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Kings over Jerusalem

Herod the Great was named by the Senate as “King of the Jews,” with a tacit order for him to control the Jews, who by their numbers were a force for the Roman Empire to contend with in the satellite kingdoms of Jerusalem and Judea. He ruled as tyrannical King for some 40 years, calling himself a believer in Judaism — though his subjects, the Jews, did not trust him, knowing that support from the Roman Empire was a major factor in enabling him to maintain his power (Biblical Archaeology Society, 1999). Herod was disliked for his lavish lifestyle that drained tax collections and for his inability to take criticism or any show of disloyalty. For his loss of trust on them, he had his wife (one of many) and several sons killed (Perowne, Stewart, Herod the Great, cited in wikipedia.com).

In the Christian Gospel of Matthew, Herod is the ruler of Judea who orders the Massacre of the Innocents at the time of the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18). By the warning of an angel, Joseph and Mary were able to escape to Egypt and save the Infant Christ, who was born in Bethlehem. And so Christians in the world — 32% of total population today — have been joyfully remembering the birth of Jesus for the past more than two millennia. The 68% non-believers in Christ the Redeemer nonetheless celebrate a “Christmas” in their own fashion, in December of each year. Peace on earth, goodwill to men.

Yet just when it is Christmas time again, world peace is gravely threatened, as Herodian rulers of the world ruthlessly compromise what should be a humanitarian moratorium on challenges to already-tender old wounds among nations and peoples. How unimaginably lacking in timing that US President Donald Trump should rouse and rile the more-than a century-old Arab–Israeli conflict over Jerusalem on the first week of the Christmas month!

“Trump reversed decades of US policy and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, imperiling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting Washington’s friends and foes alike. Trump announced his administration would begin a process of moving the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a step expected to take years and one that his predecessors opted not to take to avoid inflaming tensions. (Reuters, Dec. 7, 2017).”

Arabs and Jews have long been fighting for territory and principle in the long-running conflict between Palestine and Israel. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian religions, and decision on the status and ownership of this divided capital right in the middle of Israeli territory is one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine. How can US President Trump just suddenly and unilaterally decide that Jerusalem belongs to Israel? Does he think himself Herod, and self-appointed “King of the Jews?”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump’s announcement as a “historic landmark (Ibid.).” But interviewed by Christian Amanpour on CNN, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak agreed that Trump’s announcement “was a good idea…but this did not pass everything to Israel,” meaning, the controversy over Jerusalem is still not solved (CNN, Dec. 9, 2017). Ehud Barak said that he listened very closely to what Jared Kushner, senior adviser to his father-in-law Donald Trump said about the US President’s announcement, and it was clear that peace talks and negotiations will still have to proceed between Israel and Palestine.

Ehud Barak stressed that “we do not necessarily want everything US (Ibid.).” To this, Amanpour showed her year-2000 interview separately with Netanyahu and then Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. She pointed out Netanyahu’s hard line stand in wanting Jerusalem all for Israel, vis-à-vis Arafat’s conciliatory offer of shared sovereignty over Israel. Ehud Barak commented that “Arafat was not the best truth-teller” and judged that Arafat did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize but should have won the Oscar for his performance (Ibid.).”

Today Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated, “We reject the American decision over Jerusalem. With this position the United States has become no longer qualified to sponsor the peace process (Reuters, Dec. 8, 2017).” Even former US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer said “(Trump) cannot expect to side entirely with Israel on the most sensitive and complex issues in the process, and yet expect the Palestinians to see the United States as an honest broker (Reuters, Dec. 7, 2017).”

The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the entire Jerusalem, believing its status should be resolved in negotiations. No country (except the US in after two years setup) has its embassy in Jerusalem (Reuters, Dec. 7, 2017).

Egypt, the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, denounced Trump’s decision, describing it as a violation of international resolutions on the city’s shared-sovereignty status. Egypt is worried about the impact of the US move on the stability of the region and about its “extremely negative” impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process (Time, Dec. 7, 2017).

“Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose country like Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel, said he had expressed his concerns to Trump in a phone call Tuesday, saying that ignoring Palestinian, Muslim and Christian rights in Jerusalem would only fuel further extremism (Ibid.).”

“Pope Francis called for Jerusalem’s status quo to be respected. China and Russia expressed concern the move could aggravate Middle East hostilities. British Prime Minister Theresa May said London called the US decision ‘unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region.’ The United Nations Security Council is meeting over Trump’s decision, diplomats said last week (Ibid.).”

