Manila Standard - 2016 November 22 - Tuesday

CUTS AND CORRUPTION.

President Rodrigo Duterte, at the Melia Hotel in Lima, Peru, where he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference, tells a news conference he is demanding the resignation of Energy Regulatory Commission officials after receiving reports of corruption in the body—or his administration will implement cuts in the ERC budget.

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Cite Marcoses in contempt, SC told A GROUP has asked the Supreme Court to cite the heirs of strongman Ferdinand Marcos and the Duterte administration in contempt for proceeding with his burial at the heroes’ cemetery on Friday.

The group, led by former Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Saturnino Ocampo, filed the motion seeking to cite the Marcoses, the Armed Forces of the Philip-

pines and the Department of National Defense in contempt for proceeding with the burial when the high court decision allowing it had not yet attained finality.

In a separate petition, another group of Martial Law victims also urged the high court to order the exhumation of Marcos’ remains. ‘‘Marcos Sr.’s burial was made deceitfully and dishonestly without any moral compunction,” the petitioners said.

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2 senators linked to drug lord—Cam

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TWO incumbent senators received drug money from Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, according to a sworn statement he has prepared, whistleblower Sandra Cam said Monday.

One senator, she said, received P5.7 million from Espinosa in 2015—but Cam would not identify either of the senators.

Earlier, Albuera, Leyte police chief Jovie Espinido said Senator Leila de Lima had accepted drug money from Espinosa—an allegation De Lima has consistently denied.

Espenido had testified before the Senate that De Lima accepted P8 million from Espinosa. He also said it was Kevin, Kerwin’s brother, who delivered the drug money Next page

ERC officials told: Resign Du30 mulls over filing Russia sweetens PH deal with $2.5-b trade graft raps against them By John Paolo Bencito

By John Paolo Bencito and Alena Mae Flores

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday demanded the resignation of Energy Regulatory Commission officials after reports of rampant corruption inside the agency.

“They must resign,” Duterte said in a press briefing in Peru before leaving for Manila.

He said he had read the internal and intelligence reports that pointed to anomalies and abuse of position.

“I have options,” he said. “File a case against them all or demand that no money be appropriated.

Their budget hearings are up. I can give them nothing.”

MORE Philippine bananas will be shipped to Russia in the coming months after Moscow said it would import more than $2.5 billion in agricultural products from Manila, a senior Cabinet official said.

After meeting with his “hero,”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Rodrigo Duterte also gained Russian investments in energy, railcar building, manufacturing of rails and metals and tourism.

“Russia, of course, commits to several million dollar imports from the Philippines, they are saying immediately ... on fruit

and other products, they can easily bring up imports from the Philippines to the tune of about $2.5 billion. That’s a number they quoted,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Sunday during the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit at Lima, Peru. “[There’s] nowhere to go but

up because it’s really a relationship that offers a lot of opportunities because nothing happened before when it comes to trade and investment with Russia,” he added.

Agricultural projects will be the centerpiece of the Philippines’ economic cooperation with Russia, Lopez said.

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Duterte said he will ask Congress to either withhold the ERC’s budget or disband the agency altogether.

He added that cases would be filed against corrupt officials that he did not name.

Duterte’s demand comes after a top official of the agency, ERC Director Francisco Villa Jr., killed himself on November 9 afte Next page

Auditors uncover P3.4-b housing mess in Subic SUBIC BAY FREEPORT―The Commission on Audit has asked former officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to explain the “doubtful” entry of P3.49 billion in total account receivables after verification showed that the residents of the housing units and ecozone locators there could no longer be found.

This developed as an attempt by

the CoA to establish the veracity of the P4.107-billion accounts receivables reported by SBMA under the leadership of former chairman Roberto Garcia and his board in its 2015 financial statements yielded absolutely no clues after all 87 letters of confirmation sent to the residents of housing units and ecozone locators returned without any reply.

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SUMMIT SUMMING-UP. (From left) Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, standing in for President Rodrigo Duterte, joins heads of state China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Peru’s Pedro Pablo Kuczynki during the traditional ‘family photo’ on the final day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit at the Lima Convention Center in Lima on Nov. 20. AFP

P1-m reward up on BIR man’s killer

PH to turn Scarborough Apec heads into a ‘no-fishing zone’ vow to fight

By Gabrielle H. Binaday and Rio N. Araja THE Finance Department said a P1-million cash reward has been offered to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the persons behind the murder of Bureau of Internal Revenue Regional Director Jonas Amora, who was shot dead along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City Monday morning.

The same person from the private sector had earlier offered a similar P1-million reward for Next page

SECOND OFFICIAL. Police inspect the body of Bureau of Internal

Revenue Regional Director Jonas Amora, killed by unidentified motorcycle-riding shooters Monday along Katipunan Road in Quezon City, only four days after Customs Deputy Director Arturo Lachica was also killed in an ambush in España, Manila. Andrew Rabulan

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will soon issue an executive order making the lagoon portion of Scarborough Shoal a “marine sanctuary and no-fishing zone,” which is now being guarded by Chinese Coast Guard ships, officials said Monday.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared receptive to Duterte’s idea of turning the shoal into a sanctuary, which would have the effect of banning all fishing inside the shoal but not around it during their second bilateral meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima.

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“We will mobilize government forces to promote our agreements, step up guidance to create a favorable environment,” Andanar said quoting Xi. But a maritime expert on Monday said the planned executive order declaring Scarborough Shoal a marine sanctuary would only benefit China, the country claiming almost all of the disputed South China Sea. Maritime expert and University of the Philippines professor Jay Batongbacal said Duterte’s plan would be “counterproductive” as it will prevent Filipino fishermen from fishing in the Shoal.

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for free trade LIMA―Asia-Pacific leaders vowed Sunday to fight protectionism at the close of a summit upended by US President-elect Donald Trump’s shock victory and virulent attacks on free-trade deals.

“We reaffirm our commitment to keep our markets open and to fight against all forms of protectionism,” said the final statement from the summit of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation group.

Apec’s leaders made their statement even as President Rodrigo Next page

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Cite...

From A1 But the Office of the Solicitor General defended Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani even if the Supreme Court decision had not yet attained finality.

“The petition for contempt has no legal basis because there was no more legal obstacle for the burial when the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions and lifted the status quo ante order in its decision last Nov. 8,” Solicitor General Jose Calida said.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said the government does not regard the anti-Marcos protests as a threat to national security.

“I would rather look at it as a democratic expression of sentiments and beliefs,” he told reporters in Lima.

Reps. Fredenil Castro, Eric Singson and Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said they believed the Marcoses and the officials of the Duterte administration did not violate any laws when Marcos was buried.

But former President Fidel V. Ramos said he felt bad about the burial that he described as an insult to soldiers.

“I felt very bad especially for the veterans,” he said.

“It was an insult, a trivialization of the role, the sacrifices of our Armed Forces and Coast Guard retired and active.”

Ocampo and his group appealed to the high court to order the detention of the Marcos heirs for their alleged offense. ‘‘The hasty, shady and tricky burial of the dictator Marcos Sr... degrades the honorable court and is contemptuous in itself,’’ their petition said.

They said the police and the military should likewise be held liable for contempt of court. Rey E. Requejo, John Paolo Bencito and Joel E. Zurbano

Apec...

From A1 Duterte said he will adopt a foreign policy that veers toward a China-led regional development.

His Cabinet officials also expressed interest in joining the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership instead of the US-led Trans Pacific Partnership.

“We will find ourselves mutually agreeing in so many things and align our foreign policy towards the development of Asia, the strengthening of ties among the countries in the region with China leading the way to economic development,” Duterte said.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said they were placing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in the back burner amid US President-elect Donald Trump’s increasing protectionist policies.

“I personally would like to look at RCEP more closely because that’s the 10 Asean countries, I think. That one, we are more open to,” Dominguez said in a statement on Monday.

Rising protectionism in Europe highlighted by Britain’s exit from the European Union and in the United States Trump’s election was a major concern at the two-day summit in the Peruvian capital Lima.

AFP, with John Paolo Bencito

P1.2...

From A1 information leading to the arrest of the killers of Customs Deputy Commissioner Arturo Lachica last Nov. 17.

The department said it is working with the Philippine National Police to arrest the perpetrators of both murders.

Those with information relevant to ther murders can contact head executive assistant Marc Gregory Crisostomo or technical assistant Alddon Christner Ang at telephone nos.

2...

From A1 to De Lima and personally handed the amount to her at the Dampa Restaurant in Pasay City.

But Cam said Kerwin had told her he gave the senator P1.7 million, P2 million and another P2 million— totaling P5.7 million—in October, November and December in Metro Manila and “up north.”

Cam suggested the money was for the campaign.

Cam, who also ran for senator in the May elections, said the second senator has never been accused of being involved in drug operations. But she said the mere fact that the senator accepted money from a drug lord made him a protector.

She said it was shocking to see the list of names that included senators, congressmen, governors and police

News

Sleepless Rody skips 2 events P RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday blamed his rapid long-distance travel from Manila to Lima for his failure to show up in some important events during the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

“You know why? Jet lag. But I’m not lightheaded. Because exactly at that time, it’s my sleeping time back home in the Philippines. I sleep at 3, 4, 5 [in the morning]. That’s the time

here,” Duterte, 71, told reporters Monday morning, Manila time.

“That’s why in meetings I was already shutting my eye, I cannot resist it. And even I was listening to others, it just closes.

I said that it’s not good to be somebody, to be with the greats of convention and I’ll shut down my eyes. I said that I will go home. But I cannot sleep. Jet lag simply.”

Duterte skipped the Apec leaders’ photo shoot, a gala dinner hosted by Peruvian President Pablo Kuczynski, and the second economic leaders’ retreat on the second day of the summit.

But a photo sent by Special

Leni won't quit, says up to Digong step down.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and other leftist Cabinet members have said they are not resigning.

“We are one with the thousands of people protesting the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos last November 18 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Mariano said in a statement.

“Before we entered the government, we are already aware of the differences we have with President Rodrigo Duterte on some issues. Despite our opposing stance on the Marcos burial, we continue to engage him on this matter.

“We accepted the post in the Duterte government because we aim to find common ground on pursuing talks for just and lasting peace including the release of political prisoners, completion of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and

Economic Reforms, prioritization of social services, and the forging of an independent foreign policy,” his official statement read.

Robredo said she was alarmed over what appeared to be a concerted effort to oust her.

“We trust it is not true. But there is a feeling that... as if all that can be done [against us], will be done,” she said, referring to an election protest filed against her by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “For me, what has been happening in the past few days, we must stay vigilant.”

She said she has been receiving reports of a recount ahead of its scheduled November 22 date.

Asked if she thought the supposed vote recount was linked to her opposition to the burial at Libingan, she said, “Today, anything is possible.”

allegedly being pressured to approve procurement contracts and hire consultants without following proper procedures. He named names in a series of suicide notes.

His sister, broadcaster Rosario Sofia Villa said her brother had told her that ERC contracts were rigged, and being executed before the actual bidding.

Three ERC commissioners, however, said they would not step down.

“We are one in the decision to stay in the post. Resignation would not be to the best interest of the ERC,” said ERC Commissioner Ina Asirit, speaking for her colleagues Alfredo Non and Gloria Victoria Taruc.

Asirit said that after discussing the concerns among themselves, they all welcome an impartial investigation into Villa’s suicide but asserted that they need to preserve the institution.

Non said they faced a “no-win situation,” where they would look guilty if they resigned, and look like they were clinging to power if they did not.

The commissioners said they would create a vacuum that would affect the agency’s work if they all resigned.

A fourth commissioner, Geronimo Sta. Ana, has not issued a statement.

ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said he is waiting for Duterte to return from Peru “to give him a fuller picture of the current developments at the ERC.” “We were informed about the

President’s statement made in Lima, Peru regarding a call for the resignation of all ERC officials in the wake of the recent issues confronting the organization,” Salazar said.

“I am now waiting for the President’s return and will immediately seek a meeting with him to give him a fuller picture of the current developments at the ERC. I am confident that the proposed meeting with and briefing for the President would result in clearer directions from him regarding the issues facing the ERC,” he added.

He also assured Duterte that he had the “highest respect for his recent statement” and vowed to take “appropriate actions that would protect the organization.”

Salazar said he has requested the Commission on Audit to look into corruption allegations raised by Villa.

Salazar, appointed in August 2015, has a fixed seven-year term at the ERC while the remaining four commissioners have a five-year fixed term.

In his remarks, Duterte said red flags at the agency included questionable appointments, including having too many consultants, and how contracts were awarded.

“They want to spare the humiliation of sitting there without their money? They resign and I will reorganize or rename the agency,” the President said of the top ERC officials.

The Villas thanked Duterte for his efforts to shed light over the suicide.

“We thank the President for taking the first step towards reforms in the

power industry, which will benefit consumers and the economy,” the family said in a statement.

“We appeal for your help to set up a helpline for government employees undergoing the same kind of stress and harassment in the work place,” they added.

Senate energy committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian said his panel could investigate the allegations of corruption based on Villa’s disclosures.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella also said they plan to investigate the reports of corruption.

Cusi said the Energy department and the ERC were “resolute” in finding out the truth behind the allegations and issues raised.

“We need a strong energy regulator and a united energy family. Our strength should be based on the truth.

As the leader of the sector, I enjoin everyone to be fair,” Cusi said.

“We need to ensure that ERC personnel are able to recover immediately. They are also affected by the loss of their colleague but their service is needed by our country,” Cusi said.

“I have spoken to the commissioners of the ERC. I am pleased that they too want to get to the bottom of this.

I have assured them of the department’s support in carrying out their mandate in protecting electricity consumers,” Cusi said.

“This is a challenge for all of us.

Our commitment to fairness and the truth will be tested. I am confident that we will come out stronger after this,” Cusi said.

5239215 and 5239219.

“The private individual who earlier offered the P1 million for information on Lachica’s murder has now upped the reward. It is now P1 million each for information leading to the arrests of the persons responsible for the murders of Deputy Commissioner Lachica and Regional Director Amora,” the department statement said.

It did not say who offered the reward.

Amora, who was the bureau’s regional director of Revenue Region 8-Makati City, was killed early Monday morning on Katipunan Avenue,

Quezon City, by unknown assailants onboard a motorcycle.

The motive for the killing is still unknown, the BIR said.

Amora, a certified public accountant, rose from the ranks in the bureau, starting his stint in the government service as a revenue examiner, and later as regional director in Quezon City, where he had consistently delivered “topnotch performance.”

The BIR described Amora as a “dedicated public servant” who had no known enemies either in or out of the bureau.

A police report submitted by Customs Commissioner Nicanor Fael-

don to the Finance Department said Lachica was on his way home to Caloocan City Thursday night onboard his Toyota Altis with two BoC contractual employees—his driver Romulo Dumaua and bodyguard Ramon Hernandez—when they were attacked by a man wearing a face mask.

Lachica’s assailant suddenly appeared from behind them along España Avenue near the corner of Kundiman Street in Sampaloc, Manila and shot him several times with a handgun, the police report said.

Lachica was taken to United Doctors Medical Center, where he was declared dead-on-arrival.

generals.

Philippine National Police Chief Ronaldo dela Rosa, meanwhile, chided De Lima for predicting Espinosa’s death while in transit from Abu Dhabi to Manila.

Espinosa is scheduled to appear at the Senate hearing tentatively on Wednesday for a possible face-off with De Lima, one of the high-ranking government officials allegedly listed in the ledger of his late father linked to the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas.

“Over our dead bodies if he will die,” Dela Rosa said of De Lima’s prediction.

The younger Espinosa, tagged as one of the country’s drug dealer in Eastern Visayas arrived last Sunday in the country after he was extradited

by Abu Dhabi authorities following his arrest to faced illegal drug charges in Manila.

De Lima has said that Kerwin

would suffer the same fate that of his father, who was killed by policemen in his jail cell.

Dela Rosa said the PNP had provided the younger Espinosa with adequate security.

Espinosa has supposedly prepared an affidavit that names politicians and other government officials, but the document has not been released pending his appearance at the Senate.

Before his death in a supposed ensued shootout with lawmen at the Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail in Leyte, Rolando Espinosa Sr. said in a TV interview that a senator, a congressman and police officials were on his list, but refused to name them.

But Espinido said that based on Espinosa’s ledger, there was one senator who used to be a Justice secretary.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who heads the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said

the younger Espinosa said he wanted to avoid his father’s fate, in a draft affidavit that he e-mailed to the senator.

“He said he hopes not to be killed.

He said many things in his affidavit,” Lacson said.

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo on Monday refused to resign over mounting calls for her to step down for publicly denouncing the burial of the strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“We serve at the pleasure of the President, isn’t it ?” she said. “That’s why, it is all up to the President.”

Despite her objection to the Marcos’ burial, Robredo said she has a “very good working relationship” with President Rodrigo Duterte.

The President has always respected her position despite her opposition against the Marcoses for “deliberately” hiding the burial last November 18.

Former senator Rene Saguisag, a human rights lawyer, called on Cabinet officials opposing the Marcos’ burial to

ERC...

From A1

Lacson’s committee is leading the Senate investigation on the circumstances surrounding the slaying of Espinosa’s father.

Kerwin is temporarily detained at the PNP Custodian Center inside Camp Crame.

Lacson also said Kerwin’s draft affidavit contained new names of personalities, allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

The senator said there are government officials on the list, but most of them are police officials.

Lacson said he had not yet finished reading the entire affidavit, and described Espinosa as “very cooperative.” With John Paolo Bencito

Assistant to the President Secretary Bong Go to reporters showed that the President was able to attend the first economic leaders’ retreat scheduled on Sunday morning in Lima.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the President started feeling unwell during the dialogue between Apec leaders and Pacific Alliance Presidents on Sunday afternoon.

Asked if the President skipped the events to avoid interact-

ing with other leaders like US President Barack Obama whom he previously lambasted after criticizing his war on drugs, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon simply said: “We could not determine the direction of the eyes of both.”

Before the two events, Duterte secured promises of trade investments from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. John

Auditors...

From A1

ized as revenue was now “doubtful.”

According to the CoA, a further review of records revealed the doubtful accounts had not moved at all since 2013.

The CoA likewise criticized the previous administration of the Freeport for having “failed to support its assertions on the correctness or records and validity of the receivables.

Named by Diño to the transition and audit team were lawyers Emer Aceron and Jose Arollado Jr., Rolando Allan Asi, Brig. General Percival Barba, Rod Banag, Brig. General Arnulfo J. Marcos (retired), Jose Rey Recinto and lawyer Victor Pablo Trinidad.

Diño said the audit team was empowered to compel the production of documents such as books of account, contracts and financial statements and to interview and take depositions of relevant personnel.

Aside from the doubtful accounts, Diño also intends to look into the P14.1-million questioned grant and liquidation of cash advances of former SBMA officials in light of the remarks from government auditors that inadequate documentation of liquidations “exposed government funds to risks of misappropriation or loss and cast doubt on their regularity.”

The CoA report identified then senior deputy administrator for support services Ramon Agregado with cash advances of P12.687 million and the deputy administrator for legal Randy Escolango with P299,700. Christine F. Herrera

CoA auditors said the 57 housing residents and 30 locators that they tried to reach accounted for P3.495 billion or 85.1 percent of the total account receivables.

“Of the 57 correspondences sent to residents, 37 were returned with remarks: ‘no one to receive, abandoned, unlocated, different unit owner, or closed/under SBMA control’ while the remaining 20 mails have no reply,” the CoA said.

“As regards the 30 letters to locators, 11 were returned with comments: company closed/under control of SBMA or no one to receive while 19 did not respond.”

Reacting to the COA’s findings, new SBMA chairman Martin Diño has created an eight-man audit team tasked to review all the doubtful accounts going back several years to determine if there are people and companies who may be held liable.

He said the investigation will include Garcia and directors Benjamin Antonio, Wilfredo Pineda, Bienvenido Benitez, Joven Reyes, Francis Garcia, Raul Marcelo and Cynthia Paulino.

We will seek the truth and go after those who were responsible for any wrongdoing. We will definitely file charges against them,’’ Diño said.

Following the results of the verification, the government auditors declared that the possibility of trade receivables being collected and real-

PH...

From A1 “If the effect of the EO is to keep our fishermen from fishing on the shoal, it will be counterproductive,” Batongbacal said.

“Even if it’s supposed to be an exercise of sovereignty, the practical effect is to stop the actual use of our presence in the area. That only benefits China and ties our hands to stop our own people from going there.”

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that while the President “will issue an executive order” to effect the changes, the changes as of the time being were “unilateral.”

Xi was quoted by state news agency Xinhua promising Duterte that fishermen would continue to have access to the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. “The Chinese leader [vowed] that the fishermen will continue to have free access to their traditional fishing grounds, apart from offering them training such as in fish culture to sustain their livelihood and families,” the statement said.

Xi likewise stressed to Duterte that the two nations “should move their relations in the right direction

Russia...

From A1 “We were talking of what they could buy from us, especially agricultural products, but nothing was specified. But I understand we supply them with a huge quantity of bananas… and mangoes. With these kinds of discussions, these present more trading opportunities between us,” Lopez said.

Lopez said that the bilateral trade between the two countries amount to more than $422 million every year, with exports amounting to $46 million in beer and agricultural products while imports amount $375 million, mostly in oil.

In the same briefing, Lopez said that Duterte’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping also brought economic benefits, including a 700,000-ton banana export deal.

“I took note of a report that a Chinese delegation recently closed a transaction for $100 million worth of fruit from the Philippines, primarily bananas. That involves 100,000 tons only for one transaction,” he said.

Other areas of cooperation, Lopez said, include helping the country in terms of energy and infrastructure. “[They will help] in machine engineering, hardware, modernizing industrial machineries, railways especially long-range railways, port infrastructure, monorails, light transit transport system, agriculture, and of course, tourism,” he said.

He added: The other side of this is their commitment to work with us on counterterrorism, counter-drugs [op-

Paolo Bencito

and commit to friendly cooperation, proper management of their differences and common development.”

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said turning the shoal into a sanctuary was an effective way of diffusing the territorial dispute with China.

Xi said China and the Philippines were faced with a new situation.

Xi called on both sides to boost exchanges at all levels, discuss major issues of common concern quickly and restore bilateral mechanisms in various fields in order to enhance mutual trust and cooperation.

China in early 2012 seized control of the Scarborough Shoal and deployed navy and coastguard vessels to prevent Philippine fishermen from working in the rich fishing grounds nearby.

However, following Duterte’s state visit to China last month, the Chinese coastguard vessels left the vicinity, allowing the fishermen to return.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on July 12 ruled that China, which claims virtually the entire South China Sea, had “violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone.” John Paolo Bencito and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan erations], law enforcement, [and] education finance.”

The Trade secretary said Putin and Mr. Duterte had established “very good rapport” in their first meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the Apec summit.

Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Russian leader highlighted the promotion of bilateral cooperation and investments with the Philippines --- particularly in railcar building, manufacturing of rails and the metals industry.

“Presidents agreed to promote activities of the intergovernmental commission today and give assignments to ministries to call its next meeting as soon as practicable,” Peskov said.

“The Russian President noted Russian companies are ready to intensify work on the Philippine market,” the press secretary said.

“Duterte underscored in response the possibility for Russian investors to enter into the most diverse areas in Philippines in the nearest future,” he added.

Putin also invited Duterte to visit Russia at a time of his convenience, Peskov said.

Last week, Duterte spoke about his readiness to join a “new world order” under the leadership of China and Russia, adding that he might follow Moscow’s lead and withdraw from the International Criminal Court after Western criticism of his bloody war on drugs.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said that he and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will be visiting Russia ahead of the President’s intended visit next year.

News IN BRIEF Watch kids of OFWs, solon urges A PARTY-list lawmaker is urging local government units, the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to actively monitor children left behind

by OFW parents in the care of distant relatives, neighbors and friends to ensure these children are not subjected to physical or emotional abuse.

ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz made the appeal in light of the death of a two-year-old boy left behind by her OFW mother who works as a cashier in Bahrain in the care of guardians, Sarah Jane Alcain and husband, Ronilo.

The husband used a belt to beat up the child after the boy urinated in his pants, reports said.

“Such brutal, inhumane treatment of this little boy should open our eyes to the need to better protect the welfare of children left behind by our OFWs. There is no excuse for such brutality and the full force of the law must be applied to the little boy’s abuser,” Bertiz said.

Maricel V. Cruz

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Panelo: Leftist Cabinet execs proof of diversity

By John Paolo Bencito

L

EFTISTS in President Rodrigo Duterte’s “diverse” Cabinet are enough proof he is not a traditional politician, a senior Cabinet official said Monday after the Communist Party of the Philippines assailed the President and called him a “rotten trapo” for the sudden burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“The CPP is entitled to its cisely the very reason why he opinion but PRRD’s [the Presi- won the presidential elections by dent] not being a trapo is pre- a landslide,” Chief Presidential

Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“All his official actions since assuming the presidency are anathema to the actions of a traditional politician. His appointment to his Cabinet of some well-known left leaning personalities can never be made nor replicated by a trapo president,” he added.

On Sunday, the CPP lambasted President Duterte for allegedly “proving himself a rotten trapo” [traditional politician] when he gave the green light to the burial of the late President, as they urged him to reverse the “historical wrong” of burying

Marcos alongside heroes, national artists, soldiers and ranking public officials.

