Manila Standard - 2016 October 19 - Wednesday

Pinoy: Little trust in China

By Sandy Araneta

VOL. XXX • NO. 249 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

FILIPINOS have little trust in China, the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations showed Monday.

The SWS’ Third Quarter 2016 Social Weather Survey--conducted from Sept.

24 to 27 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide and with a

±3 percentage-point sampling margin of error--found 55 percent of Filipinos had “little trust” in China.

Some 19 percent were undecided, and only 22 percent said they had “much trust” in China.

The results, the SWS said, yielded a “bad” -33 trust rating for China.

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Du30 to take Silk Road Wants in on China’s infra initiatives

By John Paolo Bencito

B

EIJING—President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday he wanted Manila to join Beijing’s proposed Belt and Road Initiative to make up for the country’s lack of funding for much-needed infrastructure.

STILL CONFIDENT. Supporters of former President Ferdinand Marcos rally outside the Supreme Court in Manila Tuesday before it extended to Nov. 8 its status quo ante order on Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Human rights victims of the Marcos regime, who are petitioners against the state interment, also held a vigil at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation in Quezon City. Lino Santos

High court Reopen probe of summary killings—Ping maintains status quo on Marcos THE Supreme Court on Tuesday failed to act on the seven petitions seeking to stop the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to allow the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes’ Cemetery.

Instead, the high court decided to extend to Nov. 8 the restraining order it issued in August stopping Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, and to decide on the petitions against the burial on the same date.

The high tribunal initially issued its status quo ante order on the case on Aug. 23, which was effective for 20 days or until Sept. 12.

However, at the conclusion of the oral arguments on the case on Sept.7, the high court extended the order directed at Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief-of-staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya until Oct. 18 to allow the resolution of the case.

The seven petitions against Marcos’ burial at the Libingan Next page

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday he was open to reopening the Senate investigation into the alleged summary killings of pushers and users of illegal drugs as he supported Senator Richard Gordon’s claim that the killings were not state-sponsored.

“I need somebody or something that will corroborate or buttress what [Edgar] Matobato has testified. The witnesses of the CHR [Commission on Human Rights], I still want to hear them out,” said Lacson, the chairman of the Senate committee on

public order and illegal drugs.

“It may be another witness or physical evidence that would support the allegations of Matobato.”

Matobato, who claims to be a hitman of the Davao Death Squad, had testified in the Senate justice committee hearings that President Rodrigo Duterte sanctioned the vigilante killings in Davao City when he was mayor there.

But Lacson said he failed to see any proof that would link the President to the

extrajudicial killings.

“I am waiting for something or somebody who will corroborate Matobato’s testimony,” Lacson said.

“As for now, no one has corroborated it.

No one has corroborated and the testimony is riddled with inconsistencies.”

Lacson also believed that the investigation on the alleged extrajudicial killings was incomplete without the testimonies of the witnesses of the Commission on Human Rights.

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In an interview with the state-owned Xinhua news agency, Duterte said rapid development was hard to accomplish for any country without railways, and hoped China could offer soft loans to build them.

“There are so many things in my country which I would like to implement, but [cannot] for [the] lack of the capital stock,” Duterte said.

“If we can have the things you have given to other countries by the way of assistance, we’d also like to be a part of it and to be a part of the greater plans of China about the whole of Asia, particularly Southeast Asia.”

China’s most ambitious foreign policy initiative, the Belt and Road refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road launched by the Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote economic cooperation among countries along the proposed Belt and Road routes.

The strategy underlines China’s push to take a bigger role in global affairs, and its need for cooperation in areas such as steel and manufacturing.

Finance Secretrary Carlos G. Dominguez had earlier said the government will be facilitating various agreements for railway or power grid projects in the Philippines through institutions such as the Chinaled Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), adding that China may also may roll out measures to boost agricultural imports such as bananas and pineapples from the Next page Philippines.

House panel won’t push for drug raps vs De Lima

By Maricel V Cruz THE House committee on justice led by a former Liberal Party stalwart refused to recommend criminal charges against former Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima, despite testimony from witnesses who tagged her as the protector of the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a former party mate of De Lima, stood by his assertion that the series of hearings were conducted in aid of legislation, not to pin De Lima down.

The committee approved the

committee report via voice voting.

Umali, chairman of the panel, refused to comment on the report, saying House rules prohibit lawmakers from disclosing to the public details of a committee report before its release for submission to the rules committee, which calendars any bill, resolution or committee report to the floor for plenary action.

But several lawmakers said they were saddened by the decision of the Umali panel.

One House leader who asked not to be named said the congressional probe seemed like an exerNext page cise in futility.

GASSING UP. A gas attendant refuels the oil tank of a vehicle owner beating the Tuesday midnight dead-

line of oil firms –Shell, Phoenix Petroleum PH, Unioil, Chevron (Caltex) Seaoil, Petron, Flying V, Eastern Petroleum and PTT Philippines–which announced an increase in gasoline and diesel prices by P0.25/liter. PNA

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CHIN-UP LUMADS. Daring lumads—the indigenous non-Islamized peoples of Mindanao—and human rights activists stand up to the water cannons of military police during a rally outside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, demanding a stop to attacks against tribal minorities in the countryside. Manny Palmero

‘Lawin’ threatens N. Luzon

Plastic surgery didn’t work on drug lord—cops

TYPHOON “Lawin” could be a destructive super typhoon when it makes landfall in Northern Luzon early on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Tuesday.

A super typhoon is a tropical cyclone with wind speeds exceeding 220 kilometers per hour.

“The estimated intensity of ‘Lawin’ at landfall is between 200 kph and 220 kph,” weather forecaster Benison Estareja said.

He said the government will raise Tropical Cyclone Warning

THE top drug lord in Eastern Visayas, Kerwin Espinosa Jr., had undergone plastic surgery and changed his name to conceal his identity before police in Abu Dhabi arrested him

thestandard.com.ph

Next page

By Francisco Tuyay

on Sunday night, police said Tuesday.

Espinosa traveled under the name of “Rolan Espinosa” instead of his true given name of Rolando, information from the Abu Dhabi travel agency that he Next page used showed.

200 rotting corpses in QC ABOUT 200 corpses had been left rotting “for years and years” in a funeral parlor in Quezon City that was inspected on Monday following a complaint, an official said Tuesday.

Civil Registrar Ramon Matabang said health officers inspected

the Henry Memorial Services Inc. funeral parlor in front of the Manila North Public Cemetery following the complaint of Blanquita Angeles, a resident in the area.

“The city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office had already Next page

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pinoy:...

From A1 The results were down nine points from the -24 trust rating posted in June 2016, which gave China a “poor” trust rating at the time, SWS said.

China’s net trust rating has been positive only seven out of the 40 surveys conducted since the pollster first included it in August 1994, reaching a “moderate” rating of +17 in June 2010, just as President Benigno Aquino III was about to begin his term.

SWS classifies net trust ratings of at least +70 as “excellent”; +50 to +69 as “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”; +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; as well as -70 and below as “execrable.”

In his departure speech at the Davao International Airport on Sunday before leaving, first to Brunei Darussalam and then to China, Duterte said: “I look forward to renewing the ties of friendship between the Philippines and China and to reaffirm the commitment to work closer to achieve shared goals for our countries and peoples.”

In comparison, the same survey saw the United States getting the best score among seven countries tested for public trust, with a “very good” +66 in September that was nevertheless six points down from June’s “excellent” +72.

The SWS said that the US has been in positive territory since it first surveyed the superpower in December 1994.

Its score has ranged since then from a “moderate” +18 in May 2005 to an “excellent” +82 in December 2013, and has been above +60 since June 2010.

Two other close Philippine economic and strategic partners -Australia and Japan – had “good” ratings from Filipinos.

Australia scored +47 (62 percent “much trust”, 15 percent “little trust”), steady from June’s similarly “good” +49.

SWS said that Australia has been getting positive net trust ratings since it was included in the survey in April 1995, ranging from a “neutral” +3 in September 1995 to a “very good” +55 in August 2012.

The same survey saw Japan obtaining a net trust rating of +34 (56 percent “much trust”, 21 percent “little trust”, rounded off) in September, 14 points and one grade above April’s “moderate” +20.

SWS first surveyed public trust in Japan in December 1994 and found neutral net ratings from December 1994 to December 1996, ranging from -2 to +9, SWS said.

House...

From A1 “We had conducted hearings and invited several resources persons to establish the gravity and extent of illegal drug trade operations inside the Bilibid with former Justice secretary Leila de Lima having been aware of it, and yet there is no recommendation of culpability?” the lawmaker asked.

During the voting, Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin, a member of the minority bloc, was the only one who voted against the report.

Garbin said he was dismayed by the failure of the panel to recommend criminal charges against De Lima and other officials who tolerated or encouraged the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary.

“The position of the minority is to necessarily identify all those officials and personalities involved in the proliferation of drugs in the New Bilibid Prison, and a recommendation must be arrived at on the prosecution of those accountable officers, as well as personalities involved in the drug proliferation,” he added.

Garbin also echoed the earlier pronouncement of Rep. Danilo Suarez, that the minority would submit a dissenting opinion which would be attached to the committee report, as provided for under House rules.

This developed as Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, at a news conference, said he was wary that five of the 12 convicts who testified during the House probes on the proliferation of drugs inside NBP might be pardoned soon.

Alejano said Engelberto Durano, Nonilo Arile, Jaime Patio, Jojo Baligad, and Vicente Sy have pending applications for pardon and executive clemency.

Alejano urged the public to monitor the five convicts, saying they might go free any time.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin shared Alejano’s fears.

“These applications will be enhanced by their cooperation in giving their testimonies. This will be their possible ticket to freedom,” Lagman said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday he would look into the applications of the five convicts for pardon or executive clemency. With Rey E. Requejo

News

Rody affirms Brunei ties

By Othel V. Campos

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has committed to continue working closely with the government of Brunei to maintain the “excellent” bilateral and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“Your sincere hospitality reaffirms the esteemed friendship that is always valued deeply by my people. We will continue to work closely to maintain the excellent ties between our nations and peoples,” Duterte said at a state banquet hosted by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at his official residence, Istana Nurul Iman.

Both governments have agreed to deepen cooperation in various areas of development such

as trade and investment, maritime security, achieving lasting peace in Mindanao and building a stronger Association of Southeast Asian nations.

Describing Brunei as a “true friend,” the President said the two nations should not just count on each other to achieve shared objectives but must continue “to view each other with the respect, mutual trust and confidence that have defined the Philippines-Bru-

nei relations for the past 32 years.

Sultan Bolkiah expressed confidence and full support to Duterte hoping that his successes and achievements as longtime mayor of Davao will be replicated throughout the entire Philippines and bring inclusive growth.

“Mr. President, we look forward to continuing our close people-topeople contact and deepening the warm and long-standing friendship and cooperation between our two countries,” he added.

He likewise committed to work closely with the Philippines with regard to the revival of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia- Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) initiative that was launched in 1994.

“Under BIMP-EAGA, we will also continue to work closely with you to see this sub-region grow and develop, including in nurturing our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, conserving the environment and enhancing connectivity through infrastructure development and tourism,” the sultan said.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the countries had good bilateral meetings that “will lead to stronger trade investment economic and security cooperation. I can feel brotherhood between two leaders.”

“Our President himself outlined low hanging fruits such as BIMP-EAGA or Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippine East Asia Economic, through greater interconnectivity like in transport air

sea to encourage flow of goods and services, movement of people [and] tourists,” he said in a message Tuesday en route to China.

One of the two special projects involve a campaign promise to institute regional micro funding for bottom of the pyramid like small market vendors and make 5-6, or the so-called “loan shark” system illegal.

Second is to revive heritage local industries like the Marikina shoe industry and Mindanao Silk under the Buy Philippine products! campaign.

“Our bilateral with my counterpart plus the leaders’ bilateral led to series of commitment and next steps to be worked out by the next level ministers in Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation,” said Lopez.

‘Lawin’...

From A1

EYE OF THE STORM. Weather forecaster Aldszar Aurelio points to the eye of “Lawin’ which is expected to hit land on Thursday in Cagayan. Manny Palmero (Story on A1)

Du30...

From A1

“The AIIB for us is the number one priority,” Dominguez told reporters.

“We will discuss with them our whole plan and we will match it with theirs. We’re just new, and I don’t know exactly what they want to do. We have to go to them and see what their priorities are also so we can match our priorities with them.”

Duterte will be the first Philippine leader invited to the capital

by Chinese President Xi Jinping for one-on-one talks.

Duterte’s 450-strong business delegation will include tycoons San Miguel Corp. President Ramon S. Ang; JG Summit Holdings Inc. president Lance Y. Gokongwei; Enrique K. Razon, Jr., chairman of gaming company Bloomberry Resorts Corp. and global port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc.; Hans T. Sy, son of the Philippines’ richest man, Henry S. Sy Sr. who controls SM Investments Corp.; as well as liquor and tobacco magnate Lucio C. Tan, who also owns Philippine Airlines, Inc.

High...

From A1 were filed by groups of Martial Law victims led by former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and former Commission on Human Rights chairwoman Etta Rosales; a group led by former senator Heherson Alvarez; a group of University of the Philippines students; former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Plastic...

From A1

The travel agent said Espinosa and his family applied for a three-month visa. He was with his wife and three children, all aged 4 or below, when they arrived in Abu Dhabi in September.

Espinosa was arrested Sunday night after a Filipino overseas worker tipped off the police.

Philippine National Police spokesman Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said they have yet to coordinate with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy in Manila to determine the particulars of Espinosa’s travel documents.

Carlos said Espinosa’s father had

In his interview with Xinhua, Duterte also said an “outsider” that he did not name tried to meddle in the South China Sea dispute, even though he was determined to pursue bilateral talks with China.

“We are not interested in allowing another country to talk. I just want to talk to China,” he said.

Duterte has expressed doubts about whether the United States would come to the aid of the Philippines in a military showdown, and on the eve of his departure for Beijing said he was looking to buy Chinese weapons for his fight against terrorism.

Massive American access to the Philippines, negotiated by the Pentagon under the previous administration, was considered a mainstay of the Obama administration’s “pivot” to Asia strategy that China has blasted as a containment policy, and that it would like to unravel..

Duterte’s statements came as Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said that the President will not raise the Philippines’ claim in the South China Sea in his meeting with Xi here.

Duterte arrived via a chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR001 for a four-day state visit expected

to raise economic cooperation between the two countries.

“The South China Sea issue will not be discussed specifically in our bilateral engagements in resolving the issue. They might talk about it generally but I think the President has made it clear that maybe this is not the time to talk about resolving the South China Sea dispute as we are still continuing to build trust and confidence between the two countries,” Yasay said.

Duterte earlier described his trip to China as “a key turning point in both our histories”– and has not pressed Beijing over the UN tribunal’s ruling in the Philippines’ favor.

In an interview last week with al-Jazeera, Duterte said that during his visit he would fight to maintain the country’s islands in the South China Sea. “Nobody is going to give up anything there,” he said, adding that under the Constitution, a president cannot give away Philippine ground.

But he added that although he would raise the tribunal’s verdict, he could not be forceful.

Last week he instructed the country’s navy to halt joint patrols of the South China Sea with

the US in order to avoid “any Philippine action that China might deem hostile.”

A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Hua Chunying, played down Duterte’s insinuations that he would raise a controversial arbitral ruling on the South China Sea with China’s leaders, saying that they expects the visit to improve ties and enhance cooperation.

“We hope President Duterte’s visit can enhance political trust between the two countries, deepen cooperation and develop our traditional friendship. We hope both sides can handle differences through dialogue and bring our strategic partnership back on track to healthy and stable development,” Hua said Tuesday.

Speaking about the South China Sea issue, Hua said that China’s door for negotiation has always been open to the Philippines, adding that China is willing to work with all parties in the South China Sea to maintain peace and stability.

Hua referenced Duterte’s antidrugs campaign and moves to uphold an independent foreign policy and said that China believes he can find a development path suitable for his country.

human rights chairman Algamar Latiph; and Senator Leila de Lima.

Marcos’ supporters held an overnight vigil outside the Supreme Court compound on Padre Faura in Manila, and were joined by Marcos’ eldest daughter and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos on Monday.

Marcos’ son, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., joined their supporters yesterday afternoon and appealed for patience as they waited longer for the high court ruling.

“Somehow, we expected the de-

cision would be released today, but I believe that the longer the time it takes for our justices to study the case, the clearer and the more they will realize the right of my father for burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” he said.

“We were able to wait for 23 years, so I believe a few more days wouldn’t matter that much. So let’s allow our justices to deliberate on this issue carefully, and I am confident that they will allow the burial of my father at the Libingan in the end.”

Like Imee, Marcos Jr. denied the claim of some of the petitioners that the interment of their father at the Libingan was payment for their alleged financial support to the candidacy of President Duterte in the May 2016 elections.

“We did not give out funds to other candidates because I was also a candidate myself. The support we gave to Duterte in the campaign was only in terms of endorsement and political support,” he said. Rey E. Requejo

told the police that had his face altered to make him look younger.

Abu Dhabi police authorities are investigating who helped Espinosa while he was in the country.

The PNP did not seem to know Tuesday when Espinosa could be sent back to the Philippines.

The Philippines has no extradition treaty with the UAE. If Espinosa is found to have committed a crime in the UAE, he cannot be immediately sent back to the Philippines because he wil have to face charges there, first.

In a radio interview, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Constancio Vingno Jr. said Espinosa, also known as “Boss K” among drug dealers,

must have had help from a Abu Dhabi resident to hide out in a flat some 20 to 30 minutes away from the Philippine embassy.

“He was renting a flat there,” Vingno said in an interview with radio dzMM. “That’s not possible since he is not a resident here, he’s only a visitor, so somebody might have rented that or lent it to him.”

The ambassador added that he was in touch with Filipino police who were in Abu Dhabi, and that all the information he knew of the case came from them.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the repatriation of Espinosa would depend on the UAE’s legal process.

“His case is a police matter, unlike a case of repatriating an OFW, so it has to go thru UAE’s legal process,” Jose said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday that Espinosa could shed light on the so-called blue book to prove that Senator Leila de Lima took drug money from the his Visayas operation.

“The chief of police of Albuera was the only one talking about it [the blue book]. But we’ll have to hear from Espinosa himself,” said Lacson “If he will talk and will implicate not necessarily [De Lima] but other government and police officials, there must be something to it,” Lacson said.

With Sara Susanne Fabunan and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Signal No. 4 if “Lawin”―international name “Haima”―reaches such intensity.

He made his statement even as an expert said the people in the danger areas in Northern Luzon should be evacuated before the typhoon strikes.

“They must be moved to safer ground while there’s still time,” said Lilian Rollan of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

She said a number of areas across in the north were susceptible to flooding and landslides.

Pagasa warned of possible “moderate” to “very heavy” damage to the structures in the areas under Signal No. 4, adding severe agricultural losses were also possible in those areas.

The agency’s weather bulletin No. 4 released Tuesday said “Lawin” will make landfall Thursday morning in the Cagayan area.

“Very strong winds and heavy rainfall can be expected there,” weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said.

Weathermen on Tuesday raised Signal No. 1 over Cagayan province and Calayan islands.

Signal No. 1 has also been raised over Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Catanduanes, Aurora province’s northern areas and Polillo Island. PNA

200...

From A1 issued a cease-and-desist order on the Henry funeral parlor on Sept.

23,” Matabang said. “After Monday’s inspection, there were at least two or three new cadavers-meaning to say business was still as usual.”

Matabang said many of the corpses had turned into skeletons while others were in a stage of liquefaction.

He said the owner of the funeral parlor had offered to bury the bodies, but the city government would have to dispose of the rotting corpses “within 48 hours from Monday.”

Gravediggers from the nearby Manila North Public Cemetery have been hired to remove the corpses that were being overrun by rats, cockroaches, flies and worms.

The corpses and several internal organs had been found in the morgue of the parlor’s compound.

Health officials had ordered the closure of the funeral parlor on Sept.

23 for violation of the sanitation code and failure to secure a health permit.

That came after the city health department was flooded with complaints from residents over the odor emanating from the funeral parlor.

Rio N. Araja

Reopen...

From A1 “Actually, during the last hearing I was asking chairman Gordon why don’t we just allow them to present just to get over with,” Lacson said.

“But you know, he was very passionate, caught in the moment, he had an issue with Senator Leila de Lima.”

In objecting to the termination of the hearing, De Lima also said CHR witnesses were yet to be presented and questioned in the Senate hearings.

She also said there had been no thorough evaluation of the written submissions and documents by the committee, especially those from the PNP, including the official policy papers on Operation Tokhang, spot reports of the so-called firefights between the police and the suspects that ended up in the death of the suspects, and the SOCO reports.

Moreover, she said, the President and PNP Chief Director General Ronald del Rosa had not been made to account for their pronouncements on the violence of the campaign against drugs. Macon RamosAraneta

News

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rody okays 2017 polls

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has already signed into law a bill postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections that were originally scheduled for the end of the month.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations (PCO) Assistant Secretary for Operations and Special Concerns Ana Marie Banaag said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed her about the signing of the bill.

“According to Executive Secretary Medialdea, it was already signed by the President but we just have to wait for the aircraft that will bring home the signed law before the proper transmittal to the proper office,” said Assistant Communications Secretary Ana Marie Banaag.

Duterte left on Sunday for a two-day state visit to Brunei.

From Brunei, the President was to fly to Beijing Tuesday afternoon for a four-day state visit in China.

Banaag said it was not clear whether Duterte signed the law in Davao or in Brunei but the Executive Secretary is waiting the arrival of the document for its transmittal through the proper channels.

A month ago, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved respective bills – SB No. 1112 and HB No. 3504 calling for the postponement of the barangay and SK elections from Oct. 31 this year to Oct. 23 next year.

Duterte had already announced his feat that the barangay elections may be used by drug lords to campaign for protectors among barangay officials. Duterte said there are about 5,000 barangay captains included on his new drug list.

Meanwhile the Commission on Elections welcomed the postponement of the elections with Chairman Andres Bautista saying the poll body would no longer entertain any protest regarding the postponement of the village and SK polls.

For his part, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the 411,000 official ballots that have already been printed “are being preserved and can still be used for the next elections” after minor amendments.

AIR TRAFFIC TALK. Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization vice chairman and Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez questions CAAP Aerodome Development head Raul Glorioso over the current numbers of flights at the Laoag International Airport. Ver Noveno

House, DoF agree on revised tax plan

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE House of Representatives is expected to come up with a tax reform measure in harmony with the proposal of the Department of Finance which came under fire over its supposedly regressive features, according to the chamber’s top tax reform advocate.

“Hopefully, this week we can already produce the final version of the comprehensive tax reform package,” said Quirino Rep. Dakila Cua, chairman of the House committee on ways and means.

Cua said the DoF has agreed to revise many provisions in its tax reform measure, including, among others, the retention of value added tax exemptions for senior citizens.

“We have already agreed

on 60 percent to 70 percent of the provisions. The contentious provisions of the bill are not that many. We are just trying to find right schemes to broaden the support to the bill and hasten its passage in the Congress,” Cua added.

The proposal to impose excise tax on petroleum, removal of VAT exemptions for senior citizens and person with disabilities and ad valorem tax on automobiles are some of

the measures being pushed by the DoF to cover the estimated P159 billion in foregone revenues.

Cua said the Finance department is amenable to retaining VAT exemptions for senior citizens. “They realize the P6 billion [revenue from the removal of VAT] is not going to make a dent in our revenue generation,” he said.

Cua said the lower house is also proposing the inclusion of “collection efficiency measures” in the government’s tax reform package.

“One of the tax-collection efficiency measures we are proposing is the improvement of our point-of-sale system. We want large retail establishments to directly connected to the revenuecollection agencies to address loopholes in the tax administration,” Cua said.

However, Cua said no final decision has yet been reached on the adjustment of personal income tax brackets.

“They [DoF officials] still studying if it’s possible to exempt from personal income tax workers earning P25,000 monthly,” Cua added.

Lawmakers are in support to President Rodrigo Duterete’s advocacy to exempt workers earning P25,000 monthly, or P300,000 annually, and below from PIT. But the DoF has only proposed to exempt workers with a monthly salary of P20,833, or P250,000 annually.

Under the current setup, workers earning P10,000 or less per month pay a five-percent income tax, while those with yearly earnings of P500,000 and above pay a 32-percent income tax.

CA: Ombudsman Solon hits new ‘lumad’ slays erred in tax ruling

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The Court of Appeals reversed the Ombudsman’s order to dismiss and perpetually disqualify from public office Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno and acting city treasurer Glenn Banez for grave misconduct for entering into a court-supervised tax settlement agreement with Ajinomoto.

The Appellate court, in its Oct. 13, 2016 ruling, noted that tax settlement agreement from the case filed by Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. before the Regional Trial Court of Cagayan de Oro to review the P2.9-million tax assessment from 2006 to 2012 “had been declared by the court to be not contrary to law, public policy and public morals.”

The Court of Appeals said there could have been no case for the Ombudsman to start with, adding while the “Ombudsman’s [view] that the settlement agreement was unlawful and irregular [and therefore] was a reversible error” its action may have “amounted to undue non-judicial modification of an immutable judgment of a court of law.”

The CA, in its 26-page decision, said there was no substantial evidence that Moreno, who was re-elected in the May 2016

elections, had participated in the execution of the settlement nor evidence of a misconduc or a grave one “meriting a brusque dismissal of the city mayor and the treasurer from the service.”

