Manila Standard - 2016 December 14 - Wednesday

VOL. XXX • NO. 305 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

ANOTHER LIST. President Rodrigo Duterte, during a keynote address Monday before the Outstanding Filipinos 2016 awards ceremony at Malacañang, shows yet another list of government and police officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in the Philippines.

War on terror pushed Narco-list Singaporean leads I.S. tags eight expansion bid—Du30

By Francisco Tuyay and John Paolo Bencito solons— RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday Esperon ordered security forces to decimate “the

By John Paolo Bencito and Sandy Araneta EIGHT congressmen are included in the final narco-list being validated byPresident Rodrigo Duterte of alleged drug personalities, a senior Cabinet official said Tuesday.

The President on Tuesday named Iligan City politicians Rep. Vicente Belmonte and Mayor Lawrence Cruz as being involved in the illegal drug trade in Region 10.

Before the President’s departure for Cambodia and Singapore, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said that there were eight congressmen included in the thickest list of narco-politicians that Duterte would release soon.

“The list is being validated,” Esperon said.

Earlier, Duterte said he included House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III in the National Security Council, citing the extent and depth of the drug problem.

“God help me but I cannot…

I was talking to the Speaker. I

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forces of evil” in Mindanao, including the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute group, amid reports that a Singaporean has taken the lead in efforts to spread the influence of the terrorist Islamic State (ISIS) in Mindanao and Southeast Asia.

“There will be no letup, whether they are foreign terrorists or not,” National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said, referring to the new phase in Duterte’s war on terrorism.

The renewed push against

terrorists comes amid reports that 13 foreigners, including Syrians, Indonesians, and Malaysians, are in various parts of Mindanao training local militants in bomb making and urban terrorism techniques.

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Leila assured of due process, says Justice

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon R. Araneta JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday assured Senator Leila de Lima that she will be accorded due process when the Justice Department acts on a criminal complaint filed by allies of President Rodrigo

Duterte in the House of Representatives.

Aguirre said the department would follow normal procedure by accepting the complaint, assigning a prosecutor to evaluate the case and setting a preliminary investigation and giving De Lima time to answer the allegations Next page

JUST A PLOY? Two Immigration deputy commissioners, Al Argosino and Michael Robles, admit receiving P50 million in cash from Chinese casino tycoon Jack Lam but claim it was just part of the ploy for an investigation against the Macau-based gambling lord. Norman Cruz

BI deputies own up to P50-m payoff

By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo TWO deputy commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday admitted receiving P50 million in cash from Chinese casino tycoon Jack Lam, but claimed it was not a bribe but

EJK report branded as whitewash

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE House of Representatives on Tuesday night ratified the P3.35-trillion budget for 2017 following its approval by the bicameral conference committee.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the 2017 budget will be signed

by President Rodrigo Duterte on Dec. 22.

By Macon R. Araneta

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“While Deputy Commissioners Argosino and Robles acknowledged receipt or custody of P48 million on 27 November 2016 with Wally Sombero getting P2 million as future evidence of corruption of public officials, the series of events that transpired Next page

P3.3-t budget for ’17 gets bicameral okay

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CRYING whitewash, Senator Leila de Lima filed a 150-page dissenting report with 250 pages of annexes to counter the findings of the Senate committee on justice that said there was no evidence of state-sanctioned summary executions in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on illegal drugs.

Due to the premature and abrupt termination of the Senate investigation, De Lima said, no comprehensive, in-depth gathering and assessment of the evidence was done by the committee on justice and human rights chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.

“The unreasonable exclusion of important witnesses had precluded a thorough and intensive treatment of the subject of

part of a ploy to investigate the Macau-based businessman.

Al Argosino and Michael Robles told reporters that P18 million of the P50 million went to Immigration intelligence chief Charles Calima while former police official Wally Sombero received P2 million.

PLEASE, DON’T. Members of different cause-oriented groups picket outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City in a united call on legislators not to reimpose the death penalty. Ey Acasio

Digong scoffs at Yellow, favors Red

By John Paolo Bencito

with the government would never “In every demonstration, it’s the demand his ouster and would Yellow[s] who are always shoutPRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte even die for him to protect him ing for my ouster. You will never said Tuesday the communist reb- from the “Yellow” forces wanting hear it from the Communists els seeking a peace agreement the presidency.

Next page twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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He made the statement even as Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said next year’s budget carried the amendments he initiated.

He said foremost of the amendments was the P8- billion Free College Tuition Fund that was lodged with the Commission on Higher Education. He said that will exempt from basic matriculation close to a million state university Next page

Du30 health no reason to worry, Palace affirms AN OFFICIAL said Tuesday there was nothing to worry about President Rodrigo Duterte’s health despite his problems with his spine.

“Nothing serious,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a text message.

During the Wallace Business Forum dinner in Malacañang

Monday night, Duterte said his doctor advised him to undergo surgery to cure the slipped disc he acquired from a motorcycle accident 10 years ago.

“My doctor wanted to operate but my wife was a nurse and she used to work in the United States Next page

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Miss U criticized over whale trip E

NVIRONMENTALISTS have hit out at organizers of the Miss Universe beauty pageant in the Philippines, calling them “irresponsible” for letting contestants swim with endangered whale sharks.

A group of bikini-clad Miss Universe candidates were photographed smiling and waving from boats on their way to swim with the world’s largest living fish in waters off the island of

Cebu on Tuesday, ahead of January’s contest.

Tourists swimming with the creatures is strongly discouraged by environmental groups, who say feeding whale sharks makes

them dependent and also leaves them vulnerable to poaching or injuries from boat propellers.

“We are afraid because with Miss Universe going there, the Philippines is promoting a bad tourism practice,” Vince Cinches of Greenpeace Southeast Asia told AFP. “We are telling the world it’s okay to do this, aggravating this kind of behavior.”

The Philippines is hosting Miss Universe next year and the tour-

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the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year, Manila will propose two documents to the 10-nation bloc, incuding a “Manila Declaration to Combat the Rise of Radicalization and Violent Extremism.”

Police on Tuesday said all four arrested suspects in the failed US Embassy bomb attack are ISIS supporters.

“All four suspects are members of the Sarangani-based Ansar alKhilafah in the Philippines (AKP) which had earlier pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader Abu Bakr alBaghdadi,” said Manila Police District (MPD) director Senior Supt.

Joel Coronel.

Citing a report submitted by Manila Police District (MPD) director Senior Supt. Joel Coronel, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday identified the fourth suspect arrested as Elmer Romero, 36, alias Jamal, who admitted to being a conspirator in the bomb plot.

Coronel said intelligence units from the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police (PNP) helped with Romero’s capture and debunked reports that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation took part in the operation.

With Romero’s arrest, Coronel said they are hunting down two more possible suspects, one of whom he said has already left Metro Manila.

Sarangani officials, meanwhile, have raised an additional bounty of P1 million for the arrest of the eader of a local armed group that had pledged support to ISIS. Kiamba, Sarangani Mayor Raul Martinez said Tuesday the reward money is aimed at enhancing the manhunt operations against Mohamad Jaafar Maguid alias Tokboy, founder of the Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines group.

The group, which is operating in parts of South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces, has been blamed for a number of terrorist attacks in the area over the last few years.

Authorities tagged Maguid’s

group as behind the planting of an improvised bomb late Saturday night at a Christmas display in front of the Kiamba municipal hall.

“We’ve had enough of him already. I hope that the reward money will expedite his arrest,” the mayor told reporters.

Martinez said he personally raised the P1 million bounty through donors in Kiamba and the neighboring municipalities of Maasim and Matium.

He said it will be given to anyone who would be able to provide information that will lead to Maguid’s arrest.

The reward money is on top of the standing P200,000 bounty for Maguid that was earlier set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday that nearly 7,000 people have been displaced for more than a month following armed clashes between government security forces and armed groups in Basilan province.

“These families left their homes and sources of livelihood after the hostilities started in November.

The residents of six villages in the conflict-affected municipalities of Al-Barka and Tuburan chose to stay with relatives or in evacuation centers for fear of being caught in the crossfire. The ICRC’s distribution is in response to their basic needs for food,” said Nezar Tamine, deputy head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Mindanao.

To support their needs, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided food rations and hygiene items for the affected families in Al-Barka and Tuburan, with the support of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Basilan chapter.

Also recently, the ICRC arranged for 12 emergency health kits to be delivered to hospitals and rural health units in Sulu and Basilan provinces to support the medical needs of the affected civilians. These kits also contain dressing materials to treat the weapon-wounded. With Sandy Araneta, PNA

At the airport before flying to Cambodia and Singapore, Duterte said a Singaporean has taken over efforts to build up the ISIS presence in Sulu and in Southeast Asia.

“In Sulu now, there is a group… led by a Singaporean,” Duterte said.

“Countering terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization will be the key areas of discussion as well as the war on illegal drugs,” Duterte said of his upcoming meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Duterte had earlier warned that the international terrorist organization ISIS has made inroads in the country, connecting with the local Maute group.

The Abu Sayyaf is also seeking recognition from ISIS, which is seeking to build a wilayat or province in Southeast Asia, as it comes under heavy attack in the Middle East.

At least 14 battalions have already been deployed in known terrorist havens in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, as parts of efforts to neutralize them.

The Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion clashed with 150 fully armed Abu Sayyaf fighters led by Radullan Sahiron in Sitio Dyundangan, Buhanginan village in Patikul, Sulu, killing 10 bandits while suffering four casualties on Saturday.

The Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, lost 63 fighters when government forces attacked Butig town in Lanao del Sur last week.

Esperon said anti-terrorism efforts have been ongoing, but the massive campaign launched recently aims to finish the terrorists off.

Security was raised in Singapore last August amid reports that terrorists wre targeting one of Asia’s top financial centers.

Lee had called for increased vigilance amid the looming specter of terrorism “which can tear our society apart.”

Sources told the Manila Standard that when the Philippines assumes

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included him in the National Security Council and I said, I cannot handle this on my own. And even if Congress would give me carpet authority to kill everybody, I won’t have the time nor the bullets to do it,” Duterte said Monday.

“You must be put on notice now.

It’s better that you know how horrifying it is, this drug industry,” he said.

Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo had earlier said that Duterte’s “validated” list of alleged drug personalities contains more than 5,000 names of government officials.

Duterte had announced that he has given the legislative branch a copy of the drug list, which is still being validated by authorities.

In his speech before members of the Wallace Business Forum on Monday, Duterte named Belmonte and Cruz as being involved in illegal drugs.

“You want a visual thing? This is the drug industry of the Philippines.

You know what, it’s there: Region 10, Mindanao. So many congressman there, if you have a good sight, one mayor, ex-mayor, another mayor, another mayor. Each page is with a list of names. You know how many?

Six thousand mayors and—it’s there, Representative Vicente [Belmonte], Mayor Lawrence [Cruz],” Duterte said.

Duterte warned that his shame campaign against narco-politicians would lead to an eventual prosecution of these two officials.

On Tuesday, however, Duterte took a sharp departure from his hardline approach and asked medi-

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and she said there were many operations on the spine that went awry, that went wrong,” Duterte said.

“I cannot afford the operation [but] it’s not because I do not have the money. It’s because my wife said that when a nerve is cut you are dead forever.”

In 2014, then Davao City Mayor Duterte said he was not fit to run for President due to his injured spine that continued to give him back-

cal workers to treat addicts in their homes and communities, using a P1 billion fund from gambling profits.

Duterte announced his plan for the Social Welfare Department to buy medicines, such as tranquilizers and drug control medicines to help in the rehabilitation of drug users even in their own neighborhoods.

“Just wait there in your houses,” he said, addressing drug addicts.

“I’m just holding my cash and you can buy your medicines. For example, the tranquilizers, the medicines that would keep you calm, medicines that would restore your sanity if we can reverse your condition. You just stay in the house and I will order the medical workers all around the country to go around the areas.”

Earlier, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation donated P5 billion to aid the President’s third phase of the drug war, which involves the rehabilitation of an estimated 4 million Filipinos who are using illegal drugs.

Duterte reiterated that drug addicts should stay in their homes and wait for medical intervention to avoid getting caught.

“Really it’s a combination of depression and—but it’s expensive.

But I hope that one billion would go a long way to treat you this Christmas,” the President said.

Duterte joked that he would give drug addicts rope for them to hang themselves if they won’t change.

“If they refuse to be treated, and the body cannot be relieved, cannot be returned to its normal mental faculties, I would ask [medical officers] to bring rope. Just hang yourselves you sons of bitches,” he added. aches.

“If you guys see me always [in] a sad mode I am actually pushing a nerve here to relieve the pain,” Duterte said.

He said he was also suffering from migraine and Beurger’s disease that he acquired from smoking.

Despite his health condition, Duterte attended nine events and meetings including a National Security Council meeting from 2 p.m. up to midnight on Monday.

He was scheduled to leave at 4 p.m. on Tuesday for a two-day state

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and college students next year.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said the House contingent in the bicam agreed to accept the Senate’s position to allocate some P8.3 Billion, which was originally allotted for development projects in the ARMM, to the Commission on Higher Education to remove the impasse on the budget and avoid further delays on its approval.

“We are one with the position of President Duterte that we really need to develop Mindanao if we want to defeat the insurgency problem in the region, which is why we programmed infrastructure projects in Mindanao, including the ARMM. But some members of the Senate opined that this could be in violation of the ARMM Organic Act,” Nograles said.

“This created some sort of deadlock as the House stood its ground since we saw nothing in the Organic Act of the ARMM that prohibits the national government from implementing infrastructure projects in ARMM especially if identified in the medium term development plan. In the end, we decided to give in just so that a budget is passed because we do not want a re-enacted budget.”

The P8.3-billion additional CHED fund was allocated purportedly to finance free tuition for students in all State Universities and Colleges and additional funds for incentives and grants. visit in Cambodia at the invitation of Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni.

From Cambodia, he will proceed to Singapore for another two-day state visit at the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Before leaving for Cambodia, Duterte met with some of his Cabinet members and Le Luong Minh, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Philippines will host the Asean Summit next year. PNA

ism department said the trip was part of an inspection of potential competition sites.

The whale shark visit was coordinated with the help of the local municipality “which promised a well-managed marine interaction experience,” Tourism Undersecretary Kat De Castro told AFP. Wildlife conservation groups in the Philippines have for years opposed whale shark tourism in Cebu’s Oslob city, but local officials say the practice is a source of

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raised in the complaint filed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, and House committee on justice chairman and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

“First of all, there’s no basis for us to be biased. We’re just here to receive the complaint, the evidence.

In other words we are going to treat this like just any other case where we will decide without fear or favor,” Aguirre said.

He said he would probably assign a single prosecutor to handle the case, in contrast to the panel of prosecutors assigned to four other cases filed against De Lima by inmate Jaybee Sebastian, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and former NBI deputy directors Ruel Lasala and Reynaldo Esmeralda, over her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison.

The new complaint accuses De Lima of disobeying a summons issued by Congress, which is punishable by up to six months imprisonment or a fine of P200 to P1,000.

The case stems from testimony by her former lover and driver, Ronnie Dayan, that De Lima advised him to go into hiding to avoid testifying before the House of Representatives committee on justice.

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EJKs,” she added, insisting that the testimony of self-confessed assassin Edgar Matobato laid the foundation for explaining the national phenomenon of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings.

In one hearing when De Lima was still chairman of the committee on justice, Matobato said Duterte was the brains behind vigilante killings when he was still mayor of Davao City.

But De Lima said Gordon, who replaced her as chairman, wasted “a golden opportunity” because his ultimate goal was to exonerate the President and the administration of any liability for the deaths of thousands in the bloody war on drugs.

De Lima’s assertions were contrary to the results of Gordon’s probe that the summary executions were not government sanctioned and that the President has nothing to do with the killings.

De Lima filed her dissenting report to the Joint Committee Report No. 18 of the Senate committees on justice and human rights and on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Gordon and Senator Panfilo Lacson, respectively.

She said the dissenting report aims to provide an alternative analysis of the facts presented and the conclusions deduced from them, based on applicable laws and rules.

On July 13, De Lima filed a resolution to initiate an investigation into the spate of summary executions carried out in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

De Lima said the Senate probe failed on several grounds, notably on its refusal to hear the testimonies of EJK witnesses of the Commission on Human Rights, its premature termination, its failure to weigh in the testimony of Matobato, among others.

De Lima also lashed out at the Gordon report for taking issue with her alleged unparliamentary behavior during a public hearing.

“The Gordon Report was not about finding the source behind all this public bloodbath drowning the poor and shirtless in this country, but about libeling, attacking, and pillorying the two senators who dared come out with guns blazing against the President as the inducer of these

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showed a continuing link of corruption involving gambling magnate Jack Lam, his two interpreters Norman Ng and Alexander Yu and General Charles Calima, Argosino and Robles said in a statement.

They made the statement even as Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday he will recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte Argosino and Robles’ the immediate relief for extortion.

“Because of the anti-corruption program of the government, it’s better that they be relieved,” Aguirre said.

“It will be the President who will act on this because it was the President who appointed them.”

livelihood for the community.

Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines opposes this.

“It’s irresponsible and unsustainable. It’s not even ecotourism.

You sacrifice the environment just for a selfie,” the group’s director AA Yaptinchay told AFP. A veterinarian and aquatic ecologist, Yaptinchay urged the government to enforce guidelines including maintaining a threemeter distance from the whale sharks and prohibiting swimmers Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday expressed hope that the Justice Department will take the necessary action against De Lima, whom he branded a “liar.”

“As an incumbent senator, former secretary of Justice and a lawyer, advising and inducing Mr. Dayan to hide and not to attend and or appear in the House inquiry for which he was duly summoned is tantamount to inducing disobedience to a summons issued by Congress, of which she is a sitting member,” the complaint said.

The complaint also cited De Lima’s repeated refusal to attend the House congressional investigations on the New Bilibid Prison drug trade.

“Respondent opted to ignore all invitations and failed to attend any of the hearings conducted by the committee. Worse, respondent even insulted the House of Representative by calling its committee a kangaroo court-committee and its proceedings a sham,” the complaint said.

De Lima dismissed the new complaint as an attempt by House leaders to save face, after their inquiry into the proliferation of illegal drugs at the NBP when she was Justice secretary was exposed to be a farce.

On several occasions, she has also denied the testimony of witnesses, including convicted drug lords, who claimed they gave her money to bankroll her senatorial campaign for the 2016 elections. killings,” she said, referring to herself and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. De Lima submitted 10 recommendations to the Senate.

1. To look into the alleged irregularities in the preparation, routing and filing of the Gordon report and study the propriety of enforcing the standing Senate rules on all the committees; 2. To strengthen the investigative and forensic capacities of our law enforcement agencies to align with internationally accepted standards of law enforcement; 3. To urge the Department of Justice, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority to follow the International Drug Control Conventions; 4. To ensure the conduct of the visit, and effective and unhampered discharge of the duties of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Summary Executions; 5. To enact into law of Senate Bill 1197, also known as the AntiExtrajudicial Killings, which seeks to address institutional barriers to efficient, independent and impartial investigation of EJKs among concerned government agencies; 6. To enact into law the Charter of the Commission on Human Rights, logged as Senate Bill 1230, granting it its status as the country’s premier human rights body with powers to respond in realtime to human rights violations against Filipinos here and abroad; 7. To create a separate, dedicated office within DOJ or Public Attorney Office that would provide legal assistance and representation to law enforcement officials facing charges; 8. To establish a program in the Department of Social Welfare and Development to assist the surviving families of those killed during police operations; 9. To investigate not only the possible criminal acts of policemen but also the liabilities of their superiors under the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity; 10. To direct an independent investigation by a commission on the President’s war on drugs and the concomitant EJKs that have gone with it.

He made the statement after Argosino and Robles were reportedly caught on video accepting money from Sombero, who was allegedly acting on behalf of Lam. Argosino and Robles showed the cash they accepted on November 27 from Sombero, who allegedly arranged the release of the 1,200 Chinese nationals caught working illegally at the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga.

However, questions were raised why they kept quiet about the P50 million, which came in the open only after the supposed payoff was exposed in the newspapers.

The two lawyers claimed they kept the money as evidence but did not arrest Sombero and Calima because they had yet to prove their ties to Lam.

from touching them.

Internet users in the social media-obsessed nation expressed outrage online.

“Miss Universe, please don’t be a bitch to the environment,” Gabriel Yap wrote on Facebook.

Besides environmental issues, security has been a concern for the Miss Universe competition.

In August, authorities said they were looking into a “serious” threat by an Islamic State-related group to bomb the pageant. AFP

Duterte tells SBMA chief to charge grafters “KASUHAN mo mga ‘yan [Sue them].”

This was President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s marching orders to newly installed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Martin Diño, who brought to the Chief Executive’s attention a number of spurious transactions he uncovered.

“They keep on saying President Duterte wants change. Yes, and he told me to change SBMA and go after grafters who enriched themselves for six years,” Diño vowed.

When asked to cite some of these deals that reeked of graft, Dino replied: “Marami at magugulat kayo [There are plenty and you’ll be surprised.”]

“There’s this one transaction under the previous administration wherein P50 million were spent for CCTVs [closed circuit television] which you could not see anywhere around SBMA. Where did the CCTVs go?” he pointed out.

According to Diño, who was very instrumental in the presidency of Duterte for substituting the latter as a presidential candidate, the president stressed that he should not waste time and promptly deal with grafters and to file charges against anyone involved.

Diño said the conversation between him and the president transpired during the ground breaking of the Bicol Airport last Thursday.

Among the issues discussed was the confusion on the appointment of OIC Administrator Randy Escolango, whose papers were signed only

by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea last October 19. Diño said Duterte was not even aware of Escolango’s designation.”He [President] asked [special assistant to the president Christopher] Bong Go what it is all about and instructed him [Go] to iron things out,” Dino averred.

Diño suspected that money could have changed hands surrounding Escolango’s appointment, noting that the official himself has been bragging about the certainty of his appointment in exchange for “P5 million.”

Diño said he will find out if the allegation was true and if it were, unmask the officials who may have been involved.

Prior to becoming OIC Administrator in October, Escolango served as the deputy administrator for legal affairs.

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because I am the President belonging to the Left,” Duterte told businessmen in Malacañang.

“The Reds would never demand my ouster. They will die for me, believe me. That’s the reason why I was able to convince them for a [peace] talk.”

He said the members of the Yellow forces were the only ones calling for his ouster because the Left would never demand that he step down.

“Everybody would tell you that I was crossing the ideological borders even before I became mayor.

Find a policemen or soldiers who was, who was taken hostage there.

And they would tell you the person who would go there to the mountains to retrieve them,” Duterte said.

He said the recent demonstrations were only against the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery.

“Do not believe that sh*t that they will never go for that ouster,” Duterte said.

“Look at their posters. They would just condemn the burial of Marcos, but that is just their favorite line because Marcos was their enemy. But for those who cannot forget, you are condemned to enjoy your grief until you die.”

Last week, Duterte slammed the Yellow supporters who joined the recent protest actions against the burial of the late dictator at the heroes’ cemetery, which led to the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo.

News IN BRIEF House Oks proposed cigarette tax bill MANILA—The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the proposed bill seeking to retain the present two-tier excise tax rate on tobacco products from going to the scheduled unitary tax system by January.

House Bill 4144 was approved through nominal voting with 176 votes, 30 against and 3 abstentions.

Filed by ABS party-list Rep. Eugene Michael de Vera, the proposed measure will amend Section 145 paragraph (c) of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Under the present set-up, cigarettes with a net retail price of P11.50 per pack are taxed P25 per pack; while those priced higher than P11.50 will be taxed P29 per pack.

By Jan. 1, 2017, the system will shift to a unitary tax rate of P30 per pack regardless of retail price.

But under HB 4144, a pack of cigarettes with a net retail price (excluding excise and value-added tax) of P11.50 will be taxed at P32; while a pack with a net retail price of more than P11.50 will be taxed at P36.

In pushing for the bill’s passage, De Vera said his proposal would protect local tobacco farmers, especially from Northern Luzon who would be displaced by the uniform excise tax rate. PNA

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte to Lopez: Give leeway on policies, mining crackdown

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte advised Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to give elbow room in her strict policies and crackdown on unsafe mining while defending Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade amid criticisms over the latter’s failure to resolve traffic situation in the metropolis.

In his speech before businessmen at Malacanang, Duterte also expressed concern that two of his Cabinet Secretaries—Lopez and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial—were still unconfirmed by the powerful

Commission on Appointments.

“I do not think she would ever get the confirmation. But Gina, in the meantime, let us just concede good faith in her. I hope she would listen to Jacinto,” Duterte said, referring to Mines

and Geosciences Bureau chief Mario Luis Jacinto.

Duterte admitted that while he doesn’t want to intrude into Lopez’s decisions in handling the Environment Department, he hoped his alter-ego would listen to critics.

“I don’t know about, you know, Gina because she has her own mind. I would not want to intrude into her [decisions]...You know, Jacinto was a Bureau of Mines director of Region 11 [during my time as Davao mayor,] he added.

Jacinto, a former chief of the regional as well as the Davao City environment and natural resources office, assists Lopez in reviewing mining permits.

Many from the mining industry have expressed disapproval of Lopez’s mining audits even on legitimate mining firms.

Duterte also defended Tugade, his classmate at the San Beda College of Law in Mendiola amid criticisms he had failed to resolve traffic in the Metro Manila.

Duterte said he did not understand why some people do not like Tugade, whom he described as a “good man.”

“They do not like Tugade. He’s the valedictorian of our class.

He’s a good man,” Duterte told businessmen.

Elsewhere in the metropolis, the powerful Commission on Appointmens confirmed the nomination of Tugade, who sought support in his promise to address the country’s worsening traffic condition, and two other Cabinet officials as well as 22 diplomats including the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

The two others who got the nod of the CA were Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mike Sueno.

Former Makati congressman, lawyer-journalist Teodoro Locsin was confirmed as the Philippines permanent representative to the United Nations.

The confirmation of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol was deferred after it was blocked by Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez Sato.

Facing the confirmation hearing at the CA’s committee on transportation and communications, Tugade said, “I come here today with a pledge … Give me your trust and support and my way of gratitude and my way of saying thank you is, I will not fail you.”

