Manila Standard - 2017 January 07 - Saturday

DU30 RATINGS DIP BUT STILL HIGH—PULSE ASIA

By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXX • NO. 329 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s approval and trust ratings remained high even after slipping three points to 83 percent in the last quarter of 2016, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

The survey, conducted among 1,200 respondents nationwide, showed that Duterte’s performance and trust ratings slipped three points from 86 percent in September.

Those undecided about the President’s

performance rose two points to 13 percent, while those who disapproved his performance grew two points from 3 percent to 5 percent in the last quarter.

Among geographical areas, Duterte’s ratings remained highest in his hometown Mindanao with 91 percent approval rating, while making minimal changes in NCR (79 percent), Balance Luzon (78 percent), and Visayas (84 percent).

Dissatisfaction was highest among members of the Class ABC, slipping 13 Next page

FEAST OF MANIFESTATION.

Thousands of Metro Manilans attend the first Friday Mass of January, which coincides with the focal point of the Solemnity of Epiphany, occupying almost half the road leading to the Catholic church in Manila’s downtown Quiapo district, while Army troops (inset) stand at the ready at Plaza Miranda and nearby streets round the Minor basilica of the Black Nazarene to augment security for devotees during the annual Traslacion. (Related story on A6) Lino Santos/Norman Cruz

Kerwin: Leila got P8-m drug payoff

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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ELF-CONFESSED drug lord Kerwin Espinosa went to the Justice Department Friday to affirm his claim that he gave Senator Leila de Lima P8 million in payoffs to use in her election campaign last year.

Escorted by National Bureau sion that he issued when he apof Investigation agents, Espi- peared before a Senate inquiry nosa subscribed to the confes- on the killing of his father, Al-

buera Mayor Rolando Espinosa in November 2016.

That confession has been used by the NBI to file drug charges against him, De Lima, and the senator’s former driver and lover, Ronnie Dayan.

De Lima and Dayan skipped the preliminary investigation hearing of the Justice Department, but the senator was represented by her lawyer, Boni Tacardon.

The panel submitted the case

for resolution and rejected the request of Espinosa and De Lima for another 15 days to file their counter-affidavits.

The panel gave the respondents until Jan. 13 to submit their written defense, but changed its mind after Tacardon said he would have to consult De Lima.

Questions were also posed to Espinosa, particularly on his meeting with De Lima in Baguio City sometime between Nov. 19 and 22, 2015, where he and

his common-law wife had their photos taken with the former Justice secretary.

Espinosa said he gave money to Dayan in several tranches from August 2015 to February 2016.

De Lima has denied the allegation, saying she does not know Espinosa and had never meet with him. However, the NBI said it was convinced that De Lima “benefited greatly” from the illegal drug trade.

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Bautista to NPC: Go after hackers

By Rey E. Requejo and John Paolo Bencito DEPUTY Director Rolando E. Asuncion of the Bureau of Corrections has resigned after he was asked to go on leave pending investigation on his alleged involvement on illegal drug transactions inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Asuncion, a retired police chief superintendent, revealed that he decided to quit instead of taking a leave of absence because he wanted to leave BuCor with a clear conscience.

“I decided to resign rather than they destroy me,” Asunion told reporters.

He said BuCor Director Benjamin delos Santos told him to take a leave of absence upon orders of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, following information that he allegedly received money from drug lords inside the prison and that he accepted a car from a high-profile inmate. Next page

Come clean, Palace tells CHED exec

By Vito Barcelo and John Paolo Bencito COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista said Friday he would ask the Justice Department to reconsider the recommendation of the National Privacy Commission to file criminal charges against him for failing to protect the private information of millions of voters.

In an interview, Bautista said that they should focus on arresting the hacker and not punishing those being hacked.

Bautista also welcomed any investigations to be conducted by concerned agencies and directed the agency’s Information Technology Department to refer the matter to the Cyber Crimes Division of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Science and Technology for independent investigation.

The NPC has earlier ruled that Bautista and the Comelec en banc were criminally liable for the cyber security breach, in violation of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

The NPC is an independent body mandated to administer and implement the law, and to monitor and ensure compliance with international standards for Next page data protection.

BuCor deputy quits over narc raps

By John Paolo Bencito

AN ALLEGED former employee of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and another complainant, who claims to be a lawyer, on Friday filed a plunder complaint against former President Benigno Aquino III before the Office of the Ombudsman based on a questionable bank document.

Rogelio Cantoria, who claims

MALACAÑANG said Friday it expected dismissed CHED executive director Julito Vitriolo to clear his name over the allegations he failed to stop a diploma milling program and allowed the issuance of diplomas for a physical education program under a suspended memorandum agreement.

“We expect that Mr. Vitriolo and his legal representation would take the appropriate action to clear his name,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

He said he also respected the decision of the Ombudsman to dismiss Julito Vitriolo.

“We recognize and respect the independence of the Ombudsman. It has a constitutional duty to fulfill,” Andanar said.

He made his statement even as CHED Chairwoman Patricia Licuanan said her agency will

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KERWIN ESPINOSA

SENATOR LEILA DE LIMA

AMLC violated law firm’s rights—SC A whopper

By Joel E. Zurbano and Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has ruled that the constitutional rights of a law firm was violated when its bank accounts were examined by the Anti-Money Laundering Council for allegedly being related to former Vice President Jejomar Binay.

While it affirmed the constitutionality of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Court said the Subido Pagente Certeza Mendoza and Binay or SPCMB Law Office was effectively prevented twitter.com/ MlaStandard

from questioning the examination of its bank accounts.

Meanwhile, the same court also upheld the power of the Anti-Money Laundering Council to file an application before the Court of Appeals to examine bank accounts and investments even without getting the side of the depositors and investors.

In a decision dated Dec. 6, the high court said “we cannot overemphasize that SPCMB, as the owner of the bank account which may be the subject of inquiry of the AMLC, ought to have a legal remedy to question the validity

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and propriety of such an order by the appellate court under Section 11 of the AMLA.” The high court said the SPCMB should have been allowed to question the government intrusion.

“If the AMLC can question the denial of its Petition for an exparte examination of a bank account, then SPCMB should also be given recourse on how to proceed from what it perceived to be a violation of its rights as owner of the bank account examined.”

As a possible consequence of the violation of the SPCMB’s

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of a case vs Noy, others

By Rio N. Araja

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

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News

Russians give Duterte an impressive showing P RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday expressed hope the Russians would visit more often after an anti-submarine warship, the Admiral Tributs, made port calls to here.

“Thank you very much. I hope you can come back more often,” Duterte told the ship’s Commander Artem Kolpaschikov and Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev and other delegates who hosted his tour of the ship.

Duterte was first shown Admiral Tributs’ 2 x 4-container launchers of Rastrub Rocket

Torpedo System, followed by a visit to the bow of the ship where he witnessed a demonstration of the ship’s missile weapons system and was shown various military hardware.

Duterte also witnessed a demonstration by Russian diver soldiers and went up to the ship’s bridge where the Russian Navy demonstrated

its navigation system.

On his way out, Duterte had fist bumps with Russian navy officials as he viewed the Russian Navy’s Ka-27 helicopter at the ship’s helideck.

“It’s a sign of a fighting spirit,” Duterte said.

The visit was only the third

by Russian military vessels to the Philippines, according to the Navy’s Commodore Francisco Cabudao who led the welcoming ceremony for the Russian ships.

The Russian Navy’s visit comes less than a month after Duterte sent his foreign and defense ministers to Moscow to discuss arms deals after a US

senator said he would block the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines due to concerns about the rising death toll in Duterte’s war on drugs.

Malacañang had earlier welcomed the pronouncements by Russian officials that Moscow was ready to help the Philippines enhance its military capabilities and cooperate in the advancement of the two countries’ common interests.

“The goodwill visit by the Russian Navy will contribute to the strengthening of their friendship with the Philippine Navy,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said. John Paolo Bencito

Bautista...

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In a statement, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the Comelec en banc directed the IT Department to conduct its own investigation and coordinate closely with both the NBI and DoST. “The same unstinting cooperation was extended to the National Privacy Commission,” he said.

“The Comelec’s actions in this regard have, in fact, been characterized by openness and the desire to allow the appropriate agencies, with the requisite technical skills to conduct objective investigations, to probe the incident,” the Comelec official said.

The Comelec also pointed out that the NPC itself explicitly declared that the hacking of the Comelec website did not have any adverse effects on the elections of 2016.

“This is, in no small part, due to the Comelec’s determination precisely to “ensure that any attempt to subvert the people’s will, no matter how sophisticated, will not succeed,” Jimenez said.

He said that the hacking of computer systems is a modern global plague and it afflicts all—from the largest IT organizations in the most developed countries—both in government and in the private sector, to the individuals who only use the Internet in the most casual way.

“Enhancing the voter experience was one of Comelec’s two cornerstones during the last May 2016 elections. Towards this end, in the face of this continuing threat which grows in sophistication with every passing day, the Comelec remains steadfast in its commitment to do the best it can to protect the private information of voters,” he added.

The Palace, however, said the Comelec should explain what enabled hackers to gain access to the private information of millions of registered voters.

“It is an issue that simply cannot be swept under the rug,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

“We exhort Comelec [to] release a report of an investigation it conducted on the data leak, if any, to maintain the credibility of the constitutional body and uphold the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.

“Let us put an end to election-related maneuverings and ensure that any attempt to subvert the people’s will, no matter how sophisticated, will not succeed,” he added.

On Thursday, the NPC found the Comelec liable for violating the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and recommended the criminal prosecution of Bautista for “the worst recorded breach on a government-held personal database in the world” last March.

In a decision, dated Dec. 28, the NPC underscored Bautista’s “lack of appreciation” of the principle that data protection is more than just implementation of security measures.

“The willful and intentional disregard of his duties as head of agency, which he should know or ought to know, is tantamount to gross negligence,” the decision read.

PORT CALL. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte exits the 'Admiral Tributs,' one of the Russian Warships that have docked at Pier 15 of Port Area in Manila after his visit on Jan. 6, 2017. King Rodriguez

BuCor...

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“These allegations are not true,” said Asuncion.

“I just would like you to know, sir that I will leave BuCor with a clear conscience and it is my wish for you to have the same pride and posture when your time as secretary of Justice ends,” Asuncion said in a resignation letter to Aguirre.

Despite his decision, the BuCor official welcomed any investigation that will be conducted against him.

When sought for comment, Aguirre denied that he ordered an investigation against Asuncion.

“As of this moment, there is no pending investigation against Deputy Director Asuncion. We have just received a copy of his resignation but it is the Office of the President who will act on it,” Aguirre said, in a text message to reporters.

Asuncion assumed office as

A whopper...

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he worked at the central bank from 1976 to 1995, and lawyer Fernando Perito accused Aquino, Senator Leila de Lima, Senator Franklin Drilon, Bangko Central Governor Amado Tetangco Jr., former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, and former Finance secretary Cesar Purisima of transferring gold bars worth billions of dollars to Thailand’s Centennial Energy Company Ltd. in 2014.

They anchored their complaint on BSP Circular 49 Series of 2014 that allegedly authorized Centennial Energy Company Ltd. to produce and issue the “Limited States Dollars Currency” of $100 amounting to a total

BuCor officer-in-charge last July 19. He continued with the series of raids in the NBP, which resulted in the seizure of cash, drugs and firearms.

Also on Friday, Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno told the Philippine National Police to hew closely to the rule of law, after allegations that police were using the drug war as an excuse to pursue personal veendettas.

“I also prod PNP to ensure that [Oplan] Tokhang is not used or abused by policemen for their personal interests or some sort of vendetta against their enemies.

Let us make sure that Tokhang is implemented for the sole purpose that it was conceived, and that is to round up drug personalities and other criminals,” Sueno said.

Critics of the Duterte administration’s ‘knock and plead’ strategy stressed that although a suspect may quite possibly be guilty, they should not be condemned outright and get killed by the police on the excuse that they were evading law enforce-

ment.

Communist rebels in December also accused government forces of going after activists under the guise of the President’s door-to-door campaign to flush out drug addicts.

An international human rights watchdog on Friday scored the Duterte administration for making the act of extrajudicial killings “normal” in the face of its declared war on illegal drugs.

“In the Philippines--which already ranks as the most dangerous country in Asia for [human rights defenders]-President Rodrigo Duterte normalized the act of extrajudicial killing in his war on drugs, lowering the political cost of murder and thus raising the risk to defenders whose work threatens powerful interests,” the international group Front Line Defenders said in its Annual Report on Human Rights Defenders at Risk in 2016.

The group’s executive director, Andrew Anderson, demanded “an urgent and systematic

of $3 trillion.

The money would be used to finance “humanitarian projects and for Asean countries.”

The complainants attached a certification and the alleged BSP circular showing 3,500 metric tons of gold bars registered in the name of “Ferdinand E. Marcos” were taken out of the country and deposited in a foreign bank.

De Lima, Roxas, Tetangco, Drilon and Purisima allegedly affixed their signatures on the certification.

But a check with the official website of the BSP said there was no BSP Circular 49 issued in 2014.

All circulars issued by the BSP had three-digit numbers, while Cantoria and Perito’s piece of evidence only appeared

on the Facebook pages of Kingdom Filipina Hacienda Sovereign Host Nation” and some news blogs.

Section 50 of Republic Act 7655, the supposed basis for authorizing Centennial Energy to produce and issue the US dollars, was spurious since that was a 1993 law raising the minimum pay of household helpers.

RA 7655 has only four sections and does not have 50 sections.

On the other hand, RA 7735, which supposedly provided for the use of the dollars for humanitarian projects and for Asean countries, was a 1994 law providing for the establishment of a national high school in Barangay Poblacion in Mawab, Davao, to be known as Lorenzo S. Sarmiento Sr. National High School.

Kerwin:...

“Whether this amount was actually used in the furtherance of her political ambitions is immaterial, as what is essential in this case is the fact that she made a demand for the money and she indeed received the same,” the complaint stated.

“Also immaterial is whether or not she personally or directly received the so-called campaign contributions with her own hands, because Dayan, by his own separate and independent admission, confessed that he was acting for and in her behalf, with her blessing and according to her instructions when he did receive the money for her,” it added.

Tacardon questioned the jurisdiction of the Justice Department panel.

The senator, in an omnibus motion, argued that the Ombudsman has the jurisdiction over public officials like her.

She also asked the panel to inhibit itself from handling the case.

“If ever my motion will be denied, then we can take the necessary legal steps by preparing the counter-affidavit of Senator De Lima or raising the matter on appeal,” Tacardon told the panel.

But the panel, led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, said that if Espinosa would no longer change his affidavit, there would no longer be any change to the case.

“Then we will proceed to resolve the case,” Ong said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier said Espinosa was accepted into the witness protection program in December and his department would seek his discharge as a state witness.

De Lima on Friday called Aguirre the “high bishop of the Iglesia ni Duterte” and said she didn’t care for his prayers.

She was reacting to Aguirre’s statement that he would pray for De Lima’s “frailties” that caused her problems.

“Your god is not my God,” said De Lima who also accused Aguirre of transforming the Justice Department into his very own personal persecution team, under “the baton of the lord god and master of the Iglesia ni Duterte.”

“The DoJ has not reached such lows until Aguirre became its secretary,” De Lima said.

Instead of praying for her, she said Aguirre should pray for his vanishing dignity.

“It is the least of your frailties, after your lying and fabrications, your false witnesses, your incompetence as a public official, your threats and intimidation on my former staff, your absolute arrogance and patent abuse of your power as a public official,” said De Lima.

She also suggested that Aguirre will be better off investigating the bribery allegations in one of her agencies involving his own fraternity brothers, rather than pursuing her with trumped-up charges.

De Lima asserted that the Ombudsman, not the Justice Department, was the proper forum to hear the charges against her.

“Mr. Aguirre, please be aware that indeed I am preparing to answer your fabricated charges before the proper forum, but not before kangaroo tribunals like the House and the DoJ panel over which the President holds sway and to whom he dictates his whims,” she said.

Given Aguirre’s prejudgment of her case, she said she would never be accorded due process by the executive branch.

“I do not need a mediocre lawyer like Aguirre telling me what I should be doing, when it appears he is not even capable of doing his own job as secretary of Justice,” she added.

response” from six countries, including the Philippines, for the killings of human rights defenders.

“This report honors the hundreds of defenders killed in 2016. We mourn their loss and celebrate their lives and achievements. Each and every peaceful HRD killed is an outrage. The scale of the killings in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines is a bloody indictment of the governments concerned; it demands an urgent and systematic response,” Anderson said.

The report released this week said that at least 31 human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Philippines were murdered in 2016.

The group also reported 31 deaths in 2015.

“By calling for the extrajudicial killing of those involved in the drug trade, President Duterte has helped create an environment where murder is being promoted as an acceptable method of dealing with certain problems,” the report read.

The group also raised the alarm over the President’s threats to kill human rights advocates in the Philippines for criticizing his war on the illegal drug menace.

The group pointed out that the President’s threat “is liable to have a profound impact on the security of HRDs who are already at grave risk.”

According to the group, many attacks in 2016 targeted indigenous or environmental rights HRDs in the Philippines who are opposed to extractive or polluting industries.

The report singled out indigenous peoples’ rights defender Teresita Navacilla, who was shot dead by two unidentified armed men in Southern Mindanao.

“The attack was alleged to have been perpetrated by soldiers assigned to secure a mining project that the [woman human rights defender] campaigned against on environmental grounds. There was no progress in the investigation into her murder,” the report said.

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Du30...

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points from 82 percent to 69 percent, while support remained high among Class D and E with 84 and 85 percent, respectively.

The Palace welcomed Duterte’s high approval and trust ratings, attributing these to his achievements, particularly on the “campaign to rid society of drugs, crime and corruption.”

“We are grateful for this continued show of public support and confidence [in] the President. The high approval and big trust speak volumes about our people’s appreciation of the President’s achievements, es-

pecially in his campaign to rid society of drugs, crime and corruption,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“People are now beginning to feel secure in their homes, in the streets, day and night as incidents of homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, and carnapping went down, according to PNP data.”

“This new year the administration resolves to deliver his promise of safe and comfortable lives for all.”

The 4th Quarter Ulat ng Bayan survey, conducted Dec. 6 to 11, has a ±3 percent margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.

AMLC...

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Come...

Vitriolo allegedly failed to stop a diploma milling program and allowed the issuFrom A1 ance of diplomas for a physical education program under a suspended memorandum comply with the Ombudsman’s order dismissing agreement.

Vitriolo.

Despite his suspension, Vitriolo insisted that “We will comply with the order of the Office of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila could the Ombudsman,” Licuanan said in a statement. still issue the students’ transcripts to the graduThe Ombudsman on Thursday ordered Vitriolo ates of Master in Physical Education and Sports dismissed after finding him guilty of grave mis- and Certificate in Physical Education “based on conduct and gross neglect of duty. vested rights.”

right to due process, “the information obtained through the account reverts to, and maintains its confidentiality. In short, any and all information obtained therein by AMLC remains confidential, as if no examination or inquiry on the bank account or investments was undertaken.

“The Supreme Court decision is a vindication on the part of the law firm. It also shows how the previous administration blatantly trampled upon the constitutional rights of private persons for the sake of persecuting its political opponents”, said lawyer Daniel Subido, a partner at the SPCMB Law Office.

News IN BRIEF Beware of fake jobs, warns POEA THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has warned the public from falling prey to fake jobs in Canada being offered through the e-mail and social media.

In a press statement, the POEA said it received a forwarded e-mail from a victim that he was selected for a supposed employment in Canada with employer representatives already in the Philippines to interview applicants.

The sender promised him non-payment of placement and processing fees, but applicants are asked to pay P3,800 for slot reservation.

The e-mail sender claims existing partnership with a licensed recruitment agency in the Philippines for the supposed conduct of the seminar and processing of employment documents.

Various jobs are offered including farm laborers, fruit pickers, factory workers, medical staff, caregivers, engineers, truck drivers, and office workers.

Vito Barcelo

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House to assert constituent power to revise Charter

By Maricel V. Cruz

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ONGRESS will assert its constituent power to tinker with provisions of the 1987 Constitution to effect the proposed federalism being pushed by the Duterte administration despite the Palace’s 25-man consultative committee tasked to propose amendments to the Charter to effect the shift.

“The committee, as its name clearly shows, is consultative, or one from which advice or information may be taken,” House majority leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said.

Fariñas stressed “the constituent power to propose any amendment to or revision of the Constitution is lodged with Congress, or to a Constitutional Convention that Congress may create.”

The creation of the 25-man panel was intended to propose amendments to the Constitution that would advance the people’s interests and not the interest of Congress members.

But Fariñas, a lawyer, said it would be an “abdication or arrogation of such constitutional mandate for Congress to allow an appointive consultative committee to limit its constituent power.”

Cibac party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, also a lawyer, said the proposed amendments to be done by the consultative panel “will not restrain Congress from discussing other matters while the deliberation in Congress is going on.”

“The power of Congress is plenary. As to possible congressional influence in the changes, it will be up [to] the people to decide on the proposed changes during the time of referendum on the constitutional changes. It will be decided upon by the people, in a direct manner,” he said.

Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, a House deputy speaker, said both the House and the Senate have still the final say on amendments to be introduced in the 1987 Constitution.

Abu said the function of the 25man panel would only be “recommendatory.”

“If we can overhaul the Constitution, why not the proposals of the

25-man committee?” said Abu. I‎ sabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said: “When you open the Constitution, then open all provisions.

Why limit yourself [to] certain provisions only?”

The House committee on constitutional amendments adopted last October the proposal to convene the two chambers of Congress to pave the way for President Duterte’s proposed shift to a federal government.

The Lower House also formed a technical working group to consolidate the various measures calling for Con-Ass including that of Reps. Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental and Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao de Norte.

Panelo son dies of heart ailment THE 27-year-old son of Chief Presidential Counsel Salvador Panelo has died from complications of a heart ailment.

“Our beloved son Salvador Carlo Panelo III has joined our Maker. He was 27 years old.

Please pray for the repose of his soul,” Panelo said in a text message Friday.

