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New tile designs to be launched

MARIWASA SIAM Ceramics, Inc. is set to launch 106 new tile designs during the Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition (WORLDBEX), which runs from March 13 to 17 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.
“For this year, as we upgrade our trend of automation and technology in our manufacturing line to create high definition and realistic texture on our tiles, we created Mariwasa 4.0 as our theme for the upcoming WORLDBEX,” Jakkrit Suwansilp, president of Mariwasa, said in a statement.
The new line includes Revitality, which features relaxing and therapeutic elements; Technique, which incorporates cultural and modern feels; and Wanderwall, which gives a high-class look. A new product feature is the R11 stone effect, which has a glossy finish and an anti-slip feature.
“Our designers travel to different places in the Philippines and abroad to look for inspiration and ideas that we can incorporate in the tiles. They also study tile trends to make sure we remain up-to-date and are able to offer our customers contemporary designs and features,” Mr. Suwansilp said.
The company will also launch its new product line for bathroom needs, the Mariwasa Sanitary Wares. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Rediscount loans climb

PESO rediscount loans increased as of February.

BANKS TOOK more loans out of the central bank’s rediscount window in February, with the amounts poured into capital purchases and import payments.
Peso rediscount loans reached P20.433 billion last month, rising from the P14.462 billion borrowed in January, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced yesterday. This is also higher than the P5.81 billion in credit lines secured in February last year.
The central bank’s rediscount facility lets banks get their hands on additional cash by accepting a lender’s collectibles as collateral for short-term credit. The banks can then use the fresh money supply — either in peso, dollar or yen — to hand out more loans for corporate or retail clients, as well as service unexpected withdrawals.
In a statement, the central bank said bulk of the borrowings were meant to support capital asset spending, which took 40.61% of the sum. This is followed by import requirements which took roughly a third of the sum, followed by permanent working capital (11.92%), goods trading (10.85%), and loans to real estate and other business activities (5.44%).
These brought the two-month rediscount tally to P34.895 billion.
The bigger rediscount lines come at a time when some industry players flag tighter money supply in the system. However, central bank officials have repeatedly said that the liquidity conditions remain ample. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo has said that the weekly oversubscriptions in their term deposit auctions show that banks are still sitting on excess cash.
Meanwhile, the dollar and yen rediscount window meant for exporters stood untouched, much like the trend observed for the past few years.
For this month, rates for rediscount loans remain steady after policy makers voted to keep benchmark yields unchanged during February’s rate-setting meeting.
Rediscount rates for peso loans stand at 5.3125% for loans maturing in 90 days or less, while those with a 91 to 180-day maturity are priced at 5.375%. These are based on the 5.25% ceiling of the interest rate corridor plus a premium.
The Monetary Board will conduct their second policy meeting next week, which will be led by new BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno.
Yields for foreign currency loans saw mixed movements, reflecting trends in global interest rates.
Dollar credit lines will come with an even lower rate of 4.61513% for one to 90-day loans; 4.67763% for 91- to 180-day loans; and 4.74013% for 181- to 360-day loans, the BSP said.
On the other hand, the rates for yen debts went up to 1.92167% for one to 90-day loans, 1.98417% for 91- to 180-day loans, and 2.04667% for 181- to 360-day loans. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

