Manila Standard - 2016 December 09 - Friday

‘Rubout pre-trial forges ahead’

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon R. Araneta THE Justice Department on Thursday said it would proceed with its preliminary investigation of criminal complaints filed against policemen involved in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap, even though President Rodrigo Duterte said he would not let the team led by Supt. Marvin Marcos go to jail.

Earlier this week, the National Bureau of Investigation said it recommended the filing of murder and perjury charges against

OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT. President Rodrigo Duterte receives Wednesday a report from Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales during the 4th State Conference on United Nations Convention Against Corruption Implementation and Review at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang.

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Cha-Cha panelists firmed up PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order creating a 25-member committee that will study the 1987 Constitution for possible amendments, an official said Thursday.

“As to the provision of the Constitution to be amended, the President issued the other day an executive order creating the committee for the consultative study of the Constitution,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said during a Senate hearing led by the committee on constitutional

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Palace belittles ouster Officials insist Duterte is secure; LP denies claim

4th suspect in bombing plot falls A FOURTH suspect in the foiled bombing attempt at the US Embassy in Manila was nabbed by police intelligence operatives in Subic, Zambales, Metro Manila Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said Thursday.

He made the statement even as the police officers hunting the remnants of the terrorist group planning bombing sorties in Metro Manila recovered an improvised explosive device made up of a 105mm howitzer projectile in Bulacan on Wednesday afternoon.

Reports said the terrorists in Metro Manila were part of an eight-man team of newly graduated bombers out to sow violence, and apparently to gain recognition from the Islamic State.

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Duterte mimics Trump PHILIPPINE leader Rodrigo Duterte is working on his own impression of President-elect Donald Trump.

In a speech in Manila on Wednesday night, Duterte imitated Trump’s voice and accent while recalling their telephone conversation on December 2.

He said that Trump wanted to fix “bad relations” with the Philippines stemming from President Barack Obama’s criticism of his deadly war on drugs.

“If you listen to how Trump talks to me now, I have already turned into a saint,” Duterte said in a speech at the presidential palace. By contrast, he said, Obama pictured “the Philippines--well of course, including me--to be murderers and everything.”

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HE Palace on Thursday played down speculation that the Liberal Party was working to unseat President Rodrigo Duterte, saying he is secure and has the full support and backing of the military.

“The President is very secure,” said Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag.

“He knows that he is working well. It is not all about extrajudicial killing. Governing the Philippines is not all about that. It’s all about the lot of things concerning the Filipino people and alleviating their plight.”

Banaag said there was no need

EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. At Camp Crame, PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa presents the 105 mm howitzer projectile and electronics used for an improvised explosive device recovered in Bulacan, based on the information from Muhammad Jumao-as, the third suspect in the foiled recent US Embassy bombing. Manny Palmero

White House on drug war: Wrong way

By John Paolo Bencito and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not going about resolving the country’s drug problem the right way, the White House said Thursday amid signals that the next US president, Donald Trump, would be “more accepting” of his brutal war on drugs.

“President Duterte has certainly raised concerns about the degree to which his government is at least willing to look the other way while these kinds of extrajudicial killings are taking place and while vigilante justice is being meted out,” US Press Secretary John Earnest was quoted by Virginiabased Politico.

Earnest added that the US gov-

ernment should not tolerate the continuing spate of summary executions.

“The position of this administration, the current US government, is simply that extrajudicial killings are entirely inconsistent with the notion of the rule of law and the commitment to upholding basic, universal human rights,” Earnest said.

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to conduct a loyalty check among government troops since Duterte had “massive support” from the Filipino people.

Banaag made these statements as Duterte assured Vice President Leni Robredo that there is no plot to steal the vice presidency from her, despite his support for her rival, former senator Ferdinand Next page Marcos Jr.

UN urges Congress: Reject death penalty

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon R. Araneta THE United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights on Thursday appealed to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to reject proposals to revive capital punishment.

In a letter addressed to both chambers of Congress, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High

Commissioner on Human Rights, said that an international agreement signed by the Philippines prohibits the country from reinstating the death penalty.

“Yesterday evening, our High Commissioner sent a letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. He appealed to all members of Congress to uphold the international human rights obligations of the Philippines Next page

Lam told: Settle taxes, resume business in PH

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday Chinese gambling tycoon Jack Lam need only pay his taxes to avoid criminal charges after ordering his arrest.

In his visit to Legazpi, Albay, Duterte laid preconditions after the gambling tycoon sent feelers for his return, including the revocation of an old contract that allowed him to pay lower taxes compared to the other locators at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga. twitter.com/ MlaStandard

“I’d like to announce in advance because to avoid speculation, that stupid person Jack Lam has sent feelers that he would like to come back,” Duterte said.

“One, because he takes pity on the 6,000 plus Filipinos out of job. Second, he said he would settle his obligation. And third, that contract that was signed during Cory’s time is no longer acceptable to me. He only pays one percent while the rest of the guys there are paying 10.

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SAFE AT SOUTH. BRP Malabrigo, the second of 10 Multi-Role Response Vessels ordered from Japan during the Aquino Administration, drops anchor at Pier 13 of the Manila South Harbor before it is commissioned in the West Philippine Sea. Norman Cruz

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Noy held liable for HR abuses during his term

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Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate made the statement as the nation got ready to celebrate Human Rights Day on Saturday.

Zarate said there had been no justice for the victims of abuses under the Aquino ad-

ministration.

“The Aquinos should also be made [accountable] and compensate the victims of human rights violations while they were in power,” Zarate said in a text message.

Kabayan party-list Rep. Har-

ry Roque agreed, adding all previous presidents also face justice for the mindless violence and impunity committed in their administrations.

“I have always maintained that all presidents should be held liable for violating the right to life,” Roque said.

Citing the World Report 2016, Human Rights Watch claimed that Aquino’s performance when it came to human rights had been “disappointing.”

‘Oust-Du30’...

Lewis, whom Duterte identified as one of the moving forces behind a plan to launch protest rallies against his administration, urged him to resign after his decision to ease out the vice president and failing to keep his promise to rid the country of drugs and criminality “in three to six months.”

Duterte insisted that it is only the yellow forces who are working to have him removed from office, saying that even the Communists are for him.

“The communists, the New People’s Army, they are all for Duterte,” he said in Filipino.

Duterte also criticized the previous administration of President Benigno Aquino III, saying he left the drug menace untouched.

“When did the drug industry blossom?” Duterte said.

Duterte had earlier issued a warning that he would soon get even with his critics, saying he would deal with them as soon as he is finished addressing the country’s pressing problems.

Liberal Party acting President Francis Pangilinan rejected allegations by the President that the socalled yellows were out to oust him.

“The alleged plot is untrue.

There is no such plot,” Pangilinan said. He added that the bulk of the “yellows” have abandoned the LP ship and are now card-carrying

members of other parties such as Duterte’s PDP-Laban.

He said being critical of the burial of Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani or being critical of the spate of extrajudicial killings does not mean they wanted Duterte ousted.

“We are in a democracy and dissent and rallies should be seen simply as such in a democracy and should not be viewed as part of a so called larger conspiracy,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon said the LP denied as totally unfounded the allegations that they were planning to oust the President.

“We respect the mandate of our people. But certainly we would state our positions on various positions which were contrary to those of the President,” said Drilon.

“So these are views that we expressed as a party and they have nothing to do with any plan allegedly to oust the President. We deny that categorically,” he said.

In the Senate, he said, they voted for Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who belongs to the PDP-Laban.

“In fact, in the Senate, what has evolved is we decide on an issueto-issue basis. For example, the issue on Marcos’ burial, the LP and its allies took the position that Marcos should not be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, and the

President of the Senate joined us there,” said Drilon.

Duterte’s harshest critic, Senator Leila de Lima, asked the President for specifics.

“May I ask him--what exactly are the yellows doing to purportedly oust him? Are the acts of opposing the Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the death penalty, EJKs, the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility and misogynistic acts and behavior indicative of a plot or plan to oust the President? Of course not! The yellows, including the LP senators, are simply weighing in or making their voices heard on those issues of deep public interest. And, certainly, we’re not doing that to benefit any political figure or promote any political agenda,” said De Lima.

She said the President seems to be forgetting that this is a free country, where all citizens have the right, and even the duty, to speak up about serious issues affecting our nation.

“Labeling people as yellows does not, cannot and should not unclothe them of their rights and duties as citizens,” said De Lima.

“We, as much as everyone else in this nation, are the President’s people--when we speak, should he not listen to us, instead of silencing us or hurling unfounded and paranoid accusations against us?”

President said last Wednesday that he would not allow Marcos and his team to go to prison and vowed to defend them.

“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.

He said in the same speech, however, that he would not obstruct legal proceedings at the DOJ. Aguirre said Thursday he believed the President made the statement to emphasize his trust in and support for the Philippine National Police in its enforcement of his antinarcotics campaign.

He also said the President’s pronouncement did not constitute an impeachable offense, contrary to the opinions of critics such as Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV. Aguirre said Trillanes, who is not a lawyer, “knows nothing.”

But De Lima said it was clear that Duterte, whom she described as “the father of extrajudicial killings,” ordered the Nov. 5 killing of Mayor Espinosa.

“Nothing can be clearer than that,” she said.

She added that his remarks about not letting the policemen go to jail was an admission that he was the

mastermind of the summary execution.

“Now we all know that the order and command to murder Espinosa in cold blood came from none other than the President himself,” De Lima added. “People of the Philippines, your President is a murderer.”

De Lima also said Duterte betrayed the public trust—an impeachable offense--when he defended Marcos and his team, because it is his duty to enforce the law.

The slain mayor had earlier surrendered to the authorities after he and his son, Kerwin Espinosa, were named by President Duterte as drug lords in Eastern Visayas.

The police team that conducted the raid insisted that Espinosa shot at them first, prompting them to fire back.

Also charged with perjury and malicious procurement of search warrant was Paul Olendan, the witness used by the police to obtain the search warrants against Espinosa and Yap from Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 30 in Basey, Samar.

Aguirre also said the ruling of Baybay, Leyte Regional Trial Court Branch 14 Judge Carlos Arguelles granting the younger Espinosa’s bid to be transferred to

the custody of the NBI is a welcome development in the case.

“It will be convenient for him if he will as he said pursue his application to the government’s witness protection program,’ the DoJ chief said.

The younger Espinosa is detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame where he was brought after his return following his arrest in the United Arab Emirates last month.

Charges of possession of illegal drugs and firearms were filed against him by the authorities before a court in Leyte.

The leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan on Thursday said Duterte’s defense of Marcos and the police raiding team encouraged impunity and the blatant violation of the law.

“It is unacceptable as it is dangerous. While the President says he will not interfere in the filing of the case in court, his repeated pronouncements that he believes the police version--despite contrary findings by the NBI--is indeed problematic. Even when faced with evidence of wrongdoing by the police, the President insists on giving them the presumption of regularity,” Bayan said in a statement. With Sandy Araneta

LAWMAKER said Thursday former President Benigno Aquino III must be held accountable for the alleged human rights violations under his watch.

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“I will assure Leni and the rest of the Bicol region that you will have her until the very end of her term,” Duterte told reporters Thursday.

“There is no such thing as removing the vice president,” he added.

Duterte recently asked Robredo to stop attending Cabinet meetings in Malacañang, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Robredo, in turn, resigned as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

On Thursday, Duterte scored “yellow forces” who are plotting his ouster to install Robredo as president.

Without mentioning names, Duterte apparently referred to the Liberal Party.

“Those yellow people, let them demonstrate. You want me out because you cannot accept defeat,” Duterte said in a speech during the 4th State Conference on the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption.

“This is politics. They wanted me out. Of course they want the vice president. You’ve had your chance,” he added.

Recently, Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas

‘Rubout...

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the raiding team that killed Espinosa and Yap inside the Baybay City sub-provincial jail in Leyte, describing the operation as “a rubout.”

“We will continue with the preliminary investigation. It [the President’s statement] will not affect the proceedings here in the DoJ,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III said in a text message.

Aguirre said he has created a panel of five prosecutors to hold the preliminary investigation on the charges of murder, robbery, malicious procurement of a search warrant, perjury and planting of evidence against Marcos, head of the Region 8 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and other members of his team.

In a department order, Aguirre designated Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Lilian Doris Alejo as head of the panel with Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas, Assistant State Prosecutor Jinky Dedumo, Assistant State Prosecutor Karla Cabel and Prosecuting Attorney Moises Acayan as members.

Despite the NBI findings, the

UN...

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and maintain the abolition of the death penalty,” the UNHCR said in a statement.

“Failing to do so would violate Philippines’ obligations under international law. The Philippines is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Second Optional Protocol on the Abolition of Death Penalty,” it added.

Zeid also reiterated to Alvarez and Pimentel that “decades of research have proven that there was no reliable evidence that the death penalty is an effective deterrent to crime.”

“What we do know is that executions have led to the wrongful killing of many innocent people across the world. The use of the death penalty leaves no room for human error, with the gravest of consequences. Moreover, statistics worldwide have repeatedly demonstrated that the use of the death penalty consistently and disproportionately

discriminates against the poor and most marginalized individuals and subsequently results in social injustice,” Zeid said in his letter.

The UN Human Rights commissioner asked Congress to instead pass measures “strengthening the rule of law, ensuring an effective justice system and reducing drug use by adopting a strong public health approach to prevention, harm reduction and other forms of health care and treatment in accordance with international standards.”

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, meanwhile, criticized the House of Representatives for trying to railroad the passage of the death penalty bill.

“We need for Filipinos to unite against the reimposition of capital punishment than ever because of attempts to railroad the passage of the death penalty bill,” CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.

The archbishop said it is a “tragedy” that the proposed measure is being pushed for approval in Congress before Christmas.

4th...

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A Mindanao source said at least eight bombers from the newly formed Dawlat-ul Islamiya or Islamic Lanao that had links to ISIS arrived in Metro a few months back for test missions, but they failed.

Police Chief Ronaldo dela Rosa said the IED was recovered following a disclosure from Mohammad Jumao-as, the third suspect nabbed in the foiled attempt to bomb the US Embassy.

Albayalde has just been promoted to the two-star rank, or major general, in the military.

He did not identify the fourth

Duterte...

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Duterte’s latest comments indicate that ties between the security allies may improve under Trump.

The Philippine leader in October announced a shift in foreign policy toward China while telling Obama

“Since his election, President Aquino held out the promise of a rights-respecting Philippines for which he has sadly been unable to deliver,” Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said.

Human Rights Watch said 65 leftist activists, human rights defenders and alleged supporters of communist rebels were killed in the first 10 months of 2015 alone since Aquino rose to power in 2010.

Maricel V. Cruz

bomber who was arrested, but a source identified him as Elmer Romero y Cabuhat who was nabbed Wednesday night.

“Romero tried but failed to escape,” the source said.

During the press briefing led

by Dela Rosa, Albayalde also presented an improvised explosive device, the second bomb to be recovered since the recovery of the first near the US Embassy.

Dela Rosa said the IED was made of a round of 105mm Howitzer canon, not 81mm mortar as earlier reported.

“This is more lethal than any mortar round,” Dela Rosa said.

Florante S. Solmerin and Francisco Tuyay

to “go to hell” for opposing his drug war, which has killed thousands of alleged dealers and users.

Impersonating the real-estate mogul, Duterte said Trump told him: “You’re doing great. I know what’s your worry about these Americans criticizing you. You are doing good, go ahead.”

Duterte said that Trump used curse

White...

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“Signaling a willingness to backtrack from those values is bad for our individual relations, but it also degrades our ability to exert our influence around the world.”

Earnest’s comments came as Trump suggested he had no problem with Duterte’s aggressive crackdown on drugs and wanted strained ties between the Philippines and the United States fixed.

Mimicking the billionaire’s American accent, Duterte quoted Trump as telling him: “I know you worry about the Americans criticizing you.

You’re doing good. Go ahead.”

Duterte said he considers Trump a friend, unlike outgoing US President Barack Obama, who criticized his bloody campaign.

“That’s why I’m very impressed with you, Mr. President [Duterte],” the President added, again quoting Trump.

“Oh yes, when you come to Washington, D.C. or New York City, look me up and we’ll have coffee.”

“He understood the way we are handling it and I said that there’s nothing wrong in protecting a country. It was… encouraging in the sense that I supposed that what he really wanted to say was that we would be the last to interfere in the affairs of your own country,” Duterte added.

In an interview with Time Magazine, which named him Person of the Year, Trump asked about parallels between his rhetoric and Duterte’s response to violence.

Trump grabbed a Newsday article about a local street gang with Central America ties, pointed to the story and said, “Well, hey, look, this is bad stuff. They slice them up, they carve their initials in the girl’s forehead, O.K. What are we supposed to do? Be nice about it?”

Despite the criticism from the White House, US ambassador Sung Kim on Thursday reaffirmed a “rock solid alliance” between the United States and the Philippines.

In an interview, Kim said the United States’ “strong commitment” with the Philip-

pines under outgoing President Barrack Obama will continue when Trump assumed office in January.

“I’ve said many times that the United States and Philippines relationship is one of most enjoyed and most special relationships...and there are many different dimensions of this. We have a rock olid alliance, very strong economic engagement [and] law enforcement cooperation, Kim said.

He said regardless of the party in power, the US recognizes the “special relationship” that has been built over 70 years.

Kim is scheduled to visit the President’s hometown, Davao, next week.

Also on Thursday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said it has formed an independent group to investigate possible human rights violations in the conduct of police anti-drug operations.

DILG Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing said the probe will check on the consistency of the Philippine National Police in upholding human rights as a government policy.

“We want to show them that we are following the process and procedures that secure human rights,” Densing said.

The team, called the ‘Independent human rights probe committee’ is headed by DILG Undersecretary for Peace and Order, Catalino S. Cuy and Densing.

The team will supervise interviews with people and police involved or present during drug-related encounters.

Densing said if indeed human rights violations exist, then the DILG can make recommendations as to how to prevent these from happening again.

“We will explore the perspectives from the victim, suspects who survived, friends or neighbors who witnessed the killings and the police involved in order for us to come up with indicative conclusions on how we can make recommendations as to how we will minimize human rights violations,” he said.

Police officers who violate human rights may face charges and penalties, he said. With PNA

Cha-Cha...

Lam...

amendments and revision of codes.

“Basically, it’s a consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution to be composed of 25 selected individuals whose names will be later on submitted to the President.”

The committee will be tasked to review the Constitution within six months from its creation will be asked to review Duterte’s proposal to transform the present form of government from a unitary one to a federal form.

Medialdea said Duterte’s preferred mode of Charter Change was through a Constitutional Assembly.

“He believes that both houses [of Congress] should vote separately, but we would require further legal study to determine the intent of the framework of the Constitution,” Medialdea said.

In many of his speeches, Duterte had expressed his readiness to step down from power if a federal and parliamentary form of government was adopted via constitutional amendments in his fourth or fifth year in office.

He said there must be a president who should head the parliamentary and federal government, noting he was willing to call for a presidential election the following day or week if Congress passed the amendments.

“I can commit today to the Republic of the Philippines that if you will hurry up the federal system of government and you can submit it to the Filipino people by the fourth or fifth year, you call for a referendum, and after that call for a presidential election,” Duterte said.

“Then I will go.”

John Paolo Bencito

“If he is agreeable to a renegotiation and apologize for offering something, a bribe, it’s okay [with] me because he has offered to come back to resume his business and pay his taxes.”

Soon after Lam fled the country fearing retribution, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. temporarily shut down the gaming areas operated by his Jimei group at the Fontana Leisure Park and Casino at the Clark Freeport in Angeles City.

Duterte had earlier ordered Lam’s arrest for economic sabotage and bribery following his alleged attempts to bribe Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and Pagcor head Andrea Domingo to allow the continuation of his operations in the country.

Duterte said he had every right to order Lam’s arrest.

“At the time he left the country his operations were in full swing. That’s why I ordered the NBI to stop them,” Duterte said.

“He seems to talk as if everybody is in his pocket.”

Lam’s name came to the public’s attention following claims that he tried to bribe Aguirre and Domingo to facilitate the release of at least 1,000 Chinese nationals who were rounded up on November 24.

The Chinese nationals were nabbed for their alleged involvement in an illegal online gambling operation at the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga.

Aguirre claimed that Lam, through retired Chief Supt. Wally Sombero, told him that the Macau-based businessman had been looking for a “godfather” to protect his gambling business.

The justice secretary had said he would not pursue legal action against Lam and Sombero.

Aguirre later claimed that Lam also tried to offer Pagcor chairman Domingo a one-percent cut from his casino earnings so he could continue his gaming business while applying for a license.

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words in describing a “problem in the border of Mexico and America.”

“When you come to Washington DC or New York City, look me up and we’ll have coffee,” Duterte said, impersonating Trump. “And maybe you can give me a suggestion, one or two how to solve this goddamn, son of a bitch.”

Bloomberg

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Año: Military no threat to peace talks

By Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—Newly appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo M. Año assured the public the military would never be a threat to the ongoing peace negotiation between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.

This followed a statement by a progressive group Año could “cast dark light on the ongoing peace talks” because of his record on human rights violations.

The Exodus for Justice and Peace based here issued a statement regarding its concerns on the appointment of Año.

“The Exodus for Justice and Peace believes the appointment of General Año casts a dark light on the ongoing peace talks between the government and the national Democratic

Front especially with the complaints of human rights violations filed against the general...” it said in a press statement.

Año was allegedly involved in the abduction and disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos in 2006 when he was still the Intelligence Service of the military.

Año, on the other hand, said the allegations of EJP were not true and were recycled issues.

“The allegations were already dismissed by the DoJ [Department of Justice] in 2012. Those are recycled issues that are not true,” he said.

He said he would rather do his job silently to give his best service to the Filipino people and leave the issues behind.

“I just want to focus on doing my job silently so I can give my best service to the AFP and to our people,” he added.

IN BRIEF Another ‘Matikas’ member to assume Army top post ARMED Forces Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda will assume his new position today as commanding general of the Philippine Army.

In a phone call, Miranda confirmed to Manila Standard his lateral transfer to the Army and he will have his turnover of command at 2 p.m. at the parade grounds at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

He will assume the Army post following the assumption of former Army chief and now AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año, who replaced retired Gen. Ricardo Visaya during turnover of command last Wednesday at Camp Aguinaldo.

Visaya, Año and Miranda are classmates at the Philippine Military Academy “Matikas” Class 1983.

Florante Solmerin

DAR officials to meet with Hacienda farmers THE Department of Agrarian Reform ordered on Thursday a team of officials to meet with farmer-beneficiaries on December 14 to 15 to address the tension between two farmers’ groups that arose due to a conflict over the ownership of a piece of land at the Hacienda Luisita Inc. Secretary Rafael Mariano, Region 3 Director Arnel Dizon and the other DAR officials met last December 6 at DAR central office in Quezon City, and agreed to mediate between the opposing parties in Tarlac on December 19.