But Panelo downplayed CPP’s claims, saying Duterte simply enforced the spirit of the law.

“It is not President Duterte that allowed the burial of Marcos but the existing law and regulations covering it, the President only enforced it pursuant to his constitutional duty to enforce the Constitution and the law,” he said.

“The President enforcing the dictates of the law will never put him in isolation from the governed as in fact his approval rating is the highest among previ-

ous Presidents.”

Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani last Friday in what critics called clandestine rites that shocked activist groups and alleged Martial Law victims.

The burial has previously set the CPP and Duterte on a collision course.

The Reds were bitter rivals of Marcos who declared Martial Law to suppress communism while Duterte, a friend of the Marcoses, has insisted the late strongman deserves a hero’s burial for serving the country as a soldier.

Fuel prices go up anew GASOLINE prices went up

by P0.10 per liter effective Tuesday to reflect what industry officials said was the movement in the prices in the world market.

But the oil firms did not move diesel and kerosene prices.

Companies that implemented the oil prices include Seaoil Philippines, PTT Philippines, Flying V, Unioil, Eastern Petroleum, and Phoneix Petroleum.

Last week, the oil firms cut pump prices by as much as P0.65 per liter to reflect the oversupply and doubts over a production freeze by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

2 troops slain in encounter TWO soldiers were killed and a couple more wounded in an encounter against a group of unidentified armed men on Monday in Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur, military officials said.

Maj. Felimon Tan Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said the encounter involved the 53rd Infantry Battalion at past 8 a.m. in Purok 4, Barangay Guinicolalay.

“As a result, the government side suffered two killed and two wounded in action, while the enemy side suffered an undetermined number of casualties. Names of the casualties were not yet released pending notification of their next of kin,” Tan said.

ALWAYS OPEN DOOR. Pope Francis greets Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle after he ended the Jubilee of Mercy on Sunday. The pope urged the faithful to ‘ask for the grace of never closing the doors of reconciliation and pardon, but rather of knowing how to go beyond evil and differences, opening every possible pathway of hope.’ AFP Photo

‘Still no justice for Ampatuan killings’

By Allen Estabillo AMPATUAN, Maguindanao—Editha Tiamzon’s eyes welled up with tears as she stepped into a fenced plot at a hill in Sitio Masalay of Barangay Salman here where white headstones stand as a memorial for the 58 people who died in a gruesome massacre seven years ago.

The site was one of two spots where the remains of some of the victims, 32 of whom were media workers, were found hours after the Nov. 23, 2009 killings.

Editha, widow of victim UNTV driver Daniel Tiamzon, visited the site for the first time on Sunday afternoon along with 80 family members and colleagues of the slain journalists to commemorate the seventh year of the carnage.

“It’s very painful. The memories were coming back and I can see now how brutal it was,” she said.

She finally agreed to visit the site after setting it aside these past years due to some concerns from her family, which is based in Metro Manila.

She joined a convoy from General Santos City, where some of the slain journalists

hailed, to the massacre site to also retrace the events that took place during the incident.

The group held a mass, lighted candles and offered flowers at the headstones that carried the names of the victims.

The visit was part of the commemoration of the seventh anniversary of the infamous massacre, which had been dubbed as the single deadliest event for journalists in history.

The activity was organized by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the Justice Now Movement, composed of the relatives of the massacre victims.

In his homily, Passionist priest Fr. Rey Carvyn Ondap scored the country’s “compromised” justice system for the long-drawn trial of the massacre’s alleged masterminds led by members of the family of the late Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. “After seven years, this is no longer an Ampatuan massacre. This is a judicial massacre,” he said.

He noted while the “Ampatuan kingdom” in Maguindanao is “gone already,” justice remained elusive for the victims due to apparent lack of “delicadeza” of those running the justice system.

The priest cited reports of maneuverings and manipulations of court proceedings as well as some rulings through supposed payoffs.

Ondap urged colleagues and the families of the victims to remain united and not lose hope in their continuing quest for justice even if it would take years or centuries.

He said everything in this world is temporary and “God will give us justice when we all face Him in heaven.”

“It should console us that someday, somehow, Christ—who rules everything—will give justice for this,” he said.

Ryan Rosauro, NUJP national chairperson, said the country should draw lessons from the grisly massacre and the ongoing trial of the suspects.

He said the killings showed the tendency of influential political families, like the Ampatuans, to abuse their power.

Rosauro also cited the apparent slow course of justice in the country, as seen with the trial of the suspects.

During a brief commemoration program at the site, some children of the slain journalists raised hopes of eventually getting justice amidst such situation.

Binay asks Sandigan justice to inhibit self

By Maricel V. Cruz

OUT FOR VENGEANCE. Former legislators Neri Colmenares and Satur Ocampo, former political detainee Bonifacio Ilagan and human rights lawyer Ephraim Cortez hold up a copy of their petition for the exhumation of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Supreme Court. (Story on page 1) Norman Cruz

FORMER Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay has asked Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to inhibit herself from her graft and malversation cases as the former raised apprehension over the magistrate’s handling of her cases.

Binay, in a motion for inhibition submitted to the Sandiganbayan Third Division, said Tang’s pronoucement during the hearing on Binay’s motion for reraffling her four pending cases last October 13 gave “an appearance of bias and prejudice” against her.

Tang, in the October hearing, asked Binay’s counsels for the legal basis of their motion— which the Binay camp respond-

ed to as “political color.”

“Are you telling the court that it will be likewise be swayed by political considerations?” Tang asked.

Binay dismissed Tang’s comments during the hearing as “unexpected and surprising.”

“The uttered statements show that Presiding Justice CabotajeTang felt personally offended and patently showed an adverse reaction to accused Binay’s omnibus motion, which only prayed for the reraffling of the cases so they may be tried separately.

The demeanor of the honorable Presiding Justice affects accused Binay’s confidence that she will get a fair trial that respects her constitutional rights,” Binay’s lawyers said.

Comelec officials oppose intel fund

By Vito Barcelo TWO commissioners of the Commission on Elections critical of Chairman Juan Andres Bautista have asked the Senate to delete the P1-million intelligence fund from the body’s 2017 proposed budget being sought by the Comelec chairman.

Comelec commissioners Rowena Guanzon and Christian Robert Lim submitted a letter to Committee on Finance chairman Senator Loren Legarda urging her to remove the funds which they described as “unnecessary.”

“We hope you can help us ensure that no such confidential fund of any amount is included in our Comelec 2017 budget.

It is unnecessary and can be a source of graft and corruption,” the letter dated October 24 said.

The two claimed the allocation should be removed in accordance with the policy adopted by the commission just last September 6.

“During our September 6 en banc meeting, presided by Commissioner Christian Lim, all six commissioners passed a resolution [with Chairman Bautista on official business], that as a matter of policy, the Commission does not want any confidential fund forming part of our budget,” the letter added.

They also claimed a confidential fund is not needed because the poll body has billions in savings.

“Comelec has billions in savings and if a confidential fund is a line item in the General Appropriations Act, the chairman can augment that fund from savings,” they said.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Unsafe

T

WO government officials were murdered within days of each other this month.

On Thursday, Nov. 17, the Bureau of Customs’ Deputy Commissioner, Arturo Lachica, was gunned down along España, City of Manila, while he was on his way home.

A P1-million reward has been put up by the Department of Finance for

Adelle Chua, Editor

anybody who can provide information on who might have committed the killing, and why.

Lachica was shot by a gunman. He sustained multiple chest wounds and was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

And then on Mon-

day morning, Makati City Revenue District Officer Jonas Amora was shot by two men on board a motorcycle along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

The closed circuit television camera of the village is said to have caught the shooting. It may not be as effective, however, in determining the motive for the killing, and who ordered it.

We accept that these are precarious times, and that this administration is earnest—desperate—in its campaign against illegal drugs and corruption.

But the public is also desperate for a sense of peace and order: To know our streets are safe, that authorities can prevent crime and will not get ahead of the justice system in their desire to prove

they are doing their jobs.

Impunity is being free from the consequences of what one has done. We know this word too well— too many crimes, many of them heinous, have never been resolved. The perpetrators have never been brought to justice, and this failure has emboldened others to ponder dark deeds and actually carry them

through.

What these killings tell us is that criminals, in plain clothes or those cloaked in official wear, have become too bold and confident that they can do as they please and not pay for them.

There must be outrage—even while we scramble for safer ground, hoping we will never be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

EAGLE EYES TONY LA VIÑA

From Marrakech, hope for climate change

he would have a much difficult time getting Marcos interred where he wanted.

Shortly after Duterte won, of course, he ordered that Marcos be buried at the Libingan, in fulfillment of his promise. The Yellows ran to the Supreme Court, where they lost, 9-5.

Then, the Yellows didn’t file a motion for reconsideration or secure a restraining order. The Marcos family, seeing no legal impediment to the burial, did just that last Friday in a private ceremony.

And now we are witness to the collective hair-pulling and gnashing of teeth of the Yellows, who say they never expected this. And, when you think about it, they never really did. *** The reason the Yellows were blindsided was because they had started to believe their own propaganda line, which held that no president in his or her right

LAST Friday, November 18, the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change closed in Marrakech, Morocco. Two weeks of intense negotiations produced credible outcomes that bring hope for addressing climate change. Marrakech built on the goodwill from COP 21 last December 2015 when 195 countries adopted the Paris Agreement. That agreement came into force last November 3 on the eve of COP 22.

In the second week of Marrakech, during the high-level segment, the Philippines was represented by Environment Secretary Gina Lopez who delivered a powerful speech that called for urgent and ambitious action. Lopez explained passionately why climate change is high on our agenda: “The Philippines is a country of 7,000 islands which has the highest endemicity per unit area in the planet. This means that 70 percent of the biodiversity found in the Philippines can only be found in our country. We have more than 3,000 species of marine life, some of which includes a snail—the venom of which has been found by a Nobel laureate to be better than morphine in addressing pain without the side effects. Our sponges and shells are effective in addressing cancer, and we are barely scratching the surface of what there is. This is not just the wealth of the Philippines—it is the wealth of all of us together.

Should the planet escalate to more than 1.5 degrees [increase in temperature], we lose all of that. The planet simply cannot afford an indecisive ambiguity about what needs to be done. The situation is clear—anything more than 1.5 degrees will destroy possibilities for quality of life. We do not need to give up economic growth—from clean energy, to sustainable transportation, to all facets of life. We need to have the courage to change the way we do things. We cannot and must not build an econo-

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Blind and blindsided LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IN THE past 30 years, the Aquino family and its supporters had the power to change things. In 12 of those years, during which Cory Aquino and her son Noynoy were president, they were the most powerful people in the land.

But over that period, the people had grown weary of the benign self-righteousness and platitudinous incompetence of the Aquinos and their Yellows, who never really improved the lives of ordinary Filipinos. And the Aquinos and the Yellows, safe in their reality-repelling echo chamber, never saw what was coming until it came up and bit them.

For instance, you’d have thought that, given the Aquino family’s much-publicized hatred

for its rival clan, the Marcoses, the Yellows could have done something to prevent Ferdinand Marcos from getting his wish of being buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. But the Yellows never had a law passed in Congress or directed the military to charge its rules concerning who should be buried at its cemetery to prevent the burial from happening.

And when the Marcos burial finally happened last Friday, the Yellows acted like they were all surprised. The burial was like the surreptitious entry of a thief in the night, said one Yellow official, who ironically stands accused of the theft of a million votes while almost everyone slept on the night of May 9; another, who has lately been looking appropriately cadaverous, vowed to have the newly buried remains of the late dictator disinterred.

Such is the selective forgetfulness and aversion to accept any

blame of the Yellows, who may have gotten these traits from Noynoy Aquino. They want everyone to believe them on the basis of their earnestness, even if they are so obviously lying— again, another character flaw of their Yellow idol.

In three decades, the Yellows have gone from triumphant to inconsequential.

And they still keep getting surprised.

Any objective review of the recent events that led to the burial of Marcos will prove just how untenable the Yellows’ position that they were caught by surprise is. Let’s start with the arrival on the national scene of presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, the mayor of Davao City.

Last Feb. 19, while campaigning in Ilocos Norte, Mayor Duterte promised to have Marcos buried at the Libingan, which his family said was the late president’s wish before he died. A subservient Congress was still in session at the time and the military was still under the total control of Noynoy.

All it would have taken was a simple law passed to prevent the burial or an even simpler directive to the Armed Forces which owns the cemetery (which would, say, stop the burial there of “all presidents who had been deposed”) and it wouldn’t have happened. Or at the very least, if Duterte won,

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Opinion TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

PhilWeb to restart operations WAS President Duterte aware Court ready as the Presidential of the unannounced burial of the Electoral Tribunal to tackle the remains of the late strongman electoral protest of former SenaPresident Ferdinand Marcos at tor Bongbong Marcos. With the recounting of votes in at least the Libingan ng mga Bayani?

Of course, and the buck five provinces, it does appear that the Liberal Party cheated should stop with him.

Why would the Armed Forces for Robredo. In fact, they did of the Philippines give Marcos it for both Mar Roxas and Rofull military honors befitting a bredo. But, they could not do it former President and a soldier with Duterte. The margin beif the President did not approve tween Duterte and Roxas was it? Didn’t the President say that too big. So, they did it for Roit was all legal, and that he was bredo, who is now having sleepjust following the law after the less nights since she knows that Supreme Court ruled against soon enough she’ll be history. *** the petition on the burial at Businessman Gregorio AranLNMB? The Marcos haters are livid eta III expects to fully take over about the Marcos burial and PhilWeb Corp. and have a linow would even have the Mar- cense to operate from the Philcoses and even the military ippine Amusement and Gaming cited for contempt. My gulay, Corp. before the year ends.

The truth of the matter, acsome senators led by Senate President Koko Pimentel and cording to unimpeachable remembers of Congress would sources, is that President Dueven like to lead an attempt to terte has already given Pagcor exhume the remains and des- orders to restart PhilWeb’s operation in online gambling and ecrate them.

I have serious doubts, how- E-games operations by some ever, because 9-5-1 ruling of the 131 entities nationwide with gods of Mount Olympus at Pa- their P1.8-billion investments.

Pagcor Chairperson Andre Faura appears irreversible.

Now, these Marcos haters— drea Domingo and the Pagcor fanatics, really—are scheduling board are already in talks about much-stronger rallies as they PhilWeb restarting its operaclaim. They can rally until king- tion. Its license was not renewed dom come, to no avail. The con- when the President said Ongpin troversial burial was done un- was “an oligarch that must be announced, which was for the destroyed.”

Soon enough, the President greater good of all concerned.

My gulay, can you imagine changed his mind. Ongpin was what could have happened if all not the oligarch he was supposthose fanatics tried to stop the edly referring to. He soon found out that during the BS Aquino burial in its midst? administration, There was Ongpin was no law against harassed—perthe burial in secuted—by the first place. both Finance It was execuYou cannot Secretary Cetory. So what sar Purisima are they belly- put a good man and the Develaching about? down. opment Bank Truth to tell, it’s of the Philipthe military in pines. He faced complicity with cases for behest the Left that are leading it. It was Marcos who loans and insider trading.

Actually, insiders told me that stopped the communists from doing their worst in 1972. And it was Ongpin’s real estate comit was Marcos that broke the petitor at Entertainment City backbone of the communist in- who had accused Ongpin and surgency with the imposition of got it through the President’s ears. The President soon discovMartial Law. But it was BS Aquino’s late ered that this was not true.

The President directed Dominmother, former President Cory, who brought back the com- go to have online gambling and munists where they are now E-Games operations reinstated because, as far as I know, her on two conditions: First, they late husband Ninoy was deal- must be farthest from the churching both with the Central Intel- es and schools, second, that their ligence Agency and the com- customers and clients must be remunist insurgents. He was a stricted to those who can afford it.

Araneta is now waiting for “double agent” out to protect Hacienda Luisita, if the truth the approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission. He must be told.

There are demands that the needs this before he can make a communists who are now in the tender offer to minority stockDuterte administration and who holders. It would be foolish for have been vocal against the bur- buyers to sell at P2.60 per share ial of the Marcos remains at the when they can dispose of their LNMB should resign. If they shares anytime for P9 or higher, have any self-respect or “deli- prevailing in the stock market.

Ongpin effectively lost some cadeza,” they should. I said “if.”

But it seems that they have pri- P22 billion; he just took the oritized their own self-interest beating philosophically. He said with all the perks they are get- it was part of the game.

When I talked to him, his ting as members of the Cabinet.

These officials are Social only concern were the 6,000 Welfare Secretary Judy Tagui- employees—of both PhilWeb walo, National Anti-Poverty and e-Games operators—who Commission head Liza Maza, stood to lose their jobs, as well Agrarian Reform Secretary Ra- as the operators’ P1.8-billion infael Mariano, and Labor Under- vestments. He even offered Pagcor, for free, his 77,651 million secretary Joel Maglungsod.

“Delicadeza” is something shares in an attempt to restart very personal. You either have PhilWeb. Santa Banana, in a final attempt to save jobs and init or you don’t.

I would also like to include vestments, Ongpin even donatVice President Leni Robredo, ed to Pagcor his PhilWeb shares who continues to cling to her to build rehabilitation centers Cabinet post like a leech. She for drug addicts nationwide.

His last recourse was to sell is vocal about her opposition to Duterte’s decision to bury the to Araneta, who is the second Marcos remains at the LNMB. biggest stockholder of PhilWeb, Does she realize that as a Cabi- at a huge loss, if only to save net official, she is the alter-ego jobs and investments.

Through all these, Ongpin of the President?

If she has any self-respect or believes in the 10-point agenda “delicadeza” left, she should of economic agenda of the Dualso quit her job. But she won’t terte administration. To prove do it. BS Aquino and the Yel- this, his company, Alphaland, is lows want her to continue to pushing ahead with its projects.

Pagcor must have realized be vice president just in case Duterte does not make it to his that PhilWeb’s remittances to it were considerable. sixth year.

Bobby used to be my student Incidentally, I cannot believe Robredo would last as vice pres- at the Ateneo. You just cannot ident, now with the Supreme put this man down.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

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De Lima not entitled to habeas data HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA SENATOR Leila de Lima is once again resorting to underhanded tactics calculated to make the public see her as the underdog in the numerous cases filed against her by the national government and some anti-crime crusaders.

De Lima has been linked by government investigators to the large-scale narcotics trade involving drug lords doing time at the national penitentiary when De Lima was still the justice secretary. State investigators maintain that De Lima regularly got bribe money from the drug lords as her share in the illicit trade.

The news media likewise exposed that during De Lima’s watch as justice secretary, the drug lords in the national penitentiary enjoyed special treatment consisting of air-conditioned quarters, catered food, and access to mobile telephones, computers, firearms, drugs, and cash. According to De Lima’s critics, the special accommodations afforded to these drug lords could not have been possible without the knowledge and approval of De Lima, who was the supervisor of the nation’s prisons at that time.

More telling is the accusation against De Lima that her driver is also her lover, and that this alleged driver-lover served as her bagman—the man who supposedly got the bribe money from the drug lords on behalf of De Lima. The news media published photographs of a large house and lot in Pangasinan pur-

From...

From A4 my based on suffering.”

The Philippine statement echoed the stand of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), of which the Philippines is a member (we chaired the CVF up to earlier this year when we passed the baton to Ethiopia).

Assistant Secretary Evelyn Cruzada, of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, delivered a strong statement on our behalf during the CVF High Level Meeting held last week.

According to the Marrakech Vision of the CVF: “The response to climate change is climate justice and social justice in action... This requires limiting to the maximum the increase in warming below if not well below 1.5 degrees Celsius, a peaking of global emissions by 2020 at the latest, and the achievement of net carbon neutrality by the 2050s in realization of the Paris Agreement.”

CVF countries, including the Philippines, will “strive to meet 100-percent domestic renewable energy production as rapidly as possible, while working to end energy poverty and protect water and food security, taking into consideration national circumstances.” They promised “to help each other with our respective transition plans to transform our energy, transport and other sectors, and together ensure support is made available in terms of capacity building, financing and technology.”

The CVF emphasized the importance of people being effectively informed about climate change and equipped

Blind...

From A4 mind would allow the Marcos burial. And there is enough evidence to show that all the presidents in the past 30 years, even if they were not surnamed Aquino, backed away from the issue, so fearful were they of a Yellow political backlash.

But again, the Yellows refused to see that Filipinos and the political climate had changed. Not only did they fail to take seriously the possibility that a proburial candidate like Duterte

portedly given by De Lima to her alleged driver-lover.

Although De Lima denies the accusation that she received bribe money from the drug lords, she is equivocal on the story about her alleged driver-lover. De Lima’s unclear position prompted the civic group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to file a disbarment case against the senator on the ground of gross immorality.

Instead of confining her defense in the disbarment case to legal arguments, De Lima engaged in name-calling, using labels like “creepy clown with a dark mask” and “circus act of performing monkeys” with President Rodrigo Duterte as the “master puppeteer” to describe the people responsible for the VACC disbarment complaint. As pointed out in an earlier essay under this column, De Lima’s resort to name-calling is, by itself, another ground for her disbarment.

Last week, De Lima filed a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas data against President Duterte in the Supreme Court.

Her petition seeks to stop Duterte from securing “private details about her personal life” and using them to degrade her as a woman. De Lima also urged women to oppose the president for his allegedly misogynist views. Malacañang, in turn, accused De Lima of skirting the issues against her, and by needlessly playing the so-called “gender card.”

From all indications, De Lima is not entitled to the writ of habeas data.

According to the rule governing habeas data, the remedy is “available to a person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened

by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee.”

In other words, the writ is designed to protect one’s privacy from illegal scrutiny.

The law governing privacy rights is clear—a public official like De Lima is entitled to less privacy rights than a private person does. This means that some aspects of the private life of a public official can be the subject of public scrutiny and criticism if those aspects are linked or have some reasonable connection to crime, graft and corruption, anomalies in government, and other matters which are the subject of legitimate public interest and concern.

Since the government and the news media have revealed plausible indications that De Lima’s driver is possibly her lover and her bagman in the large-scale narcotic trade which took place in the national penitentiary during her term as justice secretary, and considering, as alleged in the VACC disbarment complaint against De Lima, that De Lima has not categorically denied her romantic ties with her driver, De Lima cannot invoke privacy considerations to prevent the government from obtaining “private details about her personal life.”

Moreover, the State has the obligation to investigate and punish crime.

The rationale for the reduced privacy rights enjoyed by a public official is simple—a person who seeks a portion of public power, he or she must subject himself or herself to public scrutiny and criticism. Since nobody is compelled to enter public service, a public official cannot later on complain about the reduction of his or her privacy rights. As an ex-justice

secretary, De Lima ought to be aware of this rationale.

De Lima’s allegation that Duterte will use “private details about her personal life” to degrade her as a woman is pure hogwash. President Duterte’s administration is prosecuting De Lima for her alleged role in the large-scale illicit drug trade in the national penitentiary, and her being a woman is beside the point. Public officials suspected of involvement in criminal activities must be subjected to a government investigation, regardless of their gender.

Apparently, De Lima saw a chance to play the “gender card” because President Duterte is often criticized for alleged remarks demeaning to women. While undue gender discrimination is objectionable, De Lima’s claim that Duterte is determined to degrade her as a woman is unjustified opportunism designed to get women as a whole to dislike the president. As correctly pointed out by Malacañang, De Lima is skirting the real issues by resorting to unfounded claims of gender discrimination.

De Lima also laments the alleged bad treatment President Duterte has subjected her to, despite her being “a duly-elected senator.” Really? Before she elaborates on that nonsense, De Lima should remember that she, too, had been very critical of Duterte, and that she even branded Duterte as the brains of extrajudicial killings in the country, despite Duterte being “the duly-elected president.”

In the end, De Lima went to court but Duterte did not. Perhaps, unlike the President, De Lima has skeletons in her closet she does not want the public to know.

as communicators of climate risks and actions. It promoted a whole-of-society and wholeof-government approach in pursuit of sustainable development and the convergence of all key stakeholders, both private and government and civil society.

Finally, the heads of state and government delegations attending COP 22 issued the “Marrakech Action Proclamation for our Climate and Sustainable Development” to signal a shift towards a new era of implementation and action on climate and sustainable development.

According to them: “The Marrakech Conference marks an important inflection point in our commitment to bring together the whole international community to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time.

As we now turn towards implementation and action, we reiterate our resolve to inspire solidarity, hope and opportunity for current and future generations.”

Governments reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement, noting its rapid entry into force, its ambitious goals, its inclusiveness and reflectiveness of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities. They acknowledged that there is extraordinary and irreversible momentum on climate change worldwide that is “driven not only by governments, but by science, business and global action of all types at all levels.”

The Marrakech Proclamation calls for the highest political commitment to combat climate change and strong solidarity with those countries most vulnerable to the impact of climate

change, including supporting efforts that enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability. It calls for urgently raising ambition and strengthening cooperation among countries to close the gap between current emissions trajectories and the pathway needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goals.

The Proclamation also calls for increased support: among others an increase in the volume, flow and access to finance for climate projects, alongside improved capacity and technology, including from developed to developing countries. More specifically, governments committed to strengthen and support efforts to eradicate poverty, ensure food security and to take stringent action to deal with climate change challenges in agriculture.

