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Barriga loses by the slimmest of margin

LIGHTFLYWEIGHT Mark Barriga of the Philippines lost by the slimmest of margin, 17-16, to Birzhan Zhakypov of Kazakhstan in their Round-of-16 ght at the ExCel Arena in the 30th Summer Olympics in London. The 19-year old from Panabo, Davao Oriental, who stood four inches shorter than his Kazakh opponent, trailed by only a point, 4-5 in the rst round, but put together dizzying combination in the second to seize a twopoint lead on a 6-3 score in the second round. It was a different, albeit strange, story in the third round. Next page

Vol. I No. 6 12 Pages, 1 Section P18.00 SUNDAY, August 5, 2012

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PRAYER POWER
Church groups unite against RH bill
By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz
Color it red as Church groups hold a protest rally to oppose what is believed to be a pro-abortion reproductive health bill. Below, a seminarian expresses his pro-life choice. MANNY PALMERO, SONNY ESPIRITU, AP

US hits out at China for raising tensions

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
WASHINGTON on Saturday expressed concern over the increasing tension in the South China Sea amid the aggressive stance being displayed by Beijing, particularly the establishment of a military garrison in the newly created Sansha City. US Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell appealed to all claimants in the South China Sea to take steps to lower tensions and work collaboratively and diplomatically to resolve disputes without coercion, intimidation, threats, and without use of force. We are concerned by the increase in tensions in the South China Sea and are monitoring the situation closely, Ventrell said. In particular, Chinas upgrading of the administrative level of Sansha City and establishment of a new military garrison there covering disputed areas of the South China Sea. Ventrell also said that they are closely monitoring recent developments in the region, including an uptick in confrontational rhetoric, disagreements over resource exploitation, coercive economic actions, the incidents around
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EAVY rain failed to dampen the spirit of the thousands of people who joined the Catholic Church-led prayer rally at the EDSA Shrine and other churches nationwide on Saturday to protest against the reproductive health bill, a population control measure.
Asked how optimistic he was that something good would come out of the rally, the priest said they believe in the power of prayer and Gods grace. The EDSA rally drew support from inuential Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, who had earlier issued a circular addressed to its 85 parishes with nearly 500 secular (diocesan) and religious priests. In Lipa City, Archbishop Ramon V. Arguelles led his congregation to what has been described as ab intensive prayer rally from 4 to 8 p.m. yesterday at the Cathedral of Saint Sebastian to enlighten majority of the countrys lawmakers opposed to the controversial measure, pray for world peace, the sanctication of priests and ask for more vocations in the ecclesial province with nearly two million Catholics. He likewise called on his faithful to offer sacrices and pray until Tuesday, August 7, the day when lawmakers are expected to vote on the motion to cut the interpellation. During the Prayers of the Faithful, they called on the Holy Spirit to enlighten President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and the legislators from the Senate and the House of Representatives to stop the passage of the RH bill, Bishop Martin Jumoad said. He called the bill as anti-life and against the teachings of Jesus. In Malacaang, President Aquinos spokesman said his stand for the approval of the RH bill was clear. Simultaneous prayer rallies were also held in the cities of Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Zamboanga, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Roxas, Borongan, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio, and Dagupan.
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WHATS INSIDE?
BUSINESS A6

ARTS & LIFE

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SPORTS

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Leryn Dahiana Franco Steneri specializes in javelin throw

Olympic Eye Candy

Wilfred Uytengsu Tony Cripps of HSBC

The expats nd its more fun doing business in PH

Relies on sports to promote the Philippines

Red was the dominant color among the 10, 000 protesters who took part in the Prayer Power Rally Against the Reproductive Health Bill. No amount of rain can dampen a ery passion for life. I will stay. We must stay. Better that it rains than to be burnt in the heat, said Kiboy Tabada, a student of University of the Philippines. Students from various schools and organizations in the National Capital Region started to gather at the EDSA Shrine hours before the prayer rally began. Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the organizing Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said the prayer rally was a show of support for anti-RH bill legislators. We also hope to manifest our opposition to the RH bill, Fr. Castro added.

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Philex waste spillage contained

ENVIRONMENT ofcials on
Saturday said that a waste spillage in Philex Mining Corporation has been contained and the threat of contamination of surrounding rivers has been prevented.
bureau. Philex, the countrys largest metal producer, mines copper concentrates containing copper, gold and silver. Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said that the suspension order against Philex, issued on August 2, remains in effect. Lawyer Eduardo Aratas, chief of Philex legal division, But the Mines and Geosciences Bureau said the mining operations in Padcal, Tuba, Benguet remain suspended until such time that the integrity and safety of the tailings pond has been assured. The leak from the tailings was sealed and repaired by Philex as of 5 p.m., according to the Mines said heavy rain induced by a series of typhoons weakened the mining structure but the spillage consisted of water and sediment which was non-toxic and biodegradable. Everything is under control, Aratas said, adding that the company deployed its technical people to look into the problem and initiate mitigations measures. Philex took the step of stopping the operations of Padcal mine around midnight of August 1, to inspect the tailing ponds and surrounding areas, Aratas said. Mines Director Leo Jasareno said Philex has three tailings pond but only tailings pond no. 3 is actively used. The two other ponds have been decommissioned and rehabilitated as forest areas. Paje said that an initial assessment of the situation was conducted, including the impact of the water and sediment discharge to the river system in the surrounding areas. The inspection done by the Environmental Management Bureau found that the San Roque Power Dam has not been affected by the discharge, Paje said. Laboratory analyses of water samples are continuing, Paje said. The dam is situated at about 30 kilometers downstream of Agno River from its convergence with Balog River. The drain tunnels of Philex discharge their water load into the Balog River that, in turn, runs for about 2.5 kilometers to converge with Agno River. Jasareno said that Philex engineers, working round-theclock since the incident was discovered in the early morning of August 1, successfully plugged the penstock of the tailings pond no. 3 to stop water and sediments from passing thru it and into the drain tunnel. He described the penstock as a hollow elongated structure built within a tailings pond, with sidewalls or stopboards but open at the top where overow water of the said pond enters and drains to the drainage tunnel below it. This, therefore, serves to prevent water from accumulating excessively in a tailings pond. The initial investigation showed that portions of the stopboards might have been displaced by hydrostatic pressure brought about by the unsually heavy rains in the area for the last two weeks, Jasareno said. MST Sunday

5 dams release water; Gener death toll at 41

By Florante S. Solmerin
FIVE major dams in Luzon released water to ease the load on their reservoirs as typhoon Gener continued to dump heavy rain over the weekend. A southwest moonsoon meanwhile induced a downpour in Metro Manila Saturday, weathermen said. Disaster Control Executive Director Benito Ramos said that Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque and Magat dams partially released water. The La Mesa Dam in Novaliches, Quezon City remains on red alert status, Ramos said. Damage to crops and property reached P289.9 million of which P116 million was in infrastructure and P172.7 million in agriculture. Death toll as a result of Gener reached 41. Totally damaged houses were 776 and partially damaged, 3,582. The disaster control ofce said four more fatalities were added to the list casualties in La Union; Benguet; Malabon City; and Maycauayan City. Four persons remained missing. The number of affected families soared to 177,440 or 800,944 individuals. Ramos said 49,975 families (279,968 people) received government assistance in and outside the evacuation centers.

US...
the Scarborough Reef and the use of barriers to deny access. Sansha Citys jurisdiction covers a huge part of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) which affects parts of the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. In late July, Beijing said that it would send troops from the Peoples Liberation Army s Sansha Garrison Command to manage the citys national defense mobilization, military reserves and operation. The establishment of the garrison was immediately followed by the election of Sansha Citys rst mayor, director, deputy mayors, head of the citys intermediate peoples court and procuratorate. PLAs army major general Luo Yuan said earlier that it decided to establish a military garrison to deter neighboring countries coveting the national sovereignty of China in the South China Sea. As a Pacic nation and resident power, the United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, freedom of navigation, and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea, Ventrell said. Ventrells statement followed a US Senate resolution approved on Thursday strong urging all regional nations to exercise selfrestraint and to refrain from permanently inhabiting points in the South China Sea until a code of conduct is reached. Ventrells statement also reected that of US Senator John McCain of Arizona, who said that he does not recognize the establishment of Sansha city and the appointment of legislators to govern the city, since it had no basis in international law. McCain statement drew support from different international experts, who argued that Beijings claim of historical sovereignty over the

West Philippine Sea has no legal merit as dened by the modern international law of the sea. International law expert Tom Ginsburg said in a forum held on Friday that the establishment of Sansha City and their nine-dash territorial line were not enough to make a viable claim. Paris-based Shearman & Sterling lawyer Yas Banifatemi seconded Ginsburg statement, saying that Chinas historical basis does not present enough evidence for its claim of almost 90 percent of the South China Sea. She urged China to instead abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) since Beijing is one of the 162 signatories to the said agreement. Unclos or the Law of the Sea Treaty provided signatories their rights and responsibilities as nations in their use of the worlds ocean, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. Ventrell also urged all claimants to clarify and pursue their territorial and maritime claims in accordance with international law, including the Law of the Sea Convention. We believe that claimants should explore every diplomatic or other peaceful avenue for resolution, including the use of arbitration or other international legal mechanisms as needed Ventrell said. He also encouraged relevant parties to explore new cooperative arrangements for managing the responsible exploitation of resources in the South China Sea. In June, Beijing invited foreign rms to bid on nine oil gas block that overlap a territory also being explored by Vietnam. The blocks have 160,000 square kilometers of water on offer. The Philippines has also announced that it would go on with its plan to offer three sites that are considered primary sources of oil and gas deposits in the West Philippine Sea.

Various religous groups and Catholic schools gathered at the Edsa Shrine in a show of force. SONNY ESPIRITU

Prayer...
Metro Manila Development Authority personnel provided marshalls to ensure safety among the rallyists and also installed portable toilets in strategic areas for those who needed to answer the call of nature. But lawmakers supporting the RH bill remained unfazed by the prayer rally staged by thousands of Catholic faithful to show Congress most Filipinos were against the measure pending in legislature for years. Ifugao Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. and Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan, one of the coauthors of the RH bill, said that most surveys have shown that majority of Filipinos favor that the government should put in place a national policy on reproductive health. I think it is the constitutional right of every citizen to peacefully assemble and express their beliefs in whatever manner, Baguilat told the Manila Standard. I respect in the same way that I hope the Catholic bishops will respect my right to defend my belief in the RH bill and push actively for its passage, added Baguilat, member of the Aquino-led Liberal Party. Baguilat said it is only a matter of thoroughly explaining to the Catholic hierarchy and the faithful the benets of the RH program for them to truly appreciate the intent of the bill. Once the bill is passed, the passionate objections from the Catholic hierarchy will subside and the faithful will go back to their

normal routine and appreciate the benets of the RH program, Baguilat added. Ilagan, for her part, also said she respects the right of the Catholic church to spearhead a rally to protest the passage of the RH bill. What is not right is to coerce the people to join or make it appear they are speaking on behalf of the whole country, Ilagan said in a separate statement. Ilagan, vice chair of the House Committee on Women and Children, pointed out that the marginalized womens clamor for help should be heard above the din over the RH bill. Out of the 221 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, majority are women from the urban poor, poor farmers and workers and indigenous women. Congress should consider the unhealthy state that marginalized women are in, and be moved by their need for free, accessible, relevant, basic and immediate health services, Ilagan said. Ilagan added that members of the House, especially those who are pro-RH bill, should look at the bill from the point of view of marginalized women. More than population control, the bills pro-poor provisions will give them accessible and free basic health services, she added. Meanwhile, anti-RH lawmakers led by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez and Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua said that the RH bill, also known as the population control bill, could be counterproductive and might not be the win-win solution to arrest the countrys growing population. What the Aquino government should rst went down in defeat faster than he could say domo arigato, leaving Team Philippines down to only two men and a woman as it struggled pitifully in the face of powerful opposition in the 30th Olympic Games. From an original cast of 11 athletes, only long jumper Marestella Torres, BMX rider Danny Caluag and 5,000-meter runner Rene Hererra remain standing for the Philippine team, which continued to take it on the chin deep into the opening week of the worlds biggest sporting event. The latest to fall was Hoshina, who lost to South Korean Kim Sung-min by ippon, never recovering from a thud with barely 1 minute and 05 seconds gone in the six-minute duel in one of th e most-sided matches for the day. Hes too good for me, said the 25-yearold Hoshina through an Olympic interpreter, the smile on his face that has endeared him to his teammates now missing. Thats judo, you either win or lose. Joe Antonio

focus on, they said, is to address the problem on poverty and hunger. The CBCP said that thousands of Catholic faithful from across the country trooped to various public places, cathedrals and streets to show their strong opposition for the Reproductive Health bill now pending in both houses of Congress.

