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VOL. XXX • NO. 293 • 6 SECTIONS 28 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Terror alert heightened Police nab 2 jihadists after failed bomb plot

By Francisco Tuyay

T

ERROR alert level 3 is in effect nationwide police said Thursday following the arrest of two men suspected of planting a bomb near the US Embassy in Manila on Monday.

BOMB SUSPECTS. PNP Chief Ronald dela

Rosa presents Thursday before media at Camp Crame two suspects in the planting of a bomb near the US Embassy in Manila on Monday, whom he identified as Rayson Kilala Sakdal and Jiaher Guinar. The PNP is now on ‘terror alert level 3,’ Dela Rosa says and urges the public to be vigilant. Manny Palmero

Du30 junks Martial Law; writ suspension eyed

By John Paolo Bencito and F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte said he has no intention of declaring Martial Law to arrest the spate of violence and terror attacks in the country even as a Pal-

ace official said the government is now considering a “selective” suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in areas with escalated threats. ‘‘Martial Law for what? Killing people? I would rather empower every mayor, but do not use these for illegal acts because our sol-

diers will never accede to illegal orders,” Duterte said during the 3rd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Local Government Summit on Thursday. ‘‘Martial Law to kill the Maute and other religious extremists?

And then what? Their principles

will only be transferred to their children, who will always remember that their fathers were killed. If you claim that the idea to declare Martial Law came from me, that is foolishness. We already had Martial Law before. Did our lives improve? No,” he added.

By John Paolo Bencito THE besieged town of Butig in Lanao del Sur province has been cleared of terrorists from the Maute group, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday.

Citing a report from the 103rd Infantry Brigade, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Butig has been “100 percent cleared” of the Maute group.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Rey E. Requejo

Next page

Ex-MRT head, pal face arrest

By Maricel V. Cruz THE anti-graft court has ordered the arrest of former Metro Rail Transit general manager Al Vitangcol in connection with the $30 million in graft charges filed against him by the representatives of the Inekon Group, the Czech supplier of rail cars.

The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division also ordered the arrest of businessman Wilson de Vera, Vitangcol’s co-accused in the graft cases against him.

The court released the arrest warrants on Vitangcol and De Vera last Monday and recommended Next page

Next page

Maute terrorists flee; 61 dead, says military

SolGen’s deputy in US nabbed for sex rap ONE of the 30 assistants of Solicitor General Jose Calida was arrested two weeks ago in Washington D.C. where he was attending a seminar on international arbitration, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice confirmed Thursday.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose confirmed that the Philippine Embassy in Washington had been extending legal assistance to Assistant Solicitor General

But Communications Secretary Martin Andanar acknowledged that the selective lifting of the writ of habeas corpus remains a possibility even as he downplayed the impact of the government’s decision to place the country under terNext page ror alert level 3.

In a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa said this means the public should expect tighter security measures, particularly the setting up of random and mobile checkpoints.

Dela Rosa also advised the public to be alert, vigilant and observant, but not to panic.

The PNP chief said the public had nothing to worry about, despite the highest alert level.

Dela Rosa has also issued orders to regional police directors to tighten security measures in major cities.

In the same press conference, Dela Rosa presented two of the

JOB WELL DONE. President Rodrigo Duterte confers Wednesday the Wounded Personnel Medal on five Presidential Security Group members and a soldier who were wounded in action during his visit to the Camp Evangelista Station Hospital of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Patag, Cagayan de Oro City.

UN wants own terms on EJK probe

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan UN SPECIAL rapporteurs insisted Thursday that their investigation of summary executions in the Philippines would be conducted

on their terms, not those set by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an e-mail, UN Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions Agnes Callamard said the terms of reference for fact-finding missions would be drafted by the rap-

porteurs and that the Philippines must accept these terms for the investigation to go through.

“The visits of the special rapporteur, as those of all United Nations human rights special Next page

The government, he added, was clearing and fixing some of the damage caused by the fighting before allowing residents to return.

The 103rd Infantry Brigade was the lead military unit in the almost six-day operation to dislodge the bandit group.

The death toll has been put at 61 dead for the Maute group and 35 wounded for the government side, the military said. Next page

Leila’s ex-lover opts for police custody SENATOR Leila De Lima’s former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan may opt to remain under the custody of the Philippine National Police while covered by the government’s Witness Protection Program, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Thursday.

He made the statement after Dayan was transferred to the custody of Police Chief Roland Dela Rosa in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Aguirre said he was told that Dayan still wanted to apply for WPP coverage but requested to stay in Camp Crame for his safety.

Witnesses under the Witness Protection Program are normally given a safe house and security from the National Bureau of Investigation.

“It’s better that he stays with General Bato [Dela Rosa] because Next page

PWDs assured of tax relief; rules firmed up

By Macon R. Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz PEOPLE with disability and their families will be exempted from paying the value- added tax and other deductions following the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10754.

Senator Sonny Angara, the sponsor of the bill what was enacted eight months ago, said the new law intended to ease the burtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

den of people with disability.

He made his statement even as Philippine Constitution Association president Martin Romualdez said Thursday he would see to it that all establishments will comply with the new law favoring the more than 1.5-million disabled people.

“The fight has just begun. Our task now is to guarantee that all beneficiaries will fully enjoy the assistance that the law is offering,” Romualdez said. Next page

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S

EXPANDED BENEFITS. DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo (2nd right seated), National Council on Disability Affairs Executive Director Carmen Zubiaga (2nd left seated), and Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo (right seated) sign Thursday the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law expanding the benefits and privileges of persons with disability authored by former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (2nd left standing), Pasay Rep. Emmi Rubiano-Calixto (3rd left standing), and Senator Sonny Angara (3rd right standing). With them are Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romuladez (left standing), DSWD Undersecretary Florita Villar (right standing), Transport Undersecretary Anniely Lontoc (2nd right standing) and Tahanang Walang Hagdanan president Noli Agcaoili (left seated). Ver Noveno

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News

Qatar to deport PH illegals M ORE than a thousand Filipinos working illegally in Qatar are in danger of being arrested as the deadline for them to seek amnesty to avoid being deported and blacklisted ended on December 1, the Philippine Embassy in Qatar said Thursday.

legals of their rights and of the consequences should they fail to avail themselves of the amnesty offer.

“Our embassy is assisting our [workers] who would like to avail of the amnesty,” Jose said.

Qatari immigration officers will start arresting all illegal aliens in the country starting today, December 2.

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior

announced a three-month amnesty for all illegal residents so they could leave the country without facing sanctions in August this year. The amnesty offer started on September 1 and ended on December 1.

About 6,000 illegals had availed themselves of the amnesty between March 21 and June 20 during the last amnesty announced in 2004.

PNA

The embassy told the Department of Foreign Affairs that only 240 out of the more than 2,000 illegal Filipino workers in Qatar had sought its assistance.

“As of the embassy’s last report, they have issued 240 travel documents to [the Filipino illegals] availing [themselves] of the amnesty,” Foreign Affairs spokesman and incom-

ing Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose said in a text message to the Philippine News Agency.

He said the embassy in Qatar had repeatedly informed the il-

Maute...

Terror...

Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. The intelligence community has begun an intensive hunt for terror cells in Metro Manila and other urbanized centers to prevent terrorist attacks.

Ansar Khilafah, which has links to the Islamic State terror group, was headed by the bomb maker Usman Basit until his death in May 2015.

After he was killed in a clash with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, his Ansar Khilafah group disbanded and joined the newly formed Dawlah Islamiya, most of whom were members of the Maute group.

During interrogation, the suspects said they changed the target of their attack because they didn’t want to hurt innocent civilians. They tried to detonate the embassy bomb, but it did not go off, they told investigators.

Police said they found Rashid and Guinar’s name in the cell phone used as a detonator.

Dela Rosa said the two might have been trying to impress the IS with the bomb attack.

Following the notice of a level 3 terror alert, militant groups warned the Duterte administra-

tion against using the terrorist threat to crack down on political dissent and to declare Martial Law. “While we do not discount the very real threat posed by terrorist groups, we are wary that the so-called ‘terror alert level 3’ coupled with the state of lawlessness proclamation will pave the way for political persecution, crackdowns even--especially as this announcement comes at a time when dissent against the Duterte administration’s recent actions are mounting,” said Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.

The lawmakers aid raids and other police operations might be used to target political dissidents.

“We fear that all these moves might even result to the imminent declaration of martial law. If that happens, then Mr. Duterte will be taking another page from the book of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which the President has shown absurd admiration for in recent weeks,” Elago added.

The lawmaker called on the public to remain keen and

vigilant on political developments and not allow the administration to abuse any incident to facilitate “state fascism.”

The militant group Anakbayan likewise scored Duterte’s “Marcosian slips of the tongue” as in his recent threats of murdering human rights advocates, suspending the writ of habeas corpus, and even declaring Martial Law. “We warn Duterte against using the threat of terrorism to repress political dissenters.

We urge public vigilance especially since this terror warning comes suspiciously at a time of mounting protests against the Duterte-Marcos alliance,” Anakbayan national chairman Vencer Crisostomo said.

“Of late Duterte has taken to threatening the murder of rights activists and suspending the writ of habeas corpus that it would seem the president sees the dictator as a role model. Let this serve as a warning that the Filipino youth will be at the forefront of the fight against fascism,” he added. With John Paolo Bencito, PNA

rocedures, are governed by the terms of reference for fact-finding missions by special rapporteurs, which governments are requested to fully accept for any visit to take place,” Callamard said.

In his invitation to the rapporteurs, Duterte said he should be allowed to publicly question them.

“The dates for the mission have not been fixed yet,” Callamard said, adding that the probe will take a one to two weeks.

In a briefing note along with information about the working methods for fact-finding missions, Callamard said it is important for any countries under the UN probe, to accept their terms of reference.

“These are essential guarantees which ensure that the mission delivers on its outcomes, to the benefit of all those involved,” Callamard said.

Under the terms of reference, the government commits to ensuring free, confidential and unsupervised interviews with victims, families of victims, legal representatives, detainees, and civil society representatives as a whole.

They also commit to ensuring free and unrestricted access to all regions as well as to all places of detention and facilities where detainees might be kept.

During a country visit, the rapporteur will examine the situation and formulate recommendations to the government and other parties on upholding the right to life.

The special rapporteur undertakes two country visits per year and reports her findings and recommendations to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Callamard’s letter was contrary to the recent statement from Foreign Affairs Department spokesman Charles Jose that no visit would take place

until both the UN and the Philippines agree on the terms of reference, including the dates of the visit, places to visit, and the people to meet to interview.

In August, Callamard and Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health Dainius Pūras urged Duterte to put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial killings of alleged drug users and pushers.

“We call on the Philippine authorities to adopt with immediate effect the necessary measures to protect all persons from targeted killings and extrajudicial executions,” Callamard said.

But Duterte slammed the call of the two rapporteurs and threatened to pull the Philippines out of the UN, only to say this was a joke later on.

Duterte has lashed out at the UN for criticizing his bloody war on drugs, but in September agreed to invite the agency to investigate allegations of summary executions.

More than 4,000 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte started his war on illegal drugs.

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch-Asia Division deputy director Phelim Kine called on the US and the European Union to signal their concern about Duterte’s bloody war on drugs by suspending all assistance to Manila’s police forces.

“The US should also publicly disclose information on Philippine police recipients of that assistance to determine if there have been any violations of the Leahy Law on Human Rights, which bars security force units implicated in human rights abuses from receiving US government-supplied training or equipment,” Kine said in a statement.

“Training police who are murderers just makes them better murderers,” he said.

“Is is clear that many of the [police] stations, especially those in the capital city of Ma-

nila--are collectively responsible for hundreds of deaths,” Kine said.

On Wednesday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said his government has already decided to shift its police assistance program in the Philippines from anti-narcotics to maritime security.

Kirby admitted that the realigning of the assistance was made due to his government’s deep concern over the increase of alleged extrajudicial killings “by or at the behest” of the Philippine government.

“Since the beginning of this counternarcotics campaign, we decided the prudent thing to do was to refocus the way that assistance was being spent,” Kirby said, referring to President Duterte.

Kine, however, said that US and the EU should start expressing their concern on Duterte’s campaign against drugs by withdrawing all monetary assistance to the Philippine police.

Also on Thursday, the Network Against Killings in the Philippines slammed Duterte’s recent remarks blaming human rights advocates on the increasing drug problem in the country.

“NAK Philippines is appalled that President Duterte would even think of human rights activists as the enemy. His comment--that human rights is part of the drug problem and, as such, human rights advocates should be targeted, too--can be interpreted as a declaration of an open season on human rights defenders. We condemn it in the strongest term possible,” the group said.

Considering the alarming rate of summary and extrajudicial killings, the group said Duterte’s threat may give police officers and death squads a chance to also target those human rights advocates.

“We take this threat very seriously especially that it is issued by no less than the President himself,” the group said.

The group also urged Duterte to revoke his statement.

“We appeal to President Duterte to revoke this statement so as not to give police officers and the death squads out there the wrong impression that, in the war on drugs, human rights are also targeted,” it said.

“Human rights activists are not the enemy,” it added.

Human rights advocates called on Duterte to address not only the problem of drugs, but also extreme poverty, landlessness, contractual labor, war and displacement, shortage of housing and lack livelihood opportunities.

“These are the real crises of our nation, but are met with more violence, death, misogyny, sexism, vulgarity. The war on drugs has become government’s only concrete response to the pressing and complex issues facing the country today,” the group In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) said.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to kill human rights advocates criticizing his anti-drugs war had just revealed his real plan to lord it over the people, the group added.

The group also criticized the super majority in both houses of Congress which is now railroading anti-human rights legislation to create a police state.

“The state of national emergency on account of lawless violence remains in effect. The reintroduction of the death penalty, reducing the minimum age of criminal responsibility, calls for the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, calls for amendments to the anti-wiretapping law, Charter Change and the continuing derogation of the rule of law, are not measures to eliminate drugs and crime. They are laying the groundwork for an authoritarian rule of a new despot serving the interests of the old oligarchs to which he belongs,” the group said.

With Rio N. Araja

case and has been extending appropriate assistance,” Jose said, declining to discuss Puertollano’s case.

“We understand that information from the court proceedings, including bail conditions, are in the public record,” said Jose, who initially claimed he was not aware of the case.

Jose said Puertollano was ar-

raigned before Judge William Jackson of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia shortly after his arrest on November 19 and he pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail but was prohibited from leaving the United States and ordered to surrender his passport.

The embassy said Puertollano is represented by Washington

trial lawyer Charles Murdter and the hearing of his case will resume on December 9.

Aside from Jose, even the Department of Justice appeared to have been surprised by Puertollano’s arrest with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III saying he did not sign a travel authority for the state lawyer’s trip to the US. But Aguirre clarified that there

was nothing irregular about that and directed journalists to Puertollano’s direct supervisor Calida.

“He [Puertollano] got his travel permit from the OSG. That is allowed because they are an independent agency from the DoJ,” Aguirre said.

Calida, for his part, issued a statement Thursday evening saying he is investigating the child

From A1

Padilla said they are still verifying whether the terrorist group have sustained additional casualties during Wednesday night’s operation.

Government forces recaptured the old Butig municipal hall Wednesday, where the terrorists sought refuge after their positions were pounded by artillery and air attacks.

The abandoned Butig municipal hall is the same one the terrorists tried but failed to capture in February.

Also on Thursday, Padilla denied speculation that the roadside bomb attack in Marawi City that wounded nine troopers, including seven members of the Presidential Security Group advance party, was staged.

Padilla added that it is “against the principle of every soldier to wound or hurt a fellow comrade-in-arms.”

He added that the AFP remains apolitical and committed to upholding its mandate of protecting the country and people against all form of threats.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday continued to talk about talking with the Maute group as a way to end the fighting.

In a chance interview at Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday, the President said he want to talk peace with Commander Bravo, but to no avail.

“I have long opened [my communication lines with them]. I wanted to talk to them.

I coursed my invitation to many people at one time or another I talked to them because I wanted [Commander] Bravo,” Duterte said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who is against negotiating with the terrorists, said some local politicians had pushed for the talks.

“All I know is some Lanao prominent residents are pushing for that but we still have to get concrete word from the Mautes,” Lorenzana said in a text message. With PNA

Ex-MRT...

From A1

a bail of P30,000 for each count of graft charged against the two.

Both Vitangcol and De Vera are facing separate cases before the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division over the alleged anomalous awarding of the contract for the MRT’s maintenance.

Based on the information filed by the Ombudsman, Vitangcol attempted to extort $30 million through De Vera from the Inekon representatives on July 9, 2012, in exchange for the awarding of a contract to it to supply train coaches to the MRT. The extortion attempt allegedly was committed at the residence of then-Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar in Forbes Park, Makati, the information from the Ombudsman said.

Aside from the attempted extortion, the Ombudsman said Vitangcol exerted undue pressure to the businessmen to enter into a joint venture agreement with “a group of persons” including De Vera for the MRT’s service contract.

SolGen's...

From A1

Derek Puertollano after he was charged last November 19 with “misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor” for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old boy.

“The embassy (in Washington D.C.) was made aware of this

From A1

five suspects in the failed embassy bomb attack. The suspects were identified as Rayson “Rashid” Kilala Sakdal and Jiaher Guinar.

Rashid, who placed the improvised bomb in a trash bin near the embassy, is a returnee to the Islamic faith and a religious preacher in Bulacan, Dela Rosa said. Guinar was assigned as the trigger man.

Rashid said the original target was Luneta Park, but they were bothered by their conscience and planted the bomb instead near the US Embassy.

The suspects’ three accomplices transported the IED from Central Mindanao to Metro Manila, Dela Rosa said.

He said the two suspects are members of the Ansar Khilafah terror group, which has direct links with the Maute terror group that is now the center of military operations in Butig, Lanao del Sur. The PNP is now hunting down the three accomplices of Rashid and Guinar who are believed to have returned to

UN...

From A1

Du30...

From A1

“The state of lawlessness and the possibility of lifting of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, I think this will be selective, only in areas where there are really escalated threats when it comes to insurgency,” Andanar told radio dwIZ. “We assure the public that there will be no disruption in their normal lives even if we have raised our security level, in the same vein that there was no change in the way they live, work, or conduct business now that the country is under [a] state of national emergency on the account of lawless violence,” Andanar added.

He said placing the Philippines under terror alert level 3 was “consistent with the declaration of state of national emergency or the declaration of state of lawless violence” declared by Duterte after the Davao bombing in September.

“There is no such thing as perfect security,” the Palace official added.

Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday said the entire country was under Terror Alert 3, after police safely detonated an improvised bomb near the US Embassy on Monday.

Leila's...

From A1

he’s much safer there,” Aguirre said.

He said there was nothing wrong with such set-up as long as Dayan qualified for WPP coverage.

Earlier, Aguirre said Dayan would need to come up with another affidavit and tell everything he knew about the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison before he could be covered by the program.

He said he believed that Dayan was very careful in his testimony last week before the House of Representatives and obviously had been evading self-incriminating statements.

As for the other key witness, alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, Aguirre said he specifically requested to be placed under the Witness Protection Program.

Espinosa, the alleged drug lord who admitted giving P8 million to De Lima, has remained under police custody while a court order is being secured for his transfer to WPP custody.

Rey E. Requejo

PWDs...

From A1

“We will work now for the immediate implementation of the law and make sure that all provisions are strictly followed.”

RA 10754 exempts people with disability from paying the 12-percent VAT on land transportation, domestic air and sea travel, on the fees and charges for medical and dental services and medicines, on funeral and burial services, on the fees and charges in hotels, restaurants and recreation centers, and on the admission fees in theaters, cinema houses, concert halls.

The VAT exemption is on top of the 20-percent discount on certain goods and services that disabled people are already entitled to under the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.

Of the 1.5-million people with disability, only 30,000 are registered with PWD IDs and eligible to receive the benefits and privileges under the magna carta based on the 2014 data from the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disability of the Department of Health.

Angara urged the government to intensify its information dissemination campaign and to streamline the process for the application of the PWD ID. “We must ensure that all disabled Filipinos are provided with the necessary assistance and opportunities that will help them develop their potential and become fully participative members of society,” he said. abuse case against Puertollano in the US. “My office is conducting independent fact-finding investigation of this incident. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Calida said.

Calida said his assistant was on official business in Washington D.C. for a seminar on international arbitration.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Opec’s declining clout

O

IL PRODUCING countries may have preserved their relevance as an economic cartel after deciding to reduce their annual output to avoid another price collapse.

The agreement, the first cut in eight years, expectedly pushed oil prices to above $50 a barrel Thursday. But impact of the decision, reached by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and nonmember Russia, could

Adelle Chua, Editor

be fleeting in the face of a worldwide initiative to counter global warming and rely more on renewable sources of energy.

Opec members had to curtail their production after oil prices dropped to near 13-year lows of below $30 a barrel in

February from as high as $100 in June 2014, mainly because of oversupply and the viability of fracking gas and oil from shale rocks.

Falling crude prices have given nations heavily dependent on oil for power and motor fuel, like the Philippines, a huge relief. In contrast, major producers like Saudi Arabia found their fiscal house in a disarray as their major source of rev-

enue—oil exports— dwindled, prompting them to cut back on construction and expenditures.

Reduced output from the Opec members, and the resulting spike in oil prices, will only force non-producing countries and those wary of the disastrous impact of climate change to ramp up the search for cleaner and sustainable sources of energy.

Solar power technol-

ogy, for instance, has proven to be cheap of late, while hydroelectric sources of energy are staging a comeback.

Some major cities, meanwhile, are serious in fighting climate change. Vancouver has expanded its network of bike roads and rail transit lines to reduce harmful carbon emissions.

The Canadian city in 2015 set a target of 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Los An-

geles, California plans to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable resources, specifically wind and solar energy, by 2030.

The dependence on fossil-based fuels like oil and coal will soon decline as more nations realize their damaging impact to the environment and budgetary resources.

Opec, too, will lose its market clout amid the clamor for cleaner sources of energy.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Tessie Sy is Management Man of the Year

don’t see it their way) that they were in the right.

I know the logic is very convoluted, to say nothing of being thoroughly elitist, minority and Yellow. As I’ve already said, the people who are hell-bent on transforming the Marcos burial issue into something other than a legal dispute that can be (and has already been) settled by the Supreme Court are just looking for a justification after the fact of their sorry loss.

That, and the fact that the forces that still can’t get over Duterte’s victory over their highly-touted and infinitely better-funded candidate now want to use the Marcos burial issue as an excuse to remove the president. This is why no matter what Duterte says or does, he will always be pilloried by some people who just can’t accept defeat at the hands of the majority in a democratic election last May. That said, I’m truly glad that

OF SOME 40 Management Man of the Year awardees chosen by the Management Association of the Philippines in the last half century, the one I am most happy about and truly proud of is Teresita Sy-Coson, the chair of BDO Unibank and first vice chairman of the conglomerate SM Investments Corp. (SMIC).

Tessie Sy is the 2016 MAP Management Man of the Year, the second woman to be so honored, after Lilia de Lima, the director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in the last 21 years.

Lilia would have been a cinch for an extended term as Peza boss, except that her surname is De Lima. Also, Lilia’s being MAP Management Man was somehow diluted when the MAP plum was split with Ramon “Boy Blue” del Rosario in 2010. This is not to diminish Boy Blue’s award though.

In 1999, the MAP Management Man of the Year was also split, by Henry Sy Sr., Tessie’s legendary dad, and Delfin Lazaro, the top finance honcho of the Ayalas.

The Ayala group enjoys a large chunk of the MAP trophies. It has at least six MAP Management Men of the Year—led by the father and son tandem of Jaime Zobel de Ayala (1987) and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala who split the award with George SK Ty of the Metrobank Group in 2006.

The other Ayala men who have earned the MAP’s nod as top-tier management whizzes are: Del Lazaro (1999), Jose L. Cuisia Jr. (2007), Antonino T. Aquino (2009), and Aurelio R. Montinola III. Does this make the MAP award an oldboy network of the Ayalas? Is Ayala the best managed company locally?

When will the likes of Eduardo Cojuangco, Ramon Ang, Carlos Chan, Eddie Gaisano, or Injap Sia be recognized?

The next biggest group of MAP awardees are the central bankers—Jobo Fernandez (1989), Gabriel Singson (1998), Rafael B. Buenaventura (2004), Jose L. Cuisia Jr. (2007), and Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. (2015).

How come when the economy is in deep sh*t or deep re-

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Twisted LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES WHEN you have the law on your side, you don’t have to explain yourself so much. When you don’t, you’ll have to perform the most complicated of verbal acrobatics to justify your actions—but you still won’t sound convincing.

I caught a part of the speech of Mariz Diokno, the resigned chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, at last Wednesday’s rally at the People Power Monument. And I confirmed from Diokno herself how difficult it is for some people to justify their protest against the Supreme Court decision allowing the burial of Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

According to Diokno, the Supreme Court “allowed” the bur-

ial of Marcos at LNMB, which is correct. From that premise, however, she proceeded to say that the court did not say that Marcos “should” be interred there, at the cemetery of his choice.

She lost me right there. In my simple mind, if the high court allowed the burial, then there would no longer be any impediment for it to happen, right?

The conclusion should be that Marcos can now get his wish to be buried where he wanted, because it is allowed by no less an authority than the high court.

After all, why in the world wouldn’t the former dictator be interred where he wished, if that was what the law and the court allowed?

Perhaps this is the “higher ground” that Diokno said President Rodrigo Duterte should have taken on the issue, in the resignation letter that she wrote earlier in the week. But for argument’s sake, let’s try to see what the view from Diokno’s

elevated position looks like.

Duterte ordered the burial after promising to do exactly that during the campaign period. This plan was, in turn, upheld by the tribunal after it studied the seven petitions that

The logic is very convoluted, to say nothing of being thoroughly elitist, minority and Yellow.

were filed against the burial in a 9-5 vote, with one justice abstaining.

There is no question that both the Marcos family and Duterte wanted the burial. And after

finding no legal or procedural impediment to the plan, the court allowed it, so it happened.

But for Diokno, from her elevated moral position, wanting to do something is not the same as actually doing it, never mind if the highest court in the land has already allowed it. To justify her semantic contortions, she creates a false dichotomy, wherein being allowed to do something you want to do doesn’t mean you should actually do it, never mind if both the law and the court say you can do just that.

