Manila Standard - 2017 January 04 - Wednesday

Russian warships dock in Manila

PIVOTAL ANCHOR. Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov (center), deputy commander of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet, speaks during a press briefing with Philippine Navy officers following the arrival of the Admiral Tributs anti-submarine ship in Manila Tuesday. The Russian Navy plans to hold war games with the Philippines following President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to Russia. AFP

THE Russian Navy said Tuesday it was planning to hold war games with the Philippines, as two of its ships made a rare stop in Manila following Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot from the United States.

Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov, the deputy commander of the Russian Navy’s Pacific fleet, said the joint military exercises would focus on maritime piracy and terrorism, which he described as the region’s two top security concerns.

“We’re very sure that in the future we’ll get such exercises with you, maybe just the maneuvering or maybe use some combat systems and so on,” Mikhailov told reporters beside the docked Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs.

Mikhailov also raised the prospect of joint exercises with China and Malaysia in the South China Sea, where competing territorial claims have been a major source of tension and potential conflict for decades.

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Soldiers’ pay hike in 2018

By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXX • NO. 326 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CONTRARY to President Rodrigo Duterte’s vow to double the salary of soldiers and the police by December 2016, the promised pay hike might be possible only by 2018, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Tuesday.

“As far as the military is concerned,

we will be able to comply with the desire of the President to double their take-home pay by January 2018.

Sooner, if we pass the tax reform [measure], because tax reform would mean reducing the personal income tax rate from a maximum of 32 percent to 25 percent,” he said in a Palace briefing.

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Trillanes links probed Colonel in drug charges gives up

Du30 is HK mag’s ‘Person of 2016’ HONG KONG’S Yazhou Zhoukan, the “Time Magazine of the Chinese-Speaking World,” has named President Rodrigo Duterte Person of the Year 2016, Malacañang said Tuesday.

The magazine included a six-page cover story on Rodrigo Duterte’s journey as the new President of the Philippines and his controversial decisions that allegedly changed the balance of power in Asia in just six months.

The Hong Kong-based magazine gave the award to Duterte following the “announcement of his independent foreign policy, his distancing away from the US, and forging closer ties with Next page

By Rey E. Requejo and Florante S. Solmerin THE Justice department has asked a court in Manila to issue a hold-departure order against Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino over his P380million drug case.

The department urged the court to issue the order against Marcelino and Yan Yi Shou, his co-accused, to prevent them from flying to another country to avoid prosecution.

“The prosecution dreads and believes that both accused may leave the country to escape prosecution and avoid facing up to their liability,” the department said in its appeal.

Marcelino on Tuesday surrendered ‘Person of the Year’ by Yazhou Zhoukan, a weekly magazine which claims to be the only international affairs magazine in Chinese circulated in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, on its January 1st issue, citing his role in the change of power balance in Asia.

Black Nazarene to go live on Facebook

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Sandy Araneta BLACK Nazarene devotees who cannot join the yearly “traslacion [transfer] of the revered image of Jesus Christ can follow the procession on a live feed on Facebook, the parish priest of Quiapo Church said Tuesday.

“We’re entering the world of social media,” said Parish priest

of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene Msgr. Hernando Coronel. “We will try our best.”

He said they would not filter the comments, so that 30-million Filipino Facebook users can watch the procession and exchange opinions.

The Black Nazarene procession is one of the country’s biggest religious events with millions of devotees attending every year.

He said they expected 15 million to join the procession barefoot.

“If you are ill but your desire to take part in the procession is there, then God knows that already. Filipinos really want to be part of it and have a connection with God,” he said.

The church has used Facebook Live to broadcast the Misa de Gallo or night Masses Next page in December.

THE Metro Manila Film Festival on Tuesday announced the withdrawal of the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award given to the controversial film “Oro” following complaints that a dog was slaugh-

tered in the movie.

“Without making any judgment on the artistic merit of the film or cinematic depiction, the MMFF finds the present controversy on the alleged killing of a dog in the course of the filming of the movie effectively cast doubt on the movie’s ability to exemplify the hutwitter.com/ MlaStandard

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HE Justice Department is investigating allegations that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV may have something to do with the threats on the life of Jaybee Sebastian, the inmate who has accused Senator Leila de Lima of taking money from drug lords jailed in the national penitentiary.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II made this disclosure Tuesday after another inmate, Tomas Donina, filed an affidavit saying that a former colleague from the Navy asked him to help silence Sebastian to stop him from speaking against De Lima.

Donina stabbed Sebastian during a riot inside the New Bilibid Prison on Sept. 28, 2016, but Sebastian survived the attack.

“He [Donina] mentioned the participation of Trillanes and De Lima in his affidavit,” Aguirre said in a media briefing.

He did not identify the naval officer who ordered Sebastian’s killing, however.

Informed of Aguirre’s claim, Trillanes denied accusations he was involved in the incident.

“I categorically deny any involvement in the stabbing incident of JB Sebastian. Why would I even do that?” said Trillanes in a text message to reporters, branding Aguirre’s statement as “totally absurd.”

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By John Paolo Bencito, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

man and cultural values espoused by the late Fernando Poe Jr.,” the MMFF Executive Committee said in a statement.

The committee made its statement even as Senator Grace Poe threatened to invalidate the FPJ award given to the film “Oro” if it

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon R. Araneta

Rody ‘can’t keep SSS promise’ BUDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno admitted Tuesday that some of the promises candidate Rodrigo Duterte made cannot be kept, now that he is President.

Speaking at a Palace briefing, Diokno said it was unfair to hold the President to his campaign promise to raise pension funds

by P2,000 a month amid concerns over the viability of the Social Security System.

“Candidate Duterte is different from President Duterte. And you see that all over, even worldwide.

Candidate Trump is different from President Trump. You promised something that, when you see the data, it’s not doable,” Diokno said.

Filmfest panel takes back ‘Oro’ award

By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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PERSON OF THE YEAR. President Rodrigo Duterte has been named 2016

Witness implicates senator in NBP plot

thestandard.com.ph

PUMP PRICES HIKE. Flying V and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. increased their pump prices Tuesday at the Macapagal Blvd. In Pasay. In an advisory, they said they were increasing gasoline prices by P0.70 per liter and diesel prices by P0.60 per liter. They also hiked kerosene prices

by P0.55 per liter. PNA

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Trillanes...

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“Anyway, Aguirre and his gang better get their stories straight because we will have a full blown Senate inquiry to get the truth out,” warned Trillanes.

Aguirre admitted the allegations implicating Trillanes and De Lima to the incident were not backed by sufficient evidence but said he was convinced of the threat on Sebastian’s life and this was the reason he was transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation detention facility in Manila.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez supported the assertion of Aguirre that there are persons who want to silence Sebastian, who had earlier told the House justice committee that De Lima collected drug money from drug lords in Bilibid to bankroll her senatorial run in the last elections.

De Lima already denied that she had anything to do with the stabbing incident.

Aguirre acknowledged that Donina did not provide any proof to substantiate his claim, which was why the police did not include Trillanes or De Lima in the charges for the attack on Sebastian.

“There is no evidence to pursue a case against the senators named,” Aguirre said.

He also noted that Donina’s stabbing of Sebastian on Sept.

28 was separate and unrelated to a stabbing attack carried out by inmates Clarence Dongail and Edgar Cinco on convicted drug lords Tony Co and Peter Co, which killed only Tony.

Earlier, Aguirre said De Lima had been tagged in threats against Sebastian that led to his transfer from the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila City last week.

On Oct. 10, Sebastian testified before the House that De Lima took P14 million in drug payments through her former aide, Joenel Sanchez and former Bureau of Correction director Franklin Bucayu, during her tenure as Justice secretary in the previous administration.

Several other inmates corroborated his testimony and said they sold drugs through their contacts outside the prison to raise funds for De Lima in her senatorial campaign.

Russian...

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“We really hope that in a few years, the military exercises for example in your region, in the South China Sea, will [involve] for example, not only Russia-Philippines, but Russia, Philippines, China and maybe Malaysia together.”

The visit was only the third ever by Russian military vessels to the Philippines, according to the Filipino Navy’s Commodore Francisco Cabudao, who led the welcoming ceremony for the Russian ships.

The Philippines, a former American colony, had for decades been one of the United States’ most important and loyal allies in Asia. The two are bound by a mutual defense pact.

But Duterte, a self-described socialist, has during his six months in power sought to dramatically shift his nation’s foreign and military alliances towards China and Russia.

Duterte has made repeated threats to downgrade or even end military and diplomatic ties with Washington. He has put on hold the dozens of war games held annually with the United States, and said he wants all American troops to leave the Philippines.

The animosity followed US President Barack Obama’s criticism of Duterte’s brutal war on drug crime that has left thousands of people dead in the Philippines.

During a trip to Beijing in October last year, Duterte enthused about his plans to forge closer ties with Russia and China.

“America has lost. I’ve realigned myself in your [Chinese] ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way,” he said. AFP

News

Executive clemency up for 134 elderly inmates J

USTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday his department had recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the grant of executive clemency to 134 elderly and sick prisoners.

He said the list he submitted to Duterte before Christmas included elderly, sickly and qualified inmates in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, in the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City and in the other penal colonies of the Bureau of Corrections.

“I already sent messages to the President requesting to expedite the action on our recommendation,” Aguirre told reporters.

He said he made his recom-

mendation after the Board of Pardons and Parole reviewed the eligibility of the inmates in the list.

He said the list included 100 inmates recommended for commutation of sentences, 18 for conditional pardon without parole, 14 for conditional pardone with parole and two for absolute pardon.

He said 14 in the list were elderly inmates.

He could not recall if the list

included political prisoners that the communist National Democratic Front had asked to be released, but there were no prominent inmates there.

He said he was confident Duterte would grant the pardon as he promised during the campaign for the presidential election last year.

He cited Duterte’s promise to free inmates aged at least 80 and those who had spent at least 40 years behind bars.

Duterte pardoned actor Robin Padilla, a supporter of his presidential bid, in November on the recommendation of the Bureau of Pardons and Parole.

Padilla, Robinhood Ferdinand Cariño Padilla in real life, applied for absolute pardon for his 1994 conviction for illegal pos-

session of firearms and sentencing for up to 21 years in prison.

He served three years at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa before being released in April 1997 by then President Fidel Ramos.

He then filed for pardon to be able to regain his civil rights, including his right to vote and run for public office.

Executive clemency or pardon, a power given to the President, pertains to reprieve, absolute or conditional pardon with or without parole conditions and commutation of sentence.

Parole is the conditional release of a prisoner from a correctional institution after the person has served the minimum of his or her sentence.

Rey E. Requejo

Du30...

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PROMISE. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno explains why President Duterte can't just deliver on his campaign promise to raise the pension for SSS members during a press briefing in Malacañang on Jan. 3, 2017. Toto Lozano

Rody...

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“You know, when you pass the buck and give it to the President, that to me is unfair for the President,” he said.

Promising an “honest explanation” of the situation, Duterte in a Dec. 29 interview said he might have to break his campaign promise to give a P2,000a-month, across-the-board increase in SSS pensions.

“I am preempting it because I’m getting a lot of calls about what happened. Is there or is there not anything to expect in the days ahead? I’ll try to give you the honest explanation maybe in the month of January,” Duterte told state broadcaster PTV4.

“I promised that it would come your way before the year ends. I’m very sorry, but that’s how it is. I do not own the money,” he added.

Duterte also echoed the assessment of his economic managers that the SSS would go bankrupt if the pension rates were raised.

“I would really give if only there are no problems... They had a very bleak assessment of what’s in store for us in the days ahead. And, the risk is not really that good,” said Duterte, citing Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

The SSS is set to implement a staggered P2,000 across-theboard increase in its monthly payments to member-pensioners now numbering 2.2 million. The first tranche of P1,000 will be given starting in January 2017, and another P1,000 in January 2019.

The country’s top economic managers, however, warned that the proposed hike will raise the

Filmfest...

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was true that a dog was slaughtered in the movie.

“Though I am not part of the jury that decided on the award, it is my responsibility to uphold

unfunded liabilities of SSS from P3.5 trillion to P5.9 trillion, as well as shorten the agency’s fund life to 2032 from the current 2042.

In October 2016, the SSS proposed six options on how to implement the proposed P2,000 across-the-board increase in the monthly pension of retirees without depleting the coffers of the pension fund for private sector employees.

To effect the pension increase, former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, one of the proponents of the SSS pension hike bill in the previous Congress, called for the government to subsidize the pension funds, to lengthen the viability of the funds up to 2040.

But Diokno said it was unfair to use taxpayer’s money to subsidize the P2,000 pension increase for SSS members, adding that government subsidy is not the answer to the issue of how the pension funds can be sustained.

“You contribute to that fund, okay and when you retire, you get benefits from that fund, okay. So given that perspective, I don’t think it is fair to say use the taxpayers’ money to subsidize the benefits of the pension members, the SSS members, right?” he said.

“Our principle is that, the pension fund must survive on its own, you don’t need taxpayers’ money to subsidize it,” he said, arguing that the SSS is a pension fund for the private sector and not a government pension fund.

The budget chief also lambasted SSS executives for placing Duterte on a spot where he had to decide whether to approve the pension hikes, and consider prudent options such as imposing higher SSS member contributions and intensifying debt collection efficiency.

“That proposal should have

not reached the President’s table.

If there’s any solution, I think they should find it within the system and what we are proposing is a salary, a contribution, adjustment,” Diokno said.

“He can give it [SSS memorandum] back and say, ‘Look, I appointed you there to solve the problem, okay. Come up with a solution,’” he added. “To me, it’s unfair to give the problem to him. In fact, it’s unfair for Congress to have passed that law, which, as you know, [former] President [Benigno] Aquino [III] vetoed.”

Diokno added that higher SSS contributions should be effected only after the government has carried out its tax reform program.

“Because of the tax reforms, you’ve got more money in your pockets, and therefore you are now in a position to contribute a small amount for the pension of those who are already receiving pensions. That’s our solution,” he said.

Diokno also encouraged the SSS to increase its collection efficiency to improve its financial standing.

“I understand some corporations have been indebted to SSS. Maybe they could call on them,” he said.

In contrast to Diokno’s view, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the President would do his best to keep his campaign promise to raise pensions.

“I believe the President will deliver what he has promised.

We in Congress are working hard to support and realize his reform agenda for our people,” Alvarez said.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, majority leader for the House contingent’s Commission on Appointments, shared Alvarez’s view.

Albano said the grant of P2,000 SSS pension hike wa a matter of timing.

the values of FPJ,” Poe said in reference to the late Fernando Poe Jr., her adoptive father.

Poe, former chairman of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board that classifies and reviews television programs, movies and home videos, said the former “King of Filipino

Movies” would never condone an act of animal cruelty.

The MMFF Executive Committee also condemned the lie that no dog was killed in the movie.

“We would like to reiterate that the MMFF Execom takes this opportunity to strongly em-

China,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said. “[The] article also praises Duterte’s good governance and anti-corruption campaign as the reason for his popularity among Filipinos.”

Duterte’s brutal war on drugs has attracted world headlines and made him land on the 70th spot in Forbes magazine’s Most Powerful People of 2016 who “make the world turn,” and become the Philippines’ “Most Googled Person in Each Country in 2016” as reported by Time magazine.

Forbes cited his election to the Philippine presidency “on the strength of a campaign that promised the swift execution of drug users and other criminals.”

The magazine also said his ongoing bloody war on crime and drugs had already resulted in thousands of deaths since taking over the presidency last June.

Duterte had earlier said he was preparing a dramatic change in the Philippines’ foreign policy and that he planned to cancel a defense cooperation deal with the US. “I will break up with America,” Duterte declared in a speech last year, adding that he would rather “go to Russia and to China.” John Paolo Bencito

Colonel...

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to the Provost Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Philippines days after a local court ordered him arrested in connection with a case linking him to the operation of a shabu laboratory in Manila.

The Justice department’s prosecutors said it was necessary to prevent the two accused from escaping because they had yet to be arraigned.

Marcelino and Yan were ordered arrested by Manila RTC Branch 49 on Dec. 22 for possession of illegal drugs.

They had earlier denied the charges against them during a preliminary investigation at the Justice department.

They had also questioned their arrest during a joint Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Philippine National Police operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila, in January last year and their indictment by the department.

Marcelino claimed that they were inside the seized shabu laboratory with nearly 77 kilograms of shabu worth P380 million only because they were conducting an intelligence operation at the time.

He claimed he was in the apartment for a covert surveillance operation as a member of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. phasize that it has not condoned nor will it ever condone any cruelty to animals. Neither will it allow the Festival to be the vehicle for any such actions.”

The committee came up with the move following consultation with the family of the late Fernando Poe Jr.

Soldiers...

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For Duterte to keep his word to double salaries, the government would have to ask Congress to raise the regular pay of the AFP and PNP through a higher base pay by next year.

The proposed base pay hike is on top of the second tranche of the Salary Standardization (Executive Order No. 201, s.

2016) that will increase the compensation of government employees, including military and uniformed personnel but would require Congress concurrence.

Once approved, a Police Officer I who received a total annual compensation of P321,746 in 2015 and P355,290 in 2016 will receive P473,625 in 2017.

Similarly, a Private who received a total annual compensation of P330,866 in 2015 and P342,936 in 2016 will receive P436,138 in 2017, the Budget Department said.

This, along with raised combat pay for soldiers from a typical P18,000 to P36,000 last 2015 will raise compensation for military and uniformed personnel by 2018.

“If you are going to increase the basic pay, you need to increase also the pension [for retired soldiers],” Diokno said.

It is estimated that doubling the salaries of uniformed military and police personnel would cost taxpayers about P230 billion a year, he said.

In August 2016, Duterte told soldiers and policemen that their pay would be doubled come yearend in recognition of their service to the nation.

“By December, you’d have doubled your salaries. This August, that’s going to start,” Duterte said in Filipino as soldiers cheered. “Look at your paychecks. It’s there now.”

Duterte initially announced a salary increase for men and women in uniform during his visit to Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija on July 26. He said soldiers’ pay will have an incremental increase starting August and tasked Diokno to find a way to deliver.

In the same news briefing, the budget chief announced that workers will start receiving higher pay as part of the second tranche of the government’s salary standardization.

Diokno added that civilian government employees, including public school teachers and government hospital nurses are included in the wage hike.

“They are part of the salary standardization,” he said.

“They are part of these tranches. But it does not mean that we will double their salary because right now the pay of public school teachers are much higher than [that] of private school teachers.”

“The previous administration had a down payment 2016.

And we are going to honor it…

But you know, there may be a legal defect because it did not go through Congress [and was] just incorporated in the budget.”

The salary standardization is a follow-through on the Aquino administration’s Executive Order No. 201, which would have allowed the implementation of a four-year salary increase program for government workers after Congress failed to pass a law proposing wage standardization.

Black...

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Colonel likened the streaming of the Black Nazarene procession to the Sunday Masses that are carried by TV stations so that Catholics who are too sick to attend can hear the service in their homes.

Devotees may follow Quiapo Church’s official Facebook page, “Quiapo Church–Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.”

Every Jan. 9, the Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for a procession in a “Caroza” or golden red carriage pulled through the streets of Quiapo by male devotees clad in maroon. The Traslacion celebrates the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo Church.

Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada said security measures would be in place to guard against terrorist attacks and other incidents during Monday’s Black Nazarene procession.

News

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FDA stops Sanofi from airing ad on vaccine

By Macon Araneta THE Philippine Food and Drug Administration has stopped giant pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur Inc. from airing television and radio advertisements on the controversial dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, which procurement at the time of former Presidenf Aquino remains under investigation by the Senate.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, FDA lawyer Emilio Polig said airing the advertisement violated Administrative Order No. 65 s. 1989, prohibiting advertisement in any form of prescription or ethical drug.

The FDA’s Center for Drug Regulation and Research has monitored the airing of the advertising materials on dengue vaccination.

It has also reported the unauthorized promotion of dengue vaccine in the malls.

In the “Summons with Cease and Desist Order” issued by FDA against Sanofi last Dec. 13, 2016, Sanofi was directed to cease and desist from disseminating advertisements for Dengvaxia in any form of mass or social media.

Sanofi was also directed to stop activities promoting and marketing the vaccine.

However, as of Dec. 15, 2016, the company had failed to comply with FDA’s directive to take down the said advertisements.

FDA Director General Nela Charade G. Puno stressed that since Sanofi had not complied with the order, they issued summons directing them to cease and desist from airing the advertisements and “Show Cause” why they should not be penalized for violating the law.”

Puno added to ensure immediate compliance, “the FDA already sent letters to TV and Radio Stations directing them not to air the said unauthorized ads.”

Puno also said the FDA would monitor compliance by Sanofi and the stations.

“We are looking forward to their cooperation in our mandate to ensure that the public is provided only with the correct information on the food, drugs, cosmetics, and health devices that they use,” she pointed out.

ANXIOUS DOWNTIME. Thousands of passengers returning to their respective provinces, after spending Christmas and the New Year celebration in the metropolis, punctiliously wait Tuesday for passenger buses at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City to ferry them back home under the city’s cloudy sky. Manny Palmero

House backs Duterte govt’s efforts for joint exploration

By Maricel V. Cruz

H

OUSE leaders led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday rallied behind efforts of the Duterte administration to study the possibility of conducting joint exploration of natural resources with China in the contested West Philippine Sea.

“I have no objection, Alvarez said, stressing the President has been on the side of the people.

The President is doing everything for the common good of Filipinos and the country,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez’s position was shared

by Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas and Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas who welcomed the statement of Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana

DoH hopes DU30 to sign proposed ’cracker act HEALTH Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial on Tuesday hoped President Rodrigo Duterte would soon sign the department’s proposed executive order on regulating the use of firecrackers or the firecrackers firing act.

“We are expecting that within this month, we can push for Malacañang’s issuance [of the EO], so we can avoid all the unnecessary injuries [from firecrackers],” Ubial said.

She explained their determination to have the proposed EO signed stems from the fact that while the number of firecracker-related injuries from the recent celebration was lower compared to figures in the past 10 years, these injuries still resulted in disability, pain and misery.

She noted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources strongly supported the signing of the proposed EO due to the negative impact of firecrackers on the environment.

Duterte was supposed to sign the order last year but postponed it in consideration of those whose livelihood depends on the manufacture of firecrackers.

The EO would further reduce the number of injuries

from firecrackers, Ubial said, noting that floating the idea of a presidential order on the ban on firecrackers had actually deterred people from lighting them, contributing to the drop in the number of injuries during the recent holidays. “[Some people in the provinces] had the impression that somehow they would be caught and punished if they use fireworks or firecrackers,” she said.

The health chief said the proposed EO would help the authorities monitor the indiscriminate firing of guns during the New Year revelry.

Without firecrackers, it would be easier to hear the shots from guns, she said, pointing out that many victims and their families have admitted they were surprised to learn they were injured by stray bullets.

As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the health department had recorded 581 fireworks-related injuries.

The figure is lower by 323 or 36 percent compared to the same period last year.

More than 50 percent of the injuries however involved children, the youngest of whom was barely one year old. PNA

that the Departments of Energy and Foreign Affairs had been studying the prospect of jointly exploring with Beijing the disputed waters.

But the joint exploration should not in any way jeopardize the country’s sovereignty.

“Any joint exploration deal must be based on existing laws and should not jeopardize our sovereignty,” Abu said.

“If sealed successfully, it would [be] one of the most dramatic foreign policy turnarounds in

recent Philippine history and possibly provide an alternative source of Natural gas from Malampaya which is projected to be depleted in 10 years. Natural gas fuels the biggest power plants in our province, Batangas, which supplies at least 60 percent of the power requirements of Luzon,” Abu added.