No more tape on firearms during Xmas MANILA—The Philippine National Police will no longer put a tape on the firearms of police personnel during the Christmas and New Year revelry.

In a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Tuesday, PNP Public Information Office chief and spokesman Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said in the last command conference Thursday, there was a proposal to forego the putting of tape on the muzzle of the guns and it was approved by PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. “(As such), we will no longer put a tape in the muzzle of side firearms and long firearms of the police,” Carlos said. ”Basically, the leadership of the PNP believes this is a disciplined organization and members of the PNP down to the patroller on the ground... the chief PNP trusts they are disciplined and professional enough that they know what is the right thing to do,” he added.

Carlos explained that the taping of muzzle of PNP personnel is “a symbolic way in the previous years of reminding our personnel not to use their guns (during the revelry) it’s a violation (of the law).”

He said the view of the PNP chief was that “the leadership trusts his personnel—they are professional and disciplined enough that we don’t need really to put tape on the muzzles of their firearms just to remind them.” PNA

BETTER FUTURE. Philippine Constitution president Martin Romualdez (left) exhorts 1,256 graduating senior high school students of Sister of Mary School Boystown and

Girlstown in Talisay City, Cebu Monday to make their step towards making a better future for themselves but careful not to fall into another trap of aimless ambition. Ver Noveno

President wants monopoly done away with PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he wanted to break up monopolies and duopolies in the country to bring down the costs of electricity, communication and utilities in the country.

“The only way to have these things cheaper —actually, electric and telecommunications —is to open up for competition. So we’ll just do away with monopoly in the sense that you allow other players outside to enter into the picture. And that would lower everything, including energy. I’m sure of that,” Duterte told businessmen in a speech Monday night.

“I am ready to open these things about public utilities, especially energy and

technology,” he added.

After a big cargo operator in the Port of Manila expressed intention to handle international cargo, Duterte expressed his openness to competition in the cargo industry.

“Yes, we’ll have—I said—competition.

But you must have something there also big enough to accommodate all players. That is why, for example, whatever it is in the import-export business, or in the handling of ... everything, you must have something there bigger than what you have now.”

In the same interview, Duterte assured the business process outsourcing industry it had

nothing to fear from his administration amid his barrage of anti-American rhetoric.

Asked if there would be changes in his policies and investment incentive structure, Duterte underlined “changes for the better, not to kill businesses.”

“This is a democracy, we follow free enterprise,” Duterte said. “There will be changes for the better.”

“I am duty-bound by the Constitution. About the outsourcing (sector), I even guarantee to you that the Philippines will honor its contractual obligations, unlike the previous administration,” the President said. John Paolo Bencito

Trump’s decision to drop TPP applauded PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has applauded US President Donald Trump’s decision not to proceed with the Transpacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the signature trade initiative of outgoing US President Barack Obama, a trade agreement the Filipino leader cited as something that would not be good for the country.

Before leaving for Cambodia and Singapore on Tuesday, Duterte, who will be taking over the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) next year, said the TPP would create more harm in the region.

“It’s good that Obama didn’t continue that policy because it’s very wrong … I’m glad

that Trump said he will throw (the TPP) to the garbage can...because it will create more problems for us here in Asia,” Duterte said.

The TPP is a trade agreement eyed for 12 countries in the Pacific—Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. John Paolo Bencito

PDU30 names Koko’s staff CTA magistrate

By Rey E. Requejo

SMILES OF CONFIRMATION. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III throws Tuesday the now familiar Duterte fist gesture beside newly confirmed members of the President’s Cabinet: (from left) Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, and Transport Secretary Arturo Tugade. Lino Santos

A LAWYER-STAFF of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III has been appointed magistrate in the Court of Tax Appeals.

In a transmittal letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Executive Secretary Medialdea informed her President Rodrigo Duterte designated Atty. Catherine Manahan as CTA associate justice vice Justice Amelia ColangcoManalastas who retired from the judiciary upon reaching the age of 70.

“I am pleased to transmit herewith the appointment letter of Ms. Catherine T. Manahan, Associate Justice of the Court of Tax Appeals (vice Amelita Colangco-Manalastas), signed

by President Rodrigo Duterte,” Medialdea stated.

“Kindly notify and furnish the appointee with her appointment letter within seven days from receipt hereof,” the Palace official said.

Shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council to the CTA post, Manahan, who is actively helping in the Legal Aid Center of the UP Women Lawyers’ Circle, Inc. or Wiloci, provides legal assistance to women and children who are victims of abuses and violence.

The seven-man JBC, constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees for vacancies in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is headed

by Chief Justice Sereno, with ex-officio members, namely Sen. Richard Gordon and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

Miss Universe security in place—officials THE Interior Department has given assurances “strict and elaborate” security plans for the Miss Universe pageant in Manila next month are now in place.

Interior Undersecretary for Legislative and Special Concerns Emily Padilla said the DILG and the Philippine National Police with the cooperation of the Tourism Department would implement strict security measures to ensure the safety of the candidates and tourists who would be flocking here.

“We have presented to them [DOT and representatives of Miss Universe pageant] the security plans. And we have conducted ocular inspections on the big venue, and we will do ocular inspections in other areas that will be visited by the candidates,” Padilla said.

The contestants from over 90 countries vying for the Miss Universe crown will be flown to places like Baguio, Cebu, Davao and Bohol to see the beauty of the country.

Padilla reiterated the PNP’s assurance that the government’s physical, material and human resources would be mobilized to the hilt to provide security and collective measures to ensure and secure the organizers, participants, contestants, families and relatives who would be flying to the Philippines in January next year to witness one of the most popular big events in the world.

“Strict and elaborate security protocols will be in place to prevent lawless elements from doing something malevolent considering the pageant’s global attraction. The DILG and the PNP will prevent any untoward incident to happen before, during or close to and after the pageant,” she said.

John Paolo Bencito

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Feet of clay

T

HERE was a fair measure of irony—unintended, we are sure—when Senator Leila de Lima described why she was traveling to the United States and Germany this month.

“Both visits are very important to me because as a senator, I will have a chance to speak before influential world leaders and global thinkers on raising awareness and support for human rights, an advocacy I am passionate about,” De Lima said in a statement.

The senator’s press release does not say what award she is accepting in the United States, but says she will be in Germany to speak before the Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy, which focuses this year on promoting global human rights.

The itinerary matches the image that the

senator has tried to project all these years, in offering herself to the public as a staunch and courageous defender of human rights.

There is a jarring note, however, in the senator’s well-cultivated human rights image.

We speak, not only of the complaint filed against her before the Senate ethics committee for advising a witness to go into hiding to avoid testifying before the House of Representatives, or the criminal charges she is facing over allegations that she accepted payoffs from incarcerated drug lords when she was still Justice secretary.

We do not even speak of the affair to which she has admitted, with her driver and bodyguard, who has testified before Congress that he accepted millions of pesos in drug payoffs on her behalf when he served as her bag man.

Senator De Lima denies all these allegations and says she will face them squarely

in a court of law, a possibility that looms large, now that cases have actually been filed against her.

What we refer to today is De Lima’s selective protection of human rights when she was still Justice secretary, particularly when she was in charge of prosecuting the enemies of her patron, President Benigno Aquino III. Chief among these was former President Gloria Arroyo, who was deprived of her liberty for four years over charges that neither De Lima nor her prosecutors ever proved.

Where was De Lima, we want to know, when the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Mrs. Arroyo’s continued detention arbitrary and illegal under international law?

In that October 2015 opinion, the UN body also urged the Philippine government to reconsider Mrs. Arroyo’s bail plea,

“in accordance with the relevant international human rights standards.”

We do not recall what the self-proclaimed champion of human rights did at the time—but we are certain she did not come to the defense of those same rights that she now claims to so passionately advocate today.

Under siege, De Lima today cries out against what she describes as her persecution—neglecting to say that not too long ago, she was on the other side of the fence, wielding state power to persecute the Aquino administration’s political enemies.

When Senator De Lima portrays herself as the golden protector of human rights, the public would do well to examine her track record. Chances are, they will see that this “champion” of human rights is much like Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, built with feet of clay.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Duterte after six months

he has enjoyed from the citizenry— the same people who believe that the President will not allow his subordinates to steal their taxes or to

IN HIS first six months, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is a success story—on the antidrugs and anti-crime front.

Duterte’s Drugs War has made the Philippines at the center of the global campaign against illegal drugs—a menace that no country has ever succeeded in solving.

However, in the Philippines, and this is more significant, Duterte’s bloody drugs war has marvelously brought crime rates down and tremendously improved peace and order in many places, nationwide. For the first time in a long time, Filipinos feel safe in their homes, on the streets, and in their places of work.

Of course, the Duterte Drugs War has made him the new contravida of the world. He is ranked by foreign media in the same league as the notorious leaders Saddam Hussein and Muammar Khadaffy. The December 7 extended New York Times half front page story (plus a full inside page pictorial and pasa) on Duterte’s drugs war is typical of the foreign press reporting that shames both Duterte and the Philippines. In retort, “I am not a killer,” the President told outstanding Filipinos the other night.

On two other issues—economic inclusion and fighting corruption, Duterte’s record is paltry at best. Little is known about achievements, if any, on these two fronts. Perhaps we are being unfair to the President for wanting quick results on the economic benefits from his stewardship and from his fighting corruption.

After all, curbing corruption in the Philippines is like Hercules cleaning the Augean stables in the 3rd Century AD. To clean the stables which had thousands of animals and had not been cleaned for 30 years, Hercules merely diverted the massive waters of the rivers Aipheus and Peneus and lo and behold, he did a better job than Malabanan could in cleaning one stinking sewage line. But then even the fabled waters of Magat and Bicol are probably not enough to clean the bureaucracy even if ailing Duterte had the strength to divert them to every orifice of government.

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Fire, prosecute, jail LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte did not approve of how Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol handled an attempt to bribe him with a Rolex watch. But Piñol still did a lot better, in my book, than the two immigration officials who were only forced to give up a huge amount of cash handed to them by a controversial businessman after they had been exposed.

Piñol created a social-media stir when he declared on Facebook recently that he was returning to an agri-business concern the Rolex Submariner watch worth P450,000 it had given to him as a gift. He said he believed that the package containing the expensive watch was just a small token until he opened it; he said he decided to return the bauble after he discovered that it

wasn’t just an ordinary Christmas stocking-stuffer from the company, which he did not name.

Duterte said he didn’t agree with what Piñol did because he could have sold the watch and used it to buy rice. The agriculture chief, the President said, could have distributed the proceeds of the bribe to benefit a lot of needy people.

I don’t know if this was another of Duterte’s attempts at humor, the sort of statement that has his spokesmen scrambling to interpret what he really meant.

But I’m pretty sure the old prosecutor would not have as easily dismissed the strange “evidencegathering” excuse employed by two top Bureau of Immigration officials, who returned P30 million in cash supposedly given as a bribe by fugitive casino businessman Jack Lam. I believe Deputy Commissioners Michael Robles (no relation of mine) and Al Argosino still deserve to be dismissed, tried in court and eventually jailed.

I think doing so is perfectly in sync with Duterte’s campaign to weed out corrupt government officials—especially officials whose appointment papers he

Duterte should summon Robles and Argosino and punch them, just like he said he would do to Lam himself. had signed in the short time that he’s been president.

The two BI officials’ boss, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, believes they should be fired, if

the investigation that he has ordered shows Robles and Argosino guilty of accepting the bribe. And it was Aguirre who had recommended the two, who are his and the president’s “brothers” in the Lex Talionis fraternity of the San Beda law school, to Duterte to top posts in the immigration agency.

Duterte can do better than Aguirre by firing the two summarily, pending the submission of the results of the investigation, after which they should be charged in court. He can even summon Robles and Argosino and punch them, just like he said he would do to Lam himself, if the casino operator ever made the mistake of appearing before him.

I understand Aguirre’s anger.

After all, it was the justice secretary who said he turned down an offer of a bribe from Lam, through an intermediary identified as former police general Wally Sombero, during a meeting with the businessman at a Metro Manila hotel.

And it was the same Somb-

ero, still acting on Lam’s behalf, who was caught by the hotel’s CCTV cameras handing the huge sums contained in bulging paper bags to Robles and Argosino. If Aguirre doesn’t act—and fast—against his two fraternity brothers, he could be suspected of merely pretending to be clean and clandestinely sending two of his subordinates to accepting money from Lam on his behalf.

It’s really that simple. *** I’ve always figured Duterte to be a very astute politician, underneath his rough, provincial exterior. This is how the president has always caught his Manila-based critics off-balance and kept them guessing about his next moves.

But if Duterte doesn’t throw the book at the two immigration officials, he will be unnecessarily risking the famous support that

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Opinion TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

These wars won’t stop PRESIDENT Duterte wants an- Immigration, Land Transportaother six months to end his bloody tion Franchising and Regulatory war on illegal drugs. He says he Board, Energy Regulatory Board, cannot stop the momentum of his Philippine Charity Sweepstakes war. If he does, the country could Office, the Bureau of Internal end up as a narco state. “I will not Revenue, Department of Public stop until the last drug pusher is Works and Highways, and almost everywhere else in the bureaukilled,” he said.

He even boasted that if he cracy. It is clear that corruption is could not end this menace that embedded in government.

Corruption in government could ruin the next generation, has been the bane of every adhe would resign.

Yes, with a body count of more ministration as far as I can rethan 5,600, it would seem that the member—and I have been a President is really winning his journalist for over six decades. war—despite accusations that Perhaps, the system makes it easy for people in government these are extrajudicial killings.

There is a big question, how- to steal. Perhaps, it’s because ever: Can Mr. Duterte really the morals of people have sunk claim to win his war on illegal so low that greed and lust for drugs after the last of the drug money has blinded them.

But, my gulay, I know for a lords and drug pushers have fact that so long as human disbeen killed?

The President himself has cretion is involved in governsaid that, according to reports, ment transaction with the public there are no less than 4 million in public biddings, contracts, illegal drug users and 10,000 agreements and awards, there illegal drug network spread will always be corruption.

The anatomy of corruption is throughout the country. There are thousands of protectors best exemplified by what happens at the Bureau of Customs. among public officials.

If President Duterte is so My gulay, just to prosecute and convict all those involved alarmed with 4 million addicts, would take years on end! Un- he should likewise be concerned less, of course, the President about corruption being embedlets loose the police to kill all of ded in government. The perception is that when a governthem.

As I have said many times be- ment official retires and takes fore, killing all those involved is his family to travel abroad, or not all there is to it in the war on builds a house or buys a car, he must have stodrugs.

If there are len from govtruly 4 million ernment.

Cor r uption drug addicts, in government it is clear that There is a is so deeplydrug cartels rooted and peroutside the lot more to vasive so much Philippines are so that when there to meet drugs and somebody gets the demand. appointed in These cartels corruption. gove r n me nt , have even managed to make it’s already a the Philippines ticket to steal. *** their transshipment point in their I am glad that President Duworldwide operations.

The illegal drug menace terte has finally realized that worldwide is multi-billion dol- he has conceded to the comlar industry, the bane of almost munists “too much, too soon” every country. Our neighbors in on the ongoing peace talks. The Southeast Asia have the same National Democratic Front, the problem. Despite the fact that political arm of the Communist some of these countries mete Party of the Philippines, has out the death penalty for those threatened to scuttle the peace involved in illegal drugs, the talks in Rome if President Duterte did not release 130 more cartels continue.

Santa Banana, even the political prisoners.

The President has said that he United States, despite its vigilant Drug Enforcement Agency would release the 130 political (DEA) has not contained the en- prisoners only after the comtry of cocaine into the US com- munists and the government neing from Colombia and Mexico. gotiators have signed a bilateral It’s a $36-billion industry that ceasefire agreement.

The communists have been playcrosses borders!

Note that Colombia itself ing the same game during peace has been fighting the big drug talks with past administrations.

They have always asked for cartels for the last 30 years to small success like breaking up the release of political prisoners the big cartels into smaller ones. before any agreement is reached.

In Mexico, the government has In other words, the communists just marked its 10th year in go to the negotiation with bloody hands and want the government fighting drug cartels.

If at all, Duterte can only to give in to them. They want to minimize the impact of illegal have the upper hand in peace nedrugs in society, considering gotiations.

The President has already rehow corrupt Customs is, and how porous our borders are leased 16 political prisoners so that NDF and CPP on allegasince we are an archipelago.

What the President should fo- tions that they were consultants. cus on during his six-year term Now, they want some more. If in office is to stop summary kill- the President were to submit ings. These killings, although not what the communists want, he sanctioned by the state, some- would in effect be losing his what muddles Duterte’s war. It bargaining chip. So that’s it.

If peace talks with the comfuels the perception that it is the munist must continue, President police doing them.

Duterte must first see a bilateral *** The war on corruption is an- ceasefire agreement signed. other thing altogether. Reports For this, I commend the Presihave it that corruption takes dent since peace must not be place in agencies like Customs, achieved at all costs.

Fire...

From A4 enrich themselves by making deals with corrupt businessmen like Lam. And regardless of Duterte’s own opinion about Robles and Argosino (assuming that he knows these two personally) he must understand that they have to go.

There is simply no reason to defend these two officials. They accepted a total of P50 million from Lam last month through Sombero at the City of Dreams hotel-casino, keeping P30 million for themselves while giving P18 million to Lam’s translator, a certain Charles Calima, and P2 million to Sombero.

They held on to the money for weeks, without ever saying that they had received it from Lam, whom Duterte wanted arrested

for not paying the proper regulatory fees and employing illegal aliens, including 1,300 Chinese rounded up at his online gaming operation at the Fontana resort in Pampanga. When the story broke, the two officials went on official leave, without once mentioning that they accepted the money in order to bolster the government’s case against Lam. And when they were finally exposed, they said they were engaged in evidence gathering, not accepting a humongous bribe. The diminutive Manny Piñol suddenly appears 10 feet tall, compared to these two jokers.

There’s just no ifs and buts about it. Robles and Argosino should be fired, prosecuted and jailed.

To do no less would be to spit on Duterte’s much-ballyhooed anticorruption campaign.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Going federal SO I SEE LITO BANAYO Part 2 MOST federated nations came out of the conjoining into a whole of previously unintegrated states, countries or principalities. The nearest to the country is the Federation of Malaysia, where several colonies of the British Empire, sultanates mostly, were joined together after the British gave them independence.

Of particular note are the states of Sabah, which is legally part of the Sultanate of Sulu even if Malaysia has annexed it into the federation, and Singapore, which declared its independence shortly after Malaysia was proclaimed.

The Philippines is a different case, for our sultanates, or kingdoms if you may, existed before the Spanish colonizers came with sword and the cross, and conquered the disparate kingdoms under the name of King Philip. The name of our country is in fact symbolic of that forced unitarianism. The Tagalogs, the Ilocanos, Pampangos, Warays, Bisaya, Hiligaynons, Manobos, Bagobos, Igorots, Kankana-ey, Ibanags, Kalingas, Tausugs, Maranaws, Iranon, Magindanaw, Sama, Yakan, all these disparate tribal kingdoms were subsumed into “Filipinas.”

Our forebears spoke as many as a hundred languages and dialects. Spain taught us to speak Castillian, though not as successfully as most countries in Latin America embraced the language. The “natives” still retained their ethno-lingusitic cultures and languages as primary

means of communication among themselves.

The Americans maintained the unitary system because it was perfectly suited to colonial control. They brought in teachers to teach us English, and soon, our people forgot their Castillian and spoke the newly taught language.

But the Commonwealth president, Manuel Luis Quezon, decreed that Tagalog would be the basis of a national language, and through his time and successive presidents of several republics thereafter, more and more Filipinos became conversant in Tagalog.

If we shift to a federal system, how shall we divide this imposed unitary system which has fostered not only division along cultural and religious lines, but worse, engendered an unequal distribution of the national wealth?

If we pattern the division along ethno-linguistic differences, the closest we would have is the administrative regional setup we presently have, which began during the martial-law era: Regions 1, 2, CAR, 3 (Central Luzon), 4-A and 4-B (to separate the island provinces from mainland Southern Tagalog, 5 (Bicol), 6, which the Aquino administration carved out to a new Negros Island Region, 7 which is Central Visayas, 8 for Eastern Visayas, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and the ARMM for Mindanao, plus the National Capital Region.

But the configuration again will not satisfy ethno-linguistic differences. For instance, Pangasinan, which is largely Ilocano-speaking, with a significant Pangasinense-speaking minority, may opt to be separate, or join the Ilocano “state” further North. Or how would one treat Region 8, where half speak Cebuano-Bisaya, and the other half of the population are Warays?

Or Negros Oriental, which is

Cebuano-speaking, along with a significant number of Negros Occidental towns where residents do not speak Hiligaynon?

My submission is that it may be better to address the subdivision by economic resources, thus: NCR as a special administrative region; all provinces and cities north of NCR as another; the Cordillera provinces as a separate region or state; those south of NCR but part of Luzon as another. Consolidate all of the Visayas under on state. Consolidate all of Mindanao into one, carving out two Muslim states, one for the mainland (Maranaw, Magindanaw, Iranon), and one for the islands (Tausug, Yakan, Sama, Badjaos, etc.).

Many will disagree with this.

Many will insist on division by way of at the very least, the present administrative regional set-up.

But my argument is simple: how will they manage autonomously with paltry resources?

Precisely because the imposed unitary structure has created disparities in wealth among these presently-constituted administrative regions, some have huge concentrations of wealth and opportunities; others have so little.

Look also at the population distribution. North of NCR, there are some 20 million people. Two more million in the CAR. Another 25 south of NCR. 20 million in the Visayas. 18 million in Mindanao with some 5 to 6 million in the Muslim regions (mainlanders as well as islanders). And some 10 million living in NCR. (These are not exact figures, and are written from top of mind.)

One economist-professor suggested going by the historic geographical configuration of Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao, with special autonomous regions for the Muslim-dominated provinces and islands, as well as a

special region for NCR. But this will not address the current wealth inequality. Luzon is enormously rich, even if you disengage NCR from it.

Of course, transitory provisions in a new Constitution, such as providing for some kind of sinking fund where the rich states can contribute towards alleviating the current economies of the poor states may be effected, but these may sound good on paper but messy in the implementation.

Those who think it is so easy to switch from a unitary system to a federal structure will realize, as the debates begin, that dividing is a tediously argumentative issue.

And we are not discussing the form of government yet, whether it is to be parliamentary as in the British mold, where the head of state is ceremonial, and the head of government is a prime minister elected by his peers in parliament. Or whether it is to be similar to the French system, where the popularly-elected president is both head of state and of government, with ample day-to-day administrative powers given to the prime minister chosen by the president and his party or coalition. Or whether we should retain the presidential system similar to that of the United States.

This again would be another contentious debate.

Thus the decision to create a preparatory commission is welcome. The widespread consultations will do us good, in preparing the citizenry for the possible changes, and in making the whole process as participatory as possible, before the actual draft is debated in Congress acting as a constituent assembly.

There are so many issues pertinent to revising the Constitution. This is but one of them, albeit perhaps the most difficult first step.

Why China can’t lure tech talent

By Adam Minter DONALD Trump’s campaign promise to crack down on visas for skilled foreign technology workers has a cheerleader in China. Robin Li, the head of Baidu, recently told a conference that he hopes talented workers who are no longer welcome in the US will “migrate to China and help China play a more important role on the stage of global innovation.”

He shouldn’t get his hopes up.

Whatever Trump’s immigration policy turns out to be—he may yet be swayed by the business luminaries he’s meeting with this week — China won’t be luring foreign tech talent any time soon. And its struggles hold a lesson for every other country hoping to become the Silicon Valley of the future: The competition for global talent will be won by countries that foster the culture of openness—to new ideas and new people—that defined the American tech business for decades before Trump.

At first glance, China does seem like a logical destination for talented tech workers. For years, its government has offered them lucrative incentives to come to Chinese universities and companies. Its online population is the world’s largest, and the local e-commerce market is booming.

Duterte...

From A4 What is clear though among businessmen is that they find Duterte personally honest and full of integrity, and as far as fighting drug addicts and drug lords are concerned, he is full of laser-sharp focus and single-mindedness.

What is not clear is whether this sense of presidential integrity and competence filters down to his Cabinet and to the third and lower levels of government bureaucracy.

Traffic is worse today than it was six months ago. From the Pag-IBIG office on Shaw Boulevard to ShangriLa Mall at the corner of Edsa and Shaw, a driver takes at least 45 minutes to cover a distance of less than three kilometers. My friend, Jun Icban, the chief editor of mass circulation Bulletin, told me it took him two hours to get to Shangri-La Edsa from Project 8 yesterday morning before 10. “During Erap’s time,” he recalled, “it took just 30 minutes.”

In Metro Manila, the people managing traffic are veritable sadists, although the head of the Metro Manila Development Authority, the ever-gentle Tim Orbos, is a con-

Private and public research budgets are increasing quickly. Recently, there’s been steady growth in Chinese returning home after earning degrees overseas.

So what’s not to like?

The biggest problem is government control of the internet. For a software developer, the inconvenience goes well beyond not being able to access YouTube during coffee breaks. It means that key software libraries and tools are often inaccessible. In 2013, China blocked Github, a globally important opensource depository and collaboration tool, thereby forcing developers to seek workarounds. Using a virtual private network to “tunnel” through the blockades is one popular option.

But VPNs slow uploads, downloads and collaboration. That slowness, in turn, can pose security risks: In 2015, hundreds of developers opted to use infected iOS software tools rather than spend days downloading legit versions from Apple Inc. And it isn’t just developers who suffer. Among the restricted sites in China is Google Scholar, a tool that indexes online peer-reviewed studies, conference proceedings, books and other research material into an easily accessible format. It’s become a crucial database for academics around the world, and Chinese researchers—ven those with VPNs—struggle to use it. The situ-

ation grew so dire this summer that several state-run news outlets published complaints from Chinese scientists, with one practically begging the nationalist Global Times newspaper: “We hope the government can relax supervision for academic purposes.”

The cumulative impact of these restrictions is significant. Scientists unable to keep up with what researchers in other countries are publishing are destined to be left behind, which is one reason China is having difficulty luring foreign scholars to its universities. Programmers who can’t take advantage of the sites and tools that make development a global effort are destined to write software customized solely for the Chinese market.

