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Pedaling through history, eliminating further ‘bloodshed’ (Part 2)

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

TO OUR pleasant surprise, our group not only survived, we found that we enjoyed the entire experience, with some participants (even the non-cyclists) even noticing some unexpected health benefits. It certainly helped that our expert vegan chef Edilberto Villamor of Greenery Kitchen (a quaint restaurant along Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City recently voted by international vegan experts as among the world’s 50 best vegan eats) concocted some of the tastiest Pinoy favorites that he veganized using his tried-and-tested recipes, with Quorn vegan mycoprotein goodies on the side, and the freshest vegetables, fruits and spices bought from the local markets.

By going vegan for a full five days, and using the most frugal yet powerful diesel-propelled vehicles available in the market, our group of 28 people were able to minimize our carbon footprints and our overall impact on the environment. Ultimately, no more innocent blood (this time, the blood of livestock) was needed to be shed for us to conquer the passes. Buckets of sweat, certainly.

We were in sync with Mother Nature for those five days. From the food we ate, and the ingredients we bought (from markets just a few kilometers from our stops) to the vehicles we rode, even to the cooking and kitchen utensils we used (no single-use plastics, all reusable plates and metal mugs), we made sure that our tourism lifestyle was 360-degrees environmentally sustainable, and 100-percent compassionate and cruelty-free. It was a victory for life, and many steps forward towards the conservation of precious resources.

And yes, up here in the mountains, there’s unlimited water, too. Cool, refreshing, life-giving water.

THE ‘PROJECT V360’ ROUTE
Day 1: Carranglan, Nueva Ecija to Dalton/Balete Pass (elevation 914 meters/3,000 feet), then Aritao, Dupax Del Sur, Bambang, ending in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (102 km)

Day 2: Bayombong to Solano, to Kiangan in Ifugao (at the Ifugao Museum), back to Lagawe, then on to Banaue, Ifugao (102 km)

Day 3: Banaue, Ifugao to Mt. Polis Peak (elevation 1,895 meters/6,216 feet), to Bontoc, Mountain Province, to Sagada, then Besao, ending in Tadian, Mountain Province (104 km)

Day 4: Tadian to Aluling Bridge, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, to Bessang Pass Shrine (elevation 1,500 meters/4,920 feet), to the towns of Suyo, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, and Salcedo, then ending in Gregorio del Pilar (122 km)

Day 5: 4 km trek from GDP town proper up Tirad Pass Shrine (elevation 950 meters/3,120 feet), then trek back down to Gregorio del Pilar, ride bikes to cross Patupec River to Salcedo, then end in Candon City. (8-km trek plus 25-km bike). From Candon City, all participants rode vehicles back to Manila.

L2M Report

The Last Two Minute Report has turned four, and still it continues to be a bone of contention for National Basketball Association stakeholders. Conceived by the commissioner’s office as a means to promote regulation transparency and fan engagement, the review process that generates it is automatically triggered when scores are within three points of each other at any instance during the last two minutes — or, when applicable, overtime — of a given match. Unfortunately, the rules are so complex and contact between players occurs so often that determination of whether one is legal or not becomes subject and susceptible to bias. It’s why even the application of hindsight gets to be debated.

Considering how hotly contested the Warriors-Timberwolves tiff the other day was, not a few quarters looked forward to the L2M Report’s conclusions regarding two calls that affected the outcome. The first involved a foul on Keita Bates-Diop that was deemed committed prior to the act of shooting, this nullifying Kevin Durant’s three-point basket. Needless to say, the decision of referee Marat Kogut drew consternation from the blue and yellow, seeing as how the two-time Finals Most Valuable Player appeared to have taken the pass and released the ball in one fluid motion. The second was a push by the latter that official Leon Wood cited to send Karl-Anthony Towns to the line, with the ensuing free throw settling the set-to; the counter-argument noted that it should have been a non-call since the inbounds pass to the center was errant in the first place.

In the aftermath, the Warriors let loose a barrage of criticisms against the men in gray. Both Durant and Steph Curry pointed to Kogut as “the best player on the floor tonight,” and to Wood’s whistle as “a soft foul that should never have been called to decide the game like that.” From the vantage point of those behind the L2M Report, however, both calls were right. To quote: “Bates-Diop (MIN) places two hands on Durant (GSW) and makes contact with him prior to the start of his upward shooting motion.” Additionally: “Durant (GSW) wraps Towns (MIN) around the waist and engages with him, restricting his Freedom of Movement. The path of the throw-in has no bearing on the illegal action.”

