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Dasmariñas group calls Globe a ‘corporate bully’ for suing resident

AN ASSOCIATION of residents from Dasmarinas Village has hit Globe Telecom, Inc. over the suit it filed against one resident for allegedly “spreading rumors” about health hazards brought by radiation emitted by telecommunication antennas, which supposedly prevented the company from putting up cell sites within the private subdivision.

“Globe filed a P5-million lawsuit against Betty Aw for allegedly obstructing its plan to erect Globe cell sites or towers known as ODAs (Outdoor Distribution Antennae System). But the cell towers have already long been erected,” Dasma Coalition Advocating Radiation Emission Safety (DASMA CARES) and Dasma for Accountability, Transparency and Service (DASMA ACTS) said in a statement over the weekend.

The group cited that on Oct. 8, 2008, Ma. Victoria Celdran, representing the Dasmariñas Village Association, Inc. (DVAI), entered into a 10-year lease with Globe for “cellsite construction and broadband facilities” for P2 million annually and a one-time right-of-way fee of P600,000. This is renewable for another 10 years and the areas under lease are the mini park, clubhouse and pumping stations 1 and 2.

On May 15, 2012, Atty. Carlos “Charlie” P. Gatmaitan for DVAI also entered into a five-year lease with Globe for P100,000 per month, covering the sidewalks where Globe could erect ODAS. The lease, they said, which ends on May 14, 2017 but is extendible at the option of Globe, “absolutely bars other telcos” from erecting similar facilities in Dasmariñas Village.

“On May 2, 2013, Ma. Victoria P. Celdran entered into an addendum to the 2012 Contract of Lease. For an additional P100,000 per month, DVAI allowed the installation on its sidewalks of additional 31 poles, BTS antenna, equipment and cables, etc. These Contracts of Lease resulted in the present 55 Globe cell sites or towers known as ODAS spread all over Dasmariñas Village,” the group said.

DASMA CARES and DASMA ACTS also noted that Globe’s suit comes after Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima threatened to penalize residents and associations that “obstruct” the erection of cell towers in villages. They added that the pronouncement of Mr. Salalima, a former chief legal counsel and senior advisor of Globe as indicated in DICT’s Web site, is “in clear conflict of interest.”

NO CONSENT
The groups went on to say that the DVAI-Globe lease contracts violate section 10 of Republic Act No. 9904 or the Magna Carta For Homeowners and Homeowners Associations which, they said, bars the lease of sidewalks.

The “HLURB Locational Guidelines for Base Stations of Cellular Mobile Telephone Services and Other Wireless Communications Services” require the written consent of the homeowners whose properties are adjoining the proposed site of the base station.

“Despite repeated demands from homeowners, DVAI and Globe cannot and/or refuses to produce the required consent of the homeowner whose property adjoins the Globe ODAs within a 200 meter radius… Betty Aw is not at all intimidated by the complaint filed by a corporate bully and designed to intimidate not only the residents of Dasmariñas Village but all the people in this country who only seek to protect themselves and their families from the installation of cell sites inside residential areas that emit potentially life-threatening radiation 24/7,” the statement read.

Sought for comment, Globe Senior Vice-President for Corporate Communications Ma. Yolanda C. Crisanto said: “There is a pending case already.”

Globe Telecom filed a civil case last June 13 at the Regional Trial Court of Makati Branch 59 against Betty Aw, which also included a P500,000 claim for exemplary damages plus attorneys’ fee, for preventing construction of cell sites that kept the operator from improving mobile services within the exclusive subdivision. The P5 million covers moral damages.

The telco said it piloted the use of the ODAS technology in Dasmarinas as part of efforts to improve the mobile experience of its customers residing in the upscale subdivision.

The ODAS technology is a network of small cell sites, instead of typical macro cell sites, with shared equipment connected through fiber optic links. The solution makes use of a specialized lamp posts with radio signal transmission capability deployed along sidewalks.

The Ayala-led firm has earlier cited research from the World Health Organization and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection debunking claims that cell sites have adverse effects on human health. It added that the Department of Health has also ensured the Philippine Standard of thermal heat emissions from local cell sites “are at least four times lower than what has been approved globally.”

The DICT has submitted a draft executive order (EO) to President Rodrigo R. Duterte that aims to expedite the processing of permits and licenses for putting up telecom and broadcast facilities. If approved, the EO would speed up the process to seven days from the current average of eight months. — Imee Charlee C. Delavin

Charitable fashion

PEOPLE WHO work in fashion aren’t quite expected to sweat; they are to remain as pristine and polished as the clothes they make, style, or wear.

