Manila Standard - 2016 November 10 - Thursday

GLOBAL MARKETS SLUMP ON TRUMP WIN B1

VOL. XXX • NO. 271 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CRUSHING VICTORY. Republican President-elect Donald Trump delivers a gracious acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning of Nov. 9 in New York City. The brash 70-year-old real estate mogul beat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. AFP

Trump stuns Clinton, US Pivot to China Rody’s Vows to be a president for all Americans ‘safety net’ vs Donald EW YORK—Donald Trump has stunned

By John Paolo Bencito, Gabrielle H. Binaday and Macon R. Araneta DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China was a preparation for the presidency of Republican billionaire Donald Trump, whose protectionist policies are expected to hurt remittances from overseas Filipinos and outsourcing operations of many American companies, a senior economic official said Wednesday.

“We have a safety net which was foreseen by the President. He foresaw, he’s a clairvoyant. He decided to pivot to China,” Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in a press briefing at the 10th Philippines Development Summit.

“Instead of depending on the US, to a great extent, we are now

diversifying our friends. So you don’t crash when the country you depend on is in trouble,” he said.

On Tuesday, Pernia said that if Trump made it as the next US president, downside risks for the Philippine economy might persist.

“Well, it will be a protectionist [government], inward looking American economy. And that will impact on trade, investment and remittances,” Pernia said.

Malacañang, meanwhile, said that President Duterte is looking forward to working with Trump, who won against Democrat Hillary Clinton in a stunning upset.

“President Duterte wishes President-elect Trump success in the next four years as chief cxecutive and commander-in chief of the US military, and looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced

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America and the world, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States.

The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington’s leadership, into doubt.

“Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division,”

Trump told a crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of Wednesday in New York.

“I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.”

Trump said Wednesday he would bind the nation’s deep wounds and be a president “for

Despair, silence at Clinton HQ (C4)

all Americans,” as he praised his defeated rival for her years of public service.

“Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country,” Trump said during his speech acknowledging a stunning victory in the White House race.

During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at America’s democratic fabric, the bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.

His message appears to have been embraced by much of America’s white majority, disgruntled by the breath and scope of social

Analysts see Trump as problem for Du30

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SC: Ruling on Marcos along ‘political lines’

By Rey E. Requejo and John Paolo Bencito THE Supreme Court resolved the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani along political lines, citing the overwhelming acceptance by the electorate of President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign promise to

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

allow the interment at the heroes’ cemetery.

Associate Justices Arturo Brion and Jose Perez, two of the nine magistrates who voted to uphold the legality of President Duterte’s order for the Marcos burial at LNMB, cited the results of the last national elections.

THE Philippines will have to deal with an American president who sees Filipinos as freeloaders, a political analyst said after learning that Donald Trump had won the US elections.

“Trump… doesn’t have a Next page

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Duterte pays respects to Thailand’s monarch PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday made a three-hour stopover in Thailand to pay his respects to the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Shortly before flying to Malaysia, he made a short visit to express his condolences to the members of the Thai Royal Family who are observing a one-year

state of mourning.

“His Majesty, the King, was a true friend of the Philippines whose state visit in 1963 continues to resonate to this day,” Duterte said.

He said that the late king “dedicated efforts to foster goodwill and friendship between our nations and peoples.”

Next page twitter.com/ MlaStandard

change and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.

Trump openly courted Russian leader Vladimir Putin, called US support for Nato allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.

The businessman turned TV star turned-politico—who has never before held elected office—will become commander-in-chief of the world’s sole true superpower on Jan. 20.

The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.

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VISUAL SPECTACLE. Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (right) and movie actress/TV host Karla

Estrada lead in setting free thousands of sky lanterns Tuesday night at the Balyuan Center in Tacloban City during the 3rd anniversary of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which cut a trail of death and devastation in November 2013. Ver Noveno

and China recorded $26 billion in exports for the whole of 2015.

However, records presented by Lina showed imports from China only amounted to $11 billion.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday there was nothing unusual in the death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and rejected punishment for the policemen involved in serving his arrest warrant and alleged shootout with him.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Thailand and Malaysia,

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PH-China trade lopsided; P60b lost—BoC

By Christine F. Herrera THE country has lost P60 billion in revenues in its import-export trade with China alone last year due to smuggling and massive

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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corruption under former Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon said.

In a briefing late Tuesday, Faeldon said official documents from exporting countries have started coming in

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Digong: No to penalty vs 20 cops

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mediamen chided over ‘trivialities’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday slammed some members of the media for allegedly making a big issue out of his “joke” on the short skirt and knees of Vice President Leni Robredo during an event commemorating the third anniversary of Super Typhoon “Yolanda’s” onslaught in Eastern and Central Visayas.

“Yolanda,” the strongest typhoon to hit land in history, slammed into the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, killing about 10,000 people and thousands more homeless.

Duterte said his comment on Robredo’s short skirt and knees were “appropriate” and “necessary.”

He made the statement after Robredo took offense at his “tasteless remarks and inappropriate advances.”

Duterte claimed there was nothing malicious in his comment that Robredo did not go to Mass because of her smooth knees.

“Yeah, I said she was wearing a skirt and her knees had no calluses,” Duterte said.

“I said this person doesn’t go to Mass. It is appropriate. As a matter of fact it is good.

“And just to point out something there, you make a big issue about the knee. Is that the trivialities of media? It’s so triDuterte on Tuesday teased Robredo about her love life and implied that he was a viable option for the widow.

Duterte, who is in Tacloban with his housing czar, Robredo for the third anniversary of Typhoon “Yolanda,” said he’d still have a reason to go to Leyte even without the housing projects.

But Robredo said Duterte’s joke was “tasteless and offensive.”

She said his remarks bothered some people.

“Tasteless remarks and inappropriate advances against women should have no place in our society.

We should expect that most of all from our leaders,” Robredo said.

“There are larger and more urgent issues we confront as a nation that demand our collective attention.” John Paolo Bencito

Digong:...

From A1 Duterte expressed no remorse over the death of Espinosa, an alleged drug lord.

“Why should I be puzzled? You have here a guy, a government employee using his office and money cooking shabu and destroying the lives of so many millions of Filipinos. So what is there for me to say about it?” he said.

Senator Leila de Lima wants the Senate to invite Ramon Espinosa, the elder brother of the slain Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, but Senator Panfilo Lacson said he believe there was no need for his testimony because it would just be “hearsay.”

“He will just be testifying on hearsay,” Lacson said when asked if the elder Espinosa would be summoned to the Senate hearing on the circumstances surrounding the death of the Leyte town mayor.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Rolando Espinosa’s affidavit implicating officials in the illegal drug trade of his son Kerwin had diminished its legal value following his death inside the jail last week.

He said the affidavit could no longer be used as evidence because the mayor would no longer be able to subscribe to it before a prosecutor or judge.

“It now becomes hearsay,” Aguirre said in a text message.

Before he was killed, the slain mayor revealed everything he knew about his son Kerwin’s illegal drug operations in Eastern Visayas in two sworn affidavits, including at least 50 individuals as protectors of his son.

The list includes government officials, policemen, military officers and even members of the media who allegedly received payola or drug money in exchange for coddling Kerwin’s businesses led by embattled Senator Leila de Lima.

Espinosa died after he allegedly fought it out with the policemen trying to serve a search warrant inside the Baybay City Jail in Leyte, where the mayor had been detained for drug-related charges.

Twenty operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, including 13 from CIDG Region 8 and eight Maritime Police, are under restrictive custody for their involvement in the shooting.

Duterte, however, declined to look further on the circumstances of the killings saying that would hinder police operations. John Paolo Bencito, Macon RamosAraneta and Rey E. Requejo

News

Rody harps on Leila’s charges

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday downplayed Senator Leila De Lima’s petition seeking to prohibit him from securing private details about her personal life.

He insisted on her culpability for the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary.

“I don’t know what are my sins, so I’d rather leave it to the court,” Duterte said.

“Mine was just to make public what was or is the corruption of the day and how drugs flourish inside our penal institutions.”

After Presidential Spokeman Ernesto Abella criticized De Lima

for playing the “gender card” against President Rodrigo Duterte, De Lima said the the allegations against her were “unsubstantiated,” and that Abella was “missing the whole point.”

“I have nothing to hide and much less do I have any cause to deny any alleged involvement with the illegal drug trade or with any of its so-called drug lords that this administration has repeatedly and

desperately insisted I have,” De Lima said in a statement.

Duterte said the further influx of narcotics inside the New Bilibid Prison was De Lima’s own doing, and that the entire narcotics network “have to be immobilized.”

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the government and Senator Leila De Lima to explain their respective position on Delima’s petition questioning Duterte’s immunity from suit. It gave them 10 days to submit their respective memorandums.

De Lima had petitioned the Supreme Court to order the President and his men from collecting and using information about her private af-

Trump...

During the race, he was forced to ride out allegations of sexual assault and was embarrassed but apparently not shamed to have been caught on tape boasting about groping women.

And, unique in modern US political history, he refused to release his tax returns.

But the biggest upset came on Tuesday, as he swept to victory through a series of hard-fought wins in battleground states from Florida to Ohio.

Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in America’s 240-year existence.

Americans have repudiated her call for unity amid the United States’ wide cultural and racial diversity,

opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that “I alone can fix it.”

If early results hold out, Trump’s party will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

So great was the shock that Clinton did not come out to her supporters’ poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman to insist in vain the result was too close to call.

“I want every person in this hall to know, and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to

her and to him and to all of us. We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her,” chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters.

“She’s done an amazing job, and she is not done yet,” he insisted.

The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.

On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people.

“I’m betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America won’t cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters,” Obama said.

Share prices fell to a 10-month low while the peso slumped to a fresh seven-year low against the dollar.

The Philippines has a thriving business process outsourcing sector, which last year brought in revenues equivalent to around 10 percent of the economy.

Remittances from migrant Filipino workers in the US are equivalent to around 3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines said that in 2015, the BPO industry generated 1.2 million direct jobs and $22 billion in revenues.

“There might be fewer investments coming from the US,” Pernia said.

“Maybe some BPOs will be going back to the US.” But Pernia also noted that the US economy is largely private sectordriven, and the chances that Trump could tell private companies where to go was unlikely.

“That is the decision of the businesses, not the government unless there’s a way of penalizing them for investing abroad,” Pernia added.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr, said that while uncertainties may persist, they will continue to monitor developments and provide liquidity to the market.

“Regional currencies including the peso fell on renewed risk aversion sur-

rounding [the] market surprise in early results showing a Trump victory,” he said.

Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ANZCham) honorary chairman Peter Wallace told reporters on the sidelines of the forum that Philippines is “in serious trouble” after Trump’s victory.

“I am worried truthfully, for the BPO sector, the call center sector, if he makes true on his promises that he is going to stop the immigration of jobs overseas we are in serious trouble.

This is not a good man to have as [US] president … This is scary,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto on Wednesday suggested that Duterte “reboot the ties” between the Philippines and the United States following Trump’s victory.

Recto said Duterte should first send Trump a nice congratulatory letter and declare a moratorium on cursing.

“He should stop dropping F-bombs on the White House occupant. Those intercontinental expletives he fires do no good,” Recto said.

He said Duterte should also tap Vice President Leni Robredo as the Republic’s representative to his inaugural.

“If the No.1 can’t make it, then it should be the No. 2. Anyone with a lower rank will convey the message that we are stuck in the Chinese orbit and have downgraded our Washington

DC presence,” said Recto.

He said Trump’s victory could open a new chapter in relations with the United States, which the Philippines should shape to its own advantage.

“Whether Duterte will have a ‘bromance’ with Trump is up to both of them, for as long as the defined national interest is served, and comes ahead of conjoining personal interests. Trump’s victory will only open an uncharted territory in Philippine-US relations if we do not plan ahead,” Recto added.

Senator Win Gatchalian expressed hope for the continuation of stable Philippine-American trade relations despite the changing of the guard in the United States.

He also said Duterte might have met his stylistic match in Presidentelect Trump, who has drawn comparisons to Duterte due to his strong personality and frank speaking style.

“I think that the first Duterte-Trump meeting will be one of the most anticipated meetings between two heads of state in a long time. Who knows, maybe they’ll even become friends,” said Gatchalian.

Senator Grace Poe jestingly told reporters she did not vote in the US election when sought for comment on Trump’s victory.

During the Philippine presidential campaign, Poe had been accused of being a US citizen.

was a promise made by Duterte, which promise was opposed by petitioners, in spite of which opposition, candidate was elected President.”

“All in all, the redemption of an election pledge and the policy which has basis in the result of the election, cannot be tainted with grave abuse of discretion,” Perez said.

Perez also considered the 14-million votes garnered by Marcos Jr. in the vice presidential race last May as an indication that the Filipinos have already moved forward from the Martial Law nightmare.

“Whether the policy of healing and reconciliation over and above the pain and suffering of the human rights victims is in grave abuse of discretion or not is answered by these evidently substantial Marcos votes during the fresh and immediately preceding national elections of 2016,” Perez noted.

Perez said he believes that this “Marcos vote” was “substantial enough to be a legitimate consideration in the executive policy formulation.”

“The election result is a showing that, while there may have once been, there is no longer a national damnation of President Ferdinand E. Marcos; that the ‘constitutionalization’ of the sin and personification is no longer of national acceptance,” Perez said.

Perez said petitioners presented to the Supreme Cout a political question “cloaked in legal garb” after they failed to prevail in opposing Duterte’s candidacy in the polls.

In its decision last Tuesday, the Supreme Court said the order of Duterte for the Marcos burial is well within his presidential power provided under Article VII, section 17 of the Constitution.

The ruling written by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta held that Marcos possessed the qualifications to be interred at the Libingan as a “former president and commander-in-chief, a legislator, a secretary of national defense, a military personnel, a veteran and a Medal of Valor awardee.”

The Court ruled that there is no law prohibiting Marcos’ burial at LNMB.

It also rejected the claim of petitioners that Duterte’s decision was motivated by his debt of gratitude and payback to the Marcoses for supporting his presidential candidacy in the elections last May, saying they failed to establish factual basis for this.

Duterte on Wednesday told members of the Marcos family to proceed with the burial as he refused to take back his campaign promise amid strong opposition from critics and some allies.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for an official visit to Malaysia and Thailand, Duterte insisted that the abuses of the Marcos dictatorship—an issue raised by many of the critics of the burial “cannot be determined at this time” and has yet to be proven.

He said Marcos asked him in Tacloban if they could proceed.

“Oh yes, you can,” Duterte told him. “I’ve said it before. I will not take my word back.”

Despite attempts even by his Senate allies to get him to reconsider, Duterte stood firm on the burial.

Faeldon said the previous administration did nothing to stamp out corruption in the bureau for the past six years as evidenced by the government’s filing only of six graft charges under the term of former President Benigno Aquino III. “That means the previous administration, despite the massive corruption, only filed one graft case a year. They really did nothing to clean up the bureau of corrupt officials,” Faeldon said.

“It shows there was zero-effort from the previous administration to clean up the bureau yet we found these same corrupt officials involved in the scheme for already a long period of time,” Faeldon added.

He said in just four months in office, the new leadership has already filed 30 graft charges against corrupt Customs officials.

Faeldon confirmed claims made by

President Rodrigo Duterte that the country was losing P300 million a day from 17 ports nationwide due to corruption.

“We were able to confirm the President’s pronouncements about the massive corruption in Customs and we are now doing everything to address this issue because every peso lost in corruption deprives the people of better social and health services like schools, hospitals, roads and bridges,” Faeldon said.

He said his office has found out that the P300 million in losses have been pocketed by corrupt officials who had a heyday in collecting P30,000 per container from unscrupulous importers and brokers who refused to pay the correct levies.

Faeldon cited as example the case of pharmaceutical company Pfizer, whose imported goods had been withheld for paying only P3 million in tariffs when the correct levy to be paid was P32 million.

From A1

Although he has no government experience and in recent years has spent as much time running beauty pageants and starring in reality television as he had building his property empire, Trump at 70 will be the oldest man to ever become president.

Yet, during his improbable rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.

Opposed by the entire senior hierarchy of his own Republican Party, he trounced more than a dozen better-funded and more experienced rivals in the party primary.

Pivot...

From A1

Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law,” the Office of Communications Secretary said in a statement.

Duterte commended the American democratic tradition, which they practiced through the presidential election.

“The United States presidential elections is a testament to the enduring traditions of its democratic system and the American way of life. The two-party system gives American voters freedom of choice based on party platforms, not just on personalities.”

In the same briefing, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said it was too early to judge the long-term effect of a Trump presidency on the Philippines.

“Candidates and Presidents are two different people. We will see what policies a Trump presidency will implement,” Dominguez said.

“I think the stock market people are a little worried. Personally I’m not sure what effect it will be,” he said.

Trump’s win shook many financial markets rattled and casting the longstanding global political order, which hinges on Washington’s leadership, into doubt.

SC:...

From A1

In their separate concurring opinions, Brion and Perez said the enormous support of Filipino voters to Duterte and Marcos’ son and namesake, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was very telling and relevant to the consideration by the Court in finding that the President did not commit grave abuse of discretion in allowing the burial.

Brion said the necessity of Marcos’ burial was a political question that had been decided by the President, with support from the Filipino electorate.

In the oral arguments on the case in September, Solicitor General Jose Calida argued that the burial of Marcos at LNMB was a campaign promise of President Duterte, who won the presidency with 16.6- million votes, under his platform of national reconciliation.

Perez agreed with Brion’s opinion, saying “a Libingan burial for Marcos

PH-China...

From A1 “The discrepancy of $15 billion in the undervalued imported goods had dutiable fees of $1.6 billion, equivalent to P60 billion in revenues, that was lost to corruption under my predecessor [Lina],” Faeldon said.

“The P60 billion in forgone revenues only came from one country, China, whose total transaction represented only 19 percent of total imports,” he added.

Faeldon said his office was investigating corruption in the bureau and initial findings showed erring importers and brokers in collusion with Customs officials have been involved in defrauding the government of the revenues by deliberately not collecting the right levies.

fairs “to degrade her dignity as a human being, a woman and a senator.”

De Lima cited several specific occasions where Duterte allegedly repeatedly subjected her to crude verbal attacks and the publication of her alleged personal affairs.

The President had earlier implicated De Lima in the illegal drug trade, suggesting that she had an illicit affair with her former driver Ronnie Dayan who protected the drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison.

But Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said De Lima’s “test case” against the President was a “harassment suit.”

“The petition can only be a har-

assment suit, the purpose of which is to slow down [the] President’s war on illegal drugs and to distract the public from her inadequacies and inappropriate behavior as Secretary of Justice,” Panelo said in a statement.

“As the good senator ought to know, the main purpose of the President’s immunity is to protect him from any form of harassment, hindrance or distraction which can impair his ability to perform the functions entrusted to him by the Filipino people.”

Panelo was confident De Lima’s case against Duterte “will not pass judicial scrutiny.” John

“I’m betting that tomorrow, true conservatives won’t cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution,” he added.

His bet appears to have been flat out wrong, and America’s first black president will be succeeded by a candidate who received the endorsement—albeit unsought and unacknowledged—of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

Trump’s shock victory is just the latest evidence that globalization has eroded faith in liberal political leadership.

From Britain’s vote to leave the European Union to the rise of far right populists and nationalists in continental Europe, opposition to open trade and social and racial tensions are on the rise. AFP

Duterte...

From A1 The members of his official delegation, including Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza and National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, were also seen signing the Book of Condolences at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport after Duterte was escorted to the Thai Grand Palace in Central Bangkok.

Bhumibol, the world’s longestreigning monarch, died in the hospital in the capital Bangkok on Oct. 13 at the age of 88.

Duterte said he would not be discussing the Philippines’ claim to Sabah with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak but maritime security and the fight against piracy at sea.

Paolo Bencito

Analysts...

From A1

foreign policy,” said Ramon Casiple of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform. “Relying on his campaign pronouncements, then, the Philippines will have to deal with a US president who is very much of a position that sees the Philippines as a freeloader.”

Casiple, who spoke on the sidelines of a US election-watch party at the Sofitel Plaza in Pasay City, said it was unclear how Trump would accept President Rodrigo Duterte’s independent foreign policy stance.

He said Trump could play hardball with Duterte, given his pivot away from the US and toward China.

He added that the 70 years of longstanding relationship between the US and the Philippines could be crucial, given the shifting directions in foreign policy.

The victory of Trump, a real estate developer and former reality TV host, shocked the world on Tuesday and put the United States on an uncertain path.

During the US election watch party organized by the US Embassy, diplomats, Filipino officials and university students were stunned on learning of Trump’s victory.

As soon as the electoral votes reached to 115 versus 147, in favor of Trump, the US Embassy suddenly wrapped up the party without finishing the whole count.

The auditorium turned quiet while the US Embassy staff quietly packed up. This was in contrast to the celebratory election watch in 2012, when US President Barack Obama won reelection.

US Embassy press attaché Molly Koscina said they were looking forward to working with the Presidentelect and the transition team to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

“In our democratic system, the American people are responsible for deciding who the next President will be. We look forward to working with the President-elect and the transition team to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, as the State Department has done with each new President for well over 200 years,” she said.

US Chargé d’Affaires Michael Klecheski said he was confident that the American’s “extremely strong” ties with Filipinos will continue.

“There won’t be any talks at this time because my visit is just one day to focus on what is happening in the Malacca Strait,” Duterte said.

He said he will seek Malaysia’s greater cooperation in the war against the illicit drug trade and support for the peace process in Mindanao.

“This menace knows no boundaries and cooperation between our nations is vital in order to address this problem,” Duterte said.

The country’s incoming Ambassador to Malaysia, Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose, said Duterte was prepared to discuss the issue of the Philippines’ claim to Sabah should it be raised.

“It may or it may not be raised. But, in any case, if it is raised by either side, I’m sure our President will be prepared to discuss this issue,” he told reporters. John Paolo Bencito

News

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House debates death sentence

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Wednesday began its deliberations on the proposed measure seeking to revive death penalty in the country.

The sub-committee on judicial reforms, chaired by Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, tackled seven bills on death penalty, including House Bill 1 of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

The House sub-committee on judicial reforms is under the House committee on justice.

Alvarez has filed his HB 1 which seeks to reimpose death penalty on “heinous crimes,” such as human trafficking, illegal recruitment, plunder, treason, parricide, infanticide, rape, qualified piracy and bribery, kidnapping and illegal detention, robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons, car theft, destructive arson, terrorism and drug-related cases.

“There is evidently a need to reinvigorate the war against criminality by reviving a proven deterrent coupled by its consistent, persistent and determined implementation, and this need is as compelling and critical as any,” Alvarez said in his HB No. 1.

“The imposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes and the mode of its implementation, both subjects of repealed laws, are crucial components of an effective dispensation of both reformative and retributive justice,” the bill stated.

Republic Act 7659 or the Death Penalty Law was abolished in 1986 during the term of Former President Corazon Aquino. It was restored by former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1993, and was suspended again in 2006 by then president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he wants capital punishment by hanging reimposed and even vowed to carry out at least 50 executions a month to serve as a strong deterrent against criminality.

Alvarez lamented that the rise of criminality in the country has reached at an “alarming proportion” and so the government must do an “all-out offensive against all forms of felonious acts.”

At the sidelines of the hearing Tuesday, Velose said they will hear all sides of the issues before his panel’s approval of the measure.

BOMB THREAT. High school students from Jose Abad Santos High School in Manila walk out of their school premises after they were told to evacuate the area when school authorities received a bomb threat from a still unidentified caller. Norman Cruz

DENR chief rehires exec after Duterte replacement

By Rio N. Araja

R

IGHT after he was replaced

by President Rodrigo Duterte, Environment Secretary Regina Lopez reengaged the services of former mining official Leo Jasereno as a consultant despite the objections of the mining industry.

“Environment Secretary [Regina] Lopez tapped Jasareno as consultant. Right after his replacement, Jasareno assumed work as a consultant,” DENR Assistant Secretary Rommel Abesamis told the Manila Standard.

Abesamis said Lopez reengaged Jazareno although Duterte had already appointed mining engineer Wilfredo

Senate panel okays Sotto law expansion

By Macon Araneta THE Senate committee on public information and mass media, chaired by Senator Grace Poe, has approved a measure that would protect journalists, not only in print but also in broadcast and online media, from revealing their sources.

Poe’s committee agreed to support legislative measures seeking to amend Republic Act No 53, or the so-called Sotto Law, that protects print journalists from revealing their sources and expand it to include broadcast and online

media practitioners.

The measures—Senate Bill Nos. 6 and 486 filed separately

by Senators Vicente Sotto III and Antonio Trillanes IV—breezed through a public hearing presided over by Poe on Wednesday, as she assured a committee report and the consolidated bill will be presented to the floor in two weeks.

Both measures sought to amend the law, originally enacted in 1946 on the sponsorship of Sotto’s grandfather Senator Vicente Sotto Sr., to expand its coverage by including the broadcast and online media.

Moncano as acting head of the MGB to replace Jasareno.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines had earlier scored Jasareno for the high-handed audit of the regulatory compliance of mining firms, saying he ignored appeals for miners to correct perceived violations of MGB rules.

