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DAP head relieved

MALACAÑANG HAS ordered the relief of Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) president Elba S. Cruz. A letter dated Dec. 18 by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea to Ms. Cruz read in part: “Considering that your Term of Office expired on 30 June 2017 and that you have been serving in the DAP Board in a holdover capacity, we now wish to inform you that, upon instructions of the President, your service in such holdover status is hereby discontinued effective immediately.” DAP employees, for their part, in a press statement “thanked President Rodrigo (R.) Duterte for ‘finally terminating’” Ms. Cruz, saying this is the “best Christmas gift” after her “transgressions,” which include her “arbitrary” reorganization of the DAP and “frequent foreign travels.”

Law intended to smooth Brexit reaches key hurdle at parliament

LONDON — Legislation intended to smooth Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) moves a step closer to becoming law on Wednesday, as ministers begin working out what they want from Brexit.

The House of Commons will hold its eighth and final day of detailed scrutiny of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which would formally end Britain’s membership of the bloc and transfer EU rules into British law.

Theresa May suffered a humiliating defeat by pro-European members of her own Conservative party last week, when MPs voted to amend the bill to ensure parliament has the final say on any divorce deal with Brussels.

But she looks set to avoid a second rebellion over plans to enshrine Brexit day in law, by offering some flexibility to move the date — March 29, 2019 — if negotiations with the EU go down to the wire.

The bill still has two days of debate by MPs in January, when the rebel amendment could be reviewed, before it goes to the unelected House of Lords for debate.

But the so-called “committee stage” of scrutiny was a test for Ms. May’s minority government, which relies on a small Northern Irish party to push through legislation.

EU leaders last week agreed to open the second stage of Brexit talks, after approving an interim deal on Britain’s financial settlement, expatriate rights and the Irish border.

But they are still unclear on what Britain wants from the future relationship, including the shape of any trade deal.

Cabinet ministers held their first detailed discussion on the economic partnership at a meeting on Tuesday, although no negotiating position was finalized, with further talks expected in early January.

Ms. May’s spokesman said she called for “a deal which secures the best possible trading terms with the EU, enables the UK to set rules that are right for our situation and facilitates ambitious third-country trade deals.”

He said the cabinet agreed on the goal.

However, ministers are divided over how closely to stick to European regulations after Brexit, with some favoring convergence to secure the best possible trading ties, and others calling for a new approach.

Brussels meanwhile has repeatedly warned Britain that it cannot expect to leave the EU’s single market and customs union, and maintain all its benefits.

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that any deal struck would inevitably result in Britain’s banks and financial companies losing rights to trade across the bloc.

“There is no place” for giving Britain’s financial services full access to the EU market, he told a number of newspapers, including Britain’s The Guardian.

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said that as long as Britain’s goals remained vague, competing forces in Ms. May’s government could keep together.

“But the real difficulties ahead lie when the British will ask for special system of regulatory alignment — they won’t get it,” he said. — AFP

Loan validity for pending Jalaur Dam project extended

THE REQUEST for an extension of the loan validity for the long-delayed P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) II has been granted, according to a National Irrigation Administration-Western Visayas (NIA-6) official. Engr. Roberto Lapeña, principal engineer of the JRMP II Project Coordinator’s Office, said the loan validity extension also means an extension on the implementation schedule. “With the extension of 46 months, the project implementation will expire September 2021 and the loan validity on March 28, 2022,” he said. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee approved NIA’s request to extend the validity of the loan as well as the project’s construction period for 46 months. Mr. Lapeña said they are aiming to break ground for the project by January 2018 as they are now finalizing the procurement of the civil works and waiting for the concurrence of the lending institution, the Korean Export-Import (EXIM) Bank. JRMP II — which involves the construction of three dams, a 6.6-megawatt hydropower plant,and an 81-kilometer highline canal — is funded by an P8.9-billion loan from the Korean EXIM Bank and a P2.3-billion counterpart from the Philippine government. The project aims to irrigate 33,000 hectares of rice lands in Iloilo. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

2017 London Classic

9th London Classic 2017
London, England
Nov. 29-Dec. 11, 2017

Final Standings

1-2. Fabiano Caruana USA 2799, Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2729, 6.0/9

3-5. Magnus Carlsen NOR 2837, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2789, Wesley So USA 2788, 5.0/9

6. Hikaru Nakamura USA 2781, 4.5/9

7. Levon Aronian ARM 2805, 4.0/9

8. Sergey Karjakin RUS 2760, 3.5/9

9-10. Viswanathan Anand IND 2782, Michael Adams ENG 2715, 3.0/9

Average ELO 2778 Category 22

Time Control: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 60 minutes play-to-finish with 30 seconds added to the clock after every move.

