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Duterte signs law recognizing British School of Manila

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a law recognizing the British School Manila as an educational institution of international character. Mr. Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11218 on Feb. 14. Sec. 3 on Grant of Prerogatives states in part: “To enable the School (to) continue carrying out its educational program, improve its standard of instruction and meet the needs of the foreign diplomatic and temporary resident community for quality education.” The law was passed by the House of Representatives as House Bill No. 8249 on Nov. 20 last year and adopted by the Senate as an amendment to Senate Bill No. 1527 on Nov. 28. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Bus augmentation service to be introduced

THE city government is set to implement the Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service (PHABS) in four areas for increasing numbers of passengers unserved by existing public utility vehicles. The PHABS, which will cover the Toril, Catalunan Grande, Mintal and Cabantian areas, will be implemented as soon as it gets the nod of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulator Board (LTFRB) XI. “PHABS was initially initiated for the Toril Route and Catalunan Grande Route but we included the Mintal and Cabantian areas due to the suggestions made by several agencies and concerned citizens,” City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) Chief Dionisio Abude said, adding that six buses will be deployed for each route. “The deployed buses are expected to charge the regular rate for buses which is P10 for the first 5 kilometers and P2.20 per kilometer,” Mr. Abude said. LTFRB issued a Memorandum Circular on Friday that will pave the way for the processing of the application of bus companies that will augment public transportation services in Toril and Catalunan Grande. “The application will be open until all the 20 buses will be complete. The approval will come from the central office in Manila,” LTFRB XI Director lawyer Cattleya Acaylar said. — Carmencita A. Carillo

Body parts in Jolo bombing don’t match victims, PNP chief says

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed that the two pairs of feet recovered from the twin explosions at Jolo Cathedral last month do not belong to any of the 23 fatalities. “Yes, they did not match any of the victims,” PNP Chief Director-General General Oscar D. Albayalde said in a phone message on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Mr. Albayalde said none of the 23 fatalities lost their feet. One, however, lost an arm. He said the PNP is coordinating with Indonesian police in verifying the nationality of the suspects. “Pero ‘di natin masabi kung (We cannot say yet if) they are foreigners or not….You cannot say that based on DNA. Pero ang tutulong diyan ‘yung Indonesian police (But the Indonesian police will help),” the PNP chief said. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Toyota holds new Hiace’s world premiere in PHL

Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila
CONFIRMING the veracity of the buzz leading to the much-awaited launch of its new vehicle, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) presented the all-new iteration of its popular van nameplate. Unveiled on Feb. 18 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City was the sixth-generation Toyota Hiace.
The model was presented by TMP officials led by vice-chairman Alfred V. Ty and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) executives.
“We… are honored to host the world premiere of the all-new Hiace,” said TMP president Satoru Suzuki in a speech. “For the first time, the world’s eyes are on the Philippines to witness the unveiling.”
Mr. Suzuki publicly thanked TMC for the honor of holding the launch in the Philippines, and noted that it “comes at an opportune time for TMP — right when we are celebrating our 17th consecutive Triple Crown victory.”
The Triple Crown signifies the car maker’s sales leadership in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and the industry as a whole.
The executive revealed that the Hiace cornered 56% of the utility van market last year, and that TMP is the number one distributor of the Hiace outside Japan — besting some 150 countries where the badge is sold.
Also present at the launch event was TMP operating officer Satoshi Ogiso, who stressed in his own speech the importance of Filipino car buyers. “[They] rank ninth in Toyota’s 2018 global sales, which is why the Philippines is a very important market for us.”
The country has proven to be the largest export market for the Hiace since 2014. “Starting in the Philippines, we will make the Hiace available to all our global customers,” said Mr. Ogiso
Replying to a question from BusinessWorld in a subsequent news conference, the TMC executive added that “the new Hiace is mainly targeting the overseas market so, through communications between TMP and TMC, we decided that the world premiere would be suitable here in the Philippines.”
Toyota Hiace 2
TMC chief engineer Takuo Ishikawa revealed that since the nameplate was launched in 1967, more than 6.2 million units have been sold globally. He said that the new generation was developed cognizant of “peace of mind for the driver, pride for the owner, and satisfaction for the passengers.” Domestically, the Hiace has moved more than 135,650 vehicles since its arrival here (under TMP) in 1994.
Supplanting the fifth generation presented back in 2004, the new model comes in three body variants: the GL Grandia Tourer, the GL Grandia, and the Commuter Deluxe. TMP first vice-president for marketing Ma. Cristina Fe N. Arevalo shared that the last two variants will be available on March 5, while the GL Grandia Tourer is expected to be sold in early April. She also revealed to this writer that TMP will continue to sell previous-generation Commuter units.
Immediately discernible in the new Hiace is a significantly protruding snout. Transitioning from a cab-over design into a semi-hood enabled engineers to move the engine further to the front, and helps to enhance collision safety. A welcome result of the relocated engine is that front occupants are freed from the discomfort of heat and vibration emanating from directly underneath them.
In a statement, Toyota reports that the Commuter Deluxe is equipped with a center-seat airbag — “the first manufacturer [to feature one] for its front center passenger.” The Commuter Deluxe thus banners three front SRS airbags, while the GL variants boast two.
The GLs get vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, ABS, and emergency brake signals. The Commuter Deluxe receives the last two features.
Powering the van is Toyota’s new 1GD-FTV 2.8-liter engine with a high-boost turbocharger. In the Commuter Deluxe and GL Grandia, it delivers 176hp; the GL Grandia Tourer’s version is tuned to serve up 163hp. Torque output is 420Nm for the GL Grandia Tourer and Commuter Deluxe, and 450Nm for the GL Grandia. The diesel power plant is mated to either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission.
The Commuter Deluxe seats 15 passengers and stretches 5.265 meters; the GL Grandia is as long, while accommodating 12 people. The GL Grandia Tourer, seen to be the direct replacement of the Super Grandia LXV, is 5.915 meters long and seats 14.
Inside, the Hiace has been redesigned to have more legroom, and offers easier ingress and egress for passengers. Overall suspension has also been improved for less-jarring rides, said Toyota. The GLs receive headrests, as well as a host of accoutrements.
The all-new Toyota Hiace is priced between P1.59 million and P2.22 million.

The Queen’s gambit:Hyundai’s new Reina subcompact sedan gives a royal tour of Rizal’s windmills

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

FILIPINOS are used to having women lead the way. We’ve already had two female presidents, two vice-presidents, and two chief justices. And then there are the countless other female civic leaders and corporate captains of industries.
Women do bring to the table a hands-on type of forward-thinking leadership not unlike that of the multi-tasking mother or the big sister in a typical Filipino family. In other words, no detail escapes them when it comes to looking after their wards. They know what we need and what we want even before we utter anything.
And maybe this is what the effeminately named Hyundai Reina subcompact sedan wishes to convey to its public.
Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, herself among the most prominent women leaders in the local and regional automotive scene, did express that message on Feb. 12 during a daylong ride-and-drive activity of the new Reina. The trip to the wind farm in Pililla, at the top of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Rizal province, started from the Hyundai Cainta dealership.
“We understood what the customer wanted, and we had a game changer in the A segment of the passenger car category, the one with the right drive and the right amount of space,” she said regarding the Reina.
Ms Perez-Agudo added that the Reina also comes with that pampering TLC in its after-sales service as it is covered by a five-year unlimited warranty, and is backed by an accessible network of 42 dealerships across the country.
The Reina’s introduction to the public via print ads published in broadsheets on Feb. 1 was somewhat a naughty, yet surprising “Queen’s Gambit” for HARI, allowing itself to make the second move immediately after the re-launched Kia brand in the Philippines opened up with the Kia Soluto subcompact sedan launch the day before.
Thus, the race to woo the hearts of a growing number of car buyers on the lookout for that sub-P700,000 family, office or transport network vehicle service car has just been sweetened immensely, as literally overnight two new worthy options have been added.
Hats off, however, to this Hyundai entry, which has been named for that stature of women we Filipinos can readily look up and relate to.
The Reina’s starting price of P598,000 (for the 1.4 GL 5M/T variant) does make one stand up in attention, but when we put the Reina to its paces in the Sierra Madre passes, I thought this one was a keeper. The China-made Reina is built solidly and is refined, with suspension components and an interior space that are as kind to our bodies as its price is to the pocket.
The exterior design, fashioned with Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, certainly goes well above its pay grade. The five-speed manual transmission variant we drove offered that satisfying roar and oomph generated by the 1.4-liter gasoline engine, which produces 95hp and 132Nm.
The sub-P600,000 price tag for the manual transmission variant (the 1.4 GL 4AT sells for P648,000) also comes with safety enticements, such as dual airbags and ABS. And since space becomes ever more valuable in compacts, the Reina’s generous trunk space of 475 liters could seal the deal.
By early indications, HARI’s gambit seems to be paying off handsomely. Ms Perez-Agudo announced at the conclusion of the ride-and-drive activity that, in the two-week span between the public introduction and this event, 600 Reina cars have already been turned over to their new owners.
Forget Federalism. In the local automotive kingdom, the monarchy is rising.

