Businessmirror february 07, 2016

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A broader look at today’s business

n Sunday, February 7, 2016 Vol. 11 No. 122

P25.00 nationwide | 4 sections 20 pages | 7 days a week

Sobrepeña tells Abaya: Face reality, address MRT 3 mess Earthquake jolts Taiwan; T 7 dead, hundreds injured

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

RANSPORTATION Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya should face the reality that the government really neglected the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, and “should stop creating smokescreens and address the issue up-front.”

week ahead

ECONOMIC DATA PREVIEW Local currency

n Previous week: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) research officer Nicholas Antonio Mapa said in the middle of the week that the peso continued to move higher as a “risk-off” sentiment dominates the market. The local currency ended the week at 47.66 to a dollar, with a total traded volume on Friday at $561.5 million.

n Week ahead: Mapa said the peso will remain broadly within range, as it is to track Asian currency movements in the week ahead. “Peso should take its cue from regional developments, with the currency pair possibly pressured higher ahead of US data. Oil will also be a driver for regional currencies and the peso, as well,” Mapa said.

Monetary-policy meeting

February 11

n Previous meeting: As widely expected by local markets, the Bangko Sentral kept all its policy rates unchanged, despite the dawn of the normalization of interest rates in the United States—as the Monetary Board (MB) opts to adopt a wait-and-see stance on evolving matters on the global economy. In its meeting last December 17, the MB decided to keep the key policy rates at 4 percent for the overnight borrowing, or reverse repurchase facility (RRP), and 6 percent for the overnight lending, or repurchase facility (RP). The interest rates on

See “Outlook,” A2

Robert John L. Sobrepeña, who chairs MRT Holdings Inc., told Abaya to stop casting doubts on the Senate report on the state of the railway system that runs along Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

Instead, Abaya should address the issues raised by the report with utmost urgency and transparency, and stop wasting time on railroading the private owners and a presidential aspirant, Sobrepeña said.

“I urge our dear secretary to address the issues raised by the Senate report and stop creating smokescreens. He is creating

Sobrepeña: “He is creating nonissues, and is just trying to do the usual deflectthe-issue-anddiffuse-the-issue method that he always does.”

nonissues, and is just trying to do the usual deflect-the-issueand-diffuse-the-issue method that he always does,” Sobrepeña told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview.

Continued on A2

DBS: Central bank to pull trigger in second half of ’16

By Bianca Cuaresma

D

ESPITE its cautious stance, the Bangko Sentral is still likely to fire one policy move for the year.

Singapore-based bank DBS Bank economist Gundy Cahyadi said the central bank will likely tighten once this year only by about 25 basis points in the second half of the year.

For now, however, the central bank will likely remain prudent and adopt a wait-and-see stance amid the volatile global economy.

“Bangko Sentral maintains its cautious approach for now, amid concerns over the global economy. With domestic demand staying robust and continuing to support the overall GDP growth

PESO exchange rates n US 47.7530

CAHYADI: “With domestic demand staying robust and continuing to support the overall GDP growth outlook, there is no reason the BSP should turn dovish.”

outlook, there is no reason the BSP should turn dovish,” Cahyadi said.

The central bank is set to hold its first policy meeting of the year on Thursday.

Central bank Gov. Amando M. Tetangco Jr., in his statement following the announcement of the country’s January inflation, hinted at looking more into the state of the global economy in crafting the next policy move.

See “DBS,” A2

Rescue workers search a collapsed building from an early-morning earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, on Saturday.

A powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn on Saturday. AP/Wally Santana

T

AINAN, Taiwan—Rescuers raced to find survivors after a powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn on Saturday, collapsing a high-rise residential complex and killing at least seven people, sending scores to hospital and leaving about a couple dozen missing.

Rescuers pulled 247 survivors from the rubble in the

worst-hit Tainan city. More than 1,200 firefighters scrambled with ladders, cranes and other equipment to the ruins of a 17-floor residential building that folded like an accordion in a pile of rubble and twisted metal.

The local media said the building included a care center for newborns and mothers, and a newborn was among the dead in the disaster, which came two

days ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations that are the most important family holiday on the Chinese calendar.

Most people were caught asleep when the 6.4-magnitude temblor struck at about 4 a.m. local time (2000 GMT, Friday). It hit some 35 kilometers southeast of Yujing, and struck about 10 km underground, according to the Continued on A2

Moody’s Analytics: PHL manufacturing down in December ‘15

T

HE country’s manufacturing sector likely slumped at the end of 2015, as the drag in the Philippines’s agricultural sector weighed in on the production of food items during the period.

In its weekly assessment of economic indicators in the Asia-Pacific region, Moody’s Analytics—the research arm of Moody’s Inc.—said the country’s industrial production likely grew by 1.5 percent in December 2015.

This is a decrease from the 7.5-percent growth of the sector in November last year.

“Food manufacturing will continue to be a drag on output due to dry conditions affecting crop output,” Moody’s said.

The slowing global economy—par-

ticularly in advanced economies—is also likely to pull the manufacturing sector’s growth downward during the period.

“Export-oriented manufacturing is expected to be dented by the slowing Chinese economy. This will be offset somehow by a rise in demand from the US as its recovery continues,” Moody’s Analytics said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) monthly integrated survey of selected industries for November 2015 showed that the volume of production index grew by 7.5 percent in November 2015, due largely to the robust growth in the tobacco sector.

In particular, seven of 11 major industries mainly drove volume of

production index growth. These were tobacco products, which grew by 52.7 percent; machinery except electrical, 29.6 percent; basic metals, 25.1 percent; leather products, 23.7 percent; electrical machinery, 20.1 percent; petroleum products, 12.5 percent; and footwear and wearing apparel, 12 percent.

Food production, meanwhile, still registered a decrease in the month.

The recovery of the manufacturing sector last November was lauded by economic managers, saying that it shows the resiliency of the domestic economy despite continued weak global demand.

The manufacturing-sector growth at the end of the year will be released by the PSA on Tuesday. Bianca Cuaresma

n japan 0.4092 n UK 69.6716 n HK 6.1331 n CHINA 7.2743 n singapore 34.2119 n australia 34.4862 n EU 53.5359 n SAUDI arabia 12.7375

Source: BSP (5 February 2016 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, February 7, 2016

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Sobrepeña tells Abaya: Face reality, address MRT 3 mess Continued from a1

He was referring to Abaya’s pronouncements against Sobrepeña’s credibility as a proponent during two of the five Senate hearings on the MRT issue. The transport chief raised Sobrepeña’s legal cases in the past, including the issues on Camp John Hay and the College Assurance Program.

“Instead of reacting to the points of the Senate committee report, he deflected the issue by raising my name. He was trying to cast doubt on the report by saying that I am not a credible source. There were 50 people all in all called during the five Senate hearings. It just so happens that maybe among the people that were invited, I have the most knowledge on the issue because I built the MRT,” Sobrepeña said.

Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who is running for president, chairs the subcommittee on the MRT and transport issues. Abaya, on the other hand, is the chief of the Liberal Party.

The subcommittee report noted that there was an apparent mismanagement of the train facility, as it lacks coaches, has deteriorating rails, and is being maintained poorly. The report also questioned deals and contracts that the government entered into during Abaya’s term.

Poe’s subcommittee also recommended the filing of graft

charges against top officials of the transport department for striking dubious deals. Abaya and his subordinates were also tagged as “insensitive and callous.”