Vargas, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said President Duterte’s pronouncement “is a constructive diplomatic move that we can consider.”

“If we find a deadlock with regard to our differing positions in West Philippine Sea, then let us open other avenues where both parties can agree on and find a win-win arrangement. As long as it is peaceful, equitable and constitutional, I think it would be beneficial to the Filipinos and all parties concerned,” Vargas said.

But Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin, member of the House

minority bloc, opposed the plan, even as he warned the joint exploration with China could renounce the country’s victory in the Arbitral Tribunal last year.

“It sends a wrong signal as we are seen as appeasing China rather than making it accountable for violating our sovereignty with its continued build up of military infrastructures in the WPS. China will turn us into its puppet if we consider this rather pathetic proposal,” Villarin said.

The UN arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, rejecting China’s historic nine-dash line claim.

Sta. Romana earlier pointed out that the proposed joint exploration might be timely, citing nearing depletion of the energy supply from the Malampaya gas fields.

In doing so, he said said the government would want to know the available natural resources that could be extracted from the West Philippine Sea.

Titling of public school sites endorsed

By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader has batted for the summary titling of real estate properties used as public school sites in favor of the Department of Education to address the huge backlog on school buildings.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez filed House Bill 4350 which shall declare the DepEd as the prima facie owner of all unregisered qualified school sites.

Benitez lamented despite the availability of funds for school buildings, there had been delays in the implementation of education infrastrucutre program by various legal issues resulting from questioned ownership of lands used as public school sites.

“Some of the school sites that were donated lack proper legal documentation of transfer of

ownership to the DepED which results [in] land disputes filed by some of the relatives of the donors,” Benitez said in the bill’s explanatory note.

The DepEd is exempted from payment of all related costs, fees and taxes to the national government and its entities to acquire the title of real estate properties.

In pushing for the passage of his measure, Benitez stressed the need for Congress to enact a measure that will address the ownership controversies by providing for the summary titling of real properties used as public school sites in favor of DepEd. “The enactment of this proposed policy shall respond to the problems over land disputes over school sites and more importantly allow school adminsitrators to focus in the improvement and efficient delivery of quality education to their students instead,” Benitez said.

ROSE-COLORED EXPECTATION. A perambulant vendor packs her iconic images of the Black Nazarene, priced P250 per, outside the Minor Basilica de Nazareno de Quiapo in Manila, in anticipation of prospective buyers on the feast of the El Nazareno Negro annual procession which will start at the bayside Quirino Grandstand on Jan. 9. Ey Acasio

IN BRIEF PAF to buy 6 aircraft worth P4.9b SIX fixed wing aircraft worth P4.96 billion are set to be procured by the Philippine Air Force through a public bidding to be conducted by the Bids and Awards Committee of the Department of National Defense, according to the government’s Philgeps website.

The procurement was confirmed by Raymundo Elefante, Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel.

The DND-BAC has scheduled the pre-bid conference for interested bidders on Jan 11 at the DND building at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Dubbed “Close Air Support Aircraft,” the project is part of the PAF’s “big-ticket items” worth P43.27 worth of modern assets to be procured under the overall 2013-2017 Modernization Projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Asked what type of aircraft would be bought, Elefante could not give specific description except to say these would be used for internal operation.

“These are close air support aircraft for our troops engaged with the enemy on the ground,” he said. Florante Solmerin

Agri damage reaches over P5b—Piñol AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Tuesday damage to agriculture caused

by Typhoon “Nina’’ already reached more than P 5 billion.

In an interview, Piñol told reporters as of Jan. 3, total damage to crops and other agricultural products was at P 5.32 billion while damage to facilities was at P160 million.

“Because of this, I decided to form task force ‘‘Nina’’ which will focus on Catanduanes, Albay, Cam Sur and Quezon,” Piñol said.

Piñol said in Cantanduanes, about 85 percent of abaca was damaged by the typhoon.

“We allocated P 55 million for the rehabilitation of abaca areas in Catanduanes,” Piñol said.

Piñol said the amount would be used to purchase planting materials and to give immediate assistance to affected farmers in the area.

The DA chief also assured other farmers in Bicol the government was ready to give the necessary interventions which would include bags of certified seeds, hybrid palay seeds, hybrid corn seeds, vegetable seeds and fruit trees seedlings.

Anna Leah Gonzales

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Collateral damage

T

HE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, an anti-crime group, has been one of the most outspoken supporters of the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs, so when it speaks out against the “collateral damage” being done, the government should listen.

The impetus for the VACC’s statement comes from the killing of seven people, including four teens and a pregnant woman, by armed masked men looking for a drug suspect in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City on Dec. 27.

In that incident, a group of young men were dancing in a house that was reportedly a drug den when the masked gunmen barged in and started shooting. The assailants then followed one of the men who fled

to a nearby house, where a pregnant woman and her mother-in-law were also killed.

Police reports said five people died instantly when the gunmen opened fire on those inside the house. Two others died before reaching the hospital.

Reports said four of those killed were teenagers, two of them 15, one 16 and one 18, in what police reported as the result of a gang war.

However, Dante Jimenez, VACC founding chairman, said the incident was not the result of a gang war, but a covert police operation based on witnesses’ accounts.

“We went to the area because of our concern about those teenagers being involved in drug use, trafficking or pushing. In four places we’d gone to, three of the minors were confirmed not [to be] using drugs, according to their relatives and neighbors,” he said.

“We also went to the barangay to investigate, and found out only one of the teenage

boys had tried using drugs just once.”

He said five of the fatalities just happened to be in the area of the police operation.

“In our initial assessment, I think there have been many people who became what President Rodrigo Duterte called... collateral damage. And we call them collateral victims. They are the ones who get caught in a crossfire. Some are just a case of mistaken identity,” he said.

Jimenez, a supporter of the administration, urged the President to create a special task force composed of police officers and prosecutors to look into the deaths of innocent people.

It is time for President Duterte to listen.

He can continue to blindly insist that the police version of such incidents is always correct, but this would isolate him from the people and the truth.

In the last six months, more than 6,000 people have been killed in the bloody war

on drugs—averaging 39 deaths a day. On Dec. 27, it seems, at least seven of those people—or about 18 percent of the daily average death rate—were “collateral damage,” a military euphemism that dehumanizes people who shouldn’t have been killed but were.

What is an acceptable level of “collateral damage”? Even at 5 percent, that would translate to 300 people who didn’t have to die, but did—all in the name of the President’s unrelenting war on drugs.

Nobody is suggesting that the war be called off; we do insist, however, that the police make it their goal to ensure that no innocent bystanders are killed, and that when they are, a proper accounting be made to the people.

After all, in our democratic system, regardless of what Mr. Duterte wishes or thinks, the police are still accountable to the people.

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

Okada’s Manila casino

What would Jesse do?

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES SOME years back, Christians asked themselves the question, posed whenever they were in doubt about a course of action: What would Jesus do? I think Vice President Leni Robredo should also ask herself more often, when she needs to decide on something, if what she’s about to do is something that her late husband, the well-loved Jesse, would also have done.

I’m glad Robredo finally made it back to Naga City yesterday. But her explanation that she wanted so desperately to come home after learning of the devastation caused by Typhoon “Nina,” but couldn’t, just left me cold.

Robredo ascribed to “wrong timing” her failure to be with her fellow Bicolanos in their hour of

need. She said she tried to book return tickets to Manila as soon as she learned of the disaster but couldn’t get any since it was the height of the holiday season— and she had to secure passage for her three daughters and her 80-year-old mother, all of whom were traveling with her to the US, as well.

But Robredo was silent practically the entire time she was on vacation, not even mentioning the destruction caused by “Nina.” And during all that quiet time, this was all that she could come up with by way of explaining her absence?

Let’s fact-check Robredo’s statements to see if they stand up to some scrutiny. First of all, Robredo left Manila on Dec. 23, a full week after the weather bureau had announced that “Nina” would make landfall at around Christmas.

The night of Christmas Day, the typhoon entered through Catanduanes, while Robredo and her family had just made landfall

of her own in the continental US. If, as she claimed earlier, she was truly monitoring the situation, she would have learned upon her arrival that the typhoon was already ravaging the Bicol provinces, with her own home-

No. What we know is that Robredo went on a self-imposed vow of media silence, not even posting anything on Twitter or any other social media platform, as is her wont.

(Her spokesman in Manila, who was immediately nicknamed the hardest-working propagandist in government during the holiday season, said the Veep was asking for donations for the typhoon victims as soon as she arrived. Never mind if the Duterte administration said that the victims were going to receive all the aid they needed and that there was no need for outside assistance.)

I also find it hard to believe that a vice president, especially one on a mission of mercy and with an overweening desire to be with her people in the immediate aftermath of a severe weather disturbance, would fail to secure town of Naga City and its envi- return tickets, if only for herself. rons being hit by powerful gusts And how hard was it for Robreof wind and rain. Did Robredo do, if she really wanted to come try to secure tickets then? home, to book a return flight for

Jesse would never have left with a typhoon coming and even if he had, he would find a way to return.

herself and to leave her children —who are already grown—to take care of themselves and their grandmother?

And would Jesse have done any of the things that Leni did, for which she is now justly being criticized? The late former mayor of Naga, who became famous for his common touch and his use of rubber sandals and whose untimely death catapulted Leni to her current high political post, probably never would have.

Jesse would never have left, anyway, with a typhoon coming.

And even if he had, he would find a way to return.

He would not allow himself to be stranded, nor would he go into extended silent mode. And upon returning, he would not dream up excuses and incredible alibis—or even make a side trip to some fire victims in Quezon City, of all places, just to show that he actually cared.

But of course, Leni is not Jes-

OKADA Manila beat the government-imposed deadline to open by yearend-2016 last Dec. 30, the 120th death anniversary of Jose Rizal who was a small-time bettor in his younger days. Rizal bought his Dapitan property with his jueteng winnings. I don’t frequent casinos, though.

I had a two-hour interview with Okada Manila owner Kazuo Okada in early December, arranged by prominent Manila lawyer, Manuel “Lolong” Lazaro.

Lolong is helping the Japanese billionaire pachinko king open doors to Manila’s gilded society and is representing him in his fight to recover some $260 million allegedly taken without adequate explanation by his former casino partner, the American Steve Wynn of Las Vegas and Macau.

“It is absolutely the most beautiful and one of the biggest casinos in the world,” gushed the gambling tycoon during the interview.

He was describing his colossal $2.4-billion gaming and entertainment complex called the Okada Manila Casino by the Manila Bay. The Japanese pachinko and gaming mogul is investing what he says is more than $2.4 billion to build the ultimate in resort casinos, the ne plus ultra in luxury and big money gaming and entertainment.

Okada Manila sprawls on 44 hectares of prime bayside land overlooking the Philippine capital’s awesome bay.

The $2.4 billion is only a start. Okada figures he will eventually invest more than $3 billion in his Philippine enterprise, his first fully integrated casino and resort in the world.

He is also looking at other places to invest in resorts and casino. One such place is Palawan. Okada thinks the Philippines is ripe for a tourism boom, especially now that the Chinese market has opened with the Duterte administration’s pivot to Beijing.

If you believe Okadasan, as the most beautiful, Okada Manila will be more glamorous than Monte Carlo, more ritzy than the Ritz Club, more enthralling than the Bellagio, more resort-like

Turn to A5

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Opinion TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Contentious issues THERE are two issues in Con- impeachable offense of failing gress that could affect public to declare all his assets in his interest and the future of this Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. country.

Now there is House Bill 731, One is the enactment of a committee-approved bill re- which seeks to amend Section storing the death penalty. 128 of the Central Bank Act, to President Duterte wants it back insulate Bangko Sentral offito enhance his war on illegal cials from the actuations of the drugs. He wants five to six AMLC, especially the political executions a day, either by fir- acts, which may be influenced ing squad, hanging, or lethal by their loyalty to the appointinjection to instill fear among ing authority. The bill was filed druglords, drug dealers and by House Deputy Speaker, former President Gloria Macapatheir protectors.

But the death penalty has not gal Arroyo.

“The BSP should be liberated deterred crime! Only the poor suffer because the rich can af- from the burden of supervising the rigorous demands of crimiford lawyers to save them.

The house of Representa- nal investigations such as those tives seems to have become a performed by the AMLC,” Mrs. rubber-stamp Congress. Will Arroyo said.

AMLC Chairman and BSP the President have his way on Governor Amando Tetangco this one, too? is a career official and has *** Another contentious issue performed effectively. Even is the shift to federalism. It President Duterte said he could can happen this year. The be appointed to his third term.

1987 Constitution needs to The Central Bank Act allows be amended, though. Former the BSP governor only two President BS Aquino had terms; the law may have to be opposed this because it would amended for this.

Arroyo’s bill strikes at the mean tinkering with his heart of political power being mother’s charter.

The problem is that Mr. Du- abused. Recall the time when terte’s lackeys in Congress are BS Aquino used the AMLC bent on amending the Consti- in leaking the bank records of tution, through a Constituent then-candidate Rodrigo Duterte during A s s e m bl y, supposedly in the campaign consideration period.

I am glad of the lower Rep. Arroyo cost.

How will the filed this bill.

And yes, *** there is also country fare in I wanted to the problem these? go to Baguio of how ConCity over the stituent Assembly would holidays but be undertakwas told that en. Will amendments be made doing so would be stressful. Alvia joint assembly, or with both most everybody had the same chambers voting separately? idea. My family and I ended up The Senate should never agree staying in the city where traffic to a joint assembly since they was so light.

I was told by my former stuwould be outvoted easily.

The bigger problem in dent at Ateneo High School, Con-Ass is that there is noth- businessman Roberto “Bobing that can stop the House by” Ongpin, that his magnum from pursuing their own opus—the Alphaland Mounagenda, like extending their tain Lodges—was well under construction. In fact, Phase term limits.

I believe in a federal form of One is almost finished.

Last year, I had the opportugovernment. Still I have to be convinced that a federal system nity to visit the place, some 8 of government is the cure-all kilometers along the Ambukfor the problems in Mindanao. lao Road. The only structure There will always be the prob- I saw then was Bobby’s threelem of some regions being rich- bedroom wooden cottage on top of a hill. er than others.

The project where some 50 How problematic these issues are. I hope President Duterte lodges will be built have alcan see the light at the end of ready been identified. The first 20 units will be completthe tunnel this year. ed come Easter time. Phase *** We all know that BS Aquino 2 will start in early 2018. No used every means, short of de- less than 140 parties have stroying institutions like the shown interest. Ongpin exDepartment of Justice, the Of- pects the project to be comfice of the Ombudsman, the pleted in 2019. Ongpin has Department of Budget and used nothing less than the best Management, the Anti-Money for the future owners of lodge Laundering Council and even houses.

I must give it to Ongpin. Dethe Supreme Court to prosspite losing P22 billion when ecute its political enemies.

The AMLC, for one, was he was chairman of PhilWeb, used as a political tool by BS being tagged by President DuAquino to go after the late terte as an oligarch and being Chief Justice, Renato Corona, persecuted by BS Aquino, he who was convicted for the non- remains standing.

What...

From A4

se, any more than Noynoy is Cory or Bam is actually Ninoy.

The Yellows only want you to think that way—before revealing, ultimately, that you’ve been played for fools for believing that some dead person continues to live on in a convenient obscure relative or spouse.

Thank God the Yellow necropolitics of the past seems to have abated. Perhaps, it may have even been eliminated for good, because of Leni’s efforts to destroy her deceased husband’s legacy. *** As a young reporter and later as metropolitan editor during the Cory years, I covered Manila’s Mayor Gemiliano “Mel”

Lopez Jr., who died over the weekend at the age of 81. Mel Lopez, who was mayor from 1986 to 1992, was a gentleman of the old school, a proud son of Tondo who had a distinguished career as a city councilor, a Marcos-era assemblyman and finally as mayor of the nation’s capital.

Mel would go on to become head of the country’s amateur boxing association, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission and, in his last six years, head of the state-owned Philippine National Oil Corp.’s Energy Development Corp.

I join the many fans and friends of Mel Lopez in condoling with his wife Ching, sons Alex and Manny and all his other relatives. Mel Lopez loved his city and it loved him back in return.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pop goes the population!

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO TODAY, I digress from the usual topics of politics and foreign affairs. I will dwell on a major problem that is of equal significance to our national life.

The downside of a burgeoning population contributes to unemployment and poverty. Any government plan to solve the problem would be at best palliative and overtaken by a runaway population.

The Philippines’ population is at a point of no return to manageable levels. This could hit 105.7 million by the end of the year 2017. This was according to the Population Commission which projected the increase from its present 100.3 million.

PopCom blamed the shortage of available contraceptives and the Supreme Court taking its time to rule on pending petition to block the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law passed

by Congress in 2013. The Catholic Church and the Pro-Life advocates are staunchly opposing the RH Law. But let’s stop blaming the

High Court and the Pro-Life groups for the country’s runaway population. The culprit is the Filipino culture that encapsulates the non-use of condoms.

Filipino men are obsessed with the macho mentality to prove their virility in raw form sans the use of condoms that capture the seeds of their manhood. This prevalent macho culture transcends no matter the men folk’s station in life. The poor, many of them living in ambulant, makeshift caritons (carts) continue to add to the population making you wonder how they are able to proliferate in such cramped space and abysmal living quarters. We can only presume the city’s darkness when night falls plus their and their partners’ libido defy space and prying eyes.

Rich men, on the other hand, are even proud to show off their power and their prowess, often parading in public their multiple wives and households. One such public official even made it to Malacañang when he was voted president by a public inured to immorality.

Hence we see so many children born out of wedlock. So many young girls become mothers even before the usual childbearing age. This is the sad state of our society. Is this blight in

the Philippine social milieu a reflection on the failure of the Church to do its moral responsibility ? I’d better stop here lest the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Pro-Lifers and the Taliban of morality gang up on me.

Hungarian population In Hungary, the country’s small population is even going down. When I was first posted as Philippine ambassador to Budapest in 2002, Hungary’s population was at its peak at 10 million. But when I was transferred in 2009 to reopen the Philippine embassy in Warsaw, Poland, the population of Hungary even went down further to 9.7 million.

So no one can trace to and blame me even a slight rise in the country’s population.

While a small population makes governance more manageable, it also, on the other hand, poses a problem for Hungary’s social security state.

As anyone knows, a country’s social security is shaped like a pyramid with the wide base supporting the retirees and pensioners at the top. Without a base support from a new crop of workers, the beneficiaries at the top of the pyramid could topple.

This is the dilemma facing a socialist state like Hungary which

is xenophobic in its state policy that bars migrants like the recent wave that flooded Europe.

The migrants, evacuees fleeing the brutal civil war in Syria and the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, merely used Hungary as transit point and continued their trek to Austria and other parts of Western Europe like Germany and France.

Now, don’t think Hungarians are a disciplined lot and abstain from sex the whole year around.

Disciplined they are, but certainly do not practiced abstention.

The women are beautiful—tall, blonde and statuesque. The men, most of them anyway, are proud of their bodies and more often than not are gym rats. Budapest is not known for just the River Danube and the classical music of composers Bela Bartok (18811945), Liszt Ference (1811-1886) and Erkel Ferenc (1810-1897).

Against this cultural backdrop, Budapest is also known as the porno film capital of the world!

If so, why the declining population? The best source of the reason for this is the largest manufacturer of condoms in Europe. The German firm’s sales figures the last two decades show that it is in Hungary where its condom product sells the most across Europe.

Japan takes on its workaholics

By Noah Smith THE same problems come up again and again in discussions of what Japan needs to do to revive its economy. The first is low white-collar productivity. The second is population aging. The third is gender equality. Now Japan’s government is poised to attack all three problems at once, undertaking an assault on one of the central features of the country’s corporate culture—long working hours.

Japan is legendary for its work ethic. You wouldn’t know this from the official statistics, which show Japanese working hours converging with US levels.

I suspect the Japanese numbers are understated. Many more salaried workers in the US are exempt from overtime rules than in Japan. Therefore, Japanese bosses have a bigger incentive than their US counterparts to force their white-collar employees to work off the clock. In any case, surveys find that unpaid overtime is significant. Additionally, much of Japan’s working hour decline comes from a compositional shift from full-time to parttime work—in other words, underemployment.

Full-time workers in Japan still work longer than their US counterparts.

The harm from long working hours goes beyond stress, psychiatric issues and health problems. Overwork might also be a factor behind the country’s low productivity. Stanford economist John Pencavel has shown that if people work more than 60 hours a week, their output flatlines or even declines. Putting in long hours might convince your boss that you’re a diligent

Okada’s ...

From A4 than the Ibiza, more luxurious than the Venetian of Macau, and more grand than Wynn Macau. Is there anyone else?

Okada says Okada Manila “will be my greatest achievement. This will be my monument!” “It caps all my inventive track record, all my hard work, all my perseverance, all my dreams,” says the 74-year-old grizzled entrepreneur from Japan.

The dream’s basic premise?

“Not exactly to make money but to provide fun and entertainment to people,” says Okada, speaking through an interpreter.

Okada’s $2.4 billion will go into the casino proper, a 993-room five-star hotel with rooms ranging in size from 58 sqms to 1,400-sqm villas, a giant fountain rising up to 100 meters high, an 800-meterlong glass corridor, a four-hectare lake, and a beach club.

The casino is spread on a 41,000-square-meter area that can accommodate up to 500 gaming tables plus up to 3,000 electronic games. The casino is housed on the upper ground level under two hotel tower wings.

There are two basic structures

employee, but after a point it becomes self-defeating.

But the biggest consequence of overwork could be its destructive impact on family. In Japan, the tradition of eating dinner with the family is long gone.

Many full-time workers—men in particular—don’t get home until late at night. That makes child care almost impossible for

Minister Shinzo Abe is aware of the problem, and is taking some steps to address it.

First, Abe is drawing up new rules to cap overtime hours.

These will only be effective if they are enforced, of course. But according to economist and government policy adviser Akiko Kamesaka, the government is preparing to send inspectors to

households with two full-time earners. Women are thus forced to choose between careers and childbearing, which contributes to the country’s low fertility rate and aging population. And since women are far more likely than men to choose to stay home with the kids, the culture of long work hours also keeps women from advancing in the workplace.

So Japan’s long hours hurt the economy, personal health and families, all for little economic benefit. Something needs to be done. Fortunately, the administration of Prime

make sure that office lights are off after certain hours. That kind of top-down policy might seem unthinkable to many in the US, but it might be the only way to force hidebound, aging Japanese managers to change.

Another idea is to nudge Japanese companies to let employees take their work home with them.

Japan has traditionally lagged other rich countries in allowing workers to substitute working at home for office time, and Abe’s advisers have long been suggesting ways to fix the disparity through deregulation and bureau-

—a glass dome at the front of the property and facing the bay, and an 800-meter-long glass or crystal corridor at the back of the complex.

In effect, “there are two wings in one hotel which are joined by a skybridge, a 9,000-sqm glass dome accommodating the beach club and the night club,” explains Steve Wolstenholme, president and a director of Okada Manila.

There will be 24 first-class restaurants. The Café Museum will display 80 pieces of art and sculpture collection of Okada.

The fountain, Steve says, is one of the largest in the world. The fountain is the main feature of the four-hectare man-made lake. It has 739 nozzles and can shoot water up to 100 meters high.

“The crystal corridor will feature all kinds of virtual entertainment possible,” says Okada. It will have hundreds of projectors that can beam all kinds of films and visual delights, from the latest in movies to the most amazing in virtual reality and computer graphics.

Okada says his casino has one feature no other casino in the world will probably have, what he calls responsible gaming. “We will never allow somebody to go bankrupt,” assures Okada-san.

“We want guests to continue coming to our property, enjoy it, and not go bankrupt.”

He explains enigmatically: “Guests will not be allowed to spend more than what they should.