Protests ran in Jordan’s capital, Amman, inhabited by Palestinian refugees, and several hundred protesters gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul denouncing Trump’s intervention and urging Jordan’s government to scrap its 1994 peace treaty with Israel. Palestinian Islamist group Hamas accused Trump of a “flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people (Ibid.).” “This has opened the gates of hell.”

Palestinians switched off Christmas lights at Jesus’ traditional birthplace in Bethlehem on Wednesday night to protest Trump’s move (Ibid.).

Peace on earth, goodwill to all (?).

 

Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

Krampus: Santa’s creepy chum gives Austrians a scary thrill

SCHWADORF, AUSTRIA — Austrian financial adviser Ernst Eigner is ugly and scary. But only in his “Krampus” costume with red glowing eyes and horns to frighten naughty children and “evil spirits.”

His troupe is just one of an estimated 850, with 10,000 members around Austria marauding through towns and villages over the Christmas period in “Krampuslauf” parades.

“We are spreading the tradition of scaring away evil spirits,” Eigner told AFP as he donned his outfit before one such event in Schwadorf near Vienna.

“Just symbolically though of course,” he said, resplendent in his shaggy Roman centurion-cum-zombie costume, animal bones dangling here and there.

It starts off innocently, with Santa — or rather Saint Nicholas — giving out sweets. But fear is in the air because soon come his satanic sidekicks, dozens of them.

Wave after wave bound in, stomping around a roaring fire that sends sparks into the night sky, clanging cow bells attached to their backs and brandishing whips and blazing red flares.

With heavy metal blaring, the several hundred spectators in the market town watch behind safety barriers as the demonic creatures prowl around menacingly, leering at the public.

But apart from one tearful little girl, everyone has fun. The monsters high-five with kids as they slope off back to their lair — actually the local school — to get changed.

“We are trying to make it look brutal but our whips are only made of horse hair,” Eigner assures us. “People can hardly feel it if we hit them.”

BLACK ANGELS AND ORCS
It’s a booming trend, with ever more groups springing up to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand, and not just in Austria but in southern Germany and further afield too.

One of Austria’s biggest parades, in Schladming south of Salzburg, involves some 800 monsters and attracts 8,000 spectators paying €12-15 ($14-18) per adult.

Yet, while it may be inspired by past customs, the phenomenon has moved and evolved far beyond its supposed origins in the remote valleys of the Alps.

Head-to-hoof in dark fur with horns, a tail and a lolling red tongue, from the 16th century Krampus traditionally appeared on Dec. 5, the eve of Saint Nicholas Day.

“Children would be tested on religious knowledge by Saint Nicholas. He would reward them but couldn’t punish them. That was Krampus’s job,” ethnologist Helga Maria Wolf told AFP.

“Even into the 1960s, the pair would visit families on request,” she said.

“Perchten” meanwhile, figures of good and evil whose origins are possibly pagan, would emerge in early January or in the carnival season before Lent, the Christian period of fasting.

Traditional Perchten processions still exist, such as in Gastein in western Austria where 140 creatures from mythology and legend “drive out winter” every four years.

But in recent decades, Krampus and Perchten have merged into hybrids, incorporating other influences from horror movies to heavy metal music, and appearing from early November onwards.

In Schwadorf there was Death himself and an assortment of witches, monks, red-faced Satans, black angels, and other beasts resembling Lord of the Rings orcs.

CONFRONTING FEARS
Every Krampus season however, Austrian newspapers are full of stories about drunken young men dressed up as monsters causing injuries and mayhem.

In one such recent event in the town of Voelkermarkt, police were called after at least six people were injured, reportedly after two rival Krampus groups clashed.

One therapist near Salzburg, Andrea Hammerer, runs a yearly seminar helping people who are scared to go outdoors at this time of year.

“The sound of the bells goes right to the unconscious,” Hammerer told AFP. “We get people to confront their fears, we bring in people dressed up as Krampus.”

Krampus performers say spectators can be the problem, grabbing their horns and throwing beer to wind them up.

Some groups held a demo in Klagenfurt recently to protest against negative media coverage.

But a whiff of danger is perhaps also part of the fun.

“There’s a nice word for it — ‘angstlust,’” the pleasure of fear, Wolf said. “People love rollercoasters for example. There’s a kind of comforting frisson about it.”