On top of these issues that Abaya is currently facing, the Alliance for Consumerism and Transparency (Action) called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to suspend the P3.8-billion maintenance contract that the transport agency entered into with Busan Transportation Corp. and its Filipino partners.

“In view of the foregoing, may we request your good office to exercise your principal duty to examine, audit and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property owned or held in trust by, or pertaining to, the government, and subsequently, to suspend the implementation of the aforementioned project pending investigation from the Ombudsman,” the group said in a letter to the audit agency dated February 3.

Action Secretary-General Vito Gaspar Enrico C. Silo said the agency violated the government’s procurement law, which mandates the conduct of public bidding, when it awarded the P3.8-billion contract to the Busan-led consortium through an emergency negotiated procurement method.

He noted that the transport department also “added scopes of work in the emergency negotiated procurement, particularly the general overhaul of the 43 trains and the total replacement of the signaling systems when the two components were not included in two failed public biddings earlier conducted by the said agency.

The inclusion of the additional scopes necessitated the increase of the appropriated budget from P2.25 billion to P2.38 billion. It then ballooned to P4.25 billion due to the added scope of work not included in the failed bids.

To recall, the agency launched the bidding for the contract in early September 2014, but no private company wanted to take the risk of maintaining a system so degraded, it has been tagged by railway experts as a “danger” to the riding public.

In the hope that companies would be enticed to vie for the much-needed project, the department decided to sweeten the terms of the deal. But, despite the relaxing of rules and the improvement in cost, railway-upkeep services companies still decided to evade a “potential risk.”

The risk, industry observers said, is obvious: the train system itself is already dilapidated. Hence, “maintaining” it, in the literal sense, would mean risking the lives of daily commuters coming from

the northern and southern corridors of Metro Manila.

The Department of Justice opined that the move for an emergency procurement was justifiable.

It was also unanimously approved by the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB).

But for Action, such a move was suspicious.

“This is highly irregular, considering that the maintenance of the signaling system has already been awarded to Bombardier, a highly regarded original-equipment manufacturer. Therefore, the upgrading of the signaling system should have been accomplished, and to enter anew with another maintenance on the entire system is clearly not only anomalous resulting to the dissipation of government funds on the first phase of completed and systematic upgrading of signaling system undertaken by Bombardier, but also highly suspicious,” Silo said.

He also pointed out that the negotiations team of the transport department—led by Undersecretary Rene K. Limcaoco—had only accepted one qualified bid or offer and had disqualified two other bids or offers.

The acceptance of the supposed Busan-led group was done despite information gathered by the negotiations team that Busan lacked the 15-year experience re-

quirement they had set from bidders for the contract, since Busan Transportation Corp. was organized only in 2006.

While Busan gave the excuse that it was a subsidiary of Busan Metro, a Korean governmentowned and -controlled corporation organized in 1986, the DOTC did not verify this claim and check if Busan Metro and Busan Transportation have interlocking directors or corporate officers.

A look into the other partners of Busan showed that they have no interest or knowledge in the rail industry whatsoever since Edison Development and Construction Corp. was just into construction; Tramat Mercantile Inc. is into agricultural equipment supply; TMI Corp. into trading; and Castan Corp. into plumbing.

“It is clear, therefore, that the negotiating team hired financially and technically incompetent maintenance-service providers,” Silo said.

The MRT is in a chronic state of decay, with the 16-year-old trains already maxed out of their rated capacities and the rails already experiencing difficulties in handling hundreds of thousands of passengers per day.

Several proposals from the private sector have been submitted before the transport department, but none of them has been responded to with clarity.

DBS… Continued from a1

“We will continue to monitor other developments, including hints of even slower global growth, and more volatility in financial and commodity markets to see if the balance of risks is tilting, such that there is need for adjustments in policy stance,” Tetangco said.

Meanwhile, in the inflation front, the central bank governor said that there is no need to adjust policy stance for the sake of the prices of consumer goods and services in the coming week.

“The slower inflation outturn was primarily due to lower utility rates and transport prices among others,” Tetangco said.

“Our view remains to be that monthly inflation will slowly rise to within the target range for 2016 and 2017,” he added.

Outlook…

Continued from a1

term RRPs, RPs and special deposit accounts were also kept steady and the reserve requirement ratios were also unchanged.

n Upcoming meeting: The central bank is expected to keep the rates steady in its next policy meeting, as growth continues to be strong and as the Federal Reserve continues to lean toward a wait-and-see stance, eliminating concerns from the market that the US might increase its rates faster than expected for the year.

In a text message sent to reporters recently, central bank Gov. Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said they continue to “see no need to adjust policy settings at the moment.” Bianca Cuaresma

Earthquake jolts Taiwan; 7 dead, hundreds injured

In this photo taken from a drone-mounted camera, rescue workers search a collapsed building from an early-morning earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, on Saturday. AP Continued from a1

US Geological Survey.

“It first started shaking horizontally, then up and down, then a big shake right to left,” said Tainan resident Lin Bao-gui, a second-hand car salesman whose cars were smashed when the residential complex across the street from him collapsed.

“I stayed in my bed but jumped up when I heard the big ‘bang’ that was the sound of the building falling,” he said.

The emergency response center said seven people were killed, including a 10-day-old infant, a small child and at least two other residents inside the high-rise building. One death was caused by falling objects. No details were immediately available for the two additional deaths.

Rescuers pulled out 247 survivors, the emergency center said.

Seventy-three people were sent to hospitals, the center added.

The Wei Guan Residential Tower was home to 256 people living in 96 units. According to the disaster response center, 230 of them were rescued and 26 unaccounted for, although it was unclear how many

people were inside the building at the time of the fall.

The Taiwanese news web site ET Today reported that a mother and a daughter were among the survivors from the Wei Guan building, and that the girl drank her urine while waiting for rescue, that came sooner than expected.

Dozens more people have been rescued or safely evacuated from a market and a seven-floor building that was badly damaged, the official China Central News Agency reported. A bank building also careened, but no injuries were reported, it said.

As dawn broke, live Taiwanese television showed survivors being taken gingerly from the high-rise, including an elderly woman in a neck brace and others wrapped in blankets. The trappings of daily life—a partially crushed air-conditioner, pieces of a metal balcony, windows—lay twisted in rubble.

People with their arms around firefighters were being helped from the building, and cranes were being used to search darkened parts of the structure for survivors.

Newscasters said other areas of the city were still being canvassed for

possible damage.

Men in camouflage, apparently military personnel, marched into one area of collapse carrying large shovels.

The disaster-response center said 1,236 rescuers were deployed, including 840 from the army, along with six helicopters and 23 rescue dogs.

The quake was felt as a lengthy, rolling shake in the capital, Taipei, on the other side of the island. But Taipei was quiet, with no sense of emergency or obvious damage just before dawn.

Residents in mainland China also reported that the tremor was felt there.

Questions were being asked if the construction crew had cut corners when building the Wei Guan residential complex that was finished in 1989. The interior minister, Chen Wei-zen, said an investigation would examine if the developer skirted requirements.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage. However, a magnitude-7.6 earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people. AP

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Dionisio L. Pelayo

Kota Kinabalu court drops charges against 11 Pinoys in Lahad Datu raid

T

HE Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the High Court of Kota Kinabalu dropped charges against 11 Filipinos accused of involvement in the Lahad Datu incident in February 2013.

