The Standard - 2015 April 25 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 69  2 Sections  24 Pages  P18  SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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‘Veloso will be executed’

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Presidential legal adviser also resigns

‘TWISTED PATH’ MADE SEVILLA QUIT Next page

Whoa! Volunteers try to control a hose while trying to extinguish a fire on the ground floor of a building under construction in Makati on Friday. AFP

Park Triangle to rise in Bonifacio

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Bulls, Cavs near dream showdown

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UNA: Sevilla resignation mocks ‘daang matuwid’ CAguioA

President’s top legal aide also quits job

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

New Customs chief. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, left, administers the oath of office to new Bureau of Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina as resigned BoC head John Philip Sevilla looks on at the Customs building in Port Area, Manila. DANNY PATA

By Maricel V. Cruz, Vito Barcelo and Sandy Araneta THE opposition said Friday the resignation of Customs chief John Sevilla demolished the myth of the Aquino administration’s much ballyhooed “Daang Matuwid” or straight path policy.

Sevilla, who blamed political pressures for his decision to quit, was proof of the corrupting influence of key officials in the ruling Liberal Party, said the interim president of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco.

“This is not straight path. Instead there are signs that Sevilla could not stomach the twisted path of the administration,” Tiangco said in a statement.

He described the LP as “a corruption machine working in the background and putting pressure on government appointees in sensitive positions, to milk the government coffers in the last two minutes of the Aquino administration and to contribute to its fundraising campaign.”

Tiangco said Sevilla is known to be an anti-corruption advocate and would rather resign than be tainted by impropriety.

He said true anti-corruption advocates could not last long in the Aquino administration, which only pretends to be against graft.

In resigning, Sevilla cited his helplessness against influence peddlers and admitted there were political pressures at work.

Sevilla did not say who was pressuring him, but said he would not let his agency be a milking cow for the 2016 elections.

“The pressure from the LP for Sevilla to contribute [to the party’s election kitty] was too much for Commissioner Sevilla to stomach so he resigned,” Tiangco said.

“He did not want to be used for politics and he did not want his name sullied.”

Sevilla replaced former congressman Ruffy Biazon as Customs chief in December 2013, after Biazon was implicated in the pork barrel scandal.

Alberto Lina, who was Customs chief under the previous administration, has been appointed to replace Sevilla.

With the 2016 national campaign just a few months away, Tiangco noted that the Aquino administration is circling the wagons by appointing people in key government positions like Lina to government agencies that can contribute to the LP’s campaign kitty.

“Bert Lina is known as a close associate of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, and both are members of the Hyatt 10. And the Hyatt 10 are known to be allied with the Senate President, who is also the vice chairman of the Liberal Party,” Tiangco said.

The Hyatt 10 is a group of government officials who resigned in 2005 during the height of the “Hello Garci” scandal that

plagued the Arroyo administration.

Lina is known to have contributed a large amount of money to the campaign kitty of then senator and presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III and his defeated running-mate, Roxas.

Lina is the chairman of the Lina Group of Companies, which includes Air21, a logistics firm.

The Palace said Friday Lina will divest himself of his interest in the companies he owns and also denied the opposition accusation that Sevilla’s resignation was related to LP fundraising for the 2016 elections.

“The persistent question I have been getting is the apparent conflict of interest of the new BOC commissioner.... Commisioner Lina is in the process of divesting his interest in his brokerage company to erase any kind of conflict of interest by virtue of his appointment as commissioner of the BOC,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

She did not mention Lina’s other companies: Shopinas. com, Integrated Waste Management Inc., Cargohaus Inc., DOS 1, Warm (Waste and Resource Management), U-Freight Philippines, Linaheim Properties, Solarlina, LGC Logistics, Credit Solutions & Business Alliances Inc., Lina Farms, GO 21, E-Konek, Ube Media, 2100 Customs Brokers Inc, U-Ocen Inc, and Linaheim Corporate Travel and Tours.

During the 1990s, Lina owned only about 10 of these companies, before expanding his business.

Most of the companies are in logistics or freight forwarding,

warehousing, customs brokerage, and similar businesses.

Lina on Friday vowed to continue the reforms and programs initiated by Sevilla, adding that it will be a gargantuan task to clean up the graft-ridden bureau.

Lina also said he will divest himself of his interest in his brokerage company to erase doubts of any conflict of interest.

During the turnover ceremony held at the BOC, Lina also vowed to improve revenue collections of the agency.

“I would like to focus on an even bigger challenge--Asean integration. This is no longer just a concept, it is already a reality. This initiative is expected to increase trade and economic activity with our ASEAN neighbors. It is imperative that we ask ourselves if we are prepared for this impending expansion. We have no other recourse.

We must be ready. It is time to engage our ‘“bosses’ in an environment revitalized with the spirit of true and efficient service,” he said.

He said he would make fighting corruption, one of the biggest impediments to economic growth, a priority.

“We must battle this with a combination of factors – increased awareness, appropriate technology, and resolute action on violators. We will continue to be as transparent with our data. We will light up the darkest corners where this malady lingers. We will not abandon the campaign to eliminate it.

In fact, we will expand it and pursue the campaign with more determination,” he said.

He also said he will continue to decongest the ports.

– With Macon Ramos-Araneta

CHIEF presidential legal counsel Benjamin Caguioa resigned last week, a well-placed source told The Standard Friday.

Caguioa reportedly informed President Benigno Aquino III of his decision.

“He talked to the President last Thursday, explaining his decision to resign. He said he wants to focus on his private law firm,” the source said in a phone interview.

Caguioa’s resignation comes on the heels of the appointment of former deputy executive secretary for legal affairs Michael Aguinaldo as chairman of the Commission on Audit.

Both Caguioa and Aguinaldo are key members of Aquino’s legal team in the Palace.

Caguioa, who replaced Eduardo de Mesa in January 2013, was a classmate of the President at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Caguioa took up economics at the Ateneo de Manila University as his pre-law.

He was a senior partner of the Caguioa and Gatmaytan law office and taught law at the Ateneo and San Sebastian College, specializing in litigation and arbitration.

On Friday, the Palace also announced the appointment of Fluellen Ortigas, a former aide of his the President’s late father, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., as board member of the Martial Law Historical Advisory Committee.

Ortigas’ appointment was contained in a letter dated April 16 and addressed to National Historical Commission of the Philippines chairperson Maria Serena Diokno.

Also appointed by the President was Felix Perry Villananueva and Reynaldo Bicol Jr. Villanueva was named undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Bicol was assigned to the Interagency Council Against Child Pornography, of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for a term of three years. –With Sandy Araneta

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Veloso execution a done deal JAKARTA, Indonesia – Relatives and diplomats rushed to an Indonesian prison island Friday ahead of the looming executions of nine foreign drug convicts—including Filipino maid Mary Jane Veloso—who are set to be shot in defiance of international outrage.

Indonesia has advised consular officials to go to Nusakambangan, the high-security prison island where its executions are carried out, and where all of the death row convicts have now been taken.

The government said an exact date for the executions could not be decided yet, as a judicial review was still pending for the sole Indonesian in the group of 10 people who face death by firing squad.

“We hope that the decision will be made as soon as possible so that we will have a chance to determine the D-Day of the executions,” Tony Spontana, spokesman for Indonesia’s attorneygeneral, told reporters.

“The theme of the impending executions is a war against drugs,” he said, while indicating that more than the legally required minimum notice period of 72 hours might be given to the foreign embassies.

The foreigners—two from Australia, one each from Brazil, France and the Philippines, and four from Africa -- have all lost appeals for clemency from President Joko Widodo, who argues that Indonesia is fighting a drugs emergency.

Veloso, a 30-year-old maid whose two sons aged 12 and six have come to spend her final hours with her, was transferred Friday morning under heavy police guard to Nusakambangan, sparking protests in Manila.

Her lawyers filed another court bid to halt the process but Indonesia says all judicial reviews and appeals for clemency have been exhausted, and that such attempts are merely delaying tactics. AFP, Vito Barcelo, Sandy Araneta, Rio N. Araja

Indonesian police officers escort an armored vehicle that took Filipina drug convict Mary Jane Veloso to Nusakambangan maximum security prison island in Cilacap off central Java island. Ten convicts -- from Australia, France, Brazil, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana and Indonesia—will face the firing squad after recently losing appeals for presidential clemency, typically the final chance to avoid execution. AFP

Binay: Rich nations should protect neighbors VICE President President Jejomar Binay on Friday urged the leaders of the rich Asian and African nations to be protectors of their neighbors instead of being sources of insecurity and fear.

Binay made the call during the first Bandung Conference in Indonesia to promote peace and the sovereignty of nations over their territories, saying these had “gained greater validity and relevance over time” and “remain the best weapons of the weak against the strong.”

The call was described as a response to China’s continuing reclamation work in the West Philippine Sea that is said to have destroyed the environment.

The Philippines has filed a complaint against China before a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal in an attempt to have China’s vague nine-dash line claim in the West Philippine Sea declared illegal.

In other developments: • A Southeast Asian summit will urge “self-restraint” in the South China Sea but avoid directly criti-

cizing Chinese actions that have fanned tensions in the contested waters, a diplomatic source with knowledge of a draft statement said Friday.

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gather in Malaysia on Monday for an annual meeting expected to include discussion of efforts under way by China to create islands on fragile coral reefs who ownership is disputed.

The actions have outraged the Philippines and added to regional concerns over Beijing’s assertion of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea. • The Philippines has intensified the patrols in the West Philippine Sea following the aggressive actions by Chinese ships against Filipino fishermen.

“We have to do our mandate to protect and defend our territory,” said Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, head of the Western Command based in Palawan.

“We will use all our assets to patrol the West Philippine Sea,” Lopez said.

• The head of the Bureau of Fish-

eries and Aquatic Resources said Friday China’s reclamation in the South China Sea had damaged 311 hectares of coral reef.

“The effect is coral degradation, the destruction of fish fingerlings and the areas where the fish live,” agency head Asis Perez said.

• Malacañang on Friday said Filipino fishermen do not need permission from China to fish in the disputed waters in the South China Sea. “Our fishermen do not need permission to fish in our waters,” presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said.

Binay, reading the Philippines’ position during the 10th anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership and the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, also emphasized the opportunity of testing the principles in the relationships between nations in the “Global South.”

“But the spirit of Bandung could have a greater opportunity to be tested not necessarily in the relationship between North and South but in the relationship between

South and South,” Binay said.

“The spirit could come fully alive when the more powerful countries in Asia and Africa, instead of becoming the source of insecurity and fear for others, would act as protector of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their lesser neighbors.

“We would like to believe that the countries that had the courage to proclaim the spirit of Bandung 60 years ago are in the best position to pursue this option today.”

Binay said all countries had the responsibility to keep the peace and pursue prosperity. He praised the efforts of countries like Japan to foster cooperation with the international community to achieve peace and prosperity.

“The Philippines believes that we all have the responsibility of maintaining peace and of continuing the pursuit of prosperity and welcomes the proactive efforts of countries such as Japan to further cooperate with the international community in bringing greater peace, stability, and prosperity,” Binay said. Vito Barcelo, Florante S. Solmerin and Sandy Araneta, with AFP

Czech who fought Japanese in PH given award

ASTER

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

95-YEAR-OLD Karel Aster, the last living survivor among the Czechs who volunteered to fight with Philippine and US troops against the Japanese invasion, was conferred the Gratias Agit Award of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic on April 23, the Czech Embassy in Manila said in a statement on Friday.

He was also awarded the Medal of Victory and Medal of Defense by order of the Philippine Secretary of National Defense “in recognition of his honorable civilian combat service in the Philippines,” the embassy said.

A special ceremony attended by Czech Ambassador to the United States Petr Gandalovic was held at Karel Aster‘s Florida hometown on the same day.

The Gratias Agit Award is the highest civilian award bestowed by the Czech

Minister of Foreign Affairs to people who had committed to work for the benefit of society, to promote friendship among nations and to promote the Czech Republic to the world.

“Karel Aster’s motivation to join the army immediately after the Philippines was bombed in order to stop the advancing armies was formidable,” said Jan Vytopil, Deputy Head of Czech Embassy to Manila.

Karel Aster was then an employee of the Manila shoe-making facility of the famous Czech conglomerate Bata Co. As Aster explained: Tthe Japanese were now our enemies as much as the Germans, and we fully understood that if we wanted to regain our liberty for our fatherland, we would have to do whatever we could to contribute to their defeat.”

Aster immediately became one of 14 Czech nationals who volunteered, becoming part of the Philippine and US war efforts both in Bataan and Corregidor.

He ended up in the Cabanatuan concentration camp and later survived weeks on Japanese hell ships where prisoners were held like rats in wretched conditions. He was liberated while on forced labor in the coal mines in Japan.

In a long letter dated Nov. 10, 1945, Aster detailed his experience as a volunteer in the US Army Service in Manila and as a prisoner of war.

He also wrote about the death of seven other Czech volunteers who died either in the Bataan Death March or while being held captive by the Japanese.

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Napoles questions judge’s decision

By Rio N. Araja

BUSINESSWOMAN Janet Napoles, accused mastermind in the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund scam case, on Friday slammed Makati City’s Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda of convicting her of serious illegal in exchange for the judge’s supposed promotion.

“I just hope he (Alameda) can still at night,” Napoles told reporters, claiming that Alameda handed down the conviction in exchange for Alameda’s appointment to the Court of Appeals.

“Wait for his promotion,” Napoles said, questioning Alameda’s reclusio perpetua sentence when others convicted of murder or homicide inside the women jail facility were only meted 12 years imprisonment.

Just last April 20, detained Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada also criticized Alameda, saying the judge had coffee with some prosecutors of the Department of Justice inside his chamber.

Alameda found Napoles guilty of illegally detaining Luy, bookkeeper of JLN Corp., for three months because of his knowledge about the pork barrel fund scam involving lawmakers and Napoles pocketing kickbacks.

Napoles attended bail hearings at the Sandiganbayan courthouse in Quezon City after the Supreme Court granted the anti-graft court’s request to allow Napoles to be brought before the anti-graft court from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City for hearings.

In a special en banc session yesterday, the SC justices approved the request of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to allow the hearings on Napoles’ application for bail in various cases to be conducted in the anti-graft court in Quezon City.

SC spokesman Theodore Te said the tribunal has found to be “well-taken” the reasons of “impracticality and security” cited by Tang.

Save Mary Jane Veloso. Activists hold up placards in front of the Indonesian embassy in Makati City to plead for the life of Mary Jane Veloso, who is one of nine foreigners who are facing execution for drug trafficking. AFP/Ted Aljibe

GMA runs to SC over bail plea

By Rey E. Requejo DETAINED former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macagapagal-Arroyo has asked the Supreme Court to order the Sandiganbayan to allow her to post bail in her remaining plunder case which was denied by the anti-graft court.

In a 38-page petition, Arroyo appealed to the SC to reverse the rulings of the Sandiganbayan’s First Division in October last year and last February denying her bail motion in the case involving the P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office fund anomaly, citing her deteriorating health.

“There is sufficient justification for the Honorable Supreme Court to grant her (Arroyo) bail for medical reasons and on the ground that she is not a flight risk,” the detained leader through lawyer Jose Flaminiano said.

According to Arroyo, the SC had

ruled in many cases that detainees are entitled to bail “if their continuous confinement during the pendency of their case would be injurious to their health or endanger their life.”

Given her condition, Arroyo pleaded that hospital detention would not suffice for her recovery and cited an earlier ruling where the high court ruled that hospital arrest “fell short of meeting or accomplishing the humanitarian purpose or reason underlying the doctrine adopted by modern trend of courts’ decisions which permit bail to prisoners, irrespective of the nature and merits of the charge against them, if their continuous confinement during the pendency of their case would be injurious to their health or endanger their life.”

“Petitioner President Arroyo is not asking that she be restored to the pink of health. She is only asking that she be granted provisional liberty in order that she may suf-

ficiently recover from her illnesses and to prevent her health condition from deteriorating,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo has been detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center while standing trial for the non-bailable plunder charge due to her cervical spondylosis, a degenerative disease of the bones and cartilage of the neck.

Dr. Antonio Sison, a spine surgeon at VMMC testified that it is not healthy to keep a patient in continued confinement in a medical facility for over a year because it is not conducive and may slow down the healing process.

Sison’s opinion was echoed by Dr. Ernesto Palanca who described the former President as a “suffering sick lady.”

Dr. Martha Nucum, assistant chief medical professional staff of VMMC, and Dr. Celestino Dalisay also issued medical certificates saying Mrs. Arroyo’s rehabilitation does not show significant improvement.

Marcos urges MILF to surrender erring members

By Macon Araneta

Leadership training. Mrs. Yedda Romualdez (seated at right), wife of wife of Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Tacloban City environment officer Jonathan Hijada (seated center) and Tolosa Vice-Mayor Hilario Caadan Jr (seated left) consult with barangay leaders of Tolosa, Leyte during a seminar on solid waste management and climate change adaptation at Staca Bay Gardens Conference Resort in Compostela, Cebu. VER NOVENO

SENATOR Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. called on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to soften its hardline stance against the surrender of their fighters to be criminally charged over the Mamasapano incident.

Marcos said it is possible the MILF is taking a hard stance based on the belief that despite the Mamasapano controversy, Congress will pass BBL with the active support of the administration.

“They have expressed that opinion before—that they negotiated with the President and therefore the rest of the government should follow,” Marcos pointed out.

However, Marcos said the principle of dealing only with the executive and the rest of the government should follow, only applies to foreign treaties.

“And this is why we’ve become a little nervous, because they seem

to be treating themselves as a foreign entity, and therefore treaties with them should be treated as such. So that I think is a source of concern,” Marcos said.

“I think they should be more circumspect in this kind of pronouncements,” said the senator who vowed vowed to put an ironclad guarantee in the BBL to ensure it will not be used a launching pad for separatism by the MILF,”he added.

Justice Sec. Leila de Lima, in the DOJ report on the Mamasapano incident, said they will file murder charges against 90 individuals from the MILF, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups involved in the Mamasapano incident.

The MILF said they will not yield to authorities their men involved in the tragic incident that led to the killings of 67 people, including 44 SAF troopers on January 25.

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HK politician apologizes

By Ronald O. Reyes

HONG Kong politician Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee apologized on Friday for her controversial remarks abut Filipino maids seducing the husbands of their employers, but insisted that she was only misinterpreted and she actually meant to condemn the sexual exploitation of maids in Hong Kong.

“I wish to tender my sincere apologies to all those who have felt offended by my article,” Ip wrote in a statement posted on her Facebook account on Friday.