“When I was little I was a tiny bit scared,” said Lukas, 13, getting ready in Schwadorf to appear in his Krampus disguise. “But then I became one.” — AFP

TIEZA wants travel tax replaced with charge on foreign tourists

THE Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is proposing the removal of the travel tax, a move which is expected to encourage more travel.

“That’s the plan. We have submitted the proposal to the President,” TIEZA General Manager and COO Pocholo J.D. Paragas told reporters on the sidelines of a TIEZA event.

Mr. Paragas said they directly submitted the proposal “a couple of months ago” to President Rodrigo R. Duterte, seeking an executive order abolishing the tax. A bill proposing the same is also in the House of Representatives.

Airline passengers leaving the Philippines are charged a full travel tax of P1,620 for those in economy class, and P2,700 for those in first class. Overseas Filipino workers and Filipino permanent residents abroad are among those who are exempt from paying the tax.

Under Republic Act No. 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009, 50% of travel tax collections go to TIEZA, some 40% is allotted to the Commission on Higher Education for tourism-related educational programs, and the remainder will be given to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

To answer the need for funds for infrastructure development, TIEZA proposes the creation of a tourism development fund, similar to what is being collected in other countries, which will come from a fee added in the airfares of incoming foreign tourists.

“It will be used to make their next trip better,” Mr. Paragas said. He added that the fee will be adjusted based on funding needs.

Mr. Paragas said that he is “not positive” that the request will be granted anytime soon, but said he sees the possibility of the removal of the tax before the end of the term of Mr. Duterte.

In the meantime, TIEZA hopes to include the travel tax in online bookings, including bookings done through third-party websites or travel platforms.

“Our target is literally by the end of next year, 90% is all online. Right now we have Cebu Pacific. We’re also doing it for PAL (Philippine Airlines). We’re doing it also with other foreign, international airlines. In addition to that, even (travel booking service) Trivago,” Mr. Paragas said.

TIEZA last week partnered with Cebu Pacific, a unit of Cebu Air, Inc., to include the travel tax in tickets booked through the airline’s website and mobile application.

The possible removal of the travel tax is expected to boost tourism, as well as the airline industry.

Philippines AirAsia, Inc. has been proposing to the government the removal of the travel tax as well as airport fees for a period of five years, as the budget carrier says it can stimulate outbound tourism.

Cebu Pacific Vice-President for Corporate Affairs JR Mantaring told reporters on the sidelines of the TIEZA event, “If there’s a plan by TIEZA to remove travel tax, we support that… If travel tax is removed, more passengers will be encouraged to travel because that’s P1,620 less to pay for.”

A spokesperson for Philippine Airlines said the airline cannot comment until it has more information on the matter. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

Cebu Pacific gets brand new ATR 72-600

CEBU PACIFIC added a brand new ATR 72-600 aircraft to its fleet, which will be used by subsidiary CebGo for domestic flights.

In a statement, the Gokongwei-led carrier said that new turboprop is the eighth of the 16 orders Cebu Pacific made last year with the Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer. This also brings its total fleet size to 62.

“The ATR fleet, used primarily by Cebu Pacific’s subsidiary Cebgo, supports the expansion of the carrier’s footprint across the Philippines, bringing air connectivity to smaller cities and communities,” the company said.

Cebgo currently offers flights to 27 Philippine destinations using eight ATR 72-500s and eight ATR 72-600s.

The ATR 72-600 also features modern cabin interiors, with thinner seats, larger overhead bins and LED lightening for an optimal passenger experience.

Cebu Pacific fleet now has 62 aircraft, composed of two Airbus A319s, 36 Airbus A320s, eight Airbus A330s, eight ATR 72-500s, and eight ATR 72-600s. 

Between this year and 2022, the airline expects delivery of 47 brand new aircraft, composed of seven Airbus A321ceos, 32 Airbus A321neos, and eight ATR 72-600s.

Cebu Pacific recently launched two new domestic routes, from Laguindingan to Dumaguete and Caticlan (Boracay). It also designated Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental as its seventh hub.

Cebu Pacific previously said it aims to carry 20 million passengers by yearend. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

Pence to face difficult Middle East visit in wake of Jerusalem step

JERUSALEM — Neither the Palestinian Authority president nor the head of the Coptic Church in Egypt plan to meet with US Vice-President Mike Pence when he visits the Middle East later this month, to protest the US declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

The rejections emerged as the Anadolu Agency said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to work together to persuade the US to change its stance on Jerusalem. Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi said the United Nations Security Council should now move to “bring the US to compliance.”