However, the same Court ordered the 16 other Filipinos accused of waging war against the Malaysian king and involvement in terrorism to present evidence in their defense.

Judge Stephen Chung found no prima facie evidence against 11 of the 27 accused, and the charges against them were ordered dropped.

The Court gave the prosecution 14 days to file an appeal on the dismissal of the charges. If no appeal were filed, 10 of the 11 acquitted will be released and eventually sent home. One of the 11, Totoh bin Hismullah, may remain in Malaysia as he had been found by the Court to be already a Malaysian citizen and no longer a Filipino.

On the other hand, the Court found prima facie evidence against the remaining 16 Filipinos and were ordered by the Court to present, through their lawyer, evidence in their defense. This will give them an opportunity to rebut the charges against them.

The determination made by the Court is only preliminary and was based on the evidence presented by the prosecution. A verdict on the culpability, if any, of the 16 remaining accused will not be rendered until the defense has completed the presentation of its evidence, which is expected to begin later this month.

All 27 accused Filipinos were represented before and during the trial by Malaysian lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan, who was retained by the Philippine Embassy and paid for by the Philippine government. An embassy representative was present at Friday’s hearing.

The accused were also visited regularly by embassy officers and personnel.

The Philippine Embassy will continue to extend assistance to the accused Filipino nationals, the report added. PNA

Sunday, February 7, 2016 A3

Hotel fire in Iraq kills 14 Filipinos

A

FIRE at a hotel in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Friday killed 17 people, including 14 Filipinos, a Philippine Embassy official said.

“We have just been informed that 14 Filipinos were among the 17 people who died in a fire that struck a hotel in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq on Friday,” said Elmer Cato, chargé d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad.

“We will be taking the earliest flight on Saturday to allow us to coordinate closely with authorities of the Kurdistan Regional Government in identifying and repatriating the remains of our kababayan,” Cato added.

The incident, he said, is now under investigation. “We would like to

extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and will do everything we can to bring them home as soon as possible,” Cato said.

In 2012 the Philippine government lifted the deployment ban on Kurdistan region—an autonomous region in Iraq—amid growing foreign-labor demand, but deployment ban is being enforced by Manila in other parts of the country.

Except for Kurdistan, Manila is imposing mandator y repatriation for Fi l ipi no workers l iv i ng a nd working in other parts of Iraq, in-

cluding capital Baghdad, owing to the volatile security environment in the countr y.

Manila has also banned the deployment of new workers to Iraq because of the prevailing security situation.

The Philippine government has repeatedly cautioned Filipinos in Iraq to exercise extreme caution and to limit their movements, owing to bombings and other violent incidents in the past months.

They are also being urged to register with the embassy so that they could easily be contacted in case of emergency.

Malacañang, meanwhile, said it is saddened by the deaths of 14 Filipinos in the hotel fire in Iraq and said it is working with Iraqi authorities to bring home the remains of the fatalities.

Communications Undersecretary Manuel L. Quezon said the Palace received an update from the Department

of Foreign Affairs (DFA), saying it already dispatched personnel, through the help of the United Nations, to go to the site and assess what government help could be extended.

“We are very sad about this. It’s a terrible way to die. Marami sila and it was, I believe, in a massage center,” Quezon said.

“And so we would like to, of course, get more details and do everything that is possible to bring our countrymen home and, of course, to look at every possibility to assist their families at this time of sadness and need.”

Quezon, however, said the families should wait for a while because the DFA has just dispatched the people who will facilitate the repatriation.

“Kailangan tayong maghintay ng additional na detalye mula sa DFA dahil papunta pa lang si Elmer Cato para tingnan ang ginagawa natin para doon,” he said. PNA

Pampanga backs move to decongest Metro Manila

By Joel P. Mapiles Correspondent

T

HE provincial government gave its full support for the decongestion of Metro Manila to improve the quality of life in the metropolis, as well as boost the investment and spur further economic development in Central Luzon and other parts of the country.

Earlier, John D. Forbes, senior ad-

viser of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, was quoted as saying that Metro Manila is at risk of becoming uninhabitable owing to vehicular traffic congestion, as the annual new-car growth is expected to increase to 500,000 by 2020. Some 60 percent of all motor vehicles in the country are in Metro Manila.

Pampanga Gov. Lilia G. Pineda is supporting the advocacy of the Pam-

panga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PCCII) to decongest Metro Manila for the sake of the country.

To institutionalize the support, the provincial board approved Resolution 3769, supporting the decongestion of Metro Manila and referred it to President Aquino and Congress for their consideration.

It could be recalled that on December 16, 2013, the PCCII launched the

advocacy to decongest Metro Manila, pointing out that in the event of a major disaster, the metropolis’ destruction may place the entire country out of business and financially dislocated.

The decongestion of Metro Manila is a preventive move that aims to relocate vital public and private offices, investments and physical resources to be scattered appropriately in the 16 regions of the country.

SundayV

Busine

A4 Sunday, February 7, 2016 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

editorial

Once more on Mr. Duterte

I

T’S a go, at last, for former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has just dismissed all petitions for his disqualification. The petitioners may still go up to the Supreme Court for a reconsideration, but their efforts are not likely to produce the result they are aiming at. For all practical purposes, the mayor and his followers can now mount a full complement presidential campaign.

It has not been all sweetness and light for the mayor. On the very occasion of his proclamation by his party, his acceptance speech was roundly criticized as disrespecting the pope. In the days that followed, his revelations of girl friends in his life and accomplishments in his battle against drug lords and other antisocial elements capped by his call on funeral parlors to increase their capacity in anticipation of improved business elicited hostile comment.

The criticisms are meritorious. Why disrespect the pope? Why perpetuate the myth of inferiority of women in our society? Why focus only on criminal elements and their elimination? But the mayor’s responses are straightforward. He is going to the Vatican to personally apologize to the pope, even if his remarks were never intended to insult His Holiness. His purpose in referring to his girlfriends is to show that the ladies are modest members of Philippine society and that their financial support is much too light to oblige him to plunder the national treasury. Last, he has a strong platform of government to deal with the other challenging problems of the national society.

In fact, as we now recall in an earlier interview, the mayor said his platform of government consisted of (1) the streamlining of the bureaucracy; (2) the strengthening of the justice system; (3) the building of the country’s infrastructure; (4) the expansion of social services, including housing, education and health, with special attention to the elderly, women, children and indigenous people; (5) tax reform; (6) the building of disaster- resilient communities; (7) the raising of living standards for all; and (8) the shifting of the current unitary structure of our government to the federal structure of government.

We can add to the elements of the platform “the creation of employment opportunities for our working people,” but we are not pushing for it since one can argue that this is an unnamed objective of topics (1), (2), (3) and (5).

We commend the Comelec for removing the barriers to the nomination of Duterte, though we are fully aware that this action is not final until confirmed by the Supreme Court. For that matter, we hope the Highest Tribunal resolves Grace Poe’s case as soon as possible so that we can all act accordingly.

As the political campaign progresses, we hope that Duterte brings his platform of government to the knowledge and appreciation of the electorate.

There is no doubt in our mind that if he succeeds in doing so, he will be given the mandate he is working for.

Is the Chief Justice biased for Poe?

B

IASED or not, Sen. Grace Poe’s case will still be decided by the majority of the justices of the High Tribunal, even if Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno had argued in favor of foundlings while the case is still under judicial consideration.