Lamborghini Urus takes top Robb Report award

THE Lamborghini Urus was named the 2019 Robb Report Car of the Year. In a statement Lamborghini Manila quoted the American luxury-lifestyle publication as saying the super SUV is a “class-defying breed.”
“The Lamborghini Urus is a model that was born out of Lamborghini’s vision to continually defy boundaries and, with it, the desire to create the world’s first super SUV. We are very proud to bring this groundbreaking car to the Philippines,” said Lamborghini Manila president Roberto T. Coyiuto III during the model’s local introduction in November last year.
The Urus is powered by a 4.0 liter V8 engine with two turbochargers delivering 650hp at 6,000rpm and 850Nm from as low as 2,250rpm. With an output ratio of 162.7 horsepower-per-liter, Lamborghini said the Urus claims one of the highest specific power outputs in its class, as well as weight-to-power ratio of 3.38 kilogram-per-horsepower. The factory noted the car can accelerate from rest to 100kph in 3.6 seconds, to 200kph in 12.8 seconds, and to a top speed of 305kph.
The Urus is marked by signature Lamborghini details and shapes, such as “Y” and hexagon elements on the hood and the engine bay cover. Lamborghini said the vehicle’s proportions are unique because it is the lowest SUV in its class, and also because its design was inspired by the Lamborghini LM002 built from 1986 to 1993. The car maker cited in particular the Urus’s “power dome,” which identifies the position of the engine. It added the model’s frameless doors recall the iconic Lamborghinis built by Marcello Gandini from the 1960s to the 1990s.
The cabin of the Urus follows the car’s aeronautic design, with three TFT screens dedicated to the instruments, infotainment and convenience functions. The dashboard architecture also follows the “Y” theme while the seats and other panels can be customized to be elegant or sporty through a selection of colors and materials, including leather, Alcantara, wood, aluminum or carbon-fiber. Lamborghini said the Urus has the most options available to any Lamborghini.