Protests against the US move extended for a third day in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Gaza Health Ministry said four Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours in clashes with Israeli soldiers or by Israeli air strikes, launched in response to rocket fire on southern Israeli towns.

Mr. Trump’s decision, presented as being in “the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” has been denounced across the Arab world. Members of the Security Council condemned the move Friday as contradicting international law and prejudging the outcome of negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the decision ”courageous” and “just.”

TWO-STATE SOLUTION
Palestinians claim the eastern sector of Jerusalem, with shrines sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians, as the capital of a future state. Israel’s current government sees the area as part of the nation’s eternal capital.

Jerusalem’s status must be worked out in peace negotiations with Israel, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said in Cairo, where he added that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas wasn’t planning to meet Mr. Pence and stressed that the peace process needed a new mediator.

Pope Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Church in Egypt, also won’t meet Mr. Pence because the US administration’s decision fails to take “into consideration the feelings of millions of people,” the church said on its Facebook page.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, said Mr. Trump’s Jerusalem announcement “extended a lifeline to terrorist groups and armed organizations, which have started to lose ground in the region.” He expressed hope that Mr. Trump would retract it, according to state-run WAM news agency.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said Friday that the Trump administration supports a two-state solution if agreed to by both parties, and added that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement is within reach.

That did little to pacify Muslims. The Hamas group, which rules the Gaza Strip and has called for a new uprising, sent out a leaflet on Saturday urging Palestinians to continue to confront Israeli forces to protest the US move. The militant Islamic Jihad in Gaza and other Palestinian factions in the West Bank issued similar calls.

BELL RINGING
The West Bank groups instructed Palestinian churches to ring their bells as a show of unity, and called for demonstrations in front of US government buildings in the West Bank on Monday. Palestinians should block roads and confront Jewish settlers on Friday, they said.

In Lebanon, army chief General Joseph Aoun instructed the military to be “on alert and prepared to react to possible repercussions of the crisis.” He also said troops on the country’s southern border with Israel should be prepared “to confront any Israeli aggression or any breach of security.”

Dennis Ross, a former negotiator on Middle East peace talks who served three US presidents, said Mr. Trump’s declaration would have been better delivered in the context of a deal that offered Arabs something positive. The issue is “probably the most emotional one of all those involving Israelis and Palestinians,” he told Bloomberg TV. — Bloomberg

Biggest cage show is coming home

So the biggest basketball show is coming home.

Yes, the Philippines will host the 2023 World Cup for the first time since 1978 alongside Indonesia and Japan and the entire nation is celebrating.

It comes as no surprise as the Philippines is considered as a basketball country.

The Philippines has been knocking on FIBA’s doors as early as 2015 where they bid for the 2019 World Cup. The country became finalists along with China, but the world’s governing body in basketball awarded the hosting rights to the Chinese, owing to their readiness, the infrastructure and venues available and their capability of hosting multi-sporting events such as the Olympics and the FIBA Asia Championships, which it hosted several times.

This time, there’s no denying the Filipinos from seeing the world’s best players playing in the world’s biggest basketball event.

The Philippines has come a long way in terms of staging major international events.

Back in 1978, the country staged the World Basketball Championship in two venues — the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Araneta Coliseum.

Nearly 40 years since the last hosting of the event, these two venues will certainly need major upgrading.

Rizal Memorial, which can accommodate 8,000 spectators, is definitely out as among the venues to consider.

The Araneta Coliseum remains to be the centerpiece of sports and entertainment, but as far as FIBA is concerned, the venue should also be upgraded and meet certain standards. When the country bid for the hosting of the 2019 World Cup, the Big Dome didn’t made the requirements set by the world’s basketball federation.

Of course, there are two more venues that can be considered — the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay and the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The MOA Arena was the site of the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship where the Philippines placed runner-up and made its way back to the world stage.

Philippine Arena, on the other hand, has hosted major events, most notably the PBA games.

Last October, the Philippine Arena drew 54,086 fans who watched Game 7 of the Finals series between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco.

Of course, Filipino fans expect to see Gilas Pilipinas holding their own against the world’s best.

