BusinessMirror December 10, 2014

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BusinessMirror

three-time rotary club of manila journalism awardee 2006, 2010, 2012

U.N. Media Award 2008

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The coming of Your son

FR. SAL PUTZU, SDB AND LOUIE M. LACSON Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Life

ABS-CBN RECLAIMS TOP PRIME-TIME SPOT... »D3

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

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Tech gifts for the geek who already has everything B T W San Jose Mercury News

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T’S the holiday shopping season, so it’s time to answer that all-important question: Do you know what to get the geeks in your life? These days, they have smartphones, big-screen TVs and laptops, and probably a tablet and a video game console or two. So what do you get your geeks if they have all that? Well, in my book, it’s time to focus on accessories—or on completely unrelated gadgets. Here are some hints on how to give your tech enthusiast a happy holiday this year. SPIFFING UP THE SMARTPHONE THERE aren’t many geeks that lack smartphones, and the real action this year with smartphones is in all the cool things you can connect to them. Smartphones can now control your lights, appliances and door locks. Belkin’s WeMo Insight Switch allows consumers to use their smartphone as a remote control inside or outside the house to turn lights and other powered devices on or off. Not only can you control Oort’s

SmartLED light bulb remotely, but you can change the color of its light on a whim, picking from among 16 million different choices. A whole new generation of robotic toys has hit the market that you can pilot with smartphones, using their touch screens and other sensors. Parrot’s Rolling Spider is a miniaturized version of its groundbreaking AR Drone that can take pictures, hover in place and roll along the floor. Sphero 2.0 is a robotic ball that can zip around the ground and be used to play games involving knocking over objects or navigating through obstacles. If your loved ones are into fitness, or you are trying to encourage them to be healthier, you could consider a fitness band. These devices—which typically look like rubber bracelets—track workouts, casual activity and sometimes sleep patterns, allowing users to monitor them on corresponding smartphone apps that also track calories and to set fitness goals. Among the most popular are Fitbit’s Flex and Jawbone’s Up. (Another great option would be the Sony SmartBand Talk SWR30, which also boasts of voice capability to make and answer calls when paired C  D

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ayala land blockbuster BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

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Another blockbuster from Ayala Land Premier

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By Rizal Raoul Reyes

HE quality of suburban living goes several notches higher as Ayala Land Premier (ALP) introduces The Courtyards—the group’s latest suburban development in the Alabang-Cavite corridor. It is a 130-hectare project and a prime living space with relatively flat terrain with views of the Cavite lowlands as well as the Metro Manila skyline. Jose Juan Jugo, head of Ayala Land Premier, said, “The project is the company’s latest blockbuster project that contains Ayala’s signature quality brand just like in its previous projects. The Courtyards is a manifestation of how Ayala develops the perfect suburban setting for the urbanite who is looking for an abode that can be either a second home or home,” he said in a recent press briefing held in Makati City. The introduction of The Courtyards was warmly accepted by the market as it has sold over P3 billion five months after it was introduced in the market. Further, The Courtyards has boosted ALP’s status as the top developer in the areas since introducing Ayala Alabang in the early 1980s. Further, Jugo said The Court-

yards has been conceptualized to provide a family-oriented concept to the homes. “We have designed The Courtyards to be the ideal living space for ‘full nesters’—families with one or more children, or else couples that are planning to add more to their brood, as well as established families who wish to move into a more peaceful suburban setting,” said Jugo. Buyers can have a variety of options when they buy at The Courtyards. Each lot is part of a cluster of six to eight lots enclaved in courtyards, essentially a cul-desac which allows for one-way traffic and has an island of greenery in the middle, ensuring privacy and tranquillity for the residents. There are five types of lots: (1) Courtyard lots, which are lots fronting a courtyard, (2) Parklane lots,

located along the main road and fronting a greenway; (3) Courtyard Park lots, those fronting courtyards which are connected to greenways; (4) Courtyard Park Premier lots, which are adjacent to a greenway; and (5) Courtyard Park Estate lots, adjacent to the main amenity core.

Courtyard lots are priced from P25,090 to P27,190 per sq m; Parklane lots at P28,240 to P30,340. Courtyard Park lots range from P31,390 to P33,910 per sq m. Courtyard Park Premier lots are at P34,540 to P37,690 and Courtyard Park Estate lots at P40,480 per sq m.

