Issuu

“A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.”—Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. AP

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“I will not leave. I will be the last man in the city.”—Mohammed Zein Khandakani, a 28-year-old resident of Aleppo who volunteers with the city’s medical council, expressing skepticism about the Syrian government’s offer of safe corridors for residents and rebels. AP

“Go look at the graves of brave Americans who died defending United States of America. You will see all faiths, genders and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing.”—Khizr Khan, father of a fallen Muslim soldier, addressing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Democratic convention. AP

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2015 environmental Media Award leadership award 2008

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A broader look at today’s business n

Saturday, July 30, 2016 Vol. 11 No. 294

LAWYER SAYS EXEMPTION PRIVILEGE SHOULD BE WITHOUT CONDITIONS

Dulay praised, hit over tax order for schools

Philippines Graphic in BM in BM

Cover Story

The Rock and the PNP by Editha Caduaya

erving the people as a police officer is a journey, enjoy, do your job, follow the law.” This was the first order issued given by Davao City Police Director Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to his men four years ago, when he assumed his post as Davao City Police Director in 2012 to 2013. This man is now the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

fiCtion

Aninipot by Errol A. Merquita

ulati ko Eng, syagit ni Irna samtang iyang gisulob ang tsinelas sa isig ka bukton, gitanggal niya ang lunhaw nga sayal, gipilo ug gisuksok sulods sako-bag unya gipagonitan kang Rading. Alsaha kining bata, syagit sa tawng nagtapok kilid sa suba. Miambak siya sa gatuwangtuwang nga gakit, nanghawid iyang gamatoy nga tiil sa salog unya misuksok kauban sa ubang bata. Hinayhinay gituklod ang gakit nga nag utaw-utaw sa dakong kayab sa suba. Panggonit Irna, panggonit kay Rading, walay punay sa pagsyagit ang inahang nagtakin sa iyang mga anak nga morag bugang miturok sa iyang hawak ug dughan. Gikuptan ni Rading ang bagon sa iyang atubangan aron makapanimbang samtang nanghawid sa iyang abaga ang mga batang nagtindog sa likod. Ingon ani ang kahimtang sa mga batang Talaingod Manobo, kada adlaw gapanimbang, pirmi galabang sa mga anka sa suba, kalakawon-dili, katabukon-balik. Panggonit og tarong Na, hunghong ni Rading samtang nangayo siyag katahoran sa dakong bul-og sa tubig gikan sa kalasangan sa Talaingod.

@davecaga

espite the new memorandum circular issued by Internal Revenue Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay restoring the tax-exemption privilege of nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions, there are still some who are questioning his imposition of a onetime requirement for the exemption to apply. Continued on A2

INSIDE

he Philippines Graphic magazine offers its readers excellent literary, news analysis and feature story content each week. With August marking the nation’s annual Buwan ng Wika (Language Month) celebration, the Graphic is carrying poetry in Iluko by herminio S. Beltran Jr. of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and short fiction written in the Cebuano unique to Mindanao by errol A. Merquita of the Davao Writers Guild. All throughout Buwan ng Wika, the magazine’s literary section will carry literary work written in the various languages spoken in the Philippine archipelago—not just in english or Filipino. here is your sneak peek into the pages of next week’s issue of the Philippines Graphic, with some excerpts:

By David Cagahastian

RMO 44-2016

The revenue memorandum order issued by Dulay restoring the taxexemption privilege of some educational institutions

HiStory Luxe Life

Cooking, according to Chef Jesse Factor by Vernon Velasco

ometimes, it’s more than just good food. Sometimes it is all about the stories of the people with whom you share memorable meals—and there is always something to learn from Richmonde hotel’s executive Chef Jesse Factor. Factor sat and swapped tales with the Philippines Graphic over lunch at the hotel’s namesake café. From working at the coalface in the kitchens of some of Canada’s best restaurants and in Asia’s premier hotels to backpacking across the breadth and length of the Philippines to discover its culinary wonders, Jesse has constantly learned something about cooking: It’s a continuous learning process.

SportS

Filipino to compete in Spartathlon by Fil V. Elefante

his year, a Filipino is joining the Spartathlon. he is Rolando “Jun Jun” espina. espina told the Philippines Graphic that he was the first Filipino to join the Spartathlon, which will take place this year on September 30. “Other Filipinos have qualified but they didn’t join,” he said. “I will represent the Philippines.” It’s not easy to join the Spartathlon. One must qualify for the race first.

That Misquote from Rizal (and Why the Youth Need to be Reminded) by prize-winning poet Joel M. Toledo

ince we just commemorated our national hero’s birth month, this might be a good time to talk about a famous adage that we’ve always associated with Rizal: the one which goes, “Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda.”

Aside from the most-likely paraphrased version that we remember, where “salita” is replaced with “wika” and where certain words get omitted in the second verse, it is of note to mention that our memory of the adage came from our parents, history teachers, and partly from a song titled “Ako’y Pinoy” (often mistaken to be titled “Ako’y Isang Pinoy”). The song is written and sung by the folk singer Florante (whom some of the younger generation may not remember so much as the song’s catchy hook as sung by a suddenly patriotic uncle).

Also in this week’s Graphic:

Essay

Open Season by Marie Yuvienco

BlogBox

Digong’s First SONA: Flying out to neverwhere by Joel Pablo Salud

Special Report

Part II of Joel Pablo Salud’s Children on the Run: Will the lowering of the age of criminal liability solve child crime?

Culture

Graphic

Premeditated contradictions: Two articles in a pod by J. Sedfrey S. Santiago

B2-4

drinks on walker

CHINA, RUSSIA PLAN JOINT EXERCISES IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

hina’s military said on Thursday it will hold joint exercises with Russian forces in the South China Sea, following a recent arbitration ruling that rejected Beijing’s claim to almost the entire strategic body of water. The air and sea drills will be held sometime in September, and were aimed at deepening relations between the two militaries and boosting their capacity to respond to maritime threats, ministry spokesman Col. Yang Yujun said at a monthly news briefing. Yang said the exercises weren’t targeted at any third parties. He didn’t disclose the specific location, and some areas of the South China Sea are not disputed. Chinese ships have challenged vessels from the US, the Philippines and other nations in disputed waters, and China considers the tribunal’s ruling earlier this month to be invalid. Russia and China have held numerous joint drills in recent years, united in a desire to stem American power in the Asia-Pacific region, despite their own lingering mistrust over territory and influence in Central Asia. Russia has also spoken in support of China’s rejection of the move by the Philippines to bring the South China Sea case before the international arbitration body in The Hague, the Netherlands, and argued that countries without a direct claim to territory should stay impartial, in a reference to the US, which has called on China to accept the ruling as binding. US State Department Spokesman John Kirby urged China to be transparent about its military capabilities and intentions. He said military exercises by China and Russia should comply with international law. “There’s no need for it to raise tensions. Exercises and operations are meant to hone capabilities,” Kirby told reporters in Washington. “It really depends on the way Continued on A2

MUSCLE-FLEXING In this July 8 photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese missile frigate Yuncheng launches an antiship missile during a military exercise in the waters near south China’s Hainan Island and Paracel Islands, which are controlled by Beijing, but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. China’s navy held military drills around the disputed islands ahead of a ruling by an international tribunal in a case filed by the Philippines challenging China’s claim to most of the South China Sea. Zha Chunming/Xinhua via AP

il headed for the biggest monthly decline in a year, as brimming crude and fuel inventories force a retreat toward $40 a barrel. Futures were little changed in New York, down 15 percent for the month. US crude inventories rose for the first time since May, while gasoline stockpiles expanded through July 22, swelling a surplus of supplies that are at the highest seasonal level in at least two decades. Libya’s biggest oil ports are reopening, after a dispute with guards at the facilities was settled.

PESO exchange rates n US 47.0850

Oil has slipped about 20 percent since early June, after almost doubling from a 12-year low in February, as supply disruptions from Nigeria to Canada trimmed a worldwide surplus. Producers, including BP Plc., Royal Dutch Shell Plc. and Total SA, reported sharp declines in second-quarter earnings, as lower prices continued to take their toll. “There is too much oil in the market, there’s an incredible amount,” said Jonathan Barratt, the chief investment officer at Ayers Alliance Securities in Sydney. “Oil is in

DICT, PPP Center should prioritize NBN–experts

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

a range of $40 to $50 a barrel, and prices below $40 a barrel are going to be a problem.” West Texas Intermediate for September delivery was 1 cent lower at $41.13 a barrel on the New

xperts in the telecommunications space all agreed that the establishment of a National Broadband Network (NBN) should be a priority of the newly formed Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and, possibly, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center. “A national broadband network is critical, as it frees the government from dependence upon the telcos, and it opens the possibility of government as a third player,” Winthrop Yu, who chairs the Internet Society of the Philippines, told the BusinessMirror. Currently, the Philippine telecommunications market is lorded over by two players—PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. While the duo has poured in billions of pesos in infrastructure, the government has yet to issue a single check to fund the building of its own network. Governments of neighboring countries, such as South Korea and Singapore, are supportive of the development of their digital economies, having their own national broadband backbones. The current state of the country’s Internet connection is comparable to a network of roads and highways built over the long period of agricultural and industrial era.

Continued on A2

See “DICT, PPP Center,” A2

Oil set for biggest monthly loss in a year

Sports

P25.00 nationwide | 3 sections 16 pages | 7 days a week

20% The drop in oil prices since early June

n japan 0.4474 n UK 61.9968 n HK 6.0708 n CHINA 7.0858 n singapore 34.7824 n australia 35.3138 n EU 52.1561 n SAUDI arabia 12.5557

Source: BSP (29 July 2016 )

BMReports BusinessMirror

A2 Saturday, July 30, 2016

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Dulay praised, hit over tax order for schools Continued from A1

Still, Dulay was commended by the Tax Management Association of the Philippines (TMAP) for his quick action on the matter. According to one of the lawyers of Saint Paul College of Makati, the provision in the 1987 Constitution granting tax-exempt privileges to nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions is self-executory, and is clear on its face—that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) cannot restrict it by imposing additional requirements before such privileges can be availed of. “The constitutional provision is

self-executory, so why should we apply to enjoy it?” lawyer Faustino Madriaga said in an interview with the BusinessMirror. Saint Paul College of Makati, earlier, was successful in having Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares’s Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) 20-2013 declared as unconstitutional by the Regional Trial Court in Makati City. But the BIR, under Henares, was insistent that the decision in favor of Saint Paul College of Makati was only applicable to it and not to other similarly situated nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions. To c o r re c t t he s it u at io n ,

DICT, PPP Center. . .