The Philippines, which played in the 1978 World Championship by virtue of the country hosting the event, failed to win any games.

Through the years, the Filipinos had improved by leaps and bounds.

In its return to the world stage in 2014, the Philippines, coached by Chot Reyes, was able to push its rivals to the limit, making things difficult for powerhouse teams like Argentina and Puerto Rico before winning over Senegal.

There’s still enough time to prepare for the 2023 World Cup and by then, our young PBA players like Kiefer Ravena, Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abvueva would probably be joined by the future of Philippine basketball like 6-foot-9 AJ Edu and 6-foot-10 Kai Sotto.

We could only hope for great things to come. For now, let’s savor the great news.

 

Rey Joble has been covering the PBA games formore than a decade. He is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association.

reyjoble09@gmail.com

DoH-6 calls on parents not to get scared with other vaccines amid Dengvaxia fiasco

THE DEPARTMENT of Health-Western Visayas (DoH-6) has urged parents to remain confident in submitting their children to the routine immunization program in health centers and schools amid the fiasco on the dengue vaccination program. Dr. Reynilyn D. Reyes, head of the DoH-6 family, health and nutrition cluster, said while Western Visayas did not serve as a pilot area for the national school-based immunization program using Dengvaxia, there could be an impact in terms of hesitation among parents to participate in the government’s other programs. At the same time, Ms. Reyes said they will be will assisting in the monitoring of children who were immunized with Dengvaxia. The Dengvaxia pilot areas were Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and the National Capital Region, and was later expanded in parts of Central Visayas. The Philippine Pediatric Society, Inc. — Iloilo Chapter will gather on Dec. 19 in Iloilo City for a meeting about Dengvaxia. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

Public interest over vested interest

Protect public interest over vested interest. This is our call as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill (TRAIN) is nearing to be completed in the Bicameral Conference Committee (Bicam). Some of the controversial provisions have yet to be finalized, but the tentative list of agreements signal that a good TRAIN — one that is geared towards a simpler, fairer, and more efficient tax system — may still be in jeopardy.

The call is nothing short of rational. The outcome of the Senate deliberations on TRAIN, which culminated last Nov. 28, reflected what is the exact opposite of a tax reform that looks after the welfare of the Filipino people. The Senate version of TRAIN, Senate Bill 1592 (SB 1592), is a hodgepodge of provisions securing the vested interests of the affluent and the powerful, including the senators themselves.

In SB 1592, the goods that the rich enjoy will be taxed at lower rates. Senator Ralph Recto’s proposed automobile excise tax rates of 10% for cars priced at below P1 million and 20% for those breaching the million-peso threshold will give away increasingly bigger discounts the more expensive the choice of luxury car is while making it more difficult for the working class to own the most basic model. Excise taxes on fuel products will be justifiably raised after 20 years of non-adjustment to inflation except for fuel that is primarily used for air travel, which can only be maximized by those who have more disposable income.

The Senate bill also removes the provision in HB 5636, the House version of TRAIN, that amends the Bank Secrecy Law and expands the authority of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue to facilitate tax assessment and audit, especially for individuals who tax evade.

With the retention of the Bank Secrecy Law, those who can easily avoid paying taxes by hiding their money and wealth from government will continue to be protected.

The added and retained provisions in the VAT section of SB 1592, specifically on the VAT zero-rated and exempt transactions, is a gateway to the various vested interests of our dear senators.

At the top of the list is the explicit insertion of Senator Sonny Angara on the VAT zero-rating of transactions within and with entities registered with special economic zones and free port zones, which will institutionalize the perks being given to his and his father’s Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) project.

Senator Cynthia Villar is also satisfied that real property developers will continue to be able to sell residential dwellings at P2 million and be VAT-exempt. The list does not stop here and can be entertainingly converted into a matching game of senators and their vested interests. Instead of rationalizing the VAT zero-ratings and exemptions, the Senate TRAIN even creates more loopholes in the system.

Although SB 1592 compensates the loss of revenue from its failure to address weaknesses in the tax structure by introducing new elements not found in the original proposal of the Department of Finance or HB 5636, most of these are superficial reforms that may not guarantee a sustainable funding for social services and programs for the poor. The proposed tax on cosmetic procedures is a new tax that will not be easy to administer given the wide range of services and service providers that need to be monitored for compliance. Senator Recto’s proposal to double the rates of documentary stamp taxes will have a distortionary effect on business transactions and may lead to a much lower revenue take than what is expected from it.

