Manila Standard - 2016 November 21 - Monday

Rody skips gala dinner

By Sandy Araneta

VOL. XXX • NO. 282 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

FOR the second time, President Rodrigo Duterte failed to attend a gathering of world leaders, this time, the gala dinner offered by Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Saturday night (Sunday morning PH time) as he was not feeling well.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte skipped the gala dinner scheduled at 7:15 p.m. Peru time at the Parque de la Reserva, saying he was not feeling well but giving no further details.

Earlier in the day, Duterte had one-on-one meetings with Russian Next page

Duterte meets Putin Rants anew against US hypocrisy

Probe drug trade, graft body urged

By Rio N. Araja and Macon R. Araneta SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday challenged Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to use her power to initiate an investigation into government officials involved in the illegal drug trade.

Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, called on the Office of the Ombudsman, especially Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente, to investigate suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, and those involved to the drug trade in the Visayas.

“I’ve heard that Kerwin, in his affidavit, has named several incumbent public officials and police officers who have been involved in the illicit drug trade. From there, the Ombudsman can start its motu proprio fact-finding probe.

It should exercise its powers, or become a useless agency,” he said.

“Such [a document] is a welcome development. According to reports, Kerwin was considered the no. 2 personality in the distribution network of drugs in Eastern Visayas. He

L

IMA, Peru—Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday met the man he calls his hero, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and unburdened his gripes about US “hypocrisy,” “bullying” and foreign wars.

Duterte, who has publicly expressed his admiration for the Russian leader, said the Cold War had stood between their two countries as the Philippines, a former US colony, was historically identified with the West.

But that has changed now that he is President.

Since taking office in June, the foul-mouthed Duterte has upended the Philippines’ historical military alliance with the United States, repeatedly saying he was shifting toward China and Russia as he embarks on an independent foreign policy. Next page

Next page

De Lima faces four anti-narc complaints

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department will summon Senator Leila de Lima to appear before the preliminary investigation on the four complaints filed against her in connection with her alleged involvement in proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Sunday De Lima could expect the subpoena this week, compelling her to attend the preliminary

investigation on the four complaints.

“This coming week, the subpoena will be issued,” Aguirre said.

He said De Lima’s recent admission of an affair with her driver-bodyguard Ronnie Dayan would bolster the cases against her, since this validated her links with the alleged bagman, and could be used in disbarment cases against her.

Dayan is being hunted down by authorities for his

FIRST MEETING.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian leader Vladimir Putin meet for the first time on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru on Nov. 19, 2016.

MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Next page

Cemetery for non-heroes proposed

By Macon R. Araneta and Rey E. Requejo SENATE President Aquilino Pimentel III has filed a bill that seeks to set aside the land within the Libingan ng mga Bayani where Filipinos of historical interest, such as presidents, statesmen, dignitaries, and national artists

and scientists are interred, in a cemetery separate from the remains of those who served in the military.

This cemetery will be called the Libingan ng mga Makasaysayang Pilipino.

If passed into law, it will preserve the LNMB as a military memorial consistent with the pur-

pose intended for it when it was established in 1947 as the Republic Memorial Cemetery.

The Republic Memorial Cemetery was renamed the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 1954 through Proclamation No. 86 of then-President Ramon Magsaysay.

In 1948, a year after the Next page

Suicide notes expose Petitions ERC corruption—Palace vs GMA et al junked

HEROES’ CEMETERY. Soldiers and cops guard the entrance gate of the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on Sunday following the Mass for the late President Ferdinand Marcos who was laid to rest on Friday.

MANNY PALMERO twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the investigation of the suicide of a director of the Energy Regulatory Commission due to the alleged corruption there, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Sunday.

Francisco Villa Jr. killed himself on November 9 inside his house in Parañaque City after allegedly being pressured to approve procurement contracts and hiring consultants without bidding and other proper procedures.

thestandard.com.ph

Reporter Rosario Sofia Villa said her brother had told her that ERC contracts were being executed before the actual bidding.

Andanar said there would be no sacred cows during the investigation, but that he still did not know which body would conduct the probe.

“Yes, there will be no sacred cows,” Andanar said.

Villa reportedly left three handwritten letters labeled as “suicide Next page

THE Supreme Court has dismissed all the petitions arising from the criminal complaints filed against the co-accused of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in connection with the alleged multi-million-peso anomaly involving Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.

Next page

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

A2

News

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte...

From A1

“It was good [while] it lasted,” Duterte told Putin of what he has called his “separation” from the United States.

“Of late, I see a lot of these Western nations bullying small nations. And not only that, they are into so much hypocrisy,” he said during their 45-minute meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Peruvian capital Lima.

“And they seem to start a war but are afraid to go to war. That is what is wrong with America and the others. They’ve been waging wars in so many places—in Vietnam, in Afghanistan and in Iraq for one single reason that there was a weapon of mass destruction, and there was none.”

Duterte also said the United States “forced” the Philippines to contribute soldiers in its wars in Vietnam and Iraq.

When Manila pulled out noncombat troops that were part of the US-led coalition against Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2004 following threats to behead a kidnapped Filipino worker there, Washington “made it hard for us,” Duterte told Putin in a video shot by the Philippine presidential palace broadcast team.

“These are the things I see which is not a good idea,” Duterte said in English.

He also said the Philippines longed to be part of Europe.

“We’ve been longing to be part also of—despite the distance—we have been longing to be part of Europe, especially in commerce and trade around the world.”

Duterte, who has cultivated an image as a no-nonsense leader, said last month that “my favorite hero is Putin.”

He has also said that he and Putin seem to share a passion for guns and women.

Favorite targets for his abusive verbal tirades are US President Barack Obama, UN chief Ban Kimoon and the European Union.

All three have expressed concern over Duterte’s iron-fisted policy against drugs, which they said violated human rights and due process.

Duterte missed the gala dinner at the Apec summit Saturday evening, sending a message to the hosts that he was sick.

Staying put in his hotel may have avoided a potentially awkward encounter with Obama, who cancelled a meeting with him at another summit in September after Duterte called him a “son of a whore.” AFP

Suicide...

PH-China ties get new boost T

HE Philippines and China may now speed up boosting their trade and economic relations as a result of the talks that are underway, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Sunday

“I am very happy to report that we are on track on this one and we will be pushing for more vigorous talks for the purpose of implementation of the broad strokes that we have arrived at when we signed those MOUs,” Yasay said in a statement.

Before the formal opening of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting, President Rodrigo Duterte had two separate bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He first met with Xi who had requested the meeting to follow through on the memorandums of understanding signed by the Philippines and China during

BILATERAL TIES. Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchange handshakes during a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the Apec Leaders’ Summit in Peru. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Rody...

From A1

President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jing.

In their meeting, Putin congratulated Duterte for winning the May elections.

“Mr. President, this year marks 40th anniversary since diplomatic ties between our countries established back in time. Historically, it’s quite a short period of time,” Putin also said.

“Well, you have been able to do a lot in a short period of time in terms of developing the all round partnership between our countries and with respect to promoting greater trust and confidence between us. And it is my pleasure to have a chance to speak to you and your colleagues about developing our bilaterals,” added Putin.

Duterte had said on Nov. 11 that he was thinking of skipping the Apec Leaders’ Meeting in Peru

From A1

De Lima...

notes” that he drafted as early as August.

Senate Energy Committee Chairman Win Gatchalian is considering a Senate investigation into the alleged corruption at the ERC based on Villa’s disclosures.

“The allegations made by the late Director Villa indicate the possibility of widespread corruption within one of the most important government regulatory bodies,” Gatchalian said.

He said it might be prudent for the Senate Committee on Energy to investigate the case to protect the interests of electricity consumers.

In his interpellation on the proposed budget of the Department of Energy during the Senate plenary session on Thursday, Gatchalian referred to the ERC as “the Supreme Court of the power industry” due to its broad decisionmaking powers within the energy sector.

In particular, Gatchalian said the ERC was the body responsible for granting several types of permits that were necessary for power industry players to operate.

He said the ERC was tasked to insulate the power industry from vested interests and corruption.

“Corruption within the body itself could result in the proliferation of anti-competitive behavior which would be disastrous to the stability of our electricity supply,” Gatchalian said. Sandy Araneta “ERC officials should be ready with a solid explanation which will put any doubts regarding their integrity to rest.”

Gatchalian promised that any investigation by his committee would be objective. He guaranteed the conduct of an impartial investigation with the integrity of the power sector as the foremost concern.

“We won’t make any prejudgments, but we will certainly seek out the truth,” Gatchalian said.

“A good man and respected public servant took his own life over this. We owe it to his memory to at least look into the allegations he made.” Sandy Araneta

From A1

alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at NBP, particularly for collecting drug money intended for De Lima’s senatorial campaign.

Aguirre earlier said Dayan is hiding somewhere in northern Luzon and is being protected by politicians with alleged links to illegal drugs.

He denied reports that Dayan had already been arrested.

Meanwhile, Aguirre said they may tap relatives and employees of slain Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. as witnesses in the government’s case against those involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Aguirre said Espinosa’s relatives and employees may be used to corroborate the claim of the slain local chief executive and his son, Kerwin Espinosa, about the illegal drug trade, particularly the officials allegedly involved in it.

In the event that Espinosa’s relatives and employees agree, they would be provided protection by the government to ensure their safety, Aguirre said.

Cemetery...

From A1

establishment of the LNMB, Republic Act 248 mandated the construction of a National Pantheon where remains of all presidents of the Philippines, national heroes, and patriots would be interred to perpetuate their memory for the inspiration and emulation of generations of Filipinos.

In the bill’s introduction, Pimentel explained that, “since no new National Pantheon was constructed pursuant to the said law, LNMB served as the National Pantheon envisioned under the law to be the burial place of the mortal remains of all the presidents of the Philippines, national heroes, and patriots.”

Pimentel said that this is the reason AFP Regulation G 161-375

because “it’s a long way across the globe.”

He also failed to attend the summit meetings of Southeast Asian leaders with their US and Indian counterparts in Laos on Sept. 8 due to migraine.

Before the Apec meeting, Malacañang said Duterte had to skip a one-on-one interview with TV host Kris Aquino due to migraine.

Andanar had said the long hours and endless trips must be taking their toll on the President, but insisted there is nothing seriously wrong with his health.

“Like any other human being, the President also needs to rest,” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the President had eight official trips abroad since he became President. His first trip was in August for the annual Asean Summit in Laos, followed by China and Japan in October. This month, he had a two-day trip to Thailand and

Malaysia.

The President—the oldest man to be elected to the position—is fine and only prone to migraine, he said.

In his previous speeches and interviews, Duterte admitted that he had Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which the tissue connecting one’s mouth and stomach or esophagus is replaced by tissue similar to those in the intestines.

He has also said he was suffering from Buerger’s disease, an ailment linked to smoking that affects the arteries and veins in the arms and legs.

He also said he had a slipped disc from a motorcycle accident 10 years ago.

Duterte was also diagnosed with acute bronchitis during the 90-day campaign period.

“I am 71. Don’t ask me if I’m sick. Every 71-year-old in this world is sick [of one thing or another],” Duterte said at the regional convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Manila.

Earlier, the younger Espinosa vowed to tell all about the narcotics trade, especially since his father was killed.

The elder Espinosa was killed by a police raiding team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group early this month inside his detention cell at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte.

Before he was killed, the elder Espinosa has executed an affidavit linking high-ranking government officials, police officers, members of the judiciary and the media in the illegal drugs trade.

One of those he linked to the illegal drugs trade was De Lima.

Also on Sunday, an official of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines said De Lima’s admission to having an affair with Dayan could bolster the disbarment case against her.

IBP Director Ramon Esguerra said a lawyer’s morality or immoral character comprises his life, not just his profession.

Esguerra also said the Supreme Court is the final arbiter in such cases though he explained it could direct the IBP to investigate complaints and make recommendations to the Court.

The disbarment case against De Lima for gross immorality was filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, jueteng whistleblower Sandra Cam and former National Bureau of Investigation deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala.

The complaint mentioned De Lima’s alleged illicit relationship with Dayan.

De Lima has three other pending disbarment cases. All the other cases were filed in 2012.

Because of the disbarment complaints, De Lima was excluded by the Judicial and Bar Council from the shortlist of nominees for the Chief Justice position in August 2012.

Aside from disbarment complaint, four drug-related cases were filed against De Lima before the Justice department.

In admitting her relationship with Dayan, who is married, De Lima said it was due to the “frailties of a woman.”

But she denied that she authorized him to collect money from drug lords inside the NBP. With PNA

included Filipinos of historical interest and others to be interred in the LNMB alongside the remains of those with military service.

The government’s top lawyer, meanwhile, said there was nothing illegal about the burial of strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the LNMB on Friday, even though the case questioning the move was still pending at the Supreme Court.

Solicitor General Jose Calida disputed the argument of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and other petitioners in the SC case that the burial was an act of contempt of court since they have yet to file an appeal and that the decision is not yet final and executory.

He said the Court ruling allowing Marcos’ burial was immediately executory.

“As a result of the dismissal of the petitions, there was no further

hindrance for the respondents to proceed with the burial of Ferdinand Marcos’ remains at LNMB,” he said in a text message.

He added that he believed Lagman’s plan to ask the Court to find the government in contempt and to order it to exhume the remains of Marcos would not prosper.

“Representative Lagman and other lawyer-critics should brush up first their knowledge on recent jurisprudence regarding the effect of lifting of status quo ante orders in certiorari cases before they bash the respondents in media,” he said.

The chief state counsel also said he does not see the Court reversing its ruling on the matter, citing the clear margin in the 9-5 voting of the justices.

Lagman reportedly said the petitioners plan to file their appeals on the deadline on Nov.28.

Duterte’s state visit to China.

Duterte and Xi likewise touched on the plight of Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal, when Xi said the fishermen would continue to have free access to their traditional fishing grounds apart from offering them training.

The two also discussed the lifting of China’s ban on Chinese travel to the Philippines, Duterte’s invitation to Xi to visit the Philippines that Xi accepted, and China’s hosting of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Conference.

Duterte then met Putin and both agreed to boost their trade relations.

Putin also invited Duterte to visit Russia. Sandy Araneta

Reward on Customs deputy’s killer up THE Finance department said over the weekend it had put up a P1-million reward to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of the gunman behind the murder of Customs Deputy Commissioner Arturo Lachica on Nov. 17.

The department said a private individual had offered the reward, but that his identity would remain confidential.

“Those who have any information relevant to Lachica’s case can contact either head executive assistant Marc Gregory Crisostomo or technical assistant Alddon Christner Ang,” the department said.

Crisostomo and Ang may be reached at telephone numbers 5239215 and 5239219.

Lachica was on his way home to Caloocan City on Thursday

night when he was killed.

He was aboard his Toyota Altis car with his driver and bodyguard when a masked man appeared from behind along España and Kundiman in Sampaloc, Manila, and shot him several times with a handgun.

He was taken to United Doctors Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.

Lachica, a certified public accountant, was appointed deputy commissioner for the Bureau of Customs’ Internal Administration Group in 2014.

He was designated deputy commissioner for the Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group in July 2015 and, since his posting there, had been active in filing cases against smugglers. Gabrielle Marie Consuelo H. Binalay

Probe...

ready to reveal the names of government officials involved in the drug business when he testifies before the Senate.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate public order committee which is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mayor Espinosa, said Kerwin will be summoned to attend the hearing either on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Pacquiao, in an interview over radio dzBB, said Kerwin told him that since his father was deliberately killed while inside the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte, he is ready to testify.

“He is willing,” said Pacquaio who was the first senator to visit Kerwin at Camp Crame.

While they do not personally know each other, the world boxing champion said Kerwin made a request that he talk to him.

“No, he said he just sees me on TV,” said Pacquiao when asked if they knew each other.

In a statement issued Sunday, Senator Leila De Lima said she would not like to preempt Kerwin’s testimony, but she believes he will just be another of the witnesses to be brought against her in their effort to destroy her.

“Be that as it may, I will be listening to Kerwin’s testimony, and let the people judge as to its credibility given the circumstances of the moment where drug lords and drug personalities left and right are being stabbed or killed whether they cooperate with the government or not,” she said.

From A1

has now spilled the beans,” Barbers said, and urged the Ombudsman not to ignore the information coming from Espinosa.

Swift action from the Ombudsman would spare it from speculations that its officials were part of the drug problem, he added.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, for his part, vowed to deal seriously with lawmakers who are tagged by Espinosa.

He said he would immediately ask the House committee on rules chaired by Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas to help in the inquiry.

“We will welcome the revelation of Kerwin so that we will know who is betraying the country,” he said.

Barbers said Kerwin’s disclosure on his illegal drug operations would unmask narco-politicians and narco-generals.

Espinosa, son of the late Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., arrived in Manila on board PAL flight 657 from Abu Dhabi at 3:41 a.m.

Friday after months of hiding.

President Rodrigo Duterte tagged the the Espinosas as being behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in Eastern Samar.

Espinosa Sr. and another drug suspect, Raul Yap, were killed in an alleged shootout after resisting arrest inside the Leyte’s Baybay subprovincial jail on Nov. 4.

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Sunday said Kerwin Espinosa was

Petitions...

From A1

The high court dismissed the consolidated petitions citing the supervening events at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court acquitting the PCSO’s former directors.

The Court said there exists no actual case or controversy at the moment, and that compelled it to dismiss the pending petitions.

“The actual case or controversy that may have justified the filing of each of the consolidated petitions no longer exists,” the Court said.

“Any discussion on the probable cause supposedly underlying petitioner’s indictment and arrest will be a purely theoretical exercise that will serve no practical judicial value.”

The high court grounded its

ruling on the April 6, 2015 resolution of the Sandiganbayan in which it dismissed the plunder charges against former PCSO directors Manuel Morato, Raymundo Roquero and Jose Taruc because there was no proof that PCSO funds were diverted for their benefit.

Former Commission on Audit Chairman Reynaldo Villar and her co-accused Nilda Plaras had also been cleared by the anti-graft court of criminal liability.

“Conformably, the dispositive portion of the Sandiganbayan’s April 6, 2015 Resolution explicitly stated that Morato, Roquero, Taruc and Villar were acquitted of the offense charged,” the high court said.

Last July, the high court acquitted Arroyo of plunder for allegedly embezzling P366 million from the PCSO’s intelligence funds from 2008 to 2010. Rey E. Requejo

News

A3

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DFA needs pool of Arab experts —Gordon

By Macon Araneta SAYING that the Department of Foreign Affairs is not only the country’s representative but also its eyes and ears to the world, Senator Richard J. Gordon wants to ensure that the department boosts its capacity and competency.

Gordon noted that the department’s budget should cover capacity-building programs to better function for the country’s benefit.

Gordon asked if the Philippine government has enough and good Foreign Affairs experts. He specifically cited the Middle East wherein he underscored the need for Arabspeaking.

“How many Arab-speaking ambassadors do we have? Not only Arab-speaking diplomats but also knowing how Arabs think? This is not for affectation, this is for real Politiques.

What I am saying—are we adequately prepared so we can study the world so we can make the right decisions?” he further questioned.

The senator pointed out that the capabilities of the country’s diplomatic corps should be improved by studying in foreign countries, while on assignment in the country, so they will gain more in-depth knowledge of the different posts that they are assigned to.

He explained that the DFA should be able to educate the President and the other branches of government on developments around the globe, the possible impact of such developments on the country and policy recommendations, if any, to help them in making well researched decisions related to foreign issues.

“What I am saying is are we adequately prepared so we can study the world so we can make the right decisions? Strengthen our Armed Forces, get more experts in the field and in the process we are going to have, not only a strong military but a stronger, even more professional Department of Foreign Affairs that has the adequate number of well-trained analysts who can read the previews for us on where the world is going, not just in the economy,” he added.

The DFA admitted that they currently have only one ambassador and a staff member who are experts on Arab culture and can speak the language.

MONDAY BLUES. Motorists jostle for space amid heavy traffic along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City as shown in this file photo taken on a Monday (Sept. 7, 2015). The Philippines loses billions of pesos in foregone productivity each year as a result of the traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Transport head undeserving of extra powers—watchdog

By Joel E. Zurbano

R

OAD users’ and consumer’s watchdog on Sunday called on lawmakers to defer the granting of emergency powers to the Transport department until such time that President Rodrigo Duterte finds someone whose character and reputation are beyond reproach to head the department.

Road Users Protection Advocates convenor Ray Junia raised the issue of propriety and competence as the reasons the requested extra powers must be withheld until Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade voluntarily relinquished his post.

“Conflict of interest is one of the core issues here. It is wrong to appoint a businessman who is a major player in the industry supervised by the department

where he is assigned, and consequently it is improper for that person to accept the post even if it was offered to him,” Junia explained.

“We want to make it clear that we support the granting of emergency powers to President Duterte but this must be done with the assurance that the people whom he will tap to implement these [powers] are truly competent and would

have no other interest but to promote public good and welfare” he added.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez earlier scored DOTr officials for their lack of clear-cut plans which he claimed caused the delay in the grant of the emergency powers.

“The problem was not with us in the House. We asked DOTr officials what they have done or what are their plans. They told us nothing. We cannot give emergency powers if we do not know where or how these would be used,” Alvarez said.

Senator Grace Poe also bewailed the incompetence of DOTr officials who were at a loss on how they would implement the measure and where they intended to secure the funding of around P8 trillion that would come with the measure.

Junia pointed out that Speaker Alvarez even lambasted Tugade

in a recent radio interview for his choices of three subordinates who were reportedly ‘planted’ in the department by big business conglomerates where they used to be connected.

Alvarez said part of the problem lies with some of Tugade’s undersecretaries “who have their own personal interests to protect.”

House transportation committee chairman Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, on the other hand, said DOTr officials appeared “confused on the specific powers they need.”

He noted that Tugade and his men do not realize that they already have the power to effect change in the transportation sector through their mandate and other existing laws.

Sarmiento declared that Tugade and his subordiantes are “confused” on what the traffic crisis is and consequently on what emergency powers they need to solve it.

NEA chief’s top priority: Panel okays CIDG subpoena power Cheaper power for barrios By Rio N. Araja FRESH from his apppointment as chief of the National Electrification Administration, energy cooperatives manager Edgardo R. Masongsong vowed on Sunday to help President Rodrigo R. Duterte fulfill his pledge to bring development to the farthest regions of the country by continuing the programs that will ensure the electrification of the countryside and pushing initiatives that will bring down the cost of power in the Philippines.

“Bringing light to the barrios should be our top priority because there is a correlation between access to electricity and improved incomes,” said the new NEA administrator, who took over the post last November 18.

Quoting a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the NEA chief explained that “household access to electricity in rural areas is associated with a 36 percent increase in per capita income, so you can see the role electrification plays in uplifting the lives of our countrymen.”

According to Masongsong, “pursuing this mandate will contribute to President Duterte’s campaign to bring peace and development to the countryside, especially Mindanao.”

President Duterte has emphasized the need to improve conditions in the regions, particular Mindanao. At the October 29 switch-on ceremonies

of the DoE-NEA electrification programs in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the President said that he would “improve the Moro land.”

“Bigyan niyo ako ng panahon [just give me time],” said the President.

Energy chief Alfonso Cusi likewise echoed the sentiments of the President and Masongsong regarding the need to prioritize rural electrification, saying in the same event that “we have to find ways to energize all sitios and households to put people in the same level and be given the same opportunity.”

Because of this, Masongsong said that one of the thrusts of the NEA in his first hundred days in office would be the intensified implementation of the Sitio Electrification Program and the Barangay Line Enhancement Program in close coordination with electric cooperatives, the Office of the President, Department of Energy, and the Department of Budget and Management.

Masongsong said that one of his major thrusts is to push for measures that would reduce power rates in the country by addressing the factors that influence power rates, such as “generation and transmission; distribution and supply costing; governmental charges, such as VAT; and subsidies to life-line consumers, among others.”

THE House committee on public order and safety has approved a proposal to grant subpoena or subpoena duces tecum powers to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which are essential in the completion and fast-tracking of its investigation of cases.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, committee chairman, said the panel has approved House Bill 2993 authored by Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas.

Matugas raised the challenges being faced by the CIDG in the conduct of investigations because of its inability to procure documents and witnesses.

“This bill seeks to remedy that situation by giving the PNP-CIDG subpoena/subpoena duces tecum powers in relation to the conduct of investigations. It is surprising that the PNP-CIDG which is the country’s main law enforcement agency has no power to issue subpoena which plays a significant role in any fact finding or investigation,” he said.

