Manila Standard - 2016 November 25 - Friday

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Ronnie rats on Leila Dayan backs Kerwin’s claims of drug payoffs

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo

R

ONNIE Dayan, former bodyguard and lover of Senator Leila de Lima, corroborated the claim of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa that the former Justice secretary received drug money five times from Espinosa in 2014.

DAMNING MOBILE. Hanna Mae Dayan shows the screen of her cellphone with text messages purportedly from Senator Leila de Lima meant for her father, seated to her left during the House committee inquiry Thursday, while still in hiding before he was arrested by police in a rice field in San Juan, La Union Tuesday. The father was grilled for more than eight hours on his professional and personal ties with De Lima. Ver Noveno

Concubinage raps likely—Aguirre

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Du30: No budget for defiant ERC PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to file plunder charges against the defiant officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission who have refused to resign following allegations of corruption in their agency.

He also threatened to give them no budget.

“If they won’t resign, I will conduct my own audit and I will sue all of them in court,” Duterte told reporters late Wednesday night after arriving at the Davao International Airport from the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Lima.

“I demand that they all resign. We will abolish their office. I will not grant them a single centavo.”

Duterte on Monday demanded the resignation of ERC officials after ERC Director Francisco Next page

SENATOR Leila De Lima and her former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan may be charged with concubinage for having an illicit affair that lasted for seven years.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III said both De Lima and Dayan—who both admitted having the affair, would have violated the Revised Penal Code provision on concubinage.

Aguirre also said De Lima could also be held liable for contempt and obstruction of justice for advising Dayan to go into hiding to evade the congressional inquiry where he was invited as a resource person.

“It’s the Revised Penal Code on concubinage, on the part of Dayan and of course on the part of De Lima,” Aguirre told before lawmakers in response to queries from Compostela Valley Rep. Ruwel Gonzaga.

He also said De Lima, a lawyer, is also guilty of immorality under the Rules of Court and could be disbarred.

De Lima earlier admitted on national television that she had a romantic relationship with her driver. She said Dayan was already separated from his wife before their affair.

Dayan later said their affair lasted seven years.

Aguirre said De Lima may have violated the rules of court on contempt when she instructed Dayan’s Next page

Ombudsman told: Go after narco-pols

By Maricel V. Cruz and John Paolo Bencito TWO lawmakers on Thursday reiterated their call for Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente to initiate an investigation of public officials who have been accused of being involved in the illegal drug trade.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, both lawyers, pressed the Office of the Ombudsman to use its motu proprio

power to investigate the concerned public officials who are reportedly behind the proliferation of illegal drugs.

Acop, chairman of the House committee on public order and safety, said the Office of the Ombudsman should use its motu proprio power to give more teeth on President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

“The Office of the Ombudsman has that power under the law creating it. It can even act on anonymous complaints against public officials. There is a process that it observes,” said Acop, a lawyer and ex-police Next page general who served as comptroller.

Appearing at the congressional hearing conducted by the House committee on justice, Dayan reiterated his earlier disclosure that he collected the drug money from Espinosa and delivered it to De Lima.

“I had collected money from Kerwin Espinosa for Secretary De Lim, about five times. The money that was handed to me was secured in a small paper bag. I did not bother to count it and Kerwin did not even tell [me] the amount,” Dayan said.

He said every time the money was handed to him, Espinosa would tell him: “Here’s her share.”

Dayan said he would receive the money and place it in the front seat of the car.

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‘Love’s gone when she lied’

By Christine F. Herrera THEY called each other “Love” and built a P2.8-million house together, but after Senator Leila de Lima became involved with her other driver-bodyguards, Ronnie Dayan got jealous, lost his love for her and now calls her a liar for denying knowing the self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

Dayan, who admitted he and De Lima were lovers for seven years, said he was willing to testify in court against his former boss in the Commission on Human Rights and Department of Justice, where De Lima was chief.

In his sworn statement and during his testimony Thursday at the House committee on justice, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Dayan tagged De Lima as a liar when she denied knowing Espinosa.

Dayan said it was De Lima who ordered him to see Espinosa five times to pick up the drug money on her behalf. He said he did not know Espinosa was a drug lord, and thought he was an engineer.

“I just learned it was Kerwin when I saw him on TV when his name was implicated and his father was arrested. Then I heard his Senate testimony. But it was in August to November 2014

FOI law’s exceptions down to 9

Duterte curses British newsman over ‘drugs’ A FOREIGN journalist became the latest subject of President Rodrigo Duterte’s cussing in public on Thursday after he was pressed on his administration’s war on illegal drugs, which has resulted in thousands of people killed since he took office.

Shortly after arriving from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Duterte cursed award-winning British journalist Jonathan Miller, the Asia correspondent of Britain’s Channel 4 News, after he sim-

ply asked him about his intention to build a new world order with China and Russia.

“P***** ina mo” [Son of a bitch], Duterte said after a lengthy rant against the United States for criticizing his campaign against illegal drugs.

He then asked Miller: “No more?” to which the reporter replied: “No more.”

“You cannot think of questions.

Give me the meaning of hypocrisy, and I will address myself to the international viewers.

Next page

Tugade’s men face ouster TWO lawmakers on Thursday pressed for the resignation of three more Transport Department undersecretaries for having previously served in private firms with stakes in the department’s infrastructure projects.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo and Akbayan party-list

Rep. Tom Villarin said Undersecretary for Air Operations Robert Lim, Undersecretary for Maritime Affairs Felipe Judan, and Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Raoul Creencia must resign to avoid embarrassing the Duterte administration.

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THE FINGER, AGAIN. President Rodrigo Duterte, returning home to Davao from Peru Wednesday, apparently is not entertained by questions from a foreign journalist who asked the former about killings related to his administration’s unrelenting war against illegal drugs, prompting an expletive from the President and a longish philippic against the United States.

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THE list of exceptions to President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order implementing Freedom of Information in the Executive branch has been trimmed down to nine from 166 as it takes effect today, Malacañang said Thursday.

“We adapted the best practices of other countries which categorized and grouped several exceptions into major categories…The Philippines under EO 2 will have nine exceptions,” Communications Assistant Secretary Kristian Ablan told reporters.

The Palace-drafted FOI manual earlier listed 158 “exceptions to FOI” and six more listed as “other exceptions.”

Ablan said the trimmed-down version was now at par with the FOI laws in Australia and the United States, which also had nine exceptions: • Information covered by execuNext page tive privilege;

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Du30...

From A1 Villa Jr. committed suicide on November 9 after allegedly being pressured to approve procurement contracts and hire consultants.

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

ERC Commissioners Ina Asirit, Alfredo Non and Gloria Victoria Taruc have all said they will not resign so as not to create a vacuum that will affect the agency’s work. A fourth commissioner, Geronimo Sta. Ana, did not issue a statement.

ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar has said he is waiting for Duterte to return from Peru “to give him a fuller picture of the current developments at the ERC.” Duterte said he had already “directed a comprehensive review of all legal remedies to overhaul and effect fundamental changes in the agency,” including the officials.

“How can I serve the people with a corrupt government like what’s happening in your office?” Duterte said.

He likewise quizzed the ERC officials for the high power prices.

“That’s why you have fixed terms, because you are to hear cases about the increase of electricity prices and all and here you are wallowing in corruption. Why?” Duterte said he was thinking about the possibility stopping the hiring of consultants in government projects who “receive millions every month.”

He said he was also planning to open up the competition to hasten the entry of new players in the power and energy sector. John Paolo Bencito

News

Mortician reveals secrets A

WAX mask covered the face of Ferdinand Marcos for the 23 years his corpse was on show, but the body on display was no fake, the Philippine dictator’s mortician told AFP in an interview.

Frank Malabed, the embalmer of choice for high profile politicians and celebrities, revealed the secrets of his trade following the controversial burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Manila last week.

The interment stoked fresh speculation about the dictator’s final resting place, with many believing the real Marcos was secretly laid to rest years ago and the body on display had been a wax replica.

But Malabed, who embalmed the body, insisted it was real.

“The face the people saw was wax. But for the rest of the body there was no need for that because it was clothed,” the 66-year-old told AFP. “The hair, that’s only a wig.”

Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after the “People Power” revolution forced him from office.

Critics say during 20 years in power he looted state coffers and ordered the torture and killing of thousands of foes.

Marcos’s body was embalmed

by Malabed in Hawaii. In 1993 it was flown to the ancestral home in the northern Philippines, where it was put in a glass case for public viewing.

Malabed said Marcos, who died from lung, kidney and liver complications aged 72, was disfigured by oedema—the build-up of fluid that causes tissues to become swollen.

Embalming drains blood and other body fluid, which is replaced with preservative solution. But the resulting “shrivelled skin did not look good”, the mortician said.

“Ma’am did not care for that,” he added, referring to the widow Imelda.

“She wanted Filipinos to see President Marcos [the way] he looked before, when he was still young.”

Concubinage...

From A1

FOI...

From A1 • Privileged information relating to national security, defense, or international relations; • Information concerning law enforcement and protection of public and personal safety; •Information deemed confidential for the protection of the privacy of persons and certain individuals such as minors, victims of crimes or the accused; • Information, documents or records known by reason of official capacity and are deemed confidential, including those submitted or disclosed by entities to government agencies, tribunals and boards or officers, in relation to the performance of their functions or to inquiries or investigation conducted by them in the exercise of their administrative, regulatory or quasi-judicial powers; • Prejudicial, premature disclosure • Records of proceedings or information from proceedings which, pursuant to law or relevant rules and regulations, are treated as confidential or privileged;• Matters considered confidential under banking and finance laws and their amendatory laws; • Other exceptions to the right to information under laws, jurisprudence and rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, only 11 agencies under the Executive department have so far complied with having an FOI manual as per Duterte’s EO No. 2, which includes the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Department of Finance, the Parole and Probation Administration, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Housing Authority, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency or NICA, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Civil Aviation Administration of the Philippines, and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. John Paolo Bencito

Duterte...

From A1 After Miller asked him about the new world order he intended to build with Russia and China, Duterte pressed on the United States’ failure to stop the war in the Middle East, its policies toward Iraq and Panama and its killing of authoritarian leaders.

Duterte likewise slammed the United States for lecturing him on human rights when he said it failed to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and accused it of losing its principles by passing a law allowing lesbian and gay marriages.

In the same rant, Duterte said mayors and other officials involved in the illegal drug trade would soon die and follow Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was killed in prison after allegedly shooting it out with the policemen who were serving a search warrant very early in the morning. John Paolo Bencito

Malabed said he received the already embalmed body a week after Marcos’s death, but had to repeat the procedure because the face looked “bloated” and he feared it would decompose within a week.

“I’m a perfectionist when speaking about embalming,” he said, later telling the Marcos family the reworked body would be intact for 30 years.

“I’m proud, because he was a 20-year president and not an ordinary person.”

In 1991, Malabed said the widow paid another mortician to work on the face with materials “similar to” the restorative wax used to rebuild the faces of people disfigured in fatal accidents.

Malabed said he last checked the corpse “by hand” on August 8, pronouncing it in good condi-

PRAYER POWWOW. Catholic faithful in Manila light candles as they pray during a Mass for all victims of

extrajudicial killings during the launching Wednesday of a new rights coalition, with rights advocates giving the high sign the Philippines might be headed towards Martial Law as President Duterte shifts to high gear in his drive against illegal drugs which has claimed almost 4,000 deaths.

Ronnie...

From A1 “I did not have any idea how much… was inside the paper bag because I never opened it..,” Dayan said.

Dayan recounted that Espinosa handed him money for De Lima in several instances in 2014: once in August, once in October, and three times in November.

“Kerwin himself handed over the money... and I passed it on to ma’am when I got home--in the room,” Dyan said, referring to De Lima.

“That was automatic [no more questions asked]... that it was a secret... and so I did not bring it in her office but straight to her residence instead,” he added.

Dayan said he met Kerwin during the first four times to collect the alleged drug money at a shopping mall in Pasay City; while the last time was at the parking lot of the place where Espinosa was then staying in Baguio City.

Dayan said Espinosa checked in at the place on Nov. 19, 2014. Three days later, he met with De Lima.

‘Love’s...

From A1 that we met in MOA and Burnham Park in Baguio, not 2015. I resigned in February 2015,” Dayan said in Filipino.

Dayan said he fell in love with De Lima when he was first hired at her law office, where he got paid P1,000 a day, in 2007.

After a month of serving her as driver-bodyguard, Dayan said De Lima started visiting him at his rented apartment along Commonwealth Avenue, near the CHR, where she became the chief.

When De Lima was named Justice secretary in 2010, Dayan said De Lima decided for them to live together. The two moved in in De Lima’s house in Parañaque.

Dayan described his love affair with De Lima to have reached its peak that became so intense it was likened to a super typhoon at Signal No. 5.

Seven years later, Dayan said his love for De Lima now stood at Signal No. 1 or was “maybe gone.”

Ombudsman...

From A1 Garbin, member of the House minority bloc, expressed a similar view.

He said the anti-graft body should do its job by running after public officials who are alleged protectors of drug syndicates.

Garbin said the Office of the Ombudsman should initiate an investiga-

Dayan said whenever he would meet with Espinosa he was always alone.

Dayan also recounted before the House justice committee an instance when he asked money from De Lima.

“She got money from the paper bag. I told her I need to go on a day off and I did not have any cash..

She would then give P25,000 to P30,000,” Dayan said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said both Espinosa and Dayan would be given protection following their testimonies at the Senate and the House of Representatives, pending review and approval of their eligibility as state witnesses.

Espinosa, who admitted operating his drug business in Leyte and other parts of the Visayas, testified that he gave P8 million in drug money to De Lima. Dayan, on the other hand, admitted receiving money from Espinosa.

“They will be under provisional coverage for the meantime while we are evaluating their qualification for witness protection. When both of them are formally placed under the program, that’s the time they will be placed under our cus-

tody,” Aguirre said.

Espinosa and Dayan would be given several privileges once covered by WPP, including provision of a housing facility or safe house that could be extended to members of their families, financial assistance, assistance in obtaining a means of livelihood, payment equivalent of salary as compensation for absences in work, travel expenses and medical expenses.

Witnesses under WPP who die would also be given death benefits, including free college education for their children.

Aguirre said they were examining the affidavits of the two witnesses as “the last pieces of the puzzle” in the drug trafficking charges against De Lima, which will undergo preliminary investigation in the department.

“For them to qualify as state witnesses for WPP coverage, they must appear to be not the most guilty in the crimes charged,” Aguirre said.

He added that while the two could be used as state witnesses, it would be the court that will decide if they would be granted immunity from indictment in the drug charges.

When De Lima started to notice her other driver-bodyguards Joenel Sanchez and Warren Bautista, he said he got jealous and became violent.

“I got so jealous, I slapped her on the face because she wanted all of us her driver-bodyguards to be her lovers, all at the same time. Uubusin niya kaming mga security niya,” Dayan said upon the questioning of House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas.

But De Lima had a chance to slap him back when during the campaign, Dayan went to see her to ask for campaign funds. She gave him P30,000 and had him bring her tarpaulins and other campaign materials.

But when she saw Dayan wearing a baller for candidate Rodrigo Duterte, De Lima’s arch-enemy, she slapped him in the face and cursed him for idolizing a crazy person (sira-ulo).

When Dayan insisted on supporting Duterte, De Lima cursed at him (“Punyeta ka!”).

Dayan said he had no regrets loving De Lima. He said they built the orange house in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan together, which also served as their love nest. Dayan said he con-

tributed P800,000 of his life savings for the house while De Lima shelled out P2 million. She also gave him P120,000 to buy the land on which the house was built.

Dayan said he was able to save because De Lima gave him extra income amounting to P25,000 to P30,000 during his days off. He hardly went home to his family on weekends because De Lima wanted them to be together on weekends, he said.

Dayan said De Lima was aware he was married and had four children.

He said he never lied to De Lima about his marital status and never told her he and his wife were separated.

“My wife and I were separated because of the distance, since my work was in Manila and she was in the province,” he said.

This revelation prompted the lawmakers to ask what possible charges can be filed against De Lima for acting unbecoming of a government official and a lawyer.

Dayan said his wife and children were hurt by his affair but they eventually forgave him and accepted him back. With Maricel V. Cruz

tion on its own initiative to help curb the drug menace and ensure that public officials who may have been involved in the nefarious drug trade will face justice.

“Being a constitutional body and a watchdog [Ombudsman] who looks after our accountable public officials, it must conduct the probe motu proprio [on its own] even without a benefit of a complaint,” Garbin said.

“The Ombudsman should conduct

the probe immediately given the magnitude of the drug problem. Dapat lahat at hindi lamang graft and corruption,” Garbin added.

Earlier, opposition lawmakers slammed what they described as the “deafening silence” of the Ombudsman on the possible involvement of public officials in drugs.

The Interior Department on Thursday ordered the National Police Com-

daughter, Hannah Mae, to tell her father to stay away from the committee hearings.

Aguirre said this constituted obstruction of justice on De Lima’s part.

Hannah Mae, who was also present during the congressional hearing Thursday, showed her phone containing messages she supposedly sent to a certain “TL,” which she said referred to “Tita Lei.” Hannah Mae text message read: “Hi Tita. Good pm po. Mi pinapatanong po si pa.... Baket daw po mi dumating subpwena sa kanya at ano daw po gagawin nia? [Hello auntie.

Dad is asking why there is a subpoena for him and what should he do?]”

De Lima replied: “Pakisabi sa kanya magtago lang muna sya. Kagagawan yan nila Speaker Alvarez at dikta ni Digong. Pagpipiyestahan lang sya at kaming dalawa kapag magappear sya sa hearing na yan. [Please tell him to go into hiding. This is the work of Speaker Alvarez at the behest of President Duterte. They will just feast on the both of us if you appear at the hearing.]”

Hannah Mae then asked the senator: “Hindi naman po ba sya huhulihin kapag hindi siya pumunta?

[Won’t they arrest him if he doesn’t go?]”

De Lima replied: “Di ba nagtatago naman siya? (Isn’t he in hiding?)”

Aguirre said De Lima cannot invoke her right to privacy or gender sensitivity in cases of public interest.

“The right to privacy or the right to gender sensitivity are mere private rights but the violation of our criminal laws are public offenses and it prevails over private rights,” Aguirre said.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday branded De Lima as “a serial liar” after watching Senate hearings in which suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa testified that he gave drug payoffs to De Lima, who was participating in the proceedings.

“I admire Senator De Lima, she has mastered the art of lying. I think she is really a serial liar,” Alvarez said in a TV interview.

Alvarez noted that while there were conflicting testimonies of witnesses in the investigation of the House committee on justice on the

Tugade’s...

From A1

tion as burial preparations began in secret. He said another mortuary handled the actual ceremony.

The dictator’s eldest daughter Imee, the family’s official spokeswoman for the body, did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.

But days before the burial, Imee told ABS-CBN television that “of course” the body was real, though “all kinds of procedures, all kinds of chemicals had been used” on it.

As a child, Malabed dreamed of becoming an engineer, but he soon followed in the footsteps of his mortician father.

By the time he was an 18-yearold apprentice, Malabed was working on the mangled bodies of US soldiers killed in the Vietnam War, which had been flown to the then-US air base at Clark. AFP illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, they have a common thread pointing to De Lima.

“All people who had gotten involved in the illegal drug trade have said she was indeed involved, that they delivered drug money to her.

But she has kept denying it,” Alvarez said.

He said that the testimony of Espinosa before the Senate and the initial statements of De Lima’s ex-driver, bodyguard and lover Dayan corroborate each other.

Alvarez said he expects that the testimony Dayan gave to the justice panel will tie the loose ends in the testimonies of previous witnesses and establish the fact of De Lima’s involvement in the illegal drug trade in the NBP. He noted that Dayan has admitted delivering drug money to De Lima.

Dayan was arrested by police on the strength of a warrant issued against him by the House of Representatives after he failed to attend the Justice committee NBP probe despite a summons. He was turned over to the custody of the House Wednesday night.

Amid the denials by the senator, Alvarez is confident that the public is intelligent enough to discern who is telling the truth or lying.

De Lima lashed back at Alvarez, calling him narrow-minded, rude and disrespectful.

She said his calling her a serial liar showed he was narrow-minded and had already prejudged the case against her.

She also dismissed his claim that the House investigation was being done in aid of legislation.

Even from the start, she said, Alvarez had sought to nail her on illegal drugs charges based on the lies being told against her.

Recalling that it was also Alvarez who wanted to show a sex video allegedly of her and Dayan, she said the Speaker is also rude and disrespectful of women.

The senator also said Alvarez and “his beloved President Duterte are singing the same tune.”

“They have been accustomed to judge and humiliate me before the public amid their fabricated evidence,” she said.

De Lima said her accusers had nothing against her but the the testimony of drug convicts, who she said had personal motives against her and were forced to testify against her.

They joined several other lawmakers, led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who have sought the ouster of the “conflicted” Transportation officials.

Earlier, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Noel Kintanar, who was previously with Ayala Corp., resigned following a clamor to revamp the department.

Alvarez has raised an alarm over the negotiated contracts that will be covered by an emergency powers package being sought by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. He said doing away with the procurement law might lead to anomalous contracts favoring former employers of the department’s undersecretaries.

Kintanar was instrumental in Ayala’s acquisition of rail projects under the previous administration before he joined the department.

Lim was a former country manager of the International Air Transport Association, while Judan was formerly an executive of Southwest Maritime Group, which has businessman Ra-

mon Ang’s Petron as customer. Ang is now majority owner of Manila North Harbor Port Inc. “Resignation is voluntary. There are laws to ensure conflict of interest will not compromise their jobs however flawed,” Castelo said.

Villarin said Duterte must eventually make a decision on the fate of these officials. “This is where the challenge of governance lies,” he said.

Alvarez said the issue of conflict of interest must be resolved since under the proposed emergency powers package, Transportation officials would be free to enter into negotiated contracts with the companies that previously employed them.

“With all these people at the [Transportation Department], these undersecretaries who have their own vested interests, I am sure they will negotiate these contracts,” he said.

He stressed that Tugade was ultimately to blame for the actions of his people.

“At the end of the day, he is still accountable for the inefficiencies of these people whom he appointed as undersecretaries,” Alvarez said.

Maricel V. Cruz

mission to investigate police officials named by drug lord Kerwin Espinosa as “protectors” during a Senate hearing Wednesday.

“This is a serious matter, and it is incumbent upon the DILG through the Napolcom being the overseer of the PNP to immediately look and check the veracity of the allegations against our ranking police officers,” Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said.

“We welcome the Senate probe on the issue because we also want to know the truth,” he added.

Sueno said that PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has already put on floating status and confined at the Personnel and Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Crame those that were identified by Espinosa during the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing.

News IN BRIEF ‘Cracker ban not likely’ A NEW Year ban on firecrackers may not be likely after President Rodrigo Duterte said a proposed executive order disallowing it might be too late for implementation by January.

“It’s too late for 2017...

The materials were already bought,” Duterte said while visiting the Wireless Catholic Cemetery in Davao in the small hours Thursday.

Despite the apparent leeway he gave this year, Duterte reiterated his intention of replicating the success of his 2002 ordinance in his hometown Davao City, where a firecracker ban is being implemented.

“At this time, I’d like to put on notice everybody that I am seriously considering...making the entire Philippines like Davao. We observe the Christmas time with the solemnity... that befits the... religion,” he said. John Paolo Bencito

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Anti-FM rallies meant to destabilize Duterte’ A

By Francisco Tuyay

SECURITY expert sees in the planned indignation rallies in the next few days by anti-Marcos forces, including the “yellows” as part of a larger scenario: The destabilization of the incumbent administration.

The expert, who spoke on condition he would not be identified, said authorities were cautiously conducting an in-depth assessment of events preceding the interment on November 18 of the late Philippine President

Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani.

The burial at high noon has sparked disgust and anger from the ranks of the left and alleged Martial Law victims, a reference to those arrested from 1972

to 1981 when Martial Law was imposed by Marcos.

“Let us just monitor the events,” said the expert, referring to today’s “Black Friday” protest at the Luneta Grandstand and other urban areas in the country.

The Supreme Court, in a 9-5-1 ruling, allowed Marcos’ burial at the LNMB. Critics of Marcos and Duterte vowed to stage lightning protests to force the Duterte administration to reverse its decision and exhume Marcos’ remains at the LNMB—a scenario security observers viewed as tantamount to a security threat.

“There is such [a destabiliza-

tion] plot, but today’s rally could be considered as [having] no bearing to the prevailing peace and order situation,” the source explained.

He viewed the “Black Friday” protest by anti-Marcos forces as a move to “ventilate their dismay” arising from the burial of the late strongman at LNMB. Earlier, Duterte, anticipating the anti-Marcos outrage in the event Marcos bones were laid at the LNMB, even permitted a month-long protest provided they should observe the rule of law.

Thousands of protesters are scheduled to converge in several historical sites to demonstrate their opposition to the Marcos

burial with thousands of policemen backed by military personnel deployed to the rally to preserve law and order.

