 121
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
x-Toronto 49 20 .710 —
Philadelphia 44 25 .638 5
Boston 42 27 .609 7
Brooklyn 36 34 .514 13½
New York 13 56 .188 36
Southeast Division
Miami 32 36 .471 —
Orlando 32 38 .457 1
Charlotte 31 37 .456 1
Washington 29 40 .420 3½
Atlanta 24 45 .348 8½
Central Division
x-Milwaukee 52 17 .754 —
Indiana 44 25 .638 8
Detroit 35 33 .515 16½
Chicago 19 51 .271 33½
Cleveland 17 52 .246 35
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W L Pct GB
Houston 43 26 .623 —
San Antonio 40 29 .580 3
New Orleans 30 41 .423 14
Memphis 28 41 .406 15
Dallas 27 41 .397 15½
Northwest Division
Denver 45 22 .672 —
Portland 42 26 .618 3½
Oklahoma City 42 27 .609 4
Utah 39 29 .574 6½
Minnesota 32 37 .464 14
Pacific Division
Golden State 46 21 .687 —
L.A. Clippers 40 30 .571 7½
Sacramento 33 35 .485 13½
L.A. Lakers 31 38 .449 16
Phoenix 16 54 .229 31½
x-clinched playoff spot
Saturday’s Games
(Sunday in Manila)
Atlanta at Boston
Memphis at Washington
Phoenix at New Orleans
Cleveland at Dallas
Golden State at Oklahoma City
Portland at San Antonio
Brooklyn at Utah
Indiana at Denver
Sunday’s Games
(Monday in Manila)
L.A. Lakers at New York
Charlotte at Miami
Philadelphia at Milwaukee
Toronto at Detroit
Atlanta at Orlando
Chicago at Sacramento
Brooklyn at L.A. Clippers
Minnesota at Houston
Monday’s Games
(Tuesday in Manila)
Detroit at Cleveland
Utah at Washington
Denver at Boston
New York at Toronto
Golden State at San Antonio
Miami at Oklahoma City
New Orleans at Dallas
Chicago at Phoenix
Indiana at Portland

14
LIVING SPACES
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
PARQAL BREAKS
GROUND, EYES
OFFICERS of D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc. (DMWAI)
leads the unveiling ceremony of Parqal.
PARQAL perspective.
The original concept for Parqal
was to be the park area of
Aseana City, but we are still
retaining that with all of the
green spaces and the kalye
concept
2021 COMPLETION
By Gene Beatrice A. Micaller
As Parqal’s designated developer, D.M.
Wenceslao Associates Inc. (DMWAI) on 6
March led the groundbreaking ceremony of
the state-of-the-art project, the first phase of
which is set to be finished by the end of 2021.
A five-hectare property at the heart of the
progressive city of Paranaque, Parqal will be
a multi-functional development that celebrates
the Philippines’ rich history and heritage.
“The original concept for Parqal was to
be the park area of Aseana City, but we are
still retaining that with all of the green spaces
and the kalye concept. And if you take a look
at it, it’s actually a retail street running 1.7
kilometers. It’s actually taking inspiration from
retail streets with canopies all over the world
like in Las Vegas, Japan and Korea.”
Parqal will have a gross floor area (GFA)
of 78,000 square meters with nine fourstory
buildings. It will occupy two blocks
of Macapagal Boulevard in the city: Block
2 which links Calero Drive and Macapagal
Boulevard and Block 5 that connects
Macapagal Boulevard and Imao Road.
DMWAI plans to provide the kind of
surroundings where people can unwind and
get away from the hassle of the metro. For
its modern urban planning, the Wenceslaoled
developer will allot 60 percent of the
overall lot area of Parqal to topography that
lavishly exhibits nature-like landscapes and
leisure attractions.
“Decades ago, sustainable park living
in the city was only a dream for Filipinos.
With Parqal, this dream is now a reality.
DELFIN Wenceslao, CEO of Aseana City.
Imagine a long retail spine where you can
find themed open-spaces every five-minute
walk. I think that’s something you can only
find in Aseana City,” stated Buds Wenceslao,
chief executive officer of DMWAI.
Parqal touches will include the Bahay
na Bato concept from the architectural
designs prevalent during the Philippines’
Spanish colonial period that’s very much
alive up until now.
The five-hectare construction will also
utilize EFTE, a sustainable material that
will allow sunlight in, while minimizing heat
and allowing plant life to flourish.
The 50-year-old property developer
envisions itself as an instrument to
create a more sustainable living for
Filipinos.
Come 2021, its expected finish, Parqal
will feature mixed-use developments
(residential and commercial) spaces that
will create more livelihood for Filipinos. The
residential developments will offer premium
condominiums while the commercial spaces
will house office and retail spaces.
“Parqal is not just about retail. We are
going to offer two floors for retail and two
floors of offices above [per building] because
we are trying to attract various types of
industries,” said Julius Guevara, DMWAI’s
vice president for Corporate Planning, during
Parqal groundbreaking ceremony.
Realizing that there is already a large
DRA. Sylvia Wenceslao vice president for treasury (middle) with CEO Delfin
Wenceslao (from left), chairman Delfin Wenceslao Jr., COO Paolo Wenceslao
and Carlos Wenceslao vice president for Resource Management.
number of big players in the Philippines’
real estate industry, Guevara acknowledged
that instead of competing with them, the
company will strive to offer something that
will disrupt the market.
“We don’t want to compete with the big
boys. We try to create unique and special
retail experiences here in the bay area
that would complement and not directly
compete with the [current] offerings here,”
he added.
The 50-year-old property developer
envisions itself as an instrument to create
a more sustainable living for Filipinos. With
Parqal, DMWAI hopes to attain a four- to
five-star ranking from the local counterpart
of Green Building Council, BERDE.
“We are trying to be BERDE, which is
the local counterpart of Green Building
Council. It will feature a lot of green and
sustainable practices, one of which is the
canopy that minimizes the cost of energy
related to the running air-conditioners.”
WHICH IS BEST FOR
HOME ENTERTAINMENT?
Projector vs
large screen TV
With the myriad of TV options from Netflix to cable
to Blu-ray, more people are opting to stay home than go
to the movies these days. The concept of home theater
cinema is now more prevalent than ever. For cinephiles
looking to take the home cinema experience to the next
level, factors from the acoustics, the physical space and
seats, down to lighting make a huge difference.
Key to the home theater experience is the quality and
size of the viewing screen. The question begs – which is
the best option for your home, TV or a home projector,
and what are the factors to consider?
Green sanctuary in the city
Property developer and manager New Creation 101 is behind this charming
community including the Tivoli Royale Country Club
Living in the city nowadays has been
synonymous to pollution, traffic and cramped
spaces.
Fortunately, there are a few areas where
young professionals, starting (and growing)
families and flourishing entrepreneurs may still
be able to invest in for a future home that boasts
of a picturesque landscape that offers only quiet
calm and tranquility.
Tivoli Royale Subdivision, nestled on verdant
terrain in a private neighborhood in Quezon City,
is considered a green sanctuary in the city. It
is one of very few areas clearly overlooking the
hills of Antipolo and Marikina Valley, in both
flood and west valley earthquake fault line-free
residential subdivision and certainly conducive
to a happy and healthy family living.
THIS subdivision is highly secured with 24/7 security service.
The ongoing construction of Don Antonio
Station of MRT-7 at Commonwealth Avenue plus
the new alternative inner access road going to
Katipunan Avenue places Tivoli Royale in a more
strategic prime location.
Accessible also to key
establishments like churches, top
universities and colleges, medical
institutions, government offices,
commercial centers and major
shopping malls, Tivoli Royale is a
highly secured subdivision with 24/7
security service.
With only less than 100 existing
homeowners
on a 22
hectares subdivision in a less densely population,
Tivoli Royale is now known as home of celebrities,
businessmen and professionals.
Property developer and manager New
Creation 101 is behind this charming community
including the Tivoli Royale Country Club, found
inside the subdivision which offers various
amenities (sports, recreation, events) for
homeowners and private members.
TIVOLI offers a picturesque landscape with a quiet and calm
surroundings.
Real property investing at this
time, especially for those who
want to build beautiful homes
for their families and promising
peace and security amidst the
bustling metro, is certainly highly
recommended. This is especially
true for Tivoli Royale Subdivision.
For more information, please
check www.tivoliroyale.com or
visit the Marketing Office at 2nd
Flr. Tivoli Royale Country Club,
Inc. and look for
Gennel ( 0947 822 6405 ) and
Claire at ( 0950 191 4620 ) or office
landline (02) 814 3933.
KEY factors that influence one's choice of television includes
image quality, flexibility, ease of set-up and maintenance.
To get the maximum out of the huge variety of available
programming, there are fundamentally two hardware
choices — a flat screen TV or projector. Both options offer
screen sizes that dwarf the typical flickering 27-inch CRT
sets of the early TV age. A huge screen, accompanied by
a sophisticated stereo sound system, fully justifies the
name of “home theater.”
Key factors that will influence the choice include image
quality, flexibility, ease of set-up and maintenance, and of
course, the total cost of ownership.
The first consideration will be size. This will be mainly
determined by the available space in the user’s home. This
means taking into account the room configuration. Consider
the throw distance and the projector features that offers
placement flexibility. One can also consider how the set-up
can make optimum use of otherwise dead space in the room.
Size matters
Homeowners looking to replicate a movie-going
experience may be looking for a large screen size of close
to 100 inches or even more. A projector can deliver the
large screen cinematic experience at a fraction of the
price of a flat screen TV. Compared to a similarly sized
flat screen TV, projectors deliver the most cost-effective
per inch of picture.
DOT PROPERTY
PHILIPPINES AWARDS
2018
LAROSSA CAPITOL HILLS
BY PRIMEHOMES
BEST RESIDENTIAL
BOTANICAL DEVELOPMENT
2018
www.dotpropertyawards.com

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
BLAST
15
The Much-Awaited
Jimny is Finally Here
Story and Photos by Ronald de los Reyes
The long wait is over as the all-new Suzuki Jimny All-Grip
Pro is finally here. After a brief preview last October at
the Philippine International Motor Show held at the World
Trade Center, Suzuki Philippines (SPH) officially brings to
our shores the beloved mini 4x4 SUV.
Enthusiasts, guests and the media gathered at the BGC
Amphitheater in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig to witness
the unveiling of this much-awaited popular compact stunner.
“Our determination to provide simple, straightforward,
and functional vehicles such as the Suzuki Jimny All-Grip
Pro underscores our commitment to continuously provide
innovation that Filipinos can rely on. Every detail of the
fourth-generation Jimny—from the body to the engine—is
designed to deliver the maximum performance and durability
required by serious off-road travelers,” said SPH Director
and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki.
“With this newest addition to our lineup of vehicles,
more Filipinos can now enjoy the ‘Suzuki Way of Life’ as
they explore more challenges and adventures,” he added.
This fourth-generation SUV keeps its petite size, light
body and boxy look—which are already all-known unique
traits since the Jimny of old. With this, it gets to squeeze
through tight mountain trails or even wee corners of
the urban jungles, making this critter a favorite among
adventurers, particularly offroaders.
“The Jimny brings in comfort, satisfaction and a broader
horizon to the customer. Its simple and functional beauty
is a trademark it has kept all these years,” Suzuki further
shared.
“It delivers authentic toughness and reliability in offroad
adventure.”
At the onset, the Suzuki Jimny already screams its
potential for optimal offroad functionalities with its iconic
front grille and round LED projector type headlamps, angled
bumper and square-shaped wheel arches (for easier tire
changes) with its usual spare tire cover at its rear. Darkmetallic
gray 15-inch alloy wheels, meantime, put icing on
its no-nonsense swagger.
Inside, the cabin design mirrors its outer practicality.
They maintain the inner layout at minimal to keep thrills
outside the window—uninterupted. Dark hues are even
used—except for some metallic colors on the center switches
and dials. To exude that certain doggedness, the instrument
panel sports that scratch- and stain-resistant grained finish.
To add more utility, the Jimny features a nine-inch
touchscreen with palpable icons, an off-line GPS navigation
system and off-road audio guide. It even wrings 53 liters
more luggage space compared to its predecessor.
Motivation comes from a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder K15B engine
that produces 100hp @ 6,000 rpm and 130N-m @ 4,000rpm.
Practically Fitter Offroader
SUZUKI’s Total Effective Control Technology (TECT),
which allows collision energy to spread across the vehicle
frame to mitigate damage to both car and passengers, is
one of its offroad acme as it reduces driver stress and
fatigue. Ladder frame rigidity is increased and the body
mounts are redesigned for lower vibration. The front seat
cushion frames are now 70mm wider and 50mm taller for
better shock absorption.
Not to mention the Jimny uses a long-stroke three-link
suspension and rigid full wheel axles on both front and
rear for strong traction on rough terrain.
Moreover; the vehicle’s 37-degree specialized approach
angle, 28-degree ramp breakover angle and 49-degree
departure angle allow it to maneuver over the hump.
Further offroad prowess comes with its part-time 4WD
with low-range transfer gear which can switch between 4WD
and 2WD. Shifting to 4L mode also gives it that extra push.
The Jimny can even handle any hurdle by combining Hill Hold
Control, Hill Descent Control and brake Limited Slip-Differential
(LSD) Traction Control. These allow both wheels to maintain speed
and better control even in uneven road conditions.