Lots are classified according to whether they are fronting a courtyard, adjacent to a greenway, a linear park running parallel to the main road, or their proximity to the main amenity core. The main amenity core is located near the main gate and includes a community cen-

ter, playfield, swimming pool and a multipurpose court. The Courtyards is accessible through two main thoroughfares. From the west, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway leads to Daang Hari and Jose Abad Santos, and from the east, South Luzon Expressway (Slex)-Alabang exit leads to Daang Hari. Soon, by the second quarter of 2015, the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway from Slex will be opened. This Slex exit shall connect Slex and Daang Hari, offering a more convenient route to The Courtyards. Even if it is in a suburban setting, The Courtyards is very accessible to various recreational establishments such as The District malls in Imus and Dasmariñas, and Alabang Town Center. Nearby churches include Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral in Imus, Saint James the Great in Alabang, Saint Jerome Emiliani and Saint Susana Parish at Alabang Town Center, and Saint Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas. Educational institutions are also a quick drive away such as De La Salle Dasmariñas, De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, De La Salle Santiago-Zobel School, PAREF Southridge School, PAREF Woodridge School and San Beda College. “ALP is committed to the vision that every family member is able to balance his or her lifestyle and flourish with the conveniences we offer at The Courtyards,” added Jugo. “By 2016, residents can move into their homes at The Courtyards. Moreover, ALP will continue to look for potential sites around the country for future development.”

Sun Valley Estates Antipolo opens new village center

The Promenade

Fairway View Village at Sun Valley

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RUE to its commitment to homeowners, Sun Valley builds a new commercial square— The Promenade at Sun Valley—a convenient place for their everyday shopping needs and services. It’s all there and so close to home. Strategically situated, The Promenade is accessible to Sun Valley homeowners in nearby phases, and is right beside the Village Clubhouse at Phase 1, which has a swimming pool, picnic grounds and a function room. Now in place at The Promenade are a water station, coffee shop and a small grocery. Soon these will be complemented with a beauty parlor and spa. One can

also find the Sun Valley sales office and the administration office there. In the center of the structure is a function room, with a seating capacity of 300, ideal for conferences, parties, product launchings, exhibits and the like. A light and airy design frames The Promenade, blending well with the natural beauty of the land. Large glass windows let in the light, and the view of hills beyond the road. Beautiful landscaped gardens mark off the borders at back. Ample parking spaces line up at front. The Promenade is designed to become the center of activity for homeowners and guests, a convenient place to shop for their every-

day needs, lunch or simply taking in the view. Meet up with friends for breakfast and a delightful cup of coffee, celebrating a life milestone with a special event, bring over the kids for ice cream or picking up a box of snacks on the way home. The Promenade is within easy reach. The Promenade is the newest addition to the growing Sun Valley community, which is a development of well-planned residential villages, built on naturally rolling terrain, and enhanced by the theme of living close to nature. Some of the best amenities are found at Sun Valley, including an 18-hole golf course, a golf clubhouse, the sports

The Clubhouse

plaza and soccer field and four community clubhouses. Water sports at the man-made lagoon include kayaking, fishing, canoeing and the water roller. Trekking through the Bamboo Trail, over the Kawayan Falls near Hole 3 of the golf course, around a mountain, to emerge at the Upper Ranch residential site on the other side of Sun Valley is also an option. Accessible via Marcos Highway, Sun Valley Estates is located only 10 minutes from Masinag Market and SM City Masinag. Exclusive schools, hospitals and places of worship are found in nearby surroundings as well as in Antipolo City proper.