It added that since no law was violated, “no grave misconduct was ever committed.”

The ruling also scored the complainant, former Pagliman barangay captain William Guialani, and the Ombudsman for being “quick to quack that there is ‘diversion of public funds, and deprivation of tax revenue of about P2.6 million when Dr. Banez compromised the tax assessment to P300,000.00 only” but did not present any proof “other than his charlatan’s claim that the city coffer did not become 2.6 million richer.’”

The Appellate court noted the Ombudsman ”quite uncharacteristically seconded that the Settlement Agreement indeed caused ‘prejudice and damage’ to the city government… nor did the Ombudsman identify what evidence was so substantial as to sufficiently support its ‘sentence,’ consisting of the ‘capital’ penalty of dismissal from service.”

The CA also affirmed Moreno’s argument that his right to due process was violated by the Ombudsman when the latter did not consider the submission of his counteraffidavit.

A YOUTH legislator on Tuesday sought a congressional probe into the new spate of killings of tribesmen or lumad, peasant leaders and activists allegedly by military agents.

In House Resolution 479, Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago voiced concern over the reported killings of involving lumad and peasant leaders, especially within the first 100 days of the Duterte administration.

Elago said the most recent case is the consecutive killing of lumad peasant leader Jimmy Saypan and lumad youth leader Joselito Pasaporte, both from Compostela Valley, who were supposedly slain by alleged elements of the Armed Forces of

the Philippines.

“The killings coincided with the ‘Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya,’ a caravan of different groups all over the country, from north to south, who came together in a unified call—to end plunder and AFP operations in their ancestral lands, to stop the fascist attacks against the Moro and indigenous peoples, to uphold national sovereignty and the people’s right to self-determination against US imperialism and to struggle for just and lasting peace,” Elago said.

Elago said Pasaporte, 28, a resident of Mabini, Compostela Valley, and a member of the environmental group Panalipdan Youth, was shot dead at 5:20 p.m. of October 13 by unidentified gunmen linked to the 46th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

IN BRIEF Davao blast suspects told to dispute raps DAVAO CITY—The City Prosecutor again summoned the three suspects in the Roxas night market blast that claimed 15 lives and injured 69 others and ordered them to reply to the charges and evidence submitted by the police.

City Prosecutor Jay Karel Sanchez said that the three suspects—TJ Tagadaya Macabalang, Wendel Facturan and Musali Mustapha—were given 10 days to counter the affidavits and evidence submitted by the authorities.

Sanchez said they are considering the additional affidavits and evidence submitted by the police as well as the arguments of the respondents, but will proceed with the investigation if the respondents fail to submit their affidavits. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

Ombudsman ousts NorCot vice governor OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales ordered on Tuesday the dismissal of North Cotabato Vice Governor Gregorio Ipong from government service and perpetually disqualified from holding any public office over a P10-million pork barrel fund scam.

Ipong and four others—Technology and Livelihood Resource Center executives Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover and Alfredo Ronquillo—are facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for one count of graft and one count of malversation of public funds.

In 2007, the Department of Budget and Management released P10,000,000 as part of the lawmaker’s Priority Development Assistance Fund to finance livelihood projects of North Cotabato’s second district but later found the implementing non-government organization unqualified. Rio N. Araja

CBCP seeks clemency for inmates

HOLDING UP THE LIGHT. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Risa Hontiveros lead Senate employees in a torch lighting rite during the Senate’s centenary.

THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines called on President Rodrigo Duterte to grant clemency to old and sick inmates.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care chairman Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak said they have already sent a letter to Duterte seeking leniency and forgiveness to hundreds of elderly and sick inmates.

The appeal for “compassionate release” of deserving prisoners was made ahead of the Church’s Prison Awareness Week, which coincides with National Correctional Consciousness Week on Oct. 24 to 30. The Church will also celebrate the Jubilee of Prisoners from Nov. 5 to 6.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

T

A flawed number-coding scheme

HERE are several things wrong with the plan to extend the coverage of the numbercoding scheme, as announced by the Department of Transportation.

The original number-coding scheme, which banned cars from the streets of Metro Manila one day a week, depending on their plate numbers, was aimed at reducing the volume of vehicles on the road to ease traffic.

Under the old scheme, banned cars could still be used during “window hours,” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., since these were outside the rush hour.

Now, the so-called Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) and the Metro Manila Council (MMC) have decided to close that window on major thorough-

fares, practically banning the use of thousands of vehicles for an entire day, and preventing thousands of residents from leaving their homes in their own cars.

The concept of keeping cars off major roads, even during the so-called window hours, makes sense only if other alternative routes are open to them. Thus, it makes sense to close the number coding window on Edsa, because there are many alternative roads to the main highway, and there are multiple intersections where it can be crossed.

The same cannot be said for other major thoroughfares that the I-ACT and MMC added arbitrarily, with little regard for the residents in the affected areas or the lack of alternative routes.

One example is Commonwealth Avenue, a 12.4-kilometer highway in Que-

zon City that starts from the Quezon Memorial Circle inside the Elliptical Road and passes through the areas of Philcoa, Tandang Sora, Balara, Batasan Hills and ends at Quirino Highway in the Novaliches Area. Along each segment of the highway are residential villages that have no other access to the rest of Metro Manila, save Commonwealth Avenue. The new number coding scheme traps them for an entire day—unless they leave at an ungodly hour and come home late at night.

The same could be said of other major roads that have been added—almost as an afterthought—to the nowindow restriction.

In seeking to clear Metro Manila of traffic, the authorities ought not lose sight of the true objective, which is to

ensure that people can get to and from work safely, comfortably and within a reasonable time. Compelling a fifth of car owners to use means other than their own vehicles once a week would be all right if decent and affordable public transport were available—but we all know this is not the case.

The true measure of success of traffic management isn’t how much you can inconvenience car owners, or how much you curtail their rights to use their hard-earned assets, as the new scheme clearly does. The true measure is how productive we can be. If the authorities banned all cars from the roads from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., they could brag that they had solved the traffic problem, but we would also be losing a whole lot of productivity.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

The bang, bang, bang bad-ass president

of all drug lords” of Bilibid.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why Umali and his committee could not recommend the charging of De Lima on the basis of even the least grave of her socalled offenses. And there were 22 witnesses brought before Umali and his colleagues, each bearing tale after tale of De Lima’s alleged terrible crimes while she was head of the justice department during the previous administration.

Umali has maintained that all the evidence needed to file charges against De Lima will be contained in the report that his committee will submit to the plenary soon. But his only response to the question of why his panel didn’t recommend any charges was that this was the job of the Executive branch and not of Congress.

If you press Umali further, he will reply that what he presided over was a House investigation in aid of legislation that was not really intended to go after De Lima

FOR the first time in our history, we have a “bang, bang, bang president”—Rodrigo Roa Duterte, 71.

Like eight presidents before him, Du30 is a lawyer. Like Ferdinand Marcos before him, the incumbent chief executive is a warrior president.

Marcos, however, was a warrior in the classical sense of the word. That is—he trained himself as a soldier, was a lieutenant during the Second World War, and became a guerilla leader. He also battled the most vicious rebels the Philippines has ever known—the communist guerillas and the Muslim separatists.

Duterte is also a warrior but in a different sense. He has refused to conduct an open war with the communist guerillas (three of their leaders are in his cabinet) and the Muslim separatists. (He thinks the criminal syndicate Abu Sayyaf are patriots).

Plainly, Duterte is warrior, gangland style. He battles drug addicts, drug dealers, drug lords and other criminal elements, using courage, cunning, skill, gutter language, and legal shortcuts of the moment.

So far, the man with the rugged looks and quiet charisma seems to be winning. More than 4,407 drug addicts, drug lords and criminal elements in the same business have fallen.

The police admit to killing four of every 10 victims or 1,661; they point to vigilantes for taking care of the remainder, 62 percent or the 2,730. Every day, 40 people die in the vicious unrelenting illegal drugs war.

Success has made Duterte such a notorious bad-ass—intimidating, uncompromising, tough, an inveterate killing machine. The free dictionary defines a bad-ass a “mean-tempered or belligerent person.”

Duterte is a natural bad-ass.

As mayor for nearly 23 years of his native Davao City in the south, he was wont to wear leather jackets and leather boots, ride a motorcycle, a pistol tucked in his waist, maraud the streets in search of suspects and criminals. Mincing no words, he told the criminals in his city of 1.5 million people: “Go out of my city. Because if I find you here, I will kill you!”

Indeed, those who didn’t leave, “they died,” he gloated.

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Stalemate LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IT’S a valid question: Did both Houses of Congress conduct their most recent high-profile hearings only for the purpose of the usual grandstanding and smearing?

The Senate committee on justice, under the new management of Senator Richard Gordon, has exonerated President Rodrigo Duterte at the end of its investigations on alleged extrajudicial killings. On the other hand, the House justice committee, led by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, has failed to recommend charges against Senator Leila de Lima, after holding its own headline-hogging probe of the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.

If you think that the enemies of Duterte in the Senate and the

adversaries of De Lima in the House had battled themselves to an investigative stalemate, you’re not alone. On the surface, it appears that the public was only regaled with tales of mass killings in Davao and huge amounts of money changing hands in Bilibid, all of which did not even end up with slaps on the wrist against anyone.

In the case of the Senate justice committee, you could argue that the hearings ended the way they should. It was Gordon who actually saved the chamber from getting hijacked by De Lima and her sidekick, Senator Antonio Trillanes, who had probably planned only as far as holding “unli” hearings in order to embarrass Duterte and nothing much beyond that.

After all, as Gordon pointed out sometime during the investigation, the proper way to go after Duterte was the filing of an impeachment complaint against him in the House.

Later on, Gordon decided to

end the probe because he was convinced that there was no real evidence brought forward against the president by De Lima, Trillanes and their star witness, the now-famous Edgar Matobato.

The Senate and the House have battled to an investigative stalemate.

Of course, Gordon ascended to the justice panel chairmanship when the Senate majority realized that De Lima and Trillanes were taking all of them for a ride. When it became clear that the two senators and their ward

did not really want to probe EJKs but were only conducting a preemptive strike to divert attention from the House probe that quickly followed in its wake, the De Lima-Trillanes tandem’s plans died on the vine.

And when Gordon ended his probe this week, the message to De Lima and Trillanes was clear: The Senate will no longer allow itself to be used for moving-target investigations against the political enemies of individual senators.

The other message to De Lima and her henchmen (and women) is that, if they wanted to go after Duterte in the Senate, the EJK route has already been closed.

Try again next time, with another issue, and good luck. *** Over at the Batasan Pambansa, Umali presided over a similarly sensational series of hearings, generating a lot of sound and fury that ultimately signified less than nothing. Yes, not even a recommendation to file charges against De Lima, the so-called “mother

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Opinion

IN THE wake of so many bad trade inside prison walls. More things happening at the New importantly, there is need to Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, I increase the salaries of prison have been advocating the con- guards to prevent bribery. All struction of another correctional these can be done with enough facility outside of Metro Manila. political will by the Duterte adThen came a proposal to relo- ministration.

In this connection, I wonder cate both the NBP and the Correctional Institute for Women to what the Duterte administration Fort Magsaysay covering more is doing to the many city and muthan three Nueva Ecija towns. I nicipal jails nationwide. Prisoners exist in sub-human conditions. thought it was a great idea.

We may have a modern and Unfortunately, local politics prevented the proposed reloca- state-of-the-art prison facility tion. That was during the Ra- within three years at Nueva Ecimos era when local politicians ja, but, something also has to be done to make local jails livable. were anti-administration. *** At that time, there were only The reluctance of Ombudsabout 12,000 convicts at the NBP, which was originally de- man Conchita Carpio Morales signed for only 9,000 inmates. to indict former Justice SecreNow, NBP houses more than tary Leila de Lima, now sena24,000 convicts and has be- tor, for all the crimes attributed come a “mini Las Vegas.” Ille- to her by President Duterte and gal drugs and prostitution exist the many whistleblowers is not with impunity, and high-profile unexpected.

The House justice committee inmates lead a luxurious life. and the entire House of RepUnbelievable, but true. r e s e nt a t ive s Congresare divided in sional hearings have been recom mending the prosdone in aid of ecution of De legislation. But The relocation Lima for her the illegal drug alleged intrade prevails of the national volvement in at the NBP depenitentiary the drug trade. spite President Secretary of Duterte’s war should have Justice Aguirre on illegal drugs himself has and criminal- happened a long said that withity. Now we time ago. out documenneed a final tary evidence, solution to this any case problem. against De Thus, when Lima would be Secretary of Justice Vitaliano Aguirre an- difficult to prove beyond reasonnounced that President Duterte able doubt. As a lawyer myself, had given the go-signal for the I know that testimonies of conrelocation of NBP and the CIW, victed drug lords and their allies and has set the bidding for the remain just that—hearsay.

Unfortunately, while there’s Public-Private Partnership Program for the design and con- still no case against De Lima struction of the new facility that can stand in court, as far —with the government adding as the public is concerned, she P50 billion to its original P150- is already guilty. She is a dead billion budget—I said to myself, duck, politically speaking. now the Duterte administration Damaged goods. This is the result of trial by publicity. is thinking out of the box.

At this point in time, I really Three conglomerates have expressed interest in bidding want to sympathize with De for the project on November Lima—but I can’t. Especially 24—the San Miguel Consorti- when I remember how she acted um, the DMCI Consortium and as the attack dog of former Presthe Megawide Consortium. All ident Noynoy Aquino in going are qualified. The prison com- after his political enemies. *** plex at Laur, Nueva Ecija can With President Duterte’s ataccommodate 26,880 prisoners and will have modern facilities tempt to obtain the good graces of like staff housing and admin- China and Russia, wanting to do istration buildings, as well as war games with both countries, for sports, work and religious he should take into consideration the fact that majority of Filipiactivities.

State-of-the-art security fa- nos—55 percent—do not trust cilities will be put up, and pris- China. And if Filipinos are asked oners will wear digitalized wrist what nation they would like to be with, I am certain that a great bands.

A number of supporting ac- majority of Filipinos would rather commodations and building-re- choose the United States.

Santa Banana, I cannot imaglated services—laundry, waste treatment and disposal, sewage ine any Filipino choosing to be water treatment and power gen- immigrants to China or Russia eration—could be outsourced rather than the United States!

I agree that the Philippines as part of the PPP agreement.

Congress is also preparing must have an independent foramendments of the law creat- eign policy. But this should not ing the Bureau of Corrections be achieved at the expense of to overhaul the entire prisons ties with our longtime ally.

Mister President, let’s us be system. This seeks to prevent the recurrence of unabated drug friends to every nation.

Stalemate...

From A4

personally. Umali will even recite each old law that needs to be revised and each new one that needs to be filed as a result of his probe—but he will not directly answer why his committee will not recommend the filing of charges, as is customary at the end such investigations.

Unlike Duterte, De Lima does not enjoy immunity from suit. And any of the charges filed against her would immediately land her in the company of two of her Senate colleagues, who are up to now languishing in jail for offenses that are arguably “lighter” than what De Lima supposedly committed.

When I think about Umali’s refusal to even recommend charges even after three criminal complaints have already been filed outside the House, I

recall how he was once a stalwart Liberal Party-mate of De Lima’s. And how his brother, the convicted (but unjailed) Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali was one of the closest friends of Noynoy Aquino.

And then I hear Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales —another staunch defender of the Aquino administration who helped De Lima convict the late Chief Justice Renato Corona on trumped-up charges—has also refused to entertain complaints against Leila. There is no evidence against De Lima, said the Ombudsman, who used to file charges against people simply because Noynoy didn’t like the way they looked to him.

Then I wonder if maybe change really hasn’t come. After all, Congress is still a worthless pit of taxpayers’ money and the Yellows are still very much around and protecting each other.

Someone say it ain’t so.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

No begging bowl for Digong?

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Relocating to Nueva Ecija

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is visiting in China but he made clear he was not calling with a begging bowl.

“What’s ours is ours,” declared Duterte in his departure statement from Brunei on his way to Beijing. The President’s unequivocal statement should lay to rest any speculation he would compromise the country’s sovereign territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea. It’s well and good he said what had to be said before he landed in Beijing. The President is straitjacketed from issuing any statement on sovereignty that would rankle his Chinese hosts. Earlier in Davao, Duterte said the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) issue would be brought up in his bilateral with President X Jinping.

“But there will be no imposition,” he said, even after Manila had won its case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that rejected Beijing’s expansive SCS claim.

Such are the niceties of diplomatic protocol. We are sure the President has been so properly advised by his protocol team in the Philippine delegation. Once the wining and dining with the traditional toasts begin at the Banquet Hall of the People in Beijing, it’s all sweet talk and the usual platitudes recalling

the long history of friendship between the Chinese and Filipino people that dates back to pre-Spanish times. History will wallpaper the present problems of maritime dispute in the South China Sea and the presence of Chinese warships in our waters in the West Philippine Sea. Filipino fisherfolk who have been deprived of their livelihood since the Chinese deployed gunboats near Scarborough Shoal (Panatag) are beseeching the President to talk to the Chinese to let them return to their traditional fishing ground near Bajo Masinloc off Zambales. It’s not enough that China lifted its ban on Philippine banana exports. The sea is vast enough for both countries to share and provide food for Chinese and Filipinos as they did before the Scarborough standoff that the Chinese won with gunboat diplomacy.

This is the reality of our bilateral relations with China. The Filipino people are sanguine that aside from the economic benefits of the presidential visit, the strained relations between Beijing and Manila can be repaired. On this score, we wish the President well.

The President surely has his shopping list of what he hopes to get from China. The list includes loans, trade concessions, and economic aid despite his earlier statement the Philippines can survive without foreign aid from the United States and the European Union. The full details of the bilateral talks between the two sides will be

fully disclosed when the President and his delegation return to the country. There’s no reason not to. There is a media group covering the delegation and journalists can always sniff if something is amiss in what the presidential communication team releases.

The defense officials with the President must be wary of what military hardware the Philippines is purchasing from China. The Chinese sold missiles to Indonesia and not too many know that two of them were duds. The misfire and near-fatal explosion of one of the missiles on board an Indon ship and the other which exploded in midair before it could reach its target only came out in Jane’s world book on military weaponry.

China is considered the inventor of gunpowder explosive going back all the way back before Marco Polo learned about it.

China’s fireworks is world-renowned and dazzling as shown in the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 1997 turnover of Hong Kong by Great Britain. But China has not arrived yet when it comes to making missiles if we go by the poor quality of the ones sold to Indonesia. The United, States, Britain, France, Russia and Israel are still way ahead in the technology.

China is a fascinating country and its people are friendly. They are perfect hosts as I learned during my days in the diplomatic service and as a journalist which brought me to Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Tianjin.

It’s the Chinese leadership and its official policy of aggression that is unsettling the stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Instead of playing the lead role model, a rising China has turned the Asia Pacific into a potential powder keg. All it needs now is a spark in this flashpoint, something no nation would want too see. Otherwise, the dazzling display of fireworks in the sky we might see is not the celebratory kind but deadly missiles inflicting heavy casualties.

On another front, President Duterte told Al Jazeera that he does not give a “f..k” what human rights critics say about his relentless war on illegal drugs He must have shocked and awed his two interviewers when they heard a head of state utter profanity.

“I have a moral duty to my country to protect future generations against the scourge of drug addiction,” said Digong, adding “it is God in his wisdom who put me in this place, not the human rights advocates.”

Duterte may have invoked or blamed God for making him president but it’s really 16 million Filipinos out of 50 million voters who did. They found resonance and traction with his language, the same type of crude talk spoken by the man on the street. So, Filipinos can relate to Duterte’s foul language but we live in a multi-polar world where decent language and decorum are still observed by other presidents elected to lead.

Absorptive capacity SO I SEE LITO BANAYO PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte embarks on a historic if controversial visit to the People’s Republic of China in the next three days. He is expected to have official talks with the president, the premier and a leading Politburo member, while his cabinet secretaries will be meeting with their counterparts in Beijing.

Prior to the visit, some development assistance packages may have been ironed out, and these should be announced either in a joint communiqué, or some private and public deals the signing of which the President might witness himself.

The problem that we see is absorptive capacity. In short, we might be getting more than our bureaucracy could chew. That’s a rather happy problem, though.

But in the end, having been offered wherewithal without the corresponding adequate absorptive capacity may become a dampener for future assistance.

Even the public may be disappointed in the end.

Recall what happened to

The...

From A4 That image won him the presidency. Duterte garnered the most number of votes ever won by a presidential winner—16.6 million, 39 percent of the 42.55 million votes cast in the May 9, 2016 elections. The 16.6 million is 6.6 million more votes than the poor second placer, Mar Roxas who had 9.978 million or 23.45 percent of the total.

Having won with his bang, bang, bang style of public service, Duterte has expanded his killing fields—the nation, and barged into the global arena. US President Barack Obama, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and the European Union raised alarms about human rights violations. Angered, Duterte called Obama the son of a whore and suggested “he can go to hell.” He dismissed Ban Ki-moon as a fool (“tarantado”).

He advised the EU “to better choose purgatory.”

Duterte seems bent on fulfilling his campaign promise of drowning 100,00 drugs in polluted Manila Bay to fatten the fish there. He has extended his

President Arroyo’s “aperture a la China,” where loans were extended for big-ticket projects such as the North Rail, and even the equally aborted NBN-ZTE deal, which would have provided us with speedy internet.

Of course, under President Duterte’s firm and headstrong leadership, corruption in these deals may not be an issue. The President would simply not brook any corruption especially where foreign aid or linkages are concerned.

What many businessmen and even diplomats I have talked with are worried about is the bureaucracy’s absorptive capacity.

Case in point: tourism.

Last year, only some 400,000 mainland Chinese visited the Philippines. This compares to more than a million who visited Vietnam. And more than 3 million who went to Thailand.

Since state-controlled travel agencies can direct the flow of tourists to “favored” destinations, it should not be too difficult to foresee the Chinese visitors to our islands jumping to a million in just one year. But are our tourism agencies and the infrastructure supporting the same ready for such a huge influx? I need not detail what these support infrastructure are. We simply know how inadequate we are in

these because even as domestic tourists, we suffer from the inconveniences of such woeful and even over-priced infrastructure.

Here in Taiwan where I write this article, the tourism industry, especially in its resort cities and provinces, have suffered a severe slump simply because the politics between Beijing and Taipei have soured after a new government was elected and took over in May this year.

Yet no one can downplay the immediate benefits of a resurgence of visitor traffic from China to the Philippines. But are Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay and other major destinations ready?

Which is why rebuilding trust between us and our giant neighbor to our west is a major economic offensive on the part of the Duterte government. If the Chinese invest even in tourism infrastructure such as hotels and resorts, the gap which would likewise service their own tourists to the country could be solved. Provided, of course, the government’s bureaucracy, both national and local, move fast as well.

Another quick relief for our economy is the opening once more of China’s market to our bananas and pineapple exports.

Mindanao felt the pinch of the icy-cold relations engendered by the previous government’s hostil-

ity towards China. Now Mindanao’s agricultural economy will have a giant shot in the arm. *** Initial reports on the effects of Typhoon “Karen” on Central plain’s palay harvests are quite disheartening. If indeed some 2 billion worth of palay crops have been devastated by the storm, that is quite worrisome for our food security in the coming months.

It is good that the new government had the prescience to authorize some 250,000 metric tons plus another of similar volume in imports. That should help stabilize supply deficiencies for the December to April period on account of Karen, and once more, hopefully not, Lawin’s possibly hitting another palay granary, Cagayan and Northern Isabela.

But as we suggested in Monday’s column, government, particularly the DBM, should move fast and give quick relief to our Nueva Ecija and Tarlac farmers whose palay harvests have been storm-damaged. DBM should immediately give the NFA both go-signal and wherewithal to buy storm-damaged palay at cost, just for our farmers to recover.

Planting rice is never fun, so the ditty goes. Harvesting rice is quite iffy as well.

deadline to kill them, from six months (up Dec. 31, 2016) to one year (until June 30, 2017). The President keeps saying he will not stop “until the last pusher is taken out of the streets,” adding: “I have no intention of failing.”

For Duterte, the problem is not drugs per se. “It is the survival of the next generation,” he points out. Once a family has a drug addict, that family starts to become dysfunctional, to disintegrate. A year or two of drugs use could shrink a user’s brain, Digong says. The user then becomes a criminal.

Early on, Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez announced Duterte’s 10-point socio-economic agenda. They include: one, maintaining macro-economic policies; two, tax reform; three, easing doing business; four, ramped-up infra; five, rural and agricultural development; six, land management; seven, human capital development; eight, science and technology; nine, social protection; and 10, family planning.

I think Sonny over-counted, using his 10 fingers. Truth to tell, Digong has only three programs— drugs and crime, corruption, and an independent foreign policy.

Reducing illegal drugs and criminality looks to me like a huge success, at least for the short term. I am not keen though on the success of Digong’s anti-corruption campaign. His fear-factor could indeed work wonders, at times. Like when he declared the end of laglag-bala extortion racket at airports by threatening to feed the bullet to the airport personnel who plants the lead into passengers’ luggage.

Also, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade has declared it is okay to put a bullet into your luggage as long as you surrender it before boarding your flight.

It still takes two months to secure a passport. There are still no driver’s licenses and plates readily available. At local governments, securing business permits still is an ordeal (the locals still insist on selling you fire insurance, for P1,000).