And that’s precisely what’s happening. China’s most successful innovations—services like WeChat, its top social network—have consistently failed to gain traction overseas, where competing services thrive. That leaves one internet for China and one for the rest of the world, with predictable results.

WeChat, which dominates China, has 846 million monthly users; Facebook, which is blocked in China, has 1.79 billion. The latter is the more promising market, as any tech worker will quickly calculate.

Worse, China has made clear that foreign tech companies hoping to

do business there will need to make concessions—which those companies say would threaten security, brand value and intellectual property. A recent survey of American Chamber of Commerce members in China found that “three-quarters of respondents feel that foreign businesses are less welcome than before in China.” Robin Li’s warm words aside, foreign workers might wonder if the same goes for them, especially given China’s longstanding aversion to immigration.

Perhaps most crucially, tech workers contemplating a new home after Palo Alto have plenty of other places to go. India is home to one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic startup scenes.

Southeast Asia, with 280 million internet users, a largely unhindered online culture, and generous government support for startups, also beckons. Canada has been trying to attract migrant tech workers from the US with promises of easier visas, a business-friendly environment and a tolerant culture.

Around the world, countries and companies are fiercely competing to lure the very workers Trump seems intent on kicking out. To do so, they’ll need to convince those workers that they—and their ideas —are welcome, and not a threat.

That’s a lesson for Trump and China both. Bloomberg

firmed former seminarian. He is God-fearing. They have the habit of making life difficult for both motorists and pedestrians. It seems to me they envy that motorists own cars and that pedestrians have a job to commute to daily.

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang took a drive three days ago from Buendia in Makati to Plaza Dilao in Manila. He found the traffic lights at four major intersections not all synchronized—meaning one has to stop at every traffic light (and each stop takes ten minutes), instead of making a single go of the entire short route (3.76 kms) in one green light in five minutes.

SMC is building a connector road between Buendia and Balintawak, what is called Skyway 3.

RSA promises to nearly complete the entire 14.82-km six-lane span by 2017 so that what currently takes a motorist to traverse in three hours will take only ten minutes at 80 kph speed. SMC is rushing the elevated expressway even if cost has escalated from P26.6 billion originally to P47 billion upon completion.

Eventually, RSA plans to operate a bus rapid transit system to ease traffic in the metropolis. It will integrate with a rapid transit bus system

from Balintawak to Susana Heights in Muntinlupa City on his elevated South Expressway or Skyway over 36 kms, with stops at major towns, cities or landmarks.

Each rapid transit bus will carry 260 passengers—50 seated, 110 standing, and will stop at special elevated ramps where 260 passengers can board in two minutes and another 260 passengers can disembark, also in two minutes, at the same time. The cost of the ride: just P20. RSA estimates his bus rapid transit system can service up to 300,000 passengers daily, thus relieving Edsa half of its daily load.

The cost of installing the system?

An incredibly cheap P50 million.

“It can replace the non-working MRT3,” RSA smiles.

Meanwhile, at the LTO, one still cannot get a plastic driver’s license pronto. One still cannot get a car plate after registering his vehicle.

Did you know that on Recto and Quezon Avenues at the Central Market in Manila, one can get an authentic-looking driver’s license, its serial number even embossed, in just ten minutes? The plastic card is fake but what the heck, it’s handy, especially when confronted by a corrupt traffic enforcer in the dark.

How come boys in short pants and without slippers can produce decent driver’s licenses without hassle and LTO men, dapper in barong and suits and surrounded by stern-looking subalterns and pretty secretaries, cannot?

Many agencies remain cesspools of corruption. Just look at agencies under the Department of Justice, specifically the Bureau of Immigration and the National Penitentiary.

How can it happen that two deputies of BI, both appointed by Duterte and so-called fraternity brods, get involved in a P50-million bribery scandal involving a foreigner online illegal gambling lord? Isn’t five months on the job too early to make hay while the sun shines?

Have you ever tried getting a business permit with local governments?

It’s business as usual. Still too many forms to fill out, too many requirements to comply with, too many steps to undertake, too many government people to sign papers, and too much time to spend to do all these things.

The average, in my experience, is a minimum of one month. The global standard for the best by local governments—ten minutes. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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News

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘House serious on death penalty’

By Maricel V. Cruz and Vito Barcelo

OUTSTANDING FILIPINOS. President Rodrigo Duterte joins the three recipients of this year’s The Outstanding Filipino Awards at Malacañang on Monday. The winners are (from left) Rev. Father Anton Pascual for humanitarian and community service, Ambassador Jose Cuisia for public service and diplomacy and Dr. William Dar for agriculture. Malacañang Photo

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday said the House of Representatives is dead serious in restoring capital punishment in the country despite the criticism of Catholic bishops that reimposition of death penalty was a “lazy” solution against criminality.

“Here at the Lower House, I am confident we’ll be able to muster a quorum to pass the death penalty bill,” Alvarez said, stressing that “party vote” will prevail when the matter is taken up on the floor.

Alvarez hopes members of the majority bloc will toe the line as the bill is among the priority measures of the Duterte administration and reiterated that capital punishment is necessary to combat the rise of criminality which has reached an “alarming proportion.”

But the opposition bloc belied the claim of Alvarez that House leadership will have the numbers to pass the death penalty bill.

“On percentage, I don’t know where he got that percentages but we have reports from those

China to help in drug war C

HINA is ready to give the Philippines weapons to help President Rodrigo Duterte wage his controversial war on drugs which has claimed over 5,000 lives, the Chinese ambassador to Manila said.

Beijing has previously said it supports Duterte’s bloody crime war, which has been slammed by the United Nations and human rights watchdogs over alleged extrajudicial killings.

Beijing and Manila have experienced a rapprochement since Duterte’s election in May, despite

their conflicting territorial claims to the South China Sea. Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, in remarks late Monday, confirmed China was ready to supply the Philippines with weapons.

“We’re exploring the possibilities of providing arms, light arms,” Zhao told reporters.

“Arms for fighting against terrorism, [for the] anti-drug campaign.”

The ambassador said talks were still in the initial stages, adding there was no agreement on price or the specific type of weapons, though they would most likely be rifles.

Duterte, 71, won elections in a landslide on a pledge to kill tens of thousands of criminals to fight narco-politics in the Philippines.

Since he took office the crackdown has claimed over 5,000 lives.

The firebrand leader has also distanced the Philippines from longtime ally Washington, announcing

his country’s “separation” from the United States on a visit to the Chinese capital in October.

The Chinese ambassador noted bilateral relations were “good” and were “going to be better” still, “because your president paid a very fruitful and historic state visit to China.”

Duterte has also hit out at US President Barack Obama and the State Department for criticism of his drug war.

However, according to Manila, incoming US leader Donald Trump has taken a different tact

from Obama, apparently praising the crackdown when he spoke to Duterte by phone this month.

On Sunday, Duterte said China was ready to supply the Philippines with arms under generous terms.

“It is a grant payable in 25 years so it is practically giving,” Duterte said in a speech.

He recently canceled an order of about 27,000 assault rifles from the US after media reports that human rights concerns over his crime war would affect the delivery of the weapons. AFP

Tagum shooting probed

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano on Tuesday ordered an investigation of an incident in Tagum City in Davao del Norte province where security guards of a food company purportedly opened fire on a farmers’ protest encampment.

He instructed DAR’s Region 11 officials to coordinate with the Philippine National Police for the possible filing of cases against the suspects of the shooting incident that took place within Lapanday Foods Corp. in Barangay Madaum, Tagum City on Dec. 12 at around 7:40 a.m.

DAR has been meeting with the banana farmers for their installation to the 145-hectare land as ordered by provincial agrarian reform adjudicator Jose Nilo Tillano in a Dec. 15, 2015 decision.

The order has long been final and executory, according to DAR. Last October, Mariano personally visited the farmers who were camping out in front of the gate of the LFC compound and gave the farmers an assurance that they will get their landholdings without compromising their safety and security.

who attended the caucus that those who were opposed and those undecided were more than those who said they were for the reimposition,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said.

Lagman also welcomed the position of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to remain opposed to the death penalty bill.

Republic Act 7659 or the Death Penalty Law was abolished in 1986 during the term of former President Corazon Aquino. It was restored by former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1993, and was suspended again in 2006 by then President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

However, the Catholic episcopacy on Tuesday said the reimposition of the death penalty is a “lazy” solution to solve criminality, insisting that the capital punishment will not deter crime.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said there is a need to overhaul the criminal justice system instead of reimposing capital punishment.

IN BRIEF Investigate OFW crisis, Gabriela says THE Gabriela Women’s Party has filed a resolution at the House of Representatives seeking an inquiry in aid of legislation into the efforts of the Philippine Government, in particular the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment, to address the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the crisis in Saudi Arabia.

“President Duterte has already acknowledged the crisis in the Middle East and its impact on our OFWs. In fact, different government agencies have already conducted missions and formed response teams to provide assistance to OFWs in distress in Saudi Arabia. These efforts, however, were not enough,” Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said as the group filed House Resolution 625.

De Jesus said thousands of OFWs remain stranded in shelters all over Saudi Arabia, suffering from inhumane conditions, and needing repatriation, humanitarian, and legal assistance.

Saudi Arabia remains the top destination of OFWs and second only to the United States as the country’s main source of remittances. In 2015, one in every four or 24.7 percent of all OFWs was deployed here, according to Philippine Statistics Authority data.

Maricel V. Cruz

PAL flights to Clark Intl start Dec. 16

SEASON’S GREETING. Motorists all over Metro Manila have begun to feel the usual press of the season as vehicular traffic worsened ahead of the Christmas holiday. Ey Acasio

PCSO disputes favoritism claims over town lottery THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, headed by chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz, disputed on Tuesday the charges of the Anti-Trapo Movement, led by chairman Leon Estrella Peralta, over the expansion of the agency’s small town lottery operations.

In a complaint it filed with the Ombudsman, ATM claimed the PCSO wanted to expand its STL operation nationwide to favor its existing 18 STL licensees.

Corpuz denied giving undue advantage to the existing 18 licensees, called authorized agent corporations, when applications for STL licenses were opened and stressed that even the areas of operation of the 18 licensees were opened for application.

The existing 18 licenses were also required

to file applications and their failure to file will mean termination of their authority to operate.

The requirement of the 18 AACs to file their new applications is clearly stated in PCSO’s notice to the public, published in PCSO’s website and in newspapers.

The new STL Implementing Rules and Regulations provides for a higher Presumptive Monthly Retail Receipt (PMRR), PCSO said.

Aside from setting a higher PMRR, the area of operation is open for bidding, meaning whoever can give the highest PMRR provided it also obtains the highest rate in all the criteria in the determination of the best and most responsible proposal, will be given the authority to operate.

Thus, if the new applicant is rated highest in

all the criteria, it gets the authority to operate, ousting the existing STL AAC, PCSO clarified.

The revenue earned from STL under the new PMRR for the 18 AACs in October is P909,114,437. This is higher than P487,263,232 compared to the revenue earned in September which was only P421,851,205 under the old PMRR. The increase is 116 percent compared to the old PMRR. With the commitment of the PNP and LGU officials to support PCSO in the implementation of the new IRR, STL will be left as the only legal numbers game in the country, PCSO said. To show that PNP is really committed to support PCSO, an agreement on STL operations was also signed.

One of the provisions of the new IRR is the prohibition on the part of the AACs to give in kind or in cash to any person, private or public.

This provision is intended to curb corruption both in private and public sectors. Thus, the new IRR will also serve as a tool to educate our community on issues of graft and corruption.

The PCSO said it is premature to declare that the new STL IRR failed in its objective of fighting the illegal numbers game in the country considering that the new IRR is only in its initial stage of implementation.

“Let us give the new IRR ample time for its implementation before we pronounce whether it is a failure or not. Let us give the new IRR a chance to prove its objectives,” Corpuz said.

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines on Tuesday signed an agreement with Clark International Airport Corporation in connection with the airlines’ new domestic and international flights to be operated at the Pampanga’s hub beginning December 16.

Under the agreement signed by PAL president Jaime Bautista and CIAC president and chief executive officer Alexander Caguiran, the airlines committed to mount flights at the International Airport in stages.

PAL will initially have flights to and from Caticlan (Boracay) on Friday and on the first quarter of 2017, the carrier will be having a non-stop flights between Clark and Cebu, Davao and Cagayan, as well as flights between Clark and Incheon, South Korea.

“Signing this agreement solidifies our commitment to help the government develop secondary hubs in order to ease congestion at the Manila terminals. The positive response in terms of passenger bookings for the Clark-Caticlan route proves that we have made the right decision to mount these new flights,” said Bautista.

Caguiran has committed to provide PAL specific logistical and ground service support to help ensure smooth operation of flights.

He also assured that Clark International Airport has contingency plans in case there will be diverted flights and other emergency situations. Joel E. Zurbano

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Trainer: Joshua can stun Klitschko LONDON—Anthony Joshua can stun Wladimir Klitschko to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion, according to the British fighter’s trainer Rob McCracken.

Former Olympic gold medallist Joshua linked up with McCracken on a fulltime basis before beating Eric Molina in a second successful defence of his IBF heavyweight title on Saturday.

McCracken looked on as Joshua stopped Molina within three rounds at Manchester Arena, with promoter Eddie Hearn swiftly announcing a deal had been struck for the Briton and Klitschko to meet in a unification showdown at Wembley Stadium on April 29.

Convinced Joshua, 27, can topple giant Ukrainian Klitschko, who will be 41 by the time the fight takes place, McCracken told BBC Radio Five Live:

“Klitschko’s beaten big punchers before, but I think Anthony’s more than a big puncher.

“Anthony can box, can move well, has great balance. Speed is the key as well - when you have his speed, they don’t see the punches coming. And that will be the plan for Klitschko, that Klitschko just can’t avoid or defend what’s coming from Anthony.

“Without a doubt he can knock anybody out. If he hits them hard enough, he will without a doubt knock them out.

“He’s looking forward to it. He’s enjoying his boxing. The tests lie ahead but he’s in a great place and we’re more than confident that he’ll beat Klitschko.

“My gut feeling and my experience tells me he’s the real deal and I think he’s more than capable of becoming undisputed heavy- England’s Anthony Joshua celebrates after beating USA’s Eric Molina during the IBF World Heavyweight Championship boxing match in Manchester, northweight champion.” AFP west England. AFP

PSC to NSAs: Deliver or lose funding

P

HILIPPINES Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez has issued a strong warning to national sports associations that will fail to deliver in this year’s Southeast Asian Games.

“If you don’t perform, look for your own money the next time,” said Ramirez during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Ramirez vowed to provide full support to the NSAs without any liquidation problems as the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia moved just eight

months away.

The Philippines finished sixth overall during the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, just a notch higher that its seventh-place finish in 2013 in Myanmar.

This year, the Philippines will be hard-pressed to do better as it prepares to host the Games in 2019, and hope to duplicate its historic performance as host and overall champion of the 2005

SEA Games.

Ramirez said he doesn’t know what to expect in Kuala Lumpur, because choosing and preparing the athletes and coaches for the Games are the jobs of the Philippine Olympic Committee and the NSAs. “Our job is to fund. To prepare the athletes is their job,” he said.

Ramirez said the country’s bets to this year’s SEA Games

must deliver and show the people that money being spent by the government is producing positive results.

“There’s pressure on what will happen in the 2017 SEA Games. Will we be number eight or number nine? I don’t know. Only the NSAs know the answer to that,” said Ramirez during the forum presented

by San Miguel Corp., Accel,

Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

“I will really tell the NSAs to perform because the people, including the senators and congressmen, are starting to ask where we really stand,” said the PSC chief.

“We are willing to support deserving NSAs and athletes all the way to the (2020) Olympics,” he added.

Romualdo complex hosts meet Naga netfest

Amateur athletes from Camiguin province jump for joy during their performance at the opening ceremony of the five-day Palarong Pangpook in Camiguin island on Dec. 12 at the Pedro P. Romualdo Sports Complex in Mambajao town.

Lance Baconguis

MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – It took more than 20 years for this province’s Pedro P. Romualdo Sports Complex and facilities to be completed and now, for the first time, it is hosting the Northern Mindanao Athletic Association regional meet on Dec. 12 to 16.

The region’s 5,913 most promising athletes and 1,340 official delegates flocked to this tourism destination island province to compete in more than 20 sporting events.

The delegates came from 14 Department of Education Divisions from Region 10’s 9 cities and 5 provinces.

One of the objectives of the Palarong Pampook is to widen the base for talent identification, selection, recruitment,

training and exposure of student athletes from the elementary and high schools to serve as breeding ground for the future national team members for international competitions.

Cagayan de Oro is the defending champion of the NMRAA, winning 93 gold medals in last year’s meet.

This year, it wants to win 100 gold medalsm with the introduction of two new regular sports event – Wushu and Wrestling.

Rosalio Vitorillo, athletic Manager of Cagayan de Oro DepEd Division, said that they are also pinning their hopes for boxing with its roster of gold medallists in the last Palarong Pambansa in Albay this year.

“Our goal is 100 gold medals.

We have been working hard,

doing all the training and implementing the Special Program for Sports where our athletes have flexible time for education so they can focus more on training,” Vitorillo said.

One of the star players of Cagayan de Oro is John Vincent Pangga, a promising young boxer, now in Grade 9.

Pangga is the gold medallist of the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.

Vitorillo said that they are also pinning their hopes on Gymnastics, Tae Kwon Do, Wushu and Wrestling.

Mambajao Mayor Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said that they are very happy with the completion of the Sports Complex as this means that they are now capable of handling athletic events.

Lance Baconguis

Southwoods Chairman’s Cup set at Legends, Masters courses THE Chairman’s Charity Cup, Manila Southwoods’ premier year-end tournament for its members, guests and sponsors, gets going this Friday and Saturday with 400 players clashing for top honors in various divisions at the Legends and Masters courses in Carmona, Cavite.

Club champion Yuto Katsuragawa, who led Southwoods’ romp in the recent Fil Am Golf Invitational in Baguio, took last year’s low gross title with Vic Conanan bagging the net crown with the duo expected to lead the cast again in the club ‘s annual fund-raiser backed by Platinum sponsors Mitsubishi Motors Phils. Corp./Diamond Motors Corp.,

Royal Caribbean/Baron Travel, Mit Air Sales Center, Alpha Quality, Agrexplore Corp., The Neat, Inc. and PNOEZ-Yukio Suzuki (Southwoods Club Fitter).

Also tipped to go for repeat are Brixton Aw (Men’s I), Jayson Yu (Men’s II), Rick Bernabe (Men’s III), Francis Puzon (Men’s IV), Brian Park (Seniors I), Cesar Igual (Seniors II), Kim Hee Sun (Ladies I) and Denzelle Chan (Ladies II) while Harry Paltongan is the defending champion in the guest division of the event supported by Silver backers The Turf Company, and Tony and Jacky Salon.

Big prizes await the top finishers with fabulous items to be raffled off during awards

rites of the event backed by hole-in-one sponsor Colgate Palmolive Phils. Inc. and supported by Air 21, Alveo, Aqua Terra Integrated Solutions, Inc., BDO, Camaya Coast, Camp John Hay Golf Club, Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon San Jose Law Offices, Club Leisure Management Corp., Emperador Distillers, Inc., Farmers Coffee and Federal Management and Maintenance, Inc.; Forest Hills Golf and Country Club, G&W Club Shares, Golden Oats, Geeens N Turf Corp., IHEC, Le Chef, Manila Southwoods Manor, Minerva Sales Corp., MRT, PBL Law Offices, RCNA, Romago, Inc., Sherwood Hills, Sweetspot Sports and Golf Equipment,

Inc., The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay, The Manor Camp John Hay, Golforce, Resort World Manila and Warbird Securities as Bronze sponsors.

Shotgun starts will be at 7:30 a.m. at the Legends and 8 a.m. at the Masters with 200 slots on each day. To speed up play, players must pick up after a net bogey in the members’ category and after a double-par in the guests-members side.

The UNHS Dec. 2016 handicap index will be used and converted to the corresponding course handicaps with a maximum of 27 for men and 36 for ladies, according to the organizing committee.

Philracom sends rep to international conference THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE THE Philippine Racing Commission sent its executive director, veterinarian Andrew Rovie Buencamino, to represent the Philippines at the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ International Movement of Horses Committee Conference held last week in Hong Kong.

Buencamino said that at the conference, “we’re generally discussing horse movement, permanent and temporary. Some presentations have been done on equine disease local outbreak and the protocols adapted after their

encounter of the problem.”

He added the discussion was “quite interesting because you get to see that advanced regulatory procedures should not be limited by rules of racing. Quarantine and disease prevention should be given separate but equally important attention if we wish to compete internationally sometime.”

Buencamino also mentioned that updates were given to the conference attendees about “drug testing, specifically protocols on challenges.”

“Quite a lot has to be invested,” he explained, “if we really want to have drug testing. More than on the infrastructure, investment should be made on institutional development.”

Hong Kong is one of the biggest horseracing jurisdictions in

the world. For comparison, while Philracom is looking to acquire one drug testing machine worth P2 million that will function non-stop to accommodate our daily races, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has 40 machines for their racing meets which are usually held Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from early September to mid-July. Philippine racing grosses an average of P8 billion a year, while HKJC turnover for the 2016 Longines Hong Kong International Races event held last week was at HK$2.7 billion or P17.2 billion for two race meetings in four days. In other words, what we earn in a year, they earn in a day of big races.

But then again, their apples are bigger than our bananas because racing is more popular there than here, due in a large part to the dif-

ference in cultures. We can comfort ourselves with the thought that racing has survived in this country for nearly 150 years, and that the industry gives jobs, creates businesses, and supports agricultural and sports development. ***** Congratulations to jockey Antonio “Oyet” B. Alcasid Jr. who last week begun his orientation as understudy to the racing manager of the Philippine Racing Club, Inc.’s Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite.

Alcasid comes to the job with more than 30 years’ experience and familiarity in the industry. After completing a degree in electronics and communications engineering, Alcasid entered the industry as a rider. Over the years, he has won nearly all of the major races, maintained

his status in the top ten rankings for most of his career, and cemented a reputation as an able jockey, stable master, horse conditioner, and jockeys association director.

At 52, he now bows out from professional riding to enter horseracing operations. Alcasid will be putting his expertise in track safety and other racetrack issues as well as the relationships he has developed over the decades within the industry to good use to help develop PRCI’s competence in this area. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @ jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @ jensdecember.

lures record field of 300

MORE than 300 entries begin their chase for top honors and ranking points as action in the two-week Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dagitab Festival leg regional age group tournament reels off today at the Nava City Tennis Club in Naga, Cebu.

The organizers actually tapped other venues, including the Alta Vista Sports Club, the Talisay Tennis Club and the Apo Tennis Club, to accommodate the record field vying in the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14-, 16-, -18 and 10-under unisex divisions of the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

“We are honored to host this huge number of participants in what promises to be an action-packed competition among the best and the rising stars in various agegroup categories,” said Naga City, Cebu Mayor Kristine Chiong.

The age-grouper also serves as a prelude to the Open, which features the country’s top players, firing off Dec. 17, also at the Naga City Tennis Club.

“This is going to be an exciting twoweek battle of power and wits and we are inspired to have drawn this huge number of participants, particularly from the agegroup, considering it’s the holiday season,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Elsie Abarquez and Tracy Llamas banner the girls’ 16- and 18-U classes that also includes Melanie Dizon and Zethley Alferez with Bliss Bayking, winner of a number of legs this year, joining the hunt in the 16-U side while leading the pack in the 14-U category of the event sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger.

Meanwhile, PPS-PEPP will also hold a series of free tennis clinics for the junior players on Dec. 29-30 at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque, on Jan. 2, 2017 at the Alabang Country Club, and on Jan. 2, 2017 at the Manila Polo Club to be conducted by former Davis Cupper Mel Ampon, son of Filipino tennis legend Felicisimo Ampon.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Sports

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

A8

Junior Volcanoes battle Korea

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

Houston Rockets point guard James Harden (13) glides to the hoop against the New Jersey Nets on December 12 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. AFP

Harden explosion lifts Rockets

L

OS ANGELES—A 36-point explosion from James Harden and a towering defensive performance from Trevor Ariza helped Houston edge past Brooklyn 122-118 on Monday to hand the Rockets a seventh straight win.

Harden contributed eight rebounds and 11 assists while Eric Gordon added 24 points off the bench as Houston improved to 18-7 at the Toyota Center.

But while Harden finished as top-scorer, it was the eye-catching performance of Ariza that helped Houston get over the line.

Ariza produced a superb

block of a layup attempt from Nets guard Joe Harris shortly before the buzzer to snuff out any chance of Brooklyn forcing overtime.

Nets center Brook Lopez scored 26 points for the visitors with Sean Kilpatrick and Isaiah Whitehead contributing 30 points between them. Jeremy

Lin added 10 points and seven assists.

Elsewhere Monday, DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points and gave a flawless display of free throw shooting as the Toronto Raptors downed the Milwaukee Bucks on 122-100.

Terrence Ross also weighed in with 25 points after appearing from the bench as the Raptors improved to 17-7 to stay hard on the heels of Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland.

DeRozan also went 15for-15 from the free throw line as Toronto bagged their third consecutive victor y and ninth in 10 games while

the Bucks slumped to a third straight defeat.

Giannis Antetokounmpo topscored for the Bucks with 30 points and eight rebounds but it was not enough to stop the team slipping to 11-12.

The Raptors were always in control of the contest, building a 26-point lead at one stage in the first half before a Milwaukee fightback saw them move to within eight points in the third.

However an 11-point blast from Ross in the fourth quarter pushed the Raptors back out to a 23-point lead with just over five minutes left.

Kyle Lowry also chipped in with 18 points for Toronto, while DeMarre Carroll added 13 and Jonas Valanciunas 11. “(The Raptors) were in character the whole night from the start; we weren’t,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “Our defense was non-existent.”