Carlo, as Panelo called his son, died of congested heart failure.

Malacañang, meanwhile, extended its “heartfelt condolences” to Panelo on the death of his son.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Secretary Panelo at this difficult time,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

His wake at the Cosmopolitan Memorial Chapels in Quezon City is from Jan. 6 to 10.

J.P. Bencito

DoH claims injuries from ’crackers down AS OF 6:00 a.m., Jan. 6, 2017, the Department of Health has recorded 630 fireworks-related injuries, or 319 cases (34 percent) less than the five-year (20112015) average and 292 cases (32 percent) less compared to the same time period last year.

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial said of the total 630 cases, 627 were from fireworks injuries, and three cases of fireworks/ firecrackers ingestion. She said no deaths were reported.

“We would like to extend our gratitude for the support of other national agencies, the local governments, non-government organizations, and the media for the anti-firecracker campaigns,” said Ubial.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

PENSION DEMAND. Militant groups and pensioners stage Friday a protest rally in front of the Social Security System main office in Quezon City to demand the immediate

implementation of a P2,000 pension increase which has been approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate but awaiting President Duterte’s signature. Manny Palmero

House bill to protect condo buyers

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House committee on housing and urban development has committed to pass during the resumption of session on Jan. 16 measures which provide added protection for buyers of subdivision and condominium units.

Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte, committee vice chairman, said his panel would vote on House Bill 1337, authored

by Rep. Scott Davies Lanete, 3rd District, of Masbate, HB 3150 by Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list and Rep. Victor Yap of Tarlac, when session resumes after a month-long holiday break.

Belmonte said Presidential Decree 957, or the “Regulating the Sale of Subdivision Lots

and Condominiums, Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof” issued on July 12, 1976, is an antiquated order that needs updating and strengthening to guarantee further protection for property buyers.

“We must ensure the law that protects those that have the capacity to purchase subdivision or condominium units is made responsive to the needs of the times,” said Belmonte.

Alejano said his bill would amend certain provisions of P.D. 957 to enhance protection for subdivision and condominium buyers from fraudulent and unscrupulous subdivision and condominium developers and sellers.

Alejano voiced concern about the violations being committed by subdivision and condominium developers and sellers such as plan

alteration to the detriment of buyers, especially overseas Filipino workers who buy properties without seeing the actual purchased units.

In filing the measure, Alejano pushed for stiffer penalties to discourage condominium and subdivision developers/owners from continuously committing violations.

Moreover, he asked the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board to provide the committee with the list of complaints against the developers so Congress could act on them accordingly.

Lanete, another author of the bill, shared Alejano’s view, adding oftentimes the developers and sellers would not disclose everything to the buyers when they offer land, real estate, houses, condominiums, development projects, and the like.

Govt eyeing constitutional amendments for Bangsamoro

By John Paolo Bencito

CEREMONIAL PROCESS. Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa and

Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno troop the line Friday during the traditional PNP New Year’s Call at the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Manny Palmero

THE government is eyeing possible constitutional amendments to accommodate adjustments to the new Bangsamoro enabling law, Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said Friday.

Dureza told a television interview this could be a “way forward” to address the aspirations of the Bangsamoro should the new arrangements be perceived as “not constitutionally compliant...”

Dureza added amending the 1987 Constitution might be the way to go, as the roadmap of the Duterte administration leads to shifting to a federal form of government. “[At] the end of the Duterte roadmap, it’s actually federalism.

And in federalism you really have to amend the Constitution,” he said.

On Dec. 30, Dureza announced that President Rodrigo Duterte was set to name this

month the 21 individuals who would compose the new and expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission.

In an earlier statement, Dureza noted the existing Philippine Constitution had become a “stumbling block” in effectively negotiating peace with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines/ Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

“If you talk with the CPP and even the Bangsamoro they will never admit and agree that they will be circumscribed by a Constitution or by our laws,” Dureza said.

He added all agreements previously signed with the major rebel forces made no reference to the Philippine Constitution.

“We always refer to international laws and protocols,” he added.

Pimentel to look into operation of eco zones

By Macon Araneta SENATE President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Friday he would look into the operation of economic zones and Freeport zones to determine if amendments to their charters were needed over compelling developments in global business.

He would also review the operations of other agencies that have been subjected to changes only by presidential orders and not through congressional amendments.

He specifically cited the case of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority where the post of chairman/administrator was split in two.

He also commended the Philippine Economic Zone Authority as one of fastest-growing agencies under its new director general Charito “Ching” Plaza, a former lawmaker from Butuan City.

Plaza was one of the authors of the Special Economic Zones law that created Peza.

“Her leadership of Peza is laudable,” said Pimentel, expressing unqualified support for Plaza, a senior official of the administration party PDP-Lakas ng Bayan which the Senate chief heads.

“She has pledged to bring in foreign investments and generate jobs in the countryside,” added Pimentel.

He also lauded Plaza for keeping the integrity and credibility of Peza, untainted by corruption as a government business enterprise.

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Opinion

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

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EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

What the numbers say

S

OME people make the mistake of claiming that President Rodrigo Duterte won by a landslide. He did not. He simply topped the race against four other candidates, with 16-million votes, representing 39 percent of the total votes cast. This is called a plurality.

It is thus plain wrong to say that Mr. Duterte enjoys a mandate from the majority. There are still more Filipinos who did not vote for him than those who did.

It would not be wrong to say, however, that six months into his term, Mr.

Duterte enjoys tremendous support from the public.

The latest Pulse Asia survey, conducted Dec. 1 to 6 last year, showed that he continues to enjoy 83-percent performance approval and trust ratings among Filipinos nationwide.

The December figure is

just three percentage points lower than the 86-percent ratings from September 2016.

The difference is deemed statistically insignificant.

Context provides a clue as to how popular Mr. Duterte remains. At the time the December survey was conducted, some quarters were in uproar over the surprise burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Vice President Leni Robredo also resigned from the Cabinet after being told, indirectly, that she need not

attend meetings.

At around this time, too, there have been growing concerns about killings done in the name of the war on illegal drugs. The President has gained international notoriety for his colorful language and controversial pronouncements on foreign policy.

That he should still enjoy high levels of trust and approval is telling: The people are confident in his leadership and so far still find his actions acceptable, at the very least.

The numbers must tell him one other thing, however: This is not a free pass to do anything he wants, toy with policies and drive us crazy just figuring out what he means—no, what he really means.

They should remind him that people continue to expect him to do the right thing and deliver the kind of change we envision and deserve—he should not get heady and complacent.

Instead he must show himself worthy of what he continues to enjoy.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Why the Reds hate Marcos (Part 1)

2017: Time to make things better POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO IT IS officially 2017. As expected, social media has been full of greetings, good wishes, and hopes for this brand new year.

As tradition goes, many of the greetings (intentionally or not), gave the impression that a new year can bring good luck, love, success, wealth, health, and all those things people wish for.

This is tradition. But reality is different, very different.

In real life, a new year cannot do anything by itself. It cannot “bring” us our wishes. It is not magic. What a new year gives us, is time. It gives us another opportunity to make things happen, to realize our hopes, whatever these are.

A new year is an opportunity for us to do better as individuals, and as citizens of this

country and the world.

My favorite among the many social media posts I read is from someone I know quite well both personally and professionally. Executive Chef Giney Villar wrote on her Facebook page, “A new year is the universe’s way of telling you that no matter how “it” ended, you can begin again.

Now shine.” I could not have said it any better.

Indeed, no matter what happened in the past year, 2017 is a chance to start again and achieve what we set out to achieve in whatever field we choose. This time, with the lessons learned from 2016, and even the years before. We need to go at “it” in a smarter, more informed way. We are given time to undo wrongs (that can still be undone), pursue dreams we have long aspired for, or even take a different direction from the ones we have tried before.

A new year cannot make us

shine. We need to exert effort, work, to become a rock star.

Many have repeatedly expressed that 2016 was not a good year. Not because 2016 willed it, but because of events that happened, many of which were caused by people’s actions or inaction, and decisions.

What a new year gives us is time.

In our country, we lament the more than 6,000 people killed in the name of government’s “war on drugs.” 2016 did not murder them. People did. And it is also the people, those who believe in due process, the rule of law and human rights, who can stop this terror.

Those killed cannot be made to come back BUT the criminals who did these horrendous acts, whoever they are, should be made to face justice.

Equally important is for people to speak up and act to halt the killings. We are not a country of barbarians. We have laws to rule us and must be followed by everyone, especially those in government. The Executive Department’s main mandate is to implement laws. The president, voted into power by 16 million of our citizens, is there to protect the welfare of more than 100 million Filipinos.

If we all appeal to the Chief Executive, there is no way that he will not hear us.

The. Killings. Must. Stop.

2016 saw the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos “buried” in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

2016 did not make this happen.

It was the country’s president and the Supreme Court Justices who made this possible. The

case remains to be in the hands of the Magistrates of the highest Court of the land. Those who oppose said “burial” can still make their voices heard.

The Justices are people, too. If they remain true to their honorable title, they will find a way so true justice prevails.

Whatever happens to this case, the Filipino people need to remain vigilant to protect, maintain, even strengthen our democratic gains. Tens of thousands were tortured and thousands offered their lives in the struggle against dictatorship and the return of democracy in our land.

Whatever the shortcomings and failures were of previous administrations after 1986, we cannot give up on our democratic freedoms. We cannot allow Martial Law to happen again. We cannot have another dictator rule our country. We, the people should make this

AT THE height of the controversy surrounding the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to allow the burial of ex-President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Filipinos identified with the communist ideology and their red supporters in public office and in the private sector collectively spoke up against it. For them, Marcos does not deserve getting buried in a heroes’ cemetery because he was responsible for the proclamation of Martial Law in the Philippines in September 1972.

On cue, the Reds invited the so-called “ghosts of Martial Law” to stalk the national stage and anger the people, the youth in particular, about alleged abuses committed by the military establishment during the years the country was under Martial Law. Ex-detainees as well as politicians opposed to Marcos “recalled” before the news media their “unpleasant experiences” during those tumultuous years. “Never again” became the mantra espoused by the reds to suggest that those were wicked times.

This anti-Marcos mantra promoted by the reds was quickly echoed by the Liberal Party (LP) and other allies of ex-President Benigno Aquino III, who is known to hate Marcos. His father, the late ex-Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was a staunch Marcos critic during his time. Ninoy was detained in a military stockade at Fort Bonifacio from 1972 up to 1980, when Marcos allowed him to seek medical treatment in the USA. The late ex-President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, mother of Aquino III, hated Marcos to such an extent that when the ex-strongman wanted to return to the Philippines from his Hawaiian exile and face the charges against him in Philippine courts, Cory ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs not to issue a passport to the exiled ex-president. That order

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Opinion

THE Commission on Elections to come out with the required has warned the Supreme Court bond. Invariably, that alibi that the election protest filed could lead to the nullification by former senator Ferdinand of the law and the dismissal “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against of the petition, something that the touted vice president Maria was not contemplated by the Leonor “Leni” Robredo could legislators when they enacted cost more than P2 billion. In a a law for the automation of our manifestation it filed before the electoral system. It would be an high court, the Comelec said it unprecedented stupidity for the needs to secure the 97,366 units Supreme Court to render a law of vote-counting machines, the unconstitutional just because election management system the Comelec now refuses to and accessories it leased from have it implemented.

In fact, those people in the Smartmatic-TIM Inc. It cited the lease contract from Smartmatic Comelec can be criminally which would require it to pay to prosecuted apart from their the tune of P2,078,304,225.76 on failure to make a recount as ordered by the PET. Malice is eviaccount of the election protest.

Whether the “financial break- dent because the Comelec candown agreed with Smartmatic in not act on the basis that it failed itemizing the cost of the goods to inform the candidate of the should the total purchase option amount he will spend to resolve under the two AES (Automatic his petition. Besides, the ComeElection System) contract” is lec should have stated that readmitted by the Comelec is, quirement beforehand, meaning frankly speaking, irrelevant. before the filing of his candidaRather, it is an insidious attempt cy and not after the election was to renege on its duty to conduct held because that could lead to a recount of the votes for vice the denial of his petition. These president in the last May 2016 are questions that Bautista and election. The Comelec can nev- his conspiring cabal should aner justify its inability to enforce swer. They can only be proswhat the Constitution has man- ecuted now because they are not dated it to do. It is beyond its allowed to give any excuse that power or even for the Supreme could invalidate the electoral Court to pre-empt what the law law or much more deny the lostells them to do. Rather, the ing candidates of their right to Comelec alone is to blame for make a protest.

Interestingly, that portion in circumventing what the Constitution has mandated it to do the contract with Smartmaticwhen it subcontracted to a pri- TIM, Inc. that would require vate contractor the automation them to secure the 97,366 units of our electoral system to one of vote-counting machines, the suspected by many as an arm election management system and accessoof the Central ries is already I nt el l ige nce quest ionable Agency to enbecause the sure that only contracting their certified It can never made by Comestooge of the appeared to US will win justify its inability lec commit the poll in the elecbody to permation. to enforce what nently hire its The Comeservices with lec passed on the Constitution the exclusive its respon- has mandated it right to dictate sibility to the terms and S m a r t m a t i c to do. the amount to give it an for their serexcuse not to vices only to be fulfill its obcheated by the ligation, or to put it bluntly, block the or- result of the election.

It was lease contracts that der for a recount issued by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. Smartmatic-TIM, Inc. entered That responsibility is on the into with the Comelec. That shoulder of the Comelec offi- means Smartmatic remains uncials led by that abrasive chair- der obligation to preserve the man Andes Bautista. Bautista automatic election equipment cannot cite the huge amount as and records such as Voting his convenient alibi because it Counting Machines (VCMs), would amount to denying the Consolidation and Canvass Syselectorate of its right to question tem (CCS) units, Secure Digital who was elected vice president (SD) cards (main and back-up) with the unsavory consequence and other data storage devices of being governed by one who totalling 92,509 clustered precheated them of their votes and cincts used in the May 2016 now boldly seeking to discredit election pursuant to obligation and wanting to overthrow the under the contract.

Whatever the outcome is, duly elected president.

As supposedly competent it is no longer the concern of people, the commissioners the PET, much that it has alshould have anticipated that ready granted the petition. The there would be a protest de- Comelec now has no choice manding a recount of the votes. but to proceed with the recount The possibility that Bongbong of the ballots. The Comelec, Marcos would file a protest as lawyers would say, is now even became certain because “estopped” from questionthe election held last May ing the order. It should have was characterized by massive anticipated that possibility to fraud and systematic cheating. happen. Moreover, these conIn fact, everybody wonders, temptible appointees of the except those hypocrites who graft ridden holier-than-thou clothe themselves as respon- administration should be the sible voters, just how could a one to explain because the excandidate who was leading by penses that will be incurred to almost one million votes in the resolve an election protest apearly evening of the counting pear to be open-ended amount. be overtaken by more than This alone is an indicator of 200,000 votes by sunrise? possible graft in the contract Even fools questioned the the Comelec entered into with methodology used in counting Smartmatic.

It is basic that all contracts unless the Comelec would adinvolving the payment of money mit their machines faltered.

For Bautista to say that the should clearly state the amount Comelec failed to anticipate including accessory penalties, if that a protest would be lodged applicable. More so, if the other and it would cost us that much contracting party is the govis to admit criminal liability. ernment. In the end, the world The Comelec cannot give as will again be laughing at us bereason the huge amount that cause we exhibit our stupidity in will entail to conduct a recount bending our laws just to ensure because that is equivalent to that the lackeys installed by the telling the aggrieved candidate US cannot be removed even by that Marcos’ petition cannot the legal process of a recount. be entertained or that he can rpkapunan@gmail.com only blame himself for failing

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World Peace Day

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

Comelec cannot renege on its duty

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

EAGLE EYES TONY LA VIÑA IN A world suffused with violence, where every dispute is well-nigh resolved through the barrel of a gun, there is a need to heed the call of world leaders and all peace-loving individuals for calm and sobriety, if only to prevent society from descending into further chaos and civil disorder.

Sadly, we have not learned the lessons of the last century where the civilized world saw two World Wars causing the deaths of hundreds of millions, and the threat of nuclear war and a great number of other conflicts around every corner of the world. Arguably, we have outdone ourselves in our ability to destroy each other but every living and nonliving creature that has the misfortune of drawing our attention.

As a result, this wanton disregard for the dignity of God’s creatures is causing much suffering and even death to millions, including the unborn and the wholesale extinction of species and even the destruction of our only planet Earth. Seemingly, our capacity for self-destruction knows no bounds.

In his message for the 50th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis draws our attention to a a grim present-day reality—that of a horrifying world war being fought piecemeal. He says, this “piecemeal” violence, of different kinds and levels, causes great suffering: wars in different countries and continents, terrorism, organized crime and unforeseen acts of violence; the abuses suffered by migrants and victims of human trafficking; and the devastation of the environment.

Where does this lead? Can violence achieve any goal of lasting value? Or does it merely

Why...

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was validated by the Supreme Court, which was by then completely composed of Aquino appointees.

While the Aquinos strongly dislike Marcos, the local communists harbor a more intense hatred for the latter.

The historical record reveals that towards the latter part of the 1960s, the local communists had infiltrated the ranks of organized groups, particularly those of student activists. Enamored by communist organizers with a romanticized description of a revolution against the existing order, many students were easily enticed to attend Maoist indoctrination sessions called “teach-ins,” and to skip classes and attend anti-government rallies in downtown Manila. The choice was quite easy for them to make: attend classes and do homework, or skip classes and rally against the incumbent president, Ferdinand Marcos.

News footage broadcast on national television at the dawn of the 1970s showed student activists engaged in violent attacks at the gates of Malacañang, amidst placards and streamers bearing the image of Commu-

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clear this year.

2016 also saw women’s rights disrespected and outright violated. We did not have a shortage of misogynist attitudes, words, and actions from government officials and personalities. Slut-shaming became a tactic to pressure and harass women from both pro- and anti- administration.

We witnessed how President Duterte himself catcalled women journalists. We saw how men of power, “HONORABLE” lawmakers ridiculed,

lead to retaliation and a cycle of deadly conflicts that benefit only a few “warlords”? Pope Francis reminds us: “Violence is not the cure for our broken world. Countering violence with violence leads at best to forced migrations and enormous suffering, because vast amounts of resources are diverted to military ends and away from the everyday needs of young people, families experiencing hardship, the elderly, the infirm and the great majority of people in our world. At worst, it can lead to the death, physical and spiritual, of many people, if not of all.”

Francis, in his message, teaches us that the best response to hate, injustice and violence was taught to us by Jesus Christ himself. He explains: Jesus himself lived in violent times. Yet he taught that the true battlefield, where violence and peace meet is the human heart: for, quoting the gospel of Mark, “it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come.” But Christ’s message in this regard offers a radically positive approach. He unfailingly preached God’s unconditional love, which welcomes and forgives. He taught his disciples to love their enemies, to turn the other cheek.

When he stopped her accusers from stoning the woman caught in adultery and when, on the night before he died, he told Peter to put away his sword, Jesus marked out the path of nonviolence. He walked that path to the very end, to the cross, whereby he became our peace and put an end to hostility.

Whoever accepts the Good News of Jesus is able to acknowledge the violence within and be healed by God’s mercy, becoming in turn an instrument of reconciliation. Pope Francis quotes his namesake Saint Francis of Assisi: “As you announce peace with your mouth, make sure that you have greater peace in your hearts”.

If we want to be true followers of Jesus Christ, the Pope continues, we have to embrace Christ’s teaching about nonviolence.

Pope Benedict XVI observed, that nonviolence as an approach is not defeatist and a form of surrender nor is it a form of apathy and indifference but “is (in fact) realistic because it takes into account that in the world there is too much violence, too much injustice, and therefore that this situation cannot be overcome except by countering it with more love, with more goodness.

This ‘more’ comes from God.” He went on to stress that: “For Christians, nonviolence is not merely tactical behavior but a person’s way of being, the attitude of one who is so convinced of God’s love and power that he or she is not afraid to tackle evil with the weapons of love and truth alone. Love of one’s enemy constitutes the nucleus of the ‘Christian revolution.’” The Gospel command to love your enemies “is rightly considered the magna carta of Christian nonviolence. It does not consist in succumbing to evil…, but in responding to evil with good, and thereby breaking the chain of injustice.”

Francis cites as an example the message of Mother Teresa towards active non-violence.

When Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, he recounts, she clearly stated that “We in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy to bring peace—just get together, love one another… And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.”

“While weapons traffickers do their work, there are poor peacemakers who give their lives to help one person, then another and another and another”; for such peacemakers, Mother Teresa is “a symbol, an icon of our times.”

The surge in extrajudicial killings tells us that our society

today, much like most of the world, is facing its own demons of violence, hatred and injustice.

In times like this, a firm and resolute stance of active nonviolence takes more relevance and meaning more than ever.

Vengeance and violence cannot be the answer; for violence will always beget violence. As most great men like Gandhi, Saint John Paul II, Mother Teresa and a host of other advocates of peace and nonviolence taught us, we can transform society for the better not by shooting down those who defy and disagree with us or take revenge against those who have done us wrong.

We can instead achieve this through reasoned discourse and the application of moral norms founded on law, justice and equity.

Without peace based on justice, law and equity there can never be any progress because any form of peace and order founded on violence, hatred and utter disregard for human dignity will be counter-productive, empty and meaningless.

According to Pope Francis, Jesus himself offers a “manual” for this strategy of peacemaking in the Sermon on the Mount.

The eight Beatitudes provide a portrait of the person we could describe as blessed, good and authentic. Blessed are the meek, Jesus tells us, the merciful and the peacemakers, those who are pure in heart, and those who hunger and thirst for justice.

As we begin the New Year, lets all say no to the massacre of the poor and the death penalty, no to calls of violently overthrowing a legitimately elected government, and definitely say yes to the peace process with the Moros and the communists and everything that will unite us as a people and country. Let’s all work for peace.

nist Chinese leader Mao TseTung (he is now called Mao Zedong). Chants like “Mabuhay si Mao Tse-Tung!” made by red rabble-rousers with bullhorns were repeated in cadence. The news footage was even aired on ABS-CBN and ABC-DZMT, both owned by anti-Marcos oligarchs.