The DAR chief immediately ordered an investigation into the recent incident in the disputed land to enforce the status quo order issued on his first day of office last July 1. Rio Araja

PAGEANT TALKS CONFIRMED. Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines, accompanied by Ms. Universe executives, arrives at the

Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday on board PAL flight PR 127 from New York via Vancouver, and confirms pageant organizers are holding talks with Philippine tourism officials for the Jan. 30, 2017 event here. Eric Apolonio

Finance urges Congress to leave Sin Tax Law alone ture once the statute matures in 2017.

Describing Republic Act No. 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Act as “a very good law,” Dominguez said it should be fully implemented and allowed to run its course.

RA 10351 mandates that the current two-tiered tax rate merge into a unitary tax rate of P30 per cigarette pack for all brands starting Jan. 1, 2017, and the rate indexed to inflation by increasing it to four percent annually.

“We consider the Sin Tax Law or RA 10351 to be a very good law,” Dominguez said.

“Our position,” he said, “is to fully implement the law and let it run its course, including Sec-

By Gabrielle Marie Consuelo H. Binaday

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HE Finance department on Thursday urged lawmakers to leave the Sin Tax Law alone and let it mature next month.

The DoF statement came after the House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on second reading House Bill 4144 filed by ABS Rep. Eugene De Vera 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.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has urged the congressional oversight committee on the Sin Tax Reform Act to start reviewing the revenue and health impact of the tax rates mandated under this law to determine what measures should be undertaken by the Legisla-

tion 11, which states that ‘starting the third quarter of calendar year 2016, the Committee (referring to the Congressional Oversight Committee) is mandated to review the impact of the tax rates provided under this Act.’” Dominguez said the DoF expected “this review to occur” as mandated by law and for it to “be done well to inform [us] what we should be doing in the future.”

Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin, meanwhile, clarified the figures on the unitary sin tax system that is supposed to be adopted beginning next year as mandated by law were still “very preliminary numbers,” and that the DoF was still conduct-

Poe vows to push FOI bill approval

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe has vowed to push for the approval of the Freedom of Information bill in an effort to promote good governance in the bureaucracy.

Poe, as delegate of the Philippine Senate in the fourth Open Government Partnership Global Summit in Paris, France from December 7 to 9, has committed to push for the FOI to institutionalize the people’s right to information on matters of public concern.

She cited the importance of this landmark legislation which she said would ensure a transparent government that in-

volves citizens towards a corruption-free bureaucracy.

“We remain committed to empowering people and mainstreaming transparency across government and society,” said Poe, champion of FOI in the Senate and principal author of the measure.

The Poe-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1208 is already up for plenary debates and expected to be passed early next year.

The measure also provides for mandatory disclosure of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of public officials.

Exempted from disclosure, however,

are those that will compromise national security, defense, law enforcement operations, foreign relations, trade and economic secrets and the constitutional right to privacy and safety.

Under the legislation, jail time and fines will be imposed upon individuals who acted in bad faith over non-disclosure or those who wilfully destroy requested documents.

Launched in 2011, the OGP is a forum for sharing best practices which currently brings together 70 participating countries, NGOs and representatives from civil society in a collegial governance.

ing a thorough study on the sin tax rates, taking into account the public health impact of the law and the price elasticities of cigarettes.

“When this was asked during the hearing [last Monday] of the House committee on ways and means, I mentioned that the figure is very preliminary and we are still studying the ideal price point considering the price elasticities of the products as well as the intended health effects of the sin tax law,” Agabin said.

Meanwhile, Regional health group South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance also expressed its opposition to the move of Congress.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCEMENT President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the nomination of MR. TEODORO LOPEZ LOCSIN JR. as Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York, United States of America with the salary and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I, in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions in forty (40) copies on the above nomination to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 551-7532, 831-0893, 831-1824, 834-2706, 831-1566 and 834-2713.

08 December 2016.

HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-DEC. 9, 2016)

House favors staggered payment of pension hike

Manila

Standard

TODAY

By Maricel V. Cruz

Teacher convicted of sex abuse THE Office of the Ombudsman announced the conviction of a public school teacher in Cebu City for sexual abuse of his minor student in 2011.

A lower court in Cebu City found Raul Bayotlang guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Republic Act 7610, or An Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, and qualified seduction.

He was sentenced to reclusion perpetua for violation of RA 7610 and another jail term ranging from four months to two years for qualified seduction.

The Ombudsman’s prosecutors presented witnesses who affirmed Bayotlang sexually molested the student in August 2011.

Rio Araja

THE House of Representatives favors the “staggered” payment of the proposed Social Security System P2,000 pension hike so it would not result in bankruptcy House Majority Floor leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said “there will be a P1,000 increase [for SSS pensioners] and then three years after or in 2019, another P1,000.”

Fariñas said the mode of payment for the proposed P2,000 pension hike, welcomed by lawmakers, was dicussed during a majority caucus held by House leaders Wednesday night.

“The [idea raised during the] caucus was okay with it. If they are okay with it, then we will pass it on the floor,” Fariñas said.

Fariñas said he raised the idea during the caucus even as it was also contained in the committee report prepared by the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization on the measure that was passed last September.

“The idea came from the Committee. Perhaps the SSS cannot afford the increase in one go. That was the decision, that was the Committee report,” Fariñas stressed.

Fariñas said the House will pass the measure before Congress goes on a Christmas break beginning December 17.

Once enacted, the pension hike stands to benefit some two million members of the social insurance program.

Elderly Week Celebration. In constant pursuit of its charitable tradition, the Wong Chu King Foundation (WCKF) held its annual gift-giving initiative at the Haven for the Elderly in Tanay, Rizal. Formerly known as Golden Acres, it is recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as a world-class facility that caters to abandoned seniors. The foundation gave away rice, drinking water and gift bags to help in the daily endeavors of the Haven’s patrons. In photo are (L-R) WCKF volunteers Sophia P. Gonzalo, Karizza C. Rivera, Camelo Noel H. Navarro, Gen. Francisco R. Cristobal, Atty. Alex D. Calderon and WCKF head coordinator Cristina C. Villanueva together with Haven for the Elderly social welfare staff.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Anti-globalization

D

ONALD Trump’s unexpected victory in the US presidential election contest and the stunning decision of the United Kingdom to exit from the European Union are putting supporters of globalization on the defensive.

Mr. Trump’s campaign promise to bring back jobs to the US by frowning on free trade agreements has resonated with the majority of American voters.

The same sentiment was shared earlier in the UK, where the ma-

jority felt it was best for the nation to leave the European Union and chart its own economic fate.

The anti-trade sentiment is gaining popularity, especially among those who felt left out by the gains of free trade

agreements and other initiatives aimed at lowering import tariffs.

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde herself noted the shifting opinion. The IMF chief early this week called on the advocates of globalization to develop a new method to promote open markets that will help people kept out from the supposed benefits of free trade.

Lagarde still believes globalization will bring down the cost of goods and create more jobs.

But Lagarde, the first woman to lead the IMF, stressed that it should assume a “different face,” one that is “not excluding people along the way.”

A new framework has to be invented, she says, and should be “proposed in a sufficiently attractive way that’s compatible with

regional or bilateral agreements.”

Ordinary folk in the Philippines, too, are not exactly a fan of globalization and the gains it actually brings to the economy. Free trade arrangements have, indeed, greatly contributed to the robust growth of the Philippine economy and created many job opportunities.

But joblessness remains a problem here while the poverty inci-

dence is still high. The traffic situation has worsened because of infrastructure lack. All these create a negative feeling that the recent economic strides have excluded a great number of the population.

Economic gains should be felt at the grassroots level. They should have an immediate spillover effect to convince people that growth in this part of the world is inclusive.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

The value of reading

Senator Garbage LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES LET’S not get all confused here. It’s Senator Antonio Trillanes, not the committee report of Senator Richard Gordon on alleged extrajudicial killings, that is a piece of garbage.

I understand that Trillanes has never liked President Rodrigo Duterte and will lash out at anyone who does not hate the President as much as he does. But Trillanes has no call to insult a fellow senator who is a lot more accomplished and respected than he is simply because he sees things differently.

And Trillanes has always been trashy. He trashed the swank Oakwood Hotel with his Magdalo buddies in their well-funded but failed attempt to bring down President Glo-

ria Macapagal Arroyo in 2003; and he trashed the Manila Peninsula in 2007, nearly wrecking the five-star hotel after he and his co-accused in the Oakwood siege escaped from a court hearing in order to make another “political statement.”

The Peninsula caper resulted in my personal favorite among the many photographs of Trillanes, the one where a police official was dragging him out of the hotel by the belt on his waist. Like he was trash being taken out for disposal.

Trillanes was absolutely trashy when he humiliated a decent former soldier named Angelo Reyes in the Senate, forcing Reyes to commit suicide at his mother’s burial plot.

And he acted like garbage when he walked out of the Senate after he was accused by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile of selling out his country when he visited China clandestinely (and lucratively, it was said) for a total of 16 times as the “back-

channel adviser” of then President Noynoy Aquino; between Aquino and Trillanes, our relations with the Chinese reached their absolute nadir—the very

ing how he spent many millions even while he was in jail and hired the most number of highly-paid consultants, alltime, including his own relatives. He certainly looked like trash as he rif led through the offerings at the Black Friday sale at Macy’s in New York recently, supposedly after a One day, clandestine meeting with the Trillanes will run George Soros of the Philippines, the now-famous Loida out of luck and Nicolas Lewis, chief benefacbe taken out tor of the Yellows.

Trillanes was no less smelly again (for good, when he accused then-Mayor Duterte of stashing away hunthis time) like dreds of millions of pesos in the trash that he an Ortigas bank—an allegation during the last overheated really is. campaign that the senator was never able to prove. And he reprised his role as Senate garbage-man when he took in and spirited out the prevaricating bottom of the stinking dump- Edgar Matobato, the witness site, so to speak. at the hearings started by the Trillanes’ Senate record equally-trashy Leila de Lima is as trashy as can be, show- and taken over by Gordon.

Now Trillanes is throwing garbage at Gordon, a premartial law student leader at Ateneo and 1971 Constitutional Convention delegate, the much-admired longtime mayor of Olongapo City and chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Red Cross, a multiple-term senator and Cabinet member. Gordon’s report on the EJK killings, which found that the police’s Oplan Tokhang violated suspects’ rights but which chastised both Trillanes and De Lima for their conduct during the hearings, was “a piece of garbage” to him.

“It takes [garbage] to know [garbage],” Gordon replied. I couldn’t agree with Gordon more.

One day, Trillanes will run out of luck and be taken out again (for good, this time) like the trash that he really is. And then it will be good riddance to bad rubbish.

Turn to A5

TODAY, I yield my column to my US-based daughter Ivy Lopez Cabaltica. She writes about reading: Books have always been my best friends. They are clever, creative, and vastly entertaining. You can always rely on a good book to keep you company wherever you may be and resume your conversation at any point in time.

Beginning with the stilted words of Dick and Jane and the Dr. Seuss rhythm, I learned never to enter a gingerbread house from the gruesome brothers Grimm.

God always wins in the Bible, death ends the lives of saints, mythology is confusing, and Aesop has sour grapes.

Animals lead the way in Narnia, Oz, and Wonderland, Mrs. Whatsit is a neighbor, and 20 pages describe a hobbit’s feet and hands.

I searched for clues with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, and elevated my game with Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.

All the while, encyclopedias and unabridged dictionaries remained my ultimate sources.

Of course, no library would not be complete until you maneuver your way through the death of communication in Romeo and Juliet, wrestled with the arguments of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, then finished off your confusion with a thin illustrated book, The Little Prince.

Then there were the bulky books that riveted me with their provocative titles: what had Gone with the Wind ?; why did it take a 100 years of Solitude?; what sprung from the Fountainhead?; what’s the deal with The Brothers Karamazov?; and the perennial question, who doesn’t have Pride and Prejudice?

My favorite characters are unconventional and strong— Atticus Finch, Jo March, Tom Sawyer, and my favorite lines are oxymorons “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.…” or the sage financial advice, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” (Shakespeare, “Hamlet”) Books offered me a galaxy of worlds that I could live in and explore, characters that I could love or condemn then forgive, and ideas that seeded convictions. All from the comforts of home.

Turn to A5

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Opinion FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

IT WAS a gathering on the law, unless the law itself proUN Convention on Corrup- vides for the exercise of distion. In attendance were the cretion—and even this is subtop corruption-busters of the ject to judicial scrutiny. The country, at least as ordained Rule of Law cannot provide by the Constitution: Ombuds- for its own eclipse. Although man Conchita Carpio-Morales we have been disillusioned by and Presiding Justice Amparo the promises of the EnlightCabotaje-Tang of the Sandi- enment, we not lost faith in ganbayan. Other members of reason. In fact, at a time that the Cabinet were in attend- the unexamined assumptions ance as were other govern- by which we orientated our ment functionaries. President lives, the uncriticized norms Digong delivered a trademark by which we established order, speech, only this time with the common world views that less expletives, but once more, allowed us to agree on most the drug menace was what things have all but been torn took most of his time. I lis- to smithereens by unrelenttenedto the telecast, but it was ing pluralism, reason alone obvious that some in the audi- remains as the last court of ence at Malacanang were not. appeal, since we cannot even The President endeavored to agree that appeal to God and impress on his listeners the his designs is available. And gravity of the problem citing while our laws are far from statistics he had cited repeat- perfect and courts occasionedly in earlier speeches. He ally arrive at absurd results, riled against those who had law remains a reliable reflectaken issue with him on the ag- tion of human reason and the gressiveness of the campaign distillation of rational experithat, it seems to many, includ- ence. That is why the rule of ed extrajudicial killings and law matters a lot.

The Rule of Law is the summary executions. More disturbingly, he made clear rule of coherence, although, that he would not leave the it should be readily admitted CIDG personnel implicated in that there are some parts of the law that are inwhat NBI has coherent. The announced to Rule of Law be a “rub-out” is institutionresulting in the Law remains a alized critimurder of Alquing insofar buera Mayor as evidence is Rolando Espi- reliable reflection demanded and nosa to their of human stringently devices.

He evaluated. promised to reason and And the stand by them. the distillation Rule of Law And that, of creates the course, is trou- of rational necessary disbling.

And experience. tance between he knows the events and risks he courts. their resoluHe talked of tion. The inprosecution before the International Crim- stitutions of law are instituinal Court, possible impeach- tions of distanciation—so that ment and the intriguing and one does not gun down a drug scheming of the Yellows. But peddler when one sees one, no he is a believer in what he calls matter one’s dislike for ped“destiny”: whatever happens dlers, but observes that space to him and his presidency has that is to be filled by evidence and the resolution of issues, been foreordained.

Obviously aware that the factual and legal. InvestigaRule of Law is an issue raised tion by prosecutors, trials and because of the rising daily appeals separate the crime body count and the unequivo- from the punishment to forecal statements he has made in stall the rashness of vengeance favor of police officers killing and the disorder it breeds.

The Rule of Law is the best suspects who violently resist apprehension (and police claim argument against the crimithat all their victims did fight nality of the offender! No, the back!), he challenged his audi- question is not rhetorical, and ence with the question: Under the answer is neither trite nor these dire circumstances, what well-worn! To sacrifice the rule of law is to sacrifice one is the role of the rule of law?

Of course, there is an an- of the most important gains of swer to that question and it rationality! is the most obvious one. The rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph role of the rule of law is to rannie_ aquino@sanbeda. guarantee that everything, no matter the exigency or the edu.ph rannie_aquino@outlook.com urgency, is done according to

Senator...

From A4 *** The University of the Philippines Integrated School is celebrating its centennial tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 10, at the new school grounds inside the Diliman campus in Quezon City. The silver jubilarian Class of 1991 is hosting the historic event.

The spanking new UPIS campus was built by the Ayala group, which received the old sprawling school grounds along Katipunan Avenue and converted it into what is now the UP Town Center mall in exchange. I don’t know if UP got a good deal for the prime property that was made into yet another shopping mecca, but I still miss the old school with its one-story pavilions and airy, well-ventilated classrooms.

The high school served as a laboratory of the nearby College of Education even if, for many years, various UP ad-

ministrations have debated proposals not only to lease out its high-value Katipunan grounds but to abolish UPIS altogether in order to be able to save the scarce resources of the university for its core colleges. But I think that UP should keep supporting its basic education program, which has produced two presidents of the Republic in Ferdinand Marcos and Fidel Ramos, as well as a host of other notables in all sorts of fields.

I’m proud to have gone to UPIS myself. I’m eternally grateful to have been guided by some of the excellent teachers who have devoted their talents and their lives to educating all the young people who studied there.

UPIS (the result of the integration of the old UP Elementary, High and Preparatory Schools) deserves to continue molding young minds according to the university’s goals of honor and excellence for 100 more years. Mabuhay, UP Naming Mahal!

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A new pension investment era

PENSEES

The role of the rule of law

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO ASIDE from lending back as loans to its members their contributions, the Social Security System is also unique for being one of the few social security organizations that invest its trust funds in the stock market.

The American Social Security Administration, for instance, invests its trust funds only in securities issued by the United States Treasury, and never in stocks.

But these securities, unlike regular issues, are special because aside from their principal and interest being guaranteed, they are also redeemable at face value at any time before maturity.

In fact, SSS started to invest in marketable stocks 30 years ago only after the signing by President Corazon Aquino into law of Executive Order 102 on Dec. 24, 1986. It was clear then that this authority was to be exercised through SSS administrator Joey Cuisia, who would later become Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor, Philamlife Insurance Company president, and Philippine Ambassador to the United States.

The Canada Pension Plan had also all of its trust funds invested in government bonds prior to Dec. 18, 1997. But thereafter, it has gradually invested globally inequities, bonds, debts, real estate, infrastructure and other instruments of both public and private entities.

Interestingly, an independent body—the CPP Investment Board—does the investing of

CPP’s trust funds. Proudly, it proclaims that its “mandate is to invest in the best interests of Canada Pension Plan contributors and beneficiaries and to maximize investment returns without undue risk of loss.”

It also acknowledges that “Canadians have the right to know why, how and where we invest their Canada Pension Plan money as well as who makes the investment decisions, what assets are owned on their behalf and how the investments are performing.”

It has thus disclosed ownership of 40 percent of the Ontario Highway 407 Express Toll Route and 21.5 percent of the South Korean discount store chain Homeplus.

By Sept. 30, 2016, these investments have reached C$300.5 billion or about P12,351.0 billion at today’s exchange rate. On the other hand, CPP’s unfunded liability as of yearend 2015 was estimated at C$884 billion.

Our Republic Act 8282 or the Social Security Act of 1997 that President Fidel Ramos approved on May 1, 1997 has similar investment objectives in its Section 26.

Significantly, it also stated that “the Commission shall manage and invest” the SSS Investment Reserve Fund.

Yes, it was the Commission —not the SSS—that the SSA of 1997 mandated tomanage and invest the IRF of the SSS. In fact, our social security law had been consistent in recognizing since 1954 the more dominant role of the Commission by providing that “SSS shall be directed and controlled by a Social Security

Commission.”

Section 4 bestowed each with separate duties and powers as if they were separate and distinct entities, but it was Section 26 that spelled out the investment standards to be followed. It even quantified the Commission’s performance target – “…the Commission shall manage and invest with the skill, care, prudence and diligence…that a prudent man acting in like capacity and familiar with such matters would exercise in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with similar aims…to earn an annual income not less than the average rates of treasury bills or any other acceptable market yield indicator.”

This major amendment may have been inadvertently left untouched. Perhaps, the Commission had conveniently delegated its new investment mandate to SSS. But to this day, SSS has continued investing the IRF. In fact, many of us were surprised—and even raised our eyebrows—when the newlyappointed Chairman talked excitedly how the social security funds should be invested. After all, he is a celebrated “abogado de campanilla,” and never a known experienced investment manager.

We were used to appreciating the Commission as the policymaking body of SSS and for simply being a public sector counterpart of private sector boards of directors.

Its other main function is to settle contested decisions made

by SSS officials on issues of membership, contributions and benefit adjudications. Assisted

by a complete legal staff and as if it were a regular court of justice, it hears these appeals in special hearing rooms complete with stenographers and lawyers arguing two sides of a case.

But never has the Commission been deeply involved in investments except to approve or disapprove proposals that were presented before it by SSS officers. Never has it thus employed a full-time investment staff other than a few consultants who were not accountable for any investment decision.

Clearly, the Chairman has read thoroughly the SSA of 1997. Consequently, he could now be contemplating whether or not his incoming Commission would assume its investment mandate. And by outrightly absorbing the entire investment staff of SSS, the Commission could jump-start its investments in areas where its Chairman has already showed preference—basic utilities such as electricity and water.

The Commission could then usher a new investment era where it would be responsible for generating much-needed investment revenues.

Of course, if the Commission would be intimidated in performing such an awesome task, it could instead create an entirely new independent investment board similar to that of the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

Both options would enable SSS to focus in collecting contributions and administering pensions, including their periodic adjustments and either one is better than amending Section 26 to revert back to SSS the investment mandate.

Why China can’t stop capital outflows

By Christopher Balding HOW China manages its currency is likely to be the global economic story of 2017. Despite the government’s best efforts, capital continues to leave the country at a brisk pace, with a balance-of-payments deficit through the third quarter of $469 billion. Attempts to arrest this flow probably won’t work. But they may well create new risks.

Capital outf lows began gathering steam in 2012, when the government liberalized current-account payment transactions in goods and services. Enterprising Chinese figured out that while they couldn’t officially move money abroad to buy a house via the capital account—individuals are barred from moving more than $50,000 out of the country each year—they could create false trade invoices that would allow them to deposit money where they needed it. The result was a huge discrepancy between payments recorded for imports and the declared value of goods passing through customs, amounting to $526 billion in hidden outf lows last year.

The...

From A4

Literature provides a unifying thought that traverses time and circumstance. A reader joins the minds of fellow readers as they journey into the imagination of the author. Harry Potter would still be the same wizard decades from now when it is read by our descendants.

Reading is such a prized ability that nations take pains to measure it. The Philippine literacy is above 95 percent of the 107 million who are at least 10 years old and could read and write. Could is far from would. Just because you can read doesn’t mean you will pursue it at leisure.

Total readership of non-school books has steadily dropped in the past decade. There are less Filipinos who read books, newspapers, magazines, and even comics.

Among readers, the Bible is a majority and consistent bestseller, followed equally by

The problem has only worsened in 2016. French investment bank Natixis SA estimates that outflows will total more than $900 billion this year, despite new restrictions on yuan movements, including prohibitions on using credit and debit cards to pay for insurance products in Hong Kong.

Last week, the government added yet another restriction.

It announced that all international capital-account transactions of more than $5 million will need to be approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. This has businesses deeply concerned, given that the administration likely doesn’t have the manpower for the sheer number of transactions it will need to review.

