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Woods fires final-round 68 as Fowler wins Hero World Challenge

MIAMI — Tiger Woods capped his return to competition with a fine four-under par 68 on Sunday as red-hot Rickie Fowler won the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

Former world number one Woods, who once wondered if nagging back trouble would spell the end of his career, had an eagle and six birdies to finish 72 holes on eight-under par 280.

That never put him within striking distance of Fowler, who produced a remarkable course-record 61 on the par-72 Albany Golf Club layout.

Fowler birdied the first seven holes, and eight in total on the front nine. After birdies at 11, 13 and 15, he was eyeing golf’s magic number of 59.

No more birdies were forthcoming, however, and Fowler settled for a course-record 61 and an 18-under total of 270.

Fowler finished four shots in front of fellow American Charley Hoffman, the overnight leader by five strokes who carded a final-round 72.

“I knew I needed to get off to a quick start today to at least show Charley I was there,” said Fowler, who started the day seven shots adrift. “”We took care of that and kept it rolling from there.”

Fowler was disappointed with his par at the eighth, where he had hoped to improve on his career-best birdie streak.

“Seven (birdies) was the most I had made (in a row) before, so I was really trying to get that eighth,” he said. “Didn’t want to get too greedy, just tried to make it with good speed, but ultimately left it short.”

Jordan Spieth, tied for second to start the round, fired a final-round 69 to share third with England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who signed for a 67.

Woods finished tied for ninth with Matt Kuchar in the unofficial 18-man event that benefits his charitable foundation.

A back-nine double-bogey and two bogeys to finish took some wind out of Woods’s sails, but the 41-year-old superstar, playing for the first time since February after yet another back surgery in April, found plenty to be encouraged about.

‘BRIGHT FUTURE’
Most importantly, he said, he played all week without pain.

“Overall, I’m very pleased. I showed some good signs,” he said, adding that they pointed toward “a bright future.”

Woods’s impressive display off the tee included a monster drive at the par-four seventh that led to his eagle.

That was just one of the shots that delighted an enthusiastic gallery following the 14-time major champion that included Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal.

“I knew I was going to be able to play all four rounds, that wasn’t going to be an issue,” said Woods, who also missed all of the 2015-2016 season with back trouble.

“The issue was how my scoring was going to be, how was my feel? How am I going to get used to the adrenaline in my system, because it’s the first time in a while. — AFP

Partnerships important in addressing Philippines’ double burden of malnutrition

THE Philippines is battling the double burden of malnutrition. An estimated seven million children in the country still face hunger and undernutrition, with the economy losing at least P328 billion a year due to the impact of childhood stunting on work force productivity and education.

Research from Save the Children Philippines also found that the country’s investment in nutrition programs is low at only 0.52% of general government expenditure. This is in comparison to the global average of 2.1%.

The report also indicated that in 2013, combined losses as a result of malnutrition were more than triple the cost of damage inflicted by 15 natural disasters that hit the Philippines in 2015. This highlights the heavy impact of malnutrition in the country.

Yet at the same time, the obesity and overweight epidemic is also increasing in the Philippines, affecting around 18 million locals — and this is on an upward trend.

According to the “Tackling Obesity in ASEAN: Prevalence, Impact and Guidance on Interventions” report produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the prevalence of overweight among adults has risen by 24% between 2010 and 2014.

Commissioned by the Asia Roundtable on Food Innovation for Improved Nutrition (ARoFIIN), the report also states that 23.6% of Filipino adults are overweight, with women more affected than men (26.3% and 21% respectively).

This is leading to a huge economic burden in the country. In 2016, obesity cost the Philippines between $500 million and $1 billion, accounting for between four and eight percent of national health care spending. This makes the country the fourth-highest spender for obesity-related problems across the region.

Obesity in the Philippines is largely driven by the lack of exercise and low-quality diets. An April 2017 study by researcher Cecile Klaudine C. Cabigas from the University of the Philippines, outlined that due to growing urbanization and increased incomes, younger Filipinos are now opting for energy-dense and nutrition-poor foods. Physical inactivity is also a significant problem, with many adults not physically active and children lacking places to play.