Database

By Cecilio T. Arillo

Gospel

Sunday, February 7, 2016

After all, the case will soon be decided on the merits whether Poe is qualified to run for President.

Bear in mind that everything goes, pros and con, in an oral argument where everyone concerned in the proceedings can openly ask questions and defend his or her position, partial or impartial.

At the oral argument on Poe’s case on Tuesday, Sereno said disqualifying Poe from the presidential election in May for being a foundling could set a dangerous precedent and have dire consequences if upheld by the Supreme Court.

Sereno asked Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Arthur D. Lim this: “If you are saying that foundlings are not naturalborn citizens, have you thought about the impact on the rights of all foundlings?”

“The court now has to categorically answer the question about her [Poe’s] status, because the pronouncements we will make will affect so many others,” the Chief Justice said.

In a story published by Philippine Star, Sereno explained that the Constitution does not exclusively comply with the jus sanguinis (right of blood) principle or the determination of natural-born citizenship through bloodline.

Lim categorically asserted that

W

Arthur D. Lim categorically asserted that the constitutional requirements on those seeking the highest post of the land were at issue and not the rights of foundlings. Lim said the citizenship of Poe follows that of the father or the mother under the 1987 Constitution and the 1935 Constitution. He pointed out that this is the requirement of the Constitution which is not even satisfied if Poe identifies her parents because the Charter requires that a presidential candidate be natural born from birth. the constitutional requirements on those seeking the highest post of the land were at issue and not the rights of foundlings. Lim said the citizenship of Poe follows that of the father or the mother under the 1987 Constitution and the 1935 Constitution.

He pointed out that this is the requirement of the Constitution which is not even satisfied if Poe identifies her parents because the Charter requires that a presidential candidate be natural born from birth.

Section 2, Article IV of the Constitution provides that “natural-born citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship.”

For his part, Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio simply asked what is the meaning of “from birth?”

“It implies continuity. And precludes a break,” to which Lim answered in the affirmative.

HILE the people pressed upon Him so they can hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, He asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when He had ceased speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your Word, I will let down the nets.”

And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal

In his dissent in the Senate Electoral Tribunal upholding the Senate seat of Poe, Associate Justice Arturo D. Brion said that, even if Poe had been a natural-born Filipino citizen, her decision to become a naturalized citizen of the United States makes her ineligible to reclaim her being natural born.

“As a foreigner who had undergone an expedited form of naturalization under RA [Republic Act] 9225, she had to perform acts to acquire Philippine citizenship and did not, therefore, fall under the Constitution’s definition of a natural-born citizen,” Brion said.

Actually, the Chief Justice may have expressed a doubt over the Comelec decision to disqualify Poe. The question is: Will the Supreme Court resolve the doubt in Poe’s favor?

To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.

And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink.

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth, you will be catching men.”

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.— Luke 5:1-11

Voices

essMirror

opinion@businessmirror.com.ph • Sunday, February 7, 2016 A5

Marriage before divorce

B

EFORE every election we get the usual b.s. about the candidates’ stand on such silly subjects as divorce or same-sex marriage, as if the world revolved under failed marriages and the kind that cannot be celebrated by priests, but which nothing in the law stops two men (or women for that matter) from striking a binding bargain.

Free Fire

By Teddy Locsin Jr.

And yet, far more important, is his or her stand on giving away part of our country to a bunch of terrorists operating under the wing of Malaysia, despite the feebleness of that federation, and the natural pugnacity of Filipinos that made them feared under Marcos. But now, we are a democracy and weak. But back to divorce.

To consider divorce seriously, we must take marriage very seriously indeed. It is impossible to avail ourselves of the benefits of divorce unless we take marriage as the indispensable starting point for extending those benefits, and in what amounts.

Merely freedom, of course, is quite a lot by itself, as shown by the readiness of spouses to walk away from home without another place to call their own.

But property rights are a big factor in determining the concrete values of marriage and divorce. It is argued that there are so many legally recognized customs practices, situations, judicial precedents, and specific

statutes governing the property rights of couples parted by death or divorce that there is no need for the formality of marriage. Sure, but without that formality, each of those rights must be argued rather than conclusively assumed.

Argument takes time and money which are the same thing, especially if one of the spouses doesn’t have either. It doesn’t have to be hard, but it can be a lot easier, if these rights start with the formality of marriage.

Otherwise, how do you treat the surviving partner if the deceased left no will, like a spouse or a cohabitant?

What constitutes cohabitation? 20 years or more? But what if loving partners are parted by death within a year? How do you tell cohabitation from a fling? Some flings feel like eternity. How do you grade entitlements? What about damages for an accident, or what British law elegantly calls solatium, solace for the grieving spouse.

For lack of formality, there isn’t a spouse, just a penniless someone

crying her heart out. Filipinos, being a naturally elegant race, slip a tightly folded piece of currency in the widow’s hand. It is done among the old rich and among the old poor with no offense taken. None of that is possible with the facility of a fine gesture unless we start with the formality of a marriage. That is why even as we urge the passage of divorce, we must maintain with equal vigah the sanctity of marriage. You cannot have one without the other.

To win the war on cancer, dishonorably discharge tests on animals

By Frances Cheng | People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals/ TNS Forum

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N the wake of multiple high-profile, cancerrelated deaths—including those of the vice president’s son Beau Biden, David Bowie, rock musician Lemmy Kilmister, Alan Rickman, and Celine Dion’s husband, Rene Angelil —President Barack Obama has established a White House task force on cancer, headed by Joe Biden, to “put ourselves on a path to achieve in just five years, research and treatment gains that otherwise might take a decade or more.”

The president’s commitment is welcome news to cancer patients and their families, but if we’re serious about achieving this vision, we must abandon ineffective tests on animals, which have hobbled cancer research since the war on cancer was declared nearly half a century ago.

Almost 20 years ago, former National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Richard Klausner stated, “We have cured mice of cancer for decades —and it simply didn’t work in humans.” But tragically, researchers did not change course. We still don’t have effective treatments for many forms of cancer, and the mortality rate remains high.

This lack of results has not been for lack of funds: The NCI had a research budget of more than $2 billion in 2014. Where have these resources gone? About half of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) $31-billion budget funds cruel—and often bizarre—experiments on animals that we’ve known for decades don’t lead to cures for humans.

For instance, in federally funded experiments at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, monkeys’ testes were irradiated, and some of their testicular cells were then injected into mice whose testes

had also been blasted with radiation.

At Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, tumors grown in genetically modified mice were implanted in the brains of fish in a project funded by NIH. And in recent prostate-cancer experiments at Colorado State University and North Carolina State University, dogs’ genitals were exposed to powerful radiation in an attempt to induce erectile dysfunction, which it did in some. The dogs were then sexually manipulated in order to measure the functioning of the genitals and were then killed and dissected. Many of the dogs were killed just because of the highly toxic effects of the radiation.

A recent paper by researchers at McMaster University examined the failure of cancer experiments on animals to apply to humans, concluding, “The power of the animal models to predict clinical efficacy is a matter of dispute due to weaknesses in faithfully mirroring the

extremely complex process of human carcinogenesis. The vast majority of agents that are found to be successful in animal models do not pan out in human trials.”

Indeed, about 95 percent of experimental drugs deemed safe and effective in tests on animals fail in human trials because they don’t work or turn out to be dangerous.