Spotify, Google appeal ruling that boosted songwriter payments

SPOTIFY Technology SA and other technology giants appealed a ruling that increased the royalties they must pay to songwriters, a move that threatens to further damage the companies’ already-tenuous relationship with the music industry.
Songwriters celebrated last year when the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) ruled that they will get at least a 15.1% share of streaming revenues over the next five years, a raise from the previous rate of 10.5%. The bump, which came in January 2018, was the biggest ever, the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) said at the time.
But music-streaming services, most of which are either losing money or only eke out a small profit, warned the change would make it harder to operate. They also complain that the ruling was made without enough input from them.
The board’s decision “raises serious procedural and substantive concerns,” Spotify, Amazon.com, Inc., Alphabet, Inc.’s Google, and Sirius XM Holdings, Inc.’s Pandora said in a statement. “If left to stand, the CRB’s decision harms both music licensees and copyright owners.”
STREAMING SHARE
Songwriters have long complained they receive too small a share of sales from streaming, which now accounts for 75% of the business in the US — the world’s largest music market. The rates under discussion in this case govern payments from on-demand services such as Spotify and Apple Music, which make up the vast majority of streaming sales.
The technology companies waited until the last day to appeal the decision, undermining their recent efforts to court songwriters, said David Israelite, chief executive officer of the NMPA.
“I’m sure it was their strategy of how best to screw over songwriters,” Mr. Israelite said. “It pulls away the disguise of being friendly.”
Israelite said Apple is the one tech heavyweight that didn’t appeal the case. A spokesman for Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. — Bloomberg

Termite solution for homes

JARDINE DISTRIBUTION, Inc. (JDI) offers Total Termite Solution, which protects homes from the hazards of termite infestation.
Solignum can protect wooden furniture and structures against termite. It has insecticidal and fungicidal properties that can also work against fungi and wood-borers.
To prevent subterranean termites from entering your home, homeowners can use Soilguard, “an odorless water-based soil termiticide that creates a termite-lethal barrier that prevents termites from entering the structure.”
JDI’s line of Home Pest Solutions is available at leading supermarkets (Shopwise, Rustan’s, Wellcome) and DIY stores (Handyman, Ace, Citi, and Wilcon, among others) nationwide.

FWD Life partners with TrueMoney Centers

FWD LIFE Insurance has partnered with TrueMoney to make its low-premium insurance product available in over 3,600 of the former’s centers in the National Capital Region.
“Our partnership with TrueMoney is part of FWD’s goal to reach new and emerging segments, further expanding financial inclusion in the Philippines and supporting our vision to change the way people feel about insurance,” FWD Life Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes was quoted as saying.
Set Ka Na is described as a “basic life insurance protection plan that provides annual coverage for death, disability, and accidental death.”
“At TrueMoney, we are committed to expanding the suite of affordable financial services available in our stores, most especially in hard-to-reach areas in the Philippines. FWD’s Set Ka Na insurance contributes in meeting this mission,” TrueMoney Philippines Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Van Den Ende was quoted as saying.
FWD Life Insurance and TrueMoney are planning to expand its partnership to make Set Ka Na available in all TrueMoney Centers around the country by the end of 2019.