Popular with the Ladies
The Suzuki Jimny’s global appeal has been undeniably
phenomenal as it invigoratingly captured audiences
worldwide since its introduction back in 1970 (1998 in local
market). Suzuki has already sold 2.85 million units in 194
countries until September of last year.
Back here, not only does it push the right buttons on its male
customers but has also enthralled their female counterparts.
In fact, according to Suzuki, 30% of the model’s customers
are women—actually having the Solid Kinetic Yellow variant
at the particular launch in BGC as their darling.
The said affair is part of a three-leg activation strategically
staged in key parts of the metro. The second part will be
held at Eastwood, Central Plaza while the third will be at
the UP Town Center Amphitheater.
The Suzuki Jimny All-Grip Pro is priced as follows: GL M/T
(P975,000), GL A/T (P1.035 million), GLX A/T Monotone (P1.085
million), and GLX A/T Two Tone (P1.095 million).
Available colors are: Solid Kinetic Yellow, Metallic Brisk
Blue, Metallic Chiffon Ivory, Pearl Bluish Black, Solid
Medium Gray, Metallic Silky Silver, Superior White and
Solid Jungle Green.
THE Solid Kinetic Yellow-colored variant is the favorite among female customers.
ITS cabin design mirrors its outer practicality
IT is power by a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder
K15B engine.
DAF
PH Opens
Laguna and
Davao facilities
(L-R) SPH Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki, SPH President Hiroshi Suzuki and SPH Managing Director
Norminio Mojica presents the all-new Suzuki Jimny
Gone Gung-ho:
A Reenergized Veloster
DAF Philippines, a subsidiary of Pioneer Truck Parts
and Equipment Corporation, recently opened their facilities
in Laguna and Davao City.
The sprawling facility in Laguna is situated in Pulo-Diezmo
Road, Pulo, Cabuyao, Laguna. DAF’s Cabuyao showroom houses
its stockyard of brand new and reconditioned light to heavy
commercial trucks. According to Benedict Allen Go, President and
CEO of Pioneer Truck Parts and Equipment, all of their trucks are
EURO 5 compliant as their massive parts and equipment warehouse
stores a complete inventory of spare parts and accessories, from
tires, truck heads, engines, transmission, brake and suspension parts,
electronic and wiring harnesses, plus wheels and tires.
Aside from an inventory of trucks and parts depot, the DAF facility
is the only one in the country with a “Rolling Road”, an equipment that
accurately measures the speed of a truck. This machine allows all six
wheels of the truck to simulate road conditions and at the same time
gives technical feedback about the truck’s fuel efficiency at different
speeds. This can also be used for engine calibration and brake testing.
Just a day after the Cabuyao launch, the said company also formally
opened its doors for business in Davao City, Mindanao’s key investment area
and home to President Rodrigo Duterte. According to Go, the Davao facility
is strategic because of its fast and strong economic growth and development.
DAF PH has been doing business in the country since last year and has
already secured key fleet accounts in the Luzon and Davao areas. They
have been supplying trucks to logistic firms and petroleum companies.
Hence, this paved the way for the construction of their newly opened
showrooms.
DAF XF trucks are
available in their
new showrooms.
When the Hyundai Veloster first made its presence
felt in our own shores several years back through
a market unknown to our big players, I was—at the
onset—roused by its nifty swagger. However; only a
few months into the foray and hearing stories from
friends in the after-market, this scribe was a bit
disillusioned by the said famed city slicker.
The supposed “alpha at a glance” eventually
turned out to be a sheep in wolves clothing pertaining
to its cool, radical and outrageous physique yet
second-rate handling and modest power. Personally,
I am a big fan of stylish hot hatches. However; some
take too much premium on aesthetics that form
eventually takes over function—which turns off a
supposed avid fan.
Good thing Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI)
finally decided to officially debut the Korean
subcompact prodigy at the Manila International Auto
Show a couple years back which somehow turned
the tides for the gorgeous subcompact—especially
when they introduced its turbocharged version.
Eventually, my luck found its way behind this
long-awaited soiree with the three-door wonder. The
week-long test drive was enough to familiarize with
the Hyundai Veloster and somehow allowed me to
debug some misconceptions.
First, this stunner truly is a head-turner—needless
to say—as its looks in fact no doubt are its best assets.
Through the years, it aged well with its renowned
aggressive shark-bite grill down to its nasty svelte
spoiler coupled with its flashy twin-pipes at the
rear. It’s a genuine youthful charmer as its exquisite
panache is awe-inspiring from its front all the way to
the back—surely leaving passersby astounded from
“Hi” to “Good-bye”.
Inside, it sports a fairly spacious cabin for a
subcompact as it features highly bolstered sports
seats, leather upholstery with “Turbo” stitches
while boasting of touchscreen monitor and a chic
panoramic sun-roof. On hand nooks and cubbies
provide plenty of places to stow keys, sunglasses, keys
and other personal items within reach. It’s homey
and gives you that needed room inside except maybe
for that twist in its one-door set-up at the back seat.
To compensate, its 440-liter trunk expands to
983 liters with the 60/40 split rear seats dropped,
making it easily accessible.
It’s powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injected four
cylinder with turbocharger which when activated
pushes the sprinter with an extra 18 PSI of boost.
Delivering 204 horsepower and 265 Nm of torque,
it’s fun to drive in the city and truly a total bliss in
the straights. It does have some quirks in steering
and at sudden spurts but it’s such a darling one
may just forget such kinks.
For showoffs looking for a fairly sensible
everyday carriage with a touch of flair in
today’s daily grind, the Veloster won’t
disappoint as it chips in a fair 7 km/L
in traffic. Though—yes—knowing at the
back of your head that it’s perhaps only
supposedly meant to be that week-end
toy car.
All in all, this writer was just ecstatic
to have finally slipped behind the
wheel of this reasonably priced dream
car of a hot hatch as it finally had its
functions—at least—now match its bad-ass
guises.
Story and Photos by R. Reyes
Specifications
• Vehicle 2017 Hyundai Veloster 1.6 Turbo GDi
• Type Compact Sedan
• Engine 1.6 direct injection turbocharger
• Maximum Power 204 hp @ 6,000 rpm
• Maximum Torque 265 N-m or torque @ 1,750-4,500 rpm
• Transmission 7 SpeedDCT
Dimensions
• Overall length 4,250 mm
• Overall width 1,805 mm
• Overall Height 1,405 mm
• Wheelbase 2,650 mm
Price as Tested ₱ 1,648,000.00
THE Hyundai Veloster's
looks are definitely its best
assets.

16
BLAST
Ronald de los Reyes, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
X5 premium stand-out
with its distinctive
exterior design.
THE new-design instrument
cluster, display and cutting-edge
concept optimize the driver’s
ability to maintain control.
VIM
& VIGOR:
All-new
BMW X5 eyes
top spot anew
UNDER its hood is a BMW TwinPower Turbo inline-6
diesel engine that produces 265 hp and 620 N-m of
torque and sprints to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds.
We aim to take the leadership back
and the BMW X5 is one of the
important models that we sell as
it is our flagship SUV. We have a
winner here
Text and photos by Ronald de los Reyes
SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., importer
of luxury BMW vehicles in the country, recently
launched the fourth generation X5 at a ceremony
held at The Fifth in Rockwell, Makati City.
This newest iteration of the Sports Activity
Vehicle (SAV) embodies the model’s typical
characteristics of versatility, sovereignty and
luxury as it aspires to again joust with other
players in its ever cutthroat segment.
Unlike previous locally sold models of the
X5, only one variant is available for this newest
SAV — the X5 xDrive30d xLine.
“It’s the boss and it’s back. The BMW X5 has
always been the leader in the luxury mid-size
SUV since its introduction back in 1999. And
with this new model, we believe that we’re
offering customers a great product with great
value,” conveyed BMW Philippines President
Spencer Yu in hopes that the company gains
new higher ground with this newest edition.
“We aim to take the leadership back and the
BMW X5 is one of the important models that we
sell as it is our flagship SUV. We have a winner
here,” he added.
For a time, BMW used to be the best
performing premium and luxury automobile
brand in the country with 1,016 units sold in
2016. They currently seat at third among local
premium contenders.
Globally, BMW has already sold about 2.2
million X5 model units wherein one-third belong
to American customers.
Fresh and Revolutionary Grandeur
This premium stunner stands out in a
crowd with its distinctive exterior design. Its
front fascia, for one, is defined by an enlarged
one-piece BMW kidney grille complemented by
dual LED headlights. Stylish design cues even
include an underguard, roof rails and Aluminum
Satinated-clad side windows and other accents
which all exude that “go anywhere” character.
First impressions also do last with character
lines that flow through its seemingly brawn
shoulders all the way to the back — where
a three-dimensional swagger of glass
covers make its rearlight voguishly
sharp. The 20-inch light-alloy wheels
in V-spoke design further add to its
elgant flair.
Interior-wise, this sleek masterpiece
sports a more structured cabin that
provides a feeling of space. The newdesign
instrument cluster, Control Display
and cutting-edge control concept, meantime,
optimize the driver’s ability to maintain control.
Its new Vernasca Leather brings a more
exclusive ambiance as other standard
features include comfort seats, cooled/heated
cupholders, ambient lighting, and the Harman
Kardon sound system.
Globally, BMW has already sold about 2.2
million X5 model units wherein one-third
belong to American customers.
Space has even grown as proven by its added
luggage versatility, accommodating 650 liters with
the rear seats up and 1,860 liters with the rear seats
tumbled down. Aside from folding in a 40/20/40
split, it has a two-section tailgate for ease of loading.
To spice things up, this debonaire also
gets the latest BMW Operating System 7.0 as
well as the BMW Live Cockpit Professional
system that comprises an all-digital instrument
cluster and high-definition control display, both
measuring 12.3 inches. Multi-modal interaction,
on the other hand, allows the driver to use the
steering wheel buttons, iDrive Controller, the
touchscreen display, voice control or BMW
gesture control, however he wants.
Under its hood is a BMW TwinPower Turbo
inline-6 diesel engine that rakes in 265 hp and
620 N-m of torque and sprints to 100 km/h
in just 6.5 seconds. The engine is mated to
an eight-speed automatic while power is
distributed to all four wheels using the BMW
xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system.
BMW’s sole X5 variant is priced at P5,990,000
with its competitive warranty: five years /
200,000 kilometers — a first in the premium
automotive segment.
STRIVING FOR ELECTRIC DREAMS
New Nissan Leaf
in Indonesia, Phl by 2020
We are creating excitement by bringing
the new Nissan Leaf to more markets in
the region and introducing in Indonesia
and the Philippines is a key step
HONG KONG — Nissan will sell the new Leaf in
Indonesia and the Philippines by 2020, underscoring
Nissan’s commitment to drive electrification in the region.
The expanded availability of the world’s best-selling
electric vehicle is an important part of Nissan’s goal to
electrify one fourth of its sales volume under its midterm
plan — Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022. The acceleration plan
also includes assembly and localization of electrification
components in key Southeast Asian markets.
Nissan regional senior vice president and head of Asia
& Oceania Yutaka Sanada said the company is working
to make safe, smart and sustainable mobility available
to as many people as possible.
“Nissan is taking leadership to drive awareness and
embracing of electrified mobility in Asia and Oceania,” said
Sanada. “We are creating excitement by bringing the new
Nissan Leaf to more markets in the region and introducing
in Indonesia and the Philippines is a key step. This allows
customers to get first-hand experience with the benefits of
electric vehicles for themselves and for societies.”
The new Nissan Leaf is the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the
company’s vision to moving people to a better world by changing
how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society. With more
than 400,000 units of Nissan
Leaf sold since they
ALL-NEW BMW X5 is available
only in one variant, the X5 xDrive
3O dx Line.
began selling in 2010, it has become the world’s best- selling 100
percent electric vehicle. Within the region, Nissan has introduced
the electric vehicle this year to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore,
South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
The introduction of the new Nissan Leaf, together with
a series of e-POWER models, marks an important step
in the electrification of mobility in Asia and Oceania.
e-POWER is Nissan’s proprietary technology that gives
customers the benefits of electric vehicles, but without
the need to charge. Nissan Serena e-POWER will be
the first e-POWER model to be launched in the region,
starting with Singapore this year.
This allows customers to get first-hand
experience with the benefits of electric vehicles
for themselves and for societies.
“e-POWER, we believe, is the most pragmatic step towards
electrification,” said Sanada. “In addition to introducing
electrified mobility, Nissan is working on making them more
accessible through electrification components assembly and
localization in key Southeast Asian markets.”
The announcements were made at Nissan Futures
in Hong Kong, a gathering in Hong Kong of industry
leaders, government officials and media from across Asia
and Oceania. The three-day event is bringing together
influential speakers to discuss how to create a sustainable
future through vehicle electrification, and how to make
advanced driving technologies more accessible, under
the theme “Transform the way we live and drive.”
FROM left: BMW Group Asia Area Manager Sue Ann Phoon; BMW Group Asia Managing Director
Christopher Wehner; The Economic and Commercial Counsellor of German Embassy Manila
Mr. Andree Buhl; SMC Asia Car Distrubutors Corp. Chairman Ramon S. Ang and SMC Asia Car
Distrubutors Corp. President Spencer Yu present the all-new BMW X5.
NISSAN Leaf is set to be on Philippine roads by 2020.