The Philippine delegation was influential in Marrakech.

I was there the first week and continued to observe their work, through the delegation’s Viber exchanges, in the second week.

The competence and dedication of the delegation—our leaders, diplomats, technical officials from various departments, and colleagues from civil society organizations and academe— is truly impressive. As I mentioned in my previous column, the backstopping work of our diplomats and the lawyers of the Climate Change Commission was exemplary.

With the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, solidarity with other developing countries is essential. China is now the undis-

puted global leader on climate change and we must reinvigorate our long-time alliance on this issue with our big neighbor.

While continuing our membership in the Climate Vulnerable Forum, I would urge President Duterte and our decision makers to position the Philippines to rejoin the Like Minded Developing Countries, an aggrupation of developing countries that we co-founded in 2011 during the Durban climate conference and which we left in the 2014 Lima conference. There were good reasons for the pivot we made that year; but with the recent developments, domestic and global, rejoining the LMDC is imperative for a stronger negotiating position in the climate process.

Coming back from Marrakech, the Philippines must now ratify the Paris Agreement.

Hopefully, the President will endorse the Agreement soon to the Senate for its concurrence, a constitutional requirement. But unfortunately, the Department of Energy is not yet on board and ratification is on hold as a result.

I understand where Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is coming from, given DOE’s mandate to ensure energy security for the country. But, as I will propose in a later column, the resistance might be coming from the wrong premises. In fact, if implemented properly, the Paris Agreement will lead us to a more energy secure future.

Marrakech was good. Let us move forward now to ratify and implement the Paris Agreement.

would win, they didn’t think too much of the fact that Bongbong Marcos nearly won the vice presidency with 14 million or so votes (even after the theft in that May 9 night).

Like the Democratic liberal elites who backed Hillary Clinton, the long-ruling Yellow political class failed to see that they were no longer in control.

And because they had been such a powerful political force in the past three decades, they felt that not only would Mar Roxas continue their “gains,” his running mate would lead government after winning the

2022 elections, as well.

The Yellows failed to see that they had become irrelevant. And so they were the most surprised when they lost not only the elections but even their long battle to keep Marcos from being buried where he wanted to be buried.

Now, they are calling for a huge rally on November 25, where their main demand will be for Duterte to step down. It matters not to them that since Friday, they haven’t even mustered up a decent crowd at the People Power Monument, where aging, delusional Yellows and their deluded private

school-trained millennial surrogates gathered in the sorriest of numbers.

In three decades, the Yellows—because of their own smugness, lack of empathy for the common man and invincible, unrealistic belief in their own influence and permanence— have gone from triumphant to inconsequential. And yet, they still keep getting surprised.

They never knew that the people had tired of their elitist selfrighteousness and their lack of caring for the masses. And so they never saw the Yellow train wreck happen, until it did.

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

DoJ employees plotting to oust me, Aguirre says

By Rey E. Requejo

S

OME disgruntled employees of the Department of Justice who are against the government’s war against corruption are plotting the ouster of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. Aguirre made the revelation in his speech during Monday’s flag-raising ceremony where he announced that the DoJ will commence its anti-graft and corruption, starting with the cleansing of the DoJ of erring officials and employees.

Aguirre said the employees conspiring his ouster are the “misguided few” allegedly in-

volved in corrupt activities to the detriment of the majority who are just doing their job and mandate.

“There are reports that the same disgruntled DoJ employees are plotting my ouster from the DoJ. I know that some of you have been meeting on government time and have been using government resources to plot my

ouster,” he said.

“Henceforth, you can meet and you can plot, that is your right, but never again on government time and never again using government resources,” Aguirre added, without identifying those involved in the conspiracy to oust him.

“To the plotters, let me say this to you. I did not ask to be appointed to the DoJ. I did not seek this appointment. I will not even lose a single night’s sleep if this post is taken away from me. I might even be thankful if I am removed. Hindi tayo kapit tuko,” the added.

Aguirre warned those involved in the plot that they will not be allowed to taint the work of the majority who are simply doing their job and mandate, adding that gov-

ernment time and resources must only be used to serve the interest of justice and the Filipino people.

The Justice secretary said those who will go against the government’s drive against corruption will be stopped and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“Corruption by commission and corruption by omission must both be stopped. It simply has to stop.

Stop it or we will stop you. Some quarters paint my actions with colors of personal persecution.

They claim that they are being targeted whimsically and capriciously. There is no truth to that,” he said.

“We will adopt a business-like approach in pursuing the corrupt.

We will prosecute. We will never

persecute. Nothing more, nothing less,” he stressed.

While admitting that the war against corruption cannot be won without the help and participation of the DoJ rank-and-file employees, Aguirre appealed for their help by providing information on the corrupt activities of some of their coworkers.

“I do not want to be a hypocrite.

I will not, and I cannot, weed out corruption in other government offices, if our own backyard is dirty. We have to clean house first.

There must be no white washed tomb in any office in the DoJ. I call upon everyone who personally knew the corrupt acts of some DoJ personnel to join us in our efforts to better the DoJ,” Aguirre said.

P650-m DPWH budget scored

Cebu official faces raps THE Office of the Ombudsman on Monday upheld the filing of graft raps against a Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu local official with the Sandiganbayan for duping people applying for jobs abroad.

Charged was public employment service officer Grace Jamio for promoting a private firm, AB Tutorial and Languages Center (AB Tutorial), to prospective job applicants to Korea.

Included in the charge sheet were AB Tutorial representatives Buenaventura Igot and Arturo Aliazon.

The case arose from a complaint filed by 15 job applicants who were enticed by respondents to enrol in the Korean language program of AB Tutorial for a fee of P8,500.

According to the Ombudsman, Jamio gave the complainants the assurance that “there is an ongoing government-to-government program wherein factory workers will be deployed to Korea.”

Complainants, however, discovered AB Tutorial was not accredited with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority.

“Jamio’s blatant endorsement of AB Tutorial, despite the free courses being offered by the POEA and Tesda, is tainted with badges of partiality and malice,” the resolution read.

Rio N. Araja

PAL big birds off to Boracay

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATORS questioned on Monday the over P650 million in lump sum funds for “feasibility studies” for future projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways found in the said government agency’s proposed budget for 2017.

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon found the lump sum similar to the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or the so-called pork barrel, that was prevalent during the Aquino administration which the Supreme Court had declared unconstitutional.

Drilon, who was presiding over the session, said there’s no specific project for which this money will be used and the projects constitute “post intervention” on the part of the DPWH secretary because he is empowered to identify projects which will be funded by the lump sum appropriation of P500 million.

“That’s precisely what the PDAF is all about and declared unconstitutional. Now if Congress, can’t do that, I don’t know why it can be done by a Cabinet member,” he added.

Drilon joined Senator Panfilo Lacson in questioning the fund, saying it was a lump sum fund “with no particular purpose.”

“You can’t use this for augmentation. Otherwise, we’ll have augmentation amounts all over the budget. That’s precisely what Senator Lacson is raising,” Drilon said.

Lacson noted that aside from the P5.9 billion for feasibility study, project development, preliminary and detailed engineering, the DPWH was proposing another P500 million and P150 million without any details and placed under the agency’s Central Office.

Senate President Koko Pimentel said the projects under the proposed P650 million should be itemized.

IN BRIEF

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines marked another milestone by being the first Philippine carrier to utilize A320 jets for its Caticlan operations, enabling the airline to increase passenger capacity on the route in time for the Christmas peak season.

The Manila-Caticlan-Manila route is now utilizing 180-seater A320s jets thrice daily from 56-seater Q300s flown six times daily.

“As the peak season begins, we calibrate our operations to meet the needs of our loyal patrons. The introduction of this new all-jet service marks a new milestone in our operations between Manila and Caticlan, the country’s gateway to Boracay,” said PAL Express president Bonifacio Sam. The new A320 flies from Manila to Caticlan at 8:25 a.m., 12 p.m., 2:50 p.m. and from Caticlan to Manila at 9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m. Joel E. Zurbano

GIANT CATCH. Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa and Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde present the 22

kilos of shabu that was seized from two suspects, identified as Angelo Echaluce and Maria Rosario Echaluce, in Makati City. At P5,000 per gram, police said the haul amounts to P120 million. Andrew Rabulan

Cops seize P110-m shabu in sting

By Joel E. Zurbano and Francisco Tuyay LAWMEN arrested two suspected members of a drug syndicate and seized 22 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, worth P110 million during a buy-bust operation in Guadalupe, Makati City before noon Monday.

The suspects were identified as Ma. Rosario Echaluce, 38, and her nephew 19-year-old Angelo Echaluce, both residents of 0377 Cerbo Compund, Bilibiran, Binangonan, Rizal. They are now detained and placed under interrogation at the Southern Police District headquarters in Taguig City.

SPD director Chief Supt. To-

mas Apolinario said his men, led by Senior Inspector Wilfredo Sangel, recovered a total of 22 kilos of shabu as a result of the sting conducted at the ground floor of the Guadalupe Commercial Complex on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue around 11 a.m.

“This is a buy-bust operation.

The suspects were the subjects of a surveillance and monitoring of our men from the DAID. We knew that the 22 kilos of highgrade shabu will be brought to Cebu,” said Apolinario.

He said based on their monitoring operations, the suspects have connections inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and the mastermind is a

Chinese national based in Hong Kong.

“They are operating outside our country. They established network and they have personnel tasked to store, deliver and sell.

We are now conducting a follow up operation but we cannot reveal it now,” said Apolinario.

Aside from the prohibited substance, the authorities also recovered from the marked money, one mobile phone and other drug paraphernalia. SPD spokesperson Supt. Jenny Tecson said charges are now being prepared.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has ordered the relief of Makati City police chief Rommel Mitra.

No one among the officials of the Makati City government knows why Mitra was ordered to vacate his post. But they said they just know that Mitra has been replaced by Senior Supt.

Emeldio Tagra.

Just recently, six Police Community Precincts commanders in the city were sacked for their failure to implement the PNP’s “Double Oplan Barrel,” the government operation in its war against drugs.

Among the commanders relieved from their respective posts are; PCP-1 in Brgy. Olympia, PCP-3 in Brgy. San Isidro, PCP7 in Brgy. Guadalupe Nuevo, PCP-8 in Brgy. West Rembo and PCP-10 in Brgy. Rizal.

Gordon makes pitch for teachers’ pay hike

SKY HIGH. Weeks after two typhoons that damaged crops, the prices of vegetables continued to soar, like in Commonwealth Market in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

SENATOR Richard J. Gordon said the Philippines should strive to become Asia’s intellectual superpower and underscored the need for a substantial increase in the salary of the country’s public school teachers to attract and retain the best educators.

During the Senate deliberation on the budget of the Department of Education, Gordon cited studies which show that neither class size nor school curricula produce bright and good students but good teachers do.

“Our country has the right population age to greatly contribute to the development of our country,” said Gordon. “But we’re going to miss the bus if we’re not going to improve the quality of education of our young population.”

To be able to educate our young population to enable them to compete with the best in the world, he cited the need to provide schools with good, well-trained and prop-

erly motivated teachers, especially in the public school sector.

“Never mind the class size and the school curricula, it is good teachers that we need. Our children would be smarter and more competitive if they have good teachers,” he said.

“How can we entice the best instructors to teach in our public schools when the salary of our public school teachers lag behind teachers in our neighboring countries in Asia? We have to give them better salaries,” he added.

“We have to leave our mark in the sense that we made the country better. We have to make our people become better educated so that we can be the intellectual superpower of Asia,” he also said.

Meanwhile, he asked the Bureau of Corrections to allocate a budget to allow prisoners to work in prison and be used productively.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Probe DepEd deals —solon A CONGRESSMAN urged the investigation of a complaint over contracts awarded by the Department of Education amid claims that officials are ignoring claims of irregularity after one losing bidder threatened to file charges against Assistant Education Secretary Jesus Mateo for alleged inaction on its complaint.

But Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza said complaints from losing bidders are pretty common and an investigation is the only way to determine the truth.

Atienza said he had his share of companies threatening to sue him because of their loss in the bidding process while he was mayor of Manila and former DENR secretary.

“Those kinds of complaints are already natural. That is a regular occurrence [in the bidding process],” Atienza said, adding that, while it may be a hassle for the government agency, it will give them a chance to prove its transparency.

Atienza said winning bidders and government officials should not allow such threats to hamper government projects, saying public service should not be delayed because of a complaint by a losing company.

“It gives the department a chance to prove their transparency. And I hope they will not get sidetracked by these instances. Just go on with the project especially if it will involve the students,” he said.

Atienza made the remarks after DepEd supplier Multifocus Corp. threatened to charge the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee, led by Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo, for alleged inaction on its complaint that it has lost P1.5 billion in various contracts at DepEd.

Sports

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Pacers outlast OKC Thunder NEW YORK—Indiana’s Jeff Teague scored 30 points, eight of them in over-time, to lead six double-figure scorers who powered the Pacers over Oklahoma City 115-111 in an NBA game Sunday.

Russell Westbrook, who had game highs of 31 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in a losing cause, sank a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to pull the Thunder level at 103-103 and send the game into over-time.

But Teague sank a 3-point shot, converted a 3-point play and sank two free throws to create the final score as the visiting Pacers improved to 7-7 while Oklahoma City fell to 8-6.

“Just wasn’t ready,” Westbrook

said. “I could have did a lot of things better. I have to come out and be ready to play every night. I feel like I let my guys down and we have to be better.”

Thaddeus Young had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, while Glenn Robinson III had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana, which kept Paul George out of the lineup due to a sore left ankle. George leads the Pacers with 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals a game.

“We have guys that are capable of playing at a high level,” Teague said. “They stepped up tonight.

We’ve got confidence in everybody on the roster. It showed.”

Chicago’s Jimmy Butler scored 40 points to power the Bulls over the host Los Angeles Lakers 118-110.

In New York, the Knicks defeated Atlanta 104-94 at Madison Square Garden, while the Brooklyn Nets were downed 129-109 by Portland.

With Knicks center Joakim Noah absent due to illness, Carmelo Anthony scored a seasonhigh 31 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 11 rebounds as New York improved to 6-7 with their fourth

consecutive home triumph.

New York guards Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee each scored 14 points as the Knicks pulled ahead by 13 points in the first quarter and kept control from there.

“I thought we did a great job of not getting off to a slow start,” Anthony said. “Today was just more about playing off the guys... playing off Derrick. Defensively we more confident.”

The Hawks (9-4) were led by Paul Millsap’s 19 points, while Dwight Howard added 18 points and 18 rebounds.

At Brooklyn, C.J. McCollum scored 33 points to power the Trail Blazers over the Nets, snapping a three-game Portland losing skid.

Kerr fined $25,000 for ripping referees NEW YORK—Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was issued a $25,000 fine Sunday by the NBA for public criticism of officiating, ripping into league referees for uncalled traveling violations.

The comments were made last Thursday when Kerr was being interviewed on radio station KNBR in the wake of Golden State’s 127-121 victory a night earlier at Toronto.

When others noted the high number of missed traveling calls by NBA referees, Kerr joined in, remarking specifically about a fourstride move to the basket by Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan against the Warriors that was not whistled.

“How is it that everybody on Earth can see these traveling violations except for the three people we pay to do the job?” Kerr said. “I don’t get it.

It’s bizarre.”

Kerr said referees are being asked to watch so many things during a game—lane violations, bumping fouls, charging, defenders positioning for blocking fouls—that they can sometimes miss violations more obvious and basic, ones easily seen by spectators.

“I can literally put together a blooper reel of plays that are embarrassing travels that are just not called,” Kerr said. “It’s a shame. Guys are getting away with murder out there.” AFP

PSA Forum tackles PH track meet THE signing of a Memorandum Agreement and the hosting of Isabela of next year’s edition of the Philippine National Open Invitational Track and Field Championships will be tackled in today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Attending the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. are athletics president Dr. Philip Ella Juico and Ilagan, Isabela Mayor Evelyn C. Diaz.

The annual national trackfest will be held March of 2017.

DZSR Sports Radio 918 is airing the forum live at 11 a.m.

Evan Turner added 19 points and Damian Lillard contributed 18 for Portland while Allen Crabbe and Meyers Leonard added 14 each as the Trail Blazers had a season-high 15 3-pointers and a season-best 57.6 overall shooting percentage.

Brook Lopez scored 21 to lead the Nets, who lost their fourth game in a row.

Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said guard Jeremy Lin, sidelined by a left hamstring strain, is “progressing well” but the team gave no timeline for his return.

Jamal Murray came off the bench to lead Denver with 18 points and reserve Wilson Chandler added 17 as the Nuggets beat visiting Utah 105-91. AFP

Jeff Teague #44 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. AFP

Top skate boarders impress in Dew Tour

By Peter Atencio FANS got to watch skateboarders from Manila, Laguna, Davao and Cebu do the various tricks of skateboarding over the weekend in the Dew Tour Am weekend at the Circuit Makati.

Among the participants, 17-year-old Margelyn Vidal of Cebu got to rub elbows with the best of the best in the country.

“The tricks. You have to be consistent with your tricks to be able to win this,” said Vidal before the start of the competitions.

Skateboarders needed to impress the judges on how to do the flips, grinds, the slides and the ollies.

The winners will win a trip to the Dew Tour USA, which is one of the biggest and most awaited events for skaters around the world.

Pepsico Flavors Category manager Kaye Paras said their partnership with the local skateboarding made such an activity possible.

“It’s a global contest that brings together the best skaters around the world, and we’ve partnered with the local community with this,” said Paras.

The faceoff at the Circuit Makati brings together the best Manila skaters and the winners of the three elimination events called Dew Tour Boot Camps.

The camps took place in Laguna, Cebu and Davao, and this year marks the first time that Mountain Dew hosted the boot camps for skaters outside Metro Manila.

This time around, pro skaters Thetis Beaseley, Chris Colour and Remo Pearson were around to show their support to the local community.

Stravinsky boosts stock for Triple Crown series IN A performance that showed he could be a good contender in the next Triple Crown series, second favorite Stravinsky handily beat two others to capture the Philracom Juvenile Colts stakes race last Sunday at the Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite.

Handled by regular partner Jonathan Hernandez, Stravinsky engaged top choice Batang Lapaz in a one-on-one duel for almost 900 meters before pulling away in the final quarter of the 1300-meter event to clinch his second big win as a 2-year-old.

The chestnut bay colt by Dream Romance out of Ultimate Goal debuted in grand style in July, winning a rich Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Maiden stakes race in July only to bomb out as outstanding favourite in his next big stakes race a few weeks later.

“Yes, the horse (Stravinsky) is back in shape. Hopefully, he stays healthy. He’ll be running (in the 2017 Triple Crown),” said his owner businessman Narciso O. Morales, the runaway leader in number of wins and money winnings 11 months into the horse reacing season.

Stravinsky clocked a respectable time of 1 minute and 20.2 seconds, with clips of 7-1/2, 22, 23-1/2 and 27 seconds as he finished some 10 lengths in front of the Jeff Zarate-ridden Changes and 12 ahead of the Jesse Gucehandled Batang Lapaz.

For more than two quarters, Stravinsky and Batang Lapaz figured in a neck-and-neck duel that started once they got out of the starting gate.

But Stravinsky proved he was made of sterner stuff, slowly but steadily pulling away from Batang Lapaz as they left the backstretch. By

the time he turned for home, Stravinsky had already built a 5-length lead which he upped to eight with 75 meters left and finally to 10 at the wire.

“Maganda ang itinakbo.

Pwedeng pwede sa TC (Triple Crown),” said Hernandez.

“The team prepared the horse too well for this event and the jockey had a great time handling him,” said Morales, one of the most respected owners in the industry.

The other big winners in the program that highlighted the 21st Marho Racing Festival were Smoking Saturday (Hernandez) in the 4th leg of the Juvenile Fillies stakes; Showtime (Kevin Abobo) in the Grand Sprint; Kanlaon (Val Dilema) in the San Miguel Corp. Classic; Underwood (Jesse Guce) in the 3-Year-Old Colt Mile; and Real Flames Stravinsky, ridden by Jonathan Hernandez, hits the wire unchallenged in the Philracom (Rodeo Fernandez) in the Juvenile Colts stakes race last Sunday at the Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite. The chestnut PCSO 3-Year-Old Filly Mile. colt won P350,000 for owner businessman Narciso Morales.

HUGE FOOTBALL TURNOUT. A record number of over

1,000 kids joined the Football For A Better Life leg in Baguio City for the free football clinic of the nationwide grassroots program sponsored by Pru Life UK and held at the football pitch of the Benguet State University. Azkals Simone Rota and Ashely Flores, together with Pru Life UK football ambassador Graham Caygill and Baguio native and UFL best goalkeeper Nelson Gasic, assisted by 30 local coaches, conducted the clinic. The event was locally organized by the Cordillera Region Football Association. The next leg this weekend is set in Subic.

Dalisay, Seno in main draw DIEGO Dalisay and Jan Godfrey Seno overpowered their respective Hong Kong rivals to clinch berths in the main draw of the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 2 which starts Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Dalisay, who fell in the second round in last week’s first stage of the two-week long Grade 4 ITF 18-under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies and the Philip-

pine Sports Commission, eased out Kyle Tang, 6-2, 6-3, while Seno advanced with a 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Tsz Yeung Chan.

Thai Nutdanai Sincharoenwattan repulsed local bet Jacob Martin, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, then held off Singapore’s Justin Oeni, 7-5, 6-1, to join Dalisay and Seno along with fellow qualifier Keisuke Saitoh of Japan, who beat Thai Pawin Jirappomdaje, 6-2, 6-0.

Russian Mariya Krasakova, Japanese Kanon Yasumoto, Chinese Jing Jing

Engineers manhandle Griffins, boost bid for no. 2 slot TECHNOLOGICAL Institute of the Philippines hardly flexed its muscles in scoring a 72-55 win over Colegio De San Lorenzo and clinched the third semis berth in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League at the Olivarez Sports Center in Parañaque City.

The Engineers, playing with utmost urgency to make it to the next round, jumped to an early 20-11 lead en route to the big win, their seventh in 10 matches to tie idle Olivarez College Sea Lions for second to third places going in the final stretch of the

De Vera added they will elimination round.

Games Thursday (Olivarez Sports Center, pour it all in their game The fourth spot is now a Parañaque City) against Olivarez to have a toss-up between CDSL Grif12 noon – Olivarez vs TIP chance of securing a twice-tofins (4-7) and Bulacan State 2 p.m. – CEU vs BulSU beat advantage.

University Gold Gears with “I think, the situation now is both TIP 4-6 record.

“We really played with urgency, but and Olivarez are already sure of making in all our games since the start, we took it to the semis. The problem now is which it seriously one at-a time. But you know, of us is no. 2 or no. 3. And that’s our target our target really is to finish the elims because it’s really a big advantage if you at no. 2. So our game against Olivarez are to be beaten twice in the next round,” on Thursday is very crucial,” said TIP added De Vera.

The absence of top gunner Jonjon Gacoach Petit de Vera.

briel due to left ankle injury was exploited by the Engineers.

Without their ace shooter, coach Bonnie Garcia’s Griffins shot only 17 of 62 tries.

First Game TIP 72—Diego 12, B. Santos 11, Matignas 10, Napoles 7, Gadon 6, Pinas 6, Akpuru 6, Rosopa 4, Lara 4, Enriques 3, I. Santos 0, Mallari 0.

CDSL 52—Alvarado 15, Carongoy 13, Astrero 11, Ancheta 6, Borja 5, Callano 2, Vargas 0, Salizo 0, Lagman 0, Formento 0.

Quarters: 20-11; 36-25; 53-39; 72-52.

Yang and Tameka Peterson, meanwhile, took the last four slots in the girls’ main draw of the event backed by Mariposa Foundation, Technifibre and Century Park Hotel.

Krasakova, who reached the quarters last week, toppled Korean Jaeeun Lee, 6-0, 6-3; Yasumoto dominated Aniya Holloway of the US, 6-1, 6-1; Yang thwarted Aussie Kelly Martin, 6-3, 6-4; and Peterson outplayed Sabrina Ristawan of Indonesia, 6-2, 6-0.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

A8 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Britain’s Andy Murray poses holding the ATP World Number One trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic on the eighth and final day of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London 6. AFP

Shrock: We play best with our backs against the wall

By Peter Atencio

T

HE Philippine Azkals will show how hungry they are when they face the Indonesian Merah Putihs in their 8 p.m. clash at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan today.

Fil-German striker Stephan Schrock promised this before they went into practice for their coming game in the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup football tournament at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

“There are some guys who have been there, and some guys are new.

But the spirit of the Azkals is always there. When we have our backs against the wall, I think we do our best. And that’s what we’ll do tomorrow,” said Schrock, who is also known as Schrocky.

The Azkals badly need a win after the Singapore Lions, playing with 10 men in the sec-

ond half, frustrated the Filipinos with a scoreless draw Saturday night in their opening game.

Beating the Merah Putihs will move them closer to one of two semifinal berths in Group A. “We should win. That’s the bottom line for us. We need the 3 points,” added Schrocky.