To his credit, Duterte insists on having government bureaucrats to issue permits or licenses in three days and on his cabinet to act on project approvals within a month. He also has “8888” for the public to dial to denounce corrupt government personnel.

Meanwhile, Duterte seems to think that an independent for-

eign policy means being antiAmerican and veering closer to China and Russia, America’s traditional geopolitical rivals.

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay says America has failed the Philippines. The US cannot help the country protect “our territorial boundaries and the exclusive use of our maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. “Our defensive forces remain grossly incapable in meeting security threats,” says Yasay.

Worse, “our only ally could not give us the assurance that in taking a hard line towards the enforcement of our sovereignty rights under international law, it will promptly come to our defense under our existing military treaty and agreements.”

In Duterte’s eyes, America has no credibility as an ally. Why? America has not given Manila enough firepower to cope with its enemies, real and imagined.

It’s the “bang, bang” mentality all over again.

Only in this case, the stakes are much bigger and the balance of terror and power in Asia could tilt in Beijing’s favor, away from America. biznewsasia@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News

Manila

Standard WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 A6 TODAY

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Road digging ban up

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE government will impose a three-month moratorium on road diggings in the National Capital Region beginning this November to provide relief to commuters and motorists during the heavy traffic-prone holiday season.

This surfaced after a meeting of members of the Interagency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) with Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region district engineers in connection with the implementation of the moratorium to be imposed by the Metro Manila Development Authority from November to Jan. 9, 2017.

I-ACT representative Asst. Secretary for Road Transport Mark de Leon reiterated the government will no longer issue new permits in line with the moratorium beginning Nov. 1.

“This [moratorium] is not to punish you but this is a way to ease the traffic condition in Metro Manila especially this coming holiday season when the volume of vehicular

traffic usually increases,” De Leon told the district engineers.

I-ACT officials, however, said the district engineers could apply for exemption and they could submit a list of ongoing road projects to be reviewed and evaluated by the council.

Aside from the reason why the excavation of the road is necessary, photos of the road diggings with their exact locations should be included in the request for exemption, he said.

According to De Leon, there should be no part of the roads or thoroughfares that would be affected by the road diggings which could cause a slow down or heavy build-up of traffic in the area.

At present, only flagship pro-

jects undertaken by the national government are exempted from the moratorium on road excavations, including bridge repair/construction, emergency leak repairs of water concessionaires, and construction of flood interceptors.

The council pointed out there would be no digging or road works or repairs along the 17 Mabuhay Lanes—the alternate routes for private vehicles avoiding congested Edsa.

The I-ACT representative said the Mabuhay Lanes were continuously being cleared of illegally parked vehicles and structures and make them easily accessible to motorists.

DPWH Metro Manila director Melvin Navarro said they could

apply or request for partial exemption from the moratorium.

“I am appealing though that if the ongoing project would not be passable even with the moratorium, let us allow that to continue so as not to extend the construction period.”

He noted they would stop their private contractors from continuing the road works if these would hamper the traffic flow.

“We won’t allow these projects to cause traffic,” Navarro said, adding they would halt the excavations anytime.

The MMDA is also expecting an increase in vehicular traffic during the Yuletide because of some 180 drainage improvement projects in Metro Manila.

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS LABORATORY SUPPLIES CY 2016 (2nd SEMESTER) RE BID 1.

FUNDING SOURCE: The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC) through INCOME/GAA/GOP intends to apply the amount of Sixteen Million Six Hundred One Thousand Two Hundred Eighty Nine Pesos Only (Php 16,601,289.00), being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the provision of public bidding for LABORATORY SUPPLIES CY 2016 2nd SEM. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2.

The Valenzuela Medical Center now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for laboratory supplies cy 2016 (2nd Semester). The description of an eligible Bidder is contained in Section II of the Bidding Documents’ ITB.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations Parts A (IRR-A) of Republic Act No. 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws and regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act 5183 (RA 5183) and subject to Commonwealth Act 138 (CA 138). Only Bids from bidders who pass the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents, ITB. The Bidder with the lowest calculated bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine his responsiveness of the bid to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

4.

Interested Bidders may obtain further information from Valenzuela Medical Center and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00AM4:00PM starting October 19, 2016 to November 10, 2016.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php 5,000.00) (1M to 5M) Ten Thousand Pesos Only (Php 10,000.00) (5M to 10M) and Fifteen Thousand Pesos Only (Php15,000.00) (10M up). The method of payment will be in cash. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The Valenzuela Medical Center will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 28, 2016, 10:00 AM at BAC Office, 2nd Floor, VMC Annex Bldg., Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City , which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before November 10, 2016, 10:00 AM, BAC Office. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the form of Cash, Manager’s Check or Cashier’s Check Bank Draft or Bank Guarantee of two (2%) percent of the total amount to bid. Late Bids shall not be accepted.

8.

FIVE MULES TOO MANY. Deputy Customs Commissioner Arnel Alcaraz questions Brazilian national

Yasmin Silva, one of five foreigners—including two Hong Kongers, one Russian and one Venezuelan—who were caught with narcotics at the aiport. The Bureau of Customs will hold today an inter-agency meeting to discuss anti-drug smuggling measures.

16 Manila officials probed

The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, and to annual the bidding process and reject all Bids at any time prior to the contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

By Sandy Araneta

(SGD) DONA D. SALMOS, RN, MAN BAC Chairperson

Republic of the Philippine CITY OF NAGA BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF FOOD COMMODITIES The City Government of Naga, through the Food Supplies Expense of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) intends to apply the sum of FIVE MILLION THREE HUNDRED ONE THOUSAND (Php 5,301,000.00) Pesos, being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply and Delivery of Food Commodities for distribution to needy families in the city, Contract Reference Number: 2016040. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Item No.

Qty.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

48,000 24,000 24,000 48,000 72,000 48,000 25,000 25

Unit

Items

packs Repacked Bijon pcs. Sausage, 80 grams tins Meat Loaf, 210 grams tins Carne Norte, 100 grams pcs. Noodles pcs. Sardines pcs. Sando Bag, large rolls Plastic Twine, large, in bundles TOTAL

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) 1,464,000.00 588,000.00 720,000.00 960,000.00 684,000.00 816,000.00 66,250.00 2,750.00 P 5,301,000.00

The City Government of Naga now invites bids for Supply and Delivery of Food Commodities for distribution to needy families in the city, Contract Reference Number: 2016-040. Delivery of the Goods is required within thirty (30) calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years, from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the City Government of Naga and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below starting from 8 AM until 5 PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders starting on Wednesday, October 19 to November 8, 2016, from the Office of the BAC Secretariat c/o City Planning & Development Office, 2nd Floor City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Ten Thousand (P 10,000.00) Pesos and an Annual Registration Fee of Three Thousand (P 3,000.00) Pesos, and upon presentation of Document Request List (DRL) from PhilGEPS showing your company name. name It may also be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity (www.naga.gov.ph), provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The City Government of Naga will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on Tuesday, October 27, 2016 at 3:00 PM at City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, on or before Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 3:00 PM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security, either in the form of cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a universal or commercial bank (2% of ABC), or, Bid Securing Declaration (BSD).

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, at 3:00 PM at the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The City Government of Naga reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: MR. FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. Acting City Administrator, City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City Telephone Number: 054-4732240, 054-4723235 Email address: bac@naga.gov.ph, Website: www.naga.gov.ph

( M S - O C T. 19 , 2 016)

(SGD) FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. BAC Chairperson

Nixon Kua killers get 10 years THE Makati City Regional Court on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment three of the four suspects in the killing of newspaper columnist Nixon Kua in Laguna four years ago.

In his 42-page decision, Judge Elpidio Calis found the accused —John Rey Cortez, Noel Garcia and Darwin Saniano—guilty and ordered them to pay the family of Kua P75,000 as civil indemnity for his death.

The three along with the other suspect Michael Molino were charged with robbery with homicide for killing Kua and frustrated homicide for the serious injury of his brother Allyson.

The court, however, acquitted Molino for lack of evidence.

For the robbery with homicide, the three were sentenced to six years in jail while in the case of frustrated homicide, they were sentenced to at least four years.

The case was initially filed before an RTC branch in Calamba but the family asked the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice to transfer it to a different trial court for fear of a possible “miscarriage of justice,” saying a Calamba City prosecutor would possibly biased in favor of the accused.

Court records showed that Kua, 49, was killed by suspected robbers outside the house of his brother, Allyson, at the Ayala Greenfield Subdivision in Barangay Maunong on July 23, 2012. The robbers fled with the P90,000 cash contained in the bag of Kua’s daughter Sue Anne and left Alllyson wounded in the attack. Joel Zurbano

Iloilo airport among Asia’s best, CAAP says

Bid Opening will be on November 10, 2016. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

(MS-OCT. 19, 2016)

IN BRIEF

THE Manila Police District is investigating 16 local and national government officials in Manila, including police officers, suspected to be involved in illegal drugs.

This followed Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s order to MPD director Sr. Supt. Joel Coronel to hasten the operation against 16 “high-value” targets (HVTs) to serve as example to other unscrupulous city officials that are into drugs.

“Government officials involved in drugs do not deserve any mercy. They’re even worse than the ordinary street pushers because they took an oath to uphold the law and serve the people,” a visibly disgusted Estrada said.

Estrada assured Coronel of his full support in the police drive

against the 16 HVTs. “We will support you all the way. We will provide whatever you need, so long as these targets are put behind bars,” he told Coronel.

Recently, Estrada procured P20 million worth of brand new firearms for the MPD police on top of the P45-million fund he released for the allowance of the 4,652-strong city police force.

Since his assumption to office in 2013, he has allotted P1.9 billion for crime prevention program, which includes P136 million in back allowances of MPD members and the procurement of 41 new mobile patrol cars and 110 electric personal transporters.

Coronel said the 16 HVTs, whom he described as “public servants,” are from the Manila City Hall, barangay, national government offices based in Manila,

and from the Philippine National Police.

“They’re both elected and appointed [officials]. Some are drug users, coddlers, traffickers, or protectors, including [those] from the PNP,” Coronel bared.

“We have been monitoring them. Once we are done with the validation...we will conduct an operation—either entrapment, arrest or neutralization,” he said.

Asked how they identified the 16, the MPD chief said other arrested drug suspects, and those who surrendered, provided most of the information, supported by records from the MPD’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Division and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

In the past two weeks, 38 drug suspects have been arrested while 200 surrendered in the MPD’s sustained anti-drug and criminality operations.

THE Iloilo International Airport has been recognized as among the best airports in Asia, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said based on the results of the 2016 survey of the interactive travel site “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports,” the Iloilo International Airport ranked number 12 while Davao International Airport placed number 26 on Asia for this year’s award for their 20th annual Best and Worst Airports.

The aviation authority managed 81 airports with 36 operating commercial flights all over the country, Apolonio added.

The travel website came up with the world’s best and worse in regional breakdown for Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Middle East, North America and South Pacific.

Apolonio said Iloilo even out performed airports like Hyerabad Rajiv Gandhi in India (13), Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand (17), Jakarta SoekarnoHatta International Airport, Indonesia (20), Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport in Japan (25) and Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan (29).

He added the survey rates airports in Asia based on their overall airport experience in terms of comfort (rest zones & gate seating), services, facilities & things to do, food options, immigration/ security, customer service and cleanliness. Joel Zurbano

Samsung Note 7 also banned on PAL flights FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines announced Tuesday it would enforce a total ban on passengers in possession of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices to ensure the safety of other passengers and the aircraft.

“If a passenger is in possession of a Samsung Note 7 prior to boarding an aircraft, the airline will deny boarding until the device is removed (from) his/her person, carry-on or checked baggage,” said Maria Cielo Villaluna, PAL External Communications chief.

Passengers traveling with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones should contact Samsung or their wireless carrier immediately to obtain information on how to return their phones and arrange for a refund or a replacement device.

The US Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

jointly issued an emergency order banning all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States.

Any person failing to comply with the Emergency Order is subject to civil penalties of up to $179,933 for each violation of the Hazardous Materials Regulations. A person violating this Order may also be subject to criminal prosecution, which may result in fines under title 18, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines earlier urged airline operators, officials of the Manila International Airport Authority and other airport managers nationwide to prohibit the use and battery charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to ensure the safety of passengers.

CAAP acting director Jim Sydiongco made the advisory after Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. issued a recall order on all Galaxy Note 7 devices. Joel E. Zurbano

UNFORGIVING. Former senator Heherson Alvarez and former

human rights commissioner Etta Rosales explain their reasons for opposing the burial of former President Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Ey Acasio

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Betten, Duke eye 5i50 repeat S

AM Betten and Dimity Lee Duke set out for the Bellevue Resort 5i50 Triathlon unfolding Nov. 6 at the Bellevue Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol, upbeat of their chances but wary of the elite field out to foil their backto-back title bids.

The Australian duo dominated the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run event last year but will be in for a tougher challenge this time with a crack set of rivals all primed up for a shot at 5i50 honors and the $2,000 top prize in both sides.

They include fellow Aussies Alexander Polizzi and Michelle Duffield, Amelia Rose Watkinson of New Zealand and local based Dan Brown and top Filipina elite Monica Torres along with the top triathletes from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Europe, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and the United States.

“This is going to be exciting. Betten and Duke will be hard-pressed to score a repeat with the rest of the cast coming into the event in top form, guaranteeing a wide-open race for top honors,” said Fred Uytengsu, founder of the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc. He added that the defending champions are coming back not only because they want to defend their titles but also because they genuinely love Bohol and Panglao Island.

“We realize the best way to promote the best places in the Phil-

ippines is to do triathlon so we thought of tying up with Sunrise for this race,” said Bellevue Hotels managing director Ryan Chan during yesterday’s event launch at Bellevue Hotel Alabang.

Registration is ongoing with limited slots up for grabs for early bird and the 5+1 promo. For details, visit www. bellevue.5150philippines.com.

To spice up the twin events, a 5i50 Expo Open and Bike Service Open will be held on Nov. 4-5 at The Bellevue Pavilion.

Action is also expected to be fierce and tight in the elite division which offers P30,000 to the winners in the men’s and women’s categories.

SEI and Bellevue Resort, a world-class resort on the coastline of Panglao Island in Bohol, have also lined up a challenging course with the swim stage to start in the shores of Bellevue Hotel. The bike and run legs will be relatively flat but also feature narrow roads and hilly areas.

Meanwhile, SEI is also putting up the Sunrise Sprint, a short distance race series and a sub-category of The Bellevue 5i50 featuring a 750m swim, a 20k bike and a 5k run held for the second time this year but first in Bohol.

Officials of the Bellevue Resort 5i50 Triathlon (from left) Ryan Chan, Bellevue Hotels managing director, Fred Uytengsu, president of the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc., Dustin Chan, Bellevue Resorts managing director, and Alfonso Demalerio II, Bohol Provincial administrator, flash the thumbs-up sign.

Duremdes carries BoC Transformers past PNP Enforcers THE Bureau of Customs Transformers banked on the big plays of playing coach Kenneth Duremdes to get past the Philippine National Police Enforcers, 93-84, Sunday in the UNTV Cup Season 5 Basketball Tournament at the Pasig Sportw Center.

Duremdes fired 17 points, including nine points in the extra period to propel the Transformers to their fourth straight victory in Group B. “Mahirap, pero napawi ito ng satisfaction for playing for charity,” said Duremdes, now 42.

UNTV Cup, now on its 5th season, is giving away more than P8 million in total prize to the chosen charities of all 13 participating government teams.

Marlou Aquino led with 25 points while Michael Sumalinog contributed 18 for the Transformers, who went on to take the solo lead in their bracket.

The 6’1” Sumalinog sent the match into an extra five minutes after he hurled triple at the buzzer, 74-all.

His triple, followed by Duremdes’ jumper in the last 3:48 of extra time allowed the Transformers to move way, 79-74, and dictate the pace of the game for the rest of the period.

The Enforcers, with Ollan Omiping topscoring for 27 points, took their first loss in three matches.

In other games, James Patrick Abugan made 27 points to lead the GSIS Furies to a 94-84 win over the DOJ Justice Boosters.

The MMDA Black Wolves, led by Peter John Villanueva with 37 points, prevailed over the Ombudsman Graftbusters.

Kevin Cudiamat sets up for an attack against JC Clarito during their men’s singles match in the Bingo Bonanza National Open Badminton.

Cudiamat, Aquino hack out escape wins TOP seed Kevin Cudiamat and Adamson’s Mika Aquino went through some anxious moments but pulled through just the same to advance in their respective divisions in the 2016 Bingo Bonanza National Open Badminton Tournament at the CW Home Depot Ortigas in Pasig yesterday.

Cudiamat groped for form in the early going but picked up the pace in the next two sets which he dominated on his way to a 23-25, 21-10, 21-13 victory over HP2’s JC Clarito for a spot in the third round of the men’s Open singles of the P1.5 million event sponsored by the country’s premier gaming and amusement center Bingo Bonanza.

The PBA Smash Pilipinas ace, who lost the crown to absentee Mark Alcala last year, will next face Cris Sanchez of Team Prima/ UST, who also fought back from

JESSIE Magdaleno has dyed his hair blond to express his confidence and boost his training in preparation for his title shot at five-division world champion and current super bantamweight king Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire when they clash at the Thomas and Mack Center on Nov. 6 (Manila time).

Gilbert Manzano of the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that Magdaleno has been oozing with confidence since his fight with WBO junior featherweight titlist Nonito Donaire was made official, saying he decided to dye his hair blond last week to express that confidence, and give him a boost during sparring.

Most fighters tend to tone down the sparring sessions with less than three weeks to go before a big fight, but Magdaleno is just getting started.

He spars three times a week and doesn’t plan on changing that schedule until fight week.

“For this fight, we don’t tone it down. We’re going to continue to work hard and give it everything we have until fight day comes, and when that day comes, we’ll go another level.

It’s a big fight and we’re not taking it lightly.” Magdaleno said.

He added he has faced up to six sparring partners during this training camp, including Jonatan Romero, the former IBF junior featherweight champion from Colombia, and Manny Robles Jr., the son of Manny Sr., who trains Magdaleno.

“I don’t know if it’s common to spar that often, but Manny puts me in there, and man, it’s a blast. Every single one of them makes me work and makes me think in there,” he told boxing writer Manzano.

Magdaleno, 24, has thrown ver-

Keoni Asuncion, 21-18, 21-16; wild card Christian Cuyno of National U eased out Jason Vanzuela, 21-13, 21-14; and Edwin Dodds of Letran/Calamba scored a walkover win over No. 7 Emilio Mangubat Jr. Danica Bolos, one of Makisig Badminton mainstays, also fought back from a set down then wore down Clydel Pada of Adamson in a pulsating decider to eke out a 18-21, 21-15, 21-19 victory while Jellene de Vera of PBA Smash Pilipinas won by default over Cassandra Lim in the two other women’s singles matches.

Meanwhile, action in the mixed doubles, men’s and women’s doubles fires off today (Wednesday) with top seeds Alvin Morada and Alyssa Leonardo of PBA Smash Pilipinas taking on Marco Santiaguel and Gwyneth Desacola of Amahit Badminton at 10 a.m. and

No. 2 Minuluan and Aires Montilla of National U/Team Prima/ DLSU clashing with PBA Smash Pilipinas’s Nestor Tapales and Alyssa Geverjuan at 11:20 a.m. in the mixed doubles.

UP’s Gelita Castilo and Eleanor Inlayo, on the other hand, collide with Ateneo’s Bianca Carlos and Chanelle Lunod in a featured encounter in women’s doubles that also pits Danica Bolos and Charmane Salvador of Makisig Badminton against Jellene de Vera and Susmita Ramos of PBA Smash Pilipinas.

Team Prima/DLSU’s Jerickson Oba-ob and Niel Pineda face Adamson’s Joshua Antonio and Elben Concha while UP’s Paul Gonzalez and Wilson Lopez square off with Aldrin Paclibare and Gelo Zerna of Adamson in two of the tough matches in men’s doubles.

St. Claire seeks 2nd straight title

Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon jubilates as the BOC Transformers edge the PNP Responders in overtime 93-84, last Sunday.

Blond Magdaleno confident

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

an opening set setback to repulse Niel Pineda, 16-21, 21-17, 21-18, for a berth in the quarterfinal round of the country’s premier badminton championship sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by president Jejomar Binay and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez.

Aquino also needed an extra set to get past Ateneo’s Angela Ramos, 21-13, 15-21, 21-10, in women’s singles, underscoring the level playing field in the top-ranking tournament featuring members of the national team and pool and a host of rising stars from the collegiate and club ranks.

In other men’s singles results, fourth ranked Orlan Ticala of Team Prima overpowered Michael Saragena, 21-12, 21-14; Ateneo’s Carlo Remo bundled out Michael Clemente, 21-19, 21-10; No. 6 Solomon Padiz Jr. stopped

bal jabs at the 33-year-old Donaire by calling him old and washed up.

But the Las Vegas native still respects his Filipino opponent, and is well aware of Donaire’s strong left hook.

“The only challenge I see from him, and everyone knows this, is his left hook. He has a very strong left hook. He has either knocked people out with it or stunned them with it. That’s why we brought in guys with strong left hooks. We’ll be ready,” he said.

Magdaleno speaks with conviction when the subject is about his first title shot.

His manager Frank Espinoza, sees the confidence and desire from his young fighter on a daily basis.

“I’ve seen a change in Jessie, a big change. I’ve seen a change in Jessie where he’s hungrier. He’s working hard. He really wants this and is putting in the work with Manny Robles,” said Espinoza.

Murray narrows rank gap with Djokovic PARIS—Andy Murray, winner of Sunday’s Shanghai Masters, has closed the gap in the ATP rankings with world number one Novak Djokovic and could topple him before the end of the year.

The British 29-year-old number two has 10,485 points to Djokovic’s 12,900 and can overtake the Serb with wins in his three remaining tournaments this year—the Vienna Open, the Paris Masters and the end of season ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Murray beat Roberto Bautista to win his third Shanghai Masters, lifting his sixth trophy in what has been his best season yet. Djokovic bowed out to Bautista in the semis.

Stan Wawrinka holds on to third place in the rankings behind Murray with Milos Raonic up two places to fourth.

Rankings 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 12,900 points; 2. Andy Murray (GBR) 10,485; 3. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 5,820; 4. Milos Raonic (CAN) 4,690; 5. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,650; 6. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,380; 7. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 3,815; 8. Roger Federer (SUI) 3,720; 9. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 3,300; 10. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,250; 11. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2,895; 12. David Goffin (BEL) 2,780; 13. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,505; 14.

Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 2,460; 15. David Ferrer (ESP) 2,455; 16. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 2,205; 17. Lucas Pouille (FRA) 2,106; 18. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 2,035; 19. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 1,950; 20. Alexander Zverev (GER) 1,745

ST. Clare has been recently crowned men’s basketball champion of the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, but is already mulling over going for a back-to-back title by next season.

With only two players graduating from the current roster that beat Fatima University recently for the crown, the Saints are very much capable of repeating the feat next year, according to head coach Jino Manansala.

“Ayaw naming isipin na tsamba ito,” said Manansala, who was with assistant Tonton Sangco, star player Aris Dionisio, and St. Clare College top official Dr. Jay Adalem in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at Shakey’s Malate.

“Dalawang players lang ang mawawala sa amin, pero may iba pang papasok na magagaling. Pinag-hirapan namin ito, kaya sana tuluy-tuloy na yan.”

The Saints edged out the Phoenix in the deciding Game 3 of the finals last week, 64-62, to regain for the school the title it last won in 2012, also under the reigns of Manansala.

It was the fifth straight finals appearance for the Saints, but the most difficult path towards the championship.

“Ito ang pinakamahirap. Ang daming ‘di inaasahan na nangyari,” recalled the son of former PBA player Jimmy Manansala, who was thrown out during the course of Game 3 of the Saints’ semifinal showdown against Lyceum of Subic Bay, and endured a 64-45 rout at the hands of Fatima in Game Two of the finals.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Sports

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

A8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

Gilas Cadets will be in Draft

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE PBA Annual Draft has received a major boost with the assurance of re-appointed Gilas national coach Chot Reyes that all the players in the Gilas Cadet team will enter the Annual Draft on Oct. 30.

Reyes told the Manila Standard that “the first issue is to make sure the Gilas Cadets enter the draft” and he will tell them “if you don’t want to play in the PBA you won’t play for the Gilas national team.”

He said the players “must play in the PBA to be in game shape.”

He also revealed that the 10 PBA teams will “release at least one player” 30 days before any FIBA tournament so they could practice with the team.

At the same time he said they would search for “two young players who are 6’11” in height either from the US or Europe” who he hopes will be naturalized and “should be able to play with (multi-titled PBA Most Valuable Player) center June Mar Fajardo “even as Andray Blatche who played well alongside June Mar is still with the team.”

Chot said Tab Baldwin would remain as a consultant and that he will “decide on the coaching staff.”

PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa told Manila Standard he welcomed the appointment of Reyes and the steps he is initiating saying, “this is very good and will boost the draft and the program. It will lift the PBA to a higher level.”

The ongoing PBA Governors Cup best-of-seven finals between Ginebra San Miguel and the Meralco Bolts attracted sellout crowds at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra will go for the championship in Game 6 today, Wednesday in the fiercely competitive series.