MAGNOLIA,
GINEBRA
FAN HOPES
P18
XI PRODS
MEETING
MILITARY
GOALS
P19
A FAMILY
OF
DANCERS
AND MORE
P21
THE MAN
BEHIND
LECHE FLAN
IN A JAR
P23
Aldrin Cardona, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
SUNDAY
SPORTS 17
STREAK CONTINUES
Spurs reach 7th heaven
Friday’s Games
(Saturday in Manila)
We’re a darn good team
SAN ANTONIO — Three weeks after hitting a low point with a
“pathetic” performance on Broadway, the Spurs hit a high note
against the New York Knicks.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio
beat the Knicks 109-83 on Friday night to extend its season-best
winning streak to seven games.
“It’s more of a focus and them understanding that when we play
good defense, we’re a darn good team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich
said.
DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes each added 13 points for the
Spurs, whose previous season high was five straight victories.
Other NBA games saw Charlotte swamp Washington, 116-110;
Detroit smother L.A. Lakers, 111-97; Philadelphia slide Sacramento,
123-114; Houston sink Phoenix, 108-102; Milwaukee sear Miami, 113-98;
Portland scuttle New Orleans, 122-110; and the L.A. Clippers smear
Chicago, 128-121
New York, which was without injured point guard Dennis Smith Jr.,
lost its eighth straight. Damyean Dotson had 21 points and DeAndre
Jordan added 11 points, 13 rebounds and matched a career high
with nine assists.
The Spurs hold the league’s longest active winning streak and
have won nine straight and 16 of 18 at the AT&T Center.
“It just feels good,” San Antonio forward Rudy Gay said. “Things
are clicking. Playing defense. Even when the ball is not going in like
we want it to, we’re still getting wins and that’s how you know we’re
getting better as a team.”
It’s more of a focus and them understanding that when
we play good defense.
Gay had 12 points in 19 minutes after missing two games and
losing 10 pounds because of the flu.
The Spurs dominated defensively, which was in stark contrast to
what Popovich deemed a “pathetic performance defensively” in their
previous meeting with the Knicks.
New York snapped an 18-game skid at home, routing the Spurs
130-118 on Feb. 24 as part of San Antonio’s worst Rodeo Road Trip
ever. The Spurs have had a greater sense of urgency since going 1-7
on that road trip and it continued against the team with the league’s
worst record (13-66).
New York had 16 turnovers and shot 41 percent from the field.
“When we beat them at our place, we limited our mistakes, our
turnovers and stuff like that,” Knicks forward Kevin Knox said. “So,
they came in with a little bit of a chip and we just didn’t respond.”
San Antonio opened an 11-point lead in the first quarter Friday
and maintained that double-digit advantage for much of the game.
The Spurs had 48 points in the paint behind the starting tandem
of Aldridge and Jakob Poeltl.
The Spurs hold the league’s longest active winning
streak.
Aldridge had 10 points and seven rebounds and closed with his
25th double-double of the season.
“(Having Poeltl start at center) kind of frees me up to float a
little bit and kind of find my shot in different ways,” Aldridge said.
“I’m spacing the floor a little bit more. I’m not the focal point as
the pick-and-roll guy all the time, so it kind of changes it up for me.
He’s been active.”
Poeltl had 12 points, nine rebounds and matched a career high
with five blocks.
Trailing 76-67, New York had an opportunity to pull closer but
Kadeem Allen missed a contested layup as Aldridge raced back on
defense following a turnover. Gay followed with a three-pointer to
extend the Spurs’ lead to 79-67.
AP
RORY McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during
the second round of The Players Championship golf tournament. AP
NEW YORK Knicks’ Emmanuel Mudiay looks to pass as he is defended by San Antonio Spurs’
Dante Cunningham during their NBA game Friday.
AP
Federer, Nadal in semis path
Nadal stands in the way of
Federer’s pursuit of a record
sixth title at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, California — It’s Federer
vs. Nadal again, only this time it’ll be in the
semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
Roger Federer beat Hubert Hurkacz
6-4, 6-4 and Rafael Nadal got by Karen
Khachanov 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) on Friday to
set up the old rivals’ 39th career meeting
and first in 16 months.
Neither Federer nor Nadal has dropped
a set in four matches in the desert.
Federer has been broken just once,
while Nadal has dropped serve
three times, twice against
Khachanov.
Nadal stands in the way of
Federer’s pursuit of a record
sixth title at Indian Wells.
Still, the Swiss superstar was
rooting for Nadal to advance
against his 22-year-old opponent.
“Playing against young guys
to eventually get to Rafa, that’s
exciting,” said Federer, who also
faced an opponent the same age
as Khachanov.
Nadal’s right knee flared up in the second
set for the first time during the tournament.
He called for a trainer who applied tape just
below the knee. The trainer returned again
with Nadal leading 3-2 in the second set.
Knee problems have dogged the 32-year-old
Spaniard in recent years and they cut short his
2018 season after the US Open in September.
Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu
rallied past No. 6 Elina Svitolina 6-3,
2-6, 6-4, winning on her fourth match
point to reach the biggest final of her
young career.
Andreescu became the first
wild-card to reach the Indian
Wells final.
Andreescu will play two-time
major champion Angelique
Kerber, who ended
23rd-seeded Belinda
Bencic’s run of upsets
with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The 18-year-old
Canadian’s run is
reminiscent of Naomi
Osaka’s path to last
year’s title. Little-known
at the time, Osaka used
her Indian Wells victory
as a launching pad to
beating Serena Williams
for the US Open title and winning the
Australian Open while becoming the world’s
top-ranked player.
AP
Rory, Tommy real chummy
Tiger Woods just made the cut
with a one-under 71
LOS ANGELES — Rory McIlroy charged
up the leaderboard on the back nine, firing
a seven-under 65 on Friday to grab a share
of the lead with Tommy Fleetwood at the
halfway stage of the Players Championship.
McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, went seven
under par on his final 11 holes, making an
eagle on the par-five 16th, a birdie on the
par-three 17 and par on the par-four closing
hole to reach a 12-under 132 total.
He is tied with England’s Fleetwood who
shot a five-under 67 for his sixth straight
round under par.
Ian Poulter (66), Jim Furyk (64), Brian
ANGELIQUE Kerber of Germany
celebrates after defeating Belinda
Bencic of Switzerland at the BNP
Paribas Open tennis tournament. AP
Harman (69) and Abraham Ancer (66) are
tied for third at nine-under 135 at the TPC
Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Australia’s Jason Day shot a 66 and is
tied for seventh with Keith Mitchell and
Kevin Kisner at eight-under 136.
Tiger Woods just made the cut with a
one-under 71 but was left hovering along
the cut line after a quadruple bogey
seven on the picturesque par-three island
green. He finished tied for 39th with a
three-under 141 total, nine strokes back
of the leaders.
Teeing off on his eighth hole of the day
after starting on the back nine, Woods’ tee
shot from 146 yards was long and left over
the island green and his next shot from
the drop zone was also long. AFP
Charlotte 116, Washington 110
Detroit 111, L.A. Lakers 97
Philadelphia 123, Sacramento 114
Houston 108, Phoenix 102
Milwaukee 113, Miami 98
Portland 122, New Orleans 110
San Antonio 109, New York 83
L.A. Clippers 128, Chicago 121
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
x-Toronto 49 20 .710 —
Philadelphia 44 25 .638 5
Boston 42 27 .609 7
Brooklyn 36 34 .514 13½
New York 13 56 .188 36
Southeast Division
Miami 32 36 .471 —
Orlando 32 38 .457 1
Charlotte 31 37 .456 1
Washington 29 40 .420 3½
Atlanta 24 45 .348 8½
Central Division
x-Milwaukee 52 17 .754 —
Indiana 44 25 .638 8
Detroit 35 33 .515 16½
Chicago 19 51 .271 33½
Cleveland 17 52 .246 35
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W L Pct GB
Houston 43 26 .623 —
San Antonio 40 29 .580 3
New Orleans 30 41 .423 14
Memphis 28 41 .406 15
Dallas 27 41 .397 15½
Northwest Division
Denver 45 22 .672 —
Portland 42 26 .618 3½
Oklahoma City 42 27 .609 4
Utah 39 29 .574 6½
Minnesota 32 37 .464 14
Pacific Division
Golden State 46 21 .687 —
L.A. Clippers 40 30 .571 7½
Sacramento 33 35 .485 13½
L.A. Lakers 31 38 .449 16
Phoenix 16 54 .229 31½
x-clinched playoff spot
Saturday’s Games
(Sunday in Manila)
Atlanta at Boston
Memphis at Washington
Phoenix at New Orleans
Cleveland at Dallas
Golden State at Oklahoma City
Portland at San Antonio
Brooklyn at Utah
Indiana at Denver
Sunday’s Games
(Monday in Manila)
L.A. Lakers at New York
Charlotte at Miami
Philadelphia at Milwaukee
Toronto at Detroit
Atlanta at Orlando
Chicago at Sacramento
Brooklyn at L.A. Clippers
Minnesota at Houston
Monday’s Games
(Tuesday in Manila)
Detroit at Cleveland
Utah at Washington
Denver at Boston
New York at Toronto
Golden State at San Antonio
Miami at Oklahoma City
New Orleans at Dallas
Chicago at Phoenix
Indiana at Portland

18 sports
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
‘MANILA CLASICO’
Magnolia, Ginebra fan hopes
The top two is still far away
By John Bryan Ulanday
Sister teams Ginebra and Magnolia clash in their bids to
boost their respective playoff chances in tonight’s “Manila
Clasico” of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is at 6:45 p.m. with the Kings eyeing to
stay in the hunt for a top two finish against the streaking
Hotshots entering the crucial stretch of the All-Filipino
conference elimination round.
NLEX, meanwhile, eyes a second straight victory to also
bolster its post-season hope when it collides with cellar
dweller Blackwater in the first game at 4:30 p.m.
Ginebra troops to battle armed with renewed
confidence and momentum especially after claiming the
scalp of league-leader Phoenix, 100-97, that kept its run
alive for one of the twice-to-beat incentives.
Sporting a 4-3 mark at fifth place, Ginebra coach Tim
Cone’s wards are just behind playoffs-bound Phoenix (8-2),
Rain or Shine (8-3), San Miguel Beer (6-3) and Talk ‘N Text
(6-3), keeping a slight window of forcing a multiple-team
logjam on top and snatch one of the top spots.
But for Cone, that quarterfinals edge is still a long shot
and he urged his wards to just focus on staying within
the top six for a still a favorable best-of-three quarterfinal
series.
“It’s so tight in the team standings that one win or
one loss would exaggerate you one way or another.
So right now, we’re just trying to focus one game at a
time,” Cone said.
“With how things are going right now, the top two
is still far away. So we’re just trying to stay within the
top six teams.”
It’s so tight in the team standings that one win
or one loss would exaggerate you one way or
another.
Cone braces for the dangerous Hotshots who are
finally beginning to show their true form after a slow
0-3 start.
“It is a hungry bunch after a slow start. I know
those guys. I know what kind of character they have,”
said Cone.
“It’s huge game for both of us. They desperately need
this game
and we
desperately
need this also.
It’s gonna be
an interesting ‘Manila Clasico.’”
The Hotshots are peaking at the right time
after finally shrugging off their championship
hangover with two straight wins for a decent
3-4 slate that towed them inside the playoff
frame.
“It’s all about playoff mentality now.
It’s all about our desire and will to
win. At least, we’re back in
contention but we still got a
long way to go,” said Magnolia
mentor Chito Victolero.
“We’re regaining our rhythm
and our defensive intensity. We’re
peaking perfectly for the playoff build up so
we hope to continue it against Ginebra.”
“I think we could match up well with Ginebra,”
he added. “It’s going to be a good game. We hope
to deliver a good game for the fans.”
Batang Pinoy Luzon on
REED
Aussies seek
rebound
Tim Reed, a former Asia-Pacific
and world champion, lost by
nearly two minutes to Mauricio
Mendez in last year’s inaugural
staging of the Davao event
Foiled the last time out by unfancied
rivals, the once mighty Australians go
all out to regain their once lofty perch
in triathlon ladder as they return for
the second Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 Davao
presented by Petron unfolding 24 March
at the Azuela Cove.
Tim Reed, a former Asia-Pacific and
world champion, lost by nearly two
minutes to Mauricio Mendez in last year’s
inaugural staging of the Davao event he
was expected to dominate coming off a
series of victories with the talented Aussie
all primed up for payback against the
Mexican star.
Sam Betten and Tim Van Berkel
provide the needed backup for the
aces from Down Under along with
David Mainwaring, Matt Lewis and
Fraser Walsh, all aiming to get a crack
at the coveted men’s pro crown in the
upcoming 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K
run even organized and conducted by
Sunrise Event, Inc.
Dimity Lee Duke, also a former
many-time winner in local triathlon
from Australia now based in Phuket,
Thailand, also aims for the top in the
women’s pro side of the event along with
compatriots Kirra Siedel and Lisa Tyack.
But Czech Radka Kahlefeldt is also
coming into the event in top shape, ready
to defend her crown also against the likes
of regular Phl campaigners Caroline
Steffen of Switzerland and Guam’s
Manami Iijima.
Over 2,200 triathletes have confirmed
participation in the event, which features
individual and relay competitions, with
bets coming from the United Arab
Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong,
Mexico, Ukraine, India, Malaysia, Qatar,
the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy, New
Caledonia, Singapore; South Africa, Japan,
the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain,
Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland,
Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey,
China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and
Taiwan.
