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President rues brain drain, globalization at APEC CEO meeting

GLOBALIZATION HAS pressed the brightest workers from poor Southeast Asian countries to move overseas in a brain drain that must be reversed if real development is to be achieved, Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte said Thursday.

In an impassioned appeal by a leader better known for expletive-flecked outbursts, Mr. Duterte said the efforts of poorer countries to rise up the value chain are being undercut by mass migration of skilled workers.

“Globalization to a certain extent has really damaged poor economies,” he said in a speech to CEOs gathered in Da Nang, Vietnam, ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

By way of example he said, “the best of our young (Filipinos)… tend to go to the places where the economy is thriving,” such as the United States.

More than 10 million Filipinos work overseas, around 10% of the population, remitting billions of dollars back to the country each year.

He acknowledged Donald J. Trump’s complaints that globalization has also sent American manufacturing jobs to cheaper countries such as China.

But Mr. Duterte said poorer nations faced the hardest edge of global commerce as they are stripped of labor and raw materials to fuel a world economy they cannot compete in.

He urged ASEAN — the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc of nations — to speed up economic integration to power the region up the manufacturing chain, retain its skilled workers and educate those “left behind.”

“We only provide the raw materials” which are then sent back by richer manufacturing countries for “four times the price”, he said, adding, “That is globalization.”

He vowed to “forcefully” carry the message of unity to the ASEAN summit which he is hosting in Manila from Monday.

Globalization and the rules of trade are under the microscope in Vietnam this week, where world leaders including Mr. Trump, China’s Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are set to converge on Friday for the APEC summit. — AFP

Transport firm ordered closed

THE MAKATI City government in a statement on Thursday, Nov. 9, said its Business Permit and License Office (BPLO) had closed down a transport firm engaged in a “habal-habal” type (motorcycle) of transportation service for operating without a valid business permit from the city government.

BPLO chief Maribert Q. Pagente said an Order of Desistance/Closure was issued on Thursday to Angkas Training Center located at Natividad Building along Chino Roces Avenue in Makati.

BPLO inspectors, in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transformation Office, and Highway Patrol Group, conducted an actual inspection of the said establishment that failed to present a valid business permit.

The inspection and subsequent closure of Angkas arose from a request by the LTFRB for the Makati City mayor’s office to provide assistance in apprehending the establishment, which the Makati City government said was reportedly involved in a number of traffic accidents.

In a statement e-mailed to the media on Thursday, Angkas confirmed LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada’s visit Thursday morning, saying it “regrets not being able to welcome and dialogue with Board Member Lizada as key managers were out of office.”

“We look forward to discussing the Board’s concerns with Angkas and find a way towards regulation for this space,” the statement also said.

Angkas also said it “has always been open to regulation.”

The statement noted further: “There are thousands of habal-habal riders operating in Metro Manila and other cities in the country. The growth of habal-habal motorcycles is unabated due to the growing need for faster travel in congested tight city streets.”

“If left unregulated, habal-habal and other informal motorcycle-taxi operations will continue to flourish without the benefit of safety processes, training standards and insurance coverage.”

“That is what Angkas wants to change.”

“We ask our good Secretary of Transportation, Secretary Arthur Tugade, through the LTFRB Board, to respectfully consider an amendment to department order 2015-011 to allow two-wheeled vehicles under the TNVS category. Doing so will firmly put Angkas and all motorcycle-taxis officially under the jurisdiction of the LTFRB.”

Davao 1st half investments down, but recovery seen in 2nd half

DAVAO CITY — Approved investments in Davao City in the first six month of the year reached P11.973 billion, lower by 4% from P12.48 billion in the first half of 2016.

Lemuel G. Ortonio, Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief, said they expect a recovery from the drop for the rest of 2017 with the expected approval of at least P348 million in new projects within this month.

Among the investments up for approval are a P166.887-million low-cost subdivision and a P181.250-million feed mill.

“Hopefully, these will be approved by the board,” said Mr. Ortonio, referring to the Davao City Investment Incentive Board, a multi-sectoral body that assesses and certifies applications for perks such as tax breaks.

Mr. Ortonio said the board has also received applications for a hospital expansion and a boutique hotel.

In the first half, the board approved the P10-billion bulk water project of the Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., the aquatic feed mill project of Davao South Feedmill Corp., and the socialized housing development of Apo Highlands, Inc.