2,000 join Legazpi rally

By Florencio Narito Sr.
LEGAZPI CITYLegazpi Bishop Joel Baylon and retired Bishop Lucilo Quimbao, held a prayer rally at the Penaranda Park here. The participants included teachers and students of Catholic colleges and secondary schools, among them Aquinas University, Divine Word College-Legazpi, St. Agnes Academy, and St. Raphael Academy. Catholic lay organization, including the brotherhood of christian businessmen took part. Baylon in his message denounced the use of contraceptives like condoms. The issue against the RH bill is beyond Congress. Our concern here about life and family is beyond Congress, he said. We need a responsible government, not responsible parenthood, Baylon said, alluding to President Aquinos message in his state of the nation address. Dr. Ligaya Acosta, director of Human Life International, said to be the biggest Pro-life Organization in 100 countries, hit President Aquino for suppurting the Responsible Parenthood Bill. She called the RH bill diabiological. Denouncing abortion, she said that at a US congressional hearing, Secretary of the State Hilary Clinton was quoted as saying that the RH bill is pro-abortion.

Barriga...
Barriga continued to take the ght to Zhakypov in the third round, but the referee unexplicably deducted a point from the Filipino for clinching midway in the round. That puzzling point deduction kept Barriga on the defensive against Zhakypov, who resorted to a punch-and-clinch tactic throughout the remaining time. The referee again deducted a point, this time on both Barriga and Zhakypov with only a second to go. At the close of the round, the judges gave Zhakypov a 9-6 score to advance to the quarternal round. Barriga thus failed to advance, and towed with him the hopes of his countrymen for a possible medal in boxing in this years Olympics. Filipino-Japanese judoka Tomohiko Hoshina

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Call centers in new direction

By Vito Barcelo

THE business process outsourcing industry is

expanding toward the non-voice services and will likely boost the $3.6 billion that the sector earned in 2011, according to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines.
The association said the non-voice sector generated over a third of the $11 billion revenues the BPO industry generated last year, an increase of $2.8 billion the previous year. Research and consultancy rm Everest Group expects the global market for outsourced services would range from $220 billion to $280 billion this year, 90 percent of which would be non-voice work, BPAP noted. The demand for new outsourced services is increasing and the potential for non-voice and other emerging services is enormous, BPAP senior executive director Gillian Virata said in a statement. As demand for workers in the voice sector would double in the next ve years, non-voice would go faster than that, Virata noted. While the industry grew 24 percent in 2011, the non-voice segment alone expanded 30 percent due to

strengthening service delivery in the financial services, insurance, human resources, logistics, engineering, software, media, health care, IT, and legal industries, BPAP said. Workers in the non-voice sector numbered 220,000 in 2011, those in the voice sector workers totaled 416,000, Virata added. IT-BPO has now evolved into an industry of industries with a broad range of new sectors seeking to leverage opportunities in the delivery of non-voice services, said Virata in a separate statement. These include medical transcription or health care information management, animation services, and business services for banking, transportation, manufacturing, retail, and pharmaceutical industries.

Kidlat Tahimik wins 2012 Fukuoka Prize

By Florante S. Solmerin
FILMAKER Eric de Guia, more popularly known as Kidlat Tahimik, won the 2012 Fukuoka Prize for arts and culture for his contributions in independent cinema as wells as Asian arts and culture. De Guia will be receive 3,000,000 yen, or P1.6 million, for winning the arts and culture category of the 2012 Fukuoka Prize which was established 22 years ago to honor outstanding achievements by individuals or groups/ organizations in preserving and creating the unique and diverse culture of Asia. Mr. Kidlat Tahimik has...achieved many successes as a leading Asian independent lmmaker. He has also been an inspiration to the young generation as well as working constantly on diverse artistic projects. For such a contribution, he deserves the Arts and Culture Prize of the Fukuoka Prize, the award citation said A native of Baguio City, the 69-year-old De Guia is a lm director, writer and actor whose lms are associated with the Third Cinema, notable for its social commentary and criticism of neocolonialism. De Guia attended the University of the Philippines and was a member of its student council in the early 1960s. He also studied at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business where he earned a masters degree in business administration. He later worked as a researcher for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris from 1968 to 1972. Among his notable lms are the semi-autobiographical Perfumed Nightmare (1977), which won an award in the Berlin International Film Festival, and Turumba (1981).

3 Pinays 2 law students claim top Asean there were 19 victims quiz tilt
THREE high school students from different schools in the country won the championship of the 5th Association of the Southeast Asian Nations Quiz Bee in Phonm Penh, Cambodia. The Department of Foreign Affairs identied the students as Franchesca Anne Inacay of St. Albert the Great School in Dagupan City, Kristiyanne Paul de Pedro of Koronadal National Comprehensive High School and Maria Angela Krizelle Rubin of San Joaquin National High School in Calbayog, Eastern Visayas. The three young ladies defeated students from Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The Philippines has been consistent in winning the ASEAN Quiz Regional Competition, the DFA said in a statement. In 2002, the Philippines won rst and second places in the individual delegate category of the competition. In 2004, the country got the rst place, in 2006, the Philippines won the second place then again won rst place in 2009. The Philippine Team grabbed a total score of 71 points; Cambodia came close with 70 points while Thailand scored 68 points. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

THERE were actually 19 neophytes who were subjected to hazing by members of the Lex Leonum fraternity at a farm in Dasmarias City on July 28, according to two law students who ed to the police to shed light on the death of San Beda College Alabang law school freshman Marc Andre Marcos. Cavite provincial police director Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao identied the two law students, as Ephraim Daniel Lara and Christopher Ryan Maranan, both 21 years old and batchmates of Marcos. The two students told police nine of the 19 neophytes, including them and Marcos, were under the Gian Angelo Velus, son of former Dasmarias City Councilor Ethan Velus, who owned the farm where the initiation rites were held. Lara and Maranan also said they surfaced to voluntarily gave information about trhe incident because they were being implicated in Marcos death although they were actually victims themselves. Bulalacao said Lara and Maranan were named in an anonymous letter that was sent to police and Marc Andres family and narrated supposed events before and during the initiation rite. The letter also named 33 people who were allegedly involved in the hazing incident, but Lara and Maranan said the fact that they surfaced is proof that they are not among those who conducted the hazing, but were also victims, Bulalaco said. The police chief said the two neophytes claimed to have been blindfolded throughout the initiation rites, so they were not aware of what happened to Marcos. They also claimed to have been prevented from going home after Marcos death last Monday. Bulalacao said the two students also had bruises on their legs, similar to the bruises on Marcos, but they refused to le complaints against the fraternity leaders. Bulalacao the police has deferred submission of their sworn statements to the prosecutors ofce because of our commitment [the two] will neither be treated as complainants or witnesses. But Bulalacao said the statements of Lara and Maranan would sufce as evidence that will stand in court. Florante S. Solmerin

Why kids submit to intiation rites

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
FOLLOWING the death of law student Marc Andre Marcos in a fraternity initiation rite, the Philippine Psychiatric Association and other psychologists urged parents to get involved with their childrens lives to prevent a similar incident. Although there are several factors why students joine groups like fraternities, psychiatrist Bernadette Arcena said strong support, guidance from parents and family would deter their children from nding comfort and camaraderie in similar bad company. If you have good family ties, you are well guided by your parents, and you get support from your family, students can avoid the temptations of joining such groups like fraternity, Arcena said in an interview. Psychologist Andrea Martinez of the UP Manila Department of Behavioral Science agreed and said parents must know about the extra-curricular activities of their children as well as their friends and groups. In a subtle way, parents must have to know their childrens friends, and even their schedules, she said. Possible signs that children might be in bad companyu include going home late, creating lies to cover-up something, wearing jogging pants or long-sleeved tops at home or trying to hide bruises or cuts on their bodies. If they know the behavior of their child, they will immediately know if they are hiding something, Martinez said. Arcena said students who have undergone hazing or have experienced hazing other students may experience trauma which can serious phsychological effects. Hazing is dened as a practice or ritual that involves harassment, abuse, or humiliation on a person who wants to join a certain group, like a fraternity, sorority or gang. The initiation rite, Arcena said, may involve not just physical abuse, but may also affect the emotional or mental health of the person being initiated and the one initiating. During initiations, a person is trying to get off the anger in his chest by inicting harm on a helpless person with whom you may not even be angry with. That is a problem, because you have no control over whatever is in your mind. Later on, it may lead you to do something drastic she said. Arcena said students join such groups because they are pressured over popularity inside their schools. Growing children tend to want to belong to a group in school so they are encouraged to join fraternities or sororities. It is an indication from people who have no connections. They are trying to search for themselves. Because if you join a group like that, things may be easier. You will be protected, she said. Martinez said students may also join such groups, not because of brotherhood, but because of a sense of adventure.

Entrance exam. Hundreds of students gather at the steps leading to Palma

Hall at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City to take the univeritys College Achievement Test entrance examination on Saturday. MANNY PALMERO

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Syrian actions slammed

UNITED NATIONS The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly denounced Syrias crackdown on dissent Friday in a symbolic effort meant to push the deadlocked Security Council and the world at large into action on stopping the countrys civil war.
At least 13 people were killed across Syria on Saturday as erce ghting raged in Aleppo and Damascus, the countrys two biggest cities. Before the UN vote, SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-Moon reminded the Assembly of the fresh violence in the city of Aleppo and drew comparisons between the failure to act in Syria with the international communitys failure to protect people from past genocide in Srebrenica, Bosnia, and Rwanda. The conict in Syria is a test of everything this organization stands for, Ban said. I do not want todays United Nations to fail that test. The vote came after the more powerful Security Council was stopped by a series of Russian and Chinese vetoes on resolutions that would have opened the door to sanctions on Syria. The General Assembly vote was 133 in support of the resolution and 12 against, with 31 abstaining. Syrias ambassador angrily called the vote a piece of theater. Though General Assembly resolutions are unenforceable, a strong vote can carry moral weight. Even so, the resolutions Arab sponsors this week weakened two key provisionsa demand that President Bashar Assad resign and a call for other nations to place sanctions on Syria. Russia and China had objected to those provisions. Both voted no Friday, along with Syria, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Myanmar, Zimbabwe and Venezuela. The revised resolution takes a swipe at Russia and China by

A young Syrian girl washes up and cools off in Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which is host to the largest number of refugees at 142,000. AP

deploring the Security Council failure to act. Frustration over the lack of action was clear. Former UN chief Ko Annan resigned Thursday as the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria after his peace proposals failed. The Syria uprising has left 19,000 dead since it erupted in March 2011. The UN estimates that 1.5 million people have been

forced to abandon their homes but remain in the country. The acts of brutality that are being reported may constitute crimes against humanity or war crimes, Ban said of the Aleppo ghting. Such acts must be investigated and the perpetrators held to account. The resolution backs Annans demand that the rst step in the

cessation of violence has to be made by the Syrian authorities. It also demands the lockdown of the regimes chemical and biological weapons. Israels Ambassador Ron Prosor said, We should not pretend that a regime that cuts the throats of children today will not be prepared to gas them tomorrow. Assad must know that he will be held accountable for using these weapons.