We have a scheme to monitor their spending. This is a unique concept and is the very first in the world.” “In other casinos, they don’t really care,” Okada says.

Steve projects more than 20,000 guests will visit Okada Manila daily. At least a third of them will play at the casinos. “We want guests to enjoy not exactly to gamble,” explains the Okada Manila president. “What we offer is fun and entertainment.”

Born in 1942 during the Second World War, Okada was orphaned at a young age by the untimely death of his father. He educated himself and learned to make money the hard way—thru hard and dogged work.

He entered engineering vocational school taking advantage of his knack at details and passion for machines.

To support his mother, as a young man, he made a living by repairing jukeboxes and cathode ray tube televisions. He became an electrical engineer.

He could easily fix broken televisions which used to be made

cratic pressure on businesses.

Already, government efforts and natural cultural change seem to be having an effect—more than a third of large Japanese companies recently claimed to be implementing work-from-home systems.

These reforms, if successful, will have at least two big positive effects. They will force conservative Japanese managers to change their mindset regarding work itself—bosses will have to find ways to get their employees to work smarter, not harder. The changes will also benefit Japanese families, allowing parents to be home with the kids while they work. That will make childcare easier (increasing the fertility rate), and will help women win economic equality.

In the long run, shorter hours for full-time employees could also help close the gap between full-time and part-time workers in Japan. As things stand, the employment system is hugely unfair, since it’s very hard to switch from the dead-end part-time track to the upwardly mobile full-time track.

But if full-time employees work more reasonable work-weeks, companies will have less reason to maintain two different kinds of employment. That could give the government an opening to push companies toward providing equal pay for equal work, something Abe himself has advocated.

So Japan may finally be addressing its most infamous corporate-culture problem. The days of the exhausted salaryman nodding off on the midnight train might soon be gone for good, replaced by a new emphasis on efficiency, productivity and family time. It would be a welcome change. Bloomberg with vacuum tubes. So he could repair TV sets using his knowhow and off-the-shelf replacement parts. This enabled him to sell reconditioned TV sets at 100 times it cost him.

Then he went into importing US-made jukeboxes and, using reverse engineering, refashioned them into something more useful and entertaining. So by spending $500 fixing the jukeboxes, he could earn as much as $10,000 per unit. This made him a modest millionaire.

The money he amassed from reconditioning TV sets and being the jukebox king jump-started him into his first real big business—games and pachinko, actually a combination gaming and pinball machines. Gambling is illegal in Japan but pachinko enables players to go around the prohibition because it is supposed to be entertainment.

In fact, that is how Okada defines his next business—fun and entertainment.

In 1969, Okada organized Universal Lease Co. Ltd. now Universal Entertainment Ltd. (UE). It is the mother company of Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment, which owns Okada Manila. biznewsasia@gmail.com

News

A6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MMDA suspends number coding

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority suspended the number coding scheme for provincial buses from Southern Luzon yesterday and today to accommodate the bulk of passengers going back to Metro Manila following the holiday break.

MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos said the lifting of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, or the number coding scheme, for provincial buses came after a consultation meeting with officials of the Inter-agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT).

“This way, we can help thousands of passengers to book their trip back to Metro Manila because the earlier returning trips had all already been fullybooked,” Orbos said.

He said that the UVVRP suspension will afford bus companies to utilize all available units to fetch passengers from the provinces in Southern Luzon back to Metro Manila.

Orbos, however, pointed out that the lifting of the UVVRP will create traffic since more vehicles will be on the roads.

“We appeal to motorists for their understanding and to bear with us during the duration of the Number Coding suspension. We have to do this to allow people to get back to their respective work here in Metro Manila as soon as possible,” he said.

The lack of Manila-bound provincial buses has been compounded by the ongoing labor strike by a bus company which services the southern Luzon provinces. Workers at the bus company have been on strike for almost a week now.

Meanwhile, around 100 MMDA traffic enforcers will receive new hand-held radio phones to help them to be more efficient and effective in their tasks while manning the streets in the metropolis.

DBM: Asean deal legal

By John Paolo Bencito

B

UDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno insisted on Tuesday the government did not circumvent procurement rules in awarding a P2.8-billion contract to manage events scheduled for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which the Philippines will be hosting this year.

“We complied with all the steps. Only one bidder submitted the bid. This was the same bidder who won the hosting rights for the Apec,” Diokno said after local company Events Organizer Network Inc. accused the Department of Budget and Man-

agement of violating procurement rules.

“EON cannot even submit a bid so I am surprised that they cannot even comply,” Diokno told reporters in a Palace press briefing.

In a Nov. 25, 2016 letter to the Budget Department, EON com-

plained that the agency violated procurement laws when it used bidding documents for goods and not consulting services.

The company also said the DBM favored the winning bidder when it awarded the P2.8-billion contract in a single package instead of dividing the contract into four lots.

But Diokno said EON did not qualify to bid for the project and can handle just one out of five aspects of the project and Ambassador Marciano Paynor, who is overseeing the preparations, wants a single contractor to handle it.

“EON wants to break it up into five so it can qualify. Ambassador Paynor is against it. He doesn’t want to talk to five people. He

wants just one,” he added.

Diokno stressed further that about 86 percent of the bid contract would involve the lease of equipment necessary for the hosting of the event, hence the need for a single contractor.

Diokno likewise stressed EON’s accusations against DBM cannot stand since its decision to use Philippine Bid Documents (PBDs) were supported by the Non-Policy Matter Opinion No. 180-2015 issued by the Government Procurement Policy Board.

The government has already allotted more than P15.5 billion this year to cover expenses for its hosting of the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year.

IN BRIEF Pinoys, Sinos in drug raps investigated

BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES. Somber-looking elementary school students and their guardians mill around the school yard as classes resumed after the Christmas holidays. Manny Palmero

Loren: Space tech needed for life in the islands

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Loren Legarda proposed the creation of a Philippine Space Agency not to send hungry Filipino astronauts to space but to focus on applications and technologies that will enhance national security and help Filipinos in their daily lives.

In filing Senate Bill No. 1259, Legarda proposed the creation of the PSA and a National Space Development and Utilization Policy which will serve as the country’s primary strategic roadmap for space development.

She said this will also embody the country’s goal of becoming a space-capable and space-faring nation within the next decade.

“It is unfortunate that due to lack of local support to this field, many of our globally-competitive Filipino space scientists have instead opted to serve in space agencies abroad,” said Legarda.

She also said space programs and development are not limited to sending astronauts to space and engineering space crafts and technologies.

“Space programs and development address basic needs in our daily lives such as the application

of global navigation satellite systems which directly affects industries, transportation management, national security, health management, climate studies and disaster risk management, and the expansion of scientific engineering resources,” said Legarda.

The Philippine Space Policy will focus on space applications that can preserve and enhance the country’s national security and promote development that is beneficial to all Filipinos, and on conducting research and development endeavors in vital areas of space science, technology and allied fields.

Through the PSA, the country will develop and utilize space science and technology applications to enhance its hazard management and disaster mitigation strategy.

She said this will also ensure the nation’s resiliency to climate change and create a robust and thriving space industry to support the country’s space program through private sector involvement and cooperation and establish a sustainable pool of trained space scientists, engineers and communicators.

These people will be critical for the country’s future space program and will increase public awareness

on its value and benefits.

Through this, she said the Philippines to become a key player in the Asean and global space community by providing significant contributions and capabilities on space science and technology applications.

The Department of Science and Technology was reported to be pushing for the creation of a national space agency that will consolidate all space-related research and development ventures of various government agencies and boost the country’s capability to become a space technology hub in Southeast Asia.

Piñol eyes Pangasinan as MM seafood source

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the fishery sector of Pangasinan will be tapped as an alternative source of fish supplies for Metro Manila as fish pens in Laguna de Bay will be dismantled by 2018.

Piñol recently visited the Fisherman’s Center of the newlycompleted wharf and causeway in Sual, Pangasinan to meet local fisherfolk and local leaders of Pangasinan and La Union.

“To fill the big gap on the needs from the urban areas, Sual and the province of Pangasinan will definitely come into play because of its strategic location and its reputation for high quality produce,” Piñol said.

“When you say Dagupan bangus, people love it. Even foreigners look for it because it made its name not only here but also abroad,” added Piñol.

Piñol encouraged fisherfolk in Pangasinan and La Union to come up with a roadmap for the fisheries sector so that the government can provide the assistance needed.

“These face-to-face dialogues enable the government to come up with appropriate solutions,” Piñol said.

During the consultation, the DA also awarded P54 million worth of

Although the regional bloc was founded in 1967, it did not hold annual summits until 1976. It will only be the third time the country will be hosting the regional meet, after it was held in Manila in 1987 under President Cory Aquino and in Cebu in 2007 under President Gloria Arroyo.

The bloc’s chairmanship rotates annually, in alphabetical order of the names of 10 member-states.

The commemorative launching of the Philippine chairmanship of Asean will be held Jan. 15 at Davao City, with two summits: the 30th Asean Summit will be held April in Mactan, Cebu and another one—the 31st Asean Summit— will be held November at Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

fishery projects to the fisherfolk of Pangasinan and La Union.

Turned over were 381 units of fishing gears and 70 new fiberglass-reinforced plastic boats to over 500 fisherfolk beneficiaries from the said provinces.

“This is part of the 700 boats with implements to be granted to the 14 coastal towns of Pangasinan,” Piñol said.

A total of 10 Community Fish Landing Centers (CFLCs) were also awarded to 10 local government units, while local budgeting projects for a fish port, mariculture park, and another CLFC were awarded to the LGUs of Agoo, Anda, and Infanta.

Following the confirmation of illegal fishing activities in the whole of Region I, Piñol offered the fisherfolks livelihood programs and interventions in exchange of a commitment to stop illegal fishing activities.

“We will also set up other income-generating activities to compensate for your livelihood during nil season,” Piñol said.

“It’s either you take my offer of providing you livelihood programs which will also ensure that good catch will be available for everyone or gamble with illegal fishing activities and suffer the consequences of violating the law,” Piñol added.

SUPPLY CHAIN. The Bureau of Fisheries and the Philippine Fishports Development Authority, two agencies of government which are under the Department of Agriculture, have come up with a nationwide program to facilitate the distribution of fish straight from the fish ports to the remote towns of the country.

THE Department of Justice on Tuesday commenced its preliminary investigation on the drug charges filed against the six men who were arrested in drug busts in San Juan City last Dec. 23.

In their counter-affidavits, the three Filipino respondents —Abdullah Mahmod Jahmal, Salim Cocodao Arafat and Basher Tawaki Jamal— denied the drug charges and claimed they were just passing the area when they were arrested.

The three other Chinese respondents—Shi Gui Xiong, Che Wen De and Wu Li Yong—failed to submit answers to the charges because of the absence of lawyers.

Assistant State Prosecutors Mary Jane Sytat and Ethel Rhea Suril then gave them until the next hearing on Friday, Jan. 6, to submit their counter-affidavits through assistance of a public attorney.

Rey Requejo

Red tide up in W. Samar THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources yesterday raised the red tide alert over the coastal waters of Daram Island in Daram, Western Samar.

BFAR in its recent shellfish bulletin said that the coastal waters of IrongIrong and Cambatutay Bays in Wastern Samar, Matarinao Bay in Eastern and coastal waters of Leyte and Calubian and Carigaga Bay in Leyte are also still positive for red tide.

The coastal waters of Biliran Province, Gigantes Islands in Carles, Iloilo and coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol are also still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries and BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona said all types of shellfish from these areas are not safe for human consumption. Anna Leah E. Gonzales

4 Pinays admit surrogate motherhood contracts

By Vito Barcelo IMMIGRATION authorities stopped four Filipino women from leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after they confessed that they were going abroad to become surrogate mothers to foreigners in exchange for the amount of US$8,700 or equivalent to P435,000.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the four victims and their female recruiter were about to board a Thai Airways flight at the Naia 1 terminal last Sunday when they were of-

floaded by personnel from the BI’s travel control and enforcement unit.

Morente said the four human trafficking victims admitted that after arriving in Bangkok they would proceed to Phnom Penh where they will be fetched by a Cambodian who arranged the deal with the foreigners who were supposed to father the babies they would bear.

“This is a new modus operandi of a human trafficking syndicate that preys on our Filipino women who are enticed to bear children of strangers for a fee because of their poverty. We can-

not allow this to happen,” Morente said.

The BI chief commended the immigration officers who foiled the human trafficking operation even as he directed the bureau’s personnel at the Naia to be doubly vigilante in screening Filipino tourists departing for Thailand and Cambodia.

It was learned that the offloaded passengers themselves bared that another batch of wouldbe surrogate mothers were scheduled to depart at the Naia at an undisclosed date, hence the alert order.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Lyceum tossers seek 1st-ever Final 4 stint UNHERALDED Lyceum of Four for the very first time.

“With more hard work, we hope the Philippines University seeks to close in on its first-ever Final to achieve our goal of making the Four appearance as it clashes with Final Four this year,” said LPU league doormat Emilio Aguinaldo coach Emil Lontoc in Filipino.

Cherilyn Jhane today in the women’s Sindayen has been division of the 92nd Games today (Filoil Flying V Center) the anchor of LPU’s National Collegiate a.m.- EAC vs LPU (jrs) strong showing this Athletic Association 8:30 10 a.m.- EAC vs LPU (m) volleyball tourna- 11:30 a.m.- EAC vs LPU (w) year as she is cur1 p.m.- AU vs JRU (w) rently running fifth ment at the Filoil 2:30 p.m.- AU vs JRU (m) overall in the best Flying V Center in scoring list with San Juan City.

The Lady Pirates have been an average of 14.8 hits a game, creating a stir this season after trailing an elite company headed racking up four victories in their by last year’s Finals MVP Jeanfirst five games, highlighted by ette Panaga of CSB and reigning a shock 25-22, 24-26, 25-18, 20- back-to-back MVP Grethcel Sol25, 15-10 victory over the St. Be- tones of San Sebastian.

Meanwhile, Arellano Univernilde Lady Blazers, the reigning sity likewise shoots for a share of champions, on Dec. 6.

LPU is currently tied with Arel- second as it tangles with Jose Rilano University at No. 3 and a win zal (2-4) at 1 p.m.

In juniors’ play, Emilio Aguiin its 11:30 a.m. duel with EAC, still winless in six outings, will naldo (5-0) and LPU (3-0) try to catapult it to joint second with St. stay unscathed as the two collide Benilde (5-1) and closer to unde- at 8:30 a.m.

The winner of the EAC-LPU feated leader San Sebastian (6-0).

Most importantly, the Lady Pi- will boost its stock in their bid rates, one of the most titled teams of automatically barging into the in the WNCAA before joining the best-of-three finals by virtue of a NCAA five years ago, are on the sweep of the single-round robin brink of advancing to the Final elimintions.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, during the ATP Qatar Open tennis competition in Doha on January 2, 2017. AFP

Djokovic survives scare in Doha D

OHA—Novak Djokovic battled back from 5-1 down against world number 63 JanLennard Struff to claim his first victory of the season at the Qatar Open on Monday.

The world number two lost his opening two service games and struggled with the German’s big serves in the early exchanges.

But the Serb rallied in determined fashion to eventually take the first-round match 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.

“It wasn’t a great start, I was 1-5

down, it didn’t look very good,” Djokovic said after winning in just under 90 minutes.

He attributed his slow start to early-season rustiness rather than any long-term concerns over his form, following a relatively poor second half of the season in 2016.

“I guess I had to get more time to get the engine started. It’s the first match of the year, you never know how you’re going to start.

“I mean, I was a bit flat on my feet, and Struff, credit to him for playing aggressive, hitting the serves well, and ripping (the) ball from the baseline.

“But I stayed composed because I knew, I believed that I could find the rhythm, start reading his serve better, and that’s what happened.”

Djokovic, who is the defending champion in Doha, hit 17 winners

but also 20 unforced errors.

In total, his opponent thundered down nine aces.

The 12-time Grand Slam winner is looking to reclaim his number one ranking from Andy Murray, who is also in Doha, and is the tournament’s number one seed.

If matches go to form the rivals will meet in a mouthwatering final on January 7.

Before the tournament, Murray said Djokovic would be his main rival this season, but the Serb said 2017

would be about more than two players.

“We have the return of [Rafael] Nadal and [Roger] Federer that we cannot count out in any circumstances because of their history and results and the quality of players that they are,” he said.

Also on Monday there were victories for Dustin Brown, who edged past Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis in three sets in the first round of the singles, 6-1, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4.

And number four seed, Belgium’s David Goffin, who beat Murray in

Serena shakes off rust

PSC wants to know plans of PH sports associations

By Peter Atencio THE grassroots’ development program of the national sports associations will be up for discussion when the Philippine Sports Commission meets sports officials in a three-day conference that begins Thursday at the Tagaytay Highlands.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, in a radio interview, said that through this conference, they will determine the amount of support that the agency can give to the NSAs in the coming years.

“Ito ang pag-uusapan.

This will show where the search for talents will evolve, kung ano ang plano ng mga NSAs,” said Ramirez.

The PSC chief said NSAs with a sound grassroots program will continue getting support from the PSC. On the other hand, NSAs which do not have much to show in their programs will have less financial assistance from the agency.

The PSC chief will lay out its policy with the NSAs on grassroots development, keeping in mind the history of Philippine sports in terms of

performance in international meets over the last 26 years.

Ramirez said questions will be raised on what has transpired over the last two decades, how much was spent and what was the historical performance of athletes of each NSAs. He said the conference is considered “a directional meeting,” with the agency and the NSA discussing issues concerning the performance of national athletes.

This will also be a study of how the PSC can support the NSAs in their preparations for the 2020 Olympics.

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez: The conference will show where the search for talents will evolve. Lino Santos

Carlos, Zoleta clinch semis berths in Andrada Cup netfest TOP seed Macie Carlos and second pick Gaby Zoleta downed separate rivals on Tuesday to reach the girls’ 14-under semifinal in the 28th Andrada Cup Junior Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Carlos stamped her class over Bettina Catoto, 6-0, 6-0, to advance against Justine Maneja, a 7-5, 6-0 winner over Kaye Ann Emana.

Zoleta, niece of national players Bien

and Bambi Zoleta, scored a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Julia Ignacio to forge a semifinal showdown with Kryshana Brazal, a 6-0, 2-6, 10-7 winner over Mica Ella Emana.

Kaye Ann Emana also made it to the 12-under seminal round after posting a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Alecsa Czarina Ilano, She will be up against Marielle Jarata, who defeated Sofia Gomez, 6-0, 6-0.

Meanwhile, Aljohn Talatayod ousted No. 4 Jeremiah Macias III, 6-0, 6-2, and

Jules Lazaro stunned No. 6 Aidyll Ignacio, 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 to reach the boys’ 18-under quarterfinals of the Group 1 tournament supported by former Philta vice president Manuel Misa of Altamar Shipping, Thaddeus Sporting Goods and official ball Babolat.

In other matches, No. 5 Emmanuel Fuellas won over PJ Quizon, 6-0, 6-2, and No. 7 Jake Martin scored a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Chester Tiongson.

In the boys’ 16-under division, fifth seed Jan Harold Trillanes rallied past Jerome Ignacio, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5, to arrange a quarterfinal duel with top seed Janus Ringia, who demolished Michael Tullo, 6-0, 6-0. Other winners were No. 3 Jose Antonio Tria over Jeremiah Macias IV, 6-0, 6-0; No. 6 Angelo Aparte over Daniel Estanislao, 6-0, 5-4 (ret.); No. 7 Athan Arejola over Jude Hidalgo, 6-2, 6-2; and No. 8 Jules Lazaro over Rameses Ian Valebia, 6-0, 6-0.

Ronda Rousey’s defense: missing in action THE HOARSE WHISPERER JENNY ORTUOSTE IT was as disappointing as Mariah Carey’s New Year meltdown at Times Square.

Mixed martial arts fighter Ronda Rousey’s much-vaunted comeback attempt turned out to be a dud.

The former UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Women’s Bantamweight champion was soundly trounced by Amanda Nunes in their UFC 207 fight last Dec. 30 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.

The match was unpleasant to watch because Rousey didn’t seem to put up much of a fight. Nunes, whose fighting style is boxing, fed judoka Rousey a string of punches that the latter was unable to avoid

by failing to duck or otherwise put up a credible defense, despite her coach Edmond Tarverdyan shouting “Head movement!” over and over from outside the octagon.

It was a rout for Rousey, who looked dazed and disoriented after a TKO was declared 48 second into the match.

Nunes blamed Tarverdyan for Rousey’s loss, saying in an after-fight presscon, “…she thinks she’s a boxer.

He, like, put this in her head and make the girl believe in that. I don’t know why he did that. She has great judo and then she can go more forward in this division but he put some crazy thing about her boxing and then her career started, like, going down.”

Critics have observed Rousey’s lack of boxing skills. USA Today’s Martin Rogers said, “Tarverdyan had no tactical answer to Holm and even less of one to Nunes’ blistering straight and overhand shots.

an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi last week defeated Robin Hasse of the Netherlands, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

Murray’s begins his attempt to win the Qatar Open, an event he last won in 2009, with a firstround match against France’s Jeremy Chardy on Tuesday.

The newly knighted Scotsman though was in action in the doubles on Monday, but he and partner Mariusz Fyrstenberg lost in straight sets to David Marrero and Nenad Zimonjic. AFP

Even with all that time to recuperate and prepare, Rousey did not learn an effective jab, the first and most basic tenet of boxing, one of MMA’s core disciplines.

“Maybe she was unwilling to learn, but either way Tarverdyan was unable to either persuade Rousey of the value of a viable jab that serves as protection as much as offense, or unable to teach it to her.”

Some fans and sports analysts are at this point calling for Rousey to retire. After an initially successful career that saw her dominate 12 opponents in a row, nine of them submitting to her signature armbar move and judo striking stance, she ate a devastating loss last Nov. 2015 to Holly Holm and now to Nunes—both boxers.

Rousey released a statement to ESPN on Dec. 31: “I want to say thank you to all of my fans who have been there for me in not only the greatest moments but in the

most difficult ones. Words cannot convey how much your love and support means to me.

“Returning to not just fighting, but winning, was my entire focus this past year. However, sometimes —even when you prepare and give everything you have and want something so badly—it doesn’t work how you planned. I take pride in seeing how far the women’s division has come in the UFC and commend all the other women who have been part of making this possible, including Amanda.

“I need to take some time to reflect and think about the future.

Thank you for believing in me and understanding.”

Whether Rousey decides to quit or stay, she has made a mark on the sport that can never be erased. She is credited for raising the profile of women fighters in the MMA ranks.

In Nov. 2012, UFC announced she

was the first female fighter to sign up with them. Her 12 consecutive MMA wins blazed a path for women in the sport. An Olympic judo bronze medalist, she parlayed her judo skills into a fighting style that downed opponents in mere seconds: Cat Zingano in 14 seconds, the shortest match in UFC history (UFC 184, Feb. 28, 2015) and Bethe Correia in 34 (UFC 190, Aug. 1, 2015). She made “armbar” a household word and elevated awareness about MMA: in 2015, she was the third most searched person on Google.

While Rousey’s comeback this time was a failure, her past accomplishments will always be the standard other fighters will seek to surpass. *** Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember.

AUCKLAND—Serena Williams was troubled by windy conditions and some early rust before beating 69th-ranked Pauline Parmentier 6-3, 6-4 to launch her comeback from a four-month lay-off at the Auckland Classic on Tuesday.

In her first outing since she was shocked by Karolina Pliskova in the US Open semi-finals in September, the world number two made a sluggish start to a season in which she is seeking a record 23rd Grand Slam title.