Of course, I get that what Diokno really wants is for Duterte and the Marcoses to bow to the will of those who want to prevent the burial, even if the latter lost their bid to stop it in court. Diokno and her fellow protesters are really saying that they’re the ones who should get what they want, even if they failed to convince Malacanang and the Supreme Court (not to mention all other Filipinos who

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Opinion

More than just about De Lima SOME sense a looming crisis, him. In one instructive case, the not without reason. The House US Supreme Court upheld the of Representatives, peeved by right of a witness testifying beRonnie Dayan’s allegation (his fore the US Congress to refuse daughter’s, better) that Lady Lei- to answer a question that lacked la had advised him to keep away any demonstrable connection to from the House hearings and to the planned legislation. In Watsnub its summons, has issued the kins v. United States (1957), the senator a show-cause order, one US Supreme Court so wisely step closer towards slapping her taught that congressional inwith a contempt citation. Pre- quiry “must be related to and dictably, the Senate has rushed in furtherance of a legitimate to the side of a beleaguered col- task of the Congress.” And as league. The Upper, it seems, regards the right of a witness will not yield to the Lower. not to answer an impertinent There is talk of interdepart- question, the Court ruled: “Promental courtesy. But this kind tected freedoms should not be of courtesy is no more demand- placed in danger in the absence able than a switch to “dim” of a clear determination by the when one meets another vehicle House or the Senate that a paron the road at night with one’s ticular inquiry is justified by a headlights on. What is clear specific legislative need.” That, is that legislators are immune to me, is very good constitufrom arrest while Congress is tional law! in session, for crimes punishI maintain the position I had able by not more than six years. earlier advocated. If the House Definitely, contempt—which is of Representatives is convinced not even to be found in our book that Leila’s actions have not of crimes but is often referred to only been naughty but conas “the only tempt uous, crime found then it should in the Rules file a comof Court” — plaint against does not reach her with the There is a that threshold.

Ethics ComThen, there is mittee of very important, the prerogathe Senate, interesting if tive vested in and while each Chamber vexing dynamic at the Senate to deal with is at liberty work here. the disorderly to arrive at conduct of its its own findown memings, I should bers. But that think that any only begs the grave abuse question: Does snubbing the of discretion on its part in this summons of another Chamber, respect will be subject to the or suborning the defiance of broad certiorari powers of the another, constitute “disorderly” Supreme Court. conduct?

There is a very important, Leila was right in fearing that interesting if vexing dynamic she and Dayan would be made at work here. One sees how sport of at a Lower House hear- institutions determine indiing. The conduct of the pro- vidual’s actions. Congressmen ceedings and the prevalence of and women are irked not necimpertinence only proved that essarily because they do not she was right in predicting that like Leila but because of the she and Dayan would come out “dignity” of the Lower House all the worse because of attend- that they believe it their duty to ing the hearing—and there are protect. Leila for her part has not a few who believe that she so much that is personal to prowas right in avoiding embar- tect, and she takes refuge in the rassment of this sort. After all, institutions of Congress as well “self-preservation” comes in as in the conventions of the grades and shades. workings of the Legislature— On the other hand, there is and she has by her side her colthe conceptual problem of abet- leagues in the Senate who may ting if not encouraging defiance not necessarily be convinced of a lawful order of the House that she has done no wrong, but of Representatives. There may who are not willing to sacrifice be constitutional issues about the prerogatives of their Chamsummoning De Lima herself, ber either. It is a question of but certainly none in respect to whether it is the individual who Dayan. Then again, there are colonizes the institution or the limits—not observed—to what latter that lays down the path a House hearing may demand the individual can tread—or of its “resource persons.” Some whether even it is correct to legislators believe that once make a disjunction of both! summoned, a witness is fair game and he can be compelled, rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph on pain of contempt, to answer rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph every bit of irrelevance asked of rannie_aquino@outlook.com

Twisted...

From A4 Diokno is no longer in her old post as the country’s top official historian. I can’t imagine what else she applies her twisted Yellow logic to in such an important cultural position. *** I also agree with those who opined that the rally against the burial of a supposed thief last Wednesday was marred by the presence of some top officials of the old Aquino administration—including those who also stand accused of massive corruption themselves. And the arrival of Senator Leila de Lima, who may soon be jailed and found guilty of so many crimes, including receiving millions from drug lords to fund her Senate campaign, really ruined the rally for me.

At this point, I believe, you could even argue that De Lima is at least as corrupt as Marcos

himself, who was never convicted of any crime and who can no longer be convicted of anything, since he died 27 years ago. De Lima, on the other hand, could face a very long prison term for corruption, extortion, obstruction of justice and even adultery.

Then there was Mar Roxas, who, as far as I know was never part of any of the anti-Marcos movements born since the declaration of martial law in 1972.

(It’s true that Roxas’ father Gerry was a prominent political enemy of Marcos; but his son was never an anti-Marcos activist or human rights victim – nor will he ever be.)

But what’s a Yellow rally without Roxas, the big loser to Duterte last May, anyway? Because that’s what it really was: a rally of losers, both in court and at the polls, still mistakenly believing that they constitute the majority and possess a monopoly of truth, justice and everything else that is good.

A5

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End-of-year report

PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO ONCE more it’s December, the month of Christmas and New Year’s Eve and the most appropriate time to review our annual performance and highlight our most outstanding achievements, including minor successes.

Like private sector executives, President Digong’s sixmonth-old Cabinet members will have to go through a similar exercise before yearend especially after he has issued his executive order on freedom of information in the executive branch of government.

They have to report their accomplishments during their first six months in office. From these reports, the President would have to select the outstanding few that he could present to us —maybe informally on his first Christmas and New Year’s Day message—but formally during his Second State-of-the-Nation Address on July 24, 2017.

We will concede that his officials have performed spectacularly in waging his war against drug users, pushers, dealers, narco politicians and drug lords. How else could we describe its five-month results of 2,000 killed and 800,000 who surrendered?

His critics insist, of course, that these were limited victories against illegal drug violators who were mostly poor folk and ordinary citizens. Besides, its success is yet to be estab-

lished as a long-lasting solution and only time could tell if this bloody war against illegal drugs was any better than burning in summer dry cogon grass that regrows in the first drop of rain.

By the end of 2016, President Digong’s senior officials must also report their performance in areas outside of improving law and order conditions.

Unavoidably, they would have to refer to his much-publicized 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

Lest we forget, they are summarized as 1. Continue and maintain current macroeconomic policies, including fiscal, monetary, and trade policies.

2. Institute progressive tax reform and more effective tax collection, indexing taxes to inflation.

3. Increase competitiveness and the ease of doing business.

4. Accelerate annual infrastructure spending to account for 5 percent of GDP. 5. Promote rural and value chain development toward increasing agricultural and rural enterprise productivity and rural tourism.

6. Ensure security of land tenure to encourage investments, and address bottlenecks in land management and titling agencies.

7. Invest in human capital development, including health and education systems, and match skills and training.

8. Promote science, technology, and the creative arts.

9. Improve social protection programs, including the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer program.

10. Strengthen implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law. Was every key result area assigned to at least one Cabinet member?

His Cabinet members have publicized this 10-point socioeconomic agenda and we thus expect that they’ll relate their performance to a specific point in the agenda—KRA—in clear and measurable terms.

Sadly, we pensioners of the Social Security System feel ignored in the formulation of these 10 KRAs when the P2,000-pension increase was only presumed part of improving social protection programs.

Obviously, it is what we and our dependents have been clamoring for, and loudly. President Digong’s new SSS officials should now enable its grant.

They should stop analyzing and explaining why it would soon bankrupt the agency and thus could not be granted.

We have had enough analyses, alibis, explanations, and promises from their predecessors.

Besides, did he not promise to give it to us immediately upon election as president?

We still remember him declaring before that “if there’s a will, there’s a way.”

We also know that this is logically equivalent to saying that “there’s no way if there’s no will.”

So far, President Digong’s new SSS officials have not shown any will to increase pensions.

Its Chairman’s counter offer of granting P1,000 in January 2017 and another P1,000 in 2022 would also lead to the immediate

bankruptcy of SSS. This “twogives” increase would only delay its bankruptcy by perhaps five years, but its cash flow problems will manifest soon and force it to liquefy its investments in government securities, stocks and properties. Its members would be made to prepay their salary loans.

It would create a crisis in government, which must bail out SSS much sooner than the year of its bankruptcy.

What SSS needs to do is increase gradually its contribution rate from 11 percent to 21 percent and its monthly salary ceiling for contributions from P16,000 to P100,000 over the next 20 years, making sure that cash flows never become negative at any time.

But this would displease big business employers, and thus the new SSS chairman has opted for other plans.

He announced last Nov. 21 that he was “pushing for changes in the SSS charter … that would provide the pension fund greater investment flexibility to bolster its generation of needed revenues for granting higher benefits.”

This amused us but we started to worry when he also announced that “all toll roads, the financing of those, 25 to 35 percent should come from the pension fund” and that “this will be a priority legislation we want to fight for.”

SSS would soon be submitting its performance report for 2016.

For sure, it would not include the grant of the P2,000-pension increase. Instead, it would be full of dazzling, risky and controversial investment plans.

From love to death

By Yury Fedotov ACROSS the world, tens of thousands of women and girls are being loved to death.

Take a wide angle snapshot of these deaths and violent assaults and they become a recitation of women attacked in desperate circumstances.

Strangulations, often with everyday implements such as rolling pins and dog leads, frightening acid attacks, shootings, burnings, are just some of the ways women are murdered and scarred globally.

Despite only one in five global murders being female, the stories of their deaths are radically different from male murders.

Men are most often killed by strangers.

The reverse is disastrously true for women. One of the singularly most dangerous places for a woman is the family home.

A woman’s most dangerous antagonist is not the serial killer, or the criminal opportunist, or

Tessie...

From A4 cession, the central bank governor gets an award? How come when the economy is in a boom, the central bank governor also gets an award?

Is managing a crisis as difficult as managing a boom? Isn’t a crisis a result of management failure? If a boom takes place in spite of what the financial or economic manager is doing, should he be awarded? I am confused. I am took three semester of MBA units at Ateneo and have covered the economy and business for the past 46 years, so I sometimes pretend to know management. MAP has more than 700 CEOs in its roster, so it should know better.

This year, Tessie Sy is the solo winner of the Management Man of the Year. This time, MAP got it right, 100 percent. MAP cited Tessie Coson for: 1. Steering the SM Group’s retail business to greater heights with her over four decades of retail experience; 2. Transforming the SM Group’s property business into one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia with investments in malls, residences, commercial buildings, leisure and tourism; 3. Her valuable contribution in sustaining the BDO’s position as the leading bank in

the random murderer, but her intimate partner or another family member.

In 2012, 43,600 women were killed by an intimate partner or a family member. This is an average of some 119 women killed globally every single day of the year or one every 12 minutes.

It follows that the story of women’s murder is not one of guns and knives in the hands of strangers, but of brutal betrayal of both marriage vows and social mores. It is a tale of how close partners turn from love to vicious murder.

Figures bear this out. Sixty per cent of homicide victims are female where the intimate partner or family member is the perpetrator. Even more disturbing, 78 percent of all intimate partner homicide victims are female.

If this is the situation, what can be done? Last year, the world was given a target.

The target comes from the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and calls for the elimination of all forms

of violence against women and girls, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. Reductions in all forms of violence and related death rates are also sought.

Our work is united by a single intractable truth: despite fluctuating homicide rates, whether living north or south, east or west, the killings of women by intimate partners exist at similar levels in all the world’s regions.

In Europe, in Asia, in North America, we all have a stake in this struggle. But there needs to be a fundamental sea change in the way we view this crime.

These figures reveal a battlefield; one where the war front is also the home front—a conflict played out in the residences and private places of all our societies.

From the first responder to the judges and on to the legislators, the murders of women and girls must be taken seriously.

No allowances should be made.

We cannot stand by while women and girls are murdered in places

that should be safe and secure.

Gender is key. The growing recognition that there is glaring inequality will hopefully introduce more women into leading roles within our societies, but it can also help change ossified opinions and calcified perceptions.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is the day for saying no more to this deadly plague that tars all our societies, but we cannot stop there.

Words have to become solid deeds. Solid deeds must lead to lives saved. We are losing thousands of women and girls every year.

Each death forms part of a river of misery and suffering that flows from generation to generation. We must all strive to pass on something positive to those who follow. The lives of women and girls, indeed all lives, must be respected and cherished.

the Philippines; 4. Her leadership role in the substantial contributions of the SM Group of companies to national development, job creation and income generation through its huge investments in real estate, banking, shopping malls, hotels, convention centers, and gaming; 5. Strengthening the identity of companies under the SM Group as socially responsible corporate citizens through the SM Foundation’s developmental programs on education, livelihood, health and wellness, and the BDO Foundation’s programs in the areas of relief operations, education, shelter and livelihood which have improved the lives of many Filipinos all over the country; and 6. Her contribution to reshaping national values through her track record of integrity, professional competence, and strong leadership.

BDO is the Philippines’ largest bank. SMIC is the largest mall operator and department store operator, largest retailer, property developer, and largest Philippine investor in China.

The largest listed company in stock market capitalization. Its focus is the mass market offering essential services such as food, clothing, housing and finance. It has also moved into mining and casinos.

In a speech at the Nomura Investment Forum, June 8, 2016,

Tessie Sy expressed optimism about the Philippines. She related: “In our group, SM Investments Corp., (SMIC), we look to the future with optimism.

We believe this is a great time to expand our mall, retail and banking businesses. The Philippines has largely been driven by domestic consumption, which comprises 70 percent of the GDP. With the current manageable inflation and with increased government spending, household spending will further grow.

There has been a notable rise in the middle class segment, especially in rural areas due to remittances and increased employment, which have in turn increased disposable income.

There is also an emergence of small and medium enterprises, which provides goods and services to our stores, and increases occupancy in spaces inside our malls. The demand for credit facilities from BDO for businesses and personal credit has been strong.

Our business is in customer service, be it retail, property— which includes malls, residences, and hotels—and banking.

We have been constantly innovating according to customers’ demands, making our products available for their aspiration of affordable luxury.

Beyond business, through our SM and BDO foundations, we

work with the local government and private agencies in areas we are located to provide social and environmental sustainable programs to help uplift communities.

This is made possible because we have strong capable teams within each of our business units who provide synergistic activities with each other. These businesses are responsible for the employment of around 500,000 employees directly and indirectly through our suppliers and tenants. With increased customer demands, we expand and hire more people.

We believe there are many new opportunities in the Philippines. We look at the election of each new government as a periodic review of our government program, much like in the corporate world. We do not look at it as an interruption in the Philippines, as each president build on the work of the previous one.

With President Duterte, there is a continuation of current macroeconomic policies, plus more emphasis on programs that were not finished by the outgoing government.

Barring the challenges that may be brought about by climate change and global geopolitical risks, our economy will continue its growth due to strong fundamentals. Our business plan will continue.”

Yury Fedotov is executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

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News

A6

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Yasay seeks better ties with US PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and United States President-elect Donald Trump will be having a phone conversation in the coming days, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Thursday.

“We would be expecting within the next few days that they will have a telephone conversation,” Yasay said in a television interview, adding Duterte wants to have a good relationship with Trump unlike his relationship with outgoing US President Barack Obama.

Yasay said with the incoming Trump administration, the Philippines hopes to improve relations with Washington.

“I think our relationship with the United States will not only remain strong and firm, but will also grow stronger,” Yasay said, pointing out Manila only wants to push for a more independent foreign policy.

“The concerns, the issues we have raised transcend personalities… We are really harping on fundamental changes so we can pursue an independent foreign policy,” Yasay added. John

DoJ probes 1,300 Chinese

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

T

HE Department of Justice will investigate the involvement of some personnel of the Bureau of Immigration who allegedly aided more than 70 out of the 1,316 arrested undocumented Chinese nationals in illegal online casinos at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Thursday ordered the BI to find out the circumstances behind the escape and possible liability of personnel who had custody of the illegal workers arrested last November 25.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente himself gave assurances there would be no whitewash in the deportation proceedings against the arrested Chinese nationals, adding “they will undergo deportation proceedings and their cases will be decided on the merits and the evidence to be presented.”

Aguirre said “I am sure heads will roll,” disclosing he got information some of the arrested Chinese each offered P100,000 to P250,000 for their individual release.

At around 3 a.m., over 70 of the Chinese nationals were able to escape by supposedly jumping over the walls of their temporary detention facility at Fontana Leisure Park and Casino Hotel.

More than half of them were either rearrested or have returned with only 26 detainees who remained missing as of Thursday.

Aguirre, who exercises admin-

istrative supervision over the BI, said the detainees—reportedly guarded by Special Action Force operatives—would not have been able to escape without the aid of authorities.

“Why should they escape if nobody facilitated it? I’m sure some people helped them,” he stressed.

“Actually, there are many syndicates there in the BI,” Aguirre said.

The DoJ chief said the 1,316 Chinese were temporarily detained in Fontana because they could not be accommodated at the BI jail in Taguig City.

Aguirre added those without passports would be immediately deported to China while some of them have applied for bail in courts.

Meanwhile, Aguirre clarified there was no actual bribery attempt on him by casino junket operator and Fontana owner Jack Lam, contrary to a newspaper report.

The report suggested Lam sup-

posedly attempted to pay Aguirre off during a meeting at the Bonifacio Global City on Nov. 26, after the arrest of the Chinese nationals in his resort.

However, Aguirre said there was no direct act of bribery from Lam’s henchman, former police general-turned-poker legend Wally Sombero.

He recalled Sombero only informed him that Lam had no “caretaker” for a long time and asked him if he could be the tycoon’s “godfather.”

“It was only a perception [of bribery]. Before you can accuse someone, there should be overt act of bribery. There was none so we cannot investigate or charge them,” Aguirre pointed out.

Contrary to the report, he said there was also no mention of P100 million during their meeting at a five-star hotel in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

He said he ignored the offer of Sombero, who is also an asset of

Duterte’s Kitchen launched

By Maricel V. Cruz

Paolo Bencito

Aguirre names Napros OIC JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has designated Makati City Prosecutor Jorge Catalan Jr. as officerin-charge of the Department of Justice’s National Prosecution Service.

Aguirre said Catalan will take over the responsibilities of Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, who took a terminal leave after being appointed head of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Arellano’s leave started on Thursday up to January 5. “[Arellano] is going to resign from his post because he is already appointed as administrator of POEA upon the request of Labor Secretary [Silvestre] Bello,” Aguirre admitted.

Earlier, he ordered the transfer to provincial posts of two top prosecutors of the DoJ—Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva and Miguel Gudio Jr. In separate department orders, he designated Villanueva as acting provincial prosecutor of Guimaras and Guido as acting provincial prosecutor of Compostela Valley. Rey E. Requejo

DoJ in its probe on illegal online gambling operations in the country.

“I know myself I couldn’t be bribed, that’s why I wasn’t afraid to meet them,” Aguirre said.

He also revealed that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Andrea Domingo told him about a similar offer from Lam’s camp—to allow Fontana to continue its online gaming operations while applying for a license in exchange for one-percent commission from the income of the gaming operations.

But Aguirre admitted his information on the offer to Domingo would be hearsay.

He said he would let other appropriate government agencies to investigate the liabilities of Lam and the illegal gaming firms for operating without license from Pagcor.

Aguirre said they found that Lam was not the owner of the raided online casinos, which were only renting inside his resort.

STIRRING THE SPIRIT. Amid the aggravation commuters frequently experience on Metro Manila’s train system, the Light Rail Manila Corp. is trying to stir some Christmas spirit with decor that now deck LRT-1 coaches. Lino Santos

Gordon seeks probe of judicial warrants DUE to questionable search warrants, Senator Richard Gordon hopes the Supreme Court would investigate judges issuing warrants that allow Philippine National Police operatives to ostensibly search government detention facilities.

Gordon pointed out that PNP operatives were able to effect questionable missions using search warrants issued by judges such as in the case of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

Espinosa was killed on Nov. 5, 2016 inside his Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail cell, along with another inmate Raul Yap, while operatives of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 served a search warrant in connection with illegal possession of firearms charges.

He also said the Supreme Court should act on this matter and investigation should be immediately finished.

“For me, I don’t think that’s ignorance of the law alone, I think that’s malicious,” the senator said.

“The judge knows that a warrant should not be issued for any detention facility, that a cell cannot be opened and your cabinet cannot be searched. or even your bed... Why issue a warrant?”

Gordon also expressed alarm that it might have become a modus operandi for some unscrupulous PNP members to serve search warrants inside prison facilities to lend legitimate color to their nefarious operations.

He cited two other previous instances where inmates were killed while PNP operatives were serv-

ing search warrants inside the jail. Killed in the operations were inmates Francisco Balagbis and Edgar Allen Alvarez.

A week before the Espinosa killing, Balagbis, an inmate of the Baybay City Jail of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-8, was killed during a raid on Oct. 28, 2016 by operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force of the Police Regional Office-8.

On the other hand, Alvarez was killed when police operatives raided the Leyte Regional Penitentiary in Abuyog, Leyte on Aug. 11, 2016.

He was shot to death while allegedly attempting to fight the raiding team from the CIDG, Regional Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Group, Regional Public Safety Battalion, and the Regional Maritime

WCKF signs MOA with French foundation for humanitarian aid.

The Wong Chu King Foundation (WCKF) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the France-Philippines United Action Foundation(FPUA) and Habitat for Humanity Philippines (Habitat) to help the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, three years since it ravaged many Visayan provinces.

The MOA enables WCKF to sponsor housings for families affected by the typhoon. In top photo are (L-R) WCKF head coordinator Cristina C. Villanueva, WCKF volunteer Camelo Noel H. Navarro, WCKF general manager James Vincent C. Navarrete, Habitat chief marketing officer Yvonne C. Lih, Habitat donor management officer Judith Gail B. Dionisio, WCKF volunteers Sophia P. Gonzalo and Michelle S. Murriel.

Unit, all from Region 8.

In an en banc resolution issued on Nov. 11, 2016, the Supreme Court ordered the Office of the Court Administrator to investigate the judge involved in the Espinosa slay within five days and to submit a recommendation five days thereafter.

Thus, Court Administrator Midas Marquez ordered Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of Basey, Samar RTC Branch 30 and Judge Janet Cabalona of Calbiga, Samar RTC Branch 33 to explain the necessity and circumstances for the issuance of search warrants against the detainees who were under custody of authorities in a government detention facility.

Sabarre issued the warrants against Espinosa and Balagbis, while Cabalona issued the warrant against Alvarez. Macon Ramos-Araneta

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez, through the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, has launched Duterte’s Kitchen in Cubao, Quezon City whose main task is to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s national feeding program for the poor where it currently feeds street children.

Glen Badon, PDP-Laban national executive director, said Duterte’s Kitchen was agreed upon following a meeting of Alvarez with other key party leaders, including Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and others to complement their Social Services and Economic Development Program and President Duterte’s desire to address poverty and hunger in the country.

“It was the brainchild of the Speaker after their meeting,” Badon said of Duterte’s Kitchen, managed by Dexter Baracael.

Badon said Duterte’s Kitchen, near MRT Cubao between Farmers Plaza and Social Security System Building, is feeding between 50 and 70 street children daily during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Before, we only provided food for the street children, but now even hungry adults are being attended to,” said Badon, noting the program started a few weeks after President Duterte assumed office in July.

He said Duterte’s Kitchen mostly serves free “lugaw” or rice porridge and champorado or chocolate rice porridge for breakfast, rice meal with vegetables, fish, adobong manok and baboy (chicken and pork) during lunch and dinner.

According to Badon, “the staff are volunteers who believe on the advocacy of extending help to the underprivileged people and bring hope and inspiration to them.”

Computer apps take lead role in caring for HIV-AIDS patients

By Leilani Junio HIV patients having a hard time in taking their medication regularly may soon find help through a “virtual assistant” that reminds them not to miss out their anti-retroviral treatments (ARTs) .

Through the launching of “Connect for Life” program in the Philippines, HIV patients can have the chance to receive assistance in monitoring their medication and stay healthy and fit at the same time.

Dr. Kate Leyritana, medical director of Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (Ship), said with the system, patients could be reminded of the time to take their meds.

“What happens is after you [HIV patient] get registered at the system at the clinic, and you inform your physician or the admin that ‘these are the times I take my meds, I want to be enrolled in the system,’ the system will call you at your designated times [and tell you]

it’s time to take your med,” Leyritana explained.

The response can be done by pressing some options as advised by the operator.

The response will automatically appear in the clinic’s dashboard and the physician can see the patient’s progress through the “HIV adherence reminder service.”

Some colors will appear in the report, indicating if the patient took the meds (green); not reported or did not answer the call (orange); did not take meds and honest in reporting (red); etc.

The physician will evaluate if there is a need to call the patient and ask the reasons for not taking the medicines or any other related problems.

In that way, she said they do not have to wait for the patient to make a follow-up, thus reducing the incidence of resistance or mutation.

In addition, the system also gives patients the choice to be reminded to take their meds

through a message. Other health tips are also available in the system.

The system will be piloted initially among identified HIV patients at the Philippine General Hospital.

She expressed hope other organizations interested in helping HIV patients will make use of the system in the aim to reach out to HIV patients.

“We’re hoping that eventually ma-pipick-out ito ng government or mai-integrate ito in the healthcare system or yung mga private institution as their ‘patients cause’...

Pero, hopefully it will become a government endeavor para hindi rin mabigat sa pasyente,” Leyritana said in an interview with PNA. According to Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the National Institute of Health, University of the Philippines, the rule to be followed in taking ARTs is almost similar to taking antibiotics. PNA

Sports

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

MLB, players reach accord

Blackwater faces baptism of fire against Talk ‘N Text

NEW YORK—Major League Baseball and its players association agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday, beating a midnight deadline to ensure five more years of labor peace.

The deal, which must still be ratified by owners and players, would extend through 2021, MLB said in a statement, adding that both parties “continue to draft the entirety of the agreement”.

A five year deal would take the game to 26 years without a strike or lockout.

Baseball saw eight work stoppages in the prior 24 years, including the damaging 232day players’ strike that wiped out the 1994 World Series and delayed the start of the 1995 season.

After the sides met at a hotel outside Dallas, where the Major League Baseball Players Association held its annual executive board meeting, MLB announced that the tentative deal had been reached.

That was hours before the old agreement was to expire at midnight Eastern time (0500 GMT).

Despite the deadline, a lockout of players looked unlikely with both sides eager to continue negotiating and avoid any shutdown of a sport that generates $10 billion a year.

