Manila Standard - 2016 December 08 - Thursday

VOL. XXX • NO. 299 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CHANGE OF COMMAND. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the commander-in-chief of the military, hands over the saber to newly appointed AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año during the Change of Command Ceremony Wednesday at the AFP General Headquarters Grandstand in Camp Aguinaldo. With them is outgoing AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, Año’s classmate at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City.

Du30 defends ‘Espinosa cops’ Appointments panel clears four nominees

By Macon R. Araneta and Sandy Araneta NO MEMBER of the powerful Commission on Appointments opposed the separate motions for the confirmation of four members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet―including Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon TulfoTeo who was reminded about on “junket trips” abroad.

But Teo on Wednesday denied she allegedly asked for free designer shoes and theater tickets from mall executives.

“It’s not me. I’m conducting an investigation on who is using my name,” Teo told the commission during her interview.

Teo aside, the CA also confirmed the appointments of

National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima and Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña.

The confirmation of Teo and Pernia was endorsed by the CA’s committee on tourism and economic development.

Salalima and De la Peña’s confirmation was recommended by the CA’s committees on transportation and communications, and science and technology, respectively.

During the hearing, Teo was cautioned Rep. Julieta Cortuna against inviting public officials,

By John Paolo Bencito and F. Pearl A. Gajunera

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday vowed to protect the police who killed Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa in his jail cell even though the National Bureau of Investigation recommended the filing of murder and perjury charges against them for what it described as a rubout.

“I will not allow these guys to go to prison, even if the NBI says it was murder. After all, the NBI is under me, the Department of Justice,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he was more inclined to believe the police than the testimony of criminals, recalling his days as a mayor.

“I believe the police because we mayors, if there’s a problem who would you believe in, the police or a criminal?” the President said.

“For me, the last thing the police said

to me, that is the truth... The NBI said it is murder, but the police said that he [Espinosa] fought back. In all these versions, I believe that of the police. Why would I sacrifice the police?” he said.

On Tuesday, the NBI said it recommended filing murder and perjury charges against members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Region 8, who were behind the death of Mayor Espinosa and inmate Next page

SENATOR Richard Gordon on Wednesday questioned the acquisition by the Aquino administration of P3.5 billion worth of dengue vaccines, saying the speed with which the deal was approved suggested the money was used for the elections instead.

While no appropriation was made for the purchase, funds were immediately made available toward the end of year, said Gordon, who began a Senate investigation into the acquisition Tuesday.

“We’re talking here about a huge amount—a whopping P3.5 billion,” said Gordon, chairman of fhe Senate Blue Ribbon

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THE Justice Department has approved the prosecution of the officials of a consortium that cornered the P3.8-billion contract from the Land Transportation Office in the previous administration to produce new license plates.

The department’s prosecutors

NEWLY installed Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año on Thursday promised President Rodrigo Duterte his loyalty and vowed to steer the military to new heights.

Año, the 48th AFP chief, said he was humbled to be chosen.

“I thank President Rodrigo Duterte, sir, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for the trust and confidence.

I accept the challenge,” Año said in a speech.

Año replaced his classmate Gen. Ricardo Visaya, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on December 8. Both are members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Matikas” Class 1983.

Año is the third member of his class to be appointed to the top military post. The first was former general Hernando Irriberi. Añother was Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, also briefly designated acting military chief several weeks before the May 2016 polls.

“To President Duterte, you can count on my loyal service,” Año said in Filipino.

He vowed to establish a “credible defense posture” in the context of territorial defense.

Año assured the government that the AFP under his leadership would uphold the primacy of peace in connection with efforts to end the fighting with communist and Next page Moro rebels.

committee.

Gordon would not say outright that the transaction was irregular but said: “Just look at the start—it started November 24 [2014], by June, the papers started moving.”

“This began in China, with President Aquino when he was approached by a senior vice president, and after that, everything went fast. And then in France, when President Aquino went there for climate change [summit], he had a meeting again with Sanofi,” Gordon added.

“We ought to know no untoward incident occurred when they were wooing the former President. I’ll give you the timeline, Next page

found probable cause to hold the officials of the domestic firm Power Plates Development Concepts Inc. (PPDCI) and Dutch company J. Knieriem B.V. Goes (JKG) liable for estafa through falsification of commercial documents, false testimony and perjury and violation of the Government Procurement Act. twitter.com/ MlaStandard

Gordon’s EJK report triggers uproar

By Macon R. Araneta

LTO suppliers rapped for false claim

By Rey E. Requejo

By Florante S. Solmerin

PEREMPTORY REQUEST. A group of Lakbayan-Visayas from Negros and members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas gather Wednesday at the People’s Power Monument along Edsa in Quezon City, demanding from the government justice for calamity victims, land for the farmers, and end to contractualization. Manny Palmero

Senator finds P3.5-b dengue vaccine messy

By Macon R. Araneta

Año, military chief, spells out new thrusts

The department found merit in the complaint filed by the Anti-Trapo Movement in August 2013 which alleged that the officials of PPDCI-JKG consortium ‘‘have consciously, intentionally and purposely submitted to an official government exercise what they know is an insufficient

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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Child-warriors growing in number; bishop wary

By Vito Barcelo A CATHOLIC leader on Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing number of minors joining rebel groups to fight the government and urged the Duterte administration to stop it.

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Ozamiz Archbishop Martin Jumoad, a member of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the government must double its efforts to win the sympathy of young people.

Poverty and the lack of parental Next page

SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday branded Senator Richard Gordon a lackey of President Rodrigo Duterte, and said his committee report was a cover-up of the surge in extrajudicial killings under the current administration.

The draft report of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, Trillanes said, only showed that Gordon was really a “Duterte collaborator and enabler of what’s happening.”

Trillanes tore into Gordon for shutting down the hearings after Senator Leila de Lima presented Edgardo Matobato, a self-confessed assassin who said the President led the Davao death squad when he was still mayor of the city.

In a media briefing Tuesday, Gordon said his committee found no basis for the claim that the extrajudicial killings of drug suspects was state-sponsored.

Gordon also questioned the existence of the Davao death squad, calling it a media creation that was not proven during the hearings.

Trillanes, however, insisted that the drug killing were sanctioned Next page by the President.

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News

Fil-Am rants at Rody’s raps F Duterte had identified NicolasLewis as one of the moving forces behind a plan to launch protest rallies against his administration.

Following Robredo’s decision to quit her job as housing czar after Duterte ordered her to stop attending Cabinet meetings, Nicolas-Lewis, a top campaign finan-

cier of former Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II, urged Filipinos to reject Duterte following his alleged ouster plots against Robredo and after favoring the former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “President Duterte wants Bongbong Marcos to be your president. Be afraid, be afraid.

After they looted the country the Marcoses will be the ruling body again,” Nicolas-Lewis, who was in New York, told ANC. “The 16 million who voted for Duterte did not vote for Bongbong Marcos, so be careful. We should ask for the resignation of President Duterte now and not wait until Bongbong Marcos succeeds in his nefarious plan to unseat VP Leni Rodredo.”

Nicolas-Lewis even cited a a recent trip of Duterte to China when he even “joked” that if Marcos won his electoral protest, the Philippines would have a new vice president.

Nicolas-Lewis said that while she was impressed with Duterte for his “sincerity” in solving the drug menace, he still failed in his

Du30...

Raul Yap. Both were in their jail cells when the police raiding team arrived at the Baybay City provincial jail to execute a search warrant at 4 a.m.

The NBI recommendation was transmitted to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on December 2, but made public only on Tuesday.

Aguirre was unavailable for comment on Duterte’s statement exonerating the CIDG raiding team or the NBI’s recommenda-

tion to file charges.

Among those identified for the filing of murder charges was Supt. Marvin Marcos, the head of the Region 8 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group who led the November 5 raid, and whom Duterte had ordered reinstated on the same day he was relieved over allegations that he accepted drug payoffs.

Duterte had earlier admitted that he was the one who ordered PNP Chief Roland dela Rosa not to remove the embattled Marcos for him to pursue further verification on his links to the illegal

drug trade.

In a speech last Monday, Duterte said he does not need to explain his actions to have Marcos reinstated, saying that as chief executive, he could modify, amend or revoke any order.

NBI spokesman Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin told reporters that the CIDG operatives’ use of a search warrant at such an unholy hour was just a “cover of legitimacy” while they executed their plan.

Duterte, nonetheless, said he won’t interfere in whatever the NBI will do next after it releases

its report.

“I don’t interfere. They have findings, good. File the case but I won’t leave the policemen implicated in the killing,” he said.

In Davao City, the President’s son, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte defended his father after Commission on Human Rights Chairman Jose Luis Martin Gascon said more drug suspects were killed under the Duterte administration than those killed under Martial Law. The vice mayor said the statement was an “insult to those who died because of their political ideology.”

“The comparison made by CHR chairman Chito Gascon between the numbers of victims of Martial Law and drug personalities killed during police operations under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte was outrageous,” Paolo said.

He said that those killed during Martial Law and the Duterte administration’s war against drugs were not comparable.

“Being compared to the people whose lives were wasted on the evils of illegal drugs was an insult to those who died because of their political ideology,” he said.

Gordon’s...

Año,...

“We have shown evidences and presented witnesses. There was also one video in Dasmariñas.

The policemen got an overseas Filipino worker who was found dead the following morning. He was wrapped in masking tape. He has a carton [sign that said] he’s a drug addict. So that evidence was nothing to him?” Trillanes said of Gordon.

“Senator Gordon is just covering up for President Duterte,” Trillanes said, dismissing his committee report as “a piece of garbage.”

He also said the committee’s recommendation to file murder charges against Matobato was an example of selective justice and twisted logic.

While they wanted Matobato to face charges based on his own testimony, they didn’t believe his testimony linking the President to the death of more than 1,000 people, Trillanes said.

He was even accused of lying and threatened with perjury, he added.

Earlier, Gordon slammed Trillanes and Senator Leila de Lima for walking out of the hearings.

“They behaved very badly by walking out,” Gordon said in his report. “A senator doesn’t do that.”

De Lima said she has not yet been given a copy of the report, even though she is a member of the committee.

While the report was distributed to members during a caucus Tuesday afternoon, De Lima said she was not informed about it.

“I’m waiting for it, because I definitely would be filing a separate report, either purely dissenting or both concurring and dissenting. Concurring in certain parts, and dissenting in certain parts. How can I do that when I haven’t seen the report? They don’t want to show me. Is that deliberate? That’s why I want to ask them, am I still being treated a member of the committee?

That’s basic courtesy,” she said.

Gordon declined to comment on Trillanes attack.

“I don’t want to make a side show out of the Senate. I cannot have everybody agree on what I do but I can tell I did it the hard way and I did it in accordance with my conscience. If you read it, you will see how frank I am even with the President.

Of course to somebody who believes his own press release, I can’t do anything about it.”

He bristled when told that Trillanes called his report a piece of garbage.

“I’m sorry that he said that about his fellow senators. I don’t know where he comes from and he calls hard work garbage,” said Gordon.

He also vowed to focus law enforcement operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other terrorist groups such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Maute group.

Año also promised to continue programs to modernize the Armed Forces.

Visaya also thanked Duterte for making him his first military chief.

In his speech, Visaya has expressed confidence that his successor would continue all the programs aimed to enhance the capability of the Armed Forces and the morale and welfare of the soldiers.

Miranda, who was named as acting military chief, will succeed Año as Army chief.

Año, a previous assistant chief of staff for intelligence of the entire Armed Forces was instrumental for the capture of top communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, Andrea Rosal and Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, who was accused of abducting student activists Karen Empe Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

Año was also implicated in the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos in 2007, when he was chief of the Army’s intelligence service group.

The Palace said Año’s appointmnt came at an opportune time.

“The Philippines is now on the cusp of winning the peace as the

Duterte administration is determined to pursue political negotiations with various rebel groups.

As we secure lasting peace, we remain on guard to keep terrorism at bay,” said Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

Before Visaya stepped down, he approved the designation of Col. Ma. Victoria Girao as the chief of the Army Judge Advocate Generals Office.

Her designation to her new position is effective November 28.

She is the second female officer to be designated Army Jago.

The first was retired Brig. Gen. Marianne Aleido.

Girao replaces Col. Ukol Paglala who was earlier designated AFPThe Judge Advocate General.

Paglala is the first Muslim

officer to be designated AFPTJAG, a one-star or brigadier general position. He was also the first Muslin officer to lead the Army Jago.

The military chief also approved the termination of designation of Col. Santiago Enginco as Chief of Staff of the AFP Medical Center, a prime military hospital located at V. Luna in Quezon City, amid reports of silent protests by AFPMC personnel over allegations of corruption.

The hospital is currently led in an acting capacity by Brig. Gen. Mariano Mejia, who is also concurrent AFP Chief Surgeon.

Mejia replaced Brig. Gen. Joseph Acosta who was relieved last year by Visaya over allegations of irregularities.

reason for the travel in case she invites a member of the House.

On the confirmafion of Pernia, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said Pernia was the most qualified person to draft the one road map that no government could do without, and that was the national economic development plan.

“We need that plan so we will know the important numbers to be tallied, not the rising body count that victimizes the descamisados

of our society but the numbers that truly matter: jobs generated, the poor liberated, the wealth created and the opportunities distributed,” Recto said.

He said Pernia was in the midst of crafting the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan.

“It should be a must-read from the President down to town mayors so that we will all be on the same page. Reading it may perhaps cure us of acute planning myopia, which is characterized

by the failure to see or imagine the future beyond five years,” Recto said.

He said Pernia had logged almost half a century of public service in various capacities, the longest of which was being an economics teacher in Diliman.

“The pay is small, but the satisfaction great, that he spends his psychic income with gusto, which is not, by the way, a tall order for a Bol-anon, the proud race known for their parsimony,” Recto said.

spent on the dengue vaccine was the same as the amount spent on the expanded immunization program that covered seven ailments, including pneumonia and cervical cancer.

Although he was not assigning any malice, Gordon said the circumstances surrounding the procurement were suspicious “from top to bottom.”

Anthony Leachon, an independent health advocate and member of the Dengue Expert Panel convened by the DoH, also questioned how a P3.5billion fund was allocated for a single vaccine when the DoH’s entire vaccination program costs P3 billion.

He also underscored procedural lapses in the dengue vaccination program, the evident conflict of interest in the members of the formulary executive community, and the supposed overpricing of the particular drug.

Antonio Miguel Dans, another health advocate who represented the Philippine College of Physicians and National Academy of Science and Technology, supported the move to suspend

the dengue program pending further investigation and until the safety, cost-effectiveness and preparedness of the recipient students are assured.

Health Undersecretary Ted Herbosa also questioned the use of P3.5 billion for a vaccine “with questionable efficacy and safety.”

He said the dengue vaccine was never part of the DoH expanded immunization program and stressed that it was still experimental at Phase IV and should have been launched physician- supervised not schoolbased.

“It was never budgetted by DoH in 2014, 2015, 2016 and also in 2017. They only requested for it in November of 2015. DBM [The Budget Department] gave them ‘savings’ from personnel salaries. The DoH official added that when the program was launched last April, there was very poor preparation in the communities.

He also cited two recorded deaths of children after they were injected with the vaccine.

viding families particularly in the Mindanao with livelihood assistance and education.

He said recruiting child warriors was not new in Mindanao as was being done by the Maute group, one of several Islamist groups in the country’s troubled south.

He said young people were sometimes enticed to join rebel groups because of poverty and lack of guidance from their parents.

He also called on local catechists and Islamic leaders to be more concerned about the issue and help prevent the re-

By John Paolo Bencito

ILIPINO-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to resign following his decision to ease out Vice President Leni Robredo and his failure to keep his promise to rid the country of drugs and criminality “in three to six months.”

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especially congressmen, to travels abroad as they may be accused of spending government funds.

“We’d like to advise you as much as possible, those travels have to be reduced,” said Cortuna, adding that this might create the impression of a junket. She was also advised to present to Speaker Pantaleon Alvaeez the

Senator...

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which was fast—December 2, there was a meeting in Paris;

by December 22, there was the approval by our FDA (Food and Drug Administration). By December 29, we already had a Saro [Special Allotment Release Order] for P3.5 billion,” he said.

“That was a huge amount of money, which was taken from the savings, no appropriation from Congress.... It’s just like DAP [Disbursement Acceleration Program]... We really need to investigate this,” Gordon said.

Gordon said he was also baffled why the dengue vaccine was given priority when only 250 people died from the disease in a year and over 200,000 people afflicted.

“Should it come first?” Gordon asked.

“There’s a much bigger budget for the dengue vaccine, but we still fail in the Millennium Development Goals,” he added.

He also said the P3.5 billion

Child-warriors...

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guidance were the main reasons why the young were joining armed groups, but Jumoad said the government must counter this problem by pro-

most famous campaign promise to rid the country of illegal drugs.

“I was impressed at his sincerity. Then I thought he was sincere, that, what keeps people poor in the Philippines is drugs, corruption and injustice. But now what do I see? He’s killing and killing and killing. I would say he is a murderer in that sense,” she said.

“So his promise I will resign in six months if the drug epidemic is not solved, he should be true to that promise at least, no extension, resign now, President Duterte.”

Duterte had earlier identified Nicolas-Lewis, the widow of Richard Lewis, the richest African-American businessman in the 1980s, as behind the moving forces behind a plan to launch protest rallies against his admin-

istration but is not worried about plans to topple him from power.

“Next year, there will be mass demonstration, for all I care. Do not give me a reason to go out because you might have…you might get your wish,” Duterte said in a speech at Manila Hotel last November.

He also mockingly told Nicolas-Lewis he’d follow her advice and give her own advisory staff.

Duterte had warned his critics that he would deal with them as soon as he finished addressing the country’s pressing problems.

“We are nearing 2017. To the opposition, just wait for your time. Anyway… you’ve had your days,” the President said.

“I’ll be straightforward and continue until no Filipino is silly enough to shame us all.”

Economic sabotage case eyed vs Tugade JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has been petitioned to include Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade in the economic sabotage case against Jack Lam, one of the biggest gambling moguls in Asia, over illegal online gambling operations at Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

The petition came from the Road Users Protection Advocates, chaired by Ray Junia who said Lam could not have prospered in his illegal operations inside the Fontana Leisure and Casino Hotel if not for Tugade, who previously headed the Clark Development Corp.

“We urge the DoJ to include Tugade and other CDC officials as co-respondents in the case. Tugade is a lot guiltier than Lam,” Junia said during the launching of the “Oust Tugade Movement” on Tuesday.

“As a businessman, Lam will really try to maneuver against the government to protect his illegal interests. But Tugade was entrusted with the job of making sure these maneuvers are stopped. Tugade committed the bigger crime, which is betrayal of public trust,” Junia added.

RUPA has been calling for the ouster of Tugade for alleged conflict of interest, incompetence and failing to alleviate the plight of commuters for the past five months.

The Transportation chief cannot claim that he is innocent or unaware of the illegal activities that happened while he was still head of the CDC, according to the movement.

“If he insists that he doesn’t know of Lam’s operations, then he is the most incompetent official at CDC. But if he knew and allowed these illegal activities to continue, then Tugade is equally liable for economic sabotage,” Junia said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already ordered Lam’s arrest after his alleged attempt to bribe Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairperson Andrea Domingo.

If Lam was brazen enough to try to bribe Aguirre for the release of 1,316 Chinese nationals working at the online gaming facility in Fontana, money may have also changed hands between the gambling operator and Tugade for CDC to turn a blind eye on the illegal activity, Junia said.

The Hong Kong-based Lam is the chairman of the Jimei Group, which is one of the biggest gambling junket operators in Asia.

Rey Requejo

document and passing the same as authentic and accurate.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the respondents, led by the consortium’s corporate secretary Ron Salo and managing director Christian Calalang, submitted to the Bids and Awards Committee a document that they said was the audited financial statement of JKG as a requirement for the bidding for the Motor Vehicle License Plate Standardization Program (MVLPSP).

“However, upon careful examination of the said document, it turned out that it is not the audited financial statement of JKG,” says the department’s resolution.

“What the respondents submitted during the bidding were the 2011 Annual Accounts of the Respondent JKG issued by the Chamber of Commerce of The Hague, The Netherlands, the 2011 Consolidated Accounts of H3 BV.” The investigating fiscal cited

as proof a letter from respondent Calalang where he “admitted that they submitted the financial statement of H3 BV, the parent company of JKG. “Thus, JKG and PPDCI submitted a falsified 2011 Annual Report and claimed it to be the audited financial statement of JKG because none such audited financial statement exists,” the resolution says.

“Or if one exists, the contents will show that JKG is not qualified to bid for the DOTC-LTO project. This would be the reasonable conclusion especially since the respondents did not submit their countervailing evidence showing their financial capability to undertake the project.”

The department held that the executives of the consortium “used the said falsified document to the DOTC-BAC to qualify as a bidder in the DOTC-LTO project and eventually they were awarded with the contract for the Supply and Delivery of Motor Vehicle License Plates for the LTO Motor Vehicle License Plate Standardization Program.

cruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.

“Ustadz and catechists must do our share in reaching out to the periphery so that the values of the Almighty will be heard and lived by them,” Jumoad said.

He said recruiting child

soldiers was unacceptable because it violated their human rights.

“Mindanao will never become peaceful if children are exposed to violence. Children must be in school so that Mindanao will have a bright future,” Jumoad said.

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News IN BRIEF Montano to head Tourism Board PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed actor/action star Cesar Montano to head the agency in charge of promoting the country’s tourism programs.

On Tuesday night, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo confirmed Montano’s appointment as Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board, the post to be assumed after December 15.

“He has been appointed as the head of TPB,” Teo said after launching the Pasko sa Intramuros event.

“The appointment came from the President so we have to follow,” she added.

“The appointment paper is already there. We just have to induct him, so probably after the 15th,” she said.

According to the Tourism Act of 2009, the TPB shall be responsible for marketing and promoting the Philippines domestically and internationally as a major global tourism destination, highlighting the uniqueness and assisting the development of its tourism products and services, with the end in view of increasing tourist arrivals and tourism investment.

Sandy Araneta

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House okays reimposition of death penalty next year

By Maricel V. Cruz

V

OTING 12-6-1, the House committee on justice on Wednesday approved the committee report reimposing death penalty on illegal drugs and heinous crimes in the country and expected to be passed on third and final reading in January next year.

This developed as House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas announced the House leadership would pass the measure, principally authored

by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez,

next month to allow a thorough debate on the controversial measure.

The decision to move the passage of the measure by next year, Fariñas said, was reached following a majority caucus

called by Alvarez Wednesday afternoon.

“The Speaker agreed to pass the death penalty bill [on third and final reading] next year [January] after a month-long full blown debates in the plenary,” Fariñas told reporters.

He denied the House leadership succumbed to the Catholic Church pressure after backtracking from the original plan to pass the proposal on third and final reading next week before Congress goes on Christmas break.

Fariñas said the House leadership was open to limit the capital punishment applicable to illegal drugs to expedite

its passage in the House of Representatives.

Alvarez, a major proponent of death penalty bill, earlier said “the death penalty bill is a priority measure of the Duterte administration. We will pass it before Christmas break.”

The House committee on justice, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, passed the bill by a vote of 12-6.

During the hearing, administration allies led by Fariñas rallied behind the measure.

Fariñas, a co-author of the bill, said the 1987 Constitution provides that Congress could reimpose death penalty for “heinous crimes.”

Fariñas said some people were forced to take the law into their own hands because they could no longer trust the judicial system.

“What do we want [extrajudicial killing] or [judicial killing]? At least... the judicial killing goes through due process,” Farinas said.

Umali also shared Fariñas’ view, stressing the public’s response to EJK could have been “pathetic” because they were no longer trusting the justice system Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, vice chairman of the justice committee, stressed the need for the state to reimpose death penalty to discourage habitual offenders such as rapists.

Modest Xmas gift for some employees MORE than 100,000 contract of service, job order and projectbased government employees will receive a modest Christmas gift of P2,000 each from the Duterte administration, a senior Cabinet official said Wednesday.

Echoing the results of the last Cabinet meeting on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said President Rodrigo Duterte had approved the recommendation of Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo for COS, JO and PB workers in government be given cash gifts by government for the Christmas season.

“Secretary Taguiwalo, who earlier recommended a minimum of P10,000 for each of over P100,000 JOs, COS and PB workers, said government should also recognize the contributions of these workers to the efforts to serve the people,” Piñol said in his social media account.

John Paolo Bencito

Christmas festivities unveiled THE historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila started sparkling with lights on Tuesday night as the Department of Tourism launched the event dubbed as “Pasko sa Intramuros.”

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo was joined by Senate Tourism Committee Chairman Nancy Binay and Senator Richard Gordon, who used to head the DoT, at the lighting ceremony of the 15-foot Christmas lantern designed by award-winning lantern maker Roland Quiambao.

Running until January 31, the event will feature a Christmas Bazaar on Postigo Street that highlights the culture and products of different regions in the Philippines. Sandy Araneta

PHILCONSA PARTY. Philippine Constitution president Martin Romualdez (center) and Philconsa governor and VP for Finance James Dy (right) exchange pleasantries with Guest

of Honor former Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. during the association’s Membership Meeting and Christmas Party at the Manila Golf and Country Club Tuesday night. Ver Noveno

SC clears 3 judges linked to illegal drugs Piñol says

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has exonerated three judges earlier implicated by President Rodrigo Duterte in illegal drug trade after the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency failed to forward evidence against them.