Under the city’s Investment Incentive Code, projects that will fall within the priority list can be granted a three-year business tax exemption and two-year real estate tax holiday.

If the project is located in a “preferred area,” particularly those outside the downtown, the tax breaks are longer at five years.

The identified priority investment areas include agribusiness, tourism and recreation, light manufacturing assembly, property development, health and wellness, educational and sports facilities, environment protection and green projects, information and communication technology, energy, transportation and infrastructure, and general public-private partnership projects.

The city government is currently looking at offering incentives to companies that will invest in parking facilities. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

Parents maintain Castillo died of blunt traumatic injuries

By Andrea Louise E. San Juan

THE parents of alleged hazing victim Horacio “Atio” T. Castillo III filed their consolidated reply-affidavit on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Department of Justice (DoJ), arguing that their son clearly died due to severe blunt traumatic injuries.

Aegis Juris Fraternity member John Paul Solano, who brought Mr. Castillo’s body to the Chinese General Hospital, had asserted in his counter-affidavit that “the said Medico Legal Report does not provide or state the cause of death of Horacio and that there is a finding therein that Horacio has Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).”

However, the parents of Mr. Castillo, Horacio M. Castillo Jr. and Carminia T. Castillo, maintained their son died due to severe blunt traumatic injuries as even confirmed by forensic pathologist Maria Cecilia Lim of the University of the Philippines-College of Medicine during at the Senate’s Nov. 6 hearing.

“The cause of death of our son, Atio, was clearly severe blunt traumatic injuries in both of his upper arms, which resulted in rhabdomyolysis, which in turn resulted in acute kidney failure,” Carminia and Horacio Jr. said.

“I would agree with the impression of the Philippine National Police that the patient had an acute kidney failure, secondary to the rhabdomyolysis, secondary to the multiple blunt force trauma,” Ms. Lim had told the Senate.

“Thus, it is beyond dispute that Atio’s injuries, which he sustained as a result of the hazing inflicted upon him by Aegis Juris, is evidently serious in nature as to have been the proximate cause of his death,” a portion of the reply-affidavit reads.

Mr. Castillo’s death certificate was also cited thus: “However, the same document clearly stated that such finding was still pending histopathological result, which in turn, declared that Mr. Castillo’s cause of death is ’Severe blunt traumatic injuries, both upper limbs’.”

With this conclusion, Mr. and Ms. Castillo argued there is probable cause to charge respondents with violation of Republic Act (RA) 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

Respondents are also accused of violating Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code or Murder.

“Here it is beyond dispute that Atio was a ’solo flight’ neophyte. In contrast, Respondent-members are numerous in number, and they ganged upon Atio in subjecting him to physical and psychological torture as a prerequisite to admission to Aegis Juris, which ultimately caused his death.,” Mr. and Ms. Castillo said.

“Hence, they should be held liable for the murder of our son,” they added.

The complainants also argued there is probable cause to charge respondents with violation of Article 298 of the Revised Penal Code or Robbery for taking Mr. Castillo’s personal properties which include cellphone, eyeglasses and other personal effects.

In total, there are 31 respondents who are accused of murder, robbery and violating RA 8049.

On the other hand, 23 respondents are accused of committing perjury and obstruction of justice.

Among the respondents are University law Dean Nilo T. Divina and alleged Aegis Juris Fraternity president Arvin R. Balag.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva gave respondents until Nov. 16, Thursday, to file their rejoinder.

Folayang stakes title in super fight today

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

FILIPINO mixed martial arts world champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang makes his second title defense in ONE Championship’s “Legends of the World” event today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The 11th stop of Asia’s largest sports media property in the Philippines, Legends will have Mr. Folayang (18-5) staking his lightweight belt against world featherweight champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen in ONE’s first-ever super fight between two reigning champions.

It is a setup which Baguio native Folayang is viewing with much excitement for the challenge it presents to him as a fighter but mindful still that it entails a different kind of preparation.

“Crossover fights like this are very interesting and challenging. It’s another way for us fighters to showcase our skills. But it’s not easy and you really have to prepare well for such a setting as the dynamic for it is very different,” said Mr. Folayang when asked by BusinessWorld in a media session in the run-up to Legends.

“I normally fight lightweights and Martin is a natural featherweight so I expect him to be faster and quicker than the fighters in my division. So right now I’m really preparing a specific game plan for him to counter his moves. I intend to defend my division. This is my kingdom so to speak and he belongs in featherweight,” added Mr. Folayang, who seized the ONE lightweight title around the same time a year ago from MMA legend Shinya Aoki of Japan.

