Manila Standard - 2016 September 12 - Monday

2 PINOYS WIN TOP FILM AWARDS IN ITALY

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VOL. XXX • NO. 212 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

9/11 memorial museum: Task completed NEW YORK―For six years, Amy Passiak oversaw the distribution of hundreds of objects from the World Trade Center in New York, a task she finished days before the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

There was only a knot of people on July 27, in a corner of the cargo area at New York’s Kennedy airport, to help with the end of the adventure.

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IN HONOR OF THE 9/11 VICTIMS. People walk among US national flags erected by students and staff from Pepperdine University as they pay their respects to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York at their campus in Malibu, California, on Sept 10, 2016. AFP

‘Traffic crisis persists’ But Alvarez junks blanket authority for Tugade

Drug war: Body count nearing 3,000

By Sandy Araneta THE Palace claimed success in its bloody war on illegal drugs as the body count of suspected pushers and users climbed to nearly 3,000, including the sister of an actress who was found dead in Quezon City with gunshot wounds to the chest.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar insisted Sunday that many of those slain have been killed in “gang wars” and not by shadowy vigilantes encouraged by the President, as

critics have alleged.

Duterte, who took office in June after winning election on a promise to kill tens of thousands of criminals, has vowed to press his campaign, despite growing international criticism.

“The police operations are a success. But there have also been gang wars or internecine [conflicts] where they eliminate each other,” Andanar said.

He said such killings were under investigation by the police.

Andanar was reacting to police

reports showing that more than 41 people were being killed each day under the Duterte administration’s anti-crime campaign.

By the end of last week, at least 1,466 people have been killed by police in anti-drug operations since Duterte took office, police spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said.

Another 1,490 are classified as “deaths under investigation” referring to people murdered in suspicious circumstances, many of them shot by suspected vigilantes or found dead with crude

signs labelling them drug-pushers or criminals.

The government has insisted that those killed by police died because they resisted arrest.

However, human rights groups charge that Duterte has been actively encouraging extrajudicial killings, telling police that he will protect them from punishment while urging civilians to kill drug pushers in their community.

The issue of the extrajudicial killings led to a spectacular falling out with US President Barack Next page

Bangladesh 2 Pinoys leave Italy with top awards assured of money back THE Justice department has assured the Bangladeshi government of the speedy return of $15 million of the funds stolen from it and which was turned over by Chinese casino junket operator Kim Wong, an official said Monday.

Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras III said a petition was filed on Aug. 26 before a Manila Regional Trial Court seeking to have the $15 million forfeited in favor of Bangladesh.

He said the RTC ruled on Aug. 30 that the petition was sufficient in form and substance, and that it was now awaiting a comment from the Office of the Next page

WEATHER TROPICAL storm “Ferdie” entered the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday morning and is expected to dump rain over Northern Luzon by Wednesday or Thursday.

The weather bureau said Ferdie―international name Meranti―was packing maximum sustained winds of 105 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 135 kph. Next page

DIAZ

VENICE―The Philippine film The Woman Who Left, a revenge tale shot in black and white by director Lav Diaz, won the top Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday.

“I want to dedicate this film to the Filipino people and their struggle, and humanity’s struggle,” Diaz said as he received the award.

Holding his Lion aloft, the man behind Melancholia (2008) and Century of Birthing (2011) thanked the jury, led this year by British director Sam Mendes, who said the 20 films in competition had proved to be of “a wonderful, astonishing variety”.

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DIZON

By Christine F. Herrera

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OUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has rejected the granting of “blanket emergency powers” being sought

by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade after expressing disappointment over the agency’s failure to concretely address traffic problems during the first 100 days.

ALVAREZ

TUGADE

“To be honest, I am not satisfied with the agency’s performance. The concrete reforms should have been put in place Next page

Kidnap site snags 3 more victims KUALA LUMPUR—Three crew members on a Malaysian fishing trawler have been kidnapped in waters where militants from the Abu Sayyaf group have previously taken hostages, a security official said on Sunday.

The incident is believed to have occurred late Saturday off Pom Pom Island, a popular scuba diving location in the eastern state of Sabah.

“The boat is Malaysian registered,” Wan Abdul Bari Abdul Khalid, head of Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Security Command, said without specifying the nationality of the crew.

Authorities did not comment on whether they believed Abu Sayyaf were involved.

In May, the Abu Sayyaf released 14 Indonesian sailors who had been kidnapped in Next page

Spokesman owns up to Palace PR boo-boo

By Sandy Araneta COMMUNICATIONS Secretary Martin Andanar on Sunday admitted that he made a mistake in releasing wrong information that President Rodrigo Duterte would be seated between US President Barack Obama and United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon during the gala dinner at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit last week.

Andanar, speaking on radio dzBB, said he would take full responsibility for releasing the wrong information in the official press release, and that he regretted the mistake.

Andanar said “there was a small twitter.com/ MlaStandard

problem” with the Presidential News Desk, which released information about the seating arrangements without checking the facts.

“I take full responsibility for that boo-boo. But I’d like to assure the Malacañang Press Corps that I’ve already ordered an investigation on... why this kind of information went out without my approval. It’s not a matter to laugh about,” Andanar said.

“I regret what happened. It was an unintentional. We’re looking into the problem,” Andanar said.

Andanar said that last Wednesday, when the dinner was scheduled, he remembered the press asking him about the seating arrangements.

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FEAST OF SACRIFICE. Artists perform a traditional Muslim dance at a fair in Pasay City in celebration of ‘Eid ul Adha ‘or Feast of Sacrifice. Ey Acasio

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Yolanda rehab agonizingly slow’ A

LMOST three years after the “Yolanda” tragedy, the victims of the powerful storm are even “worse off” than before it struck, with no permanent shelter and livelihood, according to the findings of the just-concluded study of Social Watch Philippines.

Kidnap...

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two high-seas raids, attacks that prompted Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to launch joint patrols.

In July, Malaysian police said five Malaysian tugboat crew were abducted by Abu Sayyaf off the coast of Sabah.

The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a few hundred Islamist militants, formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network, that has earned millions of dollars from kidnappings-for-ransom.

Although its leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, analysts say they are mainly focused on lucrative kidnappings.

In April and June the group beheaded two Canadian tourists after ransom demands were not met, and a Malaysian man was beheaded last year.

Malaysian security forces in Sabah have been on high alert and on the lookout for militants fleeing Mindanao after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military in August to ramp up its offensive against the extremist group. AFP

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Obama when Duterte on Monday called the American leader “a son of a whore,” over the prospect that he would raise the issue during their meeting at a summit in Laos.

Obama canceled his meeting but later told the fiery Philippine leader in a brief encounter that he should conduct his crime war “the right way.”

United Nations officials, human rights groups, local Catholic Church leaders and some legislators have criticized Duterte’s harsh campaign, saying it is eroding rule of the law in the Philippines.

Andanar, in an interview over state-run radio dzRB, said the extrajudicial killings were “a cause for concern” because they do “not fall under the ambit of the law.”

Police reports said 16,025 drug pushers or users were arrested in 17,389 operations conducted between July 1 and Sept. 10.

The Philippine National Police said police visited suspected drug users in 900,814 houses to “encourage them to stop their illegal ways.”

The number of drug users and pushers who surrendered during the same period was 709,527, including 52,568 pushers.

The PNP also reported that it has filed 292 cases and arrested 185 suspects for vigilante-style killings.

Of the number of respondents in the cases filed, the PNP said a total of 107 are at-large and 185 have been arrested.

In Quezon City, police found the sister of actress Maritoni Fernandez, dead from gunshot wounds to the chest.

Quezon City Police District director Sr. Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar identified the victim as Ma. Aurora Moynihan, an alleged drug pusher to showbiz celebrities. With Rio N. Araja, Roy Tomandao, AFP

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“I remember saying these words that it’s difficult to speculate, and I was surprised to learn that there was a [press release] ...from my office,” he said.

“So we take the problem seriously. I’ve have ordered Undersecretary Enrique Tandan to look into it. Undersecretary Tandan now is the person looking over, managing the Presidential News Desk—what happened there,” Andanar said.

Andanar’s office announced on Sept. 7 that President Rodrigo Duterte would sit in between Obama and Ban at the Asean gala dinner in Laos.

“Presidents Duterte and Obama will be seated next to each other, which expectedly, will focus all cameras on them to deliver to the world the encounter of the two.

Incidentally, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also seated on the other side of President Duterte,” the official press release said.

At the dinner, Duterte was seated away from Obama and Ban, however. The Philippine leader was instead flanked by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

SELFIE. Indonesian tourist Natalia Sulistya takes a selfie on the image of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Galeria de los Presidences de la Republic Filipina in Intramuros, Manila during Marcos’ 99th birthday on Sunday. Danny Pata

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yesterday…. Blanket emergency powers are out of the question,” Alvarez said during a hearing of the House committee on appropriations chaired by Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexie Nograles.

Alvarez chided transport officials for their lackluster performance as he questioned their ties and possible conflicts of interest.

At the budget hearing, Alvarez grilled Tugade and other transport officials and asked why they had “nothing concrete” to report on reforms that President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered.

“It is a must that in the first 100 days, in so far as the department is concerned, the public should see many changes. We see no concrete actions. We cannot just wait for what the agency plans to do,” Alvarez said.

“I am worried and concerned because this has been repeatedly announced by the President that concrete change must be had and be felt by the public in the first 100 days.”

Alvarez also expressed dismay after he learned that of the 80 airports nationwide, only the Davao International Airport had been visited by Tugade’s department to check on the problems in the past two months.

“I had to ask how many airports had been visited because there is such a thing as budget preparation so how would you know how much is to be allocated for each airport if you haven’t even checked each one?

I asked how many had been visited so far and there was only the Davao airport that had been checked. For all we know, the visit was not meant to find out the problem of the airport,” Alvarez told the panel.

Alvarez, who was chief of the Transportation Department during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said he could not believe that he would be among the thousands of Filipinos to be complaining about the delays in the securing of license plates and OR-CR from the Land Transportation Office.

Three months after he bought a brand new car, Alvarez said he has

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Right on the heels of Lav Diaz’s victory, seasoned actor and indie film producer Allen Dizon won the best actor plum at the 13th edition of the Salento International Film Festival in Tricase, Italy, on Saturday for his performance in Mel Chionglos’ Iadya Mo Kami (Deliver Us).

In The Woman Who Left, a story about the absurdity of human existence, a wrongly convicted schoolteacher plots retribution against the ex-boyfriend who framed her, disguising herself in a bid to get close to her prey.

Released in the late 1990s after decades behind bars, Horacia (Charo Santos-Cancio) discovers her loved ones are either dead or gone, and the ex-boyfriend, now a wealthy underworld boss, becomes the target of her simmering rage.

At nearly four hours long, Diaz’s film―nominally inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s 1872 short story God Sees the Truth, But Waits― plays with the theme of moral accountability within a narrative colored by kidnappings, transgenderism and poverty.

yet to receive his car plate.

Tugade sought to use the Speaker’s complaints to pitch blanket emergency powers that he wanted Congress to grant him, but Alvarez would have none of it.

“It cannot be that we’d allow blanket emergency powers. We have to identify which areas will need emergency powers. It cannot be a blanket coverage,” he said.

Alvarez also grilled Transportation Undersecretary for Railway Noel Kintanar, who previously served as assistant vice president of Ayala Corp.; Undersecretary for Air Operations Bobby Lim, who was formerly country manager of the International Air Transport Association; and Undersecretary for Land Transport Anneli Lontoc.

Alvarez said Tugade and his officials did not need emergency powers to address the concerns that the President wanted resolved in the first 100 days such as the traffic, long queue and the release of permits and licenses within three days.

Alvarez warned Tugade that just like in the previous administrations, some officials had prioritized the interests of their former “principals.”

He cited as example former Energy secretary and Executive Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, who worked for the Ayalas and served under former President Benigno Aquino III and also under Aquino, former Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson, who worked for businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

“Let us not fool ourselves. In every administration, private corporations put their people in departments covering their business.

Whose interests are you serving?” the Speaker said.

The Ayalas and Pangilinan have ongoing multibillion stakes in bigticket infrastructure projects such as the Metro Rail Transit System and Line Railway Transit.

San Miguel Corp. also has stakes in MRT and Tugade, according to National Economic and Development Authority Director General Ernesto Pernia, wanted to allow the SMC-Ramon Ang owned Manila North Harbour Port Inc. to engage in international trade that port stakeholders were opposing since MNHPI has an existing exclusive contract with the Philippine Ports The Best actor award went to Argentina’s Oscar Martinez for his portrayal of a cynical Nobel Prize-winning author who returns to his village for the first time in 40 years in the comedy on art and fame, The Distinguished Citizen.

US actress Emma Stone received the best actress prize for her depiction of a struggling thespian who falls head over heels in love with a jazz pianist―played

by Ryan Gosling―in US musical La La Land.

“I wish I could be there to make sure it’s not an elaborate prank,” quipped Stone in a video message, saying she could “think of no better place in the world than Venice to premier La La Land, we had a wonderful time”.

Fashionista-turned-director Tom Ford was awarded the Silver Lion grand jury prize for Nocturnal Animals, a romantic thriller about former lovers starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, with a violent revenge tale told as a story within a story.

An emotional Ford addressed the audience in Italian, saying he had spent “some of my best years in Italy” and it was his “biggest dream to return to Venice” after premiering his first film here, A

Authority to operate only in domestic trade.

“We want this administration to succeed, I and Secretary Tugade are partners in ensuring that we all work for the interests of the government. This is why we want to scrutinize your budget to see that it is clean and is not tainted with the interest of your former principals,” Alvarez added.

“Let’s not fool each other. Let’s look at your budget to see if it is clean of any interests of your former principals. Let’s be frank and blunt about this,” Alvarez said.

Tugade defended his handpicked team at the department, however.

“I need them to guide me. But if I ever see any conflict of interest, I will not wait for an investigation, I will fire them immediately because I am here to serve the nation and the President,” he said.

“All we ask is give us the chance to do our job,” Tugade added.

When Alvarez raised the issue of delays in the releasing of license plates, official receipts and certificates of registrations with Lontoc, Tugade said this was precisely one of the reasons the department is seeking emergency powers from Congress.

During the budget deliberations, Alvarez also took issue with the perceived underperformance of some of the Transportation undersecretaries.

In particular, he scored Lim for visiting only one airport—Davao airport—out of the country’s 80 airports in the more than two months he has been in office.

“Seventy days and Davao only?

How will you address the problems of the airports if you have not visited them? You should know the status of every airport in this country. It’s better you visit the airports so you get a clear picture,” Alvarez said.

Tugade’s department will spend over P39 billion for its projects in 2017. These include P4.9 billion for road projects, P5.5 billion for aviation projects, P24 billion for railways projects and P3.9 billion for maritime projects.

Tugade’s department has a proposed budget of P55.4 billion for 2017, up 25 percent from 2016’s P44.2 billion.

Single Man, in 2009.

The Silver Lion for best director was divided this year between Mexico’s Amat Escalante for The Untamed, about the sex life of a tentacled extraterrestrial creature, and Russia’s Andrei Konchalovsky for the Holocaust drama Paradise.

Jackie, a bio-drama which stars Natalie Portman as the grieving widow of US President John F. Kennedy, meanwhile, took best screenplay, with Chilean director Pablo Larrain saying the triumph was Portman’s, calling her “the only woman who could have played this role”.

Ana Lily Amirpour―dubbed “the new Tarantino” by fans― scooped the special jury prize for her second film Bad Batch, a cannibal love story with Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves about a young girl who ends up on the menu in a futuristic United States.

But there was no recognition for Terrence Malick’s Voyage of Time, which wowed Venice audiences with its portrayal of the life and death of the universe through stunning special effects and reallife images taken from earth’s most sophisticated satellites. AFP, with Nickie Wang

The study says the victims are poorer and more vulnerable, and their recovering has been “agonizingly slow.” It says the sorry state of the super storm’s survivors is the result of the Aquino administration’s failure to help them. ‘‘Yolanda’’―international name ‘‘Haiyan’’―killed at least 6,300 people and left thousands more injured and homeless when it made landfall in Leyte on Nov. 8, 2013.

It was the strongest storm recorded at landfall.

Social Watch’s study was conducted in Tacloban City for resettlement only; in Tolosa, MacArthur, Dulag, Mayorga in Leyte, and in Basey (Samar) and Salcedo (Eastern Samar) for all the recovery efforts cited.

“The Yolanda recovery and reconstruction is agonizingly slow and miserably falling short,” SWP co-convenor Isagani Serrano says in the study.

“Our findings in these municipalities represent the overall status of implementation as reported by the national government. There’s a huge gap between what was planned, budgeted and received by the intended beneficiaries. The implementation is marred by inefficiencies, lack of information and transparency and other institutional weaknesses.”

The study found only eightpercent completion of the target housing units in the municipalities covered by the study.

Only 19,330 out of the 205,128 intended to provide shelter to the victims were completed and 98,393 housing units are still being constructed.

SWP finished its study tracking the government’s funding for Yolanda reconstruction and rehabilitation in seven cities and municipalities in Eastern Visayas.

The group criticized the dismal implementation of the reconstruction and rehabilitation as it urged

the Duterte Administration to immediately start spending money that is already appropriated for the Yolanda victims.

“The government has reneged on its promise to build back better in the Yolanda-hit areas,” Serrano said.

“Almost three years after the monster storm, the victims are even worse off than before with no permanent shelter and livelihood and are poorer and more vulnerable. It was the failure of the previous administration but we expect President [Rodrigo] Duterte to address this with utmost urgency and do better.”

Serrano says SWP’s Public Expenditure Tracking Tool was used in monitoring the funds spent and the status of the implementation of the programs, projects and activities in resettlement, livelihood, emergency shelter assistance, education and health.

Of the target 14,433 housing units, Serrano says, the National Housing Authority was able to complete the construction of 1,137 units in Tacloban City only and none in the other municipalities covered by the study.

In a recent forum that SWP organized with the government agencies, local government officials and civil society partners in these areas, Serrano says, the representative of the NHA in Region 8 claimed 42 percent of the target was substantially completed.

Of the target housing units, some 5,852 in Tacloban city, 30 in Mayorga (Leyte), and 170 in Basey were completed.

Serrano says the National Economic Development Authority reported in its website that as of March 2016, the completion rate of the houses for the Yolanda victims was only nine percent and and 42 percent of the target housing units had not even started. Christine F. Herrera

9/11...

“I was a senior in high school in Michigan when 9/11 happened. I had never been to New York City,” she said.

Passiak had no close family connection to the victims of the attacks, or the police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, nothing that could create a link, even an indirect one, with the attack.

“I didn’t have a real concept of what the World Trade Center was, where it was,” she added.

Retrospectively, this distance perhaps allowed her to completely plunge into the task without feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

Since a little more than a year ago, the pace of the work has sharply slowed and Passiak is also handling other projects, but “for about four years, my life was September 11, which is crazy,” she said.

Generally, “I think that I’m a very emotionally steady person,” she said, “so I think that that actually helped with the job. I was able to remain calm.”

Passiak and the Port Authority approved the requests of 1,567 different groups across the United States, many of them fire and police departments, schools and cities.

Requests for objects also were approved for 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Germany and Italy. Despite its long ties with the US, France is missing from the list. AFP

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The last pieces from the Twin Towers still stored in Hangar 17, which had been exposed to the view of thousands, left under Passiak’s watchful eye.

For six years, she coordinated the distribution of almost 2,800 pieces under the control of the site’s owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Among them, there was no individual, personal object: a damaged police car, sunglasses sold at one of the stores in the building, but mostly massive objects, fragments of the destroyed skyscrapers in lower Manhattan.

There was a lot of steel, including several of the tridents, the distinctive forked steel structures on the facade at the base of the buildings, each weighing several dozen tons.

In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organizations and government entities for use in public memorial projects.

Already working at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Passiak was chosen to supervise the program.

Passiak, who is in her 30s and holds a master’s degree in museum studies, discovered a universe about which she knew almost nothing.

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Solicitor General before the money was returned to Bangladesh. ‘‘After filing their comment, we will now wait for the judgment of the court for the $15 million,’’ Paras said in a statement.

The $15 million was part of the $81 million that hackers stole from the Bangladeshi government in February.

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Meteorologist Jun Galang said Ferdie was spotted east of Casiguran, Aurora, at 11 a.m.

He said moderate to heavy rain was expected within the 300-kilometer diameter of the storm,

The money was eventually coursed through fictitious accounts at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and transferred in portions to Philippine Remittance Corp.

The money was subsequently delivered to Wong and to the highrollers from Macau and China.

After being questioned during a Senate inquiry over the stolen funds, Wong returned the $15 million in two batches, one totaling $4.63 million and the other P488,280,000. Rey E. Requejo

which was moving west-northwest at 20 kph and could exit the country on Thursday.

He said they were also also monitoring a low-pressure area that was spotted east of Surigao del Sur and which might enhance the southwest monsoon and dump rain on Northern Luzon on Tuesday or Wednesday.

News

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

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‘Probe farmers’ killings’

By Sandy Araneta

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ABOR Secretary and government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III on Sunday urged the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the recent killing of Ariel Diaz, chairperson of the Danggayan Dagiti Mannalon ti Isabela (Dagami), and of four farmers within Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija.

“I will request the NBI to investigate these dastardly acts to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice,” Bello said.

Bello made the promised in response to Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, adviser of the government peace panel, who, on Thursday, condemned the slayings of the peasant leader and four farmers, said

2 House members’ suspension pushed

a statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

OPAPP said Pamintuan had said criminal charges must be filed against the killers of Diaz who was shot dead by three armed men on September 7 in his farm in Villa Pereda, Delfin Albano town in Isabela.

Diaz was the head of the provincial chapter of the Kilusang Mag-

bubukid ng Pilipinas in Isabela.

Four days earlier, Emerenciana Mercado-de la Cruz, Violeta Mercado-de Leon, Eligio Barbado and Gaudencio Bagalay were shot dead while resting in a nipa hut in their farm in Laur, according to OPAPP. Several others were wounded in the carnage perpetrated by still unidentified gunmen whose firearms were allegedly dropped from a helicopter.

The victims were part of the group of farmers belonging to Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid na Nagkakaisa, another chapter of the KMP, who were cultivating portions of the disputed 3,100 hectares of land inside Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, said OPAPP. Pamintuan had said the issue of land is the “central mobilizing force of the armed revolution”

being waged by the New People’s Army, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its political wing, the National Democratic Front, OPAPP noted.

Bello said “we cannot allow a repeat of the Mendiola massacre where peasant leaders and farmers had been killed while we are in the middle of peace negotiations.”

OPAPP said that in January 1987, the NDF pulled out from the peace negotiations with the administration of then President Corazon Aquino after government forces fired at peasants marching in Mendiola demanding genuine land reform.

The Philippine government and the NDF have since held on and off negotiations but never reached the substantive phase of the peace talks.

Formal negotiations between

the two peace panels were last suspended in 2011 after the NDFP accused the government of Benigno S. Aquino III of violating the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) following the arrest of ranking rebel leaders.

But formal negotiations have since been reopened on August 22-26 in Oslo, Norway upon the initiative of President Rodrigo R. Duterte with the Royal Government of Norway acting as third party facilitator.

“It is encouraging to note that there are more common areas now that the government and the NDF can agree on so we can fast track the process,” shared Pamintuan.

Pamintuan noted that President Duterte has consistently mentioned in his campaign sorties his commitment to push for

genuine land reform, national industrialization, and health and education reforms, issues that the NDF has been advocating for all these years.

OPAPP said the two panels will again meet in the first week of October, also in Oslo, to tackle substantive issues on social and economic reforms and political and constitutional reforms.

They will also hammer out details for a bilateral ceasefire and will submit amnesty proclamation drafts for detained rebel leaders.

Duterte pushed the negotiations by ordering the release of 22 NDF consultants after promising during the campaign period to reopen peace negotiations with the communist rebels.

This is the most number of prisoners released in the history of the Philippine peace process, according to OPAPP.

THE EXPLORER. A National Geographic’s explorer, filmmaker and advocate on ocean water, Alexandra Cousteau (center) provides media with an update on her Benham Rise Expedition during a forum held at the Top Of The Citi, Makati City. Joined by Philippine officials and Oceana executives, Cousteau will embark on the second Oceana exploration amid reports that China is also setting its sights on the Benham Rise, considered a wellspring of gas reserves and rich in marine life.

By Christine F. Herrera A LAWMAKER on Sunday urged the House leadership to heed the Sandiganbayan order imposing the preventive suspension of two House members accused of graft so as not to be perceived giving “special treatment.”

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said the separate 90-day suspension order against Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr. and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte should be enforced already to avoid the House being cited in contempt of court.