There were rather a lot of draws in the London. The first three rounds were all half-points and then Caruana won two straight games (against Karjakin and Anand) in the 4th and 5th round. After this Ian Nepomniachtchi took over the lead with three straight wins in rounds 6, 7 and 8 against Adams, Anand and Carlsen, respectively.

Before the last round started Ian was half a point ahead of Caruana and decided to take it easy with a short 19-move draw against the Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. His reasoning was that even if Caruana manages to defeat Michael Adams to finish neck-to-neck with him all that means is that they have to go into quickplay tiebreaks and at least he (Ian) would be well-rested and ready to play.

The logic cannot be questioned. After all Nepomniachtchi is known as a blitz specialist and should be considered the favorite against Caruana.

What happened was that Caruana did manage to beat Adams after a 6-hour endgame squeeze and the tremendous effort he exerted to win it completely warmed him up for the tie-breaks. Also, both Fabi and Ian were to receive the same prize money, $62,500 each — the playoff was only for bragging rights and the trophy.

First Caruana and Nepomniachtchi had to play two 10 minute plus five-second delay games (A 5-second delay means five seconds is the time allowance for you to make a move. If you don’t use up your 5-second there is no advantage gained, for the difference is NOT added to your clock). After two draws they then played two 5-minute plus 3-second delay games. Caruana won the 4th game and he was declared the champion.

Wesley So won only one game and drew the rest. This win though was very precious for Wesley as it was the first time he had defeated the former world champion in classical time control. And it was done in impressive manner. Bring out your chessboard to replay the game — you would appreciate it more rather than watching it unfold on a computer screen.

Anand, Viswanathan (2782) — So, Wesley (2788) [C50]
9th London Classic 2017 London (9), 11.12.2017

Dec. 11, 2017 is the 48th birthday of Viswanathan Anand. Wesley commented after the game that he was not aware of this, but I am sure that would not have changed his decision to play for a win here. After all, he has a good record against people celebrating their birthdays! Last year he beat Nakamura here in London in a quick 29-mover on Dec. 29, Nakamura’s natal day.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

The Chessbase website reveals that Wesley So is currently doing an opening DVD on the Italian Game, so he is very up-to-date on the latest theory here.

4.0–0

In Winning with the Slow (but Venomous) Italian by Karsten Mueller (the endgame expert but not only that — you should read all of his books) and Georgios Souleidis, the authors point out White’s usual plan of attack in this position — he wants to play c2–c3, d2–d3, h2–h3, Re1, Nb1–d2–f1 and then proceed with Ng3, Be3 or d3–d4. As they say, “this plan is very easy to remember.”

4…Nf6 5.d3 0–0 6.a4

This is Grischuk’s favorite which he brought back into fashion in 2016. We will explain this a little bit more after you go through the line below.

In last year’s Sinquefield Cup Anand faced Wesley So in this same line and chose the usual move 6.c3 and after 6…d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 (8.Re1 used to be the main line and I still believe it to be very strong, but it usually results in the exchange of queens right away. If you don’t want to go into the endgame then 8.a4 is the move for you) 8…Nb6 (home preparation by Wesley. 8…a6 or 8…a5 are the usual moves. 9.Bb5 Ne7!? (what!? leaving the e5–pawn unprotected?) 10.a5! (It turns out that Anand is also familiar with this position. Taking the e5–pawn with 10.Nxe5 does not promise much. After 10…c6 11.Bc4 Bd6 12.Bf4 Nxc4 13.dxc4 Nf5! Black has good compensation for the pawn because of his two bishops. Besides, White’s extra pawn is doubled anyway) 10…c6! An important resource. 11.axb6 cxb5 12.Rxa7! Rxa7 13.bxa7 Bxa7 14.Nxe5 Bf5! White is a pwn up but is feeling the pressure form the Black bishops. 15.Re1 Bb8! 16.Na3 b4! 17.cxb4 Qd5 18.Nec4 (18.Bf4 f6 19.Nec4 Bxf4 20.Rxe7 Rd8 is also fine for Black.; 18.d4! Rd8 19.Nf3 Nc6 20.b5 Nb4 21.Re3² was the critical test of Black’s setup.) 18…Bxd3 (18…Nc6!? 19.Qh5 Qxd3 also yields good compensation for a pawn.) 19.Rxe7 Bxc4 20.Qxd5 Bxd5 the game was headed for a draw. Anand,V (2770)-So,W (2771) Saint Louis USA 2016 1/2 39.

6…h6

OK, having played through Anand vs Wesley, you now understand that Grischuk’s move discourages …d5 as, in comparison with the previous note his pawn on d3 is not weak and thus he gets a good version of that line.