It is the same excitement that Mr. Nguyen (9-1) is sharing even as he acknowledged that he is up against a tough challenge in Mr. Folayang at the latter’s home turf at that.

“I have so much respect for Eduard. We have become friends because of MMA. I know I have to work hard if I’m going to take his title but I’m determined to make history and make the most of this big opportunity that is presented to me,” Mr. Nguyen said in a separate interview.

The Aussie fighter, who seized the featherweight title from erstwhile champion Marat Gafurov in August, said he sees no problem with the short turnaround he is having in returning to the ONE cage.

“My body is still young. While I’m in this sport I want to fight as much as possible and enjoy this moment as well as inspire as many people as I can. I didn’t expect it to come this early but I wanted this to happen and I was told it’s going to happen in December in Thailand but I did not know my opponent yet. I thought I was going to fight in December but I’m okay with this schedule as I want to enjoy Christmas with my family,” Mr. Nguyen said.

Serving as co-main event for ONE: Legends of the World is the title fight between world flyweight champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes against hometown bet Danny “The King” Kingad.

It will mark the first time that Mr. Moraes (16-2) will defend his title after reclaiming it in August.

Looking to make it a short return reign for the Brazilian is undefeated Filipino fighter Kingad (5-0).

Other local bets seeing action are bantamweight Kevin Belingon, women’s atomweight Gina Iniong and strawweight Joshua Pacio against compatriot Roy Doliguez.

Gates to ONE: Legends of the World open at 6 p.m. It will be broadcast live over ABS-CBN S+A beginning at 8:30 p.m.

BAN Toxics reminds Duterte on vow over Canada trash

AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has called on President Rodrigo R. Duterte anew to demand from Canada that it haul back the garbage which it transported and to this day remains at the port of Manila. Nongovernment organization BAN Toxics said Mr. Duterte must initiate the talks with his Canadian counterpart, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when they meet in Manila during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit next week. “We are waiting on the President to make good on his campaign promise to hold Canada and (Mr.) Trudeau accountable for their trash,” Anna A. Kapunan, BAN Toxics’ Campaign and Advocacy Specialist said in a statement yesterday. “Canadian trash has been rotting in the Port of Manila for several years. (Mr.) Trudeau should take it back with him home to Canada,” Ms. Kapunan added. — Janina C. Lim

NCAA: Lyceum, San Beda begin best-of-three finals

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WHAT has been a long season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hits its last phase as the Lyceum Pirates and San Beda Red Lions commence their best-of-three finals today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Emerged as the two best teams in Season 93 of the country’s longest-standing collegiate league after two-rounds of elimination play and a stepladder semifinals, the undefeated Pirates and defending champions Lions now channel their focus on winning it all and be named champions.

Making its first finals appearance in the NCAA, Lyceum, which joined the league in 2011, has proven itself to be a handful for the competition this year after seemingly finding the right culture and mind-set under coach Topex Robinson.

While they have been challenged here and there in the classification phase, for the most part the Pirates were steadily tough en route to sweeping all their 18 games to book a direct pass to the finals.

CJ Perez has been leading Lyceum with numbers of 19.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Mike Nzeusseu is dropping a double-double of 11.4 ppg and 11.8 rpg to go along with 1.2 bpg while rookie Jaycee Marcelino has been good for 10.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 1.4 spg.

Skipper Jasper Ayaay, meanwhile, has been steady for 9.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

As a team, the Pirates are the top offensive team in the league, averaging 90.5 points per game, something the rest of the league has had a hard time controlling, even for San Beda, which is the best on defense this season.

In their two games earlier this season, the Pirates defeated the Lions both times, 96-91, and 107-105, in that order.

UNDERDOG
While it has barged into its 12th straight NCAA finals appearance, San Beda recognizes that unlike the previous years it is coming in as an “underdog” this time around.

Finishing second to Lyceum in the elimination round with a 16-2 record, the Lions had to go through the stepladder semifinals where they were push to the limit by rivals San Sebastian Golden Stags in their one-game knockout match last Tuesday.

While they led from start to finish, the Lions still had to hang tough in the end to hack out the 76-71 win as the Stags just would not go down without a fight.

Javee Mocon had a monster double-double of 23 points and 22 rebounds to go along with five blocks.