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getting old BusinessMirror

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| Wednesday, deCember 10, 2014 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

GETTING OLD

By Doug Ferguson

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AS Tiger Woods rebuild, a younger generation shines. AP

The Associated Press

INDEMERE, Florida—Tiger Woods appears to be on the road to recovery again, only it’s no longer a question of how soon before he reaches full speed. There are a lot more cars on the road now. Faster ones, too. Woods acknowledged as much before the Hero World Challenge began when he jokingly said, “Father Time remains undefeated.” He still has plenty of power when he’s healthy and swings freely. But there’s a long list of players who hit it farther. “We all eventually are losing some of the things we are able to do when we were younger,” Woods said. “But there’s other ways to go around a golf course.... You can win at a very late age because you don’t have to physically dominate anybody. You don’t have to physically beat anybody. You just have to beat the golf course.” That’s a recipe for winning, but not for being the best in the sport. That label belongs to 25-year-old Rory McIlroy, an undisputed title at the moment. The most consistent threat in the majors this year was 25-year-old Rickie Fowler, who played in the final group twice and finished in the top 5 in all of them. The latest arrival is 21-year-old Jordan Spieth, who showed off his potential not because of the fields he beat (strength or size) but because of the stamps in his passport. In three weeks in three corners of the world, Spieth finished one shot out of a playoff in Japan, won by six shots in the Australian Open against a field that included McIlroy and Adam Scott, and then overwhelmed an 18-man field of top-50 players in Florida with a 10-shot victory. One of the more telling comments after he won at Isleworth was how Spieth defined his target. “In order to take it to the next level and try and win majors, I’ve got to look to Rory,” Spieth said. “He’s the youngest guy, the one with the most success. He’s No. 1 in the world and setting the bar. He’s the one we’re all chasing.” Woods is now part of the chase. He did not say where he would start in 2015, but here’s a sobering thought: If Woods does not play better than he did at Isleworth, there’s a mathematical chance he’ll fall out of the top 50 by March and not be eligible for the first World Golf Championship at Doral. This isn’t the first time Woods has returned from an injury-induced layoff. But it’s the first time he is coming back from injury and retooling his swing under a new coach. This could take time, and that’s something Woods doesn’t have at this stage in his career. He turns 39 at the end of the month. Can he get back to where he was? Probably not. Can he get back to No. 1 in the world? Certainly. The last time he was in this position, it took five victories for Woods to climb back to No. 1, along with a minislump by McIlroy. Both are capable of doing that again. Woods is so popular as a golfer, and he demands so much attention, that it’s easy to fall into a trap of measuring his progress without considering the rest of the field. When he opened with a 77 at Isleworth, it was easy to blame that on rust because he had not faced any competition since the Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championship. Except that Steve Stricker had not played since the PGA and he opened with a 67. Woods made progress in the second round. He was attacking. He was making birdies. He was 4 under through 16 holes, which ordinarily would seem like a good score. Except that the guy playing alongside him, Patrick Reed, was 9 under through 16 holes. The competition has never been deeper—and as it relates to Woods, younger. He is responsible for that. Most of these rising stars, if not all, grew up watching Woods destroy his competition. They learned by watching him. It was different for an older generation of players who only saw Woods when he arrived on the PGA Tour, and then didn’t know what hit them. “He was the best anyone had seen,” Reed said. “He was so much better than anyone else at the time. With me growing up and watching that, I tried to copy his mental strength and go from there.” And how does one copy mental strength? “Be stubborn,” Reed said. “Focus on what you’re doing and not anyone around you. You could see it just by looking at him in the eyes. If looks could kill, he would literally kill you. It’s not because he’s not a good guy. He was just so focused and determined to play well. And he obviously gets it. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

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By Catherine N. Pillas & Lenie Lectura

he Philippines’s largest business organization, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), is backing the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) call for at least a 3-percent rollback in the prices of basic goods and services as a result of the big drop in global oil costs. The only major hurdle, according to the group, is the high power cost, a problem that is about to ease after the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announced that its consumers are going to see a P0.19-per-kilowatthour (kWh) drop in their electricity bills this month, or equivalent to roughly P38 for those with an average monthly consumption of 200 kWh. “I agree with [Trade] Secretary [Gregory L. Domingo], there should be a reduction in the prices of goods and services. But the effect is not im-

CABANGON CHUA: CPAs CRUCIAL IN GLOBALIZED SETTING

mediate. The transportation component is there, but the power [cost] is not going down so it would not be immediate,” Alfredo M. Yao, president of the PCCI, said in a phone interview with the BusinessMirror on Tuesday afternoon. The PCCI president said the truckers should be the first to heed the call of the trade office for cost reduction, as several petroleum companies have already implemented several rounds of price cuts,

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua (third from left) receives a plaque of appreciation for being the inspirational speaker at the oathtaking of successful examinees for Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. Awarding the plaque are (from left) Board of Accountancy members Aurelio Aurellado and Gerard Sanvictores, and Board of Accountancy Chairman Joel L. Tan-Torres.