The source said they were not discounting the possibility of foreign agitators in the rally that Marcos critics would want to pro-long to gain public sympathy, a parallel move for a larger scenario.

“Let us see if there would be foreign agitators,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya said they were ready to support the Philippine National Police in maintaining peace and order in today’s protest.

NBI arrests fake broker THE National Bureau of Investigation Thursday said operatives of NBI-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division arrested a former Philippine Stock Exchange employee for estafa last November 23 in Kamuning, Quezon City.

The NBI identified the suspect as Jose Cecilio “Jay” Peñaflor.

According to PSE and Securities and Exchange Commission officials, Peñaflor represented himself as associated with the PSE and certain registered brokers like Regina Capital Development Corp., H.E. Bennett Securities Inc. and Venture Securities Inc. But the regulator stressed Peñaflor was not registered with the commission.

The case against Peñaflor stemmed from a complaint filed by Joyce Marie Jao who was enticed by the accused to put up an investment involving purchase of stocks of ABS-CBN Corp. that allegedly guaranteed considerable profit.

They got interested and, on different occasions, invested until her investment earned more than P8,000,000, including the principal. Sandy Araneta

‘Marce’ to hit Surigao Norte THE tropical depression “Marce” is about to make a landfall in Surigao del Norte province, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. ‘‘Marce’’ was 60 km eastsoutheast of Surigao del Norte’s Surigao City as of 4 p.m. Thursday, noted Pagasa.

Pagasa said ‘‘Marce’’ packed maximum sustained winds of up to 45 kph near its center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

“Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 300-km diameter of the tropical depression,” said Pagasa.

Several areas are already under tropical cyclone warning signal 1, Pagasa said. PNA

LONGER NIGHTS. Offices are still bustling with workers as longer nights began to prevail in the country, signaling the coming of the Christmas season. Sonny Espiritu

AFP chief needs more time vs ASG Senator

By Florante S. Solmerin GENERAL Ricardo Visaya on Thursday conceded his five-month stint as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was not enough time to defeat the nearly three decades-old Abu Sayyaf Group in southern Mindanao.

Visaya, however, said there were essential gains his leadership had accomplished in the campaign to eliminate the ASG scourge.

“When I took over as the chief of staff, my first instruction [to our troops]: to defeat the Abu Sayyaf we have [to] neutralize first

the speed of the enemy in the high seas and that happened,” he said.

To accomplish this, Visaya said they had to consult and sought authority from the marine agency of the Department of Transportation to deputize the military to confiscate suspected boats especially unregistered speedboats used by the terrorists in their kidnap-for-ransom activities.

“We are very happy that we were able to achieve our objectives of neutralizing the speed of the enemy in the high seas, that’s one [achievement],” he said.

But Visaya said the military had to excel more in another realm of battle.

“Well, just give us time because our soldiers had to familiarize themselves on the terrain [in Sulu and Basilan]. You know that the battalions that were deployed there came from as far as Cagayan Valley [Region 2], from the Bicol region, Southern Tagalog region and there is a different terrain in these places. It will really take time for our troops to familiarize [themselves] with the terrain and when the time comes I’m sure the fight against Abu Sayyaf will be much, much easier,” he explained.

After he deplored atrocities of the ASG, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Visaya to annihilate the terrorists.

UK advises Duterte vs Russia policy

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE British ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad advised President Rodrigo Duterte against his intent to seek closer ties with Russia, urging him to reconsider his plan.

Ahmad was fielding reporters’ questions

after Duterte announced earlier he would be first to join if Russia and China formed a “new world order.”

“You cannot cherrypick the positive attributes of a country and ignore the rest,” Ahmad said.

He said Russia invaded Afghanistan which resulted in the creation of Al-Qaida,

a terror group founded by Osama bin Laden, who was killed in May 2011.

“If you check the history books, you’ll see Afghanistan was invaded by Russia, and Al-Qaida was born out of that conflict, and the consequences of that have gone global, including here in the Philippines,” Ahmad explained.

SC: No leakage of Bar questions

By Rey E. Requejo

DOMO ARIGATOO GOZAIMASU. Children from the town of Pagalungan, Maguindanao thank Japan for building a school building in the town which was recently turned over by Second Secretary Takuhiro Watanabe of the Japanese Embassy.

THERE is no truth to rumors circulating in legal circles and social media of a supposed leakage in this year’s Bar examinations, which will end on Sunday, a Supreme Court official said Thursday.

Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., chairman of the SC’s 2016 Bar exams committee, denied allegations of leakage of questions for the commercial law and criminal law subjects during the third day of exams last November 20.

“There is no iota of truth to these statements. These unfounded reports that are being irresponsibly circulated in social media

only undermine the efforts of the Bar chairperson to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of the Bar exams,” Velasco said, in a statement read by SC spokesman Theodore Te in a media briefing.

According to Velasco, his office immediately conducted an investigation on the reported leaked questions and the “findings show that there is no truth to any of these unsubstantiated social media rumors.”

Te said Justice Velasco assured the Bar takers this year that the two subjects would not be canceled or readministered.

“He [Justice Velasco] requests the help of the public not to add more stress and anxiety to the examinees,” he said.

laments unsolved crimes

By Macon Araneta WITH persons riding-in-tandem on motorcycles committing over 3,000 crimes in 2013 alone and almost 34,000 crimes since 2010, plus thousands more killed by other perpetrators that have yet to be solved by law enforcers, Senator Richard Gordon has slammed the nation’s continuing complacency and law enforcers lack of urgency to solve crimes and file charges against perpetrators.

During the deliberation in the Senate on the 2017 budget of the Department of Justice, Gordon was dismayed there was no continuity in investigation once administrations changed hands.

“It’s sad that just because there is a change of administration, and it is almost five months into the current administration, up to now they [those in the new administration] do not know what is going on in those cases. That is a disappointment…There should be continuity,” the senator said, citing as example the killings last year of Trial Court Judges Erwin Alaba and Wilfredo Nieves. “…There is an awful lot of killings. We call them extra-legal, extrajudicial. We call them salvaging. We call them ridingin-tandem. And the only thing that does not surprise me but does dismay and shock me is the continuing complacency and the continuing lack of sense of urgency by all elements involved in law enforcement to solve all these cases and file charges to achieve closure,” he added.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Zero credibility

J

UST when we thought police credibility could go no lower, we learned this week from a drug lord in Eastern Visayas that he paid out more than P300,000 weekly in bribes to at least 20 top police officials in exchange for protection.

Testifying during the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, Kerwin Espinosa, the son of slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, said he gave the chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 8 P3 million in exchange for being told where police checkpoints would be, so that his drug shipments could get through unmolested. In one

Adelle Chua, Editor

case, Espinosa said, the official even had a checkpoint moved so that the drug lord’s people could slip by.

“In other words, he was the protector of our people,” Espinosa told the senators at the hearing.

In another incident, Espinosa said, a police general demanded millions of pesos through a middleman to provide protection for his drug operations. Espinosa

said he issued checks for a total of at least P6 million, and amounts that each police official received, and had the bank statements to prove these deposits.

Remarkably, one police official had already been ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman for grave misconduct and dishonesty over a separate case, involving the questionable procurement of P4.5 million worth of rubber boats. The Court of Appeals, however, overturned the Ombudsman’s ruling, and had this official reinstated.

Now we learn that he and 18 other officials who were on Espinosa’s monthly payroll.

These revelations brought tears to Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa, who expressed bitter disappointment over the rampant corruption in the police force.

Many of the officials that Espinosa identified as being on the take were, at the same hearing, professing their innocence. None of them, however, could deny that Espinosa was able to run his thriving drug operation without police protection.

In fact, the police chief of Albuera town observed, there would be no illegal drug problem if policemen were not involved.

At the hearing, Dela Rosa—

who was driven to tears—told the senators that it was difficult for him to see the public losing trust in the PNP. Yet, this is exactly what is happening.

Amid the increasingly bloody war on drugs in which more than 3,000 suspects have been killed, the public no longer sees policemen as their protectors, but as killers who can falsely accuse them of being pushers, kill them with impunity, then plant the evidence afterward—all with the blessings of the political leadership.

When a police raiding team of about 20 heavily-armed officers kill two inmates in their jail cell at 4 a.m., pur-

portedly to serve a search warrant, we find it difficult to swallow their story that this was a shootout.

It is telling that people who watched the live broadcast of the Senate hearings Wednesday were just as ready to believe a self-confessed drug lord as they were the group of police officials who were at the same session to deny his testimony.

Dela Rosa has vowed to cleanse his organization— and we wish him success. On the other hand, he ought to know that something needs to be done to arrest the loss of trust and credibility that the people have for the organization he leads.

Fake news may not be protected speech

By Noah Feldman

BizNewsAsia turns 15 today VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ BIZNEWASIA marks today, Nov. 25, its 15th year of leadership as the Philippines’ largest and most influential weekly business and news magazine by honoring 30 of our best and brightest entrepreneurs, CEOs, and leaders in business and government for excellence and contribution to the betterment of the Filipino.

The anniversary event starts at 6 tonight at the Garden Ballroom of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.

The awardees for excellence in visionary management, entrepreneurship, and corporate management are led by: Ramon S. Ang, president and vice chairman of San Miguel Corp.; Felipe L. Gozon, chair and CEO, GMA Network Inc.; Tessie Sy-Coson, chair, BDO Unibank and vice chairman, SM Investments Corp.; Andrew Tan, chair-CEO, Alliance Global Inc.;

Edgar “Injap” Sia, chair-CEO, DoubleDragon Properties Inc.; Zenaida Tantoco, chair-CEO, Stores Specialists Inc..

JJ Atencio, president-CEO 8990 Holdings Inc.; Henry Lim Bon Liong, chair-CEO, SL Agritech Corp.; Jaime Bautista, president, Philippine Airlines; Oscar Reyes, president, Meralco; Wellington Soong, president-CEO, Frigate Holdings; Elizabeth Lee, president-CEO, EMotors; Bansan Choa. Chairman and CEO, I-Remit; Marife Zamora, chairman of Convergys Philippines Services Corp. and president of the Management Association of the Philippines; Joseph Calata, president and founder of Calata Corp., Myrna Yao, CEO, Richprime Global Inc.; Emma Imperial, presidentCEO, Imperial Homes Group; and RoseMarie Basa, chairman, PhilRealm Development Corp.

To be cited for distinguished public service and governance excellence are: former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; Lilia de Lima, director

general for 21 years of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority; Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Teresita Herbosa, and Sen. Loren Legarda.

For financial management, the awardees are: Ferdinand Constantino, CFO, San Miguel Corp.;

To tap this coveted clique, advertisers choose magazines with credibility.

Chaye Cabal Revilla, CFO, Smart Communications; and Felipe S. Yalong, CFO, GMA Network Inc. Awards will also go to Mike Enriquez of GMA News, for broadcast excellence; Atty. Francis Lim for shareholder rights

advocacy, lawyer Manuel “Lolong” Lazaro, excellence in law; and Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr and Donald Dee, business leadership I founded BizNewsAsia in 2001, using savings from my stint of 25 years at Asiaweek, the Hong Kong-based weekly magazine subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., which also publishes Time, Fortune and People. Time later shut down Asiaweek. With me as the senior correspondent in Manila, Asiaweek became the No. 1 weekly in the Philippines with peak circulation of 32,000 copies. That is the void BizNewsAsia wants to fill up today.

Before and sometimes simultaneous with Asiaweek, I worked for among the largest and most iconic publications in the world, including The Manila Times, the Manila Chronicle, The Times Journal, The Mainichi Shimbun, German TV ZDF and ARD, and now as a columnist of The Manila Standard.

Also, I will be 68 today. Allow me to brag a little. I finished journalism, magna cum laude, on a four-year full scholarship at UST.

I also finished global journalism at the University of Stockholm, and took three semesters of MBA at Ateneo de Manila.

Despite competition from foreign publications, BizNewsAsia has kept its leadership in readership, being the only weekly to score a pass-on circulation of 350,000 readers. BNA easily outsells local magazines and foreign brands because of its broad and deep coverage of business, politics and global issues, and outstanding profiles of personalities in business and governance.

In recent years, Manila has seen the entry of foreign magazines focused on business. One magazine devoted to entrepreneurs has phased out its print edition and withdrawn to just being online. Another big name newcomer, barely a year in the market, is thinking of pulling out, because it already has an Asian and an international or US edition.

According to BizNewsAsia Executive Editor Ivy Lopez Cabaltica, a lawyer and a communications graduate at Ateneo,

IN THE free marketplace of ideas, true ideas are supposed to compete with false ones until the truth wins—at least according to a leading rationale for free speech. But what if the rise of fake news shows that, under current conditions, truth may not defeat falsehood in the market?

That would start to make free speech look a whole lot less appealing.

The rise of fake news therefore poses a serious challenge to our basic ideas about the First Amendment. Much of the debate in recent weeks has focused on social media and search engines.

But whether the market for ideas is failing is more fundamental than whether Facebook or Google can be blamed for algorithms that promote and spread false stories.

Start with the famous metaphor introduced by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes almost 100 years ago, in a dissent in the 1919 case Abrams v. United States.

Holmes argued that “the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market.”

Holmes’ notion of the marketplace of ideas offered an economics-inflected version of John Stuart Mill’s argument that truth thrives from the “collision with error.” Both were modern echoes of John Milton’s much earlier faith that when Truth and Falsehood were allowed to “grapple” on the field of battle, Truth would win in “a free and open encounter.”

But to take the marketplace metaphor seriously means admitting that sometimes, markets fail. Holmes himself gave us the most famous example of market failure when he said, in a different 1919 case, Schenck v. United States, that even “the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic.”

This thought experiment in turn led Holmes to his most famous formulation of free speech doctrine: that the question in every case is whether the words “create a clear and present danger.”

Falsely shouting fire in a theater is a perfect example of market failure in the communication of ideas. The person shouting knows he is lying—but others don’t know, and won’t have time to check. The words will cause an immediate panic, even if everybody is acting rationally, because the only logical thing to do is to get out, and get out quickly.

As the Nobel Prize winning economist George Akerlof showed in his classic 1970 article,

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Opinion

Negativing academic freedom IT WAS not one of the freedoms not paralyzing for any instituheard much about, until Justice tion of higher learning.

And if one should be inFrankfurter succinctly articulated its components: the right clined to think that the DBM to determine what to teach, would have little if any interwho to teach, how it should be est at all in matters academic, taught and who should teach think again. Many a state uniit. And then it found its way versity has lost the chance to into the Philippine Constitu- keep a promising professor betion. The Supreme Court has cause the DBM has kept pendbeen no less vigilant about its ing for a withering length of defense reminding the Civil time any action on promotions Service Commission in one and appointments. And since case—U.P. v. Civil Service state universities subsist on Commission (2001)—that not government money, the DBM even on the pretext of enforc- can actually cause a state uniing civil service rules may the versity to defibrillate or slow commission curtail the right of its breathing down so badly a university to determine who that it is left gasping, on the brink of death by regulation. should teach!

In charters of state universi- Then, there is the Civil Serties and colleges, one common vice Commission that chimes provision is the section that in—oftentimes very distractguarantees academic freedom ingly —into university life. both of the institution and of the Many who, by purely academscholar. But state higher edu- ic standards, are well-regarded cation institutions face a thick- in their own fields of specialiet of rules from regulatory and zation, recognized by academe supervisory agencies that all and renowned by scholarly cirbut render academic freedom cles are spurned by the Civil an aspiration rather than a con- Service Commission, denied stitutionally protected reality. I rank, title and salary, because had occasion to write about an of missing on one or the other excess of regulation that was silly bureaucratic requisite. smothering higher education Finally, there is the Commisin an earlier piece, but now that sion on Audit. While it canI am once more involved di- not be denied that many heads rectly with the administration of state institutions have lined their pockets of a state unihandsomely versity, I find by making of myself face state universito face with Inflexible ties their prithe forbidding ATMs, barrier of buinsistence on rules vate neither can it reaucracy that be denied that c o n s t i t u t e s has many times the governone of the ment’s finance most lethal proved to be watchdog has threats to aca- imprudent in the often does demic freeextreme. more biting dom. than it really There is, should. Qualfirst of all, ity higher eduthe danger of cation needs a governing board that overreaches and mi- plenty of fiscal support and cromanages. True, of course, ample fiscal flexibility—but R.A. 8292, or the Higher Ed- of these two, CoA is extremely ucation Modernization Act, wary with the result that state grants the regents or trustees universities and colleges must of state universities and col- tread ever so testily and warleges awesome powers—but ily, lest the dreaded notices of this very same law, in grant- suspension and disallowance ing corporate powers provided come pouring in through the for in the Corporation Code to mailbox!

One American law authe governing boards of state educational institutions, main- thor, bemoaning the surfeit tains the crucial difference of administrative regulation, between “policy” and “opera- mourned what he called “the tion.” Officers, not trustees, death of common sense,” beare agents of the corporation cause it can happen—and has punctilious because it is they who run day- happened—that to-day corporate affairs. And compliance with all administrathe composition of the govern- tive regulations makes instituing board insinuates the dan- tions miss out on the elemenger of overreach—venturing tary demands of common sense. into operations. Aside from Items badly needed that can be the Commission on Higher readily purchased cannot, exEducation Chair, who is ex of- cept under severe limitations, ficio chair, two politicians sit: be bought without complying the House of Representatives with lengthy, complicated and and the Senate each has a seat. tedious procurement proceThe regional directors of Agri- dures, and seeing that contracts culture, Science and Technol- are awarded to the lowest bidder ogy and National Economic have the sad result that many and Development Authority government buildings, in suhave their own fixed places pertyphoon Lawin’s trail—have at the table. There are private the ghastly look of the victims sector representatives (who, of France’s Reign of Terror and by law, should be prominent the efficiency of the guillotine! citizens)—many times hand- Davis, an expert in administrapicked by the sitting president tive law, put it well when he inas well—as there is a student, sisted that while regulation was alumni and faculty representa- necessary, as important was a tive each. All in all, a merry zealous defense of discretion: medley and a confusing melee what allows one to act as pruof parallel, contrasting and dence—doing the right thing at contradicting interests. When the right time—demands. Inthis body tells a president what flexible insistence on rules has deans must do, how long they many times proved to be imprumust be in office, and the other dent in the extreme! minutiae of actual university operations, who to admit and rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph on what terms to retain them, rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph the results can be confusing, if rannie_aquino@outlook.com

Fake...

From A4 “The Market for Lemons,” asymmetric information can systematically distort the quality of what’s available in the market. In his stylized example, if good cars and lemons are both for sale, and consumers know this but don’t know which are which, they will be willing to pay the average price.

That will lead the sellers to withhold

the good cars, which could fetch a higher price—but that in turn will lead consumers to lower the price they are willing to pay. The resulting spiral of adverse selection leads to market failure.

As it happens, it’s a lot more expensive to generate true news stories than false ones. News requires reporting and research and institutional structures like editors and fact checkers to support them. Fake news only takes one person’s imagination. And there

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Freedom to choose

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO FOUR months and 25 days or a total of 148 days have passed since President Digong Duterte reluctantly occupied Malacañang Palace, and still we have not seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched nor felt any single major change in our social protection programs.

Have the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System and PhilHealth implemented anything other than those that President Benigno Aquino III’s “student council” administration had left?

Of the three, only SSS had been reorganized by President Digong. A few days before Undas, he chose Dean Amado Valdez to be its new chairman and followed this up last week by choosing lawyer Emmanuel Dooc as its president and chief executive officer.

Like the president, both are lawyers who had worked for government before. Chairman Valdez served as the Government Corporate Counsel of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo while PCEO Dooc was the Insurance commissioner for most of PNoy’s term until his latest appointment.

They are thus presumed to have met the Social Security Act’s requirement that they must possess “adequate knowledge and experience…in the technical and administrative fields” of

social security.

In fact, the SSS chairman had been explaining—before the new SSS PCEO was appointed —the institution’s position regarding the grant of that P2,000 pension increase that PNoy had vetoed. He probably got the meat of his explanation from the SSS chief actuary and its chief investment officer, and had thus passionately defended the earlier refusal of SSS to grant it.

He may have sounded as if he were representing PNoy as his defense counsel in his veto of the P2,000 pension increase but unlike PNoy, he was amenable to a staggered release of P1,000 in 2017 and another P1,000 in the last year of President Digong’s term in 2022.

According to him, this staggered release will help cushion the “financial impact on the SSS fund” and “provide SSS some leeway to shore up its funds by enhancing its generation of revenues through improved collections and innovative investment activities as allowed by law.”

After Chairman Valdez has lain out publicly what could be the SSS vision, PCEO Dooc was left with no choice except to support him.

Anyway, neither one could ignore anymore the urgency to adjust pensions.

The peso is getting devalued continuously from the July 1 exchange rate of P46.96 to $1.00 and inflation will be rising soon.

The moment the exchange rate reached P50.00 to $1.00, the average SSS pension would only be $64.58.

With such an amount, wouldn’t President Digong feel insulted if his American counterpart innocently asks how much his country’s average pension is?

Besides, the staggered P1,000 pension increases in 2017 and 2022 are coming much delayed, and are only slightly better than grass being fed to a dead horse.

And please don’t tell us that they are what SSS would only do throughout President Digong’s six years of presidency. For us pensioners, they are not the only major change that we expect from him.

Chairman Valdez and PCEO Dooc are better off planning out together how to redirect SSS into providing pensions higher than its present maximum of P17,481 and minimum of P1,000.

Its P3,229 average pension is simply too low.

For example, GSIS started giving a minimum pension of P5,000 in January 2013. More than three years after, SSS has not made any attempt to bring its minimum of P1,000 any closer to it.

The SSS PCEO and his compañero chairman must now plan for something more innovative other than explaining in legal or altruistic language why SSS could not grant pension increases.

Their predecessors have already done this part well.

Indeed, the SSS tandem must lay out bolder plans of reviving what is now a stagnant and almost moribund or dying national pension program.

If they decide not to shake up the SSS contribution system and consequently its pension

scheme, why would a young worker even consider joining SSS? He would only be wasting his time making miniscule contributions now only to receive meaningless pensions 40 years from now.

How would he live at retirement on his SSS pensions without depending on his children’s financial support? Depend on charity from relatives?

It’s different, of course, if he were receiving GSIS pensions.

Try asking a retired public school teacher how she feels about her GSIS pensions when you meet her while she is on vacation in one of our tourist destinations. For comparison, ask also a retired private sector worker who once had a highpaying job on the adequacy of SSS pensions.

You’ll surely get contrasting responses of happiness and bitterness, and understand why GSIS pensioners aren’t demanding any increase.

Maybe, SSS could be left alone maintaining the status quo of its low contributions and pensions, but private sector employees cannot be deprived anymore of GSIS-type pensions.

Congress should now enact a law that would give workers the freedom to choose between SSS or GSIS for their pension needs.

This law would pave the way for the effective integration of private sector workers and their employers into GSIS. More importantly, this freedom to choose would remove the inequity between government and private sector pensions.

13 ways to be thankful if politics got you down

By Stephen L. Carter IF YOUR family is like mine, chances are that at some point Thursday afternoon or evening, you’re going to have to say something upbeat. A family member will suggest going around the table, so that each of us can tell the group what we are thankful for. Given that so many people seem so low just now, not a few may have trouble coming up with anything. In the Thanksgiving spirit, therefore, I present a baker’s dozen of suggestions on how to answer. All of them represent serious reasons to give thanks. If none of these lift your spirits, please—please!—come up with a list of your own. It’s worth the effort.

1. Around the world, infant mortality rates continue to plummet. Not fall. Plummet. It’s true in every region of the globe.

2. I wrote about this on election eve, but it bears a second mention: The Environmental Protection Agency reported earlier this year on the continuing sharp improvement in the quality of the nation’s air. The trend is now better than a quartercentury long. Pick any pollutant you like, and the EPA report tells us that the airborne concentration has dropped enormously.

(And the trend is independent of which political party controls the White House.)

3. A startup called SpaceVR announced this year plans to or-

BizNewsAsia...

From A4 among all media audiences, print magazine readers consistently belong to society’s elite.

They are wealthy, highly educated, stylish, healthy, knowledgeable, and influential. People ask them for advice on what to buy.

Compared to the readers and audience of newspapers, cable, radio, television, digital, and the web, devoted print magazine readers earn at least $150,000 (about P6.7 million) a year. These wealthy influentials prefer print magazine over any other form of media.

Newsmagazines are a veriis certainly information asymmetry between the person who writes a story and the person who reads it. Applying the Akerlof analysis suggests that fake news could conceivably drive out true news.

The classic solution to market failure is regulation. Holmes, in his fire-theater example, certainly believed that was permitted by the First Amendment.

The question is whether government regulation of fake news would

bit a satellite that will carry two sophisticated wide-view cameras in order to enable us, for the first time, to see the earth from space in virtual reality.

4. The fragile peace in Sri Lanka seems to be holding.

Something like 100,000 people died in the nation’s civil war.

Estimates of the number of refugees exceed 1 million. It is too easy at times for us to forget that there is suffering in the world that does not involve hoping various Supreme Court justices do not retire soon.