Equally alarming was the defection of Lt. Victor Corpus, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), to the local communist movement in December 1970. Before defecting, Corpus led a group of rebels in a raid on the PMA armory. After seizing 41 firearms and crates of ammunition, Corpus and his red guards fled to Isabela.

1971 was a midterm election year. When the proclamation rally of the LP at Plaza Miranda in the Quiapo district of Manila was bombed on Aug. 21, 1971, several people were killed or injured. As expected, the LP blamed President Marcos for the incident, an accusation that was easy to peddle to the electorate because almost all of the top LP leaders were at that proclamation rally—except for Ninoy Aquino, who arrived at the scene minutes after the bombing was over.

President Marcos blamed the communists, but the LP claimed otherwise. Marcos will be vindicated more than a decade later when it was revealed by ex-communist cadres that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) led by Jose Maria Sison planned the bombing incident, confident that the public will put the blame on Marcos.

Incidentally, when ex-senator Jovito Salonga, who was among those seriously injured at Plaza Miranda, found out about the truth, he took back his earlier accusation that Marcos was behind the bombing incident.

At any rate, the Plaza Miranda bombing prompted Marcos to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, and this was sustained by the Supreme Court. Withal, the government was able to round up numerous troublemakers identified with the reds, and in record time. In January 1972, Marcos restored the privilege of the writ.

Be that as it may, opposition leaders and their allies from the left branded the suspension as a prelude to authoritarian government. They were, however, conveniently silent as to why the 1935 Constitution, which was the charter then in force, allowed the president to sus-

pend the privilege of the writ, if suspending it was, according to them anyway, something antithetical to freedom.

Nonetheless, the reds had good reason to get dismayed— the suspension of the privilege of the writ led to the capture of communist cadres who were determined to overthrow the constitutional government by force of arms. From a tactical point of view, therefore, the red plan to bomb Plaza Miranda backfired.

Despite the Plaza Miranda bombing, the senatorial sweep the LP expected at the polls in November 1971 did not materialize. Of the eight senatorial seats up for grabs, six went to the LP and two went to Marcos’ political party, the Nacionalista Party (NP). By January 1972, the NP was the majority in the Senate. This meant that Marcos still enjoyed the support of the electorate. It also meant that the communists failed to dilute Marcos’ support in the Senate.

Indeed, because President Marcos was proving to be a formidable obstacle to the grand plan of the local communist movement to install a communist government in the Philippines, the reds had to resort to more desperate measures.

(To be continued)

made fun of, and feasted on Senator Leila de Lima and her relationship with a former lover in the halls of the House of Representatives, during formal hearings no less. We heard of malicious pregnancy rumors spread by opponents of Vice President Leni Robredo. Almost nude photos of Mocha Uson are virtually permanent fixtures in social media.

People have forgotten that women’s rights are human rights. We have forgotten that wherever we stand on issues, we cannot violate human rights. We should rather stick to the issues at hand.

2016 also saw the Supreme Court disregarding women’s reproductive health and rights through its August decision.

Thanks to our Justices, a total stock out of family planning contraceptives, used or needed by more than 14 million Filipino women, is now possible.

This decision, if not reversed, will surely result in more unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, poverty, and maternal deaths. The SC has dealt women a huge blow.

2017 should be a year of women (and allies among men) making our voices heard loud

and clear. We are not going to idly stand by while our rights are being violated, most especially by those who are supposed to champion us in government. This year, women must demand respect for our rights, including our right to decide to family planning.

2016 left us with important issues that need addressing.

2017 is the year to do this. We have this time, this opportunity to make things better.

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bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

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IN BRIEF Cops ready for Nazareno procession

ALL SYSTEMS GO. Manila Police District director Senior Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel (left) discusses the traffic rerouting for Monday’s Black Nazarene procession together with Metro police chief Director Oscar Albayalde and MPD Station 3 commander Supt. Santiago Pascual in front of the Quiapo Church in Manila. PNA

AFP unveils security plan T

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines launched on Friday its Development Support and Security Plan “Kapayapaan” to replace Internal Peace and Security Plan “Bayanihan” which expired last Dec. 31.

Under the new security plan, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año said the top priority of the AFP will be the destruction of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf, Maute Group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other foreign and local terrorist groups.

Año unveiled the new plan during the Department of National Defense’s First Quarter

Command Conference at the Tejeros Hall of the AFP Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“Apart from the conduct of focused combat operations employing the wherewithals of the AFP, I desire that we enhance stakeholder engagement to ensure robust participation of the religious sector and local

government,” Año said.

“From our end, I want everyone here to exercise the highest degree of Commandership. After all, the most important element of combat power is Leadership. Do and give your best and together we will create a winning team and get the job done,” he added.

“We will give priority to frontline units in the assignment of the best Officers, Enlisted Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines— our most important resource. And as such, we must take care of them.

While we endeavor to give them the fighting edge, it is as essential that we increase their survivability rate,” Año stressed.

“We will, as we must, look at the welfare of our men—and loved ones—especially those who were combat casualties.

Expedite the processing of the benefits due them; streamline the process and rationalize the requirements for promotion, schooling, and awards as well was disposition of cases,” the AFP chief added.

Año said the AFP will be fully committed to the primacy of the peace process guided by the President Rodrigo Duterte’s roadmap to peace.

The military will support fully the government’s war on drugs and shall extend full support to

the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies both in terms of personnel and intelligence.

“Finally, I say there is no letter ‘I’ in the word ‘TEAM.’ We shall all aspire for the collective accomplishment above individual fulfillment. Again, I urge the men and women of the AFP to work with me as we continue our journey together with our actions embed with the AFP Core Values of Honor, Service, and Patriotism,” Año said.

The AFP launched IPSP Bayanihan in 2010 and aimed to focus on “non-combat” operations to “win the peace.”

DoF defends position on land reform, pension hike

By Julito G. Rada A FINANCE Department official said Friday a land conversion moratorium and increase in pension for Social Security System retirees will threaten the country’s growth momentum.

Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez issued the statement in response to allegations made by certain groups that the country’s economic managers have been giving President

Rodrigo Duterte wrong and anti-poor advice on the issues of land conversion and the SSS pension hike.

Alvarez said a two-year moratorium on land conversion would undermine the country’s growth momentum while an across-the-board pension increase for SSS retirees without a corresponding hike in member contributions could force the agency to go bankrupt.

Alvarez said to rescue the SSS from possible bankruptcy, the government

Manila

Standard

Republic of the Philippines TODAY CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE INVITATION TO BID Cost of Proposal Booklet

Lot No.

Project No.

Name of Project

1

201701

REGULAR HAULING OF RESIDUAL WASTE (Total of 20,000 cu.m. in 6 months) From Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

P9,000,000.00

P15,000.00

2

201702

REMOVAL OF EXISTING SOLID WASTE OF ABANDONED DUMPSITE, SAN ANTONIO, CAVITE CITY USING HEAVY EQUIPMENT Source of Fund : EMB R-IV - P6,708,539.55 LGU Counterpart - P10,621,420.75

P17,339,960.30

P25,000.00

ABC

1.

The LGU-CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE, through the, CENRO ANNUAL BUDGET CY2017, & EMB R-IV Assistance Fund, intends to apply the sum as indicated above being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the above-mentioned project. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The LGU-CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVlTE now invites bids for the above LOT Number.

Delivery of Works required is 180 CALENDAR DAYS. Bidders should have completed similar contract to the project, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through an open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified In the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from LGU-CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours from 8:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount indicated below.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhiIGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The LGU-ClTY GOVERNMENT OF CAVlTE will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 12, 2017 at the JULIAN C. MEDINA, JR. MEMORIAL HALL, CITY HALL BUILDING, SAMONTE PARK, SAN ROQUE, CAVITE CITY, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED SEPARATELY BY WACH LOT AND PROPERLY MARKED IN THE OUTER ENVELOPE.

8.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before JANUARY 24, 2017 - 10:00 AM, at the BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE SECRETARIAT, CITY HALL BUILDING, SAMONTE PARK, SAN ROQUE, CAVITE CITY. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause.

Bids will be opened In the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

9.

The LGU-CITY GOVERNMENT OF CAVITE reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: RAEJEAN E. VASQUEZ Head, BAC Secretariat City Hall Building Samonte Park San Roque, Cavite City Telefax 046-431-1655

(SGD) ARCH. ALLISON B. SANTIAGO City Administrator BAC Chairperson ( M S - J A N . 7, 2 017 )

would have to use taxpayers’ money to keep the pension fund afloat, thus unduly diverting funds that could otherwise be used to fund the pro-poor and pro-growth programs.

“All policy recommendations to President Duterte by DoF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and the other economic managers are anchored on sustaining growth and enabling all sectors across all regions to benefit from it in the form of more jobs, higher incomes and better living

standards,” she said.

“Our economic managers are working on the premise that the Duterte government needs more, not less, funds to finance President Duterte’s 10-point socioeconomic reform agenda for high and inclusive growth. To pander to short-term populist initiatives will be a disservice to the President and the overwhelming majority who have given him the electoral mandate to effect real change on his watch,” she said.

“She said to transform the Philippines into an upper middle-income economy by 2022, the government needs to invest big in infrastructure, human capital and social protection to a level equivalent to a three-percent budget deficit,” she said.

“The government certainly cannot do so if the President’s economic team were to support populist proposals willy-nilly just to earn political ‘pogi’ points for the Duterte administration,” she said.

INTERIOR Secretary Ismael Sueno on Friday assured the public that all security preparations are already in place to ensure that the traditional Traslacion or procession in celebration of the feast day of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9 will be “safe, peaceful, and orderly” in the wake of intelligence reports that terrorist groups will sow chaos during the celebration.

“We will not let anyone disrupt the sanctity of the celebration. Besides, this annual festivity is being looked forward to not only by the devotees of the Poong Nazareno, but also of the international community who are awed by the degree of devotion Filipinos pour for the Black Nazarene,” he said.

He likewise appealed to the devotees not to bring children, sickly and elderly relatives to the Traslacion for health and safety reasons, noting that by tradition, the number of Black Nazarene devotees grows annually. John Paolo Bencito

Negros gov rapped for 11 graft cases THE Ombudsman on Friday indicted Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo for 11 counts of graft raps for the supposed illegal disbursement of P480.7 million in calamity funds to pay for the province’s infrastructure projects in 2012.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also ordered the filing of charges against treasurer Danilo Mendez, accountant Teodorico Reyes and engineer Franco Alpuerto.

Morales also ordered the filing of graft charges against Alejandro Lim Jr. of Lim General Contractor Corp., Mark Anthony Clemente of CTC Builders and Supplies Inc., Danny Chan of AJAN Jeada Inc., Wilfredo Chu of Bigfoot Construction and Supply, Farouk Macarambon of Fiat Construction Services, Maribel Ranola of Legazpi Premium Development Corp. and Ricardo Abriol Santos of Richmark Construction and Supply. Rio N. Araja

PAL chosen official plane of Miss U

THE flag carrier Philippine Airlines has been chosen as the official airline partner of the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant to be held in Manila this month.

This is the third time the PhilippinesYELLOW is hosting BLACK the prestigious CYAN MAGENTA event, which started as a marketing competition by California company Catalina Swimwear in 1952. The pageant has evolved over the past 64 years into an annual tradition celebrating intelligence, poise, and beauty.

As official carrier and global sponsor, PAL will fly the 85 candidates to top local destinations including Cebu, Davao, Boracay, Vigan, Baguio and Batanes to savor Filipino culture, cuisine, beaches and famous tourist attractions.

A number of activities have been lined up by the organizing committee, culminating in the coronation on Jan. 30, at 8 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, where the reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonso Wurtzbach will transfer her crown to her successor. Pia is concurrently a PAL brand ambassador.

Aside from some candidates, all members of the organizing committee and working staff will be flown by SPRUCING UP. Workers repaint the center island of Finance Road in Manila as part of the beautification PAL to Manila. Joel Zurbano drive of Mayor Joseph Estrada. Lino Santos

MMFF officials ban ‘Oro’ producers, director

By Joel E. Zurbano THE director and producers of the controversial film “Oro” were banned from joining the next Metro Manila Film Festival, event organizers announced on Friday.

The MMFF Executive Committee decided to ban the film producers Felix Guerrero and Mark Shandii Bacolod and director Alvin Yapan after it found there was a dog killed during the filming of the movie.

“We have to understand that jurisdiction of the MMFF is just with-

in the festival. If there are going to be further inquiries there are guilds, I don’t even know how far we can explore this matter. I’ve already proposed our own probe on this but film workers, that’s Film Academy of the Philippines. I think the directors guild of the Philippines already issued their own statement,” said Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson Liza Diño, who is a member of the MMFF Executive Committee.

The move was the latest sanction meted by the committee following

a complaint filed by various animal welfare groups who informed the Metro Manila Development Authority, which is the overall organizer of the annual festival, that a dog was slaughtered in the film.

Early this week, the committee withdrew the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award given to Oro due to the controversy.

The producers, in a meeting with MMFF officials, later recalled their earlier representation made and affirmed the fact that a dog was killed during the filming.

“Not just proven, there was an admission. That was our basis. I was the one who called out their attention and I asked them if any animal was harmed during the filming of the movie and they said no, then Shandii admitted later and I think that is important. They are cooperative,” said Diño.

The movie initially won several awards, including Best Actress and Best Ensemble Cast Awards and the FPJ Excellence Award which was given by the family members of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.

Sports

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Murray, Djokovic reach Qatar semis DOHA—Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic remain on collision course for their first major meeting of the season after both won through to the Qatar Open semifinals on Thursday.

In blustery, chilly conditions, world number one Murray overcame the stiffest test, beating Spain’s Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 in a hard-fought contest, to secure a 27th consecutive victory.

Djokovic, the world number two, eased through to the last four, beating evergreen veteran Radek Stepanek in a far more straightforward match, 6-3, 6-3.

The best two players in the world are now favourites to clash in Saturday’s final, but it is by no means certain and this was the second time this week Murray was stretched, following a tough victory in the last round against Austria’s Gerald Melzer.

On Thursday, Murray made 18 unforced errors before finally triumphing against the world number 44 from Spain.

He lost his first service game of

the match and was visibly irritated about the quality of his tennis on a number of occasions.

Murray broke back in the eighth game of the opening set before securing it on a tie-break.

But his troubles were far from over.

Increasingly agitated and errorprone on court, he made the decisive break of serve in the 11th game of the second set after first squandering three break points.

But serving for the match he first had to save two break points, which summed up the Scotsman’s evening.

“Very tough match, very close both sets,” said Murray who has won 55 sets to just six dropped in his winning run on the ATP Tour.

“It was hard conditions today, very windy, hard to get into a rhythm.”

The victory means Murray now stands just five behind Rafael Nadal’s mark of 32 consecutive tour victories. Djokovic holds the alltime record of 43 wins in a row set between 2010 and 2011.

Britain’s Andy Murray returns the ball to Spain’s Nicolas Almagro during the quarter-final of the ATP Qatar Open tennis competition in Doha on January 5, 2017. AFP

Match-fixing scandal rocks tennis

S

YDNEY—A match-fixing charge in Australia has underlined concerns about corruption in tennis ahead of the year’s opening Grand Slam, with top players frustrated at another scandal hitting the sport.

Police said an 18-year-old had been charged with match-fixing at a tournament in Victoria last October and would appear in court in March.

Australian media Friday named him as Oliver Anderson, an emerging star who is the reigning Australian Open boys champion.

The claim, just days before the

world’s leading players assemble in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the season, related to a first-round match at the secondtier Traralgon Challenger event.

World number one Andy Murray, playing in the Qatar Open in Doha, said he had read about the case and that although he did not want to comment on the specifics, corrup-

tion must be tackled.

“It’s disappointing for the game any time something like that comes out,” said Murray.

“However, if people are caught and charged, I see that as being a positive thing.

“If it’s going on and nothing is happening about it that’s much worse for the future of the sport.

“So, if it’s happening, there should be the most severe punishments for whoever is involved in it.”

He was backed by rival Novak Djokovic, also in Doha, who said he was saddened by the news.

“Very disappointing to hear, especially considering the fact

that he’s young and won the junior Grand Slam,” said Djokovic.

“You know, obviously the quality is there and the potential is there.

“I don’t understand why he has done it,” he said, before adding: “Everyone makes mistakes.”

Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal said the latest police case showed the fight against match-fixing was working.

“You get tired about this kind of stuff, but the most important thing is (to) fight against these kind of things,” he told reporters at the Brisbane International tournament.

“And he is young. That’s even the worst part.”

‘Zero tolerance’ On the eve of the Australian Open last year, there were bombshell media allegations that matchfixing was rife in tennis and the authorities had done little to counter corruption.

They included claims that players who had reached the top 50 had been repeatedly suspected of fixing matches but had never faced action.

It sparked an independent review headed by Adam Lewis QC, a London-based expert on sports law, aimed at shaking up tennis’s under-fire anti-corruption body, the Tennis Integrity Unit.

In the wake of the revelations,

Best classes in 3 venues

Kamao five out to stop Transformers in UNTV Cup THE Bureau of Customs Transformers (7-0) will face one of the tough teams this season, the Malacañang Kamao (5-2) in the UNTV Cup Season 5 at the Alonte Sports Arena, Biñan, Laguna.

The Malacañang basketball team is on a bounce-back mode after suffering a loss at the hands of the Judiciary Magis.

Kamao’s regular contributors Visnu Das Javier, John Michael Jimenez, Eric Dela Custa, Christian Luanzon and Ian Garrido are expected to lead the Kamao as they try to assault the BOC Transformers in the third game of a triple-header.

BOC will rely on its “Solid 6” composed of Kenneth Duremdes, Marlou Aquino, Gherome EJercito, Bernzon Franco, Samuel Ignacio and Rizal Vonn Ignacio.

Though the Bureau of Customs appears to be invincible, coach Kenneth Duremdes is not about to let his guard down, saying they still have a lot to improve as a team.

The first game will be a battle of runners and gunners, the MMDA Black Wolves (4-4) against PNP Responders (6-3), even as the young and dynamic NHA Builders (3-4) take on the veteran-laden and two-time champion AFP Cavaliers (4-3) in the second game.

Halftime entertainment will be provided by Kris Angelica, Mela and Lucky Robles Jr. This out-of-town game will also be aired live at UNTV and on its website, www.untvweb.com.

Australian tennis authorities boosted measures to fight corruption.

They included having anti-corruption officers at all sanctioned events, a block on accessing gambling websites via public wifi at tournaments, and bolstering its National Integrity Unit.

Ann West, head of the integrity unit, said much had been done to address the problem since the scandal broke last year.

“My first reaction was disappointment, to be honest. Whilst we understand that we’ll always fight the battle I would have anticipated the message was getting out there,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. AFP

Marlou Aquino and Kenneth Duremdes are expected to lead the BOC Transformers in keeping the team undefeated in the UNTV Cup Season 5.

New faces emerge Cebuana net winners IT was a good way to end the year as new faces emerged winners in the 51st and final leg of the nationwide and year-round Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Championship Series at the Philam Tennis Club and Philippine Veterans Tennis Clubs, with entries coming from all over the National Capital Region and as far away as Cavite, Bulacan and Lucena City.

Jeremiah Macias III from Las Pinas led the boys’ winners as he beat Caloocan City’s Joshua Austria, 6-4, 6-2, in the finals of the 18-under, while Nio Tria from

Quezon City edged out Bacoor bet Marcus del Rosario, 6-4, 6-4 in the 16-under finals.

Meanwhile, Daniel Estanislao duplicated the feat in the 14-under, defeating Sebastian Lhuillier from Muntinlupa, 6-2, 6-4.

Another Las Pinas bet, Samuel Nuguit blanked Angelo Rosales from Quezon City, 6-0, 6-0, for the 12-under title.

Sherwin Nuguit, representing Las Pinas, also went home a winner as he fashioned a threeset victory over Quezon City’s Nathan Co, 2-4, 4-2 , 4-2, to

win the 10-under unisex crown in the tournament supported by Dunlop Sports with Dunlop as the official ball.

“We are very happy with the overall results of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age-group Championship Series as we had a good mix of veterans and new faces emerging as winners. With this series, we are giving young tennis talents a chance to be discovered and develop their skills in regular organized tournaments,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuil-

lier and Philippine Tennis Association Chairman.

In the distaff side of the tournament, Bulacan lass Mikaela Vicencio retired Gaby Zoleta from Lucena City in the first set to take the 16- under title, while earlier, Zoleta had an easy two-set victory, 6-2, 6-2 over Justine Maneja to claim the 14-under crown.

Rounding out the female winners was Alyssa Rosales from Quezon City, who also posted an easy 6-2, 6-3 win over Julia Ignacio in the finals of the 12-under.

Cavaliers LeBron, Irving, Dubs’ Curry lead All-Star voting NEW YORK—LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who sparked the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA crown last year, were the top vote-getters in the first preliminary NBA All-Star Game balloting results announced Thursday by the league.

With 138 percent more votes cast than last year over the first week of All-Star balloting, 11.1 million compared to 4.6 million, last season’s runner-ups setting the Western Conference pace with the public as Golden State’s Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry topped all other vote-getters.

The 66th NBA All-Star Game will be played February 19 at New Orleans with fans, players and media selecting the starters in a revamped format. Fan votes count 50 percent with player and media ballots each worth 25 percent. All players will be ranked by each group and a total weighted rankings will decide the five All-Star starters for both the Eastern and Western conferences.

James, a 12-time All-Star, received the most votes with 595,288 and was joined in the Eastern Conference frontcourt by

Milwaukee’s Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo with 500,663 and Cleveland teammate Kevin Love on 250,347, with Philadelphia rookie Joel Embiid next on 221,984.

Irving led the East backcourt with 543,030 with 12-time All-Star Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls in the other guard spot on 278,052, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan was third on 253,340.

In the West, Durant, who has a record 25.6 points per All-Star Game, led the frontcourt with Golden State teammate Zaza Pachulia next on 439,675 and San

Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard third on 341,240 ahead of New Orleans standout Anthony Davis at 318,144.