“I treasure my friendship with the Filipino community. I look forward to an opportunity to explain to the groups which called on my office in person to tender my apologies so that any misunderstanding could be removed,” she said.

“I really wanted to make use of a face-toface meeting to explain to them in person that I did not make the sexist or racist accusations reported in many media reports on my article.

“The sole purpose of my Ming Pao article published on 17 April was to raise a question as to whether there is widespread exploitation of Filipino maids in Hong Kong and to express my concern,” Ip said.

Ip said “my article was misinterpreted in some quarters has led many to believe that I was sexist or racist and was pointing a finger at the Filipino maids.”

“I strenuously deny such allegations. I

have always been friendly to the Filipinos working in Hong Kong in diverse areas. I respect their hard work and their contributions to the Hong Kong community. I have treated my own domestic helper like family. The misunderstanding caused is deeply regretted,” she said.

A Filipino migrant rights group welcomed the apology and said it was an acknowledgment of the offense the migrant worker community of Hongkong took against her.

“We welcome this gesture as a sign of her acknowledgment that whatever the intent of her article was, it has obviously offended many people particularly our more than 170,000 Filipino women domestic workers and the entire Filipino and migrant community,” said Eman Villanueva, chairperson of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Hong Kong and Macau.

Villanueva, however, said they will push through with another protest march against “discrimination and racism” in Hongkong on Sunday.

“The message that we would like to foster during this march is that nondiscrimination and an inclusive and harmonious society is beneficial not only to migrant workers but for all the people of Hong Kong.”

According to Villanueva, the controversy surrounding Ip’s statement “should also serve as a wake-up call to the Philippine government.”

“That as long as they promote labour export and do not address the widespread unemployment, poverty, landlessness and social injustice - our people who are forced to leave the country for survival will always be vulnerable and subjected to discrimination and exploitation,” Villanueva said.

‘2016 poll may only be partly automated’

By Sara D. Fabunan AN official of the Commission on Elections admitted on Friday that the poll body may adopt former poll commissioner Gus Lagman’s proposal to hold a hybrid automated election system, but expressed doubt it would meet the definition of an “automated election.”

Comelec spokesman Jame Jimenez said the poll body is moving closer to adopt Lagman’s Transparent and Credible Election System (TcrES), where only part of the process would be automated, in case the poll body cannot hold a fully automated election on May 9, 2016.

“Since a manual [election] is possible, we may use his proposal,” Jimenez said. “We may face difficulties in the legal definitions.”

Although the Commission en banc has yet to release its final decision, Jimenez feared that Lagman’s proposal may not satisfy the definition of an automated election under Republic Act 9369, or the Poll Automation law.

Under the TCrES, voting and precinct counts will be done manually. After which, the precinct results will be electronically transmitted to the Municipal, Provincial, and National board of Canvassers as well as in the Central Verification Server for the official canvassing of votes.

But Lagman pointed that RA 9369 does not actually require the Comelec to use an automated election system. “(The) wording of RA 9369 is such that the Comelec is authorized to automate the voting, counting, transmission, canvassing. The word used is ‘authorized’, not ‘mandated’ so there is no need to automate all four parts,” Lagman said earlier.

See you in court. More than a thousand passers of the 2014 bar examination take their oaths as new lawyers during a mass induction at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Friday. LINO SANTOS

SC: Comelec may still grant direct contracts

By Rey E. Requejo ALTHOUGH the Supreme Court nullified the Commission on Elections’ P268.8 million contract with Smartmatic-TIM, the Comelec is not barred from resorting to direct contracting so long as it complies with the government’s procurement law.

In a 56-page decision released yesterday afternoon, the SC held that the Comelec may still directly contract suppliers for the diagnostic and repair of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, but it should comply with Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA).

“The disposition of these cases does not prohibit the Comelec from resorting to direct contracting anew or other alternative method of procurement with any service contractor, subject to compliance with the conditions provided in the GPRA and all the pertinent rules and procedures,” the decision penned by Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe said.

The tribunal stressed that it only voided the earlier contract because it did not meet the requirements for direct contracting under the GPRA. The SC clarified that in stopping the contract, it “does not stand to thwart the conduct of

automated elections; but only steps in to preserve its sanctity.”

“While this Court recognizes that the Comelec should be given sufficient leeway in exercising its constitutional mandate to enforce and administer all election laws, it demands equal recognition that it is the Court’s constitutional duty to see to it that all governmental actions are legally permissible,” the ruling read.

“In so doing, the Court decides not only with pragmatism in mind, but pragmatism within the fair bounds of law,” the court added.

In this ruling, the SC justices voted unanimously to grant the consolidated petitions filed by

poll watchdog Automated Elections System Watch, led by Auxiliary Bishop of Manila Broderick Pabillo and Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

The Court agreed with petitioners that the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion in approving the deal, which was signed

by Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. before he retired last February.

As a result of the ruling, “all amounts paid to SmartmaticTIM pursuant to said contract, if any, being public funds should be returned to the government.”

The SC ruling is also “immediately executory” considering the time left for the Comelec to prepare for the polls.

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Paradise re-emerges in Manila Forest grows in metropolis amid giant slums and an open-air dump

By Cecil Morella

A tropicAl rainforest has regrown against all odds on the edge of the philippine capital’s biggest openair dump, and is now a patch of green paradise in a sprawling metropolis blighted by giant slums.

The only nature park in Manila, the La Mesa watershed, a thicket about a fifth the size of Paris, wraps around a dam that stores drinking water for the metropolis of 14 million people.

“It’s as if you’ve left Manila,” Anton Haltland, manager of a car dealership, told AFP after he and his friends spent half a day riding mountain bikes under thick cano-

pies and knee-deep river crossings.

“As if you’ve slipped into a different time zone of a bygone era... it ticks all the boxes for challenge and beauty.”

About 300,000 people visit the watershed and its more than 50 kilometres (30 miles) of nature trails each year, according to park officials.

The tropical rainforest within

a city is the product of a 15-year partnership involving the national government, water companies and environmental groups.

Before then, the forest surrounding the reservoir had been largely burnt off, replaced with a patchwork of farms and shanties that had been expanding in parallel with the nation’s fast-growing population.

“Most of these informal settlers depended on the watershed’s resources to make a living, so they cut trees for lumber, charcoal or firewood.

The cleared areas were turned into vegetable plots,” project manager Dave Azurin told AFP. To understand what would have

happened to the area if not for the conservation efforts requires simply looking from a ridge across to the massive slums that border the watershed and are home to about 350,000 people.

One of the city’s biggest open-air dump sites is also next to it.

But since the re-greening efforts started, more than 750,000 trees have been planted and are now home to 125 bird species, according to Azurin.

He said 99 of the tree species were endemic to the Philippines, and many of them were endangered.

More than 7,000 illegal settlers who were living in the watershed were also gradually relocated to

Not far from the center. Visitors on mountain bikes explore the trails of the La Mesa watershed. AFP

CPP-NPA-NDF leader, wife nabbed in Batangas

By Florante S. Solmerin MILITAry and police intelligence agents nabbed a suspected ranking leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’sArmy-National Democratic Front and his wife in Barangay Niogan, Lemery, Batangas on Thursday.

The military identified the arrested rebel leader as Gilberto Burico alias Isaw/ Kikoy, secretary and finance officer of the Front Committee 1 of the Subregional Committee Artic of the Eastern Visayas re-

gional Party Committee.

With the arresting team were personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who served the arrest warrants—for murder charges—against the suspects at their safe house at around 5:50 p.m.

The military said the wife who was also a party member carries the nom de guerre Bani.

The arresting team recovered from the suspects several pieces of grenades, a laptop containing highvalue information and six cellular phones.

Doesn’t bite. Children touch the mouth of a dinosaur at the Luneta playground. MANNY PALMERO

nearby areas, thanks to free housing provided by the state water utility, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Dangers Nevertheless, the program has not been a complete success, nor without its dangers.

Unknown to many visitors, the park remains besieged by intruders who cut and steal trees, and at times even build shanties inside.

The park’s first line of defence is a perimeter wall about the height of two adults, but trespassers easily use crowbars and hammers to make holes, according to forest ranger Exequiel Lobres.

“We’d plug a hole today and they’d be back to punch another one through when no one is looking,” Lobres said.

“It’s a dangerous job. We’re always fighting fires set off by outsiders. Some of them are armed.”

In the most infamous incident, armed settlers raided the rangers’ bunkhouse in 2002 and beheaded its caretaker.

The assailants also set fire to the building and several watchtowers along the watershed, according to Azurin, who was among a group of rangers and project officials threatened at gunpoint during the raid.

He said four suspects were later arrested, tried and convicted of the murder, while another remained at large.

Between three and five people are still charged in court each year for cutting and stealing trees or burning the forest, while many more minor violators are sent away on a reprimand, according to Azurin.

The park has 59 forest rangers, but they are armed only with machetes and chemical sprays with which to fight fires.

However he said the problem of interference by people in neighboring areas was starting to improve.

“We believe the worst is behind us. These incidents are on a downtrend,” he said, crediting an educational campaign in the surrounding communities as key to preventing further violence.

Nevertheless, Azurin said informal settlers still remained on about 225 hectares (555 acres), just over 10 percent of the forest, in an ownership dispute with the state water utility, he added.

The case has been tied up in the courts for years, holding up the reforestation effort.

And the watershed’s future is by no means secure, according to Gina Lopez, the head of the reforestation program.

She said the program is due to end next year and the national government had yet to decide whether to extend the partnership with the green groups and various state agencies involved.

She warned that, without proper funding to guard the watershed, trespassers would easily come in and cut down the trees, which would become increasingly valuable as they matured.

“In a few years’ time this forest is going to be worth zillions of pesos (dollars),” Lopez said. AFP

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Yes, this is in Maguindanao. Boys pass a summer day swimming in the crystal clear waters of a freshwater pool in Barangay Marguez, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao. Locals call this still-unclassified body of water “Blue Lagoon.” OMAR MANGORSI

Tourism picks up in Eastern Visayas FEATURE

By Ronald O. Reyes

TACLOBAN CITY—Lorna Rocabo, 43, sits inside her glass-panelled office comfortably, answering phone calls and signing papers delivered to her by her staff.

“Today is already something different. The bookings continue and visitors are growing, even times three than the past,” said Rocabo.

She is sales and marketing manager of Leyte Park.

Considered as the biggest hotel and resort in Tacloban, the six-hectare Leyte Park became some sort of humanitarian headquarters immediately after Yolanda, the world’s most powerful typhoon to

hit land, levelled the city and most parts of Leyte province on November 8, 2013.

Over 7,000 people were killed, mostly in Tacloban, with estimated damage to property of P130 billion.

At least six international aid groups, including Red Cross, set up offices at the hotel, with Oxfam being the last to leave in March.

Yet, according to Rocabo, there is now a striking form

of rebirth just over a year after the storm, courtesy of the tourism industry. “And I thought I would be jobless,” she said.

“I was afraid, hopeless. I thought I would be jobless by now,” Rocabo said, shaking her head, as she tried to recall her ordeal during Yolanda.

Karen Tiopes, regional tourism director, says: “Yolanda gave us mileage.

At the time, the news and features about us were about the devastation and the challenges it brought our way.

But this crisis also brought along opportunities.”

With this development, Tiopes said hotel and accommodation facilities, food, transports, entertainment, and souvenir items, among

others, flourished around the city and in the region.

As of April 2015, statistical data on revenue generated from visitors arrivals to various attractions in Eastern Visayas from 2013 to 2014 reached P3.3 billion.

Some of the natural attractions getting good reviews in the region include the Sambawan Island in Biliran; Sohoton National Park in Basey, Samar; Macrohon Fish Sanctuary and many dive sites in Southern Leyte; Biri Rock Formation in Northern Samar; Torpedo Boat Extreme Ride in Paranas, Samar; Pink Sand Beach in San Vicente, Northern Samar; Capul Island in Northern Samar; Canigao Island in Matalo, Leyte; other heritage sites in Tacloban and

Leyte, among others.

“We also saw the opportunity to promote the region capitalizing on the media mileage and name recall that Yolanda generated. The industry endeavors to build back the image of Eastern Visayas, this time, showing its tourism assets,” Tiopes said, following the statement of Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization when he visited the city last year.

During his first time visit in the city, Rifai pointed out on the importance of tourism to create jobs and restore the economy in devastated areas.

“We have seen the industry lost so much...Don’t give up.

Because if you will do, you will send wrong message to

the world. Tell the world you are ready,” Rifai earlier urged the tourism industry players in the region, adding tourism is a “stubborn” business.

As for Lorna and other 109 employees in the hotel, the ongoing recovery in their workplace helped them in bringing back their faith on the future of the city.

“I can continue sending my two children to school now, while my husband can also keep his job as chef here in the hotel,” Rocabo said, adding that the hotel holds a “special place” in her heart since it is here where she and her husband Elmer first met.

“When our house and this hotel were destroyed, I told to myself this is the end. I was wrong. We just need to be positive,” she said.

Nutrition council sets up two more Cordillera radio stations

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY—The National Nutrition Council is setting up two community radio stations in the different parts of the Cordillera to help boost its campaign on good nutrition and healthy lifestyle among Filipinos in remote communities.

Rita D. Papey, NNC-CAR regional nutrition program coordinator, said the beneficiaries of the two Nutri-Eskwela community radio stations are the municipality of Pasil in Kalinga and the Apayao State College (ASC) in Luna, Apayao.

“Radio is still one of the fastest means of disseminating information to the grassroots level because it transcends boundaries. It is the most feasible and

cheapest means of reaching out to remote communities in the different parts of the archipelago that is why we embarked on working out the establishment of community radio stations in strategic areas in the region,” Papey stressed.

There are already two Nutri-Eskwela radio stations in the region which are managed by the municipal government of Lagawe in Ifugao and the Abra State Institute of Science and Technology (ASIST) in Lagangilang, Abra.

Papey explained the NNC community radio stations are mandated to exclusively air programs on health and nutrition. These will serve as the government’s information tool to reach out to the grassroots level, especially in empowering them to observe good

nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Papey disclosed personnel who will operate the community radio stations already underwent the appropriate trainings over the past several weeks while their hands on trainings on the existing facilities will be done simultaneous with their supposed operations within the next two months.

Papey cited the successful operation of the two earlier NutriEskwela community radio stations in Lagawe and Lagangilang triggered various concerned agencies and local governments in the region to request for the put up of their own community radio stations to help in spreading out the needed information to the public for consideration and practice of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Dancing petals. Young performers from Pinabacdao, Samar rehearse their

Mayaw-Mayaw number for the Aliwan festival’s street dance competition at the CCP Complex. DANNY PATA

A8

OPINION [ EDI TORI A L ]

EXPLAINING SEVILLA

IT’S UNFORTUNATE that a government official like Customs Commissioner John Philip Sevilla, who was doing his job and doing it well, is forced to resign because he can no longer accommodate the demands of politicians. It’s even more unfortunate that this sort of problem exists under an administration that is supposedly following the straight path of good governance.

The resignation of Sevilla should remind Filipinos that their politicians, despite their patriotic blather, often do not work in the best interests of their own country. Why would politicians be pressuring the Customs commissioner to look favorably on certain businessmen at all, as if they did not know that what they are doing is sabotaging the economy by allowing the collection of less taxes and duties?

It stands to reason that by allowing Sevilla to resign, Malacañang has decided to take the side of the people who he said made his life difficult when he was still head of Customs. And it’s also logical that the politicians that Sevilla railed against see, in his replacement, someone who will be more willing to do what they want done.

Sevilla’s resignation doesn’t jibe with President Noynoy Aquino’s oftdeclared commitment to the daang matuwid, that much is plain. In particular, Aquino’s decision to let go of Sevilla doesn’t go well with his condemnation of the corruption in the bureau, which he made in a State of the Nation Address.

In fact, Sevilla was appointed by Aquino soon after he accused Customs officials of having “thick faces” that were immune to attempts to reform the corruption-riddled bureau. And under Sevilla’s watch, Customs collections actually improved, a clear indication that he was doing his job.

But alas, Sevilla must have quickly realized that the anti-corruption rhetoric of the Aquino administration does not apply to Customs, which is traditionally a source of funding for political campaigns by elected officials with ties to the government in power. Sevilla said he noticed that he had been receiving more and more calls and text messages from powerful politicians seeking favors for their importer-friends – and dropping the name of Aquino when they do the favor-seeking, no doubt – as the elections approach.

That Sevilla quit is an indication that Aquino overruled his own Customs commissioner and sided with the politicians. After all, if the President had sided with Sevilla, then there would be no reason for him to leave or to even complain about being harassed by powerful politicians.

When the desires of politicians take precedence over good governance, you know that Aquino has gotten off the tuwid na daan. It’s that simple.

BIG, SICK DOMINANT AND ‘CUTE LITTLE SUBMISSIVE’ BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO THE Chinese really know how to stick it to us. In a recent editorial in its mouthpiece tabloid, The Global Times, China belittled t=he joint US-PH Balikatan war exercises.

“After being the cute little submissive of the United States all these years, Manila has gained only a handful of second hand weapons and empty

sense of security, let alone real enhancement of its army’s combat capability,” the Global Times wrote.

Somehow there’s a ring of truth to that if we compare our defense capability with that of two other US treaty allies, South Korea and Taiwan, who are equipped with state-ofthe-art fighter jets and modern warships.

The Armed Forces spokesman called China “the big squatter” while the Palace talking head said the Chinese are “insecure.” But the allusion to the Philippines as a “cute little

submissive of the United States” was lost on both officials.

The description appears to be taken from E.L. James’ erotic romance novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” referring to the principal characters of employee-intern Anastasia Steele and business tycoon Christian Grey.

But the reference to the US is misplaced. It is China, with its tortured past and history of having been brutally colonized by the Big Powers, which now wants to inflict pain not only against puny Philippines but also against other small countries in the region. In the James

The description seems to be taken from the novel ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.

book, the young Christian Grey was abused by an older woman. Scarred emotionally, Grey turns out to be a sadomasochist to women he fancies including the not-so-innocent Anastasia Steele. Along this line, it can be said China is the “big, sick dominant” who de-

rives perverse pleasure from imposing its will on weaker nations.

China’s latest provocation, driving away Filipino fishermen with water cannons just 100 miles off the Philippine coast, drew a sharp rebuke from the US but nothing else.

Although the annual war games held under the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement have become more frequent, it does not help when US and PH officials deny the war exercises have anything to do with China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea. The growing US concern over China’s land reclamation to build fortifications in disputed waters is mainly over the threat to freedom of navigation. More than half of the world’s commercial cargo in-

AT TSH UU RR S D AY : A P R I L 2 5 3, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A9

POWER VIEW FROM POINT MALCOM

ELIZABETH ATTY. HARRY ANGSIOCO ROQUE JR.