Jasareno’s audit resulted in the suspension of eight of its

members—the Filminera Resources Corp., Marcventures Mining and Development Corp., Agata, CTP Construction and Mining Corp., Hinatuan Mining Corp., Benguet Corp., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp. and OceanaGold Philippines Inc. At least 10 other mining companies, including Benguet Corp.

Nickel Mines Inc., Zambales Diversified Metals Corp., LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. and Eramen Minerals Inc., were previously suspended.

Other suspended firms were the country’s only iron-producing mine Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp., Samar-based operations Mt. Sinai Exploration Mining and Development Corp., EMIR Mineral Resources Corp., Berong Nickel Corp., Claver Mineral Development Corp., and

Citinickel Mines and Development Corp.

CoMP vice president for policy Ronald Recidoro challenged the failure of the government to give supposed erring mining firms the chance to rectify their mistakes and save the jobs of employees who became jobless because of the suspension.

“When one suddenly changes the rules of the game, a dialogue between companies and the DENR is needed considering the audit report was completed in August,” he said.

If only there was a dialogue and consultation, the mining operators could have the opportunity to undertake rehabilitation measures, instead of DENR imposing a suspension order on these firms, CoMP said.

New US envoy here by Dec.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan INCOMING United States Ambassador Sung Kim is expected to arrive either at the end of November or early December, a top embassy official said Wednesday.

US chargé d’affaires Michael Klecheski said embassy officials have been continuously briefing Kim on developments in the Philippines, particularly in the light of the Duterte administration’s avowed “pivot to China and Russia.”

“First of all Ambassador Kim is extremely excited to be coming here,” Klecheski said. We’ve

been working with him, sending information, advising him. This is something that we’ve been doing for every new ambassador throughout the world.”

Klecheski reiterated Kim’s diplomatic background and stressed that his appointment had noting to do with the changes in Philippine foreign policy.

“No, no, that decision was made quite a few months ago. It was really not a deliberate decision, but obviously we look forward for his arrival here,” said Klecheski, a third-timer in the Philippines after assignments in Kazakhstan, Iraq, Poland, Switzerland and Russia.

Solon pushes plea for disaster agency

By Maricel V. Cruz LEYTE Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as urgent the proposal originally advocated by her husband creating a separate department that would manage disasters and calamities in the country.

Romualdez made a strong pitch for the passage when Duterte went to Tacloban City to join memorial rites in honor of the victims of Typhoon ‘‘Yolanda’’ in 2013.

The measure was originally proposed by her husband, former House Independent Bloc Leader

and ex-Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, both president of the Philippine Constitution Association and Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats.

“I am appealing to our President to certify my bill as urgent measure because this will help mitigate the impact of future disasters and save lives and properties,” said Rep. Yedda on Tuesday who shared the stage with President Duterte, Martin Romualdez, Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez, former Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Cabinet secretaries and other key leaders at the mass grave to honor ‘‘Yolanda’’ victims.

GREENER PASTURES. Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa welcomes 333 Filipino nurses and caregivers to the start of Nihongo language studies that will enable them to live and work in Japan under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement of 2006. The Filipinos will depart for Japan in June 2017 and undergo another six months of Japanese language training there.

IN BRIEF BFAR decries Viet poachers CLARK FREEPORT—Foreign fishermen including Vietnamese poachers will continue to fish along the country’s 200 kilometers economic zone because of the very rich marine resources of the area.

Nelson Bien, chief of the law enforcement and regulatory division of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Luzon, said the richness of the catch in the area is a magnet to foreign poachers who are equipped with modern fishing gear.

Bien said poachers usually trespass on Philippine waters on moonless nights when fish are attracted to superlights within the 18 kilometers to the West of the Philippines sea.

Bien also confirmed that 50 Filipino commercial fishing boats and 500 fishermen from Zambales continue their fishing near the Scarborough Shoal without being harassed by the Chinese coast guard who remain in the area. Romeo Dizon

BI arrests US fugitive in Angeles AN AMERICAN fugitive wanted for kidnapping, robbery and other crimes in the US was nabbed by immigration agents in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Wayne Russell Collins was nabbed inside his house in Pampanga after several days of intensive surveillance by members of the bureau’s fugitive search unit. He is now detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig while awaiting deportation, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

The 63-year-old Collins was described as a high profile fugitive who was indicted for kidnapping, robbery, homicide, seven counts of assault and battery, six counts of burglary, three counts of domestic violence, three counts of obstruction of justice, and three counts of resisting arrest.

“We have to deport him right away because his presence here poses a serious risk to public safety and security,” the BI chief said.

A warrant for Collin’s arrest was issued by the Justice Court of Mineral Country in Montana, USA and the US embassy said Collins’ passport has already been canceled by the State Department.

“He is therefore an undocumented alien for which reason he will be issued a summary deportation order by our board of commissioners,” said lawyer Arvin Cesar Santos, BI-Legal Division chief.

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Opinion

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Burial

A

FTER many years, the proposed interment of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani remains a divisive issue. It comes as no surprise that the Supreme Court’s 9-5-1 decision, released Tuesday, dismissing petitions that claim President Rodrigo Duterte gravely abused his discretion in ordering the burial, was met with noise and indignation.

Over social media, the anger is palpable. Some users changed their cover or profile photos to black, showing their grief. Victims, or relatives of victims, of rights violations during the martial law period are up in arms over the court’s decision.

They say it is a travesty. Marcos is certainly no hero, they say—he was, instead, a plunderer and a murderer. Protests

are being staged left and right, with participants denouncing the Supreme Court for allowing the interment of the strongman among heroes.

Tuesday was a dark day in history, they say.

Amid the heightened emotion, calling for sobriety may be seen as foolhardy—but we venture to do it anyway.

Foremost, there were no sur-

prises here at all. Mr. Duterte explicitly said while he was just campaigning that he would bring closure to the burial issue if he won. He won by a significant plurality despite—because of—this. It makes sense that he should follow through on his campaign promise.

Second, the groups opposing the burial very clearly recognized the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the issue the moment they filed their petitions before it. They clearly laid out their arguments, not to the question of what makes one a hero, or whether Marcos should be deemed a hero, but on whether he fits the criteria for being buried at the place

that just happened to be called the resting place of heroes.

The petitioners and the others cannot now reject the decision of the court just because it runs counter to what they want.

They would have been jubilant had the ruling gone their way.

Finally, corpses are meant to be buried. They have no business being mummified or being displayed in a museum. The dead’s protracted presence among the living is nothing short of jarring— they serve as grotesque reminders of our inability to put our issues to rest. So bury them—in a family mausoleum, underneath a parking lot, a mass grave or a nondescript

sewer—anywhere, so long as they are gone from sight.

We can choose to prolong the debate until we exhaust all energy and goodwill we have left for all other issues this benighted country faces. Or we can bury Marcos now, without necessarily conceding he is a hero if we don’t want to—just that he, to the letter, fits the description of who may be buried on those grounds.

Anger does nothing but sap our energy and good sense to learn from our mistakes. The court has spoken, and there is no more impediment for Duterte to go ahead with his decision. The outcome appears inevitable.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Traffic not improving

bears watching for their possible impact on Filipinos.

Tougher immigration rules will be bad news for Filipinos staying illegally in the US, who will be forced to return to the Philippines.

And while Trump cannot directly order American companies with a substantial presence here like those involved in business process outsourcing to return, the US government can impose rules that will make it harder for BPO firms to hire people overseas.

(On the issue of China, Trump and Clinton are in rare agreement, bashing the Asian giant for stealing US jobs, engaging in unfair competition and undervaluing the yuan to boost exports. Trump and Clinton also back a stronger militarybacked stance against China—but these views have very little traction outside of America, the intended audience of all the get-tough antiChinese campaign talk.)

Right now, with the expected uncertainty that greeted the election of Trump, the US dollar and its markets are already in retreat.

In the short term, Trump will have to act quickly and decisively to

IT SEEMS that all is not quiet in the traffic management front.

Congress is not only lukewarm to the proposed emergency powers for the President to solve the worsening traffic gridlock in Metro Manila. In fact, some of its members are calling for the replacement of Secretary of Transportation Art Tugade for his failure to come up with solutions to the traffic problem. He is being criticized for relying too much on the emergency powers when there are clearly some steps that could be taken to alleviate the problem even without the grant of emergency powers.

This is bringing back the debate to where it started: whether it is in fact even necessary to grant emergency powers simply to solve the traffic mess.

The so-called emergency powers is focused on granting the President authority to short cut the bidding process for transport infrastructure projects like roads, overpasses and rail road projects. The Metro Manila Development Authority under OIC Emerson Orbos and the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group point, however, to the formation of the Inter Agency on Traffic composed of four government agencies. Critics say that these agencies are simply overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem that they have been driven to paralysis.

Even President Duterte, according to someone close to him, took one hard look at the traffic problem and said six years would not be enough. That seems to be the reason why he has not said very much about the problem.

The problem is indeed daunting—but doing nothing is even worse. What to do and where to start appears to be the problem of our traffic managers.

Much is being concentrated on enforcement and for Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the adding of double-deck buses which will simply add to the many city buses already plying the streets of the Metro Area. It is also sad that the traffic battle which has now been centered on Edsa is not being won at all.

Do our traffic managers really believe that by decongesting Edsa and improving travel time along the road that everybody will say that the traffic in the metro area has improved? If our traffic managers cannot even solve the traffic along a 24-kilometer stretch of road, how can the public really expect them to solve the Metro Manila traffic

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Democracy didn’t die LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES DEMOCRATIC elections can always be reduced to a simple equation: One man equals one vote.

If enough people choose one candidate over another, that candidate will get the privilege of ruling over and charting the destiny of all the rest, by mutual agreement.

As soon as the next elections take place, they will have the chance to make the same choices yet again.

Donald John Trump was smart enough to tap into a huge vein of resentment with politics as usual and to parlay that into victory in the US presidential elections. Enough angry American voters bought into his nativist vision and repudiated the status quo, represented by Trump’s polar ideological, gender and almost-everything-else opposite, Hillary Clinton.

American voters chose to ignore all the serious allegations made against Trump, including charges of racism, misogyny, protection-

ism and mendacity. Now they— and the other Americans who did not vote for Trump—will have to live with that decision.

It’s worth noting that, unlike in these parts, Trump’s victory has not been called “the death of democracy.” Quite the contrary.

The jokes about the dumbing down of the American electorate aside, voters in the US are mature enough to accept the decision of the majority. There are no calls to take to the streets to protest or to impose the will of the minority losers on the bigger portion of the population, simply because the losers believe they know what’s best for the country.

Expectedly, the elites in government, business, media and other key sectors of American society who pushed for Clinton’s victory wailed and tore at their hair, predicting dire consequences for the country now that voters have cast their lot with Trump. The pundit David Remnick, writing in The New Yorker, was one of them, calling Trump’s election “nothing less than a tragedy,” adding that “[i]t is impossible to react to this moment with anything less than

revulsion and profound anxiety.”

But instead of calling for revolution and destroying the democracy that brought Trump to the presidency, Remnick argues that “despair is no answer.” “To call out lies, to struggle honorably and fiercely in the name of American ideals—that is what is left to do.

You’re not free to undermine the same democracy that allows you the freedoms you enjoy under it.

That is all there is to do,” he wrote.

You can’t have a democracy only when the majority thinks and votes the way you do. The American voters chose Trump, in the

same way that their British counterparts chose Brexit and just like Filipinos chose Rodrigo Duterte.

People in a democracy who can’t accept the way the majority has decided are free to criticize that decision. Or to leave, as enough Americans were supposed to have opted for, crashing the Canadian immigration website after it became clear that Trump had won.

But you’re not free to undermine the same democracy that allows you the freedoms you enjoy under it. If you do, you become an agent working for the death of democracy, instead of an adherent of the supposed “icons” who reinstated it. *** But what does a Trump presidency augur for the Philippines?

That really depends on how much policy and decision-making leeway that the US Congress and the bureaucracy will allow the new, supposedly radical president.

Trump has already declared that he wants stricter controls on immigration and to bring back jobs that have been leaving the US. While he has not directly discussed the Philippines at length, what he will do with regard to these issues

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Opinion The rule of law prevails government neglect that borders on criminal negligence.

The government’s resettlement cluster targeted 205,128 housing units for construction during the reign of BS Aquino. The construction was supposed to be under the leadership of the National Housing Authority. The agency received P39.2 billion one of the largest releases for the completion of some 200,000 houses meant for “Yolanda” survivors.

According to the National Economic and Development Authority, as of June 2016, only 23.4 percent of the P9.1 billion of the amount has been disbursed. And in September 2016, a Department of Social Welfare and Development Report cited “Yolanda” survivors’ complaints that up to this date, the houses have not been built.

In the wake of all these, the President should start asking questions. Where did the contributions go? Why was there so much backlog? *** Nur Misuari, chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, while affirming his commitment to join the peace deals with the government, has reasons to boycott the Moro Transition Commission, which was created by the President through an executive order following a decision to organize a five-person panel to separately engage with the government.

For one thing, Misuari believes that there’s already the 1976 Tripoli Agreement he signed in Tripoli under the Marcos regime.

According to Misuari, there was no need for a new law for the Bangsamoro following the Tripoli Agreement when the government and the MNLF agreed to give autonomy to 15 province and 20 cities. Likewise, Misuari believes that there was also the 1996 Final Peace Agreement that provided mechanism to carry out the Tripoli Pact.

Unde rly i ng all these is the fact that Misuari believes that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is a group of “traitors.” The MILF broke away from the MNLF. The fact is that the MILF leaders can never co-exist with the Misuari group. Misuari is Tausug, while the MILF leadership are Maguindanaons and Maranaos—traditionally tribal enemies.

Just how President Duterte will be able to get the MNLF and the MILF united for a peace agreement is now the big question. If he can do it, it will be a feather in his cap, and possible attain peace finally in Mindanao. *** If you are wondering what happened to former Bases Conversion Development Authority President/CEO, Arnel Paciano Casanova, who became the nemesis of the further development of Camp John Hay in Baguio City, preventing its full development, he was taken in as one of the assistants of Vice President Leni Robredo, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development and Coordinating Council.

Insiders of the Office of the Vice President attest to the fact that Robredo has packed her office of “yellows” and former government executives loyal to the past administration. This indicates a the possibility of having Robredo become the Liberal Party candidate for President in 2022.

Santa Banana, is this a Trojan horse in the Duterte administration?

Democracy...

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pants decision-maker, he will certainly be reined in by a Congress (never mind if Republicans now control both Houses) and a bureaucracy that only allow glacial change; institutional memory is a very big deal for the US government, after all, as even avowed reformist presidents like Barack Obama have quickly discovered.

The Philippines, like it or not, has never been top-of-mind to US policy-makers and hasn’t been for decades, anyway. I don’t think that’s going to change under Trump, either.

I cannot understand why there are those among us who cannot accept the finality of a Supreme Court decision.

dispel the belief that he is an unreliable policy shape-shifter who can cause potentially disastrous upheavals in both international trade and global politics.

The US Congress and the bureaucracy, however, can be relied upon to push back against any major policy initiative by Trump that diverges radically from the status quo. While Trump is seen as an ego-driven, seat-of-the-

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Filipino-Americans: Not all have a voice in the US election

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

THE 9-5-1 decision to bury the remains of the late strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was as much a victory for the Marcos family as it was with the Court of Last Resort. By its decision, the Supreme Court upheld the rule of law and due process.

So much emotionalism had muddled somewhat the fact that Marcos was a President, a war veteran, a Commander-in-Chief, a national defense secretary, a legislator. These qualify him to be buried at the LNMB as provided for the rules issued by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Santa Banana, nobody can question those facts!

While the Supreme Court admitted that human rights had been violated during the Martial Law regime, it also said that the case must be looked at in its totality, setting aside emotions.

As the final arbiter of the rule of law, the nine Supreme Court justices upheld the rule of law as supreme as against the five justices who voted against the burial who cited instances of violation of human rights, plunder and betrayal of the Constitution during the Martial Law regime of Marcos.

I cannot buy the argument of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio who voted along the four “Yellows”—Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Benjamin Caguioa (a former classmate of BS Aquino), Marvic Leonen (a known pro-Aquino justice), and Francis Jardeleza (a former Aquino solicitor general) that Marcos as a soldier was “dishonorably discharged which would make him disqualified to be buried at the LNMB during the People Power Revolution of 1986.

The meaning of “dishonorably discharged,” one of the two disqualifications to merit burial at the LNMB, the other one as having been convicted for moral turpitude, is precise and clear. True, Marcos was exiled after the People Power Revolution, but there was no military court that did it. Besides, a revolution is not legal by any term.

Be that as it may, I wonder if the Supreme Court decision can put a closure to the controversy over the burial at the LNMB as expected at the rate the anti-Marcos people are acting. We had hoped that this issue would finally be put to rest and heal political wounds so the country can move forward. But, my gulay, at the rate the militants and the Marcos haters are going, the political divide is wide as ever with even high officials of government unable to accept the Supreme Court decision.

To me, this is the greater tragedy of our nation. There are always those unable to accept even the decisions of the Court of Last Resort, and only believe in themselves. Because of this malady, we remain divided and fragmented.

I cannot understand why there are those among us who cannot accept the finality of a Supreme Court decision. Like it or, when the gods of Mount Olympus decide, that’s the law.

It’s doubly tragic that as a nation, like crabs in an open basket, we keep on pulling each other down. *** During the third anniversary of the “Yolanda” disaster in Tacloban City, President Duterte discovered that there are still thousands of typhoon survivors without permanent houses. They continue to live in danger zones because of

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE AS I write this on an evening in a timezone 15 hours behind the Philippines’, I await with the rest of the world the outcome of the United States general election, and what kind of world we will face in the coming four years.

Right now, we are watching the neck-and-neck race unfold between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the presidency. As forecasted, the traditionally red states in the center of the country voted Republican.

Democrats are counting on the blue wall of the west—the West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington—to defend against the red tide. But the race isn’t over till the first horse crosses the finish line.

Whatever the outcome of this election, it will have a significant impact on the lives of Filipinos in the US. There are over 3.53 million Filipinos in the US, which is the top destination for Filipino emigrants, according to 2013 data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. However, not all of them have a voice in

this election. This spells the difference between citizens and “lawful permanent residents” (LPRs), more familiarly known as “green card holders.”

Joe from San Francisco, who has lived in the US for 30 years, voted Trump, because he dislikes President Obama. “Obama put in that Obamacare, and its premiums are high and increasing in cost,” he said. “How can I now afford to pay the premiums for my wife and daughter, who aren’t working?” The Obama administration admits the rise in the cost of its government health insurance, and Clinton says she will fix this.

But promises are not enough for the people on the ground who are actually having to pay more for their health protection.

Joe also believes that Clinton is a criminal because of her email scandal, and that Trump is “sincere and transparent”—akin to how some people voted for President Duterte because they felt he is less of a trapo than his other opponents.

Ray, who has lived in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years, is pro-Clinton, saying, “Clinton is a steady hand in spite of her missteps. Trump is in it for himself.” He thinks that President Obama did a good job in reviving the slumped economy

after the recession, and that Clinton’s experience will see her through.

Many Fil-Ams are like Joe— political conservatives. In an Oct. 8 article for Asian Journal, Klarize Medenilla reported the Oct. 5 National Asian American Survey found that while 55 percent of Asian American and Pacific Islanders said they were likely to vote for Clinton, 25 percent of the Fil-Am registered voters surveyed said that they were picking Trump, the highest rating among the surveyed ethnic groups.

Fil-Ams also had the highest opposition ratings on progressive issues: they opposed accepting Syrian refugees into the US (41 percent), equal rights for black Americans (22 percent), and climate change initiatives (18 percent).

Unlike Joe, who became a US citizen 25 years ago, not all FilAms were able to participate in this general election. Many, like Ray, are LPRs-non-citizens.

According to the Department of Homeland Security website, LPRs “may live and work permanently anywhere in the United States, own property, and attend public schools, colleges, and universities.” They may also “join the Armed Forces and apply to become US citizens

if they meet certain eligibility requirements.”

As non-citizens, LPRs cannot carry US passports, nor can they vote. But like citizens, they pay taxes and other government fees.

If their services are required, they will have to go to war or serve the US Armed Forces in an appropriate capacity.

Through their work, permanent residents contribute to the growth of the economy and the communities that they belong to.

They have just as much invested in this country as citizens, and have had to make sacrifices to come here, but they are unable to elect national and state leadership or deciding on issues affecting the states where they reside, such as the legalization of recreational use of marijuana.

Fil-Am green card holders, whatever their opinion of the two US presidential candidates, will have to wait how others with the vote made choices for them, choices that will engender implications and consequences that will affect their and their families’ lives for at least four years, and likely more.

Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember.

Philippine Youth Statement on Climate Change WE, THE Filipino Youth, believe that climate change is a social justice issue and demand that the Government of the Philippines in cooperation with all parties to the UNFCCC to ratify the Paris Agreement and take action specifically on the following points to address sustainably and equitably the causes and impacts of climate change: Mitigation We strongly recommend that Parties to the Paris Agreement update their submitted Intended Nationally Determined Contributions to address the significant gap between pledges and aggregate emissions pathways consistent with holding global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees and develop and adapt an institutionalized pathway to 1.5 degrees using the best available science by 2020.

We strongly recommend that the Philippine government cease all projected expansion of coal power capacities and outline a feasible plan to retire all operational coal-fired power plants by 2030, in line with the Philippine’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC).

We recommend that the government promote and expand existing incentives and subsidies in the Renewable Energy sector as mandated by Republic Act No. 9513 (Renewable Energy Law) to achieve a desirable low-carbon energy mix in the near future.

We demand the implementation of carbon crediting scheme and the imposition of carbon tax on commerce, industries, and motor vehicles to directly offset carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and provide financing for climate change mitigation projects.

We call for the protection of the ancestral domains of the diverse group of indigenous people (IPs) in the Philippines against land conversion and exploitative industrial practices by foreign and local business entities. These protected areas can potentially serve as carbon sinks through effective forestry and land management.

We encourage the integration

of climate change and other related topics such as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Environmental Protection, Renewable Energy, and Sustainable Developments as a part of both Science and Humanities subject in the basic and higher education academic curriculum of the Philippine Education System.

We urge the transportation sector to drastically decrease their tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions by supporting cleaner alternatives to petroleum-derived fuels like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Biofuels; And promote public mass transit systems as an alternative to private motor vehicle transport.

We promote the use of indigenous natural and sustainablysourced materials over petrochemical-based materials such as synthetic fibers, polymers (plastics), and polystyrene foams (styrofoams) to mitigate the global warming potential from the use and release of chemicals such as Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the processing and disposal of said materials. Likewise, we also promote recycling and efficient waste disposal and management systems.

Adaptation We emphasize the need for an inventory of best sustainable adaptation practices and preservation of indigenous knowledge accessible to public.

We emphasize that adaptation is an integral strategy that Philippines needs to prioritize to properly implement adaptive responses to the impacts of climate change and recommend that it strengthen its National Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

We endorse that adaptation strategies that are mainstreamed should always be linked to capacity-building of all members of the community by strengthening the existing education and information dissemination program.

We strongly recommend that science-based research and development should also be promoted to discover new innovations and improve existing technologies that could be useful for adaptation measures. We demand that there

should be an institutionalized balance between mitigation and adaptation in the provisions under the technology framework of the Paris Agreement.

We encourage innovations in green architecture and infrastructure and institutionalize sustainable urban and rural planning.

We recommend that disaster risk reduction and management be strengthened to improve climate resiliency.

We strongly proposed that the government agencies and nongovernment agencies, the private sector, and the general public, be equipped with sufficient technologies to efficiently respond to extreme weather events and avoid its unnecessary consequences.

Loss and Damage We demand that Annex 1 countries provide specific forms of compensation to countries most vulnerable to climate change, depending on the degree of their vulnerability, for reconstructing infrastructure and improving climate resiliency for both slow-onset events extreme weather events.

We recommend that parties to the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement strengthen existing mechanisms for enhancing understanding, action, and support, such as early warning systems, comprehensive risk assessment and management, and risk insurance facilities, to minimize or eliminate losses of lives and property, in lieu of future disasters We recommend that Parties should create mechanisms for countries to formulate national rehabilitation plans, focusing on mechanisms for easier access to funding for infrastructure reconstruction and psychological recovery, recognizing the importance of rehabilitation in any long-term strategy for improving climate resilience in local communities.

We support the creation of stronger mechanisms for the inclusion of citizens residing in localities that suffered losses and damages to any local, national, or even international decision-making processes, with the support of civil society organizations We strongly urge the parties to

the Agreement to consider establishing a legal basis for liability for the losses and damages suffered by vulnerable countries due to impacts of climate change.

MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION On Capacity building: 1. We recommend that governments continue strengthening the level of grassroots awareness on climate change through community- based and sector- specific information campaigns.

2. We recommend that governments facilitate national community-based monitoring, reporting, and verification schemes of the implementation of existing international agreements on the reduction of carbon emissions and to include local representatives from all sectors in the national accounting of greenhouse gas emissions.

On Climate Finance: 1. In the context of mobilizing $100 billion by 2020, we deem it an imperative to conduct periodic assessment and public accounting of available funding sources such as the Green Climate Fund, government, bilateral and multilateral institutions, private sector funding including leveraged climate investments to substantially clarify its projections, methodologies and guidelines and to streamline the process for community access, enable grant- based financing and allotment of proposed research initiatives and benchmarking activities. We recommend again that local representatives from all sectors should be involved in this.