Fashion designer Dennis Lustico has worked since the 1990s, yet really shot to fame in the early 2000s when his clothes were thrown on by socialites and celebrities hopping off from one gala to another. This year, he takes on a completely new challenge by joining The Cobra Ironman 70.3, a half-triathlon race in Cebu to raise funds for Smile Train Philippines, the Philippine arm of global charity Smile Train, which helps children smile with free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries.

According to a brochure from the charity, it has provided more than 45,000 cleft surgeries since 2001 in the country, and 16 surgeries are performed each day on the charity’s behalf in the Philippines.

Mr. Lustico was introduced to Smile Train by a friend from Cebu, but he is no stranger to medical charities, having trained as a nurse himself. In 2015, in a partnership with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Mr. Lustico helped design pants specifically for use by patients with catheters. In an interview with BusinessWorld, he said that he did it as a favor to a friend, whose father had kidney disease. After studies and multiple prototypes, he came up with pants that anchored the catheter to the patient’s body, for convenience and perhaps to add to the patient’s quality of life.

Points for Mr. Lustico for adding a new dimension to fashion: fashion might be liberating, and we live our lives in it, and while it speaks to the needs of the soul, far too often it ignores the simple conveniences that the body craves.

“I come from a poor province. I’m from northern Samar, one of the poorest areas in the Philippines. I think I’m no stranger to a disadvantaged way of life. Whenever I have a chance to be able to help, as long as I can do it… then I go for it,” he said.

While this might shape his outlook for charity, his choice of beneficiaries (health and medicine-related charities) is interesting (other fashion personalities devote their charitable time to concerns about heritage, poverty, or gender-related causes). “I think what I’m doing right now is a reflection of my being a nurse. Somehow, I got acquainted or [I] familiarized myself with patients, with different causes, in my time [in] the hospital.” He admits though, that he had never been able to practice professionally, his time in hospitals being limited to his internship.

Asked if he plans to possibly release a line solely devoted to raising funds for his causes, he said: “Maybe later on, no? That’s actually a good idea.” In the meantime, Mr. Lustico will donate a portion of his profits from his bags and gowns towards funding more surgeries for Smile Train.

Right now, he’s concerned about the race (to be held in August), training for more than 3-1/2 hours a day, subsisting on five, small, healthy meals a day.

As for the rest of his life in fashion, Mr. Lustico is designing his Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2018 collection, in gold: think lamé and lace, inspired by Frida Kahlo. Asked if his goal for gold is related to his upcoming race, he said: “No! Far from it. My only wish is to be able to finish it.”

To support Mr. Lustico’s campaign for Smile Train and the charity itself, e-mail philippines@smiletrain.org or 0917-52TRAIN (87246). — Joseph L. Garcia

Designer Dennis Lustico wears his The Cobra Ironman 70.3 race singlet as he stands next to one of his couture creations.

US labels make Paris debut on haute couture catwalks

PARIS — Two high-end American labels were to make their Paris haute couture debuts on Sunday in a week when the French capital pays tribute to two of fashion’s legends.

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H&M shows cost discipline as retailer adapts to digital era

COST-CONTROL is the new watchword at Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) as the European fashion giant seeks to compensate for slowing sales growth, rising inventories, and dwindling profitability.

The Swedish retailer on Thursday posted second-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst estimates, with the company’s efforts to contain expenses making the difference. Contending with a growing backlog of unsold clothing that will require greater markdowns, H&M trimmed its store-opening target and set a goal for online sales growth of at least 25% a year.

“The company has aggressively controlled operating costs,” Caroline Gulliver, an analyst at Jefferies, said in a note. “This is a marked change from H&M’s inability to cut like-for-like costs in the past.”

H&M’s shares were up 1.4% in Stockholm after initially rising as much as 5.7%. Investors have seen the value of their holdings dwindle as the company struggled to keep pace with competitors such as Zara owner Inditex SA, which has put a greater emphasis on e-commerce and has proved more adept at responding to shifts in consumer tastes.

“We haven’t reached our own targets in the past couple of years, that’s true,” H&M Chief Executive Officer Karl-Johan Persson said in an interview. “But we’re still growing significantly, so it’s not like it’s bad, but we had set very ambitious growth targets.”

The retailer said second-quarter operating costs rose about 8% from a year earlier, less than analyst estimates that mostly exceeded 10%. The difference probably reflected lower selling volumes and reduced long-term investments, RBC analysts said.

“Given that foreign exchange added 4% to the cost base and the store count is up 10%, we think this is impressive cost control,” Morgan Stanley’s Geoff Ruddell said in a note.