HAS OUR MOST COMMISSION OBSCENE ON HUMAN RIGHTS MADE A DIFFERENCE?

elections remains cluding crude oil, undiminished. coal and iron ore pass through lanessurvey of the The reality,the as shipping survey after South China is Sea. To Aquino have a Chinese has shown, that is just garrisonkeeping complete a runway for barely hiswith head above the warplanes and docks for ships smack waters of negative acceptability and in the middleAnd of the SouthisChina Sea popularity. there nothing is like having a toll gate in what was that he can do, it seems, to reverse once an unimpeded waterway. theIntrend. a statement this week, Davao City It is Rodrigo significant that Malacanang Mayor Duterte urged China seems to have abandoned stratto exercise restraint as he the expressed egy of pretending to fishermen ignore thewho reconcern for Filipino sults of the surveys which an have lost their livelihood to show the Chinese who fishdecline in the in West irreversible hisPhilippine popularSea Where escorted by armed Chinese coast ity. once the palace shrugged

Standard TODAY Manila

off guardsurvey vessels.data with dismissive The first about presidential candidate to to statements just continuing speak on of a governance, major international do theout work Comissue, Duterte Secretary suggested that an inmunications Herminio coming administration after the Coloma now says that “there2016 is presidential room polls should already be significant for improvement rethinking its policy and bilateral reand... [a] need to continually ascerlations with its giant neighbor. Detain our people. spitethe theneeds alarmof raised by the ”US and What Aquino seems hell-bent on other countries over China’s military doing continue making buildupisintothe South China Sea,public Presiappearances prove that he is still dent BenignotoAquino still refuses to working, very much in control and convene the National Security Council which is nearly non-existent under the possessor of game-changing enhis watch. If powers. he has a If National Secudorsement subsequent

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surveys show that Aquino’s poll rity Adviser at all, it must be a closely guarded state numbers are secret. continuing to plumb Duterte also proposed revivalhis of new, unfamiliar depths adespite the country’s Reserve Officers Trainefforts, I expect the campaign to ing Corps (ROTC) to prepare evfurther intensify. eryThere able-bodied defend for the is no man otherto option country.

Lest he is mistaken for a war Aquino, really. But history and the freak, Duterte stressed he is for a cred“stickiness” of the popular percepible self-defense capability even as he tion that he is a failure as President sought a diplomatic solution for Beiare him. jingagainst to return to the negotiating table I see no reason why Aquino’s numwith Manila. bers improve the coming He would bewailed that theinyoung men of

I AM no stranger to poverty, having experienced it for many years since childhood.

So-called “squatters’ areas” were my home and playground. My family lived in single-room affairs where everything happened. I grew up using common toilets and baths since few houses had their own.

Money was always scarce. My father was an ordinary factory worker and Mama was a full time mom. StoreHANOI,toys Vietnam—I in thetreats—we capital of bought were veryam special Vietnamour as own. a resource person in a semicreated New clothes were only nar on “National Human Rights Compossible during birthdays and Christmissions: Experiences from lack the of Region” mases.

Because of the acute monsponsored Konrad Adenaer ey, we owedby thethe sari-sari store nearbyStiffor tung.and I accepted the invitation because of food other necessities. a long to childhood evaluate thewere affectivity of Mealsdesire in my very orour own Commission ofthe Human Rights dinary (which I think is reason why since Iitsalways establishment through the food 1987 now, choose the simplest Constitution 28 years ago.

This invitation over fancy cuisine). From high school finally gaveafter me toMama the opportunity to college, passed on,toI finalliterly conduct ally had tothis fendlong-delayed for myself. study.

It is no joke point Ihas to be the very thatThe in starting high school, experimented in high expectations of the people thateven the the various ways of cooking eggs, CHR will helpitpromote and protect hutrying to mix with “bagoong”, which, man rights in the when Eggs they of course turned out country to be inedible. created it cheap in thesoConstitution itself. Its were quite I had to be “creative”. first head, Chairperson Mary Bautista, I was able to study only because of should be credited for safeguarding scholarships; I went to public schoolsthe all independenceOne of can the constitutional body throughout. say that I was lucky from political interference.

Congress then because then, the public educational took the appointment of the Chair and system could still compete with private the Commissioners of the Commission schools. should be submitted for conformation I walked the streets of San Juan in to the Commission on Appointments. almost waist-deep flood waters durRightfully so, the Supreme Court ruled ing stormy days.

My family needed to that Chairperson Bautista and her comevacuate several times because of fires missioners were not among those public in Corazon deappointments Jesus (whereneeded the biggest officers whose conconcentration of informal settlers were), firmation by Congress. This insulated the and Nagtahan River when chairoverflowing and members of the Commission we living very near it. These are fromwere political interference. whyThe I do not have pictures of myself as a Constitution enumerates the powkid, as well as those of my family during ers of the Commission. These include the that time. power to investigate, the power to issue My life has, ways turned summons, cite in in many contempt and powerout to aask lotassistance better than many of my neighbors from any branch of governand the slums. ment.contemporaries Here, we have ain serious obstacleMy in identification with my friends there, the task of evaluating the performance of however, remains. yearsand of the Commission.

ForFrom whilemany the courts living and interacting withmay people rethe DOJ whose performance be meaferred to derogatorily as “squatters” sured in terms of case disposal and/ or by its some, I have developed deep appreciaconviction rate, the CHRacan only investition go through day gate of butthe hasstruggles no powerthey to prosecute. in and day outoftoCarino live. vs. Commission of In the case Perhaps this the is aSupreme major reason why I Human Rights, Court defined have chosen with these people, the full extenttoofwork the Commissions’ invesespecially women in function poor communities. tigative powers: “The of receiving For almostand three decades now, my group evidence ascertaining therefrom the has involved inis various initiatives factsbeen of a controversy not a judicial funcwith women that help address tion, ordinary properly speaking.

To be considered such,their the faculty of receiving evidence and both pressing and long-term needs. makingthese factual conclusions in aface controverDoing has brought me to face sy must accompanied by the authority with the be realities of poverty in the urban of applying the law to those factual concluand rural settings. sions to themakes end that controversy Nothing methe happier than may seebe decided determined authoritatively, ing women or and their families overcome finally and due definitively, subject such apchallenges to poverty and to inequality. pealsnothing or modes of review as may proBut makes me sadder andbe angrivided by law.

This function, to repeat, the er than seeing how things have further Commission does not have. ” families livdeteriorated for many more this lack of prosecutorial powers ingItinisabject poverty.

Continued Continued on on A11 A10

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S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

BBL NEEDS TO BE RATIFIED BY OUR PEOPLE BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

THIS pretending-tobe-honest government has solicited the support of the selfrighteous to set the moral tone for our people to accept the

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

PERIPHERIES ARE EVERYWHERE

THIS is Part 2 of my adaptation of the commencement speech I delivered at Urios University last March 27. In the first part, I challenged college graduates to take a final exam to determine whether they are indeed ready to leave their university. That exam includes asking whether they are ready to go on the mission they are being called to – and that is to go to the peripheries.

“Peripheries” is a favorite word of Pope Francis, and there are peripheries everywhere – of issues, of situations, and of people.

You do not have to go far to go to the peripheries. In our country, in Mindanao, in your region and city, and yes, in your communities and families, the peripheries beckon.

For our country, let me just mention three big challenges we face as a nation.

First, the fact that poverty and economic inequality continue to be as severe as ever. What makes this even more scandalous is that our economy has been growing so fast these past five years and is now considered one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. But the benefits have not trickled down and most of the gains have been monopolized by the top 1 percent in our society, quite a number of them now in the list of billionaires identified by Forbes magazine.

Second, the challenges we face because of our environmental crisis and related to that because of the numerous disasters we that visit us. I have been an environmental lawyer for twenty-five years and while we have had some gains, especially in law and jurisprudence, our problems continue to grow exponentially. And in these past ten years, all over the country, including here in our city and region, disasters have exacerbated what is already a critical situation.

Third, corruption at many levels continues to abound.

You would think that with “tuwid na daan”, with the PDAF scandals and with the DAP controversy, and with so much coverage of alleged corruption, including many cases now being tried, that corruption would have been minimized. You would have thought that those in Congress would have learned their lessons and no longer push their weigh around to get percentages of projects or to influence how they are implemented. You would have thought that if we had successfully turned off the faucet of corruption, the usual suspect group of politicians would no longer be running in 2016. But that is not happening. Corruption persists and those who practice it have become smarter.

And now our island, Mindanao. I hope most of you will stay here. This is where you are needed. And it is a beautiful island. Like my friend Brother Karl Gaspar, every time I come come home to our island from my many trips all over the world and the Philippines, “my heart declares: “mas matahum pa gyud ang Mindanao” (“Mindanao is still really far more beautiful.”).

This beauty is threatened by destruction because of greed. I hope you will do your part to protect it. Wherever you end up, there are ways you can still get involved.

The biggest issue of course that we face now, the crossroads we are in, is that of peace. This is not the time

Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Prominent leaders from the Church, business community and even those who drafted that shoddy Constitution were urged to lend a helping hand. Among them were Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Divide, Jr.; ambassador to the Vatican and Malta, Howard Dee; Felicitas Aquino-Arroyo; retired Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna; clerics who served as constitutional commissioners like Bishop Teodoro Bacani and Fr. Joaquin Bernas; socialite Flora del Rosario Braid; Edmund Garcia; Christian Monsod; Jose Luis Martin Gascon; former senator Ricardo Romulo; retired Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento; Jaime Tadeo; Wilfredo Villacorta; Bernardo Villegas and Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman.

While we are not questioning their competence, many Filipinos certainly believe their loyalty is focused on the benefits that await them in exchange for their support. They were the same people claiming to have restored our so-called democracy and freedom, which as a consequence, resulted in a grave economic disparity in our society, and rendered meaningless their much-ballyhooed democracy and freedom. Today, corruption is a daily occurrence in the government, and injustice and violence are a way of life. The handful elite rule us while the overwhelming poor are practically eating dirt, wallowing in such abominable poverty.

While these lackeys may come out with their socalled learned opinion about the constitutionality of the blueprint that will officially balkanize this country, as usual their foreign brokers like the US, Japan and the United Kingdom are keeping secret their position.

They fear that they too could suffer the backlash. Their opinion can never alter the fact that the BBL needs to be ratified by the people because it is an amendment of the Constitution as it involves a serious matter of ceding our sovereignty over a wide swath of territory.

The MILF leadership has guaranteed their brokers all the economic benefits and privileges just to support their secessionist plan. The leading hypocrites give their support for the same political and economic reasons: Its approval would assure them of their continued economic and political relevance.

As I said, however, it is not what these hypocrites say that would determine the fate of the BBL, but what the people decide.

Maybe that would be possible if the people ratify the BBL, and on that basis, there is no way for us to oppose it. But the people could sense that this government is unwilling to submit the BBL for ratification because it knows they will never ratify it. Some could see that the government is not concerned about the issue of rati- guerre” in war is allowed. Alas, he was not at war when fication, but the consequence in not having to imple- he signed the agreement. ment the agreement it signed. They believe PNoy alThey also threatened not to accept any modification, ready committed himself to Malaysia, failing to foresee amendment or revision to the agreement. They insist that it would encounter a hitch that is even threatening that we take it or leave. Don’t they know that when they to cause a downfall. Its approval by allowed the agreement to be submitCongress without the ratification of ted to Congress for approval, they in the people amounts to lighting the effect recognized its plenary power wick for an all-out civil war. to amend the provisions? Now that At the outset, the Congress is determined to introduce The oligarchy, the corrupt prelates and politicians, and the vacillatamendments to ensure its passage, MILF has treated ing middle class alongside the govIqbal is telling the government that ernment have committed themselves we should be ready with our body the BBL not as an to approving the BBL. They are so bags. The dilemma for PNoy has agreement but an frantic that they even give themdeepened because in his attempt to selves a timetable without mentiondown the anger of the people, act of unconditional calm ing the ratification process. The he initiated an investigation of what whole thing has become humiliatactually happened at Mamasapano surrender. ing. We continue to ignore rather where 44 of our Special Action Force than react to the insult. We accomwere butchered. modate these terrorists, treating The funny thing is that the Dethem as merely seeking to redress partment of Justice has come out the wrongs committed in the past while their leaders with a conclusion that murder was committed because exhibit the hubris by not singing the national anthem some of those killed were already raising their hands to or reciting the Panatang Makabayan. Mohagher Iqbal surrender, while Al Haj Murad has declared that MILF signed the agreement using an alias and our Secretary will not surrender its men involved in the murder. The of Justice, Leila de Lima, and the chief of the Philippine refusal of the MILF to submit to their men to our jurisnegotiating panel, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, say the act diction only serves to highlight the stupidity of the govof bad faith is acceptable because the use of “nom de ernment not anticipating that we would be prosecuting

to argue with you about the Bangsamoro Basic Law or about Mamasapano. There’s enough out there for you to understand the issues. But do make the effort to really discern the facts and to have an informed opinion. The stakes are very big for our country and island on this issue. If we make a mistake and an all-out war breaks, I guarantee you it will not remain in the Bangsamoro areas but it will come to our cities and to the capital. If you become OFWs, it will follow you everywhere – in the Middle East certainly, in Muslim-dominated countries likewise, and even in Europe and the United States. If an all-out war breaks, and it is seen by the Islamic world as a result mainly of Christian prejudice against our Muslim brothers and sisters, believe me, the consequences are unimaginable.

So my question to the graduates is simple: How will you respond to these national challenges, to this enormous challenge of peace in our island?

These are not abstract issues. Behind the academic facts, cutting through the analysis of causes and impacts, are human beings, people, individuals in these peripheries. The poor farmer who still does now own his land because agrarian reform failed him. The disaster victim who lost everyone and everything in a single, terrible storm. The “bakwit” in Maguindanao who once again makes do with relief goods because of broken promises by government and rebel groups to keep the peace.

In front of all these peripheries, will you be a true Christian and let His light shine, the light of mercy and salvation? In your family, will you be a good father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister. In this island, will you be a peace maker and love your neighbor – Christian, Lumad, and Moro? In this country, will you fight for social justice and economic equity? If you become a government worker, will you consider public office a public trust? In all of these peripheries, what kind of person will you be?

In taking the final text, let us recall the constitution of the Christian, the Beatitudes, and ask the Lord for us to be always faithful to his words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Facebook page: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs our own men while the other party gets away with the crime they committed in the name of preserving the peace agreement.

Taken together, the conduct of the MILF indicates that at the outset, it never treated the BBL as an agreement but an act of unconditional surrender. Interpreted differently, the position of the MILF remains unacceptable that we are being pushed to the wall of having to resolve the impasse through war. It is compounded by the fact that our government values more the indirect bribe offered by Malaysia and their Western partners like the concessions, franchise, investment and partnership lined up for us once we approve the BBL. Moreover, the MILF has openly admitted it cannot guarantee peace even if the BBL is approved. In that, our signing only means the commencement of a new phase of violence. Already, the Sultan of Sulu and the MNLF are campaigning vigorously to reject the BBL which they see as an authorization given to permanently junk our Sabah claim, which again is an act of abrogating House Resolution No. 32 approved by Congress on April 24, 1962 or an order for the government to take steps necessary to recover the territory of Sabah.

In effect, the government that will be installed in the Bangsamoro area would stand as more powerful than Congress for it will be empowered to abrogate laws passed by Congress. rpkapunan@gmail.com

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

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BASIC DEFECTS OF THE BBL

much of an explanation, really, because Aquino had not clarified why the ARMM was “a failed experiment.”

An explanation from Aquino in CRITICS of the Bangsamoro Basic this regard is important for two imLaw (BBL) have so far concentrated portant reasons. their efforts at the body of the controFirst, the organic act of the ARMM versial draft law. It is time to look at was ratified in the regional plebiscite the basic defects of the BBL from its in 1989 which, therefore, puts it at a inception, and in its very foundation. category higher than ordinary legisIn 1989, Congress enacted Re- lation. This means that any and all public Act No. 6734, the organic act amendments to the organic act must to govern the Autonomous Region be approved in a plebiscite as well. in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It Moreover, the people who ratified was eventually ratified in a plebiscite the said organic act seem satisfied called in the region. Although the or- enough with how the current ARMM ganic act had been amended several operates. times, it is still in force.

Replacing the ARMM with a Back in 2010, a newly-elected Bangsamoro government under the President Benigno Aquino III was BBL, as President Aquino plans to, praising the ARMM. He even sent disregards the sovereign will of the a government team to Indonesia for people who ratified the organic act of talks with Nur Misuari’s Moro Na- the ARMM. Has the President fortional Liberation Front (MNLF). In gotten that under the Constitution, 2011, the President got his allies in sovereignty resides in the people and Congress to enact a law synchroniz- all government authority emanates ing the ARMM elections with the from them? national polls set for 2013. That law Second, the ARMM has been opalso empowered Aquino to appoint erational for the past 25 years. True, officers-in-charge in the ARMM from there were some abuses committed September 30, 2011 up to May 2013. by quite a number of ARMM offiIn 2012, however, Aquino made a cials, abuses which can be curbed by complete turnaround and publicly prosecuting those who commit such denounced the ARMM as “a failed abuses. By themselves, however, experiment.” No explanation was these abuses do not warrant replacimmediately given for the sudden ing the ARMM with a Bangsamoro about-face. government under a BBL punctuated On December 17, 2012, Aquino with so many unconstitutional proviissued Executive Order No. 120 cre- sions. That is tantamount to burning ating a so-called Transition Com- the barn just to roast the pig. mission to prepare the blue print for As a rule, the enactment of a law the BBL. In turned out that Aquino like the BBL requires both legislation wanted to replace the ARMM with and executive approval. Absent an his own brand of regional autonomy, explanation from President Aquino something by which his administra- why the ARMM is “a failed experition will be remembered. It was not ment,” the enactment of the BBL

in its original text or substantially something like that, will amount to a grave abuse of discretion on the part of both Congress and the President.

If the enactment of the BBL is thus attended with grave abuse of discretion, then the Supreme Court has the constitutional power to scrutinize it under Article VIII of the Constitution. Considering the numerous unconstitutional provisions of the BBL, and taking into account the Supreme Court’s decision which declared the Bangsamoro Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain unconstitutional in 2008, there is little chance of the BBL surviving with the bulk of its provisions intact. *** The Constitution contemplates only one territory – the national territory as defined under Article I. All other political units in the country are classified as regions. Even the autonomous areas in the Cordilleras and in Muslim Mindanao are explicitly called “autonomous regions” under Article X. In its political sense, the term “territory” is an element of statehood. This means that a mere autonomous region cannot lay claim to a territory within the constitutional perspective. These are reasons why the BBL cannot create a Bangsamoro territory.

