DUTERTE TO WATER FIRMS: RETURN THE MONEY OF THE PEOPLE THEN WE TALKMANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday that he would be opento talks with water firms if they return the money they allegedly stole fromconsumers in an apparent shift from his hard-line stance on what he haddescribed as "onerous" water deals.Duterte said he would like to know where the money collected by waterdistributors Manila Water and Maynilad from consumers went."So where is the money? Where is the money of the Filipino people? Where isthe money of the average Filipino who are poor but who pay (their waterbills), who pays his water bill and he has to pay because if it will be cutoff, it would give him a lot of headache for the day?" the president saidduring the oath taking of new appointees in Malacañang."Where is the money of that son of a b****? Give us back the money. Give itback to the people and maybe we can talk about solving your problem. It willnot be the problem of this government," he added.Duterte previously said he does not want to negotiate with waterconcessionaires, whom he had accused of "milking" Filipinos by the billions.The president had also ordered the justice department and the Office of theSolicitor General to draft new water contracts that would be moreadvantageous to the public. He had threatened to order the military to takeover water distribution if Manila Water and Maynilad refuses to accept thenew deals."They're (water firms) trying to reach out for a settlement. Let us see howit develops. Talagang galit ako as in galit (I am really furious)," thePresident said."Hindi ako nagyayabang. Hindi ako matapang. Pero p***** i**, 'pag naasar akosa'yo, sasampalin kita sa harap ng tao (I do not brag. I am not brave. Butson of a b****, if I get angry with you, I will slap you in public."LIST WORKERS WITH CHINA TRAVEL HISTORY, MAKATI ORDERS FIRMSMAKATI — The Makati City government yesterday ordered businesses in thecity, including Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), to name theiremployees with a history of traveling to China amid the spread of the novelcoronavirus (nCoV).Mayor Abby Binay asked for the cooperation of the businesses as the citygovernment works to put in place measures to prevent the disease fromspreading.The office of the city administrator has ordered all business and commercialestablishments to file the names of their employees who visited China, HongKong and Macau with the city government, it said in a statement yesterday.The city government said it will revoke the business licenses of firms thatfail to comply.The virus is said to have originated in the city of Wuhan in Hubei provincein China.Binay previously ordered a committee to inspect businesses and conductinformation campaigns on nCoV.The city’s health department has been using infrared thermometers to checkthe body temperatures of employees and visitors at the city hall andbarangay centers.The city government has also converted its hostels called Friendship Suitesinto isolation areas where people found to be positive for nCoV would bebrought. No nCoV case has been recorded in Makati so far.CHINA VIRUS DEATH TOLL HITS 636, MORE THAN 30,000 INFECTIONSBEIJING - The official Chinese death toll from the coronavirus outbreak roseon Friday to 636, with the government saying total infections had climbedpast 30,000.The toll was raised by 73 new deaths from the epidemic, the National HealthCommission said in its daily update.Another 3,143 new cases of infection were confirmed, bringing totalinfections in the country thus far to 31,161, it said.The central province of Hubei where the virus originated continued to behardest-hit, accounting for 69 of the new deaths reported in the 24 hours toFriday.Of the reported infections, more than 4,800 of those people were in seriouscondition.Chinese authorities are still struggling to contain the outbreak despiteordering millions of people indoors in a growing number of cities, withoverwhelmed hospitals struggling to treat the surging numbers of ill.The contagion emerged in the Hubei provincial capital of Wuhan in December,later spreading to the rest of China and more than two dozen othercountries, prompting the World Health Organisation to declare a globalemergency.The number of confirmed infections in China could still grow significantly,with the health commission saying that more than 26,000 other people were"suspected" of having contracted the virus.MORE THAN 500 FILIPINOS STAYING IN QUARANTINED SHIP IN JAPAN: ENVOYAuthorities are providing the needs of 538 Filipinos who are quarantined onboard a cruise ship docked in Japan due to the novel coronavirus, PhilippineEmbassy in Tokyo Deputy Chief of Mission Robespierre Bolivar said Friday.The