On Technology transfer: 1. We demand that developed countries facilitate the diffusion of existing knowledge, good practices and technologies for sustainable development by eliminating barriers to information flow without breaching the Intellectual Property Rights.

2. We demand that bearers should prioritize the supply of energy technologies needed by the vulnerable sectors of developing countries.

Signed 137 youth leaders and participants to the Youth Beyond Paris and Future Negotiators Training

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on how we use our roads. Since MMDA is the local authority mandated to solve the traffic in the Metro area, it should try to hire competent traffic engineers and planners to assist the agency. I know they will say again that they know what they are doing and that they are consulting and rely on foreign groups like the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, but MMDA uses the data coming from JICA to rationalize their failures.

What is needed in the Metro Area is what to do now. MMDA needs traffic signaling experts, traffic sign experts and engineers that can undertake small engineering projects that could have significant impacts on traffic.

MMDA also needs people that can do traffic surveys like origin and destination surveys as a basis to assign bus and jeepney routes.

When the DOTC was originally

organized in 1979, then-Minister Jose Dans banned jeepneys and tricycles along Edsa. The number of bus companies plying the streets of Metro Manila was also reduced to 10 which included the Love Bus—if people still remember those days.

When President Cory Aquino took over, all these things were thrown out and anybody who can buy a bus can operate a bus line.

Instead of public transport improving, it started to deteriorate to what we see in Edsa today.

It really is disappointing to see that instead of marching towards modernity which we all aspire for, we are moving backwards.

We cannot seem to transcend the morass of ineptitude so that we can also boast to the world that we have arrived. We cannot even ban the tricycles and the pedicabs along Edsa together with the persistent sidewalk

market in Balintawak that are not only an eye sore but also impede the efficient flow of traffic along the road.

So why is it that the government cannot get rid of those sidewalk vendors in Balintawak? Is it because of the kawawa naman sila mentality so that we have tolerate them because they are poor? Then we really cannot solve our traffic problems and it is really a hopeless case.

Many years ago, the city of Jakarta in one swoop prohibited tricycles along its streets. Anyone caught, would have his unit thrown to the sea. The method was admittedly draconian but there are no more tricycles on the streets of Jakarta today.

People will also have to realize that not only should the tricycles be banned from Metro Manila streets. The jeepney must now also be gradually phased out.

problem?

A drive along Edsa from end to end is a showcase of why the government cannot seem to solve the traffic gridlock. The chaos is so plain to see. Tricycles counter flowing, jeepneys and taxis using the roads as terminals, buses blocking each other to compete for passengers and sidewalk vendors using portions of the road to hawk their goods. Edsa is a microcosm of everything that is wrong in our traffic management.

As I have written in the past, we are the only country in the world that put fences on our roads. The reason for this is driver discipline and the inability of government to enforce traffic laws. And so long as this continues, there is really no way to improve the efficiency

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF BoC seizes P65-m goods AT LEAST P65 million worth of smuggled fake cigarettes and other goods were seized by government operatives in Davao City, the Bureau of Customs said.

The government team, composed of agents of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, raided eight warehouses in Barangays Uyanguren, Sta Ana, and Obrero following intelligence report that fake cigarettes were being smuggled into the city.

Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said the raiding team found contrabands in 2,542 boxes inside the warehouses.

“Confiscated were imitations of cigarette brands Mighty, More and Two Moons, including fake Baoma mosquito killer products, and whitening lotions,” Faeldon said.

Customs inspector Jonel Pogoy said the confiscated goods belonged to Taiwanese nationals Shi Yue Qun and Benedict Rene Tan. The seized goods were brought to the Port of Davao and will be destroyed, the customs chief said.

News

Sandigan affirms junking of ZTE charges vs Arroyo T

HE Sandiganbayan affirmed on Wednesday its dismissal of the corruption charges against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, saying there really is no evidence to prove that the former leader was involved in any irregularity in a project with Chinese firm ZTE Corp.

In a five-page resolution, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division denied the motion for reconsideration filed by state prosecutors, which sought to overturn the August 8 ruling granting Arroyo’s demurrer to evidence.

“After a reading of all the arguments of the prosecution and the accused, this Court finds the arguments of the prosecution insufficient to warrant the reversal of the questioned Resolution,” said the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division in denying the appeal

of prosecutors.

Government lawyers filed the appeal seeking to reverse the Sandiganbayan’s August 8 decision granting Arroyo demurrer to evidence which asks the court to determine the merits of the case based on submitted evidence.

In affirming the dismissal of criminal charges against Arroyo, the Sandiganbayan said state prosecutors failed to raise “new and substantial arguments” that would warrant a reversal of the court’s ruling.

“To reiterate, considered in its entirety, the pieces of docu-

mentary as well as testimonial evidence adduced by the accused were found to be insufficient to prove the guilt of accused GMA [Arroyo’s initials],” the court said.

State prosecutors had earlier argued that the testimony of former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri that former elections commissioner Benjamin Abalos tried to bribe him with P200 million for the immediate approval of the ZTE proposal was sufficient evidence.

State prosecutors said Arroyo violated the Code of Conduct

Engine trouble downed Sokol

By Florante S. Solmerin

Vito Barcelo

Online extort scam busted THE National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division arrested two suspects who extorted more than half a million pesos during two separate operations in Mandaluyong and Malate, the agency said on Wednesday.

Arrested by the NBICCD agents were suspects Michael Gonzales and Pearl Ruby Gonzales, the former’s adopted sister. Michael is the leader of the online robberyextortion group.

The NBI said, sometime in July 2016, Michael, using a false identity on the internet, befriended the victim, Paul N. Beattie, an Australian.

After a video chat conversation between them, Michael took a photo of the victim from the video chat and edited the photo with child pornography.

It then appeared that the victim was watching child pornography.

Thereafter, Michael threatened the victim through email that if the victim would not send money, the suspect would release the edited pictures on the internet, thereby branding the victim as a pedophile.

Out of fear, the victim sent money to a bank account in the name of Pearl Ruby F. Gonzales. The victim sent money to the same account several times out of fear.

By the time that the victim filed a formal complaint with the NBI in late September 2016, Michael had already extorted over P600,000 from him. Sandy Araneta

and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees by accepting a gift from ZTE, and allowing the company to foot the bill for her lunch and a game of golf in China.

The former President, however, argued that a dismissal order arising from the grant of a demurrer to evidence amounts to an acquittal and cannot be appealed, as it would be tantamount to double jeopardy.

The court sided with Arroyo’s argument, saying an acquittal in a criminal case is final and executory upon its promulgation.

LONG WAY TO GO. Like 19th century coolies seen in old photographs, modern-day workers manually truck large cartons of merchandise in Binondo on Wednesday. Manny Palmero

Tawi-Tawi college officials indicted

By Rio N. Araja OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales indicted on Wednesday the president of the Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College for the supposedly illegal disbursement of public funds amounting to P8.6 million in 2006 to 2008.

Asady Hussin, TRAC president, was ordered charged with 21 counts of malversation and 21 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act 3019 before the Sandiganbayan.

Also included in the graft and malversation charges were professors Berma Omarali for 13

counts each, Mernalyn Isa for seven counts each and Sahajim Hassan for one count each.

Based on investigation, all the 21 checks totaling to P8,623,930.00 were all converted to cash by the respondents, who claimed that payments were made to contractors and suppliers.

Husin, Omarali and Isa said the funds were used for procurement of computer units, agricultural inputs and improvement, classroom renovation, and payment of salaries.

“The basic requirements in disbursement of public funds were not complied with because not one of the checks was issued under a valid disburse-

ment voucher duly supported with purchase request, purchase order or contract, delivery receipt, and inspection and acceptance report,” the decision read.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman filed graft raps against former Siayan mayor Wilfredo Siasico of Zamboanga del Norte in connection with the illegal acquisition of a brand-new bulldozer worth P15,892,500 in 2008.

In a complaint filed by the Commission on Audit, Siasico unilaterally undertook,without the aid of the bids and awards committee the direct purchase of one bulldozer from Monark Equipment Corp. without a pub-

lic bidding and publication.

“As the local chief executive, Siasico is not only expected to know the procedure in procurement, but most importantly, obliged to follow it,” the resolution read.

“It was without regard to the high position [Siasico] occupied which imposed him with great responsibilities and obliged him to be more circumspect in the discharge of his duties. As a result of his deliberate unlawful action, the Municipality was deprived of the opportunity to acquire the best possible product at the most reasonable price which could have been achieved had a competitive bidding been conducted.”

THE Philippine Air Force said the emergency landing of the Sokol helicopter in Puerto Princesa City on Tuesday was due to an engine malfunction.

“The initial report is one of the two engines of the chopper had experienced malfunction that forced the pilots to have emergency landing. It was not a crash land as reported,” Colonel Antonio Francisco said of the incident that injured soldiers and policemen, including Mimaropa regional police director Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor.

He said the emergency landing happened in the middle of a rice field but the chopper ended up on its side because of the uneven terrain.

“The initial report is that the main rotor is damaged,” Francisco said. “We’re still waiting the final report of the investigation.”

The incident was reported Tuesday by the Western Command shortly before 3 p.m. in Sitio Sabang in Barangay Cabayugan.

Mayor and his company were conducting an aerial inspection of the area in preparation for the Nov. 10 Asean Chiefs of Justice Conference in Palawan when the chopper encountered engine malfunction.

The passengers only suffered minor injuries, according to Westcom spokesperson Lieutenant Cherryl Tindog.

Pending the result of the investigation, Francisco said all the other Sokol aircraft have not yet been ordered grounded.

The brand new choppers were delivered during the time former President Benigno Aquino III by PZL Zwidnikmanufacturer in Poland.

In August 2014, one of the Sokol choppers with Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya, then the commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and other government officials on board, crashed shortly after it took off at Camp Ranao in Marawi City.

The Polish manufacturer delivered the eight brand new W3 Sokols worth P2.8 billion to PAF in 2012.

PAL to get another 777 in Dec.

By Joel E. Zurbano

KEEPING ’EM CLEAN. Policemen and their search dogs scour the Valenzuela City jail in search of illegal drugs and other contraband that may have been smuggled into the detention facility. Andrew Rabulan

PHILIPPINE Airlines will take delivery this December of its eighth Boeing 777 encouraging officials of the airline that they would be able to increase its flights to North America.

“With additional seats come additional capacity, which now enables PAL to increase frequencies on its transpacific flights to the US mainland and Canada. Our passengers can now choose from a wider variety of schedules and at the same time, experience service with the heart of the Filipino,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista.

On Tuesday, PAL led by its chairman Lucio Tan launched its seventh Boeing 777 plane at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

By December, PAL will also begin operating double daily flights between Manila and Los Angeles from the current 10 weekly flights allowing passengers to choose be-

tween morning and evening flights.

Flights between Manila and Vancouver will increase from 7 to 10 weekly, while flights between Manila and Toronto will increase from 3 to 4 a week.

The new acquisitions are part of PAL’s fleet modernization program, which together with route network expansion and service innovations, is in line with its vision to be a five-star, full service national carrier of the Philippines.

The two B777s will be Wifi—enabled and are equipped with in-seat inflight entertainment, providing passengers a wide selection of movies, music and shows.

The aircraft cabin—with 42 seats on business and 323 on economy —was designed by LIFT Strategic Design, a Tokyo-based studio, headed up by Daniel Baronl, who also designed the cabin for PAL’s first B777-300ERs. “It is an immense honor and pleasure to be working with Philippine Airlines again. LIFT is

committed to supporting our good friends at PAL in their quest for five stars, and I believe in their potential to achieve that goal,” said Baronl.

The walls separating the cabins show a coastline pattern of the sea around an island. In the forward and rear walls of business class, an exclusive version of coastlines in a light shade of sand is seen. The carpet design of this section is inspired by banig (basket weave) and handwoven floor coverings.

The business class seat fabric has a basket weave pattern in deep sea blue. The overall appearance is fresh and modern, with a premium look and feel. The economy class seat fabric features and flip-flop color-change effect; its colors appear different depending on the viewing angle.

Bautista said the arrival of the brand new plane (B777-300ER) brings to 79 the total fleet count of the PAL Group. He added PAL will have a total of 80 planes by the end of the year.

Sports

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Norwood renews pact

By Jeric Lopez GABE Norwood will continue to don the Rain or Shine jersey.

Despite all its stunning off-season moves, the Elasto Painters’ latest transaction is something that make the most sense for them as they secured the veteran two-way wingman.

After weeks of negotiations, Norwood and Rain or Shine agreed on a maximum two-year deal, keeping Norwood as one of their franchise cornerstones.

With this move, Rain or Shine kept two of its longtime core players in Norwood and Beau Belga after letting go of stars Paul Lee and JR Quinahan.

The return of Nor-

wood will give Rain or Shine a lot of depth in its backcourt and wing positions as it will also have newly acquired James Yap and Mike Tolomia along with Jeff Chan, Chris Tiu, Jericho Cruz and Maverick Ahanmisi in the fold.

In other league developments, Phoenix Petroleum continued its bid to ensure its future.

The Fuel Masters signed top rookie pick Matthew Wright for three years on a maximum P8.5 million deal.

They also inked fellow Gelo Alolino to a twoyear pact.

Phoenix’s acquisition of these two touted rookies will be a boost in its campaign as head coach Ariel Vanguardia is expected to make full use of

their abilities to help the team.

The Fil-Am guard, who helped the franchise win two PBA championships, was selected by the franchise as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 Rookie Draft.

Team captain Jireh Ibanes, who was the team’s second round pick in the 2006 PBA Draft, is the only Elasto Painters player with a longer tenure than Norwood.

The Elasto Painters management expressed satisfaction at having signed Norwood who inked the pact at the Rain or Shine office in Pasig.

Having Norwood back means the return of a key player who provides leadership and ensures that the Elasto Painters remain title contenders.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters guard Gabe Norwood (5) issues a no-look pass to teammate Jason Forte (00) during a game against the NLEX Road Warriors. After weeks of negotiations, Norwood and Rain or Shine agreed on a maximum two-year deal.

Ravena, Go power Ateneo Blue Eagles past Tamaraws T

By Peter Atencio

Games Saturday

HE Ateneo Blue Eagles came out strong under boards from start to finish.

Thirdy Ravena and Isaac Go rose to the occasion and banged bodies in the shaded lane to lead the Blue Eagles to a 74-59 stunner over the defending champion Far Eastern University Tamaraws yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Ravena had a double-double performance of 15 points and 11 rebounds while Go made 14 points and seven rebounds for the Blue Eagles, who posted their

eighth win in 12 games in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philipines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

Their fourth consecutive vic-

(at the MOA Arena) 2 p.m. UST vs Ateneo 4 p.m. FEU vs La Salle

tory allowed Ateneo to catch up with FEU with their 8-4 win-loss record. FEU suffered its second straight setback after seven consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, Rob Manalang shot 16 points for the Adamson Soaring Falcons as they swamped the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 76-61.

This allowed the Soaring Falcons to climb to third with their 7-5 slate.

FEU, Ateneo and Adamson

are now in contention for the no. 2 seeding in the Final Four semifinals. The team’s chances of getting it will depend on the fortunes of FEU and Ateneo in their two remaining games.

FEU has La Salle and University of the East as they remaining foes while Ateneo still has to face UST and the Soaring Falcons.

The Blue Eagles showed intensity under the boards early in the game, and surprised the Tams after Ravena, Go and John Wong attacked the paint to push the Loyola dribblers ahead with their 24-14 lead in the first 10 minutes.

They held the Tams to 14 points in the second period, and

the Blue Eagles took control of the boards, 24-16, at halftime.

Because of this, the Blue Eagles were able to coast to a 46-28 halftime spread.

“Just do whatever it takes to increase our lead. They couldn’t stop us. We were lucky at our pick-and-roll offense clicked,” said Ravena.

Monbert Arong led FEU with 15 points, and was scoreless in the third after Ateneo stayed ahead by 12, 58-46, at the end of the period.

Prince Orizu banged in 11 points, and had 16 rebounds for FEU. He was limited to four points in the fourth.

Epstein voted top executive

President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs Theo Epstein waves to the crowd during the 2016 World Series victory parade on November 4 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years after defeating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in Game 7. AFP

LOS ANGELES—Theo Epstein, who overcame the second Major League Baseball “curse” of his career last week, was named Executive of the Year in a vote of 56 club executives.

Epstein, 42, is president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, who captured their first World Series crown since 1908 by defeating Cleveland in the best-of-seven final four games to three.

In voting conducted by the Sporting News, Epstein received 13 votes to nine for Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti and eight for New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Epstein had built the 2004 Boston Red Sox championship team that ended that team’s 86-

year title drought to finish off the “Curse of the Bambino,” the supposed hoodoo stemming from the Red Sox trading beloved star Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

Epstein’s curse-killer reputation was enhanced by the title for the Cubs, who some say were suffering under the “Curse of the Billy Goat” after a tavern owner and his goat were ejected from a 1945 World Series game and he vowed the team would not win again.

After joining the Cubs in 2012, the team endured three losing seasons before making the playoffs last year and winning a season-best 103 games this year.

The only previous Cubs executives to win the award were Phil Wrigley in 1945 and Dallas Green in 1984.

Meanwhile, the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs earned more glory when right fielder Jason Heyward and first baseman Anthony Rizzo earned Gold Glove awards for fielding excellence.

It was the fourth award for Heyward and the first for Rizzo.

The San Francisco Giants had the most Gold Glove winners with three as shortstop Brandon Crawford won his second award. Catcher Buster Posey and second baseman Joe Panik took home their first prizes. Posey’s selection snapped an eight-year win streak by St. Louis Cardinals Yadier Molina.

The winners were selected

by MLB managers and coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

UST Growling Tigresses boost UAAP semifinal bid CANDICE Magdaluyo tallied 16 points for the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses in their 74-70 triumph over the Adamson Lady Falcons yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

This lifted UST’s bid for the remaining semifinals berth in the 79th University Athletic Association of the

Philippines women’s basketball tournament.

The Tigresses also drew all-around games from Shanda Anies and Jhenn Angeles.

Anies had 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Jhenn Angeles added 12 markers.

UST is hoping to join defending two-time champion

Games Saturday:

(Mall of Asia Arena) 8 a.m. – AdU vs UE (Women) 10 a.m. – DLSU vs UP (Women)

National University, De La Salle and University of the East in the semis.

And they are closer after the Tigresses pulled of their sixth win in 13 contests.

The Lady Falcons dropped to 5-7. They are now half-agame behind the Tigresses in the race for the last semifinals berth.

Jamie Alcoy led Adamson University with 16 points and seven boards while Kaye Pingol and Jo Razalo added 13 and 12 markers respectively.

Meanwhile, Pesky Pes-

quera scored 12 points, including the game-winning triple in the dwindling seconds as University of the Philippines nipped Far Eastern University, 46-44, for its second win in 12 contests.

Antonia Wong also had 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lady Maroons.

Peter Atencio

Tanjangco, Virola win the November 5 Pairs event

MR. K.T. Yang graciously hosted this November 5 Pairs event.

And the stalwarts of the Philippines bridge players attended the invitation to play.

Of the numerous triumphs Mr. Yang achieved, the Philippines bridge icon we recount: Far East Bridge Federation and Pacific Asia Bridge Federation 1959 - V. Reyes and K.T. Yang.

PTBA the Philippines played inspired bridge to trounce Hongkong 164-123 IMPs. Playing captain Phil Manalang Albert Quiogue, George Soo, K.T. Yang All the bridge players present

were discussing the forthcoming event in the Indonesia in 2018.

The IOC decided to include Bridge in Asian Games K.T. Yang is looking forward to play in the event said: He will be the oldest athlete member to play at this event.

I feature a deal on the very first board which I played with partner Salma Nugent: Board 41 N Deals E-W Vul North ♠A8 ♥J972 ♦AK1062 ♣Q6 West East ♠K102 ♠653 ♥65 ♥108 ♦QJ753 ♦9 ♣842 ♣AKJ9753

South ♠QJ974 ♥AKQ43 ♦84 ♣10 Albert Quiogue sitting North opened the bidding with one notrump. I sitting East overcalled with three clubs. Joseph Maliwat then answered partner Albert by bidding four clubs. Albert replied four hearts. In no time they reached six hearts. Joseph added he was aided to bid six hearts with a singleton in clubs.

At matchpoints the winners: 1. Manny Tanjangco-Romy Virola 2. Gemma Tan-Viksi Egan 3. K.T. Yang-George Soo -oOoYeh Online Bridge World Cup comes to a close

The First Yeh Online Bridge World Cup has ended – but it heralds the start of a new chapter in the great history. Our congratulations go to the winning team, Lavazza: Norberto Bocchi, Emannuela Lavazza, Bénédicte Cronier, Giorgio Duboin, Agustin Madala, Sylvie Willard, and Maria Teresa Lavazza (NPC).

The concept of the tournament was to showcase bridge as a modern game, pure, using all the technology available to promote a dynamic image, and attract as much media attention as possible.

Each venue provided great interest and there was some great bridge. I should especially mention the Beijing heat, where two teams were playing in an amazing setup created and sup-

ported by OurGame and where our partner, Mr. Chen Yeh was welcomed.

Seven (7) hours time difference on one side, 8 the other side, 15 in total and still we gathered altogether for the good of bridge, including Bill Gates, our best ambassador for worldwide bridge, Mr. Guo Jinlong who was the host of the biggest World Mind Sports Games, Mr. Giuseppe Lavazza who is one of the strongest supporters of bridge that we have.

After the event Bill Gates tweeted: “This morning I played in the first-ever online @BridgeWorldCup. I hope this draws more people to the card game. I love playing.”

Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo

Enriquez targets 3 PPS titles SYDNEY Enriquez tries to record a rare feat in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis tournament as she guns for three titles in the Gov. Tony Cerilles leg unfolding today Thursday at the ZDS Sports Complex Tennis Club in Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur. The 14-year-old Enriquez gains the top seeding in the 14-, 16- and 18-and-under classes but though she is expected to dominate her age bracket and the 16-U division, the young star from Salug, Zamboanga del Norte braces for a tough outing in the premier class (18-U) of the event hosted by Gov. Cerilles as part of his continuing effort to help promote and develop the sport in the region.

Wyne Paglinawan, Aira Genetiano and Cristy Dalman are three of the top players raring to foil Enriquez, among the country’s top 16 junior players who competed in the recent WTA Future Stars Qualifiers, in the 18-U category.

Keen competition is also seen in various categories of the five-day, Group 3 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger with Kristine Bandolis. Faye Lim, Rose Tabudlong and Christelou Samson tipped to contend for the girls’ 12-U diadem.

Siblings Renest and Steven Sonsona gear up for a showdown in the boys’ 18-U side which also features Nilo Ledama, Jude Ceniza, Ralph Echavez, Brent Cortes, Uzzhel Pepito and Nik Isagan with Steven heading the cast in the full-packed, 64-player 16-U class of the tournament sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger, the official ball.

Unbeaten Ward faces Kovalev LOS ANGELES—Former world champion Andre Ward says the winner of next week’s showdown of unbeatens between himself and world light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev should be seen as boxing’s pound-for-pound king.

“It would be really hard to go against that, based on both our resumes and us stepping up and being willing to fight,” Ward said Tuesday on an international conference call. “The winner of this fight should be pound-for-pound number one.”

The November 19 matchup in Las Vegas will see Russia’s Kovalev, 30-0 with one drawn and 26 knockouts, defend the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization crowns for a fifth time since beating Bernard Hopkins for them all in a unification bout.

“This fight is a great opportunity for both of us to show the boxing world who is the best pound-for-pound,” Kovalev said. “It’s going to be a war between us.”

Ward, a 32-year-old American, is 30-0 with 15 knockouts. He was the 2004 Athens Olympics light heavyweight champion, the most recent US fighter to claim Games gold.

“I’ve heard people say I’m not the same fighter I was in my 20s and I hope I’m not,” Ward said. “I should be getting better.” AFP

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Sports

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

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Putting woes hound Superal PRINCESS Superal grappled with her putter all day and stumbled with a one-over 73, falling six shots behind a solid Kaitlin Park after two rounds of the 2016 Arizona Women’s Open at the Sun City Country Club in Sun City, Arizona Tuesday.

Superal flubbed at least four birdies putts inside six feet and failed to negate her second straight bogey on the tough par-4 ninth, ending up birdie-less after gunning down six in an impressive opening 68 Monday.

With a 37-36 effort, the LPGA Tour aspirant dropped from one-down to six behind at 141 heading to the final 18 holes of the tournament serving as tune-up for players vying in the LPGA Q-School Final Stage on Nov. 30-Dec. 4 in Florida.

Park bucked a disastrous 7 on No. 9 and a bogey on the 10th with eight birdies, including three straight from No. 4 on her way home, firing a 68 for a 135 aggregate, posting a five-stroke lead over new pursuer Ashley Tait of Colorado, who carded a 71 for a 140.

Filipina amateur Regan de Guzman turned in a second 71 to remain at joint fourth at 142 with Brittany Benvenuto and Celine Boutier, who also shot a pair of 71s.