In other words, the Warriors were wrong — which, in retrospect, makes all the criticisms they heaped upon the arbiters during and after the contest not only misplaced but downright disrespectful. Even as the L2M Report isn’t likely to disabuse them of their positions, the public setting of their grievances and the passion with which they made their sentiments known all but compel the league to take action against them. Even if they had cause to rant, the integrity of the institution remains paramount.

Interestingly, the NBA and the National Basketball Referees Association haven’t always seen eye to eye, but now find themselves on the same side, in regard to the validity of the review process. If nothing else, the latest affair underscores its relevance. The Warriors will continue to feel wronged, but the officials can at least claim vindication. They may not be right all of the time, but they’re motivated to be. And that, in the final analysis, is what matters most.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

This is how Lazada processes your orders

By Vincent Mariel P. Galang
Reporter

ONLINE SHOPPING is as easy as 1, 2, 3, but ever wonder how your order gets processed after checking out? Lazada Philippines shared how it fulfills your orders after placing it to delivery at your doorstep.

Orders being processed in a Lazada warehouse, like the one in Cabuyao, Laguna, are tagged “fulfilled by Lazada.” They have readily available supply in the warehouse and are processed by the company itself. After a shopper finishes the checking-out step, the order is verified to confirm the buyer’s authenticity. Once verified, the order is passed on for picking, packing, and preparation for shipping. All these steps can happen in as fast as 20 minutes.

The logistics arm of the e-commerce company always sees to it to “fulfill” every order it receives. This process goes on 24/7 in order to take on tens and thousands of orders made through the platform, but just like any other company, it sees to it to have room for improvement to better serve its shoppers.

“There are always things for us to improve. I think the thing to remember is that no one else has done this before here and so we’re constantly innovating and trying to find new ways to improve our accuracy, our speed, our presentation, but also what we’re focusing on is trying to get the best possible service. That’s what we’re here to do,” Joe Davies, senior vice-president for fulfillment of Lazada Philippines, told reporters during a warehouse tour in a property in Cabuyao, Laguna on March 28 after the company’s birthday sale held on March 27.

He noted the layout of the warehouse that changes from time to time. Instead of painting the lines on the floor, tapes are used to easily adjust the layout when the need to do so arises.

“We’ve been open here for about 18 months,” Mr. Davies said about the Cabuyao warehouse. “We don’t paint lines on the floor because we used to have lines and we keep changing everything. So we’re constantly changing what we do, we change the layout. We tweak it a little bit here and a little bit there that’s why we don’t use paint. Next month we might do something different, something new.”

“We have a culture here where we try new things all the time. We’re not afraid to try things. Somethings work really well, some don’t work well maybe we won’t do them anymore, we’ll do something else. We’re constantly looking for new ways to work,” he said.

The company’s warehouse in Cabuyao opened its second phase in late 2018. It now has a total area of 54,000 square meters for both warehouses. Phase one accommodates fast-moving products, or the smaller orders, while phase two handles the bulky items, like appliances, or bulk orders. The property is considered to be its biggest warehouse.

On what’s next for the company’s logistics, Mr. Davies said the company is trying to look for more areas where it can reach more customers.

“We’ll probably look at different areas to distribute the volume around. We look to strategically place the fulfillment centers as close as we can to where the customers are. This is ideal because we’re very close to SLEx [South Luzon Expressway] and we’re very close to getting items to Manila,” he said, referring to the location of the Laguna warehouse.

Lazada’s other warehouses in the Philippines are in Cebu and Davao, which allows it to reach customers in southern Philippines. “The reason we have Davao and Cebu is to put items closer to our customers. We locate them transport them to Cebu and Davao and we distribute them,” he said. All of the company’s warehouses operate 24/7.

WRAPPING UP THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
On March 27, Lazada held its birthday sale that had posted sales 15 times more than a normal day. Throughout the company’s week-long celebration, it attracted 318 million visits. The event also marked the success of its “shoppertainment” concept through the first ever livestreamed “Super Party” concert, which had 12 million views in both the app and on television. The concert, with 5,000 people participating, was held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Lazgame, which had another upgrade to the shopping experience it offers, attracted 2.5 million people to acquire deals. Shoppers on average visited the app six times a day to play with nine of 10 customers having collected cupcakes for shopping vouchers.

For Lazada Philippines, visits were twice more than a usual day, with more than five million transactions during the peak hour. The top five brands that made it to the brand leaderboard were Maybelline, Xiaomi, Coocaa, Promil, and Pampers.