Schrock almost scored twice for the Azkals with a 30-yard freekick, which Singapore custodian Hassan Sunny deflected.

Then, his free-kick 25 yards in the 28th minute also got into Hassan’s hands.

Rookie Hikaru Minegishi also had a chance, but his right-footed attempt

went wide in the 82nd minute.

Earlier, defending champion Thailand and Singapore square off against each other at 4:30 p.m., in what is considered as the biggest game so far in the tournament.

While the Thai War Elephants seek their second straight win, and the first semis slot, the matchup will renew an old rivalry between the two famous coaches—Thailand’s Kiatisuk Senamuang and Singapore V. Sundramoorthy.

Senamuang and V. Sundramoorthy regularly met on the field as players in the pitch in the 1990s.

Thailand is coming off a 4-2 win over Indonesia.

Games Today

4:30 p.m. Thailand vs Singapore 8 p.m. Indonesia vs Philippines

On the other hand, Azkals coach Thomas Dooley said he will be wary of two good players in the Indonesian roster—midfielders Rizky Porra and Andik Vermansah.

“We have to watch out for everybody. They have wing players, who are incredibly fast. They are fast, and can move up and down for 40 minutes,” said Dooley.

He added that strikers Boas Salossa and Lerby Eliandry can also make a difference for the team.

Lee vows to get better for new Hotshots team

By Jeric Lopez THE best of Paul Lee is still yet to come.

It might be first-game jitters or unfamiliarity with his new team Star, but either way, Lee was not impressed with himself in his debut game for the Hotshots on opening night of the 201617 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Sunday.

The usually efficient Lee was clearly in adjustment mode as he turned the ball over nine times for Star in the initial game of the 42nd PBA season against defending champion San Miguel.

According to Lee, his lethargic start and handling of

the ball were a factor in the Hotshots’ 96-88 loss to the Beermen.

“First time na nangyari sa ‘kin ‘yang ganyan karaming turnovers since college,” said Lee. “Hindi naging maganda inilaro ko.”

The Hotshots, who still had a major run in the second half, led by nine early in the fourth before having a meltdown in the closing minutes to surrender the game. They had 30 turnovers, thereby giving the Beermen a lot of chances to score.

“Medyo nagmadali kami.

Kasi nga, new system, new coach and kahit ako bago sa team, so lahat gusto makapagpakita ng maganda at manalo kaya siguro

ganoon ‘yung nangyari,” added Lee, who still managed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Moving forward, Lee is keen on jelling better with his new team and getting more familiarized with the chemistry and system implemented by new Star coach Chito Victolero.

“Kailangan mag-adjust pa rin ako and ‘yung team pero nakita naman namin na may igaganda pa talaga ‘yung laro namin.”

Despite the loss, Star still showed glimpses of brilliance as it even threatened to take the game away following that torrid run that started in the third period and lasted early in the fourth.

process,” added Racela.

In their game with UE, FEU struggled with veteran shooter Monbert Arong sitting on the bench for most the time.

But a split free throw from Wendell Comboy and a triple from Axel Inigo in the last 35 seconds finally provided FEU the answers they needed to post their ninth win in 14 games.

They gained a four-point edge after FEU forced a 59-all deadlock off Comboy’s jumper with 1:36 remaining.

Racela said they decided to just let Arong sit it out, so that other players like Joseph Nunag can have more time on the floor, and after a month’s absence due to injury.

He added that another reserve player Kim Bayquin also needed to have time on the court. Peter Atencio

LONDON—Andy Murray has warned Novak Djokovic he is ready to embark on a sustained period of dominance after the Scot crowned a golden season by finishing on top of the world.

Murray produced an imperious display to defeat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 and win the ATP Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday.

The 29-year-old’s first Tour Finals title came with the hugely significant bonus of ensuring that he remained above Djokovic in the year-end rankings after he knocked the Serb from pole position two weeks ago.

Having spent the majority of his career overshadowed by the incredible achievements of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Murray can finally claim he is the best player on the planet and he has no intention of relinquishing his grip on that honour without a fight.

“I would like to try and stay there, obviously. It’s taken a huge effort the last five, six months to get there,” Murray said after his 24th consecutive victory brought him a fifth title in his last five tournaments.

“I’m aware that’s going to be extremely difficult because I had a great year this year and I only managed to do it by one match.

“But now that I’ve got there, I would be motivated to try and stay in that position.”

When he wakes up on Monday morning, even Murray might be tempted to ask himself if the last 11 months were all a dream.

As if winning a second Wimbledon title, taking a second Olympic gold medal and becoming a father for the first time wasn’t enough to keep him happy, Murray is now looking down on the rest of the tennis world from his new perch.

Major motivation And, with Djokovic stuck in a rut for several months and Federer and Nadal battling with injuries in the twilight of their careers, Murray knows there’s a chance for him to add to his three Grand Slam titles and extend his lead at the top.

“The majors are what gets me working hard and what really, really motivates me. When I go away in December to train, I’m training with the Australian Open in mind,” he said.

“I’d want to try and achieve as much as I can these next few years because I’m not going to be around forever.

“These next few years, I want to try and make them the best of my career, try and win as much as I can.” AFP

Pauline is Penang golf champ

Charity event. Members of Team Palaban and Team Puso share a light moment after the

Shakey’s V-League All-Star Game at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. Palaban posted a 25-21, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21 win in the charity event sponsored by Shakey’s and Sports Vision, the proceeds of which will go to typhoon Lawin victims through the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Oplan Sagip.

Racela wants more F2 tries to keep momentum going consistency from Tams NOW that the defending champion Far Eastern University Tamaraws are in the Final Four, coach Nash Racela is hopeful that the team will play a more consistent game.

“They (Tams) are struggling.

But the message to them is to continue doing the right things and look for consistency,” said Tams’ coach Nash Racela.

Racela said this after FEU got past the University of the East Warriors, 64-61, during their last elimination-round game in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

They eventually got the no. 3 seeding in the Final Four after the Ateneo Blue Eagles prevailed over Adamson, 73-67, to formally earn the no. 2 seeding in Final Four.

“It was not a nice win. But, it’s a

Long may Murray reign as no. 1

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite—F2 Logistics seeks to formalize its claim of the third spot in the playoffs when it battles RC Cola-Army in the Asics Philippine Superliga Grand Prix presented by PLDT Home Ultera Tuesday at the Gen. Trias Sports Center in the historic town of Gen. Trias, Cavite.

The Cargo Movers try to keep their momentum in the 6 p.m. encounter followed by the clash between Foton and struggling Cignal in the 4 p.m. curtain-raiser of this prestigious club tourney sponsored by Mikasa, Mueller, grand Sport and Senoh with TV5 as official broadcast partner.

Both matches will be shown live at AksyonTV and Hyper and livestreamed at Sports5.ph.

Fashioning a 6-3 card, the Cargo Movers are already assured of the third spot in the sudden-death playoffs of this spectacle that is

Games Today

(General Trias Sports Center) 4 p.m. – Cignal vs Foton 6 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs RC Cola-Army

also bankrolled by Focus Athletics, KLab Cyscorpions, Petron, Foton and F2 Logistics.

Should they emerge victorious in the playoffs, the Cargo Movers would be stacked against the no. 2 seed in a one-game semifinal duel set at the Ibalong Centrum for Recreation in Legazpi City on Dec. 3.

F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus said their morale is through the roof following a sweet four-set conquest of erstwhile-unbeaten Foton followed by another fourset victory over Generika last week.

In both matches, import Hayley Spelman was simply unstoppable while Sydney Kemper, Ara Galang

and Cha Cruz played pivotal role in their offense with Aby Marano, Mika Reyes and All-Filipino Conference Most Valuable Player Dawn Macandili dominating the defensive end.

“We’re not doing anything special,” said de Jesus, who is looking to win his first Grand Prix title and represent the country in the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship in Kazakhstan next year. “The team just told me that they wanted to win. So I’m doing my best in guiding them to achieve that goal.”

But things wouldn’t be easy, especially against the veteran-laden Lady Troopers.

After notching an easy straight set conquest of Cignal, RC ColaArmy fought tooth and nail before surrendering a heart-breaking five-set lost to the Tornadoes over the weekend.

PAULINE del Rosario nailed another crown in as many weeks, birdying the final hole to edge teammate Mikha Fortuna with a one-under 71 and capture the Penang Amateur Golf Open crown at the Bukit Jawi course in Malaysia over the weekend.

Del Rosario, tied with Fortuna for the first two days, took control with four birdies against a double-bogey at the front but wavered coming home before canning in an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th to nip Fortuna with that 71 and a 210.

Fortuna missed forcing a playoff with a flubbed birdie try from seven feet, ending up with a 72 and a 211.

That enabled Del Rosariio, the former Thailand Ladies Amateur champion who also won three tournaments in the US early this year, to score a follow-up to her eight-shot romp, again over Fortuna, in last week’s Melaka Amateur Open with the top The Country Club bet eyeing a couple more international titles in the next three weeks.

Geraldine Xuan placed third with a 216 after a 70 while TCC bets Laia Barro and Mafy Singson wound up with 253 and 261 after 84 and 86, respectively.

Pressed by Fortuna in the first two days, Del Rosario birdied Nos. 5 , 6, 8 and 9 to negate a double-bogey mishap on No. 7 and seize the lead. But she bogeyed No. 10, 13 and 16, enabling Fortuna, who rammed in a slew of pars, to force a tie again heading to the 18th.

Semirara to restore Panian mine’s ecology B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

B1

Govt keen on transport subsidy

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

T

HE government plans to implement a transport subsidy program for poor Filipinos to compensate for higher excise taxes that will be imposed on fuel products, the Finance Department said Monday.

The Finance Department said it was closely coordinating with the Transportation and Energy departments to find ways on how to best deliver indirect subsidies to low-income commuters to

soften the impact of the planned increase in fuel excise taxes.

Finance assistant secretary Paola Alvarez said the social protection measures might involve the issuance of Pantawid

Pasada or cash cards to drivers and operators of public utility vehicles, setting up fuel depots with subsidized rates for PUVs or giving them cash discounts.

“For public utility vehicles, we are now linking up with the DOTr and the DOE to come up with measures to best implement the cash cards or oil subsidy program, to lessen the impact of the planned fuel excise tax on PUVs,” said Alvarez.

Alvarez said the first package of the tax reform plan, which

would include the fuel excise increases, would be implemented in 2018, giving the DOF and other government agencies a full year to devise ways on how to deliver the indirect subsidies to low-income commuters and other vulnerable sectors who would be affected by the tax hike.

She said the main feature of the first tax reform package submitted

by DOF to Congress in September was the reduction of the personal income tax rate from 32 percent to 25 percent that would in effect ex-

empt 4.7 million taxpayers, including 1.7 million minimum wage earners, from paying income taxes.

An additional 3 million taxpayers with taxable incomes of P250,000 and below would be included in the batch that would pay zero taxes under the tax plan.

Alvarez said to offset the revenue erosion from the PIT reductions, the plan would be complemented by a set of revenue-enhancing measures such as adjusting the excise tax on petroleum products and indexing these

IN BRIEF

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing November 21, 2016

Marubeni to take stake in coal plant

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

6,979.06 88.67

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing NOVEMBER 21, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.830

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.800 LOW P49.930 AVERAGE P49.867 VOLUME 391.600M

P430.00-P661.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.40-P44.10 Unleaded Gasoline

OPRICES IL TODAY

FUND FLOW REVERSAL. A lot has changed since May, when Rodrigo Duterte was elected the next leader of the Philippines, and foreigners poured millions of dollars into the country’s stocks. The reversal started in September, after the benchmark slid from a July peak, amid a series of comments from the Duterte that offended the West and may have harmed relations with one of Manila’s major allies, the US. Bloomberg

Peso hits 49.83 a dollar amid risk aversion

P25.75-P29.32 Diesel

By Julito G. Rada

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, November 21, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.7730

Japan

Yen

0.009014

0.4487

UK

Pound

1.234800

61.4597

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128914

6.4164

Switzerland

Franc

0.990001

49.2753

Canada

Dollar

0.741400

36.9017

Singapore

Dollar

0.701459

34.9137

Australia

Dollar

0.732400

36.4537

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

132.0239

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

13.2710

Brunei

Dollar

0.699007

34.7917

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028118

1.3995

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

13.5510

Euro

Euro

1.060300

52.7743

Korea

Won

0.000848

0.0422

China

Yuan

0.145180

7.2260

India

Rupee

0.014668

0.7301

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.226552

11.2762

New Zealand

Dollar

0.698700

34.7764

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031214

1.5536 Source: PDS Bridge

to inflation.

Other revenue measures would include expanding the value-added tax base and restructuring taxes on automobiles, except for buses, trucks, cargo vans, jeepneys, jeep substitutes, single cab chassis and special-purpose vehicles.

Alvarez said while there were observations that the tax plan appeared too “ambitious”, the government was intent on making hard-to-make decisions to ensure that growth truly was inclusive under the Duterte watch.

THE peso hit a new eight-year low against the US dollar Monday as the looming interest rates hike by US Federal Reserve next month and uncertainties on the policies of newly-elected President Donald Trump continue to impact global financial markets.

The peso lost 5 centavos to close at 49.83 per dollar Monday, from 49.78 a greenback Friday, matching the 49.83 a dollar at the close of trading day on Nov. 24, 2008 during the global financial crisis. Total volume turnover reached $391.6 million, lower than $812.9 million Friday.

The peso opened the day’s trading four centavos weaker at 49.82 and touched 49.93 at one point before settling at 49.83.

“The peso depreciated slightly today still because of risk aver-

Mitsubishi Motors taps 25 Mirage part suppliers

By Othel V. Campos THE local automotive industry is pushing for the exemption of vehicles registered under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy from a proposal to raise the excise tax on new vehicles.

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. vice president and Mitsubishi Motor Philippine Corp. corporate secretary and first vice president Dante Santos said the Trade Department was supporting the industry position.

“We will be asking for lower rates for the entire automotive sector. We have to protect the local industry, the Cars program and the requirement of the industry, as well. Cars is supposedly the vehicle for the masses, if that will be compromised, then all is gone,” he said Monday at the sidelines of the awarding of certificates to participating suppliers in Makati City.

Mitsubishi awarded Monday certificates to 25 participating parts suppliers, the first batch that will supply the vehicle parts for Mirage.

MMPC president Yoshiaki Kato said more suppliers would join the company as soon as local production commenced next year.

The government plans to increase the excise taxes on vehicles, ranging from P100,000 to P200,000 per unit depending on the unit/ model category.

The industry group met Finance officials Monday to air the sentiments of the industry. A position paper will be submitted soon to formalize the industry’s stand on the proposed tax increases.

Campi said aside from being saddled by tax hurdles, the unstable foreign exchange was also starting the affect the viability of existing pricing of vehicles.

Santos said the industry might be forced to increase vehicle prices

by December or early January 2017.

sion amid US political uncertainties and concerns over the possibility of a US interest rate hike next month,” Land Bank of the Philippines said in a comment.

“For tomorrow, the exchange rate may move within the 48.70 to 50 range. Trading might still be influenced by worries about December’s likely increase in the federal funds rate. Profit taking, however, might cap the dollar’s appreciation,” it said.

Security Bank said in a report that “bias is still for a stronger US dollar as both fundamentals and technicals are supportive of this view.”

Bank of the Philippine Islands’ Asset Management said with foreign selling expected to continue this week, “we expect the peso to continue falling, potentially testing the 50-level.”

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said

over the weekend the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals continued to shield the peso from further volatility.

“The exchange rate is normally our first line of defense in adjusting to new shocks to the peso and the rest of the economy. Given the uncertainties surrounding the new leadership in the US, Brexit, US Fed interest rate hike and China slowdown, the peso is now our adjustment tool,” Guinigundo said in a text message.

“As long as the volatility remains manageable and speculative plays are held at bay, we should allow the adjustment to continue. After all, we should remember that our fundamentals remain sound with third-quarter real GDP at 7.1 percent--which would anchor all of these adjustments and rebalancing to manageable proportions,” he said.

He said monetary authorities would remain attentive and closely monitor the situation.

Economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia & the Pacific said earlier the “US/PHP rate will remain under pressure as the Fed raises its policy rate in December, and as the local stock market may go sideways until the end of the year.”

Fitch Ratings’ BMI Research said in October the peso could possibly weaken beyond 50 to a greenback in the coming days if President Rodrigo Duterte’s intense war on drugs plus his continuous tough talking triggered prolonged political uncertainty.

BMI said the peso’s weakness in September was due to the “deteriorating investor sentiment” after Duterte hit back at the US after the latter lashed out at his war on drugs.

MARUBENI Corp. of Japan sought for more time to firm up its 20-percent investment in a 700-megawatt coal plant in Calaca, Batangas that will cost P90 billion.

“They [Marubeni] are waiting for head office clearance,” Semirara Mining and Power Corp. chairman Isidro Consunji told reporters.

Consunji said Marubeni agreed to take a 20 percent stake while Semirara, a unit of DMCI Holdings Inc. and Meralco PowerGen Corp., a whollyowned subsidiary of Manila Electric Co. will take 40 percent stake each.

Marubeni originally expected to get approval within six months from April when the joint venture agreement with Semirara and Meralco PowerGen were signed.

Marubeni, however, sought for a 90day extension to get the approval which meant the joint venture would likely be firmed up early next year, Semirara officials said.

Semirara is also eyeing Black & Veatch, a US engineering firm as engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Valdez wants SSS charter amended STATE-RUN Social Security System said Monday it seeks for the amendment of its 20-year old charter to take advantage of possible additional funding sources.

Social Security Commission chairman Amado Valdez said he was pushing for changes in the SSS charter, which was enacted nearly two decades ago, that would provide the pension fund greater investment flexibility to bolster its generation of needed revenues for granting higher benefits for members.

He said SSS investment capabilities based on the provisions under the Social Security Act of 1997 were limited amid current market trends.

“Aside from expanding our investment portfolio, we seek the amendment of the conservative provisions of the SSS charter particularly on the investing capacities of the Commission,” Valdez said.

The SSS charter limits the powers of the commission to invest its reserve fund. At present, SSS could only invest in private securities, housing, real estate, short and medium-term member loans, government financial institutions and corporations, infrastructure projects, foreign currency denominated investments and any particular industry that the commission deems profitable.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Telecom battleground shifts from wireless to fixed lines

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. is now looking at the fixed line business as the new battleground for the telecommunication industry.

“The battleground has shifted from wireless to fixed. And that plays to our strength because we have the most extensive fixed network infrastructure. We are for example aggressively bringing fiber to the home, which today can

already reach 2.5 million homes in different parts of the country,” PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

PLDT has over 140,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables, the most extensive fiber infrastructure in the country.

PLDT service revenues from the fixed line business increased 7 percent to P46.8 billion in the first nine months from the previous year, amid the strong growth

in home and enterprise businesses, while most telcos around the world were posting declines in their fixed line units.

The company said its enterprise business unit grew revenues by 10 percent to P24.4 billion.

Data and broadband services already account for 59 percent of PLDT’s fixed line revenues, up from 57 percent in the first nine months of 2015.

The company’s mobile phone

revenues, however, fell 5 percent to P58.4 billion in the first nine months as text and voice revenues declined due to stiff competition and the ongoing consumer shift to data-based messaging services.

Pangilinan earlier described 2016 as “annus horribilis” which means a horrible year after PLDT lost about 3 million subscribers in the third quarter to P65 million from P68 million in the second quarter of the year.

PNB-CEBUANA PARTNERSHIP. Philippine National Bank and Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corp. sign an agreement allowing recipients to pick up the money remitted through PNB overseas branches and offices at any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s more than 1,800 branches in the Philippines. Shown signing the agreement are (from left) Cebuana Lhuillier general manager Noel Fernando Cristal, vice president Philippe Andre Lhuillier and president and chief executive Jean Henri Lhuillier, PNB president Reynaldo Maclang, executive vice president Bernardo Tocmo and first senior vice president Benjamin Oliva.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock index falls below 7,000 mark Jollibee set to list unit S in Vietnam exchange tocks retreated from a three-day gain, as the market remains uncertain over the impact of a Donald Trump presidency and as investors bet on a US interest rate rise next month.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 88 points, or 1.3 percent, to close at 6,979.06 Monday.

The broader index, representing all shares, also tumbled 31 points, or 0.7 percent, to settle at 4,222.62, on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Advancers outnumbered gainers, 88 to 86, while 49 issues were unchanged.

All six sectoral indices dropped, while 10 of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green. PhilWeb Corp. surged 18 percent to P11, while Globe Telecom Inc. climbed 3 percent to P1,422.

Meanwhile, the greenback has soared to

near six-month highs against the yen since Trump’s election win on a platform of huge infrastructure spending and tax cuts. Experts say this will fan inflation and force the Federal Reserve to raise rates.

The dollar’s rise has been a boon for Japan’s exporters as it makes their goods cheaper overseas and boosts repatriated profits.

The dollar hit 111.12 yen at one point in Japan, levels not seen since the end of May, while the Nikkei stock index climbed 0.8 percent to its highest level since January.

“The trend for yen weakness will continue amid a very violent and volatile market next year,” said Shusuke Yamada, chief Japan foreign exchange and equity strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Tokyo.

However, Chris Weston, chief market strategist in Melbourne at IG Ltd, told Bloomberg News: “We have seen some monster moves over the past two weeks on Fed expectations, and I think that can’t go on for much longer.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a little bit of

pause as investors take a break to catch their breath, and these Asian markets may take a little breather as well and see some consolidation, whether it’s been falling or rallying.”

Most regional markets retreated on concerns that the Fed would raise rates faster next year than previously thought.

Hong Kong fell 0.1 percent in late trade and Shanghai ended 0.8 percent higher.

Sydney eased 0.2 percent and Seoul was 0.4 percent off.

Among emerging-market bourses Manila lost 1.6 percent and Jakarta fell 0.4 percent, hit by foreign cash outflows as dealers head to the United States looking for better and safer returns.

Singapore dipped 0.4 percent and Wellington gave up 0.1 percent.

Oil prices built on Friday’s gains, with both main contracts rising more than one percent, after Russia and Iran expressed optimism a deal can be agreed between OPEC and other major producers on cutting output.

With AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria RESTAURANT chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. signed an agreement to list its Vietnam venture that owns and operates Highlands Coffee and Pho24 in Vietnam Stock Exchange by July 2019.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that unit SF Investments Pte and its joint venture partner Viet Thai International Joint Stock Company planned to make their joint venture company Superfoods Group a pub-

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.39 7,000 47.8 9,300 94 1,123,990 3.8 26,000 111.8 1,927,720 1.25 3,000 37.8 2,400 16.76 3,600 18.98 73,400 6.6 7,200 1.87 5,000 750 10 0.73 13,482,000 76.3 3,199,270 14.1 181,600 55.5 108,120 256.8 2,100 98.95 560 35.85 470,900 204 337,160 1,650 320 75 73,630 1.33 60,000

23,070 444,560 105,658,519 98,800 214,813,410 3,750 90,760 59,042 1,393,866 47,520 9,350 7,500 10,049,020 244,077,911 2,561,360 6,005,383.50 541,004 52,368 16,838,410 68,900,944 530,750 5,523,539.50 80,200

353,720 -67,947,189.50 16,969,001 -911,702 -5,444,780 -141,614,406 -453,386 -249,332 -41,503 -1,133,830 -54,416,936 1,107,258 -

42 3.76 0.87 1.3 19.6 0.196 92 11.12 17.1 23.45 23.6 58 85 89 2.01 7.42 12.18 10.96 6.64 6.96 5.1 22.8 67.5 16.22 5.98 1.69 210 85.75 30.35 26.2 14.88 281 0.24 4.79 2.92 9.4 3 11.54 2.11 5.8 1.42 68.2 4.2 220 4.39 2.72 4.29 0.141 1.56 177 4.24 2.05 31.3 1.09

INDUSTRIALS 43.8 2,782,900 3.84 175,000 0.88 435,000 1.3 706,000 21.9 102,100 0.196 110,000 107.9 620 11.26 8,857,400 17.42 9,270,300 23.45 206,500 24.5 8,300 61 805,050 112 5,040 89 2,000 2.06 172,000 7.67 266,200 12.3 16,400 10.98 2,618,200 6.7 96,300 7.14 393,700 5.2 14,346,600 23 536,800 67.8 83,250 16.22 85,400 6 230,800 1.73 509,000 212 466,430 85.75 800 30.4 945,500 26.2 546,400 15.26 6,015,000 281.6 84,300 0.25 560,000 4.79 4,000 3 2,146,000 9.4 1,141,200 3 3,000 11.54 3,500 2.12 7,318,000 5.85 25,000 1.43 174,000 68.4 369,210 4.28 1,211,000 224.4 300 4.4 4,580,000 2.88 93,000 4.29 1,000 0.143 370,000 1.58 127,000 178 1,355,450 4.48 17,000 2.05 2,219,000 31.3 300 1.1 60,000

119,109,945 663,760 382,700 925,160 2,143,150 21,600 57,974 99,677,738 161,497,878 4,850,950 202,705 48,133,812.50 546,630 178,000 346,560 2,027,849 200,806 29,028,008 643,668 2,761,478 74,237,501 12,324,340 5,639,559.50 1,404,674 1,385,643 874,180 99,428,176 68,600 28,802,020 14,399,145 90,273,224 23,727,914 136,570 19,160 6,406,870 10,801,962 9,000 40,390 15,514,680 145,220 247,470 25,250,241.50 5,240,460 67,092 20,151,990 265,080 4,290 52,770 199,740 241,295,987 73,970 4,629,960 9,390 65,900

-5,544,555 228,190 -13,807,878 144,152,538 1,699,017 -178,000 -7,520 9,897,470 -154,647 -2,438,382 -30,226,991 3,197,915 975,879 -53,970 556,848 19,801,016 -4,034,720 -11,992,670 -5,857,810 -13,081,478 2,800,070 -7,045,869 5,935,830 -69,820 13,706,376.50 1,301,800 10,674,400 45,240 38,552,735 -2,100 -

0.365 75 12.4 5.9 0.31 0.32 765 8.25 13.34 7.9 0.195 1,150 6 68.5 5.8 7 1.3 7.5 13.9 6.6 0.038 1.85 2.05 79.9 658 1.17 235.8 0.29 0.185

HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 210,000 75.25 1,632,540 12.7 3,295,600 5.9 7,000 0.325 970,000 0.325 30,000 770 458,670 8.28 1,396,800 13.5 9,961,900 7.9 92,400 0.195 10,000 1,150 140,355 6 7,100 68.8 974,780 5.8 3,900 7.18 2,800 1.48 46,466,000 7.6 763,600 14 545,200 6.61 17,892,800 0.038 32,500,000 1.86 592,000 2.3 61,000 80.15 144,730 662 285,940 1.17 927,000 238 11,870 0.29 10,000 0.185 10,000

77,250 123,239,059 41,776,680 41,480 301,450 9,700 354,243,620 11,602,795 135,484,788 731,625 1,950 164,378,645 42,760 67,147,223 23,285 20,526 65,732,990 5,785,393 7,608,248 118,894,730 1,237,700 1,097,940 132,560 11,598,448.50 189,098,770 1,084,590 2,803,128 2,900 1,850

-2,297,877 -15,371,702 48,364,615 -924,306 15,793,966 -79,078,450 -37,700,914 853,710 1,478,243 -2,097,812 -80,226,948 -127,960 -6,737,906.50 -114,978,100 -

221,892 1,528,880 621 271,220 5,762,250 396,023,315 16,447,350 269,136 10,782 6,147,220 765,010 1,125,890 682,970 14,527,427 12,680,410 613,700 2,140 50,369,190

-59,525 -76,627,790 -5,040,350 -37,650.00 -986,720 -153,040 2,377,037 -7,433,610 -7,680 -3,316,450

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

3.28 47.8 95.6 3.8 111.4 1.25 37.6 16.78 18.98 6.6 1.87 750 0.77 77 14.12 55.6 257.2 97 35.7 207 1,660 74.4 1.34

3.39 47.85 96 3.8 112 1.25 37.9 16.78 19 6.6 1.87 750 0.77 77.25 14.12 55.7 260 98.95 35.85 207 1,660 75.5 1.34

3.28 47.5 93.65 3.8 110.7 1.25 37.6 16.24 18.98 6.6 1.87 750 0.72 76 14.1 55.4 256.8 92 35.7 203.8 1,650 74.4 1.33

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

44.25 3.77 0.89 1.32 19.9 0.2 92.1 11.3 17.1 23.5 25.5 59.05 85 89 2.01 7.42 12.2 11.14 6.78 7.1 5.24 22.9 67.8 16.3 6.03 1.69 210 85.75 30.8 26.9 15.18 284 0.243 4.79 3 9.68 3 11.54 2.13 5.8 1.42 68.5 4.21 220 4.4 3.01 4.29 0.141 1.59 179.2 4.51 2.08 31.3 1.09

44.25 3.84 0.89 1.33 22 0.2 108 11.3 17.6 23.5 25.5 61 120 89 2.08 7.69 12.36 11.2 6.78 7.14 5.24 23.1 68 16.5 6.05 1.77 215.4 85.75 30.9 26.9 15.28 284 0.255 4.79 3.06 9.7 3 11.54 2.13 5.9 1.43 68.5 4.43 224.4 4.4 3.01 4.29 0.143 1.59 179.8 4.51 2.1 31.3 1.1

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS

0.365 76 12.9 5.99 0.315 0.32 780.5 8.5 13.4 7.95 0.195 1,200 6.3 71 5.99 7.5 1.3 7.6 14 6.81 0.039 1.85 2.5 80.1 662 1.17 235.8 0.29 0.185

0.375 76 12.9 5.99 0.325 0.325 785 8.5 13.9 7.95 0.195 1,207 6.3 71 5.99 7.5 1.48 7.6 14 6.9 0.039 1.89 2.5 80.15 665 1.17 238 0.29 0.185

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CEBU PROP A CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD

7 1.08 6.21 2.25 0.36 34 3.25 5.15 5.99 0.56 1.15 0.164 0.55 51.05 1.77 0.96 1.07 3.85

7.02 1.12 6.21 2.25 0.365 34 3.38 5.16 5.99 0.57 1.18 0.167 0.55 52.5 1.77 0.96 1.07 3.95

6.99 1.08 6.21 2.21 0.335 32.35 3.2 5.02 5.99 0.55 1.14 0.157 0.54 50.5 1.73 0.95 1.07 3.77

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

0.143 0.255 0.41 3.39 27 1.58 3.24 27.5 0.94 0.92 5.3

0.154 0.255 0.41 3.55 27.05 1.58 3.28 27.65 0.99 0.95 5.34

0.143 0.255 0.41 3.33 26.2 1.56 3.24 26.35 0.94 0.89 5.15

0.153 0.255 0.41 3.36 26.7 1.56 3.28 26.95 0.97 0.95 5.25

61,190,000 40,000 20,000 321,000 524,800 11,000 12,000 5,794,400 1,074,000 1,263,000 4,955,700

9,078,600 10,200 8,200 1,093,670 14,053,835 17,360 39,050 155,053,820 1,041,840 1,132,940 25,828,120

220,910.00 -88,000 -4,438,620 -29,250 -13,794,870 -1,468,731

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

7.81 45.5 1.28 0.53 0.047 6.5 0.078 2.92 102.6 9.97 6.92 2.64 1,402 6.15 12.52 2.14 14.86 76.2 0.0091 11.24 9.12 0.19 1.37 3.33 12.74 4.9 0.91 2.12 4.2 3.63 20.15 2.26 11.3 5.25 150 9.37 1,380 1.15 0.405 40.2 74.85 5.55 2.61 0.92 3.23

8.11 45.55 1.35 0.56 0.048 6.62 0.078 3.06 106 9.97 6.92 2.64 1,436 6.15 12.86 2.17 14.88 76.2 0.0091 12.44 9.12 0.19 1.42 3.33 12.98 5.1 0.91 2.12 4.2 3.78 20.15 2.28 11.3 5.25 150 11 1,381 1.16 0.41 40.2 75.2 5.55 2.64 0.92 3.25

7.81 45.2 1.28 0.53 0.046 6.37 0.075 2.9 102.6 9.97 6.91 2.64 1,395 6.11 12.32 2 14.04 72.9 0.0091 11.24 9.03 0.188 1.36 3.33 12.26 4.9 0.91 2.12 4.09 3.62 20 2.23 11.3 5.18 150 9.37 1,340 1.14 0.405 39.9 74.7 5.47 2.6 0.9 3.2

SERVICES 7.85 45.5 1.28 0.56 0.047 6.5 0.075 3 106 9.97 6.91 2.64 1,422 6.12 12.8 2.05 14.86 74 0.0091 12.44 9.11 0.188 1.37 3.33 12.98 5 0.91 2.12 4.15 3.78 20 2.25 11.3 5.18 150 11 1,340 1.16 0.41 40 74.8 5.5 2.6 0.9 3.22

458,400 31,300 14,000 709,000 27,800,000 13,735,200 22,150,000 9,096,000 296,080 1,200 4,200 6,000 140,620 113,600 35,300 7,871,000 3,700 962,670 4,000,000 1,000 502,000 5,340,000 360,000 3,000 5,000 427,000 60,000 3,000 2,713,000 6,859,000 9,600 1,064,000 22,500 10,300 410 9,730,400 152,715 6,686,000 120,000 2,136,600 4,910 62,700 594,000 42,596,000 195,000

3,656,430 1,421,450 18,660 386,320 1,293,300 89,355,848 1,684,600 27,265,960 30,712,355 11,964 29,049 15,840 200,216,095 695,568 443,558 16,312,180 52,818 71,289,305.50 36,400 12,320 4,570,050 1,006,890 498,040 9,990 61,996 2,126,850 54,600 6,360 11,221,150 25,465,660 192,220 2,393,670 254,250 53,361 61,500 99,140,866 206,924,080 7,733,490 49,100 85,454,635 368,430.50 344,932 1,546,480 38,443,260 628,080

225,905 45,000 -30,187,388 6,140 918,540 22,597,385 -55,691,930 -188,370 -18,537,319 703,120 -3,084,910 4,468,050 9,020 -1,920,349.00 -44,602,730 1,257,110.00 2,140,310 -70,419.00 27,500 1,040,000 25,434,000 187,370

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

0.0038 2.9 4.82 2.55 0.58 0.4 9.2 3.7 0.285 0.194 0.195 0.012 1.8 8.1 3.1 1.04 0.011 4.06 0.012 8.18 3.8 133.5 2.92

0.0039 2.93 4.97 2.55 0.58 0.4 9.48 3.7 0.285 0.194 0.195 0.012 1.8 8.35 3.31 1.04 0.011 4.15 0.012 8.3 3.92 134 3

0.0036 2.87 4.82 2.55 0.58 0.395 9 3.57 0.275 0.191 0.195 0.012 1.75 7.85 3.02 1 0.01 4.02 0.012 8.18 3.72 128.5 2.91

MINING & OIL 0.0037 1,325,000,000 2.9 244,000 4.88 932,000 2.55 1,000 0.58 226,000 0.4 150,000 9.39 51,700 3.69 6,153,000 0.28 300,000 0.191 5,600,000 0.195 50,000 0.012 21,600,000 1.8 1,170,000 8.25 7,107,400 3.23 2,706,000 1.03 240,000 0.011 34,600,000 4.02 25,000 0.012 3,000,000 8.3 599,000 3.85 4,335,000 130 456,290 3 91,000

4,908,300 707,850 4,554,110 2,550 131,080 59,450 479,314 22,340,970 83,450 1,077,450 9,750 259,200 2,078,410 58,203,126 8,835,400 244,900 363,600 101,220 36,000 4,956,775 16,730,280 59,693,819 269,300

14,500 -39,080 6,835,110 -46,800 10,785,941 -32,600.00 -50,776 3,547,755 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 DD PREF GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF B PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

45 527 104.9 539.5 1,021 1,161 1,030 110 81.5 77.6 80 77.5 78 78.3

45.1 535 104.9 539.5 1,021 1,161 1,030 110 81.5 79 80 77.5 78 78.3

44.8 520 104.5 539.5 1,020 1,161 1,030 110 81 77.5 80 77.5 77.5 78.3

PREFERRED 45 798,100 534.5 12,780 104.5 71,980 539.5 10 1,020 850 1,161 150 1,030 9,390 110 18,000 81 40,980 77.8 181,930 80 3,000 77.5 500 77.5 6,570 78.3 2,000

35,918,490 6,824,190 7,546,858 5,395 867,200 174,150 9,671,700 1,980,000 3,319,385 14,287,053 240,000 38,750 509,195 156,600

-5,098,645 87,075 10,084,828 -

LR WARRANT

2.24

2.34

2.2

WARRANTS 2.21 144,000

320,990

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.75 3.65 2.8 9.98

2.78 3.66 2.8 9.98

2.72 3.52 2.8 9.6

2.74 3.65 2.8 9.6

1,814,430 223,790 5,600 17,035,469

24,750 81,190 -748,679

FIRST METRO ETF

117.3

117.3

115.5

1,761,649

5,775

MS

PROPERTY 6.99 1.09 6.21 2.21 0.335 33 3.22 5.02 5.99 0.55 1.14 0.158 0.54 51.75 1.76 0.95 1.07 3.77

31,700 1,396,000 100 122,000 16,590,000 12,026,100 5,023,000 52,400 1,800 11,090,000 657,000 6,940,000 1,255,000 283,770 7,221,000 642,000 2,000 13,053,000

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

22,912,280 89,452,538 123,292,460

PROPERTY

152,490,202

SERVICES

169,297,963

MINING & OIL

1,414,792,727

GRAND TOTAL

1,974,739,450

SME

660,000 63,000 2,000 1,760,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.5 15,180

VALUE 1,712.43 (down) 12.40 817,442,411.815 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,153.79 (down) 22.50 1,248,295,857.32 HOLDING FIRMS 7,080.28 (down) 83.12 1,624,294,156.138 PROPERTY 3,103.94 (down) 60.11 SERVICES 1,311.02 (down) 13.13 750,077,272.39 MINING & OIL 11,989.96 (dow) 155.30 1,024,091,851.69 PSEI 6,979.06 (down) 88.67 186,180,303.306 All Shares Index 4,222.62 (down) 31.66 5,671,224,676.163 Gainers:88 Losers: 86; Unchanged: 49; Total: 223

lic company via an initial public offering.

Superfoods Group currently owns Highlands Coffee which has 159 outlets and Pho24 which has 33 stores. Superfoods also has three outlets of Hard Rock Cafe in Vietnam under a franchise agreement.

The Superfood joint venture which has an annual sales of $55 million is one of the fastest growing joint venture businesses of Jollibee, growing by 36 percent in the first nine months of the 2016. Highlands Coffee also grew 78 percent.

Jollibee chairman and founder Tony Tan Caktiong expressed confidence about the planned IPO of Superfoods.

“We are very excited about our planned IPO of Superfoods. Our fastest growing business in terms of country is Vietnam and this reflects the vibrancy and potential of the economy and the strong performance of our joint venture business.

I am confident that with the strong capability our partner and the support of our organisation in the Philippines, we will have a truly significant business in Vietnam,” Tan Caktiong said.

MNTC’s net income rises 32% to P2.93b

By Darwin G. Amojelar MANILA North Tollways Corp. said Monday net income climbed 32 percent in the first nine months, on higher vehicle traffic at North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

The operator of NLEx and SCTEx said net income reached P2.93 billion in January to September, up from P2.22 billon in the same period last year.

MNTC’s revenues increased 29 percent in the nine-month period to P7.78 billion from P6.04 billion in the same period last year amid the steady increase in traffic and strong toll revenue contribution from SCTEx operations amounting to P1.11 billion.

The average daily traffic at NLEx hit 217,191 entries in the first nine months, or 9 percent higher than the same period in 2015.

Traffic at SCTEx reached 43,835 daily vehicle entries.

The company also generated rent revenue amounting to P3 million coming from the toll service facility in Valenzuela, managed by NLEX Ventures Corp.

NVC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MNTC, is tasked to develop, fund, construct, operate and maintain any and all facilities and to provide services relating to the safety, comfort and convenience of its customers such as road users and to undertake traffic management services.

MNTC filed a petition for approval of periodic toll adjustment with the Toll Regulatory Board in September for the adjustment of the toll at NLEx and SCTEx effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Prior to this, MNTC filed an arbitration case in Singapore against the government through TRB for failure to approve toll adjustments since 2013.

Business

B3

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Arthaland to boost projects by 5 times

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SMART-STARMOBILE TIEUP. Mobile services provider Smart Communications and local phone manufacturer Starmobile renew their

partnership to bring richer digital experiences to more Filipinos via exciting smartphone and data bundles. Shown are (from left) Smart public affairs head Ramon Isberto, Smart mobile nusiness head Kathy Carag, Starmobile chairman and chief executive Joey Uy and Starmobile president Ulysses Lao.

Semirara to restore Panian mine’s ecology

By Alena Mae S. Flores

S

emirara Mining and Power Corp. is in talks with the Energy Department and the local government unit of Antique on the final land use plan for Panian mine.

“We want to turn over something that will continue to benefit the government and host community. Island sustainability is our main concern,” Semirara president and chief operating Victor Consunji said in a statement.

Semirara said it was now working to restore the ecological balance of Panian pit, which was recently closed following the depletion of its mineable

Russia to buy $2.5-b PH crops

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippines and Russia agreed to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties, starting with the importation by Russia of agricultural crops.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said both countries agreed to set up a joint commission to work on details of cooperation and follow through negotiation during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Peru.

“The President [Rodrigo Duterte] has a good first meeting with President [Vladimir] Putin. They offer discussing trade and investments in the field of energy, machine engineering, hardware, energy equipment, modernizing retro fit machines, long range railway building, port infrastructure and monorails,” he said.

Lopez said at the onset, Russia was willing to import about $2.5 billion worth of agricultural products from the Philippines.

The huge import commitment will be one of the major discussion points by the Philippine and Russian agriculture ministers in the next meeting.

“They are coming from a low base of imports from the Philippines. But we can supply their agricultural requirement,” said Lopez.

Both countries also agreed to cooperate on law enforcement training and trade of supply for the military to be used for counter-terrorism, war on drugs and for national emergency.

Other areas of cooperation include finance, education and market access.

“There is a huge room for cooperation for both the Philippines and Russia,” Lopez said.

coal reserves.

The depletion was certified by the Energy Department after its visit to Semirara Island on Sept.

20 to 21.

“Our goal is to restore the topography of Panian and promote flora and fauna growth in the area,” Consunji said.

Prior to pre-mine operation, Panian area was characterized by rolling hills of open grasslands and numerous gullies

with shrubs and trees.

Semirara has begun filling Panian pit with overburden materials from Molave and Narra Mines, its two operating pits to restore the ecological balance of the area.

Initial progressive rehabilitation was also started in 2005 near Casay Lake at the western part of Panian. To date, over 250 hectares of the area have been planted with nearly 2 million trees.

Once the Panian mine pit becomes a stable landform, Semirara will cover the area with humic acid, compost and other materials to add nutrients to the soil.

Semirara said a massive

reforestation program would involve endemic and suitable plant species.

“The in-pit of Panian mine would no longer look like a depleted mine since the final elevation would be around -10 meters at the northern side and +30 meters at the central barricade and +10 meters at the southern side,” said Consunji.

The over 10-meter elevation is planned to be a fresh water reservoir while the bottom part is being eyed as a possible beach resort, grazing land, pearl farm or marine sanctuary that will be turned over to the local government unit for possible development into an ecotourism spot.

Financial resources grow 10% to P16.2t

By Julito G. Rada TOTAL financial resources in the country increased 10 percent to P16.197 trillion as of endSeptember from P14.779 trillion a year ago, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Resources of the banking sector climbed 10.4 percent to P13.099 trillion from P11.863 trillion a year ago. Universal and commercial banks accounted for P11.804 trillion, up 10.6 percent from P10.670 trillion.

Thrift banks’ resources grew 9 percent to P1.071 trillion from P979.6 billion, while rural banks’ assets improved to P223.4 billion from P212.8 billion.

Resources of non-banks financial institutions, meanwhile,

rose 6 percent to P3.097 trillion from P2.916 trillion in the same period last year.

These institutions include investment houses, finance companies, investment companies, securities dealers/brokers, pawnshops, lending investors, non-stock savings and loan associations, venture capital corporations, and credit card companies which are under the regulation of Bangko Sentral.

Also included are private and government insurance companies, such as the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System.

Bangko Sentral said the total number of financial institutions under its supervision and regulation increased to 27,561 in the second quarter from the previous quarter.

Banking offices in the second quarter increased to 10,936 from 10,849 in the first quarter, amid the continuous expansion of big lenders in their bid to widen their presence nationwide.

Of the total number, universal and commercial banks accounted for 6,133 branches, higher than 6,094 offices a quarter ago. Currently, there are 41 head offices of universal and commercial banks in the entire banking system.

The number of thrift banks’ offices, however, declined to 2,124 in the second quarter from 2,130 as of end-March, following consolidation and exit of weaker players from the industry. There are 64 head offices of thrift banks to date, down from 66 a quarter ago.

STEEL INDUSTRY STUDY.

The Board of Investments and Department of Science and Technology agencies— Metals Industry Research and Development and Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development—sign a memorandum of agreement for the conduct of a feasibility study designed to boost the local production of iron using the country’s indigenous mineral resources. Shown during the signing of the agreement are (from left) MIRDC executive director Robert Dizon, Trade undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo and PCIEERD deputy executive director Raul Sabularse.

ARTHALAND Corp., a property developer controlled by the Po family, aims to grow its real estate portfolio by nearly five times over the next six years amid a positive outlook for the industry.

Documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Arthaland was expecting residential and office projects to hit 520,000 square meters in gross floor area by 2022, up from the current 110,000 sqm of GFA. “Arthaland believes that while the outlook for the entire real estate sector is positive, the real estate sub-sectors will be in varying stages of growth from 2016 to 2022. Given recent trends in the industry, ALCO has identified opportunities in the office sub-sector following

the continuous strong demand for office space in key locations.

In the residential sub-sector, ALCO has identified pockets of the market segments that are promising,” the company said.

It said of the expected 520,000 sqm portfolio by 2022, about 50 percent or 260,000 sqm would be in the office segment and the balance would be in upper middle to high-end residential segment.

The company also plans to expand its presence in various areas in the country.

Arthaland said for the planned office space, 40 percent would be located outside Metro Manila through the Cebu Exchange project.

The remaining 60 percent will be developed in Metro Manila’s several business districts including Fort Bonifacio, Makati, Ortigas and southern Metro Manila.

FVR scorecard on Duterte: Strike 2 I CANNOT claim to know Fidel V. Ramos very well, but I know him well enough to be able to say that he does not suffer fools gladly and he has a very low level of tolerance for people who, as he said recently in his newspaper column, are peddlers of sh_t. With this in mind, I would have given anything to be able to hear what the 12th President of the Philippines said to President Rodrigo Duterte in the course of their wellpublicized meeting in Malacanang last week.

FVR minced no words in addressing, in his column, the positions taken by Rodrigo Duterte on two very important national issues.

I refer to the gamut of relations between the Philippines and the US and the United Nations-sponsored treaty on climate-change mitigation that went into effect on Nov. 4 upon its ratification by the acquired minimum number of signatories. Mr. Duterte must have gotten an earful from FVR. Why is it likely that FVR spoke last week to Rodrigo Duterte in forthright, you’re-full-of-it terms? Several reasons. The 12th President is a respected and admired – not feared and despised – citizen of this Republic. He was the principal hero of the Edsa Revolution – the glorious event of Feb. 22-25, 1986 that the family and supporters of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos want to reduce to historical insignificance – and he left the presidency after six years of governance that witnessed the removal of the institutional and policy roadblocks to national economic efficiency and placed the Philippine economy on the road to more rapid and sustainable growth. FVR did it all and has nothing more to prove.

The second reason why I am inclined to believe that Mr. Duterte received an earful from FVR was that the 12th President is a firm believer in solid staff work and has no patience for people who open their mouths and say things that have not been thoroughly studied and, worse, are full of the four-letter word that he mentioned in his column. When one spouts hot air, one gets a steely look from the Man from Asingan (Pangasinan).

The third, and by no means least important, reason is that FVR feels entitled to speak his mind to Mr. Duterte in the wake of Duterte’s claim – since denied by FVR – that the 12th President flew down to Davao last year to persuade Mr. Duterte to make a run for the presidency. On at least two occasions the incumbent president introduced FVR and then expressed thanks to FVR for having encouraged him to make his presidential run. FVR probably thought, if you say that I was partly responsible for your having become president, then I have every right to upbraid you for the foolish things that you have been saying and doing.

And foolish, in FVR’s view, have been Duterte’s actions and utterances on Philippine-US relations and climate change. He has said so in no uncertain terms in his column.

Why quarrel with the US, the Philippines’ longtime defense ally and economic partner, in your quest for an “independent foreign policy”, FVR asked Duterte in his column. Why must such a policy be exclusive of longtime friends? Your foreign policy moves are “discombobulating,” FVR told Mr. Duterte.

FVR had very sharp words for Duterte with regard to the UNsponsored climate change treaty, which Duterte had declared he would not respect. “All the reasons you have advanced for not honoring the treaty are full of sh_t,” the straight-talking 12th President told Duterte.

If I were asked to liken the recent turn in relations between Rodrigo Duterte and FVR to a sporting event, I would choose a baseball game, with Duterte as batter and FVR as pitcher. At this point the score is Strike 2.

In baseball, Strike 3 means that the batter is out. Is Strike 3 on the way?

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Customs, BIR authorities confiscate P1-b illegal cigarettes

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE government said Monday over P1 billion worth of illegal cigarettes and paraphernalia were seized in separate operations by the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Separate teams from Customs and BIR, the government’s largest revenue collecting agencies, seized fake cigarettes worth over P1 billion, fake tax stamps worth P175 million in taxes, along with

raw materials, machines for cigarette manufacturing and other paraphernalia in separate raids in Pangasinan, Pampanga and Bulacan.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III lauded the two agencies for intensifying their unified campaign against the illicit tobacco trade and said such raids proved that the Duterte administration was serious in its resolve to fight corruption and other illegal activities on all fronts.