Zhu Ting (right) of VakifBank Istanbul hammers a spike over the blocking hands of a Hisamitsu Springs Kobe defender. Zhu, the Most Valuable Player of the Rio Olympics when she played for China, tallied nine of the Turkish side’s 27 blocks to clobber the Japanese in the opening day match of the 2016 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena. Roman Prospero

Volero Zurich beats Bangkok Glass, 3-0

By Peter Atencio

C

ROWD favorite Mariana Costa came off the bench in the final moments of the third set, adding spice to an otherwise shaky start of Volero Zurich yesterday in the opening games of the 2016 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The hard-fought third set was winding down when the 5’9” Brazilian wing spiker came on the floor and did her magic to help Volero pull off a 25-21, 25-19, 2523 victory over Asian contender Bangkok Glass.

Volero, led by Olesa Rhykhiuk with 20 points and Dobriana Rabadzhieva with 17 points, ended up sharing the opening day honors with VakifBank Istanbul, which

turned back Hisamitsu Springs Kobe, 25-15, 25-15, 29-31, 25-18.

Zhu Ting, the Most Valuable Player of the Rio Olympics when she played for China, tallied nine of the Turkish side’s 27 blocks to clobber the Japanese in this prestigious tournament organized by the Philippine Superliga and Eventcourt with TV5, Petron, Asics, BMW and F2 Logistics as sponsors, Diamond Hotel as of-

ficial residence and Turkish Airlines as official airlines.

Zhu’s performance on the defensive end surpassed the previous record of eight blocks notched by Adenizia of Sollys Nestle of Osasco against Foppapdretti Bergamo in 2010.

VakifBank Istanbul’s total rejections eclipsed the previous record of 25 blocks tallied by Sollys Nestle of Osasco against Chang Bangkok in 2011.

The 30-year-old Costa, a commercial model when not playing and who later made a splash by posing for Playboy four years ago, took the floor after Volero took a 20-17 lead in the third. She spent her time on the bench in the first two sets.

The Thai squad, which was struggling to keep pace with the Swiss squad, threatened late in the

Games Today

(at the Mall of Asia Arena) 4:30 p.m. Volero Zurich vs Hisamitsu Springs Kobe 7:30 p.m. Pomi Casalmaggiore vs RexonaSecc Rio

match as they scored two points, with the first point off a block by Maliwan Prabriarong and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa off Costa.

Their second point came as Wilavan Ayinapong smashed a spike past Rykhuik.

Costa, who finished with two points, managed to hold her ground, hitting a couple of spikes from the middle past Ayinapong to keep Volero in front 22-20.

The Thais refused to give up, and kept Volero on their toes with their deliberate game. They forced a 23-all tie after Pleumjit Thinkaow hit a spike past Irina Malkova

Ginebra tries to end 8-year title drought

By Jeric Lopez CAN Barangay Ginebra finally quench its eight-year championship thirst?

That will be answered tonight when the Gin Kings try to finish off Meralco as they shoot for the championship in the best-of-seven finals series of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Gin Kings can end their long dry spell if they clinch the crown against the Bolts in Game 6 tonight at 7 p.m. at an expected jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It took eight long years before Ginebra got to this point where it’s a win away from claiming an elusive championship.

Gin Kings coach Tim Cone certainly wants the balloons to fall from the rafters today.

“We have to grab the opportunity that we have now. It’s going to be a tough game for us but we need to get this one,” said Cone. “What we need to do is continue our improved defense and stay focused to be

Pacman tickets available

able to achieve our goal.”

The legion of Ginebra fans have waited for a long time for their team to have a chance at winning a championship and that time has come.

It’s now up to the popular team to satisfy the championship craving of their millions of fans.

After trailing 1-2 after the first three games, Barangay Ginebra kept its poise and tightened its defense to take the next two games, Games 4 and 5, and eventually take the driver’s seat in the series.

The entire Ginebra core has stepped up the past two games and needs to put on one more solid showing for the Gin Kings to finally gain glory.

Meralco coach Norman Black remains optimistic as he feels that despite the series Barangay Ginebra big men Japeth Aguilar (25) and Jervy Cruz (27) team up to defend deficit, his team is still very much in it.

“The good thing about a seven-game Meralco Bolts import Allen Durham (5). Ginebra tries to end an eight-year title drought series is that it takes four wins to take when they battle the Bolts tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. it. It’s not yet over,” said Black. “We still have a chance and we’ll keep on vive and force a winner-take-all Game 7 ham, who was limited to only 20 points in on Friday.

Game 5, needs to regain his touch to be able fighting.”

Best Import of the Conference Allen Dur- to help Meralco stay alive.

The Bolts are of course looking to sur-

Green Archers look to extend unbeaten streak against NU THERE is a need for the National University Bulldogs to play with a sense of urgency.

Bulldogs coach Eric Altamirano said this as the team prepares to meet the unbeaten La Salle Green Archers at 4 p.m. today in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

Alarm bells started ringing within the NU camp after the Bulldogs absorbed a 69-73 loss to the University of Santo Tomas Growling

Tigers last Saturday.

The Bulldogs are experiencing a three-game slump which they need to recover from.

“We have to play with a sense of urgency at this point of the season. I hope the boys will respond positively and hopefully, we can turn the season around to our advantage,” said Altamirano.

The Bulldogs have slipped to a share of fourth spot with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, who will meet the University of the East Warriors

and Rykhliuk’s crosscourt shot went out of bounds.

Rabadzhieva, a 6’4” wing spiker, then rotated to the frontline to finish the job for Volero. Her thundering kill from the left side and her placement shot off Nguyen finally handed her team the final points.

“The first competition of the tournament is very difficult. We did not play our best game today,” said Volero coach Zoran Teric.

Bangkok Glass put the Volero spikers into an unfamiliar spot by playing a slow and defensive game.

Thai coach Porncha Kittipong said they had difficulty moving past Volero because European spikers are much taller and play much faster.

The Thais managed to stay close, 7-9, in the first set, before errors at the net allowed Volero to move away, 11-7

Games Today

(at the Arena in San Juan) 2 p.m. UE vs Ateneo 4 p.m. La Salle vs NU

earlier at 12 noon.

During their game with UST, Altamirano noted that NU shot just 38 percent from the field.

On the other hand, the Green Archers are coming off a 78-72 win over the Maroons to stay unbeaten in nine games.

Jeron Teng, who is back from an injury, led the way for the Green

Archers. He contributed 21 points while Ben Mbala dominated the paint with 17 points and 20 rebounds.

La Salle head coach Aldin Ayo said he is now seeing how tough the team can get after their game with UP. “We responded well to that tough game. It was a tough game but it showed how the players responded to pressure. We shared the basketball well, and we played defense as a team,” said Ayo. In particular the La Salle mentor

said he was pleased with how his player were able to play spontaneous basketball as they responded well to the adjustments made by the Fighting Maroons on defense.

The defensive adjustments by UP allowed the underdog squad to give the favored Green Archers fits during the tightly contested game.

Ayo said the UP defense disrupted their game plans. He was relieved that his players were eventually able to adjust despite the disruptive defense adopted by the Fighting Maroons. Peter Atencio

TOP Rank insists that tickets to the WBO welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas and challenger and eightdivision world champion Manny Pacquiao can still be purchased online, by phone and at all University of Las Vegas ticket outlets with the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office ready to open on Thursday.

Top Rank announced that remaining tickets to the world championship fight between boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines and defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs), from Las Vegas, can be purchased online at www.unlvtickets. com/, at UNLVtickets outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets and charged by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267). The Thomas & Mack Center box office will reopen on Thursday.

The Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is playing host to the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Thomas & Mack Center. Remaining tickets are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees.

Ronnie Nathanielsz

Moody’s sees GDP growing by 6.5%

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

B1

Govt studies 1% tax on stocks

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

T

he government plans to double the tax rate on stock market transactions to 1 percent of the gross selling price in a bid to offset possible revenue losses brought about by other tax measures, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

Shares listed in and sold through the PSE are currently subject to a stock transaction tax equivalent to 0.5 percent of the gross selling price.

Dominguez said in a recent forum the Finance Department was currently studying proposals to increase stock sales tax to 1 percent.

“We are...thinking of increasing the tax on stock market transactions from one half percent to one percent. This used to be incidentally 2 percent. So we’ll just bring it to 1 percent for stock market transactions,” Dominguez said.

Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson Tere-

sita Herbosa earlier said while the corporate regulator was open to removing the initial public offering tax, she was in favor of increasing the stock market transaction tax.

“Personally I don’t have any objection to that [removal of IPO tax] because I was told that we’re the only country with IPO tax. But we have to increase stock transaction tax.

So maybe if we increase the minimum public ownership, we will also bat for maybe a little higher stock transaction tax,” Herbosa said.

The Finance Department plans to include the higher stock market transaction tax in the fifth package of the updated tax re-

form program to be submitted to Congress.

The fifth package will also include the reduction of tax on interest income earned on peso deposit and investment from 20 percent to 10 percent and harmonization of all capital income taxes to correct the disparity between rich and poor depositors.

Dominguez said the current rates of interest income taxes were in favor of the rich and discriminated against low-income depositors who had to cope with high tax rates.

He said the agency was studying how to correct the disparity and harmonize current rates for dollar deposits.

We propose to harmonize all capital income taxes regardless of currency, maturity and type towards 10 percent. This way, the poor pay less on the interest income and the rich pay more,” Dominguez said.

“Specifically, we propose to reduce the tax on interest income from peso deposits to 10 percent. Meanwhile, we propose to harmonize all capital income tax rates to 10 percent,” he said.

Dominguez said despite the projected P1-billion revenue loss from reducing the capital income tax from the current 20 percent to 10 percent, this would be offset “with the positive impact of simplicity, equity and efficiency.”

PSe comPoSite index Closing October 18, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,571.15 212.94

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing OCTOBER 12, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P48.200

49.00

IN BRIEF

CLOSE

HIGH P48.200 LOW P48.535 AVERAGE P48.367 VOLUME 741.900M

CAAP bans Note 7

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines imposed a ban on the carriage of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices in airport premises, on board the aircraft and as cargo shipment.

“All carriage of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices are forbidden in airport premises, on-board the aircraft and cargo flights,” CAAP acting director general Jim Sybiongco said in memorandum circular issued on Oct. 13.

Philippine Airlines also issued an advisory against carrying or using Samsung Note 7 on its flights.

“If a passenger is in possession of a Samsung Note 7 prior to boarding an aircraft, the airline will deny boarding until the device is removed his/her person,carry-on or checked baggage,” PAL said.

“Passengers currently traveling with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones should contact Samsung or their wireless carrier immediately to obtain information on how to return their phones and arrange for a refund or a replacement device,” the airline said.

The US Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration earlier jointly issued an emergency order banning all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States. Darwin G. Amojelar

Shell keen on LNG

SHELL Companies in the Philippines remains committed to put up a liquefied natural gas facility in the country.

“We’re looking at putting up a company that’s going to invest in LNG import facility, LNG business. The size of that will depend on demand that we see in the market and also what type of facility we will put in, [whether] it is a floating storage and regassification unit or an onshore facility. Second, are we going to do it all by ourselves or with partners and what is the phasing of all this,” Shell outgoing country chairman Ed Chua told reporters.

Chua said Shell was “quite flexible” on how it would pursue the LNG investments.

Shell earlier announced plans to put up the LNG facility in Batangas in preparation for the eventual depletion of the Malampaya natural gas reserves in northwest Palawan by 2024.

“It can be something in partnership with one or more partners… It is something we’re very much interested in because we believe LNG provides a very good, clean alternative as far as fuel for the future is concerned,” Chua said.

Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. general manager Sebastian Quinones earlier said Shell would make the final investment decision on the planned LNG facility by 2017. Alena Mae S. Flores

P427.00-P632.00 LPG/11-kg tank P36.95-P44.25 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P25.58-P28.60 Diesel P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, October 18, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate

CROP INSURANCE. Card Pioneer Microinsurance Inc. launches a micro crop insurance program to protect farmers from calamities, pests

and other risks. Shown during the launching of the program at Pioneer House Office in Makati City are (from left) CPMI president and chief executive Geric Laude, International Finance Corp. country manager Yuan Xu, farmers and couple Reymond and Florencia Escalera, Insurance commissioner Emmanuel Dooc, Card Inc. founder and managing director Jaime Aristotle Alip and Pioneer group retail organization head Lorenzo Chan Jr. Manny Palmero

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.5210

Japan

Yen

0.009626

0.4671

UK

Pound

1.218600

59.1277

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128898

6.2543

Switzerland

Franc

1.011020

49.0557

Canada

Dollar

0.762021

36.9740

Singapore

Dollar

0.719891

34.9298

Australia

Dollar

0.762500

36.9973

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652027

128.6790

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

12.9410

Brunei

Dollar

0.717309

34.8045

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028344

1.3753

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.2116

Euro

Euro

1.100200

53.3828

Korea

Won

0.000881

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.148401

7.2006

India

Rupee

0.014975

0.7266

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237248

11.5115

New Zealand

Dollar

0.712700

34.5809

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031460

1.5265 Source: PDS Bridge

Remittances, BPO, electronics to infuse $67b SCB ends

By Julito G. Rada REMITTANCES, business process outsourcing revenues and electronics exports will generate more than $67 billion worth of inflows this year, British bank Standard Chartered said Tuesday.

Standard Chartered said in a report the current account of the Philippines would continue to draw strength from the sustained remittances from overseas Filipino workers despite the threats of slower inflows amid the sluggish global growth.

“We expect that remittance growth is likely to be much slower than before as the number of

outgoing workers stabilize and overseas income is impacted by a sluggish global economy, particularly in the west which accounts for a significant chunk of remittances,” Standard Chartered economist for Asia Chidu Narayanan said.

“Even so, we expect remittances to continue to add more than 6 ppt [percentage point] to the current account surplus [as a percentage of GDP] in the medium term. In addition, we expect BPO services exports, remittances and electronics exports to support the current account surplus, accounting for more than $67 billion of inflows [21 percent of GDP] this

year,” Narayanan said.

Bangko Sentral data showed that the surplus in current account fell to $0.8 billion in the first half from $5.3 billion posted a year ago.

Standard Chartered also said the information technology-business process outsourcing sector would be the biggest contributor to the current account inflows by 2017, overtaking remittances.

Remittances and BPO revenues account for around $50 billion inflows annually. Meanwhile, electronics exports last year reached $26 billion, or 44.3 percent of total merchandise exports.

Remittances in August this year

increased 16.3 percent to $2.319 billion from $1.954 billion a year ago, driven mainly by transfers from land-based workers. The expansion was a sharp reversal from the 5.4-percent decline in July this year. This was also the fastest expansion since the 16.6-percent rise recorded in March 2014.

This brought cash remittances in the first eight months to $17.642 billion, up 4.6 percent from $16.868 billion a year ago.

The 4.6-percent growth in the first eight months already matched the expansion last year and surpassed the conservative 4-percent growth projection by Bangko Sentral this year.

Spot electricity prices fell 31% in September

By Alena Mae S. Flores

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY. Impact Hub Manila, World Wide Fund for Nature and Peace and Equity

Foundation, supported by the Asian Development Bank award P2.4 million worth of fellowship prizes and six-month incubation to three groups that presented ideas for the Impact Hub Fellowship Program on Sustainable Energy Solutions. Shown during the awarding ceremony at Uptown Place Tower 2 building in Fort Bonifacio commercial business district, Taguig City are (from left) Solar Solutions co-founder Rey Guerrero, HiGi Energy Pte. Ltd. chief financial officer Hazel May Pajotagana and chief marketing officer Zherluck Shaen Rodriguez, Impact Hub Manila co-founder LizAn Kuster and CleverHeat Thermal Technologies co-founder Brian Tan Seng and co-founder and chief scientist King Kurl Seroje. Roderick T. dela Cruz

PRICES at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market fell 31 percent in the September billing period to P2.86 per kilowatt-hour from P4.17 kWh in August.

Philippine Electricity Market Corp., operator of WESM which acts as the country’s trading floor of electricity, said the decrease in effective settlement spot prices was brought about by higher supply of electricity in September.

Effective settlement spot prices refer to the average prices paid by customers for energy bought from the spot market.

“The September billing period showed a marked increase in the share of electricity bought in the spot market compared to the monthly average of 8 to 10 percent sourced by wholesale customers. WESM truly works as it provides a viable option for

wholesale customers in the provision of electric supply to end-users,” said PEMC president Melinda Ocampo.

WESM data showed that coal remained the dominant fuel in the generation mix at 49.33 percent in September while emerging renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, run-of river hydro and biomass contributed 3.7 percent.

Coal prices, however, were on an upward trend recently which could cause electricity prices to go up in the next billing period.

The peso depreciation will also likely impact on rates, according to industry players.

PEMC said settlement data showed that about 15.09 percent of total market transactions were sourced from the electricity market while the remaining 84.91 percent were procured through power supply agreements.

Fitch rating services SECURITY Bank Corp. said it decided not to renew its subscription to the credit rating services of Fitch Ratings because of commercial considerations.

SBC said it was following the banking industry practice of using only two credit rating agencies to assess a bank’s credit standing. Most banks in the Philippines use only two credit rating agencies, it said.

SBC said it decided to go with Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investor Services.

“Security Bank has been executing the practice for a long time now. We have maintained our relationship with Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s,” SBC said.

“Fitch’s withdrawal of its credit rating on Security Bank is expected due to the commercial decision the Bank has made,” SBC said.

SBC said Fitch’s withdrawal of its assessment did not reflect the bank’s credit standing and financial performance.

Fitch upgraded in July Security Bank’s foreign currency long term issuer default rating and its local currency long term issuer default rating, along with three other lenders, to “BB+” with “stable outlook” from “BB,” indicating financial flexibility to support servicing financial commitments.

SBC said it recognizes the importance of the role of the credit rating agencies, locally and globally, to the banking industry and wishes to keep a worthy rapport with the agencies in the future.

“Security Bank has a lot of respect for Fitch Ratings. However, Security Bank’s commercial decision and Fitch’s expected subsequent withdrawal of its assessment on the bank are ultimately commercial decisions of both parties,” it said.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rebounds; JG climbs S TOCKS climbed the most in five months as Asian markets advanced, amid speculation the US Federal Reserve policy will remain accommodative.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 212 points, or 2.9 percent, to close at 7,571.15 Tuesday. This pushed up total gains this year to 8.9 percent.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also climbed 92 points, or 2.1 percent, to settle at 4,460.38, on a value turnover of P8.4 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 123 to 68, while 35 issues were unchanged.

All six sectors posted gains, while 19 of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by JG Summit Holdings Inc., the investment company of tycoon John

Gokongwei which went up 6.6 percent to P76 and SM Prime Holdings Inc., the property unit of tycoon Henry Sy, which rose 6.5 percent to P27.80. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty gained 5.2 percent to P1,410.

Meanwhile, other Asian markets climbed Tuesday as mixed readings on the US economy and comments from a top Federal Reserve official tempered expectations about the Fed’s long-term plans for raising interest rates.

The gains came despite a negative lead from New York and Europe where traders are awaiting key events this week, including Chinese growth data, the last presidential debate and a European Central Bank policy meeting.

A below-par reading Monday on manufacturing in New York offset news that overall factory production grew for the third time in four months.

While investors globally expect US interest rates will rise by the end of the year,

the figures tempered expectations about the pace of rises after December.

Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said interest rates would likely be suppressed by several factors, including weak economic growth at home and abroad and low corporate investment.

The news added to downward pressure on the dollar, which fell against the yen, euro and even the pound in New York.

And while it edged back against the yen in Asia on Tuesday, it continued to struggle against the euro and pound.

“On a longer-term basis, we do think that the Federal Reserve is likely to be behind the curve where hiking rates is concerned,” Kelvin Tay, regional chief investment officer at UBS Group’s wealth management business in Singapore, told Bloomberg Television.

He added that this meant the dollar was likely at its peak.

Regional stock markets rallied on the prospect of rates staying low for longer.

Tokyo ended 0.4 percent higher as the dollar pared early losses against the yen.

Hong Kong was 1.3 percent higher in late trade and Shanghai closed up 1.4 percent.

Sydney gained 0.4 percent and Seoul put on 0.6 percent, while Singapore was up 0.1 percent. Taipei and Manila also recorded healthy gains.

“We’re likely to see some choppy trading until we get some of these risk events out of the way, such as the last US presidential debate,” James Woods, an analyst at Rivkin Securities in Sydney, told Bloomberg News.

“Momentum seems to be building up for a December rate hike by the Fed.” Attention turns to the release Wednesday of Chinese third-quarter economic growth figures, with an AFP survey predicting a slowdown from the previous three months.

The figures will be closely watched after last week’s disappointing China trade results were tempered by a better-thanexpected inflation reading.

With AFP, Bloomberg

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124

AG Finance 3.5 Asia United Bank 48 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 107.50 Bank of PI 102.50 China Bank 38 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. 3.78 Bright Kindle Resources 1.30 COL Financial 16.6 Eastwest Bank 18.98 Filipino Fund Inc. 6.61 First Abacus 0.68 I-Remit Inc. 1.81 MEDCO Holdings 0.970 Metrobank 82.85 Natl. Reinsurance Corp. 0.87 PB Bank 14 Phil. National Bank 56.10 Philippine trust Co. 154 PSE 260 RCBC `A’ 35.8 Security Bank 218.8 Sun Life Financial 1505.00 Union Bank 75.00

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 148

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 32

20.6 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 0.62 5.25 12.98 15 2.65 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 1450 0.315 2.18 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

15.32 20.2 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 34.1 2.3 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 0.335 3.87 8.45 10.04 2.09 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 5.9 801 0.138 1.02 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.5 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 1.61 84.9 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.225 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3.43 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 0.030 0.550 59.3 751 1.13 80 0.211 0.179

10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 5.94 0.180 0.470 8.54

6.74 12 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 0.79 1.1 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 4.13 0.090 0.290 2.69

Close

Aboitiz Power Corp.

45.8 Agrinurture Inc. 3.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.95 Alsons Cons.

1.41 Asiabest Group 15.6 Bogo Medelin 63.1 C. Azuc De Tarlac 167.00 Cemex Holdings 10.92 Century Food 15.5 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 100 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 23.5 Concepcion 60 Crown Asia 2.07 Da Vinci Capital 6.2 Del Monte 12.2 DNL Industries Inc. 10.960 Emperador 7.28 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.87 EEI 7.30 Euro-Med Lab 1.83 First Gen Corp.

23.45 First Holdings ‘A’ 70.95 Holcim Philippines Inc. 16.20 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.92 Ionics Inc 2.020 Jollibee Foods Corp.

236.60 Liberty Flour 79.80 LMG Chemicals 1.96 Mabuhay Vinyl 4.18 Macay Holdings 27.40 Manila Water Co. Inc. 31.25 Maxs Group 27.35 Megawide 14.86 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 283.20 MG Holdings 0.255 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.12 Petron Corporation 10.50 Phinma Corporation 11.54 Phinma Energy 2.20 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 5.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.46 Pryce Corp. `A’ 3.4 RFM Corporation 4.16 Roxas Holdings 3.39 San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ 219.8 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.145 TKC Steel Corp.

1.69 Universal Robina 175.5 Victorias Milling 4.62 Vitarich Corp.

2.13 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.23 HOLDING FIRMS Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.370 Aboitiz Equity 75.55 Alliance Global Inc. 15.12 Anglo Holdings A 1.28 Anscor `A’ 6.01 ATN Holdings A 0.345 Ayala Corp `A’ 845 Cosco Capital 8.18 DMCI Holdings 12.96 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

8.10 Forum Pacific 0.200 GT Capital 1340 House of Inv. 6.16 JG Summit Holdings 71.30 Jolliville Holdings 3.83 Lopez Holdings Corp.

8 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.77 LT Group 15.62 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 7.13 Pacifica `A’ 0.0370 Prime Orion 1.900 San Miguel Corp `A’ 81.00 SM Investments Inc. 665.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.20 Top Frontier 233.600 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3050 Wellex Industries 0.1930 8990 HLDG Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

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

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

Primex Corp.