In Indianapolis, Paul George and Myles Turner led the Indiana Pacers with 22 points each in a 110-94 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Jeff Teague scored 16 points with 11 assists as the Pacers pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Charlotte 34-21 to seal victory. AFP

THE Philippine U19 national r ugby team battles Korea in the Semif inals of the 2016 U19 Asia Rugby Championships at the International School of Manila, 5 p.m., today, Wednesday, December 14.

Singapore takes on United Arab Emirates at 6.30 p.m. with the winning teams facing each other in the finals at 2.00pm on Saturday, December 17.

The Philippines, seeded third, face second seeded Korea. The Philippines have never beaten Korea at the U19s level however 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 U19 National Development Team Kinglsey 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.

The Junior Volcanoes will have an experienced coaching staff led by Head Coach David Johnston and his Assistant Coach and current Men’s Volcano, Jake Robrigado Letts.

Both have been involved with the program since 2014.

“The U19s program is a recruitment platform for Philippine Rugby, the players have the chance not only to play international rugby but also impress the coaching staff to warrant their selection in the Men’s National teams in the later years. It’s been a breeding ground for development and talent identification,” said Letts an original U19s team member back in 2006.

Meralco Bolts target share of lead against Alaska Aces

By Jeric Lopez

Alaska Aces forward Calvin Abueva (8) tries to dribble past Meralco Bolts defender Ryan Buenafe. The Bolts look to gain a piece of the tournament lead when they battle the Aces.

THE rampaging Meralco Bolts look to gain a piece of the tournament lead but they will be tested when they battle the resurgent Alaska Aces.

The Bolts go for a third consecutive victory at the resumption of the 2016-17 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The Bolts (2-1) can continue their move up the ladder when they test rejuvenated Alaska (1-2) 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

Earlier, two skidding teams in the Blackwater Elite and the NLEX Road Warriors aim to arrest their slides when they take the floor at 4:15 p.m. in the appetizer.

After losing its seasonopener, Meralco is giving everyone in the league a stern warning as its progress continues. They were impressive when

they posted back-to-back victories.

The Bolts stunned TNT KaTropa, 98-87, last Friday to send a message that they are indeed one of the teams to watch out for.

“It feels good to be able to have this momentum right now. We’re getting more confident as we go and it’s about keeping the consistency for us,” said TNT coach Norman Black.

The Aces likewise had a nice showing the last time out, winning their first game against co-leagueleader GlobalPort, 95-84, last week in a tremendous come-from-behind win after finally having a complete line-up.

In his first game of the tournament, Calvin Abueva went right to work, scoring 20 points in the win to give Alaska a huge lift.

“It’s great to have the guys back. We’re more loaded now and we’re look-

ing forward to building on this,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

Prized rookie Ed Daquioag has been nothing short of sensational for the Bolts thus far, showing what he is capable of doing.

He has been a huge reason why Meralco is on a surge as he averaged 23 points per game in the team’s last two victories.

Even Black is high on his prolific freshman.

“Ed (Dquioag) plays like a veteran. He is very relaxed and he gives us a different dimension. He’s a smart, talented kid and it’s been a big help for our side,” said Black.

Both the Elite and the Road Warriors are slumping as of the moment. They lost two in a row.

This match between the two will be vital as they take separate paths. One will climb up the standings the other will slip further down.

Ronaldo caps dream year with fourth Ballon d’Or PARIS, France—Cristiano Ronaldo called it “a dream come true again” as he won his fourth Ballon d’Or on Monday to get one over his nemesis Lionel Messi for the title of best player in the world.

It was the perfect ending to another fantastic year for the Real Madrid star, who won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and then led Portugal to their first major title at Euro 2016 – albeit he went off early injured and in tears in the surprise victory over France.

As has been the case for almost a decade now, the 31-year-old’s main rival was Messi – but the Barcelona and Argentine maestro had to relinquish the crown after a less-than-stellar year for club and country by his lofty standards.

Ronaldo is now one Ballon d’Or behind Messi, who was second this time with French striker Antoine Griezmann third.

Never one to play down his achievements, Ronaldo was spotted midweek in training having dyed his hair gold in anticipation and several

media outlets published a photo earlier on Monday appearing to confirm he was the winner, before organizers France Football magazine made the official announcement.

“For me it’s a great honor to receive my fourth Ballon d’Or. The emotion is like the first one – it’s a dream come true again,” Ronaldo, who is at the Club World Cup in Japan, told L’Equipe TV. “I never thought in my mind to win four times the Ballon d’Or, I’m so pleased and so happy.

“I have to thank all my teammates,

the national team, Real Madrid, all the people, the players who helped me to win this individual trophy.

“I want to enjoy this moment because it’s not easy to win this.”

Fourth was Luis Suarez and fifth his fellow Barcelona attacker Neymar, with Ronaldo’s Welsh team-mate Gareth Bale sixth.

Ronaldo was the firm favorite to win, but the prestigious prize comes at a time when the prolific forward has generated negative headlines in the past week over accusations of tax

evasion.

Denying any wrongdoing, he responded by publishing his financial records last week, showing last year he earned a whopping 227 million euros ($240 million).

“You believe I am worried? He who owes nothing, fears nothing,” Ronaldo told broadcaster RTP at the time.

Ronaldo, the highest-paid sportsman in the world, first won the Ballon d’Or in 2008 after Premier League and Champions League triumphs with Manchester United. AFP

PAL sees challenging year in 2017 —Bautista

B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14 , 2016

B1

Jobless rate falls to 10-year low T

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

HE jobless rate fell below 5 percent for the first time in a decade, as the strong economic growth created more jobs this year, the National Economic and Development Authority said Tuesday.

Results of the Labor Force Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that unemployment rate eased to 4.7 percent in October from 5.6 percent a year ago. It was also lower than 5.4 percent registered

in July.

The PSA said about 41.7 million Filipinos were employed in October, translating into a 95.3-percent employment rate―the highest in all previous October rounds of the LFS since 2006.

“This means that the growth of our economy is becoming more inclusive as it engages more and more Filipinos to participate in the labor market,” said Economic Planning Secretary and Neda director-general Ernesto Pernia.

“With the decrease of unemployment in October 2016, our implied full-year unemployment rate will be 5.5 percent, exceeding the government target for 2016 of 6.5 to 6.7 percent,” Pernia said.

About 2 million Filipinos were unemployed as of October, data showed.

The services sector remained the top employment contributor with a share of 54.9 percent or 22.9 million of the total employed. The industry sector accounted for 17.2 percent or 7.2 million, driven largely by the strong growth in manufacturing and construction.

Unemployment rate among the youth continued to decline in October to 11.6 percent, also a record low for all October rounds of the LFS since 2006.

The share of inactive youth― those who are neither studying nor employed―has consistently

been declining in the past four years and dropped to 20.5 percent in October 2016.

“While this shows progress, it is important to note that the unemployment rate of the youth is still more than twice the national unemployment rate and thrice the unemployment rate of 25 to 54 age group. This shows that we need to equip our youth with the right skills and experience to be able to compete with seasoned workers,” said Pernia.

He said while unemployment rate dropped, the underemployment rate increased to 18 percent

in October from 17.6 percent recorded in the same period a year ago. This was also 0.7-percentage-point higher than 17.3 percent in July.

Neda said underemployment was prevalent among those working in private households and those employed in family business.

Meanwhile, the number of stable wage and salary employment grew to 25.3 million or 60.8 percent of total employed persons in October 2016. This was the highest for all October rounds since 2006.

ICTSI bares completion of Melbourne terminal

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Victoria International Container Terminal, a unit of Philippine port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc., celebrates the completion of its terminal in Webb Dock in Melbourne, Australia ahead of schedule. Shown during the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) VICT chief executive Anders Dømmestrup, ANL Container Line Pty Ltd. managing director John Lines, ICTSI chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr., Victoria State Minister for Ports Luke Donnellan, Port Phillip City Mayor Bernadene Voss, ICTSI senior vice president and AsiaPacific regional head Christian Gonzalez and Port of Melbourne chief executive Brendan Bourke.

IN BRIEF ADB grants $250-m loan for local govts THE Asian Development Bank said Tuesday it approved a $250-million loan to enhance local government units’ public services in the Philippines.

The Ortigas-based multilateral lender said the $250-million policybased loan would help LGUs deliver better and more effective public service through improved revenue generation, stronger public financial systems and regulatory frameworks and increased transparency and accountability.

The loan was approved by the ADB board of directors as the second phase of the Local Government Finance and Fiscal Decentralization Reform Program being implemented by the Interior and Local Government Department, Budget Department and the Finance Department’s Bureau of Local Government Finance.

“Service delivery, especially in the rural areas, has lagged those of the more developed areas as rural LGUs do not have sufficient revenues,” said ADB principal financial sector specialist Stephen Schuster said.

“Therefore, the government has prioritized a number of initiatives to assist LGUs, including distributing national resources more equitably, and increasing their capacity to raise own-source revenues to improve the delivery of health, education, housing, and other services to communities,” ADB said.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Govt agrees to pay P8b to Stradcom THE Transportation Department said it signed a one-year phase-out agreement with Stradcom Corp., the information technology provider of Land Transportation Office, since 1998.

The agreement was laid down to allow LTO to subscribe to a new IT service provider covering hardware, software and data component requirements of the agency, and to give Stradcom time to turn over the source code and database to the government.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Stradcom should its part in helping the smooth migration of data and computer operations to the next IT provider of the LTO. The agency said it would take one to two years to change an IT provider as it would include data migration.

The Transportation Department in turn agreed to settle the P8-billion debt of the government to Stradcom. It also agreed to allow Stradcom to join the bidding as it was open to all qualified bidders who were capable to provide the requirements set in the terms of reference. Darwin G. Amojelar

PORT operator International Container Terminal Inc. said Tuesday it completed the world’s most technologically advanced container terminal in Melbourne, Australia.

“This is an achievement that everyone who have helped build the terminal and are invested in the success of the State of Victoria should celebrate,” ICTSI chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. said.

“Once we start operations in January, Victoria International Container Terminal [VICT] will be the most technologically advanced container terminal in the world,” Razon said.

VICT signed a 26-year concession with the Port of Melbourne Corp. in 2014 to build, operate and expand the container terminal at Webb Dock East. The contract covers July 2014 to June 2040.

The container terminal area covers 35.4 hectares that can handle 1.4 million standard containers an-

ADB upgrades 2016 growth forecast to 6.8% THE Asian Development Bank on Tuesday upgraded its 2016 growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.8 percent from the previous estimate of 6.4 percent, following three quarters of strong growth.

The Manila-based multilateral lender, in its Asian Development Outlook supplement report, also revised upward the 2017 growth outlook for the country to 6.4 percent from 6.2 percent.

“Such brisk growth is expected to ease as the impact of spending for the May elections fades, and in light of global economic uncertainties. In 2017, domestic demand will continue to underpin economic growth,” ADB said.

“In the Philippines, robust domestic demand across the economy spurred stronger-thanexpected GDP growth at 7 percent year on year in the first three quarters. The biggest contributor to growth from the demand side was investment, both public and private,” the bank said.

The Philippine economy grew 7 percent in the first three quarters, on strong domestic demand.

ADB said among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the forecasts for the Philippines and Thailand were revised upward, offsetting the downgrade in other member economies.

It said infrastructure investment continued to play an impor-

tant role in driving growth in the Philippines and Thailand.

“This outlook assumes that investments will continue to be expanded on efforts to upgrade public infrastructure and improve the business environment,” ADB said.

Meanwhile, economic growth in developing Asia remained broadly stable, but a slight slowdown in India trimmed the region’s growth outlook for 2016.

ADB downgraded the 2016 growth outlook for developing Asia to 5.6 percent, below its previous projection of 5.7 percent. For 2017, the forecast was unchanged at 5.7 percent.

“Asian economies continue

their robust expansion in the face of global economic uncertainties,” said ADB deputy chief economist Juzhong Zhuang.

“Structural reforms to boost productivity, improve investment climate, and support domestic demand can help maintain growth momentum into the future,” he said.

In Southeast Asia, growth forecasts remained unchanged at 4.5 percent in 2016 and 4.6 percent in 2017, with Malaysia and the Philippines expecting stronger growth due to a surge in domestic consumption and public and private investment, compared to lower growth forecasts in Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar and Singapore.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Sy-Coson says SM Group to sustain expansion

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE SM Group plans to continue investing in the country amid the economy’s sustained upward momentum, SM Investments Corp. vice chairman Teresita Sy-Coson said Tuesday.

“Our group believes the Philippine market is still growing and we will go where the market wants us to be―brick and mortar, virtual or online or omni-channel.

We will continue to give our customers the wide array of choices, and many options of services. We will continue to improve our customer service every year,” Sy-Coson said in her acceptance speech as ‘Management Man of the Year’ awardee from the Management Association of the Philippines.

Sy-Coson, chairman of BDO Unibank Inc., said as the SM Group continued to grow, the communities where its businesses were located would also grow by employing local people and working closely with local providers of goods and services, small and medium enterprises, local government units and public institutions.

The eldest child of tycoon Henry Sy said the group’s organization, across across all businesses, was geared toward good customer

relationships to all level of customers and maintaining good community relationships.

“We make sure our goods and services are reasonably priced and generally affordable. Our malls are meeting places for families and friends. The residences are affordable options for city living. While we serve mostly the mid-market, we also offer some aspirational or even premium leisure products for the discerning upmarket too like Aura, shop-

ping, Tagaytay Highlands, and Conrad and Radisson hotels,” Sy-Coson said.

“BDO and China Bank follow the same market strategy.

BDO serves a large segment of the mid-market, large corporates, consumers and even microfinance clients,” she said.

Sy-Coson recognized her father, also the Management Man of Year awardee in 1999, for constantly guided her in running the business in order for the company

to “My dad has always constantly told me: Should you be lacking in core competence in any endeavor we undertake, we should work extra hours and work harder to speed up and catch up with our colleagues in the business world.

I learned how to keep up the pace when doing business with men who have wider business exposure. I was guided constantly by my dad, my late husband, and my four brothers, who all helped me along,” Sy-Coson said.

nually once it is fully built. It will have two berths and six post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes.

ICTSI invested $400 million in Melborne Port.

The port operator earlier posted a net income of $150.8 million in January to September, up from $143.7 million in the same period last year.

ICTSI’s net profit in the third quarter jumped 53 percent to $58.2 million from last year’s $38 million, as revenues from port operations increased 15 percent to $390.3 million from $339.5 million.

ICTSI earmarked $420 million in capital expenditure this year, of which $297.9 million was spent in the first nine months.

The budget is mainly allocated for the completion of the initial stage of the company’s new container terminals in Australia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq and the continuing development of projects in Honduras and Mexico.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing December 13, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

6,880.91 12.02

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing DECEMBER 13, 2016 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.775

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.740 LOW P49.800 AVERAGE P49.768 VOLUME 329.200M

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 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, December 13, 2016

CHRISTMAS TREAT. About 300

children from the host community of Therma South Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., are treated to an early Christmas party during the company’s outreach activity at the Thema South thermal power plant site in Binugao, Toril in Davao City. Shown are the children with their gift bags.

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8230

Japan

Yen

0.008696

0.4333

UK

Pound

1.267800

63.1656

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128903

6.4223

Switzerland

Franc

0.986582

49.1545

Canada

Dollar

0.761615

37.9459

Singapore

Dollar

0.702593

35.0053

Australia

Dollar

0.748800

37.3075

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653998

132.2301

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266702

13.2879

Brunei

Dollar

0.700133

34.8827

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028067

1.3984

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5662

Euro

Euro

1.063700

52.9967

Korea

Won

0.000859

0.0428

China

Yuan

0.144747

7.2117

India

Rupee

0.014832

0.7390

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.226168

11.2684

New Zealand

Dollar

0.718100

35.7779

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031535

1.5712 Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; MetroPac, BDO up Jollibee S sells stake tocks rose Tuesday, bucking the downtrend in other markets, after the Asian Development Bank upgraded its 2016 and 2017 growth forecasts for the Philippines.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 12 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 6,880.91, following a 2.5-percent slump Monday. Despite the gain, the bellwether was still down 1 percent since the start of the year.

The ADB, in a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook 2016 Update report, raised its growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.8 percent this year and 6.4 percent next year.

The broader all-share index

also picked up 10 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,172.65, on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Losers edged advanced, 88 to 87, while 47 issues were unchanged.

Twelve of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which jumped 3.7 percent to P6.48 and SM Prime Holdings Inc. which advanced 2 percent to P28.70. BDO Unibank Inc. added 1.8 percent to close at P114.

Meanwhile, Asian markets

dipped Tuesday as attention turned to this week’s much-anticipated Federal Reserve meeting, while analysts said the recent Trump-fuelled rally may have been overblown.

Global stocks have surged since Donald Trump was elected US president as investors bet his plans for huge infrastructure spending and tax cuts will kickstart the world’s top economy.

However, with the Fed meeting looming trading floors have quietened, waiting to see if the central bank provides any forward guidance on its plans for 2017 after an expected interest rate hike.

“With a rate hike at this week’s [meeting] fully priced and given the strong rally in the dollar, we are likely seeing some paring of positions heading into the rate

decision,” Khoon Goh, head of regional research at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group in Singapore, told Bloomberg News.

“Market participants are also reassessing whether the Trump rally has gotten a bit ahead of itself.”

By the break in Tokyo, the Nikkei was down 0.2 percent, having closed Monday at its highest level this year.

Hong Kong slipped 0.3 percent while Shanghai was 0.5 percent lower, with traders unimpressed by a better-than-expected read on Chinese factory output and retail sales.

Sydney was flat and Seoul put on 0.1 percent but Singapore and Wellington were all down.

The anaemic performance came despite record close for the

Dow on Wall Street.

On foreign exchanges the dollar edged back against most high-yielding currencies having tapped multi-month highs against most over the past few weeks.

The Australian dollar, South Korea’s won and Indonesian rupiah were up between 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent.

The oil-dependent Malaysian ringgit surged more than two percent, tracking Monday’s surge in crude prices after the weekend agreement by non-Opec members to slash output.

Crude prices held up in Asian trade Tuesday but Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at Oanda, said it would likely struggle to break further up after Monday’s more than two percent gains.

With AFP, Bloomberg

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.37 5,000 47.7 17,000 88 1,523,860 3.76 10,000 114 1,227,130 1.54 74,000 38 545,400 16.48 300 19.08 92,600 7 2,600 1.74 29,000 805 460 0.64 2,529,000 74 2,842,640 0.77 519,000 14.1 1,000 54.45 48,030 252 47,340 130 90 92.4 2,480 35.2 236,700 204 297,350 1,730 495 74.5 124,650 1.31 27,000

16,200 808,295 133,775,466.50 37,600 137,574,309 113,720 20,721,975 4,946 1,758,196 17,325 50,640 368,050 1,639,180 209,239,725.50 398,760 14,100 2,615,642.50 11,636,480 11,700 228,202.50 8,331,940 59,549,238 856,350 9,255,139 35,370

14,340 -14,554,282.50 -26,967,345 -9,180 17,460,810 590,710 -12,250 -117,298,016.50 -804,223.50 11,555,050 -7,747,420 15,938,259 -2,312,069.50 35,370

43.6 4.12 0.86 1.37 19.36 0.19 89 11.46 17.02 22.1 19.5 57.3 92 99 1.88 7.18 12.04 11.1 6 7.18 5.39 21.9 67.95 16.5 6.05 1.69 210.2 77 2.66 3.57 29.55 24 14.8 258 10.1 11.3 2.04 5.64 1.4 67.3 5.08 232 4.6 2.74 4.5 0.141 1.49 154.1 4.6 1.6 31.2 1.06

INDUSTRIAL 43.7 646,700 4.2 544,000 0.9 2,311,000 1.4 899,000 19.88 45,300 0.195 1,300,000 89 50 11.6 5,343,000 17.04 833,100 23 327,900 21.4 3,300 57.3 5,000 92.2 1,310 99 10 1.91 237,000 7.18 315,300 12.1 23,500 11.18 10,381,500 6.14 355,600 7.19 347,400 5.4 14,895,700 22.3 1,690,100 68 132,280 16.84 171,700 6.07 65,000 1.7 38,000 215 601,050 79.5 1,500 2.84 139,000 3.57 7,000 29.9 1,521,600 24 892,700 15.3 1,390,800 258 225,640 10.5 6,068,400 11.3 4,100 2.05 558,000 5.79 202,300 1.4 153,000 68 546,790 5.2 227,300 232 90 4.6 240,000 2.75 21,000 4.55 279,000 0.141 70,000 1.53 124,000 158 6,165,910 4.6 5,000 1.62 1,473,000 31.2 100 1.1 11,000

28,365,835 2,267,540 2,028,350 1,262,830 899,534 250,200 4,450 61,791,968 14,340,372 7,395,630 69,550 286,501.50 121,571 990 449,840 2,264,820 286,708 115,888,364 2,178,978 2,499,542 80,718,575 37,351,550 8,993,160 2,864,958 394,667 64,640 127,648,790 118,851 389,300 26,140 45,091,855 21,486,840 21,201,210 58,591,448 63,208,972 46,330 1,138,750 1,170,524 214,200 37,163,176.50 1,170,910 20,960 1,105,040 57,800 1,268,430 9,870 188,500 970,200,685 23,000 2,395,500 3,120 11,740

14,740,475 229,590 43,500 27,834,658 1,249,110 9,400 -169,700 -3,184,100 6,138 -2,188,787 42,817,941 -7,252,885 154,493 -1,105,988 21,780 -41,822,978 -31,880,870 -19,418,900 10,773,494 -7,122,692 -19,433,870 683,400 -1,007,460 -141,400 -4,860,303 -102,000 865,530 59,230 -159,445,382 -23,000 76,050 -

0.5 73.65 12.56 1.11 5.95 0.305 670 8.35 13.4 7.9 1,200 5.91 68.8 3.95 1.32 7.69 12.78 6.27 0.037 1.26 1.9 93 2.3 633.5 1.19 257.2 0.18 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.51 21,696,000 73.95 1,879,850 12.64 4,156,700 1.22 54,000 5.95 15,000 0.31 110,000 690 1,313,060 8.37 684,300 13.48 4,947,800 8.15 136,000 1,280 163,780 6.1 11,100 70.05 1,560,610 3.95 1,000 1.36 7,066,000 7.8 718,400 13 1,445,100 6.48 14,501,700 0.038 32,500,000 1.35 430,000 1.91 585,000 96 698,590 2.3 1,000 638 354,430 1.19 110,000 260 13,110 0.18 210,000 0.27 690,000

11,297,840 139,025,093.50 52,545,216 65,900 89,400 34,100 901,257,895 5,762,211 66,610,666 1,100,354 203,394,530 65,620 108,266,352 3,950 9,652,050 5,588,229 18,753,900 92,950,434 1,216,200 609,200 1,112,630 66,481,095 2,300 226,197,440 131,050 3,393,994 38,000 176,500 287,409 211,410 16,710 199,480 5,606,000 672,343,235 2,844,190 695,300 4,221,520 228,340 7,152,720 268,610 626,070 23,128,570 23,202,990 3,173,450 1,395,420 175,816,390

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.21 47.5 87.1 3.76 111.7 1.56 37.65 16.5 18.84 6.65 1.75 800 0.66 74 0.76 14.1 54.5 245 130 92.05 35.5 199.9 1,730 74.6 1.31

3.37 47.7 88.1 3.76 114 1.56 38 16.5 19.08 7 1.75 805 0.67 74.35 0.79 14.1 55.9 252 130 92.4 35.5 204 1,730 74.6 1.31

3.2 47.5 87 3.76 110 1.53 37.65 16.48 18.84 6.65 1.74 800 0.64 72.75 0.76 14.1 54.25 245 130 92 35.1 197.5 1,730 73.6 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 PETRON PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

44.7 4.3 0.89 1.37 21 0.194 89 11.6 17.18 22.9 19.5 57.35 92.5 99 1.91 7.19 12.6 11.14 6.25 7.27 5.4 22.2 68 16.5 6.06 1.74 211.4 80 2.85 3.8 29.55 25 15 268 10.3 11.3 2.04 5.77 1.4 68 5.18 234 4.62 2.78 4.59 0.141 1.49 160 4.6 1.66 31.2 1.06

44.7 4.3 0.9 1.44 21 0.195 89 11.66 17.26 23 21.4 57.35 93.1 99 1.92 7.21 12.6 11.24 6.27 7.27 5.49 22.3 68.05 16.84 6.11 1.74 215.2 80 2.85 3.8 29.9 25 15.4 268 10.58 11.3 2.05 5.79 1.4 68 5.2 234 4.62 2.78 4.59 0.141 1.53 160 4.6 1.66 31.2 1.1

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

0.5 74.8 12.9 1.23 6 0.305 706 8.44 13.48 7.92 1,243 5.91 69 3.95 1.34 7.8 13 6.3 0.038 1.26 1.9 94.8 2.3 648 1.2 258.2 0.181 0.255

0.54 74.8 12.9 1.23 6 0.315 706.5 8.5 13.52 8.17 1,280 6.1 70.05 3.95 1.4 7.8 13 6.48 0.039 1.54 1.91 96.5 2.3 649 1.2 260 0.181 0.27

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

6.95 1.13 6.18 2.16 0.41 33.2 2.94 4.97 0.59 1.13 1.35 0.151 0.57 38 1.72 0.98 1.26 3.58

6.99 1.13 6.2 2.19 0.43 33.25 3 5.13 0.59 1.13 1.49 0.151 0.57 38.15 1.73 0.98 1.28 3.6

6.89 1.09 6.18 2.13 0.405 32.25 2.93 4.97 0.57 1.02 1.33 0.15 0.55 36.65 1.71 0.96 1.26 3.48

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.145 0.255 0.41 3.28 31.2 26.5 1.58 3.28 28.15 1.17 7 0.92 5.12

0.145 0.255 0.41 3.28 31.2 27 1.58 3.29 28.7 1.18 7 0.92 5.12

0.141 0.25 0.41 3.21 31 26 1.5 3.28 27.85 1.15 7 0.9 5.01

0.142 0.25 0.41 3.22 31 27 1.55 3.29 28.7 1.15 7 0.92 5.09

8,600,000 670,000 40,000 49,000 6,800 657,500 217,000 3,000 11,068,500 4,952,000 100 45,000 3,850,700