The deal reportedly raises the luxury tax threshold from $189 million to $195 million with further gradual increases.

Teams that spend well over the threshold on player salaries could see their tax rate jump to as high as 90 percent.

Also, clubs that sign a premium free agent will not have to yield a first-round draft pick to the team that lost the player.

Clubs that exceed the luxury-tax threshold, though, would lose a pick later in the draft.

Other provisions of the new deal expected to be announced in coming weeks include changes to baseball’s domestic violence policy and tougher sanctions for players who violate drug rules. AFP

By Jeric Lopez

S

URPRISING league leader Blackwater gets its biggest test as TNT KaTropa challenges it to see if it’s the real deal as the 2016-17 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup resumes.

Both coming off huge victories in their previous assignments, the Elite (2-0) and TNT KaTropa (1-1) both want to keep their momentum going and follow-up with another win when they face each other at

THE world’s best multi sport athletes are coming to see action in the 2016 Maybank Powerman Philippines Duathlon World Series.

The presence of two-time world champion Gael de Belec is expected to make competition interesting when action begins this weekend at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Powerman Philippines chairman Raymond Magdaluyo said days before action starts on Saturday.

“We’re bringing in the best of the best in duathlon. We want to provide inspiration to people who want to get into the sport,” said Magdaluyo during a presentation last Monday at the Prive Luxury

reach our full potential,” said Blackwater coach Leo Isaac of his squad’s good start. “We got the players we want and now we’re continuing to develop as a team.”

One big reason why the Elite is enjoying its best start in franchise history so far is the stellar play of top rookie Mac Belo, who was named as the first Player of the Week for this season.

Belo dropped 25 points against the Bolts as he continues to show why he is highlytouted and why he is dubbed as

a next superstar in the league.

As for the Tropang Texters, a very familiar face is expected to make his season debut as superstar Jayson Castro is expected to suit up after missing the team’s first two games to rest.

The Batang Pier had a rousing debut when it annihilated Mahindra, 97-75, last week.

On the other hand, Star didn’t exactly have the start it wanted when it dropped its opener in the first game of the tournament against San Miguel Beer, 96-88.

Phoenix will rise from ashes SPORTS CENTER REUEL VIDAL

TNT KaTropa guard Ryan Reyes attacks the basket against Blackwater Elite defender Roi Sumang in their game last season. Surprise leader Blackwater gets its baptism of fire when it battles TNT KaTropa today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Clark hosts Powerman Duathlon World Series

By Peter Atencio

4:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today in the first game.

Right after that, GlobalPort (1-0) aims on keeping in step with the other teams up top when it goes head to head

against Star (0-1), which is looking for its first win, at 7 p.m. in the nightcap.

The Elite and the Tropang Texters both notched wins on the same playdate, last Sunday, to boost their current stand in the ladder.

Blackwater stunned Governors’ Cup runner-up Meralco, 86-84, while TNT KaTropa gained a morale-boosting 108-103 triumph over Governors’ Cup champion Barangay Ginebra.

“Slowly, you can see the glitter in our team and hopefully we can keep it up until we

Club inside The Fort in Taguig.

Magdaluyo talked about the competition with Maybank CEO International Pollie Sim and Owen Gan, president of Powerman Philippines.

Three-time world champion Emma Pooley is also coming over to compete in the women’s division, along with promising world contender Miriam Van Reijen of The Netherlands.

Local bets include John Chicano, Emmanuel Commendador and August Benedicto.

They will all take part in the standard race, which is a 10-km run, 60-km bike and 10-km run event.

Medals will also be at stake in the Powerman Short, which is a 5-km run-30km bike-5km run competition.

Ardina pursues LPGA card DOTTIE Ardina bucked a bogey start at the back with two birdies at the front as she turned in a oneunder 71 at the tough Hills course to tie Filipino amateur Regina de Guzman and 14 others at 22nd, four strokes off joint leaders Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and Katelyn Dambaugh of the US at the start of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament Final Stage in Florida Wednesday.

Sustaining a remarkable windup on the Symetra Tour that sent her straight to Stage III of the LPGA elims, Ardina toughened up after that bogey mishap on No. 10, coming through with a slew of pars, including a couple of up-and-down feats, then birdying Nos. 1 and 3 from long range for a closing 34.

De Guzman, who also started at the back of the Hills layout, actually toted a two-under card

heading to the ninth but the Filipina amateur, coming off a playoff victory in the NWGA (National Women’s Golf Association) Championship, also in Florida, two weeks ago, bogeyed the par-4 hole and settled for a 35-36.

She bogeyed No. 15 but birdied No. 17 before hitting back-toback birdies from No. 4.

Fil-Am Clariss Guce, a twotime winner this year on the Symetra Tour, mixed three birdies against the same number of bogeys for joint 38th in a field of 156 chasing the top 70 spots after four rounds into the final 18 holes where 20 LPGA Tour cards for 2017 will be up for grabs.

While Ardina, De Guzman and Guce put themselves in early contention, the three other Filipina hopefuls floundered and dropped way below

the cut-off line.

Princess Superal never recovered from a shaky start of three straight bogeys from No. 13, also at Hills, making just one birdie while dropping two more strokes on Nos. 4 and 6 for a four-over 76.

She fell to a share of 111th while Mia Piccio and Cyna Rodriguez proved worse with 78 and 83, respectively.

Piccio, also a two-year Symetra Tour campaigner, fumbled with four bogeys and made one double-bogey in a birdie-less round of 39-39, while Rodriguez, who had a forgettable LPGA Tour debut, dropped three shots on No. 4 and made two more triple bogeys and three bogeys before finding her range and rhythm with three birdies in the last five holes, both at the Hills course.

Zidane excels as Madrid coach MADRID, Spain—Zinedine Zidane’s smooth transition from Real Madrid legend as a player to Champions League winning coach has caught many by surprise, but Real president Florentino Perez believes success was guaranteed by the Frenchman’s “love story” with the Spanish giants.

Zidane dazzled for five years as a Madrid player after being signed by Perez for a thenworld record fee in 2001. Yet his incredible record in 11 months since being handed his first senior managerial role has more than rivalled his

LOTTO RESULTS

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accomplishments as a player.

Having suffered just two defeats in 48 games in charge, Zidane led Madrid to an 11th European Cup at the first time of asking in May and has Los Blancos on the way to a first La Liga title in five years by opening a six-point lead on Barcelona ahead of El Clasico on Saturday.

“He changed the history of this club as a player and it was such an easy option for us. He is someone who came here to offer a new and distinct future... it was obvious that he would do a great job,” Perez told AFP in an exclusive interview.

“It has been a beautiful and eternal love story and that is why I am not surprised by the results he is getting and those that are still to come.”

Madrid’s form under Zidane is even more remarkable given that his predecessor Rafael Benitez lasted just seven months at the Santiago Bernabeu with his short-lived reign blighted by poor results and player revolts.

It is the respect garnered from his playing days that Perez believes sets Zidane apart.

“Zidane last year changed our lives. As well as working very well from a professional point of view, he has an authority with the players because he was a great player. He was one of the greatest ever,” added Perez, a construction magnate, proudly sitting before Real’s 11 European Cups in the club’s decorated trophy room. AFP

Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane gestures during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) Round of 32 second leg football match Real Madrid CF vs Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on November 30. AFP

AS far as expansion teams go the performance of the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters pales in comparison to fellow newbies Mahindra Floodbuster and Blackwater Elite.

Mahindra qualified to the playoffs last conference and almost made it to the semifinals. Blackwater is off to a jackrabbit start this 2016-2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup and is actually on top of the heap in the standings.

But as far building basketball teams go I believe Phoenix will be a true contender sooner than either Mahindra or Blackwater.

For starters the Fuel Masters have never traded away their best players in illogical, one-sided deals the way some other lowerranked PBA teams have been doing.

After becoming a playoff contender last season Mahindra traded away their best players and now find themselves back at the bottom of the heap. Blackwater is doing well because of Mac Belo but you could almost feel desperation of coach Leo Isaac who probably knows that Belo may not be with the team for long.

In contrast Phoenix has been slowly, but steadily improving every conference.

The Fuel Masters rocked the league when they brought down the San Miguel Beermen, the consensus strongest team this Philippine Cup. JC Intal drained the dagger three to power Phoenix past San Miguel Beer, 92-85, last Wednesday at the Antipolo Ynares Center.

Intal was all poise and composure, converting a bank shot off arguably the best defender in the league in Arwind Santos and then stepping into a three-pointer seconds later to seal the Phoenix Petroleum victory.

Intal finished with a game-high 22 points, most of them at crunch time, to pick up the cudgels from Simon Enciso who had a torrid third quarter to propel Phoenix to a fat lead.

Enciso unloaded 15 points in the third, his total scoreline for the game, as the Fuel Masters sat on a 14-point cushion entering the payoff fourth period.

Three-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo led the SMB rally by scoring 12 of his 19 points in the payoff period but Intal was there to douse the San Miguel rally.

Fajardo finished with 19 points and 23 rebounds but it wasn’t enough to offset the balanced scoring by the Fuel Masters.

How well Phoenix performs this conference will probably start and end with Intal.

The former Ateneo De Manila University star has all the physical tools to be a great basketball player. He is long and wiry, supremely athletic who can jump out of the gym, and has the complete basketball skill set. He can handle the ball, dish or score in a variety of ways from taking it strong to the hoop to drilling it from three-point distance and everything else in between.

Vanguardia said Intal is his team’s franchise player and he’s right because he is the most talented player on his bench. It’s really a stroke of genius that Vanguardia decided to bring Intal off the bench in the San Miguel Beer game.

Intal, who has started in all his teams (dating back to his amateur days in college and high school), was not too happy being left out of the starting unit. But the slight only motivated the Phoenix star to play better. Second and more important it allowed him to sit back and relax and watch the game unfold.

In that game against San Miguel Intal played with poise and control as he let the game come to him instead of chasing around the court like a pinball.

Phoenix has the bench to go far this Philippine Cup. They have the Fil-Am tandem of Enciso and Matthew Wright, who can not only score but also defend and limit their counterparts on the floor.

They have hard-working veterans who can still contribute in rebounding machine Willy Wilson as well as scorers Cyrus Baguio and John Wilson who is due for an explosion soon.

They also have important young big men in Norbert Torres and Prince Caperal.

Finally, and just as important, the Fuel Masters have shored up their support staff quite well.

They got a basketball man in Paolo Bugia as team manager. They hired a competent big man coach in Nic Belasco. They then got one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the country in Julio Veloso. Finally, they hired Asean Basketball League champion coach Vanguardia to call the shots.

Now if they can only exercise patience and wait for this group to mature then this Phoenix team will be a true contender sooner rather than later.

Sports

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

A8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

Fil-Am Vera headlines star-studded ONE card

By Peter Atencio FOCUS will be on ONE Championship World Heavyweight Champion FilipinoItalian fighter Brandon Vera who defends his crown against Japanese challenger Hideki Sekine at ONE: Age of Domination today Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We got a fantastic card here in Manila.

People asked if Folayang is in the card. But he just fought two weeks ago. And, we have this card coming up,” said Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship.

When Filipino fighter Eduard Folayang disposed of Shinya Aoki with third-round strikes to capture the lightweight crown in the One Championship in Singapore, many fans asked when his next fight will be.

He won’t be around today but Vera headlines a stacked card that will more than make up for it. Vera defends his One Championship heavyweight title belt against Sekine in the main event.

“This fight is creating a lot of buzz. It’s going to be another great fight,” said Cui in an interview at the Nobu Hotel in Aseana, Parañaque.

Vera has won his last two fights against Igor Subora and Paul Cheng, the first on a technical knockout and the second on a knockout.

The 205-lb. Vera won’t be intimidated by the hulking 265-lb. Sekine.

For more than a year or so Vera’s coach Billy Fonua has been training him to be fast on the ring with his 6’2” built.

There will be 10 under cards tonight.

Among those seeing action are Team Lakay standouts Geje Eustaquio, Honorio Banario, April Osenio and Danny Kingad.

Fights are also set for Eugene Toquero, Mark Striegl, and Filipino-Australian Reece McLaren.

Sekine has not fought over the last two years after he beat Ryuta Kono in the Real Fight Championship by TKO in the first round.

Among the fights that will happen is the fight between Striegl and Sotir Kichukov. Then, there’s the Eustaquio and Toni ‘Dynamite’ Tauru fight.

Banario fights Rajinder Singh Meena.

“We focus on tomorrow. We wrap it up,” said Cui who bared that 24 fight cards are lined up next year and fans will know about it next week.

New York Knicks veteran forward Carmelo Anthony (7) tries to dribble past Minnesota Timberwolves defender Andrew Wiggins on November 30 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. AFP

Carmelo leads NY Knicks past surging Timberwolves L

OS ANGELES— Carmelo Anthony came through when it counted for the New York Knicks, who withstood a career-high 47 points from Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns in a 106-104 NBA victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Anthony’s shooting struggles didn’t stop Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek from going to his veteran star with the game on the line.

With 2.3 seconds remaining, Anthony’s jump shot over Timberwolves guard lifted the Knicks to victory in Minneapolis.

He had connected on just four of 15 shots before that, a disappointing performance that

was forgotten in the glow of his game-winner—the 18th of his career in the final 10 seconds of a game.

“Stay with it. Believe in yourself,” Anthony said. “That’s something that I will never stop doing, and my teammates believed in me. Coach believed in me to draw that play up. Either we were going to win or we were going to overtime.”

Anthony’s effort helped

New York overcome Towns’ 47 points and 18 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Australian guard Patty Mills came off the bench to score 23 points for the short-handed San Antonio Spurs in a 94-87 victory over the Mavericks in Dallas.

The Spurs rallied to remain perfect on the road this season, improving to 11-0 in away games with their second win over Dallas in the past 10 days.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich rested stars Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker on the second night of back-to-back games.

Spain’s Gasol and Argentina’s Ginobili didn’t even leave San Antonio, while France’s Parker made the trip to Dallas but

didn’t play.

In Oklahoma City Russell Westbrook posted his fourth successive triple-double to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 126-115 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards.

Westbrook produced 35 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists to notch his ninth tripledouble of the season and the 46th of his career.

Victor Oladipo added 25 points and Enes Kanter came off the bench to score 14 for the Thunder, who improved to 12-8.

Bradley Beal scored 31 points for the Wizards, whose coach Scott Brooks returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since he was sacked by the Thunder in April of 2015 after

PSL starts sudden-death semifinals in Legazpi City eyes of sports fans are now on LeLEGAZPI CITY—F2 Logistics Games Saturday gazpi City. This is very big break and RC Cola-Army arrived in this (Ibalong Centrum for Recreation) for us. Hopefully, we can showbustling city aware of the uphill 10 am – Foton vs RC Cola-Army case the very best that the city of 3 pm – Cignal vs Generika climb they will face in the sudden5 pm – F2 Logistics vs Petron Legazpi has to offer.” death semifinals of the Asics PhilipBannered by prolific imports pine Superliga Grand Prix on SaturSydney Kemper and Hayley Spelman, the Cargo day at the Ibalong Centrum for Recreation.

The Cargo Movers clash with Petron while the Movers finished the preliminaries with a 7-3 winLady Troopers take on mighty Foton in a pair of loss mark before knocking down Cignal in four explosive semifinal matches of this prestigious sets in the playoffs.

They, however, would be marching as the underclub tournament bankrolled by Mikasa, Mueller, Senoh and Grand Sport with TV5 as official dogs as they have yet to win against the Tri-Activ Spikers in their previous matches in the preliminaries. broadcast partner.

F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus, however, Legazpi City mayor Noel Rosal led the city in rolling out the red carpet for the close to 200 guests said they would focus on their reception and incomposed of players, coaches, team officials and crease their defensive intensity to stop Petron’s super import Stephanie Niemer, who torched them PSL staff, managers and executives.

“The thrust of the local government right now with nine service aces in their second encounter.

“We have to defend against Niemer if we want to is to promote the city,” said Rosal, who is being supported by councilor Beth Dimaculangan and stand a chance against an elite team like Petron,” said JCI Legazpi in hosting one of the league’s most de Jesus. “Niemer delivered nine aces in our previous game. I guess we have to strengthen our reception important play days.

“These semifinal matches will be so big that all that would allow Sydney and Hayley to execute.”

Lady Stags shoots down San Beda Games Monday (Dec. 5) (Filoil Flying V Center) 9 a.m.- Perpetual Help vs Mapua (m) 10:30 a.m.- Perpetual Help vs Mapua (w) 12 nn.- San Beda vs Jose Rizal (w) 1:30 p.m.- San Beda vs Jose Rizal (m)

San Beda middle blocker Satrriani Espiritu spikes the volleyball past San Sebastian blockers Joyce Sta. Rita and Nikka Mariel Dalisay. The Lady Stags won in three straight sets. Sonny Espiritu

Fans mourn dead football players

Brazil’s Chapecoense football club fans are in tears as they participate in a tribute to the players killed in a plane crash Monday night in Colombia, at the club’s stadium in Chapeco, Santa Catarina, Brazil, on November 30. AFP

seven seasons at the helm.

Beal’s three-pointer with 5:25 left in regulation put the Wizards up 97-90.

But the Thunder rallied to force overtime, Westbrook’s three-pointer with 8.5 seconds left in regulation knotting the score at 105-105.

Westbrook scored 14 points in the extra period as the Thunder pulled away.

The Spurs came back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit even without their big guns.

Mills scored 15 in the fourth period, including eight points in a row as the Spurs went up 90-84.

“I thought that was the moral of that victory, not giving in no matter what,” Mills said. AFP

CHAPECO, Brazil—Fans of Brazil’s Chapecoense football club whose team was wiped out in a Colombian air crash crammed into the home stadium late Wednesday for tearful prayers around the empty pitch.

The stadium in Chapeco, southern Brazil, was a solid wall of green as fans and mourners dressed in the team shirt stood shoulder to shoulder.

They gathered at exactly the hour their team, which just a few years ago was in Brazil’s gritty lower leagues, should have been kicking off in Medellin, Colombia against Atletico Nacional for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana finals.

Instead of participating in what would have been the biggest match in the club’s history, the team, many of the chief staff, and 20 Brazilian journalists were killed when their charter

plane slammed into a mountainside short of the airport late Monday.

And instead of sitting excitedly in front of televisions to watch the action in Colombia, the people of Chapeco, a provincial city of about 200,000, trooped into their stadium to mourn and join in ecumenical prayer.

Players who had not been on the doomed flight, youth academy members, relatives of those killed and throngs upon throngs of ordinary fans joined together, all in the team colors.

There were few dry eyes as a film was projected to pay homage to the dead teammates.

The team had an outsized presence here and its inspiring story of unknowns who rose to take on champions had spread across Brazil.

“I think this transcends football.

It has become something human.

This is why I decided to come and pay my respects for the players who left Chapeco with a dream and who will never be forgotten,” said student Daniel Augusto Barrera, 21.

Teacher Aline Fonseca, 21, said the sudden deaths of the team members had torn a hole in the community.

“Chapeco is not a big city. We would meet (the players) in the street, anywhere. It’s hard to keep going,” she said.

“This gathering—they deserved twice as a big a gathering,” said pensioner Nelio Dalbosco, 73.

“We have to fight to try to rebuild a team that will be as good and to keep going. Life doesn’t stop,” he said.

The first bodies were expected to be flown back from Colombia, where they are being identified, later this week. AFP

REIGNING MVP Grethcel Soltones bounced back from a lethargic game last time out as she powered the San Sebastian Lady Stags to a 25-16, 25-13, 25-16 demolition of San Beda yesterday to seize a share of the lead with defending champion St. Benilde in the 92nd NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying Center in San Juan City.

The power-hitting Soltones unloaded a match best 21 hits, 20 of which came on spikes, as the Lady Stags clinched their fourth straight victory to catch up to the Lady Blazers at the helm.

Soltones, who was averaging 17 points entering the game, was coming off an 11-point effort in a 28-26, 25-14, 24-26, 24-26, 15-7 escape win over a pesky Letran last week but was on attack mode this time.

“The last game was a wake up call and the team vowed to come back strong,” said San Sebastian coach Roger Gorayeb.

Francesca Racraquin paced the Red Spikers with 11 but they just didn’t have an answer to Soltones, who was on attack mode all game.

San Beda fell to its first defeat after winning its first three outings.

Earlier, San Beda overpowered San Sebastian, 25-13, 25-23, 2517, to zoom to joint second with St. Benilde on 3-1 (win-loss) records.

In juniors’ action, San Beda turned back San Sebastian, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-23, to nail its first win in four games.

The Staglets fell to 0-3.

Peza to establish ARMM ecozone

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

B1

IN BRIEF BSP’s auction undersubscribed

MIRACLE RICE. As a part of the celebration of the 50th year of IR8, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Philippine Rice Research Institute executive director Sailila Eslilong Abdula join the ceremonial planting of IR8 at the Zeigler experiment station at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. IR8, also known as the miracle variety, has a short growth duration and a high-yield capacity related to its response to nitrogen fertilizer. Piñol stressed the importance of benchmarking the competitiveness of Filipino farmers in achieving the country’s food sufficiency.

UN hikes growth target to 7%

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

T

HE regional development arm of the United Nations in Asia-Pacific upgraded its 2016 growth forecast for the Philippines to 7 percent from 6 percent, citing the strong household consumption and favorable employment condition in the country.

The Bangkok-based United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, in a year-end report, also maintained its 2017 growth forecast of 6.2 percent for the Philippines.

The Philippine economy expanded 7.1 percent in the third

quarter, bringing the average growth to 7 percent in the first three quarters.

Unescap said that in Southeast Asia, economic growth was on a gradual upward trend because of higher growth in Indonesia and Thailand and sustained

high growth rates of 6 percent to 8 percent in the Philippines and the so-called CLMV economies, which include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

“In the Philippines, strong household spending was underpinned by favorable employment conditions, higher workers’ remittances, higher civil service salaries and spending related to the general elections in May 2016. Fixed investment has surged in recent quarters,” it said.

Unescap said the stable economic conditions in the second half provided an opportunity to internalize the economic, social, environmental and governance dimen-

sions of sustainable development in a comprehensive manner.

Meanwhile, DBS Bank of Singapore said the Philippine economy was to expand above 6 percent next year despite the threat of a moderate investment growth due to accelerated fiscal expenditures by the government.

DBS Bank of Singapore said in a report Thursday the full-year investment growth was set to reach over 20 percent this year, a record high for the economy.

DBS said investment became a major driver for the economy, which expanded 7 percent in the first three quarters.

“While the government is set

to increase its spending next year, we still expect overall investment growth to moderate. Our concern still lies with the inventory buildup over the past years,” DBS said.

“There have been no material de-stocking activities since the second quarter of 2013. Destocking looks imminent and once it happens, investment growth should moderate next year,” the bank said.

DBS said from a longer-term growth sustainability point of view, this might not be a bad thing altogether. It said investments would still grow around 10.5 percent next year, still in the double-digit territory.

Closing December 1, 2016

8300 7840 7380

By Othel V. Campos

6920 6460 6000

6,864.87 83.67

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing DECEMBER 1, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60

P49.760

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.710 LOW P49.820 AVERAGE P49.774 VOLUME 404.800M

P430.00-P661.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.40-P44.10 Unleaded Gasoline P25.75-P29.32 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

LIVELIHOOD SUMMIT. The Trabaho, Negosyo at Kabuhayan-Employment and Livelihood Summit

gathered public and private sector officials and members of the academe to develop a national employment program, in line with the administration’s development path. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez encouraged participants to invest in job generating industries such as those in industry and services sector, specifically manufacturing, construction, information technology, retail trade and tourism, as well as in the country’s human capital to help address the perennial problem of skills mismatch and to sustain the growth of Philippines industries.

PAL likely to cancel flights to Abu Dhabi

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, December 1, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.7470

Japan

Yen

0.008743

0.4349

UK

Pound

1.251200

62.2434

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128927

6.4137

Switzerland

Franc

0.983478

48.9251

Canada

Dollar

0.744713

37.0472

Singapore

Dollar

0.697739

34.7104

Australia

Dollar

0.738100

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

131.9654

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266688

13.2669

Brunei

Dollar

0.695314

34.5898

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028058

1.3958

UAE

Dirham

0.272309

13.5466

Euro

Euro

1.060000

52.7318

Korea

Won

0.000850

0.0423

China

Yuan

0.145248

7.2257

India

Rupee

0.014583

0.7255

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224014

11.1440

New Zealand

Dollar

0.708000

35.2209

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031315

36.7183

1.5578 Source: PDS Bridge

Tubig Pilipinas to start projects TUBIG Pilipinas Group Inc., a subsidiary of Pure Energy Holdings Corp., said it is set to begin operations in Bacolod City and Cadiz City, both in Negros Occidental and Echague town in Isabela before the end of the year.

Tubig Pilipinas president and chief operations officer Ryan Yapkianwee said the projects would improve sanitation and provide access to clean potable water in the areas, making the LGUs compliant to the Clean Water Act of 2004.

He said for the Bacolod City project, a notice to proceed was issued by the Bacolod City Water District to the Bacolod Bulk Water Inc., which is led by Tubig Pilipinas.

In Cadiz City, Tubig Pilipinas will own, operate and maintain a bulk water supply project which will serve 3,500 households. Tubig Pilipinas said that in Echague, the company was granted the franchise and authority to construct, operate, manage and maintain a water, sewage and septic utility system.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

Coca-Cola to open more bottling plants

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX

47.80

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas said the P180-billion auction of term deposits was undersubscribed Thursday because of the withdrawal of trust accounts from deposit facilities and as banks mainly held on to cash in preparation for the holidays.

The undersubscription was the first time since the term deposit auction under the interest rate corridor system started in June. The total volume of term deposits offered Thursday was the biggest on record.

Data posted on BSP website showed the week-long P30-billion deposits lured total tenders of P15.865 billion, with a weighted average accepted yield of 2.6 percent and a bid coverage ratio of 0.528 percent. Meanwhile, the month-long P150 billion deposits attracted total bids of P113.214 billion, with a weighted average accepted yield of 2.955 percent and bid coverage ratio of 0.754 percent.

“There was undersubscription at auction today. Possible reasons include seasonality [banks holding on to cash for the holidays] and the withdrawal of trust accounts from BSP facilities. These may have brought down the bid to cover ratio to 0.5288 and 0.7548 for the 6-day and 27-day tenor, respectively,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message.