Superal, whose pro campaign is backed by F Siblings, PB Farms and ICTSI, and de Guzman are toughening up for the grueling five-day LPGA Q-School Final Stage where they will be joined by Cyna Rodriguez, Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio in search for coveted LPGA cards next year.

Around 120 players will be vying in the Final Stage in Daytona, Florida with only 20 LPGA cards up for grabs.

Vargas supports Araneta

By Peter Atencio IT’S time to uphold good governance in the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Boxing chief Ricky Vargas said this as he supported Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta’s letter of protest against POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. Araneta believes that Cojaungco is no long eligible to seek another term of office in POC, and this is because a total term limit of 12 years has been set by the International Olympic Committee.

“If the IOC is following this rule, it’s time to uphold governance,” said Vargas, who guested yesterday at the “Kapihan sa Manila Bay in Café Adriatico in Malate, Manila.

In his letter addressed to the three-man election panel headed by Frank Elizalde, Araneta stressed six points against Cojuangco, and bared that the IOC provision for president was issued on Dec. 12, 1999.

Under the 17-year old ruling, the president has a fixed term of 8 years, and is renewable for four years only and a total of 12 years in office.

Because of this, Araneta believes that Cojuangco is violating section 2.8, which is about Good Governance in the IOC Code of Ethics.

Vargas said he is now appealing to the General Assembly of the POC to be reasonable and look at things from a reasonable standpoint.

“Let’s forget about the legal process.

Let’s go and think about it, from a reasonable standpoint. Allow the elections to come.

Allow people to have a choice, allow democracy to happen,” said Vargas.

Vargas’ camp said they will seek for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) court to stop the scheduled election of officers of the Philippine Olympic Committee on Nov. 25.

Lawyer Jake Corporal of the ACCRA law office said they will seek the TRO from the Pasig RTC on Nov. 19, that’s 10 days after receiving the copy of the Nov. 4 final decision of the POC Commission on Election.

The panel rejected their appeal for reconsideration over the earlier ruling disqualifying Vargas from running as president.

Vargas said the term active member is susceptible to so many interpretations.

“The By-Laws of an organizations allows a member to be represented in the meeting and he is still an active member. We are going to court to file a TRO so that the term active member would be interpreted once and for all,” said Vargas.

LeBron James (23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives strong to the hoop against the Atlanta Hawks on November 8 at The Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

Vengeful Hawks halt Cavaliers’ unbeaten run C

LEVELAND—The Atlanta Hawks handed Cleveland their first loss on Tuesday with a 110-106 win, breaking a series stranglehold that saw the Cavaliers sweep Atlanta out of the playoffs the last two years.

The Hawks’ victory snapped an 11-game losing skid to Cleveland, who dropped to 6-1 on the season as they were the NBA’s last unbeaten team.

“We were tired of getting pushed around by Cleveland and we wanted to beat these guys,” said Hawks center Dwight Howard.

This is a much different Hawks team than the one that had been dominated by the Cavaliers and Howard is one of the reasons why.

The addition of Howard to the

lineup is part of the roster shakeup that coach Mike Budenholzer had hoped would allow them to compete with the Cavaliers.

“They’ve dominated the Eastern Conference for a long time now,” Hawks forward Kent Bazemore said.

“They’re definitely the measuring stick, and we passed our first test. This is one of the biggest wins I’ve had since I’ve been here.

“They’re a very, very special team and for my two years here, they’ve kicked our butts.”

Meanwhile, in Memphis,

Marc Gasol hit a short shot as time expired to lift the Memphis Grizzlies past the Denver Nuggets 108-107.

Emmanuel Mudiay, who scored a game-high 23 points, put the Nuggets on top with eight seconds left.

Trailing 106-105, Denver trapped Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley on an inbounds play.

Gary Harris stole the ball and passed to Mudiay, who finished with a dunk.

The teams then exchanged turnovers in the final seconds.

Vince Carter lobbed the ball from the baseline on the inbounds play to Gasol for the winning shot.

Gasol finished with 19 points and six assists while Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 21 points.

In New York, Brook Lopez

scored 26 points, and the Brooklyn Nets made enough plays down the stretch for a 119-100 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cleveland swept the Hawks in the conference semifinals last spring when they set three-point shooting records and won each game by an average of 12.5 points.

The Cavaliers swept all seven meetings between the two last season, including the postseason.

Howard finished with 17 rebounds for Atlanta despite having to leave the game briefly in the first quarter to get stitched up for a cut to the lip.

“We are tired of what people said about us in the past and we wanted to change that,” Howard said. “We are going to grow as a team. Our chemistry gets better with every game.”

Dennis Schroder scored a career-high 28 points, Bazemore added 25 and Paul Millsap tallied 21 for the Hawks in front of a crowd of 20,500 at Quicken Loans arena in Cleveland.

Bazemore made a couple of clutch baskets in the final four minutes. His three-pointer with 3:33 left extended the Hawks’ lead to 101-95.

He followed with a baseline jumper in the final seconds to put the game out of reach after a threepoint play from Kevin Love had pulled Cleveland within 108-106 with 25 seconds left.

Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, LeBron James had 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Love added 24 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, who missed 31 three-point attempts. AFP

Ronaldo, Nike seal new deal

Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) greets club president Florentino Perez during the official presentation of Ronaldo’s contract renewal, in the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on November 7.

MADRID, Spain—A day after signing a bumper fresh contract with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has boosted his mind-boggling earnings with a new deal with Nike, the American sports giant said on Tuesday.

Together the multimillion mega-deals are expected to cement Ronaldo’s status as the world’s highest-paid sportsman, ahead of great Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.

According to American magazine Forbes, Ronaldo trumped Messi in 2016 with an income of $88 million (80 million euros, £71 million).

There are no concrete figures, but Ronaldo’s new fiveyear contract with Real is expected to net the 31-year-old Portuguese forward in the region of a basic salary of 25 million euros a year.

He could also bag up to 40 million euros a year for the Nike deal, according to Marca.

Marca and AS, the Spanish sports dailies, said the Nike deal is for life, rather like the one between Nike and basketball legend Michael Jordan.

“I have a great relationship with this brand, I have great friends here in the company,” Ronaldo said in a Nike press

release announcing a “new, long-term contract”.

“We work as a family too,” he added.

“This is my brand.”

Ronaldo on Monday signalled his intention to keep playing for 10 more years after rounding off a “dream year.”

The three-time World Player of the Year has enjoyed his most successful year at a collective level, scoring the winning penalty as Madrid won the Champions League for an 11th time in May before captaining Portugal to their first major tournament win at Euro 2016. AFP

Fighting Maroons edge Scorpions MALI cager Ibrahim Outtara scored on a putback in the last two seconds, to send the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons to a 72-71 win over the Centro Escolar University-A Scorpions last Sunday in a quarterfinal encounter at the St. Placid gym of the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola, Manila.

His basket came off Rob Ricafort’s miss, and sent the Fighting Maroons to their seventh straight win, and into their first ever stint in the semifinal round of the 14th Fr. Martin Cup Division 2 Basketball Tournament.

The San Beda-A Red Lions

joined them, and so did the Far Eastern University Tamaraws and the San Beda-B Red Lions after they eased out their respective rivals.

In the junior action, the National University Bullpups turned to Miguel Pangilinan in the dying seconds to fight off Manila Patriot School, 79-78, in overtime to finish with a 7-1 win-loss slate in Group B. They grabbed the first semis berth in their bracket.

Mac Chester Jacob shot 19 points for Hope Christian School in their 83-67 swamping of San Beda-Rizal, in the playoff for the last semis seat in Group B. The Red Lions-A won by for-

feit over the CEU-B Scorpions, who walked out after they missed a basket with less than a second left, and with the count tied at 76-all.

The FEU Tamaraws prevailed in a fight-marred encounter with the Arellano University Chiefs, 94-84, with the count halted in the last 65 seconds following a bench-clearing incident at the Arellano University gym.

The SBC-B Red Lions, led by transferee Kenmark Carino, won over Letran, 71-70.

Jun Manzo showed they way with 19 points, while Outtara tallied 15 and Kyle Ong had 11 for the Fighting Maroons. Peter Atencio

UP Fighting Maroons cager Ibrahim Outtara (center) tries to dribble past CEU-A defenders on his way to the basket.

SM Investments hiked 9-month profit to P22b B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

B1

Stocks plunge; peso retreats T

HE Philippine stock market, along with the rest of Asia, plunged Wednesday as Donald Trump was elected US president, in a stunning upset with major implications for the world economy.

The Philippine peso retreated to 48.59 against the US dollar, weakening to a fresh seven-year low.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 188.76 points, or 2.6 percent, to 7,119.04 on a value turnover of P8.6 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 154 to 43, with 36 issues unchanged.

First Grade Finance Inc. president and managing director Astro del Castillo said the major

sell-off could make the PSEi attractive again to foreign funds.

“The markets were in a panic mode. The region experienced a major sell off today in anticipation of a Trump presidency.

Global investors opt for Clinton.

The shock also reverberated in our local market. Almost everyone was racing for the exits,” Del Castillo said.

“We are still confident that our economy will be able to absorb such

uncertainty from the US,” he added.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said regional currencies, including the peso, fell on renewed risk aversion surrounding market surprise in early results showing a Trump victory.

“Market cautiousness on possible retreat of the Fed from a December hike because of this market reaction is weighing on regional currencies,” Tetangco said.

“We will continue to closely monitor developments and provide liquidity to the market as needed to address market price action on renewed global political risk,” he said.

Ayala Land Inc. dropped 4.8 percent to P34, while parent Ayala Corp. tumbled 4.9 percent

to P790.

Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, skidded 6.8 percent to P172.50, while GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty lost 3.3 percent to P1,320.

The dollar, meanwhile, tumbled against the yen and the euro.

The Mexican peso also fell to a record low as safe-haven assets soared, with gold rising more than five percent and German government bonds rallying.

Fears about the impact on financial markets led Japanese and South Korean authorities to call crisis talks.

Initial confidence that market favorite Hillary Clinton would win vanished as results showed

the firebrand tycoon picking up the major scalps needed to take the White House.

After he won a swathe of states, Clinton called Trump to concede, handing him the keys to the White House.

Markets have been plunged into turmoil as Clinton was considered by many investors to be a safer bet than Trump, who is seen as a loose cannon with policies many fear could wreck the world’s number-one economy.

“It’s been a bloodbath in the markets over the last few hours with the Mexican peso suffering particularly,” said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA. With AFP, Julito G. Rada and Jenniffer B. Austria

IN BRIEF Trump Tower firm gains 20% to P0.72 A PHILIPPINE property firm which is building a skyscraper with US presidential election winner Donald Trump bucked the global stock market sell-off on Wednesday, with its shares rising 20 percent.

Century Properties, developer of the Trump-licensed Trump Tower in Manila, jumped 20 percent from P0.60 to P0.72 on the local stock market.

“It is all related to the connection to Trump,” said Astro del Castillo, managing director with local investment firm First Grade Finance.

The main index on the Philippine Stock Exchange fell 2.5 percent and other regional markets suffered deeper falls.

Trump, a successful businessman, is nevertheless seen as a loose cannon with policies which many fear could wreck the world’s biggest economy. AFP

PSE also penalizes Liberty Telecoms

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing November 9, 2016

8300 7840

SWEDISH DELEGATION. Following the re-opening of the Swedish Embassy in Manila, the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, led by Minister Mikael Damberg (eighth from left), brings to the Philippines its biggest assembly of Swedish businessmen to travel to the Philippines and in Asia. Swedish businessmen exchanged views with Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (seventh from left) on the future direction of Philippines-Sweden trade and investment cooperation in a meeting on November 7, 2016 in Makati.

PH business groups cautious on Trump

7380 6920 6460

By Othel V. Campos and Julito G. Rada

6000

7,119.04 188.76

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing NOVEMBER 9, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P48.590

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P48.570 LOW P48.850 AVERAGE P48.702 VOLUME 691.900M

P442.00-P662.00 LPG/11-kg tank P36.70-P45.40 Unleaded Gasoline

OPRICES IL

LOCAL business groups are not so concerned about the impact of the US presidential election as long as the both the Philippine and US governments pursue mutual interests in the area of business and economic cooperation.

“Like the Philippines, the people of the United States are exercising their democratic rights and are apparently voicing out some real concerns through their ballots. The impact could be be positive or negative, depending on how our President, hopefully guided by its economic team, will engage the new US administration as well as their new ambassador,” said MBC executive director Peter

Angelo Perfecto.

“We hope that these changes can be an opportunity for the Philippines and the US to improve and further enhance our relationship as equal partners in world weary of conflict and with seemingly more and more people feeling left behind,” he added.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman emeritus Francis Chua had a similar view before the Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Donald Trump.

“Assuming that Donald Trump won, it is not fair to jump to the conclusion that it will be bad for Philippine economy especially the BPO sector. The words from Trump might be mere sound bytes for campaign purposes. He might

realize that it is to the interest of US to support her allies like the Philippines,” he said.

The business process outsourcing sector declined to comment, but business tycoon Alfredo Yao said Donald Trump as the next US President might spell doom to the country’s BPO sector.

“His protectionist policy will affect our BPOs which are mostly American companies. He (Trump) wants everything to done in the US and other businesses, as much as possible, should come from the US. Not only the Philippines will be affected, every country doing business with them will be affected, China particularly,” said Yao. The Philippines’ economic

NTC to bid out mobile frequencies to 3rd firm

TODAY

P27.40-P30.97 Diesel

By Darwin G. Amojelar

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, November 9, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.6260

Japan

Yen

0.009515

0.4627

UK

Pound

1.237000

60.1504

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128961

6.2709

Switzerland

Franc

1.022704

49.7300

Canada

Dollar

0.751654

36.5499

Singapore

Dollar

0.721241

35.0711

Australia

Dollar

0.776800

37.7727

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

128.9814

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

12.9690

Brunei

Dollar

0.718649

34.9450

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000076

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028617

1.3915

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.2409

Euro

Euro

1.101800

53.5761

Korea

Won

0.000886

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.147410

7.1680

India

Rupee

0.015099

0.7342

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238095

11.5776

New Zealand

Dollar

0.739400

35.9541

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031917

1.5520 Source: PDS Bridge

resilience and growth trajectory will generally be challenged with the Trump victory, analysts said Wednesday.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said although the Philippine economy had been enjoying “very strong” fundamentals that catapulted it to as one of the fastest-growing in the region, growth might be “moderate” going forward.

“Normally, financial markets react faster as market investors anticipate policies of the winner. … markets are plunging as investors expect Trump policies to be challenging for other economies including China and Asia and the Philippines,” Cuyegkeng said in an e-mailed reply to Manila Standard.

BPI PARTNER. Bank of the Philippine Islands and Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s first bank, recently sign a strategic partnership to facilitate low cost and fast transfer of funds from Filipinos living in Australia to their families in the Philippines. Mike Baldwin (left), Westpac’s head of transactional solutions, and Marie Josephine Ocampo, head of BPI’s Payments and Remittance Group, sign the deal expanding money transfer services to Filipinos abroad.

THE National Telecommunications Commission said it will auction the mobile frequencies surrendered by duopoly PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. in a bid to encourage the entry of a new telecom player.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said the regulator would discuss with the Department of Information and Communication Technology the terms of reference of the bidding.

“We will try to finish it [terms of reference] by mid of next year,” Cordoba said.

Cordoba said the government would bid out in bundle the 700 MHz, 2500-2700, 800 MHz and 3400-3500 MHz that were returned by PLDT and Globe, including the 3G frequencies of Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise.

He said the possible third telecom player would be Mel Velarde’s Now Telecom and business-

man Dennis Uy’s Converge ICT Solutions Inc. A third potential player—San Miguel Corp.—backed out from challenging the duopoly of PLDT and Globe after its $1-billion joint venture with Telstra Corp. of Australia did not push through.

Instead of challenging the duopoly, San Miguel sold its telecom assets to PLDT and Globe for P70 billion.

NTC deputy commissioner Edgardo Cabarios had said the aspiring third player in the telecom market must invest at least P30 billion for the initial rollout of mobile telecom infrastructure.

Cabarios also said the new player should match the investments of PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. to catch up with the service of the existing players.

Both PLDT and Globe were investing more than P40 billion a year to increase their network capacity in a bid to provide better services.

THE Philippine Stock Exchange as also penalized Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc. for its failure to disclose the reassignment of frequencies to the investing public.

The PSE in notice posted on its website said it imposed a penalty against Liberty Telecoms for nondisclosure of the re-assignment of frequencies from its unit Tori Spectrum Telecom Inc. to Bell Telecommunication Philippines Inc. and its subsequent approval by the National Telecommunications Commission.

The PSE said Liberty Telecoms failed to disclose the re-assignment of the frequencies in the annual and quarterly reports filed with the exchange.

The exchange also penalized the company for delayed disclosure of the letter from the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the tender offer to Liberty Telecom’s minority shareholders. Jenniffer B. Austria

Listing rules on PPP relaxed

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange

Commission approved the proposed easing of listing rules on companies engaged in infrastructure projects under the government's public private partnership program.

SEC chairperson Teresita Herbosa said the approval of the PPP listing and disclosure rules would enable the public to participate and invest in the PPP projects.

“This is a good step to involve the public in PPP projects.

The rules will govern projects that are already completed and now will be in the earning stage, which could provide some sort of assurance that investors will have steady stream of returns in their investments,” Herbosa said in an interview.

Herbosa is confident companies involved in PPP projects would take advantage of the new rules and tap the stock market for their fund requirements.

The Philippine Stock Exchange earlier submitted to the SEC a draft public private partnership supplemental listing and disclosure rules to support infrastructure growth in the country The salient items in the proposed rules include the easing of the track record and operating history requirements. The earlier rules required a PPP contract to have at least 15-year remaining period of effectivity, set a minimum project cost of P5 billion and and called for additional disclosures applicable to PPP companies.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Megaworld books P9.3-b income gressive growth in our rental businesses continues. What we are now witnessing is the transition of Megaworld from being just a builder into becoming a landlord. This means that the company will be insulated from any cyclicality from the residential business while having steady or even higher growth moving forward,“ Megaworld treasurer Francis Canuto said.

Megaworld recently opened new malls and commercial centers in its various integrated urban townships in Fort Bonifacio, Iloilo and Cebu.

It also expanded its hotel portfolio with the introduction of another local hotel brand, Belmont Hotel, which launched its first ho-

By Jenniffer B. Austria

M

EGAWORLD Corp., the property unit of billionaire Andrew Tan, posted a net income of P9.27 billion in the first nine months of 2016, up 11 percent from P8.35 billion year-on-year, boosted by higher rental profit.

Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange ninemonth consolidated revenues rose 5 percent to P35.26 billion from last year’s P33.53 billion.

Rental income increased 15 percent in the first three quarters of the year to P7.41 billion from P6.44 billion a year ago, as the company focused on expanding

its office and commercial, retail and hotel portfolio.

The company did not disclose the revenue figure for the residential business, which accounts for 60 percent of the group’s total sales.

“Our fundamentals remain strong and we are happy to see that our anticipated ag-

tel in Newport City late last year.

Megaworld earlier raised its 2016 rental income target to P11 billion from the original goal of P10 billion.

The property company by the end 2016 is expected to hit 1.2 million square meters of rental space with the completion of 114,000 square meters of office leasable space and another 105,000 square meters of retail space.

The company said it would on the average deliver around 150,000 square meters of office spaces and around 75,000 square meters of commercial spaces annually until 2020.

Megaworld to date has 21 integrated urban township developments across the Philippines.

Semirara’s earnings jump 54% to P9.55b

By Alena Mae S. Flores SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. on Wednesday said consolidated net income after tax jumped 54 percent to P9.55 billion in the first nine months from P6.21 billion year-on-year.

Semirara, controlled by the Consunji Group, said in a statement the strong nine-month results surpassed the full year audited consolidated net income after tax of P8.47 billion in 2015.

The company said coal production, Sem-Calaca Power Corp. and

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.52 57,000 47.6 6,600 96.5 2,562,780 110.1 2,587,840 1.27 1,643,000 38 58,600 9 100 16.4 265,100 19.1 347,200 660 20 0.81 16,142,000 77.75 7,294,350 0.88 22,001,000 14.3 398,900 56.1 71,040 260 110 148 2,550 35.5 98,500 211.8 1,292,950 1,510 175 73 111,860 1.34 100,000

190,000 313,750 244,295,583 285,707,803 2,103,210 2,226,965 900 4,295,220 6,643,328 13,200 13,211,310 567,736,877 18,700,880 5,712,590 4,048,400.50 28,620 352,372 3,481,585 271,860,368 263,590 8,205,715.50 134,300

309,010 -42,211,897.50 63,900,270 13,000 -3,445,740 -813,328.00 13,200 -1,000 -218,099,483 18,700,000 286,401 902,075 34,397,598 172,610 -1,951,497 -

44.2 3.55 0.89 1.35 19.38 0.21 100 11.1 16.3 176.3 23.5 28 63 85.1 2 6.86 11.9 10.7 6.84 7.08 5.5 1.76 22.5 66.05 12 16.8 6.05 1.78 231 77 2.08 3.95 26.1 31 25.8 14.14 275.2 4.76 3.35 9.69 2.08 5.78 1.45 68.4 3.52 218 4.25 3.1 0.144 1.56 170.3 1.89 1.12

INDUSTRIALS 45.3 601,900 3.74 664,000 0.91 2,248,000 1.37 1,980,000 20.75 86,000 0.21 150,000 100 1,000 11.3 3,486,400 16.8 839,000 176.3 330 23.6 331,000 29.8 23,900 64 52,060 91 1,660 2.02 331,000 7.1 1,967,600 12 720,200 11 12,699,700 6.88 604,700 7.2 909,300 5.55 7,502,400 1.76 9,000 23.2 1,693,700 67 68,570 12 16,100 16.8 79,100 6.08 852,200 1.85 1,199,000 232 596,440 78.35 640 2.08 189,000 3.95 17,000 27.3 700 31.25 873,500 26.5 679,000 14.88 1,656,300 281 240,950 4.76 1,000 3.35 6,987,000 9.7 4,573,600 2.13 6,110,000 5.78 418,500 1.45 352,000 69.8 3,570,360 3.6 412,000 218 1,260 4.3 731,000 3.1 18,000 0.145 2,460,000 1.65 386,000 172.5 2,455,760 2.02 9,593,000 1.18 677,000

26,849,860 2,447,320 2,061,280 2,713,360 1,747,751 31,500 101,710 39,649,644 14,026,046 59,397 7,799,250 676,335 3,308,480 150,494 666,270 13,929,548 8,744,770 138,869,902 4,206,312 6,571,891 41,737,128 15,890 38,770,110 4,603,162 194,640 1,329,144 5,174,207 2,248,810 140,079,806 49,334 393,320 68,130 18,510 27,518,540 17,937,570 24,623,344 67,300,722 4,760 23,408,600 45,155,290 12,938,880 2,419,869 517,280 250,979,626.50 1,487,450 274,680 3,153,660 56,670 358,220 613,120 431,023,452 19,321,980 778,840

-92,135 108,250 13,800 -215,000 4,915,784 4,282,500 280,000 1,079,400 185,420.00 9,600 36,721,580 -724,473 -4,004,741 -17,420,375 6,615,755 -1,341,339 1,095,360 4,948,463 -3,419,886 -23,100 -395,500 -13,870,950 -358,920 -30,131,754 6,333,060 -17,916,121 10,603,370 -2,248,199 75,804,073.50 770,600 274,680 525,890 8,820 35,880 14,814,712 50,730 -

0.39 77 13.8 1.24 6 0.32 0.31 831 1,002 8.8 12.84 8.1 5.96 6.02 0.197 1,375 6.33 74.6 1.22 7.75 14.6 7.23 0.039 1.91 2.68 80.5 2.25 675 0.87 1.22 235.8 0.305 0.28

0.37 75.1 13.2 1.16 5.8 0.31 0.305 778.5 1,002 8.5 12.34 7.98 5.95 6.02 0.19 1,298 6.33 71.1 1.11 7.5 14.34 6.89 0.037 1.9 2.68 79.65 2.25 650 0.86 1.18 231 0.3 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.37 800,000 75.85 971,960 13.4 2,706,900 1.16 15,069,000 6 64,300 0.315 1,470,000 0.305 150,000 790 497,230 1,002 5 8.6 10,828,000 12.72 5,288,100 8 217,200 5.95 11,000 6.02 2,000 0.191 160,000 1,320 146,980 6.33 1,800 71.85 1,924,330 1.14 29,345,000 7.75 957,900 14.5 1,585,100 6.98 27,299,300 0.039 25,600,000 1.9 1,594,000 2.68 1,000 80.5 115,270 2.25 10,000 656 553,770 0.86 40,000 1.19 222,000 235.8 6,030 0.3 720,000 0.275 710,000

299,200 73,478,312 36,179,964 18,381,830 385,400 455,850 46,050 396,689,375 5,010 93,424,056 66,421,458 1,741,568 65,470 12,040 30,960 195,369,840 11,394 138,972,162.50 33,595,350 7,327,295 22,935,466 191,591,389 963,700 3,028,990 2,680 9,261,018.50 22,500 365,298,155 34,680 265,360 1,419,070 216,850 194,900