The resolution denounces attacks on children as young as 9 by the Syrian government, military intelligence services and militias. It condemns the increasing Syrian military reliance on heavy weapons, including tanks and helicopters, and failure to withdraw its troops and heavy weapons to their barracks in line with Annans proposals. AP

Russian tycoon in govt squeeze

MOSCOWA Russian tycoon whose holdings include a leading investigative newspaper critical of the Kremlin said he wants to sell his Russian assets because of pressure from state security services. Alexander Lebedev, worth $1.1 billion according to Forbes magazine, said the main KGB successor agency has targeted him with a series of investigations and inspections to push him out of business. For the past three years my business has been deliberately and continuously destroyed by Division K of the Federal Security Services economic security department, Lebedev said on his blog. Haunting and pressure has targeted not only me and workers of my companies, but my family members as well. He said the main reason behind the Russian Federal Security Services pressure on him was corruption investigations by the Novaya Gazeta he has nanced, alleging that some of its ofcers were involved in corruption. Lebedev and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev own a 49 percent stake in the newspaper, while the remaining shares are controlled by Novayas staffers. Lebedev also owns two newspapers in Britain, the Independent and the Evening Standard. The Novaya Gazetas relentless criticism of the Kremlin and its investigations into ofcial corruption have put many of its journalists under re. Four of its reporters have been killed since 2000, including Anna Politkovskaya, a erce critic of the Kremlin and its policies in Chechnya who was gunned down in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006. Others have been harassed and attacked. Lebedev said on Ekho Moskvy radio that he may hand over some of his assets to Novaya so that the newspaper may continue operation, because he no longer has no cash to keep funding it. Lebedev has also supported Alexei Navalny, a charismatic anticorruption crusader and blogger who was a key driving force against massive protests in the past winter against Vladimir Putins rule. Earlier this week, Navalny has been charged with theft amid a widening crackdown on dissent that followed Putins re-election to a third term in March. He may face 10 years in prison if convicted. AP

United States Michael Phelps concentrates before competing in the mens 100-meter buttery swimming nal at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Friday. AP

Phelps finishes with big splash

LONDONMichael Phelps is turning his nal Olympics into quite a victory lap, and dont fret about American swimming after hes gone. Led by a pair of high schoolers, the post-Phelps era will be in very good hands. In what amounted to a symbolic changing of the guard Friday, Phelps claimed the 17th gold medal of a career that has just 24 hours to goon the same night one teenager, Missy Franklin, broke a world record in the backstroke and another, Katie Ledecky, took down a hallowed American mark that was set nearly eight years before she was born. This has sort of turned into the youth Olympics, Franklin said. Theres so many members of the team that are coming up this year that are going to carry on this incredible generation. Incredible, indeed. His long arms whirling through the water, Phelps was seventh at the turn in 100-meter buttery it always takes him a while to get up to speedbut he brought it home like a champion. That, in a sense, sums up his Olympics farewell. He got off to a sluggish start but has three victories in the past four days, and its almost certain hell take home one more gold Saturday. Thats a relay. This was the nal race hell do alone. Im just happy that the last one was a win, said Phelps, who will likely fade into retirement with twice as many golds as anyone else. Thats all I really wanted coming into the night. Hell nish up swimming the buttery leg of 4x100 medley relay, an event the US men have never lost. That streak should carry right on with the Americans sending out an imposing quartet that includes three gold medalists (Phelps, freestyler Nathan Adrian and backstroker Matt Grevers), plus a guy who won bronze (breaststroker Brendan Hansen). Its unfathomable to think the Phelps era could end with anything less than a performance that puts him atop the podium one last time, gold medal No. 18 around his neck. I dont think Michael is going to let anything go wrong in that race, said Eric Shanteau, who swam the relay for the US in the prelims. Just minutes before Phelps took center stage at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, Franklin set a world record in the 200 backstroke, the 17-year-olds third gold in London. Another American teen, 19-yearold Elizabeth Beisel, claimed the bronze in that race. AP

Pakistani parents murder daughter in honor killing

LONDONThe girl was murdered by her Pakistani parents for her Western ways. And it was her little sister who bravely told jurors how her mother and father suffocated the 17-year-old with a plastic baggripping testimony that led to her parents murder conviction on Friday. Justice Roderick Evans sentenced Iftikhar, 52, and Farzana Ahmed, 49, to life in prison for killing their daughter, Shalea, in 2003. The couplerst cousins from the Pakistani village of Uttamwere ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison. She was being squeezed between two culturesthe culture and way of life that she saw around her and wanted to embrace, and the culture and way of life you wanted to impose on her, Evans said during the sentencing at the Chester Crown Court in northwest England. In Britain, more than 25 women have been killed in so-called honor killings in the past decade. Families have sometimes lashed out at their children on the belief that they have brought their household shame by becoming too westernized or by refusing a marriage. Shalea was only 10 when she began to rebel against her parents strict rules, according to prosecutor Andrew Edis. The young girl would hide make-up, false nails and western clothes at school, changing into conservative clothes before her parents picked her up. But it was the last year of her life that proved to be the most traumatic. During the trial that began in May, jurors heard from Shaleas younger sister, Alesha, who said she witnessed the murder when she was 12. After an argument about Shaleas dress, her parents pushed her down on a couch, stuffed a thin white plastic bag into her mouth and held their hands over her mouth and nose until she died, Alesha testied. As she was struggling, her mother said, just nish it here, according to Aleshas testimony. Although Shaleas other siblings contradicted the testimony, the last-minute emergence of a diary convinced jurors. The diary belonged to a friend of one of Shaleas other sisters, Mev. In it, the friend relays conversations she had with the sister about the night Shalea died details that supported Aleshas testimony. AP

Papal book completed; new encyclical eyed

VATICAN CITYThe Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI has completed the third installment of his planned trilogy on the life of Christ. The publication date will be announced after Jesus of Nazareth is translated into various languages from the Benedicts original German. At the same time, the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone announced that the Pope may also publish a new encyclical during the upcoming Year of Faith. The cardinal, Pope Benedicts top collaborator, said the pope had nished his manuscript on Jesus infancy and childhood. It is a great gift for the Year of Faith, the cardinal told reporters in Les Combes di Introd, a village in Italys northwestern Alps where Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict have vacationed in the past. The rst volume of Jesus of Nazareth, covering the period from Jesus baptism to his Transguration, was published in 2007. The second volume, looking at his passion and death, came out in 2011. It is hoped that the book will be published simultaneously in the most widely spoken languages; this will require a certain amount of time to ensure the accurate translations of a text that is important and long-awaited, said the Vatican press ofce, without mentioning the new encyclical. However, many observers expect there to be a document focusing on the virtue of faith to complete a series of Pope Benedicts reections on the theological virtues. His encyclical on charity (Deus Caritas Est) was published in 2005, and two years later he released his encyclical on hope (Spe Salvi). The pope has called for special Year of Faith, which will open Oct. 11the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Counciland run through Nov. 24, 2013. AP
Pope Benedict XVI

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Sunday
OPINION ManilaStandardTODAY
SUNDAY AUGUST 5, 2012

A5

Ending the cycle of violence

ARE WE THERE YET?
SAN Beda College took out a half page of at least one major daily last Friday to condole with the family of Marc Andre Marcos, latest victim of fraternity hazing, and to virtually wash its hands of direct responsibility over his death. Marcos was the second law student of San Beda to die in the name of brotherhood within a six-month period. As usual, our leaders are talking their heads off in an effort to nd someone to blame for the series of fraternity hazingrelated deaths. We are wringing our hands in frustration and exasperation. Some senators and congressmen are calling for an inquiry. At least one senator has called for a total ban on hazing. A congressman has asked for a full review of Republic Act 8049 also known as the Anti-Hazing Law. Some people are calling a ban on fraternities. The Commission on Higher Education turned vitriolic, castigating San Beda for not having been able to prevent Marcoss death despite the Colleges claim that it had already banned fraternities. We all know how all these will eventually endback right where we started. Once the grief has subsided and the outpouring of rage has ebbed, Marcos will become just another statistic to add to the long list of young, promising, idealistic people who lost their lives senselessly. This process of collective soul searching will not yield positive results unless we all come to terms with the fact that the problem is systemic in nature, one that has far-reaching implications on the power structures in this country. Were all striking against an iron fortress of clandestine networks and institutionalized rituals and practices that are sacrosanct to hard believers. After the death of Marvin Reglos last February, I met up with some members of what is probably the largest fraternity in the country in an effort to understand what goes on in the minds of fraternity members during an initiation. I was amazed at the level of rational thinking that attended the discussionthey talked about risk management, about processes and structures to control and punish excessive violence, about the medical precautions they take such as orienting initiation masters on human physiology and rst aid, etc. They said that the incidence of death is very slim, and almost always caused by overzealousness on the part of the neophyte such as not declaring medical conditions or not being truthful about their physical capabilities or limitations. I know; I also protested when they put the blame on the hapless victims rather than on the perpetrators of the violence. The point is that it is difcult to argue with people with ironclad arguments built on solid reasoning and facts; fraternities do host some of the most brilliant minds in this country, after all.

EDITORIAL

BONG C. AUSTERO

But even the people I talked to admitted that all that rational thinking is most always drowned out by the emotional high that ultimately searches expression in physical ways. In an initiation, the intangible concept of brotherhood becomes palpable and behaviorally manifested through the most physical act of allwhich is physical violence. The way one fratman expressed it: Its a profound level of intimacy, its a communion of spirits, almost like sex, but with more meaning. Its really more complicated than most of us think. Hazing is not just a rite of passage in the life of a fraternity man, it is also regarded as the ultimate means of keeping membership to their elite group select and exclusive. All this talk about banning fraternities and hazing is therefore futile. Aside from the fact that it is unconstitutional, the system is so well entrenched in our society that it is impossible to walk the halls of power in this countryfrom Malacanang to the smallest town without bumping into someone who is a member of a fraternity. Easily half of the cabinet, our senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, etc are members of fraternities. Banning hazing will only force the practice to be conducted underground. If we want to make sure that no more lives are sacriced in the name of brotherhood, we need to acknowledge the root of the problem which is that there is a wide disconnect in the way people view the role of fraternities in society and in the lives of their members and recruits. We need to acknowledge that most of our leaders in this country are fraternity members themselves who honestly and truthfully believe that hazing-related deaths are isolated incidents. For them, the problem is not that there are fraternities or hazing per se, but abuses which just need to moderated or mitigated. The way to bring these people into the table for constructive dialogue is by taking away the stigma and not branding them as killers and murderers. The way to get the members of Lex Leonum to cooperate is through constructive engagement. Wholesale indictment just wont work. The solution is to help the system come up with alternative ways to hazing. For instance, psychologists and behavior experts just have to stop lecturing and theorizing but should offer constructive options in the form of activities that have the same psychological impact as physical contact but involve less brutality. We all have to stop moralizing and condemning; instead, we need to understand and work within a common framework. Many colleges and universities have successfully zeroed fatalities from hazing and fraternity-related rivalries by empowering the fraternities to work together and police their own ranks. The quest to end the cycle of violence must begin from a safe and empowering place. Weve been down this road before and our previous solutions have not worked. It is time to view the problem from a wider, more inclusive, more collaborative perspective.

Held hostage
THE former secretary general of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Kofi Annan, quit in frustration his role as special envoy tasked to help end the violence in Syria. Annan believes that both the Syrian government and the rebels must halt the violence for the sake of the Syrian people. While the President, Bashar al-Assad, must step down, rebels also have to decrease their militancy especially since their cause may be used by alQaeda to further its terrorist agenda. No gains in the peace process have been made thus far because the Russian and Chinese government have used their veto power twice, preventing the United Nations Security Council and the Arab League from taking a more active role in the war-torn country. There continues to be ngerpointing and name-calling in the Security Council, Annan says. In the meantime, dozens of Syrians die every day and major towns have become battle elds. There is no end in sight. That issues are reduced to politics even as they are matters of life and death for the greater number is not entirely new to the Philippines. Case in point: the debates about the reproductive health bill are again reaching fever pitch as we inch closer to August 7, the day our lawmakers are supposed to vote upon the matter. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the main oppositors to the measure, scheduled a rally for Saturday and threatened to occasion the negative Catholic vote against lawmakers who would dare vote in favor of the bill, which is also known as responsible parenthood bill. Such moral thuggery and boorishness has in fact gotten through a few politicians who used to back the measure until they had a change of heart. Now comes Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, out on bail, resuming her lawmaking duties and declaring her opposition to the bill. This comes as no surprise, since the same piece of legislation did not get anywhere during her nine years in ofce. If anything good is to come out of the still-bitter politics between the camp of Arroyo and her successor, President Benigno Aquino IIIwho likes to think he is the polar opposite of everything Arroyo is, says and doeswe hope this could be the immediate passage of the bill. Arroyo could be interpreted as courting the support of the Catholic Church as a shield from further political persecution from Aquino. Aquino, for his part, could be feeling the pressure not from the Church but from the people who have had enough of his indecisiveness, rhetoric and political hedging. At this point, who cares what their motives are so long as the endthe bills passage and prompt implementationis met? While it is tragic that our decision makers are driven by other considerations far removed from what is socially just, we are prepared to settle for this. After all these years, we have stopped expecting our politicians to act on measures for their intrinsic merit.