Fun dialed up to 11

Crackdown 3
Xbox One
CRACKDOWN was released with much fanfare in 2007. It wasn’t merely that Microsoft Game Studios bundled launch copies with multiplayer beta access to hotly anticipated Halo 3. More importantly, it was because the involvement of developer David Jones (the force behind sandbox giant Grand Theft Auto) heightened interest in the open-world action title. And he wasn’t attached just because he so happened to be head of Realtime Worlds; he conceived it and helped shepherd it through a five-year turnaround process that included shifting programming focus from the Xbox to the next-generation Xbox 360.
The result was a critical and commercial success that, simply put, had legs. Despite being on store shelves early in the year, Crackdown became — and, more importantly, stayed — top of mind for reviewers and gamers alike, making “Best of 2007” lists and garnering industry awards for its capacity to push the envelope in terms of gameplay and presentation. It was, as Jones envisioned, Grand Theft Auto, but better. And, as he also envisioned, the positive response led to the green-lighting of a sequel. Unfortunately, Realtime Worlds by then had other commitments, compelling Microsoft, which held its intellectual property rights, to commission another developer for the project.
When Crackdown 2 hit store shelves in mid-2010, it was met with a more modest reception relative to that of its predecessor. Perhaps because of the participation of former Realtime Worlds staff in its progression, it retained many of the elements that made Crackdown a hit. And perhaps because of the absence of Jones from the Ruffian Games team behind it, it likewise presented design changes that not a few quarters viewed in a less favorable light. Still, it was deemed good enough — and, of course, profitable enough — to keep the franchise going. That said, Microsoft figured Jones needed to be overseeing the next release from the get-go.
As things turned out, he did get on board for Crackdown 3 via Cloudgine and Reagent Games, companies he formed following his departure from Realtime Worlds. Announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014, it was envisioned to harness the potential of cloud computing to generate in-game models and environments. At the time, Sumo Digital was likewise tasked with providing the game’s campaign mode. Following delay after delay, however, the latter took over principal development, and, after a year at the helm, finally managed to bring it to fruition.
For gamers, the good news is that Crackdown 3 continues the series narrative. Picking up a decade from where Crackdown 2 left off, it has the Agency — the organization previously tasked with keeping order in Pacific City through the deployment of artificially enhanced soldiers — stepping in to stop terroristic Terra Nova from establishing a new world order. To do so, agents are deployed to New Providence, the stronghold of the supposedly humanitarian outfit, carrying out with the aid of Echo, the established local rebel group, missions aimed at eradicating the threat.
Just as crucially, Crackdown 3 displays all the core elements that have enabled the franchise to claim a loyal following. Of particular note, back is the “Skills for Kills” Campaign mode mechanic that increases the motivation of gamers to complete missions with a horde of weapons at their disposal, traveling around extremely expansive New Providence using any and all means of transportation they find. The more deaths they cause, the more they are able to level up their attributes and, in turn, gain access to new equipment.
Parenthetically, freedom of choice is the biggest draw to Crackdown 3; how objectives are met, as well as in what order they are met, depend entirely on player predilections. In this regard, it builds, and delivers on, its premise and promise of an open-world setting where anything can — and everything does — happen. As an aside, it amps up the independence factor in its Wrecking Zone multiplayer options; whether in the Agent Hunt or in the Territories milieu, gamers in teams of five obliterate enemies and, in the process, destroy everything in sight. Mindless fun? Sure, with the operative word being “fun,” dialed up to a rip-roaring 11.
If there’s any demerit to Crackdown 3, it’s in an apparent inability of the series to improve in look. For all the time between releases and notwithstanding pledges of maximizing the cloud-computing facilities of the Xbox One, it feels, well, dated. No doubt, the long gestation period and the late transfer of reins to Sumo Digital didn’t help. In any case, the latest saga of the Agency features not inconsiderable softness and lack of visual detail, giving the impression — no doubt unfair in the face of its myriad pluses — that those behind it left a lot of the console’s graphical power untapped.
On the flipside, Crackdown 3 does keep the action moving with nary a slowdown in play; frame drops are nonexistent even when the screen exhibits instances of frenetic mayhem. Whether or not the tradeoff should exist is subject to discussion. That said, there can be no discounting its capacity to deliver an excellent gaming experience. To this end, it’s aided in no small measure by a properly modulated audio mix. Sound effects are bombastic and expectedly over the top, and the music evokes the appropriate ambience. And precisely because the voice acting is first rate, the dearth of cutscenes and somewhat brief appearances of Terry Crews as the main character represent missed opportunities.
At any rate, Crackdown 3 ultimately manages to pay homage to its source material. It makes no pretensions on its roots and does well to preserve the legacy of the franchise. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but, then again, it didn’t promise to. Even as it seems to want to attract the more mature set with its treatment of its content, its immersive gameplay figures to reel in a wide swath of the gaming demographics. Bottom line, it deserves a place in the library of longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike.
THE GOOD:
• Continues the series narrative
• Retains core gameplay mechanics of previous releases
• Excellent sound mix
• Ramped-up fun factor
THE BAD:
• Visuals lacking sharpness and detail
• Story on the thin side, coming off as a missed opportunity
• Absence of innovation
RATING: 8/10
POSTSCRIPT:
The Dragon’s Lair Trilogy made its way to the Switch early this year, and perhaps the only surprise is the length of time it took to be ported over to Nintendo’s latest latest-generation console. The titles included in the bundle are considered classics by retro and contemporary gamers alike, never mind that Space Ace boasts of a narrative totally unrelated to Dragon’s Lair and Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp. In part, it’s because the three make use of interactive animation developed via then-cutting-edge laserdisc technology. In larger measure, it’s due to the timeless nature of their gameplay mechanics, which offer predetermined outcomes propelled by quick-time events.
Considering how the three offerings in Dragon’s Lair Trilogy are best appreciated as movies requiring occasional, if precise, gamer participation, it’s just as well that they weave immersive tales. Dragon’s Lair has knight-in-shining-armor Dirk the Daring, called to action to rescue damsel-in-distress Princess Daphne from the clutches of the demonic dragon Singe. The direct sequel finds him traveling through time and doing battle against returning wicked wizard Mordroc to bring her royal highness back home with their children. Meanwhile, Space Ace focuses on debonair daredevil Dexter’s aim to save sidekick Kimberly and the rest of the world against the machinations of Commander Borf.
Despite its heavy reliance on familiar tropes to frame its plots, Dragon’s Lair Trilogy succeeds in keeping gamers glued to the Switch. That the included titles can each be finished in about the same running time as a feature-length film is a decided advantage; after all, there can be only so many QTE button presses before gamers tire of their necessary interventions. They likewise benefit immensely from the stylized look reminiscent of silver-screen world of creator Don Bluth. All told, the compilation is well worth its $19.99 list price on the eShop. (8/10)