Lagman opposed House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s proposal to let the plenary decide on whether or not to place the two congressmen under suspension from their legislative duties.

“We will follow the judicial process. This is not a penalty.

This is suspension. This is done to all accused, whether members of Congress or officials of other agencies. So we should be able to enforce the judicial process equally to all,” Lagman told radio dzBB over an interview.

“I believe the House should follow the order of the Sandiganbayan.”

Espino faces three counts of graft for allowing black sand mining in Lingayen Gulf in 2011 when he was still governor, while Villafuerte is being held accountable for the irregular procurement of P20 million worth of petroleum products for the provincial government in 2010, also when he was governor.

The anti-graft court’s Sixth Division, in a resolution penned by Associate Justice Rodolfo Ponferrada, said Espino will face trial for the issuance of permits to Xypher Builders Inc. and Alexandra Mining and Oil Ventures Inc. to conduct soil remediation and mineral extraction in Barangay Sabangan in Lingayen for the exportation of P10.750 million worth of minerals to China when he was provincial governor.

Associate Justices Oscar Herrera and Karl Miranda concurred with the decision.

Villafuerte allegedly allowed the payment of P 5 million to Naga Fuel Express Zone without prior bidding when he was still governor.

Lagman warned that there was no precedent yet that the House failed to enforce Sandiganbayan’s suspension order.

“There has been no precedent yet and if the House refused to heed the order, the Sandiganbayan may declare the Speaker, the House majority leader and the members of the House committee on rules in contempt,” Lagman said.

Lagman cautioned the leadership against evading its obligation in carrying out the order after Alvarez said he would still study the case and allow the plenary to decide collectively on the suspension of the two members.

School kids deprived of feeding funds Sablayan inmates undergo health tests

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

MILLIONS of schoolchildren have been deprived of food owing to the failure of two departments to release P2.6 billion in programmed funds, Senator Ralph Recto said on Sunday.

Recto demanded assurance from the departments of Education and of the Social Welfare and Development that the incompetence shown by them last year would not happen again.

The senator promised to push for the restoration of the P800 million cut in the 2017 budget for feeding programs for malnourished children and the tripling of the budget per meal to P30.

The 13-peso meal served to malnourished children in government-run day care centers is lower than what he dubbed “the 17-peso preso value meals” prepared in the country’s prisons, Recto said.

“Food for the country’s 135,000 inmates is budgeted at P50 a day each, or P16.70 per meal, higher than the

P13 meal budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development [DSWD] in its “Supplemental Feeding Program,” Recto said `For this year, he said DSWD has a budget of P4.27 billion to serve one meal for 120 days to 2.150-million children in daycare centers and in what it describes as “supervised neighborhood plays.

The Department of Education also runs its own feeding program, for which it was given P4.1 billion this year to provide one meal a day for 120 days to 1.9 million “severely wasted and underweight” children ages five to 11, or those enrolled from kindergarten to Grade 6.

The DSWD’s 13-peso meal consists of a viand worth P10, plus P3 worth of rice. DepEd’s meal, on the other hand, is priced higher at P16 for food plus P2 for operational expenses.

“But anyone who can whip up a nutritious meal for P13 should not only win the Magsaysay Award in kitchenomics

but be crowned as the Iron Chef of the universe,” Recto said.

Compounding this, Recto said, is that the DSWD’s proposed budget for its feeding program for 2017 has been slashed to P3.42 billion, an P844 million cut which would slash the number of beneficiaries by 404,000.

Recto said he will not only oppose the cut but will propose that the budget of the DSWD and DepEd for supplemental feeding be increased, in order to raise the cost per meal to P30.

The senator said such an increase would require an additional P3.56 billion for DSWD and P2.76 billion for DepEd, or P6.2 billion for both, raising the total budget for the twin programs to P13.89 billion from the proposed P8.37 billion.

But any increase in funding is contingent on the two agencies’ assurance to improve the implementation of the parallel programs, Recto stressed, “because the way they were carried out last year bordered on criminal neglect.”

MUSIC TO THE EARS. An ambulant vendor arranges his guitars on Temple Drive at Green Meadows in Quezon City. Each guitar fetches from P250.00 to as much as P1, 500. Manny Palmero

TWO hundred inmates of the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro were subjected to health screening by the Department of Health—Mimaropa (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) together with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the provincial health office.

During a visit to the colony, Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said health screenings have shown to be an effective strategy in reducing, and eventually eliminating diseases among inmates.

Since infectious diseases spread easily in prisons due to congestion, he said the inmates should undergo health screenings to protect them.

The DoH conducted the health screening to improve TB control and to discover undetected TB cases in prisons, identify and treat inmates with skin lesions, conduct voluntary counseling and testing and ensure that support systems such as regulation, financing, logistics, human resource and information are in place.

TB is four to five times more prevalent in jails and prisons than in civilian communities in the country. HIV is also a major concern and Occidental Mindoro has contributed two HIV out of 35 cases from Jan – June 2016, the DoH said.

There are two social hygiene clinics in the province located in San Jose and Mamburao catering to reproductive health needs and STI concerns. Testing centers areas include Occidental Mindoro Provincial Hospital and San Sebastian District Hospital.

The DoH official said basic human rights decree that jail inmates equally deserve appropriate health care for the social reason that most of them will return to society after a few years.

“That is why proper care must be given to preserve their health in order for them to be able to again join society and embark on productive activities and free from disabling diseases,” he said.

“We are providing preventive strategies through disease prevention education on HIV, TB and leprosy and other skin diseases. Blood samples have been taken to be examined, sputum samples were collected and blood pressure were monitored,” he added.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

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EDITORIAL

The real problem

T

HE National Telecommunications Commission last week asked Congress to amend the 80-year-old Public Service Law so that it can impose steeper fines on erring telecommunications companies.

The 80-year-old law stipulates that the NTC can only impose a maximum of P200 a day against erring telecommunications companies—an amount so ridiculously low by today’s standards that we might just as well be talking about a college student’s daily allowance in a middle-income family.

Adelle Chua, Editor

To put things in perspective, a fine of P200 a day in the telecommunications business would be less significant than a mosquito bite to an elephant.

In 2015, PLDT realized a net income of P35.2 billion; Globe Telecom, the other half of the telecommunications duopoly, posted a net profit of P16.5 bil-

lion. If either of these behemoths were to pay a P200 fine a day for an entire year, they would pay only P73,000.

Clearly, the fine is no deterrent.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, who has served three administrations, told a congressional hearing that the National Economic and Development Authority suggested that adjusted for inflation, the equivalent of P200 in 1936 would be about P1 million today—and that the law should be amended to reflect this.

Responding to complaints of poor telecommunications service, the NTC chief added: “If the penalty is this huge, we are sure telecommunications companies will step up.”

While there is no doubt that the P200-a-day penalty is in dire need of updating, it would be overly simplistic to say that higher fines would result in better service.

The real problem, after all, isn’t inadequate fines, but the lack of true competition between PLDT and Globe, who have been allowed to reduce the number

of players in the industry to two by buying up smaller competitors and shutting out new entrants—an anticompetitive situation that the NTC itself has done nothing to arrest with adequate regulation.

This lack of competition has manifested itself to consumers in so many ways—poor voice and text services, including SMS messages that arrive one day late; expensive and erratic internet access; and the utter lack of concern that their disgruntled customers might jump ship and move to the competition.

Consumers were also deprived of real competition in internet services when PLDT and Globe ganged up to keep a joint venture between San Miguel Corp. and Telstra of Australia out of the market, then conspiring to buy up their control of the crucial 700MHz band.

In an environment such as this, updating the fines is a good first step, but as far as steps go, this one is a baby step. A real step forward would be to enable real competition to take root—something the NTC has not done in many, many years.

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

International outlaw

a philosophical framework for history as one can ever get. A narration of history can never be “univocal”—because that would make one contemporaneous with events, nor “equivocal”—as that would make the event totally discontinuous with the present, and to that degree unknowable.

Ricoeur therefore borrows the Aristotelian notion of “analogy” to talk about historical truth: What happened as it appears to us—partly the same, partly discontinuous! And that is the part that should not be glossed over because “to us” always means perspectives, and perspectives are notoriously individual, Husserl already wisely taught— dependent on one’s particular standpoint.

So why should Risa Hontiveros’ standpoint— and those of the authors she favors—become normative for all elementary pupils? And

AS MUCH as I want to refrain from criticizing China’s foreign policy, I feel I would be defaulting in my own little way if we let the bully destabilize the region because of aggressive action in the West Philippine Sea. Just because it’s more popularly known as the South China Sea does not give the Chinese the torrens title to claim the whole vast of water as theirs. India does not claim the Indian Ocean entirely its own just because it is named after the country.

China, on the other hand, keeps violating international law despite The Hague court ruling that Beijing has no legal basis for its sweeping claim of nearly the entire South China.

That the Chinese continue their transgression on Philippine sovereign waters by deploying more ships near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Panatag) which is only 230 kilometers off Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales makes China an outlaw—it has no regard for international laws.

Considering that Scarborough Shoal is 660 kilometers from Hainan, the nearest Chinese landmass, Scarborough/ Panatag gives the Philippines more right to it because of proximity. Or at least make the disputed shoal within international waters under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea mandating a 200-mile economic zone for countries with coastal lines.

The Philippines at the Asean summit in Laos presented photos taken of the Chinese ships in the disputed area.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the surveillance photos taken by Philippine Air Force planes showed six Chinese patrol boats and four barges that could carry troops to be used for further island building of military installations.

“This is a matter of grave concern,” said Lorenzana, even as the Chinese ambassador in Manila was summoned by the Department of Foreign Affairs to explain the inimical presence of more Chinese boats in the area. Indeed,

Turn to A5

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Politicians, keep your hands off the curriculum!

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO ONLY recently, Senator Risa Hontiveros was shown turning over to Department of Education official copies of an anti-Martial Law book. The message was unmistakable: schoolchildren had to be taught that Martial Law was a dark chapter of our history and that Ferdinand Marcos was the perpetrator of unspeakable crimes. This came in the heels of proposals to return the utterly pointless Reserve Officers’ Training Corps to the curriculum. Then, of late, some members of the Lower House have made some noise over the inclusion of topics on martial law in the curriculum.

Mandated subjects have always been the bane of educators.

Politicians, some of whom can-

not spell the word “curriculum” correctly, much less understand the educational theory that underlies one, have no business dipping their greasy hands into the curriculum, much less molding it according to their misshapen image and likeness!

What was the photogenic senator attempting to tell educators—that the author’s perspective of Martial Law and her anti-Marcos bias were to be normative for schooling? That is not education. It is the antithesis of everything that the liberation of the human spirit should be. And if anyone should be so stupid as to think that a curriculum that instills into schoolchildren and university students a dislike for Martial Law and for the Marcos family is engaged in what Paolo Freire believes to be the praxis of freedom, it would serve him well to reread Freire or to go back to a sound philosophy of education.

You never tell students what to

Leave it to psychologists, philosophers and professional educators. think. You equip them with habits of inquiry and methods of analysis. You pose problems and transform the commonplace into foci of wonder and investigation. You challenge their positions and goad them to rethink their favored propositions.

Academe thrives in an environment that is not stifled by undue government regulation and that is most certainly free of the fetid vapors emanating from the insalubrious proximity of politicians. The only lawful excuse for licensing requirements in

relation to a course of study is public welfare, and where this cannot be unequivocally shown, there is neither justification nor reason for any form of government control of what one studies, writes, teaches or does with what one has studied!

The very notion of “historical truth” is problematic because it does not easily fit into Wittgenstein’s scheme of determining whether a proposition pictures a state of affairs or not. The correspondence theory works perfectly well when one is into the language-game of describing or indicating what is the case. But history gets one into the testy waters of telling what “was” the case from things one has on hand—documents, testimonies, monuments, artifacts, remnants—and it is that passage that is perilous. I still think that Ricoeur’s three-volume “Time and Narrative” provides as good

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Opinion Finally OUR plane ride was scheduled to leave at 9:00 a.m. By 8:30, as scheduled, we started to board the plane. Then seamlessly, the plane taxied from tarmac to runway, and I was waiting for the crew to announce what number we were on line for takeoff.

Meantime, I started reading the newspaper.

Mirabile dictu! We were taking off so soon. I glanced at my watch, and it was a minute before 9. Wow…is this for real?

I have been on and off a plane almost every week since the year began. And I could swear, this was the first time I boarded a domestic flight that took off on time. Finally!

P….. i.., Secretary Art Tugade of the Department of Transportation! This is truly marvelous!

Congratulations are in order.

And that cuss word from a satisfied constituent is a term of endearment to Secretary Art. Mas malutong siyang magmura kesa kay Presidente. Sana tuloytuloy na itong on-time take-offs (He curses with even more gusto than the President does. I hope this on-time takeoffs continue). *** Finally too, our cinema geniuses are getting recognition abroad.

We take our hats off to director Lav Diaz for winning the coveted Golden Lion award the other day at the Venice Film Festival, for his “Ang Babaeng Humayo.”

Months before, movie dame

Jaclyn Jose won the best actress award for Brillante M e n d o z a’s “Ma Rosa” in Cannes.

The beauty of all these achievements is that they were done through the plodding initiatives and perseverance of the small, independent producers and not the bigtime commercial film-makers and networks. And they had very little, if any, support from the government.

Now what more if government assists our filmmakers, artists, musicians, and everyone who could promote Filipino culture abroad?

Many have been making their mark abroad, with little attention from a seemingly disinterested government. Lea Salonga and many others decades back started it at the West End. The UP Madrigal Singers. Even the small band players, the pianists and other musicians who pour their hearts out in almost every capital of the globe. Kenneth Cobonpue’s furniture-art being lapped up by celebrities from Hollywood and Europe. Our fashion designers making their mark all over.

Hooray…may their tribe increase tenfold. *** I was in Davao in the wee

hours of Saturday when our President arrived from Jakarta after a LITO one-day state BANAYO visit following the controversial Asean Summit in Vientiane.

I was enthralled by what he said in his arrival statement: “We will observe, and I must insist, I repeat, I must insist on the time-honored principles of sovereign equality, non-interference, and commitment to peaceful settlements,” he stated.

Answering a follow-up question in an impromptu press conference where the media person worried about the international ruckus his remarks were painted as making, Duterte declared: “I am the President of the Republic of the Philippines, not the republic of the international community.”

How refreshing to see and hear a Filipino president, on his first foreign trip, declare for all the world to hear, that our country will pursue an “independent foreign policy.”

The President reiterated that he never wanted to pick a fight with any nation or body of nations over human rights. Many in the Western media and even official circles keep taking him to task over human rights in the current merciless war against drugs.

“I only want to be at peace

SO I SEE

with everybody, doing business with everybody and no quarrels,” making an allusion even to the thorny West Philippine Sea issue over which the previous leadership went into legal contention before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague against the People’s Republic of China.

This president does not care if he sounds wrong to our powerful allies who have been treating this sovereign nation like a vassal state through all these years, or whether his words were music to the ears of China at all.

What he is doing is simply advancing Philippine interest and the welfare of his fellow Filipinos. That is all.

Stressing the need for a peaceful resolution of conflicts, he “assured everybody that there are only two options there: we fight, which we cannot afford, or we talk.”

I recall how previous presidents would be ever so wary of displeasing our “benevolent” ally, under whose “benign tutelage” we shall work in the community of nations, or how some of them would suffer the indignity of being lectured upon by visiting officials sent by foreign leaders.

Finally, in President Duterte, we have someone who will dare stand up for our sovereign interests, and would say what he wishes to convey in furtherance of that independence and sovereign equality. Finally.

Taming North Korea Bloomberg editorial IN CONDUCTING yet another nuclear test Friday, North Korea has escalated its confrontation with the rest of the world. The regime celebrated, saying it had made progress in miniaturizing nukes and attaching warheads to missiles.

South Korea’s president rightly called it an act of “maniacal recklessness.”

It’s clear, if it wasn’t already, that North Korea is no longer just looking for bribes: Its goal is to build a full-fledged nuclear capability. The only prudent response is to harden sanctions in a way that finally gets the country’s attention.

Kim Jong Un’s regime has been blasting ordnance left and right this year. It conducted a nuclear test in January,

launched a long-range rocket in February, fired a ballistic missile off a submarine in August, and sent three more hurtling toward Japan earlier this week.

These alarming pyrotechnics are pushing East Asia toward a new era of instability.

They raise the likelihood that Japan and South Korea may seek their own nuclear deterrent, even as tensions with China rise over plans to install missile defenses in the region.

They increase the chances of a clash that would draw in the world’s two leading powers.

And they bring North Korea ever closer to its goal of being able to reach the continental US with a nuclear-tipped missile.

North Korea is likely exaggerating its abilities—it

International...

From A4 China’s aggression and flagrant violation of international laws in the wake of The Hague court ruling against it is a serious concern, not only for the Philippines but for other countries whose cargo vessels use vital SCS sea lanes. The United States is at the forefront of international concern about China’s threat to freedom of navigation even as the world watches this flashpoint that could erupt into a an armed confrontation between the two global powers.

Why is Beijing obsessed with claiming more than 90 percent of the South China Sea? According to foreign observers and global analysts, China is beset with internal problems like a slumping economy and the great demand to feed its 1.2-billion people. The answer, according to think-tank analysts, lies beneath the South China Sea with its potential oil, gas and mineral resources, not to mention the vast fishing ground to feed its people.

Whereas the Chinese used to be just poachers in Philippine waters, it is now

Politicians...

From A4 why should those who do not like Marcos be allowed to drill into our college and university students the supposed “evil” of martial law, and the eternal perdition of Ferdinand Marcos? Historians also advance hypotheses and test them by the methods available to history, particularly the method of coherence. Were Spanish expansionism

wouldn’t be the first time— but its weaponry is improving, and this alone ought to concentrate minds.

Are there any sanctions left to deploy? Yes. The United Nations was already mulling stiffer penalties. It could designate more of North Korea’s companies for sanctions and more of its operatives for travel and trade blacklists. The US Congress should tighten restrictions on traveling to the North, and the White House should press other countries to stop hiring North Korean laborers whose remittances support the regime.

The Treasury should intensify its efforts to cut off the North’s banks and their enablers from the world financial system. This means building a case against Chinese financial

institutions, which North Korea uses to procure illicit missile and nuclear technology.

China’s support in sanctioning those banks would be invaluable, obviously—but the US should go ahead even if that cannot be secured.

China doesn’t want the North Korean regime to collapse, but it ought to see advantages in imposing some restraint. It should help to enforce sanctions already in place, and move against the North’s covert weapons trade.

Preventing the North from learning how to miniaturize and deliver its weapons should be as urgent a priority for China as it is for the US. China and the US may not be natural allies, but they have a shared interest in taming the world’s worst regime.

they who keep Filipinos out by deploying a flotilla of patrol boats to intimidate the local fisherfolk of Zambales. Times have indeed changed since that standoff at Scarborough Shoal where the Philippine Coast Guard apprehended a Chinese fishing boat loaded with marine catch.

It has become a source of concern that President Rodrigo Duterte’s intemperate remarks against the US, a major ally, come at a time when the country needs friends more than it does enemies. Duterte’s comment that the “Philippines is not a lackey of any nation” sends the wrong signal to countries willing to help us against China’s aggression. Duterte’s biggest contribution to the already-tense situation is to keep his silence. The President should be advised (if there are still a few brave souls in the Cabinet to do so) about the intricacies of foreign relations.

The Philippines cannot be called a lackey just because the country accepted several patrol boats from Japan (a former World War II enemy) to strengthen our maritime border security. It’s a changing world that allows former foes to become friends

because of mutual security interests.

Another case in point is Vietnam, a former ally of China during the US-Vietnam war, being now friendly with the US because of its dispute with Beijing over the Paracels.

Duterte should be told that in international relations, there is no such thing as being able to chart an independent foreign policy. Every nation is interdependent with another without being a lackey. “Lackey” is a hackneyed word used by China to disparage any country that aligns itself with America.

So whose lackey are we then if not America’s? Not China’s, I hope. We have a Mutual Defense Treaty and an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States. The MDT, signed on Aug. 31, 1951 in Washington, and Edca, recently ruled valid by the Supreme Court, serve as deterrents—if only for appearance’s sake—against an aggressive and rising China. American and Filipino troops conduct regular military exercises called Balikatan to enhance the capability of our troops in defending the country from external attacks.

and colonialism the result of the success of the Catholic Monarchs in ousting the last Moors from Granada? Another example of a historical hypothesis: Are attempts to discredit the Marcoses now the result of Bongbong’s stellar showing in the last election? And then it should be clear that all recourse to the correspondence theory of truth is just infantile.

Leave the curriculum to psychologists, philosophers—Aristotle was among the first

to draw up a formal curriculum—and professional educators. Politicians can keep to their blabber and horse-trading, and to the applause of adulating crowds who will award their bombast with thunderous applause even if it be only “a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

A5

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OUT OF THE BOX RITA LINDA V. JIMENO

The President’s economic challenge THERE is another challenge President Rodrigo R. Duterte must now confront, other than crime and drugs—the Philippine economy. The latest survey among some 200 investors from the European Union says that the Philippines is trailing its South East Asian neighbors in terms of competitiveness. Vietnam and Cambodia have become the destination of choice for investors simply because there is greater ease of doing business there. The Philippines received the lowest ratings.

This is sad because the same survey showed that the Philippines was rated at the top in terms of availability of skilled workers at competitive compensation levels. What did the investors say were the reasons they avoided the Philippines then? They ranked the country lowest in terms of incentives for business and in the stability of government and political systems. They also cited the poor quality of infrastructure, less-than-friendly regulatory regime and customs procedures, and the administrative costs for business.

Setting up businesses in the Philippines is indeed daunting.

An investor has to contend first with restrictions in foreign ownership as embodied in the Philippine Constitution itself. The daring ones venture with Philippine partners giving the Filipino partners the bigger share in The Philippines equity even if the foris trailing its eign partners were the neighbors ones who poured in the company’s entire in terms of capitalization. Next, competitiveness. they have to grapple with more number of stages in setting up a company, eating up months, compared to other countries in the Asean where it only takes days to start up a company.

What is even more unfortunate is that in the 1960s, the Philippines was one of the most progressive countries in Asia. It was next only to Japan. Foreign students would come here to study and job seekers from our Asian neighbors such as China and India would come here to work or start a business. A paper by Romulo Virola, Candido Astrologo and Patricia Anne Rivera titled “Disturbing Statistics: Philippines compared to our Asean neighbors” said that based on estimates by the World Bank and the United Nations, the Philippines flourished in the 1960s but declined steadily due to a devastating confluence of factors ravaging the core of our national strength. The paper dealt with statistics but did not specify the causes for the decline of the Philippine economy.

In my mind, the primary cause is our political system which makes way for instability and corruption, turning away potential investors. Our too-centralized presidentialunitary system of government has hindered inclusive national development. The poverty level in the Philippines has hovered between 25 and 27 percent in the last two decades.

We have earned the notoriety of being the only country in Asia which has failed to cut in half its poverty level in the last 25 years, that is, from 1990 to 2015.

Take a look the following empirical data: The 15 most prosperous nations in the world are Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, the USA, Iceland, Luxembourg, Germany and the United Kingdom. What do they have in common? They are either in a federal-parliamentary system of government or unitary-parliamentary. The least corrupt countries of the world are basically the same, namely: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, Canada and New Zealand. These countries, again, are either in a federal-parliamentary form or unitary-parliamentary form of government.

The Philippine system, on the other hand, is unitary-presidential, characterized by an overly centralized form of government. Power and financial resources are concentrated in the central government while barely anything is given to the local government units. Thus, the regions outside of Metro Manila have failed to develop, create jobs and provide economic and social services to their constituents.

It was President Duterte’s promise in his first State of the Nation Address that the processing of government permits and licenses will be shortened. He also said that he wants to shift the system of government to a federal form to ensure inclusive growth. A hard look at the antiquated economic provisions of the Constitution must be done too to make us competitive. The track of economic and political reforms via constitutional change must be pursued alongside the elimination of crime and drugs. If Mr. Duterte succeeds in both, he could claim a place in Philippine history never before achieved by any Philippine president.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

News

A6

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sotto: Register sim cards

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

enate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Sunday slammed telecommunication companies for continuously refusing to register their pre-paid sim cards and help the government in fighting crimes, including terrorism.

“The benefits of having this kind of technology, however, does not always work for the betterment of the society because pre-paid sim cards are unregistered and untraceable, therefore, it can be used to carry out illegal activities,” Sotto said.

Under the 17th Congress, Sotto filed his previous measures pushing for sim card registration as Senate Bill No. 7.