And if such restrictions can be placed on the capital account, it seems only a matter of time until they’re imposed on goods and services transactions.

All of which raises a simple question: Why is Beijing working so hard to prop up the yuan and crack down on outward capital flows?

The common answer is that it fears the trade consequences of a declining yuan. But that’s not it. Since the government devalued the yuan on August 11, the

combined value of imports and exports has fallen by only eight percent, even as the value of the yuan has fallen eight percent against the US dollar. Any coming decline in the currency won’t make much difference, given the weak global economy and the product mix China is buying and selling.

The real reason is that the government is concerned about the implications of further liberalizing. China’s rickety banks, with delinquency rates of 30 percent, are receiving regular liquidity injections from the People’s Bank of China. Money market rates have been rising, from under two percent this summer to above 2.3 percent in Shanghai today.

Allowing international capital mobility could easily trigger larger withdrawals—and hence liquidity crunches for banks already feeling the pinch of bad loans.

In other words, China is caught between trying to prop up a currency facing long-term decline and letting capital leave at will, risking a bank crisis.

This is an unenviable position. But the government needs to accept that the days when it could micromanage its currency to run massive trade

surpluses while accumulating large foreign-exchange reserves are history. All evidence points to the probability of long-term net capital outflows.

Chinese buying homes in Vancouver and Sydney aren’t going to bring capital back home anytime soon.

The government also needs to tackle some longstanding problems. It has been talking about deleveraging for more than a year, yet total social financing has grown by 15 percent yearto-date, about twice the rate of gross domestic product. If the financial system wasn’t in such bad shape, the risk of a falling yuan would be significantly lower, yet the government has shown little appetite for addressing the underlying problems facing banks.

All this might simply amount to a setback for a country with aspirations of a globally competitive capital market. But the longer real reform is put off the larger the ultimate price tag becomes.

Financial crises or hard landings never happen for one reason, but rather a conf luence of events. If China doesn’t begin tackling these problems now, the probability of such a crisis will grow. Bloomberg

Love & Romance and Cookery.

Given the Catholic faith, none of these require much scrutiny to read.

Parents and teachers think teaching a child to read is enough. It’s not. It’s fostering the love of reading that makes the difference. As with any relationship, love takes time and trust. If the child is exposed to good literature that satisfies, then he will continue to seek further reading. This develops into a lifelong habit. But it is important to have access to a lot of good books.

In the Philippines, three kinds of books are published: textbooks, trade books, and academic books. Textbooks are the most lucrative in all countries since they are sold to governments and schools. But who enjoys reading a textbook?

Our 250 book publishers are very secretive about their profits. Since textbook sales are ensured, they see no need to attend international book fairs to

market Philippine authors and survey possible exports. This greatly limits our publishing opportunities in a $151 billion global industry. So far, we only export children’s picture books, drawing books, and coloring books to the US for about $2 Million.

Also, our absence in foreign fairs does not promote our country’s 92 percent English-speaking young populace, especially when only 32 percent of the world can converse in English as a foreign language.

Our source of recreational reading are trade books but only an average of 5,000 are published a year. The bulk comes from imports worth $61 Million.

The Philippines and Singapore are among the top consumers of American books, particularly books on business, finance, commerce, technology, and young adult fiction.

The International Publishers Association (IPA) relates the volume of published books per

million people as a measure of a nation’s status in the global commercial exchange of knowledge.

In Asia, Singapore leads with 1,843 new titles and re-editions, then Malaysia with 639, and Vietnam with 273. The Philippines only has 70.

Globally, the top publishers according to rank are: the United States, China, Germany, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. The UK has the most titles and the most book exports.

IPA said there is a direct link between a country’s economic growth and the consumption of books. A more developed market spurs the demand for books and educational materials.

Wealth affords the option of greater self-improvement and higher education, access to many resources, and the luxury of time to read, reflect, and create.

Ivy can be reached through her email address ivydigest@ gmail.com biznewsasia@gmail.com

A6

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Reds eye truce cancellation

By John Paolo Bencito

C

OMMUNIST Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison on Thursday threatened to call off the truce it declared last August if the government fails to release all political detainees by January next year.

“The central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines is ready to terminate the Aug. 28, 2016 unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire in case no amnesty and release of all political prisoners would occur in December or January,” Sison said in an interview with Kodao Productions.

“We shall be back to a situation of negotiating while fight-

ing, unless the [government] terminates the peace negotiations completely,” added Sison, the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front, which is currently talking peace with the government.

Despite these threats, however, President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that should he proceed with the release of political prisoners right away, he would

“lose his cards” to seal a peace deal with the rebel group.

In a chance interview with reporters at Legazpi City, Duterte said he has yet to see a substantive progress in the peace talks and reiterated his precondition of a bilateral ceasefire before any release.

“I have conceded to the communists too much, too soon. As yet, I have yet to see a substantive progress in the talks,” Duterte said.

“They are asking for 130 detainees to be released... Sorry, I cannot do that. I cannot do it because they will use up all my cards. That is my ace. Those detained are my ace,” he said during the inauguration of the Bicol International Airport on Thursday.

Sison, however, accused the government of prolonging the agony of political prisoners and suggested that a bilateral ceasefire agreement can be signed even before the amnesty and release of political detainees, only to take effect upon the actual release of political prisoners.

“The signing of the bilateral ceasefire agreement by the government and NDF panels can come ahead of the amnesty and release of all political prisoners

by President Duterte but said agreement becomes valid and effective only upon the actual release of said political prisoners and upon the approval of the agreement by the government and NDF principals,” Sison said.

“No chance for the GRP to get

the bilateral ceasefire agreement and then renege on the commitment to amnesty and release all political prisoners,” he added.

The CPP and the New People’s Army on August 28 declared the unilateral interim ceasefire in a bid to promote and accelerate peace negotiations between the NDF and the government.

In a statement Tuesday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said that the President ordered to produce first a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement before a substantial release of detained communist rebels to Labor Secretary and government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III and panel member Angela Librado-Trinidad who left for Oslo.

Student drug test proposed THE government seeks to make drug testing a requirement for all incoming college students, said Julito Vitriolo, the executive director and spokesperson of the Commission on Higher Education.

Vitriolo said an important pillar in the pronouncements of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is to come up with “Drug-Free Campuses” in the country.

“So, along this line, we had set up some mechanisms, not only for random drug testing but also for making drug testing as an admission or possibly, retention in college,” said Vitriolo in a press briefing in Malacañang on Thursday.

On drug-free campuses, Vitriolo explained, the CHED is developing a policy that will make drug testing a requirement for admission in college.

He said that CHED is preparing higher education institutions for the implementation of a drug-free campus by next school year or in 2018.

Meanwhile, Vitriolo said the CHED is currently working on the possible implementation of the free tuition policy in state colleges and universities.

Vitriolo said that CHED is currently working with the Senate at the bicameral level.

“We are looking at around P8 billion that will be utilized for the free tuition fee policy in the state universities and colleges,” said Vitriolo.

Meanwhile, to broaden access of the poor but deserving Filipino students to quality higher education, CHED has lined up several projects such as the Student National Assistance Program or the Tulong Dunong, a student grants-in-aid for poverty alleviation, is supporting more than 200,000 beneficiaries, and for next year about 400,000 will be supported. PNA

IN BRIEF Norse jailed for sex crime vs Pinoy kids

OSLO—A Norwegian court sentenced on Thursday a 66-year-old man to eight years in prison for inciting dozens of children in Norway and the Philippines to commit sex acts on Skype, media reports said.

The man was found guilty of having sent money to a family in the Philippines in exchange for organizing sex acts between children, some of whom were under the age of 14. The scenes were filmed live on Skype.

He “knew that the underage victims and their families were poor, and as such dependent on the money he paid for these sex acts,” a court in the western town of Bergen found, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported.

The man, who lives off of disability benefits in Bergen, also passed himself off as a teenager on various internet communications services, in order to trick young Norwegians and win their trust so they would undress in front of a webcam. The man partially confessed to the crimes.

The prosecution, which claimed there were a total of 20 victims in the Philippines and 42 in Norway, had called for a prison sentence of eight years, which the court handed down. AFP

Group slams NPO probe

SMOKING THEM OUT. A Caloocan City worker fumigates a neighborhood in the city as part of Mayor Oscar Malapitan’s campaign against dengue. Andrew Rabulan

Intervene in SkyJet airline row, DoJ pushed

By Rey E. Requejo THE former owner and founder of SkyJet Airlines on Thursday asked the Department of Justice to prosecute Solar Entertainment Corp. executive William Tieng, Noveleta, Cavite Mayor Dhino Carlo Chua and nine other incorporators for syndicated estafa in connection with their alleged fraudulent takeover of his firm.

In his complaint, trader Aneceto Mendoza accused Tieng, Chua and other respondents of committing the non-bailable offense when

they conspired to deceive and defraud him of his shares in SkyJet without just compensation.

Mendoza was former chairman of Magnum Air Inc., the company behind SkyJet leisure airlines that fly to Batanes, Boracay, Balesin and Busuanga islands.

“Respondents’ individual overt acts show a unity of design and purpose in deceiving and defrauding me of my shareholdings in SkyJet—the company I founded and built through tremendous sacrifice and effort—absolutely without paying me a single centavo,”

his complaint stated.

“Indisputably, respondents conspired and confederated with one another in defrauding me of my shareholdings in SkyJet,” it said.

Apart from Tieng and Chua, also named as respondents in the complaint were Tieng’s children Ronald, John Eric, William Irwin, Charlene, Mark Andrew, Margaret Ann and James Gregory; lawyer Brigido Theodore Sarmiento; and associate George Ventayen.

Mendoza said it was Chua who first invested in his firm in 2013 as the politician needed a big-ticket

project to boost his image for his 2016 mayoral candidacy in Noveleta, the home of Sangley Point Air Base, which was then being eyed as an alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

After their first meeting, Chua became aggressive in investing in SkyJet. At that time, SkyJet was estimated at P500 million over a five-year projection covering both physical and intangible assets. Chua then introduced Mendoza to his uncle, Tieng, who offered to acquire 50 percent stake for P100 million.

TRANSPARENCY advocate Filipino Alliance for Transparency and Empowerment questioned the result of the investigation made in the alleged anomalous transactions in National Printing Office as it lacks clear answers to clarify contracts entered into by the concerned officials.

FATE believes that the result of the probe made by lawyer Enrique Tandan III of the Presidential Communications Operations Office leaves more questions than answers.

At the same time, the group questioned the decision if the claim of NPO Deputy Director Sherwin Castañeda of being pressured was indeed established in the investigation.

It may be recalled that Castañeda quit his post as Bids and Awards Committee chairman along with the rest of the members of BAC citing “too much” pressure from NPO director Francisco Vales.

The resignation came in the wake of reports that NPO granted additional work orders to three private printers in printing Social Security System forms, namely; Best Forms Security Printer, Tri-Print Work and Metro Color despite the existing P74 million contract with Western Visayas Printing Corp.

The group asked if representative of WVPC were invited also to shed light on the investigation done by Tandan.

FATE challenged the government to immediately file necessary charges against NPO officials who were found involved in irregularities regarding the granting of additional work orders.

In his report to PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar, Tandan uncovered sufficient basis to believe that criminal and administrative offenses were committed by those involved in the NPO contract following reports of bribery and illegal sub-contracting.

Francisco Tuyay

INC expands to 16 countries in Africa EMPHASIZING that “faith, solidarity, selflessness and mutual understanding in the face of local and global challenges” are more important than ever as 2016 closes, homegrown Filipino church Iglesia Ni Cristo announced its successful expansion in Africa.

“This has been a particularly challenging year for the INC, but we’ve hurdled all obstacles thrown our way.

We’ve come out a stronger, more unified church,” said INC General Auditor Glicerio B. Santos Jr. “Domestically and globally, there are lingering unanswered questions on political leadership, climate change, geopolitics. While these concerns are obviously not direct priorities of the Church, we recognize the concerns raised by both our members and nonmembers alike on these issues.

We make the INC their safe, comforting spiritual refuge from their own everyday challenges. INC is now a globalized church which welcomes all races and persuasions. The message of salvation we spread for people from all walks of life,” Santos added.

The INC has reached 16 countries in the African continent in 2016. Two new chapels were dedicated and eight more are slated to be opened next year. Conversions and baptisms have been particularly aggressive in South Africa and Kenya.

“Baptism is the final act before

one becomes a member. We’ve had thousands of baptisms in Africa, and these involve locals, not Filipinos based in the continent.”

Santos stated.

African equivalents of the “Lingap sa Mamamayan” (Aid for Humanity) outreach programs were held in King Williams Town, Johannesburg and Ladybrand in South Africa, Nairobi and Kiberia in Kenya, and Maseru and Semongkong in Lesotho.

INC has also established ecofarming communities in South Africa, aimed at providing livelihood to impoverished localities. Similar endeavors are already lined up for 2017, marking aggressive expansion in areas where material and spiritual assistance are most needed.

The Church’s increasing global reach has enabled it to establish footholds in various areas worldwide. INC’s growth has accelerated under the able leadership of Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo.

Over the last seven years, since Manalo took over the reins of the INC in September 2009, 1,669 chapels have been dedicated in the Philippines and abroad.

“We are a forward-looking Church serving the interests of members and non-members alike, anywhere in the world where there is a thirst for spiritual enrichment.

We will accelerate our expansion while retaining the unique character of the Iglesia,” Santos added.

SOUTH CHINA SEA GAB. Experts Ma. Angelica Mangahas of the Stratbase ADRi, Dr. Amy Searight, Southeast Asia director of the Center for

Strategic and International Studies, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Aaron Connelly, research fellow for East Asia Program of the Lowy Institute for International Policy and Ambassador Shingo Yamagami, director general of the Japan Institute for International Affairs, gathered for the first Pilipinas Conference at the Peninsula Manila. Sonny Espiritu

Operator deploys more train coaches on LRT 1

By Darwin G. Amojelar LIGHT Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., said on Thursday more trains would be deployed at the LRT Line 1 to accommodate more passengers.

The operator of LRT Line 1 said it has rehabilitated and increased the number of running light rail vehicles (LRVs) to 96 as of endNovember.

LRMC took over the operation

and maintenance of the system last September 2015 with only 77 functioning LRVs. Through the work of its engineering team, LRMC was able to restore almost 20 more LRVs, while waiting for the procurement and arrival of 120 more LRVs in 2018.

“The increased capacity has enabled LRT 1 to accommodate more passengers and deploy up to 30 trains daily,” LRMC said.

LRMC earlier won the P65-billion LRT Line 1 extension project,

with a premium bid of P9.35 billion in September 2014.

LRMC is responsible for the construction of the 11.7-kilometer extension from the present end point in Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor, Cavite.

It will consist of elevated guideways throughout most of the alignment, except for the guideway section at Zapote which will be located at grade. It will consist of the satellite depot and new station.

The extended rail line is expect-

ed to help increase the capacity of LRT 1 from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily and benefit more than four million residents in the southern part of Metro Manila and of Cavite.

Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. controls 55 percent of the consortium while AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. has 35 percent. Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. owns 10 percent.

Sports

A7

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Centro Escolar is 1st UCBL cage champion C ENTRO Escolar University, living up to its pre-season billing, claimed the bragging rights as the first-ever Universities and Colleges Basketball League champion by sweeping Olivarez College with a 59-38 win in Game 2 of their title series at the Olivarez Sports Center yesterday.

The Sea Lions, the surprise finalist, took a 14-13 lead at the end of first 10 minutes of play, but could not sustain their drive, allowing the Scorpions to take control on the way to completing a two-

game sweep of their best-ofthree championship.

They took Game 1, 66-41.

The Scorpions were sharp on the offensive end and rocksolid on the defensive that they held the Sea Lions to just

Dominant Abueva lifts Alaska to victory SPORTS CENTER REUEL VIDAL FEW players can dominate games in such a competitive league as the Philippine Basketball Association.

June Mar Fajardo relies on his size, strength and skill to impose his will inside the paint. Terrence Romeo is a whirling dervish while dribbling the ball and can drill the shot from any distance. Then there’s Calvin Abueva who can dominate games on sheer all around hustle.

After missing Alaska’s first two games Abueva marked his return to action with a dominant game to virtually tow the Alaska Aces to a rousing 95-84 victory over the GlobalPort Batang Pier last Wednesday, December 7.

Abueva displayed game-long brilliance but was explosive in the fourth period when he unloaded 14 points to lead Alaska to its first win in three games.

GlobalPort threatened to put the game away early in the fourth after JR Quiñahan scored on a layup as Alaska fell behind by eight points, 67-75, with just a little over six minutes left to play.

Abueva then scored 10 consecutive points against a triple by Quiñahan to carry Alaska back into the contest.

Abueva grabbed the loose ball at the top of the free throw circle, drove strong to the hoop and banked the ball off the backboard and into the net as Alaska trailed, 69-75.

Quiñahan countered with a threepointer. Abueva dribbled into the paint then nailed a fadeaway jumpshot over Quiñahan as Alaska crept in closer, 71-78.

Abueva received the ball at the top of free throw circle, squared himself then banked in a three-pointer to push Alaska closer to GlobalPort, 74-78.

Abueva dribbled into the paint, went out again and rifled the ball to Jvee Casio who passed up the shot to return the ball to Abueva. Abueva dribbled the ball once, stepped behind the three point line, turned around and then drilled the triple from the left corner baseline, 77-78.

Jvee Casio then drained a shot from close to the basket to finally

take the lead for the Aces, 79-78. Carl Bryan Cruz added a free throw to extend the Alaska lead, 80-78.

Abueva and the Aces then virtually sealed the outcome of the match with 7-1 blast capped by a steal at midcourt and fastbreak layup by Abueva to push Alaska beyond recall, 87-79, with a little over two minutes left to play.

Abueva finished with a doubledouble. He scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to go with one assist to win Bida Player of the game honors.

With the victory the Aces (one win, two losses) climbed into a tie at 9th to 11th place with the Star Hotshots (1-2) and the NLEX Road Warriors (1-2) ahead of the Mahindra Floodbuster (0-3).

Erstwhile league-leader GlobalPort (2-1) dropped to a tie at first to sixth spot with the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (2-1), TNT KaTropa (2-1), the San Miguel Beermen (2-1), the Blackwater Elite (2-1) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (21).

The other teams include Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (1-1) and the Meralco Bolts (1-1).

The poor record is far from indicative of the caliber of the Aces who came within a game of ruling the PBA Philippine Cup last season.

Abueva and starting center Sonny Thoss missed their first game won in overtime by the Road Warriors.

The Aces missed six players (Abueva, Thoss, Noy Baclao, Rome Dela Rosa, Vic Manuel and Ping Exciminiano) in a narrow loss to the defending champion Beermen in their second game.

Before the match against the Batang Pier Alaska had not won a single game while GlobalPort was unbeaten.

Of course it wouldn’t be an Alaska game if the Aces didn’t have to overhaul a big lead to post the come-frombehind win. Alaska trailed by 16 big points, 47-63, late in the third period after a jumper by Stanley Pringle at the 3:15 mark of the third.

The Aces came charging back and finally caught up with GlobalPort early in the fourth quarter. RJ Jazul drained a triple to tie the count at 67all with 9:54 left to play. GlobalPort then rattled home eight consecutive points to forge ahead.

It turned out to be GlobalPort’s last gasp as Abueva’s explosion towed the Aces to victory.

Davao bet settles for bronze SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan – A lady thrower from Davao City gave Team Philippines it first medal as hostilities for the 9th BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asian Growth Area) Friendship Games went full blast Thursday here.

Twenty-year-old Irish Marquez won the bronze in javelin throw with a distance of 34.44 meters at the Stadion Madya Sempaja, kicking off the country’s campaign in the biennial meet staged for the first time in this capital of the province of East Kalimantan in the island of Borneo.

“This was my first time to compete in an international event.

With proper training and equip-

ment, I believe I can do better next time,” said Marquez.

The feat of Marquez, a third year criminology student at the Holy Cross of Davao College, stood as the best performance for the country thus far in the six-day meet.

But, it was fine start of sorts for a tired Philippine delegation who have to endure a long trip to make it to the sports competition.

The athletes and officials arrived in two batches, with the Davao City contingent setting foot in this city located within the banks of the Mahakam River Thursday afternoon and the Palawan group arriving an hour later.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

two points in the third.

Orlan Wamar emerged as the Finals’ MVP after averaging 10.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in the series.

Earlier, Colegio de San Lazaro overcame a slow start to beat Technological Institute of the Philippines, 71-58, and capture third place.

Patrick Aquino led CEU with 14 points and six rebounds, while Congo’s Rodrigue Ebondo added 13 points and 11 boards. Wamar added 10 points and four rebounds.

“Masaya and I’m very

blessed na kami ang unang UCBL champions,” said Scorpions coach Yong Garcia.

“I’m very thankful sa CEU community for the support.”

The Scorpions finished the season with an impressive 14-1 record, and their lone loss was inf licted by the Sea Lions on the final day of eliminations.

Jayboy Solis had 12 points and four rebounds to lead the way for Olivarez.

In the awarding ceremonies before Game 2, Bulacan State University’s scoring machine

Members of the CEU team celebrate their title conquest.

Dominic Fajardo was named the inaugural season’s MVP. Fajardo, along with CDSL’s Gabriel, Olivarez’s Clarence Sing, CEU’s JK Casiño and TIP’s Harley Diego, comprise the Mythical Team.

The scores: First Game CDSL 71 - Callano 21, Ga-

briel 15, Ancheta 11, Astrero 8, Vargas 8, Formento 5, Alvarado 3, Borja 0, Salizo 0, Lagman 0.

TIP 58 - Akpuru 17, Napoles 8, Jimenez 8, Diego 7, Magtinas 7, Santos B. 5, Santos I. 4, Pinas 2, Lara 0, Rosopa 0.

Quarters: 12-23, 32-29, 4843, 71-58.

Sports

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

A8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Finals MVP reserved his best for last

By Peter Atencio ALL season long, team skipper Jeron Teng was bent on giving his best in season 79 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball finals.

This is his final year for the Green Archers, and he wanted to make up for a disappointing season last year when they missed the Final Four.

“Right from the start I really wanted to give my best. It was my last game.

I really wanted to give my all for La Salle,” said Teng.

He finished the season with an average of 17.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

Teng hit a career high output of 28 for the second time this season during the final game. He then added three rebounds to earn the Finals MVP. One of his best games of the season came as the Green Archers tallied a 7972 victory over the Ateneo Blue Eagles in Game 2 Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

La Salle coach Aldin Ayo said their season was a roller-coaster ride even if they were on top of the eliminations with 13 wins and one loss.

“It was not easy because our game would rise and then fall. The best thing that happened is after the game with Adamson, we played our worst game. And it was all up from there,” said Ayo. Ayo said they experienced a dip in their game after they posted an 86-79 win over the Adamson Falcons in the second round.

They played and won a close contest over the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 78-72, afterwards.