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Belmonte wants House to probe Mighty Corp., ‘sin’ tax loopholes

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P25.00 nationwide | 7 sections 32 pages | 7 days a week

PCCI backs DTI call for price cut

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Tuesday, November 18,10, 2014 Vol.Vol. 10 No. 40 Wednesday, December 2014 10 No. 62

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MERALCO’S P0.19-PER-KWH RATE REDUCTION PRESENTS ANOTHER REASON TO LOWER PRICES

INSIDE

EAR God, You prepared for the coming of Your son over the centuries. You awakened in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming and You prepared for it specifically through the Old Testament, culminating with John the Baptist who was the last and greatest of the prophets. We relive this long period of expectancy in the annual liturgical celebration of the season of Advent. May we be all prepared for the coming of Your son. Amen.

A broader look at today’s business

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

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LEBRON JAMES (left), Kylie Irving and several others are making a statement. AP

James, Kyrie, Nets

‘can’t breathe’ N

EW YORK—LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and several Brooklyn players are wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts as they warm up for Monday’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Nets. Kevin Garnett and Deron Williams were among four Nets wearing the shirts in support of the family of Eric Garner, who died on July 17, after a police officer placed him in a chokehold when he was being arrested for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. Chicago star Derrick Rose wore one before a game on Saturday, and James said on Sunday he wanted one. He got it from Nets guard Jarrett Jack, who provided them to players on both teams. A few National Football League players had the saying written on different items of gear and shirts during pregame warm-ups before games on Sunday, including Saint Louis Rams guard Davin Joseph, Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush and Cleveland Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi. “Obviously, as a society, we have to do better, we have to have empathy better for one another no matter what race you are, but it’s more a shout-out to the family more than anything,” James said before Cleveland’s 110-88 victory. Irving had already gone to the court in his shirt as James spoke. James said at the time it was a “possibility” he would do the same, and he was wearing the shirt when he unzipped his yellow-and-gray jacket in Cleveland’s layup line. The statement from the players came before a game that was to be attended by Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate, as well as National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver. “I respect Derrick Rose and all of our players for voicing their personal views on important issues, but my preference would be for players to abide by our on-court attire rules,” Silver said. Players are required to wear attire of Adidas, the league’s official apparel provider. A recording of Garner’s arrest showed him gasping, “I can’t breathe” during the fatal encounter, and thousands have protested a grand jury decision not to indict the officer since the announcement on Wednesday. Over 200 protesters gathered outside the Barclays Center on Monday night, chanting “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” and “I can’t breathe.” Irving said his thoughts were with Garner’s family. “What happened is a tragedy, I feel terrible about it, but my emotions are just more or less condolences for the family,” Irving said. AP

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ouse Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Tuesday said he would demand an oversight investigation into the reported leaks in the implementation of the “sin” tax law. Belmonte, in a news conference, said the Congressional Oversight

PESO exchange rates n US 44.5100

Body on Republic Act (RA) 10351, or “An Act Restructuring the Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco Products,” also known as sin-tax law, should look into complaints against Mighty Corp., a local cigarette company, which, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), is liable for nonpayment of taxes.

ALYSA SALEN

By David Cagahastian

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mbassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, chairman of the ALC Group of Companies, on Tuesday led the oathtaking of some 3,000 new certified public accountants (CPAs) in ceremonies held at the Philippine

International Convention Center in Pasay City. Cabangon Chua, a CPA himself, urged the new CPAs, who passed the licensure examinations in October, to make things happen and realize their dreams, focusing on the time-tested values of hard work and fortitude, which,

he said, are the only ones that can ensure success. “Sa mundong ito, walang maipapalit sa sipag at tiyaga. Hindi talino; pangkaraniwan lang ang matalinong nabibigo. Hindi kakayahan; halos kasabihan na na mayroong mga may pambihirang Continued on A2

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n japan 0.3685 n UK 69.6492 n HK 5.7426 n CHINA 7.2108 n singapore 33.7401 n australia 36.9777 n EU 54.8007 n SAUDI arabia 11.8611 Source: BSP (9 December 2014)


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