The bill mandates all telco companies to register their pre-paid sim cards since the modern-day crimi-

nals and terrorists have been taking advantage of the mobile phone technology to launch attacks.

The Davao City night market blast, for exaample, was carried out by suspects who used a cellphone-detonated improvised explosive device.

Telco ompanies, however, have been opposing the passage of the bill which was backed by law enforcement agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Under the bill, the National Telecommunications Commis-

sion, in close coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and telco companies, shall formulate the necessary guidelines for the proper implementation of the pre-paid sim card registration process.

The bill also states that all mobile phone service providers shall require ownership registration as prerequisite to selling pre-paid sim cards.

The use of pre-paid sim cards in this country has flourished as these can be purchased practically anywhere by anybody without any required identification and credit background restrictions.

In the Philippines, the subscriber base of pre-paid sim cards grows dramatically each year, reaching an estimated number of almost 100 million, or about 90 percent of the entire cellular phone service market.

Sotto said his bill primarily intends to be an effective remedial measure to mandate cellular service providers to require the registration of all prepaid cellphone subscribers by asking valid ID at purchase, and in turn start build databases and come up with profiles of these buyers in the same way police detectives profile criminal suspects.

POST-'YOLANDA'. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez discusses her proposal to create a Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management with officials of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, Switzerland.

Duterte: I ‘PH must boost support for seaweed exports’ dream of a By Macon Ramos-Araneta united PH

By Sandy Araneta and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday called for unity across the country as he thanked the Muslim community for supporting his administration’s programs, particularly the ongoing peace process in Mindanao, in his message a day for today’s celebration of the Eid’l Adha.

“It is my dream to see our people, regardless of beliefs, join hands in building a united country for our children and the next generation. Let this celebration stand as a reminder that real change requires the sacrifice of our personal interests in favor of the common good of our citizens. Together, we can achieve progress, prosperity and harmony for all,” the President said.

Duterte said the occasion should remind Filipinos of the virtues that strengthen the very foundation of Islam.

“I join you in commemorating the ultimate obedience and trust of Ibrahim when he submits to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, according to the will of Allah. This occasion truly invigorates our common aspirations and rekindles the true significance of our faith,” he said.

The Eid’l Adha or the “Feast of Sacrifice” is an important event for Muslims across the world.

THE Philippines may lose its status as the world’s major exporter of the seaweed product carrageenan as Vietnam increases its support for higher yield of the aquamarine resource, Senator Francis Pangilinan warned on Sunday.

Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Food committee, has been pushing for the creation of a new Cabinetlevel Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) separate from the Department of

Agriculture.

The Philippines, Pangilinan said, is the number one exporter carrageenan.

“Carrageenan is used for pharmaceuticals. The capsules are made from seaweed. But our market share is now lower because Vietnam provides better support and therefore produces better yields,” he said.

Pangilinan is set to conduct the first hearing on separate measures seeking to create DFAR on Thursday.

The former Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Agri-

cultural Modernization noted the skewed focus and budget toward land resources at the expense of aquatic resources.

He said four-fifths of our territory is aquamarine and only one-fifth is land, but in the DA budget, the ratio is the other way around 90 percent for land and 10 percent only for aquamarine, Pangilinan said.

“The DA is able to fulfill its mandate for aquamarine and fisher folk but in a limited sense. We should correct this by creating a high-level government agency that will focus on this,” he added.

The country is so well-known as a leading producer of this seaweed derivative that the international market recognizes “Philippine-grade” carrageenan as reliable.

Aside from pharmaceutical products, carrageenan is also used as an ingredient in air freshener, oral care, biotechnology research, and other industrial consumer product applications.

From 2004 to 2013, high-quality food-grade Philippine carrageenan export has reached an average of $101.5 million or about 13,100 tons per year, DTI records showed.

DoF eyes subsidies for poor regions

By Gabrielle Marie Consuelo H. Binaday THE Finance department said it will infuse direct subsidies to poor provinces amid plans to overhaul the country’s tax system.

Finance secretary Carlos Dominguez III said while the comprehensive tax reform package is designed to fund massive investments in infrastructure, human capital development and social protection programs, it also aims to prevent conflicts and curb insurgencies in regions with high poverty incidence.

He said poor families in poor regions like the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao —where the gross national income of individuals is only seven percent of what Metro Manila residents are getting— will benefit from the program.

“Metro Manila is almost 16 times richer than the ARMM, and that is why we have conflict there because they have no other opportunity for better agriculture. They have no other opportunity. It is fairer and will cost us less in the long run,” Dominguez said.

“So what do they do? Because they don’t have it, they don’t have better education, they go into rebellion and the people in Manila have to spend a tremendous amount of time and money to suppress those rebellions,” he added.

The Finance chief said that aside from the massive investment in infrastructure and human capital formation, the government should also provide targeted subsidies impoverished regions and vulnerable sectors.

Dominguez noted that the percapita Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) for 2015 in the National Capital Region was the country’s highest at P398,985 while that of ARMM was the lowest at only P26,757.

The Finance department said the proposed tax reform package presented to Congress by Malacañang’s economic team aims to raise enough revenues for programs meant to bridge the chronic income gap between Metro Manila and the other regions.

It also targets to cut the poverty rate by 1.5 percent per year from the current 26 percent to only 17 percent by the time President Rodrigo Duterte leaves office in 2022.

Solon wants bigger bridge in Marikina

By Rio N. Araja MARIKINA City Rep. Bayani Fernando called on the Duterte administration to build a bigger bridge to replace the very narrow Manalo Bridge that is very crucial in preventing floods and landslides in Marikina and in neighboring cities such as Pasig, Cainta, San Mateo and Antipolo.

He urged Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to consider his proposal to prevent flooding in the affected areas.

Fernando said the existing bridge is too narrow, with a span of only 50

meters for the 150-meter wide Marikina River.

This has caused floods in the valley and rendered the Manggahan floodway useless, he said.

“We appeal to the national government to seriously look into my proposal to construct a bigger bridge to avert floods. The people have suffered enough,” said the former chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

The bridge, built in 1995, traverses the Marikina River and connects Calle Industria in Quezon City and Caruncho Avenue in Pasig.

VINTAGE. At least 55 vintage bombs were recovered by members of the Marikina Police at a construction site in Brgy. Sto. Niño. Manny Palmero

Pimentel wants to double the mandatory paid paternity leave SURIGAO del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel has filed a bill seeking to double the mandatory paid paternity leave benefit enjoyed by all married male employees.

House Bill No. 3401 seeks to raise to 15 days the existing seven-day paternity leave benefit for

the first four childbirths of a male employee’s lawful wife.

Under existing laws, the benefit also applies to a miscarriage, or the loss of pregnancy by the wife.

“We have to give fathers at least half a month off work,

with full pay, for them to be able to lend ample support to their wives in nursing their newborns, and to help mothers recuperate from childbirth,” said Pimentel, a member of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and De-

velopment Foundation Inc. He cited studies showing that husbands who took longer paternity leaves “were more involved with their children and child care activities,” thus reinforcing the long-term bond between father and child.

“There’s no question an extended paternity leave with full pay would go a long way in restoring the family’s overall worklife balance,” he said.

Pimentel said he also favors proposals in the House and the Senate to increase the existing

statutory paid maternity leave benefit for working mothers from 60 days “to at least 100 days.”

He noted that a number of the country’s largest employers, including Accenture Inc., already provide their female employees 120 days paid maternity leave benefit.

Sports

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

No. 1 Kerber ready for new challenge N

EW YORK—Angelique Kerber is more than ready to face whatever challenges her new status as world number one and double Grand Slam champion bring.

Kerber’s US Open triumph over Karolina Pliskova on Saturday made her just the second woman, after China’s Li Na, to win her first two Grand Slam titles after celebrating her 28th birthday.

The German, who also won the Australian Open in January, will also be the oldest player to debut at world number one when her place atop the summit is made official on Monday.

“I was always dreaming of one day being number one and to be in the Grand Slams,” she said. “I’m not 18, so I was always trying to improving my game.

“I knew that I have the game to beat the best players and now to see that the work pays off, this is actually the best feeling.”

Kerber, first introduced to tennis at the age of three, said she wasn’t sorry her breakthrough to the most elite

ranks has come so late.

She said at 28 she’s better equipped to cope with the demands of the number one ranking than she would have been earlier in her career.

She had already had a taste of the raised expectations as she edged closer to toppling Serena Williams from the summit.

“How I was dealing with the pressure when I came here and everybody was asking me about the number one, this is what I was trying to improve,” said Kerber, who was denied in her first bid to supplant Williams when she lost to Pliskova in the Cincinnati final before the US Open.

But the mental strength she’s tried to cultivate was there when she needed it on Saturday.

“It’s always tough going in the final when I know the opponent beat me two or three weeks ago,” she said.

“That was also a challenge. I told myself, ‘OK, I will do everything on court today to win the match against Karolina.”

Her growing confidence is based not only on results like her Melbourne triumph and her run to the Wimbledon final but on the work she’s put in on her fitness and her game.

She’s made a concerted effort to be more aggressive in matches, finally transferring a more attacking style from the practice court to competition.

“It was just the next step to beat the best players,” she said.

While Li, who was 29 when she won the 2011 French Open, bowed out in a 2014 season that saw her win the Australian Open, Kerber indicated she is just getting started.

“I think I’m ready to have this pressure on my shoulder,” she said.

“Being number one of course now everybody will try to beat me and have nothing to lose.

“But I was always practicing and working hard to be number one. Now I can take the next step and try to stay as long as I can there.” AFP

Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates after winning (6-3) (4-6) (6-4) against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in their Women’s Singles Final Match on Day 13 of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

NU, Ateneo start V-League title showdown

Lascuña, 2 others step up golf bids TONY Lascuña, Jay Bayron and Clyde Mondilla make their final push for the coveted Order of Merit title as they set out for the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open beginning Wednesday (Sept. 14) at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

Lascuña, winner of four legs, including three straight at Eagle Ridge, Forest Hills and Bacolod, continues to lead the OOM derby with P2,725,948 in earnings after 14 legs with P450,000 staked in the upcoming P2.5 million championship, anything can happen heading to the final two stages of the tour sponsored by ICTSI. Bayron, back-to-back champion at Aboitiz Invitational and Riviera Classic, is just behind with P2,433,028 in winnings while Mondilla has piled up P2,397,254 on three victories, including at Eastridge, Calatagan and Mt. Malarayat, setting the stage for a three-way battle for the OOM title.

“It’s going to exciting. I expect Jay and Clyde to make their charge but I am ready and I really want to reclaim the OOM crown,” said Lascuña.

Games today 10 a.m. – La Salle vs UST (ST for 3rd) 12 noon – Ateneo vs NU (ST finals) 4 p.m. – UP vs FEU (SVL for 3rd) 6 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (V League Finals)

Johnny Arcilla (center) and Clarice Patrimonio (second from right) hold their trophies as they pose with (from left) councilor Jun Lagare, Gen. Santos City Tennis Club president Paul Torrijos and Bobbit Castro of PPS-PEPP after ruling their respective divisions in the PPS-PEPP Tuna Fest Open in Gen. Santos City.

Patrimonio, Arcilla bag tunafest crowns CLARICE Patrimonio poured it all out in the tiebreaker and clinched a tough 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) decision over Khim Iglupas while Johnny Arcilla held off Leander Lazaro, 7-5, 6-1, as they shared top honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Tuna Festival Open Tennis Championship at the Gen. Santos City Tennis Club in Gen. Santos City over the weekend.

Patrimonio blew a 2-0 lead in the third set but fought back from two-sets down twice and

Nietes, Casimero want to fight ‘Chocolatito’

By Ronnie Nathanielsz POUND-FOR-POUND No.1 Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez beat World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Carlos “Principe” Cuadras of Mexico to capture his fourth world title and create history by becoming the first Nicaraguan to win four world titles in four separate weight divisions in an exciting battle at the Forum in Inglewood, California on Sunday (Manila time).

All three judges had Gonzalez the winner. Max DeLuca scored it 116-112, Robert Hecko saw it 115-113 and Cathy Leonard had 117-111.

Gonzalez previously captured titles at 105, 108 and 112 pounds.

He still currently holds the WBC flyweight world title.

IBF flyweight king Johnreil Casimero, who successfully defended his title with a 10th-round TKO over previously unbeaten Briton Charlie Edwards at the O2 Arena in London hours before the “Chocolatito” showdown against Cuadras, told the Manila Standard the week of the fight that he was eyeing a title clash with the classy unbeaten Nicaraguan.

Donnie Nietes, the longestreigning Filipino world champion and WBO flyweight titlist, who

relinquished his title to move up to super flyweight to fight former champion Edgar Sosa at the StubHub Center in California on Sept.

24, also told Manila Standard he wants a shot at “Chocolatito.”

Gonzalez applied the pressure in the eighth and had Cuadras on the run. A cut opened up around Cuadras’ right eye at the end of the round from a clash of heads.

They were trading punches at the start of the ninth and Cuadras was getting to the target quicker.

Gonzalez continued to press on, with Cuadras landing a big right hand to push him back.

Cuadras was catching Gonzalez when he was coming in with some very good flurries. Gonzalez was pressing as usual and mixing up his punches with head and body work. Gonzalez looked very tired when the round closed out. The 11th started off with Cuadras throwing his flurries, while Gonzalez let his hands go and he was rallying with hard punches with both hands and had Gonzalez in some trouble at the end of the round with hard hooks to the body.

The 12th round was a war with both boxers trading away at close range. They were letting everything hang out as they continued to trade shots until the bell.

came through with key shots in the 12th game to force a tiebreaker which she dominated to snare the crown and top purse worth P20,000.

The victory likewise avenged Patrimonio straight-set setback to the Iligan City native in the recent Olivarez Cup finals and snap the former’s long title spell in the country’s premier circuit sponsored by the country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Arcilla, the other hand, rallied

from 1-4 down in the first set with a sweep of the next three games, fell down again as Lazaro held serve in the ninth game before winning the next three.

Seizing the set and the momentum, the veteran Lazaro dominated the second set with his variety of shots, taking the first five games on his way to victory to retain the crown worth P30,000 and snap back-to-back title defeats to PJ Tierro in the recent PCA Open tournaments.

“Clarice is due for a big one and it’s nice to see her winning

again while Johnny, with his discipline and determination, has been very consistent in the circuit and continued to serve as an inspiration to our young players,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

The 22-year-old Patrimonio, who subdued Shaira Rivera, 6-4, 6-3, in the semis, actually started out strong, taking a 3-1 lead in the opening frame but sputtered with her shots and poor return shots, enabling Iglupas to rack up the next five games and the set.

NATIONAL University hopes to use its edge in manpower and experience while Ateneo will lean on its big fighting heart and hustle as they open their best-of-three series for the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig today.

With a talented core of Jaja Santiago, Jorelle Singh, Aiko Urdas, rising star Jasmine Nabor and rookie Fil-Japanese sensation Risa Sato, the Lady Bulldogs set out for their 6 p.m. clash the slight favorites with assistant coach Edjet Mabbayad expected to exploit their edge against an over-achieving Ateneo side.

The Lady Eagles did deal the Lady Bulldogs’ lone setback in the group stages, a 2515, 27-25, 25-17 shocker that kept the former in the quarters race, which they also hurdled then stunned the San Sebastian Lady Stags in another KO match to barge into the semis of the mid-season conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Ateneo capped its amazing run with a 2-0 sweep of the top seeded Far Eastern U side in the Final Four to earn a chance for a payback against NU, which swept them in the decider in last year’s finals of the tournament backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.

“It was a learning experience for us,” said Mabbayad, referring to their setback to the Lady Eagles. “We’re looking forward to playing them again.”

Learning the lingo FANTASY FANATIC JIMBO GULLE

ONE of the first things I learned as a budding sportswriter was that you had to learn the lingo of the sport you were writing about. It’s the same with fantasy sports: to be an effective fantasy team manager/owner, you have to know how others describe the fantasy value of the real-life players you’re playing or going after.

In real life, “cagers” are measured objectively by how many points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks they can provide their teams. Fantasy hoops players are measured not just by those statistics, but primarily in terms of their draft value – i.e., at what point or round of drafting would that player be picked in a preseason draft, using the roster parameters of a typical fantasy basketball league.

Most fantasy leagues – the group of guys and girls you play with, whether on Yahoo, ESPN, CBS or any fantasy sports provider – are set up for 10 to 12 teams, with 10 to 15 players on each team; ergo, there will be at least 10 rounds

where each team manager gets to draft a player to fill his or her roster. That makes for a pool of about 150 players that will be drafted in a typical league; the undrafted players go to your league’s free agent pool or waiver wire, and you can drop players to or pick them up from the pool/wire as the season goes on.

Your goal as a fantasy manager is to draft, acquire or trade for players that will give your team the best total statistical value at the end of the season.

That depends on your league type (rotisserie, roto for short or head-to-head, a.k.a. H2H) and format (the number of stat categories or “cats” the league counts for scoring). Typical leagues are classified into 9-cat (where turnovers are counted) or 8-cat (TOs are not counted), but it can be as many as your league decides to play with.

Once you get to drafting, NBA players will be ranked from 1 to 150 (and beyond) according to their projected total stat value at the end of the season. Rounds 1 to 3 of the draft thus always feature the NBA’s superstars (Steph Curry, Durant, Lebron et al) and are called early round or top 50 players – the kind of players that lead a winning fantasy team.

When you go to sites like Ya-

hoo, Rotoworld, or Basketball Monster, they’ll often tip where they expect a particular NBA player to finish the season statistically. So you look out for players that could have yearlong mid-round (rounds 4 to 6, or top 50 to 75) to late-round (rounds 7 to 9, top 75 to 100) value. These players may not have big names, like a Khris Middleton or Nikola Jokic, but will deliver more fantasy value than their better-known peers, a la Derrick Rose – sorry, Boss Riera – or DeAndre Jordan.

Once the season starts, you then have to determine if the player is a must-own (somebody in your league should, and will, have him on their team), a must-add (a player you have to replace your worst player with), or simply has upside (the player can deliver more numbers than his current stats suggest).

If you don’t have these players, you can attempt to buy low from another owner (offer him a player or two that will seemingly match the value of the player you’re after) or sell high via a trade (the exact opposite, for a player of appreciating value).

You’ll also hear and read about players who are worth a pickup, a look or a flier, but for winning’s sake you should

only gamble with these names if you have no other options left. And since we’re running out of space, we’ll have to resume our fantasy lingo lesson next week.

Postscript: Our good friends at Cebuana Lhuillier invite us to drop

by Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City on Sept. 16 to 18 to watch the country’s top young girls compete in the WTA Future Stars qualifying tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association.

Alexandra Eala is the top seed for the under-14 qualifiers and Carlyn Bless Guarde will lead the under-16 contenders in the qualifier that gives the winners the right to represent the Philippines in the WTA Futures event in Singapore. Thanks again to Cebuana Lhuillier and Philta boss Jean Henri Lhuillier and our pal Ginny Guanco of Stratworks for this tip.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Sports

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

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Foton PH settles for 7th place BINAN CITY, Laguna – Foton Pilipinas had to sweat in saving seventh place through a hard-earned 25-17, 30-28, 25-23 straight sets conquest of T. Grand of Chinese Taipei on Sunday in the 2016 AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship at the Alonte Sports Arena.

The Tornadoes had a strong start but had to earn each point in the last two sets before crushing the toughfighting Chinese, ending their campaign on a winning note in this prestigious continental battle organized by the Philippine Superliga, Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas and the city of Binan, headed by Congresswoman Len Alonte.

Earlier, Sarmayeh Bank of Iran dominated Thongtin Lienvietpost Bank of Vietnam, 25-23, 25-17, 2523, to claim 5th place in this tourney bankrolled by SMM Sport, Nike, Senoh, Asics, Mikasa, Foton, BMW, Rexona, PLDT, Philippine Sports Commission and Price Waterhouse Cooper with Crimson Hotel as official residence and TV5 and SMMTV of Thailand as broadcast partners.

American reinforcements Lindsay Stalzer and Ariel Usher lit the scoreboard, but it was a total team effort on the defensive end that propelled the Philippines to improve on an 8th-place finish when Petron campaigned in the tournament’s previous edition in Phu Ly, Vietnam last year.

Members of the Foton Pilipinas team celebrate after scoring a point against T. Grand of Chinese Taipei in the 2016 AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship at the Alonte Sports Arena. The Tornadoes won to claim seventh place. Roman Prospero

Torre in running for top award T

HE Philippine men’s team lost its second straight match, this time against Spain, 2.5-1.5, in Saturday’s eighth round of the 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, but Eugene Torre continued to draw attention in the battle for honors with the Philippines’ former top player Wesley So at third board.

Golovkin wants to take on Saunders LONDON—The world’s topranked middleweight Gennady Golovkin wants another fight in Britain after stopping Kell Brook and is targeting a unification bout with Billy Joe Saunders.

Golovkin defended his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles with a fifth-round stoppage at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday.

Golovkin’s punishingly accurate blows took their toll on Brook, whose corner threw in the towel.

Brook was taken to hospital to be treated for a suspected fractured right eye socket Golovkin, whose World Boxing Association belt was not on the line, now wants to fight Brook’s fellow Briton and World Boxing Organization champion Saunders before moving on to Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a year’s time.

Saunders has the only world middleweight belt not held by WBC-WBA-IBF champion Golovkin, who made Brook his third British victim after Martin Murray and Matt Macklin “First of all Billy Joe Saunders, and then Canelo,” Golovkin, 34, told a news conference. A fight against Saunders could be made for late this year or early 2017, though a mandatory WBA defence could delay those plans. AFP

On percentage, Torre’s 7/8 pace, boosted by his victory-- and the Philippines’ lone win against Spain-gives him am 87.5 percent clip followed by So, who left the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in 2014 and now plays for the US, with 85.7 percent.

But on rating performance, which includes the average strength of opponents and is the basis for awarding board prizes, So is on top while Torre is fifth.

It is a surreal picture, but common in world chess to see Torre and So, whose US team has tied for the lead in the Olympiad, fighting for honors.

A team official said that the Philippines will continue fighting in the Olympiad now that the two losses have brought it down to 50th place.

“We are in the land of the giants now. We have to fight back,” the official added.

He said Torre, the only one who has not availed of a rest, will continue to play.

The men’s team will play Argentina, which defeated defending champion China, in Sunday’s ninth round.

John Paul Gomez, who officials said was not feeling well for the eighth round clash, will man Board 2.

Rogelio Barcenilla Jr., who took his second loss last Saturday, will take a rest. Ino Sadorra will helm the team, Torre will man board three followed

by Paulo Bersamina on board four.

The women’s team crushed Belgium, 4-0, and it is now in 19th place. The Filipinas will face Asian rival Mongolia in the ninth round in a match which will determine if they belong in the top 20.

The victories were earned by grandmaster candidate Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Catherine Secopito and rookie Shania Mae Mendoza, who picked up her third win in four games.

Meralco Bolts stay in hunt for Top 4 finish

By Jeric Lopez MERALCO is still in the mix for a twiceto-beat incentive.

The Bolts halted their recent struggles to deal Mahindra an 86-83 squeaker and stay in the hunt for a top four finish which entails a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Allen Durham hit the go-ahead jumper with 46 seconds remaining to give Meralco an 84-83 edge and then canned the insurance two free throws with a second left to finalize the count at the conclusion of the game.

Durham finished with a game-high 34 points, on an impeccable 68 percent

shooting and then grabbed 17 rebounds for another double-double monster performance.

Mahindra failed to score in its next possession as they went dry the rest of the way.

Mark Yee attempted a potential game-tying three-pointer from the backcourt that went astray at the buzzer.

Meralco snapped its two-game slide to finish its elimination round campaign with a bang and wind up with a 6-5 slate, tying Mahindra for fourth place.

“It’s nice to get a win getting to the playoffs. It’s good for us to bounce back in this game after two straight losses,” said Meralco coach Norman Black. “We came out and played hard. It’s just nice to get our confidence back. We’ll now wait to see where we end up.”

The Enforcer could’ve sealed the No. 4

seed and the last twice-to-beat advantage had it won but instead, it ended its surprising elimination round campaign with a three-game losing streak.

Both Mahindra and Meralco will now play the waiting game with NLEX, Alaska and Phoenix capable of getting six wins.

The two teams with the highest quotient will have a playoff for the No. 4 seed.

League-leading TNT KaTropa, Barangay Ginebra and defending champion San Miguel have already secured a top four finish. The three will hold a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarters.

Jared Dillinger added 12 points, 11 in the first half. Chris Newsome had 10 for the Bolts.

James White had 27 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double to lead the Enforcer.

Meralco led for most part but Mahindra came back strong late in the game to put up a serious threat and almost steal the game.