Robert Bolick finished with 21 points and Donald Tankoua with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

With the way they dominated the tournament in the elimination round, the Pirates have been installed as favorites in the about-to-begin finals. But they are not getting ahead of themselves and instead focusing on taking it a game at a time.

“I have so much respect for San Beda, for coach Boyet Fernandez. We are excited to play them in the finals and we’re just going to compete and give our all,” said Lyceum coach Robinson.

For San Beda’s Fernandez, he believes the finals is a totally different ball game but he is nonetheless aware that Lyceum is the best this season and they have their work cut out for them.

“I think we can agree that Lyceum is the best team right now. Right now because they have beaten us twice already. So we are the underdogs here but it won’t stop us from going for it and keeping the winning tradition of San Beda,” Mr. Fernandez said.

Game One of the NCAA finals between Lyceum and San Beda begins at 3:30 p.m. and broadcast over ABS-CBN S+A.

Tropical depression Salome on its way out

TROPICAL DEPRESSION Salome will no longer be over the Central Luzon landmass by today, Nov. 10, and is expected to be out of the Philippine area by Saturday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). In its 5 p.m. bulletin yesterday, PAGASA still had storm warning signal #1 raised over several areas: Metro Manila, Rizal, Bataan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, Marinduque, Quezon, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro. The rainfall amount was estimated to be moderate to heavy within the 250-kilometer diameter of Salome, the 19th storm to hit the Philippines this year.

AEV pins hopes on gov’t projects to lift cement sales

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

ABOITIZ EQUITY Ventures, Inc. (AEV) is banking on the implementation of the government’s infrastructure projects to boost its cement business in 2018, as the segment suffered from lower volumes and increased competition during the first nine months of 2017.

Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc., under AEV’s infrastructure arm Aboitiz InfraCapital, experienced an 80% drop in earnings in the January to September period to P1.3 billion. Aboitiz InfraCapital Sabin M. Aboitiz noted earnings will remain flattish for the rest of the year, with a turnaround expected next year.

“We had new domestic competition also, those two things brought the prices to where they are today. Next year we believe the volume will grow, that the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) DAO (Department Administrative Order) will be implemented, and the build program of the government will start. With those three issues then we will have the volume growth,” Mr. Aboitiz, who also sits as AEV’s chief operating officer, said in a press conference late Wednesday.

The Duterte administration has committed P8 trillion in both public and private spending until 2022 to construct roads and railways, among others. The plan looks to place infrastructure spending at 5.3% of the economy in 2017, and then up by 7% by 2022.

AEV is also in the process of increasing its cement capacity by a million tons in the next three to five years. The increase will be done in two phases, starting with the debottlenecking of its existing six plants in the country to maximize production. The second phase will involve the actual construction of a plant that produces both clinker and cement.

Mr. Aboitiz noted expanding clinker capacity would help bring down costs as opposed to importing the material from other countries.

“Those with clinker capacity actually has lower costs. We only have 4 million tons with clinker capacity out of our total of 7.5 million. So we’re gonna increase the clinker capacity. We’re deciding whether to make it in Iligan first or Bulacan,” Mr. Aboitiz said.

Asked on the other factors that would boost cement demand should the government experience delays in its infrastructure program, Mr. Aboitiz said construction from private businesses will drive growth.

“Residential is still very strong, we feel that next year residential will be very strong. But still the NHA (National Housing Authority) program, the government has talked about housing, there are big requirements,” Mr. Aboitiz told reporters.

On the company’s other plans for infrastructure, the executive noted their focus remains to be in airports.

“The small airports we are waiting for a clarification from the government whether they’re going to make it unsolicited or solicited actually, so we’re very interested in airports,” Mr. Aboitiz said.

The group said it is also willing to assist the government in rebuilding Marawi, which the government has just declared free from terrorist influence.

“Our cement plant is 30 kilometers away from there. So we feel like we have a role to play, be it with contractors, we’ll bid for supply of materials for example. We plan to do that when the plan is there, but of course we need to see what the government’s plan is,” Mr. Aboitiz said.

Shares in AEV added 85 centavos or 1.16% to P73.90 each at the stock exchange on Thursday.

Batangas LNG hub contracts to be put up for auction by 2018 — PNOC

THE Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) will be putting up the unclaimed areas in the Batangas liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub for bidding next year if it does not receive any offers that satisfy the government’s demands by year’s end.