5. Speaking of politics, Donald Trump’s supporters have (almost) stopped the Reagan comparisons. Trump’s opponents have (almost) stopped the Hitler comparisons. The big altright conference in Washington to celebrate Trump’s victory turned out to be a tiny alt-right conference, with nearly as many demonstrators as conferees.

6. On a lighter note, whatever problems may be plaguing the movies, the small screen remains in its second golden age.

During 2016, “The Americans” renewed its claim to being the best show on television, and one of the best shows ever. Next month brings the return of “The Man in the High Castle,” after a spectacular first season.

7. Physicians, even though hemmed in by government regulation and insurance red tape, are rediscovering the value of taking time to talk to their pa-

tients. There are even studies showing that the benefits often outweigh the costs. Meanwhile, yet another study seems to confirm that eating dark chocolate is good for us.

8. Although violent crime rates in the US had a widely reported uptick in 2015, that uptick was from historically low levels in 2014. Preliminary figures for 2016 suggest a continuation of the sharp drop over the past three decades. In other words, we’re a lot safer than we were a generation ago.

9. One for the geeks: The match for the world chess championship, which was supposed to be a walkover for titleholder Magnus Carlsen of Norway, is suddenly exciting, with challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia clinging to a one-point lead with just four games to play.

10. Speaking of championships, baseball fans—along with those who couldn’t tell you who Bill Mazeroski was to save their lives—were treated this year to the most exciting World Series in a generation. The seventh game was one of the greatest ever played. Best of all, the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs were perennial alsorans. Cleveland hadn’t won the Series since just after World War II; Chicago hadn’t won in over a century. The mere existence of this Series gave hope to underdogs everywhere.

11. We are witnessing, yet

again, the orderly transition of power, one of the most remarkable aspects of US history. True, there remain diehards who refuse to admit that the election is over, but it has ever been thus.

We take for granted that the losing side will vacate the halls of power. Yet there is nothing automatic about this. Around the world, there are still lots of places where the governing party calls out the tanks if it happens not to like the election results.

Nothing like that has ever occurred in the U.S., and by God’s grace it never will.

12. Although the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists decided in 2016 to keep its so-called doomsday clock at three minutes to midnight, the group’s direst predictions have always been wrong. That’s not a knock on the bulletin. It’s a reminder that we don’t really know the future, and that our deepest fears sometimes reflect our cognitive biases.

Things often have a way of turning out better than we expect.

13. If all else fails, look around the table at family and friends.

The people we love and people who love us are the mightiest reasons to be thankful. No matter what.

Still feel like there’s a pall over the land? That’s okay. If you’re the sort who prays, pray.

If you’re the sort who hopes, hope. If you’re neither sort, don’t be sour. Smile. Come on. It’s Thanksgiving. Bloomberg

fied source of in-depth news and they are read leisurely. Readers sit down and take their time to absorb and enjoy the content.

Which is why readers spend an average of 51.6 minutes on a print magazine, more than online.

This focus allows these intellectuals to comprehend and recall more data on print. Then, the magazine is passed on to at least three other people in their circle.

Research shows that affluent print magazine readers are most receptive to marketing targeted to their lifestyle. They will pay for the best quality brands and they are influenced by ads they see in their favorite trusted magazines. It affects their purchase of expensive cars, drugs,

food, home furnishings, luxury goods, technology, travel, and financial products and services.

This preference is then transmitted repeatedly to their elite friends and professional circles.

Moneyed print magazine readers lead enviable lives.

They are considered an authority by their numerous friends.

They attend more social events, have rich and varied experiences, wear signature clothes and accessories, enjoy finer things, and avail of the best health care.

They travel the most, locally and abroad, and spend $10,000 (P450,000) on a vacation. They are avid buyers of entertainment goods and services, technology, luxury vehicles and items, and

home improvement.

It is no wonder that influentials’ lives reflect their image of being more knowledgeable, active, cerebral, adventurous, curious, and who live life to the fullest.

To tap this coveted clique, advertisers choose magazines with credibility.

Says one leading magazine: “Magazines appeal to advertisers because of their highly targeted audience. In general, magazine readers have higher incomes and are better educated than users of other media; magazine audiences …show a higher level of commitment and response to editorial and advertising content.”

be justified and lawful to fix this market failure. Obviously, it would be better if the market would fix the problem on its own, which is why attention is now focused on Facebook and Google. But if they can’t reliably do it—and that seems possible, since algorithms aren’t (yet) fact-checkers —there might be a need for the state to step in.

Under current First Amendment doctrine, that wouldn’t be allowed.

The Supreme Court has been expand-

ing protections for knowingly false speech, not contracting it. And it would be extremely difficult to separate opinion from fact on a systematic basis.

But we shouldn’t assume that the marketplace of ideas works perfectly.

And given that, we shouldn’t be slavishly committed to treating the marketplace metaphor as the basic rationale for free speech.

Maybe we should be thinking more about the competing argument offered

by Holmes’s contemporary, Justice Louis Brandeis. Brandeis asserted “that public discussion is a political duty, and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.” For him, it was “the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” False news that hinders public discussion and encourages irrationality may have a role in the marketplace; but it doesn’t contribute to the good functioning of democracy. Bloomberg

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News

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Mayors alarmed at hike in killings

CELEBRATING 400 YEARS. Students of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran perform during a street dancing competition and parade to celebrate the school’s quadricentennial at Intramuros, Manila. Lino Santos

LOCAL executives expressed alarm at the spike in killings of suspected drug dependents and traffickers in Metro Manila.

In an executive session at the Holiday Inn in Makati City, Metro Manila mayors sought the help of Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno to find solutions that would bring back the trust of the people in local government units and its promise to give them a chance to change.

The mayors explained that the promises made by the government to their constituents— both drug dependents and those engaged in trafficking—to be rehabilitated and start a new life after giving themselves up to authorities have not materialized and they have instead become the subjects of summary execution, purportedly by vigilante groups.

In the town of Pateros alone, according to Mayor Miguel Ponce III, 37 individuals suspected to be involved in drug dealing and its use, were killed since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed his post in July.

He said the local government units are clueless who are responsible for the increasing number

Metro mayors nix new 3-digit coding proposal

By Joel E. Zurbano

of the clearing operations. The department will ask barangay officials to assist our enforcers in the ETRO Manila mayors on Thursday clearing operations. They [baranrejected the proposal to implement a gays] will be obliged to help us,” said Orbos. new three-digit number coding in the “The guidelines will be threshed by the DILG on how to take National Capital Region citing the lack of time out out illegally parked vehicles, the and preparation for the scheme. obstructions including basketball courts, humps, and unnecessary “They [mayors] rejected it. Too bers of the Inter-agency Council gates. First, we will identify the soon and too tight they said. We on Traffic should intensify the roads that are needed to be clear need more time to further study road clearing operations against like arterial roads,” he added.

DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno this measure,” said Thomas Or- illegally parked vehicle, basketbos, acting chairman of the Metro ball courts, sidewalk vendors and also attended the MMC meeting Manila Development Authority, other obstructions on both main held at the Holiday Inn Makati.

The MMC, which is composed during a meeting of the Metro and secondary roads.

“This is why the Department of the 17 mayors in the NCR, is the Manila Council in Makati City of the Interior and Local Govern- policy-making body of the MMDA. Thursday.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez The MMC, instead, suggested ment joined this meeting to help that the MMDA and other mem- us intensify the implementation proposed to the Department of

M

Transportation to temporarily enforce the three-digit coding on or before December to further improved the traffic situation in Metro Manila, particularly along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, during the holiday season.

“Before December comes in, the DOTr should have a prescribed schedule of banned vehicles per day (i.e. 1,2,3 for December 1; 4,5,6 for December 2; and so on). This must be implemented until the end of the Three Kings’ Day celebration, when we will revert to the two-digit number coding scheme,” Suarez said in his Manila Standard column.

Suarez is expecting that the scheme will reduce 30 to 40 percent decrease in the volume of vehicles in Metro Manila.

The Unified Vehicular Volume

Reduction Program, or the number coding scheme, was devised to keep vehicles out of major thoroughfares on certain days based on the last digit of the license plate.

The system corresponds to 1 and 2 for Monday, 3 and 4 for Tuesday, 5 and 6 for Wednesday, 7 and 8 for Thursday, and 9 and 0 for Friday.

The window hours refer to the five-hour (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) period, but removing this means the vehicles covered by the Number Coding Scheme may not pass Edsa and other major thoroughfares.

Suarez made the proposal after the slight success and improvement of traffic on Edsa following the suspension of the so-called window hours for private vehicles in the number coding scheme.

2 Manalos appeal for Red Cross help TWO scions of Iglesia Ni Cristo founder Felix Manalo appealed to Red Cross chairman Senator Richard Gordon for humanitarian assistance to ease their living conditions at a disputed property in Quezon City.

Felix Nathaniel “Angel” Manalo and his sister Lottie Manalo, estranged siblings of incumbent Iglesia Ni Cristo Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo, wrote Gordon seeking assistance in alleviating their current living conditions at the disputed number 36 Tandang Sora residence.

The two Manalos claimed inhuman conditions are being imposed on them and their household staff, such as the limitation of food and water supplies, the cutting of electricity and water supplies and the setting up of high walls of corrugated sheets around their respective homes and around their compound.

They said their freedom of movement and right to meet with their counsel lawyer Rene Saguisag have been impeded by the security that were posi-

tioned around the compound.

The Commission on Human Rights, headed by Chairman Chito Gascon, has been powerless against the lawyers of the Iglesia Ni Cristo despite repeated calls for their assistance in the matter.

Homes of former Executive Minister Erano G. Manalo and other relatives living in the compound have been demolished by the Iglesia Ni Cristo, leading to speculations that the property in dispute is set to be sold by the Church.

Supporters of Angel and Lottie have been trying to provide food, water and medicines for the incarcerated Manalo and household staff but have been prevented by strict security policies enforced by the Iglesia.

They also cited that only a 71-yearold man, the father-in-law of Angel Manalo, is allowed to supply both homes the limited supplies allowed in by the security people within and around the Tandang Sora compound.

AMIDST untold casualties and displacement of 149,000 people from the ravages of recent typhoons “Karen” and “Haima” and threats to stronger weather disturbances, Filipino communities and leaders are called to step up strategies for disaster risk resilience.

Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings Inc., made the call in his address before the Top Leaders Forum, a gathering of the country’s captains of industry to tackle the best practices to make businesses disaster resilient at the SMX Mall of Asia in Pasay City recently.

“There is still much to be done in

terms of pre-disaster efforts. In the country’s rural parts, there is great need to build better housing projects, resilient infrastructures most especially securing livelihood,” he said.

Sy, the only Filipino member of the private sector group Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) has been spearheading for the past four years the TLF in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The initiative is aimed to “raise awareness on disaster risk and mobilization among the private sector, to bring out different expertise, share knowledge and experiences, and to implement tangi-

Joel E. Zurbano

IN BRIEF Expansion of R-10 eyed THE Department of Public Works and Highways said the road passing through the old Smokey Mountain area which is dotted by shanties will soon turn into a high-capacity highway to ease the heavy volume of vehicles in Metro Manila.

“Filipinos will soon have access to an improved and widened Radial Road 10 or R-10 which they may opt to use as alternate route to Edsa via Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard in traveling from north to south and vice versa,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

“We have completed the clearing of illegal structures along the road right-of-way. We will now resume construction activities for the full completion of the upgrading and widening of the remaining section particularly at Pacheco, Tondo area,” he added.

The 9.7-kilometer R-10 stretching from Delpan Bridge, Tondo, Manila to the mouth of the Malabon River at Bangkulasi Bridge, C-4 Road in Navotas City may be used as an alternate route to Edsa and C5 for motorists traveling from Quezon City to Manila and Pasay.

“The Bangkulasi Bridge at the end of C-4 in Navotas City has also been recently opened following the relocation of informal settler families previously occupying the foot of the bridge,” Villar said.

Villar said that the project will not only ease traffic congestion but also enhance economic efficiency and competitiveness of the the export industry by providing faster and more reliable freight movement. Vito Barcelo

NBI nabs 17 illegal miners

MORTICIAN OF LEADERS. Frank Malabed, the embalmer of the late Philippine President Ferdinand

Marcos, revealed that a wax mask covered the face of Ferdinand Marcos for the 23 years his corpse was on show, but the body on display was no fake. AFP

Leaders urged to step up disaster resilience projects

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

of deaths while residents suspect that law enforcers are the ones behind the summary executions.

“No arrest has been made.

Thirty-seven were killed in drugs but we can’t provide details or any results of these cases. Even a minor, who has a chance to change, is also being killed. We remain answerable to our constituents. Why the killings?” said Ponce.

“I believe police are doing their best but we can’t prevent the people to ask what was happening, that’s why there are a few thinking the police were involved.

Though there were incidents that vigilantes did it and there were instances that members of the drug syndicates, themselves perpetrated the killings,” he added.

The Pateros local government came up with a Zumba physical fitness program, as one of the solutions made to rehabilitate the drug dependents.

“But no one comes to the rehabilitation program anymore.

There were 300 attendees in the weekly Zumba program before but now, there are only 10. A Zumba attendee was also among those killed,” said Ponce.

ble projects and activities.”

Other delegates who shared their expertise, experiences and commitments during the forum were Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC); Dr. Fabian Dayrit from the National Academy of Science and Technology; Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, S.J.; Dr. Rajib Shaw from the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk International; Dr. Satoru Nishikawa, research executive director for Japan Center for Area Development Research; Dr. Rodel Lasco, coordinating lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Thomas

Orbos of MMDA, and UNISDR Asia-Pacific Focal Point Representative Andrew McElroy.

Just recently, the SM arm for corporate social responsibility, SM Cares completed the turnover of 1,000 disaster-resilient housing units in areas hardest hit by Super Typhoon “Haiyan” (Yolanda) in the Visayas region. 200 additional units for another village are set for completion by 2017, Sy announced.

“With the help of fellow private sector members, we have built back better homes for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda,” he added.

In his presentation, Dr. Nishikawa highlighted societal dedication, civic

duty and commitment to disaster risk reduction as key traits of Japanese engineers who built infrastructure projects that control flooding. He said such projects withstood time and remains in operation for minimizing floods in modern Japan.

These leaders, he cited, were dedicated to disaster reduction as their efforts earned the trust and fellowship of the populace; at the same time, disaster reduction efforts translated to livelihood stability with greater rice production and lesser droughts and floods in vulnerable communities. In turn, such dedication allowed for these leaders to expand their areas of influence.

THE National Bureau of Investigation said on Thursday operatives of NBI-Environmental Crime Division have arrested on November 23 a total of 17 people engaged in illegal quarrying in Rodriguez, Rizal.

The NBI identified the arrested suspects as Nomer Santos, Jeffrey Manahan, Rodrigo Alutaya, Jaymark Dangel, Jose Dangel, Eliseo Habla, Mario Blas, Angelito Panganiban Jr., Antonio Dapitan, Wilfredo Asuncion, Eduardo Dapitan, Eddie Tagapan, Rajohn Hermo, Peter Jason Lozada, Romar Cascayan, Roger Tablac and Juan Dapita.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau reported that Radthien Builders Corp. was quarrying and mining in Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal without an operation agreement.

A cease and desist order was issued by the MGB against Benjamin dela Cruz, proprietor of Radthien Builders Co., for stripping activity utilizing heavy equipment or backhoe and dump truck. However, Radthien continued to operate in the said area.

Sandy Araneta

Sports

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Ayo doesn’t care which team they face in finals

By Peter Atencio

L

A SALLE coach Aldin Ayo said he does not have any preference which team they face in the finals of the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

“I don’t care if FEU or Ateneo wins. Bahala silang magpatayan.

Pero, kung sino ang mananalo, yun ang kakalabanin namin (They can kill each other. But we will face the team which wins),” said Ayo. The second seeded Ateneo

Blue Eagles and the FEU Tamaraws will meet on Saturday for the second finals berth.

Ayo said a lot of work needs to be done on their game after they pulled off a 69-64 beating of the Adamson Soaring Falcons in their Final Four showdown Wednesday

at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Ayo admitted that the Green Archers played “a horrible game” in their big effort to return to the finals in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

“Even in the third and the fourth, we were not playing our game. So, I’m hesitant to congratulate them because it was a horrible game for us,” said Ayo. The Green Archers struggled to find their form for most of the game, and committed 26 turnovers, compared to the Soaring Falcons, who had 15.

Ayo said the team felt the heat of Adamson’s pressure defense early in the game.

The Green Archers had a better shooting percentage of 44.4 percent while Adamson shooting was 31.94 percent.

With Jeron Teng taking charge in the final period, things eventually turned around for La Salle.

Teng, who is on his final year with the Green Archers, struck with 11 of his 25-point output in the last quarter, including a crucial drive in the last 4:16.

His basket came after the Green Archer Aljun Melecio sank two gift shots off Rob

Manalang’s unsportsmanlike foul, and as La Salle retained possession afterwards, 64-58.

With their victory, the top seeded Green Archers are now back in the best-of-three finals after three years.

In 2013, La Salle, then coached

by Juno Sauler, reached the finals and won the eighth crown at the expense of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.

This time, they made it to the best-of-three finals under new coach Aldin Ayo, who had delivered Letran to the National Collegiate Athletic Association cage crown the year before.

Eustaquio battles Finnish sensation KNOWN as one of the most highly-skilled striking specialists in the Philippines, Team Lakay’s Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio has faced some of the best fighters in the ONE Championship ranks.

His ability to stay in the pocket and nullify an opponent’s offense is perhaps the most deliberate of any fighter in the promotion. That unique striking advantage that Eustaquio possesses will come in handy in his next bout.

Eustaquio will return to the ONE Championship cage on Friday, December 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. He will take on Finnish fighting sensation Toni “Dynamite” Tauru in a three-round bantamweight contest on the main card of ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION. Eustaquio says he feels great and that training camp has been one of the toughest and most satisfying yet.

“My conditioning is on point.

We are at ninety percent right now. By fight week we’ll be at a hundred percent and I’ll be ready,” said Eustaquio.

“There’s no more weight-cutting. Fighters fight at their walking weights which makes it so much easier to focus on training and getting better for the next one.”

Eustaquio has been campaigning as a flyweight in ONE Championship for most of his career. He began his rise through the ranks with a comprehensive victory over grappling specialist Alex Silva nearly four years ago. In 2014, Eustaquio challenged then champion Adriano Moraes for the ONE Flyweight World Championship belt.

Since ONE Championship revamped its weight management policies, Eustaquio made the move up a division higher to 135lbs. which is around his natural walking weight.

Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen plays a shot against China’s Chen Long in the final of the China Open Badminton tournament in Fuzhou, in China’s Fujian province on November 20. AFP

Jorgensen says China still crew to beat HONG KONG—Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen believes China still rules the badminton world even though they were routed at the China Open last weekend, but warned Wednesday that the West is catching up.

Jorgensen led Sunday’s drubbing of the Chinese in Fuzhou when he shocked the world and Olympic champion Chen Long in straight games to win the men’s singles title.

China have ruled badminton for a decade but the golden age may be ending. They left the China Open without a trophy for the first time in the tournament’s 30-year history.

Jorgensen however remained cautious following one of the biggest wins of his career, say-

ing China was far from a spent force.

“The Western world is catching up a bit, but still (China) have so many good players,” he told AFP at the Hong Kong Open, after winning his firstround match in straight games.

“They’re still so strong and the favorites going into every tournament.”

With the great Lin Dan in the twilight of his career and other top performers facing growing competition from foreign players, China are now looking for a new generation of world-beaters to emerge.

Following the rout China’s top badminton prospects called for patience and vowed to reassert the country’s dominance.

“Some players are getting older and then there are the up-and-coming players. We need time and experience,” said women’s doubles player Li Yinhui.

“But that doesn’t mean things are shifting away or that we cannot maintain the dominant position.”

The 19-year-old was among China’s runners-up in Fuzhou on Sunday when she lost in both the women’s and the mixed doubles finals.

Her women’s doubles partner, Huang Dongping, 21, was confident China would reassert its grip and brushed off suggestions the pressure was increasing.

“No, I don’t feel any pres-

sure. We just focus on every match,” said Huang, after the pair beat Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-Hsin and Hung Shih-Han in the first round in Hong Kong. “We don’t focus on too many other things.”

The China Open debacle was the latest disappointment in what has been a difficult year for Chinese badminton.

At the Thomas Cup team tournament in May, China were knocked out in the quarter-finals, prompting calls for long-time head coach Li Yongbo to quit.

China won two badminton gold medals at the Rio Olympics but the total was well down on London 2012, when they swept all five titles. AFP

Denver Nuggets protest denied

PBA, SBP FORGE AGREEMENT. Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) officials sign a memorandum of agreement Thursday that defines the creation of the Gilas Pilipinas national team. Present in the MOA signing are the PBA Board of Governors headed by board chairman Mikee Romero (seated 4th from left) and Commissioner Chito Narvasa (seated 3rd from R) and SBP President Al Panlilio (seated 3rd from left) who is likewise a governor for the Meralco Bolts.

Russia fears World Cup humiliation at home MOSCOW—Soul-searching following Russia’s miserable performance at the 2016 Euro led to one inescapable conclusion: the squad has a long way to go to avoid humiliation on home turf at the 2018 World Cup. Russia crashed out of Euro 2016 without a win, its short run at the tournament tarnished by hooliganism among its fans and scandals in its dressing room.

Former manager Leonid Slutsky, who resigned after the Euro debacle, confessed to Russian media that he

had confronted his players with the state of affairs, telling them bluntly: “We are shit.”

Since then Russian Football Union chief Vitaly Mutko, who also serves as a deputy prime minister, has vowed to rebuild the team from scratch.

The country appointed ex-Legia Warsaw boss Stanislav Cherchesov in August, handing him the daunting task of preparing the team for the World Cup. His major test before that will be the Confederations Cup in June and

July next year, Russia’s dry run for the World Cup which includes teams from Germany, Portugal and Mexico among others.

Russian Cherchesov, 53, selected rookie-filled rosters for his first friendlies as head coach, calling up 22-yearold Roman Zobnin, as well as 23-yearold Ilya Kutepov of Spartak Moscow.

Despite efforts to rejuvenate his squad, Cherchesov has a limited pool from which to select his players—a problem exacerbated by structural problems in Russian football. AFP

Melindo banners Pinoy Pride39

NEW YORK—The NBA on Wednesday denied the Denver Nuggets’ protest of a 108107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this month despite an error in judgment by a replay official.

The Nuggets protested that the replay center, which handles all video reviews of on-court issues, incorrectly awarded possession of the ball to the Grizzlies with 0.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a November 8 game.

That call was made after it was ruled Denver’s Emmanuel Mudiay last touched the ball before it went out of bounds and a replay official confirmed the call after reviewing two television camera angles of the play that appeared to show Mudiay touching the ball.

The replay center did not select more angles to review, but after the game, upon NBA review, it was clear from another unreviewed angle that Mudiay did not touch the ball and that possession should have been awarded to Denver.

Even so, the NBA ruled that while the outof-bounds call was incorrect, it was a judgment error by the replay official and not a misapplication of the playing rules— which is required under NBA rules to justify approval of a protest and overturning a game result.

The NBA said it would review the situation from an operational standpoint to examine the review process and reduce the chances of a similar error in the future. AFP

ONE cannot discount the fight in the Filipino heart that enables him to stand up and fight back every time he goes down.

Rising boxers Milan “El Metodico” Melindo and brothers Jason and Albert Pagara are ready to get back in the ring and use their “pusong palaban” as they lead the Filipino fighters in the “Pinoy Pride 39: Road to Redemption” card, happening at the Cebu Coliseum in Cebu City on Saturday, November 26, and airing on free TV this Sunday, November 27 on ABS-CBN at 3:30 p.m. and on ABS-CBN Sports + Action (S+A) at 6:30 p.m.

Hungry to avenge previous setbacks and to create their own marks in Philippine boxing, the trio looks to end the year on a victorious note as they face formidable opposition. Melindo (33-2; 12 KOs) vows to make the most out of another crack at the title, when he faces a dangerous Thai opponent in Fahlan Sakkreerin, Jr. (31-4; 16 KOs) for the IBF Interim World Jr. Flyweight title. Both Melindo and Sakkreerin are rated in the top 10 of the IBF, sixth and third respectively.

Albert Pagara (26-1-0; 18 KOs), on the other hand, is a flashy knockout artist that is dead set to make up for his shocking loss to Cesar Juarez in the last “Pinoy Pride” in the USA. The local boxing scene’s golden boy looks to display once again the “killer instinct” that made him one of the fastest rising stars in Philippine boxing in his battle with Raymond Commey (16-1-0; 9 KOs) of Ghana.

His older brother Jason (392-0; 24 KOs), meanwhile, will try to continue his winning ways against Jose “Quiebra Jicara” Alfaro (28-10-1; 24 KOs) from Nicaragua, a former WBA Lightweight champion. Both fighters boast of a 59 percent knockout rate and going the distance doesn’t seem like an option between them.