“It has been a wonderful seven years for Lazada and we are thankful for the chance to serve our shoppers, sellers, and brands. Our goal has always been to develop an eCommerce ecosystem that now includes live streaming, games and will continuously nurture the growth of brands and sellers in the region,” Lazada Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ray Alimurung said in a statement on March 30.

Commodity prices, investment expected to extend winning streak

LONDON — A rebound in commodities prices and investment is poised to extend in coming months as the sector gets its traditional boost during the final stages of the global economic cycle along with other drivers.

While some investors worry about a possible recession, commodities are due to benefit from an expected US-China trade deal, tightening oil supply and potential short-covering in beaten-down US grain futures.

The 19-commodity Thomson Reuters/Core Commodity CRB Index, which has rebounded 10 percent from an 18-month low touched at the end of last year, should also get further support from easier monetary policy that has lifted all financial markets, analysts and traders said.

Commodities along with other financial markets have been buoyed after the US Federal Reserve this month confirmed its three-year drive to tighten monetary policy was at an end.

The dovish change from the Fed and growing stimulus in top commodities consumer China would extend the current positive economic cycle and support commodity prices, JPMorgan said in a note.

“Late cycles are typically marked by outperformance of commodities,” JPMorgan analyst Dominic O’Kane said.

The rise in commodities so far has been partly fueled by hopes for an agreement to end a trade war between Washington and Beijing, helping to spur $2.1 billion of flows so far this year into commodity index funds and exchange-traded funds, data compiled by Citi showed.

Commodity assets under management have climbed to $407 billion, breaching $400 billion for the first time since October, Citi said, based on data through March 5.

Although the energy complex has recovered strongly this year, positioning in crude oil is not overstretched, analysts said.

According to the latest exchange data, hedge funds have bought another 65 million barrels of petroleum futures and options, the biggest one-week increase since the end of August 2018 and a bullish signal.

That was because investors expect prices to be bolstered by supply-side disruptions while OPEC and its allies comply with their plans to cut 1.2 million barrels per day of supply this year.

The funds’ net long position in Brent crude has more than doubled from a low hit in early December, but is still less than half of the record high touched in April last year.

“There’s plenty of room on the upside,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank in Copenhagen.

As part of a proposed trade deal, Beijing has offered to make big-ticket purchases from the United States to help reduce a record trade gap. U.S. President Donald Trump’s team has said those purchases would be worth more than a trillion dollars over about six years.

Agricultural exports to China could grow to $30 billion or more a year, Citi analyst Aakash Doshi said in a note. This compares to nearly $20 billion in 2017.

“The CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) complex … appears poised for a rebound in 2Q/3Q on the back of a US-Sino trade deal that could meaningfully boost Chinese purchases of soybeans, corn, ethanol, cotton, pork and other agricultural products,” he said.

Flooding in the US Midwest makes agricultural futures vulnerable to short-covering after bearish bets hit record levels in recent weeks and this could accelerate if Chinese purchases surge, analysts said.

Industrial metals are moving into their strongest seasonal period when construction activity rises in top consumer China.

“Both the fundamentals and technicals are supportive, so if we can get some concrete news that a trade deal has been successful, these things could really fly,” said Robin Bhar, head of metals research at Societe Generale.

As seasonal demand is due to climb, most metals should have market deficits this year and in 2020, according to analyst consensus forecasts compiled by Reuters polls. — Reuters

Yields on gov’t debt down on easing inflation

By Christine Joyce S. Castañeda
Senior Researcher

YIELDS ON government securities (GS) went down last week on lower inflation expectations and speculations of monetary easing.

On average, GS yields — which move opposite to prices — fell by 21.43 basis points (bp) week on week, according to the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference Rates as of March 29.

“The fall in yields were from the general speculation of monetary easing from the recent comments of a BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) official,” UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in an email.

“Another reason may be the expected softer inflation print at [this] week’s release,” he added.

For his part, Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa, senior economist at ING Bank N.V.’s Manila Branch, said in an email that the continued decline in GS yields last week was brought by the “decelerating” inflation outlook and was in reaction to the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision amid expectations of easing from the US central bank.

“The second quarter borrowing program of BTr (Bureau of the Treasury) which was lowered also helped push yields down,” Mr. Mapa added.

Meanwhile, in a text message, a bond trader noted that last week’s decline mirrored the movement in bond yields globally.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno earlier said he sees room to ease key rates, while noting that the central bank will first have to monitor if the slowdown in the increase of prices will be sustained.