Tetangco assured that the level of liquidity in the financial system remained healthy and non-inflationary.

“We nevertheless remain watchful of external developments that may affect domestic liquidity thru shifts in capital flow direction and magnitude,” he said.

Julito G. Rada

PHILIPPINE Airlines may cut capacity to the Middle East next year amid intensifying competition and weaker outbound demand, according to Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

“PAL could suspend services to Abu Dhabi and terminate its partnership with Etihad. The airline group has not benefitted significantly from its Etihad codeshare, and may be better off partnering with another airline,” the think tank said.

PAL destinations in the Middle East include Qatar, Riyadh, Dubai, Dammam, Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi.

PAL, however, said it was keen on continuing its international ex-

pansion.

The airline plans to add capacity to the US using two additional 777-300ERs and add capacity to Australia in late 2017 following the delivery of its first batch of A321neoLRs. New destinations in Europe and the US are under consideration for 2018, using the new A350-900 fleet, In the Chinese market, PAL is looking to launch Chengdu.

PAL plans to commence the ClarkCaticlan daily flights at Clark Airport starting Dec. 16 and will add more flights starting January 2017, including Cebu, Davao, Busuanga and Cagayan de Oro. PAL will also launch daily international flights to Incheon, South Korea by January next year.

COCA-COLA Femsa Philippines said it will pursue its $1.2-billion investment plan in the Philippines until 2020 with the opening of new bottling lines to support growing local demand.

Coca-Cola Femsa, the Mexican company that took over the bottling and distribution of Coca-Cola soft drink brands in the Philippines, made the commitment during a meeting with Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez during the launch of Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan Summit at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig Thursday.

The company is set to acquire and upgrade two polyethylene terephtalate lines this year and build two additional tetra lines

next year.

“Coke Femsa group manifested strong investment confidence in the new Duterte Administration. These investments will go to funding new investment lines and distribution centers,” Lopez said.

The company is supporting the PET bottling format to encourage the “on-the-go” consumption behavior among consumers, thereby increasing per capita consumption of sodas and other ready-to-drink beverages.

The additional infrastructure will increase the company’s production capacity by at least 20 percent.

Part of the investment is the allocation of $160 million to $180 million every year until 2020 to improve production and sales.

Revival of Bataan nuclear plant pushed

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Islands, one of the oldest business organizations, is asking the government to adopt nuclear power and revive the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines president Jose Luis Yulo Jr. said the revival of nuclear energy would help create more jobs and reduce the country’s electricity cost.

The group said 31 nuclear power plants were now operating globally while 65 power plants were under construction.

“Vietnam is presently constructing two plants while other

countries in East and South Asia are looking into nuclear plants as an additional source of energy.

In Asean, the Philippines, from being number one is now number five in per capita income.

Without nuclear, Vietnam and other Asian/Asean countries will overtake us,” the group said.

The group urged the government to look at other plants similar to the mothballed 620-MW Bataan Nuclear Power Plant that were operating safely in Korea, Slovenia and Brazil for over 30 years.

It said the Bataan site was located on high ground and could not be reached by tsunami.

“The mothballed BNPP since 1984 can add over 600 mega-

watts of electric power to the Philippines grid when made operational,” it said.

Nuclear advocates were vouching for the use of nuclear power, saying it was the cleanest, cheapest, safest and best option to create energy.

“The chamber supports the operation of the nuclear power plant in Bataan to accelerate the economic progress of the country through industrialization,” the group said.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier said he expected a clearer direction on the steps to take to repower the Bataan nuclear plant by the end of the year.

The department already started the study for the facility.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Meralco seeks permit for retail competition

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER distributor Manila Electric Co. said Thursday a newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary filed an application with the Energy Regulatory Commission for a retail electricity supplier license.

Meralco said in a disclosure to the stock exchange that Vantage Energy Solutions and Management Inc. filed on Nov. 29 an application for RES license with ERC. The move is in compliance with the recent Supreme Court ruling which stopped the Pasig regional trial court from proceeding with a temporary restraining order and injunction on the retail competition and open access scheme being implemented by ERC and the

Energy Department.

“As a distribution utility affiliated RES, Vantage Energy intends to provide retail energy services which will include wholesale contracting, energy trading and sourcing, marketing, selling and aggregating electricity, billing, collection and the provision of other value added services to contestable customers,” Meralco said.

Meralco’s head of legal department William Pamintuan said earlier they would comply with the Supreme Court decision.

“We emphasize, however, that our decision to form a new RES is without prejudice to the final resolution of the courts of the cases filed by the ERC and DOE involving the issue of the validity and continued operation of the local RES,” Pamintuan said.

Stock mart rebounds; MetroPac, PLDT rise S TOCKS rebounded Thursday from a twoday slump on better-than expected reading on Chinese factory output that provided fresh hope the world’s number two economy was stabilizing.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, climbed 83 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 6,864.87. Despite the gain, the bellwether was still down 1.3 percent this year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 38 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle

at 4,158.53, on a value turnover of P9.4 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 121 to 64, while 37 issues were unchanged.

Fifteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by property developer Sta. Lucia Land Inc. which jumped 6.8 percent to P1.26 and infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific In-

vestments Corp. which rose 3.6 percent to P6.42. SM Prime Holdings Inc. gained 3.4 percent to P27.40, while PLDT Inc. added 2.7 percent to close at P1,300.

Meanwhile, Asian equities rallied as a deal to cut global oil output lifted energy shares, while evidence of strength in the US economy sank bonds. European stocks were mixed.

Oil built on the previous day’s near 10 percent surge after Opec hammered out a last-minute deal to cut oil output for the first time in eight years.

The Opec exporters’ group, meeting in Vienna, said its 14 members had agreed on specific targets that

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.42 14,000 48 24,800 93 1,055,620 113.9 1,813,660 1.53 33,000 37.7 309,200 9 100 16.58 300 19.26 328,000 1.78 2,000 0.71 12,419,000 76.4 3,606,820 0.77 232,000 14.02 13,300 56.4 3,360 259 40 130 160 35.5 417,800 185.2 1,674,260 1,710 195 74.3 48,750 1.31 34,000

45,500 1,184,920 97,924,626 206,964,272 49,940 11,657,805 900 4,976 6,308,796 3,560 8,792,150 274,400,594 179,070 186,236 187,409 10,278 20,887 14,836,700 309,314,803 333,450 3,619,552.50 44,590

807,220 12,893,301.50 69,064,207 75,600 2,780,140 -189,900 -78,628,987.50 -28,526 -2,590 -4,198,625 -103,432,100 -8,550 891,857.50 -

42.5 4.16 0.9 1.22 21.3 0.19 85.05 10.78 16.9 135.2 23.25 21.95 57.05 90 1.89 7.16 11.92 11.3 6.45 6.95 5.06 1.88 21.8 67.5 12.06 15.64 5.86 1.73 212 75.5 3.75 29.8 24.35 15 257 4.53 3.3 9.44 3.27 11.48 2.04 5.65 1.4 67.8 4.9 225 4.42 2.84 4.18 0.141 1.52 169 4.2 1.74 1.13

INDUSTRIAL 42.5 1,969,400 4.49 3,851,000 0.91 775,000 1.25 703,000 21.5 39,700 0.205 2,880,000 85.15 60 10.9 10,623,900 17.04 989,100 135.2 30 23.35 292,900 21.95 500 57.05 20 90 280 1.92 186,000 7.18 554,400 12.08 42,600 11.48 5,781,900 6.45 200,000 7 2,716,100 5.06 15,703,300 1.88 6,000 22.2 1,650,900 67.55 1,074,960 12.58 5,500 15.64 458,100 6 505,600 1.76 352,000 212 838,780 83.95 170 3.75 10,000 29.9 2,043,100 26.6 227,800 15 781,200 257 778,110 4.61 6,900 3.35 3,114,000 9.85 11,600,100 3.27 14,000 11.5 11,900 2.07 690,000 5.8 136,000 1.4 149,000 68.35 1,602,020 4.95 407,000 230 61,890 4.46 306,000 2.85 14,000 4.18 3,000 0.144 1,930,000 1.54 54,000 170.2 3,275,320 4.45 7,000 1.81 2,040,000 1.13 32,000

84,950,215 16,829,090 708,730 870,500 859,340 556,200 5,106 115,751,690 16,875,664 4,056 6,838,890 10,980 1,141 25,430 356,190 3,982,223 515,134 66,100,472 1,295,978 19,020,038 80,664,824 11,280 36,370,540 73,614,047.50 66,412 7,167,884 3,025,237 612,490 179,944,596 13,680 38,000 61,030,870 5,984,965 11,882,428 202,524,020 31,513 10,316,340 113,308,312 45,780 136,920 1,423,670 788,651 208,600 109,194,942 2,003,590 14,291,982 1,362,070 39,910 12,540 274,580 82,740 560,107,153 31,600 3,644,120 36,460

27,653,970 5,158,470 12,400 225,750 40,328,256 4,243,106 -1,950 1,436,000 -8,233,718 -603,580 -14,513,420 -4,662,257 -8,049,990 63,671,048 5,599,048 1,695,200 22,835,126 -33,927,330 -1,323,290 -3,946,012 55,066,820.00 4,087,850 -38,022,061.00 23,000 1,400 33,605,237 1,251,910 7,008,640 702,660 28,500 -128,593,753 -423,730 -

0.395 73.3 13 1.19 5.85 0.305 739 8.29 13.48 7.7 4.75 0.185 1,170 6.1 68.75 1.48 7.6 13.12 6.24 0.037 1.86 84 626 1.15 238 0.295 0.182 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.395 1,970,000 73.3 2,356,080 13.1 5,317,200 1.19 1,000 5.85 7,100 0.305 70,000 739 413,810 8.4 752,900 13.5 13,703,100 8.2 624,200 4.78 1,300 0.185 10,000 1,170 390,680 6.2 4,500 69 2,977,830 1.55 32,029,000 7.8 4,340,900 13.2 3,801,500 6.42 52,732,200 0.038 2,500,000 1.97 57,000 84.6 835,090 630 1,216,100 1.15 954,000 239 40,110 0.305 160,000 0.182 20,000 0.255 350,000

780,650 173,793,439.50 69,636,470 1,190 41,665 21,350 308,032,700 6,339,161 186,885,836 5,099,227 6,205 1,850 461,747,035 27,772 207,950,801 49,029,680 33,731,082 50,348,332 338,231,927 92,600 109,740 70,656,565.50 768,605,885 1,106,450 9,598,248 47,800 3,650 91,500

-49,385,276.50 16,726,710 17,550 29,396,940 152,344 39,662,158 128,648,730 18,600 71,783,573.50 -446,490 -2,406,672 -247,358 -55,557,780 7,428,494.50 -34,730,135 7,617,708 15,000 13,000

197,746 756,090 615,480 631,800 894,082,070 25,172,370 55,672 8,515,600 80,840 3,150,720 118,390 1,823,890 55,315,635 29,910 17,150,610 389,620 354,380 111,410,010

24,861 68,171,225 -11,550,050 -2,687,100 11,500 -2,295,120 7,700 -10,847,000 4,943,100

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.28 47.9 92 114.5 1.47 37.65 9 16.6 19.02 1.78 0.68 75.4 0.78 14 56.7 255 133 35.5 181.5 1,710 74.6 1.32

3.42 48 93.45 114.5 1.53 37.85 9 16.6 19.26 1.78 0.73 76.7 0.78 14.02 56.7 259 133 35.65 186.3 1,710 75 1.32

3.16 47.1 90.55 112.2 1.47 37.65 9 16.58 19.02 1.78 0.66 75 0.77 14 55.4 255 130 35.5 181.5 1,710 72 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 CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

43.6 4.49 0.9 1.23 22.2 0.19 85.05 10.78 17 135.2 23.35 22 57.05 100 1.89 7.19 11.92 11.3 6.48 6.95 5.15 1.88 21.85 69.5 12.08 15.64 5.86 1.73 217 75.5 4 29.8 25.7 15 265.4 4.54 3.31 9.55 3.27 11.54 2.08 5.8 1.4 68 4.95 226 4.42 2.86 4.18 0.141 1.52 170 4.59 1.76 1.14

44.4 4.6 0.93 1.26 23 0.205 85.15 10.96 17.12 135.2 23.35 22 57.05 100 1.94 7.25 12.14 11.5 6.5 7.04 5.19 1.88 22.2 69.5 12.58 15.8 6.04 1.76 219 83.95 4 30.05 26.6 15.32 271.6 4.61 3.35 9.91 3.27 11.54 2.08 5.8 1.4 68.35 4.95 234 4.46 2.86 4.18 0.144 1.55 176 4.59 1.81 1.14

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

0.4 75 13.1 1.19 5.9 0.305 750 8.46 13.8 7.9 4.75 0.185 1,195 6.1 70 1.57 7.8 13.36 6.39 0.037 1.86 84.2 640 1.17 240 0.3 0.183 0.265

0.405 75 13.26 1.19 5.9 0.305 753.5 8.5 13.8 8.2 4.78 0.185 1,208 6.32 70.9 1.61 7.8 13.4 6.47 0.038 1.97 85.45 640 1.18 240 0.305 0.183 0.265

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

7 1.07 2.07 0.325 33 2.9 5.01 0.53 1.13 1.4 0.156 0.54 44 0.7 1.73 0.95 1.12 3.79

7 1.12 2.18 0.335 33.7 3.04 5.02 0.54 1.18 1.44 0.16 0.55 44.5 0.75 1.73 0.96 1.15 3.83

6.91 1.07 2.05 0.325 32.9 2.9 5.01 0.52 1.13 1.26 0.156 0.52 41.6 0.7 1.71 0.95 1.12 3.71

PROPERTY 6.92 1.1 2.12 0.325 33.4 2.98 5.02 0.53 1.15 1.35 0.16 0.54 43 0.75 1.73 0.95 1.15 3.71

VOLUME

28,500 686,000 293,000 1,920,000 26,799,700 8,395,000 11,100 16,130,000 71,000 2,344,000 750,000 3,390,000 1,286,700 42,000 9,925,000 410,000 315,000 29,692,000

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.133 0.25 0.43 3.13 26.8 1.5 3.26 26.9 1.23 7.1 0.9 5.02

0.137 0.25 0.43 3.15 26.8 1.54 3.26 27.6 1.3 7.15 0.93 5.15

0.133 0.25 0.415 3.08 25.7 1.5 3.2 26.9 1.23 7.1 0.9 4.9

0.135 0.25 0.425 3.15 26 1.5 3.25 27.4 1.26 7.1 0.93 4.94

4,640,000 10,000 30,000 430,000 2,829,900 1,033,000 26,000 11,412,600 96,665,000 6,000 649,000 32,083,700

624,900 2,500 12,700 1,334,110 74,263,670 1,549,910 83,790 312,616,160 122,803,820 42,610 592,970 160,248,440

8,040 23,725,340 -160,670 90,625,280 -1,522,820 -43,173,435.00

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

7.62 45.1 1.59 0.52 0.039 5.31 6.4 0.071 2.76 101.5 9.94 6.6 1,460 6.16 14.48 2 15.3 125 74.8 0.0095 11.26 9.1 0.179 1.36 3.3 12.76 5.52 4.09 3.6 17.5 2.32 5.3 13 1,292 1.14 0.43 39.1 73.65 5.02 2.54 0.92 3.15 0.36

7.62 45.1 1.65 0.54 0.043 5.31 6.6 0.071 2.81 103 9.94 6.92 1,470 6.16 14.7 2.02 15.3 125 74.95 0.0095 12.24 9.12 0.183 1.4 3.3 13.78 5.65 4.38 3.67 18 2.76 5.3 13.08 1,320 1.18 0.445 40 75.5 5.25 2.56 0.95 3.17 0.36

7.5 44.7 1.41 0.52 0.039 5 6.36 0.067 2.72 101.4 9.94 6.6 1,403 6.15 13.62 1.95 14.66 125 72.6 0.0095 11.16 9.1 0.179 1.32 3.3 12.76 5.31 4.08 3.56 17 2.32 5 12.02 1,292 1.14 0.42 39.1 73.65 5.02 2.49 0.92 3.15 0.35

SERVICES 7.6 44.7 1.5 0.54 0.042 5.29 6.45 0.068 2.75 101.7 9.94 6.91 1,403 6.15 14.7 2 14.78 125 72.6 0.0095 12.24 9.12 0.18 1.38 3.3 13.6 5.49 4.25 3.61 17.3 2.64 5 12.58 1,300 1.18 0.44 40 75.4 5.15 2.55 0.95 3.15 0.35

100,900 196,500 680,000 253,000 37,200,000 1,400 4,171,900 7,360,000 2,474,000 536,100 200 16,500 101,830 110,400 70,800 2,704,000 45,900 350 908,870 1,167,000,000 1,900 499,300 2,920,000 436,000 10,000 1,500 1,570,100 12,676,000 777,000 5,100 13,348,000 4,000 2,627,700 441,835 17,653,000 1,960,000 376,700 630,330 149,900 312,000 20,851,000 157,000 40,000

758,877 8,790,825 1,009,640 136,560 1,508,700 7,118 27,283,812 499,420 6,823,540 54,574,074 1,988 109,386 145,015,500 679,302 1,029,392 5,377,730 685,410 43,750 67,150,218 11,086,500 22,536 4,552,992 526,850 592,630 33,000 19,616 8,616,927 53,982,470 2,829,210 87,588 34,868,980 20,300 32,774,634 575,875,855 20,540,000 849,850 15,049,010 47,398,521 771,665 789,240 19,610,280 495,440 14,300

-62,238 86,300 -2,208,782 1,276,580 25,313,055 -71,332,285 9,950 -31,250 19,784,782 6,232,000 115,480 1,760,502 -16,669,590 264,700 2,035,030 1,388,426 -39,616,875 1,736,200 -2,821,880 30,699,646.50 -231,720 2,997,900 6,360 -

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING BENGUET A 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 ORNTL PETROL B PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.0034 2.83 5.3 2.18 0.54 0.44 12.98 3.61 0.28 0.19 0.198 0.012 0.012 2.05 8.16 3.27 1.24 0.011 0.011 4.17 0.012 8.16 3.98 133 3.1 0.0084

0.0035 2.91 5.55 2.29 0.55 0.44 13.44 3.61 0.28 0.193 0.198 0.012 0.012 2.05 8.3 3.32 1.24 0.011 0.011 4.17 0.013 8.42 4.03 133 3.13 0.0092

0.0034 2.83 5.3 2.18 0.54 0.43 12.2 3.46 0.275 0.19 0.197 0.012 0.012 1.92 7.91 3.01 1.12 0.011 0.011 4.17 0.012 8.14 3.78 131 2.92 0.0084

MINING & OIL 0.0034 54,000,000 2.85 130,000 5.5 2,614,900 2.29 3,000 0.55 107,000 0.435 2,320,000 12.68 182,900 3.46 12,058,000 0.28 170,000 0.193 7,280,000 0.197 210,000 0.012 77,800,000 0.012 44,800,000 1.97 1,207,000 8.3 7,581,600 3.01 1,065,000 1.16 3,123,000 0.011 83,500,000 0.011 100,000 4.17 1,000 0.012 76,500,000 8.42 1,664,100 3.9 9,441,000 131 280,150 3 227,000 0.0092 3,000,000

183,700 374,100 14,035,468 6,650 57,850 1,003,800 2,326,266 42,221,130 47,550 1,390,170 41,380 933,600 537,600 2,405,600 61,294,512 3,313,720 3,654,250 918,500 1,100 4,170 943,000 13,893,830 36,906,220 36,824,494 694,450 26,200

-424,228 2,384,040 222,200 -13,751,694 -12,730 -2,360 1,182,636 372,550 -3,698,789 9,000 -

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

44.5 104 538 5.86 1,020 1,034 107 78 80.5 79.75 77.9 77.9

44.5 104.9 540 5.88 1,030 1,034 107 78 80.7 79.75 78.1 78

43.5 104 538 5.86 1,020 1,034 107 78 80.5 79.6 77.65 77.6

PREFERRED 43.5 371,800 104.9 30,780 540 2,100 5.88 22,500 1,030 6,015 1,034 1,020 107 200 78 500 80.65 39,010 79.6 41,530 77.65 91,250 77.9 38,400

16,414,870 3,222,207 1,133,800 132,250 6,162,900 1,054,680 21,400 39,000 3,146,855 3,311,833 7,116,473 2,993,392

-16,414,870 -

LR WARRANT

2.52

2.6

2.45

WARRANTS 2.45 411,000

1,022,290

12,250

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.44 3.39 2.95 9.7

2.5 3.85 2.95 9.98

2.43 3.39 2.81 9.7

2.46 3.55 2.82 9.85

1,007,020 689,190 287,490 16,134,861

11,560 3,951,085

FIRST METRO ETF

113

114.6

113

1,590,358

-

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

22,434,631 85,475,230 129,500,515

PROPERTY

252,350,538

SERVICES

1,302,517,115

MINING & OIL

522,829,706

GRAND TOTAL

2,317,454,672

SME

407,000 190,000 102,000 1,629,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 114.1 13,930

VALUE 1,695.21 (up) 33.01 972,371,375.184 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,898.49 (down) 19.77 1,859,946,399.99 HOLDING FIRMS 6,929.71 (up) 73.48 2,785,864,615.83 PROPERTY 3,095.66 (up) 57.15 SERVICES 1,290.64 (up) 17.60 1,797,353,685.86 MINING & OIL 12,112.99 (up) 31.33 1,194,736,460.037 PSEI 6,864.87 (up) 83.67 732,104,111.769 All Shares Index 4,158.53 (up) 38.06 9,362,098,739.328 Gainers: 121; Losers: 64; Unchanged: 37; Total: 222

will reduce production by 1.2 million barrels a day from next month, while key nonmember Russia also committed to a reduction.

Both main contracts surged on the announcement, which ended weeks of uncertainty and volatility on crude markets as the key players bickered over who would shoulder the biggest burden of the cuts, leading to worries a deal would not be reached.

Brent and West Texas Intermediate both climbed more than one percent to sit above $50 in Asian trade, pushing regional investors back into energy firms on hopes the higher prices would boost revenues.

“The words ‘Opec’ and ‘exceed expectations’ have rarely, if ever, been used in the same sentence. However yesterday’s production deal seems to have done just that,” Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note.

“Cuts have been shared across all members, including the recalcitrant Iran and Iraq.”

Still, the deal lit a fire under energy firms. Tokyolisted Inpex was the big gainer, piling on 10 percent, while Woodside Petroleum soared more than six percent.

CNOOC ploughed 6.1 percent higher in Hong Kong and PetroChina almost five percent.

Among stock markets, Japan’s Nikkei ended up 1.1 percent at its highest close this year, while Hong Kong added 0.4 percent and Shanghai closed up 0.7 percent.

Sydney gained 1.1 percent, Seoul was flat and Manila added 1.2 percent. There were also healthy advances in Singapore, Jakarta, Taipei and Wellington.

With AFP, Bloomberg

SM unit renovates 100 old cinemas

By Jenniffer B. Austria SM LIFESTYLE Entertainment Inc., the lifestyle and entertainment solutions company of property developer SM Prime Holdings Inc., plans to renovate nearly 100 cinemas next year in a bid to boost sales.

SMLEI president Edgar Tejerero said the company would start renovating 30-year-old cinemas located at 12 SM malls across the country, including SM North, SM Sta. Mesa, SM Manila, SM Marikina, SM Cebu, SM Clark, SM Fairview, SM Mall of Asia and SM Cebu.

The renovation of these cinemas involves reconfiguring the cinema seats into one stadium instead of having two levels, which are deluxe and premier.

“By next year, will see a lot of changes in our big branches because SM Cinema was one of the first cinemas in the malls. By next year we are changing a lot in terms of look, and set up and concept,” Tejerero said.

SM Cinema is set to end the year with 150,000 seats this year.

SMLEI said aside from renovating existing malls, it was set to introduce new concepts such as Cafe Cinema and Children Cinema.

“In Cafe Cinema, moviegoers can have dinner or lunch date inside the cinema before watching a movie. We will give them an hour of eating time before they watch the movie,” Tejerero said.

Business

Manila

Standard

B3

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

TODAY

SSS disburses P7.2b for 13th month benefit

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. ePLDT Inc. engages in a strategic collaboration with the Asia Cloud Computing Association and PLDT

Enterprise to promote cloud computing and data center use in the country’s public sector. Shown during a forum on ‘Digital Transformation for Smarter Government’ are (from left) PLDT vice president Vic Tria, Smart Communications enterprise business group marketing head Chet Alviz, PLDT’s disruptive business group vice president Nico Alcoseba, Amazon regional managing director for web services’ global public sector Peter Moore, Department of Information and Communications Technology officer-in-charge of policies and standards Alberto Salvador, Asia Cloud Computing Association executive director May-Ann Lim and chairman Bernie Trudel and PLDT head of corporate relationship business for the public sector Dennis Magbatoc.

STATE-RUN Social Security System said Thursday it disbursed P7.2 billion for the payment of 13th month benefit to its pensioners.

SSS officer-in-charge of benefits administration division Normita Doctor said SSS pensioners under the social security and employees’ compensation programs, except those covered for partial disability whose pension duration was less than 12 months, were entitled to the 13th month benefit.

Recipients of dependents’ pensions, such as the minor children of pensioners, will also receive a corresponding 13th month benefit.

“Along with the early release of 13th month pensions, by the end of this year pensioners will also get their regular monthly pension for December in accordance with their contingency date. For instance, a pensioner who retired on July 19 will get his retirement pension for the month on Dec. 19,” she said.

Doctor said the agency released the funds and checks for 13th month pensions to partner banks and to the postal office,

respectively, as early as Nov. 14 so that pensioners could get their additional year-end benefits directly at their personal bank accounts or through checks sent via registered mail.

“Patterned after the 13th month pay given to workers in time for Christmas, the SSS 13th month pension is equal to the regular monthly benefit received by SSS pensioners.

We are happy to continue granting this extra benefit, which is a cherished yearly tradition of SSS that started back in 1988,” she said.

SSS requested its partner banks to release the 13th month benefit ahead of the disbursement schedule for the regular December pensions.

It also asked the Philippine post office to prioritize the delivery of the 13th month pension checks so that SSS pensioners would enjoy their cash benefits before Christmas.

“The duration of check delivery depends on the recipient’s mailing address. Usually, it takes three to five days for Metro Manila and nearby areas, five to eight days for faraway Luzon provinces, and eight to 10 days for Visayas and Mindanao,” Doctor said.