Lexus shows off bespoke tires inspired by Nike Air Force 1 sneakers

LEXUS announced it collaborated with street wear designer John Elliott in creating bespoke tires for the new Lexus UX. The tires, billed the “Sole of the UX,” were inspired by the all-white John Elliott x Nike Air Force 1 (AF1) sneaker and, according to Lexus, embody the “spirit of clean, purposeful, and modern design.”
Revealed at Mr. Elliott’s New York Fashion Week after-party on Feb. 9 was an all-white UX with custom tire details like white on white layers, double-stitched leather and a stepped metal air valve evocative of the designer’s stacked metal lace tip.
“The Lexus UX was engineered and designed for the city. We wanted to push that concept even further by creating the ultimate homage to urban style — tires inspired by classic, street-style sneakers,” said Lisa Materazzo, Lexus vice president of marketing, in a statement.
Lexus said that during the event, Mr. Elliott also showcased iterations of the John Elliott x Nike AF1 sneakers rendered by artists Actual Source, Hassan Rahim, Matt McCormick and Yung Jake. The custom sneakers were then auctioned off, with all proceeds benefiting Inner-City Arts, an organization based in downtown Los Angeles whose mission is to provide access to arts education for city’s underserved youth.
The UX was displayed alongside the four artists’ works.
“We were excited to merge the street wear narrative and design cues of our Air Force 1 with a brand like Lexus. We’re thankful they’ve allowed us to use this moment to celebrate the arts and to bring extra energy to our take on a classic,” said Mr. Elliott.
“It’s fun to partner with brands that typically live outside the fashion community because it allows us to evolve and continue to push our own boundaries,” he added.
Lexus said the “Sole of the UX” will be shown in various US venues this year.
First revealed in March 2018 at the Geneva International Motor Show, the UX is presently the smallest Lexus SUV, offering the brand’s innovative design, luxury features, and advanced safety features.”

Peso rises ahead of Fed minutes

THE PESO strengthened further against the dollar on Tuesday on heavy greenback selling ahead of the release of the minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting.
The local currency closed Tuesday’s session at P52.21 versus the greenback, 12 centavos stronger than the P52.33-per-dollar finish last Monday.
The peso opened the session slightly weaker at P52.34 versus the dollar, slipping to as low as P52.40 intraday. However, it recovered to close the session at its best showing.
Dollars traded grew to $885.6 million from $816.3 million in the previous session.
A foreign exchange trader said there was heavy dollar selling yesterday, bucking the downswing of the other currencies.
“We saw a lot of selling today despite the dollar gaining against most currencies. It’s a bit odd for us, because we didn’t see any strong flows in the market to justify the heavy selling interest,” the trader said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
He added that trading was “one-sided” for most of the day in favor of the local unit.
“Pretty much the movement of the global market is different from us, wherein we saw dollar buying the whole day. We’re the only one that’s strong.”
Meanwhile, another trader said the peso strengthened further as market participants took profit ahead of the release of the Fed minutes.
The Fed will release today the minutes of its Jan. 29-30 meeting, where it kept its borrowing costs steady between 2.25% and 2.5%.
“The local currency might appreciate further as global markets are expecting the Fed minutes to shed more light in its dovish communications from their January meeting,” the second trader said.
For today, the first trader expects the peso to trade between P52.10 and P52.35, while the other gave a slightly wider P52.10-P52.35 range. — K.A.N. Vidal