EVERYMAN
By J. D. Batac
THE notion of the summer Olympics as a grand celebration of the indomitable human spirit is nothing short of a euphemism, a lie, a misperception. In truth, the aforementioned idea is a rst-world hegemonic tale spun by the worlds powers-that-be to conceal the inherent political and economic undertones of the whole affair. If anything, the Olympics only serve to highlight, if not altogether validate, the prevailing global geopolitical conditions. Past the pomposity and pageantry of the Olympics is the underlying fact that the event is a springboard for greater political and economic clout before the world stage. And since doing so negates not only deep pockets but also considerable inuence, managing the Olympics is left to the disposal of the worlds top economies

Olympic odds
which ght for the right to host it by outbidding each other in an expensive, often contentious, selection process by the International Olympic Committee. Hosting the quadrennial games have become more than just a mere display of goodwill; it has by itself become a badge of honor, a bragging right, an acknowledgment of the host nations power and wealth, a duly stamped afrmation of its greatness. The economic component of running the games is of paramount signicance. This becomes immediately apparent when one sees the exorbitant amount of money poured into staging any of the editions of the quadrennial event. In 2004, for example, Greece spent close to $10 billion to host the games in Athens. In 2008, China cemented its stature as a global power by investing $15 billion in the Beijing Olympics. This year, the UK managed to outdo Chinas budget by allocating $17 billion for the London Olympics. Its hardly surprising therefore that no underdeveloped nation has hosted the modern Olympics since its resumption in 1896. This will more than likely be the case for more editions of the event in the future as stakes become more far-reaching and more nancially dependent. Oddly, in an event that supposedly upholds equality, fairness, and humanitys predisposition for peace and inclusiveness, minor nations are being sidetracked and left out of the equation. Its global politics at work: Wealthy states with solid military arsenal dictate the outcome of the games. The presence of nations like the Philippines which, in its 90 years of joining, has got nothing to show for it save for a couple of bronzes and silversis merely ceremonial and obligatory, one thats hardly necessary. The Olympics is a keen reection of global affairs where by and large, nations like the Philippines are bit players whose role in shaping the course of history as it is written is kept at a bare minimum. Meanwhile, the worlds top economies continue to assert their dominance by ensuring that their well-fed, wellfunded, and well-trained athletes hog the limelight come the awarding ceremonies. Its a classic display of the lopsided disparity between the haves and have-nots. A rundown of the games most prolic medal-haulers, for instance, would yield names of highly industrialized nations from East Asia, North America, and Western Europe. This glaring disproportionate distribution of medals among only a handful of traditional powerhouses is indicative of the extent with which the Olympics have failed to democratize, or else foster an inclusive environment for, competitive sports among the worlds athletes. Instead of narrowing the gap between afuent and poor sportsmen and women, the Olympics have only made the same gap wider to the point of indecency. By all indicators, it will be an uphill if not an altogether Sisyphean struggle for the Philippines as it strives to earn its rst gold in the Olympics. To make it through, Filipino athletes would have to make do with their inherent tenacity and steadfastness which, while laudable, are never enough. These severely underfunded ag-bearers are victims twice over: one, of their own governments willful neglect and dismal lack of political will; and two, of a system that relegates them to the periphery as virtual non-entities. Batac is an editorial assistant at a local publishing rm.

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Sunday
FEATURES
ManilaStandardTODAY

Edited by RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ

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A6

SUNDAY

AUGUST 5, 2012

HSBC
its more fun in PH
TONY Cripps, the top executive of HSBC in the Philippines,
is enjoying his stay in the country, where he can play golf, go for scuba diving, relax on the beach or improve his karate skills on weekends.
Two years after he was appointed president and chief executive of HSBC Philippines, Cripps, an Australian national, says he now views the Philippines not only as an ideal site for work but also a good place to live in. Nowadays, people increasingly see it as a good place to live, to work. I have been talking to a number of people who are announcing the Philippines is a good place to retire to, he says. HSBC, formerly known as Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., is one of the worlds largest banks and employs the best in the nancial industry. Cripps says many HSBC executives who visited the Philippines in the past would like to come back and stay. In fact, our ex-CEO in HSBC New Zealand has just retired in the Philippines, Cripps says in an interview at the HSBC headquarters at Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Other CEOs of HSBC who are getting to that point in their career are now thinking of the Philippines as a place they would like to live in, he adds. Cripps, whose family live in Sydney, says he himself enjoys his stay because working in the Philippines is very easy. People are very friendly, the culture is very open, and most speak English, despite my Tagalog is pretty good, he says with a chuckle. It is easy for expats because of the English language. Cripps came to Manila as HSBC Philippines top honcho in August 2010, after heading the HSBC Australias global markets division. He says he is fortunate to be in the country at the right time. It has been a good time to be here, because the economy has been strong, as well as the condence in the Philippines. Government popularity is very high and business condence is at all-time best level, he says. One thing weve been very happy is that the Philippines has lots of potentials, something that has been recognized by international rating agencies. We recognized that ourselves. In fact, the Philippines has been upgraded by HSBC on its assessment of economic potentials, says Cripps. Cripps, together with his wife, Alice live at Forbes Park in Makati City, where the four previous HSBC Philippines presidents also stayed. The home is conveniently close to the banks headquarters at the Fort. Cripps says his four children are studying in Sydney and come to the Philippines twice or three times a year for holiday. One of his elder boys is following in his footsteps and studying Economics. The Cripps family has been to the popular tourist spots around the country such as Boracay, Cebu, Tagaytay, Subic, El Nido and Anilao. A memorable family experience for him is the Taal Volcano trek on horses. With all the kids, we did that in the rain, he says. He was so impressed by the colorful corals and shes off Anilao that he recently brought 10 HSBC executives from around the world in Anilao for a unique scuba diving experience. Actually half went scuba diving, the other half lied on the beach getting a massage. It was very relaxing, he says. For his next vacation, Cripps dreams of going to the Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea for scuba diving and to Baguio City for its cool mountain breeze. Even in Metro Manila, he nds time to relax and become physically active. I play golf at Manila Golf Club. I go to Manila Polo Club to run and bike. Occasionally, I practice my karate moves, he says. Cripps, a karate fanatic, learned martial arts in Hong Kong. He says he still hits the punching bags occasionally to keep t. I love getting around. Everybody who has come to the Philippines, those who have been here before, always say they will come back, as they realize it is a nice place to visit, says Cripps. There has been more recognition all the time that the Philippines is a good place to do business, he says. At home, Cripps says he plays guitar in the bathroom, simply because in the bathroom the acoustics are very good. Cripps and his wife Alice are served Filipino dishes at home. I often get served chicken adobo and pork adobo. Everything for me, I have to get chili and spice it up, he says. He describes some Filipino food as very good. He particularly likes sh and fresh fruits. Mangoes here are the best in the world. I eat mangoes here every morning, he says. Cripps says he and his wife have visited local restaurants such as Lolo Dads Caf in Manila. When Im here with Alice, we go to restaurants, he says. The Cripps couple also go to nearby shopping malls such as Glorietta at Ayala Center. His wife, he says, also goes to Rustans and S&R for groceries. He now rarely nds time to see a movie, although he is a fanatic of the classic James Bond lms. Far from the glitz of Forbes Park, his wife Alice visits Payatas and Tondo where she has a charity project. She has a feeding program that she does for the kids. When my kids are here, we take them to those places as well to give them a different perspective on the Philippines, says Cripps. At the ofce, Cripps describes his management style as inclusive and open. I have a very strong belief in team performance. When you work in a company like HSBC, which is a huge organization, if you dont have that team focus around you, the environment is not that conducive, he says. HSBC, which has a British corporate citizenship, has recently announced a restructuring plan to cut cost and sustain protability. Its nancial targets include a 12-percent to 15-percent return on equity, 48-percent to 52-percent cost efciency ratio as well as a 9.5-percent to 10.5-percent Tier 1 ratio. In terms of the Philippines, we are under the same strategic global imperatives which are to make sure the business is efcient and make sure the prot is consistent with our objectives, says Cripps. As we look at the business in the Philippines, we apply those principles. We have done some restructuring over the past six to 12 months. The business has become more protable, he adds. Cripps, while not disclosing the income of HSBC Philippines, says its business performance has been generally positive and consistent with general growth in the nance sector here. We see the Philippine economy growing. And we see our own business growing faster than the GDP growth, he says. We have a positive outlook and we see the business growing over the next three to ve years. RTD Shown are Frank Kwok, senior managing director at Macquarie Infrastructure Real Assets, Asia; Hans-Martin Aerts, director and head of infrastructure at APG Asset Management Asia; Philip Erquiaga, director general of ADBs private sector operations; and Roberto Vergara, president and general manager of Government Service Insurance System. this strong alliance of partners and we continue exploring investment opportunities in the Philippines, says Aerts. With assets under management of more than 300 billion euros, APG is one of the largest pension fund asset managers in the world. It manages pension assets of more than 4.5 million people in the Netherlands. Philip Erquiaga, director-general for ADBs Private Sector Operations Department, says the Philippine economy is poised to sustain growth this year. I believe the Philippines is ripe for takeoff. Our economists are projecting another strong year of growth in 2012, and timely investment in infrastructure assets, together with continued reforms, scal consolidation, and a focus on transparency being pursued by the current administration, will provide policy makers and investors alike with opportunities not seen in many years, says Erquiaga. The new equity fund, called Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure, is designed to spur infrastructure investments in the Philippines such as in new expressways, railways, energy projects and water systems. The fund will invest in core infrastructure assets with an initial focus on existing projects that need expansion or rehabilitation, but will also be in a position to support the development of critical infrastructure projects from the ground up. RTD

Foreign fund managers bet on PH future

TOP executives of a multilateral bank and foreign fund managers agree the time is ripe to invest in the Philippines. After all, the $220-billion economy grew by 6.4 percent year-on-year in the rst quarter, while the rest of the world was reeling from the European debt crisis. We believe the Philippines to be one of the most promising, if not the most promising country to establish an infrastructure fund and investing in infrastructure, Frank Kwok, senior managing director at Macquarie Infrastructure Real Assets, Asia, a unit of Australias Macquarie Group, says in a news brieng at the Asian Development Banks headquarters in Ortigas. Macquarie agreed to manage a $625million private equity fund to support core infrastructure projects in the Philippines. APG Asset Management Asia, the investment arm of Dutch pension funds Algemene Pensioen Groep, the ADB and the Government Service Insurance System are also contributing to the pool of funds that will be made available to companies. Kwok is particularly optimistic about the Philippines economic prospects. We have been reviewing Southeast Asia, and we believe that the Philippines probably offers the best opportunities in infrastructure projects, he says. Foreign investors are particularly drawn to the countrys young labor force, a most important factor for the continuous expansion of the economy. Kwok says the Philippines requires signicant investments in infrastructure to meet the needs of what is one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in Asia. Hans-Martin Aerts, director and head of infrastructure at APG Asset Management Asia, agrees, saying the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and signicant investments in infrastructure are required to support the continued growth of the economy. Strong economic conditions together with favorable population demographics make the Philippines an attractive investment destination for long-term investors like APG, he says. We look forward to the future success of

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Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY

FEATURES

SUNDAY

AUGUST 5, 2012

A7

Citibank boss
enjoys Manila stint
terms of prot, loans, deposits and assets. Its been a privilege to lead a 110-year old franchise with a strong legacy of success, says Vohra. As the Citi country ofcer, Vohra says growing and protecting the Citi franchise in the Philippines is my responsibility, and that spans governance, management, business and relationships. I am very exible which is necessary in covering such a wide spectrum. I can be supportive to my team but I can also be aggressive when called for, he says. Vohra says with the success of the Citi franchise in the country, the bank tries to help the Philippines in various ways. Our citizenship programs leverage on our expertise as a nancial services company so we are very much involved in micronance as well as in enterprise development, he says. We encourage entrepreneurship and we have initiated programs such as the Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year Awards that

THE country boss of Citigroup, the largest foreign

Sanjiv Vohra, Citis country head and country ofcer, says he and his family enjoy the beauty of the Philippines so much that one time, they even went to swim with the whale sharks. The Philippines is a beautiful country and I say this all the time. My family and I have come to love it here and weve been fortunate to have made deep friendships, Vohra says. A seven-year veteran in the Philippines, Vohra describes their recent Donsol sojourn as a memorable experience. Together, weve visited many spectacular destinations and one memorable trip for us is Donsol where we swam with the whale sharks. The experience was surreal, he says. Vohra left India in 2005 to head the American banks operations in the Philippines, where it has a 110-year presence. The International Banking Corp., forerunner of Citibank, established its rst branch in Manila in July 2002. It is now the largest foreign commercial bank in the Philippines and ranks one of the ve biggest commercial banks in

bank in the Philippines, has only good words for the country and the Filipino people.