It is important not to confuse the term “territory” with the phrase “territorial jurisdiction” as used in some statutes. “Territorial jurisdiction” refers to the area where a local government unit or a trial court may exercise the powers vested in it by law.

Next, Article X of the Constitution mandates that the organic act of the autonomous regions must be enacted

by Congress “with the assistance and

participation of the regional consultative commission composed of representatives appointed by the President from a list of nominees from multisectoral bodies.” If the BBL is supposed to be the new organic act in Muslim Mindanao, then it must comply with the foregoing provision of the Constitution. That did not happen. No such regional consultative commission was created.

The Transition Commission created by President Aquino under Executive Order No. 20 cannot validly substitute for the regional consultative commission because the Commission is not composed of individuals who were nominated by multisectoral bodies. For one, the Commission has no representative from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, an important player in the peace process. In fact, the identity of the MILF signatory – a certain Mohagher Iqbal – is a big mystery, a deception even, encouraged by no less than the government representatives in the peace panel, as seen in their zealous defense of this mystery man’s use of an alias in a vital document which has serious political consequences to the country. How one who refuses to reveal his real name to the government came to be part of the Commission in the first place is another mystery in itself.

It must be emphasized that the MILF, which the fictitious Iqbal represents, has not shown how the MILF can be considered the representative of Muslim Filipinos in Mindanao when there are many break-away separatist groups opposing the MILF. Remember, back in 2011, President Aquino was dealing with Misuari’s MNLF.?

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today cannot even handle a rifle because they are preoccupied with cellphone texting, glued to Facebook and other modern electronic gadgets. A mandatory part of the college curriculum, the ROTC was abolished in 2001 and made optional. It’s as good as defunct since hardly anyone opts for the course anymore.

FVR at PAFI forum on BBL Former President Fidel V. Ramos will be the initial guest speaker at the upcoming round table discussions of the Philippine Ambassadors Foundation, Inc. First topic on the Foundation’s forum on current foreign relations issues is the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law .The roundtable discussion is co-sponsored with the Philippine Council on Foreign Relations and the University of Asia and the Pacific The following ambassadors are the newly elected officers of PAFI: Lauro L. Baja, Jr., former DFA Undersecretary and Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations as chairman; and Jose Romero, former Philippine ambassador to Italy, president.

Elected to the board of governors were Ambassador Rosalinda Tirona, first vice president; Ambassador Jaime Bautista, 2nd vice president; Ambassador Jaime J. Yambao, secretary general and treasurer; Ambassador Eva Betita, auditor; Ambassador Alberto Encomienda, legal counsel; Ambassador Ike Begonia and Cristina Ortega public relations officers; and Ambassador Ralph Gonzales, governor.

We work in some of the poorest communities in Metro Manila like Bagong Silang, parts of Tondo, and Payatas.

So, when I was approached by Project PEARLS (www.projectpearls.org) to visit communities in Tondo where they work, and see how else people can be helped, I went without hesitation thinking that nothing could shock me anymore.

I could not be more wrong. There are no words to describe how unfit those places are for human habitation. “Home” to around 40,000 people, these places very ironically called Helping Land, Happy Land, and Aroma could very well be the approximation of hell on earth.

As one approaches the area, one gets assaulted by the stench of rotting garbage and leftovers from fast food places, feces, and all sorts of rotting matter. You are greeted by tons of garbage. Some “streets” are completely flooded by trash and soon, will become “mountains”.

Originally planned as temporary relocation sites for informal settlers 30 years ago, the place is composed of forty “buildings”. Each has easily a thousand resident-families cramped in tiny spaces separated by discarded wood, plastic, tarpaulin, corrugated iron sheets and whatever salvaged materials people could use. Many of the buildings’ roofs are already severely damaged so people inside also have to create their own. The ones “living” on the ground floor are literally living on wet ground, some, made

of trash.

Obviously, “homes” have no toilets and baths so one can only imagine how people cope. According to Project Pearls, there is only one water source per building. Thus, we saw rows and rows of containers waiting for their turn to get filled up with precious water.

People live off garbage. All sorts of garbage. Young mothers with very young children sort garbage to find “kalakal” for selling. Here, “pagpag” is produced.

Men and women go through left-over food, sort chicken, pork, rice, etc. They will recook them for consumption and selling. Our citizens there survive by eating thrown-away food.

They also sort the still usable styropore packaging, straws, plastic cups, spoons and forks, even the tiny plastic containers for catsup. They wash these and sell them.

And the children! Hundreds of them, many without slippers and shirts, are on the garbage-covered “streets”. We also saw a lot of kids and infants in tiny “living” spaces inside the buildings. Many young women have already given birth to five, six, seven children. We chatted with a few small kids and were surprised that they were a lot older than we thought. But how can kids grow and develop properly in this environment?

What kind of future awaits these kids?

We met a group of boys hanging out on the street. They belong to a gang of kids in one of the buildings. All looked

and talked like “hardened men”.

And the women! Most get pregnant quite early that it is common for a twenty-something to already have four or more children. What about the health of these women? How are they able to deal with their responsibilities as mothers?

Given their already very difficult situation, one wonders about other problems they are probably facing. How many of them are abused and violated?

What about government? Have our public officials forgotten the existence of these Filipinos who need help the most?

It makes me very angry that while we talk of billions of public monies pocketed by corrupt “public servants”, tens of thousands of our people live lives unfit even for beasts.

This kind of poverty is the most obscene I have seen. No one, absolutely no one, deserves to live the way these people do.

Poverty in the rural areas is more “decent”. There, they can still plant, fish, and breathe better air. Payatas, the dumping area of Quezon City, becomes middleclass compared to Happy Land, Helping Land, and Aroma in Tondo.

Government, both local and national, should go there and most importantly, do things to make these people’s lives bearable. They are human, and they are Filipnos. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Sharapova, Kvitova out S T U T TGA RT—T h re e -t i me defending Stuttgart champion Maria Sharapova lost her opening claycourt match of the season Thursday, going down 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 to Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the German city.

The defeat was Sharapova’s first at the venue after sweeping to the title in 2012, 2013 and 2014 on the back of 13 successive wins.

It also means the French Open champion will lose her world number two ranking to Simona Halep next week.

Kerber, the world number 14, will face Sharapova’s Russian compatriot Ekaterina Makarova in the quarter-finals.

World number four Petra Kvitova also suffered a shock defeat, beaten in straight sets by unseeded American Madison Brengle.

Brengle, 25, ran out a 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) winner as Kvitova failed to make it past the second round in her first tournament since February. AFP

PH Superliga goes to Lucena Games Today (Quezon Convention, Center, Lucena City) 2:30 p.m. • Philips Gold vs Cignal 4:30 p.m. • Foton vs Mane ‘N Tail

LUCENA CITY—This bustling city south of Metro Manila will become a battlefield as four teams collide in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) women’s volleyball tournament today at the Quezon Convention Center here.

Philips Gold and Cignal will tip things off when they clash in the first game at 2:30 p.m., while Foton and Mane ‘N Tail tangle in the 4:30 p.m. main event of this inter-club tournament organized

by Sports Core and supported by Asics, Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller Sports Medicine, Via Mare, LGR and Heathway Medical.

It will be the first time for Quezon Province to witness topnotch volleyball action and Gov. David “Jay-Jay” Suarez assured that no stone will be left unturned in their first hosting of the league’s out of town series known as “Spike On Tour.”

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal returns the ball to Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini during the ATP Barcelona Open “Conde de Godo” tennis tournament in Barcelona. Fognini won, 6-4, 7-6. AFP

‘Awful’ Nadal falls to Italian BARCELONA—Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal described his performance as “awful” as he crashed out of the Barcelona Open 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to Italian Fabio Fognini on Thursday.

Despite losing to world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters last week, Nadal came to the Catalan capital in high spirits after playing the best tennis of his season to date.

However, the eight-time champion was stunned for the second consecutive year in Barcelona as Fognini edged a tight first set before fighting back from a break down three times in the second to seal victory in a tie-break.

“My play was awful and I didn’t deserve to win,” said Nadal.

“Fognini played better than me and deserved to win. Until I resolve the ups and downs I have had too often this season I will continue to be vulnerable.

“I made more mistakes than normal and didn’t manage to maintain the advantage that I had in certain moments. To have a break three times in the second set and end up a 5-5 is a disaster.”

Nadal sat out almost the entire secondhalf of last season due to injury and illness and has struggled to recover his form since the turn of the year.

The Spaniard has just one title to his name this season in Buenos Aires and his only victory over a top-10 player through seven tournaments came against David Ferrer in Monte Carlo.

The nine-time French Open champion was also beaten on clay in Rio de Janeiro by Fognini earlier this year.

Nadal has always managed to peak for the climax of the clay season at Roland Garros in Paris where he has only lost once and where he will target a 10th title next month.

However, he acknowledged that he has plenty of work to do at the Madrid and Rome Masters in the coming weeks to get in any sort of shape to hold off the challenge of Djokovic who is aiming to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris.

“A week ago in Monte Carlo I had a lot of good moments. It was the best so far this year, but this is completely the opposite, it has been a very negative week,” added Nadal.

“I thought that I would be able to play more consistently, but it wasn’t to be.

“I can only say goodbye to this tournament, one of the best ATP 500s and without doubt one of the best clubs in the world, and continue working hard to recover my best tennis.” AFP

Zamora, Soguilon named PSL’s Most Outstanding Swimmers SWIMMERS of the Year Sean Terence Zamora and Kyla Soguilon were named Most Outstanding Swimmer of the year during the 75th Philippine Swimming League National Championships Western Visayas Leg in Kalibo and Boracay Island in Aklan over the weekend.

Zamora bagged five gold medals (50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley) in the boys’ 14-years-old division, while Soguilon also won five (50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley) in the girls’ 10-years-old class.

Soguilon was named the Milo Junior Athlete of the

Most Outstanding Swimmer awardees in the 75th Philippine Swimming League National Championship Western Visayas Leg display their trophies and medals.

Year during the 2014 Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards last

February at the 1Esplanade.

Sharing the spotlight with the two were former Rookie

of the Year Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh and Marc Bryan Dula, who dominated the

girls’ and boys’ eight-yearold divisions, respectively.

The other MOS in the girls’ division were Chelsea Denise Pastolero (6-under), Nicole Camacho (7 years), Joana Amor Cervas (9 years), Sidley Rose Malumay (11 years), Tricia Mae Capistrano (12 years), Juliana Louise Lirio (13 years), Rencel Grace Uytoco (14 years), Alic Deniel Dela Cruz (15 years) Laira Faye Enero (16 years) and Rose Mary Occeno (17-over).

Also winning MOS trophies in the boys’ category were Joemarie Borres (6-under), Rafael Lentejas 3rd (7 years), Jennuel De Leon (9 years), Stephen Guzman (10 years), Lucio Cuyong II (11 years), Gregg Alexan-

der Marasigan (12 years), Ferdinand Ian Trinidad (13 years), Kobe Soguilon (15 years), Sean Elijah Enero (16 years) and Casy Gumabong (17-over).

The Cavite Sailfish Swim Club grabbed the overall team title with 893 points, while last year’s champion Aklan Swimming Team settled for second with 813 points and Iloilo’s John B. Lacson Swim Team took the third spot with 614.

The PSL headed by its President Susan Papa and Secretary General has officially awarded the Swimmer of the Year trophies to Zamora and Soguilon during the Awards Night held at the Boracay Regency Convention Center.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

San Beda basketball camps 2nd sessions start May 4 THE second sessions of the 10th edition of the San Beda basketball camps will begin on May 4, a Monday.

Classes at the Mendiola campus will be held every Mondays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Another set of classes at the Taytay campus starting on May 8 will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Registration is still open for kids, who are interested to attend the sessions.

Interested parties may contact Oliver Quiambao at 735-6011, local 2104, or 09228536186, and through camps head, coach Edmundo “Ato” Badolato, at 09088624543.

The classes, which are supported by Gatorade and Molten, will be a continuation of fundamentals that were taught during the first sessions.

Enrollees who are joining for the first time will receive lessons that were given to first timers last month.

The camps will be handled by San Beda coaches, as well as those from other schools.

The registration fee of P3,500 for the camp will include a t-shirt and a brand new Molten ball.

Team Manila Softbelles will represent the country in the 2015 Asia Pacific Girls Big League Softball Championships from June 10 to 15 in Guam,

USA after winning the Philippines Series by sweeping Laguna last April 21 to 23 at the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. The winner in the Asia Pacific event will represent the Region in the prestigious 2015 World Series set August 2 to 9 in Sussex, Delaware, USA where Team Manila, headed by MLLP President Rafael “Che” Borromeo and backed by Mayor Joseph Estrada, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Philippine Airlines, and International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is Asia Pacific’s consistent representative to the World Series and was the 2012 World Champions.

Wild golf finish looms

THAI Itthipat Buranatanyarat used a strong start to storm past Frankie Miñoza then checked an impending skid with a birdie and clutch pars as he saved a two-under 70 to snatch a one-stroke lead over Cassius Casas and Orlan Sumcad in a topsy-turvy third round of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic at Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Cavite yesterday.

The 2012 Thailand Amateur Open champion rattled off three birdies after nine holes then watched Miñoza fade with early bogeys in a flight behind to move from two-down to

one-up over an equally hot-starting Sumcad midway through another windy day that bedeviled the games of majority of the halfway leaders.

That included Itthipat, who reeled back with back-to-back bogeys from No. 11 but regained a one-shot lead with a birdie on No. 13, holding on to it with a slew of pars that kept the two local bets at bay.

With a five-under 211 aggregate, the former Thailand national team mainstay, who will turn 22 next month, surged ahead of the surviving field to emerge the third leader in as many days in what has become a wide-open battle for the $10,500 purse in this ninth leg of the Asian Development Tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Miñoza, who took the halfway lead with

a 68 Thursday, recovered from a bogey-riddled 40 with two straight birdies from No. 11 but dropped three more strokes in the last seven holes to tumble down the leaderboard with a 77 for a 216, now five shots adrift.

In another flight behind Itthipat’s, Sumcad and Casas slugged it out in a virtual shootout, matching 34s at the front and leaving flightmate and first round joint leader Poosit Supupramai behind with a 38. But Casas outgunned Sumcad at the back by one with a 36 for a 70 as they shared second at 212.

Casas actually tied Itthipat in the lead with a four-foot birdie putt on No. 15 but threeputted the next to fall into a tie with Sumcad, who also shared the lead at No. 16 but missed the green on the next and made a bogey for a second straight 71.

Asian triathlon at Subic Bay Freeport lures 600 participants THE stage is set for another action-packed multisport weekend in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as the two-day ASTC Asian Triathlon Cup 2015, co-presented by SPEEDO and Philippine Sports Commission launches on April 25 at 6 a.m.

Close to 600 participants will

engage in Mini-Sprint, Sprint and Standard distance challenges around Subic Bay, with Malawaan Park, along Argonaut Highway serving as the new swim, followed by cycling along Argonaut Highway (plus Rizal Highway for Standard Distance) and running (Argonaut High-

way for Mini-Sprint and Sprint distances, Boulevard district for Standard Distance).

For the second day of the event, Harbor Point Ayala Mall will serve as the Second Transition Area and finish line.

At stake in the event sponsored

by New Balance, Standard Insur-

ance, Gatorade, Century Tuna, Harbor Point, Ayala Malls, Asian Centre for Insulation, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department, Subic Traveler’s Hotel, East West Building Technology, Inc. Resort’s World Manila, Camayan Resort, Ocean Adventure, The Lighthouse Mari-

Bolong snares 2 net crowns

Bolong

DAN Reb Bolong snared two age-group trophies in the sixth leg of Globe 17th HEAD Graphene XT Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit Bohol leg after winning against different opponents at the Sto. Nino tennis courts in Ubay, Bohol yesterday.

Bolong rallied past Randy Labor in the finals, 1-6, 7-5, 11-9, to pocket the boys’ 14-under singles’ title and also repeated the same effort in the boys’ 12-under finals event, where he crushed Mike Lungay, 6-4, 6-3, to take home his second crown in the annual event organized by the Dynamics Sports.

In other finals singles’ results, Daun Albert Uy whipped Pia Ramirez in the championship round, 6-0, 6-3, to win the girls’ 18-under crown and Allan Gerry Manlangit whacked Russel Cero in the finals, 3-6, 7-6, 10-4, for the boys’ 18-under title.

The competition is sponsored by

Globe Telecommunications, Chris Sports, Head ATP Tennis Balls, Graphene XT, Toalson, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Tennis Association, along with Sports Radio 918AM, Home Radio 97.9FM Natural, Boracay Informer, Todo 88.5FM Aklan, Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Power Wheels Magazine, Motorcycle Magazine, Balikbayan The Asian Journal Magazine, Wazzup Pilipinas, Reach Magazine, Oishi and AMAX Inn Makati.

Armida Gumapac won two titles after winning in the girls’ 16-under and 14-under singles’ category finals of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association. Gumapac blanked Angelica Balo, 6-1, 4-2 retired, to win the girls’ 16-under trophy.

She also beat Angelica Balo again in the girls’ 14-under class, 6-2, 3-6, 10-6, to win her second crown.

na Resort, Seafood Island, Magaul Bird Park at Jestcamp, OGIO, PTT, StatMed, Omega Pro, 2Go Express, RaceDay, Kikay Runner, SBR.ph, Multisport, PinoyFitness. com, Travelife Magazine, Spin.ph and XPS TV is P600,000 in total cash prizes for the Elite category winners.

Volley games highlight PLDT Ultera Install Patrol IT IS going to be a super weekend in Palawan this week as the best of Philippine volleyball — Amihan and Bagwis Pilipinas — hold the next leg of PLDT HOME Ultera Install Patrol in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Sunday, bringing with it the ultra-fast wireless LTE for the home to more households nationwide.

The much-awaited exhibition games will culminate a week-long summer activity, where coaching clinics were conducted by the Amihan and Bagwis coaches since April 20 at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum. Radio guestings and mall tours, motorcades and meet and greet sessions with their fans also form part of the Palawan itinerary of the country’s premiere volleyball teams.

The Bagwis defenders in the Palawan leg are Peter Torres, Johnvic De Guzman, Jessie Lopez, Kheeno Franco, and Reyson Fuentes while the Amihan amazons are ably represented by Mika Reyes, Rachel Anne Daquis, Ara Galang, Jaja Santiago, Kim Fajardo, and Jovelyn Gonzaga.