7.400 6.80 1.11 2.300 0.270 36.200 2.76 0.570 1.25 1.050 0.150 0.660 53.8 0.750 0.98 1.78 1.15 4.20 4.25 0.168 0.2700 3.41

High

Low

FINANCIAL 0.5 3.35 48 46.5 110.00 107.30 103.10 102.00 38 37.8 3.90 3.78 1.42 1.30 16.8 16.2 19.06 18.96 6.70 6.70 0.67 0.67 1.96 1.96 0.960 0.860 85 82.7 0.87 0.86 14.1 14.1 56.55 55.50 154 150 266 259.2 36 35.75 224.2 218.8 1506.00 1490.00 75.50 74.00 INDUSTRIAL 46.5 45.1 4.04 3.93 0.98 0.92 1.49 1.42 15.62 15 75.95 63.2 200.00 195.00 11.02 10.86 15.84 15.5 110 100 23.5 23 60.5 60 2.1 2.05 6.6 6.2 12.34 12.2 11.380 10.980 7.43 7.34 5.94 5.83 7.33 7.26 1.8 1.76 23.5 22.95 71.5 70.65 16.20 16.10 6.05 5.92 2.050 2.000 247.20 242.20 85.00 64.00 1.95 1.94 4.27 4.15 26.95 26.25 31.3 30.9 28 27.2 15 14.88 288.60 283.00 0.245 0.241 3.1 3.09 10.68 10.50 11.48 11.48 2.25 2.15 5.96 5.83 1.47 1.46 3.5 3.41 4.20 4.16 3.39 3.39 219.8 216 0.150 0.145 1.74 1.67 176.9 175.3 4.59 4.31 2.17 2.1 1.19 1.18

Close 3.5 48 110.00 103.00 38 3.90 1.42 16.8 19.04 6.70 0.67 1.96 0.870 85 0.86 14.1 56.30 154 266 36 223.6 1490.00 75.20

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.00 0.00 2.33 0.49 0.00 3.17 9.23 1.20 0.32 1.36 -1.47 8.29 -10.31 2.60 -1.15 0.71 0.36 0.00 2.31 0.56 2.19 -1.00 0.27

27,000 194,800 3,972,250 1,218,780 1,753,200 81,000 256,000 700 236,200 100 319,000 5,000 27,499,000 4,212,170 11,090,000 20,100 41,980 17,860 1,470 195,500 1,305,290 960 94,420

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 2720 8.41

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 1600 5.95

1.97 119.5 7 5.8 12.5 0.017

1.23 102.6 3.01 4 8.72 0.011

-40,000.00 -41,778,208.00 -3,878,048.00

0.8200 2.2800 5.93

0.041 1.200 2.34

-2,553,705.00 2,193,909

12.28 3.32 95.5 2.46 15.2

6.5 1.91 3.1 1.8 6

1.040 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 1.14

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

70 525

33 500

515 8.21 111

480 5.88 101

1047 84.8

1011 75

6,197,245.00 -4,043,008 -9,995,705.00 34,116,400.00 14,000.00 849,060.00

-49,380.00 -42,254,002.50 561,731.50 1,540.00

Close

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

High

Low

29.00 1.6 3.25 26.10 1.07 1.000 5.120

30.60 29.00 1.6 1.58 3.3 3.24 27.80 26.20 1.06 1.04 1.000 1.000 5.280 5.090 SERVICES 2GO Group’ 7.56 7.79 7.56 ABS-CBN 48.1 48.05 47.8 Acesite Hotel 1.35 1.41 1.27 APC Group, Inc. 0.520 0.520 0.500 Asian Terminals Inc. 11.7 10.52 10.52 Berjaya Phils. Inc. 5.45 5.43 5.21 Bloomberry 4.90 5.16 4.99 Boulevard Holdings 0.0870 0.0870 0.0850 Calata Corp.

3.3 3.3 3.2 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 107 107.5 106.1 Centro Esc. Univ.

9.7 9.95 9.95 Discovery World 2.5 2.5 2.5 DFNN Inc. 6.85 6.84 6.65 Globe Telecom 1870 1948 1869 GMA Network Inc. 6.22 6.28 6.21 Golden Haven 13.96 13.94 13.52 Harbor Star 2.06 2.17 2.07 I.C.T.S.I. 75.05 78 75 Imperial Res. `A’ 16.54 17.30 17.10 Imperial Res. `B’ 136 136 136 IPeople Inc. `A’ 11.7 11.7 11.7 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.0099 0.0097 0.0091 IPM Holdings 9.22 9.23 9.22 Island Info 0.212 0.225 0.213 ISM Communications 1.4500 1.4700 1.4200 Jackstones 3.3 3.5 3.3 LBC Express 12.26 12.5 12.24 Leisure & Resorts 4.95 5.05 4.89 Liberty Telecom 2.20 2.19 2.01 Manila Broadcasting 23.40 23.40 22.05 Manila Jockey 2 2 2 Melco Crown 3.9 4.02 3.8 Metro Retail 4.89 4.90 4.83 NOW Corp.

2.980 3.070 2.970 Pacific Online Sys. Corp. 11.3 11.3 11.28 PAL Holdings Inc. 5.10 5.16 5.16 Phil. Seven Corp.

147.00 137.00 135.20 Philweb.Com Inc. 8.90 8.90 8.56 PLDT Common 1595.00 1641.00 1596.00 PremiereHorizon 0.405 0.405 0.400 Premium Leisure 1.060 1.060 1.040 Puregold 41.00 41.30 40.75 Robinsons RTL 71.95 72.60 72.00 SBS Phil. Corp.

5.67 5.80 5.64 SSI Group 2.76 2.85 2.76 STI Holdings 0.770 0.820 0.760 Travellers 3.25 3.29 3.24 Yehey 5.240 5.400 5.000 MINING & OIL Abra Mining 0.0036 0.0037 0.0035 Apex `A’ 2.99 3.00 2.95 Atlas Cons. `A’ 4.00 3.97 3.94 Atok-Big Wedge `A’ 10.46 10.44 9.63 Basic Energy Corp.

0.213 0.213 0.211 Benguet Corp `A’ 2.1400 2.15 2.0200 Century Peak Metals Hldgs0.57 0.63 0.58 Coal Asia 0.380 0.400 0.360 Dizon 8.28 8.50 8.11 Ferronickel 1.060 1.120 1.060 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.260 0.265 0.255 Lepanto `A’ 0.189 0.193 0.188 Lepanto `B’ 0.191 0.196 0.195 Manila Mining `A’ 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 Manila Mining `B’ 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 1.4 1.7 1.41 Nickelasia 7.06 7.42 6.98 Nihao Mineral Resources 2.89 2.88 2.79 Oriental Peninsula Res. 0.8600 0.9000 0.8600 Oriental Pet. `A’ 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 4.10 4.25 4.24 Philex `A’ 8.14 8.16 8.08 PhilexPetroleum 4.16 4.24 4.00 Philodrill Corp. `A’ 0.0120 0.0130 0.0120 Semirara Corp.

126.00 128.50 124.50 TA Petroleum 3.2 3.18 3.16 United Paragon 0.0097 0.0097 0.0090 PREFERRED ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 47.8 48.05 47.8 Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ 535 535 535 DD Pref 103.6 103.7 103.5 GLOBE PREF P 540 522 508 GMA Holdings Inc. 5.98 6.2 5.98 MWIDE PREF 113 108 108 PCOR-Preferred B 115 110.8 110.8 PF Pref 2 1018 1020 1018 SMC Preferred C 81 82.5 80.9 SMC Preferred D 76.4 76.4 76.4 SMC Preferred E 78.2 78 78 SMC Preferred F 79 79 78.3 SMC Preferred G 79 78 78 SMC Preferred H 77 77 76 SMC Preferred I 77.8 77.75 77.25 WARRANTS & BONDS LR Warrant 2.350 2.370 2.310 SME Alterra Capital 3.54 3.79 3.45 Makati Fin. Corp.

3 3.1 2.9 Italpinas 3.83 4.26 3.9 Xurpas 11.94 12 11.8 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS First Metro ETF 121.8 124.9 121.6

MS

0.375 0.360 79.00 74.50 15.28 14.98 1.25 1.25 6.10 6.01 0.345 0.330 857.5 838.5 8.39 8.17 13.40 12.94 8.10 8.05 0.212 0.200 1419 1339 6.27 6.16 76.00 71.05 3.81 3.76 8.2 7.9 0.78 0.77 15.7 15.46 7.16 7.08 0.0370 0.0370 1.980 1.960 81.00 79.75 692.00 666.50 1.22 1.19 233.800 231.000 0.3050 0.3050 0.2020 0.1930 PROPERTY 7.400 7.220 6.70 6.70 1.12 1.07 2.370 2.260 0.270 0.265 37.350 36.150 2.88 2.69 0.600 0.570 1.21 1.08 1.070 1.060 0.152 0.147 0.690 0.620 54.95 53.6 0.740 0.740 1.00 0.98 1.82 1.77 1.14 1.10 4.22 4.20 4.32 4.18 0.184 0.170 0.2700 0.2500 3.47 3.3

46.3 4 0.93 1.45 15.62 74.9 195.00 10.98 15.66 109 23.45 60 2.1 6.6 12.34 11.380 7.40 5.90 7.31 1.8 23.5 70.8 16.20 6 2.050 246.00 79.80 1.94 4.15 26.95 31.05 28 14.9 284.00 0.245 3.1 10.60 11.48 2.25 5.96 1.47 3.45 4.18 3.39 216 0.147 1.73 176.1 4.59 2.12 1.19

1.09 0.76 -2.11 2.84 0.13 18.70 16.77 0.55 1.03 9.00 -0.21 0.00 1.45 6.45 1.15 3.83 1.65 0.51 0.14 -1.64 0.21 -0.21 0.00 1.35 1.49 3.97 0.00 -1.02 -0.72 -1.64 -0.64 2.38 0.27 0.28 -3.92 -0.64 0.95 -0.52 2.27 0.17 0.68 1.47 0.48 0.00 -1.73 1.38 2.37 0.34 -0.65 -0.47 -3.25

2,078,100 1,678,000 4,519,000 838,000 500 2,370 640 8,325,800 3,370,900 150 373,500 116,790 390,000 886,600 24,400 5,546,200 3,017,600 11,887,700 54,700 32,000 1,435,000 36,880 18,900 1,092,800 500,000 517,230 2,910 10,000 20,000 1,900 2,394,600 317,100 2,651,100 820,290 900,000 4,911,000 2,115,200 800 1,018,000 244,500 61,000 167,000 20,149,000 1,000 2,200 2,780,000 359,000 2,453,130 4,000 4,007,000 32,000

0.375 79.00 15.24 1.25 6.10 0.345 856 8.33 13.20 8.05 0.200 1410 6.27 76.00 3.76 8.2 0.77 15.7 7.1 0.0370 1.970 80.90 692.00 1.19 233.800 0.3050 0.2020

1.35 4.57 0.79 -2.34 1.50 0.00 1.30 1.83 1.85 -0.62 0.00 5.22 1.79 6.59 -1.83 2.50 0.00 0.51 -0.42 0.00 3.68 -0.12 4.06 -0.83 0.09 0.00 4.66

90,000 2,275,930 7,192,900 28,000 8,000 440,000 363,220 887,300 12,801,900 395,100 170,000 152,545 300 4,053,390 10,000 1,888,200 51,000 11,374,000 43,848,900 5,900,000 106,000 161,990 610,870 43,000 6,730 40,000 1,060,000

7.250 6.70 1.07 2.370 0.265 37.250 2.86 0.600 1.21 1.070 0.151 0.640 54.2 0.740 1.00 1.79 1.14 4.20 4.28 0.180 0.2700 3.42

-2.03 -1.47 -3.60 3.04 -1.85 2.90 3.62 5.26 -3.20 1.90 0.67 -3.03 0.74 -1.33 2.04 0.56 -0.87 0.00 0.71 7.14 0.00 0.29

374,300 200 2,193,000 950,000 1,600,000 15,122,200 1,106,000 7,320,000 328,000 16,000 4,910,000 60,010,000 385,670 100,000 806,000 6,934,000 430,000 34,000 40,958,000 209,550,000 490,000 471,000

-68,260 -39,200,278.00 1,993,112.00

55,482,470.00 1,205,990.00 10,340.00 14,500.00

34,216.00 18,779,826.00 -10,958,425.00 -14,565,412.00 -128,322.00

-13,485,670.00 -570,723.50 77,290.00

70,752,026.00

24,354,650.00 -5,553,125.00 25,719,300.00 -103,407,564.00

2,062,940.00 -3,156,568.00 9,184.00 -162,280.00 2,920.00 6,820.00 -63,020.00

-193,248.00 149,880.00

-299,434,199 -580,810.00

80,167,977.50 -72,225,944.00

-18,945,740 3,218,006.00 9,966,534.00 -2,710,032.00 4,000.00 95,852,920.00

117,516,586.50 -4,623,819.00 45,739,880.00 -97,252,369.00 -11,100.00 -992,446.00 162,764,430.00

-1,575,969.00

-108,729,535.00 34,810.00 2,775,890.00 54,450.00 -642,560.00 591,504.00

6.98

0.8900

15

3.5

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

53,098,866

INDUSTRIAL

92,216,766

HOLDING FIRMS

94,443,989

990.00 4,682,400.00 5,550.00

PROPERTY

-96,976,260.00 -11,020.00

SERVICES

354,906,991

MINING & OIL

373,161,744

9,900.00

GRAND TOTAL

1,353,102,919

380,826,777

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

30.60 1.59 3.3 27.80 1.05 1.000 5.280

5.52 -0.63 1.54 6.51 -1.87 0.00 3.13

2,808,700 321,000 24,000 14,963,500 1,232,000 1,000 6,692,800

-20,141,555.00 9,400.00

7.6 48 1.41 0.520 10.52 5.43 5.05 0.0850 3.2 107 9.95 2.5 6.82 1940 6.23 13.78 2.12 78 17.30 136 11.7 0.0093 9.23 0.222 1.4500 3.44 12.46 5.01 2.12 22.55 2 4.02 4.84 3.050 11.3 5.16 137.00 8.60 1640.00 0.405 1.050 41.00 72.00 5.75 2.83 0.790 3.24 5.300

0.53 -0.21 4.44 0.00 -10.09 -0.37 3.06 -2.30 -3.03 0.00 2.58 0.00 -0.44 3.74 0.16 -1.29 2.91 3.93 4.59 0.00 0.00 -6.06 0.11 4.72 0.00 4.24 1.63 1.21 -3.64 -3.63 0.00 3.08 -1.02 2.35 0.00 1.18 -6.80 -3.37 2.82 0.00 -0.94 0.00 0.07 1.41 2.54 2.60 -0.31 1.15

131,900 19,400 102,000 2,802,000 100 7,900 34,237,000 48,110,000 913,000 689,000 200 2,000 33,000 84,235 30,400 100,600 3,164,000 1,160,730 10,800 20 1,500 133,000,000 483,000 30,800,000 465,000 23,000 113,800 374,000 964,000 5,500 20,000 7,477,000 9,445,000 1,250,000 9,300 500 190 2,650,100 198,675 1,200,000 12,388,000 2,735,300 1,520,460 66,900 658,000 55,575,000 338,000 234,600

0.0037 3.00 3.97 10.44 0.213 2.1000 0.61 0.400 8.48 1.110 0.255 0.192 0.196 0.0110 0.0110 1.63 7.34 2.88 0.9000 0.0110 4.25 8.15 4.04 0.0130 124.50 3.16 0.0097

2.78 0.33 -0.75 -0.19 0.00 -1.87 7.02 5.26 2.42 4.72 -1.92 1.59 2.62 0.00 0.00 16.43 3.97 -0.35 4.65 0.00 3.66 0.12 -2.88 8.33 -1.19 -1.25 0.00

70,000,000 122,000 730,000 400 140,000 343,000 1,087,000 1,470,000 8,100 175,475,000 270,000 6,990,000 250,000 3,600,000 100,000 3,713,000 4,926,400 61,000 79,000 6,200,000 2,000 819,900 9,871,000 79,600,000 1,133,240 14,000 6,000,000

48 535 103.5 508 5.98 108 110.8 1020 82.5 76.4 78 78.3 78 77 77.25

0.42 0.00 -0.10 -5.93 0.00 -4.42 -3.65 0.20 1.85 0.00 -0.26 -0.89 -1.27 0.00 -0.71

469,700 1,000 30,710 4,080 65,100 1,400 90 42,000 2,470 56,000 170 78,130 4,430 42,510 299,530

2.340

-0.43

258,000

3.57 2.94 4.12 11.84

0.85 -2.00 7.57 -0.84

2,648,000 36,000 548,000 1,188,100

-390.00

124.9

2.55

24,900

-99,225.00

53,798,220.00 5,250.00 -6,548,362.00

111,589,240.00 102,000.00 64,300.00 34,081,082.00

64,380,635.00 728.00 -1,371,530.00 -10,020,878.50

9,400.00 22,300.00 12,460.00 1,115,750 -21,600.00 3,537,280.00 -17,024,980.00

6,760.00 -135,662.00 88,296,260.00 -649,950.00 -30,110,085.00 -73,246,365.00 -195,050.00 16,642,590.00 52,200.00 36,000.00 -2,865,040.00 21,300.00

-19,491,350.00

-142,680.00 10,948,790.00

169,848.00 1,233,050.00 -16,058,609.00

-20,582,340.00

-299,290.00

184,440.00 1,095,405.00

-6,611,180.00

VALUE 1,806.90 (up) 27.43 1,385,408,733.162 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,643.65 (up) 129.26 1,531,660,441.75 HOLDING FIRMS 7,665.97 (up) 248.79 2,270,036,657.61 PROPERTY 3,347.23 (up) 126.37 SERVICES 1,450.99 (up) 31.61 1,430,098,145.125 MINING & OIL 11,352.49 (up) 84.19 1,271,272,394.69 PSEI 7,571.15 (up) 212.94 434,424,773.5254 All Shares Index 4,460.38 (up) 92.81 8,352,141,254.212 Gainers: 123; Losers: 68; Unchanged: 35; Total: 226

RFM’s income up 9% to P683m

By Jenniffer B. Austria RFM Corp., the food and beverage company owned by the Concepcion family, said net income in the first nine months increased 9 percent to P683 million from a year ago.

RFM said in a disclosure to the stock exchange ninemonth revenues rose 3.8 percent to P8.73 billion from P8.41 billion recorded in the same period last year.

RFM president and chief executive Jose Concepcion III said sales of branded consumer goods under Selecta ice cream, Fiesta pasta and Selecta Milk posted strong growth in January to September.

The company said despite the onset of La Niña phenomenon, ice cream sales sustained a double-digit rise behind the push for availability, affordability and visibility.

Pasta-business also showed a positive growth with the introduction of pasta-and-sauce spaghetti dish bundle.

Meanwhile, the soft prices in the flour business weighed down on revenue growth in the nine-month period. The discontinuation of traded products under Dole brand offset the growth in the consumer business to a small extent, it said.

RFM said for the rest of the year, it expected to sustain the 9-percent income growth, supported by the launch of the Royal pastaand-sauce dish pack and the growth momentum of Fiesta pasta, milk and ice cream sales.

BDO raises $300m

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender controlled by tycoon Henry Sy, raised $300 million from the issuance of fixed-rate senior notes under its medium-term note program.

BDO said in a statement Tuesday the transaction was three-times oversubscribed due to strong demand mostly from Asian investors. A source from the bank said “ it was an overnight placement” with the settlement date on Oct. 24, 2016.

“With demand coming primarily from Asian investors, the transaction was three times oversubscribed and is the lowest ever coupon for any US dollar bond for a Philippine issuer,” the bank said.

The bank said the issue was priced at 2.63 percent with a maturity of five years. The bonds were rated Baa2 (investment grade) by Moody’s Investors Service.

Standard Chartered Bank and UBS AG acted as joint lead arrangers for the transaction.

BDO said the issuance was a part of its liability management initiatives to tap longer-term funding sources to support dollar-denominated projects and effectively refinancing outstanding bonds worth $300 million maturing in February next year.

Global debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service assigned a provisional investment grade rating of Baa2 to the $2-billion medium-term note program that was established by BDO in 2012. The rating also applied to BDO branch in Hong Kong.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Moody’s sees GDP growing by 6.5%

By Julito G. Rada

7-ELEVEN PARTNER. World-leading convenience store chain brand 7-Eleven, through its exclusive local licensor Philippine Seven Corp.,

signs an agreement with Philippine National Bank for the construction of a 7-Eleven Convenience Store at the PNB Building along Corrales corner T. Chaves St. in Cagayan de Oro City. Signing the contract are (seated, from left) Ulysses Borral, PSC regional operations manager; Eugenio Tamayo III, head of Carp and leasing department of PNB; and Evelyn Enriquez, head of legal and corporate services division.

Govt revives Pasig River ferry project China loan to finance hybrid rice expansion THE Philippines is expected to secure a P20-billion loan from China to finance Philippines hybrid rice expansion to one million hectares to uplift farmers’ lives and reduce poverty.

Release of loan proceeds could be accelerated in time for the rainy season planting, said SL Agritech Corp. chairman Henry Lim Bon Liong, a member of the delegation accompanying President Rodrigo Duterte in his state visit to China.

“We can get a soft loan from China to fund the one million hectares of hybrid rice expansion. This is from the Chinese government,” said Lim. The Department of Agriculture has committed to achieve rice sufficiency by expanding the country’s hybrid rice area to one million hectares.

The DA’s current budget for the expansion, however, has run out. But since hybrid rice planting is highly economically viable, a soft loan can well fund the expansion. ”It will be a fund for our agricultural development for seeds. (Anyway), that’s only $500 million.”

The dry season planting (for harvest in March-May 2017) has already started, but the DA does not have the money right now to award a seed subsidy to farmers.

“We have to capitalize on this present dry season,” said Lim.

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said it is reviving the Pasig River Ferry Service Project as an alternative mode of transport in the metropolis.

Transportation Undersecretary for maritime sector Felipe Judan said the agency completed a preliminary assessment of the Pasig River inland terminal operations and the review of the economic and financial data based on the Manila-Pasig-Laguna Ferry Service study.

Judan added the Transportation Department also obtained inputs from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

on the revival of the Pasig River Ferry Service.

The Transportation Department, MMDA and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission were behind the Pasig River Ferry Service Project, which was financed by an Asian Development Bank loan.

Before it shut down in 2011, the project had 17 stations and two lines, the first of which was the Pasig River Line that stretched from Plaza Mexico in Intramuros, Manila to Nagpayong station in Pasig City.

The second line was the Marikina River Line, which served the Guadalupe station in Makati City up to Santa Elena

station in Marikina City.

Christopher Pastrana, chairman of Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp., said his company was interested to help the government revive the operations of the Pasig River Ferry Service.

“Actually, we are studying the Pasig River Ferry Service since the new administration came in.

I think this is one of the priorities of the secretary to open the Pasig River Ferry Service to address the traffic,” Pastrana said, referring to Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade.

“We are submitting a proposal together with some big companies to improve these terminals,” he said.

APFC is the operator of FastCat roll-on/roll-off ferries in the country.

FastCat current routes include Batangas to Clapan, Mindoro; Bulalacao, Mindoro-Caticlan, Aklan; Matnog, Sorsogon-San Isidro, Northern Samar; Bacolod-Iloilo, Liloan, Leyte-Lipata, Surigao; San Carlos, Negros Occidental-Toledo, Cebu and Dumaguete, Negros OrientalDapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

G

LOBAL debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service raised its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6.5 percent from an earlier assumption of 6.2 percent, due mainly the government’s higher fiscal expenditures, robust private investments and consumer spending.

We expect the largely domestic drivers of growth to remain intact over the next year. Government spending should stay accommodative on the back of efforts to improve budget execution, while the outlook for private investment is robust, Moody’s said in a report Tuesday.

It said private consumption could slow, as firming oil prices pass through to marginally higher inflation. But it said robust real income growth would continue to support consumer spending.

Overall, we expect real GDP growth to remain at around 6.5 percent in 2016 and 2017, up from 5.9 percent in 2015, Moody’s said.

The economy grew 6.8 percent in the first quarter before accelerating further to 7 percent in the second quarter driven mainly by election-related spending, robust consumer demand and investments. This brought the first-half average to 6.9 percent, which is near the upper bound of the Duterte administration target range of 6 percent to 7 percent.

Moody’s also said the Philippines economic and fiscal fundamentals remained sound despite the persistence of credit challenges, including low government revenue and infrastructure deficiencies.

Moody’s conclusions were contained in its recently-released credit analysis titled “Government of Philippines— aa2 stable,” which examined the sovereign in four categories such as economic strength, which is assessed as “high”; institutional strength “moderate (+)”; fiscal strength “moderate (-)”; and susceptibility to event risk “low”.

The credit watchdog said political risks in the country have become less predictable.

In terms of the economy, low and stable inflation—ided by global oil prices—as supported robust private consumption.

The pick-up in government spending over the past year has also stimulated capital formation without derailing debt consolidation. And, the strength of domestic demand and services exports will provide a strong buffer to external headwinds to merchandise trade and remittance growth over the next one to two years, Moody’s said.

Moody’s said the report was an annual update to investors and not a rating action.

Moody’s assessment of the Philippines’ rating incorporated the assumption that economic and fiscal governance will be anchored by the administration’s 10-point Socioeconomic Development Agenda.

Three vendors arrested in Tarlac for selling fake cigarettes PHILIPPINE National Police officers arrested three more fake cigarette vendors in Barangay Sta. Barbara, Victoria, Tarlac as the government continues to tighten its belt against contraband products.

Loriza Guerrero, 29, of Matias District, Talavera, Nueva Ecija; Romart Bondoc, 16, of Barangay Pula, Talavera, Nueva Ecija and a 13-year-old minor were taken into police custody after they were caught in the act of

selling fake Mighty Corp. and Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. products such as Mighty, Marvels, Marlboro and Fortune Cigarettes.

Police officers PO3 Homer Puzon and PO1 Ely Cinense acted immediately on the complaint of a concerned citizen about a suspicious unmarked Mitsubishi L300 FB vehicle with plate number RNF-913 in Victoria, which turned out to be loaded with fake cigarettes.

The policemen intercepted the suspects’ vehicle along VictoriaLicab road that yielded multiple boxes containing 600 reams of different Mighty and PMFTC brand cigarettes.

Authorities brought the suspects and the contraband to the Victoria Police Station and immediately contacted both cigarette companies. A Mighty representative later confirmed the products as fake.

The suspects were later

charged with violating Section 155 (trademark infringement) with Case No. 5648-2016 and NPS Docket No. 111-18INQ-16-3-0485 in relation to Section 170 of Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.

However, the 13-year-old was subsequently released from the PNP-Victoria station pursuant to Republic Act 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act) while the

16-year-old Bondoc was found to have acted with discernment of the crime charged against him.

Despite numerous warnings from authorities, unscrupulous traders continue to smuggle, distribute and sell counterfeit cigarettes.