recognizes individuals who persevere to uplift their lives and helped build better communities, says Vohra. Citi, he says, also promotes nancial literacy through nancial capability and asset building programs. One of these is Use Credit Wisely which has been around since 2004, providing valuable information to credit card holders. We also support the education of the youth though various activities, he says. Vohra says Citi encourages its employees to be community volunteers. Volunteerism is very much alive in Citi, he says, noting that the bank holds each year a Global Community Day where employees across the world render community service. Last month, Citi celebrated its 200th anniversary as a global company through community service. In the Philippines, we had over 4,500 volunteers who helped in building homes, shared memories with the street children, repainted Citiadopted public schools, hosted sports clinics and cleaned up beaches, he says. This is a milestone for us as employees joined by family and friends signed up to share their time and skills in serving the community, Vohra adds. RTD

French executive admires Filipinos resilience

PHILIPPE Reveilhac, the French country manager of Schneider Philippines, is impressed by Filipino peoples resilience that shines even brighter during natural calamities. I was really shocked, surprised and impressed by the Filipinos solidarity during calamities just like when typhoon Ondoy struck the country, he says. I witnessed Filipinos were relying upon themselves to survive the onslaught of the typhoon. It was the strongest image for me. That is why I love this country, Reveilhac says. Reveilhac also fell in love with the countrys natural attractions, such as the whale shark interaction in Donsol, Sorsogon. Upon arriving in the Philippines, Reveilhac says he acquired a totally different experience. Married to a Mexican, he says he got a better understanding of the local culture because of the similarity between Mexican and Philippine cultures. Reveilhac recalls having so much fun singing with his Filipino staff. Up to now, he relishes the experience of singing Mike Hanopols classic Jeproks during a company activity. Singing Jeproks was a challenge, he says. He speaks highly of the countrys natural resources especially renewable energy because he believes this will help Filipinos achieve stronger energy security and sustainable development. I wish the countrys renewable energy program go full steam because the potentials are already there, he says. Reveilhac says as a tropical country, the Philippines can harness the potential of the sun for solar energy. He adds solar energy can bring great benets to the countryside once the right infrastructure and mechanisms are in place. You have to nd local solutions to the problems in the country. When we speak of energy investment in the country, we can help in managing the programs, manage the program in the rst years and then turn over to the owner, he says. Reveilhace says Schneider can help deliver the right solutions. The company continues to build the brand throughout the world mainly by acquisitions in 2006 and 2007 among them MGE, APC and others. At present, Schneider serves ve markets, namely: energy and infrastructure, buildings, residential, data centers and industry. Schneider Electric (Philippines) Inc. was established in 1996. It has a main ofce in Manila, two branch ofces in Cebu and Davao, and one warehouse. Reveilhac cites the excellent service of the companys shared center services handling accounting and customer services. He says this proves the country has a sold record in the business process. Reveilhac says the Philippines has vast opportunities for growth, as its economy continues to show growth despite the nancial crisis. Since joining Schneider Philippines two years ago, Reveilhac is impressed with the performance of the company. This resulted in attracting a good number of competent people Being an admirer of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Reveilhac says he loves to challenge people to be able to bring out the best in them. He says his team should expect his up-tempo style of work to develop their condence and assert their abilities. Furthermore, Reveilhac encourages the staff to be more active in communicating with their colleagues and superiors, and not be afraid to interact with superiors. There are no stupid questions only stupid answers, he says. I believe we can achieve growth in our other business areas. It has been done in Schneider Electric. I can tell you the focus in the Philippines is very strong from the parent company. They strongly believe in the country and the talent of the Filipinos, he says. Aside from building the business, Schneider Philippines is also active in its corporate social responsibility program through implementing solar lighting programs in selected schools in Payatas, Quezon City. Aside from developing the business, the role of Schneider is to give back to the community by making solutions to some problems to the people belonging to the bottom of the pyramid, he says. By providing lighting solutions to the public schools in the area, Reveilhac says Schneider Philippines implements a solution based on their resources. By providing a solution based on our capabilities we believe we can support education by providing lighting facilities to support it, he says.

JOSE Winylito Tanquis has reason to be proud as he raises a ag to signal the launch of the 58,000-ton Ocean Symphony in the Philippines. Not only did he help build the cargo vessel, his son John now works at the yard. Now, he can buy his own stuff, like shoes and clothes, said Tanquis, 47, a foreman at Tsuneishi Holdings Inc.s yard in Balamban on Cebu Island. At 21, John is the eldest of six siblings who will enter the workforce in the next decade. The so-called demographic dividend from a rising supply of young workers is one reason Japans second-largest shipbuilder expanded in the Philippines, where workers are on average half the age of its Japanese employees. Tsuneishi is considering Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar for another shipyard, said Hitoshi Kono, chief of the companys local operation. The demographic dividend is over for Japan and Korea, and it will be over for China soon, said Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief economist at Itochu Corp., Japans third-largest trading company. Its happening now in the Asean area, and it will continue for some time. Parrotsh llet For Cebu, famous for its luxury beach resorts, that means regional authorities are building another four 10,000 squaremeter (108,000 square-foot) factories this year. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. unveiled its rst outlets on the island in October, while 7-Eleven Inc. chose July 11 to open its rst two Cebu convenience stores. Two hours drive from the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spawhere tourists enjoy parrotsh llet and black-pepper squid overlooking the oceanTsuneishi has launched 11 ships this year, supporting more than 15,000 workers. The company has two shipyards in Japan and one in China. Mitsumi Electric Co., with more than 14,000 staff on Cebu, is among businesses looking to move more manufacturing out of China, said Yoshitsugu Murakami, a spokesman in Tokyo for the electronic-parts maker. Labor costs in China have been rising, Murakami said. Its good for us to shift production to the Philippines little by little. Its easy to recruit talented workers. Standout winner The Philippines is a standout among countries set to benet from a bigger labor pool, with its rate of economic expansion likely to rise as much as 1.5 percentage points during the next decade, according to Chua Hak Bin, an economist in Singapore at Bank of Americas Merrill Lynch division. Standard & Poors this month raised the Philippines credit rating to one level below investment grade, its highest since 2003. In January, Moodys Investors Service elevated Indonesia to investment grade for the rst time since 1997. Education support The demographic dividenda term popularized by economists David E. Bloom, David Canning and Jaypee Sevilla in a 2001 National Bureau of Economic Research study happens when most of a countrys population is in the 15-to-64 working-age range. This increases productivity if supported by policies that promote health, family, labor and nancial and human capital, the study concluded. The Philippine labor force will expand by almost 18 million, or 31 percent, to 75 million by 2020 compared with 2010, Merrill Lynch projected in an April 27 note. The Philippines lured $6 billion last year in pledged foreign investment, led by Japan, where the average wage for a nonagricultural worker is more than 26 times higher, government and International Labor Organization data show. Credit Suisse Group AG in March boosted its estimated trend-growth rate for the Southeast Asian country to about 5 percent, from 4.5 percent to 4.75 percent previously, citing President Benigno Aquinos $16-billion infrastructure program and improved transparency. Aquino, 52, said in a May interview his nations dream to lure manufacturing is happening now. What was once the sick man of Asia now brims with vitality, Aquino said in his State-of-the-Nation speech in Manila. Until recently, we had to beg for investments; now, investors ock to us. Investment has transformed the village of Balamban, which got its rst shopping mall last year, quadrupling its population since the 1980s to about 80,000. There were practically no jobs before, none; nothing was happening until Tsuneishi came, said Renold Macasi, 34, a general foreman at the shipyard. Tanquis, whose next two eldest children are in college, said he hopes all his sons and daughters will get their rst jobs there. The Balamban works built its rst vessel in 1997, and the company forecasts the yard will have P35 billion in sales in 2012, more than double ve years ago. In many ways, the town mirrors the port in Japan after which the company is named, where its original yard began building wooden boats in 1917. Tsuneishi was a very small town just like Balamban, said Kono, 52, who was born in a house overlooking the docks. Balamban now, too, is a shipyard town; everybody gets their happiness from the ships. Bloomberg Hitoshi Kono, president of Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc., poses for a photograph in Cebu. Tsuneishi Holdings Inc., which already has a yard in Balamban, Cebu, is considering Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar for another shipyard, Kono said. Bloomberg

Young talents draw Japanese investors

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ARTS & LIFE

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A8 SUNDAY

AUGUST 5, 2012

Feliciano Lpez Spanish tennis player Feliciano Lpez DiazGuerra was born in Toledo on Sept. 20 1981 and lives in Madrid. Lopez achieved his current careerhigh singles ranking of World no. 15 in February 2012. In 2005, he was the rst male Spanish tennis player to reach the quarter-nals of Wimbledon since 1972, when Manuel Orantes reached the semi-nals. This was Lopezs best Grand Slam result thus far and he repeated it at Wimbledon in 2008, losing to Marat San in four sets, and again in 2011, losing to Andy Murray in straight sets. Lopez replaced Rafael Nadal, who is injured, on Spains tennis team for the London Olympics 2012. He once dated former Miss Spain Maria Jos Surez. Olivier Giroud Twenty-six-year old French football player Olivier Giroud plays for English club Arsenal in the Premier League and the French national team. He is a striker and is known for his size, physical style of play and heading ability.

Eamon Wade Sullivan The 27-year old Australian sprint swimmer rst took the spotlight during the 2002 Australian Age Championships when he won the 50 meters freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group. He was the youngest male member of the Australian Olympic Team during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Sullivan sustained several injuries throughout his career before becoming the fastest swimmer in history after he broke the world 50 m freestyle record at the 2008 NSW Open Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. Sullivan was involved with another Australian swimmer, Stephanie Rice, but their two-year relationship ended in July 2008, just before the Beijing Olympics. James Magnussen The 21-year-old Australian swimmer, known as Australias David Beckham, is the current 100-metre freestyle world champion, and holds the fourth fastest swim in history in the 100-meter freestyle. At the 2012 Australian Swimming Championships, which also served as Australias Olympic trials, Magnussen qualied for the 2012 Summer Olympics by becoming the national champion in the 50 and 100-m freestyle. Magnussen and his three other relay team members came fourth behind France, United States and Russia in the 100 meter freestyle relay race In the 100 m freestyle he competed in the 8th heat and swam with a time of 48.38 seconds. This meant he qualied second into the semi-nals. He also nished rst in his heat for the semi-nals. Magnussens girlfriend is said to be 18-year-old Andrea Patrulescu, a former swimmer.

Olympic eye
candy
(Part 1)
By Joba Botana

CONFESSION time: I watch the 2012 Summer Olympics not just because of the athletic prowess of the competitors. I watch the Games because many of the athletes are very good-looking and I am not alone in this guilty pleasure. Many of my colleagues and friends have crushes on the athletes so I conducted a very informal survey and came up with a list.

Aliya Mustana Aliya Fargatovna Mustafina, an artistic gymnast, was born in Yegoryevsk, Russia. Mustafina first came to international prominence in the 2007 International Junior Competition.

Leryn Franco Thirty-year old Paraguayan model and athlete Leryn Dahiana Franco Steneri specializes in the javelin throw and became an Internet sensation during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She is perhaps more famous for her beauty and modeling than her athletic ability and has appeared, most notably, in the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Her performances at world level are 24th in the 2003 World Championship and 42nd out of 45 at the Athens Olympics. In 2008, she competed in the Beijing Olympics.

Ryan Lochte Ryan Steven Lochte, who recently celebrated his 28th birthday, is an American international swimmer and a nine-time Olympic medalist (ve gold, two silver, two bronze) and a resident of Florida. He has twice earned the World Swimmer of the Year Award and the American Swimmer of the Year Award twice. Lochte specializes in the backstroke and individual medley, but is also a freestyle swimmer. He is noted for the speed and distance he attains while kicking underwater. He attended the University of Florida and graduated in 2007, majoring in sport management. At the Olympics in London, Lochte won his rst gold medal of the games in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:05.18. Commenting on his rst medal of the 2012 Olympics and the head-to-head competition with fellow American and world record holder, Michael Phelps, Lochte acknowledged Phelps greatness while positioning himself as the best today. He is being romantically linked to Australian swimmer Blair Evans.

Stephanie Rice Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice is reportedly considering retirement after the London Olympics. I love swimming. I love competing and representing Australia but if preparations are going to be like the one I just had theres just no way in the world I could keep it up, it was um . . . it was really tough. . . and, sorry, said the 24-year-old Rice.