“I challenged these guys. They responded. The Adamson game was a game changer,” said Ayo. The Soaring Falcons are coached by former La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren, who steered the Green Archers to five championships under his watch.

Ayo said the boys just surrendered to the system and just played basketball.

For the Green Archers, there was a lot of pressure from the La Salle community to make it to the finals and to win the championship.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives strong to the basket against New York Knicks defender Kristaps Porzingis (6) during their game at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. AFP

Irving powers Cleveland Cavaliers past NY Knicks N

EW YORK—Kyrie Irving’s Madison Square Garden mojo continued Wednesday as he scored 28 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 126-94 NBA rout of the New York Knicks.

Irving’s scoring average of 28.4 points in six games at the iconic Manhattan venue is his highest scoring average among all NBA arenas.

“I’ve loved this place since I was a kid sitting in the nosebleed seats,” Irving said. “Every time I come out here I want to put on a show for the fans. I never take it for granted.”

Cavs superstar LeBron James added 25 points and Kevin Love contributed 21 points as

the reigning NBA champions followed up their 116-112 win over the Raptors in Toronto with a second road triumph.

The victories confirmed that the Cavaliers have put a threegame skid behind them.

It was the sixth time this season and the 16th time since the 2014-15 season that Irving, James and Love all scored at least 20 points in a game.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t always pretty, but Giannis Ante-

tokounmpo posted his second triple-double of the season on Wednesday to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a 115-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jabari Parker led the Bucks with 27 points, 10 of them in the third quarter as Milwaukee erased a seven-point halftime deficit.

After connecting on just three of 11 from three-point range in the first half, Milwaukee hit six from beyond the arc in the third.

Greek forward Antetokounmpo scored just one point in the period, but he pulled down three rebounds and handed out four assists.

He finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

“Some would say it wasn’t

a pretty game for him,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “But he’s a winner and he helped his team find a way to win tonight by getting other guys involved.

“Being able to get a tripledouble for us, I think his record is pretty good when he does that.

He sets the tone for us, and again he set the tone for us today.

In another game Dwight Howard scored 23 points and pulled down 17 rebounds Wednesday to help the Atlanta Hawks end their seven-game NBA losing streak with a 103-95 victory over the Miami Heat.

“It was good to get the monkey off our backs, but we’ve got to keep working,” said Howard, who connected on nine of 11 shots from the floor

ONE diva gives Singapore pop sensation taste of MMA action

Singaporean pop sensation Nathan Hartono (left) shouts his approval after stepping onto the mats to face ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee at the Evolve Far East Square. ONE Championship

EVERYONE is interested in mixed martial arts. Even Singaporean pop sensation Nathan Hartono stepped onto the mats to face ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee during an MMA seminar at Evolve Far East Square last Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Lee is the youngest world champion in MMA history. She is undefeated at six wins and no losses, capturing the title last May. Lee took the time to perform a few essential mixed martial arts (MMA) drills with Hartono, including educating the singer on proper striking techniques and basic selfdefense.

Last November, Hartono made an appearance at ONE: DEFENDING HONOR, gracing the stage with a live performance as well as being tasked to sing the Singaporean na-

tional anthem just moments before the main event bout of the evening.

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, said, “Nathan is a cool dude, he really tried his best in all of the drills we had him do. It was definitely interesting to see someone who has no background in MMA perform some of the basics. I had a lot of fun and I hope Nathan did too. It was an honor for me to meet such a big star in Asia. Nathan, if you ever want to come back to Evolve to train, the door is open for you!”

The 25-year-old Hartono is an actor and singer who was born and raised in Singapore. He made his singing debut after winning the Teenage Icon competition back in 2005. A year later, he released his debut album, Let Me Sing! Life, Love and All That Jazz. This year

he became the first runner-up in the first season of Sing! China. Just recently, Hartono also tried his hand at acting, starring in his first ever television series, Halfworlds.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www. onefc.com, follow on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/ ONEChampionship.

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia.

TNT KaTropa, Meralco resume sibling rivalry

By Jeric Lopez THREE teams want to reclaim a piece of the top spot while one wants to continue its move up the standings as the 2016-17 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup resumes.

Streaking TNT KaTropa, winners of two in a row and holding a 2-1 card, resumes its sibling rivalry with the Meralco Bolts (11) in their 7 p.m. clash.

Blackwater Elite and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, both at 2-1, who want to keep their place up top will part ways when they face off at 4:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today, Friday, December 9.

Six teams (Blackwater, Rain or Shine, TNT KaTropa, GlobalPort

Batang Pier, San Miguel Beer and Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters) are tied at the top of the heap with similar 2-1 marks.

After winning their first two games, the Elite and the Elasto Painters have both cooled down, yielding their last assignments to two perennial contenders.

Both try to get back into groove as they test each other.

Rain or Shine tasted its first setback at the hands of Barangay Ginebra, 81-74, last Sunday while Blackwater was given an awakening by TNT KaTropa, yielding to the Texters, 99-92, last week.

That win of the Tropang Texters is their second straight and their first one under new coach Nash Racela.

“Our first games are learning ex-

periences for us, now. What we’re looking at is winning more games in the process,” said Racela.

TNT star Jayson Castro also made his season debut in the team’s last game against the Elite, scoring 20 points to give notice to the rest of the league that he is back in full strength.

A rejuvenated Bolts team face the Texters.

After its opening game loss, Meralco bounced back strong, posting an impressive 106-93 victory over NLEX last Saturday to win its first game of the season.

Bolts’ reliable young crew stepped it up. Reigning Rookie of the Year Chris Newsome and the team’s top rookie Ed Daquioag both had statement games against the Road Warriors.

TNT Ka Tropa big man Ranidel de Ocampo (33) shoulders his way past Meralco Bolts counterpart Jared Dillinger (20). TNT KaTropa and Meralco resume their sibling rivalry in their 7 p.m. clash tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

and made five of six from the free-throw line.

Seven of his rebounds came on the offensive glass, and he added four assists and two blocked shots for good measure.

Defensively, Howard helped limit Miami’s Hassan Whiteside to just eight points – 10 fewer than his season average.

The Hawks also got 21 points and nine rebounds from forward Paul Millsap and 17 points and seven assists from Dennis Schroder.

Thabo Sefolosha contributed 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The victory stopped the rot, at least temporarily, for a team that started strong this season but had lost 10 of their last 11 games.

Under 19 Volcanoes face Korea THE Philippine Under 19 national rugby team, will face off against Korea, Singapore and United Arab Emirates in the 2016 U19 Asia Rugby Championships at the International School of Manila, December 14 to 17.

The Philippines kick off at 5 p.m., Wednesday, December 14 against Korea. Singapore takes on United Arab Emirates at 6.30 p.m. The winning teams from Wednesday’s games will face each other in the finals at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 17.

The Philippines, seeded third, face Korea who are seeded second in the competition. The Philippines have yet to taste victory over Korea at the Under 19 level. The team will look to experienced campaigners Rhys Jacob Mackley, Kai Ledesma Stroem and Robert Benitez McCafferty to lead from the front.

All three players have already played for the Men’s National 7s team earlier this year.

Both team captains from the Under 19 National Development Team Kingsley Ballesteros and Joshua Aragon from the Clark Jets have been included in the 25 man selection squad.

The Junior Volcanoes is the team of the future, boasting of talented Filipino players based both locally and abroad. The aim of the program is to blood young rugby players to prepare for the next step of international competition, and one day graduate into the Philippine Volcanoes Men’s National Team.

Shell to venture into renewables B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

IN BRIEF

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX

Foreign reserves decline to $82.7b

Closing December 8, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,022.38 155.57

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing DECEMBER 8, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.695

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.595 LOW P49.720 AVERAGE P49.649 VOLUME 404.000M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

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

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States Dollar

1.000000

49.7000

Japan

Yen

0.008793

0.4370

UK

Pound

1.262900

62.7661

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128934

6.4080

Switzerland

Franc

0.993542

49.3790

Canada

Dollar

0.755744

37.5605

Singapore

Dollar

0.705268

35.0518

Australia

Dollar

0.747800

37.1657

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

131.8373

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

13.2554

Brunei

Dollar

0.702790

34.9287

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028059

1.3945

UAE

Dirham 0.272287

13.5327

Euro

Euro

1.076300

53.4921

Korea

Won

0.000863

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.145518

7.2322

India

Rupee

0.014830

0.7371

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225734

11.2190

New Zealand Dollar

0.715900

35.5802

Taiwan

0.031539

Dollar

NEW OPPORTUNITIES. International Container Terminal Services Inc. chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. (left) chats with Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala during the First Pilipinas Conference organized by Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute in partnership with the Management Association of the Philippines at Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. The forum gathered government leaders, business executives and members of the academe to discuss new opportunities in Southeast Asia. Sonny Espiritu

Govt revives P77-b broadband project T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, December 8, 2016

1.5675 Source: PDS Bridge

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology said Thursday it will present the multi-billionpeso national broadband network plan to President Rodrigo Duterte by January next year.

DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima told reporters the government would build a national broadband infrastructure from north to south of the Philippines to serve the government and the people in the countryside.

Salalima said the national broadband network would require an investment of P77

billion and could reach as high as P200 billion if the government had no existing infrastructure.

He said the national broadband network plan would be submitted to President Duterte for approval in January.

Salalima said the government was in talks with potential technical and service providers to help the government build the national broadband network.

The project is expected to be completed in one year to three years.

A national broadband network project was scrapped in 2007 during the Arroyo administration, amid allegations of corruption in the awarding of a $329-million construction contract to Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp.

Industry players, however, cited the need to build a national broadband network to support the growth of the ICT sector.

Salalima earlier said the government was looking at utilizing the fiber optic cable net-

work of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to provide broadband services in the countryside.

“I was informed that there are about 5,000 to 10,000 fiber optic cable running from north to south. We may start negotiating with the private corporation on how the government to make use of those fiber optic,” he said.

NGCP, which holds the 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network, is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp., Calaca High Power Corp. and the State Grid Corp. of China as technical partner.

President Duterte earlier ordered DICT to craft a national broadband plan in a bid to provide Internet services in unserved and underserved areas.

The national broadband network plan under Arroyo administration was abandoned because of allegations of overpricing and graft in the procurement.

THE country’s gross international reserves declined to a nine-month low of $82.73 billion in November, amid the drop of the peso against the US dollar and ahead of the expected interest rate hike in the United States.

Data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed the GIR fell $2.38 billion from $85.11 billion in October. This was also the lowest level of reserves in nine months.

Bangko Sentral said the reserves went down as the government settled its foreign exchange obligations and the value of gold dropped.

“The decline from October to November was due mainly to outflows arising from the foreign exchange operations of the BSP, revaluation adjustments on the BSP’s gold holdings resulting from the decrease in the price of gold in the international market, and payments made by the national government for its maturing foreign exchange obligations,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement.

“These were partially offset by the national government’s net foreign currency deposits along with the BSP’s income from investments abroad,” the regulator said.

The end-November reserves level could cover 9.6 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and income. It was also equivalent to 5.9 times the country’s short-term external debt. Julito G. Rada

Car sales jumped 22% in November

VEHICLE sales rose 22.2 percent in November from a year ago, bringing total sales in the first 11 months to more than 300,000 units, two industry groups said Thursday.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report their members sold a total 32,966 vehicles in November, up from 26,979 units delivered in the same month last year.

“The good sales performance last November was because of enticing promotions and events matched with good demands of our market. With the robust demand, especially this Christmas season, we expect a stable to higher sales

by December,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.

All categories posted sales growth in November, with passenger cars increasing 14 percent to 12,143 unit from 10,649 units sold in November 2015.

Sales of commercial vehicles rose 27.5 percent to 20,823 units in November from 16,330 units in the same month last year. The arrival of stocks from previous months’ orders contributed to the increase in CV segment, the two groups said.

Among commercial vehicles, category 3 or the light trucks and buses, posted the biggest growth of 84.7 percent with 968 units sold in November, compared to 524 units ordered last year.

Othel V. Campos

Razon advises firms to cope with changes

Toyota eyes 40% of 210-MW coal plant

By Jenniffer B. Austria

By Alena Mae S. Flores TOYOTA Tsusho Corp., the trading company of the Toyota Group of Japan, plans to acquire a 40-percent stake in the 210-megawatt Sarangani Energy coal-fired power plant in Mindanao.

Antonio Miguel Alcantara, corporate planning officer of Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc.’s power business unit, told reporters Toyota Tsusho would make the final decision next month.

“In phase 1, Toyota is investing at 25 percent so for phase 2, they’ll confirm that number or go higher if they want,” Alcantara said.

He said that based on previous talks, the Japanese company would take between 25 percent and 40 percent.

Alcantara said Toyoto Tsusho might also invest in the 105-MW San Ramon coal plant project of Alsons.

“They have been our partners for 18 or 20 years so there’s an unwritten rule that whatever we develop, we offer it to them if they want to invest,” he said.

He said Toyoto Tsusho could also invest in the 15-MW Siguil hydro project of the company in Sarangani province.

“They are also looking into Siguil but at Siguil, they are capped at 40 percent because of the 60-40 rule,” he said.

Alsons is set to start construction of the second unit of the Sarangani Energy power plant by early next year.

B1

TREATMENT CENTRE. Resorts World Manila, through its corporate foundation, is supporting

the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Department of Health and Davao City government in establishing a world-class treatment and rehabilitation center for drug dependents in the Southern Philippines. Shown during the groundbreaking and capsule laying ceremony at the project site in Calinan, Barangay Malagos, Davao City are (from left) Pagcor director Carmen Pedrosa, Davao mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, Resorts World Philippines Cultural Heritage Foundation corporate secretary Georgina Alvarez and president and chief executive Kingson Sian, Suntrust Properties Inc. president Harrison Paltongan, Pagcor chairman and chief executive Andrea Domingo, president and chief operating officer Alfredo Lim, Health assistant secretary Abdullah Dumama Jr.

2GO owners asked to recognize investor THE Manila regional trial court ordered the existing shareholders of 2GO Group Inc. to recognize Udenna Corp. as an investor in the publicly listed logistics company.

Udenna is a company owned

by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. chief executive Dennis Uy which bought 100 percent of KGL Investments B.V., which has a stake in 2GO. KGLI BV was later renamed Udenna Investments BV. The court, in resolving to direct the parties to proceed to arbitration, issued an order dated Nov. 28 asking Negros Holdings

Management Corp. and KGLINM Holdings Inc. to estop from questioning Udenna’s standing to arbitrate.

“In other words, NHMC and KGLI-NM cannot contest Udenna’s personality as a party to the agreement and shareholder of KGLI-NM, and thus, indirectly, an investor and shareholder in KGLI-NM’s subsidiaries, which includes 2GO,” Udenna said.

KGLI-NM is a holding company that owns majority of 2GO’s parent company, Negros Navigation Co., which is identified with the Tagud family.

Darwin G. Amojelar

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. chairman Enrique Razon advised Filipino companies to start preparing for the return of protectionism in order to survive the changing global environment.

“Changes are coming and they are not going to stop. We are entering an era of protectionism and the earlier these corporations realize the better, and so that they will not be run over by denial disease,” Razon said during the inaugural Pilipinas Conference organized by Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute at Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City Thursday.

Razon, whose company aggressively expanded overseas with 31 ports in 24 countries, said the world was entering an era of protectionism.

Razon said companies should

adapt to the changes. “Protectionism is coming. This is the 1930s all overall again after the roaring 20s. History keeps repeating itself. The more things change the more things will remain the same,” Razon said.

Analysts said with the recent global developments such as the exit of Great Britain from the European Union and the election of US president Donald Trump, there could be a growing move towards the return to protectionism.

Meanwhile, Ayala Corp. chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala cited the need for the country to focus on education to enable Filipinos to adjust to the changing landscape.

Zobel de Ayala said while Philippines was one of the beneficiaries of globalization, capitalism resulted in the widening of the gap between losers and winners.

Okada casino to open December 21

By Jenniffer B. Austria OKADA Manila, the $2.4-billion integrated casino and entertainment facility owned by Japanese mogul Kazuo Okada and businessman Antonio Cojuangco, is set to open on Dec. 21.

Cojuangco said in an interview at the sidelines of the Pilipinas Conference at Manila Peninsula in Makati City that Okada Manila was on track to open this December, after a one-month delay.

“Yes, it will open on Dec. 21,” Cojuangco said.

Okada-owned Universal Entertainment Corp. last month raised another $200 million from issuance of privately-placed

notes to partially finance the construction and operating costs for the opening of Okada Manila.

More than 18,000 workers also are currently working on the site to ensure the completion of the project.

The 44-hectare world-class integrated resort will be third integrated casino and resort to open within the governmentsponsored Entertainment City in Parañaque.

Okada Manila will have a two-wing hotel with 993 rooms ranging from 55 square meters for deluxe rooms to 1,400-sqm villas. All rooms will feature breathtaking views of either the Manila Bay or the property’s iconic fountain.

The casino floor will occupy a total floor area of over 26,000 sqm and provide up to 500 table games and 3,000 electronic gaming machines. The facility will offer 21 food and beverage outlets serving international cuisine from casual to fine dining.

The property will also feature an iconic dancing fountain that rivals the best in Las Vegas and Dubai and will be the first to implement a 360-degree immersive water projection in the world.

Okada Manila was earlier scheduled to open in November. However, the construction lagged behind the original plan because of “worse-than-expected weather conditions.”

B2

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Shell to venture into renewables

By Alena Mae S. Flores SHELL companies in the Philippines plan to venture into renewable energy, a new phase in its business in the Philippines, a top executive said Thursday.

“We’re scouting for opportunities. We’re still in the scouting phase. But globally, we have declared that as a global priority for us,” Shell country chairman Cesar Romero told reporters in Makati City Wednesday night. “[We are] scouting for RE, in general. We’re prepared to use a number of platforms depending on what maybe commercially viable opportunity. Common start is solar but then you can explore various combinations―solar, gas, hydro, usually very locationdependent. [It would be a [combination with gas, or even diesel

genset, [but it] depends on what is suitable,” he said.

Shell’s business in the Philippines is primarily focused on oil and gas exploration and downstream oil industry sector. Shell has been involved in the Philippine business sector for over 100 years.

The company owns the second largest oil refinery in Batangas. Shell also operates the Malampaya deep water to gas project in northwest Palawan.

“We’re considering that, either a holding company or if it can be housed somewhere. This is very much still in the early phase. It’s one of the priorities in the Royal Dutch Shell Group that we want,” Romero said.

He said Shell Global formed a new organization globally called New Energy “that demonstrates how serious we are in the area.”

Stock index returns to 7,000; ALI climbs S TOCKS rose for a third day, sending the benchmark index above the 7,000-point mark for the first time in three weeks, amid a global rally that extended into Asia.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 155 points, or 2.3 percent, to close at 7,022.38 Thursday. The bellwether returned to the positive territory, with a 1-percent gain since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 68 points, or 1.7 percent, to settle at

4,221.63, on a value turnover of P7.5 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 120 to 63, while 44 issues were unchanged.

Five of the six major indices ended in the green, with the exception of mining and oil. Among the 20 most active stocks, 17 issues advanced, led by property developer Ayala Land Inc. which climbed 5

percent to P34.45 and SM Prime Holdings Inc. which rose 5 percent to P28.65. Conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. gained 4.8 percent to P72.25, while PLDT Inc. added 4.2 percent to settle at P1,370.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets closed higher Thursday, with investors betting the European Central Bank will prolong its stimulus program, while the positive mood helped lift riskier currencies.