It is clear the double burden of malnutrition is an important issue that needs to be addressed in the Philippines. To do so, a paradigm shift in focus and strategies is needed. This includes more attention being placed on preventive health care; consumer education on healthy nutrition; and multi-stakeholder partnerships and knowledge exchanges.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY
Solving the Philippines’ double burden of malnutrition is an inclusive priority between both the public and private sectors — the government cannot solve the problem alone; neither can industry groups.

Strong partnerships and open engagement between all players in both sectors are required given the important roles that each of the parties play in addressing the issues of malnutrition — especially stunting — and obesity.

Government bodies and agencies set the strategic direction for any measures and policies to be implemented, whereas the private sector plays an equally important role by recognizing the significance of promoting healthier and more nutritious choices as a core part of their business.

For example, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in the Philippines works with food service establishments in the country through the “Pinggang Pinoy” advocacy group which ensures that appropriate portions are served to consumers. At the same time, food from the different levels of the food pyramid need to be included in each serving to ensure that consumers are eating healthy and nutritious food.

This is just one example of how a multi-stakeholder approach can efficiently reach out to the community. As it is difficult for one sector to work alone to solve the country’s double burden of malnutrition, it is important that there are collaborative efforts between the government, civil society, academia, industry and nongovernmental organizations.

This is where public-private partnerships like ARoFIIN can also be a part of the solution. By bringing the food industry and the private and public sectors together in a strategic alliance to identify and recommend interventions that can have an impact on the Philippines’ malnutrition and obesity problems, ARoFIIN can be a catalyst for change.

IMPORTANT TO HAVE OPEN, HONEST DIALOGUE
For the public and private sectors to collaborate successfully, there has to be transparent and honest dialogue. Companies in the private sector need to identify and be open about any conflicts of interest that their respective businesses may have in relation to the promotion of a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, and manage these appropriately with the public sector.

This transparent engagement will create trust between stakeholders in both sectors, which is important to meet the goal of educating consumers and encouraging a healthier lifestyle. In this fight against the simultaneous issues of malnutrition and obesity, we need serious systematic intervention paired with a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach.

A great deal is required from various parties to combat and reduce levels of obesity; but at the end of the day, creating trust through an open and honest dialogue between both sectors will ensure there are engaging means taken to solve the double burden in the Philippines for the benefit of all.

 

The Asia Roundtable on Food Innovation for Improved Nutrition (ARoFIIN) in Partnership with Dr. Leonora Panlasigui, Dean Emeritus — School of Nutrition, Philippine Women’s University

GSIS offers emergency loan to members, pensioners in 3 Mindanao areas

THE GOVERNMENT Service Insurance System (GSIS) opened the emergency loan window to its 20,494 active members and 3,838 pensioners in Zamboanga City and municipalities of Tupi in South Cotabato, and Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay, areas which were affected by flash floods and landslides in recent months. Active members who have no existing emergency loans may apply for a P20,000 loan, while those who have not yet fully paid a loan may borrow P40,000, from which the outstanding balance will be deducted, GSIS said in a statement released yesterday. Deadline for filing of loan application is today, Dec. 5. Active members may apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosk located in all GSIS branch and extension offices; provincial capitols; city halls; selected municipal offices; large government agencies such as the Department of Education; Robinsons Malls; and selected SM City branches. — Mindanao Bureau

Sex misconduct allegations snag Levin, Rush, and Russell Simmons

NEW YORK — New York’s Metropolitan Opera on Sunday suspended its relationship with former long-time music director, the acclaimed conductor James Levine, as it investigates several allegations of sexual misconduct.

The opera said in a statement that it decided to act following “multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by Mr. Levine that took place from the 1960s to the 1980s, including the earlier part of his conducting career at the Met.”