White’s jumper with 2:04 left to play pushed the Enforcer ahead by a point, 8382. That proved to be the team’s final points as the Bolts ended the game with a 4-0 run to prevail.

The scores: MERALCO BOLTS 86 - Durham 34, Dillinger 12, Newsome 10, Hugnatan 9, Alapag 7, Amer 4, Hodge 3, Uyloan 3, Faundo 2, Nabong 2, Al-Hussaini 0.

MAHINDRA ENFORCER 83 - White 27, Ramos 17, Revilla 12, Yee 9, Taha 8, Aguilar 4, Guinto 2, Digregorio 2, Agovida 2, Mandani 0, Webb 0, Galanza 0, Bagatsing 0, Ballesteros 0, De Vera 0.

Quarter scores: 25-22, 50-45, 71-62, 86-83.

Women’s world volleyball tourney tickets now on sale

Meralco’s Jared Dillinger splits the defense of Mahindra’s Aldrech Ramos and James White in a PBA Governors’ Cup game won by the Bolts, 86-83.

THE Philippine Superliga formally opened the public selling of tickets on Sunday for the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena from Oct. 18 to 23.

PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara is bringing to the country the best club teams from Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Thailand and the Philippines to collide for pride and glory.

Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga of RC Cola-Army, Kim Fajardo and Mika Reyes of F2 Logistics, Frances Molina and Jen Reyes of Petron and Jaja Santiago of Foton will banner PSL Manila, together with seven of the best players from Asia and Europe.

A noted Japanese mentor in Shin Takahashi will serve as a coach, while Ramil de Jesus of F2 Logistics and Sammy Acaylar of Cignal will serve as his deputies,

guaranteeing transfer of technology from Olympic-level mentors to the local coaches.

Takahashi and the imports will arrive starting next week (Sept. 15) and will join local stars in a one-month training camp in preparation for the world’s biggest and most prestigious volleyball festival.

Suzara said tickets are now on sale at www.smtickets.com.

Ticket prices range from P215 for general admission section to P5,350 for VIP courtside section.

Season passes are also available for P10,700 each.

“Interest in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship continues to spike, so we have to start selling the tickets early,” said Suzara, a ranking official of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and the International Volleyball Federation.

Red Cubs eye playoffs Tamaraws shackle Falcons’ scorers to win, 75-65 Games Monday (The Arena, San Juan) 9 a.m.- Mapua vs Letran (jrs) 10:45 a.m.- St. Benilde vs Arellano (jrs) 12:30 p.m.- San Beda vs EAC (jrs) 2:15 p.m.- San Sebastian vs LPU (jrs) 4 p.m.- Jose Rizal vs Perpetual (jrs)

SAN Beda College shoots for at least a playoff for a twiceto-beat advantage as it squares off with an already-ran Emilio

Aguinaldo today in the 92nd NCAA juniors’ basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Cubs routed the Letran Squires, 96-83, to stay on top with a 14-1 (win-loss) record and should be favored to win over the Brigadiers, who are already out of it all with a 2-12 slate, in their 12:30 p.m. encounter.

By Peter Atencio

Games Wednesday (Mall of Asia Arena ) 2 p.m. FEU vs Ateneo 4 p.m. La Salle vs UST

PROLIFIC shooter Jerrick Ahanmisi came up with a game-high 19 points for the Adamson Soaring Falcons.

But the defending champion Far Eastern

University Tamaraws did a great job in limiting Ahanmisi’s production in the last two periods as they went on to post a 7565 victory Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tams focused their defense on Ahanmisi and Robbie Manalang. This allowed FEU to earn its first win in two games in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Phil-

ippines men’s basketball tournament.

“We put extra attention on their shooters, especially Manalang and Ahanmisi,” said FEU coach Nash Racela after the Tams bounced back from their 78-83 loss to La Salle.

The 6’1” Ahanmisi, who shot 28 points – the most by a rookie in a UAAP game – when the Falcons won over the University of the

Philippines Fighting Maroons, 105-85, was held to three and four points in the third and fourth periods by the Tams’ double teaming defense on him. The Tams drew 13 points each from Axel Iñigo, a 5’9” point guard and 6’4” centerforward Richard Escoto.

They outrebounded the Falcons in the first half, 29-15, to move ahead by as much as eight points.

Meanwhile, National University unleashed a scorching 14-0 run at the start of the third period and went on to get away with a 70-60 smashing of Ateneo for its second straight triumph. Jess Diputado hit 16 points to lead the big run, while Matt Salem struck with nine of his 12 points in third, helping send NU to a share of the lead with La Salle.

SEC eases lending business

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

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ERC: Meralco to lose customers

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Energy Regulatory Commission said power retailer Manila Electric Co. risks losing customers because of its opposition to the retail competition and open access regime.

ERC commissioner Alfredo Non said the regulator was hoping Meralco would reconsider its position on RCOA. “I cannot understand why distribution utilities like Meralco would oppose change. The longer they wait or the longer they have the [court] injunction, the

longer they cannot participate in the CREM [competitive retail electricity market],” Non told reporters.

RCOA allows large power users to choose their own power suppliers. The entry of more suppliers under a competitive retail market is seen to reduce power

rates.

Meralco filed a case before Pasig regional trial court branch 157 stopping the implementation of open access, saying it was not required to get a retail electricity supplier license with ERC. Non said Meralco faced the risk of losing its market as other retail electricity suppliers were now getting their licenses from the commission.

He said the injunction filed

by Meralco against ERC was to the power retailer’s disadvantage. “If this takes four years… and the other RES that we were given licenses are able to cover

the other contestable customers, they [Meralco] will lose customers,” he said.

Non said ERC held talks with Meralco officials led by president Oscar Reyes and senior vice president Al Panlilio on the matter, with the hope of coming up with a resolution on the matter.

Non said other members of the Retail Electricity Suppliers Association opted not to participate in the suit filed by Meralco.

ERC through the Office of the Solicitor General filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition with the Supreme Court raising the issue of Pasig RTC’s jurisdic-

tion of the case filed by Meralco.

The local court previously ruled in favor of Meralco and enjoined the Energy Department from implementing and enforcing the DOE circular DC 2015-06-0010 and ERC from implementing and enforcing its ERC Resolution No. 10 Series of 2016 and ERC Resolution No. 11 Series of 2016 “as they prohibit DUs [distribution utilities] from engaging in the supply business, impose market and other restrictions specified therein, and require mandatory contestability.”

ERC earlier said Meralco “had

all the chance and opportunity to mitigate probable losses by virtue of the implementation of the RCOA.” The regulator said Meralco knew since 2006 of the imminent transition from the captive market to the contestable market where customers can choose their own suppliers as these underwent public consultations.

ERC said the obvious consequence of the migration of the customers “is the change in the amount of profits it [Meralco] will earn, which by the way is not guaranteed even under its franchise.”

AirAsia adding 5 planes for PH

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PH DESIGN IN PARIS. Philippine Ambassador to France Maria Theresa Lazaro (fourth from left) is joined during the Fashion Philippines launch at the Maison & Objet design fair

in Paris by Hannah Oamil (third from left) of Mele+Marie, a fashion accessories design company in Cebu and representatives from Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions led by Katrina Pineda (left), head for the buyer marketing and sales team; Maria Dominique Rustia, (second from left) project manager for Fashion Philippines – September 2016; consul general Aileen Mendiola-Rau (fourth from right); Chiqui Veneracion, Maison & Objet representative for the Philippines; Froilan Emil Pamintuan, Philippine commercial attache in Paris; and Eduardo Francisco, Philippine Trade and Investment Centra-Paris trade assistant.

Govt debt likely to rise by P339b

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE government expects its outstanding debt to rise by P339 billion in 2017, data from the Budget Department show.

The latest budget expenditures and sources of financing report released by the department showed that outstanding debt of the national government was expected to increase 5.5 percent to P6.526 trillion in 2017 from the projected P6.187-trillion debt in 2016.

It said of the total outstanding debt, financing from the domestic market would increase 5.9 percent to P4.382 trillion in 2017, while fund sourcing from foreign market was expected to grow 3.2 percent to P2.143 trillion.

Outstanding debt in 2017 was expected to significantly increase as the Duterte administration set a goal to raise the budget deficit ceiling to 3 percent of gross domestic product to fund massive infrastructure and social services development.

Domestic outstanding debt in 2016 was projected to rise 5.8 percent to P4.11 trillion, while foreign outstanding debt was seen to decline 0.3 percent to P2.07 trillion, data showed.

To fund the deficit target, the government needs to borrow from either local or foreign sources.

The ratio between the government’s debt and the whole economy dropped to 43 percent of gross domestic product in the last semester in office of former President Benigno Aquino III. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said during the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee hearing in Senate, he expected debt-to-GDP ratio to further drop to 42.8 percent of GDP and 41.6 percent in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Of the total debt-to-GDP ratio in January to June, domestic debt declined to 28.8 percent while foreign debt ratio fell to 14.2 percent.

The Finance Department aimed to reduce government debt to about 35 percent of GDP by 2022 despite the increase in public spending by the Duterte administration.

Dominguez assured local and foreign portfolio investors and fund managers that under the Duterte administration, the intended spike in public spending would go hand in hand with strict observance of fiscal discipline.

MetroPac to start Calax project in 2017 A UNIT of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. plans to start the construction of the P34.5-billion CaviteLaguna Expressway by the middle of next year, an executive said over the weekend.

“We are rushing Calax. We are doing the detailed engineering design and it is now being reviewed by the so-called independent consultant. Simultaneously right of way is being procured by the DPWH, so as soon as RoW is available, we can start by mid of next year,” MPCala Holdings Inc. president Luigi Bautista said.

Bautista said MPCala tapped DMCI Consunj Inc. to construct the

Laguna side of the project, while Leighton Holdings of Australia would build the Cavite side.

Calax, one of the largest public-private partnership projects, involves the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting Cavitex and South Luzon Expressway.

The P34.5-billion expressway will start from Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at the SLEx-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.

Construction is expected to be completed by 2020, while operations and maintenance would be

from 2020 to 2050.

Aside from Calax, the Metro Pacific group is currently constructing Segment 10 of NLEx Harbour Link, a 5.6-km elevated expressway costing P10.5 billion and running from Valenzuela City to C3 in Caloocan City. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017.

Other MPIC’s projects are the P2.6-billion Segment 2 and 3 of NLEx Road-Widening Project to accommodate growing traffic, which started on March 9.

INVESTOR SEMINAR. SM Investments Corp., with subsidiaries SM Prime Holdings and BDO Uni-

bank, concludes a retail investor seminar in partnership with CitisecOnline.com in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Manila which drew thousands of participants. Shown are (from left) SM Prime Holdings Inc. vice president for investor relations Alex Pomento, COL Financial consultant Marvin Fausto, COL Financial head of research April Lee Tan, SMIC senior vice president for investor relations Cora Guidote, BDO first vice president for investor relations and corporate planning Richard Tan and SMIC consultant for investor relations Tim Daniels.

AIRASIA, Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline, is adding five Airbus A320s next year to support its Philippine unit’s regional expansion.

“We are excited [about the Philippine market]. We are going to add five aircraft next year, which is the first time that we are adding for a while. We are doing very well and we are making money,” AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes said.

The airline currently has 13 operating aircraft servicing domestic destinations such as Kalibo (Boracay), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Tagbilaran (Bohol), Cebu and Tacloban. They also fly to China, Korea, Macau, Taipei and Hong Kong.

AirAsia Philippines chief executive Dexter Comendador said the airline planned to expand operations to Bangkok, Singapore and Vietnam.

“We are working on it because Manila is congested.

Any new planes we have to put outside Manila. We will probably go out to Cebu, Kalibo and Clark,” Comendador said.

Air Asia Philippines also filed with the Civil Aeronautics Board an application for 1,260 weekly seats entitlements in accordance to the existing confidential memorandum of agreement signed by the Philippines and Korea in November 2015.

“Koreans are one of the biggest tourist market in the Philippines. We expect to be adding more flights to Korea by October,” Comendador told reporters at the sidelines of Air Asia’s Asean Heroes 2016 event.

B2

Business

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market seen testing 7,500 level

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

TOCKS are expected to keep moving downhill this week, as investors weigh the prospects of further monetary easing in Europe and Japan and on concerns the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates this month.

Analysts said investors were waiting for the outcome of the US Federal Open Market Committee meeting on Sept. 20 and 21. Regional markets will also monitor the Bank of England meeting and the release of US industrial production figures this week.

“Weak industrial production will also make the prospects of a near-term Fed rate hike even less likely. Additional stimulus from the BoE meanwhile will make investor sentiment

even more upbeat, partially offsetting the disappointment from ECB’s [European Central Bank] lack of additional stimulus,” BPI Asset Management said in a weekly outlook report.

BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the market could test the 7,500-point level this week, after the benchmark index dropped below 7,700 level last week.

“Failure for the 7,500 levels to hold could call for further losses towards the 7,250 levels. However, given the decline for the fifth straight week, a pullback could occur but limited towards the 7,760 to 7,780 levels,” Ravelas said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company bellwether, dropped 2.9 percent last week to close at 7,581.79 on Sept.

8, while the broader all-share index fell 2.1 percent to 4,534.32, on political jitters.

President Duterte declared a state of a state of emergency to address lawlessness in the country, following the bombing in Davao City.

Duterte’s crude comments against President Barack Obama also raised concerns among investors over the new president’s diplomatic policy.

Except for financials which climbed 1.3 percent and mining and oil which was marginally up, other sub-indices ended in the red led by property which plunged 5 percent and holding firms which declined 2.6 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers of P7.4 billion last week, as total foreign selling reached P25.7 billion while foreign buying amounted to P18.24 billion.

Top gainers last week were Security Bank which jumped 14 percent to P248, Megawide Construction Corp. which advanced 13 percent to P15.80 and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. which rose 6.8 percent to P35.

Heavy losers were Andrew Tan-owned stocks Emperador Inc. which fell 11.8 percent to P6.70 and Megaworld Corp. which went down 7.5 percent to P4.55. SM Prime Holdings Inc., the largest property developer, also tumbled 6.4 percent to P26.90.

Trans-Asia interested in 40-MW wind plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores TRANS-ASIA Renewable Energy Corp., a subsidiary of Phinma Energy Corp., remains keen on developing the 40-megawatt Sibunag wind power project in Guimaras province, an executive said over the weekend.

Trans-Asia Renewable vice president Danilo Panes told reporters while the company had no timeline for the project construction, it was preparing the project for government’s decision on the third round of feed-in

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

SEPTEMBER 5-9, 2016 Close Volume

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

3.58 47.8 111.50 104.90 38 3.97 1.43 9.04 16.66 20.7 6.85 0.71 1.97 620.00 1.010 84.5 0.89 14.2 23.55 57.50 95.8 274 35 248 1412.00 73.60 1.47

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

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

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ MG Holdings Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

44.5 3.11 1.35 1.66 17.42 55.85 205.00 11.96 16.96 136 127 24.2 58.35 2.1 6.1 12 11.400 6.70 5.80 8.19 1.74 24.8 72.5 12.20 16.44 6.5 2.240 236.00 50.00 2.01 4.2 27.95 29 30 15.8 307.00 0.270 4.70 3.06 9.60 3.01 11.52 2.17 5.97 1.59 3.54 4.17 3.45 220 3.05 0.159 1.81 180.2 4.58 2.33 1.25

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.390 73.60 16.30 1.23 6.20 0.385 0.380 853 1050.00 8.19 11.74 6.39 6.1 7.25 0.216 1480 6.30 75.20 5.4 5.31 8.1 0.84 16.74 7 0.0360 1.190 2.020 2.59 80.00 2.26 668.50 1.28 1.03 214.000 0.3250 0.2090 0.285

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

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

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

7.840 6.40 1.30 2.920 3.22 0.295 38.000 2.94 5.12 5.5 0.620 1.04 1.000 0.167 0.600 58 0.780 0.143 1.02 1.82 1.18 4.55 0.188 0.2950

AUGUST30-SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 Value Close Volume

FINANCIAL 1,055,300.00 5,929,725.00 1,287,082,641 999,739,232.00 31,322,595.00 395,510.00 2,519,930.00 47,511.00 4,528,558.00 40,803,820.00 70,573 127,860 421,190.00 1,741,150.00 348,737,610.00 1,544,488,947.50 270,000.00 12,048,992.00 251,985.00 44,718,848.00 709,340.50 12,878,738.00 43,325,205 3,850,847,456.00 889,000 41,712,401.00 98,560.00 INDUSTRIAL 7,147,600 323,313,895.00 2,676,000 8,467,730.00 152,217,000 184,998,020.00 14,187,000 24,606,600.00 591,700 9,620,918.00 2,810 150,080.50 110 22,100.00 38,425,700 460,870,816.00 11,485,500 194,869,424 100 13,600.00 5,890 737,139.00 5,394,600 130,126,150.00 15,230 879,494 2,942,000 6,164,300.00 2,326,900 14,304,471.00 226,500 2,766,332.00 29,563,900 324,444,310.00 9,827,100 70,691,155.00 62,663,500 366,075,220.00 5,837,200 47,374,615.00 24,000 43,100.00 22,461,300 562,055,470.00 705,480 51,789,937.50 2,600 31,788.00 1,960,600 32,333,412.00 3,081,900 19,886,985.00 6,500,000 14,509,030.00 3,200,330 779,163,178.00 4,480 212,200.00 18,000 36,220.00 252,000 1,092,090.00 5,400 145,945.00 19,023,200 546,816,655.00 5,815,300 176,347,290.00 40,982,700 597,941,080.00 739,670 230,354,414.00 48,870,000 13,317,850.00 10,000 47,000.00 5,905,000 19,024,220.00 36,083,000 356,539,487.00 1,000 3,010.00 27,000 311,772.00 6,442,000 14,060,030.00 3,719,200 22,354,538.00 1,896,000 2,982,560.00 847,000 2,909,750.00 405,000 1,690,650.00 31,000 102,480.00 45,800 9,882,544.00 422,000 1,287,340 20,220,000 3,180,250.00 4,814,000 8,891,150.00 6,670,780 1,210,029,186 5,984,000 25,864,620.00 212,460,000 500,595,260.00 692,000 853,800.00 HOLDING FIRMS 6,890,000 2,649,600.00 9,234,520 677,721,602.50 27,498,500 455,892,698.00 789,000 1,001,990.00 127,200 787,815.00 16,380,000 6,214,400.00 90,000 34,300.00 2,472,720 2,112,443,375 125 127,055.00 13,648,600 112,885,140.00 28,604,700 336,449,004.00 23,000 146,970.00 800 4,880.00 2,756,600 19,860,954.00 620,000 128,960.00 1,274,415 1,897,554,055.00 12,700 80,047.00 14,732,440 1,106,942,744.00 2,500 13,500.00 6,800 36,108.00 10,634,700 85,434,366.00 2,041,000 1,684,670.00 27,003,400 459,406,974.00 236,071,600 1,635,438,432.00 54,800,000 1,974,100.00 487,000 599,140.00 5,488,000 8,184,960.00 10,000 25,900.00 2,068,030 170,186,533.50 5,000 11,590.00 2,149,930 1,445,855,535.00 800,000 1,024,980.00 155,000 153,390.00 38,180 8,145,472.00 28,530,000 9,528,100.00 1,360,000 275,760.00 3,830,000 822,170.00 PROPERTY 566,400 4,317,326.00 150,400 967,085.00 22,513,000 30,476,020.00 39,546,000 125,501,270.00 9,611,000 30,213,640.00 37,950,000 11,350,500.00 54,327,800 2,099,878,770.00 5,485,000 16,156,550.00 136,700 699,901.00 19,900 109,450.00 43,063,000 26,706,820.00 31,300 34,470.00 1,000 1,000.00 652,410,000 117,578,440.00 20,560,000 12,495,240.00 2,178,510 127,247,442.50 580,000 455,230.00 50,000 7,160.00 28,878,000 29,702,900.00 40,603,000 74,592,830.00 361,000 416,270.00 280,286,000 1,296,036,050.00 1,078,040,000 173,879,130.00 660,000 179,450.00 299,000 125,300 11,576,410 9,500,760 822,600 102,000 1,799,000 5,500 274,300 1,975,500 10,300 182,000 221,000 2,840 301,208,000 18,235,990 300,000 843,600 10,700 777,540 7,320 46,750 1,271,000 16,322,370 640 566,800 67,000

Value

3.74 47.75 112.30 106.00 38.45 3.70 1.52 9.09 16.44 20.75 6.96 0.71 1.87 590.00 1.000 87.3 0.87 14.5 23.60 56.70 99.85 277.8 32.75 217.6 1360.00 73.65 1.48

927,000 81,700 9,388,170 8,233,020 119,100 122,000 2,491,000 1,300 1,777,900 951,700 900 2,489,000 80,000 570 402,156,000 16,928,070 222,000 846,900 16,500 298,260 12,610 9,150 2,260,500 18,637,360 515 185,050 114,000

3,405,830.00 3,869,980.00 1,054,598,858 864,209,726.00 4,579,175.00 449,300.00 3,616,760.00 11,817.00 29,158,758.00 19,759,790.00 6,234 1,904,990 149,400.00 338,850.00 452,842,440.00 1,461,873,508.50 198,330.00 12,290,778.00 607,320.00 17,224,737.50 1,250,626.00 2,522,428.00 73,800,215 3,989,995,760.00 705,275 13,631,298.50 169,570.00

45.95 3.3 0.89 1.78 15.1 53 200.00 12.02 17.04

9,316,500 20,057,000 7,984,000 3,280,430 315,600 2,570 90 42,513,200 9,312,300

424,922,975.00 71,216,590.00 7,868,350.00 4,987,850.00 4,817,862.00 135,938.00 17,446.00 511,458,616.00 157,951,687

136 24.1 58.3 2.13 6.3 12.28 10.900 7.60 5.87 8.18 1.72 25.4 74.8 12.90 16.54 6.6 2.300 250.00 43.80 2.01 4.73 28.00 27.9 33 13.98 312.00 0.265 4.80 3.15 9.92 3.01 11.64 2.20 6.15 1.62 3.43 4.20 3.4 224 3.05 0.156 1.82 180.9 4.69 2.2 1.24

2,890 47,880,100 6,950 3,908,000 5,666,200 92,900 18,691,500 11,579,000 64,960,900 2,905,600 18,000 14,082,700 651,600 19,100 3,031,900 9,523,800 4,315,000 2,851,280 1,900 55,000 1,505,000 166,000 31,482,800 2,675,300 25,208,200 587,380 1,200,000 53,100 4,333,000 46,484,900 1,000 40,000 9,507,000 3,524,500 2,346,000 1,468,000 690,000 195,000 36,730 681,000 30,720,000 3,598,000 8,886,030 37,000 298,330,000 708,000

404,396.00 1,174,747,495.00 400,597 8,425,190.00 34,958,593.00 1,118,876.00 206,317,130.00 90,503,251.00 374,348,987.00 24,115,610.00 -1,927,860.00 360,856,190.00 47,755,817.50 244,586.00 50,916,612.00 64,051,606.00 9,815,090.00 708,053,924.00 84,380.00 111,570.00 7,218,390.00 4,489,235.00 868,756,470.00 87,665,855.00 345,220,082.00 183,038,714.00 316,650.00 256,855.00 13,524,990.00 471,334,332.00 3,010.00 461,246.00 20,951,000.00 21,687,671.00 3,777,750.00 5,038,810.00 2,900,820.00 658,520.00 8,108,168.00 2,083,040 4,778,580.00 6,674,170.00 1,635,985,053 168,330.00 799,271,870.00 868,800.00

0.385 74.80 16.40 1.27 6.30 0.380 0.400 865 1000.00 8.5 11.80 6.48 6.5 7.00 0.226 1523 6.35 78.80 5.28 5.31 8.14 0.83 17.3 7.14 0.0370 1.210 2.060 2.58 84.00 2.5 689.50 1.27 1.03 214.000 0.3300 0.2050 0.285

2,070,000 9,362,110 22,429,400 21,000 229,500 31,040,000 31,900,000 1,785,300 25 6,938,200 33,169,700 82,100 5,300 298,500 3,370,000 1,115,550 18,700 12,344,560 6,700 1,100 22,473,300 884,000 27,558,900 315,490,400 68,800,000 98,000 14,946,000 32,000 1,359,680 11,000 2,049,790 4,119,000 1,368,000 23,310 161,150,000 2,340,000 2,120,000