He noted the country’s statutes allowed some agencies with the power to issue administrative subpoena and subpoena duces tecum, such as the Office of the Ombudsman, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Police Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Cybercrime Operation Center of the Cybercrime Investigation Coordination Center.

QCPD TURNS 77. Quezon City policemen led by District Director Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar take part in a ‘boodle fight’ to mark the 77th founding anniversary of the QCPD held at Camp Karingal.

Manny Palmero

Senators back hike in police budget

By Macon Araneta SENATORS have crossed party lines to boost the Philippine National Police’s equipment budget next year by P5 billion, so that policemen “will be able to meet its guarantee of a 15-minute maximum response time to all distress calls in urban areas.”

Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto revealed this after the Senate plenary debates on the 2017 budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government last Friday. It was accepted by Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate finance committee.

The P5-billion additional fund for PNP logistical modernization will be lodged in the P67.5-billion unprogrammed fund in the P3.3-trillion 2017 national budget.

Recto said the Senate moved to hike the PNP’s capital outlays after noticing that it will be cut from P3.82 billion this year to P3.37 billion next year, or

by P500 million, “which could slow down its momentum in battling crime.”

Several documents submitted to the Senate tell of an across-theboard shortage in equipment in the national police, “in all aspects of police work, from shootmove-communicate to offices and data bases.”

In one report, the PNP said it lacks 168,851 long firearms, and half of its 6,169 vehicle fleet need to be replaced or are near decommissioning.

“On paper, there’s an average three patrol cars per city and town, which is way below what is needed,” Recto said.

But in a recent testimony before the Senate, PNP Director General Ronald de la Rosa, upon questioning by Recto, gave a higher estimate of equipment lack, “of some 18,000 short firearms, 10,000 long firearms, and 16,356 vehicles.”

Recto said the PNP is also short of boats, “with 900 urgently needed, or one per coastal town, so that the maritime police can run after illegal fishers, polluters and sea-borne criminals.”

According to Recto, another area requiring huge investment is communication, especially the nationwide 911 network.

Recto said the P5-billion augmentation would allow the PNP to construct 80 police stations at a total cost of P425 million, and 47 provincial offices costing P493 million.

The budget estimates are in the “wish list of unfunded needs” submitted by Camp Crame to the Senate.

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Agreeing to disagree

L

EFTIST members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet have made it clear that they will remain at their posts, despite their opposition to his decision to allow the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, a political detainee under Marcos’ Martial Law regime from 1972 to 1980, reiterated her opposition to the burial, but said she will remain with the government and pursue her vision of bringing

Adelle Chua, Editor

improvements to social services for the people Former Gabriela partylist congresswoman Liza Maza, now secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, said history has already judged Marcos when he was ousted in 1986.

“Certainly, my position is different from the President’s. I do not believe that Marcos is a hero. I am opposed to the revision of history.”

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglungsod, meanwhile, said that while he is not in favor of Duterte’s decision, he “is just following what the law is saying.”

“I don’t have a problem where he is buried so long as he won’t be declared a hero,” he said.

With a pragmatic eye on her objectives, Maza added: “All these are being

weighed. Even from the start, both President Duterte and the left were aware that there are issues we agree on, like independent foreign policy, peace process and some reforms that can be realized during his term, and there are issues that we don’t agree on…. At this point, there is still space for common agenda that can be maximized in the service of the people.”

This isn’t the first time the administration’s alliance with the left has been tested, nor will it likely be the last. In August,

a report circulated said leftist members of the Cabinet would resign en masse to protest the rise in extra-judicial killings as a result of the President’s bloody anti-drug campaign, as well as a plan at that stage to allow the Marcos burial to go ahead.

The report turned out to be false, and Taguiwalo, Maza and Maglungsod and Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano have stayed on to do their jobs.

Such pragmatism will not make for dramatic headlines as a “principled” walkout would, but it does

offer the possibility of moving forward and actually getting something done.

The South Africa civil rights activist Desmond Tutu once wrote, “Our maturity will be judged by how well we are able to agree to disagree and yet continue to love one another… and seek the greater good of the other.”

The leftists in the Cabinet have shown such maturity. Perhaps if we all did, we could move forward more quickly as a nation united.

EVERYMAN

Who’s responsible for cleaning up the planet?

By Renee Juliene Karunungan

PENSEES

cial determination of facts. And I grant that those who say they were tortured were really tortured, and those who mourn over the loss of loved ones really suffered a death in the family. But it is quite another thing to say that Marcos is the culprit behind every summary execution, every act of torture, every incident of unlawful disappearance. To sustain that indictment one needs so many facts that we just do not seem to have. As for acts of graft, plunder even, Teddy Boy Locsin was so right when, in one of his Teditorials, he wryly remarked that government officials were plundering before Marcos as they have been after. He did not mean to de-criminalize thievery of course, only to say that it was not too convincing to argue that Marcos dipped his hands into the cookie jar with more culpability than did others.

Why the secrecy? Families are entitled to determine the manner their loved ones are interred, are they not? Of course announcing the funeral ahead of time would Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Such frightening rage!

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO EDSA is the hollowed ground of free expression—and those protesting the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani atbp have every right to be there. Burning effigies and bearing placards no matter that the language may be crude and unseemly are all within the pale of constitutionally protected free expression.

It is not the crowds that frighten me, because, truth to tell, they do not make that remarkable a throng. It is not even the possibility of an upheaval that may send the government packing that worries me—first, because I have no particular stake in the government of President Digong, although I do, in the Rule of Law, and second, because the Duterte government is far too popular to be really in danger from those who now rage and foam over the Libingan incident. The protest is not even national. I have asked priestfriends all over the country how things go where they are—and there does not really seem to be an echo of the clanging and the boo-

OVER the years, the Philippines has become a strong voice at the annual Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This is in part because of the country’s vulnerability to climate change. In recent years, strong typhoons have coincided with the COP’s, a statement in itself of the need for governments to address climate change urgently.

In 2013, then Climate Change Commissioner and head of Philippine delegation Naderev “Yeb” Sano made a moving and emotional speech at the COP plenary in Warsaw, addressing governments to “stop this madness.” Sano made his speech while the Haiyan was battering the Philippines, which eventually left at least 7,000 people dead.

During Sano’s term as head of delegation, the Philippines founded and joined a negotiating group called the Like Minded Developing Countries.

Negotiating blocs are countries with the same principles that negotiate together inside the UNFCCC. The LMDC is composed of oil producing countries such as Malaysia, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia and known for having a strong stand on “Common But Differentiated Responsibilities”.

CBDR, historical emissions, and Duterte’s stand CBDR is a principle that recognizes the different contributions of developed and developing countries to environmental problems. Specifically in the UNFCCC, CBDR takes into consideration historical responsibilities of countries based on greenhouse gas emissions. The United States, Japan, and European Union, for example, have more responsibility than the Philippines because historically, their GHG emissions are way higher. According to the World Research Institute, the United States ranks first out of 185 countries in historical carbon emissions from 1850-2012, as compared to the Philippines who ranks 54th out of 185. From 2012, the United States has ranked second to China, contributing 14.4 percent of global GHG emissions.

For many environmentalists, CBDR is synonymous to climate justice as it makes those who are responsible for manmade climate change accountable to countries that have not

ing, the cursing and the hissing in some parts of Manila anywhere else in the country. There is another factor to consider: There is a considerable Marcos following too. Bongbong came very close to being Vice-President and some believe that the numbers were really in his favor.

What I am frightened about is the virulence of the rage that the protests have made manifest. It is one thing to deliver a very strong speech, articulating one’s arguments against the burial—but it is really quite another thing to incite the desecration of a grave, or even to move for the exhumation of the remains of one already buried.

The burial was legal. The Supreme Court lifted the remaining legal obstacle—its own status ante order, and its judgment that there was no legal impediment to the late President’s burial. We have been told that Ted Te, the spokesperson of the Court, admitted that no Motion for Reconsideration had yet been filed and that none was pending. There was no stand-

ManilaStandard ManilaStandard

PublishedMonday MondaytotoSunday SundaybybyPhilippine PhilippineManila ManilaStandard Standard Published PublishingInc. Inc.atat6/F 6/FUniversal UniversalReReBuilding, Building,106 106Paseo PaseodedeRoxas, Roxas, Publishing cornerPerea PereaSt., St.,Legaspi Legaspi Village,Makati MakatiCity.

City.Telephone Telephonenumbers numbers corner Village, 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial)832-5554, 832-5554,(Advertising) (Advertising)832-5550.

832-5550.P.O. P.O.Box Box2933, 2933, (Editorial) ManilaCentral CentralPost PostOffi Offi Manila.Website: Website:www.thestandard. www.thestandard.

Manila ce,ce,Manila. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

ONLINE ONLINE MEMBER MEMBER

PPI PPI

canbe beaccessed accessedat: at: can thestandard.com.ph thestandard.com.ph

PhilippinePress PressInstitute Institute Philippine TheNational NationalAssociation Association The of Philippine Newspapers of Philippine Newspapers

There is really more than one way of interpreting events and it will not do to assume the stance of the oracle who alone utters the truth!

ing temporary restraining order, no writ of preliminary injunction standing in the way. So the legality of the Marcos burial is beyond cavil.

Was it moral for him to be buried there? On that point, we can argue till kingdom come. Such is the problematic character of moral judgments, especially one like this

BenjaminPhilip PhilipG.G.Romualdez Romualdez Benjamin FormerChief ChiefJustice JusticeReynato ReynatoS.S.Puno Puno Former AnitaF.F.Grefal Grefal Anita BaldwinR.R.Felipe Felipe Baldwin EdgarM. M.Valmorida Valmorida Edgar

that involves historical evaluation. I can grant without compunction that the opponents of the Marcos burial have reasons to argue that it is not moral but it is certainly not correct for them to exclude a priori as irrational and unworthy of consideration the arguments of those in its favor. Intolerance of this kind is unacceptable in a free society.

And that takes us all back to the point about what makes some think that giving him a plot at the Libingan is so outrageous. For declaring Martial Law? I will repeat what I wrote earlier: The Constitution of 1935 allowed him to and, unlike the Constitution of 1987, did not lay down parameters for the execution of martial law. In fact, it is not correct to say “never again”, for where circumstances demand it, the President must use the powers given him by the Constitution to defend the Republic. Were there military abuses, victims of torture, salvaging even? One American court found that there were—and I am not ready to brush aside a judi-

Chairman Chairman BoardMember Member&&Chief ChiefLegal LegalAdviser Adviser Board TreasuryManager Manager Treasury OIC-AdSolutions Solutions OIC-Ad CirculationManager Manager Circulation

RolandoG.G.Estabillo EstabilloPublisher Publisher Rolando RamonchitoL.L.Tomeldan Tomeldan Ramonchito ChinWong/Ray Wong/RayS.S.Eñano Eñano Chin FrancisLagniton Lagniton Francis JoycePangco PangcoPañares Pañares Joyce

ManagingEditor Editor Managing AssociateEditors Editors Associate NewsEditor Editor News CityEditor Editor City

AdelleChua Chua Adelle Honor Blanco Cabie Honor B. Cabie RomelJ.J.Mendez Mendez Romel RobertoCabrera Cabrera Roberto

OpinionEditor Editor Opinion NightEditor Editor Night ArtDirector Director Art ChiefPhotographer Photographer Chief

EmilP.P.Jurado Jurado Chairman ChairmanEmeritus, Emeritus,Editorial EditorialBoard Board Emil

Opinion

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EVERYMAN

Another look at PH Literature

By Honor Blanco Cabie VERY often, we hear people in coffee shops and in the academe talk about the state of Philippine literature. And almost as often, we hear them discuss what they describe as Philippine literature, its roots right in the national capital region and the surrounding provinces.

That, to say the least, is a rather sad commentary on not just the state of Philippine literature but on the orientation many have had for years and the focus of what really is literature that we can say truly and rightly reflects the soul of this Southeast Asian archipelago of nearly 88 million people.

Given the multi-racial, multi-ethnic society the Philippines has, is there really one brand that may truly be called Philippine literature to the unjust exclusion of the others similarly strong in foundation and appreciated not the least by many scholars as well as students of history and culture?

Since there are various regions—more than a dozen political or otherwise—in this country, discovered in 1651 for Europe by Portuguese navigator Fernando Magallanes, then sailing under the flag of Spain, it would be proper, if appropriate, that there must be a serious look at both the oral and written, if any, literature of the different regions beyond the audible echoes of the Manila Cathedral chimes.

Aside from a sympathetic understanding of the geographical divisions, we must as well note that the Philippines, heretofore called Las Islas Filipinas, had been under different political rulers.

And, in certain cases, the politics then included the educational and the spiritual dimensions, not necessarily taken together.

With this given, we can immediately see the need for more scholars and chroniclers as well as quality translators to compile and translate the native tunes and lyrics indigenous to each or to more than one region.

This is where any private effort should be matched at once by the government, which has the logistics and will to let one body, or committee, to work on and for the translation and dissemination of the various regional literatures.

A government, after all, should be the guardian of the culture of a country—in this case, the Philippine government of the culture of this multi-lingual nation whose sense of pride has been strengthened by the various eras imposed on them by colonial masters and conquerors in separate eras.

More than 40 years ago—not exactly a long time by any cultural crawl—high school, and even elementary, students up north were being pounded by Francisco Balagtas’ Florante at Laura by teachers in Pilipino.

The same academic scenario was also being unreeled in the other regions outside of the Tagalog-speaking capital and nearby provinces.

We do not suggest that Florante at Laura had no merits for discussion in classrooms, even if in some cases that situation then is today pathetically repeated in some colleges and universities.

But there are others deserving attention.

These include, but not necessarily limited to, the Aliguyon or the Hudhud of the Ifugaos of the Cordilleras which narrates the exploits of Aliguyon as he waves hefty muscles and courage against his arch enemy, Pambukhayon, across the rice fields and terraces.

The parts narrate the exploits of the hero as he leads his people who have been un-

necessarily driven out of their land to Nalandangan, a land of utopia, where there are no land grabbers nor oppressors.

More than 40 years ago—not exactly a long time by any cultural crawl—high school, and even elementary, students up north were being pounded by Francisco Balagtas’ Florante at Laura by teachers in Pilipino.

The same academic scenario was also being unreeled in the other regions outside of the Tagalog-speaking capital and nearby provinces.

We do not suggest that Florante at Laura had no merits for discussion in classrooms, even if in some cases that situation then is today pathetically repeated in some colleges and universities.

But there are others deserving attention.

These include, but not necessarily limited to, the Aliguyon or the Hudhud of the Ifugaos of the Cordilleras which narrates the exploits of Aliguyon as he waves hefty muscles and courage against his arch enemy, Pambukhayon, across the rice fields and terraces.

Then there is the Agyu or Olahing, a three-part epic that rolls on with the pahmara or invocation, then the kepu’unpuun, or the narration of the past, and the sengedurog, or the episode which in itself is complete.

There are others similarly situated with a wealth of literary trove, like the Pangasinenses, the Pampangos, the Ibanags, and other marginalized communities, whose oral and written, however limited, literature must be translated now before they are lost in the storming winds of ruthless time.

Honro Blanco Cabie is night editor for Manila Standard.

Fake news is all about false incentives

By Leonid Bershidsky IN THE blame games following the US election, the social networks, especially Facebook, are getting a hard time for allegedly aiding the spread of fake news. The New York Times, Vox, Inc. and many lesser-known websites have all run stories taking issue with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s rejection of the idea that fake stories circulating on social networks affected the election’s outcome.

The issue is far more complicated, though.

It’s possible that technology has hit the natural limit of what it can meaningfully do to news and that the news industry has reached the boundaries of possible synergy with tech.

At the same time, the audience’s trust in what they collectively, and incorrectly, describe as “the media” has hit a low point. All three interconnected problems can be fixed, but that would require some old-fashioned inputs such as journalistic skill, along with editorial and entrepreneurial courage.

Fake news doesn’t spread because of Facebook’s algorithmic attempts to deliver to the user what the company thinks he or she wants to see. It spreads because of a fundamental disconnect between the definitions of “engagement” in the advertising industry and the newsrooms.

To Facebook and Twitter, engagement is likes and shares. They sell such interactions to advertisers, and they prioritize posts with high engagement on news feeds. To a journalist, it’s how many people have read or watched the full story and intellectually engaged with it. An engaged reader is someone who, after reading this column, will respond intelligently in the comment section or send me an e-mail with her thoughts.

Who’s...

From A4 contributed much but are experiencing its impact.

Much of the Philippines’ stand changed when Sano was removed from being the Philippines’ head of delegation in COP 20 in Lima last 2014. The Philippines pulled out of the LMDC and pushed for other key issues in the negotiations instead: inclusion of human rights and the 1.5 degrees target on global warming. The Philippines started leading the Climate Vulnerable Forum, an advocacy group of more than 40 vulnerable countries, in pushing for the ambitious global target.

However, with the current Duterte administration, the Philippines is once again calling for CBDR. This is in line with the President’s statements on the Paris Agreement.

The President has had apprehensions about ratifying the climate treaty with the belief that only big polluting countries such as the United States must be asked to cut down

Such...

From A4 have given Marcos opponents ample time to plan and strategize the sabotaging of the event—much like an irate Roman mob threw the body of Pope Pius IX into the Tiber during the Funeral Procession. Marcos haters would have wanted that. Quite expectedly—and with every reason on their side—the Marcos family did not! Had they opted for a public funeral with a procession to which the Marcos “loyalists” were invited—and which they certainly would have attended in considerable num-

The trouble is that people who “like” and share content often don’t read it—beyond the headline, that is. According to a recent study

by Maksym Gabielkov and collaborators, 59 percent of links circulated on Twitter are never clicked. NPR ran a brilliant experiment on Facebook in 2014 proving that people will often comment after reading the headline and nothing else. A recent survey of millennials revealed that one in five of them only ever read headlines (and I suspect the other four weren’t quite frank with the researchers).

Facebook, Google, Twitter and the Macedonian hustlers who produced fake pro-Trump stories (headlines, really—it doesn’t matter what’s in the body of the article) in bulk to get traffic and make a few dollars through Google AdSense—all want to keep things as they are.

They don’t care whether people read what they share and repost because that’s not how their incentives work.

Editors, by contrast, hate this setup. Instead of employing thorough, accurate reporters and well-informed columnists, they might as well outsource most of the work to robots and concentrate on writing catchy headlines. That would kill off the journalistic profession and leave the public woefully uninformed.

Because of the commercial symbiosis between editorial operations and tech platforms, there are all sorts of uneasy compromises. Editors write sensationalist headlines that don’t always match the stories beneath them, and they develop social media strategies to spread these headlines as widely as they can—knowing full well that even a majority of those who interact with the posts won’t read the linked stories.

Tech companies pretend they want to police the fakes—and in the process, they perfect

their capability to block content based on certain words.

Getting serious about automated fake detection requires a lot of human input: Essentially, as Victoria Rubin and collaborators specified in a 2015 paper, it would require building a dataset of various types of fake news to train natural language processing systems. Even if an “automatic crap detector” is ever built, I wouldn’t trust it.

The essentially economic conflict around the meaning of engagement is destroying the news industry’s value proposition. It is no longer a trusted source of information.

A small minority of people are willing to pay serious amounts of money for truthful, painstakingly collected informatio If publications certain of the quality of their information were more resolute in placing all their content behind paywalls, without loopholes or exceptions meant to increase “reach,” “engagement” and ad revenues, they would end up with less money and smaller audiences.

They would also be forced to prioritize coverage—something many readers would welcome, I suspect. The social networks would cease to be a major channel for quality content: The links would only be shared among subscribers. Editors would have far more responsive and engaged audiences to deal with. I don’t see it happening.

Perhaps the increasingly profitable tech giants will want to show some civic responsibility by rethinking their business model in relation to news. Advertisers shouldn’t be sold deceptive “engagement metrics”: Only a story that has been read in full should generate income. That would kill off most of the fakes and sensationalist headlines.

Bloomberg

their carbon emissions. He also believes that the Philippines needs dirty energy such as coal to develop economically. Duterte has been quoted in saying that the Paris Agreement is “stupid,” “crazy,” and “absurd.”

The previous administration has submitted its voluntary pledges to the UNFCCC last year, saying the country will reduce its emissions by 70 percent in 2030, based on a business as usual model. This means that the country volunteered to lower its emissions based on projections of how much the economy will grow by 2030. These commitments are seen by Duterte as “stifling” the Philippines in its development.

A job for all countries Two weeks ago, after a cabinet meeting, the President said that he would sign the Paris Agreement. This was seen as a big step forward for the Philippines, who might lose its voice and credibility inside the UNFCCC if it doesn’t ratify the climate treaty.

While it is crucial and important for big polluting countries to take the lead in cutting their carbon emissions, climate change

is now a problem everyone has to solve. The Philippines wants to remind countries like the United States and the European Union to do its fair share of work when it comes to climate action—and rightly so. Those who polluted more must do more. This, however, does not excuse us from doing our own homework.

The Philippines may not be a big carbon emitter, but the world is slowly transitioning to a more sustainable, cleaner form of development and one that is not dependent on dirty energy. It is not a question of if, it is a question of when. Is the Philippines ready for change, as the President has repeatedly promised his people, or will it only be lip service when it comes to climate change?

While the Philippine delegation calls for CBDR inside the UN climate negotiations this week, the rest of the world is also still waiting for the Philippines to show its commitment to serious climate action. Climate change will not wait for anyone and as we all know, it will certainly not wait for the Philippines to be ready before it hits.

bers—would that not have been more a slight to those who oppose the funeral? There is really more than one way of interpreting events and it will not do to assume the stance of the oracle who alone utters the truth! Is that probably what angers the protesters so much—that they were denied the chance insult the Marcos family by wrecking havoc on the burial rites?

And was it not the right of the Marcos family to protect itself from such a prospect?

That kind of anger that does not flinch at conscripting school children to mouth invectives to which they utterly cannot relate, or

that passes to millennials one version of the story as the authorized and canonical version, or that condemns to the fires of damnation when one should be praying for the salvation of all—that is the anger that frightens me because it corrodes the spirit of the nation.

Not the Marcos burial then is to be blamed for this affliction of national spirit, but the rage and the bile that have issued forth from that sector of society that has opposed it.

Not even the opposition is what I regret, but the virulence of the rage that is intolerant of contradiction!

SO I SEE LITO BANAYO

‘Golpe’ IT CAUGHT us all by surprise.

I was in the office when one of our co-workers knocked gently in the glass door, and blurted out the news to me.

The coffin bearing the remains of Marcos, she said, had just landed in the Libingan and was being accorded military honors. In short, the burial was on.

A few nights ago, I bumped into a certified Marcos loyalist who was very close to the former first lady, Rep. Imelda Marcos. I asked her when they would bury the former president, and she said cryptically, “soon, but I don’t know exactly when.” I didn’t press on.

I have had mixed feelings on this Marcos burial conundrum.

As one of those outraged at the assassination of my personal friend Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., and having helped conceptualize the first-ever public demonstration of the people in the heart of the Makati financial center as well as the slogan “Ninoy, Hindi ka Nag-iisa” which the late Doy Laurel (whose birth anniversary quietly passed last 18 November) and the motley group which then composed the “puny” opposition launched on the day Ninoy was to arrive from exile on Aug. 21, 1983, I find it difficult to consider Ferdinand Edralin Marcos a “bayani ng lahi.”

To be honest, I did not get arrested any time during the long night of the dictatorship. A student-friend of mine was hauled off to Camp Crame, and I visited him shortly after Martial Law was declared in a gym-like structure the constabulary called a stockade. He was released a few days before Christmas of 1972 though. Life for most of us moved on as usual, and in my case, my then- fledgling small business thrived during the period.

The closure of media worked in our favor. Advertising budgets had to be diverted from TV, radio and print and went into point-of-purchase promotional items, outdoor advertising, signages, events. We were strategically placed and reaped a bonanza from big-time clients, both local and multinational brands. Why, we even did an exhibit for Malacañang, the then first lady specifically, which highlighted the “successes” of Martial Law on its first anniversary.

As time passed on however, the incipient admiration for the Marcos iron fist which brought order in an otherwise disorderly social environment wore off. The excesses became visible; tales of corruption here and there, and personal experiences with the same began to raise questions about the validity of prolonged one-man rule.

But as the late Doy Laurel and Eva Kalaw, with whom I worked in moving throughout regional capitals purveying “truth” and information rallies realized, it was not easy to organize an aboveground opposition to the regime.

There were very few brave souls who joined us, or would publicly do Whatever so in 1982. Traditional politicians with whom and however we the two were associfeel, it is time to ated before martial law would often shy away, move on. But or would politely say they were not yet ready not, never, to to oppose Marcos. forget.