H&M reduced its store opening guidance for the year to 400 net outlets from 430, while placing greater emphasis on e-commerce. The retailer, which has online operations in 41 markets, said it will add such services in the Philippines and Cyprus this year and in India in 2018. For most analysts, that advance can’t come soon enough.

“H&M urgently needs to be a fully digital multi-channel retailer,” Raymond Jame’s Cedric Lecasble said in a note.

Online expansion helped offset an increase in inventory that H&M said it plans to clear by marking down prices this summer more than last year. — Bloomberg

Cebu Pacific to launch Manila-Dumaguete night flights

CEBU PACIFIC, Inc., will start mounting night flights to Dumaguete starting July 7 following the upgrade of the air traffic control system and newly installed night navigational equipment at Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport.
The Gokongwei-led airline said in a statement that it will add three round-trip flights weekly between Manila and Dumaguete, utilizing its 180-seater Airbus 320 aircraft.
With the additional service, the budget carrier said the last flight will be leaving Manila at 5:20 p.m. and arriving in Dumaguete at 6:50 p.m. while return flight will be at 8:00 p.m.
“Increasing the number of airports with night-flying capability would help promote tourism and improve connectivity within the country,” Cebu Pacific Vice-President for Corporate Affairs Paterno S. Mantaring, Jr. said.
Increasing the number of airports with night operations will also allow the budget airline, along with other carriers, “leeway to spread flight times,” which in turn will improve aircraft movement and traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the capital during the peak hours, he added.
Cebu Pacific flies 21 times weekly between Manila and Dumaguete; and 14 times a week between Cebu and Dumaguete, through its wholly owned subsidiary Cebgo.
Prior to Dumaguete, the airline announced night flights to and from Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay. It also operates night flights to and from the Roxas City Airport in Capiz, the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, and the Legazpi International Airport in Albay, on top of trunk routes in Cebu and Davao.
Cebu Pacific flies to 37 domestic and 26 international destinations, with over 104 routes spanning Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and USA. The airline operates flights out of six hubs in the Philippines: Clark, Davao, Kalibo, Cebu, Iloilo and Manila.
Cebu Air, Inc.’s net income plunged 68% to P1.28 billion in the first quarter. — Imee Charlee C. Delavin

Storm Emong brings rain, but no typhoon warning raised

TROPICAL STORM Emong, the 5th to enter the country this year, brought rains to parts of north-eastern Philippines, but weather bureau PAGASA did not raise any typhoon warning signals. Emong is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility before noon today, July 3, as it heads for the Ryukyu Islands in Japan.

Six ways to wear suits with sneakers

By Troy Patterson
Bloomberg

SEE THE guy on the subway platform with his gray suit and New Balance running shoes, which — like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl — he wears exclusively for his commute? Or see the eminent graybeard in your workplace, the gentleman who believes, with some justification, that he has earned the right to wear a dark pinstriped suit with an especially horsey pair of Under Armour SpeedForm Geminis?

OK, forget those guys, because they’re doing things ineptly.

Once upon a time, the suit-and-sneakers combo was primarily adopted by narrow subsets of the male population, such as self-conscious rebels wearing Converse Chuck Taylors to homecoming dances. Also, victims of chronic ankle pain.

But no longer. “Sneakers with a suit is the big trend right now,” says Loris Spadaccini, vice-president in charge of the men’s division at M. Gemi, which sells Italian shoes directly to consumers. “It’s accepted even in traditional business environments.” He ventures further that the craftsmanship of high-end shoemakers — “our uppers are not glued but stitched to the sole” — has helped to facilitate the acceptance.

Now, instead, consider a trendy young guy with the hem of the tiny trousers of his bright blue suit hovering a full three inches above the green heel tabs of his box-fresh adidas Stan Smiths. You can quarrel with the tailoring, but the guy is on to something. The relaxed jackets of the moment, with their unstructured shoulders and unfussy attitudes, are mainstreaming the sneakerhead ethos to memorable effect.

Consider the testimony of Sébastien Kopp, who 12 years ago cofounded the French sneaker company Veja. “When we created the brand, we never imagined someone wearing sneakers with a suit,” Kopp says. “But we’ve seen it across the board, from businessmen to artists to TV personalities. It works best when the shoe pops and is quite visible. It shouldn’t be subtle, but rather make a statement.”

Well-dressed men intuit this, as I discovered the other day loitering on West 55th Street and watching Midtown Manhattan power-lunchers of a certain age exit Michael’s. The flashy casual kicks worn by those executives and aspirants confirmed that we have plunged feet first into a new era.