But now that demand for better transportation of digital goods and products is high, the country needs to build some kind of a digital highway for public use. Today, practically, all of the digital roads and highways are privately owned and impose a “toll fee” per use. “If there is one thing that our group and the government agrees on, it would be that the government should invest in infrastructure,” Yu said. This proposal is now being crafted under the National Broadband Plan, which will provide detailed physical targets and strategies to effect nationwide broadband deployment and widespread use. Such a plan, which, according to the government, will be adopted within the year, would analyze existing and planned government and private-sector deployment, and address supply and demand gaps by recommending policy and nonpolicy-related actions. Currently, the Philippines is one of the few countries in the region wherein the government has yet to fully invest in telco infrastructure. Neighboring countries in the Asean have already started to implement national broadband plans, earmarking billions of dollars to develop a government-owned backbone for the information superhighway. In Thailand, for example, the government has invested $114 million to improve the Internet service or availability. The fund is part of Bangkok’s economic policy. The Vietnamese government,

Continued from A1

on the other hand, owns two of the three largest telecommunications companies in Ho Chi Minh City. Investments mainly come from the government. Malaysia has now spent a total of $4.5 billion over a 10-year period to lay fiber-optic lines to every home in the country’s urban area. Other developing and developed economies are investing billions of dollars to improve Internet access in their countries. “While it would be good to have a coherent National Broadband Plan, one must also bear in mind that the Internet is naturally decentralized and distributed. Thus, it is possible to start building a ‘National Broadband Network ’ via short, even separated or redundant segments, then ‘tie it all togehter’ later,” Yu said. He added: “This reduces the need for large up-front budgets and allows for segmented trials.” Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos, an independent researcher on information and communications technology and telecommunications policies, agreed, saying that the backbone should be telco-neutral and allow open access to all Internet service providers (ISPs). “If the government would invest in a telco-neutral national broadband network, it could provide an alternative to what PLDT and Globe have to offer, especially if it allows open access to all telcos and ISPs,” she told the BusinessMirror. She explained that a telco-neutral national broadband network means

Dulay issued his own order—RMO 44-2016—just one month into office and upheld the tax exemption of nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions. But Dulay’s memorandum required those seeking to avail themselves of the constitutional grant of exemption to secure new tax-exemption rulings or certificates “to update the records of the bureau and for purposes of better system of monitoring.” The requirement to secure a new tax-exemption ruling will be imposed only to those nonstoc k , nonprof it educat iona l institutions the tax exemption certificates of which were issued

prior to June 30, 2012. Madriaga said this is yet another requirement imposed to schools before the tax exemption can be enjoyed, contrary to what the Constitution provides. “We are happy with the issuance of RMO 44-2016. However, nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions are still required to file their applications for tax exemption under Section 2 and Section 6 of the new RMO,” Madriaga said. “Does this not make the enjoyment of the constitutional exemption dependent on the action of the BIR?” he said. But TMAP, in a statement, sup-

that it is not owned by a telco, hence, the backbone operator will allow anyone to connect (i.e., lease capacity) because it won’t discriminate against other telcos and ISPs, whom it might otherwise consider as competitors. “Much like the situation today where PLDT and Globe would discriminate by refusing connection or imposing high access charges to small telcos and ISPs that depend on their backhaul and backbone network,” Santos said. Cost of Internet, then, should go down from the current average of P999 for 5GB worth of data. “Ideally, yes, prices should go down, especially if the government will invest in it. It really depends on the terms of the deal. Will the government invest full, or will it be a PPP? “Will it be used for government purposes only or will the infrastructure be leased out to private telcos for commercial purposes?” Santos said. Yu backed this claim, saying that a PPP model could work, or it could also be mixed with foreign fund or with government funds. “A PPP can be viable. The government can invest in a national broadband network, but get a private third party to operate it, under strict compliance to open access rules and fair and nondiscriminatry rates to telcos and ISPs who would want to connect,” Santos said. She added: “This can be of particular importance to expanding broadband access in areas that remain unserved or underserved by the two largest telcos.” The digital space is a critical realm that the government should keenly focus on, as this has caused a huge disruption in almost all

economies—especially those that are highly mobile savvy. The Philippines, deemed as the social-media capital of the world, currently has one of the most barren Internet connections in the Asia Pacific. Data from Akamai Technologies, a Massachusettsbased content delivery network player that measures the quality of the Internet around the globe, showed that Filipinos enjoyed an average speed of 3.5 Mbps in the first quarter of 2016. This is a 24-percent improvement against its average Internet speed of 2.8 Mbps the year prior. But despite this development, the Philippines still trailed its neighbors in the Asia Pacific. It is tied with India at 14th place in the region, while ranking 113th globally. Developed countries, such as South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, claimed the top spot in the Asia-Pacific Region. Singapore, on the other hand, claimed the first place in the speed race in the Asean. Increasing Internet speed, according to National Telecommunications Commission Deputy Commissioner Edgardo V. Cabarios, would result in an expansion in the country’s GDP. “Where there’s an increase of 10 percent in broadband penetration, there is also a 1.23-percent increase in GDP. When you double the speed of the connection, the GDP will also rise by 0.3 percent,” he said. The government first attempted to create a national Web backbone in 2007, but failed to move forward with the project because the deal signed with Hainan-based ZTE Corp. due to allegations of corruption.

ported Dulay’s reinstatement of the tax exemption for nonstock, nonprofit schools. “We really appreciate and are thankful of the quick action of Commissioner Dulay, less than a month from the start of his term. This matter was among those we included in the wish list submitted to the Department of Finance on July 20,” TMAP President Benedict R. Tugonon said. Tugonon added the memorandum issued by Henares was not consistent with the Tax Code’s provision on the grant of tax exemption to nonstock, nonprofit schools, which was meant to ensure the af-

fordability of quality education. “A number of nonstock, nonprofit educational institutions were affected by RMO 20-2013 to the point of being subjected to income tax on the tuition just because the inurement restriction was applied to them when they pay competitive compensation to their administrators, professors and employees,” Tugonon said. “The new issuance will now allow the schools to hire the best and the brightest educators and pay competitive compensation without the risk of the payments being construed as prohibited form of inurement,” he added.

Philippine PEN to launch Joel Pablo Salud’s book of humorous essays

he Philippine Center of t he Inter nat iona l PEN (Poets and Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists) will launch Joel Pablo Salud’s book of essays, The Chief is in the House: My little journal of angst and peeves, today, 5 p.m., at the Solidaridad Bookshop, Padre Faura, Ermita, Manila. Sa lud is a n acc l a imed writer and journalist. He is currently the editor in chief of t he Philippines Graphic magazine and a member of the Manila Critics Circle. Published by the UST Publishing House, The Chief is in the House is a collection of 50 essays that, according to the blurb, “displays a vast range of subjects—from the author’s rambunctious world within the walls of the newsroom to controversies that hounded and

continue to hound the country and the world at large. It’s an experiment on humor, but one that puts context into what is otherwise needless verbiage.” This event is open to the public. Admission is free. For inquiries, contact Solidaridad at (632) 254-1086.

CHINA, RUSSIA PLAN JOINT EXERCISES IN SOUTH CHINA SEA Continued from a1

it is conducted. Our expectation is that these exercises and operations, like ours, will be conducted in accordance with international obligations and the law.” In the wake of the tribunal ruling, China held live-firing exercises and said it would launch regular air patrols over the South China Sea while continuing with the construction of man-made islands equipped with harbors, airstrips and other infrastructure with military uses. It has also launched a diplomatic campaign to denigrate the

ruling that has, so far, persuaded other Southeast Asian countries that have similar disputes with it to back away. China kept any mention of the judgment from appearing in a joint communiqué from issued at the conclusion on Tuesday of a meeting between it and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Six governments in all claim ter r itor y i n t he Sout h C h i na Sea. China says all disputes shou ld be sett led bi l atera l ly through negotiations. AP

Oil set for biggest monthly loss in a year Continued from a1

York Mercantile Exchange at 10:44 a.m. Hong Kong time. The contract fell 1.9 percent to $41.14 on Thursday, the lowest close on April 19. Total volume traded was about 42 percent below the 100-day average. The monthly drop is the biggest since July 2015.

US stockpiles

Brent for September settlement, which expires on Friday, added 7 cents to $42.77 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices are down 14 percent this month, the most since December. The more-active October contract added 4 cents to $43.27. The global benchmark traded at a premium of $1.66 to WTI for September. US crude stockpiles increased

by 1.67 million barrels last week to 521.1 million as output rose, the Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday. Supplies remain more than 100 million barrels above the five-year average. Gasoline inventories expanded for a third week to 241.5 million barrels.

Oil-market news

Libya’s internationally recognized government agreed to pay the salaries of Petroleum Facilities Guard members, who control oil ports in eastern Libya, in exchange for them reopening the facilities, an official said. US drillers are signaling oil at $60 a barrel or more is required before meaningful production can resume. Bloomberg News

news@businessmirror.com.ph

DOT chief sets Macau visit to entice Chinese tourists to PHL By Azer N. Parrocha Philippines News Agency

ourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo will be traveling to Macau next week to meet with Chinese businessmen and invite more Chinese tourists to visit the Philippines. “I will be meeting with foreign investors and Chinese tourists. I would be asking them to come to the Philippines,” Teo said in a chance interview. She made this statement after a United Nation arbitral court recently ruled that China’s ninedash claim on the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) has no basis. Teo did not elaborate, but said she was invited by these businessmen to meet with them, which, Teo added, signifies the Chinese market’s interest in the Philippines as a tourism destination. “They would like to come to the Philippines. This is a group of Chinese [I’m] going to meet [with] in Macau and they would like me to be there,” she said. The Department of Tourism (DOT) earlier assured that tourism, as an industry, will be able to insulate itself, and that the territorial row and sea ruling will have no negative impact on tourism inflow to the Philippines. Tourism Undersecretary Benito C. Bengzon Jr., in a previous interview, said partners on both the Philippines and China continue to work closely to ensure that two-way tourism traffic is not disrupted. He also said the department maintains a consistent strategy of maintaining “an optimum mix of source markets” to withstand or help compensate for a possible decline in arrivals from one market. Another tourism official assured that a large number of Chinese tourists to the Philippines will still be visiting the country, as it is set to welcome a cruise ship— Legend of the Seas—carrying some 2,076 Chinese tourists on September 23 and 24. Tourism Director for Public affairs and advocacy Czarina Zara Loyola said the cruise ship will call port to Manila and Boracay. Data from the DOT showed that China is the third top tourism market with 285,348 visitors, or a share of 11.33 percent of the 2.51-million foreign tourists who visited the Philippines from January to May 2016. China also posted the highest tourism growth of 80.79 percent. PNA