2,140,141.50 -16,443,024 18,300,000 -162,779,060 75,200,279 -2,798,336 1,481,100 -64,089,230 26,670,788 -610,550 -662,479 3,397,586 -1,465,775 -1,204,440 655,716.50 -108,588,125 -

7.4 1.16 2.3 0.3 35.95 3.23 5.05 0.74 1.19 1.12 0.152 0.58 54.2 0.77 1.87 0.98 1.05 5 4.19 0.165 0.285

7.24 1.08 2.12 0.3 33.75 3.02 5.05 0.6 1.19 1.12 0.149 0.52 51.6 0.74 1.8 0.96 1.05 5 3.77 0.147 0.28

296,838 1,307,160 2,007,770 2,256,000 777,989,400 21,847,980 353,500 153,753,860 1,190 224,000 598,520 7,278,770 32,973,011 34,148,000 25,082,400 5,712,810 60,900 25,000 253,463,210 6,219,320 5,650

83,420 -22,400 90,000 -157,462,730 -2,595,890 -7,733,460 63,120.00 -7,483,563 33,750,000 19,181,870 970 19,835,520 164,050 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK CITYSTATE BANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

3.35 47.9 97.15 111.6 1.3 38.25 9 16.2 19.2 660 0.83 81 0.85 14.32 57.5 260 139 36.1 211 1,544 75 1.35

3.55 47.9 97.3 112 1.3 38.25 9 16.4 19.5 660 0.87 81.5 0.88 14.5 57.5 262 148 36.1 214.6 1,544 75 1.35

3.3 47.4 92 108.3 1.26 37.6 9 16.06 19 660 0.76 75.5 0.85 14.3 56.1 260 137 33 206.8 1,500 72 1.34

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

45 3.84 0.96 1.38 20.25 0.21 102.1 11.7 16.96 185 23.6 31.8 65.5 91 2.06 7.2 12.4 11.2 7.05 7.28 5.7 1.77 23.4 69.4 12.6 16.9 6.08 1.9 242 78.35 2.1 3.96 26.1 32 27.5 15.26 281.4 4.76 3.36 10.1 2.14 5.9 1.51 72.1 3.67 218 4.3 3.19 0.147 1.65 183.9 2.12 1.14

45.3 3.89 0.96 1.41 21.6 0.21 102.5 11.78 16.96 185 23.6 31.8 65.5 96 2.06 7.2 12.4 11.2 7.05 7.28 5.73 1.77 23.95 69.4 12.6 16.9 6.1 1.98 244 78.35 2.1 4.11 27.3 32.4 27.8 15.34 282 4.76 3.36 10.22 2.14 5.9 1.51 73 3.67 218 4.4 3.19 0.147 1.67 183.9 2.13 1.18

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP BHI HLDG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FJ PRINCE B FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG ZEUS HLDG

0.39 77 13.8 1.24 6 0.31 0.31 830 1,002 8.68 12.62 8.07 5.96 6.02 0.197 1,375 6.33 73.7 1.2 7.7 14.6 7.2 0.038 1.91 2.68 80.15 2.25 671 0.87 1.19 235 0.305 0.255

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES

7.4 1.16 2.27 0.3 35.8 3.18 5.05 0.6 1.19 1.12 0.152 0.57 53.6 0.76 1.84 0.97 1.05 5 4.19 0.161 0.28

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.415 3.11 32.3 29.8 1.55 27 1.02 0.97 5.33

0.435 3.35 32.3 29.8 1.55 27 1.02 0.97 5.34

0.405 3.08 32.3 27.9 1.51 24.5 0.97 0.92 5.02

0.405 3.1 32.3 27.9 1.55 26.1 0.97 0.92 5.2

730,000 2,280,000 300 4,113,300 732,000 14,349,600 2,298,000 329,000 4,140,100

298,750 7,359,260 9,690 117,073,340 1,117,200 372,667,475 2,251,390 308,110 21,325,963

216,500 -46,636,125 434,680 87,899,795 -1,580,455

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CALATA CORP CEBU AIR DFNN INC FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL A INTL CONTAINER IP EGAME IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY MELCO CROWN METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT

7.65 46.75 1.3 0.58 0.054 5.15 6.33 0.082 2.87 108 6.8 955 1,560 6.26 13.56 2.3 15.24 77 0.0095 11.76 9.15 0.212 1.4 3.32 13.28 5.2 1.05 2.1 2 4.29 4.6 22 2.77 11.4 5.08 153.4 8.62 1,455 1.17 0.405 41.25 77.75 5.8 2.78 0.78 3.22 0.35

7.69 46.75 1.3 0.62 0.054 5.15 6.33 0.083 2.9 108.9 6.8 955 1,583 6.26 13.56 2.38 15.6 78.3 0.0095 12.5 9.15 0.216 1.43 3.32 13.28 5.2 1.05 2.28 2 4.29 4.69 22.8 2.78 11.4 5.08 155 8.71 1,480 1.18 0.42 41.5 77.75 5.8 2.78 0.78 3.28 0.36

7.64 46.05 1.3 0.57 0.049 5.15 5.96 0.078 2.74 104 6.75 954 1,507 6.16 12.6 2 14.62 71.5 0.0093 11.76 9.05 0.2 1.3 3.31 13.18 4.88 1.05 2.06 2 3.84 4.25 21 2.49 11.3 5.08 153.3 8.24 1,439 1.05 0.4 40.45 74.5 5.49 2.65 0.73 3.19 0.35

SERVICES 7.65 46.3 1.3 0.59 0.052 5.15 6.12 0.078 2.8 106.5 6.75 955 1,536 6.18 13.2 2.15 14.66 72 0.0093 12.5 9.15 0.201 1.37 3.31 13.18 4.9 1.05 2.06 2 4.09 4.46 21.95 2.51 11.3 5.08 155 8.49 1,444 1.14 0.405 41.15 75.95 5.56 2.7 0.73 3.21 0.36

353,600 12,700 1,000 14,787,000 69,230,000 2,400 9,487,500 104,910,000 2,565,000 266,610 123,900 1,560 117,805 104,500 157,400 12,370,000 31,100 4,108,900 15,000,000 5,900 673,100 19,590,000 3,001,000 18,000 1,400 648,400 10,000 84,000 150,000 10,942,000 2,450,000 6,100 6,993,000 1,400 10,600 30,030 732,000 212,185 23,691,000 1,790,000 1,604,700 1,251,990 149,700 1,050,000 22,507,000 723,000 20,000

2,704,473 588,400 1,300 8,809,490 3,544,680 12,360 57,858,079 8,409,490 7,151,070 28,175,627 841,020 1,489,650 181,868,165 645,927 2,054,502 27,145,140 469,362 299,877,186 141,500 70,258 6,143,805 4,046,870 4,065,700 59,630 18,564 3,242,563 10,500 179,800 300,000 44,477,590 10,979,010 135,175 18,121,630 15,840 53,848 4,617,574 6,178,317 308,053,740 26,521,650 730,200 65,824,715 95,445,264.50 837,365 2,827,050 16,781,490 2,319,190 7,100

-290,700 -11,700 165,030 -2,575 18,896,303 2,400 12,074,278 -67,951,345 -543,990 -48,769,545 146,910 279,400.00 -2,896,880 -196,010 2,276,270 26,042 151,132,225 -118,350.00 5,027,735 2,249,515 5,073,810 74,230 -

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.0036 3.03 4.28 2.35 2.4 0.6 0.405 8.25 1.36 0.315 0.198 0.205 0.013 0.013 1.74 7.55 3.1 1.08 0.011 4.07 0.012 8.4 4.02 126.8 3.03 0.0096

0.0036 3.36 4.3 2.4 2.5 0.6 0.405 8.75 1.41 0.315 0.209 0.211 0.013 0.013 1.74 7.8 3.1 1.09 0.011 4.07 0.012 8.88 4.07 127 3.15 0.0096

0.0035 3.03 4.24 2.3 2.3 0.56 0.39 8.25 1.25 0.285 0.197 0.204 0.012 0.013 1.61 7.14 2.85 0.98 0.01 4.04 0.012 8.28 3.65 122 3.01 0.0092

MINING & OIL 0.0035 297,000,000 3.22 4,673,000 4.25 405,000 2.3 448,000 2.31 168,000 0.56 765,000 0.39 140,000 8.72 60,900 1.28 121,831,000 0.29 3,960,000 0.206 35,080,000 0.211 4,010,000 0.012 110,400,000 0.013 4,000,000 1.65 4,614,000 7.48 16,308,400 3.03 1,047,000 1.08 1,377,000 0.011 35,000,000 4.06 38,000 0.012 193,800,000 8.6 6,494,400 3.76 5,243,000 125.7 972,830 3.01 64,000 0.0094 24,000,000

1,039,800 15,170,900 1,724,620 1,034,000 405,290 450,420 55,850 524,734 161,119,370 1,178,300 7,200,450 833,010 1,324,900 52,000 7,617,090 121,800,548 3,108,400 1,451,890 380,700 154,170 2,325,600 55,865,970 19,854,930 121,793,624 193,080 226,700

-5,896,510.00 -21,240 16,860,770 172,830 12,554,380 1,232,094 101,920 1,627,234 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

45.8 522 535 104.2 119.3 530 1,020 1,025 1.06 1,022 110 120 77.4 80.15 77.5 78.15

45.85 522 540 104.2 119.8 530 1,020 1,028 1.06 1,022 110 120 77.4 80.15 77.5 78.15

45.5 521.5 535 104 119.3 530 1,020 1,024 1.06 1,019 110 120 77.4 80 77.5 78

PREFERRED 45.85 102,200 521.5 1,000 540 3,700 104 42,530 119.4 10,010 530 1,100 1,020 4,510 1,028 11,975 1.06 525,000 1,019 780 110 10,000 120 7,200 77.4 300 80 16,300 77.5 75,800 78 53,340

4,663,160 521,750 1,993,000 4,424,052 1,195,080 583,000 4,600,200 12,276,390 556,500 795,950 1,100,000 864,000 23,220 1,305,550 5,874,500 4,162,530

340,610 1,993,000 -795,950 -

LR WARRANT

2.42

2.42

2.31

WARRANTS 2.34 367,000

854,150

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

3.05 3.9 2.86 10.38

3.1 3.92 2.86 10.38

2.8 3.7 2.8 9.15

2.89 3.85 2.8 9.15

4,187,620 987,740 631,690 89,623,594

145,640 95,390 -32,351,809

FIRST METRO ETF

121.3

121.3

117.6

MS

PROPERTY 7.24 1.12 2.3 0.3 34 3.08 5.05 0.72 1.19 1.12 0.149 0.54 54 0.74 1.81 0.96 1.05 5 3.98 0.148 0.285

40,600 1,183,000 904,000 7,520,000 22,660,800 6,920,000 70,000 223,610,000 1,000 200,000 4,000,000 13,289,000 625,950 45,526,000 13,722,000 5,904,000 58,000 5,000 64,131,000 41,050,000 20,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

55,042,218

INDUSTRIAL

87,147,385

HOLDING FIRMS

131,323,131

PROPERTY

480,483,690

SERVICES

333,063,859

MINING & OIL

871,980,499

GRAND TOTAL

1,970,374,833

SME

1,431,000 262,000 223,000 9,392,600

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.6 22,270

2,658,600

-12,130

VALUE 1,731.97 (down) 23.19 1,439,541,341.15 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,323.03 (down) 345.44 1,498,341,056.75 HOLDING FIRMS 7,255.51 (down) 174.10 1,781,344,196.465 PROPERTY 3,131.34 (down) 112.43 1,349.65 (down) 23.36 1,852,516,668.425 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,772.05 (up) 18.06 1,382,038,231.214 PSEI 7,119.04 (down) 188.76 526,907,221.662 All Shares Index 4,282.35 (down) 81.87 8,578,789,293.889 Gainers: 43 Losers:154; Unchanged: 36; Total: 233

Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. contributed P3.88 billion, P2.5 billion, and P3.18 billion, respectively during the period.

Before eliminations, coal recorded a core net income after tax of P5.81 billion, up 88 percent from P3.092 billion, while Sem-Calaca posted a net income after tax of P950 million, down 69 percent from P1.69 billion on year. Southwest Luzon recorded a profit of P2.8 billion, up 185 percent from P980 million.

Coal production increased 44 percent to 8.3 million metric tons from 5.8 million MTs last year.

The production is exclusive of unwashed coal of 871,000 tons and 564,000 tons in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Coal sales volume also increased 57 percent to 9.6 million MTs from 6.1 million last year. The energy generation of Sem-Calaca decreased 37 percent year on year to 1,983 gigawatthours from 3,163 GWh. Unit 2 was on maintenance shutdown in the whole of first quarter.

Total energy sold by SemCalaca decreased 22 percent to 2,372 GWh from 3,035 GWh in 2015. Semirara said the decline in energy generation of Sem-Calaca was offset by another subsidiary, Southwest Luzon, which generated 1,120 GWh during the period.

Total energy sold, inclusive of energy sourced from the spot market, is 1,134 GWh. Southwest Luzon is now in commercial operations. The Semirara board approved the appropriation of P2.5 billion from its unappropriated retained earnings as of December 31, 2015 to cover the capital expenditures and investments for the 700-MW power plant project under St. Raphael Power Generation Corp. in Batangas.

First Gen ready to operate gas plant THE Energy Regulatory Commission issued the certificate of compliance to First Gen Corp. for its 414-megawatt combinedcycle natural gas-fired San Gabriel power plant in Santa Rita, Batangas.

First Gen said Wednesday in a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange the San Gabriel facility was the most efficient natural gas-fired power plant in Southeast Asia.

“As part of our commitment to develop competitively-priced and clean sources of energy, we are pleased to announce that the 414-MW San Gabriel power plant has obtained its Certificate of Compliance—the last prerequisite to commerciality under the WESM (Wholesale Electricity Spot Market),” First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles.

First Gen said the formal release of compliance certificate served as proof that the San Gabriel power plant had complied with all technical and financial requirements before a power generation company could commercially operate a plant.

Philippine Electricity Market Corp., operator of the Wholesale Electriity Spot Market, also acknowledged the change in status of San Gabriel from testing and commissioning to commercial operation, which enables San Gabriel’s participation in the spot market.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Business Industries frown on new power rules NOT everybody is pleased with the forthcoming retail electricity rules.

The Energy Regulatory Commission wants competition, or market forces, to determine the cost of electricity in the hope of lowering power rates in the Philippines. But industries are far from convinced that the ERC rules will promote competition in the power sector.

A major business group warned that the rules on retail competition and open access, or RCOA, in the electricity sector might hurt local industries and undermine, instead, ERC’s efforts to reduce power rates in the Philippines.

RCOA is a scheme in which retail power suppliers vie for contracts in an open market, or the “contestable market.” The framers of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, or Epira, had thought that competing in an open market was an effective way to drive electricity prices down. The creation of that market begins with the one-megawatt-and-up peak consumption category, and will eventually include large residential customers.

The Federation of Philippine Industries, however, disagreed with the ERC’s new rules on RCOA, saying they ran counter to the country’s drive toward a competitive retail electricity market.

“Certain resolutions recently issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission on the RCOA implementation run counter to the spirit of free market and competitive environment as espoused by the Epira,” FPI chairman Jesus Lim Arranza said, Arranza referred to ERC Resolutions No. 10 and 11, which effectively limit the choice of customers to select their power supplier by disallowing distribution utilities and other industry players from taking part in the retail electricity service (RES) market and imposing market share caps on all RES suppliers.

“It is ironic that what the ERC is trying to achieve with the open access scheme is exactly the opposite that the industries could be facing soon if this mechanism is put in place,” Aranza said.

The FPI said contestable customers—or those with monthly power consumption of at least one megawatt—were concerned about the intervention of the ERC in the deregulated retail electricity supply market, given the prevailing competitive environment where customers are free to choose their suppliers.

As more and more customers will soon be part of the contestable market, FPI said, the likely scenario is one in which contestable customers will be at the mercy of the few remaining suppliers.

The FPI said if companies were unable able to secure the cheapest power rates, ERC’s new rules would severely hurt local manufacturers as prices might potentially pick up.

The industry group said most of the manufacturers might pass the higher cost of their production to customers by increasing the price of their goods, which could impair their competitiveness under the Asean Economic Community integration regime.

The FPI for at least three years has pushed for deferment of the RCOA’s implementation, out of concerns about insufficient power supply.

It also expressed dismay over the seeming lack of consultation with customers, especially big manufacturers and companies that will be directly affected by the rule changes.

“What they are guaranteeing is transparency but not lower power cost. It is a supplier’s market. Many contestable customers have not been approached by a supplier, thus, they will be served by a supplier of last resort the rate of which will be based on WESM (Wholesale Electricity Spot Market) prices plus a 10 percent premium,” Arranza said.

The ERC recently issued a draft resolution amending the schedule of mandatory retail competition and open access, which allows large power users to choose their own suppliers.

The ERC said in a draft resolution that end users with an average monthly peak demand of at least 1 megawatt were mandated to enter into supply contracts with a retail electricity supplier by Feb. 26, 2017.

The regulator earlier imposed a December 2016 deadline for the retail supply contracts. The draft resolution is still subject to comments from industry players.

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

Manila

Standard

TODAY

SM Investments hiked 9-month profit to P22b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

C

ONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy booked a net income of P22 billion in the first nine months of 2016, up 11 percent year-on-year on solid contributions from the property, banking and retail businesses.

SM Investments said in a disclosure to the stock exchange nine-month consolidated revenues rose 9 percent to P252.4 billion from P230.8 billion a year ago.

“Our core businesses are delivering solid growth in line with the investments we have made and against a background of stable economic fundamentals,” SM president Harley Sy said.

“We are also encouraged by the performance of the recently merged specialty retail stores which delivered double digit top-line growth. The intention of the government program to invest heavily in nationwide infrastructure projects should help economic development and drive provincial growth outside Metro Manila which is where we are also directing our

investments,” Sy added.

The bank and property businesses each accounted for 39 percent of the consolidated earnings in the nine-month period, while retail contributed another 22 percent.

The group’s retail business under SM Retail Inc. reported sustained growth in total sales, increasing 9 percent to P186 billion. Nt income grew 7 percent to P7 billion.

Revenues from recently acquired specialty retailers rose 13 percent.

SM Retail’s total gross selling areas of all 55 department stores as of end September 2016 stood at 700,000 square meters after it recently opened two outlets in SM San Jose del Monte in Bulacan and in SM Trece Martires in Cavite.

The food retail group added

Mitsubishi elevator unit to hit sales goal

By Othel V. Campos INTERNATIONAL Elevator & Equipment Inc., an affiliate of the Mitsubishi Electric Group in the Philippines, said Wednesday it is on track to reach its sales target of at least 800 units of elevators and escalators, four times more than those of its closest competitor.

“The ongoing construction boom is making us realize our yearly forecast in the last three years. We’ve been consistently the market leader in elevator and escalator,” company president Ramoncito Ocampo said in a briefing in Pasay City.

IEE has about 40 percent to 45 percent share of the local market in elevators and escalators.

In addition, the company’s cooling solutions segment is also projected to increase with sales forecast of 5,000 airconditioning units by the end of 2016.

Metro Manila is still the company’s growth area comprising about 80 percent of the company business. Visayas and Mindanao make up for the remaining 20 percent.

The company has existing contracts with the Ayala Group, Megaworld Corp., Robinsons Land Inc. and business process outsourcing developers for inside mobility and cooling systems. It has been operating in the Philippines since 1969.

Mitsubishi Electric’s manufacturing plants in Thailand, South Korea and Japan supply the Philippine requirement.

Produced according to Japanese standards, the air conditioning units are assured to be one of the finest.

The wide-ranging climatic conditions found throughout Japan paved the way for the group’s engineers to develop sophisticated but durable units and systems capable of constant use in any temperature and weather condition.

Mitsubishi Electric’s air conditioning system line includes Mr. Slim room air conditioners, City MultiVariable Refrigerant Flow System and Lossnay technology.

IEE also offers jet towel hand dryers which use ‘jet blasts’ of air to dry hands in seconds.

15 mid-sized format Savemore stores, two SM Supermarkets, one SM Hypermarket and three WalterMart stores for a total of 277 stores.

Meanwhile, Alfamart increased its number of stores to 187 as of end-September from 99 at the start of the year.

SM Investments banking units BDO Unibank Inc and China Banking Corp. reported positive earnings in the first three quarters of the year.

BDO Unibank posted a 10 percent hike in net income to P19.3 billion as its lending,

Office Address : Telephone Nos. : Website :

Is PDAF back? to a country’s economic development.

He knows that the slow and erratic development of an economy is usually traceable to flawed budgeting and misuse of the nation’s financial resources.

A further reason for my pleasure over the news of Dr. Diokno’s appointment was the fact that he was one of the petitioners in the campaign to get the Supreme Court to declare the Priority Development Assistance Fund unconstitutional.

If there was any doubt as to where Diokno stood on the issue of PDAF and PDAF-type use of government financial resources, his involvement in the antiPDAF campaign surely put an end to that.

If I have decided to take up the PDAF issue again, it is because of a rumor that I have heard—from a usually reliable Congressional source—that PDAF, which the Supreme Court in a 2012 decision roundly declared unconstitutional, is back and that the members of Congress are again singing the old beerhall song “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Truth to tell, I have heard the rumor more than once.

When I first heard it, I was inclined to reject it out of hand, but two thoughts then crossed my mind. One thought was that at the start of the current Congressional session, Ben Diokno invited each of the members of the House of Representatives to propose for DBM consideration

P70 million worth of projects for their respective districts. My reaction to that was quick. I wrote that while it was unrealistic to believe that Congressmen will not seek to bring bacon home to their districts, the proper and economically sound process was for them to approach not DBM, which by its very nature is a highly political institution, but Neda (National Economic and Development Authority), which was designed to operate more along economic-development than along political lines. I thought that the explanation offered by Secretary Diokno for his action was disingenuous and unrealistic.

I continue to have faith in Dr. Diokno’s professional integrity, but I have to admit that the rumors have delivered something like an Intensity 2.0 shock to me. His having a hand in the resurgence of PDAF will deal a long-term blow to his stillintact reputation.

I realize that there are several hundred creatures—the members of the supermajority—that want to take their turn at the trough fall of budgetary swill, but you have to stand your ground, Dr. Diokno.

So, tell me and your other admiring colleagues that the PDAF rumor isn’t true, Ben.

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President National Irrigation Administration (PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Region 3

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-2467 766-4839, 673-0630 niar03@yahoo.com

Telefax No.(044) 766-2467 TIN: 000-979-570-000

1.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3, through the Board Resolution No. 8268-16 series of 2016, ASA No. R3-501-2016-319 Capital Outlay1, intends to apply the sum of Eight Million Eight Hundred Seventy Two Thousand Five Hundred Sixty Six Pesos and 4/100 ( P 8,872,566.04 ) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the contract for NIAR3-2016-FTC2 CW-7. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 now invites bids for Supply, Installation, Modification, and Construction of NIA – Region 3 Farmer’s Training Center, San Rafael, Bulacan2. Completion of the Works is required within One Hundred Twenty (120) calendar days. Bidders should have completed within the last three (3) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on November 09, 2016 to December 05, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, and December 06, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., except holidays from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00).

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

6.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 17, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 9:30 a.m. (PST) of December 06, 2016 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on 10:30 a.m. (PST) of December 06, 2016 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

All particulars relative to the eligibility screening, bid security, performance security, pre-bid conference/s, evaluation of bids, post qualification and award of contracts shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its revised IRR.

9.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 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.

10. For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat/s; NIA – Region 3,Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan Tel No. (044) 766-4839 and 816-8608 (SGD) VIRGILIO J. ILAO BAC - Chairman 1

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In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of (LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) A brief description of the type(s) of Goods should be provided, including quantities, location of project, and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether or not to respond to the invitation.

(MS-NOV. 10, 2016)

Office Address : Telephone Nos. : Website :

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President National Irrigation Administration (PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Region 3

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-2467 766-4839, 673-0630 niar03@yahoo.com

Telefax No.(044) 766-2467 TIN: 000-979-570-000

INVITATION TO BID FOR Supply, Delivery and Installation of ACU, Furniture’s & Fixtures, Audio/Video System, & Window Blinds of NIA – Region 3 Farmer’s Training Center San Rafael, Bulacan

2.

3.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3, through the Board Resolution No. 8268-16 series of 2016, ASA No. R3-501-2016-319 Capital Outlay1 intends to apply the sum of Seven Million Seven Hundred Eighty Four Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty Seven Pesos and 40/100 (P7,784,937.40 ) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for NIAR3-2016-FTC2 SDI-8. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 now invites bids for Supply, Delivery and Installation of ACU, Furniture’s & Fixtures, Audio/Video System, & Window Blinds of NIA – Region 3 Farmer’s Training Center, San Rafael, Bulacan2. Delivery of the Goods is required One Hundred Twenty (120) Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed, within the last three (3) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding 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”. (i)

4.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. (ii) 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 NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on November 09, 2016 to December 05, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, and December 06, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:01 p.m., except holidays from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00).

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

5.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 17, 2016, 1:30 p.m. at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 12:01 p.m. (PST) of December 06, 2016. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

7.