Hong Kong tightens liquidity with $192-million peg defense

HONG KONG faces the likelihood of rising borrowing costs after the city’s de facto central bank intervened to defend its currency peg for the first time since August.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) bought HK$1.51 billion ($192 million) of local dollars during London and New York trading hours after the currency fell to the weak end of its trading band, it said in a statement Saturday.
The move will reduce the aggregate balance, a measure of interbank liquidity, to a decade low of HK$74.8 billion.
While the size of the buying was small relative to some of the HKMA’s interventions last year, continued weakness in the currency may prompt the central bank to drain more liquidity. That would intensify pressure on home values in the world’s most expensive property market, and weigh on the city’s economy. Just 11 months ago the aggregate balance stood at about HK$180 billion.
“The Hong Kong dollar will remain under pressure in the near term, so the local authorities will intervene further to defend the peg,” said Irene Cheung, a senior strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. “Interbank borrowing costs will rise gradually due to the liquidity drainage, but they won’t spike as the scale of intervention will be smaller compared with last year.”
The Hong Kong dollar was little changed at HK$7.8497 per greenback as of 1:37 p.m. local time. The three-month interbank borrowing costs on the currency, known as Hibor, climbed the most since December, while the one-month tenor rose to the highest since Jan. 10 on Monday.
So far, the government — which spent years unsuccessfully trying to cool the housing market as the US held borrowing costs near zero — appears sanguine about the prospect of tighter liquidity.
The outflow of funds from the Hong Kong dollar is an “inevitable process” as the monetary environment normalizes, HKMA Deputy Chief Executive Howard Lee said in the statement. He said it wouldn’t be surprising if the Hong Kong dollar again weakened to the bottom of its trading band, and the HKMA “stands ready” to defend it.
Hong Kong effectively imports US monetary policy thanks to the currency peg, even if local rates don’t always track those across the Pacific.
While last year’s interventions helped the one-month Hibor climb to a decade-high of about 2.4% in December, the cost of borrowing has tumbled recently. The rate fell to as low as 0.91% in February, compared with 2.49% for US Libor. The gap makes it profitable to short the Hong Kong dollar, which has been near the weak end of its band for weeks.
Abundant liquidity in the currency market, weak demand for loans and a lack of large-scale initial public offerings in Hong Kong have contributed to the rate gap, Lee said.
More intervention is possible, though the security of the peg isn’t in doubt, said Bipan Rai, head of North American foreign-exchange strategy at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
“Reserve levels have been built up significantly over the past decade and the HKMA still has an ample amount of reserves to defend the USD/HKD range for now,” Rai said.
“It’ll likely be tested a few times, which may see further intervention. But any talk of the peg giving way is an extreme long shot.” — Bloomberg

How PSEi member stocks performed — March 11, 2019

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, March 11, 2019.