Missy Franklin American swimmer Melissa Jeanette Missy Franklin was born on May 10, 1995 and is a world record holder and Olympic gold medalist. As part of the American team, she holds the world record in the 4100-meter medley relay (short course). She currently holds the world record in the 200-meter backstroke (short course) and the American record in the 100- and 200 m backstroke (long course). At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, Franklin qualied to swim in four individual events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In her rst event, the 100-meter backstroke, Franklin won the nal with a time of 58.85, breaking Natalie Coughlins American record of 58.94 seconds. Franklin will compete in a total of seven events in London: four individual events (100 m and 200 m freestyle, 100 m and 200 m backstroke) and three relays (4x100 m and 4x200 m freestyle relays, and the 4x100 m medley relay). The 17-year-old California girl is dating swimmer John Martens.

Jasmine Alkhaldi Jasmine Alkhaldi who holds the Philippine record in the 100 buttery and 50 buttery, represents the Philippines in the 2012 Summer Olympics. The 19-year-old beauty is of Saudi Arabian descent. Alkhaldis parents enrolled her in swimming lessons when she was only three years old, after she jumped into a swimming pool for the rst time where she almost drowned. A few years later, she started winning medals in international swimming competitions. (To be continued) CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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SUNDAY AUGUST 5, 2012

Kimmy Dora to Bona

BONA and Gardo are the central gures in the movie Bona, which featured superstar Nora Aunor as a schoolgirl turned alalay (general factotum) and Philip Salvador as a narcissistic struggling actor.
aptation, shares her insight about the difference of the new Bona to the lm. Eugenes Bona is more empowered; she is nancially independent and even supports her family. As a fan, she lays claim to empowerment, as she believes that the inclusion of fan votes in a talent search on TV affords her to choose tomorrows next big star. Since her admiration is also stamped with pity, blinded with altruism, she gives the aspiring star her all, shares Bucoy. I believe Eugene has the stamina, range, and imagination for a physically and emotionally taxing role, she says. Domingo is joined by a stellar cast of theater actors including Phil Noble, Joey Paras, Jeff Henson-Dee, She Maala, Olive Nieto, Dudz Teraa, Junevir Tabor, Juliene Mendoza, Raffy Tejada, Jason Barcial, BJ Forbes, and Anna Luna. The stage adaptation is directed by theater stalwart Soxie Topacio. Yes, theater is my rst love And its so refreshing to do it again. Masarap palaging bumalik sa una mong pag-ibig, di ba? It is Bona Ng Makabagong Panahon. Sinabi ko po na huwag nilang tanggalin... well, its not really the exact Bona, says Domingo. Bona will run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 23 at The PETA Theater Center. For more information, contact 725-6244, (0917) 5765400, petatheater@gmail.com,www.petatheater.com, www.ticketworld.com.ph. Dinna Chan Vasquez In the movie, Bona is so obsessed with Gardo that she agrees to fetch hot water for his bath, scrub his oors, mend his clothes and cook for him. Bona is eventually disowned by her family but Gardo doesnt care. The movie, directed by National Artist for Film Lino Brocka, is a classic. Aunors portrayal of Bona won her the Best Actress Award in the 1980 Gawad Urian Awards. The lm written by Cenen Ramones was also an ofcial entry in the 1981 Cannes International Film Festival Directors Fortnight and was cited as one of the 100 Best Films of the World by The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Bona re-emerges this August as Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) opens its 45th theater season in retrospect of a lm classic that once captivated the hearts of Filipino audiences. Set in contemporary Manila, PETAs stage adaptation of Bona revolves around Eugene Domingo as a spinster call center agent who becomes a fan of Gino Sanchez, essayed by Edgar Allan Guzman as a contestant in the talent search Star of Tomorrow. Blinded by her obsession with Gino, Bona turns her back on everything she values and gives up nearly everything she has. Caught in a quicksand of worship and pity, Bona proves how obsession may overpower love and even lead to a persons demise. Layeta Bucoy, who wrote the stage ad-

From

A9

Prince Charming optional

By Ed Biado

Eugene Domingo takes on the iconic role of Bona

Daddy

knows best
Rafa and Amina Alunan

Amanda Grifn-Jacob hosts the festivities

THE New Beginnings Community and Glamo-Mamas teamed up for a special event to pay

tribute to dads. Glam-oMamas love the Poppas, which was held at the Podium Mall, featured engaging activities designed not just for dads but for all members of the family. Highlighting the event was a photo exhibit that featured high-prole fathers sharing tender moments with their kids. Among the celebrated dads included in the photo exhibit are former Sen. Miguel Zubiri, Quezon Gov. Jay-Jay Suarez, Rafa Alunan, Leo Po and RJ Ledesma. This event was our

way of paying tribute to all hard-working dads, says Jiggs Baarde, F r i e s l a n d C a m p i n a s commercial director. It is the rst undertaking of its kind under the New Beginnings Community banner, since the group has always been focused on expecting mums. As New Beginnings Community espouses the promotion of comfortable and healthy pregnancy, it also underscores the invaluable presence and participation of dads as pillars of strength and cornerstone of a happy family.

Rick Yupangco with daughter Rosanna

ALTHOUGH they are created for children and their plots are quite simple and end with happily ever after, Disney fairy tales actually comment on the state of society and culture. One of the things that is mirrored by the animated lms is the evolving role of women in society. The female protagonists demonstrate how women are perceived and expected to conduct themselves, according to social conventions at the time of the lms release. Snow White, who made her rst appearance in 1937, was a damsel in distress. She was a princess, but a repressed one, and her only known skill was housekeeping and cleaning. Her only wish was for a prince to rescue her from her oppressed life. She ate an applea bad fruit, like the biblical onecausing her to go into coma. What awakened her was the kiss of a prince. In 1950, Cinderella was deprived of her birthright as well. Instead of enjoying a life of luxury, she was kept in the kitchen to tend to the needs and whims of her evil step-family. Her saving grace came in the form of a fairy godmother, a strong feminine gure who could make the impossible possible. Aurora, from the 1959 version of Sleeping Beauty, was a princess who was cursed to die by a bad fairy. However, because of the help of three good fairies, she eluded death and fell into seemingly eternal slumber instead. Thirty years later, the image of a Disney princess has drastically changed. In The Little Mermaid from 1989, for example, Ariel was rebellious, defying the orders of her father and going to places she was not supposed to. Her prince did play a signicant role in having a happy ending, but it was mostly her determination that got they there. Belle, from 1991s Beauty and the Beast, was tired of her boring and provincial life. She liked reading books, indicative of her thirst for knowledge. But she sacriced her dreams to save her father, who was kidnapped by the Beast, a cursed prince. Eventually, she learned to love him. That love revived the Beast when he was killed and released him from the curse. In 1992s Aladdin, the princess, Jasmine, was a supporting character. However, it was her that pushed the antagonist, Jafar, to unleash his fury. It was also her, with the use of charm and seduction, who was instrumental in Jafars defeat. The release of this lm marked the rst time that a Disney princess was not Caucasian. The Native American Pocahontas, whose name means the naughty one, was based on a real historical gure. In the 1995 Disney adaptation, she was portrayed as freespirited and wise beyond her years. She was unwilling to conform to social conventions, like marrying, and was stuck between the old and the new. In the end, she sacriced pursuing new frontiers with foreigner she fell in love with and chose to stay with her peoplethe rst time that a Disney princess didnt end up with her love interest. In 1998s Mulan, the title characterthe rst Asian Disney princesswas a young woman who disguised herself as a man to join the army in place of her elderly father. Her strategic skills led to the victory against an invasion. The Princess and the Frog, released in 2009, had an African American Disney princess, the entrepreneurial and independent Tiana. Another example of gender role reversal, she kissed a prince who was transformed into a frog because of a spell, both of them believing that the curse would be broken. But the kiss made her turn into a frog herself. As the 10th Disney princess, Rapunzel appeared in Disneys 50th animated lm, Tangled. She was well-read, curious and daring. But because of being imprisoned in a tower all her life, she was naive. This, however, didnt stop her from reclaiming her birthright with the help of Flynn, whom she would later marry. In the tradition of Beauty and the Beast, she saved him from dying. This year, the new Disney heroine is more progressive than ever and without a love interest. Shes Merida, the protagonist in Brave. For the rst time, the princess is a legitimate warrior, in this case, a skillful archer. But she still has to abide by certain customs, like being married off to an allied clan, which she vehemently goes against.
Braves Princess Merida is feisty and has a streak of independence.

The FrieslandCampina team: (from left) Len Caccam, Jacqui Marcelo, Jiggs Ramon Lacson with daughters Camille and Celine Baarde and Tanya Pico

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TECH

onlineeditor@manilastandardtoday.com

A10

SUNDAY

AUGUST 5, 2012

Smartphones
for tech savvy Filipinos at hand
GLOBAL smartphone manufacturer High Tech
Computer Corp. (HTC) recently announced the appointment of Richard Javier as its new country manager for Philippines. Javier will be responsible for the over-all operation of HTC here; strengthening its brand and expanding its market share while deepening its relationships with distributors, resellers, and mobile operators.
A Taiwan-based designer and manufacturer of smartphone devices, HTC creates base designs and then offers them to be sold and rebranded by other companies that provide consumer and enterprise mobile services. In 2006, HTC started offering devices under its own HTC brand. With Javier on board, HTCs organizational structure and processes are set to strengthen the companys presence in the Philippine market. I am excited to steer the company towards a stronger presence in the Philippine market. Our smartphones have been well-received by the public; we aim to continue this positive reception and become the preferred brand of technology savvy Filipinos, said Javier. Javier made his debut as the new country manager of HTC Philippines with the launch of new Android phone models in the country the new HTC Desire and One series. HTC Philippines wont engage itself in a price war with other phone manufacturers. Instead, HTC will stick to its strategy of trying to hit the sweet spot between affordability and quality, Javier said. Javier was the Country Manager for Consumer and Small-to-Medium (SMB) Business division of Lenovo Philippines prior to his new post, where he was responsible for the sales and marketing of the companys Consumer and SMB product portfolio. Javier also held top-level positions in retail and the distribution of Nokias products, and was a former key accounts manager for the San Miguel Brewing Group. He was the head of the mobile communications division of LG Electronics Philippines from 2009 to 2011 where he has been credited for building the foundation of the companys mobile business and maintaining profitability. He successfully expanded the companys brand presence in retail stores and LG concept stores nationwide, ensuring consumer access to products and services all over the country. After graduating from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Javier started his career with the Magnolia Corporation, SMC Juice Inc., and San Miguel Brewing Group all subsidiaries of consumer industry giant San Miguel Corporation. With Javier at the helm of HTC Philippines, the company is geared up to continue its brand value and create a competitive advantage through innovation. We will find new ways in enhancing the efficiency of our marketing campaigns throughout the Philippines and we will aggressively take on the Philippine market as we optimize our presence, Javier said.

HTC PH chief:

Preparing online (and ofine) for vacation

ONE of the wonderful things about travel is experiencing things that are new, different, and even unexpected. But, what about those unpleasant surprises? Expecting the unexpected on holiday involves more than brainstorming wet-weather sightseeing options and packing for temperature swings. Its also smart to consider your travel essentials. Could you replace your contact lenses at short notice? What happens to all the music you bought if your music player plops into the swimming pool? Some basic back-up measures will save you a great deal of hassle in case of travel trouble and online services can help you out, too, says Jan Standal, vice president of products at Opera Software, maker of mobile operating system Opera. Making a Plan B for your holiday will help you avoid losing your sanity, even if you lose your suitcase or spending money. Up in the cloud Everybody does a nal check for passports and tickets before jetting off, but what about all your other documents and what should you do in case of loss or theft? Follow tradition and leave copies of your itinerary, insurance and important numbers with a family member or close friend, plus pack a spare for yourself. But, to feel extra secure, scan your documents and store them online (that is, the cloud), so you can access them anywhere in the world. Email your documents to yourself and a loved one, or save them on a secure online storage website like Dropbox, Google Drive or another cloud service. Its simple! Baggage (without the emotion) Fortunately, losing your luggage is a fairly rare occurrence but, if the worst happens, youll be glad for a baggage Plan B. Pack a spare outt in your carry-on bag (yes, even socks and underwear), as well as anything you cant live without, such as medications, prescriptions or a spare pair of glasses. Track any missing luggage easily via Mylostbag.com. Need to buy new clothes in a hurry? Check size-conversion charts online for an instant overview of local clothing and shoe sizes. Not only will new outts let you breathe a sigh of relief, but they could also double as souvenirs. Pocket money Few things will dampen the exuberance of a holiday more than losing your money or credit cards. To prevent loss or theft, divide your cash and credit cards between your hotel room safe (or other hiding spot) and a money belt that ts discreetly under your clothes. Consider also preparing a decoy wallet with some small bills and expired credit cards, to hand over in case of robbery. Remember also to write down the contact details for your credit card companies (and not just on a post-it note in your wallet), so you can call quickly to cancel any lost or stolen cards before they get used. Get your Web surng in sync to your phone or camera, the precious memories you want to share back home are still intact. Get in tune with music and books Cant live without your tunes? When it comes to music, your best bet is to back up your library of purchased or previously downloaded tracks to an external hard drive before you leave on your trip. When it comes to e-books, however, you can store your purchased titles in a virtual library where you can redownload them if needed. Most stores keep all your

Strong Apple shipments drive tablet market in Q2

A RECORD-SETTING quarter for Apples iPad led to a betterthan-anticipated second quarter for the tablet market, according to preliminary data from research rm IDC. Total worldwide tablet shipments for the second quarter of 2012 (2Q12) are estimated at 25 million units; up from 18.7 in the rst quarter of 2012. That represents a quarterbeginning to slow a bit in mature markets where the device saw early traction, growth in other regions is clearly more than making up the difference. Apple shipped 17 million iPads during the quarter, up from 11.8 million units in 1Q12 and well above its previous record of 15.4 million in 4Q11. Apple wasnt the only Finally, only fth-placed Acer saw its year-over-year numbers decline, as it shipped 385,458 units this quarter, down from 629,222 units a year ago. Its worth noting that shipments of the well-received Google/ Asus co-branded Nexus 7 arent reected in these totals, as that product ofcially began shipping into the channel in the third quarter of 2012.