They tended to observe what is, though not an ironclad law, a smart guideline: Use contrast to make a suit-with-sneakers outfit sing. Their sedate medium-toned suits were paired with sneakers that split the difference between wine-dark opulence and pumpkin-bright flamboyance, sporting what looked like suede babies from Bottega Veneta with the intrecciato motif, rich brown Zegna Pella Tessutas with a similar weave, and ultra-lightweight, napa-calf low-tops from A. Testoni.

Spadaccini specifically advocates for the white sneaker to go with a blue suit: “We like this idea of high contrast to make footwear the centerpiece of the outfit,” he says. It’s a low-degree-of-difficulty move: Match the resort-hotel airiness of a perforated leather court shoe against the citified solidity of a solid suit.

A somewhat riskier — and, therefore, potentially more rewarding — move is to juxtapose the earth tones of khaki with the space-suit silver gleam of metallic trainers. And though high tops can be highly tricky in this arena, a pair will perfectly accessorize with a skinny dark suit in certain contexts, such as overpriced nightclubs and televised music-industry award shows.

In the best such pairings, the sneakers in play are proud of their sneakerness, I believe. They might be elevated — by way of the quality of the leather, the stitching, the shoelaces — and they might be minimalist, with a light touch on multicolored trademarks and lavish logos. But they don’t shy away from being, in a fundamental way, sneakers.

Ironically, a sneaker that too closely resembles a dress shoe looks worse in most cases. A black slip-on sneaker, for example, can sometimes assume the sad aspect of an orthopedic loafer.

Once you embrace the spryness of the ensemble, you can explore the versatility of the look. Years ago, on the day of my bachelor party, I wore a seersucker suit, a blue polo shirt, and a pair of adidas Rod Lavers from the Belmont Stakes to Wolfgang’s Steakhouse. You can go anywhere in such an outfit — and go there faster than you can in other kinds of shoes. I suggest trying a lightweight suit with a flashy pair of kicks at a beach wedding, where you’ll appreciate the extra traction, especially if you get cold feet and sprint away from the altar at the last second.

A Havana suit in gray bird’s eye weave from Suitsupply paired with classic diagonals sneakers by Off-White. — Suitsupply/Off-White

A Blue cotton-blend two-piece suit from Boglioli paired with white leather low-tops with perforated inserts from Canali. — Boglioli/Canali

An O’Connor fresco two-piece suit by Tom Ford paired with Esplar white leather trainers from Veja. — Tom Ford/Veja

A Light-blue herringbone Super 170s wool suit from Kiton paired with Pallone high-tops in walnut from M. Gemi. — Kiton/M. Gemi

A Slim-fit brushed-cotton jacket and matching trousers by Paul Smith for Mr. Porter paired with silver Mexico 66 racing shoes from Onitsuka Tiger. — Paul Smith/Onitsuka Tiger

A Light-blue seersucker sport coat and matching trousers from Haspel paired with Rod Laver Super tennis shoes by adidas. — Haspel/Adidas

BRT vs LRT: President’s Visayas man wants to stop Cebu City’s rapid bus project

PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT for the Visayas Michael Lloyd L. Dino said he will lobby for the cancellation of the bus rapid transport (BRT) project in Cebu City, citing that it is not the best mass transport system for the congested city. “I will lobby before the President and all other government agencies to cancel the BRT project. This project will only prove disastrous for Cebu,” he said on Friday following a presentation by Rene S. Santiago, a transport engineer and former president of the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines. “What we need is an LRT (light rail transit). Manila has already eight LRTs, unya (but) Cebu kay (has) zero,” Mr. Dino said. Mr. Santiago, in his presentation, said the BRT cannot solve the rising demand for “ridership” in Cebu, as it will only “replace” existing jeepneys. For the local government, City Administrator Nigel Paul C. Villarete said in an interview with The Freeman that they are already preparing to ask the Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study for the second phase of the BRT project now that the first phase is underway. The budget for the first phase of the BRT, which has been raised to P16.9 billion from P10.6 billion due to the higher cost for right-of-way (ROW) acquisition, has been approved by the technical board of the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee, according to Rafael Christopher L. Yap, head of the BRT Project Implementation Unit. The ROW acquisition process is underway. “For now, the key is we will implement the first phase of the BRT,” Mr. Villarete said. — The Freeman

Australian firm offers free e-jeeps to transport group

THE CEBU Integrated Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO) has expressed willingness to be a recipient of the electronic jeepneys or e-jeep being offered by Australian firm Star 8 Green Technology Corporation for free. CITRASCO General Manager Ryan Benjamin Yu said their group has about 1,000 units of gasoline- or diesel-powered jeepneys and they are ready to have all that replaced with e-jeeps. The Visayas United Drivers Transport Services Multipurpose Cooperative, through its chairman Alex Bordadora, has likewise expressed readiness to shift to the e-jeeps, which were demonstrated by Star 8 last Saturday at the Cebu Technological University. In a press conference, Star 8 Chief Executive Officer Jacob Maimon said they are offering their solar-powered vehicles free of charge to the drivers as they are counting on advertisements as revenue source. — The Freeman