In a decision, the SC cleared Judges Exequil Dagala of the Dapa-Socorro, Surigao municipal circuit trial court; Adriano Savillo Iloilo City regional trial court; and Domingo Casiple of Kalibo, Aklan RTC of involvement in illegal drug trade.

“We affirm our commitment not to shirk from our responsibility of imposing disciplinary action upon any erring judicial officer or personnel. Yet we must also be steadfast in our undertaking to not be the instrument that destroys the reputation of any member of the bench by pronouncing guilt based on speculation,” the SC stressed.

SC Public Information chief Theodore Te explained the premature disclosure of the names of the Judges have put their lives in danger and damaged their reputation.

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto Abad conducted a fact-finding

investigation, but terminated the inquiry against three of the four judges.

Abad said he was still waiting for a reply from the police and PDEA on his query about Baguio City Benguet RTC Judge Antonio Reyes.

In upholding Abad’s findings, the SC said: “Acting on his Report, the Court found that no prima facie case has been established against the said judges. It was constrained to terminate the investigation considering that despite repeated pleas, the PDEA insisted that no witness is willing to come forward and that it has exhausted the documentary evidence it can submit.”

SC junks petitions of Revilla, Napoles, 3 more

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has dismissed the petitions of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and three others seeking to stop their plunder trial in the Sandiganbayan, in connection with the irregularities involving implementation of lawmakers’ Priority

Development Assistance Funds.

Besides the petition of detained former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in his P224million plunder case, the SC also junked similar petitions of Napoles, Revilla’s former chief of staff Richard Cambe and Napoles’ former employees Ronald John Lim and Raymund De Asis.

SC spokesman Theodore Te confirmed the justices voted 13-1 on Tuesday to dismiss the petition of Revilla for lack of merit and to affirm the finding of probable cause against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a media briefing, Te stressed the tribunal had the same findings on the cases of Napoles, Cambe, Lim and De Asis.

65th Miss U spectacle kicks off Saturday

By Sandy Araneta

NEW AMBULANCE. Senator Richard Gordon, Red Cross chairman and chief executive officer, shows Wednesday the newly turned-over ambulance to fellow Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Manny Pacquiao donated by Rafael Simpao Jr., chairman of Security Bank Foundation Inc. Joseph Vidal

THE 65th Miss Universe spectacle kicks off with a welcome party Saturday night at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City, the Department of Tourism announced.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo disclosed that reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach would join at least 10 contestants at the opening salvo of ancillary events leading to the Miss Universe Pageant on January 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Pia Wurtzbach is extremely excited and so proud that this is happening in the Philippines during her reign for all the world to see,” Teo said.

The DoT head said those

scheduled to arrive for the kickoff party are Miss Australia, Miss China, Miss Indonesia, Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss New Zealand, Miss Malaysia, Miss Myanmar, Miss Thailand and Miss USA. The ladies will arrive in Manila tomorrow and will stay in the country for a week.

Teo also confirmed the fierst batch of Miss Universe hopefuls, including Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maxine Medina, would call on President Rodrigo Duterte on a date still to be announced.

Their first stop is the province of Cebu where they will experience first-hand swimming with the Butanding or Whale Sharks of Oslob.

he rejected gift box

By John Paolo Bencito AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Wednesday said he rejected a gift box containing a P450,000 worth of Rolex watch given to him during the dinner given by top officials of a very large agricultural company, citing the government’s “no-gift policy.”

“It’s the season of giving, but sorry we can’t receive,” Piñol said, describing how he resisted temptation in a social media post.

“Who does not like to own a Rolex anyway?” he asked.

“However, the realization that accepting such an expensive gift would be a violation of the law made me decide to return it to the sender but I did so respectfully.”

Piñol explained he could not take the gift “not only because the company is involved in activities which would require the supervision of the department which I head but also because the law prohibits officials like me from accepting expensive gifts.”

“I added I could go to jail if I was found to have kept the watch or accepted expensive gifts from people with interests in the Department of Agriculture,” the agri chief said.

The gift, a Rolex submariner, was given to him “along with the other mementos which I usually receive during ceremonial exchange of gifts.”

“It was not until I was in my farm in Kidapawan City, when I decided to open the box and I almost fell off my seat when I saw what was inside the box,” he said.

“It was a Rolex submariner, a watch which almost every man dreams of owning.”

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Abaya’s turn

W

E HAVE mixed reactions to the inclusion of former Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and six other transport officials in the graft suit in connection with the purchase of P3.8 billion worth of license plates during his stay at the department.

First, a sense of bewilderment.

After all, it was lawyer Al Vitangcol, the former general manager of the Metro Rail Transit, who led the inclusion of Abaya’s name

in the case which only previously included the names of the private suppliers. Strange however that Vitangcol should take an active role now—did not the Sandiganbayan recently issue a warrant of arrest against him for attempt to extort $30 million from representatives of a Czech manufacturer of rail cars so they could bag the deal for the MRT? Vitangcol is hardly the paragon of virtue or the personification of good governance. In fact, Abaya was his boss at the Transport Department. We wonder what the extent of the animosity between the two is, such that Vitangcol would

take steps to ensure his former superior—would not go scot-free.

Perhaps he felt betrayed that he was made a sacrificial lamb of sorts in the Inekon case just so the higherups like Abaya and, ultimately, Benigno Aquino III, could evade accountability.

Second, relief. We do not remember Abaya fondly. In fact, the millions who continue to be plagued by the sorry state of traffic and public transportation wish there were some way to go after Abaya for all his indifference, incompetence, hypocrisy and arrogance while he was at his post. The transport system did not just stagnate during

the regime of Daang Matuwid—it deteriorated. This can only be the result of criminal negligence, at the very least.

Finally, hope.

We are aware that the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly in this country, and that even the filing of cases in courts does not guarantee that the guilty will be made to pay. Nonetheless, we have seen definitive changes in the past few months—some more drastic than we ever dared imagine, and not always for the better.

We have no other recourse but to hope that this time the evidence would be sufficient, the case airtight.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

An untenable situation

Loida loves Leni LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES I’M GLAD Loida Nicolas Lewis, the Arianna Huffington wannabe originally from Sorsogon City but now based in New York City, has shown her true colors. And yes, Lewis is as Yellow as can be, with an important difference: she has a billion-dollar fortune inherited from her deceased junk-bond trader-husband Reginald, which she uses to fund her favored politicians back home in the “PI,” as longtime Filipino immigrants to the US call the old country.

Lewis has called on President Rodrigo Duterte to resign, after Duterte 86’d Lewis’ favorite Yellow in power, Vice President Leni Robredo, from the Cabinet.

When Loida Lewis speaks, the Yellows get all het up, thinking perhaps of the millions that their US-based Mommy Warbucks has

judiciously used to keep them in power for the past 30 years.

And Robredo has long been a pet project of Lewis. If a disqualification case filed against her in 2013 by former Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte Sr. is to be believed, Lewis bankrolled Leni’s campaign, albeit indirectly through US-based persons and entities.

Villafuerte, who lost his Congress seat to Robredo in the elections that year, alleged that Lewis funneled money through persons and corporations in the US, despite the prohibition on foreigners making campaign contributions under Philippine election laws. (In a counter-affidavit, Robredo denied soliciting and receiving foreign donations, even if her Facebook account urged US donors to “mail check[s] payable to Loida Lewis ITF [in trust for] Leni Robredo, PO Box 1080, Gracie Station, NY NY 10028”; the FB account “Atty Leni Robredo,” where the funding request was made, was

taken down shortly after Villafuerte filed his suit.

Robredo, like her losing 2016 running mate Mar Roxas, was also supposed to have received money from Lewis to fund her vice presidential run this year, as well. Lewis’ contributions are believed to have made up a sub-

Philanthropy is one thing.

Partisan political interference from abroad is quite another. stantial portion of the P423.1 million in contributions she received, giving her the biggest war chest by a vice presidential candidate; no wonder Lewis is now acting to

protect her investment.

I don’t know where Lewis, who was also a major booster of losing Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, gets the chutzpah to call for Duterte’s resignation. All I know is, she has no call to meddle in our affairs, never mind if she’s bankrolled Yellow candidates since the time of Cory Aquino.

Philanthropy, which is supposed to be Lewis’ avocation, is one thing. Partisan political interference from abroad, simply because you can afford it, is quite another. *** The business community is getting antsy over the continued depredations of the Communist New People’s Army in the countryside, despite the peace talks that have been restarted under the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. In Mindanao in the past two weeks, Communist rebels have burned four Yellow Bus Line buses and torched heavy earth-moving equipment

belonging to various construction companies, and yet the military seems helpless to stop the attacks.

Military sources have told me that they have been ordered to “stand down” and downplay the NPA attacks because of the current talks. Meanwhile, in Manila, the Communists and their front organizations have stepped up their demands for Duterte’s government to free hundreds of their detained comrades, who have remained in jail pending the resolution of criminal charges filed against them.

It is to Duterte’s credit that he has brought back the Communists to the negotiating table, after they were shunned by the previous administration because of the supposed unreasonable demands made by their representatives to the on-again, off-again talks. But it seems that the Communists are still unhappy with Duterte’s broad gestures for peace, which inTurn to A5

IT WAS a union that was destined not to last. As it turned out, it was over in barely five months.

Perhaps the President should never have appointed Vice President Leni Robredo to his Cabinet in the first place. The two are poles apart on almost all issues. With her departure from the Cabinet, the Liberal Party is now urging her to lead the opposition.

I do not intend to belittle the leadership capabilities of Robredo, but it is difficult to see this happening. She is too inexperienced a politician to be able to stomach the kind of politics here in the country.

Also, the political opposition is in such disarray that there really is hardly any opposition left.

As in every administration, all or almost all the politicians are scrambling to join the administration which tells us the kind of politics that we have.

Maybe what those people urging Robredo to lead the opposition want is something else. Perhaps they just want her to become the symbol of a grassroots movement that they want to launch to oppose and even possibly topple President Duterte. If this is the case, it will of course be a different story altogether. We do not know the kind of support that such a plan can generate from the public without an effective and believable battle cry, it is hard to see it succeeding.

The two most obvious rallying issues would be the alleged extra-judicial killing related to the government’s drug war and the burial of the late, former President Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

If this is the case, VP Robredo should be careful. She should think and think hard.

There are people and entities who would like nothing better than to create such a scenario.

Robredo should not allow herself to be used. She is such a decent person that it would be a tragedy if she does. *** We have a system wherein the elected vice president, especially if that person belongs to another party, can criticize the President. We have seen this happen much too often.

We have also seen this happen even if both belong to the same party. This was the case with Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel.

It did not take long before both were at odds with each other.

Turn to A5

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Opinion

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte so many occasions. And now is said to have received intel- they are playing the same game. ligence reports that a group of *** well-financed Yellows, led by The provincial sorties of Vice Loida Nicolas, a BS Aquino President Leni Robredo, in the ally, is doing the rounds of Unit- guise of helping the poor, are ed States cities—New York, truly pathetic. She is trying too Chicago, San Francisco and Los hard to show to the people that Angeles—to join a movement despite her ouster from the Cabto destabilize the Duterte ad- inet, she can continue to reach ministration. out to the marginalized.

These people are also said The Yellows want her to lead to be soliciting the help of the the opposition. But what leadCentral Intelligence Agency ership can she bring, being an for their destabilization efforts. opportunist?

This report then prompted Mr. She was a member of the Duterte to float the ideas of the Cabinet, an alter ego of the pressuspension of the writ of habeas ident. Thus she must conform corpus, which is perceived as with the President’s wishes. just a step too close to the decla- She did not. What a bigot and a ration of Martial Law. hypocrite!

I think destabilization is imIf the opposition must be possible at this point consider- led by someone, that should ing the still-high trust and sat- be somebody respected and isfaction ratings that Duterte admired. Robredo has failed enjoys. her test. *** Robredo claims she was eased The National Democratic out of the Cabinet to keep the Front, the political arm of the Liberal Party out of the plans of Communist Party of the Phil- the Duterte administration. But ippines, and the New People’s she knows all too well that she Army are playing the same became vice president because game they have always played of cheating and now her conwith previous administrations. science is bothering her.

They lay down conditions as Another of the Yellows clinging they sit at the negotiation table, to her post is Commission on supposedly to talk peace with Higher Education chairperson the government.

Patricia Licuanan. She was Before the NDF sits down already told not to attend again, this time in Rome, it in- Cabinet meetings but she cannot sists on the release of some 434 seem to get the message that she political prisoners. no longer enjoys the President’s To the credit of President confidence. Licuanan knows her Duterte, he has been adamant, replacement is just waiting for sticking to the fact that if there her to step down. Is she waiting is no bilateral ceasefire agree- to be bodily carried out of the ment, there will be no release of CHED building? prisoners. *** S a n t a I am not Banana, the favoring President anybody as has already chairman of The bent over the board or b a c k w a r d s communists are as adminisin appointing trator of the to the making demands Subic Bay Cabinet Judy even before the Metropolitan Ta g u i w a l o A u t h o r i t y. as secretary negotiations have But I believe of Social Malacañang started.

Welfare and must decide, Development, once and for R a f a e l all, on who Mariano as should be secretary of chairman Agrarian Reform and Liza Maza AND administrator. The conas chairperson of the National fusion is not doing the freeport Anti-Poverty Commission. any good.

My gulay, the President even Martin Dino, for whom Presireleased 16 NDF consultants dent Duterte substituted as PDPdespite their being in detention Laban candidate for President, for numerous criminal offenses. claims that SBMA chairman, he The sincerity of our govern- should also be the administrament in achieving peace with tor. So when the Office of the the communist insurgents can- Executive Secretary named fornot be doubted. We have been mer deputy administrator Ranwilling and ready to release the dy Escolango as administrator, sick and elderly among the com- Dino claimed that just one permunists detained. Four were son should occupy the two pogiven presidential pardons last sitions. This was provided for week. in the law, Republic Act 7227, There is the problem, which cannot be amended by a however, of those already mere executive order. sentenced and convicted by What is important is that law. That would need judicial whomever gets appointed to approval—and the judiciary is the post, there should be peace another branch of government and harmony for the good of all altogether. stakeholders. It is not good to The communists’ sincerity, have two appointees quarreling on the other hand, leaves room over turf. The President should for doubt. They have failed on have the final say.

Loida...

From A4 clude a unilateral nationwide ceasefire that the rebels have yet to reciprocate.

Duterte has indeed bent over backwards to accommodate the Left, even appointing their leaders to high Cabinet positions.

He has also hosted the entire leadership of the CPP-NPANDF at a dinner in Malacañang Palace, something no president has ever done.

So far, Duterte has relied on his excellent and longtime relationship with the Communists, forged when he was still mayor of Davao City, to entice the rebels to stop fighting and to talk peace instead. But many people are starting to worry that the Reds really have no desire to end their decades-long rebellion and are merely waiting for an excuse to resume full-blown

hostilities with the military, particularly in the countryside.

Critics of the administration have maintained that Duterte may be demoralizing the military by being too chummy with the Reds, who have not been as receptive to his peace initiatives, in the opinion of military field commanders. Duterte himself has struggled to explain that what he really wants is to end all domestic insurrections —not the Communist rebellion but also the Muslim one—in various visits to military camps all over the country.

But the local businessmen who are still being continually harassed by the rebels need more protection from the collectors of the rebels’ “revolutionary taxes.” And if Duterte will not be sensitive to their pleas for help, they, too, could become disenchanted with the change that has not yet come.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ending the bloody year

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Sincerity put to test

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ IF WE are to describe the first year of Digong’s administration in one word, it would be “bloody.” This was the word used by the President himself in several speeches about his ongoing campaign against narco-politics. This war on drugs received mixed reactions, internationally and locally. Over 4,000 people died, some of them innocent. We stress the urgency to investigate these deaths and bring those

guilty to justice.

On the upside, more than 700,000 drug users have surrendered. The President signed an Executive Order to establish and support drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers throughout the country. The reduction of drug use, and the commitment of the administration to rehabilitate recovering addicts is laudable. What needs to be done next is to provide jobs and other opportunities for them.

It’s obvious that 2016 was about the war on drugs. 2017 should be about other concerns that are equally, if not more, urgent.

Most of my previous arti-

cles tackled the issues of illegal drugs, illegal gambling, corruption, and traffic. We observed that the administration has been trying to address these problems since assuming office. On a latest report by MMDA, Edsa traffic was reduced by seven minutes. Corrupt government officials were asked to resign as a move to fight corruption. However, there are further economic concerns that also need the administration’s attention.

We look forward to the President pursuing other issues now.

We wonder if the administration is adequately prepared to cushion the Philippines during these

uncertain and challenging times.

For example, the peso is trading at all time low, nearing 50 pesos to a dollar. Bloomberg reports that this low rate was last seen during the global financial crisis of 2008. The continued fall of the peso which will increase the cost of commodities. Unemployment, poverty, and traffic are still serious problems. Schools lack classrooms. Food security is at risk—all of these are issues that need the administration’s attention and urgent action.

We have reiterated our request that the President give equal focus to other issues. 2017 is the time to do that.

Dumb and dumberer, Philippine-style IT IS the Age of the Internet, and people with access to it can share and gather information from all around the world instantaneously, something impossible before the advent of computer-mediated communication.

Unfortunately, it is also the Age of the Trolls and their strident, stupid comments that serve no purpose but spread lies, foment conflict, and instigate and encourage bullying and harassment.

It is dismaying to see the collective ignorance of many about the most basic facts. Facts that could have been looked up on Google.

Facts that are being taught in schools but seem to have slipped through the sieve-like brains of these rabble-rousers.

Facts cannot be altered. They exist regardless of whether one chooses to believe them or not.

Moreover, factual phenomena and situations will have consequences, effects, and outcomes. For instance, denying that climate change is an actual phenomenon can retard efforts towards reducing the human activity that is causing it.

Only recently, the insistence that a proven megalokleptocrat de-

serves interment in sacred ground caused an outpouring of resentment and a protest action participated in by thousands, with others certain to follow in the future.

Anti-rationalists who oppose views and opinions contrary to their own even if the former are based on fact and reason, shout them down to drown out the sound of truth so that their own views may be legitimized and validated. This is denial, the refusal to accept reality or fact.

“The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge,” said science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov.

He was referring to a “cult of ignorance” in the United States, but he might as well have been speaking about the Philippines and what its people have come to despite decades of valuing and promoting education. Filipinos are largely now a people who cannot or refuse to reason, who trample on the facts staring them in their face.

There are those who have a personal agenda to promote; these are the agents provocateurs tasked to incite others to perform rash acts, such as having a squad of young people sport armbands and hold up signs against a crowd of protesters, in imitation of the discredited and detested Hitler Jugend.

They convince their audience that their version is gospel. This sort of manipulation is nothing less than treachery and betrayal, when the truth is distorted to mislead people to advance someone’s selfserving scheme.

What is also appalling to observe is the decline of critical thinking skills. The polemical writings of a certain popular blogger-turned-columnist are a good example of this all-too common inadequacy. Some facts are false or twisted or simple not checked for accuracy, the words of others taken out of context or outright misunderstood, and issues misinterpreted and exaggerated to bolster the agenda du jour being touted.

Another effect of this lack is the inability of quite a few Filipinos to recognize false news and parody or satire when they read it. Thus the flooding of Facebook timelines with reposts of “The Onion” or “Borowitz Report” -style articles, notwithstanding that many such sites have a disclaimer: “for entertainment purposes only.”

Then there was that time a couple years back when a veteran columnist and author who writes for the same paper as BloggerColumnist wrote about a satirical item as if it were straight news.

Journalists call it nakuryente— falling for a hoax. Had she been having a bad day? Was her age

taking a toll? The takeaway is that discernment is difficult enough even for those used to reading, writing, and thinking regularly. How much more likely then to make mistakes are those unused to exercising their critical function, if any?

Ignorance, denial, ulterior motives, and lack of critical thinking skills have contributed to the dumbing down of our country.

What’s important to realize is that ratiocination is not, and never has been, exclusive to the elite or educated, despite perceptions to the contrary.

The shift toward a herd mentality of many members of this society and this government is alarming. It has given rise to an anti-intellectual movement that assails points-of-view that challenge the mob’s beliefs with nothing more concrete than schoolyard nya-nya-nyas or worse, threats of bodily harm. It is creating a country where facts and truth are deemed malleable in line with the prevailing policy.

In this Age of Internet Trolls, it would be well to think before clicking, to research before posting, to fact-check before commenting. Don’t be stupid. Think.

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

China should heed Pearl Harbor’s lessons

By Kuni Miyake THE anniversary of Pearl Harbor is commemorated on Dec. 8 in Japan—the time locally when thousands of miles away, its ships and warplanes sank much of the US Pacific Fleet and launched war against America.

For 75 years now, many Japanese have reflected on that moment with great remorse, appalled by the hubris and miscalculation that led to the attack. Later this month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will personally travel to Pearl Harbor to commemorate the tragedy. Sadly, though, the leaders and citizens of another Asian power appear to have forgotten those lessons.

For all the differences between Imperial Japan in the 1930s and Communist China today, I can’t help but see parallels between the two. Like Japan then, China is a rising Asian nation whose thinking is informed by patriotism, suspicion of outsiders and the remnants of an inferiority complex toward the West. Its military seems not entirely constrained by civilian control. And just as Japan did in the 1930s, China is defying international opinion and challenging the maritime status quo in the western Pacific, where

An untenable...

From A4 During the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, she appointed Vice President Guingona and after a while, both were differing on important issues.

It is all right to criticize a president, but once appointed to the Cabinet, perhaps propriety will dictate that if a vice president does not have anything good to say about government policies, then it is better simply to keep quiet. In the case of VP Robredo, she did in fact criticize government policies several times.

But again keeping quiet might not be that much of a help.

Former VP Binay in fact practiced this until former President Aquino unleashed the power of

the US defends vital sea lines of communication for all nations.

The roots of this stance lie in a history very similar to Japan’s.

Both nations suffered at the hands of Western powers. In Japan, at the end of the Edo period in 1853, American “Black Ships” sailed into Uraga Bay. US pressure ultimately forced the new Meiji government to institute an “open-door policy” welcoming foreign trade and traders.

The trauma China suffered was even more tragic and complicated.

After defeat in the 19th century Opium Wars against the British, China had to surrender Hong Kong, open Chinese ports and sign a series of “unequal treaties” with Western powers that infringed on Chinese sovereignty. Even now, and unlike in Japan, the historical sense of humiliation caused by these episodes hasn’t healed among most Chinese, whether common citizens or elites.

To at least some degree, that sense of injury still motivates the People’s Liberation Army, which is determined to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial unity. In 1930s Japan, the military exploited Article 11 of the Constitution of the Japanese Empire of 1889, which stipulated, “The Emperor has the supreme command of the Army

and the Navy.” The military interpreted this to mean that they were allowed an independent chain of command, reporting directly to the Emperor rather than a civilian prime minister.

The PLA doesn’t report to China’s premier or its rubber-stamp legislature either, but solely to the Chairman of the Central Military Commission—in this case, President Xi Jinping. Unlike in Western democracies, where the tradition of civilian control of the military has a long history, it’s disturbing to hear nationalistic outbursts from Chinese generals and admirals that could easily be mistaken for policy.

Worse, there are questions about whether a lack of oversight has contributed to a series of provocative actions in the air and on the high seas. On multiple occasions earlier this year, Chinese jets flew dangerously close to US reconnaissance planes. In December 2013, PLA naval vessels “irresponsibly” harassed the USS Cowpens in the South China Sea. All this heightens the risk of an accident that could very easily lead to a shooting war.

China is doing this—as Japan once did—in a manner at odds with the status quo and international consensus. The artificial

islands it’s recently created by landfilling in the South China Sea seem to me to be a Chinese version of the “Manchurian Incident” of 1931—a pretext Japan used for asserting sovereignty over disputed areas. Last July’s International Court of Arbitration award challenging China’s island-building is a contemporary version of the Lytton Commission report, which exposed Japan’s illicit aggression.

At the very least, China faces several of the same critical questions the Japanese government and military did in the 1930s: Can the country look past historical traumas and accept the existing regional and global order? Can it peacefully coexist with neighbors both strong and weak? Can civilian leaders control the armed forces and limit their influence over policy?

Seventy-five years ago, Japan couldn’t answer those questions in the affirmative; China still has time to do so. It’s up to the Chinese people to decide whether they want to accept the geopolitical status quo, or try to salve their historical hurts by overturning it. Before choosing the latter course, they should do what many Japanese do at this time of year: Remember the consequences of choosing wrong. Bloomberg

the presidency that destroyed his chances to become President. The quintessential Vice President was Sergio Osmeña Sr. He was a loyal supporter of President Quezon to the end. Maybe we should follow the system that the United States has—if the presidential candidate wins, he or she carries the vice president to avoid untenable situations.