1,223,510 170,800 16,400 158,030 210,910 17,486,880 328,780 9,860 315,262,245 5,720,720 700 41,070 19,475,664

4,583,015 89,900 170,650,420 -116,340 -6,361,784

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

7.45 44.9 1.33 0.51 0.05 10.7 6.07 0.076 2.66 90.2 9.58 7 989 1,418 6.17 15 2.07 15 72 9.11 0.192 1.33 13.38 5.02 2.48 3.93 3.63 2.65 5.29 136 12.88 1,316 1.18 0.455 39.7 72.5 5.44 2.69 0.96 3.4 0.33

7.65 44.9 1.41 0.51 0.051 10.7 6.2 0.077 2.69 92 9.58 7.52 990 1,442 6.17 15.5 2.24 15 72 9.11 0.196 1.34 13.4 5.02 2.49 4.05 3.63 2.68 5.29 145 13.26 1,332 1.18 0.48 39.7 73 5.44 2.72 1.02 3.4 0.33

7.45 44 1.33 0.5 0.047 10.52 5.97 0.072 2.64 90 9.58 6.85 989 1,410 6.15 14.6 2.07 14.9 71 9.1 0.19 1.33 13.38 4.9 2.4 3.86 3.56 2.5 5.1 136 12.7 1,314 1.16 0.455 38.7 71.5 5.4 2.59 0.95 3.35 0.33

SERVICES 7.65 44 1.33 0.5 0.049 10.52 6.2 0.072 2.65 90 9.58 7.52 990 1,420 6.15 15.5 2.24 15 71.8 9.11 0.193 1.34 13.4 4.95 2.4 4.03 3.56 2.55 5.11 145 12.96 1,320 1.18 0.455 39 71.5 5.43 2.65 1 3.35 0.33

30,900 3,900 12,000 301,000 120,730,000 2,100 8,577,700 76,890,000 15,270,000 528,040 800 1,005,400 800 74,115 7,400 180,900 7,722,000 6,700 486,620 452,000 11,610,000 241,000 1,800 952,300 553,000 4,765,000 1,005,000 1,033,000 2,500 7,320 681,400 164,710 6,531,000 34,060,000 1,023,900 800,810 64,900 771,000 51,889,000 180,000 10,000

236,265 172,330 16,250 152,750 5,916,080 22,110 52,281,171 5,689,040 40,921,020 47,614,834.50 7,664 7,355,368 791,950 105,220,225 45,614 2,763,752 16,819,360 100,460 34,817,497.50 4,117,710 2,219,670 320,550 24,116 4,722,850 1,343,570 19,064,020 3,590,860 2,659,950 12,859 1,005,380 8,845,614 217,463,325 7,682,130 15,944,250 39,921,665 57,790,305 351,391 2,028,350 51,772,490 604,270 3,300

-141,000 -31,932,642 -162,900 -99,130 -6,480,660.50 377,550 791,950 19,377,800 -150,450 -13,540,365.50 21,000 516,990.00 -1,518,310 -375,950 -31,800 881,670 28,185,805 1,703,070 -4,700 -9,758,330 -35,655,310.50 -15,970 15,995,460 -63,780 3,300

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

0.0034 2.84 4.8 2.2 0.56 0.54 13.08 3.55 0.28 0.197 0.195 2.34 7.9 3.07 1.32 0.011 0.013 8.66 3.7 131 2.88 0.0091

0.0035 2.9 4.83 2.3 0.56 0.57 13.48 3.55 0.28 0.197 0.196 2.47 7.98 3.08 1.35 0.012 0.013 8.67 3.7 131.6 2.96 0.0091

0.0034 2.79 4.8 2.18 0.55 0.485 12.56 3.44 0.275 0.196 0.195 2.2 7.64 3.03 1.25 0.011 0.013 8.5 3.61 130.5 2.88 0.0091

MINING & OIL 0.0034 110,000,000 2.79 65,000 4.83 168,000 2.18 94,000 0.55 300,000 0.5 18,475,000 13.2 97,700 3.44 2,579,000 0.275 1,740,000 0.197 2,210,000 0.195 2,350,000 2.33 11,097,000 7.93 6,476,500 3.03 47,000 1.32 2,320,000 0.011 32,100,000 0.013 1,100,000 8.55 930,000 3.65 443,000 131.2 950,810 2.96 17,000 0.0091 1,000,000

374,100 185,110 807,600 206,060 167,000 9,602,780 1,258,400 8,962,690 479,050 434,160 458,520 25,772,320 50,677,817 142,950 3,023,140 368,600 14,300 7,962,481 1,611,300 124,682,307 49,680 9,100

-34,000 -452,080 -3,975 39,360 901,290 -24,770 -18,067,130 -12,120 6,550 972,067 80,740 -60,160,002 -

-129,600 2,134,781.50 -43,057,444 -476,485,345 3,802,331 -32,022,614 10,621 -32,080,695 -610 5,610,565 -1,797,677 -11,503,172 22,373,341 231,800 25,071,441 -134,704,880 113,050 490,064 -127,500

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B DD PREF GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

43.95 539 103.8 103.7 540 1,015 1,020 1.08 112.4 1,035 80.6 77.5 77.5 80.9 79.45 77.5 77.1

44.9 545 104 103.8 540 1,015 1,020 1.08 112.4 1,038 80.7 77.5 77.5 81 79.45 77.5 78.5

43.9 535 103 103.4 540 1,015 1,020 1.08 112.4 1,035 80.6 77.5 77.5 80.9 79.45 77.15 77.1

PREFERRED 44.85 39,200 545 24,770 103 54,970 103.5 5,140 540 400 1,015 135 1,020 30 1.08 5,000 112.4 21,000 1,037 4,950 80.6 23,100 77.5 40,000 77.5 67,000 81 20,000 79.45 21,500 77.15 68,700 78.4 135,250

1,741,220 13,398,550 5,706,310 532,486 216,000 137,025 30,600 5,400 2,360,400 5,125,650 1,863,440 3,100,000 5,192,500 1,619,850 1,708,175 5,323,330 10,512,990

850,205 30,073 169,730 -

LR WARRANT

2.42

2.5

2.4

WARRANTS 2.42 245,000

591,850

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.69 3.26 2.89 9.5

2.73 3.29 2.89 9.5

2.6 3.18 2.8 9.42

2.65 3.29 2.89 9.42

1,629,260 775,360 94,280 5,066,283

-10,560 360,470 -347,735

FIRST METRO ETF

115

115

113.1

975,288

45,280

72,794 -4,340 202,700 -145,395,515 -1,558,270 35,690 -299,830 19,700 445,700 271,645 1,023,330 -78,513,880

TRADING SUMMARY

MS

PROPERTY 6.99 1.11 6.2 2.13 0.43 32.5 2.96 5 0.57 1.09 1.43 0.15 0.57 38 1.73 0.97 1.28 3.6

41,600 193,000 2,700 92,000 13,240,000 20,688,200 964,000 139,000 7,283,000 212,000 4,966,000 1,790,000 1,124,000 619,800 13,420,000 3,272,000 1,093,000 49,862,000

FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES

10,203,661 65,221,707 100,043,565

PROPERTY

149,237,775

SERVICES

384,213,812

MINING & OIL

194,575,927

GRAND TOTAL

904,930,665

SME

613,000 242,000 33,000 537,100

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113.1 8,600

VALUE 1,682.79 (UP) 16.93 599,092,639.45 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,828.78 (DOWN) 54.27 1,835,410,264.35 HOLDING FIRMS 6,974.36 (DOWN) 4.39 2,249,971,629.095 PROPERTY 3,110.55 (UP) 10.54 SERVICES 1,277.63 (UP) 0.06 1,287,810,005.58 MINING & OIL 12,034.99 (UP) 0.97 989,380,894.75 PSEI 6,880.91 (UP) 12.02 237,267,353.126 All Shares Index 4,172.65 (UP) 10.26 7,207,474,686.035 Gainers:88 Losers:87; Unchanged: 47; Total: 222

in China restaurant

By Jenniffer B. Austria JOLLIBEE Foods Corp., the country’s largest food service company, said Tuesday it fully divested its stake in China restaurant chain San Pin Wang for 90 million renminbi or P650 million.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the divestment was in line with the plan to focus on building Yonghe King business, its largest unit in China with 315 stores as of end November 2016 and an 8-percent contribution to the group’s worldwide system sales.

Jollibee said whollyowned subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. sold its 55-percent shareholdings in San Pin Wang to joint venture partner Guangxi San Pin Wang Food and Beverage Management Company Limited.

Jollibee acquired 55 percent of San Pin Wang in March 2012. The Chinese restaurant chain had 34 stores located mostly in Nanning in Guangxi province at that time. San Pin Wang offered low-priced beef noodle.

San Pin Wang was operating 71 stores as of endNovember and planned to continue expanding in 2017.

“JFC’ s divestment of its shareholdings in San Pin Wang is part of its intention to concentrate its resources on businesses with greater potential,” Jollibee said in a statement.

Jollibee’s China operations was on a decline due to stiff competition. China is an important overseas market for Jollibee.

The fast-food giant said it expected to restore growth in China as early as the fourth quarter of 2016 or first quarter of 2017.

Shell set to add 70 stations next year

By Alena Mae S. Flores PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. plans to invest as much as P2.8 billion to put up 50 to 70 new retail stations next year.

Shell country manager Cesar Romero told reporters about 40 percent of the stations would be located in Luzon and 60 percent in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The company has 966 existing stations to date. Shell is the country’s second biggest oil company, operating a 110,000-barrel-perday refinery in Batangas.

“This is the investment we’ve set aside every year, 40 percent of which will be located in Luzon and 60 percent in Vis-Min. We have a huge capex [capital expenditure]. A large station costs about P25 [million] to P40 million to construct,” Romero said.

He said Shell stations were normally huge and had high standards, thus more expensive to build.

Romero said aside from retail expansion, the company planned to put up a bitumen facility and improve its Batangas refinery.

He earlier said the company was still evaluating the improvements needed to undertake for the refinery.

The company completed this year its refinery upgrade program costing $150 million that allowed Shell to meet the new Philippine National Standards for ‘Euro IV (PH)’ grade diesel and gasoline.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Buy Filipino this Christmas

ON ITS 10TH YEAR. Geothermal power producer Energy Development Corp. celebrates its 10th year as a listed company through a special bell ringing ceremony at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Shown from left are EDC head of investor relations Erudito Recio; EDC independent directors Francisco Ed. Lim and Edgar Chua; EDC chief financial officer and treasurer Nestor Vasay; EDC president and chief operting officer Richard Tantoco; PSE chairman Jose Pardo; PSE director Ma. Vivian Yuchengco; PSE president and CEO Hans B. Sicat; PSE director Emmanuel Bautista; PSE COO Roel Refran; and PSE Director Alejandro Yu.

PAL sees challenging year in 2017—Bautista Steel import permit recalled

By Othel V. Campos THE Trade Department recalled the import commodity clearance granted earlier to Mannage Resources Trading Corp. to ensure the quality of steel imports in the Philippines The company earlier used the permit in shipping in 20,000 metric tons of imported Chinese steel bars to the Philippines.

Trade regional director Judith Angeles and Bureau of Philippine Standards Assistant director and officer-in-charge Marimel Porciuncula informed Mannage president Lawrence Daniel Sy on December 8, 2016 about the recall of the permit, documents showed.

The Trade Department said the withdrawal aimed to ensure that shipment and further imports would meet the laws, rules and standards required for traceability, quality and safety.

The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute, the umbrella organization for the local steel industry, was partly relieved by the decision of the Trade Department to recall the import certification.

Pisi president Roberto Cola said withdrawal was “in the interest of public safety” and in line with the government and industry’s policy of strictly enforcing the mandatory standards for steel products.

The recall and stricter implementation of mandatory standards is beneficial to the consuming public as it can lead to stopping the proliferation of uncertified or substandard steel bars in the market.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

P

HILIPPINE Airlines said on Tuesday it expects a challenging year in 2017 due to weak peso and the congestion at Manila’s international gateway.

“I think 2017 will be more challenging especially for PAL because we have taken delivery of seven airplanes this year. We have to look for more destinations,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.

“We have to mount more flights for us to be able to maximize utilization of these airplanes and the question is, will we be able to get more slots here in Manila,” he said.

“Because admittedly, the market we serve are mostly from Manila and if we will not be able to get those slots that we have applied... we will be reducing capacity,” he added.

Bautista said this was the reason why PAL was looking for new hubs.

“Clark is one. Hopefully our operations in Clark become successful. Cebu, we are also

increasing our international flights out of Cebu,” he said.

PAL and Clark International Airport Corp. signed an agreement specifying the commitments of both entities in line with the carrier’s domestic and international flights to be operated from the Pampanga hub.

Under the agreement, PAL committed to mount flights at the International Airport in two stages. The first starts with flights between Clark and Caticlan (Boracay) on December 16, 2016, while the second begins on the first quarter of 2017 through nonstop flights between Clark and Cebu, Davao and Cagayan as well as flights between Clark and Incheon, South Korea.

CIAC has committed to provide PAL specific logistical and ground service support to help ensure smooth operation of

flights.

Residents of Northern and Central Luzon as well as Northern Metro Manila will be able to travel to Clark International Airport in Pampanga and connect to Visayas, Mindanao, and PAL’s international network from Cebu.

Passengers from Singapore, Japan, Korea and Los Angeles may likewise fly directly to Cebu and take the CebuCaticlan-Clark service and enjoy Pampanga before traveling by land to Baguio or Laoag up north. They may also connect to regional and international points PAL flies to from the Queen City of the South.

PAL earlier reported a total total comprehensive income of P2.96 billion in the first nine months of the year, lower by 55 percent from the previous year’s total comprehensive income of P6.55 billion.

Revenues for the period January to September amounted to P85.35 billion, 3.5 percent higher than last year’s same period figure of P82.48 billion.

The airline’s total operating expenses grew 8.9 percent to P76.21 billion.

SY HONORED. Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental organization based in Malaysia which organizes the world-class Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards, honors retail pioneer Henry Sy Sr. with a Lifetime Achievement Award on December 1, 2016 at a ceremony held at the Dusit Thani Manila.

Sy is the first and only Filipino to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Enterprise Asia which is on its third year of organizing the awards in the Philippines.

The APEA recognizes and honors business leaders who have shown outstanding performance and tenacity in developing successful businesses within the Asian region.

The awards also aim to gather leading entrepreneurs across Asia to spur greater innovation, fair practices and growth in entrepreneurship.

Today, the awards covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, China and the Philippines.

IF you’re on the lookout for gifts to family, friends, officemates, your kid’s teachers and his classmates, it would be a good idea to “buy gifts from small businesses, women and mother entrepreneurs, that neighbor who makes handmade sweets or the community artisan,” as the post that’s been going around Facebook urges.

Buying from these small entrepreneurs will certainly spread the goodwill and cheer since any purchase will help these people with struggling or startup businesses. Aside from the fact that shopping in malls and department stores can turn stressful (foot traffic and long queues), you’re better off buying Filipino-made products instead of those foreign brands because that small gesture on your part will go a long way in generating jobs.

When he was still a party list representative, Teddy Casiño delivered a privilege speech advocating the Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy concept, urging people to buy Filipino products and services during Christmas to help small and medium enterprises and in so doing, protect and create jobs in the country. While his speech was delivered four years ago, the call is still very relevant and follows the “tangkilikin ang sariling atin” (patronize our own) lessons that have been ingrained in many of us since our elementary school days.

Instead of coffee from Brazil or Columbia, get those barako brews from Batangas; instead of imported shampoo, soap and other beauty products, go for that organic soap from Nueva Ecija or the Ilog Maria natural beauty and skincare products that contain refined beeswax or honey (soaps, lip balms, shampoos and the like).

A more popular Filipino brand would be Human Nature that offers all Philippine-made personal care products. The company is pro-Philippines, pro-poor and pro-environment—put up by Gawad Kalinga volunteers Camille Meloto, Anna MelotoWilk and Dylan Wilk who are passionate about developing environmentally safe products sourced from locally grown ingredients. The company partners with other social entrepreneurs, mostly from GK communities and villages to support the local residents and provide them with sustainable livelihood.

In Manila, just across UST and near the U-belt is a charming new store called Hello MNL that also carries only Filipino-made brands. Put up by young entrepreneur mom Des Ong, the idea for the store came about when she faced the challenge of marketing her own startup brand Dagatbeads. All available options were either too costly or too far from where she lives, so she scouted for a place in her community to introduce her brand to the market.

Since most shops/stores in her community were retail type or mostly carried clothes, she saw a perfect venue to showcase her Dagatbeads (bracelets and other accessories made from pebbles)—in the process also opening doors for fellow startups and “tiyangge-mates” (bazaar mates). To date, the store now carries over 80 Filipino brands ranging from functional pieces, handcrafts, food and beverage, bags, decorative items, witty stickers and a lot more—many of which stand out for their uniqueness, artistry and novelty.

Since the store is just across UST and the U-belt, the core target would be students, although it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the market cuts across a wider segment. Among the most noticeable are beer and wine bottles that have been turned into drinking glasses (or lamps and other products) from Cristal Glass Project, the Niño brand whose cool “convertible” bag (it can function as a shoulder bag or backpack) will soon be the rage; and the Diyalogo line of stickers (a Pack Set can send you into stitches), among many others. Check out Hello MNL on Facebook; @hellomanila store on Instagram or visit the store at 864-A Moret St, Manila.

••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo. com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/happyhourmanilastandard. Cheers!

Church backs Congress move to increase sin taxes further, cites health issues A SENIOR Catholic Church official is backing moves in Congress to further raise sin taxes in the succeeding year.

In his radio program, former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz lauded House Bill No. 4144 as a “prohealth” measure.

The bill aims to increase further existing excise tax rate from P30 to P32 per pack on low-end cigarette packs and P36 for premium brands

priced 11.50 above. It also imposes a higher 5 percent annual increase beginning 2018, up from the original 4 percent stated in the current law.

“It is the government’s duty to protect the health of its citizens aside from raising revenues,” he said.

The vocal archbishop cited data from the Social Weather Station that 10 Filipinos die every hour daily from smoking-related diseases.

He stressed that the government’s objective was to ulti-

mately stop smoking and urge citizens to spend their earnings on food and other important needs.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it [HB 4144] because it discourages smokers to quit... It’s okay because [especially] the poor end up saving their money instead of spending it on vices such as cigarettes and alcohol,” Cruz said in his Veritas Patrol interview.

Archbishop Emeritus Dios-

dado Talamayan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao commended lawmakers for passing the bill.

He noted that aside from the good intentions that the bill aims to achieve, it helps the livelihood of our local farmers.

“The Northern region is a tobacco-rich province where many farmers depend on the crop to improve the lives of their families,” the Cagayan native added.

Moreover, according to Talamayan, it keeps the youth

and poor sector away from the vice.

Economist Frank Chaloupka, an internationally respected scientist in the area of tobacco control, indicated that smoking was most prevalent among the poor sectors of society.

His research has consistently demonstrated that increases in the price of tobacco products are followed by a fall in percentage of people smoking, and the amount of tobacco products that remaining smokers consume.

Nobel prize winning economist Gary Becker and colleagues Michael Grossman and Kevin M. Murphy demonstrated in their study as early as 30 years ago that the youth and poor were particularly sensitive to price increases.

The youth sector falls under the zero to low-income category because some do not have work or had just started work, while the others are not yet fully settled to be financially independent.

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

Business

China sales, output climb BEIJING―China’s industrial output and retail sales growth both accelerated in November, government data showed Tuesday, in a sign of stabilization for the world’s second-largest economy.

Industrial output rose 6.2 percent in the month, ahead of both October’s figures and economists’ predictions of 6.1 percent in a Bloomberg News survey.

Retail sales rose 10.8 percent on-year in nominal terms, up from 10.0 percent in October, while fixed-asset investment, a gauge of infrastructure spending, rose 8.3 percent in the first 11 months of the year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

China is a key driver of the world economy but its expansion has slowed significantly from the doubledigit years of the past.

Now Beijing is seeking to make a difficult transition away from its dependence on exports and heavy industry toward consumption as the engine of the economy.

After a bumpy start to the year it has shown resilience in the last quarter, aided by ample credit policies and the weakening of the yuan currency, making Chinese goods cheaper to buy for overseas customers.

Total retail sales reached 3.1 trillion yuan ($450 billion) in the month, boosted by the annual “Singles Day” online sales promotions for November 11.

Together the data show that China’s recovery “remains intact heading into 2017”, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a note.

But as credit growth has cooled and the red-hot property sector faces a correction, the economy is likely to begin slowing again next year, he added.

And the outlook for China’s performance is clouded by uncertainty over the coming US presidency of Donald Trump, who has promised to declare China a currency manipulator and threatened to slap 45 percent punitive tariffs on imports from the country to protect American jobs. AFP

GOOGLE IN CUBA. Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt (second from left) and Cuban national telecom provider president executive Mayra Arevich (second from right) sign a bilateral agreement in Havana, on December 12, 2016. Cuba signed a deal with Google Monday to enable faster access to content from the US tech giant on the communist island, where internet service is notoriously limited and slow. AFP

Tough talk on China worries US exporters N

EW YORK―President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese goods is a worry for firms that trade with the country in the US Midwest, a decisive region in the Republican’s election triumph.

Strong support across America’s “Rust Belt,” and frustration at lost industrial jobs blamed on globalization, carried Trump to victory last month in key battleground states, including Michigan and Ohio.

But some companies in the region that benefit from global trade are worried about early signs the president-elect plans to take a hardline stance with China.

“We export a lot of products to China,” said David Shogren, president of US International Foods. “My fear is whatever changes Trump makes... that

China will retaliate in some ways.”

The St. Louis company depends on China as a key export market for peanut butter, mustard, nuts, cereals and other items. About 50 percent of its revenues are tied to China, compared with just five percent to its home market.

“Our customers may switch from US products to other countries: Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Japan, or other exporting countries,” Shogren said.

Shogren said his company is trying to build markets

in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

Trump during the campaign threatened to impose 45 percent tariffs on China, saying the world’s second biggest economy has stiffed the US with currency manipulation and illegal subsidies.

“China will take a tit-fortat approach,” said an editorial in Global Times, a Chinese newspaper that is close to the government.

“A batch of Boeing orders will be replaced by Airbus. US auto and iPhone sales in China will suffer a setback, and US soybean and maize imports will be halted,” it warned. “China can also limit the number of Chinese students studying in the US.” China also responded sharply to Trump’s decision to accept a phone call from Taiwan President

Tsai Ing-wen and to suggestions he is rethinking the decades-old US “One China policy.”

The One China policy is the “political bedrock” of relations with the US, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

If it is “compromised or disrupted” cooperation in major fields would be “out of the question,” Geng added.

Ohio-based Progressive Molding Technologies imports tooling from China that enables it to compete with Chinese rivals.

“My fear is we will lose access to China’s cheap tools,” said president Laird Daubenspeck.

“At that point, I will anticipate the our customers will start to slow down new product launches and we will see less growth.”

Daubenspeck has written twice to Trump, once after he was elected and a second time after the Taiwan phone call. AFP

Italy’s UniCredit bares plan to cut jobs MILAN―Italy’s biggest bank, UniCredit, announced plans Tuesday to slash 14,000 jobs and raise billions of euros in fresh capital as fears of a banking and political crisis grip the country.

The bank, one of the worst performers in European bank stress tests, confirmed it would need to seek 13 billion euros ($13.8 billion) in fresh capital from investors despite political instability in Italy and the nation’s third-largest bank scrambling to avoid a governmentled rescue.

UniCredit also said it would shelve around 14,000 jobs by the end of 2019 as part of a cost-saving drive.

The bank estimated this would save it 1.1 billion euros in staff costs. The bank added it planned to slash other costs by 600 million euros, resulting in an annual saving of 1.7 billion euros.

UniCredit’s announcements came at a time when investor confidence in Italy has been badly shaken by the collapse of former prime minister Matteo Renzi’s government.

And the Italian banking sector is in a perilous state, with the world’s oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS), trying to put together a privatesector rescue after losing 80 percent of its market capitalization in the past year.

Shares in BMPS rose Monday following a statement by the bank it was hopeful a government rescue could be avoided.

The Italian government pledged Friday to intervene to recapitalize BMPS should it fail to raise the money from private investors needed to stay afloat.

Italy’s new Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni unveiling his cabinet team Monday also helped reassure markets on Monday.

UniCredit’s announcement was part of a major strategic review launched under new chairman Jean-Pierre Mustier, that has so far involved selling off assets to strengthen the bank’s capital base.

UniCredit was among the worst-performing banks in stress tests carried out in July by the European Banking Authority, causing its share price to plummet nearly 10 percent.

Since then, it has disposed of several assets and stopped certain banking activities to focus on its core strengths.

Mustier said the strategic review was a “pragmatic plan based on conservative assumptions, with tangible and achievable targets.” AFP

Whales in the wild: Rare gem amid Thailand’s mass tourism

By Delphine Thouvenot GULF OF THAILAND― Piercing the water’s surface with its almond-shaped mouth, a giant Bryde’s whale opens wide for one, two, three seconds, gulping in anchovies as a boatload of awed tourist look on in the Gulf of Thailand.

It’s a rare glimpse of marine life in its natural habitat, in a kingdom overrun with mass tourist attractions such as aquariums and dolphin shows.

Once a dream for scuba divers, many of Thailand’s coral reefs have been dulled by pollution, over-fishing and increased boat traffic, as well as over-enthusiastic swimmers.

But going out to spot Bryde’s whales is a relatively new concept.

The 15-meter (50-foot) long mammals flock to the northern Gulf waters to feed on an abundance of anchovies during the September to December rainy season.

Many tourists come out to catch a glimpse of their unique feeding habits―observing the way they keep their mouths agape for seconds at a time.

“The way they eat is the greatest bio-mechanical event” in the world, said Jirayu Ekkul, who takes groups out on his converted fishing boat to spot

the whales just a few hours from the bustling capital Bangkok.

The devoted diver and wildlife photographer’s company Wild Encounter Thailand is among only a handful offering whale watching excursions in the Gulf of Thailand.