Baby Falcons beat Ateneo Blue Eaglets THE Adamson Baby Falcons drew big baskets from three mainstays to put away the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, 77-65, Tuesday in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) junior basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

Rookie Florencio Serrano led with 23 points and seven rebounds as the Baby Falcons stayed in the solo lead with their fourth straight win.

Carlo Abadiano and Reygen Santos had 13 and 12 points, and both combined for 11 points in the second quarter. Adamson moved away from a 21-all deadlock in the first period and into a 41-33 halftime edge.

The Baby Falcons are now ahead of the defending champion National Bullpups and the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws, who have the same 3-1 winloss record in second place.

“We’re still focused on improving,” said Adamson coach Goldwyn Monteverde.

SJ Belangel shot 14 points for Ateneo, which dropped to a four-way tie at fourth with their 1-3 slate.

Xyrus Torres had 23 points for the Baby Tamaraws, who smothered University of the East, 100-82.

Winderlich Coyoca eked out 14 points as the NU Bullpups won over La SalleZobel, 80-55.

Miguel Ratuiste had 21 points for the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs in their 69-67 of University of the Philippines Integrated School.

This dropped UPIS to third with their 2-2 record. Peter Atencio

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

Court denies Vargas petition

By Peter Atencio

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) protects the basketball Portland Trail Blazers defender Evan Turner (left) during their game last November 23 at The Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

Love explosion powers Cavs past Trail Blazers, 137-125 L

OS ANGELES—Kevin Love scored 34 firstquarter points, the second-most in any quarter in NBA history, on his way to a season-high 40 points Wednesday as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Portland 137-125.

The 28-year-old power forward made eight 3-point shots in the opening quarter, joining his first-quarter point total as a club record, and he hit his first seven shots, six of them 3-pointers.

“I had a good rhythm, made my first couple shots,” Love said.

“And it was on from there.”

The NBA record for points in any quarter remains the 37 points

by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in the third period against Sacramento two seasons ago.

LeBron James contributed 31 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his 44th career triple double as Cleveland improved to 11-2.

Meanwhile, New Orleans forward Anthony Davis scored a club-record 21 points in the first quarter and finished with a game-

high 45 points and 10 rebounds to lift the Pelicans to their fourth consecutive victory, a 117-96 triumph over visiting Minnesota.

Austin Rivers scored a teamhigh 22 points and the Los Angeles Clippers, off to their best start in club history at 14-2, began a sixgame road trip by routing Dallas 124-104 as the Mavericks fell to a league-worst 2-12.

Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and the San Antonio Spurs ripped host Charlotte 119-114, improving to 12-3 overall and 8-0 on the road.

Dwight Howard had 23 points and 20 rebounds while Paul Millsap added 18 points and 11 rebounds as Atlanta

downed Indiana 96-85.

Marc Gasol scored 27 points and Mike Conley added 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as Memphis defeated Philadelphia 104-99 in double overtime while Phoenix downed Orlando 92-87.

In Oakland, Stephen Curry scored 31 points while Kevin Durant added 28 to lead Golden State over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 149-106 while DeMarcus Cousins scored 36 points to lead Sacramento over Oklahoma City 116-101.

Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points and Avery Bradley added 22 as the Boston Celtics downed host Brooklyn 111-92, while Kenta-

Banario battles KO artist Singh Meena at ONE bout

Iglupas reaches quarters TOP seed Khim Iglupas warded off Japanese Shiori Ito and hacked out a 6-4, 6-3 victory then watched the rest of the Filipino bets bow one after the other in singles play in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Out to atone for her semifinal exit in Week 1, the 18-year-old Iglupas needed to toughen up against the game Ito in the opening frame then imposed her will in the next to clinch the win and lead the quarterfinalists in the Grade 4 ITF 18-under category event sponsored by the Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The Iligan City native will next face unseeded Ange Oby Kajuru, also of Japan, who overpowered Indonesian Shevita Aulana, 6-4, 6-1, even as second seed Rika Tanaka of Japan whipped Putri Sanjungan, also of Indonesia, 6-0, 6-4, in the lower half of the 32-player draw of the final week of the two-stage top ranking event backed by Mariposa Foundation, Technifibre and Century Park Hotel.

Tanaka will next take on Chinese Jing Jing Yang, who upset No. 7 Oleksandra Kalachova of New Zealand, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.

But while Iglupas stayed in the title hunt, compatriots and fellow Philippine Tennis Academy mainstay Shaira Rivera and Frances Santiago fell by the wayside and Arthur Pantino dropped a sorry setback to Japanese qualifier Keisuke Saitoh in the boys’ side.

The third ranked Pantino, impressive with his 6-4, 6-2 romp over Japanese Taiyo Yamanaka in the first round, lost steam in the third set against Saitoh and absorbed a 2-6, 6-3, 4-6 loss in their duel for a quarters seat.

vious Caldwell-Pope scored 22 points and Andre Drummond added 18 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and four steals for Detroit in a 107-84 victory over visiting Miami.

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead Toronto over Houston 115-102 while George Hill and Gordon Hayward each scored 22 points to spark Utah over Denver 108-83.

The reigning NBA champion Cavaliers set NBA records for 3-pointers in a half with 16 in the first half and matched club records for points in a quarter with 46 and 3-pointers in a regular-season contest with 21. AFP

JOSE “Peping” Cojuangco is assured of his bid to remain as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee for a fourth term.

This after the Pasig City Regional Trial Court denied the camp of boxing chief Ricky Vargas their application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that was supposed to stop the coming POC elections from taking place this Friday.

“The prayer for a temporary restraining order is denied,” wrote Pasig City Regional Trial Court Judge Elma Rafallo-Lingan of Branch 159 in a decision released to all parties concerned.

“Now, we will have elections tomorrow,” said Cojuangco, upon learning of the decision, and added that it is now time to restore harmony within the POC family. “My concern now is how to restore harmony within the POC so we can concentrate on our objectives, which is to improve sports in the country.”

He only needs a simple majority vote from representatives of 40 national sports associations, three members of the athletes’ commission and one from the International Olympic Committee representative in order to formally keep his post.

The elections are set to commence at 1 p.m. today at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Joey Romasanta (volleyball) will again contest the post of first vice president, this time with Representative Albee Benitez (badminton) as his rival.

Jeff Tamayo (soft tennis) will seek the position of second VP with retired gen. Lucas Managuelod (muay thai).

Julian Camacho (wushu) seeks the treasurer position with Sonny Barrios (basketball).

Jonee Go (canoe-kayak) emerged as the lone candidate for auditor after Ting Ledesma (table tennis) backed out.

Seeking to be members of the board are Clint Aranas (archery), Cynthia Carrion (gymnastics), Robert Mananquil (billiards), Prospero Pichay (chess) and Romeo Magat (tennis).

Honorio Banario (left) unloads a leg kick against his opponent. Banario returns to the ONE Championship stage against Rajinder Singh Meena at ONE: Age of Domination. ONE Championship

BAGUIO City’s veteran striker Honorio “The Rock” Banario (10-6) is ready to return to the ONE Championship cage next Friday, December 2 at ONE: Age of Domination. The 27-year-old lightweight faces Indian boxer Rajinder “Knockout” Singh Meena (8-2) in a three-round undercard.

Banario, a winner of his last two fights, says he is wrapping up training and ready to make the trip down to Manila for fight night.

“I’m a hundred percent ready to go back in there again. In victory or in defeat, I will never stop doing what I love to do. I never stop training. I train all year round. Whether I have an upcoming fight or not, I’m always prepared. True martial artists are always in search of perfection of their craft. I can’t wait to go back inside the cage and show the world how much better I have gotten,” said Banario.

The former ONE Featherweight World Champion Banario is no stranger to adversity. He won the featherweight strap in 2013 only to lose it in his first defense against Japanese foe Koji Oishi who

needed just one punch to knock Banario out cold.

It was a forgettable experience for Banario, who blamed a weakened state for the loss.

“When I was a featherweight, I had such a hard time making the featherweight limit. It’s so hard to cut weight, it’s the hardest thing about being a fighter,” said Banario.

“Back then, I had to cut 12-15 kilos every single time. I was always drained for fights.

When Koji (Oishi) hit me then, I wasn’t really that hurt. But because of the massive weight cut, I felt very weak.”

Banario’s opponent, Singh Meena, is expected to give him another stiff challenge. Singh Meena has eight victories on his fight resume, but more impressively, all of his victories have come by exciting finish which includes five submissions and three knockouts.

Because both fighters do not know how to back down and will most likely engage in a fanfriendly affair, Banario fully expects fireworks for however long the fight will last.

Alaska battles Road Warriors

By Jeric Lopez THE Alaska Aces, parading a virtually intact lineup but for the addition of one rookie, battle the revamped NLEX Road Warriors in the main game at 7 p.m.

In the appetizer, new look Mahindra goes toe-to-toe with reinforced GlobalPort at 4:15 p.m. to open the show.

These four teams get their baptismal of fire as they make their debut in the 2016-2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Last year’s runner-up Alaska opens its campaign with an intriguing test right away when they face the now Yeng Guiao-mentored NLEX. With the disappointment of last year’s finals meltdown still in

their minds, the Aces vow to bounce back and have a solid run once again in the All-Filipino conference.

Alaska will parade an intact line-up that is still led by veterans Calvin Abueva, Sonny Thoss, Vic Manuel, Jvee Casio, Chris Banchero, Dondon Honveros and RJ Jazul, among others.

The Aces are hoping that the likes of Kevin Racal and Rome Dela Rosa can continue their growth and that rookie Carl Bryan Cruz can likewise be an asset for team success.

Following yet another disappointing season, the Road Warriors saw the need for a change as they surely did make waves by tapping the services of the multititled Guiao, who vowed to change the mindset of NLEX players.

“I’ll do my best to change the

culture of this team and change it to a winning one slowly but surely,” said Guiao.

The fiery mentor will depend on key cogs Asi Taulava, Kevin Alas, Jonas Villanueva, Mac Baracael, Garvo Lanete and Enrico Villanueva. The Road Warriors are also looking to get more help from newcomers Carlo Lastimosa, Bradwyn Guinto and rookie Fonso Gotladera.

GlobalPort will more or less have the same core.

The Batang Pier will still rely on the prolific plays of star guards Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle but the two will now have more assistance from teammates.

GlobalPort will now have veteran point guard Mike Cortez, improved big man JR Quinahan and rookie sniper Von Pessumal in its lineup.

Alaska Aces point guard RJ Jazul (31) glides to the hoop past NLEX Road Warriors defender Jonas Villanueva (right) during their game last season. The Aces and the Road Warriors renew their rivalry when they battle tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

China tapping 10 PH banks B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

B1

IN BRIEF Shakey’s reduces maiden offer price

BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION. Energy Development Corp., the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the United States Agency for International Development sign an agreement for the enhanced protection of the country’s biodiversity. The agreement creates a partnership called the Global Development Alliance to apply the Lawin Forest and Biodiversity Protection System in selected EDC forest sites. Shown during the signing ceremony are (from left) Dr. Efrain Laureano, chief of party of the B+Wiser program, USAID director of environment office Jeremy Gustafson, EDC president and chief operating officer Richard Tantoco, Environment undersecretary Jonas Leones and Forest Management Bureau assistant director Mayumi Quintos-Natividad.

Peso touches 50-a-dollar level

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE peso touched the 50-a-dollar level for the first time in eight years before settling slightly lower at 49.98 against the greenback Thursday, as investors hold on to the US currency in anticipation of its further strength.

The Philippines is ground zero for the rout as a resurgent US dollar and Manila’s still-expensive stock market have made it even more vulnerable, with the peso plunging to an eight-year low.

The peso lost P0.12 from the close of 49.86 a dollar on Wednesday. The peso opened Thursday’s trading at 49.95 and touched the 50-a-dollar level at one point before settling at 49.98 at the close.

It was the local currency’s weakest level in eight years, or since it traded at 49.99 a dollar on Nov. 20, 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said the peso’s weakness was in line with

weakness of other Asian currencies as external pressures have become more dominant.

“These include expectations of not only higher US benchmark policy rate next month but also expectations that 2017 would also see another 50 basis points hike,” Cuyegkeng said in a statement.

“In an environment of uncertainties, market participants have been slowly increasing US dollar portion of holdings for future foreign exchange payments and servicing and for alternative investments. We are closely watching developments for now and retain our year-end 2016 P49.50 forecast,” Cuyegkeng said.

Finance Secretary Carlos

Dominguez III said the peso movement was an expected reaction to the anticipated early rate increase by the US Federal Reserve, with other Asian currencies also moving in the same direction.

“We are watching the currency movements very closely. We seem to be moving in the same direction as the other currencies. We just want to avoid abrupt changes in the exchange rates,” Dominguez said in a statement.

Dominguez said the country’s rock-solid macroeconomic fundamentals would enable the domes-

tic economy to survive external shocks such as higher US interest rates and a stronger dollar.

Finance undersecretary Gil Beltran said the strengthening of the greenback against the peso “is expected as an impact of the Fed normalization.”

“The peso is just normalizing. It was P57 per the US dollar in 2004.

All other currencies are moving in the same direction,” he said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said Wednesday the volatility in financial markets was global and

basically, the weakness in emerging markets’ currencies was due to dollar’s strength.

“Because the expectation was that interest rates are going to rise in the US as the new administration pushes for spending for higher economic growth which may trigger higher inflation and therefore higher rates,” Tetangco said.

“So we see the flow of capital out of emerging markets and back to the US. So if you look at movements of Asian currencies, the peso is basically in the middle of the range...,” Tetangco said.

Emerging markets globally are experiencing fund withdrawals, but what makes the Philippines different, or vulnerable, was its valuation,” said Smith Chua, chief investment officer at Bank of the Philippine Islands.

“The foreign-exchange movement has also been a significant factor for overseas investors. As the year is heading to a close, some of them want to lock in their gains before the peso weakens further.” With Bloomberg

Closing November 24, 2016

8300 7840 7380

By Alena Mae S. Flores

6920 6460

ILOILO CITY—The Energy Department said Thursday it cancelled the government’s $300-million loan from the Asian Development Bank and another $100 million from the Clean Technology Fund for the rollout of 100,000 electric tricycles.

The loans were supposed to finance the $500-million introduction of energy-efficient electric vehicles that aimed to replace 100,000 gasoline-fed tricycle units. The government was supposed to shoulder the remaining $100 million under the project.

The government has so far awarded the manufacturing of 3,000 e-trikes to a Japanese company.

“I canceled the loan, that is something like 100,00 e trikes.

The 3,000 has been awarded, being produced, so the remaining

6000

6,873.31 36.67

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.980

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.910 LOW P50.000 AVERAGE P49.968 VOLUME 437.600M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

P25.75-P29.32 Diesel

MSME MOVER. PLDT Group chairman Manuel Pangilinan (left), ePLDT Group president and chief executive Ernesto Alberto (right) and Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV (third from left) present this year’s PLDT’s MVP Bossing Award to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (second from left).

Lopez was recognized for his years of service in promoting entrepreneurship and MSME development as a private sector advocate, and now in government service.

Finance warns of debt crisis sans tax reforms

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, November 24, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9060

Japan

Yen

0.008889

0.4436

UK

Pound

1.244100

62.0881

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128922

6.4340

Switzerland

Franc

0.984058

49.1104

Canada

Dollar

0.741015

36.9811

Singapore

Dollar

0.698617

34.8652

Australia

Dollar

0.738400

36.8506

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

132.5102

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266702

13.3100

Brunei

Dollar

0.696185

34.7438

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028017

1.3982

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.5895

Euro

Euro

1.055600

52.6808

Korea

Won

0.000847

0.0423

China

Yuan

0.144530

India

Rupee

0.014532

0.7252

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225225

11.2401

New Zealand

Dollar

0.700300

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031239

7.2129

34.9492 1.5590 Source: PDS Bridge

Maynilad enters Indonesia venture MAYNILAD Water Services Inc. said Thursday it signed a joint venture agreement with PT Moya Indonesia to provide water and wastewater services in Indonesia.

The agreement signed by Maynilad and Moya Indonesia would pave the way for the establishment of a joint venture company tentatively named PT Water Tecnologia Indonesia.

The joint venture company will provide water and wastewater services such as pipe network design and installation, non-revenue water and wastewater management.

Moya Indonesia will own 51 percent of the joint venture company, while Maynilad will control 49 percent.

Pursuant to Indonesian laws, the company’s principal license and incorporation will be subject to the approval of the Investment Coordinating Board and the Ministry of Justice of Indonesia.

Moya Indonesia, which was established in 2011, owns 95 percent of PT Moya Bekasi Jaya, PT Moya Tangerang, and PT Moya Makassar, each of which has a service concession arrangement with the Regional Drinking Water Company.

Moya Indonesia is wholly-owned

by Moya Indonesia Holdings Pte. Ltd., a Singapore company which is in turn owned by Moya Holdings Asia Limited, a company listed at the Singapore Stock Exchange’s Catalist.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Govt terminates $300-m ADB loan

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX

Closing NOVEMBER 24, 2016

RESTAURANT chain operator Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. reduced the price range for its planned initial public offering.

Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported that SPAVI set an offer price of P10.70 to P11.26 per share on its planned maiden share sale amid the current volatile market conditions.

The new range is lower compared to the P15.58 per share maximum offer price it indicated when it filed its IPO application with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Based on the new offer price, SPAVI will raise P3.7 billion to P3.96 billion in proceeds from the sale of 352 million common shares.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp president Eduardo Francisco said in a text message nothing official was set in terms of price range for the IPO. BDO Capital is the lead underwriter for SPAVI maiden share offering. The final offer price will be set on Nov. 28.

SPAVI aobtained Philippine Stock Exchange’s approval to conduct the IPO. Jenniffer B. Austria

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE Finance Department on Thursday warned that the failure of Congress to pass the whole package of tax reforms may result in a debt crisis and credit rating downgrade for the country.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said if Congress would choose to pass only the tax package’s popular component―the reduction in personal income tax rates―without the corresponding revenue-enhancing measures, the country would be forced to rely on borrowings.

“Without improving on our revenues, many of our children will continue walking hours to get to school and our classrooms will continue to be packed beyond capacity.

The poorest Filipinos will continue

to have little or no access to health services. Our farmers will be unable tor raise their productivity and thus remain poor,” Dominguez said.

The first package of the comprehensive tax reform program submitted to the Congress in September under the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act aims to generate a net gain of P174 billion, or equivalent to 1 percent of gross domestic product in 2018.

The initial package aims to make the tax system more progressive through the lowering of personal income tax rates to make these at par with those in the region, expanding the value added tax base by limiting exemptions to necessities such as raw food, education and health care, while increasing excise taxes on oil and automobiles.

97,000 [units] will be set aside,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi told reporters.

Cusi said only the loan for the rollout of the 3,000 units would push through.

“We have informed them [of the cancellation] in writing. We have not received a response,” Cusi said, referring to ADB. Cusi earlier said the Energy Department decided to stop the rollout of the electric tricycle project amid the lack of interested buyers and high manufacturing costs.

“The DOE already decided that we will discontinue the e-trike project,” Cusi said.

The department previously issued the notice of award to Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd. of Japan and local partner Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines Inc. for the supply of 3,000 units of electric tricycles.

2 solar projects may lose guaranteed rates THE Energy Regulatory Commission wants to remove the guaranteed power rates awarded to two solar power projects, documents show.

A report by ERC to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi showed two solar projects should have not been given endorsements for feedin eligibility under the second round of installation target, based on the agency’s set of criteria.

Cusi agreed to investigate the issue. “That is being investigated.

Remember that we put a task force that will handle that,” he said.

Cusi said if the two solar developers would be disqualified from the list of projects receiving the FIT rates, it did not necessarily mean other solar players would receive the endorsement.

“We have to look at the whole thing. We have to really study it,”

he said. “It must be solved in a way that is fair and equitable.”

Former Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada earlier endorsed to ERC 17 projects totaling 417.05 megawatts under the second wave of installation target for solar.

The department said these projects met the March 15, 2016 deadline and the projects, if granted a certificate of compliance by ERC, would be able to avail of the feedin tariff of P8.69 per kilowatt-hour.

An association of solar players earlier urged the Energy Department’s fact finding committee to resolve the group’s concerns on endorsement of FIT eligibility under the second wave of installation targets for solar.

The department created an investigating committee in September to thoroughly study the im-

plementation of the feed-in tariff program. The action was triggered by complaints lodged by several solar companies on the issuance of the solar feed-in tariff endorsement under the previous administration.

“We are likewise hopeful that the final outcome of the factfinding committee will remove the cloud of doubt hovering the awarding of FIT 2 and restore investors confidence on the renewable energy business climate,” Philippine Solar Power Alliance president Tetchi Capellan said in a letter to committee chairman Pete Ilagan dated Nove. 4.

The group asked the government to disclose the template or standards used in the grant of the endorsement to the Energy Regulatory Commission. Alena Mae S. Flores

B2

Business

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rises; Metrobank climbs S

SMIC prices P15-b 7-year bond offering

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. set at 5.159 percent the interest rate for the planned P15-billion fixed-rate bond offering, according to BDO Capital and Investments Corp., the underwriter handling the deal.

SMIC, which has investments in banking, real estate, shopping malls and retail, plans to issue P15 billion worth of seven-year bonds with an over allotment option for another P5 billion in December.

BDO Capital president Eduardo Francisco said there was a strong demand for the company’s seven-year bonds which could prompt the company to tap the over allotment option, thereby increasing the size of the offering to P20 billion.

“As expected demand is strong and we will see how demand goes during the offer period. We will make recommendations to principals for oversubscription then,” Francisco said.

Offer period for SMIC bonds will be from Nov. 23 to Nov. 29 while issue date was set on Dec. 7. The bonds will be listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

The P15-billion bond offering plus P5 billion oversubscription option forms part of the company’s P50-billion shelf registration program earlier approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The remaining P30 billion bonds will be placed in shelf for issuance within the next three years.

tocks rose for a second day, following overnight gains on Wall Street which sent the Dow to a new record after fresh data showed further improvement in the US economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, picked up 36 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 6,873.31 Thursday. Despite the gain, the bellwether was still down 1.1 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 21 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at

4,170.64, on a value turnover of P6.2 billion.

Advancers outnumbered losers, 113 to 65, while 47 issues were unchanged.

Fifteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by property developer Megaworld Corp. which climbed 3.8 percent to P3.85 and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. which gained

3.3 percent to P73.

Meanwhile, the US dollar barreled ever higher Thursday, sitting at an eight-month high against the yen and fueling another rally in Tokyo stocks but traders in most other markets turned cautious.

US investors gave their Asian colleagues another strong lead with the Dow hitting a new record on Wall Street.

Global markets have largely been piling higher since Donald Trump’s shock election win two weeks ago, with traders betting his big spending, high tax plans will bolster an already healthy economy.