 
Philippine Stock Exchange’s most active stocks by value turnover — March 11, 2019.

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the Philippines

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the Philippines

DTI backs Malaysia role in developing barter, halal industries

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) logo
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it wants to expand bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and Malaysia in barter trade and hopes to grow the halal industry with Malaysia’s help.
“Cooperation… will create more economic activity for Filipinos and Malaysians. The barter trade as well as the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area) means a lot to our people,” Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez was quoted as saying in a statement Monday.
Mr. Lopez said Ignatius Darell Leiking, the Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, and other officials discussed on March 8 ongoing efforts to revive barter trade in Mindanao, particularly in the Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi area.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed in October Executive Order (EO) 64 to facilitate barter trade in Mindanao. The implementing rules and regulations of the order are scheduled for release this month.
The barter system is also thought to be a viable approach to support the growth of the halal industry in both countries.
The DTI said the global halal industry is a $3.2- trillion market. Republic Act 10817 or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016 requires the department to strengthen its capacity to meet global demand for quality halal products and services.
In April, the DTI will head a delegation to Kuala Lumpur’s four-day Malaysian International Halal Showcase, believed to be the world’s largest halal market event.
“These kind of activities are very important to PH as the country is still beginning to recognize its potential in the halal industry and can learn much from big economies, like Malaysia,” Mr. Lopez added.
In 2018, Malaysia was the country’s 10th largest trading partner, and was the Philippines’ 11th largest export market and 9th largest import source.
Bilateral trade was $6 billion in 2018, up 8.33%.
The Malaysian official said apart from electronics, top imports from the Philippines include processed food, which could serve as a springboard for halal promotion. — Janina C. Lim

Maynilad ready for dry spell amid mild El Niño

By Victor V. Saulon
Sub-Editor
MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has downplayed the impact of El Niño on the water it supplies to Metro Manila’s west zone, saying the previous dry spell early in this decade left the company prepared for a similar incident.
“Since 2010 — the big El Niño, remember — we built a couple of reservoirs all across our network to prevent any service-affecting interruption to our customers in the event of a strong El Niño,” said Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito S. Fernandez in a chance interview.
Aside from the reservoirs, the company has also invested in technology to monitor the water situation in its service area.
“We’ve invested in a central control room. You can see the entire network remotely in our head office and also in Arroceros (in Manila). Those are the major investments — automation, additional reservoirs,” he said.
Maynilad, the country’s largest water concessionaire in terms of customers, is an agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).
Asked whether the supply in the additional reservoirs could last until June, when the weather bureau expects the “weak” El Niño to persist, Mr. Fernandez said: “I believe, as long as MWSS gets the 46 cmps (cubic-meter-per-second) from Angat it looks like we won’t be too worried).”
“There are still things to worry about but I don’t think it will be worse than 2010. That’s what we’re seeing,” he said.
MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco earlier called on consumers to save water and help cushion a water shortage as the weather phenomenon could result in the delayed onset of the rainy season.
The agency had said that as a rule, discharge for potable water supply becomes the priority during droughts, reducing water releases for irrigation and power generation.
Water for Metro Manila is primarily sourced from the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system. Water from Angat passes through Ipo Dam where it is then released to La Mesa Dam.
According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), La Mesa Dam has a 47-cubic-meter-per-second allocation of water from Angat Dam, higher than the 44 cms the government sets aside for La Mesa Dam during the dry season.
Maynilad serves certain portions of Manila, Quezon City and Makati. It also covers Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon in Metro Manila.
Outside the Philippine capital, it serves the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite province.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Palace advice on water crisis: ‘Wait for rain’