Bid opening shall be on 1:30 p.m. (PST) of December 06, 2016 at NIA-R3 Office, Conference Room, Brgy. Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

All particulars relative to the eligibility screening, bid security, performance security, pre-bid conference/s, evaluation of bids, post qualification and award of contracts shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its revised IRR.

9.

The NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION – REGION 3 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: BAC Secretariat/s; NIA – Region 3,Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan Tel No. (044) 766-4839 and 816-8608 (SGD) VIRGILIO J. ILAO BAC - Chairman

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E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

deposit-taking and fee-based businesses all delivered solid results.

China Bank reported a net income growth of 31 percent to P4.8 billion in the first nine months due to strong growth in core and fee-based businesses.

The conglomerate’s property unit SM Prime Holdings posted a recurring net income growth of 13 percent in the first nine months to P17.5 billion, driven by growth in leasing and property sales. Consolidated revenues rose 11 percent to P57.8 billion.

Invitation to Bid Supply, Installation, Modification, and Construction of NIA – Region 3 Farmer’s Training Center San Rafael, Bulacan

1.

THE Department of Budget and Management is a key player in the drama of national economic governance.

DBM has the mandate of managing and distributing among the components of the government—mainly through SAROs (special allotment release orders)—the revenues generated by the collection agencies of the Department of Finance.

DBM efficiency completes the trio of requirements of good management of the nation’s finances; the other requirements being DoF efficiency and the good crafting of the annual General Appropriations Act (the national budget, for short).

When President Duterte announced his appointment of Dr. Benjamin Diokno as Secretary of Budget and Management, I cheered. I did so for several reasons.

The first was that Dr. Diokno has been known to be a good and honest person, a worthy exemplar of the saying that good fruit do not fall far from a good tree.

Diokno has been Secretary of Budget and Management previously—during the administration of President Joseph Estrada—and his prior incumbency was attended by good management.

Additionally, Benjamin Diokno is a good economist. An economics professor at the University of the Philippines, Diokno is well aware of the importance of sound budget crafting and implementation

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

2

In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of (LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) A brief description of the type(s) of Goods should be provided, including quantities, location of project, and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether or not to respond to the invitation.

(MS-NOV. 10, 2016)

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

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Business

Gold surges in heavy trading GOLD soared by the most since Britain’s Brexit vote in June as Donald Trump won the US presidency, prompting a rush to havens and a flight from risky assets.

Bullion jumped as much as 4.8 percent to $1,337.38 an ounce, the biggest intraday increase since June, and traded at $1,317.17 by 7:44 a.m. in London, according to Bloomberg generic pricing. The advance sent prices to the highest level since September and spurred gains in gold mining shares.

Volume was double the daily average, according to Comex data compiled by Bloomberg.

Trump is poised to enter the White House after winning a string of battleground states that pushed him over the 270 Electoral College vote threshold needed to become presidentelect. Before the vote, most polls showed Hillary Clinton ahead and the reversal forced investors to adjust positions.

The real estate magnate is seen as a riskier bet than his rival after he advocated ripping up trade deals and building a wall on the Mexican border.

“We have two trading floors, one in Geneva and one in Sydney, and phones are ringing non-stop,” said Bernard Sin, head of precious metals trading at MKS (Switzerland) SA by phone from Geneva. “Everyone is buying.”

Gold’s advance fueled a rally in related equities. Australia’s largest producer Newcrest Mining Ltd. rose as much as 11 percent in Sydney, while Zijin Mining Group Co. in Hong Kong climbed more than 7 percent.

Concern over Trump’s approach to free trade “is going to throw the global system into a bit of chaos,” which will support gold prices, said Mick Wilkes, chief executive officer of OceanaGold Corp., an Australian producer building a $380-million mine in South Carolina. Bloomberg

Employees of a stock security company work at their terminals as a screen displays the Nikkei index after the closure of the Tokyo stock exchange in Tokyo on November 9, 2016. Donald Trump’s stunning performance in the US presidential election triggered shock and angst in Asia, where observers fretted over the implications for everything from trade to human rights and climate change. AFP

Global markets fall after Trump victory G lobal markets were thrown into disarray as Donald Trump won the US presidential election, shocking traders after recent polls indicated that Hillary Clinton would be the victor.

Futures on the S&P 500 Index plunged by a 5 percent limit that triggers trading curbs and contracts on European equities sank more than 4 percent. Gold had its biggest move since the aftermath of Britain’s shock vote to leave the European Union, surging with haven assets including the yen and sovereign bonds.

Mexico’s peso tumbled the most since 2008 amid concern US trade policies will become more protectionist under Trump.

Trump was projected to be the winner early Wednesday by the Associated Press and televi-

sion networks after Wisconsin pushed him over the 270 Electoral College vote threshold needed to become presidentelect. The Republicans also retained control of Congress.

A Trump victory had been portrayed by analysts as having the potential to unhinge markets that were banking on a continuation of policies that coincided with the second-longest bull market in S&P 500 history. Brexit was the last major political shock and led to the US equity gauge sliding 5.3 percent in two days.

“A Trump win is expected

to damage trade,” said James Butterfill, head of research and investment strategy at ETF Securities in London. “Traders are already expressing their worries through a depreciating dollar, which is bad news for European companies.”

Most polls showed Democratic candidate Clinton ahead of Trump going into the vote and websites that took bets on the victor had put her odds of winning at 80 percent or more. Trump has pledged to clamp down on immigration to the US and renegotiate free-trade agreements with countries including Mexico.

S&P 500 Index futures slid as much as 5 percent. Euro Stoxx 50 futures sank 4.3 percent while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 2.6 percent.

The Mexican peso tumbled as

much as 12 percent, breaching 20 per dollar for the first time, while the Japanese yen climbed versus all major currencies.

The euro and Swiss franc rose at least 1.2 percent against the dollar, while gold jumped 3.3 percent, the most since Brexit.

Crude oil slipped 1.4 percent, while the 10-year US Treasury yield dropped three basis points to 1.82 percent.

S&P 500 futures tumbled by the maximum 5 percent loss permitted on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange before trading curbs are triggered, then pared their decline to 3.4 percent as of 7:51 a.m. in London. The restrictions last came into force in the wake of the Brexit vote and set a floor price for the contracts through the remainder of the overnight trading session. Bloomberg

Europe stocks tumble LONDON—European stocks tumbled in opening trade on Wednesday after Donald Trump was elected US president, beating market favorite Hillary Clinton and sparking investor fears over the world economy.

In initial deals, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.87 percent to 6,718.85 points, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 dived 2.9 percent to 10,181.89 points and the Paris CAC 40 index slid 2.8 percent to 4,350.07 compared with Tuesday’s close.

Markets however quickly retraced ground within fifteen minutes of the open, with London standing just 0.50 percent lower at 0820 GMT. The Amsterdam AEX stocks index tanked briefly by 3.09 percent on opening, but rallied to stand at 1.59 percent lower at 443,02 points.

Republican Trump defeated his Democratic rival to become the 45th president of the United States, sending shockwaves across global stock markets.

“This is another black swan for European stocks— despite Brexit, markets were still not prepared for a Trump win and stocks will bear the biggest brunt of it,” City Index analyst Ken Odeluga told AFP. “It is a long-term negative for global growth because of the protectionist instincts of President Donald Trump.

Global trade will be curbed and the biggest multinationals face challenges to revenue growth as the expansion of globalization itself comes into question,” he said.

Meanwhile, returns on German government bonds—seen as a safe haven during market turbulence—fell sharply as investors rushed to purchase the assets.

The yield, or the return on investment to investors, on 10-year Bunds fell to 0.098 percent in early trading on the secondary market, compared to 0.188 percent at the close on Tuesday. AFP

Climate pact won’t cut oil consumption

The Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino (center right) stands in Marina Bay near commercial buildings in the central business district (left) in this aerial photograph taken above Singapore on July 2, 2015. Bloomberg

Singapore Marina Bay land draws record price THE first land sold in Singapore’s Marina Bay in nine years fetched a record price for a government land sale, with a Malaysian-led group bidding S$2.6 billion ($1.9 billion).

The price is equivalent to S$1,689 per square foot of gross floor area, topping the S$1,409 per square foot paid in 2007 for the Asia Square Tower 1 site, according to CBRE Group Inc. “The top bid is a very bullish call on the Singapore office market,” said Christine Li, director of research at Cushman & Wakefield Inc. in Singapore. “All the bids are higher than the market expectations of between S$1.3 billion and S$1.8 billion, which is a reflection of the

steady restoration of investors’ confidence in the office market.”

The winning bid came from Wealthy Link Pte, which priced the 1.1 hectare (2.7 acre) plot at S$18,180 per square meter of gross floor area, Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority said in a statement. Wealthy Link is owned by IOI Properties Group Bhd., part of a Malaysian conglomerate with interests in palm oil and property development, according to Cushman.

The tender follows a slew of commercial property deals in the city. The plot sits next to Asia Square, which Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund in June agreed

to buy from BlackRock Inc. for S$3.4 billion in Singapore’s biggest office transaction. CapitaLand Commercial Trust, Singapore’s largest office REIT, in May agreed to buy a 60 percent stake in CapitaGreen in the central business district for S$393 million, and MYP Ltd., which operates an investment holding company, offered S$560 million for the Straits Trading Building.

The top bid was 34 percent higher than the lowest bid, submitted by a consortium led by OUE Ltd. The price was probably buoyed by the stronger-than-expected pre-leasing commitment rates for new office developments

such as Guoco Tower and Marina One, according to Cushman.

The Central Boulevard development is scheduled to be completed by 2021. That will benefit IOI Properties as there will be a dearth of new office openings from 2019 to 2021―after a flood of supply through 2018.

An unidentified buyer committed to bid the reserve price of S$1.54 billion, or S$1,010 per square foot of gross floor area, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said Aug. 30. The site can be developed primarily for office use, with a smaller area reserved for residential housing, a hotel or serviced apartments. Bloomberg

PARIS, France―A global pact to battle global warming entered into force last week, but the latest long-term look into the energy market by the Opec oil cartel sees climate change measures failing to quench the world’s thirst for crude.

Each year Opec releases a report that looks at how the energy market will evolve in the coming two decades, and Tuesday’s report slashed estimates of coal and gas use due to efforts to limit climate change, but left oil unscathed.

The report comes as nations reassemble to discuss how to make good on their promises to cut planet-warming greenhouse gases following the entry into force last Friday of a worldwide pact to battle global warming.

Dubbed the Paris Agreement, it is the first-ever deal binding all the world’s nations, rich and poor, to a commitment to cap global warming caused mainly by the burning of coal, oil and gas.

The long-term base scenario for the evolution of the energy market in Opec’s report takes into account greater measures to limit climate change, but not full implementation of pledges made by countries.

In this scenario, greatest impact will be on the use of coal and then later gas, used particularly in electricity generation, which Opec said “is not surprising given that policymakers are increasingly engaged in climate change mitigation initiatives”.

The report slashed its estimate of coal demand to 91.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (mboe/d) in 2040, from 98.3 in last year’s report, although that still represents a jump from the 77.1 mboe/d of demand in 2014.

The estimate for gas demand in 2040 was cut to 101.7 mboe/d from 111.5 mboe/d, but demand is still seen soaring from the 59.6 mboe/d of demand in 2014.

Meanwhile, the estimate for 2040 oil demand was only trimmed to 99.8 mboe/d, from 100.6 mboe/d.

With demand of 85.1 mboe/d in 2014, crude is expected to see the slowest growth over the next two and a half decades.

“A declining share for oil in the energy mix is mainly the result of tightening fuel efficiency standards across most countries of the world,” said the report.

However, with the number of passenger cars on the road expected to double, and electric vehicles still only accounting for a single digit percentage of vehicles, demand for oil is expected to continue to increase.

Growth in the aviation and the petrochemical sectors will also support oil demand.

Estimates that see little impact for the oil sector would be welcomed by the industry, which Opec also said in its report needs $10 trillion of investments in order to meet future demand.

Opec’s main scenario sees overall energy demand grow from 273.9 mboe/d in 2014 to 382.1 mboe/d in 2040, although is a drop from the 399.4 mboe/d it forecast last year. AFP

LGUs

P’que top LGU earner in 2015

PARAÑAQUE City, the home of world class entertainment complex and Las Vegas stylecasino, made up the list of highest-earning cities nationwide in 2015, according to the annual financial report on local government units by the Commission on Audit.

The city posted an income of P4.05 billion, placing 10th of the top earners overall last year.

The 2015 annual financial report on LGUs covered 78 provinces (out of 81), 141 cities (out of 145), and 1,428 towns (out of 1,489) in the country.

Quezon City was the biggest earner with total reported revenues of P16.365 billion, followed by Makati City with P15.506 billion, and Manila with P12.595 billion.

Parañaque, adjudged the country’s most competitive city in terms of economic dynamism by the National Competitiveness Council, edged neighboring city of Pasay and Metro Manila’s Tiger City, Mandaluyong, and both failing top 10 earners last year.

Bulacan reported the biggest earnings among province in 2015 at P3.802 billion – still lower than the 10th highestearning city, Parañaque, the CoA disclosed.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez vowed to dislodge other highly urbanized cities in revenue earnings as they expect P6 billion next year with the opening in December of Okada Manila, the newest casino resort in the Entertainment City.

The first phase of the project which will open by yearend consists of two wings and is designed with a gold exterior.

For this phase alone, Okada Manila is pumping in $2.4 billion in investments.

Casino mogul Kazuo Okada is committed to deliver the biggest integrated resort casino property in the country and is expected to employ over 8,000 people once fully operational next year.

The first to open at the Entertainment City was Solaire Resorts and Casino followed

by City of Dreams Manila.

Aside from Megaworld, Ayala Land Inc. will also undertake projects in Entertainment City.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

YOLANDA SURVIVORS. Men, women and children set free sky lanterns during the third anniversary of the powerful weather disturbance on Tuesday in Tacloban, attended by President Rodrigo Duterte, after former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right, right photo) and wife Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (center) discuss with Public Works Secretary Mark Villar the road projects in Tacloban and Palo that he started during his term in the 16th Congress to ease traffic in the city. Ver Noveno

Orbos to meet motorbike riders

By Joel E. Zurbano

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CTING Chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metro Manila Development Authority will meet today federation of motorcycle riders and other groups to discuss road accidents, traffic problem and other concerns in the metropolis.

The morning meeting, according to Orbos, was scheduled so the government could find ways and solutions to further improve the traffic condition in the National Capital Region, especially along the 23.8-km Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

“Formulating solutions to the traffic condition in the metropolis is a mammoth undertaking and should be participated in by both government and private sectors,” he said.

One of the groups which confirmed attendance in the meeting is the Motorcycle Philippines Federation led by Atoy Sta. Cruz.

The agency will also discuss with the motorcycle riders its plan to revive the motorcycle lanes along Edsa and Commonwealth Avenue, which was initiated by then MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino in 2012.

“We did this during the time of Chairman Tolentino and we

will do it again,” Orbos said.

The designated motorcycle lanes shall be the fourth lane from the right sidewalk and shall run the length of Edsa from Monumento in Caloocan City to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, and vice versa.

The lanes are “non-exclusive,” which means that private vehicles may also use them.

The establishment of the Edsa motorcycle lanes is based on Memorandum Circular 12-01 Series of 2012 approved by the Metro Manila Council.

Orbos said the implementation of the motorcycle lanes is necessary to promote a more orderly flow of traffic along the major thoroughfare and reduce the number of fatal accidents involving motorcycles.

Based on the MMC memorandum circular, motorcycle riders may deviate from the motorcycle

lanes when making a turn or uturn at authorized intersections and u-turn slots, in which case they are to gradually shift lanes not less than 200 meters away from the turning point, while making the appropriate signals.

Study showed that motorcycle crashes remained the leading cause of death and injury on Metro Manila roads.

The 2015 Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System report stated motorcycles have the “highest fatality accident rate” with 262 the total number of deaths, followed by trucks (129) and private cars (125).

Motorcycles also topped the list of vehicles with the most number of injuries at 11,620, followed by cars (7,427) and public utility jeepneys (2,161).

MMRAS, a program created by the MMDA, aimed at improving road management in the

Baguio night market earning better than stalls

By Dexter Sese BAGUIO CITY—The City Treasury Office has confirmed getting higher income from the temporary night market along Harrison road than leaseholders of market stalls at the public market which are paying fixed rent.

City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias claimed there were 1,044 night market vendors doing business along the 500-meter stretch of the Harrison road every night

with each paying to the local government P350 every week.

For this year, the night market operation, which is only good for nine and one half months because of the non-operation of the vendors for at least two and one half months due to the rains and typhoons, was able to generate at least P14.9 million.

But Cabarrubias said the 1,890 stalls in the public market, the nearly 800 stalls in Blocks III and IV and the over 970 stalls in the re-

location site account for an annual income for the city P26 million which makes it appear the city is not actually earning enough from the nearly 3,000 market stalls.

He disclosed there were some leaseholders in the market who pay to the city only P90 per month while there others pay at least P3,000 in monthly rentals depending on the size of their stalls.

Officials said there was therefore a need to revisit the fees charged by the local government

as market stalls renbtal.

According to Cabarrubias, the over 1,500 stalls in Blocks III and IV and the relocation site account for a total of P9 million in annual income while the nearly 1,900 stalls in the city’s public market account for only P17 million annual income for the city.

He claimed the fees being charged by the city from leaseholders of the various stalls in the public market have not been revised since 1988, thus, the

need for the local government to already update its revenue code to conform with the prevailing trend of the times.

By next year, the local treasury office projected it would be able to generate at least P30 million from the fixed rentals of existing market stalls in the public market, Blocks III, IV and the identified relocation site while it also forecasted an income of P14.5 million from the operation of the night market for nine and one half months.

Makati to hold mega job fair and caravan

By Joel E. Zurbano MAKATI city will hold a mega job fair and discount caravan on Friday at the city hall quadrangle where job seekers may be hired on the spot, Mayor Abigail Binay said.

More than 32 companies will participate during the event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. which will be hosted by the city’s Public Employment Services Office (Makati-Peso).

“I encourage jobseekers to come [in] and bring many copies of their resume with ID pictures for more chances of getting hired,” Binay said.

According to Makati Peso chief Vissia Marie Aldon, the mega job fair themed “Peso, Tulay sa Pagasenso sa Buhay ng Manggagawang Pilipino” will be joined by various companies.

She advised applicants to bring at least five resumes with their 2x2 ID pictures.

Participating companies include Andok’s Litson, Domino’s

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Pizza, Dunkin’ Donuts, Fruitas, Goldilocks Bakeshop, Japan Home Centre, Marks & Spencer, Philcopy, Shopwise, Sky Cable, SM Hypermarket, SM Supermarket, Waffle Time, and Crown Regency Hotel, among others.

Business Processing Outsourcing firms like MDS Call Solutions and Alorica Philippines, Inc. will also recruit qualified call center agents during the event.

Jobseekers can also choose among participating agencies that include BS International Services & Placement Agency Inc. and Eastwest Placement Center Inc., which offer jobs abroad, and local manpower agencies like Ablebodies Manpower Services, Citiworks Manpower, Topserve Manpower Solution, Temps & Staffers and Mirof Resources.

Pre-employment offices like Social Security System, Home Development Mutual Fund and PhilHealth will also be present during the job fair to assist applicants.

YULETIDE CELEBRATION. Mall shoppers are greeted by Nickelodeon’s cartoon characters of Spongebob and Squidward as this year’s theme for the launching of the Christmas Centerpiece at SM Molino in Bacoor City in Cavite. Ey Acasio

metropolis, recorded 204 deaths and 10,735 injuries involving motorcycles in 2014.

The report noted the number of road accidents in Metro Manila has increased to 95,615 incidents in 2015, up by 5,357 from the 90,258 cases recorded in 2014.

The total number of deaths last year also went up to 519 from the 418 in 2014.

The World Health Organization, in its 2015 report, also said 1.25 million people have died worldwide because of road accidents, with motorcycle riders comprising 23 percent of the fatalities.

Meanwhile, MMDA officials will hold separate meetings in the coming days with operators and owners of schools bus service providers, armored vans, funeral transport providers and driving schools.

$10-m shoe plant up in Subic Bay Freeport

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The construction of a manufacturing facility for a $10-million project to produce branded shoes for export is now in progress here.

Datian Subic Shoes Inc. is building its own plant in a 42,800-square-meter area at Phase II of the Subic Bay Gateway Park here.

The firm will produce branded vulcanized shoes for export and is expected to generate additional jobs for communities around the free port.

The company has committed to employ about 400 workers initially, its full operations expected after three to five years of steady growth and will employ about 2,500 employees.

Datian Subic president Vincent Chen said like its parent company, D&T Shoes, the Subic company will be producing shoes under global brands such as Keds, Converse, Sperry, and Vans for the American market, as well as Hugo Boss and Dr. Martens for the European market.

Chen said Datian Subic Shoes “is actually patterned after its parent company with plenty of lines for stitching, and has its own rubber compounding, outsoles molding, insoles and arches sponging, rubber gluing and foxing operations.

These local operations will ensure an average production of at least 350,000 pairs of shoes per month, Chen said.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

LGUs

Bataan Freeport Area gains support of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, noted that AFAB’s freeport is “so big.”

ARIVELES, Bataan—The chairman Meanwhile, Senator Joel Vilof the Senate Finance Committee lanueva supported Gordon and noted the AFAB already offered has expressed strong support for the many opportunities to the workers development of the Freeport Area of Bataan in Bataan and Central Luzon since (FAB) after he stressed the need to create more it started its operation in 2010.

He said the AFAB had forged jobs for the Filipinos. a partnership with the Technical Education and Skills DevelopDuring a budget hearing with don said the boundless potential ment Authority to train its labor the officials of the Authority of the FAB would help in provid- pool and offer more jobs to the Filipinos. of the Freeport Area of Bataan ing more jobs for the Filipinos.

Villanueva, on the other hand, (AFAB), Senator Richard GorGordon, the former chairman

By Butch Gunio

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stressed the need to provide more financial support to the investment programs of the AFAB. He pointed out the AFAB had not been receiving the budget promised to the FAB since it was established. Under the law, a budget of P500 million was allocated to the FAB. Senator Sonny Angara seconded the need to increase the budget of the AFAB and promised to recommend the budget to the plenary.

AFAB representatives themselves thanked the senators for supporting the FAB.

“Looking forward, we are expecting to hire an additional 5,000 employees in the next three years with the opening of more investors in the FAB,” chairman and administrator Engineer Emmanuel Pineda said.

“The support of the Senate and the additional budget is very significant for the development of the Freeport, especially its facilities. It will help us achieve our goal to become the Freeport of choice by 2020,” Pineda added.

The FAB is tagged as the emerging economic dragon of

the country.

Also known as one of the fashion manufacturing hubs of the Philippines, it possesses a budding cluster of companies producing high-end brands of garments, apparel, shoes and accessories, like bags, jewelry, among others.

Its vision is to be the Freeport of choice in the country by 2020, becoming a center of trade, innovation and sustainable development in Asia and promoting work-life balance and global competitiveness.

PWDs entitled to health services

CLEANING PROGRAM. San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez marks out people from the city’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office headed by former councilor Dante Santiago to clear Santolan Road in Barangay Corazon de Jesus for the LGU’s cleaning and greening program as part of efforts to maintain its moniker as the metropolis’ ‘rising City of Excellence.’

Baguio Shopping in Divisoria now hassle-free wants higher revenues

By Sandy Araneta

BAGUIO CITY—The City Council Committee on Tourism and Special Events wants the city’s finance officers to maximize revenue generation measures by collecting realistic amounts from the hotel occupancy tax mandated under a city ordinance.

Councilor Elmer Datuin, chairman of the Committee, said the local government was not able to collect realistic figures from the different hotels here because the City Treasury Office relied on the honesty of the hotel owners to declare their income from their existing hotel rooms.

“Our city’s finance officers must devise a system to monitor the compliance of hotel owners to the payment of the hotel occupancy tax to add up to the internally generated resources that will help bankroll the implementation of more development projects and enhance the delivery of basic services to our constituents,” Datuin said.

Under the city’s tax ordinance, hotel owners are mandated to pay P5 for every occupied room per night as hotel occupancy tax and that the same shall be paid to the local treasury office.

But Datuin admitted it seemed local hotel owners were paying a uniform of 30 occupied rooms per month which was doubtful considering the enormous influx of foreign and domestic visitors to the city, especially during weekends.

City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias confirmed the local government was not actually getting the right revenues from the hotel occupancy tax because they simply relied on the declarations of the hotel owners on the occupied rooms. Dexter See

MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada is encouraging shoppers to go to Divisoria Market to experience a hassle-free shopping this Yuletide.

Estrada said the public could expect decongested sidewalks and streets at the so-called shopping mecca of Manila as a result of the city government’s extensive road clearing operations during the past months.

“Our efforts have paid off. It is now more convenient to shop in Divisoria because we have removed all traffic-causing obstructions and eyesores. We have brought back order and discipline, especially on the part of the vendors,” Estrada said.

Estrada also announced he was not considering allowing the operation of the traditional night market along Recto Avenue from Abad Santos to Juan Luna streets this December to lessen

the expected traffic congestion during the Christmas rush.

The Manila Night Market was Estrada’s idea in 2013 to continue giving opportunities to vendors who were displaced in the process of clearing out the sidewalks and streets during daytime.