NBI agents in August nabbed Fortunato Gatmaitan of Peryas, Barangay La Torre, Talavera after he was caught in possession of 692 reams of fake Mighty and Marvels cigarettes.

Duterte also facing exodus of Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia

By Karl Lester M. Yap AFTER two years working in Saudi Arabia, Arman Abelarde packed his bags in September and went home to the Philippines, joining an exodus of foreign workers who have been a major source of labor in the Arab Gulf for half a century.

Abelarde made panel boards in Riyadh, but his company, like many in the kingdom, is firing staff as government contracts dry up, victims of the oil slump.

“I never imagined this would happen―that Saudi would just collapse,” said Abelarde, 47, taking a break from painting a two-story house in Manila, one of many odd jobs he’s taken to feed his family of five since he returned. “There were no more projects. Companies were closing left and right.”

For generations of Filipinos, Saudi Arabia was a land of golden opportunity, awash with oil revenue that funded massive subsidies and construction projects. As the world economy boomed and oil soared above $140 a barrel, so did Saudi lar-

gesse. The party ended as crude crashed to less than $30, forcing the government to embark on big spending cuts.

The reaction in Saudi Arabia reflects a shift against imported labor that is rippling across the world, from anti-immigrant Brexit supporters in the UK to the build-a-wall rhetoric of Donald Trump in the US and a clampdown on migrant labor in countries like Singapore, Thailand and South Korea.

One of the hardest-hit places is the Philippines, adding another headache for new President Rodrigo Duterte. Saudi Arabia was the top destination for Filipino workers abroad, and hundreds of thousands more went to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other oil-dependent economies in the region. The money sent home by more than 10 million expat workers around the world accounts for 10 percent of the Philippine economy.

“The Philippines became a little too dependent on jobs from the Middle East,” said Emilio Neri, an economist at Bank of the Philippine Islands in Manila.

“Now that the region is suffer-

SAUDI ARABIA IS TOP DESTINATION Philippines deployed 1.4 million workers abroad in 2014

105,737 HONG KONG 114,511 QATAR

402,837

SAUDI ARABIA 140,205 SINGAPORE 246,231 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

SOURCE: Philippine Overseas Employment Administrator Data as of 2014

ing, it won’t be able to absorb as much labor as they used to and the outlook for remittances is deteriorating.”

10-year low

More than 8,000 Filipinos lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia this year, the foreign affairs department estimated, threatening a flow of funds that has been both

BLOOMBERG

a pillar of consumer spending for families of expat workers and a stable source of foreign exchange.

Making things worse is the

weakening of another pillar of overseas employment―hiring for merchant and cruise ships.

Demand for seafarers fell 44 percent in January to July from a year earlier, the central bank said. Philippine mariners account for about a quarter of the 1.5 million seafarers worldwide.

The World Bank in a report this month forecast remittances to the Philippines will increase 2.2 percent to $29 billion this year, the slowest pace in a decade. The funds have become erratic, jumping more than 16 percent in August year-on-year, after contracting 5.4 percent in July. The monthly data has declined in five of the past 13 months.

“Remittances have become much more volatile,” said Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian economic research at HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong.

“Low oil prices are putting a squeeze on remittances from the Middle East, which is a major source, while sluggish freight trade is weighing on sea-based remittances.”

Bloomberg

LGUs

P13.8-m marijuana uprooted in Agusan

By John Paolo Bencito CAMP EVANGELISTA—The joint anti-illegal drug operation of the 26th Infantry Battalion and the Loreto Municipal Police Station discovered two more marijuana plantations at the outskirts of Purok Bagul, Sitio Mactan, Brgy. Kasapa 1, Loreto, Agusan del Sur at 11:00 a.m. of October 15.

The 29,000 full-grown marijuana plants uprooted from the first site and 26,100 plants from the second were immediately turned over to the Provincial Police Office. The 54,600 fully grown marijuana have an estimated value of P13,775,000.

Recently, a joint operation seized a shabu den in Bunawan town of Agusan del Sur. Lt. Colonel Rommel Pagayon, 26th IB commanding officer, said that “because of our strong coordination with the PNP we are successful in our operations. Just recently, we seized 4.6 million worth of shabu and arrested two drug personalities in Bunawan town. I could barely imagine the devastating effect of these illegal drugs when it falls in the hands of the people especially the innocent ones.”

Pagayon added that “I will not let these illegal activities to thrive in my area of responsibility. We will double or even triple our efforts just to ensure my area will be free from any kinds of illegal activities especially the illegal drug proliferation.”

It can be noted that the operation was conducted after the three-day Law Enforcement Operations Trainers Training held at the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City on October 10 to 13 this year.

For his part, Major Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., 4th ID commander, said “I once again congratulate our troops and our PNP counterpart. This is a very big achievement considering that the amount of seized marijuana could possibly destroy thousands of innocent lives. I urge everyone to give all the necessary information that would lead us to the location of these illegal activities. Together, we can solve this illegal drug menace and save our next generation.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

BEACHCOMBER. A young boy watches his mother finish cleaning the beach front of a resort in Boracay. Teddy Pelaez

Cebu port exceeds BoC target by P336m

By Junex Doronio

C

EBU CITY—For the past nine months, the Port of Cebu of the Bureau of Customs has consistently exceeded its collection target, and it reported a P336-million surplus in the month of September.

Acting Port of Cebu district collector Rico Rey Francis Holganza said the BoC Port of Cebu is the only billionaire port in the country that has consistently exceeded its target collections.

Holganza said revenues they collected from power and fuel imports helped them achieve a collection surplus.

“We in BoC-Cebu were given a target, and records show that we have been doing our job well for the last nine months,” Holganza said.

According to BoC-Cebu data, the office collected P13.714 billion in nine months, which surpassed the nine-month revenue target of P12.95 billion by 5.9 percent.

The other billionaire ports in the country are Manila International Container Port, Batangas, Subic, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Port of Manila and Limay.

Holganza clarified that billionaire ports are those with an assigned collection target of at least P1 billion per month.

Prisoners make ‘parol’ for Davao yuletide decor

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—The local government of Davao has tapped the inmates of the Davao City Jail, women’s groups and various cooperatives to design the city’s Christmas decorations this year.

Museo Dabawenyo chief, Orly Escarilla said Mayor Sara

Duterte-Carpio wanted to employ the city’s inmates and various groups in making “parol” or star-shaped lanterns to give them additional income for their families.

Escarilla said they have discussed with the management of the Davao City Jail, Davao City Cooperatives and City Social Services Development

Office the crafting of 300-350 bamboo lanterns to be hung all over the city.

“The inmates and other groups will be making our lanterns that will be hung in the city streets and bridges,” he said.

Escarilla said that the bamboo lanterns will be four feet tall and 60-centimeters wide.

He added that they have asked

the above mentioned management to directly give the payment to the workers for their income.

“We have asked the managements to give the money directly to the workers, especially to the inmates to help their families,” Escarilla said.

Around 600 bamboo and steel lanterns will be distrib-

uted all over the city at the end of November for the city’s Pasko fiesta.

The lanterns will be hung on San Pedro St., Matina, Bajada, Lanang, R. Castillo, the City Hall, the Sangguniang Panglungsod, the City Hall Annex Building, Museo Dabawenyo, the Pasalubong Center and the People’s Park.

‘Include road safety in class curriculum’

PROTEST. Moro and Indigenous People in their traditional outfits march towards the Department of Justice in Manila to demand the dismissal of trumped-up charges against IPs and prosecution of military violators of human rights especially in Mindanao. N. Araga

MOTORCYCLE manufacturers are calling for the development of a school curriculum that will incorporate road safety awareness.

The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association brought their road safety advocacy activities to San Beda College in Alabang on September 2.

One hundred boy and girl scouts in Grades 3, 5 and 6 were taught to cope with the increasing risks children face on the road daily and to share the knowledge with their schoolmates.

The current five members of the Association: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kymco, are all active participants of the government’s MVDP. “Road accidents involving kids are increasing by the day, and that is alarming,” said MDPPA road safety vice chairman Magnus Mateo. “Streets are like jungles dangerous to kids unless they are properly educated,” Mateo said.

The group pointed out that young pedestrians’ field of vision is limited by their short height.

The scouts learned how to properly cross the street with or without traffic lights, and what to do to ensure safety when walking down the street or doing outdoor activities.

The MDPPA team also discussed road visibility during bad weather, and drivers’ blind spots, and how the scouts can be more attentive during these situations.

MDPPA has been conducting road safety seminars in different schools since 2013, and has trained around 300 students all over the country in street safety.

For more details on MDPPA’s road safety advocacy and upcoming seminar schedules, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ MDPPA.Official/ or follow https://twitter.com/MDPPA_Inc. The association was established in 1973 to apply the basic principles of the MVDP implemented by the Board of Investments. In 1987, new MVDP guidelines were finalized and program name was, likewise, changed to Motorcycle Development Program. The association adopted its present name in 1989.

Malaysian companies eye Davao City investments

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—A number of Malaysian companies are exploring the possibility of investing in Davao City.

Lemuel Ortonio, chief of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), said the Malaysians flew to Davao last week to look at business op-

portunities in the city.

Prior to the visit from October 13 to October 14, the Malaysians attended the Information Technology event-Livelihood Exchange (LIVEX 2016)-in Zamboanga City from October 10 to October 11.

Ortonio said the Malaysians are interested in the areas of logistics, information

technology and entrepreneurship and aim to enhance the capabilities of small and medium enterprises in Davao City.

The Malaysians also met with officials of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. The Malaysian investors included MAD Incubator, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s ‘leading and largest private busi-

ness incubation company.’ Avere Ventures, iKargo, and Infotech Computer Center also joined the delegation.

“The Davao market exploration by Malaysian investors is a welcome opportunity for us,” Ortonio said. “For one, their proposed investments are matched with the need for strengthening businesses here in the city, espe-

cially SME logistics.”

The visit also solidifies Davao City’s increasing potential as the gateway for trade and commerce between Malaysia and other nations in the BIMP-Eaga Region, he said.

BIMB-Eaga stands for Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

Republic of the Philippines

TODAY ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT BETWEEN DAVAO DEL SUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. AND MAPALAD POWER CORPORATION, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY,

1.1 Capital Recovery Fee (CRF) CRF shall be computed as follows: CRF = CRFR x ED Where: CRF = Capital Recovery Fee, in Pesos CRFR

=

Php 250.18 (hours in the Billing Month)

ED

=

kWh delivered during the Billing Month

RATE IMPLICATIONS OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT 27. In order to determine the impact of the implementation of the PSA on DASURECO’s generation costs, an analysis was conducted taking into consideration DASURECO’s projected demand and available supply from other suppliers.

A copy of the said analysis is attached hereto as Annex “T.” 28. The procurement of additional supply from MPC will help provide much needed peaking power to DASURECO and, based on the analysis, will resuIt in an upward adjustment of Php 0.2913/kWh in DASURECO’s total generation costs.

1.2 Fixed Operation & Maintenance Fee (FOMF) ERC CASE NO. 2016-083 RC

The Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee (FOMF) covers the operating and maintenance costs of the MPC Power Station. It shall be computed according to the following formula:

DAVAO DEL SUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. AND MAPALAD POWER CORPORATION Applicants.

29. The results of the said analysis are summarized in the table below.

Supplier

Notice is hereby given that on 29 April 2016, Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DASURECO) and Mapalad Power Corporation (MPC) filed a Joint Application for Approval of the Power Sales Agreement with Prayer for Provisional Authority.

In the said Application, DASURECO and MPC alleged the following: THE APPLICANTS 1.

2.

Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“DASURECO”) is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative organized and existing under and by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 269, as amended, with office address at Brgy.

Cogon, Digos City, Davao del Sur. DASURECO has a franchise to distribute electricity in Digos City, and the Municipalities of Magsaysay, Sulop, Jose Abad Santos, Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Malalag, Don Marcelino, Bansalan, Padada, Sta. Maria, Sarangani, Matanao, Kiblawan and Malita, all In the province of Davao del Sur. Mapalad Power Corporation (“MPC”) is a generation company duly authorized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal address at 4th Floor, Alphaland Southgate Tower, 2258 Chino Roces Ave. corner EDSA, Makati City.

Copies of MPC’s Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Incorporation, ByLaws, latest General Information Sheet and Audited Financial Statements for the year 2015 are attached hereto as Annexes “A” and series.

3.

Joint Applicants may be served orders and other processes through their respective counsel.

NATURE OF THE APPLICATION

4.

Pursuant to Rule 20 (B) of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, approved by this Honorable Commission on 22 June 2006 in Resolution No. 38, Series of 2006, this Application is submitted to this Honorable Commission for its review and approval of the Power Sales Agreement (“PSA”) dated 26 April 2016 between DASURECO and MPC.

Where: FOMF

=

Fixed O&M Fee, in Pesos

FOMR

=

Php 217.62 (hours in the Billing Month)

ED

=

kWh delivered during the Billing Month

CPIn

=

Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/ NSO for the period of price determination

CPIo

=

Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for June 2010 (at 115.9, 2006 = 100)

WPCn

WPCo

=

Euro-Peso Exchange Rate for the period of price determination as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

EUo

=

Euro-Peso Exchange Rate for June 2010 (at P56.5910/ 1Euro) as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

FPPIn FPPIo

= =

Furthermore, Joint Applicants have caused the publication of the present Application in its entirety, excluding its annexes, in a newspaper of general circulation, within DASURECO’s franchise area.

VOMFR =

Variable O&M Fee Rate of Php 0.17/kWh

ED

=

kWh delivered during the Billing Month

Copies of the newspaper and the corresponding affidavit of publication are attached hereto as Annexes “D” and “D-1,” respectively.

CPIn

=

Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for the period of price determination

CPIo

=

Consumer Price Index for Metropolitan Manila Area (National Capital Region), all items published by NEDA/NSO for June 2010 (115.9, 2006 = 100)

EUn

=

Euro-Peso Exchange Rate for the period of price determination as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

EUo

=

Euro-Peso Exchange Rate for June 2010 (at P56.5910/ 1 Euro) as published by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

FPPIn

=

Finland Producers’ Price Index for Manufacturing for the period of price determination as published in the International Financial Statistics of IMF

FPPlo

=

Finland Producers’ Price Index for Manufacturing for June 2010 (at 108.5) as published in the International Financial Statistics of IMF

WPCn

=

Wholesale Price Index for Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials for the Philippines as published by NEDA/NSO for the period of price determination

WPCo

=

Wholesale Price Index for Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials for the Philippines as published by NEDA/NSO for June 2010 (at 518.2)

=

STATEMENT OF FACTS Shortage of Power Supply in the Mindanao Grid. The Mindanao Grid is currently facing a deficit in its power supply. The generating capacity in the Grid is no Ionger sufficient to meet the power requirements of Mindanao.

8.

The insufficiency in the supply of electricity is further aggravated by the recent bombings of the transmission towers in Mindanao, which prevents the delivery of the electricity. Further, the El Niño Phenomenon currently being experienced by the country has drastically reduced the power supply in Mindanao, since it is heavily dependent on hydroelectric power.

9.

As a result, various parts of Mindanao have suffered from significant power outages, adversely affecting local businesses and the daily lives of all electricity consumers.

10. Drastic Reduction in PSALM’s Supply. In addition, the main power supplier in Mindanao significantly reduced its allocations to distribution utilities, further aggravating the power shortage.

10.1. The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (“PSALM”), which took over all the power generation assets of the National Power Corporation (“NPC”) pursuant to Republic Act No. 9136, supplies the bulk of the power requirements of Mindanao.

PSALM likewise supplies a significant portion of DASURECO’s current power supply.

10.2. However, PSALM has significantly reduced its firm supply commitments to distribution utilities in Mindanao, including DASURECO. 10.3. NPC Certification. DASURECO has formally requested NPC for a certification on whether it will have available capacity and energy to supply DASURECO during the term of the PSA. NPC has not yet formally responded to such request.

11. Necessity for Additional Power Supply. In order to ensure sufficient power supply to DASURECO’s customers, the power requirements within the franchise area of DASURECO should be adequately covered by supply contracts.

12. In addition to the reduction in supply from PSALM, the power demand in DASURECO’s franchise area is expected to steadily increase. The expected increase is indicated in DASURECO’s Distribution Development Plan (“DDP”) and supply-demand projections.

Copies of DASURECO’s DDP and supply-demand projections are attached to the Application as Annexes “F” and “G,” respectively: 13. Procurement Process for Supply. Thus, DASURECO executed efforts to procure the appropriate power supply.

14. MPC offered to supply power to DASURECO from its 103 MW bunker C-fired diesel power generating plant located in Iligan City. DASURECO evaluated the offer and, as a result, it executed the PSA with MPC for the supply of power on a non-firm basis.

An affidavit supporting the foregoing is attached hereto as Annex “H.” 15. Demand Side Management. A certification from DASURECO as regards demand side management is attached hereto as Annex “I.” 16. Under the law, no contract for the supply of power can become legally effective unless approved by this Honorable Commission. Hence, this Joint Application.

ABSTRACT OF THE POWER SALES AGREEMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION 17. The Generation Facilities. To supply power under the PSA, MPC shall operate and maintain a bunker C-fired diesel power station with a total net generating capacity of 103 MW, located in Sitio Mapalad, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City, Province of Lanao del Norte (the “MPC Power Plant”).

A brief description of the technical characteristics of the MPC Power Station is attached hereto as Annex “J.” 18. The net heat rate of the MPC Power Station shall not be greater than 0.2464 kg/kWh at plant site condition of 32 deg. C ambient temperature, and is based on the Plant’s use of bunker C fuel oil with a density of 0.9855 kilogram/ liter.

A copy of a certification on the Plant’s net heat rate is attached hereto as Annex “K.” 19. Salient Features of the PSA. 19.1. Supply of Power Requirements. Under the PSA, MPC shall supply or cause to supply to DASURECO the Nominated Capacity and Dispatchable Energy, on a non-firm basis, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the PSA 19.2. MPC shall not be liable to DASURECO for any failure to deliver the Nominated Capacity and Dispatchable Energy and DASURECO shall not be liable to MPC for its inability or refusal to submit the Nominated Capacity.

19.3. In essence, if at any point, DASURECO has unserved power requirements, it may request MPC for supply, and MPC may, if it has available capacity, supply such requirements.

19.4 As it is a non-firm contract, DASURECO shall not be liable for any failure or refusal to request supply, neither shall MPC be liable for any failure to deliver the requested supply, 19.5. Commencement of Supply. The foregoing arrangement shall commence on the date designated by MPC to DASURECO in writing as the date on which the MPC Power Station is ready to commence supply.

19.6. Term. The term of supply and purchase under the PSA shall be for one (1) year from the Effective Date, unless otherwise earlier terminated in accordance with the PSA. 19.7. Effective Date. The obligations under the PSA shall become effective on the earlier of the date when the ERC shall have approved the PSA, or the date the ERC confirms in writing that DASURECO may purchase the Nominated Capacity and Dispatchable Energy from MPC. 20. Purchased Power Rate. For the supply of power by MPC, DASURECO shall pay the monthly payments based on the following formulae: Monthly Payments

I.

The Monthly Payments shall be paid to the Seller on a monthly basis in accordance with the following formula:

where: CRF FOMF VOMF AFC SC Taxes

Monthly Payments = CRF+ FOMF + VOMF + AFC + SC + Taxes = = = = = =

Capital Recovery Fees Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee Actual Fuel Cost Start-Up Costs Value-Added Tax, other applicable taxes and government impositions, if any

2,000,000.00

12,045,386.74

TMI

17.93%

5,256,000.00

20,756,275.20

MPI

20.47%

6,003,000.00

49,898,715.00

100.00%

29,319,000.00

176,579,346.94 Php 6.0227/kWh

FDC

29.88%

8,760,000.00

58,701,780.00

TSI

24.90%

7,300,000.00

35,177,190.00

TUDAYA 2

6.82%

2,000,000.00

12,627,917.22

TMI

17.93%

5,256,000.00

20,756,275.20

MPC

14.43%

4,230,000.00

33,992 ,725.00

6.05%

1,773,000.00

23,863,065.00

100.00%

29,319,000.00

185,118,952.42

Generation rate:

Php 6.3140/kWh

Scenario 1

Php 6.0227/kWh

Scenario 2

Php 6.3140/kWh

Impact: Generation Cost Increase/(Decrease)

Php 0.2913/kWh

Assumptions and notes: 1. VAT is excluded.

2. Total energy is the average of the forecasted monthly energy for the year 2017.

3. FDC and TSI are assumed at 100% Load Factor.

4. Energy from Tudaya 2 is the average monthly energy delivered. The rate applied is based on the applicable Feed-in-Tariff.

5. Energy from TMI is assumed using 60.00%load factor.

6. Energy from MPI is the quantity needed to cover the supply deficit.

7. Fuel price for MPI is at Php 21.00/liter.

8. Fuel price for MPC is at Php 7.21/liter.

MOTION FOR CONFIDENTlAL TREATMENT OF INFORMATION 30. As mentioned above, the financial model attached as Annex “L” is hereby submitted under a motion to treat information confidential.

31. The financial model discloses the basis for the tariff under the PSA. It includes all the formulas and calculations as well as the assumptions and values considered therein.

32. In accordance with Section1, Rule 4 of this Honorable Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“ERC Rules”), Applicant MPC respectfully moves that the financial model be treated as confidential information for the following reasons: 32.1. The financial model qualifies as a “trade secret” as contemplated under existing jurisprudence.

32.2. In the case “Air Philippines Corporation vs. Pennswell Inc,”1 the Supreme Court defined “trade secret” as follows: A trade secret is defined as a plan or process, tool, mechanism or compound known only to its owner and those of his employees to whom it is necessary to confide it. The definition also extends to a secret formula or process not patented, but known only to certain individuals using it in compounding some article of trade having commercial value. A trade secret may consist of any formula, pattern, device, or compilation of information that (1) is used in one’s business; and (2) gives the employer an opportunity to obtain advantage over competitors who do not possess the information. Generally, a trade secret is a process or device intended for continuous operation of the business, for example, a machine or formula, but can be a price list or catalogue or specialized customer list. It is indubitable that trade secrets constitute proprietary rights.”

1.4 Actual Fuel Cost (AFC) The Actual Fuel Cost (AFC) is the fee paid to the Seller as payment for the procurement and delivery of the fuel oil (Bunker C) used in the operation of the MPC Power Station. The Actual Fuel Cost shall be computed as follows:

33. Also, the financial model was prepared and developed for the exclusive use of MPC, and is designed for the specific use of the company in its power generation business. Consequently, should the financial model be disclosed to the public, it could easily be copied or used by MPC’s competitors or other entities engaged in the power business for their own benefit, and to the prejudice of MPC. Thus, the commercial value of the said model will be diminished significantly.

AFC = FC x EC x ED

FC

=

Fuel Cost; The average MOPS price of Bunker C Fuel Oil/Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) deliveries during the period of price determination in Peso/ liter

EC

=

Efficiency Cap;

ED

=

A copy of the said request is attached hereto as Annex “E.”

6.82%

Impact:

Variable O&M Fee, in Pesos

Where:

35,177,190.00

TUDAYA 2

Total:

1.3 Variable Operation & Maintenance Fee (VOMF)

Where: VOMF

58,701,780.00

7,300,000.00

MPI

Finland Producers’ Price Index for Manufacturing for June 2010 (at 108.5) as published in the International Financial Statistics of lMF

The corresponding proofs of receipt are attached hereto as Annexes “C” and series.

8,760,000.00

24.90%

Scenario 2: Average generation mix with MPC

Finland Producers’ Price Index for Manufacturing for the period of price determination as published in the International Financial Statistics of IMF

The Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee (VOMF) covers the cost of the use of, among other items, chemicals, lubricants and spare parts, that are directly related to the generation of the MPC Power Station. It shall be computed according to the following formula:

29.88%

TSI

Generation rate:

Wholesale Price Index for Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials for the Philippines as published by NEDA/NSO for June 2010 (at 518.2,1998=100)

In compliance with Rule 6 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, Joint Applicants have furnished the legislative bodies of each of the local government units where they principally operate a copy of the present Application with all its annexes and accompanying documents.

7.

Amount (PhP)

FDC

Total:

Wholesale Price Index for Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials for the Philippines as published by NEDA/NSO for the period of price determination

=

COMPLIANCE WITH PRE-FILING REQUIREMENTS

6.

=

EUn

A copy of the PSA is attached hereto as Annex “B.”

5.

Energy (kWh)

Scenario 1: Average generation mix without MPC

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Precentage Share

34. Given the foregoing, the financial model qualifies as “confidential information” as defined under Section 2, Rule 4 of the ERC Rules.

35. In accordance with Section 1 (b), Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, an electronic copy of the financial model is contained in one compact disc and submitted in a sealed envelope marked with the word “Confidential.”

0.2464 kg/kwh 0.9855 kg/liter Energy Delivered, kwh

1.5 Start-Up Costs (SC) The Buyer, on a pro rata basis of the capacity of the MPC Power Station allocated to the Buyer,shall pay the Seller Start-Up Costs for the cost of starting up the MPC Power Station after a period of shutdown due to any reason attributable to all the buyers of the Seller. The Start-UpCosts shall be computed based on the prevailing price of diesel fuel at the time of the Start Up and paid in accordance with the following:

36. Further, all parties furnished copies of the present Application are not furnished copies of the documents subject the present motion.