There is this famous game from last year’s Baku Olympiad where Wesley demolished Ian Nepomniachtchi who was at that time on the crest of a 7-game winning streak. It gives me a good feeling so let us review that game. 6…d6 7.c3 a6 8.h3 Ba7 9.Re1 Ne7 (preparing the typical …c6 and …d5) 10.d4 Ng6 11.Bd3 c6 12.Be3 Nh5 13.Nbd2 Nhf4 14.Bf1 exd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 d5 17.e5 f6 18.Ra3 fxe5 19.dxe5?! This might be a mistake. Taking the knight seems better as then White will have use of the open e-file. 19…a5! 20.Qc1 Qe7! 21.Rb3 Bf5!? 22.Nd4 Ne6! 23.Nxf5?! (Nepom’s game now takes a turn for the worse. After 23.Nxe6! Bxe6 24.g3! the game is not yet over) 23…Rxf5 24.Bd3 Rf4! perhaps Nepom expected Wesley to take the pawn on e5, but on f4 it proves to be a monster 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Qd1 Raf8! 27.Rf3 Qb4! 28.Rxf4 Rxf4 29.Nf3 Qxa4!? 30.Qd3 Rf5 31.Qb1 Qf4 Black has won a pawn, and this was enough to win the game. Nepomniachtchi,I (2740)-So,W (2782) Baku AZE 2016 0–1 50.

This was the crucial game in the Russia vs USA match. Ray Robson had already lost (to Grischuk) and the other two games had ended in draws. Wesley was under pressure to win this one to tie the match. And win it he did!

7.c3 a5

Please do not fall for 7…d6?? 8.b4 Bb6 9.a5 trapping the dark-squared bishop.

8.Nbd2 d6 9.h3 Be6 10.Re1 Bxc4 11.Nxc4 Re8 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Nxe3 Qd7 14.Qb3 Ne7 15.Nc4 Ng6 16.Rad1 b6 17.Qc2 d5

Due to White’s unambitious play Wesley decides to do the pushing.

18.exd5 Qxd5 19.b3

This was criticized by some commentators as weakening the c3–pawn, but I think this is a matter of perfect hindsight — if White didn’t commit the inaccuracies that follow the “weakness” wouldn’t have mattered.

19…Rad8 20.d4 exd4 21.Rxd4 Rxe1+ 22.Nxe1 Qa8 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 <D>

Position after 23…Qxd8

The game is still equal but now watch as Wesley slowly but surely takes over.

24.Qd3?!

Anand was probably expecting an exchange of queens and a quick handshake, especially as Wesley had drawn all of his other games in the tournament. Unfortunately the Pinoy wanted to play some more. Stronger is g3 or Nd3 to keep the black knight off f4.

24…Qe7 25.Nc2 Nf4 26.Qd2 N6d5 27.Kf1?

[27.Kh2]

27…Nxc3! 28.N4e3

[28.Qxc3? Qe2+ 29.Kg1 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Ne2³ threatening Qg1 mate 31.Qe1 Qxc2 Black is a pawn up and has the better position to boot]

28…Ne4 29.Qd4 c5 30.Qd1 Qf6

Threatening …Nxh3 and …Qxf2 mate.

31.Ng4

[31.Qf3?? Nd2+]

31…Qc3

Renewing the threat of …Nxh3.

32.Nce3 h5 33.Nh2 Qb2 0–1

After 33…Qb2 34.Qc2 Qxc2 35.Nxc2 Nd2+ White would be two pawns down in a knight endgame so he gives up.

A few days ago the Russian Superfinals concluded (we will have more to say about this on Tuesday). That means that the next big classical tournament will be in Wijk aan Zee in January 2018, which also means that the current ratings of the players will remain more or less intact till the end of the year. Remember, I said classical tournament. We have the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia before the end of the year and the European Rapid and Blitz Championships before that in Katowice,Poland. Here are the current live classical ratings:

Live Ratings (Russian Superfinals included)

1. Magnus Carlsen NOR 2833.8

2. Fabiano Caruana USA 2811.1

3. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2799.0

4. Levon Aronian ARM 2796.5

5. Maxime Vacier Lagrave FRA 2792.6

6. Wesley So USA 2791.76

7. Vladimir Kramnik RUS 2787.0

8. Hikaru Nakamura USA 2780.7

9. Ding Liren CHN 2768.9

10. Peter Svidler RUS 2767.7

As you can see Peter Svidler, by winning the Russian Superfinals (for the 8th time!) has re-entered the World Top 10 and Ding Liren has risen up to no. 9.

It sure looks like 2018 is going to be another great chess year!