However, there are concerns

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.39 2,000 47.75 23,100 91.9 793,090 3.88 5,000 112 1,552,990 1.42 274,000 37.9 67,900 16.7 700 19.04 37,500 6.7 1,000 0.68 90,000 1.79 1,000 730 220 0.69 6,074,000 73 6,003,460 0.8 100,000 14.12 10,000 55.2 37,090 259.6 960 128 490 35.75 127,500 189.1 1,241,000 1,692 460 74.2 54,950 1.31 30,000

6,780 1,101,670 72,976,985.50 19,400 173,794,809 376,430 2,570,165 11,690 713,530 6,700 61,200 1,790 159,300 4,229,350 436,506,184.50 80,100 141,200 2,049,901.50 243,892 62,641 4,558,070 235,537,370 781,630 4,077,490 39,300

1,020,655 -26,078,372 19,400 46,839,491 2,347,210 198,058 -1,076,600 -177,301,866 -988,210.50 12,752 -500,495 -130,201,272 -8,475 -

42.4 3.91 0.86 1.3 25.15 0.195 100 10.9 17.16 140 22.85 22.5 60.5 88.8 95 1.98 7.25 12 10.98 6.48 7 5.06 21.8 67 15.62 5.9 1.8 210 83.75 2.17 3.72 26.05 29.85 26 14.78 268 3.19 9.1 2.06 5.55 1.4 67.1 4.74 217 4.39 2.2 2.83 0.141 1.57 177.9 4.29 1.79 1.07

INDUSTRIAL 42.55 862,300 4.14 3,828,000 0.92 2,175,000 1.31 292,000 25.25 172,100 0.195 300,000 100 30 11 3,076,000 17.5 548,000 140 30 23.45 295,700 23.75 16,200 60.5 210 90 2,460 115 220 1.99 204,000 7.45 174,500 12.18 2,100 11.04 1,930,700 6.49 140,200 7.1 52,900 5.1 7,983,700 21.95 450,400 67.75 46,530 15.94 22,300 6 157,300 1.82 774,000 212.4 346,590 85 1,230 2.17 19,000 3.85 6,000 27.15 500 30 3,316,600 26.45 224,000 15.14 956,400 268 143,900 3.2 143,000 9.19 1,788,000 2.08 957,000 5.68 297,200 1.4 37,000 67.6 997,910 4.9 3,421,000 217 50 4.4 448,000 2.2 14,000 2.83 1,000 0.141 1,470,000 1.57 626,000 179 729,880 4.3 15,000 1.81 6,019,000 1.07 130,000

36,677,080 15,696,370 1,969,280 384,520 4,467,755 58,540 3,020 33,963,838 9,581,432 4,202 6,916,490 369,480 12,705 218,877 22,470 405,840 1,274,595 25,310 21,323,424 912,416 373,920 40,701,142 9,877,595 3,141,169.50 353,028 941,410 1,414,900 73,601,644 104,270.50 41,330 22,580 13,135 99,512,155 5,897,630 14,437,438 38,768,210 457,510 16,425,760 1,989,620 1,674,936 51,800 67,319,138.50 16,819,790 10,850 1,971,180 30,800 2,830 207,490 999,860 130,536,930 64,440 11,023,500 139,100

-14,843,755 587,450 -91,280 10,450 -296,550 11,203,768 5,238,254 10,045,868 -355,267 -9,220 -25,106,346 -2,337,480 474,110.50 -44,632 567,400 72,000 -3,093,594 -31,828,335 -94,610 2,105,154 496,130 396,710 -5,334,350 1,440,860 -610,560.00 19,372,067 4,967,560 -1,240,810 3,220 -19,641,511 -3,740 -

0.39 73.95 13.12 1.11 5.85 0.32 745 8.32 13.38 8.05 1,198 6.34 71.8 1.72 7.84 14.92 6.59 3.01 0.039 1.89 81.3 644 1.16 239.4 0.3 0.187 0.275

0.365 73 12.92 1.1 5.78 0.305 724.5 8.28 13 8 1,156 6.3 70 1.53 7.73 13.5 6.4 3.01 0.037 1.86 79.05 628 1.16 236.8 0.285 0.185 0.27

HOLDING FIRMS 0.38 900,000 73.4 791,450 13 6,168,700 1.11 14,000 5.85 21,600 0.31 1,260,000 740 567,830 8.29 289,800 13 3,832,600 8.05 593,900 1,198 97,635 6.34 10,000 71.8 1,217,570 1.63 27,683,000 7.8 307,500 14.92 2,120,200 6.59 22,479,100 3.01 3,000 0.039 5,400,000 1.89 16,000 81.3 420,350 642 790,080 1.16 10,000 239.4 5,330 0.3 900,000 0.187 70,000 0.27 790,000

337,200 58,051,591 80,330,918 15,530 126,290 390,500 418,888,275 2,404,135 50,112,558 4,762,976 115,930,425 63,222 87,049,968.50 45,044,330 2,398,611 30,050,684 146,371,972 9,030 205,600 29,790 33,909,176 506,851,525 11,600 1,273,460 264,800 13,020 215,500

-27,830,795.50 -2,445,586 27,826,965 423,836 -35,582,174 733,600 13,316,460 19,460,308.50 -103,370 -2,082,590 -8,842,540 -81,707,559 9,207,465.50 -180,916,205 -38,240 144,750

6.99 1.1 2.14 0.33 31.15 3.15 0.56 1.13 1.16 0.162 0.56 50 0.74 0.135 1.74 0.96 1.2 4.99 3.89 0.145

6.93 1.06 2.07 0.305 30.65 3.08 0.52 1.1 1.14 0.16 0.53 46 0.68 0.133 1.71 0.94 1.1 4.51 3.7 0.138

313,426 373,100 720,120 1,614,050 830,798,115 14,169,150 13,483,680 7,770 111,530 1,089,470 1,696,130 54,923,305 115,520 149,000 10,083,060 894,190 2,094,450 9,990 222,073,170 4,461,060

9,671 89,100 -258,861,095 -10,289,050 134,950 320,940 -2,700 -9,765,310 -14,720,850 -37,800

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 FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

3.39 47.2 94 3.88 111.8 1.33 37.6 16.7 19 6.7 0.68 1.79 720 0.71 71.5 0.81 14.12 55.1 255.6 130.1 35.7 190 1,705 74.2 1.31

3.39 47.75 94 3.88 112.1 1.43 37.9 16.7 19.26 6.7 0.68 1.79 730 0.71 73.5 0.81 14.12 55.5 259.6 130.1 35.75 196 1,710 74.6 1.31

3.39 47.2 91.7 3.88 111.4 1.33 37.6 16.7 18.94 6.7 0.68 1.79 715 0.69 71.5 0.8 14.12 55.1 252.2 126 35.7 189.1 1,692 74.2 1.31

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A 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 LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

42.8 3.91 0.87 1.31 26.2 0.195 101 10.9 17.16 140.1 23.45 23 60.5 88.9 95 2.02 7.3 12 11.08 6.79 7 5.12 21.8 68.4 15.9 6 1.81 210 83.75 2.17 3.72 26.05 29.85 26.1 14.8 269 3.2 9.15 2.12 5.8 1.4 67.4 4.76 217 4.4 2.2 2.83 0.142 1.6 178 4.29 1.9 1.07

42.8 4.16 0.93 1.32 27.05 0.197 101 11.16 17.56 140.1 23.45 24 60.5 95 115 2.04 7.5 12.2 11.12 6.79 7.1 5.12 22.5 68.4 15.94 6.02 1.86 215 85 2.18 3.85 27.15 30.2 26.45 15.16 273.4 3.2 9.2 2.12 5.8 1.4 68 5.05 217 4.4 2.2 2.83 0.142 1.63 180 4.3 1.94 1.07

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

0.365 73 12.94 1.1 5.78 0.31 726 8.32 13.18 8.04 1,167 6.3 71.75 1.55 7.79 13.52 6.43 3.01 0.037 1.86 80.15 634 1.16 236.8 0.29 0.185 0.275

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

6.99 1.06 2.07 0.31 30.65 3.14 0.52 1.13 1.14 0.16 0.54 48.8 0.7 0.135 1.73 0.94 1.1 4.98 3.7 0.142

6.98 1.07 2.12 0.33 31 3.08 0.55 1.1 1.16 0.161 0.54 49.15 0.74 0.133 1.71 0.95 1.18 4.51 3.85 0.141

VOLUME

45,000 347,000 340,000 5,100,000 26,866,100 4,581,000 24,701,000 7,000 97,000 6,800,000 3,138,000 1,146,000 165,000 1,120,000 5,860,000 944,000 1,799,000 2,100 57,844,000 31,860,000

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.255 0.41 3.11 34.85 26.1 1.48 3.22 26.7 0.94 0.93 5.1

0.255 0.43 3.2 34.85 26.8 1.56 3.22 26.9 0.98 0.93 5.2

0.255 0.41 3.11 34.85 26.1 1.47 3.22 26.2 0.94 0.91 5.06

0.255 0.43 3.2 34.85 26.5 1.52 3.22 26.5 0.98 0.93 5.15

200,000 290,000 261,000 300 2,075,000 145,000 36,000 6,749,400 2,236,000 236,000 1,830,500

51,000 122,100 822,240 10,455 55,024,835 221,660 115,920 179,033,655 2,162,720 219,180 9,351,650

-28,372,945 30,130 27,748,875 -152,520 -5,722,153.00

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

7.7 45.1 1.4 0.52 0.041 10.58 5 6.45 0.07 2.82 103 9.92 6.6 1,429 6.11 13.8 1.98 14.1 74.4 0.0091 9.1 0.175 1.35 3.31 13.1 5.2 2.11 4.09 3.69 18.6 2.06 11.2 5.02 2.55 148 14.6 1,360 1.15 0.42 39.25 72.05 5.3 2.55 0.9 3.06 0.33

7.7 45.3 1.41 0.52 0.042 10.58 5 6.65 0.071 2.86 103 9.95 6.92 1,438 6.17 14.1 1.98 14.94 74.95 0.0091 9.13 0.192 1.39 3.6 13.4 5.52 2.13 4.2 3.74 19.96 2.21 11.2 5.06 2.55 150 15.82 1,360 1.15 0.42 40.5 73 5.4 2.56 0.92 3.1 0.33

7.59 45.1 1.3 0.52 0.04 10.58 5 6.35 0.069 2.74 102 9.92 6.6 1,424 6.1 13.54 1.92 14.1 73 0.009 9.1 0.171 1.33 3.31 12.24 5.2 2.11 4.04 3.65 18.1 2 11.2 5 2.55 148 14 1,321 1.13 0.405 38.5 72.05 5.1 2.54 0.86 3.02 0.33

SERVICES 7.65 45.2 1.3 0.52 0.042 10.58 5 6.6 0.071 2.85 102.1 9.94 6.85 1,432 6.15 14.1 1.98 14.94 74 0.0091 9.11 0.186 1.33 3.6 13.38 5.2 2.13 4.09 3.68 18.1 2.18 11.2 5.05 2.55 150 14.7 1,323 1.15 0.42 40 72.6 5.29 2.54 0.92 3.1 0.33

137,700 12,000 76,000 670,000 40,600,000 1,200 4,600 14,617,800 18,810,000 2,925,000 339,620 4,000 31,800 42,520 56,200 411,700 1,684,000 34,300 288,360 6,000,000 487,000 27,950,000 201,000 5,000 48,700 2,536,100 24,000 2,896,000 2,398,000 9,600 3,405,000 800 78,900 5,000 20,000 13,498,800 125,965 6,508,000 1,170,000 1,586,600 173,810 86,200 300,000 22,513,000 209,000 10,000

1,053,350 542,315 106,190 348,400 1,674,300 12,696 23,000 96,215,242 1,310,290 8,127,260 34,782,993 39,733 219,122 60,841,605 344,673 5,716,044 3,294,800 495,214 21,337,007 54,300 4,436,260 5,060,830 269,610 17,420 640,400 13,446,317 50,820 11,935,900 8,876,620 179,190 7,237,200 8,960 397,392 12,750 2,999,940 202,054,396 166,859,560 7,471,210 486,800 62,461,520 12,622,170 446,716 764,530 19,982,920 639,350 3,300

52,000 -4,600 5,000 -28,276,023 15,630 -203,710 -2,655,842 832,970 -203,200 49,110 -7,640,877 278,750.00 5,400 182,324 -4,008,530 22,550 -100,450.00 501.9999 19,440 23,034 -21,627,965 84,000 2,066,970 2,259,327.50 224,320.00 6,288,100 -37,100 -

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

0.0034 2.85 4.95 2.3 2.3 0.56 0.4 11.38 3.7 0.285 0.211 0.212 0.012 0.012 1.87 8.47 3.3 1.2 0.01 0.012 8.2 3.76 130 2.91

0.0034 2.95 5.37 2.3 2.3 0.56 0.4 13.2 3.88 0.285 0.219 0.216 0.012 0.012 2.07 8.79 3.42 1.45 0.011 0.012 8.27 3.88 134 3

0.0033 2.81 4.95 2.25 2.3 0.54 0.4 11.22 3.68 0.275 0.205 0.212 0.012 0.012 1.87 8.45 3.22 1.2 0.01 0.011 8.2 3.76 130 2.91

MINING & OIL 0.0034 125,000,000 2.9 274,000 5.29 4,086,000 2.25 40,000 2.3 4,000 0.55 1,485,000 0.4 360,000 12.88 924,500 3.78 13,594,000 0.28 1,520,000 0.207 15,980,000 0.212 1,880,000 0.012 1,900,000 0.012 300,000 2 5,978,000 8.75 7,634,200 3.37 839,000 1.39 13,302,000 0.011 61,000,000 0.012 49,400,000 8.27 1,749,500 3.8 1,179,000 134 763,500 3 17,000

424,700 781,460 21,361,910 90,250 9,200 816,850 144,000 11,662,428 51,556,990 428,950 3,387,180 402,970 22,800 3,600 11,823,870 66,391,192 2,824,280 18,030,830 640,900 591,500 14,437,810 4,481,250 101,240,265 49,920

-177,900 -581,420 27,500 -38,640 1,119,770 107,500 -2,400 -368,110 -2,276,419 -207,410 -278,030 -3,300 -16,540 -148,590 24,136,778 -15,000

ABS HLDG PDR DD PREF GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

45 104.1 540 5.86 1,021 1,014 112.5 1,100 1,026 109.9 79.95 77.95 78.5

45 105 540 5.86 1,022 1,020 112.5 1,100 1,030 110 79.95 77.95 78.5

44.8 104 540 5.86 1,021 1,014 112.5 1,100 1,015 109.9 79.95 77.95 78.5

PREFERRED 44.8 69,600 104.9 112,250 540 43,010 5.86 4,300 1,022 10,010 1,020 14,120 112.5 2,000 1,100 6,550 1,030 800 110 6,070 79.95 300 77.95 10 78.5 10

3,120,120 11,743,896 23,225,400 25,198 10,227,230 14,401,250 225,000 7,205,000 817,135 667,600 23,985 779.5 785

-2,240,250 -

LR WARRANT

2.35

2.6

2.35

WARRANTS 2.47 1,494,000

3,709,320

12,400

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.59 3.69 2.79 9.84

2.74 3.69 2.8 10.04

2.5 3.42 2.79 9.81

2.5 3.43 2.8 9.88

6,890,250 364,710 27,940 30,392,380

147,700 34,680 -13,488,482

FIRST METRO ETF

113.5

113.5

113.1

1,644,165

-

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

16,528,972

INDUSTRIAL

66,742,522

HOLDING FIRMS

76,878,047

PROPERTY

193,935,873

SERVICES

174,900,203

MINING & OIL

309,770,680

GRAND TOTAL

844,643,487

SME

2,703,000 105,000 10,000 3,051,800

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113.5 14,490

VALUE 1,672.57 (up) 3.17 940,130,528.12 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,054.13 (up) 55.34 789,812,167.6065 HOLDING FIRMS 7,038.83 (up) 70.84 1,663,789,711.25 PROPERTY 3,004.49 (up) 18.71 SERVICES 1,300.03 (down) 11.25 1,632,789,220.73 MINING & OIL 12,415.40 (up) 271.06 796,019,563.97 PSEI 6,873.31 (up) 36.67 311,692,559.144 All Shares Index 4,170.64 (up) 21.54 6,173,561,189.0165 Gainers:113; Losers: 65; Unchanged: 47; Total: 225

among emerging market governments that his threats to tear up global trade deals could lead to an era of protectionism and throw up huge US tariffs.

“There’s a favorable bias to equities, given the expectations post Trump’s election that US growth will pick up as a result of more fiscal spending and a reduction in corporate tax rates,” Chris Green, director of economics and strategy at First NZ Capital Group in Auckland, told Bloomberg News.

The near certainty that Trump’s policies will fuel inflation, forcing the Federal Reserve to lift rates, has pushed the dollar higher.

On Thursday, it headed towards the 113 yen mark for the first time since April— touching 112.97 yen before easing—while it was also sharply up against most other units.

The tumbling yen lifted exporters on Tokyo’s Nikkei index, which ended 0.9 percent higher as it reopened after a day’s holiday.

But, while the acrossthe-board losses were pared elsewhere, traders remained cautious. Hong Kong fell 0.3 percent in the afternoon, Sydney ended flat and Seoul was off 0.8 percent. Singapore added 0.1 percent and Taipei slipped 0.3 percent.

Shanghai ended flat. Jakarta dropped more than one percent and Bangkok dipped 0.1 percent.

With AFP, Bloomberg

Smart expands roaming services MOBILE company Smart Communications recently launched Chat Abroad, the country’s first “chat apps only” data roaming service for Smart prepaid subscribers to beef up its lineup of roaming services that meet the diverse needs of travelers.

Smart Chat Abroad allows prepaid subscribers to use 6 popular chat messaging apps―Facebook Messenger, Viber, Telegram, WeChat, Line and WhatsApp―while traveling in over 130 countries. The service comes at a fixed rate of only P150 per day.

The company said with Smart Chat Abroad, prepaid subscribers now have another option when communicating back home or even with their travel companions abroad.

“Smart Chat Abroad is the best data roaming service for those who just want to use messaging while abroad. It is designed for budget travelers, so they can stay connected with people who matter to them at rates that are friendly on the pocket,” said Tina Mariano, head of Smart’s Global Access Group.

The service was unveiled during the Smart Unboxed 3.0 event at the Smart Store in SM North Edsa.

“Expanding the suite of services to address the needs and budget of Filipinos traveling abroad either as tourists or as expatriate workers enables us to corner a bigger share of the roaming market.

We will continue to design products and services that are in synch with the evolving needs of the market,” she said.

Mariano said with Smart Chat Abroad, one could send and receive text chats or messages, stickers, photos and GIF images.

Business MPIC unit signs deal on toll road connector

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said Thursday it signed a 35year concession agreement for the construction of an expressway linking North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said the P23billion NLEx-SLEx connector road project would start construction in 2018 and would be completed by late 2018.

The government has 30 months from signing of toll concession agreement to deliver the right of way. “We are hoping though that the government can deliver the ROW in sections to enable us to start sectional construction before the 30-month deadline,” Franco said.

The company would invest P15.74 billion on the NLExSLEx project, while the government would spend P7.46 billion for right-of-way acquisition.

The connector road is an unsolicited proposal approved by the National Economic and Development Authority under the build-operate-transfer scheme for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of an eight-kilometer elevated toll expressway over the right of way of Philippine National Railways.

The project starts at the junction of NLEx Segment 10 at C-3 Road/5th Ave. in Caloocan City and seamlessly connects to South Luzon Expressway though Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project in Manila.

B3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

China tapping 10 PH banks

By Othel V. Campos

S

TATE-OWNED Bank of China is in talks with ten Philippines banks including Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. and Land Bank of the Philippines to retail the $3-billion fund committed by the Chinese lender to the Philippines.

A team of high ranking officials from Bank of China’s main office in Beijing attended the first of a series of roadshows in the Philippines to link with local financing institutions including banks and microfinance lenders.

Bank of China president Jun Deng said more financ-

ing institutions and legitimate lenders would be announced soon.

“This is just the initial phase. We will be having discussions with the banks we invited. Maybe later on, we’ll disclose these banks and the development of our discussions,”

he said during the Manila leg of the roadshow held Thursday at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City.

The roadshow is a pre-event exercise in preparation for the Bank of China’s global SME cross-border trade and investment conference that will take place in Davao City in 2017.

Bank of China will provide details on how it will disperse financing to Philippine SMEs during the Davao conference.

The bank said it would also bring in 100 Chinese SMEs interested in the Philippine agro-industrial industry.

“Agribusiness is one of the key areas important to China.

Other interests include technology, renewable energy which is heavy on solar-based power production and the furniture industry,” said International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines president Jesus Varela.

Initial talks between the Chinese bankers and Filipino businessmen pointed to Mindanao as the priority area.

The conference will also serve as a matchmaking event for SMES to have access to financing from credited financing retailers of Bank of China.

Bank of China said while the $3-billion financing com-

Real estate developer Century Properties Group Inc. teams up with global business enterprise Mitsubishi Corp. to develop horizontal housing units that target first time homebuyers. Shown signing the agreement are (from left) Century Properties Group chief finance officer Jose Carlo Antonio, chief operating officer Marco Antonio, chairman and chief executive Jose Antonio, Mitsubishi Corp. general manager of Asean real estate development department, real estate business division Hidetoshi Suzuki, division chief operating officer of real estate business Takuya Kuga, Manila Branch general manager Yoshio Amano and Manila Branch deputy general manager Masahiro Nagaoka.

Century Properties, Mitsubishi team up to build houses

By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Properties Group Inc., the property unit of newly appointed special envoy to the United States Jose Antonio, teamed up with Mitsubishi Corp. of Japan to develop affordable housing projects in the country.

Century Properties said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the partnership with Mitsubishi to develop horizontal housing units for first-time homebuyers was in line with the company’s diversification into affordable housing market.

Century Properties said as its initial foray, the joint venture secured a 26-hectare property in Tanza, Cavite to develop around 4,000 homes.

“We are currently pursuing more fervently new projects in the first homebuyer market.

We will proceed with the same amount of prudence, opportunism and progressive mentality that we have always employed.

We will deliver projects that are expected to offer reliable returns in reasonable payback periods. These and a few other initiatives will steer the company towards long-term growth

and profitability, which can ride the peaks and troughs of real estate cycles,” Antonio said.

“In our 30-year history, we pride ourselves for our contributions to Manila’s landscape, having built high-quality iconic projects that cater to the luxury, middle income and affordable market segments. We thank Mitsubishi Corp.n for its continued confidence in CPG’s ability to deliver the best value to the market,” he said.

This is the second joint venture partnership between Century Properties and Mitsubishi Corp.

Both parties signed a joint venture partnership in September 2015 to develop the $100-million Forbes Media Tower in the Philippines.

“I know that with the economic growth, people in the middle-income class of the Philippines are drastically expanding. On the other hand, I also heard that housing supply for this rising middle class does not catch up with the big demand and this is one of the biggest social problems in the Philippines. We, Mitsubishi, wish not only to catch this big business opportunity but

also to contribute to improvement of living environment in the Philippines together with Century Properties,” said Takuya Kuga, Mitsubishi Corp. division chief operating officer of real estate business.

Century Properties last year identified affordable housing as one of the two allied real estate segments together with tourism for its business expansion.

The move aims address the strong demand in the affordable housing segment, which has a significant share in the backlog of 5.56 million units.

ICTSI participates in Africa conference

PH-CHINA TIES. Trade Department officials met with a 14-man Chinese delegation on Nov. 14 to discuss the progress and economic gains from the recent high-level meeting between Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Xi Jinping. Shown are Trade undersecretary for industry development Ceferino Rodolfo (left) and China’s Ministry of Commerce director-general for Asia Wu Zhengping.

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. business development director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Jacob Gulmann provided insight into some of the key factors underpinning successful port projects during the 16th Intermodal Africa Conference in Mombasa, Kenya.

Drawing on experience both in and outside Africa, Gulmann discussed the importance of having a clear and unbeatable customer value proposition, flexible investment phasing in line with cargo volumes and timely hinterland connectivity.

Gulmann highlighted ICTSI’s commitment to developing, managing and operating ports in Kenya and East Africa in general. “We have experience in Africa, including some major success stories such as our Madagascar International Container Terminal, widely recognized as one of the best performing terminals in the Sub-Saharan African region,” he said.

“We are prepared to invest, the most recent example being at our Matadi Gateway Terminal on the Congo River in the D.R. Congo. This opened for business earlier this year, and here we have invested $100 million in infrastructure, equipment, IT and training,” he said.

“In East Africa,” he said, “we have an interest in taking over ex-

isting terminals or, as our Matadi project demonstrates, building, equipping and operating new terminals. Projects that we are now monitoring include: any proposed public private partnership for Mombasa’s newly opened second container terminal; the new container terminal project in Dar es Salaam and the new port projects of Lamu (Kenya) and Bagamoyo (Tanzania).”

ICTSI, together with a large number of other conference delegates, also participated in the preconference visit to Mombasa’s new Kipevu Container Terminal.

“It is a fine facility and one that places the port of Mombasa in a very strong position to build, national, transit and transhipment cargo. Also the fact that it is commencing operation at a time when the first phase of the new standard gauge railway will soon be open for business is a major plus factor. It will undoubtedly strengthen the case for the use of the Northern Corridor, connecting Mombasa with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the D.R. Congo,” Gulmann said.

ICTSI was additionally represented in the exhibition for the 16th Intermodal Africa and over the course of the two-day event hosted a wide range of visitors at its stand including government dignitaries and senior personnel from companies active throughout the logistics chain.

mitment would not be for the sole benefit of SMEs, the bigger portion of the fund will help SMEs grow and build a global enterprise.

Deng said a portion of the financing would also support important infrastructure and energy projects and programs that would promote industrialization.

Bank of China held 26 cross-border trade and investment conferences across the world that attracted over 30,000 people from political and business circles and more than 15,000 enterprises from 60 countries over the past two years.

GBPP to build La Union coal plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores ILOILO CITY―Global Business Power Corp. is teaming up with Meralco PowerGen Corp. to build a 670-megawatt coal-fired power project in Luna, La Union province, officials said Thursday.

Global Business president Rolando Bacani said the parties agreed in principle to pursue the partnership.

“They [Meralco PowerGen] have already spent money for the project,” Bacani said.

Meralco PowerGen’s parent company Manila Electric Co. has a minority stake in Global Business Power, one of the biggest power players in the Visayas.

Global Business Power executive vice president Jaime Azurin said a third partner would be tapped to proceed with the project.

The project company― Global Luzon Energy Development Corp.--is in the process of getting the environmental compliance certificate for the project, he said.

“We are targeting to finish [ECC] in the first quarter, including transmission connection. Hopefully, by early 2018 we can start construction,” Azurin said.

He said most power plants were being constructed in the southern side of Luzon, resulting in congestion in that part. Global Business Power therefore decided to look for a facility in the northern Luzon, he said.

The two by 335-MW coalfired power generating facility would be built in Barangays Carisquis and Nalvo Sur, Luna, La Union.