Want to stay connected online this summer? Some web browsers let you synchronize information like your bookmarks and passwords across your computer, phone and tablet. So, even while on the go, your favorite websites or the travel pages you saved on your home computer are backed up on your mobile. This feature is called Opera Link in the Opera web browsers. In Opera browsers, you can also add websites to a Speed Dial shortcut screen to keep the content you need at your ngertips, plus save webpages for ofine access later. Snap happy Those bad old days of taking pictures on vacation, and hoping the lm is okay when you eventually get home, are (thankfully) far behind us. But, whether you take pictures on a high-end camera or just snap away on your phone, its well worth preserving your images online during or after your trip with free photo storage facilities. Try services like Flickr, PhotoBucket or even albums on your favorite social network. That way, if something happens

purchases on your prole, so even if your device plops into the pool, you still have all of your favorite downloads from Amazon, iTunes and most other app, book and music download stores. Charge! Not all countries use the same power outlets. A quick check online will tell you if you need to buy an adapter, and a visit to an electronics store or airport shop should soon set you up. Without an adapter, your mobile phone, camera and laptop will be useless and you dont want to waste time tracking down a local cable at your destination when you could be seeing the sights, sampling local cuisine or relaxing on the beach. If you nd yourself in a bind, ask your hotel about borrowing an adapter or charger cable or ask whether they have one in their lost-and-found pile. (They usually do!) Follow these tips to save yourself time, money and stress, as well as ensuring that your welldeserved vacation is as smooth as possible. Being prepared for a holiday is not just about checking the weather and making sure you have the right clothes.

over-quarter increase of 33.6 percent and a robust year-overyear growth rate of 66.2 percent, up from 15 million units in the second quarter of 2011. IDC said it will release nal shipment totals for the quarter later this month. Apple built upon its strong March iPad launch and ended the quarter with its best-ever shipment total for the iPad, outrunning even the impressive shipment record it set in the fourth quarter of last year, said Tom Mainelli, research director for mobile connected devices at IDC. The vast majority of consumers continue to favor the iPad over competitors, and Apple is seeing increasingly strong interest in the device from vertical markets especially education. While iPad shipment totals are

company to experience solid growth in the second quarter. Four of the top ve worldwide vendors saw their shipments increase year over year. Samsung experienced exceptional growth, and landed in second place with 2.4 million units shipped, up from 1.1 million units a year ago. Amazon rebounded from a sluggish rst quarter to post shipments of 1.2 million units (the company, which ships its Fire tablet only in the US, entered the market in 4Q11). Asus shipped 855,454 units, well above its total of 397,048 units a year ago.

IDC expects competition in the tablet space to continue to heat up in the second half of 2012. In addition to major new products from Amazon and quite likely Apple, we can also expect an inux of Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows RT-based tablets starting in late October, said Bob ODonnell, program vice president for clients and displays at IDC. If anything, theres a real risk that people will have too many options from which to choose this holiday season. Consumers bafed by the differences between Amazon and Google versions of Android, or Windows 8 and Windows RT, may well default to market leader Apple. Or they may simply choose to remain on the sideline for another cycle.

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Sunday
BUSINESS ManilaStandardTODAY
SUNDAY AUGUST 5, 2012

A11

Ramon Ang reveals secrets to success

By Alena Mae S. Flores

WHEN San Miguel Corp. chairman and chief executive Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. announced in late June he was selling his 11-percent stake to company president Ramon Ang, few were surprised.
The 77-year-old Cojuangco announced he had full trust and condence in his 58-year-old protg who has continuously dedicated 100-percent of his time and effort in ensuring the growth of the San Miguel Group to the benet of its shareholders. He said Ang rightfully deserves utmost recognition for transforming the company into a highly diversied and protable business conglomerate. Ang now aspires to be the rst Filipino businessman running a conglomerate with total revenues of P1 trillion in the near term. Humble yet resolute, Ang presides over 10 meetings each day, from 8 a.m. to late at night, while running San Miguels business empire that includes San Miguel Brewery Inc., Ginebra San Miguel Inc., San Miguel Global Power Holdings, San Miguel Properties Inc., San Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc., San Miguel Packaging Group, Petron Corp., Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines, Esso Malaysia Berhad, ExxonMobil Malaysia Sdn Bhd., Exxon Mobil Borneo Sdn Bhd. and Vega Telecom Inc. San Miguel also has stakes in Manila Electric Co., Indophil Resources NL, Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc., Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. and South Luzon Tollway Corp. San Miguel is also expanding Caticlan airport, the gateway to the resort island in Boracay, and hopes to undertake the longest light rail system in Metro Manila to Bulacan. MST Sunday is happy to share with our readers fresh insights from the man behind San Miguels bold diversication strategy which reinvented the company from a conservative food, beverage and packaging rm into a highly-diversied and dynamic conglomerate with interests in vital industries such as power, fuel and oil, infrastructure, mining, telecommunications, airlines and airports. 1. There is no argument that you have made great achievements in business and have built San Miguel into a business that spans across industries in a short time. What is your guiding principle in your business deals? Were always on the lookout for companies that can add value to San Miguel. We have specic investment criteria, but if you look at the businesses we have acquired and entered so far, youll notice they all have one thing in common: They belong to industries that play a key role in our countrys growth. As one of the countrys leading conglomerates, we take very seriously our ability to have a positive impact on the lives of our countrymen. Infrastructure is one such area. The Philippines lags behind many of our Asian neighbors in terms of infrastructure. With the many toll road and mass transport projects in the pipeline, we hope to provide a longterm solution to the worsening trafc situation by helping widen our countrys road network. On a larger scale, we see these new roads and mass transport systems in the context of a larger infrastructure network that will support the growth of the Philippine tourist industry. Were now into airports with the management of Boracay Airport, This is only the rst of several airport projects that we hope to fold into our portfolio. Our entry into Philippine Airlines also ties in with this strategy to boost tourism. We are determined that Philippine Airlines join the ranks of the best airlines in the region and our immediate priorities are to modernize its eet, expand its network and improve passenger service. For Petron, we are currently upgrading our Bataan renery to allow us to process crude from different sources and in the long term produce fuels and petrochemicals more efciently, which would benet consumers. In the area of power, we aim to help address the countrys growing power requirements by building the extra capacity needed to sustain our countrys growth. These are all examples of how we are adding value to our businesses.

2. What is your management style? Youd have to ask the people I work with, I suppose. But I believe in seeking out and getting the best talents to help us run our businesses. Its about teamwork. A few years ago, many people asked why we were entering industries we had no experience in. Our solution was simple: to get on board the best people who know these businesses inside and out, and have them run these businesses. There is no shortage of talented people in San Miguel and many of our employees have gone on to help manage our new businesses. So its really about getting the right people to get the job done, and giving them the leeway and support they need to make the best decisions. On a day-to-day basis, I tend to be very informal, and straightforward in working with our managers and our employees. I value spending time with them and meeting them face to face. As early as 8.30 a.m., there are managers lining up to meet with me and I make it a point to talk to them personally so we can discuss whatever concerns they have. In that sense, you could say that Im very hands-on. 3. How do you start your day? How early do you set up meetings? How late do you end it? How many meetings do you hold per day? Im here at the ofce by 8:00 a.m. or 8:30 and my day usually doesnt end till late at night. On average, I attend around seven to 10 meetings per day with very little let up, but even after leaving the ofce, I still have several appointments to attend to. But I try to make it a point to still have time for my family and for myself. 4. What do you think is the biggest misconception of people about you? I am not sure about peoples misconceptions, but Id like to think that people, once they get to know me, see me as someone whos very down-to-earth and approachable. I have no problem relating to different kinds of people, whether youre an employee, stockholder, business partner, a farmer, small businessman, or a customer. Perhaps some think that because of the many high-prole things weve done

at San Miguel that I am overly ambitious when it comes to growing the company. Ive been told that people think we rush into things without proper evaluation. But in reality, all the businesses weve entered into have strategic t and are part of a master plan. I have no problem acknowledging if someone comes up with something better than what we can offer. You win some and you lose some. I just tell my people that we should work harder next time and not dwell on the negatives when things dont go our way. At the end of the day, just by our participation, weve encouraged other players to take a look at a particular sector and nd ways to participate as well. 5. How do you spend your weekends? Weekends, especially Sundays, are for my family. And like most families, we hear mass together and go out for lunch or dinner together. I enjoy spending time with my children and catching up on their lives. The younger kids sometimes ask me to drive them to McDonalds for burgers and French fries. 6. What more do you want in your personal life? I dont think I could ask for any more than I have. At this point, I am really looking at how we can make a difference and help our country and our countrymen in a meaningful way. That is my personal goal. 7. What more do you want to achieve for San Miguel? How do you see San Miguel in the global arena in 10 years time? There is still a lot we can do in San Miguel, and, as I have said, for the country. Our entire diversication strategy is geared toward helping the Philippines realize its fullest potential. If there is any opportunity for us to contribute, then youre going to nd us in the thick of things. If there are good opportunities elsewhere in the region that will allow us to grow our business further, then why not? But the bulk of our investments will always remain focused on the Philippines. 8. What can you say to young entrepreneurs who aspire to be just like you? Work hard, and most important of all, study a business very well before you go into it. Also, pakikisama is important, especially with your employees. They are the ones who are helping with your business so make sure you treat them fairly. 9. Do you think its good to be RSA (Ramon S. Ang) and not somebody else? I feel very fortunate and blessed to be in a position where I can contribute. So in that respect, the answer would be a denite yes. 10. You always try to show your humble side but have you ever thought of becoming what you are today, leading the countrys biggest and most aggressive conglomerate? I came from humble beginnings. I would be lying if I told you that I foresaw all these things that are happening now. But throughout life, you have a certain attitude, a mindset that guides you through all the life decisions you make. And you have goals. When youve met that particular goal, you move on to bigger goals. You keep doing it and before you know it, you will have achieved many things. So its a progression from one goal to another. You just have to try to be the very best you can be. 11. What or who do you think have been the biggest contributor to your success? We have to be careful about the word success. Being successful is also oftentimes when people start becoming complacent. Besides, we still have so many plans for San Miguel and our work is far from over. But I have been blessed with a supportive family and talented, hard-working, and dedicated people in San Miguel, who have helped our company achieve its business goals. 12. What has been the biggest challenge of getting to the top of your game? I believe that nothing worth pursuing is totally free of challenges. Challenges are a given. Whats important is how you take on these challenges. But if there is anything we can do without, and Im talking about business in general, it would be intrigues or underhanded efforts of some to get an unfair advantage over others. We all have a stake in our countrys success and if we keep pulling each other down then we wont get very far. 13. How do you describe happiness? You know, different things make different people happy. I am happy when I see that we are able to make peoples lives better whether its through our projects, products, services, or social responsibility programs. I think we should all have a bigger, more meaningful purpose in everything we do. On a more personal level, happiness to me is simply being with family, spending quality time with them and watching them make their own way in the world. 14. What is your wish for the Philippines, as one of its most recognized business leaders? That we work together and not let negative factors stand in the way of what we can become as a people and as a nation.