Three-point sharpshooter Curry led West guard on 523,597 with Houston’s James Harden second on 519,446 just ahead of two-time reigning All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City on 501,652.

Voting concludes on January 16 with starters announced three days later. All-Star reserve players, selected by NBA coaches, will be announced on January 26. AFP

THE BEST Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center), the pioneer in sports clinics in the Philippines backed by Milo, starts the year with a bang when it holds its award-winning basketball and volleyball clinics in three venues starting Saturday.

Saturday-only classes will be held at the Ateneo College covered Courts from 8 to 11 a.m. from Jan. 7 to Feb. 25 for basketball (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4) and volleyball (Levels 1, 2 and 3 and Preparatory Level).

The Best Center also visits the Xavier School on the same dates from 1-4:30 p.m. for Preparatory Level and Levels 1, 2 and 3 for basketball.

Sunday-only classes will be held at the Starmall Alabang from Feb. 8 to Feb. 26 at 1 to 4 p.m. for basketball (Preparatory Level and Levels 1, 2 and 3).

The Best Center was a recipient of the Olympism Award from the Philippine Olympic Committee and is a Hallof-Fame awardee by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Cavs get Kyle CLEVELAND—The Atlanta Hawks are on the verge of trading former all-star guard Kyle Korver to the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, the US media reported on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old Korver did not play in Thursday’s Atlanta victory over the New Orleans Pelicans and told reporters after that he believed he was being dealt.

Atlanta will reportedly receive a 2019 first-round pick and reserve Mike Dunleavy, according to Yahoo Sports, and ESPN reported that reserve Mo Williams may also be going back to Atlanta in the deal.

Korver is a three-point shooting specialist who is averaging 9.5 points and 40.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc this season.

The former second-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003 NBA entry draft is a lifetime 42.9 percent three-point shooter. AFP

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Sports

Yuto pads lead to 5 shots

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

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

Yuka Saso reads the line of her putt on No. 16.

GlobalPort arrests 2-game slide, clips Meralco, 97-89

By Jeric Lopez

T

HE drought is over for GlobalPort as it regained its form in a 97-89 victory over Meralco in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup last night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Star Terrence Romeo again showed the way for the Batang Pier, scoring a game-high 27 points, to go with five rebounds and five assists for a complete performance.

He got much help from Nino Canaleta, who added 13 mark-

ers, and Billy Mamaril and Mike Cortez, who each had 12 points and JR Quinahan, who hit 11.

This much-needed win climbed GlobalPort, loser of two straight and three of its last four games prior to this, back to the upper half of the stand-

ings with a 4-3 slate.

On the other hand, the slide continued for Meralco with its 2-5 record for 10th place after this fourth straight setback.

GlobalPort had a quick headstart, establishing a 26-19 lead at the end of the first canto.

It then built on that in the second period, where it widened its lead to 16 points, 40-24, after a Cortez triple at the 7:41 mark of the period as the squad gained firm control.

By halftime, the Batang Pier kept their double-digit lead, 51-41.

Meralco bounced back, taking the third quarter, 30-21, to

climb back and make it anyone’s game entering the fourth, with GlobalPort’s lead only down to a solitary point, 72-71.

While the Bolts remained within striking distance, the Batang Pier, this time around, were able to stand their ground, keeping their lead until the final horn sounded despite the serious threat it dodged in the second half.

Reynel Hugnatan led Meralco with his team-high 23 points.

For today, there’s also a scheduled out-of-town game as second-running TNT KaTropa (4-2) and cellar-dweller NLEX

(1-5), which is on a five-game losing streak, travel to Angeles City in Pampanga for their 5 p.m. tussle there.

The scores: GLOBALPORT 97—Romeo 27, Canaleta 13, Mamaril 12, Cortez 12, Quinahan 11, Pringle 9, Aban 9, Mierhofer 2, Paredes 2, Banal 0, Urbiztondo 0, Pessumal 0.

MERALCO 89—Hugnatan 23, Grey 18, Newsome 16, Hodge 12, Daquioag 12, Buenafe 3, Faundo 2, Caram 2, Amer 1, Uyloan 0, Nabong 0, Ferriols 0.

Quarters: 26-19, 51-41, 7271, 97-89

PH Sports Institute to put focus on scientific training

By Peter Atencio WITH the revival of the Philippine Sports Institute, a lot of emphasis will be put on the scientific training of athletes both in the grassroots and elite level.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said this before he and members of the board of commissioners began a threeday conference at the Tagaytay Highlands set from Thursday to Saturday.

“It’s no longer about practicing. It’s about the scientific training of athletes and other aspects,” said Ramirez in a radio interview.

Ramirez said when the PSI is relaunched on

Jan. 16, a new sports science building will rise at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

This will replace the old Philippine Center for Sports Medicine Bldg. at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila.

New and modern facilities and equipment worth around P50 million are going to be purchased for the high-performance training center that will be placed under the supervision of National Training Director Marc Velasco.

The equipment will also be made available to athletes who will train in the 12 regional training centers that will be established in the provinces.

Ramirez added that

the facilities will be ready by next year, in time for the country’s preparations for the 2018 Asian Games and the Tokyo Olympics.

As for 2017, while national athletes prepare for the Southeast Asian Games, the PSC will focus on supporting the exposure of potential medalists to other international meets.

“For the NSAs, it’s our target to support the potential gold medalists in the SEA Games, the Asian Games and the Olympics. Our focus is there,” added Ramirez.

During their meeting in Tagaytay, Ramirez added that talks will center on the grassroots development program of the national sports associations.

Photo shows the Philippine Taekwondo Association’s national and regional head instructors who will attend tomorrow’s General Assembly at the Rizal Memorial coliseum.

Taekwondo trainers meet THE Philippine Taekwondo Association will discuss its plans and programs for 2017 when it holds its National Instructors General Assembly tomorrow at the Rizal Memorial coliseum.

More than 700 national and regional head instructors from all over the country will participate in the vital meeting backed by the SMART/MVP Sports Foundation.

PTA Chief Executive Officer, Grandmaster Sung

Chon Hong, said the assembly will take up the association’s plans and calendar of events this year as well as review the performance of its officers in the NCR and other regions.

The assembly will also talk about the PTA’s accomplishments last year and its preparation for this year’s national and international events topped by the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The other important com-

petitions are the World Taekwondo Championships, the World and Asian Cadet Championships, the Asian and Asian Junior Championships and the Philippine Taekwondo League.

Registration for tomorrow’s assembly is set from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by a refresher course on the new World Taekwondo Federation officiating rules as well as the updated techniques for poomsae (forms) and kyorugi (sparring) events.

SILANG, Cavite—Yuto Katsuragawa overcame a poor start with a strong finish in a windy day, birdying Nos. 16 and 17 to save a 71 and pull away by five as erstwhile pursuer Paolo Wong skied to an 82 halfway through the 2017 Philippine Amateur Golf Championship at the Riviera’s Couples course here yesterday.

Katsuragawa, 18, bogeyed three of the first five holes and dropped one more stroke at the back but fought back with four birdies to salvage a 37-34 card that still stood one of the day’s two best scores given the tough playing condition.

All came in ruffled by swirling wind with Wong, who rallied with a 71 late Thursday to close in on the hot-starting Japanese, fading with a woeful 42-40 marred by a double bogey and a triple bogey.

With a 140 aggregate, spiked by an opening 69, Katsuragawa stood five shots clear of Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana, who matched the Japanese second round output for a 145 while Korean Joo Hyung Kim carded a 73 and moved to third at 147 in the event held under the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Yuka Saso also stormed to a five-shot lead with a twounder 70, rattling off five birdies at the back that negated her three-bogey mishap as she totaled a 139 with erstwhile challenger and defending champion Harmie Constantino wavered with a 75 and fell to 146.

Thai Pajaree Anannarukarn recovered from an opening 75 with the day’s best three-under 69 but still stood five shots behind at 144 while Korean Ji Hyeon Lee shot a 71 to seize third place at 145 in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Veteran PH hockey team joins winter tilt THE Philippines will be sending an experienced national men’s ice hockey team to the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo and Obihiro, Japan.

The squad will bring with them the experience they had after reaching the finals of the second division of the Hong Kong Invitationals for consecutive years.

National head coach, Fil-French Francois Gautier said in a radio interview that the national team’s outing and exposure have been very good and positive going into their first-ever international stint.

The Philippines will take part in ice hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating and snow boarding.

Chef de mission Tom Carrasco said the teams involved are expected to leave early for the Games, set from Feb. 19 to 26.

There are 31 countries joining, including first-timers Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.

The games were last held in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2011 with the host country leading the medal race with 32 golds, 21 silvers and 17 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Michael Christian Martinez, who recently finished 19th out of 30 competitors at the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships, leads the four-skater national squad.

He will be with Jules Alpe in the men’s division, together with Samantha Cabiles and Shayanne Casapao in the women’s side.

Kathryn Victory Magno, a speed skater from San Jose, California in the United States, will represent the country in the short-track speed skating meet.

Another Fil-American Ryan Magno, takes part in snowboarding.

Peter Atencio

Fernandez wants Red Lions to slow the pace this season SAN Beda, a run and gun team that won the NCAA senior basketball title, will be taking it slow this season.

Comebacking coach Boyet Fernandez, who has regained the reins from Jamike Jarin after two years with NLEX in the PBA, said he is planning to keep the tempo more deliberate as he is planning to reinstitute his defense-first style of play he was known for when he steered the Lions to two NCAA titles in 2013 and 2014.

“I like Jamike’s fast-paced game and I will not

change that in our offense. But we will have to slow things down a little bit because we will have to deliberate and disciplined in defense and not gamble too much,” said Fernandez.

Truly, San Beda led the league in the forcing teams to turn the ball over and scoring points, but it has allowed opposing squads to score 90 points.

“This year, we will have to cut it to just 70, which was about the same average our opponents have when I was still coaching here,” said Fernandez.

Upon his return to the Mendiola campus’ prac-

tice facility Thursday, Fernandez was reacquainted with Radge Tongco and Jayvee Mocon, who were rookies in his last season before he embarked on his PBA journey, and Cameroonians Donald Tankoua and Arnaud Noah, AC Soberano and Jomari Presbitero, the players he recruited in the second team back then.

The rest of the team is just new faces.

“We will have to start from scratch and really work harder to keep that championship in San Beda,” said Fernandez, who has yet to name his

captains, but has decided to temporarily keep Presbitero and Tongco as skippers on an interim basis.

He also said he hasn’t decided which two of the three foreign players he’ll keep for Season 93 among Tankoua, Noah and rookie Nigerian Tuba Eugene.

Tankoua has been the team’s inside anchor before he fell to a season-ending ACL injury last season, while Noah has emerged the Finals MVP. As for Tuba, he was the tallest and most athletic of the three and nearly won the slam dunk title in last year’s NCAA All-Stars.

CebuPac unit set to offer two new routes

B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

B1

Foreign reserves decrease to $81b

TOYOTA’S FEAT. Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. is honored by the Manila International Container Port during its 38th founding anniversary celebration. Toyota received the second highest revenue contributing importer award and exporter with the second highest Value of Export award in recognition of its support and contribution to MICP and the Bureau of Customs since the start of its operations. Receiving the awards is TMP vice president for import and export department Gerald Amoranto (fifth from left). He is joined by (from left) MICP chief Florante Ricarte, MICP deputy collector Meliton Pascual, MICP deputy commissioner Natalio Ecarma III, TMP import-export section supervisor Edsel Bryan Claro, MICP district collector Vincent Philip Maronilla, MICP deputy commissioner Teddy Sandy Raval and MICP deputy commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing January 6, 2017

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,242.20 38.76

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing JANUARY 6, 2017 43.00 45.40 46.60 47.80

P49.520

49.00

CLOSE

HIGH P49.360 LOW P49.540 AVERAGE P49.466 VOLUME 537.000M

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

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, January 6, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.5310

Japan

Yen

0.008654

0.4286

UK

Pound

1.242100

61.5225

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128957

6.3874

Switzerland

Franc

0.990099

49.0406

Canada

Dollar

0.755287

37.4101

Singapore

Dollar

0.700084

34.6759

Australia

Dollar

0.733500

36.3310

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

131.5145 13.2055

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266610

Brunei

Dollar

0.697642

34.5549

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027956

1.3847

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.4866

Euro

Euro

1.060200

52.5128

Korea

Won

0.000846

0.0419

China

Yuan

0.145285

7.1961

India

Rupee

0.014764

0.7313

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.223065

11.0486

New Zealand

Dollar

0.702100

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031487

34.7757 1.5596 Source: PDS Bridge

DoF expects no spike in local interest rates

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Philippines will continue to have a low interest rate environment for as long as its macroeconomic fundamentals are kept intact, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said Friday.

Maintaining good macroeconomic fundamentals, according to the Economic Bulletin submitted to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, is the best way to keep the local interest rates down as the US Federal Reserve raises its key policy rate.

Beltran said the Duterte administration had the capacity to dampen the effects of the impending normalization of US interest rates. He said the Philippines enjoyed sound fiscal and monetary policies as the government’s fiscal deficit was also kept

THE Philippine Competition Commission has asked the Supreme Court to nullify the nationality requirement of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board in granting licenses to level the playing field in the construction industry.

The PCC sent an experts’ opinion on the legal battle between Manila Water Company Inc. and the PCAB, after it was elevated to the high court just weeks before the Philippine Competition Act was passed in July 2015.

The commission is the state agency mandated to resolve competition issues and at the same time promote free and fair trade in all commercial and eco-

said in his latest report to Dominguez.

He also noted that the rate of increase in consumer prices had remained low as average inflation rate stood at only 1.7 percent as of November 2016. Latest data from the government on Thursday showed the fullyear 2016 inflation averaged at 1.8 percent, or way below the 2 percent to 4 percent target range for the year.

Beltran said the country’s real Treasury Bond rate (10-year term) also fell by 3.94 percentage points from 4.61 percent to 0.67 percent between 2000 and 2016 because of improved macroeconomic fundamentals.

The country’s gross domestic product has expanded by above 6 percent during the period, while inflation dipped to an average 3.4 percent and the national government’s debt ratio fell to 43 percent as of October 2016.

“This was attained through fiscal strengthening with the passage of the VAT [valueadded tax] reform law in 2006, debt management measures, prudent spending and appropriate monetary policy,” Beltran said.

Petron denies ash spill from coal power plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Department is investigating reports the Environment Department has asked San Miguel Corp. to stop operating its coal-fired power plant in Limay, Bataan.

“We are investigating. I’m having things checked first,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Reports were initially circulating that the coal power plant of San Miguel and Petron Corp. in Limay caused an ash spill, affecting the health of residents in the area.

Level playing field sought in accrediting contractors

By Othel V. Campos

within manageable limits.

Beltran said that the Philippines has successive balance-of-payments surpluses, a comfortable debt ratio and reduced financial risks to the economy.

The US Fed on Dec. 4 raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in a year and the second since the global financial crisis in 2008, signaling rates may also continue to rise faster than expected in 2017.

Emerging markets like the Philippines are now bracing for the impact of a quick rate increase by the US Fed as yields on government IOUs would likely rise as investors seek higher risk premiums.

But based on the Finance data, the average primary nominal bond rate had slightly dropped ahead of the expected US rate increase from 3.96 percent in 2015 to 3.86 percent in 2016.

“The reversal of US QE (quantitative easing) policies will push up the country’s real borrowing costs, but with improved fundamentals, the rise will be dampened,” Beltran

nomic activities.

It stressed the construction industry plays an important role in economic development, especially in infrastructure building that includes housing, transport, water and sanitation, and power.

The PACB issues regular and special licenses to contractors. Local firms can be granted a regular license that allows them to engage in many contracting activities throughout a one-year period, while foreign companies only receive a special license for each contract.

Thus, a foreign contractor would have to spend twelve times more for license applications compared with a domestic contractor in a typical year in order to engage in the same level of activity.

“Not true news,” San Miguel president Ramon Ang said when asked about the Environment’s plan to shut down the plant.

Ang was quoted in a TV news that the San Miguel and Petron were merely helping in the cleanup operations.

Petron’s 180,000 barrel-perday refinery is located in Limay, Bataan.

“Our ash pond is located within our facility and near our offices. It has the necessary regional and local permits from the (Envirobnment), is surrounded by dikes, and regularly watered to

prevent dispersion,” Petron said.

Petron said ash from the pond, certified by Environment as nonhazardous, “will be used as raw material for our cement manufacturing plant.”

“Thus, reports of ash spill and tons of ash found along the coastline of a distant river, which is almost a kilometer away from our facility, is far from the truth,” Petron said.

The company invited concerned stakeholders from both media and the government to visit its facility.

“We want to show you a side of

this whole story, that we believe, would make it complete and accurate. Nevertheless, we assure that we will continue to assist the residents and work with the (Environment) and the municipality to do what is right and necessary,” the company said.

Petron in December completed the acquisition of the 140-megawatt solid fuel power plant of SMC PowerGen Inc. in Bataan for P20.029 billon.

“The purchase of the power plant would lower the power and steam costs of the Petron Bataan Refinery,” Petron said earlier.

SHELL ADVOCACY.

The Don Antonio O. Floirendo Sr. Foundation, with support from Shell companies in the Philippines, launches the photo book “Tubbataha: A National Treasure” that reveals the beauty and bounty of the Philippine marine sanctuary—a Unesco World Heritage Site. Shell, a staunch advocate of the marine park’s conservation and protection, made a substantial purchase of the book, with the proceeds to be used to further conservation efforts of the Tubbataha Management Office.

Book photographer Tet Lara (right) poses during a symbolic turnover of the books to Shell companies in the Philippines country chairman Cesar Romero.

THE country’s gross international reserves declined to an 11-month low of $81.045 billion at the end of December 2016, missing the recently revised target of $83.7 billion for the year, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday show.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. attributed the drop mainly to “outflows arising from payments made by the national government for its maturing foreign exchange obligations, foreign exchange operations of the BSP, and revaluation adjustments on the BSP’s gold holdings resulting from the decrease in the price of gold in the international market.”

He said these were partially offset by the national government’s net foreign currency deposits, along with Bangko Sentral’s income from investments abroad.

The December GIR was the lowest since January 2016, when it settled at $80.692 billion. It was also lower by $0.40 billion than the end-November GIR of $81.45 billion, but higher by $0.38 billion compared with the end-December 2015 figure of $80.67 billion.

Tetangco said the December 2016 level remained adequate and could cover 9.2 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It was also equivalent to 5.8 times the country’s shortterm external debt based on original maturity and 4.2 time based on residual maturity.

Net international reserves, which refer to the difference between Bangko Sentral’s GIR and total short-term liabilities, decreased $0.40 billion to $81.03 billion as of endDecember, compared with the end-November 2016 NIR of $81.43 billion.

IN BRIEF PTT opens biggest station along SCTEx PTT Philippines held Friday a soft opening for its biggest service station to date—the two-hectare PTT-SCTEx outlet along the northbound lane of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Concepcion, Tarlac province.

PTT Philippines president and chief executive efficer Sukanya Seriyothin said in a statement the PTT-SCTEx station would soon be fully operational with the expected opening of several restaurants and shops along the rows of non-oil businesses that being constructed at the north-west side of the property.

The PTT-SCTEx outlet currently operates with an eight-pump gasoline station, a convenience store, a five-star public toilet called Restroom 20, and PTT’s signature coffee shop, the Café Amazon.

The PTT-SCTEx is just a few kilometers away from the Clark nortbound exit of SCTEx. Alena Mae S. Flores

PAL named official carrier of Miss U THE Miss Universe Organization designated Philippine Airlines as official airline partner of the 65th edition of the annual beauty pageant to be held in Manila this month. This is the third time the country is hosting the prestigious event.

As official carrier and global sponsor, PAL will fly the 85 candidates to top local destinations to savor Filipino culture, cuisine, beaches and famous tourist attractions.

A number of activities have been lined up by the organizing committee, culminating in the coronation on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City, where 2016 Miss Universe Pia Alonso Wurtzbach will transfer the crown to her successor. Pia is concurrently a PAL brand ambassador.

All members of the organizing committee and working staff will also be flown by PAL to Manila.

B2

Business

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks extend rally; Globe up T HE stock market extended a rally Friday for the fourth straight day, boosted by gains in select blue chips.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 38.76 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,248.20 on a value turnover of P8.6 billion. Gainers and losers were even at 101 each, with 35 issues unchanged.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest telecommunications company, surged 6.2 percent to P1,684, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender, rose 1.5 percent to P113.70.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, advanced 2.9 percent to P73.90, while Alliance

Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan climbed 2.3 percent to P13.40.

Petron Corp., the bigger of the two oil refineries, dropped 5.3 percent to P9.75.

Markets in Asia, meanwhile, were largely flat after a day of little change in Europe and on Wall Street, but Samsung shares were boosted as it tipped soaring profits while Toyota dipped following a threat from Donald Trump over a new vehicle plant in Mexico.

China also on Friday hiked the yuan against the dollar in its

biggest one-day increase since 2005, after the greenback fell against leading currencies the previous day.

The People’s Bank of China, which has been battling to shore up the sagging yuan, fixed it at 6.8668 to the greenback, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System, which operates the national foreign exchange market.

The 0.92 percent hike was the strongest daily increase since July 2005, and comes after the yuan recently flirted with the 7.0 to the dollar mark, a threshold not crossed in more than eight years.

Tokyo was slightly down overall as the yen strength weighed on sentiment and following declines on Wall Street.

The US currency was trading at 115.85 yen in afternoon trade, up from its earlier low of 115.07 yen, but sharply down from 118.12 yen seen on Wednesday.

A stronger yen hurts the profitability of Japan’s major exporters, hitting demand for their shares.

Shanghai stocks also closed down less than half a percent, ending a three-day rising streak, dragged lower by a sell-off in small companies, dealers said.

Hong Kong was flat in afternoon trade.

China’s currency has been under pressure from uncertainty over the health of the world’s second largest economy, massive capital outflows and the sharp rise in the dollar following Don-

ald Trump’s election victory and anticipation of US interest rate hikes.