PSE index sinks to 7,800 level on foreign selling

THE MAIN INDEX fell to the 7,800 level on Tuesday on concerns over the trade negotiations between the United States and China happening this week, in addition to foreign investors’ selling spree.
The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slumped 0.97% or 76.83 points to 7,833.75, marking its lowest finish since Jan. 16. The broader all-shares index likewise shed 0.8% or 38.71 points to 4,802.89.
“Philippine investors kept to the sidelines right before the US resumed trading this week, and until some closure from the trade talks would arise given that the deadline is fast approaching,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile message.
A fresh round of talks between US and Chinese officials were set to begin in Washington on Tuesday with follow-up sessions at the higher level later in the week. Officials of the world’s two largest economies said they have reached progress on contentious issues in their negotiations last week.
Wall Street indices were closed yesterday in celebration of President’s Day.
“A renewed round of net foreign selling dragged the index to trade in the red for most of the day,” Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez said in an e-mail.
Foreign investors booked net sales of P289.39 million yesterday compared to Monday’s net buying figure of P549.03 million.
Ayala Land, Inc. and BDO Unibank, Inc. recorded the largest losses for the day, dropping 3.7% and 3.2%, respectively. They also posted the highest net foreign selling prints of P255 million and P182 million, respectively.
All sectoral indices moved to negative territory, led by property which dropped 1.57% or 62.85 points to 3,940.09. Services tumbled 0.82% or 12.95 points to 1,565.99; financials dipped 0.8% or 14.45 points to 1,773.39; industrials dropped 0.77% or 88.15 points to 11,338.96; holding firms went down 0.7% or 55.91 points to 7,883.87; while mining and oil ended 0.17% lower or 14.68 points to 8,443.63.
Decliners beat advancers, 132 to 84, while 39 names ended flat.
Some 2.80 billion issues switched hands on Tuesday for a total turnover of P8.10 billion, lower than the previous session’s P11.07 billion.
The list of 20 most actively traded stocks showed 14 losers, including Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. (down 6.25%), Universal Robina Corp. (down 3.10%), and Bloomberry Resorts Corp. (down 2.48%).
Meanwhile, the same list showed five gainers, including Robinsons Land Corp. (up 6.86%) and Megaworld Corp. (up 5.27%).
Meanwhile, most Southeast Asian stock markets climbed on Tuesday, lifted by optimism that the United States and China might be inching towards a deal to resolve their nearly year-long trade dispute.
The Malaysian benchmark index extended gains to a second session, while Vietnam shares were boosted by real estate stocks. Indonesian stocks pared previous session’s upbeat gains to edge 0.3% higher. — Arra B. Francia

Lady Maroons aim for back-to-back victories

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
COMING off a gutsy victory in five sets on opening day of Season 81 volleyball of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the UP Lady Fighting Maroons go for their second win in as many games when they face off with the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Set for 4 p.m., the University of the Philippines looks to build on its win in its season debut on Feb. 16 against the University of the East Lady Warriors in a thrilling five-setter that saw them overhaul a 2-1 deficit to win, 25-12, 22-25, 23-25, 25-19 and 15-12.
Against UE, the Lady Maroons banked on the clutch plays of veterans Isa Molde, Justine Dorog and Tots Carlos in the deciding fifth set to complete the salvage work after falling behind two sets to one earlier in the contest.
Molde, a fourth-year outside hitter, top-scored for the Diliman-based team with 23 points with Carlos adding 17 points.
Dorog had 12 points while setter Ayel Estranero had 44 excellent sets.
For leading her team to the victory, Molde was the first recipient of the UAAP player of the week honors.
While they are happy to open their season with a victory, the Lady Maroons are expecting nothing easy to come their way as the tournament progresses, beginning against FEU.
“FEU is a tough opponent because they have a lot of veterans who can contribute a lot to their team. We have to stay composed against them and lessen our errors,” Molde said in the lead-up to today’s match.
SAME BOAT
Like UP, the Lady Tamaraws are shooting for a 2-0 card after fashioning out a come-from-behind win of their own against the National University Lady Bulldogs, 22-25, 25-19, 25-19 and 25-12, also Feb. 16.
Dropped the opening frame against the Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Tamaraws relied on their collective experience to eventually get the better of their opponents for their first win.
Rookie Lycha Ebon showed the way for FEU with 13 points with Celine Domingo and Heather Guino-o finishing with 11 points each.
Jerrili Malabanan was the other Lady Tamaraw in double digits in scoring with 10.
“Before the game I told my players of the importance of having a good start. We did not have that but good thing we were able to recover,” said FEU coach George Pascua following their victory.
Meanwhile, preceding the UP-FEU clash at 2 p.m. is the battle between the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses and Ateneo Lady Eagles.
UST was a victor in its previous game in five sets over the Adamson Lady Falcons while Ateneo bowed to rivals and defending champions De La Salle Lady Spikers in four sets on Sunday.