The organization said Levine, Met music director for 40 years until his retirement in 2016, would not be involved in any Met activities, including conducting scheduled performances this season. “While we await the results of the investigation, based on these new news reports, the Met has made the decision to act now,” General Manager Peter Gelb said in the statement, adding that the action was supported by the leadership of the Met Board and its Executive Committee. “This is a tragedy for anyone whose life has been affected.”

The allegations at one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses come amid widening sexual misconduct scandals in the fields of entertainment, politics and journalism.

GEOFFREY RUSH RESIGNS
Academy award-winning actor Geoffrey Rush resigned as head of an Australian film industry body Saturday after allegations surfaced against him of “inappropriate behavior.”

Rush, who has denied any wrongdoing, stepped down as president of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), which he had led for several years, the organization said in a statement.

“AACTA acknowledges the decision today of Geoffrey Rush to voluntarily step aside as president of AACTA and accepts and respects his decision to do so,” it said. “We have been deeply concerned about the situation and support a course of action that both respects Geoffrey’s rights to the presumption of innocence and due process, but also acknowledges good corporate governance in these circumstances,” it added, declining further comment.

Rush, 66, took the step after the Sydney Theatre Company revealed last week that it had received a complaint alleging that the veteran Australian actor had engaged in “inappropriate behavior” when working with the company. No further information about the nature of the behavior or the identity of the complainant was revealed, but Australian media reports said the allegations related to Rush’s time playing King Lear for the company in 2015 and 2016.

SIMMONS STEPS DOWN
Music producer Russell Simmons said on Thursday he was stepping down from his fashion and production businesses after a screenwriter said in a column in the Hollywood Reporter that Simmons sexually assaulted her in 1991.

Jenny Lumet, the screenwriter daughter of the late movie director Sidney Lumet, accused Simmons of forcing himself on her in his New York apartment in 1991.

Simmons, 60, the cofounder of hip-hop label Def Jam Records and also a film producer, apologized for his behavior in a statement on his Instagram site.

“While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real,” Simmons said in his Instagram statement. “While I have never been violent, I have been thoughtless and insensitive in some of my relationships over many decades and I sincerely apologize.” — AFP/Reuters

Star Wars sisters hail girl-powered galaxy

LOS ANGELES — Carrie Fisher’s death caused a huge disturbance in the Force, but the women of The Last Jedi vowed Sunday to honor her legacy in the latest girl-powered Star Wars chapter.

The cast came together in a secret location in Los Angeles with director Rian Johnson to build buzz for the latest chapter in the blockbuster space saga, which hits theaters on Dec. 15.

“You get to see women that are not big and strong just because they’re acting like men. They’re doing something else,” said Gwendoline Christie, 39, who plays stormtrooper commander Captain Phasma.

“And also you’re seeing a developed character, or a developing character, that is showing some complex character traits. I’m delighted that something as legendary as Star Wars has decided to reflect our society.”

The Last Jedi — filmed on the west coast of Ireland and at Pinewood Studios near London — sees the return of the characters introduced in 2015’s seventh installment, The Force Awakens.

Christie, flanked by red-robed Praetorian guards as she took the stage, was joined by returning stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domnhall Gleeson, and Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.

There were new faces too: Kelly Marie Tran as Resistance maintenance worker Rose Tico and Laura Dern, who plays Vice-Admiral Amilyn Holdo.

Ridley, 25, spoke of growing up in London in a liberal household where sexism wasn’t an issue — and of being overwhelmed by the rapturous response to her appearance as a rare female action star in The Force Awakens.

“When I got involved, I knew it was a big deal, but the response was so beyond anything I could have imagined, that it was only afterward that I was like ‘Oh — oh yeah,’” she said.

THE GIRLS ‘KICK BUTT’
Tran, 28, spoke of the “honor and responsibility” of playing a prominent female character and wanting to do the role justice.

“And the girls in this movie kick some butt. Every single one is so good,” she said.