Beijing only allows the tightly controlled yuan to rise or fall two percent on either side of the daily fix, to prevent volatility and maintain control over the currency.

China said last week it would almost double the number of foreign currencies it uses to determine the official value of the yuan, thereby diluting the role of the dollar as authorities seek to arrest the yuan’s fall and project an image of stability in the unit.

Toyota shares dropped more than three percent at one point after Trump threatened the carmaker with import taxes over the new vehicle plant. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017

NAME

OPEN

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.81 276,000 48.15 12,600 92 1,744,040 3.84 2,000 113.7 3,058,890 1.45 154,000 38.3 41,900 16.2 52,600 18.9 520,200 1.74 35,000 823 30 0.64 19,611,000 76.5 4,826,550 0.78 72,000 14.2 22,200 22 1,300 55.3 16,120 245 10,660 130 40 90.05 7,620 35 47,800 218.4 1,953,980 1,691 195 75 21,260 1.23 96,000

1,059,760 606,285 160,530,574 7,680 347,706,588 223,350 1,608,030 850,510 9,783,820 61,230 24,700 12,661,790 373,597,913 56,160 315,384 28,635 894,097.50 2,611,690 5,398 686,616.50 1,678,650 426,632,718 330,690 1,595,110 118,800

76,200 500,555 -45,797,805.50 32,846,715 192,500 -189,540 -582,270 -6,875,980 53,152,459 -44,315 9,780 2,600 -505,007.50 330,420 60,723,928 9,750 -

43 4.43 0.86 1.3 19.02 0.195 86.05 11.5 16.02 160 22.05 19.1 59.9 91 112 1.96 6.46 12 11.78 6.27 7.18 5.18 21.65 68 16.48 6.1 1.61 210.2 70.05 2.66 27 29.3 27.15 14.7 277 0.24 4.94 3.2 9.68 3.65 2.33 5.55 1.42 71.05 4.83 228 4.95 2.72 11.56 4.39 0.143 1.51 165.1 4.35 1.76 31.5

INDUSTRIAL 43.45 3,511,600 4.47 769,000 0.87 562,000 1.38 2,505,000 19.5 3,500 0.2 1,030,000 86.05 170 11.68 1,938,600 16.04 1,202,400 160 10 23 144,700 19.1 9,700 60 787,000 91 580 118 300 1.99 197,000 6.46 506,700 12.26 5,300 11.8 7,032,300 6.36 481,600 7.3 860,900 5.18 13,637,800 21.85 1,502,300 68.5 250,040 16.48 648,000 6.11 531,200 1.62 1,075,000 213 632,770 70.05 1,250 2.8 14,000 28.8 5,500 29.9 3,216,100 28 486,800 14.86 2,601,100 277.6 439,750 0.249 90,000 5.21 3,100 3.21 7,192,000 9.75 24,475,400 3.8 10,000 2.35 2,661,000 5.78 437,900 1.48 1,453,000 71.45 806,490 4.96 86,000 229 6,360 5 2,332,000 2.76 269,000 11.66 4,044,200 4.39 6,000 0.143 1,790,000 1.53 279,000 169.2 1,809,750 4.48 7,000 1.86 16,139,000 34.65 6,600

152,625,540 3,424,910 487,080 3,393,680 66,840 204,300 14,628.50 22,566,346 19,326,250 1,600 3,273,065 190,320 47,219,980 53,087 35,433 392,640 3,305,553 64,288 84,326,732 3,067,320 6,226,221 70,775,804 32,795,800 17,053,872.50 10,692,084 3,241,341 1,754,820 135,313,094 88,991 38,240 151,210 95,815,015 13,588,390 38,877,654 122,253,350 21,780 15,351 23,158,500 240,059,795 38,900 6,256,050 2,537,651 2,183,190 57,528,536 422,250 1,457,650 11,657,350 748,340 47,196,744 26,350 258,170 438,380 306,407,990 30,710 30,011,670 218,540

-32,064,940 9,160 6,293,476 -9,266,266.00 -19,998,600 -1,200 -10,000 10,442,690 -1,340,080 -1,834,522 15,362,774 4,354,065 8,803,072 191,276 2,327,760 131,800 -17,874,630 23,220,445 -5,861,270 -17,296,932 7,967,306 -6,570 -111,173,533 4,403,930 -1,159,000 39,985,774 -1,193,300 165,220 20,975,270 -116,971,060 -11,355,690 27,090

0.41 72.6 13.04 1.14 5.96 0.3 780 8.63 13.08 8.06 5.34 0.186 1,330 5.9 73 4.01 4.06 1.16 7.95 13.06 6.82 0.037 1.2 1.97 96.5 678 1.27 260 0.285 0.183 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.415 4,840,000 74.8 2,794,410 13.4 11,806,800 1.19 81,000 6 378,700 0.305 570,000 786.5 387,740 8.79 3,170,100 13.1 14,624,500 8.14 100,000 5.34 6,600 0.186 380,000 1,337 93,750 5.9 4,200 74 2,638,900 4.01 1,000 4.06 200 1.25 20,279,000 8.04 1,626,900 13.2 2,479,200 6.91 30,149,000 0.038 15,100,000 1.2 1,000 2.02 1,978,000 97.7 304,640 690 482,840 1.27 314,000 264.6 8,610 0.3 3,260,000 0.186 1,110,000 0.255 940,000

2,016,700 208,428,557 157,889,982 93,610 2,272,040 173,800 305,607,325 27,872,214 193,288,360 810,965 36,044 70,680 125,582,885 24,780 196,331,234 4,010 812 25,028,500 13,044,382 32,792,236 208,049,732 558,800 1,200 3,995,770 29,668,919.50 331,565,335 400,330 2,263,256 956,350 209,780 242,600

21,501,471.50 -35,588,252 -1,036,800 47,685,790 20,867,044 -25,580,748 3,926,900 21,196,958 79,150 3,382,854 -4,823,160 66,931,493 3,800 101,000 99,051.50 61,952,955 -20,450 -544,544 -

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

AG FINANCE 3.81 ASIA UNITED 48.1 BANK PH ISLANDS 92 BDO LEASING 3.84 BDO UNIBANK 112.4 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.45 CHINABANK 38.5 COL FINANCIAL 16.2 EAST WEST BANK 18.8 IREMIT 1.75 MANULIFE 824 MEDCO HLDG 0.64 METROBANK 76.3 NTL REINSURANCE 0.78 PB BANK 14.2 PBCOM 22.1 PHIL NATL BANK 55.75 PHIL STOCK EXCH 245 PHILTRUST 139.9 PSBANK 90.5 RCBC 35.4 SECURITY BANK 220 SUN LIFE 1,700 UNION BANK 75.2 VANTAGE 1.25

3.9 48.15 92.5 3.84 115 1.5 38.5 16.2 18.98 1.75 824 0.66 78.35 0.78 14.22 22.1 55.75 245.4 139.9 90.5 35.5 220.4 1,700 75.2 1.25

3.81 48 91.9 3.84 112 1.45 38 16.16 18.74 1.74 823 0.64 76.3 0.78 14.2 22 55.3 244 130 89 35 215.4 1,691 74.9 1.23

ABOITIZ POWER 43.3 AGRINURTURE 4.53 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.86 ALSONS CONS 1.32 ASIABEST GROUP 19.68 BASIC ENERGY 0.195 BOGO MEDELLIN 86.05 CEMEX HLDG 11.5 CENTURY FOOD 16.1 CHEMPHIL 160 CIRTEK HLDG 22.6 CNTRL AZUCARERA20.1 CONCEPCION 59.9 CONCRETE A 93 CONCRETE B 112 CROWN ASIA 1.96 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.5 DEL MONTE 12.1 DNL INDUS 11.8 EEI CORP 6.35 EMPERADOR 7.2 ENERGY DEVT 5.18 FIRST GEN 21.85 FIRST PHIL HLDG 68.6 HOLCIM 16.5 INTEGRATED MICR 6.11 IONICS 1.69 JOLLIBEE 214.2 LIBERTY FLOUR 71.25 LMG CHEMICALS 2.66 MACAY HLDG 27 MANILA WATER 29.35 MAXS GROUP 27.2 MEGAWIDE 14.98 MERALCO 279.4 MG HLDG 0.249 PANASONIC 4.94 PEPSI COLA 3.22 PETRON 10.2 PHIL H2O 3.65 PHINMA ENERGY 2.4 PHX PETROLEUM 5.55 PHX SEMICNDCTR 1.42 PILIPINAS SHELL 71.95 PRYCE CORP 4.84 PUREFOODS 228 RFM CORP 4.99 ROXAS HLDG 2.72 SHAKEYS PIZZA 11.76 SPC POWER 4.4 SWIFT FOODS 0.145 TKC METALS 1.61 UNIV ROBINA 165.1 VICTORIAS 4.35 VITARICH 1.92 VIVANT 31.5

43.85 4.53 0.87 1.39 19.68 0.2 86.05 11.7 16.2 160 23 20.5 60 93 120 2.06 6.75 12.3 12.2 6.46 7.31 5.21 21.95 68.95 16.52 6.15 1.69 215.2 76.95 2.8 28.8 30 28 15 280 0.249 5.21 3.25 10.26 3.95 2.4 5.8 1.55 71.95 4.96 230 5 2.89 11.76 4.4 0.145 1.63 170.3 4.48 1.96 35

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

0.425 74.9 13.54 1.19 6 0.31 794.5 8.82 13.5 8.14 5.5 0.186 1,374 5.9 74.75 4.01 4.06 1.28 8.06 13.28 6.93 0.038 1.2 2.06 98 690 1.28 264.8 0.3 0.195 0.26

0.425 72.6 13.2 1.14 5.99 0.305 780 8.63 13.4 8.12 5.5 0.186 1,342 5.9 73 4.01 4.06 1.17 7.98 13.06 6.85 0.037 1.2 1.98 97.5 680 1.27 264.8 0.295 0.189 0.255

VOLUME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

0.285 0.415 4 27.7 1.59 30.85 1.14 7 0.94 5.08

0.26 0.4 3.79 26.7 1.57 29.75 1.11 6.34 0.89 5

0.26 0.415 3.89 27.3 1.57 30 1.11 7 0.91 5.01

230,000 390,000 1,677,000 3,906,900 134,000 14,801,500 9,451,000 600 334,000 5,056,200

65,050 159,850 6,584,820 106,874,995 211,500 447,410,475 10,557,810 4,134 301,750 25,409,063

-118,500 30,712,155 -4,710 141,288,805 22,400 -116,190 -5,382,076

2GO GROUP 7.5 ABS CBN 44.5 ACESITE HOTEL 1.38 APC GROUP 0.52 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.047 BERJAYA 5.24 BLOOMBERRY 6.49 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.07 CALATA CORP 2.53 CEBU AIR 93 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.58 DFNN INC 8.3 DISCOVERY WORLD FAR EASTERN U 952 GLOBE TELECOM 1,580 GMA NETWORK 6.3 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.76 HARBOR STAR 2.78 IMPERIAL A 16.96 INTL CONTAINER 71.7 IP EGAME 0.0093 IPM HLDG 9 ISLAND INFO 0.237 ISM COMM 1.33 JACKSTONES 3.25 LBC EXPRESS 15.24 LEISURE AND RES 4.38 MACROASIA 2.5 MELCO CROWN 4.07 METRO RETAIL 4.29 MLA BRDCASTING 18.2 NOW CORP 2.89 PAL HLDG 5.45 PAXYS 3.01 PHIL SEVEN CORP 132 PHILWEB 10.12 PLDT 1,453 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.33 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.48 PUREGOLD 40.2 ROBINSONS RTL 75.9 SBS PHIL CORP 6.13 SSI GROUP 2.64 STI HLDG 1.02 TRAVELLERS 3.3 WATERFRONT 0.36

7.55 44.6 1.38 0.53 0.049 5.29 6.49 0.07 2.62 93.4 9.9 8.45 2.38 952 1,684 6.3 16.86 2.92 17 74.4 0.0093 9 0.239 1.34 3.25 15.7 4.44 2.56 4.15 4.48 18.88 2.97 5.55 3.05 132 10.42 1,488 1.35 0.51 41.2 77.5 6.13 2.73 1.07 3.31 0.36

7.5 44.1 1.34 0.52 0.045 5.23 6.29 0.068 2.51 92.8 9.52 8 2.39 952 1,576 6.27 16.5 2.77 15.7 71.7 0.009 9 0.226 1.32 3.25 15.24 4.25 2.42 3.98 4.17 18.2 2.7 5.35 3.01 130 9.99 1,452 1.28 0.48 39.9 75 6 2.63 1.02 3.27 0.345

SERVICES 7.5 32,600 44.45 37,900 1.34 34,000 0.52 359,000 0.047 238,500,000 5.29 1,700 6.4 4,177,100 0.069 12,700,000 2.55 6,992,000 92.95 287,170 9.9 19,600 8.1 642,800 2.2 2.2 952 60 1,684 284,810 6.29 28,300 16.5 58,200 2.85 13,254,000 16.46 14,800 73.9 4,074,090 0.009 13,000,000 9 450,000 0.229 46,690,000 1.33 465,000 3.25 10,000 15.7 8,700 4.25 1,296,000 2.54 17,000 4.08 9,228,000 4.39 8,522,000 18.88 1,500 2.7 17,479,000 5.35 52,300 3.05 56,000 130 20 9.99 1,127,400 1,474 193,890 1.35 46,913,000 0.48 12,630,000 41 1,347,400 76 1,769,310 6.08 721,200 2.73 1,146,000 1.05 49,295,000 3.27 726,000 0.345 1,130,000

244,590 1,685,035 46,160 186,880 11,229,000 8,956 26,700,345 877,080 17,850,480 26,699,198 186,668 5,230,845 99,000 57,120 470,579,955 177,958 970,296 37,820,800 243,518 298,682,987 117,900 4,050,000 10,825,000 616,210 32,500 134,498 5,637,030 42,530 37,691,100 36,928,040 27,548 49,625,510 289,256 168,700 2,620 11,433,634 286,522,730 62,938,790 6,217,550 54,825,770 134,220,220.50 4,387,068 3,092,080 51,605,010 2,388,590 404,150

-811,600 -3,838,969 127,500 1,808,508 82,245 235,140 224,826,245 3,300 -257,320 -14,931,458.50 138,000 13,050.00 -11,525,300.00 -10,755,180.00 -22,340,830 147,450 -298,604 35,681,165 1,630,070 -616,415 -24,703,578 -181,230 9,686,480 -519,560 -

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

0.0033 2.9 5.13 10.78 2.25 0.54 0.49 12.58 3.32 0.26 0.215 0.218 0.012 2.64 8.3 2.87 0.485 1.16 0.012 4.14 0.012 9.08 3.65 133 3.08 0.0089

0.0034 3.04 5.15 11 2.25 0.54 0.49 12.6 3.33 0.27 0.22 0.22 0.012 2.77 8.31 2.88 0.485 1.16 0.012 4.15 0.013 9.23 3.9 135.5 3.08 0.009

0.0033 2.86 5.1 10.78 2.2 0.51 0.48 11.82 3.25 0.26 0.212 0.216 0.012 2.58 8.02 2.82 0.48 1.14 0.012 4.14 0.012 8.89 3.65 131.2 3.08 0.0088

MINING & OIL 0.0034 285,000,000 2.87 1,018,000 5.1 363,900 11 3,100 2.24 89,000 0.51 240,000 0.48 840,000 12.28 6,400 3.26 17,168,000 0.265 950,000 0.216 17,790,000 0.217 4,410,000 0.012 1,500,000 2.58 1,793,000 8.25 7,887,000 2.87 97,000 0.48 50,000 1.14 602,000 0.012 800,000 4.15 83,000 0.013 31,300,000 8.93 4,390,000 3.72 5,321,000 132 1,340,290 3.08 25,000 0.009 3,000,000

941,700 3,011,680 1,869,245 33,652 198,470 123,600 405,900 79,424 56,746,120 250,700 3,848,270 963,710 18,000 4,777,690 64,368,223 276,510 24,100 693,290 9,600 344,430 377,600 39,545,532 19,985,730 178,380,997 77,000 26,700

-266,640 1,635,620 -10,600 -10,560 -21,122,860 12,000 2,091,452 -51,890 -49,071,988.00 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

44.4 103 103.8 114.1 5.91 1,020 1,023 109.5 1,165 1,037 1.92 76.7 77 77.6 79.8 79.5 78 77.55

44.9 103 104.2 118.9 5.91 1,020 1,025 109.5 1,165 1,037 1.92 76.7 77 77.6 79.8 79.5 78 77.75

44.1 102.9 103.7 113 5.89 1,020 1,020 105 1,165 1,013 1.92 76.7 77 77.6 79.8 79.5 77.15 77.5

PREFERRED 44.6 168,700 102.9 28,380 103.7 23,840 118.9 10,010 5.9 1,565,700 1,020 5,980 1,025 9,645 105.5 3,970 1,165 20 1,013 1,015 1.92 5,000 76.7 600 77 1,500 77.6 2,000 79.8 12,110 79.5 13,400 78 28,370 77.75 27,110

7,512,630 2,922,515 2,476,136 1,134,209 9,237,263 6,099,600 9,845,525 426,255 23,300 1,036,840 9,600 46,020 115,500 155,200 966,378 1,065,300 2,200,110 2,101,490

-219,850 485,316 -9,115,694 115,500 -

LR WARRANT

2.34

2.39

2.26

WARRANTS 2.3 236,000

546,640

-

2,477,672 635,050 95,440 7,387,357

-1,208,790

2,591,156

60,690

NAME

OPEN

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

0.28 0.415 3.79 27 1.59 30 1.14 6.34 0.9 5.02

MS SME ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

9.27 4.4 2.85 8.7

FIRST METRO ETF 119.8 8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED

7.55 1.12 6.3 2.42 0.465 34.3 3.25 5.13 0.58 1.48 0.178 0.61 48 0.7 1.63 1.05 1.2 3.77 0.147

7.72 1.14 6.3 2.42 0.475 34.8 3.25 5.14 0.58 1.52 0.189 0.61 50.5 0.7 1.69 1.05 1.2 3.84 0.148

7.55 1.11 6.3 2.32 0.46 34 3.17 5.13 0.57 1.44 0.173 0.59 48 0.7 1.63 1.01 1.19 3.73 0.144

PROPERTY 7.61 415,300 1.11 1,678,000 6.3 1,000 2.37 293,000 0.46 6,150,000 34.5 15,326,500 3.18 3,387,000 5.14 30,000 0.57 5,671,000 1.46 4,060,000 0.183 218,340,000 0.6 4,044,000 49.5 2,258,100 0.7 5,000 1.68 11,283,000 1.02 9,074,000 1.2 580,000 3.75 41,765,000 0.147 11,800,000

3,165,922 1,891,450 6,300 690,940 2,867,150 529,338,050 10,831,080 153,950 3,257,210 6,017,800 39,814,110 2,422,610 112,142,530 3,500 18,821,480 9,330,770 695,710 157,997,830 1,727,010

1,584,513 255,250 91,890,675 902,930 153,950 -228,000 26,700 26,209,800 11,970,000.00 65,120 -29,564,760 7,260.00

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

9.3 4.45 3 8.87

9.2 4.38 2.85 8.7

119.8

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.8 118.8 21,770

SHARES

32,584,937

INDUSTRIAL

110,519,611

HOLDING FIRMS

121,520,205

PROPERTY

372,211,841

SERVICES

497,910,203

MINING & OIL

386,955,515

GRAND TOTAL

1,523,009,236

9.2 4.4 3 8.76

267,300 144,000 33,000 840,000

VALUE 1,751.49 (up) 7.69 1,343,702,149.63 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,048.03 (up) 0.18 1,626,044,610.64 HOLDING FIRMS 7,401.19 (up) 40.32 1,912,065,821.16 PROPERTY 3,279.60 (up) 29.07 1,378.03 (up) 15.94 1,504,260,818.23 SERVICES MINING & OIL 12,348.35 (down) 39.46 1,681,296,998.70 PSEI 7,248.20 (up) 38.76 483,729,739.888 All Shares Index 4,353.80 (up) 17.03 8,564,291,390.548 Gainers:101; Losers: 101; Unchanged: 35; Total: 237

CEB set to offer two new flights

By Darwin G. Amojelar A WHOLLY-OWNED subsidiary of Cebu Pacific said it is launching two more routes by middle of February.

Cebgo Inc. said it would launch daily flights between Manila and Masbate, and four times weekly between Manila and Tablas using the newly-acquired ATR 72-600 aircraft.

“We remain firm in bringing people together through safe, affordable, reliable, and fun-filled air travel,” Cebgo president and chief executive Alexander Lao said.

“With these additional routes, travelers will now be able to visit these destinations faster while enjoying CEB’s trademark low fares.

Rest assured, we will continue expanding our network to reach more passengers in and out the Philippines,” Lao added.

Cargo services will also be made available in these areas along with passenger services, contributing to growth of the more than 2,000 accounts that the airline currently holds.

Aside from Manila, Cebu Pacific also operates flights out of five other strategically placed hubs in the Philippines—Cebu, Davao, Clark, Kalibo, and Iloilo.

The airline’s extensive network covers over 100 routes and 66 destinations, spanning Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the United States.

Phinma acquires shares of unit firm

By Alena Mae S. Flores PHINMA Energy Corp. subscribed to the preferred shares of Trans-Asia Renewable Corp. to provide funds and build up the capital base of its subsidiary.

Phinma Energy disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday the company acquired the shares on January 5 after its board approved the transaction in December last year.

The company paid P187.5 million to Trans Asia Renewable, which is engaged in renewable energy generation.

The amount represents 25 percent of 25 percent of the increase in the capital stock of the unit.

The acquisition comprised of 750 million shares at P1 apiece representing 15 percent of the total outstanding shares of the company.

The balance of the transaction will be paid out subject to the call of the Phinma Energy board.

Phinma Energy’s consolidated net income more than doubled to P827 million in the first nine months of 2016 from P398 million year-onyear.

Revenue from the sale of electricity during the period increased 14 percent on year to P11.2 billion.