Things suddenly changed when Ninoy Aquino came back, and was killed on the tarmac. Like all things that must come to an end, Ninoy’s death sparked the national outrage that presaged the eventual fall of Marcos.

The economy went bonkers. People realized, too late in the day, that the regime had been on an over-spending and over-borrowing binge. Sure, there were infrastructures built, there were trophy projects that dazzled, like the Philippine International Convention Center, Folk Arts Theatre, even the dozen or so hotels rushed for the International Monetary Fund- World Bank meet in Manila in 1976. And there were very good projects like the Heart, Lung and Kidney Centers, which up to the present continue to save lives.

And so, while I was active in the anti-Marcos struggle since 1982, a year and eight months before the August 21 assassination that galvanized an entire nation’s collective emotions, I must confess that except for anxious moments during that struggle, neither I nor my family suffered during the long night of the dictatorship.

I feel sympathy for those whose loved ones were killed, or disappeared without trace, or were tortured, and I fully understand why they cannot forgive, even as I believe the nation should never forget.

But just as the late strongman surprised the nation with his implementation of martial law in the night of Sept.

22, 1972, a coup d’etat against our freedoms, a golpe, as the Spanish would say (a “strike”, also the descriptive to the way Spanish flamenco guitarists would hit with their hands the wood of their guitars to highlight the frenzied passion of the strings), the burial of the Marcos cadaver at the Libingan ng mga Bayani last Friday, came as a similar “golpe”.

Those who vehemently opposed the burial at the Libingan did not know what hit them until the event itself. They expected that the widow Imelda would make a big extravaganza as was her wont. They were preparing perhaps to heckle as the cortege would pass, demonstrate so there would be a spectacle between the loyalists and the anti-Marcos people. But they were outwitted.

It was, in simple terms, another “golpe.”

But, the deed is done. The mortal remains have been put to final rest.

Whatever and however we feel, it is time to move on.

But not, never, to forget. And for all of us to learn the lessons of that chapter in our history, even as we commemorate the good the man has done.

A6

News

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Drug rehab center opens in Novo Ecija THE first of four phases of the 10,000bed Mega Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija is set to open on November 29.

Interior Undersecretary John Castriciones said the inter-agency task force tasked to oversee the establishment of drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers nationwide is now in the thick of preparations for the planned launching next week.

“While the government and our law enforcement agencies are striking hard on drug lords and coddlers, we have a soft heart for drug users and dependents who are the victims of this drug menace,” he said.

“With the opening of this facility, the government is fulfilling its promise to assist and help those who are

willing to mend their ways,” Castriciones added.

He said the first phase of the mega drug rehab center covers 2,500 beds.

“This is part of the President’s directive to build at least two rehab centers in Luzon, one in Visayas, and one in Mindanao with the long-term goal of having at least one in every province,” Castriciones added.

There are only 16 DoH-accredited government drug rehabilitation centers operating in the country, and the increasing number of patients is straining the capacity of such facilities and their personnel beyond their limits.

Since July 1, under the PNP’s antidrug campaign Oplan Tokhang, policemen have visited 2,626,126 houses which resulted in the surrender of 751,703 drug suspects.

SEVEN DWARFS. Disney characters come to life during the launching of the ‘Grand Magical Christmas’ parade at SM City Dasmariñas in Cavite. Ey Acasio

Congress approves creation of PNP help desks for LGBTs

By Rio N. Araja

acts of discrimination and violence against the LGBT sector was reached during a recent hearhe House of Representatives and the ing conducted by the House comNational Police Commission have mittee on public order and safety agreed to create a lesbian, gay, bisexual chaired by Acop.

Earlier, Batangas Rep. Vilma and transgender protection desk in all Santos-Recto filed House Bill Philippine National Police stations across the 2952 which seeks the creation of country.

LGBT help desks.

It was agreed that Santos-Recto Instead of passing a new law, tection desks, Antipolo City Rep. and Napolcom officials will coorNapolcom shall issue a memo- Romeo Acop said. dinate with each other to craft a randum order for the LGBT proThe consensus to address the resolution or memorandum order

T

for the creation of the LGBT help and protection desks.

Deputy speaker Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia backed the non-passage of the bill, saying a Napolcom order would be enough to create such assistance desks.

Santos-Recto said many LGBTs have been subjected to discrimination and violence which affect their economic, social and physiological well-being.

“There is an absence of government mechanism or intervention

directed to monitor, let alone address, the incidents of discrimination, prejudice and even violence against Filipino LGBT community,” she said.

“Because of this, many LGBT victims opt not to report the incident for fear of further harassment, prejudicial treatment, or more violent reprisal. We should not condone an environment where the LGBT community is treated with contempt and violence,” the lawmaker added.

Sotto bats for more medical scholars

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO ADDRESS the worsening shortage and “maldistribution” of physicians in the country, Senator Vicente Sotto III has filed a bill that will provide scholarships in state colleges and universities for deserving medical students.

Sotto said under Senate Bill No. 1232, a specific condition states that immediately after graduating from the program, the scholar must work in the country for five years, of which two years must be rendered in a government hospital or office where he or she resides.

“This would hopefully put a sense of balance in the distribution of doctors particularly in the government sector, which takes care of nearly 70 percent of the health care demand of the population,” Sotto said.

“The cause of uneven distribution of physicians in the Philippines is because most of the doctors prefer to practice in urban areas than in the rural,” the senator added.

In 2014, the Philippine Medical Association projected that the shortage of physicians may reach 930,000 when the country’s population reaches 100 million, considering that the “internationallysuggested” ratio is one doctor per 100 population.

Sotto said the Philippines has already hit the 100-million population, thus making PMA’s estimate no longer a forecast but a reality that has to be solved head on.

BONDING TIME. A group of friends spend a leisurely weekend at the Hong Kong Garden in Luneta Park in Manila. Sonny Espiritu

ARMM suspends mayor allegedly involved in drugs COTABATO CITY—Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Gov. Mujiv Hataman said he will issue today an order indefinitely suspending the mayor of Talitay, Maguindanao for absence without official leave in violation of the Local Government Code.

Hataman said Mayor Montasir Sabal, who has been tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as among the narco-politicians in Mindanao, has not been reporting for work for several

weeks now.

Sabal’s younger brother Abdulwahab was arrested in September on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Hataman said the town has been “headless” with Sabal’s absence.

On Friday, government forces raided the house of the mayor, who has gone into hiding, where they seized unlicensed guns and illegal drugs.

Hataman said the suspension order for Sabal will cover not just illegal possession of drugs and firearms but his absence without leave as well.

The Sabals have repeatedly denied they were involved in the illegal drug trade. The mayor, a former policeman who has been accused of maintaining a shabu laboratory, only admitted that he was once a drug pusher in Quiapo. PNA

DoT wants 1-m young tourists for Mindanao

By Sandy Araneta DAVAO CITY—The Department of Tourism has launched its Mindanao Tourism Agenda, targetting at least one million of Asia’s young population to visit the country’s southern region starting next year.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said the government is looking at Chinese millennial tourists even as she acknowledged that more needs to be done to package Mindanao as a prime tourism destination.

DoT records showed that at least 60 percent of the world’s millennials are in Asia, accounting for 35 percent or $210 billion of the $600-billion revenues of the global tourism sector. Tourism receipts worldwide are seen to increase to $340 billion by 2020.

“The basic infrastructure support has to be in place to usher in the needed developments for tourism to flourish in the island.

Access is primordial to get to the tourist spots,” the DoT said.

“Access is top on the list. The National Tourism Development Plan, which is DoT’s tourism bible, indicated that over 2.5 thousand kilometers of roads were constructed in Mindanao in 2015 connecting the over a thousand number of attractions,” the department added.

Prioritizing roads that lead to tourist spots, with no distinction of these being a national or local road as long as these bring tourists to the destinations, will now be intensified.

The DoT, in cooperation with the Department of Public Works and Highways, aim to achieve 80 percent of road connectivity in Mindanao.

“Mindanao an island of promise no more. Known for its abundant natural resources, rich culture, breath taking views and pristine beaches, the island of Mindanao has yet to reach its full potential for tourism,” the DoT said.

Go Mindanao Tourist Bus, owned by the Davao Metro Shuttle company, will invest in over 400 luxury bus units complete with amenities for land travel in the next three years.

“These bus stops will be strategically located all over Mindanao where tourists and locals can converge for embarkation and disembarkation from the bus,” the Tourism department added. With PNA

Sports

A7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Isuzu PH helps Omega Pro team to more wins INVOLVED in various sports partnerships, Isuzu Philippines Corporation continue to produce positive results, and a recent example is the excellent performance achieved by the Omega Pro Tri Team.

The top-notch, Cebu-based multi-sport team, Omega Pro Tri Team, whose competitionrelated transportation and logistical requirements are provided

by IPC, has again asserted its dominant position in the country’s sporting community. The team was recently crowned as Champions in the Over-all Team Category at the third leg of the Tri United Series held last Oct. 23 at Subic Bay, Zambales.

“These victories, including taking no less than the Overall Team Category title, are a product of dedication, intensive preparation and a desire to excel and be the best at one’s chosen endeavor. Isuzu Philippines Corporation is one with the Omega Pro Tri Team in this endeavor, and we are proud to have played a key part in the team’s achievements,” said IPC Marketing Head Joseph Bautista.

Apart from the overall title win, members of the Omega Pro Tri Team also scored wins and podium finishes in their

Golf event cancelled BUSINESSMAN Salvador “Buddy” Zamora and his event organizers announced with regret the cancellation of the Battle for a Cause golf event that was scheduled to take hold on Nov. 29 at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga.

“Due to contractual issues, we regretfully have no choice but to cancel the event,” said Zamora.

Battle for a Cause was to have been the biggest golfing event in the country since Orchard in Dasmariñas, Cavite hosted great golfers like Greg Norman, Ernie Els and Fred Couples in the 1995 Johnnie Walker Classic.

“We were very excited to bring this event to the Philippines. It would have been the start of bigger things for Philippine golf.

However, circumstances beyond our control caused this cancellation,” said Zamora.

The cancellation hasn’t changed Zamora’s desire to promote Philippine golf. Zamora owns the license to hold the Asian leg of the 2018 European tour here in the Philippines and is currently redeveloping Puerto Azul Golf & Country Club to host this major event. He is also developing a junior golf academy to support young Filipino golfers.

respective categories. Among the female athletes, emerging as champions in their categories were Cianyl Gonzales (Ages 1824) and Maria Hodges (Ages 3034). Meanwhile, Feelin Torres secured third place in the Ages 25-29 category, Lorna Amor also finished third among those aged 45 and above, and June Marq Ocana took fourth spot in the Ages 40-44 class.

For their part, the Omega Pro Tri Team’s male members also turned in outstanding results as Paul Jumamil and Kristiane Lim took the top spots in the Ages 1824 and Ages 30-34 categories, respectively. Banjo Norte then secured second place behind his teammate in Ages 18-24, completing a 1-2 win for Omega Pro Tri Team. Also finishing on the podium were Johnny Ferniz (third place Ages 25-29) and Edwin Yu (third place Ages 3539). Among competitors aged 45 and above, Alton Amor ended in fourth.

“With the support we are extending to Omega Pro Tri Team, it becomes clear that Isuzu not only makes vehicles that are suitable for commercial purposes but are also geared towards exciting lifestyle and sporting The Isuzu Philippines-backed, Cebu-based multi-sport team, Omega Pro Tri Team has again asserted its dominant position in the country’s sporting comactivities,” Bautista said. munity.

Durant sparks Warriors

L

OS ANGELES—Kevin Durant scored 33 points as the Golden State Warriors held off a late rally to beat the Milwaukee Bucks as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their league-best start to the season on Saturday.

Durant led the scoring with team-mate Klay Thompson adding 29 to give the Warriors a nerve-jangling 124-121 win on the road in Wisconsin.

A frantic finale saw the Bucks recover from a 14-point deficit in the final quarter to move within two at 122-120 before the Warriors ground out a win which sees them move to 11-2.

“Any win on the road is a good win,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Any win period is a good win, but especially on a back-toback on a night when we didn’t quite have it.

“Our opponent played an exceptional game. I thought Milwaukee was fantastic. We were able to pull it out. We got some stops down the stretch and some rebounds. We did what we needed to do.”

Durant said the result was a good test of the Warriors character.

“We’ve played in some tight games but not down to the wire like this,” said Durant.

“It was a good test for us in the second night of a back-to-back to see how we’d respond coming to a building with a lot of energy facing a young team that was ready for us.”

Davis scored 38 points and 16 rebounds to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 121-116 overtime win over Charlotte.

It was the first time this season that New Orleans, who had beaten Portland on Friday, have claimed back-to-back victories.

The Pelicans clearly benefited from the return of Jrue Holiday, who returned to playing on Friday after missing the opening weeks of the season to care for his wife Lauren, who recently gave birth and underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor.

“Huge difference, offensively and defensively,” Davis said of Holiday. “He brings a presence to the team, energy and effort. When he is on the floor, we play very well.”

Langston Galloway also contributed 23 points, including five during a run in the fourth quarter when the Pelicans clawed back an 11-point deficit. AFP

Berkeley, ISBB win SBP-Passerelle Luzon finals

Bacolod faces Cebu for title

IT WILL be a Cebu vs. Bacolod showdown for the championships of the Visayas Regional Finals of the SBP Passerelle Tournament backed by Milo at the Capiz Gymnasium in Roxas City.

In the Small Basketeers Philippines division, both the University of the Visayas of Cebu and University of St. La Salle of Bacolod scored two straight wins each to arrange a showdown for the SBP championship.

The SBP Lancers from Cebu trounced Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas, 60-35, then needed an end-game push to oust Hua Siong College of Iloilo, 37-27.

Meanwhile, USLS cruised to a 55-38 win over Hua Siong and a 68-51 trashing of Purisima of Roxas.

The two teams face off against each other in the finals, featuring the offense of USLS against the defense of UV. In the Passerelle division, pretournament favorite Bacolod Tay Tung High School showed off its might via a 51-43 win over St. Robert’s International Academy of Iloilo, followed by an 82-61 rout of HERCOR College of Roxas.

UV joined its younger brothers in the finals after being challenged and digging deep to score its two straight wins.

They nipped HERCOR College, 53-52, then gutted out a 5551 win over St. Robert’s of Iloilo.

Bucks coach Jason Kidd lamented his team’s inability to convert a handful of clear chances late in the game.

“That’s the game of basketball.

When you play against elite teams, you just want an opportunity,” Kidd said. “We had our opportunities tonight. They just didn’t fall for us.”

The Clippers, meanwhile, ensured they have the best record in the NBA, improving to 12-2 at the Staples Center after overturning a double digit deficit against the Chicago Bulls.

- Pelicans get Holiday spirit A lethargic start from the Clippers saw the Bulls race into a 19-point lead at one stage of the second quarter, with Dwyane Wade, who led the scoring with 28 points, superb.

However, the Clippers came back with 26 points from Blake Griffin and 16 from Marreese Speights to eke out a 102-95 win.

Elsewhere Saturday, Anthony

ISBB beat St. Louis University, 67-64, to rule the Passerelle tournament.

BERKELEY School and International School for Better Beginnings bagged the championship title for the Luzon finals of SBP (Small Basketeers of the Philippines) – Passerelle, the largest twin tournament in the country, held at the Easter College Gym in Baguio City.

Berkeley School of Baguio easily won the SBP tournament against Wonderland School of Dagupan and earned their 4th consecutive regional championship title, 69-36.

Third place went to Sacred Heart University after winning the battle against St. Scholastica’s Academy, 56-50.

Meanwhile, it was a hard feat for ISBB to beat St. Louis University during the Passerelle tournament until they finally took the lead halfway through the last quarter, ending the intense battle with 6764 score.

Holy Angel University came in third in a match against Urdaneta City National High School, 50-47.

ISBB also received the muchcoveted Sportsmanship award for the Passerelle tournament, while for the SBP tournament, the award was given to St. Scholastica’s Academy.

Organized by the multi-award-

ed school for basketball and volleyball, BEST Center, sponsored

by Milo, and supported by Chris Sports and Rain or Shine, SBPPasserelle emphasizes the importance of fair play not just among players but also among coaches and parents.

BEST Center does not only aim to build future basketball champions, but also helps athletes develop values and discipline and team work and sportsmanship.

The last to host its regional finals is the Visayas, to be held in Roxas City. Other representatives for each region are La Salle Greenhills for SBP and Adamson University for Passerelle from NCR; and Xavier University for SBP and Holy Child of Davao for Passerelle from Mindanao, Winners for each regional finals will battle it out on the national championship to be held in Bacolod City.

Now on its 31st year, SBP-Passarelle is the longest running and most prestigious interschool basketball competition for children where students ages 9-11 compete in the SBP tournament, while students ages 12-14 compete in the Passarelle tournament.

Labasano saves day for Angeles City in Cebuana tennis meet LOCAL bet Jed Justin Labasano gave host city Angeles in Pampanga a reason to be happy as he was the only hometown player to emerge winner in the recent Cebuana Lhuillier AgeGroup Championship Series leg.

Labasano crushed Olongapo City’s Jonas Silva, 6-2, 6-3, in the finals of the boys’ 18-under and later on, teamed up with 16-under champion Nio Tria for a share of the 18-under boys’

doubles’ crown.

Tria, meanwhile, swept aside Loucas Fernandez, 6-4, 6-3, in a battle of Quezon City-based netters for the 16-under title of the tournament supported by Dunlop as official ball.

The series is now on its first decade of discovering and producing provincial champions in different regions all over the country.

Other winners in the boys’

division were Aldwyn Rosales, also from Quezon City, who blanked Oriental Mindoro’s Jose Martin Buenaventura, 6-0, 6-0, for the 14-under title, La Union’s Marc Andres Jarata, who edged out Angelo Rosales, 6-3, 7-6, in the 12-under championship match, and Darwin Cosca from Olongapo City, a 4-3, 4-3 winner over La Union’s Mariel Jarata in the 10-under category.

“I am happy when I do

not recognize familiar names among the winners in our series. It means there are really young tennis talents in the provinces just waiting to be discovered,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/Chief Executive Officer of Cebuana Lhuillier and current Philippine Tennis Association Chairman.

In the distaff side, Nueva Ecija bet Jhastine Red Ballado Dana Uy from Bohol won the

Engineers hope to formalize semis entry Games Today (Olivarez Sports Center, Parañaque city) 12 noon – TIP vs CDSL 2 p.m. – UB vs Diliman College TECHNOLOGICAL Institute of the Philippines hopes to formalize its entry into the semis when it battles Colegio De San Lorenzo today in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League at the Olivarez Sports Center in Paranaque City.

Already assured of a playoff for the last semis berth, the Engineers shoot for win No. 7 against the Griffins at 12 noon in a game expected to generate more action than the first time they met.

The Engineers went through the wringer before beating the Griffins, 76-72, in the first round, reason why TIP coach Potit de Vera sees another dramatic finish.

“It’s going to be tough for both of us (CDSL coach Boni Garcia) since a semis berth is at stake,” said De Vera.

The game is more important for the Griffins since another defeat would push them on the brink of elimination.

The Engineers hold the league’s third-best 6-3 record, while the Griffins are tied from fourth to fifth places with the Bulacan State University.

Unbeaten Centro Escolar University and Olivarez College have already booked their tickets to the semis with a 10-0 and 7-3 record, respectively.

Meantime, University of Batangas tries to follow up its breakthrough 79-69 win over Bulacan State University last Saturday when it faces Diliman College.

The win ended UB’s 9-game losing streak, while Diliman’s 80-63 defeat to Olivarez also last Saturday extended its run of futility to five games.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Zoleta bags Asian soft tennis bronze

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

A8

CHIBA, Japan—Noelle Conchita Zoleta captured the bronze medal in the women’s singles division of the 8th Asian Soft Tennis Championships recently at the Fukuda Denshi Hills carpet courts.

A fierce tactical action heated up the morning chill as the fleet-footed Zoleta led, 2-1, in the race to 4 games but eventually lost the semifinal contest to Feng Zixuan of China, 2-4.

The tall Feng countered Zoleta’s short and down-the-line passes with angled groundstrokes and timely volley winners to barge into the championship round against Korea’s Kim Ji-Yeon.

The Filipina earlier blanked Feng‘s teammate Wang Yufei, 4-0, to finally break her 3-year losing spell against the vaunted Twin Towers.

The Korean lass bagged the gold medal with a masterful 4-0 victory over the lanky Chinese left-hander.

Zoleta, who also won a bronze medal during last year’s World Cup in New Delhi, India, built a commanding 2-1 lead, which included 3 advantages – until Feng unleashed a barrage of offensive groundstrokes, which practically hit all the lines to turn back the Filipina.

Other Filipino soft netters who bowed out in singles’ competition were Mikoff Manduriao, who lost to Huang Yiping of China 2-4; Vince Carlo Ramiscal, who absorbed a 1-4 setback to Masuda Kento of Japan; Vicente Anasta, who bowed to Zhou Mo of China 1-4; Princess Catindig, who lost 1-4 to Feng; and Ana Saguiped, who went down to Feng Tzu-Yu of Chinese Taipei 0-4.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Sports JUBILATION. The National University PEP Squad celebrates after winning a fourth straight UAAP cheerdancing crown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday night. Sonny Espiritu

PH Azkals must win vs Merah Putihs T

By Peter Atencio

HE Philippine Azkals badly need a win in the 2016 AFF-Suzuki Football Tournament.

Team manager Dan Palami said this after the Singapore Lions, playing with 10 men in the second half, frustrated the Azkals with a scoreless draw Saturday night in their opening game at the Philippine

Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

“We didn’t convert on our chances.

We had pretty good chances. It’s the breaks of the game. We should have been patient and not too much in a hurry to score goals,” said Palami.

Patience will definitely be a virtue that the Azkals will work on when they take on the Indonesian Merah Putihs at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

And this is what seems to be lacking after former Azkals’ coach Simon Mcmenemy noted that the Azkals fell into Singa-

pore’s tactics, which was to get behind the ball, and “with nothing going forward.” “(Goalkeeper) Ronald Muller hardly touched the ball. There’s too many players dropping to midfield. There’s no one playing as an out-and-out striker.

Misagh (Basahoran) was up top. He was stationary,” noted Mcmenemy, who handled the Azkals back in 2010.

The defending champion Thailand War Elephants are in the solo lead of Group A after come-backing Teerasil Dangda scored a hat trick for the War

Elephants, who turned back the MerahPutih, 4-2.

The War Elephants will have a good chance of reaching the semis if they score their second straight win in their clash with the Lions earlier at 4:30 p.m.

The Merah Putihs are back after they got banned by FIFA from joining the international meets for one year.

Indonesian coach Alfred Reidl said they will have to get over their loss to the War Elephants and get ready to face the Azkals, whom they recognize as a

strong team.

“The Philippines never beat Indonesia and now they are the host and must have received great support from the supporters,” he said.

One of the players to watch out for in the Merah Putih roster is goalie Kurnia Meiga, who could make things difficult even though he conceded four goals in their game with the Thais.

There’s also right-back Wahyudi, whose cross pass led to Indonesia’s equalizing shot.

Transferee Murray, Djokovic set up showdown for no. 1 ranking powers Baby Falcons FLORENCIO Serrano proved his worth for the Adamson Baby Falcons after they stunned the defending champion National University Bullpups, 80-67, Saturday in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

Serrano, a transferee from Jose Escaler National High School in Apalit, Pampanga, led with 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Baby Falcons as they soared to their third straight win.

This allowed then Baby Falcons to grab the solo lead, while the Bullpups dropped to a three-way tie for second spot with their 2-1 slate with University of the Philippines Integrated School and the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws.

The 17-year-old Serrano drilled in 12 points in the first period as the Baby Falcons moved away 28-8 in the start of the second canto.

They stunned the Bullpups with their 17-0 blast in the opening quarter and nursed a 38-29 edge at halftime.

Meanwhile, the FEU Baby Tams bounced back from a setback to the Baby Falcons with a 77-73 stopping of the Ateneo Blue Eaglets.

Kenji Roman shot 16 points and LJ Gonzales provided 13 for the Baby Tams.

The Baby Maroons, with Juan Gomez de Liano making 24 points and 11 rebounds, stopped University of the East, 95-63.

The La Salle Zobel Junior Archers, who drew 19 points from Astrolave Vista, posted their first win in putting away University of Santo Tomas, 6458. Peter Atencio

LONDON—Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic will slug it out for the world number one ranking in a high-stakes final at the ATP Tour Finals after completing their contrasting paths to the dramatic showdown.