Fisher — who played General Leia Organa when she was known simply as Princess Leia in the original 1977-1983 trilogy — died last December, having already wrapped her scenes for The Last Jedi.

“I watched TV and film obsessively from such a young age, but [she] stayed with me throughout my formative years,” said Christie, who plays warrior Brienne of Tarth on HBO’s Game of Thrones.

“She’s really interesting, she’s really smart, she’s really funny, she’s courageous, she’s bold, she doesn’t care what people think, and she isn’t prepared to be told what to do.”

Written by Johnson, The Last Jedi — the eighth installment in the franchise — picks up where The Force Awakens left off, with Rey looking to Luke to teach her about The Force.

Lucasfilm has released various trailers for The Last Jedi, hinting at dark times ahead for the Resistance — and prompting comparisons with The Empire Strikes Back.

“It’s the second movie in the trilogy, and I think we’ve been kind of trained to expect it will be a little darker, and obviously it looks a little darker,” said Johnson, 43.

‘DIRE SITUATION’
But he added that he was still aiming for movie that “makes you come out of the theater, run around your back yard, grab your spaceship toy and fly around.”

Hamill, 66, has stirred controversy in the past with candid comments about his thoughts on his character and direction of the story, but was one of the least vocal in the news conference.

He confirmed that his role was “twice as big” as his last-minute cameo in The Force Awakens — but gave almost nothing else away.

Like Fisher and Hamill, Harrison Ford is a Star Wars institution as loveable rogue Han Solo. But the character is missing from the latest chapter, having been killed off by director J.J. Abrams in the previous installment.

The cast was asked if Ford’s absence was a wrench but Boyega said central characters Finn, Rey, and Poe weren’t given much time to mourn and that “everyone’s keeping it moving” in the new film.

“Rey’s off training, she’s got stuff to go. I got a back injury, I’ve got stuff to do,” he said.

“It’s a dire situation, the Resistance is on its last legs,” added Isaac, who plays Poe.

“The First Order is right on top of us. You have to keep moving to try to survive.” — AFP

Gov’t launches unified business database in bid to cut red tape

THE GOVERNMENT launched yesterday an online database of business information that is intended to streamline the renewal of the permit process at line agencies.

The Philippine Business Databank (PBDB) allows government agencies to verify information on a business using a single reference document online, as an alternative to filing a set of documents from various agencies.

Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said the launch of the PBDB is among the initiatives of the Department of Finance as lead agency of the government’s anti-red tape program to improve the ease of doing business in the country.

“With the PBDB, government agencies can readily access data on a particular business, eliminating the need for business owners to bring numerous documentary requirements when transacting with the government,” Mr. Beltran said in a statement.

The PBDB is a program steered by Mr. Beltran along with the Departments of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The database was developed by a team from the Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.

“This would comprise all business establishments in each local government unit (LGU). This will share information across national government (agencies) to local government units,” DILG Bureau of Local Government Development Director Anna Liza F. Bonagua said during the program’s launch yesterday.

The program’s project manager, Stefan Andrei D. Flores of the DICT, said the database is designed to improve the ease of doing business.

“These are common requirements when you do transact as a private sector entity with government. Now you’re only looking at a single reference document,” he said.

“It helps ease processes. The information will be shared across government agencies. It will  help ease of doing business, and fast-track the verification process,” Mr. Flores added.

The database will initially be seeded with business information from the Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission, the Cooperatives Development Authority (CDA) and the Quezon City government.

Mr. Flores said that the program will be linked to more LGUs with large business districts in Metro Manila by the first quarter next year.

However, the expansion will depend on the willingness of government agencies as it is not legally binding.

Information included in the database are the enterprises’ name, business permit number, registration date, expiry date, status, address, contact details, taxpayer identification number, the attached Unified Accounts Code Structure, and the firm’s owners.

However according to the DICT, the verification of a specific business entity is limited to exact name searches, which prevents users from resorting to random searches.