Phinma Energy’s available energy for the year increased with the commercial operation of the second 135 megawatt coalpowered plant of South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp., a 50-50 joint venture of Phinma Energy and AC Energy Holdings Inc. of Ayala Corp., and output from the company’s Power Barges 101 and 102 in February.

Trans-Asia Renewable’s 54 MW wind farm in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, meanwhile, delivered 72.4 gigawatts of wind-powered electricity during the period.

Home / Design

B3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MAKING

LITTLE CHANGES FOR HOME RENOVATION

A LITTLE DRAMA WOULDN’T HURT. The entrance to your home is often the first impression to many guests and makes your property look incredibly smart.

GO CRAZY WITH YOUR WINDOWS. Aluminium windows are sustainable and resistant to rust, corrosion and extreme weather conditions. They’re a great choice for a bit of home renovation.

Y

ou’re probably always looking for little ways to carry out some home renovation. The goal is to keep things looking great, whether you are upgrading the style and aesthetics of your home according to our personal taste, or the popular styles that dominate the home improvement market.

If you don’t fancy carrying out a huge upheaval of changing your whole home and disrupting family life, there are subtle, smaller changes you can make. We have a few ideas here that we think you’ll love if you want to make little changes in home renovation this year.

Upgrade your windows

Aluminium windows are becoming very popular. Modern and sleek, they are designed to last and look good. Windows made from aluminium have strong, slim frames that can provide more room for glass. This means more natural light should be able to enter your home.

Sustainable and resistant to the likes of rust, corrosion and extreme weather conditions, aluminium windows are a great choice for a bit of home renovation.

They also have high thermal efficiency properties and are practically maintenance free, allowing you to have stylish windows with minimal work.

Install bi-folding doors

Providing over a 90% clear opening for the back of your home, bi-folding doors are so much more than your average patio doors. Seamlessly combining the indoors and outdoors, they can help you to enjoy your garden no matter what time of year it is.

Manufactured with precision to provide a high performance product, they are easy to operate and designed to keep you secure.

Ramp up your entrance

SIMPLE, BUT IMPRESSIVE. Bi-folding doors are both functional and stunning. They are energy efficient too so that the room is still a comfortable temperature despite the amount of glass.

You may wish to begin your home renovation with the front door, in which case you might be interested in having a composite door installed.

Composite doors are generally created from a glass reinforced polyester skin, a wooden frame and filled with polyurethane high density foam. While this sounds rather technical, the result of it is a strong, hardwearing front door for your home.

Composite doors can withstand weather conditions and provide protection for your house. With endless options when it comes to colour and decorative design, you’re able to put your own personal touch on your front door.

Offering many different benefits, a composite door comes with multi-point locking as standard as well as its sturdy composition.

FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM WHILE SPINNING, ANYONE? New San Jose Builders Inc. (NSJBI), one of the largest real estate conglomerates in the country, recently signed up with NOW Corp for broadband services. NSJBI tapped NOW’s internet facilities for its Victoria Sports Lounge, touted as the world’s biggest vertical indoor sports facility housed in eight floors consisting of 36,000 square meters, and offering several gyms equipped with world-class equipment and gadgets; a shooting range; swimming pool; a jogging track; badminton, tennis and volleyball courts; wall climbing; fencing; a ballet studio, among others (See photo). “Since technology plays an important part in our life, the speed of internet is a big factor for our clients,” said Christian Villanueva, club manager of Victoria. “Even if they are in the gym, they still want to be online for various reasons such as keeping in touch with their family and friends, getting updates on a work that needs to be done right away, reading, or watching the latest news.”

GOING SOUTH. SM Prime Holdings Inc. recently unveiled its latest offering south of Metro Manila, SM South Tower, an upcoming office

building slated for completion by mid-2017 within the SM Southmall complex. This project aims to provide economical office spaces to BPOs. The southern part of Metro Manila is fast becoming known as the next address of choice for most companies operating in the country, particularly by the growing BPO industry, thanks to its proximity to the central business districts. Developers are gearing towards commercial and residential projects in the south to encourage BPOs to decentralize their operations, and decongest the metro. SM Southmall in Las Piñas City is accessible via all modes of transportation, with routes that easily connect people to key areas in the city, such as Coastal Road, Daang Hari and Alabang-Zapote Road. Las Piñas City itself has been recognized as one of the best managed cities in the country by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)..

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

START THE DAY RIGHT. Decorating your home with photos of loved ones, or other decorations bring back good memories, and creates a more positive mood.

TIPS FOR A HAPPIER ‘AMBIENCE’ AT HOME Y

our home is your sanctuary; often a space for you to relax, sit with your family and be yourself.

We all strive to have our homes exactly the way we like them, from the décor, to the furniture we choose.

But just because your house is immaculate and decorated to your taste, doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement in other ways.

Here are a few tips to get the most out of your home. The objective: create a happy, comfortable atmosphere.

Colour schemes

It is scientifically proven that some colours can evoke a cer-

tain emotion, or create a particular atmosphere. So, if you want to ensure your home feels relaxing, or you want to inject a bit of colour, there are ways of doing it properly.

Nature-based colours can lift your spirits and create a mellow mood in your house. Colours such as pale green, yellow, light blue or even deep brown can have this effect.

Of course, it’s not easy to incorporate such colours into your existing décor, so you might want to either do a bit of DIY decorating, or insert a few well-placed objects around your rooms.

It is often said that shades of blue can create a feeling of reflection and calm, while yellow represents optimism and green strikes up emotions of harmony

MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The lighting in your home can make a huge difference, both positively and negatively.

and balance.

Floral scents

We all love coming home to a fresh-smelling house, but are you choosing the right scent? Floral fragrances can boost your feelings of happiness and improve your mood all round, which is exactly what you might need after a stressful day at work, or a busy weekend. You could even go one step further: make sure you always have a fresh bunch of flowers to welcome you.

Improve the lighting

The lighting in your home can make a huge difference, both positively and negatively. Make sure you have the right kind of lighting.

There are a number of things you could do to your home to enhance all available light, from buying bet-

EXPLORE. Go for that certain emotion, create that particular atmosphere.

ter bulbs for your lamps to making more permanent changes.

Upgrading to aluminium windows means you have a slimmer frame and more room for glass.

Likewise, bi-folding doors can create a sense of air and space by opening up your house to the outdoors.

Sentimental touches

Research shows that if you decorate your home with photos of loved ones or other decorations that bring back good memories, you can create a more positive mood.

By doing this, you are improving something called your ‘emotional satisfaction’. Even little

things such as making your bed when you get up can mean you start your day right. But beware of going overboard with your sentimental decorations. Clutter can actually increase stress levels.

Limit your decorations and pick your favourites to place around your home.

FIBER CEMENT BOARDS FOR BETTER HOMES. James Hardie

and housing developer Axeia Development Corporation, recently conducted a home improvement and livelihood training program in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, to teach Le Moubreza homeowners how to choose the right, value-formoney materials for better home investments. Citing budget as a key consideration in home improvement decisions, homeowners mostly buy “bare” units without ceilings or bedroom partitions, only deciding on house materials when finally moving in. James Hardie imparted its home improvement expertise and taught program attendees how to use durable, cost-efficient finishing products like fiber cement boards instead of plywood. Shown in photo is Renato Zagada, technical install lead for carpenters, giving hands-on tips in cutting, nailing and installing the HardieFlex Boards during the workshop.

DMCI HOMES TEAMS WITH DOT PROPERTY FOR SINGAPORE SHOW. DMCI Homes recently signed with Dot Property Philippines to become the first Filipino developer to join the International Property Show in Singapore. The partnership will allow them to reach the growing number of real estate buyers from abroad. DMCI Homes will showcase its projects at the event where an estimated 1.1 million people will have a chance to learn more about the developer’s work. The International Property Show is scheduled to take place at ION Orchard, one of Singapore’s premier shopping destinations, from 20 to 26 February, 2017. The show will feature developers from Southeast Asia, Australia and the UK. It comes at an interesting time with Singaporean investors now looking at destinations like Manila, which offer higher yields. Dot Property Philippines is one of the leading go-to real estate sources for the Philippines’ web savvy population.

LGUs

Estrada: Manila to miss Lopez

By Sandy Araneta MANILA Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada called the late Gemiliano “Mel” Lopez, who passed away on New Year’s Day, a “freedom fighter and advocate for Filipino families” in his eulogy for his predecessor during necrological rites at the Manila City Hall on Thursday.

“In the midst of joy, there is sorrow, and where there are beginnings, there are also endings.

Last January 1, New Year’s Day, our city lost another of its beloved sons,” Estrada said.

“Manila Mayor Gemiliano ‘Mel’ Lopez—freedom fighter, advocate for Filipino families and emerging sports legends, dedicated public servant, and proud Manileño—was called to his eternal rest on a day when we were all looking to the end of the year and the beginning of a new one,” the mayor added.

Lopez died of a heart attack at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City Sunday night. He was 81.

He first entered politics in 1967 when he became a city councilor. He later represented Manila in the Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986 and became mayor from 1986 to 1992.

In 1993, then-President Fidel Ramos appointed Lopez as chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, serving until 1996. An amateur boxer who also made the varsity in basketball and swimming for Jose Rizal College in his youth, Lopez was also president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.

During his eulogy, Estrada offered sympathies to the Lopez family, including the late mayor’s wife Concepcion, and children led by Manila first district Rep. Manny Lopez.

Estrada said Lopez’s name brought respect to their family especially in politics, public service, and sports. “I will always consider it an honor and a privilege to say that I knew Mel. I knew him as a brave, honest and good Filipino,” he said.

Estrada recalled that Lopez was a victim in the Plaza Miranda Bombing in 1971, when the latter was still a councilor.

“There he had shown that he was ready to fight for his country,” the mayor said.

“I know that he loved his family and his friends. I also know that his love for the city of Manila was enduring, and that he did everything he could to make it great again,” Estrada said.

Turn to C2

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

Ex-mayor hits spending ‘lies’

By Joel E. Zurbano

F

ORMER Makati City mayor Romulo Peña Jr. on Friday hit “individuals spreading lies” in the city’s 33 barangays that “he was a leader who spent the taxpayers’ money unscrupulously” during his stint.

During his 11-month administration in place of dismissed mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Pena said fiscal discipline “was strictly observed by the Bagong Makati leadership.”

Citing a report from the city budget office, the Makati government expended only P684.8 million of the total P4.83-billion budget allocated for the period January to June 2016, Peña said in a statement.

The figure, Peña said, represents “merely 14.17 percent of expenditures of the total appropriations for the first half of the year.” The bulk of the unexpended budget was passed on to the incoming administration of current Mayor Abby Binay, which means that P4.145 billion “or 85.83 percent of the allotment remained in the city’s coffers,” he added.

“During our last six months, we have put in place the much-

needed reforms intended to curb corruption and safeguard the city’s resources against abuse and misuse,” Peña said. “We had sustained the transparent bidding process to ensure that our constituents and all target beneficiaries receive the best quality of services we can afford.”

Peña, who lost his reelection bid to Abby Binay last May, also highlighted “the remarkable increase in the revenue collection of the city from business and realty taxes,” which he said was “a clear indication of the confidence of the business sector during his time.”

Makati had collected nearly P10 billion in revenue as of June 30, 2016, which is equivalent to 78 percent of the city’s P12.9-billion estimated income for 2016, noted Peña, who stepped down

from office on June 30, 2016.

“If the city’s resources are used properly and prudently, we could deliver more and better services to a greater number of beneficiaries,” he added.

There was a “sustained upward trend in the city’s total revenue collections” since his administration took over in July 2015, Peña said. He attributed it to “the initiatives undertaken to improve the efficiency of frontline offices, particularly the offices dealing with the business community.”

Under his leadership, Peña said the local government unit “not only continued the city’s famous social programs, but also enhanced and expanded them further so that more services could be provided for the residents.”

Despite its fiscal discipline, Peña said the Makati government “acquired a ladder fire truck, which is considered the highest in the country for its capability to respond to high rise buildings; 10 modern ambulances to enhance its health care for the elderly; and a deployable command center for disaster mitigation.”

“Our senior citizens celebrating their birthdays during that time enjoyed tastier cakes with more variety of flavors, but at lesser cost to the city government, thanks to a very transparent and fair bidding process,” Peña said.

The city’s elderly also enjoyed personalized medical care through house-to-house visits conducted by doctors from the Makati Health Turn to C2

‘LARO NG LAHI.’ Teenaged survivors of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in Tacloban City play ‘Laro ng Lahi,’ a series of native Filipino games that are being reintroduced to schools across the country. These games promote the physical, mental, and social development of Filipino youth, the Department of Education said—and are especially important for survivors of ‘Yolanda,’ who are still looking for a sense of normalcy more than three years after the strongest typhoon on Earth gutted Tacloban and much of Eastern Visayas. Mel Caspe

CdO ready for own Black Nazarene ‘Traslacion’ CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The police regional office here said they are prepared for the celebrations of the Feast of the Black Nazarene starting Sunday.

“It’s all systems go for the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 8 and 9,” Chief Supt. Agri-

C1

pino Javier said, after attending a security coordinating conference Thursday afternoon.

Javier said the Philippine National Police in Region 10 is coordinating with the city government and other law enforcement agencies in ensuring the annual

feast goes smoothly.

“We will be mobilizing over 800 PNP personnel in key areas, and public assistance centers to provide security to the two-day religious activity,” he said.

Javier said the police have partnered with the Armed

Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard in securing the devotees who will participate in the procession or “Traslacion” around the city’s downtown area.

“All possible countermeasures to eliminate reported threats to

public safety are being undertaken by joint security forces. Our EODK9 teams from the PNP, AFP and Coast Guard will be utilized. Covert security and intelligence operations were already stepped up,” said Supt. Surki Sereñas, PNP-10 spokesperson. Lance Baconguis

Drug pushers die in Laguna buy-bust ops

THREE suspected drug pushers were killed in encounters with police in two different barangays in Cabuyao City and San Pedro City in Laguna on Friday.

James Israel Ryan, a resident of Barangay Malaban in Binan City, fell in an encounter along NIA Road in Barangay Gulod, Cabuyao following a buy-bust operation, but another suspect escaped on a motorcycle and is being hunted, Cabuyao City Chief of Police Supt. Fernando Ortega said.

Recovered from the scene were three plastic sachets of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, a caliber .38 revolver, a pouch with marked money used in the buy-bust, and two cartridges of a caliber .45 pistol, Ortega added.

Meanwhile in San Pedro, another buy-bust operation and encounter saw suspected pusher Gil Bautista, alias “Bong,” and an unidentified female companion slain along Magsaysay Avenue in the city, San Pedro Police chief Supt. Harold Depositar said.

Police recovered a shotgun, a caliber .45 pistol, ammunition for both weapons, a cache of suspected illegal drugs and cash in different denominations, Depositar added.

Bautista was rushed to Amante Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival, while the female suspect died on the spot, police added. Roy Tomandao

NEW YEAR CALL. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (left), together with the city’s councilors, greets city hall officials, employees, and representatives of national government agencies during the traditional New Year call held at the Bulwagang Amoranto at Quezon City Hall.

Couple dies in Makati blaze A FIRE of still unknown origin took the lives of a couple and injured another person in a densely populated barangay in Makati City early Thursday morning, fire authorities said.

Edwin Cordovilla, 52, and wife Maria Anna, 59, residents of Onyx Street in Barangay Dela Paz, suffered severe burns and died. The couple’s eldest son Earl suffered first degree burns on his left arm and was recovering at a hospital.

Senior Insp. Tito Purgatorio, Makati City Fire Department Investigation and Intelligence Unit chief, said the fire broke out while the Cordovilla family slept inside their home at 2:24 a.m.

Initial investigation revealed that Earl Cordovilla noticed smoke coming from the ground floor and woke his family. His two siblings managed to escape after exiting through a terrace and jumping off the roof. Their parents, however, failed to leave the two-story house. Steel grills on their windows also prevented the couple from escaping. Joel E. Zurbano

C2

LGUs

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

Baguio cops dared to face each other

By Dexter A. See

B

AGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan wants ranking officers of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera to face each other and see who’s telling the truth in the traffic incident that led to the pending controversial transfer of a longtime Baguio traffic policeman to Apayao province.

Domogan wants regional police director Chief Supt. Elmo Francis Sarona, deputy regional director for administration Sr. Supt. Gregorio Lim, and Lim’s

security escort to face SPO3 Alberto C. Tadeo—whom Lim has ordered transferred to Apayao—before the City Council resumes its session on Jan. 9.

Tadeo had apprehended a vehicle registered to Lim, and driven

by Lim’s security sector, for violating Baguio’s number-coding traffic scheme last December.

Days later, Tadeo was surprised that he was being reassigned to Apayao, a transfer critics of Lim have described as unceremonious.

The mayor wants these police officers to meet in his presence “to ferret out the truth of the matter” and “spare the Philippine National Police of the bad image created” by the apparent abuse of power of Lim and his driver-escorts by flouting Baguio’s traffic laws.

“We do not want this matter to

get out of control because of the insistence of PRO-COR officials that they are not within [Baguio’s] jurisdiction,” Domogan stressed.

“We do not adhere to such argument because we believe we are all in government and we have to peacefully settle issues that crop up in the exercise of our respective duties and responsibilities.”

The mayor said he wants to put an end to the brewing issue that earned the ire of netizens, who expressed overwhelming support to Tadeo and denounced as a “cowardly act and abuse of power and authority” by Lim, who reportedly instigated Tadeo’s relief and trans-

fer without due process.

Domogan admitted he cannot control the City Council once it decides to pass a resolution declaring Lim as persona non grata in Baguio, citing the independence of the executive department from the legislative branch.

“Thus, the need for all parties to come out with a possible solution, before the worst-case scenario will happen that will jeopardize Lim’s career as a future general,” he added.

Pending the face-to-face meeting, Domogan said it is prudent for Sarona and Lim to defer the transfer order and allow all par-

ties to be present, and for them to tell the truth on what really transpired during the incident “so that Lim will not only rely on the statements of his driver as if it is the gospel truth in the said case.”

Domogan expressed his disappointment over the “evasive attitude” of the ranking regional police officials to his earlier request for a dialogue on the matter. He noted that the penalty imposed on Tadeo for doing his job “was considered unfair and grave” compared to the reprieve granted to Lim’s driver, “who should have been the one penalized for violating the city’s number coding scheme.”

Traffic enforcers rally for co-worker

By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Showing they were unfazed by a co-worker’s death, more than 400 personnel of the Roads and Traffic Administration here staged a protest march on Wednesday, leaving some of the city’s major roads with no enforcers for half a day.

The workers of the city’s traffic management body said they will not be intimidated by their critics after the death of traffic enforcer Cris Cabingas, who was killed while on duty outside the Cogon public market last Dec. 30.

Lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy, chief of the RTA, said the “solidarity walk” was to show people they are not frightened by the death of Cabingas, and vowed to continue doing their jobs.

“We are not cowed. We should not fear because we are the authority whose only mandate is to implement the city’s traffic laws,” Uy said at the protest rally.

Instead, Uy said the RTA will get stricter in implementing traffic rules. He said Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis, the city’s police director, promised to assign policemen to assist the RTA personnel, and to secure them in case there is an attempt on their lives while on duty.

Cabingas, who was the RTA team leader at Cogon, was walking along Guillermo Street to monitor the situation there when an unidentified attacker shot him three times from behind. He died hours later.

ANOTHER WARSHIP. The Murasame-class destroyer JS Inazuma (JS 105) of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force approaches the Alava pier of Subic Bay Freeport zone in Zambales for a routine port call on Wednesday morning. Another Japanese warship, the JS Suzutsuki, an Akizuki-class destroyer, also docked in the premier industrial port facing the West Philippine Sea for a three-day port visit. Butch Gunio

Ilocana OFW grateful for role in MMFF film AN ILOCANA overseas Filipino worker, who starred in the Metro Manila Film Festival’s Best Picture “Sunday Beauty Queen,” thanked Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos for supporting the movie.

Hazel Perdido, a 33-year-old single mom from Paoay, Ilocos Norte, narrated her successes and struggles in the docu-film working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong.

“I thank Governor Imee for the chance to promote our movie,” Perdido shared in a television interview.

Perdido’s will to provide for her family led her to leave her three children, including her one-year-

Perdido

old son, with her mother. Instead of pursuing jobs related to her degree in Computer Science, she chose to work 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday as a domestic helper.

“I had worked here [in the Philippines] but if you compare it, helpers in Hong Kong really get paid more,” Perdido said.

However, her hard life melts away when she and her fellow OFWs celebrate Sunday, their only dayoff. With festivals and pageantry, OFWs are able to rest from their jobs, paving the way toward the plot of “Sunday Beauty Queen.”

“It warms my heart to be part of the cast of ‘SBQ.’ I didn’t expect they’d include it in the MMFF,” she said.

Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, “Sunday Beauty Queen” is a documentary about Filipino women throughout Hong Kong,

who are connected by their participation in beauty pageants and other festivities held during their common dayoff.

The story revolves around the lives of five women who transform into elegant queens after each week’s confinement and drudgery in their employer’s house.

In the film, their real lives are glimpsed, including Perdido’s scene: a mother watching her daughter’s graduation over her smartphone, while reassuring her daughter that not seeing her on her special day is all for her comfort and future—a bittersweet reality for families who have OFW loved ones.

Group lauds order on Laguna fish pens THE fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas or Pamalakaya has lauded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources order to dismantle fish pens in Laguna de Bay starting this year.

The next step, the group said, is the complete rehabilitation and preservation of the 90,000-hectare brackish lake—by opening the Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure in Taguig City.

The NHCS has a channel that prevents the flow of saltwater from Pasig River and Manila Bay to the lake that would desalinate Laguna de Bay and keep it purified for commercial and industrial purposes, Pamalakaya said.

However, the NHCS harms the residents of Laguna and the lake itself because saltwater is

essential to the lake “to keep the ecological balance that gives nutrients to the fish and other lake species,” the group added.

“In effect, the existence of the Napindan channel puts the country’s largest lake in its dying stage,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya chairman, said. “The Napindan promulgates flooding mitigation in the communities around the lake and in Metro Manila, but in reality, it aggravates the flooding in Laguna de Bay communities because it prevents the water from flowing out of the lake.”