Murray and Djokovic’s unprecedented clash for pole position will end with one of the old rivals finishing the year on top of the world after the Scot shattered his rival’s

122-week reign at number one earlier this month.

Fittingly, they will bring the curtain down on the ATP season with both the prestigious Tour Finals title and the top spot up for grabs in Sunday’s final at London’s O2 Arena.

After staging a superb fightback to defeat Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (11/9) in Saturday’s first semi-final, Murray is just one win

away from capping a dream year in perfect fashion.

But Djokovic can say exactly the same after the defending champion thrashed Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1 in the other semi.

Djokovic, who has a 24-10 lead in his head to head with Murray, said: “This is one of the biggest matches we will ever play against each other. The match everybody anticipated.

“This has never happened in the history of tennis. I’m privileged to be part of history.

“My level had been going in the right direction. Now it’s coming up to the last match of the year. I hope we get a great final.”

Crucially, Murray might be on his last legs after having to survive a three-hour 39-minute epic against Raonic that ranked as the longest match in Tour Finals his-

Lee, Matsuda nail Phinma-PSC Week 1 titles NO. 2 Kuen Yi Lee toppled fellow Taiwanese Ting Pei Chang, 6-4, 6-1, to claim the girls’ crown but Japanese Ryuki Matsuda stunned second seed compatriot Seita Watanabe, 6-4, 7-5, to snare the boys’ plum in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Lee, who eased out Filipina Shaira Rivera, 6-2, 6-2, in the quarters and Chinese Li Xuan Jin, 6-4, 6-2, in the semis, survived a first set scare but dominated Chang in the next to fashion out the straight-set victory and gain 40 ranking points in the Grade 4 ITF 18-under category events sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Chang failed to flash the form she dished out in upending Filipino top seed Khim Iglupas in the Final Four, 7-6(3), 6-3, succumbing to Lee’s formidable all-around

game in the second set. She settled for 30 ITF points.

Iglupas and the other semifinalists took 20 points while the quarterfinalists and the losers in the Last 16 phase earned 15 and 10 points, respectively, according to tournament director Loida Mallare.

Matsuda, meanwhile, capped a big week by stunning the fancied Watanabe with gutsy plays to eke out the win in a tightly fought contest. He also earned 40 ITF points staked in the event backed by Mariposa Foundation, Technifibre and Century Park Hotel firing off tomorrow (Tuesday).

Bryan Otico, the Filipino top seed in the boys’ side who took an early exit in the singles, redeemed himself in the doubles as he teamed up with Watanabe to repulse Malaysian Christian Chin and India’s Digvijay Singh, 4-6, 6-2 (10-7) and clinch the crown worth 30 ITF points. Chin and Singh settled for 20 points each.

Kuen Yi Lee (third from right) and Ryuki Matsuda (third from left) hold their trophies as they pose with (from left) Philta sec-gen Romeo Magat, boys’ runner-up Ryuki Matsuda, girls’ second placer Ting Pei Chang and Phinma Group of Companies chairman and CEO Oscar Hilado after topping their respective sides in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 1 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Vargas wants to be reinstated as candidate BOXING chief Ricky Vargas wants to be reinstated as a candidate for president in the next Philippine Olympic Committee elections.

His counsel and pokesman Chito Salud said this after legal questions on the coming elections of the POC on Nov. 25 were filed in court last Friday, seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the polls.

“Mr. Vargas is likewise asking the court to have him reinstated and included as an eligible candidate after hearing the case on the merits,” remarked Salud.

Lawyers representing Vargas formally filed a complaint on his behalf before the Regional

Trial Court of Pasig.

The complaint is now under review in Branch 159 of Judge Rodolfo Bonifacio and contests the resolution of the election committee of the POC to disqualify Vargas in running for president.

Salud said they are waiting for a decision this week before the polls happen on Friday.

Three weeks ago, the election panel of the POC, headed by Frank Elizalde, denied Vargas’ motion for reconsideration, and disqualified another candidate, triathlon’s Tom Carrasco from his bid to seek another term as chairman.

The position of chairman remains uncontested until the Nov. 25 polls because Carrasco’s main rival for the post, Tagaytay congressman Abraham Tolentino of cycling, was also disqualified.

“Mr. Vargas was deprived of due process when the election committee disqualified him without any formal objection from a POC member, and without due notice,” said Salud.

In a resolution sent to all parties concerned, Elizalde explained that physical attendance was main requirement for an official of a national sports association to be made eligible to run for a post in the POC elections. Peter Atencio

tory -- eclipsing the record mark set when Murray beat Nishikori in three hours and 20 minutes on Wednesday.

While Murray’s body has been pushed to its limits this week, Djokovic has enjoyed smooth progress to the final and, unlike his opponent, the world number two will be well rested following his 67-minute demolition of Nishikori. AFP

Fortuna, Del Rosario stay at helm PAULINE del Rosario and Mikha Fortuna braced for a final round shootout as they remained tied for the lead after matching two-under 70s in the second round of the Penang Amateur Golf Open at the Bukit Jawi course in Malaysia over the weekend.

Counting their 69s in the opening round, Del Rosario and Fortuna pooled 139s to seal a duel for the crown with the former eyeing a second straight after beating the latter by eight in last week’s Melaka Amateur Open.

The Country Club teammates stood seven strokes ahead of third running Geraldine Wong, who carded a 70 in the first round but faltered with a 76 for a 146.

Vanessa Bouvet improved from a 77 with a 74 but lay 12 shots behind the joint leaders at 151. Wong and Bouvet, however, will join the Filipino duo in the championship flight of the event, a counting event for World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Del Rosario, also seeking a follow-up to her victories in the FCG at Tustin Ranch and the Ping Series leg at Irvine in the US early this year, and Fortuna gunned down four birdies each but stumbled with a couple of bogeys to stay tied for the second straight day.

New TCC members Laia Barro and Mafy Singson, meanwhile, hobbled with 85 and 87 for 169 and 175, respectively.

Defense industrial parks eyed B3

IN BRIEF $50-m Angat plant upgrade set to start ANGAT Hydropower Corp., the joint venture of San Miguel Corp. and Korean Water Resources Corp., is embarking on a $50-million rehabilitation of the 218-megawatt Angat power plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

“We have studied to rehabilitate the power plant and including the overhauling of the power plant,” Angat Hydro president and chief executive Geung Jeon Han told reporters.

The power plant upgrade is expected to increase the efficiency of the power plant.

“Yes, next year we will start it,” Han said.

The Angat hydro power plant consists of four main units, each with a 50-MW capacity. The units were commissioned between 1967 and 1968.

To augment its operation, the plant uses five auxiliary units with a total capacity of 46 MW. The 18-MW auxiliary units 1, 2 and 3 are part of the sale to Angat Hydro when it was privatized while the 28-MW auxiliary units 4 and 5 are owned by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Han said Angra Hydro was now preparing the financing aspect of the power plant upgrade. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

B1

Govt cancels e-trike project

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Energy Department has decided to stop the rollout of the electric tricycle project amid the lack of interested buyers and high manufacturing costs.

“The DOE already decided that we will discontinue the e-trike project,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said, referring to the $500-million Asian Development Bank-funded project which aims to replace 100,000 gasoline-fed tricycle units with energy efficient electric vehicles.

Cusi said the department was also studying how to manage the rollout of the 3,000 e-trikes approved by the previous administration and awarded to a Japanese company.

The department previously issued the notice of award to Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd. of Japan and local partner Bemac Electric Transportation Phil-

ippines Inc. for the supply of 3,000 units of electric tricycles.

“Based on the contract, DOE can also cancel the delivery of the e-trike bid out. However, the contractor has 28 days within which to deliver whatever they produce and DOE will be obliged to pay whatever is delivered,” Cusi said.

Cusi, however, said around 1,600 units were already manufactured and the department now wanted to stop production of the remaining units.

“We sent a letter to stop the production of the additional units. The meeting with Neda [National Economic Development Authority] as of the moment is ongoing and I am also waiting for an update,” the energy chief said.

Cusi earlier said the e-trike project proved to be too costly.

“The problem is affordability of the operators. If there will be takers, we will continue to promote that…How do we make it affordable?” Cusi said.

The winning bidder, Uzushio and Bemac was the only one, among five interested bidders who

complied with the requirements of the department for the supply and delivery of 3,000 e-trikes.

The Energy Department bid out an initial supply and delivery of 3,000 e-trikes in 2014 as a part of the government’s market transformation through the introduction of energy efficient electric vehicles project.

The first bidding failed, prompting the government to re-bid it but only one bidder emerged which resulted in the negotiated bidding.

The project, largely financed by the ADB and the Clean Technology Fund, was supposed to be implemented for five years.

The project aims to deploy 100,000 e-trikes nationwide to replace the same number of traditional gasoline-fed tricycles, reduce the transport sector’s annual petroleum consumption by 2.8 percent (equivalent to 89.2 million liters) per year and achieve 79-percent carbon dioxide foot print avoidance.

The government, however, did not categorically say it would cancel the ADB loan or channel it to other e-vehicle projects.

OUTSTANDING WOMEN. Eight

CebuPac launches 3 new Visayas routes

exceptional women from various fields are the recipients of the prestigious The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service 2016 Award presented by Towns Foundation and copresented by BDO Unibank Inc. The Towns Award is conferred to outstanding Filipina who have served as catalyst, role models and are making a positive impact on national development.

Shown receiving their trophies at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City are (from left) Patricia Chanco Evangelista-Media, Luisa Mercedes Paez LorenzoArts, Lou Sabrina Saavedra Ongkiko-Education, Hidilyn Francisco Diaz-Sports, Aisa Alvarez Mijeno-Social Enterprise, Jocelle Batapa Sigue-Information and Communication Technology, Marissa Arlene Andres Martinez-Government service and Cherrie De Erit Atilano-Social development.

Manny Palmero

CEBU Air inc., the operator of Cebu Pacific, expanded its footprint in the Visayas region with the launch of three more routes.

The airline unit of the Gokongwei Group said it became the only carrier flying daily between Cebu and Ormoc and Cebu and Roxas; and four times weekly between Cebu and Calbayog using the ATR 72-500 aircraft starting Nov. 19.

Cebu Pacific said with these new destinations, it was now serving 36 cities in the country. The lowest all-in year-round fare, one-way for Cebu to Calbayog is P1,983, Cebu to Ormoc is P1,647 and Cebu to Roxas is P2,039.

“CEB remains committed in offering the most convenient choices for passengers at the lowest fares possible. With these additional routes in and out of the Queen City of the South, more guests can now easily explore the Visayas region,” Cebgo president and chief executive Alexander Lao. Darwin G Amojelar

BSP orders closure of Negros rural bank

THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, order the closure of a financially-ailing rural bank in Negros Occidental.

The board closed the Community Rural Bank of Magallon (Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental) Inc. In a resolution, the board prohibited the bank from doing business in the Philippines.

State-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. took over the bank Nov. 18, 2016.

Community Rural Bank of Magallon is a single-unit rural bank located at Gomez St., Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

Latest available records showed that as of June 30, Community Rural Bank of Magallon had 1,315 accounts with total deposit liabilities of P28.5 million. Total insured deposits amounted to P24.5 million involving 85.9 percent of total deposit accounts.

Prior to Community Rural Bank of Magallon, the board also ordered the closure of 19 lenders this year. Julito G. Rada

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

Swiss bank describes PH pivot to China positive

By Julito G. Rada CREDIT Suisse retained its 2017 gross domestic product growth forecast for the Philippines at 6.4 percent, saying its pivot to China will help attract more foreign direct investments and boost tourism.

The Zurich-based multinational financial services holding company said the pivot to the world’s second-largest economy would also remove political frictions between the two nations, especially the tension brought about by a maritime dispute in the West Philip-

pine Sea since 2012.

“We continue to have an above consensus forecast for the Philippines’ GDP [2017: 6.4 percent; versus consensus 6.1 percent]…. We also view the Philippines’ ‘pivot towards China’ as a net positive for 2017 GDP and balance of payments, as it will help bring in more FDI and tourism from China in 2017 with political drags remove,” it said.

Credit Suisse said the expansionary fiscal policy of the Duterte administration would also support growth next year, adding that the government

spending could rise to 18.1 percent of GDP in 2017 from an estimated 17.5 percent of GDP this year.

“Private consumption is also fundamentally supported by a tighter labor market, steady employment growth, low domestic rice prices, together with government measures to support the lower-income,” it said.

Credit Suisse also downplayed any adverse effects of the policy of newlyelected US President Donald Trump on the Philippine economy next year and beyond, saying a sharp slowdown in

investments from the world’s biggest economy would be unlikely.

“Our analysis across the region suggests that the US FDI is driven more by structural economic considerations rather than political noise, unlike in China. While President Trump had pledged to raise taxes on corporations which offshore jobs, leading to some client concerns on the BPO sector, we note that the president has to go through Congress to implement them, where he could face opposition from traditional Republicans,” Credit Suisse said.

Third-party assessment body clears Montero of SUA issue

By Othel V. Campos RESULTS of a third-party evaluation of the Montero model cleared Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. of the so-called “sudden unintended acceleration” or SUA issue filed by a group of Montero vehicle owners in 2015.

MMPC vice president for marketing Froilan Dytianquin said a copy was given to the Trade Department as a form of courtesy and “for keeping them updated on the issue.”

“While a third-party assessment has already cleared us from SUA, we are not sure how the Trade Department will use this. Even though the third-party report was commissioned by MMPC, it’s still a thirdparty report. We might have the third party report, but for them, it might not be the basis,” Dytianquin said at the sidelines of the official launch of the MMPC Auto Financial Services Friday night.

Dytianquin said the Trade Department in coming up with its own decision might also engage the services of third-party experts to “prove there is SUA.” More than half of those who filed charges seeking for remuneration or unit-swapping withdrew their cases. Eleven owners are still pushing with their cases.

“There was no settlement. Some of the owners withdrew their charges at the DTI level. I believe, they realized there is no real case here, there is no SUA. Even they cannot produce the experts,” Dytianquin said.

Mitsubishi Montero remains the biggest contributor to the company’s sales in 2015 and in the first 10 months of 2016, with sales averaging 4,500 units a month.

Dytinaquin said full details of the third-party assessment would be released by the company as soon as the Trade Department gave the green light.

MMPC expressed optimism the captive financing option would drive vehicle sales.

PAL AT BORACAY AIRPORT. A Philippine Airlines Airbus 320 taxis under plumes of water created by a ceremonial salute to mark the start of Boracay Airport’s domestic jet operations.

The first jet to touch down on the expanded runway carried 160 passengers. San Miguel Corp., operator of the Boracay Airport, hopes to begin international operation soon to allow direct flights to Caticlan from countries such as South Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong kong and Japan.

B2

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market likely to move sideways

By Jenniffer B. Austria

T

he stock market is expected to move sideways this week as investors shift back their focus on developments overseas, including the possible US rate hike before the end of the year.

Analysts said investors would continue to weigh the impact of Trump presidency on the domestic economy.

“Investors would likely remain on wait-and-see mode next week, absent significant corporate developments, as they weigh the impact of a Trump presidency. That said, the market is hovering near the long-term support of 6,800, and is vulnerable to a break-

down should foreign funds remain net sellers,” RCBC Securities said.

Citing a report from Moody’s Investor Service, BPI Securities said the Philippines would be a part of the greatly affected economies once the United States adopted protectionist trade policies.

“This may diminish the likelihood of a prospering business outsourcing [BPO] sector

that provides jobs to millions of Filipinos,” BPI Securities said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 1.3 percent over last week’s five-day market trading to close at 7,067.73 Friday, on strong 7.1-percent growth of the gross domestic product in the third quarter.

The broader all-share index also advanced 0.8 percent to settle at 4,252.28 Friday.

Data from PSE showed that except for the services sector which declined 1.9 percent, all other sectoral indices ended in the green led by mining and oil which went up 3.6 percent, property which rose 3.3 percent and holding firms which gained 1.5 percent.

The market’s advance was mostly supported by local investors as foreign investors remained net sellers last week

by P5.2 billion. Average daily value turnover reached P7.1 billion.

Top gainers last week were Consunji stocks DMCI Holdings Inc. and Semirara Mining and Power Corp., which advanced 10.7 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively. Food manufacturing firm Universal Robina Corp. also gained 5.7 percent to P179.80.

Heavy losers included Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. which declined 19 percent to P3.61, Jollibee Foods Corp. which dropped 9.6 percent to P209 and Puregold Price Club Inc. which dipped 7.2 percent to P40.

SEC asks PhilWeb on tender offer plans THE Securities and Exchange Commission asked online gaming company PhilWeb Corp. to disclose its tender offer plans for minority investors.

SEC director Vicente Graciano Felizmenio said the corporate regulator in a letter asked PhilWeb to submit specific timetable on a tender offer after closing the deal with businessman Gregoria Araneta, who now serves as chairman of the company.

Under the Securities Regulation Code, an individual or group acquiring 35 percent of the out-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

NOVEMBER 14-18, 2016 Close Volume

Value FINANCIAL 195,210.00 5,442,570.00 1,308,523,143 723,205,426.50 11,777,605.00 95,000.00 283,730.00

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

3.29 47.95 111.40 95.70 37.7 3.80 1.25

59,000 114,600 11,800,460 7,641,520 312,500 25,000 225,000

16.78 18.98 6.60 0.65 1.89 700.00 0.770 77 0.87 14.04 21.85 56.00 98.95 145 260 35.75 35.75 207 1660.00 74.40 1.31

761,200 1,866,900 30,300 321,000 64,000 2,250 18,180,000 17,175,690 158,000 28,000 75,800 75,100 24,270 960 5,550 637,100 43,000 4,564,570 2,870 550,670 528,000

12,588,518.00 35,550,110.00 200,389 211,960 119,600.00 1,572,450.00 14,143,500.00 1,314,797,529.50 133,410.00 392,028.00 1,659,800.00 4,176,900.00 2,242,189.00 133,307.00 1,438,330.00 22,757,480 1,535,150.00 941,691,268.00 4,621,645 40,952,311.00 691,630.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

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

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.5 3.83 0.89 1.32 19.5 0.196 99 25.50 11.1 17.1 140 89 23.5 59.7 2.02 7.42 12.34 11.140 7.10 5.24 6.65 1.76 22.8 67.8 12.12 16.50 6.03 1.700 209.00 85.75 2.11 4.09 27.20 30.9 26.9 15.08 283.80 0.255 4.79 2.92 9.70 3 68.5 11.54 2.12 5.80 1.43 4.17 4.40 3.1 216.4 4.1 0.143 1.58 179.8 4.31 2.08 31.25 1.10

8,825,600 2,377,000 2,419,000 5,784,000 265,500 900,000 1,870 37,800 88,979,300 7,102,900 480 1,230 1,484,000 358,170 948,000 5,675,000 110,200 91,407,312 2,395,400 83,344,200 1,746,100 35,000 5,631,500 1,749,870 20,300 280,400 1,366,300 4,804,000 7,677,460 6,030 296,000 9,000 1,300 22,622,900 1,176,300 21,712,100 573,130 250,000 102,000 18,148,000 9,848,300 2,000 4,567,680 17,900 11,235,000 863,600 1,975,000 5,891,000 15,607,000 18,000 28,440 109,000 7,080,000 709,000 10,402,680 767,000 19,711,000 300 496,000

INDUSTRIAL 377,114,565.00 8,947,040.00 2,138,890.00 7,665,630.00 5,442,730.00 178,390.00 185,453.00 949,555.00 1,020,751,144.00 116,344,612 70,850.00 105,811.50 34,692,185.00 21,665,848 1,910,820.00 41,727,591.00 1,328,482.00 293,622,492.00 16,949,449.00 435,528,750.00 11,487,800.00 61,600.00 126,625,855.00 117,323,859.50 252,208.00 4,711,762.00 8,241,840.00 8,092,300.00 1,649,413,050.00 488,803.50 617,940.00 35,320.00 34,830.00 708,460,730.00 31,517,435.00 325,544,204.00 159,906,652.00 61,860.00 478,280.00 56,054,790.00 93,098,792.00 6,000.00 314,444,416.50 205,830.00 23,839,070.00 5,027,668.00 2,816,190.00 23,382,560.00 68,704,140.00 55,500.00 6,327,102.00 449,830.00 1,002,440.00 1,133,810.00 1,806,291,558 3,451,240.00 40,737,460.00 9,375.00 545,650.00

0.365 75.00 12.90 1.23 5.90 0.315 780 8.25 13.40 7.92 0.181 1200 6.32 70.60 5.21 7.6 1.3 14 0.460 6.81 3.01 0.0390 1.190 1.850 2.55 80.10 665.00 1.17 0.85 236.000 0.2900 0.1850 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 3,860,000 1,408,800.00 9,154,130 671,199,763.00 22,891,400 292,784,960.00 12,000 14,940.00 489,100 2,868,037.00 4,030,000 1,273,900.00 3,253,170 2,420,536,025 9,199,200 75,790,618.00 51,820,700 2,499,698,720.00 376,500 2,993,304.00 1,350,000 251,370.00 842,130 1,022,419,260.00 31,000 187,778.00 10,350,320 722,683,825.00 400 2,084.00 8,891,900 66,997,304.00 116,048,000 150,134,200.00 16,272,700 230,666,564.00 30,000 13,800.00 103,238,500 699,221,101.00 5,000 15,050.00 241,800,000 9,650,500.00 1,000 1,190.00 5,489,000 10,276,180.00 143,000 381,020.00 616,080 49,388,100.50 1,981,780 1,313,582,245.00 1,176,000 1,387,500.00 100,000 85,020.00 34,880 8,215,526.00 1,330,000 385,650.00 3,260,000 623,560.00 650,000 166,950.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp.