Economy BusinessMirror

Editors: Vittorio V. Vitug and Max V. de Leon • Saturday, July 30, 2016 A3

‘More irresponsible mining firms face suspension, possible closure’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

nvironment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez is determined to stop irresponsible mining operations. An environmental advocate, Lopez said she would continue to visit mining-affected communities to talk to the people as part of the ongoing mining audit that has so far claimed four nickel-mining companies as among the first casualties. Lopez had vowed to stop irresponsible mining operations that cause environmental destruction and people to suffer. Since assuming the top Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) post, Lopez had so far suspended four nickel-mining operations—two in Zambales and two in Palawan. Maintaining her pro-environment stance, Lopez debunked claims by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) that mining has improved the economic conditions of people in host communities. In fact, she said some of the areas she visited showed that people are suffering because of the adverse impact of environmental degradation caused by mining operations that include reduced rice yield and dwindling fish catch. The DENR chief said the mining audit includes environmental and social impact on top of the usual technical or physical mining audit criteria. She added that even mine sites with ISO 14001 certification, a requirement under DENR Administrative Order 2015-07, would not be spared if their operation proved to cause environmental problem that make people in the communities to suffer. An initial assessment made by the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) revealed that almost half of the 40 large-scale operating mines are “frequent” violators of mining and environmental laws. But MGB Director Leo Jasareno said companies, mostly engaged in nickel mining, are “minor offenders” who commit not-so-serious offenses, such as good housekeeping rules, failure to put signage in strategic location or failing to keep their facilities clean, that warrant suspension

ranging from one to three months and corresponding fines between 2012 to 2015. The companies that committed “major violations,” he added, were the nickel-mining companies operating in Zambales in 2014. On Tuesday Lopez met with farmers from Cagayan Valley region to listen to their concerns related to mining activities, particularly OceanaGold and Golden Summit. “We will coordinate with authorities and [enforce] the rule of law. If these mining companies have violated the law, we…[assure] their suspension, revocation of permits or even closure,” she warned. The farmers demanded an immediate halt on the Cagayan Valley operations of OceanaGold, an Australian mining firm, whom they accused of causing water pollution and deforestation in its area of operation, harassing people and violating human rights. They also complained about the mining company Golden Summit, which they claimed was operating illegally in Isabela. “We will put money in reforestation and agro-forestry. It is not enough that you plant trees. After you plant, you should take care of them. The money will go to the farmers,” Lopez added. Nueva Vizcaya farmers asked to be included in the long list of DENR partners for the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP). The DENR chief also promised to act swiftly on the concerns raised. As an initial step, Lopez said she would discuss the case of OceanaGold with the Australian ambassador in their upcoming meeting. Meanwhile, Lopez vowed to take swift action on the lumad’s complaints about the impact of mining

Luzon on red-alert status as power supply drops By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

he Luzon grid was placed on red alert on Friday mainly due to low power contingency reserves brought about by insufficient power supply. For the past two days the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon grid on yellow alert. The grid operator raised the alarm to a red alert on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. A yellow alert means thin power reserves. It is issued when contingency reserve is less than the capacity of the largest synchronized unit of the grid. In Luzon this is equivalent to 647megawatts (MW), or one unit of the Sual power plant. Power outages are likely to occur during a red alert. As of press time, the country’s largest power-distribution firm has yet to report any power-outage incidents in its franchise area. To help avert power outage, participants of its Interruptible Load Program (ILP) were advised to activate starting 1:01 p.m. “We had commitments from 197 ILP participants, equivalent to a deloading capacity of 356.11 MW,” Meralco Utility Economics Head Lawrence Fernandez said. Based on NGCP data, Luzon was placed on yellow alert on Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; red alert from 2 to 4 p.m.; yellow alert from

operations in Mindanao. “The common good remains my non-negotiable stand. I promise to act on your concerns, especially those that directly affect your livelihood and your homes,” she said. The indigenous people (IP) have complained about how destructive mining and illegal-logging activities have caused superfluous injury and unnecessary suffering to poor communities in Mindanao. The lumad’s primary concern is the rampant human-rights violations allegedly perpetrated by large mining and logging firms, which they want to be stopped immediately. The IP group also called for an immediate probe on the disappearance of one of their members, which they claimed has something to do with DMCI logging project in Sultan Kudarat.

Linemen perform a routine maintenance work on a high-voltage electric post in Las Piñas on Friday, as the Luzon power grid was declared on a “red alert” status on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. due to zero operating reserves brought about by insufficient power supply, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. A red alert indicates that the power demand is higher than the available supply. Nonie Reyes

5 to 6 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Meralco was advised that Pagbilao Plant Unit 2 (382 MW) went on forced outage at 9:39 a.m. Pagbilao plant has been on maintenance outage since May 17. It had tried to resume operations on Tuesday night, but encountered trouble while trying to come back online. It went back online on Thursday. Last Tuesday there was a sudden outage of Calaca 2, aggravated by the limited output of Ilijan B and GN Power 2. The following day Calaca 2 was still out, while Sual 2 was derated from 647 MW to 250 MW. Last Thursday Meralco said Sual 2 went on emergency shutdown late Wednesday night, while Calaca 2 was still out. The group also asked for a halt on the operation or cancellation of the mining permit granted to Sagittarius Mines Inc. Lopez added if the results of the ongoing mining audit by the DENR would show that there were indeed violations, she would either suspend the operation or cancel the permits of erring mining firms depending on the gravity of the violation. “I will not allow people to suffer because these big companies want to do business,” Lopez said. “This is beyond my conscience and will not be tolerated by this administration.” On behalf of the lumad, Pya Macliing Malayao the Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas gave Lopez a copy of the Indigenous People’s Agenda, which lists their demands on key issues related to the recognition and respect

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) requested the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to look into the recurring yellow and red alert issued within the Luzon grid. Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi wants to know from the ERC if anticompetitive behavior from industry players occurred that led to insufficient power supply. The DOE is, likewise, closely monitoring the power plants that went through forced outage, accounting for a total of 1,451 MW. The DOE earlier stated that it would create technical audit teams for generation companies and distribution utilities to assess the reliability of the entire power industry. of the collective rights of the IPs to their ancestral land and resources, human rights, and social services and development. It also includes points covered by the mandate of the DENR, including the revision of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the National Integrated Protected Areas Systems Law, or Nipas, of 1992; moratorium on the grant of all mining permits; and make mining and logging companies liable for the destruction of natural resources in their areas. The agenda would be officially submitted to the Office of the President on August 8 as part of the commemoration of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Lopez first met the lumad representatives at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila, where they had the chance to air their complaints to the new DENR chief.

Alvarez eyes 75-25 revenue-sharing scheme under proposed federal government By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ouse Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez of Davao del Norte said he wants each state to give 25 percent of its income as contribution to the national government (NG) under the proposed federal form of government. In an interview, Alvarez said that in the current presidential form of government, all funds are centralized in Manila and provinces need to remit their income to the National Treasury. In the presidential setup, the Speaker said the NG is the one that distributes and allocates funds for each province. “If you will ask me, I want 75-25 [revenue-sharing scheme] under the federal government,” he said. Alvarez said the proposed federal government for the country will create 11 to 12 federal states, which could also have their own tax and criminal laws. In the federal system, Alvarez

added that a state will no longer remit its income to the national government, but each state is required to give part of its income as a contribution to the national government. “However, the constituent assembly [con-ass] needs to discuss the issue of the income. For me, states should share parts of their income to national government as contribution, as defense, foreign policy, national police and monetary policies are still under the national government in the federal new system,” he said. “Also, the unitary form of government is easier to control because everything, including income distribution, will be under the President. At present, all the income of the provinces under this type of government will go to the central government. Every centavo goes to the National Treasury,” Alvarez added. The Speaker has said President Duterte now wants Congress to constitute itself into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Con-

stitution. He said Mr. Duterte told him and Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III that he prefers the “cheaper” con-ass over the constitutional convention (con-con) to jumpstart the country’s shift to a federal form of government. The Speaker said con-ass is “cheaper and faster” than con-con, which could cost up to P7 billion. There are three modes of amending the Constitution—through conass, con-con or a people’s initiative. Under con-ass, Congress, through its “constituent power,” constitutes itself into a body and would perform the task of amending the Charter. Amending the Constitution via con-con will require the election of delegates. Registered voters may also launch a petition to change the Constitution. It should be signed by 12 percent, or 6.6 million, of 54.4 million registered voters. Alvarez said Congress may convene as a con-ass within the year. He also said the plebiscite for the new Constitution will be included in

the midterm elections in 2019, while the country’s new leaders under the federal form of government would be elected by 2022. “We will have one year to come up with a draft of the new Constitution. After that there will be a public-information campaign to explain to the people the new provisions. By midterm elections in 2019, we will submit it to the people via a plebiscite. After the midterm elections, we will have a transition government and by 2022 we will elect officials on the basis on a new Constitution,” he added.

Advisory council

PDP-Laban Rep. Alfredo B. Benitez of Negros Occidental said an advisory council composed of constitutional experts and leaders of various sectors should be created to set the parameters in amending the Charter before Congress can convene itself into a con-ass. Benitez, author of the resolution calling for con-ass, said parameters

should be set for Charter amendments prior to the convening of the assembly. “My proposal calls for the creation of a council of leaders or experts that will recommend the provisions of the 1987 Constitution that necessitates amendments. Charter change should not be open-ended, many provisions aren’t broke and need no fixing,” he said in a statement. Benitez added that the council can be appointed by the President or by Congress and it will be assigned to guide the con-ass as to what provisions of the Constitution should be amended and recommend proposed amendments or new Charter provisions. “This scheme will allow the constituent assembly to complete its assigned task within the time period allotted by Congress. At the same time, only vital and urgent amendments will be considered,” he added.

Reconsider

Meanwhile, members of the

Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives urged Alvarez to reconsider their decision to convene Congress as a con-ass. “We, [the] Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, express our objection to the proposed constituent assembly,” the bloc said. “Con-ass will not be acceptable to the people as they perceive Congress to be dominated by political dynasties and fear that vested and self-serving interests would inevitably influence proposed changes to the Constitution. This is evident in the public outcry against conass, particularly in social media, which has been fast and furious,” the group added. Members of the bloc include Party-list Reps. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate of Bayan Muna, Antonio L. Tinio and Francisca L. Castro of ACT Teachers, Emmi A. de Jesus and Arlene D. Brosas of Gabriela, Ariel B. Casilao of Anakpawis and Sarah Jane L. Elago of Kabataan.

A4 Saturday, July 30, 2016 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

editorial

Time to ‘con-ass’ the government?

sing a carabao to plow a field is not exactly cutting-edge agricultural technology for the 21st century. Using a carabao that has one broken leg is even worse. Yet, perhaps a two-legged carabao should be incorporated into the official seal of the government of the Philippines. All three branches of government have been fast to talk and slow to act. However, at least with the Executive branch, there is usually a specific department and a specific department head that can be called to accountability. Public shaming for lack of accomplishments does not work very often, but at least we can feel better about singling someone out for government incompetence and ineffectiveness. But, in the Legislature and the Judiciary, trying to place responsibility and accountability is like trying to push a piece of wet noodle. US General George Patton told his command officers: “You don’t push the noodle, you pull it.” But we cannot find anyone to pull. At least for the Executive branch, the people get the opportunity to judge performance every six years. With the Legislature, some names and faces can be changed every three years. There is no public avenue of expressing disappointment with the Judiciary. The Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board reported as far back as 2013 that the annual average caseload is 1,059,484 cases, or equivalent to an average of around 4,221 cases per working day. Interestingly, there were fewer court cases being filed—457,146 in 2005 to 385,067 in 2012. But also fewer cases were being decided; total outflow of cases falling from 487,605 cases to 382,957. This problem has obviously been building for more than a decade. Last year Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno announced the implementation of the “e-Court” computerized system. Of course, this system was first announced two years early. In 2014 Sereno also put blame on President Aquino for lack of funding. A Malacañang spokesman denied the court even asked for the funding. Maybe the carabao on the official seal should only have one functioning leg. President Duterte announced that there should be a constituent assembly or “con-ass”—composed of all members of Congress—to address constitutional changes. Some members are already complaining that they do not have time for a con-ass. Their lawmaking is busy work. The recent 16th Congress passed some important legislation, like the Philippine Competition Act, the Cabotage Law, and the Reproductive Health Act and Sin Tax Reform Law. However, like the Competition Act and the RH law, many had been debated for years, if not decades. Congress apparently takes the idea of “deliberative body” seriously, talking for years. But the 16th Congress never had time to get around to a Freedom of Information Act, comprehensive tax reform, or a new set of mining laws. Even without knowing the details, maybe President Duterte is right about the need for substantial structural changes to the Philippine government. Maybe we need to con-ass the government into being able to do its job efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner.