“The BOC and BIR deserve to

be commended for conducting without letup their campaign to rid our country of the illicit tobacco trade, which deprives the government of hundreds of millions of pesos in revenues yearly and eats up the market of legitimate manufacturers who abide by the law and pay their taxes regularly,” Dominguez said.

“These sustained efforts show that the Duterte administration’s campaign against corruption and other illegal activities would be

pursued with the same zeal as its war against narco traffickers and illegal drugs,” he said.

Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said four warehouses were found to be counterfeiting popular cigarette brands in Villasis, Pangasinan. The raid by a composite team led to the seizure of various materials for cigarette manufacturing and the arrest of 24 undocumented foreign nationals.

Faeldon said the raid on the warehouses inside the Villasis

compound yielded over P1 billion worth of fake cigarettes, along with 11 units of cigarette making/ packaging machines, 1,453 sacks of cut-filter, 27 containers of menthol solution, 1,149 master cases for assorted brands of cigarettes, 22 trays of filter, 378 rolls of inner liner, 469 rolls of clear wrap, 2,173 reams of counterfeit BIR tax stamps, 88 pales glue, 1,251 packs of cigarette brand soft labels, 4 units of air compressor and 3, 244 bundles of assorted master cases.

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

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Business

Obama defends free trade L ima, Peru—US President Barack Obama on Sunday defended free trade as fellow Asia-Pacific leaders vowed to fight protectionism after Donald Trump’s shock election victory sparked fears for the future of global commerce.

Trump’s triumph in this month’s US presidential poll has raised concerns that years of rolling back trade barriers could be reversed after the populist billionaire vowed to tear up a series of key deals.

His victory overshadowed a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group held in Peru this week where leaders, including Obama, China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, found themselves under fierce pressure to defend free trade.

Globalization and trade deals have been increasingly blamed in Europe and America for sending jobs abroad and eroding living standards, concerns

reflected in both the election of Trump and Britain’s “Brexit” vote in June to leave the European Union.

At the APEC gathering there was particular concern about the future of a major US-backed accord—the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Trump has vowed to kill off—and that China was positioning itself to forge ahead with its own trade deals and fill a vacuum left by any American withdrawal.

But after the summit closed on Sunday, Obama said that the 12-nation trans-Pacific deal, a key part of his much-vaunted “pivot” to Asia, was far from dead and those involved still wanted to move forward with the United States.

The president also insisted trade was positive as long as it was carried out in the right way and sought to answer rising concerns about globalization, conceding that “historic gains in prosperity” had not been evenly distributed.

“That can reverberate through our politics,” he said.

“That’s why I firmly believe one of our greatest challenges in the years ahead across our nations and within them will be to make sure that the benefits of the global economy are shared by more people.”

And he sent a message to a world that is increasingly wary of globalization: “The answer is to do trade right.”

Obama’s concerns about growing inequality were echoed by other leaders at the gathering, with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong saying steps must be taken to ensure that “no groups in society are left behind.”

“Only then can we push ahead with trade and economic cooperation,” he said.

APEC’s 21 members from either side of the Pacific offered their own staunch defense of free trade as the annual summit ended, pledging to “fight against all forms of protectionism.”

In addition the group vowed to refrain from competitive devaluation of their currencies, after Trump repeatedly accused China of keeping the yuan undervalued to boost exports and threatened to declare Beijing a currency manipulator.

But analysts were not convinced by the APEC statement, with senior analyst Jeffrey Halley at forex broker Oanda saying it sounded like “empty rhetoric.”

“Most participants have very different definitions of what constitutes open markets and protectionism,” he said.

While Obama sought to be upbeat about the TPP’s prospects, some experts say Trump’s attacks on the agreement—which he called a “terrible deal”--and his Republican allies’ control of Congress mean it is dead in the water.

Other observers have sug-

Iran banks catch up after years of isolation IRANIAN banks are trying to catch up with the rest of the world.

After years of isolation left them with outdated practices, they’re trying to fall in line with international standards of transparency so they can better attract business and integrate with the global industry. The central bank has instructed them to set up compliance departments and risk management programs, and to implement globally accepted accounting practices so the economy can take better advantage of the easing of international sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The central bank “felt the need to address and resolve the issues our banks have,” Vice Governor Peyman Ghorbani said in an interview on the sidelines of the Frankfurt European Banking Congress.

“Good steps have been taken.”

Businesses say the outmoded and opaque practices have created additional hurdles for foreign banks considering working with Iran after the nuclear accord. Major European banks are still wary of resuming business ties with the Islamic Republic for fear of running into remaining U.S. sanctions that apply to non-nuclear activities. Iranian officials say the hesitation is holding up plans to help the economy, despite their country’s compliance with the accord.

Large foreign lenders are mostly hesitating over “the internal housekeeping of Iranian banks,” said Reza Soltanzadeh, board member of the Tehran-based Middle East Bank.

Policy makers have taken “very good measures” regarding capital adequacy ratios and anti- money-laundering procedures, and banks are working hard to comply, he said.

A number of smaller lenders are being audited to “restore trust to the system,” said Soltanzadeh. “But this will take time for the larger banks.”

Iran has both an official exchange rate to the dollar and another rate used in unregulated markets. The implementation of the nuclear accord in January has energized plans to unify the exchange rates, but “long-term and sustainable unification” also needs good corresponding relationships with larger banks, Ghorbani said.

“We are taking steps and are not in a rush,” he said. “We want to make sure that the preconditions are there.”

Bloomberg

gested that the deal-making real estate mogul may seek to negotiate changes to the agreement once he takes office in January, and then claim a victory if a new version is passed.

A failure of the TPP would likely be welcomed by China, which was excluded from the deal and saw it as an attempt by the US to increase its clout in Beijing’s backyard.

As the summit concluded Sunday, Chinese foreign ministry official Tan Jian took a veiled swipe at America, saying that countries “should not politicize free trade arrangements.”

Trump’s victory and the potential demise of the TPP means that even longtime US allies may soon be turning to Beijing in a region hungry for trade.

President Xi set himself up as the anti-Trump at this week’s summit, defending open markets and pushing two rival agreements—an APEC-wide deal and a 16-member accord that excludes the US. AFP

WINE AUCTION.

An auctioneer supervises the 156th charity wine auction at the Hospices de Beaune, central France, on Nov. 20, 2016. The Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction is the oldest and most famous charity wine auction, whose funds collected are entirely destined for the institution’s charities.

AFP

Symantec to acquire LifeLock for $2.4b SYMANTEC Corp., one of the world’s largest cybersecurity companies, reached an agreement to acquire LifeLock Inc. for about $2.4 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

The deal may be announced as soon as Monday, said the people, who asked not to be named because the process is private. Tempe, Arizona-based LifeLock was pursued by bidders including private equity firms Permira, TPG and Evergreen Coast Capital, the new buyout arm of hedge fund Elliott Management, the people said.

Representatives for Symantec and LifeLock didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

LifeLock has been working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on the potential sale for several months, people with knowledge of the process said earlier this month. The company provides a range of identity-theft protection services for consumers and small businesses, including credit monitoring and alerts, according to its website.

Shares of the company have risen 45 percent this year to $20.75, giving it a market value of about $1.95 billion.

Symantec has been reorientating its business more heavily toward cybersecurity, acquiring Blue Coat Inc. from Bain Capital this year in a $4.65 billion deal. Earlier in the year, Mountain View, California-based Symantec sold data storage unit Veritas to Carlyle Group LP for $7.4 billion.

Elliott’s activist investing arm unveiled a stake in LifeLock in June and owns about 11 percent of the company.

Another Elliott activist target-Mentor Graphics Corp.-agreed to be acquired by Siemens AG for $4.5 billion in a deal announced Nov. 14.

Evergreen Coast Capital, Elliott’s recently formed private equity arm, had jointly bid for LifeLock with another buyout partner, two of the people said.

In its debut buyout deal, Evergreen agreed in June to acquire Dell Inc.’s software unit in partnership with Francisco Partners Management.

Bloomberg

Thailand’s economic growth slowed in third quarter BANGKOK, Thailand—Thailand’s economic growth slowed in the third quarter, data showed Monday, with fears of further pain to come in a nation plunged into mourning following the death of its long-serving King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

High household debt, weakening exports, slumping foreign investment and low consumer confidence have cramped growth in what for years was Southeast Asia’s flagship economy.

A military junta seized power in 2014 vowing to end years of political instability and kickstart

the lackluster economy.

The economy has since picked up slightly, mainly on the back of ramped-up government spending and tourist arrivals, but it remains comparatively low compared with its neighbors.

The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said Monday the economy expanded 3.2 percent on-year in July-September, missing estimates and also down from 3.5 percent in the previous quarter.

Seasonally adjusted quarteron-quarter growth was 0.6 per-

China’s iron ore stockpiles increase FOR iron ore, it is the morning after the night before. Prices have given up most of the gains inspired by Donald Trump’s surprise win and a speculative frenzy in China, with a surge in port stockpiles in the top user reminding investors that fundamentals still count.

“The speed of the recent rally leaves it open to the charge that price action has been too much, too fast,” Dane Davis, an analyst at Barclays Plc in New York, said in a note that asked “After the party....the hangover?” The balance of risk for iron as well as copper is skewed to the downside as the dollar strengthens and the effects of Trump’s win wear off, according to Davis.

Iron ore prices barreled to a two-year high this month as investors celebrated Trump’s victory on the outlook for infrastructure spending at the same time that commodities futures volumes surged in China. The rally has been thrown into reverse after mainland exchanges raised charges to quell the fervor, and the US currency advanced on prospects for higher interest rates. The port holdings data have added to the bearish mix, reinforcing signs of ample supply.

“As it did earlier this year, China has cracked down on speculation in the iron ore market,” Davis said. “With these stricter standards in place, the iron ore price should continue to ease off recent highs, though it may find support from continued highs in other steel raw materials, such as met coal, and a domestic steel market that looks to set to grow production in 2016.” Bloomberg

cent, down from a revised 0.7 percent in the three months prior.

The dip will do little to raise hopes of a final quarter bump for Thailand as it approaches peak tourist season.

King Bhumibol’s death on 13 October after a seven-decade reign has left politically divided Thailand without a rare pillar of unity.

The arch-royalist generals ordered an initial month-long mourning period where entertainment and festivities were either halted entirely or told to tone down. The official mourning period will last a full year.

Analysts said the king’s death would likely hit final quarter growth, particularly in the country’s entertainment sector, while political uncertainty will remain an issue.

“Although calm has prevailed since the death of the king last month, the political situation remains highly uncertain, and this will continue to hang over the outlook for private investment,” Krystal Tan, at Capital Economics said in a briefing note.

Somprawin Manprasert, chief economist at Bangkok-based Bank of Ayudhya, told Bloomberg News: “The economy may face

challenges with slowing tourist arrivals and subdued mood during the king’s mourning period.”

The NESDB estimates 2016’s overall growth rate to be 3.2 percent, up from 2.8 percent last year.

Tourism remains one of the key bright spots with officials telling AFP last week the kingdom was still on track to receive a record 32 million overseas visitors by the end of the year.

Bhumibol’s dwindling health coincided with a decade of political turmoil, which began when the military toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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COLORS IN THE WIND. Participants helps fly a huge, colorful kite during the 1st Bahay na Bato Kite Festival at Nalvo Norte in Luna, La Union on Sunday. Christine Junio

Tacloban City working on massive relocation T

ACLOBAN CITY —The city government here is eyeing a massive relocation of families from makeshift houses in coastal communities to permanent homes starting the last week of November until January 2017.

Mayor Cristina Romualdez said the goal is to move at least 200 families every week from 19 coastal villages, from the downtown area to San Jose district near the airport.

As assessed by the city housing and community development office, at least 6,435 families affected by Typhoon “Yolanda” three years ago live in these priority areas, which accounts for more than half of the 12,642 families in 35 villages up for transfer to safer grounds.

Since 2015, more than 2,500

families have been moved to permanent homes in northern villages.

The proposed mass relocation plan has 500 families moving in each of the first four batches, with the remaining 374 families for the fifth batch.

Government agencies are working double time to provide potable water, electricity, livelihood, and classrooms for children near relocation sites, the mayor said.

“Everyone is working together to make sure that there is an increase in the number of occupied houses when President Rodrigo Duterte returns next month,” Ro-

mualdez said.

Duterte was upset over slow pace of relocation for “Yolanda”hit families when he visited the city to grace the third year anniversary of the powerful typhoon that struck on Nov. 8, 2013. The Chief Executive promised to personally check relocation sites next month.

However, residents of coastal villages badly hit by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” have opposed the plan of the city government to demolish their houses and transfer them to resettlement sites.

Hundreds of residents in Magallanes, Sagkahan and San Jose districts trooped to the city legislative building last week to denounce the planned relocation.

Among their concerns are the distance from relocation sites to Tacloban’s commercial center and other essential services like hospitals, schools, and markets, the

absence of livelihood opportunities, poor access to safe water, and absence of electricity.

“We are not opposing on the transfer, but [what] we are asking is for the government to make these houses livable,” said Belinda Ginu-o, a resident of San Jose district.

The Catholic Church, through its social action arm the National Secretariat for Social Action and Caritas Philippines, supports the residents’ appeal to stop their move to resettlement sites.

“The hurried relocation of “Yolanda” survivors by the city government is purportedly being done on the pretext of the marching order issued by President Rodrigo Duterte to complete the shelter reconstruction of “Yolanda” survivors by December this year,” the church statement said. PNA

QC property value issues? Look at FB THE Quezon City government is going online to hear and heed taxpayers’ concerns on the proposed revision of property values.

District 3 Councilor Allan Benedict Reyes, chairperson of the committee on ways and means, said the city government has created a Facebook page— www.facebook.com/QCPropertyValues—to serve as a platform for residents to voice their issues and concerns about Proposed Ordinance No. 20CC-141.

Reyes assured that taxpayers will have the opportunity to get more vital information through the FB page, and even interact with city officials concerning the proposed fair value market adjustment of their properties.

“We want to hear from the people what they think of this proposed revision, and the internet is an effective means to do that. We’d like to get their comments, suggestions, clarifications, and we will answer their every query,” he said.

The page also has a link to a PDF copy of the proposed ordi-

Taytay bets on town’s ‘tiangge’ to bring in biz SOME of the most famous flea markets or “tiangge” in Metro Manila can be found in Baclaran, Divisoria and Pasig. But one tiangge just outside the metropolis is making a name as the new haven for shoppers looking for the best bargains on quality-made clothes and accessories.

That would the the municipal tiangge of Taytay, Rizal, which is supplied by the town’s robust garments industry and has propelled progress in this suburb to the east of Manila.

One of the 14 towns of the province of Rizal, Taytay used to be known for its carpenters, whose wives would set up their small garment shops at the “silong” or ground level of their houses to augment the family income.

Over time, these families prospered and soon saw their

goods going to Baclaran, Divisoria and Pasig, which is closest to Taytay, but they would have to endure the distance of crossing from one side of Metro Manila to the other and the persistent traffic of the big city.

In 2010, the administration of Taytay Mayor Joric Gacula saw the need and the potential hosting these garment vendors in their own local tiangge in town. Hence, the Municipal Council amended the Taytay Local Tax Ordinance No. 10, establishing the tiangge in Kalayaan Park in order to encourage small retailers to register their businesses and sell their goods in their own town.

The Kalayaan Tiangge was an instant success, and garnered an initial 400 registered retailers. Taytay Mayor Joric Gacula (center) talks to ‘Galing Pook’ host Doc Eddie Dorotan as the television program Jovy Medina-Leonardo

featured the Taytay Municipal Tiangge and the town’s booming garments industry. Jovy Medina-Leonardo

DoH screening drug surrenderers in Coron, islands THE Department of Health (DoH)– Mimaropa (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) Special Medical Action Response Teams together with local health officials of the Calamian Group of Islands, have started its screening and assessment of drug surrenderees.

The Calamian Group includes

the islands of Busuanga, Coron, Culion, Calauit, Malcapuya, Banana, Pass and Calumbuyan.

DoH Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said health workers in the islands are now trained to handle the screening and assessment of drug surrenderers in the area after training provided by the regional office. “They will also be

supported by the DoH-Mimaropa S.M.A.R.T. teams,” he added.

According to the provincial health department, as of last October 19, 470 drug users and 35 drug pushers voluntarily surrendered to local authorities in Coron, the second biggest municipality in the Calamian islands and a tourist hot spot.

There are now 4,268 drug users and 343 drug pushers recorded in Palawan, it added.

Drug surrenderers in Mimaropa will undergo a wellness and recovery program involving community mobilization and brief intervention activities that will be initiated by local government units, Janairo added.

Counseling, medical check up

and random drug testing among the drug surrenderers will also be conducted to avoid relapses.

Drug screening and assessment is required for a person arrested for a crime associated with drugs.

A trained professional specializing in addiction and substance abuse carries out the evaluation.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

nance, Reyes added.

“Please feel free to post your comments and questions there and we assure you we will listen and consider all your suggestions as we are still in the process of finalizing the provisions of this proposed ordinance,” the councilor said.

He echoed the assurance of city assessor Rodolfo Ordanes that there would be no 500-percent increase in the real-estate tax if the ordinance is passed.

“We want to clarify that there is no such thing. That is not true,” Ordanes said in a statement.

He said city officials could face charges in court if they failed to comply with the recommendations of the Commission on Audit and Department of Finance to revise the city’s fair market value every three years. The last adjustment was implemented 21 years ago.

Quezon City taxpayers can also visit the official website of the city government http://quezoncity.gov.ph/ and the Facebook account of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte. Rio N. Araja

No toilet means huge cost: P77.8b/yr

By Macon Ramos-Araneta ABOUT P77.8 billion per year is lost because of poor sanitation in the Philippines, revealed a non-government organization working with the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the departments of Health and Education on sanitation.

Citing a report on the economic impact of having no toilets, the Center for Health Solutions and Innovations Philippine Inc. stressed how poor sanitation can cause economic losses associated with the direct costs of treating sanitation-related illnesses and lost income through reduced productivity.

“A Filipino family spends approximately P1,000 a year for each family member who gets sick simply because they do not have a toilet,” said Dr. Carmina Aquino, head of CHSI. CHSI joined local partners in Borongan City, Eastern Samar in celebrating World Toilet Day on November. 19. The event aims to bring attention to the plight of over two-billion people worldwide who still live without a toilet today.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

LGUs

IFAD sets $80m for PH rural areas T HE International Fund for Agricultural Development has committed $80 million for agricultural and rural transformation in the Philippines.

This was disclosed during the 2016 Knowledge and Learning Market-Policy Engagement seminar held last week at the BSWM Convention Hall in Quezon City.

The departments of Agrarian Reform and Agriculture and IFAD celebrated the third year of the International Year of Family Farming in the country through the seminar, to continuously promote smallholder and family farming, ensure food security and transform

rural communities.

With the theme “IYFF+2: Engaging development partners towards sustainable development of smallholder/family farmers,” the IFAD gathered more than 300 leaders from farmers and fisher organizations, civil society, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.

“In this two-day event, we will have learning sessions with various groups where they will

focus on discussing opportunities, challenges and trends that affect farming families. These workshop sessions will include concepts and cases that would showcase good and innovative practices in rural development,” said IFAD country program officer Jerry Pacturan.

In 2014, the Philippines concelebrated the IYFF, seeking to promote active policies for development of agricultural systems based

on farming families, indigenous groups, cooperatives and fishing families.

The conference gathered 370 leaders and representatives of farmer organizations, NGOs, academe and government agencies, and has generated 10 policy papers grouped in five key themes—asset reform, climate change and resiliency, governance, young farmers, and enterprise development.

The global celebration of the

IYFF achieved remarkable results that world farmer leaders from five continents, along with rural associations, research centers, World Consultative members, IYFF 2014 National Committees and other stakeholders agreed as stated in the Manifesto of Brasilia that the global campaign for family farming be extended for 10 more years—thus the IYFF +10. PIA In support of the decade-long

Taguig beefs up mosquito virus fight THE CITY government of Taguig beefed up its health security measures and response capability for the entire month of November against serious diseases like Dengue and the Zika virus.

City Health Officer Dr. Isaias Ramos said the activity is part of their year-round Dengue Prevention and Control Program, and a preventive approach against the Zika and Chikungunya mosquitoborne viruses.

The City Health Department reported that dengue cases this year are down by 15 percent at 403 cases compared to 2015’s 474 cases.

The reported cases this year were also lower by 15 percent than the previous three-year average (2013 to 2015).

“We are thankful as dengue incidents have been low in Taguig this year and we have zero Zika and Chikungunya. The mayor wants to keep the numbers down, thus, we will exert more effort to achieve it,” Dr. Ramos explained.

Mayor Laarni Cayetano earlier ordered an information campaign and a massive clean-up drive to destroy potential breeding sites of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Cayetano is happy with the drop in dengue cases, but not satisfied owing to the two deaths reported this year.

“I am happy with the result, the dengue incidents are down as well as the flooding. I have directed the City Health Office, Liga ng mga Barangay, City Engineering Office, and the Solid Waste Management Office to continue what they have been doing,” she said. Joel E. Zurbano

KEYS TO THE CITY.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista gives reigning Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa the symbolic keys to the city for her recent victory in the beauty pageant that saw contestants from 69 countries compete in Tokyo, Japan. Verzosa is the sixth Filipina to win the Miss International crown.

Bataan board members want speed limit on Roman Highway BALANGA CITY—In the aftermath of a tragic car accident in Orion, Bataan that killed three persons a week ago, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan want to implement a speed limit and other traffic measures on Roman Highway.

“The accident in Orion was caused by a speeding oil tanker

bumping the rear of the vehicle of the three victims, which rammed onto another vehicle,” said Provincial Board Member Benjie Serrano.

“Last September, I myself at the Roman Highway along Abucay had an accident. The rear of my car was also hit by an oil tanker.

Fortunately, nothing bad happened

to me,” he added.

Tankers are frequently involved in accidents with motorcycles, tricycles, and other vehicles causing a number of deaths on the highway, Serrano said.

Aside from speed limit, there should be a traffic light on all major intersections of the Roman High-

way and the road’s length should be illuminated, proposed the board member, who is a member of the SP Committee on Transport.

Board Member Peping Villapando, chairman of the SP Committee on Transport, has already called a meeting to tackle the situation in the Roman Highway. “We are already

DAR chief to carry out SC ruling on Luisita TWELVE years after the Hacienda Luisita Massacre, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano remains determined to implement the 2012 Supreme Court ruling that ordered the Cojuangco clan to distribute the lands of the 4,335-hectare hacienda, along with a P1.3-billion payout, to 6,212 farmer beneficiaries.

Seven people were killed with dozens injured and 112 were arrested when farmers on strike were brutally dispersed at the hacienda on Nov. 16, 2004. Other claimants have died over the years, as the farmers continued their fight for genuine land reform.

Despite the four-year-old SC order and two agrarian reform laws since 1989, the Cojuangco clan continues to have firm control over the expansive Tarlac estate, the Department of Agrarian Reform noted in a statement.

The farmworkers’ strike was at the height of protest actions against the move of the Hacienda Luisita Inc. to keep its workers’ wages to a low of P9.50 weekly.

Over the years, “state forces and goons” have demolished homes and destroyed crops in order to evict long-time tillers of the disputed area, DAR said.

Despite efforts of the HLI to delay implementation of the High Court’s decision, the DAR is pushing forward with the audit of the P1.3 billion worth of proceeds from previous deals made

by HLI. PIA

contemplating what legislative actions or any measure to be done,” Serrano added.

A former three-term mayor of Orani, Serrano said he established the Orani Rescue team in the latter part of his stint at the town. The team rescued many victims in that portion of the Roman Highway. Butch Gunio

More land set aside for Cordillera coffee

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. Members of the Quezon City Police District engage in a tug of war with their colleagues as part of the 77th founding anniversary of the QCPD held at Camp Karingal in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

BAGUIO CITY—An additional 3,000 hectares will be added under an extension of the National Greening Program specifically for planting coffee, benefiting thousands of Cordillera farmers who could profit from the booming market of the commodity.

This is apart from the existing 7,781 hectares already allocated under the NGP and could boost production and revitalize the coffee industry in the region, said Imelda Cawisan, regional NGP focal person.

The program previously implemented coffee planting but could not sustain it owing to the remote location of NGP areas and their distance from the communities.

While technology is making its way into Cordillera’s hinterlands through interventions of the Department of Trade and Industry, increasing coffee production must be given more attention.

DTI Director Myrna Pablo, the national cluster manager for the coffee industry, admitted the sector is still struggling, saying that since 2013, no significant improvement has happened to this business.

Industry stakeholders could address that and other issues at the 2nd Philippine Coffee Conference on November 23 and 25 in Baguio City.

The conference will look

back and revisit the wider scope of coffee industry development in the country, organizers said in a statement.

The conference will also update participants on the Philippine Coffee Roadmap so they could look forward and aim for a bigger niche in the world’s coffee industry.

About 700 stakeholders, including the top coffee producers around the globe, are expected to attend the conference.

In the 1800s, the Philippines was the fourth-largest exporter of coffee in the world, but the coffee rust plague and pests slowed its production halted.

Data as of 2012 indicates the biggest coffee-producing areas in the region are Benguet, Mountain Province, Kalinga and Ifugao, with a total production of 5,673.21 metric tons.