 

Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.

bobby@cpamd.net

PHL can tap many funding sources apart from US aid — DBM

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government can tap many funding sources to move forward with its agenda, without a new aid package from the United States.

“We can access many sources of funds — Japan, China, South Korea. Actually other countries are competing (to offer funding) because our outlook is strong,” DBM Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said at a briefing yesterday.

“To me (rejecting US funding is) not a loss,” he added.

The government announced on Tuesday that it withdrew its application for a second compact from the Millenium Challenge Corp. (MCC) as it seeks to concentrate all resources on the rebuilding of Marawi City.

Meanwhile, the MCC in a press release yesterday confirmed the country’s decision, while selecting Timor-Leste for a new compact and Gambia for a new threshold program.

“The government of the Philippines has decided not to move forward with the development of a second MCC compact. MCC is proud of the achievements of our first compact with the Philippines, and both MCC and the United States are proud of our longstanding positive relationship,” the US agency said.

Mr. Diokno said the downside of some aid is that it comes with strings attached, including interference in the domestic affairs of the Philippines, which he called a form of “imperialism.”

The MCC in December 2016 deferred its decision to renew the second compact with the Philippines due to human rights concerns.

The Philippines in May declined development assistance from the European Union as it asserted its independent foreign policy.

“If you want to give aid, do it out of the goodness of your heart. But it shouldn’t be an excuse to interfere in domestic matters,” Mr. Diokno said.

The Finance department has said it will seek assistance from the US for its planned Philippine Tax Academy. The first MCC grant to the Philippines, amounting to $434 million, was directed to infrastructure projects and was in force between May 2011 and May 2016.

In December 2015, the MCC agreed to fund a second five-year development grant for the Philippines, amounting to $433 million, but deferred approval a year later. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Belgian company in talks to buy US fruit giant Dole

BELGIAN FRUIT and vegetable company Greenyard said Tuesday it was in advanced negotiations to buy US giant Dole, one of the world’s leading producers of bananas and pineapples.

According to Belgian press reports, Dole’s elderly owner David Murdock values the company, originally founded in 1851, at over €2 billion including debt. If the sale goes ahead it will be one of the largest buyouts ever by a Belgian company.

Greenyard said in a statement it was in “advanced negotiations” to buy Dole, but cautioned that no deal was in place and there was no guarantee one would come about.

“Greenyard has secured appropriate financing, and is confident in its ability to complete the transaction with a balanced financing approach should a definitive agreement be reached,” the statement said.

Dole has estimated annual sales of $4.5 billion, while Greenyard, which employs 9,000 people in 25 countries, recorded a €1.03-billion profit in 2016 on sales of €4.25 billion.

Owned 45% by the family of its chief executive Hein Deprez, Greenyard is one of the leading suppliers of fresh and frozen fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants to European retailers. — AFP

Noche Buena in the city

FORGET about your diet even for a day (or two), after all, the traditional Noche Buena with our families, friends, and loved ones only happens once in a year. Now, if cooking the feast at home is too much of a hassle, here are places where one can order something special, have the meal catered, or simply eat out and break one’s diet to one’s heart’s content.

City of Dreams offers a feast fit for a king with Nobu Manila’s Christmas Eve buffet on Dec. 24 at P3,880++ per cover. Fill your plates with goodies such as baked salmon with honey truffle, roasted Wagyu leg, scallop okonomiyaki, rock shrimp tempura in creamy spicy sauce, and chicken lollipop with sweet soy anticucho, among many others. The famed Japanese restaurant is also offering an omakase — a Japanese set meal — created by the chef which is available until Dec. 28. For inquiries and reservations, call 800 8080, e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com, or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.

At Crimson Filinvest’s Café Eight, family and friends can indulge at noon or at night. At the Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet, there are lavish selections of Christmas pudding, mince pies, beetroot and vodka-marinated salmon, citrus fennel salad, terrines, roasted turkey with Chipolata sausage, chestnut stuffing, and a lot more. At the Christmas Day Brunch Buffet, the food up for grabs includes mimosa salad, gravlax with oriental five spices and orange sauce, seafood bisque, Indian spiced duck leg confit, and Yuletide cakes. Buffet rates start at P1,600++. For details and reservations, visit www.crimsonhotel.com/manila or call 863-2222.

At the Makati Shangri-La one is faced with a bountiful problem: where to eat and what to get? At it’s in-house restaurants, family and friends would surely would not know where to start: Sage Bespoke Grill has a five-course dinner on Dec. 24 at P3,900 while Inagiku has a Christmas Eve dinner buffet at P3,500. On Christmas Day, the five-star hotel also offers the Lobby Lounge Christmas lunch buffet at P2,800 and Shang Palace’s premium dim sum feast that starts at P1,888. For details and reservations, call 813-8888 or visit www.shangri-la.com/makati.