Business chamber says more foreign participants in this year’s investment forum

THE DAVAO City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) said the number of participants who have registered for this year’s Davao Investment Conference 2017 (Davao ICON 2017) on July 21 and 22 has now exceeded last year’s and with a higher percentage of foreign investors. DCCCII member John Carlos B. Tria told the media last week that a month before the forum, they already had 200 confirmed delegates, which was the number in 2016. “So we’re expecting more than that already despite the martial law declaration,” he said. Mr. Tria also noted that about 40% will be foreign delegates, higher than the average 10-15% in previous years. The Davao ICON 2017 will focus on the agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and infrastructure sectors, with a goal of promoting a more balanced investment profile in the Davao Region. — Maya M. Padillo

Spain affirms commitment to help in Mindanao peace process

THE SPANISH government expressed its continued support for the peace process in Mindanao during the celebration of the 15th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day last June 30 in Baler, Aurora. “The support of these processes has been one of the constants of Spanish cooperation in the Philippines, with various projects implemented by civil society, particularly in Mindanao,” Spanish Ambassador to Manila Luis Antonio C. Calvo said in his speech. Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, who was this year’s guest speaker, cited the Spanish government’s development projects in the Philippines funded through the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID). “The Philippines is the only priority country in Asia for official development assistance from Spain, having received up to €278 million in the last 15 years,” Mr. Diokno said in his speech. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for more than three centuries, ending in 1898. — Jil Danielle M. Caro

Deals at the 2017 Great Singapore Sale

THE Great Singapore Sale (GSS) — one of Asia’s biggest shopping extravaganzas — is ongoing until Aug. 13. Presented by the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB), it is where some of the best deals and bargains from the hottest brands are.

“Singapore is truly a shopper’s haven and once more, the Great Singapore Sale welcomes our visitors to experience the biggest shopping spree in Southeast Asia,” said Lael Loh, STB area director for Philippines, in a press statement.

SRA and STB note that prices during the sale can drop to as low as 70% among the hundreds of participating brands such as Oakley, GoPro, Levi’s, Dockers, Aldo, Pandora, Ralph Lauren Home, Lacoste, Quicksilver, Nike, Tempur, Tissot, Vans, Topman, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins.

And it is not just products that are on sale — spa treatments, dining offerings, and accommodations from luxurious and quirky boutique hotels are also available.

For cashless transactions, UnionPay International cards come in handy. Aside from being the official card partner of GSS, it also allows shoppers to score exclusive offers from big brands such as Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Tumi, and Victoria’s Secret.

Making going on a shopping spree even more convenient is the newly rebooted GoSpree app, which provides a comprehensive list of GSS retail and service stores, shopping malls, dining outlets, attractions, leisure activities, and hotels.

With the GoSpree app, shoppers can also browse for deals such as $500,000 worth (P18 million) of eCoupons that include 1-for-1 treats, additional 20% off sale items, and buy-2-get-1-free offers.

Shoppers also stand to win great prizes simply by shopping. In a promo that is ongoing until Aug, 13, a minimum of $30 (P1,070) single-receipt purchase at participating stores will give shoppers the chance to win $300,000 worth (P10.7 million) of vouchers, household appliances, gadgets, and even a brand-new Subaru Impreza or a Nissan Pulsar, in weekly draws under the Shop & Win promo by the Singapore Press Holdings. Shoppers can also double the chances of winning these prizes using their UnionPay credit cards.

Popular Singaporean brands are also something shoppers should watch out for. There is Benjamin Barker, creator of suave bespoke men’s apparel; Pedro’s shoes and accessories for both ladies and men; and the local, artisanal craftsmanship of the Museum Label. Then there is Naiise, which showcases over 15,000 locally made items from more than 890 emerging and established local and international brands, and offering one-of-a-kind pieces, from quirky souvenirs and stationary, to accessories and household products.

“The Great Singapore Sale has always been a highlight in Singapore’s events calendar. Together with SRA and other partners, we have added new components this year to enhance the overall shopping experience, so that our returning visitors and new-comers can enjoy a retail experience like no other,” Edward Koh, STB executive director for Southeast Asia, was quoted as saying in a statement.

For more information on Singapore’s lineup of offerings, visit www.visitsingapore.com.

The Great Singapore Sale is ongoing until Aug. 13.

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