“Although it’s a welcome development, abolition of fish pens should be followed with strong restrictions from industries and factories that dump their chemical and industrial wastes into the lake,” Hicap said. Sandy Araneta

Ex-mayor...

Makati was also set up to address the needs of patients and their relatives, he added. It was aimed at making services at the hospital “faster and more efficient.”

“All these were part of the efforts of the city to make sure that the residents of Bagong Makati receive sufficient and prompt services,” Peña said.

Currently, being a private citizen “does not hamper my desire to help the underprivileged in Makati,” said Peña, noting he has two vans continuously roving the city to deliver help for the needy.

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Department, and free delivery of vitamins and medicines to their homes to ease their burden of lining in wait at designated pharmacy outlets, he added.

Peña said through his efforts, “the previous half-month supply of free maintenance medicines was extended to an entire month to ensure continuous medication of senior citizens.”

A help desk at the Ospital ng

IN BRIEF Bacoor says sorry for traffic, river dredging work BACOOR, Cavite—The Bacoor City government apologized to business owners and motorists passing through the Tirona Highway Bridge in Barangay Habay near SM City Bacoor for its ongoing dredging and clearing of the Bacoor River.

In a statement, the city government said the dredging and repairs to the bridge were necessary to prevent heavier traffic along the highway, as rains or stormy weather could flood the river and obstruct traffic further.

The city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office also reminded Bacoor’s business owners to register, obtain a permit and pay taxes for their ventures no later than Friday, Jan. 20, to avoid fines and possible penalties.

Benjamin Chavez

Antipolo BOSS hastens licensing

SWORN IN. Two new board members of the San Jose City Water District—Engineer Sonia Nacua and

Engineer Jafer Marcon Martinez—take their oath of office Wednesday before City Mayor Kokoy Salvador at the latter’s office in Bulacan. The mayor greeted the duo as they prepared to enter public service.

Estrada:...

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“We both inherited a bankrupt city with monstrous debts.

And we both succeeded in erasing these debts during our terms,” the mayor added, noting the similarities of their respective tenures.

“A true gentleman, Mayor Mel Lopez extended the hand of friendship to all. I know of this, because it was my cousin— former Manila mayor Gregorio

Ejercito—who took over the reins of the city when Mayor Lopez decided to make a formal run as mayor in 1988,” he said.

Lopez reclaimed his post after the elections, Estrada said he did so “with the grace and humility of a true gentleman, qualities which earned him the respect and admiration of the Ejercito family.”

“What Lopez did for Manila more than two decades ago will always be a source of great pride for all Manileños, Estrada said.

It was for this reason that he

was among the persons honored as an outstanding Manileño for the year 2016, during the city’s 445th anniversary celebrations.

Even when he was no longer mayor, “Lopez continued to serve the public interest in other ways,” said Estrada.

“Mel leaves behind a legacy of public service that few can ever hope to duplicate. And his name lives on in the public service careers of his son, Congressman Manny Lopez, and his nephew, Rep. Carlo Lopez of Manila’s second district,” he said.

ANTIPOLO, Rizal—The city government of Antipolo promised speedier processing of business permits through its Business One-Stop Shop, which runs until the end of January, Mayor Jun Ynares said Tuesday.

City Hall has prepared its parking grounds for the BOSS center, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Ynares said it now only takes three steps for residents to register their businesses, pay their taxes and get their permits, all on the same day.

Residents can also expect free coffee and snacks while watching free television at the BOSS center and waiting for their permits to be processed, Ynares added. Antipolo collected P232 million in business taxes from over 9,000 business owners last year, and hopes to exceed those marks in 2017, the mayor said.

World

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

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Hate crime charges over Chicago assault C

HICAGO―Prosecutors in Chicago on Thursday charged four black suspects with kidnapping and hate crimes over the assault of a mentally disabled white man shown live on Facebook, as the attackers hurled obscenities about whites and Donald Trump.

A video of the attack shows the victim, reportedly 18 years old, cowering in the corner of a room as four black assailants taunt and beat him, at times yelling “Fuck Donald Trump” and “Fuck white people.”

President Barack Obama called the hours-long assault in his adopted hometown “despicable.”

The two male and two female suspects -- Jordan Hill, Tesfaye Cooper and Brittany Covington, all 18 years old; and Tanishia Covington, who is 25 -- were due to appear in court on Friday.

The video, which quickly went viral, highlighted the rise of live video on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and how it can sometimes be used to capture violent images that are then trans-

mitted to all with no filter.

Hate crimes charges were filed because of the victim’s “diminished mental capacity, the fact that they tied him up, the obvious racial quotes that they posted live on Facebook,” Chicago police commander Kevin Duffin told a news conference.

Authorities did not know whether the victim -- who knew one of his assailants from school -- had voted in the November election or whether his political leanings had influenced the attack.

Instead, they detailed a series of events that began with what was supposed to be a visit between two school acquaintances over New Year’s weekend, but which ended in a four- to five-hour-long assault on Tuesday, part of which was broadcast on

Facebook.

“There was certainly no premeditation,” Duffin said.

The disturbing 30-minute video quickly spread online before it was taken down by Facebook, prompting an outcry across the nation.

“What we have seen as surfacing, I think, are a lot of problems that have been there a long time,” Obama told Chicago’s CBS affiliate.

“Whether it’s tensions between police and communities, hate crimes of the despicable sort that has just now recently surfaced on Facebook.”

The US president also expressed optimism that subsequent generations can improve race relations. AFP

Police clash with Mexico gas protesters MEXICO CITY―Gunfire erupted on Thursday as protesters clashed with police in Mexico during another day of looting and demonstrations against a gasoline price increase that has infuriated the population.

Five officers and eight civilians were hurt and taken to hospitals after the violence in the central town of Ixmiquilpan, but authorities did not specify whether the injuries were the result of gunshot wounds, or say who had fired.

The clash came on the fifth day of nationwide demonstrations and highway blockades that began when the government hiked gasoline prices by 20.1 percent on January 1.

More than 600 people have been arrested while business leaders estimate that some 1,000 shops and companies have been looted or vandalized this week as others closed over fears of being robbed.

The protests claimed the life of a police officer in Mexico City who died on Wednesday when he was struck by a car while preventing a theft at a service station.

In Ixmiquilpan, the Hidalgo state authorities said federal police tried to negotiate the peaceful removal of a roadblock on Thursday but protesters threw fire-

crackers and rocks at the officers.

“To deter the disturbances, the officers used tear gas, but the protesters did not withdraw and continued their aggressions, [and] gunfire was heard at the scene,” the state public security department said in a statement.

President Enrique Pena Nieto used a nationally televised New Year’s address late Thursday to defend the increase again.

“It is a difficult change but as president it is precisely my responsibility to take difficult decisions in the present to avoid major problems in the future,” said Pena Nieto, whose approval rating has fallen below 25 percent in recent months.

He said the government could not maintain “artificial” prices as the international price of oil rose last year.

Keeping the same prices would have cost the government $9.3 billion, forcing the suspension of health care and welfare programs, he said.

“I ask you, what would you have done?”

Pena Nieto enacted a sweeping energy reform in 2014 that ended the monopoly held by state firm Pemex, inviting private firms to drill for oil as well as own service stations for the first time in decades. AFP

IN BRIEF Four members of monitoring mission sacked BOGOTA―The United Nations said Thursday it has sacked four members of its monitoring mission for the Colombian peace process for dancing with FARC rebels at a New Year’s Eve party.

The UN is overseeing the FARC’s disarmament as part of a peace deal the leftist guerrillas signed with the government to end a more than five-decade conflict.

But controversy erupted when Colombian media broadcast videos of UN monitors, dressed in their pale blue uniform vests, swaying to the tropical beats with FARC fighters in their arms at a camp in northern Colombia where the rebels are gathering before laying down their weapons.

The UN said that after investigating the incident, it had decided to “separate” three monitors and their supervisor from its mission.

It said their behavior was “inappropriate” and “does not reflect the mission’s values of professionalism and impartiality.”

“They will no longer work for the UN mission in Colombia and will return to their countries of origin,” a spokeswoman told AFP. The monitors’ names and nationalities were not given. AFP

Derailed train in New York going too fast NEW YORK―A New York commuter train that derailed this week at a Brooklyn station, leaving more than 100 people injured, was going twice the speed limit at the time of the crash, federal investigators said Thursday.

The Long Island Rail Road train was going more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) per hour when the accident occurred Wednesday at Atlantic Terminal, said a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, Ted Turpin.

The track speed limit is five mph, he told a press conference.

The spokesman said the investigation was ongoing, and did not indicate why the engineer might have been speeding when the train slammed into a bumper at the end of the tracks at around 8:30 am (1330 GMT).

The driver remembers entering the station but was “unable to recall striking the end of the track,” said Turpin.

The 50-year-old train engineer was finishing his overnight shift when the accident occurred. He told investigators he was not using his cell phone at the time.

He submitted to drug and alcohol testing, but results were not yet available.

Train accidents are not rare in the United States, where the rail system suffers from chronic underfunding.

Investigators often take time to discern the precise causes. AFP

MASS RALLY. This picture taken on January 5, 2017, and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on January 6, 2017, shows a mass rally taking place at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. Thousands of North Koreans rallied in Pyongyang, chanting communist slogans and vowing support for leader Kim Jong-Un who, in his New Year’s message, announced plans to test-fire a ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland. AFP

N. Korea holds mass rally to push Kim’s message PYONGYANG―Thousands of North Koreans have rallied in Pyongyang, chanting communist slogans and vowing support for leader Kim Jong-Un, who in his New Year’s message announced plans to test-fire a ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland.

Clad in thick winter coats and pumping their fists in the air, those assembled in Kim Il-Sung square chanted “long live comrade Kim Jong-Un” and held banners proclaiming “let us accelerate the victorious advance of socialism!”

Kim marked the New Year with a 30-minute televised speech that largely focused on the country’s rise as a nuclear power, announcing that it was in the “final stages” of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile of the kind that could threaten US soil.

“The people should regard Kim JongUn’s New Year address as a motto of life and struggle,” state media KCNA quoted a party official at the rally as saying.

Kim’s New Year address drew swift response from US president-elect Donald

Trump, who took to Twitter vowing to halt Pyongyang in its tracks.

In 2016, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and numerous missile launches in its quest to develop a nuclear weapons system capable of hitting the US mainland, prompting Washington to reinforce its antimissile defenses in the region.

But analysts are divided over how close Pyongyang is to realizing its full nuclear ambitions, especially since it has never successfully test-fired an intercontinental

ballistic missile.

Kim also admitted to his “shortcomings” as a leader in his New Year’s speech and pledged “devoted efforts” to make North Korea prosperous again.

Thae Yong-Ho, North Korea’s former deputy ambassador to Britain who defected to the South in August, has referred to growing public discontent about the leadership, saying ordinary North Koreans have had to learn ways to survive on their own rather than relying on the party. AFP

Mastermind of Bangladesh cafe siege killed

WILDFIRE. A fireman fights a wildfire near La Adela in La Pampa Province on January 5, 2017. Firefighters in Argentina said they were bringing under control three wildfires that have devastated nearly a million hectares of the country’s famous plains. AP

DHAKA―An Islamist extremist accused of being one of the masterminds of last year’s deadly siege at a Bangladeshi cafe was shot dead during a pre-dawn raid Friday in Dhaka, police said.

The bodies of Nurul Islam Marzan and another suspected extremist were found after officers raided a property in the capital’s Rayer Bazar neighborhood, a spokesman for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police told AFP. “Marzan and his associate Saddam died in an encounter with police,” Inspector General of Police A.K.M Shahidul Haque said.

“He (Marzan) was the operational commander of July cafe attack. He was one of the masterminds of it.”

Additional deputy commissioner Yusuf Ali told AFP police had found the body of a “suspected extremist” alongside Marzan, who was aged around 30.

He was “one of the masterminds” of the siege at the upmarket Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1 last year in which 18 foreign hostages were shot or hacked to death, Ali added. AFP

Floods spark chaos in Thailand

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

World EPIPHANY. Men dance in the icy winter waters of the Tundzha river in the town of Kalofer in Bulgariaas part of the Epiphany Day celebrations on January 6, 2017. As a tradition, an Eastern Orthodox priest throws a cross in the river and it is believed that the one who retrieves it will be healthy through the year as well as all those who dance in the icy waters. AFP

BANGKOK―Thai authorities on Friday warned of flash floods across the south as torrential rains lashed the region, leaving at least six people dead, delaying flights and disrupting holidays during peak tourist season.

Nine provinces along Thailand’s southern tail have been hit by unseasonal rains for nearly a week, with the resort islands of Samui and Phangan deluged, leaving thousands of tourists stranded or delayed.

Six people have been killed and at least 120,000 households have been affected by the flooding across the south, the Interior Ministry said in a statement, where waters have turned roads into rivers and upended rail tracks.

In a statement on Friday the Thai Meteorological Department warned residents and visitors to the south of possible “heavy rain and flash floods” with downpours expected to continue for two more days.

Photos circulating on social media showed cars and motorcyclists plying through muddy, waist-high waters.

A smattering of foreign tourists on Samui took advantage of the flooded streets, drawing bemused looks from locals as they bobbed along in inflatable tubes sipping beers.

Tuula Fitzpatrick, the owner of Moby Dick guest house near Samui’s main party strip, said the flooding was the worst to hit the island in over a decade. AFP

US spy chiefs to confront Trump

W

briefings and is able to examine the intelligence, as his team is put together and they see how professional and effective these agencies are, that some of those current tensions will be reduced,” President Barack Obama told Chicago’s NBC affiliate on Thursday.

After Trump first raised doubts early last month, Obama ordered the intelligence community to produce any suggestion that Moscow tipped a comprehensive report on cyber attacks and Russian interference in the the election in his favor.

“My hope is that when the election.

Obama was briefed on the report president-elect receives his own

ASHINGTON―US spy chiefs were set to confront an openly dismissive President-elect Donald Trump Friday with their evidence that Russia mounted an unprecedented bid to disrupt the US elections by hacking his Democratic rivals.

The meeting comes amid high tension between the leaders of the US intelligence community and their future boss, who has bridled at

Thursday, and the intelligence chiefs were scheduled to detail it to Trump on Friday.

James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, National Security Agency chief Mike Rogers, Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan were expected to take part in the briefing.

Clapper told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday he had “very high” confidence in their findings.

“The Russians have a long history of interfering in elections, theirs and other people’s,” he said. “But we have never encountered such a direct campaign to interfere with the election process as we have seen in this case.”

“This was a multifaceted campaign. So the hacking was only one part of it, and it also entailed classical propaganda, disinformation, fake news.”

Clapper, Rogers and Marcel Lettre, undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said in a joint statement

that “only Russia’s senior-most officials” could have authorized the operation, in which hackers stole Democratic Party files and emails.

Those files were then disseminated via WikiLeaks, embarrassing the party and harming losing candidate Hillary Clinton’s White House effort.

“Russia has clearly assumed an even more aggressive cyber posture by increasing cyber espionage operations, leaking data stolen from these operations and targeting critical infrastructure systems,” Clapper said. AFP

Envoy recalled over a statue TOKYO―Japan recalled its ambassador to South Korea Friday to protest the placing of a statue symbolizing the victims of Japanese wartime sex slavery outside its consulate in the city of Busan last month.

In a move likely to reignite a feud over the so-called “comfort women”, Japan’s chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga also announced that Japan is ordering home its consul-general in Busan and suspending discussions over a Japan-South Korea currency swap.

“Japan and South Korea are neighbors,” Suga said. “It’s a very important country. It’s extremely regrettable we had to take this action.”

“The Japanese government will continue to strongly urge the South Korean government as well as municipalities concerned to quickly remove the statue of the girl,” he added.

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China, were forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II. The plight of the women is a hugely emotional issue that has marred relations between the two Asian neighbors for decades and which, for many South Koreans, symbolizes the abuses of Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

The statue is a copy of one that sits across the road from the Japanese embassy in Seoul and that for more than five years has been a rallying point for supporters of the few surviving South Korean former sex slaves. AFP

FESTIVAL. People visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights, marking the opening of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to celebrate the new year in Harbin. AFP

UN ambassador to investigate Rohingya violence YANGON―The United Nations on Friday said its human rights envoy for Myanmar will probe escalating violence in the country, including a military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, when she visits next week.

UN special rapporteur Yanghee Lee’s 12day trip, starting on Monday, will also take her to Kachin state, where thousands have been displaced by fighting between ethnic rebels and the army.

Intensifying clashes between Myanmar’s military and ethnic minorities has undercut Aung San Suu Kyi’s vow to bring peace to the country following her party’s elevation to government last March.

The Nobel prize winner has also faced strong international criticism for failing to rein-in a months-long military crackdown on Rohingya villagers in northern Rakhine State.

Areas of Rakhine have been in lockdown since October, sending tens of thousands of the Rohingya minority fleeing to Bangladesh.

Lee has slammed the lockdown as “unacceptable” and called for an investigation into claims troops have raped, murdered and tortured civilians from the Muslim minority.

The army vehemently denies the allegations.

“The last few months have shown that the

international community must remain vigilant in monitoring the human rights situation there,” Lee said in a statement on Friday.

“Apart from what is happening in Rakhine, the escalation in fighting in Kachin and Shan (state)... is causing some disquiet regarding the direction that the new government is taking in its first year.”

Lee’s criticism of the treatment of the Rohingya, who are loathed by many within Buddhist majority Myanmar, has seen her face threats and demonstrations on previous visits.

Hardline Buddhist monk Wirathu caused outrage when he called her a “whore in our country” for criticizing controversial legisla-

tion considered discriminatory to women and minorities.

Myanmar’s government says its troops in Rakhine are carrying out legitimate clearance operations to hunt down “terrorists” who attacked police border posts in October.

On Wednesday an official commission probing the violence dismissed claims security forces are trying to force the Rohingya out of the country and said there was no evidence troops had carried out rape.

But days earlier the government detained eight members of the police after a video emerged showing officers beating and kicking unarmed Rohingya villagers. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

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The world-famous Chocolate Hills of Carmen, Bohol is one of the natural wonders in Visayas

Visayan Odyssey I

’VE written so many articles about the various tourist attractions in our country and the rest of the world, but in this one, my first column for the year, I want to pay special attention MERCURY RISING to domestic destinations, which

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO happen to be closest to my heart.

Proud to be Cebuano, let me start my list with my home city. Every tourist to the “Queen City of the South” never fails to visit Magellan’s Cross and the adjoining Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, which is ran by the Augustinian Fathers. The original cross, planted by the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, is encased in the present-day Tindalo cross. This spot is Ground Zero for Christianity in the Philippines.

The next-door Basilica is just as interesting, as it houses the original statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus), a gift given by Magellan to Rajah Humabon and his wife, when he landed on the island. Devotees flock in droves, any day of the year, to pay homage to the miraculous statue, which is also the patron saint of the city, venerated during the highly popular Sinulog Festival. Of course, aside from these historical sites, Cebu also has beautiful white sand beaches, playful and friendly whale

sharks, great food, and caring, smiling people that complete the ingredients for a memorable visit.

Another Visayan destination close to my heart is Ormoc, my mother’s home city. As a child, I would go on almostmonthly visits with the family, enjoying the peaceful unpolluted ambience and fresh produce of our farm. These days, visitors go on day trips to nearby guitarshaped Lake Danao, for its peaceful and cool environs; Alto Peak, the highest in Eastern Visayas; and the Philippine Japan Peace Memorial Park, which overlooks Ormoc Bay. These are just a few of the many attractions that lure the continuously increasing volume of visitors to Ormoc, which prompted a number of accommodations and resorts to open in this bustling city. My favorite is Sabin Resort Hotel, a world-class resort by the bay, five minutes away from the city center. It boasts of an expansive, well-manicured garden, facing Or-

moc Bay squarely, thus making good use of the refreshing breeze blowing from all directions.

Tagbilaran, capital city of Bohol, is only an hour and 40 minutes away by ferry from Cebu, so when I was still Cebu-based, on my first job with an international airline, I would make frequent day trips which, unfortunately, never gave me the chance to see what the province had to offer, as those were business trips. It was only recently that I had the opportunity to marvel at its tourist gems.

I stayed at a world-class resort in the famous Panglao Beach and took a tour to the Blood Compact Shrine in the city, on to Baclayon Church, one of the oldest stone churches in the country, ending in the town of Carmen, to be awed by the world-famous Chocolate Hills. On my way back, I passed through the ManMade Forest in Bilar, to see the cute Tarsiers, known to be the smallest primate in existence, and the mammal with the biggest eyes. I capped the day with a magical experience, a Dinner River Cruise to watch the glittering fireflies blanketing the Pagatpat trees on the riverbanks.

Known to be the bastion of the old rich families in the country, Iloilo City is popularly known for the delicious treats of Panaderia de Molo, owned by the family of a close friend, and the superenergizing La Paz Batchoy. So, when I visited the city, I made sure I experience everything it has been known for, mainly, gorging on these delicious treats.

This Tindalo cross serves as a sheath for the original wooden cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan on the same spot in Cebu in 1521

Aside from the Baroque Miag-ao Church, which is an hour-and-a-half away from the city, the other iconic structure popular with tourists to Iloilo is the Lopez Heritage House, more popularly known as Nelly’s Gardens. The 4-hectare sprawling property is the best representation of the province’s aristocratic past, and was built by an Ilonggo statesman, Don Vicente Lopez and his wife Doña Elena Hofilena. Named after their eldest daughter, the beaux-arts mansion’s ornate interiors and luxurious furniture, including a priceless crystal chandelier hanging over the hexagonal dining table, represent the extravagant lifestyle of the Iloilo’s richest families during the American period.

And, of course, my list wouldn’t be complete if I don’t include the multiawarded, internationally acclaimed island of Boracay. However, nothing I will say here will add to what you already know of this very popular beach destination in our country. So, I will leave you to reminisce on your own beautiful memories of this island. As for me, I’m happy and content with the realization that the Visayan Region is not only steep in historical sites but also teeming with attractions for fun-loving visitors, so in Cebuano I say: Dali na, du-aw na mo!