For more information on PLDT HOME Install Patrol, log on to www.pldthome.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Good vs Evil IN his international conference call the other day, unbeaten poundRONNIE NATHANIELSZ for-pound No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. said that his multi-million dollar showdown with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao will ultimately be decided by the fighters themselves and not by God, who he believes doesn’t take sides.

Mayweather was obviously seeking to counter the born again Christian Manny Pacquiao, who has repeatedly said he is banking on his faith in God to see him through the biggest fight of what has been to millions of Filipinos and supporters around the world a truly remarkable career.

Pacquiao was quoted by ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castilljo, herself a member of the similar faith, that he believes God delivered Mayweather into his hands.

That may well mean that God, after five or six years of acrimonious negotiations between the camps of both fighters, eventually found a way to make the fight happen. It may not necessarily mean that he delivered Mayweather so Pacquiao could beat him up and win the “Battle of the Greatest.”

While we largely agree with Mayweather’s contention that “God loves us all. I’m a fighter. I’m a professional prizefighter, that’s what I do. I believe in God, I love God. I’ve been blessed all my life. I don’t think God takes sides. Whether you’re American, Filipino, African, Dominican, Asian, we’re all God’s children. I don’t think he roots for which of us he wants to win.”

Incredibly, Pacquiao’s celebrated trainer Freddie Roach, who has on occasions suggested to Pacquiao that he is the one who needs to get the job done in the ring, not God, provided the succinct explanation for God to take sides, categorizing the fight as a battle of “good versus evil.”

Given the background of both men and the manner in which they have lived their lives, at least in recent years in the case of Pacquiao, it makes it easy to define, who represents good and who represents evil.

Mayweather’s claim that the fight is all about the best fighting the best rings terribly hollow in the face of what he and his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. have said about Pacquiao and what Floyd and his handlers have done in recent weeks, beginning with the harassment over the ticket allocations and the measly 500 available to the public, which would surely keep Filipino and Fil-American supporters of Pacquiao away from the MGM Grand Garden Arena where their voices, cheering for Manny and the flags and banners displaying their unbridled support, could drown out any perceived support for Mayweather by his minions, including the twerp Justin Beiber.

In a charade at the joint red carpet press conference officially announcing the fight Mayweather tried desperately to project a statesman-like image in an effort to try and win over a large segment of fight fans and the general public, who had turned against him because of his ostentatious displays of wealth, his foul mouth and the racist insults hurled at Pacquiao, who was clearly winning the battle for the hearts and minds of millions, many of them Americans.

Recall the video in which Mayweather ranted in which he referred to Pacquiao as “that little yellow chump,” and vowed to have Manny make him a sushi roll and cook him some rice. More recently his father, who we recall was imprisoned for five years for pushing cocaine, yet had the audacity to accuse Pacquiao of taking performance-enhancing drugs, referred to Manny as “a midget,” ignorant of the fact that some of the greatest men in history were short in stature, but tall in achievements.

They include Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, German composer and pianist Ludwig Van Beethoven, Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso, Indian statesman and the advocate of non-violence Mahatma Gandhi, comedian Charlie Chaplin and the Philippines’ national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

But for Mayweather, who likes to display his private jet, a collection of high-priced super cars, exquisite watches and gawdy gold jewelry that puts Mr. T to shame, he cannot find meaningful connection with men who matter.

As Oliver Brown, chief Sports Feature Writer of the Daily Telegraph aptly penned, “from Pacquiao’s perspective, the memory of Floyd’s outburst is nothing but a motivation, casting this confrontation as a straightforward case of good versus evil, of a model of humanity versus a wearisome braggart, who has also been involved in several instances of physical assault against different women,” for which he once served a laughably short prison term.

For sure, we can never expect Mayweather to appreciate the courage of Gagarin in being rocketed into space, the exquisite touch of the master Pablo Picasso, the musical genius of Beethoven, the virtue of non-violence preached and practiced by Gandhi, the heroism of Dr. Rizal, our national hero and even the subtle comedy of Charlie Chaplin.

He is lost in this world of symbols of courage, creativity, compassion and greatness. To Floyd, “The Money Man,” it is who he is – someone obsessed with money, fast cars, even faster women and a perverse and abrasive arrogance.

An oft-quoted line is “in God’s good time.”

Perhaps, the time is now for good symbolized so justly by a humble Manny Pacquiao to prevail over evil, mirrored by a scheming, materialistic Floyd Mayweather Jr. It’s something devoutly to be wished.

INSIDE SPORTS

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Philadelphia 76ers’ star player Nerlens Noel (center) talks to young boys in a huddle during the JrNBA/JrWNBA Presented by Alaska National Training Camp at the PICC Forum on Friday. Noel not only taught the boys the fundamentals of the game, but also served as an inspiration about the importance of hard work and perseverance in overcoming adversity.

Sixers’ star: Put in work, sacrifice to be the best

By Reuel Vidal

PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ star player and shot–blocking demon Nerlens Noel led the coaches and trainers, who handled the National Training Camp of the Jr. NBA/ Jr.WNBA Presented by Alaska yesterday at the PICC Forum.

The National Basketball Association standout—who sat out his first season in the league due to an injury, but who later bounced back to become one of the 76ers’ best players—not only taught the boys the fundamentals of the game but also served as an inspiration about the importance of hard work and perseverance

in overcoming adversity.

“I took in a lot of lessons after I had to sit out my first season because of an injury. I worked on a lot of my weaknesses. I practiced my shots, my dribbling. I worked on my body. It was an opportunity for me to become a better player. It’s the same thing with these boys and girls. They have to put in the work and be

Philracom provides added horse prizes IN RESPONSE to the clamor of horseowners and breeders regarding the “increasing unprofitability” of engaging in horseracing, the Philippine Racing Commission passed a resolution providing added prizes for horseowners.

In its Resolution No. 7-15 dated 11 March 2015, the Philracom, led by its chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, starting March 16 provides an added prize of five thousand pesos for horseowners only in all classdivision races, as a regular incentive program.

The funds for the added prizes are taken from the savings of Philracom, subject to

the availability of funds and to pertinent laws and budgetary rules and regulations.

“Horseracing generates jobs,” said Sanchez, “and provides both direct and indirect business opportunities. It also contributes to the national government around one billion pesos a year in direct taxes.

“The Philippine Thoroughbred industry still has a huge potential for growth,” he added, “and Philracom aims to contribute toward realizing that potential, as part of its mandate and in line with administration policies for nation-building.”

willing to sacrifice to become the best players they could be,” said Noel.

Fifty boys and 24 girls—selected after a nationwide search involving the best basketball players 10 to 14 years old from all over the country—joined the NTC. Ten boys and five girls will be named as national all-stars after the weekend camp. The youngsters will enjoy the experience of a lifetime with fellow all-stars from Southeast Asia and travel abroad later in the year to watch an actual NBA and meet NBA stars.

NBA Philippines Country Manager Carlo Singson led the tip-off ceremony. He encouraged the campers to do their best but reminded them that their attitude will be observed right along with their basketball skills.

“The top players will be chosen not just based on their skill but also the STAR values. This means sportsmanship, teamwork, positive attitude and respect. You will also be observed not just on the playing court but everywhere you go during this entire weekend of the national training camp,” said Singson to camp participants.

Head coach Chris Sumner of the NBA and Philippine Basketball Association legend and Alaska Aces assistant coach Jeff Cariaso joined Noel in running the camp.

The search for the 2015 Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year will also conclude at the NTC and the winning coaches will take part in the NBA experience.

Globe backs Jr NBA camp AS the official wireless and broadband services partner of the National Basketball Association, Globe Telecom is throwing its support to Jr. NBA & Jr. WNBA Philippine National Training Camp which kicked off Friday at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA is a global youth development program that promotes basketball participation and an active lifestyle among children. Participants are trained in the fundamentals of basketball and learn the importance of the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA core values of sportsmanship, team work, a positive attitude and respect.

Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers and WNBA legend Ruth Riley travelled to Manila to

help coach participants seeking to be named 2015 Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars.

In 2014, Globe Telecom and NBA signed a comprehensive, multiyear partnership that involves offering customers exciting NBArelated promotions and premium services. These include the introduction of the NBA League Pass which gives Postpaid, Prepaid, TM, and Tattoo customers access to live and on-demand NBA games on their tablet, mobile, or desktop.

With the NBA League Pass, customers can also enjoy crystal clear HD video, multi-game viewing modes, and an integrated game stats module. All games previously played during the current and prior NBA season will also be available through the game archives.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Foreman predicts a Pacquiao triumph WASHINGTON—Former world heavyweight champion George Foreman likes Manny Pacquiao over unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in their welterweight showdown next week in Las Vegas and warns a loss could devastate Mayweather.

Foreman has plenty of experience in superfight history, having suffered his first career defeat in a mega-bout spectacular in Zaire to Muhammad Ali in the fabled 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle.”

And he sees a strong start for Pacquiao, a big rally by Mayweather but a decision for the Filipino icon, who is 57-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts.

“I think Pacquiao to win six

rounds, the seventh will be kind of even. Mayweather will come on in the last rounds but it will be too late. The fight will be won by a single round,” Foreman said.

“Mayweather starts off early looking for a rhythm, Pacquiao will pop him early on, he will tire and Mayweather will come on in the later rounds but he will lose.

“It’s going to be a fantastic, amazing boxing match. It will live

up to all the hype, it really will.”

Foreman knows all-too well the impact on a fighter who goes into such a bout unbeaten and comes out a loser, a fate he predicts for Mayweather, 47-0 with 26 knockouts.

It took Foreman 15 months to climb back into the ring against another opponent after losing to Ali, his first defeat after 40 career wins.

“I’m the one guy who knows what it’s like to be undefeated going into a fight like that and to be knocked off that pedestal,” Foreman said.

“Pacquiao has it a little better.

He is already picked as the underdog. There’s not a whole lot of pressure on him. But when you have never lost before in a fight of this magnitude, there’s so much pressure on you, more pressure

than you have ever had before, more pressure than on any other athlete right now.”

It was 1991 before Foreman again fought for a world title and it was not until 1994, just over 20 years after losing to Ali, before Foreman reclaimed the title, defeating Michael Moorer to become, at 45, the oldest champion in heavyweight history.

“You lose your perspective on who you are as a human being,” Foreman said, saying that could be a reason why a rematch would not take place.

“This could devastate him (Mayweather) as a boxer, not as a man but as a boxer. He might have to go out in the country somewhere if he lost.” AFP

Pacman spars 6 rounds

By Ronnie Nathanielsz EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao sparred six rounds with two different sparring partners at the Wild Card Gym yesterday, after which he went eight rounds on the punch-mitts.

Pacquiao looked really fresh and exuded real confidence as he winds down his training for a fight he has wanted for the past five years against undefeated pound-for-pound No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 3 (Manila time).

The fight has been titled by Philippine TV rights’ holders Solar Entertainment as “The Battle for Greatness,” in an unprecedented multi-network telecast over ABSCBN, GMA 7 and TV5, as well as pay-per-view platforms.

Pacquiao went jogging at the Pan Pacific Park, followed by a crowd of supporters. And following his private workout in the

Manny Pacquiao works out at a park following his morning jog in Los Angeles, California. AFP

gym, he was visited by superstar Keanu Reeves at his home, with Pacquiao thanking the actor for his support and posting a picture with wife Jinkee and the celebrity star of The Matrix.

Earlier on Thursday, popular actor and longtime fan of Pac-

quiao, Mark Wahlberg stopped by the Wild Card Boxing Club to see Pacquiao train.

Meanwhile, the eminent businessman Manny Pangilinan spoke to Pacquiao via a live video call after his training and remarked: “It’s admirable how Pac-

man fights for each and all of us.

We are behind you all the way!

Good luck and plenty of prayers for you.”

In a tweet, Pangilinan said he “Ended up talking with Pacman about basketball, a possible PacMay fight in Manila.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, April 25, 2015

ACROSS 1 Billion, in combos 5 Play charades 9 Tire pressure meas.

12 — Saint Laurent 13 Torpid 15 Lowvoi ce 16 Smudge 17 Actuni t 18 Bendforw ard 19 Villains’smi les 21 Cause-effect intervals (2 wds.)

23 Grieved 25 Toucheprovoker 26 Lunar New Year 29 Doggerel 31 Mesh, as gears 35 Tolstoy title word 36 Clay-pigeongame 38 Red Sea republic 39 Yow! 41 Bovary and Peel 43 Elcar of “MacGyver” 44 Happenagai n 46 Argyles 48 Urge Fido on 49 Likebetter 51 Seedbed

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

20 22 24 26 27 28 30 32 33 34 37 40 42 45 47 50 54 56 57 58 59

60 Primadonna Pelosi, Boehner, etc.

62 Douse a donut Counting-rhymestart 63 Approve Bristlesw ith 64 Sprinkles Punk 67 Londoncl ock Psychedup Copya drawing PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLVED Shortnotes Hoard Spirit in a bottle Pass, as a bill Tex-Mex snacks Travelbags Lo-caldri nk (2 wds.)

Harness piece — gin fizz Tornado finder Nosecone covering Turfw arriors Stitches Egyptiangod Knight’sw ife 4-25-15 © 2015 UFS, Dist. by Univ. Uclick for UFS

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Governor’s Cup begins May 5; Dubai games set

By Jeric Lopez THE Philippine Basketball Association’s Commissioner’s Cup is yet to conclude, but the league also looks forward to a strong season-ending Governors’ Cup as well, with the schedule for the third conference already released.

The Governors’ Cup is slated to open shop on May 5, while two games are scheduled to be played outside the country in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as well to further extend the league’s market.

On the season’s final tournament’s initial playdate on May 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Alaska and Blackwater will get it on in the first game at 4:15 p.m., while the tussle between GlobalPort and Meralco at 7 p.m. will cap the night off.

The league will host two games in Dubai, with Rain or Shine playing in both against different teams on May 21 and 22.

On the 21st of May, the Elasto Painters will clash with the Batang Pier and on the next day, the 22nd, they will have a go with crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra.

That Rain or Shine-Ginebra will be an interesting rematch of this Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals pairing.

Other notable games in the conference are the anticipated duel of Ginebra and defending champion Purefoods, dubbed as the ‘’Manila Classico,’’ on June 7, while Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text see each other again in a finals rematch of this Commissioner’s Cup finals on June 6 in an out of town game in Bacolod City.

The Elasto Painters’ first assignment for the tourney will be against San Miguel Beer on May 12 in a heavyweight battle, while the Tropang Texters’ conference debut will also be against a loaded team in the Gin Kings on May 10.

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S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS Bulls, Cavs near dream faceoff

Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls drives past center Zaza Pachulia of the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth quarter of their teams' Game 3 battle during the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Bulls won in double overtime, 113-106

MILWAUKEE—Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 points with eight assists and five rebounds and help the Chicago Bulls take a 3-0 lead with a 113-106 double-overtime win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rose, who was held scoreless in the first half of game two and finished with 15 points, led a 12-0 run to open the second overtime period.

“It’s an honor to even be in the playoffs, let alone be up 3-0,” Rose said.

“We’re playing against a hungry team, a young team that is pushing us. That’s why you gotta love the playoffs because every game is different.”

Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and Pau Gasol finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for Chicago, which squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes of regulation before battling for the win.

In the other East game Thursday, LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers moved to within one win of advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs with a 103-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

James finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds for the second seeded Cavaliers, who took a 3-0 lead in the bestof-seven Eastern Conference series. No NBA team has ever lost a series after winning the first three contests.

“I just try to do a little bit of everything,” James said. “Whatever it takes for my team to win. I want to be part of it.”

The Cavaliers can close out the series sweep against the seventh-seeded Celtics with another win on Sunday in Boston, setting a blockbuster showdown with the Bulls.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors also took a 3-0 series lead as they overcame a 20 point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-119 in overtime.

Kevin Love, who is playing in his first career post-season, had his best game of the series so far for Cleveland.

Love tallied 23 points and nine rebounds and hit a couple of key three pointers late in the contest. He made a half a dozen three-pointers, including two in the final two and a half minutes, as the Celtics attempted to claw their way back into the game.

Love had 12 points in the first half after scoring 13 in game two, which the Cavs won 99-91 on Tuesday.

“Kevin has been great overall,” said Cleveland coach David Blatt. AFP

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SATURDAY: APRIL 25, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

PH keeps investment grade

By Julito G. Rada

CREDIT watcher Standard & Poor’s on Friday affirmed the “BBB” rating it previously awarded to the Philippines in May 2014, saying the economy will likely remain on a solid growth trajectory, given the sound fundamentals.

The rating was given by S&P on May 8, 2014, with a stable outlook.

S&P cited several factors that are likely to keep the positive trend for the Philippines, including strong external payments position, improved fiscal situation, stable financial system, withintarget inflation, robust domestic consumption and young labor

market.

“The ratings on the Philippines reflect our assessment of its strong external position, which features rising foreign exchange reserves and a low external debt burden,” S&P said.

It also expects the country to continue posting surpluses in its current account at an average of 4.7 annually up to 2019.

S&P said the government’s budget deficit, a key indicator of creditworthiness, was exected to average at a modest 1 percent of gross domestic product in the period 2015 to 2019, better than the average of 2 percent posted in 2010 to 2014 and the average of 4 percent recorded in the decade prior to 2010.

S&P’s rating was the highest so far for the Philippines, along with that of Moody’s Investors Service. Moody’s on Dec. 11, 2014 upgraded the country’s rating to Baa2 from Baa3, with a stable outlook.

Economic officials said the Philippines was now aiming for credit ratings within the “A” category over the medium term. For

S&P, the minimum rating within the A category is A-, or two notches above the Philippines’ current rating of BBB. “After the Philippines secured investment grades from all major credit watchdogs in 2013, the next sensible target for the economy would be to reach the ‘A’ category within the next few years,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a statement.

“On the part of the BSP, efforts to further improve the regulatory environment for financial institutions, maintain price stability, and strengthen external payments position would be its contributions to placing the economy on an even higher gear,” Tetangco said.

Finance Secretary Cesar Puri-

sima said the goal should be attainable, especially as the Philippines remained underrated if one would compare the country’s credit ratings with how the market prices Philippine debt papers.

“If compared with those of other emerging markets, fundamentals of the Philippines are one of the strongest. And with continually improving major credit indicators, including debt manageability, credit ratings ideally should adjust accordingly,” Purisima said.

At the moment, the Philippines is rated a notch above the minimum investment grade by both S&P and Moody’s. The economy has the minimum investment grade with Fitch.