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings 8990 HLDG Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

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

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

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

7.000 6.21 1.09 2.260 0.345 34.000 3.25 5.1 0.560 1.120 0.163 0.550 51 0.730 0.96 1.77 1.03 4.36 3.85 0.142 0.2500 0.420 33.00

1,610,500 11,200 8,293,000 1,291,000 50,000,000 64,080,600 25,046,000 561,500 151,765,000 553,000 50,970,000 15,295,000 2,307,050 299,000 10,068,000 47,210,000 735,000 52,992,000 173,489,000 60,110,000 400,000 60,000 2,600

PROPERTY 11,495,715.00 68,837.00 9,234,860.00 2,872,370.00 16,664,550.00 2,103,204,505.00 78,581,380.00 2,846,447.00 87,049,730.00 625,430.00 8,049,040.00 8,251,330.00 119,285,733.00 219,570.00 9,543,880.00 82,163,400.00 740,800.00 199,386,130.00 657,670,550.00 8,571,330.00 102,950.00 25,350.00 85,200.00

NOVEMBER 7-11, 2016 Close Volume Value 3.52 47.5 110.50 96.10 37.6 3.80 1.35 9 16.3 18.96 6.63 0.67 1.8 670.00 0.800 77.25 0.9 14 22.05 56.40 95 1402 260 35.7179

80,000 146,700 13,435,130 15,557,770 373,100 23,000 1,718,000 100 822,400 1,276,200 200 142,000 21,000 660 30,339,000 25,127,590 86,316,000 686,000 1,400 327,650 1,380 4,210 3,850 862,355

269,250.00 6,956,730.00 1,487,293,320 1,497,949,844.00 14,163,730.00 87,650.00 2,201,710.00 900.00 13,341,714.00 24,477,052.00 1,363 95,390 38,330.00 438,520.00 24,898,630.00 1,973,136,086.00 73,579,000.00 9,815,172.00 30,870.00 18,660,115.50 131,100.00 591,956.00 998,008.00 7,334,765

207.4 1579.00 74.60 1.33

5,170,670 660 798,920 191,000

1,081,797,746.00 1,004,370 59,452,330.00 121,040.00

43.35 3.79 0.91 1.38 19.88 0.206 102 93.00 11.36 16.38 160 93 23.4 64 2.08 7.12 12.1 11.000 7.15 5.30 6.88 1.76 22.9 66.9 12.60 16.90 6.06 1.880 231.00 80.00 2.08 4.09 27.40 31.4 26.8 14.4 278.40 0.255 4.71 3.35 9.54 3.01 69.5 11.54 2.14 5.83 1.45 3.68 4.30 3.09 225 4.1 0.143 1.63 170 4.57 2.05

5,980,600 2,642,000 3,822,000 4,535,000 311,000 74,700,000 5,250 63,430 39,106,500 5,081,200 2,370 3,560 1,561,900 992,080 1,336,000 6,855,400 838,000 41,616,300 6,048,400 48,001,800 3,322,000 9,000 6,906,000 451,610 44,100 2,144,100 2,678,700 2,514,000 3,293,830 16,110 452,000 58,000 3,800 14,349,100 1,462,900 15,212,000 963,120 550,000 163,000 38,333,000 11,748,600 14,000 16,886,950 91,000 16,076,000 1,300,300 703,000 656,000 2,643,000 33,000 23,710 25,000 10,230,000 811,000 12,002,460 10,000 17,751,000

263,059,770.00 9,914,790.00 3,526,970.00 6,264,030.00 6,481,771.00 15,685,990.00 562,195.00 1,802,440.00 451,320,806.00 84,552,196 436,417.00 329,976.00 36,742,635.00 63,480,229 2,733,830.00 49,045,995.00 10,180,252.00 458,760,836.00 43,751,404.00 263,986,212.00 23,235,159.00 15,890.00 160,229,955.00 30,421,522.50 547,748.00 36,286,012.00 16,276,791.00 4,714,940.00 773,620,724.00 1,315,783.00 943,430.00 234,390.00 101,365.00 454,131,145.00 39,107,595.00 229,223,572.00 269,063,100.00 135,930.00 779,710.00 128,802,460.00 115,981,649.00 42,330.00 1,191,081,660.00 1,052,500.00 34,292,440.00 7,537,291.00 1,027,430.00 2,383,160.00 11,454,020.00 99,670.00 5,316,776.00 102,960.00 1,484,240.00 1,311,930.00 2,088,850,039 45,800.00 36,333,200.00

1.13

1,045,000

1,196,110.00

0.380 72.55 12.84 1.18 6.00 0.320 750 8.56 12.10 8.10 0.203 1263 6.33 69.30

1,320,000 11,071,700 23,835,400 61,277,000 187,500 3,420,000 2,614,200 35,341,800 41,134,500 1,583,200 260,000 846,885 34,500 11,204,730

495,750.00 827,766,707.50 317,781,066.00 72,711,280.00 1,113,500.00 1,077,500.00 2,077,459,215 303,912,541.00 516,658,470.00 12,805,081.00 50,990.00 1,107,454,805.00 217,381.00 801,616,217.00

7.7 1.15 14.52 0.470 6.83 3.08 0.0390 1.170 1.900 2.58 80.30 655.00 1.19 0.90 235.800 0.2900 0.2000 0.270

4,334,000 104,970,000 11,653,800 10,770,000 154,230,800 5,000 101,300,000 31,000 3,540,000 59,000 1,247,180 2,102,190 352,000 126,000 37,690 2,830,000 230,000 1,700,000

33,290,196.00 123,911,330.00 169,154,828.00 4,955,000.00 1,079,406,799.00 15,400.00 3,897,000.00 36,100.00 6,727,650.00 155,610.00 99,871,486.00 1,395,540,420.00 419,060.00 110,480.00 8,863,938.00 848,550.00 44,620.00 459,300.00

7.360 6.50 1.18 2.210 0.290 32.800 3.08 5.05 0.600 1.130 0.146 0.560 53.7 0.740 0.96 1.75 1.00 4.20 3.78 0.144 0.2800 0.435 32.30

353,400 9,500 20,413,000 2,036,000 11,720,000 83,451,100 22,765,000 208,100 614,014,000 1,384,000 14,510,000 79,471,000 1,434,380 179,049,000 16,597,000 75,994,000 1,422,000 14,100 251,526,000 127,450,000 2,480,000 1,340,000 2,800

7,482,297.00 63,590.00 24,108,890.00 4,558,050.00 3,491,300.00 2,850,195,565.00 71,311,550.00 1,056,837.00 405,717,480.00 1,564,450.00 2,180,150.00 44,378,240.00 76,227,000.00 132,971,260.00 16,029,890.00 138,217,510.00 1,443,190.00 70,991.00 996,386,460.00 19,807,660.00 668,000.00 567,400.00 90,900.00

STOCKS

NOVEMBER 14-18, 2016 Close Volume

NOVEMBER 7-11, 2016 Close Volume Value

Value

Primex Corp.

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

3.48 27.00 1.58 3.28 27.40 0.96 0.960 5.300

4,834,000 15,587,700 491,000 137,000 72,174,700 18,891,000 568,000 16,390,300

13,664,990.00 407,586,000.00 750,250.00 444,740.00 1,923,356,375.00 17,959,070.00 521,210.00 85,111,332.00

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

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

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

7.81 45.5 1.39 0.530 0.047 10.56 5 6.50 0.0770 2.86 102.6 9.97 2.37 6.85 2.87 988 1380 6.13 12.52 17.36 2.16 76.2 14.04 135 12.42 0.0093 9.11 0.190 1.3600 3.29 12.74 4.94 0.93 2.10 20.15 2 4.2 3.61 2.220 11.3 5.20 2.5 8.75 160.00 9.32 1379.00 0.410 1.150 40.00 74.95 5.55 2.57 0.910 3.22 0.330

492,400 284,100 191,000 2,851,000 820,170,000 200 28,400 128,945,700 145,920,000 6,961,000 1,632,750 3,900 23,000 214,600 5,000 30 1,004,490 445,200 496,300 100 7,846,000 8,052,110 33,600 90 2,200 54,000,000 2,727,500 28,183,000 2,818,000 8,000 157,200 2,223,400 111,000 117,000 12,400 372,000 18,837,000 71,365,000 20,207,000 16,600 21,800 40,000 500 100,280 8,740,400 802,175 1,180,000 47,026,000 20,815,900 5,809,620 239,400 5,326,000 227,474,000 2,332,000 350,000

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

0.0039 2.86 4.82 2.3000 2.3000 0.58 0.405 9.36 3.730 0.285 0.194 0.204 0.0120 0.0120 1.8 8.19 3.1 0.5000 1.0200 0.0110 0.0110 4.02 8.30 3.71 0.0120 133.50 2.91 0.0087 44.1 525 535 105 109.9 121.5 534.5 6 1030 1020 1.07 110 1090 1161 1031 110 77.95 81 77.5 78 79.8 79.5 77.5 78.2 2.3

MINING & OIL 2,835,000,000 10,821,300.00 4,336,000 12,679,000.00 3,608,600 17,662,939.00 366,000 842,730.00 176,000 401,820.00 522,000 299,450.00 4,630,000 1,872,700.00 695,800 6,374,176.00 72,719,000 177,447,760.00 3,030,000 861,100.00 24,400,000 4,773,270.00 3,830,000 754,500.00 394,500,000 4,728,000.00 7,600,000 92,000.00 3,593,000 6,283,620.00 42,969,100 303,835,939.00 1,237,000 3,777,250.00 80,000 37,205.00 410,000 418,120.00 354,700,000 3,889,900.00 32,000,000 352,000.00 56,000 225,940.00 4,501,500 36,741,127.00 8,533,000 30,982,790.00 88,500,000 1,042,100.00 4,144,830 537,033,376.00 81,000 237,590.00 22,000,000 197,500.00 732,300 33,110,185.00 7,580 3,955,410.00 9,480 5,064,560 129,320 13,566,685.00 260 28,574.00 135,590 16,353,375.00 12,160 6,520,795.00 152,400 913,237.00 3,250 3,346,000.00 7,145 7,301,890.00 138,000 147,190 9,240 1,016,400.00 3,040 3,315,025.00 1,855 2,209,545.00 5,490 5,659,210.00 13,340 1,467,400.00 15,060 1,160,570.00 158,490 12,813,985.00 89,190 6,927,575.00 4,550 357,150.00 56,760 4,517,916.00 18,800 1,494,584.00 159,370 12,351,669.50 822,580 64,275,082.00 1,000 2,300.00

LR Warrant

2.260

490,000

SERVICES 3,798,725.00 12,927,970.00 255,490.00 1,541,130.00 38,837,320.00 2,112.00 149,805 846,063,149.00 10,843,040.00 16,094,570.00 169,152,302.00 38,873.00 53,970 1,455,758.00 14,350.00 28,960.00 1,403,410,525 2,733,571.00 5,462,128.00 1,736 16,735,100.00 599,404,136.00 482,568 11,800 25,738.00 493,300.00 24,852,443.00 6,507,770.00 3,726,230.00 26,440.00 2,098,634.00 10,934,756 104,600.00 241,830.00 253,420 744,000.00 78,225,140.00 267,517,670.00 45,789,200.00 187,346.00 114,200 100,000.00 4,375.00 15,546,700.00 79,553,940.00 1,097,511,760.00 481,550.00 52,422,750.00 847,158,175.00 430,488,124.00 1,338,732.00 13,718,290.00 192,443,770.00 7,419,590.00 121,500.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,126,460.00 SME 157,327,480.00 123,600.00 1,617,540.00 92,470,887.00

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

2.74 2.8 3.56 9.97

54,676,000 44,000 444,000 9,533,300

First Metro ETF

117.2

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 100,080 11,683,582.00

3.1 27.00 1.5 3.25 26.00 0.99 0.920 5.100

5,266,000 16,313,800 2,920,000 68,000 55,767,600 7,371,000 3,359,000 11,844,500

16,684,200.00 463,627,995.00 4,427,900.00 220,720.00 1,458,401,670.00 7,299,370.00 3,163,460.00 61,404,641.00

7.76 46 1.3 0.560 0.051

604,400 134,700 1,000 76,266,000 269,350,000

4,647,203.00 6,211,080.00 1,300.00 42,029,630.00 14,106,690.00

5.15 6.30 0.0750 2.76 104.7 9.53

12,300 66,325,100 224,100,000 8,444,000 2,439,830 10,700

63,675 421,837,203.00 17,763,870.00 23,794,800.00 256,882,401.00 101,971.00

6.90

539,600

3,662,600.00

985 1490 6.19 12.62 17.42 2.12 74 15.00 130 12.3 0.0092 9.14 0.199 1.3400 3.3 13.16 5.10 1.01 2.15 21.00 2 4.18 4.45 2.570 11.24 5.20 2.5

4,000 698,035 959,400 544,400 38,600 29,258,000 15,972,810 61,300 210 11,100 49,000,000 2,669,200 56,880,000 8,088,000 150,000 14,100 3,398,900 19,000 683,000 32,300 798,000 58,719,000 10,688,000 14,016,000 142,500 69,100 3,000

3,864,420.00 1,092,695,995 5,978,147.00 7,089,128.00 672,412 64,034,150.00 1,190,601,064.00 939,682 28,480 128,668.00 454,500.00 24,399,340.00 11,680,370.00 11,205,260.00 505,780.00 185,892.00 17,443,329 19,630.00 1,414,750.00 715,705 1,596,010.00 251,832,300.00 48,743,670.00 37,080,020.00 1,609,570.00 355,992 7,520.00

150.00 8.43 1406.00 0.400 1.120 43.10 78.00 5.79 2.69 0.750 3.2 0.350

122,400 2,086,900 965,810 6,470,000 89,245,000 10,662,000 3,995,930 688,800 3,932,000 107,728,000 2,576,000 120,000

18,477,502.00 17,691,516.00 1,398,934,365.00 2,600,850.00 102,631,430.00 446,879,640.00 304,768,103.50 3,941,957.00 10,678,610.00 82,041,190.00 8,318,120.00 41,480.00

0.0035 3.10 5.09 2.3600 2.3000 0.58 0.400 8.98 1.300 0.285 0.198 0.200 0.0120 0.0120 1.75 7.73 3.03 0.5000 1.0700 0.0110 0.0110 4.19 8.20 3.78 0.0120 124.00 3 0.0096 45.2 521.5 545 104.5 112.9 115.2 535 6.16 1020 1025 1.06 111 1091 1160 1030 110 77 80.1 76.5 78.5 80 79.95 77.9 78

2,250,000,000 7,731,000 12,115,000 538,000 252,000 1,291,000 1,230,000 581,100 518,081,000 50,970,000 73,050,000 10,170,000 781,700,000 310,000,000 12,213,000 74,367,500 6,398,000 38,924,000 4,711,000 48,100,000 3,600,000 88,000 12,658,700 11,903,000 2,912,400,000 47,125,199 195,000 60,000,000 530,200 3,200 23,530 126,790 80 119,980 16,220 463,400 16,260 20,805 900,000 7,800 1,215 540 3,630 34,800 28,350 158,520 6,500 20,470 4,570 46,440 91,270 234,860

7,878,500.00 24,835,300.00 54,114,510.00 1,245,340.00 597,310.00 757,060.00 491,750.00 5,113,695.00 690,967,320.00 14,937,150.00 14,707,760.00 2,073,260.00 9,454,800.00 3,854,000.00 21,000,590.00 563,465,904.00 19,002,460.00 18,694,380.00 5,073,790.00 526,200.00 39,600.00 358,460.00 107,057,696.00 45,912,050.00 35,055,700.00 370,500,770.00 588,500.00 563,700.00 24,156,600.00 1,668,150.00 12,699,050 13,224,230.00 9,032.00 14,249,922.00 8,602,560.00 2,770,146.00 16,605,200.00 21,296,800.00 954,000 858,640.00 1,325,190.00 626,300.00 3,724,950.00 3,816,480.00 2,183,881.00 12,753,392.00 495,000.00 1,584,358.00 366,600.00 3,659,678.00 7,073,251.00 18,330,244.00

2.390

768,000

1,820,870.00

2.97 2.81 3.85 9.78

2,994,200 224,000 491,000 27,772,300

10,475,790.00 634,500.00 1,879,090.00 276,620,285.00

118

113,450

13,597,329.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Apollo Global Manila Mining `A’ Oriental Pet. `A’ Pacifica `A’ STI Holdings Megaworld Century Property Boulevard Holdings Bloomberry

VOLUME 2,835,000,000 820,170,000 394,500,000 354,700,000 241,800,000 227,474,000 173,489,000 151,765,000 145,920,000 128,945,700

STOCKS DMCI Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings Universal Robina Jollibee Foods Corp.

Globe Telecom Metrobank SM Investments Inc. Banco de Oro Unibank Inc.

VALUE 2,499,698,720.00 2,420,536,025 2,103,204,505.00 1,923,356,375.00 1,806,291,558 1,649,413,050.00 1,403,410,525 1,314,797,529.50 1,313,582,245.00 1,308,523,143

standing voting shares, or such securities sufficient to gain control of the board of a listed company, is required to make a tender offer to minority shareholders.

Ongpin agreed to sell his entire 771,651,896 PhilWeb shares to Gregorio Araneta Inc. at P2.60 per share or for a total of P2 billion.

The first tranche of 653,151,896 shares will be completed through a special block sale in the Philippine Stock Exchange. The second tranche will consist of 118,500,000 shares consisting of partially paid shares, which are now fully paid but need to be registered for listing at the PSE. GAI then asked the SEC to allow the company to implement the block sale first before conducting a tender offer.

Meanwhile, PhilWeb reported a 62.8-percent drop in net income in the third quarter to P229 million after it closed down all of its e-Game cafes following the non-renewal of its gaming license.

Third-quarter revenues also declined 16.34 percent to P1.02 billion.

PhilWeb’s gaming license expired on Aug. 10, which resulted in the closure of its 286 operating e-Games cafes across the country, majority of which are owned and operated by independent operators. Jenniffer B. Austria

PAL’s income falls 55% to P2.96b

By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines said it incurred losses in the third quarter on higher expenses and weak passenger revenue in the lean season.

The airline, controlled by tycoon Lucio Tan, said it posted a comprehensive loss of P1.66 billion in July to September, a significant downturn from last year’s total comprehensive income of P611.2 million.

PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said despite the net loss in the third quarter, the company remained profitable in the first nine months.

“For the last quarter, we are expecting a profitable quarter,” Bautista said.

PAL’s total comprehensive income amounted to P2.96 billion in the ninemonth period, lower by 54.8 percent than the previous year’s total comprehensive income of P6.55 billion.

Airline revenues reached P27.78 billion in the third quarter from last year’s P26.21 billion. Of the total, passenger revenues amounted to 22.95 billion and cargo revenues, P1.85 billion.

“The 6-percent improvement in revenues was primarily due to the increase in number of passengers as a result of additional flight frequencies and introduction of new routes,” PAL said.

Revenues in January to September hit P85.35 billion, up by 3.5 percent from last year’s P82.48 billion.

Expenses in the third quarter rose 14.9 percent to P29.567 billion from P25.73 billion a year earlier, because of the increase in flights operated. For January to September, toperating expenses grew 8.9 percent to P76.21 billion.

Business Cirtek’s income rises 15% to $5.7m

By Alena Mae S. Flores CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp., a Laguna-based technology company, is bullish on its fourth-quarter operations with the rollout of more products.

Cirtek Holdings said net income after tax increased 15 percent in the first nine months to $5.7 million from $4.9 million a year ago.

Consolidated revenue grew 19 percent to $54.1 million from $45.5 million in the same period in 2015.

Cirtek Holdings said that for the radio frequency/microwave/nillimeter wave business, the company aimed to continue to deliver high-end box build finished products, test-board fabrication, test solutions and product support businesses required by customers.

It is also developing proprietary wireless products and components for the wireless communication industry and the company expects to begin manufacturing and selling these products in the fourth quarter.

Cirtek said on the antenna systems business, it would continue to expand its high capacity, multi-port, multi-band antenna business with Quintel and pursue new customers in the smart antenna space.

It also set up a new subsidiary to provide wireless infrastructure solutions, both connectivity and content, to large enterprises using internallymanufactured multi-gigabit, millimeter wave backhaul equipment and high-capacity broadband wireless access technologies.

B3

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Defense industrial parks eyed

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippines will open its doors to military equipment manufacturers and plans to set up defense industrial zones, the new head of Philippine Economic Zone Authority said over the weekend.

Newly-appointed Peza director general Charito Plaza said the agency was eyeing to establish several defense industrial parks in strategic areas that were “vulnerable to attacks.”

“We are seeing one in Palawan because it is facing Spratly [Islands], another in Zambales because it is facing Scarborough. We might continue with Olongapo as a shipyard and as [base for] aircraft manufacturing industries,” she said.

“I also suggested to have two in Mindanao. We can modernize the Armed

Forces and the police once we have established these parks,” Plaza told reporters at the sidelines of the 7th anniversary of KMC Saville in Makati City.

“Hopefully, these will deter attacks,” she said, adding that the Philippines was now an open market and no longer an exclusive military base of the US. Plaza said Peza extended open invitations to the world’s defense industries to locate in Philippine defense zones.

She said an ongoing project was the DND Arsenal, a defense industrial com-

plex in Bataan province which was a result of the collaboration between the Defense Department and Peza.

All products manufactured inside the defense industrial parks will be for export, she said.

“But we are also looking at a business agreement that instead of them leasing for land, they can pay us in terms of the equipment we need. For example, within how many years can they supply us, say, of a squadron of military aircraft or a fleet of ships for our navy,” said Plaza, who is a reservist military officer.

She said Peza recently attended a military police forum in Qatar where the participants were defense industries of 86 countries.

“So you see, we have started window shopping already,” she said, adding that the Philippines had a standing offer to the defense industries of Russia, China,

PAL HOSTS AAPA ASSEMBLY. Member-airlines of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines gathered in Manila Nov. 17 to 18 to discuss common issues during the association’s 60th Assembly of Presidents hosted by Philippine Airlines. Shown are (from left) Royal Brunei Airlines chief executive Karam Chand, Garuda Airlines director of operations Novianto Herupratomo, European Commission deputy secretary general Henrik Hololei, Bangkok Airways president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, Japan Airlines chairman Masaru Onishi, Cathay Dragon chief executive Algernon Yau, EVA Airways executive vice president Alberto Liao, Air Astana senior vice president Ibrahim Canliel, Korean Air president Chang Hoon Chi, Thai Airways president Charamporn Jotikasthira, Cathay Pacific Airways chief executive Ivan Chu, PAL president Jaime Bautista, China Airlines senior vice president Steve Chang, Malaysia Airlines Group chief executive Peter Bellew, Transportation undersecretary Roberto Lim, AAPA director general Andrew Herdman, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines director general Jim Sydiongco, All Nipon Airways president Osamu Shinobe, Singapore Airlines chief executive Goh Choon Phong and Asiana Airlines senior vice president Il-Nam Jin.

SR Metals cited as one of best mining companies

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales 96.52 percent in 2015; and Metals president Miguel Alber- Philippine Mineral Exploration SR Metals Inc., a nickel-mining company in Tubay, Agusan del Norte, was awarded as one of the best mining companies in the country.

SRMI recently bagged the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award, the highest recognition given to outstanding companies involved in mineral utilization.

Since the company joined the mining competition, SR Metals has been showcasing its global best practices.

The company garnered 93.25 percent PMIEA rating in 2014;

95.58 percent in 2016.

SRMI’s Junrey Rada also received the best surface miner award.

The company was also awarded the safest surface mining operations; and two best community relations practices―Demo Farm and special skills training and employment for women.

“We always try our best to go beyond what is required but all of these would not have been possible without our strong friendship and partnership with our stakeholders, the local and national government,” said SR

to Gutierrez.

Criteria and selection mechanics for the award was formulated by the selection committee composed of eight members from different government agencies and from the private sector, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association and

Association.

Gutierrez said this year was “more challenging than usual” and acknowledged the mandate of President Rodrigo Duterte to DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau to conduct an audit to all mining companies.

“We are very grateful to MGB director Louie Jacinto for the opportunity, through the agency’s tough but fair mining audit, that SR Metals is one with the government in observing the industry standards by sharing the concept of the common good,” he said.

Ms. Maret Follosco-Bautista: The Idealist PETER JOHN DE CASTRO

GREEN LIGHT IN businesses and industries traditionally dominated by men, accomplishments of great women are formidable on its own. The numbers of women in position are still a handful and that is why it is so exciting and refreshing to see female business leaders succeed in their fields. Our group was tasked to introduce one of the smartest and compassionate entrepreneurs in our country today. She is Ms. Maret Follosco-Bautista, the president of CL Follosco Group of Companies.

The alumna of the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics had her MBA degree in Fordham University in New York. Ms. Maret is a financial and investment consultant, and a business coach/mentor. She has attended some of the most important international conferences like the recently held Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility in Myanmar. She also regularly facilitates seminars and lectures which aim to give additional industry-related knowledge and empower our fellow countrymen.

Building on the values and vision of the founder Ms. Maret started by telling the story of how their business grew.

Israel and Japan to put up their own armament manufacturing in the Philippines.

Plaza has military background, having served in the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force.

She was the first lady general of the AFP reserve force with the rank of brigadier general.

Peza asked the Environment Department, the Philippine Reclamation Authority and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authorit to give an inventory of existing vacant lands, islands, public and private lands that could be used as sites for different kinds of ecozones.

Peza oversess 72 manufacturing economic zones, 234 information technology parks, 21 agro-industrial economic zones, 17 tourism economic zones and 2 medical tourism parks.

From agricultural machinery and engineering, it expanded to manufacturing, consultancy, finance and lending and warehouse and logistics. They even ventured into investment and business process outsourcing. The extension to several different industries is a result of connecting the gaps and creating linkages, ultimately in the attempt to support their core business.

She highlighted that all the things they have now wouldn’t be possible without the vision and hardship of his father, Dr. Ceferino Follosco. Ms. Maret noted that discipline, hard work and delayed gratification are the key values that she got from her dad. She also shared that their family only live a simple life which is rooted in her father’s frugality.

It is inspiring to know that the legacy left by Dr. Follosco was not just the actual business, but more importantly the honorable value-system that the family is applying in their own lives. Another quintessential trait that I observed, aside from being family-oriented, is that they are forward-looking. They are prepared on whatever will happen in the future as they have established their very own medical, educational and retirement fund up to their second generation. She added that the desire to give a better future for their loved ones also serves as an intrinsic moti-

vation to ensure that their family business will continue to become profitable.

Seeing the world as it should be To be honest, I have never seen a “grown-up” to be as idealistic as her. Usually, this type of behavior can only be seen from those who just graduated – from the young ones. They have this relentless desire to improve the world. Idealists are very considerate towards others to the extent that they would support them and stand up for them. They are very generous and cooperative.

Moreover, these type of people are optimistic and see the world as how it “should” be.

I have seen all these traits from Ms. Maret and I admired her for that. Long time ago, even before CSR becomes a buzzword in business, the Follosco family has been very active in helping the farmers upgrade their way of life. They finance and even guide those people who are in the agricultural sector every step of the way to ensure that they would be successful in their line of work.