Robusta accounts for 88.4 percent of the Cordilleras’ coffee production, while Arabica variants account for 9.8 percent.

While the demand of coffee worldwide is increasing, local farmers are shifting to other cash crops like corn to sustain their daily needs, and the wait before harvest time for corn is shorter compared to coffee.

Coffee farmers in the region said the farm-buying price of coffee beans must also be addressed to entice more farmers into planting the crop. Dexter A. See

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

World

Standard

TODAY

Obama ends his final tour overseas

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Toll in India’s train disaster rises to 142

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LIMA―US President Barack Obama bid farewell to the world stage Sunday, pondering his legacy, offering advice to his successor and discussing his postpresidential life at the end of his final foreign tour.

His historic presidency and charisma have made Obama a rock star on the international scene, even at times when the daily grind of politics dimmed the glow around his election as the United States’ first black president in 2008.

Obama spoke to both the American people and the world as he gave his final foreign press conference in Lima, Peru.

But ultimately, those two audiences are inseparably linked, he insisted.

It was a key message as he prepares to hand over to President-elect Donald Trump―who has spooked some in the international community with his volatile style and isolationist rhetoric.

Several of Obama’s fellow world leaders said an emotional goodbye as they wrapped up a summit.

“It’s a great moment, but a sad moment, to have our last meeting,” said Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

“I am going to miss having Barack around,” said Canada’s Justin Trudeau, in comments that were tinged with a sense of uncertainty about things to come.

Here are some key points from Obama’s remarks: Obama’s last presidential trip was dominated by the deep uncertainty Trump has unleashed about the postwar world order with his attacks on free trade and the US role as “policeman of the world.”

Obama said an increasingly borderless world has brought “historic gains in prosperity, education and health,” but acknowledged globalization had both winners and losers.

“When jobs and capital can move across borders, when workers have less leverage, when wealthy corporations seem to be playing by a different set of rules, then workers and communities can be hit especially hard,” he said.

“That can reverberate through our politics. That’s why I firmly believe one of our greatest challenges in the years ahead across our nations and within them will be to make sure that the benefits of the global economy are shared.”

It was an awkward trip for Obama, who campaigned against Trump as an unfit successor but now wants to reassure US allies on the future.

He asked the world to treat the brash billionaire as he himself vowed to do: “Wait and see.”

At the same time, he sought to preempt his successor on some key issues.

He announced his signature trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific, the TPP, was still alive despite Trump’s vows to kill it, and said he wanted to reach a deal on the Ukraine crisis before leaving office.

He said Trump’s presidency would likely be far different from his candidacy. AFP

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL C OURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY

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PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK., Mortgageee, -versusFRE NO. 11397 SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG AND LARRY TEBAG, REP. BY THEIR ATTY. IN-FACT AIDA BONIOG, Mortgagors. x------------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED)

UKHRAYAN, India―The death toll from India’s rail disaster rose to 142 on Monday after workers toiled through the night removing victims from the wreckage, with grim warnings that more bodies were trapped inside.

UPON extra judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed under the date of February 2, 2015, by SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG & LARRY E. TEBAG rep. by AIDA L. BONIOG as AIF, Mortgagors with residence and postal address No. 12 Prince Queenies, Love Vill. General Santos City, South Cotabato, 9500/ No. 30 Jasmine St., Modesta Village, San Mateo, Rizal, in favor of PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED PESOS AND 10/100 (P1,466,513.10) as of October 3, 2016, inclusive of interest, penalties, and other charges including the fees that may due together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, hereby announces that on December 14, 2016 between the hour of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Office of the Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Sheriff of Quezon City (beside Quezon City Hall) Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, she will sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements.

There was little hope of find“We do not have an exact figing survivors among the man- ure for the injured as of now.

CERTIFICATE Rescue OF TITLE NO.work 004-2014012207 gled remains CONDOMINIUM of 14 carriages, is still going on,” Registry of Deeds-Quezon City which came “UNIT off the district police chief Zaki NO. 6Qtracks SITUATEDon IN THEsaid 6TH FLR OF THE MANHATTAN TOWER 3, LOCATED IN AURORA BLVD., AND GEN. Sunday in aPARKWAY rural ST., district the CITY. Ahmad as workers MALVAR CUBAO,of QUEZON CONSISTING OF TWENTY cleared the EIGHT SQUARE METERS AND FIFTY SQUARE DECIMETERS (28.50) northern state of Uttar most severely carMORE OR LESS.Pradesh.

In the diagrammatic floor plan appended todamaged the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on “The actual toll will still be riages.

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE N-302954-55 which embraces describes the land located at Aurora Blvd., and Gen. Malvar St., higher and itand would beCity a diffi cult More than Cubao, Quezon with an area of (4,919 & 1,154) Square2,000 Meter. people are All sealed bids must be submittedbelieved to the undersigned on the above task to identify all the persons, to have been on the stated time and date. particularly those whose bodies train, though many were travInterested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any are very badly damaged,” a se- eling without reserved seats-or there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date nior local government cial without at all―making a due to fortuitousoffi event of if told the aforesaid scheduledtickets date is declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on December 21, 2016 at the same AFP on condition anonymity. time and of place without further notice. precise estimate impossible.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY

“It is difficult to say how many people were exactly traveling but it was definitely over 2,000,” said a spokesman for the regional railway network.

Emergency workers with sniffer dogs moved from carriage to carriage looking for signs of life as cranes and heavy machinery began moving sections of the wreckage.

A large crowd had gathered at the site, with many combing through the bags and clothes strewn across the area in hopes of finding clues to the fate of their loved ones.

The disaster occurred at the peak of India’s marriage season, and at least one wedding party was on board the train.

Local media said wedding clothes, jewelry and invitation cards could be seen spilling from

PEAKHOLD FINANCE CORPORATION,

S TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2015010994 Registry of Deeds of Quezon City A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 41, BLK. 4, OF THE CONS-SUBDN. PLAN PCS-007404003783-D, BEING A PORTION OF THE CONS. OF LOTS 1071-L-3, 791-C-2-C (LRC) PSD263819, 535-C-2-B- (LRC) PSD-263717, 535-B9-A, (LRC) PSD-263816, 535-B-6, PSD-36572, AND 974, PIEDAD ESTATE, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN THE BRGYS OF SAUYO, AND BAGBAG, QUEZON CITY, M-MANILA, IS. OF LUZON, BOUNDED ON THE NW., ALONG LINE 1-2 BY LOT 39, BLK. 4; ON THE NE., AND E., ALONG LINE 2-4 BY ROAD LOT 8; AND ON THE SE., ALONG LINE 4-5 BY ROAD LOT 3; AND ON THE SW., ALONG LINE 5-1 BY LOT 40, BLK. 4, ALL OF THE CONS-SUBDN. PLAN. XXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY SEVEN (147) SQ. METERS, MORE OR LESS.

Mortgagee, abandoned bags. gles. Guilty will be given strictest -versusHundreds of injured were be- possible punishment,” he said.

FRE NO. 11401 SPS. RANDY T. DEGACO and ing treated in nearby hospitals, India’s railway network, one VICTORIA F. DEGACO including many young children Mortgagors. of the world’s largest, is still the x---------------------------------------------x who had become separated from main form NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF of long-distance travel REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 relatives. in the vast country, but it is poorly (AS AMENDED) extra-judicial petition under ACT and 3135, deadly accidents ocPolice were reportedlyasUPON showfunded amended by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the All sealed bids must be submitted to the unterms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate ing the children pictures of the cur relativelydersigned frequently. at the aforesaid office on the above Mortgage executed on September 7, 2015 by stated date and time. report said dead in an effort to identify theirT. DEGACO A SPS. RANDY and 2012 VICTORIA F.government DEGACO, - Blk. 4 Lot 41 Cordon corner Eagle Interested parties are hereby enjoined to parents. people were St., Rolling Meadows 2,almost San Bartolome,15,000 Novali- investigate for themselves the title killed to the said ches, Quezon City Mortgagors in favor of PEAK- property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if A fracture in the track is HOLD thought everyMortgagee, year anyon India’s railways FINANCE CORPORATION, there be. to satisty the mortgage debt in the amount of In thethe event that public auction to have caused the Indore-Patna and described loss of should lifenot take as Php 1,889,340.03 the total amount due, as of place on said date due to fortuitous event or if September 29, 2016 excluding attorney’s fees,“massacre”.

Express to derail at around 3 am an annual the same be declared a non-working holiday, it liquidated damages; expenses for publication; shall be held on DECEMBER 13, 2016 at the fees; sheriff’s fees andThe commission, and same (2130 GMT Saturday), filing sending latest accident―one time and place without furtherof notice.Insuch other cost and expenses arising out of or Quezon City, Metro Manila,at October 2016. the carriages crashing into each dia’s a 21,time incidental to the foreclosure, togetherdeadliest―comes with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD other and leaving some Ex-Officio twisted Sheriff of thewhen Regional Trialthe Court ofgovernment has signed Clerk of Court VI and Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Acting Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff beyond recognition. numerous with private Sheriff, hereby announces that on DECEMBER deals 6, 2016 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 Railways minister P.M.Suresh companies to upgrade the aging at the Office of the Clerk of Court & ExSheriff, Regionalrail Trial Court, Hall of JusPrabhu addressed a rowdyOfficio crowd network. tice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder Japan agreed to proof lawmakers in the lower house Last year for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following of parliament, promising toreal property/ies a vide $12 described with all the improve-billion in soft loans to to wit: (MS-Nov. 8, 15 &train, 22, 2016) thorough investigation. ments existing thereon, build India’s first bullet “Forensic inquiry has been or- though plans remain in their indered to look into all possible an- fancy. AFP WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or Destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Copy Furnished: SPS. RANDY T. DEGACO and PEDRO C. SEBALLOS VICTORIA F. DEGACO 105 Mahiyain St., Blk. 4 Lot 41 Cordon corner Sikatuna Village Eagle St., Rolling Meadows 2, Quezon City San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City

Quezon City, Metro Manila, October 21, 2016.

(Sgd.) CAROL DG. BULACAN (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Sheriff IV Clerk of Court VI Acting Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 214 Mandaluyong City

Copy Furnished: 1)NOLI A. CABRERA 2)SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG 3)AIDA . BONIOG 4th Flr. PSBank Center Bldg., AND LARRY E. TEBAG No. 30 Jasmine St., Modesta Village, No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Ave., No. 12 Prince Queenies, Love Vill.

San Mateo, Rizal Cor. Sedeño St., Makati City General Santos City, South Cotabato 9500 (MS-Nov. 15, 22 & 29, 2016)

IN RE: PETITION FOR JUDICIAL RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN DIVORCE DECREE BETWEEN LIWAYWAY ANTILLON AVESTRUZ AND MASAFUMI KIMURA,

had a child who was born on 20 August 1998. After their wedding, PETITIONER and RESPONDENT lived at 6-10 Nakano, Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture. RESPONDENT filed a divorce and was granted on 06 January 2016.2 No personal nor real properties, both in the Philippines and abroad, were acquired during their marriage.

WHEREFORE, finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let the hearing on the presentation of jurisdictional requirements be set on 07 February 2017 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Regional LIWAYWAY ANTILLON AVESTRUZ Trial Court, Branch 214, Hall of Justice Petitioner, Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, at which time, date and place mentioned, all SP. PROC. NO. MC-16-10510 interested persons who may be affected thereby For: JUDICIAL RECOGNITION are directed to appear and show cause, if any, OF FOREIGN DIVORCE as to why said petition should not be granted.

-versusMASAFUMI KIMURA Respondent. x-----------------------------------------x

ORDER Before this Court is a verified Petition for judicial recognition of a foreign divorce filed

by Liwayway Antillon Avestruz (PETITIONER).

PETITIONER prays that after due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered recognizing PETITIONER’s foreign decree of divorce and to direct and annotate such judgment in the Local Civil Registry of Mandaluyong City and National Statistics Office (NSO).

PETITIONER alleges that she is a Filipino, of legal age, married to Masafumi Kimura (RESPONDENT) and divorced in Japan, and a resident of 717 Pantaleon Street, Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City. RESPONDENT is of legal age, a Japanese national, and a resident of 6-10 Nakano, Kimitsu City, Chiba, Prefecture, Japan.

PETITIONER and RESPONDENT were married under civil rite on 29 August 2011 in Kimitsushi, Chiba Ken, Japan.1 Prior to their marriage, PETITIONER and RESPONDENT

Let copy of this Order be published at the petitioner’s expense in a newspaper of general circulation selected by raffle, ONCE (1) A WEEK for THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. Further, let copy of this Order be served upon the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor, the Local Civil Registrar of Mandaluyong City, the Philippine Statistics Authority, and RESPONDENT Masafumi Kimura at his last known address in Japan at the expense of PETITIONER. SO ORDERED. Mandaluyong City 10 October 2016.

(Sgd.) IMELDA L. PORTES-SAULOG Presiding Judge Office of the Solicitor General Office of the City Prosecutor, Mandaluyong City Atty. Jose Maronilla Liwayway Antillon Avestruz Masafumi Kimura 1 Report of Marriage is attached to the Petition as Annex “A” 2 Divorce Certificate as Annex “B” of the Petition.

(MS-Nov. 15, 22 & 29, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY

ONSTAGE. Co-host Gigi Hadid speaks onstage during the 2016 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Group says more Rohingya villages razed YANGON―More than 1,000 houses in Rohingya villages have been razed in northwestern Myanmar, according to analysis of satellite images from Human Rights Watch released Monday that fly in the face of government denials.

Troops have poured into a strip of land along the Bangladesh border, an area which is largely home to the stateless Muslim Rohingya minority, since a series of coordinated and deadly attacks on police border posts last month.

Up to 30,000 people have been displaced by the ensuing violence, according to the UN, half of them over a two-day period when dozens died after the military brought in helicopter gunships.

Security forces have killed almost 70 people and arrested more than 400

since the lockdown began six weeks ago, according to state media reports, but activists say the number could be far higher.

Hundreds of Rohingya, who have long been persecuted by the state, have tried to flee the violence to neighboring Bangladesh.

Witnesses and activists have reported troops killing Rohingya, raping women and looting and burning their houses but the government has refused to allow in international observers to investigate.

Instead Myanmar’s new administration, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, has dismissed the allegations as part of a misinformation campaign planted by “terrorists”.

Independently verifying facts on the ground has been hampered by signifi-

cant restrictions placed on journalists and aid agencies reaching the area.

But evidence of widespread destruction to villages is mounting.

Human Rights Watch said Monday it had identified 820 more structures that had been destroyed in five Rohingya villages between November 10-18 using satellite imagery.

In total, the rights group said its analysis showed 1,250 buildings had been destroyed during the military lockdown.

“Instead of responding with military-era style accusations and denials, the government should simply look at the facts,” said HRW’s Asia director Brad Adams.

The government has said fewer than 300 houses have been destroyed in attacks by militants who want to “sow a

seed of misunderstanding between the government troops and the people”.

The resurgence of violence in western Rakhine state has deepened a crisis that already posed a critical challenge to Suu Kyi’s administration seven months after it took power.

More than 100 people died in 2012 in clashes between the majority Buddhist population and the Muslim Rohingya, and tens of thousands of them were driven into displacement camps.

On Friday, the UN’s special rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, criticized the government’s handling of the crisis and called for “urgent action” to protect civilians.

“The security forces must not be given carte blanche to step up their operations,” she said in a statement. AFP

PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK., Mortgageee, -versusFRE NO. 11397 SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG AND LARRY TEBAG, REP. BY THEIR ATTY. IN-FACT AIDA BONIOG, Mortgagors. x------------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118, and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed under the date of February 2, 2015, by SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG & LARRY E. TEBAG rep. by AIDA L. BONIOG as AIF, Mortgagors with residence and postal address No. 12 Prince Queenies, Love Vill. General Santos City, South Cotabato, 9500/ No. 30 Jasmine St., Modesta Village, San Mateo, Rizal, in favor of PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee to satisfy the mortgage debt in the amount of ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED PESOS AND 10/100 (P1,466,513.10) as of October 3, 2016, inclusive of interest, penalties, and other charges including the fees that may due together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, hereby announces that on December 14, 2016 between the hour of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Office of the Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Sheriff of Quezon City (beside Quezon City Hall) Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, she will sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements.

CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2014012207 Registry of Deeds-Quezon City “UNIT NO. 6Q SITUATED IN THE 6TH FLR OF THE MANHATTAN PARKWAY TOWER 3, LOCATED IN AURORA BLVD., AND GEN. MALVAR ST., CUBAO, QUEZON CITY. CONSISTING OF TWENTY EIGHT SQUARE METERS AND FIFTY SQUARE DECIMETERS (28.50) MORE OR LESS. In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE N-302954-55 which embraces and describes the land located at Aurora Blvd., and Gen. Malvar St., Cubao, Quezon City with an area of (4,919 & 1,154) Square Meter.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.

Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event of if the aforesaid scheduled date is declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on December 21, 2016 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, October 21, 2016.

(Sgd.) CAROL DG. BULACAN (Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Sheriff IV Clerk of Court VI Acting Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

Copy Furnished: 1)NOLI A. CABRERA 2)SPS. CRISLYN C. TEBAG 3)AIDA . BONIOG 4th Flr. PSBank Center Bldg., AND LARRY E. TEBAG No. 30 Jasmine St., Modesta Village, No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Ave., No. 12 Prince Queenies, Love Vill.

San Mateo, Rizal Cor. Sedeño St., Makati City General Santos City, South Cotabato 9500 (MS-Nov. 15, 22 & 29, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

C4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

New clashes in Yemen as ceasefire ends

World

ATMOSPHERE. A general view of the atmosphere at Love On Louisiana: An Essence hometown heroes tribute celebrating the resilience of the Baton Rouge community with Tina Knowles-Lawson, Solange Knowles and Kelly Rowland at the Baton Rouge River Center on November 20, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. AFP

Obama doubts future in Syria DAMASCUS―US President Barack Obama said he is “not optimistic” about Syria’s future, as the UN warned time is running out to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo, which has been pounded by air strikes for nearly a week.

Government forces launched a ferocious assault last Tuesday to recapture eastern Aleppo, killing 115 civilians so far. In fresh fighting on Sunday at least eight children died when rebel rocket fire hit their school in the government-controlled west.

Obama warned that Syria’s second city was likely to fall, and that Russian and Iranian backing for Syrian leader Bashar al Assad had made the situation untenable for the opposition.

“I am not optimistic about the short-term prospects in Syria,” he said Sunday at a summit of Pacific leaders in Lima.

“Once Russia and Iran made a decision to back Assad in a brutal air campaign... it was very hard to see a way in which even a trained and committed moderate opposition could hold its ground for long periods of time.”

Obama earlier Sunday urged greater efforts to end the violence when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

But in Damascus, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura was rebuffed on a truce proposal that would allow the opposition to administer the city’s rebel-held east.

“We are running out of time, we are running against time,” de Mistura said after meeting Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

Muallem said he had rejected the proposal, under which jihadist forces would leave and the government would recognize the opposition administration in the east which has been bombarded by air strikes, barrel bombs and artillery.

“How is it possible that the UN wants to reward terrorists?” he asked.

Aid agencies fear that instead of a humanitarian or a political initiative there will be “an acceleration of military activities” in eastern Aleppo and elsewhere, de Mistura told journalists.

“By Christmas... due to military intensification, you will have the virtual collapse of what is left in eastern Aleppo; you may have 200,000 people moving towards Turkey -- that would be a humanitarian catastrophe.” AFP

SANAA―Yemeni government forces and rebels were engaged in fierce fighting as a 48-hour ceasefire declared by the pro-government Arab coalition approached its end Monday, military officials said.

Fifteen rebels and nine loyalist troops were killed in clashes overnight in and around the flash point southwestern city of Taez, military and medical sources said.

Four civilians were killed and 11 others wounded in rebel bombing of loyalist-held neighborhoods, the sources said.

Early Monday, forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi attacked Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies on the western outskirts of Taez, military officials said.

The offensive, coming hours before the midday (0900 GMT) scheduled end of the ceasefire, targeted an air defense base, the officials said, while witnesses reported loud explosions.

Four of the Huthi casualties were killed in an air strike by the Saudi-led coalition, which has been fighting the rebels since March 2015, when insurgents expanded their control and forced Hadi into exile.

Coalition warplanes have also hit rebel positions in Nahm, north of rebel-held capital Sanaa, and in the Huthi’s heartland in Saada province, witnesses said.

Warplanes from the coalition also conducted numerous sorties over Sanaa early Monday.

Elsewhere, pro-Hadi forces said they repelled a rebel attack on their positions in Sarwah, in Marib province, east of the capital.

The ceasefire began on Saturday following an intervention by US Secretary of State John Kerry who met Huthi rebel representatives in Oman and urged Hadi’s government to sign up.

Coalition spokesman Major General Ahmed Assiri said the truce could be extended if there was a “complete halt to the violations” he attributed to the rebels.

He accused the rebels of 180 violations in the first 10 hours of the truce.

A spokesman for renegade Yemeni troops allied with the rebels accused the other side of forces more than 100 violations of the ceasefire. AFP

Chant against Trump at the Music Awards L

OS ANGELES―Green Day led a furious chant against President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday at the American Music Awards, where Ariana Grande proved her superstar status by taking the top prize.

On a stage full of pyrotechnics, Green Day turned the punk rockers’ recent song “Bang Bang” into an anti-Trump anthem at the awards ceremony broadcast live on US television.

“No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!” Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong shouted repeatedly, to smiles from the starstudded audience in Los Angeles and quick commentary on social media.

Green Day, who led a revival of punk rock in the early 1990s, repeatedly denounced Trump during the election campaign in which the Republican ran on staunch criticism of immigrants.

Well before the election, Trump wrote on Twitter in 2010 that he saw Green Day’s Broadway musical “American Idiot” with his wife Melania and found it “excellent.”

The American Music Awards are based on voting by fans, unlike the more prestigious Grammys, which will take place on February 12 and are determined by a poll of music industry figures.

Ariana Grande, the former child actress who has become one of pop music’s leading stars with the success of her latest album “Dangerous Woman,” won the top award of Artist of the Year.

The 23-year-old teamed up

with rapper Nicki Minaj for the steamiest moment of the evening.

They performed their collaboration “Side to Side” on a junglethemed stage as topless male dancers rubbed against them, with Minaj opening her own legs and sliding a finger in between.

Chart-topping rapper Drake was up for a record 13 awards on Sunday. He wound up winning four, dominating the rap categories.

Sting, presented with a lifetime achievement award, performed a medley from Police classics “Message in a Bottle” and “Every Breath You Take” to a song off his new album.

The “Englishman in New York” made what may have been a veiled reference to the political climate as he described rock ‘n’ roll as “perhaps America’s greatest and most influential export.”

Rock music has been “always open to all colors in the spirit of welcome and inclusion,” Sting said.

“A mixing of culture, of rhythm and passion is what made this country the greatest country in the world.”

John Legend and Lady Gaga, two US artists outspoken in the denunciations of Trump, steered clear of politics as they performed new singles. AFP

WINNERS. Recording artists Lauren Jauregui, Dinah Jane Hansen, Normani Hamilton, Ally Brooke and Ca-

mila Cabello of Fifth Harmony walk onstage to accept Collaboration of the Year for ‘Work from Home’ during the 2016 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Sarkozy knocked out of French presidential race PARIS―Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy crashed out of the presidential election on Sunday, suffering a humiliating defeat in the first round of the right-wing primary.

Sarkozy was beaten into third place after a stunning upset by Francois Fillon, who served as his prime minister, with the veteran Alain Juppe finishing second.

The surprise result puts Fillon

in a commanding position for next Sunday’s second round of a contest that is widely expected to decide France’s next leader.

With the French left-wing in disarray, the right-wing candidate is tipped to face―and beat―farright leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off next May. But after a wave of populism saw British voters choose to leave the European Union and

swept Donald Trump to the White House, no-one is writing off Le Pen’s chances.

In a major upset, Fillon, a probusiness conservative, took more than 44 percent of the vote compared to around 28 percent for Juppe, a former prime minister and foreign minister. Sarkozy’s hopes of winning back the presidency were crushed as he scored just 21 percent, according to near-

complete results.

Sarkozy immediately endorsed Fillon and said he would now withdraw from political life.

“I fought for my beliefs with passion... I did not manage to convince the voters,” he told supporters.

“I have great respect for Alain Juppe, but Francois Fillon’s political choices are closer to mine,” Sarkozy added.

Fillon, 62, pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind victory in the first round after trailing Sarkozy and Juppe in all but the final days of the two-month campaign.

Voters appear to have warmed to Fillon’s understated style over the brashness of 61-year-old Sarkozy, who still deeply divides the country four years after being turfed out of office by the Socialist Francois Hollande. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

ARTS, CULTURE & MEDIA

D1

A young Ferrando in Mozart’s

‘Cosi Fan Tutte’

Filipino tenor Carlo Manalac is all set to play Ferrando in ‘Cosi fan tutte’ on Nov. 28 at the Ayala Museum

By Pablo A. Tariman

M

ETRO Manila’s opera lovers will have a respite from the long opera drought when the MCO Foundation mounts a contemporary version of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (All Women Are the Same) at the Ayala Museumon Monday, Nov.28.