ship Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama after a formerpassenger, who disembarked in Hong Kong last month, tested positive for thevirus. At least 61 people on the ship, including a Filipino seafarer, havetested positive for the pathogen, Tokyo's health ministry said.Japanese authorities bring food and supplies daily to the ship, wherepassengers are barred from leaving their WiFi-equipped rooms, said Bolivar.The sailor who tested positive was brought to a hospital for additionaltests and treatment, to which he was responding "positively", Bolivar toldDZMM.There are more than 3,700 passengers and crew on the ship, which has beenoff Japan's coast since Monday evening. It docked in Yokohama on Thursday toresupply for a quarantine that could last until February 19.Japan hosts some 300,000 land-based Filipinos, none of which have caught thenew coronavirus.The pathogen has killed at least 630 people and infected some 30,000 sinceemerging from Wuhan City in central China a few weeks ago, authorities saidFriday.PH MONITORS 300 CHINESE TOURISTS IN VIRUS-FREE BORACAYTourist hotspot Boracay island remains free of a novel coronavirus outbreakfrom China, an official said Friday, as authorities monitored some 300Chinese here for signs of infection.None of the Chinese tourists, who are checked by health officials twice aday, showed symptoms like fever, colds and cough, said Madel Joy Tayco,deputy information manager of the island's task force for the pathogendubbed 2019-nCoV."We are still safe and free from nCoV... Zero case po kami (we have zerocase of the disease)," she told radio DZMM.The Chinese tourists arrived in Boracay before the government's travel banon the whole of China and its territories, said Tayco.The novel coronavirus has killed at least 630 people and infected more than30,000 in a matter of weeks, authorities said Friday.BILLIONAIRE RAZON OFFERS TO BUY MORE MANILA WATER SHARESMANILA -- Billionaire Enrique Razon offered to buy the rest of Manila Water,seeking to consolidate his control as the government renegotiates itscontract to supply water to the capital's east zone, according to a stockexchange filing on Friday.Razon's Prime Metroline Holdings set the tender offer at P13 per share,Manila Water said in a disclosure. On Tuesday, the port magnate got a51-percent or majority voting interest after securing proxy rights from thewater firm's parent, Ayala Corp.The government is renegotiating its contracts with Manila Water and MayniladWater Services Inc, which supplies the west half of the capital, afterPresident Rodrigo Duterte tagged the concession agreements as "onerous."Shares of Manila Water fell 9 percent after the tender offer was announced.The P13 offer is lower than Manila Water closing price of P14.96 onThursday.After Duterte's tirades late last year, Manila Water dropped a P7.4-billioncompensation claim which was awarded by a Singapore-based arbitration courtover denied petitions for tariff hikes.CHR: DON'T LET NCOV HYSTERIA RESULT IN 'IRRATIONAL' TREATMENT OF PEOPLEMANILA — As the deadly coronavirus has spread to more than 20 countries,including the Philippines, it has carried with it a rising anti-Chinesesentiment.There has been a spike in reports of anti-Chinese rhetoric worldwidedirected at people of Asian origin, regardless of whether they have visitedthe epicenter of the disease or have been contact with carriers of thevirus.This prompted the Commission on Human Rights to caution the public againstvilifying others on the basis of race.“What is equally concerning is how this outbreak has also resulted [in]undue discrimination against other people and race,” Jacqueline De Guia, CHRspokesperson, said in a statement Friday.De Guia stressed that science and reason should guide the actions ofgovernments and individuals.“With the world confronted with a virus with little information known, it ishuman to be afraid. But we must not allow hysteria and paranoia result [in]othering and irrational treatment of people,” she said.FLIGHTS FROM CHINA ONLY CARRY FILIPINOS, FOREIGNERS WITH PERMANENT VISAS —IMMIGRATIONMANILA — Flights from parts of China arriving to the country amid a travelban only carry Filipinos and foreign nationals with permanent resident visasin the country, the Bureau of Immigration said.Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval explained that some internationalairlines have continued operations from China to Philippines. This comesamid social media posts reporting continuing arrival of flights from Chinaeven with the travel ban still in effect.In a message to Philstar.com, Sandoval stressed that the flights “may onlycarry Filipinos and foreign nationals who are carrying permanent residentvisas to the country, as well as foreign nationals to the areas of concern.”PUV DRIVERS DAPAT MAGSUOT NG FACE MASK: LTFRBMAYNILA - Muling pinaalalahanan ng Land Transportation Franchising andRegulatory Board (LTFRB) ang mga operator, drivers at konduktor ng publicutility vehicle na tumugon sa kautusang magsuot ng face mask sa gitna ngbanta ng 2019 novel coronavirus sa bansa.Ayon kay LTFRB Chair Martin Delgra III, ang Memorandum Circular 2020-005 ayipinalabas bilang hakbang para hindi kumalat ang virus."Panawagan natin sa mga drivers and operators to really comply with thememorandum cirucular. I hope hindi na rin aabot sa pagmumulta sa kanila kung'di sila na mismo hahanap ng paraan makahanap ng face mask at gagamitin dinlalong-lalo na sa pagmamaneho," sabi ni Delgra.Sa panayam sa DZMM, idiniin ni Delgra na may polisiya ang LTFRB namagpapataw ng parusa sa mga hindi sumusunod sa kanilang circulars."May violation po 'yan na tinatawag na breach of franchise so may kaakibatna penalty patungkol dyan at least P5,000 ang violation," sabi niya.Batid din aniya ng LTFRB na nagkakaubusan na ng face masks hindi lamang saMetro Manila."What we're actually doing here is substantial compliance. Maglagay langpangtakip para lang 'di makakahawa sa ibang tao and also to encourage theriding public to do the same," dagdag niya.Bukod sa pagsusuot ng face masks, inatas rin ng LTFRB ang paglalagay ng handsanitizers sa terminals.Naglagay na rin aniya ang LTFRB ng safety tips na galing ng Department ofHealth sa mga terminals bilang paalala sa publiko.EX-MRT 3 EXEC, IN-LAW GET 16 YEARS FOR GRAFTMANILA — Former Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) general manager AlVitangcol III and his uncle-in-law Arturo Soriano have been sentenced to upto 16 years in prison by the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court which found themguilty of purposely concealing their relationship in order to allow serviceprovider Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp. (PH Trams) tobag a multimillion-dollar deal for MRT-3 maintenance.In a 45-page decision promulgated on Jan. 31 and released to the mediayesterday, the court’s Third Division found Vitangcol and Soriano, one ofthe incorporators of PH Trams, guilty of violating Section 3 (e) of RepublicAct 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 47 of RA9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.They were sentenced to a minimum of six years to a maximum eight years ofimprisonment for each offense or a total of 12 to 16 years. They were alsoperpetually banned from holding public office.Vitangcol and Soriano may appeal their conviction through a motion forreconsideration.Vitangcol was unavailable for comment as of press time. Soriano told TheSTAR over the phone that he has already filed a motion for reconsideration.Soriano is currently the chief of the Pangasinan Provincial AccountingOffice.The Third Division, on the other hand, acquitted the four other accused inthe cases, namely, PH Trams incorporators Wilson de Vera, Marlo dela Cruz,Manolo Maralit and Federico Remo.The court said the prosecution team of the Office of the Ombudsman failed toestablish that the PH Trams incorporators colluded with one another and withVitangcol before, during and after the bidding process for the maintenancedeal.The ombudsman filed the cases in 2015, or three years after the awarding ofan interim maintenance contract to joint venture PH Trams and CB&T.2 PASAY CONCERTS TO PUSH THROUGHMeanwhile, two concerts by foreign performers will push through in PasayCity despite the nCoV threat, accoring to the city government.K-pop group Seventeen’s concert will push through at the Mall of Asia Arenatomorrow but its organizer, Pulp Live, requested concert goers to comeearly.The concert of 1990s boy band 98 Degrees was moved from Feb. 25 to May 21.The cancelled events were the Acer Predator League 2020 and a convention ofthe Tzu Chi Foundation.Yesterday, Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano asked organizers to “help ensurethe safety of patrons, performers and all other persons involved in theseevents from the 2019 nCoV and other health concerns.”