Picturing a more perfect world Ms. Maret said that they are genuinely happy and proud of those whom they were able to assist and it doesn’t bother her if later on, they become one of the players in the industry. It is very selfless of her to think that

way and it made me realize that you can be prosperous while doing something to promote other people’s welfare. She aims for sustainable growth and socioeconomic development.

Not only is the president of CL Follosco Group of Companies beautiful and elegant, but she is also calm, gracious, kind and sincere. These qualities among others are something that differentiate her from other businessmen and women.

What’s funny is I think her idealism is so contagious that I picture a more perfect world with more people like her in it. I would like to see men and women in power as selfless and compassionate as her. And I think it is possible by starting it in ourselves. After all, it is not hard to say, we may be the next CEOs of SMEs and big companies in our country.

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This essay is part of a journal he keeps in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Trends and issues in Business and Management: CEO Series. Visit his blog at http:// lifeinthesaurus.weebly.com/.

The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

BAT launches e-cigarette as alternative to tobacco

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE British American Tobacco said will launch an “alternative to tobacco” product in the Philippines, the first country in AsiaPacific to take advantage of the growing vape market.

BAT head of government regulatory affairs Robert Eugenio told reporters in a media roundtable the Philippines would become the first country in the Asia and Pacific region to avail of Vype E-pen, BAT’s e-cigarette brand, following successful launches in Europe and South America.

“It’s just a combination of business consideration, regulatory environment. It’s a combination of many factors,” Eugenio said.

Eugenio said there were no laws in the country regulating the market of e-cigarettes or vape industry.

BAT said Vype would be available in selected convenience stores in the country.

Vype E-pen is a vapor device with easy-to-change e-liquid caps with two power settings, delivering rich vapor at the click of a button.

The design also offers one-step charging micro USB cable, a battery life indicator and auto shutdown when the device is used for 10 minutes.

Eugenio said despite offering new product, BAT would not completely shift to e-cigarette products and leave their tobaccocombustion market.

“We, of course, are still focused on trying to grow our shares in combustible business. This is an additional part of our business but i wouldn’t call that a shift. We have seen that there is a growing market for e-cigarettes here. From a commercial stand point, we are hopeful that we will be able to drive our share of that emerging market,” Eugenio said.

BAT is the maker of Pall Mall and Lucky Strike cigarettes.

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

B4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Facebook buys back shares for first time FACEBOOK Inc. said it will buy back as much as $6 billion in shares, its first repurchase program, in a bid to appease shareholders awaiting the results of big investments in potentially risky new growth areas.

The buyback involves Class A common stock and will start in the first quarter of 2017, the company said in a regulatory filing. Facebook has $26 billion in cash and marketable securities and is deploying some of that for buybacks while still planning to increase its spending on growing the business.

Facebook shares rose 1 percent in after-hours trading Friday, following the news.

The company joins a growing group of big US technology firms using buybacks to keep shareholders happy. The boom in digital advertising has left Facebook and Alphabet Inc.’s Google with billions in cash and investors often complain if that’s not being put to profitable use.

“Facebook is very efficient with its capital and very responsible with how it uses that capital,” said Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group, citing multibillion dollar acquisitions of WhatsApp and Oculus in 2014. “Although some people took issue with their choices at the time, they clearly saw value.”

Still, Facebook has been an outlier. Among the top 10 U.S. technology companies, ranked by cash and marketable securities, Facebook was the only one not buying back stock, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Alphabet announced its first buyback in October 2015. Apple Inc. began repurchases in 2012.

US technology companies have more than doubled their repurchases of shares since 2012, spending $131 billion last year, according to Bloomberg data on companies in the sector worth more than $5 billion. Bloomberg

Business

Asia to narrow trade focus to regional body L IMA, Peru—Fast-growing Asia-Pacific economies will strike more trade deals among themselves as opposition grows in Europe and the US to globalization, analysts say, warning the West will lose out as the dynamic region powers ahead.

The most high-profile victim of recent protectionist sentiments has been a major US-led trans-Pacific deal, which is as good as dead after the shock American election victory of Donald Trump this month.

The Trans Pacific-Partnership, an agreement of 12 Pacific Rim economies, was the economic plank of President Barack Obama’s “pivot” to Asia, and notably excluded China as the US sought to combat Beijing’s

rising influence.

But it is just the latest accord to run into trouble amid growing protectionism in developed economies, where globalization is increasingly regarded as a bogeyman responsible for sending jobs abroad and eroding living standards.

A proposed deal between the European Union and the US is now unlikely to be signed after Trump’s win, while a trade accord between the EU and Canada

took seven years to complete and was nearly torpedoed by resistance from a tiny Belgian region.

Given such problems, much of Asia—where economies have generally enjoyed robust growth in recent years and are heavily dependent on exports—will be looking with trepidation at potential accords with the West, analysts say.

“The result of having the US and Europe turn inward is that Asia will focus on regional agreements,” said Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore.

“The global system will not function if the US blocks action and the EU remains stymied.”

The immediate effect will be to give China a free hand to push its own favored regional accords,

a heavy blow to Obama, who had hoped the TPP would allow the US to write the region’s trade rules before Beijing got there.

At a meeting of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group in Peru this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping took the opportunity to urge support for two potential accords it is backing.

These are an APEC-wide deal, and a 16-nation agreement whose members include Southeast Asian countries and India, but notably excludes the United States.

In reality, myriad small-scale trade deals had already mushroomed in Asia in recent years as efforts to forge truly global accords through the World Trade Organization proved difficult. AFP

DEMONETIZED NOTES. People walk past replica prints of the demonetized 500 and 1000 rupee notes as part of a street art exhibition in Mumbai on Nov. 20, 2016. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Nov. 8 that that 500 and 1,000 rupee ($7.50, $15) bills—85 percent of the cash in circulation--would cease to be legal tender in a crackdown on fraud and tax evasion. AFP

China pushes free trade LIMA, Peru—Chinese President Xi Jinping touted his country as a leader on free trade at a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders Saturday, stepping up to fill a void left by US President-elect Donald Trump’s protectionism.

Trump’s shock election victory has created a “hinge moment” in US-China ties, Xi warned as he held his final meeting with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of a summit in Lima, Peru.

“I hope the two sides will work together to focus on cooperation, manage our differences and make sure there is a smooth transition in the relationship and that it will continue to grow going forward,” Xi said.

Obama, who is on his final foreign tour as president, described the relationship as “the most consequential in the world.”

During a vitriol-filled campaign, Trump frequently took a combative stance against China, blaming Beijing for “inventing” climate change and rigging the rules of trade.

The brash billionaire’s attacks on free trade deals and vows to cut back the US role as “policeman of the world” are causing jitters in the Pacific Rim, where the United States and China battle for influence.

Trump has vowed to kill Obama’s signature trade initiative in the region, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP—an arduously negotiated 12-country deal that pointedly excludes China.

Trump campaigned against the proposal as a “terrible deal” that would “rape” the United States by sending American jobs to countries with cheaper labor.

In a Pacific region hungry for trade, that has left even longtime US allies looking to China to fill the void.

Beijing is pushing two alternative plans, one that is regionwide and one that excludes the United States.

Xi urged regional leaders to advance both plans at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

That positions China, a country the United States once considered a threat to free-market capitalism, as the unlikely leader of the movement for open trade.

“Openness is vital for the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific,” Xi said in a keynote address.

In the face of Trump’s protectionist rhetoric, he vowed China “will not shut its door to the outside world, but open it even wider.” AFP

Martha Stewart wants you to cook her Thanksgiving dinner THIS is the moment of the aspiring chef.

Want to have your groceries delivered to your door?

Easy. Make the same dinners as world-famous restaurateurs?

No problem. Do both, together? There’s a meal kit for you, whatever your diet—omnivore, vegan, gluten-free, organic, kidfriendly, or some combination.

Yet, despite all the options, the buzz and an estimated market value of $1.5 billion, only 3 percent of US adults have tried a meal kit, according to a recent

survey from NPD Group.

Martha Stewart is determined to change that.

In August, Stewart announced that she was teaming up with Marley Spoon, a Berlin meal kit company that offers its subscription and delivery service in Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K. On Oct. 3, the rebranded US arm, Martha & Marley Spoon, based in New York City, announced a particularly American opportunity to give it a go: Thanksgiving.

For $179, customers could

order the recipes and all the ingredients they need to make a Martha Stewart-approved Thanksgiving dinner for eight to 10 of the loved ones they deem Martha-worthy. That includes a 12- to 14-pound free-range, antibiotic-free turkey, along with the gravy, sides of stuffing, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes (a Stewart family recipe), and apple pie. (A box with just the sides is available for $119.)

As with any Martha & Marley Spoon box, customers will still have to put in the cooking,

setup, and cleaning time themselves. For those who missed their chance on Thanksgiving— ordering ended November 16— the box was successful enough that the Martha & Marley Spoon team plans to run more specialized holiday boxes.

Like many of its competitors, Martha & Marley Spoon makes a selling point of high-quality, carefully selected ingredients.

In this case, the turkeys are the main attraction. The team looked at a number of options, narrowed them down to three

front-runners, held multiple taste tests over the summer, and ultimately decided on Goffle Road Free Range Poultry Farms, in Martha’s home state of New Jersey.

Run by Joseph Goffle, the third generation in his family’s 68-year-old business, the farm easily met the Martha & Marley Spoon animal husbandry standards, and further impressed the company with its environmentally friendly approach, including solar panels that provide 25 percewnt of the farm’s electric-

ity. Most important, the birds themselves “were exactly what we wanted — the right size, the right flavor, super juicy, great texture to the meat,” Culinary Director Jennifer Aaronson said.

The farm raises only about 25,000 turkeys each season, and Martha & Marley Spoon had dibs on just 10,000 of them. But Fabian Siegel, founder and chief executive of Marley Spoon, hopes to find new customers beyond the holiday. “Why not make weeknight cooking just as easy?” he said. Bloomberg

Trump University settles fraud claims PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle claims that his defunct Trump University cheated more than 6,000 students with false promises of teaching them his real estate secrets, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement.

The deal, announced Friday minutes before the start of a court hearing in San Diego, will resolve two lawsuits in California by former students, as well as New York’s fraud case filed in 2013, Schneiderman’s office said. One of the San Diego cases was scheduled for trial in 10 days.

Trump, 70, was accused of conning thousands of students, including many senior citizens,

into paying as much as $35,000 for real-estate seminars by falsely telling them they’d be taught by his handpicked instructors at an accredited university.

Trump has repeatedly denied the fraud allegations and has cited Trump University’s 98 percent approval rating as evidence the program was providing valuable instruction.

US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego was set to consider Trump’s request to postpone the Nov. 28 trial until after his inauguration.

The class action was brought on behalf of former students from California, Florida and New York. A separate case in which a nationwide group of ex-students accuse Trump of

racketeering, also before Curiel, hadn’t been scheduled for trial.

Schneiderman claimed students lost as much as $40 million and that Trump may have personally made as much as $5 million from the school.

“Donald Trump fought us every step of the way, filing baseless charges and fruitless appeals and refusing to settle for even modest amounts of compensation for the victims of his phony university,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “Today, that all changes. Today’s $25 million settlement agreement is a stunning reversal by Donald Trump and a major victory for the over 6,000 victims of his fraudulent university.”

Bloomberg

APEC LEADERS. China’s President Xi Jinping waits for a meeting with US President Barack Obama November 19, 2016 in Lima, Peru. AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

C1

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

GIANT STRIDES. Children carry the huge paper-mache giants that are a staple of the annual Higantes Festival parade along the streets of Angono, Rizal on Sunday. Teddy Pelaez

Manila will be prepared for ‘Big One’ —Estrada ABOUT 70 to 80 percent of the City of Manila’s population is ready when the “Big One” earthquake or similar disaster comes, Mayor Joseph Estrada stressed yesterday.

Estrada issued the statement following a magnitude 5.0 earthquake that rocked General Nakar in Quezon provinces last November 10, which was felt in the National Capital Region, including Manila.

“For three and a half years since I was elected as mayor, we have intensified our disaster preparedness program because we don’t know when it will happen,” said Estrada.

Manila’s rescue and emergency units are now fully equipped and trained “as we have invested heavily in equipment, machines and vehicles for immediate use when a disaster strikes,” the mayor said.

Disaster readiness and resiliency is one of Estrada’s priority programs, and the city government has poured in over P600 million for continuous disaster risk reduction and response capability building at the grassroots level.

Citing the typhoons “Ondoy” and “Yolanda” that hit the country and inundated Manila in 2009 and 2013 respectively, Estrada said every local government should be prepared for the “Big One.” “We should not be caught off guard by super typhoons and other calamities, such as earthquakes.

We ought to be prepared to avert the loss of lives, millions of lives,” Estrada said.

The Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that it has formed community response teams in every barangay in the city, composed of 2,000 volunteers.

“At ‘yung may mga areas na may request, mga schools, mga hospitals ‘yun ‘yung mga tinuturuan namin ngayon para mas dumami ang volunteers and at the same time, they will know what to do kung may sakuna,” explained Johnny Yu, MDRRMO officer-in-charge.

In case of the expected “Big One”—a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake, by definition of local disaster experts—the MetroManila Development Authority had said that most parts of the City of Manila would be destroyed by huge fires or swept away by hundred-meter tall tsunamis, causing deaths and massive destruction.

Based on the 2004 Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study made by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the MMDA and Japan International Cooperation Agency, there would be 35,000 deaths in Metro Manila in the first hour alone, over 100,000 injured, and at least 500 instantaneous fires, most of which would be in Manila.

Sandy Araneta

Wanda tours blast site, urges tourists to visit Davao again D AVAO CITY—Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo visited the Roxas Night Market on Saturday night for the first time since the deadly September blasts to pay her respects to the victims.

Teo and other tourism officials 15 persons who were killed. each offered a rose at the memo“I felt sad that this happened, rial mounted at the market for the but now it has improved, every-

thing is back to normal and we invite everyone to come here to see that Davao is still safe,” Teo told reporters.

Since the blast, law enforcement authorities have bolstered security efforts especially in urban centers here for other possible terroristic attempts.

Military, police and volunteers are now stationed at the market’s

entrances and exits to inspect bags.

It was business as usual at the night market, which is popular among locals and tourists alike for its cheap food, clothes, massage services and the like.

Local masseuses admitted that although they were initially afraid to resume their work after the bloody attack, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio assured them

Sara Duterte: City remains on high terrorist alert DAVAO CITY—This city remains on high alert even as suspects of the September 2 bombing are currently detained at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Mayor Sara Duterte said over the weekend.

Authorities had earlier announced that the city will be on high alert following the bombing that killed 15 civilians at the Roxas Night Market, Last month, several suspects, believed to be members of the Maute group,

were arrested.

Duterte said during the 1st City Peace and Order Council meeting that Davao will stay on high alert because of the military’s continued operation against other bombing suspects in Western Mindanao.

“The suspects were transferred here in Davao City and they are in the custody of the DCPO,” she said. “I’m sure they are doing their best in securing the city as well as the suspects while the pros-

ecutor’s office files charges against them.”

The city’s security forces remain vigilant since Davao is the home of the President and the mayor’s father, Rodrigo Duterte.

Sara Duterte also cited the activation of Joint Task Force Haribon, which specializes in counterterrorism.

Task Force Davao commander Col. Erwin Bernard Neri said his troops are currently training to boost their counterterrorism preparedness with an eye on the neu-

tralizing the Maute Group.

“We are currently building up our counter terrorism activity, but we are also quite confident with our anti-terrorism action since there was no terror groups spotted here in Davao,” Neri said.

Since he took office after the bombing, Neri said his troops have been putting all their effort in preventing any terrorist group to enter the city, along with stricter checkpoint operations at entrance and exit points of the city.

F. Pearl A. Gajunera

ALL AGLOW.

Colorful lights blanket the City Hall of Mandaluyong as officials led by Mayor Menchie Abalos attend the annual Christmas lighting ceremony on Friday, November 18.

Manny Palmero

Cordillera records 6-percent hike in dengue cases BAGUIO CITY—The Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DoH-CAR) reported a six-percent rise in the number of dengue fever cases regionwide for the first ten months of 2016, including 20 deaths so far.

The total number of cases hit 10,003 compared to 9,438 cases during the similar period last year, said Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi, DoH-CAR regional director.

Only 12 people died from dengue from January to October 2015, Legaspi added.

Overall, dengue cases in the region have decreased below the epidemic threshold, Legas-

pi said, but “there is still a need for people to be vigilant against this illness in their places.”

Dengue cases in Benguet rose 132 percent to 4,086 compared to 1,760 in the 10-month period last year, followed by Baguio City, which reported a 110-percent increase with 2,804 cases this year so far.

Ifugao this year has 973 cases, up 34 percent, while Kalinga reported a drop of 72 percent to just 650 dengue cases. Abra’s cases also fell 63 percent to 360 dengue victims in 2016.

Areas outside the Cordillera Administrative Region

recorded a 57-percent drop to 307 cases, Apayao’s dengue victims fell 54 percent to 414, and Mountain Province cases dropped 42 percent to 409.

Patients nine to 96 years old contracted dengue in the region, with a median age of 21 years old, while men made up over half (53.7 percent) of the cases.

Clustering of dengue cases was noted in some barangays in Baguio, Benguet and Mountain Province, thus DoH-CAR encouraged continuous cooperation and coordination of all sectors to help boost the 4S

campaign against Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika and Japanese encephalitis.

The regional office also urged local officials to conduct a weekly cleanup drive, especially in areas that have observed clustering of the mosquito-borne diseases for almost two weeks.

Legaspi reminded the public to observe cleanliness inside and outside their houses, especially in getting rid of clear and stagnant water, which are breeding grounds for the day-biting mosquitoes that transmit the virus to humans. Dexter A. See

that authorities would keep them safe.

Some vendors said that despite their fears, they knew they needed to return to work to earn a living for their families.

Teo later toured the 300-meter stretch of the market for durian ice cream, and reassured visitors that terrorism should not deter people from doing normal activities. PNA

String of Mindoro murders continues

By Robert A. Evora CALAPAN CITY—A former vice mayor of a neighboring municipality was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen riding on a motorcycle at dusk on Saturday, amid fears of the growing unsolved murder cases in Oriental Mindoro province.

Killed on the spot was former Vice Mayor Wilson Viray, 51, also a former town councilor of nearby Naujan municipality, southwest of this capital city.

Initial police reports said Viray was on his way home to Barangay Sampaguita on board a pickup truck from his farm in Barangay Sto. Nino when a motorcycle blocked his vehicle.

An unidentified gunman alighted from the motorcycle and peppered Viray with bullets.

Viray suffered six gunshot wounds to his body from a still-unknown type of firearm. The gunman spared Viray’s Mangyan companion.

According to his supporters, Viray was not involved in any wrongdoing before he was ambushed. He ran for the same position under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance in the local election last May, but lost.

Two sensational murder cases here that happened in August and October remain unsolved.

A young jobless female, Quency de los Reyes, 29, was murdered on August 6 in this city inside the house of a barangay councilor, Leo Macalalad, and three other suspected accomplices. Macalalad is facing a murder charge while the other suspects are free and still moving around the city.

Last October 9, anti-crime crusader Zenaida M. Luz was ambushed in front of her house in Barangay Quinabigan at Gloria town.

Two police chiefs, Chief Inspector Mark Almeranez of Calapan City and Senior Inspector Magdaleno Pimentel of San Teodoro municipality, were tagged as principal suspects in Luz’s killing.

Almeranez and Pimentel were wounded during a gunbattle with members of the Gloria Police Station, headed by Chief Inspector Ruelito Fronda.

When Gloria policemen, led by Fronda, approached the wounded suspects, they found Almeranez wearing a wig, while Pimentel was wearing a ski mask. Also recovered were bullets, a motorcycle they used as their getaway vehicle, pistols and other paraphernalia.

C2

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

LGUs

Much debate over a flea market

By Ferdie G. Domingo

Farmers receive agri land in Donsol THE Department of Agrarian Reform recently distributed 120 hectares of agricultural lands in Donsol town in the province of Sorsogon.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Leonito M. Gaveria said 35 farmer-beneficiaries of the program received the certificate of landownership award. They now expect “a great improvement in their economic lives.”

“The DAR’s mission is not only to distribute lands to landless farmers, but also to provide support services because our purpose is not only to make you owners of the land you till, but also to transform you into entrepreneurs,” Gaveria told the farmers.

Gaveria advised the farmers to join in agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations so they would benefit more from DAR’s support services.

He cited the Village-Level Processing Center Enhancement Project in Bulan, Sorsogon, and other projects under the program beneficiaries’ development as examples of how the DAR transforms the ARBs into entrepreneurs.

Donsol Mayor Josephine Alcantara-Cruz said the beneficiaries are very fortunate to have these opportunities. “Make your land productive, it is your ticket as your way out from poverty,” she told the farmers.

Land Bank of the Philippines Representative Rollie Dela Peña said private individuals used to own the distributed properties and that the new CLOA holders should pay their amortizations to the bank.

“I am so thankful to DAR because I got this land. Me and my fellow beneficiaries will pay our dues and we promise that we will do our best to develop these landholdings,” said Fe Tan, one of the land recipients. PIA

Ex-rebels get P65k each from Davao govt DAVAO CITY—The City Social Services and Development Office recently turned over livelihood assistance amounting to P65,000 for each of the 35 former rebels who have returned to the fold.

The assistance came from the budget of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process and was downloaded to the city’s Department of the Interior and Local Government office, CSSDO head Ma. Luisa Bermudo said.

Bermudo’s office is tasked to make sure the rebels will have a better life after they return to the fold through the Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

“The Mayor [Sara Duterte] tasked us to monitor them, they will be checked regularly and they will also be the priority of our housing project in Los Amigos, Tugbok or in Lasang,” Bermudo said.

Duterte encouraged more rebels to reintegrate with lawful society and be role models to their colleagues who are still in the mountains and “give peace a chance.”

“We in the local government believe that people can still change, that is the reason behind the establishment of the CLIP under the CSSDO to help everyone who wants to change,” Duterte said.

The rebel returnees will also be automatically enrolled to PhilHealth for their health care assistance. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

C

ABANATUAN CITY – A “baratilyo” or flea market has led to the closure of two busy thoroughfares at the public market, triggering heavy traffic, lower income for local market vendors, and a raging debate on the city council.

TURTLE TEACHING. Students of Justice Emilio Angeles Gancayco High School in Orion, Bataan participate in an environmental forum on the

protection of native turtles in the province. Under the leadership of provincial environment officer Raul Mamac, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Bataan launched an information campaign on the protection of endangered turtle species in the province. Also in photo is community environment official Merliza Arrogante-Torre. Butch Gunio

Court stops damage to Sabangan watershed BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Regional Trial Court Branch 35 here has granted the petition of concerned residents of Sabangan town for a permanent environment protection order against individuals who have been converting the Batacang forest reservation into vegetable gardens.

In a five-page order, Judge Joseph Patnaan ordered the Cordillera office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Sabangan to stop and prevent the respondents and anybody acting

on their behalf from converting the portions of the forest zone.

The respondents have even been granted tax declarations in creating their veggie gardens at Am-amoting and Ambango in Batacang and Obuainto, but the PEPO prevents them “rom cutting trees for ‘kaingin’ farming, earthmoving and land conversion activities, using chemical fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, and other substances that pollute the soil, water and air.”

The court also ordered the concerned government agencies to plant trees in the denuded portions

of the reservation or spots damaged by the earthmoving and bulldozing activities.

Patnaan ordered the government agencies to guard and patrol the subject area to prevent the illegal and destructive activities, and apprehend and prosecute all violators. The court also required DENR-CAR and CENRO Sabangan “to perform all needed measures to ensure the protection and preservation of the environment.”

The respondents were ordered to immediately remove their barbedwire fences that “restrict the com-

munity from use and enjoyment of the communal forest zone.”

The court also directed the provincial assessor and municipal assessor of Sabangan to stop issuing tax declarations without compliance with the provisions of Section 84 of Presidential Decree 705, or the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, and other related laws, Patnaan also ordered the immediate cancellation of the issued tax declarations of the respondents over the subject area at Batacang, Amamoting, Amango, Ubua, Data, and Sabangan. Dexter A. See

The city government had authorized the flea market, operated by MV Lo, to run at the heart of Cabanatuan’s central business district.

But vendors at the public market have complained that the move to accommodate the makeshift structure was “anti-poor” and cut into their sales.

The baratilyo also led to the closure of Burgos and Paco Roman streets, leaving tricycles and private motorists to take other roads, worsening the traffic in this city that is home to an estimated 14,000 tricycles.