The weeklong competition will feature 20
events with the podium finishers advancing to
the National Finals tentatively set this October
By Joel Orellana
ILAGAN CITY — More than 5,000 athletes from 120 local
government units (LGU) converge at the City of Ilagan Sports
Complex on Sunday for the opening ceremonies of Philippine
Sports Commission’s (PSC) Batang Pinoy Luzon leg here in Isabela.
PSC Chairman William Ramirez and Ilagan City Mayor Evelyn
Diaz are expected to lead the opening rites of the third and final
qualifying leg of this grassroots program organized by the PSC for
in-school and out-of-school children aged 15 and below.
The weeklong competition will feature 20 events with the
podium finishers advancing to the National Finals tentatively set
this October.
“We are ready and at the same time excited to welcome the
athletes for the much-awaited Batang Pinoy Luzon qualifying leg
here in Ilagan City,” said the city’s General Services Office chief
Ricky Laggui in a statement.
Reina Evangelista, head of the Batang Pinoy Secretariat, said
the PSC working committees are hands on in accommodating the
largest number of delegations among the three qualifiers as the
host city is also expecting around 1,500 coaches and officials in
this weeklong event.
Evangelista added that 17 playing venues are ready to host the
different events and named Ilagan East Integrated School, Manaring
Elementary School, Lullutan Elementary School, Ilagan South
Central School, Alibagu National High School, Isabela National
High School, Ilagan West Central School and ISAT-Main Campus
as billeting areas all throughout the games.
Ateneo outlasts NU
Maddie Madayag had a solid outing for the Lady
Eagles
Ateneo de Manila University came back from an opening-set loss
and turned back the upset-conscious National University (NU), 23-25,
25-17, 25-23, 25-17, in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the
Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at
the FilOil Arena.
Maddie Madayag had a solid outing for the Lady Eagles, finishing
with 17 points, 10 on attacks, four on service aces and three on blocks
to lead Ateneo to its sixth straight win and finish the first round on
top with a 6-1 win-loss card.
After committing 13 unforced errors in the first set to yield a
25-23 decision to the Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Eagles played with a
lot more precision in the next three sets and tamed NU, which came
from a stunning five-set win over Final Four contender University
of Philippines.
“We knew NU has the momentum especially coming off the win
over UP. They still have the energy and intensity and I told them
to come out there and show their character,” Ateneo head Oliver
Almadro said.
“NU really has talented rookies. I just told my players to play the
right way, the Ateneo way. The resiliency of the players was there
in the second set,” he added.
JOrellana
JASMINE Nabor jumps over PLDT teammate Shola Alvarez during their
Philippine Superliga Grand Prix match against F2 Logistics ongoing at press
time yesterday.
ROMAN PROSPERO
The Mindanao qualifying leg was held at Davao del Norte and
Davao City won the overall title while host Iloilo City also ruled
the Visayas leg for the first time since joining the event in 2009.
After the traditional opening ceremonies by the participating
LGU, actions officially kick off on Monday led by medal-rich
events swimming, archery, arnis, pencak silat and taekwondo.
Athletics will begin competition on Wednesday at the
City of Ilagan Sports Complex, which hosted the prestigious
Philippine Open and Southeast Asia Youth Championships,
both under PATAFA, early this month.
The Chief Executive should
always be on top of this
situation
Help needed
Distress calls are now being made as
the country enters the crucial stretch of
its preparation for the 30th Southeast
Asian Games.
With the national government still
operating on a reenacted budget,
sports executives are now pressing the
panic button, appealing to President
Rodrigo Duterte to step in and save the
country from a massive international
embarrassment.
The Chief Executive should always be
on top of this situation.
When the country first hosted the
SEA Games in 1981, President Ferdinand
Marcos was very hands-on with his
cousin, Michael Keon, who was the
chairman of the Project Gintong Alay
program.
Marcos built a new track oval in
Pasig City called as the University of
Life Track and Field Arena, now known
as ULTRA, as well as an apartment
complex in the adjacent building that
served as the Athletes’ Village. Soon,
those apartments were turned over to
the national government and First Lady
Imelda Marcos converted them into a
housing project.
The country again hosted the Games
in 1991, five years after President Marcos
was booted out of power. President
Corazon Aquino replaced Gintong Alay
with the Philippine Sports Commission
in preparation for the biennial meet in
1991.
The teamwork among top
government officials, led by
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
PSC chairman William “Butch”
Ramirez and POC president Jose
“Peping” Cojuangco rubbed off
to the athletes and they won the
overall crown.
On 10 April 1991, Aquino issued
Proclamation 711 that declared the
“nationwide observance of the Southeast
Asian Games year.”
The proclamation also covered the
designation of the Manila Southeast
Asian Games Organizing Committee as
an ad hoc body tasked to ensure the
success of the regional conclave.
The PSC, for its part, was given a
crystal-clear marching order to engage
additional revenue-generating activities
while non-government organizations
like the Philippine Olympic Committee,
various national sports associations and
other private bodies were requested to
lend cooperation to the success of the
Games.
Fourteen years later, the country
organized the Games anew.
No less than the First Gentleman,
Miguel Arroyo, who spearheaded the
fund-raising activity to augment the
P350-million budget pledged by the
GINEBRA coach Tim Cone fires an
order to keep his team afloat.
Hold My Beer
Julius Manicad
national government, helped make it a
success.
With Arroyo at the helm, the
Philippine Southeast Asian Games
Organizing Committee drew the support
of 27 of the biggest companies in the
country to boost the SEA Games war
chest to up to P500 million.
The biggest concern facing local
sport executives is funding.
The teamwork among top government
officials, led by President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, PSC chairman
William “Butch” Ramirez and POC
president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco
rubbed off to the athletes and they won
the overall crown.
The International Olympic Committee
commended the POC for successfully hosting
the Games with a very limited budget.
But this year’s hosting of the SEA
Games is way, way different.
Ranking sports officials are
bickering over the roles of the POC,
PSC and Phisgoc, which they say are
not clearly defined. POC president
Ricky Vargas — a ranking Phisgoc
executive — was even accused of acting
on his own after lending POC fund
to the organizing body without the
approval of the POC executive board.
Phisgoc also had a sort of an identity
crisis as it took charge of the meet’s
official outfitter, broadcaster, marketing,
transport, security and other SEA
Games-related committees without the
knowledge of the POC board.
But the biggest concern facing local
sport executives is funding.
With lawmakers failing to reach an
agreement on the proposed P3.5-trillion
budget, President Duterte has yet
to formally approve the General
Appropriations Act that puts all
government projects — including the
SEA Games — on hold.
Sure, the PSC has the money, but using
what it has would be technical malversation.
The only solution is for the President
to step in and release a special fund to
make both ends meet while the 2019
budget is yet to be signed. He also has
to talk to all stakeholders just to knock
some sense into their heads.
He has to be on top.
This is crunch time and sports
officials are already sending distress
signals to avert a massive disaster.
SOS!
“Save our SEA Games.”

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Leader of change Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with deputies from the People’s Liberation Army and armed police
before attending a plenary meeting during the 13th National People’s Congress in Beijing. Xi called on the whole army to adhere
to the guidance of the thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.
XINHUA
NZ attacker captured
BEIJING — President Xi Jinping stressed
fulfilling the set targets and tasks of national
defense and military development as scheduled.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist
Party of China Central Committee and chairman
of the Central Military Commission, made the
remarks when attending a plenary meeting of the
delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
and armed police force at the second session
of the 13th National People’s Congress, China’s
national legislature.
This year is the key year for completing the building
of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
The entire armed forces must clearly
understand the importance and urgency of
implementing the 13th Five-Year Plan for military
development, firm up their resolve, intensify the
sense of mission, forge ahead with a pioneering
spirit and go all out to carry out the plan so as to
ensure that the set targets and tasks are fulfilled
as scheduled, he said.
Xi called on the whole army to adhere to the
guidance of the thought on socialism with Chinese
characteristics for a new era, fully implement the
party’s thinking on strengthening the military
for the new era and the military strategy for new
conditions, concentrate on war preparedness and
WORLD 19
Xi prods meeting military goals
intensify reform and innovation.
On implementation of the plan, Xi stressed
that it is imperative to strengthen overall planning
and coordination, as well as make breakthroughs
in key areas.
The Chinese leader pointed out that it is
necessary to take into consideration the overall
situation and coordinate the task plans, resources,
and management procedures to ensure orderly
advancement of various projects.
He stressed the formulation of the 14th
Five-Year Plan for military development
should serve the demands of the
national development.
Focusing on the overall layout of the plan,
the military should give prominence to key
projects including urgent necessities for military
preparedness, crucial support for combat systems,
and coordinated projects for the reform of national
defense and armed forces, he noted.
Xi stressed the formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan
for military development should serve the demands
of the national development, security and military
strategies and should take into account both the actual
condition and long-term development needs. Xinhua
Terrorism has no religion
by white power groups across the globe.
The attack has prompted He did not request bail and was taken into
deep shock in this usually custody until his next court appearance
briefs
peaceful country
which is scheduled for 5 April.
A short distance from the court, 39
100 missing
people were being treated in hospital for
At least 100 people are missing in parts of eastern
CHRISTCHURCH — A right-wing extremist
gunshot wounds and other injuries inflicted
Zimbabwe hit by the peripheral effects of tropical
who filmed himself on a shooting rampage
in the massacre.
cyclone Idai which has lashed Mozambique, a local
that left 49 mosque-goers dead flashed a The attack on the Al Noor and Linwood
lawmaker said Saturday. Thousands of people have
white power gesture as he appeared in a New mosques has been labeled terrorism by Prime
been affected, power cut off and major bridges
Zealand court Saturday charged with murder. Minister Jacinda Ardern and is thought to be
flooded in parts of the Manicaland. AFP
Australian-born 28-year-old Brenton the deadliest attack directed against Muslims
Tarrant stood in the dock wearing handcuffs in the West in modern times.
Two-stage delay
and a white prison smock, as the judge read The attack has prompted an outpouring
A senior European Union official is floating the
a single murder charge against him. A raft of grief and deep shock in this usually
possibility of a two-step delay to Britain’s departure
of further charges are expected.
peaceful and hospitable country, which prides
from the bloc, currently scheduled for 29 March.
The former fitness instructor and itself on welcoming refugees fleeing violence
Britain is expected to seek a short delay if lawmakers
self-professed fascist occasionally turned to or persecution.
finally pass a twice-rejected EU withdrawal deal. AP
look at media present in court during the For Pakistani Prime Minister Imran
brief hearing that the public were excluded Khan, “This reaffirms what we have always
from for security reasons.
maintained: that terrorism does not have a
Flanked by armed police he made an religion. Prayers go to the victims and their
upside-down “okay” signal, a symbol used families.”
AFP
Washington — Donald Trump
signed the first veto of his presidency
Friday, overriding congressional
opposition to secure emergency funds
to build more walls on the US-Mexico
border.
Trump declared in the Oval Office
that he was “proud” to sign the veto.
It came after he suffered an
embarrassing defeat on Thursday when
senators, including fellow Republicans,
voted to terminate his declaration of an
emergency on the Mexican border.
Surrounded by law enforcement
officials, senior aides and people who
have lost loved ones to cross-border
crime, Trump said the veto reaffirming
Hyderabad, India.
Trump’s first veto
his power to get the funds without
Congress was to “defend the safety of
all Americans.”
“The mass incursion of illegal
aliens... has to end,” he said. “People
hate the word ‘invasion’ but that’s
what it is... Our immigration system is
stretched beyond the breaking point.”
Trump’s emergency declaration
allows him to secure funding for
construction of border walls after he
failed to get authorization from Congress.
Opponents, who accuse Trump of
executive overreach and overhyping the
problem on the border, could now use
court challenges to halt the emergency
measure.
AFP
BEIJING — China issued recently
a white paper on progress in human
rights since its reform and opening
up drive.
The white paper, titled “Progress
in Human Rights over the 40 Years
of Reform and Opening Up in China,”
said reform and opening up has
WASHINGTON — Students across a warming globe pleaded for their
lives, future and planet Friday, demanding tough action on climate
change.
From the South Pacific to the edge of the Arctic Circle, angry students
in more than 100 countries walked out of classes to protest what they see
as the failures by their governments.
Well more than 150,000 students and adults who were mobilized by word
of mouth and social media protested in Europe, according to police estimates.
But the initial turnout in the United States did not look quite as high.
“Borders, languages and religions do not separate us,” eight-year-old
Havana Chapman-Edwards, who calls herself the tiny diplomat, told
hundreds of protesters at the US Capitol. “Today we are telling the truth
and we do not take no for an answer.”
Thousands of New York City students protested at locations
including Columbus Circle, City Hall, the American Museum of
Natural History and a football field at the Bronx High School of
Science. Police said 16 protesters were arrested on disorderly
conduct charges for blocking traffic at the museum.
The coordinated “school strikes” were inspired by
16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who began
holding solitary demonstrations outside the Swedish
parliament last year.
The culprit This image grab from a self-shot video that was streamed on Facebook Live by
Australian-born Brenton Tarrant who was involved in two mosque shootings in Christchurch shows
the suspect in his car before he entered the Masjid al Noor mosque.
AP
The CPC has always
prioritized the people’s
interests
helped liberate and develop social
productive forces, opened up a path of
socialism with Chinese characteristics
and ushered in a new chapter in the
development of human rights.
Over the four decades, the Chinese
people have worked hard as one under
the strong and coherent leadership of
the Communist Party of China (CPC),
the white paper said. Huge changes
have taken place and living standards
have significantly improved.