Imagine there’s no Philippines John Mangun

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eorge Bailey has lived a somewhat difficult life as a series of events have altered his life plans and goals. George, for the most part, has always tried to do the right thing but even then it has not always worked out for his best. He has tried—like we all probably do—to make the right choices but, in hindsight, maybe the “other choice” would have been more beneficial. George can never seem to get far enough ahead of his troubles to relax a little and enjoy his life.

Faced with many problems— both financial and personal—hitting at the same time, George loses it. He gets drunk, has a fistfight with his child’s school teacher, and crashes his car into a tree. He runs to a nearby bridge and decides to commit suicide. Clarence, George’s guardian angel, suddenly shows up, and George tells him he wishes he had never been born. Clarence grants his wish and creates an alternative universe where George never existed. Clarence then shows George what the world would

be without him having lived. Sometimes it seems that “The Philippines” has had a life like George’s. Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and you and the Philippines “aren’t”. What would the universe be if the Philippines never existed? Forget about Filipinos like Dr. Jose Rizal, Nick Joaquin, or Manny Pacquiao and their personal accomplishments. Ignore Philippine events like “People Power” or the recent arbitration decision that has been one-off despite the global influence.

Sometimes it seems that “The Philippines” has had a life like George’s. Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and you and the Philippines “aren’t”. What would the universe be if the Philippines never existed? Without the physical Philippines, Vietnam and the region would be substantially different. The Philippines acts as a wall against every typhoon that forms in the Western Pacific Ocean, many more of which would grow to “supertyphoons” and smash Vietnam and southern China every year. Ninety percent of the disputes over the South China Sea would be eliminated and China probably would have reclaimed several “Hong Kongs” in those waters by now. Japan would not have spent blood and treasure in the Philippines during the war and could have better concentrated on invading Australia. The Battles of Leyte Gulf, San Bernardino Strait, Surigao Strait and the Sibuyan Sea— geography giving a great advantage to the US Navy—changed the course

of the war against Japan and would have never happened. Without Filipinos, the Americans, Europeans and Australians would all be “gadget challenged” without Philippine call centers. They already tried India and no one could understand what the agents there were saying. Of course, some nations would be very happy without a Philippines, considering that the $30 billion of overseas workers remittances would have to go someplace. But maybe not. Given a choice with other factors—like compensation and qualifications—being equal, the global ocean shipping, medical and hospitality industries prefer to hire Filipinos. Perhaps, like George Bailey in the 1948 American movie, It’s A Wonderful Life, the daily struggle of the Philippines seems like a waste of time and energy. However, without the Philippines and Filipinos—even in these perhaps silly examples—the world would not be a better place. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

Clinton’s sprawling, historic speech

F Hillary Clinton wants to make even more history, then she is off to a good start. Her forceful acceptance speech was well-focused on its target, Donald Trump, but occasionally rambling in the elaboration of its theme: “stronger together.” The sprawl is partly a result of the expanding reach of Clinton’s campaign.

Recent presidential elections have been “base” elections, in which each party seeks to maximize turnout by its core supporters. That’s not what Clinton, the first woman to be the presidential nominee of a major US political party, has in mind. Her campaign seeks to encompass everyone, from socialist supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to Republicans disillusioned by the erratic ways and juvenile insults of Trump. Sanders supporters—some of whom continued to be disruptive in the arena—were offered higher taxes on “Wall Street, corporations and the super rich” and a throwaway line about “unfair trade deals.” Moderate Republicans, meanwhile, were offered a life raft away from the moral

and political Titanic that is Trump. At its core, Clinton’s speech, like the Democratic convention that it brought to a close, was about what it means to be American—and what it doesn’t. A policy of crude religious exclusion was no more popular in Philadelphia this week than it was in the same city in 1787. When Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim-American soldier who gave his life for his country, offered to lend Trump his personal copy of the US Constitution, American politics gained an iconic moment. “There are no guarantees,” Clinton said, that political contests turn out for the best. (The one between Clinton and Trump is currently close.) “A man you can bait with a

CLINTON

tweet is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons,” she said, homing in on the extraordinary danger Trump represents. Clinton’s positive message never attained such clarity or directness.

She has trouble translating her policy expertise into digestible ideas, her plans into a vision. But she accurately portrayed the stakes of this election, and thus advanced her cause. Bloomberg View

Opinion BusinessMirror

opinion@businessmirror.com.ph

Railways to and from airports

Cardinal Tagle: We are missionaries of Jesus Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

Jemain Tinio Diaz de Rivera

Forward Moving

he congestion experienced by New Yorkers during rush hour is nothing compared to the condition each train rider experiences in Manila. A train system to and from Clark International Airport (CIA) would help maximize convenience for local and international travelers and investors. The past few weeks I have been using the railway system in the United States of America. It was not perfect, it was not always as clean as I would have expected, but it was impressive, because it took me from California; Minnesota; Indiana; Illinois; Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and New York. It provides daily transportation for commuters not only from one state to another but also within their city and airport complex. Each line seamlessly interlinking with each other like a simple web. Huge volumes of products are also transported through rail from ports in California and New York to other states all over the US. In the Philippines the rail transport is used to move passengers within Metro Manila, consisting of a commuter-rail service provided by the Philippine National Railways (PNR) and light-rail systems operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) operating intercity rail lines in Manila. Shorter lines were built and operated on Negros island, serving sugar plantations and mills there, and elsewhere in the country. Some still operating seasonally. There has been rail transport in the Philippines for over 120 years. Previous administrations tried to rehabilitate rail transportation in the country. The railways should be the backbone of Philippine public transportation system, which can do more than simply reduce traffic congestion but link key cities efficiently and help socioeconomic development. The Duterte administration is faced with degraded infrastructure and informal settlers on the railway’s right-of-way. These need to be addressed to revitalize commuter services and restore the Manila-Bicol route, as well as lost services in Northern Luzon. The LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT serves over a million passengers daily in Metro Manila. MRT’s primary objective is to decongest Edsa, a congestion further aggravated by the rising number of motor vehicles. The expansion of the system to cover the entire stretch of Edsa is an attempt to decongest the thoroughfare and to cut travel times. There was also a proposal to build a subway from Bonifacio Global City to Quezon City. The geological study showed that a subway is feasible. Plans were made for a train system connecting Metro Manila to the airport in Clark, Pampanga. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) pledges to improve the country’s train systems with its P43.5 billion budget request for 2016.

The railways should be the backbone of Philippine public transportation system, which can do more than simply reduce traffic congestion but link key cities efficiently and help socioeconomic development. The DOTC promised to cut overloading in MRT trains from 157 percent to 171 percent. The Duterte administration, including Congress, should work to improve the rail system in the country not only in Luzon but including Visayas and Mindanao. The PNR is asking for P1.32 billion in operating subsidy for 2016, for the Metro South Commuter Services, for the line running from Tutuban in Manila to Calamba in Laguna. For the LRTA, the requested subsidy is P1.42 billion for the Pasig-Recto line. The DOTC also requested a P6.75- billion “construction budget” for various LRT extension projects, for the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project and the LRT Line 2 Extension Project. A systematic railway system in the country is badly needed. One that is interlinked and convenient for commuters. It must have the capacity to transport large freights. It must improve the life of the Filipinos and not be a daily stress point. It must be available. nnn

The Healthcare Information Management Association Philippines presents The Healthcare Information Management Services (HIMS) Conference 2016 at Makati Shangri-La Philippines on September 15. The HIMS Conference 2016, with the theme “Global convergence enabling inclusive care and innovation,” will feature top health advisors, as well as international experts who will talk about the trends in health-care system, health-care solutions and the convergence of global market and local services. The conference serves as a venue for industry players, training institutions, vendors, other stakeholders and the larger business community to identify key factors and programs that will contribute to positioning the Philippines as the leading destination for quality health-care information management services. Learn more about competitive success factors that HIMs businessprocess management companies need to excel and stay ahead. Register online at www.himap.ph. For conference packages and inquiries, e-mail hims@himap.ph. E-mail: Jemain_diaz_de_rivera@yahoo.com

anila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, D.D., closed the recently concluded Third Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE 3) by sending the participants for a mission to proclaim the merciful God in word and deed. On the last day of PCNE 3 held at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion, Cardinal Tagle delivered his talk, “Missionaries of Mercy”, where he emphasized two aspects of the mission of mercy that we have received from Jesus, “the healing of betrayal through the gift of self” and “mercy as binding and loosing.” According to him, the “throwaway culture” is a form of betrayal. He said that, when we throw away

food, time and values, we consider them useless. We throw away even persons by abusing and by not respecting them. In a culture of betrayal, he said we need to restore the sense of gift as an act of mercy. “Betrayal can be healed when we restore the sense of gift. We are being sent as missionaries of mercy by restoring that, making the Eucharist as our lifestyle,” Cardinal Tagle said. The second point that Cardinal Tagle highlighted is “mercy as

binding and loosing.” He appealed to help bind or restore broken relationships and to untie the knots that represent the problems and instances that blocked the minds and the hearts of the people to be merciful and compassionate toward others. “Tulungan po natin, as acts of mercy. ’Yung napatid, let us bind together. At ’yung nagkabuhol-buhol, tulungan natin makahanap ng kalayaan,” Cardinal Tagle said. He stressed that we are all missionaries of Jesus Christ, and being a missionary is both a privilege and a big responsibility. As Jesus said in John 20:21 “As the Father has sent me, so I send you,” we are called to pattern our missionary life the way He fulfilled the mission He received from the Father. To do this, we have to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit. The cardinal ’s message was clear. Jesus was sent to be the living presence of God’s mercy. He was sent to love and save the peo-

ple, not to condemn them. So, as missionaries of mercy, like Jesus, we are being called to heal betrayal by giving ourselves as gifts and to help bind broken relationships and untie the knots of indifference that hinders people to do acts of mercy. As missionaries of Jesus, we are missionaries of mercy, the living sign of God’s love to us all. PCNE 3 is a three-day conference on evangelization held from July 15 to 17. With the theme “Awa, Unawa, Gawa: The Filipino Experience of Mercy”, PCNE 3 aimed at mining the richness of God’s mercy and the trinkets of our Filipino culture. It was attended by more than 5,000 participants from all over the Philippines.

To know more about Caritas Manila, visit www. caritasmanila.org.ph. For your donations, please call our DonorCare lines 563-9311, 564-0205, 0999-7943455, 0905-4285001 and 0929-8343857. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph. For comments, e-mail veritas846pr@ gmail.com.

Reversing the trend of 60 years of unregulated fishing: A road map toward a Blue Seafood Economy By Dr. Jose Ingles | ingles.jose@gmail.com

Capture fisheries today

he future of fisheries in the country toward providing food security and proper nutrition is bleak. Poverty rate in the fisheries sector has swelled from 31 percent to 43 percent in the past six years. In 2014 the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) admitted that overfished fishing grounds are more of a rule rather than the exemption, with 10 of 13 major fishing grounds as overfished.

A vision for the future Given the current status and performance of both capture and farming sectors, it is expected that our seafood security is already compromised as we progress to 2040, when our population is expected to hit 150 million. By then, our seafood gap will be around 5.2 million tons, using our present annual per-capita consumption of 36 kilograms. If we fail to reverse the current trend of declining productivity, the country will be importing (if we have money to pay) its seafood needs. In short, the Philippine fisheries needs a comprehensive action plan designed to regulate fisheries to solve the overfishing problem and to bring the fisheries population to sustainable levels. So, what needs to be done? These strategies are proposed. Restructure the Fisheries Governance Framework: We are currently managing our fisheries resources based on political, not ecological, boundaries. This needs to change based on the reality that fish swim across political boundaries. Currently, fisheries in municipal waters are under the local government units (LGUs) using political boundaries as unit of management. Quite distinctly managed are the commercial waters managed by the BFAR, using a commodity-based approach. Solutions: The only way to effectively manage our fisheries resources is to use an ecosystem approach to management either using the fishing ground or as fishery commodity as the unit of management and is governed by the BFAR, including resources under the municipal waters.

Suggested action points

METRO rail transit

Saturday, July 30, 2016 A5

Identify, through a national policy, fishery-management units (FMUs) all over the country. Set up a management structure to govern these FMUs. This may include the activation and creation of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (FARMCs) that will work with LGUs, or if the fishery area falls within National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas), a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) or a similar entity. Fully devolve and strengthen the regional offices of the bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources to better serve the local constituencies,

according to the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7165). Note: While a national policy to declare FMUs may appear straightforward, this proposal may contravene with the Local Government Code and may need for both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government to issue a joint memorandum. Stop overfishing: Sadly, according to the BFAR, in 2014 10 of 13 major fishing grounds of the country are overfished. Many of our fisheries resources are extirpated locally. We need to change the current strategy of seeking new grounds to address overfishing. Unfortunately, we have ran out of new fishing grounds to exploit, and many of our current fishing grounds are either fully exploited or overfished. Our neighboring countries are developing their own fisheries and, in the near future, are terminating fishing access agreements. How do we stop overfishing? Regulate fishing capacity— This is the single most important and effective goal for our fisheries resources to recover. While illegal fishing contributes to overfishing, it is the unmanaged and unregulated legal fishing that contributes to overfishing. Stop IUU fishing—It is not only illegal fishing but also undocumented fishing and unregulated fishing that needs to be addressed. This is eliminated by keeping track of licenses issued and their corresponding fishing areas, such as who are allowed to fish where and when. Cheap technologies are in the market to address this issue. Develop safety nets—Reducing fishing capacity means temporary loss of livelihood and productivity. But these needs to be done for longterm gains. Policies, such as closures or reducing number of fishing days, have negative social and economic impacts that need to be addressed before being implemented. Fairly, large sums of support needs to be invested. Introduce new approaches to fisheries management—Rightsbased management approach are proven effective way to manage fisheries at sustainable level and assuring equity of benefits to stakeholders, both small scale and large scale. This approach could be fitted to suit local fisheries conditions and must be given a chance to be tested. However, for the

Stop overfishing: Sadly, according to the BFAR, in 2014 10 of 13 major fishing grounds of the country are overfished. Many of our fisheries resources are extirpated locally. We need to change the current strategy of seeking new grounds to address overfishing. Unfortunately, we have ran out of new fishing grounds to exploit, and many of our current fishing grounds are either fully exploited or overfished.

scheme to work effectively, it requires an effective electronic catch documentation system that will monitor catch (see solution on the electronic CDS) in almost real time of each and every fisher within the fishery. Reform BFAR’s performance indicators to fisheries management: As a country that is signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, (SD 14 oceans goals), we need to: Adopt metrics that reflect sustainable food security: The metric to achieve food-security goal is not necessarily an increase in fisheries productivity (often done at the expense of environment degradation) but on achieving sustainable seafood production. Suggestions: Some useful indicators would be the number of fishing grounds or fish populations recovering; increase in catch rates of fishers; the reduction in incidence of red tide; the improvement in water quality of bays and gulfs that allow healthy fish to be reared; or 100-percent compliance of fishers to various policies; full compliance of our country to international commitments; reduction in poverty rates among fishers, etc. Incentivize compliance to regulations: Encouraging incentives for compliance rather than focusing on disincentives, penalties and fines are approach that have been proven to work. Comprehensive review of all fisheries policies: Undertake a comprehensive review of the existing policies, some of which are contributing to overfishing problem. BFAR should adopt that all policies are based on science. Develop a future-looking fisheries sustainability plan: Improve medium- and long-term plans and programs of the BFAR to reflect future seafood needs of the country, and taking into account present and future realities internalizing impacts of climate change. Current programs and investments in livelihood, such as fad deployment program, the mangrove silviculture program and the distribution of more fishing gears, are all palliative measures that exacerbate overfishing or habitat conversion as in the case of mangrove replanting. These perverse subsidies needs to be redirected toward gainful programs.

Strengthen fisheries research performance—Good science provides the basic foundation for policy in order to effectively manage our fisheries resources. Lack of sufficient information and research personnel to undertake analysis are two main reasons we have weak management of our fisheries resources, the main cause of overfishing. Our country is ranked seventh globally in aquaculture production, third in seaweed production and 12th in wild capture, yet, has less than 100 fisheries scientists, most are in academe. The academics are doing mostly upstream research. The BFAR-National Stock Assessment Program scientists deal with the applied science, working on a national scale needs of the country. We need more than just fisheries biologist but a rooster of resource economist, anthropologist and social scientist working together to provide good fisheries policies. Solutions: Strengthen science by providing sufficient plantilla positions to fill up the lack of science staff in the LGUs that can provide advice and technical knowhow. Improve the performance of fisheries schools in the country. In 2015 graduates of 34 fisheries schools have zero passing rates in the fisheries board examination. Current investments of the BFAR in 2016 budget for research are predominantly for salaries of research personnel. With serious lack of information to provide basis for policy, a budget of 2 percent to 3 percent of GDP for research needs is a good amount to produce good science and good policy. Develop an electronic Catch Documentation System—Having enough research personnel will not be effective without availability of accurate information that are regularly collected (catch, species composition and effort data) in major landing sites of the country. These data are analyzed into information that will drive the needed policy to monitor the performance in the fisheries. An electronic Catch Documentation System (CDS) offers advantages of fast and efficient data collection and retrieval system that is not prone to fraud and cheating, cheaper and allows fast analysis of data into information for policy use. Solutions: Engage a commercial software company that provides the service for a standardized CDS for the country. The CDS could be expanded to include traceability that will facilitate the compliance of stakeholders and the BFAR in the issuance of catch certificates required by importing countries. Dr. Jose Ingles is WWF’s Coral Triangle Programme coordinator for Fishery Improvement Projects and Policies.

A6 Saturday, July 30, 2016 • Editor: Dionisio L. Pelayo

The Nation BusinessMirror

Aguirre orders probe of ex-ranking DOJ officials on drug lords’ payroll By Joel r. san juan @jrsanjuan1573

USTICE Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II on Friday said he would create a fact-finding team to investigate two former high-raking officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) who allegedly received millions of pesos from some high-profile inmates in exchange of providing them special treatment and allowing them to ply their illegal trade while being detained at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). The fact-finding team, which will be composed of DOJ undersecretaries and prosecutors, will investigate information received by the DOJ that two former officials were on the payroll of drug lords. Aguirre, however, said the

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Police are now gathering evidence and conducting their own investigation against these two officials, whom he refused to name, although he confirmed they worked with the DOJ during

the previous administration. He added that the committee will also investigate why some high-profile inmates were not among those who were transferred to the NBI detention during the previous administration’s supposed campaign to neutralize drug operations and other illegal activities inside the NBP. “I will create a fact-finding committee kung kinakailangan, this would assist the other investigating bodies. I believe that the police, the NBI are already conducting their own investigation dito,” he said. The committee will also look into the multimillion-peso anomaly involving the daily meal allowance of the prisoners. Aguirre disclosed that the 24,000 prisoners at the NBP used to be allotted P50 per day for meals, but this was lowered to P40 for no apparent reason. But, t he DOJ sa id, he re ceived information that the P10 deduction, which translates to P240,000 a day, was pocketed by some erring DOJ and NBP officials.

AGUIRRE A lso to be investigated by the DOJ are religious groups acting as front for prostitution at the NBP. Aguirre said he was informed by a representative of a non-governmental organization (NGO) and several prison guards that some religious groups are behind the smuggling of female prostitutes inside the NBP and illegal drugs. T hese prostitutes, Ag uir re said, were being paid P4,000 to P5,000 for sex. “I really don’t know if there is only one group but we have an NGO that is saying...they saw me

here at the DOJ, and they told me about this prostitution [racket], possible drugs and other prohibited items inside,” Aguirre also disclosed that he has banned religious activities temporarily, while the Special Action Force troopers are still continuing the anti-illegal-drugs campaign inside the NBP. Meanwhile, Aguirre said the National Police’s Special Action Force had managed to seize a total of P1.6 million in cash, sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, and packets of marijuana from inmates since the elite forces were deployed to guard the national penitentiary one week ago under Oplan Digmaang Droga. Other prohibited items confiscated were 80 bladed weapons, 12 icepicks, a caliber .38 revolver, six improvised shot guns, 152 cellular telephones, 62 mobile-phone chargers and 48 television sets. Aguirre said surprise raids were also conducted in other penal colonies in the country, like Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro, Iwahig in Palawan and Zamboanga.

Military welcomes Duterte threat Senate leaders back Con-ass to lift truce with communist rebels S By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

HE Armed Forces welcomed on Friday the decision of President Duterte to ask communist rebels to explain the ambush of militiamen in Davao del Norte, despite the cease-fire that is being observed by the government with the guerrillas. Duterte gave the rebels until Thursday to explain the attack on a team of Citizens Armed Forces Geographic Unit (Cafgu) active auxiliaries in Davao del Norte on Wednesday, otherwise he would revoke the cease-fire order he issued on Monday and allow the military and the police to resume operations against the communist guerrillas. “That was a welcome move from the Commander in Chief, whose orders the Armed Forces marches onward to the road of combat operations or to the path to peace,” said Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces Public Affairs Office chief. “By his stern demand for an explanation, President Duterte did not only send strong signals that he is sincere to end the years of strife by being the first to extend the hand of peace; he also

duterte underscored that those who truly desire peace must also manifest in unmistakable acts their adherence to that quest,” he added. A militiaman was killed and four others were wounded in the ambush, which came two days after Mr. Duter te suspended the offensive police and military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA), a gesture that is still to be reciprocated on by the rebels. G o v e r n m e nt p e a c e p a n e l chairman Silvestre Bello III expressed sadness over the ambush of government troops, saying it was a disregard of the spirit of cease-fire.

“It is disheartening that the NPA failed to respect the unilateral cease-fire declared by President Duterte last Monday during the State of the Nation Address. Barely two days after this ceasefire declaration,” he said. Bello said he asked National Democratic Front (NDF) panel member Fidel Agcaoili about the incident and he was informed that, “as far as he knows, the NPA is on active defense mode since July 26.” Agcaoili, however, promised Bello that he would look into the matter, which the latter responded they “await the results of NDF’s verification on the matter.” Duterte said the rebels should choose whether they want peace or go on fighting with the government. Bello asked the guerrillas to respond to the gesture of the government by declaring a cease-fire. “I strongly reiterate the call of President Duterte to the CPP/ NPA/NDF to reciprocate the government’s cease-fire declaration in order to immediately stop violence on the ground; protect our communities from conflict; and provide an enabling environment for the resumption of formal peace negotiations,” he said.

ENATE leaders on Friday confirmed wide support for a Constituent assembly rather than a Constitutional convention as the preferred mode for amending the 1987 Constitution to shift to a federal form of government favored by President Duterte. In separate interviews, Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto and Minority Leader Ralph Recto voiced an emerging consensus in the 24-man chamber backing the so-called “Con-ass option” being the more practical and cheaper option than calling another election for Con-con delegates when incumbent lawmakers can do the job. “Yes. It is inexpensive,”Sotto said when asked about Duterte administration officials' preference for current members of Congress to pass the Palace endorsed amendment to the Constitution, saying this would save taxpayers some P5 billion to elect and maintain a Con-con. Recto also agreed with Duterte's view “that the practical-pragmatic approach is a Constituent assembly.” Recto asserted, however, that the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, before proceeding to tackle the amendment to shift to a federal system of government should first resolve the manner of voting when the two chambers convene as a Con-ass. “The first issue to be discussed is do we vote jointly or separately?,” Recto told the BusinessMirror, saying “the Senate must insist [on voting] separately.” For now, he admitted being “against shifting to a parliamentary federal form of government.” Recto recalled that “we have tried a unicameral and parliamentary in the past. Instead of federalism let's have true meaningful local autonomy,” he suggested. Apart from Con-ass mode being in-

expensive, Sotto expressed concern that electing delegates to a Con-con could only open the door to more relatives of incumbent officials. “Sa tingin mo ba pag nag-election ng delegado ay mananalo ang gusto nating kandidato? Hindi kaya asawa lang ni mayor o ni congressman ang manalo?” he asked. Sotto added that aside from spending P5 billion for the election of Con-con delegates, additional taxpayers money would also be spent estimated at“another P5 billion for the Con-con delegates' salaries, allowances, staffs and offices.” “Iyong Con-con delegates to be elected will also have the same issues; baka mas malala pa,” he said. Instead, Sotto suggested that, “we should just appoint a Council of Elders to oversee the Con-ass, like Fr. Joaquin Bernas and company.” At the same time, Sen. Richard Gordon also welcomed Malacañang's endorsement of Congress convening as a Constituent assembly instead of a Con-con. In a statement, Gordon said Malacañang’s decision to transform the legislative body into a Constituent assembly is “a very welcome development.” “It is a most welcome development. The people-elected senators and congressmen are possible amenders of the Constitution. It is more expedient,” said Gordon, who earlier called for Con-sss as a means to amend the Constitution following the strong clamor for Charter change. He prefers to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to introduce revisions and amendments to the 1987 Constitution, agreeing it is the least expensive “and it is the most expeditious mode compared to constitutional convention and people’s initiative.” Butch Fernandez

Hataman wins Asia HRD award

ARTY-LIST Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman of Anak Mindanao is one of this year’s recipients of the Asia HRD Awards. The international award recognizes individuals who have made a difference in society or organization in the area of human resources and development. Although she is also dubbed as the first lady of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) being married to Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Sitti is her own person. Before she became representative of Anak Mindanao, Hataman campaigned for Moro women empowerment. On her latest award, she said, “I have served communities and individuals, especially women, whose lives I am forever honored to be a part of.” In 2007 Sitti established Pinay… Kilos!, a civil movement that sought

to improve the women’s status. The program educated Muslim women on diverse topics, such as family planning, women’s reproductive health, the Mindanao political situation, and the peace process and livelihood programs. These programs helped women to be more engaged in their communities. Over time, investors started to enter the ARMM, capitalizing on its resources such as rice, rubber and palm oil. Hataman pointed out that an empowered Moro society emerges from an empowered community led by women, the frontliners of the homes. With the support of the reproductive-health law, which allows families to make informed choices about having children, and an ARMM counterpart, Moro women feel they are in charge of their lives. A. Gunting

Safety first Officers of the Manila Toll Expressway Systems Inc., operator of the South Luzon Expressway (Slex), discuss with the

truckers, whose units ply the 108-kilometer toll road from Makati City to Batangas City, the Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection (MVSI) program at the Skyway System, Slex and Star Tollway. MVSI is being implemented to enforce strict compliance of vehicles, particularly trucks, to the highest standards of safety and roadworthiness.

news@businessmirror.com.ph

Comelec starts evaluation of complaint vs Smartmatic

HE complaint filed by the camp of former Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. before the Commission on Elections against Smartmatic and Commission on Elections (Comelec) personnel over the script change in the automated elections system (AES) is deemed submitted for evaluation, after the period to file the last pleading had lapsed. In an order dated June 30, the Comelec Legal Department ordered complainant, former Party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz of Abakada, political advisor of Marcos, 10 days, or until July 11, to file his reply to the counteraffidavits filed by respondents, namely, Smartmatic’s Marlon Garcia, head of Technical Support Team; Elie Moreno, project director; and Neil Baniqued, member of the Technical Support Team; and Comelec information-technology personnel Rouie Peñalba. The respondents were also given the same period to file their rejoinder, and the case will then be submitted for evaluation. Under the poll body’s Rules of Procedure, the Legal Department has five days to evaluate the complaint filed and submit a recommendation that will then be approved by the head of office. The head of office will then submit his recommendation to the Comelec en banc for review and approval. Dela Cruz had filed charges against the respondents for alleged violation of Section 35(b) and (c) of the automated election law (Republic Act 8436) for interfering with or altering any computer data, program, system software or any computer-related devices or facilities without right or authority. The respondents had admitted changing the script of the transparency server on the night of the elections while transmission was ongoing. In his 19-page Consolidated Reply, dela Cruz said Peñalba had admitted that he did not give Smartmatic personnel permission to introduce changes in the script. Dela Cruz said Peñalba, himself, in a memorandum he submitted on May 12 to the Comelec en banc declared that he neither had the authority to change the script nor gave any instruction to change the script. “…[R]espondent Peñalba, in his urgent memorandum dated 11 May 2016, submitted to the Comelec en banc [on] 12 May 2016, denied that he instructed respondent [Venezuelan Marlon] Garcia to change the script, as he does not have the authority to do so. In such declaration, respondent Peñalba is estopped from denying the Smartmatic personnel were without authority when they changed the said script,” dela Cruz said. The respondents were also charged with a separate offense before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office for violation of the cybercrime law over the script change. The complaint is in the last stage of the preliminary investigation by a panel of prosecutors. In the clarificatory held last week, Garcia admitted before the panel of prosecutors of the existence of other servers in the AES, aside from the three servers sanctioned by the Comelec. Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman for Marcos, said the admission of the existence of several other servers in the AES validated their earlier contention that, indeed, Smartmatic was not forthright in the system it employed during the elections, putting the integrity of the May elections under a cloud of doubt. Joel R. San Juan

Sports BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | sports@businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, July 30, 2016 A7

Reyes snares seventh and last PSL golden ticket By Lance Agcaoili

IKA REYES will teeter no more as she became the seventh and last recipient of the golden ticket to the Philippine Superliga (PSL) AllStars team to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Women’s Club World Championship set, from October 18 to 23, at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

MIKA REYES will be donning the national colors for the first time.

Reyes, one of the F2 Logistics, got her ticket from PSL President Tats Suzara, Chairman Phillip Juico and Training Director Sammy Acaylar before their hard-earned 25-20, 2325, 22-25, 25-18, 15-8 win over Petron in the second round of the All-Filipino Conference late Thursday at De La Salle Lipa Sentrum in Lipa City. It will be Reyes’s first time to don the national colors and her coach at De La Salle and F2 Logistics, Ramil de Jesus, hopes for the best for his ward. “I’m happy because two of my players were chosen,”

de Jesus said, also referring to another former Lady Archer now with the Cargo Movers, Kim Fajardo. “For Mika, I wish the best for her, but she needs to work hard and exert more effort because PSL trusts her so much.” The longtime De La Salle coach added that what makes Reyes different from other middle hitters is her “tempo zero” speed, which in volleyball term is the quickest of all quick attacks. With Reyes and Fajardo are Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga of RC Cola-Army, Jen Reyes and Ces Molina of Petron and Jaja Santiago of Foton.

Tornadoes seek crucial second-round victory

OTON guns for another crucial victory when it clashes with equally dangerous Petron in the second round of the 2016 Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. The Tornadoes eye a share of the lead with idle F2 Logistics in the 6:30 p.m. encounter of the inter-club tournament bankrolled by KLab Cyscorpions, Mueller, Asics and Mikasa with TV5 as official broadcast partner. Generika, meanwhile, battles Amy’s Kitchen

at 2:30 p.m., while Standard Insurance-Navy clashes with Cignal at 4:30 p.m. in a bid to clinch top spot in Group B. Fresh from an 18-25, 25-15, 25-17, 23-25, 15-9 victory over powerhouse RC Cola-Army late Thursday, the Tornadoes seek to sweep their remaining games against Petron and F2 Logistics in the second round to emerge No. 1 seed in Group A. The No. 1 team will clash with the fourthseeded squad, while the second seed will battle the No. 3 team in a sudden-death semifinals. The survivors will figure in a best-of-three finals

showdown starting on August 11. “It’s still a very long way to go,” said Foton coach Villet Ponce-de Leon, who will guide the Tornadoes in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Championship from September 3 to 11 at the Alonte Sports Center in Binan City. Against the Lady Troopers, the Tornadoes were at their best and took advantage of the absence of Rachel Anne Daquis to dominate the second and third sets. Lance Agcaoili

V-LEAGUE UNWRAPS G

RETCHEL SOLTONES leads San Sebastian College’s campaign, hoping to bring her Most Valuable Player (MVP) form to the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference that kicks off on Saturday at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City. Soltones played a key role for BaliPure, which clinched third-place honors in the recent Open Conference, and ran away with the MVP trophy. The jump-serving, power-hitting ace is eager to steer the Lady Stags to a strong finish after missing the semifinals of last year’s edition won by National University. “We’re a veteran team and I have faith in my teammates that we’ll do better this conference,” said the 20-year-old Soltones, a native of San Jose, Catmon, in Cebu and a Business Management senior. Soltones’s team didn’t fare well in this conference last year after she was temporarily switched into a libero from her natural position as a spiker to rest her injured shoulder. San Sebastian won only one of its five assignments and crashed out of the quarterfinals of the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s.

But Soltones and the Lady Stags vowed to strike back this time, starting against the Perpetual Help Lady Altas in the 6 p.m. main game of an explosive twinbill. Perpetual Help surprised the field when it made the Final Four in last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association, despite parading a young roster headed by Jamela Suyat. The Lady Altas are upbeat of their chances against nine other squads in the conference, backed by Mikasa as the league’s official ball and Accel as official outfitter. University of the Philippines, meanwhile, faces first-timer San Beda at 4 p.m. with the Lady Maroons raring to showcase their vastly improved form following a third-place finish in last year’s Reinforced Conference and a strong showing in the recent Open tournament. All Shakey’s V-League games, set Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, will be shown live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23, according to the organizing Sports Vision. Matches can also be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league. ph. Lance Agcaoili

QUIñAHAN PLAYS HEAVYWEIGHT ROLE AS PAINTERS DEFEAT ELITE

By Joel Orellana

AIN OR SHINE survived the repeated rallies of Blackwater in the fourth period and held on for a 98-92 triumph on Friday in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. JR Quiñahan sank three free throws off Eric Dawson’s foul beyond the three-point line with 33.4 seconds left to seal the second straight win for the Elasto Painters. Jeff Chan and Dior Lowhorn each had 20 points for Rain or Shine, which threatened to pull away after Quiñahan hit a banked shot, 84-72, 6:14 remaining in the contest. But the Elite, behind Reil Cervantes, answered with a 12-2 run capped by Dawson’s putback to push Blackwater within two, 84-86, 3:06 left. A defensive collapse by the Elite in the next play left Jericho Cruz wide open at the left corner for a triple, 89-84, and Blackwater was called for a 24-second shot-clock violation that resulted to an under-goal stab by Quiñahan off Beau Belga’s assist to give Rain or Shine a 91-84 cushion at the 2:04-mark.

But the Elite again rallied and closed the gap to 90-93 on Lastimosa’s drive, but Dawson had an ill-advised foul on Quiñahan at the rainbow area, sending the burly center to the 15-foot line for three bonus shots that sealed the game. Rain or Shine’s victory spoiled Dawson’s monster game of 14 points, 25 rebounds, six assists and five blocks. Lastimosa added 20 points for the Elite, who dropped to 1-2. Blackwater’s Asian import, Imad Qahwash, was scoreless in 14 minutes of play. The Palestinian guard missed all of his four attempts.

BOXERS

ARRIVE IN RIO T

WO Filipino boxers with equal chances of winning a medal in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics arrived in Rio on Thursday afternoon from a one-month training in the United States—and declared their readiness to slug it out with the world’s finest competitors. Light-flyweight Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez flew in from Las Vegas via Houston, accompanied by their lone coach, Nolito “Boy” Velasco. They arrived eight days before the opening ceremony on August 5. For both boxers, it’s their first Olympics. “First time,” said the 22-year-old Ladon of Bago City in Negros Occidental, the birthplace of Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, a silver medalist in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and brother Roel Velasco, bronze winner in 1992 in Barcelona. Mansueto Velasco’s silver medal in the lightflyweight class was the last medal in the Olympics for the Philippines, which is fielding 12 athletes in seven sports and hoping to finally end the 20-year medal drought in the Summer Games. Ladon is aware that the country of more than 100 million has long been searching for an Olympic hero. Under this circumstance, Filipinos, known as die-hard boxing and basketball fans, will settle for a medal of any color. Ladon said he wants to win the gold. “Go for gold tayo,” said Ladon, borrowing the slogan of the Association of Boxing Alliances in

the Philippines, headed by Ricky Vargas. Ladon said it’s been his lifelong dream to make it to the Olympics, and follow the footsteps of the Velasco brothers. He said he did everything in training the past two years as he hoped that someday he will win an Olympic medal. “Every athlete dreams of being in the Olympics,” said Ladon, as he walked with some members of the Philippine delegation, including Chef-de-Mission Jose Romasanta, from the Pinoy quarters to the main dining hall of the Athletes Village. “Step by step,” said Suarez, who will turn 28 on August 14. If he gets the breaks, the biblepreaching native of Sawata in Davao del Norte will be fighting in the semifinals of the 60 kg weight class on his birthday, assured of a bronze. Suarez is a two-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games (2009 in Lao PDR and 2011 in Jakarta) and silver medalist in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. “I think this my best chance to win a medal in the Olympics,” he said, adding that he was very satisfied with the training he and Ladon went through in Las Vegas and Washington. “Okay naman, sir,” he said. “Boxing has always been a medal hope in the Olympics for our country,” said Romasanta, who said he could not understand why there’s only one coach to handle the two boxers in this Games that will run from August 5 to 21. The Philippines tried to have another coach

accredited for the Games but could not get what it wanted. Having a single coach to handle two boxers in a tournament of this magnitude is not the ideal situation for any team. Romasanta is also concerned who would serve as cutman for the Filipino boxers—if needed. He joined the boxing team for lunch on Thursday and offered the services of the Philippine team physican, Dr. Ferdinand Brawner, as cutman. “With no head gears, there’s the possibility for any of our boxers to suffer a cut, considering that they have to fight as many as six bouts to get to the finals. I don’t think our coach, being alone, can perform both duties during the fight,” Romasanta said. Under the Philippine Incentives Act, a gold medal in the Olympics is worth P10 million in cash incentives, a silver medal P5 million and a bronze P2 million. With the arrival of the two boxers, only three members of the Philippine team haven’t checked in. They are hurdler Eric Cray, who will fly in from Houston; marathoner Mary Joy Tabal, who will come in from Japan; and golfer Miguel Tabuena, still in Thailand competing in the King’s Cup. The seven Pinoy athletes who are in Rio since last Sunday are just making sure they stay in tiptop shape—from swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie King Lacuna, weightlfters Hidilyn Diaz and Nestor Colonia, taekwondo’s Kirstie Elaine Alora, long jumper Marestella Torres-Sunang and table tennis’s Ian Lariba, the flag bearer.

‘Macca’ stages triathlon clinics FOUR-TIME world champion Chris “Macca” McCormack will conduct a two-session clinic on September 2 and 3 at the Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club at Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. McCormack brings to the Philippines his MaccaX coaching platform as one of the highlights of the Aboitiz Tri 2016 Olympicdistance triathlon set on September 3. The first clinic on September 2 will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the second session on Saturday will be from 8 to 10 a.m. The races start at 2 p.m. “I always love coming to the Philippines because the people here are crazy about triathlon,” McCormack said. “I want to share my tips and secrets to make sure whether you’re new to the sport or have been at it for a while, you’re racing your best.” The MaccaX coaching was set up to bring together triathletes of all skill levels—from newbies to professionals—from all over the world seeking coaching from him and his team of experts, while building up a worldwide support system of triathletes. MaccaX membership is pegged at $29 (approximately P1,350 a month with a minimum three-month commitment). It includes a professional training plan for a triathlete’s next race, access to 40 highdefinition videos of McCormack’s favorite and most effective training sessions, and a Team MaccaX Under Armour visor.

‘Baham’ named GAB chairman FORMER Palawan Gov. Abraham Khalil “Baham” Mitra, was appointed as the new chairman of the Games and Amusement Mitra Board (GAB) by President Duterte. The 46-year-old Mitra took over from Juan Ramon Guanzon. Mitra’s marching order was signed on July 15. Mitra is the youngest son of the late and former House of Representatives Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr. from whom he inherited his passion for cockfighting, one of the industries regulated by the GAB. Like his father who served the government, Mitra first served the country as a presidential consultant for Palawan from 1998 until 2000. He became a member of the House of Representatives representing the Second District of Palawan for three consecutive terms until 2010 and eventually governor of the province. “We have seen the progressive propagation of professional boxing, and other professional sports—thanks [and gratitude] to those who have come before us in this respectable office. We will sustain and move forward as we envision to achieve greater milestones,” Mitra said. The GAB regulates and supervises professional sports and games like boxing, mixed martial arts, basketball, horse racing, cockfighting and allied activities to combat and prevent the existence and proliferation of illegal bookie joints and other forms of organized illegal gambling connected with all play-for-pay sports and amusement games.

Jr Volcanoes vie in Asian Series

South Korea disappoints Batang Gilas OUTH Korea came back from seven points down in the final four minutes and beat the Philippines, 93-85, to enter the semifinal round of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Under-18 Championship on Friday in Tehran, Iran. Batang Gilas failed to capitalize on its 80-73 advantage with 4:10 remaining as the South Koreans unleashed a 20-5 windup to deliver the heartbreaker for the Filipinos. Big man Ha Yungi and sharp shooter Park Min-uk joined hands in leading South Korea’s comeback in the fourth period as the Filipinos threatened to pull off an upset. With the game tied at 73-all, the Mike Oliver-coached Batang Gilas unloaded a 7-0 run capped by JV Gallego’s uncontested lay-up to take a seven-point cushion. Back-to-back three-point plays by Ha and a three-pointer by Park ignited an 11-0 swing by South Korea to take an 84-80 lead with 1:47 remaining. Kemark Carino ended the Philippines’s drought with a banked

THE Philippines will again pin its hopes in boxing for an Olympic medal, this time on light-flyweight Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez.

SPORTS PLUS

RAIN or Shine’s Jericho Cruz gets aggressive against Blackwater’s Carlo Lastimosa.

shot, 82-84, but South Korea added three more points for an 87-82 lead with 56 seconds left. Again, Carino put the Batang Gilas back with a triple, 85-87, but South Korea’s Lee Jung-hyun hit a jumper and Park Jiwon added two free throws to put the game out of reach, 91-85, 12 seconds remaining. It was a tough loss for Batang Gilas, which started the game with a 25-14 advantage but lost steam in the end. Team captain Jolo Mendoza led the Philippines with 19 points, while Carino flirted with a triple-double game of 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks. Gallego and Jonas Tibayan each had 13 markers for Batang Gilas, which also drew eight points and seven steals from guard Fran Yu. With the loss, the Philippines was relegated to the classification phase and will play the loser of China-Iran quarterfinal match. Han Seunghui led South Korea with 24 points, while Ha added 20 markers and eight boards. Joel Orellana

AZKALS BACKER British insurance company Pru Life UK has extended its sponsorship

of the men’s national football team, Azkals, to a third straight year. The company also sponsors a nationwide 10-leg football clinic and festival that starts next month in Gingoog City. Photo above shows (from left) Albert Almendralejo of Spears Activation, Azkal Amani Aguinaldo, Pru Life UK EVP CFO Lee Longa, Chieffy Caligdong, Simone Rota and Misagh Bahadoran.