Peza to establish ARMM ecozone T

By Othel V. Campos

he Philippine Economic Zone Authority plans to establish an economic zone in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to create jobs in the impoverished region.

Peza director-general Charito Plaza said the agency was preparing an agreement that would help the regional government of ARMM facilitate the entry of investments and

create employment in the region.

Plaza said ARMM governor Mujiv Sabbihi Hataman welcomed the assistance.

“I learned that they have this

so-called REZA or the Regional Economic Zone Authority, but it’s not working. So we offered them a partnership to create a Peza zone within the ARMM,” she said.

Plaza said Hataman was very pleased with the effort of Peza in reaching out to ARMM. “He also asked help in creating employment for the people of ARMM and to help bring in investments to the region. There are many Middle East investors who wanted to produce Halal-

Lopez, fishpen owners in dialog

NEW M2.0 DIRECTOR.

Rica Oquias is the new director of operations of M2.0 Communications, an award winning media agency known for handling international PR and event management.

The appointment comes alongside the reorganization of two of the agency’s core business units – public relations and digital marketing – into one servicing team for high-profile clients such as Haier, Oppo, Mountain Dew, Healthy Options, New World Makati Hotel, the Department of Health and the National Economic and Development Authority. As operations head, Oquias is tasked with building up M2.0 Communications’ account servicing capabilities as the agency embraces the shifts brought about by the digital age on the marketing practice.

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales ENVIRONMENT Secretary Regina Lopez plans to talk to fishpen and fishcage operators in Laguna de Bay before the imposition of a moratorium on the issuance and renewal of their permits in January next year.

Environment undersecretary Arturo Valdez said the dialog between Lopez and the fishpen and fishcage operators aimed to reassure the government’s commitment to providing small fisherfolk priority access to the 90,000-hectare lake.

Valdez heads the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force that recently conducted demolition operations on a 13-hectare illegal fishpen in Laguna Lake falling within the jurisdiction of Muntinlupa City.

“The thrust there is to send the message that the DENR, under Secretary Lopez, will rationalize the lake and the bias will be for the fisherfolk to have access to their traditional fishing ground,” Valdez said.

“Secretary Lopez has made it very clear that the fisherfolk should enjoy the lake,” he said.

He said the dialog was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to dismantle vast tracts of corporate and private fishpens and fishcages so that small-time fisherfolk would have access to their traditional fishing ground.

The lake’s current carrying capacity allows up to only 9,000 hectares for aquaculture, but fishpens and cages were occupying 12,375.18 hectares of the surface water, showing a total of 3,375 hectares of excess area for demolition.

Valdez said the actual area could be bigger. “I would say it is more than that,” Valdez said.

He said that the demolition “was to send a strong message” to the operators of illegal structures to self-dismantle before they enforced the president’s order to dismantle illegal aqua facilities by the second week of December.

certified products in ARMM,” said Plaza.

She said investors were keen on setting up manufacturing facilities for Halal cosmetics, clothes and food products in ARMM. Reza is the regional equivalent of Peza. It can identify areas for investments and provides an independent set of incentive packages for locators and investors.

Plaza said the memorandum

of agreement would authorize Peza to design the programs that would be adopted by the regional government to revive the operation of economic zones in the region.

“So now we will come up with the MOA and we will handle all the programs, including marketing and promotions,” she said.

Plaza said several multinational companies in Mindanao were expanding and it was

timely that Peza came in to assist these companies.

Del Monte Philippines sent feelers to Peza that it would expand its production to serve more foreign markets, she said.

Plaza said Del Monte’s expansion would involve the creation of new processing plants.

ARMM consists of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and TawiTawi and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.

Maynilad to replace defective valve in QC WEST zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. said 15 barangays in Quezon City will experience a 43-hour water service interruption due to the replacement of a defective valve along a 1,200 mm-diameter primary line along Tandang Sora Avenue in Talipapa, Quezon City.

Maynilad said the water service interruption would affect almost 300,000 customers beginning 8 p.m. of Dec. 5 (Monday) until 4 p.m. of Dec. 7 (Wednesday).

Affected barangays are Apolonio Samson, Baesa, Bahay Toro, Bungad, Damayan, Del Monte, Katipunan, Mariblo, Paltok, Paraiso, San Antonio, Sangandaan, Talipapa, Tandang Sora and Veterans Village.

Maynilad said it would take about 43 hours to stop water flow through the four-foot-tall primary line, insert a line stopper to isolate

the valve that will be replaced and install the new valve before allowing the water to flow again through the primary line.

“Valves are necessary for managing the flow and pressure of water inside our pipelines. Hence, it is essential that we have this defective valve replaced immediately to prevent any problems from occurring in the future,” said Maynilad Water supply operations head engineer Ronaldo Padua.

“We are also coordinating with the local government units to manage the traffic situation in the affected areas,” Padua said.

The water company advised customers to store enough water for the duration of the interruption.

Those with existing overhead tanks are also advised to clean them first before using them to store water.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF

NTC wants cheaper text, Internet THE National Telecommunications Commission is looking at slashing the short message service and Internet costs next, following the decision of Globe Telecom Inc. and PLDT Inc. to reduce their interconnection charges for voice calls.

NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said lowering voice call rates was just the first step of a string of reforms being considered by the regulatory body to give subscribers an efficient way of communication at the lowest possible rates.

“This is just the first step.

It wouldn’t stop with voice. It will continue with text, Internet.

We will lower the prices,” said Cordoba after Globe and PLDT agreed to cut down interconnection charges by Jan. 1, 2017 through the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Nov. 28.

Cordoba said affording the public a cheap but high quality way of communication was the thrust of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, noting that 50 percent of the market still relied on conventional calls.

“These are the people in the provinces, especially the lower income families. They are the ones using voice calls,” he said.

“The telcos right now, they can use the lower interconnection rates to give different promos, pocket pricing and unlimited calls; they may be crossed over from one network to another,” Cordoba said.

The NTC recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 0911-2016 on interconnection charge for voice service, which stated that interconnection rates among telcos’ voice services should no longer be higher than

P2.50 per minute from the previous P4 per minute.

The interconnection charges are also subject to an annual review by the NTC. NTC deputy commissioner Edgardo Cabarios said “effectively the retail rates should be dropped by P1 across all plans” following the agreement signed by the telcos.

Cabarios said with the lower interconnection charges, the current retail rates of P6.50 per minute for mobile calls and P7.50 per minute for mobile to landline calls were expected to drop to P5.50 and P6.50, respectively.

The NTC said the new reduced interconnection charges would be effective not later than Jan. 1, 2017 to give sufficient time for the necessary adjustment in the operators’ respective billing system.

: AUDIOWAV MEDIA INC. : : x--------------------------------x

REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES In Relation to an Initial Public Offering 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: i. Primary Offering (To be offered and sold by way of Initial Public Offering, unissued shares )

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)

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

B4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

China factory output grows

Business

Opec strikes deal; oil tops $50

S

INGAPORE― Oil prices resumed their rise Thursday and held above the $50 barrier following Opec’s decision to carry out its first output cut in eight years.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries at a meeting in Vienna on Wednesday agreed on specific targets to enact a preliminary deal struck in September designed to ease a global crude supply glut and boost prices.

Many analysts had expected the producers’ cartel to fail to reach a deal as major players like Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia remained divided ahead of the meeting.

Crude futures prices surged more than 10 percent immediately after the Opec deal.

At 0630 GMT Thursday, after a brief dip in early Asian trade, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for January delivery was up 70 cents or 1.42 percent at $50.14, while Brent crude for February was 81 cents or 1.6 percent higher at $52.65.

“Not only had hopes of higher prices been realized, the reputation of the Opec has also been salvaged, prompting the surge,” said Jingyi Pan, market strategist at IG in Singapore.

“Skeptics have now placed their focus on the implementation of the Opec deal where Saudi Arabia will be shouldering the bulk of the cut.”

The 14-member Opec agreed to lower its monthly output by

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Khalid al-Falih (bottom right) attends a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at the Opec headquarters in Vienna, Austria on November 30, 2016. AFP

1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 32.5 million bpd from January 1.

Qatar’s Energy Minister Mohammed Bin Saleh AlSada said non-member Russia committed to reducing its output by 300,000 bpd, half of a hopedfor 600,000 bpd reduction from outside the organization.

Prices had fallen to near 13year lows of below $30 a barrel in February from peaks of more than $100 in June 2014 largely due to an oversupplied market outpacing demand.

Oil has whipsawed since a production-cut was first proposed in Algiers in September and investors speculated about whether an accord could be struck. The deal, designed to drain record global oil inventories, overcame disagreements between the group’s three largest producers―Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq―and ended a flirtation with free markets that started in 2014.

“The market will no longer see a sudden plunge in oil prices,”

Seo Sang-young, a market strategist at Kiwoom Securities Co., said by phone from Seoul.

“The biggest winners from the agreement are US shale producers, who will expand production as prices rally.”

Saudi Arabia, which raised oil production to a record this year, will reduce output by 486,000 barrels a day to 10.058 million a day, an Opedc document shows.

Iraq, the group’s second-largest producer, agreed to cut by 210,000 barrels a day from October levels.

The country had previously pushed for special consideration, citing the urgency of its offensive against Islamic State.

The accord comes into effect at the start of 2017 and will last six months. The pact also calls for an additional 600,000 barrels a day reduction from non-Opec suppliers. Non-member Russia will cut by as much as 300,000 barrels a day “conditional on its technical abilities,” Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in Moscow. AFP, Bloomberg

Philip Morris looking forward to cigarette phaseout LONGDON―Tobacco giant Philip Morris is aiming to stop selling conventional cigarettes and replace them with a less harmful product, its chief executive said Wednesday.

As the firm launched its smokeless iQOS cigarette in Britain, Andre Calantzopoulos told BBC radio that the company would try to move smokers over to the new product.

The iQOS heats tobacco rather than burns it and it is claimed that smokers get the same hit of nicotine, but 90 percent less of the toxins present in cigarette smoke.

It is already available in Japan and Italy, and in Switzerland where Philip Morris International (PMI) is based.

“I believe that there will come a moment in time where we have sufficient adoption of this alternative product and sufficient awareness to start envisaging, together with governments, a phase-out period for cigarettes,” said Calantzopoulos.

“I hope this time will come soon.”

Marlboro maker Philip Morris is the world’s secondbiggest cigarette producer by

market share, after the stateowned China National Tobacco Corporation.

PMI has spent $3 billion on creating the iQOS substitute cigarette, the BBC reported.

“For us, it’s to offer our consumers the best product we can in a category that we all know is addictive and causes harm,” Calantzopoulos.

“Once we have the alternative, as we have today, we offer them the alternative and will do everything we can to convince them to switch to these products.”

Most global tobacco firms are

looking to emerging markets to offset sliding demand in Western Europe, where high taxes, public smoking bans and health concerns have persuaded many people to give up or turn to e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that heat a nicotine liquid.

Action on Smoking and Health, a British anti-smoking lobby, said the iQOS should be regulated like other tobacco products unless independent evidence can prove it is less harmful than regular smoking.

“If smokers switch to electronic cigarettes or other

products that can be shown to cut the risks to their health, this could lead to a big improvement in public health,” said ASH chief executive Deborah Arnott.

“But we need independent evidence to support any claims made by the tobacco industry.

“From past experience, nothing the tobacco companies say should be accepted at face value.”

Worldwide, smoking claims around six million lives annually, mostly in low-income countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. AFP

BEIJING―China’s factory activity grew at its fastest rate in more than two years in November, official data showed Thursday, as cheap credit and improving demand helped revive industry in the world’s second-largest economy.

The better-than-expected pick-up in the closely watched purchasing managers’ index (PMI) will provide fresh hope for stability after a long-running slowdown in economic growth.

The official PMI, which gauges conditions at factories and mines, came in at 51.7 in November, its highest since since July 2014, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. That beat October’s 51.2 and was much better than the median forecast of 51.0 in a Bloomberg News survey of economists.

Anything above 50 signals expanding activity while anything below suggests contraction.

The expansion in factory activity was driven by an uptick in market demand, with production of consumer goods and high-tech equipment both accelerating, NBS analyst Zhao Qinghe said in a statement.

But production “still has some difficulties” with raw materials and transportation costs rising for many companies, and sharp fluctuations in the yuan exchange rate making imports more costly, Zhao added.

China’s weakening currency helped lift new export orders, Zhao Yang of Nomura said in a note, adding that he expects the depreciation to continue, which “bodes well” for exports next year.

The resilience in manufacturing was largely due to stimulus measures, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a note.

But new restrictions on home buying may cause a correction in the property sector, and though economic activity will “hold up well for a few more months, we expect a renewed slowdown before long”, he added.

The private Caixin Purchasing Manager’s Index, which focuses on smaller companies, also showed activity accelerating, albeit at a slower rate.

Its November reading of 50.9 represented a slight decline from its five-year-high of 51.2 the previous month, but was still “a robust pace,” the Chinese financial magazine said in a joint statement with data compiler IHS Markit. AFP

How Vancouver and 3 other cities wrestle with climate challenge PARIS, France―Fighting climate change means different things in different cities, as this snapshot illustrates: Vancouver, Canada Environmentalism and tourism are intertwined in Vancouver, a city of 600,000 nestling between beautiful mountain peaks and the Pacific Ocean.

Since 2007, a swathe of green measures has cut CO2 emissions from buildings by 20 percent, landfill by 23 percent and road trips by 27 percent. The city has a vastlyexpanded network of bike paths and two new rail transit lines.

In 2015, Vancouver set a target of 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. The province’s electricity supply is already 93 percent renewable, mostly hydro.

Like other port cities around the world, Vancouver is faced with rising seas and more destructive storms as a result of climate change, for which it intends to revamp stormwater systems and management.

Forestry and mining remain the province’s major industries, but the city has made a big push to attract investment in less polluting sectors such as high-tech and film production.

Chongqing, China A megapolis of 18 million people, Chongqing is a manufacturing hub for cars, motorcycles, steel, aluminum and many other heavy-industry goods.

Its citizens have gagged for decades on some of the foulest air in the world, made worse by a landscape of hill-lined basins that trap pollution.

Zhou Jie, a 28-year-old advertising industry worker, said she worries constantly about pollution and global warming.

“I would be very willing to switch to a low-emission and low-polluting lifestyle if the government asks us and is willing to subsidize it,” she said.

Mayor of Mexico City Miguel Angel Mancera (front left) and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (right) ride a tandem bicycle along the Alameda park together with other mayors and representatives in the framework of the C40 Mayors Summit, in Mexico City on November 30, 2016. Mayors from scores of the world’s biggest cities gathered in Mexico Wednesday to plot their strategy for fighting climate change in the face of skepticism from US President-elect Donald Trump. AFP

The giant municipality―whose administrative area covers 30 million people―has an ambitious program to encourage lowercarbon practices.

A buy-back program launched in 2013 has taken tens of thousands of high-polluting vehicles off the road. High-sulphur coal

and diesel are banned within city limits.

Chongqing wants non-fossil fuels to be 15 percent of its energy mix by 2020.

Beijing has promised China’s world-leading carbon emissions will peak by “around 2030.”

Los Angeles, California Despite improvements, sprawling Los

Angeles still has some of the most polluted air in the United States.

But that status may change as California ramps up to enact among the most ambitious environmental policies in the world.

Last September, Governor Jerry Brown― who calls climate change “the existential

threat of our time”–approved legislation requiring the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The state also aims to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable resources―notably wind and solar energy―by 2030. Buildings are to become twice as energy efficient by the same date.

Three-quarters of all waste must be recycled by 2020.

As for Los Angeles, stricter fuel emissions standards for vehicles are bound to help.

But there will be new challenges: temperatures in the sun-soaked city are expected to rise by 2.8 degrees Celsius (5.0 degrees Fahrenheit) by mid-century.

Lagos, Nigeria Battered trucks and cars on the highways of Nigeria’s main commercial city spew black clouds of exhaust, while chronic electricity outages mean that most businesses and homes rely on gas-guzzling generators for power.

The air often tastes of petrol.

Despite its exploding population of 20 million in a low-lying coastal area, Lagos has done little to adapt to future climate change.

“There is often a big gap between plan and implementation,” explained Ademola Omojola, an associate professor of geography at the University of Lagos.

“The capacity to manage it at the local level isn’t there.”

With limited green energy options, people are forced to rely on fossil fuels.

With government corruption endemic, the private sector may be better placed to adapt to climate change.

A privately managed city for half a million people, for example, is under development on 10 square kilometers (4 square miles) of reclaimed jutting out into the Atlantic. AFP

FANNING THE PASSION.

Dancers from Las Piñas City participate in a parade during the Passion Fest Arts Festival at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on Sunday November 27 in a celebration of Filipino culture and arts. Norman Cruz

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Erap unleashes ‘mommy enforcers’ “I trust that they will take care of our young children, being mothers themselves. We can now HREE days after Manila Mayor Joseph feel safe that there are mommies “Erap” Estrada ordered the firing of 690 out there taking care of our children,” the mayor said. personnel under the city’s traffic unit Estrada formed the women’s owing to corruption complaints, Manila’s socorps of traffic enforcers specalled “mommy traffic enforcers” have taken cifically to be deployed outside the elementary school campuses over traffic management at the 72 public with one primary mission: to elementary schools in the city. help the schoolchildren cross the street and get to school or their Estrada activated the special training in traffic management, homes safely.

He said deploying these trafunit, composed of 251 mothers, first aid and other emergency fic enforcers would be a big help who have completed extensive procedures, and childcare.

By Sandy Araneta

T

while the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau is being reorganized.

MTPB chief Dennis Alcoreza said they are hoping to field one mommy traffic enforcer for every 1,000 schoolchildren. Manila has about 250,000 grade schoolers.

“Depending on how big the school is, we will be deploying a minimum of two mommy traffic enforcers per school. They should be residents of the same barangay where the school is located, and preferably have chil-

dren in the school they will be assigned to,” Alcoreza said.

The mother-enforcers were issued uniforms, including reflectorized vests for their safety, and will be given a monthly allowance of P6,000 to supplement their income, he added.

They also underwent a fourhour crash course in traffic management and children’s road safety conducted by traffic experts and childcare professionals at the Universidad de Manila.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global body dedicated to

preventing injuries to children, road accidents are the top cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 19.

Alcoreza also cited a report from the World Health Organization that said 186,000 children below 18 years old die each year due to road crashes, 38 percent of whom were pedestrians.

In the Philippines, 96 children die every day due to road accidents, making it the second most common type of accident in the country for children aged five to 12, according to WHO.

Kids’ programs will continue—Laarni TAGUIG City Mayor Laarni Cayetano has assured her constituents she will continue the city government’s program for quality public education, scholarships and social services that will benefit children until the end of her term.

“I would like to guarantee that the support the Taguigeños have received for the last six years of my administration will not lessen, but rather will get even better within the remainder of my term,” said Cayetano during her State of the Children Address on Monday.

“Despite this is my administration’s last term, there is nothing to worry about because I will make sure that all educational programs like the LANI scholarship program will con-

tinue for the benefit of our children,” the mayor added.

Under Cayetano, the Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need Scholarship Program or LANI was established with an initial budget of P100 million, rising to P625 million this year. As of 2015, a total of 23,304 Taguigeños, including law and medical students, have benefited from the program.

Cayetano also addressed the issue of cyber sex or child pornography in the city, saying it “has no place here in Taguig!”

Police recently rescued three children and arrested five suspects for child trafficking. The mayor reiterated her appeal for local communities to assist authorities by being vigilant and to report suspicious activities. Joel E. Zurbano

ANTI-DRUG ACTION. Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares (in black shirt) joins other city and police officials in raising a fist to launch the ‘Tayo Na

Kontra Droga’ campaign of the city at Sumulong Park. Ynares and the officials, who are members of the anti-drug group MASA MASID (Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga), also signed a commitment pledge together with the city’s barangay captains.

‘Firecracker makers must meet standards’

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment said it would lift the work stoppage order it issued last week if all the 130 inspected firecracker manufacturers in Bulacan meet the required work, safety and health standards of the government.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the department has started to inspect the manufacturers and retail-

ers or dealers of pyrotechnics and firecrackers in Bulacan to see if they comply with occupational safety and health standards.

Bello had issued the work stoppage order to all pyrotechnics makers and vendors nationwide following recent explosions in fireworks shops in Bulacan that killed five people and injured 30 others.

“The DoLE Regional Office in Region 3 will make assessment on the

compliance of these establishments.

They will check the compliance of the local establishments with the safety and health standards which will serve as basis for the agency to lift or not the work stoppage order,” Bello said.

He said that if all requirements are complied with, the DoLE Regional Director, with recommendations from the BFP and PNP, will recommend lifting the stoppage order for

the compliant establishment.

The establishments are composed of 40 manufacturers and 90 retailerdealers of firecrackers in the towns of Sta. Maria and Bocaue in Bulacan. The DoLE Regional Offices were directed to submit the report to Bello within the week.

If the establishment complies with the requirements, the Regional Office may recommend the lifting of the work stoppage order, Bello said.

Maynilad: 43-hour water interruption in QC

By Rio N. Araja WEST Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. on Thursday announced a 43-hour water service interruption in 15 barangays in Quezon City next week to affect 300,000 customers and their families.

To be affected by the prolonged

supply interruptions are barangays Apolonio Samson, Baesa, Bahay Toro, Bungad, Damayan, Del Monte, Katipunan, Mariblo, Paltok, Paraiso, San Antonio, Sangandaan, Talipapa, Tandang Sora and Veterans Village.

The two-day water interruption will give way to the replacement

of a defective valve along Maynilad’s 1,200 mm-diameter primary line along Tandang Sora Avenue in Talipapa to ensure the reliability of its distribution system.

The repair works will begin on December 5, a Monday, at 8 p.m. and end on December 7 at 4 p.m, the company said.

The water concessionaire will take about 43 hours to stop water flow through the four-foot-tall primary line, insert a line stopper to isolate the valve that will be replaced, and install the new valve before allowing the water to flow again through the primary line, the company said.

City engineer convicted for falsified SALN

THE Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court has convicted a city engineer for three counts of perjury for false misrepresentation in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 2002 to 2004.

Judge Analie Oga-Brual sentenced Engineer III Rolanda Mamaid to a jail term of three months to one year for each count of perjury.

In its decision, the court asserted the law requires public officials and employees “to accomplish and submit a true, detailed and sworn statement of assets and liabilities.”

Perjury is defined as the willful and corrupt assertion of a falsehood under oath or affirmation administered by authority of law on a material matter.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman presented documents and witnesses to strengthen the charges against Mamaid, who “consistently failed to declare his wife’s ownership of a Toyota Revo worth P601,000.” Rio N. Araja

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

LGUs

Hedcor sues Beneco over power plant

K

ABAYAN, Benguet—Hedcor Kabayan Inc., the developer of the 52-MW Kabayan Hydropower Project here, has filed a civil case against the Benguet Electric Cooperative for interfering in the Free and Prior Informed Consent process the company is undertaking for the run-ofriver power plant project.

Indigenous peoples in the 13 barangays of this town had voted to reject the proposal of the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor to put up the power plant by a vote of 62 to 58 with eight abstentions.

In voting against Hedcor’s proposal, the Kabayan IP leaders said they had already offered a partnership with Benguet Electric or Beneco. They were also concerned that Hedcor’s

tunneling works for the project would cut off their water supply from the Agno River, which irrigates their farmlands.

“We are pleased that the court recognized the merits of our case and issued a Temporary Restraining Order on Nov. 25, 2016,” said Chris Faelnar, Hedcor senior vice president.

“This will allow Hedcor Kabayan to continue the consultation process with the community and the IPs of Kabayan in compliance to the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples guidelines to obtain IP consent

for the project,” Faelnar added.

The FPIC process is the first of many approvals and permits that are necessary to allow Hedcor Kabayan to develop and construct the 52-MW runof-river hydropower project along the upper portion of the Agno River.

Faelnar said HEDCOR is committed to its corporate mandate “to uphold the best interest of our stakeholders and be the partner of choice in the communities where we develop renewable and sustainable runof-river hydro projects.”

By virtue of the Renewable Energy Service Contract issued to Hedcor Kabayan by the Department of Energy and the DoE’s subsequent endorsement to conduct the FPIC, the company “has a right to perform activities in line with obtaining IP and community approval for the progress of the project,” he added.

Hedcor, Faelnar said, will focus its attention and resources on the continued development of the hydropower project, “which will provide the Philippines with an additional renewable power supply

and most importantly benefit the Kabayan community.”

The company operates 22 runof-river hydropower plants in the country.

Under Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, companies intending to develop, exploit and utilize the rich resources of the State must first secure the free and prior informed consent of the indigenous peoples to be affected by the project before implementing any activities within their ancestral domains. Dexter A. See

Yagyag fest dance impresses Wanda

LA UNION CRAFTS. San Fernando City (La Union) Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto (center) and Department of Trade and Industry Region 1 Director Florante Leal inspect the woodcraft products displayed during the La Union’s Fairest 2016 trade fair at a mall in Biday, San Fernando. The fair runs until December 5 and supports local and small industries in the region. Christine Junio

IN BRIEF ‘Double Barrel’ nabs 3 men, 1 woman TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite— Three men and a woman fell in a Project Double Barrel Alpha campaign against illegal drugs at Golden Horizon in Barangay Hugo Perez here.

Local police arrested Deomar Sonata, 22, after a buybust operation at Golden Horizon, while Mark Lester Morata, Oscar Arboleda and Jane Concepcion were caught during a pot session at the 44-year-old Arboleda’s home in the same subdivision.

Recovered from the suspects were four plastic sachets of suspected shabu, various drug paraphernalia and marked money used in the buy-bust, Police Supt. Egbert Tibayan of the Trece Martires Police said. Benjamin Chavez

thousands of land crabs like the cagang (scientific name Cardisoma Carnifex) and the alalasan (Episesarma Singaparense) along the village shores and riverbanks every last quarter of the year.

“Through a tapestry of native costume, dance and music, the well-choreographed performance imitates the crabs’ characteristics of solidarity as well as of propagating and protecting the own kind and of renewing their unending cycle of life,” choreographer Trifo Colina said.

Officer-in-charge Judy de la Cruz-Gabato of DoT-Region VII, invited the public to take a glimpse of their regional exhibit and sale of native products from the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Syquijor and Negros Oriental.