Excitement, determination for Gilas heading into last FIBA WC window

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
FACING what could be the biggest games in its current iteration, Gilas Pilipinas is heading into the sixth and final window of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup (WC) Asian Qualifiers with excitement and determination.
Sporting a 5-5 record in the race for a spot in the global basketball spectacle, good for fourth place, the Philippine national men’s basketball team needs to come up with favorable results in its matches against Qatar and Kazahkstan later this week to give their World Cup push a major boost.
Gilas will be facing already-eliminated Qatar (2-8) in Doha on Feb. 21 while hot-on-its-trail Kazakhstan (4-6) comes next on Feb. 24 in Astana.
Tournament format calls for the top three teams in the two merged groups advancing outright to the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China later this year, with the best fourth-place team advancing, too.
In Group F, ahead of the Philippines are Australia (9-1), Iran (7-3) and Japan (6-4). Australia is the lone team so far from the grouping which has qualified for the World Cup.
Heading into their games this week, Gilas members said they are expecting a tough challenge but nonetheless expressed readiness to see their cause through and bring pride anew for the country.
“Just excited. No distractions right now. We’re all locked in. We’re on the same page of trying to win in the next two games and I think we’re ready,” said Gilas veteran forward Gabe Norwood during their final team practice before they left for Qatar last weekend.
He went on to say that their defeats in the previous window here at home should serve as a reminder for them as they go back to battle.
“We have to remember we are coming off two loses. We must humble ourselves and do not underestimate our opponents more so since we know they will represent their countries and be at their best at home,” he added.
For big men Troy Rosario and Poy Erram, they said there is definitely pressure on the team but they are choosing not to focus too much on it and instead working on their game.
“I’m excited. This type of games is something I really like. It tests you as a player and brings the best out of you,” said Mr. Rosario, who shared that he will continue to wear a mask during the games to protect his previously injured nose.
“The pressure is there but we’re doing our best to prepare ourselves. The coaches, too. are doing their part,” Mr. Erram, for his part, said.
“We need to adjust and pay attention to details. Our fate is in our hands and we must now deliver,” he added.
Apart from Messrs. Norwood, Rosario and Erram, also part of the Yeng Guiao-coached team for the sixth window are naturalized player Andray Blatche, Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Jayson Castro, Scottie Thompson, Marcio Lassiter, Japeth Aguilar, June Mar Fajardo, Raymond Almazan and Roger Pogoy as well as collegiate standout Thirdy Ravena.

Tennis player Djokovic, American gymnast Biles win top Laureus awards

MONACO — World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic crowned a winning return to the courts after surgery with the Laureus sportsman of the year award on Monday, while American gymnast Simone Biles won the sportswoman of the year prize.
Serbian Djokovic, who 12 months ago had elbow surgery, won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2018, before lifting this year’s Australian Open crown, to add to his tally of Grand Slam singles titles and reclaim top spot in the rankings.
With his record seventh crown at Melbourne Park, Djokovic moved ahead of Pete Sampras into third on the men’s all-time list of Grand Slam title winners (15), just two behind Rafa Nadal. Roger Federer is still out in front with 20.
“I did think about leaving tennis,” Djokovic said on Monday. “I did not find myself in a good balance. It took me several months to find that purpose and meaning again. This award reflects and symbolizes this journey.
“Reflecting on the journey it seems like a fairytale story.”
Multiple Olympic champion Biles in November became the all-time leading world gymnastics championship gold medal winner with a record 14 golds.
With 20 overall medals at the worlds, Biles, who has also won four Olympic golds, tied Russia’s Svetlana Khorkina for the most by a female gymnast in world championships competition. Her all-around world title was her fourth, also a record.
The comeback of the year award was handed to U.S golfer Tiger Woods, who silenced even his harshest critics when he earned what some consider to be one of the greatest victories of his career at last year’s Tour Championship season finale.
Woods, who collected the last of his 14 majors at the 2008 US Open, has had plenty of health-related setbacks, having to endure several knee and back surgeries, and his career seemed to be nearing its end in 2017.
Japan’s world number one women’s tennis player Naomi Osaka, who lifted her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, and went on to claim the 2019 Australian Open, won the breakthrough of the year award. — Reuters

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