803,950.00 699,045,908.00 365,074,524.00 26,530.00 1,418,955.00 11,866,800.00 11,981,650.00 1,554,909,670 25,000.00 59,636,904.00 388,109,200.00 503,877.00 34,950.00 2,087,337.00 750,870.00 1,697,428,040.00 118,514.00 954,612,402.50 35,794.00 5,829.00 180,120,327.00 863,060.00 468,829,268.00 2,209,786,836.00 2,478,000.00 117,780.00 30,587,850.00 83,160.00 114,801,893.00 27,500.00 1,384,812,100.00 5,197,160.00 1,359,870.00 4,961,634.00 58,589,950.00 470,760.00 606,350.00

7.750 6.87 1.38 3.600

681,100 8,500 16,985,000 46,216,000

5,227,430.00 52,825.00 22,634,540.00 168,534,570.00

0.275 39.500 3 5.11

2,880,000 53,990,400 5,238,000 197,600

778,550.00 2,083,390,140.00 15,709,810.00 1,008,832.00

0.630 1.05 1.020 0.182 0.630 59.9 0.780 0.146 1.06 1.85 1.19 4.92 0.132 0.2950

112,338,000 78,000 474,000 307,510,000 25,370,000 1,998,410 386,000 10,000,000 26,742,000 78,727,000 423,000 215,691,000 79,260,000 150,000

73,167,360.00 78,630.00 474,660.00 53,337,690.00 15,644,690.00 118,391,359.50 301,700.00 1,460,000.00 28,000,780.00 149,029,040.00 500,990.00 1,032,325,200.00 10,074,760.00 42,950.00

STOCKS

SEPTEMBER 5-9, 2016 Close Volume

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

0.430 37.60 3.35 30.00 1.66 3.25 26.90 1.09 7 1.020 5.300

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IPeople Inc. `A’ 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. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.25 49.1 1.28 0.580 11 5.5 5.35 0.0990 3.91 120.2 10 2.35 5.50 3.10 946 1980 6.26 14.00 20.30 1.71 79 19.00 151 11.5 0.0110 9.24 0.275 1.4100 3.65 12.4 4.01 2.15 1.10 2.21 19.50 0.580 1.99 3.99 5.55 3.620 11.34 5.60 2.7 139.00 6.06 1800.00 0.440 1.000 44.00 77.00 6.14 3.10 0.590 3.4 0.345 5.580

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0039 3.00 3.95 0.220 2.2000 2.4000 0.59 0.410 8.60 0.860 0.270 0.206 0.218 0.0120 0.0120 1.66 6.85 3.02 0.5200 0.9900 0.0110 0.0110 4.10 8.61 3.05 0.0120 110.50 3.2 0.0100

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

49.05 528.5 541 105 115 118 542 6 1.03 112 1091 1155 1036 110 110 79.5 81.7 78.4 79 79.9 79 78.6 79 2.18

LR Warrant

2.360

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

4.09 3.68 4.87 15.16

First Metro ETF

125

AUGUST30-SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 Value Close Volume

420,000 6,600 3,081,000 9,429,100 1,530,000 84,000 110,250,300 151,589,000 20,900 15,026,000 45,108,000

181,000.00 257,065.00 10,254,620.00 287,338,385.00 2,557,840.00 276,570.00 3,053,743,220.00 169,590,020.00 144,017.00 16,183,690.00 247,635,009.00 SERVICES 519,300 3,794,862.00 203,200 10,015,840.00 207,000 268,350.00 4,480,000 2,608,110.00 74,000 844,780.00 19,300 102,846 125,036,900 664,740,358.00 1,035,840,000 106,123,530.00 60,261,000 239,404,500.00 2,145,190 256,539,245.00 30,900 308,850.00 72,000 164,680 998,400 5,446,850.00 5,000 15,230.00 1,330 1,273,900.00 356,895 717,952,000 692,500 4,357,125.00 827,100 12,026,732.00 35,600 725,840 32,959,000 60,369,480.00 7,854,820 634,393,878.00 253,500 5,042,350 770 116,273 19,900 226,422.00 862,000,000 8,717,800.00 4,499,100 41,928,598.00 90,360,000 25,919,050.00 5,804,000 8,242,860.00 854,000 3,058,470.00 10,300 127,104.00 34,141,000 139,563,160 1,198,000 2,592,280.00 136,000 146,910.00 241,000 540,780.00 5,700 116,515 430,000 249,830.00 97,000 192,810.00 33,399,700 131,642,872.00 47,554,400 266,829,160.00 14,312,000 52,067,560.00 285,800 3,226,016.00 100,400 566,971 460,000 1,312,120.00 494,540 66,741,420.00 15,043,400 98,255,356.00 128,839,635 1,078,080,705.00 8,700,000 3,811,550.00 205,769,000 193,404,310.00 14,267,500 632,080,215.00 6,477,100 507,485,567.50 3,001,600 18,110,462.00 15,462,000 48,927,230.00 16,172,000 9,668,280.00 2,287,000 7,810,880.00 810,000 279,450.00 408,800 2,263,418.00 MINING & OIL 782,000,000 3,048,600.00 1,313,000 3,953,020.00 322,000 1,487,790.00 450,000 96,600.00 190,000 410,290.00 12,000 27,700.00 8,073,000 4,978,730.00 1,950,000 791,400.00 52,500 444,091.00 95,304,000 81,271,300.00 2,350,000 634,950.00 57,050,000 11,875,840.00 2,400,000 510,080.00 348,200,000 3,931,700.00 4,400,000 73,600.00 3,052,000 5,000,330.00 35,694,100 234,283,768.00 4,201,000 12,650,410.00 175,000 88,750.00 817,000 803,190.00 91,200,000 957,500.00 3,700,000 40,700.00 61,000 247,080.00 4,732,800 40,430,884.00 10,769,000 33,658,750.00 58,400,000 698,400.00 2,462,410 277,044,482.00 296,000 961,830.00 351,200,000 3,458,280.00 PREFERRED 917,000 44,928,180.00 485,720 8,382,715.00 320 169,920 180,320 18,874,991.00 550 63,250.00 69,690 8,223,420.00 11,490 6,166,590.00 524,400 3,172,285.00 9,034,000 9,294,690 8,670 949,866.00 2,795 3,037,880.00 3,810 4,355,900.00 7,980 8,226,765.00 480 52,800.00 4,000 455,000.00 69,780 5,450,560.00 1,024,010 83,614,133 112,380 2,076,446.00 53,910 4,254,897.00 114,020 9,110,759.00 113,800 9,016,420.00 1,857,380 145,453,479.00 275,310 21,736,243.00 10,000 20,960.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 2,764,000 6,667,540.00 SME 6,097,000 25,690,620.00 115,000 431,690.00 1,703,600 8,095,731.00 7,430,600 113,583,960.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 222,580 28,196,760.00

Value

0.440 42.00 3.27 31.60 1.67 3.3 28.75 1.11 6.89 1.030 5.880

310,000 5,000 3,704,000 8,899,800 1,029,000 155,000 80,716,700 75,775,000 12,200 1,934,000 27,363,400

132,300.00 196,010.00 12,214,410.00 281,719,540.00 1,715,360.00 506,510.00 2,318,465,750.00 79,802,260.00 83,910.00 1,966,280.00 160,993,983.00

7.38 49.15 1.3 0.590

861,400 250,790 146,000 5,340,000

6,323,999.00 12,410,975.50 189,740.00 3,134,310.00

5.41 5.72 0.0940 3.65 122.4 9.9 2.22 5.38 3.02 960 2010 6.30 15.14 20.40 1.95 83.5 20.80 155.1 11.8 0.0093 9.25 0.300 1.4300 3.8 11.9 4.36 2.18 1.14 2.25 21.50 0.580 1.98 3.78 5.38 3.680 11.34 5.45 2.5 130.00 5.85 1807.00 0.440 0.890 44.50 81.70 6.20 3.20 0.610 3.49 0.350 6.280

38,900 35,496,300 226,780,000 77,799,000 3,374,010 4,700 103,000 1,157,500 1,000 1,560 427,085 909,900 781,800 1,500 69,676,000 8,348,030 464,900 580 30,100 145,000,000 4,323,700 109,200,000 7,021,000 1,608,000 7,000 20,362,000 3,447,000 1,664,000 187,000 11,900 66,000 59,000 27,764,000 13,309,000 17,317,000 56,800 381,000 4,000 42,750 30,835,500 644,895 47,630,000 193,171,000 4,057,300 859,950 1,155,400 10,725,000 7,170,000 6,307,000 950,000 71,500

220,607 201,169,744.00 21,823,110.00 294,115,700.00 406,689,434.00 46,210.00 232,920 6,133,118.00 3,020.00 1,486,735.00 855,139,270 5,742,651.00 11,864,312.00 30,610 141,328,140.00 923,708,158.00 9,799,290 92,264 346,540.00 1,340,400.00 40,142,025.00 33,277,450.00 9,931,630.00 6,080,550.00 89,238.00 91,048,110 7,527,460.00 1,939,650.00 433,290.00 255,850 37,830.00 117,330.00 105,861,630.00 71,128,579.00 65,434,310.00 643,198.00 2,181,468 10,000.00 5,691,946.00 203,465,065.00 1,167,469,400.00 4,845,150.00 172,868,010.00 181,689,050.00 70,704,126.50 7,217,976.00 34,381,820.00 4,371,130.00 21,936,980.00 322,000.00 429,810.00

0.0039 2.95 3.89 0.220 2.2100 2.4000 0.67 0.420 8.50 0.850 0.275 0.202 0.214 0.0110 0.0120 1.68 6.31 2.95 0.5100 1.0000 0.0110 0.0110 4.06 8.70 3.20 0.0120 113.50 3.37 0.0100

1,459,000,000 1,570,000 245,000 670,000 372,000 52,000 15,624,000 1,650,000 100,900 43,207,000 1,740,000 31,020,000 2,940,000 13,900,000 2,600,000 2,837,000 56,872,200 2,494,000 401,000 499,000 93,800,000 14,200,000 81,000 11,317,400 14,762,000 47,500,000 2,225,650 793,000 79,400,000

5,746,100.00 4,685,500.00 953,660.00 141,240.00 854,200.00 122,750.00 9,957,140.00 689,500.00 870,628.00 36,799,490.00 481,000.00 6,436,520.00 641,810.00 158,000.00 31,200.00 4,777,820.00 366,823,544.00 7,432,070.00 207,560.00 502,070.00 1,030,700.00 156,300.00 326,630.00 97,167,176.00 49,813,770.00 569,900.00 249,703,281.00 2,618,520.00 821,800.00

49.1 539.5 535 104.9

673,870 1,850 16,510 484,610

33,337,011.00 997,325.00 8,818,925 50,506,055.00

118 531 6.08 1.03 109.1 1061 1135 1020

37,890 11,330 592,800 8,391,000 22,780 2,120 3,445 1,600

4,516,155.00 6,024,550.00 3,604,956.00 8,624,910 2,501,380.00 2,247,205.00 3,903,780.00 1,631,000.00

77.5 81.1 76.55 79.8 80 79 78.25 78.8 2.16

60,000 115,100 42,700 18,310 394,940 63,200 2,527,410 19,950 31,000

4,671,780.50 9,352,965 3,296,040.00 1,409,898.00 31,580,383.00 4,992,800.00 197,135,405.50 1,560,808.00 63,920.00

2.580

7,948,000

20,809,520.00

4.2 3.89 4.98 15.7

5,554,000 295,000 1,580,800 1,349,800

23,845,110.00 1,117,990.00 7,972,952.00 21,399,254.00

128.9

63,400

8,102,419.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS MRC Allied Ind. Boulevard Holdings IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Abra Mining Crown Equities Inc. United Paragon Manila Mining `A’ MEDCO Holdings Megaworld Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

VOLUME 1,078,040,000 1,035,840,000 862,000,000 782,000,000 652,410,000 351,200,000 348,200,000 301,208,000 280,286,000 236,071,600

STOCKS Security Bank SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land `B’ GT Capital Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Metrobank SM Investments Inc. Megaworld Banco de Oro Unibank Inc.

VALUE 3,850,847,456.00 3,053,743,220.00 2,112,443,375 2,099,878,770.00 1,897,554,055.00 1,635,438,432.00 1,544,488,947.50 1,445,855,535.00 1,296,036,050.00 1,287,082,641

tariff for wind projects.

Panes said Trans-Asia was looking at the capacity of the wind turbines to be used in the Sibunag project.

“If you will use 2 MW each, that’s 20 towers. But if bigger, that’s around 16 towers only,” he said.

The planned Sibunag wind project will be located 15 kilometers from the existing 54-megawatt San Lorenzo wind project which consists of 27 wind turbines, each with 2 MW of generation capacity installed over a 14-square-kilometer area in San Lorenzo, Guimaras.

The project supplies power to the island of Panay via a new 2.8-kilometer submarine cable connection from Guimaras.

“We’re still looking at it because we need the new installation targets from DoE [Department of Energy], but we are preparing so that once it’s there, we can immediately go,” Panes said.

Panes said the company wanted to start construction of the project this year.

Trans-Asia president Francisco Viray earlier said the company was keen on pursuing the project but only if it was assured of a feed-in tariff, or the per kilowatthour rate incentive given to renewable energy resources.

“We will do Sibunag only if we got an FIT for San Lorenzo and an FIT for Sibunag prior to investment,” Viray said.

Trans-Asia’s San Lorenzo wind project was granted a P7.40-per-kilowatt-hour feed-in tariff rate under the second wave of wind installation targets.

Insurance firms see recovery in 2nd half

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE insurance industry is expected to bounce back in the second half after two straight quarters of negative performance this year, a top executive said over the weekend.

Philippine-American Life Insurance Corp. chief executive Ariel Cantos said the industry would perform “better” in the second semester, as premium income was normally peaking in the latter part of the year.

“The performance of the second quarter is better than the first quarter but based on experience, the entire industry in the second half of the year is always better than the first half. Our assessment is that if we had a negative performance in the first half, that should be improving in the second half. The industry was usually kicking up in the second half,” Cantos told reporters in an interview.

Cantos said while the nonlife industry performed better in the first six months, the life industry would kick up in the remaining months of the year amid business confidence in the new administration.

“Even on the life side, the second half is stronger than the first half and if we are going to base on what the second quarter growth rate is [and], the one that appears in recent surveys that businessmen and COOs are confident about the future, the second half will be better than the first half,” Cantos said.

The insurance industry’s premium income fell 9.1 percent in the first half to P105.52 billion from P116.11 billion posted in the same period in 2015.

Business Nomura says weak exports to continue

By Julito G. Rada JAPANESE global financial firm Nomura expects Philippine exports to remain weak for the rest of the year due to lower demand overseas.

Exports declined by a larger-than-expected 13 percent year-on-year in July after a 11.4-percent drop in June, led by weaker shipments of manufactured goods and petroleum products. The growth of electronic fell further to -14.8 percent from -5.1 percent in June.

“We still expect exports to remain weak over the remainder of the year given the external backdrop and as electronics demand is likely to soften... ,” Nomura said in a report over the weekend.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said earlier the decline in total merchandise trade in July stemmed from the slow global economic recovery.

The total revenue from trade in July fell from $12.2 billion in the previous year to $11.4 billion in July 2016. The PSA attributed the drop to the 13-percent decline in exports and the 1.7-percent decrease in imports.

The lower exports were due to the decrease in demand for Philippine products from traditional markets, such as Japan, China, Hong Kong and the United States. Meanwhile, the decline in imports was a result of the decrease in local demand for raw materials and intermediate goods (13.6 percent), as well as mineral fuel, lubricants (26.3 percent).

However, exports to the country’s non-traditional markets posted hefty increases, especially in France and Mexico, which grew 59.2 percent and 22.4 percent, respectively. Imports from Japan, China, Hong Kong and Singapore increased in July 2015.

Sales of coconut products, particularly coconut oil and desiccated coconut, and agrobased products rose 0.6 percent in July 2016, a relief from the four-month long double-digit decline since March.

However, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia warned of the looming threat of La Niña, saying the government must ensure that policies to improve and strengthen the resiliency of agricultural communities were passed swiftly.

He said the outlook for the electronics industry was improving, particularly for semiconductors.

Almost all Asian countries, except for Vietnam (5.1 percent), experienced declines in export performance with Indonesia (-12.0 percent) and Malaysia (-10.2 percent) joining the Philippines with doubledigit negative growth rates in July 2016.

CLARO G. GAÑAC, DBA

GREEN LIGHT Part 2

MY dissertation looked into corporate governance performance involving power and information metrics of 156 companies, comprising 60 percent of the 265 publicly listed companies as of Dec. 31, 2015. The dataset was collected from cross-sectional information from the PSE annual corporate governance reports filings and the PSE Edge website.

The ownership structure of Philippine PLCs remains highly concentrated in the hands of certain business or family interests.

The average total public ownership (i.e. outsiders or nonblock holder and management) of PLCs was just 36 percent of the total outstanding shares.

Nevertheless, a few of the older companies (e.g. PLDT, SMC, AC) have actually higher public ownership levels.

Compulsory vs. discretionary governance The study found that compliance to governance processes for both power and information

B3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

SEC eases lending business

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission has reduced the number of documentary requirements on companies planning to go into the financing or lending activities.

SEC chairperson Teresita Herbosa said the regulator consolidated some of the required documents and dispensed with the redundant ones.

The basic documentary requirements on applications for a certificate of authority to operate as a financing company total 23 documents, until the SEC’s company registration and monitoring

department trimnmed them to 15.

Financing firns applying to operate a branch office, meanwhile, are now just required to complete eight documents from 13.

In addition, the SEC’s corporate governance and finance department, which is in charge of monitoring registered financing and lending companies, dispensed with some requirements

in order to streamline monitoring and make doing business easier.

Streamlining critical processes facilitated quicker issuance of certificates applied for, Herbosa said, as she assured the public the SEC would further improve services by eliminating excessive or inflexible administrative procedures and protracted decision-making processes.

The fewer documentary requirements are expected to ease the burden on the transacting public, who will no longer be asked to bring voluminous records and documents to the SEC. The reduced paperwork will also speed up the processing for the issuance of the certificates

because of lesser documents for required for inspection or evaluation.

Meanwhile, the SEC finalized the implementing rules and regulation of Republic Act No. 10693, or the Microfinance NGOs Act The Microfinance NGOs Act aims to help in poverty eradication by supporting and working in partnership with qualified non-government organizations in promoting financially inclusive and pro-poor financial and credit services.

The Microfinance NGOs Act covers microfinance nongovernment organizations, and does not cover for-profit micro-

finance institutions.

Under the rules, the government will form a Microfinance NGO Regulatory Council, which will serve as an accreditation body.

The council can also institute and operationalize a system of accreditation for microfinance NGOs, including sound and measurable standards of financial performance, social performance, audit and governance.

It will monitor the performance of the NGOs to ensure their compliance with the accreditation standards. It has an authority to audit the books of accounts, records and papers of microfinance NGOs and conduct ocular inspection.

IN BRIEF Exporters push MSME reforms THE Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. is pushing for domestic reforms to expand the financing options available to micro, small and medium enterprises and enable them to benefit from the Asean Economic Community.

“Our advocacy for game changers and out-of-the-box solutions continue particularly in financing for MSMEs. This should help link our MSMEs to the AEC and other global value chains,” said PhilExport president Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr. Exporters had been disadvantaged by the lack of access to financing for revolving capital and promotion funds to the level of Asean counterparts enjoy, he added.

Around 99.6 percent of Philippine enterprises are MSMEs. PhilExport’s MSMEs members are engaged in 16 sectors.

The group is lobbiying for amendments to the Magna Carta for MSMEs to help address the financing issue. Othel V. Campos

Manila hosts 3-day Asean design fest TOURISM PARTNER. Officials of Resorts World Manila pay a courtesy visit to the Department of Tourism. RWM assured the DoT of its support

for Philippine tourism by promoting world-class Filipino hospitality through excellent service, premium facilities, and thrilling activities. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo (third from left)) and RWM president and chief executive officer Kingson Sian (fourth from left), are joined by RWM director for corporate communications Owen Cammayo, RWM senior director for international marketing Kathy Mercado, Undersecretary Katherine de Castro and RWM assistant director for public relations Archie Nicasio.

Govt infuses P72b in subsidies to state companies

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE government infused almost P72 billion to state-owned and controlled corporations in the first seven months of the year, with Philippine Health Insurance Corp. getting the bulk of the subsidy, Bureau of Treasury data show over the weekend.

Latest available data showed that subsidies extended by the government to GOCCs in the January-to-July period this year climbed 55 percent to P71.855 billion from P46.288 billion in

the same period in 2015.

The bulk of the amount went to PhilHealth with P35.268 billion, followed by National Housing Authority with P10.632 billion and the National Irrigation Administration with P8.817 billion.

Other beneficiaries of government subsidies in the first seven months of the year were Social Housing Finance Corp. with P1.672 billion; National Food Authority with P4.25 billion; and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority with P1.612 billion.

Government subsidies in

july jumped nearly 15 times to P35.258 billion from the P2.318 billion recorded in the same month a year ago.

The biggest recipient of the government subsidies in July was PhilHealth with P33.797 billion, followed by Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. with P646 billion and NIA with P683 billion.

Subsidies given by the government to GOCCs covers operational expenses that are not supported by corporate revenues and which may be spent on specific

programs and projects.

The government plans to increase support to the GOCCs this year. Budget documentd for the fiscal year 2016 showed that the proposed allotment for GOCCs would increase to P127.1 billion from the P78 billion in 2015 and the P80.3 billion in 2014.

About P96.1 billion would be in the form of subsidies, P31 billion in equity and P26.5 million in net lending.

Subsidies to GOCCs in 2015 declined 3 percent to P78.01 billion from P80.44 billion in 2014.

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations will hold a design festival and a regional meeting in Manila to develop and propagate master craft designers of export products from the region and regain their high marketability worldwide.

The Asean Master Craft Design Festival will take place at ground floor of the World Trade Center on October 20 to 22, 2016 as one of the special features of the Manila FAME, the country’s premier international event for lifestyle exports.

The festival will have a pavilion featuring the works of master craftsmen Roselyn Long Lah of Malaysia, Lim Masulin of Indonesia, Truong PhiDuc of Viet Nam, Rush Pleansuk of Thailand, and Al Valenciano of the Philippines.

The exhibit stand will be designed by Austria-educated Cosmas Gozali of Indonesia.

A regional dialog and meeting will also be held on October 22, to be attended by senior master craftsmen from the 10 Aseanmember states. Othel V. Campos

The state of corporate governance in the Philippines practices has been determined by whether the governance factor was compulsory or not. There was high overall compliance (over 95 percent of all PLCs) for mandatory mechanisms, notably minimum two independent directors and board oversight under power governance, as well as required disclosures under information governance.

However, discretionary (i.e. voluntary) power governance— board size and activity, duality, risk management systems, corporate governance committee structure, ownership rights and greater board independence (in the oversight committees)—has been comparatively weaker.

Ownership and board structure The average number of independent board directors only totaled 2.45, just above the requisite of two directors, while non-executive directors averaged 4.12 members. The average board size is 9.32; the proportion of independent and non-executive directors to total board size clearly shows that

“outsiders” comprise the minority in the board. Coupled with the ownership concentration ratio, the evidence shows that PLCs remain dominated by controlling groups.

Furthermore, the average number of independent directors in board audit and nominations committees constituted the minority (less than two) in PLCs covered in the study. Both functions are vital to shareholder supervision over the board. In developed countries, independent directors are mandated to be the majority in audit committees.

The average number of board meetings is almost eight times a year. A more active board—one that monitors corporate performance regularly and is involved in key processes—is believed to result in a higher number. However, there is no accepted norm for board activity.

Only half of PLCs are duality compliant. When analyzed, the duality compliance levels displayed significant differences among the six industry groups.

More than 90 percent of the

banks and financial companies reported being duality compliant, followed by more than 70 percent and 65 percent of property and service companies, respectively.

Meanwhile, only half of the holding companies have adopted the duality concept and this came as a surprise because most of the large conglomerates (which are considered to be composed of “enlightened” management) fall under this category. Majority of the industrial (60.53 percent) continued to practice unified chairmanship and CEO. Control mechanisms (considered discretionary governance best practice) has been adopted by just over 50 percent of subject PLCs, showing that the adoption of risk management structures and systems to protect the financial assets of companies remains weak.

The exercise of ownership rights, i.e. cash and stock dividends that represent rewards for investors, is considered less than satisfactory. Only 47 percent pay

out cash dividends, in spite of the fact that most of the PLCs are profitable enterprises; only 10 percent rewarded their shareholders with stock dividends in 2014.

In information governance, the same pattern of high compliance is evident for required information disclosures (financial statements, information statements, etc.). Compliance with discretionary communications and investor relations mechanisms was below satisfactory.

Less than half of PLCs issued press announcements, while only above 20 percent organized investor briefings.