Cancer drugs have the highest failure rate of all disease categories, and the few that are ultimately approved often have marginal effectiveness and harmful side effects with symptoms arguably worse than the disease itself.

Both cancer patients and animals in laboratories are suffering, while animal experimenters continue to throw public and private resources at a misguided and irrelevant research paradigm that has never worked and never will. Thankfully, in its recently released five-year plan, the NIH acknowledged that

And finally in its own right, there is this to say for formal marriages.

Somehow, a fleeting fancy or a passing irritation stops short of an affair or a walk out the door just because a mere scrap of paper has the strength to stop what shackles of iron cannot.

Nor a man or a woman from breaking their word. That is a value to be cherished, like the words of allegiance to our republic, one and indivisible, with freedom and justice for all and not only sharia for some. Keep well.

“animal models often fail to provide good ways to mimic disease or predict how drugs will work in humans, resulting in much wasted time and money while patients wait for therapies” and committed to a greater investment in “technologies that will be better than animal models.”

These include three-dimensional cancer models—made from human cells—that can be used to test experimental drugs and high-tech miniature lungs—and other organson-chips that replicate fully functioning body systems, mimic human diseases, and allow researchers to test treatments more efficiently and effectively than by artificially inducing illnesses in animals of the wrong species. This technology is available and in use now, and adopting it more extensively will save millions of lives—both human and nonhuman.

To win the war on cancer, it’s time to give tests on animals a dishonorable discharge.

America’s declining economic freedom

By Anthony B. Kim | The Heritage Foundation/TNS Forum

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ILLIONS of people around the world are emerging from poverty, thanks to rising economic freedom. But by sharp contrast, America’s economic freedom has been declining over the past decade.

According to the Heritage Foundation’s 2016 Index of Economic Freedom, America’s economic freedom has tumbled. With losses of economic freedom in eight of the past nine years, the US has tied its worst score ever, wiping out a decade of progress. The US has fallen from the sixth-freest economy in the world, when President Barack Obama took office, to 11th place in the 2016 index. America’s declining score in the index is closely related to rapidly rising government spending, subsidies and bailouts.

Since early 2009: Government spending has exploded, amounting to $29,867 per household in 2015.

The national debt has risen to $125,000 for every tax-filing household in America—a total over $18 trillion. The government takeover of health care is raising prices and

disrupting markets.

Bailouts and new government regulations have increased uncertainty, stifling investment and job creation. This is not something to take lightly.

Economic freedom is the foundation of US economic strength, and economic strength is the foundation of America’s high living standards, military power and status as a world leader. The perils of losing economic freedom are not fictional.

It is painfully clear that our economy has been performing far below its potential, with individuals, families and entrepreneurs being squeezed by the proliferation of big-government bureaucracy and regulations.

As documented by the index and by scholars, America’s economic freedom has been declining at an alarming pace.

Indeed, as The Wall Street Journal recently summed it up, writing, Obama is “a champion when it comes to limiting economic freedom, and American workers have the slow growth in jobs and wages to prove it.”

Not surprisingly, our economic dynamism and innovative capacity have been measurably reduced. Selfinflicted wounds include: The US has the highest corpo-

rate tax rate in the developed world.

This has driven new jobs to other, more competitive nations and has meant fewer jobs and lower wages for Americans.

The overall annual cost of meeting regulatory requirements has increased by over $80 billion since 2009, with more than 180 new regulations in place.

In terms of ease of starting a new business, analyzed by a recently published World Bank report, the US is ranked shockingly low, at 49th, trailing countries such as

Canada, Georgia, Ireland, Lithuania and Malaysia.

No wonder the labor force participation rate has remained at near record lows after more than five years of steady decline. Worse, vibrant entrepreneurial growth has been stymied by greater policy uncertainty and mounting debt. And a disturbing trend toward cronyism has gravely eroded the rule of law and distorted our free-market system.

As House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, Republican-Texas, keynote speaker

of the official release of the 2016 index, recently stated: “It’s been almost seven years since the Obama recovery began, and our economy is barely out of neutral. Why does America have to settle for this?”

Restoring economic freedom is prerequisite to revitalizing and brightening America’s future. 2016 is the year to reaffirm the principles of limited government, free enterprise and rule of law so that we can reconstitute an America where freedom, opportunity and prosperity flourish.

The time to act is now.

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A6 Sunday, February 7, 2016

Drilon: There’s still hope for Malacañang pet bills

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By Butch Fernandez

ongress could still cram to confirm the appointees of President Aquino, and possibly even pass pending administration priority bills when the Senate and the House of Representatives reconvene after the May 9 elections, but Senate President Franklin M. Drilon is worried about mustering a quorum.

Drilon affirmed there was time enough for lawmakers to act on unfinished business, even as the senators and congressmen would be called to convene as canvassers in the coming presidential elections.

“Well, there is still time but you know, whether there will be a quorum at that point is something that we have to contend with,” Drilon admitted.

He conceded as a “negative” the nonpassage of the controversial Bangsamoro basic law (BBL) and the proposed Salary Standardization Law 4 (SSL4).

“Well, I hope you don’t highlight the negative, and that’s the nature of [the] media but we are willing to confront that,” Drilon told reporters. “The BBL, you know, you are here every day. If it were not for the Mamasapano incident, we would have passed it. Unfortunately, that incident intervened, and at a certain point Sen. [Juan Ponce] Enrile availed himself of the period of interpellation and Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could not be at the floor every day, so there was a delay.”

Still, Drilon maintained that the

BBL is “not the be-all and end-all of the peace process.”

He asserted that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro “is still there,” along with a road map outlined in the agreement that the government signed. “We should pursue it, we should pursue the peace process even if the BBL has been temporarily sidetracked. It can be presented again in the next Congress.”

At the same time, Drilon explained that the deadlock on the SSL 4 is over competing considerations involving unfunded pension payments to retired military and police personnel.

“Just to refresh your memory, when we passed the 2016 budget...in the 2016 budget there is a P57.9-billion [item] for the salary increase if those in the active service, including the military and the police. However, it did not include the payments to pensioners in the Armed Forces and the National Police.” He added that the pension of retired police and military officers, is pegged on the salary of those in the active service. “Meaning, if those in the active service will get an increase of say,

P500 automatically this P500 is indexed to the pension payments and the pension payments will be increased.”

Overall, Drilon added, the Department of Budget and Management computed this would require “another P19 billion in addition to the P57 billion” in the national budget. “Unfortunately, this was not anticipated in the GAA [General Appropriations Act] and, therefore, there was a problem because even if we pass the SSL 4, and there was indexation because of the existing law, we could not fund it, we could be giving false hopes. We could not fund the pension payments because it is not in the GAA.” As a compromise, Drilon suggested that President Aquino “exercise his authority to grant increases in the salary, because there is already authority under the GAA.” He recalled that during the time of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, salary standardizations were effected through executive orders. “My suggestion is that the President issues an executive order which would mandate the payment of salary increases for 2016, because that is only where the appropriation is available and study how we can fund the indexation of the payments for our retired pensioners.”

Well, there is still time but you know, whether there will be a quorum at that point is something that we have to contend with.”—Drilon

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Local govt of Pampanga urges adoption of dual-airport system

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ITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda and the provincial board, headed by Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda, on Friday reiterated the call for adoption of a dual-airport system policy tapping the Clark International Airport (CIA) as complementary airport to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Metro Manila.