Meanwhile, in a memorandum posted on its Web site on Thursday, the Bureau of the Treasury said the government plans to borrow P315 billion domestically — P195 billion in Treasury bills (T-bill) and P120 billion worth of Treasury bonds (T-bond) — between April and June. The planned borrowing is lower than the P360 billion programmed in the first quarter and the P325-billion offering in the same period last year.

On the other hand, in its March 19-20 policy meeting, the Fed kept its rates unchanged, saying that they would keep interest rates steady this year.

At the close of trading on Friday, yields on the 91- and 182-day T-bills went up by 4.8 bps and 1.9 bps, respectively, to close at 5.799% and 5.94%. The 364-day T-bill also increased by 1.6 bps to yield 6.097%.

At the belly of the curve, the two-, three- and four-year debt papers were quoted at 5.822%, 5.748%, and 5.679%, respectively, which were 22.7 bps, 27.4 bps, and 32.4 bps lower than the rates seen the previous week. Yields on the five- and seven-year T-bonds also fell by 36.4 bps and 38.2 bps, respectively, to 5.627% and 5.599%.

Yields on the 10-, 20-, and 25-year bonds likewise went down 35.9 bps (5.605%), 28.5 bps (5.819%) and 22.5 bps (6.095%).

For this week, Mr. Mapa said: “Market will take their cue from inflation reported on Friday for direction and comments from BSP on RRR (reserve requirement ratio) and policy moves.”

For his part, UnionBank’s Mr. Asuncion said: “[This] week, yields are expected to be on the downward trend as the market expects a slower inflation print supporting more monetary policy space for the BSP.”

Meanwhile, the bond trader said: “[This] week, yields may rise a bit as investors may take profit ahead of CPI (consumer price index) data.”

March inflation data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on April 5.

Shares may rally ahead of March inflation report

LOCAL SHARES are seen to rally in the week ahead as investors await the release of March inflation data.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) firmed up 0.56% or 44.53 points to close at 7,920.93 on Friday. On a weekly basis, the main index was down 1.15% or 92.49 points, weighed down by the mining and oil and holding firm sectors which fell 4.9% and 2.6%, respectively.

Turnover also slimmed by six percent to P5.63 billion on average for the week. This was, however, supported by a 133% surge in net foreign buying which averaged at P729 million daily.

“The main index is in an incredibly good position despite the tumble that we saw last week… It could be seen as a slight pullback after being up more than two percent in the week before,” Eagle Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said in a weekly market report.

Mr. Mangun noted that once the PSEi breaks through the 8,000 mark, this could further boost investor sentiment and allow it to rise to the 9,000 level.

“March inflation numbers are also to be expected [this] week, which we see coming in at the lower end of the government’s target range. This will be very positive and may prompt investors to come into the market with conviction which in turn will help fuel the PSEi’s rally,” he added.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Department of Economic Research estimates March inflation to have landed within the 3.1-3.9% range, compared to February’s 3.7-4.5%. Actual February headline inflation was reported at 3.8%.

If realized, the lower end of the estimate for last month would be the slowest pace in 15 months, and would be the fifth straight month of slowdown from the nine-year high of 6.7% seen last September and October.

A BusinessWorld poll of 13 economists yielded a 3.5% median inflation rate for the month, which if realized will be slower than February’s pace and the 4.3% rate posted in March last year.

Online brokerage 2TradeAsia.com said slower inflation will give local monetary authorities more leeway to keep current policy settings intact, although noting that there might be potential consumer price index increases from April to June.

“(This depends) on the extent of El Niño’s damages to crops, plus the effect of higher global crude futures pricing on electricity charges. Adjustments are also anticipated post-election, or until 2019’s fiscal budget clearance is granted that would jumpstart infra-based construction initiatives,” 2TradeAsia.com said in a weekly market note.

Overseas, the online brokerage said investors will look at the outcome of high-level trade talks between the US and China.

“At the onset, markets would give regard on possible new timeline for an accord. This runs parallel with the Fed’s next policy stance, as more are inclined to hold the view for a potential rate cut.”

Eagle Equities’ Mr. Mangun placed the PSEi’s support from 7,800 to 7,900, with resistance from 8,000 to 8,140. — Arra B. Francia

Sunscreen made especially for Asian skin

SUMMER has officially begun in the Philippines and together with the hotter (and humid) temperatures (and water shortages), protecting one’s skin from the sun is really important, that’s why American skincare brand Kiehl’s has come out with two new items expanding its suncare line, with one made especially for Asian skin.