The practice of appointing the vice president to the Cabinet should stop. There are many things that a vice president can do. She or he can represent the head of state in many activities here and abroad. So what if that vice president uses the six years to campaign? After all, the president is not allowed to run for re-election. *** There might be other underlying reasons why VP Robredo had to go.

Perhaos these reasons are related to the last elections. There is this widespread belief that there was election manipulation in the last polls. I have it from a good source that President Duterte believes very strongly that there was indeed cheating.

President Duterte of course does not hide the fact that he believes Bongbong Marcos won the vice presidential race and said so to the press during his state visit to China. In the May elections, Marcos was leading by over a million votes and then this lead dwindled significantly overnight. Then he found himself losing to Robredo by a small margin.

Could there have been electronic manipulation? If so, how?

We must remember that Smartmatic admitted to changing some codes at the very last minute or when counting was under way.

The code is part of the command that tells the election system what to do. Quite possibly, Smartmatic changed part of the code so that votes for Marcos coming from many PCOS machines were rejected by the Comelec server.

This is the only explanation why all of a sudden, the lead of Marcos was erased overnight. What has to be done is to get someone to do forensic examination to determine how many votes for Marcos were rejected by the Comelec server. Can this be done? Yes, by someone who knows computers.

In this case, it is almost certain that Smartmatic was involved in the cheating. The only question is who ordered Smartmatic to change the codes. We must remember that Smartmatic was never able to satisfactorily explain why it changed the codes.

News

A6

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Canadian firms optimistic on PH

By Sara D. Fabunan CANADIAN businessmen are unfazed by the Duterte administration’s foreign policy shift and not a single Canadian company with investments in the country has announced any plan to stop or even reduce operations, according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

In fact, CanCham president Julian Payne said the investment potential of the country will likely continue due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic agenda which promotes foreign investment.

“In fact, the Canadian chamber and Canadian businessmen look upon his 10-point economic agenda very friendly to foreign investment,” Payne said during the launching of the 11th International ICT Awards Philippines which will be held on March 22.

“We have seen no Canadian companies indicating concern of pulling out,” said Payne, who has been living in the Philippines for the past two decades.

“Our real concern is how quickly these can be implemented,” Payne said, noting that in other Asian

IN BRIEF Devanadera disputes rap FORMER solicitor general Agnes Devanadera has asked the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the graft case against her over the compromise agreement signed by the stateowned Philippine National Construction Co. with a British lending entity for the payment of its P6billion loan.

Devanadera argued in a 31-page motion the Ombudsman erred in claiming probable cause to charge her based on a Supreme Court ruling on the deal because the Ombudsman “clearly suffers from a misappreciation” of the ruling.

The Ombudsman earlier charged Devanadera and 18 others for entering into the deal with creditor Radstock Securities Inc. that is disadvantageous to the government. The Supreme Court also earlier ruled to strike down the deal.

But Devanadera said “the PNCC Board did all the evaluation presumably using their own business judgment. These are all on record” and she asked the Sandiganbayan “to assume the burden of determining probable cause simply because the Ombudsman was too prejudiced.” Maricel V. Cruz

Two mayors convicted OMBUDSMAN Conchita CarpioMorales on Wednesday announced the conviction of two town mayors for graft and their imprisonment for a maximum jail term of 10 years for each count, or a total of 90 years.

Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz in a 20-page decision found Jose Villarosa, exSan Jose mayor, guilty of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and sentenced him to a jail term ranging from six years to 10 years for each count.

During the trial, the Ombudsman prosecutors were able to prove that Villarosa issued nine extraction permits to quarry sand to GEM CHB Maker, Timoteo Aguilar, Arvi Dolojan, Andres Pablo, R.D. Go Concrete Products, Jojo Pojas, Emilia de Lara, Antonio Villaroza and Jessie Glass and Aluminum Enterprise with evident bad faith and in violation of the Local Government Code in 2010 to 2011.

In another development, the Ombudsman said the anti-graft court also sentenced former Borongan Fidel Anacta Jr. of Eastern Samar to suffer imprisonment ranging from six years to 10 years with accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public service for graft raps.

The conviction stemmed from a deed of conditional sale entered into by Anacta in 2003 over a 16,426-square-meter private lot with a price of P8,213,000, which prosecutors found to be grossly disadvantageous since the lot’s market value was only P58,197, and the Sangguniang Bayan did not authorize the purchase.

The municipal government would incur additional costs because of unpaid taxes and lack of right of way, and that it was unlawful for Anacta to disburse the initial payment to the property owner without vesting title to the local government, causing it undue injury. Rio N. Araja

countries, an investor can form a corporation in just one day in only two steps.

SunLife and Manulife are the two biggest Canadian-owned companies and they have been here for 100 years. Canadian companies, he disclosed, have also investments in mining, ICT, and electronic industries.

Duterte’s avowed shift in the country’s foreign policy has so far had no effect on Canadian companies in the Philippines.

“I don’t think he made new efforts with Canada, but we have seen no other effect,” Payne said. “Basically we see your country as pro-business, open to foreign investment and foreign participation.”

He said that Canadian companies are also looking into investing in retail industry, but refused to disclose particular future Canadian business.

“We don’t want to disclose [future business investment] ahead of time because we leave it to the discretion of the companies. But all the time companies are looking for potential investments, like coffee shops, some in mining, some in ICT. We see it all the time. The company itself is taking the initiative on it,” Payne said.

CONFIRMED. New ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana (left) sings the national anthem along with Cabinet secretaries Rodolfo Salalima of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo of Tourism, Fortunato dela Peña of Science and Technology and Ernesto Pernia of Socio-Economic Planning whose appointments were all confirmed by the congressional Commission on Appointments on Wednesday.

Victims push raps vs Noy

By Maricel V. Cruz

S

URVIVORS of the Super Typhoon “Yolanda” on Wednesday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to file charges against officials of the Aquino administration for its allegedly criminal neglect of the victims of the strongest typhoon ever hit the country in 2013.

Lawmakers headed by Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao joined “Yolanda” survivors from Eastern Visayas in demanding that Aquino and his officials, like former social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman, be charged in court for their abject failure to address the needs of the Yolanda survivors.

“We hold the Aquino government responsible for this mess.

Three years after Typhoon

“Yolanda,” there has been little improvement in the lives of thousands of “Yolanda” survivors despite of billions of pesos worth of government funds and relief aid,” Casilao said.

“That is why the Duterte administration should run after Aquino, Soliman and other officials of the previous government. Its time for them to pay the price for their criminal neglect,” he added.

The Tindog Visayas and People Surge movement, together with other mass organizations claimed that the relief, aid and rehabilitation done during the Aquino administration was inadequate and the local and foreign donations intended for the victims were never accounted for.

The group blamed the Aquino administration for what its members described as “very disappointing and lackluster performance in the rehabilitation and reconstruction effort.”

Citing reports, the group said that of the comprehensive plan targeting 205,000 housing units for the typhoon victims, only one percent or 25,000 units were completed.

Some of these were in Hernani, Eastern Samar, where only

By Vito Barcelo

Muhammad Umao-As, the third suspect in the planting of a bomb near the United States Embassy, was presented to the public on Wednesday, five days after he was arrested in Bulacan, Bulacan last Saturday.

Manny Palmero

Junk offshore licenses, SC urged THE Supreme Court has been asked to annul and declare as unconstitutional a regulation issued by the board of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. last September allowing the state gaming agency to issue offshore gaming licenses either to Philippine or offshore-based operators.

In a 18-page petition for certiorari, the Union for National Development and Good Governance-Philippines (UNLAD-Philippines), through its chairman Miguel Daniel Cruz, urged the SC to declare as unconstitutional the “Rules and Regulations for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations” issued by the Pagcor board and to immediately restrain the latter from implementing the assailed rules.

According to the petitioner, Pagcor acted with grave abuse of discretion when it approved the rules on offshore gaming without any legal basis since its legislative fran-

efit from the various cash for work assistance schemes due to patronage and anomalous implementation of ESA, People Surge said.

This developed as Casilao said “thousands of eligible victims of Typhoon Yolanda were disregarded with no explanation at all.”

“There have been reports that even relief goods were left to rot by the previous welfare agency while anomalies of fund misused has yet to be investigated,” Casilao said.

In agriculture, he said many coco farmers and poor peasants continue to have a hard time as the past administration failed to provide funds and services.

Moreover, the prices of basic goods and services are relatively high.

Illegal Filipinos in Korea decline

WE GOT YOU.

By Rey E. Requejo

200 out of 900 housing units were completed by the National Housing Authority.

In addition, last January 2016, the National Economic and Development Authority said that only 6,049 housing units were completed out of the 26,511 in Tacloban City.

“Inadequate services such as clean potable water and electricity mars this relocation sites on top of lack of livelihood for the relocated families,” groups said, adding that financial assistance for Yolanda victims has not even be completed with about 14,000 still to receive Emergency Shelter Assistance I. In the province of Aklan, it is estimated that more than 19,000 plus households were not able to receive ESA and failed to ben-

chise is clear that it is not to operate or regulate offshore gaming.

“It is the humble submission of the petitioners that Pagcor committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when it approved the assailed Rules on Offshore Gaming.

“This is so because Pagcor is not authorized under its legislative franchise, Presidential Decree 1869, either to operate and regulate gambling on the internet catering foreign based players and gamblers that are physically outside the Philippine jurisdiction,” the petition read.

“Therefore, the rules on offshore gaming approved and currently implemented by Pagcor is null and void on the ground that Pagcor is patently without jurisdiction, legislative franchise, authority or power to issue licenses for the opening, establishment, operation, regulation, control and management on on-line gambling as defined under the Rules on Offshore Gaming,” it added.

The rules on offshore gaming that Pagcor under the assailed rules intends to implement refers to the offering by a licensee of Pagcor online games of chance via the Internet using a network, software or program, exclusively to offshore authorized players excluding Filipinos abroad, who have registered and established an online gaming account with the licensee.

With this, the games of chance or offshore gaming intends to be licensed and regulated by Pagcor under the assailed Rules on Offshore Gaming are those games, activities, bets and players outside the jurisdiction of the Philippines.

“The Pagcor through the Board of Directors in approving the assailed Rules on Offshore Gaming effectively expanded the powers of Pagcor that RA No. 9487 or the Law Amending Presidential Decree No. 1869 itself declared to be beyond its ambit and jurisdiction,’ the petition said.

THE number of Filipino workers overstaying in South Korea has declined to 19 percent from 31 percent because of the government’s continuing program to undocumented Filipinos in Korea to return in exchange for financial and livelihood assistance.

The Department of Labor and Employment said even the Korean government commended the Philippines for its successful reintegration programs that have dramatically reduced the number of illegal Filipino workers in that country.

Welfare Officer Manuela Peña of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Korea said thousands of overstaying Filipinos in Korea voluntarily returned home this year in order to increase the country’s annual quota for foreign workers there under Korea’s Employment Permit System.

“South Korea’s annual quota

for foreign workers under its EPS is decided through comprehensive consideration on the rate of illegal stay of workers, among other factors, including labor market trends, level of labor shortages, and economic condition,” Peña said.

“The Philippines was commended for its major achievement of maintaining a steady percentage decline of undocumented number of Filipino EPS workers from 2013 to July 2016, reducing it from 6,548 to 4,962, or from 31.7 percent down to 19.7 percent,” Peña said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has directed the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to initiate disciplinary action against overstaying OFWs covered by government-to-government arrangement with the POEA as the sending agency.

Peña said the commendation came from Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor Minister Jong-kil Park, in at Royal Hotel in Myeongdong, Seoul.

House okays return to old sin taxes law THE House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on second reading House Bill 4144 which seeks to revert back to two-tier structure from unitary tax system and increase the tax rate to P32 and P36 per pack beginning next year from the unitary P30 a pack.

The House presided by Deputy Speaker and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro passed the measure via voice voting.

The approval came despite stiff opposition from several tobacco groups and even some lawmakers which described the bill as “regressive.”

HB 4144 seeks to amend Repub-

lic Act 10351, also known as the Sin Tax Reform Act, which proposed higher excise tax rates for alcohol and tobacco products, The bill was authored by ABS party-list Rep. Eugene Michael de Vera and sponsored on the floor by ways and means committee chairman Dakila Carlo Cua prior to its approval.

Under the present law, cigarettes with a net retail price of P11.50 per pack were taxed P25 per pack; while those higher than P11.50 will be taxed P29 per pack.

By Jan. 1, 2017, these two-tiers will converge to a unitary tax rate of P30 per pack, the law said.

Maricel V. Cruz

Sports La Salle, Adamson win SBP Passerelle PH titles BACOLOD CITY—In the battle of Manila vs. the Visayas, the big city teams came out on top to win the championships at the national finals of the BEST SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo at the St. La Salle Coliseum.

La Salle Greenhills scored its second straight national championship in the SBP division by trashing the University of the Visayas, 55-39, while Adamson University needed an overtime period to outlast Bacolod Tay Tung High School, 70-61, to also win its second straight Passerelle division championship.

La Salle broke open a close game wide open with a big second quarter to douse any hopes of a UV upset.

After leading 16-15 in the first quarter, La Salle went to its swarming full-court defense to limit UV to only four points in the second quarter, while scoring 20 of its own for a commanding 36-19 halftime lead.

UV couldn’t gain any headway in the third quarter as La Salle maintained its 17-point bubble at 46-29. It was cruise control for the Greenies in the fourth period as they stopped any UV attempt to rally.

Ethan Alian, who led the second quarter set that broke the game open, had 10 points to lead a balanced offense. Javi Jugo had eight while four more players had at least six points each. Sean Salarza had 12 points to lead UV. UV’s other key players were shut down by the leech-like La Salle defense.

Meanwhile, Adamson University was stretched to the limit by a hard-fighting Bacolod Tay Tung High School side which played in front of a supportive and loud hometown crowd.

Tay Tung took a 12-10 lead at the end of the first quarter before Adamson took a 23-20 halftime lead and 47-45 cushion at the end of the third quarter.

A7

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Spurs go 13-0 on the road L OS ANGELES —The San Antonio Spurs erased an early 10-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-91 on Tuesday and extend their perfect record on the road to 13-0.

The Spurs are closing in on NBA history. They became just the second team to win their first 13 away games, after the Golden State Warriors won their first 14 of last season.

San Antonio notched away win No. 13 without veteran stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, with Parker ruled out because of a knee

contusion and Ginobili in uniform but on the bench on the second night of back-to-back games.

Kawhi Leonard more than took up the slack, scoring 31 points on 11of-15 shooting. Australian guard Patty Mills came off the bench to add 15 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Having twice trailed by 10 in

the first half, the Spurs were down 46-43 at the interval.

As they did on Monday against the Bucks in Milwaukee, the Spurs produced a big third quarter to take control, out-scoring the Timberwolves 29-18 in the period.

Mills said he didn’t know why the Spurs have been so successful on the road.

“Not sure, mate,” he said. “It’s hard to win an NBA game, especially on the road.

“Maybe [it’s] that extra focus,” he added. “Knowing that we’re in another team’s building and them

trying to come out and wanting to beat us, there’s that little bit extra focus or energy.”

Grizzlies win again The Grizzlies notched their fourth straight win, holding on to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 96-91 in a tight contest in Memphis.

Spanish center Marc Gasol scored 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who trailed 77-76 going into the fourth quarter.

After surrendering the lead, the 76ers produced a late 8-0 scoring run to regain a 91-89 advantage with 1:57 to play.

Far Eastern U cagers are MBL champs

PSA FORUM GUESTS. National Rugby Player Joshua Aragon, Rugby Assistant Coach Jake Letts and Kingsley Ballesteros (left panel) talk about the 2016 U19 Asia Rugby Championships next week at the International School of Manila during their guesting at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. They are joined at the the public service forum by members of the Philippine Dragon Boat National Team, who talked about their recent success in the Asian Dragon Boat Championship in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. Lino Santos

Romero bats for national training center THE dream of every athlete to train in a state-of-the-art national training center is soon to be realized.

This developed as House Committee on Youth and Sports chairman Rep. Conrad Estrella and Subcommittee on Sports chairman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero approved the establishment of national sports complex in Pampanga with the aim of promoting and developing elite sports in the country.

If the bill—known as the “National Sports Training Center, Act”—will be passed into law by the Senate and House of Representatives, the sports complex

will rise at the vast Clark Green City located within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.

“The training centers and dormitories of our athletes as well as the offices of the Philippine Sports Commission will be built inside the 50-hectare complex,” said Romero. “It’s going to be a dream come true for our national athletes.”

To achieve excellence in the international sports competitions, both Estrella and Romero said Filipino athletes should train not only in well-equipped facilities, but also in more conducive atmosphere.

They said all sports facili-

ties and other amenities should be at par with international standards and shall be constructed within a period of 18 months after a six-month period of planning.

Aside from being the official training venue and home of national athletes, the sports complex shall also be the center for sports science and research development, and venue for the training of coaches and referees.

The ownership of the training center, including its sports facilities and amenities is vested on the PSC leadership, with its chairman becoming the chairperson of the Board and the Secretary of the De-

partment of Public Works and Highways as co-chairperson.

Other members of the Board are the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Sports and the House Committee on Youth and Sports, Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management and president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and head of the Clark Development Corporation.

The PSC chairman has the sole authority to name an Executive Director, who in turn will direct and supervise the day-to-day operation of the training center.

Air Force paddlers win Cobra tilt

Members of the Philippine Air Force squad that emerged as the overall champions of the 2016 Cobra Energy Drink-PDBF Cobra Regatta last weekend pose with their medals and trophies together with PDBF president Marcia Cristobal (left).

IN an awesome show of strength and stamina, Philippine Air Force dominated the third and fourth legs last Sunday in a marathon conclusion to the Cobra Energy Drink-PDBF Dragon Boat Regatta at the Manila Bay overlooking the Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard.

Racing under ideal conditions, the Air Force paddlers swept the 300-meter Open, Women’s, and Mixed Standard events of both legs of the competition sponsored by the country’s leading energy drink, beginning early in the morning and finishing near sunset.

They capped their campaign in grand style and with plenty to spare, leading from start to finish in topping the Open division of the fourth leg with a time of one minute

and 11.39 seconds of the series organized by the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation.

Philippine Coast Guard was relegated to second place (1:13.50), while the Bruins placed third (1:15.39) in the 41st and last race of the day after 15 races were held in the morning in a carryover of the third leg, which was cut short due to the turbulent Manila Bay waters then.

The Air Force bets had a tougher time in fourth leg’s 300-meter Women’s finale, rallying in the last 50 meters to surge past pacesetting Triton A to win by a whisker in 1:33.80 against the latter’s 1:34.34. Coast Guard finished third (1:41.61).

They also picked up the Mixed-Standard plum, ruling the race 1:14.60 by a half-boat length over

second-place Coast Guard (1:15.82) while Rowers Club of the Philippines wound up third (1:19.59) as the last leg of the Cobra regatta series drew another banner field of 41 teams.

“Our paddlers really worked a lot and were determined to win. They practiced every other day for this event,” bared Air Force First Lt. Mohammad Sali Abubakar, who thanked PAF chief, Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina, for fully supporting the squad.

Due to their overpowering form in both legs and as icing on the cake, the Air Force team romped off with overall honors in the Men’s and Women’s division with 690 and 540 points, respectively while taking second in the mixed standard category with 550 points.

Orlando-Fall NABC 2016

I DEDICATE this column to Our Blessed Mother Mary, whose Feast is the Immaculate of Concepcion today, December 8, 2016.

The Fall NABC (North American Bridge Championships) will be held in Orlando Florida, US) from November 24 to December 4, 2016.

The main event is the Reisinger Memorial Trophy, so called in 1966 in memory of the bridge philanthropist Curt H. Reisinger (1891-1964, breweries owner).

The format of the tourney is a knock-out Teams played in the Board A Match (BAM) scoring. The BAM is the simplest way to compare a result in a team of four match: any board is worth one point, and the best result wins it; a flat board wins half a point to each team.

-oOoI continue to feature from the re-

But Memphis power forward Zach Randolph tied the game at 91-91 with a put-back basket with 1:25 remaining.

Gasol made two free throws and Tony Allen made one as the Grizzlies took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

It was a rewarding return for Randolph, who had missed seven games after the death of his mother on November 25.

“It’s important to get back to working,” Randolph said. “This is what my mother would want me to do. Don’t sit around and be sad.

Go back to work.” AFP

port “The 2015 Trial Semifinals, II

by Mark Feldman Board 22 featured a freakish shape: South dealer North-South vulnerable North ♠♥K63 ♦AKQ96 ♣AK975 West East ♠AQ98542 ♠J ♥A8752 ♥J94 ♦8 ♦J54 ♣♣QJ10863 South ♠K10763 ♥Q10 ♦10732 ♣42 Diamond vs. Gordon Room 1 South West North East

Rajadhyaksha Platnick Gordon Diamond

Pass 1♠ Double 1NT* Pass 3♠ 4♦ Pass 5♦ Double (All Pass) Room 2 South West North East

Lall Pass 3♦ 5♦

Dwyer 1♠ 3♥ Pass

Bathurst 2NT Double Pass

Pszcola Pass Pass Pass

Fireman vs. Cayne Room 3 South West North East Grue Hurd Check Wooldridge Pass 1♠ Double 1NT* Pass 3♠ Double (All Pass) Room 4 South West North East Fireman Seamon Wolpert Cayne Pass 1♠ 2NT Pass 3♦ 4♥ 5♦ (All Pass) In Room 3, the penalty was 300.

In Room 1, Gordon the other doubler of one spade, was lucky to catch four card support for diamonds.

However, when East led the spade jack, success required a good guess in the play: Declarer needed to draw exactly one round of trumps, then to finesse dummy’s (South’s) heart ten.

When instead he immediately led to the heart queen, the contract was down one; minus 200.

I consider the unusual notrump chosen in Rooms 2 and 4 the pref-

erable action, as it retains the possibility of bidding a descriptive three hearts over partner’s three of a minor. In both rooms, declarer in five diamonds received the helpful defense of the heart ace and a heart continuation. Lall carefully played a club at trick three, making the contract easily when Dwyer ruffed-but declarer probably would have succeeded regardless; 13 imps to DIAMOND. In contrast, despite the strong indications that Seamon was at least seven-five in the majors, Fireman erred by immediately drawing two rounds of trumps; after which he could not recover, thus losing 9 imps instead of winning7.

The results on Board 25 hinged mainly on the actions taken with this hand (vulnerable against not): ♠J954 ♥AKQ108 ♦1062 ♣4 Undeterred by the vulnerability and only moderate offense values, Fireman and Lall overcalled a one-spade opening with two hearts. As would happen frequently, they were too highbut nothing terrible occurred

(also a common occurrence): After a negative double and a two-spade rebid, they ended minus 110. Grue cautiously passed over one spade but reopened a passed-around one-notrump response with two hearts. This was doubled and was headed for minus 500, but a defensive lapse by Hurd allowed declarer to escape for minus 200 and a loss of only 3 imps (against the 110 at the other table).

At the fourth table, Diamond opened and alleged 14-16-HCP one notrump with: ♠AQ873 ♥J3 ♦K74 ♣K105 The attraction of this instead of one spade, with a decent five-card suit, a weak doubleton, and a nothing-special 13-count escapes me. Rajadhyaksha overcalled two clubs, showing majors, and Platnick, perhaps expecting a stronger opening hand, drove to a poor (though not hopeless) game: down one; 4 imps to GORDON. Comments dro@yahoo

to:

sylvia.alejan-

FEU-NRMF-Gerry’s Grill crowned itself as the 2016 MBL Open (Second Conference) basketball champion.

FEU-NRMF finished off Emilio Aguinaldo College with several long scoring splurges to hammer out a convincing 10383 win and capture the title before a big afternoon crowd at the EAC Sports Center in Ermita, Manila.

Christian Manalo and Fil-Canadian sensation Clay Crellin led the scoring parade for FEU-NRMF, which brought home its first-ever MBL title in its first year of participation.

Manalo topscored with 22 points, while Crellin, who was named as Most Valuable Player, added 19 points to power FEUNRMF to the championship in the tournament supported by Smart Sports, Ironcon Builders, Star Bread, Dickies Underwear and Gerry’s Grill.

FEU-NRMF manager Nino Reyes and coaches Pido Jarencio, Bonnie Tan and Beaujing Acot received the championship trophy from former PBA coach Arturo Valenzona adter the game.

“Thank God we’re the MBL champions now. The players really worked hard for it,” said Reyes.

Ex-PBA star Jerwin Gaco also shone brightest for the Fairview, Quezon Citybased team with 15 points, taking his younger EAC defenders to school with his veteran moves in and around the shaded area.

Gaco, easily one of the crowd favorites, scored 10 points in the third and fourth periods to help FEU-NRMF frustrate repeated rallies by EAC. Also providing a strong presence in the shaded area were imports Bright Akhuetie and Moustapha Arafat, who added 17 and nine points, respectively.

Akhuetie, one of the most-sought after collegiate players from Nigeria, and Arafat used their tremendous height advantage to scare away the Generals and force them to make low-percentage shots.

SBC chess king in Bataan meet BALANGA CITY, Bataan—San Beda College emerged champion in the 1st Bataan Peninsula State University nter Collegiate Team Chess Championship, participated in by top universities in the country at the BPSU Main Campus Library recently.