“We fully support the adoption of the dual-airport system, allowing Clark airport to serve as complementary to Naia,” Pineda said.

A Sangguniang Panlalawigan-approved resolution noted the Naia appears to be inadequate to accommodate the large volume of arriving air passengers that often times, incoming flights are diverted to the CIA in Pampanga.

The provincial government also said Naia has already reached its maximum annual capacity of 30 million passengers.

The provincial board believes that passenger load at the Naia, in a few years, would soar up to 40 million or more a year and the situation requires immediate attention.

“With this proposed dual-airport system, we could prevent the occurrence of such unfavorable situation if Clark International Airport will serve as secondary gateway to the Philippines,” the resolution added.

As a second gateway, Clark airport would be able to serve passengers bound for or departing from Central and Northern Luzon, including migrant workers, business travelers and foreign tourists.

“If this happens, it will contribute considerably to the economic growth of Central Luzon, particularly in the province of Pampanga,” provincial board resolution declared.

A feasibility study confirmed that the CIA enjoys distinctive features that will fit in the dual-airport system, considering its strategically placed location in the center of Luzon urban beltway hub in the Philippines.

It is also centrally located in the Asian region aside from its connectivity to more than 125 destinations in the world.

Joel Mapiles

Comelec likely to delete Señeres from May ballot

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HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is likely to delete the name of Party-list Rep. Roy Señeres of OFW Family Club from the ballot for the May elections after announcing on Friday that he is withdrawing from the presidential race.

Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said the poll body would accept the Statement of Cancellation-Withdrawal from Señeres once the documents, including the medical certificate, are submitted later this week.

“Ako naman, kung talagang gusto na niyang magwithdraw hindi naman namin siya pipigilan kung kaya’t ako kung nandoon iyong kanyang anak at abogado at siya ay may karamdaman dapat siguro tanggapin na lang namin. Iyon ang plano,” Bautista said in a news briefing after the walkthrough of the mock-up setup of polling precincts at the Pura V. Kalaw Elementary School, Project 4, Quezon City.

He added, “Kung magwi-withdraw then definitely we will accept the withdrawal.”

On Friday lawyer Candelaria Rivas and Señeres’s daughter Hannah went to the Comelec Law Department and attempted to file the Statement of Cancellation-Withdrawal, but the poll body did not accept it since it has to be filed personally by the candidate.

The lawyer also read the letter of Señeres, announcing that he is withdrawing from the forthcoming elections owing to health reasons.

Sections 18 and 19 of Comelec Resolution 9984 strictly requires personal filing of withdrawals of certificate of candidacy.

Meanwhile, the Comelec is scheduled to start the printing of the ballots to be used in the May 9 elections on February 8.

However, Bautista said the event on Monday will be a dry run since the poll body wants a clean list of ballots once the printing starts. PNA

Mindanao power consumers to shoulder ROW payment

By Manuel T. Cayon Mindanao Bureau Chief

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AVAO CITY—Mindanao electricity consumers will pay the amount of compensation that will be arrived at between government agencies and landowners to settle right-of-way (ROW) disagreements over transmission towers and other facilities, the government-owned National

Transmission Co. (Transco) said.

Transco, whose main function of overseeing the transmission of electricity from the Agus and Pulangui hydroelectric power plants has been taken over by the privately owned National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

“Whatever amount that we would pay these landowners has to be shouldered by the consumers,” Generoso Senal, Transco president and CEO, said when asked if the

government has made a final computation of all the claims of landowners who have demanded compensation or rent for the use of their lands when power transmission towers were erected or where the high-tension transmission lines pass through.

The government has deposited P195 million to the courts in Mindanao, where 216 cases are being held to decide on the actual market value of the properties used.

Normally, the court would ask the principal party to deposit an amount equivalent to not less than 10 percent of the total estimated amount as settlement payment.

Senal said the total amount could not be established yet pending the final decision of the courts.

Landowners involved in the ROW cases have demanded different amounts, mostly depending on the size of the land used.

Cynthia Alabanza, NGCP spokesman, said that many of the claims were exorbitant, with one landowner asking compensation of P330 million for a property with actual valuation of P1.3 million only.

Senal said that the total claims of the

landowners in these claims total several billions of pesos.

He said the P195-million initial deposit was approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and further payments based on court valuations would also need ERC approval.

“The money would be taken from the NGCP, which would pass on the burden to the consumers,” he said.

Alabanza confirmed the Transco statement, but said the NGCP has not yet made any move “because we still have to account for all the small payments made already.” The financial burden would be carried in the electric bills.

ERRATUM

IN a recent issue, Agham - Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, was mistakenly identified as a party-list group. Advocates of Science and Technology for the People is not connected to the Agham party-list group although they use the same acronym. We regret the error.—Editor

PCSO’s 52nd

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) officials led by Vice Chairman and General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II (left); Irma Guermo, department manager for the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions; and Larry Cedro (right), assistant general manager for the charity sector, together with Romblon Gov. Eduardo C. Firmalo lead the soft opening of the charity agency’s 52nd branch office at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Odiongan, Romblon.

Sports BusinessMirror

QC stages first Pride Volley Cup tourney for LGBT

LADY ARCHERS ON TARGET

La Salle’s Mary Joy Baron (10) scores against the defense of Diana Mae Carlos (18) and Marian Alisa Buitre (11) of University of the Philippines. NONOY LACZA

Tamaraws begin ‘3-peat’ drive versus Maroons

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AR Eastern University (FEU) starts its quest for three peat against University of the Philippines (UP) in the opening day of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 78 football tournament on Sunday at the McKinley Hills Stadium.

FEU and UP kick-off the football season at 1:30 p.m., followed by the battle of Ateneo and De La Salle women’s and men’s booters at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.

After a successful domination in men’s, women’s and junior’s for the last two seasons, the Morayta-based male booters try to jump-start

their triple-treble campaign against perennial contender Fighting Maroons, who are seeking a payback after being eliminated by FEU in the Final Four last Season 77.

The season will be tough for the Tamaraws, who lost key player JanJan Melliza due to graduation and also star midfielder Arnel “Nano” Amita, who might be out the season after suffering a right ACL and lateral meniscus during their training.

Amita’s teammate, Paolo Bugas, a former UAAP Most Valuable Player, still believes that he and his teammates, led by skipper Eric Giganto, are willing to fill in the big loss.

FIERCE BATTLE LOOMS AS XTERRA ALBAY UNWrAPS

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda (center) holds the 2016 XTERRA Albay jersey as he poses with participants in the Open division of the XTERRA Albay firing off on Sunday in Legazpi City. They are (from left) Malaysian Barry Lee, local bet Joseph Miller, Japan’s Takahiro Ogasawara, Guam’s Mieko Carey, New Zealand’s Lizzie Orchard, Jacqui Slack of Britain, defending champion Bradley Weiss of South Africa, Aussie Ben Allen, Guam’s Charlie Epperson, Brodie Gardner of Australia, Cameron O’Neal of Guam, Aussie Taylor Charlton, Slovak Michael Bucek and XTERRA World Tour Managing Director Dave Nicholas.

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RADLEY Weiss gears up for another shot at the crown against a slew of challengers out to foil his back-to-back title drive, guaranteeing a fierce battle for top honors in the men’s pro side of the XTERRA Albay 2016 firing on Sunday in Albay.