In her first-round match, delayed from Monday night when rain washed out play, Williams struggled initially as France’s Parmentier broke the American’s first service game and then held to love.

The 35-year-old Williams, using Auckland to warm up for the Australian Open, only had a 48 percent success rate with her first serve and double-faulted four times as she had trouble adjusting to the swirling wind.

But Williams—who shares the Openera record of 22 Grand Slams with Steffi Graf, and is two behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24—grew steadily stronger and finished with her eighth ace.

She said her rhythm returned as the match progressed.

“I’m feeling like I’m trying to get there.

Obviously every match counts,” she said.

“This wind was getting to me. Every day I’ve practised here there was no wind and of course today I played and it’s so windy. It wasn’t fun, it was interesting.”

After Williams dropped her opening service game, she fought back from 3-1 down to win five successive games to take the opening set.

Both players suffered service breaks at the start of the second set before Williams broke again to go 4-3 up. She then came from three break points down to claim the crucial eighth game and went on to take the match in 75 minutes.

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

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4,, 2017

PH’s best jr bets to join Ilagan tilt

By Peter Atencio

Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls puts up a shot past Spencer Hawes of the Charlotte Hornets on his way to a game-high 52 points at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Hornets, 118-111. AFP

Butler’s 52 pts carry Bulls L

OS ANGELES—Jimmy Butler scored 52 points and the Chicago Bulls started 2017 off right with a 118-111 NBA victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

Curry added 22 and Kevin Durant contributed 21 as the Warriors became the first team to reach 30 wins this season.

The Warriors led 68-64 at halftime and by as many as 14 points in the third quarter before the Nuggets produced one last surge.

Golden State reserves Andre Iguodala, David West and Shaun Livingston hit consecutive baskets in a key stretch of the fourth quarter to help thwart the Nuggets’ rally.

In Houston, James Harden posted his third straight triple-double as the Rockets erased a 15-point deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 101-91.

Harden had 27 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, and reserve guard Eric Gordon scored a season-high 31 points to help the Rockets to a fifth straight win.

Between them Gordon and Harden out-scored the Wizards 39-38 in the second half.

Houston took the lead for the first time with 2:45 left in the third quarter. The Wizards tied it once in the fourth, but never got back in front.

Ailing Cavs rally LeBron James—fighting flu symptoms—scored 26 points to pace the reigning champion Cavaliers to a 90-82 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in Cleveland.

Kevin Love scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for the Cavs before exiting in the fourth quarter as he continued to feel the effects of food poisoning.

With Kyrie Irving sidelined by a tight hamstring, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue had limited options, but despite shooting just 37.8 percent—one of their worst shooting nights of the

season—Cleveland rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit and held on for the win.

Rookie Kay Felder scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Channing Frye, who has also been nursing the flu, scored 14.

“Can’t have any excuses no matter what’s going on with the team,” James said. “As ugly as it was tonight, just got to find a way to get through it and we did that.”

Bucks silence Thunder Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points with 10 rebounds and five assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 98-94 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Thunder star Russell Westbrook, whose 16 triple-doubles this season lead the league, scored a game-high 30 points despite connecting on just nine of 28 shots from the floor. AFP

THE Philippines is expected to send its best young athletes in the 12th Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championships 2017 when it is held at the Iligan Sports Complex in Ilagan Isabela from March 27 to 28.

Promising youngsters like pole vaulter Francis Obiena are tipped to make their presence felt in the two-day meet, which will feature young aspirants from 10 neighboring countries.

“We are very happy that they are enthusiastic about this first international event to be held in Ilagan,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ela Juico.

Early this year, Obiena followed the footsteps of his older brother EJ when he broke the course record in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa after clearing 4.06 meters.

His presence will help the Philippines beef up its performance in the two-day meet.

Last year, the Philippines placed seventh with a 1-1-1 gold-silver-bronze feat.

Karen Janario, now a college student at University of Santo Tomas, left her footprints the last time around when she earned a gold medal after it was held at Thammasat University Sports Complex in Thailand in 2016.

Juico said the National Open will be held in Isabela afterwards from March 30 to April 2.

The National Open will serve as the final tryout for local athletes seeking to compete in next year’s SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Juico and the City of Ilagan, Isabela, headed by Mayor Evelyn Diaz, recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the hosting of the twin meets.

High school tracksters seeing action in the NCAA are also expected to join.

Among them is discus thrower Emilio Florendo from La Salle Greenhills. He won the gold with his heave of 39.12 meters.

With a clash with the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers looming on Wednesday, the Bulls snapped a two-game skid, posting just their fourth victory in their last 12 games.

The turnaround was down to Butler, whose 52 points were one shy of his career high. He added 12 rebounds and six assists, carrying his team with veteran guard Dwyane Wade sidelined by a swollen knee and point guard Rajon Rondo benched by coach Fred Hoiberg.

“I think it’s an understatement to say Jimmy was phenomenal tonight,” Hoiberg said of Butler, who made 15 of 24 attempts

from the field and 21 of 22 free throws. “He did it every which way.”

Butler poured in 17 points in the fourth quarter, when the Bulls out-scored the Hornets 36-26.

“I was just playing basketball,” Butler said. “I just had a groove.”

The Golden State Warriors were in the groove in Oakland, where Draymond Green’s tripledouble keyed a 127-119 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Green recorded his second triple-double of the season with 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson scored a game-high 25 points, Stephen

Federer returns in style

Local, foreign aces brace for PH Ladies’ showdown

PERTH—An emotional Roger Federer made an impressive comeback to tennis on Monday with an easy win over Great Britain’s Dan Evans at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

The Swiss champion, who has been out of action for six months due to injury, helped his country make a clean sweep of the tie against the Brits when he cruised to victory in 61 minutes with scores of 6-3, 6-4.

Teammate Belinda Bencic also beat Heather Watson before the Swiss pair triumphed in the dead mixed doubles rubber.

The men’s singles was Federer’s first match after a half-year break due to knee and back injuries, which saw him slide out of the top 10 for the first time since late 2002.

The 35-year-old, who entered 2017 ranked 16th—his lowest placing since 2001—admitted he felt emotional on his return to the court but said the knee didn’t trouble him at all.

“For a first match it was great, because obviously expectations were quite low,” he said.

“For three and four weeks now I have stopped thinking of it (the knee). I don’t have any pain.

“I am in a way sad it (the comeback) is over, because I enjoyed it so much, I feel a bit relieved but sad.”

Despite plenty of practice in Dubai in recent weeks, Federer said it was important to test himself in an actual match. AFP

KEEN competition is seen as the best local players and a host of foreign aces gear up for what promises to be a shootout in the Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship 2017, which returns to Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s West Course beginning Jan. 11.

Princess Superal ended the foreign bets’ domination of the annual event presented by Champion Infinity with a onestroke victory over Pauline del Rosario and Yuka Saso last year as the visitors struggled in the wind-raked Tagaytay Midlands layout and missed a podium

finish after lording it over the local field the past four years.

Korean Lee Jeong Hwa topped the 2012 edition at Southwoods before the Thais swept the last three, including two by Supamas Sangchan in back-to-back fashions at Mt. Malarayat and Forest Hills in 201314, respectively. Pimnipa Panthong took the 2015 crown, also at Wack Wack.

But with Superal moving to the pro ranks late last year, Del Rosario and Saso will be leading a strong local challenge in the annual 54-hole championship organized and conducted by Women’s Golf

Association of the Philippines and backed by (sponsors), which has drawn the participation of top players from Thailand, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and the US. Del Rosario, the spearhead of Team The Country Club, will be coming into the event riding the crest of a three-win romp in Malaysia and Singapore late last year while Saso is brimming with confidence after running away with the individual crown while leading the Philippines to the team championship in the third World Junior Girls in Canada last September. The

16-year-old Saso capped her sterling 2016 campaign with a victory on the local pro circuit at Eagle Ridge.

Other locals tipped to contend for the championship are reigning national champion Harmie Constantino, also a member of that champion World Junior team and a pro leg winner at Mt. Malarayat, Abby Arevalo, Bernice Ilas, Mikha Fortuna and Sofia Chabon of TCC, World Junior team member Sofia Legaspi, Mikaela Arroyo, Sam Bruce, Annyka Cayabyab, Bianca Pagdanganan, Diana Araneta and Felicia Medalla.

Malayan student-gymnast dominates Palarong Maynila A GRADE 7 student of Malayan High School of Science, Akhirah Bint Afghani P. Alonto, emerged as one of the most bemedalled athletes at the 2016 Palarong Maynila held at the Jose Abad Santos High School recently.

Alonto bagged two golds, one for the beam and another for her floor routine, and a silver for her top-notch performance on the vault.

She was also the competition’s Individual All-around Champion.

Sponsored by the Department of Education, the Palarong Maynila or Manila Meet, is a schoolbased competition of different sporting events.

Palarong Maynila is the elimination round for the athletes in Manila who are aiming to participate in the NCR Meet and, finally the Palarong Pambansa. This year, three public and two private

schools joined the Manila Meet.

“As one of the top three winners in artistic gymnastics in the high school division of Manila, Akhira will compete with the representatives of 16 other cities of the National Capital Region at the NCR Meet in February 2017,” said Ferdinand Carating, MHSS Admissions Officer.

The top three winners of the NCR Meet will then be the NCR Regional Representatives at the Palarong Pambansa, which is usually held in April.

With four years of experience in gymnastics, Alonto was the sole representative of MHSS in 2016.

On the National Development Program, Australia’s evaluation system for competitive gymnastics, Alonto ranks at level six. She is also on level five of the American equivalent of the system, the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique.

Alonto is disciplined in her training. According to Carating, Alonto trains three hours a day, four times a week at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines Gym in Rizal Memorial Sports Stadium in Manila. Alonto also trains at Club Gymnastica, her mother club gym in Pasig City.

When preparing for competitions, the 11-year-old’s regimen turns more rigorous as she goes to the gym six times a week.

Carating shared that Alonto’s achievement was a happy one, though it came as a challenge for the young athlete.

“She knows all NCR representatives are good gymnasts, because they all see each other in the gym.

Her discipline is also their discipline. Others are older and on a higher level than she is. But ultimately, the difference will be at the

competition proper. Winners will depend on the condition of the athlete at the time of the performance,” he continued.

“Akhira has exceptional talent and must be given all-out support,” said Jocelyn Antiporda, MHSS Principal.

Antiporda further noted that MHSS’ holistic approach to education gave Alonto an edge at the Manila Meet.

“MHSS encourages students to excel both in academics and athletics.

Students are exposed to different venues for their talents as well as opportunities to test their capabilities,” she said.

Alonto

Business

Aboitiz gets P2.88-b loan of San Carlos Sun B3

Infra budget of P1.2-t planned

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE administration of President Rodrigo Duterte plans to spend nearly P1.2 trillion in infrastructure development in 2018, as a part of its goal to close the P8trillion infrastructure gap in the country.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee said in a statement the plan was to spend P1.199 trillion for infrastructure next year, representing 6.8 percent of the gross domestic product.

The proposed infra budget for 2018 would be 34.57 percent higher than the approved P891 billion budget allocated for 2017 projects, representing 5.2 percent of GDP. The infrastructure budget will be a part of the proposed P3.84trillion national government budget for 2018, up by 14.6 percent from the 2017 budget of P3.35 trillion.

The 2018 budget, however, was set on the assumption that Congress would approve the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program submitted by the Finance Department.

Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said earlier the delay in the approval of the tax reform package might put the 2018 budget in peril and affect economic growth in the coming years. “[The non-passage of the tax reform proposal], will make the 2018 budget difficult because it’s still uncertain, so I don’t know the assumptions to apply,” Pernia told reporters earlier.

Congress has yet to pass the proposed tax reforms.

The Budget Department wants government agencies to prepare the 2018 budget early.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno issued National Budget Memorandum No. 127, calling on agencies to submit their Tier 1 budget proposals for FY 2018.

IN BRIEF Farm credit grew 3% in third quarter

BANK loans to agrarian reform and agriculture sector increased 3 percent in third quarter from the second quarter, but remained below the required 25 percent of banks’ loanable funds, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data show.

Data showed that of the total loanable funds of P3.131 trillion in the third quarter, banks’ lending to the agrarian reform sector only reached P29.979 billion or 0.96 percent, below the mandated 10 percent or P313.192 billion.

Banks’ agricultural credit amounted to P405.781 billion or just 12.96 percent of the total loanable funds, still below the required 15 percent or P469.788 billion.

As a result, banks’ total compliance to the agri-agra credit only reached P435.76 billion, lower than the required 25 percent of the total loanable funds of P3.131 trillion, or P782.98 billion.

Lending of universal and commercial banks to agrarian reform in the third quarter reached P18.925 billion, or just 0.64 percent of their total loanable funds of P2.939 trillion. This was below the mandated 10 percent or P293.964 billion. Julito G. Rada

Companies, schools team up for training AN INDUSTRY group asked more companies to participate in the Dual Training System program to address the jobs-skills mismatch in the country.

“The strong partnership between the academic institution and the firm will guarantee that student-trainees will have the skills, knowledge and attitude needed for future employment,” according to a policy note released by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Human Resources Development Foundation Inc. The dual training system is a training modality combining theoretical and practical training. The technical vocational institutions and the firm (industry partner) work together in designing the training plan and finding ways to determine the best and the most efficient way of training the trainee-student.

The policy note cited simulation exercise showing the combined short and long-term benefits are bigger than the overall costs by about P3,500 per trainee for large firms on the assumption the trainees stay with the firm for at least three months. This provides an incentive to engage in the dual training program. Othel V. Campos

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

B1

Ayala unit sells hydro projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores

A

C ENERGY Holdings Inc., a whollyowned subsidiary of conglomerate Ayala Corp., said Tuesday it sold a majority 70-percent stake in three hydroelectric power projects to partner Sta. Clara Group Inc. to focus on solar, wind and geothermal developments.

“AC Energy will first focus on solar and wind development and could potentially revisit hydro in the future,” AC Energy president John Eric Francia said, when asked for comment on why the company divested from hydro projects.

Ayala Corp. said in a disclosure to the stock exchange that unit AC Energy signed definitive

documents to sell all of its ownership stake in each of QuadRiver Energy Corp., Philnew Hydro Power Corp. and PhilnewRiver Corp., collectively known as the hydro companies to Sta. Clara Group.

“Prior to this sale, AC Energy held 70 percent of the outstanding capital stock of each of the hydro companies, with Sta.

Clara Power Corp. being the owner of the remaining 30 percent,” Ayala Corp. said.

The Energy Department granted several hydro service contracts to the hydro companies.

Francia earlier said the company’s hydro projects had yet to fully take off. Tinoc hydro projects in Ifugao is in the most advanced stage among the three projects.

Quadriver already received an approval from the Energy Department for the Tinoc hydro projects in Ifugao with a capacity of 14.5 megawatts. These included 3-MW Tinoc 1 hydro, 6.5MW Tinoc 2 hydro and 5-MW Tinoc 3 hydro.

Ayala Corp. is diversifying into geothermal projects and signed in December the sale and

purchase agreement with Chevron Global Energy Inc., Union Oil Co. of California and their relevant affiliates (collectively, Chevron) for the purchase of Chevron’s geothermal operations in Indonesia and the Philippines.

AC Energy was a part of an Indonesian and Philippine consortium that signed the sale agreement for Chevron’s geothermal assets.

The Indonesia consortium consists of AC Energy (with 19.8 percent economic stake), Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd., Star Energy Geothermal Pte. Ltd. and Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. The acquisition will be made through their joint venture company, Star Energy Geothermal (Salak-Darajat) B.V. The acqui-

sition value was not disclosed.

The Philippine consortium consists of AC Energy and Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd. and the acquisition will be made through their joint venture company, Acehi-Star Holdings Inc. AC Energy said the closing of the transaction was subject to the satisfaction of certain agreed conditions, including the approval of the Philippine Competition Commission for the Philippine assets.

“This acquisition is a major milestone for AC Energy as this scales up our renewable energy platform and establishes our presence in Indonesia. This is a significant step towards attaining our goal of reaching 2000MW by 2020,” said Francia.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing JANAUARY 3, 2017

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

6,861.31 20.67

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing JANUARY 3, 2017 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.775

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.760 LOW P49.820 AVERAGE P49.788 VOLUME 414.800M

P425.00-P650.00 LPG/11-kg tank P36.90-P47.90 Unleaded Gasoline P28.25-P30.10 Diesel

FIRST TRADING DAY. Philippine Stock Exchange chairman Jose Pardo (fourth from right) and other officials blow horns and ring the

opening bell during a ceremony to start the first day of trading of the new year at the Philippine Stock Exchange. The 30-company stock exchange index picked up 20 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 6,861.31 Tuesday amid thin trading. AFP

DPWH reviews terms for Laguna Expressway

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Public Works Department said it is reviewing the terms for the auction of the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project this year.

“We have to redo the assumptions because there were no takers. It’s not feasible as it was structured,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

“We want to use Laguna Lake as a possible alignment for a major infrastructure project,” he said.

The Public Works Department

on March 28 declared a failed bidding for LLEDP after qualified bidders did not submit offers, citing the project’s risk profile and complexity, especially the flood control component and its connectivity to C5.

The three pre-qualified bidders―San Miguel Holdings Corp., Alloy Pavi Harshen LLEDP Consortium and Team Trident― did not submit any bid for the P122.8-billion LLED project.

Team Trident is composed of Trident Infrastructure and Development Corp., Ayala Land Inc., Megaworld Corp., Aboitiz Eq-

uity Ventures Inc. and SM Prime Holdings Inc. The Alloy-Pavi Hanshin LLEDP Consortium consists of Malaysia’s Alloy MTD Capital Berhad, Prime Asset Ventures Inc. and Hanshin Engineering Construction.

The three prospective bidders said the failed bidding was due to the lack of commercial viability of the project, which involves the construction of a flood control dike, a 47-kilometer, six-lane expressway on top of it and the reclamation of over 700 hectares of land for commercial development.

It will be financed mainly by private capital with no government subsidy, except for rightof-way costs.

The LLED project is the largest public-private partnership venture so far, involving the construction of a flood control dike, an expressway on top of it, and the reclamation of over 700 hectares of land for commercial development.

The LLED concession will last 37 years, including seven years for design and construction and 30 years for operation and maintenance.

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, January 3, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.7690

Japan

Yen

0.008505

0.4233

UK

Pound

1.229400

61.1860

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128917

6.4161

Switzerland

Franc

0.977804

48.6643

Canada

Dollar

0.744380

37.0470

Singapore

Dollar

0.689750

34.3282

Australia

Dollar

0.718200

35.7441

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654773

132.1254

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

13.2738

Brunei

Dollar

0.687380

34.2102

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027930

1.3900

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5515

Euro

Euro

1.046500

52.0833

Korea

Won

0.000831

0.0414

China

Yuan

0.143953

7.1644

India

Rupee

0.014677

0.7305

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.222990

11.0980

New Zealand

Dollar

0.692600

34.4700

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030877

1.5367 Source: PDS Bridge

PH Air Asia readies flights to New Delhi THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget carrier plans to expand its operations to India.

Philippines Air Asia Inc. filed with the Civil Aeronautics Board an application for designation as official Philippine carrier and for the grant of seven weekly flights to New Delhi, India.

PAA’s entitlements request was in accordance to the existing air services agreement between the governments of the Philippines and India.

At present, there are no Philippine carriers flying between Manila and New Delhi.

Philippine Airline’s flights to New Delhi were stopped in June 2013 amid low demand from local travelers.

PAA currently has 13 operating aircraft servicing domestic destinations such as Kalibo (Boracay), Puerto Princesa (Pala-

wan), Tagbilaran (Bohol), Cebu and Tacloban. They also fly to China, Korea, Macau, Taipei and Hong Kong.

The budget airline earlier reported a net loss of P1.2 billion in July to September, down by 12 percent from the P1.4-billion loss it reported a year ago.

Revenues increased 24 percent to P2.57 billion in the third quarter from P2.07 billion in the same period last year.

Passengers carried by AirAsia Philippines increased 8 percent to 976,765 from last year’s 901,957, while load factor went down by 1 percentage point to 83 percent from 84 percent.

Malaysia’s Air Asia, through AA International, owns 40 percent of Philippines’ Air Asia Inc., while Filipinos Marriane Hontiveros, Michael Romero, Antonio Cojuangco and Alfredo Yao hold the balance of 60 percent. Darwin G. Amojelar

ACCESS TO ENERGY. Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. inaugurates the second site of its Access to Energy project under the Sustain, Invest and Nurture Access to Green Energy or Sinag program in Sitio Ligad, Barangay Teneguiban, El Nido, Palawan. Sinag aims to help small communities that are not yet connected to the main power grids, including indigenous coastal communities such as Ligad. Shown during the inauguration ceremony are (from left) El Nido mayor Nieves Rosento, Shell Australia distribution information and insights expert Jenny Ling, PSFI program manager Marvi Trudeau and Western Command deputy Ccmmander Allan Ferdinand Cusi.

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks climb on first trading day Jollibee S sells stake tocks rose on the first trading day of 2017, tracking the movement of other Asian markets following the release of positive data in China, the region’s largest economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, picked up 20 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 6,861.31 Tuesday amid thin trading. Last year, the bellwether lost 1.6 percent.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 10 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,166.56, on a value turnover of P2.7 billion. Advancers outnumbered losers, 89 to 79, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Eleven of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by

conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. which climbed 3.4 percent to P69.95 and restaurant chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. which rose 3.1 percent to P200. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty gained 2.4 percent to P1,300.

Meanwhile, markets in Asia opened largely flat Tuesday on the first trading day of the year, after tracking up at the end of a volatile 2016.

Overall, world markets ended last year in the black despite shock votes in Britain and the

United States, but Shanghai proved the exception to the rule with a slump of more than 12 percent and Japan’s Nikkei posted only modest gains.

Exchanges in Shanghai, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea all edged up less than one percent at the open Tuesday, while Hong Kong and Jakarta were both down less than one percent.

Only Australia enjoyed a notable boost, with the S&P/ASX 200 up around 1.2 percent in morning trade. Markets in Japan were closed for the final day of an extended New Year holiday.

The dollar was mixed against most key Asia Pacific currencies but is projected to continue its climb over the longer term, on expectations of more US inter-

est rate hikes this year and Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president.

“The US dollar should remain strong in 2017. Growth and inflation in the US will be the strongest amongst the G3 economies [US, Japan and the EU],” Singapore’s DBS Bank said in a note.

“We expect the Fed to hike four times this year whilst the Eurozone and Japan maintain their quantitative easing policies,” it said.

“Donald Trump will be inaugurated on 20 January as US President. The US dollar should appreciate in anticipation of his plans to reflate the US economy with infrastructure spending, tax cuts and fiscal stimulus,” DBS said.

Malaysian lender Maybank said the dollar’s retreat against

some other currencies was a technical correction following its strong showing last year.

The “dollar corrected into the new year but dips were noticeably shallow even in the midst of lighter holiday volume,” it said in a note.

Meanwhile oil prices rose as an agreement by major producers to cut output took effect.

OPEC members led by Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC producers like Russia late last year agreed to slash output in a bid to shore up prices which had been weighed down by an oversupply since mid-2014.