PSe comPoSite index Closing April 24, 2015

8500 8000

BDO executives.

7500 7000 6500

BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender, reported a P6.1billion profit in the first quarter of 2015, representing a 12-percent growth over a year ago. Show are (from left) BDO independent director Gilberto Teodoro Jr., chairman Teresita Sy and president and chief executive Nestor Tan, before the start of the bank’s annual stockholders meeting at Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City Friday.

BOBBY CABRERA

6000

7,947.25 55.20

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing APRIL 24, 2015 46

P44.245

45

CLOSE

44 43 42

HIGH P44.190 LOW P44.250 AVERAGE P44.224 VOLUME 510.800M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P38.40-P52.05 Unleaded Gasoline P26.90-P43.80 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P35.40-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, April 24, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.2680

Japan

Yen

0.008369

0.3705

UK

Pound

1.506600

66.6942

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129041

5.7124

Switzerland

Franc

1.048108

46.3976

Canada

Dollar

0.823995

36.4766

Singapore

Dollar

0.745490

Australia

Dollar

0.778210

34.4498

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

117.4311

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266823

11.8117

Brunei

Dollar

0.742721

32.8788

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030807

1.3638

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.0532

Euro

Euro

1.083400

47.9600

Korea

Won

0.000925

0.0409

China

Yuan

0.161342

7.1423

India

Rupee

0.015802

0.6995

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.275862

12.2119

New Zealand

Dollar

0.758610

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032220

33.0014

33.5821 1.4263 Source: PDS Bridge

BDO’s income climbed 12% to P6.1b in Q1

By Julito G. Rada

BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender controlled by tycoon Henry Sy, said net income in the first quarter climbed 12 percent to P6.1 billion from P5.5 billion a year ago, as both loans and deposits posted double-digit growth.

“There was a sustained growth from core businesses in the first quarter,” BDO president and chief executive Nestor Tan said in a news briefing at Makati Shangri La Hotel in Makati City Friday.

“We have the momentum right now,” Tan said.

Net interest income was the main earnings driver in the quarter, increasing to P13.3 billion, the bank said.

Fee-based income from payments, transaction banking and asset management services expanded to P4.3 billion, while treasury-related activities were off to a good start with a contribution of P3.4 billion. Operating expense growth was contained at 12 percent, bringing pre-provisioning operating profit to P8.7 billion, up 19 percent year-on-year.

Tan said full-year net income in 2015 was expected to reach P25.1 billion, up by 10 percent from P22.8 billion in 2014. “That [net income]

guidance is realistic” he said.

BDO had 29 international offices and 881 branches nationwide as of March 31, 2015.

BDO posted a record net income of P22.8 billion last year, matching its earnings guidance for the year. The 2014 net profit was also a 0.88-percent improvement over P22.6-billion net income recorded in 2013.

Customer loans grew 15 percent year-on-year to hit P1.1 trillion, while total deposits reached P1.5 trillion, up by 12 percent.

The bank set aside P1.2 billion in provisions for the first quarter even as

asset quality remained healthy with NPL ratio at 1.3 percent and NPL cover of 192 percent.

With a capital base of P181 billion, the bank’s common equity tier 1 ratio and capital adequacy ratio remained comfortably above the regulatory minimum under the Basel 3 framework at 11.9 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

The bank’s capital base stood at P180 billion, with both the capital adequacy ratio and common equity Tier 1 ratio all comfortably above the regulatory minimum under the Basel III framework at 14.6 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively.

SATURDAY: APRIL 25, 2015

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BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Friday, april 24, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 104 63 2.49 4.2 18.48 31.6 9.5 2.95 890 1.01 99.4 30.5 75 94.95 137 361.2 59 174.8 1700 127.9 3.26

2.5 66 84.6 84.5 45.8 1.97 2.03 12.02 23.55 6.3 1.75 625 0.225 78 18.02 58 76.5 95 276 45 107.6 1200 66 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

8.05 71 116.00 104.00 46 2.38 2.09 14.98 22.25 7.50 1.75 777.00 0.490 97 18.20 31.00 77.85 95.05 322 46.9 165 1434.00 68.80 3.05

35.6 1.6 1.04 1.41 7.92 14.6 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.04 10.72 8.44 9.79 5.43 9.54 1.06 8.61 18.06 67.9 14 0.0076 13.24 3.12 168 8.65 2.3 1.63 24.4 16.2 7.62 250.2 3.37 3.87 9 3.7 9.94 3.03 2.22 1 4.72 1.65 6 201.6 4.1 1.67 0.122 1.02 2.01 143.4 4.28 0.670 1.39

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Jollibee Foods Corp.

Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

42.4 1.6 1.09 2.06 11.02 18.94 185 33.05 63.05 1.75 13.76 20.050 11.44 7.95 9.50 2 18.88 27.45 93 15.00 0.4400 14.00 6.06 211.20 9.86 2.54 2.55 24 24.9 7.700 264.40 3.91 4.1 9.55 4.4 12.28 4.00 2.41 2.58 5.10 1.7 6.4 197 4.47 1.62 0.167 1.30 2.15 219 4.5 0.67 1.46

0.45 48.1 20.85 6.62 1.210 1.4 600 7.390 14.18 2.6 1.15 4.25 0.144 818 5.3 46.6 4.43 0.59 12 0.580 4.22 4.5 1.23 0.450 66.7 1.5 709.5 1.13 0.93 85.2 0.200 0.173 0.310

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor `A’ Asia Amalgamated A ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.470 57.95 25.80 7.11 1.56 0.28 793 8.16 14.60 3.15 2.98 4.35 0.300 1350 6.12 71.55 8.6 0.79 15.28 0.64 4.66 5.1 1.570 0.920 68.55 2.88 913.00 1.22 0.85 101.20 0.3850 0.2300 0.315

6.01 12 0.91 1.29 0.192 29.1

8990 HLDG 9.050 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 10.60 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.85 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.290 Arthaland Corp.

0.250 Ayala Land `B’ 39.70

47 5 1.66 2.36 15.3 20.6 125 32 65.8 4.57 23.35 21.6 12.98 9.13 12.34 2.89 17 31.8 109 20.75 0.820 15.3 9.4 241 12.5 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.98 292.4 5 5.25 13.04 6.8 14.5 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.68 7.86 8.1 253 5.5 3.28 0.315 2.5 2.68 226.6 5.5 1.3 2.17 0.7 59.2 31.85 7.39 2.27 3.4 800 11.06 84 3.35 3.68 5.14 0.66 1380 6.68 72.6 9.25 0.9 18.9 0.73 5.53 6.55 2.31 0.84 87 3.5 934 2.2 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 26.95 1.99 2.07 0.375 40

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 8.4 7.75 71 70.5 117.60 116.10 106.00 104.00 46 45.95 2.53 2.39 2.09 2.09 14.98 14.96 22.25 21.95 7.99 7.60 1.66 1.66 792.00 775.00 0.520 0.490 97.6 96.5 18.38 18.20 30.80 30.70 0.88 77.50 95.05 95 329.8 320 46.9 46.5 166 163.5 1400.00 1400.00 68.75 68.00 3.05 3.04 INDUSTRIAL 43.55 42.5 1.53 1.51 1 1.08 2.07 2.04 11.28 11 19.02 18.96 198 166 33.4 30.05 63.7 63.05 1.77 1.74 13.98 13.6 20.650 20.1 11.60 11.40 8.12 8.00 9.59 9.50 2.01 2 19.52 16 28.65 27.65 94.2 92.75 14.50 14.50 0.4400 0.4300 14.00 14.00 6.19 6.06 213.00 210.20 10.16 9.86 2.79 2.55 2.5 2.5 24.2 23.35 26.25 25 7.710 7.700 266.00 264.40 4.19 3.95 4.1 4.07 9.56 9.48 4.4 4.4 12.18 11.50 4.04 3.98 2.47 2.42 2.75 2.5 5.11 5.08 2.05 1.78 6.4 6.4 200 197 4.54 4.3 1.78 1.61 0.170 0.166 1.33 1.24 2.26 2.17 222 218.2 4.54 4.5 0.67 0.64 1.42 1.41 HOLDING FIRMS 0.470 0.470 58.35 57.60 26.30 25.85 7.14 7.01 1.62 1.62 0.27 0.27 795 789 8.25 8.18 14.80 14.42 3.01 3.01 3.84 3.04 4.40 4.35 0.305 0.295 1361 1335 6.12 6.12 72.65 71.90 8.78 8.5 0.8 0.77 15.4 15.24 0.67 0.65 4.72 4.66 5.1 4.97 1.680 1.380 0.950 0.920 69.50 68.00 2.95 2.92 930.00 909.00 1.20 1.20 0.89 0.88 101.20 99.30 0.3900 0.3800 0.2300 0.2210 0.320 0.320 PROPERTY 9.100 8.880 10.68 7.00 0.85 0.81 1.300 1.300 0.265 0.250 39.80 39.50

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Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

8.2 71 117.50 104.80 46 2.53 2.09 14.98 22.2 7.99 1.66 775.00 0.510 97.2 18.22 30.80 78.00 95.05 320 46.85 164.5 1400.00 68.00 3.04

1.86 0.00 1.29 0.77 0.00 6.30 0.00 0.00 -0.22 6.53 -5.14 -0.26 4.08 0.21 0.11 -0.65 0.19 0.00 -0.62 -0.11 -0.30 -2.37 -1.16 -0.33

604,200 10,940 4,083,230 1,092,510 135,500 983,000 15,000 3,700 924,300 15,200 3,000 1,170 2,260,000 5,773,870 12,600 12,000 533,050 1,010 2,000 57,200 534,140 390 15,270 10,000

43.5 1.51 1.08 2.04 11.1 19.02 175 30.7 63.7 1.75 13.92 20.400 11.44 8.06 9.50 2 16.72 28.55 94 14.50 0.4400 14.00 6.1 211.00 10.16 2.79 2.5 24.2 26.1 7.710 265.00 4.19 4.1 9.50 4.4 11.96 4.00 2.42 2.6 5.08 1.85 6.4 200 4.3 1.7 0.166 1.24 2.25 219.4 4.5 0.67 1.42

2.59 -5.63 -0.92 -0.97 0.73 0.42 -5.41 -7.11 1.03 0.00 1.16 1.75 0.00 1.38 0.00 0.00 -11.44 4.01 1.08 -3.33 0.00 0.00 0.66 -0.09 3.04 9.84 -1.96 0.83 4.82 0.13 0.23 7.16 0.00 -0.52 0.00 -2.61 0.00 0.41 0.78 -0.39 8.82 0.00 1.52 -3.80 4.94 -0.60 -4.62 4.65 0.18 0.00 0.00 -2.74

4,019,700 213,000 1,336,000 472,000 6,000 18,900 260 153,800 214,210 136,000 165,800 7,000,700 2,087,900 29,847,000 74,800 17,000 1,428,800 6,322,900 125,250 600 350,000 2,800 67,100 999,240 2,284,900 6,000 2,000 12,179,100 753,500 3,100 223,000 1,200 331,000 3,587,400 4 27,500 408,000 266,000 870,000 283,500 749,000 1,200 7,540 7,000 158,800 2,080,000 2,000 2,822,000 2,202,680 44,000 295,000 14,000

0.470 58.00 26.20 7.12 1.62 0.27 795 8.2 14.60 3.01 3.83 4.40 0.295 1338 6.12 72.65 8.76 0.79 15.28 0.67 4.7 5.05 1.680 0.930 68.00 2.92 930.00 1.20 0.89 100.00 0.3800 0.2210 0.320

0.00 0.09 1.55 0.14 3.85 -1.82 0.25 0.49 0.00 -4.44 28.52 1.15 -1.67 -0.89 0.00 1.54 1.86 0.00 0.00 4.69 0.86 -0.98 7.01 1.09 -0.80 1.39 1.86 -1.64 4.71 -1.19 -1.30 -3.91 1.59

5,000 1,296,970 3,186,300 22,400 25,000 100,000 609,820 2,485,700 10,077,500 49,000 28,000 92,000 820,000 95,860 10,000 1,929,360 1,149,300 1,847,000 7,186,300 81,000 29,174,000 131,100 60,000 1,682,000 210,130 60,000 364,250 1 74,000 3,040 3,960,000 320,000 240,000

8.900 10.68 0.82 1.300 0.265 39.60

-1.66 0.75 -3.53 0.78 6.00 -0.25

695,400 17,000 1,133,000 150,000 740,000 27,481,800

209,247.00 602,455.00 571,424.00 -33,491,487.00 10,450.00 1,961,660.00 314,000.00 291,550.00 -13,578,625.50

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

6.15 5.4 1.54 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.98 1.09 0.305 2.25 1.87 1.8 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 3.6 20.6 1.02 7.56 1.96 8.59

4.1 4.96 0.89 1.1 0.97 0.083 0.445 0.85 0.188 1.4 1.42 1.19 2.75 0.090 0.325 0.39 2.57 21.35 1.64 3.08 15.08 0.69 3.38 1 5.69

Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld Corp.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 12.46 15.82 0.1460 4.61 99.1 2.6 9 2090 8.41 1.97 119.5 7 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 2.85 2.2 5.9 1.97 2.46 15.2 110.2 14 3486 0.710 2.28 48.5 90.1 11.6 0.87 2.95 10.2 0.490

1.97 32.5 1 0.6 10 9.61 0.0770 2.95 46.55 1.6 5.88 1600 5.95 1.36 105 3.01 8.72 0.012 0.036 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.69 1.1 1.05 0.490 1.8 8.7 79 4.39 2726 0.380 0.32 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 1.71 6.45 0.305

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Discovery World DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.2 1.73 10.98 4.2 0.48 0.455 0.475 0.023 0.026 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 8.65 9.43 0.236 6.5 6.98 0.61 0.78 5.99 1.08 0.330 0.2130 0.2160 0.014 0.014 3.660 20.2 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

70 553 525 118 120 515 8.21 12.28 111 1060 1047 84.8 1.34

33 490 500 101 101.5 480 5.88 6.5 101 997 1011 75 1

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred C Swift Pref

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

10.96 88 12.88

2.4 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

High

Low

Close

4 5.22 0.92 1.22 1.01 0.155 0.460 0.880 0.191 1.39 1.87 1.44 5.6 0.123 0.3500 0.5200 7.01 29.65 1.76 3.26 19.60 0.79 7.2 1.040 7.780

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

4.08 4 4.03 5.23 5.19 5.23 0.93 0.91 0.92 1.22 1.22 1.22 1.04 1.03 1.04 0.158 0.155 0.158 0.460 0.450 0.460 0.900 0.880 0.900 0.183 0.182 0.182 1.40 1.38 1.39 1.88 1.84 1.86 1.41 1.40 1.40 5.6 5.44 5.5 0.125 0.122 0.122 0.3450 0.3350 0.3450 0.5300 0.5000 0.5200 7.1 7 7 30.00 29.30 29.90 1.76 1.75 1.76 3.26 3.20 3.20 19.84 19.50 19.84 0.77 0.79 0.76 7.24 6.86 7.24 1.040 1.020 1.040 7.790 7.550 7.590 SERVICES 6.8 6.85 6.75 6.77 60.5 61.5 60.5 60.9 1.06 1.1 1.04 1.08 0.680 0.690 0.680 0.680 12.5 14 13 13.96 11.26 11.68 11.32 11.60 0.1090 0.1120 0.1040 0.1050 3.87 4.5 3.87 4.5 81.75 82.85 81.8 81.95 1.83 1.8 1.7 1.7 6.98 7.00 6.91 6.95 2240 2270 2230 2262 6.12 6.40 6.13 6.25 1.49 1.47 1.41 1.47 108 110 107.5 110 7.90 7.90 7.90 7.90 11.9 12.42 11.3 11.9 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.013 0.243 0.265 0.243 0.260 1.3200 1.3100 1.2600 1.2600 2.49 2.6 2.4 2.54 8.85 8.80 8.88 8.70 2.00 2.07 2.02 2.02 1.3 1.3 1.29 1.29 3.12 4.60 4.00 4.00 0.650 0.660 0.660 0.660 2 2.05 1.95 2.05 9.37 9.6 9.27 9.27 113.00 113.00 111.00 113.00 14.66 14.70 14.60 14.70 2900.00 2910.00 2886.00 2900.00 0.610 0.640 0.610 0.620 1.560 1.580 1.560 1.570 39.50 40.50 39.50 40.10 86.25 87.35 86.30 86.95 10.58 10.78 10.50 10.70 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.68 1.85 1.98 1.98 1.98 6.75 6.84 6.47 6.84 0.355 0.350 0.350 0.350 MINING & OIL 0.0056 0.0056 0.0054 0.0056 2.66 2.66 2.66 2.66 8.16 8.16 8.09 8.12 16.40 16.00 14.50 15.98 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.255 6.7800 7.1000 6.9000 7.0000 6.9000 6.9000 6.8000 6.8000 1.06 1.05 1.03 1.04 0.9 0.9 0.88 0.89 8.08 8.25 7.90 8.01 1.92 2.08 1.92 2.05 0.375 0.385 0.365 0.380 0.235 0.235 0.232 0.235 0.240 0.243 0.234 0.243 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0150 0.0160 0.0160 0.0140 0.0150 4.23 4.4 4.2 4.25 20.8 21 20.65 20.8 3.78 3.8 3.68 3.7 0.7200 0.7200 0.7200 0.7200 2.100 2.110 2.070 2.080 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 5.20 5.25 5.19 5.20 7.49 7.6 7.3 7.3 1.99 1.98 1.93 1.96 0.016 0.016 0.015 0.016 164.00 166.80 163.50 166.00 4.47 4.66 4.48 4.64 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 PREFERRED 61.25 62 60.7 60.7 510.5 510.5 510.5 510.5 520 522 522 522 122 120 120 120 119 120 119 119 514.5 512 510.5 510.5 6.1 6.1 6.09 6.1 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.09 111 111 110 110 1065 1139 1139 1139 1043 1045 1043 1045 85.5 85.5 85.5 85.5 3.11 1.96 1.96 1.96 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.894 3.950 3.860 3.900 SME 8.9 9.12 8.9 8.95 72.45 75 72.35 73 8.94 9.17 8.7 9.15 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 128.5 128.9 228.6 128.8

0.75 0.19 0.00 0.00 2.97 1.94 0.00 2.27 -4.71 0.00 -0.53 -2.78 -1.79 -0.81 -1.43 0.00 -0.14 0.84 0.00 -1.84 1.22 -2.53 0.56 0.00 -2.44