“Recently a lot of the growth is coming from Asia and, in fact, right now, Southeast Asia [in particular] is one of the regions to watch out for. That’s why [Kiehl’s] is creating different products that are more suited for the humid weather,” Joan Hwang, Kiehl’s Philippines senior product manager told BusinessWorld during the launch on March 20 at Ascott Makati.

before the launch, Kiehl’s already carried the Ultra Light Daily Defense SPF 50++++ sunscreen (P2,725 for 30ml) but Ms. Hwang noted that many Asians have oily skin and need a lighter formulation. Enter the Ultra Light Daily Defense Aqua Gel SPF 50 PA++++ (P2,100 for 30ml/P3,100 for 60ml).

Like the original, the new formula also offers UVA (premature aging and wrinkles) and UVB (burning) protection and “forms a protective barrier on the surface of the skin to prevent oxidative stress from environmental aggressors,” said a press release.

The new sunscreen also has the pollution protector present in the Aqua Gel variant.

Another suncare product launched during the event was the Activated Sun Protector (P2,100/150ml). If the Ultra Light sunscreens are perfect for daily use and under makeup (because everyone should incorporate sun protection into their daily skin care routines), the Activated Sun Protector is perfect for those going to the beach or other outdoor adventures.

The formula is made for both face and body, is water-resistant and sweatproof, and has SPF 50 PA++++. It also contains Vitamin E and is coral friendly.

Note that even if sunscreens are said to be waterproof and sweat-proof, one must reapply every two hours to ensure proper protection.

“Before, sunscreen was highly seasonal — people (would) only use it during summer — but we also noticed that the interest in sunscreens is moving past summer because people are becoming more and more educated about how important it is to use it on a daily basis,” Ms. Hwang said.

DOING THEIR OWN ONLINE THING
Last year, Kiehl’s entered the online shopping space by selling products on Beauty MNL, a Philippine online beauty and lifestyle e-commerce site, and while Ms. Hwang said that it proved successful, the brand wanted to do its own thing and sell the products itself online.

“We’re gonna do our own project soon. When we sold products on Beauty MNL, I think it was more of we were trying our hand at it first. Now that we know how it works, it makes sense for us to do it on our own,” Ms. Hwang said.

She explained that one of the key advantages Kiehl’s has over other beauty brands is its personalized beauty consultation which allows skin care specialists to examine a customer’s face and recommend products tailored to their needs. They also give out samples so customers can try before they buy, because Ms. Hwang acknowledges that it is an investment.

“But you can’t really do that [in Beauty MNL] so we wanted to recreate the entire Kiehl’s experience on our own online,” she explained.

She said they expect that the new online shop will be up by the second half of the year.

The Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Aqua Gel will be available in all Kiehl’s stores nationwide starting April 15 while the Activated Sun Protector is now available. — Zsarlene B. Chua

How PSEi member stocks performed — March 29, 2019

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Friday, March 29, 2019.

psei040119

 

Philippine Stock Exchange’s most active stocks by value turnover — March 29, 2019.

pseiactive040119

Gov’t to conduct study on scope of drug problem

By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter
THE DANGEROUS Drug Board (DDB) is set to conduct a study on the extent of the drug problem in the country “amid calls for evidence-based indicators of the success of the anti-drug campaign” of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s administration, according to DDB chairman Catalino S. Cuy.
The study, Mr. Cuy said in a statement posted on the DDB website on Saturday, will “entail the conduct of a census instead of a survey to provide a real picture of the drug situation.”
The DDB said reports from all law enforcement agencies and intelligence information “will also be included and integrated in the data analysis.”
“There were previous studies with similar intentions but the results of which did not include data from law enforcement agencies. This time, we will make sure that these will be included and integrated in analyzing data and coming up with statistical figures,” Mr. Cuy was quoted as saying.
“What we want is an actual census to provide the real picture of the drug situation in the country,” he added.
He further said that his agency is coordinating with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). “The DDB and the PSA have started the talks for the conduct of this activity.”
Section 7 of Executive Order (EO) No. 66, which Mr. Duterte signed in October last year, mandates the conduct of a nationwide survey to determine drug abuse prevalence in the country.
The President’s Order also directed the PSA to provide full technical assistance to the DDB.
All government offices, departments, bureaus, agencies and offices, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges, were also directed, according to the EO, to implement the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS), which the DDB formulated to address the drug problem in the country.
The DDB’s PADS “outlines the balanced efforts of the government to strengthen its campaign against prohibited drugs and their precursors, and contribute to international efforts to counter the worldwide illegal drug problem.”
The agencies mentioned, including Local Government Units (LGUs), were further directed to “formulate and adopt their respective Drug-Free Workplace Programs, and conduct authorized drug testing among their respective officials and personnel….”