With the economic outlook in Europe still looking fragile and political uncertainty gripping world markets, analysts expect the ECB will wind up its latest

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 48 17,100 92 1,739,540 115 2,518,310 1.4 17,000 37.7 14,200 16.2 212,500 19.1 47,200 0.67 1,000 1.75 398,000 740 40 0.67 4,068,000 74.4 4,394,820 0.77 122,000 14.14 1,300 21.4 16,000 55.35 1,140 254.2 64,200 121.1 300 35.55 67,500 193.6 444,810 1,730 50 74.55 66,070 1.31 16,000

815,985 159,436,509 289,070,467 23,800 536,355 3,442,550 899,748 670 696,500 29,600 2,697,610 327,250,290 93,940 18,384 344,800 63,266.50 16,322,162 36,320 2,399,085 84,973,963 86,500 4,925,484.50 20,960

379,385 -23,441,659 79,361,549 -113,350 -3,439,270 627,954 -724,340 -159,360,047.50 -6,103.50 169,020 721,265 36,901,354 276,374 -

42.95 4.11 0.88 1.27 22.8 0.2 85.45 11.26 16.9 23.25 20.5 57.05 91 95 1.88 7.19 12 11 5.95 7.19 5.24 22 67.85 16.18 6.04 1.7 210 71 2.6 3.7 29.85 26.3 14.28 260 0.25 5.18 3.33 9.39 2.04 5.56 1.34 67.4 5 230.2 4.54 2.79 4.3 0.142 1.47 169.7 4.65 1.6 1.09

INDUSTRIAL 44 1,296,800 4.39 2,416,000 0.88 196,000 1.28 1,120,000 23.25 52,300 0.2 10,000 85.45 190 11.6 18,062,600 17.5 1,425,500 23.4 265,000 21.25 10,100 57.4 105,020 96 1,950 120 580 1.9 329,000 7.25 229,100 13 101,400 11.46 8,667,600 6 533,400 7.24 4,964,100 5.39 18,728,100 22 3,675,100 68 154,770 16.18 500 6.06 66,900 1.72 108,000 217 615,570 74 1,840 2.75 103,000 3.7 16,000 30 8,944,900 26.7 227,200 14.38 1,830,100 260.8 296,660 0.25 30,000 5.18 3,000 3.33 32,000 9.96 6,042,500 2.05 5,818,000 5.7 248,000 1.38 104,000 67.75 571,710 5.05 1,278,100 230.2 3,900 4.55 161,000 2.79 39,000 4.35 21,000 0.144 620,000 1.53 99,000 174 1,677,340 4.7 123,000 1.63 1,893,000 1.09 17,000

56,459,965 10,498,500 173,320 1,449,960 1,214,935 2,000 16,235.50 207,496,258 24,371,026 6,187,135 213,440 6,032,726 184,702.50 66,920 624,230 1,649,929 1,260,582 97,894,364 3,192,663 35,817,554 100,693,508 81,767,380 10,515,650 8,090 404,921 184,410 131,714,246 133,355.50 282,420 59,200 268,205,390 6,059,940 26,326,636 77,473,454 7,550 15,830 106,630 58,697,025 11,950,760 1,401,429 142,460 38,697,093.50 6,732,777 898,040 732,010 109,620 90,950 88,340 149,000 287,303,704 577,490 3,074,870 18,530

38,352,645 1,184,220 -305,620 53,290,080 -2,506,440 94,225 -237,437 -13,200 -8,396,380 -760,700 -24,916,938 45,914,127.00 -10,805,950 257,751 47,842,904 26,477,060 -2,479,580 -9,435,298 -11,258,818 19,970 5,770,325 3,294,330.00 -1,006,310 -52,160 32,339,631.00 1,713,298 145,280 -6,621,604 -

0.445 72.9 12.88 1.09 0.305 708 8.35 13.34 8 0.181 1,237 68.95 1.31 7.7 12.92 6.26 0.037 1.9 87.15 648 0.83 237 0.295 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.54 114,040,000 74 2,378,980 13.14 4,344,300 1.18 10,000 0.305 470,000 724 526,270 8.48 1,168,400 13.48 8,658,100 8.18 658,200 0.181 500,000 1,260 144,800 72.25 3,679,080 1.32 8,078,000 7.8 816,000 13.28 1,183,400 6.4 26,019,000 0.04 45,800,000 1.9 29,000 91 800,160 650 442,930 0.85 43,000 239 13,140 0.295 410,000 0.26 220,000

57,148,250 176,047,495.50 56,630,026 11,150 143,350 378,021,985 9,851,626 116,525,116 5,333,115 90,510 180,991,965 260,541,451.50 10,781,880 6,350,569 15,662,610 165,829,962 1,780,200 55,120 71,513,230.50 288,013,900 36,150 3,139,368 120,950 57,100

-303,900 78,747,225.50 -12,600,822.00 -128,239,640 1,696,156 86,205,970 -4,860,000 47,633,660 83,162,425.50 142,560 374,223 -357,950 -68,915,473 -6,280,482 -32,372,575 -1,670,446 29,500 26,000

23,766 93,970 12,440 196,990 60,031,250 473,319,805 4,634,420 5,213,070 124,200 3,807,620 132,160 4,645,190 140,032,995 51,300 73,928,370 959,950 545,590 85,735 274,368,650 951,890 8,300 3,334,780 261,000 83,485,800 2,176,960

1,080 -2,467,300 195,586,310 -2,384,590 2,126,740 -97,600.00 -1,149,430.00 12,839,080 -12,084,890 9,500 -63,661,090 -8,539,865 -1,115,990

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FIRST ABACUS 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

47.1 92.4 115 1.4 38 16.5 19 0.67 1.75 740 0.67 75 0.77 14.16 21.8 55.5 255 121 35.7 188.6 1,730 74.5 1.31

48 92.5 115 1.4 38 16.5 19.1 0.67 1.75 740 0.67 75.8 0.77 14.16 21.8 55.5 255 121.1 35.7 193.7 1,730 74.8 1.31

47.1 91.15 113.8 1.4 37.7 16.2 18.98 0.67 1.75 740 0.66 73.75 0.77 14.14 21.4 55.35 250 121 35.3 187 1,730 74.5 1.31

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

43.25 4.11 0.88 1.32 23.1 0.2 85.45 11.3 16.9 23.45 21 57.05 93 95 1.9 7.21 12.2 11 5.98 7.25 5.25 22 68 16.18 6.04 1.76 213.8 83.25 2.6 3.7 30.3 26.7 14.44 261 0.255 5.45 3.33 9.39 2.09 5.56 1.34 67.5 5.1 230.2 4.55 2.86 4.3 0.142 1.47 172 4.69 1.66 1.09

44 4.54 0.9 1.32 23.9 0.2 85.45 11.6 17.5 23.45 21.5 57.5 98 120 1.92 7.25 13 11.52 6 7.25 5.44 22.85 68 16.18 6.09 1.76 217 83.25 2.79 3.7 30.3 26.7 14.5 263.2 0.255 5.45 3.34 9.96 2.1 5.78 1.39 67.8 5.7 232 4.55 2.86 4.35 0.144 1.55 174 4.7 1.66 1.09

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

0.47 74.9 13.04 1.1 0.305 717 8.48 13.36 8.2 0.182 1,250 69.9 1.41 7.76 12.92 6.4 0.037 1.91 87.15 650 0.83 238.8 0.295 0.255

0.54 74.9 13.14 1.2 0.305 726 8.48 13.5 8.2 0.182 1,260 72.25 1.41 7.8 13.3 6.5 0.04 1.91 91 653 0.85 239 0.295 0.26

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND 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 KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL

6.99 1.08 6.22 2.17 0.48 32.95 2.84 0.56 1.06 1.34 0.151 0.56 39.5 0.7 1.7 0.94 1.24 4.99 3.65 0.14 0.415 3.14 31.45 27.05 1.5

6.99 1.09 6.22 2.19 0.48 34.45 2.92 0.56 1.09 1.44 0.151 0.59 41.7 0.74 1.71 0.96 1.27 5.2 3.78 0.143 0.415 3.25 33 28 1.55

6.99 1.07 6.22 2.15 0.4 32.95 2.84 0.55 1.06 1.32 0.15 0.56 36.7 0.7 1.67 0.94 1.2 4.42 3.64 0.138 0.415 3.1 31.2 26.25 1.5

PROPERTY 6.99 1.08 6.22 2.15 0.415 34.45 2.9 0.55 1.09 1.35 0.151 0.57 38.5 0.74 1.71 0.95 1.24 4.42 3.68 0.139 0.415 3.24 33 28 1.54

VOLUME

3,400 87,000 2,000 91,000 136,860,000 13,936,800 1,598,000 9,395,000 115,000 2,720,000 880,000 8,123,000 3,550,600 70,000 43,684,000 1,011,000 441,000 18,300 74,321,000 6,820,000 20,000 1,047,000 8,200 3,040,700 1,446,000

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.21 27.5 1.15 0.93 4.99

3.23 28.65 1.2 0.93 5.01

3.21 27.3 1.14 0.92 4.95

3.23 28.65 1.17 0.93 5

29,000 10,877,800 30,316,000 52,000 9,605,000

93,110 306,132,345 35,235,440 47,860 47,876,180

209,072,130 2,026,300.00 -2,862,350

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

7.43 44.5 1.33 0.5 0.041 10.7 5.3 6.21 0.069 2.72 97.8 7 2.4 950.5 1,411 6.15 14.88 17.22 1.99 15.8 73 0.0098 9.05 0.18 1.33 12.52 5.25 0.92 2.15 2 4.1 3.61 17.82 2.38 5.8 3.09 140 14 1,327 1.17 0.44 38.6 73 5.4 2.63 0.9 3.41 0.33

7.55 44.5 1.39 0.53 0.042 10.7 5.3 6.4 0.069 2.73 97.8 7.08 2.4 950.5 1,449 6.16 15.16 17.22 2 15.8 74 0.0098 9.12 0.187 1.34 13 5.45 1.02 2.17 2 4.1 3.64 20.4 2.38 5.8 3.09 140 14 1,376 1.18 0.44 39.8 74.45 5.4 2.85 0.93 3.43 0.33

7.43 44 1.33 0.5 0.04 10.7 5.3 6.14 0.068 2.64 94.7 6.99 2.4 950.5 1,400 6.13 14.58 17.22 1.95 15.2 72.5 0.0095 9.05 0.178 1.33 12.52 5.09 0.9 2.13 2 4.06 3.58 17.82 2.27 5.2 3.09 135 13.5 1,327 1.17 0.43 38.6 73 5.29 2.59 0.89 3.35 0.33

SERVICES 7.5 44.2 1.35 0.52 0.042 10.7 5.3 6.4 0.068 2.69 96.5 7 2.4 950.5 1,447 6.15 15.16 17.22 1.95 15.8 73.7 0.0096 9.12 0.187 1.34 13 5.23 1.02 2.15 2 4.09 3.64 20.4 2.32 5.26 3.09 135 13.52 1,370 1.18 0.44 38.6 74.05 5.29 2.85 0.92 3.39 0.33

4,600 14,200 38,000 1,160,000 10,000,000 100 200 6,219,200 11,300,000 14,379,000 628,410 207,800 2,000 240 77,630 403,000 257,100 300 769,000 4,100 2,315,710 3,000,000 470,000 21,500,000 410,000 1,700 1,204,300 49,000 186,000 68,000 5,828,000 2,580,000 300 1,506,000 65,700 1,000 5,000 1,057,500 264,655 2,375,000 620,000 1,327,700 541,960 177,000 3,571,000 10,291,000 278,000 180,000

34,448 627,600 51,360 591,020 412,800 1,070 1,060 39,252,466 777,000 38,592,550 60,280,265 1,454,812 4,800 228,120 111,750,585 2,477,812 3,875,406 5,166 1,509,760 63,362 169,018,000 28,900 4,285,125 3,965,760 547,330 21,360 6,241,252 44,430 399,240 136,000 23,848,760 9,325,120 5,862 3,494,100 345,314 3,090 680,006 14,432,928 358,968,740 2,801,920 270,200 52,468,410 40,120,516.50 944,099 9,741,140 9,473,840 945,800 59,400

-302,000 41,000 16,453,877 1,188,360 -2,433,088 944,150 14,056,360 -29,800 -1,809,876 -9,600 186,360 67,000 1,450,790 -43,410 390,560 101,660.00 2,808,420 -242,290 -118,806 -418,130 -20,987,305 368,130 8,085,855 -6,246,481.50 2,216,300 3,640,570 30,930 -

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 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.0034 2.81 5.1 2.19 0.55 0.46 14.52 3.53 0.27 0.194 0.195 0.011 0.012 1.88 8.1 3.03 0.51 1.27 0.012 0.011 4.01 0.012 8.6 3.61 131.3 2.89 0.0085

0.0034 2.85 5.12 2.25 0.56 0.48 15.5 3.68 0.28 0.195 0.195 0.012 0.012 1.95 8.18 3.12 0.52 1.27 0.012 0.011 4.01 0.013 8.82 3.67 131.5 2.91 0.0091

0.0033 2.8 4.72 2.19 0.55 0.46 14.3 3.48 0.27 0.192 0.195 0.011 0.012 1.88 7.94 3 0.5 1.21 0.012 0.01 4 0.012 8.5 3.61 131.2 2.88 0.0082

MINING & OIL 0.0034 64,000,000 2.85 23,000 4.88 2,149,800 2.25 6,000 0.56 220,000 0.465 2,840,000 14.88 1,316,600 3.6 5,514,000 0.275 260,000 0.192 1,400,000 0.195 1,970,000 0.012 5,900,000 0.012 2,700,000 1.93 541,000 7.95 4,270,400 3.01 1,257,000 0.5 5,000 1.24 1,007,000 0.012 100,000 0.01 110,500,000 4 27,000 0.013 1,000,000 8.55 4,810,900 3.67 819,000 131.3 587,040 2.88 95,000 0.009 8,000,000

214,400 64,690 10,546,408 13,200 121,200 1,332,100 19,765,428 19,741,140 71,650 269,240 384,150 65,300 32,400 1,035,870 34,304,674 3,804,260 2,570 1,247,720 1,200 1,153,900 108,010 12,300 41,594,335 2,974,980 77,086,200 274,410 68,600

-514,636.00 11,200 -15,392 7,096,570 7,293,045 185,000 15,929,277 51,290 -47,801,371 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

44.7 545 103 104 122.5 540 5.91 1,020 1.07 1,036 110.3 77.7 80.5 80 77.5 76.7

44.8 545 103.9 104 122.5 545 5.94 1,028 1.07 1,036 110.3 77.7 80.65 80.45 78.2 78

43.6 545 102.8 103.1 122.5 540 5.91 1,020 1.07 1,035 110 77.15 80.5 80 77.5 75.5

PREFERRED 43.7 15,700 545 1,820 103.8 7,500 103.2 39,430 122.5 10 542 10,610 5.92 352,200 1,021 1,210 1.07 200,000 1,035 2,000 110 4,000 77.2 4,310 80.6 35,900 80.45 8,880 78.2 136,800 78 133,990

696,955 991,900 773,550 4,073,564 1,225 5,757,400 2,083,718 1,240,940 214,000 2,070,010 440,083 332,766.50 2,891,575 714,180 10,610,825 10,254,044

-127,250 -947,816 95,700 -

LR WARRANT

2.41

2.48

2.41

WARRANTS 2.46 158,000

388,300

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.56 3.33 2.88 9.74

2.65 3.33 2.88 9.74

2.55 3.28 2.88 9.42

2.65 3.29 2.88 9.5

1,570,810 845,070 11,520 9,559,676

629,670 366,930 -2,967,993

FIRST METRO ETF

114

116

114

744,286

63,250

NAME

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

17,055,574 93,346,128 232,395,718

PROPERTY

360,247,090

SERVICES

107,429,997

MINING & OIL

221,517,114

GRAND TOTAL

1,033,871,021

SME

603,000 256,000 4,000 1,009,200

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116 6,500

VALUE 1,695.95 (up) 6.42 1,141,420,829.845 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,116.38 (up) 254.17 1,571,978,877.84 HOLDING FIRMS 7,076.93 (up) 110.52 1,964,545,951.01 PROPERTY 3,184.91 (up) 124.62 SERVICES 1,310.33 (up) 27.34 1,526,735,709.375 MINING & OIL 12,027.85 (down) 47.33 1,033,517,297.53 PSEI 7,022.38 (up) 155.57 216,325,624.93 All Shares Index 4,221,63 (up) 68.57 7,467,257,376.535 Gainers: 120; Losers: 63; Unchanged: 44; Total: 227

policy meeting with a pledge to continue its cash-pumping measures for another six months.

The speculation has helped refresh a waning global assets rally that began after Donald Trump’s US election win, which traders predict will usher in a time of huge spending, tax cutting and deregulation.

Such positive sentiment has propelled the Dow on Wall Street to successive records—and put it on course to hit 20,000 for the first time—while the S&P 500 also clocked up an all-time high Wednesday.

Hong Kong added 0.5 percent in the afternoon and Tokyo ended 1.5 percent up.

Seoul surged two percent, while Sydney Taipei and Manila piled on more than one percent.

However, Shanghai dipped 0.2 percent despite Chinese trade data showing a forecast-beating jump in imports and exports that indicate the world’s number two economy continues to stabilize.

“The market is optimistic that the ECB will extend its quantitative easing programme at current levels for a further six months,” Sharon Zollner, a senior economist in Auckland at ANZ Bank New Zealand, told Bloomberg News.

However, she also said: “There is a real risk of unpleasantness in European bond, equity and currency markets if [ECB head Mario] Draghi doesn’t at least meet expectations.”

Japanese traders brushed off data showing the world’s number three economy grew slower than initially thought, with the government offering a glimmer of hope by revising up its forecasts for the first and second quarter of 2017. With Bloomberg,

SMIC ups bond issuance to P20b SM INVESTMENTS Corp., the listed holding company of tycoon Henry Sy, said Thursday it will issue P20 billion worth of Series G retail bonds priced at 5.1590 percent due 2023, up from the initial offer size of only P15 billion.

“The Series G bond issue was met by strong demand from a wide spectrum of investors ranging from individuals in the retail market to banks, investment funds, pension funds, insurance companies and other corporates,” the conglomerate said.

This prompted SMIC through the joint lead underwriters and bookrunners to fully exercise the issue’s P5-billion oversubscription option at the end of the offer period, which opened on Nov. 25, 2016 and closed on Dec. 2, 2016.

The bonds are set to be issued on Dec. 9, 2016.

SMIC’s Series G bonds is the maiden issue from its P50billion bond shelf registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The bond proceeds are intended to finance future investments and strategic acquisitions in SMIC’s core business segments namely, property, retail and financial services.

SMIC’s bonds are rated PRS Aaa by Philippine Rating Services Corp., the highest rating assigned by PhilRatings. The rating denotes that such obligations are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk, and that the issuing company’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligations is extremely strong.

Business

B3

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

China exports snap seven-month slump

ASEAN SUMMIT. Credit Suisse’s Vice-Chairman for Asia Pacific Lito Camacho speaks as VietJetAir’s managing director Luu Duc Khanh (right), president and CEO Asesn of GE Wouter Van Wersch (second from left) and Bloomberg Television’s Southeast Asia correspondent Haslinda Amin listen during the Asean Business Summit in Hanoi on December 8, 2016. AFP

BEIJING―Chinese exports smashed expectations in November, a positive sign for the global economy, but analysts warned of an uncertain outlook as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, with Beijing’s trade policy in his sights.

China exports broke a sevenmonth losing streak, rising a forecast-beating 0.1 percent year-on-year to $152.2 billion in November, government data showed Thursday, as a plunging yuan helped boost shipments by making the country’s goods cheaper for overseas buyers.

The export figure smashed a Bloomberg News survey of economists predicting a five percent drop.

Imports also beat forecasts, suggesting the world’s numbertwo economy has stabilized on the back of aggressive policy easing to meet Beijing’s growth targets despite years of slowdown.

Imports rose 6.7 percent yearon-year to $152.2 billion in November, Customs data showed, far stronger than expectations of a 1.9 percent fall.

The trade surplus slipped to $44.6 billion in the month.

The readings were a massive improvement on the previous month, when exports dived 7.3 percent and imports fell 1.4 percent.

China is the world’s biggest trader in goods, and its performance affects partners from Australia to Zambia, which have been battered as its expansion has slowed to levels not seen in a quarter of a century.

Stable overseas demand and a weaker Chinese currency helped boost exports, with the yuan sliding against the dollar to eight-year lows in recent weeks.

But China’s trade faces an uncertain outlook as Donald Trump, who has blasted Beijing for protectionist policies and alleged currency manipulation, prepares to be sworn in as US president next month.

Trump promised during his campaign to declare China a currency manipulator on his first day in office, and threatened to slap 45 percent punitive tariffs on Chinese imports to protect jobs.AFP

Japan’s economy grew slower in Q3

T

OKYO―Japan’s third-quarter GDP was weaker than thought with a 0.3 percent expansion, revised data showed Thursday, as slack corporate spending held back the world’s number three economy.

The latest figures were lower than an initial estimate of 0.5 percent growth in the July-September period, with exports also under pressure.

The weak reading translates into annualized growth of 1.3 percent, far below the median market forecast of an annualized 2.3 percent expansion.

But the government did of-

ECB set to extend stimulus program FRANKFURT―The European Central Bank is widely expected to prolong massive monetary stimulus Thursday as the election of Donald Trump and fears for heavyweight member Italy rattle the eurozone.

Most analysts predict president Mario Draghi will extend an 80-billion-euro ($86-billion) per month bond-buying scheme beyond the current March deadline at his press conference.

Along with cheap loans to banks and record-low interest rates, ECB policymakers see the quantitative easing program as critical to supporting a sluggish recovery and pushing up inflation in the eurozone.

But while euro area inflation hit a two-and-a-half-year high in November at 0.6 percent, it remains far short of the central bank’s target of just below 2.0 percent.

Meanwhile, economic activity in the eurozone could suffer if US President-elect Donald Trump implements protectionist promises made on the campaign trail.

And the 28-country European Union has worries of its own, with Britain headed for the exit door, Italy destabilized by the resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and elections in the key eurozone economies of France and Germany next year.

“Among elevated political risks with potential financial implications... the ECB will want to tread carefully,” analyst Holger Schmieding of Berenberg Bank wrote.

Against this background, the ECB is unlikely to begin “tapering” (winding down) its asset purchases just yet, he argued, preferring to keep them going for at least a few more months. AFP

fer a glimmer of hope, slightly revising up growth figures for the first and second quarter, as spending ticked up.

And while Japan’s recovery has been unsteady, the economy is “growing bit by bit,” said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute in Tokyo.

“With slack consumption

at the moment and slow capital spending, the economy may not look like it’s expanding,” he added.

“But it will carry on growing steadily even though the number may not be that strong.”

Japan’s economy contracted in the last three months of 2015, before bouncing back this year although the recovery has been wobbly.

That is putting Japanese officials under increasing pressure to deliver as more and more economists write off Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to cement a lasting recovery, dubbed Aben-

omics.

Separate figures last month showed that Japan’s factory output ticked up in October, expanding for the third month in a row, but spending among Japanese households was still struggling.

Meanwhile, inflation was also disappointing, with core consumer prices―which exclude volatile fresh food costs―falling 0.4 percent in October to extend their longest run of declines for five years, and putting the Bank of Japan’s 2.0 percent inflation target well out of reach.

Next week, Japan’s central bank will release its closely-

watched Tankan business sentiment survey.

Abe came to office in late 2012 and launched a growth plan―a mix of massive monetary easing, government spending and redtape slashing.

The plan sharply weakened the yen―fattening corporate profits―and set off a stock market rally that spurred hopes for a once-soaring economy caught in a deflationary spiral of falling prices and lackluster growth.

Promises to cut through red tape have been slower, and his plan to buoy Japan’s once-booming economy have looked in-

creasingly uncertain.

The yen, often bought as a safe haven in times of uncertainty, had been on the upswing since the start of the year, and got a big bump after Britain’s shock vote to exit the European Union.

But it has since reversed course, falling to eight-month lows against the dollar after billionaire businessman Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

The weaker yen is good news for Japanese exporters, which are likely to see their bottom line expand if the currency remains weak. AFP

Saffron, rural Spain’s crisis-beating spice, makes a comeback

By Adrien Vicente MINAYA, Spain―On the arid, wind-swept plateau of central Spain, saffron producers are reaping the benefits of a return to favor of the precious spice introduced by Arabs in the Middle Ages.

After a lull in production due to the high cost of growing saffron in Spain, farmers are now back in business as customers have started seeking quality over lower prices.

Sitting around three long tables at the Molineta company in Minaya, a 1,600-strong village 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Madrid, elderly ladies extract bright red stigmas from violet saffron crocuses that will subsequently be dried and sold off.

Every day during the autumn harvest, Segunda Gascon, 78, blackens her fingers as she works the fragrant petals, a gesture she has practiced again and again since 1964 when she was given a small batch of seedlings for her wedding.

She is part of a group of around 50 people―many of them retired―who are paid to help out at this time of year in the small village of the CastillaLa Mancha region.

Nearby Dolores Navarro, 83, sings a folk song as she works: “The saffron rose is a fragrant flower, that grows at sunrise and dies at sunset.”

She remembers the men who would come to the village in the 1960s to buy the spice “at a high price.”

All by hand But then came the modernization of agriculture, which led to a drop in many food prices.

Saffron though, which relies on intensive manual labour, remained expensive and Spanish producers were unable to keep up.

From more than 100 tons a year at the start of the 20th century, Spanish production dropped over the decades to reach just 1.9 tons in 2014, the last official figure.

By comparison Iran―where

A harvester, paid in a job-by-job basis, picks saffron flowers at one of Molineta de Minaya saffron company’s plots in Minaya on November 4, 2016. Saffron stigmas (inset) are poured over a sieve used to dry them at Molineta de Minaya company’s warehouse, in Minaya on November 7, 2016. AFP

the workforce is cheaper and the selection of stigmas less strict― says 93 percent of worldwide saffron production came from the country in 2015, at 350 tons.

Spain, Morocco and Kashmir shared what was left.

“In the 1980s, saffron was ruinous,” says Molineta founder Juan Antonio Ortiz, a 66-yearold farmer.