No regulations Heading out on the waters in search of Bryde’s whales is a ritual he relishes, and one he hopes won’t be lost if whalewatching goes the way of so many other mass tourism attractions in Thailand.

“Commercial whalewatching is new in Thailand, there are no regulations yet,” he tells AFP on his boat, which can carry about 40 people.

Ekkul insists he is careful: Last year he took out fewer than 1,000 tourists, he says, and his operation adheres to strict international guidelines for this kind of venture.

Boats are expected to slow down near the whales, keep a good distance, and to make sure they do not block their paths.

“This boat has the right way to approach them, by slowing down the engine, slowing down the boat speed,” said Surasak Thongsukdee, a whale specialist at the Marine and Coastal Research Center.

Surasak and other researchers often join the tourist expeditions, a

This picture taken on November 20, 2016 shows a mother Bryde’s whale (left) and her calf feeding on anchovies in the Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of Samut Sakhon province. It’s a rare glimpse of marine life in its natural habitat, in a kingdom overrun with mass tourist attractions such as aquariums and dolphin shows.

AFP

key opportunity to observe the 50 or so Bryde’s whales in the Gulf―all of which he knows by name.

Whale-watching has become a significant global industry. The number of people taking such trips grew from 4 million in the 1990s to 13 million by 2008, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

But there are concerns about the impact it has. In 2014 conservationists at the International Marine Conservation Congress warned tourist boats may be causing stress and driving whales from their natural feeding grounds.

There is also the risk of death from collision with the vessels.

In the Gulf of Thailand, six whales were found dead this year, which is a sharp spike from the average one death per annum.

Surasak blames this increase on the toxic waters, though local media also reported illegal fishing trawlers in the area.

“These whales might be affected by pollution flowing

into the water” he said, adding that many different rivers flow into the Gulf of Thailand. In October, dozens of sting ray and razor clam beds died off due to pollution from one tributary.

Need for green The junta-ruled kingdom, whose sputtering economy remains hugely reliant on tourists to keep afloat, has come under fire for letting visitors spoil its natural attractions.

Precious coral are routinely damaged by throngs of scubadiving tourists, who scrape reefs with their fins or hands in their hunt to spot tropical fish.

Some even pose on the coral to take underwater selfies.

“The government is struggling to enforce best practice in terms of tourism,” said British marine biologist James Harvey.

He would like to see Thailand embrace green tourism, an increasingly attractive industry among eco-minded travelers.

In collaboration with the UN, he founded Green Fins, a program that promotes sustainable diving and snorkeling in Asia to protect coral reefs, and would like to see a more eco-friendly ethos applied in Thailand.

“It makes economic sense to be green now,” he said. AFP

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

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SHOPPING TRAFFIC. Bargain hunters shopping along C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila create heavy foot traffic as Filipinos rush to make last-minute gift purchases for Christmas. Andrew Rabulan

QC residents brace for big tax hike T

By Rio Araja

HE Quezon City Council on Tuesday passed on third and final reading Proposed Ordinance No. 20CC-141, which seeks to raise the fair market values of lands, buildings and other structures in the city that haven’t been adjusted in 21 years.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista is expected to sign the ordinance into law this week, and the Office of the City Assessor has said it will be effective by January 2017.

Its last fair market value adjustment happened in December 1995.

Residents are thus bracing for tax increases from 39 up to 131 percent on their properties, based on a summary of the

planned changes under the ordinance that shows it will increase fair market values of residential, commercial and industrial properties by 400 to 733.33 percent.

District 3 Councilor Allan Benedict Reyes also said the council passed Ordinances No. 20CC-175 and 20CC-176, granting real-estate property discounts to senior citizens and solo parents, respectively.

“The 18th Regular Session of the Quezon City Council passed the three measures without amendments or omission, except for a few typographical errors,” Reyes told the Manila Standard.

Copies of the approved ordinances shall be forwarded “by Friday” to the office of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte for her signature and certification, he said.

“Hopefully, Mayor Herbert Bautista will not veto them,” Reyes said, adding he is confident of the mayor’s support “because the taxes to be derived from the fair market value adjustment can be translated into more public services.”

“After the mayor has signed the measures, there will be a publication of these for three consecutive weeks, then implementation will

follow in January 2017,” added Reyes, chairman of the council’s Ways and Means committee and one of the ordinance’s authors.

While councilors and Belmonte, who presides over the council, have promised the ordinance would not lead to taxes rising by as much as 500 percent, the sizable tax hike stemming from the proposal has led some affected sectors to oppose it.

The city government plans to use the additional funds raised from the taxes to bolster Quezon City’s general fund, its barangays, and to a special education fund.

Some homeowner groups, however, argue that Quezon City does not need the additional tax collections since it has a budget surplus.

Businesses, led by mall operator SM, the Philippine Retailers As-

sociation and the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc., also said they would have to pass the additional tax cost to customers.

City Assessor Rodolfo Ordanes said the city expects to collect P700 million more in the first year of the law’s implementation.

Quezon City saw P3.796 billion in real property taxes in 2015, its second biggest source of income after business taxes, per data from the city treasurer’s office.

Belmonte had said the 38-member council is bent on fast-tracking the approval of the proposed ordinance, which Quezon City needed to do after the Commission on Audit wrote Mayor Bautista in October asking why the city did not heed Republic Act 7160.

Known as the Local Government

Davao opening more roads

Makati now taking biz permit renewals

By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Makati has started accepting applications for the renewal of business permits and tax payments in anticipation of the Jan. 20, 2017 deadline set by its Business Permits and Licensing Office.

BPLO chief Maribert Pagente said they have started receiving application forms from licensed professional offices and other establishments in the city to renew their permits.

Most of the offices that applied early were dental and medical clinics, representative offices, non-stock and non-profit organizations, regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters, merchandisers, real estate lessors, law offices and other professional practices, cooperatives, and common carriers.

For the convenience of real

property owners, the Office of the City Treasurer has released the schedule of the Computerized Real Property Tax Payment in the barangays, which will start on Jan. 3, 2017.

The city government also offered a 10-percent discount on realty taxes paid on an annual basis, and five percent for quarterly payments made during the first 20 days of the quarter.

However, annual realty tax payments made after March will be charged an eight percent penalty, while late quarterly payments will incur a penalty of two percent per month.

Beginning January 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on scheduled dates, satellite payment centers in barangay halls linked to the City Treasury are scheduled to accept realty tax payments. To date, the program covers 31 barangays, excluding the two disputed barangays.

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

CONGRESS VISIT. Leyte first district Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (left) welcomes to the plenary hall of the House of Representatives her visitors from the municipality of Babatngon, Leyte, (from right) Councilors Jun Dimpas, Jake Chan, Ben Cale and Edgar Marden. Ver Noveno

Aurora, Nueva Ecija national parks get more funds

By Ferdie G. Domingo MARIA AURORA, Aurora— The national government has set aside P9 million for the development of eco-tourism facilities at the 5,000-hectare Aurora Memorial National Park in this town.

Arturo Salazar, assistant regional

director for technical services of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said the funding will be used to set up comfort rooms, an information center and a hiking area in the park, 40,000 hectares of which are in this province, with the rest in Nueva Ecija.

Salazar said next year, they are

eyeing funding for the Dinadiawan River Protected Landscape in Dipaculao, Aurora, and the Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed Forest Reserve in Nueva Ecija.

Raizza Lico, chief of the protected areas management and biodiversity conservation section of the DENR in Region 3, said other protected ar-

eas in the region that received funding are the Bataan National Park (P5 million), the Biak-na-Bato National Park in Bulacan (P13 million), the Minalungao National Park in Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija (P13 million) and the Mt. Arayat National Park in Pampanga (P5 million).

The Aurora Memorial park is con-

sidered a protected area apart from the 6,471.08-hectare Amro River Protected Landscape in the town of Casiguran, the 3,371.332-hectare DRPL in Dipaculao town and the 2,266.47-hectare Simbahan-Talagas Protected Landscapes and the 3,526.29-hectare Talaytay Protected Landscapes, both in Dinalungan.

General Trias celebrates 1st year as city, 268th overall GENERAL Trias in Cavite celebrated the first anniversary of its cityhood on Monday, a year after winning the “Yes” vote in a plebiscite.

Led by Cavite sixth district Rep. Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV, who authored the law turning

“GenTri” into a city, his elder brother Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer, Vice Mayor Morit Sison and the city council, the officials attended the flag ceremony and the changing of the symbolic flag that marked it as the province’s seventh city after Cavite City,

Code of 1991, RA 7160 requires local governments to adjust real property values every three years.

Belmonte, several city councilors, Ordanes and assistant city assessor for operation Sherry Gonzalvo, promised to mitigate the impact of the adjustment of property values on those paying real-property taxes.

Ordanes and Gonzalvo assured there would be no 500-percent increase on real-property taxes if Ordinance No. 20CC-14 is passed.

“We are taxing assessed value at 5 percent only,” Gonzalvo said.

“What is subject to tax is not the market value, but the assessed value.

We get the assessed value by multiplying the market value by 5 percent (assessment value),” she told the Manila Standard.

Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarinas, Trece Martires and Tagaytay.

They also laid a wreath at the monument of General Mariano Trias, the town’s most famous son who was named vice president of the revolutionary government during the latter part of

the Spanish occupation.

General Trias also celebrated its 268th founding anniversary.

It was founded Dec. 13, 1748 and was called San Francisco de Malabon, in honor of its patron saint, San Francisco de Asis.

The officials heard a thanks-

giving Mass at the historic San Francisco de Asis de Malabon Church, then raised the new city logo flag at the City Hall promenade. Rep. Ferrer IV then led the distribution of Christmas gifts and cash for 400 persons with disabilities living in the city.

DAVAO CITY—Several alternate and new roads will open in this city next year to lessen its worsening traffic congestion, a city councilor said Tuesday.

Councilor Conrado Baluran, Committee on Energy and Transportation chairman, said at least two alternate routes that will unfold in the early months of 2017, after city officials met with Land Transportation and Regulatory Board chairman Martin Delgra.

Public utility vehicles will have new routes in Davao as soon as the constructed roads are opened, Buluran said.

“Our number 1 target is to really open the new Modification approach. We really need to change the route since Matina Crossing [one of the congested areas in the southern portion of the city] is where the cars converge, so we need to open more routes in the area,” he said.

An alternate route will open in the Ulas area soon to divert cars from the Matina intersection, the councilor added.

Alternate routes in the northern and southern portion of the city will open early in 2017, Baluran said.

“There are two shortcut roads, one is in the Lanang area [in the north] and in Catalunan Pequeño in the southern part,” he said.

A P34-billion coastal road is also part of the project of the city and the Department of Public Works and Highways, part of the P41 billion worth of road construction allocated by the national government.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

LGUs

Cavite number coding scheme starts Dec. 22 T HE provincial government of Cavite will finally implement a number coding scheme for all vehicles starting December 22 (Thursday) like the one being used in Metro Manila.

This comes nearly a month after the Provincial Board passed Traffic Ordinance 164, authored by first district Board Member Gilbert Gandia, on November 28. Governor Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and Vice Governor Ramon Jolo Revilla signed the ordinance recently and ordered its publication, with notices to the public being circulated starting Monday.

Cavite’s Unified Vehicular Reduction System bans vehicles with license plates ending on a certain number from taking the roads in the morning from 6 to 9 a.m. and afternoons from 3 to 7 p.m. based on this schedule: 1 and 2 on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays, and 9 and 0 on Fridays.

Gandia, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s

transportation and communication committee, modeled the UVRP after the number-coding scheme of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

The traffic scheme will be implemented along Aguinaldo Highway, from Bacoor City to the Dasmariñas-Silang Boundary; along Governor’s Drive from Carmona to the Trece Martires-Tanza boundary; the Mol i no - Salawag-Pal ipa r a n Road from Zapote in Bacoor to Paliparan in Dasmariñas City; Molino Boulevard; and Daang Hari Road, from Aguinaldo Highway in Imus to Molino in Bacoor. Benjamin Chavez This notice informs residents of Cavite of the new traffic scheme to be applied to the province starting December 22.

BCDA eyes better Poro Point ports SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority will pursue the upgrade of the existing airport and seaport here to international standards to help boost the development potential of Northern Luzon as a “national food basket” in the future.

Vivencio Dizon, BCDA president and chief executive officer, said the studies for upgrading the Poro Point international airport are still under way, while the seaport needs to be converted into an international port to boost the trading of products in local and international markets.

“We are in the process of putting things in order. We will try to come out with a comprehensive development plan for the Poro Point airport, the seaport, and the identified economic zone within six to eight months, and we will pursue whatever the development plan will be for the benefit of the people in Northern Luzon,” Dizon stressed.

Poro Point received a P50million grant from the Private Public Partnership Center for a

feasibility study on the developments needed to maximize the use of the BCDA property.

One recommendation for Poro Point airport is to widen its runways to accommodate larger commercial planes flying into Northern Luzon, thus bringing more tourists and products for local traders.

Dizon said the thrust of the Duterte administration is to maximize the development potential of identified growth areas to generate additional employment and increase sources of livelihood for the people in the communities surrounding economic zones.

BCDA is inclined to pursue its mandate of improving the former American military bases like Poro Point in the different parts of the country by implementing “appropriate development projects” that will contribute to boosting the economy around the zones.

Poro Point is a strategic economic zone within the Ilocos Region that will serve to significantly improve economic activities because of its airport and a seaport, Dizon said.

Dexter A. See

‘Yolanda’ survivors Agri council observes Volunteers’ Day nix P7.9-b project

By Mel Caspe TACLOBAN CITY—Nearly 5,000 survivors of Typhoon “Yolanda” from different communities of Leyte and Eastern Samar marched from here to the Regional Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways at the Government Center in Palo, Leyte on Monday.

The march was a “show of mass discontent over the continuing implementation” of the DPWH’s P7.9-billion Tide Embankment Project, which runs 27.3 kilometers from Tacloban to Tanauan, Samar.

The marchers belonged to various sectoral groups aligned with the Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners, an alliance of 163 community organizations of survivors and 10 nongovernment organizations.

Throughout their almost 7-kilometer march, which started at the Tacloban City Astrodome, the marchers chanted “Tide embankment project, Undangon! Anomalya sa housing Bukwaton! (Stop Tide embankment project! Investigate anomalies in housing program!)”

On their way to Palo, the marchers passed by the Regional Office of the National Housing Authority in Tacloban and burned an effigy of a house to symbolize their indignation at the anomalies on the housing projects for Yolanda survivors.

They have been demanding the review of the tide embank-

ment project. Organizers of the march say that besides “the threat of displacement of thousands of families from their homes and sources of livelihood, with little guarantee of a relocation site due to the slow construction of housing projects,” studies have also shown the potential negative impacts of such an infrastructure project.

Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo, an earth and environmental scientist, said not only will the 4-meterhigh wall be ineffective against a storm surge, “an infrastructure project of such proportion will also leave the areas even more vulnerable to earthquakes and other disasters.”

The Aquino government approved and started the implementation of this project “despite the lack of consultation with affected residents and contrary scientific studies that the project might even enhance the risks posed to communities,” CYSP organizers said.

The marchers have been trying to push the government of President Rodrigo Duterte to review the project and explore other possibly more effective, environment-friendly, and socially acceptable options in addressing the storm surge.

DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon announced last month that the tide embankment project will start construction this year, with a budget of P2.6 billion for its start.

‘Paskua Mi Ditoy’ festivities unwrap

TO OFFICIALLY open its annual Christmas celebration, “Paskua Mi Ditoy,” the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte will hold the Capitol light-up at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Paskua Mi Ditoy” is an Ilocano phrase that can be translated into “Our Christmas Here.”

The Ilocos Norte Tourism Office launched it as the province’s Christmas tourism brand in 2011, and is a monthlong celebration underscoring customs and traditions of Ilocanos.

Last year, the provincial government illuminated a 45-foot Christmas tree in front of the Capitol, accompanied by an Ilocano belen (outdoor nativity scene) backed by vibrant lights.

The display featured “a very Filipino Christmas,” Ilocos Norte Tourism Officer Aianree B. Raquel said. It showcased indigenous materials aiming to bring back Ilocanos to the meaning of

Christmas and to uphold faith and resiliency as cultural values.

“Paskua Mi Ditoy” is also highlighted by the Solid North Tupig Cook-Off, now on its sixth year, on Friday in the town of Dingras.

Conceptualized in 2010, the onset of Gov. Imee R. Marcos’ administration, the event is a highlight of Ilocos Norte’s Christmas celebration. Excluding the year 2013, the cook-off has been held annually to bolster the market for tupig, Ilocandia’s famous Christmas rice cake, and to preserve this cultural heritage.

In 2015, the contest was held at the San Agustin Church Complex in Paoay, featured three categories: non-professional and school, professional, and local government unit. The Divine Word College of Laoag, Marie Joy Sarrat Tupig Pride, and Laoag City bagged first place in their respective categories.

IN CELEBRATION of National Volunteer’s Month, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries, the advisory body of the Department of Agriculture to ensure the success of its programs and activities, will hold its second Volunteers’ Day Celebration today in Clark, Pampanga.

Part of the highlight of the Volunteers’ Day Celebration will be the awarding of the 2016 Outstanding Agriculture and Fishery Council Chairpersons and Coordinators.

The AFCs are PCAF’s mechanism for private sector participation in the development processes of the DA at the regional, provincial and municipal levels.

The annual event aims to recognize the contributions of the private sector partner-volunteers in the agriculture and fishery development processes. It also aspires to encourage the youth to participate in discussions on the issues

and concerns of the industry.

“We need to shift the perspective of the youth. They need to realize that the problems in the agri and fishery sector are not only concerns of older people,” said PCAF Officer-in-Charge Sarah Gutierrez-Cayona. “We need to act double time and inspire the youth to be the new voice and bridge of the farmers, fisherfolks and other stakeholders.”

The winners were selected through a deliberation led by the search’s Board of Judges and National Technical Committee based on evaluation criteria and how the nominees valued volunteerism and highlighted the impact of being volunteer-partners in their respective communities.

Dr. Nelia Teodoro Gonzalez, one of the pillars of Philippine agriculture, heads the judges, which also include Gomer Tumbali of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

Nations—a former Agriculture undersecretary for Operations —and Apolonio Bautista, executive director of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council, now called the PCAF. Deputy National Statistician Romeo Recide of the Philippine Statistics Authority leads the technical committee, which consists of reputable personalities from the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, Department of the Interior and Local GovernmentBureau of Local Government Supervision, Philippine Information Agency, and National Dairy Authority.

“I would like to commend PCAF and its validating team because this search is what we wanted to do long time ago. We dreamt of motivating everyone, especially the youth to be part of the government’s effort to strengthen the agriculture and

fishery sector,” said Dr. Gonzalez during the deliberation.

The nationwide search aims to give due recognition to deserving incumbent AFC chairpersons and coordinators at the regional, provincial and municipal levels for their significant achievements.

The criteria for evaluation focused on the significant contribution to the agriculture and fishery industry, performance and impact, leadership, sustained commitment and service to the AFC, creativity, innovativeness and resourcefulness, community involvement, and commitment to an involved family life.

Aside from these, AFC chairpersons should have rendered the same position at least three continuous years of service, while coordinators should also be in their current position for at least five continuous years at the time of nomination to be qualified.

Connie Angeles, SM Foundation Executive Director for Wellness and Health Programs (center) and Pozzorubio Mayor Artemio Q. Chan cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the town’s refurbished health center. They are assisted by (from left) Dr. Ma. Lusiana Bautista, Savemore AVP Armando Llosa and Eduard Dimaliwat of SM Rosales. The center has a special area for nursing mothers and children (right photo).

Renovated Pozorrubio center turned over POZORRUBIO, Pangasinan— Mothers and children in this town received a Christmas gift of wellness as SM Foundation turned over its 30th refurbished and renovated Municipal Health Center to officials here.

Beyond the standard medical services provided in a typical health center, this renovated center focuses on the special needs of mothers and children.

“It is very timely to focus on mothers and children as the Christmas Season is about a mother who gave birth to a baby,” shared Connie Angeles, SM Foundation executive director for Health and Wellness Program. “The health and wellness of a child begins as early as conception. It starts with the physical health of the mother as well as her emotional and psychological well-being.”

The Center has complete facilities for pre- to post-natal care, as well as programs and amenities to address the needs of the child during its most critical stages of development.

Its holistic program begins by providing family planning services, orienting couples on healthy child spacing and proper care and nutrition for expectant mothers. During pregnancy, expectant mothers can visit its 24-hour maternity clinic for any health concerns. Nursing mothers may also use the breastfeeding area.

The center also houses the 122nd Felicidad Sy Wellness Center both for children and the elderly, providing therapeutic ambiance to help aid the healing experience.

“So far, we are able to catch the mothers during their first trimester, which is a critical stage

of the pregnancy,” said Dr. Lusiana Bautista, Pozorrubio municipal health officer. “Since we are accredited by PhilHealth with the Maternity Care Package, we implement the no-billing policy for indigent patients. With this policy, expectant mothers have no reason not go to the health center.”

Another component of this center is its improved Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center (STAC), which provides physical and occupational therapy programs for children with special conditions such as cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, autism spectrum and other post traumatic fractures among others. It can also refer patients to free psychiatric and neurological consultations and assessments.

The center is also accredited as a four-in-one PhilHealth provider,

which includes primary care benefit, TB-DOTS package, maternity care package, and newborn care package. It is also licensed by the Department of Health for Primary Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

Catering to 34 barangays with population of 71,302 individuals, the center can serve up to 250 patients a day.

The health center operates 24 hours daily. Since the nearest government hospital is in Dagupan, which is a two-hour drive from Pozorrubio, the center serves as an emergency hospital for residents.

“Our desire is to meet everyone’s health needs,” said Dr. Bautista. “We want everyone to be able to access us anytime, with no hindrance. And with the improvements provided for by SM Foundation, we are now better equipped to serve more.”

World

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TODAY

IN BRIEF PIA chairman quits over plane crash ISLAMABAD―The chairman of Pakistan’s embattled national carrier has resigned following a fatal plane crash that killed 47 people last week, one of the country’s deadliest air disasters.

Muhammad Azam Saigol tendered his resignation on Monday due to personal reasons, PIA spokesman Danyal Gilani told AFP, but declined to comment further.

Saigol’s resignation came after a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed into a mountain on the way to Islamabad from the city of Chitral after one of the aircraft’s two turboprop engines failed, killing everyone on board.

On Monday PIA grounded its 10 remaining ATR turboprop planes for thorough testing in the wake of the crash and another incident in which a plane was recalled to its parking bay after experiencing a fault just before take off at Multan airport. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

US senators eye hack probe W

ASHINGTON―Leading senators supported a congressional investigation Monday into US intelligence assessments that Russia interfered in the election, putting top Republicans on a collision course with incoming president Donald Trump.

Summit postponed over Park TOKYO―Japan is postponing a

LACK summit with China and South Ko-

rea, the government said Tuesday,

after the impeachment of South IC OF THE PHILIPPINES ONAL TRIAL C OURT President President Park Korean CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Geun-Hye. THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY The Asian powers were plan-

to hold an annual trilateral gathering this month in Japan, FRE NO. 11397 which is the rotating chair.

AG EP. BY THEIR South Korea’s parliament voted ONIOG, Friday to impeach Park, who is Mortgagors.

------------------xengulfed in a scandal over her UDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY CT 3135 (AS friendship AMENDED) with a long-time conition under ACT 3135, ascharged amended bywith ACT meddling in fidante terms and conditions of the Deed of Real under the date state of February 2, 2015, by SPS. affairs.

RRY E. TEBAG rep. by AIDA L. BONIOG as idence and postalJapanese address No.Foreign 12 Prince Minister Funeral Santos City, South Cotabato, 9500/ mioMateo, Kishida, esta Village, San Rizal, in while favor of not directly ANK, Mortgagee to satisfy the mortgage mentioning impeachment, NE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED Park’s SIXTY SIX ED PESOS AND 10/100 (P1,466,513.10) as were behind said “various factors” ive of interest, penalties, and other charges y due togetherthe withdecision. all the lawful fees and le, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial eby announces that on December 14, 2016 “We decided to re-arrange it a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Office of the Clerk and City hold(beside the Quezon summit at an apSheriff of Quezon d, Diliman, Quezon City, she will sell at propriate time nexttheyear,” he told st bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, operty/ies with all the improvements. reporters after a regular cabinet TIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2014012207 meeting. try of Deeds-Quezon City South Korea’s foreign ministry ED IN THE 6TH FLR OF THE MANHATTAN OCATED IN AURORA BLVD., AND GEN. rmed the postponement, with UEZON CITY. confi CONSISTING OF TWENTY AND FIFTY SQUARE DECIMETERS (28.50) a spokesperson in Seoul saying diagrammatic floor plan appended to the of the condominium project annotated on only that the three sides “had diffiE OF TITLE N-302954-55 which embraces cated at Aurora Blvd.,setting and Gen. a Malvar culty dateSt., this year”. AFP

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF QUEZON CITY

BANK., ning Mortgageee,

an area of (4,919 & 1,154) Square Meter. submitted to the undersigned on the above

Cyclone kills 10 in India’s tech hub

PEAKHOLD FINANCE CORPORATION, Mortgagee, -versusFRE NO. 11401 SPS. RANDY T. DEGACO and VICTORIA F. DEGACO Mortgagors. x---------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER ACT 3135 (AS AMENDED) UPON extra-judicial petition under ACT 3135, as amended by ACT 4118 and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deed of Real Estate Mortgage executed on September 7, 2015 by SPS. RANDY T. DEGACO and VICTORIA F. DEGACO, - Blk. 4 Lot 41 Cordon corner Eagle St., Rolling Meadows 2, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City Mortgagors in favor of PEAKHOLD FINANCE CORPORATION, Mortgagee, to satisty the mortgage debt in the amount of Php 1,889,340.03 the total amount due, as of September 29, 2016 excluding attorney’s fees, liquidated damages; expenses for publication; filing fees; sheriff’s fees and commission, and such other cost and expenses arising out of or incidental to the foreclosure, together with all the lawful fees and expenses of foreclosure sale, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City and/or his duly authorized Deputy Sheriff, hereby announces that on DECEMBER 6, 2016 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Office of the Clerk of Court & ExOfficio Sheriff, Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, will sell thru public auction to the highest bidder for cash, in Philippine Currency, the following described real property/ies with all the improvements existing thereon, to wit:

CHENNAI, India―At least 10 people were killed when Cyclone Vardah slammed into to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of the southern date of the auction sale under the Indian tech penalty hub ofof Chennai, bringing down houses and cutting off CRISLYN C. TEBAG . BONIOG the3)AIDA electricity supply, authorities LARRY E. TEBAG No. 30 Jasmine St., Modesta Village, 2 Prince Queenies, Love Vill.