Sixteen chess teams (men and women) representing schools De La Salle University, University of Sto. Tomas, Lyceum of the Philippines University, National University, University of the East, Holy Angel University, San Beda College, and BPSU joined the two-day, 6-round Swiss System chess tournament.

Seven chess masters also joined the competition including International Master Paulo Bersamina (NU), FIDE Master Austin Jacob Letiratus (NU), FIDE Master Mari Joseph Turqueza (San Beda), National Master Allan John Datu (San Beda), National Master Marc Christian Nazario (San Beda), Woman FIDE Master Cherry Ann Mejia (DLSU), and National Master Giovanni Mejia (DLSU).

San Beda took home the top prize of P25,000.

Second place was National University, and third, Lyceum of the Philippines University.

In his welcome remark, BPSU President Greg Rodis said the tournament is a way of the university of promoting chess in the region.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

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

A8

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

Sports

Alaska lists its 1st win

By Jeric Lopez

La Salle’s Jeron Teng raises his MVP award as his teammates and head Coach Aldin Ayo celebrate behind him after the Archers ruled Season 79 of the UAAP at the expense of Ateneo at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Ey Acasio

Teng saves best for last, th lifts La Salle to 9 crown

By Peter Atencio

J

ERON Teng ended his season and collegiate career with a bang.

His big show had the La Salle Green Archers returning as champions last night in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

Teng hit a career-high 28 points for the second time this season and added three rebounds to earn the Finals’ MVP honors as he led the Green Ar-

chers to a 79-72 subduing of the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 6’2” Teng, who made good his promise to help his

team win its ninth championship overall, struck hardest in the first half as the Green Archers went on the attack right away.

They nursed an early 10-7 advantage in the final six minutes of the first period and with Teng hitting 10 points in the first 10 minutes, the Green Archers had little trouble moving away, 22-16, at the end of the period.

“I was not thinking about it (the championship). I just wanted to win the championship.

Alam kong mahirap. Parating

pressure. Magagaling ang mga coaches. Iba-ibang challenges ‘yung pinapasok sa game. Kaya hindi na ako nag-iisip kung ano ang maa-accomplish. I just want to win the championship. That’s all,” said coach Aldin Ayo after he led La Salle to a two-game sweep of its best-of-three series against Ateneo.

Ayo also coached the Letran Knights to an NCAA crown last season at the expense of the San Beda Red Lions.

Having made only 10 points when they took Game 1 with a 67-65 victory in the start of their

Centro Escolar shoots for championship today

Bulldogs looking for new coach THE search for the new head coach of the National University Bulldogs men’s basketball team is on.

Athletic director Chito Loyzaga said this after coach Eric Altamirano’s courtesy resignation with the Bulldogs was finally accepted by management.

“We are now inviting interested parties who may want to apply for the position,” said Loyzaga.

Altamirano tendered his resignation after six seasons two weeks ago.

He quit the team while plans were being finalized to have the NU Bulldogs go into a rebuilding mode after their campaign in Season 79 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament was over.

The Bulldogs won the crown for the first time after 60 years under Altamirano’s watch.

“NU got it after 60 years.

Memorable for the NU community. And we’re thankful,” said Loyzaga.

Disappointments over the result of their campaign in the ongoing season kept them from pursuing plans for next year.

NU ended its campaign this season with 53-77 loss to the Adamson Falcons for a fifthplace finish and a 5-9 record.

Peter Atencio

best-of-three finals series, Teng led La Salle’s offense in the second period.

He unloaded nine points in the second frame and La Salle went on to grab a 33-23 lead in the last 5:08 of the first half.

Ben Mbala, the season MVP, dominated the paint with 18 points and 10 boards.

“I congratulate La Salle. It was a tremendous effort for them.

They did what it took to win and we didn’t make it easy for them.

And that’s credit to our team and credit to them,” said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin.

NOW with a complete lineup in tow, Alaska showed everyone that it is back in full strength.

The Aces finally listed their first victory of the season, coming from behind in the last few minutes and taking a hard-fought 95-84 victory over erstwhile leagueleading GlobalPort in the 2016-17 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night.

In his first game of the season after missing his team’s first two due to an injury, Calvin Abueva went right back to work with a vengeance, leading his team to triumph with a solid game with a double-double of 22 points and 11 boards to lead the Aces’ charge.

Alaska improved to 1-2 to move up the ladder, while GlobalPort fell to 2-1, still good for a first-place tie with a couple of teams, after tasting its first setback.

The Aces trailed for most of the last three periods, but gathered itself to produce the most important surge of the game, a decisive 26-6 kick to end the game emphatically.

GlobalPort had no answer to the storm that Alaska brought in crunch time.

“The press got us back in the game down the stretch.

We were able to take better shots as well and those things helped us take this win,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

Alaska was still down 69-78 halfway the fourth, but it suddenly stepped its foot on the gas pedal when it mattered to pull off that tremendous rally and finish off GlobalPort.

Jvee Casio added 15 points and five rebounds for the Aces.

Alaska actually had a nice jumpstart, taking a doubledigit lead, 12-2, right away off the gates after the first four minutes of the game but GlobalPort immediately crawled its way back, pulling within just one, 20-21, at the end of the first period to make the game competitive just as expected.

The Batang Pier then took the driver’s seat and held a 4035 lead at the half and led until the Aces took charge in the game’s last six minutes.

Terrence Romeo came off the bench to lead all scorers with 26 points, four assists and four steals.

GOLF CHAMP. Roland Jumawan, award-winning photographer and Manila Standard

photo correspondent from Davao City, receives his trophy from Regional Director Police Chief Superintendent Manuel Baerlan for winning the Net Champion Class C in the 1st RD PRO 11 Golf Tournament at the Matina Davao City Golf Club. Ian Vasquez

port from Jason Opiso and OrCENTRO Escolar UniverGames Today lan Wamar, who had 11 marksity has no intention of givSports Center, Paranaque City) ers apiece, as the Scorpions ing Olivarez College a lifeline (Olivarez 12 noon – TIP vs CDSL (Battle for 3rd) turned a tight first half into a as it shoots for the inaugural 2 p.m. – Olivarez vs CEU (Game 2) lopsided victory.

Universities and Colleges The result also allowed CEU to avenge its only Basketball League crown today in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals at the Olivarez College defeat of the UCBL campaign – a 65-63 setback at the close of the double-round eliminations.

Sports Center in Paranaque City.

That is why Garcia doesn’t see a quick path for The Scorpions moved a win shy of capturing the title following a relatively easy 66-41 win in the Scorpions to the championship, as the Sea Lions the series opener last Monday, but coach Yong have proved themselves to be tough customers.

Benefiting from the stunning victory over Garcia expects a more-determined Sea Lions in CEU in the elims, Olivarez advanced to the the match set at 2 p.m.

Technological Institute of the Philippines championship round by erasing the twice-toand Colegio de San Lorenzo, which lost to the beat advantage of TIP in the semis.

In Game 1, Olivarez was within reach of two finalists during their respective final four meetings, dispute third place in a one-game CEU for most of the first half, until the Scorpions unleashed their might to pull off the win battle slated at 12 noon.

Center Rod Ebondo led the charge with 14 points pulling away.

Olivarez, coached by Michael Saguiguit, and 17 rebounds, more than one-fourth of CEU’s prowill bank on Albert Rabe in hopes of forcing a duction (53) on the glass to beat Olivarez.

The 6’5” Ebondo also got the needed sup- deciding third game on Saturday.

Petron, Foton start title duel RIVALS Petron and Foton kick off their best-of-three finals showdown today for the Asics Philippine Superliga presented by PLDT Home Ultera at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

A huge weekday crowd is expected to show up in their 7 p.m. battle as both the TriActiv Spikers and the Tornadoes vowed to go all out to win Game 1 of this prestigious club tourney bankrolled by Senoh, Mikasa, Mueller and Grand Sport with TV5 as official broadcast partner.

Prior to that, F2 Logistics and RC Cola-Army tangle at 5 p.m. in an equally-important match, where the bronze medal

Games Today (FilOil Flying V Center) 5 p.m. – RC Cola-Army vs F2 Logistics 7 p.m. – Petron vs Foton

in this tourney that also has Focus Athletics, KLab Cyscorpions, Foton, Petron and F2 Logistics as sponsors is at stake.

Action will be shown live over at AksyonTV and Hyper and will be livestreamed in Sports5.ph.

Foton, which knocked the crown off Petron’s head in an emotional finals battle last year, breezed through the preliminaries with 9-1 card, before pulling off a heart-stopping 23-25, 23-25, 2522, 25-15, 15-7 come-from-be-

hind victory over RC Cola-Army in the semifinals at the Ibalong Centrum for Recreation in Legazpi City over the weekend.

The Tornadoes also prevailed over the Tri-Activ Spikers twice in the preliminaries, giving them the momentum and a slight advantage in what looms to be a tough battle two of the best club teams in the country today.

“We’d like to maintain just a little bit of groundedness, confident but not cocky,” said import Lindsay Stalzer, who is looking to steer the Tornadoes anew in the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship in Kazakhstan next year.

Southwoods nears golf plum BAGUIO CITY—Lanz Uy started his quest wearing his new Manila Southwoods jersey as he scored a two under 67 for 38 points at John Hay to power the team an even par 144 tally for 294 two day aggregate that simply blew the field away in the Am Championship of the 67th Fil-Am Golf Tournament presented by San Miguel.

Uy, a member of last year’s San Miguel that slipped past Southwoods for the title, made four birdies against two bogeys to pace the team. The Carmona, Cavite based team got a pair of 36 from Liam Cully and the 14year old Joo Hyung Kim as the rampaging Southwoods Am team blended youth and age to perfection that saw them lead the field by 65 points only halfway into the tournament.

Junjun Plana, who 30 years or so ago was a child talent, chipped in 34 points in the five to play, four to count tournament. South-

woods’ fifth man, Jose Emmanuel Sajulga, got a “low” 31 after opening with the tournament best of three under for 39 points.

Southwoods opened with a 36 shot lead after firing a combined six under for 150 on first day jumpstarting what could be the dominating bid in the annual competitions.

Not since Tony Lascuna and Richard Sinfuego in 1994 has the Fil-Am seen a team so dominating as the two led Canlubang to its seventh and last title with a 14 under total or a 590.

Gary Sales shot 33 points to give Batangas Barakos a 115 for 229 points to wrest second spot and six up on Mizuno Ecoverde which made 116 and 223. Another two shot down is Razon of Guagua after a 109 and 221.

Forest Hills was penalized by two anew for a 105 and 216 as the team slipped to sixth spot from third. Dexter A. See

Duterte returning four agencies to DA control B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

B1

Industry group cuts export target

By Othel V. Campos

A

GROUP of exporters reduced its mediumterm target on slower global demand, fluctuation of the peso against other currencies and negative trade performance over the past 17 months.

The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. said the annual export target of $100 billion would now likely be achieved by 2020, instead of 2017. It made the announcement following the two-day 2016 National Exporters Congress held in Manila on Dec. 7 and 8.

“Although, the weakened

peso has not so much to do with the forecast, it should be pushing exports to buffer the spate of negative performances in the last 17 months. But our peso is moving in parity with the other currencies that also suffered similar fate compared to the US dollar,” said PhilExport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis.

The revised Philippine Export Development Plan projected that exports would increase by 0 to 3 percent this year, after contracting 0.66 percent in 2015.

PhilExport said if exports managed to grow 3 percent to 5 percent in 2017, the $100-billion target could still be achieved by 2018.

“It is a fighting target. But we certainly hope that the target will be achieved earlier than 2020.

Before the target was $120 billion but that was downgraded to $100 billion for some legitimate reason,” Ortiz-Luis said.

Data showed the growth of the export industry strongly relied on the growth of services which grew 10.57 percent in 2015.

Merchandise exports posted anemic growth over the past couple of years.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed merchandise exports tumbled 6.2 percent in the first nine months to $41.7 billion from $44.5 billion a year ago.

The export development plan expects services exports to grow 9 percent in 2016 and 8 percent in 2017. Services exports include tourism and business process outsourcing.

“However, the services sector may soon reach its peak. It will start to plateau in the next few years because of its very high base of its main contributor, the

IT-BPM sector,” said Bureau of Export Trade Promotions Senen Perlada.

Export growth has been services-driven in the past eight to nine years, due to the phenomenal growth of the information technology-business process management sector. IT- BPM comprised about 80 to 85 percent of the services exports.

Meanwhile, merchandise exports contracted 5.27 percent in 2015 and are projected to post zero growth in 2016 and about 3 percent growth in 2017, based on the revised PEDP. Employment is also expected to increase by a225,000 heads in 2016 and 600,000 by 2017.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing December 7, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

6,866.81 60.67

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

43.00 45.40 46.60

P49.750

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.630 LOW P49.760 AVERAGE P49.700 VOLUME 334.400M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

SM TAPS FARMERS. SM Markets, in support of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol’s initiative to uplift the local farming industry, takes the first step by directly sourcing onions from the farmers of Nueva Ecija. The initial order of onions, amounting to 20 metric tons, is set to be available on the shelves of select SM Supermarket, Savemore Market and SM Hypermarket branches on Dec. 9, 2016. Shown are (from left) Local Onion Growers for National Economy & Trade chairman Israel Reguyal and secretary Joy Dela Rosa, SM Markets consultant for external affairs Pong Ejercito and SM Supermarket president Joey Mendoza.

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, December 7, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.6100

Japan

Yen

0.008772

0.4352

UK

Pound

1.267600

62.8856

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128939

6.3967

Switzerland

Franc

0.990197

49.1237

Canada

Dollar

0.753012

37.3569

Singapore

Dollar

0.704176

34.9342

Australia

Dollar

0.745500

36.9843

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

131.5915

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266702

13.2311

Brunei

Dollar

0.701705

34.8116

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028079

1.3930

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5082

Euro

Euro

1.072300

53.1968

Korea

Won

0.000855

0.0424

China

Yuan

0.145307

7.2087

India

Rupee

0.014764

0.7324

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225581

11.1911

New Zealand

Dollar

0.711300

35.2876

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031308

1.5532 Source: PDS Bridge

Pryce sells P122-m shares to investor THE board of Pryce Corp. approved the sale of 24.5 million shares to an institutional investor for P122.5 million.

“The board of directors approved today the placing and subscription transaction whereby Josefina MultiVentures Corp. will sell 24,500,000 PPC shares to an institutional buyer through an investment banker,” Pryce said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Josefina Multi-Ventures is the majority shareholder of the company, which sells liquefied petroleum gas.

Pryce said the subscription price for the shares was P5 per share and would be paid in cash, pending the application for and the approval of the increase in its capital stock.

“The shareholder will thereafter subscribe to the same number of shares after the approval of an increase in the capital stock of the company,” it said.

Pryce said the transaction would allow for the stimulation of liquidity in the market and “will infuse fresh capital into the Company to fund its general working capital requirements.”

Sales of LPG, the group’s main product line, accounts for 90 percent of its revenues. Alena Mae S. Flores

Qatar Airways launches campaign

Closing DECEMBER 7, 2016

47.80

IN BRIEF

Weaker peso pushes up electricity rate

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER rates within the franchise area of Manila Electric Co. increased by P0.1011 per kilowatt-hour in December, on higher generation charges and weaker peso.

Meralco said in a statement this brought the power rate for a typical household to P8.36 per kWh this month, translating into an increase of P20 in the electricity bill of a household with monthly consumption of 200 kWh.

The slight increase followed four straight months of reduction totaling P0.35 per kWh, it said.

“The increase this month is mainly due to the upward movement in the generation charge.

This month’s overall rate is still lower by P0.25 per kWh compared to December 2015’s P8.61 per kWh,” the company said.

Meralco said the generation charge rose P0.0915 per kWh to P3.9351 per kWh this month from P3.8436 per kWh in November.

“The increase resulted mainly from a significant weakening of the peso against the US dollar.

From a level of P46.580/US dollar in August, the peso depreciated to P48.405/US$ in October, and further to P49.73/US dollar in November,” the company said.

Meralco said the peso depreciation affected the cost of power from the independent power producers, whose billings were around 96 percent dollardenominated, thus increasing by P0.2615 per kWh.

Meralco said generation charges also increased due to lower dispatch with the scheduled maintenance of Sta. Rita Module 30 during the whole supply month of November.

Meralco sourced 36.4 percent of its requirements from the IPPs at 36.4 percent.

Cost of power sourced from plants under Meralco’s power supply agreements also increased P0.2214 per kWh mainly because of higher fuel cost and the weakening of the peso against US dollar.

PSE allows companies to trade dollar securities

By Jenniffer B. Austria

CONSERVATION PARK. Energy Development Corp. and subsidiary First Gen Hydro Power Corp. team

up with the Central Luzon State University to establish a conservation park featuring threatened Philippine native tree species within the government-owned school campus in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Shown signing the agreement are (from left, seated) Maria Christine Mapanao, FG Hydro community relations coordinator; Tereso Abella, CLSU president; Ricky Carandang, EDC vice president; and Dr. Annie Paz-Alberto, director of CLSU’s Institute for Climate Change and Environmental Management.

THE Philippine Stock Exchange said Wednesday it released the approved rules on dollar-denominated securities which aim to provide the framework and guidelines for the listing, trading and clearing and settlement of securities that will be issued in dollar denomination.

“With the newly-approved DDS rules duly signed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, our goal is to provide a new investment product that both our issuers and investors can leverage on to address their expanding requirements. We are grateful for the collective support of the SEC, the BSP and all the stakeholders in helping develop these rules, ” PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat said.

Under the approved DDS rules, listed companies will be allowed to issue a new set of securities, either common or preferred shares, which are quoted,

traded and settled in US dollars.

PSE said this would provide listed companies the venue to raise new capital in US dollars to meet their dollar needs. It also gives investors with dollar holdings an investment vehicle that could provide viable returns.

While the SEC has approved the DDS rules, its implementation will be rolled out once the necessary infrastructure for the listing, trading and clearing and settlement are put in place.

To facilitate this, PSE scheduled this December seminars and information awareness campaign for trading participants and other stakeholders.

“We shall be working on preparing the market and infrastructure over the next four to six weeks to ensure the smooth and successful introduction of DDS. Being a new product, it is important for the PSE that all stakeholders are properly informed of the dynamics of DDS,” Sicat said.

QATAR Airways launched its first ‘travel together, save together’ campaign, giving up to 40 percent off available fares across the airline’s award-winning business and economy cabins.

Travelers flying in groups of three to nine can take advantage of a number of amazing deals, to some of the world’s most popular travel destinations, when booking between Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, or for travel until June 15.

Travelers can enjoy double Qmiles on flight purchases.

“The travel together, save together promotion is the true embodiment of the Qatar Airways brand. We are committed to going places together and creating memories with the guests who choose to fly with us,” said Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, chief commercial officer of Qatar Airways.

The promotion is eligible across all classes of travel, with group bookings available on Qatar Airways’ world’s best business class as voted by Skytrax 2016, or in Qatar Airways’ industry leading economy class.

PTT set to invest P5b in 5 years PTT Philippines Corp., a unit of PTT Public Co. Ltd. of Thailand, plans to invest P5 billion to expand its retail network over the next five years, officials said Wednesday.

PTT Philippines aims to end the year with 112 stations nationwide and plans to add 188 stations under the five-year investment plan.

The company previously set capital expenditures of P3 billion over a five-year period to bring its retail stations to 300, but decided to increase it to P5 billion to include the refurbishing of existing stations.

The company is also infusing capital to put up Cafe Amazon, the company’s brand of coffee chain that first became popular in Thailand.

“We are spending it for retail expansion and businesses like Cafe Amazon,” PTT Philippines president and chief executive Sukanya Seriyothin said.

The company expects an 11-percent average volume increase annually over the fiveyear period.

PTT Philippines is also eyeing investment opportunities in Mindanao. The company’s retail stations are mostly located in Luzon and a few in the Visayas.

The company opened this year its biggest station in the Philippines―the two-hectare PTT SCTEx in Concepcion, Tarlac. Alena Mae S. Flores

B2

Business

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; Arthaland, DD climb Del Monte’s profit S drops 58% to $21m tocks rose for a second day, after another record close on Wall Street but dealers were cautious after the recent Donald Trump-fueled rally.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, picked up 60 points, or 0.9 percent, to close at 6,866.81 Wednesday.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also gained 36 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 4,153.06, on a value turnover of P5 billion. Losers edged advancers, 89 to 88, while 47 issues were unchanged.

Fifteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by property developer Arthaland Corp. which soared 48.5 percent to P0.49 and DoubleDragon Properties Corp. which climbed

look like.

“Right about now investment committees all over the investing universe have been sitting down trying to work out exactly what Trumponomics means for not only the nations of Asia and other emerging markets but also assets classes they invest in,” Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader, said.

Recent comments from the tycoon suggest he will push on with many campaign pledges, and McKenna said: “For Asia that means more pressure in 2017 and more money flowing from regional markets back toward the US.” The last big new event of the year comes up next week when the Federal Reserve holds its next policy meeting.

8.2 percent to P38.95. Arthaland raised P2 billion from the issuance of preferred shares to support expansion.

GT Capital Holdings Inc., the investment company of tycoon George Ty, advanced 4.1 percent to P1,247, while conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. added 4 percent to close at P74.90.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets also traded higher Wednesday. After the surge in recent weeks, trading floors have quietened leading up to the yearend as investors try to gauge what a Trump presidency will

While it is widely tipped to lift interest rates, its statement will be pored over for clues about future policy in light of an expected surge in government spending by Trump which would likely fan inflation.

Traders are also keeping an eye on a European Central Bank meeting Thursday, when analysts say they expect it to extend a stimulus programme beyond its planned March finish, providing further buying support.

In early trade, Hong Kong was up 0.2 percent while Tokyo went into the break 0.4 percent higher although Shanghai fell 0.3 percent.

Seoul and Singapore each added 0.1 percent while there were also mild gains in Taipei and Kuala Lumpur.

With Bloomberg, AFP

By Jenniffer B. Austria DEL MONTE Pacific Limited said Wednesday net income in the second quarter of its fiscal year dropped 57.8 percent to $21.02 million from $47.75 million recorded in the same period last year, on lower US sales.