Statistical analyses showed that governance compliance is weakest among the small-cap (market cap of under P10 billion) companies and those in the services and oil and mining sectors.

Higher compliance levels were displayed by banks/financial and holding companies (for industry class) and by large-cap companies (for firm size). Governance compliance among firms in the industrial and property sectors were within satisfactory (but be-

low exemplary) levels.

The findings suggest that governance behavior and compliance are influenced to a large extent by firm resources. Hence, market regulators may consider financial incentives, such as tax reductions, to provide incentives for PLC segments that are lagging in governance performance.

Dr. Gañac is an assistant professorial lecturer at the Ramon Del Rosario College of Business of the De La Salle University.

He joined the academe in 2012 after a career in corporate communications, corporate marketing, corporate social responsibility and investor relations that spanned more than 30 years.

The two-part article was a part of his doctoral dissertation on the subject of Corporate Governance in the Philippines.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

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

B4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Business

Fed rate outlook remains murky THE more that Federal Reserve officials speak, the more confused investors and economists become.

Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo repeated his cautious assessment of the economy during an interview Friday on CNBC television, while Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren argued there was a reasonable case for gradual tightening.

Their remarks, ahead of the Sept. 20-21 meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, illustrate divisions on the FOMC that don’t help clarify what officials will decide.

“Basically, everyone is staying in their lanes,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities in New York. That makes it harder to gauge the implications of recent mixed data, including a below-forecast August US jobs report. “The Fed has been so arbitrary in shifting rationales, it’s not systematic enough that people in my business can look at the data and be confident about what the Fed’s going to do.”

Fed hawks and doves― those who favor an interestrate increase and those who argue against it, respectively― are retrenching their positions and using recent data to bolster their arguments. Hawks say consumer spending is strong, the job market has made impressive gains and keeping rates too low for too long comes at a financial stability cost. Doves say employment could progress further, inflation has only ticked up and a handful of weaker-than-expected data points bolster the case for patience.

Investors and analysts still see relatively low chance that the Fed will raise interest rates this month.

On Friday, Tarullo signaled he’s willing to be patient before deciding the economy has enough momentum to raise interest rates, while declining to rule out the chance that he and his colleagues could move before the end of the year.

Bloomberg

NO TO REFORMS. Demonstrators protest against the government’s austerity measures and reforms outside the annual Thessaloniki International Fair in Thessaloniki on September 10, 2016. AFP

Free trade issues hounding Britain

L

ONDON―Britain’s desire to become a free trade leader following its vote to leave the EU is seen as wishful thinking by experts, who say London’s hands are tied until a formal exit from the bloc.

Prime Minister Theresa May used this month’s G20 summit in China to explore potential trade deals with Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea.

But international trade experts have been quick to highlight Britain’s lack of experience in such negotiations.

“Currently, legally speaking, the UK is part of the EU and therefore is not able to conclude free trade agreements,” said Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of trade policy think tank, the European Centre for International Political Economy.

“For me, it is more an experience problem because the UK has actually not negotiated” on such matters since 1973 when the

country joined the European Union, LeeMakiyama added.

At stake is Britain’s position as a major world economy along with its future economic and employment growth.

International trade to and from the country each year totals hundreds of billions of pounds, around half of which is with the European Union.

Brussels and Berlin have lost no time in reminding Britain that while it remains within the EU, trade negotiations on behalf of all member states are the sole responsibility of the European Commission.

May has meanwhile come up against hurdles outside the EU, with US President Barack Obama insisting that Washington’s priority remains striking a free trade deal with Brussels, however unlikely, before tackling any separate agreement with London.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Friday insisted at a joint ministerial meeting that “Australia is keen to do a free trade deal” and the two countries would be able to “at least to sketch out a very produc-

tive deal,” while Britain negotiates its exit from the EU. Australian counterpart Julie Bishop said that Brexit opened “many opportunities to develop an even closer relationship,” but her trade minster warned earlier this week that formal negotiations on a deal must wait until Brexit is concluded, which could take years.

“We are now in a time where lawyers don’t matter,” Lee-Makiyama told AFP. “It is about high politics.”

Tim Oliver of the London School of Economics stressed that “there are no friends or special relationships in international trade.”

He told AFP: “Some countries will know the UK is keen to do deals and vulnerable because it has little experience at negotiating them.”

The Conservative government has yet to set out its vision for Brexit following the June 23 referendum, beyond saying it would not start formal exit negotiations with Brussels until next year.

“The focus for the first deal is that with the EU,” said Oliver. “All others are secondary for the time being.” AFP

Miami cracks down on Airbnb lodgings MIAMI―If you were thinking of visiting Miami Beach and finding a cheap apartment through Airbnb, it won’t be easy: the city is cracking down on shortterm rentals.

The city has doled out $1.6 million (1.4 million euros) in fines against homeowners and websites like Airbnb, HomeAway and Booking.com for listing or renting homes on a shortterm basis.

Police have even evicted tourists staying in 31 properties that had been the subject of fines, according to a recently disclosed memo from city manager Jimmy Morales.

Rentals for periods of less than six months and a day are prohibited in much of Miami Beach, an island with an expansive beachfront, turquoise waters and a vibrant nightlife enjoyed by thousands of tourists a month.

The authorities argue that regular residents are fed up with the round-the-clock partying at short-term rentals. And they contend that those who rent out the properties are nothing more than tax dodgers.

“People are squeezing anywhere from five to 10 people in a room at basement rates. They’re up all night, they party all night, residents don’t want that,” said Michael Grieco, a Miami Beach commissioner.

“This is not an issue about tourism, it has to do with people’s quality of life. And secondarily it’s tax evasion,” he said.

Since March, when the city jacked up fines, owners and website operators have been hit with fines ranging from $20,000 to $80,000, according to the memo which was published by the Miami New Times.

Grieco said hundreds of investigations are ongoing into “thousands of listings.”

Some residents are applauding the crackdown.

“You don’t want to see people you don’t know in your building all the time,” said Rafael Belisario.

But not everyone is happy about it.

Ross Milroy, a Miami Beach real estate agent, said he’s considering a class action suit and warns that the city is going to discourage foreigners from buying

A photo taken September 5, 2016 shows buildings in Miami, Florida. If you thought visiting Miami Beach with family and renting an apartment through Airbnb, it would not be so easy: the city is implementing a hard line against the epidemic of short term rentals. AFP

property there.

“Why would, say, a European or even American buyer purchase an investment property or vacation home in Miami Beach if they could not rent it out for any period of less than 6 months and one day?” he asks.

An Airbnb spokesman, Benjamin Brait, said the online rental lister is “a very small but unique

part of Miami Beach’s tourism ecosystem, one of the world’s greatest destinations.”

“We look forward to working with community leaders and stakeholders in the coming months to create fair rules for home sharing,” he said.

Miami is the latest in a string of cities across the world which are trying to clamp down on

properties being rented out through platforms like Airbnb.

Among them are Berlin, Paris, Lisbon, Vancouver and even San Francisco, where the homesharing website is based.

Hoteliers in many cities are up in arms over such sites, which have also been accused of driving up property prices.

AFP

Hanjin vessel in US begins to unload A HANJIN Shipping Co. vessel began unloading its part of $14 billion worth of cargo Saturday morning at the Port of Long Beach in California after a US court granted the company a reprieve from having its assets seized, easing a cargo bottleneck resulting from the container line’s filing for bankruptcy protection.

The Hanjin Greece had been stranded near Long Beach since Aug. 31 after its parent company filed for court receivership in South Korea. Port workers began taking its cargo ashore at 8 a.m. local time and should continue until Sept. 12, Noel Hacegaba, chief commercial officer of the Port of Long Beach, said in a telephone interview. The Hanjin Gdynia will follow next week, he said. The Hanjin Greece is carrying “electronics, furniture, footwear and virtually anything a consumer would expect to find on the shelves leading up to the holiday season,” he said.

Hanjin also won relief Saturday from its biggest shareholder, Korean Air Lines Co., which agreed to provide 60 billion won ($54 million) in funds to help pay for goods to be unloaded from its container ships. Together with the US bankruptcy court’s decision, this means Hanjin vessels can dock and unload some of the estimated $14 billion of goods for companies including Samsung Electronics Co. and Nike Inc. that have been stuck during the peak shipping period ahead of the US Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping season.

“While it will take some time to fully resolve the situation, we expect slowly to start seeing some improvements,” the government said in the statement.

US Bankruptcy Judge John K. Sherwood in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday granted Hanjin Shipping protection under Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code, which shields foreign companies from lawsuits by US creditors while they reorganize in another country. Sherwood had given provisional protection on Sept.

6, and his latest ruling broadened that legal shield and extended it. Bloomberg

KAL set to release $54m to carrier KOREAN Air Lines Co., the biggest shareholder of Hanjin Shipping Co., said it will provide 60 billion won ($54 million) in funds as part of efforts to ease a supply-chain disruption after South Korea’s largest container line filed for court protection.

The carrier will give the money only after Hanjin Shipping puts up its stake in a terminal at Port of Long Beach as collateral, Korean Air said in a text message after a board meeting Saturday. The board had failed to reach a decision in two previous meetings.

The money will be used for payments to unload cargo from some of Hanjin’s vessels that have been stranded near ports in North America, Europe and Asia after the shipping company filed for court receivership on Aug. 31. Hanjin Group, which controls Korean Air, had said it would provide 100 billion won including 40 billion won from chairman Cho Yang Ho. South Korea’s ruling Saenuri Party also asked the government to offer about 100 billion won in low-interest loans on condition the owners provide collateral.

Hanjin Shipping operates the Long Beach terminal in partnership with Mediterranean Shipping Co. The Korean container line on Friday won court protection for its US-bound ships under Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code, which shields foreign companies from lawsuits by US creditors while they reorganize in another country. The decision will allow goods on at least four Hanjin ships to come into port in the US and be unloaded without fear of having them seized by creditors.

Bloomberg

LGUs

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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BOATS. Many a city dweller dreams of taking a break in a cool, clean and calm hideaway like this beach in Laiya, Batangas. Erwin Leyros

‘Good education begins in LGUs’ L

OCAL government advocacies and initiatives are central in achieving quality education, delegates to the 10th Synergeia National Education Summit held September 8-9 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City learned.

Elected, appointed, and career service government officials; education professionals; partner NGOs; private businesses; and other concerned stakeholders attended the summit hosted by Synergeia Foundation and USAID. The summit’s delegates exchange ideas, experiences and programs for improving educational outcomes in public schools.

Vice President Leni Robredo appealed to governors and mayors to foster relevant, quality and effective instruction in their schools.

Robredo said the participants should support education reform.

She added that mayors, who work closely with education stakeholders, must empower local school boards.

Robredo pointed out that well-educated children have the best chance of economic advancement and are less likely to give up their integrity as persons.

The vice president cited the need to match courses offered with available jobs.

Robredo also called attention to widespread malnutri-

tion among school children and suggested Brazil’s Hunger Program as a model for solving it.

Senators Juan Edgardo Angara and Bam Aquino pledged to support the reforms the summit organizers will propose.

“Each and every mayor or local government official needs to make education his personal advocacy,” said Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, “so the local government can fasttrack reforms needed in their communities.”

Washington Sycip, Synergeia chairman, urged the delegates to “help the poorest of the poor get an education.”

“LGUs can help improve student scores in achievement tests through partnerships between local governments, schools, and communities,” explained Dr. Milwida Guevara, Synergeia’s chief executive officer and president.

Guevara, a former undersecretary of finance, related

national educational failure to poverty incidence and noted that some 44 percent of poor households are headed by individuals who did not finish elementary school.

“For every 100 students who enter Grade 1, almost one-third (32 pupils) drop out by Grade 6,” she added.

“Making sure that children finishing their primary education is a necessary step in ending poverty, but this challenge is too big to be faced by individual schools and the Department of Education.”

Synergeia partners, led by Dr. Susan Berms and Brian Levy of USAID Philippines, Fr. Jose Villarin and Fr. Bienvenido Nebres of Ateneo de Manila University discussed participative education reform, fostering good education governance, encouraging community engagement, and fund raising for projects through open forums and workshops.

Piñol gives P11-m farm aid to Ifugaos

By Dexter A. See BANAUE, Ifugao—Three banner programs under the Department of Agriculture distributed some P11 million worth of farm implements to 11 municipalities of Ifugao.

DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol visited Ifugao to ask farmers how to reformat Philippine agriculture and provided interventions for 47 farmers groups in the province.

The distribution of machinery and assorted seedlings to the province is part of the department’s commitments to its constituents for 2016, according to Dr. Lorenzo Caranguian, DARFO regional executive director.

The municipality of Aguinaldo received one four-wheel-drive corn tractor, one mechanical sheller, one corn planter, one cassava pulverizer, and two open-source pumps amounting to P2.6 million.

Alfonso Lista received a fourwheel-drive corn tractor, a fourwheel-drive cassava tractor, a cassava granulator cum shredder, a mechanical sheller, four open source pumps and 210 kilos of molasses worth P5 million.

Asipulo received a corn mill and 15 bags OPV white corn seeds valued at P385,000.

Banaue received five knapsack sprayers, one pack of assorted vegetable seeds and 15 bags of OPV white corn seeds with a total value

Manila to provide free civil registry services MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada will launch next month the second leg of “Operation Birth Right” in Pandacan to provide every Manileño with proper government records.

Operation Birth Right, an outreach program in the barangays conceived by Estrada, provides free civil registry services to residents, especially children who have no birth certificates.

“I say it again: there will be no more ‘undocumented’ Manileños in my watch. I want all the children of Manila to have legitimate birth certificates because they will need it in the future,” he said.

Estrada pointed out that these undocumented children are considered “officially not existing” and could not fully avail of basic services from the government.

Officially launched on July 9 at Barangay 120 in Parola Compound in Tondo, where up to 3,000 children were provided with birth certificates, Operation Birth Right will move to Barangay 846 in Pandacan following the request of Chairman Allan Boado.

In his letter to Estrada, Boado said around 300 children in their community, most of whom are

members of the local chapter of Iglesia Ni Cristo, have no birth certificates.

Many other residents have marriage contracts that need correction, Boado added.

Estrada ordered Joey Cabreza, officer-in-charge of the Civil Registry Office, to conduct Operation Birth Right in the community in soonest possible time. Cabreza said they have scheduled the activity in the first week of October.

“This is a simple way of expressing my deepest gratitude to our Iglesia voters. It’s about time that I attended to them,” Estrada said.

“Many children will soon be bona fide citizens of Manila,” he added.

Aside from giving free birth registration, the Civil Registry Office will also orient Pandacan residents on the proper processes and requirements of registering or securing copies of civil registry records at the city hall, Cabreza said.

“We’re taking the initiative to visit every barangay to assist the people, free of charge, so they will stop going to Recto and other unauthorized establishments to secure fake government records,” Cabreza said.

Pangasinan to hold science caravan

ECOLOGISTS. Senator Cynthia Villar, chaiman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources,

discussed environmental programs that engage the youth, particularly students, during the 25th Anniversary of OISCA International’s Children’s Forest Program (CFP) at PICC where she was the guest of honor and speaker. The senator, a known environmental advocate, commends OISCA CFP, which involves the young in tree-planting, forest management, organic farming and proper waste management. It is now present in more than 4,800 schools in 36 countries and territories nationwide

Quezon City council approves 5 local appointments A QUEZON City Council committee has endorsed for confirmation the appointment of five key city government department heads.

The committee on laws and internal government headed by Councilor Franz Pumaren resolved to confirm the co-terminus appointments of City Administra-

tor Aldrin Cuña, city legal officer Christian Valencia, secretary to the mayor Tadeo Palma, retired police general Elmo Santiago as chief of the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety and city information officer Ares Gutierrez.

The measure confirming the appointment was authored by

of P57,268.

Hingyon received 14 bags of OPV white corn seeds valued at P25,200.

Hungduan received six knapsack sprayers, a pack of assorted vegetable seeds and 14 bags of OPV white corn seeds amounting to P58,268.

Kiangan received a foot sealer and 14 bags of OPV white corn seeds worth P36,200.

Lagawe received six mechanical shelles, three grass cutters, a foot sealer, 210 kilos ofmolasses, two packs of assorted vegetables, five knapsack sprayers and an open source pump all worth P308,096.

Lamut received a four-wheeldrive corn tractor, a cassava chipper, five knapsack sprayers, 420 kilos ofmolasses and an open source pump valued at P2.3 million.

Mayoyao received a shredder and 14 bags of OPV white corn seeds valued at P92,700.

Tinoc received 14 bags of OPV white corn seeds, 21 female native piglets and three male native piglets worth P 97,176.

The DA secretary also received proposals for additional interventions that fit into the province’s geographic and demographic conditions. Nevertheless, he committed additional infrastructures and machinery to the Ifugaos.

Councilor Godofredo Liban II. The council will calendar the measure for third and final reading where it will formally be approved and passed.

All five officials will serve until the end of the term of Mayor Herbert Bautista, who is serving his third and last term.

Gutierrez is the only new appointee among the five officials.

Prior to his appointment as city information officer and chief of the Quezon City Public Affairs and Information Services Office, Gutierrez was reporter, correspondent and editor in various local and international media or-

ganizations such as GMA News Online, Inquirer Publishing (Cebu Daily News), Gulf News, Al Nisr Media, Xpress Weekly, Journal Group of Publications, Malaya and the defunct Manila Chronicle.

He was also Bautista’s chief of staff when he was first elected vice mayor in 1995.

THE Department of Science and Technology’s office in the Ilocos region has announced the holding of its first Science Caravan on September 14 to 16, in San Fabian, Pangasinan.

The caravan will showcase the latest science and technology innovations developed by the DoST and science communities in the Ilocos.

On September 14, the caravan will kick off with an exhibit in San Fabian’s Sports Center and a press conference on the programs and projects of DoST 1 to enable the public to appreciate the technologies being offered to them.

A technology forum, a DoST campaign drive, a poster-making contest, film viewing and RxBox demonstration will be held simultaneously in different venues.

Arnold Santos, officer-incharge of the Pangasinan S&T Center-Satellite Office in Urdaneta City, said training in fish processing, soap-making, baking, meal management and food handling will be given.

Santos said preparations for the S&T Caravan are in full swing and that employees in the private and public sectors, students, and micro, small and medium enterprises are expected to join the event. PNA

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Marcos museum to become a park BATAC City in Ilocos Norte is planning to redevelop a park in place of the Marcos mausoleum, which may draw fewer tourists if former President Ferdinand Marcos is buried at the Heroes Cemetery in Manila.

Provincial tourism officer Ianree Raquel said the project has long been planned to maintain the high number of tourists visiting Batac City.

The Ferdinand E. Marcos Museum remains a top tourist destination in the province, recording almost 40,000 visitors in this year’s Holy Week alone.

“The City Government of Batac, together with the provincial government, is already implementing the redevelopment of the Batac City Plaza. If Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City will push through, we will have new attractions in Batac City,” Raquel said.

He said the park will be designed with a “Heroic Ilocos” theme, given the city’s title as the “Home of Great Leaders.”

Batac City is the hometown of Marcos; of the Philippine Independent Church founder, Gregorio Aglipay; and of Father of the Philippine Army, Gen. Artemio Ricarte.

Meanwhile, Raquel said the tourism office continues to search for historical objects related to Marcos for display in various museums in the province. “[As the] Marcos Heritage Trail [remains[ a top destination [in Ilocos Norte], we’re continuously trying to incorporate new exhibitions in the museums,” he said.

“One is a very rare material from Batac—a commemorative watch (probably from the year) 1977… and photographs of FEM from the 1960s kept by one family in Pasuquin [town].”

Raquel said they encourage the community to contribute new materials to the museums. PNA

LGUs

91 Batangas farmers grow organic veggies S

ome 91 farmers in Batangas towns were trained to grow high-value organic vegetables under SM Foundation Inc.’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KsK) livelihood training program.

BASTION. An aerial shot of the US Embassy in Manila. Philippine leaders believe that US-Philippine ties remain strong. Revoli Cortez

Insurers urged to cover climate change THE country’s non-life insurance sector must help manage loss and damage caused by climate change, Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) told a forum hosted by the Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association (Pira) in Taguig City on Wednesday.

The Philippines, one of the nations most vulnerable to climate change, sustains annual losses from the impact of hydrometeorological hazards. Super Typhoons like “Yolanda” (“Haiyan”) and other extreme weather events claim thousands of lives yearly and cost the country billions of pesos, thus derailing years of socioeconomic development.

De Guzman said non-life insurers can help citizens prepare for financial challenges during natural disasters.

The Pira forum was a side event of the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change 2016 Forum of the Standing Committee on Finance hosted by the CCC and the Asian Development Bank at the ADB Headquarters in Pasig City earlier this week.

By doing its fair share in addressing residual losses and damages, De Guzman said, the insurance industry would help unburden the government, which usually has inadequate funds for disaster relief.

The World Bank reported that the Philippine government retains most of its disaster risk because it relies heavily on annual contingency budget allocation for potential disaster events and post-disaster reallocations to finance its response efforts.

One example, De Guzman said, is the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, which was established under Republic Act 10121 to fund disaster and emergency

response. The 2016 General Appropriations Act allocates of P38.9 billion to the fund.

“This is not enough to help our citizens get back on their feet. The government can step in and reconstruct roads, bridges, and other damaged infrastructure, or offer assistance through the mechanisms of DSWD, Pag-IBIG, SSS, GSIS and other agencies, but it cannot on its own, reconstruct lives,” he pointed out.

De Guzman said the CCC can collaborate with the insurance industry on a baseline policy study on risk, transfer, finance and insurance in the country that will examine gaps and propose solutions, including policy reforms.

He said the CCC and the insurance industry also need to get more local government units to deploy weather-indexed insurance initiatives.

He cited in particular the People’s Survival Fund (PSF), which finances adaptation measures at the local community level.

The CCC official said establishing LGU ownership is key to letting PSF grants broaden development of risk transfer instruments and risk financing mechanisms in a financially sustainable way.

“In other words, a long-term coverage should be in place that would no longer require the assistance of the PSF,” he added.

De Guzman also challenged the insurance industry to work on slow-onset impacts of climate change, which, he said, “many believe to be uninsurable.”

Examples of slow-onset events are sea level rise, increasing temperatures, ocean acidification, salinization, land and forest degradation, loss of biodiversity and desertification.

Young Filipinos join Ocean summit in Bohol

YOUNG Filipinos will join the Open Collaboration with East Asia New Champions (Ocean) 2016 Summit from November 24 to 26 at the Be Grand Hotel in Bohol, chief organizer Winston Damarillo, a WEF Young Global Leader said.

Damarillo said “this year in Davos, we talked about the 4th Industrial Revolution—how high technology will promote rapid industrialization and how digital can impact lives for the better.”

“Our goal for Ocean 16 is to take the whole concept of the 4th Industrial Revolution beyond the think tanks and the people talking theories in Davos. We want to bring it to emerging countries like the Philippines at the grassroots level,” he added.

This year, WEF communities will bring discussions from Davos to Bohol on how technology can drive inclusive and sustainable growth in the region.

Ocean 16 will focus on the question, “How can the Philippines—and other emerging countries—harness new technologies to accelerate economic development and social progress?”

The three-day summit will include speeches from government, business, and civil society; plenary sessions on

entrepreneurship, innovation, the Philippines, and the global community; interactive brainstorming on how to scale emerging, youth-led social solutions; cutting-edge new technology including drones and 3D applications; and a maker market of goods from local artisans and entrepreneurs.

It will also introduce a roadmap for “Digital Bohol” – a plan for holistic digital inclusion in Bohol to allow local leaders harness technology to empower business, government and civil society.

The province was selected to pilot the smart city movement because of its strong public and private partnerships and its vast ICT infrastructure that may make it a tech hub. It is also set to become a global destination with the opening of the Panglao International Airport in 2018.

Ocean 16 signed a memorandum of agreement with the Provincial Government of Bohol and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry on August 15 for the development of smart cities in the Philippines, with Tagbilaran City as the pilot and model city.

“Technology plays an important role in society and we’re very excited to be one of the first LGUs to start utiliz-

ing it to develop smart cities, enable disaster preparedness, promote inclusive economic development, boost tourism and ensure the safety of our citizens,” says Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto.

Top Filipino executives from Silicon Valley will talk about best practices in world technology such as wearable technology and its potential to enhance lives and the impact of Sharing Economy in the Philippines.

“For improving the state of the world, we want to talk to the people whose conditions we can improve using technology. Bohol is a good place to see the social impact of this new digital revolution,” he added.

Ocean 16 is co-organized by the WEF communities in the Philippines; Amihan Global Strategies, a digital transformation consultancy; and Kaya Collaborative, an international nonprofit that connects the global Filipino community to entrepreneurship, impact, and innovation in the Philippines.