While the proposed hikes on coal and mining taxes are meritorious and a step towards the right direction, these, combined with the other elements that the Senate introduced, will still not be enough to finance the P200 billion needed next year for the unconditional cash transfers, implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education and Universal Health Care Laws, and rebuilding of Marawi.

Meanwhile, the clamor of health advocates, including patients and health care providers, to further raise the tax on cigarettes continues to fall on deaf ears. The Sin Tax Law is historically proven to be effective in protecting the young and vulnerable sectors from getting addicted to smoking and, at the same time, raising adequate financing for health. The health community’s proposal of increasing the cigarette excise tax to P60 is estimated to reduce the current number of smokers by one million and generate an additional P50 billion in 2018.

Despite being a popular tax even among smokers and several attempts by some senators to include it in TRAIN, the proposed hike in the cigarette tax was not considered under SB 1592. Health advocates could only guess how the “Recto-Morris” partnership played a crucial role in blocking this proposed measure.

Today might be the last day that the Bicam will meet to finalize the TRAIN that will be ratified by both Houses of Congress before its signing into law by the President. The outcome of the Bicam meetings will shape not just our tax system but our country’s development in the next 10 to 20 years. It will give a sneak peek into our future — the opportunities that will be destroyed or created, and the possibility or impossibility of finally becoming a middle-income country with many of our countrymen freed from poverty.

How the Filipino people will benefit from the comprehensive tax reform will greatly depend on the interests that are shaping TRAIN. Let us remind the members of the Bicam — Senators Sonny Angara, Ralph Recto, Loren Legarda, Frank Drilon and Miguel Zubiri, and Representatives Dakila Cua, Rudy Fariñas, Miro Quimbo, Danny Suarez, Gus Tambunting, Dong Gonzales and XJ Romualdo — that, as elected officials, they will be able to uphold the true interests of the people by defending a tax system that eases the burden of taxpayers, especially the vulnerable, allows those who can contribute more to pay more, and guarantees the sustainability of funds for development and poverty alleviation.

It is not yet too late for the Senate contingent to rectify the problems that they created in SB 1592 and the House version will be a good starting point.

 

Jo-Ann Latuja-Diosana is a trustee of Action for Economic Reforms.

Restaurateur couple map out franchising plan for Poke bowl

By Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

ENTREPRENEURS Speedy and Alta Lyttle are set to open franchising for their Poke Poke restaurant and introduce the Poke bowl of raw fish, vegetables and rice to a wider audience.

“We’re in the process of finalizing our system for franchise. Hopefully, first quarter of next year,” Speedy said.

The restaurateur couple target to see franchise outlets for their popular dish and add to the current branches in SM Megamall, SM Aura, Estancia Mall, and Greenhills in San Juan City.

The Lyttles opened Poke Poke last year, together with Kel Zaguirre, head chef of the Lyttles’ first restaurant — Filipino-themed Locavore Kitchen and Drinks. Franchising will see the owners open up to 10 branches in a year.

“Originally, the plan is four to five, but as we were going through the process of having it franchised, we thought four to five is quite conservative, so we’re looking at opening 10,” Alta said.

With the target pace of expansion, they estimated to have at least 30 Poke Poke branches in five years, but concentrated in Metro Manila given its population and its residents’ familiarity with the food trend.

The dish from Hawaii has become a big trend in the United States, and restaurants have brought their own twist, adding new flavors and ingredients to the simple and healthy dish.

With added Filipino and other Asian twists to the traditional Poke bowl, the Lyttles aim to change the perception of healthy eating.

“We want to introduce to the market as a healthy fastfood, food on the go,” Speedy said, adding that Poke bowls offer satisfying food without giving a bloated feeling to the diner.

Alta adds: “We want to change the perception of fastfood and of healthy food. It’s not all veggies.”

For Locavore, the Lyttles will next put up a branch by the middle of the month on Valero Street in Makati City, and by February or March, in Conrad Hotel, to add to the current locations in Kapitolyo and in Bonifacio Global City. The target market for the restaurant is primarily families, balikbayans and expatriates.

“Our price points [are] not very expensive. The quality matches the price,” Alta said.

The next location is Nuvali, as they target to test going into the areas south of Metro Manila before expanding into the provinces.