37. In accordance with Sections 3 and 4, Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, Applicant MPC reserves the right to use the financial model and its contents as evidence, and respectfully moves for the issuance of a Protective Order.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

SC = (No. of Cold Start ups x 600 liters x price of Diesel per liter) + (No. of Warm Start ups x 300 liters x price of Diesel per liter) Type of Start-Up

Liters of Diesel Fuel

Cold Start-up (more than 10 hours of shutdown)

600

Warm Start-up (less than 10 hours of shutdown)

300

38. As discussed above, PSALM has significantly reduced its firm supply commitments to DASURECO. Also, supply from PSALM is unreliable as PSALM often delivers much less than its supply allocation to DASURECO. Further, the EI Niño phenomenon currently being experienced by the country has significantly reduced PSALM’s supply, as it is heavily dependent on hydroelectric power.

1.6 Value Added Tax The relative Value Added Taxes (“VAT”) of the above fee payments 12% shall be computed as follows:

39. In addition, the power demand in DASURECO’s franchise area is steadily increasing.

40. Thus, in order of to help ensure sufficiency of power supply to DASURECO’s customers, the supply under the PSA must be available in a timely manner.

VAT = (CRF + FOMF + VOMF + AFC +SC) x 0.12 For reference, a sample computation of the rate is contained in Schedule C of the PSA.

41. Since the MPC Power Plant is already existing and operating, it can readily supply power to DASURECO under the PSA as soon as the prayer for provisional authority is granted. A provisional authority will help ensure sufficiency of DASURECO’s supply in a timely manner, especially in view of the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on DASURECO’s power supply.

20.1. Basis for indexation. As indicated in the formulas above, the monthly fees to be paid by DASURECO are subject to adjustments based on various indices.

42. In view of the foregoing, Joint Applicants respectfully move for the provisional approval of the instant Application pursuant to Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure,

20.2. The components of the Operation and Maintenance Fees representing foreign currency-denominated costs are adjusted based on the foreign exchange rate and the appropriate foreign price indices; those representing local costs are adjusted based on local price indices. The Actual Fuel Costs vary based on the applicable fuel cost index.

A copy of a sworn statement supporting the said motion is attached hereto as Annex “U.”

20.3. Financial Model. A copy of MPC’s financial model for the tariff is attached hereto as Annex “L.” As discussed below, the financial model is the subject of a Motion for Confidential Treatment of Information

43. DASURECO and MPC prayed that the Commission will: a)

21.1. Debt Equity Ratio. The project was funded through loans and equity, with a debt-equity ratio of 68:32. For the costs of an additional unit brought back to the MPC Power Station, the debt-equity ratio is 70:30.

issue an Order declaring the financial model attached hereto as Annex “L” as confidential information within the purview of Rule 4 of the ERC Rules, as well as directing that the financial model be treated with confidentiality and be protected from public disclosure;

b)

issue the corresponding Protective Order in accordance with Section 2 and 4 of the said Rule 4;

21.2. Project Cost. The total project cost for the MPC Power Plant as of March 2014 is P1.456 billion.

c)

immediately issue an Order provisionally approving the present Joint Application; and

A breakdown of the said total project cost is attached hereto as Annex “M.” For reference, a comparison between the said total project cost and earlier project cost totals used to compute the tariff is attached hereto as Annex “M-1.”

d)

after due hearing, render judgment approving the Power Sales Agreement subject of the instant Joint Application, as well as the generation rate and adjustment mechanisms indicated therein.

e)

Grant such other just and equitable relief under the premises.

21. Sources of Funds/Financial Plans.

21.3. Annual Interest. MPC’s actual interest cost is 6.5% p.a.

21.4. Computation of Weighted Average Cost of Capital. The nominal pretax Weighted Average Cost of Capital (“WACC”) of the project is 12.38%.

A computation of the WACC is attached hereto as Annex “N.” 22. Cash Flow.

22.1. Breakdown of Operating and Maintenance Expenses. A breakdown of the projected operating expenses is attached hereto as Annex “O.” For reference, a comparison between MPC’s updated and previous projected fixed operating expenses is attached hereto as Annex “O-1.”

23. Fuel supply. In order to ensure the supply of fuel for the operations of the MPC Power Plant, MPC solicited offers from reputable suppliers in the area, and has contracted with the supplier which offered the best terms.

The Commission has set the application for initial hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearing on presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence on 09 November 2016 (Wednesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at DASURECO’s Principal Office at Brgy. Cogon, Digos City.,Davao del Sur. All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

A discussion of the fuel procurement process and a copy of the fuel supply agreement are attached hereto as Annexes “P” and “P-1,” respectively.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the application or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the applicant concludes the presentation of its evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

24. Environmental Compliance Requirements. The Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines previously approved the exemption of the MPC Power Plant from the requirement of an environmental compliance certificate. Nevertheless, the MPC Power Plant will be operated responsibly in accordance with good utility practice and in accordance with all relevant laws and regulations, including environmental laws.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the application may request from the applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

The applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. any such person may likewise examine the application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

Copies of documents evidencing such exemption are attached hereto as Annex “Q” and series.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman, JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR, and the Honorable Commissioners, ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C.YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission,, this 9th day of August 2016 at Pasig City.

25. DOE Certification. The Department of Energy (“DOE”) has certified that the capacity of the MPC Power Plant is consistent with the DOE’s Power Development Plan.

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO

A copy of the said certification is attached hereto as Annex “R.” 26. Certificate of Compliance. This Honorable Commission has issued a certificate that the Applicant MPC is authorized to operate the MPC Power Plant.

A copy of the Certificate of Compliance is attached hereto as Annex “S.”

1

G. R. No. 172835. 13 December 2007.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard THE 2016 IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS TODAY OF R.A. NO. 10844 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 2015

Pursuant to Section 21 of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10844 (“An Act Creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Defining Its Powers and Functions Appropriating Funds therefor, and for Other Purposes”), the following Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are hereby promulgated: RULE I PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS Section 1.

Title. These Rules shall be known as “The 2016 Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. No. 10844, otherwise known as the Department of Information and Communication Technology Act of 2015”.

Section 2.

Definition of Terms. As used in these Rules, the following terms are defined as follows: (a) Information and Communications Technology or ICT shall mean the totality of electronic means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present and disseminate information; (b) Convergence shall mean the interface between and among various telephony, radio, video, broadcasting and multimedia infrastructure, devices and services, enabling users or subscribers thereof to communicate with one another; (c) Electronic Government or E-Government shall mean the use of ICT by the government and the public to enhance the access to and delivery of government services to bring about efficient, responsive, ethical, accountable and transparent government service;

ICT; (i) Assess, review and support ICT research and development programs of the government in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other institutions concerned; (j) Prescribe the personnel qualifications and other qualification standards essential to the effective development and operation of government ICT infrastructures and systems; (k) Develop programs that would enhance the career advancement opportunities of ICT workers in government; (I) Assist in the dissemination of vital information essential to disaster risk reduction through the use of ICT; (m) Represent and negotiate for Philippine interest on matters pertaining to ICT in international bodies, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other institutions concerned; IV.

Consumer Protection and Industry Development

(n) Ensure and protect the rights and welfare of consumers and business users to privacy, security and confidentiality in matters relating to ICT, in coordination with agencies concerned, the private sector and relevant international bodies; (o) Support the promotion of trade and investment opportunities in the ICT and ICT-ES sectors, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other relevant government agencies and the private sector; (p) Establish guidelines for public-private partnerships in the implementation of ICT projects for government agencies; and (q) Promote strategic partnerships and alliances between and among local and international lCT, research and development, educational and training institutions, to speed up industry growth and enhance competitiveness of Philippine workers, firms, and small and medium enterprises in the global markets for ICT and ICT-ES;

(d) ICT Sector shall mean those engaged in providing goods and services primarily intended to fulfill or enable the function of information processing and communication by electronic means.

The ICT sector includes telecommunications and broadcast information operators, ICT equipment manufacturers, multimedia content developers and providers, ICT solution providers, internet service providers, ICT training institutions, software developers and ICT-ES providers, and other ICT and ICT-ES providers;

V.

(e) ICT-Enabled Services or ICT-ES Sector shall mean those engaged in providing services that require the intrinsic use of ICT’s including engineering or architectural design, informatics service providers, offshoring and outsourcing service providers such as call centers, back office processing, software , development, medical or legal transcription, animation, game development, and other services that require the intrinsic use of a networked information infrastructure; and

(s) To extend immediate assistance for the suppression of real-time commission of cybercrime offenses and cyber-attacks against critical infrastructures and/or affecting national security through a computer emergency response team (CERT);

(f) Chief Information Officer or CIO shall mean a senior officer in all national government agencies (NGAs), including constitutional offices, state universities and colleges (SUCs), governmentowned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and government financial institutions (GFls) responsible for the development and management of the agency’s ICT systems and applications.

RULE II DECLARATION OF POLICY Section 3. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State: (a) To recognize the vital role of information and communication in nation-building; (b) To ensure the provision of strategic, reliable, cost-efficient and citizen-centric information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, systems and resources as instruments of good governance and global competitiveness; (c) To ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure ICT services; (d) To promote the development and widespread use of emerging ICT and foster and accelerate the convergence of ICT and ICT -enabled facilities; (e) To ensure the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by the private sector; (f) To foster an ICT sector policy environment that will promote a broad market-led development of the ICT and ICT-enabled services (ICT-ES) sectors, a level playing field, partnership between the public and private sectors, strategic alliance with foreign investors and balanced investments between high growth and economically-depressed areas; (g) To promote and assist the development of local lCT content, applications and services which may include support for ICTbased start-up enterprises through strategic partnerships; (h) To promote the use of lCT for the enhancement of key public services, such as education, public health and safety, revenue generation, and socio-civic purposes; (i) To encourage the use of lCT for the development and promotion of the country’s arts and culture, tourism and national identity; (j) To promote digital literacy, lCT expertise, and knowledgebuilding among citizens to enable them to participate and compete in an evolving ICT age; (k) To empower, through the use of ICT, the disadvantaged segments of the population, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous and minority groups; (I) To ensure the rights of individuals to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information; (m) To ensure the security of critical lCT infrastructures including information assets of the government, individuals and businesses; and (n) To provide oversight over agencies governing and regulating the lCT sector and ensure consumer protection and welfare, data privacy and security, foster competition and the growth of the lCT sector.

RULE III MANDATE, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS Section 4.

Mandate. The Department shall be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the Executive Branch of the government that will plan, develop, and promote the national ICT development agenda.

Section 5.

Powers and Functions. The Department shall exercise the following powers and functions: I.

Policy and Planning

(a) Formulate, recommend and implement national policies, plans, programs and guidelines that will promote the development and use of ICT with due consideration to the advantages of convergence and emerging technologies; (b) Formulate policies and initiatives, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to develop and promote ICT in education consistent with the national goals and objectives, and responsive to the human resource needs of the ICT and ICT-ES sectors; (c) Provide an integrated framework in order to optimize all government ICT resources and networks for the identification and prioritization of all E-Government systems and applications as provided for the E-Government Masterplan and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP); II.

Improved Public Access

(d) Prescribe rules and regulations for the establishment, operation and maintenance of ICT infrastructures in unserved and underserved areas, in consultation with the local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs), private sector, and the academe; (e) Establish a free internet service that can be accessed in government offices and public areas using the most cost-effective telecommunications technology, through partnership with private service providers as may be necessary; III.

Resource-sharing and Capacity-Building

(f) Harmonize and coordinate all national ICT plans and initiatives to ensure knowledge, information and resource-sharing, databasebuilding and agency networking linkages among government agencies, consistent with E-Government objectives in particular, and national objectives in general; (g) Ensure the development and protection of integrated government ICT infrastructures and designs, taking into consideration the inventory of existing manpower, plans, programs, software, hardware, and installed systems; (h) Assist and provide technical expertise to government agencies in the development of guidelines in the enforcement and administration of laws, standards, rules, and regulations governing

Cybersecurity Policy and Program Coordination

(r) To formulate a national cybersecurity plan consisting of robust and coherent strategies that would minimize national security risks in order to promote a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative ICT environment;

Undersecretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Department unless he or she is a citizen and resident of the Philippines, of good moral character, of proven integrity and with at least seven (7) years of competence and expertise in any of the following: information and communications technology, information technology service management, information security management, cybersecurity, data privacy, e-Commerce, or human capital development in the ICT sector.

RULE VIII REGIONAL OFFICES Section 11. Regional Offices. The Department may establish, operate, and maintain a regional office in the different administrative regions of the country as the need arises. Each regional office shall be headed by a Regional Director, who may be assisted by one (1) Assistant Regional Director. The Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director shall be appointed by the President. The regional offices shall have, within their respective administrative regions, the following functions: (a) Implement laws, policies, plans, programs, projects, rules and regulations of the Department; (b) Provide efficient and effective service to the people; (c) Coordinate with regional offices of other departments, offices, and agencies; (d) Coordinate with the LGUs and local stakeholders; and (e) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary .

RULE IX CIO COUNCIL AND TASK FORCES Section 12. Chief Information Council (CIO) Council. The Department shall facilitate the creation of the CIO Council, which shall consist of CIOs, with the Secretary serving as the Chairman, to assist the Department in the implementation of government ICT initiatives.

Section 13. Sectoral and Industry Task Force. The Department may create and/or recognize sectoral and industry task forces, technical working groups, advisory bodies or committees for the furtherance of its objectives.

Additional private sector representatives, such as from the academe, CSOs, and federation of private industries directly involved in ICT, as well as representatives of other NGAs. LGUs and GOCCs may be appointed to these working groups. Government IT professionals may also be tapped to partake in the work of the Department through, these working groups.

RULE X TRANSFER OF AGENCIES AND PERSONNEL Section 14. Transfer of Agencies and Personnel (a) The following agencies are hereby abolished, and their powers and functions, applicable funds and appropriations, records, equipment, property, and personnel transferred to the Department:

(t) To provide pro-active government countermeasures to address and anticipate all domestic and transnational incidents affecting the Philippine cyberspace and any cybersecurity threats to the country;

(1) Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO);

(u) To enhance the public-private partnership in the field of information sharing involving cyber-attacks, threats and vulnerabilities, and to coordinate in the preparation of appropriate and effective measures to prevent and suppress cybercrime as provided in RA. No. 10175;

(3) National Computer Institute (NCI);

(v) To monitor cybercrime cases being handled by participating law and prosecution agencies, and to facilitate international cooperation on intelligence, investigations, training and capacity building related to cybercrime prevention, suppression, and prosecution; (w) To coordinate the support and participation of the business sector, local government units and nongovernment organizations in cybercrime prevention programs and other related projects; (x) To recommend the enactment of appropriate laws, issuances, measures and policies; (y) To call upon any government agency to render assistance in the accomplishment of the Department’s mandated tasks and functions; and (z) To perform all other matters related to cybercrime prevention and suppression, including capacity building and such other functions and duties as may be necessary for the proper implementation of RA No. 10175; VI. Countryside Development (aa) Formulate policies in consultation with local government units and other local stakeholders and line agencies for the implementation of responsive, relevant and comprehensive ICT-related strategies to improve the competitiveness of provincial locations for ICT and ICT enables services (ICT-ES) industry in order to develop balanced investments between high-growth and economically-depressed areas and to promote the development and widespread use of ICT; (bb) Develop plans and programs in coordination with LGUs and other local stakeholders and line agencies to ensure that universal access to ICT services and infrastructure are effectively utilized to generate investments and opportunities in the rural area or areas unserved by private sector; (cc) Assist, guide and support ICT-related activities and initiatives for countryside economic development; and (dd) Promote and assist LGUs and local stakeholders in developing specialized ICT-enabled investment areas by providing technical and industry-calibrated assistance in the use of ICT for the enhancement of key public services, development and promotion of local arts and culture, tourism, digital , and talent development.

RULE IV COMPOSITION OF DICT Section 6.

Composition. The Department shall be headed by a Secretary. The Department proper shall be composed of the Office of the Secretary, the Offices of the Undersecretaries and the assistant secretaries.

RULE V THE SECRETARY Section 7.

Secretary. The Secretary shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Commission onAppointments. The Secretary shall have the following functions: (a) Provide executive direction and supervision over the entire operations of the Department and to its attached agencies as provided in E.O. No. 292 series of 1987; (b) Establish policies and standards for the effective, efficient and economical operation of the Department, in accordance with the programs of government; (c) Review and approve requests for financial and manpower resources of all operating offices of the Department; (d) Designate and appoint officers and employees of the Department, excluding the undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, and regional and assistant regional directors, in accordance with the civil service laws, rules and regulations; (e) Exercise disciplinary powers over officers and employees of the Department in accordance with law, including their investigation and the designation of a committee or officer to conduct such investigation; (f) Coordinate with LGUs, other agencies and public and private interest groups, including nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) on Department policies and initiatives; (g) Prepare and submit to the President through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) an estimate of the necessary expenditures of the Department during the next fiscal year, on the basis of the reports and estimates submitted by bureaus and offices under him/her; (h) Serve as a member of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) as established by Republic Act No. 9184; (i) Advise the President on the promulgation of executive and administrative orders and formulation of regulatory and legislative proposals on matters pertaining to ICT development; (j) Formulate such rules and regulations and exercise such other powers as may be required to implement the objectives of R.A. No 10844; and (k) Perform such other tasks as may be provided by law or assigned by the President.

RULE VI THE UNDERSECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES Section 8.

Undersecretaries. The Secretary shall be assisted by three (3) undersecretaries, who shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary: Provided, that two (2) of the undersecretaries shall be career officers. The powers and duties of the Undersecretaries shall be in accordance with the E.O. No. 292 of 1987.

Section 9.

Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary shall be assisted by four (4) assistant secretaries who shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary: Provided, that two (2) of the assistant secretaries shall be career officers: Provided, further, that at least one (1) of the assistant secretaries shall be a licensed Professional Electronics Engineer (PECE), or any “ suitably qualified person in accordance with Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules and regulations. The powers and duties of the Assistant Secretaries shall be in accordance with the E.O. No. 292 of 1987.

RULE VII QUALIFICATIONS Section 10. Qualification of Secretary, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries. No person shall be appointed Secretary,

(2) National Computer Center (NCC);

(4) Telecommunications Office (TELOF); (5) National Telecommunications Training Institute (NTTI); and (6) All operating units of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) with functions and responsibilities dealing with communications.

All offices, services, divisions, units and personnel not otherwise covered

by RA. No. 10844 for transfer to the Department shall be retained under the DOTC which has been renamed as the Department of Transportation.

The Department shall assume representations and membership of the abolished agencies and operating units in different international and local organizations, councils, committees, inter-agency working groups, task forces and other organizations as provided by law and applicable rules and regulations; (b) The following agencies are hereby attached to the Department for policy and program coordination, and shall continue to operate and function in accordance with the charters, laws or orders creating them, insofar as they are not inconsistent with RA. No.1 0844: (1) National Telecommunications Commission (NTC); (2) National Privacy Commission (NPC); and (3) Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) Pursuant to RA. No. 10844, all powers and functions related to cybersecurity including, but not limited to, the formulation of the National Cybersecurity Plan, establishment of the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the facilitation of international cooperation on intelligence regarding cybersecurity matters are transferred to the Department. The clce shall be chaired by the DICT Secretary.

The Department’s administrative relationship with its attached agencies shall be governed by Section 38 of Executive Order No. 292 series of 1987; (c) The laws and rules on government reorganization as provided for in Republic Act No. 6656, otherwise known as the Reorganization Law, shall govern the reorganization process of the Department.

RULE XI SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT FROM SERVICE Section 15. Separation and Retirement from Service. Employees who are separated from service within six (6) months from the effectivity of R.A. No. 10844 as a result of the consolidation and/or reorganization under the provisions of R.A. No. 10844 shall receive separation benefits to which they may be entitled under Executive Order No. 366, s. 2004; Provided, That those who are qualified to retire under existing retirement laws shall be allowed to retire and receive retirement benefits to which they may be entitled under applicable laws and issuances.

RULE XII STRUCTURE AND STAFFING PATTERN Section 16. Structure and Staffing Pattern. Subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management, the Department shall determine its organizational structure and create new divisions or units as it may deem necessary, and shall appoint officers and employees of the Department in accordance with the civil service laws, rules, and regulations.

RULE X MAGNA CARTA Section 17. Application of R.A. No. 8439 or Magna Carta. Qualified employees of the Department and its attached agencies shall be covered

by Republic Act No. 8439, which provides a Magna Carta for scientists, engineers, researchers and other science and technology personnel in the government.

RULE XIV TRANSITION PERIOD Section 18. Transition Period. The transfer of functions, assets, funds, equipment, properties, transactions, and personnel of the affected agencies, and the formulation of the internal organic structure, staffing pattern, operating system, and revised budget of the Department, shall be completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of RA No. 10844, during which time, the existing personnel shall continue to assume their posts in holdover capacities until new appointments are issued: Provided, that after the abolition of the agencies as specified in Section 15(a) of RA. No. 10844, the Department, in coordination with the DBM, shall determine and create new positions, the funding requirements of which shall not exceed the equivalent cost of positions abolished.

RULE XV MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 19. Appropriation. The amount needed for the initial implementation of RA. No. 10844 shall be taken from the current fiscal year’s appropriation of the ICTO and all agencies herein absorbed by or attached to the Department. Thereafter, the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the Department shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. Section 20. Separability Clause. If any provision of RA. No. 10844 and/or these Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 21. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with RA. No. 10844 and this Implementing Rules and Regulations are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 22. Effectivity. These Rules shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation and upon of three (3) certified true copies with the Office of the National Administrative Register, University of the Philippines Law Center.

Done this 17th day of October in the Year of the Lord Two Thousand and Sixteen in Quezon City, Philippines Approved: RODLOFO A. SALALIMA Secretary, DICT

BENJAMIN E. DIOKNO Secretary, DBM

(MS-OCT. 19, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

C4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

World

PREPARATION. Actrors with horror make-up on prepare for a rehearsal of the ‘Grand Frisson’ show at the Grevin Museum in Paris on October 17, 2016. AFP

EU warns of ‘war crimes’ in Aleppo ALEPPO―Russia has announced an eight-hour “humanitarian” ceasefire in Aleppo later this week, as the EU warned that the Syrian regime’s Moscowbacked assault on the city could amount to a war crime.

The United Nations and European Union welcomed the announcement, but said Thursday’s planned pause in fighting needed to be longer to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, dozens of civilians including 12 members of the same family were killed in heavy bombardment of rebelheld eastern sectors of the embattled city on Monday, a monitoring group said.

“We have taken a decision not to waste time and to introduce ‘humanitarian pauses’, mainly for the free passage of civilians, evacuation of the sick and wounded and withdrawal of fighters,” senior Russian military officer Sergei Rudskoi said in Moscow.

The truce would run from 0800 to 1600 local time (0500 GMT to 1300 GMT) “in the area of Aleppo”, Rudskoi said.

“During this period the Russian air force and Syrian government troops will halt air strikes and firing from any other types of weapons.”

Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin also announced that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey had agreed to participate in talks with the US and Russia to try to separate moderate and extremist opposition in Aleppo and boost hopes of prolonging the truce.

The announcements came as EU foreign ministers condemned the ferocious air war waged on Aleppo over the past three weeks.

“Since the beginning of the offensive by the regime and its allies, notably Russia, the intensity and scale of the aerial bombardment of eastern Aleppo is clearly disproportionate,” a statement said.

“The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, schools and essential infrastructure, as well as the use of barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and chemical weapons, constitute a catastrophic escalation of the conflict... and may amount to war crimes,” they added. AFP

Fleeing Iraqis face revenge, says Amnesty LONDON―Paramilitary groups and government forces in Iraq have tortured, arbitrarily detained and executed thousands of civilians escaping areas controlled by the Islamic State group, Amnesty International warned Tuesday.

The London-based rights group said the abuses, often revenge attacks directed at Sunnis suspected of being complicit with IS, must not be repeated as Iraqi forces advance on the jihadists’ stronghold in Mosul.

“After escaping the horrors of war and tyranny of IS, Sunni Arabs in Iraq are facing brutal revenge attacks at the hands of militias and government forces, and are being punished for crimes committed by the group,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East research director.

“Iraq is currently facing very real and deadly security threats from IS, but there can be no justification for extra-judicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture or arbitrary detention.

“As the battle to retake Mosul gets underway, it is crucial that the Iraqi authorities take steps to ensure these appalling abuses do not happen again.”

The claims were made in a new report based on interviews with more than 470 former detainees, witnesses and relatives of civilians who have been killed, detained or disappeared, as well as officials and activists.

It cites an incident in May in which at least 12 men and four boys from the Jumaila tribe, who fled al-Sijir, north of Fallujah, were executed after handing themselves over to men wearing military and federal police uniforms.

In June, militias seized 1,300 men and boys from the Mehemda tribe who fled Saqlawiya, northwest of Fallujah, and many were tortured before being handed over to local authorities.

Survivors told Amnesty they were beaten and deprived of food and water. One said he was told it was “payback for the Speicher massacre”.

In 2014, up to 1,700 military recruits from Camp Speicher, near Tikrit, were captured and killed by IS and allied militants. In August, 36 men were hanged for the crime. AFP

Clinton extends lead despite Trump attack G

REEN BAY―White House hopeful Donald Trump branded Hillary Clinton’s operations a “criminal enterprise” Monday as he assailed her for creating conditions for a rigged election, and accused US media of wanting to “poison” voters’ minds.