Azurin said the planned power facility would cost $2 million per megawatt to construct. Global Luzon already inked a power sales agreement with Meralco for 600 MW of capacity.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

B4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

Motoring

“Gono is fast,” says world’s number one Drift racer Daigo Saito

LAST MAN STANDING Text by Dino Ray V. Directo

Y

oung hot shoe Luis Gono of Team MotulAutoplus emerged as the last man standing as he pulled off a spectacular display of skill and confidence for Team Philippines at the recently concluded Judgement Day drift competition.

Held at the Clark International Speedway, Gono drove his 470bhp Nissan Silvia S13 powered by a hybrid design Neo SR20 DET 4 cylinder turbo to its limit, as he battled it out with 35 of the country’s best drift racers led by Atoy Llave, Alex Perez and David Feliciano. Atoy

Llave who placed seventh overall, also had a commendable race considering that the country’s King of bodykits went to compete in the drift fest after a three-year hiatus from the sport. “He drove as if he drifts every week, amazing,” says one of the judges.

Gono was second overall in the two-day drift fest which saw Team Philippines compete against the best of Japan which was led by the World’s number one drift racer Daigo Saito.

Saito drove his “Monster Energy” 700bhp 2JZ powered Toyota Chaser.

As competitors dropped like flies, the afternoon leg was the penultimate battle which saw Gono burning rubber with Saito at every corner of the track. With both cars clocking in at an entry speed of 205kph sideways at the Speedway’s first corner, foreign judges ruled a tie and decided for another run to settle the championship. It was during this deciding run that Gono’s Silvia blew a manifold and had to settle for second overall, same with Saito who also had to

finish the race with a borrowed car due to mechanical problems with his Chaser. “My heart felt like it was going to burst right out of my chest and I had to calm myself down and focus on the race. It’s a learning experience for me to compete against the best of the best in this drift competition,” says Gono.

“The kid is fearless and calculating. He has a great future in drift racing and I wish for him to continue his streak in this sport,” exclaims Saito after his heated battle with the young drift ace.

Prior to his stint at Judgement Day, Luis Gono is also the first Toyota Vios Cup Champion. His Sylvia’s engine was rebuilt by famed tuner Pacho Blanco of Autoplus.

The all-new Honda Civic RS Turbo was officially crowned as the 2016 Car of the Year -- Philippines, beating 72 contenders for the industry’s most prestigious award at the Cagi Awards night held on Nov. 21, 2016 at One Rockwell East Tower in Makati city.

The RS Turbo also took home this hear’s honors in the Best Compact ar category and bags the SpeedLab Tuner’s Choice Award in another triumphant night for the Japanese car maker. These latest accolades firm up the 10th generation Civic as a dominant return to form for Honda’s best-selling model.

Maxliner’s Maxbox: Tough as tough can be CURRENTLY the world’s biggest outfitters of SUVs and trucks, Maxliner encourages you to maximize your vehicle’s flexibility and toughness by protecting your flat bed with its line of bed liners. Like its line of bedliners, the Maxbox is tough and designed for all-weather reliability and theft proof for additional safety to store your personal gear and

equipment.

Maxliner bedliners are easy to install and fits most pick-up models such as the Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hi-Lux, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Strada, Nissan Navara and the Ford Ranger. Based in Thailand, Maxliner is an OEM certified supplier of global brands such as Toyota, Isuzu, Honda, Ford, Nissan, General Motors, and Tata.

Designed and built to ISO 14001 BVQI standards, Maxliner bed liners are made of High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) material for high impact strength and makes your truck’s bed water and corrosion resistant. Maxliner bed liners have also undergone stringent testing in harsh environments to meet the demands of a global market to conform with global ISO

Tollways team up with Waze THE Manila North Tollways Corporation, concessionaire of North Luzon Expressway and Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway announced a data-sharing partnership with Waze, the free, real-time, crowd sourced traffic and navigation app, to provide free, real-time traffic reports at the integrated expressway.

The Waze Connected Citizens Program (WCCP) gives a pace-setting look at road activity, allowing partners to harness driver insights to increase safety, improve traffic flow and make better-informed planning decisions.

“This program is in line with MNTC’s commitment to enhance the traveling experience of motorists by providing updated and accurate information via Waze platform,” said MNTC president Rodrigo E. Franco.

With the partnership, Waze will provide MNTC with real-time, anonymous, Waze user-generated traffic jams and user-reported incidents and in return, the tollways company will deliver periodic updates on road repairs, constructions, and closures as well as give information on major events and inclement weather conditions along NLEX-SCTEX. MNTC will also integrate Waze data streams into its traffic management and monitoring systems to help motorists have a more enjoyable and safer travel.

The Waze map evolves with every driver and data point it receives, promoting safer roads and sharing more knowledge with Wazers about potential delays to their travels. The Connected Citizens program yields even more data, giving motorists a greater ability to avoid road closures and traffic jams within the app.

“Waze is only as strong as the information it receives from its users and partners,” said Paige Fitzgerald, Head of Data Acquisition at Waze. “No one knows more about what is happening on the roads than Wazers, and MNTC will be able to use these insights to further promote safer roads. In exchange, MNTC is providing critical road closure and incident data to Waze, helping Wazers better steer clear of major traffic events and real-time traffic blocks.”

Waze is the social navigation pioneer, leveraging mobile technology and a passionate global community to redefine expectations of today’s maps. Waze is home to the world’s largest network of drivers who work together daily to outsmart traffic and save time and money. The app consistently recommends the fastest routes based on real-time driving and data from millions of users. From traffic reroutes to low gas price alerts and relevant offers from favorite brands, Waze is one of the most comprehensive driving companions in the marketplace.

‘No big Caraga military moves’

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday denied any massive military deployment in the Caraga region.

Philippine Army Commanding General Eduardo Aṅo said the deployment of troops in Caraga is related to the Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan of the AFP. “There is no such thing as massive deployment in Caraga.

We are just crafting our next IPSP Bayanihan campaign plan. We are just continuing what we have started, especially the Bayaniha team activities,” he said.

The rebel New People’s Army recently threatened to end the unilateral ceasefire in the region because of the alleged military movement.

NPA North-Central Mindanao Spokesperson Ka Allan Juanito said the military’s deployment in the hinterland areas is a clear counter-insurgence move of the AFP. However, President Rodrigo Duterte, in a separate press conference here, said that since the declaration of the unilateral ceasefire at the start of his term, he had not restricted the military from deploying their troops in the hinterland.

He asked the Army to continue their work in securing the country, but noted “it did not conclude that it will lead to any encounter.”

Duterte said his only mandate to the government’s troops is to never initiate any contact of violence and to never fire a shot against the communist rebels.

“The soldiers and the police should be anywhere and everywhere as long as they do not initiate any contact of violence,” he said.

The President said the unilateral ceasefire “does not deprive us of the territorial jurisdiction.” He also told the military to never prohibit the rebels from enlisting members “since it is not against the law.”

However, the NPA should also consider allowing the military to continue their civil military activity, like the IPSP Bayanihan, he added.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

Payatas PPP gets green light W

By Rio N. Araja

ITH the closure of the Payatas controlled landfill in 2019, the 38-member Quezon City Council has given Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to put up a multimillion-peso waste-to-energy facility in Barangay Payatas under a publicprivate partnership.

The city council passed a resolution to establish an integrated facility to hasten the closure of the Payatas dump, handle 2,000 to 3,000 tons of wastes a day, and generate 30 to 35 megawatts of power.

Despite the project being originally proposed by tycoon Manny

V. Pangilinan of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp., the city government will still invite other infrastructure firms through an open competitive bidding procedures, City Administrator Aldrin Cuña said.

“We will publicize the bid and invite other parties. There will

be a Swiss challenge,” Cuña told the Standard.

Under the resolution, the city government shall ensure the project configuration of the proposed waste-to-energy facility complies with existing laws and regulations, “including but not limited to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, Clean Air Act, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Act, Renewable Energy Act of 2008, and guidelines governing the establishment and operation of waste-to-energy technologies for solid wastes.”

Bautista said he has already convened the city’s publicprivate partnership selection committee to oversee the preselection and selection of private

sector proponents for the project.

If plans do not miscarry, the city government “is projecting additional revenue if the power generated from the soon-to-bedeveloped waste-to-energy facility is sold to electric companies” such as the Manila Electric Co., the mayor said.

Apart from powering Barangay Payatas, savings derived from the sale of the electricity would fund the construction of more school buildings, health centers, hospitals and multipurpose halls, Bautista said.

The mayor also expects a reduction in the power consumption of city government-owned facilities and properties when the project connects to the power grid.

The city government is spend-

Real Estate Appraisers Inc. (IPREA) represented by professional appraiser Javier Bondoc, lauded the city government for its “extensive” public consultations on the general revision of property values.

A retired Navy captain, Bondoc said he and the other property owners in Sta. Perpetua Village in Barangay Tandang Sora were satisfied by the explanations of the officials of the Office of the City Assessor and councilors.

Bautista is pushing for the revision of the real-property tax or cost for buildings under the fair market values of land and basic construction cost for buildings mandated by Section 219 of the 1991 Local Government Code.

“We’ve noticed that the councilors are doing a commendable effort in hearing out the people’s sentiments and opinions, and explaining the details of this ordinance,” Bondoc said. “This is very positive, very progressive.”

Bondoc’s wife is also the president of the nearby homeowners association of Sta. Perpetua Village.

The most important thing about discussions on real properties is giving enough consideration on the “affordability” of corresponding tax dues, or the capacity of the people, especially the poor, to pay taxes, Bondoc said.

Joseph Deang, president of Rockville I Subdivision in Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, said: “In my limited ca-

pacity, I will try to relay to them what I have heard and learned from this public consultation today. I will also encourage them to attend subsequent consultations and discussions with the officials of city hall.”

Bautista asked the committee on ways and means to comply with the recommendations of the Commission on Audit and Department of Finance to update the city’s outdated land and property values. Rio N. Araja

JV eyes more legal protection for cops SENATOR Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito on Thursday lamented the lack of legal protection for policemen, especially anti-drug operatives, who face criminal lawsuits while carrying out law enforcement operations.

Speaking at the graduation of the second batch of trainees who completed the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officers Training Course in Manila, Ejercito cited the need for the government to provide legal assistance to police officers who are always at risk of being accused of abuse and purported human rights violations while performing their duties.

“For example, police officers would catch drug pushers, only to be charged later on by these big-time pushers who are wellconnected and has the financial means to hire lawyers. Then what? Our poor policemen are suspended, and sometimes dismissed, unable to fight back in court because they do not have

ing P1 billion a year for solid waste management, including hauling services, post-closure care and maintenance of the Payatas dump, special operations and toxic or hazardous waste collection, treatment and disposal.

In June 2013, Pangilinan offered to develop a 15-hectare portion of Payatas and build a waste-to-energy facility in three years’ time. It would also house a shopping mall and other commercial establishments. He brought up the proposal again recently.

Jose Ma. Lim, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. president, said the project would utilize trash for conversion to biofuel, and would generate 30 to 40 megawatts of power.

ANGONO’S FLEET. With Metro Manila’s skyline in the horizon, a fleet leaves the port at Wawa Lake Park in Angono, Rizal to sail Laguna de Bay for a fluvial parade in honor of the town’s patron saint, San Clemente. The celebration, led by Angono Mayor Gerry Calderon (inset), is also part of the town’s Basaan and Higantes festivals every third week of November. Manny Palmero

QC gets thumbs up for fair market value info drive QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday welcomed the positive reactions of an appraisers’ group and property owners in the city in consulting them over the proposed adjustment in the fair market value of their holdings.

“Of course, Mayor Bautista is a firm believer and advocate of transparency and participatory governance,” City Administrator Aldrin Cuña said.

The Institute of Philippine

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legal protection,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito was in the DARE Officers Training Course, as he congratulated the 36 policemen and soldiers who completed the course. “’Yan po ang nangyayari.

That’s the sad reality that our law enforcers are facing. Hopefully this time around, we will be able to address those problems,” he added.

“In behalf of the Senate, we would like to thank you for training our law enforcers here in the past weeks. Rest assured, to the Philippine DARE Foundation, that we will work together hand in hand,” the senator added.

Ejercito’s father, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada, thanked a team of DARE America instructors who came to Manila to train local policemen and soldiers in teaching the anti-drug education program to elementary school students.

Sandy Araneta

BASEY’s NEW ‘PARK’. Workers feed agricultural waste into a recycling machine that’s part of the new

Basey Ecological Park in Basey, Samar. The United Nations Development Program partnered with the local government of Basey to provide the town with the park, which is an integrated sanitary landfill, waste recycling and disposal facility, and wastewater treatment plant, built at a cost of P14 million. Mel Caspe

Poison gas kills 3 Itogon miners ITOGON, Benguet—Three pocket miners died late Tuesday of suspected gas poisoning inside an abandoned private mine tunnel as they tried to retrieve their equipment at Fatima, Ucab here, police said.

Authorities identified the small-scale miners as Rosalino Api-it Narciza, 54; Rimando Api-it, 36; and Santiago Falikao Banganan, 32, all residents of Ucab.

Initial investigation showed Narcisa entered the mine tunnel to get their mining equipment, but he didn’t come out.

This prompted his nephew Rimando to follow him inside, but he also failed to emerge after several hours.

Bangaan, who just came out of his own mine tunnel, reportedly tried to check on the two miners by using a blower, but he too did not return, prompting other pocket miners to go after them with better equipment.

The rescuers first extracted Banganan, who was declared dead at around 3:30 p.m. The remains of Api-it and Narciza were recovered minutes later, and brought to their respective families.

Mayor Victorio Palangdan called on small scale miners, mostly unaided by breathing apparatus, to take extra care in their work. Dexter A. See

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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TODAYNOVEMBER 25, 2016 FRIDAY,

Neda OKs P600m more for CHARM B

By Dexter A. See

AGUIO CITY—The National Economic and Development Authority–Investment Coordinating Council has approved P600 million for the scale-up and extension of the Second Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management (CHARM) project for another two years ending on December 2018.

Dr. Cameron Odsey, CHARM project manager, said 65 percent of the approved project amount will fund infrastructure projects

ranging from farm-to-market roads, irrigation, and water-impounding projects in identified beneficiary barangays.

Another 25 percent will be used for the agroforestry and watershed management, and 10 percent is earmarked as the seed money for organizations implementing livelihood projects.

Odsey said the seven-year CHARM project will end this December after the implementation of catch-up plans that used funds earmarked for programmed interventions in the communities identified to benefit from the foreign assistance.

The doctor admitted there were delays in the execution of the identified projects in some

of the beneficiary communities owing to problems with existing local policies. These were eventually addressed through the application of the catch-up plans that would be achieved by the end of this year.

He explained that participatory approach was one of the integral elements and strategies of the project; thus, it will also be part of the strategies to be used for the expansion of the CHARM. “Participatory approach is the meaningful and inclusive participation of all stakeholders from planning to implementa-

tion to monitoring and evaluation of development interventions,” Odsey stressed.

“Participation extends to the identification and prioritization of needs and projects; decisionmaking; allocation of resources and implementation of projects by community members, council of elders, women, traditional institutions; local government units, national line agencies and the funding agencies.”

Odsey pointed out that the approval of the extension of the project for another two years is considered as a reward by the

World Bank to the government for successfully implementing the programmed projects for the seven-year period, where 37 municipalities regionwide benefitted from various interventions.

He explained the involvement of the communities and other stakeholders in all stages of project implementation, starting from the participatory project investment planning to evaluation. This resulted in the empowerment of the 170 project-covered communities and the capacitation of the various stakeholders, primarily the indigenous peoples, Odsey said.

IN BRIEF Davao gets stricter with jaywalkers DAVAO CITY—The City Traffic and Transport Management Office will strictly implement the anti-jaywalking ordinance starting December 1, CTTMO chief Rhodelio Poliquit said.

While the city was lenient with jaywalkers in the past, Poliquit said those caught will be fined P100 or penalized with four hours of community service.

“We will be apprehending jaywalkers to give a better flow of traffic to our commuters,” Poliquit said.

“The city spends so much on [building] our overpasses, but they weren’t utilized by pedestrians. This time we will make sure the public will use them,” he added. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

2 men run amuck in Silang, 1 dead

A DAY FOR KIDS. Pagsanjan Mayor Maita Ejercito and daycare children dressed in national costumes of countries around the world celebrate Universal Children’s Day in the Philippines. With the theme ‘Isulong, Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa lahat ng Batang Bright Child,’ the event was held at the Liwasang Don Manuel Soriano in Pagsanjan, Laguna, on Monday. Roy Tomandao

Batangas STL operator hit with P959-m tax evasion case

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has been asked to prosecute a Batangas-based operator of the Small Town Lottery system of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for alleged tax evasion amounting to P959 million.

In a complaint filed with the DOJ, the Bureau of Internal Revenue accused officials of Batangas Enhanced Technology Systems Inc. of violating the National Internal Revenue Code.

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Named respondents in the case are officials of BETSI led by president Benedicto Bulatao, Rolando Montecillo and Treasurer Jessie Cantos.

The was the first case filed by the BIR under its Run After Tax Evaders program since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the post last June.

Bulatao served as president of the company from 2009 to 2013, while Montecillo served in the same position from 2014 to 2015.

The respondents were charged

for willful attempt to evade or defeat the payment of tax, deliberate failure to supply correct information in its income tax return, willful failure to file value-added tax return, failure to register as a VAT taxpayer and failure to pay for documentary stamp tax from 2007 to 2015 in violation of the NIRC. The BIR said they started its probe on the respondents after they received a confidential information on their alleged tax evasion.

The BIR complaint stressed that

based on the data gathered during the investigation, BETSI underdeclared its correct taxable income

by P3.61 million in 2007, P10.66 million in 2008, P14.05 million in 2009, P25.54 million in 2010, P52.03 million in 2011, P45.73 million in 2012, P28.38 million in 2013, P58.75 million in 2014 and P128.38 million last year for a total amount of P367.11 million.

“As a consequence of its acts and omission, BETSI, together with its responsible corporate officers, was held liable to pay an

estimated aggregate tax liability in the amount of P959.96 million broken down into P199.02 million in income tax, P136.55 million in VAT and P624.39 in documentary stamp tax.

The BIR said the amount includes surcharges and interest of the tax liability of the respondents.

The RATE program was started by the BIR during the term of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a measure against suspected violators of the NIRC of 1997.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Eastern Samar Municipality of Balangiga

Tuba coffee farmers see robust growth

INVITATION TO BID

TUBA, Benguet—Members of the Tuba Benguet Coffee Growers Association are optimistic about the robust growth of the coffee industry here following the rising number of farmers wanting to produce coffee.

From a membership of 35 in 2007, the group now has 129 members, with half already harvesting from their coffee plantations, said Shirley Palao-ay, TUBENGCOGA president.

The 40 hectares of coffee plantations in Tuba’s 13 barangays have an annual production of about 3.5 tons of coffee beans, sold to traders at P300 per kilo, she added.

Dexter A. See

The Local Government Unit of Balangiga, Eastern Samar through the Department of Finance of the Government of the Philippines has received a grant from the Federal Republic of Germany (KFW) under the Financing and Project Agreement with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the KFW, and through the approved local budget counterpart, series of 2015, toward the cost of the Yolanda Reconstruction Program (Contract No. BMZ No. 201367473), and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this grant in the amount of Twelve Million Two Hundred Seventy Six Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty Two and 24/100Pesos (Php12,276,762.24) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the Contract for the Proposed Rehabilitation of Balangiga Seawall (with surface water drainage)at Local Government of Balangiga, Province of Eastern, Samar. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Local Government Unit of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites bids for the proposed Proposed Rehabilitation of Balangiga Seawall (with surface water drainage) at Balangiga, Eastern Samar. Completion of the works is required within three hundred sixty four calendar Days (364 c.d.).

Description of Major Items of Works: This project involves the rehabilitation of 314.236 linear meter seawall with the following scope of work, to wit: Excavation, Demolition and Clearing of Existing Damaged Seawall, Reinforced Concrete Capping, Reinforced Concrete Deflector, Rubble Concrete, Concrete Tapping, Drainage, C.I. Flap Valve, and Embankment (Hand Laid Rock).

Prospective Bidders must have experience of having completed one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid, and whose value, adjusted to current prices using the NSO consumer price indices with a value at least 50% of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) and have key personnel and equipment available for the implementation of the contract. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in the Instruction to Bidders.

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Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (Revised IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Act”. All particulars relative to the Eligibility Statements and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bid Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation with some amendments, as indicated in the Bidding Documents, to conform with the KFW Guidelines for the Procurement of Goods, Works and Associated Services in Financial Cooperation with partner Countries, dated May 2007 with last updated in September 2013. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC of the Local Government of Balangiga, Province of Eastern Samar and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address given below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (Php. 25,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids. The Pre-bid Conference is opened to all interested Parties.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address given below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Schedule of BAC Activities is as follows:

BAC ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE November 25, 2016 to December 14, 2016 at Balangiga Municipal Hall 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. December 2, 2016, 2:00 P.M., at the SB Session Hall, Municipal 2. Pre-Bid Conference Building, Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

Deadline for submission and receipt of bids is on December 14, 2016 3. Deadline of Submission and Receipt of at 2:00 P.M. Bidding Documents Bids may be submitted on or before the December 14, 2016 at Municipal Hall of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

Bids will be opened on December 14, 2016, immediately after the 2:00 4. Opening of Bids P.M. deadline for the receipt of bids at Municipal Hall of Balangiga, Eastern Samar 8.

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

Bids and Awards Committee c/o DEXTER A. ALVARINA BAC Secretariat Local Government Unit of Balangiga, Province of Eastern Samar Contact No. 09356949436 Email: bac.lgubalangiga@gmail.com Approved by:

(MS-NOV. 25, 2016)

SILANG, Cavite—Two men ran amuck but met different fates in separate incidents in this city on Sunday.

In the first incident, police shot and killed Ronald Aguirre, 42, a construction worker after he stabbed a policeman with a bladed weapon along M. Belen Street in Barangay Poblacion 4 here.

In the second incident at Barangay Acacia, suspect Jerome Batingla was arrested after assaulting Edwin Furio, a barangay tanod on patrol, hitting him in the head with a potted plant and punching him before attempting to escape the police. Benjamin Chavez

(SGD.) ENGR. MARILOU C. BAJADO BAC Chairman Bids and Award Committee

DOING HIS JOB. Bataan second district Rep. Joet Garcia updates local media on his committee memberships in the House of Representatives on Monday. A firstterm congressman, Joet succeeded his father, Gov. Enrique ‘Tet’ Garcia, in the post after being mayor of Balanga town for three terms. Butch Gunio

SBMA to honor ‘Ten-O’ winners SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—An Aeta tribal member and a school paper adviser are among the 10 workers in this freeport who will be recognized today for their exemplary performance and contributions in their respective workplaces.

The Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers, also known as “Ten-O,” is an annual event initiated by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation, Inc., a non-government entity established by Freeport-based locators and investors, in partnership with the Labor Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Dennis Pablo, a high school graduate from the Aeta tribal community of Iram, currently works as maintenance leader at Cresc Incorporated.

He was cited for his dedication to work and his knowledge in technical matters that contributed to his company’s increases productivity.

The other awardee, Sergio Ontuca, is a respected professor, program head and moderator of school organ of the Mondriaan Aura College. He was cited for unselfishly giving his time in the curriculum development area, particularly in languages and social sciences, and inspiring students who found themselves gifted with the power of pen.

Ontuca, who started as a part-time college instructor, is also well-loved by faculty members, non-teaching personnel and students, the awards body noted.

The “Ten-O” were selected among more than 100,000 freeport workers,

hundreds of which were nominated to undergo a battery of interviews, performance appraisal and screening by the board of judges.

The other awardees are Mark Dwin Alqueza, Jeaneth Alvarez, Catherine Bondoc, Mark Henson Calunod, Engr. Rolinda Escaño, Riza Gallardo, Albert Manuel and Nhoel Pulido.

SBMA Labor Department manager and concurrent SBWDFI president Atty. Severo Pastor, Jr. said the 10 awardees are the epitome of the best Filipino workers in the country The selection focused on the advocacy of welfare and values of workers, to honor and recognize the “best among the best” for their discipline, dedication and commitment to excellence. Butch Gunio

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Standard

TODAY

Vote to impeach Park happens in December SEOUL―A vote to impeach South Korea’s scandal-hit president could take place as early as next week, lawmakers said Thursday.

A growing number of ruling party politicians have endorsed the opposition-led campaign to oust President Park Geun-Hye over the scandal involving her friend Choi Soon-Sil, who leveraged their mysterious ties in milking business companies for cash and peddling influence.

“We will seek to vote on the impeachment motion as early as December 2, and no later than December 9,” Woo Sang-Ho, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, was quoted as saying

by Yonhap news agency.

A senior ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker also said the impeachment move would be put to a parliamentary vote by December 9.

Opposition parties had been hesitant in pushing through an impeachment motion that requires two-thirds support, although they enjoy a combined working majority at the 300-seat parliament.

But the move gathered steam when former head of the ruling party Kim MooSung jumped into the fray Wednesday, declaring Park must be impeached for breaching the constitution.

More than 30 Saenuri lawmakers support Park’s impeachment, with 29 needed to cross party lines for the motion to be passed.