“Our two-week showcase presents well-known and trademark delicacies like the chicharon, otap, rosquillos, peanut kisses and banana chips, and the wellcrafted products of local communities and micro-small medium enterprises such as handbags and table-runners to export quality fashion accessories of Arden and Nature’s Legacy. All these present how diverse Central Visayas is in terms of products, activities and attractions,” Gabato said.

Sandy Araneta

Regions 1, 4A, 7 take top occupational safety awards A SOLAR panel assembly plant, a farmers’ cooperative, and a registered mechanical engineer were hailed as champions of occupational safety and health or OSH during the 10th Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan National Awards Ceremony at the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) in Quezon City.

Emerging as grand winners of the 10th GKK were Sunpower Philippines Manufacturing Ltd.–Module Manufacturing (Region 4A) for the Industry Category; BAGNOS Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Region 1) for the Micro/Informal Sector Category; and Engineer Oliver Z. Abelgas (Region 7) for the Individual Category.

“Safety and health is nonnegotiable for all workers in all workplaces,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III in his message, delivered on his behalf

by Employees’ Compensation

Commission Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis.

OSHC Executive Director Ma. Teresita Cucueco emphasized how the agency has expanded its reach in advocating for occupational safety and health as manifested by the huge number of entries received this year and the inclusion of two new categories, the micro/informal sector and government sector.

For the first time, a two-tiered scheme was adopted where the winners went through a stringent process at the regional and national levels, Cucueco added.

Cucueco said Philippine representatives to the 2018 Association of Southeast Asian NationsOccupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN-OSHNET) awards in Cambodia will be chosen among this year’s GKK national winners.

The OHSC received 288 entries for this year’s awards, the

highest number since the competition’s launch in 1997.

Cucueco said the 22 finalists of this year’s GKK were also recognized for their outstanding OSH practices. They were classified as Gold, Silver, or Bronze awardees.

GKK Gold Awardees are Knowles Electronics Philippines Corp. (Region 7), Maynilad Water Services Inc. La Mesa Treatment Plant 2 (National Capital Region), Petron Corp.–Legazpi Depot (Region 5), Petron Corp.– Nasipit Depot (CARAGA), and ROHM Electronics Philippines Inc. (Region 4-A) for the Industry Category; and Engineer Hollis G. Fernandez (Cordillera Administrative Region) and Engineer Conrado P. Soriano (NCR) for the Individual Category.

GKK Silver Awardees are Maynilad Water Services Inc. Central Warehouse, Novaliches,

Quezon City (NCR), Maynilad Water Services Inc. FairviewCommonwealth Business Area (NCR), Panay Power Corp. (Region 6), Philippine Geothermal Production Company Inc., (Region 9), SN Aboitiz Power Ambuklao (CAR), SN Aboitiz Power Binga (CAR), and Texas Instruments Philippines Inc. (CAR) for the Industry Category; Dr. Florentino P. Alerta II (Region 6), Joseph B. Macaranas (Region 6), and Anselmo M. Puse Jr. RN (Region 5) for the Individual Category; and McNester Food Products for the Micro/Informal Sector Category.

GKK Bronze Awardees are Petron Corp.–Tagoloan Depot (Region 10), and Therma Marine Inc. (Region 9) for the Industry Category; Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the Government Sector Category; and Pure Ever Drinking Water Refilling Station for the Micro/Informal Sec-

tor Category.

“I would like to express my profound gratitude to all of you for inspiring us with your outstanding safety and health policies and programs. This encourages us to continue collaborating with different industries in integrating safety and health to each and every work process,” said Cucueco.

The GKK is a national award given by DOLE to recognize the outstanding achievements of establishments and individuals in terms of responding to the safety and health needs of workers, workplaces, and the community.

This biennial award aims to encourage institutions or companies to voluntarily implement their own safety, health, and environment programs, and in the process achieve productivity and zero accident in the workplace and be a benchmark for others in their respective industries.

131 Calabarzon villages drug-free

San Pedro pushers fall in anti-drug op SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna— Three suspected drug pushers were arrested in two separate anti-illegal drug operations here.

Zosimo Camerino, a barangay tanod, was arrested at Sitio Cataquiz, Barangay Antonio by elements of San Pedro City Police and Laguna Public Safety Battalion, San Pedro City Chief of Police Supt. Harold Depositar said.

Recovered from Camerino were two sachets of suspected shabu, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a hand grenade.

Police also arrested Sherwin Llagas and Reymel delos Santos at Sitio Kings Farm in Barangay San Antonio.

Recovered from them were eight sachets of suspected shabu. Roy Tomandao

THE Yagyag Festival, a barangay-based event in Negros Oriental, opened the Central Visayas Region’s participation to the Philippine Tourism Showroom at the lobby of “The New Department of Tourism Building” in Makati City.

A mini version of the festival was presented at DoT Makati, derived from the full-scale performance that was originally staged and won first place during the Buglasan Grand Festival of Festivals in Dumaguete City last October.

Nonetheless, the condensed version impressed Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon TulfoTeo enough to make her decide to bring the festival to an international travel fair next year.

“This rendition of the Yagyag Festival is so beautiful, we have to bring it abroad as part of the Philippine cultural showcase in international travel fairs,” Teo said.

“The lyrics of the accompanying song, which is in the vernacular, will just have to be translated into English so the foreign audience will understand,” she said.

According to barangay chairman Edwin Parajado, this festival of coastal Barangay Cangmating in Sibulan town mimics the spawning ritual performed by

LEADERS’ MEETING. Chairman Martin Diño of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (second from left) meets multisectoral leaders in Region 3 led by former President and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay (third and fourth from left) in planning economic and jobgenerating potentials that SBMA’s Phase 2 can provide the Central Luzon region.

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna— Calabarzon Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian has declared 131 barangays in Region 4A (made up of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) as drug-free.

These are 26 in San Luis, Batangas, 23 in Luisiana, 19 in Cavinti, and 24 in Magdalena— all in Laguna—and 39 in Pitogo, Quezon.

Tabian said the figures had been validated and certified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 4A. The Calabarzon region has 4,018 barangays, 75 percent or 3,011 of which are drug affected, the police director said.

Tabian said they continue to work with PDEA to clear

more barangays of illegal drugs through Oplan Double Barrel.

Tabian also announced that under Oplan Tokhang, a total of 53,020 house-to-house visits have been conducted, resulting in the surrender of 71,059 users and 8,334 pushers.

A total of 6,207 individuals were arrested and 238 were killed in different police operations conducted under Oplan Tokhang, he added.

Under Project HVT, 12 highvalue targets were arrested, one individual surrendered, and three were killed, Tabian said.

As a result, Tabian noted, focus crimes have trended down to 215 cases in a one-week period ending October 28, compared to 234 in the previous week. Roy Tomandao

World IN BRIEF Citizens urged to stay out of Jakarta rally JAKARTA―Foreign governments Thursday warned their citizens to keep away from a major rally in the Indonesian capital Jakarta by Muslim groups against the city’s Christian governor amid fears it could turn violent.

At least 150,000 people are expected to flood downtown Jakarta Friday to protest against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who has caused widespread anger in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country by allegedly insulting Islam.

A protest on November 4 against Purnama, who is being prosecuted for breaking Indonesia’s tough blasphemy laws, attracted about 100,000 demonstrators and ended in violence, with one person killed and hundreds injured in clashes.

The American embassy in Jakarta warned in a message to US citizens that “even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence”.

“Some extremist groups could take advantage of the December 2 events to incite or carry out violence,” it said, adding that Americans should avoid the demonstration. AFP

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

Pilot said he was out of fuel M

EDDELLINThe pilot of a charter plane carrying a Brazilian football team radioed frantically that he was out of fuel minutes before slamming into a hillside near Medellin with 77 people on board, an audio recording showed.

Razak vows ‘to fight until the death’ KUALA LUMPUR―Malaysia will hold polls soon, embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak said Thursday, vowing “to fight until the death” and showing no sign of succumbing to calls to quit over a massive financial scandal.

It was the first time the Malaysian leader has signaled he may bring forward polls not due until mid-2018, as he addressed the annual assembly of his ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and called for party unity.

“I know, many can feel the heat ... and are waiting for directions to battle in the polls that will be held soon,” he said.

Speaking to some 2,600 delegates of UMNO, which represents the Malay heartland whose support is crucial for any Malaysian leader, Najib promised to uphold Islam and protect the community’s interests.

The party has been in power ever since independence in 1957 and its annual gathering is the country’s most closely watched political event.

“God willing, we will fight until the death and until the last drop of blood,” Najib told delegates, who had earlier greeted him with enthusiastic applause, signaling their support for his leadership. AFP

Hate crimes rise in the wake of Brexit LONDON―Hate crimes in the wake of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union frequently took inspiration from the campaign to leave the bloc, according to a study released on Thursday.

Police recorded a spike in hate crimes in the days following Britain’s June 23 referendum to leave the EU, after a campaign which drew heavily on public concerns around immigration.

An Institute of Race Relations analysis of 134 racist incidents reported in the media in the month after the vote has found 51 of these either specifically referred to the referendum or messages used during the campaign.

“Fuck off back to your country,” a man was told after being asked if he was from an EU country, the report said.

“Just go home. We voted you out. You will have to leave the country soon,” a man told one eastern European woman, in another of numerous examples cited by the Institute. AFP

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BONDING. A four-month-old white lion cub cuddles up to its father Sam inside their enclosure at a zoo in Tbilisi on November 30, 2016. AFP

Keys to reaching goals on climate PARIS―The world’s big cities must collectively cut their carbon footprint nearly in half within a decade if global climate goals are to be met, according to an analysis unveiled Thursday.

Mayors from 84 mega-cities gathering in Mexico City this week are mulling long-term commitments for slashing carbon pollution that are detailed in the report, said organizers of the C40 urban summit.

Urgent, make-or-break action is needed, they warned.

“The next four years will determine whether or not the world’s mega-cities can deliver their part of the ambition of the Paris Agreement,” said Mark Watts, executive director of C40, a global network of large cities.

Without aggressive measures by cities, the 196-nation climate pactinked in the French capital last December―”cannot be realistically delivered,” he told journalists ahead of the three-day summit.

The Paris deal, now in force, calls for capping global warming at two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, and at 1.5 C (2.7 F) if possible.

National carbon-cutting pledges annexed to the agreement would still allow the global average temperature to rise by 3.0 C (5.6 F)―a sure-fire recipe for climate catastrophe, say scientists.

With only 1.0 C (1.8 F) of warming so far, the world has seen a deadly upsurge of extreme weather, including droughts, super storms, heat waves and coastal flooding boosted by rising seas.

Countries are not scheduled to review their pledges for several years.

“If we are going to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, cities are going to have to play an even bigger role in the months and years ahead,” said former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a UN special envoy for climate change and C40 board president. AFP

Prince set to be proclaimed king BANGKOK―Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will be proclaimed the new king of Thailand later Thursday, his office said, opening a new chapter for the powerful monarchy in a country still mourning the death of his father.

Vajiralongkorn, 64, who inherits one of the world’s richest monarchies as well as a politically troubled nation, will ascend the throne 50 days after King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death.

In complex protocols, the prince will on Thursday evening grant an audience to grandees including the Thai junta leader and the head of the National Legislative Assembly, who will invite Vajiralongkorn to become king.

“The Crown Prince will deliver an acceptance speech... after that he will pay respects in front of a portrait of the king,” the statement added.

Buddhist temples across the country have been asked to beat drums and gongs after his procla-

mation.

He will be named Rama X of Thailand’s Chakri dynasty, but will not formally be crowned until after his father’s cremation, which is expected next year.

Bhumibol’s reign, which ended on October 13, spanned seven turmoil-laden decades, pockmarked by a communist insurgency, coups and street protests.

To many Thais Bhumibol was the only consistent force in a politically combustible country, his image burnished by ritual and shielded by a harsh royal defamation law.

Vajiralongkorn, who has been named successor for more than four decades, does not yet enjoy the same level of popularity.

He spends much of his time outside of the public eye, particularly in southern Germany where he owns property.

He has had three high-profile divorces, while a recent police corruption scandal linked to the

family of his previous wife allowed the public a rare glimpse of palace affairs.

Thursday’s ascension will end a period of uncertainty which followed a shock junta announcement after Bhumibol’s death that the prince had asked to delay his official proclamation so he could mourn.

Thailand’s constitutional monarchy has limited formal powers.

But it draws the loyalty of much of the kingdom’s super-rich business elite as well as a military that dominates politics through its regular coups.

It is also protected from criticism by one of the world’s harshest lese majeste laws, carrying up to 15 years in jail for every charge of defaming the king, queen, heir or regent.

That law makes open discussion about the royal family’s role all but impossible inside the kingdom and means all media based inside the country routinely selfcensor. AFP

Details of the doomed aircraft’s last harrowing minutes emerged on Wednesday as fans mourned the loss of all but six people on the flight, including most of the Cinderella-story Chapecoense Real football team.

An audio tape aired by the Colombian media showed that the pilot of the LAMIA airlines BAe146 radioed the control tower Monday night seeking priority to land because of a fuel problem.

The operator acknowledges the request but tells pilot Miguel Quiroga he will have to wait seven minutes to land.

“I have a plane below you making its approach ... How much time can you remain in your approach, Lima-Mike-India?”

“We have a fuel emergency, ma’am, that’s why I am asking you for it at once, full stop.”

Moments later: “I request an immediate descent Lima-MikeIndia.”

The time line was not immediately clear but shortly thereafter the pilot radioed: “Ma’am, LimaMike-India 2933 is in total failure, total electrical failure, without fuel.”

The operator responded: “Runway clear and expect rain on the runway Lima-Mike-India 2933.

Firefighters alerted.”

The pilot is heard asking: “Vectors, ma’am, vectors to the runway.” Vectors is the term for the navigation service provided to planes by air traffic control.

The operator is heard giving him directions, and asking his altitude.

“Nine thousand feet, ma’am.

Vectors! Vectors!”

Those were Quiroga’s last words to the control tower.

Colombia’s Civil Aeronautics agency said the time sequence of the tape was “inexact,” and had no comment on the content of the tape.

But the agency’s air safety chief, Freddy Bonilla, confirmed at a news conference that the plane was out of fuel at the moment of impact.

Bonilla said international rules require aircraft to maintain fuel in reserve when flying between airports, and the LAMIA plane had failed to do so.

The aircraft’s “black box” has been recovered intact and in “perfect condition,” said Civil Aviation director Alfredo Bocanegra, who added however that it would take investigators at least six months to reach a conclusion about the cause of the crash. AFP

PERFORMANCE. Raquel Sofia performs during the VIDALEXUS Presents RPM Reengineering Popular Music at Revel Fulton Market on November 30, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

World

She picks what wine the presidents drink P ARIS―It came as a shock. But Virginie Routis learned very early that one of the obstacles she was going to have to overcome to become a top wine waiter was sexism.

The soft-spoken sommelier was working in one of Britain’s best restaurants when a man threw the wine list back at her.

“I want to talk to a man,” he barked.

“He didn’t want to talk to me never mind have me look after the wine,” Routis recalled. “The maitre d’ had to serve him.”

To say that Routis, the first woman to ever be given the keys to the legendary cellars of the Elysee Palace, has had the last laugh is something of an understatement.

She not only presides over the 14,000 bottles of finest French wine beneath the French president’s official residence, but she has also been responsible for one of the biggest shake-ups of the

closely guarded national treasure in decades.

The 38-year-old is also responsible for serving―and impressing―the monarchs and heads of state who regularly dine at the Elysee.

French President Francois Hollande gave her “carte blanche” to serve what wines she thought best to go with his chef Guillaume Gomez’s menus.

And she is spoiled for choice from the Elysee’s staggering collection that goes from mythic names like Cheval Blanc, Latour, BatardMontrachet de Joseph Drouhin, Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet to high quality wines from all of France’s wine regions.

“When we are entertaining a head of state, we generally go for

safe bets like a white burgundy, or a grand Bordeaux red, but for lunches we can range out to Alsace, Cahors, Corsica” and elsewhere, she said.

“I like to play on surprise, and I know the President is very open to that,” she added.

Routis was only 30 when she took over at the Elysee and had to deal with the rather challenging prospect of Nicolas Sarkozy, the chocoholic former French president who does not drink wine.

Luckily, his wife the singer Carla Bruni did and it was with her that Routis would discuss the choice of wine.

Although Routis admitted that as a woman she had to fight for her place in the very masculine world of wine waiting, now up to a fifth of sommeliers in France are women.

“It is much more straightforward” than before, said Routis, who points to Estelle Touzet, sommelier at the Ritz, or Marlene Vendramelli, who was named the

best young sommelier in France in 1993, for helping to break the glass ceiling.

In fact, she argues, women may be better at the job.

“I think we have a more sensitive palate and we have perhaps a more simple way of explaining wines, which is less technical than men. But it is good to have a mixed team,” she said, forever the diplomat.

In 2013 Routis sold off some 1,200 bottles from the temperature-controlled Elysee cellar― which is protected by an armored door―in a major reorganization of its stock.

With a budget last year of 170,000 euros ($178,000)―of which 50,000 euros comes from auctioning off select bottles―she has mostly used the money to buy young wine to lay down.

Of all the state dinners and banquets she has had to deal with, Routis said, the one that marked her most was the visit in 2014 of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. AFP

FASHION SHOW. US model Gigi Hadid presents a creation during

the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Grand Palais in Paris on November 30, 2016. AFP

2016 is best year yet for producer Marshall LOS ANGELES―Veteran producer Frank Marshall says 2016 is shaping up to be his biggest year—quite a claim for the man who, alongside Steven Spielberg, gave the world “Indiana Jones” and “Back to the Future.”

The five-time Oscar nominee defined the blockbuster for a generation of cinema goers alongside the legendary director and their artistic partner Kathleen Kennedy―whom Marshall went on to marry.

As the founders of Amblin Entertainment, the trio reigned supreme from 1982’s “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial” through a string of milestones including “Gremlins,” “The Goonies” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”

He’d be forgiven for resting on his laurels at age 70, but Marshall revealed he is busier than ever as AFP caught up with him to discuss the release of “Jason Bourne” on DVD and Blu-ray.

“We’re just finishing ‘Assassin’s Creed’ and we’re talking about how we’re going to sell the movie and the publicity campaign,” he responded when asked about his schedule for the day.

“And we’re working on ‘Sully’ for the awards season so I’m pret-

ty busy. The other thing: ‘Jurassic World II’ is in pre-production so I work on that early in the morning because they are in London.”

Add Spielberg’s “The BFG” to all that work and it’s been a packed year for the father of two.

Film finance website Box Office Mojo attributes worldwide ticket receipts of just under $10 billion for Marshall’s body of work, which includes directing stints, most notably on “Arachnophobia” and “Congo.”

“When I direct, it’s a 24/7 focus and I have a couple of projects that I’m considering directing, but I love producing,” he tells AFP. “This is really my biggest year with four movies out so that’s been exciting and very satisfying.”

Born in Los Angeles, Marshall excelled in both music and sport, running track and cross-country for UCLA before entering his film career as an assistant to director Peter Bogdanovich.

His 1980s output alongside Spielberg and Kennedy include critical hits such as “The Color Purple,” “Empire of the Sun” and “Always,” which featured a cameo by Audrey Hepburn in her last role. AFP

Scandal-hit Park urged to quit her post in April ARTWORK. A view of an artwork by Tristan Eaton at the introduction of the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Concrete Jungle, hosted by Tristan Eaton at Hublot Boutique at the Bal Harbour Shops, on November 30, 2016, in Miami, Florida. AFP

Castro’s ashes reunited with Guevara’s SANTA CLARA―Fidel Castro’s ashes were taken Thursday to a symbolic reunion with his fallen comrade-in-arms Ernesto “Che” Guevara in Santa Clara, the first stop in the late Cold War titan’s last trip across Cuba.

After two days of tributes in Havana, hundreds of thousands of flag-waving Cubans lined the streets to bid farewell as a military jeep began a four-day journey on Wednesday morning with the cedar urn in tow.

Crowds chanted “I am Fidel!” as the convoy started retracing the victory tour that Castro’s guerrilla took in 1959 to celebrate their defeat of US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista.

The flag-covered urn, which

rested under a glass case on a small olive-green trailer, arrived in Santa Clara after midnight and entered a complex with a mausoleum and museum dedicated to Guevara.

“It’s a historic meeting, two comandantes who change the history of Cuba and humanity,” said Agnier Sanchez, a 33-year-old medical imaging technician.

A somber guitar, song and dance show played across a giant statue of Guevara as the “caravan of freedom” paused a third of the way into its 950-kilometer trek across the island.

The convoy will resume on Thursday morning, heading to other cities before a final ceremony on Sunday in the eastern city of

Santiago de Cuba, where Castro’s ashes will be laid to rest next to 19th century independence hero Jose Marti.

Cubans were observing the fifth of nine days of mourning for Castro following his death on Friday at age 90. Castro ruled from 1959 until an illness forced him to hand power to his brother Raul in 2006.

Dissidents call Castro a dictator who jailed opponents but others in Cuba praise his legacy of providing free education and health care to Cubans while defying the US “empire.”

“I come from a poor family. I am black. In another era, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be who I am today,” said Maria Gonzalez, a 31-year-old computer

engineer.

Castro met Guevara in 1955 while in exile in Mexico, and the young doctor joined Fidel and Raul on the boat that took them to Cuba a year later.

Guevara won a crucial battle in Santa Clara in 1958, derailing an armored train and taking the city.

Guevara was given high-ranking positions in the government but he left in 1966 to lead a guerrilla expedition in Bolivia, where he was captured and executed a year later.

His remains were recovered three decades later and taken to Santa Clara, now home to a huge statute of Che and a museum dedicated to the revolutionary icon.

AFP

SEOUL―South Korea’s ruling party on Thursday urged scandalhit President Park Geun-Hye to step down in April next year, giving her a week to accept their ultimatum or risk impeachment.

Park this week said she would be willing to step down early after coming under huge pressure to quit over an influence peddling scandal that has drawn more than a million people onto the streets in protest.

The ruling Saenuri Party’s 128 lawmakers unanimously agreed to demand Park resign in late April and called for a presidential election to be held in June, six months earlier than scheduled.

“All the lawmakers of the party unanimously approved this timetable”, parliamentary floor leader Chung Jin-Suk was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency after a crucial party meeting.

The party considered the timetable the most appropriate to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, maintain stability and give political parties time to prepare for the presidential election, Chung said.

Park said Tuesday she would

let parliament decide her fate following accusations that she colluded with Choi Soon-Sil―a secretive confidante dubbed “Korea’s Rasputin”―to coerce firms to “donate” tens of millions of dollars to foundations which were used for Choi’s personal gain.

Park has been named as a suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office.

And although Park’s announcement reduced the momentum of calls for her impeachment, the main opposition Democratic Party insisted that Park should be stripped of office by the end of January.

“All South Koreans want Park to leave as soon as possible... they don’t want her to stick around so long,” its leader Choo Mi-Ae said.

Lawmakers from Park’s own party had backed the oppositionled move to impeach her as early as this Friday.

But one of them, former Saenuri Party head Kim Moo-Sung, said they were now willing to give Park four months to leave office. AFP

Life SHOPPING

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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Leather bag is an ideal gift as it is useful, functional and stylish.

ET’S face it: one of the simplest yet crucial dilemmas during the Christmas season is thinking about the perfect gift ideas for the men in your lives—your dad, brother, boyfriend, husband, boss, close friends and officemates.

L

Why men like real leather as

To ease the stress of figuring out the perfect gift for them, McJim Classic Leather is the solution, men prefer real leather for gifts. Here’s why. * Giving McJim Classic Leather bags, belts, wallets and accessories show sincerity and thoughtfulness.

Men are known to neglect buying these items even when their bags, wallets

and belts have become old and faded.

So, there is no doubt that they will appreciate receiving these McJim Classic Leather products — k now n for premium quality and style. * Leather prod-

Christmas gifts ucts are considered “lucky.” Did you know that giving a McJim wallet for a gift is known to bring luck to the receiver? Meanwhile, gifting a person with a McJim belt has been known to signify a stronger relationship between the giver and the receiver, as the belt wraps around the body. * Leather bags belts and wallets are

useful and functional. Authentic leather products, like those of McJim Classic Leather, do not merely add style to a man’s ensemble, they also add function: one factor that other accessories do not have. Men need bags, belts and wallets in their day-to-day affairs, so they are ideal Christmas gifts. * McJim Classic Leather accessories exude style and class. Accessories made from real leather, make the best gift because they make men look stylish and classy anytime, anywhere.

McJim Classic Leather, a trusted authentic leather accessories brand, has a wide selection of high-quality real leather accessories.

Belts. McJim Classic Leather offers high-quality real leather belts with unique-looking metal buckles. These come in a variety of colors and designs (basic dark brown, basic modernist black, and reversible minimalist), making it easy for you to choose the belt any man will surely love.

Bags. A staple accessory in a young man’s wardrobe, a leather bag is not

only stylish, it is also functional. McJim Classic Leather suggests choosing one from its collection of sturdy and classy leather bags—shoulder bag, body bag or gadget bag—as a smart gift idea for guys out there.

Wallets. A must-have accessory for all men is a well-designed wallet made from authentic leather, crafted to last for years, and come in different designs that suit various functions.

Belt and wallet gift sets. To make gift buying easier, McJim Classic Leather offers all-leather belt and wallet gifts set that are wrapped and ready to give to the men in your life.

Whatever you decide on, one thing is absolute: real leather is your best bet. And through the years, McJim Classic Leather has proven to be a reliable and trustworthy brand by the young and old alike, recognized for making leather goods of superior quality and classy design.

Make the special men in your life happy this Christmas. Gift them with a McJim Classic Leather accessory.

McJim offers a wide selection of leather belts that signify a strong bond in relationship

A leather wallet is a great gift idea for men as they are sophisticated, functional and durable

Totes for charity THE local fashion scene is flourishing, and Zalora presents itself as a sartorial force to be reckoned with by partnering with the Red Charity Gala, an annual benefit charity fashion event that highlights the creativity of Filipino fashion designers and icons while raising funds for endeavors under the Philippine National Red Cross and Assumption High School batch 1981 Foundation.

This year, the online fashion retailer, in partnership with the Red Charity Gala, collaborated with designer Chito Vijandre for an exclusive bag design, produced by and sold exclusively on Zalora. Only 400 pieces of this limited edition bag are available for P995, with all proceeds di- rected to the Gala’s beneficiaries.