The database can be accessed at pbdb-staging.apps.gov.ph. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

MILF completes delisting from UN roll of groups using children in war

THE MORO Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been taken off the United Nations (UN) list of armed groups recruiting and using children in conflict, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced yesterday. A formal ceremony was held Nov. 4 to recognize the achievement. “Today, we mark an important milestone for the boys and girls of the Philippines. The Joint Action Plan between the MILF and the UN on the issue of recruitment and use of children has now been fully implemented… This achievement is the result of a sustained commitment by the MILF with United Nations support,” said Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, in her congratulatory message. The UN and the MILF signed the Action Plan in 2009 and was completed at the beginning of 2017. It contains a six point road map, resulting in the disengagement of 1,869 children from the ranks of the MILF. The disengagement will facilitate the children’s access to appropriate support and services from government and development partners, including health, education and security. The MILF signed a peace agreement with the government on March 27, 2014. — Mindanao Bureau

Warehouses get bigger, taller and faster as e-commerce takes off

NEW YORK — Those boxes piling up on your doorstep over the holidays don’t ship from Santa’s workshop. As Americans spend more money shopping online, real estate developers are sinking record amounts of money into new warehouse space, building bigger, taller structures to meet the needs of e-commerce — and the robots that help it along.

Builders spent $2.7 billion on US warehouse construction in October, the most since the census started keeping track in 1993. The size of the average warehouse completed this year was 188,000 square feet, according to a report published this week by CBRE Group, Inc., more than double the size in 2001. Developers are also raising their roofs, with ceiling heights up 21% over that period.

Warehouses are getting bigger for the same reason retailers and logistics firms are building more of them.

“It’s the notion of the endless aisle,” said Joe Dunlap, a managing director at CBRE, where he leads the supply chain advisory practice. A retailer that stocks 30,000 items in its stores might offer 10 times as many items for sale online. More stock requires larger footprints. Higher ceilings accommodate mezzanine levels, letting operators cram more shelves into a building.

Today’s industrial buildings also require thicker concrete floors to support heavy machinery used to automate the warehouse process, Mr. Dunlap said.

While builders are pouring money into next-generation warehouses, venture capital firms are stoking competition in warehouse automation. Since Amazon.com, Inc. acquired bot maker Kiva Systems for $775 million in 2012, a new batch of robot makers has burst on the scene, including Geek+, which has raised $22 million. 6 River Systems, Inc., a robotics company founded by former Kiva employees, scored a $15-million round, while RightHand, which makes a robo-arm, added $8 million to its war chest.

Meanwhile, warehouses are likely to keep getting bigger, and more expensive.

“Long term, there has to be a landing point,” Mr. Dunlap said, “probably driven by finding the right collaboration” between robots and people. — Bloomberg

Revolutionary government a headache

In a speech before an anti-corruption summit in Pasay City last week, President Rodrigo Duterte said that establishing a revolutionary government at this time was like “looking for a headache.” He announced back in October that he would set up a revolutionary government to nip in the bud a plan to destabilize his administration. He said: “I will clear the streets and I will declare all government positions vacant.”

Establishing the new government necessarily means the scrapping of the Constitution, otherwise some people would invoke the Constitution and declare his government illegal. Scrapping the Constitution would in turn mean abandoning the established organizational and command structure of the old government. He cannot govern 103 million people spread over 7,100 islands in an area of almost 300,000 square kilometers all by his lonesome. He needs a huge complement of deputies and an army of assistants.

A host of high-profile personalities must have scrambled over one another to get his attention and his favor for appointment to the top posts after announcing his plan to set up a revolutionary government, causing him to realize the immense problems he would be confronted with if he established a revolutionary government.

Premier Duterte would not only have to choose his deputies but would have to choose who among them should be the chief deputy or his second-in-command. It would not be far-fetched to think that angling to be No. 2 in the new government would be Alan Peter Cayetano, who after all ran as Mr. Duterte’s vice-presidential running mate last year.