2,026,000 58,700 1,074,000 76,000 56,000 9,910,000 1,010,000 38,000 140,000 2,554,000 12,701,000 1,223,000 24,715,500 220,000 540,000 1,142,000 170,400 8,775,800 424,000 37,000 49,123,400 1,628,000 126,200 11,000 18,539,100

551,290.00

-0.44 0.66 1.89 0.00 11.68 3.02 -3.67 16.28 0.24 -7.10 -0.43 0.98 2.12 -1.34 1.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 -4.55 2.01 0.57 1.00 -0.77 28.21 1.54 2.50 -1.07 0.00 0.27 0.00 1.64 0.64 1.52 0.81 1.13 0.00 7.03 1.33 -1.41

66,500 17,200 89,000 1,626,000 -1,035,870.00 4,200 19,791,100 63,023,762.00 192,810,000 37,250.00 6,432,000 -87,000.00 322,150 -14,084,332.50 7,000 96,800 40,850 17,530,390.00 79,700 299,000 694,730 42,272,579.00 700 2,700 248,700,000 13,000.00 71,180,000 -352,350.00 83,000 78,000 12,000.00 205,500 259,148.00 9,000 33,000 2,000 335,000 112,000 5,850.00 991,000 -3,012,886.00 1,340 180,200 -146,800.00 118,400 -206,346,690.00 14,099,000 56,120.00 28,535,000 56,120.00 3,644,700 -52,251,585.00 1,599,390 -15,664,620.50 7,842,200 -15,669,328.00 281,000 1,000 1,724,400 -3,218,051.00 10,000

0.00 0.00 -0.49 -2.56 0.00 3.24 -1.45 -1.89 -1.11 -0.87 6.77 1.33 0.00 1.25 0.00 -6.25 0.47 0.00 -2.12 0.00 -0.95 0.00 0.00 -2.54 -1.51 0.00 1.22 3.80 0.00

41,000,000 25,000 132,300 24,411.00 1,600 490,000 223,000 25,000 -34,000.00 786,000 320,000 8,900.00 27,400 171,395,000 306,876,450.00 2,750,000 -3,800.00 3,980,000 280,000 87,900,000 42,000,000 143,000 -76,580.00 657,800 7,352,720.00 435,000 74,000.00 76,000 102,000 -16,780.00 10,200,000 280,200 15,600.00 1,363,400 -204,212.00 487,000 19,500.00 2,800,000 693,570 88,983,363.00 883,000 -400.00 25,100,000

-0.90 0.00 0.38 -1.64 0.00 -0.78 0.00 0.00 -0.90 6.95 0.19 0.00 -36.98

74,980 70 500 5,200 3,060 6,440 38,000 2,000 51,430 95 3,155 14,070 1,000

0.15

110,000

0.56 0.76 2.35

833,600 5,160 3,146,100

0.23

10,810

77,280.00 83,160.00 4,600.00 -2,278,300.00 1,392,190.00 -95,005,298.00

MST

Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL

SHARES 22,856,285 86,309,049 78,435,556 167,654,953 603,159,783 39,481,959 1,371,155,245

17,853,090.50

937,280.00 16,660,425.00 140,000.00 -20,445.00 67,149,025.00 15,200.00 20,400.00

6,704,478.00 28,000.00 538,956.00 -27,282,665.00 14,046,374.00 30,968,508.00 152,062.00 141,448.00 3,766,120.00 3,140,678.00

8,600.00

176,360.00 -87,030,982.00 -90.00

-125,533,980.00 36,170.00

38,858,858.00

-1,114,680.00 -4,499,243.00 8,800.00 -92,400.00

-101,110.00 -2,560.00 1,044,500.00 -850,358.00

33,400.00

11,250.00 65,212,220.00 40,500.00

1,893,959.00 38,914,730.00 4,974.00

168,301,970.00 321,213.00 -2,547,990.00

-19,906,260.00 61,200.00 51,128,416.00 935,871.00 7,700.00 53,894,256.00

-37,897,890.00 25,050.00

21,640.00 -917,231.50

-59,959,295.00 12,000.00

84,684.00 118,816.00 8,100.00 65,000.00 -255,101,600.00

Double Dragon IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

T op g ainerS VALUE 1,931,260,859.36 2,004,172,238.727 1,929,571,002.23 2,667,129,305.965 1,392,838,303.677 508,657,739.178 10,776,821,700.332

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,848.05 (UP) 9.48 INDUSTRIAL 12,414.16 (UP) 96.70 HOLDING FIRMS 7,079.39 (UP) 61.44 PROPERTY 3,201.41 (DOWN) 1.50 SERVICES 2,156.87 (UP) 15.68 MINING & OIL 14,920.55 (UP) 16.64 PSEI 7,947.25 (UP) 55.20 All Shares Index 4,547.12 (UP) 28.40 Gainers: 100; Losers: 75; Unchanged: 52; Total: 227

51,969,345.00 536,000.00 900,002,432.00

-44,634,669.00

-3,377,088.00

-357,000.00

48,800.00

53,090.00 -3,644,986.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

F&J Prince 'B'

3.83

28.52

Swift Pref

1.96

-36.98

Manila Broadcasting

4.00

28.21

Federal Res. Inv. Group

16.72

-11.44

Calata Corp.

4.5

16.28

Cirtek Holdings (Chips)

30.7

-7.11

Asian Terminals Inc.

13.96

11.68

Discovery World

1.7

-7.10

LMG Chemicals

2.79

9.84

Manila Mining `B'

0.0150

-6.25

Roxas and Co.

1.85

8.82

Agrinurture Inc.

1.51

-5.63

Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

4.19

7.16

Chemphil

175

-5.41

Transpacific Broadcast

1.98

7.03

I-Remit Inc.

1.66

-5.14

Prime Media Hldg

1.680

7.01

Ever Gotesco

0.182

-4.71

Island Info

0.260

7.00

TKC Steel Corp.

1.24

-4.62

SATURDAY: APRIL 25, 2015

B3

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

Virata award.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company took home the 2014 Cesar E.A. Virata Award for the “Best Securities House” Bank Category at the 10th Philippines Dealing System Holdings Corp. Awards Night held recently. The title is given to a bank trading participant that has remarkable performance in fixed-income securities business in trading, distribution and settlement activities. Receiving the award are Metrobank president Fabian Dee (second from left) and executive vice president and head of financial markets sector Toto Tansingco (second from right). These awards were named in honor of Cesar Virata (center), former prime minister, finance chief and veteran banker who was a key proponent in the establishment of the fixed-income trading platform.

Alliance Global earns P21b Stock index returns to 7,900 STOCKS rose for the second day, sending back the benchmark index above the 7,900-point level, following overnight gains on Wall Street where the Nasdaq hit a new record.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 55 points, or 0.7 percent to close at 7,947.25 Friday. It was also up 9.9 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 28 points, or 0.6 percent, to settle at 4,547.12, on value turnover of P10.8 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 100 to 75, while 52 issues were unchanged.

Miner Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. was the biggest gainer among the 20 most active stocks. It climbed 6.8 percent to P2.05.

Power producer First Gen Corp. advanced 4 percent to P28.55 while casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. added 3 percent to P11.60. Aboitiz Power Corp. gained 2.6 percent to P43.50.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets retreated on profit-taking Friday, with dealers brushing aside a positive lead from Wall Street where the Nasdaq broke a 15-year-old record high, while the euro ticked higher ahead of a eurozone meeting to discuss Greece’s debt crisis.

Oil prices edged down after another rally that has been fuelled by worries that unrest in Yemen could hit Middle East supplies. With AFP

By Jenniffer B. Austria

ALLIANCE Global Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Andrew Tan, said net income in 2014 rose 8 percent to P21 billion from a year ago as consolidated revenues increased 1.3 percent to a record P125 billion.

The conglomerate, which is engaged in property development, food and beverage manufacture and distribution, quick-service restaurants and integrated tourism development businesses, said net income attributable to shareholders declined 24.4 percent to P13 billion from P17.2 billion in 2014.

Alliance Global said the decline in net income attributable to shareholders was due to re-

duced ownership in liquor firm Emperador Inc. and Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., both of which went public in the latter part of 2013.

Prior to the initial public offering of the two companies, Alliance Global had 100-percent stake in Emperador and 50-percent interest in Travellers.

It said minus the non-recurring or extraordinary items in 2013,

net income was down 4 percent while reported net income reached P21 billion.

The conglomerate said on a standalone basis, each unit of conglomerate delivered strong earnings last year.

“We feel elated and excited about our performance. The consistent robust performance of our group is underpinned by our commitment to focus on what we do best,” Alliance Global president and chief operating officer Kingson Sian said.

“Yes, we are always open to opportunities but our core businesses are borne out of passion, creativity, and innovation. We are proud to say that we are game changers and brand builders.

And we will constantly strive to

raise the bar,” Sian said.

Megaworld reported a net income of P9.4 billion, up 14 percent year- on-year while Emperador delivered P6.2 billion in earnings, or six percent higher than the 2013 level.

Travellers, which runs Resorts World Manila, delivered P5.4 billion in profit, up by almost 100 percent year-on-year while Golden Arches Development Corp., which holds the exclusive right to operate restaurants in the Philippines under the “McDonald’s” brand, posted a net income of nearly P800 million in 2014.

Golden Arches opened 50 stores in 2014 to end the year with 457 branches all over the country.

“Our businesses are all compelling consumer plays,” Sian said.

Philippines Inc. meets US think tank on major issues PHILIPPINES Inc., a local industry alliance, has met with the senior associates of the influential Washington-based think tank Center of Strategic and International Studies to help strengthen economic and security ties between the two countries.

The dinner, hosted by Philippines Inc. chairman Antonio Cojuangco, comes at a time when the long-standing territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China are heightened.

The satellite photos showing massive Chinese reclamation activities in Mischief Reef, or Panganiban Reef locally, was published by CSIS. The meeting was also a followup to the visit of the high-profile business delegation “Philippine Eminent Persons Group” in the American capital in September last year, in which talks centered on financing, infrastructure and US investments in the Philippines.

Another visit to Washington for the same delegation might be in the offing, something that

may be timely and opportune given the developments in the region.

Aside from Cojuanco, other members of Philippines Inc. are president Tony Lopa, executive vice president Babe Romualdez, UnionBank chairman and chief executive Tito Ortiz, CATS Motors president Felix Ang, EMotors president Beth Lee, Cham-

ber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez, Cathay Land’s Jeffrey Ng and UnionBank executive vice president Genaro Lopez.

Also present at the dinner were Murray Hiebert and Gregory Poling, fellows of the Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies and Felix Angies of Pacific Partners Initiative.

CSIS, which operates a large global network of policy strategists and analysts, is a partner of Stratbase Inc., a consultancy and advisory group in the Philippines.

Stratbase managing director Dindo Manhit and Philippines Inc. executive director RP Manhit coordinated the Washington visit last year

Battery recycling.

Power distributor Manila Electric Co. turned over used lead-acid batteries to the Philippine Business for Social Progress and Oriental & Motolite Marketing Corp. for recycling. Proceeds from the donated batteries will fund the solar electrification of various public schools in the country. Shown are (from left) Meralco occupational safety manager Tonito Ampil, north distribution services logistics head Jojo Tiburcio, central distribution services logistics head Andy Del Rosario, south distribution services logistics head Jonald Sampol, north distribution services head Gigi Aquino, PBSP corporate affairs head Jay Jaboneta, Motolite CSR officer Connie Deligero and OMF president Jeffrey Tarayao.

SATURDAY: APRIL 25, 2015

B4

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

In BrIef Inflation seen below 2%

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said Friday inflation rate in April likely eased to as low as 1.9 percent from 2.4 percent in March.

“Forecasts by the BSP suggest that April inflation could settle within a 1.9 to 2.8 percent range. Price pressures may come from the upward adjustments in local pump prices of oil and power rates,” Tetangco said in a text message to reporters Friday.

“However, the higher energy prices may be offset by the continued decline in rice prices,” he said.

Actual inflation rate in March decelerated to 2.4 percent from 2.5 percent in February. The March inflation brought the average inflation in the first three months of 2015 to 2.4 percent, which was significantly lower than the average 4 percent in the same period last year.

“Moving forward, the BSP will continue to monitor emerging price trends and adopt appropriate policies in line with its commitment to the inflation target and in support of the country’s growth objectives,” Tetangco said. Julito G. Rada

LBC buys into Federal

DORMANT listed company Federal Resources Investment Group Inc. said its board has approved the issuance of 59.1 million shares to LBC Development Corp. at P1 per share.

The acquisition price represents a steep discount to the stock’s closing price of P18.88 per share on Thursday. As a result, share price of Federal Resources declined 11.44 percent to close at P16.72 per share on Friday.

Federal Resources said the shares to be issued to LBC Development, which represents roughly 60 percent of the expanded total outstanding capital stock of the company, is in preparation to the planned backdoor listing of LBC group through the listed shell company.

“The company needed to raise additional capital through the issuance of new shares out of the unissued portion of the company’s authorized capital stock for general corporate purposes,” Federal Resources said. Jenniffer B. Austria

ABS-CBN investing P500m

BROADCAST network ABS-CBN Corp. said Friday it will spend P500 million this year to roll out digital terrestial television in five key cities.

ABS-CBN chief operating officer Carlo Katigbak, told reporters at the sidelines of the company’s stockholders’ meeting, the network allocated about P500 million to convert its transmitters in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro to DTT from analog this year.

ABS-CBN also filed an application before the National Telecommunications Commission to convert its ultra-high frequency Channel 23 into digital and upgrade its transmitters in Quezon City; Guiguinto in Bulacan; Silang in Cavite; Makati and Mandaluyong.

The network launched commercially its DTT service called TVPlus in February 2015.

The Philippines adopted Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial standard.

The Lopez-led network said the transition from analog to digital TV would result in an increase in market share.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Solar rooftop. Solar solutions provider Propmech Corp. has completed the second solar power rooftop of the Asian Development Bank, contributing to the sustainability goal of the 48-year-old bank based in Ortigas. Shown are Propmech chief operating officer Helen Tong (fourth from left) and ADB vice president for administration and corporate management Bruce Davis (second from right) as they press the ceremonial switch to formally launch the 110.7 kWp-solar project on the Third Atrium Building of ADB’s headquarters, its second since 2012. With them are (from left) ADB facilities and asset management division director Makoto Ojiro, Renewable Energy Management Bureau director Mario Marasigan, ADB vice president for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Stephen Groff and ADB office of administrative services principal director Hyong-Jong Yu.

Megawide seals public transport terminal deal

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Megawide Group on Friday signed a P3.27-billion contract to build and operate a public transport terminal in Metro Manila, its fifth project under the public-private partnership program.

MWM Terminals, the consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and WM Property Management Inc., won the bid to build and operate the Integrated Transport System Project southwest terminal, after offering the lowest annual grantor payment of P100 million.

The project has a 35-year cooperation period.

The terminal, set to be built along the Manila-Cavite Expressway in Parañaque City, is designed to provide seamless transfers between different modes of transportation.

The new terminal will offer a more comfortable and efficient facility for commuters and operators and will help lessen travel time between Cavite and Metro Manila.

The terminal will accommodate provincial and metro buses

as well as other public utility vehicles. The mixed-use development will also feature a mall and office spaces for the convenience of passengers.

Construction is expected to be completed by 2017.

“We are proud to once again partner with DOTC on such a landmark project. With the Southwest Terminal, we are able to facilitate the faster and more efficient flow of traffic carrying people and goods to and from Metro Manila. It will benefit thousands of commuters daily.

Our infrastructure is finally catching up to our growing economy,” Louie Ferrer, repre-

sentative of MWM Terminals said.

“We visited a number of intermodal transport systems in foreign countries, most recently in Melbourne, Australia. We were inspired by the advancements they have made in terms of facility and operation. We are hopeful that we can apply the same forward-thinking processes in our country,” he said.

Transportation Department spokesman Michael Arthur Sagcal said MWM should start construction eight months from the signing date or by December 2015.

Sagcal said the project should

be completed in 18 months once the construction started by June 2017.

The ITS-Southwest project was Megawide’s fifth PPP project. It has recently turned over completed classrooms for the PPP for School Infrastructure Project phase 1 with partner Citicore Investment Holdings, Inc. It is also the operator of the Mactan Cebu International Airport with India-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd. Megawide also won the contracts for PSIP phase 2 and the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center.

Calaca coal plant opens, dispatches power

By Alena Mae S. Flores SOUTH Luzon Thermal Energy Corp., a 50 percent-owned subsidiary of Ayala Group’s AC Energy Holdings Inc. started the commercial operation of the first unit of 270-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Calaca, Batangas.

The start of commercial operations of the plant is expected to help address the projected power shortfall in May, when demand is expected to peak.

South Luzon is a joint venture of AC Energy, the power

development arm of Ayala Corp., and Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp.

Trans-Asia will purchase all of the generated output of SLTEC through a 15-year power purchase agreement.

Trans-Asia president Francisco Viray earlier said the power plant synchronized with the Luzon grid early this month.

The first phase covering 135 MW of the coal power project cost around P12.9 billion. The second phase, which involves another 135 MW in the same area, is estimated to cost P9.6

billion, Energy Department records showed earlier.

Both the first and second phases of the coal projects are registered with the Board of Investments, which grants tax incentives.

The South Luzon consortium earlier awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the first phase of the coal plant to DM Consunji Inc. The coal plant, located in Barangay Puting Bato West, Calaca utilizes coal supplied

by Semirara Mining Corp. and Indonesian companies.

S AT U R D AY : A R I L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

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ceSAR bARRIoqUInTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Controversial temple. A warden hugs a tiger at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province on April 24. Thai wildlife officials began a headcount of nearly 150 tigers kept by monks at a controversial temple which has become the center of a dispute over the welfare of the animals. AFP

Armenians remember killings ECHMIADZIN, Armenia—Armenians worldwide were to mark the centenary of an Ottoman massacre of up to 1.5 million of their people on Friday, as tensions over Turkey’s refusal to recognize the killings as genocide reach boiling point.

In a procession to a hilltop memorial in the capital Yerevan, Armenians will carry candles and flowers to lay at an eternal flame, as members of the diaspora that fled as a result of the slaughter commemorate the sombre anniversary in cities thousands of miles away.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Francois Hollande are expected to be among a handful of leaders to travel to Armenia for the commemorations, but others are

shying away for fear of upsetting Ankara.

In an unusual ceremony on Thursday, the Armenian Church conferred sainthood on those massacred by Ottoman forces a century ago, in what was believed to be the biggest canonization service in history.

More than 20 nations—including France and Russia—have so far recognized the Armenian genocide, a definition supported by numerous historians.