Standing by his field, he keeps an eye on the basket-carrying Bulgarian, Senegalese and Malian day laborers, who have been picking still-closed flowers since daybreak and are paid 5.20 euros a kilo.

Unlike others, Ortiz decided not to abandon his precious flowers, and it eventually paid off.

His 10 hectares (25 acres) of saffron now earn his family “around 500 euros per kilo,” which comes to around 50,000

euros a year.

“I held on because I always liked growing this,” he said.

“I was barely walking and I was already in the saffron plots with my mother picking the flowers.”

At the turn of the century, Ortiz and his wife Maria Angeles bet on quality to broaden their production, which now comes complete with a protected designation of origin (PDO) label recognized by the European Union.

They sell their saffron to distributors from Spain, the United States, European countries and even the United Arab Emirates.

‘Threads of gold’ Once Maria Angeles has sorted through the stigmas with tweezers, and dried them on a silk canvas above a small fire, she puts them in small plastic bags to wait for experts who control

their composition to give them their PDO. They will then be able to sell the saffron threads with their distinctive aroma.

The price? Four euros per gram.

Spanish saffron is “among the best of anywhere,” says Pat Heslop-Harrison, professor of agricultural biology at Britain’s Leicester University.

“Castilla-La Mancha has the perfect conditions,” he adds, pointing to “the types of soil, climate, how it is harvested and dried.”

That fact has not gone unnoticed among Spain’s legion of chefs.

“In Spain, we treat it as if it were threads of gold,” says Daniel Lasa, chef at Spain’s Michelin-starred Mugaritz restaurant.

“La Mancha’s saffron is much clearer, less bitter” than that of

Iran, he adds.

He prefers using the spice for soups and gelatines, and to accompany seafood.

In the region around Minaya, Spain’s devastating economic crisis, which erupted in 2008, pushed many to return to growing what is known as “red gold.”

There are now 267 producers of saffron with the PDO label alone in Spain.

Just 100 kilometers away in Toledo province where unemployment is sky-high, smallscale producers are on the rise, grouping themselves into cooperatives.

And in Minaya, the Ortiz family is no longer alone.

Antonio Garcia Filoso, a 36-year-old farmer, started planting saffron two years ago, and produced three kilograms last year. AFP

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

B4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Motoring

MMPC President Yoshiaki Kato and DMC President George Blaylock presents the FUSO FI medium duty truck, perfect for logistics and delivery companies.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH • MITSUBISHI OPENS QC TRUCK FACILITY

Text and photo by Dino Ray V. Directo III

M

ITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation has inaugurated its very first FUSO dealership outlet right in the heart of Quezon City’s famed “Truck Row”. Under management by the Blaylock led Diamond Motors Corporation, the 2,891 square meters Fuso dealership is strategically located along Quezon Avenue, near the corner of Araneta Avenue, where truck importers have set up shop.

A diamond in the rough, the truck facility beefs up the fleet of vehicles under the DMC stable.

Get tough with Overland

“We are fully capable of accommodating the after sales demands of Fuso customers and we have the equipment and expertise to handle light duty trucks such as the six-wheeler FUSO FI up to the 25-tonner FUSO FJ Heavy Duty truck,” says George Blaylock, head honcho of DMC. The DMC FUSO facility has a total of five work bays, complete tools, equipment, genuine spare parts and an army of certified technicians to service the trucks.

Visitors of the launch were provided with a tour of the DMC FUSO dealership, with two mas-

sive trucks greeting everyone as they walked toward the work bay area.

The six-wheeler FUSO FI is Mitsubishi’s entry variant in the medium duty truck segment. Equipped with a new generation 4D37 diesel engine, this 11,990kgs truck has an estimated 172 bhp and 520 Nm of torque matted to a six-speed manual transmission designed for smooth operation and driving efficiency. The shot peene and powder coated chassis has deeper and thicker frame members for greater surface strength

WITH its vast experience and knowledge of taking on the rugged terrain, Overland makes it their business to protect your SUV from the harsh elements of Mother Nature.

Overland designs are engineered by people who are active 4-wheelers who know first-hand the requirements on how to protect your off-road rig. Overland 4x4 bumpers are designed to minimize vehicle damage and keep you moving. The standard Bull Bar replaces the front bumper completely with a robust steel bumper designed specifically for each application. You

won’t find a more thoroughly designed and manufactured vehicle protection system than Overland’s line of front, rear and side bumper protection. Engineering a bull bar requires careful consideration of a number of factors to ensure it properly serves its purpose. Factors such as vehicle design, crush rate, air bag deployment, approach angles, accessory fitment, strength, weight and aesthetics are taken into consideration.

Protect and enhance the capacity of your SUV with Overland. It is available in dealers nationwide.

sticker in fashionable colors that is created to captivate the young generation’s preference and express their individuality and uniqueness. http://thestandard. com.ph/motoring/223424/hondabeat-scooter-designed-for-themillennials.html

chassis.

Like the F1, the FJ comes equipped with a climate control system as a standard feature.

The FJ also has multi-adjustable air pressure driver’s seat, power windows, tilt/telescopic steering system, central door locking mechanism and a segment first ABS system that controls the air brake pressure to prevent wheel lock up during emergency braking.

The SRP for the FI is P1.9M, while the FJ retails for P3M and is manufactured by Daimler India Commercial Vehicles.

Foilacar Industries executives join Maria Ozawa in presenting the foilwrapped Harley Davidson at the launch in Bali, Indonesia

Bali welcomes Foilacar

Honda scooters for the millennials HONDA Philippines, Inc. (HPI) recently launched the All-New Honda BeAT, the newest AT scooter from the Gen-S lineup designed to inspire the young, fun, sporty, and stylish millennials.

The all-new Honda BeAT is a reflection of Honda’s dedication in trendsetting new scooter styles to please the taste of the Filipino customers, especially the youth.

It features a slim and sharp form in compact size, new design wheels and tubeless tires, and semi-digital meter panel with ECO indicator.

Among the various highlights of the AllNew Honda BeAT is the specially designed

and corrosion resistance. Engineers have also installed taller stacks of laminated leaf springs at the rear to provide higher payload capacity.

The big brother of the FI is the 25-tonner FUSO FJ, which is powered by a powerful 282bhp, yet fuel efficient 6S20 diesel engine matted to a nine-speed transmission designed for better acceleration and fuel economy.

Same as the F1, the new FJ has a stylish and aerodynamic front fascia and the first heavy duty truck in the country to have a natural 32 feet cab to end frame

Text and photo by Dino Ray V. Directo III

Double whammy for Suzuki ACCOLADES continue to pour in for automotive company Suzuki Philippines this year as it recently bagged a “double” at the prestigious Car Awards Group, Inc (CAGI) Gala Awards Night held recently at the One Rockwell East Tower in Makati City.

Suzuki Philippines’ all-new Super Carry Utility Van won as 2016 Car of the Year for the Commercial Utility Vehicle (CUV) Category while the Suzuki Ciaz

1.4 bagged the 2016 Car of the Year award under the Subcompact Category.

As the first diesel engine model Suzuki introduced to cater to the Philippine market, the allnew Super Carry exudes uncompromised strength, high quality performance and superior loading capacity. http://thestandard. com.ph/motoring/223515/double-whammy-for-suzuki-at-carawards.html

FOILACAR Industries, the company which pioneered car wrapping technology and clear protection system in Abu Dhabi, the Philippines and Southeast Asia, is set to expand their reach further with the establishment of Foilacar Indonesia.

“With this car wrapping facility in Bali, Foilacar is set to open new horizons for Foilacar and we hope to replicate the success of our New York office here in Indonesia,” states Lester Codog, President of Foilacar Industries Ph. Foilacar Bali presented to the media a Harley Davidson and a Ford Ranger pick-up customized in Foilacar colors. Adding sizzle to the launch was the presence of famous Japanese adult actress Maria Ozawa, who gamely posed sexy astride the Harley Davidson bike.

“This is part of our long term plan

to globalize the brand and eventually be offered publicly within the next couple of months. The reception here in Indonesia is very encouraging and Foilacar is due to open its Jakarta facility early next year also,” reveals Codog.

With the first facility based in Muding Batu Sangian VI No.19 Kerobokan Kaya Badung, Bali, the 1,000 square meters car wrapping facility have three work bays for cars, SUV’s and motorcycles. “This is new territory for Foilacar, and we feel that the market is just right for this kind of technology now,” adds Wayne Ramschie, President of Foilacar Indonesia.

Since Foilacar ventured into car wrapping in the domestic market, the company has remained as the standard for car paint protection and visual aesthetics. Foilacar Industries is also set to establish branches in Japan and Malaysia next year.

48 firms allowed to make fireworks LABOR Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III yesterday lifted the Work Stoppage Order over 48 establishments that make and sell pyrotechnics and firecrackers in Bulacan, after they complied with general labor and occupational safety and health standards.

“The 48 establishments were compliant with labor and OSH standards and other pertinent labor laws, rules, and regulations,” said Bello during the 83rd Anniversary Celebration of the Department at the Occupational Safety and Health Center in Quezon City.

There is a need to institute reforms in the firecrackers and pyrotechnics industry, particularly in manufacturing and retailing, Bello said. “It is necessary to ensure that the workers are provided with protection under the labor and OSH standards,” he added.

The firecracker makers and sellers are part of the 88 establishments in Bulacan that the DoLE Regional Office 3 recently inspected. About 24 are in manufacturing and 64 are into selling firecrackers and pyrotechnics.

Forty establishments whose WSOs have not yet been lifted are still being assessed by the Regional Office, Bello said.

“Once the establishment is found compliant with the requirements, the Regional Office may recommend the lifting of the work stoppage order,” the secretary said, adding that the department is extending emergency employment assistance to affected workers of the establishments whose WSOs have not yet been lifted.

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 , 2016

C1

Solar City gets green light

By Sandy Araneta

M

ANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is looking toward the construction of the multibillion-peso Solar City, a state-of-the-art, green urban center jutting out of Manila Bay, as the city’s only hope of regaining its old glory as the country’s capital.

Estrada, also a former President, expects the Solar City reclamation project to start soon following President Rodrigo Duterte’s go-signal to hasten the construction of the proposed tourism, commercial and residential district in Manila Bay. The city government is almost finished processing the documentary requirements and clearances of Manila Goldcoast Development Corp., which won the joint contract to build the development in 1991.

“This will provide thousands of jobs and economic opportunities for Manileños, aside from the billions of pesos of tax revenues the city government will be able to collect,” Estrada said.

Contrary to fears raised by critics that the project will cover Manila Bay’s famed sunset, Estrada assured that it would not

because Solar City “will be built perpendicular and not parallel” to the world-famous bay.

The project entails the creation of three islands totaling 148 hectares in Manila Bay, where a business centers, residential and commercial properties, and tourism facilities—ncluding an international cruise ship termi- Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada shakes hands with Red Romero, vice chairman of R-II Builders Inc., after signing nal—will be built. the memorandum that paves the way for the P7.4-billion expansion of the Manila Harbour Centre in Tondo.

MGDC said Solar City would Also in photo are (from right) R-II Chairman Reghis Romero and PRA Chairman Alberto Agra. Manny Palmero generate up to P17 billion in ganic waste. taxes every year on top of the of the Manila Harbour Centre Centre Port Terminal, Inc. Solar City aims to be the With traffic in Manila a burP10 billion in real property in Tondo, which also has the taxes for the city government support of Malacañang. The new gold standard for cities in den for most residents, the deport expansion, a joint venture the Philippines, MGDC said signers of Solar City envision of Manila.

It is also expected to gener- agreement of Manila and R-II in a statement. Designed to be dedicated walkways and a monate 100,000 jobs during the Builders Inc., also requires the “green, self-sustaining, and in- orail system to reduce the need construction phase and up to reclamation of 50 more hectares novative,” Solar City will be the for cars and bring tourists and first of its kind in using renew- visitors around hotels, conven500,000 more once it becomes of Manila Bay. The 79-hectare Manila Har- able energy from solar, wind, tion centers, and an artificial operational, which city officials believe would help Manila’s un- bour Centre, the country’s big- and biomass sources; utilizing beach that would make Magest international commercial urban farming; and capitalizing nila good enough to be dubbed employment situation.

The Solar City project is on port for bulk and break-bulk on a modern waste management the “Dubai of Southeast Asia,” top of the planned expansion cargoes, is operated by Harbour system to dramatically reduce or- MGDC added.

Vito Barcelo

Rizal LGUs trained vs climate change

‘Balik Scientists’ wanted ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda wants to strengthen and institutionalize the government’s “Balik Scientist Program” to encourage overseas Filipino scientists and technologists to come home, share their expertise, and help speed up the country’s development.

Salceda recently filed House Bill 4366 in Congress, titled “Balik Scientists Act of 2016,” designed to bolster the Balik Scientist Program established under Presidential Decree 819 in 1975 and revived successfully during the term of former President Fidel Ramos.

The bill aims to strengthen “the scientific and technological human resources of the academe, public institutions and domestic corporations to promote knowledge sharing and accelerate the flow of new technologies into the country.”

It also proposes better benefit packages for experts returning home, and tasks the Department of Science and Technology to publicize the scheme and the guidelines for it.

HB 4366 defines “Balik Scientist” as a science or technology expert or professional, certified

by DoST, who is a Filipino citizen or a foreigner of Filipino descent, residing abroad, and contracted by the government to return and serve in the Philippines along his or her field of expertise for a defined term or time of engagement.

TRASH TO FLASH. To prevent and reduce holiday trash, environmental advocates from the EcoWaste Coalition join teachers at Santo Cristo

Elementary School in showing students some creative Christmas decorations made from typical household refuse. (See story on C2) Manny Palmero

Bank, foundations team up for post-‘Yolanda’ teaching kits BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, has signed an agreement with C&E Foundation and Kusog Tacloban for the donation of elementary school teaching materials in areas affected by Typhoon “Yolanda.”

Backed by BDO branches, BDO Foundation will distribute 524 teaching kits in various Tacloban elementary schools. This is in line with the foundation’s disaster response advocacy and the Andam Pag-aram educational program of C&E Foundation and Kusog Tacloban.

Used specifically in the context of studying, Andam Pagaram is a local term that means “prepare to learn.”

BDO Foundation trustees Lucy Co Dy and Jerome Guevarra, Kusog Tacloban president Teresa Custodio, and C&E Publishing chief operating officer John Emyl Eugenio signed

the memorandum of agreement.

The kits contain phonetic books. They aid in the teaching sound/letter correspondence, C&E Foundation is a non-profit readers, interactive charts, and mastery of the alphabetic short vowel sounds and blendorganization dedicated to im- songs, vowel cards and story principle, phonemic awareness, ing. proving the quality of education in the Philippines. It provides scholarships and supports schools with disadvantaged students.

Kusog Tacloban, likewise a non-profit, aims to strengthen the resilience of communities in provinces devastated by Typhoon “Yolanda.”

This is the second time BDO Foundation, C&E Foundation and Kusog Tacloban are handing out teaching kits after 2015, when five Typhoon “Yolanda”affected schools where BDO Foundation constructed school buildings received the donations.

Exclusively distributed by C&E Publishing, the teaching kits are designed to help kindergarten and grade one pupils Officials of BDO Foundation, C&E Foundation and Kusog Tacloban seal their agreement to distribute develop their reading ability. teaching materials in elementary schools in Typhoon ‘Yolanda’-stricken provinces.

LOCAL governments have integrated climate change policies in their “protected landscape” and “eco-town” projects in disaster-prone areas in Marikina and Rizal.

In a multi-sectoral project done with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture or Searca, the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape will be applied by LGUs to benefit farmers and residents in the Rizal towns of Tanay, San Mateo, Rodriguez, Baras, and Antipolo City.

This project is making a reality of a previously vague or unreal concept of climate change, as LGUs adapt to it through proper agricultural and environmental management practices. They also prepare for and mitigate or reduce the otherwise serious impacts of climate change.

“Even if you don’t have data, you know the climate change has influence in agricultural production. Here we’re mainstreaming how we should plan for climate change so that benefits go down to the grassroots,” said Searca director Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. at a reception for their project partners.

The UMRBPL is a project of Searca with the Asian Development Bank, among the partners it honored in a dinner reception last Tuesday (December 6).

“Now you can (schedule planting), and you know where to avoid putting certain crops because erosion is rampant there. It’s a whole thing about environmental management and even bigger than climate change,” Saguitguit said. “We should overlay [with agricultural plans] what is likely to happen in terms of disasters like typhoon.”

The new planning tool pushed by Searca involves AMIA or Adaptation Mitigation and Mitigation Initiative, which is now being employed by the Department of Agriculture in its programs. It is done with the aid of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc., the Climate Change Commission, and other partners.

C2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

LGUs

Diño asks P140b for SBMA works S

By Butch Gunio

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Martin B. Diño on Thursday revealed six big-ticket projects totaling P140 billion (US$2.8 billion) the agency wants to undertake in anticipation of an upsurge of foreign investors by next year.

Diño said he will be sending to Malacañang a budget proposal to fast-track these major projects he intends to implement during his term at SBMA. “Before I came here, the President [Rodrigo Duterte] instruct-

ed me to improve and make Subic the best investment area in Asia. But how can I achieve that when there is no area that I could offer to new investors?” Diño said. “I have to find new land.”

He found it at a 3,000-hec-

tare industrial zone at Redondo Peninsula here, at the back of the shipyard of South Koreanowned Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp., that can be developed.

While Dino said there is more than enough land for investors at Redondo, the roads and bridges leading to it should be built first to make it accessible via Subic Freeport and the new industrial zone in Zambales.

That’s why he is asking Malacañang for P126 billion to build four major roads and bridges to Redondo that would shorten the travel time of cargo trucks and passenger vehicles

to and from Northern Luzon and Metro Manila.

First on the list with a proposed budget of P11 billion is a 17.273-kilometer bypass road that would connect the Subic container terminals to the SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway without passing the busy commercial and leisure areas of the Freeport.

Second, with a proposed budget of P22 billion, is the 25.73-kilometer Tipo-Castillejos By-Pass Road, which will also include the construction of seven bridges. This road will be connected to Tipo Road at the SCTEX exit and run directly to

Castillejos, Zambales, avoiding heavy traffic in Olongapo City and Subic.

Third, with a proposed budget of P91 billion is a 65-kilometer multi-modal expressway that would directly connect Subic Freeport to Manila.

And fourth, with a proposed budget of P2 billion is the TipoSCTEX Road Widening project, which aims to improve the capacity of Tipo Road by adding another lane on both sides of the road, improving the existing tunnel, and building an additional tunnel.

These projects, Diño said,

should provide easy access to and from Subic Freeport for both cargo haulers and tourists, especially those coming from or going to North and Central Luzon, as well as Metro Manila.

“These infrastructure projects will bring Subic Freeport and other centers of commerce in Luzon area closer to each other,” he said, noting that travel time from point to point would be greatly shortened, making development faster and easier.

It would also help decrease the volume of vehicles plying major roads of Metro Manila that cause traffic.

Upcycling urged for Christmas discards WITH Christmas just around the corner, a non-profit group campaigning for waste prevention and reduction urged the public to give typical household discards a new lease of life by “upcycling” them into holiday decorations.

The EcoWaste Coalition made a pitch for upcycling— the conversion of discarded materials into something creative and useful—at a joint event with Santo Cristo Elementary School in Quezon City that showcased Yuletide adornments from trash.

To demonstrate upcycling, student representatives of each grade level from kinder to Grade 6 at Santo Cristo Elementary made Christmas lanterns out of recycled materials.

Their teachers, on the other hand, prepared a lantern from consumed paper cups, a snowman from used papers, and a Christmas tree from candy wrappers.

For its part, the EcoWaste Coalition displayed a range of “upcycled” Christmas ornaments from fabric, glass, metal, paper and plastic recyclables.

Some of the more eye-catching upcycled Christmas decorations shown at the event included: A corrugated board Christmas tree covered with used gift wrappers and newspaper comic strips and adorned with decorations made of used buttons, CDs, softdrink crowns and snack packs.

Angels fashioned out of fabric conditioner plastic containers with old shirts for costumes and pan de sal paper bags for wings.

Various figures of Santa Claus fashioned out of a corn starch canister, paper and plastic cups, roll-on deodorant and tetra packs.

Three Kings with tall soft drink plastic bottles as bodies and printer ink containers as heads.

Reindeers crafted from toilet paper rolls, wine bottles and native baskets.

Lanterns made of empty cans painted with lead safe paint.

A variety of Christmas wreaths and other decorations using empty cans of juice, liver spread and canned tuna, egg trays and plastic bottle lids.

“The upcycling of discards is a sensible way of reducing the high volume of waste that is hauled to dumps, especially during Christmastime when crass consumption and disposal are at its peak,” said Ochie Tolentino, Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

SBMA Chairman and Head of Agency Martin B. Dino leads the releasing of turtle hatchlings at All Hands Beach Resort at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on Thursday.

Butch Gunio

Traditional Chinese healing via Tzu Chi FOR six months, 74-year-old Remedios Arididon was burdened by constant body pains. It started after she took a fall and hurt her right leg. Several laboratory tests were run on her, but none yielded unusual results.

Her doctor only advised Remedios to take painkillers, but after a while, the pain would return “There are days when she would cry out from pain and we couldn’t do anything about it,” said Remedios’ daughter, Analisa Natividad.

Last month, Tzu Chi held its 216th medical mission at San Mateo National High School in Barangay Guitnang Bayan I in

San Mateo, Rizal. The mission opened departments on general medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmology, dental, minor surgery, traditional Chinese medicine, and rehab medicine.

San Mateo Mayor Cristina Diaz also graced the mission and lauded Tzu Chi’s efforts.

“The poorest of the poor in San Mateo is around 15,000 people, so that’s why we felt blessed that a large scale medical mission like this happened for the first time here. It’s a good thing because the simple problems that the patients have will be diagnosed here and treated,” Mayor Diaz said.

A total of 2,215 patients benefitted from free medical consultation, treatment, and medicines. The mission was made possible through the efforts of 522 doctors, nurses, and Tzu Chi volunteers from the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Arididon, a resident of Marikina City, was among the 214 patients who availed of the free services at the TCM department.

An acupuncturist from Malaysia massaged and inserted thin needles on various parts of Remedios’ body for almost an hour.

After the treatment, Remedios felt significant relief.

“Earlier, the pain I felt was so

At San Mateo in Rizal, some of the 214 patients suffering from different maladies receive free treatment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of the Tzu Chi Foundation’s 216th medical mission.

bad it was almost unbearable.

But now, I feel much lighter; much better than earlier. I can still feel the pain here and there, but not as bad as it had been before we came here,” she said.

Acupuncture is a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Based on the theory that energy, called chi, flows through and around our body and that illness occurs when something blocks or unbalances that energy, Acupuncture seeks to help the chi flow back into balance by putting very thin needles into our skin at certain points in our body.