Del Monte said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the group achieved sales of $636.2 million in August to October, down 4.6 percent from a year ago, as the strong performance in the Philippines under the Del Monte brand and the rest of Asia under the

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 47.95 13,900 91.45 432,480 114.8 1,900,360 1.47 2,000 37.95 2,400 16.5 600 18.98 81,400 6.65 1,700 1.76 8,000 740 50 0.66 8,084,000 74.95 1,649,790 0.78 350,000 14.26 31,200 21.8 4,500 55.5 13,790 258 540 130 10 35.2 389,200 188.7 661,320 1,725 50 74.45 89,500 1.29 4,000

664,450 39,518,667.50 215,908,778 3,000 91,355 9,760 1,541,616 11,305 14,040 36,710 5,303,830 123,185,810 266,940 444,890 98,100 765,243.50 138,280 1,300 13,697,465 123,794,334 86,250 6,655,287 5,160

201,590 10,652,881.50 81,900,062 -3,795 45,696 -1,230,240 -8,249,242 260,836.50 -6,957,690 10,355,229 -1,731,275.50 -

42.2 4.02 0.88 1.3 21 0.196 85.35 11.22 16.86 135.2 22.85 20 57.5 90.05 1.85 7.21 11.92 11.02 5.93 7.19 5.05 1.76 21.9 67.75 12.4 15.8 6.06 1.7 208 76.6 3.65 29.7 26.15 14.38 257.2 0.25 4.68 3.3 9.39 3.1 2.05 5.55 1.32 67.35 4.95 230 4.53 2.8 4.3 0.142 1.48 168.2 4.56 1.62

INDUSTRIAL 42.95 769,900 4.11 1,477,000 0.9 265,000 1.32 806,000 23.05 83,700 0.2 300,000 89 240 11.3 13,169,500 16.98 199,400 154.9 130 23.4 319,200 20.05 3,200 57.5 102,390 90.05 110 1.88 106,000 7.22 111,200 12.14 189,000 11.1 3,460,200 5.97 508,900 7.23 2,259,800 5.2 12,319,500 1.76 1,000 21.9 289,800 67.95 175,260 12.6 10,500 15.8 294,100 6.07 117,300 1.73 292,000 210 524,850 83.5 200 3.65 11,000 29.8 400,200 26.7 273,200 14.4 2,314,500 257.6 95,130 0.25 420,000 4.98 37,000 3.32 106,000 9.39 2,267,400 3.1 1,000 2.08 255,000 5.55 2,181,100 1.32 147,000 67.5 710,260 5.06 25,137,000 230.2 4,130 4.55 4,258,000 2.8 72,000 4.3 3,000 0.142 1,350,000 1.48 138,000 168.7 3,654,290 4.56 94,000 1.64 2,511,000

33,080,420 6,041,100 233,600 1,059,330 1,909,010 59,200 20,773.50 148,625,234 3,398,594 19,766 7,442,115 64,280 5,938,205 10,221.50 197,960 806,500 2,303,650 38,242,850 3,047,405 16,297,660 63,853,570 1,760 6,382,775 11,882,953 130,474 4,646,780 714,179 500,230 109,925,142 16,350 40,380 11,932,975 7,287,040 33,322,892 24,576,936 105,100 175,555 351,080 21,376,014 3,100 529,840 12,112,777 195,320 47,948,339.50 125,704,310 950,522 19,332,470 201,970 12,900 191,750 204,690 616,505,158 431,060 4,153,640

-5,449,670 1,073,690.00 38,420 3,023,366 1,296,984.00 -693,000 -41,925 1,829,974 -4,178,726.00 -2,093,257 -13,324,756 30,979,449 806,515 4,796,930 -3,093,640 -61,000 393,300 -46,861,596 -4,957,110 -6,587,550 -8,319,598 -3,913,322 89,340 -12,598,976 233,070 -35,880 42,208,707 122,653,450 -306,080 1,130,370 -52,327,438 -719,360

0.485 74.9 13.06 1.18 5.95 0.305 0.31 724 8.37 13.3 8.2 0.181 1,247 70 5.02 1.39 7.75 13.12 6.45 0.039 1.91 87 649.5 0.85 1.17 239 0.305 0.255

0.43 72 12.88 1.18 5.9 0.3 0.305 705 8.33 13.06 8.18 0.18 1,182 68.2 4.95 1.28 7.5 12.9 6.27 0.038 1.9 85.6 630 0.83 1.16 237.6 0.295 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.47 81,540,000 74.9 1,504,280 13 931,800 1.18 2,000 5.95 19,800 0.305 560,000 0.305 20,000 705 450,020 8.35 752,200 13.22 10,478,500 8.2 135,700 0.18 340,000 1,247 153,860 68.95 1,633,430 4.95 2,208,300 1.38 21,126,000 7.75 1,560,900 12.9 5,065,100 6.34 17,501,900 0.038 18,100,000 1.9 97,000 87 551,590 645 176,190 0.83 58,000 1.16 200,000 239 5,860 0.305 100,000 0.255 50,000

37,654,150 111,366,747 12,080,874 2,360 117,310 170,700 6,150 318,176,135 6,280,854 138,492,906 1,112,660 61,270 187,844,330 112,159,326.50 10,933,060 28,017,710 11,984,083 65,620,230 110,957,417 688,400 184,350 47,677,773 113,226,480 48,220 232,150 1,400,422 30,000 12,750

-83,700 37,936,007 -5,158,128 -68,496,085 1,085,363 13,135,258 9,816 80,005,830 -23,342,132.50 -21,600 -5,118,817 7,283,802 -46,836,239 6,920,917.50 1,799,195 121,912 -7,650

7 1.09 2.17 0.495 32.9 2.91 0.55 1.08 1.38 0.155 0.58 38.95 0.7 1.72 0.95 1.28 3.64 0.143 0.255

6.9 1.06 2.11 0.335 32.45 2.83 0.53 1.05 1.23 0.151 0.54 32.5 0.69 1.68 0.94 1.17 3.59 0.138 0.25

11,457,770 568,280 449,630 76,914,250 405,231,660 14,474,790 5,113,160 87,140 524,350 268,200 4,531,020 174,633,645 71,330 3,534,070 991,280 1,911,190 31,803,140 2,298,420 10,100

13,240 -3,994,500 51,368,300 -10,965,070 32,900 -263,910 -1,379,275 1,548,230 9,083,980 -69,500 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

47.7 89.9 113.1 1.53 38.1 16.22 19 6.65 1.75 730 0.67 75 0.77 14.26 21.8 55.5 256 130 35.2 185.2 1,725 73.5 1.29

47.95 92.25 114.8 1.53 38.1 16.5 19.14 6.65 1.76 740 0.67 75 0.78 14.26 21.8 55.5 258 130 35.35 188.7 1,725 74.45 1.29

47.7 89.9 112 1.47 37.95 16.22 18.88 6.65 1.75 730 0.65 74.5 0.76 14.24 21.8 54.4 256 130 35.1 184 1,725 73.5 1.29

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 MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O 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

42.2 4.16 0.89 1.3 21.5 0.196 86.5 11.24 16.9 135.2 23.45 20 58 94 1.88 7.37 11.92 11.04 6 7.25 5.05 1.76 22.1 67.8 12.58 15.8 6.12 1.76 209.2 76.6 3.69 29.8 26.8 14.4 258 0.255 5.05 3.3 9.67 3.1 2.06 5.75 1.33 67.65 5 230 4.55 2.88 4.3 0.142 1.49 169 4.56 1.67

43.2 4.23 0.9 1.33 24 0.2 89 11.32 17.3 154.9 23.45 20.5 58 94 1.89 7.37 12.2 11.1 6.1 7.25 5.21 1.76 22.35 67.95 12.6 15.8 6.15 1.76 211 83.5 3.7 29.9 26.8 14.5 261 0.255 5.05 3.32 9.67 3.1 2.09 5.78 1.35 67.65 5.08 234.2 4.56 2.88 4.3 0.143 1.49 169.5 4.6 1.69

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

0.435 72 12.96 1.18 5.9 0.305 0.31 710 8.35 13.06 8.2 0.181 1,195 70 5.02 1.3 7.6 12.9 6.45 0.038 1.9 85.65 634 0.85 1.17 238.6 0.295 0.255

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

6.9 1.08 2.11 0.335 32.6 2.84 0.54 1.05 1.34 0.154 0.57 36.15 0.69 1.68 0.95 1.18 3.59 0.143 0.255

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.4 3.15 31.1 26.7 1.51 3.2 27.25 1.17 0.93 4.98

0.415 3.17 31.1 27.15 1.53 3.23 27.4 1.17 0.93 4.99

0.4 3.12 31 26 1.5 3.2 26.7 1.12 0.9 4.92

0.415 3.14 31 27 1.5 3.21 27.3 1.14 0.92 4.99

130,000 58,000 3,000 1,004,500 240,000 56,000 3,564,900 25,042,000 70,000 938,000

53,500 181,570 93,130 26,973,610 360,220 179,500 96,583,855 28,513,620 64,100 4,668,390

2,888,600 -229,580 41,279,380 429,300.00 -1,582,520

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 INTL CONTAINER IP EGAME IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES MACROASIA MELCO CROWN METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT

7.43 43.9 1.4 0.51 0.041 5 6.17 0.071 2.73 97.95 9.94 7.1 1,388 6.16 14.12 1.99 15.5 73 0.0098 11.2 9.1 0.182 1.37 13 5.18 2.05 4.15 3.59 20 2.49 11.18 5 3 14.02 1,294 1.18 0.42 38.7 72.7 5.44 2.56 0.97 3.35 0.335

7.6 44.2 1.4 0.52 0.041 5 6.3 0.071 2.79 98 9.94 7.1 1,400 6.16 14.9 2.02 15.8 73.5 0.0098 12.46 9.11 0.182 1.38 13 5.24 2.13 4.15 3.65 22.2 2.49 11.18 6.1 3.14 14.3 1,315 1.18 0.44 39 75 5.45 2.64 0.98 3.43 0.335

7.43 43.9 1.32 0.49 0.039 5 6.12 0.068 2.65 97.6 9.52 6.65 1,379 6.15 14.12 1.96 14.8 72 0.0098 11.14 9.05 0.177 1.33 12.82 5.12 2.05 4.06 3.57 19.4 2.36 11.18 5 2.76 13.88 1,290 1.17 0.42 38.5 72.7 5.31 2.56 0.89 3.34 0.33

SERVICES 7.5 44.2 1.37 0.5 0.04 5 6.2 0.069 2.69 97.8 9.52 7.09 1,395 6.15 14.9 1.96 15.8 72.7 0.0098 12.46 9.09 0.18 1.38 12.86 5.16 2.13 4.12 3.64 19.4 2.37 11.18 5.44 3.09 13.96 1,315 1.17 0.435 38.5 74 5.4 2.6 0.91 3.4 0.33

34,500 3,000 439,000 725,000 19,100,000 2,000 1,597,300 16,820,000 15,327,000 117,100 25,000 349,300 64,035 278,800 186,800 2,016,000 16,700 582,340 6,000,000 3,400 510,900 2,800,000 166,000 1,300 535,400 19,000 3,661,000 569,000 16,400 1,916,000 3,400 109,000 25,000 1,409,600 80,925 3,632,000 1,930,000 314,700 119,200 1,603,400 1,448,000 44,008,000 1,664,000 340,000

257,388 132,105 592,200 362,240 766,400 10,000 9,888,697 1,161,220 41,893,640 11,458,997 238,899 2,427,412 89,243,860 1,714,641 2,723,896 3,998,550 251,568 42,435,728.50 58,800 38,048 4,644,433 501,230 221,070 16,742 2,766,865 39,270 15,016,310 2,070,380 332,516 4,602,620 38,012 600,768 75,060 19,757,018 105,784,265 4,249,460 833,850 12,159,430 8,741,146 8,664,998 3,772,030 40,674,160 5,645,210 113,700

-145,000 96,000 -140,992 68,000 913,300 -741,612 1,088,624 -18,334,335 -12,149,337.50 770,533 1,472,110 -970,830 -170,130 -570 1,626,558 12,058,450 1,429,760 -2,157,335 -6,626,118.50 -21,176 -956,020 120,730 -1,076,700 -

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 PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM

0.0034 2.84 5.16 2.17 0.53 0.455 12.96 3.57 0.28 0.195 0.197 0.012 0.012 1.88 8.14 3.11 1.18 0.011 4.01 0.013 8.6 3.7 131.5 2.89

0.0034 2.9 5.18 2.24 0.56 0.485 14.54 3.57 0.28 0.195 0.197 0.012 0.012 1.93 8.14 3.13 1.28 0.012 4.06 0.013 8.6 3.71 131.6 2.89

0.0033 2.79 5 2.17 0.53 0.455 12.88 3.47 0.275 0.192 0.197 0.011 0.012 1.88 8 3.02 1.18 0.011 4 0.013 8.45 3.6 131 2.89

MINING & OIL 0.0034 75,000,000 2.8 270,000 5.12 1,994,500 2.24 2,000 0.56 530,000 0.46 3,240,000 14.52 1,861,700 3.55 3,466,000 0.275 540,000 0.192 3,590,000 0.197 200,000 0.012 249,800,000 0.012 1,500,000 1.92 434,000 8.05 1,067,500 3.03 323,000 1.27 2,071,000 0.011 48,300,000 4 30,000 0.013 20,000,000 8.6 654,000 3.62 1,172,000 131.3 519,000 2.89 10,000

254,500 757,190 10,033,865 4,410 290,590 1,516,950 25,657,316 12,206,370 148,550 690,730 39,400 2,877,600 18,000 833,760 8,582,915 988,990 2,575,870 555,300 120,900 260,000 5,605,696 4,238,300 68,180,766 28,900

34,000 2,900 -1,115,946 -60,390 4,025,140 -568,050 -2,939,114 121,140 772,557 -51,040 -16,300,132 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

43.6 545 545 103.7 104 121 538.5 5.91 1,021 1.06 1,036 80.7 77.6 79.5 77.6 77.8

44.95 545 545 104.1 104 122.5 538.5 5.93 1,021 1.06 1,036 80.7 77.6 79.5 78.1 78.2

43.6 545 545 103.7 103.4 121 538.5 5.91 1,021 1.06 1,036 80.5 77.6 79.5 77.55 75

PREFERRED 44.5 67,500 545 2,390 545 1,270 103.8 112,390 104 146,650 122.5 110 538.5 80 5.91 200,000 1,021 815 1.06 103,000 1,036 250 80.5 94,900 77.6 30,000 79.5 62,500 77.55 241,590 77.8 123,080

2,997,230 1,302,550 692,150 11,684,830 15,214,493 13,325 43,080 1,184,120 832,115 109,180 259,000 7,642,042 2,328,000 4,968,750 18,770,938 9,388,152

2,530,800 52,050 -1,184,120 -2,416,852 156,200 -

LR WARRANT

2.6

2.6

2.45

WARRANTS 2.47 355,000

874,810

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.7 3.43 2.8 9.77

2.7 3.44 2.8 9.77

2.5 3.31 2.8 9.47

2.55 3.33 2.8 9.6

2,212,290 242,910 117,600 7,213,355

185,140 16,750 -759,967

FIRST METRO ETF

112.9

113.3

112.9

747,339

33,930

MS

PROPERTY 6.99 1.07 2.15 0.49 32.8 2.84 0.55 1.08 1.38 0.151 0.55 38.95 0.7 1.72 0.94 1.23 3.62 0.138 0.25

1,660,500 529,000 209,000 171,650,000 12,359,700 5,075,000 9,333,000 82,000 395,000 1,750,000 8,122,000 4,853,800 102,000 2,071,000 1,054,000 1,578,000 8,791,000 16,550,000 40,000

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

14,336,665

INDUSTRIAL

84,680,073

HOLDING FIRMS

171,772,412

PROPERTY

278,623,132

SERVICES

132,387,292

MINING & OIL

416,673,680

GRAND TOTAL

1,100,215,614

SME

862,000 73,000 42,000 758,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113.3 6,610

VALUE 1,689.53 (UP) 20.99 601,773,076.691 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,862.21 (UP) 33.24 1,415,835,773.40 HOLDING FIRMS 6,966.41 (UP) 73.10 1,400,466,154.44 PROPERTY 3,060.29 (UP) 23.64 1,282.99 (UP) 8.20 945,722,349.775 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,075.18 (DOWN) 27.42 456,229,256.30 PSEI 6,866.81 (UP) 60.67 146,505,521.94 All Shares Index 4,153.06 (UP) 36.32 4,977,066,474.041 Gainers: 88 Losers:89; Unchanged: 47; Total: 224

S&W brand failed to offset lower sales in the US. Del Monte’s second quarter covers the months of August to October.

“The excellent results in the Philippines and the S&W Asian markets, where our teams delivered on both sales expansion and productivity improvement resulting in cost reduction, underscore our strategy to tap into consumption driven growth in Asia which is fueled by an emerging middle class while, at the same time, seeking to create efficiencies throughout our operations,” Del Monte managing director and group chief executive Joselito Campos Jr. said.

“Our US business has been impacted by shifting consumer preferences, spending priorities and our performance in the foodservice sector. The demand for convenient packaged foods remains strong and our aim is to increase our market share by doubling our efforts on innovation and new product development,” he said.

US subsidiary Del Monte Foods Inc. contributed $493.3 million or 77.5 percent of group sales.

The Philippine market sustained its strong performance, with sales growing in double-digit terms, driven by expanded penetration and increased consumption across categories in retail, as well as expansion in the rapidly growing foodservice channel The company’s secondquarter performance pushed the first-half net income to $11.4 million, down by 69.1 percent from $37.07 million recorded in the same period a year ago.

The company said barring unforeseen circumstances, it expected to remain profitable for the fiscal year 2017.

Aboitiz likely to get Naga facility

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Supreme Court denied with finality SPC Power Corp.’s bid to take over the 55-megawatt Naga gas turbine power plant in Naga, Cebu.

The court denied SPC Power’s urgent motion for reconsideration on its earlier decision nullifying the company’s right to top the offer of highest bidder Aboitiz Power Corp.

The move could pave the way for the award of the Naga facility to Aboitiz Power.

“In its notice of judgment dated Nov. 28, 2016, the Supreme Court denied SPC Power’s urgent motion with finality,” Aboitiz Power said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

SPC Power filed an urgent motion for reconsideration with an alternative motion to refer the case to the Supreme Court en banc on Oct. 26 after the court issued a notice of judgment and resolution on Oct. 10 clarifying that the nullification of SPC Power’s right to top did not invalidate the entire bidding process.

The Supreme Court also ordered the reinstatement of the notice of award dated April 30, 2014 in favor of Therma Power Visayas Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power.

SPC acquired through a negotiated bid the 55-MW Naga plant in Colon, Naga, Cebu in 2009. It also entered into a land lease agreement with the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., which included SPC’s right to top the price of a winning bidder for the sale of any property in the vicinity of the leased premises.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PINEAPPLE BRAND.

The United Kingdom textile brand Ananas Anam, maker and distributor of Piñatex, presents its products to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and undersecretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat after a short meeting where the company expressed its interest to buy more pineapple leaves from suppliers in the Philippines. Farmers from Camarines Norte supply the raw materials for Piñatex products. Shown are (front row, from left) Asia Textile Mills chief executive Chuck Lazaro, Nonwoven’s Fabric Philippines marketing division manager Anna Rivera, Piñatex founder Carmen Hijosa and Victoria Asuncion. At the second row are Bruno Depenanster and Franco Romualdez.

Duterte returning four agencies to DA control

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte is set to issue an executive order transferring the National Food Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority, National Irrigation Administration and Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority under the control of the Agriculture Department.

“The president and I already talked Friday last week and he told me that the four agencies will be returned to the DA. He already told me during our one-on-one meeting that he will give the agencies to DA,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said.

Former President Benigno Aquino III earlier transferred the four strategic agencies

to the Office of the President. The agencies were put under the supervision of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization headed by then Secretary and now Senator Francis Pangilinan.

The four agencies are currently under the office of Secretary to the Cabinet Leoncio Evasco.

“I already submitted the draft of the executive order. I gave it last Friday. He gave the draft to Bong Go. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will sign the EO. I’m just going to wait for Medialdea to sign it,” said Piñol.

Piñol earlier said he was hoping that the four agencies would be returned to the Department of Agriculture. “For effective operation, this has to be back to us. But it is still up to the president to decide,” he said.

Meanwhile, Piñol said he was ready to submit to President Duterte a poverty alleviation program for the island province of Sulu designed to cut poverty incidence in the province in three years.

“The president ordered me to handle the Save Sulo project. We are addressing the Sulu problem not only in the context against the armed groups but in also addressing the poverty. So we came up with the project that will be launched on Dec. 19 with the help of Joey Concepcion and the Go Negosyo group,” Piñol said.

He said the government was able to secure several commitments from private companies.

“Manuel V. Pangilinan is coming in with telco and investments also in power.

Bounty Fresh will be coming in with poultry projects. Henry Lim and Lucio Tan will build classrooms while Rosalyn Gui of W Group Inc. will revive the carrageenan industry in Sulu,” Piñol said.

“I will talk to SMC [San Miguel Corp.] to discuss the adopt a village program. Under the program, for every village, we will bring in developments, government center, sports facility, roads and health center. We will also help with the development of agriculture activities,” he said.

Investors swarm BSP’s P180-b auction

By Julito G. Rada INVESTORS swarmed the P180-billion term deposit auction of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, indicating the financial system continues to enjoy adequate liquidity.

Bangko Sentral said the auction of seven-day and 28day term deposits received total tenders of P206 billion.

Data showed the sevenday P30 billion term deposits lured total tenders of P43.569 billion, with a weighted average accepted yield of 2.91 percent

and bid coverage ratio of 1.45 percent.

Meanwhile, the 28-day P150 billion deposits attracted total bids of P162.463 billion, with a weighted average accepted yield of 3.1 percent and bid coverage ratio of 1 percent.

“We saw realignment by banks and trust departments, given results of t-bond [Treasury bonds] auction yesterday [rejection of tenders]. Trusts have already hit the required 50-percent winding down of their placements in TDF and ODF by December. Trusts are already

compliant with the 50 percent unwinding, so the maturing funds from 7 days and 28 days previously deposited were rolled over,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a statement Wednesday.

“We will likely continue to see refinements in placements in our facilities such as these.

Our view remains that there is sufficient liquidity in the system.

Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor bank requirements over the holidays,” he said.

Last week, the P180 billion deposits auctioned was

undersubscribed for the first time since June, showing banks’ need for enough liquidity in preparation for the holidays.

The week-long P30-billion deposits only lured total tenders of P15.865 billion, while the month-long P150 billion deposits put on the auction block attracted total bids of P113.214 billion.

Tetangco said the regulator would maintain the current weekly volume of P180 billion but did not rule out the possibility of further adjustments in the future depending on the liquidity condition.

Govt debt fell 1.4% to P6.07t in October

By Gabrielle H. Binaday OUTSTANDING debt of the national government dropped 1.4 percent in October to P6.069 trillion from the previous month, partly on foreign exchange fluctuations, the Treasury said Wednesday.

“The drop in external debt level was due to the effect of third currency depreciation against the US dollar that resulted in reduction of the peso value of third currency liabilities by P10.75 billion and net repayments amounting to P20.12 billion. Peso devaluation over the period had a minimal effect amounting to P0.14 billion,” the agency said.

The agency said on a year-onyear basis, government debt rose 1.9 percent, or P111.60 billion from P5.957 trillion recorded in October 2015.

Data from the Treasury showed the peso depreciated 3.38 percent to 48.485 against the US dollar in October from 46.9 a dollar a year earlier.

“However, NG liabilities decreased slightly by P17.36 billion or 0.3 percent from its end-September level due to currency adjustments and net repayment of external debt,” the

Treasury said.

Debt coursed through the domestic market as of endOctober 2016 increased 0.5 percent to P3.917 trillion from P3.898 trillion recorded in the same period last year, following the increase in domestic debt portfolio due to the net issuance of government securities.

Of the total domestic debt, P598 million were loans while the balance was government securities.

External debt climbed 4.5 percent year-on-year to P2.151 trillion in October. This was P81.34 billion higher than P2.059 trillion recorded in the same period a year ago.

“The drop in external debt level was due to the effect of third currency depreciation against the US dollar that resulted in reduction of the peso value of third currency liabilities by P10.75 billion and net repayments amounting to P20.12 billion. Peso devaluation over the period had a minimal effect amounting to P0.14 billion,” the Treasury said.

Meanwhile, national government’s guaranteed debt increased 27.1 percent to P560.652 billion from P440.996 billion recorded a year ago.

New power rules to disturb economy STRUCTURAL reforms are always a welcome development in the economy to promote efficiency.

But authorities should give companies enough time to adjust to the new economic regime and test the market.

As things stand, Christmas will not be merry for business and consumers if the country’s energy regulator pushes the hasty implementation of mandatory “contestability” for big power customers.

For backgrounders, the Supreme Court in June issued a temporary restraining order against the writ of preliminary injunction of a Pasig court, allowing the Energy Regulatory Commission to require mandatory contestability among consumers with an average peak demand of at least 1 megawatt.

Contestable customers in the face of the TRO must prepare for the mandatory contestability. The development will force them to hurriedly enter into retail supply contracts to ensure continuous supply and avoid possible electricity disconnection.

The ERC extended its deadline to implement the new electricity regime from December 26, 2016 to February 26, 2017 to give customers more time. The time limit, however, may not be enough given the arduous process of shifting to a new supplier for a critical service such as electricity.

This is especially difficult for businesses, because they are forced to break out of their cheaper contracts with distribution utilities, only to find suppliers with higher rates.

Through the mandatory contestability, customers are being forced to accept higher rates and will find themselves at the mercy of suppliers. Such a situation will have a chain effect. Higher electricity prices lead to increased operational cost, and in the end, businesses will raise the prices of their goods and services. This, in turn, will hurt the competitiveness of the Philippines in the face of Asean integration and drive away investors. Uncompetitiveness will likely result in loss of jobs.

For consumers, the mandatory contestability scenario will be a burden as well.

Thus, it is illogical for the government to intervene in a market that is already working. Current electricity prices are at par with 2010 levels. And the hurried implementation of the rules on retail competition and open access, or RCOA, will likely drive up the cost of consumer goods in the coming holidays as manufacturers are left with no choice but to reflect the higher cost of power in their product prices.

ERC’s mandate The ERC, meanwhile, has the mandate to protect consumers.

Pursuing the undue regulation will only increase electricity prices.

The regulator should protect the consumers, not injure them.

Consumers deserve to know what the rush is all about in the aggressive implementation of mandatory contestability, with just months to spare to wind up existing contracts. Generation companies, it seems, will benefit from higher electricity prices at the expense of the consumers.

Not everybody is pleased with the forthcoming retail electricity rules. A major business group earlier warned that the RCOA might hurt local industries and undermine, instead, ERC’s efforts to reduce power rates in the Philippines.

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

“Certain resolutions recently issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission on the RCOA implementation run counter to the spirit of free market and competitive environment as espoused by the Epira,” FPI chairman Jesus Lim Arranza said.

Arranza referred to ERC Resolutions No. 10 and 11, which effectively limit the choice of customers to select their power supplier by disallowing distribution utilities and other industry players from taking part in the retail electricity service market and imposing market share caps on all RES suppliers.

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

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

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

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

The Philippine economy, June 30-Oct. 8, 2016 IF THE growth of the gross domestic product were a flower, it would have to be described as very delicate, with each of its contributing elements – investments, exchange rates, outputs, costs and interest rates – quickly affected by a change in the environment in which the economy operates. This fact of economic life has once again been shown to exist during the first five months of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The period since June 30, 2016, when Mr. Duterte’s term began, has unquestionably been the most turbulent first five months in the history of the post-World War II Philippine presidency. And they have been rendered turbulent not by a foreign potentate or by a homegrown rebel or by an ambitious Filipino politician but

by Duterte himself.

Uncertainty is part and parcel of business life, but unstable governance is something that the business community abhors. And there has been unstable governance aplenty.