Weiss bested a tough field in the prestigious off-road triathlon race, which had its maiden run in Albay last year with the South African set to hit town on Friday in time for the keenly awaited

event that drew a stronger cast, including a slew of rookies raring to seize the spotlight from the veteran campaigners.

Also set to arrive with Weiss are last year’s third-placer Ben Allen of Australia, Michal Bucek of Slovakia, Hsieh Chung Sing and newcomer Taylor Charton, a multievent athlete who vied in athletics, rugby, soccer, cricket and tennis before moving to triathlon, along with Jacqui Slack, last year’s runner-up in the women’s side of the

SEAG WINNERS HONORED

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ILIPINO gold-medal winners in the 28th Singapore Southeast Asian Games and their Asean Para Games counterparts will be honored with citations for their exploits in the biennial regional meet during the Annual Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night presented by Milo and San Miguel Corp.

Trackster Eric Shauwn Cray stood at the forefront of the country’s campaign last year by winning a double gold in athletics, including the 100-meter century dash of which he became the first Filipino to win the sport’s centerpiece event.

In all, the Philippines won 29 gold medals.

Meanwhile, veterans Ernie Gawilan (swimming) and Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (powerlifting) spearheaded the 11 gold-medal romp the Filipinos bagged in the eighth edition of the Para Games also held in The Lion City.

Together, the gold winners make up the bulk of the long list of individuals and entities to be cited by the country’s oldest media organization in the February 13 affair at the Esplanade, with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) serving as major sponsor.

Twenty-eight others will also receive citations during the gala night starting at 7 p.m. and supported by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Basketball Association, GlobalPort, Rain or Shine, One Esplanade, National University, Maynilad, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, SM Prime Holdings, Sen. Chiz Escudero and Philippine

By Lance Agcaoili

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HE first-ever Quezon City Pride Volleyball Cup, presented by Philippine Superliga (PSL) and SportsCore Event Management and Cosultancy Inc. (Score), kicked off on Saturday at Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City and will run until Sunday.

PSL Chairman Phillip Ella Juico and his daughter First District of Quezon City Councilor Lena Marie “Mayen” Juico spearheaded the opening of the first gay volleyball league in the city.

“Actually this is history in the making,” Juico said. “I’m not sure if this is just the first tournament organized in Quezon City [but also] I think in the whole country.”

“This is an expression giving life to the concept of sports for all because the concept of sports for all is every person has the right to play the sport,” Juico added. “Everyone should have access and the right to play to your sport regardless of age, talent, religion, political color and gender.”

PSL tied up with Quezon City’s “gendergair” city ordinance authored by the younger Juico, which aims to protect lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in the workplace, schools, accommodation and accessing basic services.

“We first passed our gender-fair city in September 2014 and before that year our IRR [implementing rules and regulations] was already crafted and signed,” the Quezon City councilor said.

“Our pride cup today is a testament on how we are really staying true to that promise in taking care of our LGBT,” she added. Lance Agcoili

Saturday, February 6, 2016 A7

Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Included in the list of citations are Olympian Michael Christian Martinez, archers Amaya Paz-Cojuangco and Jennifer Chan, marathoners Mary Joy Tabal and Rafael Poliquit, teenage cage sensation Kobe Paras, Batang Gilas, Perlas Pilipinas Dragon Boat team, karateka Kristina Charisse Santiago, riders Kenneth San Andres and Milo Rivera, Ernesto “Judes” Echaus of sailing, shooter Hagen Alexander Topacio and the Petron volleyball team The rest are weightlifters Hidilyn Diaz and Nesto Colonia; ALA Boxing Promotions; International Premier Tennis League; Manila North 3x3 team; MVP Sports Foundation; National University Pep Squad, Philippine baseball team; Philippine powerlifting team; Philippine Superliga; SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc.; tennis patrons Jen Henri Lhuillier, Oscar Hilado, Rommie Chan and Hanky Lee; and the 2019 International Basketball Federation World Cup hosting team.

Highlight of the night is the awarding of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award to be conferred on cowinners Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr. and Miguel Tabuena.

Others to be honored are Gilas Pilipinas, Wushu Federation of the Philippines (NSA of the Year), Alyssa Valdez (Ms. Volleyball), Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo (Mr. Basketball), sports great Filomeno “Boy” Codinera (Lifetime Achievement Award) and the 14 recipients of major awards, led by San Miguel superstar June Mar Fajardo.

event hosted by the province of Albay with city of Legazpi, municipality of Daraga and Santo Domingo as venue hosts.

Already in town are Lizzie Orchard, Cameron O’Neal, and Guamanians Charlie Epperson and Mieko Carey, Aussie Brodie Gardner, local ace Joseph Miller with Barry Lee of Malaysia also signing up for the swim-bike-run event over a challenging course with the Mayon Volcano, the world’s most perfect cone, as backdrop.

Nakajima takes PGT golf honors

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APANESE Toru Nakajima battled back from three strokes down and snatched the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Foreign Qualifying School top honors with an eagle-spiked, bogey-free four-under 68 at the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in San Rafael, Bulacan, on Saturday.

Nakajima eagled the par-5 opening hole then gunned down two more birdies at the back to turn in a pair of 34s for a 10-under 278 total, edging Kevin Marques of Australia by one in the 72-hole elims organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., which offered 15 berths for this year’s ICTSI PGT firing off next week at Anvaya Cove in Bataan.

Marques also fought back with a 33 at the back for a 68 and finished second at 279, while erstwhile leader Seok Jun Min wavered at the finish and limped with a 73 to slid to third at 280.

Nakajima has won on the ICTSI PGT in 2013 when he nipped Jay Bayron in the playoff to cop the Wack Wack Championship but lost his card with poor finishes in the succeeding seasons of the country’s premier golf circuit.

Seok actually held on his three-shot lead at the turn as he matched Nakajima’s 34 but the Korean crumbled under pressure and bogeyed four of the last five holes.

“Nano [Amita] is a big factor on our team,” Bugas told the BusinessMirror. “One of the best players of the team but it doesn’t mean that we will lose hope. We have players who could replace his position and do the same job as what Nano has been doing. So we need adjustments and, hopefully, to win games.”

UP, on the other hand, starts its postInggoy Valmayor era, and Head Coach Anto Gonzales said the team is ready to field their new guns bannered by 2015 Southeast Asian Games U-23 standout, Ian Clarino.

Lance Agcoili

E LA Salle downed University of the Philippines (UP), 25-14, 25-13, 19-25, 25-20, to take the solo lead in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

The Lady Spikers started the match on fire as they routed the Lady Maroons in the lopsided first two sets but they relaxed in the third set, allowing the Lady Maroons to stay alive before losing steam in the fourth frame.

“UP is a very aggressive team you can’t take them for granted you have to respect their game,” Head Coach Ramil de Jesus said.

“Although, the majority of them are rookies, we saw that the level of their game is not an easy take away.”

“I think we relaxed after two sets we didn’t sustain our offense and defense. That could possibly happen when the rhythm of the game changes,” he added.

La Salle, however, flaunted its composure as they caught fire in the fourth set starting with a 13-11 then stretched it to a 20-13 margin.

The Diliman-based team was within striking distance, trimming the lead to 16-21 but the volleybelles from Taft delivered the dagger as rookie Tin Tiamzon set up the match point then Majoy Baron hit the match winning attack.

The graduating spiker Baron posted a career-high 17 hits on 12 attacks, four blocks, and an ace.