Another likely aspirant as second-in-command would be Bongbong Marcos, arguably the biggest financial contributor to Mr. Duterte’s campaign for the presidency and who delivered the sizable Ilocano vote for him. He also ran for vice-president last year, ostensibly as the prelude to his bid for the presidency in 2022. The coffee shops buzzed with talks of his being Mr. Duterte’s choice for vice-presidential running mate, rumors precipitated by cryptic statements of then presidential candidate Duterte. He could be the chief deputy of Premier Duterte.

Not to be discounted among those possibly eyeing the position of chief deputy in the revolutionary government is Gloria Arroyo. She was a major financial supporter to Mr. Duterte’s successful presidential bid. Her being set free by the Duterte-influenced Supreme Court from hospital arrest and her elevation to a position of considerable influence in the present dispensation are apparently return favors for her generous support. Further, she is rumored to be the prime minister if and when the federal system of government is adopted. She could be No. 2 if a revolutionary government is established instead.

With Vice-President Leni Robredo definitely out of the picture in the revolutionary government, Senate President Koko Pimentel, No. 3 in the order of succession to the presidency under the present Constitution, may feel deserving of elevation to the No. 2 spot. After all, had he not endorsed Mr. Duterte as the official candidate of his PDP-Laban Party, Mr. Duterte would not be president now.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, No. 4 in the order of succession, may feel as the logical chief deputy by virtue of his being the chief of the 234 members of the House of Representatives. It should be noted that it was only his personal closeness to Mr. Duterte that got him that powerful position, not his political clout, as he had none, not like previous speakers Ramon Mitra, Jr., and Jose de Venecia, whose political wiles won the alliance of many congressmen, or Manuel Villar whose fabulous treasury enabled him to “buy” the support of his colleagues. But it is precisely that close friendship with the President that could make Alvarez expect a high position in a Duterte autocracy.

Speaking of Villar, he could be another aspirant for the No. 2 position. He had been No. 4 before and aspired to be No. 1 but was frustrated. His Nacionalista Party supported Mr. Duterte’s candidacy. His wife is in the Senate and his son is in the Cabinet. A revolutionary government would abolish their positions. In their place, Villar might want to be No. 2 chief deputy.

Not to be ignored is Richard Gordon. (Well, he makes sure he is always noticed.) He had also launched his bid for the presidency but it turned out to be a dismal failure. Observers of Senate proceedings refer to him as Papa Bear because he is supposed to get what he wants, a concession he earned presumably because of his servility to the power that be. He is likely to ask for a position of power in the new government as a reward for his servility.

All of them are strong personalities. They will not take being passed over lightly. With the exception of Villar, all of them have shown a streak of vindictiveness. When Speaker De Venecia’s son tangled with President Arroyo’s husband, De Venecia was toppled from the speakership, in spite of his accommodating the party-less Gloria Arroyo as his vice-presidential running mate in 1998.

When cumpadres Cayetano and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay engaged in a tug o’ war over Fort Bonifacio or Global City, Cayetano exposed the Binays’ shenanigans in the construction of an annex of Makati City Hall. Koko Pimentel joined Cayetano in his fight with the Binays because PDP-Laban partymate Jojo Binay wanted Miguel Zubiri, who deprived Pimentel of his Senate seat for four years, included in the PDP-Laban senatorial slate.

Alvarez denounced the supposed anomalous contract between the Bureau of Corrections (penal colonies) and the Floirendo family signed way back in the 1970s because Tonyboy Floirendo and his girlfriend had taken the Masskara Festival seats reserved for Alvarez and his girlfriend. This in spite of the fact Floirendo bankrolled Alvarez’ candidacy for representative in 2016.

By early 2010, the report on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation of the Fertilizer Scam was ready for release. People expected the report to be damaging to then president Arroyo. However, Gordon, then chair of the committee, held off the release of the report, giving rise to the suspicion that he was hoping to be nominated by Arroyo as Lakas-KAMPI’s presidential candidate. When Arroyo named Gilbert Teodoro as her party’s candidate, Gordon released the report and vowed, if elected president, to jail Arroyo for her involvement in the Fertilizer Scam.