’Tis the season to be merry over good food and at the Diamond Hotel, you can bring in the brood for a sumptuous repast of international cuisine at the Corniche Buffet Restaurant where the pianist and quartet set you in a holiday mood. On offer are Christmas Eve Lunch for P2,680 net per person and Christmas Eve Dinner at P2,980 net per person with a glass of cava. On Christmas Day, indulge in traditional holiday favorites: the lunch buffet — which comes with a glass of cava — is priced at P2,980 net while dinner is P2,680 net. If you are craving for Japanese food, indulge at the Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant, which offers Christmas set menus. On Dec. 24 and 25, the lunch and dinner set menus come with a glass of cava for P2,580 net per person. For queries and reservations, please call 528-3000 ext. 1121.

Recently hailed at this year’s World Luxury Restaurant Awards as the Global Winner for Chinese Cuisine, Conrad Manila’s China Blue by Chef Jeremy Leung offers a modern interpretation of Chinese recipes, epicurean feasts, and specially curated set menus on Dec. 24, 25, and 31. Craving for dim sum and tea? The holiday set menus start at P2,888 per person (minimum of 10 people) for eight courses available on those three days. For details and reservations, visit www.conradmanila.com or call 833 9999

Craving Filipino food? At New World Makati Hotel, cuisines are not only local, but international, and, of course, special. Start off your Christmas meal at Café 1228 with oven-roasted turkey with chestnuts and prunes and honey-glazed Hawaiian ham, and follow up with Pinoy sweets such as bibingka and puto calasiao. Lunch is priced at P2,199 per person on weekdays and P2,499 on weekends, while dinner is P2,599 per person. The hotel is also home to the award-winning Chinese restaurant, Jasmine, which offers the 10-course set menus prepared by chef Wong Kam On. Signature dishes and traditional favorites such as braised local abalone with black mushrooms and pan-fried scallop with egg white and black truffle sauce are available on Dec. 24, 25, and 31 and on Jan. 1. Set menu prices start at P9,888 for a group of six guests. The special Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners come with one round of sparkling wine and standard drinks for P2,999 per person. For details and reservations, call 811-6888, fax 811-6777, or visit newworldhotels.com.

Holiday Inn and Suites’ Flavors restaurant offers Christmas Eve specials like a Christmas turkey, complete with all the trimmings, and an array of delightful Christmas desserts to cap of the meal. The meal costs P2,500 net per person. Meanwhile, Christmas Day is made more special with roast sirloin steak and traditional smoked bone-in ham as the stars of the banquet. Flavors Restaurant is also bringing back its most popular offerings for the holiday, with a Poke Bowl station and Burger Bar. The Christmas Day buffet is P2,900 net.

It’s a meaty holiday at Ascott Makati’s Myron’s. The restaurant offers a generous dinner buffet featuring traditional yuletide season favorites: glazed holiday leg of ham, roast US turkey, slow-roasted US Angus beef belly, braised Spanish chicken with Txistorra, and Irish lamb stew. Besides all the meat, there are salads; hors d’oeuvres; a seafood station featuring New Zealand mussels, baked oysters Kilpatrick, chilled shrimp; and also paella with seafood and chicken, a selection of pasta dishes, and a variety of desserts to seal the deal. Myron’s Christmas Eve dinner buffet costs P2,500 net per person. For inquiries and table reservations, call 755-8898 or e-mail reservations@myronsph.com.

Meanwhile, L’entrecote Corner Bar & Bistro offers unique Swiss-French holiday fare that starts with Pissaladiere au Saumon Fumé (smoked salmon and cream cheese on a thin, crispy crust), traditional Duck a L’orange, and smoked salmon parcel, spaghetti with smoked salmon carbonara-style with lumpfish caviar. This holiday menu is available until Jan. 31. l’entrecote is at Bellagio II, Burgos Circle at Forbes Town Center, Bonifacio Global City. Call 856-4858, e-mail info@lentrecotemanila.com or visit www.lentrecotemanila.com for reservations and details.

For Christmas, Mario’s is serving cochinillo, callos Madrileña, paella Valenciana, lengua con setas, and its famouse Caesar Salad. End the meal with toffee sans rival, canonigo, bread pudding, or chocolate and cheese cakes. The dishes are available at both Mario’s branches at Tomas Morato, Quezon City and Upper Session Road Ext., Baguio City. Mario’s also caters and is accepting orders for Media Noche. For details, reservations, or orders, call Mario’s Tomas Morato at 415-3887, 372-0360, 376-6210 and 0917-323-2404 or e-mail marios.mariosqc@gmail.com and Mario’s Baguio at (074) 442-4241, 0905-297-3384 or e-mail marios.baguio@gmail.com.