(Hurry, all of you, go visit!)

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn’t much, but the reception was excellent.

Boracay’s powdery white sand beach is what attracts hordes of tourists to the island

Singapore Airlines spreads holiday joy to Bantay Bata SINGAPORE Airlines recently celebrated the spirit of giving with their young scholars from Bantay Bata. With the theme “Isang Pamilya Tayo,” one of the world’s leading airlines in partnership with ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya, showed their continuous support to the foundation by celebrating the holidays together, exchanging talents and distributing gifts to the many scholars that the airline has continued to support since 2003.

“Christmas is all about sharing blessings we received this year with everyone. It’s also the time for getting together with those we consider as family,” said Carol Ong, general manager, Singapore Airlines. “With each achievement a child who is part of Bantay Bata has in life and in school, it is also ours because we are from one big family. Together, we can make a difference in other people’s lives by continuing to spread cheer and goodwill even when it’s not the holiday season.”

Bantay Bata has become one of the most widely supported causes in the Philippines and has been sponsored by Singapore Airlines. For the school year 2016-2017, the airlines assists 128 scholars, from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with their educational needs including, school supplies, transportation and allowances.

Singapore Airlines celebrated Christmas with their scholars from Bantay Bata foundation

Life

D2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

By Nickie Wang

T

HINK of a place that can be a source of adventure for people of all age groups.

Think of adrenaline rush, exciting rides, food or just the joy of having the fun company of your friends and family members. Now stop thinking and turn these images into reality and head to an adventure park called SandBox. SandBox is the centerpiece of Alviera, a 1,125-hectare integrated mixeduse development in Porac, Pampanga that offers outdoor adventure and fun rides. At the same time, it also serves as a hub for foodies and music aficionados.

Last month, the outdoor adventure park featured live bands turning the park into a concert venue where local acts like Ki Ro, Chocolate Factory, Che Che Bureche, Silent Sanctuary, Moonstar 88, and Hale showcased their music. Their performances extended opening hours to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

During the holiday season, SandBox unveiled its additional fun activities and rides that cater to young thrill seekers.

Called Li’l People, the latest attraction for children at SandBox welcomes children up to 12 years old. The airconditioned indoor playground is filled with colorful play areas where children can interact with each other. Educational toys abound to help them learn while playing.

“SandBox in Alviera is popular with families, especially those with small children. Our newest facility will service the needs of families with little kids. This way, all family members, not just the adults, can have a great time in SandBox,” shared Jomi De Guzman, Alviera Project Development manager.

New dining choices have also been added due to an increased foot traffic in the outdoor theme park: El Pedro Cubano, an authentic Cuban restaurant that offers Cuban sandwiches, tamales and empanadas; Morgan’s Comfort Food, which offers authentic Kapampangan dishes; and Monster Milkshake, which offers milkshakes, ice cream and bubble waffles, along with savory snacks like hotdogs and waffles.

Since its opening in 2014, SandBox Adventure Park has attracted visitors not only from Pampanga, but also those coming from Manila and nearby provinces. Its popular attractions include the Aerial Walk that takes visitors through an obstacle course above ground. The Giant Swing keeps riders thrilled 10 meters up, and many are lined up for the Adventure Tower’s offerings: rappelling, wall climbing and free fall.

Other thrill seekers can enjoy Avatar

Sandy

holidays at SandBox at Alviera in Porac, Pampanga is a unique getaway for families that redefines outdoor adventure as it features a full stretch of exciting attractions

This sandy playground is open to all children even during nighttime

Adventure Tower is a 5-story structure that consists of various activities such as rappelling, wall climbing, jump off for the free fall, jump off for the roller coaster zip line and the view deck

In the Philippines’ first roller coaster zipline, one doesn’t just zip down the 180-meter (length) course but zigzags along starting from 12 meters high

SandBox is designed for outdoorsy people who are ready for adventure and physical activities like wall climbing

One, Asia’s first roller coaster zipline at 180 meters long. The open fields of Sandbox are ready for outdoor activities like camping, kite flying, field games and other sports.

The SandBox also offers ATV and mini-ATV rides, a themed kiddie playground with picnic areas, mini-golf, a courtyard and an open field for field

sports and other outdoor activities.

Oculus Archery Range provides fun with a bow and arrow to Sandbox goers.

Newbie and skilled archers are welcome to experience Outdoor Archery. AQTIV Archery, where archers run through a maze and face moving targets and obstacles, is the first archery challenge maze in the country.

And while the mix-used development continues to take shape, SandBox will include Urban Karting in its lineup of attractions next year.

Alviera is an Ayala Land sustainable estate in partnership with Leonio Land, located in Porac, Pampanga and accessible via NLEX-SCTEX. Envisioned to become a regional growth center of

Central Luzon, it features a diverse mix of quality residential, industrial and commercial developments.

Booking guidelines and details are available on www.alviera.ph/ and www. facebook.com/AlvieraPH. For more info, email info.alviera@gmail.com or contact 0917-803-3099 / (045) 432-0014.

All systems go for the 65th Miss Universe TOURISM Secretary Wanda Teo announced that it is “all systems go for the 65th Miss Universe.”

This, after multi-agency representatives sat down with pageant organizers and private partners to finalize the two-week itinerary leading to the Jan. 30 coronation night at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

The Tourism Chief also disclosed the destinations which the Miss Universe candidates are scheduled to visit starting with Boracay (Jan. 14), Vigan (Jan. 15), Manila (Jan. 16), Cebu (Jan. 17), Baguio (Jan. 18), Davao and Batangas (Jan. 19).

Teo added that Vigan will host a terno fashion show while Davao will feature a Mindanao tapestry show as previously announced. All the candidates will fly to the oldest City of Cebu for the swimwear presentation.

They will have a photo shoot in their beach wear while in Batangas and will do some strawberry-picking in the summer capital of the Philippines.

Teo confirmed that the Albay and Iloilo events have been cancelled. Albay was badly hit by typhoon Nina while the Iloilo photo shoot had to be taken out due to conflict of schedules.

A Malacañang visit and a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte are likewise scheduled on Jan. 23.

According to Teo, Miss US Virgin Islands will lead the Miss Universe arrivals to the country today, while the big bulk of arrivals will be from Jan. 12 to 13.

When asked what the Miss Universe candidates can expect from the Philippine hosting of this well-loved international pageant, Teo proudly replied, “The uniquely Filipino hospitality.”

DOT Undersecretary Katherine de

Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo (center) led the discussions among organizers and other government agencies during the inter-agency meeting on the 65th Miss Universe. With her are (from left) Assistant Secretary Malou Japson, Media Director Czarina Zara Loyola, Undersecretary Katherine de Castro and Office of the Secretary’s Chief of Staff Atty. Arlene Mancao.

Castro, on the other hand, revealed that host Steve Harvey will arrive on Jan. 22. Ashley Graham will be the backstage anchor for the pageant.

Filipino pageant aficionados will have better chances to catch the Miss Universe candidates at the National Costume Show, De Castro shared, disclosing that ticket prices here will be from as low as P500.00. The venue, however, is yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, Teo assured that concerns about security, vehicular traffic, airport and immigration procedures,

transport and accommodations have been addressed by the Miss Universe hosting secretariat in continuous preparations to welcome 87 delegates of the prestigious pageant from across the globe.

“Everything is in place, we just had a successful meeting,” said Teo in a press briefing after the inter-agency meeting held at the DOT main office.

Major government agencies led by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and Depart-

ment of Health (DOH) attended the inter-agency meeting to ensure the successful holding of the event.

Memorandum Circular No. 13, signed by President Duterte, mandates all departments, agencies, bureaus and all government offices to support the DoT in hosting the 65th edition of the Miss Universe.

DILG Undersecretary Emily Padilla said that Philippine National Police (PNP), the local government units concerned, and other law enforcement agencies will ensure security and pub-

lic safety during the international event.

Police Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Licup said that special task forces have been organized in every host province. The PNP official also assured that “no threat” has been detected anywhere in the country three weeks before the Miss Universe pageant.

“In support of the DoT, we have activated our taskforce; we conducted a lot of meetings already, coordinated with other law enforcement agencies including the Interpol,” stressed Licup.

Meanwhile, DOTr Assistant Secretary Cherry Mercado reiterated that during the event, no roads will be closed and that efforts will be done to avoid causing discomfort to the riding public.

“We are doing the proper coordination with the DoT, MIAA and CAAP to ensure the comfort of both the contestants and the riding public, we are confident that everything will be in order. There will be no road closures or traffic rerouting in Metro Manila and in the host provinces,” she said.

Other agencies present in the interagency meeting include the Bureau of Immigration (BOI), the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

DOT is the lead agency in the Philippine hosting of the world’s most prestigious international pageant as approved by President Duterte in August last year upon the proposal of the Miss Universe Organization (MOU) and private sponsor Luis Chavit Singson Group of Companies (LCS).

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

SM HOSTS

2016 Korean Film Festival IN 6 CITIES

K

OREAN Embassy officials, members of the diplomatic corps, city officials, and film enthusiasts recently gathered together to celebrate Korea’s vibrant cinema and culture when the 2016 Korean Film Festival unreeled at SM Cinemas in six cities around the Philippines.

The six-week film festival was first launched in SM City Clark in Pampanga, followed by SM Lanang Premier in Davao, SM City Iloilo, SM City Cebu, SM City Dasmariñas, and lastly, in SM Megamall, giving mallgoers, including members of the local Korean communities in the different areas, the rare opportunity to have a glimpse of Korean films.

A joint project of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in the

Philippines and SM, the festival inspired a deeper understanding of Korea’s cultural diversity with this year’s theme, “Strong Hearts”, in which five critically acclaimed films showed characters with strong personalities and those who pursue their goals and desires with courage and determination.

The thriving film industry of Korea represents their country’s open-mindedness, nationalism, and creativity in storytelling, acting, and technological prowess. Filipinos

The Korean community in Davao came in full force to attend the opening night of the Korean Film Festival in SM Cinema Lanang Premier

were delighted by the Korean Festival –Ode To My Father, The Murder, and The Suspect were all The 2016 Korean Film Festival culture shown in the films. The Beauty Inside, How to Use Guys well received by the viewers in these is one of the many interesting five films in the 2016 Korean Film with Secret Tips, Confession of key cities around the Philippines. cultural events of SM Cinema.

Touching finale in Someone To Watch Over Me GMA’s top-rating primetime series Someone To Watch Over Me ended last night.

Kapuso viewers followed the inspirational drama about a wife’s unwavering love for her husband who is suffering from Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Tom Rodriguez reveals playing the role of TJ is the most memorable and challenging for him. “Actually every role naman that’s been given to me, I felt challenged one way or another. But honestly, eto talaga ang masasabi ko na pinaka challenging, physically, emotionally, lahat talaga. And I’ve learned so much on this project. Talagang bumilib ako lalo sa character ni Joanna (Lovi Poe). I said, ‘Wow, does a person like this actually exist in real life? What a woman.’

Grabe, yung pinagdadaanan ng character niya because napakaselfless.”

He also shares that he has a lot of unforgettable scenes while doing the soap which opened his eyes to this type of illness.

“Ang daming mga eksena na I will definitely treasure pero if I can just say one siguro yung isang scene na nung binabasa ko palang siya sa script, sabi ko, ‘Wow, it was written so perfectly.’ Ang sakit sa puso.

not working well anymore.”

Lovi Poe, on the other hand, reveals it’s an honor for her to play the role of Joanna. She will miss working with her co-stars most especially Tom because he is very giving as an actor.

“I’m very thankful na binigay sa akin itong role ni Joanna.

Mahirap siya emotionally but then, iba yung fulfillment na nabibigay sa akin. I think this is the role that I was really attached talaga especially the fact na I worked with Tom who has been really good and talagang someone who actually helps me and who is really like a partner talaga. Teamwork talaga siya, eh.”

Lovi adds she will definitely treasure this show because “this is the most painful role that I have ever portrayed. Parang kahit 10 years in the business, I have been doing drama pero it was never this painful.

I’ve played characters na nainlove na noon. I’ve played characters noon na nagmahal, pero suddenly, when I played Joanna’s role, the past stories that I’ve played, suddenly, it didn’t feel like love anymore.

Parang suddenly parang this THANKFUL. 'Someone To Watch Over Me' lead stars Lovi Poe is real love. Grabe talaga ang and Tom Rodriguez reminisce good times filming the series as the sakit. Pag nag-uusap kami ni romantic soap ends in a dramatic fashion Direk Maryo (Delos Reyes), Nag-progress na ‘yung sakit ni like bedridden and he doesn’t naiiyak ako, sabi niya, “Ikaw, TJ. Yung severe stage, and he’s remember anyone. He’s body is lagi ka nalang naiiyak.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, January 7, 2017

ACROSS 1 Distant 6 — Moore of 007 11 Jungfrau 14 Kiwi language 15 “— vincit amor” 16 Sportscaster — Allen 17 Bull penners 18 Unfledged 19 Livy’s eggs 20 It’s related to fractals 22 Nefertiti’s attire 24 Tall reed 28 Doohickey 29 Oval-nest builder 30 “Dave” actor 32 Costa — 33 Takes a chance 35 Jarrett and Beatty 39 Invites 40 Moving option 41 Neaten a beard 42 In case 43 Turns or punches 45 “Son of the Sun” 46 Vote in 48 Less certain 50 Insect’s middle 53 Most dingy 54 Baddest of the bad

55 Wing 57 Ms. Longoria 58 Knee-to-ankle bone 60 Not relevant 65 Fish without scales 66 Straight up 67 Chute material 68 Rx givers 69 Mall attractions 70 Catch on (2 wds.)

DOWN 1 Fuse word 2 — -tzu of the “Tao” 3 Caveman from Moo 4 Pay dirt 5 Kind of year 6 Fit for a king 7 Melville novel 8 Veld grazers 9 Drei less zwei 10 Roomy sleeve 11 In the midst of 12 Embankment 13 Chlorophyll maker 21 Sped off 23 Peg 24 Kind of snake 25 Obey the alarm 26 Clock sounds 27 Glass clinkers

28 KP workers 30 Strong brown paper 31 Mardi Gras follower 34 With, to Yves 36 Tennessee — Ford 37 Chops fine 38 Nobody’s fool 43 Law, to Caesar 44 Filly’s father 47 Espressos with milk 49 Sending via

phone 50 Jacket choice 51 Float in the air 52 Ph.D. exams 53 No-see-ums 55 Explorer — Tasman 56 Genial 59 Rollover subj.

61 PBS “Science Guy” 62 Mi. above sea level 63 Luau fare 64 NBA channel

Action heroes of the shows that headline Warner TV's DC Crossover event

Warner TV’s epic back-to-back DC Crossover Event WARNER TV’s whole line-up of favorite DC shows like Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow was featured in a fourseries DC Crossover event.

Supergirl kicked off the epic back-to-back crossover as The Flash’s, Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and Arrow’s Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) pop out of nowhere in the superhero world of Kara ZorEl’s (Melissa Benoist).

The group find themselves in an even more intense super-powered team-up on The Flash’s new episode as Barry teams up with Arrow’s Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), their super friends from The Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl against the Dominators.

On top of that, Arrow Season 5 celebrates 100 episodes on Dec. 1, same day as the US at 9 p.m. and

it was nothing short of 100 percent epic. Not only Oliver woke up in one of the most unbelievable scenarios in his life, but also got ready as The Flash and Supergirl show up to face another mysterious threat.

You’ll never know when another crossover event happens again so you better tune in to DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Warner TV for the highly anticipated team up of the DC characters.

Warner TV is available on SKYcable Channel 77, SKYcable HD Channel 197, Cignal HD Channel 119, Destiny Cable (Digital) Channel 77, Destiny Cable (Analog) Channel 80, and Cable Link Channel 30.

For more updates on the best in action, comedy and drama, follow on facebook.com/WarnerTVAsia.

Rising pop diva Morissette Amon and teenage singing sensation Darren Espanto during the much talked about 1st Wish 107.5 Music Awards in January 2016

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

ISAH V. RED

P

ERHAPS, Wish 107.5 kicks off the award season with a bang!

On Jan. 16, the phenomenal FM radio station is set to celebrate the world-class Filipino musicality via the 2nd Wish 107.5 Music Awards (WMA), “Your Wishclusive Gateway to the World” at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The event will also Wish 107.5’s way of giving back to the artists that it now considers the true heroes behind the station’s rise from a young FM station to the sought-after gateway of homegrown performers to the world.

This year saw the phenomenal rise of Wish 107.5’s digital platforms. Its YouTube channel, now with over 240 million views and 650,000 subscribers as of this writing, is recognized internationally for its wide array of WIShclusive performances that highlight the artistry of various OPM acts.

The official list of nominees may be viewed on the event’s website,www. wish1075.com/wishawards, and Wish 107.5’s social media accounts.

For WMA’s sophomore year, the nominees will be vying for the following categories: Wish Promising Artist, Best Wish Cover, Best WISHclusive Performance by a Young Artist, Best WISHclusive Performance by a Group or a Duo, Best WISHclusive Performance by a Female Artist, Best WISHclusive Performance by a Male Artist, Best WISHclusive Collaboration, Wish Original Song of the Year by a Group or a Duo, Wish Original Song of the Year by a Female Artist, Wish Original Song of the Year by a Male Artist, Wish Young Artist of the Year, Wish Female Artist of the Year and Wish Male Artist of the Year.

Highest citations will be given to the first members of the WISHclusive Elite Circle, which will be one of the event’s highlights. The circle will be composed of music acts whose WISHclusive videos have garnered at least 10 million Yo u Tu b e v i e w s .

Artists with performances uploaded on the Wish 107.5 Yo u Tu b e c h a n n e l are eligible to join the exclusive group.

2ND WISH 107.5

MUSIC AWARDS on Jan. 16 Another special social media recognition is the WISHclusive Viral Video of the Year, which will be awarded to the WISHclusive performance that became the most phenomenal among all the other nominated videos in the 2nd WMA. The nominees were chosen by the WMA screening committee from the roster of artists whose songs were released and WISHclusive performances were rendered during the eligibility period, Nov. 1, 2015 to Oct. 31, 2016, after a month-long series of deliberation.

Online votes will comprise 50 percent of a nominee’s total score, while the other 50 percent will come from the votes of a select panel of judges. Polling period for the second WMA commenced on Dec.16, last year at 12nn and ends on Jan. 16 at 12 noon.

The first Wish 107.5 M u s i c Aw a r d s was held on Jan. 26 last y e a r.

Besides handing out awards, the station also doled out cash prizes to the chosen beneficiaries of the winner in major categories. *** Yasmien Kurdi is the featured performer in the first episode of Karelasyon today, the first for this year.

In the story, Sandy (Yasmien) and Martin (Ervic Vijandre) are conservative lovers who firmly believe in the

"Born To Be Wild" hosts Doc Nielsen Donato and Doc Ferds Recio

sanctity of marriage. Ergo, they have decided to wait for this special day before consummating their love.

But their relationship is put to the test even before their anticipated wedding. In one tragic incident, Sandy was raped and her soon-to-be groom Martin was not able to protect her.

Will the wedding still push though after what happened? What will prevail in Martin’s heart—pity for Sandy, anger at himself, or the desire to take revenge?

The episode also stars Roi Vinzon, Lucho Ayala, and Aaron Yanga.

Carla Abellana hosts the show every Saturday after #LIKE on GMA 7. *** Born to be Wild promises more exciting, adventure-filled wildlife stories this 2017.

For the first time on Philippine television, watch the stunning dynamics of a newly documented sardine school in the sea of Panglao, Bohol tomorrow on GMA 7.

Six months ago, local divers first saw and documented the sardine school.

Experts say that the sardines choose to be in the area because the temperature of the water and the abundance of food in the area.

Doc Nielsen Donato visits an elephant sanctuary in Thailand where 15 elephants are being rehabilitated.

Some of these elephants were once workers in Thailand’s logging industry while others were used as rides for tourists. In this sanctuary, elephants freely roam in an area resembling the wilderness. Doc Nielsen meets “Wassana”, a victim of a landmine explosion helps helps the animal’s wounds. *** Gandang Ricky Reyes Todo na Toh (GRR TNT) host Ricky Reyes

welcomes the New Year with Feng Shui Master Hanz Cua who will give guides and tips on what to do to bring abundance and success in life.

Feeling hot? Try the new Misty Kool, a high pressure outdoor cooling system invented by a Filipino businessman.

Meet Paola whom Ricky gave a wig that eventually made a big change in her life, for the better.

Watch how your favorite foods ham and chorizo are made and be healthy with Fiber Health.

Hair problems will be solved in all Gandang Ricky Reyes Salons with the following treatments: Regold for kinky hairs, SoftWave for dull hair and natural wigs for hair loss.

Pursue your passion in beauty, learn from the best and enroll at the Ricky Reyes Learning Institute (RRLI) with branches in Manila, Cubao, Anonas and Fairview.

Watch the first episode for 2017, 9 to 10 a.m. today with Ricky Reyes on GMA News TV.

TV host and beauty guru Ricky Reyes

Comedian and TV host Jimmy Fallon is tasked to headline this year's biggest TV event that honors the best in film and American television

JIMMY FALLON hosts 74th Annual Golden Globe® Awards JIMMY Fallon, late-night talk show entertainer, hosts the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards, which airs on RTL CBS Entertainment, live from the U.S. at 8 a.m. on Monday.

January’s three-hour Golden Globes telecast will serve as the official kickoff to the 2017 awards season.

“Jimmy Fallon is an exceptionally talented and dynamic entertainer and we couldn’t be more excited that he’ll be hosting the 2017 Golden Globes,” said Lorenzo Soria, Hollywood Foreign Press Association president. “His charm, wit and incredible spontaneity will play exceedingly well both to everyone at the show as well as the millions watching at home from around the world.”

“Jimmy Fallon’s brand of comedy will continue the tradition of cuttingedge excitement viewers have come to expect from the host of the Golden Globes,” said Allen Shapiro, Dick Clark Productions CEO. Nominations for the Golden Globes were announced on Dec. 12. Members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association vote for the winners.