MALACAÑANG said Monday that relief from the Metro Manila water crisis may have to wait for the onset of the rains, though cloud-seeding was also an option, with the Department of Agriculture saying it ordered seeding in areas of Central Luzon that could help fill the capital’s reservoirs.
Ang problema yata eh ang tubig eh manggagaling sa langit; walang ulan, ‘pag walang ulan papa’no, baka mag-aantay tayo,” (The problem is that the water has to come from the sky, and if there is no rain we may have no choice but to wait) the President’s spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in a briefing.
Separately, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said on Monday that he instructed the department’s regional offices to conduct cloud seeding in Bulacan, Pampanga and Rizal in response to El Niño.
“Operations Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan of the Department of Agriculture (DA) [has been instructed] to order the DA Regional Offices to implement cloud seeding operations,” Mr. Piñol said in a social media post while visiting Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.
“Usec. Cayanan was also directed to coordinate with the Philippine Air Force for the cloud-seeding operations over Bulacan, Pampanga, and Rizal (to increase the sources of water for) La Mesa Dam,” Mr. Piñol said.
“As early as last year, funds were transferred to the Regional Offices and the Philippine Air Force for cloud-seeding operations in preparation for El Niño,” Mr. Piñol added.
The DA estimates crop damage from El Niño at P464.27 million, affecting 13,679 hectares.
“We are always concerned with respect to any problem affecting the welfare of the people,” Mr. Panelo said in the briefing on Monday when asked to comment on the water crisis in Metro Manila.
He said cloud seeding is a “possibility, but added he is not aware if the President has officially ordered it.
Kung meron man, hindi ko alam. But, I am sure meron nang ginawa (If any instructions were issued, I am not aware of them. But I am sure something has been done)“ he said. “I have to ask the President exactly what were the instructions.”
In a social media post on March 8, the Manila Water Company Inc. said: “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience brought by unexpected water service interruption experienced by our customers across the East Zone.”
The company said it is implementing operational adjustments that may result in low pressure to no water in certain areas “to address the continued decline in the water level at La Mesa Dam due to minimal inflows.”
“We urge our customers to use water more responsibly and wisely in light of the weak El Niño we are currently experiencing and the rapid decline of water levels at La Mesa Dam while Manila Water continues to employ augmentation plans to mitigate the impact of these realities,” it said further.
According to the Manila Water Service Update on Monday, March 11, at least 13 barangays in Mandaluyong City were affected (“no water”) from 11:00 a.m., with this status expected to last until 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
Affected barangays in Mandaluyong City were Addition Hills, Barangka Drive, Barangka Ibaba, Barangka Ilaya, Barangka Itaas, Buayang Bato, Highway Hills, Hulo, Malamig, Mauway, Plainview, Pleasant Hills, and Wack-Wack.
In Marikina City, barangays experienced “low pressure to no water” service interruptions on Monday were Concepcion Dos, Concepcion Uno, Fortune, Industrial Valley, Jesus dela Peña, Malanday, Marikina Heights, Nangka, Parang, San Roque, Santa Elena, Santo Niño, Tañong, and Tumana.
In Quezon City, at least 83 barangays experienced “low pressure to no water” service interruptions on Monday.
Several barangays in Antipolo, Rizal, according to Manila Water, were also affected, such as Mayamot, Cupang, Dalig, San Isidro, San Jose, San Luis, San Roque, and parts of Sta. Cruz, among others.
Other affected areas were Pasig, Taguig, the Rizal towns of Angono, Taytay and Binangonan, as well as Makati, Parañaque, and Pateros. — Arjay L. Balinbin, Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio