Manila Standard - 2016 September 1 - Thursday

Extra powers vs ASG nixed Duterte pushes punitive actions to crush Sayyaf

By John Paolo Bencito and Florante S. Solmerin

P INTERNET SENSATION. President Rodrigo Duterte finally meets four-year-old Filipino-British Ethan Llanes this week, with both making the chief executive’s signature fist gesture during a courtesy call in Malacañang. Llanes became an internet sensation when his mother posted a video on Facebook of him pretending to call presidential candidate Duterte before the May 2016 elections, asking him to get rid of the ‘bad guys’ and take them to jail. Malacañang Photo

VOL. XXX • NO. 201 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

SC justices raise a question of heroes

By Rey E. Requejo A SUPREME Court justice suggested Wednesday that President Rodrigo Duterte’s overwhelming victory in the May elections affirmed his campaign promise to have the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

During oral arguments on petitions seeking to stop the government from giving Marcos a hero’s burial, Associate Justice Jose Perez broached the idea that the voters may have taken into account Duterte’s campaign promise when they voted for him.

“Is that not a decision by the sovereign itself…You are going to say what the electorate voted in favor of, we will now nullify?” Perez said, in questioning the lawyers of the petitioners opposing the internment.

The President won with 16 million votes, six million more than his closest rival, Manuel Roxas II. Next page

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Pregnant women at Zika risk HEALTH Secretary Jean Paulyn Ubial on Wednesday warned pregnant women against traveling to Singapore and other neighboring countries where the number of people infected by the Zika virus is rising.

“It is very risky for pregnant Next page

sponding to questions.

On Tuesday, Lorenzana played down the proposal of at least three senators to give Duterte additional emergency powers to deal with the Abu Sayyaf, which has been on a kidnapping and beheading spree.

“It’s not yet necessary at the moment, we can do it still even without emergency powers. The LGUs are joining our drive, including the community. There is no need [yet] for emergency powers,” Lorenzana

Duterte, who welcomed repatriated overseas Filipino workers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Wednesday, echoed Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s assessment that there was no need to grant him emergency powers to deal with the terrorist group.

“No. It’s just a punitive police action by the security forces of the government. The magnitude of the trouble there does not warrant anything except the industry of the AFP and PNP,” Duterte said, re-

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Du30 to Obama: Listen to me, then we can talk PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he’s ready to discuss any issues with US President Barack Obama when they meet in Laos next week, but said the American leaders should listen to him before bringing up the question of human rights.

“They must understand the problem first before we talk about human rights. I would insist, listen to me: this is what the problem is, then we can talk,” Duterte said in an interview Wednesday.

Duterte is set to meet Obama

on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Sept. 6 in Laos. “[Obama can bring up] any topic at all. I am ready to talk to him,” he added.

The White House on Thursday said that the two world leaders will be meeting next week despite concerns over a war on crime that has claimed more than 2,000 lives.

Aside from Obama, Duterte will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, Australian Prime Next page

Sandra tags Leila as ‘Drug Princess’ MARCOS BURIAL. Solicitor General Jose Calida arrives at the Supreme Court for the oral arguments on

petitions against the planned hero’s burial for President Ferdinand Marcos this month and prepares his papers containing the government’s position defending President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to bury Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. Danny Pata

‘Fishery deal 3 witnesses to tell all on ‘senator,’ say cops well within sea ruling’ THE government on Wednesday assured the public that the provisional fishing agreement that Manila wants to sign with Beijing will be in accordance with the Arbit ral Tribunal ruling rejecting China’s claims to the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea. “The provisional agreement will be anchored on the arbitral tribunal’s ruling that Bajo de Masinloc is a common fishing ground,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said.

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday rejected suggestions that he seek emergency powers from Congress to quickly crush the Abu Sayyaf, which killed 15 soldiers this week in the largest single-day combat loss for the government.

THE police in Albuera, Leyte, said Wednesday they had three witnesses in custody who would corroborate the claim of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa that 30 people, including a senator, were protecting his son Kerwin in his illegal drug operations in Eastern Visayas.

Albuera Police Chief Jovie Es-

penido said the three witnesses included an accountant and a secretary who knew about the flow of revenue from Kerwin’s illegal drug operations.

“We have people that will corroborate the statement of Mayor Espinosa,” Espenido said.

He made his statement even as eight suspected drug pushers were

arrested in Malabon and Valenzuela during anti-drug operations Tuesday night.

Espinosa, whom President Rodrigo Duterte has tagged as one of the top narco-politicians in the country, claims that a senator, some congressmen and police officials are among Kerwin’s 30 protectors.

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By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Araneta WHISTLEBLOWER Sandra Cam on Wednesday vowed to reveal more dirt to prove her allegations made against Senator Leila de Lima, whom she tagged as the “Drug Princess” for failing to do her job while she was Justice secretary.

“I’m just waiting for the investigation to happen but if they want to invite me I’m 101 percent ready to prove my case against [De Lima],” said Cam, the president of the Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines in a media forum.

“I have eight witnesses to prove

SANDRA CAM

that she has done nothing in preventing the drug trade,” she added.

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Cha-Cha panel proposed SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez says he has submitted for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval his proposed Executive Order creating a 25-man Constitutional Commission to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

He made the disclosure in a keynote speech before the members of the Philippine Constitution Association during their meeting at the Manila Golf and Country Club on Tuesday night.

WEATHER

Budget cuts imposed on 57 schools

A LOW pressure area was spotted 310 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes even as the southwest monsoon continues to affect the western section of Northern Luzon. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshower or thunderstorm is expected over Metro Manila and rest of the country. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over the region and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

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By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz A TOTAL of 57 state colleges and universities (SUCs) will once again suffer cuts in their budget next year under the proposed National Expenditure Program

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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FEDERALISM SHIFT. Former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right), Philippine Constitution Association presi-

dent, discusses issues and challenges in realizing a federal system of government with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez during Philconsa’s monthly meeting at the Manila Golf and Country Club Wednesday. Ver Noveno

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Solon pushes probe of ‘stateless’ Filipinos A

By Maricel V Cruz

PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Wednesday called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to address the issue of so called “stateless Filipinos,” especially the illegitimate Filipino children in the Middle East and other Islamic countries who have no citizenship.

During the budget deliberations of the Foreign Affairs department at the House of Representatives, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list

Rep. Jericho Jonas Nograles said “stateless Filipinos” are illegitimate children of Overseas Filipino Workers who were born abroad but are not

recognized as citizens by their host country.

What is worse, Nograles said, neither are these children issued Philippine passports because a birth certificate, which is nonexistent in Islamic countries, is required.

“There could be thousands of these stateless Filipino children, but there’s no single government agency that looks after them,” he said.

Nograles said the DFA should at least conduct a headcount of these children and help them

secure travel documents if they need to go back to the Philippines.

In response, DFA Secretary Perfecto Yasay admitted that statelessness was a new problem to the department that needed a new policy to solve.

“This is a very complicated issue and has not been looked into,” Yasay admitted during the hearing. “ For one, it is not possible to issue a birth certificate when the person is born abroad,” he said.

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Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Mondi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Duterte expressed his interest in meeting the Russian leader.

“I’m looking forward in meeting him, he relates to me very well,” he said.

Duterte will embark on a oneweek Asean tour from Sept. 4 to 9, with the highlight being his attendance to the Asean summit in Laos.

The President will also take side trips to visit Brunei and Indonesia to talk to the Filipino communities there.

Obama had earlier spoken by telephone to then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte shortly after he won the presidency in the May 9 elections, hailing the country’s “vibrant democracy” and emphasizing the importance of “protecting human rights.”

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs conveyed the President’s interest in meeting with Obama.

“The President looks forward to meeting with US President Barack Obama to reaffirm the strength and depth of the Philippines-US treaty alliance and the extraordinary ties between the Filipino and American peoples,” the department said in a statement released Wednesday .

“The President will take the opportunity to communicate his firm advocacy to improve the peace and order situation in the country, especially towards eradicating the scourge of illicit drugs and the menace of terrorism,” the statement added.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said the meeting will be a good opportunity for the newly elected President to share with the outgoing executive of the US his vision for the country and his “10-point governance agenda” that will sustain the country’s strong economy and improving the quality of life.

John Paolo Bencito and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

Fighting neglect of OFWs. President Rodrigo Duterte, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III gather at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to welcome home displaced Filipino workers from the Middle East. Malacañang Photo

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Former Bayan Muna lawmaker Neri Colmenares, arguing for the petitioners, said that even if the Marcos burial was part of Duterte’s campaign promise, there is basis in law to show that the President committed grave abuse of discretion when he ordered Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Colmenares said the main basis of their petition is the Constitution, not the election results.

Perez and several justices also hinted that the Supreme Court may lack the jurisdiction to decide over who are those supposed to be buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

Associate Justice Teresita de Castro said based on existing rules and regulations pertaining to the cemetery, “there seems to be no established guidelines as to who are heroes, who are disqualified.”

“Even the spouses of secretaries of national defense are allowed to be buried there. Are

3 witnesses...

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Espenido said upon the subscription of the corroborating circumstances by witnesses to a prosecutor, they would immediately file appropriate charges against the people listed as protectors of those involved in the distribution of illegal drugs.

Espenido said they were protecting Espinosa from some groups who wanted to silence him as a result of his revelations.

He said a police general and a governor were included in Espinosa’s list of protectors of drug pushers. Francisco Tuyay and Jun David

“This [Tuesday] afternoon I forwarded the draft of the Executive Order to the Office of the President creating the Constitutional Commission,” Alvarez said.

Philconsa president Martin Romualdez has thrown his support to the Constituent Assembly as the mode to be pursued by Congress in amending the 1987 Constitution.

“Philconsa is united behind the efforts of the President and the Speaker to revise the Constitution,” said Romualdez, a former representative of Leyte.

“The submission to the Palace of the draft Constitutional Commission is good news to further

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expanding a fumigation campaign centered on the “ground zero” of the outbreak, the eastern suburb of Aljunied.

Because the Zika virus is also sexually transmitted, pregnant women, their partners and others should observe safe sex by using condoms, Ubial said.

She called on Filipino travelers to take extra precautions when staying in Zika-affected countries.

She said the Bureau of Quarantine will continue to screen arriving passengers for signs of fever.

“The virus is usually acquired through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the same mosquito that spreads Dengue and Chikungunya,” Ubial said. Macon Ramos-

women to get infected with the Zika virus as this has been linked to the birth of babies with severe brain and other neurological defects, including microcephaly,” Ubial said.

In Manila, Mayor Joseph Estrada deputized the city’s 896 barangays to help the Health Department in its campaign to prevent the outbreak of the Zika virus.

Meanwhile, the United States and Britain have joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore.

Environment agency workers stepped up efforts to eradicate mosquitoes that spread the disease, Araneta, Sandy Araneta and AFP

there any guidelines by which we can say they are entitled to be treated like heroes? There’s not even a body which determines which are heroes… entitled to this privilege being buried at the LNMB,” De Castro noted.

De Castro also asked the petitioners whether the Court should be the one to decide who are entitled to be interred at the LNMB due to the absence of clear guidelines.

Colmenares insisted that the tribunal has the jurisdiction to decide on the matter.

“Yes the Court can decide. First, interring President Marcos does not make him a hero. It is just a symbol anyway. What’s the problem with Marcos being interred there? We say the issue at hand being raised here is if the standard is worthy of emulation and inspiration. That is... a discernable standard by the Court. Second, symbolism. He will become probably a hero. Is he worthy of inspiration and emulation as required by the law?” Colmenares said.

De Castro also observed that those interred in the cemetery are

mostly those who had a connection with the military establishment and that later on other persons without any military background were allowed to be buried there as well.

Nonetheless, she recognized that the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of the Department of National Defense have the final say who can be buried in the cemetery.

Perez also noted that Republic Act 289, an Act on providing for the construction of national pantheon for presidents of the Philippines, national heroes and patriots of the country does not specify any criteria on who are “worthy of inspiration and emulation of this generation and of generations still unborn.”

“There is no established body or agency who can determine who is a hero or not…not the Supreme Court, the legislative or the President,” Perez noted.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno also asked the petitioners whether the judiciary is authorized under the Constitution to enact remedies for the petitioners.

strengthen our development programs for the fair distribution of the benefits of economic growth.”

Alvarez said he was optimistic Duterte would be able to sign the EO on the Constitutional Commission within the month and to appoint its members within the same period.

“So by October the Constitutional Commission will start their work to draft the revised Charter and perhaps in six-month’s time we can already convene both Houses of Congress into a Constituent Assembly.” Alvarez said.

He said if Congress, acting as a constituent assembly, could complete the final revised Constitution by next year, the task of educating and informing the people on the revised draft could be done by 2018 in preparation for its submission for ratifica-

tion synchronized with the mid-term elections in 2019.

“The remaining three years of the Duterte administration―if it [the new Constitution] will be approved by the people―will be a transitory government,” Alvarez said.

“So by 2022 we will be electing our new officials under the new Charter.”

Alvarez said amending the Constitution through Congress acting as a Constituent Assembly was the chosen mode to save money and to expedite the process.

He said the Constitutional Commission, composed of experts in their respective fields like former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno and Justice Manuel Lazaro, would provide the technical assistance to the Constituent Assembly. Maricel V. Cruz

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Jose said there was no agreement yet because the Philippines intended to first discuss the matter with China.

“We have to broach the idea to China first. We have to discuss it first with the Chinese side,” Jose said.

He could not confirm yet if Duterte will have a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart on the matter during the Asean summit this week in Laos.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. has said Duterte will be having his first and official visit to China by the end of 2016.

During his department’s budget hearing at the House of Represen-

tatives, Yasay confirmed that the Philippines will be asking China to enter into a provisional agreement with Manila on how to jointly exploit the Philippine-owned Bajo de Masinloc.

“We are even thinking about the possibility in the future for the President to make the visit to China,” Yasay told the House panel led

by Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles.

“But we would hope that before this visit can be made, this provisional arrangement can be done with the end in view of beginning formal talks for the resolution of this dispute.”

Yasay has said the Philippines will not resort to any drastic action against China. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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because of raw information coming out of possible diversionary attacks on urban centers by the ASG and their supporters.

“We are not relaxing. Intelligence agencies are on heightened alert, sharing information across all units,” Padilla said.

“This has been going on for quite a while. It’s part of our standard operating security protocols.”

On Monday, members of the 35th Infantry Battalion encountered about 120 bandits led by ASG sub-leader Radullan Sahiron, with 15 soldiers and four terrorists being killed in the firefight, the military said. Some 17 soldiers were also wounded in the battle.

In Camp Aguinaldo, the military estimated there were 30 bandits killed since the military began its assault on ASG lairs in Sulu a week ago, but the official body count showed only six dead.

At present, two Army divisions augmented by support units from other branches of service are being used to hunt down the ASG in Sulu and Basilan.

Duterte has ordered the AFP to go “full force” and eliminate the ASG after they refused to stop beheading their hostages if no ransom money was paid.

The ASG last week decapitated yet another of its hostages after the ransom was not paid by the family of the victim.

Davao City was on heightened alert Wednesday to guard against possible ASG attacks.

Davao City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Michael John Dubria, said that they were taking Lorenzana’s warning seriously.

He added that they were on high alert since President Duterte stayed in the city most of the time.

“Skirmishes or intensive military operations in nearby regions and provinces always pose the possibility of spillover to Davao City,” he said.

Earlier, Lorenzana said that they had received reports that there might be terror attacks in major cities of the country, including Davao City, to divert the government’s attention from the ground war in Sulu and Basilan.

told the Manila Standard in an interview.

Malacañang on Tuesday vowed to relentlessly pursue the Abu Sayyaf after15 soldiers were killed in an encounter in Sulu.

“It is unfortunate that a number of our troops have already lost their lives,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing.

“The President is focused on making sure that the threat from the Abu Sayyaf Group should be terminated as soon as possible,” he added.

Military sources told the Manila Standard Wednesday that most of the soldiers being deployed in Sulu now were “first-timers” with “no solid intelligence reports to work with.” In this situation, they said, they were operating “totally blind”—and more casualties were likely to pile up.

“Even if you flood the area with combat boots, the advantage will always be with the Abu Sayyaf. It doesn’t matter if there are many of you and you are fully equipped. If you are blind to the situation and the conditions inside the battle area, your casualties will grow,” a military officer who was once assigned in ASG areas said.

On Tuesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya acknowledged the difficult situation and conditions on the battleground.

“There may still be casualties along the way as we advance this solemn duty to eradicate these bandits and terrorists of 25 years, but we will not stop until we rid our country of the menace this ASG brings to the world,” Visaya said.

Duterte gave Visaya three to six months to eliminate the ASG, even though the AFP chief is set to retire in December.

In Camp Aguinaldo, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military and police and all other government law enforcement agencies are on “heightened alert” in the National Capital Region, Davao region and Cebu With Funny Pearl A. Gajunera

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In a media interview, Cam, an adversary of De Lima, said that she cannot deny the fact that she and Dayan were indeed in an affair.

“Many could see her mingling with her driver, jogging even going to the market holding hands with her driver,” Cam said. “That’s why when she is being asked in many interviews, she can only say that she and Dayan were indeed close but claims things need to be kept personal.”

“She cannot deny the fact.

There’s already smoke that she cannot even control,” she added.

The President, in a late night press briefing last week, revealed a matrix of the drug operation allegedly being run by De Lima and her former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan.

Also identified in the matrix, were Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino, former Justice undersecretary Francisco Baraan III; Baraan’s brother Raffy; and former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu.

Cam said that in 2012, De Lima already knew about the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary through an investigation of a certain fiscal Tugonon.

Further discussions and appeals were made by Cam and a former prison guard for De Lima, then Justice secretary, to investigate the illegal drug trade, but she did nothing, only to find out that her driver was already colluding with top drug lords

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for 2017, despite the 18 percent increase in the total budget of 114 state schools.

“At first glance, the budget for SUCs in 2017 is significantly bigger than last year’s budget. But if we analyze each component of the budget carefully, one will see deep cuts in the MOOE [maintenance and other operating expenses] and capital outlay components,” Kabataan partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago said.

For 2017, the total proposed SUCs budget amounts to P56 billion (net of retirement and life insurance premiums), which is an P8.7 billion or 18 percent increase from this year’s P47.4-billion budget.

But a total of 57 SUCs will incur cuts in either their MOOE budget or capital outlay budget, or both.

Despite the increase in the overall budget, 13 SUCs are set to suffer the biggest budget decreases next year, which includes the Philippine Normal University, North Luzon Phil-

inside the New Bilibid Prison through associates inside government.

“Ronnie Dayan would go there twice a week during the time of [Bureau of Corrections] OIC director Rafael Ragos. He would go inside the cell of Jaybee Sebastian when it was not yet demolished,” she added.

“Jaybee Sebastian was her fingerman, while Peter Co was having transactions already with [Dayan],” Cam said.

In the same interview, Cam reiterated her accusations against former undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, whom she claimed was the senator’s bagman in anomalous deals during their tenures at the Department of Justice.

De Lima and Baraan have denied these accusations.

De Lima on Wednesday lashed back at President Rodrigo Duterte for mounting a personal vendetta against her and denied knowing Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte province, and his drug lord son Kerwin.

“I think he has actually taken a personal vendetta against me because he has not forgotten that when I was chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, I led the investigation of the Davao Death Squad. He has not forgotten that,” De Lima told an interview over CNN Philippines.

The DDS was a vigilante group which had reportedly killed over 10,000 suspected criminals during the incumbency of Duterte as Davao mayor. Duterte reportedly sanctioned vigilante killings under his watch. ippines State College, Batanes State College, Quirino State University, Mindoro State University, Central Philippines State University, J.H. Cerilles State College, Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, Compostela Valley State College, Cotabato State University, Adiong Memorial Polytechnic State College, Basilan State College, and Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College of Science and Technology.

A total of 35 SUCs will incur cuts in their MOOE amounting to P256 million, from the current P11.5 billion to P11.3 billion in 2017.

Meanwhile, 33 SUCs will incur cuts in their capital outlay budget while 10 SUCs will incur cuts in both the MOOE and capital outlay components.

One SUC, Compostela Valley State College, will incur cuts in all three expense classes, including personnel services.

Elago expressed grave concern over the new spate of spending cuts, noting that decreasing the budget for operations will have a “severe effect” on state schools.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Displaced OFWs told to go home LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III has urged displaced overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to avail of the repatriation program offered by the government.

“I am urging them to avail the repatriation so they can return to the Philippines. Their situation here is very difficult,” said Bello, adding there are OFWs who are hesitant to come home because they want to ensure that they will be paid their back wages and other monetary claims.

However, the Labor chief of the Philippine government is doing all its effort to convince the displaced OFWs to execute Special Power of Attorney which shall authorize Philippine representatives to follow up their unpaid claims to their former employers.

Bello said the only reason that the OFWs will be allowed to extend their stay in Saudi Arabia is if they have managed to secure another job. Vito Barcelo

BI probes back door departures IMMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the probe of immigration officers who allowed overseas Filipino workers to leave the country via the southern backdoor even without proper documents after five Filipino entertainers who worked illegally in South Korea arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Morente also ordered IOs to be on the lookout for returning OFWs who left the country via the southern backdoor without proper documents so those responsible for their departure can be held liable for human trafficking. Vito Barcelo

PH deports Indonesians THE Indonesians who were arrested for carrying Philippine hajj passports are set to be deported soon, Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said, adding that custody of the 117 Indonesians have already been turned over to the Indonesian Embassy.

“The custody has been turned over the Indonesian Embassy while they continue to be processed by Bureau of Immigration for eventual deportation,” Jose said, assuring that the Philippines will continue to investigate and determine who are the officials who issued these hajj passports. Sara Fabunan

MAGSAYSAY LAUREATES. This year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardees, includingn Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales (center) gathered at the Cultural Center of the Philippnes on Wednesday to receive Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize. Danny Pata

‘Universal health care still possible’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

H

EALTH Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial remains confident the dream of achieving Universal Health Care in the Philippines would soon become a reality after studying the universal system being implemented in Cuba.

“We hope that our country will benefit from the Cuban medical cooperation in attaining All for Health towards Health for All!” said Ubial, echoing her clarion call for the Philippine public health system.

She expressed optimism the country would have the opportunity to benefit from medical cooperation with the Caribbean nation which is sending a team of Cuban health professionals to the country.

“This visit aims to learn from Cuba’s public health care system in order to work towards providing Universal Health Care in the Philippines,” said Ubial.

She commended the Cuban health system and expressed her interest in holding further exchanges, noting that medical cooperation with Cuba has been ongoing since 1960 and has been very beneficial.

The health secretary led the Philippine delegation in an official visit to Havana, Cuba last August 23 to 26, 2016 to learn about Cuba’s popular health system and have a fruitful exchange of information with health authorities.

President Rodrigo Duterte, impressed with Cuba’s success in public health, strongly endorsed the visit which was

facilitated by the World Health Organization.

Last Aug. 24, 2016, the delegation met with a group of specialists from the Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical and Surgical Hospital in the Cuban capital highlighting the importance of its role in introducing new technologies in the country.

The health chief also visited the 19 de Abril Policlinic in Havana, where the “Family Doctor and Nurse Program” was explained to the group.

On August 25, the group visited the Escuela Latino Americana de Medicina, an institution that has trained more than 27,000 doctors from various countries including Philippines. Three (3) Filipino medical students had the chance to meet secretary.

The members of the visiting delegation studied information concerning preparation and response to emergencies from the Unidad Central de Cooperacion Medicina (Central Unit of Medical Cooperation).

This training institution has

deployed 45,893 doctors in 86 countries to respond to emergencies and disaster since 1984.

The Philippine delegation held an exit meeting with Dr. Roberto Morales, head of the Ministry of the Public Health, and other Cuban health officials with whom Ubial discussed health issues of bilateral interest.

Cancer survivor group New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) president Emer Rojas said there is so much that the Philippines can learn from the Cuban health care system, which is recognized even by the WHO for its efficiency in making health services available to all.

Despite its limited resources, he said health care in Cuba is free and universal and emphasized that health is a fundamental right that is enshrined in their constitution and guaranteed by the state.

Rojas said the Philippines can take inspiration from the Cuban model considering that access to health services is a huge problem in the country.

Philconsa inducts new members Digong names 5th

By Maricel V. Cruz LEYTE Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez led the list of new regular members of the Philippine Constitution Association who were inducted Monday night at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City.

Romualdez, a registered nurse and a former Binibining Pilipinas International 1996, is the wife of Philconsa president Martin Romualdez, former House Independent Bloc Leader

and ex-Leyte congressman.

“I am deeply honored to be part of Philconsa which is the largest and oldest association of legal luminaries in the country,” Yedda Marie said who was joined in the induction by other new members: Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, lawyer Ferdinand Richard Michael Marcos Manotoc, Dra. Catherine Padua Villanueva, Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu, Aangat Tayo Rep. Harlin Niel

Abayon and Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado.

Former Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera introduced the new inductees who took their oath before Martin Romualdez and former Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Tugna, a lawyer and chair of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms and suffrage under the present 17th Congress. He has been a House deputy majority leader since the 16th Congress.

leftist to key post

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has named former Kabataan Party-list Rep. James Mark Terry Ridon the new chairperson of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP).

Ridon confirmed his appointment Wednesday to the Manila Standard, saying the President appointed him last week to be the new urban poor chief.

“We will follow the policy pronouncement of the President that there should be no demolition of urban communities without relocation,” Ridon said in a

press release.

A public interest lawyer, Ridon graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law where he sat as a member of the Board of Regents and chairperson of the University Student Council and a youth legislator.

The President had earlier appointed DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano, NAPC Chairperson Liza Maza and Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglungsod, all recommended by the National Democratic Front to be part of the Duterte administration.

Duterte meets Espino over narcotics matrix

By John Paolo Bencito

STILL FIGHTING. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales speaks next to a table full of paperwork at her office in Quezon City where she leads an agency prosecuting corrupt officials in government. AFP Photo

PANGASINAN Representative and former governor Amado Espino said Wednesday he had already met with President Rodrigo Duterte to belie the accusations that he was involved in the illegal drug trafficking.

“Yesterday, August 30, 2016, I was granted a private meeting with President Rody Duterte at Malacañan Palace.

During the meeting, I categori-

cally denied before the President any involvement in that National Bilibid Prison drug matrix. I told the President that I am willing and ready to face my accusers and all the evidence and witnesses they may present,” Espino said in a statement.

“In our meeting, the President granted my request for an immediate thorough investigation and validation of the matrix that had been submitted to him,” he added.

Maternal tetanus cases dip —WHO

By Cathrine Mae V. Gonzales THE Philippines is close to eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) as cases dipped and the disease is no longer considered a public health threat in the country, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

Over the years, health workers have been exerting efforts to end MNT, especially in the “most challenging” areas of Sulu, Basilan, Isabela City, Marawi City and Lanao del Sur by giving three shots of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids to at least 85 percent of women from 15 to 40 years old.

“The Philippines is committed to eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus, and has made significant progress through immunization, antenatal care and safe delivery practices,” WHO said in a statement.

Neonatal tetanus results from unclean practices during and after birth deliveries, endangering the lives of both the mother and the child. The bacteria that causes tetanus is mostly found in dirt and soil.

“Through the efforts of the Department of Health and support of partners such as the World Health Organization and Unicef Philippines, the country is now nearing MNT elimination,” the health group said.

The WHO released the statement even as it earlier reported that the Philippines is one of the countries that has experienced a decline in immunization coverage due to underinvestment in vaccination programs, vaccine stock-outs and disease outbreaks.

But Department of Health spokesman Eric Tayag clarified that the government has already filled the gap.

“In 2014 or 2015 we suffered from stock-outs of particular vaccines due to internal procurement processes. This resulted in a lower vaccine coverage compared to what we expected,” he said, referring to their target of 85 percent as against actual coverage of 65 percent.

“How we managed it [is through] catch-up vaccination, which means those children who missed this during their first year of life [will receive the vaccines],” he said.

Aside from the Philippines, Congo, Guatemala, Iraq, Mauritania and South Sudan have also suffered a similar decline, according to the WHO report.

WHO said it has sustained global immunization in the past five years as 86 percent, or around 116-million children worldwide, received their three required shots of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines (DTP3) in 2015.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Talking to Obama

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and United States President Barack Obama are bound to meet at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Laos next week.

This early, many are speculating on how the conversation would go especially if Obama brings up the subject of human rights in relation to the surge in the killing of alleged drug dealers in Duterte’s war against drugs.

Mr. Duterte is known to lash out at those who dare criticize his crackdown on the drug menace. The critics raise alarm over the fact that nearly 2,000 individuals have been killed by the police or by other groups since

the time the former mayor of Davao City was elected president.

Not even the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, was able to escape Duterte’s stinging words. The President said, responding to Ban’s statement on the alarming killings, that the UN was a hypocrite and was useless in stopping the war in long-suffering nations. More recently, he threatened to quit the UN after similar observations from the UN special rapporteur on summary execution.

Senator Leila de Lima is heading the investigation into the killings— all while fighting off accusations that she had close links to the drug syndicate operating from the New

Bilibid Prison.

On social media, Duterte’s supporters fiercely defend the war on drugs by saying those who question its implementation prefer the status quo.

It appears the Palace has anticipated Obama would bring up the issue as Duterte warned “they must understand the problem first before talking about human rights.” “[Obama can bring up] any topic at all. I am ready to talk to him,” he added.

We do not doubt the President has his arguments ready and that his conviction that he is doing the right thing the right way is unwavering, notwithstanding the opinion of others.

Whether or not he would listen

to advice that he should adhere to the rule of law in fighting drugs is something Mr. Duterte can decide in the next few months.

For his meeting with Obama, however, he must ensure he keeps his composure and not resort to uttering foolish things that only serve to undermine his credibility.

Obama may or may not raise human rights during their meeting at the sidelines, and that talk may or may not last long enough to cover issues substantively. Either way, Mr. Duterte, as he gets to know his fellow heads of state, should be circumspect with his words. How he sounds would be nearly as important as what he says.

MINORITY REPORT DANILO SUAREZ

Postponing the polls

Leila gets no love LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES A FRIEND once asked me, apropos of Senator Leila de Lima’s current travails: If 14 million Filipinos voted her into office, why aren’t any of them coming to her defense as she takes on the big, bad president in Malacañang?

I was forced to admit that I have yet to meet anyone who claims to have voted for De Lima last May, so I don’t really know.

Perhaps it’s true, as the pundit Teddy Boy Locsin said in one of his many Twitter-breaking rants, that no one can really explain how De Lima won against a lot of worthier and more popular opponents in the last election.

If you can’t figure that one out, then perhaps you shouldn’t be reading Teddy Boy. Or the rest of this column, for that matter.

We all know that De Lima’s supposed voter base, the orphaned Yellows who are still mourning the departure of their idol, Noynoy Aquino, from the presidential palace, have found other issues to get angry about.

These include the extra-judicial killings that are supposedly being committed by the police with the tacit or not-so-tacit approval of President Rodrigo Duterte and the the planned burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani of the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

But while the Aquino fans routinely slam Duterte over both controversies, they hardly hold up De Lima as their be-scarfed champion, their Bicolana Joan of Arc. In fact, you never hear the Yellows defend their most vocal comrade-in-arms in the Senate at all.

(Here I must reiterate my belief that the people who were originally behind both causes —namely, real human rights

advocates and legitimate victims of the Marcos dictatorship—can’t really be classified as Yellows. But their advocacies have been hijacked by the Aquino orphans, who wanted to use both controversies as battering rams against the Duterte administration.)

If I had voted for De Lima, I’d defend my vote by defending her against Duterte.

Everyone knows the great lengths De Lima went to put the killings of 1,000 or so alleged drug pushers and users in the headlines by conducting two

days of hearings on the matter in the Senate. But when Duterte launched his counter-offensive against the senator, digging up dirt on her love life and her supposed links to drug syndicates through her liaisons, there was hardly any love expressed for her, even amongst her former fellow travelers on Aquino’s straight path, in traditional or social media.

De Lima seems to feel that way, too. So she’s upped the ante by filing a “pahabol” petition before the Supreme Court to stop the burial of Marcos— this after the tribunal has already moved to consolidate the six cases filed earlier to prohibit the interment and issued a status quo ante order to stop it in the meantime.

According to reports, De Lima did not present any new argument to stop Marcos’ burial in her petition. This means that the senator is merely making sure that her belated attendance is noted in the

fight to prevent the late dictator’s interment—something she never really protested before.

Perhaps in this way De Lima will get the support that she’s been sorely needing. After all, it looks like she’ll need all the help she can get as she faces new allegations of corruption and involvement in illegal drugs almost every day.

As for me, if I had voted for De Lima, I’d defend my vote by defending her against Duterte.

But I didn’t, so that’s not really my problem. *** The assassination of alleged Iloilo drug lord Melvin Odicta and his wife Meriam last Monday was apparently intended to stop them from naming names.

That’s why controversial Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rodolfo Espinosa is taking no chances and has taken to identifying the alleged protectors of his fugitive son, Kerwin, in an affidaTurn to A5

ONLY Congress can postpone the elections through legislation passed by both Houses. This seems a formality as both Houses appear inclined to defer the elections to next year anyway. The Commission on Election is neutral in the discussion but appeals that elections be postponed until October 2017. Anything later will come too close to the 2019 midterm elections.

I favor the postponement because it’s an opportune moment to address and resolve the issue of narco-politics on the barangay level. Per the latest report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, 94 percent of barangays in the entire country is classified as drug infested.

The wide and broad reach of the drug problem brings to issue the effectiveness of present barangay officials in policing their own backyards.

It would be worthwhile here to consider whether barangay officials should hold-over their posts, or an Officer-InCharge should be appointed until the next barangay elections. Let us ask, are our present barangay officials assets to the war on drugs?

Or are they liabilities? Do they contribute to the gains of the administration in peace and order? I see the interim period between now until October 2017 as wiggle room for us to define and select the quality of leadership in a level of government that is crucial in defining our nation.

Postponing the elections is an exercise in fiscal prudence.

It is reported that another election will cost around P3.4 billion. With the government operating on a severely limited budget inherited from the previous administration, it is best to defer the elections to a time that bears less financial pressure. We should also consider expenditure priorities in light of the possible referendum ideally targeted for next year.

I think we will all benefit from a shift in perspective.

We should appreciate the postponement as an opportunity to implement the changes of who and what we want in government and our nation.

As the saying goes, there is no better day than today.

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: thestandard.com.ph

Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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Opinion

I HAVE been trying to as- those carrying passengers’ sess what President Duterte luggage and screening them intends to say to the people at airports are all casuals. who elected him to office, afIn facing all these challengter his first 100 days in office. es, the President must realize I have come to the conclu- he is no Superman. sion that he is fighting differTo my mind, it’s enough that ent wars on so many fronts to he is trying his best to achieve bring about the change he has the change we have been clampromised us. oring, things that the previous Mr. Duterte has waged a administration failed to deliver war against criminality, il- on because of incompetence legal drugs and corruption. and insensitivity.

This war may take more than At least, now we have a the six months he had initial- president we can all believe in. ly pledged, because of vari*** ous reasons.

I wrote that the Philippine Regarding drugs, for in- Amusement and Gaming stance, I said yesterday that Corp., upon consultation with the more difficult phase is the President, should allow rehabilitating the users, not PhilWeb to resume operations killing the drug lords and if only to save thousands of drug dealers. President Du- employees and investments, terte must know that the drug as well. menace is as present among So could PhilWeb really the affluent as it is among the resume? We saw a glimmer poor. There of hope when are numerPresident Duous users in terte changed gated subdihis mind on Mr. Duterte visions, and online gamin the en- must realize he is bling. ter tainment But Pagindustry, not no Superman. cor has not only in the replied to slums. the two letAt the ters of former same time, President Duterte PhilWeb chairman Roberto is also taking on the Abu Ongpin offering to donate his Sayyaf terrorist group in Sulu shares and to build drug rehaat the cost of the lives of so bilitation centers. many of our soldiers. The Dennis Valdes, PhilWeb President said he would want president, also wrote Pagcor this war to end soon, but it suggesting a “Pagcor Text could be easier said than done Bonanza” using PhilWeb’s because Muslim communi- technology. ties in the areas where Abus I see no reason why operate are mostly their rela- PhilWeb cannot now resume tives and supporters. operations at the soonest posIt is known that much of sible time. the ransom money paid to *** the ASG by hostages go to For years I have been support the Muslim commu- writing about the tragedy nities. And that’s the reason at Customs where some 900 why the military finds it dif- Customs personnel have ficult to identify members of been denied their overtime the ASG. They melt with the pay and transportation and populace. meal allowance. This for The President is also talk- rendering service to incoming peace with the Commu- ing and departing at the Ninist Party of the Philippines noy International Internaand the National Democratic tional Airport.

Front, the political arm of the In September 2011, the Suinsurgents. The negotiations preme Court handed down appear successful after the a ruling on “Office of the Duterte government bent over President et al versus Board backwards to give the home- of Airline Representatives,” grown insurgency movement upholding the validity of Cuswhat they want, like freeing toms Administrative Order political prisoners. For this, I (CAO) no. 1-2005 and ordermust congratulate the Presi- ing its immediate implemendent and his peace advisers. tation.

They really went the extra This in effect would make mile. local and foreign airlines pay Just as Duterte is talking Customs personnel working peace with the communist in- beyond their mandated eight surgents, he is also bringing hours. the Moro Islamic Liberation Most of those 900 Customs Front and the Moro National personnel have since retired, Liberation Front to the nego- but up to this day, they have tiating table, something the not been paid by the airlines, BS Aquino government failed surprisingly led by Philippine to do. The previous adminis- Airlines. tration refused to talk to all The tragic case of the 900 the other stakeholders.

Customs personnel became And then he wants to have doubly tragic when the Office emergency powers to solve of the Solicitor General rethe traffic crisis in Metro fused to seek any redress for Manila. Questions, however, the implementation of the Suhave been asked like: Does preme Court ruling. Worse, the President really need the OSG abandoned and even emergency powers when opposed the lowly Customs there are already laws to that personnel’s action. effect?

Some of the Customs perHe also promises to end sonnel, already in their twithe practice of “endo”—con- light years, have given up tractualization resorted to their fight for justice and eqby the private sector and the uity. government. But then, this I am not too sure if now might mean the death of some Finance Secretary Sonny industries like construc- Dominguez can still impletion and services. My gulay, ment the Supreme Court name local government units decision, but he should look that don’t have casuals. Even into it.

A5

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The Philippine and Colombian peace deals

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Challenges the President must face

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA THE Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signed a peace deal in Havana on 26 August 2016 that will end what is perhaps the longest insurgency in the world. The conflict which started in 1964, has killed 220,000 people and has displaced about six million of the country’s 50 million population.

In many ways, that conflict was a lot more brutal than our conflict with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army. Because of our ongoing peace negotiation with the National Democratic Front in Oslo, Norway, it is perhaps instructive to compare the two revolutionary movements.

The FARC of Colombia, like the CPP/NPA of Jose Maria Sison, did not simply sprout in 1964. The FARC is the product of the long-standing internecine warfare that has been going on in Colombia since the end of the World War II and even earlier. When first organized, it was a Marxist-Leninist movement and at the height of its power, had approximately 26,000 armed combatants and controlled a sizable chunk of the vast Colombian territory.

FARC freely operated in an area of about 196,000 squares miles which is one and a half times the area of the Philippines.

Like the CPP/NPA, the FARC promoted agrarian reform and anti-imperialism. In the populated areas that they controlled, the FARC ran their

own system of government. mated that the CPP/NPA has The FARC’s yearly income has an armed strength of less than been estimated to be around 5,000 people, the bulk of which $300 million derived initially are in Mindanao. It derives its from kidnapping like our Abu income principally from revoSayyaf but then branched out lutionary taxation from busito the coca trade which brought nesses in the areas where they in a much bigger take. operate and other urban areas.

As was the situation here, the The CPP/NPA, like the Colombian government and the FARC, also engages in illegal FARC tried many times to sign mining for revenue. In fact a peace agreement—but failed, the mining areas in Mindanao triggering a much bloodier are neutral territories for all conflict. Now, the peace deal combatants. To be fair, the has finally been signed and a CPP/NPA does not engage in permanent ceasefire has gone kidnapping and illegal drugs into effect. The peace deal, for revenue. Judging from what however, will we have been reading in the still have to be approved media and the by the Colomoccasional TV This is for our bian people in footages, the a referendum government to initial Oslo scheduled for peace talks ponder. early October went very well this year. If the indeed that polls are coran indefinite ceasefire was rect, majority of the people are in favor of it. signed. There is no doubt that If that happens, that leaves both panels seem at ease with us as having the longest insur- one another that some might gency in the world—but hope- even consider the gathering a fully, not for long. Our own reunion of sorts. Both panels insurgency did not really start are talking of a one-year time in 1969 but started much ear- frame to arrive at a permanent lier with the Hukbalahap in the peace deal. If this succeeds, late 1940s and 1950s. Unlike it will put an end to a sad and the FARC which was Marxist- violent chapter of our history.

Leninist, the CPP/NPA is Mao- Unlike the Columbian peace ist. Both, however, are anti-im- agreement, our peace deal will perialist and both use the same not require a referendum. But revolutionary jargon. should there be one? Maybe At the height of its power that is for the government to which was toward the end of ponder.

Martial Law, it was estimated *** that the armed component of One important aspect to the CPP/NPA was more or consider in the war on drugs less 22,000. And although the is denying the availability of movement had a lot of baran- the ingredients to manufacture gays under its influence, it was methamphetamine. In the past, never like the FARC which the bulk of the supply of shabu ran a government in the areas getting into the country was it controlled. Today, it is esti- the result of smuggling. The

supply which was reported to be coming mostly from China, was brought to our shores and released along the beaches in floating containers to be retrieved by drug syndicates and then distributed throughout the country.

Today, most of the supply is manufactured in makeshift laboratories in many parts of the country. And sadly, most of those who are engaged in the manufacture are again allegedly Chinese nationals.

The manufacture of shabu needs ingredients which are called precursors in the trade.

These various chemicals are imported from other countries and are considered dual-use items. This means that these chemicals can be used legally for other legitimate and commercial purposes like fertilizer, household cleaning materials and medicine. These items, therefore, need a government permit before being imported.

When they are brought in, where they end up will have to be monitored.

It is the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that gives the permits. So if PDEA does not supervise this operation efficiently, PDEA will in fact be contributing to the increase in the supply of shabu. If PDEA however, tightens the screws in this area, shabu availability will at the very least be reduced significantly. Right now however, we do not know what the government would consider victory in the war on drugs.

Would the government consider a 70-percent decrease in affectation a success and move on to other pressing national problems or go down even lower to zero affectation? We simply have to wait and see.

Is China’s movie boom doomed?

By Adam Minter IT’S been a tough summer for China’s movie business.

In what’s usually blockbuster season, box-office sales declined for the first time in five years. In July alone, theater visits fell 15 percent. Things are looking especially grim for Chinese films: They’ve been underperforming foreign competition so badly that the government suspended a longstanding moratorium on summer Hollywood f licks intended to give a boost to local studios.

That’s an abrupt turnabout for an industry that grew by 50 percent last year. Although it may prove temporary, it nonetheless illuminates some looming challenges for China’s moviemakers—and for its culture business more broadly.

One immediate cause for the bust is that film authorities are attempting to crack down on falsified box-office data.

The practice is longstanding: Distributors buy up millions of dollars’ worth of tickets for their own movies, give sales figures an artificial boost and create some buzz. Just how much this affected the bottom

Leila...

From A4 vit that he hopes will outlive him.

In a press conference, Espinosa, whose lawyer was killed in broad daylight in Tacloban City recently, admitted that his being identified as a protector of drug syndicates endangered his life and that of his son. As insurance, he has submitted to the police a list of 30 people whom he said helped his son rise to the top of the illegal drugs food chain in Eastern

line for Chinese movies is difficult to say, but it was enough to draw the attention of the government, and it suggests that domestic filmmakers may have to get used to lackluster sales for a while.

If fraud were the only drag, though, China’s box office would probably still be booming. A more pervasive problem is shaky consumer confidence. In the first quarter of 2016, the average price of a ticket rose to $3.35, compared to $2.54 during the same period last year. Moviegoers had gotten used to online vendors driving down prices through subsidies and aggressive competition, but such discounts are starting to disappear. For many Chinese consumers, that adds up to a crimp on leisure spending, especially with economic growth slow and layoffs looming in many areas.

Some more fundamental cultural forces may also be at work.

One is that widespread piracy is putting a premium on film-going experiences that can’t be had at home. Although distributors had long relied on 3-D, IMAX and Hollywood films heavy on special

effects to draw jaded consumers to the theater, the novelty of such experiences is beginning to wear off for more sophisticated audiences. When “Jason Bourne” was released almost exclusively in 3-D in China, it prompted protests from customers who didn’t appreciate having to pay extra to see a movie that would’ve been just as good (or bad) in two dimensions.

That also helps explain why China’s domestic films have done so poorly. Years of easy access to pirated foreign films have raised expectations for story-telling, acting and production values. Though today’s Chinese consume their share of mind candy, they are, on balance, much more discerning than earlier generations of filmgoers. The problem is that China lacks the professional class of screenwriters that would be needed to consistently produce quality film and television. One prominent film executive even said last year that his studio would rely on fan fiction and online forums for storylines.

Finally, history has given China’s filmmakers reason to be risk-averse. The result

Bloomberg

Visayas.

Odicta didn’t have the opportunity to make up such a list, much less to put what he knows down in an affidavit. He and his wife had just enough time to talk to Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno over the weekend, to protest their innocence, before they were gunned down at the Caticlan jetty on their way back to Iloilo.

Espinosa didn’t disclose any names in the list of alleged protectors of his son. But that didn’t stop the police chief of

Espinosa’s town from saying that he had seen it and that a senator who was a former secretary of justice was there.

Now, the trouble with the police chief’s claim is that there are currently two senators who once held the position of justice secretary. There’s De Lima, of course, who served Noynoy Aquino in that capacity, and Senator Franklin Drilon, who held that position—among others—during the administration of Noynoy’s mother Cory.

In addition, some people in

Drilon’s home province of Iloilo keep linking the Ilonggo senator to Odicta, because Drilon is the acknowledged political kingpin of the region and Drilon’s cousin, Jed Patrick Mabilog, is the mayor of “the most shabulized” City of Iloilo.

As a fan of former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, all I can say is that I’m glad the police chief didn’t say that the senator was from Iloilo. Otherwise, my idol Miriam would have been dragged into this controversy, as well.

has been a kind of cultural pasteurization that favors the tried and true, rather than the artistically adventurous. Historical epics (firmly grounded in the imperial past) and melodramas remain popular if uninspiring topics.

Although China’s government will doubtless continue to play a role in shaping culture, it could encourage some competition for staid filmmakers by loosening longstanding quotas on the number of foreign films that can be released every year (currently set at 34). There’s little evidence that such quotas work: In South Korea, loosening quotas actually led to steady growth in the local film business and helped boost the inf luence of Korean film and television overseas (especially in China).

Not incidentally, box-office sales also surged.

Increased competition might not be to the taste of every Chinese filmmaker and studio head. But it’s the best way to shake off the mediocrity that aff licts so much of China’s current output. And it would give consumers a better reason to get in line for a ticket.

A6

News

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Timely road repairs sought SENATE Minority Leader Ralph Recto has urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to deploy “pothole patrols” to undertake minor road repairs round-the-clock in Metro Manila and other urban centers.

With the said move, he said small road cracks can be fixed before they become trafficcausing craters.

Recto said the already slow flow of vehicular traffic in Metro Manila is worsened during the rainy season, when potholes would pockmark roads especially after getting pounded by rain for days.

He said the DPWH has “the mandate, the money, and the men” to send out work crews “to search and repair” potholes on a 24-hour basis. Macon R. Araneta

Villar pushes CCT review

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATOR Cynthia Villar has called for a review of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program after she said it has failed to reduce poverty incidence in the country.

During the Senate briefing of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the proposed P3.35-trillion national government budget for 2017, Villar asked Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno to review the program and find ways to improve it for the poor.

“I support CCT but can we review the model of our CCT? We have been doing CCT for the last six years, you said the poverty figure did not move from 27 percent. The target of the Aquino administration is 17 percent but it didn’t move after doing CCT. I just want you to review the model of our

CCT,” Villar said.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is the Philippines’ CCT program where 4.4 million households are enrolled and provided with cash grants to improve the health, education and nutrition situation of the poorest of the poor.

With a budget of P78.7 billion this year, the program is the largest CCT program in the world, next to Brazil with 8.8 million households and Mexico, with 6.5 million household beneficiaries.

Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development,

urged the economic managers to look at how successful CCT programs are done in other countries.

She cited the Brazil model where farmers are required to grow crops. The government buys their produce and feeds the school children. She also added that in Thailand, they require 6 million school children to drink 200 ml of milk every day, which brought up their dairy industry.

“This means they are making rich dairy farmers, enriching farmers, and then giving good nutrition to children who will grow up to be intelligent

Poll delay has its benefits

2,000 rally to cooperate OVER 2,000 people, mostly tenants, stormed the National Housing Authority in Quezon City not to stage a protest but to “cooperate” on how the government could help them avail of a low-cost shelter program.

In an interview, architect Luis Bacamante, division manager under the office of Assistant General Manager Froilan Kampitan, said those who flocked to the NHA central office were not informal settlers, but tenants and extended families who all live in one household beyond the nuclear family.

He, however, clarified that his division, along with the information division and resettlement development services department, yesterday just issued a housing information form not considered an application for the agency’s socialized housing program, but to enable housing officials to “study a different market for non-informal settlers and the non-marginalized sector.” Rio Araja

2 kids die in 2 fires TWO minors died while another was seriously hurt in two separate fires in cities of Muntinlupa and Las Piñas Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning, police said.

Southern Police District spokesperson Supt. Jenny Tecson identified the fatality in Muntinlupa fire as oneyear-old Princess Jamaica Maquilan. She said Maquilan’s four-year-old brother Steve Nash was rushed to an undisclosed hospital due to first degree burn in the right leg.

The blaze, which started around 4 p.m., destroyed the house of the Maquilan family.

In Las Piñas City, 11-yearold Alfred Arcilla died in a fire of still unknown cause in a densely populated area along Chesa Street, Golden Acres, Talon-5. Joel Zurbano

because they drink milk and they eat the right kind of food,” Villar said.

She said the Philippine model does not require production in exchange for cash assistance and it is very difficult to check if the conditions are met by the beneficiaries.

Cash assistance was granted with the condition that beneficiaries will have regular health check-ups and the children will be enrolled in school.

“I just want to ask you, review our model of CCT. I don’t mind spending for CCT, but make sure that the model is right. Our model might be wrong,” she said.

By Maricel V. Cruz

DEFENDING THE DRUG WAR. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano delivers a privilege speech defending the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs while showing video clips of Senator Leila de Lima during a CNN interview at the Senate. Ey Acasio

Senate balks at suspending JV THE suspension order on Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan, may not be enforced as the Senate President says he has no power to suspend a senator.

While the Sandiganbayan had instructed Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel to implement Ejercito’s suspension order, the Senate leader told reporters he has no authority to do so.

“If you look at the Rules of the Senate, in the enumeration of the powers of the Senate President, it is not there to suspend a member of the Senate.

It’s not there so I’m letting the Committee on Rules to interpret the Rules, find out where

the power belongs, or if the exercise of the power can be justified,” explained Pimentel.

Pressed if Ejercito would not be suspended, Pimentel replied the Committee on Rules would make an interpretation.

Asked how it is different from the case of the three former senators—Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada who stand trial for plunder and graft charges over the pork barrel scam, Pimentel said there is now a new Senate President.

Pimentel said he has “a different interpretation, that is why, in my opinion, [the issue] is better passed [on] to the Committee on Rules so it can study in depth the situation.”

While it was mentioned in the interpellation that the suspension could not be applicable to Ejercito since the crime was committed when he was a mayor, Pimentel said the Supreme Court ruled otherwise.

Citing the SC ruling, Pimentel said the High Court noted that in the long line of cases, that still applies if the person to be suspended no longer holds the position when the alleged crime arose.

In the meantime, he said, his office would write a letter to inform the Sandiganbayan that its suspension order had been referred to the Committee on Rules.

Commitee on Rules chair-

person Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said they will still study the case of Ejercito.

“I’m not saying there’s a big possibility that he will not be suspended; we are still studying. There’s a possibility that he may not be suspended or may be suspended.”

“I will come up with a committee report as soon as possible,” Sotto added.

In a resolution released on August 23, the Sandiganbayan ordered Ejercito’s suspension for 90 days in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of high-powered firearms when he was still mayor in San Juan City in 2008 using the city’s calamity fund. Macon RamosAraneta

Customs nabs Chinese man with 500 skimming devices

By Vito Barcelo

IMPORTED CRIMINALITY. Airport district collector Ed Macabeo (in blue check-

ered shirt) inspects skimming devices that were seized from a Chinese traveler from Guangzhou. Eric Apolonio

THE Bureau of Customs confiscated more than 500 cardskimming devices, used to illegally gather ATM card and credit card users’ information and counterfeit credit cards worth millions of pesos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.

Customs Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Arnel Alcaraz said the card-skimming devices and counterfeit credit cards were discovered from a Chinese national who arrived at the Naia Terminal 2 aboard PR 383 at 8:30 yesterday morning.

He said the seized items belonged to Wu Hong Zheng, who came from Guanzhou, China, and will be charged for violating the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998

in relation to certain provisions of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

The BOC received a tip from its intelligence source that skimming equipment and assorted blank cards and other access devices, will be brought into the Naia.

The bureau was alerted over the illegal items following a recent rash of bank and credit card theft using fake ATM cards.

The skimming equipment can duplicate assorted cards or credit cards that are mostly used in casinos.

Initial investigation conducted by the Customs-Enforcement Security Service agents showed that Wu is a frequent traveler in the Philippines, traveling Manila to China every week.

Airport Customs Collector

Ed Macabeo ordered the seizure of the misdeclared items found inside the 37 boxes that comprised of Tory Burch sandals, Fendi shoes, Louis Vuitton bags, Asus Computer laptops, mobile phone accessories, electronic cigarette devices and several credit card and ATM that have Chinese markings and skimming devices.

Customs examiners at the Naia were ordered to strictly monitor passengers mostly come from China.

Macabeo said they will coordinate with the banks’ concern about the skimming device purportedly designed to steal bank card information and could possibly withdraw money from ATM machines.

He added the device can duplicate assorted cards or credit cards that mostly used in hotels and casinos.

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez said Wednesday postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections until next year will give Congress enough time to enact laws abolishing the SK and the position of barangay kagawad.

“If we move the [barangay] elections to 2017, I think we have enough time to amend the Local Government Code so that by 2017—if Congress will agree [to] my proposal to abolish the barangay kagawads and the SK —we will be only electing the barangay chairmen,” Alvarez said in a television interview.

He also noted that Malacañang supports the postponement of the barangay and SK elections amid concerns drug money may be used to ensure the victory of barangay officials.

On the other hand, if the barangay and SK elections scheduled for next month will push through, Alvarez said reorganizing the government structure in the local level might have to wait out of respect for the mandate of the newly-elected officials whose term would extend up to 2019.

Alvarez said this would also free up an estimated P24 billion that the government can use instead to increase the pay of purok leaders, barangay health workers, barangay tanods and day care workers.

He noted the estimated annual budget for the SK is around P8.5 billion while that for barangay kagawads reaches around P15.8 billion.

Edsa still under 24/7 truck ban

By Joel E. Zurbano THE total truck ban along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue is still in effect and there are no window hours being imposed, the Metro Manila Development Authority said on Wednesday.

The MMDA made the clarification following reports that the newly created Inter-Agency Council on Traffic, which composed of several government agencies tasked to manage traffic in Metro Manila, is not implementing the ban.

MMDA officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos said the ban on Edsa, from Magallanes Interchange in Makati City to North Avenue in Quezon City, is still being enforced 24 hours from Monday to Sunday.

He added the total truck ban is being imposed by virtue of the Special Traffic Committee Resolution Number 03 Series of 2015 approved by the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the MMDA. The resolution stated that the total ban on trucks and heavy vehicles, regardless of weight, shall still be applicable and observed on Edsa and on the three central business districts namely Ortigas, Makati, and Bonifacio Global City.

Sports

A7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Murray, Serena crush opponents N

EW YORK—Wimbledon champions Andy Murray and Serena Williams powered into the second round of the US Open as the stars came out on Arthur Ashe Stadium court on Tuesday night.

Williams, launching her latest bid to rewrite the record books, started strong and didn’t let up in 6-3, 6-3 victory over 29th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova.

The US world number one appeared untroubled by the balky right shoulder that has hindered her in recent weeks, delivering a dozen aces and 27 winners overall in the 63-minute contest.

“I knew today I needed to be focused because I’ve played her. She’s gotten to the semi-

finals. She goes deep in majors,” Williams said of the Russian left-hander who beat her in the fourth round of the 2012 Australian Open.

“She knows how to play big matches on big courts. She’s not intimidated. I knew I had to really come out today. It was my only option really.”

Williams said she wouldn’t know until she’d slept on it how her shoulder might respond to the effort.

“Every day, I’ll just see how it goes,” said Williams, who is chasing a record seventh title on the hardcourts of Flushing Meadows where she first triumphed in 1999.

A victory would see her break the Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles she now shares with German Steffi Graf and close in on Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 major titles.

While Williams has struggled since Wimbledon, Murray went from claiming a second title at the All England club to a successful defence of his Olympic gold in Rio. Vying to become the fourth man in the Open Era to reach all four major finals in a calendar year, Murray, too, produced a dominant service performance in a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Czech

Lukas Rosol.

“I don’t think I had any break points against me, which is very good,” the Scot said.

Before the floodlights came up, Serena’s elder sister Venus claimed a Grand Slam record of her own as her 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova marked her 72nd appearance in the main draw of a major.

The 36-year-old Venus, enjoying a resurgence in a 2016 season that includes a WTA title in Taiwan, survived 63 unforced errors against the rising 22-year-old, although she was pleased that her aggressive approach also yielded 46 winners.

“The good part is I’m playing the game I want to play, I’m playing aggressively and mov-

ing forward,” Venus said.

“It’s just about making a few less errors and it’s a completely different story.”

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, trying to make it to the quarter-finals in New York for the first time, breezed past US qualifier Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-1 and fifth-seeded Romanian Simona Halep also eased through with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.

Men’s third seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, a two-time semi-finalist, reached the second round with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-4 win over Spain’s Fernando Verdasco.

Kei Nishikori, who became Asia’s first men’s Grand Slam finalist in New York in 2014, when he

Korean, Pagunsan upstage big guns at ICTSI Splendido

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TAGAYTAY—Seok Jun Min and Rey Pagunsan teed off last at the front and took the top two spots at the day’s end with the Korean birdying the 18th to fire a six-under 66 and wrest a one-stroke lead over the veteran local shotmaker at the start of the ICTSI Splendido Classic here yesterday.

Seok and Pagunsan went on a virtual shootout when half of the starting 71-player field were wrapping up their respective rounds on both nines, matching 31s at the front before the former outgunned the latter on the final hole as the duo emerged the surprise pacesetters in the P2 million event sponsored by ICTSI. Make it three unfancied bets as Michael Bibat also churned out a solid start at Splendido Taal Golf Club’s easier frontside, shooting a 68, just a stroke off Pagunsan’s eagle-spiked 67 fashioned out in ideal condition with the wind at manageable level despite their late start in the opener of the 14th leg of the circuit earlier tipped to be domi-

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nated by the top guns who split the last two titles at Riviera and ICTSI Classic via playoffs.

Bibat, seeking a follow up to his breakthrough win at Rancho Palos Verdes in 2013, actually went six-under with a four-foot birdie putt on No. 16. But he dumped his tee shot into the bunker on the par3 17th and wound up with a double-bogey and slid to third.

“I’ve been playing solid until I got a bad break in the bunker on the 17th,” rued Bibat, who flashed superb iron shots and birdied Nos. 2 and 3 inside three feet then rolled in a 20-footer on the fourth. He missed a fourfooter on the seventh and an eight-foot uphiller on the ninth but tapped in for birdie on the 10th after missing an eagle putt from six feet and made an upand-down birdie on the 11th.

Seok, who missed the cut at Aboitiz and tied for 26th at Riviera, and Pagunsan, who missed the cut last week and tied for 20th at Riviera and placed joint 33rd in Negros Occidental, slugged it out shot-for-shot and

Ph Sports Interactive Network, C! Magazine, Robinsons Malls, Robinsons Place Calasiao Pangasinan and medical team Aeromed.

Different clubs joined the event, headed by Corolla Auto Club Baguio, Speed Limits Pangasinan, Cabanatuan Auto Club, Wholesome Concepts, Speedjav, Team Kuneho, Greenlight La Union, MITTC, Team Comet Tarlac and privateers from Dagupan and Pangasinan.

Class and overall winners received four liters of Phoenix Accelerate Fully Synthetic oil, even as each slalom driver got a gallon free of the synthetic oil.

The third Phoenix Slalom Invitational will be on Nov. 20, back at Robinsons Calasiao Pangasinan.

For details, contact Bing Bang Dulce at tel. nos 928-6951 or 0917-8119337; email racemotorsportsclub@yahoo.com or the Facebook account of the Race Motorsports.

Some of the official Results: Novice Modified A: 1st Dion Ortiz 51.36; 2nd Joey Vergara 52.18; 3rd Glenn Suba 53.06; 4th Reden Dizon 57.34; 5th Jerome Flores 74.06 Novice Modified B: 1st Kiko

San Beda-Rizal stays unbeaten in Best tilt SAN Beda College-Rizal remained unbeaten in both the Small Basketeers Philippines and the Passerelle events to pace the Best Center’s twin basketball tournaments for kids, sponsored

by Milo, over the weekend at the Xavier School gym.

The young Cubs smothered host Xavier-B (2-1), 53-37, to catch up with idle La Salle Greenhills-A on top of Group A of the SBP with three straight wins in as many days.

De la Salle-Zobel logged the other win―its first in three games, a 53-40 trashing of Notre Dame of Greater Manila (0-4).

Xavier-A made up for its sister team’s loss by crushing St. Mary’s College (0-4), 65-17, for a 3-0 record on top of Group B.

Lourdes School-QC (2-1) defeated Marist School (1-2), 55-49; and San Sebastian College (2-1) creamed La Salle Greenhills-B (1-3), 46-34, in the other matches.

DLSZ-A, meanwhile, caught up with idle Ateneo on top of Paserelle’s Group A at 4-0 with a 71-51 rout of Marist (1-3), while University of Santo Tomas logged its first win in three games with a 51-40 win over Claret (1-2).

Another San Beda squad remained unbeaten in Group B following its 51-42 trashing of Nazareth School of National University (2-1) at 3-0. It tied Adamson on top.

DLSZ (1-3) dropped Notre Dame (1-2), 67-62, while SSC-R (1-2) beat LSGH-B (0-3), 54-50, in the other matches.

Dysico 49.80; 2nd Jeff Capiral 50.50; 3rd Reden Dizon 50.68; 4th Potchie Paikot 51.74; 5th Adriel Pacis 52.34; 6th John Labrado 54.84 Novice Modified C: 1st Jeff Capiral 50.24; 2nd Reden Dizon 50.24; 3rd Potchie Paikot 50.78; 4th Glenn Suba 53.56; 5th Patrick Andres 59.36 PRO Stock A: 1st Jeff Capiral 50.50; 2nd Roy Agomba 52.04; 3rd Jeffrey Espiritu 54.86; 4th Mike Simbulan 59.10; 5th Buddyboy de Guzman 71.36; Pro Stock B: 1st Pekto Pakutkot 48.28; 2nd Kiko Dysico 50.88 Pro Stock C: 1st Drew Manio 49.62 Group 2A: 1st Glenn Suba 52.54; 2nd John Labrado 53.64; 3rd Joey Vergara 54.34; 4th Czeb Malang 66.22 Group 2B: 1st John Aquino 52.60; 2nd Buddyboy de Guzman 64.22; 3rd Czeb Malang 65.10 PRO A: 1st Carlos Anton 48.90; 2nd Mike Simbulan 49.06; 3rd Jhon Guintu 52.16 PRO B: 1st Carlos Anton 48.62; 2nd Ronz Yuzon 49.10; PRO C: 1st Carlos Anton 48.38; 2nd Ronz Yuzon 48.84 Group 5A: 1st Ronz yuzon 48.96; 2nd Mike Simbulan 51.06;

putt-for-putt at the front with the former birdying the first two holes and then adding birdies on Nos. 5, 7 and 9 for a 31.

Pagunsan, a noted long hitter but who couldn’t score with poor iron game and putting, eagled the par-5 No. 2 then birdied Nos. 4 and 5 before closing out with another birdie to match Seok’s five-under start. They both birdied No. 11 but Pagunsan fell back with a bogey on No. 14 and Seok followed suit after missing the 15th green.

But the Korean recovered quickly and holed out with a birdie to seize control.

But while most used the front nine as their scoring base, Tony Lascuña failed to go under and settled for a 36 although he had earlier gunned down three birdies at the back to anchor his 69 in a tie with Jhonnel Ababa and American Micah Shin. Lascuña later blamed his putting touch that went awry on his way home while Ababa, also out to end a long title spell, blew a four-under card with flubbed birdie putts and a bogey on the 17th.

Sultan Kudarat aces head PPS Tuna Fest cast

Yuzon, Ortiz fastest in 2nd leg of Phoenix Slalom Invitational RONZ Yuzon of Cabanatuan Racing Team clinched both the overall and production wheel best time by clocking 47.74 in the second leg of the Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Slalom Invitational Challenge held last Aug. 21 at Robinsons Place Calasiao Pangasinan.

Second place went to Pekto Pakutkot with 47.78, followed by Carlos Anton with 48.38.

Completing the top six are Mike Simbulan of Team Comet (48.86), Dion Ortiz f Javspeed Racing Team (49.22) and Kiko Dysico of San Jose Nueva Ecija (49.80).

Meanwhile, Ortiz bagged the novice best time with a clocking of 49.22, even as Dysico (49.80) and Reden Dizon (50.24) of Team Comet placed second and third respectively.

The 2016 Race Motorsports Club Phoenix Slalom Invitational is powered by Phoenix Premium’98 and Phoenix Accelerate fully synthetic motor oil and co-sponsored

by Federal Tyres, Outlast Battery.

It is also supported by Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, media partners Stoplight TV, Inside Motoring, DZRJ-Am, Pinoy Speed sa mga Pahayagan and Spin.

fell to Marin Cilic in the final, also advanced, downing German Benjamin Becker 6-1, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

A lot of aces Eighth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria needed five sets to secure his second-round spot, downing Australia’s John Millman 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion whose career was nearly ended by three wrist surgeries, advanced with a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) victory over fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

There was a little record-setting on the men’s side as well, with Croatian Ivo Karlovic belting a US Open record of 61 aces in a 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 win over Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun. AFP

Ronz Yuzon of Cabanatuan Auto Club

3rd Potchie Paikot 52.20 Group 5B: 1st Jhon Guintu 51.62; 2nd Mike Simbulan 52.36 Front Wheel Injected Novice: 1st Adriel Pacis 52.84; 2nd John Labrado 54.30; 3rd Anton Roxas 54.56; 4th Ronald Asto 54.64; 5th Einstein Aquino 55.96 Front Wheel Injected: 1st TonTon Toxas 52.20; 2nd Jaypee Capispisan 56.04; 3rd Czeb Malang 67.44 Front Wheel Modified Novice: 1st Dion Ortiz 49.22; 2nd Jeff Capiral 50.46; 3rd Reden Dizon 51.26; 4th Kiko Dysico 51.82; 5th Potchie Paikot 52.36; 6th Hyan Rey Valdez 56.10 Front Wheel Modified: 1st Ronz Yuzon 49.04; 2nd Pekto Pakutkot 49.66; 3rd Mike Simbulan 51.10 Front Wheel PRO Stock A:

1st Ronz Yuzon 47.74; 2nd Mike Simbulan 48.86; 3rd Kiko Dysico 50.00; 4th Gilbert Orpilla 53.76; 5th Dennis Manantan 61.84 Front Wheel PRO Stock B: 1st Pekto Pakutkot 47.78; 2nd Ronz Yuzon 48.44; 3rd Carlos Anton 49.22 Front Wheel PRO Stock C: 1st Mike Simbulan 49.06; 2nd Carlos Anton 51.48 Corolla Auto Club Class: 1st Allen Guirnalda 56.28; 2nd Leonel Villanueva 57.96; 3rd Christian Dacanay 79.00 Team Kuneho Class: 1st Jhon Aquino 55.76; 2nd Ryan del Rosario 56.62; 3rd Roy Agomba 58.24 Carburated Class: 1st JR Vergara 52.50; 2nd Miguel Datu 59.86; 3rd Ismael Yahya 62.12; 4th Joaquin Moll 62.88; 5th Jonard Lopico 63.90

‘Edwards can become world champ’

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FORMER English f lyweight champion Charlie Magri, who also held the European and World Boxing Council titles, believes current British flyweight champion Charlie Edwards is a world champion in the making.

Magri made the prediction when Edwards made his pro debut at the O2 Arena in London, beating Craig Derbyshire by a 4th-round TKO on Jan. 31 last year.

Since then, Edwards had racked up a record of 8-0 with 3 knockouts.

Magri won the British Flyweight title in just his third fight when he was 21, the age that Edwards is as he enters the ring in Green-

wich for his pro debut.

‘Champagne Charlie’ as Magri is referred to carries an impressive amateur background and the former legend believes Edwards can emulate his success.

“He’s got a great chance to become a world champion, he looks the part and you can feel it just talking to him. He’s got a wise head on young shoulders. I used to know if I was going to have a hard fight just by talking to a fighter and looking at how they carried themselves, and Charlie has that confidence already. He looks like a he loves to train and you can see that he wants it, he’s got everything,” Magri said.

He met Edwards ahead of his pro debut and gave the Croydon youngster some

pointers ahead of his big night at The O2.

“Charlie looked at me and said he could tell I was a fighter just by the look and shape of me,” said Edwards.

“He gave me some good tips, telling me not to headhunt, not to kill myself at the weight, look at moving up if the weight is becoming an issue. He said he felt strong in sparring bigger guys but always had in his head that he was a flyweight. It was great to see him and hold his WBC World title belt, that was a thrill and that’s the belt everyone wants.”

Right now, Edwards is going after the IBF belt held by two-division Filipino world champion Johnreil Casimero at the O2 Arena in London on Sept. 10.

CARLYN Bless Guarde and Vince EJ Tugade gear up for a tough outing as they go for a two-title sweep in their respective divisions in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Tuna Festival regional age-group tennis championship unfolding Friday at the Gen. Santos City Tennis Club.

Guarde and Tugade are the top seeds in the 16- and 18-and-under divisions with the top junior players from Isulan, Sultan Kudarat all primed up for the twin crowns against a field teeming with talents in the Group 5 tournament sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Guarde, 15, faces the likes of Davao’s Patricia Velez, Dana Abad, Jazelle Madis and Winona Cabardo in both sections while Tugade brace for a showdown for both crowns either against Janus Ringia, Kylde Lagarde or Wilfred Bentillo.

Twelve-year-old Minettle April Bentillo, meanwhile, heads the girls’ 14-U cast that includes Ma. Angelica Novis, Febe Lagarde and Princess Cerbito and is the top bet in her division which also features Tennielle Madis, Jilian Managking and Paula Taketomi.

“While Guarde and Tugade look poised to dominate, we expect a number of reversals with a lot of young players eager to prove their worth even against the fancied bets in the fold,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

John David Velez, also a 12-year-old rising star from Davao, banners the boys’ 14-U field that also drew Nikhel Nowlakha, Earljan Casal, Jorros Managking and Cedric Pamplona. He also heads the 12-U cast along with Nowlakha, Pamplona, Managking and Reyman Saldivar Jr.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Sports

La Salle, CEU eye 6th titles in a row

De Ocampo jumper lifts Texters past Batang Pier UAAP to hold 3-on-3 caging THREE-on-3 basketball will be introduced in the 79th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagon said this is now in the pipeline, considering this variation of the game of basketball, which will have three players playing for a team, is gaining popularity internationally.

“After the regular basketball season, we will have an exhibition game of 3x3 as a demo sport,” said De Sagon.

This is the second demonstration event added to the calendar, next to ballroom dancing.

Meanwhile, school anthems won’t be performed in the traditional way, which is after a game has been played.

Hymns will now be sung before the official warmup period of games.

De Sagon said he thought of this after he noted that most of the hymns were not sung properly after the game because the students have hoarse voices due to the screaming and chanting.

“School hymns are usually sung in the end. But, not everybody sings because their bodies are tired,” explained De Sagon.

He hopes that this will encourage the players and their supporters to sing their alma mater songs with more intensity. Peter Atencio

Dancing with the Stars nets Lochte WASHINGTON—-US swimming star Ryan Lochte will look to turn the page after his drunken hijinks at the Rio Olympics cost him lucrative endorsements—by appearing on the reality TV show “Dancing with the Stars.”

Lochte, 32, is among 13 celebrities to sign up for the popular television show, which launches its newest season on September 12, US network ABC confirmed Tuesday.

“I’m breaking out my dance shoes for Season 23 of #DWTS!” Lochte tweeted.

The line-up also includes gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, former rapper Vanilla Ice, former Texas governor Rick Perry and actress Maureen McCormick, who appeared in the popular 1970s sitcom “The Brady Bunch.”

American football star Calvin Johnson, reality TV star Amber Rose and Indy race car driver James Hinchcliffe are also among those scheduled to compete.

Lochte used the announcement of his upcoming turn on the show to repeat his regret about his “big mistake” in Rio. Brazilian authorities last week charged him with making a false report about being robbed at gunpoint during the Olympics. Lochte had already left the country by the time the charges were filed.

The Olympic gold medal winner had told the media in Rio that he and three teammates had been mugged after an all-night party by robbers pretending to be police. AFP

By Jeric Lopez

T

NT KaTropa spilled all its milk before refilling its glass just in time.

The Tropang Texters squandered a 23-point lead before Ranidel De Ocampo saved them with a game-winning jumper with six seconds left to take a 122-120 thriller over gritty GlobalPort and get back to their winning ways in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

After seeing all of its lead vanish, TNT KaTropa banked on its veteran poise as De Ocampo nailed the key go-ahead bucket to

put them once again in the winning position.

The Batang Pier had one more chance to either force the game into overtime or snatch the win, but Stanley Pringle turned the ball over with an errant pass, allowing the Tropang Texters to escape what was initially a one-sided game that turned into a nail-biter.

Jayson Castro continued his fine play, leading the way again for the Tropa with a huge 37-point performance, to go with eight assists, while De Ocampo finished with 17 points and seven boards.

The victory allowed TNT to retain its place at the top with an improved 7-1 slate to move closer to a Top 4 finish.

On the other hand, the Batang Pier had their three-game winning streak snapped as they fell from sixth to eighth place in the standings.

TNT coach Jong Uichico described what happened towards the end of the game where his team almost lost a game it was dominating throughout.

“Bumaliktad ‘yung laro. GlobalPort can really score quick especially when Pringle and Terrence Romeo get going,” he said.

“Ranidel (De Ocampo) was open in the last play and it’s a good thing for us after falling into a lull. We really needed this win any way, any how.”

Talk ‘N Text led the entire way and held a double-digit lead for most part before GlobalPort pulled the rug under and manufactured a torrid surge at the end of the game to threaten.

The Texters were still ahead by 11, 120-109, after a Castro triple with 3:14 left but the stubborn Batang Pier just won’t go away.

Games Friday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum): 4:15 p.m. - Phoenix vs. Star 7 p.m. - Mahindra vs. Rain or Shine

GlobalPort swiftly erected an impressive 11-0 blast capped off

by Pringle’s jumper with 41 seconds left to suddenly give itself a chance.

But the final two plays favored TNT KaTropa, allowing it to keep the victory and have a huge sigh of relief.

The Tropang Texters led by 23 points multiple times in the early part of the second period before taking a 70-52 cushion at halftime. Their 70 points in the first half is the most for any team this conference.

Mike Glover took game-high honors with 38 points for the Batang Pier.

UP’s Diana Carlos goes for a power tip against SSC’s Katherine Villegas during their clash for the third semifinal berth in the Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference at the Philsports Arena

By Peter Atencio HOME and away games in basketball and matches in volleyball will kick of the start of the 47th Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association season this weekend.

Defending champions Centro Escolar University and La Salle Zobel will seek their sixth straight crowns when the senior and midget divisions in the basketball games fire off at 12 noon on Saturday at the Makati Coliseum.

The volleyball matches, with Rizal Technological University seeking another crown in the senior action, gets going Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Volleyball star Alyssa Valdez and women’s 3x3 standout Stephanie Rose Teotica will grace the opening ceremonies and will be the guest speakers during the volleyball rites which will start at 10 a.m.

“With four days to go, the WNCAA will celebrate its 47 years of existence. Just like in the previous season, this year will be as exciting as before,” said executive director Vivian Manila.

Manila talked about the season with 78th WNCAA host and current league president Fr. Vincent Rayco of St. Jude Catholic School during a press launch at the SJCC campus.

She said all varsity teams will be in competition this season and have leveled up in their preparations.

Participants from RTU, Miriam College and St. Paul College of Pasig are expected to make the competition exciting after winning the overall crowns in the senior, junior and midget action last year.

In Saturday’s opening, host St. Jude clashes with St. Stephen at 12 noon, while CEU takes on Philippine Women’s University at 1:30, and University of Asia and Pacific battles it out with Miriam College at 3 p.m.

The season carries the theme “Women on Fire, A Legacy of Passion,” and will also have competitions in futsal in the first semester, swimming, cheer-dancing, badminton, taekwondo, softball, table tennis and tennis.

Lady Maroons whip SSC tossers, gain V-League semis UNIVERSITY of the Philippines broke away from a tight first set duel with a strong windup then bounced back from a close second set defeat with a pair of lopsided victories to trounce San Sebastian, 25-17, 23-25, 25-5, 25-18, yesterday and clinch the third semifinal berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

Kathy Bersola turned in a solid 20-hit game, including 10 kills on one-step attacks and an

impressive eight-block game to lead the Lady Maroons to a dream Final Four stint UP, which toughened up for this mid-season tournament of the league sponsored by Shakey’s by competing in the Open Conference, thus closed out it quarters stint with a 3-2 card, joining early semifinalists National U and Far Eastern U. San Sebastian wound up with a 2-3 slate although the Lady Stags can still force a playoff for the last semis seat with an FEU vic-

tory over Ateneo in a match being played at presstime.

But should the Lady Eagles prevail, the Loyola-based school will complete the Final Four which fires off Saturday.

UP went on a scoring binge to break from a 12-all count in the opening frame to score the eightpoint then bounced back from a second set defeat with a smashing triumph in the third that saw the Lady Maroons hold the Lady Stags to just five hits.

SSC failed to recover from the

third set slump, enabling UP to control the fourth on its way to victory and the Final Four of the tournament backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.

“We controlled the net and our floor defense held,” said UP mentor Jerry Yee. Meanwhile, La Salle outpointed Far Eastern U in a thrilling fifth set duel, hacking out a 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 21-25, 15-8 victory to clinch the coveted semifinal berth in the Spikers Turf Season

Top PH netters to go up against foreign contenders in PCA Open THE stage is set for the country’s biggest tennis event of the year as powerhouse Filipino netters go up against foreign contenders in the 35th Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier ATF Tour Thursday at the PCA indoor shell-clay court in Paco, Manila.

Newly crowned PCA men’s champion Patrick John Tierro and Davis Cup veteran Johnny Arcilla lead the locals’ campaign in the tournament sanctioned by Asian Tennis Federation and Philippine Lawn Tennis Association.

“I have always been excited every year for PCA Open as it is the biggest tournament.

More so, the past two years as it has become an international tournament. This will give our local players the chance to pit their skills with the best from Asia and gain world ranking points,” boasted Cebuana

Lhuillier President/CEO and Philta Chairman of the Board Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Indian stalwarts Parth Aggarwal and Medhir Goyal, Iranian Mohammadali Mamaghaninia, and Mustafa Alsaedi are expected to make things difficult for the Filipino bets.

“Sometimes, all these [Filipino] players need is an opportunity to showcase their talent.

I really hope they will do well,” added Lhuillier, who is also a big supporter of the Philippine Mavericks that compete in the International Premier Tennis League.

“Mas matinding laban ang haharapin namin dito dahil foreign players na ang kalaban namin. Hindi namin alam ang laro nila kaya kailangan parating 100 percent ang ilabas naming laro,” said eight-time PCA titlist Arcilla, who copped the doubles’ title in the Manila ITF Week 2 last

year with 2009 Australian Open Boy’s Doubles champ Francis Casey Alcantara.

Filipino-Italian Marc Reyes, Davis Cup standout Elbert Anasta, Kyle Parpan, Argil Lance Canizares, Rolando Ruel, Ronand Joven, Jose Maria Pague, Mark Ervin Concepcion and Eric Olivarez Jr. will also showcase their wares in the 32-man main draw.

Reyes and Anasta will be coming in hot after making it to the semifinals of the recently concluded PCA Open men’s singles.

Arcilla, the tournament’s top seed, earned an opening round bye, while Parpan battles Ruel (Center Court), and Reyes takes on Concepcion (Court 1) at 12 noon.

The other matches are Anasta versus Mamaghaninia, Tierro versus Olivarez, Aggawal versus Joven, Canizares versus Goyal and Alsaedi versus Pague.

Arcilla

2 Collegiate Conference.

Cris Dumago fired 24 points while Arjay Onia and Mike Frey combined for 26 hits to make up for Raymark Woo’s eight-point output as the Archers finished the single round elims with a 4-1 card in Group A to join the National U Bulldogs in the Final Four.

Earlier, University of Santo Tomas subdued Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-20, 25-12, 29-27, for a 4-1 slate to finish second behind defending champion Ateneo in Group B.

Govt to limit seniors’ perks B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

B1

Govt to award toll road to MPIC

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Public Works Department can proceed with the awarding of an eight-kilometer toll road connecting North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway to a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said Wednesday.

“My understanding is that they [DPWH] can award it... if they wish,” Dominguez said in an interview at the sidelines of a Senate hearing on the proposed 2017 budget.

Former finance secretary Cesar Purisima earlier issued an

opinion requiring MPIC to set up a special purpose company for the project.

Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp., a unit of MPIC, was expected to win the eight-kilometer tollroad, as no other company participated in

the Swiss Challenge on July 25.

The Aquino administration delayed the awarding of the project to MPTDC because the firm was not considered a separate special purpose company.

Dominguez said Purisima’s opinion was “not ex-cathedra” or not infallible.

Dominguez, however, said he was not willing to recall the opinion made by Purisima.

“No, at this time no. But they [DPWH] can do it if they see it fit. It’s not ex cathedra,” Dominguez said.

The project involves the construction, operation and maintenance of an eight-kilometer elevated expressway over the right of way of Philippine National

Railways.

It starts from C3 Road in Caloocan City through Manila, crossing over España Boulevard, PUP in Sta. Mesa and connecting Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3.

The PPP Center earlier said that once completed, the NLExSLEx connector road was expected to decongest traffic in Metro Manila by providing an alternative to C-5 Road, Edsa and other major thoroughfares.

It would cut travel time between NLEx and SLEx to 15 minutes to 20 minutes from more than an hour at present.

The government decided to subject the project to a Swiss challenge after the Justice De-

partment issued a legal opinion, saying the National Economic and Development Authority board’s decision to implement the project as a joint venture was “without factual basis or jurisdiction.”

MPTDC was expected to invest P15.74 billion in the NLExSLEx project, while the government would spend P7.46 billion for right-of-way acquisition.

The implementation of the project is scheduled from November 2016 to February 2022.

The Public Works Department said it would implement the project, which has a total estimated cost of P23.2 billion and a concession period of 35 years.

PSe comPoSite index Closing August 31, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,787.37 7.56

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing AUGUST 31, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P46.510 LOW P46.600 AVERAGE P46.552 VOLUME 463.700M

Fitch revises outlook on PLDT

P400-P640.00 LPG/11-kg tank P34.15-P41.20 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P24.35-P27.75 Diesel P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene

By Darwin G. Amojelar FITCH Ratings Inc. said Wednesday it downgraded PLDT Inc.’s long-term currency outlook after the country’s largest telecom company acquired half of San Miguel Corp.’s telecom business.

Fitch Ratings said it revised the outlook of PLDT’s long-term local currency issuer default rating (LC IDR) to negative from stable. The telco’s LC IDR was affirmed at ‘BBB+’.

Fitch cited PLDT’s higher capital expenditure of P48 billion this year from P43.5 billion to deploy network using frequencies acquired from San Miguel.

PLDT and rival Globe Telecom signed separate co-use agreements in May 2016 with SMC’s telecom businesses, covering the frequencies gained from their joint-acquisition of SMC’s telecom assets.

Under a three-year network deployment plan, PLDT aims to accelerate long term evolution expansion to cover 95 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities by 2018.

PLDT’s aggressive promotional campaigns and handset subsidies to drive data usage levels in the long term, are likely to weigh on earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, according to Fitch. “ Our forecasts assume revenue growth in the low singledigits,” Fitch said.

Fitch said the joint acquisition of SMC’s telecom assets

by PLDT and Globe would remove new competition in the sector.

P46.580

44.00

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, August 31, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.4670

Japan

Yen

0.009713

0.4513

UK

Pound

1.308500

60.8021

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128917

5.9904

Switzerland

Franc

1.016570

47.2370

Canada

Dollar

0.763534

Dollar

0.732815

34.0517

Australia

Dollar

0.750900

34.8921

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

123.3790

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

12.3905

Brunei

NEW AGRI TEAM. Seven newly-appointed officials of the Agriculture Department take their oath of office in Quezon City. The oath-taking

was administered by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (fourth from left). The newly appointed officials are (from left) assistant secretary for planning and development Lerey Panes, assistant secretary for livestock Enrico Garzon, undersecretary for fisheries Eduardo Gongona, Sarah Cayona (director III, Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries), assistant secretary for Visayas Hansel Didulo, Alfredo Aton (director III, Agricultural Training Institute) and assistant secretary for finance Francisco Villano Jr.

Thailand, Vietnam to supply 250,000 tons of rice

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THAILAND and Vietnam on Wednesday bagged contracts to supply a combined 250,000 metric tons of rice to the Philippines during a tender aimed at boost ing the country’s buffer stock for the lean season.

Both countries revised their offers, after state-run National Food Authority rejected their initial offers, which exceeded the government’s reference price of $425 per metric ton.

Thailand, to meet NFA’s price guidance, offered to supply 100,000 MT of rice at $424.85 a ton, while Vietnam agreed to provide the remaining 150,000 MT at the same price.

NFA earlier invited Thailand and Vietnam to supply 250,000 MT of 25 percent brokens well

milled-long grain white rice under a government-to-government procurement mode.

Vietnam through Vinafood II initially offered to supply the entire volume at $432.75 per metric ton while Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade offered to ship 100,000 metric tons at $432 per metric ton.

NFA bids and awards committee chairman Ludovico Jarina said, however, that both offers were rejected, because they were above the government’s reference price of $425 per ton. Both countries were given until 3 in the afternoon to revise their offers.

Thailand’s second offer was to ship 100,000 MT at $ 424.25 per metric ton and Vietnam offered to ship the entire volume at $425 per metric ton.

“Under the terms of reference, there is a need to match the price of the lowest bidder,” Jarina said.

Vietnam agreed to match the offer of Thailand for the remaining 150,000 metric tons.

NFA earlier said the first 100,000 MT of rice imports would arrive not later than Sept.

30, while the remaining volume would arrive not later than Oct. 31, 2016.

Meanwhile, NFA said the proposal to abolish or reduce NFA to merely regulatory functions hinged on the question of whether or not the government was ready to let go of its responsibility to ensure the national food security.

NFA made the statement after the Cabinet recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the abolition of NFA’s commercial func-

tions including rice importation.

NFA finance managers said the reported P165 billion debt of the grain agency was trimmed down to P158.9 billion as of Aug. 31, 2016.

The agency said the accumulated debt represented the coststhe agency incurred in fulfilling its mandate of stabilizing the price and supply of rice at both the farm-gate and consumer level.

“The NFA, on behalf of the national government, has to buy high from the farmers for them to get a fair return on their palay production investment, and sell low to consumers to ensure that those who are short on funds will have a chance to buy good quality rice at an affordable price,” NFA said.

Yuchengco steps down as RCBC honorary chair

PSBANK’S AWARD. The PSBank Mobile version 2.0 earns the title “Mobile Banking Initiative of the Year” at the 2016 Asian Banking and Finance retail banking awards at Shangri-La Singapore. The recognition validates PSBank’s efforts to innovate its products and services and standout in the market amid the rise of new banks, fintechs and stringent regulations. Shown receiving the award are (from left) senior vice president and information technology group head Neil Estrellado, executive vice president Jose Vicente Alde and vice president and e-channels division head Elmer Rombaoa.

BUSINESSMAN and former ambassador Alfonso Yuchengo has retired as honorary chairman of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., the bank announced Wednesday.

RCBC said in recognition of his service to the bank, Yuchengo was appointed as chairman emeritus. His daughter Helen Yuchengo Dee serves as the board chairperson of RCBC. RCBC said Yuchengco would also remain as chairman and chief executive of the bank’s substantial stockholder, Pan Malayan Management and Investments Corp. and honorary chairman of the board of Mico Equities Inc., the holding company of the Malayan Group of Companies and other YGC Companies.

Yuchengco, 93, served as chairman of the board of RCBC

from 1963 until 1995 when he served as ambassador to Japan.

He also served as Philippine ambassador to China and presidential special envoy to Greater China, Japan and Korea.

He served as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations with the rank of ambassador from 2001 and 2002.

He was the first recipient of the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Bayani (Grand Cross) presented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Yuchengco was also the first Asian to be elected to the Insurance Hall of Fame by the International Insurance Society Inc. Following his service in government, he was re-elected to RCBC’s board of directors in 2002.

Julito G. Rada

35.4791

Singapore

Dollar

0.730140

33.9274

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.028905

1.3431

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.6530

Euro

Euro

1.114500

51.7875

Korea

Won

0.000893

0.0415

China

Yuan

0.149656

6.9541

India

Rupee

0.014895

0.6921

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.247036

11.4790

New Zealand

Dollar

0.721700

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031504

33.5352 1.4639 Source: PDS Bridge

PAL set to transfer local flights to Clark PHILIPPINE Airlines said Wednesday it cancelled several domestic flights as it prepares to transfer some operations to Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

The flag carrier, controlled by tycoon Lucion Tan, said in an advisory it would implement flight schedule changes for some domestic flights starting Sept. 1.

“We apologize for any inconvenience as we continue to support the government’s drive to make air travel safe, secure and seamless for all passengers. We hope for your understanding on this matter,” PAL said.

It said among the flights cancelled were from Manila to Caticlan and vice versa; Cebu to Manila; Manila to Calbayog and vice versa; Manila to Kalibo; Manila to Laoag and vice versa; Manila to Legaspi and vice versa; Manila to Tablas and vice versa; and Manila to Tuguegarao and vice versa.

PAL said passengers might opt to rebook within 30 days from their original flight date or within the ticket validity period.

Passengers also have the option to reroute their flight to the nearest destination of choice subject only to any applicable fare condition or to request for a full refund of the ticket within 30 days from the original flight date.

PAL said it would waive rebooking, change and refund fees/charges of the affected flights.

PAL also announced that it would soon operate new flights out of Clark International Airport. Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market drops; LT Group rises S

TOCKS fell for a sixth day, as investors were spooked by the prospect of higher borrowing costs in the world’s top economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 7 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 7,787.37 Wednesday. Despite the loss, the bellwether was still up 12 percent this year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also lost 2 points to settle at 4,633.88, on a value turnover of P13.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 100 to 82, while 52 issues were unchanged.

Five of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by

LT Group Inc. which climbed 3.9 percent to P17.14 and Manila Water Co. Inc. which gained 3.7 percent to P28. Security Bank Corp. added 1.1 percent to close at P217.

Meanwhile, most Asian stocks also traded lower Wednesday.

Dollar demand has intensified since Federal Reserve boss Janet Yellen on Friday hinted at a possible hike as data point to continued economic improvement.

Figures showing US consum-

er confidence at its highest level in almost a year provided further evidence of a brighter outlook.

On Tuesday, the Fed’s vice chairman Stanley Fischer told Bloomberg TV that any movement in rates was dependent on data, adding that “employment is very close to full employment”.

Focus is now on Friday’s key jobs creation report, which could be pivotal in the Fed’s decisionmaking ahead of next month’s policy meeting, although there are some reservations about whether a move will be made then.

“The Fed’s more upbeat mood and a summer of record highs on Wall Street have boosted the US dollar’s yield appeal,” Sean

Callow, a senior currency strategist at Westpac Banking Corp. in Sydney, told Bloomberg News.

“Payrolls is certainly very important, though there are strong indications that seasonal factors will ensure the headline reading will not provide the Fed with the slam dunk it needs for a September hike.”

The softness in the yen once again helped Japan’s exporters and the Nikkei ended one percent higher, while Shanghai also edged up.

However, Hong Kong fell 0.3 percent in the afternoon, while Sydney closed down 0.8 percent and Seoul was 0.3 percent down while Singapore, Taipei and Manila all sank.

In early European trade London and Paris each dipped 0.1 percent and Frankfurt lost 0.3 percent.

The stronger dollar also hit oil prices, with West Texas Intermediate down 0.1 percent at $46.29 and Brent also 0.1 percent off at $48.30.

Both contracts tumbled Tuesday after the oil minister for key producer Iran reportedly said the country planned to ramp up output.

The comments come as the OPEC producer cartel—of which Iran is a member—and Russia prepare for a meeting next month aimed at addressing a global supply glut that has hammered prices. With AFP, Bloomberg

THE STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 4 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 2.6 890 1.01 100 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 8.7 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 1.02 625 0.225 78 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance 3.75 Asia United Bank 47.5 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 112.00 Bank of PI 103.80 China Bank 38.5 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. 3.68 Bright Kindle Resources 1.44 Citystate Savings 9 COL Financial 16.52 Eastwest Bank 20.75 Filipino Fund Inc. 6.86 First Abacus 0.68 I-Remit Inc. 1.88 Manulife Fin. Corp.

595.00 MEDCO Holdings 0.690 Metrobank 87 PB Bank 14.64 Phil Bank of Comm 24.50 Phil. National Bank 58.70 Phil. Savings Bank 96.75 PSE Inc. 277 RCBC `A’ 32.7 Security Bank 214.6 Sun Life Financial 1400.00 Union Bank 73.70 Vantage Equities 1.53

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 32

20.6 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 0.62 5 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 1450 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

15.32 20.2 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 0.335 3.37 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 801 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 911 10.2 84 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 5.29 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.225 0.23 634.5 260 7.390 12.8 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 0.030 1.23 0.550 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 170 80 0.211 0.179

Aboitiz Power Corp.

45.6 Agrinurture Inc. 3.17 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.83 Alsons Cons.

1.78 Asiabest Group 15.36 C. Azuc De Tarlac 204.80 Cemex Holdings 12.2 Century Food 16.64 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 140 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 24.95 Concepcion 57.8 Crown Asia 2.2 Da Vinci Capital 6.15 Del Monte 12 DNL Industries Inc. 11.100 Emperador 7.98 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.73 EEI 8.30 First Gen Corp.

25.65 First Holdings ‘A’ 72.6 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 13.00 Holcim Philippines Inc. 16.70 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6.62 Ionics Inc 2.270 Jollibee Foods Corp.

249.80 Mabuhay Vinyl 4.5 Macay Holdings 27.60 Manila Water Co. Inc. 27 Maxs Group 32.4 Megawide 13.8 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 312.00 MG Holdings 0.280 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.88 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.11 Petron Corporation 10.48 Phinma Corporation 11.50 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 6.10 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.64 Pryce Corp. `A’ 3.44 RFM Corporation 4.20 San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ 215.2 Splash Corporation 3.07 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.152 TKC Steel Corp.

1.88 Trans-Asia Oil 2.18 Universal Robina 187 Victorias Milling 4.71 Vitarich Corp.

2.97 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.21 HOLDING FIRMS Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.385 Aboitiz Equity 75.10 Alliance Global Inc. 16.42 Anscor `A’ 6.16 ATN Holdings A 0.375 ATN Holdings B 0.370 Ayala Corp `A’ 878 BHI Holdings Inc. 1000.00 Cosco Capital 8.6 DMCI Holdings 11.96 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

7.00 Forum Pacific 0.211 GT Capital 1536 House of Inv. 6.32 JG Summit Holdings 77.00 Keppel Holdings `A’ 5.75 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.9 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.81 LT Group 16.5 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 7.1 Pacifica `A’ 0.0350 Prime Media Hldg 1.200 Prime Orion 1.900 San Miguel Corp `A’ 84.50 Seafront `A’ 2.3 SM Investments Inc. 687.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.27 South China Res. Inc. 0.94 Transgrid 188.00 Top Frontier 213.000 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3150 Wellex Industries 0.2080

10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 5.94 0.180 0.470

6.74 12 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 4.13 0.090 0.290

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

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

Double Dragon Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

7.800 6.01 1.32 3.370 0.260 38.500 3.08 5.1 0.620 1.000 0.161 0.610 59.4 0.790 1.05 1.90 1.16 5.00 4.7 0.119 0.2850

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.75 3.52 47.45 47 114.30 110.90 105.50 104.00 38.5 38.4 3.94 3.80 1.56 1.41 9.09 9.09 16.64 16.4 20.95 20.75 6.96 6.96 0.83 0.72 1.88 1.86 595.00 595.00 0.850 0.690 87 83.5 14.62 14.6 24.00 24.00 59.40 58.60 100.3 100.3 278 276 32.7 32.3 217 210.2 1390.00 1390.00 73.75 73.00 1.49 1.48 INDUSTRIAL 46 45.5 3.85 3.12 0.83 0.82 1.81 1.76 15.38 15.1 185.00 185.00 12.2 11.98 17.2 16.62 149 135 24.95 24.7 57.8 57.5 2.24 2.16 6.15 5.99 12.3 12.02 11.280 11.000 7.99 7.92 5.82 5.71 8.47 8.30 25.5 25.25 74.45 72.6 13.00 12.80 16.72 16.50 6.76 6.6 2.320 2.270 250.20 245.00 4.6 4.4 28.45 27.00 28.05 26.5 33 32.2 13.8 13.34 313.00 310.20 0.275 0.260 4.88 4.88 3.25 3.1 10.58 10.06 11.66 11.50 6.29 6.08 1.65 1.62 3.45 3.32 4.20 4.20 230 216 3.06 3.06 0.154 0.152 1.90 1.85 2.26 2.18 187 184.4 4.72 4.35 3.09 2.95 1.25 1.22 0.395 0.385 75.50 73.00 16.40 16.00 6.25 6.16 0.390 0.375 0.395 0.395 875 868 1000.00 1000.00 8.72 8.54 11.94 11.50 7.15 6.90 0.214 0.214 1542 1500 6.35 6.35 78.00 75.30 5.5 5.5 7.95 7.81 0.82 0.79 17.22 16.4 7.06 6.82 0.0350 0.0340 1.200 1.200 2.030 1.910 86.00 84.00 2.50 2.50 683.00 670.00 1.30 1.27 1.04 0.93 188.10 188.10 214.000 213.000 0.3100 0.3050 0.2050 0.1980 PROPERTY 7.800 7.620 6.87 6.87 1.32 1.29 3.950 3.340 0.270 0.265 39.200 38.300 3.09 3.06 5.1 5.08 0.68 0.610 1.020 1.020 0.166 0.161 0.620 0.600 59.95 58.3 0.790 0.780 1.06 1.04 1.94 1.91 1.18 1.16 4.35 4.22 4.79 4.71 0.131 0.120 0.2900 0.2800

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.6 47.45 114.30 105.50 38.5 3.80 1.52 9.09 16.48 20.9 6.96 0.72 1.88 595.00 0.810 83.5 14.6 24.00 58.70 100.3 277 32.4 213.4 1390.00 73.70 1.48

-4.00 -0.11 2.05 1.64 0.00 3.26 5.56 1.00 -0.24 0.72 1.46 5.88 0.00 0.00 17.39 -4.02 -0.27 -2.04 0.00 3.67 0.00 -0.92 -0.56 -0.71 0.00 -3.27

252,000 13,400 2,393,760 3,073,470 36,500 9,000 838,000 500 1,760,800 55,900 600 2,231,000 21,000 510 36,650,000 4,126,030 9,300 7,000 24,480 100 1,640 153,600 12,727,870 60 65,550 84,000

45.5 3.8 0.83 1.8 15.32 185.00 12.18 17.1 143 24.95 57.5 2.2 6.05 12.3 11.280 7.99 5.73 8.35 25.45 73 12.80 16.60 6.6 2.280 245.00 4.6 27.00 28 33 13.6 311.00 0.260 4.88 3.1 10.06 11.50 6.08 1.62 3.4 4.20 222 3.06 0.152 1.85 2.20 187 4.71 2.96 1.25

-0.22 19.87 0.00 1.12 -0.26 -9.67 -0.16 2.76 2.14 0.00 -0.52 0.00 -1.63 2.50 1.62 0.13 0.00 0.60 -0.78 0.55 -1.54 -0.60 -0.30 0.44 -1.92 2.22 -2.17 3.70 1.85 -1.45 -0.32 -7.14 0.00 -0.32 -4.01 0.00 -0.33 -1.22 -1.16 0.00 3.16 -0.33 0.00 -1.60 0.92 0.00 0.00 -0.34 3.31

2,301,200 13,063,000 976,000 976,000 10,000 10 4,325,900 2,761,300 1,400 6,914,500 5,100 606,000 606,400 8,600 1,406,800 1,905,900 24,356,300 864,300 1,772,600 97,290 3,100 426,400 1,081,500 1,758,000 1,080,940 164,000 155,500 12,784,700 548,700 7,721,900 77,360 70,000 5,000 684,000 17,080,700 18,500 546,000 237,000 300,000 39,000 15,800 21,000 5,420,000 757,000 2,844,000 3,929,060 9,000 32,172,000 96,000

0.395 75.00 16.30 6.16 0.390 0.395 875 1000.00 8.67 11.50 7.00 0.214 1535 6.35 78.00 5.5 7.91 0.8 17 6.92 0.0350 1.200 2.000 84.50 2.5 680.00 1.30 1.01 188.10 214.000 0.3100 0.2050

2.60 -0.13 -0.73 0.00 4.00 6.76 -0.34 0.00 0.81 -3.85 0.00 1.42 -0.07 0.47 1.30 -4.35 0.13 -1.23 3.03 -2.54 0.00 0.00 5.26 0.00 8.70 -1.02 2.36 7.45 0.05 0.47 -1.59 -1.44

200,000 3,736,530 6,514,900 128,000 4,810,000 180,000 518,790 15 2,146,100 6,660,600 125,800 10,000 215,380 7,800 3,992,180 1,900 3,564,300 785,000 13,441,700 104,703,300 15,300,000 52,000 2,426,000 714,870 6,000 523,020 264,000 237,000 40 3,200 2,680,000 560,000

7.620 6.87 1.32 3.900 0.265 38.500 3.08 5.1 0.650 1.020 0.163 0.610 59.95 0.780 1.05 1.92 1.18 4.35 4.71 0.130 0.2900

-2.31 14.31 0.00 15.73 1.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.84 2.00 1.24 0.00 0.93 -1.27 0.00 1.05 1.72 -13.00 0.21 9.24 1.75

217,100 2,000 1,772,000 21,658,000 260,000 16,172,700 166,000 27,200 46,217,000 1,000 10,650,000 8,876,000 871,980 300,000 2,861,000 33,132,000 98,000 1,800 48,427,000 36,510,000 90,000

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

0.410 3.25 31.90 1.7 3.25 29.00 0.96 1.030 5.950

10.5 66 1.09 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 1700 2720 8.41

1.97 35.2 0.63 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 830 1600 5.95

70.5 1.97 119.5 7 5.8 0.017

17.02 1.23 102.6 3.01 4 0.011

0.8200 2.2800 5.93

0.041 1.200 2.34

12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2

6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6

1.040 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 1.71 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN APC Group, Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.27 49.95 0.590 5.5 5.85 0.0980 3.74 118.5 9.9 5.20 944 2020 6.31 15.60 20.40 1.92 85.1 21.20 156.2 0.0090 9.30 0.290 1.4400 3.7 12.88 4.63 2.17 1.03 2.39 21.50 0.570 1.99 3.94 5.36 3.670 11.36 5.99 137.50 7.35 1820.00 0.420 0.940 45.00 81.90 6.28 3.22 0.620 1.84 3.48 0.335 6.340

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 6.5 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining 0.0040 Apex `A’ 2.98 Atlas Cons. `A’ 3.88 Basic Energy Corp.

0.212 Benguet Corp `A’ 2.3500 Benguet Corp `B’ 2.4500 Century Peak Metals Hldgs0.56 Coal Asia 0.415 Dizon 8.80 Ferronickel 0.850 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.280 Lepanto `A’ 0.210 Manila Mining `A’ 0.0120 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 1.67 Nickelasia 6.72 Nihao Mineral Resources 2.94 Omico 0.5100 Oriental Peninsula Res. 1.0200 Oriental Pet. `A’ 0.0110 Oriental Pet. `B’ 0.0120 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 4.05 Philex `A’ 8.60 PhilexPetroleum 3.47 Philodrill Corp. `A’ 0.0120 Semirara Corp.

112.20 TA Petroleum 3.41 United Paragon 0.0110

-105,852,560.00

70

33

-11,368,308.50

120 515 8.21 12.28 111 1060

-103,900.00 378,710.00 90,974,494 163,690,940.00

12,300,000.00 -188,075.00

-242,050.00 -182,723,103.50 -145,725.00 -140,770.00 -1,426,580 -1,153,546,692.00 -13,906.50 -3,942,120.00 -1,039,140.00 45,760.00 45,760.00 -16,210,646.00 -17,207,426.00 -10,908,090.00 -172,506 33,400.00 -120,000.00 19,680.00 11,809,290.00 -7,487,597.00 -36,920,570.00 1,050,603.00 -29,004,535.00 706,433.50 5,788,100.00 2,399,420.00 -113,137,104.00 3,623,400.00 18,682,255.00 -2,304,100.00 -12,389,238.00 -3,795,874.00 -280,220.00 -95,673,620.00 -206,242.00 -880,792.00 95,550.00 -79,800.00 1,469,360.00 9,180.00 -56,460.00 50,883,692 5,310,020.00

-37,711,843.00 29,994,370.00 -620,984.00 -153,496,630 15,592,201.00 -43,884,992.00

9,445,713.00 -81,180.00 82,904,354.00 -171,414,635.00 -70,000.00 19,737,311.50 -159,228,120.00 -39,000.00

6.98

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

DD Pref 101.5 First Gen G 480 GLOBE PREF P 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.5 Leisure and Resort 101 MWIDE PREF 997 PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B 1011 PF Pref 2 75 SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I WARRANTS & BONDS 0.8900 LR Warrant

12.88

5.95

Alterra Capital Italpinas Xurpas

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

1047 84.8

23,430.00

-449,444.00 13,740.00 -10,709,240.00 -165,166,355.00 -3,897,430.00

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

64,537,416

INDUSTRIAL

152,560,681

14,046,313.50

HOLDING FIRMS

177,268,823

-514,500.00 -17,300,210.00

PROPERTY

263,362,059

SERVICES

277,398,816

-47,927,520.00

MINING & OIL

386,843,941

GRAND TOTAL

1,324,714,696

49.05 104 118 531 6.08 1.03 108 1060 1140 1019 81.05 79.4 78 78.2

Low

0.410 0.405 3.28 3.25 32.00 31.35 1.7 1.68 3.3 3.26 29.85 28.25 0.97 0.95 1.030 1.010 5.990 5.890 SERVICES 7.25 7.19 50 49.5 0.600 0.580 5.7 5.7 5.85 5.55 0.1020 0.0950 4.05 3.75 120 117.6 9.9 9.6 5.35 5.16 960 945 2078 1970 6.35 6.30 15.60 14.80 20.45 20.40 1.95 1.82 87.1 83 22.45 21.00 160 156 0.0090 0.0089 9.30 9.25 0.295 0.290 1.4400 1.4000 3.93 3.77 12.5 12.5 4.80 4.48 2.19 2.17 1.03 1.02 2.35 2.30 21.50 21.50 0.570 0.570 1.99 1.99 3.94 3.8 5.35 5.26 3.920 3.720 11.34 11.32 5.95 5.85 140.00 139.60 7.60 6.00 1835.00 1795.00 0.430 0.420 0.950 0.880 45.50 44.85 84.00 80.90 6.38 6.28 3.25 3.22 0.620 0.600 1.95 1.94 3.5 3.46 0.335 0.330 6.280 6.150 MINING & OIL 0.0041 0.0040 3.01 2.95 3.95 3.90 0.211 0.210 2.35 2.25 2.3000 2.1500 0.57 0.54 0.425 0.420 8.80 8.31 0.870 0.840 0.280 0.270 0.210 0.205 0.0120 0.0120 1.75 1.65 6.95 6.23 2.92 2.88 0.5100 0.5100 1.0300 1.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 0.0110 4.03 4.01 8.69 8.50 3.48 3.30 0.0120 0.0120 112.80 110.90 3.41 3.25 0.0110 0.0100 PREFERRED 50.2 49.05 104.5 104 118 118 535 535 6.09 6.07 1.03 1.03 109 109 1060 1060 1160 1160 1020 1020 81.05 81 80 79.95 78 77.85 78.5 78.2

2.800 2.600 SME 4.43 4.21 5.22 4.9 16.1 15.62 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 128.7 128.8 127.5

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.405 3.25 31.90 1.68 3.3 29.85 0.96 1.010 5.950

-1.22 0.00 0.00 -1.18 1.54 2.93 0.00 -1.94 0.00

30,000 949,000 3,166,400 61,000 11,000 20,381,300 1,388,000 146,000 7,214,000

7.23 49.5 0.590 5.7 5.58 0.0950 3.78 118.5 9.6 5.20 960 1970 6.31 15.60 20.40 1.83 84 21.00 156 0.0090 9.25 0.290 1.4200 3.91 12.5 4.50 2.18 1.02 2.30 21.50 0.570 1.99 3.8 5.35 3.840 11.32 5.85 140.00 6.00 1826.00 0.425 0.880 44.90 84.00 6.30 3.23 0.610 1.95 3.47 0.330 6.280

-0.55 -0.90 0.00 3.64 -4.62 -3.06 1.07 0.00 -3.03 0.00 1.69 -2.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 -4.69 -1.29 -0.94 -0.13 0.00 -0.54 0.00 -1.39 5.68 -2.95 -2.81 0.46 -0.97 -3.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.55 -0.19 4.63 -0.35 -2.34 1.82 -18.37 0.33 1.19 -6.38 -0.22 2.56 0.32 0.31 -1.61 5.98 -0.29 -1.49 -0.95

77,000 72,900 1,681,000 30,000 20,224,700 89,960,000 32,159,000 870,290 2,100 202,700 1,520 154,425 221,700 391,200 1,500 4,315,000 2,904,720 152,400 100 30,000,000 1,543,100 7,200,000 678,000 498,000 700 2,440,000 986,000 6,000 111,000 7,200 11,000 21,000 3,767,000 3,358,500 8,219,000 9,500 167,300 6,500 6,744,300 222,935 2,860,000 45,587,000 1,029,700 286,110 239,500 509,000 1,365,000 3,000 2,416,000 300,000 600

0.0040 2.97 3.90 0.210 2.2800 2.3000 0.57 0.420 8.50 0.840 0.280 0.206 0.0120 1.66 6.23 2.9 0.5100 1.0100 0.0110 0.0110 4.03 8.65 3.36 0.0120 110.90 3.3 0.0110

0.00 -0.34 0.52 -0.94 -2.98 -6.12 1.79 1.20 -3.41 -1.18 0.00 -1.90 0.00 -0.60 -7.29 -1.36 0.00 -0.98 0.00 -8.33 -0.49 0.58 -3.17 0.00 -1.16 -3.23 0.00

245,000,000 428,000 16,000 380,000 79,000 10,000 1,465,000 510,000 30,000 14,263,000 460,000 4,880,000 700,000 1,129,000 17,300,300 135,000 51,000 162,000 38,100,000 12,900,000 33,000 1,121,400 2,435,000 16,300,000 543,060 474,000 27,900,000

50.2 104.1 118 535 6.07 1.03 109 1060 1160 1020 81 80 77.85 78.2

2.34 0.10 0.00 0.75 -0.16 0.00 0.93 0.00 1.75 0.10 -0.06 0.76 -0.19 0.00

74,600 18,420 3,500 870 168,200 2,050,000 6,080 2,000 150 500 30,000 187,050 774,030 13,590

646,720.00 22,310,135.00 -68,709,930.00 -28,989,651.00 -255,784.00

-4,639,286.00 -67,800.00 1,166,470.00 2,387,156.00 364,100.00 -163,989,260.00

-1,880.00 -43,340,227.00

-2,859,310

-1,141,950.00 5,341,067.00 1,142,110.00 422,796.00 519,830.00 54,452,350.00 -13,308,300.00 -8,983,685.00 -9,153,079.50 19,320.00 -1,136,770.00

32,000.00 -7,850.00

67,200.00 -1,057,830.00

522,851.00

-3,819,111.00 -221,220.00 1,498,896.00 26,460.00 2,590,620.00

-1,022,215.00 -51,500.00

-2,430,835

2.660

2.670

0.38

1,072,000

-27,000.00

4.4 5.06 15.88

4.22 5.09 16.1

-4.09 0.59 1.39

1,507,000 629,400 571,500

141,250.00 56,942.00 3,623,056.00

127.8

-0.70

30,960

12,780.00

VALUE 1,812.55 (up) 1.92 3,735,409,205.88 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,925.06 (down) 25.99 2,520,199,201.02 HOLDING FIRMS 7,682.57 (down) 28.04 3,183,358,059.43 PROPERTY 3,545.0 1(up) 36.59 1,571.00 (down) 9.80 1,884,455,888.08 SERVICES MINING & OIL 10,611.15 (down) 155.96 1,614,143,414.78 PSEI 7,787.37 (down) 7.56 213,993,018.078 All Shares Index 4,633.88 (down) 2.34 13,174,303,209.27 Gainers: 82; Losers: 100; Unchanged: 52; Total: 234

MNTC to invest P1.1b in toll roads

By Darwin G. Amojelar MANILA North Tollways Corp. said Wednesday it budgeted P1.14 billion to expand major toll plazas at North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

The toll road operator said it would spend P232 million to expand the Bocaue toll barrier by constructing eight more lanes, from the current 25 toll lanes to 33 toll lanes.

The Bocaue toll plaza at the southbound portion is set to open next month, which will accommodate over 50,000 motorists a day.

The Balintawak toll barrier will also be expanded from the existing 16 lanes to 23 lanes at a budget of P176 million.

“We are doing these projects to minimize queuing at the toll plazas especially during peak hours, aside from assuring our motorists to continue experiencing speedy toll transactions at the NLEx-SCTEx,” said MNTC president Rodrigo Franco.

MNTC also said three new lanes in a fishbone scheme would be constructed at NLEx Mindanao Ave. amounting to P32 million.

The Mindanao toll plaza, which opened in 2010, has been a useful alternative entry to NLEx from Quezon City.

The Mabiga Interchange, on the other hand, will have two new toll plazas with two toll lanes each, amounting to P75 million. Two lanes will also be added to the SubicTipo toll barrier which will cost P70 million.

Audiowav prepares P2.66-b offering

By Jenniffer B. Austria TECHNOLOGY company Audiowav Media Inc. said it plans to raise up to P2.66 billion from an initial public offering in November.

Audioway said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission it would sell up to 900 million primary common shares at an offer price of P1.77 to P2.96 per share.

The offer shares will represent 23 percent of the company’s total authorized capital stock after the IPO. The company tapped SB Capital as the sole issue manager and book runner for the deal.

It said at least 30 percent of the offer shares would be offered to trading participants while the remaining 70 percent would be distributed

by SB Capital to respective clients.

Audiowav said it aimed to use majority of the proceeds from the IPO to fund expansion in the evolving markets in Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

Offer period will be from Nov. 7 to 11 while listing date was tentatively set on Nov. 21.

Formed in 2003 by businessman Carlos Hinolan, Audiowav is a technology firm that has developed its own proprietary platform consisting of internally-developed software programs and hardware devices designed to enable businesses to create their own customized branding environment.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Govt to limit seniors’ perks

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Duterte administration will limit the incentives enjoyed by senior citizens such as the value added tax exemptions in restaurants under the proposed tax reform program, the Finance Department said Wednesday.

Finance Department spokesman Paola Alvarez said, however, the proposed tax reform program would retain the 20-percent discount and value-added tax

exemption on medicine and raw food purchases of senior citizens.

Alvarez said in a statement the proposed tax reform program presented by Malacañang’s eco-

Bangladesh diplomat degrading Filipinos BANGLADESH Ambassador to the Philippines Maj. Gen. John Gomes often finds himself either near the center of a controversy or the main subject of dispute.

Mr. Gomes is the same diplomat who has been pestering local authorities over the recovery of $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of the south Asian country. He has publicly demanded the return of the money that used to form part of Bangladesh Bank’s foreign reserves, after a cyber heist that rocked the Philippine banking system in February this year.

But Mr. Gomes faces a bigger worry in the Philippines after an embassy staff sued him for illegal dismissal and requested thenPresident Beningno Aquino III to treat him persona non grata for insulting and degrading Filipinos.

Alona Contridas has worked for Bangladesh Embassy for 17 years as a messenger until her services were terminated in 2014.

Ms. Contridas sued the embassy before the Department of Labor and Employment, saying her dismissal violated the labor law.

She also wrote then foreign affairs secretary Alberto del Rosario on March 18, 2014 detailing her travails while employed with the embassy, with most of her complaint incorporated in the legal case she filed with the National Labor Relations Commission in 2014.

Ms. Contridas lodged the case with the Labor Department since the embassy enjoys no immunity from labor suit. She denied the charges of negligence of duty and her violation of embassy policies.

Ms. Contridas as the embassy messenger was made to perform other duties. Mr. Gomes asked her to “dishwash and cook, plus do other janitorial works” in the embassy. She was asked to perform other jobs because the cleaner or utility worker of the embassy works at the envoy’s residence.

“The truth of the matter is that the present Ambassador subjects her and other Filipino staff to repeated harassments. The Ambassador hates Filipino citizens,” Contridas’ complaint said.

“The Ambasaddor has been repeatedly telling the staff of the embassy that they should not believe Filipinos because 50% of Filipinos are prostitutes and they are called entertainment... that tourism in the Philippines increases due to sex entertainment... [and] that Filipinos are thief...,” her complaint stated.

“As to her, whenever [Contridas] commits trivial mistakes, the ambassador yells at her and he makes the trivial mistakes a big issue. He tells her that she ought to resign before he dismisses her from service since she is already old for her job and he can immedately replace her with a young one who can clean the whole embassy...,” the complaint said.

“The ambassador has been repeatedly uttering unpleasant and degrading words against her like ‘stupid lady’ [and] ‘dirty woman’ even in the presence of his visitors or guests in the embassy, to her humiliation.”

Ms. Contridas has reported other “anomalies” in the embassy.

She recalled a certain Maria Angela Larobis, who was employed by the embassy as a cleaner from Feb. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013.

Larobis, however, did not work in the embassy but in the residence of Mr. Gomes as his personal cook, house cleaner and dishwasher without knowing that her salary came from the money of the Bangladesh Embassy.

“Worse [she] receives a salary of P15,000 but Ambassador Gomes gives Maria Angela Larobis only P12,000 per month...,” the complaint alleged.

Aborted investigation Mr. Gomes, meanwhile, should urge his central bank to resume its aborted investigation into the $81-million cyber heist, instead of just pressing the Philippine Senate to re-open its inquiry.

“They stopped their investigation and then their ambassador here, John Gomes, started claiming it was an outside job. But their finance minister said it was an inside job,” said Thea Daep, RCBC external legal counsel.

Daep questioned BB’s decision not to investigate and renew the contract of a US-based investigating company.

“Why don’t they want to know the truth? Before they ask for help from the Philippine government, it is incumbent upon them to submit a full report to the Philippine government, detailing what happened in Bangladesh,” she said.

She recounted the ordeal of a Bangladeshi expert who pointed out the weaknesses of BB after the heist. The expert suddenly disappeared and was found days later in a daze and apparently mentally challenged.

“Around March, the finance minister of Bangladesh told media he was sure it was an inside job, and the Bank of Bangladesh Governor and two deputies resigned shortly thereafter. To us, these are clear indications of guilt and negligence,” Daep added.

The Philippine banking heist was not the first for Bangladesh.

A Dhaka-based journalist wrote in the New York Times on April 11, 2016 that the cyber scam at the Federal Reserve “pales in comparison with the routine plunder of Bangladesh’s financial system, including by some of its purported guardians.”

“Part of the explanation for this is poor governance by the banks’ boards, but the main culprit is the country’s culture of patronage,” wrote Joseph Allchin.

“Some $565 million in asssets are said to have been looted from the state-owned BASIC Bank between 2009 and 2012, yet the scam’s suspected mastermind, a former chairman of the bank, wasn’t troubled by the anticorruption commission investigating the fraud, reportedly thanks to his political connections. Banking in Bangladesh is beholden to the politicians,” he said.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail. com or business@thestandard.com.ph

nomic team to Congress last week aimed to raise enough revenues to fund targeted subsidies for the poorest of the poor.

Alvarez said in lieu of the VAT exemptions to be taken out from other sectors as a part of the proposed comprehensive tax reform program, the government would put in place direct subsidy programs for the benefit of the needy and other vulnerable sectors.

“But the VAT exemption granted to seniors when dining in restaurants, would have to be lifted,” Alvarez said, “because such

discounts are usually availed of by affluent senior citizens who can well afford anyway to do away with this privilege.”

She said to better utilize VAT collections, the amount the government would collect from the lifting of VAT exemptions on restaurant dining enjoyed by seniors would be allocated for a fund to provide targeted subsidies to the poor, including indigent senior citizens.

“To clarify our proposal, only the VAT exemptions in restaurants would be removed. The money the government collects

from the lifting of the VAT exemptions for senior citizens in restaurants will be used instead to help other senior citizens who badly need the subsidy” she said.

Alvarez said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III made it clear that VAT exemptions on food in its raw form, medicine and education would not be removed because these three essentials were what the poor needed the most.

“The Duterte administration’s tax reform plan does not end with personal and corporate in-

come tax cuts. It also includes revenue-generating measures not only to offset the collections lost from the tax reductions, but also to raise funds for higher spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection initiatives,” Alvarez said.

She said the additional revenues would help bridge the chronic income gap between Metro Manila and the other regions, which was a way to cut poverty rate from the current 26 percent to 17 percent by the time President Duterte steps down in 2022.

VENTURA’S EXHIBIT. Ventura

Foods, a leading manufacturer of custom and branded oil, shortening, margarine, mayonnaise, sauce and dressing in the United States, holds an exhibit during the World Food Expoat the World Trade Center Manila. Shown cutting the ribbon during the opening of Wofex 2016 are (from left) Ventura Foods sales and marketing director for export division Anton de los Santos, Oleo Fats Inc. managing director Vincent Lao, International Ventura Foods president Yann Kervoern, director of international operations for AsiaPacific Glenn Lobo, sales director for AsiaPacific Baven Chin and director for sales and marketing at local division Francis Tan.

PH climbs 9 spots in global innovation index

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippines climbed nine places to rank as the 74th most innovative country among 128 economies in 2016, according to the 2016 Global Innovation Index report.

The Philippines received a score of 31.83 this year, up from 31.05 in 2015, when it ranked 83rd in the list.

Switzerland topped the global ranking with a score of 66.28, while Yemen was at the bottom of the list with a score of 14.55.

The Trade Department said the report, jointly released by World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell University and Insead ranked 128 economies in terms of their global innovation index based on 82 indicators.

This 9th edition of the GII

explored impacts of innovationoriented policies on economic growth and development reflected through strategies employed by both high-income and developing countries. Top countries with highest GII include Switzerland, Sweden, UK, the United States, Finland and Singapore.

“We are happy to know that through this GII survey, we know how our country has improved and how Filipinos can achieve the innovation economy that we all aspire for. This would push us to extend more efforts in making innovation as a mindset for every Filipino,” said Trade Industry promotion group undersecretary Nora Terrado.

The GII 2016’s report dubbed as “Winning Global Innovation” discussed the growing importance of innovation among

countries today in achieving future economic growth and the sharing of knowledge crossborder through global innovation networks.

Among the indicators used in ranking economies include systems that go beyond the traditional measures of innovation such as the level of research and development that can be applied for both developed and emerging economies.

The Philippines’ biggest gain is seen in human capital and research, where the Philippines ranked 95th from 123rd in 2015.

It measured the quality of the country’s education with its research and development.

“Innovation encompasses intensified research and development activities among universities and we hope to tap higher educational

institutions with the help of other agencies like the Department of Science and Technology,” said Terrado.

Terrado also highlighted the collaboration of the department and the private sector in advancing the Startup Ecosystem Development Program which will help enhance the climate for startup businesses, increase the success rate of Filipino innovative enterprises in introducing their products and services in the local and international markets.

The country advanced in six other GII indicators: institution (88th from 102nd), infrastructure (72nd from 83rd), market sophistication (94th from 101st), business sophistication (74th from 81st), knowledge and technology outputs (44th from 53rd), and creative outputs (96th from 101st).

Nation not in crisis in mid-2016 WHEN can a nation be said to be “in crisis”?

What are the objective criteria for a judgment that a nation is “in crisis”?

These and related questions bear asking because since June 30, when he assumed the Presidency of this country, Rodrigo Duterte has been telling the Filipino people (1) that the country is “in crisis” and (2) that there is therefore a need for the fierce war on drugs that his administration is waging. The critical state of the nation can be seen, Mr. Duterte has repeatedly said, in the approximately 2,000 individuals who had been killed as a result of allegedly legitimate police operations – the great majority of whom apparently resisted arrest (“nanlaban”) – alleged vigilante activity and police investigations and the nearly 700,000 alleged drug pushers and users who have “surrendered” to the Philippine National Police. The national state of affairs is very bad, Mr. Duterte has declared, and only a campaign such as his administration has been waging, will suffice to cope with the situation.

There can be no doubt that over the years the drug problem – the production, importation, use and distribution of drugs – has been a growing problem and that by the start of the 2016 electoral season the problem had attained alarming proportions. Anyone who failed to see that this country had a very serious drug problem had to be either indifferent or totally out of touch with contemporary reality.

But an “in crisis” situation? That does not square with the states of affairs in other sectors of Philippine society in mid-2016. Certainly not with the state of affairs in the economy.

Two of the members of the Duterte administration’s economic management team – Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez III and Neda (National Economic and Development Authority) director-general Ernesto Pernia – have publicly commended the administration of President Benigno Aquino III for its management of the economy. Dominguez has said that the Aquino administration left

the government’s finances in good condition and Pernia has conceded that the preceding administration generally pursued sound economic and social policies. These policies included the well-received 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), which each of the Presidential candidates, including Rodrigo Duterte, promised to enhance, if elected.

Annual-report time for the nation’s businesses coincided with the final stretch of the electoral campaign, and all but a handful of the reporting businesses reported profitable —in some cases much more profitable— operations in 2015. Reflecting these results, the domestic stock market moved higher, with the market index figure hitting the 8,000 mark again at one point.

Before the Aquino administration, noninclusiveness was not a feature of the growth and development of the Philippine economy, and the quarter immediately preceding the 2016 election, when the gross domestic product grew 6.9 percent—the second fastest growth rate in Asia—was no exception. Despite the showing by a domestic survey institution that an uncomfortably high percentage of Filipino families self-rated themselves as poor, there was, at the time of the election, no popular movement that could be described as indicative of an impending social disturbance. Not when every month overseas Filipino workers were sending home to their relatives more than $2 billion.

Political divisiveness reared its ugly head once more as the election progressed, but the overall political situation – including the conduct of the electoral campaign – could be said to be attended by civility and order.

Defections were revealed as certificates of candidacy were filed, but the Congressional coalition that had been supportive of the Aquino administration held firm.

The insurgencies that had long plagued national peace and order—the communists, the Moro separatists and the Abu Sayyaf—

continued to stage sporadic disturbances, accompanied by the usual demands for ransom money, but on the whole the nation was in a state of peace.

During the campaign none of the presidential candidates—including Rodrigo Duterte— spoke of the Philippines’ external situation in terms of actual or impending crisis. None of them spoke of this country, in their campaign utterances, as having become a prime target of international terrorism. Outside of the continuing West Philippine Sea problem with China, none of the candidates—again including Mr. Duterte—used the word “crisis” in their public discussions of this country’s relations with the world.

A social fabric that is defective—because of a long-standing divide between wealth and poverty and a current shortage of developmental inclusiveness—but essentially stable. An economy that has been generating comparatively high GDP growth rates. A domestic political framework that is far from ideal but is providing a working system for policymaking. And an external-relations situation that is characterized by peace and mutual respect. These were the features of the Filipino nation at the time that its electorate went to the polls on May 9.

To repeat, this country indubitably had a serious – a very serious – illegal drug problem at the time that Rodrigo Duterte began to warm his seat in Malacañang. But a nation “in crisis”-a crisis that required the harsh measures that he and his top police lieutenants have been employing since June 30? I, and probably most of the 34 million Filipinos who did not vote for Mr. Duterte, don’t think so.

Let the illegal drug problem be resolutely addressed by all means, but let there be no talk of a “crisis” and all the kinds of government actions that necessarily go with addressing a crisis.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Business

Hanjin seeks court rehab S

EOUL—Hanjin Shipping Co., South Korea’s biggest container shipping line, decided to apply for court receivership after lenders halted all support. Shares of Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. surged after the financial regulator said the rival may consider buying parts of the company in distress.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission said in a statement Wednesday that Hyundai Merchant may consider taking over some of Hanjin Shipping’s assets, including vessels, network and staff. Hyundai Merchant said it will work with authorities to come up with measures without elaborating.

Hanjin is among shipping lines grappling with a slump in global trade since the 2008 financial crisis and the slowest pace of economic growth in China in a quarter century. The industry worldwide has been forced to sell assets, cut jobs and idle some operations to bolster finances as the slowdown coupled with overcapacity eroded freight rates. The board of Hanjin voted unanimously to file for court receivership at a meeting in Seoul Wednesday, a spokesman said.

“It means one less competitor but it really won’t change the fundamental problem the industry is facing,” said Park Moo Hyun, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment Co. in Seoul. “There will still be the same number of ships. What

we really need is a way to cut down on capacity.”

Shares of Hyundai Merchant jumped as much as 28 percent to 9,520 won in Seoul, set for the biggest gain in more than two months. The company has a market value of about $1.6 billion. Hanjin’s 5.9 percent June 2017 local-currency notes fell to a record-low 27.3 percent of face value on Aug. 30, Korea Exchange prices show.

Hyundai Merchant, the nation’s second-biggest container line, is in the midst of a creditor-led debt restructuring program.

Unlike Hanjin Shipping, it has managed to obtain financial help after meeting all requirements for funds. The state-run Korea

Development Bank is now the biggest shareholder of Hyundai Merchant after swapping debt for equity. KDB owns about 14 percent of the company, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The restructuring proposals submitted by Hanjin Shipping weren’t enough to address a cash shortage, main lender Korea Development Bank said Tuesday, dealing a blow to the revival efforts by a firm that’s been trying to reschedule debt under a voluntary creditor-led program since May. The decision will have limited impact on the country’s financial industry, the financial regulator said. There could be some impact on ports and

the shipping industry and the government has set up a task force to ensure there are no delays to cargo flow, the agency said. South Korea’s Busan is the world’s sixthbusiest container port.

Hanjin Shipping is part of Hanjin Group, which also owns Korean Air Lines Co., the world’s third-largest cargo airline. Korean Air loaned funds to Hanjin Shipping and bought shares in the container line in 2014 to become the biggest shareholder with 33 percent. The group, which also counts airport services, logistics and mineral water among its businesses, is headed

by Chairman Cho Yang Ho. AFP

Canada moves to join China-backed infra bank BEIJING—Canada will apply to join the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Ottawa’s finance department said Wednesday, in a coup for Beijing after Washington had tried to dissuade US allies from signing up.

“Canada is always looking for ways to create hope and opportunity for our middle class as well as for people around the world,” Finance Minister Bill Morneau said in a statement issued in Beijing.

“Membership in the AIIB is an opportunity to do just that.”

The Beijing-headquartered multilateral lender, which began operations earlier this year, has been seen by some as a rival to the World Bank and the Philippinesbased Asian Development Bank, which was founded in 1966.

The $100-billion AIIB counts

several major European countries among its shareholders after they joined up despite Washington’s objections.

Critics feared the bank would set much lower standards for projects and undermine principles of social, environmental and economic sustainability adhered to by the World Bank and other multilateral development finance institutions.

AIIB president Jin Liqun welcomed Canada’s decision, which he said “shows its confidence in the strong foundations the bank has built in our first few months.”

The United States, and Japan— the world’s largest and third-largest economies, respectively—have notably declined to join the AIIB. Canada’s announcement came during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China, where

he met Prime Minister Li Keqiang to try to strengthen ties before the G20 summit this weekend in Hangzhou.

China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the United States, with exchanges topping Can$85 billion ($66.5 billion) last year.

The relationship has been strained recently by Chinese plans to impose new rules on canola imports, which could risk Can$2 billion ($1.5 billion) a year of Canadian oilseed sales to the Asian giant.

They were due to come into force on Thursday, but Premier Li said Wednesday that the existing rules would continue to apply while the two countries negotiate a long-term agreement.

In June China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi berated a Canadian

journalist while visiting Ottawa for questioning Beijing’s human rights record, saying her question was “full of prejudice and arrogance” and that she had “no right to speak.”

The incident provoked a public outcry and led Canada to lodge a formal complaint with Beijing.

The 2014 detention on espionage charges of Canadian citizen Kevin Garratt, who had run a Christian-themed coffee shop near the North Korean border, has also raised tensions.

At the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, Trudeau said he had “highlighted” Garratt’s case in meetings with Chinese leaders but stressed that the goal of the visit was to establish a “strong, stable relationship and ongoing dialogue” with China. AFP

Transfer of Tsukiji fish mart deferred TOKYO―Plans to move Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market―the world’s largest― were put on ice Wednesday over fears about toxic contamination at the new facility, as the cost of the move soars.

The megacity’s new governor, Yuriko Koike, said she would postpone the move set for November until at least early next year, as she awaits final groundwater testing results at the new site, a former gas plant.

Plans to uproot the more than 80-year-old market, a popular tourist attraction, have been in the works for years, with advocates citing the need for upgraded technology.

But Koike, a former TV anchorwoman elected last month as the Japanese capital’s first female governor, had pledged to reconsider the plan.

“Needless to say, it is a market that handles fresh food,” Koike told a press conference as she announced the delay.

“The Tokyo metropolitan government, which chiefly runs the market, is responsible for telling the world: ‘It’s safe.’”

Critics of the move cite contaminated soil found at the former gas production site. AFP

Japan’s industrial output flat in July TOKYO―Japan’s factory output stagnated in July from the previous month, data showed on Wednesday in a further blow to the world’s third-largest economy.

The lackluster result came after a series of disappointing data, which raised a red flag for an economy that stalled in the second quarter.

A drop in household spending, weak exports, and disappointing inflation figures have dealt a blow to Japan’s war on deflation, which will heap fresh pressure on the Bank of Japan to unleash another wave of growth-boosting stimulus.

Industrial production showed no growth in July, according to the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, after an expansion of 2.3 percent in June.

The July result was worse than a forecast of a 0.8 percent expansion in a survey of economists by Bloomberg News.

Shipments, meanwhile, increased 0.9 percent, the ministry said, a slower pace than the 1.7 percent expansion recorded the previous month.

Japan registered zero growth in the April-June quarter, as weak demand overseas and a fall in business spending dented activity.

Those worse-than-expected figures aggravated doubts among many economists as they increasingly write off Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to fire up growth, dubbed Abenomics.

His plan―a mix of massive monetary easing, government spending and red-tape slashing―initially brought the yen down from record highs, setting off a stock market rally and boosting corporate profits.

But it has stumbled more than three years after it was unveiled, and Japan’s major exporters have seen their bottom line dented by the sharp reversal in the currency.

A strong yen makes them less competitive overseas and shrinks the value of repatriated profits.

Many of the county’s best-known firms, including Sony and Toyota, reported lower profits in the three months to June owing to the currency’s rally.

Wild volatility on global financial markets and Britain’s shock decision to leave the EU stoked demand for the yen, which is seen as a safe investment in times of turmoil.

Japanese officials have repeatedly hinted at a possible market intervention to tame the currency, but it has had little effect. AFP

US-Cuba commercial flights take off

This file photo taken on January 19, 2015 shows travelers with goods checking in at Miami International Airport before boarding a charter flight to Havana, Cuba, January 19, 2015 in Miami, Florida. AFP

FORT LAUDERDALE—Cuba and the United States open their newest chapter in relations on Wednesday with the first regular commercial flight from America to the communist-ruled island in more than 50 years.

JetBlue Flight 386 is set to take off from Fort Lauderdale in southeastern Florida at 9:45 am (1345 GMT) with 150 passengers on board. After an hourlong flight, it will land in central Cuba’s Santa Clara, 175 miles (280 kilometers) east of Havana.

“It’s a new day for Cuba travelers and one we have thoughtfully prepared for. We are proud to usher in a new era of Cuba travel with affordable fares and great service,” JetBlue’s executive vice president Marty St. George said.

The last regular commercial flight between the two countries took place in 1961, when air links fell victim to the Cold War. US Transportation Secretary

Anthony Foxx is also set to travel to Cuba this week to meet with local officials, Cuba’s ministry of transportation said.

Washington and Havana agreed in February to restore direct commercial flights―part of the watershed changes initiated in December 2014, when US President Barack Obama and Cuba’s Raul Castro announced a thaw after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility.

Diplomatic relations were restored in July 2015.

Wednesday’s JetBlue flight will be flown by Captain Mark Luaces and First Officer Francisco Barreras, both Americans of Cuban descent, the airline said.

The plane will be sent off with a water cannon salute, an aviation tradition in which aircraft pass under arcs of water before flying to their destinations for the first time.

Air travel between the United States and Cuba has been restrict-

ed to charter flights since 1979.

Wednesday’s scheduled journey will kick off a new flight schedule that includes 110 daily trips, with 90 already authorized by both governments to nine Cuban airports, many of them in or near tourism hotspots.

Twenty daily routes to Havana are pending.

Washington still bans Americans from visiting Cuba as tourists, but travel is permitted for 12 other categories, including cultural and educational exchange.

The renewed links are a “milestone” in relations between the United States and Cuba, Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, said.

Regular flights “will allow more fluid movement of people, goods, information and ideas between two places that are very close geographically but distant politically,” he said. AFP

LGUs

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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HUSH. Daylight transforms this almost suburban night scene to bustling Perea Street in Makati, as offices and eateries open and pedestrian and vehicular traffic begins. Nickie Wang

DRR policy research pushed T

HE second Mindanao Policy Research Forum will open the Development Policy Research Month celebration in September.

A policy forum on “Nurturing Resilient Communities in Mindanao towards Sustainable Development” will be hosted

by Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Mindanao Development Au-

thority and Father Saturnino Urios University at the FSUU in Butuan City today.

A lunchtime press conference on the same day will discuss the DPRM 2016 theme of “Investing in Risk Reduction

for a Resilient Philippines.”

Undersecretary Janet Lopez, executive director of MinDA, will tackle “Fostering Partnerships with Academic and Research Groups for Mindanao’s Sustainable Development.”

PIDS Senior Research Fellows Dr. Celia Reyes will discuss the massive study evaluating the design, implementation and impact of the crop insurance programs being delivered

by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

Dr. Danilo Israel will reveal the results of the impact evaluation of the National Greening Program and will reveal whether or not it has effectively achieved its objectives.

In the afternoon, FSUU will present its disaster reduction and risk management initiatives.

Resource persons from Caraga Sate University will present their

study on the Comprehensive Land Administration and Information Management System.

The presentations will be followed by a broad lineup of discussants, which includes people from different sectors—private, government and civil society.

The PIDS’ Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines team will talk about the open access agenda. SERP-P coordinator Mark Vincent Aranas will

DA gives motor boats to fishers

Manila gets P17.7-m garbage-truck fleet

By Sandy Araneta MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has acquired a fleet of garbage trucks worth P17.7 million.

Estrada said he intends to modernize the Department of Public Services (DPS) as well as all other departments of the city hall.

“DPS [Department of Public Services] has been using old, dilapidated trucks that have been acquired in the 1980’s, and keeping them serviceable has proven to be difficult and costly,” he said.

Each with a load capacity of five cubic meters, all six diesel heavy-duty Isuzu trucks are equipped with hydraulic hoists.

Each costs P2.96 million.

DPS chief Belle Borromeo has received four of the six new trucks.

Borromeo said they have been using seven old and rusty dump trucks, only five of which remain in good condition.

Meanwhile, Estrada on Monday threw his support for the plan of the Philippine Ports Authority to revive the Pasig River ferry service, which he said would make Manila more accessible to commuters and traders.

The mayor met with PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago who offered to put up ferry terminals in busy areas in Manila, including Quinta Market on Carlos Palanca Street near the Pasig River in Quiapo whose P90-million renovation will be completed soon.

By Romeo Dizon

MAKING WAVES. Alexandra Cousteau, senior adviser to conservation group Oceana, is calling for an end to illegal fishing and promoting sustainable fisheries management in the country.

BAI, QC provide free anti-rabies vaccinations THE Quezon City Veterinary Office and the Bureau of Animal Industry have launched a citywide dog vaccination drive targeting its 300,000 dog population to make the city rabies-free.

City veterinarian Dr. Ana Maria Cabel said Quezon City has been consistently in the top five

cities with increasing cases of animal bites for the past few years.

The city’s second district, which is composed of Barangays Payatas, Holy Spirit, Bagong Silangan, Batasan Hills and Commonwealth, is the pilot area for the citywide vaccination program, which shall also cover do-

show how to use the knowledge resources in the SERP-P. The DPRM has been celebrated across the country every September since 2003 in view of Malacañang Proclamation 247 to promote policy research in the formulation of sound development plans, programs and policies. The proclamation designated state think tank PIDS as the lead government agency in the yearly observance.

mesticated cats.

Aside from the vaccination drive, a mass registration of dogs and cats will also be undertaken in the city’s 142 barangays.

The city government spends at least P3 million annually for the purchase of rabies vaccines.

At least 5,000 vials can be pur-

chased with the amount with one vial enough for five dogs.

“Quezon City is one of few local government units purchasing its own supply of rabies vaccines,” said Cabel.

The veterinary office recorded at least 25 animal rabies cases in 2015 and 17 cases in the first six

months of 2016.

While it is keeping a tight watch on rabies cases, it is also looking into a reported increase in the number of rabies cases in areas that are near the city boundaries such as Marikina, Manila and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

SAN FERNANDO—The harassed fisher folk of Masinloc can now continue fishing even outside the 15 kilometers of municipal water along the shore of Zambales or evade the Chinese patrol boats in the Scarborough Shoal with their new 100 powerful 30-foot motorized fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats given by the government recently.

The boats worth almost P8 million were turned over by the Department of Agriculture officials to the 200 registered fisher folk of Masinloc, Zambales.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who led the distribution of the boats witnessed by local officials in the area, said that each unit can be shared by group of fishermen.

The donation aimed to give the fishermen of Masinloc cost effective boats to boost their livelihood and their safety at sea and at the same time replicate the technology for mass production.

Top citizens honored on Baguio Day

GROUNDBREAKING. Eugenio Ynion, the chairman of Barangay San Antonio in San Pedro City, leads the groundbreaking of the new face of the firing range of the Laguna Police Provincial Office headed by officer in charge Sr. Supt. Joel Pernito. Roy Tomandao

THE 107th Baguio City Charter Anniversary today (Sept. 1) will be highlighted by the recognition of the five Outstanding Citizens of Baguio chosen by the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio (SOCOB) headed by Dr. Priscilla Macansantos.

This year’s Outstanding Citizens Awardees are lawyer Augustin Laban III and Dr. John Tinoyan for public service; lawyer Richard Stone Pooten for business; architect Gloria Vergara for community development; and Melanie Rulla-Saro for professional service.

This year’s celebration which

will commence with a program at 8 a.m. at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC) will carry the theme, “Fostering Meaningful Change through Synergy and Cooperation.”

The local government officials led by Baguio Rep. Marquez Go, Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Vice Mayor Edison Bilog will deliver their respective messages.

The observation of the 22nd National Crime Prevention Week will also be launched during the Baguio Day program with the theme, “Hawak Kamay Tungo sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran.”

The traditional parade will follow after the program which will feature a diorama depicting the city’s multi-cultural society.

The diorama will feature the different Cordillera tribal communities in Baguio City including the ethnic groups from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Foreign nationals from Japan, China, Korea and the Middle East will also participate in their colorful cultural and traditional garb.

The finalists in the search for Miss Baguio 2016 will also join the parade along the main thoroughfares of the city and will be

joined by the delegates from the business sector; barangay officials; school representatives and civic organizations.

Road activities will include mini-concerts, a zumba party, arts and culture exhibits, chalk art painting, dance battle and cosplay competition.

Session Road will also be a venue for a Pokemon Go lure party and contests where Pokestops will be arranged.

Sidewalk cafés will also be set up by the business establishments for promenaders.

A fireworks display will be staged at 7 p.m. on September 1.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

LGUs

Davao joins PH travel mart

By Funny Pearl A. Gajunera

D

AVAO CITY—Davao City is set to participate in one of the major tourism expos in the country, the Philippine Travel Mart early next month.

City Tourism Operations Of- to offer tourists at the PTM slatfice Chief Generose Tecson said ed September 2-4. the local government will proTecson said they will also mote everything that Davao has highlight Kadayawan sa Dabaw,

which is dubbed as the ‘Festival of Festivals’ to encourage tourists and prospective visitors to prepare for the 32nd Kadayawan celebration next year.

She said they have invited personalities from the private sector to join the city government in the biggest travel trade exhibition that gathers tourism players from all over the country.

Now on its 27th year, PTM will be held on Seashell Lane, Mall of

Asia Complex in Pasay City.

“Davao City will have its own pavilion and will be setting up a booth at the event,” she added.

Meanwhile, the CTOO is gearing for the development of community-based tourism aimed at promoting the different cultures of the city’s 11 tribes.

“Tourism is not all about putting up hotels, resorts,” she said. “It is also about [promoting] our culture.”

Tecson said this will be CTOO’s

contribution to the realization of the 10-point priority agenda of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“We would like these sites to be not just tourist spots, but places that people and tourists can learn from,” she added.

The community-based tourism program, Tecson said, also aims to discover more hidden tourism destinations in the city.

She will be meeting with various barangay leaders and deputy

mayors for the implementation of the said program.

“I intend to talk to them and explain what tourism and community-based tourism are all about, and ask them to help the city in identifying destinations and recreations that would help boost Davao’s tourism in their respective communities,” Tecson said.

She added that her team already talked to different tribes in the city to help it find the hidden beauties of Davao. AFP

Bicol airport to be finished in 2018 DEPARTMENT of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade vowed his agency will speed up the completion of the modern Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay that will be the global gateway to Southern Luzon, particularly the Bicol Region, and parts of the Visayas.

Stalled intermittently in the past, BIA’s completion has been deemed urgent by the Duterte administration. It is one of the first 10 big projects approved by the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordinating Committee.

In a meeting of top DOTr officials in Ortigas, Tugade assured Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda that the government would soon award the winning bidders the completion of the BIA runway and rebid the passenger terminal building. The Albay congressman said the entire DOTr management team has assured Bicolanos the BIA will have modern facilities that meet international standards.

In the same meeting, Tugade also discussed the P171-billion Southline of the North-South Railway Project. It was originally proposed and pushed by the solon when he was Albay governor and chairman of the Bicol Regional Development Council and the Luzon Regional Development Committee.

Salceda said Tugade assured him the long-awaited NSRP Southline will push through as approved.

He said the P708-million allocation for BIA’s Project 2A which includes 17 buildings and landside facilities will soon be awarded, while its Project 2B compo-

nent which covers the completion of its runway, apron, “two-stub taxiway” and the passenger terminal building costing P1.4 billion will be rebid shortly based on existing terms of reference.

The BIA will have passenger boarding bridges (PTB) or passage tubes, designed modularly to accommodate the addition of more tubes in the future. Tugade has committed at least two tubes initially, worth P105 million once the PTB commences construction.

According to Salceda, Tugade has also committed that the present DOTr management will shortly start work on the NSRP Southline to Legazpi where the previous administration had left off, particularly the publication of instructions to bidders.

Salceda supports the proposed transfer of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark, an option that will make BIA an even more attractive alternative gateway on account of its proximity, both by land and sea travel. NSRP’s South Luzon Railways Line will also compliment the BIA setup.

Albay’s 2025 goals include five million tourists, $1-billion investments and 235,000 jobs, should the BIA meet its 2018 completion deadline. These benefits are expected to spill over to the whole of the Bicol Region.

As the only international gateway airport south of Manila, BIA’s completion on time augurs well for the tourism prospects of Albay, the AlbayMasbate-Sorsogon Tourism Alliance and Bicolandia, Salceda stressed. PNA

FIREFIGHTERS. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (fifth from right) turns over fire trucks on Saturday to barangay officials at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Tunasan as part of the local government’s thrust to strengthen disaster risk response operations. Eight barangays received one fire truck each to speed up fire suppression in their communities.

Sarangani province promotes Moro culture TO help preserve and enrich Islamic culture in Sarangani, the provincial government is pushing for the creation of a School of Living Traditions (SLT) for Moro communities in the province.

Sarangani is home to a significant population of Maguindanaon, Maranao and Taosug Moro peoples. The municipality of

Malapatan is home to a vibrant inaul and malong weaving tradition by a Maguindanaon women’s association, and an ancient Moro royal sailboat called the “ginakit.”

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts defines an SLT as a place where a living master, or culture bearer or specialist teaches skills and tech-

niques of doing a traditional art or craft.

It is the country’s response to the Unesco’s call for the preservation of ethnic traditions to ensure their transmission to the next generations.

The province is known for the Lamlifew Village Museum, the first of its kind in the country, which is host to an SLT for

the Blaan indigenous peoples in Malungon town.

The provincial government is advocating the creation of SLTs for Tagkaolo in Malungon, and for Tbolis in Kiamba and Maitum.

Sarangani was recognized as the Best in Cultural Preservation Efforts in Asia by the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) in Myanmar in January 2015.

Veritas chapel hosts Mother Teresa relics

HERO. Police Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, acting director for Region VIII, pins the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting on PO1 Nestor Peru Villanueva Jr who was wounded in the chest during a police operation at Barangay Legro in Marabut, Samar on August 24. Mel Caspe

Erring Davao night mart vendors delisted

By Funny Pearl Gajunera MAYOR Sara Duterte has ordered the delisting of Roxas Avenue night market vendors who continued to violate the local government’s rules and regulations.

“We have already given them a chance, but if they still refuse to follow our rules, we are left with no choice but to strike them from the list,” Duterte said.

The Davao City Transporta-

tion and Traffic Management Office was tasked to implement the order.

CTTMO chief Rhodelio Poliquit said they have been monitoring minor violations since the night market was reopened on August 13.

Poliquit declared the CTTMO will not tolerate violations, no matter how minor.

He said there are vendors who go beyond the designated line

of stalls, but CTTMO personnel are always there to monitor day-to-day operations and compliance with City Hall’s night market policies and regulations.

Poliquit said today’s Roxas night market is much better than it was before although it is far from being perfect.

It can be recalled that the mayor ordered the shutdown of the night market on August 3 upon the recommendation of

the CTTMO chief due to several violations.

Among the violations were: refusal to follow the “one-familyone-stall” rule; vendors’ insistence on their preferred locations and presence of stalls that are run by financiers, but managed by dummies; vendors sub-leasing stalls; claims that vendors were able to buy or secure rights/permits over preferred stalls; and the presence of illegal vendors.

RELICS of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who will be canonized a saint by Pope Francis at the Vatican this coming Sunday, will be displayed at the Our Lady Veritas Chapel in Quezon City for public veneration, especially

by Filipino Catholics.

Aside from the relics, a huge statue of Mother Teresa, known for her passion for helping the poorest of the poor, the sick and the downtrodden when she was alive, will also be on display.

The photographs of Blessed Teresa on display include caring and feeding of the sick in India where she lived most of her life until her death on Sept. 5, 1997 at aged 87.

There are also pictures of Mother Teresa with the late Jaime Cardinal Sin and former President Corazon Aquino.

Veneration time is from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until September 4, the day of her canonization by the Roman Pontiff.

The Veritas Chapel is at the corner of Edsa and West Avenue in Quezon City.

The exhibit will give Filipino Catholics the rare opportunity to venerate the relics of the soon-to-be St. Teresa of Calcutta prior to her canonization on Sunday.

Adding significance to Mother Teresa’s canonization is that it coincides with the Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis.

During her lifetime, Mother Teresa touched the lives of millions of people of all faiths around the world with her humility and ministry to those

gravely sick and abandoned, feeding and embracing them as her simple and sincere way of caring for them.

Born to an ethnic Albanian family in Skopje, Yugoslavia, now Macedonia, she went to India in 1929 as a Sister of Loreto and became an Indian citizen in 1947. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.

Her humanitarian work spread throughout the world and comforted millions that shortly after her death in 1997, Pope John Paul II waived the usual five-year waiting period before the start of the beatification rites and allowed the opening of the process towards sainthood.

She was beatified in 2003, after which a book about her was published by the Missionaries of Charity entitled “Come Be My Light.” It narrated “how, for decades, she experienced what is described as a ‘dark night of the soul’ in Christian spirituality. She felt that God had abandoned her. While the letters shocked some people, others saw them as proof of her steadfast faith in God, which was not based on feelings or signs that He was with her.”

The date for her canonization is the eve of the 19th anniversary of her death and the date previously established at the Vatican for the conclusion of the Year of Mercy pilgrimage of people like her who are engaged in corporal and spiritual works of mercy. PNA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

World

Standard

TODAY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

C3

IS spokesman killed in Syria B

eirut—The Islamic State group said Tuesday its spokesman Abu Mohamed alAdnani was killed in the Syrian province of Aleppo, as the US confirmed it had targeted him in the same area.

Quoting an IS “military source,” the group’s news agency Amaq said: “Sheikh Abu Mohamed alAdnani... was martyred while surveying operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo.”

It said he died after a “long voyage crowned by sacrifice” and vowed “revenge” at the hands of a “new generation born unto the Islamic State.”

In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said authorities were “still assessing the results of

the strike.”

Should Adnani’s death be confirmed, it “would mark another significant blow to ISIL,” he added in a statement.

Cook said the strike took place in Al-Bab, in the province of Aleppo.

Describing Adnani as the “principal architect” of the IS group’s external operations and its main spokesman, Cook said he had “coordinated the movement of ISIL fighters, directly encouraged lone-wolf attacks on civilians

and members of the military and actively recruited new ISIL members.”

A US defense official called Adnani “one of ISIL’s most senior leaders,” stressing that he was “way more” than simply the group’s spokesman.

The official said Adnani had played a major role in the group during some of the most high-profile attacks over the past year, including in Paris, at the Brussels and Istanbul airports, at a cafe in Bangladesh, as well as the downing of

a Russian airliner in the Sinai and suicide bombings at a rally in Ankara.

The attacks have killed more than 1,800 people and wounded almost 4,000.

“Adnani was a legacy AQI (Al-Qaeda in Iraq) member, a Shura council member and the most publicly recognizable official in ISIL,” the official said.

- ‘Wider decline’ in IS? In September 2014, the US government designated Adnani a “global terrorist” and the State Department has offered a $5 million reward for anyone who supplies information “that brings him to justice.”

“The US military will continue to prior-

itize and relentlessly target ISIL leaders and external plotters in order to defend our homeland, our allies and our partners, while we continue to gather momentum in destroying ISIL’s parent tumor in Iraq and Syria and combat its metastases around the world,” Cook said.

Analysts have described Adnani as a key figure in the jihadist group.

“In the collective jihadist memory, Abu Mohamed al-Adnani will always be the one who announced the ‘restoration of the caliphate’ in June 2014,” said expert Romain Caillet.

Adnani was originally from the western Syrian province of Idlib and joined the

jihadist movement in Iraq, where he served now slain Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and held several positions.

Aymenn Jawad Tamimi, an expert on jihadist groups, said Adnani’s death was “significant symbolically and in pointing to the wider decline of the Islamic State.”

“If a coalition air strike hit him, it shows intelligence penetration by the coalition is very high. Otherwise it would not have been possible to take out so many high-ranking figures,” he said.

Another analyst, Charles Lister, tweeted that Adnani’s death was a “big blow to IS.” Amaq did not say how Adnani was

“martyred.” IS has Adnani made such regularly urged fol- a request in September lowers to target disbe- 2014, calling on suplievers. porters to use stones,

Republic of the Philippines Mariano Marcos State University Batac City 2906, Ilocos Norte BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID:I N F R A 2016-019 1.

Kong and Beijing rail against it.

Government officials have slammed it as illegal and some of the most strident proindependence campaigners have been banned from standing in Sunday’s vote for members of the Legislative Council, the city’s lawmaking body, known as Legco.

That only fuelled the fire, with thousands coming out in support of the five barred candidates at Hong Kong’s first independence rally in early August and opinion polls suggesting as many as 17 percent of people favor splitting with China.

Some candidates advocating self-determination for Hong Kong have been allowed to stand although only one or two candidates have a chance of winning a seat in the 70-member assembly.

But even that would

be a coup for a fledgling movement pushing for a notion that until recently was taboo.

Baggio Leung, 30, is one of three candidates from new party Youngspiration, campaigning for selfdetermination. Polls indicate he could take a seat.

“People from Beijing are trampling our values... we need to find a way out,” he told Agence France Presse.

Leung says there is now little faith in the semi-autonomous “one country, two systems” model, under which the city has been governed since it was handed back to China

by Britain in 1997 and which is supposed to protect its way of life for 50 years.

“As the Communist Party in China is not fulfilling its promise, Hong Kong independence seems to be the only right option,” says Leung. AFP

ABC

Duration of the Project/ Delivery Period

Bid Docs Fee

1. Proposed Two Storey Administration Building, Phase I, CIT Compound, MMSU, Laoag City

Php10,000,000.00

180 days

Php10,000.00

2. Proposed Student Center Building, MMSU City of Batac

Php20,920,723.95

290 days

Php21,000.00

3. Proposed 10 Classrooms Academic Building, Phase I, MMSU-CASAT, Currimao, Ilocos Norte

Php9,977,607.58

180 days

Php10,000.00

4. Procurement of State of the Art Laboratory Facilities and Equipment for Instructional Purposes

Php63,000,000.00

60 days

See Philgeps (per category)

5. Procurement of Fiberglass Boat with Standard Accessories for CASAT

Php5,000,000.00

60 days

Php5,000.00

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Provincial Government of Marinduque and inspect the Bidding Documents at the Office of the Bids & Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable fee from the Office of the Bids & Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php10,000.00.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

The Marinduque Provincial Government will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 08, 2016, 2:00 PM at Office of the Bids & Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before September 20, 2016, 10:00 AM at Office of the Bids & Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on September 20, 2016, 10:00 AM at Office of the Bids & Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Marinduque Provincial Government reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting all interested bidders in its forthcoming public bidding for the Supply and Delivery of Three (3) Lots Various Surveillance Equipment and Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Two (2) Lots Slot Machine UPS under ITB No. PB16-007DAV. Brief Description

Quantity Lot 1 Ten (10) units

PTZ Camera 12x Optical Zoom

Two (2) units

Two (2) units PTZ Camera 36x Optical Zoom

Ten (10) units

Fixed Varifocal Type IR Camera

Two (2) units

IP 66 Anti-Fog Bullet Type Infra Red Camera

Six (6) units

Digital Video Recorder

Ten (10) units

Monitor LED 32”

Five (5) units

Monitor LED 21.5”

Lot 2

Supply and Delivery of Video Distribution Amplifier and Keyboard

Three (3) units

Video Distribution Amplifier

Three (3) units

Camera Control Keyboard

Lot 3 Two (2) units Lot 4 Five (5) units Lot 5 Five (5) units Delivery Schedule

Item Description

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) 3 KVA Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of 5 units 10KVA UPS for Iligan Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) 10 KVA Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of 5 units 10KVA UPS for Tagum Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) 10 KVA

The ABC for each lot are as follows:

Source of Funds:

ABC VAT Exclusive, Zero-Rated Transaction

1

One Million Six Hundred Eighty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-Eight Pesos (PhP 1,684,588.00)

2

One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Two Pesos and 45/100 (PhP 115,962.45) Seventy Thousand Eight Hundred Forty Pesos (PhP 70,840.00)

4

One Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,500,000.00)

5

One Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,500,000.00)

5.

Public bidding is an invitation to make an offer. It is therefore understood that any bid may be accepted or rejected orthe bid process invalidated, at any time prior to contract award, without liability to anyone.

6.

Complete set of bid documents may be secured from the MMSU BAC Secretariat at the address below or downloaded from the MMSU website or from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) website.

7.

For further information please contact the MMSU BAC Secretariat at the address indicated below, Monday thru Friday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM:

Bidders should have completed, within the last three (3) years before the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its IRR. schedule Sept. 1, 2016 (Thu)

2. Pre-Bid Conference

Sept. 9, 2016 (Fri) 10:00am

3. Deadline for the Submission and Receipt of Bids 4. Opening and Preliminary Examination of Bids

Sept. 26, 2016 (Mon) 2:00pm Sept. 26, 2016 2:00pm onwards

Complete details of the project are indicated in the bidding documents which will be available to prospective bidders at the BBAC Secretariat, Casino Filipino Davao, Lanang, Davao City, upon payment of the non-refundable cost for the sale of bidding documents in the amount based on the following matrix from the address below: Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Pesos)

500,000.00 and below

500.00

More than 500,000.00 up to 1 Million

1,000.00

More than 1 Million up to 5 Million

5,000.00

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AUCTION SALE PENTHOUSE PAWNSHOP All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 at BETTER - 8:00 AM at # 82 Betterliving Subd. Parañaque City at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 at the ff. branches: ST. FRANCIS - 10:30 AM at # 40 Kingfisher St., St. Francis, Meycauayan, Bulacan POBLACION – 11:30 AM # 721 Barrera St., Poblacion, Baliuag, Bulacan at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 0 16 )

TAMCAR PAWNSHOP CORP. All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 at the ff. branches: BUSTILLOS -2:00 PM at # L2522-28 Road 216, Earnshaw Bustillos, Manila SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 CALOOCAN – 1:00 PM # 434 J. RODRIGUEZ ST., at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 0 16 )

Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable bidding fee not later than the date of the submission of bids. The Pre-bid Conference is open to all prospective bidders.

Prospective bidders should present to Finance Section, Casino Filipino Davao, Lanang, Davao either the Bidding Fee Slip which may be secured from the Procurement Section or a copy of this ITB in effecting payment for the Bidding Documents. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 06-2005 - Tie-Breaking Method, the Branch Bids and Awards Committee (BBAC) shall use a nondiscretionary and non-discriminatory measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is “DRAW LOTS,” in the event that two or more bidders have been post-qualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) to determine the final LCRB, based on the following procedures: 1. In alphabetical order, the bidders shall pick one rolled paper.

2. The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a “CONGRATULATIONS” remark shall be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract.

(SGD)ESTRELLA LUZ B. CABEBE Chairperson BRANCH BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BBAC)

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on: SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 STA. MESA – 8:00 AM # 3630 Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

AUCTION SALE

The schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Activities

(SGD) RAMON A. LEAÑO BAC Chair (MS-SEPT 1, 2016)

P O B CASA D E E M PE Ñ O S

Internally Funded

1. Issuance of the Bidding Documents

AGNES L. GABRIEL Office of the MMSU BAC Secretariat FEM Hall, Mariano Marcos State University Quiling Sur, Batac City 09985773240/600-0461 aslgabriel@yahoo.com www.mmsu.edu.ph.

AUCTION SALE

Please address all communications to Ms. Estrella Luz B. Cabebe, Branch Bids and Awards Committee (BBAC) Chairperson, Casino Filipino Davao, Lanang Davao City at Tel No.: 2343997 to 98.

(SGD)BARON JOSE L. LAGRAN BAC Chairman

The Mariano Marcos State University will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 15, 2016; 2:00 PM at the Conference Room, FEM Hall, MMSU, Batac City, which shall beopen only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents

( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 0 16 )

NOTE: Bidders may bid on one or all of the lots.

Approved Budget for the Contract

4.

CINTHY PAWNSHOP

Supply and Delivery of 3KVA UPS

Approved Budget for The total ABC is Four Million Eight Hundred Seventy One Thousand the Contract (ABC): Three Hundred Ninety Pesos and 45/100 (PhP 4,871,390.45), VAT Exclusive, Zero Rated Transaction.

3

Bids must be submitted to the Conference Room, FEM Hall, Mariano Marcos State University, Quiling Sur, City of Batac, Ilocos Norte on or before September 29, 2016; 2:00 PM.

AUCTION SALE

The complete schedule of delivery is provided in Section VI (Schedule of Requirements) of the Bidding Documents which will commence from the effectivity date specified in the Notice to Proceed.

Lot

d)

A bidder must be a Filipino citizen;for corporations, partnerships, or organizations, at least seventy five percent (75%) interest, or outstanding capital stock,must be owned by Filipino citizens.

All bids must be accompanied by a valid bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in Clause 18, of the Instruction to Bidders.

A bidder must have been awarded a contract similar to the Project, as described and specified inSection II of the Instruction to Bidders,completed and accepted within a ten (10) year period, reckoned from the date of delivery/ submission of bids as herein below indicated, Bids received in excess of the ABC will be automatically rejected.

3.

Supply and Delivery of Surveillance Cameras, DVR and LED Monitors

PAGCOR reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

ALMA C. TIMTIMAN BAC Head Secretariat Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque (042)-332-0722 www.marinduque.gov.ph

( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 016)

b)

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF THREE (3) LOTS VARIOUS SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY, DELIVERY, INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF TWO (2) LOTS SLOT MACHINE UPS UNDER ITB NO. PB16-007DAV

INVITATION TO BID

The Marinduque Provincial Government now invites bids for Furnishing labor, materials and equipment for the Electrification of EXPO Compound, Boac, Marinduque. Completion of the Works is required 84 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instruction to Bidders.

a)

A Sure Bet for Progress in Gaming, Entertainment and Nation Building

O FFI C E O F B I D S A N D AWA R D S C O M M I T T E E

The Marinduque Provincial Government, through the 20% DF CY 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 Rehab/Improvement of Public Building/Facilities (Incl. electrical, solar lighting panels/facilities, inst. Of transformer) (Reprogrammed) intends to apply the sum of FIVE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TEN PESOS & 14/100 (Php5,835,510.14) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Furnishing labor, materials and equipment for the Electrification of EXPO Compound, Boac, Marinduque.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The bidding will be conducted via open and public competitive bidding using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion in accordance with Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act,”and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), particularly, but not limited to the following:

c)

Re p u b l i c o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e s PROV I N C E O F M A R I N D U Q U E Capitol Boac, Marinduque

Furnishing labor, materials and equipment for the Electrification of EXPO Compound, Boac, Marinduque

The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), with offices at Quiling Sur, City of Batac, Ilocos Norte, invites bidders for the following projects: Project Title

HK poll bets seek break with China HONG KONG— When Hong Kong goes to the polls on Sunday a new brand of politician pushing for a complete break from Beijing will be fighting for votes in a frustrated and divided city.

It is the most important election since the mass “Umbrella Movement” prodemocracy rallies of 2014, which failed to win political reform despite huge numbers and a global spotlight.

Since then, fears have grown that Beijing is tightening its grip in many areas of the semi-autonomous city—from politics to education and media.

Some young activists now say there is only one choice: a declaration of independence from China.

Many residents still dismiss the idea as a pipe dream, but the independence movement has gathered momentum as authorities in Hong

(MS-SEPT. 1, 2016)

knives or even vehicles in their attacks to kill French or US citizens. AFP

AUCTION SALE PEARLAS PAWNSHOP CO., INC. All unredeemed pledges during the month of SEPTEMBER 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 04, 2016 at the ff. branches: MONTILLANO 12:30 PM at 249 Montillano St., Alabang, Muntinlupa City SEPTEMBER 07, 2016 SUMULONG – 9:00 AM # 24 Sumulong Hway Sto. Niño, Marikina City CONCEPCION – 10:00 AM #19 Bayan Bayanan Ave., Concepcion, Marikina City SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 G. NUEVO – 9:00 AM Tan Hock Bldg., Cor. EDSA, Makati City SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 B. BARRIO 11:30 AM # 35 Malolos Ave., B. Barrio, Caloocan City SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 VALENZUELA – 12:00 PM # 115 Faustino St., Punturin, Valenzuela City at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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ERRORS & OMISSIONS

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

AUCTION SALE

AUCTION SALE

NORTHERN LEGASPI

N.C. TAMBUNTING

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 at NAVOTAS - 2:30 PM at # 256 Champaca St., Navotas Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 at PATEROS - 8:00 AM at # M. Almeda Cor. B. Morcilla St., Pateros, Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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AUCTION SALE

AUCTION SALE

WESTCHESTER

RACATAM PAWNSHOP CO., INC.

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 at the ff. branches: HERRAN - 8:00 AM at # 1101 P. Gil St., Paco, Manila STA. ANA – 10:00 AM # 390 AP Reyes Cor. JP Rizal St., Makati City at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 0 16 )

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 at the ff. branches: PRITIL - 8:00 AM at 1833 N. Zamora St., Pritil, Tondo, Manila BLUMENTRITT – 10:30 AM #1687 M. Hizon St., Blumentritt, Manila VARONA – 8:30 AM 1872 F. VARONA ST., BRGY 95, ZONE 8, TONDO, MANILA SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 ALTURA – 9:00 AM # 418 Altura St. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

( M S - S E P T. 1, 2 0 16 )

AUCTION SALE

AUCTION SALE

CITRINE PAWNSHOP CO., INC All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 at RITZ - 12:00 PM at Stall # New Muntinlupa Public Market, Alabang Muntinlupa City JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

PANG NEGOSYO PAWNSHOP All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 07, 2016 at the ff. branches: COUNTRYSIDE - 12:30 PM at 49 Countryside Ave., Sta. Lucia, Pasig City JUNCTION – 2:30 PM # Star Valley Plaza Mall, Junction at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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AUCTION SALE

AUCTION SALE

LUIROM PAWNSHOP CO., INC.

MAKATI LUXURY JEWELRY PAWNSHOP CO.,

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 04, 2016 at the ff. branches: SUCAT 9:00 AM at #3 Dr., A. Santos Ave., Sucat, Parañaque City MUNTI – 1:30 PM #659 National Road, Poblacion St., Muntinlupa City SEPTEMBER 08, 2016 SAN JOAQUIN – 1:30 PM # 9 M. Concepcion San Joaquin, Pasig City SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 10TH AVE. – 2:00 PM # 245-B 10TH Ave., Brgy., 60 Zone 6, Caloocan City SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 MARILAO – 1 PM #5 NETWORK AVE., MERALCO VILL. LIAS MARILAO BULACAN SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 SAGRADA – 11:00AM #1978 ESTRADA ST., FORMER SAGRADA FAMILIA STA. ANA, MLA. SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 GAGALANGIN – 8:45 AM #2 JUAN LUNA ST., COR. GUIDO ST., TONDO MANILA SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 STO NIÑO – 9:30 AM #30 ST., THERESE COR, ST. PETER, P3 STO NIÑO MEYCAUAN BULACAN at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

All unredeemed pledges during the month of APRIL 2016 will be sold to public auction on SEPTEMBER 04, 2016 at BF Homes – 10:00 AM # 43 President’s Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City SPL - 3:00 PM at Casa Hacienda San Pedro, Laguna on SEPTEMBER 07, 2016 at the ff. branches: ROMULO - 10:00 AM at 135 13TH Ave., Cor. P. Tuazon, Cubao, QC SANTOLAN – 4:00 PM 526 ADR Bldg., Dela Paz, Santolan, Pasig City on SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 JP RIZAL – 11:00 AM # 529 Olympia St., JP Rizal, Makati City ALPHALAND – 5:00 PM G11 South Gate Towers, P. Tamo Ext., Makati City MANUELA – 3:00 PM G/F Starmall, Wack2, Mandaluyong City SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 LALOMA – 11:30 AM # 67 Calavite St., Brgy., P. Bundok, QC RETIRO - 12:30 PM # 270 N.S. amoranto Street, Retiro QC. ROTONDA – 2:00 PM # 1 Sto. Tomas St., Rotonda QC at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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C4

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

World

Italy quake probe set after symbolic funeral A

matrice—Italy on Tuesday held a poignantly symbolic funeral for victims of last week’s earthquake amid the ruins of Amatrice, the small town that bore the brunt of the disaster.

President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and a senior representative of Pope Francis were among hundreds of mourners at the service on the edge of the hilltop beauty spot where 231 of the quake’s 292 confirmed fatalities occurred.

The coffins of nearly 40 of them were laid out for a service held just yards from piles of collapsed masonry, a hastily-constructed temporary structure allowing the solemn funeral mass to proceed under cover from the rain.

The venue was a last-minute decision after grieving locals reacted with fury to a proposal for the funeral to be held in an aircraft hangar in the main town in the district, Rieti, some 40 miles (64 kilometers) away.

The drizzle provided a reminder of how soon summer will turn to chilly autumn in this remote, mountainous area of central Italy, making life even more uncomfortable for hundreds of homeless residents facing an indefinite stay in tented villages erected to house them.

Also presented in Amatrice were Rome mayor Virginia Raggi, paying her respects to the more than 80 residents of the capital who died, and Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos.

At least 11 Romanian nationals died in the quake, most of them in Amatrice.

Most of those who died had already been buried in private family seminars or after a first state funeral in Ascoli Piceno on Saturday.

The bishop of Rieti, Domenico Pompili, presided over Tuesday’s ceremony, urging the leaders present not to allow reconstruction to get bogged down in “political quarrels.”

“If we abandon these villages, we will kill them for a second time,” the bishop said.

With the public acts of mourning completed, the focus will now shift to helping survivors deal with the aftermath of the disaster and answering numerous questions about why it had such a deadly impact.

For the Civil Protection agency, the top priority is providing adequate shelter for some 2,900 people who are without permanent accommodation barely two months from the onset of what is often a severe winter.

The issue of where local children will be educated is also pressing with the autumn term due to start by the middle of September at the latest.

Local prosecutor Giuseppe Saieva meanwhile has opened an investigation into whether any criminal responsibility can be accorded for the deaths.

His culpable homicide/culpable disaster probe will notably focus on whether authorities were negligent in ensuring the upgrading of public and other buildings to modern anti-quake norms in the aftermath of the 2009 earthquake in nearby L’Aquila.

He will also examine whether property owners side-stepped building regulations when undertaking extension or renovation work on what are often centuries-old buildings. AFP

Somalia car blast kills 15 MOGADISHU—At least 15 people died when jihadists exploded a suicide car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, police said Wednesday, updating an earlier toll.

“The number of the people who died in the blast reached 15 and 45 others were wounded, most of them lightly,” said Mogadishu police chief Bishar Abshir Gedi.

He said civilians and security forces were among the dead in Tuesday’s attack.

Several journalists who were at the hotel at the time of the attack were injured.

A vehicle rammed through a checkpoint on Tuesday and was fired on by security forces before it exploded outside the SYL hotel.

An earlier toll stood at five killed and 28 injured.

The hotel is situated close to the main entrance to the Villa Somalia government complex that includes the presidential palace, ministry buildings and residences.

A witness described seeing a large blast and a thick plume of smoke that rose high into the air.

“I saw a car speeding towards the area and huge smoke and fire went up in the sky,” said Elmi Ahmed.

The explosion left a scene of widespread damage with a crater in the road, buildings damaged, nearby walls collapsed and debris scattered across the usually busy carriageway.

The Al-Qaeda aligned Shabaab jihadist group said it was responsible for the attack.

The fortified hotel, popular with government officials, business people and visiting diplomats and delegations, was previously attacked in both February this year and January last year. AFP

Biggest ecology meet set PREMIERS. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (right) during a press conference at the

Great Hall of the People in Beijing on August 31, 2016. Justin Trudeau is on a one-week visit to China from August 30 to September 6 and will also attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou. AFP

Putin set to visit Japan in December MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin will visit Japan in December as Moscow and Tokyo strive to ease old tensions over four disputed islands, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

Tokyo-Moscow relations are hamstrung by a row dating back to the end of World War II when Soviet troops seized the southernmost islands in the Pacific Kuril chain, known as the Northern Territories in Japan.

Japan pushed the UN Security Council on Tuesday to consider fresh sanctions against North Ko-

rea for test-firing a series of ballistic missiles that it said were a threat to the region and the entire world.

The council strongly condemned the series of launches on Friday and agreed in a unanimous statement backed by China to take “further significant measures.”

“Vladimir Putin’s long-delayed visit to Japan will take place in December,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

“The time and date have already been agreed to, but we will announce them with the approval

of the Japanese side.”

The tensions have prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending wartime hostilities, hindering trade and investment ties.

Putin—who last visited Japan in 2005—is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday on the sidelines of an economic forum in the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok.

Senior Russian officials, including foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, energy minister Alexander Novak and Igor Sechin, the

head of oil giant Rosneft—are also set to take part in talks with the Japanese delegation, Ushakov said.

Abe visited Russia in May and the Kremlin then raised the possibility of a return visit by Putin before the end of the year as both sides look to rekindle talks aimed at resolving the territorial dispute.

The Kremlin at the time dismissed hopes of any major breakthrough but played up Abe’s visit as a symbol of warming ties despite Western attempts to isolate Putin. AFP

MIAMI—Some 8,000 heads of state, policymakers and environmentalists convene in Hawaii this week for the world’s largest gathering aimed at forging a path forward on the planet’s toughest conservation problems.

US President Barack Obama is expected to be among the world leaders in Honolulu as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) opens its World Conservation Congress, held every four years in a different location around the globe.

This year, the conference theme of “Planet at the Crossroads” is aimed at exposing the plight of island nations that are at risk of disappearing in the coming decades due to rising seas.

It is the first major environmental meeting of global leaders since the Paris climate talks last year. AFP

Naturalize Rohingya, UN urges Myanmar

FESTIVE. Malaysian schoolchildren perform during the 59th National Day celebrations at Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur on Wedneday. Malaysia celebrated its 59th National Day to commemorate the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British rule in 1957. AFP

Obama cuts jail terms of 111 inmates WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama on Tuesday commuted the sentences of 111 drug offenders and other inmates, setting a record for such White House moves in a single month.

The latest grants came on top of 214 early releases Obama agreed to earlier this month, for a total of 325 in August.

Obama, whose second term ends in January, has trimmed 673 prison sentences since coming to office in 2009—more than the previous 10 presidents combined.

The president is thus making good on his call for second chances in the US penal system.

Prisoners benefitting from these shortened sentences are supposed

to no longer present a threat. Most were low-level drug dealers who were facing heavy sentences due to a penal system critics say imposes excessive sentences for such crimes.

About a third had been handed sentences of life in prison.

The move is part of Obama’s effort to push ahead with criminal justice reform. AFP

The first concrete move in the probe came on Tuesday with the

NAY PY IDAW—Myan mar’s stateless Rohingya should be given the right to citizenship after generations living in the country, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon said on Tuesday.

Many from the million-strong Muslim minority are denied citizenship, voting and work rights and reviled as imposters in overwhelmingly Buddhist Myanmar.

More than 120,000 have been displaced, many to squalid displacement camps in western Rakhine state, after fleeing violence stirred by Buddhist nationalists in 2012.

Thousands have fled to other Southeast Asian countries on rickety boats in search of better lives, only to drown or fall victim to human traffickers.

In June, the UN said the Rohingya suffered entrenched discrimination so deep it may amount to crimes against humanity.

“This is not just a question of the Rohingya community’s right to self-identify,” Ban told a press conference alongside Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“People who have been living for generations in this country should enjoy the same legal status and citizenship as everyone else.”

His comments come as Myanmar’s new civilian government is seeking to tackle the seemingly intractable issue that has dogged Nobel laureate Suu Kyi for years.

Even the word Rohingya has become loaded—with Buddhist nationalists having staged protests across the country against using the term. They instead label the group “Bengalis” and cast them as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.

The veteran democracy activist has come under fire from international rights groups for failing to address the plight of the Rohingya, as she seeks to avoid stoking further unrest over the sensitive issue.

Last week, the government announced it would set up an advisory panel chaired by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan to find “lasting solutions to the complex and delicate issues in the Rakhine State.” AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WELLNESS & ENVIRONMENT

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

D1

Celebrities living the

Ironman lifestyle

By Ed Uy

Dingdong Dantes joined his first Ironman event as a member of a relay team

Did you know that he actually made his TV debut as a “fitness guru” 30 years ago? He was the aerobics instructor for a show called Muscles in Motion, which aired daily on Channel 9 in 1986. He was also a finalist at the 1990 Super Body of the Philippines.

From there, Kuya Kim has had a series of “evolutions”—from politician to weatherman, to Matanglawin the animal expert and noontime show host.

The only thing that seems constant has been his passion for health.

After suffering a stroke in 2010 and contracting Guillain-Barre disease, a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the nervous system in 2013, who would have thought that Kuya Kim’s next transformation would be from runner to triathlete.

We “caught” Kuya Kim two days before the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships presented by Ford in Cebu and we asked him how the multisport changed his life.

“You know I literally became an ‘IronMan’ even before I joined my first triathlon, because when I suffered a stroke my doctors had to place an occluder to fix the hole in my heart. It’s made of nitinol [an alloy of nickel and titanium] so I really have an “iron” inside my heart, he told Manila

Cobra Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships organizer Wilfred Uytengsu

I

F “Kuya” Kim Atienza were a character in “Pokemon Go,” the mobile game that everyone and even grandparents are playing these days, he’d probably be the one with the most number of evolutions.

Standard.

“When I had a stroke, part of my therapy was to do brisk walking 30 minutes a day. The slow walk became a slow run and the slow run became a fast run,” he recalled. Six months after my stroke, I joined my first fun run organized by my neurologist and six months after that I was training for my first full marathon. I was hooked.

“In 2013, I thought I was at the peak of my health until I got hospitalized for Guillain-Barre disease. You know the motto of IronMan is ‘I Can,’ but for me I changed it to ‘God Can,’ because I couldn’t move my hands and feet and I realized that only God can give me the power so I shifted my paradigm to that. It was another turning point in my life and I got stronger and stronger knowing that the power is not from me but only given to me.”

“You know whenever I go to the hospital I feel happy, walang biro. Visiting the Makati Med brings back pleasant memories of the two times I got born again. The first time I was born again physically from my unhealthy lifestyle and the second time I was born again spiritually so I think I am complete.

“Exactly 6 years ago, I suffered a stroke. Since then, God has continued to bless me with super health, a loving beautiful family, good friends and the ability to join marathons and triathlons. It gets better every single year!

God you are the grand weaver. ‘All things work out well for those who love you and obey your commands.’ I am so blessed, I am so thankful!” Kim Atienza posted on Instagram (@kuyakim_ atienza) a few days after finishing the Cobra IronMan 70.3 Asia Pacific.

Another politician and TV host who became an IronMan is Gilbert Remulla. He and Kuya Kim are running buddies and eventually added swimming and biking to join their first triathlon.

“I started running when I got out of politics initially just to lose weight and get some exercise. I can’t play basketball anymore so I did running and joined a 5K run. I liked it and did a 10K, then 16K, followed by a 21K and I realized okay ‘to ah,” Remulla shared after joining our table after Kuya Kim. “I did 42K after about two years of running just on my own. I met Kim and I started to run with them, then he told me why not get a bike para makapag triathlon na tayo! So we did cycling and eventually signed up for our first triathlon. But our problem was we didn’t know how to swim 2 kilometers so we took swim(ming) lessons and after that I was hooked as well.”

“Doing a triathlon has been described as one long conversation with yourself and willing yourself to finish. That is how you get to become as strong as tempered steel. I’ve also met a new set of friends while training and is always a different feeling every time you cross the finish line.”

One of those friends Remulla met while training is actor Dingdong

Kim Atienza is an inspiration to many for being a man who was previously struck down by health issues but recovered and became a triathlete

Anthony Pangilinan

Gretchen Fullido Matteo Guidicelli

Piolo Pascual

Dantes who was joining his first Cobra Ironman as the cyclist of their relay team. “I’m only joining the bike relay this year but I’ve seen the commitment of my Gotta teammates to the sport and you can see their character with the determination they’ve shown, which is something that I look up to.” Dingdong said he got more than just training tips during their sessions.

“They also gave me tips as a new father,” he added.

Dingdong said his training for Ironman would temporarily take a backseat as he shifts his attention back to his TV and movie career, with a new series and a possible Metro Manila Film Festival entry. But he said he’d definitely resume the training sessions as he plans to compete in bike, swim and run events next year.

“I know this is a commitment for a change of lifestyle that I know I’ll enjoy while I still can. I want to finish strong, fit and happy,” he added.

Perhaps the youngest actor with the most IronMan experience is Cobra IronMan 70.3 posterboy himself Matteo Guidicelli.

Guidicelli comes from a family of racers and has become a veteran of the Cebu triathlon competing in his sixth IronMan race. But because of his hectic schedule, Matteo said his only goal was to finish this year and hopefully

are still there. But in triathlon your body is the motor and the engine.

It’s one of those sports where you don’t have to stay at the gym with the air conditioner on. You literally have to go out to train.”

Other celebrities who joined this year’s competition were Boys Night Out DJ Sam YG, Paul Jake Castillo, Ivan Carapiet, Bubbles Paraiso, Gretchen Fullido, Anthony Pangilinan and daughters Hannah and Ella Pangilinan.

Wilfred Uytengsu whose Sunrise Events, Inc. is the official Philippine licensee and organizer of the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships has competed in several IronMan races as well.

Seven years ago, Uytengsu brought the Ironman Triathlon fame to the Philippines and put the country to the global triathlon map.

“I believe that with a healthy lifestyle, healthy body, clear mind, you’ll have a lot more energy and a lot more endurance in all aspects of your life.

I like doing it because I enjoy it and if bringing IronMan to the country will inspire and help others to adopt a healthy lifestyle then, well and good.”

‘I believe that with a healthy lifestyle, healthy body, clear mind, you’ll have a lot more energy and a lot more endurance in all aspects of your life. I like doing it because I enjoy it and if bringing IronMan to the country will inspire and help others to adopt a healthy lifestyle then, well and good’ –Wilfred Uytengsu, IronMan organizer improve on his previous record.

“Taping for Dolce Amore ended just a few weeks before the race, so I didn’t really have much time to train.

I only started training two weeks before the event so I want to break through my “mental barrier” and prove to myself that I can still finish the race.”

For Guidicelli triathlon has become more than just a sport for him “it’s a lifestyle.” The discipline and passion I got from kart racing

Life

D2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

How to be

Aside from citrus fruits, individuals can further reap the benefits of Vitamin C from supplements

protected from sickness I

N today’s fast-paced, highly competitive world, more and more people are working, partying and playing hard. To make sure you don’t fall behind or miss out on anything important or worthwhile, you need to ensure that your body is always protected from sickness, with a daily dose of Vitamin C. Here is where it gets a little confusing.

Most people rely on Ascorbic Acid for their daily dose of Vitamin C because most think that this vitamin only comes in this form. The truth is Vitamin C comes in two different forms, namely Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate.

While both have similar benefits, Sodium Ascorbate does not come with the side effects that are associated with Ascorbic Acid.

So what makes Sodium Ascorbate better than Ascorbic Acid? For one, Sodium Ascorbate is alkaline-based,

which means that it can be taken anytime—even on an empty stomach— without causing stomach pain or discomfort unlike the acidic Ascorbic Acid which should be taken only with or after meals.

Best of all, Sodium Ascorbate is more soluble than Ascorbic Acid. This means that it dissolves faster in the stomach, allowing the body to absorb and reap the benefits of Vitamin C more quickly and efficiently.

These properties make Sodium Ascorbate the better Vitamin C for those who

Japan’s Premium HyC150 now in the market PREMIUM HyC150, the secret weapon every woman or man desires to keep looking young, physically fit and feeling good, continues to expand its reach to make it accessible to more Filipinos. This HyC150 contains age-defying properties that help keep the skin young looking modern-day “fountain of youth” is now sold at selected Mercury Aside from Premium HyC150, Drug stores in Metro Manila. other products of FINE Japan As an exclusive offer, Premium HyC Co. Ltd. include the revolution150 comes with an additional one free ary FINE Etiquette Rose, an oral sachet worth P125.00 when you buy at perfume supplement that is very efselected Mercury Drug stores. fective in removing body odor. It Made by FINE Japan Co. Ltd., one is more cost-effective than buying of Japan’s most trusted manufactur- expensive perfumes in the market ing firms, HyC150 is an award-win- and the effects of smelling good ning food supplement that effectively from within is longer. Another combines Collagen with the hydrat- FINE product is FINE Turmeric Exing power of Hyaluron for younger tract that helps keep the liver healthy and healthier looking skin. against cholesterol. Turmeric is also Collagen is HyC150’s age-defying widely known to help control blood ingredient that helps keep the skin sugar levels especially for people young looking, supple and smooth suffering from diabetes. by slowing down the aging process FINE also boasts unique whitand fights the negative effects of ening food supplement that is 100 too much exposure to sunlight and percent organic with FINE Organic pollution. Hyaluronic Acid, mean- Pearl Coix. Purely made from Adwhile, helps lubricate the bones, lay seeds, also known as Job’s Tears, joints and eye tissues and maintains this product is the only one of its kind healthy gums. It also complements in the market today, used by many Collagen by nourishing and hydrat- Japanese men and women for many ing the skin, and even the scalp to years to keep skin fair, smooth, and promote healthy and glossy hair. It luminous. For teenagers, FINE Pearl also helps regulate protein for faster Coix helps control acne for blemishwound healing. free skin. For young adults, 100% HyC150 also contains other ac- Organic Pearl Coix has more health tive ingredients such as Ubiqui- benefits aside from brightening the nol, Vitamin C, Biotin, Elastin skin. This food supplement also aids and Pearl Coix. These nutrients digestion and is known to help preare needed by the body to complete vent cancer.

HyC150’s youthful effects all over the body. In clinical trials conducted in For more information, call (02) 546Japan, North America and Europe, 7297, (02) 861-6298, 0917-7750779, or about 93 percent of users of Premium log on to www.HyC150.com, or like HyC150 reported improved hair, nails HyC150 on Facebook, or follow @ and skin with continued use.

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keep busy, unpredictable schedules, and who suffer from stress-induced hyperacidity.

As Sodium Ascorbate brands go, Fern-C is the number one brand in the Philippines. The Sodium Ascorbate formula found in each capsule is manu-

factured by DSM Switzerland, the only European Vitamin C manufacturer that offers premium preparations of all Vitamin C forms.

Fern-C helps boost the immune system, thus improving one’s resistance against viral and bacterial infections, in

addition Fern-C also promotes healthy gums, teeth, bones and skin for better overall health.

Fern-C Vitamin C Sodium Ascorbate is available in leading drugstores, supermarkets, convenience stores and Fern kiosks nationwide.

Warm up in these cold weather months WATER from the tap gets colder as the cold weather of the “ber-months” start to close in. While most people are used to hitting the showers with cold water— some of them want it that way because it waking them up from drowsiness—there are some who just cannot handle the sharp chill on their skin. Among them are kids who need to wake up early for school. It seems to take forever to pull them out from their slumber in these cold months and they dread the cold water from the shower, making their mornings far less enjoyable—adversely affecting their mood.

As an old-school practice, it takes extra effort for those who wake up very early morning just to manually heat up water in the kitchen, or possibly worse, by using submersible water heater heads in their buckets, which puts users at risk of getting accidentally electrocuted. It takes extra time in mixing heated water with tap just to get the right comfortable temperature. Others may have their own water heater installed in their showers, but the risk of getting scalded is still a problem.

Midea, the world’s leading consumer

appliances manufacturer, responds to these challenges with an array of water heaters that can suit everybody’s needs and budget. Their lineup of water heaters has the Quick Warm Heating Element that instantly heats water at a preferred temperature that gives instant comfort in seconds. This allows its users not to worry much about time, especially those who are always in a hurry in the morning to beat the rush hour.

All of Midea’s water heaters have Safety Sensors that ensure not only the comfort in taking a shower but also the safety in using them. It guarantees no overheating so that customers may enjoy their warm showers just the way they want them longer. These sensors also take care of keeping water temperature in check, so that scalding hot water will not come out of the shower. It also has a built-in anti-shock device to keep everyone safe from harm.

While Midea offers different models of water heaters that may cater to people with tight budget. It only heats the water needed for a shower and for as low as P3.00, everyone can enjoy this

tag on the electric bill for 10 minutes of warm soothing water trickling down the skin—more than enough time to soak, soap and scrub then out to take on the day ahead.

A warm shower from Midea could also be enjoyed after having a tough day at work and coming home from the heavy traffic on the road. A soothing bath could take away a day’s worth of stress by loosening up muscles that are tight from all the work they had. This could also refresh and clear the mind so parents who work hard after a long day could definitely enjoy some quality time with their kids before bedtime.

As the cold months come close, Midea offers warmth through its innovative products featuring home solutions that could make home life easier and more harmonious. Midea’s water heaters reflect the kind of warmth it has for the family and that soothing feeling of coming home to the people that matter the most.

For more information on Midea’s products, check out midea.com.ph and www.facebook.com/MideaPhilippines on Facebook.

NO MORE CHILLY MORNING SHOWER. Midea offers water heaters that ensure safety and efficiency

MediCard Fairview’s new medical services

MediCard clients based in or near Fairview can now take advantage of the clinic’s new medical services

LEADING health maintenance organization (HMO) provider MediCard announced recently the availability of new medical services and specialists in its free standing clinic in Fairview.

In addition to its quality healthcare services, MediCard Fairview now offers executive check-ups, 2D echo, dental services, pulmonary function test and treadmill stress test.

Joining its team of highly competent and well-trained doctors and medical professionals are new specialists: IMPulmonologist, IM-Endocrinologist

and IM-Oncologist, as well as new specialists in the Rehab Medicine and Orthopedic fields.

To set an appointment at MediCard Fairview, call (02) 935-0949, (0917) 524-3965, (0908) 886-4744, or e-mail appt.fairview@medicardphils.com.

MediCard has 13 free standing clinics located in key cities nationwide that offer laboratory tests and consultations to monitor your health.

Visit a MediCard clinic or check out www.medicardphils.com and MediCard Philippines on Facebook for more information.

D3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

By Robbie Pangilinan

P

INOY Dream Academy first season scholar Panky Trinidad never played hanky-panky.

During her no-fuss audition in the reality talent show, she looked like something straight out of a brit-rock documentary, with her black shirt, tattered pants, and checkered vans while everybody else looked like they’d just stepped out of the salon with full make-up, dressed to impress and profiles with head shots in hand.

“My blonde hair was a mess and I sported a mullet,” Panky laughs. “I was there on a dare.

I brought nothing else with me except my voice,” she recalls.

And that voice brought her the distinction of being the scholar with the most number of Star Scholar recognitions, and the least number of nominations, which was only one. That voice took her to the Honor List of 6 and the fourth place in the Grand Dream Night.

That voice also flew her to the 2008 World Championship of Performing Arts as a representative of the Philippine Team for the senior division. She was cited as the Champion of the World for the Vocal R&B/Soul/ Jazz in the 16-24 category, and the gold in the Female Vocal R&B/ Soul/Jazz and the Female Vocal Rock, 18-24 category. She also bagged the silver in the Female Vocal Broadway and the bronze in the Female Vocal Pop, 18-24 category.

Ten years hence, Panky has formed her own band, The Twist, which she calls “today’s acoustic rebels” that plays “no B.S., filterfree, pure unadulterated world

No Hanky Panky

Contrary to what many people believe, singer Panky Trinidad is actually soft-hearted and very emotional

class music.” The Twist performs regularly in different bars and venues around Metro Manila.

Panky is also busy with Panky’s Society of Dreamers where she teaches voice, basic guitar, percussion and speech lessons to the young and young at heart.

Her students include Juan Karlos Labajo of The Voice Kids Season 1 and Andrea Brillantes who already has a single out today.

“I’m equally proud of all my students,” says Teacher Panky.

Panky has been singing her whole life and used to have a band in her hometown in Cebu, but she admits she never imagined herself doing it in front of the camera.

Still, she is thankful for having had the opportunity to be in show business.

“A lot of great things happened to me that I would never have achieved if not for showbiz – the recognition, the accolade, the perks. But all of these things are fleeting and temporary. In all honesty, my greatest achievement is and will always be the fans.

Although I prefer calling them

friends instead of fans. Any person who gives you their loyalty, love and support, no matter what, is worthy of being called a friend. I haven’t been in the spotlight for years but the same people who supported me in PDA are still there and I am grateful for that,” shares Panky.

Panky does all these for the most important thing in her life – the happiness of her mom and two younger siblings.

“They’ve sacrificed so much for me and I’m still making it up to them every day. They inspire me to keep going especially when circumstances make me want to quit. Everything I do is for my family,” says Panky, who also admits to being in a very happy relationship with girlfriend Vanessa, also a singer.

“Vanessa and I don’t have a social life because our jobs require us to be ‘out and about’ and social.

Any socializing besides work could be a convo with a waiter in the mountains of Baguio who I ask for the restaurant’s specials or a fistbump with a gas station

attendant after filling up our tank to go eat bulalo in Tagaytay. That’s pretty much it,” says Panky with a wink.

Panky likes going on road trips and traveling. She finds driving relaxing and therapeutic.

“If I had my way, I’d go to at least six countries every year. I like bathing in different cultures and talking to people from different walks of life,” she says, adding that movie marathons also relax her.

Confident Panky does not have a beauty regimen, saying she always wakes up the same way every day.

Panky jokes that she always tries to eat a balanced meal and a balanced meal is a burger in each hand.

“Kidding aside, I lost a significant amount of weight 4 years ago but I gained it all back so I’m trying to get back on track.

Keeping my weight off has always been an issue. If I’m gonna use the gym and pool in my condo, it’s because I want to make a change and try to get healthy, not because people tell me I’m fat and it burns their eyes. Get an eye-patch or

something. That’ll solve the problem. Plus, I’m confidently fat with a heart,” Panky laughs.

Panky believes that sometimes things don’t go according to plan, though she has a clear picture of where she will be in the next 10 years, but “if the band HEART will ever need a new vocalist or whatever, that’s probably where I’ll be. Hey, a girl can dream!”

Panky quips.

Through everything that she gone through, Panky learned that no one should never take anything for granted – people, opportunities, priceless moments and most of all, ourselves.

“I’ve learned to accept and forgive the people who have wronged me in the past even if the public will never know my side of the story. Being accused of something I didn’t do is hurtful.

Just because I look tough and curse like a sailor, people assume I’m a binge-drinking, hotel-trashing, carpet-vomiting airhead. It hurts.

I’ve also learned that I don’t have to own up to these accusations because I know I didn’t do them

and I am not that person. But, I will apologize for the ones I did do. If YOU are one of the people I have wronged, I am deeply sorry and I apologize with all my heart.

I believe that every mistake is a learning opportunity and a chance to start over and become a better person. I’ve learned that nobody is perfect and life is like a coin with two sides – the ‘people who love you and root for your success’ side and the ‘people who hate your guts for no reason and want to take you down’ side. If we learn to ignore the latter and appreciate and give importance to the former, we will all live happily and in harmony,” ends Panky.

No fuss, no hanky-panky. What you see is wat you get. That’s Panky Trinidad.

Get in touch with Panky through Facebook: pankytrinidad@gmail. com and Instagram: pankytrinidad.

See The Twist’s profile and show schedules at https://www. facebook.com/thetwistph/ and Panky’s Society of Dreamers at https://www.facebook.com/ pankyssocietyofdreamers/.

Ricky Lee workshop selection of participants

Seasoned screenwriter Ricky Lee is opening his doors again to budding storytellers and script writers

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, September 1, 2016

ACROSS 1 Collar sites 6 Desolate 11 Bovary title 14 Conjecture 15 Change colors 16 Rowboat need 17 Human herbivore 18 Gala 19 Coq au — 20 One more time 22 MTV fans 24 Went through rock 28 Bordeaux 29 Frolicsome one 30 Very steep 32 “The Mammoth Hunters” writer 33 Spam, maybe 35 Reindeer herder 39 Intuition 40 CPA employer 41 651, to Ovid 42 Mighty — — oak 43 Water birds 45 Mideast gulf 46 Thirst quencher 48 Kelly the clown 50 Peer groups?

53 Lawn plantings 54 Battery’s “+” end 55 Robin’s

hatchlings 57 Music media 58 Writer — Potok 60 Barbershop item 65 Garcon’s yes 66 Stable occupant 67 Klutzy 68 Pa Cartwright 69 Deed holder 70 Beatrice’s admirer DOWN 1 Election mo.

2 Fossey friend 3 “Babe” star 4 Hartman of films 5 Legislative body 6 Hippie’s money 7 Strauss of jeans 8 Idyllic spot 9 Rand of “Atlas Shrugged” 10 Soup pot 11 Van line 12 New England state 13 — & Young 21 “Breathless” star 23 Estates like Tarzan’s 24 Cheer for a diva 25 “Satchmo”

Armstrong 26 Protozoan (var.)

27 Tremendous 28 Movie frame 30 Mr. Spock’s father 31 Leak giveaway 34 Appearance 36 Crowning points 37 Piece of china 38 Ale servings 43 PFCs 44 A Saarinen 47 Bounce, as sound waves 49 European

capital 50 John — Astor 51 Needless 52 Violinist’s aid 53 Pyle of sitcoms 55 Square-dance locale 56 Greet the dawn 59 “— Soon Is Now?” (The Smiths song) 61 Santa — winds 62 Koan discipline 63 Cast a vote 64 I-90

WRITERS Studio, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI), will spearhead the screening and interview of applicants to Ricky Lee’s 15th Film Scriptwriting Workshop at the UPFI Film Studio on Sept. 4. Applicants may come to the venue anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Lee, a multi-awarded scriptwriter, has written more than 160 films including Himala, Karnal, Brutal, Moral, Salome, Cain at Abel, Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara, Deathrow and Mila. He last conducted his workshop, which has produced hundreds of graduates who are now part of the movie and TV industry, in 2002. Writers Studio is a group composed of his

workshop fellows and students.

Supporting Writers Studio and UPFI in organizing the selection process are the UP Department of Broadcast Communication, UP Broadcasting Association, Far Eastern University (FEU) Film Society, University of the East (UE) Buklod Sining, Think Creative, Inc. and Red Room Media Productions.

Lee, who started conducting workshops in 1982, when he was still new to the industry, thinks writing is sharing. “I believe that while you’re learning, you should share, rather than store, all the knowledge that you get.” He considers this more dynamic as he believes that creating comes hand in hand with sharing.

Those who have yet to submit the

workshop requirements will have to fill out the Google form found at https://triptoquiapo.wordpress.com on or before Aug. 28. Those who fail to do so may still come to the venue on the said date but they need to answer the essay questions on the form on the spot.

The selected individuals will make up Batch 15 of Lee’s workshop, which will be held every Sunday starting this November.

Application to the workshop is still open. For more details and other inquiries regarding the workshop, email rickyleebatch15@gmail. com or check out the Ricky Lee (Official) Facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/TripToQuiapo) or Twitter account (https://twitter. com/triptoquiapo).

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

D4

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Showbiz D

ANIEL Radcliffe, who rocketed to worldwide stardom in the phenomenal Harry Potter films, stars anew in the intense action thriller, Imperium.

From a teenage wizard in ‘Harry Potter,’ English actor Daniel Radcliffe portrays an F.B.I. agent who goes undercover as a white supremacist in ‘Imperium’

Daniel Radcliffe is undercover in ‘Imperium’

Inspired by real events, the movie is directed by Daniel Ragussis and also stars Toni Collette, Tracy Letts, Devin Druid, Pawel Szajda with Nestor Carbonell and Sam Trammell.

In Imperium, Radcliffe takes on the role of Nate Foster, a young, idealistic FBI agent who goes undercover to take down a radical right-wing terrorist group. The bright up-and-coming analyst must confront the challenge of sticking to a new identity while maintaining his real principles as he navigates the dangerous underworld of white supremacy.

Imperium co-writer Mike German has the kind of pedigree that commands respect: he served in the FBI for 16 years, 12 of them as an undercover agent tasked with infiltrating dangerous white supremacy groups in order to prevent domestic terrorist attacks.

German successfully embedded himself with extremist groups on multiple occasions, leading to criminal convictions. German’s real life experiences infiltrating homegrown white supremacist terror cells intent on starting race wars form the basis of the Imperium screenplay.

Setting the movie in the present day was something German and Ragussis quickly agreed on, believing the film could better address important law enforcement and terrorism prevention issues that have dominated the national conversation.

Therefore, the film brings attention to the FBI’s seldomdiscussed racial-ethnic mapping program, in which American Muslims and other minority populations are controversially targeted. Imperium also explores the challenges faced by FBI agents working with limited resources to prevent domestic terrorism from white supremacists and other right-wing extremist threats. With the government prioritizing the fight against the Islamic terrorist threat, FBI agents working on battling domestically cultivated perils often must fight for funding and proper support.

In the end, Mike German expressed admiration for Ragussis’s efforts to create a film of thematic and emotional integrity true to what he experienced in the field, commenting, “Daniel’s unique vision and dedication to telling this story in an accurate, non-sensationalistic manner impressed me from day one. The final product depicts the inner workings of the FBI and undercover agents in particular, more accurately than any film I’ve seen. I coul dn’t be more pleased.”

Imperium opens Sept.14 in cinemas nationwide from OctoArts Films International. Trailer link: https://www.facebook. com/octoartsfilms.international/videos/1100549676692648/

Daniel Radcl if

by Daniel R fe (center) in a scene fr agussis. om the acti on thri

ller directed

Kc & The Sunshine Band in Manila

KC and the Sunshine Band is set to tour Manila in September to bring back memories of the exciting and vibrant disco era of the 1970s in a concert on Sept. 14 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ovation Productions is presenting the popular American pop group in its debut local concert dubbed, KC and the Sunshine Band Live In Manila, which is expected to draw an impressive crowd representing a cross-section of music fans, from Baby Boomers to Generation Xers to millennials.

The one-night event will re-live a memorable time in music through songs and dance moves that reflect the spirit, mood, style and sound of the ‘70s disco generation that saw the rise of KC and the Sunshine Band led by Harry Wayne Casey – a.k.a.

KC – which racked up some of the era’s biggest, most recognizable disco dance hits.

Still as popular and as appealing as when it burst into the music and concert scene some 40 years ago, KC & the Sunshine Band has been credited for having transformed the sound of modern pop music as its leader developed an audio rainbow of diverse roots, with a unique fusion of R&B, folk and a hint of a Latin percussion groove.

With a distinctively unique

DISCO AND FUNK AUTHORITY. Founded in Florida in 1973, American musical group KC & The Sunshine is one of the bands that shaped dance music scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s sound encompassing many generations and genres, the band is expected to stir up a disco dance frenzy among concertgoers as they sway, shake and swoon to the exhilarating sound of the band’s top hits, such as “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s The Way (I Like It),” “(Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty,” “Give It Up,” “Please Don’t Go,” “I’m Your Boogie Man,” “Rock Your Baby” and “Keep It Coming Love,” among many others.

With sales of over 100

million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and one American Music Award, the group has definitely stood the test of time to maintain its top position in the music and recording industry.

KC and the Sunshine Band was officially formed in Hialeah, Florida by Harry Wayne Casey, who subsequently forged a musical collaboration with Richard Finch that produced some of the band’s best-selling hits from mid- to late 1970s.

The release of its self-titled

triple platinum second album, KC and the Sunshine Band, in 1975 opened the door to the group’s first major US hit, “Get Down Tonight,” which topped the R&B chart in April and hit no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August.

From 1975 onwards, the band sustained an impressive run of other disco hits that contributed to the surge in its popularity, such as “That’s The Way (I Like It)” in 1975, “Shake Shake Shake Shake Your Booty” in 1976, “I’m Your Boogie Man”

and “Keep It Comin’ Love” in 1977, “Boogie Shoes” in 1978 (included in the monsterselling soundtrack to the hit John Travolta disco movie, “Saturday Night Fever”) and “Do You Wanna Go Party” and “Please Don’t Go” in 1979.

The group split up in the early ‘80s but re-formed in the ‘90s for concert performances following the revival of disco music and the renewed interest in bands from the era of the ‘70s that swept the US during that period.

The decade saw the release of

a large number of compilation albums of the re-formed band, along with some newly-recorded material, including an episode of VH1’s popular Behind the Music series that chronicled the group’s ups and downs. Several KC/Finch songs have also been included in the “Dance Dance Revolution” series of dance video games.

Casey led a studio album, Oh Yeah! (1993), as well as the concert album Get Down Live! based on tour dates throughout North and South America.

The band continued to appear on the oldies tour circuit, also recording in the studio for occasional albums, such as I’ll Be There For You (2001) and Yummy (2007). In 2016, it delivered a tribute to ‘60s pop music, Feeling You! The ‘60s.

On July 6, 2013, KC & the Sunshine Band was honored with a Golden Palm Star in the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. The Star was presented by Barry Manilow and city officials.

Members of The Village People were also in attendance, In March-April 2016, KC and the Sunshine Band reaped success on the Billboard Dance Club play chart with “I’m Feelin’ You,” a collaboration with dance act Bimbo Jones.

(Tickets are priced at P5,808, P4,752, P3,696, P2,640 and P1,584 and are available at all regular Ticketnet outlets and online through www.ticketnet. com.ph).