For more information, visit www.ocean16.asia, email info@ocean16.asia or call 0947-813-6401. You may also participate in online discussions by following OCEAN 16 on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @WEFPHOCEAN.

SMFI, Belle Kaagapay and Harbest taught the 111st batch of KSK trainees to plant organic lettuce, zucchini, cucumber, squash, upo, Taiwan gourd, cherry tomato, bell pepper, red, green and yellow pepper, corn, papaya, water melon, malunggay and many more for the high-end restaurants of the Tagaytay Highlands Club.

The Highlands offered 5,000 square meters in its fully developed Midlands for the program.

The surplus will be sold by the farmer-cooperative organized by the provincial agriculturist to SM groceries in their province, explained Cristie Angeles, SM Foundation executive director for livelihood.

Belle Kaagapay, the CSR arm of Belle Corp., owner and developer of Tagaytay Highlands, is allotting another 10,000 square meters for the organic farming program, the fruits of which shall be harvested by some 7,000 Club members and their families at the Pick & Pay weekend market of Tagaytay Highlands.

This batch of farmer-graduates had a taste of organic vegetables during a cooking contest at the Harvest Festival on August 30. Their graduation rites were held at SM Lipa on August 31.

The training took 12 Fridays when farmers were ferried by local government vehicles to the Greenland gate of Tagaytay Highlands, a walk of less than a hundred meters to the sloping farm.

They were given lectures by Harbest president Toto Barcelona.

Highlands has developed 800 hectares and will develop another 800 hectares in the future. The area being planted is a developed area and is part of the Pick & Pay Bistro Saratoga, so the vegetables will be picked fresh for its diners. Whatever revenues are generated will be used to pay for water and manpower and to buy organic fertilizers and seedlings.

City Agriculturist Renato Cunanan is grouping the farmers into cooperatives and clusters that plant different crops for continuous delivery to the intended markets of Tagaytay Highlands and SM malls and supermarkets.

“I will supply them the seeds, organic fertilizers [or vermicast] to use in the highlands and in their own farms, so they could become propagators of organic farming,” Cunanan said.

Belle’s Michelle Hernandez, vice president for governance and corporate affairs, said the company and its developer, Belle Prime, wanted a sustainable CSR program for the communities around Highlands.

Deborah Sy, vice president in charge of SM Foundation, said since the launch of KsK 10 years ago in Bacolod, the program has been undertaken in 123 provinces and produced 111 batches of graduates, many of them successful agro-entrepreneurs now.

World

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

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Air strikes kill scores in Syria B

EIRUT―A barrage of air strikes on rebelheld areas in Syria have killed scores of people, just hours after the government in Damascus approved a US-Russian plan to halt fighting in the country’s suppurating civil war.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the raids, which hit the key northern cities of Idlib and Aleppo.

But they came as a new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday, the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, allowing much needed aid to reach the beleaguered civilian population.

The regime of President Bashar al-Assad approved the truce deal on Saturday, but the main opposition group was more cautious.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the “government has approved the agreement, and a cessation of hostilities will begin in Aleppo for humanitarian reasons”.

Citing “informed sources”, it said “the entire agreement was reached with the knowledge of the Syrian government”.

The opposition High Negotiations Committee was more circumspect, saying it had yet to receive the deal’s “official” text.

Despite the apparent breakthrough, the killing continued, with deadly bombing raids on

the rebel stronghold of Idlib province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 58 people were killed in raids on various neighborhoods of Idlib city, including a market, but it was not immediately clear who carried out the strikes.

The toll included 13 women and 13 children, it said.

An AFP photographer in Idlib saw men clambering over rubble in just sandals to help evacuate wounded and dust-covered residents from a collapsing building.

Another 12 civilians were killed in unidentified strikes on several neighborhoods of Aleppo city, and 18 people died in bombardment of other parts of Aleppo province, the Observatory said.

The landmark deal, reached after marathon talks in Geneva

on Friday, could also lead to the first joint military operations by Moscow and Washington―who back opposing sides in the conflict―against jihadists.

Both Kerry and Lavrov said the complex plan is the best chance to end the five-year war that has killed more than 290,000 people and seen millions flee to neighboring countries.

Under the deal, fighting would halt across the country at sundown on Monday and Syria’s air force would stop attacking rebelheld areas.

In turn, Washington must get opposition groups it backs to separate themselves from the Fateh al-Sham Front, which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after renouncing its ties to Al-Qaeda.

But mainstream opposition fighters have not indicated a

willingness to break their alliance with powerful hardliners, which they view as “a military necessity”, according to Syria expert Charles Lister.

Leading HNC member Bassma Kodmani told AFP that her group “cautiously welcomed” the deal but was sceptical that Damascus would comply.

Kodmani said the opposition would “do our part” to see that rebel groups break ranks with the jihadists if the truce held.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said that the deal provided a “window of opportunity” and that he would begin consultations on relaunching peace talks.

But the question of Assad’s fate remains a key sticking point: the HNC repeated its demand this week that he leave power, but Russia continues to back him.

A UN-supported truce in February faltered after each side accused the other of repeated violations, and Damascus resident Taher Ibrahim told AFP he did not expect this new truce to play out any differently.

“Nobody among the Syrian population accepts this agreement... (the opposition) are all the same and none of them will commit to this truce,” he said.

But student Abdulhadi AlOmari said he believed “it is the beginning of the end of the crisis”.

“I am very optimistic because this truce is not like the previous one, it categorises the opposition groups between terrorist and moderate,” he said.

US special envoy to the Syrian crisis Michael Ratney appealed to rebel groups to commit to the deal, saying it was the “best way” to save lives. AFP

Kremlin looks to clean up elections MOSCOW―With the parties loyal to President Vladimir Putin set to dominate despite the Kremlin making a show of cleaning up the vote after mass protests last time around.

The nationwide polls―which include the annexed Crimea peninsula for the first time― come as Putin’s ratings still stand at more than 80 percent despite the country enduring the longest economic crisis of his rule due to falling oil prices and the sanctions over Ukraine.

While a new election chief has clamped down on corruption and more opposition candidates have been allowed to run, analysts say the authorities’ total grip looks certain to guarantee a smooth victory―likely setting the stage for Putin to cruise to a fourth term in power in 2018.

“Clearly, the Kremlin has little appetite for relaxing its wholesale control over Russia’s political system,” the Carnegie Moscow Center think tank wrote.

“At the same time, there is a desire to portray the elections as largely fair to help the regime to bolster its legitimacy among both elites and the broader body politic in the run-up to the 2018 presidential election.”

The polls also include votes for some key regional leaders: most prominently in the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya where Kremlin-loyal strongman Ramzan Kadyrov is facing his first popular test to his decade-long rule. Rights groups in the region say there has been a harsh crackdown on dissent in the run up to the vote.

Looming large for the Kremlin in this round of parliamen-

tary polls is the memory of the mass protests that followed the 2011 vote, which drew tens of thousands of Russians on to the streets after evidence of vote rigging emerged.

The demonstrations represented the biggest challenge to Putin’s dominance since he took charge in 2000 and experts say the authorities are desperate not to give any pretext for a repeat.

Those fears were only heightened by the 2014 ousting of Ukraine’s Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych by huge protests in Kiev, sparking a crisis that has plunged Russia’s ties with the West to their lowest point since the Cold War. “For authorities it is important to preserve an air of decency,” Yekaterina Schulmann of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration told AFP, adding this would mean “the absence of high-profile scandals or scandalous news.”

In March, Putin replaced the scandal-tainted head of the election commission with former human rights ombudsman Ella Pamfilova in a clear bid to clean up its image.

At a recent commission meeting, Pamfilova insisted that in the five months she has been in charge officials have taken “a string of preventive measures” against possible violations in the lead-up to the vote.

An indignant Pamfilova warned party officials and bureaucrats against pressuring voters and interfering with monitors’ work.

“I remind you that this carries up to five years of criminal punishment,” she said. AFP

GROUND ZERO. People visit the South Pool, which marks the former site of the South Tower of the World Trade Center at Ground Zero the night before the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States on September 10, 2016, in New York, New York. AFP

Man in stabbing attack ‘inspired by IS’ SYDNEY―A man “inspired by” the Islamic state group was Sunday charged with committing an act of terror over a stabbing attack that Australian police called the “new face of terrorism”.

The alleged stabbing by the 22-year-old in Sydney came two days after a teenage boy was charged with making threats at the Sydney Opera House, and both incidents followed an IS call to target high-profile Australian sites.

The man, named in local media as Ihsas Khan, was charged with committing a terrorist act

and attempted murder after the alleged attack on a 59-year-old man in the southwest Sydney suburb of Minto Saturday.

“We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired

by ISIS [Islamic State],” New South Wales state police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn told reporters in Sydney, adding that investigators had seized a “large knife”.

Federal Attorney-General George Brandis said investigators established the alleged IS link after seizing material related to the militant group, without

“There was clearly some planning and preparation... we will allege down the track that he was going to attack [police] also,” she said.

Brandis told reporters in Brisbane Sunday that the victim could have died if locals had not rushed to helped him after he was stabbed, saying they “acted heroically”.

The attacker―who was refused bail after a court appearance Sunday―was not believed to be connected to any terrorist groups known to police, Burn said, but stressed that the type of threat he posed was a new challenge to authorities. AFP

Uncertain snap election in Croatia

CEREMONY.

Barcelona’s councillor Gerardo Pisarello (L), Barcelona’s mayor Ada Colau (C), Jaume Collboni and other members of the council attend a wreathlaying ceremony at the Rafael de Casanovas monument in Barcelona on September 11, 2016, on the day of the National Day of Catalonia “Diada”.

The Diada marks the date (September 11, 1714) when Barcelona fell to Spanish and French forces in the War of Succession that redrew the map of Spain. This year the Diada opens the final straight in the dash to hold a vote on whether Catalonia should break away from Spain, a move the Spanish government has branded as unconstitutional. AFP

Clinton rues attack on Trump backers

WASHINGTON―Hillary Clinton said Saturday she regretted saying that half of Donald Trump’s supporters belong in a “basket of deplorables”―a remark the billionaire Republican slammed as her “worst mistake of the political season.”

The Democratic presidential candidate came under fire for

giving further details.

The stabbing left the victim, who police believe did not know his attacker, with serious wounds to his hands and body.

He remains in hospital in a serious condition.

Burn said that when police were called to a road in Minto where the victim was, the young man allegedly tried to stab officers through a window.

“What made him actually act yesterday, we don’t know. But hopefully, our further investigations will uncover that. It was deliberate. It was violent,” she added.

THE remarks made at a New York fund raiser late Friday―remarks that unleashed a wave of derision and mockery on social media.

“To be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables,” Clinton told a crowd at the “LGBT for Hillary” gala.

“The racist, sexist, homopho-

bic, xenophobic, Islamophobic― you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.”

She added that those people were “irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America.”

“Basket of Deplorables” quickly became a trending hashtag on Twitter, with users venting their fury at

the former secretary of state.

There was even a mock account called “Hillary’s Basket,” with the handle @TheDeplorables, deriding the former first lady and US senator.

With less than two months to go before Election Day, and the race still tight, Clinton walked back her remark on Saturday. AFP

ZAGREB―Croatians began voting Sunday in a snap election whose outcome might prolong political uncertainty in the EU’s newest member, which had shifted to the right under previous conservative governments.

The election comes as the former Yugoslav republic faces economic struggles and at a time of strained ties between neighbors in the volatile Balkans, notably with former enemy Serbia.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and close twelve hours later. First official results were expected late Sunday.

Some 3.8 million Croatians are eligible to vote in the polls, which come less than a year after an election last November produced no absolute winner.

A barely-functioning coalition government, led by the conservative HDZ party, took power following that vote, before collapsing in June over a conflict of interest scandal.

The coalition’s five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and mi-

norities, notably ethnic Serbs.

Authorities have appeared to turn a blind eye to the far-right surge, but it has sparked international concern and brought already frosty ties with Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia’s 1990s independence war.

In recent months the two neighbors have exchanged bitter accusations over their wartime past, with Belgrade accusing Zagreb of a “rebirth of Nazism”.

Less than a week before the vote, Serbia sentenced a Croatian to three years in jail for spying.

Polls and analysts give a slight lead to a coalition led by the main conservative Social Democrats (SDP) of former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, who was in power for four years until November.

“SDP seems set to win but without an absolute majority” in the 151-seat parliament, political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP. The likeliest outcome is a similar scenario to that of the previous vote―prolonged talks on forming a government and potentially another election. AFP

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

World

LOOKING TOWARD HONG KONG ISLAND. A Star Ferry is seen passing tourists gathered at the Kowloon public pier overlooking Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor on September 11, 2016. AFP

Stiffer sanctions eyed on NKorea T

OKYO―Washington and Tokyo are seeking “the strongest possible” measures against North Korea after its latest and most powerful nuclear test, a top US envoy said Sunday.

Sung Kim, the US State Department’s special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to “the provocative and unacceptable behavior by the North Koreans”.

“We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea’s latest action,”

Kim told reporters in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi.

Kanasugi said Seoul, Tokyo and Washington would be coordinating their response.

“We agreed to continue Japan-US and Japan-US-South Korea cooperation...as we work toward an adoption of a new UN Security Council sanction that will include further sanction measures against North Korea,” he said in a statement.

North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006, but has insisted it will continue its testing program, come what may.

The North carried out its fifth nuclear test on Friday, claiming that it had successfully detonated a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation.

The international community has engaged in a f lurry of diplomacy in an attempt to persuade China to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions.

China has said it “firmly opposes” the test, but analysts believe Beijing wants to avoid a

collapse of North Korea in order to prevent the balance of power on the Korean peninsula from leaning towards the US. Washington’s “dialogue” with Beijing over the crisis will continue, Kim said.

“We continue to work together to urge China to implement existing Security Council resolutions...and to work with us to make sure North Korea’s behavior and their deliberation change in a more productive and positive direction,” Kim said.

“North Korea continues to present growing threats to the region, to our allies and to ourselves. We will do everything possible to defend against that growing threat,” he said. AFP

Meeting set after new nuclear test SEOUL―South Korean President Park Geun-Hye will meet political party leaders Monday following North Korea’s nuclear test, amid speculation she will urge them to ease opposition to a US missile defense system.

A presidential spokesman Sunday confirmed the meeting with leaders of the three parties but gave no details of the subject.

Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified presidential official as saying Park would seek cooperation from both her conservative ruling party and liberal opposition parties for her handling of the nuclear threat.

North Korea Friday staged its fifth and most powerful atomic detonation, describing it as a test of a nuclear warhead for a missile.

Park cut short her visit to Laos and returned home, summoning a meeting of top officials to urgently review the defenses against what she termed “imminent” nuclear threats from the North.

At Friday’s meeting, Park urged opposition parties and

Closure of ivory markets urged

Film looks back at 1960s turmoil TORONTO―”American Pastoral,” Ewan McGregor’s film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prizewinning novel, offers a grim look at the turbulent 1960s― and the stark parallels with US society today.

The “Trainspotting” star is making his directorial debut with the film, which premiered at the Toronto film festival.

The film constructs a complex portrait of a man―and of a generation―struggling to comprehend the collapse of a value system during a time of great upheaval, from the tumult of 1968 to the outrage over the Watergate political scandal in the early 1970s, and how that ripped apart the seemingly ideal American family.

It chronicles the life of a high school all-star athlete Seymour “Swede” Levov (McGregor) who marries a beauty queen (Acad-

emy Award winner Jennifer Connelly), and has a daughter, Merry, played by Dakota Fanning.

Swede has a seemingly perfect life.

But it comes apart when Merry is radicalized in response to the Vietnam War, and rejects her family’s comfortable existence for a secret life of violent protest.

“It’s the unraveling of the American Dream,” Uzo Aduba, best known for her role as “Crazy Eyes” on the Netflix television series “Orange Is the New Black,” and now starring in her first feature film as a worker in Swede’s garment factory, said of this difficult chapter in US history.

In 1968, public opinion shifted against the Vietnam War. A wave of grief spread over the assassination of peace proponent Martin Luther King Jr., which turned to rioting. AFP

RITUAL. Muslim pilgrims join one of the Hajj rituals on Mount Arafat near Mecca early on September 11, 2016 Close to 1.5 million Muslims from around the world prepared on September 10 night for the climax of the annual hajj pilgrimage at a rocky hill known as Mount Arafat. The pilgrims will mark September 11 with day-long prayers and recitals of the Koran at the spot in western Saudi Arabia where they believe their Prophet Mohammed gave his last hajj sermon. AFP

Woman in famous WWII kiss photo dies at 92 WASHINGTON―The woman dramatically kissed by a sailor celebrating the end of World War II in an iconic photograph seen around the world has died, according to The New York Times.

She was 92.

Greta Zimmer Friedman died of pneumonia, her son Joshua

Friedman told the paper.

Then a 21-year-old dental assistant, Friedman was grabbed and kissed by an elated sailor in New York’s Times Square on August 14, 1945, as the news spread that Japan had surrendered and WWII would end.

Photographer Alfred Eisen-

other opponents to stop “politically-motivated fault-finding such as objections to the deployment” of the highly-sophisticated US missile defense system.

South Korea in July announced plans to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the south of the country to counter the growing nuclear and missile threats from the North.

China, which believes the system’s radar could also be used to track its own defenses, objected strongly. Its leader Xi Jinping argued that “mishandling” the issue could intensify regional disputes when he met Park on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou on Monday.

The plan has also met resistance from residents of Seongju county, the planned venue for the deployment.

Opposition parties oppose the THAAD deployment, saying it would only escalate a regional arms race and hurt ties with the country’s biggest trading partner China. AFP

staedt shot the iconic image, which would endure as a defining 20th-century American photograph after it ran as a full page in Life magazine.

The 2012 book “The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo That Ended World War II”, published by

the Naval Institute Press, identified the pair as Friedman and George Mendonsa.

Though their passionate embrace might indicate otherwise, Friedman and Mendonsa did not know each other and never had a romantic relationship. In fact, the sailor’s future wife,

Rita Mendonsa, can be seen grinning above his shoulder in the photograph.

In a 2005 interview archived by the Veterans History Project, Friedman said she had never seen the image until the 1960s when she looked at a book of Eisenstaedt photography. AFP

MIAMI―In a bid to stop the killing of elephants for their tusks, world governments voted Saturday at a major conservation conference to urge the closure of all domestic ivory markets.

After fierce debates―including opposition from governments like Namibia and Japan―the motion was adopted on the final day of the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, a 10-day meeting that drew 9,000 people to Honolulu, Hawaii this month.

“Today’s vote by IUCN members is the first time that a major international body has called on every country in the world to close its legal markets for elephant ivory,” said Andrew Wetzler, deputy chief program officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“It’s truly a landmark moment, and a victory for elephants that will hopefully be repeated later this month at the next meeting of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg.” AFP

Life SIP & SAVOR

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

D1

The Contadina Goddess

Seared mahi-mahi with tomato and mushroom ragout and penne a la vodka

W

HEN British culinary icon Nigella Lawson was 17 years old, she decided she wanted to become Italian. Before she became a bestselling cookbook author, she went to Florence to work as a chambermaid and learned how to THE JOYCE OF EATING cook in the country that she described JOYCE BABE PAÑARES as “somehow both earthy and chic.”

Flash-fried steak served with Contadina’s diced Roma tomatoes which are known for their juicy and meaty flesh.

Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson swears by Del Monte’s Contadina line of products. ‘We have a relationship that is built on trust.’

Lawson could have very well been a true-blooded contadina, an Italian word for a woman of the fields, with her passion for home cooking using the freshest ingredients available. It made perfect sense for her to become the face of Del Monte Foods’ Contadina line that celebrates food that is fresh, unpretentious and delicious.

“Contadina lends itself to familystyle cooking. You are eating the food and you can imagine yourself sitting in front of a table with an Italian mamma,” said Lawson, the Domestic Goddess who, during her stay in the country, has tried for herself classic Filipino home-cooked dishes such as adobo, sinigang, sisig, menudo, and pansit palabok.

“Home cooking is something to be proud of. It is where real food comes from... The simplicity of a homecooked meal is not boring. It is actually about trusting your ingredients and letting them sing,” she added during the launching of Contadina products at Enderun College last week.

The quality that Contadina brings lies in the origins of its ingredients – Hojiblanca olives from Andalucia, Spain which have a distinct aroma that enhances the flavor of any dish without overpowering other ingredients; sweet Roma tomatoes from California that are known for their juicy and meaty flesh; pasta made from 100 percent Canadian durum wheat semolina, ensuring a creamy color and fine texture; and sauces using authentic Grana Padano cheese and flavorful Italian herbs.

“There is no way I would have accepted this partnership if I did not believe in the product. We have a relationship that is built on trust,” said Lawson, who has 12 television shows and 10 books to her name, including Nigellissima where she talked about her stories on Italy and its food.

Del Monte sent her crates of various Contadina products, and she cooked with these in her own kitchen to see if they are aligned with her food philosophy of “maximum flavor for minimum effort.”

Continued on D2

Danica Sotto-Pingris will always ‘rice’ to the occasion THERE’S no doubt that actress and celebrity mom Danica Sotto-Pingris will always put family as her no. 1 priority in all her endeavors, even when it comes to the products she endorses.

This explains why the moment she got the call regarding a possible chance to endorse Mrs. Lam’s Rice brand— a distributor of locally produced and imported rice varieties—she became ecstatic, not just for herself, but for her loved ones as well.

Danica says it’s her first time to endorse a rice brand and is quite knowledgeable about Mrs. Lam’s rice. In addition, Danica also loves to cook. She says she can incorporate the rice brand into numerous recipes and dishes. “You can never go wrong with Mrs. Lam’s wide variety of rice. You can come up with many dishes like fried rice, baked rice, paella, arroz caldo, sushi and many other gourmet dishes. With glutinous rice you can make sticky rice with mangoes, champorado and many other desserts,” says Danica.

Danica has a diploma in Culinary Arts and Technology Management from the Center for Culinary Arts.

And pass-on knowledge became just as valuable when Danica married a popular athlete and star basketball player, Marc Pingris. All the knowledge and experiences she was able to acquire, she is now able to share with members of her house help and even her children.

When it comes to rice quality, Danica admits she is quite picky and meticulous now that she is a mom. For her, quality is of utmost importance. Her primary questions involve taste, freshness, cleanliness, consistency, quality, weight and value for money. Mrs. Lam’s rice offers freshly milled local variety rice. The rice is immediately delivered to the outlets between two to five days from the milling day.

She is quite happy that Mrs. Lam’s Rice is available at leading supermarkets in pre-packed 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50kg bags, as well as on a per kilogram basis similar to that in the wet markets.

Initially she was surprised when she discovered Mrs. Lam’s rice has many varieties; locally milled rice from the fragrant dinorado special, whole grain sinandomeng, long grain, sinandomeng

special, sinandomeng, laon (old crop), organic red, organic brown rice to the imported ones like Japanese and Thai Jasmine.

For everyday use, Danica suggests the fragrant Dinorado Special or Sinandomeng Rice; for special occasions or events with visitors that you want to impress, go for the Thai Jasmine rice or the short grain Japanese variety rice.

“At home, the favorite is fried rice, for my friends, their favorites are the paella and risotto. You can still make risotto even if you don’t use the Arborio type or any rice suitable for risotto using our local rice sinandomeng or Japanese variety short grain rice.

It’s more on the technique and style of cooking,” Danica avers just like a professional chef giving tips to home cooks.

Mrs. Lam Rice is available in varying weights, depending on a specific family type’s needs. For a small family of four or for newly married couples, perhaps they can get the five to 10-kilo pack. Bigger families can go for the 25to 50-kilo bags. “That way, you don’t get the pressure or fear of rice being

stocked too long.”

Since Mrs. Lam’s rice is freshly milled, you can keep it for one or two month, provided it is stored in a cool dry place with proper ventilation. The rice bins or containers should be properly emptied, cleaned and dried after each replenishment to avoid weevil growth.

You can really plan or measure your rice consumption correctly by buying the rice bag that fits the family’s eating habits. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure it all out,” says Danica.

Mrs. Lam’s Rice is distributed in the Philippines

by ECT Enterprises and is available in most major supermarkets and groceries.

For more details, call 0922-8388365 or email ectent@yahoo.com.

Celebrity mom Danica Sotto-Pingris reveals her love of cooking for her family and friends

Life

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Healthier meals with SaladStop!

S

ALADSTOP!, the nutritious foodie haven, paves a delicious way for hungry gourmands in the metro to enjoy healthier meals—where they can eat light without compromising flavor.