The city government, led by Mayor Julius Cesar “Jay” Vergara, granted MV Lo a special permit for the flea market for a fee of P37,500. But MV Lo has charged stall tenants at the baratilyo rent of P50,000 each, the Manila Standard learned.

Members of the Sangguniang Panlunsod have clashed over the legality of the flea market, with Vice Mayor Emmanuel Antonio Umali—a political opponent of Vergara—branding the move as “heartless” and grossly disadvantageous to local stall owners and market vendors.

During a recent SP session, councilors disagreed on whether to hold a public hearing on the issue to allow MV Lo to operate the flea market.

Vergara’s Liberal Party colleague, Councilor Ruben Ilagan V, said a public hearing is no longer necessary, since the closure of the Burgos and Paco Roman roads is only temporary.

Umali’s ally, Councilor Nero Mercado of the Unang Sigaw party, disagreed with Ilagan, saying the sentiments of the stallholders in the public market needed to be heard in the public hearing.

Mercado recalled that in the past, flea markets were also set up at the Plaza Lucero, but these were never in order since they blocked the road, causing chaos.

However, the flea markets thrived because no one among the previous SP members opposed it, including Umali’s predecessor, Marius Garcia, Vergara’s partymate.

Umali said he is opposed to the baratilyo because it is now impeding the flow of traffic within the public market as expected.

S. African envoy eyes better ties with northern traders BAGUIO CITY—South African Ambassador to the Philippines Martin Slabber wants his country to have stronger business ties with their Philippine counterparts in mining, agriculture and tourism to boost the robust economy of both nations.

Slabber met with officials of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry—Baguio-Benguet Chapter (PCCI-BBC) to enhance future partnerships and trading between the countries.

“We want to keep our doors open to better ties among our local businessmen. Our country is a strong mining nation, which we want to share to our counterparts in the Philippines to make mining vibrant in the coming years,” Slabber stressed.

The ambassador was also open to suggestions from the PCCI-BBC to have a twinning agreement with one of the South African chambers to help boost trade and commerce, especially on food and agriculture.

South Africa is also open for an educational exchange for the youth of both nations to be fully educated

in an enhanced international cultural exchange that will make them fully aware of the countries’socio-economic policies.

South African businessmen are looking to partner with Filipinos to help promote locally produced products in the global market, and for South African products to be given access to international commerce through the Philippines, Slabber said.

Modesto Imayaho, PCCI-BBC president, expressed his gratitude to the South African delegation that visited the city. Local businessmen are optimistic of increasing trade between the two countries and are looking at effectively and efficiently marketing their products abroad.

Joining Imayaho were PCCINorth Luzon Area vice president engineer. Alfonso T. Lao, PCCICAR Regional Governor Juan Johnny dela Cruz, and PCCI-BBC’s Board Secretary Tom Panis, Auditor Deimler O. Cuyan, former president Rhodora Ngolob, director Mario Alzona, Jr., and Treasurer Dennis Sy. Dexter A. See

FOR THE CHILDREN. Mariveles Mayor AJ Concepcion and Councilors Tito Catipon and Susan Murillo

(from left) award a teacher-trainer in a town-wide campus fair celebrating the 2016 Children’s Month at the Mariveles Sports Complex in Bataan. The protection of children is a priority program of Concepcion’s administration. Butch Gunio

Manila

World Haitians hope to restore order PORT-AU-PRINCE―Haitians go to the polls Sunday to elect a president and lawmakers, in hopes of restoring the country to constitutional order after more than a year of political crisis.

Nearly 6.2 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots to choose among a vast field of 27 presidential candidates.

The Caribbean nation―the poorest in the Americas―had a brutal struggle to end slavery and colonialism followed by decades of corrupt autocracy and, in recent years, a series of crippling natural disasters.

Coming three decades after the fall of the Duvalier dictatorships, Sunday’s delayed polls for president and part of parliament could mark a chance to start building the institutions of constitutional rule.

But many challenges―poverty, civil unrest, corruption and the lingering effects of the 2010 earthquake, a cholera epidemic and last month’s severe hurricane―remain to cloud the poll.

The first round of the presidential election was scheduled for October 9, but was delayed after devastating Hurricane Matthew pummeled the country on October 4.

Sunday’s vote originally had been set for October 2015, but it was scrapped over claims of massive fraud.

The cancellation prevented President Michel Martelly, a popular singer elected in May 2011, from transferring power to his successor, picked by popular vote, by February 7 as the Haitian constitution requires.

Martelly had won the 2011 runoff vote only after his opponent Jude Celestin was disqualified for alleged fraud. AFP

Standard

TODAY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Merkel seen announcing her bid for a fourth term B

ERLIN―German Chancellor Angela Merkel was expected to announce her bid for reelection Sunday in a move likely to be welcomed in many capitals as a sign of stability following shock poll triumphs for Brexit and Donald Trump.

Francis closes jubilee of saints VATICAN CITY―Pope Francis will bring to a close his “Year of Mercy” Sunday, shutting the Holy Door at Saint Peter’s after a packed 12 months that has seen him raise Mother Teresa to sainthood and rehome Syrian refugees.

The Argentine, who has modeled himself on Saint Francis of Assisi, spent the year with the downtrodden, holding special masses and passing one Friday every month with refugees, victims of sex trafficking, the sick, the elderly, and vulnerable children.

He will close the panelled bronze doors at the Vatican’s basilica, which will later be walled up from the inside as per tradition.

The “extraordinary Jubilee”, only the third since the tradition began 700 years ago, kicked off amid security concerns, with fears of possible jihadist attacks.

Police with submachine guns stood guard next to Swiss guards around the tiny state.

In defiance, not one but two men in white attended the opening ceremony: Francis welcoming his predecessor Benedict XVI in a move that marked the first time a current and former pope launched a jubilee year together.

The watchword, mercy, meant helping the unfortunate and welcoming back into the fold sinners and outcasts -- an attitude of compassion the pope hoped would not only counter xenophobia but also bump up the numbers in church pews.

Francis ruled that during the jubilee every priest in the world would be able to absolve the sin of abortion, and handpicked over 1,000 “missionaries of mercy” dubbed “super confessors”.

These were able to forgive sins usually only pardonable by the pontiff, from attempting to kill the holy father to defiling the Eucharist―the rite of consuming consecrated bread and wine in Church―by spitting it out or using it in a Satanic ritual. AFP

C3

PRESENT. Actress Danielle Panabaker attends the 1st annual Marie Claire Young Women’s Honors at Marina del Rey Marriott on November 19, 2016, in Marina del Rey, California. AFP

Bergman script to be turned into movie STOCKHOLM―Discovered in Ingmar Bergman’s archive, a previously unknown manuscript about sexual and social revolution in the 1960s is to be turned into a movie, nearly a decade after the Swedish director’s death.

“Sixty-four minutes with Rebecka,” written by the legendary filmmaker when he was aged 51, was found in 2002 when Bergman donated his work to an institute in his name, shelved among thousands of letters, completed screenplays and photographs.

“Finding an unknown but finished Ingmar Bergman screenplay would be the equivalent of finding a manuscript by Hemingway or if not Shakespeare,” Jan Holmberg, head of the Ingmar Berman Foundation, told AFP. Known for broaching issues of death, loneliness and religious self-doubt, Bergman portrays the main character Rebecka as an emotionally alienated teacher of deaf mutes, seeking sexual and political liberation during the tumultuous 1960s.

“This is the mature artist at his very best, making one of his masterpieces,” Holmberg said.

The married Rebecka visits a sex club while she is pregnant and decides to leave her forgiving husband in the hand-written script, which touches on gay relationships, desire, guilt and mental suffering.

Bergman, who was an introverted and conservative filmmaker, portrays the era’s frenetic sexual and social revolution in the script, which was originally meant to be a movie collaboration between Bergman, Federico Fellini and Akira Kurosawa, a trio of directing giants.

Fellini had contacted Bergman in 1962 to ask if the Swedish director would be interested in filming a joint movie series with Kurosawa, who years later dropped out for unknown reasons, according to Holmberg.

In 1968, Bergman and Fellini signed a Hollywood contract to turn the script into a joint motion picture, but when the Italian screenwriter did not keep his part of the agreement, Bergman was offered to direct the film by himself.

Suffering a major blow to profits because of the emergence and dominance of television in the 1960s, the US film industry began to diversify, drawing inspiration from European cinema.

Holmberg said several letters sent back and forth between Bergman and movie executives indicated “an increasingly irritated atmosphere, where the movie companies suddenly wanted the film to be longer than what had been thought earlier” to turn it into a TV series.

He noted that the script has “many daring sex scenes, homosexuality and violent

sexuality... which would never have been shown on American TV in the 60s”.

Adapted into a radio play which premiered in Sweden on November 6, the script was directed by 72-year-old Suzanne Osten, a renowned Swedish filmmaker who had a conflicted relationship with Bergman throughout her career.

“We had a few confrontations and he was generally known as controlling, but no one has ever questioned his quality as a filmmaker and artist,” Osten told AFP. “I would never have made it if he lived today. He was a conservative old man and became even more conservative. But he was also a very sensitive artist,” said Osten, who is set to direct the movie adaptation of “64 minutes with Rebecka” in 2018.

Holmberg said Bergman would probably have “turned in his grave” if he knew Osten was directing the script, but later “calm down and realize that this is a pretty fantastic way to continue his legacy.

“He and Susanne were often enemies and stood on opposite sides in the political and cultural rebellion at the end of the 60s,” he added.

“She is younger than Bergman was and stands for something different... This will be a feminist reinterpretation of Bergman,” Holmberg said. AFP

After months of feverish speculation about her plans, Merkel is due to hold a news conference at 1800 GMT during a meeting of her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and say she will seek a fourth term in the 2017 elections.

Merkel, 62, has governed Europe’s top economic power, which does not have term limits, since 2005.

Another full four-year term, which pollsters say is likely, would tie the post-war record set by her mentor Helmut Kohl, who presided over the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall.

The head of the German Council on Foreign Relations, Daniela Schwarzer, said Merkel’s sense of duty had likely shaped her decision.

“Observing the potential repercussions of Trump’s election victory on Europe, I think that the task is even bigger now than it was before the American election and so I would think that she might feel that the job isn’t quite done,” she told AFP. “There’s a need to continue leading Europe.”

Merkel, a pastor’s daughter who grew up in communist East Germany, is popular among Germans, who see her as a straightshooter and a safe pair of hands in tumultuous times.

But her decision to let in more than one million asylum seekers over the last two years has dented her support.

It also revived the fortunes of the rightwing populist Alternative for Germany party (AfD), which has harnessed widespread anxiety about migration.

However observers said the recent seismic shifts in global politics could drive traditionally risk-adverse German voters back into her arms.

“The society’s need for predictability and stability could become so overpowering in the 2017 election year that even the creeping erosion of Merkel’s chancellorship won’t compromise her success at the polls in the end,” news weekly Die Zeit said.

As US President Barack Obama exits the stage, many observers say Merkel’s importance as a defender of Western values will only continue to grow, with some calling her the new “leader of the free world”.

While the globe braces for potentially radical changes in US leadership under Trump, Britain is wrestling with the fallout from its June vote backing withdrawal from the EU and France is facing polls in May that could see far-right candidate Marine Le Pen snatch victory.

In a further sign of her relative strength, Merkel gathered Obama and the leaders of Britain, France, Spain and Italy at her chancellery Friday for talks on the fight against terrorism, climate change and the strategic threat posed by Russia.

Merkel has long refused to be drawn on her plans for the general election, expected in September or October 2017, saying only that she would make the announcement “at the appropriate time”. AFP Republic of the Phlippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission

IN THE MATTER OF

: : REGISTRATION OF : COMMERCIAL PAPERS : x-----------------------------------------x CITYLAND, INC.

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on 10 November 2016 a sworn Registration Statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of CITYLAND, INC., for the registration of Six Hundred Ninety Million Pesos (Php690, 000,000.00) worth of commercial papers.

According to the papers presented, the following persons are the officers/directors of the corporation: Name Stephen C. Roxas Andrew I. Liuson Grace C. Liuson Josef C. Gohoc Paul Y. Ung Peter S. Dee Alice C. Gohoc Helen C. Roxas Emma A. Choa Rudy Go Eden F. Go Melita M. Revuelta Romeo E. Ng Melita L. Tan Emma G. Jularbal

Position Director/Chairman of the Board Director/Vice-Chairman of the Board Director/Deputy Vice-Chairman of the Board Director/President Independent Director Independent Director Director Director Executive Vice President/Treasurer Senior Vice President/Compliance Officer Vice President Vice President/Assistant Corporate Secretary Vice President Vice President Vice President-Legal Affairs /Corporate Secretary

Said registration statement and other papers/documents attached thereto (collectively known as “RS”) are open to inspection by interested parties during business hours, and copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to any party, upon request at such fees as the Commission may prescribe. The RS and the Prospectus dated 10 November 2016 and the corresponding updated version may be downloaded from www.cityland.net.

VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO, JR. Director Markets and Securities Regulation Department (MS-NOV. 18 & 21, 2016)

C4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

World

More than 100 killed as Indian train derails L UCKNOW, India―An Indian express train derailed early Sunday, killing over 100 people in one of the country’s worst rail disasters in years, police said, as emergency workers searched the mangled wreckage for survivors.

Shocked passengers recounted being woken by a violent thud, and told of their desperate search for loved-ones on the train, which was carrying at least one wedding party with the marriage season in India in full swing.

“We woke up to a great thud this morning. It was pitch dark and the noise was deafening,” one passenger told reporters as he waited with his family at the scene.

“I am lucky to be alive and safe.

It was a near-death experience for us.”

Many were sleeping when 14 carriages leaped from the tracks in a remote area outside the northern

city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state.

It is the worst disaster since 2010 when a passenger train crashed into a freight train in the eastern state of West Bengal, killing 146 and injuring over 200.

“The death toll has topped 100 now,” said Daljit Singh Chawdhary, the additional police directorgeneral.

Another 150 were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals, which had been placed on high alert after the early morning disaster.

Television images showed rescue workers using gas-powered metal cutters and other equipment

to slice through severely mangled coaches strewn with suitcases and other luggage.

Anxious relatives thronged the station on Indore in central India where the train originated, many clutching pictures of their loved-ones.

Nitika Trivedi, a student who boarded the train with her family from the eastern city of Patna, said images of the bodies of her fellow passengers would long haunt her.

“I had never seen anything like this in my life before. I am shaken to the core,” she said.

Railway officials said special trains had been pressed into service for stranded travelers.

“We are also trying to clear the tracks and complete the restoration work as quickly as possible,” Vijay Kumar, a spokesman for north-central railways, told AFP. Local media reports said the train was packed with families, some of them traveling home for weddings.

Bride-to-be Ruby Gupta, who survived the accident with a frac-

tured arm, was desperately searching for her father.

“I have been looking everywhere for him,” she said according to the Press Trust of India.

National Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet the government would investigate what caused the derailment and announced compensation for the victims.

India’s railway network, one of the world’s largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country, but it is poorly funded and deadly accidents occur relatively frequently.

In 2014 an express train plowed into a stationary freight train, also in Uttar Pradesh, killing 26 people.

And last year 27 people died after two trains derailed in Madhya Pradesh state during heavy rain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has pledged to invest $137 billion over five years to modernize the crumbling railways, making them safer, faster and more efficient. AFP

ONSTAGE. Actress Danielle Panabaker speaks onstage during the Marie Claire Young Women’s Honors presented by Clinique at Marina del Rey Marriott on November 19, 2016, in Marina del Rey, California. AFP

Israeli women joining the fight

Influence peddling charge on Park

YOKNEAM, Israel―Her face covered in mud, 18-year-old Smadar crawls beneath thorny brush, her automatic rifle around her neck.

She smiles despite the intensity of the training, and her commander, also a woman, shouts encouragement.

“I don’t regret choosing this unit,” said Smadar, who was not allowed to provide her last name under Israeli army rules.

“I wanted to do my military service in the most combative unit possible.”

Smadar is part of a discreet but profound change taking place within the Israeli military, with a growing number of women taking part in combat units.

Just four years ago, some three percent of enlisted women served in combat units compared to seven percent today, according to the army.

That number is expected to rise even further to 9.5 percent in 2017.

The increase has come both due to changes in society, with women’s participation in combat units no longer dismissed, and a shortage in available soldiers due to reductions in the amount of required service time for men.

Israel’s military is an institution at the heart of society, with nearly all Jewish citizens required to serve, and such changes are likely to reverberate beyond the barracks.

Even before the state of Israel was created in 1948, women played an important role in the Haganah, the forerunner to the country’s military, today the region’s most powerful.

Currently men are required to serve two years and eight months after they turn 18, while women serve two years.

Women’s roles had historically been confined to such positions as nurses or radio operators―an arrangement undergoing rapid change.

The first mixed unit, known as the Caracal battalion, was formed in 2000, taking its name from a type of wild cat whose males and females look the same.

It was that year that the law was amended to state that “women’s right to serve in any position is equal to the right of men.”

Smadar, who was training in the hills of the Galilee in the country’s north, is preparing to join the Bardelas battalion and will likely be stationed in the semi-desert south. AFP

SEOUL―South Korean prosecutors said Sunday that President Park Geun-Hye had colluded with her close confidante in a corruption and influencepeddling scandal that has sparked massive nationwide protests and calls for her impeachment.

Park’s longtime friend Choi Soon-Sil was charged Sunday with coercion and abuse of power, as was one of the president’s former aides.

Another presidential aide was charged with leaking confidential state documents.

“The president played a collusive role in a considerable portion of the criminal activities involving the [three] people,” said Lee Young-Ryeol, a Seoul prosecutor who is leading a probe into the scandal.

Choi, 60, has been accused of using her personal ties to Park to meddle in state affairs and of coercing local firms to “donate” more than $60 million to dubious non-profit foundations. She allegedly then used some of the funds for personal gain.

Park faces allegations that she helped Choi extract money from the firms and that she ordered her aides to leak state documents to Choi, who has no official title or security clearance.

Under the constitution the incumbent president cannot be charged with a criminal offense except insurrection or treason.

But she can still be probed by prosecutors and possibly charged after leaving office.

Lee acknowledged that prosecutors could not formally charge Park at present but vowed to continue to investigate her.

Prosecutors had previously described the conservative leader as a witness to Choi’s crimes but changed her status to that of a criminal suspect, said a senior prosecutor at the investigative team.

“From now on, she will be probed as a suspect... for violation of Section 30 of the criminal code on collusion,” Roh Seung-Kwon told reporters.

The latest revelations piled pressure on opposition party lawmakers to seek the impeachment of Park, the daughter of a former president, who has about a year left in her five-year term. AFP

MEETING. This handout picture released by Andina shows US President Barack Obama and Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski during the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meeting at the Lima Convention Center on November 19, 2016, in Lima, Peru. AFP

Nurse arrested over surrogacy crackdown PHNOM PENH―An Australian nurse and fertility specialist has been arrested for allegedly running an illegal surrogacy service in Cambodia, the country’s antihuman trafficking police said on Sunday.

The arrest was made just weeks after Cambodia became the latest country to ban commercial surrogacy.

Tammy Davis-Charles, 49, was arrested on Friday along with two Cambodians during a raid on a rented house in Phnom Penh, Police Colonel Keo Thea, head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Office, told AFP. “She has been arrested for being an intermediary in surrogacy and for falsifying documents,” Keo Thea said.

“Australian people who wanted kids would contact her and she would charge US$50,000 for each request,” he said.

Keo Thea said Davis-Charles had moved to Cambodia from Thailand for more than a year, adding she arranged for some 23 Cambodian women to carry babies for Australian couples.

“Five babies have been born,” he said, adding that a Cambodian girl received between $10,000 and $12,000 in each case.

Davis-Charles, who is from Melbourne, will be sent to court on Monday for questioning.

She could face up to two years in jail if convicted, Keo Thea said, adding it was the first arrest for surrogacy in Cambodia.

Earlier this month Cambodia banned commercial surrogacy, after curbs on the industry in other parts of the globe sparked a local boom in the unregulated baby business.

Surrogacy agencies started springing up in the Southeast Asian nation after former hubs like Thailand and India blocked foreigners from the services following a flurry of scandals and concerns about exploitation.

With cheap medical costs and no laws excluding gay couples or single parents, Cambodia quickly absorbed much of the demand.

But a government edict sent to Cambodian fertility clinics earlier this month said that surrogacy was now “absolutely banned”.

The proclamation, signed by

the health minister last week, asked all medical professionals to comply with the injunction, though it did not spell out a legal punishment.

Cambodia now boasts some 50 surrogacy agents, a number of which cropped up in the past year, according to experts.

Bangkok’s military government passed a law banning foreign couples from using Thai women as surrogates last year after a series of controversies―including tussles over custody―tainted the lucrative industry.

In one controversy, authorities discovered nine babies in a Bangkok apartment that had been fathered by a Japanese man using Thai surrogate mothers. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

SIP & SAVOR

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

D1

More than just

THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

F

OOD lovers have more reason to eat for the next two months, and for a good cause, too. With the simple act of ordering select dishes from 40 (and counting) participating restaurants, you can help fight malnutrition in the country.

“Hidden hunger exists in children from six months to five years old. In the Philippines, about 300,000 kids are underweight while 3.4 million suffer from chronic malnutrition or stunting. And a Unicef study in 2015 showed that the Philippines ranked 9th in the world with the most number of stunted children,” said Javad Amoozegar, country director of the international NGO Action Against Hunger.

This means that one in three kids in the country suffers from malnutrition, which causes 45 percent of deaths among Filipino children under five years old. Action Against Hunger has helped address this problem by providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. In 2015 alone, the NGO has helped more than 500,000 people in the Philippines, including 30,000 who were assisted with nutrition programs.

The NGO has partnered with local restaurants and top chefs to mount the first Restaurants Against Hunger: Dishes That Feed More campaign in the country, which will run until Jan. 15, 2017. During this period, participating restaurants have identified a certain dish, a portion of the proceeds of which will fund programs to alleviate extreme malnutrition.

“This is more than just about eating out. This is about your own contribution to fight malnutrition,” said Dale Divinagracia, Action Against HungerPhilippines fundraising manager.

“It is high time that we address this issue together and put up an advocacy that really encourages people to help

a plate of food

Museum Café’s crispy enoki mushroom hay – a light alternative to traditional chips

fight malnutrition in their own ways – a simple act of ordering a dish can make a big difference,” added Amoogezar.

Restaurants have committed to donate at least P20 to as much as P70 for every order of their participating dishes.

Cheeseburger No. 3 (1/3 lbs.) from 8 Cuts Burger Blends

Ooma’s torched hamachi (yellowtail) maki with crabstick and pickled carrots, drizzled with unagi sauce

“There is no such thing as a small donation. These will go a long way into helping our malnourished kids. This campaign has been very successful in other countries, and we expect the Philippine campaign to be even more suc-

Callos Aguinaldo from Crisostomo

cessful,” Divinagracia said.

Chef Rolando Laudico, the campaign ambassador for the Philippines, said the advocacy made him realize that his craft goes beyond cooking.

“This transforms what I do into a

A celebration of superb flavors GOURMETS, foodies, food critics and friends from media partied together in celebration of excellent food on the occasion of the first anniversary of Dusit Thani Manila’s The Pantry.

When it opened a year ago, The Pantry immediately attracted the attention of gourmets, foodies and critics alike.

As the latest addition to Dusit Thani

Manila’s acclaimed roster of fine dining addresses, The Pantry presented the “farm-to-fork” dining concept, a revolutionary system that brings grown organically farm produce from the source to the table. The Pantry’s distinctive concept allows the extensive use of locally-grown produce, ensuring diners of the high quality of food, the fresh-

Dusit Thani Manila general manager Bruno Cristol ( second from left) led the celebration of The Pantry’s first anniversary

ness of ingredients, and the authenticity of flavors.

Dessert aficionados can have their fill at the Churros and Ice Cream station. Naturally, there’s thick chocolate to dunk the freshly fried churros in, and homemade artisanal ice cream flavors to cap the feast and cool the taste buds.

To toast The Pantry’s success innovating on Manila’s dining experience, Dusit Thani Manila hosted a party to lovers of excellent food and great dining experiences.

Guests and customers filled every cozy space as they enjoyed the restaurant’s different food stations. The Pantry has eight stations, which serve an impressive selection of Filipino, Italian, Indian and Pan-Asian cuisines masterfully prepared by specialty chefs. Foodies trooped to the Lechon Pit where suckling pigs are slowly roasted and brought to the carving station piping hot and crispy skin intact.