“The outlook for 2017 looks robust as the Brent crude futures chart indicates the price to rise slowly to around US$59 per barrel by the end of 2017,” said EY oil and gas analyst Sanjeev Gupta. With AFP, Bloomberg

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.49 20,000 48 25,000 88.5 1,095,370 3.7 3,000 112 883,610 38.4 62,600 16.1 36,800 18.38 54,600 6.55 300 780 40 0.6 6,122,000 72.8 755,470 0.8 6,000 14.2 29,300 54.6 2,290 239 190 90 10 34.2 16,000 190.7 226,260 1,640 215 74.75 25,610 1.25 3,000

69,800 1,198,765 96,952,344 11,100 98,637,645 2,396,305 591,852 1,006,040 1,965 31,200 3,648,110 54,365,337.50 4,720 416,060 125,198 46,270 900 539,955 43,167,562 353,650 1,915,964 3,750

1,078,915 70,136,747 51,991,805 -143,786 -11,740,442.50 39,338.50 -2,450 120,560.00 12,152,186 -89,755.50 -

41.7 4.4 0.85 1.23 19 0.187 11.06 15.94 140.8 22.3 20 58 90 120 1.85 6.34 11.88 11.18 6 6.97 5.05 21.15 67.4 12.5 16.48 6.02 1.55 193.8 2.6 3.59 28.05 24.5 14.64 265 3.22 9.95 2.15 5.6 1.37 69.5 4.91 228 4.95 11.38 0.14 1.42 160 1.37

INDUSTRIAL 42 1,473,600 4.42 736,000 0.85 80,000 1.25 258,000 19 27,200 0.187 20,000 11.06 5,631,500 15.98 1,534,400 140.8 120 23 4,500 20 6,700 58 46,110 93 200 120 160 1.87 106,000 6.35 108,200 12.32 50,000 11.28 1,356,400 6 430,800 7.14 215,600 5.08 1,727,500 21.35 670,600 68 160,800 13 14,300 16.5 1,300 6.05 131,300 1.58 180,000 200 487,890 2.62 82,000 3.59 1,000 28.65 99,600 25.5 139,300 14.82 125,000 270 133,560 3.22 3,009,000 10.1 846,700 2.17 2,926,000 5.7 180,400 1.37 54,000 70.65 1,665,920 4.99 67,700 231 8,270 5 1,226,500 11.48 727,600 0.14 50,000 1.51 144,000 165 567,430 1.56 7,174,000

61,692,525 3,280,750 68,000 319,800 522,641 3,740 62,573,480 24,540,674 16,896 100,690 137,505 2,695,260 18,570 19,542 196,590 690,267 628,206 15,306,656 2,592,382 1,524,946 8,779,502 14,276,910 10,920,471 182,790 21,428 794,943 285,280 96,799,711 214,110 3,590 2,840,600 3,516,700 1,851,294 35,972,108 9,691,670 8,553,042 6,320,150 1,017,341 74,010 117,051,564.50 333,843 1,906,752 6,132,597 8,327,698 7,000 212,680 92,486,068 10,731,710

-30,092,565 -175,850 -10,626,854 -14,853,354 257,070 -18,052 0 541,762 262,390 -296,901 -4,435,321 1,619,040 -3,931,187.50 -1,650 521,442 5,549,200 -587,790 -303,775 -357,190 -3,878,040 64,440 -1,028,208 5,171,190 -295,596 11,108,959.50 -513,000 542,990 39,025,689 -12,590

0.405 68.5 12.62 5.94 722.5 8.45 13 8 5.38 6.5 1,266 5.77 67.65 1.09 7.69 12.56 6.34 0.037 1.91 92.3 2.5 635 0.82 1.23 260.2 0.275 0.193 0.23

HOLDING FIRMS 0.42 12,960,000 70.55 613,960 12.8 2,034,900 6 7,300 727 205,370 8.55 1,186,800 13.26 1,064,100 8.15 418,600 5.38 9,500 7.48 1,100 1,300 75,380 5.77 2,000 69.95 1,002,120 1.13 3,108,000 7.7 2,431,000 12.8 2,085,000 6.5 15,608,500 0.037 4,100,000 1.91 100,000 93 59,760 2.5 1,000 650 147,450 0.85 66,000 1.26 887,000 262 5,710 0.28 80,000 0.193 90,000 0.233 620,000

5,467,500 42,969,832 25,978,346 43,622 149,164,580 10,145,280 14,011,332 3,410,105 51,860 7,248 97,258,480 11,541 69,234,081 3,507,960 18,721,545 26,660,796 100,357,352 152,500 191,000 5,555,391.50 2,500 95,555,345 54,270 1,113,070 1,495,726 22,600 17,430 146,230

-6,728,172 6,505,124 9,367,150 9,262,622.00 10,159,952 -5,705 41,337,130 39,058,873.50 -4,841,721 -20,266,088 -5,068,397 -82,720 3,339,980 152,570 7,720 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

3.49 47.9 88.55 3.7 112.9 38.05 16.1 18.5 6.55 780 0.57 72.6 0.81 14.2 54.7 245 90 33.6 193 1,650 75.2 1.25

3.49 48 88.9 3.7 113 38.4 16.1 18.5 6.55 780 0.61 72.8 0.81 14.2 55 245 90 34.2 193 1,650 75.2 1.25

3.49 47.9 87.4 3.7 110 38.05 16.06 18.32 6.55 780 0.56 70.65 0.77 14.2 54.55 239 90 33.5 188.8 1,640 74.7 1.25

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

42.15 4.55 0.85 1.23 20.35 0.187 11.26 16.04 140.8 22.4 20.2 58 90 149 1.85 6.47 12.78 11.4 6.15 7.14 5.15 21.75 67.9 12.5 16.48 6.08 1.58 194.6 2.61 3.59 29 25 14.8 265.2 3.24 9.95 2.15 5.64 1.4 69.8 4.95 231 5 11.58 0.14 1.42 163.5 1.4

42.15 4.59 0.85 1.25 20.35 0.187 11.26 16.04 140.8 23 21.5 58.5 93 149 1.88 6.47 12.8 11.4 6.15 7.14 5.16 21.75 68 13 16.5 6.09 1.61 200 2.62 3.59 29 25.5 14.82 270.6 3.24 10.2 2.17 5.7 1.4 70.65 4.99 231 5.06 11.58 0.14 1.53 165 1.58

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

0.415 70.7 12.64 6 730 8.55 13.26 8.15 5.68 6.5 1,280 5.78 68 1.12 7.74 12.9 6.6 0.038 1.91 92.3 2.5 654 0.82 1.23 262 0.29 0.195 0.245

0.43 70.7 12.8 6.05 733 8.58 13.26 8.15 5.68 7.48 1,301 5.78 69.95 1.15 7.74 12.9 6.6 0.038 1.91 94 2.5 658 0.85 1.28 262 0.29 0.195 0.245

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

7.51 1.04 2.34 0.405 32 3.23 0.55 1.36 0.156 0.57 39.3 0.69 1.54 1 4.2 3.57 0.132 0.4 3.43

7.51 1.07 2.34 0.475 32 3.23 0.56 1.36 0.156 0.59 39.5 0.69 1.55 1.04 4.2 3.58 0.136 0.4 3.62

7.31 1.02 2.2 0.4 31.25 3.1 0.54 1.3 0.156 0.57 38 0.69 1.54 1 4.2 3.51 0.131 0.4 3.43

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

26.15 3.24 28.35 1.09 0.86 4.9

26.15 3.24 28.45 1.11 0.86 4.99

24.8 3.24 27.4 1.07 0.84 4.83

25.9 3.24 28.45 1.08 0.86 4.99

530,500 74,000 4,140,700 2,852,000 67,000 1,471,000

13,567,495 239,760 116,590,390 3,076,290 56,900 7,271,480

-3,972,125 -239,760 45,299,000 2,423,840

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

7.64 43.8 1.34 0.485 0.042 6.15 6.14 0.063 2.28 93 8.03 1,514 6.26 17 2.68 14.82 125 71 9.09 0.21 1.3 3.2 15.86 3.98 2.3 3.78 4.04 2.54 5 3.06 10.6 1,365 1.16 0.475 39.5 74.45 5.75 2.55 0.97 3.3

7.65 44.45 1.34 0.485 0.042 6.15 6.14 0.064 2.33 93 8.3 1,514 6.26 17 2.98 15.68 129 72.05 9.09 0.217 1.3 3.21 15.86 4.06 2.3 3.82 4.1 2.61 5.16 3.06 10.66 1,378 1.17 0.475 39.5 74.45 5.88 2.56 0.99 3.3

7.45 43.8 1.34 0.485 0.04 5.21 5.98 0.063 2.25 90 7.94 1,450 6.16 16.5 2.65 14.82 125 71 9.05 0.209 1.29 3.2 15.82 3.96 2.14 3.75 3.98 2.49 5 3.06 10.1 1,360 1.16 0.455 38.5 73.9 5.72 2.52 0.95 3.21

SERVICES 7.65 44.4 1.34 0.485 0.042 5.84 6.1 0.064 2.28 90 8.3 1,514 6.2 16.98 2.91 15.66 125 71.7 9.05 0.213 1.3 3.21 15.82 4 2.24 3.82 4.05 2.51 5.1 3.06 10.16 1,370 1.17 0.465 38.85 73.9 5.84 2.54 0.97 3.22

11,800 2,900 1,000 10,000 33,700,000 33,600 1,669,000 4,670,000 4,866,000 138,440 93,300 114,170 707,700 294,200 11,889,000 10,100 150 572,570 467,000 19,160,000 373,000 16,000 10,000 276,000 79,000 1,620,000 1,290,000 2,586,000 3,300 1,000 668,700 100,215 3,812,000 2,830,000 1,324,100 134,640 1,363,100 350,000 5,025,000 395,000

90,040 128,515 1,340 4,850 1,388,300 196,183 10,105,117 296,150 11,059,500 12,514,835 758,638 171,435,795 4,383,958 4,954,770 33,614,300 158,156 18,790 41,130,369.50 4,226,950 4,096,230 484,860 51,260 158,582 1,103,770 175,150 6,154,480 5,190,670 6,598,070 16,816 3,060 6,853,548 137,293,520 4,451,920 1,299,050 51,468,100 9,950,503 7,953,091 889,920 4,881,440 1,280,240

-4,991,992 31,800.00 -5,335,910 -25,420.00 -9,554,845 -15,302 214,290 4,196,677 -32,250 -408,000 -3,383,150 -2,011,900 -597,090.00 41,120 74,442,775 -9,300 4,623,755 8,915,394 2,821,042 -170,200 2,232,910 280,680

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

0.0033 2.65 4.99 2.24 2.3 0.45 12.4 2.86 0.265 0.196 0.2 0.011 2.45 7.97 2.83 0.475 1.04 0.011 0.011 4.11 0.012 8.69 3.38 129.3 3 0.0083

0.0033 2.75 5.05 2.24 2.38 0.455 12.74 3 0.265 0.205 0.205 0.011 2.5 8 2.89 0.475 1.08 0.012 0.011 4.11 0.012 8.69 3.54 130.7 3.08 0.0083

0.0032 2.64 4.96 2.11 2.3 0.435 12.08 2.86 0.255 0.196 0.2 0.011 2.38 7.81 2.74 0.46 1.04 0.011 0.011 4.11 0.011 8.55 3.38 129.3 2.96 0.0083

MINING & OIL 0.0032 144,000,000 2.65 237,000 5 254,000 2.11 11,000 2.38 3,000 0.45 1,340,000 12.08 39,500 2.99 2,703,000 0.26 550,000 0.203 10,400,000 0.205 1,210,000 0.011 3,000,000 2.43 609,000 8 3,342,000 2.85 218,000 0.46 299,000 1.06 181,000 0.012 28,800,000 0.011 5,000,000 4.11 5,000 0.012 14,100,000 8.58 369,500 3.4 1,680,000 130.7 74,280 3 36,000 0.0083 145,000,000

465,200 629,200 1,278,530 23,340 6,980 598,700 486,348 8,015,440 140,700 2,087,770 244,500 33,000 1,471,960 26,582,066 602,020 138,290 191,760 317,800 55,000 20,550 163,600 3,172,037 5,800,310 9,653,122 108,130 1,203,500

13,200 -827,150 2,950 -12,750 32,500 9,800 -4,295,423 4,737 -556,090 771,480 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

44 103 104.8 121.9 5.9 1,016 1.03 107 105.1 80.4 77 77.5 79.5 77.5 77.1 78

44.05 103 104.8 121.9 5.95 1,016 1.03 107 105.1 80.4 77 77.5 79.5 77.5 78 78

44 103 104.4 121.9 5.9 1,016 1.03 107 105.1 80.1 77 77.5 79.5 77.5 76.6 77.75

PREFERRED 44 151,100 103 64,740 104.4 11,070 121.9 10 5.91 730,000 1,016 3,120 1.03 384,000 107 300 105.1 1,100 80.2 37,000 77 11,900 77.5 1,500 79.5 11,430 77.5 12,500 78 30,600 77.75 4,400

6,649,175 6,668,220 1,156,676 1,219 4,313,630 3,169,920 395,520 32,100 115,610 2,967,011 916,300 116,250 908,685 968,750 2,381,110 342,200

3,669,355 -4,266,330 115,610 408,100 -

LR WARRANT

2.15

2.2

2.1

WARRANTS 2.1 76,000

161,060

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS XURPAS

9.2 4.4 8

10.3 4.5 8.25

9.2 4.2 8

9.2 4.3 8.2

4,420,017 1,720,820 21,775,360

-10,300 251,380 -8,408,806

FIRST METRO ETF

112.8

113.2

112.4

230,121

-

MS

PROPERTY 7.4 1.07 2.26 0.44 32 3.15 0.55 1.36 0.156 0.58 39.5 0.69 1.55 1.02 4.2 3.54 0.135 0.4 3.53

81,900 601,000 173,000 30,560,000 2,362,200 4,412,000 3,914,000 126,000 50,000 4,340,000 181,400 1,000 14,995,000 4,289,000 2,000 16,189,000 6,910,000 10,000 2,126,000

606,643 627,290 388,560 13,659,100 74,911,980 13,974,910 2,145,980 169,180 7,800 2,511,810 7,083,050 690 23,241,560 4,390,100 8,400 57,304,390 921,720 4,000 7,527,000

45,283 8,298,605 1,912,800 1,183,920 -1,090,850 -35,843,780 198,780 -208,900

SME

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

9,367,824

INDUSTRIAL

34,713,580

HOLDING FIRMS

49,196,051

PROPERTY

100,559,196

SERVICES

102,136,157

MINING & OIL

364,705,894

GRAND TOTAL

664,206,852

468,600 399,000 2,658,200

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113.2 2,040

VALUE 1,656.96 (up) 1.42 305,495,464.54 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,721.16 (up) 70.96 616,409,768.04 HOLDING FIRMS 7,011.00 (up) 18.91 752,550,536.21 PROPERTY 3,071.62 (up) 5.16 SERVICES 1,301.50 (down) 1.36 358,155,113.27 MINING & OIL 11,956.60 (up) 98.84 558,371,087.50 PSEI 6,861.31 (up) 20.67 63,528,872.987 All Shares Index 4,166.56 (up) 10.49 2,682,660,170.95 Gainers:89; Losers:79; Unchanged: 42; Total: 210

in China’s San Pin

By Jenniffer B. Austria JOLLIBEE Foods Corp., the largest Asian food service company, said Tuesday it completed its divestment from China-based restaurant chain San Pin Wang, marking its second sale in a month.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange wholly-owned subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. completed the divestment of its shareholdings in Guangxi San Pin Wang Food and Beverage Management Company Limited (San Pin Wang).

“With the completion of the divestment, Guangxi Zong Kai Food Beverage Investment Company Limited [GZK] is now the registered owner of 100 percent of San Pin Wang,” Jollibee said.

The fast-food giant earlier said the divestment was in line with the decision to focus on building its Yonghe King business, its largest business in China, with 315 stores as of end November 2016.

San Pin Wang is a Chinese restaurant chain with stores located mostly in Nanning in Guangxi Province in the southern part of China.

Its menu is centered on low-priced beef noodles. At the time of acquisition, it had 34 stores and the business was already profitable. San Pin Wang grew to 71 stores as of Nov. 30, 2016 and plans to continue expanding in 2017 and the years ahead.

Jollibee said to support the growth of Yonghe King, it acquired the 30-percent share of its former partner in Happy Bee Foods Processing through an asset for equity swap to own 100 percent of the food processing plant and divesting a business line producing and selling food products for third-party institutions in China.

PhilWeb unloads stake in Euro firm ONLINE gaming company PhilWeb Corp. said Tuesday it sold its investment in European hotel Internet service provider Acentic GmbH to Niantic Holding GmbH for $750,000.

PhilWeb said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it also collected nearly 2 million euros from Acentic in full settlement of loan receivables.

“Thus, in total, the company will have cash proceeds of approximately P140 million. This amount will be utilized by the company to cover its overhead while it awaits the re-issuance of its license from Pagcor [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.,” PhilWeb said.

PhilWeb and ISM Communications Corp. completed the acquisition 65-percent stake in Acentic GmbH in 2010. The remaining 35 percent of Acentic was owned by Niantic Holdings GmbH, a German company controlled by Dr. Andreas Jacobs.

Acentic, formed in 2003, provides in-room entertainment including digital television and high-speed Internet access to top hotel groups including Intercontinental, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Starwood in more than 30 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The purchase aimed to provide an avenue for the expansion of ISM and PhilWeb into the rest of Asia.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Okada casino to lift Parañaque revenues

MERALCO K-LIGTAS AWARDEE. Pampanga-based RDF Feed, Livestock & Foods Inc. receives a citation during the recent Meralco Kuryenteng Ligtas, or K-Ligtas, Awards. Meralco K-Ligtas Awards is the first electrical safety excellence awards program in the country that recognizes notable organizations that protect and save precious lives and assets through excellent electrical and workplace safety programs. Shown are Meralco first vice president and head of networks Ronnie Aperocho, Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers national president Larry Cruz, administrative officer Leda Villanueva, corporate planner Katherine Go, Fresh Options Meatshop marketing manager Anthony Lozano, safety officer Richard Paguio, Meralco senior VP Ramon Segismundo and Clark Electric Distribution Corp. chief operating officer Fortunato Leynes.

Aboitiz gets P2.88-b loan of San Carlos Sun

By Alena Mae S. Flores

A

BOITIZ Renewables Inc. has assumed the P2.88-billion loan of San Carlos Sun Power Inc. from BDO Unibank Inc. that San Carlos used to fund the development of the 59-megawatt solar power plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental province.

Aboitiz Power disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday unit Aboitiz Renewables signed an agreement with BDO and Sacasun to assume the loan. The company did not disclose why it took the loan from San Carlos.

San Carlos is a joint venture company between Aboitiz Renewables and Sun Edison Philippines Helios BV (SunEdison).

San Carlos on December 10, 2015 signed an omnibus loan and security agreement with BDO to secure a funding of up to P3.7 billion to finance the

project Aboitiz Renewables is the holding company of Aboitiz Power’s investments in renewable energy.

The company last year issued default notices to joint venture partner Sun Edison over the San Carlos project.

Aboitiz Renewables issued default notices to SunEdison “because early this year, SunEdison’s parent company, Sun Edison Inc., filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code.”

Aboitiz Power assured the public that it would exert all efforts to protect its interest.

“We are exercising our option based on the shareholder’s agreement with SunEdison,” Aboitiz Power president Antonio Moraza said earlier.

“The issuance of the default notices allows us to trigger the process aimed at protecting Sacasun,” he said.

Moraza assured stakeholders the company would remain committed to the solar project.

Aboitiz Power and Sun Edison have already completed the solar plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The solar plant, the first for Aboitiz Power, is now delivering 82 gigawatt-hours a year of clean and renewable energy to the Visayas grid.

The project started delivering energy to the Visayas grid on March 9, 2016, or before the March 15 deadline imposed by

the Energy Department for solar power projects qualified under the feed-in-tariff program.

The project, however, is not included in the list endorsed by the Energy Department to the Energy Regulatory Commission for the feed in tariff incentives of P8.69 per kilowatt-hour.

Moraza earlier said any expansion in the same site might no longer be feasible because of lack of available land.

“We would have to acquire or lease more land and am not sure if there is any available,” Moraza said.

He said any expansion even in other parts of the country would also need to wait for the government’s resolution excess solar power projects.

“Fit for solar is oversubscribed.

Without FIT, solar is not viable...

We will have to wait action of DoE. I’m sure they will find a resolution to the oversubscription,” Moraza said.

Zukunft 2016 IT’S the first day of the year, a time for planning and anticipating. What can we expect from 2017?

Money “Uneven and unspectacular” are the words used by economists polled by Reuters poll in December of 2016 to describe the economic outlook for 2017. The Reuters poll says economist sentiment run counter to current investor optimism with the global forecast growth for 2017 at 3.2 percent as a result of expected suboptimal Asian growth.

In a 21 December article, focus-economics. com points out that eight years after the onset of the global crisis, central banks continue to use loose monetary policies (notably low interest rates) to support economic growth while risking distortion in asset markets. FE’s poll of analysts show a consensus estimate of 2.9 percent world economic growth in 2017, slightly higher than the estimated 2.5 percent in 2016.

FE’s estimate echoes a similar trend from the International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook released October 2016.

IMF’s WEO projected a slight rise in 2017 growth to 3.4 percent from its 2016 estimate of 3.1 percent. The FE’s lower estimate reflects the World Bank’s midyear 2016 downward revision of estimated 2016 growth to 2.4 percent from its January estimate of 2.9 percent.

The Conference Board, a global business membership and research association, forecasts a continuation of what it calls the current trend of stagnation. Their base scenario reflects most published economic analyses, inputting the effect of stabilized prices in energy and commodities, and positive effects of qualitative growth factors such as advanced technology and increased productivity, tempered by weaker growth in key inputs of investment and labor. The Conference Board echoes many analysts and organizations by pointing out pressure coming from increased political and economic uncertainties, which could have the effect of delaying large investment decisions by both governments and private sector. Across the board, the outlooks for

2017 point to the same cautions: Brexit and Europe; Trump and the US; China concerns; conflict and political uncertainty in many countries.

The World Bank growth forecasts for East Asia are much rosier, with China expected to transition to a 6.5 percent growth and the rest of the region to grow at 5 pervent.

Developing East Asia is expected to grow at 5.8 percent. The Philippine economy is expected to grow 6.2 percent by both WB and the Asian Development Bank.

Consumer Trends Let’s focus on the thoughts of my favorite trend watcher. Trendwatching’s top five trends for 2017 begins with virtual experiences, essentially a follow-on to its forecast of the maturing of virtual reality being a strong undercurrent for 2016. This trend ups the ante on what is already a very strong real experience economy. In this strange new world, experience is valuable not just for entertainment, it accrues status. Simply think of how social media sites have become a means for sharing experiences from travel to new restaurants.

More importantly, TW explains that individual choices will become “even stronger statements about who they are” as individuals. In this new world, time will become the scarcest resource of the consumer and entertainment is no longer the key source of value.

TW’s second trend echoes geopolitics and the ongoing power shifts and conflicts between those who call for increased connectedness, the emerging global citizen, and those who cry for nationalism and separateness. For managers and marketers, this echoes the challenge that has always been apparent to multinationals, that balancing of global outlook and imperatives with local realities.

TW’s third trend is something that would make many marketers quake in their boots— the return of the anonymous consumer, arising from the need to be treated equally regardless of demographic. The last two trends continue two larger trends: sustainability and the increasing pervasiveness of technology. The former is simple, the capture of underutilized capability in order to create fresh value— something I have been researching and

writing about for many years now within the area of corporate social innovation. The final trend is both exciting and scary. It involves the increased technological capability to gather individualized information in order to create individualized service.

Meanwhile, the folk at Ericsson have released their list of the top 10 consumer trends for 2017, which begins with the statement that the internet is now comprised of 70 percent video traffic. The report includes many interesting factoids.

The number of people willing to have and AI as an advisor for work now exceeds those who are unwilling. Three fourths of smartphone users believe multiple wearables and sensors will help them better interact with other devices. Two in five believe smartphones will eventually learn their habits and perform certain functions automatically. One out of three individuals state that social networks are their prime source of news, reflecting an increased reliance on social networks which creates social silos.