Instead, Estrada said a night market limited to vegetable and wet goods vendors only would be put up along Recto Avenue between Juan Luna to Asuncion streets. This will be open from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“As much as I want to help the vendors earn extra income this Christmas, we cannot allow another big night market in Divisoria. This will only cause more traffic and chaos,” Estrada said.

Che Borromeo, head of Task Force Manila that leads the road clearing campaign, said the city government deemed it wise to limit the operation of night market this Christmas because it would be harder to drive away illegal vendors come January.

CARMONA, Cavite—The Local Government has launched the distribution of birthday cards for persons with disability it said were entitled to health care services.

The program, called “Bantay Kalusugan Para sa iyong Kaarawan,” is in accordance with the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons which provides “The State shall protect and promote the right of disabled persons and shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to their health development which shall make essential health services available to them at affordable cost.”

During its launch, Mayor Dahlia Loyola and Vice Mayor Elmer Reyes led the distribution of birthday cards to PWD birthday celebrants for the week.

The birthday cards entitle the birthday celebrants to free health services like free diagnostic laboratories, flu, antitetanus and pneumococcal immunization and medical check ups at the Carmona Main Health Center.

PWDs celebrating their birthday during the week will receive their respective cards on their birthday from the Person with Disability Affairs Office, according to Joane Bawalan, municipal information officer of this town.

Meanwhile, residents of Barangay Poblacion 9 of Amadeo town recently gathered to discuss the worsening waste disposal problem in their municipality. Benjamin Chavez

A living museum reborn in Bagac

By Honor Blanco Cabie

PERCUSSIVE RHYTHM. A returning medical practitioner based in Toronto, Hermione Mary Anne Santos,

checks her feet and skills at the Philippines’ Tinikling, a bamboo dance which originated during the Spanish colonial period. The dance imitates the movement of the tikling or tukling birds as they walk among grass stems, run over three branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers.

BAGAC, Bataan—West of the country’s capital, on the peninsula once drenched by the blood of allied freedom fighters, is a living museum of Philippine customs and traditions reborn in a community now visited by Filipino and foreign tourists.

The customs and traditions of the Filipinos, from the 18th to the 20th century Philippines, is seen—thanks to costumed male and female cultural tour guides—in the reconstructed houses of stone, stilt houses built in that span, and the different dances performed by a dance troupe during the cultural night.

These houses were old and decaying architectural pieces of a bygone era and slowly fading into the background of urban life, according to Mabel, one of the weekend tour guides, who spoke her lines in impeccable Filipino.

She explained before her assigned 20-something group of weekend visitors, from different parts of the country and some from overseas, how Filipinos lived in as early as the 18th century, their manners and traditions—no smiles during picture taking to stress the character of the Filipino women of the era— and their lifestyle.

Some of the houses were opened to the visitors who had a quick travel back in time with Mabel who related how the Filipinos then lived

in the different houses that today dot the 400 hectares of bayside area fronting Bagac Bay on the country’s western seaboard.

The 27 architectural pieces were painstakingly reconstructed from different parts of the country and rebuilt, according to the tour guide, “brick by brick” and “plank by plank” and now stand dazzling against a backdrop of verdant mountains as well as rainfed rice fields and a running river that empties into the sea.

An afternoon tour of the houses was capped by a dinner either at the Filipino restaurant or the Italian restaurant, soon after a cultural show, performed by the Las Casas Filipinas Dance Group that allows the visitors to have a glimpse of the different dances of the archipelago of 7,107 islands at low tide.

The dances, include “maglalatik,” carinosa,” pandanggo sa ilaw,” “itik itik,” “sayaw sa bangko,” and “tinikling,”—the last a winner for the audience, when some are invited to make the rhythmic steps with “instant” dance instructors from among the young dancers, many of who are college or high school students and out-of-school youth.

The cariñosa is a dance of Hispanic origin from the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk dances, where the fan or handkerchief plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in romance scenario.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

World

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

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Suicide toll increasing in Tunisia T UNIS―Six years since a young Tunisian stall holder set himself on fire, triggering revolutions across the Arab world, his country’s suicide rate is surging over economic and social woes, experts say.

WINNER. Former Nevada Attorney General and Democratic US Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto speaks after winning her Senate race against US Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) at the Nevada Democratic Party’s election results watch party at the Aria Resort & Casino on November 8, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Masto will replace outgoing US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). AFP

Mohamed Bouazizi, who selfimmolated on December 17, 2010 in protest at unemployment and police harassment and died a month later, was among hundreds of Tunisians who have killed themselves in recent years.

The rising suicide rate “had already been noticed... over a decade ago”, Fatma Charfi, a child psychiatrist and head of the Committee for the Prevention of Suicide, told AFP. Last year, authorities recorded 365 suicides in a population of 11 million―around 3.27 per 100,000 people.

While that rate is low compared to other countries, the data is likely skewed by social and religious taboos, meaning the real figure may be much higher.

The toll is particularly high among the young―around half the victims were aged between 20 and 39.

Charfi said the continuous rise in recorded suicides was “a very serious matter”.

The committee she heads was set up in 2015 in response to warnings from experts that suicides were on the rise.

It has been charged by the health ministry with collecting better data and creating a national strategy to tackle the problem.

Tunisia does not yet have a national suicide register.

‘National Geographic’s’ ‘Afghan girl’ deported PESHAWAR―An Afghan woman immortalized on a National Geographic cover was deported by Pakistani officials early Wednesday to her war-torn homeland following a brief period of detention for using fraudulent identity papers.

Sharbat Gula, whose blazing green eyes were captured in an image taken in a Pakistan refugee camp in the 1980s that became the magazine’s most famous cover, was discharged from hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C and taken to the bor-

der overnight, officials said.

“We have deported Sharbat Gula to Afghanistan. She crossed the border to Afghanistan at around 2:30am. She was also accompanied by her four children,” Asmatullah Wazir, an administration official in the border town of Torkham told AFP. A second official, requesting anonymity, confirmed the move and said Gula, 45, was accompanied by officials from the Afghan embassy.

Speaking to AFP last week, Gula said she was “heartbroken”

at the prospect of returning.

“Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country,” she said.

“I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It’s not my fault that I born there [in Afghanistan].

I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave.”

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of

Iraqi Kurds seize IS-held town BASHIGA, Iraq―Iraqi Kurdish forces have seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul from the Islamic State group, an official said Tuesday, as US-backed militia forces advanced on the jihadists’ Syrian stronghold Raqa.

Capturing Bashiqa would be a final step in securing the eastern approaches to Mosul, three weeks into an offensive

by Iraqi forces to retake the country’s second city.

Iraqi troops have also seized the town of Hamam al-Alil south of Mosul, and Tuesday investigators carried out an initial examination of a mass grave site discovered in the area.

Bashiqa was under the “complete control” of Kurdish peshmerga forces, Jabbar Yawar, secretary general of the Kurdish regional ministry responsible for the fighters, told AFP. “Our forces are clearing mines and sweeping the city,” Yawar said.

An AFP correspondent on the outskirts of Bashiqa said clashes were continuing, with three air strikes hitting the town and gunfire and an explosion heard.

The peshmerga said there were still some suicide bombers and snipers there, and about five percent of Bashiqa remained under jihadist control.

Iraqi forces have been tightening the noose around Mosul since launching the offensive on October 17, with elite troops last week breaching city limits.

Upping pressure on the jihadists, the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces militia alliance on Saturday began its own offensive against IS’s other main bas-

tion, Raqa in Syria.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, and their capture would deal a knockout blow to the self-styled “caliphate” it declared in mid2014.

The US-led coalition that launched operations against IS two years ago is providing crucial backing to both offensives, with air strikes and special forces advisers on the ground.

SDF forces have been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border towards Raqa, and alliance spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said Tuesday they had moved to within 36 kilometers of the city.

“Two more villages have been taken since yesterday,” she told AFP, adding that SDF forces had so far advanced 14 kilometres (nine miles) closer to Raqa from Ain Issa, the operation’s main staging point.

“The fighting continues; morale is good and our fighters are determined that this offensive will succeed,” she said.

The fighting has prompted a steady trickle of civilians to flee IS territory, most heading towards Ain Issa.

“We were afraid of the planes, and we were afraid of the IS fighters,” said 34-yearold Wazira Al-Jeely from AlTuwaila village.

“When the strikes started, we took off our burqas and said ‘we’re done with you’ and we ran away.”

Dozens fled the area aboard pick-up trucks and vans.

Some left on mopeds, while others escaped on foot with their sheep and goats.

SDF fighters stopped them a few kilometers from Ain Issa, checking their identities

and searching belongings to avoid infiltration by jihadists.

As in the battle for Mosul, the goal of the Raqa offensive is to surround and isolate the jihadists inside the city before mounting a street-to-street assault.

In both cases officials are warning of long and bloody battles ahead, with IS expected to put up fierce resistance and use trapped civilians as human shields.

More than a million people are believed to be in Mosul.

Raqa in 2011 had a pre-war population of some 240,000, and more than 80,000 people have since fled there from elsewhere in Syria.

Iraqi forces scored another victory against IS on Monday by establishing full control over Hamam al-Alil, about 15 kilometers from the edge of Mosul and the last town of note on the way to the city from the south.

They said a mass grave was found at an agricultural college in the area, with the offensive’s Joint Operations Command saying “100 bodies of citizens with their heads cut off” had been uncovered.

An AFP journalist Tuesday said body parts and bones were visible among rubbish dumped there.

Men in Iraqi security forces uniforms used ropes to pull two bodies, one headless, from the grave, and also removed a decapitated head.

“Today, the team conducted an initial examination,” said Mohammed Taher alTamimi, an Iraqi cabinet official.

Tamimi said the victims had been blindfolded with their hands and feet bound.

AFP

Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees― documented and undocumented―had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expected a further 450,000 to do so by the year’s end. AFP

N OTICE

Under the regime of former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was toppled in 2011 following mass protests sparked by Bouazizi’s suicide, the data was incomplete, experts said.

“There was this complex: ‘We don’t have suicides, we don’t have violence’,” Abdessattar Sahbani of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Political Rights told AFP. But Charfi said comparisons of forensic data from 1990, 2000 and 2010 showed a clear rise.

After Bouazizi’s death, selfimmolation became the secondmost common method of suicide in Tunisia (15 percent of cases) after hanging (60 percent).

Between January and June 2011, several dozen Tunisians set themselves on fire in suicide attempts -- a phenomenon that continues today.

“It was expected that in 2015, we would start to experience a decline (in self-immolations), but it has remained stable since 2011,” Charfi said.

Suicides usually have multiple causes, often including depression and other mental illnesses.

But Tunisia’s economic woes and high unemployment also appear to be key factors.

“It’s definitely linked... the result of an absence of hope,” said Sahbani.

Tunisia’s economy has struggled to recover since the revolution. Authorities have failed to resolve the poverty, unemployment and corruption that were rife under the Ben Ali regime.

The all-important tourism sector was devastated by a series of jihadist attacks in 2015 that left dozens of foreign tourists dead and slashed visitor numbers.

Some 15 percent of the workforce was unemployed in the second quarter of 2016, according to the National Statistics Institute.

A 2014 World Bank report said joblessness was as high as 30 percent in Tunisia’s impoverished interior, which has been the heart of a simmering jihadist insurgency since 2011.

Forensic scientist Mehdi Ben Khelil of the Charles-Nicolle Hospital in Tunis is co-author of a study on the revolution’s impact on suicide.

He said he found an increase in suicides between 2011 and 2012, then a small reduction before a second peak in 2014.

He linked the second rise to the country’s difficult political transition and the impact of the economic crisis on individuals.

“There are more people without jobs (and) with financial problems,” he said.

Historically taboo, suicide has received growing coverage in the Tunisian media. But that itself has its dangers, say experts.

“We are talking about suicide in Tunisia but mostly in an inappropriate way,” Ourida Boussada, a lecturer at IPSI, the country’s oldest journalism school, said at a recent seminar. AFP

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF CABUGAO Ilocos Sur Invitation to Bid for the Provision of Farm Equipment for Tobacco Producing Brgys. Of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur 1. The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, through R.A. 7171 under AO No. 2016-05 intends to apply the sum of Six Million, Nine Hundred Ninety Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Pesos (Php. 6,999,500.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of the projects to payments under the contract for Contract No. 16-11-002.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2. The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur now invites bids for Supply & Delivery of Farm Equipment. Duration of the project is required for 30 calendar Days. Bidders should have completed at least 50% of the approved budget which is similar to the project to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Local Government Unit of Cabugao and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

4. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on Nov. 4-24, 2016 until 10:00 a.m from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Ten Thousand Pesos Only (Php. 10,000.00).

Notice is hereby given that JG SUMMIT PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Producer of Butadiene and Raffinate (Petrochemical Derivatives) on a Pioneer status at annual capacities of 70,000 metric tons of Butadiene and 89,000 metric tons of Raffinate with project site located in Barangay Simlong and Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba, Batangas City.

5. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before November 24, 2016 until 10:00 a.m. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

7. The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur 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.

(SGD.) EVARISTE M. CAGATAN Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

6. Bid opening shall be on November 24, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. at Brgy. Hall, Brgy. Rizal, Cabugao Ilocos Sur. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

SGD. CRESCENCIO MARCOS C. FORMOSO BAC- Chairman

(MS-NOV. 10, 2016)

(MS-OCT. 10, 2016)

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that JG SUMMIT PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Producer of Petrochemical Derivatives on a Pioneer status, at the following annual capacities Benzene - 126,000 MT Toluene - 76,000 MT Mixed Xylene - 46,000 MT

C8+/C9+Cut - 18,000 MT Non-Aromatics - 29,000 MT

The project site will be located in Barangay Simlong and Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba, Batangas City.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) EVARISTE M. CAGATAN Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-NOV. 10, 2016)

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that ROBINSONS LAND CORPORATION, with office address at 40th Floor Robinsons-Equitable Tower, ADB Avenue corner Poveda Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project (Acacia Escalades Building B-Phase 2) with a total capacity of 286 units on a Non-Pioneer Status with project site at Amang Rodriguez Ave. cor. Calle Industria, Brgy. Manggahan, Pasig City.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) RAFAELITO H. TARUC Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-NOV. 10, 2016)

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF CABUGAO Ilocos Sur Construction of Flood Control @ Sitio Madula, Brgy. TurodPatac, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur 1. The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, through the R.A. 7171, Ordinance No. 2016-03 intends to apply the sum of Fourteen Million, Nine Hundred Eighty Seven Thousand, Four Hundred Forty Four Pesos & 98/100 (Php. 14,987,444.98) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Contract No. 16-11-003. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected a bid opening.

2. The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur now invites bids for the Excavation, Concrete Works, Stone Masonry, Embankment, Structure Excavation for Gabions, Embankment for Gabions, Gabions & Mattresses. Completion of the Works is required within 190 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) 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 General Conditions of Contract.

3. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php. 25,000.00) 4. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before November 24, 2016 until 10:00 a.m at BAC-Secretariat.

All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8. The Local Government Unit 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.

(SGD) ENGR. CRESCENCIO MARCOS C. FORMOSO Mun. Engineer/ BAC- Chairman (MS-OCT. 10, 2016)

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

World

Mexico and peso tumble following Trump victory M EXICO CITY― Mexicans bowed their heads in disbelief, the peso tumbled and the government prepared a response as Donald Trump, whose anti-immigrant rhetoric infuriated the country, won the US presidential election.

At an American barbecue restaurant called Pinche Gringo in Mexico City, a festive mood turned somber as Mexicans and Americans rubbed their necks and could barely utter a word as they watched television networks confirming Trump’s victories in key states against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

“I feel very sad. It’s a nightmare, with a lot of uncertainty about what’s going to happen,” said Erick Sauri, a 35-year-old architect, who wore a blue Tshirt reading “Hillary Clinton for President.”

“For now we’re already making less [money] than we were making yesterday,” Sauri said, referring to the national currency’s fall to a record low.

The dollar was buying 20.78 pesos, eclipsing the Mexican currency’s previous low of 19.93 set in September.

Mexicans have closely watched the US presidential campaign ever since Trump burst into the scene last year by calling migrants “rapists” and drug dealers.

The Republican real estate tycoon has pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, force Mexico to pay billions of dollars for a border wall, freeze remittances migrants send back home and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Mexican Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade and central bank chief Agustin Carstens were due to address the media early Wednesday to outline actions the government will take in response to the peso’s fall.

Meade said last week he expected such market “volatility” if Trump won, while Carstens said the government had an unspecified contingency plan in place to weather the storm.

Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu, meanwhile, canceled a late night news conference. An official said she would speak after both Trump and Clinton have spoken. AFP

Muslims shocked by poll result JAKARTA―”I’m very afraid, will there be more wars? Will America attack Muslim countries again?” asked Indonesian activist Alijah Diete as Donald Trump edged closer to a shock victory in the US election.

Muslims across Asia were struggling Wednesday to accept the news that the populist politician who has made fiery anti-Islamic rhetoric a key part of his campaign was likely to become president of the world’s greatest power.

He made his most controversial remarks about Islam in December last year, sparking anger among the world’s 1.5 billion followers of Islam when he called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States after a mass shooting in California.

“Americans have just screwed the world yet again,” said Syed Tashfin Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi who has several close friends in the US. Thousands in the country watched in shock as the results rolled in and Facebook lit up with horrified reactions.

A senior Pakistani government official, speaking anonymously, called the news “absolutely atrocious and horrifying” while others in the country also lamented the results.

“I am disappointed to see Donald Trump winning because Hillary Clinton is a good woman, she is good for Pakistan and Muslims all over the world,” said Ishaq Khan, 32, speaking at an Islamabad market.

“She was talking about world peace―but Trump was talking about fighting against Muslims.”

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, there was growing nervousness about how the relationship with traditional ally the United States would shape up, and how a Trump presidency would affect the relations between America and the Muslim world.

“I am very concerned that the relationship between the US and Muslim countries will become tense again,” said the female Muslim activist Diete, 47.

Nikken Suardini, who works for a law firm in the capital Jakarta, was concerned about the proposed Muslim ban. “If he is elected president he will block Muslims from entering the US -- well, that’s just not fair.” AFP

Despair and silence at Clinton HQ

DISBELIEF. Hillary Clinton supporter Irayda Torrez reacts as she watches the presidential election swing in favor of Donald Trump at the Nevada Democratic Party’s election results watch party at the Aria Resort & Casino on November 8, 2016 ,in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Donald Trump won the general election to become the next US president. AFP

NEW YORK―A stony silence cast a pall early Wednesday over what was meant to be Hillary Clinton’s presidential victory party as, one by one, states turned Republican red for Donald Trump.

The billionaire property mogul had not yet won the White House but for many, it was only a question of time.

No one was expecting such a violent slap in the face. Some were saying it would be close, and many Democrats said they were nervous as they arrived at Clinton’s event at the Javits Center on the west side of Midtown Manhattan.

But no one imagined the night would turn into a political funeral.

At the food court, located underneath the hall where Clinton had been expected to write her name in the history books, two young women sobbed, and the alcohol was free-flowing.

At a table, two other women stared blankly, their hands on their heads.

“It is surreal,” said one government employee who gave her first name Margarita, a beer in front of her.

She says she fears a new era in America―not just in terms of politics, but also from those who voted for the 70-year-old Trump.

“Our lives are not safe―as queer women, as brown women,” she told AFP, struggling to put her feelings into words.

Many spoke about what they felt was total ignorance among Trump supporters.

“I think these people probably flunked out of school―they don’t know history, they don’t understand the world,” said Elmy Bermejo, who traveled to the Big Apple from San Francisco for the occasion.

But Bermejo tried to see the bright side on a dark night.

“After I have a stiff drink of tequila, I’m going to get up, and since I’m a hopeful person, then I’ll do whatever I can to make sure we vote him out of office, because that’s what democracy is about,” she said. AFP

Euphoria at Trump’s headquarters NEW YORK―Euphoric Donald Trump supporters transformed into a sea of “Make America Great Again” hats, shouting “USA” and partying late into the night as the billionaire appeared within reach of victory Wednesday.

“We are so excited,” said Aliza Romanoff, a well-dressed, articulate and educated mother of two from Long Island whose family has known Trump for years, out celebrating with her parents and husband.

The Republican nominee’s official “victory party” in a Manhattan hotel ballroom started slowly―initially quietly optimistic―but as Trump won state after state, increasingly pumped up and raucous.

The crowd swelled in number, flagging energy levels boosted by alcohol and the avalanche of results that some admitted were far better than they ever imagined

with Hillary Clinton the strong favorite.

“It’s unbelievable. I didn’t know Trump was really going to pull it off,” said Glenn Ruti, a 54-year-old New Yorker who works in telecommunications, albeit with no winner yet declared in the race.

“I think he’s going to go all the way.”

As Fox News, the TV network of choice for most Trump supporters beamed across the party on giant screens, declared Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa and Wisconsin for Trump, they broke out into whoops and cheers, clapping their hands, fist-pumping and waving placards.

“He’s going to win and my life is forever changed,” one supporter yelled into his cell phone, seemingly unable to believe it.

Bar staff in black tie rushed around collecting empties or

bringing out fresh bottles. There were spontaneous chants of “Drain the Swamp.” That is Trump’s battle cry for overhauling establishment Washington.

“We’re definitely taken aback.

We were expecting it to be a very close race,” said Romanoff.

“We’re overjoyed,” she added as her mother promised a month of partying all the way to the inauguration on January 20.

Theirs was not the only family in attendance. Other parents brought their children. One woman even cradled a new-born baby in a sling. All agreed one thing, that the country had voted for change and change was coming.

Supporters listed opposition to Obamacare, Trump’s promise to create jobs, defeat jihadists and fight corruption as reasons for his shock performance, together with years of struggle after the 2008 financial crash. AFP

ANGST. A woman sits on the floor at an election event organiZed by the US embassy at a hotel in Seoul on November 9, 2016. Donald Trump’s stunning performance in the US presidential election triggered shock and angst in Asia, where observers fretted over the implications for everything from trade to human rights and climate change. AFP

Life

WELLNESS & ENVIRONMENT

Dr. Johnny Sinon is appointed as the new Medical Director of Makati Medical Center

By Bernadette Lunas

P

REMIER hospital Makati Medical Center recently appointed a new Medical Director, on the back of improving its healthcare services.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

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MakatiMed President and CEO Rose Montenegro talks about the strategic plans in place for the growth and expansion of the hospital

New MakatiMed medical director

University of Sto. Tomas graduate Johnny Sinon, MD will serve as fulltime MakatiMed Medical Director from 2016 to 2018, handling a total of 2,316 staff and overseeing Medical Services, Medical Education, Hospital Accreditation, Patient Relations and Clinical Support Services.

Dr. Sinon’s first order on board as Medical Director is to strengthen the hospital’s research projects, which were only done previously because they were required, according to him.

“Now, we’re trying to encourage them to be more research-oriented because the reality is, many new breakthroughs come from research,” he said. “If you’re not research-oriented, you will miss the boat.”

The research programs will primarily focus on regenerative medicine (stem cell), a growing trend in the medical field.

“There’s a lot of innovation in that, and it’s all research at this point, but we’re already seeing good results out of that,” averred Dr. Sinon.

The Medical Director’s plan to step up MakatiMed’s research programs is in keeping with his commitment to closely support President and CEO Rosalie Montenegro’s strategic plan Dr. Sinon first order is to strengthen the hospital’s research projects and residency for the healthcare institution’s growth training programs and expansion.

In the field of stem cell, Montenegro of the research because many of the Dr. Sinon also plans to augment resireiterated Dr. Sinon’s priority to con- hospitals abroad are already in clinical dency training program and collaboduct more research on it. trials and we say ‘why not divert some rations with academic institutions for “We want to include stem cell as part to the Philippines?’,” she said. trainings and research projects.

focuses on research programs MakatiMed is working with the University of the Philippines, and exploring possibilities of collaborating with UST, Stanford University and University of California.

“We’re are very hopeful [that this would push through] because UP is very happy they can do this with us.

It’s just a matter of having an MOU and we can proceed,” enthused Dr. Sinon.

“We’re also looking at UST. We’re also exploring overseas.”

Montenegro furthered, “We already have something with Stanford and University of California. But in the past, these were only for short-term training programs where MakatiMed would send doctors to them for short-term courses. Now, we’re trying to develop our relationship with them.”

Dr. Sinon said that aside from the hospital’s initiative, they are also encouraging doctors to get further trainings abroad.

These concentrations are in line with MakatiMed’s new direction to shift from being a doctor-centered hospital to a patient-centered health-

care institution, wherein the latter’s welfare is put first.

“In today’s healthcare, patients have choices. Therefore we are going to shift the focus and we are going to be patientcentered,” said Montenegro.

She is quick to note, however, that the move does not mean setting aside the physicians’ interest, as “they are important because patients are loyal to doctors.” The MakatiMed head cited an example of offering the doctors’ designated parking slot to patients with cars.

Finally, the hospital’s corporate social responsibility remains a priority for Dr. Sinon. Along with continuing medical missions, Dr. Sinon hopes to strengthen and rationalize MakatiMed’s Health Service Program, its charity program for indigent members of the community.