The CPC has always prioritized the
Students spark global climate uproar
Borders, languages and religions do not
separate us
Since then, the weekly protests have snowballed from a handful of cities to
hundreds, fueled by dramatic headlines about the impact of climate change
during the students’ lifetime. Unless emissions of heat-trapping gases start
dropping dramatically, scientists estimate that the protesters will be in their
40s and 50s, maybe even 30s, when the world will reach dangerous
levels of warming that international agreements are trying to prevent.
Thunberg, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize,
said at a rally in Stockholm that the world faces an
“existential crisis, the biggest crisis humanity ever
has faced and still it has been ignored for decades.”
The coordinated “school strikes” were
inspired by a 16-year-old Swedish activist,
who began holding solitary demonstrations
outside the Swedish parliament last year.
Alexandria Villasenor, a 13-year-old co-coordinator
of the New York City protest that culminated in a
die-in at the steps of the American Museum of
Natural History, said while she was pleased
with the number of demonstrators, a big
turnout isn’t the point.
“It won’t be successful until the world
leaders take some action,” Villasenor
said.
AP
Deadly collapse
Twenty people are confirmed dead in the
school building that collapsed in Nigeria on
Wednesday and most of them are children, an
official said Friday. Forty-three other people
were rescued.
AP
China cites human rights progress
people’s interests, ensuring that reform
is conducted for the people and by the
people and that its benefits are shared
by the people, it added.
China has showed respect for,
protected and promoted human rights
in the course of reform and opening
up, blazing a trail of human rights
development that conforms to the
national conditions and created new
experiences and made progress in
safeguarding human rights, it said.
The country has summed up its
historical experience, drawn on the
achievements of human civilization,
combined the universal principles
of human rights with the realities of
the country and generated a series of
innovative ideas on human rights, it said.
China has brought into being basic
rights that center on the people and
prioritize their rights to subsistence and
development and proposed that China
should follow a path of comprehensive and
coordinated human rights development
under the rule of law. Xinhua
rome, Italy.
Madrid, Spain.
Young voice with a big heart
Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old
from Sweden who started a global
movement of schoolchildren striking
to demand climate change
action, has been nominated
for the Nobel Peace Prize.
AFP
lisbon,
Portugal.
london, United Kingdom.
dublin,
Ireland.
paris,
France.

SPORTSPLUS
20
SUNDAY
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
What’s stalling
the SEA Games?
VARGAS
RAMIREZ
POC executive council members,
most of them aligned with
Cojuangco, accused Vargas and
his men of acting on their own
on SEA Games-related matters
By Julius Manicad
Preparations for the country’s
hosting of the 30th Southeast
Asian Games are hardly moving
with barely eight months left before the
opening ceremonies.
Some quarters say the setback was
brought by the untimely leadership change
in the Philippine Olympic Committee
(POC). Others claim it was due to the
national government’s failure to approve
and release the proposed SEA Games
budget on time.
Even the government guarantee took
some time before it was released and
it was just in a form of a memorandum
circular — not through an executive order
similar to former President Arroyo’s during
the country’s previous hosting of the biennial
meet in 2005.
Shortly upon his return,
Cayetano immediately
assembled the Phisgoc and
kicked off the SEA Games
preparation.
But this tight situation was caused
by the undefined roles and blurred lines
separating the three major bodies tasked
to hold hand in making sure the regional
sportsfest will be a success — the POC,
the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)
and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games
Organizing Committee (Phisgoc).
Simple structure
When the POC was awarded the hosting
during the staging of the 28th SEA Games
in Singapore in 2015, the first major order
of business by POC president Jose “Peping”
Cojuangco was an audience with Executive
Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who had
just assumed his post following the victory
of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Medialdea tapped Sen. Miguel Zubiri to
help, serving as the overall chairman in a
SEA Games body that will be composed
of Cojuangco and PSC chairman William
“Butch” Ramirez.
“The structure before was simple: The
POC will run the SEA Games while the
PSC will fund it. No government fund will
pass through the hands of the POC nor
any organizing committee,” said a senior
POC official, who attended the first few
meetings of the three-man panel.
“We learned our lesson from the previous
SEA Games. We had only P500 million, but
P27 million got disallowed. We didn’t want it
to happen again, so we made it clear that the
POC will not touch any government money
and will just focus on the training of athletes
and organization of the event.”
But the initial agreement was not to
happen.
A terror siege erupted in Marawi City,
prompting President Duterte to come up with
a memorandum diverting all government
resources to the rehabilitation effort. Like a
loyal solider, Ramirez followed the President’s
order and declared that the country will be
pulling out of the hosting chore.
A few weeks later, Zubiri stepped down
and Thailand floated willingness to host. The
Thais even went to the extent of claiming
that can host “even if the SEA Games are
held tomorrow.”
Just like that, the country’s hosting was
officially dead.
Revival
But former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan
Peter Cayetano came in to save the hosting.
His arrival in the SEA Games picture
came at a perfect time. It was when the
SEA Games Federation Council was already
asking if the country will still push through
with the hosting and Cojuangco was looking
for one to fill the huge void left by Zubiri.
Cayetano, whose only involvement in
sports was as patron of the Philippine
women’s volleyball team, was suddenly
thrown into the limelight and received the
SEA Games flag from outgoing SEA Games
Federation Council president Tunku Imran
during the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017.
Shortly upon his return, Cayetano
immediately assembled the Phisgoc and
kicked off the SEA Games preparation at
the same time when the Bases Conversions
Development Authority was starting to build
a multibillion-peso stadium to serve as hub
of the Games in Capas, Tarlac.
Setbacks
But stability in the country’s SEA Games
hosting didn’t last long.
In February of 2018, Cojuangco was
booted out of power after the Pasig Regional
Trial Court recalled the 2016 POC elections.
Boxing chief Ricky Vargas prevailed in the
court-ordered polls and declared readiness
to lead the country’s SEA Games hosting.
Vargas’ honeymoon period as new POC
boss, however, wasn’t sweet.
POC executive council members, most
of them aligned with Cojuangco, accused
Vargas and his men of acting on their own on
SEA Games-related matters. They stressed
that most of his decisions regarding the
biennial meet did not have board approval
and they were being left in the dark about
the preparations.
My boss here is the President.
If they can’t do anything
about it, then we will take
charge because I am under the
instruction of the President
and the Executive Secretary.
Then Cayetano stepped down as secretary
of the DFA to chase a congressional seat in
Taguig City.
With Cayetano, also a former senator,
giving up his government position, he
made himself no longer qualified to
receive government fund, prompting the
bicameral conference committee to lodge
his proposed SEA Games budget from the
DFA to the PSC.
The budget was also slashed from P7.5
billion to only P5 billion, a 33-percent
reduction that would definitely have an
impact on the success of what is billed
as the “biggest, most extravagant SEA
Games ever.”
Few weeks later, the Commission on
Audit sent the PSC a notice inquiring if
there was a memorandum of agreement
or a board resolution from the POC
appointing Phisgoc as the chief organizer
of the SEA Games. The state-run auditing
firm said this MoA or BR will serve as the
CAYETANO
basis for the PSC to disburse money to a
private entity such as Phisgoc.
There was none.
With Phisgoc having no money, no
power and no legal personality while
bickering and unrest cloud over the POC,
the country’s hosting of the SEA Games
is on the brink.
Undefined roles
Phisgoc is now calling the shots in
other SEA games-related matters such as
broadcasting, transportation, marketing,
security and official outfitter of the
athletes, officials and thousands of SEA
Games volunteers.
POC executive council member
Prospero Pichay said everything the
Phisgoc is doing should pass through the
POC executive council.
“As far as the POC is concerned, we
have not recognized it (Phisgoc),” said
Pichay, president of the chess association
and top supporter of Cojuangco.
“It is not authorized to enter into
contracts that has anything to do with the
SEA Games.”
Pichay added that Vargas carries only a
single vote in the POC board so his decisions
that favor Phisgoc doesn’t reflect the stand
of the entire POC executive board.
“There is also no resolution that the
president of the POC will be part of Phisgoc.
In other words, if he’s there in Phisgoc,
he’s there in his personal capacity, not as
president of POC,” Pichay said.
“Because in anything the POC president
does, there should always be a board
resolution.”
ZUBIRI
COJUANGCO
The confusion isn’t limited to POC and
Phisgoc alone.
In his rabid desire to win the overall
title, Ramirez stated he will spearhead
the creation of a SEA Games task force
that will screen the qualification of SEA
Games-bound athletes and start drumming
up the preparations for the Games.
He also lit a fire from under chief of
mission Monsour del Rosario, saying that
if he takes his sweet time, the PSC will
definitely take over.
“Give me a week or two. If nothing
happens, we will start drafting our own
SEA Games activities,” Ramirez said.
“My boss here is the President. If they
can’t do anything about it, then we will take
charge because I am under the instruction of
the President and the Executive Secretary.”
The hosting of the SEA Games — the
event that’s supposed to unite a heavily
fractured country — is in danger of a great
collapse.
And we only have eight months to save
the Games.
United/divided basketball
Clearly, there is a need to rationalize the establishment of
leagues to ensure its continued patronage
By Joel Orellana
Basketball as a religion in this country is an understatement.
The numerous basketball leagues — from professional level to
inter-barangay — are enough proof that Filipinos are crazy for the
sport James Naismith invented.
The country organized the first pay-for-play league in Asia in Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA), established in 1975 and is now about to
celebrate its 44th year anniversary this April.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the oldest collegiate
basketball league founded in 1924 and 14 years later, University Athletic
Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was formed, with some of the
founding members coming from the NCAA.
Then there are second-tier collegiate leagues like the National Capital
Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) established in 1993, the Women’s
National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA), a league exclusively
for women formed in 1970, among others.
The Philippine Amateur Basketball League, later on known as
Philippine Basketball League, was founded in 1983 and became the
breeding ground of PBA stars. It closed shop in 2011.
I think it’s not hurting the sport. In fact, we are
providing jobs and opportunities for the players and
staff.
Last year, Sen. Manny Pacquiao established the Maharlika
Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), a regional semi-pro league
with former PBA Most Valuable Player Kenneth Duremdes as
its commissioner.
In 1998, a similar regional league named Metropolitan
Basketball Association (MBA) was founded and backed by
television giant ABS-CBN. It folded after five seasons, citing
financial and logistics concerns.
The love of Filipinos for basketball is immeasurable and their
thirst for hoops, whether as participants or spectators, is quenched
by these leagues.
But is too many basketball leagues good or bad for the sport?
The more, the merrier
Willie Marcial, the PBA’s 10th commissioner, is a firm believer
that the more basketball leagues, the better. The reason? Economics.
“Many people are benefiting from these leagues. From the players,
staff to the vendors and tricycle drivers in different venues. The more, the
merrier,” said Marcial, who started as the PBA’s statistician in 1983, became a
floor director of the league’s TV coveror and was appointed as media bureau
chief and special assistant to Commissioner Noli Eala in 2003.
“Even with the MPBL now, we’re okay with that. We don’t feel threatened
because for me, the more leagues, the better for the fans. It’s now a matter
of uplifting the quality of the games,” he added.
The PBA is made up of 12 teams, half of them are under the
umbrella of the Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) group (TNT KaTropa,
Meralco and NLEX) and the San Miguel Corp. group (San Miguel,
Ginebra and Magnolia). Big companies Alaska, Phoenix, Rain or Shine,
Blackwater, NorthPort and Columbian Dyip are also parts of the league.
Duremdes shared the same sentiments as his MPBL is employing close
to 500 players from the 26 participating teams in the ongoing Datu Cup.
“I think it’s not hurting the sport. In fact, we are providing jobs and
opportunities for the players and staff. And there are a lot now playing in
the grassroots level,” said Duremdes. “I think it (having many leagues) is
doing positive things for the sport.”
Eala said the surplus of basketball leagues in the country is not hurting
the sport per se. What is suffering is its commercial viability.
And the former PBA commissioner said this will result in having
leagues that will lack in credibility and in the long run might lose
its appeal to the public.
“The growth of the sport is not being hurt by the establishment of
too many leagues, regardless of nature. In fact, I believe its popularity is
enhanced by these leagues. Basketball remains the envy of other sports
when it comes to sheer number of constituency,” said Eala.
“But too many leagues hurt the commercial viability of the sport. The
sports advertising pie is not growing and too many leagues, especially if they
BASKETBALL remains a religion among fans.
WOMEN’S basketball, neglected?
are not coordinated, will not survive financially and commercially,” he added.
And the scary part if this trend continues, according to Eala, this might
eventually affect the entire landscape of the sport.
“Clearly, there is a need to rationalize the establishment of leagues to
ensure its continued patronage,” he said.
Forgotten sector?
While basketball leagues for boys and men are abundant in the country,
the same cannot be said of the girls and women.
The reality is there is no women’s basketball league that is enjoying full
media coverage (print and broadcast) and support from private entities like
the PBA, UAAP, NCAA and even MPBL are getting.
Ewon Arayi, the former Perlas Pilipinas standout and now the coach
of Adamson Lady Falcons in the UAAP, said there is a handful of women’s
basketball leagues right now but they are not well coordinated.
“The problem is these leagues are not united. I established the Pinay
Ballers League in 2014 but instead of supporting it, some created new women’s
leagues and the support (from sponsors) is now divided,” said Arayi.
“It would be better if these leagues are well coordinated. And the problem
for some leagues, they use them to profit not to promote women’s basketball.
Don’t use the sport to become popular. Make the sport popular to get media
coverage and develop the grassroots level,” she added.