“Pasay... is a regular host-city of big local and international events suchas concerts, stage acts, conventions and others which are usually attendedby thousands of people. We must therefore exert all efforts to ensure safetyas well as convenience for everybody involved in these events,” she said.Rubiano said event organizers should use forehead thermometers, place handsanitizers in strategic locations and maintain the cleanliness of eventvenues.AGUILAR TO MEET WITH POGOSIn Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar said yesterday she is set to meet withrepresentatives of POGOs to make sure that their workers who went home toChina for the Lunar New Year do not have nCoV.Las Piñas has no reported nCoV cases so far.Aguilar directed city health officer Dr. Ferdinand Eusebio to train allmedical personnel on how to handle nCoV cases.She also underscored the importance of accurate information to prevent thespread of nCoV.Aguilar also reminded the city’s 20 barangays of the Department of theInterior and Local Government directive to form their respective BarangayHealth Emergency Response Teams and visit households of travelers arrivingfrom countries affected by nCoV and record the daily body temperatures ofthe travelers, who will be under home confinement, for the next 14 days.LIZA AT ENRIQUE, NALUNGKOT SA HIWALAYANG JAMES, NADINEMAYNILA -- Ikinalungkot ng magkasintahang sina Liza Soberano at Enrique Gilang naging hiwalayan nina James Reid at Nadine Lustre, o mas kilala bilangJaDine.Ibinahagi ng dalawa ang saloobin sa naging hiwalayan ng JaDine sa mediaconference ng kanilang serye na "Make It with You.""It's actually kinda sad kasi sanay na kami na in all events, lahat kami,buo kami, kumpleto kami," ani Liza."And we are friends with James and Nadine, we were hanging out before. Ithink we were also in London, we were hanging out there. It's just sad,"dagdag ni Enrique.Pag-amin ni Liza, hindi pa rin siya sanay sa katotohanang hiwalay na sinaJames at Nadine."It's like there is no getting used to it, feeling namin sila pa rin. Kahit'yung JoshLia (Joshua Garcia at Julia Barretto) feeling namin [sila parin]," ani Liza.Para naman kay Enrique, naniniwala siyang maaaring magbago pa ang lahat parasa JaDine pagdating ng panahon."I'm not in the position to judge or intrude. So I mean... if they are happywhere they are right now, I totally respect it. But of course, sayang. But Ithink hindi pa naman tapos eh, marami pang mangyayari in the future... Thereis always a chance," aniya.SHE SAID YES! KRIS BERNAL GETS SURPRISE PROPOSAL FROM NON-SHOWBIZ BFMANILA—She was said to have arranged the whole thing, a birthday bash heldat a restaurant in Quezon City this Thursday night for her non-showbizboyfriend, chef and businessman Perry Choi.But perhaps what actress Kris Bernal did not plan was saying yes to Choi'ssurprise marriage proposal.The lovely moment was captured by Nice Print Photography, which sharedphotos with the caption: "So this just happened."Bernal and Choi have been dating for more than three years.They first revealed their relationship last 2017, and just last JanuaryBernal thanked her partner for loving her "endlessly, honestly, constantly,completely, with all [his] heart, mind, and being."NBA SCORES FEB 5FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Suns 20-31    31    30    25    22    108team logo Pistons 19-34    38    26    25    27    116SCORING LEADERS    K. Oubre Jr. PHO30 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST    A. Drummond DET31 PTS, 19 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pacers 31-20    20    43    23    32    118team logo Raptors 37-14    30    18    34    37    119SCORING LEADERSM. Brogdon IND24 PTS, 6 REB, 6 ASTK. Lowry TOR32 PTS, 8 REB, 10 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Warriors 12-40    25    22    17    24    88team logo Nets 23-27    40    28    27    34    129SCORING LEADERSD. Russell GS17 PTS, 3 REB, 3 ASTC. LeVert BKN23 PTS, 4 REB, 8 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Magic 22-29    24    32    24    20    100team logo Celtics 35-15    32    25    30    29    116SCORING LEADERSE. Fournier ORL26 PTS, 4 REB, 1 ASTJ. Tatum BOS33 PTS, 8 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Cavaliers 13-39    28    25    28    22    103team logo Thunder 31-20    29    32    23    25    109SCORING LEADERS    C. Sexton CLE23 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST    D. Schroder OKC30 PTS, 5 REB, 6 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Hawks 14-38    36    28    32    31    127team logo Timberwolves 15-35    24    32    21    43    120SCORING LEADERS    T. Young ATL38 PTS, 4 REB, 11 AST    A. Wiggins MIN25 PTS, 7 REB, 3 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Grizzlies 26-25    31    28    41    21    121team logo Mavericks 31-20    32    24    22    29    107SCORING LEADERSJ. Morant MEM21 PTS, 1 REB, 3 ASTK. Porzingis DAL32 PTS, 12 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Nuggets 36-16    25    24    23    26    98team logo Jazz 32-18    32    25    18    20    95SCORING LEADERSJ. Murray DEN31 PTS, 2 REB, 4 ASTM. Conley UTA21 PTS, 8 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Heat 34-16    23    35    22    31    111team logo Clippers 36-15    25    30    37    36    128SCORING LEADERSD. Jones Jr. MIA25 PTS, 9 REB, 3 ASTP. George LAC23 PTS, 5 REB, 10 AST