German President Joachim

Gauck was expected to draw an angry reaction from Turkey after he condemned the massacres as genocide for the first time, speaking at a religious service commemorating the bloodletting.

Gauck said the then German empire—the Ottoman Turkey’s ally in WWI—bore “shared responsibility, possibly shared guilt for the genocide.”

Germany deployed soldiers who took part in “planning and, in part, carrying out the deportations”, he said.

Ankara on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Vienna in response to Austrian lawmakers’ decision to condemn the massacre as “genocide”.

Turkey has said up to 500,000 were killed, but mostly due to war and starvation, and rejects the use

of that term.

US President Barack Obama on Thursday would only go so far as to describe the World War I massacre as “terrible carnage”.

Commemorations expected to draw millions in Yerevan, Paris, Los Angeles and beyond will come a day after the canonization service, which made saints of the the 1.5 million Armenians that historians believe to have perished.

The ceremony outside Armenia’s main cathedral, Echmiadzin, close to Yerevan, ended at 7:15 pm local time, or 19:15 according to the 24-hour clock (1515 GMT), to symbolise the year when the massacres started during World War I. “During the dire years of the genocide of the Armenians, millions of our people were uprooted

and massacred in a premeditated manner, passed through fire and sword, tasted the bitter fruits of torture and sorrow,” Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, said at the ceremony.

“The canonisation of the martyrs of the genocide brings life-giving new breath, grace and blessing to our national and ecclesiastical life.”

Ex-Soviet Armenia and the huge Armenian diaspora worldwide have battled for decades to have the World War I massacres at the hands of the Ottoman forces between 1915 and 1917 recognized as a targeted genocide.

But modern Turkey, which was born of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, has refused to do so, and relations remain frozen to this day. AFP

Focus on the struggling butterflies SIEM REAP, Cambodia— There was a time when Khorn Savai avoided caterpillars, convinced they would make her ill. Now she actively seeks them out.

Khorn is one of a number of locals trained to breed butterflies by Banteay Srey Butterfly Center, the largest sanctuary of its kind in Southeast Asia.

In the garden surrounding her wooden stilt house on the outskirts of Siem Reap, her keen eyes know exactly where to spot the tiny eggs that will become caterpillars, before transforming into one of Cambodia’s many stunning, but struggling, butterfly species.

“Because I had no work, I decided to do this. Now I am used to it, I’m not afraid of caterpillars anymore,” she tells AFP. Those who step inside the sanctuary are greeted by a dizzying array of colors, as dozens of vibrant butterfly species flutter through the air or nestle on verdant foliage.

But butterflies outside the sanctuary are not so lucky.

Rampant illegal logging and timber smuggling have devastated Cambodia’s forests, dealing a blow to many wildlife species -- including butterflies.

In its haste to develop the

impoverished nation, the government has been criticized for allowing well-connected firms to clear hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest land -- including in protected zones -- for everything from rubber and sugar cane plantations to hydropower dams.

The WWF estimates that Cambodia has lost around a quarter of its forests since 1973.

“All around the world they have the same problem -- butterflies are not increasing, they are decreasing,” Lux Phem, Banteay Srea’s manager, told AFP. AFP

‘Buy Syrian.’ A Syrian man slicing traditional “halawa” sweets during an exhibit of

local Syrian products organized by the Damascus Chamber of Industry at the Al-Jalaa sports complex in the capital Damascus. Syria’s entrepreneurs, suffering from crippling losses after four years of civil war, have launched a drive to encourage consumers hit by burgeoning inflation and a shortage of imports to “buy Syrian.” AFP

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s at u r D aY : a P r i L 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Criminals plying high seas SYDNEY—New regional agreements are needed to tackle criminal gangs using the world’s oceans for illegal fishing and smuggling, a top Australian maritime officer said, calling the lucrative trade an “imminent threat” to global security.

Sydney late Thursday, calling for Canberra to sign new bilateral and regional deals to allow vessels suspected of illegal activities to be boarded.

“The international law model of maritime policing in the high seas International syndicates were ing to New South Wales Marine has not kept pace with the transnational sophistication of organplying the high seas, illegally fish- Police Inspector Joe McNulty. ing for rare species, smuggling But officers can do little to ized crime,” he told the seminar, drugs, weapons and even body stop them under current inter- dubbing such criminal gangs “The parts with few constraints, accord- national law, he told a seminar in Untouchables”.

“This remains a constant and imminent threat to the Re p u b l i c o f t h e Ph i l i p p i n e s wellbeing and security of the O FFI CE O F T H E M U N I C I PA L M AYO R global community,” added B I D S A N D AWA R D S CO M M I T T E E McNulty, who is regional B i n m a l ey, Pa n g a s i n a n controller of the NSW Police’s marine fleet.

I N V I TAT I O N TO B I D Under current internationThe Municipality of Binmaley, through the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) al law, a country’s officials invites suppliers to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder project. can only board a foreign ship Name of Project: SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND if they get permission from P.E. UNIFORMS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS (KINDER, ELEMENTARY & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS the nation where the vessel is Location: Approved Budget for the Contract:

B I N M A L E Y, PA N G A S I N A N

S o u r c e o f Fu n d :

2 0 15 G e n e r a l Fu n d

registered.

Such ships often fly a “flag of convenience” in which vessels are registered in a country to avoid legal regulations and where authorities have limited resources to pursue possible lawbreakers.

While regional agreements would be a way of tackling illegal activities, sensitivities about sovereignty in Asia could hamper make any negotiations, Don Rothwell, a law of the sea expert at the Australian National University, told AFP. McNulty’s call for new international treaties came as Indonesia and Thailand agreed Thursday to set up a joint taskforce on illegal fishing.

Thai firms have been linked to shadowy fishing operations in Indonesia, a rich hunting ground that sees Jakarta lose an estimated

US$20 billion annually.

The crew on board such vessels are frequently extremely poor and working in difficult conditions, McNulty said, likening their situation to “modern-day slavery”.

“Life is very cheap and if someone is injured, they usually go over the side because they’re a burden to the operation.”

Sea Shepherd Australia, an environmental activist group pursuing vessels suspected of illegally fishing in the Southern Ocean, welcomed McNulty’s comments and said countries needed to do more.

“We’ve got a history here of inaction by governments and any way where... we can see these criminals brought to justice we would support,” Sea Shepherd Australia spokesman Adam Burling told AFP. AFP

Php 4,300,000.00

ITEM NO

I D DESCR I PTI ON

QT Y.

UNIT

1

S u p p l i e s f o r K i n d e r (1 T- S h i r t , 1 J o g g i n g P a n t s ,1 P a d P a p e r)

1, 37 9

Packs

2

S u p p l i e s f o r G r a d e I ( 1 T- s h i r t , 1 Jogging Pants,4 Notebooks, and 1 Pad Paper

1, 37 9

Packs

3

S u p p l i e s f o r G r a d e I I ( 1 T- S h i r t , 1 Jogging Pants,4 Notebooks, and 1 P a d P a p e r)

1,7 9 2

Packs

4

S u p p l i e s f o r G r a d e I I I ( 1 T- S h i r t , 1 Jogging Pants, 4 Notebooks, a n d 1 P a d P a p e r)

1, 8 9 6

Packs

5

S u p p l i e s f o r G r a d e I V ( 1 T- S h i r t , 1 Jogging Pants,4 Notebooks, and 1 P a d P a p e r)

2,027

Packs

6

S u p p l i e s f o r G r a d e V ( 1 T- S h i r t , 1 Jogging Pants, 4 Notebooks, and 1 P a d P a p e r)

1,76 2

Packs

7

Supplies for G rade VI ( 1 T- Shir t, 1 J o gging Pant s,4 N otebo oks, and 1 Pad Paper)

1, 6 9 2

Packs

8

Supplies for High Schools ( 1 T- Shir t, 1 Jogging Pants,4 Notebooks, and 1 Pad Paper)

3 ,7 7 7

Packs

A PPROV ED BUDGET FOR THE CONTR ACT

PHP 4,300,000.00 2015 General Fund Contract Duration :

15 d ay s

Prospec tive bidder s should have exper ienc ed in under t ak ing a similar projec t wit hin t he last t hree (3) year s with an amount of at least 5 0% of the proposed projec t for bidding. T he eligibilit y c hec k / sc reening as well as the preliminar y E xaminati on of t he bids shall use non - disc retionar y “pas s / fail ” c r iter ia. Post qualif ic ati on of t he lowest c alc ulated bid shall be c onduc ted.

All par ticulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Per formance Security , Pre bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, PostQualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the per tinent provisions of R. A . 918 4 and its implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

T h e c o m p l e t e s c h e d u l e o f a c t i v i t i e s i s l i s t e d a s f o l l o w s: Schedule 1. P r e - P r o c u r e m e n t C o n f e r e n c e

A p r i l 14 , 2 015 - 2 P M / C o n f e r e n c e R m ., M u n ., H a l l B i n m a l ey, P a n g a s i n a n

2. Issuance of Bid Documents

A p r i l 21, 2 015 - M ay 11, 2 015 B AC OFFICE, Mun. H a l l , B i n ., Pangasinan

3. Pre- Bid Conference

A p r i l 3 0 , 2 015 - 2 P M / C o n f e r e n c e R m ., M u n ., H a l l , B i n m a l ey, P a n g a s i n a n

4. Opening of Bids

M ay 12 , 2 015 - 2 P M / C o n f e r e n c e R m ., M u n ., H a l l , B i n m a l ey, P a n g a s i n a n Deadline for Submission of Bids is 10Am

5 . B i d Ev a l u a t i o n

M ay 13 , 2 015

6. Post Qualif ication

M ay 14 , 2 015

7. N o t i c e t o A w a r d

M ay 18 , 2 015

8. Notice to Proceed

M ay 2 0 , 2 015

B i d D o c u m e n t s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e o n l y t o p r o s p e c t i v e b i d d e r s u p o n p ay m e n t o f a n o n - r e f u n d a b l e a m o u n t o f P h p 5 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 t o t h e O f f i c e o f t h e Tr e a s u r e r, B i n m a l ey, P a n g a s i n a n .

T he M unic ipal G over nment of Binmaley as sumes no responsibilit y what soever to c ompensate or indemnif y bidder s for any expenses inc ur red in the preparati on of t he bids and reser ves the r ight to rejec t any or all bids, to waive any for malit y, infor malit y, and /or defec t and to make an award C O N TAC T P E R S O N : (S g d ) C ATA L I N A R . F L O R E S B AC S e c r e t a r i a t Te l . N o . 0 75 - 5 4 3 - 3 9 4 3 A P P R OV E D BY: (S g d) FERNANDO B. FERRER B AC C h a i r m a n ( T S - A P R . 2 5 , 2 0 15 )

Masked event. Guests attend an exclusive launch of Oculto Manor—an interactive, masked event in Miami—celebrating the introduction of Oculto, a unique lager blended with beer aged on tequila barrel staves, on April 23 in Miami, Florida. AFP

Obama takes the blame for strike WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama said he took “full responsibility” on Thursday for the accidental killing of an American and Italian hostage during an apparent drone strike on an Al-Qaeda compound in Pakistan.

Lifting the lid on a classified operation, a solemn Obama expressed his “deepest apologies” to the families of 73-year-old economic advisor Warren Weinstein and 39-year-old aid worker Giovanni Lo Porto.

Obama gave few details of the botched action, which officials suggested was a drone strike that took place on an Al-Qaeda lair in January after hundreds of hours of surveillance.

The strike also killed Ahmed Faruq, an American described as a leader of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.

It was also revealed that Al-Qaeda’s English-language spokesman, a California rockerturned jihadist, Adam Gadahn, died in a separate strike.

The White House said neither Al-Qaeda member was specifically targeted, raising further questions about the credibility of US intelligence.

“As president and as commander-in-chief, I take full responsibility for all our counter-terrorism operations, including the one that inadvertently took the lives of Warren and Giovanni,” Obama said.

“I profoundly regret what happened. On behalf of the United States government, I offer our deepest apologies to the families.

“It is a cruel and bitter truth that in the fog of war generally and our fight against terrorists specifically, mistakes—sometimes deadly mistakes—can occur.”

Obama said he informed Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi personally about his administration’s findings.

Italy’s foreign ministry described the deaths as a “tragic

and fatal error by our US allies” but said “terrorists” were entirely to blame.

This is just the latest controversy around Obama’s counterterrorism operations, which— while killing Osama bin Laden in a commando raid—have more often relied heavily on secret drone strikes.

Obama was quick to stress that “we do believe that the operation did take out dangerous members of Al-Qaeda.”

“Since 9/11, our counter-terrorism efforts have prevented terrorist attacks and saved innocent lives both here in America, and around the world,” Obama said.

Despite Obama’s defense of his counter-terrorism record, congressional leaders rapidly called for more oversight over the drone program.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein demanded an “annual report on the number of deaths, both combatant and civilian, from US strikes.”

AFP

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 : 2 0 1 5

PROPERTY jdlacsamana@gmail.com

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

B7

Multi-generational home.

Dino Mañosa outlined MPI’s basic proposition for Campanilla Lane : “to ‘create communities that we want to live in.”

NO COOKIE CUTTER BOXES FOR THIS ARCHITECT

MAÑOSA HATCHES CAMPANILLA LANE

M

añosa Properties, Inc. (MPI) is building Campanilla Lane, a 3,,027 meters residential project in New Manila, Quezon City, that will be open to only 20 owners for its 16 luxury apartments and 4 villas.

Inspired by the ‘bahay-na-bato’ concept, each structure in the project combines traditional Filipino elements, such as bamboo, with contemporary architecture.

“We’ve maximized natural ventilation and lighting in the designs and the community will have rainwater harvesting to use for their plants,” said Dino Mañosa, who co-founded MPI with his father, Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, the Filipino architect responsible for such landmarks as MWSS Balara Filtration Park, the Coconut Palace, San

Miguel Headquarters, and Amanpulo Resorts.

Campanilla Lane was laid out to preserve the old trees, with a lush, bucolic landscape all around the property.

The apartments will be kept exclusive and lowdensity, with only six levels. All units will measure approximately 260 square meters and will be comprised of 3 bedrooms with their own toilet and bath, a den, a powder room, and a maid’s room. Apartment Building One will only have one unit per floor while Apartment Building Two will have two apartments per floor. Both buildings will have penthouse units with lofts.

Campanilla Lane’s unique mix of apartments and villas will be complemented with a pool and a multi-function area -- where residents can meet, host parties, and play.

Halcyon days of Manila. Standing 42-storeys tall at the corner of Padre Faura and Bocobo Streets in Manila is 8 Adriatico, a development of Eton Properties, the property arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies. 8 Adriatic’s location reflects the rich culture and heritage of a city redolent with old world charm and the feel of a modern metropolis. The project offers hassle-free “move-in-ready” units that range from studio to one-bedroom, two-bedroom as well as SOHO (small-office-home-office), which can be combined by the owner

Mandaluyong gem. DataLand, Inc. (DLI) recently launched ‘The Olive Place’, a 50-storey mixed use development in Mandaluyong City.

With scenic views of the city’s skyline, and greenery of nearby Wack Wack Golf Club, the project targets start-up families and young professionals on the look-out for dwellings that offer a balance between a hectic lifestyle and serene living. At the groundbreaking rites held onsite at 407 Shaw Blvd., in Bgy. Addition Hills, were (from left to right): Susan P. Alcabao, sales & marketing head of DLI; Ruben V. Paguntalan, division head of DLI; Atty. Fely Manaois, legal manager of DLI; Arch. Annette F. Gaddi – Liganor of GF & Partners; Engr. Jose Sy; Engr. Danilo D. Tamayo, chairman of DDT Konstract Inc. (DDTKI); Leo Montenegro, president of DLI; Paul Vincent R. Chua, AVP-business development of DLI; and Joseph V. Garcia, AVP – business development of DDTKI.

Comfy in Cavite. Ara Vista Village in General Trias, Cavite is a 50-hectare community with WiFi connectivity, a round-the-clock CCTV system, 24-hour security service, and amenities (e.g. clubhouse swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, gym, and a church). The village also promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle with its rambling bicycle lanes and jogging paths.

From Manila, Ara Vista Village can be reached via South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) through the Carmona Exit; via Costal Road – Cavitex, from SM Mall of Asia; and through DaangHari Road, from Alabang, Muntinlupa area.

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S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 5 : 2 0 1 5

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

Where the action is. Park Triangle Residences masterplan

PARK TRIANGLE TO RISE IN BGC

A

Alveo Land Corp. is building a mixed-use development, the 49-storey Park Triangle Residences, in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). The tower will be located in the 2.3 hectare Park Triangle, Ayala Land’s latest hub just by Serendra and Market! Market!.

Alveo Land will be investing P4 billion in the project.

Park Triangle Corporate Plaza, was the first development launched by Alveo in BGC in August 2014. Two more office towers are set to rise within the district: another office condominium and Park Triangle Corporate Center.

Ayala Malls Park Triangle will anchor this new lifestyle hub with Park Triangle Residences.

Park Triangle is at the corner of 32nd Street, BGC’s corporate row, and 11th Avenue, one of the town’s main lifestyle strips. It is also close to BGC’s school district where British School Manila, International School Manila, Manila Japanese School, DLSU, and the UP Professional Schools, among others, can be found.

Prices for Park Triangle Residences range from P6.5 million to P44 million. The tower offers 616 units in studio, 1BR, 2BR and 3BR formats. Sizes range from 35 sqm to 232 sqm.

“We expect to generate P8 billion in sales in the first year,” said Sanchez. He noted that 61 percent, or some 400 units , were taken up this weekend, based on signed Letters of Intent that Alveo sales staff garnered the previous week.

Sanchez said so far, most of the buyers seem to be repeat customers from Alveo’s past projects, as well as foreign investors who have showed up in bigger numbers after ostensibly being wooed by the bump in the Philippines’ investment status grade recently.

The tower, he vowed, will be completed, and turned over beginning Q1 2021.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE. Over five hundred families in Tacloban City, Leyte who were displaced by typhoon Yolanda in 2013, got new homes, thanks to a check from the Social Housing Finance Corporation’s (SHFC) Community Mortgage Program (CMP). Don Alberto Compas Homeowner’s Association (DAC HOA) and Lexington HOA were given P25.39 million and P13.34 million, respectively, in ceremonies held recently at Brgy. 93 Bagacay District, Tacloban City . The community chose the 41.76 hectare site mainly because it couldn’t be reached by floods. At the groundbreaking rites were SHFC vice president for Visayas and Mindanao Atty.

Ma. Rosalie Richa Taguian, SHFC Cebu head, Engr. Randolph Librando, barangay officials, community mobilizers, non-government organizations