The displays of unstable governance have included a rash decision to not honor this country’s adherence to the UN-sponsored climate change mitigation treaty, equally rash statements on the Philippine mining industry and capricious declarations relating to this country’s relations – diplomatic, strategic and economic – with

its No. 1 ally and economic partner, the US. These Duterte pronouncements and positions have been – to borrow former President Ramos’s adjective – “discombobulating” for the Philippine business community.

The domestic and foreign business communities of this country don’t relish being discombobulated by the government, especially by its head. They realize that governments and Chief Executives cannot be perfect, but they do expect the political leadership of this country to at least provide a national environment in which businesses can operate in a stable, rationale and reasonably predictable manner.

This kind of environment – stable, rational and reasonably predictable – is not what Mr. Duterte and his administration have been providing. For many businessmen whom I have spoken to, things have gotten to a point where, they say, they open their morning newspapers or tune in to the evening TV news and ask, “What has Duterte done this time?”

Benigno Aquino III was not a great president – I definitely am not a member of the Yellow Army – but for six years, Mr. Aquino provided stable and rational government and at the end of that period he left an economy that was displaying steadily good economic fundamentals,

was growing at the fastest rate in Asia (not excluding China and India) and had received investment- grade credit rating from the international rating agencies for the first time in its postwar history.

In the remaining five and a half years of the Duterte presidency, is the Philippine economy likely to perform equally well? On the basis of Rodrigo Duterte’s first-half-year performance – as in theatrical performance – I have my doubts.

Once the lagged benefits from the Aquino administration’s economic management begin to wear off, Mr. Duterte’s crew will have to begin to show their mettle.

With a population of 105 million people – and counting – and a poverty rate of approximately 26 percent, Mr. Duterte’s administration will have to deliver the goodies. Like all intelligent Filipinos, this country’s businessmen are saying that it cannot be about drugs alone.

The Philippine economy needs to at least maintain, and ideally raise, its recent growth rates. This country is the “my country” of 105 million Filipinos. It is my country too. My countrymen and I don’t want our future – political as well as economic – to be waylaid by the instabilities and irrationalities of any one person.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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

B4

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

Business

Russia joining Opec cut meeting

Softbank, Foxconn investing $50b in US

MOSCOW―Russia on Tuesday said it will take part in a meeting of Opec and non-Opec members as oil prices wobbled on doubts over the impact of an output cut deal.

Energy Minister Alexander Novak will attend the meeting in Vienna on Saturday expected to nail down details on implementing the agreement reached last week.

After months of disagreement, Opec members on November 30 hammered out a deal to cut oil output for the first time in eight years.

Moscow―which is not a member of the oil cartel―has said it is ready to reduce crude output by 300,000 barrels a day in the first half of 2017.

The Opec agreement ended weeks of uncertainty and volatility on crude markets as the key players bickered over who would shoulder the biggest burden of the cuts.

Oil prices shot up on the announcement, which was more ambitious than many analysts had expected.

Prices reached a 16-month high late Monday on the back of an announcement by Opec of the meeting with non-members but quickly dipped overnight as the luster of Opec’s decision to cut production faded.

On Tuesday at 1345 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was down $1.06 on the day at $50.73, while Brent North Sea crude had dropped 93 cents to $54.01.

With crude prices above $50, US shale oil producers are dusting off dormant oil rigs as they gear up to raise production which could lessen the impact of any Opec cuts.

“The price action speaks to me of a market that lacks conviction and momentum,” said OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley. AFP

By Ivan Couronne

F

AYETTEVILLE―Donald Trump embarked Tuesday on the second leg of an unorthodox “victory tour,” promising tough policies to put the US economy first and boasting of securing a $50-billion Japanese investment to create 50,000 jobs.

The US president-elect provided no details on the jobs or investment, which he spent all day trumpeting after talks with Japanese telecoms billionaire Masayoshi Son at Trump Tower in New York.

“Great guy of Japan. He’s pledged that he’s going to put $50 billion into the United States because of our victory,” Trump told a crowd of several thousand in Fayetteville, North Carolina of Son.

“Fifty thousand jobs he’s going to be investing in.”

The Japanese magnate told reporters at Trump Tower that his telecoms company would be investing in startup companies in America.

“I just came to celebrate his new job,” said Son. The tycoon brandished a piece of paper that indicated SoftBank and Foxconn, the Taiwanese technology giant, “commit to invest $50bn + $7bn in US, gen-

erate 50k + 50k new jobs in US in next four years.”

Taiwan’s tech giant Foxconn confirmed Wednesday it is in “preliminary discussions” over a new US investment after Trump announced the $50-billion deal with Japan’s SoftBank that would also involve the firm.

Foxconn confirmed in a statement it is “in preliminary discussions regarding a potential investment” that would expand its current US operations, although the scope has not been determined.

“We will announce the details of any plans following the completion of direct discussions between our leadership and the relevant US officials. Those plans would be made based on mutually-agreed terms,” the statement said.

Shares in the company ended 0.97 percent higher in Taipei

Wednesday at Tw$83.1 ($0.3).

Foxconn is the world’s largest contract electronics maker and assembles products for international brands such as Apple and Sony. It employs about one million workers at its factories across China.

It also has a plant in Virginia which employs over 400 people, as well as other operations in more than 10 countries including Vietnam, Brazil and Mexico.

Shares in Tokyo-listed SoftBank ended up 6.19 percent after Trump’s announcement, which he made while wrapping an arm around Son. Trump got into hot water last week by taking a protocolbusting telephone call from the president of Taiwan and is under increasing fire in the media for conflicts of interest between his vast business empire and taking top office. AFP

AUSTRALIA CONTRACTS.

A woman carries shopping bags in central Sydney on December 7, 2016. Australia’s economy contracted for just the fourth quarter in 25 years, official data showed, slowing the annual growth rate to 1.8 percent amid weaker government and consumer spending on top of softer trade figures. AFP

Samsung wins case vs Apple WASHINGTON―The US Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a $399-million patent infringement penalty imposed on Samsung for copying Apple’s iPhone design, in a case watched for its implications for technology innovation.

The shorthanded justices ruled 8-0 that Samsung should not be required to forfeit the entire profits from its smartphones for infringement on design components, sending the case back to a lower court.

While the ruling was short on specifics, analysts said it was likely to curb litigation from patent holders expecting to reap big profits from infringement on a component.

A jubilant Samsung hailed the “victory for Samsung and for all those who promote creativity, innovation and fair competition in the marketplace.”

The 11-page ruling found that the $399-million penalty―one element of a major patent infringement case―was inappropriate because it represented “Samsung’s entire profit from the sale of its infringing smartphones” for copying the iPhone’s “rectangular front face with rounded edges and a grid of colorful icons on a black screen.”

But the court stopped short of delving into details of how the lower court should determine the penalty.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the opinion that “doing so would require us to set out a test for identifying the relevant article of manufacture... and to parse the record to apply that test in this case.”

The court sent the case back to the appellate court in Washington to resolve the details.

The case is one element of the $548-million penalty― knocked down from an original $1-billion jury award― Samsung was ordered to pay for copying iPhone patents.

Observers had been watching to see how the court― which had not taken up a design patent case in more than a century―would tip the balance between technological innovation and protecting intellectual property.

Dennis Crouch, a University of Missouri law professor and co-director of the Center for Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship, said the ruling may leave both sides disappointed. AFP

Climate change battle heats up for Australian winemakers

By Glenda Kwek ORANGE, Australia―When an unprecedented heatwave hit South Australia state, home to the world-renowned Barossa Valley winemaking region, viticulturists fretted about the impact on their grapes.

The crops survived, but the extreme weather last year was a reminder of how climate change can hurt a resurgent Aus$2 billion (US$1.5 billion) export industry boosted by Chinese thirst for Australian premium red wine.

“I’ve been here for 20 years... and we’re seeing more severity in the weather,” winemaker James Sweetapple told AFP at his vineyard in Orange, a picturesque town 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Sydney.

“The wet years are much, much wetter, the dry years are much drier and much hotter.”

With record-breaking hot weather tipped to become the new “normal” in the world’s fourth-largest wine exporter by value, the government and grape-growers are trialling ways to mitigate against the challenges, including pruning later and switching varieties.

Lower quality Australia is known as a land of drought and floods, and vignerons are accustomed to dealing with a variety of conditions.

But climate change appears to be causing a permanent shift, warming the continent by approximately 1.0 degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) since 1910 according to govern-

ment data, intensifying the risk of bushfires and droughts, while altering rainfall patterns.

The rising heat is compressing harvesting seasons, causing grapes to ripen earlier―sometimes during the hotter December-February summer months rather than autumn.

This changes grapes’ sugar and acid levels, leading to lowerquality wines with higher alcohol content.

“The last six weeks of ripening are critical for flavor and color development and sugar-acid bal-

ance, so we don’t want to have too much heat at the end of the season before harvest,” winemaker and former viticulture lecturer Peter Hedberg told AFP. “Most vineyards in Australia are actually in very hot climates... and unfortunately a lot of regions are ripening grapes at over 35-degree Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) into 40-degree heat which is not good for flavor.”

Australia’s independent Climate Council warned last year that up to 70 percent of winegrowing areas in the country

with Mediterranean climates― including the Barossa and Western Australia’s Margaret River region―would be “less suitable for grape growing by 2050” due to global warming.

While little or nothing can be done to save vines from flooding or smoke from bushfires tainting grapes, low-tech approaches to delay harvesting times and increase soil moisture are already being used.

Change or get out Orange’s Justin Jarrett boosts carbon levels in his soils by

layering mulches and compost on top to make them more moist, while Sweetapple keeps a “hairy” vineyard by allowing grass to grow freely underneath vines, providing shade in dry spells and sucking up excess moisture when wet.

Pruning later is another triedand-tested approach for delaying harvesting times, while winemakers are being encouraged to look at different varieties that thrive in warmer climes―such as from Italy and Spain―when replacing old vineyards.

Photo taken on October 29, 2016 shows kangaroos between the vines at a vineyard in Orange. With record-breaking hot weather tipped to become the new “normal” in Australia, the world’s fourthlargest wine exporter by value, the government and grape-growers are trialling ways to mitigate against the challenges, including pruning later and switching varieties. Winemaker James Sweetapple (inset) talking to AFP at his vineyard in Orange. AFP

Wine Australia, the official grape and wine body, commissioned a project that analyzed 500 alternative varieties to map out the lengths of their seasons, when their grapes ripen and how much is produced, so growers have a guide if they want to make a switch.

“Most wines are made from 12 different varieties but there’s thousands of them, which really means there’s lots of opportunity within the genetics of grape vines to basically live in just about any environment that you attempt to grow them in,” Wine Australia’s research and development head Liz Waters said.

With 2016 “very likely” to be the world’s hottest on record, according to the United Nations, the race to stay one step ahead of the shifting climate is heating up.

“Good farmers think about what’s coming,” said Jarrett, who has started growing prosecco, a white Italian variety he believes could suit Orange’s climate in 20 years’ time.

In warmer regions where profit margins are already tight, some farmers may need to consider moving away from grapes to nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts and pecans that thrive in the heat, Hedberg suggested.

“I think people realize they’ve got to change or get out,” he said.

“The world doesn’t need more cheap wine. We need premium wines that have good flavor; they’ve got a good story with them that we can sell to China or all around the world.”

AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

C1

NEVER TOO OLD. A sexagenarian woman performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a training dummy as she was one of 4,600 hands-on trainees in the ‘CPR on Wheels and Wings’ campaign held Monday in Iloilo City.

The joint project of the Philippine Heart Association and the Department of Tourism in collaboration with the PHA’s Western Visayas-Panay chapter aims to transform all the top tourist destinations in the country into CPR-equipped locations that save lives. Teddy Pelaez

Court halts Miss U fundraiser

B

AGUIO CITY—The Regional Trial Court Branch 5 here has issued a writ of preliminary junction that prevents the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio and the city government from conducting a monthlong Christmas bazaar at the Melvin Jones Grandstand here, until at least Jan. 1, 2017.

HRAB and the city were going to use the bazaar as a fundraiser to help them defray the costs of hosting the Miss Universe beauty pageant, which visits the city on January 18.

In a six-page order, Judge Maria Ligaya V. Itliong Rivera ordered petitioner Elena Lao to post

an additional bond of P2 million above the P50,000 she posted for asking for the restraining order that would effectively prevent the bazaar from operating during the lucrative Christmas season.

Lao, whose family operates a chain of stores here, petitioned that operating the bazaar vio-

lates a standing ordinance that regulates trade fairs in the city.

The court agreed with Lao, saying Resolution No. 294, series of 2016 that allowed the Christmas bazaar at Melvin Jones violates the provisions of Ordinance No. 13, series of 2012.

Section 2 of that ordinance states that Baguio regulates trade fairs in the city by not allowing them to exceed 15 days long, and the fairs must be held “in suitable private places only.”

While the ordinance does not define what a trade fair is, Judge Rivera said the persons who crafted the ordinance referred to the Christmas bazaar as a trade fair during their deliberations last November 21, when

they approved HRAB’s request to conduct the bazaar.

The court also pointed out the Christmas bazaar violates Executive Orders 695 and 224 issued by thenPresident Fidel V. Ramos for the administration, management, maintenance and operation of the whole Burnham Park reservation, which includes the Jones grandstand area.

To use any part of Burnham Park, the Secretary of Tourism must approve it first, EO 695 stipulates. Any income from activities inside the park could also only be used for its operation and maintenance, with net profits shared equally by the city and the Philippine Tourism Authority.

In that sense, running the ba-

zaar to raise funds for the city’s hosting of the Miss Universe pageant runs counter to the executive order, Rivera added.

“First and foremost, it was the City Council that approved the trade fair ordinance, thus they must be the first to uphold it, and if the rare opportunity of hosting the visit of the Miss Universe will be used to disregard the law, there would be disorder,” the judge wrote.

Lao, the petitioner, claimed she stands to lose business opportunities if the bazaar could proceed, and that she and all the residents of Baguio and visiting tourists “will be deprived of the use of the place as a public park, a damage not quantifiable by any monetary consideration.”

‘Loakan ‘Learner-friendly’ sex ed for QC youth airport not part of permit’

By Rio N. Araja

BAGUIO CITY—The Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau said Wednesday the Loakan airport is not covered by the exploration permit it had granted to The Golden Era company for its mining activities within the city and parts of the nearby town of Itogon.

Engineer Felizardo Gacad, chief of the MGB-CAR mine safety, environment and social development division, said Golden Era was given six months to secure the free and prior informed consent and the necessary permits from the affected communities. The permit emphasized that no ground works would be undertaken until the company had complied with the stipulations of the exploration permit.

“Our map shows that the Loakan airport is not within the coverage of the areas to be explored by the company. We made it clear to them that they are given six months to comply with the conditions,” Gacad said.

MGB-CAR may, at any time, cancel the permit for violation of the provisions of the Mining Act and its implementing rules and regulations, or the terms and conditions of the permit, Gacad said.

Golden Era was also required to submit to MGB-CAR the proof of consultation with project presentation to the Baguio City Council in the form of a resolution, or a certification prior to applying its approved exploration work program, he added. Dexter A. See

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday tasked the city health department and the Division of City Schools to adopt a learner-friendly teaching method of reproductive health lessons.

Speaking during Tuesday’s Adolescent Health Summit, Bautista urged health and school authorities to come up with a collaborative strategy in teaching reproductive health “in an approach that can easily be understood by students.”

“Our approach must suit the level of the students’ thinking,” the mayor said.

Bautista cautioned the summit participants, mostly public school students and out-ofschool youth, about the critical health risks and financial difficulties in life that young people could face if they engage in unplanned sexual activities.

Teenage pregnancies and contracting sexually transmitted infections are the most common consequences facing those engaged in such activities, the

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista speaks to the youth and officials that attended the Adolescent Health Summit on Tuesday.

mayor said.

Citing reports from the city health department, he said a 10-year-old girl recently got pregnant—the youngest such documented case in Quezon City—and young boys aged 14 to 17 have engaged in sexual activities with the same gender.

“While we understand that

you want to experiment and discover things at your age, it is also important that you must also have that sense of discipline and direction. Try to finish your studies and have life goals,” Bautista said.

Young actor Miguel Tanfelix, ambassador of U4U, a flagship program for Filipino teens by the

Commission on Population, joined Bautista during the summit.

City health officer Dr. Verdades Linga described the summit as a vital part of the city government’s effort to address teenage pregnancies.

High adolescent pregnancy also means a high risk of maternal deaths, Linga said.

Makati fetes 49 firms for job hires

By Joel E. Zurbano MAKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay has named 49 private companies as the top business establishments that have partnered and helped the city government in its job-creation and employment-generation programs.

“We in Makati fully recognize and appreciate the indispensable role of our partners from the business sector in promoting genuinely inclusive progress in our city,” said Binay during the program dubbed as “Partners in Service Appreciation Day” held at the Session Hall of Makati City Hall.

Plaques of recognition were awarded to the top 10 partnercompanies in terms of the number of hires. Jollibee Food Corp. led the list with 626 applicants hired, followed by Golden Arches Development Corp. (609), SM Mart Inc.Makati (496), Innovative Strategic Resource Marketing Inc. (282), Rustan Supercenter Inc. (197), Metro Rail Stores Group Inc. (175); Rustan Coffee Corp.

(164); Alorica Philippines Inc. (140); Am-Phil Food Concepts, Inc. (118); and Cash and Carry Mall (115).

Eastwest Placement Center Inc. also got a plaque of recognition for hiring 53 applicants.

Sixteen companies received certificates of recognition for hiring between 50 to 99 applicants each. Another 12 firms that hired 49 employees and fewer, and 10 companies with the most number of on-the-spot hires made during job fairs last year, were given certificates of appreciation.

SMC building Bataan rehab center

San Miguel Corp., through its San Miguel Foundation, signs the agreement with the government to build and donate a new drug rehabilitation center in Bataan. At the signing were Bataan Gov. Albert Garcia, PMPF chairman Rowena Kristina Amara Velasco, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang, DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno, and DoH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial.

DELIVERING on an earlier commitment to support the government’s campaign against drugs, San Miguel Corp., through its social development arm The San Miguel Foundation, has signed an agreement to build a drug rehabilitation facility in the province of Bataan.

The facility is the first of several that San Miguel is looking to build under a P1-billion donation it pledged to the government last August.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno, Health Secretary Paulyn Jean RosellUbial, Bataan Gov. Albert Garcia,

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang, and non-profit Pilipinong May Puso Foundation Inc. chairman Rowena Kristina Amara Velasco signed the agreement.

“We’re fully supportive of our government’s anti-drug dependency efforts,” said Ang. “We want to be able to do our part in helping drug dependents reform—especially the youth. With the right guidance, we’re hopeful they can reenter society with positivity and become productive individuals.”

“This is why we are putting a lot of energy and thought into this program. More than just a physical

structure, we want this facility to have significant meaning to many families who have been affected by illegal drugs. We hope it will provide former drug users the means to truly change their lives for the better, for good,” the SMC chief added.

Under the agreement, SMC will fund and construct the rehab center on land identified and provided by the Bataan provincial government.

The Department of Health, which will run and maintain the facility, will provide specifications for the facility in consultation with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Office of the President.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

LGUs

Sueno warns LGUs of funding poseur

By Dexter A. See

B

AGUIO CITY—The Department of the Interior and Local Government has warned local officials and its employees nationwide from transacting business with a certain Pia Alarcon or Rhia Alarcon, who claims to be connected to the DILG Central Office.

Alarcon offers her services “for the immediate downloading of funds for DILG programs and projects and for processing fees,

among others” in exchange for a fee, Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said in an advisory issued to all department

personnel and local officials.

“The modus of this poseur’s operation is to approach local government officials and enjoin them to submit letter-requests to the DILG to avail of programs and projects,” Sueno said. “In the course of the transaction, [Alarcon] demands money, supposedly as processing fee for the downloading of the funds for such projects to the concerned local governments.”

The secretary stressed that people can go to the DILG web-

site or the local DILG office to learn about the department’s programs and projects, and the requirements and availment procedures so as not to be duped by fake employees.

Local officials and DILG personnel should be wary of people who promise to facilitate the release of fire trucks and other projects, Sueno said. He branded these people as fixers, and that no DILG official or personnel is authorized to solicit money or receive any materials gains for

DILG projects and services.

Sueno believes some unscrupulous individuals want to take advantage of the ignorance of some newly elected officials on how DILG programs and projects are administered, and take the risk of trying their luck to demand money from their prospects.

He said local officials need to be the ones to process the release of their funds and the immediate cascading of DILG programs and projects to their beneficiaries, especially those in the re-

mote areas of the country.

The secretary urged local officials and DILG personnel to immediately report fixers, poseurs and con artists to Senior Superintendent Alex B. Sintin, senior police assistant to the Secretary of Interior and Local Government, at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

They can also call telephone numbers (0949) 846-4858, (0998) 967-4884, (02) 722-8118, the Philippine National Police at (02) 723-0401 local 3421 or 3381, or their local DILG officers.

Lumad families flocking to cities

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

‘SIRIB’ SCHOLARS. Ilocos Norte Senior Board Member Matthew Marcos Manotoc hands out certificates to athletes and their parents who will benefit from the province’s Sirib

athletic scholarship program for the school year 2017-2018. Around 50 athletes will get scholarships next year following the Sirib program as outlined in Provincial Ordinance No. 005-2016 authored by Manotoc.

IN BRIEF Too greedy for milk?

ROSARIO, Cavite—Five young men, all working as grocery baggers, were caught trying to steal—and drink—several cartons of milk from the supermarket they worked at here.

The suspects—Ace Brian Cabantog, 22; Donrenz Erni, 25; Chemvier Teroylo, 20; Erwin Cuchapin, 21; and Randal Visda, 18—were apprehended by security guard Rommel Maligaya and selling assistant Ray Honrada as they tried to slip the goods past the counters in grocery bags at the SM Supermarket inside SM City Rosario, officer on case PO2 Christian David said.

A sixth suspect, 24-year-old Ronelo Ponaya, managed to evade arrest. CCTV footage revealed the suspects’ movements inside the supermarket, and they will be charged with qualified theft, David added.

Benjamin Chavez

Mt. Province OKs P722-m 2017 budget BONTOC, Mountain Province— The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved a budget of over P722 million as well as the Annual Investment Plan that lists this province’s priority projects.

Vice Gov. Francis O. Tauli, who presides over the provincial board, says the SP has already submitted its Appropriation Ordinance No. 2016-42 to the Department of Budget and Management for review.

The approved budget— P722,696,149 to be exact—is 15 percent higher than the 2016 budget of over P610 million.

Mountain Province expects

to spend over P354.5 million in personal services, P186.8 million in maintenance and operating expenses, and P181.2 million in capital outlays, which includes its development and reserved funds, Tauli said.

About P653.2 million of the budget is expected to come from the province’s Internal Revenue Allotment, and P69.3 million would be derived from local taxes, regulatory fees and charges.

Mountain Province’s ITA dependence is still high owing to its low tax base, Provincial Treasurer Cawed A. Gamonnac explained.

The budget for next year is

programmed for the provincial government’s 29 departments, four hospitals, various developmental projects, disaster risk reduction management office, and the social, health, education and environmental services departments. It also includes funding for provincial special bodies and subsidies or aid to barangays and peoples’ organizations.

Among the development projects identified under the AIP are the construction of a parking space at the provincial plaza to help minimize traffic congestion around Bontoc, and the restoration of the demolished part of the

FULL BLOODED. The Department of Health recently handed the Bonifacio Award to the city government of Muntinlupa for donating over 3,000 bags of blood to the agency.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Gerardo Bayugo (fourth from left) gives the plaque of recognition to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (center) for the city’s blood donation programs, which also supplied private health institutions outside of Muntinlupa with over 9,000 blood bags. Also in the photo are (from left) Dr. Tess Filoteo of the Muntinlupa Blood Council, Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dr. Magdalena Meana, Dr. Rowena Tan of CHO, and DOH HRDB Director Dr. Criselda Abesamis.

Dead baby mystery CALAMBA CITY—Police are looking for a woman who left a dead baby boy inside a toilet in a mall at Barangay Real here late Saturday evening.

Supt. Albert Tapulao, Calamba City Police Chief, said they are interviewing possible witnesses and reviewing CCTV footage to identify the woman.

Tapulao said the mall’s housekeeper, Elvie Diche, was about to clean the female rest room when she noticed blood stains on the floor. She then found the baby inside a trash can, its umbilical cord still attached.

The baby boy’s body was turned over to the Green Lawn Funeral Parlor, Tapulao added. Roy Tomandao

provincial capitol.

Lump-sum appropriations to apply the second tranche salary adjustment and the 14th month pay of provincial employees are also included in the annual budget.

Tauli said the provincial board and the treasurer’s office ensured that the needs of the community, especially at the barangay level, are addressed in the budget.

Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr. said the delivery of quality service to the public will not be sacrificed despite the meager resources and the austerity measures adopted by the provincial government. Dexter A. See

DAVAO CITY—The City Social Services and Development Office has started to serve the first wave of lumad or indigenous people that have arrived in the city for Christmas.