So, when Mr. Duterte names his second-in-command, he alienates several people who could cause him trouble much more serious than the placid Liberal Party members are capable of. And that is only insofar as his right-hand man is concerned.

Mr. Duterte has to choose people to be in charge of peace and order, national security, public health, public works, collection of taxes and import duties, national treasury, foreign relations, etc. He has to name someone to regulate the banks, trade, industries, public utilities, transport system, and so on. And he has to find the right person right away for his government to function. For every position there may be as many as 10 vying for it. Every time he fills up a position, nine people of strong personality would be resentful of him.

But who to choose among ardent aspirants for key positions in the revolutionary government would be the least of Mr. Duterte’s problems. His biggest headache would be determining how to moderate the negative impact the establishment of a revolutionary government would have on the economy.

The economy would slow down. Foreign as well as local investors would hold off new investments as they adopt a wait-and-see attitude. What will happen to the existing rules of doing business? Will existing licenses and franchises continue to be valid? Will there be forced sell-out of companies as what happened to the Philippine Daily Inquirer? Will there be closure of business as he has threatened to do to ABS-CBN? Will he give special privileges to his business cronies to allow them to dominate or even control industries?

Foreign companies may not be willing to wait. They will transfer their operations to a more politically stable country. Many foreign countries will issue adverse travel advisories due to the uncertainty of security in the country, reducing influx of tourists. There will be fewer new jobs. Existing jobs will diminish due to slow down of business and transfer of operations outside the country. There will be unrest in the labor sector.

Of course, scrapping the Constitution renders all existing laws unenforceable. Anarchy would engulf the land. The overgrown crybaby Bato dela Rosa and his inept policemen would be crushed by the rampaging Kadamay members. As there are indications that the Armed Forces would stay in their barracks should a revolutionary government be established, the revolutionary government would disintegrate in no time at all.

 

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a member of Manindigan! a cause-oriented group of businessmen, professionals, and academics.

oplagman@yahoo.com

Schrock and Ceres stun Kaya in semifinal opener

STEPHAN SCHROCK and Ceres-Negros FC stunned Kaya FC-Makati and its supporters on Sunday when they scored in stoppage time of the first leg of their Philippines Football League finals series to hack out the 1-0 victory and claim the early upper hand.

While the match was seemingly on its way to a goalless draw after a regulation play that saw both teams not caving in to one another, Mr. Schrock and Ceres had other plans as the former national player struck in stoppage time (90’+2) to give his team the first-leg win and possibly a shot at playing in the finals of the inaugural season of the national football league.

Mr. Schrock showcased his slick attacking skills in breaking through for the goal, eluding the Kaya defense as he made his assault and keeping the ball out of the reach of Kaya goalkeeper Ref Cuaresma to shock the home fans who trekked to the University of Makati Stadium.

It was culmination of a game that saw the two teams having their respective chances for a goal throughout the match but just could not complete them.

Mr. Schrock said his goal was simply a result of just digging deep and his desire to make one last go at a goal.

“I cannot really remember what happened. I just knew I had one thing left in the final minute, so I got the ball and took it. I’m happy to give the team the winner because they deserve it under such [difficult] circumstances,” said Mr. Schrock, named man of the match, after the game.

He went on to say that the work is not done for them and that they have to build on their first-leg win for they know Kaya would try hard to bounce back.

“We’re happy with the little advantage we have for the second leg, but we know Kaya will do everything to win it. You can be sure we’ll be ready to do everything to win as well,” said Mr. Schrock.

Quite understandably, the defeat left Kaya frustrated, recognizing it allowed the game to slip away from its hands with the Schrock goal.

“First of all it’s really frustrating. For the whole 90 minutes, I don’t think we allowed them to settle for even a short amount of time. The energy was there. The aggressiveness was there. The willingness to really take this game away from Ceres — it was all there. I don’t know what else we need to do. We created lots of chances. But it’s just — we didn’t get the result,” a frustrated Kaya head coach Noel Marcaida said following the match.