Cupping therapy called Ventosa and Origin Point Medicine were also offered during the mission.

OPM practitioner Chun Hsing Mo explained that this alternative form of therapy boosts the body’s natural self healing power by putting pressure on the right points of the body. Like Acupuncture, it can heal almost all illnesses, diseases and disorders. Majority of the patients found instant relief after a session but continuous therapy is advised for more serious cases.

Joining the medical mission, Chun said he hoped to spread the knowledge of OPM to more poor Filipinos who suffer from different illnesses. Not only is OPM cheaper than Western Medicine, it can also be learned. In fact, Chun, a businessman by profession, learned the practice by undergoing classes in Taiwan.

5,286 employed by John Hay economic zone locators BAGUIO CITY—The 88 locators within the John Hay Special Economic Zone have employed 5,286 citizens of the BLISTT area as of end-October, John Hay Management Corp. officerin-charge Zaldy Bello reported Tuesday.

In a report to Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, Bello said 91 percent or 4,804 employees in the special economic zone came from the Baguio-La TrinidadItogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay area,

with the remainder coming from areas outside the region.

Outsourcing firm Convergys led the ecozone’s top 15 employers with 3,000 workers, 2,710 of them from BLISTT. SC Reservation employed 594 workers, followed by Le Chef Inc. (151), Camp John Hay Leisure Inc. (149), Camp John Hay Golf Club (120), Maximum Security and Services Corp.JHRA (81) and Le Monet Hotel with 78.

Federal Management and Maintenance has 70 employees in the ecozone, followed

by Maximum Security and Services-JHSEZ (78), John Hay Management Corp. (67), STBN Manpower Agency (62), Kabadjo Handlers Association (38), Blackbeard Seafood Island (37), and Tree Top Adventure (36).

The remaining locators “employed local workers in their respective establishments and contributed to the increased em-

ployment opportunities for qualified residents,” Bello said.

Under a local ordinance, companies operating within Baguio’s jurisdiction must ensure that majority of its workforce comes from the city’s 128 barangays.

Domogan thanked JHMC management and the locators for providing employment opportunities for BLISTT residents, saying the increased economic activities in the city “will surely

translate to more employment opportunities for the qualified residents.”

The potential of the special economic zone, however, has not yet been fully maximized, the mayor said.

JHMC, the developer of the former American rest and recreation center, has exploited just a fourth of its developable areas and needs to attract more locators for sustained economic growth in the zone.

IN BRIEF Amadeo’s most wanted nabbed THE No. 1 most wanted person in Amadeo, Cavite, who has been charged with two murders, was arrested at his home in Barangay Salaban in Amadeo on Thursday.

Zenon Mendoza, 46, was arrested by combined elements of Provincial Intelligence Bureau, Special Weapon and Tactics Group and the Amadeo Municipal Police Station, PIB chief Police Supt.

Gil Tisado Torralba said.

A farmer, Mendoza is wanted for two counts of murder per Criminal Case Number TG-16-2734 to TG16-2735 (AS) and is currently detained at the Amadeo MPS. Judge Jaime Santiago of Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Tagaytay City issued the warrant that led to his arrest.

Benjamin Chavez

5 pushers arrested in Silang buy-bust FIVE suspected drug pushers were arrested after a buy-bust operation and a gunfight on Monday at Barangay Yakal in Silang, Cavite.

Officer on case PO3 Robert Vito Dimailig identified the suspects as Ghiemar Acosta, 27; Noli Hardinero, 57; Edward Sususco, 31; Benjamin Gregorio, 39; and Salvador Radam, the target of the buy-bust.

At about 10:30 p.m., police poseurs bought shabu from Radam, who sensed their presence and opened fire on the combined elements of the Silang Cavite Municipal Police Station and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

The suspects attempted to flee on a van, which was cornered in Barangay Bulilihan in Silang with several sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

Also recovered were a .45 caliber Colt used by Radam and several rounds of live ammunition. Benjamin Chavez

World IN BRIEF Militants killed as Gaza tunnel collapses GAZA CITY―Two Hamas militants were killed and three are missing after a tunnel in the Gaza Strip collapsed, the Islamist group’s military wing said Thursday.

“The Al-Qassam Brigades hail the fighters Ismail Abdul Kareem and Rami Muneer from Shejaiya, who died following the collapse of a resistance tunnel,” it said.

A source close to Qassam said five militants were in the tunnel when it collapsed and efforts were continuing to find and rescue the other three.

Over the years, the Hamas rulers of Gaza have built a labyrinth of tunnels, including those crossing under the border with Israel, for use in any renewed conflict.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and the territory has been under an Israeli blockade for a decade.

Attack tunnels were a key weapon for Hamas during the last conflict in 2014, with a number of surprise attacks inside Israeli territory. AFP

Greek unions launch general strike ATHENS―Greece’s leading unions launched Thursday a general strike that shut down several key sectors in protest over planned new pay cuts and taxes called for by international creditors.

Civil servants, bank staff, merchant seamen, railway workers and state-employed doctors were among professionals taking part in the 24-hour stoppage against the measures, which are scheduled to be approved by lawmakers at the weekend.

“We are reacting to repressive austerity, poverty and destitution... once again we face absurd demands by [Greece’s EU-IMF] creditors,” leading union GSEE said.

Journalists had staged a oneday walkout on Wednesday.

The country’s international creditors -- fellow EU states and the International Monetary Fund -- want Greece to overhaul its labor legislation to make crippling strikes less likely while also facilitating layoffs.

A new budget containing around a billion euros ($1.07 billion) from extra taxation on items including cars, fixed telephone service, pay TV, fuel, tobacco, coffee and beer is to be approved by parliament early Sunday. AFP

48 killed in Pakistan plane crash A PAKISTANI plane carrying 48 people crashed Wednesday in the country’s mountainous north and burst into flames killing everyone on board, authorities said, in one of the deadliest aviation accidents in the nation’s history.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight PK661 came down after one of its two turboprop engines failed while travelling from the city of Chitral to Islamabad, the civil aviation authority said.

Rescuers, including hundreds of villagers, pulled the charred remains from the wreckage of the aircraft, parts of which were found hundreds of metres away from the main site in Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. AFP

C3

Assad confident of victory D

AMASCUS―President Bashar al-Assad said victory in Aleppo would be a “huge step” towards ending Syria’s five-year civil war, ignoring pleas for a truce as rebels in the city lose more ground.

Palestinian shot dead in West Bank JERUSALEM―An 18-year-old Palestinian threatened Israeli border police with a knife at a flashpoint junction in the occupied West Bank on Thursday and was shot dead, Israeli authorities said.

The incident occurred at the Tapuah junction near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, where a number of attacks have taken place in recent months, police said.

Police said: “A suspect approached border police suspiciously.

“The border police called upon him to identify himself,” spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement.

“He continued towards them and then pulled out a knife. Border police responded and the terrorist was neutralized. No injuries to officers at the scene.”

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the Palestinian had been killed and identified him as an 18-year-old from the West Bank city of Qalqilya. AFP

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

PREMIERE. Actress Jennifer Aniston attends the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ ‘Office Christmas Party’ at the Regency Village Theater on December 7, 2016, in Westwood, California. AFP

Trump elects political ally as envoy to China NEW YORK―President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday selected a political ally with close ties to China as ambassador to Beijing, stressed his determination to create US jobs and revealed he consulted with Barack Obama on his cabinet picks.

The Republican’s election victory shocked the US establishment and alarmed the world, which is now waiting with bated breath to see if the political novice will follow through on a slew of threats to tear up free trade agreements, abandon treaties and punish American companies relocating jobs overseas.

Trump antagonized China last week by taking a protocol-busting telephone call from the leader of Taiwan, and then railed against Beijing for alleged currency manipulation, unfair taxes and militarizing the South China Sea. Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, on Wednesday urged Washington to block President Tsai Ing-wen

from passing through the United States after reports said she may stop in New York to meet the Trump team.

But on Wednesday, Trump dangled potentially welcome news for Beijing: his pick of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who has close ties to Chinese President Xi Jinping dating back to the mid-1980s, as ambassador to China.

“Governor Branstad’s decades of experience in public service and long-time relationship with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders make him the ideal choice to serve as America’s Ambassador to China,” Trump said.

Upon reports of Branstad’s nomination, China called him an “old friend.”

Trump has pledged to create jobs by commissioning giant infrastructure projects to overhaul America’s ailing roads, bridges, tunnels and airports, and by slashing corporate tax rates in an attempt to drive investment. AFP

In a blistering three-week offensive, Syrian government forces have seized about 80 percent of east Aleppo, a stronghold for rebel groups since 2012, with increasingly cornered opposition factions calling for an “immediate five-day humanitarian ceasefire”.

The United States, Britain and France have also called for a truce, warning of a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov were set to meet Thursday in Germany’s Hamburg after talks the previous day failed to achieve a breakthrough on efforts to halt the fighting in the devastated city.

Asked at the start of the session about Russia’s position on a ceasefire, Lavrov said: “I am in agreement, and I confirm support for the American proposal of December 2”, referring to a meeting with Kerry in Rome at which they were believed to have agreed on a plan to evacuate civilians and rebels from east Aleppo and to work towards a new ceasefire.

Tens of thousands of children in Aleppo are “sitting targets” in the ongoing fighting, according to Save the Children Syria Director Sonia Khush.

“It defies belief that after nearly six years of suffering through this war, the international community is still willing to stand by as civilians are bombed with seeming impunity,” she added.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 19 civilians were killed in the regime bombardment of east Aleppo on Wednesday.

In an interview with Syrian daily Al-Watan, published Thursday, Assad said defeating the beleaguered rebels in Aleppo “will be

a win for us, but let’s be realistic -- it won’t mean the end of the war in Syria”.

“But it will be a huge step towards this end.”

When asked about the possibility of a truce in Aleppo, Assad said, “it’s practically non-existent, of course”.

Assad said a rebel loss in Aleppo “will mean the transformation of the course of the war across Syria” and would leave opposition factions and their backers with “no cards left to play”.

Aleppo was once known as the beating heart of culture and commerce in Syria, but the outbreak of fighting there four years ago left it divided between rebels in the east and government forces in the west.

In his wide-ranging interview, Assad pledged to fight rebels even beyond Aleppo, because “the war in Syria will not end until after the complete elimination of terrorism”.

“Terrorists are present elsewhere -- even if we finish with Aleppo, we will continue our war against them,” he said.

Assad touted local agreements between his government and rebel groups as the best way to resolve Syria’s complex conflict.

Such deals have seen opposition fighters quit a string of towns around Damascus in recent months, often in exchange for an end to regime bombardment.

“It is the only available solution, in parallel with striking the terrorists. Its success has been proven over the past two to three years, and is now speeding up,” Assad told Al-Watan.

He said these agreements had protected Syrian civilians and infrastructure and allowed former rebels to “return to the bosom of the state.

What more could we want?” AFP

US life expectancy dips for first time MIAMI―Life expectancy in the United States dropped last year for the first time since the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis more than 20 years ago, as deaths rose from nearly every major cause, federal data showed Thursday.

The total US population’s life expectancy in 2015 was 78.8 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2014, said the report by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Deaths from eight of the top 10 causes mounted, including spikes in accidental deaths among children and deaths from Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

The report did not delve into the reasons for the across-theboard decline in life expectancy from birth, but experts pointed to economic struggles, drug addiction and the increasing burden of dementia on an aging population

as potential factors.

Across the nation, 86,212 more people died in 2015 than a year earlier.

“This is unusual,” said lead author Jiaquan Xu, an epidemiologist at the NCHS, which is part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“2015 is kind of different from every year,” Xu told AFP. It “looks like much more death than we have seen in the last few years.”

The last time life expectancies at birth dropped for the total US population was in 1993, a year when the deaths from AIDS reached a peak in the United States, compounded by a bad flu year that resulted in more flu and pneumonia deaths, he said.

Homicide and accidental death rates also went up that year.

For 2015, the data also showed

a 1.2 percent increase in the death rate for the total population, and this “rose significantly for the first time since 1999,” noted the report.

For US men, life expectancy dropped 0.2 years from 76.5 years in 2014 to 76.3 years in 2015.

For US women, life expectancy decreased 0.1 year to 81.2 years in 2015.

The overall downward trend in America stands in sharp contrast to the situation worldwide, where global life expectancy has increased five years from 2000 to 2015, according to the World Health Organization.

Women in Japan currently have the longest average lifespan at 86.8 years, while men in Switzerland can anticipate 81.3 years.

Sierra Leone has the lowest life expectancy, with women at 50.8 years and men at 49.3. AFP

7 drug traffickers die in gunfight with army BANGKOK―Seven drug traffickers from the notorious Wa tribe died in a late night shoot-out with a Thai army patrol near the rugged Golden Triangle border region, an officer said Thursday.

The fighting broke out after the seven men, who were traveling through the mountainous region by foot, refused to stop for a search, according to the military officer who requested anonymity.

“The seven dead men, who we suspect were from the Wa tribe, were trafficking drugs to nearby Chiang Rai province,” he told AFP, adding the shoot-out took place around 1:00 am (1800 GMT Wednesday) close to the border with Myanmar.

The ethnic Wa are mostly based in northwestern Myanmar,

where their powerful rebel militia controls a large swathe of territory and is accused of running a narcotics empire.

But some Wa communities have also settled in northern Thailand, which forms part of the notorious Golden Triangle -- a drug-producing zone where the two countries meet Laos.

The Thai rangers seized 554,000 methamphetamine tablets, approximately 30 kilograms of heroine and an AK-47 from the men after the gunfight, according to the officer.

Long a hub for illicit opium trade, the Golden Triangle has more recently become a hotbed of methamphetamine production as demand for the drug soars in Asia. AFP

INTERNATIONAL CENTER. A photo taken on November 28, 2016, shows the International Center of the

parietal art of Montignac-Lascaux hosting a true-to-life replica of the renowned Lascaux’s Stone Age cave with its Paleolithic paintings in Montignac, southwestern France. The cave of Lascaux is one of the largest decorated caves of the Paleolithic. The age of the paintings and engravings is estimated between about 18.000 and 17.000 years. Known as Lascaux 4, the first full replica of the Lascaux cave, reproduced identically by the Atelier des Fac-Similes du Perigord for 66-million euros before being mounted in the International Center of the parietal art of Montignac-Lascaux, will open on December 10, 2016. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Impeach vote set in motion in South Korea

World

PREVIEW. Guests attend the GQ and Genesis Private Dinner and preview of the Genesis G80 Sport on December 7, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

Dylan snubs Nobel ceremony STOCKHOLM―One sings of peace, the other makes peace: Bob Dylan will not travel to Stockholm on Saturday to accept his Nobel prize, but Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos will receive his award in Oslo for a deal signed with FARC rebels.

In Stockholm, where the prizes for literature, medicine, physics, chemistry and economics are traditionally awarded on December 10th, the formal ceremony will be marked by Dylan’s no-show, as the first songwriter to win the literary accolade has declined due to “pre-existing” commitments.

Since being awarded the prestigious prize on October 14, the music icon has been a somewhat reluctant recipient, refusing to acknowledge it publicly for several weeks.

Amid the silence, a member of the Swedish Academy, which awards the prize, accused Dylan of being “impolite and arrogant”.

The rock legend finally broke his silence in a newspaper interview two weeks later, calling it “amazing” and saying he would “absolutely” attend the December 10th ceremony, “if at all possible.”

But two weeks after that, he told the Academy that he had other commitments that prevented him from attending -- though no concert is scheduled on his website.

Several other literature laureates have skipped the Nobel ceremony in the past for various reasons -- Doris Lessing on grounds of ill health, Harold Pinter because he was in hospital and Elfriede Jelinek due to social phobia -- though these cases remain “exceptional”, according to the Academy.

Dylan has sent a thank-you speech to be read at the gala banquet at Stockholm’s City Hall, attended by around 1,300 guests and the Swedish royal family.

And just before that, American rock star Patti Smith will sing Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” during the prize ceremony at Stockholm’s Concert Hall.

Dylan, 75, is the first singersongwriter to win the prize, a choice that stunned literary circles which had expected a more conventional laureate. AFP

SEOUL―South Korea’s parliament on Thursday introduced an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-Hye, ahead of a vote seeking her ouster over a corruption scandal that has riveted the country and paralyzed her administration.

The motion, which accuses Park of constitutional and criminal violations ranging from a failure to protect people’s lives to bribery and abuse of power, will be put to a full vote of the National Assembly on Friday.

If adopted, it will go to the Constitutional Court for final approval which, if granted, would result in Park becoming the first democratically elected South Korean president not to complete her full five-year term.

Park has said she would accept a parliamentary decision to impeach her, but also that she would remain in office while the motion is being considered by the court -- a process that could take months.

In the meantime, however, her powers would be suspended and transferred to her prime minister, leaving her with nothing but the title.

The passage to impeachment has been a fitful one, and to a large extent driven by massive protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities in recent weeks, demanding political parties remove Park if she refuses to step down.

The public pressure has been crucial in pressuring enough members of Park’s Saenuri Party to support the opposition-sponsored motion and provide the two-thirds majority required for adoption.

When it was filed last week, the motion carried the 171 signatures of all opposition and independent lawmakers -- leaving it 29 short of the majority needed to clear the 300-seat chamber.

An anti-Park faction within the Saenuri party -- numbering more than 30 MPs -- has repeatedly hedged its options, but now looks set to support the motion, especially after party whips said members could vote according to their conscience.

“The impeachment process and its result will set a new standard for governing the nation and state affairs,” said the head of the faction, Kim Moo-Sung. AFP

Urgent appeal for supplies M EUREUDU, Indonesia―Aftershocks rattled the survivors of a devastating Indonesian earthquake that killed more than 100 people, as officials urgently appealed Thursday for medicine and doctors to treat the hundreds injured.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake leveled hundreds of homes, mosques and businesses across Aceh province, one of the areas worst affected by the devastating 2004 tsunami.

Search and rescue crews using advanced life-detecting devices have been combing the rubble for any sign of movement, as hopes fade of finding any more survivors more than a day after the quake.

“These scan through the rubble to see if anyone’s alive or dead,” national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP. The death toll stands at 102 but is expected to rise, he added. The figure has fluctuated as authorities identify the dead across the region.

Thousands of soldiers and emergency personnel have been using excavators to clear rubble in the worst-hit areas, with volunteers -- equipped with little more than hoes and their bare hands -also chipping in.

President Joko Widodo asked all Indonesians to pray for their countrymen in the disaster-stricken province.

“Aceh is not alone,” he posted on his official Twitter account.

But attention is shifting to caring for those injured and homeless.

The army has established kitchens, shelters and a field hospital in the hard-hit town of Meureudu, Aceh military chief Tatang Sulaiman told AFP. “Our priority today is to recheck all the buildings to ensure no more victims are trapped, and to help the refugees,” he said.

Medical supplies and other essentials are lacking, officials said, with the region’s ill-equipped hospitals overwhelmed.

More than 700 people were injured in the quake, many seriously, according to the disaster agency.

Said Mulyadi, the deputy chief of the worst-hit Pidie Jaya district, said they were in desperate need of medicine and extra hands to treat the injured.

“We need surgeons and orthopedics, because many victims have fractures,” he told AFP. Most victims spent the night outdoors, either unable to return to their homes or terrified of the aftershocks rattling the region, he added.

Aid has begun trickling into the region, with emergency shelters erected to house those left with nowhere to go.

But more was needed for the 4,000 people evacuated to shelters, said local disaster agency chief Puteh Manaf.

“They really need food, clean water, medication and blankets,” he told AFP. Many fled for higher ground when the quake struck, fearing a tsunami, though no alert was issued.

A huge undersea earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed several countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia alone, the vast majority in Aceh.

Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates collide. AFP

ONSTAGE. Ally Brooke of Fifth Harmony performs onstage during Q102’s Jingle Ball 2016 on December 7, 2016, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AFP

‘Star Wars’ fans receive an early Christmas gift SAN FRANCISCO―A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, fans had to wait years between “Star Wars” movies -- but the space saga is back with the most hotly-anticipated spin-off in cinema history.

Just 12 months after “The Force Awakens” shattered numerous box office records, Lucasfilm is unleashing “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” as an early Christmas gift for its millions of devotees.

With just over a week to go before its December 16 US release, excitement is building for the eighth installment in George Lucas’s sci-fi saga, which recorded the second-highest first day of domestic pre-sales ever (behind “The Force Awakens”).

The job of building on Lucas’s legacy falls to British filmmaker Gareth Edwards, who recalled the nerve-jangling moment when the

legendary director called him to deliver his verdict on the film after a preview screening.

“I don’t want to put words into his mouth but I can honestly say that I can die happy now,” Edwards said as he relived last week’s telephone conversation with Lucas, one of the most financially successful filmmakers in history.

Edwards -- addressing the world’s media at Industrial Light

and Magic, Lucasfilm’s special effects studio in San Francisco -- described how it was the one green light he could not live without.

“To be honest -- and no offense to anyone here -- it was the most important review to me, what George thought of it. You know, you guys are important too, but come on -- he’s kind of God,” he told a room of critics.

“Rogue One” is part of an at-

tempt to revitalize the franchise since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, when it was still reeling from grim reviews for the much-maligned 1999-2005 prequel trilogy.

The idea was to bring out a sequel trilogy with a movie every other year -- starting with “The Force Awakens” in 2015 -- and intersperse those releases with an “anthology trilogy” of one-off, standalone movies in the even years. AFP

Life

The gift givingthemed bags will make the gift receiver happy even before they open their present

SHOPPING

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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THE JOYS OF GIFTING

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HE joy of gifting is as much, if not, as enjoyable as that of receiving. And gift-wrapping adds an extra element of surprise while gifting a loved one. The anticipation of opening a festive gift box tied up with ribbons adds to the holiday excitement. Unwrapping a gift brings back the child in us as it unlocks happy memories of Christmases with the family.

This Christmas, the SM Store makes gift giving more festive and fun with special edition holiday gift bags and wrappers designed by young New York based visual artist Monica Ramos.

This year’s theme is centered on gift giving, “one that focuses on the frenzy and excitement of exchanging presents.” It shows people of all walks of life celebrating the joys of the season by exchanging gifts, and there are many heartwarming vignettes. These include a girl juggling presents on her head, a dog delightfully gifting his pet mother, friends exchanging gifts, a jeepney loaded with Christmas décor and presents on its roof.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

Monica says that her favorite parts of the design are “the more tender human relationships, like the young girl tugging on her lola’s hand and a couple exchanging presents.”

Born and raised in Manila, Monica has been working in illustration for the past few years. So far, “it’s an interesting career choice, trying to distill ideas into interesting visual metaphors.”