PNOC technical adviser for the office of the president Arwin L. Ardon said during the 4th LNG supply, storage & transportation Philippines forum in Taguig City that the Department of Energy’s corporate arm has received 78 “unsolicited” offers for a joint venture, but only a small number are “serious.”

“By Dec. 31, 2017, if there are no [suitable] offers… we will be taking this into a bidding next year. There will be terms of reference next year if and only if there’s no offeror who has satisfied the JV (joint venture) guidelines,” he added.

Mr. Ardon also said the PNOC will have to bid out a contract for a third-party consultant, noting the “lack of competence among the people within the agency” to draft the guidelines for private companies to follow.

The decision to resort to an auction instead of an unsolicited proposal was due to a Department of Energy deadline to break ground by 2018.

Once the PNOC finds a partner, the first facilities to be set up will be a thousand-megawatt gas-fired power plant, a receiving terminal and an initial storage area.

Mr. Ardon said that the PNOC is also considering using the facility as an LNG trading center to take advantage of the country’s “strategic” location.

The Batangas LNG Hub, which will include storage, liquefaction, regasification, and distribution facilities, is located near a cluster of gas-fired plants currently supplied by the Malampaya field, which is expected to be depleted by 2024.

Mr. Ardon said the depletion of Malampaya dictates the timetable for the LNG hub.

Mr. Ardon said prices of LNG could fall when the domestic market expands, and the facility could also attract Filipino engineers with LNG experience overseas. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

National University looks to continue writing its own script in UAAP Season 80

WITH their playoff hopes in Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) kept alive after a gutsy win in their game last time around, the National University (NU) Bulldogs are bent more than ever to continue writing their own script as they play their last game of the elimination round.

Defeated the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws, 87-84, last Wednesday to stay in the Final Four hunt while derailing the latter’s push to advance to the next round outright, the Bulldogs (5-8) still have a chance to move on to the semis provided they beat the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons (5-8) and FEU (6-7) loses to the Adamson Soaring Falcons (9-4) in games set for tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In such an outcome, NU ties FEU, forcing a playoff for the last semifinal spot.

For NU coach Jamike Jarin, while their playoff chances do not rest solely in their hands, they promise to go for it and let the chips fall where they may.

“We just control what we can control. But definitely we will give our best in our game on Saturday,” said Mr. Jarin after their win over FEU.

“The beauty of sports is you’ll never know what will happen. It’s unscripted. So with that, we hope to continue writing our own script for the season,” he added.

In beating FEU, NU used a strong finish in the end to pull the rug from under FEU, which was seemingly headed for the victory and the Final Four for much of the contest.

Big man Issa Gaye led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 11 rebounds while Jayjay Alejandro finished with 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists.

Enzo Joson added 13 markers for NU.

The Bulldogs play the Maroons at 2 p.m. while FEU faces off with Adamson at 4 p.m.

The UAAP Season 80 elimination round ends on Sunday with the University of the East Red Warriors (3-10) taking on the still-winless University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (0-13) at 12 noon also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

League-leading Ateneo Blue Eagles (13-0), meanwhile, go for sweep of the eliminations against defending champions De La Salle Green Archers (11-2) at 4 p.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Uson blasted over ignorance of essence of press freedom

PRESSING ON with her offensive against a registered online news organization and its reporter assigned to cover Malacañang and the President, Communications Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux “Mocha” J. Uson has come under fire for her actions that are deemed to undermine press freedom. On Wednesday, reporters covering the Malacañang beat asserted in a statement that the longstanding Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) is an independent organization and not under the control of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) or any other government agencies. “The MPC and its affairs, governed by bylaws in accordance with the constitutional provision on press freedom,” MPC said. “The MPC deplores any attempt to curtail press freedom and will continue to ensure a strong free press, keep the public informed and the government in check,” it added. Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares, in a statement yesterday, also blasted Ms. Uson. “The move to marginalize Rappler in its coverage of the Palace and to demand the legal authority of the Malacañang Press Corps to cover the President are both misplaced and inconsistent with the essence of press freedom and the people’s right to be informed of the President’s activities and pronouncements,” the senator said. “A strong and independent press can only help build a vibrant democracy. As part of an organization that prides itself of passing the first FOI (Freedom of Information) executive order, the PCCO should welcome objective and fair coverage from the press. We must remember that even criticism is necessary if we want an open and transparent government.” — Rosemarie A. Zamora

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