The “Queen of Bossa Nova” Sitti Navarro, serenaded the guests with her cool voice as she sang well-loved bossa nova tunes. As a fitting giveaway and for measure of good luck, The Pantry presented guests with five different kinds of salt to express thanks for a year of superb flavors and a memorable experience in dining.

The Pantry gave breads and five different kinds of salt to guests

For the Yuletide Season, The Pantry puts on a festive spirit guaranteed to liven up Christmas celebrations and warm the heart. It will make “lechonto-go” available to guests who want to enjoy the superb quality and flavor of this restaurant specialty for their Christmas parties at home or in the office. Over at The Pantry’s Grab & Go section, a host of traditional Yuletide treats and sweet delectable will be made available to be enjoyed at home, or given as the perfect Christmas gifts.

For reservations, call (02) 238-8888.

stronger cause that enables use to make someone’s future healthy,” said Laudico, who joins other award-winning chefs, including three-time peer-voted Chef’s Choice awardee Joan Roca, across four Turn to D2

Life

D2

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

F

OR many professional and home chefs, nothing beats cooking with a cast iron griddle. It might be one of the heaviest cookware around, but it is virtually indestructible: some cooks claim to create wonderful meals using hundred-year old skillets.

It also requires very little cleaning. Just keep it seasoned with oil, and it will last you a lifetime.

You can cook almost anything on a griddle, depending on what you have on hand. Flat iron ones are perfect for sautéing, searing and grilling meats, particularly steaks and vegetables, while deep-dish skillets can be used for braising, deep-frying and even baking cakes. Since they are often made with cast iron, they can conduct heat for a long time, making them ideal for slow cooking.

1771 Group Chief Operating Officer and Executive Chef Vicky Pacheco said using a griddle is the easiest way to cook food quickly. In fact, at Flatiron, her new restaurant at Uptown Place Mall, the griddle is essential in preparing the specialty of the house called Flatiron Brisket 6.

The fork-tender Flatiron Brisket 6 is a beef brisket that has the number six in its name since it has been slow cooked for six hours then seared to order on the griddle. It is served in a skillet with brown and red rice tossed in the drippings and fresh cucumber and carrot slaw.

By placing it front and center of Flatiron, Chef Vicky puts emphasis on food that is served hot. Apart from being used to finish the specialty of the house and other grilled items, the griddle is where most lunches are prepared. Busy executives wanting a

The art of griddle quick to-go lunch will appreciate the hot meals prepared here.

“I wanted a place where people can go to if they wanted a hot to-go lunch. I know that people working in offices want to eat something hot for lunch. Since there are a lot of offices around here, they can just send someone here to pick up their meals.

The griddle will be a busy place, especially when it comes to preparing lunch-to-go meals. A lot of things will be coming from the griddle,” she explains.

The griddle serves as inspiration for the restaurant. The griddle, also known as a flat iron, is also the name of a happening district in New York known for its trendy restaurants. The area has as its landmark the iconic Flatiron building.

The name Flatiron came to her by accident. The chef says she wants to bring a New York vibe to the place, yet still offer food that is familiar to Asian palates.

She calls it urban comfort food.

“New York is a melting pot of inf luences,” she stresses. “Most of our dishes are American in core but with Asian and Mediterranean touches. My goal here is not to be highfalutin. This is a casual place.

The menu can be easily understood by everyone.”

Among items that would be familiar to diners are: Tostado Adobo Wings with Garlic Mayo Dip, toasted chicken wings adobo; Pizzaiola Pasta, a pizza and pasta dish in one; Giant Gambas, the restaurant’s version of gambas al ajillo; and Black Jack Mac, baked macaroni and cheese using sharp Black Jack cheddar cheese for a little kick.

Flatiron restaurant prepares food on the griddle

The Flatiron Brisket 6 is the house specialty

1771 Group COO and Executive Chef Vicky Pacheco

Flatiron is part of 1771 Group of Restaurants.

Healthy drinks for the Holidays THESE are fun, freewheeling but frantic times. But more often than not, we neglect to take care of our bodies, ignoring the telltale signs of stress, aging and illness.

Did you know that toxins are among the causes of these conditions? Once upon a time, all food was organic. But when mankind invented food preservatives, all sorts of chemicals and synthetic things accumulated in our body, slowly poisoning our immune system.

That’s why there is a dire need to detoxify the body and to cleanse the colon of all toxins.

“Today, more than 95 percent of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, natural deficiencies and lack of physical exercise,” says Dr. Andrew S.H. Kim, an expert in Oriental Medicine, and founder and manager of the Newlife Health and Wellness Center, he also has a PhD in Oriental Medicine from Wong Kwang University in South Korea.

“Toxins make disease! More than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030!”

According to the World Health Organization, the top five causes of early death are food toxins; modern medicine (side effects/adverse drug reactions); stress; air/water pollution; and radiation (constant cellphone use). Of the food toxins, the top cancer causing are found in sweetened beverages, fried potatoes, doughnuts, hotdogs and burned meat (grilled/barbecue).

So in his talks, “Oriental Secrets

Revealed: Renew Vigor, Vitality and Strengthen Immunity,” Dr. Kim strongly advocates the healing properties of juicing fruits and vegetables. “Juicing therapy is the only way to be healthy.

Detox can extend one’s life span. Eating green leafy vegetables, with their enzymes that help in digestion, can help in detoxification. Fresh fruits can’t make detox. Only their juices. It has to be 80 percent vegetable and 20 percent fruits,” Dr. Kim explains.

Juicing therapy is encouraged for people suffering or recovering from chronic diseases, retirees who are taking preventive measures for the defense of their health, and people who are physically fit.

Incidentally, most of these nutrition-conscious individuals have discovered the virtues of the Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer. This wonder machine is the perfect “healthmate” for people who want a healthy lifestyle.

Made in South Korea, the slow-juicer has helped thousands of people in boosting their immune system as a defense against diseases. Matstone is also a versatile kitchen assistant that does more than just juicing with its 8-in-1 function, such as a vegetable slicer, pasta maker, sorbet maker, milk extractor, ice shaver, grinder and mincer. Its horizontal design ensures no stuck-up, juices even hard leafy vegetables and

guarantees no leakage. All of these functions make Matstone a wonder machine that any home would like to have.

Recipes for vigor and vitality

Dr. Kim generously shared his juicing recipes, his “Oriental Secret to Vigor and Vitality,” that the Matstone slow-juicer can process seamlessly. The “Green Energizer” is for vigor and vitality while the “Super C Juice” is for strengthened immunity.

The Green Energizer has great nutritional value. One Handful Basil boosts up the heart rate and advances the blood flow, which increases carnal desire), one stalk Malunggay increases energy and endurance; half a pineapple is for energy production; and one thumb ginger amplifies blood circulation and body temperature.

The Super C Juice is composed of a half pineapple, which is rich in Vitamin C and boosts production of WBC; 6 Calamansi, which is high in Vitamin C; and one Cucumber, which is rich in Vitamin A, B and C which strengthen our immune system.

Drinking juice has unquantifiable benefits for our body. Juicing facilitates weight loss, increases our energy production, makes our bones stronger, strengthens our immunity and reduces the risks of cancer, heart disease and strokes.

Juicing fruits and vegetables is an effective way to detox the body, according to Oriental Medicine expert Dr. Andrew S.H. Kim

Homegrown powdered juice brand Eight O’Clock has been part of many family bonding activities

A mix that’s truly Timplang Pinoy IN keeping with the times, the things that Filipino families enjoy and delight in have constantly evolved— from simple group kite flying, to grandma’s stories of legends and folklore at night, to strolling in the mall, to family karaoke, and to the more contemporary groufies and #FamBam picture taking on their smart phones. Through all that, one thing remains constant, there is still that distinctly Filipino timpla in all these family bonding activities—just like how the Eight O’Clock powdered juice drink remains Pinoy na Pinoy.

“Filipino families have enjoyed the delicious taste of Eight O’Clock for more than 20 years. We take pride that no matter how much time chang-

More than just...

From D1 continents where similar Restaurants Against Hunger campaigns are held.

“If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a community of restaurants, chefs and foodies to find solutions to end hunger. Through this campaign, it becomes meaningful to enlist your restaurants, and equally meaningful to eat in these restaurants. We just have to make every dish count,” added award-winning pastry chef Jacqueline Laudico.

The participating restaurants include 8 Cuts Burger Blends, Beni’s Falafel, Chelsea Grand Café, Chelsea Kitchen, Chotto Matte, Corazon, Crisostomo, Crying Tiger, Cyma, El Cabrito, El Chupacabra, El Corazon, Elias, Feast, Felix, Florabel, Green Pastures, Grilla Filipino Cuisine, Guevarra’s, Izakaya Sensu, Kabila, Manam, Melt Grilled Cheesery, Mexicali, Museum Café, OK

es the bonding activities of Filipino families, Eight O’Clock continues to provide that truly Timplang Pinoy that generations of Filipino families have come to love,” Teejae Sonza, marketing manager for Stills and New Categories of Coca-Cola Philippines.

Eight O’Clock is a delicious homegrown brand that captures the tasty and unique blend of sweet and sour orange flavor perfect for every Pinoy family to enjoy. It has immuno-active agents to help boost the family’s immune system, and each mix can make up to six glasses per pack.

To get the latest on #TimplangPinoy, follow the official facebook page of Eight O’Clock

Café, Ooma, Potts Point Cafe, Providore, Saboten, Señor Pollo, Simplé Lang, Stella and Rocket Room, Terraz Bistro, Terry’s Bistro, The Café Mediterranean, The Corner Tree Café, The Old Spaghetti, The Shrimp Shack, and Wild Ginger.

“They say that education is the great equalizer, but before that, there should be good nutrition,” said Action Against Hunger’s Dyan Rodriguez. “Many of the things that we need to do can wait, but our children cannot.” *** Registration for restaurants interested to participate is open until Nov. 30.

To register and get more information about the campaign, visit the website www.restaurantsagainsthungerphilippines.org To help spread the word on the campaign, use the hashtag #RestaurantsAgainstHungerPH. For feedback, send comments to joyce.panares@gmail.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Former actor and Quezon City District 5 Rep. Alfred Vargas is thinking of more concrete and long- term solutions for the full rehabilitation of reformed drug users

JC wants to be low-key

By Alfred Vargas

T

HE recent string of celebrity-related drug arrests is quite alarming. To tell you the truth, being an actor myself, it personally pains me to see these personalities waste their career, and life opportunities because of illegal substances.

AT THIS point, JC de Vera prefers to play it low-key when it comes to his love life.

“Well, let’s just say that it’s not important to me to make it public. People may see me going out with someone but I guess, it’s normal for a guy like me. But that doesn’t necessarily confirm that I have a relationship, right?” he says.

Many wonder why he is secretive where his personal state is concerned now.

“Actually, I’m not that secretive.

It’s just a matter of respecting the privacy of those people whom I see and interact with that are not party of the entertainment industry.”

He sounds as if he doesn’t want someone from the ‘biz again for a steady.

“Ha-ha-ha! I can’t really say. But if possible, it’s better to be with someone who’s not in the limelight. We see a lot of showbiz couples breaking up no matter how hard they try to keep their relationship going due to intrigues and rumours.”

Speaking of love life, some quarters are curious if he didn’t court Jessy Mendiola at the time when they were doing the hit soap You’re My Home on ABS-CBN. They look good together and would make a great pair.

While they’re together now in the gag show Banana Sundae, the sexy lass is open about her romantic involvement with TV host-actor Luis Manzano.

“For the record, I haven’t attempted to court Jessy,” reveals JC. “We’re just friends. It’s not that she’s got no appeal on me. In fact, she’s very attractive and any guy would get smitten by her. But as I’ve said earlier, as much as possible, I opt for someone who’s not from showbiz to avoid all the controversies.”

When it comes to his acting craft, the handsome lad wishes to have more variety in the projects he does, that’s why his inclusion in “Banana Sundae” is truly a welcome thing.

“Versatility is a huge advantage to stay long in the scene. In my case, I ’ v e

You won’t believe the numerous bashings these celebrities have received from both fans and coworkers. There are some who say they deserve it, others say they have been warned but refused to stop, others give a big sigh and say “Sayang!” or worse, others say they have become a burden to society. There are loyal fans though who continue to look up to their idols. Nevertheless, the judgments continue. Truly, their personal and professional lives will never be the same again after this.

But, there is still hope.

Allow me to share my reflections and impart what can still be done to ease the burden this is bringing to the industry and our country.

1) Not all drug users are bad people. This is selfexplanatory. We all know this.

2) No one is exempted from this problem, not even society’s “VIPs”. Victims of this evil can be your own family, friend or colleague. They could be the youth in your neighborhood or the quiet employee in your company. They could be the people you meet everyday without even knowing it. It is everybody’s concern, including you.

3) Being a celebrity is a big privilege that comes with a big responsibility. If you’re an actor, you’re public property.

Whatever you say or do is magnified in the consciousness of our society. If you do good, you are elevated. If you do bad, you are crucified. The personalities recently arrested for illegal drug use are not even drug lords or big time pushers.

But they are now branded as sinful and unforgivable. This is the reality. But there is another kind of reality. The kind that gives actors the chance to own up and make up for their mistakes, and inspire others to rise up and recover. Being a celebrity places you in a position where you are fully capable to effect positive change in society. Grab this.

4) There exists a fierce urgency to act now. The industry needs to talk and plan about how to prevent further incidences.

It’s time to strategize and organize. I think that just as other sectors are combining efforts to solve this problem, the same approach should be adapted in the entertainment industry.

It’s time for PNP and PDEA to meet with the managers of the actors, parents, network bosses, film producers, actors’ movements, or even the celebrities themselves to come up with an effective framework that will solve this drug problem.

5) There is still hope. This administration is dead serious about this fight. So are the industry stakeholders, civil society organizations, media, and other anti-drug advocates.

This strength in unity will surely lead us to meaningful reform in the showbiz industry.

Film producers always say that a true starcan only deliver his best performance if the role that he is playing is challenging. A true star, in sports, shines the brightest during clutch and under pressure. A true star, in life,takes on challenges and rises to the occasion.

A true star never gives up. So let us not give up on them. Because, a fallen star can shine again.

What’s next for KathNiel? The tandem of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla is gearing up for another movie and a TV soap

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, November 21, 2016

ACROSS 1 — chi ch’uan 4 Shed, as light 8 Menial worker 12 Flatten in the ring 13 Bona — (genuine) 14 World fairs 16 Mortarboard wearer 17 Unconventional one (2 wds.)

19 — Mama (rum drink) 21 Natural elev.

22 Phoenician city 23 Woods insect 25 Symbol of Ireland 27 Bird activity 31 Peanut 35 Dinny’s rider 36 Hagar’s dog 38 Stan’s comic foil 39 Henri’s aits 41 Rub it in 43 Wine sediments 44 Deal with (2 wds.)

46 “Star Wars” honcho 48 Never, to Wolfgang 49 Dryden works 51 Fabric pattern (2

wds.)

53 Mme.’s daughter 55 Dove into second 56 Did laps 59 Flamenco shout 61 Brand-new 65 Written evidence (2 wds.)

68 Banjo ancestor 69 Tip off 70 Ribs, to Cato 71 Ski lift (hyph.)

72 Gaelic 73 “She Loves You” refrain 74 Mach 3 flier DOWN 1 Scarlett’s estate 2 Indian maid 3 Salt of element 53 4 Blotting out 5 One-time orbiter 6 Footnote word 7 Pearly whites 8 Vim and vigor 9 Voters’ survey (2 wds.)

10 Nashville fixture 11 Roulette color 12 Old CIA rival 15 Sault — Marie

18 Hidden catch 20 Hr. fractions 24 Sound a bell 26 Aussie jumper 27 Savoir-faire 28 Actors’ quests 29 Fencing needs 30 Cluster 32 Fit in 33 MacDonald’s refrain 34 Put back to 0 37 Baja fast food 40 Speech impediments

been more associated doing serious roles so it’s a breather to see me in a gag show where everything is so light. It serves as a good balancing act.”

He is thankful that he didn’t have a hard time adjusting to his fellow cast members.

“On the contrary, they made me feel at ease right away. We’re supportive of one another in the show. If someone did a good job, he gets congratulated by everybody. Our friendship is solid and with them, I found a second family,” ends JC. ******** After getting swell reviews for his acting in Barcelona opposite Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla reveals he would prefer a much lighter vehicle for his next big screen assignment.

“Yes, actually, Kathryn and I share the same view,” he states. “What we did in Barcelona was good enough to show both our fans and critics that we can be convincing in delineating mature and serious roles. I think it would be too much if we’ll appear in another heavy drama. We might as well make a lighter project but still, with a heart.

I don’t worry in that aspect since Star Cinema is very good at that.”

KathNiel die-hards are asking what their next on screen projects will be.

“Well, much to their delight, we are advised to make one soap and another film next year so, they better watch out for these. This early, Kathryn and I are excited with said materials. They are fresh ones sure to excite our followers. For sure, they would offer a new level of challenge for us!”

Interestingly, the popular heartthrob announces his desire to go back to school.

“That’s right! It’s a wondrous feeling to know and discover a lot of things. In a formal school, the process of learning is continuous.

I want to take up Psychology or P h i l o s o p h y.

That would be cool,” states Daniel.

42 Gravel-voiced Bankhead 45 Olive that’s very thin 47 Potato jacket 50 Coin eater 52 Former teens 54 “Crazy Legs” Hirsch 56 Hot spring 57 Corduroy ridge 58 Mimic 60 Dexterity 62 Bench warmers 63 Coup d’—

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Teener wins half a million nilla who h Mela Rava it w t) ef (l o i Oci poser Noem d young com Ka Lang” an t en d u St it WINNER. e winning song “Kumap interprets th

L

AST week I sat as a judge in the finals of ASOP Music Festival, a songwriting contest of gospel songs under the auspices of UNTV- Breakthrough and Milestones Productions, Inc. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

I joined a distinguished panel that included superstar Nora Aunor, songwriters Trina Belamide and Mon del Rosario, recording executive Jonathan Manalo, and singer Jed Madela.

It was an amazing show, really, for something as spiritual as I expected it to be.

But the response of the audience at the Big Dome to the songs gave me goosebumps.

In the end, a teenager bagged the grand prize. Noemi Ocio, a 19-year-old student, won the grand prize of P500,000 and the title “Song of the Year” for “Kumapit Ka Lang,” the song she penned that was included in the 12 finalists in A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival Year 5 grand finals on Nov. 7.

Carmela “Mela” Ravanilla interpreted the song.

Glenn Bawa and Ronald Calpis’ entry “God Will Always Make a Way,” interpreted

by Bugoy Drilon, won first runner up; second runner up was Joselito Caleon’s entry “Araw at Ulan,” interpreted by Sitti Navarro. Third runners up were “Mula Sa Aking Puso,” which Joseph Ponce wrote and Carlo David interpreted, and “You Stood by Me” by Vincent Labanting, performed by Jason Fernandez. The cash prizes they went home with amounted to P250,000, P150,000 and P100,000, respectively. Non-winners received P20,000 as consolation prize.

“Ikaw Lamang” by Jonathan Sta. Rita and performed by Tim Pavino won the “People’s Choice Award,” garnering the

at ASOP Music Festival 2016

ISAH V. RED

most number of combined online votes and YouTube views. Meanwhile, “Best Song Interpreters” were Jason Fernandez for “You Stood by Me” and Bugoy Drilon for “God Will Always Make a Way.” Winners of the special awards received P 50,000 each.

Richard Reynoso and Toni Rose Gayda hosted the finals night.

X-Factor UK finalist and all-female group 4th Impact performed a powerful medley of previous ASOP winning, “Purihin Mo Ang Dios Oh Pilipinas” (2012), “Ikaw” (2013), “May Awa ang Dios” (2014) and “Kung Pag-ibig Mo’y Ulan” (2015). Jason Dy, Michael Pangilinan, Liezel Garcia and Leah Patricio teamed up for a number featuring a medley of 12 song entries from ASOP Year 4.

ASOP aims to inspire everyone to give praise and glory to God. It also supports the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) industry, particularly the gospel and praise music genre. This season also produced a wide variety of praise and gospel songs with messages of thanksgiving, asking forgiveness and trusting God in the midst of trials and challenges in life.

These moved ASOP judges to express appreciation over the tilt’s unique concept.

When asked by the hosts before the winners were announced, I said, “Busog na busog ang tenga ko sa songs of praise tonight, I have never heard so many songs of praise sa isang gathering kundi dito lang sa

The author (first from right) joined by other ASOP Music Fest judges namely (from left) songwriters Mon del Rosario and Trina Belamide, superstar Nora Aunor, crooner Jed Madela and recording executive Jonathan Manalo

Araneta Coliseum.”

Multi-platinum record producer and ABSCBN’s Star Music record label executive Jonathan Manalo, said “Magaganda talaga iba-iba yung estilo, genre, musically although yung lyrics naman ay all praises to the Lord.”

According to singer and composer Trina Belamide, “ASOP is the only song writing contest that allows for critiques from the judges, so nag-i-improve ang kanta ng mga contestants.”

Hitmaker and ASOP’s resident judge Mon Del Rosario meanwhile gave an advice, “Sa mga composer, huwag kayong matakot na matalo, ang dapat katakutan ay manalo sa mga bagay na walang kabuluhan, pero ang ASOP ay isang bagay at isang event na maraming kabuluhan.”

Pop balladeer and 2005 World Championship of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) grand champion Jed Madela commented, “Ito po ay isang daan para marinig ang kagalingan ng Pinoy.”

Award-winning actress and the country’s one and only Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor revealed her feelings, “Ako po ay kinikilabutan sa kasalukuyan, sapagka’t ang nararamdaman ko po rito ay pagmamahalan sa isa’t-isa, na ngayon ko lamang po naramdaman, sa totoo lamang po.”

Supporting this annual praise music competition are Bro. Eli Soriano, Overall Servant (Presiding Minister) to Members Church of God International (MCGI) and Kuya Daniel Razon, UNTV-Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International (BMPI) Chairman and CEO. It was in 2004 when Bro. Eli started ASOP as internal songwriting contest. Kuya Daniel brought the concept on television and launched ASOP TV on UNTV News and Rescue in On plans for ASOP’s Year 6, Kuya Daniel said “Ang ASOP po will be going on its 6th year and we will be taking up ASOP on its next level, ibig sabihin po aangat tayo ng kaunting level and we will be going international.”

NORA AUNOR to receive

5th International Lifetime Achievement Award SUPERSTAR Nora Aunor will be presented the International Lifetime Achievement Award, Cinematic Excellence Pride of Maharlika Award in North America, USA, the fifth international achievement award of her storied acting career.

The Maharlika international achievement award comes on the heels of Aunor’s pair of acting losses at the 12th Cinemalaya Awards and 3rd QCinema International Film Festival for the critically acclaimed film Tuos by Roderick Cabrido and Kristian Sendon Cordero’s Hinulid.

Newcomers Hasmine Killip in Eduardo Roy, Jr.’s Pamilya Ordinaryo and Laila Ulao

in Sheron Dayoc’s Women of the Weeping River won that ani ridicule from the anti-Nora faction in local media has a field day ridiculing the actress. Taking it in stride, the ever-humble Aunor said, “Hindi lang ako ang anak ng Diyos (I’m not the only child of God).”

Aunor previously received lifetime achievement awards at the Singkwento International Film Festival 2016, ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards 2015, Cinemanila International Film Festival 2011 and 19th Reflection Awards in 2007.

While resting on her laurels, Aunor recently

sat as judge at the grand finals of the 5th A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival held at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum with Manila Standard Entertainment Editor Isah Red, one of those rare occasions that the two pillars of local showbiz sat together as judge. Aunor has also been invited to do the honor of presenting the 15th GUSI International Peace Prize award to PNP Chief Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa on Nov. 23 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). Aunor was the GUSI Peace Prize awardee for cinematic excellence last year, only the fourth to receive the prestigious award

after Fernando Poe, Jr., Dolphy, and Carlo J. Caparas.

Meanwhile, Aunor’s Kabisera, originally intended for the 41st Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) but failed to make the “Magic 8” cut, is again vying for a slot at the 42nd MMFF this December. A case of déjà vu if it has the same fate as Brilliante Mendoza’s Thy Womb which at the 38th MMFF in 2012 and became a replacement when the Chris Martinez/Jerrold Tarog’s Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang backed out. Thy Womb ran away with the best director and best actress trophies.

Eton Concepcion