The opera is basically about two friends who wanted to test the loyalties of their girl-friends by putting on a good disguise assuitors.

Playing Ferrando is 28-year-old tenor Carlo Manalac who earlier played Rodolfo in a new version of Puccini’s La Boheme in Baguio. Earlier, he was Padre Salve in an earlier staging of Kanser and has just wrapped up a series of performances as Crisostomo Ibarra in the musical version.

The tenor admits the role of Ferrando was a first in his opera repertoire and he studied it by listening to the 1996 recording of the opera featuring tenor Frank Lopardo and soprano Renee Fleming. “I chose the recording because you can see a lot of nuances in the music and the characters while they are singing.”

To him, one tough challenge of the opera is that the tenor almost always uses the upper register, which is true of all the works of Mozart. “Every time I sing, the feeling is I am always up there with no chances of going down. Another tough part is the difficult passagio, which is the transition from one high register to another.”

To have a good look at the opera inside and out, he had to watch the entire opera in different versions. “The English libretto helps a lot to better under-

E XHIBIT

stand the opera. The difficult part is that you have to be prepared to meet its vocal and mental demands.”

When he sang Boheme as Rodolfo, he noticed that the music has a wider range and with few high notes to worry about. But with Mozart, the arias sit on the passagio and if you are not focused, you’ll be in a lot of vocal trouble.”

Between him and the character, there is a common ground. “Ferrando is very hot-tempered and I am like that too if things don’t go well as planned. The thing is he is very romantic as well.”

He gets to sing the difficult aria “Tradito schernito” in the second act and it requires a lot emotionally because it is about the character’s fits of jealousy and anger. “The tendency to start pushing because of the nature of the music is so tempting. It is also sitting on the passagio (high register) almost all of the time.”

Moreover, he has no doubt the opera will appeal to the millennials in its current version. “I do believe that visually, this Ayala Museum staging will appeal to the millennials even as I know the opera has been staged in different versions. But we saw to it audiences can relate to its contemporary setting.”

Come opening night, Carlo will usually be preoccupied with being happy with his performance. “I must

Manalac, who played Padre Salvi in ‘Kanser the Musical’, avers that the MCO Foundation’s latest show will appeal to the millennial audience

satisfy myself first before I can say I have done my best. I always try to achieve that ‘feel good’ status by putting on a good show. I am almost sure the production will give everyone a stress-free evening. The opera is really light and fun. I am sure every music lover can relate to it.”

The other members of the cast in-

clude members of the Viva Voce ensemble namely soprano Anna Migallos as Fiordiligi, soprano Aissa Guilatco as Dorabella, baritone Carlo Falcis as Guilegno, mezzosoprano Roxy Aldiosa as the wacky Despina and bass baritone Roby Mahusay as Don Alfonso with musical direction

by Camille Lopez Molina.

(For tickets to the Nov. 28 performance of Cosi fan tutte, please call Ticketworld at (02) 891-9999, MCOF at (02) 997-9483, 782-7184 or 09209540053 and 0918-347-3027. The opera production was made possible in association with Ayala Museum, Lyric Piano and DZFE 98.7 The Master’s Touch.)

ALERT

Badong: Salvador Bernal designs the stage THE shared spotlight shines on the work of National Artist for Theater Design Salvador Bernal, and young, talented Production Design students of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in the retrospective exhibit entitled Badong: Salvador Bernal Designs the Stage.

The galley highlights Bernal’s obra maestras, such as scale models, costumes and digital images, in ballet,

opera, theater and film, from the ’70s, until early 2010.

These were created in collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The exhibit, open daily except Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., will end on Dec. 17. The SDA Gallery is located at 12th floor, SDA Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

‘Soil and Stones, Souls and Songs’ SOIL and Stones, Souls and Songs is a major traveling exhibition based on the effects that China’s transformation has brought to the world.

It includes Filipino artists such as Pio Abad, Kawayan De Guia, Edgar Fernandez and José Maceda.

Soil and Stones, Souls and Songs is organized by Kadist Art Foundation, based both in Paris and San Francisco, in collaboration with Para Site, Hong Kong and MCAD Manila.

The exhibit is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will end on Dec. 4.

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design is located at DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus, Dominga Street, Malate, Manila.

For more information, contact Patricia Paredes at patriciaana.paredes@ benilde.edu.ph or (02) 2305100 loc 3897.

D2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Interior designer Jigs Adefuin aims to elevate his craft and profession by learning more about design and style

Life

Designing the Future C REATING sublime modern spaces through elegant, intelligent designs is both a tenet and constant challenge that only people who have exceptional talent and taste—those who care about every detail and do their work with pride—can deliver. One of those rare genuine talents is Jigs Adefuin, and he has been pushing creative boundaries to hone both his passions for interior design and style.

After successfully training and earning his Masters in Interior and Living Design from Domus Academy in Milan, Italy recently, Jigs is driven more than ever in following his artistic direction. And because creativity is a valuable skill, constantly evolving it through continuous learning is a responsibility that Jigs takes seriously as a designer with a passion and mission to elevate the craft and the profession.

Most importantly, Jigs regards his newly finished education abroad as a preparation for the challenges as well as the opportunities that the ASEAN integration will present to the industry in the coming years. The possibility of intense competition among the region’s vast pool of creative minds inspires him more to pursue higher learning endeavors, to be able to compete head on while helping raise the bar for innovation, quality and productivity.

“While the ASEAN integration of economies will give rise to a highly competitive global marketplace for designers from all over Southeast Asia, it also levels the playing field.

I’m confident that Filipino designers like me will flourish against foreign counter parts, given their readiness and innovative versatility, degree of professionalism and

SQUARE One BGC is open to dynamic individuals who are determined to make the most out of their ventures. The facility, built and developed by the master planners of BGC and inspired by the same spirit that has made this fast-growing city a key driver of business and lifestyle, is the newest co-working space in Taguig.

Echoing the culture and energy of BGC, Square One is the perfect venue where passionate and creative minds meet, literally. While offering a fun and vibrant atmosphere, it is also a space that’s conducive for work. It has all the amenities one needs to get the work done and stay ahead of the game.

Square One also takes pride in offering three things for its clients: convenience, community and collaboration.

According to Eli Yaneza, manager for business development, property planning, and office leasing of the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, what makes Square One unique is its “huge, 200 square meters of open space that allows teams to interact with other people connected to their industry.” This is called the Social Hall that can seat 30 to 70 people. It can host a variety of functions including exhibits, and product launches; as well as teambuilding activities and parties that its in-house staff can help set-up.

Another area, the Library, is an almost-bare space to hold small-scale events.

For intimate conversations, groups working on a project together can rent a meeting room that can fit up to 10 persons. On the other hand, individuals needing a quieter space, can lease one of the dedicated desks available.

There are two ways to get a spot at Square One BGC. One is to sign up through FlySpaces.com; another is to simply walk-in/drop by the area. To make a payment, one can do so through cash, checks or bank deposits.

passion to the art. I’m excitedly looking forward to establish this Filipino identity along with my brand of creativity while showing to the world what I can offer,” he said.

Natural gift

Coming from an artistic brood, Jigs embraced his innate gift since falling in love with interior designing at age 7. The influence, as well as his natural ability and flair for aesthetics proved designing is second nature.

“Creativity runs in the family. My mom loved fashion design, my grandfather was a furniture manufacturer and exporter, and I have uncles and aunties who are artists. As a child, I remember drawing series of shapes representing the furniture pieces in my bedroom and fit them within a square whenever I fix my room—not quite aware that I was actually playing with the ergonomics at that age,” he recalled.

Jigs successfully completed his Degree in Interior Design from the Philippine School of Interior Design and the Bachelor of Science in Interior Design at De La Salle University-College of Saint Benilde.

William and Mary Chair

New, creative co-working space

Square One BGC provides a conducive space for work—its huge 200 square meters of open space allows individuals to interact with their team and other people

Convenience, community, collaboration

Square One’s strategic location makes it accessible to a lot of establishments—including retail, and coffee shops, restaurants, service and convenience stores, and even parks—that anyone can stroll right in for a breath of fresh air from work.

But if it’s impossible to go outdoors,

Art Deco Coffee Table

Before taking on the challenge of running his own design business, Adefuin Design Studio, Jigs’s career flourished further as he worked full time at various levels, successively, at the Nardy Aquino Interior Design Studio and Ethan Allen Home Interiors.

His design career snowballed when he was commissioned to design the first office of the Philippine Neurological Association at Saint Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. “It was an amazing experience. I was giddy about it since it was my first actual interior design job, and it was overwhelming as well. But I always like new challenges and I’d like to believe that I completed the project with flying colors,” Jigs remarked.

And because he does everything with a passion that is an inspiration in itself, success became inevitable for Jigs and it came with multiple accolades. Among these is being awarded a Certificate of Distinction for landing 10th place in the 2005 Philippine Interior Design Licensure Examination. He is also a recipient of the 2011 PSID 10 Iconoclasts (for being among the 10 Outstanding Graduates of PSID) and in 2013, hailed one of the Most Sought After Interior Designers of the Year 2013 in the CondoLiving Interior Designer Awards.

The new co-working space has high-speed Internet, coffee and messenger service

Square One has a pantry, where one can High-speed Internet, coffee and lounge in, or drop by for a much needed refreshments, as well as messenger caffeine fix. services around BGC also come free

with the subscription.

This newest co-working space also takes pride in creating a community of connected individuals. Its community manager, dubbed as Square One’s “Funbassador,” does not only run the day-to-day operations of the facility but also provides clients with the necessary connections to boost his business, or endeavor. Yaneza explains, “Square One aims to foster partnerships between our clients, to spark a collaboration that would be beneficial to all parties involved.”

Square One organizes, and offers training sessions or seminars on various topics to help individuals advance their skills. Aside from that, the facility sets up other enjoyable activities such as speed meetings, motivational discussions called SquareTalks, game and quiz nights, panel interviews, and film screenings, among many others.

Yaneza reveals, “Together with our marketing team, we will have Square One as the home of BGC’s Humpday Wednesdays, where BGCitizens can sit

back and relax during the middle of the week. Co-workers will also get to enjoy exclusive discounts and freebies from partner BGC establishments.

Square One’s clients

Square One hopes to provide a productive working atmosphere for freelancers and independent workers who are deemed as “road warriors who work with a laptop, and are always on the go,” says Yaneza.

“Through Square One, we offer startups and small businesses the opportunity to situate their offices at BGC. At a fraction of the normal cost, they can work and grow their ventures in one of the country’s key business districts,” Yaneza adds.

Square One is open from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.. It is located on the ground floor of the Bonifacio Technology Center at 31st Street corner Second Avenue in BGC. For more inquiries, visit www.squareonebgc.com.ph or contact Francesca Padilla at 09173933646 or francesca@squareonebgc.com.ph.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Empowering Pinoy viewers on beauty issues D

RS. Manny and Pie Calayan continue to preach their gospel of beauty and wellness in their new TV show, C The Difference.

Driven by their desire to enlighten Pinoy viewers about the science of skin care, the couple has long toyed with the idea of educating televiewers about the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery as well as other related non-invasive procedures meant to better their appearance and boost their emotional and psychological well-being.

“Over the years, the art and science of making people look their best has grown by leaps and bounds, and consumers deserve the right to make informed choices, especially with matters that concern their looks, confidence and total selfimage,” explains Dr. Manny Calayan.

“The reason why a lot of so-called cosmetic surgeons get a bad rap is that people don’t really

know what they want in the first place. By educating the typical viewer about the core basics, we feel that they become more empowered in knowing what they really need, as opposed to what they think they want,” he adds.

Dr. Pie Calayan adds, “We also want to teach people that beauty as a wholistic process. It’s not just about beautifying you from outside, but nourishing and nurturing it from the inside of our bodies as well. Ultimately, this means that what we feed our bodies and minds is just as important in creating the big picture.”

C The Difference features various segments that delve on specific topics.

In “Skin Upgrade,” Dr. Pie focuses on women’s skincare tips and related beauty issues.

“Tasty Travels,” hosted by Bernice Calayan and Ral Javier showcases the best travel destinations in the Philippines, and also includes fitness tips while traveling.

“Superfood,” anchored by Andrea Calayan, promises to whet your appetite with adventurous vegan delicacies and other

Drs. Manny and Pie Calayan (second and third from right) host the TV show called “C the Difference,” which aims to educate viewers on the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery

healthy but yummy treats.

In “Makeover Mavens,” Drs. Manny and Pie will choose two lucky winners for a total body makeover.

Lastly, “Best Face Forward,” hosted by Dr. Manny, tackles the latest advances and different kinds of cosmetic surgery procedures.

Based on its pilot episode’s high viewership and top trending stats (No. 2) on Twitter on Oct. 23, it’s not surprising to know that Pinoy viewers can get really serious when it comes to vanity issues.

“It’s part and parcel of the Pinoy psyche. In the same way that we all love watching beauty pageants and put our beautiful celebrities on a pedestal, we all want to look and feel our best all the time, and in our own little way, we hope to help them pursue those dreams,” Dr. Manny concludes.

C The Difference airs every Sunday 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. on GMA News TV, Channel 11 on free TV and Cignal Cable, as well as Channel 24 on Sky Cable.

MTRCB On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) successfully held an On-the Spot Poster Making Contest for High School students in Quezon City on Oct. 22 at the Quezon City Experience (QCX), Quezon Memorial Circle.

Present in the contest was MTRCB Chairperson Eugenio “Toto” Villareal. He was with Vice Chairperson Emmanuel “Maning” Borlaza. In his welcome address, Villareal shared with the young participants MTRCB’s efforts in strengthening the format of Matalinong Panonood para sa Pamilya at Lipunan nina Juan at Juana in promoting cultural sensitivity towards Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs).

The poster-making event is a prelude to the upcoming MTRCB’s 4th Family and Child Summit on Dec. 3. The event aimed to raise the consciousness of the society, especially the youth, on the proper depiction and treatment of ICCs and IPs. This event was also meant Judges and winners in this year’s MTRCB on-the-spot poster making contest pose for a photo empower students to express their best perspective to op after the competition held at QCX in Quezon Memorial Circle

St. James Bazaar marks 25 years

Members of the St. James Bazaar Committee, from left: Titang Montinola, Chairperson Mimi Valerio, Manny Gonzales, Nikki Valerio, Edza Gonzales. Seated is Msgr. Allen Aganon, St. James Parish Priest

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, November 22, 2016

ACROSS 1 Act servile 5 Warmonger of myth 9 Nary a soul (2 wds.)

14 Ottoman title 15 Pike’s discovery 16 Oscar-winner Burstyn 17 Like a grouch 19 Zorro’s farewell 20 Help-wanted abbr.

21 Feels crummy 22 Fridge coolant 23 Relies on 25 Malt beverages 26 Country rtes.

27 Baton wielder 30 Dashboard feature 33 Cap 34 — Kippur 36 Fictional governess 37 Dispense 38 Labyrinth 39 Gator Bowl st.

40 Romulan or Klingon 41 Like most jackets 42 Beyond rad 44 Drain cleaner 45 Boutique

46 Passed out 50 Coffee order 52 Crescent-moon end 53 Wallach or Lilly 54 Sir opposite 55 Money, slangily (2 wds.)

57 Complaint 58 Be an omen of 59 Klein of fashion 60 Distributed, with “out” 61 Train for the ring 62 Autocrat of yore DOWN 1 Turned toward 2 Concur 3 Excited cry 4 “Mona Lisa” crooner 5 Orchard pests 6 Feels dizzy 7 Truck stop sign 8 Aurora locale 9 Least distant 10 From further back 11 Hodgepodge 12 Las Vegas gas 13 Printer’s units 18 Gung-ho response (hyph.)

22 Navy

24 A Great Lake 25 Baseball’s Hank — 27 Rumpus 28 Tatum’s dad 29 Soft mud 30 Boxing official 31 Auel’s heroine 32 Oater challenge 33 Zeppelin 35 Kind of student 37 Remote 38 Bearing 40 Red-faced 41 Recumbent

43 It may be narrow 44 More spacious 46 “Klute” star 47 Prom attenders 48 Helen, in Spanish 49 Greasy spoon 50 Be bold enough 51 Prevent errata 52 Basketball rim 54 “The lion” studio 55 Deli units 56 Two-timer

on how to positively depict IPs and ICCs in movies and television. This was to promote the summit’s theme, “Matalinong Panonood Tungo sa Pagsulong ng Kamalayan Para sa Katutubo” (Discerning Viewership Towards Advocating Consciousness for the Indigenous Peoples).

The panel of judges was composed of UP Fine Arts Professor and Chairman of the Board of Judges Ruben De Jesus; graphic designer and UP Fine Arts Professor Cesar Hernando; graphic designer and Art Trade MNL founder Noel Izrael Lacson; award-winning actor and MTRCB Board Member Robert Arevalo; and singer-actress Garie Concepcion.

Jayson Tapang from North Fairview High School won the first place. Prince Jomar Mercado from Bagong Silangan High School was in second place. Amos Ulang from San Bartolome High School won third place. Awarding of winners will be held at the summit proper in December. In addition, the winner’s poster will be used as the Family and Child Summit theme logo and poster.

THE annual St. James Bazaar, the biggest Christmas market south of Manila, has become an annual prime shopping event. On its 25th year, it will be held on Nov. 24 to 27 with more than 500 concessionaires gathered under huge tents at the St. James Parking Lot and at the Cuenca Community Center, Ayala Alabang Village.

Manufacturers, exporters and artisans from various regions offer Christmas accessories, home décor, local and imported fashion accessories, jewelry, export overruns, artworks, natural personal care products.

There is also a Food Pavilion participated in by such popular food outlets as Amici, Barrio Fiesta, Brothers Burger, Army Navy, Ineng’s Special Bbq, Ellies Roasted Calf, Cocohut Fried Chicken, H-Cuisine, Odd Balls, Cheesesteak Shop, Saibachi, Jamaican Pattie, Coolman Halo Halo to name a few.

The bazaar is enlivened with various activities such as games and raffles where major prizes will be given away everyday.

Unlike other bazaars wherein customers pay cash, St. James makes it easy for customers to pay with Mastercard and Visa or withdraw cash from the UCPB Mobile ATM, Metrobank

ATM and other ATMs .

The Bazaar Committee is composed of chairpersons Mimi Valerio and daughter Nikki Valerio; St. James Foundation President Manny Gonzales; parish priest Msgr. Allen Aganon, Edza Gonzales and Titang Montinola.

Proceeds of this four-day bazaar will be for the benefit of the St. James Parish Foundation, Inc., a supporting organization whose purpose has been to build the community parish church and its supporting structure.

St. James Bazaar was established in 1991 to raise money to build St. James the Great Parish Church in Ayala Alabang Village, whose architecture was inspired by the grand churches in Europe. The project was completed in 1995. Over the years, the income from the bazaar has allowed the foundation to acquire the St. James Parking Lot on Cuenca Street corner Nasugbu, one of the bazaar venues.

St. James Bazaar is supported by Globe Broadband, Purefoods Hotdogs, Petron, Tent World, Bibingkinitan, AC Corporation, Diamond Rent a Car, Buenaflor Insurance, Pronto Auto Services, Play & Display and Superstore Inc.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

MAGIC of CHRISTMAS is on the Kapuso network

Multi-platinum selling recording artist Julie Ann San Jose lends her voice to GMA Network’s Christmas campaign theme song

S

OMETHING magical has unfolded on television when GMA Network launched its 2016 Christmas campaign dubbed “Maniwala Sa Magic Ng Pasko,” the first locallyproduced 3D animated Christmas campaign, on Nov. 7, in the newscast 24 Oras.

Dingdong Dantes as the heroic outlaw Alyas Robin Hood

GMA News pillars and “24 Oras” news anchors Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco

IFFM Lifetime Achievement Award for Ricky Lee SCREENWRITER Ricky Lee was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Scriptwriting by the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York.

Lee personally received the plaque of recognition from festival director on Oct. 20 during the IFFM awards night held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in Seasoned screenwriter, journalist, novelist, and New York City.

The award-winning playwright Ricardo “Ricky” Lee writer also conducted a scriptwriting workshop from Oct. 17 to 19 at the Producers Club Theaters & Bar. He has been holding workshops in the Philippines since 1982, producing hundreds of graduates who are now part of the movie and TV industry. He has mentored several budding writers and he vows to continue to help more of them reach their full writing potential in his upcoming workshops.

The week-long IFFM showcased 11 narrative feature films, 32 shorts and two documentaries from the US, Spain, China, Mauritius, Australia, Germany, Canada, Argentina, Finland and the Philippines (SBS).

The station is one-in-heart with the Filipino audience as it brings to life three endearing and magical stories to inspire viewers to believe in the magic of Christmas.

“During such a busy time of the year, we hope that, by spreading the message of hope, every Kapuso will get to experience the joy and limitless possibilities that come with believing in the magic of the Season,” says GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon.

The story, “Magic Crayons,” is the first in this three-part series and highlights the magical feeling of having one’s wish granted for Christmas in the eyes of a child.

A leader in creativity and innovation, the Network marks another first as it makes use of 3D graphics in its new Christmas campaign, a first in the local television industry.

“It is felt that the use of animated images best complements the essence of our Holiday message this year – to believe in the magic of Christmas.

Through this, it is hoped that even our youngest Kapusos will enjoy our campaign and embrace the meaning of our Christmas message this season,” GMA President and COO Gilberto Duavit Jr. shares.

The ‘‘Maniwala Sa Magic Ng Pasko’’ Christmas campaign comes on the heels of GMA’s animated anthology series Alamat’s win of the country’s first “Best of Festival” Award at the US International Film and Video Festival (USIFVF), a recognition given to an outstanding entry among Gold Camera awardees in the USIFVF. Julie Anne San Jose sings this year’s Christmas campaign theme song For the second and third installments, promos, and other updates on ‘‘Maniwala Sa Magic Ng Pasko’’ Christmas campaign, stay tuned to GMA 7. *** Trust the country’s leading network to brighten up the biggest festivals all year round.

In October, the cast of top-rating programs Encantadia and Someone to Watch Over Me went to the City of Smiles for a back-to-back celebration of MassKara Festival.

Sanya Lopez, Rocco Nacino, Klea Pineda, and Migo Adecer extended the magic and kilig of the hit telefantasya Encantadia in the Kapuso Mall Show on Oct. 22. Negrenses welcomed warmly the Kapuso actors at SM City Bacolod.

In the morning, prior to their mall show, Sanya, Rocco, Klea, and Migo went to Purok Yulo Uno in Barangay Mandalagan for a Kapuso Barangayan.

A week prior to this, the lead stars of Someone to Watch Over Me flew to Bacolod as well. Kapuso leading man Tom Rodriguez was joined by his leading ladies Lovi Poe and Max Collins in bringing entertainment to those gathered at SM City Bacolod Main Atrium for a Kapuso Mall Show on Oct. 14.

Encantadia and Someone to Watch Over Me are two of the programs that

continue to strengthen GMA 7’s rise in the primetime block.

The world-famous and colorful MassKara Festival is the biggest event held annually in Bacolod City, and remains as one of the most-anticipated festivals in the country. *** GMA Network strengthened its lead in the race for nationwide ratings supremacy, based on data from the industry’s widely trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

For the period Oct. 1 to 31 (with Oct. 23 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA continued to lead competition in NUTAM with a 37.4 percent average household audience share, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 35.6 percent by 1.8 points.

GMA scored top ratings across all day parts in NUTAM, including primetime due to the consistently strong performance of its programs on this hotly contested block.

Six of the ten most watched programs in NUTAM belonged to GMA with Encantadia, the 2016 version of the well-loved Kapuso telefantasya emerging as the highest-rating Kapuso show nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Kapuso Network also furthered its leadership position in Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of all urban households in the country.

In Urban Luzon, GMA won across all day parts and registered an average household share of 41.9 percent, while ABS-CBN posted only 31.3 percent,

ISAH V. RED

which is 10.6 points behind GMA’s total day average.

More programs from GMA also occupied the list of top shows in Urban Luzon. Encantadia kept its winning streak and took the top spot over-all in this particular area. *** There’s no stopping The Total Performer Darren Espanto as he adds two more from the list of his many achievements. He recently won at Star Awards for Music bagging the Male Pop Artist of the Year and Cover Design of the Year (for the album Be With Me).

Held at Novotel Hotel at Araneta Center, the award is given annually by the Philippine Movie Press Club.

Darren just released his latest single “Alam” from the album with its music video premiering this month on VEVO. Jungee Marcelo who also penned hits for Gary Valenciano, Daniel Padilla, Zia Quizon, Sitti and Lyca Gairanod among others wrote the song.

Darren’s previous singles “7 Minutes”, “Starlight” and “Parachute” peaked at #1 on the countdown of music channel MYX and various radio stations in the Philippines.

Be With Me is now out and available for digital downloads and streaming via Spinnr, iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify and VEVO and in CDs at Astroplus and Astrovision outlets.

For inquiries, contact MCA Music artist management at 9162504 local 107 or 0920 9682991 or email mcabooking@ umusic.com.

“Encantadia” stars Rocco Nacino, Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia and Sanya Lopez enchant Bacolod during Kapuso regional tour