“She did great today and that what I expected from her as a senior,” de Jesus said.

Kim Fajardo put up another sensational

pacing to her teammates with 41 excellent sets.

Fajardo located her spikers well as four Lady Spikers had double figures. Ara Galang and Tiamzon chipped in13 points apiece. Carol Cerveza delivered 12 markers, while Mika Reyes added 10.

La Salle grabbed the solo lead with 2-0 while UP dropped to 1-1.

The rookies led the way for UP. Molde had 15 points on 13 kills and two aces, while Justine Dorog added 10–all on attacks–in a losing effort.

In men’s action, Ateneo continued its title bid with its second straight win after beating Far Eastern University in straight sets, 25-18, 25-19, 25-13, while Adamson University also swept University of the East (UE) in straight sets, 25-18, 25-14, 25-23.

Skipper Isay Marasigan and Rex Intal each had 11 hits while reigning Most Valuable Player Marck Espejo chipped in 10 points on five service aces, including eight excellent receptions.

The Blue Eagles moved to 2-0, while the FEU slid to 1-1.

The Falcons, on the other hand, bounced back from their 22-25, 22-25, 7-25 loss at the expense of National University last Wednesday as they improved their record to 1-1 slate.

Jerome Sarmiento,Bryan Saraza, and Dave Pletado combined for 30 points with 10 hits each as setter Karlle Nico Ramirez had a great pacing with 25 excellent sets.

Key player Samuel Lelic did not player after dislocating his left ankle in their previous game for the Red Warriors. Team captain Edward Camposano took over with 12 on 10 kills and two service aces in a losing cause.

UE remained winless after two outings.

Sports BusinessMirror

BRADLEY HITS GAME-WINNING three-POINTER

CELTICS STUN CAVS C

LEVELAND—Avery Bradley made a corner jumper at the horn to give the Boston Celtics a stunning 104-103 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Bradley’s shot from just in front of Boston’s bench dropped through as the final second ticked off the clock, giving the Celtics their eighth win in nine games.

Boston trailed by five with 18 seconds left before Celtics forward Jae Crowder made a three-pointer—his only basket—and Evan Turner scored on a layup while being fouled by J.R. Smith with 4 seconds to go. Turner missed his free throw, but the ball went out of bounds off Cleveland’s LeBron James.

Boston Coach Brad Steven drew up an inbounds play during a video review and Bradley dropped his shot, triggering a wild celebration by the young Celtics.

James led the Cavs with 30 points.

Isaiah Thomas scored 22 and Turner had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics, who were swept by the Cavs in the playoffs last season but are developing into a dangerous team under Stevens.

Hassan Whiteside had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots, and the Miami Heat came up with two key steals in the closing seconds of a 98-95 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

Dwyane Wade scored 22 points and Chris Bosh added 20 points for the Heat,

which has won six of seven.

Marvin Williams scored 27 points for the Hornets, and Nicolas Batum added 21.

The Hornets led 93-90 with 1:10 remaining, but Wade made a layup and Bosh added a threepoint play to make it 95-93 with 23.5 seconds left.

Charlotte had a chance to tie it, but Justise Winslow’s steal set up a free throw by Luol Deng for a 96-93 advantage with 13.2 seconds left.

Wade then stole the ball from Walker and passed to Deng for a fast-break dunk with 4.3 seconds remaining.

Kawhi Leonard scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half and the San Antonio Spurs handed Dallas its largest halftime deficit in franchise history in a 116-90 blowout of the Mavericks.

Australian Patty Mills added 10 of his 16 points before halftime, when the Spurs led by 36 at 62-26 to top Dallas’ biggest previous deficit by a point from December 29, 1992, at Sacramento.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Jeff Green scored 16 points, including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left, to help the Memphis Grizzlies hold off the New York Knicks 91-85 for its fifth-straight win.

Matt Barnes had 12 points and Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol each had 10 for Memphis.

Chris Paul had 21 points and six assists, DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 18 rebounds

and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Orlando Magic 107-93.

J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford each scored 20 points for the Clippers, while Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 18 points.

John Wall had his fourth career tripledouble with 18 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and 10 assists, leading the Washington Wizards over the Philadelphia 76ers 106-94.

Paul Millsap scored 24 points, Al Horford added 21 points and the Atlanta Hawks won their third-straight game with a 102-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Paul George finished with 31 points for Indiana, which has lost 17 of its last 19 regular-season matchups in Atlanta.

Joe Johnson had season highs with 27 points and 11 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Sacramento Kings 128-119, and Rodney Hood scored 23 points and the Utah Jazz pulled away late in an 84-81 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. AP

Boston Celtics’ Avery Bradley (top) and Isaiah Thomas celebrate after the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bradley made a corner jumper at the horn to give the Celtics the win. AP

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unday, February 7, 2016 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao Asst. Editor: Joel Orellana

AFRICA BACKS SHEIKH

K

IGALI, Rwanda—Sheikh Salman’s bid to succeed Sepp Blatter got a major boost on Friday when the African soccer confederation announced it was backing the Bahraini royal for International Football Federation (Fifa) president.

Following a meeting of its executive committee in Rwanda, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it would “fully support” the Asian soccer confederation president, and urged its 54 member-countries to vote for him.

The decision significantly improved Salman’s hopes of replacing Blatter as the head of the scandal-scarred soccer body.

Salman and Union of European Football Association Secretary-General Gianni Infantino are seen as the strongest candidates to win the February 26 election. The biggest continental grouping among the 209 voting members is Africa.

“I am deeply honored to have earned the trust of many of our African friends at this crucial stage of the campaigning effort,” Sheikh Salman said in a statement.

The endorsement from CAF followed a similar statement of support for Salman from the Asian Football Confederation, which has 46 Fifa members who will vote.

“Naturally, I am confident that I now have a reasonably strong position to work from with such support,” he said.

While both Salman and Infantino are expected to get good support from their home continents, Asia and Europe, respectively, Africa is seen as the bloc that could clinch the vote for one of them.

CAF’s announcement was made by Vice Presidents Suketu Patel and Almamy Kabele Camara at a news conference that lasted about a minute in a five-star hotel in Kigali,

where the CAF executive committee had met earlier Friday. Patel and Camara left without taking questions.

Although CAF executives declared their support for Sheikh Salman, there is nothing compelling African countries to vote for him. However, many are expected to follow CAF’s recommendation.

“While respecting the principle of democracy, the sovereignty and latitude of each member-association to vote for the candidate of its choice, the executive committee urges all the 54 memberassociations...to reserve their votes for Sheikh Salman,” CAF said in a later statement.

Infantino, who campaigned widely in Africa late last year, said he was still confident that African countries would vote for him.

“I have received a lot of individual support and the discussions that I have had with African associations make me confident that I have a chance to win,” Infantino said. “I am optimistic because I speak with the people and it’s not the CAF executive that will decide the individual votes.”

By backing Salman, CAF also turned its back on the only African candidate in the fiveman field, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale. Sexwale, a mining tycoon and former political prisoner during apartheid who was jailed alongside Nelson Mandela, had already been under pressure for a lackluster campaign.

It was speculated he might withdraw if he was snubbed by his home continent and there was confusion over his candidacy when CAF said it had noted his withdrawal from the race, while Sexwale denied he was dropping out.

“There are no elections in Kigali,” Sexwale said. “What we have seen is the assembly of the CAF executive who have made a recommendation.” AP