The folk at Euromonitor also had some interesting statistics for those wanting to understand the new consumer. The median age of the global population in 2017 will be 30.1 (up from 27.9 in 2007). 3.5 million people will go online for the first time each week in 2017. In 2016, card payments (44.1 percent) outstripped cash (43 percent) as the largest payment source (by value) for the first time.

Forward So that’s 2017. It will continue to be a world dominated on the one hand by local politics and on the other, by technology.

Consumers will want to both be better known as well as more anonymous. It’s going to be a great ride.

Frohes Neujahr!

Zukunft is the German word for future.

It is a concatenation of the root words “zu” meaning “to” and “kunft” which comes from the German word “Kommen” meaning “to come”. Hence it literally means what is still to come.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_ manila@yahoo.com. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

AN ADDITIONAL P100 million revenues will be added to Parañaque City’s coffers next year when Okada Manila, the country’s largest integrated casino and resort, officially opens in two months, a ranking city official said Tuesday.

City administrator Ding Soriano expressed optimism about the additional revenue collection, after the world-class integrated hotel secured a provisional casino license from regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Soriano said the estimated additional revenues would come from real property tax, business tax, clearances like health and police and other miscellaneous payments when Okada Manila formally operates in February.

“The city expects revenues to reach billions over the five year period when all integrated resorts have been completed in the Entertainment City along the stretch of Manila Bay,” said the

administrator.

The $2.4-billion Okada Manila is being developed by Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., the Philippine subsidiary of Universal Entertainment owned by Japanese gaming and pachinko mogul Kazuo Okada.

The 44-hectare world-class integrated resort is the third integrated casino and resort to open within the government-sponsored Entertainment City. The first to open was Solaire Resorts in March 2013 and Casino followed by City of Dreams.

Once completed, Okada Manila will be a sprawling 21.55-hectare development that includes two hotels, a dancing water fountain similar to the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, Asia’s first beach club/ nightclub that can accommodate up to 4,500 people, and other luxurious amenities such as high-end food and beverage outlets, retail outlets, spa and function areas.

SOS for SSS SENIORS are still trying to get over their disappointment at the possibility that the promised P2,000 increase on their SSS pension funds would remain just that—a promise. Upon the recommendation of his economic managers, president Rodrigo Duterte decided to defer the hike due to the possibility that it would deplete the funds of the SSS by 2031. Much earlier, congressmen had compromised by suggesting a two-step hike, with the P1,000 supposed to be given starting this year.

According to the president, it would be unfair for taxpayers and non-SSS members if they were made to carry the burden of the proposed increase.

Many of the pensioners are poor and in the twilight of their years, and the P2,000 would most likely go to medical expenses because many of them are also ailing and need to take several maintenance medicines that cost an arm and a leg considering their impoverished situation.

Bayan Muna and the group of Neri Colmenares are blaming Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernie Pernia for the failure of the president to deliver on his campaign promise to have the proposed hike approved. According to the militant group, the P2,000 increase only translates into P66 per day, or P33 for the initial P1,000 pension hike.

Pensioners and ordinary SSS members say they can’t imagine the agency going bankrupt, saying the administrator and members of the board have the responsibility to see to it the funds will not be depleted. Some even complained at the reported excesses of former SSS administrators, with one of them reportedly squandering money by buying paintings and other non-liquid assets. If the officials are so concerned, then they should stop giving themselves overly generous perks and bonuses, some members suggested.

A fuming Colmenares also said the Cabinet secretaries resisting the proposed increase should stop deluding the people and the president into thinking that there are no funds for the proposed increase because this is simply not true. Besides, even if the fund life would get shortened, the SSS and the government have 14 years –more than enough time—to look for ways to increase the fund life.

Makati Rep. Luis Campos is also proposing that povertystricken pensioners above 70 should be given priority in the proposed P2,000 hike, pointing out that financial help should be extended to the more vulnerable and destitute seniors. Campos has also filed House Bill 2653 that proposes the amendment of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

Instead of harping about the negatives, the SSS and the president’s economic managers should go about thinking of ways to make collection more efficient and perhaps impose stiffer sanctions on employers found delinquent in submitting SSS contributions. As the saying goes—“Kung gusto may paraan; kung ayaw maraming dahilan.”

Mining firm pays P30-m tax

Living up to its commitment of being a responsible miner, Philex Mining Corp., one of the oldest and largest gold and copper producers in Southeast Asia, paid up P29.8 million in real property taxes to the Municipality of Itogon, Benguet.

The payment—which is more than enough to build 10 big classrooms and pay four months worth of salaries for 200 public employees—covers a five-year period for a proposed tailings pond in Barangay Ampucao.

During the check turnover at the Baguio Country Club by Philex SVP and resident manager of the Padcal operations in Benguet Manuel Agcaoili to Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, Agcaoili reiterated that Philex Mining will not waver in fulfilling its tax obligations to both local and national governments as part of its commitment to responsible mining.

••• 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!

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

Business

Global air traffic up by 6% in 2016 MONTREAL, Canada― Worldwide passenger air traffic grew again last year, albeit at a slightly slower pace, led by the dynamic growth of low-cost air carriers, the International Civil Aviation Organization reported Monday.

A total of 3.7 billion passengers were transported by the world’s airlines last year, a 6 percent increase from 2015.

That was just under the previous year’s 7.1 percent rise, the United Nations agency said.

Growth was most pronounced in the Middle East (11.2 percent), Asia (8 percent), Latin America (6.5 percent) and Africa (5.7 percent), while it was slower in Europe (4.3 percent) and North America (3.5 percent).

“Over half of the world’s tourists who travel across international borders each year were transported by air,” the Montreal-based agency noted in a statement.

Low-cost carriers accounted for 28 percent of all passenger air traffic. Passing a milestone, they transported more than 1 billion passengers for the first time.

In Europe, low-cost carriers transported nearly a third of all passengers, slightly more than the 31 percent in Asia or North America’s 25 percent.

“The increasing presence of low-cost carriers notably in emerging economies contributed to the overall growth of passenger traffic,” the ICAO said.

As for scheduled domestic flights, North America accounted for 43 percent of the total, up 4.3 percent from the previous year, while domestic traffic in Asia was up 10 percent, largely due to growth in India and China.

Increased traffic and significantly lower fuel costs helped boost airlines’ operating profits, which the ICAO put at $60 billion for last year, some $2 billion more than in 2015.

“More than a third of the profits are expected to come from the carriers of North America, whose domestic market represents 66 per cent of their total operations,” the agency reported. AFP

WINTER SALES. A man stands near a sign announcing discounts at a mall in Talange, eastern France, on the first day of the regional winter sales, on January 2, 2017, a week ahead of the start of the national sales. JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP

Singapore grew 1.8%, dodged recession in Q4

S

INGAPORE’S trade-driven economy grew 1.8 percent last year, the slowest pace since the global financial crisis in 2009, after dodging a technical recession in the fourth quarter, official data showed Tuesday.

Analysts warned growth in 2017 could even be more subdued if rising protectionism crimps global trade and further rises in US interest rates put more pressure on the local economy.

“Singapore has comfortably dodged a technical recession in Q4 2016, but we expect the local economy to remain in ‘slow-mo’,” said Weiwen Ng, Southeast Asia economist at banking group ANZ. “The prospects of a more protectionist trade policy poses headwinds to Singapore’s economy who is still wedded to the old export-led growth model,” Ng said in a note.

There have been concerns among Asia’s export-driven economies about rising protectionism in the West, where globalization and freetrade deals have been blamed for sending jobs abroad and opening the floodgates to immigrants.

Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as US president on January 20, has vowed to tear up the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade deal negotiated by outgoing President Barack Obama.

Singapore is a key member of the 12-nation TPP which contains market-opening provisions that go well beyond

cutting tariffs.

Singapore’s trade ministry said Tuesday that the city-state’s economy expanded 9.1 percent quarter-on-quarter in the three months to December, reversing a 1.9 percent contraction the previous quarter.

A technical recession refers to two straight quarters of quarteron-quarter contractions.

Last year’s growth is below the 2.0 expansion in 2015.

“The big picture is that Singapore’s growth looks set to remain weak over the next couple of years against a backdrop of tightening domestic monetary conditions,” said Capital Economics’ regional economist Krystal Tan. Recovery in exports seems “unlikely” as global growth is expected to be lackluster in the coming years, Tan said in a research note.

“Moreover, there remain significant downside risks to

global trade, notably a turn towards protectionism in the US,” she said.

Singapore, among Asia’s most-export dependent nations, is seeking new growth engines to boost incomes as its population ages and trade falters. With global growth under pressure and the US threatening to turn more protectionist under Donald Trump, the outlook remains cloudy. That will be a consideration for the central bank in its April policy review after it signaled in October it will stick to its neutral currency policy for an extended period of time.

“Overall, we are not doing badly, considering the global economic uncertainties,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a New Year message Dec. 31. “While the labor market has eased, unemployment remains low and we are still creating new jobs.” AFP, Bloomberg

Crude prices top $54 a barrel OIL advanced after the biggest annual gain since 2009 as output cuts by Kuwait signaled Opec and other producing nations started trimming production to stabilize the market.

Futures rose as much as 0.9 percent in New York after increasing 45 percent last year.

Opec member Kuwait has cut output by 130,000 barrels a day to about 2.75 million a day, Al-Anba newspaper reported, citing Kuwait Oil Co. chief executive officer Jamal Jaafer. Drillers targeting crude in the US added active rigs for a ninth week, boosting the number to the highest in about a year, according to data from Baker Hughes Inc. on Friday.

Oil climbed for the first time in three years in 2016 as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and 11 nations from outside the group agreed on an output cut plan, effective Jan. 1, to reduce bloated global inventories. In the US, the world’s biggest consumer, crude stockpiles remain at the highest seasonal level in more than three decades.

“It’s understood that countries like Kuwait, who are close to Saudi Arabia, are expected to diligently implement the output cuts, but it’s those nations such as Iraq and Russia that are the ones the market is mostly concerned about,” said Hong Sung Ki, a Seoul-based commodities analyst at Samsung Futures Inc. “Once oil reaches $60 a barrel, increasing rigs in the US will be the biggest factor that will limit oil from rising further.”

West Texas Intermediate for February delivery gained as much as 48 cents to $54.20 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $54 at 7:50 a.m. in London.

There was no trading Monday because of the New Year holiday. Total volume traded was about 39 percent below the 100-day average.

Brent for March settlement was 25 cents higher at $57.07 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

Prices climbed 52 percent last year, the most since 2009. The global benchmark traded at a premium of $2.12 to March WTI. Opec nations and nonmembers including Russia and Mexico have agreed to trim output by about 1.8 million barrels a day. Iraq will start implementing cuts by reducing heavy and medium grades, the nation’s oil minister Jabbar alLuaibi told Kuwaiti daily alJarida. Bloomberg

Solar power beats coal, is set to become cheapest on Earth

By Jessica Shankleman and Christopher Martin SOLAR power is now cheaper than coal in some parts of the world. In less than a decade, it’s likely to be the lowest-cost option almost everywhere.

In 2016, countries from Chile to the United Arab Emirates broke records with deals to generate electricity from sunshine for less than 3 cents a kilowatt-hour, half the average global cost of coal power. Now, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Mexico are planning auctions and tenders for this year, aiming to drop prices even further. Companies such as Italy’s Enel SpA and Dublin’s Mainstream Renewable Power, which gained experienced in Europe, now seek new markets abroad as subsidies dry up at home.

Since 2009, solar prices are down 62 percent, with every part of the supply chain trimming costs. That’s help cut risk premiums on bank loans, and pushed manufacturing capacity to record levels. By 2025, solar may be cheaper than using coal on average globally, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

“These are game-changing numbers, and it’s becoming normal in more and more markets,” said Adnan Amin, International Renewable Energy Agency ’s director general, an Abu Dhabi-based intergovern-

mental group. “Every time you double capacity, you reduce the price by 20 percent.”

Better technology has been key in boosting the industry, from the use of diamond-wire saws that more efficiently cut wafers to better cells that provide more spark from the same amount of sun. It’s also driven by economies of scale and manufacturing experience since the solar boom started more than a decade ago, giving the industry an increasing edge in the competition with fossil fuels.

The average 1 megawatt-plus ground mounted solar system will cost 73 cents a watt by 2025 com-

pared with $1.14 now, a 36 percent drop, said Jenny Chase, head of solar analysis for New Energy Finance.

That’s in step with other forecasts.

GTM Research expects some parts of the US Southwest approaching $1 a watt today, and may drop as low as 75 cents in 2021, according to its analyst MJ Shiao. The US Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Lab expects costs of about $1.20 a watt now declining to $1 by 2020. By 2030, current technology will squeeze out most potential savings, said Donald

Chung, a senior project leader.

The International Energy Agency expects utility-scale generation costs to fall by another 25 percent on average in the next five years.

The International Renewable Energy Agency anticipates a further drop of 43 percent to 65 percent for solar costs by 2025. That would bring to 84 percent the cumulative decline since 2009.

The solar supply chain is experiencing “a Wal-Mart effect” from higher volumes and lower margins, according to Sami Khoreibi, founder and chief executive officer of Enviromena Power Systems, an Abu Dhabi-

based developer.

The speed at which the price of solar will drop below coal varies in each country. Places that import coal or tax polluters with a carbon price, such as Europe and Brazil, will see a crossover in the 2020s, if not before. Countries with large domestic coal reserves such as India and China will probably take longer.

China, the biggest solar market, will see costs falling below coal by 2030, according to New Energy Finance. The country has surpassed Germany as the nation with the most installed solar capacity as the government seeks to increase use to cut carbon emissions and boost home consumption of clean energy. Yet curtailment remains a problem, particularly in sunnier parts of the country as congestion on the grid forces some solar plants to

switch off.

Sunbelt countries are leading the way in cutting costs, though there’s more to it than just the weather. The use of auctions to award power-purchase contracts is forcing energy companies to compete with each other to lower costs.

An August auction in Chile yielded a contract for 2.91 cents a kilowatt-hour. In September, a United Arab Emirates auction grabbed headlines with a bid of 2.42 cents a kilowatt-hour. Developers have been emboldened to submit lower bids by expectations that the cost of the technology will continue to fall.

“We’re seeing a new reality where solar is the lowest-cost source of energy, and I don’t see an end in sight in terms of the decline in costs,” said Enviromena’s Khoreibi. Bloomberg

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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NATURAL WONDER. Tourists flock to White Island in Camiguin during the long New Year weekend to witness the powdery white sand beach, one of the top tourist spots in Mindanao. Camiguin’s local government tries to maintain the natural beauty and cleanliness of White Island for both locals and tourists. At the background is Mount Hibok-Hibok, also known as Catarman Volcano, which is active. Omar Mangorsi

Makati govt extends hours for taxpayers

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE city government of Makati is extending its office hours to accommodate residents and businessmen paying taxes.

In its advisory, the city’s public information office stated that frontline departments at city hall will remain open until 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 am to 5 p.m. on Jan. 14 and 15 to receive business and real property tax payments.

Satellite realty tax payment centers will also be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on scheduled dates in 31 barangays of the city, beginning Tuesday. The first payment centers will be open in Bel-Air and Dasmariñas from Jan. 3 to 4, followed by Magal-

lanes on Jan. 5 to 6; and San Lorenzo on Jan. 6 to 7.

This first week of January, the Business Permits and Licensing Office at the ground floor of City Hall Building II will be open until 7 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 7 and 8.

On the second week until the Jan. 20 deadline, BPLO will be open to serve clients until 10 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14 and 15.

Until Jan. 20, the Realty Tax Division at the second floor of City Hall Main Building will also be open until 7 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, the schedule for realty tax payment in the rest of the barangays is as follows: Forbes Park and Urdaneta (Jan. 9); Bangkal, Pio del Pilar, San Isidro, Palanan, and San Antonio (Jan. 10); La Paz, Sta. Cruz, Singkamas, Tejeros, and Kasilawan (Jan. 11); Carmona, Olympia, Valenzuela, Poblacion, and Guadalupe Viejo (Jan. 12); Guadalupe Nuevo, Pinagkaisahan, Pitogo, Cembo, and South Cembo (Jan. 13).

The last batch to open payment centers will consist of West Rembo, East Rembo, Comembo, Pembo, and Rizal (Jan. 16).

Real Property Tax collection starts on the first working day of January until Jan. 20. The succeeding quarterly payments shall be made until April 20 (second quarter), July 20 (third quarter, and Oct. 20 (fourth quarter).

Makati offers 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.

Meanwhile, penalties on late payments of business taxes include a 25-percent surcharge and a two percent penalty per month of delay until the amount due is fully settled.

DENR: Quezon City to host eco summit

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources has chosen Quezon City to host the third ecological solid waste management exhibition and environmental summit slated this month.

Mayor Herbert Bautista said Quezon City was chosen for taking the lead in solid waste management among the other local governments.

He said the event is part of the observance of zero-waste month, and will bring together leaders and practitioners in solid waste management, climate change, disaster risk prevention and mitigation and renewable energy in a bid to raise awareness on environmental protection, “especially among millennials.”

The event will be held from Jan. 26 to Jan. 29 at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“What we will be doing is to encourage the participation of the so-called millennials in the event and gather their view re-

Davaoeños send food to ‘Nina’ survivors

Davao holidays perfectly peaceful

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—This city’s various activities during the entire Yuletide season were a complete success, safe and secure as the security personnel beefed up their security measures for the entire celebration.

Despite several bombing incidents in the nearby provinces with the same bomb signature used in the Roxas Night Market bombing here, the Davaoeṅos enjoyed the entire celebration without letting their guards down.

Public Safety and Security Command Center chief Benito De Leon said that the entire Christmas and New Year’s celebration was safe and secure because of the “collective efforts” of the different offices and the community as well.

“I attribute the safe conduct of the entire celebration to the collective efforts of the City Government, Davao

City Police Office, Task Force Davao, Central 911, Emergency Medical Technicians and the people’s cooperation that endured it,” he said.

De Leon said that they have maintained the full alert status since the Sept. 2 bombing in the city.

Task Force Davao Commander, Col Erwin Neri said that his troops intensified the Area security, mobile and foot patrol and fixed and random checkpoints in the entire city to ensure the safety of every Davaoeṅos enjoying the festivity.

“The entire celebration was safe and secure since everybody coordinated and we have intensified our entire security measures to avoid terrorism from entering the city,” Neri said.

It can be recalled that the recent bombing in Hilongos, Leyte has the same bomb signature used in the Davao blast.

OFW CHEERS. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III awards six overseas Filipino workers who won in a raffle draw during the ‘Bagong Taong Salubong’ for OFWs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City. Joining Bello are Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Undersecretaries Dominador R. Say and Ciriaco Lagunzad III, and Assistant Secretary Amy Reyes.

Farmer, live-in partner slain on chili farm in Laguna MAGDALENA, Laguna—A farmer and his live-in partner were slain by unidentified assailants in Brgy. Alipit here Monday morning.

Magdalena Chief of Police Sr. Insp. Edgar Sumadsad identified the victims as Conrad

“Don Don” Esteban, 41, and Miriam Ocampo, 43, residents of the area.

According to a witness, Jose Cabrera, he discovered the farmer at 7 a.m. lying on the grounds of his chili farm, lifeless and full of blood.

garding the current changes in the environment,” dodgie Osabel of the Environmental Management Bureau in the National Capital Region said.

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez and Senator Loren Legard are the invited speakers during the event jointly organized by the National Solid Waste Management Commission and DENR’s EMB-NCR in partnership with the city government through the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department.

Quezon City has been credited for its adoption of strategies and initiatives that contributed to the protection of the environment against further degradation, apart from mitigating the impact of climate change.

Among of the city’s landmark initiatives were the passage of the green building ordinance and regulation of the use of plastic bags in malls, supermarkets, groceries, stores and other commercial establishments.

Ocampo, meanwhile, was found dead in the kitchen of their house with multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of her body.

Police continue to investigate the motive behind the killings, and Laguna Scene of the Crime

Operatives found empty shells of caliber .38 bullets at the scene.

According to initial police reports, the neighbors heard successive gunshots in the area at 7 p.m., thinking the noise was only fireworks but with a distinct cry of a woman.

The next morning, the neighbors discovered the remains of both victims.

Esteban was a former barangay “tanod” or peacekeeper, and also worked as a driver for Barangay Chairman Norma Paglinawan. Roy Tomandao

DAVAO CITY—Aside from the financial assistance that the city extended to the four provinces that were struck by Typhoon “Nina,” the local government of Davao through the leadership of Mayor Sara Duterte also send food packs to the victims of the typhoon.

The city sent a total of 20,000 food packs to be distributed to Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes.

Each provinces received 5,000 food packs and financial assistance from the city government of Davao.

Two C130 planes delivered the food packs to the affected provinces that started on Friday morning, as mandated by the mayor to immediately respond to those who were struck

by Nina.

The city also delivered P11 million to the four provinces from the disaster Quick response funds of the city.

This is not the first time that the city send cash and food assistance to typhoon affected provinces.

It has been a practice of the city government to help those who were affected by the calamities. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

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LGUs

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

Solon to cops: Find mayor’s killers C

By Lance Baconguis

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Lanao del Norte second district Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo has asked law enforcement agencies such as the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation on Monday to conduct a thorough investigation to locate and identify Pantar town mayor Mohammad Exchan Limbona’s killers.

Dimaporo also appealed to “We ask our President to give President Rodrigo Duterte to give time for the capture of the asLimbona’s killing a priority. sassins of Exchan Limbona who

has contributed to our pursuit of law and order, peace and unity of our people [in Lanao del Norte],” he said in a statement.

In a separate statement, Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo said Limbona was a dedicated leader who “never abandoned or left his constituents” during the political crisis in Pantar.

Limbona was gunned down by still unidentified men inside his vehicle on its way to Pantar from this city in Sitio Paitan, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City, on Dec. 29.

In a radio interview Monday, Iligan city police chief, Senior

Supt. Leony Roy Ga, said it was probable that Limbona’s vehicle was being followed as it made its way to Pantar from this city since the killers knew that the former mayor was driving.

Ga said the assailants’ car has been tailing Limbona’s Ford Everest from this city and got the chance when the target vehicle slowed down.

He said the attackers then overtook Limbona’s SUV and fired at the drivers’ side hitting the victim before speeding off.

Investigators said Limbona had six gunshot wounds on various parts of his body.

Limbona was brought to a medical facility but he was declared dead after about an hour later.

Weapons believed to be used by the attackers were .38 caliber and 9mm pistols and M16 rifle, based on the empty shells that were recovered.

Ga said the police are still looking for potential witnesses that could help them identify the suspects, since the area where the incident happened was secluded and dark.

Even Limbona’s wife and daughter, who were with him during the ambush, and his two police escorts who were injured, could

not give details that would lead to the identity of the attackers.

In previous interviews, Ga said it was probable that Limbona’s assassination was triggered by “rido” (clan war) and politics in his hometown.

Limbona was involved in a controversy when he was accused of killing Pantar vice mayor Hadji Abdul Onos in 2007. He was administratively dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2014.

In May 2014, Mangonday Tago was appointed as acting mayor after Limbona’s dismissal order although he refused to vacate his post.

Cops to regulate ’cracker industry

GUIUAN’S PAST. The ongoing restoration of The Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Guiuan, Eastern Samar revealed some remains under the ground below the church’s choir loft.

Some remains were also found right outside the walls of the church, which was built in 1597 and destroyed by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in November 2013. The remains will be transferred to a special burial site at the Catholic cemetery in Guiuan. Mel Caspe

BFAR eyes Shabu in pocket damns moto rider fiberglass substitutes for bancas CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—A motorcycle rider who was involved in a traffic accident is facing criminal charges after police found a sachet of shabu in his pocket while in a hospital.