The Cravings Group’s restaurants are all ready for the holiday. Starting at P650 per person, Cravings’ offers three set menu options. For big parties, Cravings’ buffet includes a Sushi selection, a lechon wrap station, a carving station, and an ice cream bar that can serve up to 100 people. Cravings can also provide on-the-day event management services, basic sound system and multimedia equipment and event styling so you only have to worry about enjoying the party. Cravings also has classic party staples for potluck party including roast turkey with chestnut raisin stuffing, salt-crusted salmon, and pork bagnet with Arroz Valenciana, among many others which come in Family and Party sizes. Meanwhile, C2 Classic Cuisine offers Family and Party sizes of its best-selling dishes like kare-kare, crispy pata, and lechon belly. Platters good for four to five people are also available. For groups of six to eight, the Salu-Salo sets combine vegetable, meat and noodle dishes. For inquiries and reservations, call 0920-983-1095, 0917-107-0323, 907-9205 or e-mail sales.manager@cravingsgroup.com or catering.events@cravingsgroup.com. For details, visit www.cravingsgroup.com/cravecelebrations.

Ilustrado at Intramuros, Manila offers house specialties to go including adobong bagnet with taba ng talangka, callos Madrileña, twice-cooked Angus beef shortplate, paella Ilustrado, palabok negra with crispy calamares, Christmas turkey, pineapple-glazed leg of ham, cochinillo and a lot more. There are also desserts like baked cheesecake, Christmas eggnog cake, chocolate fudge cake along with different flavored brownies, cookies and breads. To enjoy at home or as unique gifts, there are homemade dips, deli items and dressings like Boursin cheese spread, spicy cheeseball, chimichurri, malunggay pesto, and traditional atsara and bagoong. For details, visit or call Ilustrado branches at 744 General Luna Road, Intramuros, Manila (527-3674, 527-2345); Café Ilustrado at SM Makati (818-6760); Pasteleria Ilustrado at Alabang Town Center (0919-845-9503) or e-mail caterings@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph or visit www.facebook.com/ilustradorestaurant/.

AC Energy inks Citicore deal

AC ENERGY Holdings, Inc. has forged a power supply agreement with retail electricity supplier Citicore Energy Solutions, Inc. (CESI), the energy development unit of Ayala Corp. said.

In a statement, AC Energy quoted CESI President Manolo T. Candelaria as saying the partnership would revitalize the power generation company’s portfolio ahead of the implementation of rules governing renewable portfolio standards (RPS).

CESI is a unit of Citicore Power, Inc., a renewable energy company that launched in February last year a 25-megawatt (MW) solar plant in Silay, Negros Occidental. Citicore Power is looking at solar, wind, hydro, and biomass projects in the Philippines and Asia. 

“This will be a synergistic partnership between AC Energy and Citicore Power as we both share the same mission to employ excellence and technological innovation while preserving the environment through the use of clean and sustainable energy,” Mr. Candelaria said.

The RPS rules, which policy makers expect to implement at the start of 2018, require power distributors to source a portion of their requirement from renewable energy. The Energy department is getting the comments from industry participants before issuing a circular.

“We hope to explore more renewable energy partnerships of this kind moving forward,” Mr. Candelaria said.

The two did not disclose the power capacity involved in the power supply deal.

AC Energy is a subsidiary of Ayala Corp. with investments in renewable energy and conventional power plants. — Victor V. Saulon

Noche buena

Three days from now, we will once again prepare for our noche buena, which, for Filipinos, is one of the highlights of the Christmas season. In our family, the midnight feast consists of the traditional jamon and quezo de bola; Filipino-style spaghetti and buttered toast; apples, grapes, and other round fruits; macaroni or fruit salad; and, quite recently, a bottle of red or white wine.

Okay, this feast is probably typical of an average middle-class Filipino family’s, but it would have its counterpart among the more economically challenged among us. The idea is for us to give thanks for the blessings that we have received during the year, and to celebrate the company of our loved ones, especially family members, close relatives, and friends.

Over the past few years, though, I have begun to wonder whether it is still practical to serve so much food, given that the “senior citizens” of our home and even the “young” ones (i.e., my sister and I) have reduced the volume of the food we consume, due to both medical concerns and increased health consciousness. While my parents are taking some maintenance medicine, they are still basically healthy as soon-to-be octogenarians. I wonder whether my sister and I will remain as healthy as they are when we reach their age given that we are already experiencing the body aches and pains of middle age, in spite of our attempts at healthy living (i.e., eating good food, and exercising when time allows).