Palace: ‘We are not in the business of cyberattacks’

MALACAÑANG’S MEDIA security task force on Sunday denied that President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s administration had a hand in the series of cyberattacks against alternative media outfits, including Alipato Media Center Inc. (Bulatlat.com), Altermidya-People’s Alternative Media Network Inc., Kodao Productions Inc., and Pinoy Media Center Inc.
“I’m telling you as a matter of fact, we are not in the business of doing cyberattacks. Should I swear before my dead saints’ graves?” Presidential Task Force on Media Security Executive Director and Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco said in a phone message to BusinessWorld.
Alipato Media Center Inc. (Bulatlat), Altermidya-People’s Alternative Media Network Inc., Kodao Productions Inc., and Pinoy Media Center Inc. filed a complaint for damages against IP Converge Data Services, Inc., and Suniway Group of Companies last Friday, March 29, at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. The media groups were assisted by the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).
In a statement, the NUPL said the two domestic corporations “were identified by experts as the source of the unrelenting cyber attacks against the websites of the plaintiffs. The well-funded and orchestrated attacks, “in the form of Distributed Denial of Service” (DDoS), have been inflicted upon the plaintiffs for months amidst a climate of intensifying state-sponsored media repression.
For her part, Altermidya People’s Media Network National Coordinator Rhea Padilla said the attacks were state-sponsored.
“We believe these attacks are state-sponsored and are part of the Duterte administration’s attempt to stifle press freedom in the country. It seems cyber censorship is one of the administration’s tactics to make way for an open dictatorial rule,” she said in a statement.
Sought for comment, Mr. Egco said: “If their allegations are based on ‘belief,’ then it’s baseless.”
“How I wish they could report on the atrocities against civilians and civilian properties committed by the NPA (New People’s Army). There lies the disconnect,” he added.
Denying the government’s involvement in the attacks, he said: “My mandate is clear: to protect media workers and their families.”
Mr. Egco did not answer when asked if these media outfits were part of the list of organizations identified by the government as communist fronts.
The media groups said their websites have been subjected to “sustained” cyberattacks since December last year.
Ms. Padilla said this kind of attack “denies legitimate readers of access to truthful reports.”
“Launching a cyberattack with this kind of magnitude and immensity is impossible without the knowledge of the companies. At the very least, they should be held responsible for gross inexcusable negligence. The attacks are continuing despite the fact that it has been reported in the media,” she also said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

CoA orders 14-year old NLPCSI to make concrete operations plan

THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA), in its 2018 report, asked the Northeastern Luzon Pacific Coastal Service, Inc. (NLPCSI) to create a concrete plan for its operations, which has not commenced 14 years since its inception. The NLPCSI was established in Jan. 2004 as part of the “Strong Republic Nautical Highway” flagship program of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It was jointly organized by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) and the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora to develop and operate seaports and maritime business in the area. “After 14 years from its creation, NLPCSI has not yet started its principal business of providing and rendering general services incidental to or necessarily connected with the operation and management of coastal service facility in the Pacific Coast,” CoA said. The delay in the NLPCSI operation stemmed from the failure of Stoneworks Specialist International Corporation (SSIC) to deliver two units of coastal service facility vessel, as provided in a Vessel Purchase Agreement signed in Sept. 2009. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Application for retiring Del Castillo’s post now open

THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) has opened for application and recommendation the Supreme Court position to be vacated by Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo, who is retiring on July 29 when he turns 70. Deadline for the applications is on May 14, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. “A recommendation or nomination filed in lieu of an application may be given due course only if the recommendee has signified his or her acceptance thereof either in the recommendation itself or in a separate document, and has submitted two complete sets of the documentary requirements,” the JBC said in its announcement. Mr. Del Castillo is among the senior associate justices in the SC, having been appointed in 2009 by former president and now House of Representatives Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Prior to joining the judiciary, Mr. Del Castillo practiced law in banking and worked with the Araneta Group of Companies. From 1989, he served in various municipal and regional courts, then appointed to the Court of Appeals in Aug. 2001. Mr. Del Castillo obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Beda College in 1971 and earned his Law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1976. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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