Right now, her Pinay Ballers League is on a hiatus and she plans to restart
the league this coming August.
It’s now a matter of uplifting the quality of the games.
National women’s team head coach Patrick Aquino said the women’s
sector need a solid backer to organize a well-funded tournament.
“Someone who can gamble like before in the WPBL,” Aquino said,
referring to the Women’s Philippine Basketball League of the PBL
formed in 1998 but lasted just two years. It was revived in 2008 for a
one-and-done season.
“It’s important so that the woman players have something to loop
up to after their collegiate careers. And I think, if we have one like
that, women’s basketball will be more competitive in international
competition,” he added.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the body that is tasked to
promote the basketball in all sectors, is maintaining a women’s
national team but unlike its counterpart, is not enjoying the
kind of support the men’s team is getting.
Marcial said the PBA is planning to put up another 3x3
event for women like during the time of Commissioner Chito
Narvasa in 2015.
“We’ve been planning the 3x3 since last year. But this
season, we will launch it again,” said Marcial.
At least the PBA is again taking the initiative to promote
women’s basketball. Arayi and Aquino are hoping other
groups will follow.

Dinah S. Ventura, Editor
SPOTLIGHT
Sunday, 17 March 2019
21
Daily Tribune
Cinema One
Originals festival
entries revealed
The festival is part of the
100 th year celebration of the
Philippine cinema and the 25 th
year celebration of leading cable
channel Cinema One
Cinema One Originals just announced
this year’s finalists which offer more diverse,
audacious stories — a vampire thriller, a religious
mystery, a romance fantasy, a coming-of-age
drama, comedy, action and more — in the
much-awaited film festival happening on
September this year.
Festival director and Cinema One channel
head Ronald Arguelles named the following
projects as the 15th Cinema One Originals
finalists which will be awarded with a P3 million
production budget each.
Ascendant by Sherad Anthony Sanchez
In the religious drama/mystery film
Ascendant, a mysterious death in the convent
drives an unpredictable Mother Prioress to
investigate three nuns under her care, but she
is not looking for justice. The corpse returns to
haunt for justice, but is haunted back by the
ghosts of the nun’s murky pasts. The question
is, who is haunting who?
Lucid by Natts Jadaone, Victor Villanueva,
and Dan Villegas
Ann Cruz is a luminous dreamer in romance/
fantasy movie Lucid. Her dreams are the exact
opposite of her mundane, routinary life. In one
of her fabricated dreams, she meets a mysterious
man who challenges her to make her dreams
more adventurous. As she crosses paths with
another lucid dreamer, she realizes her dreams
are far more alive than her reality — making her
question if it is worth staying in there or not.
Metamorphosis by J.E. Tiglao
Metamorphosis is a coming-of-age story about
Adam, a 14-year old kid who was born with a
secret of having both male and female genitals.
O by Kevin Dayrit
Maria, a morgue intern meets vampire “drug
lord” Matilda in O. In this thriller, Matilda forces
Maria to become a blood pusher in exchange for
her life, selling dried blood sachets to modern-day,
harmless vampires.
Sila-Sila by Giancarlo Abrahan
A 30-year old man returns to Manila in Sila-Sila
and is forced to confront his old life, his old friends,
and his ex-boyfriend at their high school
reunion where the drama of the past and the
present collide.
Tayo Muna Habang Hindi Pa Tayo
by Denise O’Hara
Tayo Muna Habang Hindi Pa Tayo is a
romance drama. When Alex DTR-ed and found
out that Carlo is not ready to commit to a
relationship, Alex must ask herself if love can
survive without commitment.
Utopia by Dustin Celestino and Dustin Uy
An action entry, it tells the stories of a
videographer, a rookie police officer and an
undercover agent which intertwine in the
labyrinth of a violent city’s underbelly.
Yours Truly, Shirley by Nigel Santos
In this comedy flick, a 50-year-old widow
believes that the young pop star is the
reincarnation of her dead husband. How far
would she go to prove herself right?
These exciting stories were carefully chosen
by the selection committee members — Ronald
Arguelles, Black Sheep head Kriz Gazmen,
IWant creative manager Nico Hernandez,
Rappler film critic Oggs Cruz, and film writers
Jinky Laurel and Lilit Reyes — from over 130
entries submitted.
The biggest C1 Originals yet, the festival
is part of the 100th year celebration of
the Philippine cinema and the 25th year
celebration of leading cable channel Cinema
One. Catch these films in various cinemas on
September 2019. Visit @CinemaOneOriginals
(FB), @c1origs (Twitter) and @c1originals
(IG) for more updates.
#PLAYITRIGHT is meant to urge Filipinos to watch or download content only from legitimate sources.
Combating growing content piracy
Our local audience is getting exposed
to newer platforms to consume
content and it’s not just happening
here but in other countries as well
As innovation and technology continues to
change how people view and experience
cinema, the internet is perhaps the most
accessible digital platform available for
filmmakers now as a venue to tell stories to a wider
audience. However, it is this same platform where
digital theft or piracy occurs at an alarming rate.
At the recently concluded Film Ambassadors’
Night The Film Development Council of the
Philippines (FDCP) together with Globe, feted films,
actors and producers who won various international
recognition for the country’s film industry. FDCP
chairperson Liza Diño also shared the challenge
of Philippine cinema right now is to develop more
quality content which can be made available in
various platforms.
“Our local audience is getting exposed to newer
platforms to consume content and it’s not just
happening here but in other countries as well,”
she said.
The event was also in commemoration of 100
years of Philippine cinema.
Diño also acknowledged Globe and its long-running
anti-piracy advocacy, #PlayItRight. During the Film
Ambassadors’ Night, Diño encouraged filmmakers
to support the cause by thanking the men and
women at the back and in front of the camera
whose lives are affected by online piracy through
a short video at the end of every movie appealing
to moviegoers to respect the hard work of the cast
and crew and help them sustain their livelihood.
This way, moviegoers are made aware of the reality
of how the entertainment industry and its people
are affected by illegal content consumption.
#PlayItRight is meant to urge Filipinos to watch
or download content only from legitimate sources,
which started with a Piracy vs. Piracy initiative
during the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival.
#PlayItRight took the battle against piracy in
the pirates’ own grounds, plus its other efforts to
educate the public on the havoc that malwares and
other viruses can create on their devices.
In the campaign, Globe uploaded supposed
copies of the festival film entries in streaming sites
but once the links were clicked, viewers got the
surprise after the opening credits, what followed
was a heart-felt appeal of the film crew themselves,
A family of dancers
and more
They discuss their experiences as performers and how
the interest in dance can be nurtured in children
Art 2 Art continues its 12th anniversary celebration with forthcoming episodes
focusing on an on-the-rise painter, a family of ballet artists and a summer
art camp for children. These follow episodes featuring the spoken-word group
Titik Poetry and National Artist Ryan Cayabyab aired earlier this month.
Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company and hosted by Ballerina
ng Bayan Lisa Macuja, Art 2 Art airs every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on radio
via DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Ch. 129
on Skycable in Metro Manila, Ch. 18 on Cignal TV and Ch. 3 on Cablelink) and
livestreaming at http://dzrhnews television.tv. The show may also be viewed
via the Facebook account DZRH News Television.
Last 17 March, Paulina Luz Sotto shared her relatively new journey in
visual arts. Though she lived most of her life with her grandfather, National
Artist Arturo Luz, it was only four years ago that she decided to become a
SUDOKU
where they stated how much hard work and time
they spend on a film, and how piracy has affected
their livelihood.
The latest in Alexa data analysis shows that
streaming piracy is significantly up with a 75%
increase in pageviews of an average user of
streaming piracy websites between 2016 and 2017.
In terms of downloads, there is still a total of 502
million movie and TV BitTorrent downloads in
2017. The Philippines alone has 22 million visits to
infringing websites.
The new threat of digital content piracy now
involves the use of illicit streaming devices (ISDs)
and apps. Accessing content through these illegal
means exposes viewers to various threats such
as viruses and malwares that can steal private
information. Left unregulated, this puts consumers,
especially children at risk.
These pressing issues remain the major concern
of the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), an initiative
of the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), a
collective of Asian and international entertainment
companies and distribution platforms. CAP
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
FDCP chairperson Liza Diño also shared the challenge
of Philippine cinema right now is to develop more quality
content.
recognizes the #PlayItRight campaign as an
effective move to combat digital content piracy
which has an estimated US$50-billion impact
to the media industry annually.
At the recent Digital Anti-Piracy Summit
in Kuala Lumpur, one of the key learnings
as reported by Hong Leong Investment Bank
Research is that education on the consumer
end, such as #PlayItRight, is perhaps the
most effective way to combat piracy of
content. During the summit, Malaysian
Minister of Communications and Multimedia
Gobind Singh Deo expressed that, “Piracy
has a serious impact on the ability of these
practitioners to continue creating content
commercially,” referring to job losses in the
filming and broadcasting industry.
Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and senior
vice president for Corporate Communications
Yoly Crisanto also shared in-depth, the
company’s #PlayItRight initiative at the
summit that, “whether you like it or not, piracy
is part of the digital lifestyle of our customers
nowadays. In the Philippines, 52% of viewers
access through unauthorized sources. With
#PlayItRight, we saw a 53 percent decline in
illegal content access. If you’re paying a very
small amount of money to get to legal content,
it doesn’t really make sense for you to get into
illegal sites. And that’s what we’re trying to
communicate.”
#PlayItRight is meant to urge Filipinos
to watch or download content only from
legitimate sources.
Globe is the preferred partner for content
distribution by global entertainment brands
like Disney, Netflix, Hooq, Turner, Astro, Sports
Illustrated, and Musical.ly. Other than content
distribution, Globe also now produces its own
original content through Globe Studios.
Among the projects under Globe Studios was the
film Birdshot, starring Mary Joy Apostol, John Arcilla
and Ku Aquino. It won Best Picture in the Asian Future
category at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival
and director Mikhail Red won Best Director. Apostol
also won Best Actress at the First Asean Film Awards
in Vietnam. Birdshot is the first Philippine-produced
content released on Netflix worldwide.
For more about Globe and its anti-piracy efforts,
visit www1.globe.com.ph/play-it-right.
To get more updates follow GlobeICON and
Globe Bridging Communities on Facebook.
PAULINA Sotto (right) tells “Art 2 Art” host Lisa Macuja how she began her visual arts
journey just four years ago.
full-time painter. Today, she continues to explore various styles within the
field of abstraction.
On 24 March, Art 2 Art welcomes Ballet Manila principal artist Romeo
Peralta, his wife Sofia Sangco-Peralta and brother Robert Peralta, the latter
two both teachers at the Ballet Manila School and also former dancers with
the company. They discuss their experiences as performers and how the
interest in dance can be nurtured in children.
On 31 March, the show focuses on i-Shine Talent Camp, a talent development
program for kids aged six to eleven. Sheryl Yao of Wyeth Philippines talks about
the program, now on its seventh edition. Kara Escay, one of the camp’s visual
arts mentors, meanwhile demonstrates how easy it is to draw, even giving a
crash lesson to host Lisa Macuja.
For inquiries, e-mail art2artdzrh@gmail.com or visit the Ballerina ng
Bayan page on Facebook. Past episodes of the program may be viewed on
YouTube, at the Art 2 Art with Lisa Macuja channel.
MACUJA (left) interviews Ballet Manila’s Sofia Sangco-Peralta, Romeo Peralta and
Robert Peralta.

22
WELLBEING
Kidney 101
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Kidney disease often has
no symptoms, and it can
go undetected until very
advanced
Last 14 March, we celebrated
World Kidney Day. This year’s theme
is “Kidney Health for Everyone
Everywhere.” With 850 million people
worldwide now estimated to have
kidney diseases from various causes
and chronic kidney diseases (CKD)
causing at least 2.4 million deaths per
year and ranked as the sixth fastest
growing cause of death, the objective
is to raise awareness of the high and
increasing burden of kidney diseases
worldwide and the need for strategies
for kidney diseases prevention and
management.
As a way of doing my part, I felt
it appropriate to share with you some
basic tips to keeping your kidneys
healthy as well as how to find out if
you may have kidney disease.
Many of the things associated
with a healthy lifestyle will also help
maintain kidney health. Simple things
such as knowing and controlling
your blood pressure, not smoking,
being aware of any risk factors for
diabetes and making sure your blood
sugar is always well controlled. Avoid
taking medicines in excess, such as
anti-inflammatory medication and avoiding
any medications that have not been
prescribed by your doctor. Maintain
healthy salt intake, a healthy diet and
a healthy weight.
Aside from these, there are two
simple tests you may want to discuss
with your doctor on your next visit.
First is a urine test called ACR. ACR
stands for albumin-to-creatinine ratio.
Your urine will be tested for albumin.
Albumin is a type of protein and one
that your body needs. But it should
be in the blood, not the urine. Having
protein in your urine may mean that
your kidneys are not filtering your
blood well enough. This can be a sign
of early kidney disease. If your urine
THE DOCTOR DIARIES
Brian Michael Icasas Cabral, MD
test comes back “positive” for protein,
the test should be repeated to confirm
the results. Three positive results over
three months or more is a sign of
kidney disease.
Another important test is a blood
test to estimate your GFR (glomerular
filtration rate). Your blood will be tested
for a waste product called creatinine.
Creatinine comes from muscle tissue.
When the kidneys are damaged, they
have trouble removing creatinine from
your blood. Testing for creatinine is
only the first step. Next, your creatinine
result is used in a mathematical formula
with your age, race and sex to find out
your glomerular filtration rate. Your GFR
number tells your doctor how well your
kidneys are working.