“We’re trying to open in the south. Many people are moving into the south. That’s another target market because we’re trying to market families and communities,”she said.

Lyttles have no plans of franchising out Locavore, which has a more complex menu and set-up compared with Poke Poke.

They aim to expand to the provinces, but want to be “100% ready” before branching out from Metro Manila.

NEW CONCEPT
By next year, the restaurateurs said that they are looking at opening one more concept restaurant.

“Next year, we’ll probably roll out one more concept,” he said.

Aside from food, Alta is also in the beauty business and plans next year to open around four branches of her hair extension services salon Xtensions, which currently has 11 locations. She opened Xtensions in 2008, seeing a space in the market.

“That time when I opened Xtensions, hair extensions were so pricey, so I thought why not offer it, use it as an advantage, and make money out of it while a lot of people are offering it,” she said.

Leyte water tariffs stable for 2 years after Manila Water JV’s entry

WATER TARIFFS in Leyte will not increase during the first two years of the joint venture between the province’s water district and Manila Water and any subsequent increase will be subject to regulatory approval.

This was the assurance given by Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) amid what it called “unfounded claims and statements” about the partnership.

Manila Water said last week that it had received the notice of award dated Dec. 6, 2017 from LMWD for the implementation of the joint venture project for the design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, financing, expansion, and management of the province’s water supply and sanitation facilities and services.

In a statement on Sunday, the water district said its partnership with Manila Water had been forged in consideration of the best interest of its customers. It said both parties strictly followed the process called for under the National Economic and Development Authority’s 2013 revised joint venture guidelines.

It said despite the partnership’s “enormous amount of benefits to the Leyteños and Taclobanons, several misconceived issues have been raised regarding the project.”

The water district said some groups had issued warnings to the residents of Tacloban City of unnecessary tariff increases when Manila Water starts its operations.

It also said the City Government of Tacloban had raised “a distorted issue” surrounding the appointment of the current members of the water district’s board of directors.

LMWD said the partnership “is under the condition that there will be  no tariff increase during the first two years of the project and that [Manila Water] will have to prioritize improvements in water services.”

“In such a case where [Manila Water] is allowed to make tariff adjustments after 2019, the same will be subject to the approval of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), being the tariff regulator for water districts. Moreover, any tariff adjustments will comply with the procedures, including, but not limited to, public consultations,” it said.

It added that Manila Water through the partnership, “will front load its investments to reduce losses” as it cited a non-revenue water target of “reaching, at least, a world-class level of 18%, increase water pressure to an appropriate level, and deliver potable water supply 24/7.”

The benefits of the partnership will include not requiring the water district to contribute monetary equity, better earnings opportunities for the government, and all assets invested by Manila Water being transferred to the water district at the end of the project, LMWD said.

The water district said it is aware that the Tacloban government is claiming authority to appoint the members of the LMWD board, pursuant to the Supreme Court Decision in the case “Rama vs. Moises, G.R. No.  197146 dated 6 December 2016.”

However, it said the application of the case to LMWD “is misplaced and erroneous.” It said all members of the board have valid appointments confirmed by LWUA.

“Further, all appointed members of the [board of directors] have fixed terms, and  are expected by its customers to fulfill its mandate,” it added. — Victor V. Saulon

Stocks to take cues from BSP, Fed policy meetings

STOCKS will move depending on the results of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’ policy meeting this week, alongside announcements from the US Federal Reserve at its own review.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index ended last week on a positive note as it climbed 1.59% or 129.77 points to finish at 8,304.70.

Week on week, the benchmark index was up 2%.

All sectoral indices posted upticks last Friday, led by the industrials counter which added 3.5%, followed by holding firms which saw a 1.8% increase. Overall, advancers narrowly outpaced losers, 96 to 94.

“Before investors take on their Christmas break, key announcements from US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and BSP’s policy meeting are among items slated this week,” according to a weekly market note by online stock brokerage 2TradeAsia.com.

The FOMC is expected to implement a 25-basis point rate hike at its two-day meeting set on Dec. 12-13. The Fed will also release economic projections, including US inflation figures.

Meanwhile, analysts said the Philippine central bank will likely hold on to current policy settings this week as inflation and liquidity conditions remain manageable, despite “building” pressure due to the expected Fed rate hike.

Twelve economists tapped in a BusinessWorld poll late last week said the BSP Monetary Board will keep its policy stance unchanged at Thursday’s review, which follows the rate-setting meeting of the Fed.