San Mateo, Rizal ral Santos City, South Cotabato said9500Tuesday.

(MS-Nov. 15, 22 & 29, 2016) Most were crushed by trees uprooted in winds of up to 140 kilometers per hour, which also cut power across large swathes of southern India on Monday.

India’s meteorological department said Vardah, which forced the evacuation of 18,000 people, was the worst cyclonic storm to hit the capital of Tamil Nadu state in more than two decades.

“So far 10 people are confirmed dead. We will get reports from rural areas as the day progresses, but the worst is over,” said Abhishek Shandiyal, spokesman for the National Diaster Management Authority.

The cyclone was weakening as it moved inland, he added.

Television footage from Chennai, where huge floods last year killed at least 250 people, showed cars overturned by the strong winds and heavy rain. AFP

CAN

(Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VI Acting Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff

2.2m Yemeni children are malnourished SANAA―Nearly 2.2 million Yemeni children are acutely malnourished, victims of the nearcollapse of the health care system during two years of escalating conflict, UN children’s fund UNICEF said on Tuesday.

At least 462,000 are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, as food supplies have been disrupted by the devastating war between the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels, the agency said.

Saada province, a rebel bastion in the far north, has the world’s highest stunting rate among children with eight out of 10 children affected in some areas, it added.

“Malnutrition in Yemen is at an all-time high and increasing,” said UNICEF’s acting country representative, Meritxell Relano. AFP

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 004-2015010994 Registry of Deeds of Quezon City A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 41, BLK. 4, OF THE CONS-SUBDN. PLAN PCS-007404003783-D, BEING A PORTION OF THE CONS. OF LOTS 1071-L-3, 791-C-2-C (LRC) PSD263819, 535-C-2-B- (LRC) PSD-263717, 535-B9-A, (LRC) PSD-263816, 535-B-6, PSD-36572, AND 974, PIEDAD ESTATE, LRC REC. NO. 5975), SITUATED IN THE BRGYS OF SAUYO, AND BAGBAG, QUEZON CITY, M-MANILA, IS. OF LUZON, BOUNDED ON THE NW., ALONG LINE 1-2 BY LOT 39, BLK. 4; ON THE NE., AND E., ALONG LINE 2-4 BY ROAD LOT 8; AND ON THE SE., ALONG LINE 4-5 BY ROAD LOT 3; AND ON THE SW., ALONG LINE 5-1 BY LOT 40, BLK. 4, ALL OF THE CONS-SUBDN. PLAN. XXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY SEVEN (147) SQ. METERS, MORE OR LESS. All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned at the aforesaid office on the above stated date and time.

Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title to the said property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

In the event that public auction should not take place on said date due to fortuitous event or if the same be declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on DECEMBER 13, 2016 at the same time and place without further notice.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, October 21, 2016.

(Sgd.) GREGORIO C. TALLUD Clerk of Court VI and Acting Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or Destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of the auction sale under penalty of the law.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. This picture taken on December 7, 2016, shows Russian President Vladimir

Putin as he plays with his Yume, an Akita dog, prior to an interview by Nippon TelevisionCopyNetwork Corporation Furnished: SPS. RANDY T. DEGACO and PEDRO C. SEBALLOS VICTORIA F. DEGACO 105 Mahiyain St., and Yomiuri Shimbun in the run-up to his official visit to Japan. AFP Blk. 4 Lot 41 Cordon corner Sikatuna Village Eagle St., Rolling Meadows 2,

ereby enjoined to investigate for themselves y/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any

auction should not take place on said date f the aforesaid scheduled date is declared a l be held on December 21, 2016 at the same her notice. nila, October 21, 2016.

C3

Quezon City

San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City

(MS-Nov. 8, 15 & 22, 2016)

King enthroned in lavish ceremony KUALA LUMPUR―Malaysia on Tuesday installed its 15th king, Sultan Muhammad V, a relatively youthful monarch known for his fondness for four-wheel driving and other extreme sports.

In a ceremony steeped in pomp and centuries of tradition, the 47-year-old Sultan, dressed in gold-colored traditional Malay formal wear, took the oath of office in the national palace in Kuala Lumpur.

The ceremony, marked by honor guards and Islamic prayers, was televised nationally and attended by Prime Minister Najib Razak and hundreds of guests decked out in Islamic finery.

Sultan Muhammad V, currently the ceremonial ruler of the conservative Islamic northern state

of Kelantan, takes the national extreme sports such as four-wheel had a child who was born on 20 August Republic of thedrive Philippinesexpeditions and endurance throne under the rotating monar1998. After their wedding, PETITIONER and REGIONAL TRIAL COURT challenges and shooting,” Berchy in place since independence RESPONDENT lived at 6-10 Nakano, Kimitsu National Capital Judicial Region City, Chiba Prefecture. RESPONDENT filed a BRANCH 214 nama news agency said. from Britain in 1957. divorce and was granted on 06 January 2016.

Mandaluyong City No personal nor real properties, both in the Despite the merely ceremonial In a unique arrangement, the Philippines and abroad, were acquired during IN RE: PETITION FOR JUDICIAL their marriage.Islamic royalty RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN role, Malaysia’s throne of the Muslim-majority DIVORCE DECREE BETWEEN WHEREFORE, finding the petition to be great respect, especialcountry changes hands every fiANTILLON ve command sufficient in form and substance, let the LIWAYWAY AVESTRUZ hearing on the presentation of jurisdictional AND MASAFUMI KIMURA, Malays, the counyears between the rulers of the ly from Muslim requirements be set on 07 February 2017 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the Regional ANTILLONtry’s AVESTRUZ majority group, and criticiznine Malaysian states stillLIWAYWAY headed Trial Court, Branch 214, Hall of Justice Petitioner, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, ing them is Building, strictly forbidden.

by Islamic royalty. at which time, date and place mentioned, all SP. PROC. NO. MC-16-10510 interested persons who may be affected thereby Portraits of the king and queen Sultan Muhammad V studied For: JUDICIAL RECOGNITION are directed to appear and show cause, if any, DIVORCEgovernment as to why said petition shouldbuildings not be granted. adorn at St Cross College at Oxford andOF FOREIGN -versusLet copy of this Order be published at the the country.

The king the Oxford Center for MASAFUMI Islamic KIMURA throughout petitioner’s expense in a newspaper of general circulation selected head by raffle, ONCE A WEEK is also the symbolic of(1)Islam Studies, according to offix-----------------------------------------x cial me-Respondent. for THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. ORDER in the nation, as well as the nomidia.

Further, let copy of this Order be served upon Before this Court is a verified Petition for the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of judicial recognition of anal foreignchief divorce filed of the military.

He is known for a relaxed pubthe Mandaluyong City Prosecutor, the Local Civil

by Liwayway Antillon Avestruz (PETITIONER).

Registrar of Mandaluyong City, the Philippine PETITIONER prays that afterMalaysia’s due notice and sultans trace a linlic persona, taking part in walkStatistics Authority, and RESPONDENT hearing, judgment be rendered recognizing Masafumi Kimura at his last known address in eage back athons to promote health, and PETITIONER’s foreign decree of divorce and to to Malay sultanates of Japan at the expense of PETITIONER. direct and annotate such judgment in the Local theCity15th century.

The king is rehas been photographed wearing SO ORDERED. Civil Registry of a Mandaluyong and National Office (NSO).

Mandaluyong City ferred to as Yang di-Pertuan Agbaseball cap backwards. Statistics PETITIONER alleges that she is a Filipino, 10 October 2016. of legal age, married to Masafumi Kimura The Sultan “fills his free time ong, or “He Who Is Made Lord”.

(RESPONDENT) and divorced in Japan, and (Sgd.) IMELDA L. PORTES-SAULOG afpStreet, Barangay by reading and has an interest in Pantaleon a resident of 717 Presiding Judge 2

Hulo, Mandaluyong City. RESPONDENT is of legal age, a Japanese national, and a resident of 6-10 Nakano, Kimitsu City, Chiba, Prefecture, Japan.

Office of the Solicitor General Office of the City Prosecutor, Mandaluyong City Atty. Jose Maronilla Liwayway Antillon Avestruz Masafumi Kimura

Over 200 journalists in jail in Turkey PARIS―The number of journalists detained worldwide rose in 2016, an increase related to Turkey where more than 100 journalists and media contributors are in jail, Reporters Without Borders or RSF said Tuesday.

“A total of 348 journalists are currently detained worldwide –- six percent more than were detained at this time last year,” RSF said in its annual report. The figure includes bloggers and freelance contributors.

“The number of detained professional journalists in Turkey has risen 22 percent after quadrupling in the wake of the failed coup d’etat in July,” it said.

The number of women journalists imprisoned more than quadrupled over the period (from five to 21).

“This reflects in part the growing role of women in journalism but above all the disastrous situation in

Turkey, which currently accounts for a third of the world’s detained women journalists,” RSF said.

“The persecution of journalists around the world is growing at a shocking rate,” RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire said in a statement.

“At the gateway to Europe, an all-out witch-hunt has jailed dozens of journalists and has turned Turkey into the world’s biggest prison for the media profession.

In the space of a year, the Erdogan regime has crushed all media pluralism while the European Union has said virtually nothing.”

Aside from Turkey, between them China, Iran and Egypt account for more than two-thirds of journalists imprisoned, RSF said, calling for the creation of a special representative for the safety of journalists directly attached to the office of the UN secretary general.

The number of journalists

PETITIONER and RESPONDENT were married under civil rite on 29 August 2011 in Kimitsushi, Chiba Ken, Japan.1 Prior to their marriage, PETITIONER and RESPONDENT

1 Report of Marriage is attached to the Petition as Annex “A” 2 Divorce Certificate as Annex “B” of the Petition.

(MS-Nov. 15, 22 & 29, 2016)

held hostage has however fallen this year, with 52, mostly locals, held around the world compared with 61 last year, although RSF said the 2015 number was particularly high. afp REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 98 – QUEZON CITY KRISTINE JOY CALDERON REP.

BY HIS FATHER WILFREDO MALIBAY MONTALES, Petitioner, -versusR-QZN-16-05370-SP IN RE: PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME HON. LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF CANDON, ILOCOS SUR, Respondent. x---------------------------------------------x

ORDER Before this Court is a verified petition filed by petitioner Kristine Joy Calderon, Minor, represented by her father Wilfredo Malibay Montales praying that after due notice and hearing judgment be rendered directing the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Civil Registrar General/Chief of the National Statistics Office to make and effect the correction in the Certificate of Live Birth of Kristine Joy Calderon with Registry No. 99421, Item No. 1 the name of the petitioner from Kristine Joy Calderon be changed to Kristine Joy Calderon Montales.

However, the petition was dismissed on October 5, 2016 for failure of the petitioner to prosecute. On October 13, 2016, a Motion for Reconsideration was filed by the petitioner through counsel, which was granted by this Court per Order dated October 21, 2016.

WHEREFORE, notice is hereby given that

the above-entitled petition will be heard anew before this Court located at the 2nd floor, Rooms 2007-2008 Hall of Justice Building, Diliman, Quezon City on March 6, 2017 at 8:30 in the morning at which place, date and hour, all interested persons may appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

The Branch Clerk of Court is ordered to cause the service of copies of this Order on the Local Civil Registrar of Candon, Ilocos Sur, Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City and Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City for their comment/report.

Further, the petitioner is directed to coordinate with the Sheriff of this Court for the service of a copy of the petition on the government agencies above-mentioned and to submit proof of compliance thereof.

Petitioner is likewise directed to have this Order published in a newspaper of general circulation, to be chosen by raffle, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at least two (2) weeks before the date of hearing.

In the event that hearing should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the aforesaid scheduled date is declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on March 29, 2017 at the same time and place without further notice.

The potential showdown between Trump and Capitol Hill could become more contentious after the president-elect announces his pick for the critical secretary of state post on Tuesday, with key Republicans concerned over his expected choice, ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson.

The president-elect has dismissed the intelligence reports about Russian interference as “ridiculous,” defying an increasing number of senators from his own party, as well as top Democrats, the Central Intelligence Agency and the outgoing White House president.

US media have reported for days on secret CIA findings that Moscow sought to bolster Trump’s election bid, against Democratic former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, by releasing hacked Democratic Party documents.

A group of 10 electors who Manila will ratify the election results Standard next weekTODAY -- all but one of them Democrats -- also called for a full briefing on the accusations before the 538-member Electoral College gathers on December 19.

“Can you imagine if the election results were the opposite and WE tried to play the Russia/CIA card. It would be called conspiracy theory!” Trump tweeted as he began another day of cabinetbuilding talks.

“Unless you catch ‘hackers’ in the act, it is very hard to determine who was doing the hacking.

Why wasn’t this brought up before election?”

After the Kremlin dismissed the US intelligence findings as “absolutely unfounded,” a Trump transition spokesman dug in further, saying it was “an attempt to try to de-legitimize presidentelect Trump’s win.”

Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, as well as Democrats Chuck Schumer and Jack Reed called for a bipartisan investigation with public hearings to find out what happened and to stop the threats that “cyber attacks conducted by foreign governments pose to our national security.”

McCain told CBS television that there was “no doubt” about the hacking.

He said the investigation should stretch across armed services, intelligence and foreign relations committees in Congress to get a full picture of the story.

But Mitch McConnell, the powerful Senate majority leader whose wife Elaine Chao is Trump’s nominee for transportation secretary, said the issue should be handled by the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose leader Richard Burr has been silent on the issue since the reports first appeared on Friday.

“It’s an important subject and we intend to review it on a bipartisan basis,” McConnell told CNN. Republican Senator Michael McCaul, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said it must be “a top priority to investigate any outside interference aimed at undermining our democratic process.”

The White House has also backed a congressional review.

Trump has long fanned alarm among some Republicans for calling for closer ties with Moscow, perhaps at their worst since the end of the Cold War, in contrast to received wisdom in Washington that Russia remains a global security threat.

American intelligence previously linked Russia to damaging email leaks from the Clinton campaign, but saw it as a broad bid to undermine confidence in the US political process.

On Friday, however, The Washington Post reported that the CIA has since concluded that the aim of the cyber intrusions was to help Trump win.

The report came on the heels of President Barack Obama’s order to review all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle, amid growing calls from Congress for more information on the extent of Russian interference.

Trump’s rejection of the CIA conclusions signals a likely rough start to relations with the spy agency when the president-elect takes office on January 20.

“He believes that the CIA is a political institution and he’s going to have to learn that it’s not. It is apolitical,” former deputy CIA director Michael Morell told CBS. The hacking scandal raised new questions about whether Trump’s apparent favored choice for US secretary of state will be able to pass Senate confirmation.

Tillerson’s extensive dealings on behalf of Exxon with Russian leader Vladimir Putin have raised conflict of interest questions. AFP

INVITATION TO BID No. 24-2016 The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Region 8, Marasbaras, Tacloban City through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), hereby invites Domestic Contractors, registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), to bid for PinipisakanIP Contract No. 07-2016, Surfacing of Service Roads of Pinipisakan Irrigation Project, Las Navas, Northern Samar with an Approved Budget for Contract (ABC) of THIRTY NINE MILLION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND SIXTY ONE PESOS &91/100 (39,164,061.91). The Contract Duration is 240 calendar days. Bids received in excess of ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Prospective Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose value must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government procurement Reform Act”.

Prospective Bidders are not allowed to participate if they have negative slippage in their on-going contracts. Individuals with Special Power of Attorney (SPA) are not allowed to transact and participate in the procurement utilizing another construction firm.

The schedule of BAC activities are as follows: BAC Activities

Schedule

Time

1. Issuance of Bid Documents

Starting December 7, 2016

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

2. Pre-bid Conference

December 14, 2016

10:00a.m.

3. Receipt and Opening of Bids

December 26, 2016

2:00 p.m.

The BAC will issue a complete set of Bidding Documents to eligible bidders from the address above and upon payment of non-refundable amount of P25,000.00 to the Cashier.

The NIA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, October 21, 2016.

(Sgd.) MARILOU D. RUNES-TANG, MNSA Presiding Judge cc: Atty. John Goodluck y V. Nicolas-Counsel for the Petitioner/s Apitong St., Montevista Sub. Marikina City The Local Civil Registrar, Candon, Ilocos Sur The National Statistics Office, QC Office of the City Prosecutor, QC Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City (MS-Nov. 30, Dec. 7 & 14, 2016)

(SGD) GLORIA A. SEVILLA BAC Chairman Noted: (SGD) ROMEO G. QUIZA Regional Manager (MS-DEC. 14, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

C4

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

World

Syrian troops poised to recapture Aleppo A LEPPO― Syrian troops were poised to recapture all of second city Aleppo on Tuesday, in what would be the biggest blow to rebels since they launched their uprising in 2011.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon voiced alarm at reports of atrocities against civilians in Aleppo, where entire districts are in ruins and unclaimed bodies lie in the streets.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have said the battle for the city is in its “final phase” after they seized more than 90 percent of the eastern districts which had been held by the rebels since 2012.

The turnaround in the government’s fortunes has come through decisive support from its allies Iran and Russia, which has waged a bombing campaign in support of Assad since September last year.

Early on Tuesday, troops were conducting searches in newly recaptured neighbourhoods around Aleppo’s Old City, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

“The regime is combing the districts of Bustan al-Qasr, Kalasseh, Fardaws, and other neighborhoods it seized yesterday [Monday],” Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He said the regime was consolidating its control over those areas but had not made any fresh advances on Tuesday morning.

The fall of Aleppo would be the rebel’s worst defeat of the civil war and put the government in control of all five of Syria’s main cities.

An AFP correspondent in government-held west Aleppo said bombardment was heard overnight but had quietened by morning, when thick fog shrouded the city.

Residents of the sector gathered in the streets late into the night despite the rain, launching celebratory gunfire in a show of support for the army.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm over reports of atrocities against “a large number of civilians, including women and children” in Aleppo, his spokesman Stephan Dujarric said Monday.

“While stressing that the United Nations is not able to independently verify these reports, the secretary general is conveying his grave concern to the relevant parties.”

The east of the city had been under army siege almost continuously since July. AFP

Governor on trial for blasphemy JAKARTA―Jakarta’s Christian governor choked back tears as he gave an impassioned defense against blasphemy charges on Tuesday, in a court case that has stoked fears of growing intolerance in the Muslim-majority nation.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama -- the first Christian to govern the capital in more than 50 years -- is standing trial accused of insulting the Koran, an offense that carries a five-year jail term.

The governor has apologized for his controversial remarks, which angered Muslims across Indonesia and drew hundreds of thousands to the streets of Jakarta in protests larger than any seen in nearly two decades.

Facing court for the first time, the governor gave an emotionally charged defense against the charges, pausing several times to compose himself as he maintained his innocence.

“I know I have to respect the holy verses of the Koran. I do not understand how I can be said to have offended Islam,” Purnama said, occasionally dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.

Purnama, better known by his nickname Ahok, ignited a firestorm of criticism in September when he quoted the Islamic holy text while campaigning ahead of elections for the Jakarta governorship.

The governor accused his opponents of using a Koranic verse, which suggests Muslims should not choose non-Muslims as leaders, in order to trick people into voting against him.

Prosecutor Ali Mukartono said the governor had “spoken a lie” and insulted Muslims, adding Indonesia’s top clerical council had declared his remarks blasphemous.

But lawyers for the governor said their client never intended to commit blasphemy, and expressed concern that Purnama’s case was being rushed.

President Joko Widodo and police, under pressure as protesters massed in November, promised to resolve the case quickly.

Critics say the controversy is as much about politics as religion, as the governor’s foes whip up anger to reduce his support ahead of a hotly contested poll in February.

Purnama is running against two Muslim candidates in elections for city hall. AFP

Envoys discuss North Korean nuclear issue

OFFICIAL SCREENING. Sienna Miller attends an official academy screening of LIVE BY NIGHT hosted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at MOMA - Celeste Bartos Theater on December 12, 2016, in New York City. AFP

Earthquake displaces 84,000 people JAKARTA-The number of people left homeless after an earthquake struck western Indonesia has soared to nearly 84,000, leaving authorities struggling to care for the victims, an official said Tuesday.

The shallow quake last week killed more than 100 people and injured many more when it struck Aceh province, one of the areas worst affected by the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

Thousands of homes, businesses and mosques were leveled by the 6.5-magnitude quake, which struck at dawn as many in the predominantly Muslim region were preparing to pray.

Hospitals and field clinics were quickly overwhelmed by the injured, and kitchens and shelters swamped by people

left with nothing.

As the scale of the disaster continues to unfold, the number of those displaced has nearly doubled to more than 83,800, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

“People are afraid and worried about aftershocks, so feel more comfortable in the evacuation shelters,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

“The problem with water supply at some of evacuation points is not good,” he added, saying wells had been left dry since the quake.

Aid has begun reaching the worst-hit areas but there was still an urgent need for more food, clothing and sanitation products, the agency said.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the province last week, pledging to rebuild the area’s devastated communities.

The archipelago nation experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates collide.

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.

The province lies on the northern tip of Sumatra island, which is particularly prone to quakes.

In June, a 6.5-magnitude quake struck off the west of Sumatra, damaging scores of buildings and injuring eight people. AFP

SEOUL―Senior US, Japanese and South Korean officials with special responsibility for the North Korean nuclear issue held talks Tuesday, at a time of political flux and policy uncertainty in Washington and Seoul.

“We shared the view that it is more important than ever to keep close cooperation among the three countries,” South Korea’s nuclear envoy Kim Hong-Kyun told reporters after the meeting in Seoul.

The three envoys get together regularly in each other’s capitals and one of their main aims is to shape and maintain a consensus on how best to deal with the growing nuclear weapons threat from Pyongyang.

It’s a consensus that is looking particularly frail at the moment.

The trio’s meeting in Seoul on Tuesday was the first since the eruption of a major political scandal in South Korea that resulted in parliament voting last week to impeach President Park Geun-Hye. Park took a hard line with North Korea and was a staunch ally of Washington’s policy of “strategic patience” -- essentially a refusal to engage in any significant dialogue unless Pyongyang made some tangible commitment to de-nuclearization.

Although Park’s impeachment still requires approval by the Constitutional Court, most observers are betting on an early election that could result in a more pro-engagement president entering the Blue House.

It is also the first trilateral meeting since Donald Trump became US president-elect -- a result that could presage some tectonic shifts in US foreign policy, including how to deal with the security situation on the Korean peninsula.

In a recent interview that drew expressions of deep concern from Beijing, Trump questioned Washington’s traditional “one China policy” -- the cornerstone of decades of Sino-American diplomacy. AFP

Trump warned on losing US jobs BEIJING―The billionaire owner of China’s property-toentertainment conglomerate Wanda Group has warned Donald Trump that over 20,000 US jobs would be put at risk if the US president-elect mishandles Chinese investment in the country.

“I have over $10 billion investment in the United States and employ over 20,000 people,” Wanda’s CEO Wang Jianlin said in a forum over the weekend, according to a transcript posted Saturday to the company’s official site.

“If things are mishandled, they will have nothing to eat,” he added.

Wang said he had asked Chris Dodd, chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, to deliver his message to Trump.

He was responding to a ques-

tion about US lawmakers’ increasing scrutiny of Chinese acquisitions of American entertainment assets.

“At least in the movie and TV industry, you have to realize that English-language films rely on their Chinese box office for growth,” Wang added.

Chinese firms have been on a high-profile overseas acquisition spree in recent years, snapping up leading film studios and television production companies.

Some US lawmakers have said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a government group tasked with assessing the national security implications of foreign investments, should examine the deals, including Wanda’s.

Wanda bought US movie theater chain AMC for $2.6 billion in 2012, which in turn acquired

the London-based Odeon & UCI cinema group this year in a deal worth around $1.2 billion.

In January, Wanda spent $3.5 billion to purchase Legendary Entertainment, the company behind the “Batman” trilogy and “Jurassic World”, as well as the upcoming “The Great Wall”, starring Matt Damon and directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou.

In November, it acquired the maker of the Golden Globes awards show, Dick Clark Productions, for “approximately $1 billion”.

Wang said the attention from the US Congress reflected the Chinese company’s growing influence in the country.

“We still have to wait to see Mr. Trump’s attitude towards Chinese cultural enterprises after he assumes office,” he said. AFP

VISIT. Indian Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala pays respect at the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 13, 2016. Koirala visited the city to attend the inauguration ceremony of the historic Gobindgarh fort on December 12. AFP

LAYER IT THE SPANISH WAY.

Sfera’s latest collection for the season features long-sleeved turtleneck worn with a long zipped coat and A-line skirt.

Life FASHION & BEAUTY

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

D1

(SFERA) FALL/WINTER 2016

P

OPULAR Spanish brand (Sfera)’s Fall/Winter 2016 Collection for women channels decadent romanticism, minimal athleisure and ‘80s rock, bringing the spontaneous mix-and-match of various prints and colors of fashion pieces, that made a short cameo in the past Spring/Summer Collection.

Exquisite tailoring, extravagant embroidery and leather straps highlight decadent romanticism with a boho edge.

This trend is achieved in the mash-up of strong, tailored trousers and blazers, and the feminine floral shirts and crisp blouses with bell sleeves and ruffle details. The retro feel of the collection is emblazoned on each piece, giving it a worn-in, lived-in look in order to add a touch of glamour and quality.

The spotlight is on everything floral, embroidered and embellished with pink, brown, beige and olive green as its color palette. Upholstery fabrics, large tweeds, floral prints with dark backgrounds, geometric patterns and tiny print patches play a leading role in this trend.