Just the same, they are hoping to have a better result in the return leg in Bacolod City on Saturday, Dec. 9.

The second leg of the Ceres-Kaya final series is set for 7 p.m. at the Panaad Park and Football Stadium. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

May in Brussels as Brexit talks enter decisive phase

BRUSSELS/DUBLIN — British negotiators were locked in last-minute talks with their European Union (EU) and Irish counterparts on Monday, trying to put together a Brexit deal that Prime Minister Theresa May might agree over lunch in Brussels.

London has broadly agreed to many of the EU’s divorce terms, including paying out something like €50 billion. But the issues of the rights of expatriate citizens and the UK-EU border on the island of Ireland remain fraught, diplomats said.

Brussels officials and diplomats sounded increasingly confident of a deal over the weekend, but they caution that much will depend on the outcome of Ms. May’s talks over lunch.

“I have a good feeling but I am not prejudging the outcome,” one senior Brussels diplomat said.

Ms. May hopes that her talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, due to start at 1:15 p.m. (1215 GMT), can persuade her 27 fellow EU leaders that “sufficient progress” has been made on divorce terms for them to agree next week to open talks on their future trade relationship.

They will hold a summit on Friday, Dec. 15, chaired by European Council President Donald Tusk, with whom Ms. May has scheduled a meeting at 4 p.m., after her lunch with Juncker.

Dublin, backed by the rest of the EU, is seeking strong assurances that London will commit to keeping business regulations in Northern Ireland the same as in the EU, to avoid a “hard border” that could disrupt peace on the island.

“Hopefully, we’ll find a way forward today,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the issue before Ms. May’s talks.

Mr. Coveney said the talks are in a “sensitive place,” with the British and Irish governments discussing possible texts of an agreement. Britain is seeking to keep its options open, having rejected a commitment to leave Northern Ireland in a customs union with the EU or to keep the whole United Kingdom in one.

Ms. May depends on parliament on a pro-British party in Northern Ireland that rejects any deal which would divide the province from the British mainland. But Ireland and the EU say maintaining a customs union is the best way to avoid “regulatory divergence.”

Messrs. Juncker and Barnier will meet the European Parliament’s Brexit team at 11 a.m. to brief them on progress. The legislature, which must approve any withdrawal treaty if a disruptive Brexit is to be avoided in March 2019, has demanded that EU courts have the final say in guaranteeing rights for three million EU citizens in Britain. Britain insists that it will no longer accept the supervision of the European Court of Justice.

Nadine Dorries, a member of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party who supports Brexit, said Ms. May should tell EU officials time is running out to move talks on to the next phase.

The EU has had “enough time now to decide whether or not they are going to discuss trade with us, they need to get on with it and if they don’t get on with it, the closer we get to walking away with no deal,” she said.

Ms. May portrays Monday’s meeting as part of preparations for an EU summit on Dec. 15 — though the EU says no negotiations will be conducted at the summit itself, so Monday is the last chance for her to make offers. A British spokesman said: “With plenty of discussions still to go, Monday will be an important staging post on the road to the crucial December Council.”

Since Britain’s referendum on leaving the EU in 2016, high-profile opponents of Brexit have suggested Britain could change its mind and avoid what they say will be a disaster for its economy. Half of Britons support a second vote on whether to leave the EU, according to an opinion poll published on Sunday.

CLOCK TICKING
With the clock ticking down to the March 2019 exit date, Ms. May is under pressure to start talks on its future trade ties by the end of the year to remove the cloud of uncertainty for companies that do business in the EU.

More than 30 pro-Brexit supporters, including members of parliament and former Conservative ministers, have signed a letter calling on Ms. May to walk away from talks unless key conditions are met.

They include an end to free movement of people from the EU into Britain and for the European Court of Justice to have no further role in British legal matters after March 2019. — Reuters

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