Bay, Laguna Chief of Police Chief Ins. Marlon Calonge identified the suspect as Richard Francisco.

Calonge said Francisco was on board his motorcycle and traveling to Sta. Cruz from Los Baños when he collided with another motorcycle driven by Armel Jacer at 3:45 a.m. of Dec. 31, 2016 at JP Rizal Avenue, Barangay Calo, Bay. As a result, driver of both motorcycles sustained body and head injuries and were

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

brought to LPH-Bay District Hospital.

Calonge said investigators found a matchbox containing one sachet of shabu and drug paraphernalia while gathering identification from the pocket of Francisco.

Police are now preparing criminal charges against the suspect. Roy Tomandao

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga— Police authorities in Central Luzon will recommend to President Rodrigo R. Duterte the further supervision and regulation of the production of firecrackers and other pyrotechnics in Bulacan even as the celebration of the New Year in the region was generally orderly and peaceful with only few injuries caused by firecrakers.

They still need to regulate and further supervise the production of firecrackers, fireworks and other pyrotechnics to prevent deaths, injuries and damages to properties.

Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 3, said he will coordinate with other government agencies in the region for their cooperation on further supervisions and regulation of production of firecrackers in Bulacan.

The series of explosions and raids conducted by the police authorities before and during the holiday season compelled us to recommend the further regulation of industry which employ about 100,000 residents, Aquino said.

Under Republic Act No.7138, the production, distribution, sale, and use of firecrakers, fireworks and other pyrotechnics are being regulated by the police and other government agencies but this seem not enough for the illegal producers. Romeo Dizon

2017 COUNTDOWN.

DAVAO CITY—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 11 targets to replace all wooden bancas in the region to fiberglass boats under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

BFAR 11 Regional Director, Fatma Idris said that the Department of Agriculture pledge to help the BFAR in replacing all the wooden boats in the region to motorized fiberglass boats.

Idris said that they are targeting to release a total of 3,000 fiberglass boats until 2018, however, they would like to continue the program until all the fishermen in the region will use the new boats.

“In two years’ time we are targeting to release 3,000 [fiberglass boats] after the 3,000 we would still like to continue giving, we can’t just stop by 3,000,” Idris said.

She said that they would like to displace all the wooden boats to give a more sustainable livelihood to the fisherfolks in the region.

In 2016, BFAR has released a total of 300 fiberglass boats through DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

In the entire region, the BFAR has recorded 50,868 fishermen and 8,806 wooden boats.

Idris said that the fishermen who uses fiberglass boats increased their catch from 3 kilos to 10 kilos per day because they can go farther than the wooden boats can.

Manila

Standard NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC TODAY

This is to inform the public that Kate Alyssa C. Barza is no longer connected with Cirrus Global, Inc. effective December 30, 2016.

Any transaction entered into by this person from this date thereafter shall not be honored by the company.

(MS-JAN. 4, 2016)

San Juan City Mayor Guia G. Gomez joins her constituents for the countdown to the new year in front of the City of San Juan Government Center beside the Sabado Mercado, the weekend market bazaar for San Juaneños, on Saturday as predominantly Christian Philippines awaited midnight to welcome the Year of the Red Rooster.

PNP: No stray bullet casualties in Cavite IMUS, Cavite—Through an effective information campaign and community cooperation, Cavite Police’s zero stray-bullet casualty goal was achieved for New Year 2017 revelry after many years, Police Supt. Janet L. Arinabo, chief of the Provincial Public Information Office in Camp General Pantaleon Garcia said.

Cavite province has not recorded indiscriminate firing or illegal discharge of firearm incident during the New Year’s celebration. Posting of informative materials on the PNP’s campaign on zero-incident indiscriminate firing and pre-emptive security measures

were also implemented, Arinabo said.

Cavite saw increased deployment of PNP personnel in the streets and active support and cooperation from the Local Government Executives, friendly forces, other external stakeholders and the community have immensely contributed in the achievement of a peaceful celebration.

After the Chief PNP’s pronouncement for a zero-incident on indiscriminate firing, Police Sr. Supt. Arthur V. Bisnar, Cavite Police Provincial Director immediately ordered the municipal Chiefs of Police as well as the Chief of the Special Weapons Action Team and Commander of the Provincial Public

Safety Company to take on the march- be peaceful and orderly. ing order.

Cavite Police Operatives has also BLACK Police commissioned officersCYAN as- MAGENTA confiscated YELLOW several types of firecracksigned in the Provincial Headquarters ers with an estimated value of P49,000 were also designated as area supervi- for violation of R.A 7183 (An Act Regsors to ensure the presence of PNP ulating the Sale, Manufacture, Dispersonnel in their respective areas of tribution and Use of Firecrackers and deployment while coordination with Other Pyrotechnics Devices).

Local LCEs and friendly forces was Police Sr. Supt. Bisnar expressed initiated to get their support. his gratitude to the Caviteños for Firecracker injuries have signifi- their cooperation and commended cantly decreased as compared to pre- all the members of the Cavite Police vious years while there was no signifi- for effectively performing their ducant untoward incident happened for ties particularly in the maintenance the period. The New Year’s celebra- of peace and order in welcoming the tion in Cavite province is assessed to New Year. Benjamin Chavez

World

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

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Inmates decapitate rivals in prison riot M ANAUS, Brazil―Rioting inmates decapitated their rivals in brutal fighting between two gangs in a Brazilian jail that left 56 dead, while 144 prisoners escaped, officials said Monday.

The riot broke out Sunday afternoon and lasted through the night at a prison on the outskirts of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, state public security secretary Sergio Fontes said.

Bloodied and burned bodies were stacked in a concrete prison yard and piled in carts, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Fontes’s department later lowered the death toll to 56 from an earlier count of 60.

The fighting ranks among the most deadly of many prison riots across Latin America in the past decade.

Fontes called it “the biggest massacre” ever committed at a prison in the state.

Outside, heavily armed police hunted for dozens of inmates who escaped through a series of tunnels discovered at the Anisio Jobim penitentiary complex.

Fontes’s department later said that 112 prisoners escaped from that prison and another 72 from the nearby Antonio Trindade Penal Institute. Just 40 of the escapees were captured, it added.

Police finally restored order at the prison on Monday morning, freeing 12 guards who had been taken hostage, Fontes said.

They found a horrific scene inside.

“Many [victims] were decapitated, and they all suffered a lot of violence,” he told a news conference.

He said the gruesome scene appeared aimed at sending a message from the Family of the North (FDN), a powerful local gang, to rivals from the First Capital Command (PCC), one of Brazil’s largest gangs.

The PCC’s base is in Sao Paulo, some 2,700 kilometers (1,650 miles)

to the southeast.

“During the negotiations (to end the riot), the prisoners had almost no demands,” Fontes told local radio network Tiradentes.

“We think they had already done what they wanted: kill members of the rival organization.”

It was the latest eruption of horrific violence to hit Brazil’s underfunded and overcrowded prisons.

In October, deadly riots broke out at three prisons, blamed on fighting between members of the country’s two largest gangs, the PCC and the Red Command (CV).

During that episode, rioting inmates took visitors hostage, beheaded rivals and burned others alive, killing 33 people in all, the authorities said. AFP

Tsang says he’s not guilty of corruption HONG KONG―Hong Kong’s former leader Donald Tsang, who ended his term in disgrace after accepting favors from tycoons, pleaded not guilty to bribery charges Tuesday at his highprofile corruption trial.

Tsang, 72, held the leadership post of chief executive for seven years from 2005 and is the highest-ranking Hong Kong official to face a corruption trial.

The case is set to send shock waves through a city that has earned a reputation as one of the world’s most open and transparent markets.

Wearing his customary suit and bow-tie, a somber-looking Tsang arrived hand-in-hand with his wife at the city’s High Court over an hour before the hearing was scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.

He pleaded “not guilty” to three charges of misconduct and bribery.

Each charge carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years.

The charges pertain to the period when Tsang was chief executive.

He is accused of failing to disclose his plans to lease a luxury penthouse in the neighboring city of Shenzhen from a major investor in a broadcaster -which at the time was seeking a license from the Hong Kong government.

Tsang allegedly approved the company’s application for the license, and also failed to declare that an architect he proposed for a government award had been employed as an interior designer on the flat.

The hearing is expected to last 20 days.

He has previously said that he had “every confidence” he would be exonerated.

In 2012 he apologized for separate allegations that he accepted inappropriate gifts from business friends in the form of trips on luxury yachts and private jets.

The trial comes at a time when residents are losing faith in Hong Kong’s leaders, as a string of high-profile corruption cases fuel public suspicions over cozy links between authorities and business leaders.

Critics blame the city’s method of electing its leader -- who is selected by a 1,200-strong electoral committee made up of representatives of special interest groups weighted towards Beijing.

“I strongly believe that the chief executive has to (maintain) close relations with special interest groups and tycoons,” pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting told AFP. AFP

Park absent from hearing

GALA. Director Mike Mills, actress Annette Bening and actor Warren Beatty attend the after party for the 28th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California. AFP

IN BRIEF Three Iraqi policemen killed in attack BAGHDAD―An attack carried out by the Islamic State group on a police station in the Iraqi city of Samarra has left three members of the force dead, officers said Tuesday.

According to security officials from Salaheddin province, in which Samarra is located, a group of four gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed Mutawakil police station in Samarra late Monday.

They holed themselves up in the police station and were subsequently besieged by Iraqi security forces, leading to clashes that lasted several hours.

“The exchange of fire started around 9:00 pm (1800 GMT) and lasted way past midnight,” a Samarra police colonel told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The four suicide bombers who attacked the police station were all killed,” the colonel said.

“Three members of the police were also killed, including a lieutenant colonel, and four wounded.”

An official from Salaheddin province said the curfew that was imposed late Monday on Samarra, a city 110 kilometres (70 miles) north of Baghdad, was lifted early Tuesday.

The attack, similar to one carried out in late November 2016, was claimed by IS via its propaganda agency Amaq.

Samarra is home to a major Iraqi security headquarters and to an important Shiite shrine where a 2006 bombing touched off two years of sectarian bloodletting. AFP

SEOUL―South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday held its first full hearing on whether to confirm the impeachment of President Park Geun-Hye but she stayed away from the session.

The hearing, which followed three preparatory court sessions last month, lasted only nine minutes before being wrapped up.

The court last week ruled that Park was not required to appear for questioning.

“We will do our best to conduct a fair and through review of the case,” said Park HanChul, the top justice who led a nine-member panel reviewing the case.

Regardless of whether Park shows up when the hearing resumes Thursday, the case will proceed.

Her lawyers said she was unlikely to attend future hearings.

Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over a corruption scandal which has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets every week.

She has been suspended from executive duties and the country is being temporarily led by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn. Park is accused of colluding with close friend Choi Soon-Sil to strong-arm big companies into handing over tens of millions of dollars to dubious foundations which Choi controlled.

Choi is now on trial for coercion and abuse of power, largely related to the corporate funding of the two foundations which she allegedly plundered.

The Constitutional Court has up to six months to decide whether to confirm Park’s impeachment. If it does, a presidential election must be held within two months.

White House to soon test Trump’s leadership qualities WASHINGTON―After so much winning, Donald Trump and his team are walking into the White House with a swagger. But the realities of life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are about to bite.

Forget the thrilling roar of Air Force One, or the world-destroying power of the nuclear codes. Seen from inside the White House gates, the presidency is more like a beat-up megaphone than a font of boundless power.

If a president is lucky, only a third of

Americans will hate him. World events and vested interests will yank him hither and thither and politics will bind every move.

Congress can look more like a playground full of toddlers screaming and biting their way to the top of the slide, than allies fighting in common cause.

Trump enters the Oval Office with a 48 percent disapproval rating and a world that looks more complex and dangerous than it has in decades. He leads a Repub-

lican Party riven by ideological disputes.

All that would be daunting enough.

But, as one former White House official recalled, the hardest thing for a new president can be closer to home -- deciding how to decide.

Every day the commander-in-chief and roughly 470 White House staff make countless choices that shape the administration.

Even the most mundane can have lasting consequences: will a legislator be

irked without an invite to a bill signing?

Will “POTUS” go home after visiting Egypt or stop off in Israel on the way?

Facing monumental decisions, Dwight Eisenhower -- the last non-politician to take the Oval Office -- liked to see a ferocious battle of ideas played out in front of him before coming down either way.

Ronald Reagan disliked witnessing rows, instead delegating decisions and leaving aides to scramble for access and influence one-by-one. AFP

POLLUTION IN CHINA. A man wearing a mask crosses a street in Beijing on January 3, 2017. China has passed a law that levies taxes on pollution, but ignores carbon dioxide, one of the major contributors to global warming, according to the web site of the country’s highest legislative body. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

World

PARADE. The Governor’s Trophy is showb during the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade on the parade route in Pasadena, California. AFP

Wildfire burns homes in Chile VALPARAISO, Chile―A wildfire ravaged woods and burned 100 homes in the hilly Chilean port city of Valparaiso on Monday, forcing authorities to evacuate hundreds of people.

At least 19 people were reported hurt after the fire broke out on the outskirts of the historic city, the government said.

Television pictures showed thick gray smoke filling the streets in the Laguna Verde district, where the blaze struck, and flames devouring green hillsides.

Hundreds of firefighters along with water-dumping airplanes and helicopters were battling the blaze, officials said.

“Emergency protocols have been activated,” President Michelle Bachelet said on Twitter.

The flames had “damaged 100 homes in an area where there are 500,” deputy interior minister Mahmud Aleuy told a news conference late Monday.

He said 19 people were hurt, mostly by breathing in smoke, but there were no fatalities.

The flames destroyed 50 hectares (123 acres) of woodland, the National Emergencies Office said in a statement.

Fanned by strong winds in hot summer weather, the fire broke out in the hilly region that makes Valparaiso a picturesque tourist destination. AFP

Suicidal junkies choking Canada V ANCOUVER―Sirens scream non-stop through the urban heart of Vancouver as responders race toward drug addicts overdosing―and dying in such numbers that the city’s morgues are full.

This wealthy Pacific coast city is the bleak epicenter of an opioid epidemic that has claimed thousands of lives in Canada,

“There’s not a single person down here that’s chosen to be a junkie,” said Martin Steward, a self-admitted drug user who manages a treatment facility in Vancouver’s gritty Downtown Eastside neighborhood where the crisis is concentrated.

“Something happened in their while next door in the United lives: emotional, mental, physiStates, drug overdoses are now cal, that brought them to where the leading cause of accidental they are.” death.

On the neighborhood’s Hastings

Street, blocks that were once bustling with people are now emptier.

“There are less and less of the people I know here,” said Mary Mootrey, who has lived in the area for 25 years, pointing to a few milling around. “They’ve all overdosed.”

Authorities in British Columbia predict that 2016 will break all records for provincial deaths from opioid overdoses, including 128 in November alone.

Officials had first declared an emergency in the spring, as cheap synthetic fentanyl replaced expensive heroin and soon became mixed into most street drugs.

A pill sells for as little as Can$2 (US$1.50), said the 59-year-old Mootrey.

“I wish they’d all go into treatment,” she said of the many addicts in her neighborhood.

But treatment facilities are full, with long waits to get a spot.

Dress blamed for sex attacks BANGALORE―An Indian minister faced a severe backlash Tuesday after he criticized women for dressing “like westerners” at a New Year’s Eve celebration where a mob allegedly carried out a series of sex assaults.

Although police have yet to charge anyone in connection with the violence on Saturday night in Bangalore, local media have carried testimony and photos of victims cowering from their attackers or fleeing for safety.

Police say they are now trawling through CCTV footage to see if they can identify any of the attackers.

But a minister with responsibility for policing in the southern state of Karnataka, whose largest city is Bangalore, said the “unfortunate” attacks were a consequence of women wearing western clothing.

“A large number of youngsters gathered -- youngsters who are almost like westerners,” Karnataka’s Home Minister G Parameshwara told The Times Now television network, speaking in English.

“They try to copy westerners not only in mindset, but even the dressing, so some disturbance, some girls are harassed, these kind of things do happen.”

Parameshwara, who later claimed to have been misquoted, was widely condemned for his televised comments, with the central government’s junior home minister Kiren Rijiju describing them as “irresponsible”. AFP

“There’s always been a problem here,” said Steward, who manages a facility run by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users.

“But now the morgue’s full, they look at it and say, we better do something.”

The 44-year-old has personal experience with addiction: a cocaine user by age 12, he eventually found himself living on the streets in Montreal. AFP

IN BRIEF Floods strand thousands in Malaysia

VICTIM. Men carry a coffin of a Saudi victim who was killed in an attack on the Reina night club on New Year’s Eve in Istanbul upon its arrival to the Jeddah international airport. The Islamic State jihadist group on January 2, 2017 claimed the shooting rampage inside the glamorous Istanbul nightclub on on December 31 that killed 39 people as police hunted the attacker who remains on the run. AFP

Church shooter competent to stand trial CHARLESTON―Convicted church killer Dylann Roof was found competent to stand trial for a second time Monday, allowing jurors to consider whether he should be imprisoned for life or put to death.

The decision means the sentencing phase of his trial, now set to begin on Wednesday, can go ahead.

The self-described white supremacist was convicted in December for crimes connected to the racially motivated killing of nine African-American parishioners in the Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston.

He attended a Bible study in the basement of the historic

black church known as “Mother Emanuel” on June 17, 2015 before producing a handgun and killing his victims, aged 26 to 87 years old.

Roof, 22, was first declared competent to stand trial by US District Judge Richard Gergel in November following a previous hearing closed to the public.

Roof then chose to represent himself during jury selection of his trial, a strategy Gergel deemed “unwise.”

Roof participated passively in jury selection, then reinstated his lawyers as the prosecution sought to establish his guilt during trial.

However, his main defense at-

torney, the renowned death penalty expert David Bruck, called no witnesses of his own and did not significantly challenge any of the government’s witnesses, who included two survivors, one of them a woman who watched Roof execute her adult son before her eyes.

After being convicted of all 33 charges against him in December, Roof indicated he would again like to represent himself during the sentencing phase of the trial.

He has told the judge he does not plan to introduce any evidence or witnesses on his behalf, including any evidence of his mental health.

In his closing argument, Bruck said Roof had no real friends and is unable to make small talk. He noted that beyond Roof taking many photographs of himself with a gun and Confederate flag before committing his crimes, he also took hundreds of pictures of his cat.

During the sentencing portion of the trial, the jury will possibly hear testimony from dozens of witnesses called by the government, including relatives of the victims.

They may also hear from Roof himself, who has said he will make opening and closing statements during the next portion of the trial. AFP

KUALA LUMPUR―Emergency services in Malaysia deployed boats and trucks Tuesday as thousands of villagers were stranded after four days of heavy rain caused flooding in east coast states, officials said.

Floods in Terengganu and Kelantan states forced authorities to shut down dozens of schools and roads to villages have been cut off.

The east coast regularly experiences tropical storms and heavy showers during the monsoon.

In the last two days in oilrich Terengganu over a thousand people have been evacuated from their homes, and rescue officials predict the numbers will rise.

Che Adam Abdul Rahman, civil department force chief in Terengganu, told AFP that 700 rescue officers have been deployed in the state to carry out search and rescue operations.

Many of the rural roads are impassable, he said.

“We have now deployed boats and trucks to evacuate the villagers to relief centres, and with continuous rain we expect the number of flood evacuees to rise,” Che Adam warned.

In neighboring Kelantan, which experienced massive floods and large destruction of homes and public infrastructure in December 2014, at least 4,906 people have been displaced by flooding.

Zainuddin Hussin, Kelantan state civil department force chief, said some 1,300 personnel with 30 boats and 23 vehicles are involved in rescue activities. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

FASHION & BEAUTY

Iza Calzado graced the opening of Vera Wang bridal boutique in Makati

V

ERA WANG opened of her first bridal boutique at Rockwell in Makati, the first in Manila and in the Philippines.

Arguably the leading designer of bridal wear in America, Wang appeals to brides of different generations by blending the modern with the traditional. A number of Hollywood celebrities has chosen to wear Vera Wang on their special day, like Victoria Beckham, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff and Lily Aldridge.

Located at 8 Rockwell, Rockwell Center, Makati, the store occupies 170 square meters and features a single level shopping area. Along with outposts in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tokyo and Sydney, Vera Wang’s latest venture houses her bridal collection and is also carrying eveningwear.

A contemporary look was created with the unique interpretation of graphite concrete floors, charcoal grey walls, etched glass doors and blackened steel design elements. The salon experience is about understated elegance, sophistication and modernity. It was designed to engage the bride and her family and friends with options through knowledge and service.

For more information on Vera Wang, please visit the company’s website at www.verawang.com

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Vera Wang’s Global Sales Executive Alex Chase Souza at the grand launch of Vera Wang bridal boutique at 8 Rockwell, Makati City.

VERA WANG Bride in Manila

For appointments and inquiries, go to philippines@verawang.com or contact (02) 804-5071.

Sam Eduque and Tessa Prieto

Vera Wang Manila managing partner Valerie Villar-Zayco

EVERY bride deserves to look and feel her most beautiful on her most special day and no less than brand new Mrs. Cristalle Belo-Pitt, the true embodiment of a Belo bride, lets us in her secrets that led to that gorgeous look on her wedding day.

At the most special day of her life, the start of her forever with hotelier Justin Pitt at the dreamy Villa Erba in Lake Como, Italy, Cristalle looked radiant in her Inbal Dror gown from Israel, the dress she discovered and ordered even before Hollywood’s Beyonce wore hers at the Grammy’s. Her 100 guests coming from all over the world concur to this gorgeousness.

Cristalle was able to achieve this onthe-day outstanding look by her glam team during the wedding preparations—Gela Laurel, her makeup artist; Brent Sales was responsible for the flowing beautiful hair she wore. At the pre-wedding welcome dinner, Cristalle wowed everyone with her outfit by Vania Romoff of YSL. The event was carefully documented. US-based photographer Jose Villa (with good old film negatives for the entire event) took the photos while videographer Bob Nicolas the video footage.

The Belo Bride collection is the perfect checklist for would-be brides. Since each woman’s needs are unique, the Belo Bride line of services can be tailorfitted for her specific needs.

Cristalle carefully prepared months before the big day by having treatments like Glycopeel cleaning and Powerpeel for a flawless and blemishfree face. The Exilis and Venus freeze helped her to be in perfect shape, the V Contour for a well-defined facial

How to look the Belo bride

The Belo Bride collection is the perfect checklist for would-be-brides who want to look their best on their wedding day, just like Cristalle Belo-Pitt.

contour. To get rid of wrinkles, restore volume loss and look years younger, she had Botox. To complete the bridal makeover by getting rid of unwanted hair, she had the Belo Laser Hair Removal and Body Srcub for her youthful skin on her big day.

Specifically, these are the treatments that Cristalle had: Glycopeel cleaning, also known as microdermabrasion, makes use of a technology with the aid of corundum crystals vacuumed through a delicate hand-piece and held at a precise angle

to the skin. It is a unique approach that exfoliates dead and dull skin and stimulates the production of fresh new skin cells and collagen. It is better than the diamond peel because it is more hygienic since the crystals used are disposed of immediately while the latter makes use

of a reusable tip and results are more appreciated.

Powerpeel makes use of different concentrations of fruit acid applied on the skin to un-roof pimples, blackheads, and white heads as well as exfoliate dead skin Exilis is the procedure, which makes use of sea salt or sugar scrub to gently remove dead, dry, and rough skin making it baby-smooth and supple to touch.

Natural bleaching agent is applied after to help whiten skin naturally, promising any bride radiant and youthful skin on her biggest day.