“We are Zalora pleased to and Chito partner with Vijandre Red Charexclusive bag ity Gala design t h r ou g h the limi t e d

edition bags sold onsite from featured designer Chito Vijandre and the eight bags from the country’s top designers to be auctioned off. Leveraging Zalora’s platform and our nationwide reach, we are the perfect partner to spread awareness about the Philippine Red Cross’ important initiatives. As one of the country’s leaders in the digital space, it is incumbent upon us to give back to the country’s overall economic development in whatever way we can,” says Paulo Campos III, CEO and co-founder of Zalora.

In the past, the shopping website has worked with the country’s top designers, like Rajo Laurel, Michael Cinco, Dennis Lustico, Furne One, Cary Santiago, Ezra Santos, and Joji Lloren, to embellish their own Zalora tote bags.

“We are very excited to be working with Zalora for the Red Charity Gala, it’s always been one of our goals to promote Philippine fashion, and partnering with Zalora introduces the work of our featured designer to a much bigger market through their site,” says Kaye Tinga, co-chairperson at Red Charity Gala.

This thrilling event only proves that Zalora goes beyond being a onestop destination for everyone’s style needs, as they aim to make fashion even more relevant, patronizing local art while helping those in need at the same time. Zalora is thrilled to be providing a platform where everyone can also take part in giving back, by simply purchasing one of the beautiful Chito Vijandre bags.

The limited edition Chito Vijandre bags are available on www.zalora.com. ph/red-charity-gala.

Proceeds of the limited edition bag will go to Philippine National Red Cross and Assumption High School batch 1981 Foundation

Life

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

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EENAGE girls try hard to maintain their skin and body. This does not mean they are vain or narcissistic. It only means they take good care of themselves.

For Francine Ripol, Yanyan Lovendino, Vie Flores and Chenny Cortez, undergoing beauty treatments and procedures is a must in their careers.

“Of course when you look good, you feel good. Being a newcomer in show business means proving yourself, and that requires self-confidence,” says 15-year-old Francine, who stars in Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo.

Yanyan, Vie and Chenny agree. The three friends make their visits to their trusted YSA Skin and Body Experts clinic not only a beauty appointment, but a time for bonding as well.

“We love going to YSA because we feel at home, and we get excellent service and products,” says Vie, 16 years old.

Francine, Yanyan, Vie, and Chenny enjoy YSA’s IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal treatments, which are customized according to the client’s skin type, hair color and treatment area.

Treatments are effective on all skin types and hair colors. Any body part including the underarms, legs, back, face, neck and bikini can be treated.

“We usually have teenage girls and older women avail of our IPL treatment, but anyone can be treated with IPL,” says Dr. Johanna Borra, resident dermatologist of YSA Skin and Body Experts in Robinsons Metro East.

Dr. Borra explains that hair grows in three cycles called Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. IPL and laser technology most effectively interact with hair in the Anagen or active growth phase when the hair is highest in pigment. Multiple

Teens enjoy IPL at YSA

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) hair removal treatment is significantly comfortable and results in 95 percent reduction after 4 to 6 sessions

treatments are required to accomplish permanent hair reduction.

“On average, approximately 20 percent reduction will be noticed in the initial treatment and as much as 95 percent reduction can be realized in four to six treatments. Remember after the treatments the reduction will be permanent!” assures Dr. Borra, who recommends doing IPL every two to three weeks.

Vie has tried waxing, electrolysis, and even shaving to remove unwanted hair. She says they all caused her discomfort and skin irritation. Electrolysis

and waxing were painful and so she did not try them again.

“IPL treatments are significantly more comfortable with no skin irritation. The IPL supports active cooling in the hand-pieces, which keeps the surface of the skin comfortable throughout the procedures.

“What I like about IPL is it’s permanent hair reduction,” says Chenny, 17.

IPL compromises the body’s ability to re-grow hair in the treated area, giving permanent and long-lasting results.

What’s more, YSA’s IPL is fast and convenient. The large surface area cov-

ered by the specialized IPL hand-pieces enables fast and effective treatments.

With no post-treatment discomfort, Yanyan, Francine, Vie and Chenny can receive treatments at lunch and then return to the set or runway rehearsals that afternoon. A full set of legs could be treated in less than one hour, and treatments are effective without the requirement to have hair grow out before the treatment, meaning you can shave right up until your IPL session.

Yanyan Lovendino

Get your YSA IPL treatment at YSA Skin and Body Experts clinics nationwide.

Urban Explorer for the holidays

Women's collection is all about leather

Standout items include leather joggers

Key wardrobe pieces take a stylish turn

Oversized shaped sweaters for women

DESIGNER Kenneth Cole looks to the streets of New York City for inspiration. The concrete jungle is always changing, moving and evolving. A new adventure lies ahead with every corner you turn. No one knows what lies ahead, but Kenneth Cole will have you ready to go, looking modern and cool, from head to toe.

The American clothing label is committed to building the urban uniform, a secret weapon to battle the elements all around. The Kenneth Cole urban uniform is fashionable yet wearable, never sacrificing style for functionality. It is the perfect balance between looking effortless and stylish.

Kenneth Cole is adding a contemporary edge to classic work wear for men. This season, there is a focus on tailored utility—a clean, structured look with touches of polished metal details. The suit is tailored to perfection, slim and easy to wear. For a sporty twist, the collection offers utility bombers, tailored cargo pants, and sharp shirts.

For men, key wardrobe pieces take a relaxed-yet-fashionable approach. Standout items include mountain blazers, slouchy leather jogger pants, and denim work wear.

Knits are key for fall and strike the perfect balance between polished sportswear and modern sport.

For women, it’s all about leather—everything from a tough-yet-feminine biker jacket and cropped culottes to a mini dress and a sleek pencil skirt. Sweater dressing is another strong look, with soft and slightly oversized shaped sweaters. Sweater-based silhouettes include pencil skirts paired with Kenneth Cole which has the coolest and most comfortable footwear. For men, shoes range from sporty to refined. For work, footwear is clean and tailored with functional tech elements. Polished and industrial hardware is

added to give classic shoes an innovative feel. Kenneth Cole’s modern take on the hiker boot offers a perfect balance of casual elegance. The line also includes lace-up boots from Italy with leather that is aged to perfection.

Sneakers are key in the Fall 2016 footwear assortment. Options include everything from three-strap velcro closures on a classic low top to a slip-on high-top with an exposed zipper. Soles are chunkier this season adding extra comfort, perfect for city living.

Women embrace the hiker boots as well, specifically a sneaker style with wide alpine lacing. The perfect office shoe this season is a sneaker as well— classic loafer silhouette with an unexpected twist and a chunky rubber sole in a contrasting color. Boots are clean and minimal with a functional square heel that is both comfortable and chic. Boots come in varying heights, from ankle boots to over-the-knee styles.

“It Bags” are a must-have and this season, Kenneth Cole is offering some perfect pieces.

The canteen-shaped bag is the latest addition for women and is offered in a playful shearling with a chain strap.

For work, there is an elevated version of the structured business bag, complete with a slim profile and functional pockets for men.

Everyone loves the backpack, so for Fall, there is a sleek leather backpack, for both men and women.

The Fall 2016 collection has quality and innovation as well as function and versatility. The looks strike the perfect balance of casual, sport, tailored and chic. Kenneth Cole genuinely believes that clothes should be easy to wear, empower you, and instill a sense of confidence.

The Fall 2016 collection does just that, it makes getting dressed easy.

Kenneth Cole New York is located at C1 Bonifacio High Street Central, Power Plant Mall, Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Women love knits

WHY do women love knits? Because knits are wonderfully warm, great to snuggle in and also big in style. They also pack in a lot of versatility with their modern design, athleisure edge and travelfriendly features.

SM Woman’s knit collection is the must-have wardrobe staple that will have you covered for the hectic holidays and beyond. With a minimalist, functional, structural silhouette, these are pieces you can wear as is, or layer and mix and match with other key pieces in your wardrobe.

Anything knit is perfect to wear to work on a manic Monday, for the most part of the work week, or for off-duty adventures.

Color-block shift dress can take you from office to party and more

Versatile turtleneck rib-knit dress

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

PEOPLE ...are talking about Daniel Padilla He’s proven so many times that his fans will buy anything he sells.

Whether it’s a concert ticket or a new CD, success in his musical endeavor is always guaranteed. We’ve seen him fill the Araneta Coliseum to the rafters twice and he’s on a mission to do it again in February. It really takes guts and charm to pull off a career as a bad singer, but the rewards can be great.

Former PBB Teen Clasher Yen Santos elated to work with Jericho Rosales in 'Magpahanggang Wakas'

Marian Rivera Despite the negative comments she received on breastfeeding in public, Kapuso network’s Primetime Queen is set on being an example for other young mothers. Named as Breastfeeding Influencer and Advocate awardee by Mother and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines, Inc., Marian showed that there’s nothing to be ashamed of when breastfeeding as long as it’s done properly. See how motherhood has changed Marian’s life?

The Unmarried Wife It turns out that this love triangle made complicated by infidelity is a big hit among Tagalog movie fans. The romantic drama with Dingdong Dantes, Angelica Panganiban, and Paolo Avelino officially crossed the P100-million mark on its first week and is expected to breach the P200-million mark before the first week of December ends. With the film’s box office performance people begin to wonder if the story was really the film’s big draw because obviously the stars aren’t big enough to influence moviegoers.

...are not talking about Marlo Mortel He is reunited with his first onscreen partner, Janella Salvador. The two are part of the MMFF reject Mano Po 7, which is set to premiere in two weeks’ time. During the film’s press launch, the young actor admitted that he felt bad when their love team was disbanded after Elmo Magalona came into picture. But he clarified though that he now supports the new onscreen pair. It’s a good gesture from the young actor but that doesn’t change the fact that his network immediately ignored him when they saw someone more marketable.

Vice Ganda He’s one of the more credible judges in the reality talent show he is currently part of. Vice is brutally honest when he gives his comment and observation. But is he receptive to feedback the same way he expects other people to be? Would he accept that what he said about his films being of good quality and that his film’s exclusion at the MMFF 2016 is the filmfests loss and not his was a joke to many people? Obviously, Vice can’t be objective. His objectivity and his supposedly discriminating taste are just illusion.

Tito Sotto The TV host-politician is not just a comedian, he’s also trying to be a fortune teller, too. In one of his interviews, Sotto categorically said “MMFF will not make a lot of money this year.” He foresees that the film event will be a disaster because it snubbed his brother’s film. Believe us, Mercedes Cabral wouldn’t be so happy with this statement. She might even call Sotto’s attention and ask him to focus on his job in the Senate, the only place where he’s supposed to be working.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Friday, December 2, 2016

ACROSS 1 Got a ticket 5 Tuned in 10 Kind of pilot 14 “It Walks by Night” author 15 Generous one 16 — vera 17 Hindu fire god 18 Weight unit 19 Thursday eponym 20 Favor 22 Cuba neighbor 23 Took to court 24 Sir’s companion 26 English racetrack 29 Most humble 33 Dark ale 34 Gauguin and Simon 35 Phone ABC 36 Like a bow string 37 Lightbulb units 38 Practice pull-ups 39 Turtle-to-be 40 Lord Vader 41 Jangle 42 Go over the lines 44 Frigid and temperate 45 Omigosh!

46 Hairy twin

48 Strongly advises 51 Confronting boldly 55 Hoodwink 56 Does perfectly 58 Goddess’s statue 59 All, in combos 60 Tells all 61 A Saarinen 62 Nut, actually 63 Groom a horse 64 Widen a hole DOWN 1 Trauma aftermath 2 Use a beeper 3 Kinds of eagles 4 Seasons firewood (2 wds.)

5 Hacienda brick 6 Is willing to 7 Ms. Hathaway 8 Big bird of myth 9 Sooner than 10 Japanese mat 11 Pre-college 12 Grime 13 Hatcher or Garr 21 Stray dog 22 Greer and Roach 24 Say silently 25 Leather punches 26 Late bloomer 27 Phase

28 Flu symptom 29 Espresso with milk 30 Hawke of “Alive” 31 Razorbacks 32 Ice grabbers 34 Do Latin homework 37 Bend out of shape 38 Not as blue 40 Podium 41 Movie mogul 43 Place for

shadow 46 Lamprey hunter 47 Brash 48 Alien spacecraft 49 Colosseum site 50 Missing 51 Ethiopian dollar 52 — fixe 53 Director — Ephron 54 Latch onto 56 “Friends” network 57 Amateur-sports org.

Next leading lady to watch out for YEN Santos is finally back on primetime with the sultry soap Magpahanggang Wakas with Jericho Rosales and Arci Muñoz.

Since joining the soap in the last week of October as the friendly damsel-in-distress Issa Ordoñez, Yen has been lauded by netizens for her exceptional acting and sharp comedic timing. Some raved about her improved acting and growing star factor since coming out of the famous yellow house in 2010.

The show has gained a solid following since its debut, as seen on it’s strong pilot episode rating of 25.1 percent and a peak rating of 26.8 on Sept. 20, according to Kantar Media.

“Hindi ko po in-expect na papasok ako sa show.

Biglaan lang po talaga. Nung sinabi sakin naexcite po ako sobra kasi gusto ko po talagang makatrabaho si Echo,” she said.

Being part of Magpahanggang Wakas is Yen’s first time to work with Jericho.

“Thankful po ako kasi ang bilis ko po naging komportable sa kanya kasi ang bait nya. Ang gaan nya po katrabaho,” Yen added The Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Clash 2010 housemate is no stranger though to being paired with bankable leading men on primetime.

Yen’s first brush as a headlining-leading lady happened in 2014 through the local adaptation of the Korean series of the same name Pure Love opposite Joseph Marco, Matt Evans, and Arjo Atayde, together with Alex Gonzaga.

Late last year, Yen once again proved her acting prowess through the primetime soap All of Me with JM de Guzman and Albert Martinez.

Meanwhile, apart from her soap Yen’s fans can watch out for on her first ever movie opposite Piolo Pascual titled Once In A Lifetime.

The new tandem left for New Zealand a couple of months ago to film several scenes of their movie. Yen happily shared that their film is already 60 percent completed.

“Sobrang memorable po ng experience kasi first movie ko po ito, sa New Zealand pa at si Papa P pa ang kasama ko,” she gushed.

The 23-year-old star unabashedly confessed that she initially had a hard time working on the film, but for good reasons.

“Hindi po naging madali sakin nung una kasi natutulala po ako palagi kay Papa P. Sobrang gwapo nya po,” said Yen. “Sobrang surreal lahat.”

Yen has yet to reveal a play date for their film, which she says is a beautiful love story.

In the meantime, catch more of Yen Santos in Magpahanggang Wakas, weekdays after FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

'Bubble Gang' senior cast member Antonio Aquitania

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

Andrea Torres and Mikael Daez

BUBBLE GANG PA MORE

Seasoned comedian and 'Bubble Gang' creative director Michael V.

F

OR them, the laughter never stops.

The longest-running and wellloved gag show in the country – GMA Network’s Bubble Gang – continues to offer non-stop entertainment to Filipino viewers as they celebrate their 21st anniversary.

The show remains as Filipinos’ favorite comedy program for their unique, amusing and extraordinary parodies, sketches and gags about television commercials, politicians and current events.

Bubble Gang’s Creative Director Michael V. shares that they are just giving back to their viewers, whom they consider as their motivation and inspiration, the feat they have achieved through the years that made the program 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.

In line with their anniversary celebration, Bubble Gang pays tribute to 21 comedic gems of Philippine cinema and television by performing some of their famous sketches and scenes dubbed as “21 GANG Salute’’ in a two-part special, the first part aired last week. Tonight, the show airs the concluding part with Michael V., together with Andrea Torres, Antonio Aquitania, Arra San Agustin, Arny Ross, Betong Sumaya, Boy 2 Quizon, Chariz Solomon, Denise Barbacena, Diego Llorico, Jackie Rice,

ISAH V. RED

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 in their one-of-a-kind and surprising performances. *** Kapuso viewers followed the heartwrenching drama about a teenager who took on the role of a mother to five street children while in search for her father’s love.

Inah de Belen who was given the lead role, Maricel or Mama Cel, for her first drama project in GMA Network, said that portraying her character made her realize that acting is what she really wants to do and pursue.

“Nung una, nakaka-overwhelm siya pero kapag sanay ka na, okay na. You think you have accomplished everything already but after doing the show, I felt like I’ve accomplished a lot and I am really proud of myself because I didn’t expect na ‘yun ‘yung magiging potential ko. Actually, because of this show, na-realize ko na ito talaga yung gusto kong gawin.”

Jake Vargas, on the other hand, said that he has a lot of unforgettable scenes while doing the soap and he definitely enjoyed playing the role of Julio.

“Pinaka-memorable sa akin talaga ay yung role ko as Julio kasi first time ko na magkaroon ng character na maangas at matapang. Gusto ko rin talaga ‘yung mga ganitong klaseng role at nag-enjoy talaga ako doing our fight scenes.”

21 gang salute to comedy icons continue

Gag show regulars Kim Domingo, Paolo Contis and Diego

Valeen Montenegro, Jak Roberto and Chariz Solomon

Rising TV star Inah de Belen with her 'Oh My Mama' leading men Jake Vargas (left) and Jeric Gonzales (right)

Meanwhile, Jeric Gonzales who plays Zach said he will miss working with his co-stars in the show. And even though they will not be seeing each other on a regular basis, the connection between them will always remain intact.

“Sobrang close namin on and off cam. Ang turing namin sa isa’t isa ay pamilya. Kaming tatlo nina Jake at Inah, very close kami. Palaging masaya sa set kaya mami-miss ko talaga sila.”

As the series comes to an end, who will Maricel choose between Julio and Zach? Will they find out who the “Big Boss” is? *** Miss World Philippines 2016 Catriona Gray left for the U.S on Nov. 24 on a Philippine Airlines’ flight to New York to catch up for the start of the Miss

World Pageant calendar.

There was a media meet and greet for her at the Philippine Center on Nov. 25 arranged by Consul General Tess dela Vega.

In a media send-off at the C3 Events Place in Greenhills, the statuesque and intelligent Gray whom everyone fondly calls ‘Cat’ shared her hopes and dreams for a strong and victorious showing in the pageant.

In keeping with the “Filipino First Policy” of Miss World Philippines, her competition gown was designed and made by Francis Libiran. It will be remembered that Miss World is dubbed as the “mother of all pageants” by virtue of being the very first beauty pageant ever established.

Created in 1951, it is now on its 66th year. The biggest pageant in the world finally arrives in the US with 120

candidates. It will be staged at the Gaylord Convention Center, 7 p.m. on Dec. 18.

Miss Gray proudly walks on stage to represent the Philippines says Cory Quirino, Miss World Philippines National Director, adding, “And with her, she brings all the prayers of the Filipino people.”

Support Catriona Gray’s official Miss World Facebook page. Calling on the Filipino Community in the US for a strong Philippine delegation during the Miss World Pageant.

In the last six years of Miss World Philippines’ existence, it has produced the very first Miss World winner, Megan Young in 2013, as well as one 1st runner-up (Gwendoline Ruais in 2011), top 8 (Queneerich Reman in 2012), Top 25 (Valerie Weighmann in 2014) and Top 10 (Hilarie Parungao in 2015) finishers.

WHEELS

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MOTORING QUARTERLY

This TRD built Land Cruiser is a sports car killer

Text and photos by Dino Directo

F

OR any gear head, every new car launch or a model upgrade is a much awaited event. It can be likened to a blind date: you will never know what to expect. You have so many expectations for the night prior to the rollout or romantic interlude.

The same basically holds true for every new car that comes around the block. In the next coming months, some of the concept cars may make it here or not depending on the automotive manufacturer, the supply and the market demand for these four-wheeled wonders.

Some gear heads with deep pockets will have one or all of of these in their garages. For us ordinary mortals enslaved to work from 9am to 5pm, these rolling artworks of carbon fiber and aluminum are just a pipe dream or a poster on the bedroom walls.

Toyota Land Cruiser After making waves at this year’s SEMA

show, Toyota diehards are knocking on the doors of TRD to ask if a limited production run of this beast is in the works.

What made this SUV just a little different was that it churned out over 2000 hp, with a top speed of 220 mph. Toyota claims it is the world’s fastest SUV. That prodigious amount of power comes from a 5.7 liter V8 with two massive Garrett turbochargers. That power is transmitted through an ATI transmission.The frame as well as all systems for cooling, braking, and just about everything else were modified to make best use of this additional power.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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&MORE MOTORING QUARTERLY

EXCITING...

From E1

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car With a redeveloped drive train, Porsche fans will see the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup compete on the world’s race tracks in 2017. The engine of the world’s most-produced GT racing car now houses a 4-liter, six-cylinder flat engine for even more drive. Thanks to thoroughbred motorsport technology, the compact engine with direct fuel injection delivers peak performance of 485 hp Porsche has created 3031 911 GT3 Cup cars since production began in 1998, a significant number for such a specialized piece of machinery. The GT3 Cup is in fact the most produced GT racing car in the world. Like the 911 itself, Porsche has been in the somewhat enviable position of constantly refining the same basic and very successful design concept, and making the seemingly impossible possible.

The 2017 GT3 Cup continues that process of evolution. In the engine, a new more rigid crankshaft is fitted. Also new are a valve drive with rigidly mounted rocker arms with a central oil feed, and an integrated oil centrifuge for improved oil defoaming. Body changes include a new front apron and rear end with increased downforce.

La Ferrari Hypercar As if the La Ferrari was not exciting enough, Maranello has announced the limited production run of a convertible version of the LaFerrari. This new limited edition special series aimed at clients and collectors that refuse to compromise on the joy of drop-top driving even when at the wheel of a supercar.

Porsche’s clean and green hybrid race car

Ferrari will offer a limited run of this open top La Ferrari

Volkswagen pays tribute to the past with this Dune edition

The new limited edition special series will be available with a carbonfibre hard top and a soft top. It has the same running gear and performance figures as the original LaFerrari, sporting a 800 cv V12 ICE (with a specific power output of 128 cv/l) coupled with a 120 kW electric motor (163 cv), unleashing 963 cv in total. Significant and extensive modifications have been made to the chassis with the aim of retaining the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness as the coupé version. The car’s aerodynamics have also been further honed to guarantee the same drag coefficient even without the roof.

Beetle Dune edition Loyalists of the iconic Beetle will be hard pressed to not have this remake in their collection.

Inspired by the Dune Buggies of the original Beetle back in the 1960s and 1970s, this Beetle Dune edition features increased ground clearance of 10 mm and a track that is wider by 7 mm in the front and 6 mm in the rear. It also features 18” alloy wheels, black wheel arch & sill extensions, an additional air intake beneath the hood, and new bumpers with front and rear diffusers. There is also a new rear spoiler to compliment the overall buggy look.

The Beetle Dune comes equipped with five Euro 6 engine options: three petrol engines (TSI) and two diesels (TDI), all turbocharged four-cylinder direct injection units.

All models feature a Stop/Start system and regenerative braking as well as a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The TSI engines produce 77 kW/105 PS, 110 kW/150 PS and 162 kW/220 PS, while the TDI engines produce 81 kW/110 PS and 110 kW/150 PS. With the exception of the 110 PS TDI engine, they can all be combined with an automatic six- or seven-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG).

Both the coupe and convertible are pictured in the new color Sandstorm Yellow Metallic, and the coupe can be ordered with a black painted roof or a dark tinted sliding glass sunroof.

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By Dino Directo

T

HIS is a question that flashes across the minds of most car enthusiasts and collectors. Will your car be worth a lot of money someday? After gaining fame in the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”, Toyota’s 2000 GT has become a legitimate collectible car in the global sports cars scene. With only 400 units made and only three in existence here in the Philippines (one is owned by emerging taipan and car collector Ramon Ang), this sexy Japanese classic sports car has spiked in value. One sold for $1.2 million at an auction in 2013, making it the most expensive Japanese car ever sold.

Since the Philippine market has been dominated by the Japanese since the seventies, MST has come up with its own list of Japanese cars which are already considered classics and appreciate in value someday.

Collectible Japanese cars When famed ‘Father of the Z car” Japanese Yutaka Katayama died in 2015, owners of the Datsun 240Z just hit the jackpot because their cars had just racked up some additional collectible points. Penned by the same person behind BMW’s stunning 507, the Datsun 240Z has maintained

With the Evolution series discontinued, expect this WRC machine to increase in value.

Is your car a future COLLECTIBLE?

its timeless good looks. However, a penchant for rusting has depressed their values, though now “many have been restored and they’re climbing up in value.

Before its appearance in the “Fast and the Furious” movie, motorheads were already enamored with the Toyota Supra.

It was easy to tune, quick on its feet and damn good looking.

Since production ended, the Supra’s value has skyrocketed in

value and Toyota seems to want to cash in on this phemenon.

At the Philippine International Motorshow (PIMS) this year, Toyota Philippines unveiled a car which is touted as having risen from the embers of Toyota Supra.

Others would argue that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is not old enough and is unlikely to make the classic car cut. Fast forward 20 to 30 years

from now and you’ll be hard pressed to not include Mitsubishi’s pocket rocket. Why? Because it racked up three World Rally Championships in a row, its ability to harass supercars, sheer engine brutality, rarity and drop dead good looks.

Need we say more?

Launched as a modern interpretation of a British classic roadster in 1990, the Mazda Miata has become one the most

The Miata is a pint-sized sport cars worth its weight in gold.

SELF-DRIVING CARS

Treasure trove of information JUST like credit cards, smartphones or search engines, autonomous cars will carry a trove of information about their owners as they make driving more comfortable, raising new concerns about privacy.

Automakers are engaged in a fierce race to develop the first driverless car, which experts say should hit the road by 2020.

Apart from legal obstacles facing the industry as the technology evolves -- such as who is responsible in the event of an accident -- a digital battle is being waged over the huge amount of technical data that will be stored in such vehicles.

“Data is the new oil,” Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich said this week during a speech at the Los Angeles auto show, AutoMobility LA. “If you have rich data, your car will be able to deal with complex route situations,” Krzanich said. “If not, the car will stop.”

Sensors, radars and cameras on autonomous vehicles will be able to exchange data with other cars but also, perhaps, with “intelligent” roadways that can help set speed limits depending on weather and

traffic conditions.

The passenger behind the wheel, meanwhile, can send emails and text messages, listen to music, stream movies, hold a conference call or make a restaurant reservation.

Even homes will be connected to vehicles.