If the vote is successful it would be the first time in 12 years that South Korea’s parliament has impeached a president.

Park has issued public apologies and also promised to submit herself to an expanding probe by state prosecutors, as well as a separate investigation by an independent special prosecutor to be appointed by parliament.

Prosecutors said on Sunday Park had colluded with Choi, branding the president a “co-

culprit”.

They said Park would be probed as a suspect, pushing to interrogate her directly―a move which would make her the first sitting South Korean president to be quizzed by prosecutors.

Park’s lawyer has dismissed the probe’s findings as a “house of cards” built on “imagination and guesswork”, declaring she would not submit herself to the “politically-biased” prosecutors’ questioning.

Even if the impeachment vote gets two-thirds support at parliament there is no guarantee the country’s conservative Constitutional Court will approve it, even as the snowballing scandal continues to hit South Korean household names.

Prosecutors on Thursday raided the finance ministry and the headquarters of two of the country’s most powerful companies.

SK and Lotte have been accused of making huge donations to foundations linked with Choi in return for lucrative state licenses for dutyfree businesses.

The raid came a day after prosecutors searched the headquarters of Samsung Group over allegations it had bribed Choi to win state approval for a controversial merger it sought last year.

Park faces allegations that her government offered policy favors to the firms that offered contributions to Choi’s foundations.

Several heads of the country’s top firms, including Samsung and Hyundai, have been interviewed by prosecutors, shedding light on the unhealthy ties between the government and conglomerates that have endured for decades.

Public anger towards Park escalated earlier this month at one of the largest―and loudest―anti-government protests the country had ever witnessed. AFP

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID PROCUREMENT OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CY 2016 (Low Temp Plasma Sterilizer, Endoscopic Video System, Spirometer, and Digital Radiographic System) 1.

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The Valenzuela Medical Center, through the General Fund intends to apply the sum of Twenty Nine Million Pesos Only (Php 29,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (Low Temp, Plasma Sterilizer, Endoscopic Video System, Spirometer and Digital Radiographic System). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Valenzuela Medical Center now invites bids for Procurement of Medical Equipment. Delivery of the Goods is required 180 days. Bidders should have completed, within CY 2014 to 2015 from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Valenzuela Medical Center and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 9:00 AM to 4:00pm.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on November 25, 2016 to January 6, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php 5,000.00) (1M to 5M) Ten Thousand Pesos Only (Php 10,000.00) (5M to 10M), Fifteen Thousand Pesos Only (Php15,000.00) (10M – 20M ), Twenty Thousand Pesos Only (Php 20,000.00) for (20M-25M) and Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php 25,000.00) (25M and above).

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

6.

The Valenzuela Medical Center will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on December 05, 2016, 10:00 AM at VMC BAC Office, 2nd Floor, VMC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City , which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 06, 2016, 10:00 AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB. Bid opening shall be on January 06, 2016, 10:00 AM at the VMC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

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

For further information, please refer to:

8.

9.

IMELDA M. MATEO, MD, MBAH, FPCP, FPCCP VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER Medical Center Chief II Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax no. 294-46-25, Email vmc_bac@yahoo.com (SGD) DR. JOSEPH T. NOCOM, FPOA BAC Chairman (MS-NOV. 25, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

Manila

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

C3

He cheers them up by dancing the salsa C ARACAS―Venezuelans are running short of food, medicine and patience, but fear not: President Nicolas Maduro is here to cheer them up―by dancing the salsa.

Grinning under his black mustache, the burly, towering socialist swivels his hips and twirls his wife Cilia Flores in front of the cameras.

“People say I’m crazy for dancing salsa,” he said on one recent broadcast.

“Hands up everybody who dances salsa! Admit it, we’re all crazy!”

With hunger and violent crime gripping the country and the opposition calling for his head, this is Maduro’s new strategy for winning hearts and minds. That is an uphill battle; most Venezuelans would like him to leave power.

Wednesday was a case in point as Maduro celebrated his 54th birthday with a live performance

by old-school salsa greats El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

“What a surprise!” the president exclaimed before taking the first lady for a spin, dancing to the classic “Me libere.”

A former bus driver, Maduro has often sung and danced at campaign rallies.

But his continued capering amid the crisis, and his recent launch of a dedicated salsa radio show, seem like bad taste to some weary citizens.

“He is ridiculous. It’s offensive.

He is laughing at the people,” said Euro Bermudez, 62, coming out of a bank in Caracas after collecting his pension.

“Instead of spending money on television programs, he should be bringing us medicine.”

Spoof photo “memes” of Maduro online have shown him dancing in various inappropriate settings: at the scene of a crime or in a long queue for food.

But truck driver Orlando Zacarias, 49, said he saw Maduro’s dancing as a necessary means of continuing the “socialist revolution.”

“Little by little, he is reaching out to each and every Venezuelan to transmit his message,” Zacarias said.

Maduro launched his radio show “Salsa Hour” late last month on the same day that opposition lawmakers called for a political trial against him.

They say mismanagement and corruption in his government have plunged the country into crisis.

The opposition won control of the legislature in elections a year ago.

Now Maduro is using salsa’s popular beats to reach out to ordinary Venezuelans who deserted him in that vote, says social psy-

chologist Ricardo Sucre.

“He wants to show himself to be confident and relaxed, not as though his government is about to fall.”

Maduro himself brands the crisis a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.

He casts his programs as a counterweight to media that he says are out to discredit him.

The last edition of his television program “In Touch With Maduro” lasted four hours and featured a live salsa band.

With his long broadcasts, Maduro is carrying on a tradition of his late mentor and predecessor Hugo Chavez.

Chavez’s weekly television show “Alo Presidente” was an outspoken and unpredictable spectacle.

Maduro lacks Chavez’s charisma, Sucre says, but all the same “Chavez chose him as his successor because he could get through difficult times without looking nervous.” AFP

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF

INVITATION TO BID The DepED Region IV-A, through the 2016 GAA intends to apply the sum of Two Hundred Forty One Million Two Hundred Eighty Five Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Pesos and 42/100 (Php241,285,470.42) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to eligible payments under the contract for the Supply and Door-to-Door Delivery of Technical: Vocational and Livelihood Materials, Tools and Equipment for 15 Subject-Specializations to various Public Senior High Schools in Deped Region IV-A (inclusive of installation and testing of such Goods at Delivery Sites) 4th Batch. Bids received in excess of the ABC [per lot] shall be automatically rejected in accordance with Sec. 31.1 of the Revised IRR of RA 9184 at bid opening.

L o t N o.

G e n e r a l D e s c r i pt i o n: M a te r i a l s , To o l s a n d Eq u i p m e nt f o r t h e f t . s u b j e c t specializations

I

A g r i c u l t u r e a n d Fi s h e r y A r t s (A FA)

II

I n d u s t r i a l A r t s (I A)

III

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

IV

H o m e Ec o n o m i c s ( H E)

A p p r ove d B u d g et fo r t h e C o nt r ac t (A BC) (in Ph P) PH P 3 4,0 4 5,6 9 9. 6 0 6 8 , 32 3 , 8 37.6 9 2 3 , 2 0 5,16 5 .6 0 115,710,767. 5 3

TOTA L Contract Duration: Delivery Site(s):

2 41, 2 8 5 , 470. 4 2 75 Calendar Days Various Public Senior High- Schools in Deped Region IV-A enumerated in the Allocation List contained in Section VI of the Bidding Documents (please see attached CD)

The DepED IV-A, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites bids for the herein Goods. Delivery of the Goods is required to be delivered on the recipient public high schools within 75 calendar days upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders must have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The amount of the similar completed contract must be at least 50% of the ABC to be bid. {The prospective bidder should have completed at least two (2) similar contracts and the aggregate contract amounts should be equivalent to at least 50% of the ABC to be bid]; and the largest of these similar contracts must be equivalent to at least 250/0 of the ABC to be bid. [Sec. 23.5.1.3 rIRR]} The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, i.e., in Section II, Instructions to Bidders. Bidder may bid for one, more than one or all of the items in one, more than one or all of the lots. Evaluation and award shall be made on a per item/lot basis.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

: AUDIOWAV MEDIA INC. : : x--------------------------------x

A1 - A n i m a l & F i s h P r o d u c t i o n a n d F o o d P r o c e s s i n g B1 - P l a n t P r o d u c t i o n

i. Primary Offering (To be offered and sold by way of Initial Public Offering, unissued shares )

18 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 16 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 20,000.00

LOT III - I N F O R M AT I O N C O M M U N I C AT I O N T E C H N O L O GY ( I C T ) A1 - C o m p u t e r A n i m a t i o n B1 -Te c h n o l o g y S e r v i c e a n d P r o g r a m m i n g

15 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 15 , 0 0 0 . 0 0

LOT IV - HOME ECONOMICS (HE) A1 - B e a u t y C a r e B1 - B r e a d a n d P a s t r y P r o d u c t i o n C1 - C o o ke r y D1 - C l o t h i n g , Fa s h i o n D e s i g n i n g a n d H a n d i c r a f t E1 - F o o d S e r v i c e F1 - H e a l t h S e r v i c e G1 - H o u s e ke e p i n g H1 -To u r i s m a n d H o t e l M a n a g e m e n t

15 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 18 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 20,000.00 15 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 16 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 2,000.00 18 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 6,000.00

It may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhiIGEPS), www.philgeps.net. and the website of the Procuring Entity, depedcalabarzon.ph. provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The schedule and venue of the procurement activities are as follows:

Activity

Date and Time

Ve n u e

Issuance of Bidding Documents

Fr o m N ove m b e r 24, 2 016 t o D e c e m b e r 12 , 2 016 ( M o n d ay t o Fr i d ay 8: 0 0 a . m . t o 5: 0 0 p. m .)

D e p E D I V- A D i r e c t o r ’s Office Conference Room

Pre- Bid Conference

N ove m b e r 2 9, 2 016 a t 10: 0 0 a . m .

DepED IV-A RD’s Conference Room

Submission and Opening of Bids

D e c e m b e r 12 , 2 016 a t 10: 0 0 a . m .

D e p E D I V- A R D ’s Conference Room

Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to order or download the electronic copy of the BiddingDocuments from the PhilGEPS website: www.philgeps.net. for them to be included in the Document Request List of the project. The pre-bid conference is open to all interested parties who may have or have not bought the bidding documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address and on the date and time stated herein. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in Section III, Bid Data Sheet ITB Clause 18.1. A valid Bid Securing Declaration must accompany the bid(s) in lieu of a bid security. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the opening of bids at the address, date and time stated herein. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Deped Region IV-A reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract(s), or annul the bidding process without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Ann Geralyn T. Pelias - BAC Chairman Virginia O. Bagacay - BAC Secretariat Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal Telefax No. 647-7487 loc 103/125 (fax loc. 104) Website: depedcalabarzon.ph

( M S - N O V. 2 5 , 2 016)

900,000,000 At an initial public offering price of Php common shares 1.77 to Php2.96 per share.

ii. Issued and Outstanding shares 3,000,000,200 (these are not included in the offer) common shares With par value of Php 0.01 per share Total

3,900,000,200

The purpose of this amendment to the amended notice is due to a resignation of Mr. Jimmy Francisco P. Perez and re-positioning, in the list of key officers/directors of Audiowav Media Inc., to wit: Name Carlos Jose G. Hinolan

Position President/Chief Executive Officer/Director/Chairman of the Board and Investor Relations Officer Benigno G. Hinolan II Director and Sales Manager Mary Lanie Joie S. Hinolan Director/Treasurer and Vice President Ebenezer D. Gener Director and Chief Finance Officer Alma A. Jadie Director and Comptroller Rufino D. Dela Rosa Independent Director Reynaldo C. Lugtu, Jr. Independent Director Mark S. Gorriceta Corporate Secretary, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer Arnold Ray K. Alagar Chief Technology Officer Said Registration Statement and other papers/documents attached thereto (collectively known as ”RS“) and the subsequent updates are open to inspection by interested parties during business hours and copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party, upon request, at such fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS may also be downloaded from the website of the corporation at www.wav.global.

EMMA A. VALENCIA Officer-In-Charge (MS-NOV. 25 & DEC. 2, 2016)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office SAN LORENZO RUIZ WOMEN’S HOSPITAL Santulan, Malabon City

AMOUNT OF BID DOCS P h p16 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 17, 0 0 0 . 0 0

LOT II - INDUSTRIAL ARTS (IA) A1 - E l e c t r o n i c s a n d E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k s B1 - C i v i l Wo r k s C1 - M e c h a n i c a l Wo r k s

AMENDED NOTICE

This supersedes the Notice dated October 25 and 31, 2016 published in Manila Standard and likewise published on October 24 and 31, 2016, in The Daily Tribune disclosing that on 30 August 2016, a sworn Registration Statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of Audiowav Media Inc., for the registration of up to Three Billion Nine Hundred Million Two Hundred (3,900,000,200) common shares with par value of Php0.01 per share broken down as follows:

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased from the Deped Region IV-A BAC Secretariat, located at DepED IV-A, Supply Office, 2nd floor located at Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal, upon accomplishing a bidder’s information sheet and payment in cash of a non-refundable fee by interested bidders in the amount stated below to the Deped Region IV-A Cashier. Only bidders who purchased the Bidding Documents will be allowed to submit bids.

L O T I - AG R I C U LT U R E & F I S H E R Y A R T S ( A FA )

REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES In Relation to an Initial Public Offering

INVITATION TO BID ITB NO. 2016-0020 Project Title

: Proposed Construction of Annex Building of San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital

Location

: San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Santulan, Malabon City

1.

The Department of Health, National Capital Regional Office, San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital Bids and Awards Committee (SLRWH-BAC), through the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP), GOP Funds 2015 and 2016 intends to apply the sum of Sixty Three Million Four Hundred Sixty Seven Thousand Pesos (Php63,467,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Proposed Construction of Annex Building of San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital located at San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Santulan, Malabon City. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital Bids and Awards Committee (SLRWH-BAC) now invites bids for the Proposed Construction of Annex Building of San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital. Completion of the Works is required by Three hundred (300) Calendar Days Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project with a value of at least 50% of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/ fail criterion as specified in the revised Implementing rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184) otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/ sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five per cent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from BAC Office of San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Santulan, Malabon City and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from November 25, 2016 to December 14, 2016 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested bidders from the address listed below upon payment of the Bidding Documents fee in the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) starting November 25, 2016 up to submission of bids on December 14,2016 It may also be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than December 14,2016

6.

The San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital Bids and Awards Committee (SLRWH-BAC) will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on December 02, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Santulan, Malabon City which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital, Santulan, Malabon City on or before December 14, 2016 ,1:30 p.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

Eligible Bidders shall submit a valid PCAB License (original copy must be presented) with principal classification of General Building or General Engineering and category A (minimum license category) with PCAB registration particulars in Building and Industrial Plant, Water Supply, Electrical Work, Plumbing and Sanitary Work, Mechanical Work and with extensive experience in Hospital Construction and Interior/Exterior Finishing.

9.

The San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital Bids and Awards Committee (SLRWH-BAC) reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

ALLAN G. NIEVA JULIET V. CHIQUITO SLRWH-BAC Secretariat SAN LORENZO RUIZ WOMEN’S HOSPITAL O. Reyes St., Santulan, Malabon City Website: www.slrwh.doh.gov.ph Email Address: slrwh.procurement@yahoo.com.ph Telefax No.2939112 SIGNED NOEL D. VALDERRAMA, MD SLRWH- BAC Chairperson

( S G D .) A N N G E R A LY N T. P E L I A S BAC Chairman (MS-NOV. 25, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

Asthma outbreak kills 4 in Australia

World

Costa Rica, Nicaragua bracing for hurricane B LUEFIELDS, Nicaragua―Costa Rica declared a national emergency hours before a Caribbean hurricane that was expected to rip into it and neighboring Nicaragua on Thursday.

It will be the first time Costa Rica takes a direct hit from a hurricane since records began in 1851.

Hurricane Otto, upgraded from a tropical storm by the US National Hurricane Center, was packing sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour that were forecast to strengthen further before landfall.

The slow-moving system was expected to churn slowly through northern Costa Rica and southern Nicaragua over two days, dumping heavy rains that the US center warned would likely cause “life threatening flash floods and mudslides.”

Both countries had issued red alerts for the areas to be worst-

hit, evacuated thousands of people and ordered the closure of schools, some of which were designated shelters.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis’ declaration of a national emergency meant government offices in his country would be closed Thursday and Friday, except the ones dealing with the storm.

“Let me be clear: the hurricane is potentially highly destructive. We hope no one gets hurt, but that is why we must be prepared, and follow authorities’ orders,” Solis warned.

In Bluefields, a Nicaraguan city of 45,000 inhabitants directly in the storm’s path, there was panicked buying of battery-powered lamps, bottled water, canned food

and plastic bags.

“I’m expecting it won’t hit Bluefields directly... but it’s worrying that it’s stationary because it’s growing bigger and taking up a lot of water and has become unpredictable -- it could go in any direction,” a shopkeeper, Elmer Jackson, told AFP by telephone.

Otto has already proved deadly in Panama, where on Tuesday its outer band of rains and wind caused a mudslide that killed two people, brought down a tree that crushed a nine-year-old boy in a car in the capital, and drowned an 18-year-old swept away by the Utive River.

Princes Barberena, a resident in Greytown, an outpost on Nicaragua’s far southern Caribbean coast, said some locals were crossing the nearby border into Costa Rica looking for safer shelter.

But the situation there was not projected to be much better.

Costa Rican officials have ordered the evacuation of more than 4,000 people along the sparsely inhabited northern half of its Ca-

ribbean coast. But some were defiantly staying.

“Some people don’t want to leave their homes, leave all their possessions, their animals,” police officer Christian Rodriguez told the Costa Rican newspaper La Nacion in the village of Batan, close to the Caribbean port city of Limon.

One woman who did evacuate her home near the village of Barra del Colorado, Teresa Romero, 52, told AFP that around 10 male locals had refused to leave. She was taking shelter in a church near the inland capital of San Jose.

The high winds and heavy rains could devastate crops―a big blow especially in Nicaragua, one of the poorest countries in Latin America.

Otto “could seriously jeopardize food security for small farmers who rely on maize (corn), beans, cocoa, honey, coffee and livestock for their livelihoods” in Nicaragua, Jennifer Zapata, a regional director for Heifer International, a US-based poverty-fighting charity, said in a statement. AFP

SYDNEY―An unprecedented “thunderstorm asthma” event has left four people dead and three fighting for their lives in Australia, with authorities Thursday scrambling to review their procedures after emergency services were overwhelmed.

Some 8,500 people have presented to hospital emergency departments, mostly in Melbourne, since a thunderstorm coincided with a high pollen count on Monday, causing asthma and hay fever sufferers respiratory problems, Victorian state Health Minister Jill Hennessy said.

“When we’ve had people calling for ambulances―one call every four-and-a-half seconds at the peak―it was like having 150 bombs going off right across a particular part of metropolitan Melbourne,” Hennessy told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The four victims were aged between 18 to 35, reports said, with Victoria’s health department reporting three others in a critical condition as a review got underway into how better to respond and manage such unusual phenomena.

“This was a health emergency of an unprecedented scale,” Hennessy said, adding that those affected appeared to have suffered respiratory problems and cardiac conditions.

“Of the 8,500 people that were presenting to emergency

departments on Monday and Tuesday, those with cardiac and chest pain featured very, very prominently.”

The unusual phenomena is only known to have occurred in Australia several times, Asthma Foundation of Victoria chief Robin Ould said.

“When rye grass pollen becomes wet through humidity or water, it breaks up into a lot of small pieces and those small pieces can get past the nasal passage into the lungs.

Normally rye grass would be trapped in the nasal passage,” Ould told AFP. “When it gets into the lungs, the allergens that are there cause an asthma attack... the small bronchial tubes become inflamed, they fill with mucus and the muscles around them become tight and people can’t exchange their air.”

Ould said those affected had asthma that is triggered by rye grass, or suffered from hay fever.

Melbourne was particularly susceptible to “thunderstorm asthma” events as rye grass was found predominantly in the parks and farmlands around the city, the capital of Victoria, he added.

About 10 percent of Australians have asthma―in which the immune system in the airways goes into overdrive, and wheezing, coughing and restricted breathing result―with 80 percent of them also experiencing hay fever, according to Asthma Australia. AFP

Colombia to sign new peace deal BOGOTA―Colombia’s government and FARC rebels will sign a controversial revised peace accord Thursday to end their half-century conflict, which is set to be ratified despite bitter complaints from opponents.

Under pressure for fear that a fragile ceasefire could break down, the government and the leftist FARC said they will sign the new deal at 1600 GMT and immediately take it to congress.

The accord aims to end Latin America’s last major armed conflict. But opponents say it is too soft on the leftist FARC force, blamed for thousands and thousands of killings and kidnappings.

The document is expected to pass after being debated next week, since President Juan Manuel Santos and his allies hold a majority in the legislature.

A recent wave of alleged assassinations in conflict areas has raised pressure to seal a peace deal fast.

“There is no time to waste,” Santos said.

“Lives have been lost and many more are in danger.”

But an aftermath of discord and uncertainty looked likely as opponents promised to keep resisting the deal.

“We invite citizens to persist in the struggle for the future of democracy,” said the Democratic Center Party led by conservative ex-president Alvaro Uribe.

“In the coming days, we will examine various actions to call the people into the streets and democratic spaces,” it said in a statement.

Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo “Timochenko” Londono signed an earlier version of the deal in a triumphant ceremony with international leaders on September 27.

But Colombians narrowly rejected it in a referendum on October 2.

Government and FARC negotiators presented a redrafted version earlier this month.

But Uribe complained it still did not satisfy his key demands, notably on punishing FARC leaders for their crimes.

Under the deal, the FARC would disarm and transform into a political party.

Uribe and his allies say rebel leaders should not be allowed to run for office while still serving their sentences.

They also want guarantees for state police and soldiers who may face trial over their actions in the conflict.

A survey by pollster Datexco published on Wednesday found that 58 percent of people want more revisions to the deal, in line with opposition demands.

Santos said his government and the FARC will sign the deal at 1600 GMT in the Colon Theater in Bogota.

It will then be presented to congress which will open a debate from next Tuesday, Senate speaker Mauricio Lizcano said on the radio.

“Congress is the body that in Colombia is qualified to approve agreements with the insurgents,” said Ariel Avila, an analyst at Colombia’s Peace and Reconciliation Foundation.

But Uribe’s party accused Santos of using congress to impose his new deal on the people. It demanded a second referendum. AFP

FIRST IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS. Pedestrians walk in a snowfall in Tokyo on November 24, 2016. Tokyo woke up on November 24 to its first November snowfall in more than half a century, leaving commuters to grapple with train disruptions and slick streets. AFP

Xinjiang residents ordered to surrender passports BEIJING―All residents in China’s restive region of Xinjiang must hand in their passports to local police stations for “examination and management”, the Global Times newspaper said Thursday.

“Anyone who needs the passport must apply to the police station,” an anonymous police officer in Aksu prefecture told the paper, adding that the policy had been implemented throughout Xinjiang.

Many members of the more than 10 million-strong Muslim Uighur minority in the region complain of discrimination―including denials of passport applications―as well as controls on their culture and religion.

The Global Times article followed numerous reports from cities

across the region of tightened passport controls.

In mid-October, the public security bureau of Shihezi city posted a directive on a verified social media account asking residents to hand in their passports to police, stating: “Those who refuse to hand them in will bear the responsibility themselves should there be consequences such as being forbidden to go abroad.”

The post was later deleted.

Photos of other notices posted on social media showed police stations in various counties and in the regional capital Urumqi requesting citizens hand in passports or stating that new documents would no longer be issued.

Angry questions about the new

restrictions abounded on Chinese social media.

“I didn’t spend time and money getting a passport to become the focus of the government’s safeguarding or to ask for their instructions every time I go out on holiday,” said one incensed user, from the border district of Tacheng, on the Twitterlike Sina Weibo platform, adding: “If citizens cannot enjoy even basic rights, how can we live? Would the government please give me a sensible reason for this?”

A second said: “Xinjiang is becoming stranger and stranger, regressing as time goes on.”

In June, local state-run media reported that the mostly Kazakh residents of a Xinjiang border district had to give police DNA samples,

fingerprints, voice prints and a “three-dimensional image” in order to apply for certain travel documents, including passports.

A Xinjiang official told the Global Times that the new policy tightening was intended to maintain social order in the region.

Beijing regularly accuses what it says are exiled separatist groups such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) of being behind attacks in Xinjiang, which has seen a wave of deadly unrest.

But many independent experts doubt the strength of overseas Uighur groups and their links to global terrorism, with some saying China exaggerates the threat to justify tough security measures in the resource-rich region. AFP

Life

Christmas has come to Cubao as the Araneta Center switched on the lights on the 100-foot Christmas tree at the Gateway Food Park

DESTINATIONS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

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Traditional giant Xmas tree lighting

C

HRISTMAS always evokes feelings of nostalgia, as we recall our unforgettable Christmas celebrations as kids, or reminds us of the warmth of love as we spend time and share gifts with our families and friends. A season of hope and joy, there is nothing more heartfelt and memorable than our Paskong Pinoy.