Mr. GDP retires

THE governments chief statistician, who popularized economic statistics and provided a better gauge of the countrys achievements and shortcomings, quietly went into retirement last month. Romulo Virola, 65, who served as the secretary general of the National Statistical Coordination Board from 1991 to 2012, retired on July 2. As NSCB chief, he was the caretaker of national income accounts and the ofcial announcer of gross domestic product data. Virolas term at NSCB spanned ve administrations - the Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo and now the Aquino presidencies - a twodecade of public service that saw the NSCB faithfully and objectively record the countrys economic and social feats in terms of growth and poverty rates. The NSCB, created by the late President Corazon Aquino by virtue of Executive Order No. 121 on Jan. 30, 1987, is the policy-making and coordinating agency on statistical matters in the Philippines. Virolas Statistically Speaking Columns, which regularly appeared on the agencys Web site, touched all aspects of national, regional, provincial and municipal undertakings and provided a comparison of international benchmarks. Meanwhile, the NSCB Technical Staffs Sexy Statistics also tackled and analyzed interesting and relevant statistics in a laymans language. Virola led the development of ofcial poverty statistics, gender statistics, national and regional accounts, tourism, health, education and environment accounts. The agency also developed indices on human, child, gender development, good governance, happiness and hunger. The NSCB website, one of the rst in the country, became among the governments most useful and cost-efcient resources available to the public. Virola also campaigned for greater government investments on statistics, statisticians and statistical ofces. In 2010, the government cited NSCBs meritorious performance, exemplary service and outstanding contribution to the country. Virola, who completed his Bachelor and Masteral Degrees in Mathematics at the University of the Philippines and Ph. D. in Statistics at the University of Michigan, was awarded as one of the outstanding researchers in 2007 by the National Research Council of the Philippines for his scholarly works in statistics and actuarial science. An internationally recognized statistician, he is a member of various global organizations. NSCB assistant secretary-general Lina Castro now serves as the ofcer-in-charge of the agency, pending the appointment of a new secretary general. RTD

Jollibees queen delivers food to schools

By Othel V. Campos
GRACE Tan Caktiong, wife of Jollibee Foods Corp. chairman Tony Tan-Caktiong, believes that no children should go to school hungry. It is hard enough for a child to understand everydays lessons but what can be more difcult than to go to school on an empty stomach? she says. Caktiong is the president of Jollibee Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of JFC. The fastfood giant donates 1 percent of its annual prot to the foundation to fund its projects, including the agship Busog Lusog Talino program. BLT is a school feeding program rst developed in 2007 that addresses hunger among undernourished Grade 1 and 2 pupils. The foundation provides daily lunch to these children for eight months, July to March, of every school year. Grace and Tony Tan Caktiong led the launching of the feeding program at L.R. Pascual Elementary School in Quezon City for the current 2012-2013 school year. The Tan Caktiong couple were classmates at the University of Sto. Tomas when they decided to become business partners and establish the Cubao and Quiapo Ice Cream Houses in 1975. These businesses eventually evolved into what is now Jollibee Foods Corp. Grace graduated cum laude with a BS Chemical Engineering degree at UST and went on to become a certied programmer and system analyst. She established Jollibee Foundation in 2004. She says proper nutrition is actually a part of the education process. This, I think, is the most neglected part of education, she says. The government provides budget for classrooms, teachers and even school supplies but not for feeding. Awareness is there, but what is missing is a force that will catalyze all the altruistic intentions we all have in our minds, says Caktiong. From just eight schools back in 2007, the feeding program now expanded its reach to about 200 cities and towns in 1,090 schools across the nation. This year, the foundation seeks to feed 60,000 students. The foundation provides daily lunch to 40 Grades 1 and 2 pupils at L.R. Pascual Elementary School. Jollibee Foundation executive director Gisela Tiongson says the program has gone as far as Claveria, Cagayan in the north to the southernmost island of Balut in Saranggani in Mindanao. For the rst year, we provide 75 percent of the feeding cost while local government units and schools share 25 percent of the cost. On the second year, it moves to 50-50 percent sharing and then on the third year, the school and the community are expected to continue the project by themselves, says Tiongson. She says there are schools that do not even bother to get assistance from the LGUs. They seek help from their alumni and even from relatives and friends abroad, she says. Tiongson says of all the schools where the LBT program was launched, only 10 percent failed to continue the program beyond the assisted years of Jollibee Foundation. Aside from the feeding program, the foundation has other major undertakings such as the farmer-entrepreneurship program, a project that helps farmers increase productivity and income, as well. Under this program, more than 800 small farmers from Nueva, Pangasinan, Quezon, Bukidnon and Misamiz Oriental have received training and sought assistance on production, marketing and nance. Initially, the program accommodated Nueva Ecija farmers onion produce. After four years, the foundation managed to expand the programs coverage to include calamansi, tomatoes and assorted vegetables for delivery to all Jollibee food stores nationwide. Farmers cooperatives that benefitted from the program and secured supply contracts with Jollibee saw their income

rise as much as three times. Tiongson says the program aims to improve farmers incomes by enhancing their production capability and marketing as well as linking them to institutional buyers such as Jollibee. Farmers are being urged to form cooperatives that will go into agro-enterprise clusters for the purpose of consolidating supply and pooling transport logistics, she says. Jollibee Foundation also provides farmers training on latest technologies and value adding activities to improve productivity and comply with market requirements. Access to credit through micro nance institutions is also one of the assistance the Foundation extends to farmers. The program is currently implemented in Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Quezon, Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur and Davao oriental. Jollibee Foundation expects to further expand its two pivotal programs to ensure that both children and adult beneciaries get the necessary boost, so they can become productive members of Philippine society.

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Sunday
Manila StandardTODAY

Sports
AUGUST 5, 2012

A12

UYTENGSU
RELIES ON SPORTS TO PROMOTE THE PHILIPPINES

SUNDAY

Uytengsu

Alaska Milk Corporation President and Chief Executive Ofcer Fred Uytengsu pedals on his bike past Liloans most famous landmark the Liloan Lighthouse which is about 18 kilometers north of Cebu City. The lighthouse was built by the Americans in 1904 and has kept seafarers safe for more than a century.

By Reuel Vidal

Once an athlete, always an athlete. This adage could not have been more accurate in describing Alaska Milk Corporation President and Chief Executive Ofcer Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.
Watching Mark Spitz win seven gold medals in the 1972 Munich Olympics became a dening moment for Uytengsu who focused on competitive swimming. Spitz Olympic feat motivated him to train four hours a day, six days a week and 50 weeks a year for the next 12 years. Forty years later and Uytengsu remains a hard-driving, intensely competitive athlete whose work ethic denes his life. Just last year Uytengsu and 10 other Filipinos went through the crucible of a full Ironman by competing in the World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii. The Ironman is the ultimate test of endurance which demands participants to complete a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bicycle ride and a 26.2 mile run. Uytengsu collapsed at the nish line but completed the race in a personal best time of 12 hours and 42 minutes. Today he joins 1,700 fellow triathletes to compete in the 2012 Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines to be held in Cebu which he himself organized through Sunrise Events Inc. The is the fourth staging of the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines. The rst three were held in the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur. Theyve had to relocate because of the growing number of participants from 400 in the inaugural race to 650 to 1,100 and now to 1,700. Camarines Sur is not able to handle the landing of large planes and triathletes complained that their bikes wouldnt be accommodated in smaller jets. Hence the move to Cebu where three citiesMandaue, Lapulapu and Cebuas well as Cebu province will co-host the event. Numerous stagings of the event has promoted the Philippines worldwide as a viable tourism destination with foreign arrivals increasing every year. This years race promises to be the biggest ever with participants from 31 countries. Cobra Ironman 70.3 back-to-back champion Pete Jacobs of Australia, who won in 2011 and 2010, will be gunning for a Three-Pete and a third consecutive title. His chief rival will be 2009 Cobra Ironman 70.3 winner

Terenzo Bozzone of New Zealand who returns to the Philippines hoping to recapture the crown. Additionally, Formula One superstar of McLaren and 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, who has painstakingly earned a name in triathlon as well, joins the race with girlfriend Japanese fashion and lingerie model Jessica Michibata. A companion event of the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines is the Alaska Milk Ironkids Triathlon. The local junior version of the international triathlon series is open to kids age 6 to 14 years old. Like the senior event Ironkids asks the participants to swim, bike and run over specic distances appropriate for their ages. The race aims to promote an active lifestyle for the kids. The Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines is not the only international sporting event organized by Uytengsu through Sunrise Events Inc. which promotes the Philippine tourism industry. There is also the Vaseline XTERRA Triathlon, another international event that showcases the country as an attractive tourist destination. XTERRA also holds events in Saipan, New Zealand, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Spain and Germany. Top-ranking athletes from these national championships are invited to compete at the XTERRA World Championship. XTERRA Philippines has been held

at Nuvali, Laguna at Tagaytay and the last one also in Cebu. Because of Uytengsus love for sports Alaska Milk Corporation is heavily into sports development through the Alaska Power Camp which runs camps all over the country for basketball and football. The Alaska basketball camp has expanded to include a tie-up with the National Basketball Association where the best young basketball players in the country are recruited to form the Jr. NBA team. The football camp on the other hand has expanded and holds the annual Alaska Football Cup which has become the biggest amateur football competition in the country. Many chief executives can talk the talk. They say the right things about the social responsibility of companies to help in development. They talk of supporting sports programs because success in sports rallies the public and instills pride in the nation. But Uytengsu does not just talk the talk. He also walks the walk. As a disciplined, hard working executive and athlete he serves as role model not just for his subordinates in the corporate world but also for kids who are into sports. Through his initiative Alaska Milk supports sports development helping inculcate positive values and practices among both the young and the old. He uses sports and organizes events that help the countrys tourism industry to the benefit of the public.

Uytengsu will also compete in the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines which he organized.

Meet the charmers of UAAP Season 75

THERE was a time when college basketball games was just about sweating players, screaming coaches, graceful cheer dancers in custom outts who y through the air, and school mascots begging to become the center of attention. Nowadays beauteous sideline reporters, whose main goal is to disseminate behind-thescene information that spectators would never have known otherwise, have burst into the national consciousness as part of the coverage. They add to the reportage of games by talking of strategies, injury updatessometimes even going all the way inside locker roomsand interesting personal facts about players. De La Salle Universitys Angeline Billie Capistrano is someone you most denitely want to have around, especially if you need important questions asked about the Green Archers. The 20-year-old organizational communication major has a way with words and knows her basketball. Apple David, 19, a communication senior at Miriam College does sideline reporting for Adamson University. It was her passion for the sport that motivated her to audition for a slot. She has been constant in watching UAAP basketball games since 2006. Currently a junior jock for Magic 89.9, Bea Fabregas made a big leap to TV broadcasting as sportscaster for the University of the Philippines. The 20-year-old speech communication senior is also UAAP lawn tennis player. Katrina Alexandria Salao believes in going after her dreams. Katz, her nickname, is somebody who makes things happen. The 22-year-old journalism senior at UP Diliman is the courtside reporter for the University of the East Red Warriors. Beauty pageants give young women a platform to start their careers. Murielle Adrienne Isidore Orais, rst gained attention as Miss Philippines-Water 2011. The erstwhile beauty queen is now the reporter for National University, the host of UAAP Season 75. To prepare for her chores, Muriel had a crash course on basketball theories, sports writing basics and observed the Bulldogs during practice games. While Selina Dagdag reports about the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles team, one thing is sure, most of the spectators will have their eyes on this bubbly mestiza beauty. The 19-year-old communication sophomore is also a correspondent for a magazine that caters to preteen and teenage girls. Maria Kristina Marasigan is on her second year as sportscaster for the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers but still learns new things and skills in her work. The 24-year-old psychology graduate serves as mentor to her younger counterparts. Tina, as her friends call her, works for dzMM Teleradyo. She was a Ford Supermodel of the Philippines 2009 nalist and seminalist to Shamcey Supsup in the Binibining Pilipinas 2011 tilt. These beautiful charmers are showing that courtside reporting is not a mans exclusive domain anymore. Text and photos, Giovanni Paolo J. Yazon

Angeline Capistrano of DLSU

Apple David of Adamson

Selina Dagdag of Ateneo

Katrina Alexandria Salao of UE

Bea Fabregas of UP

Judy Saril of FEU

Muriel Orais of NU

Tina Marasigan of UST

One look into the eyes of Judy Saril and most The 18-year-old tourism management junior Far Eastern University Tamaraws will have has that irresistible girl-next-door beauty and problems trying to say no to an interview. dazzling smile.

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