Minimal athleisure channels casual meets sporty with the après-ski look— zipper details and a stripe on the side of a black pant leg. The look has a masculine feel with a feminine touch—tailored pants, long vests, and a classic black, grey, white and navy blue palette with a hint of cognac and burgundy injected here and there. The fashionable but sporty aesthetic is evident in the floral bomber jackets with sateen fin-

ish, knitted A-line skirts and various other technical garments.

(Sfera) also takes a trip down memory lane with pieces inspired by ‘80s rock, mélange of grunge, gothic and punk. Bohemian grunge is back with casual but gothic elements: lace, seethrough materials and sheer. Black and red, plaid and tweed rock in this collection. (Sfera) offers a range of Grunge essentials such as skinny trousers, Biker jacket, plaid shirts, ripped denim jeans, subtle lingerie and combat boots that you can customized with embellishments, patches, or pop rock style pins, giving them a more fun and relaxed touch.

(Sfera) is a Spanish fashion brand under Madrid’s renowned El Corte Ingles Group of Companies and opened its very first store in Asia in the Philippines in 2014, on the 2nd floor of The SM Store Makati.

In 2015, it opened stores on the 2nd level Mega B of SM Megamall and on the Upper Ground Floor of SM Seaside City Cebu. In September 2016, the brand opened its first department store corner at The SM Store in SM SM Aura Premier.

The varsity jacket is the easiest way to achieve athleisure style

Fuzzy is an understatement with this turtleneck printed top with bell sleeves worn under a furry dress.

Lace-trimmed checked lingerie dress, styled with gloves and a structured handbag

Bell-sleeved turtleneck printed blouse paired with trousers

Tailored trench coat and cropped pants worn with satin turtleneck top and heeled velvet boots

90s iconic Add a dose of confidence and be a better you Gazelle relaunched adidas Originals presents the Gazelle silhouette in its purest form for FW16, presenting the casual icon in a trio of classic suede make-ups.

Taken from an early ‘90s version of the Gazelle, every attention has been paid to faithfully reproduce the shoe in its original form, with a vintage suede upper, off-white rubber sole unit and essential leather serrated threestripes and heel-tab. Stepping out in various color iterations, it’s a release that marks the welcome return of an unforgettable footwear classic.

The adidas Gazelle Vintage Suede is now being sold in adidas stores and retailers at P4,995.00.

Karl Presentacion sports his new Gazelles

The Gazelle makes a comeback from the ‘90s in different color iterations

WHEN you walk into a room full of people, it is very easy to tell whether one exudes self-confidence or not. How you walk, greet people and stand are physical manifestations of your confidence.

As you mature and get more experiences in life, you will gain the confidence you need. Yet even as you are young, you can help get an ounce of confidence by looking good and feeling great. Gain confidence by becoming a better version of you.

Introducing the new 100% Organic Pearl Coix. Across ages, this product works wonders at reducing acne and smoothening skin giving you a healthy pink glow. In addition, it is the only product in the market today that uses pure 100 percent organic ingredients to whiten skin.

FINE Japan Co. Ltd., one of Japan’s FINE Japan’s 100% Organic Pearl Coix is known for its age-defying, skin-beautifying, most trusted nutraceutical compa- health and wellness benefits nies that has been making, researchMore importantly, studies have also ing and developing health food sup- skin, 100% Organic Pearl Coix also plements for more than four decades helps fight premature signs of aging, shown that 100% Organic Pearl Coix now, brought to the country 100% Or- treat various skin diseases like acne has cancer-fighting indications, parganic Pearl Coix. This quality product or allergic dermatitis, or help remove ticularly that of the stomach, liver and took five years to develop and made warts and reduce blemishes and other lung, when used jointly with standard anti-cancer protocols. How’s that for of 100 percent pure organic pearl coix skin rashes.

Moreover, it aids in improving di- super health benefits? extract powder, using extraction techIt’s no wonder that pearl coix is nology that remains unrivalled up to gestion and relieves constipation since pearl coix has eight times more fiber. highly regarded in Japan when it this day.

This ready-to-drink nutraceu- It even fights inflammation, swelling comes to effectively promoting beautical product is unlike any sup- and other fever symptoms and helps tiful skin, hair and nails, plus a beauty plemental drink sold today. It has remove excess fluids from the body to regimen amongst Japanese women for many beauty and wellness benefits, promote better urine flow because of keeping skin as supple, radiant and gleaming as ever. such as helping you attain that its diuretic effect.

To use the product, just take out a For the mature individuals who may healthy, luminous and beautiful skin. It is highly soluble and easy to already have problems climbing stairs sachet of 100% Organic Pearl Coix, digest because of FINE Japan’s pat- or lifting objects, 100% Organic Pearl mix with your favorite beverage, ented process that transforms adlay Coix helps strengthen joints and reduc- whether tea, coffee, milk or even plain seeds into fine powder-like form es limb stiffness so you’ll be more agile water, and start gaining a huge dose that comes conveniently in sachets. and swift in your movements and other of self-confidence by being a healthy, glowing and beaming you, every day.

Aside from having a truly radiant daily physical routines.

Life

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Disney Minnie rocks the dots W

HAT’S dot all about? The iconic and classic Minnie Mouse wearing her dotted outfits is one of the most recognizable characters in the world.

And she continues to rock the hearts of many.

Minnie Mouse is sweet, enjoys dancing and singing, and the dots in her wardrobe are impeccable.

Minnie’s good vibes spread to kids’ style and have it on the dot as SM Kids Fashion introduces a new collection of Minnie Mouse apparel.

Minnie Mouse lends her iconic style to SM Kids Fashion that features hoodie jackets, dresses and tees in red color and polkadots design

Wildest Christmas at The Body Shop

The Body Shop packs the most iconic and bestselling products, such as Spiced Apple, into one amazing gift

The Body Shop’s holiday skincare range is composed of three limited edition products with a juicy scent including Frosted Berries, Vanilla Chai and Spiced Apple

IN CELEBRATION of its 40th Anniversary and life-long dedication to campaigning against animal testing, The Body Shop celebrates the wildest Christmas ever to give back to our furry and feathered friends.

With that, The Body Shop’s most iconic product—the Body Butter—gets a special edition makeover. Designed in collaboration with Yago Partal and his world-renowned animal portraits, The Body Shop features four exotic creatures that will bring your Body Butter gift to life. You can even put your chosen name for that Body Butter for that truly personal touch.

More than that, every specially selected gift you buy this Christmas will help protect endangered creatures and restore a square meter of rainforest. And The Body Shop’s holiday skincare range—three limited edition products with a juicy scent and personalized body butter for that extra special touch—is one of the gift idea that gives back.

From sweetly spiced to unbelievably juicy, these eagerly anticipated limited editions are the yummiest smelling flavors in the jungle this season.

There are Frosted Berries with cranberries from North America, an irresistibly juicy, Instagram-worthy winter recipes that stir the senses. Balancing fresh notes of cranberry, black currant and raspberry with white flowers, creamy praline and sweet vanilla; it makes for a truly beautiful berry blend.

Vanilla Chai with handpicked vanilla from Madagascar is warm and inviting; with a rich scent that envelops the senses. Creamy milk and addictive vanilla are peppered with notes of warm cinnamon, cardamom and sweetened with brown sugar for a fragrance your skin will love to drink in.

Spiced Apple with cold-pressed apple seed oil from the Alps is quintessentially festive. The aroma of freshly baked apples is warmed with notes of cinnamon and freshened with the crispness of orange and white flowers for a deliciously fragrant blend you’ll pick up every time.

The Body Shop’s Bio-Bridges will not only continue to protect endangered animals in Vietnam but is also launching two new projects in Indonesia and Malaysia Limited Edition Holiday Skincare Collections are available in all The Body Shop stores and Personalized Body Butter in select The Body Shop stores.

Globe Lifestyle launches apparel lineup IN CELEBRATION of the annual 0917 fest, Globe launches its new collections of lifestyle apparel and accessories. The new collections represent the vibrant and wonderful world of Globe, through colorful prints, fun designs and graphical pop arts. The collection ranges from shirts, sweaters, hoodies and caps, which are available in two must-have designs.

The 0917 collection is a typography-based basic wear, taking inspiration from Globe related culture.

These are words that resemble the company which is the famous “0917” prefix, the company’s building address of “32nd street corner 7th ave” in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

On the other hand, the Pop Art collection is a graphical-based lineup that shows fun and colorful artworks that is designed to stand out. Inspired by today’s generation, the lineup illustrates artworks that look old-fashioned combined with new elements and produce a retro-fashion look.

“Globe Lifestyle is our new way to connect to our customers, we bring a fresh and wonderful experience through fashion. The new collections of 0917 and Pop Art is just the beginning and customers can expect more lifestyle products to be launched soon.” says Globe Stores and Retail Transformation Head Joe Caliro.

To complement the collection, lifestyle accessories such as wallets, pouches and tumblers under the 0917 collection are also available.

The new Globe Lifestyle apparel collections are now available at select Globe Gen3 stores nationwide.

Visit the online store shop.globe.com.ph/apparel to check out the complete product lineup.

Globe Lifestyle introduces its 0917 and Pop Art apparel collections in celebration of the annual 0917 Fest

Find out Linda Ley’s secret to aging gracefully

A multi-faceted woman’s beauty secret WHEN you’re busy juggling tasks as a homemaker and philanthropist, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos.

Former businesswoman Linda Ley had to let go of her involvement in the business as she fulfills her full-time role as wife and mother to three kids.

“I love to cook and prepare gourmet meals for them,” Linda reveals. “I prepare everything before I leave the house and keep in constant touch with them.” She says she enjoys asking her kids what they’d like to eat on a given day, offering them a variety of menu options. “I make them chose between selection 1 and selection 2,” she shares.

Now that her children have grown and are of age, Linda is often seen at charities, events and society affairs. She takes most pride in her involvement with Angels to Street Kids, a non-profit organization founded some five years ago.

“Through Angels to Street Kids, we are able to organize feeding programs to underprivileged kids in Taguig, Tondo and other depressed areas,” Linda shares. “We also visit various homes for the aged and cancer-stricken kids.”

Even as she is busy Linda makes it a point to spend some ”me time” to recharge and pamper herself. She distinctly recalls what her mom would always tell her: “You always have to look good everywhere you go as you’ll never know who you’re going to bump into!” It’s a piece of advice that she follows faithfully to this day.

Her beauty regimen is quite simple. Linda makes sure to watch what she eats and indulges only in moderation. Also essential for her is getting the right amount of sleep—eight hours or more a day.

Since she hardly has the time with her busy schedule to visit the dermatologist regularly, she compensates by using Helix-D, a beauty skincare breakthrough, rich in water-magnet hydrators and anti-oxidants, that reduces fine lines and dark circles and provides all day moisturizing and skin hydration.

“With daily use, I can see it how it has helped my skin a lot,” she beams.

And unlike, perhaps, most women her age, Linda has learned to embrace aging without hesitation.

“Personally, I want to age gracefully. I would prefer that people say, ‘you look great for your age’ or ‘you look elegant.’ It’s about being comfortable with yourself and having that inner glow,” she ends with a smile.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016

Another great year for Asian-American women on TV

Will Philippines score a back-to-back win at Miss Universe?

Reigning Queen Pia Wurtzbach (second from left) welcomed the 11 candidates handpicked by the Miss Universe Organization who will tour the Philippines ahead of the 65th Miss Universe pageant next month. Photo By Sonny Espiritu

“T

HAT’S possible and that’s what we’ve been hoping for.”

These were the words of Jonas Gaffud when interviewed by Manila Standard during the Miss Universe 2016 kick-off party held at the S Maison Mall at the Conrad Hotel last Saturday that was spearheaded by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach along with Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart and the executives of the pageant’s major partners and sponsors.

Gaffud, or popularly known to pageant fans as “the beauty queen maker,” was positive on the chances of Maxine Medina, the Philippine delegate to the pageant, in clinching the Miss Universe crown on Jan. 30.

He said that the 5-foot-8 stunner is 100 percent prepared and is focused on making her countrymen proud. Prior to the kickoff party, Medina went through rigorous training at the gym to work on her core to achieve her perfect figure in time for the prepageant events. She’s undergone personality development and Q-and-A training to prepare her for the more technical aspects of the beauty contest.

“The are a few little things that she needs to improve on but now when we see her onstage, we are confident that she will deliver. She looks classy and very stunning,” Gaffud said.

In previous interviews, Medina shared that she’s taking down notes and seriously following the advice of the reigning Miss Universe, which is to calm her nerves amid the mounting pressure as the pageant looms. She added that she is grateful for the support her predecessor is giving her.

Gaffud and his team of pageant contestant trainers have been credited for the successful placements of the Philippine representatives at international beauty pageants. Most notable of them, of course, were Miss World 2013 Megan Young, Miss International 2016 Kylie Versoza, and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.

His team believes Medina has a big chance to win as the 26-year-old interior designer has been doing her homework seriously. Though most pageant fans are not sold to Medina’s performance during the Question and Answer portion at the

Binibining Pilipinas early this year, Gaffud acknowledged Medina’s waterloo and said they made sure the Philippine bet would overcome this hurdle.

“We always tell her, ‘you just need to answer from your heart.’ People expect that candidates would give pageant patty answers during Q and A but when you answer from the heart, you can answer the question well,” Gaffud shared.

Medina along with Miss USA Deshauna Barber, Miss Japan Sari Nakazawa, Miss Australia Caris Emily Tuvel, Miss New Zealand Tania Pauline Dawson, Miss Korea Jenny Kim, Miss Thailand Chalita Suansane, Miss Malaysia Kiran Jassal, Miss Vietnam Dang Thi Le Hang, Miss Indonesia Kezia Roslin Warouw, and Miss Myanmar Htet Htun were presented to the media during the kick-off party.

Miss U is officially on MUO’s Paula Shugart, in her speech during the kick-off party, said that she was grateful for the Philippines hosting the prestigious pageant describing it as a “dream come true” for both her and Wurtzbach.

“I’m really, really excited. I’ve worked for so many years to bring the pageant here,” Shugart told the crowd. “It’s not just Pia, it’s a dream come true for me, too. In less than a month over 90 countries are going to see the Philippines and its incredible hospitality.”

After her speech, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson presented Shugart with a jacket with the words “Miss Universe” printed on it.

“Miss Universe is on!” he said as he put the jacket on Shugart.

The Mall of Asia Arena will be the official venue of the 65th Miss Universe on Jan. 30 (Jan. 29 in the US). The arena, which has a capacity of 15,000 will also host several pre-pageant events including the Governor’s Ball, National Gift Auction, National Costume Show, Fashion Show, Designer Showcase, Preliminary Competition for swimsuit and evening gown, and the After Party for Miss Universe 2016 winner. The rest of the delegates are expected to arrive on Jan. 13.

As part of the jampacked schedule of the candidates, the early birds along with Miss Philippines flew to Siargao over the weekend then toured Intramuros on Monday. They also had a photo shoot in Cebu the following day.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, December 14, 2016

ACROSS 1 Haughty type 5 Adoption org.

10 Leather punches 14 Galactic firework 15 Watch faces 16 Grimace 17 All-purpose vehicles 18 Cul-de-sac 19 Earthen pot 20 Work perk 22 Apprehensive 24 Nick or scratch 25 Pair in Scotland 26 Sheba, today 29 Nipped 32 Sky-high 36 Dendrite’s partner 37 More gaunt 39 Potpie veggie 40 Our ancestors (hyph.)

43 Bravo, in Baja 44 Ice hockey venues 45 Livy’s “it was” 46 Sleek swimmer 48 Hankering 49 Austria neighbor 50 Really big tees 52 It’s south of Eur. 53 Obsesses over

(2 wds.)

57 In plain sight 61 Pulpit 62 Boring tool 64 Sheik or sultan 65 Next in line 66 Aileron locale 67 Moon goddess 68 Type of prof 69 Gill openings 70 Lodge DOWN 1 Slight 2 Fa or la 3 Part of the range 4 Tornado refuge 5 Oil-well capper Red — 6 River-mouth deposit 7 Crony 8 Music notation 9 So far (2 wds.)

10 What science is 11 Eat hungrily 12 Ripsnorter 13 Shut tightly 21 Groupie 23 Plugged in 26 Lout 27 Shout for joy 28 Water-lily painter 29 Golf score 30 Banal

31 Atlas or Prometheus 33 Horse — 34 Born to be wild 35 Mouthwatering 37 Subzero comment 38 Codgers’ queries 41 Titles like Tarzan’s 42 Hung-jury results 47 Ship abroad 49 Preconditions

51 Shower bars 52 Buenos — 53 Merry sound (hyph.)

54 Iowa college town 55 Slugger’s stats 56 Void’s partner 57 Chimney 58 Very dry 59 Superboy’s girlfriend 60 Auction site 63 Moo goo — pan

THE past few years saw a dramatic turning point for Asian stars as they land bigger roles and get a better representation on television.

Last year was particularly great for actresses of Asian descent portraying strong inspiring roles that break away from stereotypes.

But this year and the next are also seeing major screen time for Asian stars especially AsianAmerican Lucy Liu and AsianCanadian Jadyn Wong, who are returning to primetime television for their respective roles in Sherlock Holmes adaptation Elementary and action drama series Scorpion.

Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson, the world-famous fictional detective’s assistant reimagined as a woman, and Canadian actress Jadyn Wong plays Happy Quinn of Team Scorpion, whose mission is to neutralize complex, high-tech threats around the globe.

In both shows, the two stars not only demonstrate how female wit, grace, and courage put women at par with men when it comes to dealing with danger, they also show that Asian stars can perfectly fit complex roles that they do not often portray on screen.

A female take on a world famous sidekick Elementary, which is now on its fifth season, shifts the world of Baker Street from Victorian England to modern-day Manhattan. The show has also turned Dr. Watson into a female character that stands as Sherlock Holmes’ peer, not his assistant.

While a female Dr. Watson seems to open the possibility of romance, Liu’s character is anything but a potential love interest. Instead, she proves that her intellect, along with her temperament, is a first-class match to Holmes‘ deductive prowess—capable of solving crimes just as skillfully as when she was performing surgery.

On top of these, she shows that a tough female can also be stylish.

In the past four seasons, Dr. Joan Watson has helped Holmes solve

'Elementary' lead star Lucy Liu

Asian-Canadian actress and 'Scorpion' star Jadyn Wong

one crime after another. The fifth season, which premiered last October, began with Watson helping Holmes untangle dangerous twists surrounding a deadly explosion.

While there can be no doubt that the duo will solve any crime thrown their way, how they put their wits to work is a mustwatch in the episodes to come.

Through the best and worst of times Jadyn Wong once said that working with a maledominated cast was like bathing in testosterone. That’s how it went when her character Happy Quinn used to be the sole female member of Team Scorpion.

Still, Happy’s ability to think fast has made her a welcome member of the lineup. In the episode “Little Boy Lost,” she thwarts a murder plot thanks to her quick wits at solving dangerous puzzles.

Work at Team Scorpion may already be a handful for Happy, but even her personal life has tough battles to throw her way.

In the episode “Fractured,” Happy gets into a romantic affair with Toby Curtis (Eddie Kaye Thomas), who happens to be one of her best friends. Though the relationship starts out rough, Curtis ends up wanting to marry her. Unfortunately, he gets abducted before giving his proposal.

Scorpion’s on-going season reveals not only Happy’s secret past but also a new chapter in her life: motherhood. Will she find balance between her newfound family life and the dangers she faces with Team Scorpion?

With Lucy Liu and Jadyn Wong making waves with their tough and complex roles, it seems that Asian stars on television are at an all-time high.

Elementary airs every Wednesday at 9:55 p.m. while Scorpion airs every Tuesday at 9 p.m. on RTL CBS Entertainment.

and platforms.

Four GMA Christmas Short Films also won in the Branded Communications category with the episodes “Regalo” (“Love of Country and Respect for National Customs and Traditions”), “Happiest Pinoy - Winston” (“Respect and Care for Life and Dignity and the Rights of All”) and “Happiest Pinoy - Rommel” (“Respect and Care for Life and Dignity and the Rights of All”) winning Silver and the episode “Karga” (“Commitment to Truth, Honesty and Integrity”) bagging a Bronze award.

With a record 11 awards this year, GMA’s history of winning in the annual Araw Values Awards lives on and shines brighter than ever. The awards ceremony was held on Nov. 29 in Quezon City.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

Kapuso primetime King and Queen Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera lead the network's socio-civic activity in Tacloban to bring an early Christmas celebration to Yolanda victims

G

MA Network’s value-laden campaigns were recognized at the 10th Araw Values Awards with a total of 11 awards – the most for any local TV network.

The Araw Values Awards, organized by the Ad Foundation of the Philippines, recognizes outstanding works that uphold traditional Filipino values and promote responsible advertising.

For espousing “Respect and Care for Life and Dignity of All,” GMA’s anticyber bullying campaign “HeartOverHate” that promotes positivity online won a Silver award in the Advocacy Communications category.

The “Champion Tapat Dapat” campaign also won Silver awards for Advocacy Communications for two of its episodes (“Halasan” for “Respect and Care for Life and Dignity and the Rights of All” and “Teacher Fe” for “Commitment to Truth, Honest, and Integrity”), while the overall campaign, which paid tribute to individuals that embody the value of being true to one’s self and being dedicated to a cause or

By Eton B. Concepcion IT’S the most exciting time of the year as 11 beauties from Asia-Oceania and America gathered in Manila to jumpstart the 65th Miss Universe pageant that will be held for the third time in the Philippines.

Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart was easily the ‘star of the night,’ as she put on a jacket with the printed words “Miss Universe 2016 Is On” announcing the official opening of the world’s most popular beauty pageant.

“I love the Philippines! It’s a dream come true for me,” Shugart warmly declared before a jam-packed event hall in the luxurious Conrad Hotel on Seaside Boulevard in Pasay last Friday. “With over 90 contestants all over the world, we would show the beauty and wonderful hospitality of the Philippines,” she added.

Back in town, reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, elegantly ravishing in a yellow gown, graced the occasion to join the first batch of beauties introduced on stage, giving a preview of what to expect in the tough and highly contested pageant with more than 90 delegates expected to arrive on Jan. 13 next year. “It all started with just a small idea of taking the Miss Universe in Manila which I mentioned casually to Paula,” Pia said feeling surreal about the Miss Universe happening now in the country.

Powerhouse countries stood out during the kick-off event

advocacy, won two Bronze awards (for “Respect and Care for Life and Dignity and the Rights of All” and “Love for Country and Respect for National Customs and Traditions”) also in the same category.

Meanwhile, taking home Bronze awards for Advocacy Communications were the GMA Christmas Campaign “Share the Love” (for “Love of Country and Respect for National Customs and Traditions”), which brought together the entire Kapuso community led by the Network’s socio-civic arm GMA Kapuso Foundation in responding to the immediate and long-term needs of typhoon Yolanda victims, as well as the multi-awarded election advocacy campaign “Dapat Tama” (for “Commitment to Truth, Honesty, and Integrity”), which highlighted the importance of responsible voting through various formats

ANTICYBERBULLYING.

Pambansang Bae Alden Richards is among the Kapuso celebrities who joined GMA's #HeartOverHate, an award-winning campaign that promotes positivity online

Miss Universe 2016 is on

BEVY OF BEAUTIES. Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach spearhead the beauty pageant's kick-off party that will happen in Manila on Jan. 30, 2017.

Photo By Sonny Espiritu

with Deshauna Barber (USA), Caris Tiivel (Australia), and Maria Mika Maxine Medina (Philippines). Chalita Suansane (Thailand) and Sari Nakasawa (Japan) also impressed the pageant fans giving the pageant organizera a glimpse of what to expect from the now world-renowned pageant crazy people.

Tiivel, a 23-year-old model from Perth, Western Australia, like Wurtzbach, is a make-up artist and won Australia-Universe on her second attempt at the title.

Tiivel was drawn to the world

of pageantry where she said she could be allowed to be herself and continue to develop as a person.

She had struggled with depression and anxiety in the past and hoped to work on that cause to support and provide some assistance to people.

Barber is the first woman actively working in the US Army Reserve to win Miss USA. The 26-year-old Georgia native has a Masters degree in Computer Information Systems at the University of Maryland. She worked as an IT Analyst at the

U.S. Department of Commerce and is currently a Logistics Commander of the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit in Rockville, Maryland. Deshauna hopes to continue serving the men and women in the U.S. military focusing on PTSD treatment and suicide prevention for soldiers returning from deployments.

Country bet Medina showed to all and sundry she is ready for the event and Miss Universe is all written on this 26-year-old, exotic, stunning model’s face. Her mentor, Jonas Antonio Gaffud,

said they are leaving no stone unturned to make sure she do her best in the pageant.

Nakasawa, a 22-year-old senior dental student from Otsu, Shiga, has volunteered at children orphanages and hospitals in Vietnam and Cambodia. She considers Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn as the person who influenced her most for her grace and beauty and charity work.

Nakasawa, who has Indonesian blood, comes after half-black Ariana Miyamoto broke barriers last year and became the first

biracial woman to represent Japan in Miss Universe.

Tiivel, Barber, Nakasawa and Suansane, a 21-year-old Thai model, are all aiming for their country’s third Miss Universe crown. The rest of the 11 delegates at the kick-off party were Miss New Zealand Tania Pauline Dawson (New Zealand), a half-Filipino, Jenny Kim (Korea), Dang Thi Le Hang (Vietnam), Htet Htet Tun (Myanmar), and other two standouts, Kiranmeet Kaur Baljeet Singh (Malaysia) and Kezia Warouw (Indonesia).

The Mall of Asia Arena will also host several events including the Governor’s Ball, National Gift Auction, National Costume Show, Fashion Show, Designer Showcase, Preliminary Competition (swimsuits and evening gowns) and the After Party with the new Miss Universe 2016 winner. The Manila event cost $12 millionplus made possible by LCS group of companies led by former Ilocos Sur Governor and now Narvacan Councilor Luis “Chavit” Singson, Okada Manila led by CEO and President Kazuo Okada, Solar Entertainment headed

by CEO and President Wilson Tieng, and SM Lifestyle Entertainment led by Hans Sy with partners San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Airlines, and Pay It Forward.

The Miss Universe Organization is working hand in hand with the Department of Tourism under Secretary Wanda Teo.