That wonderful feeling of hope and joy was felt when the Araneta Center switched on the lights on the 100-foot Christmas tree at the Gateway Food Park, beside the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This has been a tradition at the Center for the last 35 years.

It was a celebration of the magic of Christmas with the hottest Kapamilya celebrities—Alex Gonzaga, Loisa Andalio and Iñigo Pascual, along with the talented batch of Goin’ Bulilit mainstays Mutya Orquia, Nhickzy Calma, Marco Masa, Izzy Canillo, and Xyriel Manabat.

Also part of the sparkling lineup of stars was Maris Racal, as well as the famous teens of Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky Season 7 Vivoree Esclito and Marco Gallo.

PLDT held a 15-minute pre-show to promote its Christmas deals and promos. It also conducted games for the audience.

Daryl Ong and Jason Dy of ASAP Soul Sessions serenaded fans, together with ASAP Birit queen Jonalyn Viray. Former PBB housemate Dawn Chang heated things up with a sexy dance number.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

signals start of holidays at Araneta

It’s Showtime host Vice Ganda, with Araneta Vice Chairman Judy A. Roxas and other executives of the Araneta Center, led the ceremonial lighting of the tree.

The lovely Binibining Pilipinas 2016 winners also graced the occasion, led

by Miss Grand International 1st Runner-Up Nicole Cordoves.

Making the event more meaningful this year, the Araneta Center invited street children under the He Cares Mission to experience the momentous tree lighting. The kids had a chance to see their favorite stars up close.

The kids also were treated to an early Christmas dinner and received their early Christmas gifts.

Music filled the air with performances from the Four Wheel Drive band, and capped by a grand fireworks display. Also a highlight of the night was the revelation of what Araneta Center has in store for shoppers and Center visitors this December.

Continuing with the valued tradition of sharing blessings, Araneta Center is giving away a brand new Isuzu mu-X to a lucky patron, while 10 lucky patrons can win an overnight stay at the Novo-

Araneta Center presents Le Grand Cirque, a big-scale circus production from Las Vegas, Nevada featuring a group of world-class performers and artists, on Dec. 25 to Jan. 3, 2017

Vice Ganda (third from left), BPCI Chairperson Stella Marquez Araneta (fifth from left) and Binibining Pilipinas 2016 queens led the tree lighting of the iconic Araneta Christmas tree

Now on its 35th year, this much-awaited event is a joyous mix of live entertainment and annual tradition that reflects true Filipino values.

tel Manila Araneta Center. The “Feel the Ride” Christmas promo runs from until Jan. 15, 2017, and shoppers will be eligible to join for a single receipt purchase worth P1000. As a way to express deepest gratitude to its online supporters, the Center’s “60 Gifts for 60 Days” promo is also ongoing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The promo runs every day until Dec. 23.

The Araneta Center Grand Christmas Tree Lighting was made possible by PLDT Home, Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, and Jollibee.

Photos by Sonny Espiritu

More Chinese tourists flying to Laoag LAOAG City, a major tourist destination in northern Luzon, is welcoming about 400 tourists per week after China Eastern Airlines launched the Guangzhou-Laoag chartered flights recently.

With major tourism stakeholders, Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo led the said launching at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China.

The inaugural Guangzhou-Laoag flight on Nov. 1 had more than 100 passengers, said Teo. Initiated by Jimei Group, twiceweekly chartered flights from Guangdong to Laoag and vice versa are bringing in Chinese tourists to the region.

The tourists stayed at Fort Ilocandia

Resort and Casino where they played golf and casino. They also explored Ilocos Norte’s sand dunes, cinematic landscapes, beaches and historical sites.

With the launching of the chartered flights, Teo expressed optimism the DoT could surpass the six-million tourist target for 2016.

According to a data from DoT, more tourists from China have been drawn to the Philippines lately, with about 500,000 Chinese arrivals in 2015.

China had the world’s largest number of outbound tourists. In 2015, around 120 million Chinese traveled overseas with about $500 billion annual spending, according to China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

DoT Secretary Wanda Teo answers questions from members of the Chinese media at the launch of Guangzhou-Laoag China Eastern Airlines chartered flights

Life

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Hotel Happenings MERCURY RISING

New World Makati Hotel

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

W

HEN the routine of daily life starts to bore me, I go to any of the de luxe hotels in the metro and recharge. Thank goodness, there’s always something interesting and enjoyable in these worldclass “sanctuaries” that easily make their mark among the metro’s funloving denizens. Here are a couple of those hotels which people like us, perennially harassed working individuals, can go to for that much-needed leisurely break.

Oakwood Premier

The traffic in the metropolis has never been a deterrent for me from going to this cocoon of luxury at the Joy Nostalg Center, Ortigas Business District, because I know that its facilities and culinary offerings are worth the time you spend on the road. Recently, the hotel hosted a Cocktail Party at its Nostalgia Dining Lounge for the beautiful candidates from all over the world for the Miss Earth 2016 Beauty Pageant.

Selected friends and loyal supporters of Oakwood Premier were invited to hobnob, over our favorite drinks and canapes, with the lovely lasses.

The amiable hotel general manager, Meinrab Schibler, made sure that the evening’s set up would allow guests to have a chance to chat with any of the 83 candidates, each of whom was stunning, to say the least. I had the chance to chat with the pretty Chloe Syquia Skarne, who is Miss Sweden, and is the daughter of my friend, movie and TV star Gabby Concepcion.

Of course, those from South American countries stood out with their looks,

Some of the lunchtime dim sum items at Jasmine Restaurant which customers can re-order as many times as they want

The Miss Earth Beauty Pageant has been produced, since 2001, by Philippine-based Carousel Productions, headed by its Chairman and President Ramon Monzon and Executive Vice President Lorraine Schuck. What sets this beauty pageant apart from the others is its commitment to work with local and international groups and non-governmental organizations actively involved in environmental causes. What is interesting is that its campaign for environmental awareness is also in sync with Oakwood Premier’s dedication to eco-responsibility.

A recent discovery was made when the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) decided to hold our latest Board of Trustees monthly meeting at the New World Makati Hotel. Its latest Food and Beverage promo is something that foodies like you and me will certainly enjoy, especially if you go for Chinese Dim Sum. The hotel’s popular Jasmine restaurant, a Chinese specialty dining venue, has an ongoing “Unlimited Dim Sum Promo” every lunchtime. For only P988, anyone can have as many delectable Dim Sum items as he/she can take in one sitting. It is a most satisfying Chinese lunch one can have, especially because there are so many items to choose from, and you can go for seconds, for thirds, for fourths.

And, since they are all prepared by a Hong Kong chef, you are assured of the best quality and exquisite taste.

The choices even include several mouthwatering dessert items, to ensure a delightful end for the meal.

When my good friend, hotel general manager Farid Schoucair, dropped by to say “Hello” to our group, we heaped praises on him for the scrumptious lunch. He shared his management secret with us—he always meets with his chefs to ensure that they maintain, at all times, the high standards of quality food in all of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets. Small wonder my colleagues and I enjoyed the feast!

If you’re in the mood for a real Chinese culinary treat, you’ll be very happy with the ongoing Unlimited Dim Sum Lunchtime Promo at Jasmine of the New World Makati Hotel. The choices are many, and each item tastes soooooo good…you’ll forget your name!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR FRIDAY CHUCKLE New World Makati Hotel general manager Farid Schoucair (center) poses with members of PATA Philippines Chapter Board of Trustees

as later validated by the results on Finals Night which proclaimed Miss Ecuador as Miss Earth 2016, Miss Colombia as Miss Earth-Air, Miss Venezuela

as Miss Earth-Water, and Miss Brazil as Miss Earth-Fire. Too bad Miss Bolivia, who was also my favorite, didn’t make it to any of the top 4 spots.

Little Johnny attended a horse auction with his father. He watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse’s legs and rump, and chest. After a few minutes, Johnny asked, “Dad, why are you doing that?” His father replied, “Because when I’m buying horses, I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy.” Johnny, looking worried, said, “Uh, oh, Dad, I think our plumber wants to buy Mom.”

Best hotel and lobby

at international design awards CITY of Dreams Manila received another accolade, affirming the integrated resort’s service and product excellence that continues to draw acclaim from local and international visitors as a world-class leisure and entertainment destination.

One of three premier luxury hotels built at the 6.2 hectare complex, it won two design awards at the prestigious International Hotel and Property Awards 2016—Best Hotel over 200

Rooms (Asia Pacific) and Best Lobby/ Public Area/Lounge (Global)—at Hotel Cipriani in Venice.

“City of Dreams Manila carries the very best DNA of the Melco Crown Entertainment brand. Following Mr. Lawrence Ho, our Chairman and CEO’s grand vision, City of Dreams Manila has joined its sister properties in Macau to become the best in its breed,” remarked Geoff Andres, property president of City of Dreams

Crown Towers won the 'Best Hotel Over 200 Rooms' and 'Best Lobby' awards at the International Hotel and Property Awards 2016

A UK magazine describes Crown Towers Manila's lobby as 'the perfect blend of strength and softness'

Manila. “We are elated and proud over this international distinction that strengthens City of Dreams Manila’s position as the ultimate in entertainment and hospitality, offering a spectacular and cosmopolitan collection of contemporary and leisure experiences. It affirms our commitment to deliver outstanding quality products and services and enhance the leisure

landscape in the country at a level equal to the best in the world.”

Steered by Melco Crown Entertainment’s in-house Design and Construction team, and executed in a joint effort with architectural and design firm Michael Fiebrich Design, City of Dreams Manila’s Crown Towers has been designed in a way to beautifully capture the brand essence and contemporary

luxury image of City of Dreams. The award-winning design also infused local elements and materials in the strong architectural interiors to provide a strong sense of place.

Design et al, a leading interior design magazine based in the UK that hosts the annual awards, describes the Crown lobby as “the perfect blend of strength and softness.”

iPhoto

Spreading Pinoy Pasko in Sydney AN all-Filipino choir spreads Pinoy Pasko through songs at the first Philippine Christmas Festival held recently at Darling Harbor in Sydney.

The Filipino Chaplaincy Chatswood Parish (FCCP) Vocal Ensemble performed during the two-day event, part of the celebration marking 70 years of Philippines-Australia diplomatic relations.

Stalls around the venue showcased Philippine products, tourist destinations, and favorite food, including sorbetes served from an iconic ice-cream cart at the festival organized by the Philippine Community Council of New South Wales, Inc., in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General and the Sydney offices of the departments of tourism and trade and industry.

The FCCP choir sings at Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Dolours Church in Chatswood, in Sydney’s Lower North Shore. It is composed of engineers, nurses, IT and workforce planning professionals, financial specialists, a teacher, a chef, and a geologist.

The members are – sopranos Mary Alarcio, Charisse Arpafo, Jean Dimanarig, Mariz Espinosa, Lynne Moncada, Caroline Sosito, Olivia Villanueva; altos Rhea Mae Bulquerin, Giselle Goloy, Sheila Arellano-Macaraeg, Mae Annabelle Magtibay; tenors Mark Alarcio, Anton Piccio, Bobby Quiñones, Lester Salcedo; and basses Ryan Balboa, Kristian Garcia, Ricardo Mariano, Jerome Rodriquez.

PEOPLE ...are talking about JaDine THE love team has proven that chemistry is not just a branch of science, but also a connection between them that other love teams don’t have. It’s safe to say the tandem of James Reid and Nadine Lustre has not shown any sign of slowing down because of its indescribable chemistry. As a matter of fact, the Kapamilya love team has just scored another endorsement that puts James and Nadine alongside Anne Curtis and Sarah Geronimo as the celebrity ambassador of the country’s biggest real estate brand.

MMFF 2016 Big movies snubbed by the annual film fest are having earlier play dates. The MMFF organizers surprised many when the list of films for this year’s festival didn’t quite turn out as most people expected it to be. But the feedback was overwhelming, the big change only proves that there’s still hope that this festival can recover from the pit it’s currently in.

Encantadia The ratings of the fantasy series is just getting better, a clear indication that the audience has completely embraced the new version and the new cast of the show. Based on the latest data of AGB Nielsen, Encantadia scored 30.1 percent ratings, the highest viewership the series received and probably the highest rated Kapuso show to date. Encantadia is doing extremely well its closest rival is losing steam amid celebrating its anniversary as a primetime show.

...are not talking about Criselda Volks Remember her? If you don’t, we perfectly understand. Criselda used to be one of the more popular bomba stars in the 90s. In 2005, she tried reviving her career as a sexy singer. Three years later, she reappeared asking for sympathy after her sex scandal made the rounds online. Just this week, Criselda resurfaced with news that she’s getting married not with a man but with another woman. Interesting, right? We’re just wondering when her next sighting would be.

Ivan Dorschner When he left the Pinoy Big Brother house in 2010, everyone expected that his career would take off like most mestizo housemates who decided to give showbiz a try. After he hopped from one mother studio to another, people realized that he didn’t exactly have the potential they all thought he had. This is the same exact reason why they are not too optimistic with his showbiz comeback via a new soap on GMA Network.

The Super Parental Guardians It should’ve made the MMFF “Magic 8,” at least according to the people behind the comedy film.

Joyce Bernal explained that it was submitted to MMFF organizers unfinished. And that could be the reason why the Vice Ganda starrer film didn’t make it to the official list. Perhaps the alibi was true but the film fest is headed to a direction different from what mainstream movies and big production outfit wanted to traverse. Why can’t they just admit that their happy times are over?

OPM acts at Chaos Night Club MUSIC enthusiasts can reminisce and sing along to the classic Chaos are at P400 each with one drink. For VIP table reservations, OPM tunes of the 90s such as “Forevermore”, “So Many Questions” guests can call 0917-8863678 or e-mail chaostablereservations@ and “Before I Let You Go”, and enjoy the chartbusters of today’s cod-manila.com. generation as Side A on Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. with True Faith, the group that dominated the 90s airwaves with the songs “Perfect” and “Huwag Nalang Kaya”.

Chaos nightclub has hosted a bevy of world-class performers including prominent international DJs from a wide spectrum of electronic dance music sub-genres, as well as stellar artists in hiphop and R&B on weekends.

Wednesday nights are currently dedicated to homegrown talents that continue to elevate Original Pinoy Music (OPM) to a whole new level.

Side A band composed of Naldy Gonzalez (keyboard/vocals), Ernie Severino (drums/vocals), Leevon Cailao (lead guitar/ vocals), Ned Esguerra (bass/vocals) and Yubs Esperat (vocals/ guitar) will captivate Chaos nightclub patrons with their original songs that bring back a lot of memories.

Known for their romantic ballads and up-beat live performances, the group never stops reinventing itself and has worked hard in both recordings and live concerts. As multi-awarded and certified platinum recording artists, Side A is considered as the most durable band in the country today and continues to be an ever-innovative musical force in the industry.

OPM’s favorite show band, Side A, will captivate Chaos club patrons Tickets to see the live band performances every Wednesday at singing their greatest hits

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Friday, November 25, 2016

ACROSS 1 Open-mouthed 5 Jacques- — Cousteau 9 What hulks pump 13 Berra of baseball 14 Powdery 15 Ponytail site 16 Anon’s companion 17 Gambling stakes 18 Toga party site 19 Exclusive date 21 Top NCO 22 Fish without fins 23 Revenuers 25 Century unit 27 Teased, as hair 31 Chops fine 35 “Rule Britannia” composer 36 Wobbles, as a rocket 38 Column order 39 Ceiling 40 Gaiters 42 Snake River loc.

43 Question 46 Fabric sample 47 Comet, to an ancient 48 Smuggles 50 Icebergs

52 Music or mica 54 Warehouse pallet 55 Get behind 58 Yes in Yokohama 60 She reunes 64 Jai — 65 Cosmopolitan 67 Futile 68 One-named Somalian fashion model 69 Act glad 70 Friend, of sorts 71 Zingy taste 72 Mouth off 73 Rick’s old flame DOWN 1 Skippers’ okays 2 Part of GI 3 Kind of molding 4 Treetop nibbler 5 Longing 6 Wine casks 7 Mournful poem 8 Method 9 Huge fire 10 Not often seen 11 Gem of superstition 12 Hockey goals 14 Spring fests (2 wds.)

20 Music’s — Leppard

24 26 27 28

Purse closers Facilitate Thins out Winter constellation 29 Excessive 30 Longbow’s sound 32 White-collar — 33 Fluffy quilt 34 Glances over 37 Blends in 41 Washington city 44 Kennel noise 45 Boxing stat

47 Fossil-rich gorge 49 Ski run 51 Comic — Shriner 53 It may be good or bad 55 Minnows 56 — mater 57 “Brian’s Song” lead 59 White wader 61 Indoor bazaar 62 Zeros 63 Novelist — Seton

PMPC honors TV5 news NEWS5 anchors, led by Luchi Cruz-Valdes, received the latest recognition at the recently concluded Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for Television. The Excellence in Broadcasting Lifetime Achievement Award has been given to Valdes a singular honor for the broadcast journalist whose outstanding body of work has been cited by both peers and the general public,here and abroad.

Another TV5 News anchor and well-known media personality, Erwin Tulfo, was honored with Best Male Newscaster for Aksyon. Buhay OFW – a program that tackles various issues and celebrates the lives of Filipinos abroad. It is also PMPC’s Best Public Service Program.

Cruz-Valdes stressed “News5 will continue to uphold its commitment to keep the public informed and make

Filipinos knowledgeable about issues of national interest. We hope to continue to provide our viewers with fast, accurate and relevant news and information - essential for building a stronger and informed nation.”

Under Valdes’ leadership, TV5 was able to chart a number of innovative programs, including the much vaunted Emergency Response Unit, Rescue5, the first field reporting and disaster-response team combination that has since been emulated by other media outfits in the country. Her fair and firm moderating of the Visayas leg of PiliPinas Debates 2016 in the last Presidential elections was well-received by viewers all over the world – making it one of the most talked about and successful Presidential debates in the history of Philippine politics.

Creative Director of “Bubble Gang” Michael V with gag show regulars Andrea Torres (center) and Antonio Aquitania (leftmost)

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

F

OR them, the laughter never stops.

ISAH V. RED

The longest-running and well-loved gag show in the country – GMA Network’s Bubble Gang – continues to offer non-stop entertainment to Filipinos. The show celebrate its 21st anniversary this month.

Bubble Gang is the country’s most popular gag show and the audience loves it (proof of which is the two decades it has stayed on the air without interruption) for the unique, amusing and extraordinary parodies, sketches and gags about television commercials, politicians and current events.

Kapuso comedy genius and Bubble Gang’s Creative Director Michael V. said during the press meeting a week ago the cast of the show is simply giving back to the audience, whom they consider as their motivation and inspiration. It is to them they owe the feat the show has achieved through the years making it a cut above the rest.

“Palagi kong sinasabi sa mga kasamahan ko dito na binabalik ko lang yung success ng show – yung glory and staying power naming – sa mga manunuod. Kasi for me, maganda yung relationship ng Bubble Gang sa audience.

We get inspiration from them e. Kumbaga kung wala yung society, hindi kami makakagawa ng parody, sketches, and jokes na about sa society.

And we’re glad na-a-appreciate naman ng mga nakakapanood yun,” he said.

Bubble Gang will have a two-part TV special.

One will air tonight and the other on Dec.2. The special is a tribute to 21 gems of comedy in Philippine cinema and television. The cast will performing some of their famous sketches and scenes dubbed as “21 GANG Salute.”

The Bubble Gang are Michael V., Andrea Torres, Antonio Aquitania, Arra San Agustin, Arny Ross, Betong Sumaya, Boy 2 Quizon, Chariz Solomon, Denise Barbacena, Diego Llorico, Jackie Rice, Jak Roberto, James Macasero, Jan Manual, Juancho Trivino, Kim Domingo, Mikael Daez, Myka Flores, Paolo Contis, RJ Padilla, Rodfil Obeso, Sef Cadayona, and Valeen Montenegro.

Bert de Leon has taken over the directing job after Uro Q. de la Cruz bade everyone goodbye and joined the Creator. The show airs Fridays after Someone To Watch Over Me on GMA Telebabad.

Get the latest updates of Bubble Gang from their official website of GMA Network www. gmanetwork.com and official Facebook page www.facebook.com/GMANetwork. *** Maine Mendoza has ignited the whole country with her bubbly personality and inimitable entertainment style.

How is Maine, or the other half of Aldub as she is fondly known by her millions of admirers, taking her sudden shoot to fame?

“I think it’s safe to say that I am still in the

Television darling Maine Mendoza is the face of many brands including food company CDO and financial institution, BDO

Tribute to Philippine comedy icons in

‘BUBBLE GANG’

Pantasya ng Bayan Kim Domingo

Gag show heartthrobs Mikael Daez (left) and Jak Roberto (right)

process of familiarizing. I still have a lot of things to learn and I think it would take me a long time to get used to everything.”

Just recently, a big milestone in her career happened — she got married to Alden Richards in Eat Bulaga’s “Kalyeserye.”

In the short period she has stayed in the limelight, she has proven to be a true crowd darling. Her appearance at any time is a hit and everything she touches seems to turn to gold.

Maine proudly shared another milestone. Her favorite Young Pork Tocino is now the no.1 tocino in the market. It is dubbed as the country’s Topselling Tocino!

“I am a proud endorser and I’m happy and flattered that I helped somehow in making CDO Funtastyk Young Pork become the top-selling tocino here in the country.”

CDO Funtastyk Young Pork Tocino is known for its superior product attributes —made from 100 percent young pork, walang salitre and low shrinkage when cooked.

“Fan talaga ako ng CDO Funtastyk Young Pork Tocino ever since kaya happy ako na no.1 na siya.

It’s delicious, tender kasi hindi ito gawa sa inahing baboy and hindi ito malitid. It doesn’t shrink easily when cooked unlike other brands kaya young talaga ang love ko!”

And speaking of love, Maine is keeping everyone in kilig mode as she and love team partner Alden Richards keep everyone guessing about. Are they or aren’t they?

Fresh from a short vacation in Europe, the two also shot scenes for their upcoming guest appearance in Enteng Kabisote in which they appear as guest stars.

What more can we expect from them? “We are currently working on something outside Eat

Bulaga, at dapat abangan nila ito,” she says.

Maine’s busy schedule won’t stop her from spending time with her loved ones this Christmas.

She goes on to say that she’s sure that the holidays would be more memorable with CDO Funtastyk Young Pork Tocino on the table. “Naman!” she exclaims, “It should be part of every family’s breakfast table, especially this Christmas season.” *** BDO Unibank won the Best Social Media Initiative award at the recently concluded Asian Banker Country Awards for its “Project Kiss” campaign that featured one of its celebrity endorsers -- Maine Mendoza.

The campaign, anchored on the message “Abot ang Pangarap ‘pag BDO ang Kausap”, was a social media megahit, with the video reaching more than 5.6 million Facebook users since its launch in March this year.

“BDO effectively took advantage of the social media to advertise and market its products. One of the bank’s most engaging initiatives was the ‘‘Project Kiss’’ campaign to promote its savings account, which has reached more than 5.6 million people in Facebook,” The Asian Banker said. “The bank also implemented a social media e-learning program to provide its employees with adequate knowledge on existing social media policies and effective ways to properly engage and handle customers.”

The Bank also received the Best Deposit Initiative in the Philippines and Best Mobile Payment Initiative citations during the Country Awards, which was held in conjunction with the Philippine International Banking Convention.

“BDO’s Peso Savings Account significantly contributed to the Bank’s retail deposit growth of 23 percent in the first half of 2016. Extending banking hours and offering weekend banking have

helped to boost the bank’s deposits,” The Asian Banker added. “BDO opened new branches in malls to reach more customers.”

As for its successful mobile platform, the Singapore-based publication pointed out that by enabling person-to-person transfers on its mobile platform, it allowed customers to send up to P10,000 to any Philippine recipient without the need for the other party to activate an account.

“This initiative captured consumers’ interest even without a marketing campaign, contributing an estimated 16 percent share of financial transactions completed through the mobile app,” The Asian Banker said.

The convention is the leading annual conference designed for bankers and financial services professionals to discuss transformational issues that are shaping the country’s banking industry.

The Asian Banker runs several international award programs that have emerged within the industry and used as benchmarks by the best banks in the region. *** Two kind-hearted women, mothers to their constituents, sit down with host Ricky Reyes and talk about worthy projects for women.

“Dogs are a man’s best friend” isn’t just a saying but a fact. Here, Uno, Dos, Tres show how they give happiness to cancer-stricken children at Childhaus.

See how some women who suffered from thinning hair got their confidence back with natural wigs from Ricky Reyes.

Workaholic “Momprenuer” Flor Santos takes a break from her busy schedule for a total makeover, and Pier 7, which offers rainbow-colored burgers with different toppings as well, is one of them.

All these and more, 9 to 10 a.m. in tomorrow’s episode of Gandang Ricky Reyes Todo na Toh (GRR TNT) on GMA News TV.