Rates currently stand at 3.5% for the overnight lending rate, 3% for the overnight reverse repurchase rate, and 2.5% for the overnight deposit rate.

Analysts said current policy settings remain appropriate, with the growth momentum seen intact and with inflation easing from a three-year peak.

Commodity prices picked up by 3.3% in November, slowing from the 3.5% logged a month ago. This put the year-to-date average at 3.2%, matching the BSP’s forecast for the year.

Summit Securities, Inc. President Harry G. Liu said he sees no negative factors that may affect the market until yearend.

“If you look at it overall, so far we’re trailing 8,100 to 8,350 — that’s the window that we’re moving in. So far, I don’t see anything on site to be bearish on our market to yearend,” Mr. Liu said in a phone interview last week.

2TradeAsia.com also expects investors to take cues from listed firms’ announcements of their capital spending plans in 2018, which it noted should be balanced with benefits from the tax reform program and the awarding of infrastructure projects.

“Addressing the funding side is also crucial, and international players will also assess the administration’s ability to support tariffs to allow capital-intensive investors to recover investments and fulfill their mandates to shareholders,” the brokerage said. 

2TradeAsia.com noted the market will be trading with an immediate support level of 8,250, with resistance ranging from 8,400 to 8,450. — Arra B. Francia

Century Properties bullish on Batulao Artscapes project

By Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

CENTURY PROPERTIES Group, Inc. (CPG) is bullish on its newly launched Batulao Artscapes project in Nasugbu, Batangas, after selling out the first phase even before its public launch.

“We’ve sold out the first phase, so we exceeded in terms of expectations our sales velocity. We’ve very happy. This is our first public launch, and we’ve done that (the first sales) through teasers,” CPG Managing Director Jose Roberto R. Antonio said at the sidelines of the official launch of Batulao Artscapes in Bonifacio Global City on Saturday.

Batulao Artscapes is CPG’s newest project that will feature houses designed by local and international architects and built by Revolution Precrafted. It is part of the company’s 142-hectare property in Nasugbu.

CPG earlier said it expects to generate P19 billion in sales from Batulao Artscapes, a 54-hectare development described as the “world’s first liveable art park.”

Mr. Antonio, who is also the chief executive officer and founder of Revolution Precrafted, said each house will take up to three months to be built.

“The price point is about P3.6 million [for the units under the area] called Clusters. We have this area called Curated where we sell one-of-a-kind designer homes by international architects,” Mr. Antonio said.

Batulao Artscapes’ first three villages are designed by Filipino architects and designers — architect Eduardo Calma’s Polygonal Successions for Cluster Village; Budji Layug and Royal Pineda’s Tranche and Facet Homes for Collection Village; and designer Kenneth Cobonpue’s Hedera Homes for Commune Village.

For the fourth section Curated Village 1, CPG is offering 12 one-of-a-kind homes by international designers and architects such as David Salle + AA Studio for the “Billboard Home,” Marcel Wanders for “Eden,” Studio Libeskind Design for “Adaptation II,” and Daphne Guinness for the “Daphne Skin Home.” 

Units at Curated Village, which have their own private pool and guest home, start at P17.4 million.

CPG Chairman Jose E.B. Antonio said the company expects Batulao Artscapes to contribute significantly to its sales in the next few years.

“I think in four years’ time, we expect to earn much more than we’re earning now but a quarter to a third will be contributed by this platform Batulao Artscapes,” he said.

Batulao Artscapes represents CPG’s foray into leisure and tourism estate development. With the project, the company is targeting mainly foreign retirees and people looking for a second home which can serve as a weekend getaway.

“We really believe in the future of tourism and hospitality because this is still, what I believe, is one of the sunrise industries in the country considering that our tourism count is very low compared to our neighbors in the [Southeast] Asia. So that is an untapped potential that our company Century together now with Revolution Precrafted will be able to supply not only Filipinos but foreigners,” the CPG chairman said.

CPG has been diversifying its product mix by venturing into retail, office, and leisure development, from previously focusing on high-end condominium projects with international brand partners. This strategy is expected to transform the company into a multi-platform real estate firm by 2020.

The company’s attributable profit declined by 17% in the first nine months of 2017 to P538 million, following a 15% slump in revenues to P3.92 billion.

Shares in CPG closed 1.06% higher at P0.475 each on Friday.

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