Venus freeze is a procedure that use radiofrequency and electrical impulses to melt fat and tighten skin, and firm the muscles so your body looks slimmer, well-toned, and sculpted at any angle.

V contour is a procedure that is used to treat localized, stubborn fats in the face that will contour and give the face a slimmer feature. It dissolves impurities and helps to accelerate lymphatic gland purification.

Botox softens prominent or angular jaw line to make the face look smaller. Meso Botox tightens up the skin, smoothens out fine lines, and reduces pore size - giving the skin a more refined texture and youthful firmness and suppleness.

Laser hair is the most precise procedure to get rid of unwanted hair so you can flaunt your underarms like never before. This also helps banish chicken skin and lessens pigmentation.

Body scrub is a procedure that makes use of sea salt or sugar scrub to gently remove dead, dry, and rough skin making it baby-smooth and supple to touch.

Natural bleaching agent is applied after to help whiten skin naturally.

Life

D2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

WHAT’S THE TREND IN HAIR THIS YEAR?

‘Bob Cute,’ says Ricky Reyes

S

AY goodbye to typical long strands, declares beauty guru Ricky Reyes who reintroduces the sophisticated and surprisingly low maintenance hairstyle— the Bob Cute—something he coined for a bob cut hairstyle for women.

The bob is beautiful and timeless.

This cut gives a universally flattering shape with a fabulous wash-and-wear quality. With the different lengths and styles available, there is definitely a bob for every face shape. If you have been searching for the perfect bob but can’t seem to figure out what certain style will look best, look no further.

Gandang Ricky Reyes Salons will do it for you.

A must cut to look younger is the layered long bob with bangs where the third layer is in the nape area and half an inch longer with the edge touching the shoulder. This look is incredibly versatile and will really work for any hair type. Fine, medium or thick hair, this look is a sure thing for you.

The mid-length bob with short asymmetrical bangs on one side is ideal for square, round or heartshaped faces, and adds brilliant dimension to fine hair. It gives your cut a certain edge and youthful feel especially done in fringes or bangs and accentuated in brown color.

Look younger with layered long bob hairstyle, which will look good for any hair type

Short bob is suitable for those with fine hair and round face

A short bob is typically cut straight around the head at about jaw-level, often with bangs in front. Fine hair will look thicker and fuller with this style.

The side bangs and round layering suits

complements the skin of every Filipina. complement and personalize your “Balancing the face is all about creat- style,” says Ricky Reyes. ing interesting angles to frame the face.

No matter what length you choose, al- Go ‘Bob Cute’ in 2017. Visit Gandang ways consider adding a side bangs to Ricky Reyes Salon near you.

every Filipina and will complement a round face.

Use color to your advantage. Accentuate a strong simple cut with a color that matches your skin tone. Magenta

Pili skin care perfect all year round SKIN care is non-negotiable these days. With the many factors in the environment, the weather, and even lifestyle, our skin is susceptible to dryness and irritation from many harmful chemicals in the atmospere.

Pili Beauty is leading the way in promoting the natural and proudly homegrown skin care wonders brought by the pili tree.

Made from oil extracted from the fruits and resin of the pili tree, founder and director of Elemie Naturals Rosalina Tan took Bicolandia’s representative product and elevated it from standard pasalubong fare to a line of locally-made luxe personal and skin care products.

In a research by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) – Biotech and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the pili oil in

Pili Beauty products are comparable ingredients found in international luxury brands.

In fact, when compared with the highly popular (and more expensive) argan oil, pili oil was proven to contain more skin conditioning agents and natural germicidal properties.

This means using Pili Beauty products, not only keeps skin moist for a longer period of time.

It’s also doubly effective in preventing UV-induced free radical damage, and better in increasing skin’s elasticity.

“Pili Beauty’s competitive edge really comes from Bicolandia’s beloved pili,” says Rose. “All natural, all organic, all powerful pili.”

But, the real gift of Pili Beauty is its dedication to uplift the conditions of the farmers and farm la-

borers supported by the pili industry by offering them a new source of income.

“It’s kind of like, we’re each other’s Monita,” jokes Rose “The farmers gift us with the best pili for our products, and we give the next generation of pili farmers the opportunity to continue their parent’s legacy.”

Elemie Naturals believes in promoting premium quality Philippine beauty and wellness products that are derived straight from nature. Elemie Naturals are the makers of Pili Beauty. Pili Beauty products are available at Rustan’s branches, SM Kultura, ECHOstore, G Stuff, Duty Free, and online at BeautyMNL and Calyxta.

More information about Pili Beauty is available at www.pilibeauty.com

Pili Beauty Holiday Gift Set Give the gift of natural beauty with Pili Beauty products that keeps skin moist for a long period of time

The pili oil in Elemie Naturals’ pili-based skin care products contains skin conditioning agents and natural germicidal properties

Champion in smoothness, precision, and sharpness THE Gillette digital battles with funny YouTuber Wil Dasovich came to life and gave guys a chance to put their precision moves to the test.

Dasovich kicked off the 10 vs 1 Battles online through a series of webisodes when he first tried his own Gillette Mach 3 and eventually challenged the likes of Erwan Heusaff, Kiefer Ravena and Dominique Roque to the Sharpest Knife in the Kitchen battle, basketball precision and smoothest race battles, respectively.

Japeth Aguilar challenged mall-goers to an intense three-point shoot-out that showcased his strength and precision as one of the country’s most looked-up-to basketball players. In the end, the freshfrom-championship player conquered the battle. “I was seriously challenged. But the chances of bringing down one pro is close to even with 10 people or more,” Aguilar jokingly said.

Each battle represented the Mach 3’s winning attributes—sharpness, precision and the smoothest shave even after 10 shaves. In fact, participants at the event were able to prove the Gillette Mach 3’s superior qualities by battling out the Mach 3 against a disposable razor through a sandpaper test.

Both razors are placed above the sandpaper pad. The disposable razor tears the paper while the Gillette Mach 3 does not even scratch.

With Gillette Mach 3’s most advanced breakthrough features—progressive cartridge, diamond-like coated blades, enhanced lubrastrip, and front pivot design; men would no longer suffer from postshaving cuts and redness.

“Men today personify the Mach 3 and we can’t deny that our consumers now eye something that they can rely on in the long run,” said Lester Estrada, head of marketing of P&G. “Gillette Mach 3 is one to be reckoned with as it overpowers 10 disposable razors.”

Aside from the exciting 3-point basketball shoot-out, battles such as the Hoops Battle, the Car Race Challenge, and the Battle of Razors were also featured during the event.

Many have won and many have lost, but the Gillette Mach 3: 10 vs 1 Battles only exhibited that men love challenges and do not back down easily because they are innately driven to become the best.

Now that scores are settled and true champions have emerged, Gillette is asking what battles are you going and preparing for next.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

I

N NOVEMBER, after Mano Po 7 failed to make it to the list of official entries (Magic 8) to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival, Regal Entertainment matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde said that Christmas is no time for indie films.

With similar sentiments, Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda also made sweeping statements because their films were excluded too in the elite list. Sotto predicted that there would be a low audience turnout while Vice Ganda affirmed that every single film he made was of good quality. A lot of film workers raised their eyebrows, of course.

Christmas day came and the 42nd edition of MMFF commenced. According to our reliable source, the Magic 8 only managed to gross around P48.25 million. It’s just a fraction of what the MMFF entries earned last year. In the 41st MMFF, the eight entries already raked in a total of P150 million on its first day and breached the P1 billion mark by the end of its two-week run.

Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) Liza Diño was concerned about the low audience turnout in the first two days of the MMFF. Yet, the actress was still optimistic the audience would have a change of heart after the Gabi ng Parangal.

In an interview with CNN

MMFF Best Supporting Actress Phoebe Walker in a scene from Erik Matti's "Seklusyon" (left photo), and festival Best Film "Sunday Beauty Queen" (right), which follows a group of expatriate domestic workers in Hong Kong

Is MMFF 2016 a big success?

Philippines, Diño said in vernacular, “Our audience are not yet ready for these kinds of films. At this point, we are still in the process of encouraging the public to watch them.”

It is as if the FDCP head agreed on what the sour losers previously said. Using the phrase “not yet ready” just validated that the film council is unaware of what kind of audience Filipinos are. They’ve just been dumbed down.

Before the Gabi ng Parangal last Thursday, a number of netizens took to social media to raise a concern about the move of some cinema owners. Some people were disappointed that some entries were already not being shown.

To answer that, Diño wrote on Facebook, “Contrary to what’s being talked about in social media, our exhibitors have been very open and cooperative. So please let’s not

be too hard on them.”

But while FDCP chairman believed that most cinema owners were cooperative, what’s really happening in the cinemas was actually the other way around.

There were cinema owners that replaced some entries with mainstream movies Enteng Kabisote 10, Mano Po 7, and Super Parental Guardians. Moreover, the Hollywood film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was luring the public away from the MMFF entries.

You see, there’s a serious disconnect that sabotaged the chances of some MMFF entries to recoup their production cost. But the real questions are: Why did it happen? Didn’t the Magic 8 live up to everyone’s expectations that they had to watch other films while the official entries were still available at local the cinemas?

The readiness of local

Michael Fassbender in the adventure film based on the video game franchise of the same name

‘Assassin’s Creed’ in cinemas today

cinemagoers to these kinds of films is not the issue. The quality of the films being exhibited is. While Die Beautiful, Seklusyon, Sunday Beauty Queen, and Oro shone in the eyes of film critics and moviegoers, the same thing cannot be said of the rest of the entries.

Now, given the situation, how can we gauge the success of this edition of the MMFF? First, we have to acknowledge the fact that the audience always views film as a means of entertainment and not a business.

They don’t count a film’s success or failure based on the size of the initial receipts but on how they measure up against competition and expectations. In a world where there’s a new blockbuster hit every few weeks, it’s easy for productions to lose their popularity shortly after they’ve been released.

The public is well educated that

Jun Robles Lana's "Die Beautiful" starring Paolo Ballesteros is one of the top grossers in the 2016 MMFF, it also walked home with three major awards during the Gabi ng Parangal

success of a movie does not solely depend upon how much profit it made but also in its ability to amplify, through good storytelling, some of its key messages, whether it’s a drama, horror or comedy, to be one of the most memorable and entertaining movies they’ve seen.

Perhaps we should adapt what’s being done by Telefilm in Canada.

Telefilm, a federal cultural agency devoted to the development and promotion of audiovisual documents produced by the Canadian private sector, came up with a success index in 2001 (revised in 2011) to measure the success of their films. The measurement takes 60 percent of a

film’s score based on sales figures domestically and internationally (commercial), 30 percent on awards and film-festival appearances (cultural), and 10 percent on how much of a film’s funding was private as opposed to public (industrial).

This is very applicable in the Philippines since some movies make money while the others just win awards. It gives productions equal footing without sacrificing the real intention of movie producers and cinema owners. In this way, we could easily say shut up to those people who think that they are the last word in the world of big screen entertainment.

‘Art 2 Art’ opens 2017 with Viva Voce

Ballerina ng Bayan Lisa Macuja (second from left) with her special guest in Art to Art's first episode in 2017

THE action-packed and breathtaking gameto-movie adaptation Assassin’s Creed starring Michael Fassbender follows dual characters Callum Lynch and Aguilar de Nehra in the modern day and 15th Century Spain respectively.

In the 15th Century, Aguilar is joined by Maria, a more experienced Assassin than him, who is his most trusted ally. In the modern day, Cal finds himself at the Abstergo facility with a rag-tag bunch of fellow inmates who are all suffering from the effects of prolonged exposure to the Animus, and have their own ancestral Assassin legacies.

At the beginning, director Justin Kurzel was adamant about filming as much of Assassin’s Creed as possible without relying on green screens and computer-generated imagery.

As one of the video gaming industry’s most popular and beloved franchises, it is famous for its heart-pounding action sequences. The series was among the first to prominently feature Parkour as a major gameplay element, with Assassins breathlessly vaulting over the rooftops of cities including Jerusalem, Florence, Paris and London.

“I never wanted the film to feel like superheroes,” Kurzel says. “I wanted you to look at it and think, Wow, there are human beings doing that and they are doing it like Olympians, as opposed to filming on a parking lot with green screen. You can feel that artifice.

That is probably why we went toward a more old-school approach, to make the whole film feel more human and more intimate.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, January 4, 2017

ACROSS 1 Tearful requests 6 Lieuts.’ right arms 10 Carquest rival 14 Kind of conifer 15 Lobster pot 16 — Bator 17 Old cattle town 18 Criterion 19 Pinball no-no 20 Well source (2 wds.)

22 Silent performer 23 Cooking vessels 24 Billy — Williams 26 Payment made to a grad student 30 Rain forests 34 The L in LEM 35 Racetrack circuits 36 Med. specialty 37 Annexes 38 Gives it all away 40 Fizzy drink 41 Wind dir.

42 Clapton of “Layla” 43 Throw a party for 44 Tiny chirper 46 Weather map lines 48 Mil. branch 49 Safety agcy.

50 Object on radar 53 Big hit (2 wds.)

59 Type of roast 60 Oh, sure!

(2 wds.)

61 “Abra-Ca- —” 62 Jai — 63 Asta’s mistress 64 Funny bone location 65 Adjust a guitar 66 Backpacker’s load 67 Faculty honchos DOWN 1 Remove snow 2 “Lost Horizon” role 3 Q.E.D. part 4 Tooth problem 5 More astute 6 Leave high and dry 7 Roots around 8 Statuesque 9 Accelerations (hyph.)

10 Eggnog topper 11 Et — 12 Coconut bearer 13 Part of A.M. 21 Cure leather 25 Naval off.

26 Glossy 27 Oklahoma town 28 Mooring site 29 — de deux

30 Boxer’s move 31 Hotelier — Helmsley 32 Ewoks’ moon 33 Galaxy units 35 Fond du — 38 Fetching 39 Coffee-to-go need 40 Weep convulsively 42 Newspaper execs 43 Stockpiled 45 Affluent one 46 Beatty bomb

47 H. Rider Haggard novel 49 Horse — 50 Neighbor’s kid 51 Humdinger 52 “— — Old Cowhand” 54 Band member 55 Hoedown prop 56 “Fernando” band 57 — Hubbard of sci-fi 58 Axioms

Art 2 Art welcomed 2017 with the pure sound of music courtesy of Viva Voce. In the New Year’s Day epsode, host Lisa Macuja interviewed the classically trained ensemble led by soprano Camille Lopez Molina and comprised of sopranos Anna Migallos and Roxy Aldiosa, tenor Carlo Mañalac and baritone Roby Malubay.

Viva Voce opened as a summer voice camp for classically trained singers in Baguio in 2010. It has since evolved into a performing group that also trains, helps and guides young talented singers into becoming world-class artists and musicians.

On Jan. 8, theater critics Cora Llamas and Ibarra Mateo assess today’s vibrant Philippine theater scene and the factors that have contributed to this welcome development. They also talk about theater criticism as a discipline.

On Jan.15, Toym Imao shares his experiences as a multi-media artist. With an art career spanning three decades, he started out as an architectural designer and public art sculptor and is now also a writer, filmmaker and production designer.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting and hosted by “Ballerina ng Bayan” Lisa Macuja, Art 2 Art airs on radio via DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Channel 129 on Skycable in Metro Manila, Channel 18 on Cignal TV and Channel 3 on Cablelink) and online live streaming at http://dzrhnews television.tv. The show may also be viewed through the Facebook account DZRH News Television.

For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@gmail. com. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan for updates on Art 2 Art episodes.

ABS-CBN capped the Christmas season with its annual Christmas special at the Araneta Coliseum where almost 200 stars performed before thousands of cheering crowd

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017

Kapamilya holiday station ID

HITS 4.8 M VIEWS ON YOUTUBE ISAH V. RED

A

BS-CBN celebrated Christmas by bringing Filipinos together as one family through “Isang Pamilya Tayo,” a campaign that includes a Christmas station ID that has since had more than 4.8 million views online, Simbang Gabi in different parts of the country, outreach activities, and a starstudded heartwarming Christmas special.

Every year, Filipinos have always looked forward to the ABS-CBN’s Christmas station ID and last year’s “Isang Pamilya Tayo Ngayong Pasko” song became a hit as it delivered an inspiring message that nothing is impossible in life as long Filipinos are united as one family in love and in faith.

ABS-CBN also reached out to Kapamilya fans in the provinces via the Kapamilya Simbang Gabi celebrated at Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (Cebu), Naga Metropolitan Cathedral (Naga), Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag (Pangasinan), San Sebastian Cathedral of Lipa (Batangas), St. Francis of Assisi (Davao), and Parokya ni San Pedro (Bulacan) and broadcast on television.

Medical and dental missions, job fair, raffle, games, and entertainment marked the ABS-

Thousands of Kapamilya fans trooped to Marikina Sports Complex for the ABS-CBN Family Fair where they enjoyed raffle, games and entertainment

CBN News Family Fair held at the Marikina Sports Complex attended by thousands of Kapamilya fans.

ABS-CBN Sports mounted three basketball clinics in Bulacan, Navotas, and Quezon City and taught children aged 9 to 16 basic skills in basketball, while Star Creatives and Cinema One teamed up to bring a free screening of That Thing Called Tadhana among students of Eugenio Lopez Jr. Center for Media Arts Senior High School.

It’s Showtime, meanwhile, kicked off its Christmas celebration and invaded Payatas through its “Hashtarana” segment, where Hashtags Nikko and Luke recognized a model family and gave scholarships to three children.

The Christmas festivities were not limited to Kapamilya fans in Metro Manila as ABS-CBN Regional spread the holiday cheers in Bacolod and Dumaguete through community Zumba activities.

ABS-CBN capped another love-

filled Christmas season with the annual Christmas special at a jampacked Araneta Colisuem with production numbers from more than 200 stars.

Even Kapamilya fans online joined the fun and raved about their favorites that made the official hashtag #ABSCBNChristmasSpecial trend on Twitter worldwide. *** Actress Alice Dixson joined the pretty faces gracing new travel show, Happy Life.

With her alluring presence, one might think she was coming in as a host just like the others. But she was featured as a donor, travelling all the way to Bacolod to visit the Kalipay Negrense Foundation, which serves as a haven for abused and abandoned children.

Largely defined for her iconic role as a fairy in the famed TV series Okay Ka Fairy Ko, Alice virtually appeared as one in the eyes of the Oliveros brothers. Responding

to the show’s request if she could come and join the team in Bacolod to spend time with orphans as a Christmas treat, she excitedly picked up her traveling bag and was on board without hesitation.

“She quickly organized tables and chairs and Christmas decorations, personally choosing the caterer and food to be served and making sure that she’d give them a Christmas party they wouldn’t forget,” stated in a social media post from Happy Life.

Obviously Alice was the star of Happy Life’s Bacolod episode aired on Christmas Day and concluded on New Year’s Day. It was the fourth episode for the travel show with a heart airing every Sunday, 9:30 a.m. on GMA News TV. Down to earth and honest, Alice quickly pointed out that the real stars are the people whose lives deserved to be touched with generosity and care. She gives in to the show’s request because

its purpose is in line with her personal conviction to help people, especially children. It certainly helps she is friends with the person behind Happy Life, former governor Luis Chavit Singson, and its director Eric Quizon whose involvement convinced Alice the show is a real deal.

“I want to make sure that I am buying the correct number and right gifts for the girls and boys of the Kalipay Negrense Foundation,” expressed the ageless and lovely showbiz figure widely known for having appeared in both drama and comedic movies in the past and for popularizing the “I can feel it” expression she famously uttered in a shampoo commercial.

Members of the entertainment media found her presence at a recent Happy Life press conference real cool that she immediately was interviewed by reporters. She was openly discussing her personal life and led everyone to talk about Happy Life as a show different

from most travel programs. She’s often heard saying how “giving back” means a lot to her.

Happy Life is a project of White Lion Media Productions, Inc., an independent production company that specializes in making movies, television shows, commercials, audio-visual presentations, and viral videos. Through technical excellence and professional delivery, it dares to entertain and make positive impact to viewers by way of socially compassionate projects.) *** I Juander kicks off 2017 with a recap of stories that made a mark in the hearts of every Juan.

For almost six years, GMA News TV’s weekly infotainment program has undeniably inspired and touched the lives of the masses, earning the nod of local and international award-giving bodies.

In 2014, Star Awards recognized I Juander as Best Magazine Show with hosts Susan Enriquez and Cesar Apolinario also named Best Magazine Show hosts.

Giving the show the recognition was the episode that took a closer look at what makes Juan a Filipino.

It also took home the Best YouthOriented TV Program award at the UPLB Gandingan Awards for two consecutive years.

In 2015, it received a Silver Screen Award in the Environment/ Ecology and Social Issues category from the prestigious U.S. International Film and Video Festival (USIFVF). The winning episode “Hanggang saan nga ba ang kayang gawin ni Juan para sa pag-aaral?” tackled the state of education in the country and attempted to answer the question of how far a Filipino would go to attend school.

I Juander continues to reap awards. Last year, the Catholic Mass Media Awards and IndingIndie Festival honored the show with Best Magazine Show and Huwarang Programa ng Taon titles, respectively.

Join Susan and Cesar as they look back at these award-winning stories 8 p.m. on GMA News TV tonight.

Temper Trap, The Ting Tings co-headline 2017 Wanderland music fest line-up WANDERERS dove deep into the unexplored parts of the #GlobeWanderland jungle last weekend, as they discovered the final acts of local and international artists for the annual music and arts festival this 2017.

Globe in partnership with Karpos Multimedia is bringing Wanderland for the 5th time in the Philippines at the Filinvest City Event Grounds, Alabang on March 4.

“Globe once again brings its customers the jungle that is #GlobeWanderland. With a fantastic line up in the past five years, no doubt that this 2017, the audience will be in for another unforgettable show.

With events such as Wanderland, we continue to be an inherent part of the digital lifestyle of our youth today, enabling them to enjoy what they love the most-- wonderful music from their favorite artists,” shares Globe Senior

Vice President for Consumer Mobile Marketing Issa Cabreira.

On Nov. 4 last year at The Globe Iconic Store, 11 booming acts were announced during the #GlobeWanderland Jungle Battle - starting with international acts, Mickey Sulit (AU), Honne (UK), LANY (US), and Woodlock (AU).

Local talent line up then included Up Dharma Down (PH), Gab and John of Urbandub (PH), Tom’s Story (PH), Reese Lansangan (PH), Lola Amour (PH), Jensen and the Flips (PH), AngBandang Shirley (PH), and BannaHarbera (PH).

And finally the long wait is over for Wanderers who are bellowing for more acts to be announced when the remaining acts to complete the lineup was announced on Dec. 17 during the Wanderland Line Up Reveal.

Headlining international acts are Yuna (US), The Temper Trap (US),

Explosions in the Sky (US), The Ting Tings (UK), Purity Ring (CA), and Fools and Foes (PH), and they are all set to give everyone a taste of the untamed jungle at #GlobeWanderland.

Wanderland fans will get a chance to win passes to the much awaited festival this 2017. Customers who subscribe to any GoSurf promo from Jan. 1 to Feb. 23 get a chance to win two tickets to #GlobeWanderland.

Globe will be giving away 20 Star Wanderer and 25 Wanderer tickets for all GoSurf subscribers. Star Wanderers will get a Wanderland kit, access to the VIP viewing deck, access to the VIP restroom, express entrance lane, and 2 free drinks.

Learn how to get raffle entries through the GoSurf Raffle promo and visit globe.com.ph/wanderland.

Follow @enjoyGLOBE on Twitter and like Globe Telecom on Facebook for #GlobeWanderland updates.

The Ransom Collective and Jensen and the Flips rocking the Globe Wanderland stage