As of Monday, the city has hosted 2,874 lumad families or around 5,000 individuals in seven different shelters. They will be provided with food, medicine, and other services until December 10, CSSDO chief Malou Bermudo said.

Among the first arrivals are 1,255 children and 47 pregnant women, five persons with disabilities, and 72 senior citizens, but these lumad “are far lesser in number compared to last year,” Bermudo said.

“Around this time last year, we were already hosting around 5,000 families of lumad. The number went down this year because we are bringing Christmas to their communities,” she added.

Every December, thousands of lumad would travel to the city from the hinterlands of Davao’s Paquibato, Marilog, and Calinan districts and the provinces of Davao del Norte, North Cotabato, Bukidnon, Agusan, and even Surigao.

The local government’s shelters are located at Riverside in Calinan, Bunawan, Buhangin, Agdao, Shanghai in Toril, Tugbok, and Bankerohan. The lumad usually leave the shelters early in the morning to roam the city and ask for “pinaskuhan” or gifts in exchange for songs and dances.

In Buhangin, CSSDO District Head Norman Baloro said almost a thousand lumad are being taken care of 24/7, with personnel from the City Health Office on standby.

“Most of them leave the shelter area at around 8 in the morning. Depending on a prearranged schedule of activities, such as gift-giving events by private groups, they come back early. But usually, they start returning late in the afternoon,” Baloro said.

The Bankerohan shelter also hosts around 687 lumad families.

Bermudo said the lumads from Davao City areas will be asked to return to their communities starting December 7 for them to enjoy the activities prepared for them by the city government. Those who came from elsewhere will continue to receive services.

Mayor Sara Duterte has ordered CSSDO to conduct Pasko Fiesta activities in tribal communities from December 7 to December 21.

Outgoing priest Evarola cited by Elderly Ministry

By Honor Blanco Cabie CAINTA, Rizal—The priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in this town, Fr. Gervacio Evarola, will soon be reassigned to another parish early in 2017, per official sources who stopped short of mentioning the exact date of his departure.

Evarola, who turned 62 in September, has been the parish priest of the Sacred Heart of

Jesus Parish inside the middleincome Brookside Hills Subdivision since October 2009, soon after tropical storm Ondoy (international name Ketsana) cut a swathe of 789 deaths and $6.2 billion in destruction.

The good-natured Angeles City-born priest recently celebrated his 25th sacerdotal anniversary with a nine-day novena caravan that began in his village in Angeles City through Mariki-

na, Antipolo City, Binangonan, and culminating in this firstclass town.

In the run-up to the start of the Midnight Masses in this town and in other towns of this predominantly Christian country, which received the Cross in 1521, the parish Elderly Ministry, which he created in 2010, will give the priest a Certificate of Appreciation on December 9, said Maria Rosa Cabie, chair of

the Awards committee.

Evarola, a former chemist at the Clark Air Base before he joined the priesthood, has been cited for initiatives he pushed while he was off the Sunday pulpit, including the strengthening of the lay ministry, the charismatic movement in the parish, and groups that attend to prisoners and overseas workers.

Parishioners also remember his efforts at constructing the

three-story Multipurpose Hall fronting the church, which underwent a multimillion-peso renovation with fund-raising projects like the “Lola ng Parokya.”

Evarola also created the Elderly Ministry, and appointed Eunice Fermindoza of Iloilo in 2010, succeeded by Wilhelmina Imperial of Ilocos Sur in 2013, as a cohesive group of Catholic seniors in the multi-faith subdivision east of the capital city.

Standard

TODAY

IN BRIEF At least 80,000 people have fled Aleppo BEIRUT―At least 80,000 people have fled east Aleppo since the Syrian army began an operation in mid-November to recapture the rebel-held sector of the second city, a monitor said Tuesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the figure included residents who have sought refuge in the government-held west of the city and a Kurdishcontrolled enclave between the two sectors.

But it does not include others who have fled south to remaining rebel-held territory, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The army has made swift progress in its operation to recapture east Aleppo and now controls three-quarters of the sector, which had been a rebel bastion since 2012.

The government has been urging civilians to leave for months, and has accused the rebels of holding residents hostage for use as “human shields.”

Before the assault began, an estimated 250,000 people remained in east Aleppo, which was surrounded by government forces in mid-July, halting deliveries of basic goods. AFP

Syrian forces capture historic Old City BEIRUT―Syrian government forces control all of Aleppo’s historic Old City after rebel fighters withdrew in the face of army advances overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday.

The army and allied forces hold more than 75 percent of east Aleppo, a rebel bastion since 2012, three weeks into their operation to capture all of the second city.

The Observatory said rebels had withdrawn from the last parts of the Old City under their control overnight after the army seized the neighboring districts of Bab al-Hadid and Aqyul.

“Rebels were forced to withdraw from the Old City neighborhoods of Aleppo for fear of being besieged,” the Britain-based monitor said.

The army has made steady gains since it began its latest bid to recapture east Aleppo.

It now controls all the areas east of the historic citadel, and parts of the Marjeh neighborhood, the Observatory said. AFP

60 missing after ship sinks off Yemen ADEN―Nearly 60 people are missing after a ship sank off Yemen’s Socotra island, its fisheries minister said on Wednesday, with state media reporting that only two people had been rescued.

The boat went missing five days ago while heading from Yemen’s southeastern port city of Mukalla towards Socotra with some 60 people on board, among them women and children, Fahd Kavieen said.

Socotra lies in the Indian Ocean closer to the coast of Somalia than the Yemeni mainland.

The government’s sabanew.net reported that two ships, one Austrian, one Australian, had rescued two of those on board.

It did not specify whether the vessels were merchant ships or part of an international flotilla that has been fighting piracy off the Somali coast. AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

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‘Najib destroying Malaysia’ P

UTRAJAYA―Malaysian ruling party icon Mahathir Mohamad has accused current leader Najib Razak of “destroying” the country by clinging to power despite a corruption scandal, and vowed to campaign vigorously for the opposition in coming elections.

In an interview with AFP, the 91-year-old former prime minister excoriated Najib over the sensational graft allegations swirling around the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

The man who strove to subdue Malaysia’s opposition parties during his time in office from 1981-2003 said he could now work with them to topple Najib, including the party of his jailed former deputy Anwar Ibrahim.

“He [Najib] is destroying this country... he is bringing in racism... very, very serious crime has been committed,” Mahathir said Tuesday at his office at Putrajaya south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.

In a July lawsuit the US Justice Department detailed how an unnamed “Malaysian Official No. 1” -- later identified as Najib -and his family members and close associates diverted billions from 1MDB, which Najib founded.

Under mounting pressure over the allegations, the prime minister last year abruptly shut down Malaysian investigations, fired the attorney general and purged ruling party critics including his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin.

Najib, 63, and 1MDB have denied any wrongdoing.

Mahathir was once Najib’s mentor but has since come out

Rain strands 1,000 tourists in India NEW DELHI―Torrential rain and rough seas have stranded around 1,000 tourists on one of India’s tropical islands off its east coast, officials said Wednesday.

Officials from the local Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration said they have asked the Indian navy to help rescue tourists from Havelock, one of the smaller islands most popular with visitors.

“Around 1,000 tourists who had gone to Havelock island have been stuck there since Monday because of heavy rains,” T.K.S Ajayan, deputy director at the local disaster management department, told AFP by phone.

The archipelago is one of India’s premier domestic tourist destinations thanks to its pristine beaches, marine life and lushgreen forests. Ferry services between islands are currently suspended. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

Manila

PREMIERE. Actress Callie Hernandez attends the premiere of Lionsgate’s ‘La La Land’ at the Mann Village

Theater on December 6, 2016, in Westwood, California. AFP

will disrupt these simple extrapolations.”

The previous 2.3 ms estimate had been based on calculations of the Moon’s known Earth-braking forces, causing the ocean tides.

For the new study, Morrison and his team used gravitational theories about the movement of Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around Earth, to compute the timing of eclipses of the Moon and Sun over time, as viewed from our planet.

They then calculated from where on Earth these would have been visible, and compared this to observations of eclipses recorded by ancient Babylonians, Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and medieval Europeans.

“We obtained historical, relevant records from historians and translators of ancient texts,” explained Morrison.

“For example, the Babylonian tablets, which are written in cuneiform script, are stored at the

British Museum and have been decoded by experts there and elsewhere.”

The team found discrepancies between where the eclipses should have been observable, and where on Earth they were actually seen.

“This discrepancy is a measure of how the Earth’s rotation has been varying since 720 BC” when ancient civilizations started keeping eclipse records, they wrote.

Factors which influence the Earth’s rotation include the Moon’s braking effect, Earth’s altering shape due to shrinking polar ice caps since the last Ice Age, electro-magnetic interactions between the mantle and core, and changes in the mean sea level, said the team.

The slowing of Earth’s orbit is the reason the world’s timekeepers have to adjust high-precision clocks every few years to ensure they remain in sync with our planet’s rotation. AFP

Six killed in Thailand’s deep south tia member -- were gunned down as they rode a motorcycle in nearby Nongchik district.

Later in the day another village chief and a Muslim civilian were shot dead in Pattani province in two separate incidents.

A sixth civilian -- a Muslim man -- was gunned down in neighboring Narathiwat province.

Pattani police commander Major-General Thanongsak Wangsupa told AFP he believed the attacks were in retaliation for a series of militant arrests in the last few days.

“We detained around eight people under the emergency law,” he said.

Thailand annexed the three southernmost Muslim Malay provinces more than a century ago and they have long chafed under rule from Bangkok.

The latest insurgency broke out in 2004.

We regret to inform you that

BUCKINGHAM ENGLISH LEARNING INSTITUTE INC. located at 5F MVL Bldg., Paninsingin, Tambo, Lipa City has ceased its operation since October 2016 due to losses.

For any inquiries, kindly contact +639771413461.

Section I. Invitation to BID Republic of the Philippines Philippine Rural Development Project Invitation to Bidfor Various PRD Projects: Loan No. 8421-PH December 8, 2016 1.

Some 6,700 people have since died, the majority civilians, caught between the rebels and Thai security forces.

The insurgency usually fails to grab international headlines but a spate of bomb attacks on tourist sites in August sharpened the focus on the conflict.

The people wanted for those assaults, which killed two people, all come from the Thai south, raising fears insurgents could eventually expand their highly localized campaign.

Peace discussions continue to stagger on, with Thai authorities unconvinced their rebel interlocutors have command and control over militant foot soldiers.

Meanwhile the rebels do not believe the Thai junta is ready to hand the south a substantial level of political autonomy -- a key step towards an ultimate end to the violence. AFP

The Government of the Philippines (GoP) has received a Loan from the World Bank towards the cost of Philippine Rural Development Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Loan to payments under the contract for the various projects shown below:

Name of the subproject/ Identification No.

Subproject Location

Bid Security (Cash Contract Cost of Estimated or Bank Guarantee Duration Bidding Project Cost or Bid Securing (Calendar Documents Declaration) Days)

Construction of Malaggao Solar Dryer/ Php Identification SitioMalaggao 1, 346,000.00 No.PRDP-IBR001-ILN-020ADA-003-2016 Construction of Maligligay Solar Dryer/ Php Identification SitioMaligligay 1, 405,000.00 No.PRDP-IBR001-ILN-019ADA-002-2016 Construction of Sinidangan Solar Dryer/ Identification SitioSinidangan Php No.PRDP-IB1, 018,000.00 R001-ILN-018ADA-001-2016 2.

3.

4.

PATTANI, Thailand―Six people were gunned down over 24 hours by suspected militants in a string of separate shootings in Thailand’s insurgency-plagued southern provinces, authorities said Wednesday.

The kingdom’s far south has witnessed a Malay-Muslim insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives in the past 12 years with both militants and Thailand’s military accused of rights abuses.

Bombs and assassinations are the near-daily reality for civilians in the area, which is heavily patrolled by soldiers and police.

The killings all took place on Tuesday, a police statement said.

The first fatality was a village chief, found at his home in the early hours of the morning shot in the head in southern Pattani province’s Yaring district.

Soon afterwards a couple -- one of whom was a government mili-

BUSINESS CLOSURE NOTICE

(MS-DEC. 8,15 & 22, 2016)

Earth’s days are getting longer PARIS―Earth’s days are getting longer but you’re not likely to notice any time soon -- it would take about 6.7 million years to gain just one minute, according to a study published on Wednesday.

Over the past 27 centuries, the average day has lengthened at a rate of about +1.8 milliseconds (ms) per century, a British research team concluded in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A. This was “significantly less”, they said, than the rate of 2.3 ms per century previously estimated -- requiring a mere 5.2 million years to add one minute.

“It’s a very slow process,” study lead co-author Leslie Morrison, a retired astronomer with Royal Greenwich Observatory, told AFP. “These estimates are approximate, because the geophysical forces operating on the Earth’s rotation will not necessarily be constant over such a long period of time,” he specified.

“Intervening Ice Ages etcetera

ERRORS & OMISSIONS In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

of political retirement to attack him over the debt-laden 1MDB. He has formed a political party in hopes of toppling the ruling United Malays National Organization.

“For me overthrowing Najib is far more important than any personal feeling I have about anything else,” Mahathir said, in reference to patching up ties with Anwar and working with the opposition.

Anwar was heir apparent to Mahathir until he was sacked in 1998 over their political differences. Anwar was subsequently charged and jailed for sodomy, but the pair appear to see eye-toeye over the 1MDB scandal.

Last month tens of thousands of Malaysians flooded Kuala Lumpur to express anger over the graft allegations.

At the rally Mahathir said Malaysia was “controlled by thieves” and called for a sustained push to topple the prime minister. Critics accuse Mahathir of hypocrisy, saying he also tolerated corruption and repressed dissent in his day.

Mahathir, who helped propel decades of economic growth for Malaysia, warned that if Najib were not ousted Malaysians were in for tough times amid rising prices of goods and a slowing economy on the back of mounting national debt. AFP

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Php 27,000.00

23

Php 5,000.00

Php 29,000.00

26

Php 5,000.00

Php 21,000.00

13

Php 5,000.00

The Municipal Government of Adams, implementing partner of the Department Agriculture, now invite bidders for the above subprojects. Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with relevant procedures for open competitive bidding as specified in the IRR of RA 9184 (R.A. 9184), with some amendments, as stated in these bidding documents and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries as defined in the applicable procurement guidelines of the World Bank. The contract shall be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during post-qualification.

The Estimated Project Cost (EPC) for this project is indicated above.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee of the Municipal Government of Adams, Ilocos Norte and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Mondays to Fridays.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from December 8, 2016 to January 9, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the PRDP website (http://www.daprdp.net) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

As part of the transparency measures being instituted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) the bidders can virtually visit the site of the above-described subproject at http://www.daprdp.net where geotagged base photographs on 50 meter interval and track are viewable. The DA, however, requires that all potential contractors who will be awarded contract under the project shall have undergone geotagging training provided by the PRDP Project Support Office.

The Municipal Government of Adams will hold a Pre-Bid Conference onDecember 23, 2016 at 10:00 AM at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, 1st Floor, Northwestern Annex, Municipal Auditorium,Poblacion #1, Adams, Adams, Ilocos Norte, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered on or before January 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM at theOffice of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, 1st Floor, Northwestern Annex, Municipal Auditorium, Poblacion #1, Adams, Adams, Ilocos Norte. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or bid security in the amount specified below and in the form of Cash, certified (Cashier’s or Manager’s) Check or in the form of Bank Guarantee issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The Municipal Government of Adams reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: SGD. ERNESTO A. MANEGDEG Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator 1st Floor, Northwestern Annex, Municipal Auditorium Poblacion #1, Adams, Adams, Ilocos Norte (MS-DEC. 8, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

World

52 killed, scores injured in Indonesia earthquake M EUREUDU, Indonesia― At least 52 people were killed and scores injured when a strong earthquake struck western Indonesia Wednesday and flattened hundreds of homes and mosques, with officials warning the death toll would likely rise.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake struck Pidie Jaya district in Aceh province at dawn as many in the mainly Muslim region on Sumatra island were preparing for morning prayers.

The death toll has continued to rise as rescue crews sift through the devastation, sometimes by hand, to find those trapped beneath the rubble.

National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 52 people were confirmed dead so far with around 270 others injured, dozens of them seriously.

“Those figures are expected to rise given the massive destruction,” he told reporters.

An AFP correspondent said dazed residents were wandering debris-strewn streets, unable to return to their damaged homes in fear of aftershocks.

In the hard-hit town of Meureudu, terrified residents rushed outside as their homes buckled and crumbled under the force of the quake.

Mosques toppled into ruins, their spire-topped minarets smashing to the ground, while shop fronts collapsed and took down the homes above them.

Hasbi Jaya, 37, watched in horror as his two children were trapped beneath the wreckage of their family home.

He pulled them unconscious from the rubble and staggered through the dark towards the district hospital.

“Everything was destroyed,” Jaya told AFP. “It was pitch black because the electricity was out. I looked around and all my neighbors’ homes were completely flattened.”

The sole hospital in Pidie Jaya was quickly overwhelmed, with patients being treated on the grass out front or sent to neighboring districts with better facilities.

The district health office chief Said Abdullah said nearly 200 injured had arrived since the quake, but many would not enter the hospital for fear of aftershocks. AFP

foto

PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump introduced his nominee for Defense Secretary, decorated Marine general James Mattis, calling him “a popular choice’’ and “one of the most effective generals that we’ve had in many, many decades’’ at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Trump used the Tuesday rally, near the Fort Bragg military base, to pledge to rebuild the U.S. military, and renew the fight against terrorism. He also called for unity among Americans from all political parties.

“From now on, it’s going to be America first,’’ Trump said before introducing Mattis. “In short, we seek peace through strength.’’

The rally was the second of its kind since Trump won the Nov. 8 election. On Dec. 1, he appeared in Cincinnati, the first of what he said would be 10 stops on a “Thank You Tour” to celebrate his win.

Trump took to the stage with Mattis, a blunttalking former general who served as the head of Central Command responsible for U.S. forces in the Mideast and Afghanistan.

Using Mattis’s nickname “Mad Dog,’’ Trump said he would help lead the Pentagon as the “the first line of defense against radical Islamic terrorism -- words that some people don’t like to say.”

Trump said U.S. troops would have all the equipment they needed and promised veterans would receive first-rate health care.

Mattis spoke briefly, saying he is “grateful for the opportunity to return to our troops, their families, the civilians at the Department of Defense because I know how committed they are and devoted they are to the defense of our country, the defense of our Constitution.’’

Hours before Trump’s rally, President Barack Obama said his counter-terrorism strategy was based on sound policy and constitutional practices and criticized the kind of bluster he has accused Trump of embracing. Obama’s remarks at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa offered a contrast to Trump, who has promised to upend much of his predecessor’s foreign policy.

Bloomberg

Attack on Pearl Harbor remembered

DINNER. This is the atmosphere at the GQ and AG Dinner with Christian Slater at the Petit Ermitage Hotel on December 6, 2016, in West Hollywood, California. AFP

Actor Kirk Douglas turns 100 on Friday LOS ANGELES―Kirk Douglas, whose illustrious career has taken in some of cinema’s landmark roles, turns 100 on Friday -- attributing his remarkable longevity to his “wonderful marriage” of more than six decades.

The iconic actor revealed in a special essay to mark the milestone that his second wife Anne, 97, had been his inspiration in rebounding from adversity over the years.

“I was lucky enough to find my soulmate 63 years ago, and I believe our wonderful marriage and our nightly ‘golden hour’ chats have helped me survive all things,” he writes in celebrity magazine Closer Weekly.

The three-time Oscar nominee will celebrate with 200 friends and family at a party in California hosted by his son

Trump reveals his choice for defense chief

Michael and daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta Jones.

The star, who was forced to retire because of speech problems after a stroke, has practiced delivering a few words on the day with the help of a speech therapist.

“I am always asked for advice on living a long and healthy life. I don’t have any. I do believe, however, that we have a purpose for being here,” he says.

“I was spared after a helicopter crash and a stroke to do more good in the world before I leave it.”

Douglas, the son of illiterate Russian immigrants, appeared in some of cinema’s most iconic roles, from slave Spartacus and painter Vincent van Gogh to Western legend Doc Holliday.

He was in more than 80 movies but,

unlike stars of younger generations, never took a role in a sequel.

Born Issur Danielovitch in poverty in New York to a Jewish father and Protestant mother, Douglas went to the city’s Academy of Dramatic Arts.

“Champion” (1949) earned him the first of three Oscar nominations for best actor, an award that has eluded him but was finally snared by his son Michael for “Wall Street” (1987).

Among his most famous films were the 1956 Van Gogh biopic “Lust for Life,” “Gunfight at the OK Corral” (1957), “Spartacus” (1960) and “Seven Days in May” (1964).

Douglas’s first marriage to American actress Diana Webster produced sons Michael and Joel before it ended in divorce in 1951. AFP

PARIS-The December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggered the United States to join its European allies in World War II. With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due later this month to become the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor, AFP looks at the sequence of events that led to the US changing the course of the war.

Japan’s policy of territorial expansionism, launched in the late 19th century, intensified in 1931 with its invasion of Manchuria, followed by that of vast swathes of Chinese territory.

In 1940 the Japanese empire joined the so-called Axis Powers, notably Germany and Italy, who were fighting against the Allied Powers, including Britain, France and the Soviet Union, in World War II. Seeking energy sources and raw materials, Japan continued its policy of conquest, invading French Indochina.

In a bid to slam the breaks on Japanese expansion, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan in the summer of 1941, but was unwilling to enter a war that an isolationist population did not want.

The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor -- the first time the United States had been attacked on its own soil since 1812 -- changed all that.

“That day truly awoke a sleeping giant,” said then US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in 2011 of the surprise Japanese assault on the US Pacific Fleet anchored in the Hawaii archipelago.

Prepared in the greatest secrecy, the attack on the US fleet was carried out from six Japanese aircraft carriers and their 400 aircraft, including bombers and torpedo planes, which were positioned around 350 kilometres from their target.

The objective: to wipe out the American fleet, with the broader aim of conquering South East Asia.

At 7:55 am (1755 GMT) on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Japanese planes swooped by surprise on the little island of Oahu.

The two-hour attack killed 2,403 Americans and injured more than 1,100 others. Some 21 warships, including eight battleships, were damaged or destroyed as well as 328 fighter planes. AFP

Polar bear numbers seen plunging PARIS―Polar bear numbers could drop a third by mid-century, according to the first systematic assessment, released Wednesday, of how dwindling Arctic sea ice affects the world’s largest bear.

There is a 70 percent chance that the global polar bear population –- estimated at 26,000 -– will decline by more than 30 percent over the next 35 years, a period corresponding to three generations, the study found.

Other assessments have reached similar conclusions, notably a recent review by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which tracks endangered species on its Red List.

The IUCN classified the seafaring polar bear -- a.k.a. Ursus maritimus -- as “vulnerable”, or at high risk of extinction in the wild.

But the new study, published in

the Royal Society’s Biology Letters, is the most comprehensive to date, combining 35 years of satellite data on Arctic sea ice with all known shifts in 19 distinct polar bears groupings scattered across four ecological zones in the Arctic.

“Polar bears depend on sea ice for most aspects of their life history,” the study notes.

Most importantly, they use it as a floating platform to hunt seals, which can outswim them in open water.

Researchers led by Eric Regehr of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage, Alaska projected three population scenarios out to mid-century, and all of them were bad news for the snow-white carnivores.

The first assumed a proportional decline in sea ice and polar bears.

Despite year-to-year fluctuations, long-term trends are unmistakable: the ten lowest Arctic ice extents over the satellite record have all occurred since 2007.

The record low of 3.41 million square kilometers in 2012 was 44 percent below the 1981-2010 average.

This week, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that sea ice extent in October and November was the lowest ever registered for both months.

The culprit is global warming, which has raised the region’s surface temperatures by more than two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to the preindustrial era level, twice the global average.

On current trends, The Arctic could see its first ice-free summers sometime in the 2030s, according to climate scientists. AFP

PROTEST AGAINST CORRUPTION. People take part in a nationwide protest against corruption at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 4, 2016. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

HEALTH & HOME

D1

Promoting good dental habits among children

START THEM YOUNG. Encouraging kids to practice brushing at an early age will result in good long term oral health.

S

OME parents think it is not important to instill good oral habits among children because milk teeth are eventually replaced by permanent teeth.

Contrary to this common perception, however, lack of dental hygiene has negative consequences for young children who are susceptible to developing cavities just as adults are. The milk they drink and the food they eat can cause acid attacks, resulting in dental caries and tooth decay.

For this reason, it is important to promote good oral care habits among youngsters at an early stage. Proper dental hygiene results in strong teeth for your little ones, and also initiates long-term good oral health for them.

With this in mind, Hapee Kiddie Anti-Cavity Toothpaste generously shares tips that foster proper oral care habits for your kids at home:

Bring children to the dentist every six months as it is essential in maintaining proper dental hygiene

• First, and most important habit of them all, teach your kids how to brush in their early years. Proper brushing habits—combined with the right toothpaste—equate to cavity-free kids.

• Choose a toothpaste with kid-safe level of fluoride. For instance, Hapee Kiddie Anti-Cavity Toothpaste has a fluoride level of 1,000 ppm—the recommended amount of fluoride for children’s toothpaste by the Philippine Pedriatrics Dental Society Inc. and among others.