Akhuetie rescues Altas from Pirates’ rampage

ByRamon Rafael Bonilla

right Akhuetie delivered anew when University of Perpetual Help needed it most, as the Altas thwarted the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, 71-68, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 92 seniors basketball tournament on Friday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City. The Nigerian big man saved his best for last and scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter when the Pirates, behind Shaq Alanes, looked headed to the victory. Akhuetie struggled for the most part of the game but got his rhythm in the final period, where he nailed 10 of his 13 points with the Altas holding the Pirates scoreless in the first six minutes of the quarter to book their third straight win and

fifth overall against two losses. More important, it sent the Las Piñas-based dribblers from joint No. 4 with Arellano University to a share of No. 2 with Mapua and Letran—two games behind solo leader San Beda. “It was our defense that helped us and we never gave up,” Perpetual Help Coach Gimwell Gican said. “Bright [Akhuetie] also stepped up big even though he struggled almost the whole game.” The loss halted Lyceum’s three-game streak for a 3-4 (winloss) record. Also on Friday, Remy Morada exploded in the fourth quarter as Emilio Aguinaldo College overcame San Sebastian, 73-67, to snap out of a five-game skid. Morada fired seven of his 18 points in the final quarter to help the Generals seal their second win in seven games. The Stags dropped to 1-6.

THE national U20s rugby team will fly to Johor Bahru in Malaysia this weekend to compete in the first round of the U20s Asian Seven’s Series. The Junior Volcanoes underwent a high-performance training camp since Saturday under Volcano Jake Robrigado Letts and David Johnston. It will be the Junior Volcanoes’ first appearance in the tournament since 2012 as it prepares to look to the future to recruit, develop and train the next batch of emerging Volcanoes. “It’s been a very positive week, the team has trained very well and come a long way in the space of six days. These players are the future and it’s exciting to see the talent both here locally in the Philippines and abroad,” Letts said. The Junior Volcanoes will be led by captains Kai Ledesma Stroem and Rhys Jacob Mackley. The Junior Volcanoes drew a tough pool with heavyweights Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

BRAZILIAN Army soldiers take part in a military exercise during a presentation of the security forces for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the National Stadium in Brasilia. AP

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Sports

aturday, July 30, 2016 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao Asst. Editor: Joel Orellana

BusinessMirror

PLATFORM TO PROS L

OS ANGELES—Many of the 40 men leaving Rio de Janeiro with Olympic boxing medals around their necks in three weeks will have their pick of professional promoters eager to reward them with riches and fame. For the 12 women who claim medals in the second Olympic women’s boxing tournament, the pro options still aren’t glittery. Several years after the International Boxing Association (Aiba) won its fight to get women’s boxing into the Olympics, the Games still represent the apex of the sport. While women’s boxing has grown in prestige and popularity since the inaugural London tournament, female pros still languish behind their male counterparts in money, exposure and opportunities. Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor could be in position to change that if the two biggest Western names in the amateur game can claim a second gold. “Whichever promoter takes on women’s boxing is going to be a very wealthy man, especially if he takes up me,” said Shields, the 21-year-old American middleweight. “If he wants some money, he knows what to do.” Shields dominated in London as a teenager, and she is favored to win again in Rio. But when she hears about the opportunities available to hotprospect bantamweight Shakur Stevenson and her other American teammates, she wonders whether she’ll ever be able to cash in. “It’s like that because nobody actually goes pro from the women’s [sport] yet,” Shields said. “We have to see what opportunities await after my Olympic gold-medal run. I’m just weighing my options right now. I don’t know.” Taylor, the 2012 lightweight gold medalist and a five-time world champion, is arguably the most accomplished female athlete in her native Ireland’s history. Taylor also has spoken about her interest in going pro, and it’s not tough to imagine her fame translating into professional riches. But Shields and Taylor are still waiting for a promoter or a television network to step up

with enough of a commitment to make them bankable stars. Many promoters have tried with fighters from Laila Ali to Christy Martin, but the titular payday of Hilary Swank’s character in Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning 2004 film, Million Dollar Baby, remains fiction. “I’ve never been able to make women’s boxing pay,” said Top Rank boss Bob Arum, who promoted former WBC champion Mia St. John. “I tried to take it on. I might still do it again, but I wasn’t successful. It’s always been that you start them, you pay them small amounts, and then they read their press clippings and they want a lot of money, but they don’t bring it in. I don’t know how to make it work yet.” But women’s combat sports have evolved dramatically in the past four years. Shields and Arum both point to mixed martial arts as a reason for optimism: The UFC has turned women’s MMA into a vibrant, money-making sport, and Ronda Rousey—who signed with the UFC in November 2012—became the sport’s most prominent fighter of any gender. “Yeah, and Ronda is a bronze medalist, not a gold medalist, know what I mean?” Shields said of Rousey, who won bronze in judo in Beijing. AP

Security nightmare R

DRINKS ON WALKER By Doug Ferguson

CHINA’S Ren Cancan (left) fights Great Britain’s Nicola Adams in the women’s flyweight final at the London 2012 Olympics in 2012. AP

The Associated Press

PRINGFIELD, New Jersey—A drab year for Jimmy Walker took a turn for the worse two weeks ago at the British Open, when he stayed in what was dubbed the “frat house” at Royal Troon with Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson. Walker was the only one to miss the cut. He still stayed the weekend. He just stayed away from the golf course, and his clubs. How does one kill time in such a small Scottish town? “When the first guy comes back and he’s ready for a cocktail, you have one,” Walker said. Thursday in the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship, the drinks were on Walker. In the final major of the year, Walker finally saw enough putts to fall at Baltusrol that he matched his low score in a major with a fiveunder 65 and wound up leading a major for the first time in his career. Just like that, a stale year came to life. Walker had a one-shot lead over two-time major champion Martin Kaymer, Emiliano Grillo and Ross Fisher. And for Henrik Stenson, a great year might get even better. Coming off his record performance at the British Open, the Swede had three birdies on the back nine as the sweltering heat gave way to dark clouds and 20 mph gusts. That gave him a 67, leaving him two shots behind. Stenson is trying to join Ben Hogan in 1953 as the only players to win backto-back majors at age 40. “It’s going to be a great season for me,” Stenson said. “But, at the same time, I want to give myself a chance to try to make it the best season.” It wasn’t the best of times for Dustin Johnson or Rory McIlroy. Johnson, the US Open champion with a chance to go to No. 1 in the world, was in the trees, in the water and couldn’t get out of a bunker. He managed only one birdie in a round of 77 that wasn’t enough to beat 15 of the club pros at Baltusrol. He wasn’t alone in his misery. McIlroy took 35 putts and didn’t make a single birdie in his round of 74 that left him so frustrated that he returned to Baltusrol late in the day with only his putter. Walker’s year has been so mediocre that he has finished within five shots of the winner only once this year, at Torrey Pines. He is on the verge of falling out of the top 50 in the world ranking and hasn’t given as much thought to Ryder Cup with qualifying a month away from ending. “I feel like all year it’s just been real stale and stagnant,” Walker said. “It’s just ebbs and flows of golf. Just haven’t been scoring.... It’s frustrating. I would have loved to have had a better year than I’ve had so far to this point, but I know there’s always time to play well at the end of the year.” Kaymer had the best score in the afternoon, when the blend of poa annua and bent grass on the Baltusrol greens became a little more difficult to navigate. Baltusrol still allowed for good scoring. Twenty players were at 68 or better, a list that included defending champion Jason Day. Day played in the morning group with McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, and he was the only player without much stress. Mickelson, just 11 days after that magnificent duel with Stenson at Royal Troon, was four over through 11 holes when he rallied with a trio of birdies late in his round to salvage a 71.

“It’s not the start I wanted. It’s not indicative of how I’m playing,” he said. “But I’m back to where tomorrow, if I play the way I’ve been playing, I should be OK.” Jordan Spieth only regretted one hole, the par-4 seventh, when he lost his ball so far to the right he had to chip back into thick rough and wound up three-putting for a double bogey. That was his lone mistake. He rolled in big putts on the 15th for par, 16th for birdie and closed with a two-putt birdie to get back to even-par 70. Grillo had a chance to at least join Walker in the lead when he was at four under with the final two holes par 5s. He made par on both. Fisher made birdie on the two closing par 5s for his 66. Kaymer started his afternoon round on the back nine and kept it together with two pars, including a 35-yard bunker shot on No. 8 to within 3 feet. “There’s nothing easy on the golf course today,” Kaymer said. “I just didn’t miss many fairways and therefore, you can create some birdie chances. But at the end of the day you still need to make the putts.” Walker kept the ball in play off the tee until late in his round, and he was particularly sharp with his scrambling out by getting upand-down six times. “I’m a good putter,” Walker said. “Like good shooters, just keep shooting. I’m just going to keep putting, and they’re going to start going in.”

JIMMY WALKER opens with a 65 at the Professional Golfers’ Association Championship. AP

IO DE JANEIRO—A half-million foreign tourists, dozens of heads of state and the attention of the world’s media. If there were ever a headache for antiterror forces, it’s the Olympics. In the aftermath of deadly attacks by the Islamic State group in France and elsewhere, Brazil, which has almost no experience combatting terrorism, is beefing up security for the Games that start in Rio de Janeiro on August 5. Plans include doubling the number of security forces on the streets, erecting more checkpoints and working closer with foreign intelligence agencies than Brazilians did in the 2014 World Cup. But will it be enough? Richard Ford, a retired FBI antiterror expert who lives in Brazil, said that while the government has a robust program to keep athletes and venues safe, he worries that authorities aren’t taking the threat of a lonewolf or suicide attack seriously enough. He cited comments by Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who surprised many last week by saying the chances of a terror attack at the Games were “next to zero” and that the bigger concern is street crime. Just a day later, the federal police overseen by Moraes arrested 10 Brazilians allegedly belonging to an amateur cell that had professed allegiance to ISIS over the Internet. “It’s very naive to think that the risks for terrorism are minimal,” said Ford, who has worked on security at several Olympic Games. “In the last year, the risk of a terrorist attack has gone up exponentially everywhere.” Terror attacks have been rare, if horrifying at past Olympics. The most notorious was the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and a police officer by a radical Palestinian group in Munich. A bomb planted by an anti-abortion protester killed one and injured 111 at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. “But Brazil has a lot of problems that other countries don’t have,” Ford said. “It’s sort of a perfect storm for anyone wanting to carry out an attack.” South America’s first-ever games have been plagued by a long list of problems, from the Zika epidemic and severe water pollution to slow ticket sales and questions about the readiness of infrastructure built for the Games. Compounding the security concerns is the deepest recession in decades, which has forced the cash-strapped Rio state government to slash spending and delay paychecks, and a distracting political crisis that led to the removal of President Dilma Rousseff while she faces an impeachment trial. To make up for the shortfall, the federal government has had to step in with almost $1 billion in emergency funding, much of which will be devoted to security. Extra police are also being deployed from other states. Many of Brazil’s security holes are ancient and hard to resolve. Long, porous borders it shares with 10 countries are a major conduit for arms and drug smugglers. Obtaining an assault rifle, or explosives, is easy from the criminal gangs that dominate Rio’s hillside slums. Last year thieves even managed to steal a truck carrying a ton of dynamite. AP