I think that we can probably dispense with the midnight meal, and celebrate the feast at lunchtime the following day. By doing this, we would not have to sleep on a full stomach, as well as not have to worry about doing the dishes around 2 p.m. of Christmas Day. But like many other long-standing traditions, noche buena is not about what is practical, economically or health-wise. It is about the meaning attached to the said ritual, which has historical, cultural, and spiritual dimensions.

Right before we partake of our midnight meal, we gather at the living room, light candles before the Belen (nativity scene), and pray the rosary together as a family. (Note: We do this, too, on New Year’s Eve.) This is a symbol of how our family has remained intact over the years (even if we just see each other on weekends), and how we, too, are linked to Christ, through the Church, over the centuries. The food we serve has meaning, too — spaghetti or pancit for longevity, round fruits for prosperity, and jamon for culinary delight (and good cholesterol, too)! Our conversations about how good the food tastes (or how it could have been cooked better), about the latest news on a relative or an acquaintance, about the latest telenovela or reality show, about University life, about our stock investments, about our parents’ lives when they were children during the Second World War, about how we used to go caroling with our friends in the neighborhood, and about Christmases past — these form a kaleidoscope of our collective memories, so much brighter than all of the Christmas lights in Ayala Avenue combined.

 

Raymund B. Habaradas is an Associate Professor at the Management and Organization Department of the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University (DLSU), where he teaches Management of Organizations, Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, and Management Action Research. He is also the Director of the DLSU Center for Business Research and Development.

rbhabaradas@yahoo.com.

Facebook to notify users when photos of them are uploaded

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook, Inc said on Dec. 20 it would begin using facial recognition technology to tell people on the social network when others upload photos of them, if they agree to let the company keep a facial template on file.

The company said in a statement that it was making the feature optional to allow people to protect their privacy, but that it thought some people would want to be notified of pictures they might not otherwise know about.

The feature would not immediately be available in Canada and the European Union, Facebook said. Privacy laws are generally stricter in those jurisdictions, though the company said it was hopeful about implementing the feature there in the future.

Tech companies are putting in place a variety of functions using facial recognition technology, despite fears about how the facial data could be used. In September, Apple, Inc revealed that users of its new iPhone X would be able to unlock the device using their face.

Facial recognition technology has been a part of Facebook since at least 2010, when the social network began offering suggestions for whom to tag in a photo. That feature also is optional.

For those who have opted in, Facebook creates what it calls a template of a person’s face by analyzing pixels from photos where the person is already tagged. It then compares newly uploaded images to the template.

Facebook deletes the template of anyone who then opts out, Rob Sherman, Facebook’s deputy chief privacy officer, said in a statement.

Under the new feature, people who have opted in would get a notification from Facebook if a photo of them has been uploaded, although only if the photo is one they have access to.

The company plans to add an “on/off” switch to allow users to control all Facebook features related to facial recognition, Mr. Sherman said. “We thought it was important to have a really straightforward way of controlling facial recognition technology,” he said.

Facebook said it also plans to use facial recognition technology to notify users if someone else uploads a photo of them as their profile picture, which the company said may help reduce impersonations, as well as in software that describes photos in words for people who have vision loss, so that they can tell who is in a photo. — Reuters

Hong Kong’s underused military land a potential goldmine — but a minefield for government

HONG KONG — As Hong Kong seeks more land to help ease a worsening housing crisis, some lawmakers and activists are urging officials to take a fresh look at little-used swathes of more than $100 billion worth of real estate controlled by the Chinese military. The Hong Kong garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) still occupies some 19 sites across the global financial hub it inherited from the British military when the former colony was handed back to China in 1997.

While several sites, such as the high-rise barracks near the Central financial district, are neon-lit and busy, others appear overgrown, rundown and little used, according to Reuters investigations, activists and diplomats monitoring military activity.

The parcels range from mansions in the exclusive Peak district and once-luxurious officers’ apartments in Hong Kong and Kowloon, to firing ranges and decades-old Nissen huts across the semi-rural New Territories, near the border with mainland China.

With Hong Kong property prices at record highs, Denis Ma, head of research at property consultancy JLL, said a mid-range estimate of the total land value could reach HK$1.06 trillion ($135 billion).

Based on the recent sale of a nearby plot, the Central site alone could be worth $29 billion and deliver 4.5 million square feet of floor space if developed into a commercial site.

Suitable residential land among the 19 sites could yield 65,000 family-sized apartments, Mr. Ma added.

Across Hong Kong, the PLA occupies some 2,700 hectares (6,670 acres), according to local government records, nearly half the size of Manhattan.

HOUSING PROBLEM
A lack of housing is a source of rising social and political tension in Hong Kong, one of the world’s most expensive property markets where owning even a 600-square foot flat is beyond the reach of many families.