“With me on board, I hope that all programs and projects we put in place will get the doctors’ support. It’s my role to make them see it is worthwhile doing [them],” Dr. Sinon told Manila Standard.

Visit www.makatimed.net.ph for more information.

What is the purpose of life?

TO the usually confounding question, “What is the purpose of life?” Mike George has a quick and simple, almost playful, answer: “To be creative.”

Every human being, at every moment, is creating all the things that determine how he lives— ideas, concepts, images, feelings and attitudes, so says George.

“I am one hundred percent responsible for the quality of my life. To realize my creative potential, I need to understand what gets in the way of my creativity.”

The British life coach, international speaker and inspirational teacher has authored 14 best-selling books published in 15 languages on this fundamental principle and various related subjects, among them Being Beyond Belief: 30 Beliefs You Will Have To Kill Before They Kill You, The Immune System of the Soul: How to Free Yourself from All Forms of Dis-Ease, and Mindsets: Create New Perspectives and Cultivate Clarity.

He is Manila-bound for a series of free public talks that starts on Nov. 15 with an invitational dinner-discussion on how to “Release the Self from the

Chaos Within,” at the Brahma Kumaris Center in Makati.

“Everything starts with thinking.

I think, therefore I create,” George says, stressing the top two reasons that one’s abilities are not fully utilized: forgetting, or not putting enough premium on, the value of individual thought, and therefore getting directed or talked into definitive decisions such as job and career.

Many people are in lines of work that set them up to be productive, more than creative, he points out. “Doing this for many years suppresses creativity altogether, kills motivation, and usually ends in unhappiness.” He gives two telltale signs: boredom and sluggishness.

George was an advertising copywriter, a job he describes as “very creative, but one that often misleads people. The quality of my creativity at the time was not very high.”

Finding a way out, he embarked on a farther-reaching journey of self-exploration, convinced that “to reignite my enthusiasm was to rediscover my purpose.”

For the last 30 years, aside from writing books, George has been a corporate and community workshop facilitator with clients in more than 30 countries. Over 250,000 people have attended his courses, retreats and seminars, which have covered what are regarded as “the three key strands of the 21st century—emotional intelligence, leadership development and continuous unlearning.“ His style has been described as a “unique blend of insight, wisdom and humor.”

The blueprint apparently works, because some of his biggest corporate patrons are Mitsubishi, Siemens, American Express, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Barclays Bank, Bank of Kuwait and the Middle East, GlaxoSmithKline, British Telecom, Sheraton Hotels, Unilver, Shell and Nestle.

George has coached bankers, lawyers, judges, IT experts and government workers on self-management, personal development and, as a teacher of Raja Yoga, on reaping day-to-day benefits from a meditation practice.

On Nov. 18, he is the featured lecturer

British life coach Mike George will be here in the Philippines for a series of public talks

in “Why Me? Why Here? Why Now?” presented by the Brahma Kumaris Quezon City center. On Nov. 22, he will be a guest speaker in the dance concert Being Yourself, inspired by another book he wrote, at the Power Mac Cent-

er in The Circuit Makati.

In between these free public programs, George will conduct yoga workshops for private groups.

For details about any of the events, call (02) 890-7960 or 414-9421.

Life

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

T

HE BPO industry in the country has gone from a scattering of small firms and satellite offices, to becoming one of the key growth drivers in the country. Thanks to the growing talent pool in the country, and the growing reputation of Filipinos to be skilled BPO employees, whether it is voice or non-voice related duties that a lot of international companies have chosen the Philippines as their site for business outsourcing.

One of the key players in the healthcare industry is Liberty Medical Philippines (LMPI), the first off-country site of United States-based medical products and services mail-order provider Liberty Medical.

“Liberty Medical LCC is a leading mail-order provider of medical products and services to patients in the U.S. with diabetes, sleep apnea, urology problems and other chronic diseases. We deal day in and day out with patients in the United States, and see that our company make the lives of our patients better, by supplying them the right supplies, medications, and giving them the education that they need to live better lives.

So, if you are our agents, every time you come in, you are not just solving problems, but you are actually lifting and saving lives of patients, day-in, day out,” said LMPI Country Manager Edwin Matulin.

As LMPI country head, Matulin explained that apart from a talented workforce, which is a big factor, it is also the culture of the Philippines that helps LMPI operate to the best of the company’s ability. “The Filipinos are a nurturing culture by nature. We grew up with a lot of extended families and we are usually close to our elders. This is also reflected on the way that our agents treat our patients during calls.

Our patients can feel that they are being treated with respect and courtesy one person gives to another instead of just being another issue that needs to be addressed,” he shared.

The employees’ constant exposure to the health risks that diabetes pose—thanks to their interaction with patient-clients—have also turned them into advocates of diabetes awareness. According to Matulin, LMPI employees often discuss with their friends and families the health complications that could arise when diabetes isn’t managed. This is further supplemented by the company’s outreach programs or CSR, where the

Liberty Medical Philippines, Inc. Country Manager Edwin Matulin (seated, center) with (standing from left) Karla Habulan, Jenny Gante, Ric Villaseñor, Sharmaine Cartago, MJ Ampong, (seated from left) Jeck Salazar, Razel Peredo, Sheena Castro and Justine Tech

Liberty Medical

Philippines

turns a year old LMPI share the fruits of its labors and educate individuals. In a recent team building and outreach program, employees provided school supplies for school children in Laiya, Batangas.

It brought along the value of health maintenance through the wellness information; ensuring that this community benefits from LMPI’s everyday actions. The company recently held another outreach program in Ba-

rangay Orambo in Pasig City where children, ages 6 to 10 years old, were treated to a day of fun, food and learning activities. The company also donated school supplies, and parents were educated on diabetes.

True to its words, LMPI has changed the lives of a lot of people in and out of the organization. Recognitions, rewards and promotions abounded from the four corners of its well-maintained domain.

The hard work, commitment and sacrifices of its people have not remained unnoticed. From the internal recognition event to the large scale awarding venue, the quarterly Team Members Assembly, the team members’ dedication and exemplary performance were given proper credits.

The company started out with less than 40 individuals, but within its first year, the Liberty Medical

Philippines staff size has ballooned to over 350 employees. Along with the growing number of employees, are the additional responsibilities of the company. Matulin explained that in most BPO companies, the instructions come from the main headquarters, and off-site offices only send their reports. However, Liberty Medical Philippines is catching up with its US counterpart’s BPO operations. “We are now training our quality assurance team and they will be monitoring and evaluating not just calls to the Philippines, but also client calls in the US office. While there might be differences in culture, Liberty Medical Philippines is proud we can show off the skill and talent of the Filipinos on a level playing field,” he said.

And as the company celebrate its first anniversary this month, it is aiming to create a culture where their employees find meaning in their jobs, among others. “We are here to offer meaningful careers to Filipinos, helping our patients in the United States, make our company grow, as well as contribute to the growing BPO industry in the Philippines,” Matulin ended.

Get your money back with MediCard Select

Reality-based talent search Promil Pre-School I-Shine Talent Camp returns for its fifth year of enabling parents to develop, celebrate and support their children’s talents.

Show’s host Rica Peralejo (left) is with Stage Camp mentors Georcelle Dapat-Sy and Rico Blanco, and Art Camp mentor Robert Alejandro

Maximize crucial window of child’s talent development FOR parents, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing their child succeed. We all know the important role parents play in helping their child reach their highest potential.

But did you know that there is a perfect time for parents to be present in helping unlock their child’s talents and passions?

“The crucial window of talent development presents itself only at a child’s critical age of learning, which happens during a child’s first six years. This is the optimum time for parents to help their child stimulate his or her brain. Aside from proper nutrition and a stimulating environment, parental support is imperative at this stage,” shares Dr. Joselyn Eusebio, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician.

Further emphasizing the importance of parents’ role at this particular learning phase, Didi Manahan M.S. Ed., expert in early

childhood and elementary education, and the directress and founding partner at Keys School Manila and Explorations Preschool says, “A child can grow or develop a talent through possessing life skills, and acquiring this set of skills entails thorough guidance and strong support from parents and teachers. It is vital that parents respond to their child’s areas of interest, strength and need, to ensure the child’s success.”

Having been the parents’ trusted partner for more than 20 years, Promil Pre-School aids parents in helping their children achieve their potential by providing them with the unique combination of brain and body building nutrients which help support learning during the crucial window of talent development, and by creating avenues like I-Shine that help parents hone their child’s talents to their maximum potential.

Now on its fifth year, I-Shine Talent Camp continues to enable parents to develop, celebrate, and support their child’s talents, while inspiring other parents to do the same.

Open to kids above three years old, IShine Talent Camp 5 has three camps: Stage Camp, which includes both singing and dancing, Music Camp and Art Camp.

The children are given the opportunity to work with high caliber mentors who are meant to draw out each of their talents and enable them to reach their full potential. Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy and Rico Blanco team up to coach the Stage Camp. Ryan Cayabyab shares his mastery of music to the Music Camp, while Robert Alejandro uses his artistic vision to mentor the Art Camp.

I-Shine Season 5 is bigger and better, allowing the participants more opportunities to celebrate, develop and showcase their exceptional talent, helping them become their best and is now accepting entries from kids all over the nation.

For more information, visit www.ishine.com.ph

DO you spend a huge amount of money for health and medical coverage but feel like it’s not worth paying for because you seldom get sick or go for a check-up? And yet getting rid of your HMO coverage is out of the question because, what if you get seriously sick?

MediCard, a leading HMO provider in the country, gives a breakthrough solution for you – MediCard Select.

This product allows members of all ages to have flexible healthcare coverage for a minimal access and service fee and a fixed amount of fund. Also, members get the best value for their money because they can select for their coverage when needed – whether for maternity, preexisting conditions, extreme sports, etc.

“We at MediCard do our best to bring quality healthcare services to Filipinos. The best part is, members of MediCard Select will get back their funds if unused,” says MediCard Vice President Luis S. Montoya.

A breakthrough feature of MediCard Select is the revolving fund wherein the cost of health services utilized will be deducted from the amount that they paid, and the balance becomes a revolving fund that members can use again upon replenishment or can be returned to them.

So no need to feel that the cost of healthcare coverage is not worth it – if you don’t get sick, not hospitalized nor availed yourself of any medical service, you get your money back.

Medicard Select offers a suite of benefits that give members of all ages the coverage they need. Qualified individuals, families or SMEs will receive coverage for hospitalization, outpatient and preventive healthcare that includes an Annual Physical Exam and the following eight blood chemistries: Fasting Blood Sugar, Total Cholesterol, Uric Acid, Creatinine, BUN, HDL, LDL and Triglycerides, as well as emergency and dental care.

MediCard has more than 29 years of experience in providing quality health care across a range of individuals, families, and small and large corporations. It takes pride in its robust health care providers, which enables MediCard members to choose from its nationwide network of over 1,000 accredited hospitals and clinics backed by more than 40,000 accredited doctors.

For more information on MediCard Select, please call or email Randy Verde at (02) 891-9629 or rverde@ medicardphils.com, or Marie Joyce Reynoso at (02) 884-9968 or mreynoso@medicardphils.com, or visit select.medicardphils.com/.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

I

NTERNATIONAL pop and R & B sensation and multitalented singer, dancer, host and songwriter Billy Crawford landed in Hong Kong recently for the filming of The Ultimate BROcation, a new reality TV series, created by action entertainment TV channel KIX.

‘Ultimate BROcation’

The Ultimate BROcation will capture all the fun and hilarity of Billy and three other Asian male celebrities, as they experience Hong Kong as the ultimate guy’s playground.

Billy adds his hyper active personality, biting wit and often bizarre sense of humor to this new mix of bros which includes popular Thai TV and radio host DJ PK; multi-talented and award-winning Malaysian singer, rapper, songwriter and graffiti artist SonaOne; and Singaporean maverick chef and restaurateur Bjorn Shen.

The Ultimate BROcation is a five-episode reality series following the adventures of four male celebrities as they revel in an all-expenses-paid vacation of every guy’s fantasy in Hong Kong. The show will be filled with parties, exhilarating activities, fantastic food, beautiful ladies, cool gadgets and some solid male bonding. The four guys may start off as strangers but will end up as “bros” after experiencing the “brocation” of a lifetime.

Joining the four bros in a cameo appearance is Hong Kong martial

PINOYS REPRESENT. TV host and singer Billy Crawford (first from right) joins the cast of KIX original series “The Ultimate BROcation,” alongside other Asian stars DJ PK, SonaOne, Bjorn Shen and Philip Ng

GMA News TV continues to keep viewers hooked

Enzo Pineda now in ‘Till I Met You’

MORE kilig nights are anticipated as newest Kapamilya Enzo Pineda joins the cast of the ABS-CBN primetime series Till I Met You. Enzo plays Stephen, a general’s son that is tasked to turn Ali (JC Santos) straight.

His first appearance in the series surprised viewers and earned praises online. With his good and charming looks, netizens are also intrigued by what role he will play in Ali’s life.

Meanwhile, Basti (James Reid) continues to convince his wife to move out of his mother-in-law’s

Enzo Pineda: Kapuso no more

house. However, Iris (Nadine Lustre) is still not ready to leave her mother Cassandra (Carmina Villarroel), which led to a heated argument between the two.

How will they tell Cassandra their plans of moving out? Will Iris and Basti make a decision soon?

Don’t miss the scenes showing that real love wins in Til I Met You, weeknights after FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN or on ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167). Catch up via iWanTV or via skyondemand.com.ph for Sky subscribers.

GMA News TV remains a force to reckon with on local television, fuel GMA News TV’s strong performance include the afternoon taking the third slot of the most-watched channel in free TV in newscast Quick Response Team (QRT), the hourly daily regional Mega Manila. news broadcast Balita Pilipinas Ngayon, and public For the past 12 weeks (from the period of July 24 to affairs and lifestyle shows Motorcycle Diaries, Ang Oct. 15), GMA News TV has pushed its way up next Pinaka, and Idol sa Kusina. to industry leader GMA Network and second ranked Since its launch in 2011, GMA News TV has ABS CBN, and tied with TV5 for the third spot based been the home to a number of the country’s most on data from the industry’s trusted ratings service awarded documentary programs such as Reel provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

Time, Brigada, Investigative Documentaries, Setting the pace for GMA News TV are its and talk program Bawal ang Pasaway kay various news programs, bannered by midday Mareng Winnie. news bulletin Balitanghali and the channel’s And as part of its commitment to provide flagship newscast, State of the Nation with viewers quality programming, GMA News TV Jessica Soho (SONA). also produces well-crafted lifestyle shows Both Balitanghali and SONA have such as information and magazine been recognized as Best News Program programs Good News Kasama si over the years. Anchored by Connie Vicky Morales, I Juander, Pop Talk, Sison and Raffy Tima, Balitanghali Taste Buddies; travel show Biyahe provides roundup of the latest and ni Drew; talk show MARS and biggest news from Monday to Tonight with Arnold Clavio; Friday at noontime. Balitanghali cooking program Everyday Weekend, in turn, is anchored by Sarap with CDO; reality show Mariz Umali and Jun Veneracion.

Day Off; drama anthology Known for the depth and context Wagas; and sports program in its news headlines, SONA remains News TV All Sports. one of the most trusted and mostAll these are just awarded news programs on Philippine manifestations of how television today. Just recently, GMA News TV continues to the Catholic Mass Media Awards respond to the ever-changing recognized it as Best News Program for needs of the viewing public— 2016. Jessica Soho anchors SONA. and clearly succeeding every step Senior and multi-awarded broadcast journalist Other top-rating programs that help Jessica Soho of the way.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, November 10, 2016

ACROSS 1 Relish 5 Chagall or Antony 9 Community org.

13 Inbox filler 15 Imported car 16 Belonging to us 17 Nina of fashion 18 Not so much 19 Empathize 20 Sitcom planet 21 Recline indolently 23 Apple desserts 25 Weight deduction 26 Humorous tributes 27 Downy fruit 30 Green-lights 31 Inner selves 32 Pouched animal 37 Cousin’s mother 38 Twinged 40 No way! (hyph.)

41 Barometer reading 43 Great Buddhist king of India (var.)

44 St. Louis time 45 Made of clay 47 Summarizes 50 ABA mem.

51 Iron-rich range 52 Pointed arch

arts star Philip Ng. Most recently seen on the hit action TV drama A Fist Within Four Walls and the martial arts epic Once Upon A Time In Shanghai, Philip will show the bros his city and act as an advisor during their “brocation”.

“My life and my career have never been conventional, and this show is the next chapter of what has been an incredible adventure. As a person who has always relished traveling, working and performing abroad and being exposed to different cultures and experiences, I really can’t wait to discover the highlights of Hong Kong, one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan and exhilarating destinations in the world, especially for bros,” he exclaims.

Because he exhibited his talent for performing at a very young age, Billy has been in the spotlight since he was a child. His talents were phenomenal enough for a global audience, and as such, he has enjoyed his global celebrity stature.

His travels and early exposure to multiple cultures have combined to make Billy an adventurer, a lover of life and the quintessential guy’s guy—endearing traits that make it difficult to imagine a better bro to go on “brocation” with.

The Ultimate BROcation is produced by KIX’s parent company, Celestial Tiger Entertainment - operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, and Endemol Shine Group, the global production house responsible for the award-winning MasterChef and Big Brother series. The show is supported by Hong Kong Tourism Board, and sponsors Cathay Pacific and the Harbour Grand Hong Kong.

The Ultimate BROcation will air first and exclusively on KIX. KIX is available on Cablelink Ch.54, Cignal TV Ch. 133, Destiny Cable Ch.63, Gsat Ch. 18 and SKYcable Ch.63.

53 Climber’s challenge 56 Nutritious grains 57 Lead a square dance 59 Tint twice 61 A Maverick brother 62 Margin 63 Feel nostalgic 64 Captain Hook’s cohort 65 Bench or hassock 66 Shaman’s quest DOWN 1 Goose egg 2 Sheik colleague 3 Give the pink slip 4 Muscle spasm 5 Polo stick 6 Ayla’s creator Jean — 7 Hwys.

8 Western hero (2 wds.)

9 Bear and Berra 10 Leipzig link 11 Trims a photo 12 Questions 14 Fragrant shrubs 22 Incan treasure 24 Say hoarsely 25 Pinball

violations 26 Architect Mies van der — 27 PDQ 28 Preside at tea 29 Viking letter 32 Ernesto Guevara 33 Like a damp basement 34 Oops! (hyph.)

35 Microwave 36 Genghis — 38 Patronage 39 PC screens 42 Strike ignorer 43 Main road

45 Aerie hatchling 46 Devoured 47 Mobilize 48 Ms. Lauder 49 Hindu social class 51 Rowdy crowds 52 Gymnast — Korbut 53 Ponderosa son 54 Early harp 55 N.J. neighbor 58 Lemon cooler 60 Want-ad letters

Showbiz

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Former Miss World and HOOQ celebrity ambassador Megan Young

HOOQ Brand Ambassador Sheila Paul, Je Megan Youn ff Remegio, Ja ne Cruz-Walke g with HOOQ’s officer r, Peter Bithos , Krishnan Rajagupalan and Ravi Vora

MEGAN YOUNG and other celebrities swear by

HOOQ

H

OW much time do you spend on your mobile phone? For a citizen of the most “social nation” in the world, that could mean a lot of hours.

From the moment you wake up, your smartphone is probably the first thing you pick up, (since you probably use it as an alarm clock) and the last thing you put down (as a flashlight or night lamp) before going to sleep.

The longest time you probably are away from your mobile phone is when you are taking a bath and it’s only because you still don’t have a waterproof phone.

And with the worsening traffic and daily commute, people are using their smartphones even more to entertain themselves by watching their favorite movies and TV series on their mobile screens.

With this continued rise in mobile phone usage, HOOQ, Asia’s first and largest premium video-on-demand service, rebuilds its app, and presents an interface that’s been redesigned for a truly intuitive mobile experience.

HOOQ fans can look forward to a new app interface that boasts a mobile first UX that has been built from extensive customer beta testing and usability research to derive a customer-centric experience, given that over 80 percent of customers are consuming HOOQ on their mobile devices.

Designed with the habits of the social and digital natives in mind, this new mobile-first release boasts a brand new real time content feed and personalized recommendation engine that makes discovering new favorites easier than ever.

“For the past 20 months or so since we launched in the Philippines, we have been studying the habits and usage of all our subscribers, and used what we found out into redesigning our app,” Peter Bithos, CEO at HOOQ, told Manila

ISAH V. RED

Standard in an exclusive interview held at the Karrivin Plaza last week.

“The first thing we found out is that for mobile phone users, its more natural to swipe up and down, rather than left or right, just like they do on Facebook, so now instead of swiping sideways to view content, all they have to do is flick up or down to browse through our vast library of films.”

“The second is the placement of three tabs at the bottom part of the screen—Discover, Browse and Me. The Discover tabs lets you scroll down almost endlessly as you look for a show or movie that interests you. Browse places these films in separate categories such as Hot and Trending, Super Hero Sensations Hollywood Classics, Top Pinoy, Anime, Korean, Bengali and a lot more. And finally, Me is allows you to changes settings, view your downloaded movies, favorites, etc.”

“And finally we added a picture in picture or PIP feature so you can watch a movie or show and search for the next show you’d want to watch without having to close the screen or go back to a previous window,” explained Bithos.

Additionally, there is an improved search engine, wish lists (for future viewing) and optimized content delivery for significantly faster app start and streaming start times.

The new app has been in development

by HOOQ’s in-house team for nearly nine months and is backboned by a new back-end framework focused on a faster and higher quality streaming experience for the customer. In addition to the current support of iOS, Android, web, Chromecast and Android Set-top Box, HOOQ are also available on Airplay and mobile web as part of this launch.

‘We know that our customers are mostly enjoying HOOQ on their mobile

devices so it was a natural decision that we enhanced the entire HOOQ platform to give our customers a best in class mobile-first experience. For me, one of the most exciting new features is the real time content feed that highlights our most popular content and knowing what others are watching and which titles are trending!’ said Jane Cruz-Walker, country manager of HOOQ Philippines.

Hollywood or Pinoy How many episodes can you watch in 30-days? Well, apparently not as much as you’d think (or want), and by the time you’ve discovered a TV series worth (binge) watching, chances are, your free trial is over, and you have no choice but to sign up.

But with HOOQ’s new ad-free “freemium” model you don’t have to subscribe in order to watch the pilot episodes of all the TV series available on HOOQ. This first of its kind hybrid model allows customers to sample a premium service at no cost. Pilot episodes of all TV series will now be free for all registered users even after their free trial period has ended. Customers can now catch pilot episodes from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Devious Maids, The Mentalist, Castle to Alyas Robin Hood, Walang Hanggan and #Jadine whenever they hit the service. This extended sampling gives the customers the power to decide if they would like to continue to watch the rest of series before they pay for the subscription.

Walker said they are very excited to introduce this hybrid model as it gives customers more control over their purchase decision. “This new hybrid model is a result of what we have learnt over the past year after studying usage patterns and speaking to numerous customers and understanding what they want in a video-on-demand service.”

“At HOOQ, we don’t want to pressure our subscribers during the 30-day period, so with our new “freemium” service, users can watch more than 200 pilot episodes of both local and international TV series, and subscribe when they’ve

HOOQ Philippines offers tailored-fit local content

found a show they want to watch,” notes Bithos.

“We believe this will be a win-win strategy for both our customers and our business as it allows the customers to try the service and the content before they decide to purchase, at the same time, we have the opportunity to re-engage customers whenever we introduce our latest titles, outside of their free trial period’, he added.

“The key driver of any video-ondemand service is their content and we are confident that our offering will keep our customers HOOQ’d month after month!”

HOOQtime anytime The reveal of the app likewise coincided with the launch of HOOQ’s newest campaign called HOOQTime and the introduction of its newest ambassador, former Miss World Megan Young and the new TVC which features Jeron Teng, Direk Erik Matti and Lourd Ramos and other celebrities.

Like most millennials, Young admitted she easily got “hooked” after being introduced to the VOD service. “It’s very convenient since I could catch up and watch my favorite TV series whenever I’m travelling or waiting for my take.” She mentions Encantadia as her top favorite, as well as Scandal and Revenge among her favorite shows.

To make HOOQ even more accessible,

the VOD service even offers “weekly packs” for as low as P59.00 for seven days.

We’re the first to offer this kind of service in Asia, and probably the world, said Bithos who is quite familiar with the Filipino market having worked for Globe Telecom in the past citing his familiarity with the Filipino term “tingi” or our penchant for sachets.

Ready to get HOOQ’ed? Sign up today on www.HOOQ.tv for a free trial.

Monthly subscriptions start from P149.00.

Globe Postpaid customers can get up to 45 days of free trial with Globe GoSURF 99 and below, and up to 90 days of free trial for all mobile customers availing of GoSURF 299 and up. Broadband customers also get HOOQ for free on Globe Home Broadband. Once the trial period expires, GoSURF customers can continue enjoying HOOQ at P149.00 subscription fee monthly charged to your Globe bill. For all other subscribers, you can either pay the P149.00 monthly subscription fee through credit card or charge it to your Globe bill by texting HOOQ149 to 8888.

HOOQ is a start-up joint venture established in January 2015 by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros.

It currently operates in the Philippines, Thailand, India and Indonesia. Visit www. hooq.tv for more information