Trailing in national polls and in key battleground states just three weeks before Election Day November 8, Trump came out swinging on the campaign trail, accusing Clinton of colluding with US authorities to cover up misconduct regarding her private email system and denouncing it as “one of the great miscarriages of justice” in US history.

Trump, whose campaign has been reeling in the face of lewd comments about women and accusations of sexual assault, has doubled down on claims of massive voter fraud in 2016, despite denials from within his own party.

And his team has deployed his wife Melania in a media blitz to try to tamp down the furor over the allegations, with interviews airing late Monday on CNN and early Tuesday on Fox News.

“Those words, they were offensive to me and they were inappropriate. And he apologized to me.

And I accept his apology. And we are moving on,” Melania told Fox, in an excerpt released by the network.

A firestorm erupted earlier this month when a 2005 video was made public and caught Trump saying lewd things about women, in a mostly off-camera conversation with host Billy Bush of the

show “Access Hollywood.”

Melania Trump told CNN that she felt her husband had been “egged on by the host to say dirty and bad stuff.”

The Republican nominee takes the stage Wednesday with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in their final debate before voters make their choice.

Trump unleashed a litany of complaints recently about the nation’s election system, and also blamed the media for his woes, raising concerns about possible unrest should he lose.

He let loose again Monday at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“Voter fraud is very, very common,” he told a fired up crowd, who at various times broke into chants of “Lock her up!” “Tell the truth!” and “CNN sucks!”

“This is a rigged election folks,” he said. “And the media’s trying to rig the election by giving credence... to false stories that have no validity,” he added.

“They want to poison the minds

of the voters.”

Trump also accused Clinton of colluding with US authorities by seeking to pressure the FBI to alter its findings in a probe of Clinton’s use of private servers while she was secretary of state.

Federal Bureau of Investigation documents released Monday showed a senior State Department official, undersecretary of state Patrick Kennedy, had asked the FBI to declassify or lower the classification of one Clinton email that had been rated secret.”

Trump said the State Department official made the request for altering classification “as part of a ‘quid pro quo.’”

“We’re witnessing a criminal enterprise” at work, he said of the Clinton campaign.

“This is felony corruption by any standard.”

Clinton leads Trump by 12 points, 50 percent to 38 percent, among likely voters nationwide in a four-way contest with third-party candidates, a Monmouth Univer-

sity poll showed.

Meanwhile, a survey from Quinnipiac University had Clinton leading in several key swing states―Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania―and tied with Trump in Ohio.

A CNN poll puts Trump ahead by four points in Ohio, but gives Clinton a slight lead in battlegrounds North Carolina and Nevada.

Her leads in key states correspond to her advantage of 6.4 percentage points in an average of recent national polls given by RealClearPolitics.

The polls indicate that the allegations swirling around Trump have taken their toll. Monmouth found that six in 10 voters believe he made unwanted sexual advances towards women -- claims he vehemently denies.

Trump’s running mate Mike Pence sought to ease tensions, insisting his camp would accept defeat if voters reject the Republican ticket at the polls. AFP

Korean court’s ruling on military service cheered SEOUL―A South Korean appeals court on Tuesday overturned the convictions of two conscientious objectors in an unprecedented ruling hailed as a key victory by opponents of mandatory military service.

More than 60 years after the end of the Korean War, nearly every able-bodied South Korean man between the ages of 18 and 35 must still complete around two years of military service.

There is currently no alternative community service option for conscientious objectors, and anyone refusing the call-up faces up to two years in jail.

But the appeals court in the southwestern city of Gwangju overturned the convictions and 18-month jail terms handed down by a lower court on two Jehovah’s Witnesses, arguing they had genuinely been motivated by religious

convictions in refusing to serve.

“Religious and personal conscience is guaranteed by the constitution and cannot be restrained by criminal punishment,” Yonhap news agency quoted the court as saying.

“The international community is recognizing conscientious objectors,” it said, while noting that “a consensus is shaping in our society on the need for an alternative service”.

The judges also rejected prosecutors’ calls to overturn a rare not-guilty verdict on a third conscientious objector―also a Jehovah’s Witness.

It was the first time an appeals court has ruled against the government in such cases. The timing and language of the judgment will provide a huge boost for advocates of reforming military service regulations. AFP

FOG. A man walks with his dog in a forest on a foggy morning near Hannover, Germany, on October 18. AFP

Life FASHION & BEAUTY

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

D1

Mastercard connects you to Priceless possibilities

Armed with a new look and enhanced brand identity for an increasingly digital world

I

T’S not just about a new brand mark. There’s a reason why Mastercard figured in Forbes’ annual World’s Most Innovative Companies list, climbing up six spots for 2016. For the past 50 years, the Mastercard brand has been synonymous to Priceless – creating and offering customers unique experiences and innovative solutions that carry a value that goes beyond functional benefits.

As the world becomes more wired, and people increasingly want things simpler, easier – one click online, one tap on your smartphone – and secure, whenever and wherever they use it, what remains is the fact that they still want to care about what they consume from brands they trust, and the far reaching value those bring in their lives.

The big story is that Mastercard connects people to Priceless possibilities. Enhancing its abilities to thrive in a digital age while keeping what everyone has valued in the brand.

Mastercard begins at a great place with its brand evolution, being as it always was, a brand of connections. From consumers, financial institutions, merchants, to businesses, Mastercard has gone down the line and to each point of contact, leveraging expertise, insights, and technology to make payment transactions simpler, safer and more secure. Widening and strengthening connections in 210 countries and territories, helping governments support communities, bringing the underbanked into the financial mainstream, and securing the future of payments.

It’s an apt expression of what Mastercard is – a technology company that fundamentally believes that innovation starts from within – and what it stands for – that experiences matter more than things.

Priceless possibilities create access to greater opportunities, it means helping everyone join the marketplace, and ultimately, connecting people to technology and solutions that enrich lives and livelihoods around the world.

Such a meaningful transformation requires a symbol, a well-designed, wellthought out “hello”, a first impression, basically, an introduction to this modern brand that’s optimized for an increasingly digital world.

Mastercard’s new brand mark feels fresh but still familiar, aspirational but relatable.

Keeping those iconic overlapping red and yellow circles which enjoy such strong recognition, it’s been redesigned into one that’s simplified, more streamlined, and very now.

The interlocking circles design has always been a great symbolism for Mastercard’s brand promise of connecting people to priceless possibilities. It serves as a reflection of the brand’s readiness and optimism about the future.

Subtle but significant changes represent the different digital and mobile ways consumers now have to make payments beyond the physical card they carry around.

As its front liner in a dynamic design system, the brand mark is flexible to work across all digital platforms, retail channels and connected devices – showcasing a forward-thinking, sophisticated, and inclusive brand to every touch point.

A refreshed and wider suite of exclusive products and services aimed at delivering superior value to cardholders supports the brand evolution.

Priceless possibilities come into play with the stunning new range of global and regional offers, and unique and exceptional experiences provided by Mastercard’s premium cards – Platinum, World, and World Elite (the most number of its kind in the market). Each thoughtfully designed to address customers’ passion points including shopping, dining, travel, and much more.

And to further enhance these Priceless experiences are the innovative possibilities that make enjoying life easier and more convenient. This human-centered technology company has helped create a world where you can use the omni-

channel all-digital payment service Masterpass to purchase a train ticket from your mobile device, split and pay your restaurant bill right at the table, buy your groceries with the

tap of your phone in-store and book a flight online.

At the heart of the change that Mastercard is effecting is the authentic expression of what the brand has proudly

evolved into. Experiences, the best payment solutions, technology – but enhanced and optimized for the 21st century, fluid enough to flow into the next, timeless, and in a word, Priceless.

The new Mastercard logo will be rolled out in various locations and Mastercard cards beginning 2017.

Your Mastercard card is valid until the expiry date indicated in your card.

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Color your hair bold

B

E BRAVE and explore the fun in hair styling through Watsons Color Your Hair Bold. Going bold and having vibrant colored hair mean completing your look. Hair color says something a lot about your style and personality, but how you take good care of your hair is as important as hair styling too.

And, Watsons Color Your Hair Bold brings hair styling to the next level as it not only allows women to explore the brave new world of hair coloring, but also shares with them ways of making their hair look healthy and lustrous post treatment.

During the recent Watsons Color Your Hair Bold launch at Revel, The Palace, six brave and beautiful women learned about different hair color treatments. These hair color adventurers included Binibining Pilipinas International 2014 Bianca Guidotti, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2014 Yvethe Santiago, Bb. Pilipinas Tourism 2013 Cindy Miranda, and Chien-

FALL

na Filomeno, as well as models Janina Manipol and Jessica Yang.

They were shown how the Do-ItYourself hair color process is safe and easy, and also given tips on “maintenance” and “post hair color regimen” for proper hair care post color application.

Hair expert Lourd Ramos discussed the importance of hair protection and treatment to damaged hair.

He shared different runway looks too for the hair that can be achieved even during a morning rush. Celebrity stylist Matt Gozun, on the other hand, shared insights on how to compliment style in clothes with hair color and styling.

Watsons has the top hair

Model Janina Manipol uses argan oil to protect her colored hair

Bb. Pilipinas Tourism 2013 Cindy Miranda

and color essential brands: L’Oreal, Revlon, Kolours, Lolane, Revia, Beautylabo, and Bigen; as well as post hair color products to protect one from damage like Creamsilk, Pantene, Dove, and TRESemmé.

COLLECTIONS

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci’s Fall/Winter 2016

Black and gold are fused together to create a stylish combination in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection.

EGYPTIAN culture, the world of Pop and psychedelic music embodies the colors and inspiration of the Givenchy Fall 2016 RTW collection, illuminated by the incorporation of Riccardo Tisci’s signature black in a bold Givenchy women’s collection.

In the Philippines, Givenchy is located at Greenbelt 4 and Shangri-La Plaza East Wing. Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

Charming Charlie’s festival of colors THE apples are ripe, the air is crisp – autumn days are here again. It’s time to jump in a pile of leaves with the kids, eat pumpkin flavored everything and get your football tailgate on. It’s a time for hayrides and orchards, bonfires and cozy sweaters. It’s a freshstart time of year.

This season, Charming Charlie takes a cue from nature’s color palette with bold, leafy hues and fashion that adds the fun. Traditional fall tones mix with burnt orange, wine and olive. Classic silhouettes are made contemporary with bright color blocking. And when it comes to accessorizing, more is better. Include statement necklaces and maximalist earrings to your fall wish list.

Charming Charlie is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central.

The warm hues of nature, such as burnt orange, wine and olive, take center stage in Charming Charlie’s accessories collection for the Autumn season.

Earn P100,000 shopping money

AN EXCITING reward awaits shopaholics when they use their Mastercard to shop at The SM Store. This holiday season, the world’s leading global payments and technology company and the Philippines’ largest shopping center operator have partnered up to give their customers a chance to win an exciting shopping spree come new year.

Mastercard cardholders are in for a treat as the company makes shopping much more rewarding.

These last few months of the year will mean a lot of time spent at

the malls, ticking off that gift list, picking out décor, selecting delicious party food, or just getting a little something special for yourself. Whatever or whoever it is you’re buying for, make the most out of your purchases by shopping at The SM Store with your Mastercard for a chance to win a whopping P100,000 shopping spree.

And it doesn’t matter where you are in the country—57 SM stores across the Philippines, from the busy cities to the smaller provinces, take part in the e-raffle to en-

sure one winner comes from each The SM Store location.

Until Dec. 31, every P3,000 single-receipt straight and installment transaction from The SM Store using a Philippine-issued MasterCard credit, debit or prepaid card entitles a cardholder to one electronic raffle entry. Those who present their SM Advantage Card, Prestige Card, MOM Card, SSI, Primo, or Love Your Body Card will double their entries.

Fifty-seven winners of P100,000 each will be drawn on Jan. 6 next year.

Holiday shoppers at SM malls are in for a treat when they use Mastercard to pay

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

‘Westworld’ on HBO

Veteran Hollywood actor Anthony Hopkins as the brilliant Dr. Ford

Eric Tai and wife Rona Samson-Tai (first and second from left) and Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah (first and second from right) joined by AXN executives during ‘The Amazing Race’ media launch last week. Photo by Sonny Espiritu

The ‘Amazing Race’ is on

T

HE premiere telecast of The Amazing Race Asia season 5, which kicked off in the bustling city of Jakarta, opened with a major twist. Host Allan Wu announced that instead of 11 teams, only 10 pairs would be given the chance to participate in the reality show’s first challenge.

After the flag-off, the contestants had to search for the right compass for clues for their next location. The last team to complete the challenge, the duo from Vietnam, was eliminated, all within the first 10 minutes of the show.

Meanwhile, the teams from the Philippines, TV host and rugby player Eric Tai and wife Rona Samson and beauty queens Parul Shah and Maggie WilsonConsunji, showed a promising start.

“At first, I didn’t know that there’s another team from the Philippines competing for the $100,000 cash prize.

But the good thing about having fellow Filipinos in the competition, we tend to look at each other’s back. I think, it’s a natural thing for us Pinoys,” said Maggie during an interview with Manila Standard.

In their first challenge, where the teams’ navigation skill was challenged, Eric and Rona finished fourth, while Parul and Maggie qualified to be in the next round of challenges when they finished seventh. Another team was already eliminated after the first task.

Following the “agonizing first challenge,” in tomorrow’s episode, the nine remaining teams will race through forests and a tea plantation in West Bandung, a regency in West Java. One of the teams encounters difficulties at the detour and challenges their partnership.

The reality show, which airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. on AXN, is travelling to local Indonesian destinations and to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila and Taipei before finishing in Bali.

Solar Entertainment channels unveil new look

With seven channels under its umbrella, Solar Entertainment Corporation remains the largest content provider and channel operator in Southeast Asia. And in its continuous effort to deliver the best entertainment in this side of the globe, Solar President and CEO Wilson Tieng announced the big change in its broadcast design.

On Oct. 16, the first integrated rebranding execution of the channels was revealed. Audience saw ETC, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Solar Sports, and BTV sporting a new

look including newly-designed logos that took the people from the media company a month to finish.

“Innovation has always been our mantra, it has kept us relevant among Filipino viewers who have voracious appetite for content. Through this venture, we aim to boost our viewership and market share by giving a fresh take on our channels,” Tieng told the members of the press in a media launch held Wednesday at the Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City.

The head honcho added that the TV network continues to grow and keep up with the changing landscape by tapping its key market. The TV network is opening all the avenues for marketing and revenue to maintain its advertisers continued support. In doing so, the network also aims to woo a discerning audience, especially the millennials.

“Solar has kept its fingers on the pulse of media-savvy Filipino audiences. We pay attention to emerging viewing habits while at the same time, setting the trend and changing mindsets. There are more exciting announcements for this last stretch of the year and onto 2017, specifically for the channel content and digital assets of Solar. We are definitely going for more,” Tieng shared.

As he punctuated his statement, Tieng revealed that in the last stretch of the year leading to 2017, the entire Solar Entertainment group will diversify into new formats and genres. While keeping Hollywood favorites, some European shows will be added into the programming list.

McLuhan fellowship to ABS-CBN news anchor and reporter

Gigi Grande joins an esteemed league of extraordinary journalists that have been awarded the McLuhan Fellowship Award by the Canadian Embassy

ABS-CBN News broadcast journalist and anchor Gigi Grande received one of the highest honors for journalists and communicators. She was recognized with the 2016 Marshall McLuhan Fellowship citation at the conclusion of the annual Jaime V. Ongpin journalism seminar on Sept. 28 in Makati.

Other ABS-CBN journalists that won the distinguished award include Lynda Jumilla-Abalos, Gerry Lirio, and Luz Rimban.

The award, presented by Canada’s Ambassador-Designate to the Philippines, John Holmes, is named after the Canadian communications scholar. The Fellowship is the Canadian Embassy’s flagship media advocacy initiative launched in 1997 to foster responsible journalism in the Philippines, reflecting Canada’s belief that a strong media is essential to a free and democratic society.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, October 19, 2016

ACROSS 1 Olfactory stimulus 5 Cheer for a diva 10 Kan. neighbor 14 White as a sheet 15 Yardstick 16 Westwood sch.

17 Citrus coolers 18 Eyed amorously 19 Gator kin 20 Pools 22 Kind of supper 24 Merchandise ID 25 Deli loaf 26 Like helium 29 Thole filler 32 Fissures 36 DEA operative 37 El Greco’s city 39 Galleon cargo 40 Bobby Darin tune (2 wds.)

43 911 responder 44 Countdown list (2 wds.)

45 Give notice 46 Preacher’s due 48 Falstaff’s prince 49 Zest 50 Tie up the phone 52 Battery size 53 Used a runway 57 Drop in the

ocean? (2 wds.)

61 John, in Siberia 62 Linger 64 Theory 65 Pre-Tina Turner 66 Lairds’ households 67 Auto pioneer 68 Taiga denizens 69 Pumps up 70 “Da” opposite DOWN 1 Fiery gem 2 Modern art movement 3 Cassini of fashion 4 Water or oil 5 Rodeo mount 6 Toupees 7 Once and for — 8 Prez’s stand-in 9 Inner fire 10 Where protons are 11 Tan shade 12 Coalition 13 Hat tree 21 Make a choice 23 Innsbruck locale 26 Shore indentation 27 Wynonna’s mom

28 — & Young 29 Pep 30 Comic-strip queen 31 Fend off 33 Concentrate 34 Mannerism 35 — voce (softly) 37 As well 38 Slip into 41 Big bargain 42 Formula 47 Doglike scavengers 49 Schmooze 51 Yawl look-alike

52 Vast chasm 53 Distance measure 54 Egg-shaped 55 Cold and wet 56 Tyne of “Cagney & Lacey” 57 Fish-eating flier 58 Lazily 59 “— Dinah” (Avalon tune) 60 Toward sunrise 63 Gentle knock

Under the Fellowship, and with financial support from Sun Life of Canada, the winner undertakes a speaking tour in Canada as well the Philippines.

In Canada, the tour provides an opportunity for the Fellow to interact with Canadian media counterparts and to discuss current issues with Canadian government officials and members of civil society. The awardee will also have the chance to sit as a fellow at the McLuhan Institute in Toronto.

Grande was chosen for the distinction for her excellent reportage of the various issues surrounding the campaign and the national elections that took place earlier this year.

She is one of the anchors in Mornings @ANC on ANC, the ABSCBN News Channel. She used to be the news bureau chief of ABS-CBN News Australia.

STARRING an ensemble cast including Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden, Westworld is the new primetime attraction, Mondays at 9 a.m., on HBO, with same day primetime encore at 9 p.m.. It is available on HBO GO. Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin, exploring a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged. Created for television

by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, both of whom are executive producing and writing, with Nolan also directing, the series was inspired by the 1973 motion picture Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton.

Co-creator Nolan explains, “Building on the incredibly evocative concept of the original film, we wanted to pose the question: If you could be completely immersed in a fantasy, one in which you could do whatever you wanted, would you discover things about yourself that you didn’t want to know?”

Co-creator Joy adds, “We also wanted to explore what it means to be human from the outside in – through the eyes of the ‘hosts’: the lifelike AI characters that are the main attractions of the park.

It’s a meditation on consciousness – the blessing and the burden of it – beautifully portrayed by our remarkable cast.”

Among the main players are: Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins), the brilliant, taciturn and complicated creative director, chief programmer and founder of Westworld, who has an uncompromising creative vision for the park. The Man in Black (Ed Harris) is the distillation of pure villainy into one man.

Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) is a provincial, beautiful and kind rancher’s daughter, who begins to discover that her entire idyllic existence is an elaborately constructed lie.

Teddy Flood (James Marsden), a new arrival to a small frontier town, quickly proves both his charm and talent with a revolver.

Beautiful, razor-sharp madam Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton) has a genius for reading people and a knack for survival, but her seen-it-all-before worldview is about to be challenged. Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) is the brilliant and quixotic head of the park’s Programming Division, whose keen observation of human nature provides him with boundless inspiration for his life’s work: creating artificial people.

Showbiz

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

D4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

C

HRISTIAN Bautista and Julie ISAH V. RED Anne San Jose are occupying Kia Theater to offer a unique and fresh combination on Nov. 11 with When Christian Meets Julie Anne, a concert to highlight each of their unique vocal power, individually and together.

DreamStar Events Management and GMA Network bring back Julie Ann to the venue of her first solo concert, this time with fellow singer/concert artist Christian.

The two will have a back-toback performance.

Christian and Julie Anne are both products of singing searches after which they carved their niches on the music and concert scene.

Christian is best known as Asia’s Romantic Balladeer while Julie Anne is dubbed as Asia’s Pop Sweetheart.

With their string of achievements both in the local and international scene, concertgoers can expect nothing more than a world-class act in their first concert together.

Marc Lopez is the musical director with Marvin Caldito directing the performance.

“I am very honored na makasama si Christian sa concert. This is another memorable experience for me to share the stage with Asia’s Romantic Balladeer. Another milestone ito sa aking career,” Julie Anne says.

Christian is equally excited to be sharing the concert stage with Julie Anne for the first time.

“She’s a great singer and performer. I’m equally excited to be sharing the stage with her.

Naku, mapapasayaw na naman ako niyan knowing her as a good dancer too,” quips Christian.

Tickets to When Christian Meets Julie Anne are now available at Ticketnet. *** GMA programs hailed at 38th Catholic Mass Media Awards.

For promoting good values through television, a total of nine programs and special features of GMA Network were honored at the 38th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) held at the Philippine

International Convention Center on Oct. 12.

GMA-7’s award-winning sitcom Pepito Manaloto with Michael V. was named Best Comedy Program.

Meanwhile, taking home another award for the Kapuso Network is the science and infotainment program AHA! after it won Best Children and Youth Program.

GMA News TV also received two awards from CMMA. State of the Nation with Jessica Soho , GMA News TV’s flagship evening newscast, was recognized as Best News Program while the public affairs show I Juander won Best News Magazine Program.

Earning special citations as well were multi-awarded news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Best News Magazine category); lifestyle-magazine show Dream Home (Best Talk Show category); climate change documentary Two Degrees, Panahon Na (Best Drama Series and Best TV Special categories); animated anthology series Alamat (Best Children and Youth Program category); and GMA News TV’s internationally-acclaimed documentary program Reel Time (Best Children and Youth Program category).

Held annually, the Catholic Mass Media Awards recognize students, professionals, and organizations that exhibit and uphold Filipino and Christian values through mass communication. This year’s CMMA carried the theme “Communication and Mercy: A Fruitful Encounter.” *** Indie film about jailed drug dealer is featured in QCinema 2016.

Cinephiles are in for an emotional connection in the light of the ongoing war on drugs with the movie Best. Partee. Ever..

Howard “HF” Yambao’s entry to this year’s QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema) Circle Competition stars ABSCBN talent JC de Vera who plays Mikey, a gay drug pusher from the affluent class who spends five years

‘Pepito Manaloto’ star Michael V

ocal ower x2 VOCAL CHEMISTRY. Multi-Platinum selling recording stars Julie Anne San Jose and Christian Bautista share one concert stage to showcase their unique vocal power in a city jail while waiting for his case to be decided.

Inside the prison, Mikey attempts not to adapt to the culture and stratification among inmates.

But eventually, Mikey becomes a “mayor” (cell leader) to a group of gay inmates called “Gang-da.”

Together with this group, Mikey learns how to survive the dangers of several gang riots, the mundane jail life, and the decay of human dignity.

At the QCinema’s press conference, Yambao said the movie could serve as an instrument to help raise awareness about drugs.

“I guess this is how we can help the war on drugs, by educating the youth. This was my experience when I was younger,” he shared.

Best. Partee. Ever. is the first indie film of Yambao, who studied filmmaking, digital filmmaking, and music video production at the New York Film Academy.

He apprenticed under filmmakers Brillante Mendoza and Armando Lao, both staunch supporters of social realism and found story filmmaking approach in the Philippines.

Prior to filmmaking, he worked

as a TV commercial director for government advocacies, a TV segment producer, and a PR and marketing consultant.

Coming from the upper-middle class, Yambao offers to critique and show the diverse dilemm a s a n d i s sues

of the class he belongs to.

QCinema 2016 is ongoing until Oct. 22 at Ayala TriNoma, Gateway Cinemas, Robinson’s Galleria, and UP Town Center.

JC de vera in a scene from the relevant film ‘Best.Partee.Ever.’

Female math whiz behind America’s space conquest

Kevin Costner in the biographical drama film directed by Theodore Melfi

HIDDEN Figures tells of the remarkable story of three brilliant women who accomplished the extraordinary against all odds.

During the turbulent 60s, battling discrimination at home and in the workplace, Katherine Johnson, (Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominated Taraji P. Henson) Dorothy Vaughan (Oscar winner Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Grammy nominated Janelle Monáe), all stellar mathematicians, were undeterred in their pursuit of academic excellence.

Instrumental in helping America to eventually win the space race, they broke down barriers, laying the groundwork for future generations.

Oscar winner, Kevin Costner, plays their supervisor at NASA. The exciting and engrossing film was directed by Ted Melfi and features a strong supporting cast, including Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons.

The movie’s powerful score is from multiple Grammy winning musician/ composer Pharrell Williams.

Discover the inspiring story of the momentous impact of these women on rocket science during the explosive 60s in America when Hidden Figures opens in January 2017 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.

Octavia Spencer as NACA mathematician Dorothy Vaughan com/watch?v=9pZZbkf8wcU