Along with a thorough history and
physical examination, these tests
help determine what stage of kidney
disease you might have and will be
used by your healthcare provider
in coming up with the appropriate
management plan.
Kidney disease often has no
symptoms, and it can go undetected
until very advanced. If you have a history
of hypertension, diabetes or are over 60
years of age… then remember ACR and
GFR, two easy tests which can tell you if
you have kidney disease. It’s important
to get tested because early detection
and treatment can slow or prevent the
progression of kidney disease.
New form of glutathione
first in Phl
According to clinical studies, Glutathione helps our body stay healthy and maintain
optimum mental and physical function.
With NuWhite, the S-Acetyl Glutathione used in the formulation of the oral beauty
supplement will be the first in the Philippines and will address the lower absorption rates
of Reduced L-Glutathione or GSH.
The new product is more beneficial than any other available glutathione oral supplements
that contain Reduced Glutathione because of its use of Emothion S-Acetyl Glutathione
(SAG), the oral active form of Glutathione or the
effective in-body-form of glutathione.
Emothion SAG directly increases the
levels of GSH in the body and has the highest
and positive effects on oxidative stress, liver
protection, anti-aging and skin health.
This product has been consistency tested
versus qualified commercial GSH, both in
pre-clinical and clinical trials, in order to
provide evidence of its fast and effective
benefits. It is also 100 percent safe and is
FDA-approved.
By far the most innovative glutathione
S-ACETYL Glutathione.
Many of the things associated with
a healthy lifestyle will also help
maintain kidney health.
preparation in the Philippine market today, the
new and improved Nuwhite responds to the most
common problems of oral glutathione products such as bioavailability and absorption and
deals with these to a new extent.
Oxina Cosmetics has created a compact beauty supplement which helps in whitening, antiaging
action, liver protection and detoxification, skin nourishing, healthy immunity as it smoothens
wrinkles, reduces fine lines, firms skin leading to radiance, better metabolism and skin health.
THE hospital’s Center for Neurological Sciences, with the help of HealthSolutions Enterprises Inc., made the initiative which was readily
embraced by the top management led by the Medical Center chief, Dr. Evelyn Reside, and the chief of the Medical Professional Staff, Dr.
Lino Santiago Pabillo.
What’s hot at QMMC
HealthSolutions installs first-ever BARD Arctic
Sun at Quirino Memorial Medical Center
The Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) recently
acquired the latest technology from BARD (a medical
solutions developer based in the United States), for
targeted temperature management.
The hospital’s Center for Neurological Sciences (CNS),
with the help of HealthSolutions Enterprises Inc. (HEI),
made the initiative which was readily embraced by the
top management led by the Medical Center chief, Dr.
Evelyn Reside and the chief of the Medical Professional
Staff, Dr. Lino Santiago Pabillo.
This, to them, is part of QMMC’s commitment to deliver
global standard practices and live by its identity as one
of the brain centers in the country.
BARD Arctic Sun 5000 is a Targeted Temperature
Management (TTM) system that is safe, precise and
reliable in targeting therapeutic treatments, both for
hypothermia (bringing down patient’s core temperature
CNS chairman Dr. Maria Victoria Manuel expressed her delight during the product
demonstration conducted by HealthSolutions Enterprises Inc.
to therapeutic level) or normothermia (maintaining the
normal temperature of neurocritical patients with fever).
Its touchscreen interface quickly guides clinicians to
successfully initiate treatments. It comes with an Arcticgel
Pad which uses a water-based hydrogel that ensures
surface contact and transfers energy effectively to the
patient’s body.
According to QMMC’s chief medical professional
staff Dr. Lino Santiago Pabillo, the hospital regularly
accommodates a high volume of stroke patients. Because
of this, there is a need for innovative equipment that will
help their neurologists and nurses treat patients without
compromise. With better control of the temperature
of patients, the Arctic Sun is expected to improve the
hospital’s current system for treating stroke.
With the help of the Arctic Sun 5000, we now have
a better way of cooling the body which is crucial
in improving chances of recovery and better
outcomes for our patients.
CNS chairman Dr. Maria Victoria Manuel
expressed her delight during the product
demonstration conducted by HEI. “In the past,
we usually had to make do and improvise with
what we have,” she said. “With the help of
the Arctic Sun 5000 by BARD, we now have a
better way of cooling the body which is crucial
in improving chances of recovery and better
outcomes for our patients.”
Dr. Jo Ann Soliven, the proponent and the
center’s stroke specialist, believes “this is a
milestone in Philippine public health system’s
emergency and intensive care delivery. It is a
lifesaving, modern era therapeutic modality
for saving brain tissue not only in post cardiac
arrest but many critical neurologic cases
such as severe stroke, traumatic brain injury
and meningitis, among others. It is already a
standard of care in patients who have a return
of spontaneous circulation after cardiac
arrest (in or out of hospital). We have strong
evidences that show how TTM helps improve
outcomes in the above cases.”
In the Philippines, the BARD Arctic
Sun 5000 is exclusively distributed by
HealthSolutions Enterprises Inc. Log on to
healthsolutions.com.ph/.
Seek first the counsel of
a physician. Likewise,
complement it with balanced
diet and healthy lifestyle
By AJ Bajo and Bea Micaller
Age is just a figure.
Fifty-six but looking like a 34-yearold?
It’s indeed possible.
Through non-drug, non-invasive
technology that activates stem cells in
our body, LifeWave introduces X39 in
the Philippines, an advanced and the
first-ever technology that’s engineered
to activate the inactive stem cells in our
body by just simply patching it anywhere
in the body.
Typically injected, LifeWave, an
innovator in the health and wellness
industry, pioneered a device that need
only to be patched on to our body that
will fuel up the stem cells found in our
core.
“Stem cells are usually injected
especially in Europe and United States;
and they are all very costly with some
priced at P30,000 per dose. (We thought)
to just activate the (already-found) stem
cells in our body, just patch it instead,”
said David Schmidt, LifeWave founder
Patched not injected: Enter X39
and the creator of X39, during the
product launch yesterday.
You are probably raising your
eyebrow at this point of time. Is
this really safe? Is this for all ages?
“It’s very safe (than the injected
stem cells) because when you
inject stem cells there’s always a
chance for rejection. So one of the
things that people do in the United
States is they’ll have stem cells
extracted from the blood, from
the fatty tissue. And then re-inject
it. And when you redirect them to
a different part of the body, they
can still circulate because X39 is
elevating a natural peptide in the
body. So, there’s no risk,” said
LifeWave Inventor and CEO David
Schmidt in an interview with the
Daily Tribune.
The company, however, does not
directly claim medicinal therapeutic
effects from X39 but said that the
technology improves and lessens the
pain of the symptoms of a certain
disease, say, a diabetic person who has
a wound.
“We can’t make that claim [that X39
can really heal a disease]. Because
Copper Peptide and other peptides like
glutathione exist naturally in the body.
All they were doing is restoring its
LIFEWAVE introduces X39, an advanced and the first-ever
technology that’s engineered to activate the inactive stem cells
in our body by just simply patching it anywhere in the body.
levels to where you were when you were
younger,” David Schmidt added.
Also disclaiming it, LifeWave advises
those who want to try and use the
product to seek first the counsel of their
physician. Likewise, complement it with
balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
“Absolutely, I would not want to see
someone use the X39 and think that this
is going to be a cure. If they have healthy
diet, if they exercise, drink
lots of water and get proper
sleep, then they’re going to
get much, much more better
results,” he added.
Is it for all ages? Definitely
not. Only those who 18 and
above may use it, but should
still need their doctor’s
guidance and their parent’s
or guardian’s.
Non-drug technology
provider LifeWave is looking
at tripling the production of
its new stem cell-mobilizing
device, x39, banking on the
increasing demand for the
product barely three months
after it was launched in
January this year.
“We’ve been in business
since 2002, and because our
business was expanding in
2009 we purchased high-speed
manufacturing equipment. Last year,
we made over 17 million patches,”
LifeWave founder, chief executive
officer and inventor of the technology
David Schmidt said.
“When we released x39, it very
quickly became our top product so
now about 30 percent of our product
sales are x39,” Schmidt said without
disclosing actual figures.
About nine of LifeWave’s array
of products are sold in the country,
including patches for enhancing
energy, relieving pain, improving sleep,
managing inflammation, appetite
control, reducing stress and anxiety
and anti-aging.
The products are sold online
or through one of the company’s
distributors. A pack of 30 patches sell
for a range of $89.95 to $149.95.
LifeWave has warehouses in 12
countries including the Philippines,
where it has around 300 member
distributors.
When asked if the company is
looking at expanding its distribution
reach, Schmidt said, “We keep the
distribution exclusive and this is
something our distributors really like.
We don’t private-label or distribute
outside of our network of distributors.”
Still, he said that they are open to
hospital donations.
“The only type of institutions
that we would partner with might
be hospitals. For example, Hospital
Manila here in the Philippines, if they
wanted a donation of x39 or maybe the
Red Cross, we do donations all over the
world. So that people that can’t afford
it can get our product.”

Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
LIFESTYLE 23
From page 24
Power becomes her
Q: So now that you are thinking of retirement
and you’re writing your memoirs, looking back,
are you happy with the way your career turned
out?
A: All I can say is it’s been a great honor to be
able to serve the Filipino people. It’s not “happy”
or anything, it’s honor. I feel honored. That’s the
sentiment.
Q: Are you inclined to accept a Cabinet
position, if ever?
A: You know, those hypothetical questions are
very difficult to answer because you answer one and
on the other you’re dead.
Q: As a former President and economist, what
unsolicited advice can you give to the current
administration?
A: I never give out unsolicited advice. (laughs) You
know, he does not like for people giving unsolicited
advice. I do not want to join that peanut gallery.
My hard work. Also the way I do things,
critically and my reservations and then I
have the discipline to implement.
Q: Is your family looking forward to your
retirement also?
A: I don’t know… (laughs) I haven’t asked them…
Q: We don’t really know much about how you
are as a grandma, or a mom…
A: Just regular. Nothing unusual about me…
Q: What do you consider as your strongest
points that worked for you in your rise in politics?
A: I’m a hard worker.
Q: What would you have done any differently
if given a chance?
A: I don’t want to...I never reflect on those things
because when I’ve done what I’ve done. You cannot
turn back time. And as I said, it’s been an honor to
serve the Filipino people.
Q: What do you do to relax?
A: Watch TV, watch movies, either on a small
screen or in the movie house.
Q: What kind of movies do you like?
A: When I’m with my family, action and
adventure. When I’m alone, chick flicks and classics.
Q: What kind of music do you listen to?
A: I like old… but my grandchildren like very
modern music. And of course, everybody loves
Bohemian Rhapsody, you know, Queen, these days,
we’re back to that… it is a revival, but I like what
they like.
Q: Okay. What books are you reading at the
moment?
A: Xi Jinping governance of China.
Q: Which of your many awards touched you
the most? You have received Outstanding Human
Being, Woman of the Year, Most Powerful Woman,
Making a Difference — what do you hold most
special?
A: None in particular. I don’t think much of
things like that.
q q q
Q: Do you do a lot of traveling when you are
not so busy?
A: Between the time I left the presidency and
the time when I was barred, suddenly barred, from
going abroad, I traveled 11 times. That was from
June of 2010 to October of 2011. So in 16 months, I
traveled 11 times and then suddenly they gave me a
hold departure order because they said I am a flight
risk. How could I be a flight risk — I traveled 11 times?
Q: What is your favorite destination?
A: Well I like New York. In Europe, I like Paris.
In Asia, I like Hong Kong and Japan.
Q: Local?
A: I like Pampanga, of course. Because we have
a lot of restaurants there.
Our family likes Hong Kong and Japan. In the
Philippines, well the beach, we like the beaches in
the Philippines.
Q: What is your personal philanthropy?
A: Well, my mother-in law has a foundation in her
honor, Lourdes Tuazon-Arroyo. One of the things that
it does is livelihood and another thing that it does is
persons with disabilities. In fact, we brought, in one
of our trips to Hong Kong, we brought a group of
100 persons with disabilities. Maybe the 100 already
included their caregivers.
Q: Looking back, what are the things you thank
your parents for?
A: For the values that they taught me. My mother
being stern, was frugal even if she was well-to-do. My
father was very idealistic and gave me all the values
that I hope guided my governance.
Q: What do you think is the strongest quality
as a leader?
A: My hard work. Also the way I do things,
critically and my reservations and then I have the
discipline to implement.
Q: Looking at your bio, I don’t think anybody
can be compared to you, what you have
achieved. You’ve gone through so many high
positions.
A: It was not because I was driven and
ambitious… it was because I just did what I
thought was right and I did the best that I could
and then...
Q: It got you there.
A: Not because I was driven with ambition.
Q: Do you think about what other people say?
A: Of course I do, but I can’t help it if they
don’t like me.
Q: How you do keep yourself strong?
A: Trust in the Lord.
Q: Your source of strength.
A: Yes… my faith…
Q: What would you consider as the highest
point of your life?
A: Well, having been President is a great honor.
Q: In your memoirs, will you be very candid
about everything?
A: You know, the first draft of my memoir is
550 pages, single space, font 12… I want to get an
editor to pare it down for a first edition to 200 pages,
bigger font. It cannot be something that will bore
people to death.
Q: Are you writing it yourself?