A recently formed government task force on land supply acknowledged public calls for some military land to be returned for housing, but its chairman has said their development potential “may not be large.”

The task force’s initial meetings have instead advocated developing 1,400 hectares of new land through reclamation.

The preference for costly reclamation over re-purposing PLA land has led some to believe the Hong Kong government does not want to confront the Beijing leadership over a potentially sensitive issue of national security.

Under the laws that enshrine Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy, Beijing is given direct control of defense and foreign affairs.

Reuters sent questions to Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, the government’s development bureau and the task force. In reply, a spokesman told Reuters the task force would consider ideas from the community, “their facts as well as their pros and cons.”

It would finalize its recommendations by the end of 2018.

“As far as we understand, all existing military sites in Hong Kong are currently used for defense purposes and none is left idle,” the spokesman said, quoting Hong Kong’s security bureau.

Lawmaker Eddie Chu, part of Hong Kong’s democratic opposition, said even though it was common sense to open up some military sites for housing, the local government would likely avoid asking tough questions of Beijing.

“The Hong Kong government must know this is a solution, but I expect them to pay lip service to it,” he said.

The PLA garrison and China’s Defense Ministry did not respond to faxed questions from Reuters.

WELL-DEFENDED
Security experts say while some PLA presence is a fact of life, the city’s defense needs are easily met by Beijing’s rapidly modernizing forces — a vastly different situation to that faced by the British in defending their outpost during the Cold War.

“Hong Kong has never been so well-defended … it is a tiny segment of the mainland and is surrounded by the now significant forces of the Southern Theatre Command of the PLA,” said Trevor Hollingsbee, a former Hong Kong security official and naval intelligence analyst with Britain’s Defence Ministry.

“Rather than serve a vital strategic interest, the PLA presence in Hong Kong is essentially to show the public who is boss.”

After inspecting the garrison as part of 20th handover anniversary celebrations in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the troops they were “an important embodiment to national sovereignty,” according to state media.

As well as its Central barracks, security experts and diplomats believe a naval base and small airfield are considered key local sites to the PLA, along with a Kowloon barracks that houses light tanks and anti-riot units.

Another 10-hectare Kowloon site and residential blocks near Shek Kong appear barely used, according to activists and Reuters’ own checks. Soldiers armed with rifles and bayonets guard the entrance to the Kowloon site, but some buildings appear dilapidated, others rundown and many are unoccupied.

At Shek Kong, the residential blocks appear little used, day or night, and security is lax. In camps closer to the border, small deployments of troops drill at dawn outside ageing British-era huts and weed-choked fences. The 122 hectares of the Stanley fort on Hong Kong’s prime southern coast is also underutilized, according to diplomats.

About half of the 8,000-10,000 soldiers of the Hong Kong garrison are based in the city at any time, security experts and diplomats believe. Key units are kept in southern China, along with its most advanced weaponry, including jet fighters and air defense weapons.

Chinese laws covering the garrison state that any unused land, after central government approval, should be handed back “without compensation” to the local authorities, so any deal would likely have no benefits for the PLA’s coffers.

Community organizer Sze Lai-shan, who assists some of the city’s 200,000 people living in wire cages and partitioned homes, said all options for the land should be on the table.

“I think using some for temporary housing shouldn’t be a big issue,” Mr. Sze said. “We could perhaps use some existing buildings for temporary housing, or even build temporary housing on some sites.” — Reuters

Prepaid mobile ‘load’ expiry extended to 1 year

THE VALIDITY of prepaid mobile credit, otherwise known as “load,” has been reset to one year, officials said.

The extended validity was ordered in a memorandum circular jointly issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The circular takes effect on Jan. 5.

DICT Officer-in-Charge Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. on Wednesday said that the validity period was agreed with telecommunication companies and represents a balancing of the latter’s interests with those of consumers.

“We came up with a realistic solution… the one-year expiry date is very safe for consumers because that one year assures that they will be able to use the load,” he said.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said that the government initially pushd for no expiry but found this not to be feasible.

However, he noted “the openness of the telcos to cooperate to extend validity. I think one year is a long time.”

The new rules do not apply to user credit purchased in conjunction with certain promotions or other services with a specific period of use.

Mr. Lopez said the next step is new rules for billed mobile users, otherwise known as “post-paid,” focusing on ensuring their mobile phone plans deliver as advertised.

“I hope we can help ensure that (consumers) get what they are promised, in terms of the speed and the megabytes and that needs more technical preparation. That’s the next project,” he added.

According to the DTI data, 130 million customers had mobile lines at the end of 2016. The NTC estimates that the overwhelming majority of the market is pre-paid, with only 3% of users billed. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

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