SaladStop! has recently launched a new, delicious offering – Warm Quinoa bowls, which come in two tasty options: Chihuahua and QDon. For those who like it hot, the Chihuahua spicy bowl will awaken the senses and fire up the taste buds. It’s packed with rocket, red kidney beans, avocado, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno, and cheddar cheese, and then drizzled with SaladStop!’s signature Chipotle vinaigrette. Every mouthful will leave one feeling warm inside.

The Qdon Quinoa bowl, on the other hand, brings a little bit of Asian flavor.

Taste the delight of marinated grilled

The Chihuahua warm quinoa bowl is packed with ingredients that awaken the taste buds

Asian flavors are bursting in every spoonful of the QDon quinoa bowl

tofu tossed in with sliced kale, edamame, sweet corn, cucumber, mandarin orange, grated egg, and a delectable Carrot Ginger and Japanese Wafu dressing. It’s a beautiful balance of familiar and new flavors.

Quinoa is a renowned superfood that is packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients and amino acids, which help boost one’s immunity. In addition, quinoa promotes heart health and controls blood sugar, as it is also a good source of fiber and protein. More

and more people are falling in love and filling up with this wholesome treat.

Catch these delightful bowls every Wednesday at SaladStop! in Central Square, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City, and Power Plant Mall, Makati City.

SaladStop! is located at Central Square, Power Plant Mall, OPL Building in Legaspi Village, Greenhills, Glorietta 2, The Mezzanine at Ayala Tower One, Burgos Circle, and Alabang Town Center.

ASIAN FLAVORS TO INDULGE IN

Sweetener Sugar Blend gives off the same sweetness of traditional sugar using only half the amount

Stack on the right sweetness with

Sugar Blend

THESE days, homemakers are becoming even more discerning in what they serve the family. There is a constant effort to trim down on unhealthy food and shift to meal plans that best address their dietary needs.

However, faced with staples like rice and food selections doused in rich flavors and high-concentration of sugar, salt and other additives, concerned parents are left to identify less ‘sinful’ options.

Sugar Blend is an authentic alternative to sugar that lets the family indulge in everyday sweetness with less the calories. With a balanced mix of sugar and sucralose, Sugar Blend enhances food and beverages with the same sugar sweetness, but using only half the amount. Using Sugar Blend in homecooked dishes can help manage sugar intake among children, without sacri-

ficing the energy they need for the day or the taste that keeps them on the table.

Now, parents can serve treats made using Sugar Blend and worry less about indulging their kids. Pancakes and muffins can retain their freshness and premium taste and still be healthy.

Homemade ginataan, halo-halo, and polvoron can be shared generously without the guilt feeling. Jellies, marmalade, and spreads can all be prepared at home for the week ahead.

Helping children attain their fullest potential is perhaps among the greatest challenges to parents, and using Sugar Blend in their food is one of the best ways to ensure they are on the right track.

Sugar Blend, prepared by the makers of Equal, is available in all Mercury drugstores and leading supermarkets nationwide.

The Contadina...

From D1

tasty dish quickly. Just because you are short on time doesn’t mean you have to be short on flavor,” she said.

“Contadina has done half the hard work for any cook. They’re the ones who had gone to Spain to make sure they get the best olive oil. They’re the one who had gone to Italy to get the sauces, to California to get the best tomatoes. They’ve done all that and I’m very happy to eat them.”

During the launch, the dishes served were made using Lawson’s recipes and Contadina products, resulting in a rich and authentic medley of flavors that can only come from the finest ingredients cooked with passion. These included penne a la vodka, chicken with Greek herb sauce, flash-fried steak, seared mahi-mahi with tomato and mushroom ragout, among others.

“I am not a chef. I am not even a professional or trained cook. My only qualification is as an eater… Cooking is all about personalization. It is a living entity. Doing a recipe your own way is what makes it live and real,” she said.

“And as for my cooking, I have no secret ingredients. The key is to have ingredients you can trust,” Lawson added.

“It is very important to me that I love every mouthful, and I loved everything about Contadina. I’ve cooked with their products extensively at my home. They are perfect for home cooking, when y o u sometimes h a ve to whip up a

ENJOY wonderful Asian bites with the featured wine flight at Planet Grapes, which has rolled out its “Asian Flavors” promotional offer ongoing until Sept. 20.

For only P550.00 per person, customers can savor two tantalizing white wines and two fabulous reds that go especially well with Asian cuisine, gracefully complementing its spiciness and sweetness.

The crisp flavors in Vietnamese fresh Spring Rolls, for example, can highlight the mouthwatering citrus in a Chenin Blanc, wine that exhibits wild and funky aromatics; and the peanut sauce can extend the light nutty finish.

The meaty flavor of Shanghai Rolls is only enhanced by the black pepper notes in a Syrah; and the brilliant mixed spices of Samosas make a Merlot taste even more luxurious.

Planet Grapes’ “Asian Flavors” lets wine enthusiasts sample all of the wine and food pairings at a steal. Customers who avail of the special promotional offer will be served a platter of fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Shanghai Rolls, and Samosas with the following wines: • 2012 Vinum Chenin Blanc - This seductive South African full-bodied white wine produced by The Winery Of Good Hope features fleshy peach and toasty oak on the nose.

• 2013 Hugel Gentil - The supple aromatic white wine from Alsace, with a bright, silvery sheen and pale green color, has an attractive, flattering bouquet; and is floral and fruit-driven.

• 2013 Echeverria Carmenère - This red wine with a smooth, chewy finish is characterized by plum, black cherry, sandalwood and spice aromas that meld together.

• 2014 Bad Boy Merlot - characterized by floral notes, with sweet plum and cocoa flavors, and a dark chocolatey finish. The earth red purple wine has soft tannins.

Share the fun with your friends, family, date, or just yourself as you sample four different wines and three Asian dishes alongside each other.

For more information, email info@planetgrapes.com. ph or log on to planetgrapes.com.ph. Visit Planet Grapes

Planet Grapes lets its customers find out which wine best pairs with various Asian food through its ‘Asian Flavors’ promotion

Shangri-La Plaza North Wing (531-8207/532-2950) or Planet Grapes Ayala Center Cebu (032-266-0526 / 032-262-0515) for this amazing deal.

NIBBLES AND MUNCHIES

Sweet rewards for corporate partners WHAT better way to strengthen your business relationships than showing your appreciation with Villa del Conte artisanal chocolates from Padova, Italy. You can choose from Villa del Conte’s wide array of luscious creations such as Praline Balls, Praline Sticks, Ovicinis and ‘Thank You’ dark chocolate. These Villa del Conte premium chocolates can also be specially curated in lavish gift baskets with bottles of wine.

Villa del Conte accepts bulk orders for corporate gifts with personalized packaging.

Visit Villa del Conte stores at Greenbelt 5, Century City Mall, Shangri-la Mall, Resorts World, Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall and Robinsons Magnolia. For bulk orders, contact (02) 893-2575 or 621-6101. Go to www.villadelcontecioccolato.com/ for more information. *** Free Wings Rack or Chops Rack at BonChon with your Citi card. Chicken lovers have a reason to rejoice. Enjoy this delicious offer from Citi Credit Cards and BonChon, the home of delicious Korean-style chicken.

Get a six-piece Wings Rack or a four-piece Chops Rack for free when you make a minimum single-receipt purchase of P1500.00 at select participating BonChon branches across the country.

Remember, the free dish must be availed at the same time as the dine-in or take-out transaction. Promotion is valid everyday until Oct. 31.

To learn more about other delectable promotions and deals, visit www.citibank.com.ph or call the 24-hour Citi Phone at (02) 995-9999.

For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com PHOTOS BY SONNY ESPIRITU

Citi is rewarding its cardholders free BonChon chicken for every P1500-worth of purchase in the same dining establishment

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

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HE Cultural Center of the Philippines Arthouse Cinema, in cooperation with Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the UP Los Baños Foundation Inc, presents MANUEL CONDE@100 at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde on Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and 8.

This special event is part of the year round series held to celebrate the birth centennial of National Artist for Film, Manuel Conde, born Oct. 9, 1915.

At the CCP, three Conde films will be shown: • Genghis Khan (1950, MC Productions) on Sept. 24: Starring Manuel Conde and Elvira Reyes, this is the saga of how the young but wily Temujin rose to become the overlord of the Mongol empire.

The version shown will have the original Tagalog soundtrack, unhampered by James Agee’s poetic narration in the re-edited international edition, which was restored in 2012. SOFIA (Society of Filipino Archivists for Film) board member Teddy Co will discuss for the first time some confounding and overlooked facets about the film.

• Krus na Kawayan (1956, MC Productions/USIS) on Oct. 1: Starring Manuel Conde, Aida Carino and filmed entirely in Vietnam, with Filipino actors in Vietnamese roles, the film tackles the refugee crisis at the onset of the Vietnam war.

Matteo glad girlfriend Sarah is into a variety of things A scene from ‘Krus na Kawayan,’ (inset) the actor and film director Manuel Conde in ‘Genghis Khan’

The United States Information Service (USIS) funded the film as propaganda material to portray the evils of Communism during the Cold War era. Jun Urbano, who was a young boy in the film, will be present to talk about his experiences working with his father.

• Venganza (1958, LVN Pictures) on Oct. 8: Starring Mario Montenegro, Carmencita Abad, Perla Bautista and Carlos Padilla, Jr., this action-thriller

The 1958 film ‘Venganza,’ starring Carmencita Abad, Perla Bautista and Eusebio Gomez, was written and directed by the Camarines Norte native film producer and actor

Manuel Conde films

at CCP Arthouse is one of Conde’s underrated films. Film scholar Nicanor G. Tiongson, author of The Cinema of Manuel Conde, will give a talk after the film, emphasizing Conde’s delicacy and care in depicting the indigenous Igorot people shown in the film. A rare bonus clip of an interview with Conde before he died will also be shown. The screening will be preceded by cocktails and the launch of the Manuel Conde Centennial stamp by the Philippine Postal Authority and NCCA. Conde was declared a National Artist in 2009 but officially conferred the title only in 2016. He was one of the Philippines’ most original filmmakers who straddled both the mainstream and independent film worlds. Born in Daet, Camarines Norte,

Conde started out in movies in 1934, acting in bit roles, then became assistant director to Carlos Vander Tolosa at LVN Pictures before graduating to directing films at the same studio in 1940. It was only when he put up his own company MC Productions in 1947 that he began to hit his stride by directing himself and acting as Juan Tamad, and creating epic costume pictures on minimalist budgets.

He achieved international renown when his Genghis Khan became the first Filipino film to compete at the Venice Film Festival in 1952, against films by a pantheon of history’s greatest filmmakers - Chaplin, Renoir, Ford, Mizoguchi.

After working on ambitious but unrealized projects in the 50s, Conde continued producing films and TV series

well into the 70s, and made cameo appearances in minor films until his death at age 69 in 1985. Kidlat Tahimik, the acknowledged father of local independent filmmaking, once said, Manuel Conde should be called the ‘grandfather’ of Philippine independent filmmaking.

The CCP Arthouse Cinema Program aims to provide audiences with opportunities to engage with local and international art films and their makers through a yearlong program of screenings, talkbacks, special events and other movierelated activities.

For more information, please call CCP Media Arts at tel. no. 832-1125 local 1704 and 1705 or the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film at sofiaphils@gmail.com

‘TheRapist’ trailer disapproved

by MTRCB for public exhibition THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) disapproved the public exhibition of the trailer of the short film TheRapist.

The award-winning short film starring veteran actress Cherie Gil was directed by Diane Ventura and was earmarked for commercial release on Nov. 2, supposedly to open the commercial run of Ventura’s first full-length feature film, the award-winning Mulat (Awaken) starring Jake Cuenca, Ryan Eigenmann and newcomer Loren Burgos.

In a letter sent to Solar Films, the local distributor of both films by Ventura, MTRCB chief Eugenio Villareal ruled that the trailer is “not for public

exhibition” citing “language and scenes depicting sexual activity” as the reason for such a decision.

The award-winning director Diane Ventura, defends her short film. “I understand how this movie could be misconstrued as condoning the vile act of rape. But in this film, I’m not talking about the jump-out-of-the-bushes assault of a helpless victim. I’m talking about certain situations wherein a girl actually has the power and capability to get herself out of a possibly precarious situation where she feels uncomfortable and unsettled.“ Diane said, “It’s about female empowerment and not allowing yourself to be put in situations that you do not want to be in,

or get yourself in a position where your decision-making capabilities are vitiated.”

She agrees, “Rape is a detestable crime. That is why this film is important. It tells us that though, we have no control over other people’s actions and moral values, we do we have control of ourselves and having awareness of this fact helps us in becoming more pro-active.

This way, we have the power not to put ourselves in a helpless predicament.”

Ventura’s TheRapist was the official selection in the following film festivals – Cinemanila, World Cinema Festival in Brazil, Luang Prabang Festival in Laos, and the International Film Festival

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, September 12, 2016

ACROSS 1 Glossy fabric 6 Part of a deck 10 Curl 14 Acid in proteins 15 Woodwind 16 Woe is me!

17 Beatnik’s drum 18 Chlorophyll locale 19 Drapery supports 20 Pressing 22 Fine liqueur 24 Filly’s mother 26 Burns with steam 27 Belushi’s hometown 31 Umbrage 32 Composer — Anderson 33 Reckon 36 Gridiron div.

39 Mighty steed 40 Throw angrily 41 Bobtail mouse 42 ASAP 43 Outer garments 44 Amazon, for one 45 Just as I thought!

46 Renowned 48 Dynasty 51 Alehouse

fixture 52 Potent pepper 54 Brewing need (2 wds.)

59 Cheers for toreros 60 Karachi language 62 Talk pompously 63 RN assistants 64 Piglet’s friend 65 Al of Indy fame 66 Bangkok native 67 35mm cameras 68 Giggle (hyph.)

DOWN 1 The “Elephant Boy” 2 Eros, in Rome 3 Metallic sound 4 “Picnic” writer 5 Twelve o’clock high 6 Mountain pass 7 Retired 8 Emulates Simba 9 Marring 10 Trill 11 Not in a whisper 12 “Quo —?”

13 To be, to Brutus 21 Luggage ID 23 Zebra female 25 Lettuce 27 Friendly whack

28 Bunch of sheep 29 Jordan neighbor 30 Ear of corn 34 Apple seed 35 Map within a map 36 Iditarod terminus 37 Eggy dessert 38 Per — 40 Bum raps (hyph.)

41 From, to Fritz 43 Make meringue 44 Surfer’s mishap 45 Andre of tennis

47 Bathroom item 48 Mr. Kramden 49 Helen, in Spain 50 Sign up for classes 52 Emotional shock 53 Hound’s trail 55 Handel contemporary 56 Wingding 57 Suits to — — 58 “Primal Fear” lead 61 Cousins of “um”

Film director Diane Ventura (right) with ‘TheRapist’ lead cast Cherie Gil (center) and Marco Morales (left)

Manhattan in New York.

The public may yet have a chance to see TheRapist should MTRCB give it the go signal to be featured sideby-side Mulat (Awaken) on Nov. 2 at your favorite theaters.

Mulat gave Ventura the

best director citation, and best actor citation for Jake Cuenca at the International Film Festival Manhattan in New York; and Best Narrative Feature and Best Actor for Jake Cuenca again at the Brazil World Cinema Festival recently.

ACCORDING to Matteo Guidicelli, he is happy for current flame Sarah Geronimo at this point in her life when she is occupied with other activities apart from her showbiz commitments.

“That’s right!” he avers. “She’s into a lot these days. There’s her culinary lesson then, her pole dancing. We’re doing mountain climbing as well, one bonding activity the two of us enjoy so much. I can see that she’s having fun with all these stuff and it’s a positive sign.”

For the appealing lad, there’s still a lot to explore outside the celluloid firmament.

“I always tell Sarah that it’s important to have a life outside the ‘biz where the workload can get crazy. It drains you not only physically but emotionally and mentally, too. That’s why I have sports, the beach and other equally important businesses outside the entertainment field which include my family and friends…spending quality time with them, for one.”

Obviously, Matteo knows how to balance his act, so to speak.

“It’s actually for your own good. You need freedom in your soul and mind. Don’t let yourself get stuck to just one thing.

This is a vast universe. There are so many beautiful and exciting things it offers. We should experience all these. Remember, variety is one of life’s most essential ingredients!”

Many say that because of him, Sarah has become more free-spirited.

“Well, I just encourage her to open her life to other things and not just to her work in show business. At 28, I want her to enjoy life to the fullest. Everybody knows how hardworking she is all these times. I guess she only deserves it,” Matteo states. *** Despite the fact that she has experienced playing lead roles when she was with GMA7, Maxene Magalona remains happy with the roles assigned to her at ABS-CBN, like being a villainess in the top-rating afternoon drama Doble Kara.

“Honestly, it’s no big deal to me if I’m playing the antagonist in the show. I’m happy to be given a challenging role such as Alex who in the story is so scheming, selfish and manipulative. It’s definitely a complex character which helps hone my acting skills further. In fact, I didn’t realize at first that I can also be an effective contra vida but now, I’m grateful to be given the part since it’s fulfilling, craft-wise. I’ve no regrets whatsoever,” she says.

Isn’t she afraid to be typecast as a screen villain eventually due to her superb portrayal in the Julia Montes starrer soap opera?

“Oh, I don’t think of that. For me, I’m just working. Work is a blessing. I believe that what I get is what’s meant for me. So, I’m making the most of it. As I’ve said earlier, I enjoy every single moment playing the character of Alex. It’s not a one-dimensional role. It has many levels and that’s what makes it exciting!”

The lovely actress also wants to clear the issue that she is allegedly envious of her brother Elmo with the present success of his prime time offering Born for You opposite Janela Salvador.

“You know, that’s ridiculous! On the contrary, I’m happy and proud of his achievements. The success of my family is rewarding for me. We’re supportive of one another. In Elmo’s case, I tell him to just enjoy and have fun,” explains Maxene.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

D4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Showbiz

Benilde, TAXI Theater to present horror play in October THE Arts Management Program of the School of Design and Arts (SDA), De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde tied up with emerging creative group TAXI Theater to present the horror theatrical production, Mulagat, at the SDA Black Box Theater, in October this year.

Mulagat, a horror play written and directed by Eric Villanueva Dela Cruz, makes use of theater-in-thedark style, designed to provide an alternative experience by plunging the audience in complete darkness to stimulate other senses apart from vision.

One day, the character Nico

wakes up in the middle of the night and investigates the strange sounds emanating from the hallway outside his condominium unit. He stumbles upon a young girl looking for her brother. What follows is a series of eerie encounters that spirals uncontrollably, culminating in a spine-chilling revelation.

The show stars Michelangelo Castro, Japoy Dones, Tim Castillo, Denise Nayve, Cathrine Go, Jasper Jimenez, Dylan Ray Talon, Doori Chin, and Kyle Confesor.

TAXI (Theater.

Applied.

Experiential. Immersive) Theater, a group of young arts practitioners

and collaborators from various disciplines such as Imagitects (Imagination Architects) and XPgineer (Experience Engineers), worked to synthesize art and science to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. This will be their maiden production.

The group was founded by Eric Villanueva Dela Cruz, a Benilde Theater Arts faculty member, who acts as one of its Creative Navigators, together with fellow practitioners Meann Espinosa, Julia Enriquez Cristobal and Norbs Portales.

“In the spirit of Benilde’s mandate of inclusion and innovation, we

An ear for an act: ‘Pinoy Boyband Superstar’ judges, from left to right, Aga Muhlach, Sandara Park, Yeng Constantino and Vice Ganda must judge the boyband hopefuls by the way they sound and perform onstage

K

NOWN in his studio as the Drama King, Dennis Trillo bagged the Asian Star Prize in Seoul International Drama Awards in ISAH V. RED South Korea. The award recognized and rewarded an Asian talent widely beloved by the Korean audience. To date, Dennis is the first ever-Filipino actor to receive the award.

In his acceptance speech, Trillo said, “I would like to thank the Seoul International Drama Awards for this honor and recognition. This is very special to me because it was given by the Korean people who are very well known in creating the best dramas in the world,” Trillo said. “In the Philippines, we also do our best in trying to create quality programs for the Filipino audience.

This award will continue to inspire me in honing my craft as a dramatic actor. I also would like to share this award with my home network, GMA-7, to my family, to my loved ones, to all the Filipinos and all my supporters. Thank you very much! Kamsahamnida! To God be the glory! Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino!”

Seoul International Drama Awards is a festival that brings together all professionals in the field of TV drama production and media industry and global audiences who enjoy television dramas. Organized

by Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee and Korean Broadcasters Association, it strives to achieve the following goals: continuous development of the Korean Wave, promotion of healthy participation in festivals and vitalization of tourism in Seoul.

The Ministry of Culture, Seoul Metropolitan Government, KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS, Corea Drama Production Association, Korean TV & Radio Writers Association and Korean TV Drama Producers Association support the awards. The Seoul International Drama Awards Ceremonies is broadcast live on KBS 2TV.

have partnered up (sic) with this guild to explore potential beyond the margins of conventional industry practices,” says Dindin Araneta, Arts Management Program fead under the Culture and Arts Studies Department.

The play will have performances from Oct. 7 to 29 at the SDA Black Box Theater, Sixth Floor, School of Design and Arts Campus, 950 P. Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

Tickets are priced at P500.00.

For inquiries, contact TAXI Theater at 0908-4854983 or taxi. theater@gmail.com. Visit www. facebook.com/taxitheater for details.

College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts Technical Theater Program’s ‘Mulagat’ is a chilling tale of the supernatural

Dennis Trillo topbilled the series Juan Happy Love Story with Philippine TV’s Sweetheart Heart Evangelista. The series concluded its run a week ago. **** The search is on for talented young teens that will be in the next Pinoy boy band to captivate the nation. It is ABS-CBN’s newest talent-reality search called Pinoy Boyband Superstar and starts airing tomorrow night.

Even its creator Simon Cowell is excited for the premiere of the Philippine adaptation of La Banda, the talent-reality search he created along with Ricky Martin.

Simon, the man behind the success of One Direction and Westlife, is considered an authority in creating and making globally popular boy bands.

“I’m so excited La Banda is coming to the Philippines. You are going to love Pinoy Boyband Superstar. Watch it exclusively on ABS-CBN,” said Simon in his invitation to Filipinos to watch the show.

In Pinoy Boyband Superstar, aspiring singing heartthrobs aged 14 and above with charm, singing talent, and great personality will get the chance to make their dreams come true by being a part of a five-member boy band.

Leading the search for the “ultimate Pinoy boy band” are the superstar judges composed of the phenomenal box-office superstar Vice Ganda, international K-pop sensation Sandara Park, poprock superstar Yeng Constantino, and original heartthrob Aga Muhlach. They will decide on the fate of aspiring band members in the competition.

Before facing the superstar judges, the aspiring boy band members have to woo 500 female fans and impress them with their sheer looks, talent, charisma, personality, and tricks.

To move on to the next round, they have to get a score of 75 percent or higher from the all-female audience. But aspirants who will score lower may be given a second chance by the superstar judges if they see potential in him.

The boy band journey continues when the aspiring heartthrobs face the judges and try to impress them not only with their looks but also with their singing prowess. Three or four votes from the superstar judges would mean that they are qualified to the next level of the competition.

What characteristics do the superstar judges look for in forming the next Pinoy boyband? What tricks will the first batch of aspirants use to captivate the superstar judges and fans?

Pinoy Boyband Superstar is hosted by Billy Crawford who will serve as the ‘ultimate kuya’ that will guide the aspirants using his talent and experiences in the local and international music scene.

Don’t miss the journey of aspiring boyband members as they make their dreams come true in “Pinoy Boyband Superstar,” which starts this Saturday (Sept. 10) on ABS-CBN. For updates, visit boyband.ph, like facebook. com/BoybandPH on Facebook, and follow @ BoybandPH on Twitter. **** When plastic surgeries go bad, it may not only destroy someone physically, it may even destroy a person’s life.

J u l i u s Babao tries to bring back hope in the life of Ellowe Alviso in a new episode of Mission Possible today.

Ellowe worked previously as a model and sometimes a s an extra, making good use of his looks to help his family out. He decided to have his nose and chin fixed for P500.00 to enhance his looks for a better shot at reaching his showbiz dream. It however became all for naught as the implants used deteriorated and making him look like a mess.

These days, Ellowe spends time in his family’s bakery while going to the park i n Halloween costume to earn money to get his nose and chin fixed.

Get to know Ellowe more and watch how Julius Babao and Shimmian Manila Surgicenter help the young man, 9:30 tonight on DZMM Teleradyo (available on SKYcable ch. 26 and ABS-CBN TVplus) and after Bandila on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SKYCable ch 167).

Dennis Trillo

wins big in Seoul International Drama Awards