A: I’m writing it myself now, the 550 pages, but
I will get an editor to pare it down to 200 pages
with bigger font.
Q: When did you start writing it?
A: I started writing it when I was in detention…
then I have to write the new chapter… then you
know, when I got out, I got busy already and then
suddenly, now I have a new chapter, my Speakership.
Q: What is the typical day like for you now?
A: Let’s take last Tuesday and last Wednesday.
When there is no session, like last Tuesday, I went to
Dumaguete for an oversight hearing on the national
ID system because I told the congressmen, what
I’ve said earlier, isn’t it we have passed good laws...
the President has emancipated good calls, now let’s
help with the implementation. So we passed the
national ID system… so I held a hearing… and by
helping out implementation is oversight… because
we have legislation panel, we have oversight din…
So on… last Tuesday, I had a hearing, in exercising
the oversight functions, we passed the national ID
system… we listened to everything on…how it is being
implemented. And on the hearing, the people also
in the area were asking questions from the agencies
about the implementation… I held it in Dumaguete
because one of the principal authors and
sponsor was Congressman
Arnie Teves, who was from
there, so we did it there
in his honor. And then
I went to a wake,
my student, Bobby
Tesoro, who died
nine days before.
Then I went
back to Manila
and then in the
evening I went
to President
Duterte.
Wednesday,
this is what I did.
Still part of the
oversight functions...
I went to the National
Housing Authority to
listen to their committee
meeting, because they were
implementing the Housing
and Urban Development Act, their
committee deliberated on a
budget for… to be able
to give the land titles to the people of Manggahan,
the floodway… so they… the committee approved
P38 million to be sent to the board… because we
oversight, then they do those things, because they
know that we are looking at them. After that, I
went to Congress. There were some Assumption
girls observing… and then after that, I went to
another urban poor area, Camp Atienza, again in
implementation of the law that the housing… they
distributed lot allotments and we worked on the
probably of the tax exemption, for paying the real
estate types where the poor get their lot… So, that’s
what I did on that day.
Q: That’s just two days.
A: That’s two days… that’s like two typical days
on a non-session day… but on session day most of
the work is on sessions and committee hearings.
Q: So if you were to explain…
A: Wait, I’m not yet… I didn’t finish. On that
day, Wednesday, I had a dinner in my house with
for the Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
and the Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines and
a congressman, because we’re talking about the
assistance of Saudi Arabia to the Philippines that
were requested by members of Congress. Yun, so
that’s the two typical days in a non-session day.
We should be very proud of what women
have achieved in our country.
Q: So if you were to explain to an ordinary
Pinoy, what is the work of a Speaker of the House?
A: The Speaker of the House presides over the
House, covers the sessions, but more than that
exercises the leadership on the agenda. In fact, I
hardly… all the Speakers hardly preside… so exercise
leadership, what should be prioritized.
Q: A lot of people don’t really understand the
workings of the Congress.
A: Yes, that’s why when I brought the Assumption
girls to Congress, they were… and yet there were no
sessions... they were so pleasantly surprised at how
much good can be done in Congress.
Q: I’m just also curious, because you’re already
talking about retiring, but it seems there so much
more to be done. Do you think the same thing?
A: Not much more to be done… not with much
more to be done.
Q: Do you feel ready to step away into a more
private life?
A: More private life… more private life, yes.
Q: Can you share some insights on just the
situation of women now?
A: Yes, I’ve written something about
that. We have a tradition of… compared
to other countries of being very
progressive and advanced about
women’s rights in our country. In
my time, we were number six in
gender equity…now we’re number
eight. But still, we’re not down,
we’re still in the top…So we
should be very proud of what
women have achieved in our
country.
“All I can say is it’s been a great
honor to be able to serve the
Filipino people. It’s not ‘happy’ or
anything, it’s honor. I feel honored.”
ROY PELOVELLO
The man
behind tasty
leche flan
Down to his last P5,000, the young
entrepreneur procured a steamer
and a set of jars and put his
concept to the test
A fresh take on a beloved classic and a
business venture all rolled into one, leche
flan with toppings in a jar is the big idea
behind Spoonful Desserts, a brainchild of
corporate-sales-manager-turned-entrepreneur,
John Lloyd “Cholo” Quiaonza.
“The idea for Spoonful Desserts came while I
was watching a TV feature about the cheesecake
in a jar concept,” he shares. “I was eating leche
flan at the time and just thought to myself — why
not put the flan inside a jar and then have it
come in different flavors to make it more unique
and exciting?”
leche flan with toppings in a jar.
At first, Cholo was apprehensive about
pursuing the concept after he had been forced
to close down his first venture. “I was pretty
careless with my first business. I neglected to
put in the necessary time and effort and left it
in the care of others,” he recalled.
Down to his last P5,000, the young entrepreneur
procured a steamer and a set of jars and put his
concept to the test. But it was a seemingly casual
post on his social media page about his new
leche flan in a jar product that really made Cholo
believe he was finally on to something.
Cholo strongly believes that through
Young Entrepreneurs Society, he is
able to nurture aspiring entrepreneurs
and their businesses.
“The post got a lot of engagements and even
inquiries about the product,” he said. “And after
just a couple of weeks, I already had resellers
from Cavite, Tagaytay and Batangas.”
Sharing the secret recipe
Cholo attributes the success of his business
to two things: mentorship and guidance. The
entrepreneur was taken under the wing of
the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI)
Kapatid Mentor Me program after aggressively
promoting his product on social media — a move
that caught the eye of DTI.
Likening the program to that of a mini
MBA course, it enabled him to develop the
technical skills required for entrepreneurs. “They
guided me through Spoonful Desserts’ product
development — helping me position the product
for a more premium target market, along with
developing the right sort of packaging, and even
the flavors of the leche flan,” he said.
Eager to receive more guidance and
mentorship, Cholo joined UnionBank
GlobalLinker in 2018. “I was really amazed
because it was like an online community for
managers and entrepreneurs like me. It is
a great place for knowledge-sharing and
gaining innovative insights from fellow
entrepreneurs which you can then
apply to your own business.”
Cholo notes that his favorite in
the platform are the feature stories.
“They’re always so informative. I
can relate to a lot of the articles,
especially with the things I could’ve
done differently,” he said.
Furthermore, Cholo also talks
about how GlobalLinker has
enabled him to expand his network
and even gain clients through the
platform’s Linker.Store. “I actually
began marketing my products
online, so I’m really looking to
explore the Linker.Store even
further. There is potential here
and I’ve actually already been
able to gain clients through
this feature.”
Paying it forward
After graduating from the
Kapatid Mentor Me Program, Cholo
founded the Young Entrepreneurs
Society in Cabuyao, Laguna. “I saw
that there was a lot of entrepreneurial
potential in the community but there
was no one to really mentor them.
At the same time, this is also my
way of paying it forward.”

24
LIFESTYLE
Dinah S. Ventura, Editor
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Power
becomes her
The former professor and mother of three chooses to put her time and talents to best use
by working on what duty sets before her
From page 1
traversed the political landscape with seeming proficiency,
endured the travails of politics and emerged unscathed.
From a foothold in government as Trade and Industry
Assistant Secretary to Undersecretary, to senator, vice
president and Cabinet secretary and then, President,
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo quickly rose up the leadership
ladder and proved herself a political warrior.
One might also say she has proven herself to be her
father’s daughter — astute and accomplished like our
ninth President Diosdado Macapagal and a strong leader,
though the latter is a quality she attributes more to her
late mother, Evangeline “Eva” Macaraeg Macapagal.
And just when one may have thought that chapter
had ended following plunder charges that she eventually
hurdled and a health condition from which she
continues to heal, Gloria reemerged as “The
Honorable,” ably representing her hometown
of Lubao, Pampanga in Congress. Today she
sits as Speaker of the House, notably the
first female Speaker of the country.
Exceptional woman
To say that her journey in Philippine
politics has been colorful is a massive
understatement — in fact, it feels
like any adjective is not enough to
describe the kind of life in power
she has led.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
(GMA), the Philippines’ 14th
President (2001 to 2010), is no
ordinary woman.
Her list of accomplishments,
positions held and awards received
reads like a Forbes Most Brilliant
Woman report, if there could be such
a distinction.
But as the representative of
Pampanga’s First District tells this
writer, she does not really think about
those things. One quickly understands
that this former professor and mother
of three chooses to put her time
and talents to best use by working
on what duty sets before her at the
moment. All these she tries to do as
quickly and efficiently as possible.
The list of her
accomplishments, positions
held and awards received
reads like a Forbes Most
Brilliant Woman report.
Q: But you’re always busy, you’re a workaholic…
A: Well, there really is a saying that old soldiers never
die, they just fade away… I suppose people who have been
in public service also are like that. But as I said, I haven’t
any thoughts about what comes next.
Q: What’s going to go into your memoirs?
A: I was just writing my first paragraph today...and I
take it from a speech that I made in SoNA (State of the
Nation Address) 2002. That’s the speech where I put so
much on Duterte’s programs, but it started by saying that,
“In Malacañang where I work, the past Presidents sit in
their portraits in judgement of me.”
And then… but… then, I said that there’s nobody more…
a sterner judge than the one who led me to Malacañang
as a teenager. Now, I plan to make that my first sentence
except that I will say, “In Malacañang, where I worked
from January 2001 to June 2010, the past Presidents in
their portraits are in judgment of me. But one of them
was sitting more in loving encouragement than stern
judgment, and that’s the man who led me by the hand…”
and then I will talk about him… and then I’ll talk about
other Presidents who… I might even begin by going back
again to the revolution of Andres Bonifacio, the poor man’s
revolution… then go back to my dad, and then talk about
some of the major achievements of other Presidents who
made a lasting change for the economy. Certainly my father
will be there — on the land reform that he started... He also
started to modernize economic management — the first
medium-term plan was my father’s and it was approved by
the House and by the National Economic Council where
the Senate was represented. He brought free enterprise
in the economy, he removed exchange controls and import
controls so he modernized the economy.
Her expertise clearly lies in an ability to use
her knowledge of law, economy and politics.
Certainly, FVR (Fidel V. Ramos) will be there because
FVR was President at the heyday of liberalization. So he
brought us into the WTO (World Trade Organization), but
not only that, he liberalized telecoms and power…and he
made the Philippines competitive even in spite of the 1997
Asian Crisis. So that is certainly a major contribution to
the future of the economy…
And then, well, I will talk about what I contributed,
what I want to be remembered for.
And then, I would include President Duterte also…
we’re just talking about the economy… we’re not talking
about peace and order or… because I am an economist…
to me, those are the ones that made a lasting impact on
the economy. That’s my Chapter One.
That’s just introductory to my own presidency.
“YOU know what my father always said? Do what is right. Do your best and let God take care of the rest.”
Her expertise clearly lies in an
ability to use her knowledge of law,
economy and politics to move things — her
hand is seen in “the process,” as she calls it.
Under GMA’s leadership, things get moving
and results come quickly.
Her petite frame — at the time of
this casual conversation simply yet
stylishly clad in athleisure chic
— can stun those who do not
know the length and breadth
of the impact she has made
on our economic landscape
or how she even survived
the political rollercoaster
for decades.
ROY PELOVELLO
Blunt but charming
As she parries
questions and expresses
her thoughts and
sentiments, something
about her could throw
one for loop — a unique
mix of bluntness and
charm that keeps
one alert, yet at the
same time strangely
comfortable. More
than what she says,
it is how she says it
that makes one pay
attention — a straight
spine, a proud chin,
the occasional wide
smile, her eyes alive
with expression.
Speaking with her
person to person, GMA
talks about her life as
a Filipina leader. Here
are some excerpts.
Q: Your term is
about to end…what
are your plans?
A: Well, I will write
my memoirs for one
thing…you know…
but outside of that, I
haven’t really given any
thought to it — what else
I should do to remain
busy or stay in…
Q: Are you going to talk about your childhood?
A: I will probably talk about maybe my life… my life
between… a sharp turn between the suburban… the urban
life of the upper-middle class, suburban life of San Juan
and my grandmother’s farm in Lanao. I was exposed to
those two kinds of life when I was a child, and I think that
impacted a lot on my presidency. So only where there’s a
direct impact on presidency (I will include).
Q: What was it like for you growing as a daughter of
a former President?
A: Well, I’ve always thought of my father as one of the
good guys, his opponents the bad guys. (laughs) So I look
at myself as….
Q: What do you remember most about him as a
father?
A: As a father, he was loving and gentle. And that’s why
I was saying I cannot say that he sat in stern judgment
(of me) because he was a very loving father.
More than what she says, it is how she says it that
makes one pay attention.
Q: Who did you take after?
A: My mother. Well, as far as governance, philosophy
is concerned, it’s my father. You know, the modernization
of the economy, land reform, that’s my father. My mother
was style… my mother was… she was stern. So I am stern.
(laughs)
The substance is my father, the style is my mother.
Q: Okay… you have risen so high in the political
scene and this being Women’s Month, what can you
say about that?
A: You know what my father always said? Do what is
right. Do your best and let God take care of the rest. So
I think my rise has been… I mean, did I think I would
become Speaker? No…
Q: I was thinking… as a child, did you ever imagine
that you would be…
A: I did not even imagine myself in politics.
Q: What did you want to do?
A: I wanted to become a Lenin, an enemy of corruption.
I wanted to become a pilot. I wanted to become a teacher…
and I did become a teacher. I really wanted that — my
longest term ambition was to become a teacher. Which I
did, I became a teacher and that of course also colored
my bias for education when I was President.
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