• Use oral care products designed for kids, like brushes with smaller heads that clean tiny mouths better, and with wider handles that little hands can easily grasp. Children likewise prefer fun

Brushing regularly, with the right toothpaste, protects teeth from plaque, bacteria and cavities

and fruity flavors in toothpaste, instead of strong, minty ones.

• Encourage your little ones to brush longer and better with Hapee Kiddie’s seven kid-citing flavors: Strawberry Bloom, Orange Squeeze, Tutti Frutti Twist, Juicy Grapes, Apple Crunch, Bubblegum Pop, and Cookies and Cream Ahoy.

• Teach your kids the ideal brushing time—which is at least two minutes— by making it fun and easy to remember: just sing the alphabet song in their heads twice.

• Remember that toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months—or even sooner, if these have become frayed or worn out, and whenever your child goes through a bad case of cold or flu.

• Aside from proper brushing with Hapee Kiddie Anti-Cavity Toothpaste, watch what your kids eat. Wean them away from junk food and offer them healthy snacks instead. Introduce your kids at an early age to nuts and fruits as snacks—not candy bars or sugary foods.

• Also, have them maintain oral care with regular visits to the dentist every six months. A great idea: time their dental checkups with your own in order to show that dental care is a priority.

Remember: Happy habits are essential for children’s healthy teeth, especially the brushing habit. When it comes to your child’s toothpaste, choose Hapee Kiddie Anti-Cavity Toothpaste, an expert at making brush time fun time.

Adam Levine remains zit-free with Proactiv WHEN not ripping up the pop charts with hits like “Moves Like Jagger” or cheering on his team on NBC’s The Voice, rock superstar Adam Levine is telling it like it is, especially when it involves the skin.

“Even though I’m a celebrity, I get acne too!” confessed People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Luckily, Proactiv is a game changer. It clears breakouts and treats your skin good.”

Acne is most often the result of hormonal activity. In some cases, the cause is neo-natal. That’s why even babies can have acne after 30 days from birth.

There are other factors like stress and lack of sleep.

The latter produces androgen that in turn breaks down into proacne hormones (DHEAS), which then increase the production of sebum.

The increased activity in the sebaceous glands also brings with it an increase in acne bacteria. And the acne cycle begins.

“People might think that nothing fazes me. But that’s just not true. Nobody’s proud of having acne. It’s just isn’t fun, it sucks. I suffered from acne when I was younger; I was so insecure.

It wasn’t a pleasant experience. So if acne is your problem, the solution is Proactiv.

“I know how important it is to get acne out of your life.

Proactiv helped me. It’s a no-brainer, just do it! Coz you’ll be very happy.

Proactiv is a simple, easy way to clear skin,” shared Adam in a testimonial.

The aired testimonial shares how Adam struggled with acne as a teenager and how he felt low because of it.

Proactiv is the only solution that helped Adam and millions of others get rid of zits.

Today, Adam Levine is a global music superstar, an award-winning songwriter and record producer, and a movie star on the rise. His renewed belief in his acne-free self has proven he can do everything he wishes for.

Yet, for someone who looked so natural in front of the cameras, Adam was once forced to stay away from the crowd. “Acne may be good at destroying self-confidence, but Proactiv is good at destroying acne.”

Proactiv’s vaunted 3-step program renews, revitalizes and repairs skin damage. The dermatologist-developed solution can clear existing zits as well as future breakouts.

Proactiv Solution is available at all Watsons and SM Department stores nationwide.

Organique Acai Berry, which is made of the world’s ‘number one superfood,’ is introduced recently in the US

Regine Tolentino leads US Organique Açai Berry launch ACTRESS, dancer and fitness expert Regine Tolentino joined Filipinos in the US West Coast in redefining a healthy lifestyle with the recent, threecity launch of Organique Acai Berry health supplement.

Knowing that being healthy is a choice, Regine shared how beautiful life is with wellness in body and mind as the celebrity endorser of Organique Acai Berry.

The launch was graced by Cathy Salimbangon, vice president of Organique, Inc. with subsequent schedules held at Fort McKinley Restaurant in South San Francisco, Dream Palace Banquet Hall in Glendale, California and at the Firefly Restaurant in Para-

dise Road in Las Vegas.

Aside from the product launch, the activities included product sampling, zumba classes and party with Regine and a talk by Ateneo Graduate School of Business professor Eric Soriano.

Regine further proved she is the zumba retro diva, with “Dance Revolution,” that also featured zumba “king and queen” Ruben Enriquez and Catherine Cancio Tagle.

Tagged as “The World’s Number One Superfood,” Organique Acai Berry is now available in the US, the Philippines, Japan and Hong Kong.

In the US, it is available at all Filipino supermarkets in California and Las Vegas, like Seafood City and Island Pacific.

Regine Tolentino complements her healthy lifestyle with a dose of Acai Berry

iPhoto Even global music superstars like Adam Levine suffered from acne, too.

DENTAL MISSION The Bangko Sentral Security Plant in Quezon City conducted a dental mission for its employees, which was participated in by several oral health companies, among them, Polident Denture Cleanser and Polident Denture Adhesive Cream. Dr. Bob Garcia, head of the BSP health department, said that the dental mission featured lecturers on dental health and denture care to bring oral health awareness to the BSP plant employees. Polident has been undertaking an education and information campaign in the metropolis as well as in the grassroots community to promote dental health and proper denture care and give back to denture users theirconfidence. For free samples and delivery nationwide of both Polident Denture Cleanser and Polident Adhesive Cream, call 924-2475.

Life

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Sleep your way to good health S

LEEP is the most underestimated activity. Most of us see sleep only as a means to rest and easily gives up sleep in order to stretch our day. In fact sleep is vital in achieving good health.

LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness introduces its signature Sleep Analysis and Consultation, understanding the importance of sleep.

The analysis and consultation is geared towards helping individuals sleep their way to good health.

“Most of us take sleep for granted and don’t fully realize how sleep impacts our well being,” says Dr. Denise Lavilles of LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness. “Beyond getting our body to rest and regain physical strength, quality sleep supports mental and physical health, and affects quality of life. How we feel and perform throughout the day is affected by how well we slept. It is during sleep when our body is working to support vital functions of the brain and organs.

Sleep also helps our cells regenerate,” added Lavilles.

Sleep deprivation affects us physically and mentally. Lack of quality sleep makes us feel constantly tired, less productive, moody, react slower, making us prone to mistakes and accidents. Mentally, it affects our cognitive function, making us unable to properly focus and retain information. Our risk for chronic disease also increases with chronic sleep deprivation.

“Because of being constantly sleep deprived, having a restful sleep eventually becomes a challenge and may lead to unhealthy habits and dependency on sleeping pills. But sleep issues can be addressed,” says Lavilles.

LifeScience Sleep Analysis and Consultation tackles sleep issues

It is important to get enough shuteye as it is during sleep when our body is working to support vital functions of the brain and other organs

through a multi-disciplinary, scientific and proactive approach. “It is vital to recognize the basic underlying factors affecting and causing sleep problems, in order to determine the appropriate steps needed to sleep better. We cannot simply just keep treating the symptoms.

Sleeping pills, for example, may help for a brief period of time and under a doctor’s supervision. However, insomnia cannot be cured with sleeping pills

alone. They can actually make insomnia worse in the long run. Sleep is such a dynamic and relational process—it has to be understood in relation to everything else.”

“As unique individuals, sleep issues can be caused by so many things, such as occupational and lifestyle factors, as well as physiologic and biologic alterations, like hormone changes and nutrient deficiencies. Because of the varying

influences and types of sleep disorders, a personalized and comprehensive approach is key in addressing sleep issues down to root cause,” stressed Lavilles.

The first step is to find out more about the individual during and beyond his sleep through traditional and advanced methods such as comprehensive history taking, actigraphy, heart rate variability, 24-hour salivary cortisol/melatonin, and nutrient and metabolic profiling.

Once this information is available, your physician will map-out a treatment plan that lets you fully understand what issues affect your sleep. A more thorough understanding of how your body works empowers you to be more involved in getting your restful sleep back.

For more information on the Sleep Analysis and Consultation or to book an appointment, visit lifescience.ph or call 848-LIFE (5433).

Unsanitary toilets cause disease among children

Domex teams up with the Philippine Public Health Association, Maxicare and UNICEF to help spread awareness on the sanitation issue in the country. The bleach brand is five times thicker than most laundry bleaches, hence effectively killing various fungi, bacteria and viruses

WORLD Toilet Day, a United Nations day of observance of the global sanitation crisis, was observed on Nov. 19. Toilet sanitation is a topic that is not often discussed, but as germ experts, Domex leads the cause for clean toilets in the country.

In the developing world, 443 million days of school are missed because of diseases caused by germs found in unsanitary toilets—that is equivalent to a month of school missed by every child in the Philippines. Maria Luisa Orezca president of the Philippine Public Health Association said, “The issue of toilet sanitation in our country is important.

There are several germs found in toilets that cause sicknesses.”

The PPHA president cites that examples of such germs are fungi, which cause skin diseases, gram negative bacteria, which cause diarrhea, and myco bacteria, the cause of tuberculosis.”

Committed to raising hygiene standards, in the last three years Domex has participated in the “One Million Clean Toilets” project where they pledge to educate one million people on proper toilet sanitation every year. This year marks their three-million milestone.

“We are very passionate about our mission to fight disease. And we continue to our pledge of clean toilets through our partnerships with the Philippine Public Health Association, Maxicare and UNICEF” said Domex brand manager Patricia Deyto-Santos.

This year, Domex looks at an area literally closer to home. Domex wants to

Enhance Christmas mood at home

Set the right mood for Christmas with Nxled Chameleon series LED lamps

CHRISTMAS is just a few weeks away, and it’s time to prepare your home to make sure it has a cheerful, festive and cozy ambiance that is perfect for the holiday celebrations.

To help set the mood for your Christmas get-togethers at home, Nxled, the next generation in lighting, presents its Chameleon series 3-in-1 LED lamps. This innovative product has three color temperatures that adapt to the users’ need, preference or mood. Choose Daylight if you’re looking for a natural effect, then switch to Cool White for that clear glow to complement your decors. Finally, opt for Warm White to create a cozy atmosphere where everyone is gathered together. Its warm glow is also best when taking photos. Do all these with every flick of your existing switch, no rewiring needed.

You can enjoy this color-changing feature in every nook and cranny of your home as the Nxled Chameleon series 3-in-1 LED is available in bulbs, downlights, ceiling lamps, circular lamps, and LED tubes.

To know more about Nxled, visit nxled.com.ph.

emphasize that you can lead the change for clean toilets, because, after all, proper sanitation practices start at home.

It is a common misconception that a toilet that smells nice and looks sparkling-clean is enough. However, a spotless toilet does not guarantee that it is germ-free.

Domex’s Research and Development Manager Amor Montefalcon-Prieto says, “In order to stay 99.9 percent germ free, it is essential to use a specialized toilet cleaner that not only cleanses but kills germs. “Consumers might be content with using thin bleach and laundry detergent. While they may clean the toilet, they do not kill germs thoroughly.”

Domex works in a way that has triple action because it thoroughly cleanses, has effective contact time and has far reach. Domex kills a wide range of germs such as various fungi, bacteria and viruses. Because it is five times thicker than thin laundry bleach, it also lasts up to seven flushes, while thin bleach lasts only for two. In addition, Domex is also able to access hard-to-reach areas inside your toilet.

It is the firm advocacy of Domex that everything, including proper sanitation, starts at home. By working actively with households PPHA, Maxicare and UNICEF, Domex helps spread awareness on the sanitation issue in our country.

Begin proper cleanliness in your home by joining the #1MCleanToilets movement. Visit Domex Philippines’s Facebook page for more information.

The LED lights is available in bulbs, downlights, ceiling lamps and LED tubes

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

G

MA Network further increased its nationwide ratings lead over rival ABSCBN, according to data from the industry’s widely trusted ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

From Oct. 13 to Nov. 16 (with Nov. 13 to 16 based on overnight data), GMA scored a total day people audience share of 40.1 percent, up 4.3 points from ABSCBN’s 35.8 percent in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) and bested competition across all day parts including the hotly contested primetime block.

Kapuso primetime programs surged ahead of competition and consisted majority (7 out of 10) of the top programs in National Urban Philippines.

As it continues to unveil new twists and characters, Encantadia made its way to the top of the list of most-watched programs for NUTAM, posting a people rating of 12.8 percent. The Kapuso telefantasya is now the highestrating primetime series in the country, outranking all shows from the rival network.

The Dingdong Dantes-starrer Alyas Robin Hood (11.4 percent) also continued to drive GMA’s strong ratings on primetime, drawing audiences with its relatable and timely plot at third place.

Known for its trademark Serbisyong Totoo, the Network’s flagship newscast 24 Oras, meanwhile, emerged as the no.1 primetime news program in the same period with a people rating of 10.9 percent, besting the competing network’s newscast. It is tied with consistent top rater Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) in the fourth and fifth place.

The Kapuso Network also remained ahead on weekends as all-time favorites Magpakailanman (10.7 percent) and Pepito Manaloto (10.6 percent) occupied the sixth and seventh place, leading their counterpart shows. Completing the list

of Kapuso programs in the top 10 is Hay Bahay! (9.4 percent).

Also garnering top ratings in NUTAM are Tsuperhero (9.3 percent), Ismol Family (9.1 percent), 24 Oras Weekend (8.9 percent), Eat Bulaga (7.2 percent), Wowowin (7 percent), Sunday PinaSaya (6.8 percent), Someone to Watch Over Me (6.8 percent), Imbestigador (6.8 percent), and Superstar Duets (6.2 percent).

Viewers from across the country tuned in to GMA on Nov. 6 to watch Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao snatch the WBO Welterweight title from his opponent Jessie Vargas via “Resurgence: Pacquiao versus Vargas.”

The b o u t , which aired

KAPUSO increases lead

in NATIONAL TV RATINGS

The lead cast of GMA fantasy series ‘Encantadia’

exclusively on GMA on Philippine free TV, registered a 15.8 percent people rating in National Urban Philippines,

Dingdong Dantes as the vigilante Alyas Robin Hood

catapulting it to the top of the list of most-watched programs and specials in the covered period.

In Urban Luzon, GMA

Comedian Michael V.

Network remained undefeated – where it also led across all day parts - by virtue of its 45.7 percent people audience share, posting a 15.5-point margin

over ABS-CBN’s 30.2 percent.

GMA dominated the list of the top 10 programs in Urban Luzon occupying 9 out of the 10 slots for the said period.

GMA News pillars (from left) Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco

Team Kramer visits Red Ribbon Flagship store RED Ribbon’s celebrity family brand ambassador, Team Kramer, recently treated customers to a meet-and-greet fans day at the bakeshop’s flagship store at Building A of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

More than a hundred Red Ribbon customers lined up to meet and have their photos taken with the celebrity couple, Doug and Cheska Kramer, together with their kids—Kendra, Scarlett, and Gavin.

“We had a great time doing the meetand-greet activity, especially the kids.

Kendra, Scarlett, and Gavin enjoyed being here at the Red Ribbon flagship store to meet our fans,” said Chesca Kramer.

During the said event, Doug and Chesca also shared their favorite Red Ribbon products with the customers. “Red Ribbon products are our family’s all-time favorite.

We always have them, even during our simplest occasions because they are perfect for making moments with the family even more special and memorable,” said Doug Kramer.

Apart from the store’s sweet treats,

Team Kramer Doug, Cheska and Kendra with the staff of Red Ribbon flagship store at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City

Doug also mentioned another thing that they like about the store, “[We] also love all of its exclusive features, which makes

it different from all of the Red Ribbon stores that we’ve visited.”

As the first of its kind, the Red Ribbon

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, December 8, 2016

ACROSS 1 New growth 6 Recipe meas.

10 Diner special 14 The good dishes 15 Low voice 16 Black-and-white snack 17 Thoroughfares 18 Fossilized plants 19 Longish skirt 20 Opposed 21 Restaurant takeouts (2 wds.)

23 Fuzzy fruits 25 Victorian garment 26 Rock concert souvenir 27 Country singer Patsy — 29 Weaker, as an excuse 32 Nest builders 33 Laugh syllable 36 Very pleased 37 Cheech’s partner 38 Modicum 39 Fair-hiring letters 40 Basketball venue 41 Smudge 42 Keen 43 Knock politely

44 Hoodlums 47 Give credit 51 Gratis (3 wds.)

54 Ben Jonson works 55 Spunky movie princess 56 Woes 57 Not touching 58 Insect resins 59 “— drummers drumming ...”

60 Snicker (hyph.)

61 Wooden strip 62 Capricorn’s symbol 63 Moderate gaits DOWN 1 Discard 2 Hold the —!

3 Gaucho’s rope 4 Charged with a crime 5 Tank filler 6 Baja fast food 7 Surfer’s reading 8 Antler bearer 9 Walking a beat 10 Durango dude 11 Verdi numbers 12 Swamp grass 13 Raise, as a sail 21 Joey or Kiki 22 Nearly forever 24 That girl 27 Old hag

28 Jazzy — Horne 29 Size above med.

30 Pub pint 31 Chairman — 32 Hone 33 Ground breaker 34 Depot info 35 Pitcher handle 37 Flattening 38 Racy 40 Throb 41 Cul-de- — 42 Horrified 43 Half a dangerous fly 44 Bridge fees

45 Cager Shaq — 46 Ancient Phoenician port 47 Money in the bank 48 Popular potato 49 Jaunty lid 50 — Park, Colorado 52 Mishmash 53 Radius companion 57 Legal rep

Flagship store highlights four unique features not present in any of its other branches. The first feature is the oversized Art Installation showcasing one of Red Ribbon’s signature cakes—the Red Ribbon Black Forest. The feature gives an immediate visual experience of its cream and cherry chocolate indulgence to customers who enter the store.

The second feature is the In-house Baking Area located at the right side of the storefront. Here, customers are treated to the sight and aroma of selected freshly baked Red Ribbon delights topped with special decorations.

The flagship store also has a Huddle Area intended for customer bonding as well as fostering community building through workshops and activities. This area also encourages family and friends to create and experience sweet and memorable moments even outside their home.

Lastly, customers can now personalize the experience of bringing home a Red Ribbon product by allowing them to put their own touch on the Red Ribbon box at

the Ribboning Area. Through this feature, customers can decorate it with more colorful ribbons aside from the signature red ribbons.

Aside from these features, the flagship store also has an augmented reality app— the Sweet Moments at Red Ribbon.

By using this, visitors can take photos of themselves together with some Red Ribbon iconic elements. It also has a digital board game, which can only be acquired and played in the Huddle Area.

It can now be downloaded online through Google Play and iOS. “We are happy to share this meetand-greet event with the Kramer family and their fans. Our store is designed with the intention of giving a more enjoyable experience to our loyal customers through its facilities and these kinds of activities.

Expect that more of these events will happen here at the Red Ribbon flagship store in the future,” said Ned Bandojo, Head of Marketing of Red Ribbon.

To know more about Red Ribbon’s many sweet delights, visit www. redribbonbakeshop.com.ph.

Teen star Gabbi Garcia joins other Kapuso stars as recipients of German Moreno Youth Achievement Award

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

Senior actor Gabby Concepcion wins Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘Crazy Beautiful You’

German Moreno Youth Achievement awardee Jak Roberto

Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal, stars of Best Advocacy Film, ‘EDSA’

Kapuso stars big winners at

2016 FAMAS AWARDS

S

EVERAL Kapuso stars brought pride and honor to GMA ISAH V. RED Network after being proclaimed as winners in this year’s Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards last Sunday at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.

Dennis Trillo was one of the night’s biggest winners. He went home with the Best Actor Award for the role he played in Felix Manalo.

Also, Gabby Concepcion was voted Best Supporting Actor for his role in Crazy Beautiful You. The actor stars in the Afternoon Prime series Ika-6 na Utos and also in the Sunday weekend show Tsuperhero.

GMA Artist Center stars Gabbi Garcia, Jak Roberto and Sanya Lopez were the recipients of the German Moreno Youth Achievement Award. Gabbi and Sanya are in the toprating primetime series Encantadia, while Jak is one of the leading men of Barbie Forteza in Meant To Be, GMA’s opening salvo in 2017.

EDSA with Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica was FAMAS’ 2016 Advocacy Film awardee.

Jean Garcia elicited oohs and aaahs when she was announced winner of the Finesse Look of the Night. She is in the upcoming Afternoon Prime drama Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa.

The late Master Showman German “Kuya Germs” Moreno received the Posthumous Award. *** On Nov. 26, #Michaelangelo, your favorite inspirational-entertainment talk show, debuted on the air for its 6th season.

Packed with exciting new concepts and segments, the season opened with a happy treat featuring Pambansang Bae Alden Richards. #Michaelangelo is the brainchild of host and producer Michael Angelo Lobrin. Known to many as a sought after public speaker, actor, TV personality, brand endorser and author of the National best-selling book Laugh With God Today, Michael Angelo has pledged to tailorfit his show to audiences who seek to draw meaningful lessons through the lenses of the life stories of its featured guests. #Michaelangelo is your kind of Intertainment (Inspirational Entertainment). It combines laughter and inspiration, witnessed perhaps most glaringly in how its viewers share their unique experiences of joy and tears after watching the show. #Michaelangelo indeed brings so much positivity to its viewers. It has enjoyed very good ratings and has been a consistent trending topic in social media. #Michaelangelo Season 6 is brought to you chiefly by Bounty Agro

Ventured Inc. maker of Chooks To Go (Masarap Kahit Walang Sauce), Uling Roasters (Di Raw Masyado Masarap Pero Pwede Na) and Royal (Mas Masarap Pag Mav Sauce).

Since its inception, #Michaelangelo has been blessed by its partnership with the Bounty Agro Ventures Incorporated. Led by no less than its president, Ronald Mascariñas, Bounty Agro Ventures has been the soul of the show providing t h e

cause to promote inspiring and entertaining shows.

It was Mr. Mascarinas who lent the foundational sponsorship support to the show. He is considered

by Michael Angelo a very influential force in the overall thrust of #Michaelangelo.

Not only is Mascariñas a reliable partner to the show, he is a consistent supporter of Michael Angelo in his projects in general.

In fact, Bounty Agro Ventures Inc is the soul behind the Mission IMpossible events, which have given people t h e

opportunity, see and hear Michael Angelo’s inspirational talks and live performances. For Michael Angelo, Mascariñas is a fatherlike figure where he draws strength and inspiration.

The new season of #Michaelangelo also welcomes the new forged partnership with the Bounty Fresh Food Inc with its famous Bounty Fresh Brand in its newly conceptualized “BFF” Bounty Fresh Favorites, which is a cooking segment. Michael Angelo is truly excited to learn a thing or two about the fine art of cooking from his featured Chef.

Michael Angelo is grateful to God for all the blessings and guidance that he has thus far received, especially on account of his show and as an Artist. He conveys his indebtedness to the generous sponsors, the men and women in the production team, especially Chito Francisco, his colleague and manager, as well as the TV show’s overall creative consultant and

writer, in a special way. #MichaelAngelo airs 5 p.m. on GMA TV every Saturday. It’s 6th season will run until Feb. 8, 2017. *** Perry Escaño is proud to announce that Ang Guro Kong di Marunong Magbasa, the screenplay of which he also wrote, is now rolling on the way for the 13th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival on Aug. 4 to 13 next year.

He has finished casting and the lead character will be played

by Alfred Vargas. Also in the film are actors Marc Justine Alvarez, Micko Laurente, Bon Andrew Lentejas, Lou Veloso, Jerald Napoles, Mon Confiado, Kiko Matos, Madeleine Nicolas, among others.

The film is inspired by true events that happened in one barrio in Mindadano. It is about a an unlettered man who volunteers to teach children orphaned in the unending conflict between the military and militant Muslims in Mindanao.

Listen to the Sounds of Christmas at the Shang

much needed production and postproduction provisions - and its president, Mr. Mascarinas, has been a very important motivator to Michael Angelo in the latter’s

BIG WINNER.

Kapuso actor Dennis Trillio walked home after bagging the Best Actor trophy for his role in the biopic ‘Felix Manalo’

IT’S beginning to sound a lot like Christmas at Shangri-La Plaza. The mostestablished upscale lifestyle destination is celebrating its 25th year, and culling some of the country’s top musical artists to make the holiday season extra special.

Head over to Shang’s Grand Atrium at Level 2 of the Main Wing for a series of anticipated performances befitting the most wonderful time of the year.

They say Christmas is for kids, so Shang is letting three of the metro’s best children’s choirs take the stage and enchant guests with their line-up of beloved holiday tunes. Be sure to be present for St. Paul College Pasig Choir 6 p.m. on Dec. 9.

On Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., the acclaimed Manila Philharmonic Orchestra will fill the Grand Atrium with the festive season’s greatest favorites. There are more performances to look forward to all days of December at the Shang.

For inquiries, call 3702597/98 or visit www. f a c e b o o k . c o m / s h a n g r i l a p l a z a o ff i c i a l .

Follow the Shang on Instagram: @ shangrilaplazaofficial.