Monica says she needs to be emotionally engaged before working on her illustrations “I start with a daunting blank page!” she shares. “Depends on what kind of job it is, or if I am doing my own work. If I am painting for myself, I usually just begin and see where

New York-based visual artist Monica Ramos makes unwrapping presents fun

HEARTWARMING WRAPPERS. Monica Ramos's gift wrapper designs for the SM Store are centered on the frenzy and excitement of gift giving and tender human relationships.

it goes. I flip though my notebooks to find reoccurring themes or images that could be fitted. I draw from my memories, things I’ve read in books or heard in songs. I need to feel emotionally engaged before I can draw anything.”

Her designs for SM’s gift wrappers are drawn from her own experiences.

“Christmas has always felt very special,” she says. “In the weeks leading up to it, I’d comb through the weekend bazaars, looking for presents for everyone I knew. Some years, I made ginger bread men or chocolate chip cookies for my friends and teachers at school.”

As the holidays approached, “I liked

dressing up my “fancy clothes” for all the family parties. I’d be so excited to see all my cousins for Noche Buena, especially, and be allowed to stay up late until midnight, when the older cousins and I would be responsible for distributing all the gifts under the tree.”

Get your Christmas bag for only P50.00 and have your gifts bought at The SM Store wrapped up for free at the Gift Wrapping Section.

The SM Store Christmas Gift Giving Designed Bags and Wrappers are available at all The SM Store branches.

Ultimate personalized selection for the holidays AS THE holidays draw near, share the joy of making life a statement with some of the latest BMW Lifestyle accessories, apparel, luggag and toys that will cater to the stylish sensibilities of every special person in your gift list.

A statement of exclusive dynamics

for a tailored look. Pair this hooded long-sleeve jacket with a BMW Motorsport Women’s Graphic T-Shirt, specially designed to reflect an athletic fit. Anticipate the days when she would rather keep a day free and easy, and give a BMW Thermos Mug apt for a cup of coffee during a relaxed time at home.

For the working man who values timeless elegance at work and even at play, Driven by give BMW Cufflinks enjoyment that combine brushed For the young bachstainless steel with a duelor who lives for the rable rubber inlay and a exciting things in life, a swiveling stirrup closure BMW Cruise Bike is an so they can be inserted excellent choice. With a without assistance. Furbull-neck frame made ther complement his pasof aluminum and a Sunsion for business with tour suspension fork, disc a BMW Mug made of brakes, and Shimano white porcelain to make shift system, he’ll surely sure he has the top of enjoy this alternative the morning. And as he mobility. You may even turns to the weekend for Introduce BMW to kids with the miniature BMW X6 Pullback dress up his next advena much needed excur- and BMW M3 GT2 Light & Sound ture with a BMW M Bag, sion, gift a BMW Iconic which can be used either Weekender Duffle Bag in premium nylon that comes as a tote or as a messenger bag, to match a BMW Next 100 with genuine leather insets and leather grips with mag- Years Men’s T-Shirt – the ultimate statement wear. netic closure.

A statement of laidback luxury

Ready for big things

It is never too early to introduce the BMW brand to the little tykes in your life. Let the drivers of the future experience sheer driving pleasure with a miniature BMW X6 Pullback that comes in a 1:41 scale or a BMW M3 GT2 Light & Sound that features working headlamps and taillights as well as real engine sounds. The BMW Kidsbike can also please even the smallest BMW fans.

Both a walking bike and a real bicycle, the Kidsbike is designed to help children learn how to develop balance without the need for stabilizers.

All these expressions of joy come at exclusive prices this A statement of movement season. Visit aftersales.bmw.com.ph/bmwlifestyle-christFor the spirited young woman with an active lifestyle, mas-2016-promo/ and register to get an additional voucher wrap up a BMW Motorsport Women’s Sweat Jacket that may be presented at any of the eight BMW dealerships made from a soft cotton mix and comes with side seams nationwide to avail the items at special rates.

An ever stylish woman deserves no less than a BMW Iconic Silk Scarf with multicolored prints of historic BMW automobiles that comes in orange, steel blue and space grey colors to go with any attire. The sophisticated yet versatile BMW Golfsport Women’s Functional Jacket and BMW Next 100 Years Women’s Polo Shirt are also perfect choices to help her keep an understatedly elegant look no matter where the Christmas celebration may be.

ADVT

Life

D2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

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OOKING to bring the magical glow of the season to your homes? Steltz, The Gallery has the perfect collection of decorative lighting sculptures to brighten up your holiday decorating.

Steltz’ newest offering features award-winning and sophisticated lighting fixtures from the ateliers of globally renowned designers including Philippe Starck, Michael Anastassiades, Antonio Citterio, Jasper Morrison, Patricia Urquiola, Nicoletta Rossi and Guido Bianchi, and Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni.

All featured products are marked at special and introductory prices for a limited time. With savings of up to 50 percent off the original retail price, this is the best time to bring home a piece of art from these designers or have it wrapped and delivered to family members and friends in time for Christmas.

Create cozy, warm spaces in your house with the Bon Jour lamp by Philippe Starck. This timeless home accent is furnished with a transparent base, which can be customized with a variety of interchangeable finishings and materials, expressing personal taste.

A small table version of this product is the Bon Jour Unplugged, ideal for cordless portable use. Its micro USB rechargeable battery has a life of six hours and the light can be set to the desired intensity by simply scrolling.

Superloon by Jasper Morrison is the perfect finishing touch to your living room decor with its soft, moon-like glow. Ideal as an ambient light or reading lamp, the product includes a dim-towarm function which turns light from a colder blue tone to a warmer spectrum as the intensity decreases, much like

LIGHT UP

the holidays with Steltz Superloon by Jasper Morrison

Copycat by Michael Anastassiades

Philippe Starck's Bon Jour Unplugged, the small table version of Bonjour, is ideal for cordless portable use

the well-loved filament lamps.

An excellent way to enhance corner spaces around the house is the Ipnos

by Nicoletta Rossi and Guido Bianchi, a minimalist version of the traditional lantern providing diffused light for indoor or outdoor use.

Chapo by Philippe Starck adds retro charm to homes reminiscent of a cinematographic image. The Chapo ta-

ble lamp is a playful rendition of a hat rack whose style, character and shape can change depending on the hat that is placed on top of it.

A chic addition to the festive occasion are products by Michael Anastassiades: Copycat is a table lighting fixture comprising an aluminum sphere gold-coated with 24K gold and fitted out with blown glass opal diffuser; Extra T, a balancing

act between a glowing sphere and a rectangular plane captured before their separation; and Captain Flint, a floor lamp which creates drama to indoor ambiance with its adjustable direct light.

Also worth checking out from Steltz’ holiday collection are Serena by Patricia Urquiola inspired by leaves of different shapes and colors that become its playful diffusers; Kelvin Edge by Anto-

nio Citterio, a modern lighting fixture featuring an exclusive Edge Lighting technology which combines the best efficiency, light intensity and emission magnitude performances with perfect homogeneousness and maximum visual comfort; and Taccia Big and Taccia Small by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, a graceful table lamp in classic design providing indirect and reflected light.

Visit the Steltz, The Gallery, located at 6th floor, East Wing of EDSA Shangri-la Plaza Mall to find the perfect lighting fixture for your home. Log on to www.steltzinternational.com to know more about the products.

Grab the perfect gifts WITH the Filipinos’s inherent love for celebrations, it’s no secret that we anticipate the Christmas season right at the start of the –ber months. We also know that with the holidays rolling in, gifts come into the picture. To give back to their loyal consumers’ year-long support, Samsung is taking its holiday offerings to the next level with the Samsung Christmas Giveaways that feature the best Samsung mobile devices, bundled with freebies worth up to P5,700.

Samsung has assembled a dazzling line-up of premium bundles that makes gift-giving, be it for yourself or for your loved ones, even more exciting. Whoever it’s for, there is sure to be an offer for them. Check out these exciting options for smartphones and tablets to choose from.

Best gift for every personality: Smartphones The lavish go-getter

Do you have a special someone who wants nothing but the very best? If yes, then better get them the Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 bundle. With the smartphone’s elegant design and powerful performance, equipped with IP68 feature and dual-lens camera, this will surely be the perfect gift for those who only go for the best things in life—the best smartphones included. It even comes with a fast wireless charger stand and a Level U Pro headset—perfect for any sophisticated maven that’s always on the go. Get this complete set with a Galaxy S7 for P31,990, or with a Galaxy S7 edge for P35,990, so you can save up to P5,700.

The wandering warrior

this for P13,990 and have it wrapped up with the extra gift of a pair of Level Active earphones worth P3,099

The aspiring millennial

You might know a young achiever who is on the road to success in whatever path they’ve taken. They’re out to make it big, so why not give them a smartphone with top-notch features that let them stay at the top of their game, and that comes in a price that won’t hurt the wallet? We’re talking about the Galaxy J7 (2016), with its Signal Max and Ultra Data Saving feature that makes it easy to keep up with work, and with staying connected to ideas and experiences that inspire. Save up to P1,000 by getting this gift now for only P11,990, perfect for any aspiring millennial you know in your family and peers.

The sharp-eyed thrift-seeker

High quality gifts loaded with many features can be quite expensive. While this is true for most cases, Samsung lets you have those choice picks packed with great features without having to break the bank. An example? The Galaxy On7 is the perfect present for someone on a budget, but has an eye for finding the best bet from quality brands. Wrap it up, and send it off as a gift that’s full of great features to share with your loved ones. The Galaxy On7 comes at P8,990 with free Level In ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) earphones worth P2,099 added in.

The quality-essentials chaser

There are those who just want the essentials but still have quality as a top consideration. Samsung’s Galaxy J1 (2016) is the best gift for those quality-essentials chasers. This phone comes with the promise of those basic non-negotiable features, alongside Android’s powerful performance and Samsung’s top quality.

Tick this one off your Christmas shopping list by getting the Galaxy J1 (2016) at P4,990, with a free In-Ear Fit Basic worth P699 thrown in as well.

In every barkada, there is almost always that one person who can’t seem to stay put, bugged by wanderlust, so to speak. This Christmas, give him the perfect companion for their all-out adventures with the Galaxy A7 (2016).

It’s slim and sleek—perfect for those traveling in style. It has Optical Image Stabilization to capture stunning views, and fast wireless charging for this The perfect gift for your world: smartphone to keep up with the energy Galaxy Tab A (2016) of an adventurous free spirit. Save up Not on the market for a new smartto P2,000 by grabbing this as your gift phone? Check out the Samsung Galaxy for that wandering warrior now for only Tab A (2016) for the perfect present that’s P20,990. made especially to carry your world.

Now for only P7,990, anyone can The leading trendsetter stay better connected with loved ones Every stylish person needs an ever- thanks to the Galaxy Tab A (2016), with reliable accessory that could go along its 200MB expandable memory to store with every outfit and style. In either those photo-worthy moments spent toblack or gold, the Galaxy J7 Prime goes gether, and its LTE-ready feature that for a bold and chic look. Coupled with an lets everyone keep in touch with each f/1.9 camera that captures astonishingly other. clear photos in low light, it surely suits Haven’t decided on your final list of every fashion-forward person’s taste. gifts yet? Head on to the nearest SamNot only is this smartphone leading in sung Experience Store for more options, style, but it’s also leading in function, and maybe you’ll find one for yourself as it’s packed with an Exynos Octa- as well. These bundles and price offers core processor for that powerful per- are available until Dec. 31 only. formance to help breeze through every Visit www.samsung.com/ph/xxx/ for challenge you throw at your phone. Get more information.

SMART CHRISTMAS. Samsung offers its best smartphone and tablet devices bundled with freebies for the holiday season.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

PEOPLE …are talking about Super Parental Guardians Sixty-eight million pesos! That’s the “record-breaking” box office gross of the film on its first day.

It even surpassed Star Cinema’s A Second Chance, which raked in P43.3 million on its opening day in November last year, as well as the reported P60.5 million first day earning of My Bebe Love, a 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival entry, including the P50 million ticket sales of the biopic, Felix Manalo. The tandem of Vice Ganda and Coco Martin is definitely the team to beat. And, oh, the film is about to breach the P300-million mark before it hits its second week at the tills.

Chaye Revilla (center), grand prize winner of P100k cash, joined onstage by celebrities flew in by PLDT for the Gabay Guro teacherfest

Regine Velasquez, Pops Fernandez, Christian Bautista,

et al in PLDT Gabay Guro in Davao

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EACHERS from Davao City and other neighboring municipalities and provinces had a great time one Sunday afternoon at SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang in Davao.

They trooped to the center and were entertained by celebrities from Manila, all flown in by PLDT Gabay Guro for the first teacherfest in President Rodrigo Duterte’s home city.

The pinnacle of PLDT Gabay Guro’s celebration is embodied in the tribute event held every year where the organizers leave no stone unturned ensuring that teachers get to be treated like royalties, even for just a day in a year.

Generosity at its finest, this is the day where teachers get to let their hair down, meet the biggest celebrities, be treated to a whole day of world-class entertainment and win huge raffle prizes – just about anything to remind them of their immeasurable value in people’s lives.

This year on its ninth anniversary, PLDT Gabay Guro didn’t just hold one, but two of this kind of grand tribute.

The first teacherfest happened on Sept.

25 at the MOA Arena while the second one took place two weeks ago for the energetic teachers in Davao and its nearby provinces.

Considered to be a culmination of a year of trainings, scholarships and

livelihood programs for the teacherbeneficiaries, TeacherFest 2016 honored their hard work, dedication and impact on society with heartwarming tribute held on Nov. 27 at the SMX in SM Lanang in Davao City.

As the educational arm and flagship project of the PLDT-Smart Foundation, PLDT Gabay Guro focuses on upholding the vocation of teachers. Its tagline “building the nation one teacher at a time” highlights the valuable role of teachers in leading their students to the future and shaping the next generation of nation builders. Since its establishment in 2007, Gabay Guro (2G) has granted over 1,100 scholarships for teachers at various state colleges and universities nationwide and train over 16,000 across eight annual training programs. 2G also donated laptops and computers to schools and foundations, and built over 40 classrooms located in Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Capiz.

The Davao leg of TeacherFest 2016 was graced by an exciting roster of Gabay Guro celebrity volunteers— Asia’s Songbird and PLDT Home ambassador Regine Velasquez, concert queen Pops Fernandez, international pop star Christian Bautista, multitalented performer Aicelle Santos, Miss Universe-Philippines 2014 MJ Lastimosa and Philippine Volcanoes rugby star Andrew Wolff. Top-caliber performers from Manila and Davao (Kris Aquino impersonator Divine Tetay, singer-songwriter Wency Cornejo, among others), all came together on one stage to entertain the teachers for free.

On top of being star-studded, the celebration was glittery with amazing raffle prizes ranging from huge cash prizes to laptops with Smart Bro Pocket WiFi modems and other livelihood opportunities. The event also honored an

outstanding teacher from Davao, Teacher Ching, for her outstanding commitment to serve her students with the meager income that she earns from the job, even after she has retired from work.

“It is our honor to be able to bring this grand celebration to the deserving teachers of Davao.” PLDT Gabay Guro Chairman Chaye Cabal-Revilla said.

“After the main event in Manila, we decided to bring the experience to our teachers from other areas, including Japan and now Davao. This is our way of rewarding as many teachers as possible for their valuable presence in our lives.”

Chaye, who gets emotional every single time she sees the impact Gabay Guro is making among teachers in all its activities, said, “We will never get tired of doing this. For as long as we are able, for as long as we can convince partners to share this joy with us of serving our teachers, Gabay Guro will be here,” she promised.

Brand Advocacy Head and PLDT VP and Home Marketing Director Gary Dujali added, “After nine years and counting, we look forward to giving our teachers more wonderful, memorable surprises. The bond that brought us all volunteers together on Day 1 stands to this day -- we want to impact the lives of our educators in a positive way, one teacher at a time. We want Gabay Guro to be their avenue of support for their noble mission of shaping our country’s future leaders.”

The PLDT Gabay Guro TeacherFest Davao 2016 was made possible with the help of the following partners: Bonamine, Flanax, Tempra, PR Savings Bank, among many others. For more information, visit gabayguro.com, like the PLDT Gabay Guro Facebook page and follow @PLDTGabayGuro on Twitter and Instagram.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Friday, December 9, 2016

ACROSS 1 Ranis’ servants 6 Mild onions 11 Coal scuttle 14 Quiver filler 15 Fiber — cable 16 Baba of folklore 17 Be contingent on 18 Some canines 19 Dogma 20 Winter woe 22 Helena rival 24 Guest bungalows 28 Realms 30 Brunch fare 31 Takes a crack at 32 Budged 33 Digs for a pick and shovel 37 Swelling reducer 38 Like crazy 39 Camper, maybe 40 Gregarious 43 Conjecture 45 Generously 46 Quinella’s kin 47 Pirate’s sword 50 Faked out 51 Willow tree 52 Like worn tires 53 Dartboard locale 54 In-box contents 57 Not suitable

62 Prior to 63 Blows the whistle 64 Don Diego masked 65 Leb. neighbor 66 Pricey fur 67 Banquet host DOWN 1 Long sigh 2 Hi-tech scan 3 Son of Val and Aleta 4 Glutton 5 Exuded moisture 6 Pond blossom 7 Fencing sword 8 Paris summer 9 First-aid box 10 Intrigues 11 Voodoo island 12 Folger’s Mrs. 13 Thin dough?

21 Hood’s weapon 23 Window frame 24 Kind of relief 25 BP merger partner 26 Stars in the Big Dipper 27 Dot in the Seine 28 Oddly amusing 29 Too suave 31 Morning show

33 Opossum grippers 34 Banish a tenant 35 NASA’s volcanoexploring robot 36 Links champ Sam — 38 Baseball honorees, briefly 41 Goodbye, to Gaius 42 Turkish inns 43 Get rusty 44 Stovetop item

46 Ocean dweller 47 Deals with 48 High interest 49 Caesar’s river 50 Not real 52 List of charges 55 Give — — break 56 White vestment 58 — de plume 59 Bow shape 60 Not post61 Familiar digit

Ethel Booba She may not be the most visible comedienne in town. She’s not on a regular TV show, too.

But Ethel has captured an audience that no other stars have done successfully. On Twitter, Ethel is the most relevant comedienne as netizens religiously follow her post and comments on current events especially those of national importance. People discovered that Ethel is smart based on her tweets, It is as if she’s an entirely different persona online. Charot!

Alden Richards The Philippines did not win any major award at the biggest TV event in Asia but his presence alone was more than enough to make the country’s presence felt. Alden joined the region’s popular TV personalities like Adrian Pang, Stephanie Carrington, and Baki Zainal at the Asian TV Awards in Singapore, and for the nth time, the Kapuso leading man has proven why he’s called a social media rock star.

…are not talking about Enteng Kabisote 10 The film franchise top billed by Vic Sotto went head to head with the Vice Ganda-starrer comedy movie. While both films were poorly received by critics, well, for their bad quality and terrible storytelling, Enteng’s anemic box office performance gives people an impression that Vic is only a box office hero during MMFF when people have no other choice but to watch his film.

Mocha Uson If there’s an award-giving body that recognizes national tards, this sexy singer would be a runaway winner.

While respecting someone’s opinion is no longer a diplomatic gesture on social media and the Internet in general, Mocha makes it even worse by making sweeping statements based on her emotions alone and a limited understanding of the world she’s trying to squeeze herself into. The problem with showbiz personalities, they take politics seriously when their career starts to fall apart.

Mika de la Cruz She’s currently in an awkward stage where people find it difficult to consider her as a child star or a teen darling. Then she moved to a mother studio that doesn’t know how to build budding stars. We understand that she just wants to stay afloat but didn’t her sister already suffered from her station hopping before? Well, a lot of people just don’t know how to learn from some other people’s experience.

A ROSE AMONG THE THORNS. Television

darling Barbie Forteza flanked by her leading men (from left) Jak Roberto, Addy Raj Ivan Dorschner and Ken Chan in the upcoming series ‘Meant to Be’

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

OVE knows

no boundaries and language

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HEY say when you were born someone was ISAH V. RED also born to be your partner. But when you grow up you meet people that seem to be the one right for you, yet this person isn’t meant for you. And then you think that four among those you met are meant to be with you.

In 2017, GMA Network rings in the New Year with an original series that transcends cultural lines and language barriers.

Join Barbie Forteza, known in her home network as the multitalented Kapuso actress and Primetime Drama Princess, in Meant To Be.

The series is refreshing, fun and light romance about the extraordinary journey of Billie (Barbie) in finding love. It is not just about finding one’s life partner. It is also about the love a sister longs from her siblings and love she expects from her parents.

Billie is a typical millennial

with lots of issues in life. It seems nothing goes her way – from her dream of becoming a news reporter to making her parents get back together, and to helping her brother cope with life.

Her life turns upside down, though, when she meets four guys.

And they’re not just the typical neighborhood guys. They are of different nationalities and they are played by real-life multi-racial – Ivan Dorschner, Addy Raj, Jak Roberto and Ken Chan.

Dorschner is Ethan SpencerHughes from the United Kingdom.

He grew up with his father in London. The perfect boyfriend material, he is the ideal guy as he is also charming and romantic and not to mention that he is a onewoman man.

He is rich after with a huge amount of inheritance money from

his dad. He has decided to settle in the Philippines for him to be close to his mother who has another family.

Raj is Jai Patel from Mumbai, India. His life is like a Bollywood film, a song-and-dance feature.

He’s hyperactive but super friendly. He doesn’t treat life and his relationship with girls seriously.

Roberto is Macoy be La Cruz.

He is the only pure Filipino among the four boys. He’s also the only middle class among four of them.

Shy, he always follows what his elders tell him to do. Even among girls, he is awkward.

Chan is Yuan Lee, the Tsinoy bad boy and hot tempered. He is an illegitimate son of a rich Chinese businessman. Whatever he does to be the ideal son, he can’t still measure up to his father’s

standards. As a result, he becomes a reble and pours out all his frustrations in sports.

As fate would have it, all four will eventually fall in love with Billie and their friendship will be put to the test.

Also in the cast are Manilyn Reynes as Amelia, Sheryl Cruz as Beatriz, Tina Paner as Lucy, Keempee de Leon as Willy, Sef Cadayona as Bats with the special participation of Ms. Gloria Romero as Lola Madj with Stephanie Sol as Cacai, Zymic Jaranilla as Toti and Mika Dela Cruz as Mariko in her firs *** Wagas plays sweet music this Saturday with the love story of Mojofly vocalist Lougee Basabas and drummer Ali Alejandro. the episode “Friendzone”,

Chynna Ortaleza and Marc Abaya portray Lougee and Ali, respectively.

The two met when Ali auditioned to be the drummer for Mojofly. Eventually working together in the band, they became close friends. They were in a relationship with their respective partners back then, and as they face challenges in their love lives, they also had to deal with the problems of the band.

While some of their members left the band, Lougee and Ali’s bond remained solid. They continued fighting for their love for music while they tried to heal their wounded hearts.

Little did they know that they’d eventually find themselves falling for each other.

Wagas air Saturdays, 7 p.m. on GMA News TV.