South Korean automaker Hyundai revealed at the auto show a partnership with Amazon’s Alexa voice service to allow customers to start their car, charge their battery or turn on the air conditioner via a quick voice request.

Experts say the data stored in these vehicles represents a gold mine for companies.

“Where are you, where you stop, how often, what’s in there can be used to provide you a rich user experience,” Krzanich said. “What music you like, craft choices... that’s an opportunity as well.”

He said Intel was investing $250 million into self-driving technology over the next two years.

Karl Brauer, senior director of industry insights at Kelley Blue Book, said all the data collected will be used by car makers and other com-

panies to maximize profit.

“If they know you like to go to Starbucks (they will say) ‘Oh, he always stops at Starbucks,” Brauer said.

Krzanich acknowledged that the technology posed great challenges in terms of privacy protection and secure sharing.

CJ Frost, an Alexa executive, told a panel that consumers were heading into a world where applications will allow users, for example, to track down friends coming to dinner to ask them to stop on the way and buy a bottle of wine.

- Security concerns One question on many people’s mind is whether, in a world that could be edging closer to the Big Brother oversight of George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984,” it will be possible to disconnect at some point.

“Consumer privacy is an open question,” said Jeremy Carlston, a senior analyst with IHS Automotive.

“A smartphone holds a lot of info about the owner but when we provide that info to a service provider, we’re getting value in return,” he added. AFP

beloved cars ever to come from Japan. Mazda has sold more than 900,000 Miatas, and its reliability, affordability, and relative ubiquity makes it a great entrylevel sports car. After a quartercentury of the Miata, it’s hard to imagine the automotive landscape without the little roadsters, and first-generation Miata’s are already being snatched up as collectibles.

When Honda unleashed

the Civic SiR in 1998, racers lapped it up because it is tuner friendly and had a powerful B16A 1600cc DOHC engine pumping out 160bhp. The SiR’s buttoned down styling, sleeper looks and a sleek Passion Orange color, makes it a future classic. It still commands a hefty sum these days. If you have an unmolested SiR sitting in your garage, keep it. It could be a diamond in the rough.

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GIFT IDEAS for CAR LOVERS Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

I

T IS not easy to find the right gift for the discerning gentleman. This holds true especially for car guys, who spend every Sunday washing and waxing their four wheeled mistresses. Their taste vary too and some of their car related accessories can be a bit tacky at times, like dashboard bobble-head of playboy playmates, shirts that say “VTEC kicked in FKR!” and brake dish ash trays that do not blend with the family room. If you’re out to buy your special guy (even if that special guy is yourself), let me help you choose from an array of giveaways that might rev up his adrenaline this Christmas.

Ridaz automotive luggage Designed and engineered with kids and (kids at heart) in mind, Ridaz has just made travelling stylish and hip with these car-themed carry on cases. It has a retractable metal carrying handle allows it to be used as a suitcase or let your kid pull the luggage using the retractable elastic strap. Additional safety for personal belongings is provided by a hinged body with two safety latches, plus elastic tie down straps inside the

case to keep the clothes in place.

Ridaz Kids Luggage comes in a variety of colors and in different car makes such as the Lamborghini Huracan (yellow and orange), Ford Mustang GT (red and yellow), Toyota 86 (black and orange), Chevrolet Camaro (red, sky blue and yellow) and the Batmobile in Dawn of Justice. Ridaz Kids Luggage is available in Hobbes and Landes branches in BGC, Rockwell, Greenbelt, and Greenhills or visit their Facebook page/RidazLuggage.Ph or call 0917-5754812.

Protect your interiors from spillage and dirt with Maxliner

Maxliner Floor Mats It is quite a hassle when a liquid substance is spilled in your car’s carpet. Not only will it leave a stench inside your vehicle, worse, you will have to pay a hefty amount of money to have the interiors of your car cleaned and detailed.

Maxliner, a known OEM supplier of bedliners aims to address this spillage problem with its 3D digital mapped floormats. It is an inexpensive and basic universal floor mat designed to provide some protection for your car’s carpet or spruce up an older car on a tight budget. Check out a full range of luggage, bicycle racks, bedliners and floormats at the Outdoors Club in at the Ground Floor of the Banco de Oro Bldg. 2, Ortigas Avenue, West Greenhills, San Juan.

Concept One wheels Designed and engineered to be tough and visually appealing, Concept One is a brand which has become synonymous with quality, innovative design and technology. “Our wheels are influenced by the latest trends in both Europe and in Japan. Each wheel has been crafted to look and feel good for your car,” adds Justin Uy, manager of Concept One BGC. The latest designs can accommodate most Japanese and Korean sedans such as the allnew Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla Altis, Mazda 3 to 6, Hyundai Elantra and Accent and the Mitsubishi Lancer. It fits most compact and sub-compact cars also with different designs to suit your personality.

Those who want to improve their car’s look and feel, visit or call Wheel Gallery at the Karport in Bonifacio Global City or in 318 Santolan Road cor. M. Paterno, San Juan or call 724-2739 or 726-0965 and textline: 0917-880-1111or log on to www.conceptonewheels.com

Emergency buddy from OMP With numerous brands of small air compressors being sold in the market, finding the right one can be a bit tricky, but definitely worth your while when you find the prefect model for your requirements.

OMP, a global brand recognized for its rich heritage in automotive racing has engineered and designed a compact air compressor which has a smaller mo-

tor for less noise and vibration.

Aside from its affordability, the OMP Meccanica series air compressor provides a quick and effortless inflation of automotive, motorcycle, bicycles tires, sporting equipment and small inflatable. A long three meters cord comes with it for easy access to inflating car tires. During night emergency inflation, four LED lights provide illumination while you work on your tires.

OMP’s line of compact air compressors and battery jump starters are available to Blade lifestyle shops in SM and Robinson’s malls around the country.

Wheels by Volk Rays Engineering Rays has been involved in the world’s highest-level motor races, such as the F1 and GT1 World Championships, as well as in all categories of car racing that transcend the competitive level.

Rays has won championships in various categories of car racing, but victory is not the only reason why Volk Rays take part in car racing. The know-how required to make wheels lighter and stronger can also be leveraged in the manufacture of forged wheels and cast sport wheels, both of which are celebrated for their high performance, as well as the dress-up wheels that decorate sedan and minivan bodies. To that end, Rays has stuck resolutely to in-house development and production and, most importantly, production in Japan. All of this is exemplified by Rays’ slogan: “The concept is racing.”

For details on how to improve your car’s aesthetics, handling and performance, call Autoplus Sportzentrium at 726-0399.

Mini 4WD drive fun!

Enjoy life in the fast lane in scale with these Tamiya Mini 4WD! These miniature off-road machines are AA battery powered plastic model race cars without remote control. All four (4) wheels are direct-drive, thus “4WD” for 4-wheel drive, as opposed to “AWD” or All-wheel drive. Horizontal side rollers guide the vehicle against the vertical walls of the un-banked track for steering, providing very fast speeds up to 65 km/H[1] (40 mph) on the track. In Japan, Mini 4WD is also known asmini yonku in Japanese Tamiya Mini 4WD’s have a small electric motor equipped with four wheel drive drivetrain. Motor power is transmitted to the wheels via propeller shaft and worm gears just like the prototypes. Requires no cement for construction. These are action model kits that will provide hours of enjoyment in building and running.

Tamiya 4WD and model kits are available in Hobbes and Landes and in Blade Lifestyle stores in SM and Robinson’s Malls around the country.

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CURIOUSLY FAST Auto sales zooming but no signs of overheating

By Othel V. Campos

T

HERE’S no slowing down for the country’s automotive industry. In the last 3 to 4 years , auto sales have been hitting record highs, month-after-month, year-after year.

Based on the official figures released by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines. Inc. and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors , combined sales of these two groups have reached 330,116 units , 40,000 units shy of the industry target of 370,000 units for the nine-month period

of the year.

CAMPI and the truck makers group, the Truck Manufacturers Association, alone chalked up 261,370 units while AVID sales of imported vehicles reached 68,746 units.

Industry leaders Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation and Mitsubishi Mo-

tors Philippines Corporation say their 2016 target is achievable and may even surpass expectations as the holidays draw near.

“Third quarter sales remained strong.

We expect sustained growth as we enter the fourth quarter,” said CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez.

Turn to F2

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SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 2

016 HAS been as much about trying to solve consumers’ mobility issues as it has been about trying to sell people new cars. And as technological innovations continue to come thick and fast and urban areas become even more crowded, this could well prove to be the shape of automotive things to come with car companies reinventing themselves as transport service providers.

In September, when Ford set out its future business plan, President and CEO, Mark Fields said: “The world is moving from simply owning vehicles to owning and sharing them. That’s why we are expanding to sell more vehicles and provide transportation services at the same time.”

And the Blue Oval is by no means alone. From MercedesBenz and BMW to Audi and Toyota, 2016 signaled a concerted effort to move simply from building cars to solving consumers’ mobility issues.

In October international Daimler-owned car-sharing company

car2go celebrated attracting its 2 millionth member, eight years after its launch, and GM has spent most of the past 12 months investing in existing ride sharing services like Lyft or buying up the assets of failed ventures.

Yet as a percentage of the average person’s salary a new car has never been cheaper to own, so why are the world’s biggest carmakers looking to change their business model?

The simple answer, according to Bosch, is people living in urban environments are falling out of love with the idea of car-ownership. Of being stuck

Motorist puts Google’s driverless car to a test.

in traffic, of never being able to find a parking space plus the fact that public transport systems are increasingly efficient and connected -- planning a route is now no more difficult than launching a smartphone app.

And, as a result “The car as we know it will soon be history,” said Bosch CEO Dr. Volkmar Denner.

“Today you use the internet to book a hotel room; in the future you’ll arrange your mobility on-

CURIOUSLY FAST...

From F1 The vehicle importers group led by AVID reported sales in the first three quarters grew 77 percent while the third quarter alone is likewise strong, reporting a 27 percent jump in sales to 23,283 units.

“As the year 2016 nears its closing, outlook on AVID performance remains upbeat, expected to grow above market expectations due to strong demand and robust macroeconomic fundamentals. And as sales increase, AVID is all the more resolute to reimagine its products and services to provide the constantly-changing Filipino market an ultimate driving experience,” said AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

For the month of October, CAMPI sales hit 292,502 units, up 24.5 percent from 234,951 units sold in the same period in 2015.

With the recent sales record and the expected output of vehicle importers, the industry is optimistic sales may even go beyond expectations and may hit over 400,000 units in combined sales.

automotive industry is expected to hit sales of half a billion units by 2022, but recent estimates showed, that the rising demand for mobility, automotive sales may hit the target 500,000 units two years earlier or by 2020.

“More or less, next year we will be able assess if there is a need to change the 500,000 units (target sales). The demand is high because we now have improved purchasing power,” Gutierrez said.

He added that the industry may choose to import the anticipated volume but the need to build an Resurgence Based on the government-craft- independent automotive industry ed incentives scheme CARS, the and generate jobs are more para-

mount than the mere whim of deriving profits from selling.

At present, the ratio of imported cars against locally-manufactured cars is at 70:30, in favor of imported vehicles.

“The chance of reversing this trend is near impossible. But the local industry can always strive to achieve 50:50 ratio,” said Gutierrez.

The industry’s Vision 2020 projected the sale of 500,000 units in the next four years guided by the growing automotive demand that is fueled by steady growth in income.

The industry noted that the

line as well.”

And if carmakers don’t move quickly to address this change in behavior then any number of tech startups could instead. “Cities globally are dealing with increased congestion, a growing middle class and environmental issues -- all of which can be alleviated by developing mobility solutions fine-tuned to the unique challenges of each location,” said Jim Hackett, chair-

strong domestic market potential is evidenced by the fact that nearly half of the Filipino households or 47 percent are car-less.

Just recently, CAMPI revised industry sales forecast for the year to 370,000 units from 360,000 units, after first semester sales accounted for than half the target volume.

In 2015, actual sales went beyond the forecast of 272,000 units.

The automotive industry account for 12 percent of the industrial output and 4 percent of the total gross domestic product (GDP) during the previous administration, according to government statistics.

The industry intends to increase the share of the manufacturing sector to 30 percent of the country’ gross domestic product (GDP) from 23 percent and increase employment by 15 percent from 9 percent.

The automotive industry remains one of the major drivers of the country’s industrial sector with sales totaling about P250 billion in the last 3 years.

Tax Hurdle While the industry is bent on pushing sales to new heights and contributing more to the economy, the proposed tax reform may undo gains achieved in the recent

man, Ford Smart Mobility LLC.

Gateway to more services

Over the next five years, the global market for connected mobility is expected to grow by 25% annually. With every year that passes the technology underpinning it will get more powerful, more intuitive and more connected. This in turn will open the doors to even

years.

The pending proposal to increase excise tax, specifically ad valorem, based on graduated rates and on automotive models and categories, may earn additional taxes for the government but may slowdown the trajectory for growth of the industry.

Recent developments showed efforts of the local automotive industry in pushing for the exemption of vehicles registered under CARS from a proposal to expand tax revenues.

CAMPI vice president and MMPC corporate secretary and first vice president Dante Santos said the Trade Department is backing the industry position.

“We will be asking for lower rates for the entire automotive sector. We have to protect the local industry, the CARS program and the requirement of the industry, as well.

CARS is supposedly the vehicle for the masses, if that will be compromised, then all is gone,” he said.

Based on initial estimates, the increase in unit price may range from P100,000 to P200,000 per unit depending on the unit/model category.

The industry recently met with the Finance Department to apprise the government of the senti-

more potential services.

Take parcel deliveries for instance. Smart and Volvo are both already testing services where couriers can deliver a package to a person’s car, using their phone to unlock the vehicle and send a ‘package arrived’ message.

“Alongside the home and the office, the car will become the third living environment,” explains Denner.

The car is becoming a major hub within the internet of things: BMWs can now communicate with Amazon’s Echo home assistant and any Mercedes with the right options can remotely tell a Nest thermostat that its owner’s stuck in traffic so the heating doesn’t need to come on yet.

And as they connect to the IoT, they will also connect with the wider transport infrastructure, public and private. “In a few years, mobility will be seamlessly connected,” said Denner.

And at that point, the concept of a privately owned car could be usurped by the idea of a publicly shared vehicle that’s yours when you need it. AFP

ments of the industry. A position paper will be submitted soon to formalize the industry’s stand on the proposed tax increases.

CAMPI is currently finalizing a study that will support the industry’s initial claim of slower sales and the detrimental effects to government incentive programs like CARS and the Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP).

The study will also determine the value of increases per gradation or category and the volume of sales lost if the tax proposal is approved in its original text.

Apart from tax hurdles, the unstable foreign exchange is also impairing the viability of vehicle pricing.

The industry, Santos said, will be forced to impose upward price adjustment by December or January 2017.

“This is the forex level during the ASEAN financial crisis. The rates haven’t settled down yet and it keeps on increasing. Our (MMPC) current costing in based on $45 (to a peso). It has been awhile since we adjusted due to forex rates,” he explained.

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Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

Ramon L. Tomeldan Editor

Dino Ray Directo III Deputy Editor

Othel V. Campos July Rada Writers

Romel Mendez Art Director

Jove L. Atienza Layout Supervisor

Linda F. Apalisok Layout Artist

Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Baldwin Felipe OIC-Sales

Paula A. Reynoso Ad Solutions Manager

Sheila Marie Suarez Joan Velasco Coordinators

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By July Rada

P

ERHAPS the biggest problem that has been confronting the car insurance industry, like the other sectors in society, is fraud.

Data from the Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association showed that the estimated amount of fraud associated with vehicle insurance reaches as much as P1 billion every year. This, according to the association, has been committed by individuals and organized groups alike. The group said this type of fraud includes false car crashes, repairs and car thefts.

PIRA chairman on technical committee on motor car insurance Arturo Reyes said during the first car insurance summit in Pasay City in July that fraud involves deception, betrayal and lies. He said these kinds of activities are done in secret, either by individuals or organized groups.

Reyes, however, sad that PIRA has yet to conduct a study on the actual state of fraud in the Philippines.

Reyes said fraud accounted for more than 10 percent of the entire losses in motor car insurance. “ But this only accounts for those insurance companies paid for but did not know to be fraudulent. It still does not include those detected as fraudulent and were not paid. As you know, our laws do not recognize attempted fraud. Although we catch a lot, we could not do anything against these fraudsters,” Reyes said.

For her part, Insurance deputy commissioner Vida Chiong said insurance fraud was victimizing both

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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Fraud-proofing CAR INSURANCE claimants and insurance providers. She said the Insurance Commission was recognizing the growing problem of fraud and issued a circular ordering all companies to formulate anti-fraud plans.

The Highway Patrol Group of the Philippine National Police have covered 74 different instances of vehicle motor insurance fraud from 2014 and 2016.

Because of this alarming numbers, former chief of the Land Transportation Office Alberto Suansing earlier urged stakeholders of the insurance industry to police their own ranks. Suansing said the third-party liability insurance scheme for motor vehicles is a major source of corruption. He added that unscrupulous and dishonest insurance agents and companies as well have taken advantage of this scheme.

Like a two-way street, it takes at least two to commit fraud. Roger Opalla said that unscrupulous individuals from government agencies and even insurance companies and car buyers themselves could be “Conniving” to commit the crime.

Alliedbankers has been very careful when it comes to doing transactions with walk-in clients Opalla said. The company always sees to it that the needed documents are complete before dealing with potential clients.

The ascension into power by President Rodrigo Duterte middle of this year and his intense campaign against all forms of criminality also resulted in a decline of carnapping cases in the country. The Highway Patrol Group earlier reported a sharp decline in the number of cases of carnapping in the metropolis.

Opalla said car jackers are never choosy. They pick any model-- be it Land Cruiser or Fortuner down to the locally-manufactured Toyota Vios. “ Probably, some taxi operators are involved here because Vios models are usually not expensive and could be chop-chopped and its parts could be fitted to other cars,” he said.

On the other hand, he said the carnapping of Land Cruisers and Fortuners is historically high during election campaign period.

He said more car insurance claims deplete the profitability of an insurance company. “Fortunately, Alliedbankers usually records a net income of around 20 to 30 percent growth annually,” he said.

Car insurance 101 In the Philippines, the law requires a vehicle owner to purchase a compulsory third-party liability insurance policy.

PIRA said that this policy ensures that compensation is provided to the third

vehicles will continue to increase. As a financial provider, we will see to it that those demands are From F4 met. We are committed to support the dream of the Filipino of owning their dream car through afford“Inherent in the lending business is the credit able financing means,” she said. risk or the risk of client defaulting on the loan.

Auto sales up What is important is to balance the risk against the The auto industry is indeed continuously growrewards. In EastWest Bank, our processes and policies are such that we are able to discern the right ing as the latest joint data from the Chamber of credit risk and are able to balance our portfolio Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association showed that quite well,” she said.

Fernandez sees car financing to grow parallel sales in the first nine months of 2016 hit a record 261,370 units, 26.7 percent higher than the 206,284 with the growth of the car industry.

“We see a tremendous growth in the auto indus- sold a year ago.

A Consumer Expectations Survey conducted try as a whole. With more new model introductions and improved purchasing power, the demand for by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in July showed

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party in the event of an accident.

The comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, is not required by law but advised by experts to be availed of by car buyers to cover all the damage to the car in different situations. For example, if somebody throws a stone to your car and it breaks your windshield, you need not worry if you have a comprehensive coverage. This also covers some other call “ acts of Nature” or “ acts of God,” or damages caused by calamities such as typhoons, floods, volcano eruption etc.

Collision coverage covers the damage that is most obviously expected of an auto insurance policy. The insurance company will pay for repair of a car if it is involved in an accident.

The Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association advises car owners to observe the proper procedure in case they figure in an accident and want to file claims with insurance companies.

First is to notify the loss or damage to company immediately by telephone, fax, e-mail or letter with full particular details such as nature of loss, date of loss, estimated loss, contact person and telephone number for ocular inspection.

Also, every demand letter, claim, writ, summons and process shall be forwarded to company immediately on receipt.

Second, in case of theft or other crim-

that the purchase of motor vehicles is one of the priorities of households receiving remittances from a relative working abroad.

Majority of OFW households allocated part of their remittances received for education (67.6 percent), medical expenses (55.2 percent), purchase of house (10.2 percent), purchase of motor vehicles (6.4 percent) and investment (3.8 percent).

Money sent home by overseas Filipinos in September rose to a nine-month high of $2.383 billion, 6.7 percent higher than the $2.234 billion a year ago. The September data was the highest since the $2.47 billion in December 2015. This brought cash remittances in the first nine months to $20 billion, up 4.8 percent from

inal act which may give rise to the loss or damage, the insured shall give immediate notice to the police or any authorities and cooperate with company in securing the conviction of the offender.

Third, car owners must cooperate with company appointed adjusters or surveyors to conduct an investigations; and fourth, car owners must submit the duly accomplished claim form together with requested documents.

The documents needed to file a claim are: completed claim form; police report; affidavit; photographs of the damaged portion and full view of vehicle showing plate number; estimate of repair; photocopy of driver’s license identity card with O.R.; and photocopy of car registration.

In case of carnapped vehicles or total loss, car owners must also submit an original copy of complaint sheet from TMG (theft loss); original copy of alarm sheet from TMG (theft loss); original copy of Certificate of Non-Recovery from TMG (theft loss); full set of keys to vehicle; original copy of Insurance Policy; letter of release from financial institution (if applicable); original copy of cancellation of chattel mortgage (if applicable); and secretary certificate authorizing the person who will sign in Deed of Absolute Sale and Release of Claim (for corporation only).

$19 billion a year ago.

Analysts believe that the strong domestic economy and sustained remittances from overseas working Filipinos are just two of the factors that could fuel consumption in the months ahead, purchasing a car included.

The economy grew 7.1 percent in the third quarter, higher than the 7 percent a quarter ago, bringing the first three quarters’ average to 7 percent, which is already the upper bound of the Duterte administration’s target range of 6 to 7 percent this year.

But of course, everything comes with a price.

With all these projections for better sales and sustained growth of car loans of domestic lenders, this could mean traffic congestions especially in Metro Manila.

MADE IN GERMANY Since 1950

Passion for cars and a Top-Performance Get to know the SONAX car care products.

facebook.com/Sonax.Ph Contact no. 0917-5754812

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By July Rada

W

ITH car sales surging, several downstream industries have grown optimistic about the uptrend. Banks in particular are raking it in with the steady growth in auto loans this year, buoyed by sustained expansion in remittances sent

by Filipinos overseas.

Auto loans comprise a significant portion of banks’ total loan portfolio every year. For this reason, banks try to outdo each other by putting in place marketing strategies that will attract more clients to avail of car financing.

BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s biggest lender in terms of assets and controlled by retail magnate Henry Sy, probably has been actively pursuing a share of the market in its bid to be a major player in the Asean region.

Antonio Pena, BDO senior vice president and auto loan business head of the Consumer Lending Group, said the bank offers year-round promotions for prospective car buyers.

Two of its major and recurring campaigns are the BDO Deals on Wheels and Free Gas Promo.

“BDO Deals on Wheels is a pioneering one-stop shop car showcase held at least twice a year in different malls nationwide. The last BDO Deals on Wheels was held l Oct. 6-23, 2016. In the Free Gas Promo, on the other hand, successful BDO Auto Loan applicants get

Zooming sales, FINANCING BOOM network of branches.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands’ Auto Loan boasts faster process turnaround time, with low interest rates, low mortgage fees and a more personalized service. The clients get the best deal in terms of price and discounts.

Application for car financing in BPI Auto Loan also comes easy. Applicants can apply via the internet; at more than 800 BPI/BPI Family Savings Bank branches nationwide; or at more than 300 partner auto dealerships nationwide.

free gas up to P10,000 with their new car when they apply online.

The promo duration was held Aug. 1-31, 2016,” Pena said.

“Apart from these two tentpole programs, BDO Auto Loan likewise participates in various car showcases nationwide throughout the year,” he said.

He said BDO’s success in luring potential car buyers lies on its competitive rates and fast loan processing. He said loan processing can be finished as fast as 24 hours for loan applicants with

complete requirements.

“Applicants can also apply online or through SMS,” he said.

Bank’s data showed that of the total consumer loans, auto loans accounted for around 22 percent as of the first nine months of 2016.

Consumer loans comprise 20 percent of BDO’s total loan portfolio during the period.

With the robust domestic economy and improving purchasing power of Filipinos, Pena is confident of auto loans’ growth prospects.

“The outlook for BDO Auto Loan remains optimistic, and this is vis-a-vis to the growing auto industry. With the growth in the auto industry, requirement for financing usually follows,” he said.

He said other factors that contribute to the growth of auto loans will be the availability of new car models, affordability of car ownership, and ease and convenience of securing auto loan financing packages. He said transactions done online are very good alternative channels apart from banks’

Tie-ups matter For its part, EastWest Bank, the financial services subsidiary of the Filinvest Group, not only rolls out year-round events but also partners with leading car distributors and known personalities in the showbiz industry to bring its message clear to potential car buyers.

“We have an ongoing promo of low rate and free one year car insurance for our store clients. We have also rolled out year-round events, partnering with some of the top auto brand dealers to display some of their newest vehicles, each carrying attractive exclusive financing packages. We recently held one in Trinoma, some malls in Visayas and one dealership,” EastWest executive vice president and consumer lending head Jackie Fernandez told Manila Standard.

She said to promote these

promos, EastWest have recently launched its new Auto and Personal Loans ambassador, actor/ singer/triathlete Matteo Guidicelli. She said Guidicelli represents the hard-working and driven individuals who EastWest Bank supports.

Fernandez said EastWest is currently one of the top preferred financing providers in the auto industry. She said processing and approval of complete applications for car loans also take less than one day. She said this immediate response to the growing demand in the auto industry has enabled EastWest to have a fair market share.

“As the auto sales have grown by 26 percent from same period last year, EastWest was able to outpace the industry growth by registering a 69-percent growth from same period last year. In fact for the last five years, EastWest Bank has grown 45 percent year-on-year as we continue to leverage on the growth of our stores and the solid partnership we have developed with auto car dealers nationwide,” she said.

Fernandez said the auto loans business is now the biggest consumer loan in the bank and accounts for 30 percent of the bank’s total loan portfolio.

Despite the positive outlook for auto loans, Fernandez admits there are indeed risks associated with this business, first and foremost is the possibility of their clients defaulting on the loans.

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